Simon Fisher-Becker, a British actor known for his roles on “Doctor Who” and in the first “Harry Potter” film, has died. He was 63.
Fisher-Becker’s death was confirmed by his agency in a statement issued to USA TODAY on Monday.
“Today, I lost not only a client Simon Fisher-Becker, but a close personal friend of 15 years standing,” the statement said. “I shall never forget the phone call I made to him when he was offered the part of ‘Dorium’ in Dr Who. He had been a fan of the show since he was a child.
“Simon was also a writer, a raconteur and a great public speaker. He helped me out enormously and was always kind, gracious and interested in everyone. My condolences go to his husband Tony, his brother, nieces and nephews and his legion of fans.”
Fisher-Becker portrayed the Fat Friar, a ghost from Hufflepuff, who appeared in 2001’s “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” In the film, he comes through the floor of the Hogwarts dining hall as several ghosts arrive, including Nearly Headless Nick.
John Lithgow speaks out on Dumbledore ‘Harry Potter’ series casting reports
The actor also starred as Dorium Maldovar on the British sci-fi series “Doctor Who.” He played the role in the fifth and sixth seasons of the modern reboot opposite Matt Smith’s Doctor.
Fisher-Becker had additional roles on shows like “Puppy Love” and was a part of the ensemble of the 2012 “Les Misérables” film, according to IMDb.
Posts on Fisher-Becker’s Facebook page showed he made frequent appearances at conventions to sign autographs for “Doctor Who” and “Harry Potter” fans. The actor’s husband, Tony, announced his death on the Facebook page on Sunday.
I’m an adult and I just read the ‘Harry Potter’ series. Why it’s not just for kids.
In an X post, actor Dominic G. Martin remembered Fisher-Becker as a “legend” in the “Doctor Who” fan community. “I never got to meet him properly, but friends who worked with him have nothing but lovely things to say,” Martin said. “A real testament to his character. Farewell sir.”
Adele, Celine Dion share tearful embrace at Las Vegas residency show
The queens of the Las Vegas residency shared an emotional encounter Saturday night at Caesars Palace when Celine Dion turned up for Adele’s show.
The one and only Céline Dion is warning fans of AI-generated music said to feature her.
The legendary singer’s team took to Instagram Friday to flag fans regarding the artificial intelligence-generated music, calling it the “unsanctioned” use of “Celine Dion’s musical performances, and name and likeness.”
The statement continued: “Please be advised that these recordings are fake and not approved, and are not songs from her official discography.”
It is unclear what prompted the statement to be issued. Dion has released music as recently as 2024 for the soundtrack to her documentary “I Am: Celine Dion,” featuring her biggest hits. In 2023, she released five original songs for the soundtrack of the romantic comedy “Love Again,” her first feature film in which she plays a fictionalized version of herself.
Aside from her official musical comeback at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony in July, live performances from Dion, 56, have been rare since her diagnosis with stiff person syndrome. Dion first revealed the diagnosis in 2022 as the reason she had to cancel her upcoming world tour dates and Las Vegas residency.
During Dion’s return to the spotlight, she released her harrowing documentary, in which she suffers a violent episode of the syndrome onscreen.
AI-generated music has become a problem in recent years. In 2023, the song “Heart on My Sleeve” went viral for its use of AI-generated vocals that replicated the musical likenesses of Drake and The Weeknd. In 2024, record label Universal Music Group briefly removed the catalogs of its artists from TikTok, citing the publication of AI-generated music as one of the reasons for its exit.
Paul McCartney warns against AI use in music: ‘It shouldn’t rip creative people off’
The technology has also been a source for creative expression. In 2023, The Beatles treated fans to the band’s final song, “Now and Then,” and used AI technology to extract John Lennon’s voice from a late-1970s demo recording.
In January, former Beatle Paul McCartney cautioned that artificial intelligence could be used to “rip off” artists, urging the British government to make sure upcoming copyright reforms protect its creative industries.
‘The Apprentice’ director on the reaction to his Trump biopic
Ali Abbasi, director of the Donald Trump biopic “The Apprentice,” is reacting to controversy around his film.
Americans are in for the ultimate full-circle moment this week, when a reality TV star-turned-president returns to the screen.
In a release Monday, Amazon Prime Video announced that for the first time, viewers would be able to stream all seven seasons of “The Apprentice.”
The business competition show, which helped to remake President Donald Trump’s reputation in the American imagination throughout the aughts, will be released in spurts with the first season out Monday and the remaining six rolling out weekly.
