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When Motown executive Suzanne de Passe first suggested Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright record “With You I’m Born Again” together in 1979, neither singer was particularly happy about the idea. Both Preston and Wright had carved out successful careers on their own. Wright had worked extensively with her ex-husband, Stevie Wonder, while Preston was a successful solo artist known for his warm voice. But de Passe knew that together, their voices could make magic.

The pair recorded one of the most successful love songs of the era. Revisiting the tune today, fans are longing for a throwback to a time when voices like Syreeta Wright’s were showcased in poetic compositions that needed no autotune or heavy production to shine.

The 1979 Duet That Still Stops Listeners in Their Tracks @michelma000 ♬ original sound – Michiboo

“With You I’m Born Again” was written by Carol Connors and David Shire for the 1979 film Fast Break. The song appeared on the film’s soundtrack and eventually became an international hit, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the U.K. singles chart.

Connors had written most of the lyrics in about 22 minutes, but she was missing a few words. The inspiration for the song’s hook came to her while she was on her way to an ice cream parlor. She asked for pencil and paper so she could write the line down, realizing she had finally found the words she was looking for.

Preston’s warm voice and Wright’s ethereal sound created a memorable duet, but the song and the film didn’t immediately become major successes. The song eventually took off, becoming one of Preston’s biggest hits and the biggest chart success of Wright’s career.

Related: Neil Sedaka’s Biggest Hit Surprised Fans by Topping the Charts Twice

Syreeta Wright Was Much More Than Stevie Wonder’s First Wife @dopeblacksouls

Met 1968 at Motown. Married 1970. Divorced 1972. They cont. to work together. Syreeta wrote lyrics to many of Stevie’s songs. “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”, “Never Thought You’d Leave In Summer,”, “If You Really Love Me”, etc. He also produced her first solo albums. They remained friends til her passing in 2004. #steviewonder #syreetawright #blacklove #signedsealeddelivered #blacklove #blackhistory #rnb #blackmusichistory #blackexcellence #throwback #hollywoodcouple #blackfyp #motown #blackmusicmonth #blackmarriage #blacktiktok

♬ Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours) – Stevie Wonder

It’s easy to think of Syreeta Wright first as Stevie Wonder’s first wife, but that barely scratches the surface of her story. She and Wonder were married in 1970 and divorced in 1972, but remained friends and collaborators throughout her life.

Wright was a talented singer and songwriter in her own right, working with Wonder on some of his best-known songs, including “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” and “If You Really Love Me,” before carving out her own career. Her duet with Billy Preston would become one of her biggest successes, giving listeners a chance to hear the remarkable voice that made her so unique.

The Missing Words Came to Her at an Ice Cream Parlor

Connors said she got the missing words on her way to an ice cream parlor and asked for pencil and paper so she could write them down.

“I had written most of the lyrics to ‘With You I’m Born Again’ in 22 minutes, but I couldn’t find two words and it was driving me crazy.

“I had finally found it—the line I was seeking—‘Come show me your kindness, in your arms I know I’ll find this’—and I wanted to get it down on paper.”

The story behind those missing words is almost as charming as the song itself. A sweeping love ballad that would eventually become a major hit was finished, at least lyrically, in a moment of inspiration that happened while ordering ice cream.

Billy Preston and Syreeta Made the Song Their Own @deborahmosely1st ♬ original sound – Deborah Mosely

Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright were successful singers on their own, but together their voices created something special. Preston’s voice was approachable, while Wright’s sound was distinctive and ethereal, creating the emotional resonance that sits at the heart of the duet.

The combination was unusual for Preston, whose earlier hits included more energetic material. “With You I’m Born Again” was a soft, romantic ballad with classical and operatic elements, giving both singers room to let their voices carry the emotion.

“They Don’t Make Songs Like This Anymore”

For fans, this isn’t simply a walk down memory lane. Revisiting the song is a look back at an era of music when the simplicity of voices and lyrics could combine to create something unforgettable.

“They don’t make songs like this anymore,” shared one fan, echoing the sentiments of many.

Another shared, “We grew up with the BEST music and I feel blessed because of it.”

“Incredible lyrics, incredible arrangement, incredible singers. I miss those days,” lamented another.

The reactions explain why the song still resonates. It isn’t simply that an old song was once a hit. Listeners are responding to the intimacy of a melody-first love ballad and the chemistry between two distinctive voices.

Fast Break has mostly faded from pop-culture conversations, but “With You I’m Born Again” has outlived the film. The song became one of Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright’s most successful collaborations and remains a showcase of what can happen when two extraordinary voices come together to capture the passion and emotion of being in love.

Related: 1970 Hit Song, From a Band Formed by High School Students, Was Written by Stevie Wonder

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Don Schlitz moved to Nashville at just 20 years old with a dream and no car. He was working the overnight shift as a computer operator at Vanderbilt University and used the quiet hours to write songs on his lab typewriter. In August 1976, he walked home from a meeting with his mentor Bob McDill and wrote most of “The Gambler“ in his head in about 20 minutes. A song about an old gambler on a train; a dying man’s life advice wrapped in poker. He got home, typed it start to finish, and spent six more weeks wrestling with the final verse. Then, he spent two years walking it around Nashville, getting told no by everyone.

The first break came from Shel Silverstein, who believed in the song and pitched it to his friend Bobby Bare. Bare recorded “The Gambler” but never released it as a single. Nothing happened. Schlitz cut his own version and got to No. 65 before it faded. Then, producer Larry Butler got involved — he was working with Kenny Rogers and Johnny Cash at the same time. He played it for both of them.

But Rogers tried something first. He played it for his friend Willie Nelson and told him he should record it. Nelson heard the song and said he thought it was a great song, but he wasn’t going to do it. He was already playing “Red Headed Stranger” every single night — a song with over a hundred verses — and he didn’t want another long one. Rogers said okay and instead recorded it himself on June 16, 1978. Cash cut his version three weeks later on July 6 under the influence, arguing with Butler the whole time about how much he disliked the song. Cash’s Gone Girl album came out December 1, 1978. Rogers’ single dropped November 15. Nobody even noticed Cash’s version. Everyone noticed Rogers’.

Related: 1969 Johnny Cash and Linda Ronstadt’s Duet, Almost Canceled by June Carter Over a Wardrobe Crisis, Was Wildly Unexpected

It hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It crossed to the pop charts. It spawned five television movies with Rogers as the Old West gambler Brady Hawkes. “The Gambler” won the Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. The Library of Congress selected it for the National Recording Registry in 2018. Rogers said of it: “Every artist prays for that one song that defines them when the public hears it. ‘The Gambler’ was mine.”

The Song That Finally Found Its Voice

Don Schlitz wrote it on a walk home because he didn’t have a car. He typed it on his lab typewriter. He walked it around Nashville for two years. Willie Nelson passed. Bobby Bare recorded it, and nothing happened. Johnny Cash recorded it under the influence and hated every single minute.

Then, Rogers said, “Okay, I’ll do it myself,” and he released the version that changed absolutely everything. Schlitz quit his night shift at Vanderbilt. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He died on April 16, 2026, at age 73. The song he wrote on a 20-minute walk without a guitar is in the Library of Congress. You’ve got to know what to keep.

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You treated for bed bugs, cleaned the room and washed the bedding—then spotted another bug crawling across the mattress. If you’re asking, “Why am I seeing bed bugs after treatment?” the answer isn’t necessarily that the treatment failed.

