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Some of today’s NYT Mini Crossword answers cover everything from popular shorthand slang for a no-brainer and ways to measure a mile to the opposite of truth, the cast of Scooby-Doo, a place you go to get a tan and the conclusion of a story.

Working on the daily Connections, Connections Sports Edition, Wordle, and Strands is a whole ritual for many of us. And we can’t forget about the NYT’s The Mini Crossword, too!

Although the NYT is known for “The Crossword,” a larger puzzle for paid subscribers, The Mini has quite the fan following as well. This particular game resets at 10 p.m., unlike some of the others that start over at midnight.

So, if you’re working on today’s Mini Crossword on Tuesday, September 15, and need some help (I’ve been there), get ready to read the clues and solutions for each line. We have them separated into hints first for both “Across” and “Down” words, followed by “Across Answers” and “Down Answers,” so be careful if you want to avoid spoilers as you scroll!

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Hints for NYT’s The Mini Crossword on Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Here are additional clues for each of the words in today’s Mini Crossword.

NYT Mini Across Hints

1 Across: “That’s a no-brainer!,” slangily — HINT: Ends with the letter “I”

5 Across: 5,280 in a mile — HINT: Starts with the letter “F”

6 Across: F, on a test — HINT: Ends with the letter “E”

8 Across: “Give me a break!” — HINT: Ends with the letter “N”

9 Across: “Don’t walk” symbol at a crosswalk — HINT: Starts with the letter “H”

Related: 16 Games Like Wordle To Give You Your Word Game Fix More Than Once Every 24 Hours

NYT Mini Down Hints

1 Down: Brand of bug spray with an exclamation point in its name — HINT: Starts with the letter “O”

2 Down: Long _, Calif. — HINT: Starts with the letter “B”

3 Down: Brainy member of the Scooby-Doo gang — HINT: Ends with the letter “A”

4 Down: “Let’s do this thing” — HINT: Starts with the letter “I”

7 Down: Conclusion — HINT: Ends with the letter “D”

Answers to NYT’s The Mini Crossword for Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Don’t go any further unless you want to know exactly what the correct words are in today’s Mini Crossword.

NYT Mini Across Answers

1 Across: “That’s a no-brainer!,” slangily — OBVI

5 Across: 5,280 in a mile — FEET

6 Across: F, on a test — FALSE

8 Across: “Give me a break!” — CMON

9 Across: “Don’t walk” symbol at a crosswalk — HAND

NYT Mini Down Answers

1 Down: Brand of bug spray with an exclamation point in its name — OFF

2 Down: Long _, Calif. — BEACH

3 Down: Brainy member of the Scooby-Doo gang — VELMA

4 Down: “Let’s do this thing” — ITSON

7 Down: Conclusion — END

Related: NYT Mini Crossword Answers, Hints for Monday, September 14, 2026

Taco Bell is selling $1 quesadillas for one day only!

On Tuesday, Sept. 15, the fast food chain is offering a special deal on its quesadillas. Customers can order cheese, chicken, and steak quesadillas and add ingredients like seasoned beef, black beans, pico de gallo, or potatoes on top of the included three-cheese blend and creamy jalapeño sauce.

Here’s everything to know about the limited-time deal—and how to claim yours before the offer ends.

How to get a $1 quesadilla from Taco Bell

Customers can claim the deal through the Taco Bell Rewards Drops page on the Taco Bell app.

The offer is available only to Taco Bell Rewards Members through the mobile app. Navigate to “Rewards” and toggle to “Tuesday Drops.” The deal, like all Tuesday Drops, will go live at 2:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. ET.

But you’ll have to act fast—the deal is only available to the first 20,000 Rewards Members who claim it. Once you successfully claim the discount and it is added to your account’s rewards, you must redeem it and check out using the Taco Bell app before 11:59 p.m. PT that day.

The Taco Bell app is available for download through the App Store and Google Play.

RELATED: Insomnia Cookies Is Giving Away Free Cookies on September 15—Here’s How to Get One

More Taco Bell deals ahead

Taco Bell is also offering a Naked Chicken Chalupa and a medium fountain drink for $3 total all day long on Tuesday!

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M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” became one of the biggest songs of her career after starting from a personal experience with immigration and life in Brooklyn. 

The 2008 hit reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was later ranked No. 46 on Rolling Stone’s “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”

The song appeared on M.I.A.’s second studio album, Kala, which was released in 2007. It became her first major U.S. hit as a lead artist and earned a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year.

Rolling Stone included “Paper Planes” at No. 46 on its list of the greatest songs of all time. 

M.I.A. Wrote ‘Paper Planes’ While Living in Brooklyn

M.I.A., whose real name is Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, lived in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood from 2006 to 2008. It was during this period that the ideas behind “Paper Planes” came together.

Mathangi Arulpragasam, (M.I.A.), the British rapper, singer and producer, performs live on the main stage during Vodafone Paredes de Coura.

Photo by Diogo Baptista/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

According to Songfacts, the song was inspired in part by her problems getting a U.S. work visa. M.I.A. was born in London to Sri Lankan Tamil parents and spent part of her childhood in Sri Lanka before returning to the United Kingdom as a refugee.

After she regained entry to the United States, she completed “Paper Planes” at her home in Bedford-Stuyvesant in 2007.

Her time in the neighborhood helped shape the song’s lyrics. She thought about immigrants and refugees and how they are sometimes viewed in the United States.

Speaking about the song, M.I.A. said: “People don’t really feel like immigrants or refugees contribute to culture in any way.”

She also explained the idea behind the song’s money-focused lyrics, saying: “America is so obsessed with money, I’m sure they’ll get it.”

The track turns those ideas into a character who appears to fit the negative stereotype of a threatening immigrant. The song uses that character to make a larger point about the way immigrants can be viewed.

M.I.A. also used gunshot and cash-register sounds in the chorus. The sounds became some of the most recognizable parts of “Paper Planes.”

She later explained that the gun sounds were connected to the experiences of people who had lived through war and violence.

“Paper Planes” was released as the third single from Kala in February 2008. Its success grew slowly before it became a major U.S. hit.

According to Billboard, the song debuted on the Hot 100 in August 2008 and eventually reached No. 4 on Sept. 27, 2008. It remained on the chart for 20 weeks.

The song also gained wider attention after appearing in the trailer for the 2008 comedy Pineapple Express, starring James Franco and Seth Rogen. It was also featured in Slumdog Millionaire and its soundtrack.

The unexpected success helped turn “Paper Planes” into M.I.A.’s biggest commercial hit at the time.

The song was produced and co-written by M.I.A. and Diplo. It also uses a sample from The Clash’s 1982 song “Straight to Hell.” Because of the sample, members of The Clash were credited as co-writers.

Diplo came up with the idea to use the Clash song as the sample. The result combined M.I.A.’s alternative hip-hop style with elements of punk, reggae and world music.

Rolling Stone described the song as a surprising hit, pointing to its unusual combination of political ideas, money-focused lyrics, gunshot sounds and the Clash sample.

The song also earned a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009. It won an ASCAP award and was named Favorite International Single at the 2009 Canadian Independent Music Awards.

The song was also sampled by Jay-Z, T.I., Kanye West and Lil Wayne for their 2008 collaboration “Swagga Like Us.”

