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Wallen is wrong. NYC is more ‘God’s country’ than Tennessee

We are all in ‘God’s country,’ whether we live in a city or the country. I believe in the message I was taught as a child: The job of Christians is to love everyone.

It sounds like country music star Morgan Wallen didn’t enjoy his time in New York City.

Wallen, the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” last week, generated buzz after abruptly walking off stage during the show’s signoff. Instead of standing around and mingling with the cast, he briefly hugged host Mikey Madison before he walked in front of the camera and off the stage.

As an isolated incident, this could simply be chalked up to nerves or exhaustion. Instead, Wallen added fuel to the fire by posting an Instagram story from his private plane with the caption “Get me to God’s Country.”

“Variety” cited anonymous sources in Wallen’s sphere saying he didn’t intend anything malicious by the exit or the post. But the singer, who hasn’t publicly weighed in on the controversy, is choosing to sell merch featuring the now viral phrase.

Wallen is allowed to feel however he wants about New York City. But the inevitable conclusion from his post, that New York isn’t part of “God’s country,” is ignorant at best.

My Christian country roots are in the South, but I now live in NYC

I am a Southerner by birth and a New York City resident by choice. I spent most of my life in what Wallen would describe as “God’s country.”

Living in my small town – which happened to be the inspiration for Andy Griffith’s “Mayberry” – I spent my time with Christians. I was raised in the church and even served on my Presbyterian church’s session in high school.

That’s not really surprising: In North Carolina, where I’m from, 69% of adults identify as Christian.

Despite Jesus’ teaching that “love thy neighbor” is one of the most important things Christians can do, there are plenty of Christians who are judgmental of those whom they deem “too sinful.” Though I don’t want to put words in Wallen’s mouth, it seems he wanted his followers to infer that New York City isn’t part of “God’s country.” That couldn’t be further from the truth.

I wish I could know, though, what part of NYC upset him the most.

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In New York state, 57% of adults identify as Christian, with 13% believing in a different religion.

I’ve lived in three Brooklyn neighborhoods and have always been walking distance from a church. Despite the city’s reputation as a place where the people are rude, I’ve felt love and compassion from many of the New Yorkers I’ve interacted with. In fact, I oftentimes feel more accepted here as a young queer person than I did back home.

While my home state has become increasingly intolerant through legislation and the courts, New York City residents have accepted me as I am, just as they would accept anyone else. I may have had a good support system back in liberal Durham, but I have found that my sexuality and gender are embraced by New York state instead of merely tolerated.

Wallen lives in Tennessee. Is that ‘God’s country’? Let’s take a look.

In Tennessee, Wallen’s home state, the Pew Research Center reports that 72% of adults are Christian.

Religious beliefs have been used to justify denying same-sex couples the right to marry and ridding the government of “woke.”

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In the past few months alone, Tennessee has become increasingly hostile to transgender people, immigrants and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. If conservative Christians in Tennessee and other red states truly wanted to live the word of God, they would make their state a more tolerant place.

Wallen is widely successful. He has traveled the world for his music, and last year, his tour became the highest-grossing country tour of all time. “Billboard” has called him the “biggest country star of the decade.” He has been across the United States and should know that “God’s country” isn’t just limited to the South and certainly doesn’t exclude more liberal cities or states.

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Longtime “SNL” cast member Kenan Thompson talked to “Entertainment Weekly” about Wallen’s diss, noting that the “God’s country” post also rubbed him the wrong way.

“The ‘God’s country’ of it all is strange because it’s like, what are you trying to say?” Thompson said. “You trying to say that we are not in God’s country? We’re not all in God’s country? We’re not all under God’s umbrella? That’s not necessarily my favorite.”

Thompson’s assumption is a good take – we are all in “God’s country,” whether we live in a city or the country. I believe in the message I was taught as a child: that the job of Christians is to love everyone, regardless of race, sexuality, gender identity or immigration status. But I have learned, through Republican governmental action, that not everybody feels that way.

Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter, @sara__pequeno

April 4, 2025
Stream ‘The Bondsman,’ CinemaCon’s greatest hits

Love movies? Live for TV? USA TODAY’s Watch Party newsletter has all the best recommendations, delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now and be one of the cool kids.

Viva Las Vegas!

I’ve been at CinemaCon all week, watching trailers and first footage, checking out studio presentations and interviewing folks for things that we’ll be talking about in this here Watch Party later this year and into the future. (Yes, I saw the live-action redo of “How to Train Your Dragon” and, yes, it will make you cry.) But more on all that in a bit, because the newsletter stops for no one. More timely is the new Kevin Bacon-kills-demons show “The Bondsman,” where the Baconator plays a Southern-fried antihero. While you’re bingeing that, think about the fate of your favorite TV series because the official USA TODAY Save Our Shows campaign is back, baby!