Bed bug control often takes multiple steps because eggs can survive some treatments, insects hide in tiny cracks and untreated areas can allow bed bugs to return. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends an integrated pest management (IPM) approach that combines treatment, preparation and monitoring.

If you’re still finding live bugs after treating your home, Orkin can provide a professional assessment and free quote.

Why Am I Seeing Bed Bugs After Treatment?

Seeing bed bugs after an initial treatment does not necessarily mean the treatment failed. Follow-up inspections and, when necessary, repeat treatment are often part of effective control. Here are some things to consider.

Bed Bug Eggs Survived

Many pesticides do not kill bed bug eggs. If eggs remain after the initial treatment, they can hatch later, which is why the EPA recommends monitoring and repeating treatment when necessary.

Seeing a newly emerged bed bug days after treatment, therefore, does not automatically mean a new infestation entered your home.

Bed Bugs Were Hiding Nearby

Bed bugs can hide in mattress seams, bed frames, furniture, baseboards and narrow cracks. A treatment that reaches the mattress but misses other harborages can leave insects behind.

Orkin says its bed bug process starts with a thorough inspection to locate bugs in hiding places and determine the scope of the infestation. The company also emphasizes follow-up visits because missing even one bug can allow the problem to continue.

The Infestation Was Reintroduced

Bed bugs are effective hitchhikers. They can travel in luggage, backpacks, clothing and other belongings. If the original infestation was eliminated but new bugs arrived afterward, the result can look like a failed treatment.

What Causes Bed Bug Treatment To Fail?

Possible cause

What happens

Surviving eggs

Eggs hatch after the initial treatment

Missed harborages

Bugs remain in cracks, furniture or other hiding places

Untreated nearby areas

Bed bugs move from another room or unit

Incomplete preparation

Clutter provides additional hiding places

Pesticide resistance

Some populations resist certain insecticides

No follow-up

Newly hatched or surviving bugs remain untreated

The EPA identifies inadequate follow-up, missed insects and pesticide resistance among the reasons treatments may not work as expected. But a second treatment is not necessarily evidence that the first treatment was ineffective. Bed bug control can take time, and homeowners may need to repeat the process to eliminate all bugs and eggs.

Orkin similarly says professional bed bug treatment often involves more than one visit, with follow-up inspections used to evaluate progress.

Related: How ‘Bed Bug Dogs’ Detect Hidden Infestations—And How Accurate Are They?

What Should I Do if I See Bed Bugs After Treatment?

Document the sighting, avoid moving potentially infested belongings to another room and contact your pest management provider for follow-up guidance. Do not repeatedly spray whenever you see a bug. Misusing pesticides can be unsafe, and repeated applications can contribute to resistance.

Keep the Infestation Contained

A few practical steps can reduce the chance of spreading bed bugs:

• Put bedding and clothing that can safely tolerate it in a household dryer on high heat for 30 minutes. Washing alone generally does not kill bed bugs.
• Keep cleaned items sealed so they do not become re-infested.
• Use mattress and box-spring encasements as part of an overall control strategy.
• Consider bed bug interceptors to monitor activity around sleeping areas.
• Record the date and exact location of every sighting.

Avoid using outdoor pesticides indoors, and follow all pesticide labels. The EPA also warns against improvised heating methods, as these can cause house fires.

Tackle persistent bed bugs before they spread—contact Orkin for a free quote and expert inspection.

Can Bed Bugs Come Back From a Neighboring Apartment?

Yes. In multi-unit housing, bed bugs can move between living spaces, making treatment of one unit less effective when nearby infestations remain unidentified. The EPA recommends inspecting surrounding units when bed bugs are confirmed in an apartment.

If you live in an apartment, condominium or other attached housing, notify the landlord or property manager. Nearby units may need inspection and treatment.

Shared walls can make the source difficult to identify. A pest professional can inspect the affected space and surrounding areas to determine whether the activity appears localized or warrants further inspection.

How Do You Stop Bed Bugs From Coming Back?

Effective bed bug control combines thorough inspection, targeted treatment and follow-up monitoring. The goal is to find where bugs are hiding, address all affected areas and check for surviving or newly hatched bed bugs. In multi-unit housing, nearby spaces may also need inspection.

If bed bugs have returned after an earlier treatment, you don’t have to guess whether surviving eggs, a missed hiding place or a new introduction is responsible. Schedule an Orkin assessment and request a free quote to determine the appropriate next step.

I’ve been a massive fan of Zach Cregger ever since Barbarian released in 2022. As one of the star members of the growing sketch comedy to horror director pipeline, Cregger has been creating a really exciting portfolio of equally hilarious and terrifying films, with last year’s Weapons being one of my favorites of the year. When I found out that his next project was going to be an adaptation of Resident Evil, I was extremely excited, as I think Cregger is the only director working today who has the skills to properly adapt that franchise, and man he did not disappoint.

Resident Evil as a franchise has a complicated and convoluted history, with its previous film adaptations not really following the source material and being known as, well… less than good. On the other side of that coin, the video game franchise has a notoriously complicated narrative that would be really difficult to do as a film. Where Zach Cregger succeeds is in adapting the feeling and world of the games, while telling a new story that works great as a standalone film.

The film follows Austin Abrams as Bryan, a medical courier and as we learn potential new father as he makes a late night run with a mysterious delivery that leads him into the worst night of his life.

Abrams is absolutely stellar in this leading role. I really hope this film can give him the boost of star power he needs because he is absolutely electric. His on-screen energy is so unique, human, and hilarious all at the same time. He’s an actor who is able to bring out what makes Cregger’s filmmaking so impressive. Abrams will have you feeling for him and thinking he’s an utter buffoon in the same breath, which is an incredibly impressive line to walk.

This is a line that the film walks perfectly as a whole. In Cregger’s previous work, I think he was still finding his footing with the balance between horror and comedy, whereas in this film, it is seamless and masterfully executed. I had an absolute blast in the theater going from screaming to laughing hysterically throughout the breeze of a runtime. It manages to replicate all the thrills and fun of playing a video game without sacrificing the narrative like we’ve seen so many times before with previous adaptations.

Resident Evil is a must see of 2026. I haven’t had this much fun in the theater all year. It’s a classic cinematic thrill ride that paces itself like a car without breaks. It’s visceral, disgusting, hysterical, and a damn good time at the movies.

‘Resident Evil’: 4.5/5

Related: 1995 Crime Masterpiece, the First Time Pacino and De Niro Shared the Screen, Has an 84% Rotten Tomatoes Score

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A relentless ticking sound, bursts of echo, and more than 11 minutes of psychedelic experimentation turned The Chambers Brothers far away from their gospel roots and gave the group the defining song of its career.

“Time Has Come Today” appeared in its full-length form on the Chambers Brothers’ 1967 album The Time Has Come. Written by brothers Willie and Joe Chambers, the track eventually became a major hit in an edited version, but its sprawling album recording captured the group at its most adventurous.

The Chambers Brothers had taken a surprising path to psychedelic rock.

Brothers George, Willie, Lester, and Joe Chambers grew up in Mississippi singing gospel before relocating to Los Angeles. They eventually began performing folk and blues material, appearing at venues around the burgeoning folk scene and at the Newport Folk Festival before adding drummer Brian Keenan and moving toward an electrified sound.

“Time Has Come Today” developed alongside that transformation.