More than a decade after its release, “Paper Planes” found another audience online when it went viral on TikTok in December 2024 through a dance trend.

@miauniverse

A Bag Of Swag #fyp @Diplo

♬ M.I.A Paper Planes – M.I.A.

Related: 1961 Country Song, Written by Willie Nelson, Is Still a Powerful Hit 65 Years Later

Michelle Pfeiffer is always a great conversation starter, but her 1982 film Grease 2 unfortunately is not. The film has become more of a punchline than a bona fide classic, having been outright panned by critics upon release, with audiences not being much kinder.

But that’s all changing more than four decades later. The sequel is suddenly back in the conversation, thanks in part to younger fans, including Millie Bobby Brown, who have openly embraced the movie.

Released in June 1982, Grease 2 had big shoes to fill. Following its predecessor starring the inimitable John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, which was a massive commercial and cultural blockbuster, the sequel had critics running for the hills. Needless to say, they were largely unimpressed, saying that it “tested the agony threshold of the audience,” “isn’t the best of taste,” and “is definitely not the word. It isn’t even a syllable.”

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At the box office, audiences largely agreed, ultimately not turning the film into the phenomenon its predecessor had been. Grease 2 opened at No. 5 and grossed about $15.2 million domestically, a fraction of the roughly $188.6 million Grease earned in North America. Still, the movie never disappeared.

Instead, Grease 2 found an audience over the years, eventually developing the devoted following and cult status it lacked at release. Paramount now describes it as having gained “fans and cult-movie status” 44 years later. Through repeated television broadcasts, home video, and eventually generations of viewers who discovered its campy songs, Pfeiffer’s Stephanie Zinone and Maxwell Caulfield’s Michael Carrington found a new audience long after the original disappointment had faded.

Now, that once-maligned sequel is getting a very different kind of attention. Younger viewers are discovering it, longtime fans are defending it, and co-star Christopher McDonald is reliving it. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly this week, the actor who played T-Bird Goose described the joy of watching audiences sing along to the movie’s songs at a TCM screening.

“I just went to a Turner Classic Movies event, and people just showed up by the pool to sing the songs, like it was Rocky Horror Picture Show. Most of them—99% of them—were women. And I thought, That’s what’s speaking to the people: It’s ‘I want a cool rider, I want a rider that’s cool’—not like all the stuff happened in the first one, nothing against that one. But, wow, this movie is moving people, and the female population’s really getting into it. So that’s a blessing. It’s a shock and a blessing.”

It’s quite the turnaround for a film that arrived in the enormous shadow of Grease and was quickly dismissed as a disappointing follow-up. Brown is another recent fan who has put her fandom on display publicly.

On an episode of Hot Ones, the Stranger Things alum went so far as to say the sequel is superior to the original. And she credits her reason entirely to Pfeiffer.

“‘Cool Rider’ is the best song ever,” Brown said. “And I’m obsessed with Michelle Pfeiffer.”

“Cool Rider” is one of 12 songs featured in the film. Some of the more unforgettable tracks include “Do It for Our Country,” “Reproduction,” and “We’ll Be Together,” the finale song that soundtracks the film’s over-the-top motorcycle luau. A campy, high-energy pop-rock album, the soundtrack was released by RSO Records and produced by Hollywood heavyweights Allan Carr and Robert Stigwood.

The transformation of Grease 2 from a critical and box-office disaster into a beloved cult classic is one of the most fascinating turnarounds in recent memory. Over the decades, the very elements critics hated—the tone, the lyrics, the synth-heavy vibe—became what turned the soundtrack into a generational favorite, rescuing the movie from the hellscape of the forever flop.

At the center of the film’s redemption arc is Pfeiffer’s star-making performance. A bolder heroine, she sings “Cool Rider,” the ultimate manifestation of her dream man. Her raw magnetism and the song’s driving rock tempo transformed a scene with absurd lyrics and silly choreography into an empowering, iconic pop-culture moment.

For decades, Grease 2 seemed destined to remain a footnote to its far more successful predecessor. But time has a funny way of changing the conversation. And 44 years later, it looks like Pink Lady Stephanie finally got the thing she wanted all along: a second chance.

Related: 1982 Ballad, Immortalized in a Jake Gyllenhaal Cult Classic, Became a Cross-Generational Hit

Jean Smart just made Emmy history!

During the Monday, Sept. 14, award show, the legendary actress scored her fifth consecutive win in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series category for Hacks, making her the first woman to win an Emmy for every season of her show.

Previously, only Bill Cosby had won an Emmy for every season of a series that lasted at least three seasons, scoring an award for all three seasons of I Spy from 1966 to 1968.

In Hacks, which concluded its five-season run in May, Smart played Deborah Vance, an iconic Las Vegas-based stand-up comedian who needs to reinvent her act to avoid losing her residency.

Smart’s five wins for Hacks also bring her career Emmy total to eight, tying the record held by Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus for the most wins by a performer. Louis-Dreyfus won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for six out of her seven seasons on Veep—nearly reaching Smart’s accomplishment.

In her emotional acceptance speech, Smart began by thanking Universal and HBO, and “my reps who are the best in the business, and my children who are my anchor, Forrest and Connor.”

“But this one, I’m dedicating to [series creators] Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky, and Paul W. Downs. It all begins and ends with them. I love you guys so much. Thank you. Thank you all so much,” she concluded. “What a ride this has been.”

The audience responded with a standing ovation.

In addition to her Hacks wins, Smart has also won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2008 for her role as Regina Newly in Samantha Who? and won two Emmys for her guest appearances on Frasier in 2000 and 2001.

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British Novelist and screenwriter Ian McEwan began his career writing gothic short stories. However, in the early 1990s he began to shift his work towards writing more long-form, period dramas. This change led to mass critical acclaim and eventually led McEwan to write what many consider to be the best work of his career, the 2001 sweeping novel Atonement.

Atonement was published to massive critical acclaim and landed McEwan on multiple award lists, several of which the book won, including:

• The Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction
• The National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction
• The Boeke Prize
• The WH Smith Literary Award
• Shortlisted for the Whitbread Novel Award
• Shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Fiction
• Shortlisted for the James Tait Black Memorial Prize

Over the years, Atonement has been widely regarded as one of the best books of the 21st century, if not of all time. The New York Times included the book on its list of the “100 Best Books of the 21st Century,” and Time ranked the novel on its list of the “100 Greatest Novels of All Time.”

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In 2007, Atonement was adapted into a film starring James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, and Saoirse Ronan. The movie version was nominated for seven Academy Awards and went home with the award for Best Original Score. Similar to the novel, the movie was ranked on the list of “The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century” by The New York Times.

Spanning over the course of three time periods, Atonement follows (at the beginning) 13-year-old Briony Tallis, who makes a somewhat innocent mistake in the summer of 1935; the consequences of which result in tearing her family apart. Over the next several decades, throughout World War II, and after, Briony’s mistake continues to haunt her even into adulthood. Atonement is a novel that grapples with love, class, grief, forgiveness, and what it really means to atone for one’s choices.

Atonement by Ian McEwan is out now and available wherever books are sold.

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Related: 2017 Award-Winning Celeste Ng Novel Named a ‘Biggest Hit of the Last Decade’ by Goodreads

In 1974, Jackson Browne released an album that Bruce Springsteen would later call his “masterpiece.”

