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  • Crossword Blog & Answers for April 15, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher

    Crossword Blog & Answers for April 15, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher

    There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Double Your Money

    Constructor: Jess Rucks

    Editor: Amanda Rafkin

    Comments from Today’s Crossword Constructor

    Jess: I am happy to have found a theme set where each theme answer is a type of food, and where each word in each theme answer is a slang word for money. TBH, I was probably hungry when I thought of this! I’m also pleased with the clues for CAN and AIR. Hope you enjoyed the puzzle!

    What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

    • BREAD CHEESE (19A: Squeaky curd similar to paneer) BREAD CHEESE, which does not contain any BREAD, is a type of CHEESE that originated in Scandinavia. BREAD CHEESE is traditionally pressed into a round disk and then baked, grilled, or flambéed, which caramelizes the sugars on the outside of the cheese, forming a charred crust. BREAD CHEESE is sometimes eaten dipped in coffee, but it’s also eaten plain, drizzled with honey, or dipped in marinara sauce.

    Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

    • YOUNG (14A: “Forever ___” (Bob Dylan song)) “Forever YOUNG” is a 1974 song written and recorded by Bob Dylan. “May your heart always be joyful / May your song always be sung / And may you stay forever YOUNG.”
    • ABE (15A: “Honest” prez) This clue contains a couple of clues for solvers. The use of the word “prez,” the shortened form of president, indicates the answer will be the shortened form of a word. The quotation marks around the word “honest” indicate that word is paired with the answer. Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States, is known by the nickname “Honest ABE.”
    • TETRA (16A: Common aquarium fish) TETRA is a common name used to refer to over 150 types of fish. As the clue informs us, many types of TETRA do well in aquariums.
    • AKBAR (17A: “Allahu ___”) “Allahu AKBAR,” meaning “God is greater,” is a phrase used by Muslims in prayers and as a declaration of faith.
    • EVE (21A: ___ Polastri (Sandra Oh role)) Killing EVE (2018-2022) is a BBC series about an investigator, EVE Polastri, who is tracking the psychopathic assassin, Villanelle. Sandra Oh portrays EVE, and Jodie Comer plays the role of Villanelle. The show is based on the Villanelle series of books by Luke Jennings.
    • DES (26A: ___ Moines, Iowa) DES Moines is the capital of Iowa. I’m always happy to see DES Moines shouted out in the puzzle. I spent four and a half years there while attending Drake University.
    • AZTEC (27A: Huitzilopochtli worshipper) Huitzilopochtli is a God of Sun and War in the AZTEC religion. Huitzilopochtli was the patron god of the AZTECs.
    • ROPE (30A: ___ arrows (Tomb Raider tools used to create ziplines)) This is a reference to the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider franchise that includes video games and movies. A little over a week ago we saw ARROW clued as [Bit of ammo for Lara Croft]. It’s fun to see ROPE arrows, a specific type of arrows, referenced today.
    • TAO (40A: “___ Te Ching”) The TAO Te Ching is a fundamental text for Taoism. The oldest excavated portion of the TAO Te Ching dates back to the 4th century BCE.
    • CRADLE (25D: Cat’s ___) Cat’s CRADLE is a two-person game played with a loop of string. I enjoyed seeing this answer, as I have spent hours of my life playing cat’s CRADLE, as well as making other string figures.
    • TIN (28D: “Cat on a Hot ___ Roof”) Cat on a Hot TIN Roof is a 1955 play by Tennessee Williams, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. A 1958 movie adaptation of the same name starred Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman. I’m guessing Jess’s cat, Milo, appreciates the word “cat” appearing in these two consecutive clues.
    • ETTA (29D: “A Sunday Kind of Love” singer James) ETTA James included the song, “A Sunday Kind of Love,” on her 1960 album, At Last! “I want a Sunday kind of love / A love to last past Saturday night…”
    • SLEEPY (43D: Yawning friend of Happy and Sneezy) Happy, Sneezy, and SLEEPY, along with Doc, Grumpy, Bashful, and Dopey, are the seven dwarfs in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
    • EGYPT (49D: Country home to the Great Sphinx) The Great Sphinx is a statue located in Giza, EGYPT. It is one of the oldest known sculptures in EGYPT, dating to the 2500s BCE. A sphinx is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion.
    • MENDS (53D: Darns, say) and RATS (55D: “Darn!”) I appreciate the repeated use of the word “darn” in these consecutive clues.
    • EDU (59D: URL ending for the Culinary Institute of America) The main campus of the Culinary Institute of America is located in Hyde Park, New York. The school also has campuses in St. Helena, California, Napa, California, San Antonio, Texas, and Singapore. It was fun to see this clue immediately followed by EAT (60D: “Let them ___ cake”). I imagine a few cakes are made (and eaten) at the Culinary Institute of America.
    • A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
      • CAN (9A: Crushable Crush container)
      • AIR (22A: Too much of it might burst your bubble)
      • NOT BAD (1D: “I don’t hate it, surprisingly!”)
      • YAHTZEE (14D: Dice game whose name might be shouted during gameplay)

    Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

    • BREAD CHEESE (19A: Squeaky curd similar to paneer)
    • CHICKEN TENDER (35A: Strip of breaded white meat often served with dipping sauce)
    • GREEN CABBAGE (54A: Vegetable often used in coleslaw)

    DOUBLE YOUR MONEY: Each theme answer consists of two words that may be used to refer to MONEY: BREAD, CHEESE, CHICKEN, TENDER, GREEN, and CABBAGE.

    I had the pleasure of meeting Jess Rucks in person at the recent American Crossword Puzzle Tournament held in Stamford, Connecticut. It’s always a joy to meet crossword constructors in person! Oh yes, about Jess’s puzzle. It’s a nice extra that each of the MONEY terms are DOUBLEd in a phrase that is a type of food. The term “CHICKEN” to refer to MONEY is new to me. According to Urban Dictionary, the term CHICKEN usually refers to cash. Thank you, Jess, for this enjoyable puzzle.

    For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

  • Josh Groban blown away by a longtime fan’s talent

    Josh Groban blown away by a longtime fan’s talent

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    The “American Idol” Top 24 have shown off their chops, and it’s time for viewers to have their voices heard, too.

    Monday night’s episode rode the wave from Sunday night and brought out the second half of the Top 24 performers. Now, for the first time this season, it’s up to “Idol” fans to determine who makes it through after next week; votes can be cast at americanIdol.com/vote.

    Highlights from night two of the Top 24 performances included spot-on feedback from Broadway star and multi-platinum singer Josh Groban, who was a guest mentor alongside artist-in-residence Jelly Roll; a high-energy cover by Desmond Roberts that would give Stevie Wonder a run for his money; and a Kelly Clarkson-esque rendition of an Avril Lavigne song by Drew Ryn.

    Last night: Luke Bryan, Jelly Roll admit song covers are better than their versions

    Meanwhile, Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan again took a step back from critical feedback in favor of uplifting each singer and encouraging viewers to vote.

    Here are some of the best moments from Episode 9.

    Amanda Barise flirts with Josh Groban, puts a new spin on ‘Defying Gravity’

    For the Top 24, seasoned performer Amanda Barise, who fancied herself as the underdog in this competition, chose a song she felt “embodies my time on the show.” She and the band came up with a unique, upbeat and slightly tropical-themed arrangement for “Defying Gravity” from “Wicked.”

    During rehearsals, she mentioned more than once that Groban was her first crush, and in turn, he revealed her singing videos had come up on his Instagram feed. He came away from the rehearsal saying, “Amanda is a vocal technician. There’s very little she can’t do.”

    Amanda, showcasing her newfound confidence, was barefoot on stage as she seemingly hit every note known to mankind in delivering her rendition of Elphaba’s famous solo. The song’s dramatic climax was something that must be heard to be believed.

    Though the judges all shared their compliments, Groban’s was by far the most effusive: “Everything you do is extraordinary. I’ll be your fan and I’ll be watching from the sidelines and I’ll be cheering you on every step of the way.”