“I was down in the dining room area with an acoustic guitar and I was playing that music over and over and over,” Willie Chambers told Songfacts. “I kind of got hooked on that line in that melody, but I didn’t have any words. And Joe, at that same time, he was upstairs in his room writing the lyrics to ‘Time Has Come Today.’ He could hear what I was doing down there, and it interrupted his writing.”

The group first recorded a shorter version in 1966, but it failed to become a hit. When the Chambers Brothers returned to the song for The Time Has Come, they expanded it dramatically.

The resulting album track runs for more than 11 minutes.

Its opening sections build around the song’s famous clocklike “tick-tock” rhythm before the arrangement descends into an extended psychedelic passage filled with distorted sounds, reverb, percussion, and shouted vocals. One of its most recognizable effects came from a cowbell processed with echo, creating the ticking pulse that reinforces the song’s fixation on time.

The length made the album version impractical for conventional pop radio, so a much shorter edit was released as a single in 1968.

This time, “Time Has Come Today” broke through.

The single climbed to No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining there for several weeks and becoming the Chambers Brothers’ biggest pop hit. The success brought a much wider audience to a group that had spent years moving between gospel, folk, soul, blues, and rock.

“When we started playing it in the clubs, people went absolutely crazy,” Willie told the L.A. Times in 2015. “I mean, they were screaming. It was frightening for some; they’d just grab ahold of their heads and run out the door.”

The song proved especially durable beyond its original chart run. Its ominous ticking and increasingly chaotic sound have made it a natural fit for movies and television series looking to evoke the upheaval and counterculture of the late 1960s.

“We never tried to have a Number One record,” Willie told Louder. “We wanted to make music that had a meaning and substance, and that might help someone.”

Fifty-nine years after its full-length version appeared, “Time Has Come Today” still feels unusually bold. The Chambers Brothers took a song that had initially gone nowhere, stretched it past 11 minutes, and created a psychedelic rock epic whose ticking clock has never really stopped.

Related: 1977 Rock Song by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Lasting Nearly 10 Minutes, Is Still a Powerful Hit 49 Years Later

At first glance, the song James Taylor released in 1971 appears to be about taking a simple walk, but in reality has a much more emotional meaning behind the location it was inspired by.

Taylor saw success with his second studio album, Sweet Baby James, with “Country Road” being one of the tracks that captured critics’ interest. Tagged as a “gem” of a song, it landed the singer at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 9 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

“Country Road” was actually inspired by a real road in Belmont, Massachusetts, called Somerset Street. It marked a certain point in Taylor’s life when he was roughly 17-years-old at the time. The wooded road ran adjacent to the property of the McLean Hospital, also known as the Somerville Asylum. Taylor had admitted himself to the hospital in 1965 to receive treatment for depression.

The track and a few others of Taylor’s, like “Knockin’ Round the Zoo,” were written about his experience there. Many analyzed Taylor’s lyrics for “Country Road” as someone being alone with their thoughts and grounding themselves in the outdoors. According to SongFacts, Taylor once commented that, “I have a very strong spiritual need. And getting into nature is going to church for me.”

Taylor’s friend Danny Kortchmar once said that the singer wrote “Country Road” at Martha’s Vineyard, with another report claiming it reminded him of their hitchhiking days there.

“The island was a magic place. When it was dark, it was absolutely black, and when it was quiet, there wasn’t a sound. I think it was a profound experience for James and me, too — a romantic trip. I think that’s where his song ‘Country Road’ came from,” he said, according to Rolling Stone.

McLean Hospital and Somerset Street undoubtedly left a mark on Taylor. He spent nine months there and earned his high school diploma. It was also a time when he took songwriting seriously and joined a band in New York straight after leaving the hospital, of his own free will.

“Country Road” was tagged by some critics as having “perfectly marked the transition between the ’60s and the ’70s.” In an interview with American Songwriter, Taylor explains how his music engages with spirituality and letting go, with “Country Road” being one of them.

“So it’s basically agnostic spiritualism that I engage in repeatedly. That’s one of the kinds of songs I write. ‘Gaia’ is that song, ‘Upper May’ is that song, ‘Migration’ is that song. ‘Country Road’ is that song,” he said.

“And the last verse of ‘Sweet Baby James’ – ‘there’s a song that they sing when they take to the highway, there’s a song that they sing when they take to the sea…’ That’s also a statement about that kind of surrender, and surrendering control and human consciousness. To go back to the well. It’s just a long, hard lonely slog being constantly human and having the responsibility of having to reinvent the world every second. It is a lonesome road. So that’s a type of song I write too.”

Related: 1971 Country Rock Ballad, Covered by Linda Ronstadt, Is Still One of the Best Trucker Hits 55 Years Later

An explosive collaboration between two icons led to an unexpected classic when Queen and David Bowie released the 1981 hit “Under Pressure,” which later became one of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”

In a ranking released by Rolling Stone, the publication listed the most influential tracks that left a lasting mark on the industry and continue to reshape music across generations.

“Under Pressure” came in at No. 429, with the publication highlighting it as an “epic anthem of resistance” against the pressures, stress and struggles of everyday life.

While Freddie Mercury was credited as one of the song’s writers, “Under Pressure” was a collaborative effort involving all four members of Queen and David Bowie.

The rock band’s lead guitarist Brian May revealed the journey they went through during the recording process of “Under Pressure,” especially since it involved several strong-willed musicians, particularly Mercury and Bowie.

Queen members Roger Taylor, Freddie Mercury, Brian May and John Deason

Richard E. Aaron/Redferns

“It was hard, because you had four very precocious boys and David, who was precocious enough for all of us,” May told Mojo magazine in 2008, as cited by Songfacts. “David took over the song lyrically. Looking back, it’s a great song, but it should have been mixed differently. Freddie and David had a fierce battle over that.”

In a separate interview, the lead guitarist recalled how tense the recording session became, especially with Bowie around, noting that the singer’s constant input created creative disagreements among the musicians.

“Suddenly you’ve got this other person inputting, inputting, inputting… he (David) had a vision in his head, and it’s quite a difficult process and someone has to back off… and eventually I did back off, which is unusual for me,” May revealed in the Days of Our Lives documentary.

Interestingly, in addition to the creative differences between the Queen members and the “Starman” hitmaker, “Under Pressure” was a spontaneous byproduct of a random hangout in Montreux, Switzerland.

The collaboration between Queen and Bowie was never planned, but an impromptu jam session unexpectedly evolved into a legendary rock hit.

David Bowie On Set of “Jump They Say” Music Video in Los Angeles California in 1993.

Lester Cohen

In the summer of 1981, the rock band was working on their studio album Hot Space at Mountain Studios in Montreux, according to Far Out Magazine.

At that time, Bowie was also in the same studio to record the theme and title track for the upcoming film Cat People and would come over to see the band for a casual chat, which eventually led to the creation of an iconic track.

Initially released as a single in 1981, “Under Pressure” was later included on Queen’s 1982 album Hot Space. The song peaked at No. 1 on the U.K. Singles Chart for two weeks and reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Decades later, the song is still making waves, ranking among Queen’s best songs of all time as well as earning the No. 2 spot in Rolling Stone’s reader poll of the “Best Collaborations of All Time.”

The song’s success only underscored how enduring “Under Pressure” became despite Queen and Bowie’s accidental collaboration and the creative tensions among the musicians.

Related: 1964 Iconic Ballad, With 20-Year-Old Singer of The Moody Blues, Is Still a Generational Hit 62 Years Later

Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek Pinault found an unexpected friendship.