Premiering in January 2004, the show − a brainchild of reality maven Mark Burnett − quickly became a phenomenon, raking in tens of millions of viewers each episode. The format saw 16 contestants completing various business-related challenges as they vied for a job at the Trump Organization and attempted to dodge the president’s signature catchphrase: “You’re fired.”
Sebastian Stan talks his total Trump-ification for new movie ‘The Apprentice’
It was his role on “The Apprentice” that elevated Trump to true celebrity status and helped mint his bragadocious and brash public persona. Cracking open the family business for public consumption, his name became synonymous with tough tactics and a disdain for inefficiency − characteristics he leaned on heavily during his original run for president.
As the series progressed, Trump’s three eldest children, Ivanka, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump, cycled through as advisors.
The program also birthed several spinoffs including “The Celebrity Apprentice,” “The Ultimate Merger” and “The Apprentice: Martha Stewart.” The family of shows ensnared plenty of big names throughout their air, including Gary Busey, Omarosa, LaToya Jackson and Lisa Rinna.
The show shares its title with a recent biopic starring Sebastian Stan that depicts the president as a slumlord, rising to real estate mogul status with the use of ruthless strategy, impressed on him by closeted gay lawyer Roy Cohn.
The film earned an Oscar nod, and a flurry of criticism from Trump.
As for the real “Apprentice,” the president is eager for a re-watch. “I look forward to watching this show myself,” he said in the release. “Such great memories, and so much fun, but most importantly, it was a learning experience for all of us!”
“‘The Apprentice’ is one of the best shows that I ever produced,” Burnett, who also produced “Survivor” and “The Voice,” said in the release. “The charismatic onscreen presence of President Donald J. Trump made it a bona fide hit!”
Prior to being sworn in, Trump named Burnett as the special envoy to the United Kingdom. Burnett “will work to enhance diplomatic relations, focusing on areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment opportunities, and cultural exchanges,” Trump said in a Truth Social post announcing the appointment.
King Charles III resumes public duties following treatment for cancer
King Charles III resumed public duties after doctors say they were pleased with King’s response to cancer treatment.
King Charles III is taking on an unexpected new role: radio DJ.
Charles hosted an Apple Music broadcast released Monday called “The King’s Music Room,” in which he played a selection of favorite songs and spoke about each one. Charles described this as an “interesting and innovative” way to celebrate Commonwealth Day, as the tracks “originated from across the Commonwealth family and other parts of the world.”
On the show, Charles reflected that music “has that remarkable ability to bring happy memories flooding back from the deepest recesses of our memory” and said he would highlight “songs which have brought me joy.” According to Apple Music, the show was recorded in Charles’ office at Buckingham Palace.
The king’s first pick was “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley and the Wailers. Charles noted that he once met Marley, who had a “marvelous, infectious energy,” “deep sincerity” and “profound concern for his community.” He transitioned into “My Boy Lollipop” from another Jamaican singer, Millie Small.
Next up was Kylie Minogue’s “The Loco-Motion,” which Charles described as “music for dancing” that has “that infectious energy” that makes it “incredibly hard to sit still.” Moving back to the 1920s, Charles said Al Bowlly’s “The Very Thought of You” is a tune that his “much-loved grandmother” used to play.
“This was an era of songs made memorable by brilliant lyrics, incredible bands and unstoppable rhythm,” he said.
Before next playing “the superb” Grace Jones’ version of “La Vie En Rose,” Charles asked, “Is it possible to improve on such a classic song? See what you think.”
The king subsequently praised Raye, who was nominated for best new artist at the 2025 Grammys, as “one of our most exciting and acclaimed contemporary singer-songwriters” and played her song “Love Me Again.”
“Anyone who saw Raye perform at the Grammy Awards will know that she is a great ambassador for British music,” he said.
King Charles III celebrates 76th birthday amid cancer battle, opens food hubs
After remembering his visits to Ghana over the years, Charles played “Mpempem Do Me” by Daddy Lumba, “who is regarded by some as the greatest musician Ghana has ever produced,” and also selected “KANTE” by Davido and “The Click Song” by Miriam Makeba.
Charles also said he has been “more than fortunate to know the incredibly talented” Jools Holland and played his and Ruby Turner’s song “My Country Man,” calling Turner “another unstoppable phenomenon.” He followed this up with “Indian Summer” by Anoushka Shankar, “Anta Permana” by Siti Nurhaliza and “E Te Iwi E (Call to the People)” by Kiri Te Kanawa.
