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Crossword Blog & Answers for March 31, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! The Corporate Jungle
Constructor: Ryan Mathiason

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

ENG (19A: Official language of Botswana (Abbr.) BOTSWANA is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is located north of the country of South Africa. The capital of BOTSWANA is Gaborone. The official language of Botswana is English (ENG.) and the national language is Setswana.

URSA (32A: ___ Minor (constellation)) URSA Minor is a constellation consisting of seven stars, the brightest of which is the North Star, Polaris. In Latin, URSA Minor means “Little Bear,” which is another name used for the constellation.

GIN (33A: Juniper-flavored spirit) GIN is flavored with juniper berries and other herbal ingredients. GIN was originally produced for medicinal purposes – as long ago as the 11th century – thus the addition of the medicinal herb juniper.

SEC (35A: Conference with LSU and Auburn) The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a division in college athletics. The 16 members of the SEC include Louisiana State University (LSU), which is located in Baton Rouge, and Auburn, which is located in Auburn, Alabama.

BORN (44A: “A Star Is ___” (2018 film)) The 2018 movie version of A Star is BORN stars Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. It is the third remake of a 1937 movie of the same name that starred Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. The 1954 version of A Star is BORN starred Judy Garland and James Mason, and the 1976 remake starred Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.

ARGH (47A: Frustrated cry) and TSK (4D: Disapproving sound) and AHH (45D: Sound of relaxation) I’m calling this trio “the sounds of this puzzle.”

HASHTAG (49A: Social media symbol that looks like a tic-tac-toe board) It occurs to me that this tic-tac-toe board symbol might be an age test. At various times # has been known as a number sign, pound sign, and most recently, a HASHTAG.

REBA (6D: “I’m a Survivor” singer McEntire) “I’m a Survivor” is a 2001 song by REBA McEntire. More recently, REBA McEntire has been a coach on the reality singing competition, The Voice, and stars on the NBC sitcom, Happy’s Place.

RAN (9D: Completed a marathon) and RACE (56D: Marathon, for example) A nice pair of clues.

SIR (29D: ___ Purr (rhyming Panthers mascot)) SIR Purr has been the mascot of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers since 1995. My cat, Willow, has been the mascot of my blog since I began writing it in 2020. It’s too bad pictures don’t have sound, because Willow was indeed purring when I took this photo.

BAN HAMMER (34D: Virtual “tool” used to boot unruly commenters from live chats) Isn’t BAN HAMMER a lovely descriptive name for this virtual tool?

OH HENRY! (42D: Candy bar whose name ends with an exclamation mark) An OH HENRY! candy bar has peanuts, caramel, and fudge, and is coated in chocolate. The candy bar was invented in 1920, but there’s no consensus about how it got its name.

LAOS (46D: Country whose capital is Vientiane) LAOS is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. Its capital, as the clue informs us, is Vientiane.

In addition to the answers I’ve highlighted above, I also like these long answers:

FINGERS CROSSED (3D: “Let’s hope!”)

ESPRESSO MAKERS (14D: Gadgets used by baristas to brew strong, rich coffee)

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

THE CORPORATE JUNGLE (Freestyle): There’s no theme today, as this is a freestyle, or themeless puzzle. The title is a nod to two clues:

MONKEY BUSINESS (15A: Mischievous behavior)

BEAR MARKET (54A: Down time for the S&P 500)

This is the type of freestyle puzzle that I would call “themed-ish.” Although there’s not a theme in the traditional sense of three to five long answers connected by some wordplay component, we do have a pair of answers that have a connection. Sometimes a pair such as this is referred to as an “apt pair.” MONKEY BUSINESS and BEAR MARKET are common phrases where the first word is an animal’s name, and the second word is a synonym for a corporation. Thank you, Ryan, for this enjoyable puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles
March 31, 2025
Elton John and Brandi Carlile ‘Who Believes in Angels?’ album review

Fans knew an official musical alliance between kindred spirits Elton John and Brandi Carlile was inevitable.

