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Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Apollo Theater Renovation: Behind the Scenes at the Historic Harlem Venue
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Apollo Theater at 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan in the night. The Apollo Theater at 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan in the night. Osmany Torres Martín/Getty Like any New York City neighborhood, Harlem is in a constant state of change, wrestling with gentrification while seeking to protect its history. In among that flux has been a constant—the Apollo Theater. First opened under a different name as a vaudeville and burlesque venue which excluded African Americans, the Apollo emerged in 1934 as a place for variety revues targeted at Harlem's growing Black population. It became a cultural cornerstone, with artists including Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown and Sammy Davis, Jr. among the early career stars to take to its stage, which has also been graced by comedians, actors and the man who would go on to be the first Black U.S. president, then-Senator Barack Obama. Now, the Apollo is about to close its doors, but just for a while, as it embarks on the next phase of a multimillion-dollar refurbishment and expansion, which leaders hope will help it last beyond what they say is a challenging time for the arts and Black history. "We have lived through periods of segregation, political unrest, the pandemic. So much of the richness of what has made the Apollo what it is, is steeped in its history and legacy," Joy Profet, chief growth officer at the Apollo, told Newsweek. That legacy will be honored in multiple ways in the coming months and years: in the physical changes and preservations about to take place at the 91-year-old theater, a recently opened performing arts venue in the former Victoria Theater next door and in a new streaming platform with hundreds of pieces of archival footage and photos from decades past. 'It Has Stood for the Best in Black Music' On Wednesday, June 4, the Apollo gave its current form a glittering send-off. Stars including rapper Busta Rhymes, actress Kym Whitley and fashion designer Dapper Dan walked the red carpet beneath the theater's brightly lit sign on Harlem's famous 125th Street for the venue's annual Spring Benefit. Many spoke of the Apollo's place as a vital cultural institution for the Black community, with Rhymes telling reporters that future generations needed to continue to have access to the venue's historic and nurturing environment. "It's not only important in this moment, but it's also necessary that they get that education so they know how to evolve the culture, the way they need to contribute to the history," the rapper said. A legend and a newcomer were among those honored during the evening, symbolizing the venue's ongoing commitment to fostering new talent and acknowledging its past. (L-R) Larry Jackson, Clive Davis and Busta Rhymes attend the 2025 Apollo Theater Spring Benefit at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria on June 04, 2025 in New York City. (L-R) Larry Jackson, Clive Davis and Busta Rhymes attend the 2025 Apollo Theater Spring Benefit at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria on June 04, 2025 in New York City. Shahar Azran/Getty Record producer Clive Davis, now 93, was given the Apollo's Legacy Award, having launched and nurtured the careers of many Black artists, from Whitney Houston and Alicia Keys to Earth, Wind & Fire. "When you think of all the artists—Stevie [Wonder], Ella, Thand the Supremes, Gladys Knight—it has stood for the best in Black music," Davis told Newsweek after being inducted into the theater's Walk of Fame. "So, it has symbolically been the real thing, it is the real thing. So, I look forward to it freshening up and resuming being the real thing." In a new award for 2025, Harlem's own Teyana Taylor, a singer, songwriter and actress, was handed the inaugural Innovator Award. "Many of the quotes say that this is where stars are born and dreams are made," Profet said. "And that's really what has kept this institution so relevant." Apollo Theater's Refurbishment and Future As the party got started at the event, there were signs of work underway, with the Apollo's lobby already walled off for construction, which fully begins in early July. While upgrades have happened piecemeal over the decades, this will be the theater's first top-to-bottom refurbishment. "The lobby, as currently built—I think it was done in the 1980s—it is fairly dated, really not up to a landmark building, which the Apollo is," Chris Cowan, principal at Beyer Blinder Belle Architects, or BBB, told Newsweek. But in seeking to reflect the original 1914 building, all the team had to work with was a grainy black-and-white photo. So BBB delved into the records the theater has, while also seeking to create a space that is viable for the coming decades. The lobby will be expanded to twice its size, allowing it to be open day-round for visitors to grab a souvenir or use the new café/bar. Those new offerings will be surrounded by art deco-inspired finishes and set against a backdrop which has long been a fixture of the Apollo's entrance—a wall of fame showcasing photos of stars which have graced the stage over the years. But now it will be enhanced, Cowan said, with new digital experiences. "The history is so deep there, but we were able to bring in technology like touchscreen displays in the lobby. People will learn and be able to see the performers that made the Apollo what it is today, going back to the 1930s when the Apollo first started to allow African-American performers to perform there," Cowan said. The auditorium is where some of the biggest changes will take place. Standing at the back of the orchestra seating with Newsweek, as technicians got ready for the Spring Benefit, Profet explained that while much of the decoration in the space will remain, performances will be very different when the Apollo reopens. "A lot of those original landmarked pieces of the historic theater will be preserved, but this is an opportunity to really integrate interactivity into the experience, as