Now on to the good stuff:

Stream ‘The Bondsman’ to see Kevin Bacon hunting demons

Imagine the procedural horror of “Supernatural” mixed with the country-twanged musical drama of “Nashville” and you’re getting close to the genre-mashing vibes of “The Bondsman” (streaming now on Prime Video). Kevin Bacon plays a Georgia bail enforcer who’s killed by some shady townsfolk, gets strangely resurrected and discovers that the devil has brought him back to do his dirty work: kill demons that have escaped from hell.

Bacon is no stranger to horror – he loves the stuff, even in real life – but he told me being Satan’s newest bounty hunter wasn’t the only appealing aspect of the show. He also gets to utilize his music skills, writing songs with and sharing scenes with Grammy winner Jennifer Nettles, who plays his ex-wife. “I feel lucky to get a chance to sing with her, basically,” Bacon says. “She’s that good that she can make me sound good.”

Vote on what TV series to keep in USA TODAY’s Save Our Shows poll

This week, my buddy (and our esteemed TV editor) Gary Levin launched this year’s Save Our Shows poll – the 28th time, by the way, and back after a one-year hiatus because of the Hollywood strikes. The four major broadcast networks are currently weighing the fates of 17 comedies and dramas, just as a smaller crop of new shows are vying to replace them. This is your chance to have a voice in what should stay and what should go.

I’m not saying we’re actual saviors or anything, but the time-travel show “Timeless” – which was awesome, by the way – got canceled after its first season in 2017, won the Save Our Shows poll and then was renewed for a second season. (It also won in 2018, got canceled again but did earn a movie-length final episode.)

So what’s on the chopping block of stuff to save this year? My vote goes to ABC’s bonkers boat soap “Doctor Odyssey,” which in just a short time has featured sharks, many diseases and medical ailments, and a pregnancy spawned from a three-way. Others include NBC’s “Brilliant Minds” and “Suits LA,” CBS’ “The Equalizer” and Fox’s “The Cleaning Lady.”

Get ready for all the spiffy coming attractions from CinemaCon

Know that 20 to 25 minutes’ worth of trailers you get going to see a movie? CinemaCon is pretty much that but for four days and all while surrounded by slot machines and theater owners. The studios trotted out all their finest wares this year and into 2026 and beyond to get folks excited, and there’s been some pretty good stuff.

Tom Holland’s new Spidey flick got a nifty title: “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” I don’t know if I’m ready for four Beatles biopics but those’ll be a must-watch. A taste of “Superman” footage starring Krypto the dog was stellar, as was the first 10 speedy minutes of Brad Pitt’s racing movie “F1.” “Wicked” women Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo debuted their sequel’s first trailer, and it turns out 30 dancing M3GANs is better than one. Oh, and yeah … “John Wick 5”!

I also got to chat with some movie types as well. Ralph Macchio and the new “Karate Kid” kid Ben Wang discussed how their upcoming film “Legends” ties into the Miyagi-verse, while The Weeknd told me how he felt about acting vs. music a little while after playing a surprise mini-concert at CinemaCon. (Dude can put on a show, y’all.)

Even more goodness to check out!

Got thoughts, questions, ideas, concerns, compliments or maybe even some recs for me? Email [email protected] and follow me on the socials: I’m @briantruitt on Bluesky, Instagram and Threads.

April 4, 2025
Morgan Wallen talks chair arrest with Theo Von after abrupt ‘SNL’ exit

Morgan Wallen is opening up about the struggles surrounding fame and his choice to stick away from bars the past year.

The country singer, 31, appeared on Theo Von’s podcast “This Past Weekend” Wednesday to chat about the impact of stardom.

“It’s still weird and there’s parts of that that I don’t like,” the chart-topping “Last Night” singer said. “I mean, I think anyone who was to deal with that … it’s not ideal to go everywhere, and even if you don’t get bothered, you were on edge the whole time because you thought you might.

“There’s just things that you don’t do,” he told Von.

“You just don’t do them anymore. But that’s okay, that’s why I’ve taken up hunting so much, I think. Because I can go be with my buddies, I’m in the middle of nowhere. I can be at ease. I can not stress out. You just find ways to supplement it I think, you know.”

“It’s kind of funny, you can’t really go to a bar anymore because there’d be too much hassle,” Von, a comedian and popular cultural commentator, chimed in. “And it’s probably the best thing for you.”

“It’s definitely the best thing for me,” Wallen said with a laugh.

“If you’re using the bar as a specific example, that’s definitely the best thing for me. I ain’t been in a bar since the last time I was in a bar that everybody knows about.”

In April 2024 Wallen was arrested after throwing a chair from the roof of a Nashville, Tennessee, bar.

He was charged with felony endangerment and disorderly conduct and was sentenced to seven days in a DUI education center and two years supervised probation after pleading guilty.