Late for the Sky, Browne’s third studio album, was released on Sept. 13, 1974, and the singer-songwriter marked its 52nd anniversary over the weekend by sharing the album cover on his Instagram Stories with the words, “On this day in 1974.”

The eight-song album included “Fountain of Sorrow,” “For a Dancer,” “Before the Deluge” and its title track, songs that helped cement Browne’s reputation as one of the defining singer-songwriters of his generation.

Springsteen offered particularly high praise when he inducted Browne into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, calling Late for the Sky his “masterpiece.”

Springsteen isn’t alone in his admiration. Rolling Stone included Late for the Sky on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, praising the record’s “undercurrent of dread” and what the magazine called Browne’s “obvious songwriting genius.”

The album was made under some fairly tight constraints. After the high recording costs of Browne’s previous album For Everyman, Asylum Records founder David Geffen wanted the next record completed faster and for less money. Browne and co-producer Al Schmitt finished Late for the Sky in just six weeks for $50,000, half the cost of its predecessor.

Browne also had some famous friends lending their voices to the record. Don Henley, Dan Fogelberg and J.D. Souther were among the musicians who contributed harmony vocals.

Late for the Sky reached No. 14 on the Billboard 200 and was eventually certified platinum. Its title song also found a memorable second life onscreen when it was featured in Martin Scorsese’s 1976 film Taxi Driver.

Decades later, the album received an even more lasting honor. In 2020, the Library of Congress selected Late for the Sky for preservation in the National Recording Registry, which recognizes recordings deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

For an album recorded in six weeks more than half a century ago, Late for the Sky has had an awfully long day in the sun.

Related: ’70s Rock Legend Told to ‘Stick to Music’ After Latest Statement

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Storage furniture comes in all shapes and sizes, and the best ones are those that are just as chic as they are practical. If you need something to reduce the clutter in your home, you might as well elevate the aesthetic of your space at the same time. From farmhouse bookcases and vintage-inspired dressers to quirky ottomans and fun sideboards, these pieces bring organization to your home while adding some visual interest. 

Walmart carries a ton of stylish storage pieces, and this bestselling Mainstays Boucle Mushroom Storage Ottoman is one of our favorite finds. While it looks similar to expensive styles sold at other retailers, you can currently score it on sale for less than $30. Normally retailing for $38, the cream version of this ottoman is now marked down to just $29. This ottoman is also available in a gorgeous terracotta hue, which you can get for full price at $31. 

Mainstays Boucle Mushroom Storage Ottoman, From $29 (was $38) at Walmart

Image (cream)

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Capturing the essence of whimsical elegance, this ottoman features a mushroom silhouette. It has a domed top and a sleek base, lending itself to the cottagecore aesthetic. This ottoman is upholstered with boucle fabric made of polyester, giving it a cozy and sophisticated vibe. 

Striking the perfect balance between luxurious and playful, this ottoman will elevate any space. It’s an accent piece that’ll make a statement wherever you place it, whether it’s in your living room, bedroom, or office. The boucle fabric gives this ottoman some texture, adding depth and dimension to your room. For size reference, it measures 16.5 inches tall and 20 inches wide. 

Seamlessly blending form and function, this ottoman is just as practical as it is decorative. You can place it by an armchair or sofa and use it as a footrest, or turn it into a stool for your vanity. If you’re living in a dorm, you can even repurpose it into a stepping stool to get up onto your lifted bed. 

Mainstays Boucle Mushroom Storage Ottoman, From $29 (was $38) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

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This ottoman is incredibly sturdy, making it a great option for extra seating if you have guests over. It has a 200-pound weight capacity, and the mushroom top is filled with foam, cushioning your body. Shoppers noted that it’s comfortable as both a seat and a footrest.

An unassuming storage solution, this ottoman boasts a roomy interior where you can store anything you see fit. The interior is about 9 inches deep, making it ideal for throw blankets, electronics, accessories, and more. It’ll help streamline your space, reducing the amount of visual clutter. 

For convenience, this storage ottoman has a collapsible design. Whenever it’s not in use, you can fold it down and tuck it into a closet or cabinet to save space. This ottoman is also easy to clean. If you happen to get it a little dirty, just wipe it down with a damp cloth. 

Chic, cozy, and practical, this storage ottoman has racked up over 200 five-star ratings. Customers loved everything about this piece, from its top-notch quality to its eye-catching design. They described it as “fun,” “whimsical,” and “trendy.” One reviewer said that they loved it because it’s “so cute and fun” and offers “so much storage.” A second reviewer commented that it’s “high-end looking.”

Shop More Deals 

• Concetta Teddy Velvet Round Storage Ottoman, $30 (was $50) at Walmart
• Mehoom 3-Pack of Wicker Storage Baskets with Lids, From $21 (was $36) at Walmart
• Finew 4-Pack of Water Hyacinth Wicker Storage Baskets, $50 (was $93) at Walmart

Related: Declutter With This ‘Rich’-Looking $22 Faux Leather Ottoman That Doubles as a Luxe Chair and Footrest

Declutter your room while adding some major style points with the Mainstays Boucle Mushroom Storage Ottoman. Head to Walmart and grab it while it’s still on sale for just $29! 

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.

Taylor Swift may have only appeared briefly at the 2026 Emmys, but she certainly gave Swifties something to talk about. During a pre-recorded sketch that aired Monday night, the superstar delivered a bizarrely specific line that seemed almost tailor-made for her famously detail-oriented fan base: “Saccharide, Aries, from the vineyard, north or south.”

Naturally, Swifties immediately began wondering whether the seemingly random string of words was actually a clue. And when it comes to Swift, “random” is rarely a word her fans are willing to accept at face value.

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Taylor Swift just made a surprise appearance at the Emmys in a pre-taped sketch where she and Olivia Benson try to decipher clues to see if Taylor Swift will attend the ceremony

at one point, Taylor looked at the camera to share a cryptic message: “I think what we’re gonna be… pic.twitter.com/5x9PyWZpiI

— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) September 15, 2026

In the spot, Swift and Olivia Benson, Mariska Hargitay’s Law & Order: SVU character, attempt to decipher clues about whether Swift is actually skipping the Emmys ceremony. Cheeky quips, fluffy cats, and plenty of Swiftian visual details fill the screen. Still, one moment immediately sends the detective work into overdrive: Swift turns to the camera and delivers her cryptic line.

And, naturally, fans are already doing what Swifties do best—trying to figure out what, exactly, she was trying to say.

The sentence is an especially tempting puzzle because each piece invites interpretation. “Saccharide” refers to sugar; Aries is the Zodiac sign represented by the ram; a vineyard brings grapes and wine to mind; and “north or south” introduces an unmistakably geographic element. Whether those words ultimately connect to one of Swift’s songs, albums, lyrics, past Easter eggs, or something entirely new remains unclear.

For now, there doesn’t appear to be a definitive answer to what the line means, which hasn’t stopped fans from dissecting every word.

Swift was not expected to attend the live ceremony, making the pre-recorded appearance an especially fun surprise. She was expected to be supporting boyfriend Travis Kelce at the Kansas City Chiefs‘ season opener, while her The Eras Tour: The Final Show received five Emmy nominations. Those categories, however, were presented at the Creative Arts Emmys.

