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Emily Ratajkowski’s Sideless VMAs Dress Was One of the Night’s Boldest Looks

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 10:25am

Emily Ratajkowski just set the red carpet on fire in a sideless dress at the MTV Video Music Awards.

The model, actress, and My Body author, 35, who recently appeared in the Netflix series Too Much opposite Meg Stalter and Lena Dunham, knows a thing or two about causing a stir with her skimpy outfits. So that’s why it’s no surprise that photos from her time on the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards last night are currently setting the algorithm on fire. Wearing a side-slitted red dress that shows off her every curve, Ratajkowski stopped photographers in their tracks.

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Ratajkowski Has Found Love Again

The stunning supermodel, who first rose to stardom in Robin Thicke‘s “Blurred Lines” music video, has found love again with French filmmaker Romain Gavras. They were spotted making out while on a romantic trip through Rome, Italy. Gavras is responsible for music videos like “Bad Girls” by M.I.A., “Gosh” by Jamie xx, and “No Church in the Wild” by Jay-Z and Kanye West, Harper’s Bazaar pointed out.

Check out the legendary video below:

Ratajkowski’s Message for Mom-Shamers

Ratajkowski had a serious message in a now-expired Story on her Instagram account regarding some rude comments she received on her Instagram page, Motherly pointed out.

“We are all reflecting back on shaming Britney and calling her a bad mom when she drove with her baby in her lap. We talk about how we have to ‘do better’ as a culture. Meanwhile, my comments are filled with awful remarks about how I don’t deserve to be a mom. Shame on you all,” Ratajkowski wrote. “I don’t care if you hate me or hate celebrity (or just hate women) but it’s incredibly scary to become a parent and no one deserves to be told by strangers that they’re a shitty mother.”

The mom of Sly, 5, wasn’t taking the criticism sitting down.

Related: Emily Ratajkowski Shares Daring Dancing Video From a Speeding Boat in Greece

Dakota Johnson Calls 'The Office' 'Honestly the Worst Time of My Life': 'No One Wanted to Talk to Me'

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 10:11am

Fans around the globe might hold an endearing view of NBC’s fan-favorite sitcom The Office, but one notable star has voiced a radically different take on the iconic mockumentary series.

During a 2024 appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Dakota Johnson reminisced about her brief time working on the final season of The Office, which saw her play the accountant Dakota, who filled in as a replacement for longtime character Kevin Malone.

Popping up in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo, Johnson shared only a few seconds of screentime with Oscar Nunez’s wearied accountant Oscar. In spite of her meager appearance on the show, Johnson said that filming her appearance on The Office took about two weeks.

“That was honestly the worst time of my life,” Johnson told Meyers on Late Night. “They were like, ‘Do you want to be in the series finale?’ And I was like, ‘Of course,’ thinking that I’d show up for like half a day. I was there for two weeks. And I’m barely in the f**king show.”

Above all else, Johnson said that by the time she arrived to film her role in The Office, “weird dynamics” had set in for the show’s core cast, many of whom had been working together for about a decade prior to Johnson’s casting.

During her time filming, Johnson also said that she felt like something out of an outsider, with many of The Office‘s principal actors barely paying any attention to her on set.

“There were weird dynamics that had been going on for the last 10 years. Some people didn’t speak to each other,” Johnson explained. “And I’m coming in like ‘So excited to be here!’ No one wanted to talk to me. No one gave a f**k… I was like in the background of all of these scenes, faxing things.”

2 Iconic Millennial Books Have Deluxe Editions Coming Out This Week That You Cannot Miss; Plus an 'Emily Wilde' Deluxe Release

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 10:10am

2026 has been the year of deluxe editions. In case you missed it, Practical Magic and World War Z both got deluxe editions throughout the summer. They are sure to make the perfect gifts for those who love witches and zombies, but what about those who need something about sisterhood? What about the Millennials who fell in love with vampires?

There are two Millennial books getting special editions coming out on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, to mark special anniversaries. On top of that, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is going to be a must for those who want an old-school style of book cover.

‘The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’ Turns 25 and Defined a Generation

If you need the Y2K nostalgia a little more, then you’ll need to turn your attention to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares. Can you believe the novel that defined a generation turns 25 this year?

You may know the movie thanks to Blake Lively, America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn (who has written the foreword for the new edition), but the novel is a must. It captivates thanks to its stories of chosen family and loyalty. Everything starts with one pair of pants that fits all four friends, and they end up on a journey of life and some hard lessons.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants deluxe edition is a beautiful and sturdy hardback release with gorgeous stenciled edges that you’ll need to show off on your bookshelf. There’s a ribbon marker, so you never have to worry about damage, and full-color character art on the endpapers that will take you back to the first time you read the story.

The Deluxe Copies of the First Four ‘House of Night’ Books Are Out

Do you need something fantastical instead? Something that reminds you of being a teenager in the 2000s? The House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast is a great way to remember that, and as it gets ready to celebrate 20 years, there are deluxe editions on the way.

The first four books are out on Sept. 29, and they feature gorgeous stenciled edges, bold and bright colors, and a cat on the front of each book — there will be a different animal for each block of four books. 

One of my biggest wonders is which part of the book I’m going to showcase on my shelves! The front covers are spectacular, the stenciled edges are to die for, and the spines match in ways that so many have asked for. Maybe they’ll constantly be on the move!

‘Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries’ Has a Beautiful Faux-Leather Cover

There’s something special about the way books used to be made. From their leather covers, their harder, uneven pages, and the smell, they have become something to treasure because books just aren’t made that way anymore. Well, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett is breaking the mold with the deluxe edition.

It’s faux leather instead of real leather, because that is more humane and animal-friendly, but it still offers that same vibe. And with the book title literally having “Encyclopaedia” in it, it feels like it belongs. On top of that, the feel of the pages has a roughness that you don’t get anymore, adding a tactile memory of centuries past. You’ll also fall in love with the endpapers with faeries all over them. This is a must.