Their relationship built on mutual admiration has manifested at concerts (John invited Carlile to sing at his final concert at Dodger Stadium in 2022) and soirees (Carlile was one of the most sincere performers at last year’s Gershwin Prize concert honoring John and lyricist Bernie Taupin).

Carlile has also developed into an icon whisperer, first helping reestablish Joni Mitchell’s confidence and now patiently enduring John’s acknowledged studio tantrums.

Despite any volatility while writing and recording, the John/Carlile partnership on their collaborative album, “Who Believes in Angels,” out Friday, shimmers with a just-right balance of sunshine and sadness.

Produced by Andrew Watt, the 10 songs also boast the fingerprints of Taupin (surely the lyric about “a rodeo queen breathing fire into the night” from the title track spawned from his poetic brain), who knows better than anyone how to coax greatness from John.

John and Carlile blend seamlessly over the melodious piano and robust chorus of the title track, as well as the sweet pop song “Someone to Belong To.” Carlile, meanwhile, earns a spotlight moment on the tender “You Without Me” as her lovely voice flutters over the acoustic guitar spine of the ballad.

In announcing the album, John said that he was so invigorated by the work he and Carlile started in October 2023 that “this (album) is the start of my career, Mark 2.” If so, it’s an auspicious beginning.

Here are four of the best songs on “Who Believes in Angels.”

More: Chappell Roan duets with Elton John at intimate Oscars after-party

‘The Rose of Laura Nyro’

Named for the ‘60s-era cult singer/songwriter whom John says he idolized, the song that kicks off the album emits serious “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” vibes. A long synth introduction dissolves into swirls of sound before a guitar solo kicks in and leads to the combined vocals of John and Carlile.

Their voices collide in a cloud of melody as they sing in their ode, “Like Virginia to the lighthouse/see the songbirds in their cages/the rose of Laura Nyro/shed its petals on the pages.”

A boogie-piano coda stretches the song past the six-minute mark, and it sets the tone for an album that can sometimes feel scattershot but is always rescued by the warmth of its stars.

‘Someone to Belong To’

This midtempo gem trots in like a standard pop song, but then the sublime chorus latches onto your emotions as John and Carlile spin their most honeyed vocals on the album.

Over mellifluous piano runs, the pair sing lyrics full of hope and gratitude: “Hang in there, darling, won’t you?/the best is yet to come … But if there’s still gold in those hills/I owe it all to you/I thank my lucky stars/that I’ve got someone to belong to.” It’s an uncomplicated message that harkens to the simplicity of “Your Song” – and no one is complaining about that.

‘The River Man’

It’s the kind of song that sneaks up on you with quiet verses and acoustic guitars, then erupts into a blues-rock frolic. Carlile’s rootsy sensibilities are knitted with John’s pop instincts for a foot-stomper that surprises throughout. And then there is that midsong breakdown of racing guitars and piano: Yes, “Pinball Wizard,” we hear you in there.

‘When This Old World is Done With Me’

Much like Billy Joel’s “And So It Goes,” John’s reflective ballad is a bit of a lament and a bit of a valentine to a life well-lived. “I’ve felt sympathy and silence/helping hands and guidance/happiness and anger since the day that I was born,” he projects in a booming lower register, which gives the song an extra layer of gravitas.

It’s an ideal album closer as John sings alone of taming demons and a reminder that “none of this came easy.” But then he moves from bleak minor chords to 45 seconds of silky music box riffs, signaling the sound of a new day.

March 31, 2025
‘Righteous Gemstones’ Walton Goggins on waterskiing nude

Walton Goggins has let it all hang out before in HBO’s “The Righteous Gemstones,” Danny McBride’s satire on a megachurch family (Sundays, 10 ET/PT and streaming on Max). But nothing like in the opening sequence of this week’s episode.

Goggins, 53, who plays octogenarian Gemstone relative Baby Billy Freeman, is seen waterskiing in his birthday suit. It looks like Goggins threw caution to the wind to bare all.

Not a chance. “There’s a history there with this show, in Season 1 I stand up in a tub with my penis hanging out, and then there was the scene in last week’s episode (in which Baby Billy is nude while getting dressed,” says Goggins. “But no, that is not my penis!”