    Luke Bryan jumps on his seat in excitement over piano man Josh King

    Josh King has only gotten better since finding himself some main character energy in the first round of Hollywood Week.

    The airport piano performer officially earned the “most improved” award by donning a white blazer and matching pants and breaking out some impressive footwork while performing “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John. As he walked around toting the whole mic stand, he got the judges dancing up on their feet.

    There was no trace left of the guy who had his butt firmly on a piano seat during his “Over the Rainbow” audition.

    If you recall, Bryan’s criticism at the time was that “you can’t dance to the way you’re playing,” and Underwood wasn’t willing to advance him through the competition (he got by with yeses from Richie and Bryan). Weeks later, Josh is kneeling on the ground, whipping out a harmonica and charismatically engaging with the crowd.

    Bryan, who had bragging rights for seeing Josh’s promise from the beginning, was left jumping on his seat as Underwood alluded to it being a “perfect performance.” She added, “If you had told me on your first audition that you’d be here right now just crushing it, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.”

    Richie was in shock over Josh’s dexterity. “You are a showman on top of being a great singer,” he said.

    Carrie Underwood gets emotional: Country singer on the difficulty of being vocal about faith

    Mattie Pruitt takes on ‘iconic’ Katy Perry song

    As it turns out, this isn’t 15-year-old Mattie Pruitt’s first “Idol” journey. It’s revealed that her mom, Sara, was pregnant with Mattie when she auditioned for the show more than a decade ago.

    After producers used some “Disney magic” to surprise Mattie with an appearance from Sara during rehearsals, the two did a sweet cover of “At Last!” It was immediately clear where Mattie got her singing chops from.

    The Tennessee high school student appropriately donned a cotton candy-colored tiered gown as she took on “Wide Awake,” which Underwood called “an iconic monster of a song.” It was too bad Katy Perry was no longer around to hear it.

    Mattie’s now-signature came through as she sang “wish I knew then what I know now,” and her pitch-perfect delivery had Richie exclaiming “oh my god!” midway through the soaring performance. Later, Richie told Mattie, “I’m telling you, if this is how you start your career? Oh my god, the future is yours.”

    Bryan, though complimentary, accurately pointed out Mattie could do more with her stage presence: “Get in that rockstar mode. Get in what you see Carrie Underwood do when she gets on stage.”

    ‘American Idol’ 2025 Top 20 reveal

    The four contestants who were eliminated via the season’s first audience vote will be revealed Sunday, April 20, during the three-hour Easter special.

    CeCe Winans, Season 22’s Roman Collins, The Brown Four, along with Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Underwood, will take the stage. So will the Top 20 contestants.

  • Aimee Lou Wood: 'White Lotus' star through the yearsCelebrities

    Aimee Lou Wood: 'White Lotus' star through the yearsCelebrities

    Aimee Lou Wood: ‘White Lotus’ star through the yearsCelebrities

  • Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs appears in court, pleads not guilty to new charges

    Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs appears in court, pleads not guilty to new charges

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    Sean “Diddy” Combs has again pleaded not guilty to new charges brought against him by U.S. attorneys, who accuse him of turning his “multi-faceted business empire” into a “criminal enterprise” over two decades.

    Three weeks before Combs’ criminal trial is set to begin, the 55-year-old Grammy-winning hip-hop mogul appeared in Manhattan court Monday afternoon for an arraignment. Reuters reports Combs entered a not guilty plea in response to the latest criminal indictment, filed April 3, that adds one count of sex trafficking and one count of transportation to engage in prostitution of “Victim-2” to the previous three charges against him.

    In the third superseding indictment, prosecutors claimed Combs’ alleged behavior in the additional criminal claims took place from 2021 to 2024.

    In response to the revised indictment, Combs’ legal team previously said in a statement to USA TODAY, “These are not new allegations or new accusers. These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships. This was their private sex life, defined by consent, not coercion.”

    USA TODAY has reached out to Combs’ team for comment.

    What crimes is Diddy accused of committing?