Sure, technically this isn’t for the Millennial heart, but we all know that we followed on with this after growing up with House of Night, Practical Magic, and so much more.

1985 Rock Song, Recorded in New York, Is Still a Generational Hit 41 Years Later

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 10:04am

More than four decades after its release, ’Til Tuesday’s “Voices Carry” remains closely tied to the sound and style of 1980s rock and new wave music.

“Voices Carry,” led by singer and bassist Aimee Mann, reached No. 8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and became the Boston band’s only U.S. top-10 single, per Elpee.

Released in March 1985, “Voices Carry” became a major radio and MTV success. Its popularity was helped by a memorable music video that turned the song’s emotional story into a dramatic visual performance.

The track was recorded at R.P.M. Sound Studios in New York City as part of ’Til Tuesday’s debut album, Voices Carry. The album was produced by Mike Thorne and released by Epic Records on June 25, 1985.

Aimee Mann of the group ‘Til Tuesday plays bass guitar as she performs onstage at Liberty State Park, Jersey City, New Jersey, on July 4, 1985.

John Kisch Archive / Getty Images

’Til Tuesday formed in Boston in 1982, with Aimee Mann on lead vocals and bass, Robert Holmes on guitar, Joey Pesce on keyboards and Michael Hausman on drums.

The group gained early attention after winning Boston’s WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble in 1983. Their song “Love in a Vacuum” received radio airplay before the band signed with Epic Records.

For the debut album, “Love in a Vacuum” was re-recorded, but “Voices Carry” became the song that introduced ’Til Tuesday to a much larger audience.

The single climbed the Billboard Hot 100 and eventually reached No. 8, spending 21 weeks on the chart. It became the group’s first and only top-10 hit in the United States.

The success also helped the Voices Carry album reach No. 19 on the Billboard 200. The album was later certified gold in the United States.

The lyrics were written by Mann, while the music was credited to all four members of ’Til Tuesday. The song deals with a relationship in which one person is being told to stay quiet and keep the relationship out of public view.

According to Songfacts, Mann explained that she wrote the song about a male friend who was describing a relationship with a woman who did not want to show affection toward him in public. Mann said her own history also helped her relate to the story.

The song originally had a different perspective. According to Mann and producer Mike Thorne, the original version was written and sung as though Mann were addressing a woman, said Elpee. The gender of the love interest was later changed during the recording process.

The “Voices Carry” music video gave the song another life on MTV.

Directed by D.J. Webster, the video featured Mann as a musician dealing with a controlling boyfriend, according to American Songwriter. He criticizes her appearance and her music career, creating a conflict that builds throughout the story.

The video ends with Mann’s character sitting with her boyfriend at a concert. She eventually stands up and begins singing the song, turning the lyrics into a direct expression of her frustration.

The moment became one of the most remembered images of the early MTV era. Mann removes her cap to reveal her distinctive spiky hairstyle before standing and delivering the song’s final lines.

The music video received wide exposure on MTV and earned ’Til Tuesday the 1985 MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist. Mann was also named Best Female Performer in a video at the American Video Awards that same year.

’Til Tuesday released two more studio albums after Voices Carry: Welcome Home in 1986 and Everything’s Different Now in 1988.

The band did not match the commercial impact of its debut single. “What About Love,” from Welcome Home, reached No. 26 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, while the band’s final album reached No. 124 on the Billboard 200.

’Til Tuesday broke up in 1990 after Mann left to pursue a solo career. She later became known for her work as a singer-songwriter.

In 2025, the original ’Til Tuesday lineup reunited for a performance at the Cruel World Festival in Pasadena, California. Per Syracuse, it was the group’s first show in 33 years and its first performance with the original lineup in 35 years.

Related: 1979 Country Song, Inspired by ‘The Mountain Whippoorwill,’ Is Still a Powerful Hit 47 Years Later

Wayfair Is Selling a 'Supportive' Oversized Cloud Couch With Built-In Storage for Over 70% Off

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 10:00am

Parade aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

For cozy days or nights at home, you need the absolute best comfort essentials — think plush pillows, soft throw blankets, and most importantly, a roomy, sink-right-in sofa. With the rising trend of all things plush, cloud couches have quickly become a must-have for creating that ultra-comfy vibe.

One standout pick is the Latitude Run Silvia Oversized Cloud Storage Sofa, and right now, it’s on major sale. The beige version is the best deal at $380, down from $1,317. There’s also a mustard version available for $420, while blue and camel versions have already sold out.

Latitude Run Silvia Oversized Cloud Storage Sofa, From $380 (was $1,317) at Wayfair  Shop at Wayfair

This oversized sofa combines modern style with everyday functionality. Measuring 102 inches in length with a 24-inch seat depth and 20-inch seat height, it offers plenty of space for lounging while maintaining a sleek, contemporary silhouette. The seat cushions and armrests flow together in a seamless design, giving the sofa a clean, cohesive look accented by elegant lotus-leaf edge details.

Comfort is prioritized throughout the sofa’s construction, thanks to thick foam cushions that provide plush support. It comes with two matching toss pillows for added coziness. Designed with convenience in mind, it assembles without tools and features hidden storage compartments in the armrests, which are perfect for stashing magazines, remotes, or other essentials. With a 900-pound weight capacity, this stylish piece is as durable as it is inviting.

Online, shoppers praised the look and feel of this sofa. “Very comfortable sofa and easy to assemble,” one reviewer wrote. “Looks great in the room and feels just as cozy as it looks in the pictures. I’m really happy with the purchase!” Other reviewers agreed that construction was simple, and that the piece meshes well with their spaces.

For those seeking something both stylish and practical, the Silvia sofa stands out. “It’s the perfect blend of comfort and beauty, extra long for tall folks to lay down, and I love that it isn’t too heavy,” a customer said. “The upholstery is very soft to the touch, cushions feel cloud-like yet supportive.”