Goggins has even had to field diplomatic calls from friends on the topic. “The first time I did that, people called me,” he says. “One was a casting director friend of mine, and she said, ‘You have a beautiful body, Walton,’ and I said ‘What are you talking about? That’s my 80-year-old stand-in’s body and penis!’”

When asked about the waterskiing sequence, McBride laughs. He’s asked a lot of his friend Goggins (the two shared lead roles in HBO’s acerbic 2016-17 comedy “Vice Principals”), but even he knows where to draw the line.

“No, I can confirm that Walton has never showed his penis on the show,” he says. “There’s always a body double, and never the same elderly penis.”

But are they real, or just prostheses? Danny McBride answers that riddle

So those are not prostheses, the go-to for nudity in Hollywood, whether depicting Mark Wahlberg’s member in 1997’s “Boogie Nights” or in a recent episode of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” where Jason Isaacs accidentally flashes his family. (Goggins also co-stars in the current “Lotus” season as a character far darker than the bombastic Baby Billy, one who’s in no danger of flashing anyone let alone his girlfriend.)

“No, no prostheses,” says McBride, who can’t resist a trademark wisecrack. “Oh yeah, brother, those are red hot” organs.

How did he even come up with the idea of putting Goggins on skis? Simple, the actor offered. “He told me he could do the slalom like that for real, and I said, ‘OK, that’s the cold open right there, you doing that, nude.’”

If you’re wondering why Baby Billy Freeman is out there waterskiing nude in the first place, Goggins has a theory.

“It’s kind of the same with the character I played in ‘Vice Principals,’ (Lee Russell),” says Goggins. “Both he and Baby Billy are deeply insecure human beings that just want to be relevant in a world where they don’t feel relevant at all.”

March 31, 2025
Scott Glenn talks Rick’s Episode 7 staredown

Spoiler alert: This story includes details from the March 30 episode of HBO’s”The White Lotus.”

The long-anticipated encounter between Rick Hatchett (Walton Goggins) and shadowy Jim Hollinger (Scott Glenn) finally came to a head on “The White Lotus.”

Rick has spent much of his adult life — and the first six Season 3 episodes of the HBO comedy ― revenge fantasizing over a Thailand confrontation with the super-rich American landowner Jim. According to Rick’s mom, who spoke on her deathbed, Jim killed Rick’s do-gooding dad, whose body was never found.

The promised confrontation with his father’s suspected killer in Sunday’s episode (now streaming on Max) fell short of “Princess Bride”-level paternal revenge. Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) had earlier cited the classic movie when asking her boyfriend Rick: “Is this like a, ‘You killed my father, prepare to die’ thing?’”

No one dies, as Rick doesn’t pull the trigger of the gun he pointed at his uber-rival. But Jim, played by “The Right Stuff” star Glenn, 86, isn’t done.

Last week’s incest hangover ‘The White Lotus’ unhappy endings, explained

“I may have felt momentarily threatened,” Glenn tells USA TODAY of Jim. “But I own the White Lotus hotels and half of Thailand. I have two heavily armed bodyguards. If I run into another situation down the line, I’ll be able to take care of it.”

What happened?

Rick’s movie plan with fake director Frank worked

Rick has enlisted his newly sober former partner in crime Frank (Sam Rockwell) into the revenge plot. The surprise “White Lotus” actor pairing of real-life friends Rockwell and Goggins is already legendary. Glenn was among the millions who loved Frank’s bizarre Episode 5 reveal about his Bangkok sex-and-drinking excess, paired with Goggins’ reactions. “I was laughing so hard I thought I was going to pee in my pants,” Glenn says.

Rick’s action plan to get inside the heavily fortified Bangkok mansion that the reclusive Jim shares with his actress wife Sritala (Patravadi Mejudhon) has Frank pretend to be a director planning a major Hollywood movie and enlisting Sritala.

The plan works, even if Frank comically stumbles with career specifics when sweet-talking Sritala. Even though Jim suspects something is not right, he agrees to talk with Rick alone in his den while Frank woos Sritala. In their private conversation, Jim accepts that he could play tough when encountering “roadblocks,” people who opposed his plans as a ruthless developer in 1970s Thailand. “I even say, ‘Back in those days, I had a lot of options,’” says Glenn.