    Combs now faces two counts of sex trafficking, two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and one count of racketeering ahead of his May 5 trial. He has adamantly maintained his innocence in the criminal case as well as in response to dozens of sexual assault lawsuits, which detail alleged events that date back to the 1990s, that have been filed over the past 1½ years.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York first unsealed its criminal charges against Combs on Sept. 17. Federal prosecutors have since leveled a few new accusations in three superseding indictments as their investigation continues to unfold.

    In prosecutors’ second superseding indictment from March, new accusations against Combs claimed he subjected employees to forced labor under inhumane circumstances.

    Combs and his conspirators “maintained control over certain employees of the Combs Business” and “forced” them to “work long hours with little sleep, through use of, among other things, physical force, psychological harm, financial harm, and reputational harm, and/or threats of the same,” per the indictment.

    This was an amended version of the first superseding indictment in January, which added three unnamed women who were allegedly victims of his so-called sex trafficking enterprise.

    Prosecutors allege that as part of Combs’ alleged “criminal enterprise,” he and his associates engaged in kidnapping, arson and physical violence, sex trafficking and forced labor, among other crimes.

    In November 2023, Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed — and quickly settled — a lawsuit with bombshell assault and abuse allegations against the Bad Boy Records founder. The unnamed “Victim 1” in the criminal indictment against Combs has been identified as Cassie.

    Combs is currently in jail after being denied bond multiple times. Jury selection is scheduled to start May 5, with an anticipated May 12 date for opening statements.

    If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.

    Contributing: Jay Stahl, USA TODAY

  • Gayle King explains ‘nervous’ appearance ahead of Blue Origin flight

    Gayle King explains ‘nervous’ appearance ahead of Blue Origin flight

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    Gayle King’s game face might be a little shaky, but that’s OK.

    The television news journalist, 70, launched into space Monday morning on the historic all-female Blue Origin flight that explored the outer orbit for 11 minutes.

    The mission, called NS-31, also included pop star Katy Perry and journalist Lauren Sánchez, alongside former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen and film producer Kerianne Flynn. The six women became the first all-female space crew in more than 60 years, Blue Origin has said.

    However, King’s trailblazer spirit didn’t spare the “CBS Mornings” co-host of some last-minute jitters. While walking toward the capsule, King and her crewmates rang a ceremonial bell before boarding. Her notably serious facial expression drew concern and playful teasing from fans on social media.

    “I don’t think Gayle will make it,” Amelda Packiry wrote on Facebook. “She will stop that rocket before liftoff. She looks very much nervous.”

    Well, after a successful touchdown, King shared what was going through her mind before leaving the atmosphere.

    History made: Katy Perry, Gayle King go to space on Blue Origin flight

    Why Gayle King was ‘so afraid’ ahead of space flight

    During a press conference following the space flight, King — a self-professed “nervous flier” — reflected on her anxious demeanor ahead of launch.

    “At that moment I was so afraid, I just wanted to get into my seat because I just wanted to let the training kick in,” King explained. “I just wanted to get inside the capsule and sit down. So, the process of walking up there was a little daunting for me.”

    Despite the nerve-wracking feat, King expressed gratitude for the life-changing experience, adding, “I know I will never forget it.”

    “I walked out of there thinking, gosh I can do anything,” King said. “I’m so proud of us. I really am proud of me because I never in a gazillion years thought I could do this.”

    ‘The highest high’: Katy Perry, Gayle King recap emotional flight to space

    Gayle King entertains the internet with space flight nerves

    King’s pre-flight nerves quickly became a hot topic on social media, with fans weighing in on the news personality’s appearance.

    “Gayle King is all of us on a Monday,” @DarkSkinPrue wrote on X.

    “Gayle King looks scared. She’s not even smiling,” Laura Trestrail commented on Facebook. “Should of had her BFF Oprah (Winfrey) go with her 🫣💡”

    “Lmao it’s Gayle King’s face for me. A face of regret or? 😂🤣,” X user @JTwifeyy wrote.

    In a more sentimental take, Kayla Starr Simmons shared on Threads that King’s resolve to conquer her flying fears was inspiring.