Morgan Wallen follows ‘SNL’ scandal with Theo Von podcast

Wallen’s podcast appearance follows a weekend of drama after the country singer raised eyebrows with his swift exit from “Saturday Night Live.”

After performing two songs on the comedy show, Wallen abruptly left the stage as the credits rolling, posting on social media that he was ready to get back to “God’s country.”

His exit and subsequent social media post have led to widespread commentary from “SNL” cast members and viewers alike.

Wallen has since launched a line of hats and T-shirts on his online store that say “Get me to God’s country.”

‘Get me to God’s country’ becomes social media trend after Morgan Wallen’s ‘SNL’ exit

Morgan Wallen talks fatherhood, upcoming album

Von and Wallen also discussed the singer’s upcoming record “I’m the Problem,” which is set for release on May 16. In June, Wallen will set out on tour to promote the project.

On the forthcoming record, Wallen said he leaned into a bit of a different sound.

“My last album, I had plenty of trap beats and stuff like that,” he said. “This time I was like, ‘Hey man, let’s just tone that back a little bit.’ I’m tired of it. I’m tired of hearing it. So if I’m tired of it, they (are) probably tired of hearing it.”

“You can still get that same swagger, you can accomplish certain things without doing the same exact thing,” he continued.

Morgan Wallen abruptly leaves ‘SNL’ stage: ‘Get me to God’s country’

And as he gears up to release his new album, Wallen also shared that this is the first time his 4-year-old son, Indigo, is old enough to really understand his music.

“This album that I’ve been working on, this is the first time where it seems like he’s really starting to put two and two together, you know?” he said. “I would come home after I’d been writing and I’d show him songs this time. This is the first time that he’s ever cared.”

Morgan Wallen teases new album ‘I’m The Problem’ and announces 2025 tour

There’s a track on the upcoming record called “Eyes Are Closed” that Wallen said his son is especially partial to.

As he played the track at home, Wallen’s son “moseyed on over there and started being like, ‘Ooh, what’s this?’ And then after it was done, he said, ‘I like that song, daddy,’” Wallen said.

“It was the first time he had ever done that, so it was a special moment for me, something I’ll never forget. And he said, ‘Play that again.’”

When it comes to fatherhood, “it just gets better and better the older he gets,” Wallen said. “It’s always been cool … just the personality that keeps coming out and the relationship that you build.”

April 4, 2025
Martin Scorsese talks about ‘The Saints’ on set in SicilyTV

Martin Scorsese talks about ‘The Saints’ on set in SicilyTV

April 4, 2025
Martin Scorsese on his ‘search for transcendence’ through ‘The Saints’

Martin Scorsese has directed countless critically acclaimed movies steeped in violence and pathos, movies such as “Raging Bull,” “Goodfellas” and most recently “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

They’re morality plays disguised as gripping cinema, explorations of good and evil, of failure and redemption. And they all have roots in the same place: the Basilica of Old Saint Patrick’s on Mulberry Street in New York’s Little Italy, where Scorsese was an altar boy and became entranced by the mythic power of faith.

“For me, as a kid, the only thing that made sense in life was a search for transcendence and salvation,” Scorsese, 82, tells USA TODAY. “Movies may be literally my DNA, who I am, but that’s always been secondary to the religious issues I grew up trying to understand.”

Which explains why the director is delivering the second half of a series called “The Saints” (first episode now streaming on Fox Nation, then weekly on Fridays). Scorsese directs short films on several Catholic religious figures and narrates and hosts a roundtable with theologians after each episode.

He explored Joan of Arc, John the Baptist, Saint Sebastian and Maximilian Kolbe in the series’ debut last November. New episodes timed to Holy Week celebrations, culminating on Easter Sunday, focus on Saint Francis of Assisi, Moses the Black and Mary Magdalene.

Violent ‘Moses the Black’ episode seems straight out of ‘Goodfellas’

What’s instantly evident from watching this latest batch of tales (Scorsese says he is mulling an extension of the series) is the striking connection between the themes of many of his famous movies − notably films such as “Silence” and “The Last Temptation of Christ” − and the lives of these holy figures.

The “Saints” episode on Moses the Black, who lived in 4 A.D Egypt, opens with a marauding band of bloodthirsty thieves raping and pillaging at will. The disturbing scenes are seemingly right out of a Mob epic. Then one day, Moses the Black is struck with the horror of it all and joins a desert monastery, where he’s eventually killed by another group of bandits.

For Scorsese, it is precisely the redemptive path from the horrific to the beatific that propels our human journey. “This is why I’ve been so interested in the characters in my world who were problematic, people you couldn’t depend on, like Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro) in ‘Mean Streets’ and Jake LaMotta (De Niro again) in ‘Raging Bull,’” he says. “It’s about exploring the good and evil in all of us, the strength and the weakness. So these stories of the saints, they show us a standard to try and live by. Even if we can’t attain it, we have to try.”

Growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Scorsese says he often saw “good people doing evil things, which got me interested in the quest to overcome what’s evil in our nature.”

For Martin Scorsese, Saint Francis holds a special place in the family’s heart

In Scorsese’s film on Saint Francis, the director makes clear that Francis was born into a wealthy Umbrian family and was consumed both by the trappings of wealth and the call to battle.

But it was precisely his participation in horrific slaughters against rival towns that left Francis reeling and ultimately led to his decision to renounce his worldly possessions and start a religious order that endures today. That his name is carried on by Pope Francis has particular meaning for Scorsese.

“My mother loved Saint Francis, and I still have a statue of him she gave me,” he says.

Filming the episode on the Italian saint was a bit of a family moment: The setting was the Sicilian town of Polizzi Generosa, the very hamlet where the Scorsese family hailed from (the actual family name was “Scozzese,” meaning Scottish, a link to an ancient Norman invasion of Sicily, but it was altered at immigration).

Side gig: Martin Scorsese on his hilarious ‘Studio’ cameo: ‘It’s so truthful that it’s painful’

“We’re in the old building, with the light cascading in as we film the scene where Francis receives the stigmata,” he says, referring to the hand and foot wounds that Jesus Christ experienced at the Crucifixion.

“Bear in mind, my grandfather’s name was Francesco, like Francis, and I have a daughter named Francesca, who was there with us. And it was all so beautiful for me,” he says. “Francis, to me, is the one who comes closest to living the life of the Christ figure.”

Mary Magdalene powerful connection with Jesus Christ in ‘The Saints’

This series of “Saints” episodes will end just days before Easter with a look at Mary Magdalene, the lone woman in Christ’s entourage who, as Scorsese tells it, likely had a powerfully unique relationship with Christ.

“There’s something so strong about her, a sense that she had to be really important even if through the centuries she was then described as a prostitute as the church looked to separate men from the women. But who does Christ reveal himself to” when he comes back from the dead, marking Easter Sunday? “It’s Mary Magdalene. That’s more than a hint of how significant she was to Christ and the Apostles.”

If there’s a unifying theme in Scorsese’s religious tales, it’s the renunciation of material things in pursuit of a higher spiritual ground that’s in service to others.

“I’d say it’s all about finding the kernel of truth about life and eliminating everything around it,” Scorsese says. “Going back to Francis, he felt he had failed in that quest, but he kept trying. What he did for the poor and the sick, helping them, still serves as inspiration.”

Scorsese takes a beat. His generous eyebrows arch as he seems to measure the efforts of those various saints − often troubled people who turned their lives around − against the world we live in today. Perhaps we are in need of more saintly efforts today? He shrugs.

“You know, they say you can judge the value of a country by how they treat their poor and their sick. And so here we are.”

April 4, 2025
Gaitok is ripped, Mook is K-pop star Lisa

Over the past seven weeks, characters on HBO’s Thailand season of “The White Lotus” have become highly dysfunctional family members for a besotted TV audience eagerly anticipating the show’s April 6 finale. So while it’s not a stretch to find that Patrick Schwarzenegger is playing smug jock-bro Saxon, discovering the international actors breaking out in wildly divergent roles can be downright shocking.

Take British actor Tayme Thapthimthong, who plays the noble-hearted, soft-edged security guard Gaitok to perfection. While the smiley Gaitok gets no respect from the hotel owner’s shady bodyguards, Thapthimthong, 35, is jacked and military. The actor rose to lieutenant in the Royal Thai Army’s counter-terrorism unit and worked as a nightclub bouncer. Ironically, before being cast in “White Lotus,” he was a bodyguard for the Thai-American hip-hop group Thaitanium.

“I kind of wanted to be a tough guy for my first big role,” Thapthimthong tells USA TODAY. “But, actually, this is how a security guard would act in a five-star resort in Thailand. There are some elements of Gaitok in me. But not the full me.”

Thapthimthong got so cut with his beloved bootcamp training that series creator Mike White had to nix his ritualistic gym visits during the extended Thailand shoot to keep Gaitok believably unthreatening, at least physically.

“Mike White told me not to go to the gym anymore. He said to maintain what I had, but please don’t get any bigger or more ripped,” says Thapthimthong. “I was staying at these amazing hotels with these great gyms I couldn’t use. But I did what he asked and didn’t really work out for seven months.”

With his professional background, Thapthimthong cringes over the scene in the fourth episode, when Gaitok leaves his new gun on the guard station table, only to have it stolen by Tim Ratliff (Jason Isaacs).

“Oh my God, that still hurts me,” he says. “Even in basic training, the instructors would look to take people’s weapons from them. If you just put it down and turned around, they would take it and you’d get beasted for the next two days.”