Glenn and “White Lotus” creator Mike White agreed on his character’s backstory: The once-idealistic Jim moved to Thailand as part of the Peace Corps, but became a cutthroat businessman when amassing his fortune. Yet when Rick pulls out his gun and accuses Jim of killing his father, Jim’s confused.

“When I hear him talk about his past, I start trying to figure it all out,” says Glenn. “It is not just a crazy person, but a crazy person who has targeted me. The other thing going through my head is, ‘What’s that other guy doing with my wife?’”

Rather than shoot him, Rick disgustedly topples Jim to the ground in his desk chair. Glenn insists he performed the stunt when Goggins pushed the chair to the floor. “I did it maybe three times,” says Glenn. “It was a short distance to the floor. Mike (White) takes care of everything.”

Rick and Frank escape, but expect more Jim in the finale

Rick runs out of the den and grabs Frank, and they escape (but not before throwing out more verbal bonbons to Sritala). After zipping off in their longtail boat, the duo, including newly unsober Frank, celebrate in debaucherous Bangkok style.

But Jim will return in next week’s finale in another encounter between classic actors and complex characters. The Hall of Fame intense actor (“The Right Stuff”) and Marine veteran says he has been frustrated with his roles as an octogenarian.

“I’ve been offered five different parts, all of which I turned down,” says Glenn. “Three of them were dying of Alzheimer’s, one was in an iron lung, two of them were with walkers.”

Jim carries a cane that doubles as a formidable weapon. Glenn, who practices Filipino Martial Arts, picked out the rattan creation himself. “I lean on it a little,” he says. “But I chose that cane because it’s a different kind of a problem.”

Glenn, who starred in the AppleTV+ drama “Bad Monkey,” had never watched “White Lotus” before discussing the role with White. But he’s now a devotee, and excited to watch the finale.

“After watching ‘The White Lotus,’ I realize this whole thing is this amazing dance. And I’ve had the chance to join the Mike White circus,” says Glenn, who made the 22-hour flight to Thailand four times for prolonged shoots.

Glenn won’t say if Jim’s really the killer or how significant it is that Rick’s father was never found. But after first appearing briefly walking down the stairs in the Episode 6 cliffhanger ending, this showdown is going down.

“When people saw me first walk down those stairs, I told them, ‘There’ll be much more in the next episodes.’” says Glenn. “Stay tuned.”

March 31, 2025
Netflix star auditions, Lionel Richie blown away
As “American Idol” wrapped auditions this week, Sunday’s episode was replete with teens whose talent belies their age — but light on performances that made you go “wow.”
Kaleo Knight, a 16-year-old high schooler from Los Angeles, made a big swing by taking on “Dreamgirls,” and it paid off. She received a standing ovation and quite the compliment from Luke Bryan: It’s probably the best 16-year-old voice we’ve heard in this competition,” he said.

Sixteen-year-old Lexi “loud mouth” Tieffel was also sent through to Hollywood Week (which begins Monday at 8 p.m. on ABC) for her rendition of “Girl Crush” (which we’re left to assume was adequate, as there was hardly any footage of it), and 18-year-old Zaylie Windsor squeaked by with an endorsement from Carrie Underwood for the “Taylor Swift-esque quality” in her original song.

Catch up on last week: Brian Wilson’s granddaughter sings with Wilson Phillips in family performance

The most impressive showing from week four of auditions was an aspiring preacher with a voice so powerful it blew Lionel Richie away from the judges’ desk. And he was only 17, too.

Here are the highlights from “American Idol” Episode 4.

Canaan James Hill earned Season 23’s final platinum ticket

Canaan James Hill, 17, graduated early from high school and is on a fast track to making his dreams come true.

The content creator from Dallas, who’s been “getting into preaching” recently, leaned heavily into his gospel background. With a sizable cross necklace front and center, he told the judges he’s from “a gospel family” and is here doing “what god has called and chosen me to do.”