Related: Deer to Dream: This Martha Stewart Christmas Quilt Belongs in a Hallmark Movie

If you’re ready to upgrade your living space, the Latitude Run Sylvia Oversized Cloud Storage Sofa is an excellent choice that combines comfort, style, and value. With prices starting at just $380, now is the perfect time to bring it home.

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.

This Chart-Topping Dance Song's New Music Video Was Shot Entirely on 25 Phones at a House Party

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 9:54am

“Phones have created a new visual language” — the words of a director who just released a unique new music video to accompany a Billboard chart-topper that’s been dominating dance-radio stations.

The video also arrives one day after the Video Music Awards, a night ruled expectedly by Taylor Swift — but also by Madonna, who gave a show-stopping performance alongside Sabrina Carpenter as well as a memorable acceptance speech.

Swift, 36, also accepted her first award since tying the knot with Travis Kelce. And on that note, photographers knew exactly how to get her attention on the VMAs red carpet, calling her “Mrs. Kelce” a number of times.

And now, the show must go on, as they say. Music videos continue to roll out, with a unique one dropping on YouTube Monday, September 28. Those familiar with the electronic dance music scene may recognize the track “Happiness Is So Sad” by Swedish House Mafia and Lykke Li.

Even if it doesn’t ring a bell, the just-released video is groundbreaking in that it was shot entirely on roughly 25 phones, according to a news release. Check it out in full below.

Fans have already flooded the upload’s comments section to show their support for the song and alternative approach to the music video. “The aspect ratio make you forget about the insane work that went into this MV,” said one YouTube user, while another person simply commented, “Such a beautiful video! 😍”

“Phones have created a new visual language,” director Theo Lindquist said in a statement. “It hasn’t really been exploited in storytelling properly, and here was an opportunity.”

The house party took place in Guadalajara, Mexico, with the video focusing on different characters experience their own versions of the same night. Per Monday’s news release, the film was written around the idea that everybody is the main character of their own night and a background figure in everyone else’s, with each phone catching a different piece of the same party.

1979 Rock Song, Written by 29-Year-Old Supertramp Singer, Is Still a ‘Small Masterpiece’ 47 Years Later

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 9:40am

Roger Hodgson turned his real-life experience and how it shaped his life into one of Supertramp’s most successful hit tracks, which critics called an example of “the loss of childhood idealism” and a “small masterpiece.”

Famed songs are either written in less than 30 minutes or take their time. “The Logical Song” was written solo by Hodgson and is considered one of his most personal works. It almost took six months to complete before the frontman felt it was good enough to show the band. The track was released in 1979 as the lead single of their Breakfast in America album.

“The Logical Song” was a hit on the charts, landing at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on Cashbox. It even spent a few weeks at No. 1 in Canada and did well across Europe and the UK at No. 7 on the singles chart. From the get-go, Hodgson knew he had a track worth recording.

“When you’re writing a song,” he said, according to LouderSound, “sometimes you feel like you’re eighty per cent successful, but with The Logical Song I felt like I’d nailed it one hundred per cent. As a melody, a lyric, an arrangement and a recording, it really is perfect in its completeness.”

Hodgson based the song on his experience of having been sent away to boarding school for 10 years. He explained having often complained about being sent away, but it also led to the inspiration for “a lot of great songs.” What inspired “The Logical Song” was the effect boarding school had on him.

He recalls having been “very, very happy as a young kid” until being sent to boarding school, and “started getting confused, and the joy kind of started leaving me.” It left him with the question, “Please tell me who I am,” and a desire to be joyful again.

“The song was born out of my questions about what really mattered in life. Throughout childhood, we’re taught how to behave, yet we’re very rarely told anything about the deeper purpose of life,” he explained.

“We go from the innocence and wonder of childhood to the confusion of adolescence, and that often ends up in disillusionment in adulthood. And many of us spend our lives trying to get back to that innocence.”

Rolling Stone called “The Logical Song” a “small masterpiece” with resonating lyrics. Paul McCartney even favored the track when it was released in 1979. Its popularity went far beyond the charts, and Hodgson earned the Ivor Novello Award from The British Academy of Composers and Songwriters in 1980. The track was even listed on Rolling Stone‘s list of the Greatest Songs of All Time.

In 2001, the song regained popularity when it was covered by the German techno group Scooter under a different title. It ranked No. 1 on multiple charts in Europe and became a rave anthem.

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

Don Johnson, 76, Shows Up at Son Deacon’s Frat House—and Looks Every Bit the Proud Dad

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 9:39am

Don Johnson is one proud dad while visiting his son at his frat house.

The beloved actor, 76, is best known for his role as Detective Sonny Crockett on the beloved ’80s NBC cop series Miami Vice. However, he also continued his stardom in the ’90s in the title role of the San Francisco cop series Nash Bridges. More recently, he was a mystery man in the classic film Knives Out and the TV series Doctor Odyssey. Now, the proud dad is hitting the college circuit to visit his handsome 20-year-old son, Deacon Johnson, at his fraternity house at the University of Southern California. Johnson smiled as he sat on the couch alongside his son, who had his arm wrapped around his dad.

“Parent visit to the Frat House! Hide the evidence 😜,” the caption written by Johnson’s wife read.

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Don Johnson’s Brood of Children

Johnson loves hanging out with his five children, who include The Materialists star Dakota Johnson, whom he shares with ex Melanie Griffith. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t wildly proud of his four other children, Jesse, Atherton, Jasper, and Deacon. In a sweet. holiday photo showing the whole crew sitting on the stairs during a Christmas celebration, Johnson made it clear that he may be a legendary actor, but he’s a dad first.

“My Kids are my Everything!!! Happy Birthday to me!!!” he shared.