More surprising “White Lotus” power transformations ahead of Sunday’s Season 3 finale (HBO and Max, 9 ET/PT).

Lalisa Manobal as Mook has an ‘Alter Ego’: Lisa from Blackpink

Thapthimthong was kept in the dark about who would play Mook, the health mentor and lifelong neighborhood friend with whom Gaitok falls in love. The wildly curious Thapthimthong had to sign extensive non-disclosure agreements before learning the top-secret news that his acting partner was Lalisa Manobal, better known as Lisa, the singer and rapper in the K-pop band Blackpink.

“It was a big shock to me when I found out; I never thought it would be her,” he says. “I hadn’t listened to K-pop, but I know how the Thai people see her as a national treasure. She’s a superstar.”

Gen Z fans rave over Lisa, who performed at the Oscars and released her debut solo album with a title that sums up the rapper’s “White Lotus” endeavor: “Alter Ego.” The TV transformation to homegirl Mook in Manobal’s acting debut could be explained with the 28-year-old’s song, “New Woman,” in which Lisa sings, “Wanna crack these walls.”

Yuri Kolokolnikov makes fun as Vlad from Vladivostok. But actor has a wild ‘Game of Thrones’ past

Boisterous Vlad (Yuri Kolokolnikov), the Joey Chandler of the show’s childhood-friend trio from Vladivostok, Russia, is so hilarious that there’s a Reddit community devoted to Vlad’s “Art of Dialogue.” His alcohol-be-damned workout explanation of “flipping heavy ropes” had Carrie Coon’s Laurie cackling so hard that it seemed more than acting.

But Vlad, whose aunt broke a bottle over his head as a child, might be darker than he appears. The respected Russian actor Kolokolnikov, 44, has a murky TV past.

He played the fierce wilding Styr, the Magnar of Thenn, in HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” Styr memorably beat the heck out of Jon Snow (Kit Harington) in a hand-to-hand battle before Snow fatally placed his axe in Styr’s head. That was definitely not funny.

Fabian is played by Christian Friedel, who starred as Rudolph Höss in ‘Zone of Interest’

The White Lotus resort manager, Fabian, is played with sweaty-handed effectiveness by German actor Christian Friedel.

Fabian can’t hide his deeply shady side, but his obsessiveness about singing in front of the resort is disarming. Talk about range, the last unforgettable performance by Friedel, 46, was as disturbingly calm and ruthless Rudolf Höss, the German commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp in “The Zone of Interest.” The critically lauded, deeply disturbing 2023 drama received five Oscar nominations, including best picture, and won two awards, including best international feature.

April 4, 2025
Steve Martin, Alison Brown talk banjos and bluegrass songs

Steve Martin is eating a “fabulous smoked salmon” sandwich, an ordinary activity that he somehow makes amusing by his sheer delight in scarfing it down.

The comedian/actor/author/musician is on a 15-minute lunch break from shooting Season 5 of “Only Murders in the Building,” the Emmy lauded Hulu hit co-starring Martin Short and Selena Gomez, but he’s eager to talk music.

His current collaborator, renowned banjoist Alison Brown, joins on a separate video call from Washington D.C., where she’s touring colleges with her son.

The pair, along with bluegrass mainstay Tim O’Brien, just released their third single together, “5 Days Out, 2 Days Back,” a lively toe-tapper that balances the lonely realities of road life with the inherent joys in the routine.

They’re positions that both Martin, 79, and Brown, 62, can appreciate.

“I never had kids until 12 years ago (daughter Mary, with wife Anne Stringfield), so I didn’t have the family experience with touring. In the early days it was extremely lonely as you can imagine, being a stand-up, because you’re all by yourself and if you have any moroseness – and I did – it’s a double whammy,” Martin says. “This song is about the last 20 years, when I toured with (Steep Canyon Rangers) and with Marty (Short). Those road experiences are fun.”

Adds Brown, “When we started working on this song, Steve was saying it’s about a guy on the road and this is what he does. No one is judging it,” she says. “It’s a decision we (as artists) all make and the family we leave at home is one thing, but then we have a family on the road as well.”

More: ‘Only Murders’ fans: Steve Martin’s full life on display in Apple TV+ doc ‘Steve!’

Steve Martin and Alison Brown adhere to happy songs: ‘Bitterness is not justifiable’

Martin, an accomplished banjoist who has played since his teens, and Brown have notched several collaborations, notably on the song “Foggy Morning Breaking” from Brown’s 2023 album “On Banjo.” Last fall the pair recruited Vince Gill to join them on the wistful single “Wall Guitar (Since You Said Goodbye).”

A full release from the pair is in the works, including a track with Jackson Browne on vocals that Brown describes as “bluegrass adjacent.”

Martin agrees about the tenor of the new songs, noting that they’re all relatively upbeat because, well, why not?

