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Singer Charles Kelley, one third of the beloved country group Lady A (formerly known as Lady Antebellum), delivered some shocking news to fans on Tuesday, September 29. In a video posted to social media, Charles sat with his wife of 17 years, Cassie Kelley, as he revealed he’s been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer.

Charles, 45, who’s been busy touring with his fellow Lady A members Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, began by sharing that a “couple of random rib fractures” led to his doctor ordering several blood tests, which led to his diagnosis.

“It’s rare, and you know, I’m young,” Charles said, noting that he feels “healthy” and that promising developments in the treatment of multiple myeloma have improved outcomes. “Even the life expectancy far exceeds what it used to be and, I don’t know, I’m really hopeful.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, multiple myeloma is a blood cancer “that forms in plasma cells, a type of white blood cell,” found in bone marrow. Symptoms can include bone pain (especially in the back, chest or hips), weak or easily broken bones, tiredness, frequent infections, and shortness of breath.

The latest data, according to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, shows that 63.7% of patients diagnosed between 2016 and 2022 were still alive five years after their diagnosis.

In his video, Charles shared that they’ve been tracking the progress of a friend who received a similar diagnosis two months earlier and that “it helped me so much watching that.” The Grammy winner, who’s also been open about his sobriety journey since 2022, he said he plans to also share parts of his cancer journey, including his first six months of treatment. Charles didn’t specify what kind of treatment he’ll undergo, but said it “is not going to be too super invasive,” noting that he can still work.

“I think in the same spirit of the way we’ve kind of shared a lot of my sobriety journey, just getting this stuff off your chest is so freeing,” he said, “and it takes the power away from it a little bit.”

“We’re going to get through it,” Charles continued. “I think in sobriety, it’s all about one day at a time and that we’re not in control. And so, that’s the way we’re looking at it. I mean, right now I feel great. … Even going out (to perform) last weekend, after even knowing the news, it was like, ‘This is where I belong.’ You know, I need to be happy and doing what I love to do, and spending and soaking up as much time with my family as I can, as well. But I’m hopeful. I really am.”

Before a sweet kiss at the end of their video, Cassie, with whom Charles shares two boys — Ward, 10, and Archer, 1 — noted that they’re thankful for a “great care team and to be in Nashville with some really great doctors.”

Charles’ bandmates of more than 20 years shared their support in the comment section, with Scott writing, “The strongest duo right there! Love y’all so much! You’ve got this! ❤️” Haywood commented, “Covering you in prayer brother. Love y’all. We’re all here for you!”

Lady A is scheduled to perform a seven-city holiday tour this December and Charles said a new album is in the works.

“Beer Never Broke My Heart” hitmaker Luke Combs is slimming down.

The country music superstar revealed during a recent elk hunting trip that he has shed 30 pounds.

“I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time,” he says in a new hunting vlog on the Leupold Optics YouTube page, referring to his elk hunt.

“I’m down 30-lbs., since last time [he went elk hunting in 2024] — probably can’t tell since the camera adds 30-lbs.,” he jokes, clearly being modest. “But I am down a little bit from last time.”

But even decked out in full camo, it’s easy to tell Combs has been losing weight.

“Obviously getting healthy is the main goal, but this has been one of the big motivators for me was to come here,” he continues. “You know, I got up and down with the guys in New Mexico enough to get by, [but] I just really wanted to be able to hold my own out here and not half-a– anything. I want to earn it, right?”

His goal was to shoot, and tag, a mature elk (bull) on this trip. He was successful.

Several years ago, when Combs became a father for the first time, he expressed that he wanted to lose weight so he could be active for his son, Tex.

“This having a kid thing has really messed up my head on this thing in the best way,” he said during an Apple Music interview in 2022. “I want to be around, dude. Do you know what I mean?”

Combs admitted genetics played a big part in his inability to stay slim, but he was going to work hard to lose the extra pounds.

“It was always something that’s bugged me … especially when you’re younger,” he told Apple. “You’re like, ‘Man, I just got a horrible genetic dice roll on this thing.’ You start to realize that almost even more when you’re older — and it’s like, not that I don’t pig out because I do pig out. I’m not trying to say it’s not my fault, because it is in a lot of ways. But also, I got to this point where I’m like, man, I’d really love to trim down. And it’s so hard for me to do that.”

He’s now got three boys — Beau followed Tex in 2023, then Chet was born in 2025 — and it seems like the 36-year-old star is blasting through the goals on his bucket list.

Combs is a country music hitmaker with a long streak of No. 1 hits on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, including “Hurricane,” “When It Rains It Pours,” “Beautiful Crazy,” and his inescapable Tracy Chapman cover, “Fast Car.”

Anya Taylor-Joy just hit the red carpet in nothing but a sheer lace cape.

Taylor-Joy, 30, got her big break in the hit series Peaky Blinders. However, it was her tremendous role as an orphaned chess prodigy named Beth Harmon in Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit that catapulted her to international notoriety and endless acclaim. Now, the star is hitting Paris Fashion Week in a dramatic look that could have rivaled any of the models on the runway. Appearing at the Christian Dior show at Bassin de l’Octogone, the platinum-haired beauty sported a sheer black lace cape and pencil skirt that proved to be a sultry spin on a business look. While it’s serious on the bottom, Taylor-Joy knew how to shock with the see-through look on the top.

Swan Gallet / Getty Images

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While Taylor-Joy has the looks of a runway model, she’s proven to have the acting skills to rack up major awards. The actress earned a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Emmy Award.

During her speech at the Golden Globes, Taylor-Joy thanked show creator Scott Frank for letting her tackle the complex role of Beth.

“It’s obviously wonderful that everyone has seen the show, but I would do this project again and again and again,” she told the crowd, Variety reported. “I learned so much. I’m so grateful, and thank you to the audiences that have watched it and supported the character. It meant the world.”

For a quick reminder of her talents as Harmon, check out this clip below from episode 2 of the limited series.

Taylor-Joy has an exciting project debuting soon. Earlier this month, Netflix released the trailer for director Romain Gavras‘ feature debut, Sacrifice. The film centers on Evans as a fading movie star who attends an environmental gala and is taken hostage by Joan, played by Taylor-Joy, and her radical followers. They believe that a volcanic event will cleanse the planet, The Hollywood Reporter shared. The film also stars Vincent Cassel, Sam Richardson, John Malkovich, and Salma Hayek Pinault.