Charles closed the show with “Haven’t Met You Yet” by Michael Bublé, “Hot Hot Hot” by Arrow, “Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé and finally “Upside Down” by Diana Ross. He said Beyoncé is “so exceptional” that he “just could not resist including her music,” and he also congratulated her for winning album of the year for the first time at the Grammys last month.
Who is Raye? Meet the Grammy nominated British singer who performed at the Oscars
Charles added that Ross’ “Upside Down” is “one of my particular favorites” and recalled that when he was younger, “it was absolutely impossible not to get up and dance when it was played.”
“I wonder if I can still just manage it,” he joked.
Near the end of the show, Charles said that he hopes listeners discovered some “new and interesting” songs from “the wonderfully diverse tapestry that makes up the modern Commonwealth, with its rich pattern of cultures that it continues to share with peoples across the entire world.”
King Charles’ full Apple Music playlist
Here are all the songs Charles highlighted on his Apple Music show:
“Could You Be Loved” – Bob Marley and the Wailers
“My Boy Lollipop” – Millie Small
“The Loco-Motion” – Kylie Minogue
“The Very Thought of You” – Al Bowlly
“La Vie En Rose” – Grace Jones
“Love Me Again” – Raye
“Mpempem Do Me” – Daddy Lumba
“KANTE” – Davido
“The Click Song” – Miriam Makeba
“My Country Man” – Jools Holland and Ruby Turner
“Indian Summer” – Anoushka Shankar
“Anta Permana” – Siti Nurhaliza
“E Te Iwi E (Call to the People)” – Kiri Te Kanawa
Ben Affleck on ‘The Accountant 2’ at SXSW premiere
Ben Affleck opens up about relationships and authentic connections on the red carpet of “The Accountant 2” premiere at SXSW.
AUSTIN, Texas – Another reason has sprouted to give Nicole Kidman her fashion flowers – we’re thinking tulips for the “Holland” star.
Kidman, 57, stunned at Sunday’s premiere during Austin’s SXSW festival in a look from a 2008 Fendi collection. Her long locks were pulled into a high ponytail, keeping the focus on the black-striped dress with layered skirt.
In her new film arriving to Amazon’s Prime Video on March 27, the Oscar-winner plays the meatloaf making wife of Fred Vandergroot (Matthew Macfadyen). The pair are raising their son (Jude Hill) in idyllic Holland, Michigan, a town complete with tulips, a windmill and a giant mystery. Nancy’s seemingly perfect life is upended when she learns of a devastating secret with help from her colleague (Gael García Bernal).
”We were so lucky because our costume designer (Susan Lyall) was so meticulous and really created a character,” Kidman said at Sunday’s premiere. “This, for me, is a character role, and that’s what I loved about it. It’s very defined just the accent, the way I look, all of it.”
Lyall performed extensive research, according to notes about the film. “We delved into high school yearbooks from that era, browsed through an awful lot of JCPenney catalogs, and even asked people on the crew to bring in photos of themselves in 2000,” Lyall said.
Turning the clock back helps create tension for the thriller, director Mimi Cave said on the carpet Sunday.“If you’re in a hurry to get somewhere, you can’t just look it up on your phone,” Cave said. “There’s a tension in the time that that adds. Also, it gives more props for my actors to play with and adds a special nostalgic vibe.”
Kidman praised the world Cave created for her cast in a Q&A following Sunday’s screening.
“She was so precise and knew exactly what she wanted,” Kidman said, “So it was really fun for us because we were able to create characters in this slightly heightened reality and then hopefully take you on a twisty, crazy wild ride. It starts out one way and then you go, ‘Huh?’”
Prince Frederik, son of Prince Robert of Luxembourg, has died from a rare genetic disease, his father announced. He was 22.
Robert and his wife, Princess Julie of Nassau, announced Frederik’s death on the POLG Foundation website, a nonprofit, United States-based charity Frederik founded in 2022. Frederik was born with the disorder but was diagnosed at 14.
USA TODAY has reached out to the foundation and grand ducal family of Luxembourg for comment.
Frederik spoke to his family “one last time” on Feb. 28, sharing “some kind, some wise, (and) some instructive” farewells, as well as a “long-standing family joke.”
“Even in his last moments, his (humor), and his boundless compassion, compelled him to leave us with one last laugh….to cheer us all up,” Robert wrote.
The father of three said, despite not being able to speak for several days, Frederik asked him, “Papa, are you proud of me?” out of reassurance.
“The answer was very easy, and he had heard it oh so many times….” Robert continued. “Frederik knows that he is my Superhero, as he is to all of our family, and to so very many good friends and now in great part thanks to his POLG Foundation, to so very many people the world over.”