“Both Alison and I are at a time in our lives when bitterness is not justifiable in our songs,” he says. “It’s our way of saying this is our life and it’s just kind of great even with the problems.”

The Martin/Brown synchronicity is rooted in a shared appreciation of melody. Martin describes Brown’s music as “extremely complex, but always wrapped in a spoonful of sugar” before adding with a laugh, “I don’t know if that’s a compliment!”

But Brown affirms his summarization, noting that both musicians are “drawn to the lyrical side of the banjo … and melodies that can engender an emotional response from the listener.”

Steve Martin and Alison Brown on the ‘push-pull’ in bluegrass

While Martin and Brown are invigorated by the mellifluous angle of bluegrass music, they also appreciate what Brown calls the “push-pull” between the rural bloodline of the genre and the emergence of progressive artists such as The Punch Brothers and Carolina Chocolate Drops.

“There are those who are so worried that any innovation on the fringes is going to somehow pollute the traditional core, but I’ve never prescribed to that point of view because (Lester) Flatt and (Earl) Scruggs were innovators and that is an important part of this music,” she says. “What is happening on the fringes is so exciting. Billy Strings is authentically bluegrass and is drawing a new audience to the genre and then there are artists like (fiddler) Michael Cleveland and others dedicated to preserving the traditional core.”

Martin admits to being a musical purist throughout his life, but recognizes that “eventually the artist wins. The artist isn’t going to stand still and keep playing the same thing over and over.”

More: Elton John, Brandi Carlile are sunshine and sadness on joint album: Review

Why Steve Martin is protective of his time

Both Martin and Brown – who hold six Grammy Awards between them – have collaborated with other artists, most prominently Steep Canyon Rangers for Martin and Alison Krauss and Michelle Shocked for Brown, who also launched Compass Records with her bassist husband Garry West in 1995. But there is an ease between them that makes this partnership particularly comfortable.

Martin hails Brown as an “extremely sophisticated musician,” while Brown says working with Martin “is a privilege because he has such deep musical intuition … Working together on these tunes feels like falling off a log. It floats so naturally. There’s a lot of fun and joy in the process rather than angst or hand wringing.”

The pair will bring their songs to the stage June 18 with a performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles as part of Rhiannon Giddens’ American Tunes concert celebration of American music. Martin also confirms the duo will play more live events, albeit within the time confines he adheres to in his life, primarily to spend time with his daughter.

“Right now I’m working on a TV show and the rule is, when I’m on TV I don’t do anything else,” Martin says. “I don’t go to dinner or to plays and when I’m on the road with Marty, we do four to six shows a month, which is not very many. So time is budgeted and I enjoy my time off so much that I don’t want to infringe on it.”

April 4, 2025
Katy Perry’s Blue Origin space flight criticized by Olivia Munn

As Blue Origin readies for its first all-female flight to space, not everyone is anxiously awaiting takeoff.

Olivia Munn sounded off on the mission in a Thursday appearance on “Today with Jenna & Friends,” calling the flight − which will bring celebrities like Katy Perry and Gayle King to space − “gluttonous.”

“What are they doing?” the actress said. “Like why?”

“I’m just saying this, I know this is probably not the cool thing to say but like there are so many other things that are so important in the world right now.”

Historic all-woman space flight to include Katy Perry, Lauren Sánchez

Pointing out that only one of the six-person crew is an actual astronaut, Munn expressed exasperation at the whole ordeal.

“So you’re on like Magic Mountain,” she quipped when host Jenna Bush Hager revealed the women would only be in space for about 11 minutes.

“It’s so much money to go to space,” Munn added, later pointing out that all the rocket fuel can’t be good for the planet. “There’s a lot of people who can’t even afford eggs … I think it’s a bit gluttonous.”

Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez and civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen will also join the space flight, which is rounded out by rocket scientist Aisha Bowe and journalist Kerianne Flynn.

“Space exploration was to further our knowledge and to help mankind,” said the actress, who was serving as a guest host alongside Hager. “What are they going to do up there that has made it better for us down here?”

Olivia Munn gets candid about life with 2 kids: ‘How does anybody do this?’

The all-female crew will fly to space aboard the New Shepard rocket ship. Their trip, scheduled for spring will represent the private spacecraft’s 31st mission and the first ever made up entirely of women.

It’s a historic first − an all-women crew has not entered orbit since 1963 when Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova took a solo space flight.

The flight comes as Bezos’ Blue Origin continues to become a major player in the commercial space industry – competing with the likes of Elon Musk’s SpaceX for NASA’s business as well as the business of other private companies.

In an interview for the cover of Elle magazine published Wednesday, the New Shepard squad revealed they would all be in “glam” with hair and makeup for the journey.

“Space is going to finally be glam,” Perry told the outlet. “Let me tell you something. If I could take glam up with me, I would do that.”

“We’re going to have lash extensions flying in the capsule!” Sánchez added.