Check out the trailer for the wild film, which hits Netflix on Oct. 16.

Related: She’s ‘Lucky’ in Love! All About ‘Furiosa’ Star Anya Taylor-Joy’s Husband and Dating History

Melissa Gilbert is best known for playing sweet, spirited Laura Ingalls Wilder on Little House on the Prairie, but her dating history in the 1980s included a very unexpected rock star.

Long before social media made celebrity relationships easy to track, Gilbert found herself romantically linked to Billy Idol. The unlikely pairing may have surprised fans then, and it still catches people off guard today. 

Gilbert was in her early 20s when she met the English rocker at a Los Angeles nightclub. She later opened up about their brief romance in her 2009 autobiography, Prairie Tale: A Memoir. 

The actress remembered Idol as a “sweet, gentle, and soft-spoken charmer” when they first met. She also recalled that the singer was curious about her childhood in Hollywood and wanted to hear about her Little House on the Prairie costar Michael Landon.

“He wanted to know all about Michael Landon,” she wrote, adding that he asked what it was like to grow up on television. Their relationship eventually fizzled, with Idol’s heavy partying reportedly contributing to the split.

Gilbert recently brought the relationship back up when she shared a montage of 1980s music clips on Instagram. “So, so good! I may even have dated one of these artists…can you guess who?” she captioned the post.

For some followers, the answer wasn’t difficult to figure out.

“Billy Idol. I remember pasting pictures of you and him in my scrapbook,” one person commented. 

Another recalled seeing photos of the pair together in a teen magazine, while someone else joked that Idol’s famous lips may have helped win Gilbert over. 

“My guess is Billy Idol! It was the lip, that lip drew you in!” one user quipped. 

Idol wasn’t the only recognizable name connected to Gilbert’s dating life during the decade. The actress also dated several other well-known stars, including Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, Scott Baio and John Cusack. 

Related: ‘The View’ Hosts Slam Trolls for Making Comments About Madonna’s Age, 68, After VMAs Comeback

Many argue that the kitchen is the heart of the home: It’s where we gather for nightly dinners with our families, and can also serve as the hub of a larger gathering, like a dinner party or holiday meal. You may have fond memories of snacking on cheese plates at your grandparents’ kitchen island before heading to the nearby kids’ table for a feast each Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately, all that time we spend in the kitchen—and everything we use it for—means it has a high bacterial load.

“Foodborne pathogens are commonly transmitted by items in the kitchen,” explains Dr. Jill Roberts, Ph.D., MS, MPH, CPH, a microbiologist and molecular epidemiology expert and professor at the University of South Florida’s College of Public Health. “Typically, they become contaminated due to contact with uncooked poultry, red meat or seafood, or the juices from these foods.”

And pathogens you can find lurking in your kitchen are not appetizing.

“There are several pathogens that can be transmitted in our kitchens, including Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, Listeria, Staphylococcus and others,” she adds. “Viruses, such as norovirus, the leading cause of foodborne illness, may also be transmitted. These are all transmitted by food.”

We’re sorry if you’re eating while scrolling this story (or were about to grab lunch—from your kitchen—after). Still, knowledge is power, and Dr. Roberts says that food isn’t the only source of bacteria spread in your kitchen. Another kitchen item is literally crawling with bacteria, but you can keep yours clean (or find an alternative). It’s a lot to absorb, we know, but scroll on for the cleanest version we can give.

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According to Dr. Roberts, a microbiologist, sponges are a source of bacteria in the kitchen. The environment they’re exposed to (dust, dirt, food particles and our dirty hands) can contaminate sponges.

“Sponges are often repeatedly used, allowing them to remain wet, providing needed moisture for microbes to survive,” she explains. “Sponges may be used to clean sinks, dishes and countertops, allowing the maximum amount of exposure to microbes.”

Dr. Roberts isn’t alone. One study suggests that dish sponges were “the most contaminated item in the household” when compared to tools, cloths, towels and kitchen surfaces. Italian researchers declared sponges an “ideal habitat” for microorganisms because they have a large surface/volume ratio, are constantly humid and contain nutrients for bacterial growth.

Plus, food is a primary source of bacterial spread in the kitchen. Sponges can absorb the food (and bacteria) and spread it to other items, like the plates and forks you’re trying to clean (yuck!).

“Sponges may also have organic material in them from foods, providing a ready food source for microbes,” Dr. Roberts confirms.

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

Dr. Roberts gave us a peek under the microscope to show us what types of bacteria are found in sponges. That said, keep in mind that your sponge won’t necessarily have these bacteria just because it’s lying around your sink. It has to come in contact with a contaminant. So, if, say, your eggs or red meat were recalled, it’s practical to get rid of your sponges, even if you just started using them, because they could’ve come into contact with something icky.

• Salmonella. This bacterium can cause diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain, and it’s a leading cause of hospitalizations and deaths due to foodborne pathogens in people with weakened immune systems. However, Dr. Roberts says it’s usually mild in otherwise healthy people. Salmonella doesn’t grow on sponges. But it can come from raw poultry and eggs, which may come into contact with sponges.
• Listeria. It can come from raw milk and cheeses, deli meat and soft cheeses. You may initially experience flu-like symptoms, but it can ultimately cause coma and death if it’s untreated.
• E.coli. The effects depend on the strain. “Some strains cause mild diarrhea. Others cause systemic organ failure and death,” Dr. Roberts says, adding that E.coli sources include contaminated red meat or produce and the bathroom.
• Shigella and other fecal microbes. While we’re talking about the bathroom, a few other microbes can make their way to the kitchen and wind up on a sponge. “Shigella causes bloody diarrhea,” Dr. Roberts says. “It is rarely dangerous but may need to be treated in those with weakened immune systems. The source is the bathroom, typically unwashed hands of the food preparer, contaminated cell phones and diapering in the kitchen.”
• Staphylococcus. The bad news? This bacterium can cause violent vomiting and diarrhea. The good-ish news? “It resolves quickly, and rarely does dehydration occur.” Dr. Roberts notes. “Sources include multiple foods and contaminated food preparers.”
• Environmental microbes. Pseudomonas are a common example. “Most of the environmental microbes are not dangerous,” Dr. Roberts explains. “Rarely, Pseudomonas can cause pneumonia in people with severely weakened immune systems. The source is typically dust and dirt on countertops.”