The member of the Luxembourg royal family was the youngest son of Robert, who is 15th in line to the throne. Luxembourg is a Western European country that is part of the European Union.
Robert said his siblings – Princess Charlotte, 29, and Prince Alexandre, 27 – and anyone who met him has said, “Frederik is the strongest person that we know.”
“Charlotte reminds me that the sun has shone every day since Frederik’s passing, pouring into the room and warming the bed where he last lay,” Robert added. “On his phone, he kept many sage reminders to (him)self, one of which read, ‘Go outside when the sun is shining.’ We will strive to follow his instructions, especially now that everything feels a little colder and darker in his absence.”
What is POLG?
POLG Mitochondrial disease is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the POLG gene, which can affect multiple organs, mainly the brain, muscles, liver and nerves, according to the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. There is no cure.
Talk about curveballs. Leave it to Danny McBride to let fly a doozy.
That was indeed multi-Oscar-nominee Bradley Cooper as a Civil War-era robber turned preacher in “The Righteous Gemstones,” whose fourth and final season kicked off Sunday (nine episodes airing Sundays, 10 ET/PT on HBO).
This flashback kickoff, which looks to tell the devious origin story of the megachurch-leading Gemstone clan, went from long shot to lock quickly.
“Bradley said OK, but he had never seen ‘Gemstones,’ and he didn’t want to, so as not to be influenced by it,” says McBride, who wraps a trilogy of pompous-protagonist series that include insufferable pitcher Kenny Powers in “Eastbound & Down” and his “Vice Principals” co-lead-buffoon (opposite Walton Goggins), Neal Gamby.
“What was amazing to me watching it after was just how much Bradley’s character seems like a Gemstone,” he says. “He’s in line with how our Gemstone brethren act.”
McBride says he loved being only a director on Episode 1, perhaps a hint of things to come. Despite the power of that gory kickoff – Goggins, who in “Gemstones” plays preacher Baby Billy Freeman, said “the script alone blew me away, it could be published as prose” – there is no return to the 1800s in the remaining eight episodes.
Instead, the manic thrust of this wrap-up season is getting the progeny of widowed patriarch Eli Gemstone (John Goodman) – Jesse (McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson) and Kelvin (Adam Devine) – to finally accept the death of their mother, Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles), and move on with their respective lives.
Kelvin and Amber Gemstone are among the ‘Righteous Gemstones’ who blossom in Season 4
Among those characters who come into their own finally are Kelvin, who has embraced his homosexuality and runs a gay ministry called Prism. “I was so happy Danny and the team took things in this direction, because we see my Gemstone siblings supporting me, while its other churches who are trying to take me down,” Devine says.
Also flowering this season is Jesse’s wife, Amber (Cassidy Freeman), who has mostly been dismissed by family members. “I love that she finally gets to be the mom she wants to be, connecting people, building bridges and reminding everyone that at the end of the day, family is all we have,” Freeman says.
If that sounds like serious fare, worry not. The episodes are packed with so much McBride-inspired lunacy that it’s hard to know where to begin.
There are the Prayer Pods, a Jesse brainchild that are promptly abused by users; a jealous capuchin monkey named Dr. Watson who helps Judy’s husband, BJ (Tim Baltz), recover from a pole dancing accident; and a water skiing scene with Goggins that doesn’t feature any clothing.
And without getting into details, look for an elaborate set piece with Baby Billy singing a Christian-themed pop-rap tune that Goggins jokes “should become the song of the summer.”
Where McBride was front and center in both of his previous series, “Gemstones” is an ensemble effort that often features the three Gemstone kids in lightning-fast crude exchanges. They seem totally improvised, and yet they’re not.
“It’s one of the most scripted shows I’ve done because otherwise the scenes could go on forever,” says McBride, who allows that room was left for a few alternate takes in case magic was in the air.
Goggins says that if anything, he is to blame for many ruined takes. “Those three, they’re just such pros at improvisation, they keep it together, but I’m the one person who can’t hold it in, to the point where people would get pissed off about it,” Goggins says. “They all can make you laugh just as easily as they can break your heart.”
Why Danny McBride hid Season 4 was the last from the ‘Righteous Gemstones’ cast during shooting
The Gemstone story arc is by no means complete by the final episode. It feels like there still is more road to this journey. The cast presumed as much, too, as they shot the entire season in and around McBride’s hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, assuming a Season 5 would be happening.