So while Swift wasn’t physically sitting in the audience Monday night, she still managed to make her presence felt—and, perhaps more importantly, leave her fans with another mystery to solve.

Whether the line was an elaborate Easter egg or simply a particularly Taylor-esque bit of nonsense, Swift accomplished something she has done countless times before: She gave her fans just enough information to send them searching for the rest.

Related: 1966 Signature Song, Written in 10 Minutes, Launched a Country Queen to No. 1

More than six decades ago, in 1964, a now-iconic Disney film turned a Broadway darling into a full-fledged movie star. Actress Julie Andrews made movie history as the practically perfect nanny in Mary Poppins.

Based on stories written by P.L. Travers, the book took Walt Disney over 20 years to acquire the rights to. When he finally did, making good on a promise to his daughters to turn one of their favorite tales into a big-screen blockbuster, his would-be star wasn’t ready to step into the title character’s shoes. Disney wanted Andrews for the role in 1962, but she had other plans.

Dick van Dyke and Julie Andrews. (Photo by ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

In 2014, the legendary actress spoke candidly to BBC’s The One Show about Disney, “He asked if I would be interested in coming to Hollywood to see the designs and to hear the songs he was planning for this movie he intended to make. And I was horrified, and I said, ‘Oh Mr. Disney, I would love it, I would love it, but I have to tell you, I’m pregnant.” 

Disney believed in the actress and waited nearly two years for Andrews. As it turns out, the wait was well worth it. With a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film was just ranked number eight on the site’s list of ‘Best Fantasy Movies of All Time.’ 

Of course, the critics have applauded this film (and its lead actress) for years. A resurfaced 1963 review from Variety praised Andrews’ performance: “Julie Andrews’ first appearance on the screen is a signal triumph, and she performs as easily as she sings, displaying a fresh type of beauty nicely adaptable to the color cameras.” 

‘Mary Poppins.’ (Photo by Walter Fischer/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

Likewise, The Hollywood Reporter also raved about Andrews and Mary Poppins in the early ‘60s: “Mary Poppins will be one of the year’s box office champions, and a hardy perennial as popular and welcome as Santa Claus. The film makes major stars of its two leading players, Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. It makes everyone connected with it bigger and more important.”

The glowing review went on to call the Disney flick, “The greatest musical of its kind since The Wizard of Oz,” and add that Andrews was “Sweet and pert, with her crystalline voice enchanting on the songs.” 

Fast forward to 2018 and a Rob Marshall-directed redo starring Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins hit theaters. If you’re wondering why Andrews didn’t have a role in Mary Poppins Returns, Marshall told Variety, “She immediately said no. She said, ‘This is Emily’s show, and I want her to run with this. She should run with this. This is hers. I don’t want to be on top of that.’” 

Following her breakout, Academy Award-winning role in Mary Poppins, Andrews went on to star in The Sound of Music, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Star!, 10, Victor/Victoria, and The Princess Diaries. She also voiced characters in Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, and Despicable Me. Andrews recently won her second Primetime Emmy in a row (2025 and 2026) for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance as Lady Whistledown in Netflix’s Bridgerton. This honor made her the oldest performer in history to win an Emmy Award. 

When it comes to dealing with “difficult” people, some of us are better equipped than others. But why is that? Are there qualities or skills that can set us up to better manage individuals who are trickier to handle? And is it possible to learn how to better deal with them?

To find out, we turned to Dr. David Gumpert, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist in California.

To start, what makes a person “difficult”? According to Dr. Gumpert, this is “purely subjective,” but he often defines this type of person as “someone who is rigid, with difficulty or an inability to see the perspective of other people” or “someone who is inflexible about seeing other points of view.” In more extreme instances, a hard-to-manage individual might be “dismissive, gaslighting or aggressive/violent.”

“Someone who is very rigid will prioritize their justification for their feelings/actions over trying to understand someone else’s point of view,” he further explains. “They may not even be in contact with their underlying feelings of why they feel so violated or threatened and will focus only on the other person’s perceived offense rather than acknowledging how it hurt them, perhaps because this could make them feel vulnerable or ‘weak.'”

Below, Dr. Gumpert shares five things that someone who handles difficult people well often does, as well as three tips for handling friends and family who are tough to deal with.

Related: Psychologist Says the 1 Phrase That Instantly Shuts Down a Condescending Person Isn’t What You Might Think

People Who Handle ‘Difficult People’ Well Usually Do These 5 Things, According to a Psychologist 1. Have mental flexibility

To skillfully handle difficult people, it’s important for someone to “be flexible in their point of view, and be able to, no matter how rigid the other person is being, access some empathy towards the other person’s point of view,” says Dr. Gumpert.

“It is a positive trait to be able to take perspective from others because it builds empathy, and it keeps us from remaining stuck in our own experience or narrative,” he adds. “It also can have the effect of calming ourselves down and moving through the experience.”

Related: These 7 ‘Bad’ Habits Actually Signal High Empathy, Psychologist Says

2. Express compassion

Expressing compassion toward people who are being argumentative can be challenging; however, Dr. Gumpert says that doing so can “speak more directly to that person’s underlying concerns rather than getting caught up in the content of an argument.”

He adds that it’s worth acting compassionately towards difficult individuals “even if they seemingly do not deserve it.”

That said, “this does not mean one has to excuse or even tolerate the other person’s behaviors or actions,” he states. “It is making a separation between their actions or behaviors and their core humanity who may be internally suffering, even if it is unconscious.”

3. Execute self-regulation techniques

“Being able to regulate one’s nervous system during a heated interaction can allow one to speak more effectively and not get caught up in a power struggle that is focused on winning an argument or proving a point,” Dr. Gumpert shares.

Some of the best ways to achieve self-regulation are taking deep breaths and doing grounding exercises, as these “can signal to an overly active threat response in our nervous system that we can enter into a state of presence, while not regressing into passivity or aggressive behaviors ourselves,” he notes.

4. Practice self-awareness

The better aware you are of the things that activate your nervous system (or “trigger” you), the better you’ll be able to identify difficult conversations and behaviors before they get out of hand.

“The more familiar we are with those activating events, the more success we likely will have in noticing them as information from our nervous system that is neither true nor false, neither right nor wrong,” Dr. Gumpert explains. “This fosters self-compassion and the ability to take our bodies out of autopilot, bring higher executive functioning back online and proceed from a place of our values and integrity with our choices of how to respond instead of react, all while honoring the nervous system’s wisdom and not shaming oneself for having a reaction or even making mistakes.”

5. Practice mindfulness

“I often remind clients that our human evolution was designed for autopilot and experiencing our thoughts, feelings, etc. as factual,” Dr. Gumpert states.

Because of this, practicing mindfulness, which is “the ability to observe one’s own thoughts, feelings, reactions, bodily sensations, etc. from a place of curiosity,” can be challenging, he shares.

However, finding a way to practice mindfulness every day can help improve our ability to deal with difficult people, as doing so “fosters self-compassion and patience,” he notes.

Related: Psychologist Says the 1 Phrase That Instantly Shuts Down a Passive-Aggressive Person Isn’t What You Might Think

Mariia Vitkovska / Getty Images

3 Tips for Dealing With Difficult People in Your Life 1. Work on your communication skills

“Learning specific communication skills to de-escalate a heightened conflict is extremely important,” Dr. Gumpert explains, especially “when interacting with individuals that we are fairly certain may escalate into aggression.”