For what it’s worth, one 2022 study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology found that sponges were more likely to harbor Salmonella than brushes (and that bacteria died more quickly on brushes). That said, most of the bacteria on brushes and sponges were non-pathogenic (so they wouldn’t cause disease or death in the host: you). These bacteria included Acinetobacter, Chryseobacterium, Enhydrobacter, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas.

Having This in Your Kitchen Can Be a Huge Red Flag for Your Health

“Microwaving a sponge for one to two minutes has been shown to significantly decrease the microbial load,” Dr. Roberts explains. “Technically, this isn’t sterile because it doesn’t kill spores. However, it is about 99% effective.”

Indeed, a 2020 study found that microwaving sponges effectively reduced bacteria on them, and running sponges through the dishwasher produces the same effect.

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

It’s generally best to change your sponges at least every three weeks—maybe sooner. Dr. Roberts notes that a sponge’s lifespan is “highly dependent on the type of sponge, how often it is used, and what it is used for.”

“The best advice is to read the use information directly from the company,” she shares.

She also cautions that disease-causing microbes aren’t always visible on a sponge to the naked eye. “You can’t see them, you can’t smell them, and they aren’t going to do anything appreciable to a sponge,” she says.

That said, you can evaluate whether or not it’s time to throw away a sponge by how well it’s doing its job.

“Sponges will break down, and the effectiveness will decrease,” Dr. Roberts says. “You can often see pieces break off, colors fade [and more]. In addition, you can follow the guidelines provided by the company on disposal.”

Related: Is It Safe to Eat Expired Protein Powder?

Grossed out by all of the bacteria on sponges? You don’t need one to wash dishes safely.

“Alternatively, you can use fabric dish cloths and throw them in the wash frequently,” Dr. Roberts suggests. “For areas that are frequently used for food prep, clean the countertops with non-staining bleach wipes both before and after food prep.”

She says that non-staining bleach wipes can also come in handy for cleaning up spills of potentially dangerous fluids from raw poultry, red meat and seafood.

That said, you don’t have to stop using sponges—just use them wisely.

“Using them to wash dishes after you have eaten is perfectly fine, especially if you elect to throw them away every few weeks,” Dr. Roberts says. “Dedicate your sponges for specific jobs. For example, the two-sided sponges are for dishes only, no countertops, and the cheaper multicolor sponges are for cleaning your house.”

Up Next:

Related: Oncologists Are Begging People To Stop Making This Produce Mistake

• Dr. Jill Roberts, Ph.D., MS, MPH, CPH, a microbiologist and molecular epidemiology expert and professor at the University of South Florida’s College of Public Health
• Bacterial levels and diversity in kitchen sponges and dishwashing brushes used by consumers. Journal of Applied Microbiology.
• About Salmonella Infection. CDC.
• Metagenomic Analysis of Regularly Microwave-Treated and Untreated Domestic Kitchen Sponges. Microorganisms.
• Study on microbial communities in domestic kitchen sponges: Evidence of Cronobacter sakazakii and Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria. Italian Journal of Food Safety.

Mayor of New York City Zohran Mamdani officially made his Saturday Night Live debut this past weekend, earning his first-ever spoof on the weekly sketch comedy series during the premiere of its 52nd season.

The cold open was set in Gracie Mansion, where guest star Ramy Youssef tackled the mayor of NYC, playing into his social media success with a quick TikTok before James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump stopped by for a visit, discussing the weekend’s Nor’Easter and some of the president’s “accomplishments” from the week prior, like banning the press from the White House, before Ashley Padilla crashed their impromptu meeting as Trump’s assistant, Natalie Harp.

During a recent press conference uploaded to TikTok by C-SPAN, one reporter asked the most pressing question of the day: “Were you happy with your depiction on SNL over the weekend?”

Mamdani couldn’t help but laugh at the lighthearted inquiry, smirking behind the microphone in response.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) praised actor and comedian Ramy Youssef’s portrayal of him during the season premiere of Saturday Night Live. “I think it’s always something to be celebrated if the fact of our focus of $21 billion to create 12,000 new homes in Sunnyside Yard is given a national audience as it was,” he said of the cold open sketch depicting his meeting with President Trump at Gracie Mansion. “I think Ramy does a great job.” #mamdani #zohran #nyc #snl #youssef #cspan

“I think it’s always something to be celebrated, if the fact of our focus of $21 billion to create 12,000 new homes in Sunnyside Yard is given a national audience, as it was,” he noted. “I think Ramy does a great job.”

The Sunnyside Yard project is a planned redevelopment in Queens, with the intention of making housing more affordable for New Yorkers. Mamdani is gunning for $21 billion in federal funding to get the project, which will create 12,000 homes and 30,000 jobs, off the ground.

During the cold open, Youssef’s Mamdani tried to haggle with Trump for the necessary funding, offering, “What if I follow you back on Instagram?” which easily made it “a done deal.”

In reality, the project is still in talks between NYC’s City Hall and the White House, and has actually been on the books for years without much forward progress.

Related: Seth Meyers Gives Sleeping Trump a New Nickname: ‘NyQuil President’

Spotify users are having trouble listening to music as the streaming service experiences an outage.

On Tuesday, September 29, multiple users reported seeing an error message saying, “Something went wrong,” instead of being able to play their music normally. 

However, the issues don’t appear to be affecting everyone, and the problems vary depending on which part of the app users are trying to access.

For some users, music playback appeared to work as usual, while searches for specific songs or artists returned blank results or an error message. 

We’re aware of some issues right now and are checking them out!

Others said they were only running into problems on Spotify’s mobile app, with the desktop version continuing to load normally. That means switching devices or using a different part of the service may allow some users to get around the outage. 

The issues began shortly before 10 a.m. in New York, according to outage-tracking website Down Detector. 

Spotify acknowledged the reports on its official X account. “We’re aware of some issues right now and are checking them out!” the company wrote. Spotify did not provide details about what caused the outage or say when users could expect the service to return to normal. 

While many major tech companies offer status pages, Spotify doesn’t currently have one on its website.

The outage could affect a large number of people given Spotify’s massive user base. The company says it has around 800 million users worldwide, including about 300 million who pay for the service each month. 

More information is expected as Spotify works to address the issue …

After 22 series, you might think Alex Horne and the Taskmaster team might be running out of ideas. Instead, the show keeps proving that it can take even a simple concept, throw it into its own strange world and make it work.

