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Dave Navarro says there’s ‘no chance’ of Jane’s Addiction reunion

Former Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro isn’t looking to get the band back together anytime soon.

Navarro, who comprised the Grammy-nominated rock band alongside singer Perry Farrell, bassist Eric Avery, and drummer Stephen Perkins, opened up about the future of the band after an explosive onstage altercation between him and Farrell derailed the group in September 2024.

The band’s infamous Boston concert, part of a long-awaited reunion tour, came to a shocking halt when Farrell punched Navarro, according to concert footage shared by fans at the time. Farrell was restrained by crew members and a man who appeared to be Avery as he threw punches and was pulled away from Navarro.

“I have to say that’s my least favorite gig, without throwing animosity around and without naming names and pointing fingers,” Navarro told Guitar Player in an interview published May 17, adding that the situation is “still very tender and unresolved.”

While the cause of the fight remains unclear, concert photographer Brian Mackenzie said in a statement at the time that Farrell “had a huge bottle of wine with him all evening,” while “Navarro and Avery kept chatting with each other the whole show and seemed angrier than normal.”

Prior to the conflict in Boston, Navarro said the band had been “gelling, really, for the first time” while touring in Europe. “There was no ego issue; it was just four guys making great music, just like we did in the beginning,” he said.

“There was an altercation onstage, and all the hard work and dedication and writing and hours in the studio and picking up and leaving home and crisscrossing the country and Europe and trying to overcome my illness — it all came to a screeching halt and forever destroyed the band’s life,” Navarro continued. “And there’s no chance for the band to ever play together again.”

Jane’s Addiction split, explained: Perry Farrell punches Dave Navarro during concert

Days after Navarro and Farrell’s altercation, Jane’s Addiction revealed to fans that it was canceling the remainder of its tour to “take some time away as a group.” But in a follow-up joint statement, Navarro, Avery, and Perkins cited Farrell’s behavior as the reason for the cancellation.

“Our concern for his personal health and safety as well as our own has left us no alternative. We hope that he will find the help he needs,” the musicians said. “We can see no solution that would either ensure a safe environment onstage or reliably allow us to deliver a great performance on a nightly basis.”

Farrell apologized to Navarro and his bandmates in a statement shared with USA TODAY in September 2024: “Unfortunately, my breaking point resulted in inexcusable behavior, and I take full accountability for how I chose to handle the situation.”

Jane’s Addiction cancels tour after Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro fight

This isn’t the first time Navarro and Farrell have had friction. In July 1991, the men got into a fight mid-performance while playing at the inaugural Lollapalooza festival.

Apart from the single “True Love,” released five days after Navarro and Farrell’s altercation, Jane’s Addiction has not released any new material. In January 2025, Avery teased in an Instagram post that he was writing new music with Perkins and Navarro, though he did not specify if the collaboration was for a Jane’s Addiction project.

“The experiences are there, but the potential of having those types of experiences ended that night,” Navarro told Guitar Player. “And so, you know…it is what it is. And that’s my answer.”

Contributing: Jay Stahl and Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY

May 19, 2025
The Who drummer Zak Starkey claims he was fired for the second time

Zak Starkey’s exit interview may ruffle some feathers.

The Who drummer, reinstated into the iconic rock band after being fired in April 2025, revealed he was let go a second time in a May 18 Instagram post. This social media announcement came just before The Who revealed Starkey’s departure in its own post.

“I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit The Who to pursue my other musical endeavors,” Starkey, 59, wrote. “This would be a lie.”

The Who shared in its May 18 announcement that musician Scott Devours, who previously worked with lead singer Roger Daltrey, would replace Starkey while he pursues other projects.

“The Who are heading for retirement, whereas Zak is 20yrs younger and has a great future with his new band and other exciting projects,” Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend wrote. “He needs to devote all his energy into making it all a success. We both wish him all the luck in the world.”

USA TODAY has reached out to The Who for comment.

Alluding to the back-and-forth of his employment with The Who, Starkey said quitting the band “would also have let down the countless amazing people who stood up for me (thank you all a million times over and more) thru the weeks of mayhem of me going ‘in an out an in an out an in an out like a bleedin’ squeezebox.”

In mid-April, a representative for the band told multiple outlets, including Rolling Stone and The Guardian, that The Who “made a collective decision to part ways with” Starkey after a round of shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall. According to Metro, Daltrey expressed frustration onstage during the show, saying he was having difficulty hearing because “all I’ve got is drums going boom, boom, boom. I can’t sing to that.”