Specifically, he recommends studying the principles of Nonviolent Communication, an Ahimsa-inspired and empathy-driven method of communication.

He also suggests memorizing a response you can use whenever a loved one is acting inflexible or difficult, and practicing it when you’re in a calm state. This could be something like: “I understand your discomfort with my request. At the same time, this is extremely important for me in order for us to continue this conversation/interaction/relationship etc.”

“This is assertive communication, being clear and firm about one’s needs and boundaries while also acknowledging the presence and needs of the other,” he says.

2. Disarm with empathy

As Dr. Gumpert explains, expressing empathy can “lower the other person’s defenses when validating their underlying concern, while still not validating their inexcusable actions,” therefore disarming them and leading to a more productive conversation. Make sure you are “empathetic towards the root of their aggression… while not absolving them of the responsibility for their behaviors and actions.”

However, this approach doesn’t work with everyone.

“It can occasionally backfire and lead to more defensiveness if they are extremely guarded against acknowledging their hurt or being vulnerable,” he says. “This can be a risky strategy and may depend on the other person as well as one’s history with that person.”

3. Set healthy boundaries

Setting boundaries with difficult people in your life can be an important way to protect yourself. Per Dr. Gumpert, “boundaries are there to protect your peace and to respectfully inform the other person what they can expect if they choose not to work on their behaviors.”

That said, if you have people-pleasing tendencies, setting boundaries with someone you love, no matter how difficult they are being, can feel harsh. In these instances, it’s vital to practice self-compassion.

Related: Psychologist Says the 1 Phrase That Instantly Shuts Down a Nosy Person Isn’t What You Might Think

Final Takeaways:

It can be challenging to get anywhere with difficult people, but it’s not impossible.

• Individuals who are good at dealing with difficult people often have similar strengths. These include mental flexibility, compassion, self-regulation, self-awareness and mindfulness.
• There are a few practices that can help you better deal with difficult people. These include working on your nonviolent communication skills, disarming others with empathy and setting boundaries.
• There’s a difference between someone being “difficult” and being abusive. “To be very clear, in all of the above answers, these are not strategies to allow or even tolerate abuse,” says Dr. Gumpert. “There is no excuse for abuse, and nobody is under an unspoken contract with the universe to remain in abusive relationships.”

If you or someone you love are experiencing domestic violence, know you’re not alone and it isn’t your fault—and that there’s a safe way out. Please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org for confidential help without judgment, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Up Next:

Related: This Self-Gaslighting Sign Is Especially ‘Problematic,’ According to a Psychologist

Source:

• Dr. David Gumpert, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist.

Very few of us have the time or the budget to give our kitchens a full seasonal makeover every time the calendar flips to a new month. Heck, just replacing a small appliance can feel taxing on one’s wallet. And it isn’t like you can fully deck out a kitchen for a holiday anyway without getting those pretty pieces of decor splattered with grease—though Pinterest will try to tell you otherwise.

Still, it’s nice when your kitchen decor aligns with what you have going on in the rest of the house. Maybe you’re in the process of swapping out lightweight linens for flannels and heavier cottons in the bedroom. Or perhaps it’s the throw pillows on your couch that are getting an autumnal glow-up. You want to bring that energy into the very place where you make your meals, too. But how? The answer is actually simple.

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Crofton Oven Mitt and Pot Holder Set in Navy, $2.99 at Aldi

Aldi

Swap out the kitchen accents that are supposed to be in the room anyway for ones with seasonal motifs. Aldi’s Crofton Oven Mitt and Potholder Set in this vibrant fall print is the perfect example. You need oven mitts unless you have hands of steel, and potholders are also a necessity for making sure you’re not damaging your counters or dining room table. So why not refresh them with the changing of the seasons? Aldi makes it super easy to do by pricing these kitchen sets at just $2.99.

Related: Dollar General’s $8 Vintage-Inspired Floral Pie Plate Is Begging For a Spot on Your Table

What Other Kitchen Items Can You Swap Out Seasonally?

If you have storage space to keep these things boxed up during their off-seasons, you can also switch out kitchen towels, cooking utensils like spatulas in pretty prints or colorways and cutting boards in various decorative shapes.

You can also change up what’s sitting in a countertop tray or the produce in your fruit bowl—lemons and berries for summer, apples and pears for fall, for example. The trick is to choose a handful of everyday items that can pull double duty as decor, then simply rotate them throughout the year. It’s an easy way to give your kitchen a little seasonal personality without filling your cabinets with enough holiday stuff to open a gift shop.

Related: Aldi’s Massive 6-Piece Comforter Set Brings All of the Cottagecore Coziness to Your Bedroom

A flower delivery sets off a messy storm aboard Below Deck Mediterranean’s Akira One, leaving new deckhand Massi Scarcia hilariously asking, “What the f—k is going on? This guy needs to be very handsome to cause all this trouble… What the f—k, he has a golden d—k?”

When departed deckhand Luke Brummer sends Chef Joy Lefaucheur a bouquet of flowers, stew Genevieve “Gen” Lillie is sent into a tailspin, retreating to her cabin in tears. Of course, Massi is only just getting up to speed on the love triangle that unfolded a few charters earlier, when Luke and Gen hooked up in bosun Nathan Gallagher’s bed, leaving behind some very incriminating “evidence”—all while Luke was actually pining for Joy.

Luke ultimately resigned in shame after failing to tell anyone, particularly Nathan, about what happened. Nathan then slept in the bed without knowing what had gone down, only to spiral after Luke finally came clean about the sheets.

Despite hooking up with Gen, Luke was primarily interested in Joy and continued to text and communicate with her after leaving the boat, which only got under Gen’s skin. The flowers pushed her over the edge, with Gen later vowing to come for Joy.

Thinking she was doing everyone a favor, Chief Stew Aesha Scott put Gen in the laundry room to take some pressure off her. Instead, the move gave Gen the perfect opportunity to stick it to Joy.

Gen texts Luke that the flower delivery was the last straw and tells him to “take a long time to think about that.” Of course, Luke tells Joy about the “wild message from Gen,” which she dismisses as “juvenile.”

But as Gen complains to the rest of the crew about the season, her sore wrist and the ongoing Luke drama, Joy becomes increasingly irritated. Luke eventually texts Gen back, telling her it’s not her decision what he does with his life.

Gen’s response? “What a disrespectful a—hole.” She then tells Luke to “f—k off” in a text message.

As she continues to spiral, Gen admits she’s a professional “grudge holder,” adding that she’s in her “villain era.” Cameras then capture a note on the laundry machine that reads, “Joy + rags,” along with a smiley face.

The next morning, Joy goes searching for rags, only to find the note, which obviously sets her off.

“Of course it was intentional,” Joy says in a confessional. “I can be very aggressive, and I’m starting to be like some volcano inside. I’m gonna make her cry and send her to psychiatry.” She adds, “Don’t f—k with me.”

Rather than coming for Gen herself, Joy talks to Aesha about the situation and asks her to handle it. But when Aesha mentions the note to Gen, Gen acts like she has no idea what Joy is talking about.