This week, the concept is simple: hide-and-seek. Of course, this being Taskmaster, it’s not that simple. The extra challenge is that they have to wear a red arrow over their head, which could give them away when Alex looks for them. But there’s one more twist to the task they’ve been set.

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Ahead of the episode’s release, Taskmaster shared an exclusive clip with Parade. While we will have to wait for the full episode to see how the contestants perform the task, we see them read the instructions and start preparing for Alex to find them.

The other wrinkle? They were also given decoy arrows to place around the house in an attempt to throw the Taskmaster’s assistant off their trail.

Richard Ayoade (known for his work on The IT Crowd and Travel Man) is perhaps one of the biggest wish fulfillments of Taskmaster fans and has been a delight to watch on the show thus far. Whether his famously deadpan, slightly detached demeanor is a carefully honed comic persona or simply the way he moves through the world, he is fascinating to watch. His response to being asked to put on a headband with a red arrow attached: “I’d rather not, but that could apply to so much with this show.”

Related: ‘Taskmaster’ Creators Reveal Which American Comedians They Want on the Show (Exclusive)

Part of the fun of the show is figuring out how you might approach a given task. In the clip, Nina Conti (a brilliant comedian known for her human ventriloquism videos, among other work) seems to look for the best hiding spot, though her camouflage attempt might be undermined by the giant red arrow sticking out above her.

She still appears to have a better hiding strategy than Richard. After spending much of his prep time positioning the decoy arrows, he ends up hiding just outside a window, where Alex can see him almost immediately.

The clip doesn’t give us any indication on how the others might fare in the task, but that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate about how they might fare before the Taskmaster himself, Greg Davies.

Related: Jason Mantzoukas Wants a ‘Full American Invasion’ of ‘Taskmaster’ (Exclusive)

Chloe Petts, co-founder of the LOL Word, a collective of queer and non-binary comedians and has appeared on various shows including Hypothetical, Richard Osman’s House and Games and Have I Got News For You. So far this series, they appear to be the most competitive of the bunch. Before they’ve even opened the task, they are giddy with excitement. “This is interesting, isn’t it?” they say.

Matt Lucas, best known for his work hosting The Great British Bake-Off and as the co-creator and star of Little Britain, has taken a more laissez-faire approach to the tasks so far. That hasn’t stopped him from doing well. In Episode 1, simply by staying in the room, he immediately discovered a hidden golden apple that none of the other contestants found. That same lack of urgency could work in his favor here, especially in a task where overthinking where to hide might be the easiest way to give yourself away.

Finally, there is Isy Suttie, best known for playing Dobby on Peep Show, who should not be underestimated this season. Last week, she fooled everyone (including Greg himself) in the steam room task, where the contestants had to identify the one person actually receiving instructions from Alex. Suttie’s invented worker’s motto, “1, 2, 3, time to make steam, if you don’t…,” was so bizarre that Greg immediately ruled her out as the real worker. In other words, her ability to make nonsense seem completely convincing could serve her very well in a task built around misdirection.

Taskmaster is available to watch internationally on YouTube at 5 p.m. ET and airs on Channel 4 in the U.K. at 8 p.m. BST.

Related: Kumail Nanjiani Makes ‘Taskmaster’ Debut — And His First Move Surprises Everyone (Exclusive Sneak Peek)

Loretta Lynn was a country staple by 1966, when she and her sister, Peggy Sue, co-wrote a track based on their shared experience that would land her her first No. 1 hit.

“Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)” became the first of many controversial songs that Lynn would become known for. It was released in the mid-’60s and gained fame in 1967, landing at No.1 on Billboard’s Hot Country chart. Lynn became one of a select few women to have hit that position on the charts at the time.

The country track has a real story behind its inspiration that both Lynn and her sister, Peggy Sue, shared. Lynn was 34 years old at the time of recording, with her sister being 23, and both were married.

“Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)” tells the story of a young woman being fed up with her alcoholic husband coming home drunk from a night out with friends and expecting sex with his wife. Lynn could relate all too well at the time, as she was married to Oliver “Dolittle” Lynn since 1948. Her husband was known for having supported her career, but also for his heavy drinking and infidelity.

It wasn’t Lynn’s husband who inspired the song, but Peggy Sue’s. She, too, was struggling with the same issues in her marriage as her older sister, all the while raising kids and starting her own singing career. She soon got the idea for “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)” and began writing it before enlisting the help of her sister.

“I looked at what she had on paper, and I kind of knew what she was trying to say. It’s like when there’s twins, the old saying is, ‘What one can’t think of, the other one can.’ I’ve always had this feeling with Peggy that I am kind of inside her head,” wrote Lynn in her book Honky Tonk Girl: My Life In Lyrics.

“Maybe it’s because she means so much to me. We can look at each other and know what the other is thinking. Sometimes it’s not good to be like that, but when the song was finished, we both thought it was great.”

The track ended up setting the standard for Lynn’s career in the 1970s. Lynn did rattle some cages with the song’s message aimed at husbands who fit the characteristics. She admitted in her book that she “wasn’t trying to change anything.” The song can be interpreted a few ways depending on how the title is arranged.

“I like to be on the woman’s side, but I like to be on the man’s side, too,” she continued. “I never went out to put a man down in anything I’ve ever done. Men sometimes forget about a woman, especially if they drink. Sometimes a woman’s gotta say, ‘These boots are made for walkin’/One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you,'” she said.

Its impact is generational, to say the least, as it was covered by a few artists over the years, like Tammy Wynette. Rolling Stone even ranked it on their list of the Greatest Country Songs of All Time at No. 38.

Related: 1968 No.1 Hit, Written by Robin Gibb About Death Row, Is Still a Soft Rock Classic 58 Years Later

Like all great movies, Rocky‘s production featured all kinds of production issues, but perhaps one of the biggest problems Sylvester Stallone faced on the movie was pressure from his father to cast him in the film.

In his new memoir, The Steps, the 80-year-old Stallone discussed the difficulties of casting his father, who was largely abusive towards Stallone throughout his life, in the small role of a timekeeper in the film after his dad’s persistent complaints.

“C’mon, there’s not anything?” Stallone quoted his father as saying. “You even have your f***ing dog in it!”

In the end, Stallone cast his father in the role of the timekeeper in Rocky’s final bout against Apollo Creed, letting go of the original actor slated to portray the character.

