
Maggie Baird, mother of Billie Eilish, receives environmental award at gala event
ATLANTA (AP) — Maggie Baird, mother of chart-topping musicians Billie Eilish and Finneas, received the Superhero for Earth award Saturday from the Captain Planet Foundation at a gala event.
Baird is the founder of the nonprofit Support + Feed, which works on food insecurity and environmental issues. Her group has an anchor presence in 11 U.S. cities and expanded partnerships in Europe, the United Kingdom and Australia.
Baird told The Associated Press that she has been working on these issues for years, though her message is now amplified with the additional voices of her Grammy-winning children.
'People need food. People need food every day and our climate is really in trouble and we've got to address our food systems,' Baird said. 'As we work on our larger goals, we have these beautiful daily wins where we get to support people in just their struggle to just survive.'
The Atlanta-based nonprofit Captain Planet Foundation works with young people on environmental issues around the world, supporting school gardens and other initiatives. More than 1.7 million children have participated in programs. The foundation was formed in 1991 and co-founded by media mogul Ted Turner.
'I really admire this organization, Captain Planet, and I really appreciate their shining a light on what we do at Support + Feed — and to me that's really what matters,' Baird said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Los Angeles Times
33 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Co-president of Lionsgate movie studio dies of cancer at 55
Jason Constantine, co-president of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles after a long fight with brain cancer. He was 55. Constantine was a Lionsgate veteran, beginning his career more than 25 years ago at its predecessor company Trimark Pictures as a director of acquisitions, the Santa Monica-based firm said. At Lionsgate, he was involved in several of the Santa Monica-based studio's key franchises, including 'John Wick,' and 'Saw,' which he pushed Lionsgate to acquire early on after watching a brief concept short. He was also closely associated with films including best picture Oscar winner 'Crash' (2004), 'Precious' (2009) and 'Knives Out' (2019). 'With his fearless spirit, creative energy and enduring talent relationships, Jason embodied the very best of our studio and our industry,' Lionsgate said in a statement. 'His career was built around the principles that a great idea can come from anywhere, a box office triumph is meant to be shared by an entire team and our creative choices need to be bold and daring.' Constantine is survived by his wife, Kristin, and his sons Lucas, Xander and Nicholas.


Buzz Feed
43 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
Take On Me Singer Morten Harket Said He Has Parkinson's Disease
Morten Harket, who for more than 40 years has been the frontman of the Grammy-nominated Norwegian pop trio a-ha, confirmed this week that he has Parkinson's disease. Harket, 65, made the announcement Wednesday by sharing an article written by music journalist and author Jan Omdahl on a-ha's official website. In it, the singer-songwriter said he'd been experiencing vocal issues as a result of his condition, and admitted he was unsure about a return to the concert stage. 'The problems with my voice are one of many grounds for uncertainty about my creative future,' he said. Though Harket said he had 'no problem accepting the diagnosis,' he added, 'I'm trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline. It's a difficult balancing act between taking the medication and managing its side effects. There's so much to weigh up when you're emulating the masterful way the body handles every complex movement, or social matters and invitations, or day-to-day life in general.' A native of Kongsberg, Norway, Harket formed a-ha with keyboardist Magne Furuholmen and guitarist Paul Waaktaar-Savoy in 1982. Three years later, the band catapulted to international fame with their breakout smash, ' Take On Me.' The song's success was buoyed by its now-iconic music video, which combined live-action performance footage with pencil-sketch animation. Though a-ha never replicated the success of 'Take On Me' on a global scale, the band continued to release music throughout the '80s and '90s. In 1991, they broke the world record for paid attendance at a rock concert when they performed before more than 198,000 fans at Brazil's Rock in Rio festival. Their 11th studio album, True North, was unveiled in 2022. There is no cure for Parkinson's, a neurodegenerative disease that can cause muscle stiffness, impaired speech and uncontrolled movement. The disease can be revealed by a mere tremor of the hand, according to the Mayo Clinic. Furuholmen reacted to Harket's announcement with a heartfelt post on Instagram. Acknowledging he'd known about his bandmate's diagnosis 'for some time,' he said the news 'brings sadness,' but stressed 'there is also a lot of gratitude: for all the amazing memories, for how our combined creative efforts as a band have been so generously embraced by the world, and for how lucky we are that people continue to find meaning, hope and joy in our shared musical legacy.' In his chat with Omdahl, Harket said he didn't expect to regain 'full technical control' over his vocals, but had nonetheless been working on new songs 'that I've got great belief in, and I feel the lyrics, especially, have something of a different aspect of me in them.' United Archives / United Archives via Getty Images 'I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish them for release,' he continued. 'Time will tell if they make it. I really like the idea of just going for it, as a Parkinson's patient and an artist, with something completely outside the box. It's all up to me, I just have to get this out of the way first.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Prince Harry Accused Of 'Directly Insulting' The Royal Family By Considering Changing His Last Name