“My personality is, ‘Hey, this is so great, let’s do 20 seasons of it, guys,’” says Patterson, who is also a writer on the show. “But Danny always has a more balanced approach, and his feeling was, ‘Let’s go out on a high.’”
Freeman says McBride didn’t want his cast weepy and mopey and “being heavy while playing the last season, which was smart.” But that led to a rather startling moment on the very last day of filming.
“We were shooting a group scene with the monkey, and it was 3 a.m. and Danny was directing and then he started in on this speech,” Freeman says. He was announcing that this would conclude the series.
“Everyone started bawling,” she says. “We stayed for two hours, just hugging and talking and saying how much we appreciated each other.”
McBride says he loves his cast and crew, and “it would be easy to do another five seasons of this.” But he adds that he wrote the pilot eight years ago, and the four seasons were shot over six years because of COVID-19 shutdowns and Hollywood strikes. Even this season had its challenges, which included everything from Goggins’ double duty on the new season of “White Lotus” to a hurricane that threatened to upend a few key final scenes.
Mostly, though, it was time to move on.
“If I’d just kept making ‘Eastbound & Down,’ who knows if I’d have done ‘Vice Principals’ and so on?” McBride says. “I was just trying to find that balance, giving something its due but not being afraid to come up with what’s next.”
What’s next is for future discussions. For now, we’ve all got another two months of one of the most hilariously outrageous families ever seen on television, so it’s time to sit back and enjoy the glorious train wreck that, in the end, has an unmistakable beauty to it.
“I knew coming into this season I really wanted to push it,” McBride says. “But I also knew that the trick with ‘Gemstones’ is, you can take it to outer space, but there has to be enough heart in it so that you can still land the ship on planet Earth.”
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! FaceTime
Constructor: Jess Rucks
Editor: Amanda Rafkin
Comments from Today’s Crossword Constructor
Jess: When I made this puzzle, I had been playing with grid art and trying out more visual themes. For this crossword, I did actually create a grid that resembled a face… resembled being the key word. Faces just look too creepy unless they’re done well (I didn’t even submit it to Amanda, but I did send it to her for a good laugh)! Although the grid art didn’t pan out, I’m happy with this grid and this puzzle! Fun note: the clue for RAKED was inspired by the students who use the sand tray in my playroom; I provide therapy (often play and art-based) to students in an elementary school. Thanks for solving!
What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle
ELM (68A: Tree first referenced in literature in “The Iliad”) I did not know which three-letter tree was first referenced in Homer’s Greek epic poem, The Iliad. Could it be ELM, oak, ash, or yew? A quick check of the crossing answers led me to the right answer. In The Iliad, there is a reference to mountain nymphs planting ELM trees on top of a tomb. There is another instance in The Iliad, when Achilles grabs onto an ELM tree to try and save himself from drowning when the river floods.
HE’S (11D: “___ the DJ, I’m the Rapper” (1988 album)) HE’S the DJ, I’m the Rapper is the second studio album by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.
ROBOT (35D: Claire or Oliver, in “Maybe Happy Ending”) Maybe Happy Ending is a one-act musical about life-like ROBOTs (helper-bots) named Claire and Oliver. The ROBOTs have been abandoned by their owners and live in an apartment complex with other abandoned helper-bots. The musical was written by Hue Park with music composed by Will Aronson. It premiered in Seoul, South Korea in 2016. Maybe Happy Ending opened on Broadway in November of last year.
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
BACH (8A: “Air on the G String” composer) “Air on the G String” is an arrangement of the second movement of Johann Sebastian BACH’s Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV. The arrangement was done by German violinist August Wilhelmj, who transposed the part of the first violins so that the entire piece can be played on the violin’s G string. The title “Air on the G String” has come to be used for other arrangements of BACH’s piece as well.
BLUE (15A: Babe the ___ Ox) In American and Canadian folklore, Babe the BLUE Ox is an animal who accompanies the giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan.
LORAX (17A: Kid-lit character who “speaks for the trees”) The LORAX is a 1971 children’s book by Dr. Seuss. The LORAX is a character who “speaks for the trees,” and confronts the Once-ler, a business person causing environmental destruction.
OTIS (18A: R&B legend Redding) Thanks to this answer, I now have OTIS Redding’s song “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” going through my head. It could be worse.
ANDOR (22A: “Star Wars” prequel series) The TV series ANDOR, which premiered on Disney+ in 2022 is part of the Star Wars franchise. The show is a prequel to the 2016 movie Rogue One. The series follows the story of Cassian ANDOR, who is portrayed by Diego Luna.