Zak Starkey drama, explained: The Who reinstates drummer days after firing him

In his statement to Rolling Stone, Starkey expressed surprise at his firing and indicated it was sparked by his Royal Albert Hall performance. Starkey, who joined The Who in 1996, also shared that he suffered a “serious medical emergency with blood clots in my right bass drum calf” in January, though he said the ailment later healed.

But the band reversed course in an April 19 statement on The Who’s website, which stated that Starkey, son of Beatles alum Ringo Starr, was no longer “being asked to step down” from the band.

“There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily,” Townshend said. “Roger and I would like Zak to tighten up his latest evolved drumming style to accommodate our non-orchestral lineup and he has readily agreed.”

Townshend added that the situation surrounding Starkey’s firing “blew up very quickly and got too much oxygen,” and the band will “move forward now with optimism and fire in our bellies.” He also apologized for “not crushing” a rumor that Devours would replace Starkey.

The Who is set to embark on a North American farewell tour titled The Song Is Over. The 16-show outing will kick off Aug. 16 in Sunrise, Florida.

Contributing: Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY

May 19, 2025
Mariska Hargitay reveals Nelson Sardelli is her biological father

Mariska Hargitay is opening up about a family bombshell.

The “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star, 61, reveals in her new documentary “My Mom Jayne” that her biological father is actually Italian singer Nelson Sardelli, not Mickey Hargitay, the man who raised her.

According to Vanity Fair, Hargitay says in the movie, which premiered at Cannes Film Festival on May 17, that it was “like the floor fell out from underneath me” when she saw a photo of Sardelli in her 20s and instantly knew he was her biological dad.

Mariska Hargitay’s mother, the late actress Jayne Mansfield, became romantically involved with Sardelli in 1963, amid her divorce from Mickey Hargitay. Mansfield and Hargitay reconciled toward the end of 1963, and Mariska Hargitay was born in January 1964.

Mariska Hargitay turns to true mystery: Her mother, Jayne Mansfield

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Hargitay said she “went full Olivia Benson,” referring to her “Law & Order” character, when she was 30 and introduced herself to Sardelli after going to see him perform in Atlantic City. She recalled telling him, “I don’t want anything, I don’t need anything from you … I have a dad.’” She said, however, that she would go on to develop a bond with Sardelli, who appears on camera in the film.

In “My Mom Jayne,” Hargitay explores the story of her mother, who died in a car crash in 1967, when the future “Law & Order” actress was 3.

In a prior announcement, Hargitay described the documentary as “a search for the mother I never knew, an integration of a part of myself I’d never owned, and a reclaiming of my mother’s story and my own truth.” She added, “I’ve always believed there is strength in vulnerability, and the process of making this film has confirmed that belief like never before.”

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Hargitay said she struggled to navigate “knowing I’m living a lie my entire life” after learning the truth about her parentage. She said the movie is also a love letter to Mickey Hargitay, who died in 2006. She shared that there is “no one that I was closer to on this planet” and reflected, “I’m Mickey Hargitay’s daughter − that is not a lie.”

Reunited! ‘Law & Order: SVU’ stars Mariska Hargitay, Chris Meloni photographed together at NBA game

Following the film’s Cannes premiere, “My Mom Jayne” is set to debut June 27 on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

Contributing: Anna Kaufman

May 19, 2025
Bruce Springsteen speaks out after Trump’s ‘dried-out prune’ slam
- Bruce Springsteen called the Trump administration ‘corrupt, incompetent and treasonous.’
Bruce Springsteen didn’t back down.

The Boss reinforced his remarks about President Donald Trump at the E Street Band’s May 17 show at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England − a line of criticism that previously prompted Trump to call Springsteen a “dried out prune.”

“My home America, the America I’ve written about that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration,” said Springsteen to cheers as he took the stage, echoing what he said at the tour’s opening show on May 14 at the same venue. “This is ‘Land of Hope and Dreams.’ “

“Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American spirit to rise with us, raise your voices and stand with us against authoritarianism and let freedom ring,” said Springsteen, according to a livestream of the show.

Trump calls Bruce Springsteen a ‘jerk’: The president slapped back after the musician voiced criticism at concert

Springsteen also repeated his statement on free speech before “My City of Ruins.”

“There’s some very weird, strange, and dangerous (expletive) going on out there right now,” said Springsteen during both shows. “In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now.”

Trump posted a reply the morning of May 16 on his Truth Social account.

“I see that Highly Overrated Bruce Springsteen goes to a Foreign Country to speak badly about the President of the United States,” Trump said. “Never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he’s not a talented guy − Just a pushy, obnoxious JERK, who fervently supported Crooked Joe Biden, a mentally incompetent FOOL, and our WORST EVER President, who came close to destroying our Country.”