In a confessional, however, Gen doubles down on her actions.

“I don’t feel that bad about it,” Gen says about the laundry “mix-up.” She adds, “Karma’s a bitch.”

And when Gen tells Joy she didn’t intend to mix her personal clothing with the galley rags, Joy stonily replies, “Good.”

Below Deck Mediterranean is on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.

The DeFranco Family scored a major Billboard hit in 1973 with “Heartbeat, It’s a Lovebeat,” one of the group’s signature bubblegum pop songs that was covered by influential rock band The Replacements.

With the popularity of family-band acts such as The Osmonds and The Jackson 5 in the 1970s, the Canadian sibling group, composed of Tony DeFranco, Benny DeFranco, Nino DeFranco, Marisa DeFranco and Merlina DeFranco, had their debut single and highest-charting song landing at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Heartbeat, It’s a Lovebeat.”

While most hit songs were written by acclaimed or notable songwriters, the group’s signature track was written by Michael Kennedy who worked for McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company and his high school friend Greg Williams.

The DeFranco Family released “Heartbeat, It’s a Lovebeat” as part of their debut album of the same name.

The De Franco Family in 1960.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

The song’s infectious hooks, distinctive thumping bass drum and lyrics’ theme of innocence and overwhelming puppy love, accompanied by 13-year-old Tony DeFranco’s lead vocals, made the track a quintessential 1970s bubblegum pop anthem.

Tony DeFranco once mentioned how “Heartbeat, It’s a Lovebeat” changed not just the trajectory of the group’s career, but he also compared it to a “magic carpet ride.”

“It was extreme because I went from being a little 11, 12-year-old kid in Canada who hadn’t even heard of Hollywood, to living in Hollywood! (laughs) Everywhere I went, everyone wanted a piece of you,” he told Classic Bands, adding, “It was basically a magic carpet ride. It was an extreme change.”

Following the song’s popularity, the band started making television appearances on shows such as American Bandstand, Sonny and Cher, Diana!, The Mike Douglas Show and more, while the single went on to sell more than two million copies.

In addition to the group’s massive success, Heartbeat, It’s a Lovebeat” was also certified Gold by the RIAA in November 1973.

The DeFranco Family also toured and performed in Las Vegas through 1978 before the group disbanded that same year.

Years later, “Heartbeat, It’s a Lovebeat” was given a whole new vibe after The Replacements released their rendition.

The influential alternative/indie rock band, fronted by Paul Westerberg, went for a completely different take and turned the song into a garage-punk jam.

Initially recorded as a casual, throwaway studio outtake during The Replacements’ 1983–1984 Let It Be sessions, it later appeared as a bonus track on the 2008 deluxe reissue of Let It Be.

Related: 1965 Song, Written by Neil Diamond at Brill Building, Is Still a Generational Hit 61 Years Later

The View co-host Ana Navarro recently revealed her husband Al Cárdenas‘ heartbreaking diagnosis: Parkinson’s disease.

On Monday, Sept. 14, Navarro, 54, took to Instagram with a clip from her Bleep! With Ana Navarro podcast.

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“With Al’s consent, I am publicly discussing his Parkinson’s diagnosis, in hopes it helps destigmatize the disease and helps others going through a similar journey,” she captioned the update. “Tune into this week’s episode of @bleepwithananavarro to hear me discuss what being one of the 1 million American families living with Parkinson’s has been like for us.”

In the video, Navarro revealed that Cárdenas, 78—a lawyer and conservative political activist— was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease more than two years ago.

“Maybe you heard earlier this summer, Carly Simon, who both Al and I admire greatly, she announced her Parkinson’s diagnosis,” she said in the clip. “And my husband and I both read the announcement, read the statement that she put out, and it’s something that touched us greatly.”

Navarro continued, “We talk about the need of destigmatizing this disease. We talk about duty, the opportunity of using my public platform to talk about it. So, Carly Simon, her statement, she said, ‘It reminds me that illness can change your life without becoming the whole of your life. These days, I move more slowly. I lean on others more than I once did. But I am still very much here. I have not stopped living, and I have not stopped working.'”

Additionally, the View co-host shared a photo of Cárdenas sitting by the water with their dog, as well as a shot of herself with Cárdenas and the canine.

View this post on Instagram

In the comments, Navarro’s followers showered her with prayers and support in the wake of learning Cárdenas’ diagnosis.

Actress Holly Robinson Peete shared, “As someone who’s been dealing with Parkinson’s disease in my life with both my father and my brother for over 40 years, I am so grateful and thankful for you and Al speaking openly about your journey with PD.🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽.”

Another Instagram user wrote, “🙏🏼❤️🙏🏼sending you love and strength ❤️and prayers.”

Someone else echoed, “Sending positive energy and prayers 🙏🏻🫶🏻💞.”

A different follower commented, “My prayers with you 🙏🙌.”

Meanwhile, yet another Instagram user wrote, “Al is such a cool guy. Prayers for you guys. If anyone can stay strong and fight, it’s you all!”

One thing I know for sure is that It’s always so helpful to families to hear these conversations!

Navarro and Cárdenas have been married since 2019.

Next: Wheel of Fortune’s Vanna White Honors Designer Behind Her ‘All-Time Favorite’ Dresses in Touching Tribute

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If you want to get your kitchen, dining room, or living area organized, having the right storage essentials can make all the difference. The Homfa 70.9-Inch Tall Kitchen Pantry Cabinet at Walmart is a stylish, practical way to clear away clutter while adding useful counter space to your home. And right now, it’s on sale for under $200 in all five color options. 

For a limited time, the versatile cabinet is available at just $180, down $260, in the black, green, gray, and white colors. You can also shop it in a blue style for $170, down from $240. No matter which shade you opt for, the modern pantry has a clean, sleek finish that will instantly elevate any room. 

Homfa 70.9-Inch Tall Kitchen Pantry Cabinet, $180 (was $260) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at Walmart

Constructed from MDF with a smooth, easy-to-clean finish, this freestanding pantry cabinet is durable and built for everyday use. Standing 70.9 inches tall, this freestanding pantry cabinet combines generous storage with a convenient countertop workspace. Its 15.2-inch-deep by 39.4-inch-wide frame offers plenty of room for kitchen essentials, small appliances, dishware, pantry goods, linens, and more. 

Inside, there are eight in-cabinet dividers, three drawers, and three height-adjustable shelves, making it easy to keep items organized. The flexible shelving lets you customize the space to accommodate items of different sizes, while the three drawers provide additional room for utensils, kitchen accessories, and other small household essentials. 

Related: Walmart’s Freestanding Storage Cabinet Is an ‘Elegant’ Way to Declutter Kitchens and Entryways

The cabinet has several useful features beyond just storage. It includes a built-in charging station with two outlets and two USB ports, making it easy to keep appliances powered while also keeping your countertop less cluttered.The 39-inch-wide countertop also has an integrated LED light bar that illuminates your workspace, whether you’re preparing food, organizing supplies, or simply want a gentle glow at night. 

The Homfa pantry has earned over 325 five-star ratings online. Multiple shoppers called it “functional” and “stylish,” noting that it adds “ample storage space” to any room. Several also highlighted the simple setup process. “It was easy to assemble, the instructions were crystal clear and easy to follow,” one reviewer wrote. 