“Things were getting hot and my brother, who had driven my father to the arena, tried to chill him out, but once he got that vein in his forehead throbbing, the fuse was lit and everyone in the vicinity needed to watch out,” Stallone wrote. “There was no reasoning with him. So I did the next easiest thing.”

“Making my father the timekeeper would soon turn out to be a nearly disastrous move, and it wasn’t like things started off that great to begin with,” the actor continued.

As Stallone indicated, tensions soon flared up between the star and his father, most especially when the older Stallone missed his cue to ring the bell, prompting his frustrated son to yell at him, “Ring the damn bell. Ring it!”

In response, Stallone Sr. rang the bell and hopped to his feet, screaming at his son, “Don’t you godd**n yell at me!”

“I spent years being underestimated, eating s**t, absorbing criticism, enduring personal and professional humiliations, fighting for my place in this world,” the Rambo star wrote. “All to get one shot at creating this moment right here in the middle of this boxing ring, surrounded by cameras and actors and crew trying to help me tell a meaningful story and create a piece of art that entertains and inspires.”

Rather than exasperate the situation, Stallone apologized, conferring with the film’s director John Avildsen to see if they had enough footage. Upon turning back to his father, however, Stallone realized his dad had already left.

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Martha Stewart knows exactly how to make a space look expensive for less. The television icon has an entire home collection on Wayfair, spanning from stacking desk drawer organizers to elegant comforter sets that will instantly upgrade your home. Thanks to the retailer’s latest deals, the already budget-friendly pieces are currently available at steep discounts. Our cart is currently harboring the Martha Stewart Bedford Accent Ottoman, which looks like a lucky antique store find for a fraction of the price.

The furniture originally cost $190, but has been reduced to $77. If you’re focused on refreshing your home ahead of an upcoming seasonal gathering, the ottoman could arrive at your doorstep in less than a week (depending on the area you live in). The piece will look stunning in farmhouse-style and cottagecore homes. It could even fit well into European-inspired spaces due to the gray-blue printed stripes and classic cream colored base.

Courtesy of Wayfair

Plus, the hexagonal shape will add dimension to any space without trying too hard. The ottoman comes with solid wood legs that you can easily screw in so that it’s not laying fully on the floor (this is great for establishing airflow, which actually extends the lifespan of furniture!). 

When it needs a refresh, all you have to do is wipe the ottoman — which is made from polyester, plain weave, and muslin fabric — with a soft damp cloth or steam it to maintain its quality. One shopper said that it’s “easy to clean,” which is another bonus. 

The ottoman is 16 inches tall, 18 inches wide, and 18 inches long. That’s a standard size, so you can place it next to your couch, near an accent chair, and in virtually any other space that needs a stool or footrest. It only weighs 6.6 pounds, so you can easily maneuver it anywhere you’d like. One customer even placed a round tray on top of the ottoman to use it as a side table.

Aside from its versatility, reviewers loved that the ottoman is “sturdy,” “well-made,” “very attractive.” One even declared it the “perfect addition” to their entryway. Another shopper called it “the cutest,” noting that it fit nicely into their bathroom. The piece can hold up to 300 pounds, so if you’re a frequent host, it’s a great option for extra seating when guests come over. 

Related: Create a Cozy Reading Corner With Martha Stewart’s ‘Beautiful and Sturdy’ Armchair

This gorgeous Martha Stewart ottoman may move fast while it’s on sale, so make sure to shop for it while you can. The piece will elevate your home with an effortless elegance at an affordable price. Don’t miss out on this 60% off Wayfair deal! 

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The holidays are just around the corner, which means there’s no better time to take stock of your cookware collection to see just where an upgrade might be needed. And if you’re planning on hosting friends and family at any point during the festive months ahead, it’s not a bad idea to invest in something that can make everything from meal prep to cleanup a little easier, too.

That’s where Sam’s Club comes in to save the day with the brand-new Crock-Pot Trio 3-Piece Stainless Steel Slow Cooker & Food Warmer. Retailing for a cool $54.97, this versatile mealtime workhorse is the ultimate solution for effortless entertaining, with a convenient design that lets you prep, warm and serve multiple dishes simultaneously.

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Spotted in-store by @samsclublovers, the Crock-Pot Trio 3-Piece Stainless Steel Slow Cooker & Food Warmer features three removable 1.5-quart stoneware crocks, each with its own clear glass lid and compact yet spacious design. Ready to transform your countertop into a full-blown kitchen buffet, it lets you prepare, warm and serve multiple dishes at once, with each crock offering independent temperature controls, allowing you to choose High, Low or Warm settings to suit your recipe needs. 

Adding to the set’s charm, its polished stainless steel design brings a touch of modern sophistication to your kitchen, while the clear glass lids let you monitor your dishes without removing them. Combining aesthetic appeal with unrivaled convenience, this stylish combo cooker effortlessly elevates the room while streamlining your cooking process. 

Related: Sam’s Club’s $18 Freezer Staple Is an ‘All-Time Favorite’ Shoppers Are Buying ‘Every Visit’

“This is the ultimate party hosting hack,” @samsclublovers captioned their post, adding that it’s “perfect for holiday gatherings” while highlighting its more-than-approachable $55 price tag. 

“I love mine,” one viewer commented below the post, calling it a “must-have” in the process.

“I need this,” another fan chimed in, clearly already thinking about the holiday meals on the horizon.

Whether you’re hosting a game day party, holiday gathering or big weeknight dinner, this versatile buffet server truly makes multitasking a breeze. Even better, it includes recipe ideas for parties, potlucks and holidays alike, providing inspiration for things like appetizers, sides, dips and more. 

Did we mention each piece is also dishwasher-safe? That means cleanup is a breeze, while the nonstick interior helps release food easily and makes the set easier to maintain over the long run. And with each crock offering a 1.5-quart capacity, you have plenty of space for any recipe, while the entire unit takes up minimal counter space, measuring 25.59 inches long, 8.58 inches wide and standing 16.14 inches tall.

Snatch one up while it’s still in stock, and don’t forget to check out Sam’s Club’s Monster Vision 15.6-Inch Portable Video Bluetooth Speaker and Member’s Mark Wooden Mixer & Baking Kid’s Playset while you’re at it.

Related: Hobby Lobby’s $17 Crocodile Tray Comes From a ‘Beautiful’ New Home Collection

An insightful new documentary recently dropped on Hulu about Travis Barker, the legendary drummer of blink-182.