Trump also suggested there would be consequences if Springsteen had made the statement in the U.S.

“This dried out ‘prune’ of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied!) ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back into the Country, that’s just ‘standard fare,’ ” Trump said. “Then we’ll all see how it goes for him!”

Much of the music world is showing support for Springsteen. Pearl Jam covered “My City of Ruins” at their May 16 show in Pittsburgh and Jason Isbell played The Boss’ “Cover Me” at his Count Basie Center for the Arts show in Red Bank, New Jersey, also on Friday.

The American Federation of Musicians issued a statement of support on May 16 for Springsteen and Taylor Swift, who Trump insulted the same day with a short missive stating: “Has anyone noticed that, since I said ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,’ she’s no longer ‘HOT?’ “

“The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada will not remain silent as two of our members − Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift − are singled out and personally attacked by the President of the United States,” the group said. “Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift are not just brilliant musicians, they are role models and inspirations to millions of people in the United States and across the world. … Musicians have the right to freedom of expression, and we stand in solidarity with all our members.”

Trump and Springsteen are neighbors − kind of. Springsteen, 75, has a home in Colts Neck, New Jersey, and Trump, 78, owns the Trump National Golf Club there. Trump has attended several equestrian events where Jessica Springsteen, The Boss’ daughter, has competed, including the 2013 Trump Invitational Grand Prix in Palm Beach.

In 2016, Trump played Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” at his campaign rallies. Springsteen has been critical of Trump’s policies since 2016, but this week is the first time he’s addressed them from the concert stage.

Springsteen and the E Street Band are currently on the 16-show Land of Hope and Dreams tour of Europe.
May 19, 2025
Eurovision 2025 winner is Austria’s JJ for song ‘Wasted Love’

John Revill
| Reuters

BASEL, Switzerland − Austria won Eurovision Song Contest 2025 on May 17, the country’s first victory since bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst won in 2014.

Operatic singer JJ won ahead of Israel’s Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the Oct. 7 attacks, who sang “New Day Will Rise.” The event is the world’s biggest music competition, watched by more than 160 million people across the world.

The win was Austria’s third in the competition, following Conchita’s success and Udo Juergens’ victory in 1966.

JJ, 24, a countertenor opera singer from Vienna, combined elements of opera, techno and soprano in his song “Wasted Love,” winning the hearts of the professional juries and telephone voters.

“This is absolutely insane. My dreams came true,” said the singer, whose real name is Johannes Pietsch. “It’s out of this world.”

Going into the final, the Filipino-Austrian was second favorite behind Swedish comedy trio KAJ, whose song extolling the joy of saunas had been the hot favorite with bookmakers and ultimately finished fourth.

Switzerland, hosting after Swiss rapper and singer Nemo won last year’s contest in Malmo, Sweden, finished 10th.

JJ said he wanted to give listeners an insight into his deepest thoughts when he wrote the song, and was happy it had resonated with so many fans.

“There’s no wasted love. Love is never wasted. There’s so much love that we can spread around, and we should use love as the strongest force on planet Earth,” he added.

His success was applauded by Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, who said JJ was writing musical history.

“Dear JJ, you have moved Europe with your voice and sung Austria into the spotlight,” Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said on X.

JJ told reporters he would like next year’s event to be hosted in his hometown of Vienna, which hosted the 2015 final, and added he would like to be a TV host for the event.

Meinl-Reisinger and others joked about the significant cost of holding the event at a time when the government is planning to cut spending by billions of euros a year to rein in the budget deficit.

“Now we’re going to have to take a look at our budget,” she wrote on X. “But isn’t it fantastic?”

Fans traveled from across Europe and beyond to Basel, with 100,000 people attending Eurovision events in the city, including the final.

Hermann Heyn travelled from Chile for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“We came from really, really far away for this,” he told Reuters. “We are not even competing, but we needed to be here.”

Eurovision, which stresses its political neutrality, faced controversy again this year amid the war in Gaza.

Israel’s entrant, Raphael, was at the Nova music festival during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli officials.

The singer was the most popular among the general public to finish behind Austria, the most popular contestant among the juries.

Pro-Palestinian groups urged the European Broadcasting Union to exclude Israel over Gaza, where more than 50,000 people have been killed in the ensuing offensive by Israel, according to local health officials.

Around 200 protesters mounted a demonstration in Basel on Saturday evening, while two protesters attempted to get on to the stage during Raphael’s performance but were halted by security officials. Nobody was injured.