View this post on Instagram Looking Back on Miami Vice

Miami Vice was known for its cutting-edge content back in the ’80s. When asked how they got away with it in the Television Academy’s Miami Vice oral history, Johnson said they simply disregarded all the rules.

“We’d throw the network’s Standards and Practices suggestions in the trash. We never did them, and they would yell at us,” he said, Entertainment Weekly reported. “They’d come up with, ‘You can’t say this, you can’t do that.’ We were three hours ahead of them in Florida, so we’d say, ‘Oh, that bus has already gone. We already shot that six hours ago.’”

Related: Melanie Griffith, 69, Soaks Up the Austrian Sun in a Bathing Suit During Scenic Getaway

Rock Legend Rod Stewart, 81, Announces Final 2027 Tour After 'Much Deliberation and Sadness' Following Heart Procedure

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 9:29am

Rod Stewart has announced his final shows. 

In a deeply personal social media message, the 81-year-old rock music legend revealed The Final Encore Tour for 2027.

“Ladies and gentlemen, after much deliberation and sadness, I have to announce next year will be my last tour ever, ever, ever,” Stewart said in the message shared on Monday, Sept. 28. 

While he made it clear that he is “not retiring,” he added, “this will be the last rock and roll tour.”

He expressed his gratitude for the fans, noting, “I wanna thank you for everything you’ve given me, and hopefully I’ve given you something in return.”

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He then did what he does best—propped his leg up on the seat and energetically played a key on the piano as he sang, “Please come out and see me on the tour. It’s gonna be great!”

The caption echoed the video’s message: “Well, here we go… one last time! Come and see me on my The Final Encore Tour for one more round of rock ‘n’ roll. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Synth-pop singer Howard Jones was announced as a supporting act for the run of shows, spanning 21 dates. It will kick off in Dublin, Ireland, on April 23 and conclude in Hannover, Germany, on July 24. 

The tour will include 5 stops in the U.K., plus shows in Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Krakow, and Prague. 

Tickets will be available through his website.

While the final tour will focus on the U.K., he previously announced a few shows in the U.S. as well, including a stop in Savannah for the “first time in nearly 40 years,” on March 8, 2027.

The news comes just weeks after the rock icon canceled a series of shows following a heart procedure. A month earlier, he postponed his Cincinnati show to undergo a “routine coronary stent procedure.”

While things went well, Stewart was focusing on his recovery, further canceled the next four weeks of his One Last Time farewell tour and The Encore Shows for his Las Vegas residency.

“I’m already feeling better and very much on the mend,” Stewart said in a statement, thanking the doctors and nurses who cared for him. “I’m deeply disappointed to miss these shows and sorry to let my fans down.”

After announcing his final tour, Stewart was showered with waves of supportive messages in the comment section, as one noted, “Hard to believe this man’s in his 80s….We should all be as energetic ….and…..entertaining as this fello…in our 80s….Wonderful entertainer throughout the decades… Bravo!”

“Sir Rod, After 53 years and nearly 300 shows across four continents, I am heartbroken that I just have one more year of your AMAZING live shows. Can’t wait to see ALL of them. Thank you for a lifetime of music that created incredible moments and memories. You live will be missed,” another wrote, extending gratitude and love.

Stewart’s wife, Penny Lancaster, previously detailed her husband’s health woes during an episode of the At Home With Vanessa podcast, revealing that doctors discovered an “underlying heart issue” after he nearly fainted during a show in Utah in June,  where he was forced to use an oxygen tank. Around that time, he was diagnosed with an acute upper respiratory infection, laryngitis and vocal strain.

Rock Legend Rod Stewart, 81, Cancels 4 Weeks of Shows: ‘Sorry to Let My Fans Down’

Thankfully, the issue was caught early enough, as she noted,  “They detected a slight blockage which needed a stent, which, according to a lot of research, it appears most people over the age of 65 will often need and require a stent.”

'Beverly Hills, 90210' Star Takes Shocking Turn in Unconventional New Role

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 9:21am

One of the biggest names in the 90s, Brian Austin Green took the world by storm as David Silver on the hit primetime teen soap opera Beverly Hills 90210; now the beloved actor is tackling his newest role, in which viewers will see him in a whole new light.

Green will portray the role of Sheriff Karloff in the upcoming film The 3 Killer Pigs, directed by Thomas J. Churchill.

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The horror film’s tagline explains, “A desperate farmer resorts to the unthinkable to reclaim his livestock. A blood pact unleashes killer pigs returning to their nightmare’s genesis.”

The official trailer for The 3 Killer Pigs is available here.

Green is also taking place on the HGTV reality competition series Totally ‘90s House, in which former Family Matters host Jaleel White follows two teams of iconic ‘90s celebs as they scour the country for houses stuck in the 1990s.

In addition to Green, the competition includes; Beverley Mitchell, and Jodie Sweetin facing off against Melissa Joan Hart, Keshia Knight Pulliam, and Matthew Lawrence.

Each team then picks their favorite throwback home and gives it a major remodel.

At the end, the team with the best home renovation wins $25,000 for the charity of their choosing as well as bragging rights for the week.

The 3 Killer Pigs is one of 9 upcoming projects Green has in various stages of production. According to IMDb, the other titles include: Perfectly Imperfect, Zombie Plane, Red Hot Chili Ice Cream, Eat Your Heart Out, and more.

Green’s professional acting career began in 1985 when he appeared in the TV movie The Canterville Ghost; however, he was most recognizable as a child star for his role as Brian Cunningham on the CBS series Knots Landing, a spinoff of Dallas.

No details on when The 3 Killer Pigs will be made available or what platform the film will release on at this moment, but fans can check out the official The 3 Killer Pigs for further information as it develops here.