In singing gospel musician Earnest Pugh’s “I Need Your Glory,” Canaan took the judges on a vocal journey, starting soft and crescendoing into a full belt that made Richie push his chair away from the desk in incredulity before he excitedly jumped out of his seat.

“I had to sit back here to listen!” he later exclaimed. “That was something so spectacular I can’t even describe what I heard.” Meanwhile, Bryan chimed in, “I ain’t seen anything like it, Lionel.”

A “speechless” Underwood noted the Canaan did not “give off the air of a 17-year-old” with his poise, confidence and maturity.

Not only did Canaan draw out three enthusiastic yeses from the trio, he also inspired Richie to journey across the room and pluck a platinum ticket from a wall covered with lighting elements (has that always been there, taunting the singers?). Thankfully, Bryan succeeded where Richie failed to unearth it from the recess in the wall, and the 17-year-old was presented with the ticket that will keep him safe through the first week in Hollywood.

A standout from last week: Contestant mourns dad Davis McClendon after hit-and-run murder

Wait, is that Netflix star Kariselle auditioning for ‘Idol?’

In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, dating and/or competition show fans might have noticed what seemed to be a familiar face.

Around half an hour into the episode — in between auditions from Patrick Swayze-meets-Scotty McCreery singer Gabe James and Lexi Tieffel — a woman who appeared to be Kariselle Snow (of “Perfect Match,” “Sexy Beasts” and “Are You the One?” fame) briefly appeared in a segment about silly nicknames. (Underwood’s, for the record, was “Scary Underwear.”)

We heard nothing from her other than her unique name, which is a missed opportunity because the reality TV veteran and aspiring singer sounds quite good on Instagram. USA TODAY reached out to Snow and “Idol” reps for confirmation.

‘I’ve never seen Carrie smile this much’

If “Idol” could have molded an ideal contestant, it would’ve been 20-year-old Landynn Kennedy.

He has a devastating backstory of overcoming obstacles, and he has talent, but not too much of it. Just enough to know he’s good but can grow into something great throughout the competition. The caretaker from Kingstree, South Carolina, revealed he and his siblings were “left there to perish” at a hotel when they were young and have been raised by their adopted parents, Warren and Jennifer Kennedy.

But then mom Jennifer died when Landynn was 13 years old. However, as he delivered one of the more popular audition song choices, Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” Jennifer was right there with him on a pendant hanging around his neck. And perhaps in spirit, too.

From the first word, Landynn’s voice came out clear and strong. There were a few imperfections, but also some impressive riffs showcasing his unique take on the ’90s song. And that’s what makes “Idol” fun. Contestants like him can be shaped − by celebrity mentors, fellow contestants and the judges — into a more fully-formed musical artist.

“You have so much raw talent,” Underwood told Landynn. “I feel like you would be one that would be a lot of fun to watch grow in a competition like this.” Noting the few hiccups, she added: “Don’t worry too much about coming off the notes or doing runs. … just throw it out there.”

Bryan loved that Landynn was “singing from a real place” of life experience. With three yeses, the 20-year-old was headed to a “fabulous place” called Hollywood, Richie announced.

Who received platinum tickets on ‘American Idol’ 2025?

Canaan was granted the final remaining ticket.

Before him, Filo and Kolbi Jordan were issued the upgraded ticket to Hollywood (and, unfortunately for Canaan, in grander fashion).

Who got a ticket to Hollywood in Episode 4?

The judges sent through a horde of contestants in the final auditions round, though we didn’t properly see many of the performances.

Jmarie

Zaylie Windsor

Nikki Rodrigues

Caroline Brett

Kaleo Knight

Landynn Kennedy

Gabe James

Lexi Tieffel

Ethan Senger

Trenton Wright

Cal Buckley

Sarah Day

Olivier

Will Carter

Yani

Clara Rae

Santina Madden

Malik Bilbrew

Kyana Fanene

Samantha Ray

Canaan James Hill
March 31, 2025
O.J. Simpson bible sold in auction despite Kim Kardashian’s interest

A piece of O.J. Simpson memorabilia with ties to the Kardashian family has gone to the highest bidder.