Spanish public broadcaster RTVE displayed a message before the start of the Eurovision show that read: “When human rights are at stake, silence is not an option. Peace and Justice for Palestine.”

Contributing: Johnny Cotton, Cecile Mantovani, Swantje Stein, Max Schwarz and Denis Balibouse with Francois Murphy in Vienna and Ana Rios Cantero in Madrid

May 19, 2025
Jennifer Lawrence talks having kids as ‘Die, My Love’ hits Cannes

Jennifer Lawrence could be poised for her first Oscar nomination in a decade.

The “Hunger Games” star, 34, is already earning awards buzz for her latest film “Die, My Love,” which premiered May 17 at Cannes Film Festival in France. Based on the 2017 novel, the movie stars Lawrence as a young mother “fighting her inner demons,” according to the film’s official festival synopsis. Robert Pattinson co-stars.

Lawrence became a mother in 2022 when she welcomed her first child with husband Cooke Maroney. She and Maroney welcomed their second child together earlier this year.

The actress reflected on being a mom during a Cannes news conference.

Jennifer Lawrence shares story of abuse: I had to lose 15 pounds, pose nude

“Having children changes everything,” she said. “It changes your whole life. It’s brutal and incredible. Not only do they go into every decision of if I’m working, where I’m working, when I’m working, (but also) they’ve taught me − I didn’t know that I could feel so much.”

“They’ve changed my life, obviously, for the best, and they’ve changed me creatively,” she added before quipping, “I highly recommend having kids if you want to be an actor.”

Lawrence also reflected on the postpartum period while discussing the role. “There’s not really anything like postpartum,” she said. “It’s extremely isolating. … Extreme anxiety and extreme depression is isolating, no matter where you are. You feel like an alien.”

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Early reviews for “Die, My Love” have heaped praise on Lawrence, with Deadline’s Damon Wise writing that it “might yet prove to be a career best” for the actress, IndieWire’s Ryan Lattanzio saying that she has “never been better,” and Vanity Fair’s Richard Lawson declaring that she is “mesmerizing.”

If Lawrence is nominated at the Oscars in 2026, it would be her first Academy Award nod since 2016, when she was up for best actress for “Joy.” She won best actress for “Silver Linings Playbook” in 2013, when she was 22, and has also been nominated for “Winter’s Bone” and “American Hustle.”

After taking a step back from acting, Lawrence has only appeared in a handful of films in recent years, including the 2021 satire “Don’t Look Up” and the 2023 romantic comedy “No Hard Feelings.” Speaking about her acting hiatus on “The Late Show” in 2021, “I took a break and nobody really cared,” she said.

“I got to feel like I could become a part of the world again without fanfare.”

May 19, 2025
Beyoncé delivers again on night two of her Chicago tour stop

Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” tour is back to regular scheduled programming as the singer brought the heat for a second time in Chicago after facing weather delays her first night.

Beyoncé kicked off the concert around 8:22 p.m. CT on May 17 at Solder Field — similar to her usual start time for the concerts. The Chi-town performance marked Beyoncé’s second time she performed her Cowboy Carter and Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit Tour on the stage.

“I’m actually really excited and looking forward to it! I feel like her energy is going to be like night one,” said longtime Beyoncé fan and Chicago native Whitney Davis as she waited for the show to start. And Beyoncé delivered another stellar performance, marked by new outfits, new ad-libs and a star-studded audience that included Tyler Perry and “Cowboy Carter” collaborator Shaboozey.

As fans know, the Chicago opener was delayed hours due to sever weather in the area. However neither a wether delay or a temporary evacuation could dampen the crowd’s sky-high energy throughout the night. Beyoncé and her fans weathered the storm as she put on a high-energy performance

“Beyoncé could come out at midnight. Guess what’s going to happen? We’ll still be out here waiting,” said one fan as he waited for the second show to start in the Windy City.

The Grammy-winning singer is set to perform her “Cowboy Carter” tour at Soldier Field for a total of three nights. The remaining show will take place May 18 on the same stage.

Of course, Beyoncé first debuted the highly anticipated show at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on April 28 with 39 songs on the set list. She performed a total of five shows there, and the concerts proved to be revolutionary spectacle filled with fashion, different music genres and most notably country music and politics.

The nine-city tour will span the U.S. and Europe with the grand finale taking place in Las Vegas on July 26. Beyoncé has already made history with her scheduled tour dates, including by playing the most dates at SoFi Stadium of any artist.

Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network’s Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.