RIM (24A: It’s 10 feet high in basketball) Here’s a fun fact!
SERB (32A: Balkan native) The Balkans are a geographical region in southeastern Europe. The SERBs are an ethnic group native to the Balkans.
FOLLOW YOUR NOSE (38A: “___! It always knows!” (Froot Loops slogan)) “FOLLOW YOUR NOSE! It always knows!” is the slogan said by Toucan Sam, the mascot of Froot Loops cereal.
SAUTE (41A: Make a mirepoix) A mirepoix is a mixture of diced vegetables – often onions, carrots, and celery – that are sautéed in butter. A mirepoix serves as a base for stocks, soups, stews, and sauces.
AREA (51A: Vatican City’s is 0.17 square miles) Here’s another fun fact! Vatican City is a landlocked country surrounded by Rome, Italy. It is the smallest sovereign state in the world, both according to AREA and population.
LENT (53A: Time before Easter) This answer is timely, as Christians are currently observing LENT, which began on March 5 this year.
TYRA (69A: Smize & Dream founder Banks) Smize & Dream is a boutique ice cream brand founded by model and TV personality TYRA Banks in 2020. I enjoyed reading TYRA Banks’ explanation on the website about how she decided to start an ice cream store. It’s related to memories of eating ice cream with her mom.
IDAHO (6D: The Gem State) Although many people (myself included) think of IDAHO as The Potato State, its official nickname is The Gem State. The nickname is a reference to the more than 72 types of gems found in IDAHO, including garnet, jasper, and opal.
ALTER EGO (9D: Ms. Marvel for Kamala Khan, e.g.) In the Marvel Universe, Kamala Khan, whose ALTER EGO is Ms. Marvel, is a Pakistani American teenager from New Jersey with shapeshifting abilities. She took over as Ms. Marvel when Carol Danvers became Captain Marvel.
NOW (29D: “___ and Then” (1995 coming-of-age film)) The 1995 movie NOW and Then follows four women who were childhood friends as they are reunited in their hometown. The friends remember a memorable summer they shared together.
RAND (31D: “The Fountainhead” author Ayn) Ayn RAND (1905-1982) was the pen name of Russian-born American author and philosopher Alice O’Connor. The Fountainhead is her 1943 novel about an innovative architect named Howard Roark who fights for his creative ideas. In her work, Ayn RAND sought to describe man, “as he could be and should be.”
KENYA (46D: Country featuring a Maasai shield on its flag) The Maasai people are an ethnic group of KENYA and northern Tanzania. As the clue informs us, the East African country of KENYA has a flag featuring a Maasai shield.
BEAUTY (48D: Attribute of someone benefitting from pretty privilege) Pretty privilege refers to the idea that people who are considered to have BEAUTY receive more opportunities and benefits than those who are considered to be less attractive.
ASNER (52D: “Up” actor Ed) Ed ASNER voices the role of Carl Fredricksen in the 2009 animated movie Up. I think Up is a great movie even though I always forget how sad the beginning of it is!
MRS (59D: “___ Dalloway”) MRS. Dalloway is a 1925 novel by Virgina Woolf. It begins with the line, “MRS. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself.” The book, set in England after World War I, tells about one day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway, an upper-class woman. During that day, MRS. Dalloway reminisces about her life, while preparing for a party she is hosting that night.
FOLLOW YOUR NOSE (38A: “___! It always knows!” (Froot Loops slogan))
ME AND MY BIG MOUTH (59A: “Oh, no! I shouldn’t have told you that!”)
FACETIME: The last words of the theme answers are elements of a FACE: EYES, NOSE, and MOUTH.
It’s too bad the grid art didn’t work out, but it’s a nice touch that the EYES, NOSE, and MOUTH are in FACE order, so to speak, in the grid. This is a fun set of theme answers; I especially enjoy ME AND MY BIG MOUTH. Thank you, Jess, for this delightful puzzle.
‘White Lotus’ Greg: Jon Gries on who could be the killer in Thailand
“The White Lotus” star Jon Gries, or Gary/Greg, discusses who could be the killer in Season 3 of the hit HBO series.
Have “The White Lotus” fans rushed to unfair judgment against Greg (Jon Gries), the husband of dead heiress Tonya McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge)? Absolutely not.
Greg, now calling himself Gary, shocked viewers when he resurfaced in Thailand as the only character to appear in all three seasons of HBO’s hit (Sundays, 9 ET/PT). Gries, 67, admits his shady character, one of the most despised on TV, is slippery and a “trickster,” at best.