Watching percussions at work during rock concerts is always a thrill, especially at a U2 show when Larry Mullen Jr. — another renowned drummer — is hard at work.

As the Irish group’s 16th album release date nears, Mullen Jr., 64, recently took time to open up about his career, specifically in more recent years amid his ongoing neck troubles.

“There’s a certain amount of humiliation when you get injured and you can’t get over it, and I felt humiliated,” he told Rolling Stone in a digital cover-story interview published Monday, September 28.

Per Billboard, Mullen Jr. became so debilitated that U2 had to hire a fill-in drummer, Dutch musician Bram van den Berg, for their residency at Las Vegas’ Sphere in 2023 and 2024. Meanwhile, U2’s original drummer decided to proceed with neck surgery, despite the risks.

“If you’ve got the head and the heart, I’m a head guy. I’ll do the calculation, the logic,” he told Rolling Stone. “But my desire to play again overwrote that… It’s only when you are faced with the possibility that you may not be able to do the thing that you love, that you’ve done for most of your life… It’s funny what your brain will do, and your body. It goes into a different mode.”

Following the procedure, Mullen Jr. was able to return to the Grammy-winning band to complete their next LP, despite the fact that he realized he was “playing differently” on the drums.

Iconic guitarist The Edge told Rolling Stone that Carnaval De Luz, due out November 13, only exists because Mullen Jr. returned to the band: “We would’ve just gone, ‘Why? Why make an album without Larry Mullen on it? Doesn’t feel right.’”

One track to look out for on the record: Dolly Parton’s final vocal recording “Torn,” according to Rolling Stone. The country legend recorded her vocals in June, just two months before her death.

A New York prosecutor reopened an investigation into gang rape allegations at a Cornell University fraternity. The reopening comes less than two weeks after a former Cornell student filed a “civil lawsuit alleging that she was drugged, assaulted and gang raped by seven former and current members of the Chi Phi fraternity at Cornell,” ABC reported. In light of this, several actors have taken to social media to voice their thoughts on the case.

“After reading about the young woman who was gang raped at her college by her friend and school peers, I’m feeling uneasy and sick and anxious,” Florence Pugh posted on Instagram. “I’m processing quietly and watching everything and everyone and every man. … This is really the moment where we need our men to be as horrified and as sickened as us.”

The Thunderbolts actress continued, urging men to “be leading conversations about how we change the allowance and complicity of this behaviour as much as we are.” Pugh questioned how women can trust that it’s “not all men” who are like this when many have chosen to stay quiet.

“Colleges/schools/universities repeatedly fail women around the world,” Pugh said. “You build men that get taught through time and time again that they can do extreme harm and that they won’t be harmed in return. I’m no longer tired – I’m enraged by schools protecting boys, in fear of their futures being wrecked.”

Hudson Williams, known for his leading role as Shane Hollander in Heated Rivalry, posted photos of the seven boys who allegedly drugged, assaulted, and raped the Cornell student.

“Arrest them,” Williams captioned his Instagram story. “F–k them and f–k Cornell too.”

Josh Gad also raised his voice via social media. The Frozen voice actor said that those who set a precedent that girls can be “brutally raped” with little consequences have lost their “f–king minds.”

“The ‘promising’ young and ‘bright’ Cornell boys lost the right to a future when they stole a future from a helpless young woman,” Gad said in an Instagram post. “That’s not a ‘mistake’ that these ‘aw shucks gee whiz rapist fellas’ learn from. That’s a violent and sick criminal act that doesn’t take a f–king Cornell degree to understand is evil.”

Read Gad’s full statement here, and find ABC’s coverage of the Cornell lawsuit on their website.

Foo Fighters are coming to the rescue once again. The band will open for AC/DC on October 2 at MetLife Stadium after severe weather pushed the rock band’s New Jersey concert to a new date. 

The group shared the news on social media, posting a photo with the message, “Let there be rock @metlifestadium! See you October 2nd with @acdc!!!” 

The last-minute addition comes after a stretch of unexpected fill-in gigs for the Foo Fighters. Last month, the band stepped up for The Pretty Reckless after Taylor Momsen agreed to front Soundgarden during the NFL season opener between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. 

Now, Foo Fighters are once again lending a hand to another major rock act. 

The timing also works well for the Foo Fighters, who are already scheduled to be in the area as part of their current touring plans. 

The band will play the Power to the People Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, on October 3, followed by a show at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on October 4. That concert will wrap up the group’s current U.S. run before the band takes about a month off from touring.

The Foo Fighters will return to the road on November 5 in Brisbane, Australia, beginning a series of November shows across Australia. Their next New Zealand dates are scheduled for January 2027. 

Fans can find the band’s full tour schedule and ticket information through its official website. 

The MetLife Stadium show will be the final date on AC/DC’s current tour. Meanwhile, The Pretty Reckless have more international dates ahead, with European and U.K. shows planned before the band heads to India in January 2027 to support the Foo Fighters. 

Related: Legendary ’70s Rock Band Urged by Fans to Retire After Viral Concert Video — ‘It’s Sad’

Fall might only just be getting started, but Starbucks is giving fans plenty of exciting treats to look forward to as the season gets underway.

According to the beloved coffee chain, Starbucks is rolling out a brand-new coffee in nationwide stores in the form of the delicious-sounding Aerocano.

Featuring Starbucks’ Blonde Espresso whipped and a lighter whipped foam, the drink is “a modern take on the Iced Americano, arriving just in time for National Coffee Day.”

But that’s not all fans can look forward to. Along with the new Aerocano, Starbucks also confirmed the release of several new dessert options in their fall lineup, including:

• Apple Crumble Mini Pie: “layered with tender apples and a buttery streusel topping.”
• Pecan Mini Pie: featuring “a buttery pecan filling with toasted nutty notes and caramelized sweetness.” 
• Pumpkin Mini Pie: featuring “a creamy pumpkin filling infused with gentle fall spices.”

But wait! There’s more!

According to the popular food blogging account Snackwire, Starbucks is also rolling out two new drinks and another memorable dessert available this fall season.

This includes the Caramel Aerocano, which adds a swirl of caramel to the regular Aerocano for some added sweetness, as well as the eye-catching Black Cat Frappucino.