Nirvana's Pat Smear Smoked a Cigarette Onstage at the 2026 VMAS— Fans Think It Was a Tribute to Kurt Cobain

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 9:21am

Nirvana band members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear were presented with MTV’s Video Vanguard lifetime achievement award at the Video Music Awards on Sept. 27, but the presence of late frontman Kurt Cobain, who died in April 1994, was also strongly felt during the ceremony.

After Public Enemy legend Chuck D introduced the legendary grunge band, a video played featuring footage of Cobain reflecting on some of the band’s most iconic videos, including “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Heart- Shaped Box.”

Grohl, Novoselic, and Smear took the stage at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, but as Novoselic accepted the award on the band’s behalf, Smear, 67, defiantly lit up a cigarette and began to smoke. Quite a sight at an indoor awards ceremony in 2026.

Fans reacted to Smear’s smoke break on social media, with some assuming it was a nod to Cobain.

“Pat pulling out a cig and smoking was EXACTLY what Kurt would have done, imo,” one fan wrote on Reddit. “Kurt would have shown up because he would want the accolade, but he’d want to throw in a little ‘f— you anyway’ moment, like smoking on stage.”

“Probably it was a tribute to Kurt smoking during the 1993 MTV live and loud concert,” another wrote on Instagram.

“That’s a Pat thing to do, but I feel like he’s also giving his pal Kurt a nod with that cig,” a third fan wrote.

“It was a direct, perfect tribute to the late Kurt Cobain’s iconic habits and the band’s history of testing boundaries on MTV,” another fan added.

RELATED: Nirvana Accepts Video Vanguard 32 Years After Kurt Cobain’s Death

Smear, who co-founded the punk band the Germs in 1976,  joined Nirvana as a second guitarist in 1993 and played his first gig with the band on the Saturday Night Live Season 19 premiere that year.

“It was an unexpected phone call from Kurt, and I jumped at it,” he told Rolling Stone of his invitation to join the Seattle-based grunge band. “I was a fan, like everyone else. I had actually read an interview with them not too long before he called me, where he said Nirvana was always meant to be four people. I thought, ‘Wow, I want that.’ And then it happened.”

“I remember the first day of rehearsal at the SNL studio, they forgot me,” Smear added. “A couple hours later, someone called me and goes, ‘Oh, we’re used to having three guys, sorry!’”

Related: Nirvana and Dolly Parton Recorded the Same Appalachian Folk Song—But Their Versions Were Worlds Apart

1979 Country Song, Inspired by ‘The Mountain Whippoorwill,’ Is Still a Powerful Hit 47 Years Later

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 9:21am

“The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” the 1979 hit by the Charlie Daniels Band, is still one of the most famous country songs of its era, nearly five decades after its release. 

The song reached No. 1 on the U.S. country chart, climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, won a Grammy Award and introduced a dramatic fiddle battle between a young musician named Johnny and the Devil.

The story also has an older literary connection. Charlie Daniels said the idea for the song may have come from Stephen Vincent Benét’s 1925 poem, The Mountain Whippoorwill: How Hill-Billy Jim Won the Great Fiddler’s Prize, which Daniels had read in high school.

The Charlie Daniels Band posed for a portrait in 1970.

Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

Released on the Charlie Daniels Band’s Million Mile Reflections album, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” became the band’s biggest hit. This year, the song received another major recognition when the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Recording Registry for its cultural, historical or aesthetic importance to the nation’s recorded sound heritage.

The song came together when Daniels and his band realized their new album did not have a fiddle-centered track.

Daniels explained to Songfacts that the group had already rehearsed, written and recorded music for Million Mile Reflections. Then they noticed something was missing.

“We don’t have a fiddle song,” he said.

The band took a short break from the recording studio and went to a rehearsal studio. Daniels said he suddenly had the idea: “The Devil went down to Georgia.”

He also connected the idea to Benét’s The Mountain Whippoorwill, although he made clear that Benét did not use the same opening line.

“The idea may have come from an old poem that Stephen Vincent Benet wrote many, many years ago. He didn’t use that line, but I just started, and the band started playing, and first thing you know we had it down.”

Benét’s poem was first published in Century Magazine in 1925. It was inspired by a real fiddle contest involving young Lowe Stokes, who defeated veteran Georgia fiddler Fiddlin’ John Carson at the 1924 Atlanta Fiddlers’ Convention.

The poem follows Hill-Billy Jim, an orphan who enters a fiddling contest. After playing through the night, he believes he has lost when the crowd falls silent. Instead, he wins a new fiddle.

The 1979 country song changes that basic contest idea into a supernatural showdown.

In Daniels’ song, the Devil arrives in Georgia looking for a soul to steal. He finds Johnny playing the fiddle and challenges him to a contest. The prize is a golden fiddle if Johnny wins. If Johnny loses, the Devil gets his soul.

Johnny accepts the challenge and declares that he is the best fiddler there is.

The Devil plays first, backed by his demonic musicians. Johnny then takes his turn and defeats him. The Devil leaves the golden fiddle behind, while Johnny remains confident that he can win again.

The song stood out because its story was delivered almost like a spoken tale, while the fiddle performances provided the major musical battles between Johnny and the Devil.

Daniels played the fiddle parts for both characters. He also created the different sounds he wanted for each performance.

He explained that the Devil’s playing was meant to sound impressive at first but lack real musical substance. 

“The Devil’s just blowing smoke,” Daniels added. “If you dissect it and listen to it, that’s the smoke and mirrors thing about the Devil. There’s just nothing there. I mean, there’s nothing. There’s no music involved.”

The song became a major crossover success. It spent 14 weeks on the Hot Country Singles chart in 1979 and reached No. 1 for one week. It also spent two weeks at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

It was the Charlie Daniels Band’s only No. 1 country hit.

The song also earned the Charlie Daniels Band the 1979 Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Its reach continued beyond radio. According to Billboard, the band performed the song in the 1980 film Urban Cowboy, in a scene filmed at Gilley’s, the famous country music club in Pasadena, Texas.