Simpson’s 1994 copy of “The Living Bible,” gifted to him by friend and attorney Robert Kardashian amid the NFL veteran’s legal woes, has been sold in an online auction, according to the official Goldin website. The sale comes after Kardashian’s daughter, reality-TV star and media mogul Kim Kardashian, reportedly attempted to purchase the book ahead of the auction.

The bible was sold for $80,276 with an associated buyer’s premium fee (the winning bid was $65,800). The book’s sale was finalized on Saturday, with Goldin noting the auction ended on March 29. The buyer’s name was not disclosed.

USA TODAY has reached out to Kim Kardashian’s representative for comment.

O.J. Simpson, who was acquitted of murder in the 1994 death of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, was close friends with Robert Kardashian. Nicole Brown Simpson was also the best friend of Kim Kardashian’s mother Kris Jenner, who was married to Robert Kardashian from 1978 to 1991.

O.J. Simpson was accused of two counts of murder in Brown Simpson’s death after she was fatally stabbed in Los Angeles alongside friend Ron Goldman. Robert Kardashian was a member of Simpson’s defense team.

Despite O.J. Simpson’s acquittal of criminal charges, a jury in a civil trial found him liable for the double murder in 1997. He later served nine years in prison for his role in a botched armed robbery and was granted parole in 2017.

The bible contains an inscription from Robert Kardashian himself, dated June 18, 1994 (the day after O.J. Simpson received charges): “O.J., This book will help. God loves, and he will speak to you with his words. Read this book every day. God has a definite plan for your life. You are his child, and he will use you again. I love you, and God loves you.”

Robert Kardashian died from esophageal cancer at 59 in 2003. O.J. Simpson died April 10, 2024, at the age of 76 following a battle with prostate cancer.

O.J. Simpson dies at 76: The Kardashians’ connections to the controversial star, explained

Why was Kim Kardashian denied purchase of O.J. Simpson’s bible?

Before O.J. Simpson’s bible was sold on Saturday, Kim Kardashian raised her bidding sign.

In an interview with People magazine earlier this month, the executor of O.J. Simpson’s estate revealed Kim Kardashian offered to buy the former athlete’s bible for $15,000. But the amount of Kim Kardashian’s offer and the item’s court-sanctioned contract to be auctioned off reportedly thwarted the sale.

“Why would I spend $15,000 of estate money — why would I spend $15,000 in attorney’s fees — to sell it to Kim for $15,000?”, Malcolm LaVergne told People. “That’s a zero-sum game. That’s a bad business model. If Kim had offered $150,000 for it, we would’ve been in court getting this approved outside of the auction.”

LaVergne added that Kim Kardashian maintained the ability to participate in the book’s auction online.

Kim Kardashian on O.J. Simpson: Media mogul recalls tearful, ’emotional’ reunion

In a moment of rare candor, Kim Kardashian opened up about her relationship with O.J. Simpson during a September 2019 appearance on Jonathan Cheban’s podcast “Foodgod: OMFG.” The Skims co-founder recalled running into O.J. Simpson at a Miami nightclub with sisters Kourtney and Khloé Kardashian.

“We all, I think, all started crying, and it was emotional, I think,” Kim said at the time. She added that she refrains from speaking about O.J. Simpson in the media out of sensitivity to his children.

“I don’t really talk to them, but I did connect with his son, a few years back, and I just have respect for them. And their lives must be extremely hard to really go through that,” Kim Kardashian explained. “So, I always try to just keep to myself on that issue and not bring anything up for them, ’cause I know every time someone does, it’s super traumatic.”

Contributing: Jay Stahl, Erin Jensen, and Josh Peter, USA TODAY

March 31, 2025
Actress accused of assault with a deadly weapon

Kim Delaney, best known for her work on the police procedural “NYPD Blue,” was arrested in Southern California alongside her partner James Morgan over the weekend following an alleged incident of domestic violence.

Delaney, 63, and Morgan were apprehended by authorities Saturday morning after police were notified of a “domestic disturbance” at a Los Angeles residence, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department confirmed to USA TODAY on Sunday.