With the latter, fans are entreated to a chocolate cake-flavored Creme Frappuccino, topped off with a generous swirl of whipped cream and chocolate cat ears.

Arriving later in the fall, fans can also get their hands on Starbucks’ new Venti Black Night Cookie. Debuting on October 22, the large cookie has an even mix of caramel fudge pieces and caramelized white chocolate, making it an ideal treat to enjoy with a cool glass of milk (or equally refreshing Pumpkin Spice Latte).

As expected, many of the reactions from fans online have been nothing short of positive.

“The pies are delicious!” commented one user on Instagram.

“Those baked goods,” added another, complete with a drooling face emoji.

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With fall here to stay, there’s still plenty of time to enjoy an outdoor space before temperatures drop, and patio furniture is also a smarter buy this time of year. With retailers clearing out seasonal furniture for Halloween and Christmas, September is a good time to upgrade a porch, patio, balcony, or backyard without paying peak-season prices. 

For anyone who has been putting off creating a comfortable outdoor setup, Walmart’s Asofer Outdoor Conversation Patio Set is a great buy, and it’s over 50% off. Now, priced at $170 (down from $370), it’s an affordable way to add seating to a porch, balcony, or small patio. It’s simple, yet elegant eight-piece design makes it a practical buy for anyone putting off furnishing a smaller outdoor space.

Courtesy of Walmart

This eight-piece patio set comes with virtually everything you’ll need to transform your patio or porch into a cozy oasis. Complete with four rocking chairs, a coffee table, and a loveseat, the set can seat up to four people comfortably. Each of the furniture pieces have steel frames and black Textilene mesh, meaning they’re relatively easy to upkeep. Plus, the set’s compact size makes it perfect for smaller outdoor spaces. The coffee table measures 29.5 inches long and 15.7 inches wide, the loveseat is 54 inches long and 23.4 inches wide, and each chair measures in at 30 inches high and 22 inches wide.

We particularly love that the minimalist design blends into several different styles, and that the compact table offers enough room for a drink, book, or snack while you relax.

Related: Clarks’ Canvas Sneakers Are ‘Very Cute’ With ‘Great Arch Support,’ Now 35% Off

A current bestseller on Walmart, shoppers note the set is “beautiful, sturdy, and well worth the price!” Another echoed that it’s “sturdy and durable,” and “looks expensive.” They also noted that it “will stand up to the test of wind and rain,” which is a major plus.

The furniture is also relatively comfortable to maintain and keep clean. You can wipe down the surfaces, and assembly doesn’t require specialized tools. Its compact footprint makes it especially useful in limited spaces, and the lightweight construction means you can move the pieces as needed or store them when the weather turns. With a variety of colors and setups, this set can be customized for your backyard (and comfort) needs. 

• Way To Celebrate Light-Up Pumpkin Decoration, $6 at Walmart
• Virtu 7-Piece Seersucker Queen Comforter Set, from $40 (was $52) at Walmart
• Asofer Cotton 3-Level Adjustable Backrest Sleeper Sofa, $160 (was $251) at Walmart

For anyone working with a small footprint or a modest furniture budget, this now $170 Asofer eight-piece patio set from Walmart offers a simple way to make an otherwise underused outdoor area more functional.

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Lindsay Clancy appeared in Plymouth Superior Court in Massachusetts on Tuesday, Sept. 29, and she spoke for the first time since her murder trial ended in a mistrial.

At the beginning of the hearing, Judge William Sullivan greeted the room, to which Clancy responded, “Good Morning.”

She is charged with murdering her three children in 2023, but has pleaded not guilty, saying that she was experiencing postpartum psychosis at the time. After killing her three children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan, Clancy attempted to kill herself by jumping out of a second-story window. She survived the fall, but is paralyzed from the waist down.

The five-week trial ended on Sept. 4, with it ending in a mistrial as the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict after deliberating for seven days. Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, filed a motion that she should not have to go through a second trial due to double jeopardy. He also argued in court on Tuesday that the judge should acquit Clancy because prosecutors didn’t present enough evidence to prove she was criminally responsible.

The holdout juror in Clancy’s case has spoken out for the first time. In a video shared on Fox News’ Hannity on Monday, Sept. 28, he explained that the focus should be on the children who died rather than his decision to not agree with the other jurors in finding Clancy not guilty by reason of insanity.

“I know the whole focus has been on me, but we want to reel everything back and put the focus on the three angels,” he said. “The ones that can’t speak for themselves, the ones that can’t defend themselves, and the ones that can’t fight the battles — and those are Cora, Dawson and Callan.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.

Harold Jenkins was named after a silent film actor. His dad was a ferryboat captain who played gospel music at home. Before Harold was even a teenager, he was already performing on the radio in Helena, Arkansas. The Philadelphia Phillies came looking for him as a baseball player. He turned them down because he’d heard Elvis Presley and decided that was the life he wanted. He drove to Sun Records in Memphis — the same place that’d just launched Elvis — and asked to get signed. They said no. He didn’t stop. He kept going. By 1958, he’d recorded “It’s Only Make Believe” — his drummer Jack Nance wrote most of it during a break between sets at the Flamingo Lounge in Hamilton, Ontario, with Harold finishing the lyrics — and it went to No. 1 in the United States and 21 other countries and sold four million copies. His name was still Harold Jenkins.

He knew Harold Jenkins wasn’t the right name for where he was headed. He needed something that’d make a disc jockey stop when they were flipping through 50 or 60 new records every week. “In desperation,” he told The David Letterman Show in 1989, “I just got the map down and looked around the Memphis area.” He found two towns — Conway, Arkansas, and Twitty, Texas — and put them together. Harold Jenkins became Conway Twitty.

Then he did something that looked like the worst idea he’d ever had. He walked away from his rock career at its peak to sing country music. Nashville didn’t want him. Country radio stations refused to play his records because they already knew him as a rock singer. He’d been turned away at Sun Records as Harold Jenkins, and now country radio was shutting the door on Conway Twitty. He kept going anyway. In 1968, he got his first country No. 1 with “Next in Line,” and he didn’t stop there either.