The song later appeared in other forms of entertainment, including The Muppet Show, covers by several artists, and the 2007 video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.

The song also inspired a 1993 sequel, “The Devil Comes Back to Georgia,” recorded by Mark O’Connor with Johnny Cash, Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt and Charlie Daniels.

The original song has continued to attract attention decades after its release. In 2024, Rolling Stone placed it at No. 120 on its list of the 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time.

In 2019, Daniels himself once reflected on the song’s long life by telling Nashville Insider, “My answer is I had no idea that forty years after the fact we would still be talking about it almost as if it was a new release.”

Now, 47 years after its 1979 debut, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” has another place in American music history through its selection for the National Recording Registry. Its journey from an idea sparked by an old poem to a No. 1 country hit shows how a simple fiddle contest story became one of the Charlie Daniels Band’s defining recordings.

Related: 1988 Soft Rock Song, Written in a SoHo Apartment, Became Iconic Band’s First No. 1 Hit in 22 Years

Walmart Sells a 'Cute' $21 Wicker Basket Trio That Brings Cottagecore Whimsy to Home Organization

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 9:15am

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You can never have enough storage at home. Whether it’s your kitchen, bedroom, or living room that could use a little organizing, a set of baskets can help you make sense of the chaos. In some cases, they can even add some style to the room. That’s the case with the Mehoom Wicker Storage Basket Set, which comes with three woven containers that exude a homey, down-to-earth vibe.

The beauty of this trio is all in its versatility. Each basket is a different size, opening up a world of usage possibilities around the house. It’s an awesome deal at Walmart right now too, reduced from its usual $36 to just $21 for the beige and gray versions. There are also dark brown and green versions available for $23.

Mehoom Wicker Storage Basket Set, From $21 (was $36) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at Walmart

You’ll receive one each in small, medium, and large sizes, with sizes ranging from about 7 to 10 inches across. That kind of variety gives you plenty of space to store both smaller and bulkier items with ease. The baskets have attached lids, which help block out moisture and dust to keep everything clean and concealed.

The rustic design alone sets these baskets apart from their more utilitarian counterparts. The woven texture lends it a cottagecore feel, complete with distinctive texture and a country-inspired coziness that instantly warms up any room. What’s especially nice is that this is a very classic look, so you can easily weave it into your existing traditional or transitional layout.

The storage possibilities are virtually limitless with this set. It can easily be used to sort out toys, keep beauty products in one place, or sort out items in the kitchen or bathroom. Several people mentioned they use the baskets to organize craft supplies, towels, charging cables, books, and coffee station essentials. They’re also nestable, so when they aren’t in use they occupy minimal space and slide right out of the way. Even maintaining them is easy. The fabric liner inside each basket is removable and machine washable.

“These are really handy for storage and organization,” one shopper wrote, describing the design as “cute and decorative.” Another person called them “very sturdy and strong” and added that the trio is “well worth the price.”

Related: Walmart’s Sleek 6-Pack of Stackable Storage Bins Are Made for Fall Organization

Whether you need to tidy up or you just want to keep some stylish storage handy for the future, the Mehoom Wicker Storage Basket Set makes an affordable choice that works well in any part of the home. Snap it up for as low as $21 before this flash sale ends!

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Lesley-Anne Down Addresses Long-Standing Patrick Swayze Affair Rumors and Reveals He Was 'Out All Night' With Another Co-Star: 'I Can't Speak of That'

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 9:08am

Lesley-Anne Down and her TV co-star Patrick Swayze might have had incredible on-screen chemistry together, but the accomplished actress is adamant that that romantic chemistry never found its off-screen.

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Down discussed her working relationship and personal friendship with the late Swayze during their time together on the landmark 1985 miniseries, North and South.

A star-studded adaptation of John Jakes’ best-selling novel series, North and South followed two best friends who find themselves on opposite sides of the U.S. Civil War, charting their friendship from the 1840s into the 1860s.

While Down shared that she and Swayze remained good friends throughout filming, their relationship was strictly platonic. Though she did reveal that the actor would sometimes spend the night in her room, Down added that more often than not, Swayze actually spent more time with their North and South co-star Kirstie Alley.

“Patrick was a darling. Everybody thought we were having an affair when we were doing North and South, because we worked together for a year and we were the lovey couple on screen,” Down said. “He did spend the odd night in my room, doing absolutely nothing but sleeping because he was generally rushing in from being out all night with Kirstie [Alley] because they were just loving each other madly.”

“As friends, I’m sure,” Down quickly added. “I can’t speak of that.”

“But he’d be out all night, and then he couldn’t work… he’d bang on my door at six in the morning and say, ‘Hide me, hide me.’ He’d come in, and I said, ‘Come on and go to bed,’” Down went on to say.

For Alley’s part, EW cited another interview the actress gave with Barbara Walters, in which she said she and Swayze never actually had an affair.

“I probably was more willing to break up my marriage, and I wasn’t willing to break up his marriage,” Alley said.

Why Julianne Hough Calls Her Broadway Musical Debut 'A Tall Order'

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 9:05am

While Julianne Hough‘s upcoming role in the Broadway revival ofDamn Yankees may not be her first time on an iconic stage, the Dancing with the Stars icon explained why this time around will hit different.

Announced Sunday that Hough will star as seductress Lola in the show, opening in next year, she explained at a press conference that the role, which may make sense in the context of her career, will be something totally new.

“The leading ladies of the generation that taught me what I loved through singing, acting, dancing…those were the iconic dancers,” she said in footage shared by Broadway.com on Instagram. “And to be able to have had the career that I had, and I still haven’t made my Broadway musical debut, to be doing it in this light with Lola as the entry, that is a tall order as well as an exciting and thrilling one.”

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However, she won’t be going in blind as she’s no stranger to musicals in general. In 2016, she starred in a live-action TV production of Grease as well as a remake of the movie Footloose in 2011. She also dipped her toe into the Broadway waters in a 2022 play entitled POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive.