Shop More Deals

• Homfa 67.5-Inch Tall Kitchen Pantry, $140 (was $180) at Walmart
• Homfa Bathroom Storage Cabinet, $60 (was $96) at Walmart
• Polup 71-Inch Storage Cabinet, $142 (was $160) at Walmart

With its spacious interior, built-in charging, and handy LED lighting, the Homfa pantry cabinet offers more than just a place to hide clutter. It has multifunctional storage that’s designed to make everyday organization easier. Pick one up for under $200 while all colors are still in stock and on sale at Walmart. 

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Sixty-five years after its release, “Hello Walls,” the 1961 country hit written by Willie Nelson and recorded by Faron Young, remains one of the songs that helped shape Nelson’s early career as a songwriter. 

Young’s recording reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country chart and stayed there for nine weeks, while also becoming his only Top 40 pop hit in the United States.

Released in 1961, “Hello Walls” tells the story of a man left alone after his lover walks away. With no one else to talk to, he speaks to the walls, window and ceiling around him.

The simple idea became a major country hit for Young and gave Nelson national attention as a songwriter years before he became one of country music’s best-known performers.

Nelson was still struggling to establish himself as an artist when he wrote “Hello Walls.” In 1960, he moved to Nashville and signed a publishing deal with Pamper Music. He also played bass in Ray Price’s band while continuing to write songs.

At that point, Nelson was better known as a songwriter whose work was being recorded by other artists. His early songs included “Funny How Time Slips Away,” “Pretty Paper” and “Crazy,” which later became one of Patsy Cline’s best-known recordings.

Faron Young was already a major country star when he recorded “Hello Walls.” His career had included several successful songs, and he had become a member of the Grand Ole Opry at just 20.

Musician Faron Young poses for a portrait holding an acoustic guitar in circa 1964.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Young released “Hello Walls” on Feb. 27, 1961. The song entered the country chart on March 20 and continued climbing until it reached No. 1 on May 8.

It remained at the top for nine weeks.

The song was also a major crossover success. Young’s recording reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. It became Young’s only Top 40 pop hit in the United States.

The recording also featured Floyd “Lightnin’” Chance on double bass and the Wilburn Brothers on background vocals.

The success of “Hello Walls” helped establish Nelson’s name with a national audience. It also became the first song written by Nelson to reach No. 1 on the country chart.

Faron Young Helped Willie Nelson Keep the Song

The story behind “Hello Walls” is also tied to Nelson’s financial struggles at the time. According to uDiscover Music, Nelson offered to sell the publishing rights to “Hello Walls” to Young for $500 because he badly needed the money.

Young did not buy the publishing rights. Instead, he loaned Nelson the money so Nelson could keep the publishing.

The decision became important after “Hello Walls” became a major hit.

A little more than a month after the song reached No. 1, Nelson received his first royalty check for $20,000. He was so excited that he went looking for Young to thank him.

Young later described the meeting in his book, Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story.

“I was sitting at Tootsie’s, and this big hairy arm came around my neck, and Willie French-kissed me,” Young wrote, per American Songwriter. “It’s probably the best kiss I ever had.”

The success of “Hello Walls” did not stop with Young’s recording. Other artists recorded the song in the years that followed, including Kitty Wells and Johnny Burnette. Nelson also recorded his own version.

Nelson included his recording on his 1962 debut album, …And Then I Wrote, per Songfacts. The album came after years of writing songs for other performers and helped mark the beginning of his recording career as an artist.

“Hello Walls” also continued to appear in different forms over the years. Nelson recorded a rock version with The Reverend Horton Heat for the 1996 album Twisted Willie.

In 2020, Nelson performed an updated version during his “Come And Toke It” livestream, which was broadcast on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Accompanied by his sons Lukas and Micah, Nelson changed the final verse to reflect people around the world staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By 2026, “Hello Walls” stands 65 years removed from its original release. Its place in country music history is closely tied to both men: it was a major hit for Faron Young and an important early success for Willie Nelson as a songwriter.

Related: 1973 No. 1 Hit, Ranked Among ‘Greatest Songs of All Time, Was Recorded at Greenwich Village by a 22-Year-Old

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If you’ve ever noticed a loose window latch, a dark side yard or a garage door that doesn’t always close properly, it’s easy to start imagining what could go wrong. The answer isn’t necessarily more equipment. A stronger approach is to make your home harder to enter, easier to observe and quicker to respond to when something happens.

That’s the idea behind layered home security. Physical locks and secure windows create the first barrier. Exterior lighting improves visibility. Cameras provide information, while alarms and professional monitoring turn a suspected intrusion into an actionable event.

If you’re unsure where your home has security gaps, ADT offers free in-home consultations and quotes so a security professional can evaluate your layout and recommend equipment based on your needs.

What are the four layers of home security?

There is no single government-defined four-layer standard for residential security. A practical framework is physical protection, visibility and deterrence, detection and verification, and alarm response. Each layer addresses a different point in the intrusion process, from discouraging entry to detecting activity and initiating a response.

Security layer

Primary purpose

Common tools

Physical protection

Make entry harder

Deadbolts, reinforced doors, window locks

Visibility and deterrence

Reduce hiding places

Floodlights, landscape lighting, visible cameras

Detection and verification

Identify activity

Door/window sensors, motion sensors, cameras

Alarm and response

Alert occupants and initiate assistance

Sirens, mobile alerts, professional monitoring

The value comes from how these measures work together. A locked door can slow an intruder. Lighting can expose movement. A camera can show what triggered an alert. An alarm can draw attention and notify the people responsible for responding.

1. Physical Protection Starts With Doors, Windows and the Garage

The first layer is deliberately low-tech. Doors and windows should close securely, locks should work properly and the garage should be treated as an entry point rather than simply a place to park a car.

Check exterior doors for loose strike plates, damaged frames and weak hardware. Keep accessible windows locked when they aren’t being used, and repair broken latches or damaged frames rather than relying on an alarm sensor to compensate for a physical weakness.

ADT recommends treating the property perimeter as part of the security plan, including fencing, landscaping, outdoor cameras, lighting and garage security.

For homeowners replacing an aging exterior door or window, security should be part of the installation decision. A new opening with a weak lock or poorly secured frame creates a gap in an otherwise well-designed system.

2. Lighting Makes the Exterior Easier To See

A well-lit property gives cameras a clearer view and reduces dark areas around doors, walkways and side yards where someone could approach unseen.

Floodlights are useful around garages, rear doors and other vulnerable areas. Landscape lighting serves a different purpose: consistent illumination can improve visibility along paths, fences and planting beds without brightly lighting the entire property.

Motion-activated lighting adds another signal. When movement suddenly turns on a light, it can draw attention to activity that otherwise might go unnoticed.

ADT has emphasized automated exterior lighting as part of a connected security system. Its systems can integrate smart lighting with security devices and allow homeowners to control lights remotely.

Trim vegetation that blocks doors, windows or cameras, and avoid creating dense hiding places immediately beside the house.

3. Cameras Provide Visibility When You Can’t Be There

Cameras fill a gap that locks and lights cannot: they show what is happening.

A doorbell camera can cover the front entry. Exterior cameras can monitor driveways, side yards and other approaches. Placement matters more than simply having a large number of cameras. The goal is to cover likely approaches while avoiding major blind spots.