Hager, who had seemed less skeptical of the flight, chimed in during Thursday’s episode saying: “That’s a waste of time to get hair and makeup done.”

Contributing: Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

April 4, 2025
Fans can take Taylor Swift-inspired tour
- A Taylor Swift-themed walking tour takes fans to various locations in New York City frequented by the singer.
- The 90-minute tour includes stops at places where Swift has filmed music videos and recorded albums.
- The tour costs $40 per person for public groups and $65 per person for private groups of three or more.
“Welcome to New York,” says Alison Hagan. “I’m Alison, spelled just like Taylor’s middle name.”

Hagan is a tour guide for “Taylor Swift’s New York: A Walking Tour.” Her bright red shirt stands out in screaming color against the neutral brownstone buildings of Soho. She gives fans of the superstar her spiel before they embark on a 90-minute adventure with 13 stops associated with the “Cornelia Street” singer.

“We are going to walk around West Village and Soho, essentially anywhere Taylor Swift has touched either through her lyrics or in person,” Hagan says in front of the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, where Swift shot part of “All Too Well: The Short Film.”

Father-daughter duo Joe and Fiona Coakley signed up for the tour while visiting from Dallas.

Fiona walks inside the bookstore and is directed by Hagan to the exact spot where Swift filmed. On the ground behind a book table are two pink footprints with the words “Taylor stood here.” Coakley smiles in excitement.

Long live the Eras Tour with our enchanting book

As the Swift brigade exits the bookstore, they walk for a few miles through lower Manhattan.

Hagan shares factoids and stories about where the Eras Tour ringleader has frequented, dined and been seen out with friends. Every once in a while the tour guide turns to Coakley and asks trivia questions.

“Fiona, what is the name of the studio where Taylor recorded ‘Folklore,’ ‘Midnights’ and ‘The Tortured Poets Department’?

“Electric Lady,” the high school freshman quips, not missing a beat. Frankly, she could go on to win a Taylor Swift trivia night.

“Yes, and the studio is very unassuming,” Hagan says to segue into a discussion about the chocolate brown building.

GetYourGuide launched the Taylor Swift-inspired walking tour last May. The global tourism marketplace cast a bedazzled net hoping to land the most dedicated Swifties in the role of tour guide.

“I saw this on Playbill,” Hagan says. The 23-year-old moved to the Big Apple after graduating from the University of Utah hoping to make it as a musical theater actress. “I was looking for side hustles, and Taylor Swift has been my favorite artist since I was 6 years old. When I applied, I was like, ‘I talk about her enough for free, might as well see if I can make some money,’ and here we are. It worked out really nicely.’”

The end of the tour takes place at a public park referenced in one of Swift’s “Folklore” songs. To avoid giving the entire tour away, let’s just say some fans may need to bring their “Cardigan” to this scenic stop.

Public tours are $40 per person or private tours with groups of three or more are $65 per person. To sign up, visit GetYourGuide.

Don’t miss any Taylor Swift news; sign up for the free, weekly newsletter This Swift Beat.

Follow Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network’s Taylor Swift reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.
April 4, 2025
Crossword Blog & Answers for April 4, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Special Delivery
Constructor: Marc Raila

Editor: Jared Goudsmit

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

TUSH (15A: ___ push (rhyming football play)) The TUSH push is a variation of the football play known as the quarterback sneak. The quarterback sneak involves a quarterback running or diving forward after receiving the football, while the offensive line also surges forward. It is sometimes used when only a short gain is needed. In the TUSH Push, two players push the quarterback from behind as he surges forward. Add this to the list of sports knowledge I’ve gained from crosswords.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

TWEAK (1A. Teeny adjustment) TWEAK is such a fun word. That’s all.

OREO (16A: Cookie akin to Hydrox) Although OREO currently has a larger share of the cookie market than Hydrox, it was Hydrox that appeared on the market first, in 1908. An imitation of Hydrox, named OREO, was introduced in 1912.

CHUCK E. CHEESE (20A: Rodent mascot whose middle initial stands for “Entertainment”) CHUCK E. CHEESE is the mouse mascot of the entertainment restaurant chain of the same name. CHUCK E. CHEESE features arcade games and musical shows in addition to serving pizza. CHUCK E. CHEESE is a popular spot for kids’ birthday parties.

RHO (26A: Letter after pi) RHO is making back-to-back puzzle appearances. We saw it yesterday clued as [Greek letter that looks like a “p”].

ONE (41A: “The loneliest number”) This is true according to singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson, anyway. His 1968 song, “ONE,” begins with the line, “ONE is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.”

TIC-TAC-DOUGH (55A: Game show with X’s and O’s) The game show TIC-TAC-DOUGH was first produced in 1956, with Jack Barry as host. There have been three versions of the show (so far) – from 1956-1959, from 1978 to 1986, and in 1990. During the game show, contestants would answer questions in a variety of categories to put an X or O on the board, attempting to win a game of tic-tac-toe.