Prince Harry's rift with the royal family has reportedly worsened amid reports that the Duke of Sussex considered adopting the Spencer surname. The US-based royal is said to have discussed the idea with his late mother's brother, Earl Spencer, who advised against it. However, royal experts say the move by Prince Harry has deepened tensions within the monarchy, with King Charles and Prince William reportedly "hurt and dismayed." Harry reportedly discussed with his uncle, Earl Charles Spencer, the possibility of adopting his late mother Princess Diana's surname, which would symbolically sever his ties with the Mountbatten-Windsor name currently used by his children. According to the Daily Mail, Harry brought up the idea during a recent visit to the U.K., where he had a "very amicable conversation" with his uncle, the 9th Earl Spencer. While the discussion was friendly, sources revealed that Earl Spencer advised against "taking such a step." The proposal has since sparked concern within royal circles. Royal commentator Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that Harry's inquiry alone has stirred unease. "Once again, Prince Harry has managed to make yet another deeply divisive and emotionally charged move, further fracturing his already tenuous relationship with the royal family," she said. Fordwich continued: "The overwhelming advice from within his own family, particularly from his Uncle Earl Spencer, is to abandon the ludicrous idea due to its legal and emotional consequences." She added: "Even his inquiry highlights the enduring complexities of Harry's relationship with his royal roots… It further thwarts any future reconciliation." The commentator further noted that the royal family is "hurt and dismayed" by the development, causing additional "damage to the already strained family relations." British broadcaster Helena Chard echoed the sentiment, describing the potential name change as having "an air of revenge." Speaking to Fox News Digital, she called the move "hurtful and vindictive" toward King Charles, emphasizing that it reflects Harry's ongoing bitterness. "It highlights Prince Harry's little to no regard for his family," Chard said. "A huge amount of bitterness and frustration bubbling away in Harry could have led to him feeling the Spencer name would help grow his Royal court." Chard also suggested that aligning more closely with the Spencer legacy could be a strategic move for Harry. "No doubt Prince Harry feels reinventing himself keeps him relevant," she remarked. "The world still has a love affair with the late Princess Diana. Harry and Meghan could take a cash grab of Princess Diana's legacy. [However], tarnishing Princess Diana's legacy would leave a bitter taste in the public's mouths." Royal analyst Richard Fitzwilliams also commented, warning that Charles would likely view the idea as a painful rejection of his paternal legacy. "For Harry to consider doing this, he must still feel very embittered," Fitzwilliams noted. "King Charles will regard this with great sadness… What will Harry think up next?" Fordwich also noted that the proposal is "viewed as a direct insult to his father, King Charles III, as well as his extended royal family." She explained: "Ironically, Harry was close to Prince Philip, who fought for the historical significance of the Mountbatten-Windsor name for his descendants. So it is a direct insult to him." According to Fordwich, Harry may see adopting the Spencer name as a way to honor his late mother, Princess Diana, "while distancing himself from the rest of the royal institution he feels alienated from." Fordwich noted that "there is also some speculation that Harry's wife, Meghan Markle, wants their children to be more closely associated with Diana's legacy, especially their daughter, Princess Lilibet, whose full name is Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor." Even so, Fordwich warned that tensions within the royal family remain high, and this new revelation only makes things worse. "King Charles III is hesitant to speak with Harry, and Prince William is disgusted that he keeps referencing their mother," Fordwich claimed. She concluded that "trust and communication are currently at an all-time low. Any hope of rapprochement is now said to be 'in tatters,' particularly given Harry's wish to change his surname, which is viewed as a final break from his royal roots." Meanwhile, royal commentator Ian Pelham Turner told the outlet that he wasn't surprised by Harry's reported interest in adopting the Spencer surname, noting the prince's enduring emotional connection to his mother's side of the family. "Prince Harry, at the time of this alleged conversation, was at a very low ebb," Turner explained. "He found tremendous support from Earl Spencer and Diana's two sisters, who rallied around [him]… The Spencer name is always a potential path for the beleaguered couple and their children. But at this stage, it's not on the horizon." Turner added that the "royal family and Harry are still seemingly at war with each other."