The duo formed a meaningful connection while working on the film Without Blood. It follows Hayek and Demián Bichir as their characters reconnect during a war. Jolie directed the film, which was adapted from Alessandro Baricco‘s 2002 novella of the same name. 

The 60-year-old star told People her conversation with Jolie was “were delicious” and “very organic.” She opened up about getting to know the 51-year-old director, sharing, “I love her mind and I get her. So I think when you know somebody gets you, you feel safe and you can be whoever you are in whatever circumstances.”

“Even though I’m much older than her, by the way,” Hayek joked.

“Not that much older!” Jolie remarked with a laugh. Adding, “To appreciate that friendship and that bond and that understanding — I haven’t had that kind of a connection in my life.”

Hayek shared the sentiment, “It’s hard to find that connection. And I think that’s what part of the movie is also about, how difficult it is to communicate, to connect.”

Without Blood brings Hayek’s Nina and Bichir’s Tito back together after a brutal action during an unnamed war. The film’s heavy subject matter prompted many deep conversations between Jolie and Hayek.

“Sometimes we would start passionately screaming at each other,” Hayek remembered. “Then I start crying and she hugs me, then we’re laughing nonstop. And from the outside, I could see people say, ‘What’s going on?’”

The Desperado star shared, “I can say whatever. She’s never offended because it’s coming from me. And we’re talking about issues, and then we start crying because we’re moved, not because we made each other cry… And then we say something stupid and we start cracking up.”

Without Blood is currently in theaters as of Sept. 18. 

When The Shamen released “Ebeneezer Goode” in 1992, the electronic group had a massive hit on its hands. The song climbed to No. 1 on the U.K. Singles Chart and stayed there for four weeks.

But there was more to the seemingly goofy song than its memorable chorus. The Shamen had cleverly built a reference to ecstasy into the lyrics, prompting the BBC to ban the song as controversy over recreational drug use swirled around the track.

Written by Colin Angus and Richard West and remixed by the Beatmasters, “Ebeneezer Goode” was released as a single on August 24, 1992, through One Little Indian. 

The song’s most recognizable line, “‘Eezer Goode, ‘Eezer Goode / He’s Ebeneezer Goode,” sounds like the name of a fictional character. But when spoken aloud, “‘Eezer Goode” sounds similar to “E’s good,” with “E” being common slang for ecstasy. 

Angus later explained just how intentional the wordplay was. “It was so cleverly written that a lot of people still don’t get it,” he told The Guardian. “One way, it’s about this guy called Ebeneezer Goode; another way, it’s about ecstasy.” 

The lyrics make the second meaning hard to miss, Angus noted, pointing to the lines “E goes by the name of Ebeneezer Goode” and “E is the main geezer.”

“I mean, come on,” Angus added. “But even fans think the only E is in the chorus.” 

Despite the controversy, “Ebeneezer Goode” became The Shamen’s biggest hit. The single entered the U.K. Singles Chart at No. 6 in September 1992 before reaching No. 1 two weeks later. It remained at the top for four weeks and ultimately became the UK’s 13th-biggest-selling single of 1992. 

Its rise to No. 1 was particularly ironic because it happened during the BBC’s drug awareness week. The song was initially banned by the network because of its perceived endorsement of recreational drug use. 

Angus later explained that “Ebeneezer Goode” was meant to play with both sides of rave culture rather than glorify drug use. “Ebeneezer was intended to be celebratory and cautionary, like holding up a distorting mirror to rave culture,” he explained. “The song went ballistic: Uncle Ebeneezer is still looking after me to this day.”

The name “Ebeneezer Goode” also had another obvious reference behind it. Angus said it was partly inspired by Charles Dickens’ Ebenezer Scrooge, giving the song a familiar literary connection beyond its drug references.

“There was something for everybody,” Angus said. “Like Ebenezer Scrooge, it had that old-fashioned Charles Dickens thing that older people could relate to. With the video and the jokiness, kids could like it.” 

Related: 1971 Rock Song, Rejected by Steppenwolf, Was Rescued by a Hit-Making Band

Brooke Williamson is still in summer mode.

The Food Network chef, 48, gave fans a glimpse inside her picturesque Italian getaway with boyfriend Bobby Flay, sharing a carousel of photos filled with sunshine, boat rides, and plenty of incredible food.

“Naples for 🍕 + the coast of Amalfi for absolutely EVERYTHING else 🩵💙,” Williamson captioned the Saturday, September 19 Instagram post, before summing up the vacation with an assortment of seafood, pasta, wine and sunshine emojis.

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A post shared by Brooke Williamson (@chefbrookew)

Among the snapshots, Williamson showed off a sleek black one-piece swimsuit featuring small cutout details as she leaned against the side of a yacht with the blue water stretching out behind her. Another action shot captured the Tournament of Champions winner diving straight into the sea.

But one of the sweetest photos featured Flay. Williamson posed on the edge of the boat in her black swimsuit while a shirtless Flay stood next to her, holding onto her thighs and looking up at his girlfriend as they enjoyed their day on the water.

In other photos, Williamson shared glimpses of the pasta, seafood, drinks, and other dishes the group enjoyed along the way.

READ MORE: Brooke Williamson Is Making a Years-Long Health Commitment for Bobby Flay: ‘That’s Love’

“Everything is beautiful but the dive! That just gave me life! Chills even!” one fan wrote in the comments.

“Who makes your bathing suit-love it❤️,” said another.

“Gaahhhhh the way you two look at each other😍,” wrote a third.

Williamson and Flay took their longtime friendship and professional relationship to the next level in 2025, publicly confirming their romance that March. And Williamson has since revealed she’s making some pretty serious adjustments for their relationship—including one involving Flay’s beloved cats.

During a September 8 appearance on Carson Kressley’s Off the Cuff podcast, Williamson revealed she’s undergoing allergy treatment because she’s been allergic to cats her entire life. Flay owns two fluffy Maine Coons, Canelo and Stella.

Williamson said she now puts prescribed allergy drops under her tongue every morning and joked about the lengthy process ahead. “In 3 to 5 years, I should not be allergic to cats,” she said.

Now that’s love.

Related: Brooke Williamson Reveals the Sneaky Way Bobby Flay Secretly Figured Out Her Ring Size

If your weekend plans aren’t finalized yet, consider this your sign.

Oatly and Korean-American artist and producer Yaeji are taking over a Ludlow Street storefront this Saturday and Sunday for Cafe Yaeji – a two-day immersive pop-up that’s equal parts cultural experience and coffee destination. And did we mention it’s free?

The pop-up is inspired by the Korean dabang, the intimate tea and coffee houses that became beloved gathering places for generations of Korean artists, writers, and music lovers. Think of them as the original third spaces, long before that phrase became a buzzword, where creativity and community happened over a warm cup. Yaeji, whose music has long drawn on her Korean-American identity to create something entirely her own, brings that spirit to life on the Lower East Side this weekend.

The centerpiece of the experience is a free Gochujang Latte created in collaboration with Yaeji herself. It’s a genuinely inventive drink that combines espresso, Oatly Barista Edition, a gochujang-vanilla base, and salted vanilla cold foam, finished with a dusting of gochugaru.

The result is sweet, savory, creamy, and subtly spicy all at once; the kind of flavor combination that sounds unexpected until you taste it and wonder why nobody thought of it sooner. It’s also a perfect example of what happens when a Korean-American creative gets to put her stamp on something as ubiquitous as a latte.