Following a preliminary investigation by deputies, Delaney was arrested on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, while Morgan was arrested on a charge of battery.

An investigation into the incident remains ongoing, according to authorities. Delaney and Morgan’s custody status is not known.

USA TODAY reached out to Delaney’s representatives for comment.

Yella Beezy arrested: Rapper charged with capital murder in the death of MO3

Delaney, who played Detective Diane Russell on “NYPD Blue” from 1995 to 2003, was previously married to actors Charles Grant and Joseph Cortese, the latter of whom she divorced in 1994. She shares a son, Jack, with Cortese.

Delaney gave a sweet shoutout to Morgan in October when the actress celebrated the couple’s “second wedding anniversary” on social media. She shared a selfie of the pair wearing matching hoodies, writing on Instagram, “Great memories! I love you, hubby-your wife for life.. 💚💍💚”

This isn’t the first time Delaney has run into legal troubles. The Emmy-winning actress was arrested in January 2002 on suspicion of drunk driving, according to Entertainment Weekly, after which she pleaded no contest and was sentenced to two years of probation and a defensive driving course, the magazine reported.

Colin Stough arrested: ‘American Idol’ alum accused of DUI, underage drinking

In 2003, Delaney checked herself into a rehabilitation clinic to address an alcohol addiction, People magazine reported at the time. Two years later, the actress lost custody of her 15-year-old son after allegedly forcing the teen to accompany her in the car while she drove under the influence, according to People.

March 31, 2025
Angela Aguilar addresses rumors after a year that ‘almost broke me’

INGLEWOOD, Calif. − After a year that “almost broke me,” Mexican American musician Ángela Aguilar is speaking her truth.

Aguilar, 21, who received the Breakthrough Award at Billboard’s Women in Music event Saturday, addressed the public scrutiny over her husband Christian Nodal. The singer was criticized after her relationship with Nodal, who had recently split from Argentinian singer Cazzu, became public last summer. Onstage while receiving her award, she said the honor meant a lot to her “because this year almost broke me.”

“I have had to stand onstage and sing through the tears and I have had to carry the weights of judgment and speculation of a story that I have not even told, and a story that has never hit my voice,” Aguilar, daughter of singer Pepe Aguilar, said. “And yet, here I am. I’m still singing, I’m still standing. Because music is who I am.”

Speaking through roars of applause, Aguilar remembered a lesson her late grandmother Flor Silvestre, a singer and actor of the golden age of Mexican cinema, taught her: “She taught me that you can fight in silence and that music speaks way louder than what other people say.

“To every young girl watching this, wondering if she should make herself smaller to fit in to someone’s ideas about who they are, don’t. In this world, they’ll try to write your story for you; don’t let them,” she said.

Her father, brother and fellow collaborator Leonardo Aguilar, mother Aneliz Alvarez-Alcala and her husband Nodal looked on proudly at the singer from their seats. (Gracie Abrams, Songwriter of the Year honoree, was also on her feet, applauding Aguilar during the many standing ovations during her speech.)

More: Ranchera royalty Ángela Aguilar follows ‘in the footsteps of my dad’ Pepe, but could also be its future

Ángela Aguilar dedicates award to immigrant women

The “Dime Cómo Quieres” also used her platform to acknowledge immigrant women and “raise my voice for the women whose voices are not always given a stage.”

Aguilar dedicated her award “for the women who leave behind everything they know crossing borders with nothing but hope in their hearts, only to find themselves living in uncertainty and fear,” she continued, her voice growing faint against the constant cheers and applause from the audience. “For the immigrant women in the country who work tirelessly building and nurturing, sacrificing, and yet still remain unseen, unheard and unprotected, this one is for you.

“I see you. I honor you. You deserve safety, dignity, the right to dream,” Aguilar said, fighting back tears. “And if my voice and my music and my presence on this stage can remind you that you are not invisible, then I will sing for you every single time.”

Before her speech, former Fifth Harmony member Lauren Jauregui introduced Aguilar to the stage for a special rendition of “Cielito Lindo” with an all-women mariachi band.

Aguilar spoke to USA TODAY on the Billboard blue carpet about using her voice to empower the Mexican American and Latino community.