    “She’s been talking so transparently about how scared she was to do this. You could quite literally see the fear in her eyes as she rung the bell, she looked terrified!”, Simmons wrote. “The main thing I learned is to do it, and do it scared. Live your life fully without any regrets.”

    Contributing: Anna Kaufman and Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY

  • Who stars in ‘Last of Us’? Kaitlyn Dever, Isabela Merced, more

    Who stars in ‘Last of Us’? Kaitlyn Dever, Isabela Merced, more

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    Every post-apocalyptic series has its share of cast turnover. But Pedro Pascal singlehandedly changed the face of HBO’s “The Last of Us” with the horrifying Season 1 hospital finale.

    Pascal’s enraged protector, Joel, mowed down the rebel Fireflies (including the surgeon in scrubs), who were about to study immune Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) brain for a possible infection cure to save humanity.

    Season 2 kicked off April 13 (now streaming on Max) with a revamped crew of returning faces and new characters in the video game adaptation — including a posse seeking revenge for Joel’s violent act of surrogate father love.

    Here are the main players joining Joel and Ellie in fortified Jackson, Wyoming, five years after the Firefly destruction:

    “The Last of Us” USA TODAY review Season 2 finds its horrors but loses the plot

    Isabela Merced stars as Dina

    Who’s Dina? The warrior who patrols the infected has become Ellie’s best friend and joke-cracking action sidekick. The Dina-Ellie relationship goes deeper during a dance in Episode 1. While Ellie is subconsciously furious at her surrogate dad, Dina gamely rewatches the beloved “Curtis and Viper 2” movie with Joel. “He’s like Dina’s fun uncle,” says Merced. “We don’t see that dynamic in the game, but it really informs how we’ll see Dina later on.”

    We’ve seen Isabela Merced before: Merced, 23, played Dora in 2019’s live-action movie “Dora and the Lost City of Gold” and Izabella in 2017’s “Transformers: The Last Night.”

    Additional superpower: Merced is Hawkgirl in DC’s “Superman” movie, which opens July 11 (the same month as Pascal’s superhero role in Marvel’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”) There’s no blockbuster beef. “It’s a win-win. If he wins, we all win. If I win, we all win,” says Merced. “It’s pretty cool that we both get to be superheroes at the same time.”

    Young Mazino can fight as Jesse

    Who’s Jesse: The patrol leader gives everything to Jackson, and gains respect from the community as patrol leader. Jesse has an on-and-off relationship with Dina (currently off).

    We’ve seen Young Mazino before: Mazino, 33, sizzled in his Emmy-nominated, breakout role in Netflix’s rage-filled series “Beef.”

    Extra credit: Mazino brings real fight to dystopian Jackson. Born Christopher Young Kim to Korean immigrant parents, Mazino, 33, is a first-degree Taekwondo blackbelt who “dabbles” in martial arts, including Muay Thai. But expect gun skills against the infected. “I won’t give spoilers, but if Jesse is doing Muay Thai, I’m in a really bad situation,” says Mazino.

    Kaitlyn Dever rocks rage as Abby

    Who’s Abby? Abby Anderson is a pivotal Part 2 video game character who leads a devastated group of Firefly survivors to hunt down Joel for what he did.

    We’ve seen Dever before: Dever, 28, starred as socially awkward Amy in 2019’s “Booksmart,” Betsy Mallum in Hulu’s 2021 miniseries “Dopesick” and wellness influencer Belle Gibson in Netflix’s “Apple Cider Vinegar.”

    Previous life: Dever was cast as Ellie a decade ago in the original film version of “The Last of Us” that was later scrapped. “As filmmaking goes, it just didn’t end up happening,” says Dever, who believes playing TV’s Abby a decade later is her destiny. “It feels like that was meant to be.”

    Crushing the casting controversy: Some fans initially objected to the pivotal casting, saying Abby is noticeably more ripped in the video game. Dever saw the social-media trolling. “Yeah, duh, like right when I opened my phone,” she says. “It was hard to get away from it. But there was no wavering from ‘absolutely yes’ for this part.”

    Dever brings channeled rage to Abby. “I changed my body language,” she says. “How she walks and commands a room is actually quite intimidating.”