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The pop-up runs Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 48 Ludlow Street on the Lower East Side. No tickets, no cover, just show up.

Can’t make it to NYC? Starting September 21, TOUS les JOURS locations nationwide will offer their own take on the collaboration with a Gochujang Caramel Latte, available through October 31 – so the flavor gets to travel even if you can’t.

Felicity, the coming-of-age drama that helped define The WB in the late 1990s, remains part of television history after being included in All-TIME 100 TV Shows. 

The series, which starred Keri Russell as college student Felicity Porter, was recognized by TIME for the way it placed personal growth at the center of a young woman’s story.

Created by J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves, Felicity premiered on Sept. 29, 1998, and ran for four seasons until May 22, 2002. The show followed Felicity as she left Palo Alto, California, for New York City after making a sudden decision to follow her high school crush, Ben Covington, played by Scott Speedman.

The series became known for more than its love triangle. Felicity’s college years became a story about growing up, making mistakes and learning what she wanted from life.

Keri Russell as Felicity Porter in ‘Felicity.’

Photo by Getty Images

TIME included Felicity in its 2007 All-TIME 100 TV Shows collection, a list created to highlight television programs that represented what the medium could do. In another article, TIME described the series as one of the standout young-adult dramas of the 1990s and noted that Felicity’s personal growth was as important as her love life.

The story begins at Felicity’s high school graduation. She asks Ben to sign her yearbook and is surprised when he writes that he wishes they had known each other better.

Felicity had expected to attend Stanford University as a pre-med student. Instead, she decides to go to the University of New York, a fictional school based on New York University, because Ben is going there.

Her parents are worried about the sudden decision, but Felicity goes through with it.

Once she arrives in New York, however, things do not happen as she expects. Ben is not immediately interested in her romantically, while Noel Crane, her resident adviser played by Scott Foley, develops feelings for her. Their complicated relationships become one of the show’s main storylines.

But romance was only part of the series. Felicity focused on the show’s larger story: a young woman trying to discover who she is. The series showed its characters experimenting, making mistakes, changing their minds and dealing with the uncertainty that comes with growing up.

The series also built a larger group around Felicity, including Julie Emrick, Elena Tyler, Meghan Rotundi, Sean Blumberg and Javier Clemente Quintata. Their friendships and everyday college experiences gave the show stories beyond the central relationship between Felicity, Ben and Noel.

The series ran for 84 episodes across four seasons. Each season followed a different stage of Felicity’s college life, moving from freshman year through her senior year.

Russell’s performance was another important part of Felicity‘s early success. The series received several major award nominations and wins during its four-season run. Russell won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama for her role as Felicity, while the show also won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Cinematography for a Series.

The first season also received strong critical reviews. It holds a 91% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and an 87/100 score on Metacritic.

The show’s reputation continued after its original run. In 2010, Entertainment Weekly included Felicity Porter among its 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years.

One of the most talked-about moments in the show’s history came during its second season, when Felicity cut her long hair into a much shorter style.

The haircut quickly became a major pop-culture story. The moment was connected to Felicity’s character development. After a breakup with Ben, Felicity decided to change her appearance.

The show’s place in television history was also discussed decades after its finale.

In 2025, Russell and Speedman reunited for Variety‘s Actors on Actors, where they looked back on their time working on the series. Speedman recalled that he initially thought Russell was miscast as Felicity before seeing how she approached the role. Variety listed the reunion among its 2025 season conversations.

Felicity also remains connected to The WB’s larger legacy of young-adult television. During the same era, the network became home to shows such as Dawson’s Creek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed and One Tree Hill.

More than two decades after the series ended, Felicity continues to be discussed as an important WB drama.

Related: NBC Crime Drama, Ranked Among Best TV Shows of All Time, Still Holds Up 56 Years Later

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One of my personal favorite times to score luxury brands at a more affordable price is during a Nordstrom sale. You may already be familiar with the retailer’s massive annual Anniversary Sale, but there are also plenty of smaller events throughout the year to take advantage of. Right now, Nordstrom’s Fall Savings Event is offering significant markdowns on high-quality home goods from Le Creuset, Parachute, Jo Malone, Staub, and more. 

As we head into the cooler months and look ahead to holiday gifting season, one find that’s absolutely worth checking out during this event is the Ugg Valor Faux Fur Throw Blanket. Normally $98, you can snag it on sale right now in three colors for just $59. This price is a steal, especially since the pink version is currently $110 at Macy’s.

Ugg Valor Faux Fur Throw Blanket, $59 (was $98) at Nordstrom

Courtesy of Nordstrom

Shop at Nordstrom

Measuring a generous 50 inches wide by 70 inches long, this throw gives you plenty of luxurious fabric to snuggle up with. The blanket’s velvety soft faux fur is made from 100% polyester, which helps trap heat to keep you warm. The plush, textured design looks so elegant draped over the arm of a couch or across the foot of the bed. One Nordstrom customer loved the look and feel of this blanket so much that they said they “got it for myself and as a gift.” 

Unlike more expensive blankets made of real fur, this faux fur version is easy to care for. According to the retailer’s description, it can be machine washed and tumble dried. Some reviewers mentioned that it washes well, while one person said the tag on their blanket said it should be dry cleaned, so it’s worth checking the tag before you clean it for the first time.

Ugg Valor Faux Fur Throw Blanket, $59 (was $98) at Nordstrom

Courtesy of Nordstrom

Shop at Nordstrom

Reviewers shared that this “thick throw” is the “perfect weight” to use as an extra layer on the bed, and noted that it’s “very cozy.” Shoppers also said that the blanket’s “exquisite materials” and “fluffy” fabric make it a “soft and lovely” choice that’s “great for fall and winter nights.” 

Shop More Deals

• Ugg Anders Full/Queen Comforter and Pillow Shams Set, $99 (was $180) at Nordstrom
• Ugg Sage Plush Throw Blanket, From $47 (was $78) at Nordstrom
• Ugg Elea Waterproof Suede Slipper, From $78 (was $130) at Nordstrom

Related: Ugg’s ‘Sleek’ Slippers Are Perfect for Casual Fall Days, Since They’re So ‘Easy to Wear’ 

Nordstrom’s Fall Savings Event ends Sept. 23, so hurry and add the Ugg Valor Faux Fur Throw Blanket to your cart while it’s still available for 40% off!

Don’t miss future deals! Sign up for Parade Picks to receive our commerce team’s curated selection of discounts and sales, twice a week.

You may work hard to follow a nourishing diet, such as the Mediterranean or DASH diet. Perhaps you’re one of the 5% of Americans who get enough fiber each day.

But food preparation is important for health—and toxicologists aren’t just concerned about frying otherwise lean or plant-based proteins or smothering a salad in a dressing loaded with saturated fat. Their pain points go beyond the all-important nutritional aspects of what we eat.

“Mitigating exposure to food-borne contaminants is just as critical to your health as the nutritional content of the food itself,” states Dr. Serah Oyewole, MD, a medical toxicologist at Houston Methodist. “Proper food preparation, such as washing and cooking to the right temperature, reduces the risk of microbial contamination.”

Safe storage practices are also important.

“Storing cold or room-temperature food in durable plastics like polypropylene is safe,” Dr. Oyewole states. “Denser plastics tolerate standard temperature shifts without degradation.”