Yet Gries dodges questions about Greg’s role in Tanya’s suspicious Season 2 death. Greg had left Italy’s White Lotus resort, allegedly for a business trip, when his multimillionaire wife perished in a suspicious yacht mishap.
If Greg was in Denver, how could he be the offender?
“If you wanted to prosecute the case in a court of law, how would you do it?” Gries asks. “It would be pretty hard to prove that I was involved in her demise. And I will neither confirm nor deny.”
Jon Gries lied to family, friends about playing shady Greg in Thailand
To be clear: Gries is nothing like scowling Greg, and is friends with Coolidge in real life. Patrick Schwarzenegger echoed other Season 3 cast members by calling Gries “a loving guy to film with and, more importantly, to hang out with.” Gries, who starred as Uncle Rico in 2004 film “Napoleon Dynamite,” even lets his parrot Pablo (named after the character in the quirky cult classic) perch on his shoulder during a Zoom interview.
Gries was floored when “White Lotus” creator/writer/director Mike White revealed Greg would be the scandalous luxury resort visitor no one saw coming. “It was an enormous honor,” Gries says. “It was incredible, even bizarre, to me that I was the one coming back.”
On the downside, Gries had to deceive family members and friends to keep the state secret. The actor told everyone that he was off to the Philippines for a four-month stint playing a U.S. Navy crew member in a remake of the 1966 Steve McQueen drama “The Sand Pebbles.”
“It was just bad lying while really sticking to my guns,” says Gries, who says he was recognized in Thailand. “This local businessman said, ‘Dude, I hear they’re shooting “White Lotus.” Are you working?’ I insisted that I was just visiting. I was lying through my teeth.”
The deceit paid off when Greg appeared in the Feb. 16 season premiere. “It was so hard, but so worth it,” Gries says. He was surprised by the burnt-orange shirt and table napkin for the reveal. “Bold color choice. I was like, ‘Holy cow, it looks like I’m in jail,’” he says. “Or it could have something to do with the (Buddhist) monks.”
What’s the case against Greg as ‘White Lotus’ killer?
Government employee Greg met lonely heiress Tanya in Hawaii, which Gries says was not an accident. “This was probably something that (Greg) was planning all along,” he says. In Italy, Gries is deeply annoyed that Tanya has insisted on a prenuptial agreement for their new marriage. Tanya discovers that Quentin (Tom Hollander), one of her new friends on a yacht, knew her husband long ago. And she realizes in horror that the prenup only covers divorce, not death. In one of the most memorable finale scenes, Tanya kills everyone on the yacht and then falls to her death trying to get on a dinghy.
Greg, as Gary, is loaded in Thailand with his own yacht and a huge house near the resort. His girlfriend, former model Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon), shares Gary’s version of his previous wife’s death – the mentally unwell woman died after wandering into the sea. But Greg’s evasion of authorities hits a snag when Hawaii spa manager Belinda (Natasha Rothwell), who was close to Tanya, spots him in Thailand. Belinda is suspicious and could bring righteous retribution … or become his next victim.
Greg is staying alive in Thailand as Gary
Give the suspect his due. The dude is in great shape, swimming laps at his luxury pool. He’s desperate to stay alive now that he has all the money.
“That’s pretty much the essence of this character, to me. This guy doesn’t waste his time. He wants to make the best of every moment,” Gries says. “It’s just about keeping one step ahead of time.”
It’s a valid theory that his character will be near the center of the violence in Season 3. The premiere gave a startling glimpse of the near future – a resort shooting and at least one body floating in tranquil waters. But as before, every visitor and employee at the posh wellness resort is either a possible murderer, victim, or both.
“There are many people who could be the killer. So I can say that Gary would be heaped into that group. But it goes across the board,” Gries says.
The April 6 finale could be redeeming, damning, or the end for this mysterious character. “All I’ll say is that it will get dark and downright twisted from here,” Gries says.
‘American Idol’: Carrie Underwood makes history, replaces Katy Perry
Carrie Underwood, the season 4 winner of “American Idol,” is returning to the show. The Grammy winner will replace Katy Perry on the judges panel.
As a new season of “American Idol” kicks off, Season 23 so far is losing focus on the next Idol as it highlights one of its most famous alumni: Carrie Underwood.
Of course, Underwood is the long-running competition show’s newest judge, coming home after cultivating a successful career over the past two decades to nurture the next generation of talent.
Following Katy Perry’s departure last year, Season 4 winner and eight-time Grammy winner Underwood signed on to help Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie sift through the nation’s undiscovered talents. And Sunday’s season premiere went to great lengths to re-introduce Underwood — the show’s first ever alum-turned-judge — to “Idol” loyalists.