    The Millers are back, with a son, Benjamin

    Who are the Millers? Joel’s family since Season 1 has been brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and pregnant sister-in-law Maria Miller (Rutina Wesley). After so much death, the Millers, pillars of the Jackson community, now have a 5-year-old son, Benjamin (Ezra Benedict Agbonkhese).

    “Maria keeps saying, ‘He’s our gift,’ ” Wesley says of her onscreen child. “He’s really softened (her) in a way that she forgot she could be and made us closer as a couple.”

    “Benji’s our Phoenix,” says Luna. “The child has reignited our purpose.”

  • Performers, dates, tickets, hosts, what to know

    Performers, dates, tickets, hosts, what to know

    The 2025 Essence Festival of Culture will bring “legacy, rhythm, and resilience” to New Orleans this summer.

    Attendees can expect performances from major artists like rapper GloRilla, R&B songstress Muni Long, and hip hop trailblazer and NOLA native Master P, according to a festival announcement.

    The festival, which coincides with the 55th anniversary of Essence Magazine, is set for the Fourth of July weekend.

    “This year’s festival will be both a time capsule and a forward-looking celebration — honoring the legacy that began on the page and now lives boldly on the stage,” Essence said.

    Here’s what we know about this year’s festival.

    Coachella 2025: Shaboozey, Megan Thee Stallion and other Sunday highs and lows

    2025 Essence Festival of Culture: Dates, tickets, venue, hosts

    The 2025 Essence Festival of Culture is set for July 4-6 in the New Orleans.

    The festival said “elevated daytime experiences” would take place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, while evening concerts are at the Caesars Superdome.

    Tickets are currently available on Ticketmaster.

    Comedian and “Black-ish” star Anthony Anderson and cultural multi-hyphenate Kenny Burns will serve as the hosts at the Caesars Superdome.

    According to Essence, this year’s theme is “We are Made Like This,” which “speaks to the generations of Black brilliance that have shaped the world and continue to move it forward. “

    Confirmed performers

    According to Essence, current and legacy acts will take the stage at the Caesars Superdome and Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Performers announced so far include:

    • Muni Long
    • Summer Walker
    • GloRilla
    • Maxwell
    • Davido
    • Master P
    • Boyz II Men
    • Donell Jones
    • Buju Banton
    • The Isley Brothers
    • Nas

    Who is curating the Quincy Jones tribute?

    Legendary producer Jermaine Dupri will spearhead a tribute for Quincy Jones. The late music icon died in late November at the age of 91.

    Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected].

  • Why on earth did Katy Perry go to space?

    Why on earth did Katy Perry go to space?

    The kookiness of this whole ordeal makes perfect sense for Katy Perry who, throughout her career, has made being corny and unserious her whole brand.

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    Katy Perry just went to space, and the whole thing feels kinda … whatever.

    The “E.T.” singer took a short break from this “Woman’s World” April 14 to be among the stars. She was accompanied by former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, prominent civil rights activist and bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen, journalist and television personality Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn and Emmy Award-winning journalist Lauren Sánchez, who so happens to be the fiancée of the man behind it all, Jeff Bezos.

    The Amazon founder’s space technology company, Blue Origin, took the ladies on a brief morning trip above Earth.

    Opinion: Katy Perry’s soulless ‘143’ album shows why nostalgia isn’t enough

    In an Elle magazine interview boasting the impact of the trip – there hasn’t been an all-women space flight since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s 1963 solo mission – Perry exclaimed that “space is going to finally be glam.” Whatever that means! 

    But why in the world should we care about Perry and friends’ space odyssey?

    Who is the billionaire space race really for? Can’t be us.

    Let’s just call it what it is: This is all spectacle. The media fanfare, the celebrities selected – it’s all meant to act as an intergalactic billboard for Blue Origin. 

    Space exploration is exciting on its own as it fills our curiosity of the unknown, but this ongoing billionaire space race is annoying at best and nefarious at worst. It seems like our tech overlords’ obsession with space is motivated less by a love of technology and more by the potential of escaping a planet they’ve mined for all it’s worth.