Still, you’ve probably heard a lot about microplastics lately. While toxicologists say the research is still emerging, it’s worth considering simple swaps in how you store and prep food. For instance, Dr. Wells Brambl, MD, a medical toxicologist and emergency medicine physician with Northwell Health’s Long Island Jewish Medical Center, suggests avoiding takeout or disposable containers with a grease- and water-resistant sheen because “these likely contain PFAS.” Dr. Brambl also suggests replacing aging plastic items that come into contact with dishes, such as lids, utensils, sponges and cabinet liners, as another practical step.

But there’s another kitchen-related swap that can lower your risk of health concerns. Below, medical toxicologists explain why they’re urging people to stop preparing food in one specific way.

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Toxicologists Are Urging People To Stop Preparing Food This Way

Toxicologists want people to reconsider microwaving food in plastic containers. “The classic adage ‘you are what you eat’ holds for dietary plastic intake,” Dr. Brambl tells Parade. “The more plastic surrounding food, inevitably means more plastic you consume.”

Importantly, he explains that long-term side effects of microplastics are still being studied, and current literature indicates that microplastics are already in our bodies.

Still, Dr. Oyewole says that heating plastic can disrupt chemical bonds and release microplastics, nanoplastics and chemical additives directly into your food. For instance, she says most food storage containers are made of polypropylene (plastic #5) or low-density polyethylene (LDPE, plastic #4).

“When heat is applied, the individual molecules within the plastic vibrate,” she explains. “As temperatures rise, this vibration disrupts the plastic polymer network. When these bonds break, they release polymer fragments, manufacturing additives like UV stabilizers, antioxidants, dyes and other contaminants from food containers.”

Dr. Oyewole adds that older hard plastics frequently used Bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disruptor.

“Other containers relied on high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which was treated with fluorine to provide a nonstick surface,” she says. “Two compounds released during heating of HDPE are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and polyfluoroalkyl (PFOS), part of a larger group of perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS), also known as ‘forever chemicals.'”

Dr. Oyewole adds that PFOA is now considered a group 1 carcinogen (carcinogenic, or producing/tending to produce cancer) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

Today’s plastic containers (modern polypropylene and LDPE containers) are free of BPA, phthalates, PFOA and PFOS. “Regulatory bodies like the FDA classify them as safe for food storage,” Dr. Oyewole says. “However, the long-term health effects of ingesting microplastics remain an active area of toxicological research.”

Evidence linking microplastics to cancer is still being examined. But some data suggest a correlational relationship (not necessarily causal or a proven direct link) between microplastics and inflammation, which can increase disease risk.

Related: Wait—What Happens if You Eat Expired Food?

What About Microwave Safe Plastics?

Dr. Brambl calls “microwave-safe” a “misleading label.”

Not all plastics are created equal, and he says higher-quality, multi-use plastic products are generally more durable and resistant to degradation. “A ‘microwave safe’ label on packages does not reduce risk from leached microplastics,” Dr. Brambl says. “Microwave safe simply means the plastic will not melt in the microwave.”

He also warns that no industry or government regulations or standards define what qualifies as a “safe” amount of microplastics leached into heated products (or whether there even is a “safe” amount).

Related: A Food Safety Expert Is Begging You To Stop Making This Mistake When Washing Your Fruits and Vegetables

Can You Ever Heat Food in Plastic?

Dr. Brambl understands people often heat food in plastic containers for convenience, but he doesn’t recommend it. “If a plastic container must be used, turn down the microwave power to the minimum necessary to heat the food,” he says.

That said, there’s no need to panic if you’ve been heating food in plastic. Instead, focus on what you can do now. “Switching to glass or ceramic for heat/re-heating food items is the solution for minimizing risk in the future,” Dr. Brambl says. “Reducing the amount of food-borne plastics in the diet will minimize exposure to potential harm.”

To lower your exposure to microplastics, he recommends that you:

• Identify plastic used in your kitchen and remove it from service.
• Replace it with a non-plastic kitchen item.
• Identify grocery items that are packaged in plastic and find non-plastic-wrapped alternatives.

“Microplastics contamination of the environment has already been well documented, so microplastics may already contaminate certain foods before any processing,” he adds.

Up Next:

Related: Oncologists Are Begging You To Stop Making This Microwave Mistake Immediately

Sources:

• Dr. Wells Brambl, MD, a medical toxicologist and emergency medicine physician with Northwell Health’s Long Island Jewish Medical Center
• Dr. Serah Oyewole, MD, a medical toxicologist at Houston Methodist
• Detection of microplastics in human tissues and organs: A scoping review. Journal of Global Health.
• Bisphenol A and its replacement chemicals as endocrine disruptors and obesogens. Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology.
• IARC Monographs evaluate the carcinogenicity of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). World Health Organization.
• Microplastics: an often-overlooked issue in the transition from chronic inflammation to cancer. Journal of Translational Medicine.

Carrot Top has spent decades making audiences laugh, but the comedian has also quietly built a considerable fortune along the way. Following news that the longtime Las Vegas headliner was hospitalized after a reported suicide attempt, many longtime fans are taking a fresh look at the comedian’s career—and just how much he has earned from it.

Celebrity Net Worth currently estimates Carrot Top, whose real name is Scott Thompson, has a net worth of $70 million. The site also estimates that he earns about $8 million a year from his various endeavors. Those figures are estimates rather than publicly disclosed financial records.

Carrot Top Built His Fortune in Las Vegas @lvweekly

There’s only one Carrot Top and he’s happy to be onstage at Luxor after 20 years. Read our full interview at lasvegasweekly.com.

♬ original sound – lasvegasweekly

One of the biggest pieces of the financial picture is Carrot Top’s remarkably long Las Vegas career.

The comedian has headlined his own show at the Luxor since 2005, making his residency one of the Strip’s longest-running comedy engagements. His show combines stand-up with the elaborate props that became his signature after he rose to fame in the 1990s.

That longevity is significant. While plenty of comedians have successful tours or television careers, Carrot Top turned his name into a recurring Las Vegas attraction for more than two decades.

Related: 1963 Movie Starring Two TV Icons Was So Bad They Joked About It on ‘The Carol Burnett’ Show Years Later

His Career Goes Far Beyond the Stage @legendarynostalgia

🥕🥕🥕Carrot Top one of the weirdest comedians ever in my humble opinion. #Carrottop #comedian #90s #Funny #fyp #foryourpage #90sthrowback

♬ original sound – 80’s/90’s Legendary Nostalgia – 80’s/90’s Legendary Nostalgia

Carrot Top also built his profile through television and film appearances, including roles and cameos on shows such as Scrubs, George Lopez and Last Comic Standing. He also appeared as himself on the Max series Hacks in 2024.

But it is his Las Vegas residency that has remained the most consistent part of his career.

And that makes the latest news especially jarring for fans who have watched the red-haired comedian become a fixture of the Strip.

His representative confirmed that Thompson is recovering in the hospital and receiving care and support. His family has asked for privacy during his recovery.

For now, the numbers tell only one part of Carrot Top’s story. The more immediate story is a comedian who has spent more than 30 years building a career that has made him one of the most recognizable—and financially successful—names in stand-up.

Related: Figure Skating Legend, Known as ‘Fred Astaire on Skates,’ Has Fans Saying Thank You for Bringing Back His Iconic Performances

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Christine Taylor is opening up about being “carjacked at gunpoint” in the 1990s. She was later able to confront the traumatic experience while working on a horror movie.

The 55-year-old actress told Natanya Ross about the ordeal during an appearance on the We’re Still Here, Babe podcast. She was with her Blossom costar, David Pressman, near their Los Angeles apartment when the robbery occurred.