“Seeing the injustices that are happening doesn’t sit well with me, and if I can do something about it, and if I can give something back to my people, I’m always going to be doing that,” she said.

Ángela Aguilar teases new music and what fans can expect

Aguilar, who released her album “Bolero” in February 2024, is working on new music.

“I’m so excited, this is my first time producing my album. My father has always produced my albums, and this is the first time I’m doing it by myself, so it gives me a big sense of respect for what he used to do. It’s much harder than what I thought it was going to be, but I’ve been writing a lot, I’ve been listening to a lot of new music and this new chapter of my life talks about just that.”

At 9, Aguilar released her first album, “Nueva Tradición,” with her older brother Leonardo. At 15, she released her first solo album, “Primero Soy Mexicana,” which earned her a Grammy Award nomination and two Latin Grammy Award nominations. At the time, she became one of the youngest artists to be nominated for either award.

These days, Aguilar also co-headlines the “Jaripeo Sin Fronteras” (Rodeo without Borders) tours with her father, brother and uncle Antonio Jr., cementing their place as La Dinastía Aguilar (The Aguilar Dynasty).

March 31, 2025
Richard Chamberlain dies at 90Entertainment

Richard Chamberlain dies at 90Entertainment

March 31, 2025
When is ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 finale? Date, time, how to watch
The finale of third season of Emmy-award-winning HBO series “The White Lotus” is almost here.
Season 3 of the series following a star-studded cast staying at an exclusive resort in Thailand has already been full of twists and turns. After teasing a body floating in the water during the season premiere, we are now even closer to learning who it was, and why they died.

There are eight episodes in Season 3 of “The White Lotus,” with the first episode airing in mid-February, and the finale airing at the beginning of next month.

Here’s everything you should know about the series so far.

Incest hangover: ‘The White Lotus’ unhappy endings, explained

When is ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 finale?

“The White Lotus” Season 3 finale, titled “Amor Fati,” will air on HBO Sunday, April 6 and be available for streaming at 9 p.m. EST/PST.

How to watch ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3

The first episode of “The White Lotus” Season 3 aired on HBO and was available for streaming on Max starting Sunday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. EST/PST with new episodes dropping weekly.

Max subscription plans begin at $9.99 a month with ads, which allows users to stream on up to two devices at one time. Ad-free subscriptions are $16.99 a month, which includes the additional ability to download up to 30 titles to watch on the go. The highest tier, which is $20.99 a month, includes the ability to stream on four devices and offers 4K Ultra HD video quality and 100 downloads.

HBO also offers bundles with Hulu and Disney+.

How many episodes does ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 have?

Season 3 of “The White Lotus” has eight episodes in total, according to HBO.

Previously, Season 1 had six episodes, while Season 2 had seven.

‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 full episode schedule

Feb. 16: Episode 1, “Same Spirits, New Forms”

Feb. 23: Episode 2, “Special Treatments”

March 2: Episode 3, “The Meaning of Dreams”

March 9: Episode 4, “Hide or Seek”

March 16: Episode 5, “Full-Moon Party”

March 23: Episode 6, “Denials”

March 30: Episode 7, “Killer Instincts”

April 6: Episode 8, “Amor Fati”

Where is ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 set?

Season 3 of “The White Lotus” is set in Thailand. Season 1 was set in Hawaii, while Season 2 was set in Sicily, Italy.

‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 cast

Cast members for Season 3 of “The White Lotus,” as per Max, include:

Leslie Bibb as Kate

Carrie Coon as Laurie

Michelle Monaghan as Jaclyn

Walton Goggins as Rick Hatchett

Aimee Lou Wood as Chelsea

Jason Isaacs as Timothy Ratliff

Parker Posey as Victoria Ratliff

Sarah Catherine Hook as Piper Ratliff

Sam Nivola as Lochlan Ratliff

Patrick Schwarzenegger as Saxon Ratliff

Lalisa Manobal as Mook

Lek Patravadi as Sritala

Natasha Rothwell as Belinda

Tayme Thapthimthong as Gaitok

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Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at [email protected]
March 31, 2025