She’s also become a staple at the Tony Awards.

Known best for her 20 years on the ballroom dance competition show, Hough also said that she hopes DWTS viewers will make their way to Manhattan to see her perform.

“If I have an ounce of a pathway to bring that audience, [which is] a beloved thing for families at home, and they want to now take that little walk over to Broadway, and see me dance and then get to experience Damn Yankees, that’s the dream,” she said in a clip shared by New York Theater Guide.

Related: Neil Patrick Harris Returns to Broadway in Revival of a Show That Ran 1,019 Performances—Nearly 70 Years After It Closed

The show, which is based on Douglass Wallop’s novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, also stars Neil Patrick Harris and Austin Scott.

Damn Yankees first ran on Broadway from 1955-1957 and returned to the Great White Way for a brief revival from 1994-1995.

Previews will begin March 24, and opening night is slated for April 20 at the Marquis Theatre.

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2013 Luke Bryan Hit Came From an Unknown Songwriter Who’s Now His Favorite Country Superstar: ‘He’s My Number One’

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 8:58am

When country star Luke Bryan chose to record a song called Drink A Beer in 2013, he had a feeling it could be a hit. But he had no idea that one of the tune’s two songwriters, Chris Stapleton, would become a country superstar himself.

Stapleton wrote Drink A Beer with Jim Beavers; Bryan recorded and released the tune in November 2013, and it shot to No. 1 on Billboard‘s country chart by early 2014. But after years of songwriting for country greats like Bryan, George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Kenny Chesney, Stapleton decided to step into the spotlight himself.

Chris Stapleton and his wife (and creative collaborator) Morgane Stapleton attend the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards on May 17, 2026 in Las Vegas.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty Images

He released his first solo album in 2015, and the country music industry was instantly smitten with his rich, soulful voice and bluesy rasp. Stapleton wound up winning Album of the Year at the 2015 CMAs and again at the 2016 ACM Awards. Incredibly, the singer/songwriter has since won 12 Grammys, 21 CMA Awards, and more than 15 CMA Awards. In January, Stapleton’s song “Tennessee Whiskey” was certified RIAA Double Diamond with over 20 million units sold, becoming the first country song ever to reach that milestone.

When Bryan sat down with Jimmy Fallon for a special edition of The Tonight Show on Sunday, September 27, he revealed that his former songwriter is now his favorite country star.

“I have him as my number one on Mount Rushmore,” Bryan said, referencing the trend of naming favorite performers to an entertainment-themed version of the national monument. “He’s my favorite singer.”

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The American Idol judge was a bit starstruck when Stapleton joined him onstage days earlier for his Luke Bryan & Friends concert in Nashville on Thursday, September 24. The two sang a duet of Drink A Beer — a ballad that Bryan has called “the coolest sad song ever.” Bryan was visibly moved the moment he heard Stapleton’s voice beautifully blending with his.

After Stapleton had left the stage at the Luke Bryan & Friends show, American Songwriter reported that Bryan stopped after performing a couple of other songs and told the crowd, “I’m still freaking out that Stapleton came out here and sang harmony with me!”

Days later, on the Tonight Show, he told Fallon that it had been a bit nerve-wracking noticing how Stapleton kept studying his mouth during their duet. “He really stares at you,” Bryan explained, noting how bluegrass musicians often watch each other’s mouths during duets for precise timing. “He’s watching your lips, it’s very intimidating. But I mean, the whole time I’m kind of falling in love!”

Neil Patrick Harris Returns to Broadway in Revival of a Show That Ran 1,019 Performances—Nearly 70 Years After It Closed

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 8:49am

It’s been nearly 70 years since Damn Yankees ended its Broadway run on October 12, 1957. Directed by George Abbott and choreographed by Bob Fosse, the show boasted 1,019 performances. Now, it’s making its long-awaited return to Broadway, starring Neil Patrick Harris, Julianne Hough and Austin Scott.

Previews of Damn Yankees will begin at the Marquis Theatre in New York City on March 24, 2027 — the day before the first Yankees game of the season — and will officially open on April 20.

Neil Patrick Harris, Julianne Hough and Austin Scott. New York Yankees / Getty Images.

New York Yankees / Getty Images

Harris is set to star as Applegate (the Devil), Hough as Lola and Scott as a young Joe Hardy. News of the revival was shared on Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, and it was expected to have a grand announcement. However, the rain had other plans.

According to The New York Times, Damn Yankees had planned “an attention-getting announcement, with Harris, wearing a fiendishly smoke-emitting vest, throwing out the first pitch; Scott singing the national anthem; and Hough seductively dance-delivering a baseball to the pitcher’s mound.” Instead, the stars settled for a news conference due to the weather.

“I’ve done things that were more bespoke, and I’ve never ever done the big Broadway musical, with the big ensemble and big dance numbers, and I’ve always wanted to,” Harris said during the conference.

Harris continued, saying that “playing someone that’s devilish is always good — it’s always fun to be naughty.”

He also noted that this revival is a first in Broadway, Major League Baseball and MLB Studios history.

“This is the first time the MLB has been in partnership with a Broadway show,” Harris said. “It’s an exciting opportunity. … It’s the opportunity to get people who don’t normally go see theatre a reason to go.

This upcoming production marks the first Damn Yankees revival since 1994, and Harris’ first return to Broadway since 2025’s revival of Yasmina Reza’s Art at the Music Box Theatre. Tickets are on sale now, with shows spanning from March 24, 2027, until Nov. 21.

Robert Pattinson’s ‘Primetime’ Co-Star Calls Him ‘The Most Exciting Actor To Work With’

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 8:45am

A24’s Primetime opened in theaters this weekend, starring Twilight’s own Robert Pattinson as the To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen. After celebrating an estimated $19.2 million opening weekend, Skyler Gisondo opened up to People about what it was like working with his co-star Pattinson.