“We got carjacked together. By a gun. Broad daylight. It was 3 in the afternoon,” she said.

“I parked the car. We got out of the car to cross the street to go to our apartment,” The Brady Bunch Movie star explained. “This car slowed down, and I didn’t even think twice because the car was slowing down, but it was 3 in the afternoon, bright sunshine. The guy in the passenger seat got out with a gun and waved to David to stay on the curb and told me to give him the keys.”

Taylor shared that she has an anti-theft club on her steering wheel that the carjacker made her remove.

“I had my purse on my shoulder, and I just remember thinking, like, don’t go for the purse, just take the car. Just in my head,” she said. “And then, of course, he said, ‘Leave the purse.’ ”

“It probably all happened in the span of a minute and a half or two minutes, but it felt like time stood still,” she recalled. “It was so scary. I was just so grateful that we were okay, and it was that thing of, you know, you would read about that because carjacking was big back in the early ‘90s.”

She revealed that the event was hard on her. She relied on her closest relationships to get through the difficult experience.

“I wasn’t talking, processing trauma in that way. We didn’t do that in the ‘90s, really. You had your friends and your family to lean on through those kinds of moments,” she said.

One of the less conventional ways she processed the trauma was by working on the film Night of the Demons 2. Taylor was cast in the movie just a day or two after the carjacking.

“It was great to talk about, just the most therapeutic experience of working through trauma was getting on a set and getting to be in this horror movie where you’re running around screaming with kids your age,” she explained.

Now, after “years of therapy,” the actress understands how the event was traumatic, and it still causes a “trigger.” 

“Very soon after it happened. If I saw somebody on the street in a crosswalk, my body would freeze because of seeing a person crossing and thinking they’re going to come to the car,” Taylor said.

In 1970, Mary Tyler Moore returned to television in a role that would surpass her defining role as Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show premiered on CBS on Sept. 19, 1970, introducing viewers to Mary Richards, a 30-year-old single woman who moved to Minneapolis after a broken engagement and began a new life working as an associate producer at fictional television station WJM. CBS records confirm the series premiered on Sept. 19 and remained on the network until 1977.

Fifty-six years later, the sitcom is still routinely counted among the greatest television series ever made.

Rolling Stone ranked The Mary Tyler Moore Show No. 10 on its 2022 list of the 100 greatest TV shows, while Variety placed it even higher, at No. 9, the following year.

Those honors are hardly outliers. TV Guide ranks it at No. 7 of the greatest TV shows ever, the Writers Guild of America previously ranked it the sixth-best-written television series of all time and Entertainment Weekly placed it at No. 4 on its 2013 ranking of the best series ever

“Only the greatest, most detailed portrayal of a single career woman in TV history. With laughs and guts, MTM established the paradigm of ‘the workplace family,'” wrote EW. “Moore proved to be one of the medium’s finest straight-women as well as one of its most beautiful comedians.”

But before all those accolades, Moore wasn’t even sure she wanted to do the show.

Moore was initially reluctant to commit to another series because she feared any new character would inevitably be compared to Laura Petrie, her beloved role on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Even Mary Richards nearly looked very different. The character was originally envisioned as a divorcée, but divorce remained controversial on television at the time. CBS was also reportedly concerned viewers might somehow conclude that Moore’s new character had divorced Van Dyke’s Rob Petrie, so Mary instead arrived in Minneapolis after ending a long-term relationship.

That seemingly simple premise proved significant.

Mary Richards was an unmarried woman building a career and an independent life, rather than a sitcom heroine defined primarily as someone’s wife or mother. The show eventually tackled subjects including workplace discrimination, equal pay, premarital sex, divorce and homosexuality within its comedy.

Moore was surrounded by an extraordinary ensemble. Ed Asner played gruff news producer Lou Grant, Gavin MacLeod was writer Murray Slaughter, Ted Knight portrayed pompous anchorman Ted Baxter, Valerie Harper played Mary’s best friend Rhoda Morgenstern, Cloris Leachman was her landlady and friend Phyllis Lindstrom and Betty White later joined the cast as Sue Ann Nivens.

The sitcom ultimately ran seven seasons and 168 episodes, ending in 1977. Along the way, it launched three spinoffs: Rhoda, Phyllis and Lou Grant.

Its awards haul was equally formidable. The Mary Tyler Moore Show won 29 Emmys, a television record that stood until Frasier earned its 30th in 2002.

The influence extended far beyond awards. Tina Fey has cited the series as an inspiration for 30 Rock, particularly its focus on workplace relationships, while Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman called the Mary Tyler Moore Show finale the “gold standard” as the writers prepared to end their own series.

Even individual moments have become television landmarks. In 1997, TV Guide named “Chuckles Bites the Dust” the greatest television episode of all time, while Mary’s famous hat toss from the opening credits was later ranked by Entertainment Weekly as the second-greatest television moment of the 1970s.

Not bad for a show its star initially wasn’t sure she wanted to make.

Nick Reiner says he hasn’t been able to scrounge together even $5 for jail commissary, despite being the sole beneficiary of a family trust worth roughly $1.6 million. According to new court filings obtained by PEOPLE, Reiner’s attorneys wrote that he “has not been able to access even $5 from his trust to buy basic subsistence items.”

The 33-year-old has been held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility since December 2025, when he was arrested in the stabbing deaths of his parents, director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner, at their Brentwood home. He was indicted in July on two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances of lying in wait, and prosecutors confirmed this week that they won’t pursue the death penalty.

At the center of the new filings is the trust’s “Age-30 Distribution,” which, by the successor trustee’s own calculation, made at least $558,000 payable to Reiner back on Sept. 14, 2023, nearly two years before his parents’ deaths. His attorneys argue the timing matters: California’s Slayer Statute can block someone from profiting off a death they caused, but they say it shouldn’t reach money that was already his, sitting untouched, long before anyone accused him of anything.

The filings also accuse the trustees of dragging their feet while racking up more than $250,000 in legal fees paid out of the trust itself. In one filing, Reiner’s lawyers claim former trustee Paul Kanin agreed in April to replenish his commissary account, received deposit instructions, and simply never followed through. Kanin resigned after roughly 15 weeks on the job.

Reiner’s team says the stakes go beyond snacks. Without trust access, he’s been unable to rehire high-profile attorney Alan Jackson, who withdrew from the case in January citing “circumstances beyond our control,” leaving Reiner with a public defender ever since.

Whether you’re nesting in preparation for the arrival of a newborn, about to move into a new house with your toddler or giving your preteen’s bedroom a makeover, choosing what color to paint your child’s room is one of the most fun parts of the decorating process.

And although many parents may simply go over their little one’s walls with a fresh coat of white before bringing in furniture and decor, designers are getting sick of seeing “bland” and “clinical” white paint covering the walls in nurseries and children’s bedrooms. After all, painting walls a fun color doesn’t take much more effort than painting them a boring one!

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To learn more, we spoke with two designers: Lisa Quinn, a Palm Desert, Calif.-based interior designer and home stager, known for hosting the TV shows Home with Lisa Quinn and Sensible Chic and for writing two interior design books; and Brittany Lyons, a Dallas-based interior designer and Designer and Owner at Brittany Lyons Interiors.

Interestingly, both designers agree on the best paint color for a child’s bedroom—and it’s one that’s simultaneously grounding, nature-inspired, playful and gender-neutral! Keep reading for their thoughts on the best paint color for children’s rooms and why they’re sick of white.