Modern home security systems can connect cameras with sensors and mobile alerts. ADT says its systems provide live camera access through the ADT+ app, while compatible monitoring plans can use video verification when an alarm is triggered.

ADT Chief Technology Officer Gilles Drieu has described the goal as making connected devices work together without forcing homeowners to manage complicated systems. He has also said that, within connected home technology, “security is non-negotiable.”

4. Alarms and Monitoring Turn Detection Into a Response

A camera can show you what happened. An alarm system adds another critical step: immediate notification.

Door and window sensors detect an opening when the system is armed. Motion sensors identify activity inside protected areas, while glass-break sensors provide another detection method for vulnerable windows and sliding doors.

An audible alarm or siren can alert people inside the house and make an intrusion harder to ignore. Mobile alerts provide another channel, particularly when nobody is home.

Professional monitoring adds a human response layer. ADT says its monitoring professionals are available 24/7 to handle alarm events, while its systems can continue transmitting alarm events over cellular connections when Wi-Fi is unavailable.

That matters when a homeowner is asleep, away from home or unable to determine what an alert means.

When the Layers Work Together

The most useful setup is one in which each device has a defined job rather than simply duplicating another device.

• A locked door creates a physical obstacle.
• A motion-activated light makes activity more visible.
• A camera provides visual information.
• A sensor and alarm generate an alert and initiate the response process.

The same event can activate more than one layer. Movement near a rear entrance, for example, might trigger a light, generate a camera notification and activate an alarm if a protected door or window is opened.

If you’re getting unexpected camera alerts or realizing that parts of your property are poorly covered, reassess the system before simply adding another camera. ADT’s professional installation service includes customized equipment recommendations and device placement based on your home’s layout.

How should homeowners build a layered security system?

Start with the property itself. Identify every practical entry point, including doors, first-floor windows and the garage. Then look at the exterior after dark. Where are the shadows? Which approaches are visible from the street or neighboring homes? Which areas are difficult to see from inside?

Match each vulnerability to the appropriate layer. Physical weaknesses need physical improvements. Dark approaches need lighting. Blind spots need cameras or better camera placement. Detection gaps call for sensors, while homeowners who want someone monitoring alarms when they are unavailable should consider professional monitoring.

A security professional can identify equipment that overlaps unnecessarily and areas that remain uncovered. Request a free ADT quote or schedule a free in-home consultation to have your property assessed and get a security recommendation tailored to the home.

It’s not surprising that Mariska Hargitay stunned the 78th Emmy Awards red (or this year, blue) carpet. But this year, the 62-year-old actress made the occasion a family affair.

The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star and host of this year’s Emmy Awards brought her whole family — her husband Peter Hermann and their three children August, Amaya and Andrew — to television’s biggest night, marking another rare family appearance together on a red carpet. Hargitay and Amaya, 15, even twinned this year with similar red Monse gowns and matching high heels. According to Page Six, the outfits honor Hargitay’s late mother and actress Jayne Mansfield, who wore a similar dress in a scene of the 1956 movie, The Girl Can’t Help It.

Before taking the stage on Monday evening, Hargitay celebrated two early Creative Arts Emmy wins for her documentary My Mom Jayne, which also honors her late mother and marks her directorial debut. This is Hargitay’s first time hosting the Emmy Awards, and she is the first woman to host the award show since Jane Lynch in 2011.

Peter Hermann, Andrew Hermann, Mariska Hargitay, Amaya Hermann, and August Hermann attend the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

For the majority of their lives, Hargitay and Hermann have actively chosen to keep their three children out of the public eye to afford them a normal upbringing. However, as her children have grown into their teenage and adult years, they have begun making rare exceptions for major family milestones.

Her three children posed for cameras at the red carpets of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival to support Hargitay on her directorial debut for My Mother Jayne. In addition, August, Amaya and Andrew attend select galas and charities. Meanwhile, Peter Hermann regularly attends industry events with her.

Peter Hermann, Mariska Hargitay, Amaya Hermann, Andrew Hermann and August Hermann walk the red carpet during the 78th Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, CA, Monday, Sept. 14, 2026.

Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Ahead of the big night, celebrity face sculptor Joseph Carrillo used his signature facial sculpting and massage techniques to help depuff, sculpt and release tension in Hargitay’s face, and used Hydrinity skincare products to help cleanse, refresh and deeply hydrate her skin.

“Mariska Hargitay is hosting the Emmys tonight, so this was not a normal red-carpet prep.
Leading up to an event like this, I’m not trying to do the most to someone’s skin. My job is to make sure the face feels lifted and the skin stays calm, hydrated, and cooperative through hours of makeup, lights and a full show,” Carrillo said in a statement. “As a makeup artist, I know a beautiful look only goes as far as the skin beneath it. As a facial sculptor, I know that prep begins before the first brush touches the face.”

US actress and director Mariska Hargitay arrives for the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theatre at LA Live in Los Angeles on September 14, 2026.

Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images

When it was announced over the summer that Hargitay was hosting the Emmy Awards, she told Today a month later that she thought NBCUniversal was “kidding” when they called and offered her the role.

“I was backstage, doing my play [Every Brilliant Thing], and I got a call. It was Pearlena [Igbokwe], who’s head of [Universal Studio Group], and I thought, ‘Oh, I should answer this. Am I getting fired?’” Hargitay recalled. “She asked me about it, and at first, I thought she was kidding. I actually thought she was kidding.”

The Emmy Awards are taking place on Monday evening at the Peacock Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, and can be watched live on NBC or Peacock.

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Wheel of Fortune co-host Vanna White honored iconic fashion designer Bob Mackie in a touching tribute following his death at 87.

On Monday, Sept. 14, the costume and fashion designer died from pneumonia in Palm Springs, Calif. White, 69, took to Instagram to share the impact he made during her 43-year run (so far) on Wheel of Fortune.

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“Of the thousands and thousands of dresses I have worn over the years, some of my all-time favorites have been designed by the incomparable Bob Mackie,” she declared. “What a pleasure to work with this incredibly talented and kind man.”

To conclude her update, white shared, “He is truly a legend, and I am going to miss him!”

The featured image showed White smiling while wearing a black dress with an orange, green a, red, and gold design, and posing with Mackie. In a second snap, she posed in an off-the-shoulder dress in a neutral tone beside the designer. The third and final photo showed Mackie and two other people assisting White during a fitting for a gold gown.

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Instagram users shared their reactions to White’s tribute, with one writing, “How fortunate you are to be grouped with Cher & Carol Burnett having beautiful gowns designed by him. Truly a legend 😥.”

Another shared, “Beyond fabulous talent. No one could match his creativity.”

Someone else agreed, writing, “Truly amazing designer! And he knew exactly how to dress you! So sorry to hear of his passing.”

Meanwhile, yet another Instagram user commented, “Thank you, Bob, for all your talent you have put into Vanna’s beautiful wardrobe! ❤️.”

On Monday, Mackie’s official Instagram account announced his death.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr. Bob Mackie passed away today,” the post read. “He lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a Fashion and Costume Designer, which is all he ever wanted to do. His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world.”

Mackie was best known for his costumes on The Carol Burnett Show, as well as collaborations for Cher. He also dressed stars like Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Elton John, Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, and Madonna.

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