Related: 1974 Dolly Parton’s ‘I Will Always Love You,’ Blocked by Elvis Presley’s Manager’s Ultimatum, Was the Song He Sang to Priscilla at Their Divorce

Over the next 18 years, he put 40 songs at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. He did it with “Hello Darlin‘,” which sat at No. 1 for four weeks in 1970. He did it with the controversial “You’ve Never Been This Far Before” that some stations flat-out refused to air. He did it alongside Loretta Lynn — 10 albums together, 5 No. 1 hits, and 4 years in a row taking home the CMA Vocal Duo of the Year. Eleven of those 40 No. 1s were songs he wrote himself. He held that record for 20 years. George Strait broke it in 2006 and now has 44. But for two decades it belonged to the guy who’d named himself after two towns on a map.

He built Twitty City in Hendersonville, Tennessee — his own version of Graceland with a museum, a chapel, and guided tours. Fans came from all over the country just to walk around it. Country comedian Jerry Clower started calling him “The High Priest of Country Music” because his crowds felt more like a church revival than a concert. Conway Twitty died June 5, 1993, at 59 years old.

The towns of Conway, Arkansas, and Twitty, Texas, are both still there. Most people living there today have no idea their towns inspired the name of one of country music’s most remarkable careers. Twitty City was sold and repurposed, but the name Conway Twitty never went anywhere. Harold Jenkins — the kid the Phillies wanted, the guy Sun Records turned away, the rock star who walked away from everything — is buried in Hendersonville, Tennessee. His 40 No. 1 country singles are still on the books. George Strait has more now. But Conway Twitty got there first, held the record for 20 years, and did it with a name he found on a road map.

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It’s hard to walk down a grocery store aisle now without seeing products that are packed with protein. In addition to classic protein sources like meats and legumes, there’s an arsenal of snack foods, shakes, pastas and more that have protein added. Couple that with all the messaging on social media that you’re not eating enough protein and it’s no wonder that many people are asking themselves if they should be on a high-protein diet. 

High-protein diets have been a favorite of exercise enthusiasts and bodybuilders for years, but with all the hype around protein, more and more Americans are thinking about their protein intake. While protein provides plenty of perks, like supporting muscle growth and helping you feel full after meals, eating too much of the nutrient can come with serious downsides, according to Jessica Cording, RD, CDN, author of The Little Book of Game-Changers. 

“I definitely am seeing people taking their protein intake above and beyond what they need,” Cording tells Parade. You may have already heard about the risk of kidney issues, cardiovascular disease and digestive issues if you go overboard with protein, but new research published in the journal Cell Press Blue uncovered another surprising downside of eating a high-protein diet—and people aren’t talking about it enough.

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Eating a high-protein diet could actually shorten your lifespan, according to the scientific review. For the study, researchers analyzed more than 350 studies on humans, mice, insects, yeast and other organisms, and discovered several biological effects that suggest easing up on your protein intake could improve your health and lifespan. 

The researchers linked a lower protein intake with better metabolism, cellular health and use of nutrients within the body, among other things.

It’s important to stress that the study didn’t find that eating a high-protein diet will shorten your life. Instead, it found an association between having less protein and living longer. 

Related: An Oncologist Says Eating This 1 Breakfast Food Every Day Is a ‘Powerhouse’ for Cancer Prevention (Hint: It’s Not Eggs)

Further complicating things is that the studies included in the research didn’t have one single definition of what it means to have a low protein intake. (One study in rats classified “low” protein as taking in just 4% of their calories from protein, while others had wildly different classifications.) That makes it hard to say what having a “low” protein diet that would potentially increase your lifespan even means. 

Still, Cording says there’s food for thought here. 

Again, there are a lot of unexplained variables here. But, in the case of this study, there are a few likely explanations, per the researchers. 

One is that cutting back on protein could lead to an increase in fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a hormone in the body that rises as you take in less protein. FGF21 increases your body’s use of calories and can improve blood sugar management while reducing inflammation in the body. (The researchers flagged a few mouse studies that found that rodents with higher levels of FGF21 lived longer than mice.)

Related: ‘I’m an Endocrinologist—This Is the First Question I Ask When Someone Is Always Cold’

Amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, also seem to play a role. Cutting back on specific amino acids—methionine, isoleucine and valine—may support healthier aging because they activate biological pathways that can increase the risk of obesity and inflammation, both of which are linked with aging.

A lot of the concern with a high-protein diet is inflammation, but there are a lot of variables, Cording says.

“It depends on what is driving that inflammation,” she explains. “It also depends on what sources of protein a person is utilizing and what else in their diet. There’s a lot of nuance there.”

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans were updated in January 2026 and included changes in protein intake recommendations. The latest guidelines suggest having 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day (meaning, a 150-pound adult should have 80 to 110 grams of protein daily). The previous guidelines recommended having 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. No doubt, this has further fueled the protein craze—but it’s important to take these guidelines with a grain of salt.

While messaging on social media suggests that everyone is deficient in protein, research suggests that’s not the case. A data analysis of 7,910 adults that was published in the journal Critical Public Health in 2025 found that American adults who log 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week typically have about 82 grams of protein a day. Those who didn’t meet those exercise guidelines took in 79 grams of protein. 

“Many people are eating too much protein,” Cording says. “We’re exposed to so much messaging about a high-protein diet that it’s making people overdo it.”

Related: Weighted Vests Are Everywhere—but a Cardiologist Says Some People Should Think Twice Before Using One

Protein is very important for health and longevity, Cording says. She just recommends aiming to have about 30 grams of protein per meal to keep things in check. “Most adults do not need 50 grams of protein in one meal,” she clarifies. “Your body does great if you stick to 30 grams of protein per meal or so.” 

Cording also recommends being aware of other macronutrients when it comes to diet and longevity. “I frequently see people being so focused on protein that they neglect other important nutrients, like fiber,” she says. “Then, they can become constipated or their cholesterol goes up.” Too much protein can also raise the risk of weight gain, she points out.

Overall, if you’re struggling to find the right amount of protein for your needs, it can be helpful to check in with your doctor or a dietitian. But Cording stresses that you shouldn’t cut way back on your protein intake for a longer life. “We still need protein,” she emphasizes.

Up Next:

• Jessica Cording, RD, CDN, author of The Little Book of Game-Changers. 
• Knopf B, et all. The Hallmarks of Protein and Amino Acid Restriction in Aging and Longevity, Cell Press Blue, 2026
• Dietary Guidelines for Americans, United States Department of Agriculture
• Vernarelli, J. A., et all. Protein Intake Patterns, Health Profiles, Body Composition Among US Adults By Physical Activity Levels: NHANES 2017–2020. Critical Public Health, 2026