Related: 5 Paint Colors Interior Designers Say They’d Never Use in a Dark Room

White Walls Are Falling Out of Fashion for Children’s Bedrooms, According to Designers

“I would generally never suggest white paint for a child’s room as it feels cold and clinical, not the warm, cozy space you want to create for you and your child,” Quinn tells Parade. “In an elegant, curated, adult space, white can pull off a sophisticated gallery look, but in a kid’s room, it just feels cold and unimaginative.”

Lyons agrees, adding that her “first choice for a child’s bedroom isn’t always white” because “white can feel sterile and subsequently not fun or playful.”

“Most children’s bedrooms are designed to cater to their personality and characteristics,” she adds. “Have any of the children you’ve met recently been bland? I didn’t think so. The right color can give the room a neutral and calming effect without being boring.”

Related: This ‘Y2K Teen Bedroom’ Trend Is Everywhere—And It’s Pure Nostalgia

This Is the Best Paint Color for Any Child’s Bedroom

Olga Yastremska / Getty Images

Quinn and Lyons agree that the best paint color for a child’s bedroom is green—specifically soft green.

“When looking for more gender-neutral/modern colors for a child’s room, nothing works better in my opinion than green,” says Quinn. “Green is generally considered a ‘grounding neutral’ and the right shade brings a calming, organic, natural feel that will grow with the child. It’s soft and warm without looking too babyish or gender-specific.”

Related: Color Psychologist Says This Bedroom Paint Color Is the ‘Most Calming’ To Wake up to—Here’s Why

“Soft greens are one of the best paint color options for children’s bedrooms because of their calming effect,” adds Lyons.

“Our bodies react to a primal sense of being one with nature—indoors. I consider some greens neutral, even though they aren’t white,” she continues. “Green is an earth tone, and immediately draws us back to nature in terms of feeling. It can also cause less strain on the eye with its more serene tones. Think about the last time you had a lush green mountain view and what that did for you physically, mentally and emotionally. That’s what green can do in a space without the view.”

Related: 9 Back-to-School Organization Tips Professional Organizers Swear By

These Are the Best Soft Shades of Green for Children’s Bedrooms

UnitedPhotoStudio1 / Getty Images

Not just any green will do—the two designers particularly recommend soft, nature-inspired shades of green, such as sage green.

“Skip the Kelly or lime greens,” says Quinn. “Instead, choose softer tones like sage or even grey-greens with the tiniest touch of blue.”

Some of Quinn’s favorite shades include Benjamin Moore Saybrook Sage, Benjamin Moore Gray Cashmere and Sherwin-Williams Sea Salt.

“These tones look great with white or wood finishes, blue or pink that might be brought in, and won’t clash with all the toys and other brightly-colored kid accessories,” she says.

Lyons agrees, adding that “selecting a neutral green tone also complements so many other colors that might be brought into the room.”

And Quinn puts her money where her mouth is when it comes to painting kids’ rooms soft greens—in fact, she painted her own child’s room sage green!

“When my daughter was born, I painted her room sage and added a removable pink, white and sage floral wallpaper border which was easily swapped out as she got older,” she says.

Related: Your Rug May Be Making Your Small Living Room Look Smaller—Designers Explain Why

5 More Designer-Approved Paint Colors for Children’s Bedrooms

If soft greens aren’t your jam, the designers also love these five colors for children’s bedrooms.

1. Warm off-whites

Vanit Janthra / Getty Images

Lyons says she’s “recently become obsessed with” Sherwin-Williams White Sesame.

“It is a lighter color and can give a ‘white look’ without being too stark,” she explains. “It is extremely warm and inviting, the perfect color for those who still want a ‘true’ neutral but not a bright white.”

Similarly, Quinn recommends Sherwin-Williams Creamy, describing it as “an appealing off-white that still provides warmth.” That said, make sure you use “the right lighting” with off-whites, which means not depending on a single overhead light.

Related: The One Paint Finish Designers Say Most Homeowners Should Never Apply Themselves

2. Muted light blues

Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images

“Blue can also read as a ‘neutral’ if it’s muted and dusty enough,” says Quinn, noting that one of her favorite soft light blues is Benjamin Moore Ocean Air.

“Bright blues are very gender-specific and difficult to paint over when you grow tired of it, but more muted, greyish tones of blue are peaceful hues that increase focus and peaceful feelings,” she says.

Lyons also likes calming blues for kids’ rooms, and she recommends Sherwin-Williams French Moire. She describes it as “a blue that has green undertones” and “a calmingly bright color.”

3. Soft yellows

zuzulicea / Getty Images

“Bright lemon yellows read literal ‘nursery,’ but softer butter yellows bring cheer without overstimulation,” says Quinn. She recommends Benjamin Moore Banana Cream, describing it as “the perfect choice for creating a happy vibe in a nursery.”

Related: Interior Designers Rank the Best and Worst ’90s Decor Trends—and They Have Some Hot Takes

4. Mushroom

Elizaveta Starkova / Getty Images

Quinn also recommends shades of mushroom, which are usually similar to taupe. “It’s warm and earthy, hides scuffs better, and does not read ‘baby’ or gendered at all,” she says, pointing to Benjamin Moore Indian River.

“This tone also works well with both wood and white finishes and will stand the test of time without having to repaint as the child ages,” Quinn adds. “It’s such a neutral backdrop that this can be a fun opportunity to bring in pops of color like hot pink, tangerine or bright blue as you like with your textiles and accessories.”

5. Dusty plums

KatarzynaBialasiewicz / Getty Images

Lyons also likes certain shades “on the darker end of the color spectrum,” especially for older children or over wainscoting in a nursery.

In particular, she loves dusty plum tones like Sherwin-Williams Expressive Plum, which she describes as “moody, bold, and still calming.”

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Sources:

• Lisa Quinn, interior designer, home stager, TV host and author of two interior design books
• Brittany Lyons, interior designer and Designer and Owner at Brittany Lyons Interiors

Stephen Root, who recently won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his work in Widow’s Bay, just broke the record for the oldest actor to win in that category. The previous record-holder was Henry Winkler. He won an Emmy in 2018 for his work on Barry at the age of 72.

Root, who is 74, told reporters, “I am happy to break his record. He’ll be happier to relinquish it, I’m sure.”

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Root continued, “I’m telling you right now, Henry’s going to call and come and give me a big teary hug because he’s the sweetest man in the world.”

After his historic win, Root spoke with PEOPLE about all of the attention that the show has been getting since it was released on Apple TV. “The fact that Widow’s Bay has gotten so much attention from the Academy and all these people is just really heartwarming,” he said. “This is an ensemble show from production design on down to the actors to everyone. Everyone’s done 110% on this show, and I think we’d be rewarded for that.”

He also spoke about his hopes for the second season of the series. “I’m hoping we’ll get to see more backstory in the second season of everybody in the show,” he said. “I think that’s what people love, is they get to love these characters, they want to know more about them.”

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Widow’s Bay won 14 Emmy Awards overall this year. Some of the categories that they won in included Outstanding Comedy Series, Writing for a Comedy Series, Directing for a Comedy Series, and Best Sound Editing for a Comedy Series.

Root wasn’t the only one who made history at the award show. Matthew Rhys, who plays the lead actor in the series, won for his work on Widow’s Bay and Beast in Me, making him the first person to win two lead acting categories on the same night.