MAINE (67A: The Pine Tree State) MAINE has the largest forest cover of any state, with over 80% of its total area being forest. Much of that forest is pine trees, making it easy to understand why MAINE is called the Pine Tree State.

BENTO (70A: Japanese-style packed meal) BENTO is, as the clue describes, a Japanese-style packed meal. It is often served in a partitioned container that allows different parts of the meal to be placed in different sections.

ELM (3D: North Dakota state tree) In addition to being the state tree of North Dakota, the ELM is also the state tree of Massachusetts.

KATHY (5D: “Hocus Pocus” actress Najimy) The 1993 movie Hocus Pocus features a trio of witches named the Sanderson sisters, portrayed by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and KATHY Najimy. The three reprised their roles for Hocus Pocus 2, released in 2022. A third Hocus Pocus movie is in the works, but no release date has been set. When I first wrote about Hocus Pocus in May 2022, I admitted I had never seen this movie. I was admonished for this by both my daughter and editor Amanda Rafkin! I have now seen both Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2.

STACCATO (6D: Like music with short, sharp notes) Thank you to my childhood piano teachers for teaching me about STACCATO, enabling me to fill in this answer with confidence. In musical notation, the opposite of STACCATO is legato.

ASTERS (8D: Daisylike flowers) The daisylike flowers, ASTERS, are having a crossword moment, as we saw the single ASTER yesterday and a few weeks ago, both times clued as [Daisy relative].

ROSE (10D: “Damask” flower) The Damask ROSE is a ROSE hybrid known for its fragrance. It is often used to make rose oil. The quotation marks around “Damask” in the clue indicate that the word is paired with the answer as a name.

ARLENE (11D: Garfield’s love interest) In the Garfield comics by Jim Davis, ARLENE is a pink cat who is Garfield’s girlfriend. She made her first appearance in 1980, two years after the comic began. My cat, Willow, is peeking out from under a blanket to say that she’s a fan of Garfield and ARLENE.

HOSTA (22D: Plant that’s an anagram of “oaths”) A HOSTA is a shade-tolerant perennial with many varieties. I did not know what a HOSTA was until I moved to the Iowa City area. All over town I noticed similar-looking plants around the bases of trees. I learned they were called HOSTAs. They are popular because they thrive in the shade and because deer don’t particularly like them. We currently have two varieties of HOSTAs growing in our yard.

ICE (24D: Crushed halo-halo ingredient) Halo-halo is the unofficial national dessert of the Philippines. The cold treat is made from crushed ICE and coconut milk or evaporated milk. Various ingredients, such as ube jam, garbanzo beans, or coconut strips may be added.

PETA (25D: Org. with a “Global Beauty Without Bunnies” program) PETA stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Their “Beauty Without Bunnies” program is a certification the organization provides to beauty and cosmetic companies that do not do animal testing on their products.

TAMIA (30D: “A Nu Day” singer) TAMIA is a Canadian R&B artist. A Nu Day is her second studio album, released in 2000.

HBO (44D: “Succession” channel) Succession is an HBO TV series that focuses on the Roy family, the owners of a global media and entertainment conglomerate, Waystar RoyCo. The show originally aired from 2018 to 2023.

TRES (56D: Numero despues de dos) ” Numero después de dos” is Spanish for “number after two.”

RAE (61D: Singer Corinne Bailey ___) Corrine Bailey RAE is a singer and songwriter from Leeds, England. Her first global hits were “Like a Star,” released in 2005, and “Put Your Records On,” released in 2006. Her fourth studio album, Black Rainbows, was released in 2023.

NEO (64D: Keanu’s role in “The Matrix”) In The Matrix movies – of which there have been four to date – Keanu Reeves portrays computer programmer Thomas Anderson, who operates as a hacker using the name NEO. The name NEO is an anagram of “one.” In The Matrix, “The One” refers to a randomly selected human that carries a special code.

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

CHUCK E. CHEESE (20A: Rodent mascot whose middle initial stands for “Entertainment”)

AWESOME SAUCE (37A: “So cool!”)

TIC TAC DOUGH (55A: Game show with X’s and O’s)

SPECIAL DELIVERY: If we look at the last words of the theme answers – CHEESE, SAUCE, and DOUGH – we see that the SPECIAL DELIVERY is a pizza.

Pizza is one of my favorite foods, so you know I’m a fan of this theme. I also like that it took a bit of an extra step to piece together what the SPECIAL DELIVERY is, making for a nice “Aha!” moment. Thank you, Marc, for this excellent puzzle.

One more thing today: The annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament is this weekend in Stamford, Connecticut. I’ll be there! If you happen to be attending also, please find me and say hello. I’d love to connect with you.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles
April 4, 2025