As the trio went from audition to audition, Bryan and Richie realized something about their new colleague: She can sing almost anything. Thus, “Jukebox Carrie” was born as the country star belted along to auditions utilizing everyone from Korn to George Strait to Bell Biv DeVoe.
We’ve got a few of these auditions episodes to get through in the next few weeks, so let’s get right to it.
Here are Episode 1’s standout performances, who made it to Hollywood and which lucky lady is getting fast-tracked through Hollywood Week with a platinum ticket.
Listen up, millennials: This Backstreet Boy did a duet with his son
There was no getting the family resemblance past Underwood.
She’d clocked there was something familiar about Baylee Littrell, and she was right; the 21-year-old college student from Alpharetta, Georgia, is the son of Backstreet Boys star Brian Littrell. His career started early, when he was a kid opening for the boyband.
“I believe I get my voice from Dad, and hopefully I can do him justice today,” Baylee said. “Following in my dad’s footsteps is scary because his career to me is one of the most extraordinary in music history. No one can ever compare.”
Brian clearly disagrees, proud dad that he is: “I’ve always told everybody that he’s 10 times more talented than I ever was,” he said. “He’s obviously grown up in the business and I think he’s cut out for it.”
Bucking any expectations that he’d go the saccharine pop route, Baylee took a risk with an original song called “Waiting on Myself to Die.” The judges were convinced enough by the acoustic guitar set and the vulnerability in a song about not letting yourself give up, but for good measure, they requested a father-son duet.
Brian joined for a reprisal of the song, providing the upper range for the chorus. And with three yeses delivered, Brian was left in tears.
This 17 year old deserves to go straight to the Top 10
Someone give this high schooler a record deal, stat.
Isaiah Misailegalu, a 17-year-old high school senior from Las Vegas, Nevada, is not only the varsity football team captain, a member of the honor choice and president of his school’s Polynesian club, but he also has immense singing talent.
Forget the platinum ticket — where’s the card that rockets him straight to the Top 10? With his confidence and emotion as he sang Donny Hathaway’s “A Song For You” with accompaniment from his Uncle Luigi on acoustic guitar, the performance was one you’ll want to put on a loop.
One issue: Underwood refused to believe that voice could come from someone who only recently started singing in front of others. “It sounds like you’ve been doing it forever. You made it sound very easy, and it’s not. So well done, you liar,” she joked.
“You just borrowed Donny’s song, but that’s your song now,” Richie said before the judges gave thee easy yeses.
Carrie Underwood was ‘not a crier’ — until she met an adorable toddler
Usually, putting your audience to sleep isn’t a good sign for a singer. But it might’ve just secured 25-year-old Breanna Nix a ticket to Hollywood.
As the stay-at-home mom from Denton, Texas, boldly sang Underwood’s own song “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” her toddler Emerson fought to keep his eyelids open in Underwood’s arms until he finally gave in to slumber. The cuteness moved the “Idol” alum to tears.
As Underwood described what “an honor” it was to hear the cover, Bryan took over babysitting duties and let the little boy nap against his chest.
The trio’s unanimous vote came in a whisper, so as to not wake the little one, and was a resounding “yes.”
Who made it to Hollywood Week?
The judges were not too sparing with their golden tickets in the season premiere (I’m looking at you, Insite, and your head-banging to Korn). Here’s who’s making it through to Hollywood.
Kolbi Jordan
Breanna Dix
Crews Wright
Isaiah Misailegalu
Kam’ron Smith
Insite
Baylee Littrell
Lillie Zitlaly Rhoden
Shane Dan Turner
Pat Johnson
Ché
Gabby Simone
Ian Ward
Abi Bowen
Slater Nalley
Who got a platinum ticket?
Introduced in 2022 to shake things up after more than 20 years on air, the platinum ticket rockets a contestant through the first week of auditions in Hollywood. The judges typically have four of these updates to dole out.
Kolbi Jordan, the 26-year-old singer from Tulsa, got top billing as the first audition of the episode. Her rendition of Chrisette Michele’s “Epiphany (I’m Leaving)” bowled over the judges so much that not only did Richie get her on the phone with her idol Patti LaBelle, the producers also set her up with a performance during a Titans vs Patriots game at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium.
After she proved her chops to an estimated 70,000 football fans (one would assume; we didn’t actually get to see the performance), Kolbi had her golden ticket upgraded to a platinum ticket. Cue the confetti.