Gisondo called Pattinson a “generous and collaborative” costar, and said that he’s “the most exciting actor to work with,” describing him as “truly one of the greatest.”

Gisondo played Dan Plumb (Decoy Dan) in Primetime, based on the real-life aspiring actor Dan Schrack. Gisondo revealed to People that he grew up watching Pattinson in some of his favorite movies, like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and the Twilight saga.

“I feel like I’ve been watching him, yeah, my entire life,” Gisondo said. “I’ve just been a fan of Rob’s forever.”

Gisondo said that Pattinson goes into each day with a clear mission, working hard “to bring it to fruition.”

“You sort of, in your head, imagine like how many different ways it [a scene] could go and generally what the shape of it is going to be,” Gisondo said. “And you learn very quickly, working with Rob, that you can’t plan for [working with him].”

He continued, saying that Primetime’s director, Lance Oppenheim, explained that Pattinson metaphorically “jumps off a cliff in every take.”

“It certainly feels that way,” Gisondo said. “And to be opposite somebody like that, it’s completely electrifying because it creates this atmosphere like anything could happen.”

Gisondo’s next film, Focker-In-Law, is set to release in theaters on Nov. 25. It stars Gisondo alongside Ariana Grande, Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller — another actor he looked up to after starring alongside him in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.

“Ben was such a hero of mine, and he was just so generous,” Gisondo said to Backstage. “Even though I’d been working for over 10 years, I look back on that movie as entering consciousness as an actor in some way.”

Gisondo noted that even though Focker-In-Law is much different from Primetime, he still felt “an immense responsibility to get it right.”

“It sort of feels like a superhero movie in some way,” Gisondo said about Focker-In-Law. “We had a really good time.”

Former 5-Time WWE Champion 'Neville' Dead at 40 – One Day After Major Pay-Per-View Match

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 8:33am

Fan-favorite professional wrestler Benjamin Satterley, best known by his ring names of Neville in WWE and Pac in AEW, has died, the latter company has announced. At the time of his passing on September 27, Satterley was just 40 years old.

Celebrated for his energetic, high-flying style and electric intensity, Satterley’s career dates back to 2004 where he competed in a variety of independent promotions under the name Pac.

Billed as “The Man That Gravity Forgot,” he later joined WWE’s developmental territory NXT as the superhero-inspired character Adrian Neville in 2012. For the next six years, Satterley competed against some of the most established stars in the company at the time, including Cody Rhodes, Chris Jericho and many more.

Upon leaving the company in 2018, Satterley returned to the indie circuit, eventually signing. up with up-and-coming promotion AEW upon the brand’s foundation in 2019. There, he reverted to his Pac ring name, becoming one of the company’s original breakout talents.

At the time of his death, Satterley had wrestled one final match against fellow WWE alum Andrade El Idolo at AEW’s All Out pay-per-view event on September 26.

“All Elite Wrestling is saddened to announce the passing of Benjamin Satterley, aka Pac,” AEW said in their announcement. “A native of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Satterley began his wrestling career in 2004 and went on to perform for wrestling organizations all over the world, captivating fans with innovative high-flying moves and incredible in-ring ability.”

“Pac signed with All Elite Wrestling in 2019 and held multiple AEW Championships and competed in some of the most memorable matches in AEW history,” the company continued. “Our condolences go out to Satterley’s family, friends and fans.”

A multi-time champion the world over, Satterley held many prestigious wrestling championships throughout his lifetime, including five championships in WWE and three championships in AEW.

1977 Soft Rock Song, With Singer Nicknamed ‘The Delta Lady,’ Is Still an Iconic Hit 49 Years Later

Mon, 09/28/2026 - 8:33am

In 1977, Rita Coolidge, also known as the Delta Lady, released the soft rock classic “We’re All Alone,” which remains one of the most enduring songs of the era.

Nearly five decades after its release, it continues to leave a lasting legacy among generations of listeners.

Far more than a chart-topping success, the song’s enduring appeal has stood the test of time, with the two-time Grammy winner scoring a major hit after “We’re All Alone” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Moreover, the song’s success extended beyond the U.S., with “We’re All Alone” peaking at No. 6 on the U.K. Singles Chart.

Rita Coolidge in January 1979.

Michael Putland/Getty Images

Released as the second U.S. single from her highly successful sixth studio album Anytime…Anywhere, the track was a cover performed by Coolidge of a song originally written and recorded by singer-songwriter Boz Scaggs for his 1976 album Silk Degrees.

While both versions feature an emotional and melodic soft rock ballad, Coolidge’s rendition highlights her signature vocals, offering a clear, soothing and romantic interpretation from a female perspective.

As she described it to The Aquarian, she gave new life to the song with a reimagined version.

“As far as the orchestration, I think we recorded it in the same key that Boz did,” she told the outlet, adding, “Booker was on board then as co-producer, and we wanted it to literally have a shimmer to it—with the strings—and make it elegant and beautiful so it could reflect the perfection of the lyrics and the music that Boz wrote. He did an incredible job with that song. It’s just timeless! When you’ve got a great song and you’ve got a great team and I happen to be the singer, I don’t know where the magic comes in. I think it’s a combination of all of those things. Just having the right people together and the right song in the studio with the right musicians. There’s no formula. We’re all just trying to do it right.”

Apart from her chart-topping song, Coolidge’s beauty also captured fellow musician Leon Russell, who wrote the song “Delta Lady” in her honor.

Then a rising singer, she was the inspiration behind Russell’s hit song of the same name, with the two dating in the late 1960s.

From her “Delta Lady” nickname to her timeless soft rock classic “We’re All Alone,” Coolidge has truly cemented her place in music history with one success after another.

Related: ’90s Metal Band’s Career-Defining Hit, Ranked Among Best Albums of 1996, Was Dedicated to Bill Hicks

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