May 19, 2025
Beyoncé shares another hilarious moment with the robot onstageMusic

Beyoncé shares another hilarious moment with the robot onstageMusic

May 19, 2025
Beyoncé gives shout-out to Shaboozey during second Chicago show

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has yet to perform onstage with her “Cowboy Carter” collaborators during the tour, but one in particular showed up to her show in Chicago. And she made sure to give him a special shout-out.

Beyoncé took the stage at Solider Field for her second concert in the Windy City on May 17. During her performance, she told fans there was a special guest in the building.

“We got Shaboozey in the house tonight,” she said. And the Nigerian-American artist was sure to confirm this, posting the stadium to his Instagram story during the show. Born as Collins Chibueze, Shaboozey is featured on her songs “Spaghettii” and “Sweet Honey Buckiin’” from the eight studio album.

While she was handing out thank-yous toward the end of the show, she once again expressed her appreciation for the “Tipsy” singer, saying, “once again thank you to Shaboozey for being here tonight.” Fans will remember, Beyoncé performed with Shaboozey during the NFL halftime performance on Christmas Day. Some of her other featured guests and collaborators included Post Malone, Tiera Kennedy, Brittney Spencer, Tanner Adell and Reyna Roberts.

The Grammy-winning singer will perform her “Cowboy Carter” tour at Soldier Field for a total of three nights. The last concert in Chi-town is set for May 18 on the same stage.

Of course, Beyoncé first debuted the highly anticipated show at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on April 28 with 39 songs on the set list. She performed a total of five shows there, and the concerts proved to be revolutionary spectacle filled with fashion, different music genres and most notably country music and politics.

The nine-city tour will span the U.S. and Europe with the grand finale taking place in Las Vegas on July 26. Beyoncé has already made history with her scheduled tour dates, including by playing the most dates at SoFi Stadium of any artist.

Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network’s Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.

May 18, 2025
‘SNL’ finale mocks Trump’s Middle East trip, cast departure rumors

A landmark season of “Saturday Night Live” is in the books.

The Season 50 finale of “SNL” kicked off with a spoof of President Donald Trump’s recent trip to the Middle East. Joined by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (played by Emil Wakim), Trump (James Austin Johnson) declared that he has been having a fantastic week.

“I didn’t make this trip for myself, I want to make that clear,” he said. “I did this for the American people. And, in many ways, myself, my personal enrichment. I did that, too. I did very well on this trip. Got a lot of cool stuff.”

Johnson’s Trump denied that a luxury jet offered to him by Qatar’s royal family is a bribe “because they haven’t asked for anything in return,” though bin Salman quickly interjected, “Well, not yet.” Johnson’s Trump conceded, “All right, so it’s a pre-bribe.”

‘SNL’ Season 50 finale: Michael Che apologizes to Scarlett Johansson for crude ‘Weekend Update’ joke swap

He also noted “I don’t think I saw a single woman” on his Middle East trip. “The women are all hiding. It’s like a nation of Melanias.”

But the end of the cold open got seriously meta, with Johnson’s Trump saying he can’t “stay in this sketch much longer” before walking out into the audience to speak to the camera about the “SNL” finale.

“After tonight, you won’t be seeing me here for a while,” he said. “Well, not the fake, fun version of me that makes you smile. The real one will still be omnipresent. You can’t escape me, right? I’m everywhere.”

He concluded, “See you again in the fall, if we still have a country, right? It’s a coin toss.”

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Who’s leaving ‘SNL’? Scarlett Johansson monologue jokes about cast departure speculation

Rumors ran wild heading into the finale about which cast members might not return for Season 51.

That still hasn’t been confirmed, but host Scarlett Johansson’s monologue had fun with the rumors and speculation. The “Jurassic World Rebirth” star brought the cast out to join her in a parody of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man,” with the lyrics rewritten to be about the “SNL” finale.

“It lasted forever, we did it together, and we got to spend it with you,” Johansson and the cast sang.

“It’s been a great season, and Sarah is leaving,” Johansson also sang, referring to Sarah Sherman, before the rest of the cast joined in, “We’re all going to miss you next year.”

But Sherman, who is not known to be leaving the show, jokingly acted distraught, asking, “Wait, what? Did you guys hear something? What do you mean leaving?”

Colin Jost brings Scarlett Johansson flowers as ‘SNL’ Season 50 wraps

Some fans had speculated Colin Jost could be leaving the show after the Season 50 finale, or perhaps getting a promotion that would take him off of “Weekend Update.”

Nothing was confirmed during the episode, which ended with a sweet moment between Johansson and Jost, who are married and have a young son together. As Johansson was saying goodnight at the end of the show, Jost walked out and handed her flowers before the two shared a kiss.

May 18, 2025