    Whether it’s space colonies orbiting the Earth, “Mickey 17”-style, or settlements on foreign planets, the idea of humans making a second home in space seems less far-fetched as Earth becomes increasingly inhospitable. 

    None of this will happen in our lifetime, especially if you don’t have $150,000 lying around for the deposit. 

    From Neil Armstrong to Katy Perry, historians of the future will look back on space escapades like Blue Origin as stepping stones to the first human colonies on Mars or the moon. 

    Opinion: How far will technology go? ‘Severance’ is our answer – and a warning.

    But as I sat in contemplation, staring up at the stars Perry just saw up close, I kept coming back to my original question: Why did Perry specifically choose to do this? In her Elle interview, she expressed that she was flying for her daughter, Daisy, “to inspire her to never have limits on her dreams and show her that any type of person can reach their dreams.” 

    As lovely as that sounds, her reasoning comes off a bit tactless. Is it really best to sow inspiration through a private company owned by one of President Donald Trump’s billionaire yes-men? 

    Why did Katy Perry go to space?

    In a now-memed interview with The Associated Press, Perry expressed excitement about “the engineering of it all” and learning “more about STEM,” some pretty ChatGPT-like answers anyone could spit out when asked about space travel on the spot.

    She even shared her lifelong love of astrophysics. Does this explain the “E.T.” music video? 

    Watching that AP interview on TikTok and reading the comments made it all make sense. Which other pop star would do something so needlessly nonsensical?

    Perhaps Lady Gaga? She expressed a desire to perform in space a decade ago, even going so far as to announce that she would be the first recording artist to sing in space in 2015 – something that never actually happened. The Lady Gaga of this decade seems much more grounded. 

    Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don’t have the app? Download it for free from your app store.

    The fact that Perry herself couldn’t even offer up a coherent answer makes even more sense out of this expedition. Maybe there’s an under-the-table check involved? Maybe she’s just bored and needs some publicity to help with low ticket sales for her upcoming tour?

    Regardless, the kookiness of this whole ordeal makes perfect sense for Perry, who, throughout her career, has made being corny and unserious her whole brand. 

    To her loudest critics, her playing space buddies with evil billionaire Jeff Bezos is just another pledge in her allegiance to loserdom. Her most valiant stans may spin it as campy and iconic. As for me and my house, we see it as Katy Perry just being Katy Perry. 

    Kofi Mframa is a columnist and digital producer for USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network.

  • New dates and how to get tickets

    New dates and how to get tickets

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    Rock legend Stevie Nicks has added a slew of new dates to her 2025 solo tour.

    The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer will delight more audiences than expected with her timeless voice and mystical stage presence as she stretches her country-wide run through the summer and into the fall.

    The 2025 tour, produced by Live Nation, includes nine new solo dates across North America, plus select stadium shows with Billy Joel in cities including New Orleans, Detroit and Santa Clara, California.

    Here is everything to know about Nicks’ tour in 2025.

    Stevie Nicks tour dates 2025

    Here are the newly added dates for Stevie Nicks’ 2025 tour:

    • Aug. 8: MetLife Stadium (with Billy Joel), East Rutherford, New Jersey
    • Aug. 12: TD Garden, Boston
    • Aug. 15: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
    • Aug. 19: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota
    • Aug. 23: Heritage Bank Center, Cincinnati
    • Aug. 27: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina
    • Aug. 30: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida
    • Oct. 4: Levi’s Stadium (with Billy Joel), Santa Clara, California
    • Oct. 7: PHX Arena, Phoenix
    • Oct. 11: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
    • Oct. 15: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City
    • Oct. 18: Caesars Superdome (with Billy Joel), New Orleans
    • Nov. 15: Ford Field (with Billy Joel), Detroit

    Stevie Nicks tour tickets

    The general on-sale for Stevie Nicks tickets begins at 8 a.m. local time on Friday, April 18, at livenation.com.

  • 'Bald' and the beautiful Sean Evans contestEntertainment

    'Bald' and the beautiful Sean Evans contestEntertainment

    ‘Bald’ and the beautiful Sean Evans contestEntertainment