well as technology, and to digitize a lot of what happens here," Profet said. While a wall filled with around 1,000 signatures of musicians, comedians and speakers—including former President Obama—will remain as it is, tucked in the wings, big technology upgrades are coming to a space designed in a time when electric lighting was relatively new and amplified sound wasn't imagined. "Right now, it's high volume. That's all they can do is blast sound," Cowan explained. "It doesn't get to all the points in the theater it needs to get to, so this is a way to really make a huge improvement for the patrons in terms of the sound, which is what people go to the Apollo for, right? It's to hear music and see shows." Seating, lighting and stage mechanics will all be upgraded, with the latter especially needed as scene changes are still manually driven with hemp rope—a practice most theaters have swapped for mechanics. For Cowan and the wider team working on the Apollo's next chapter, it is seen as "paramount" that the project enables the theater to survive. "With the loss of so many theaters on 125th Street, if you look at photographs from the 1930s and 40s it was lined with theaters like 42nd Street back in the day and they were all lost. All the grand old theaters were lost to development of various kinds, or just decay, and the Apollo, to me, it's like the last theater standing," he told Newsweek. Renderings of the foyer of The Apollo Theatre Renderings of the foyer of The Apollo Theatre Renderings courtesy of Charcoalblue, Flyleaf Creative, and Beyer Blinder Belle. 'It Extends Beyond Culture' All this work to expand and enhance the Apollo as a landmark arts venue in the heart of a historic Black neighborhood comes at a time when arts funding is in crisis. President Donald Trump recently targeted the Smithsonian Institution, which operates more than 20 museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, in a recent executive order entitled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." For producer Larry Jackson, who has worked alongside Davis for over 20 years, it is vital that the Apollo remains strong. "It's a cultural church, it's a cultural mecca, it's a real sanctuary for Black culture," Jackson told Newsweek on the red carpet. "To me, maybe it's lofty and sacrilegious to say, I think the Apollo [is] on the same level as the White House. It's a landmark and a national treasure that should always remain." Profet told Newsweek she was confident in the Apollo's future, because of its past. "There were times in our history, in full transparency, where it really wasn't clear whether or not the Apollo would have survived," she said. But the Harlem and wider New York community came together, as well as city and state leaders, and those in Congress. One of the Apollo's long-time advocates was Democratic Representative Charles Rangel, who died in May. He described the theater as "like the Mecca" during an interview in 2007 and fought for its survival in the 1990s. That work is now being carried out by Harlem's current representatives at city, state and federal levels, along with community members. "We're all enthusiasts of culture, but we also recognize the unique role in the Apollo in shaping all things that have made America survive and thrive," Profet said. "It extends, in my opinion, beyond culture. It's about advocacy. It's about advocacy for humanity. It's about advocacy for the arts."
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Clive Davis remembers Whitney Houston as he receives Apollo Theater's Legacy Award
Clive Davis remembers Whitney Houston as he receives Apollo Theater's Legacy Award Show Caption Hide Caption Megan Thee Stallion, Serena Williams, more arrive at Pre-Grammy party Watch the stars arrive at the Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala in Beverly Hills. USA TODAY's Ralphie Aversa also speaks with Gayle King about the evening. NEW YORK – Clive Davis has been associated with the some of the biggest names in music, from Bruce Springsteen and Barry Manilow to Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin. But the music producer/executive may have no greater association than that with Whitney Houston, from Davis discovering the singer at 19 to her death in 2012 at age 48 on the night of his Pre-Grammy Gala at the Beverly Hilton. The relationship between the two was on display Wednesday night in Harlem's Apollo Theater, where Davis received both a lifetime achievement award and a spot on the theater's walk of fame. Davis was honored with the Legacy Award at the Apollo's annual spring benefit, which raised over $5 million that will go to both renovating the theater and expanding its footprint in Harlem. "After 91 years, anyone, especially this great theater, deserves a modernization," Davis, 92, tells USA TODAY before a star-studded event June 4 that included performances from Method Man, Deborah Cox, Shoshana Bean and Busta Rhymes. "I can't wait to see the new Apollo Theater." The theater's facelift will include new seats, an expanded lobby and a retooling of its iconic marquee. Since 1914, the Apollo has served as both an anchor of the Harlem community and a beacon of Black culture. Performances from Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown and Michael Jackson along with comedians such as Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx have all contributed to the venue's legacy. The Essentials: Clive Davis gets candid about new artists, music essentials and Whitney Houston Clive Davis' colleague reveals Whitney Houston story Like Houston, record executive Larry Jackson linked up with Davis when he was 19. Jackson, who co-founded the media company Gamma, introduced Davis ahead of his Walk of Fame ceremony and revealed that Davis has helped artists both publicly and behind the scenes. "When Whitney post-divorce fell on a bit of hard times, (Davis) was there with huge financial and consistent support for her," Jackson said, noting that Davis' goal was to help her "pick up the pieces and put them back together" following Houston's 2006 divorce from Bobby Brown. Jackson also revealed that after a performance in 2001 where Houston looked "skeletal," he stayed "up until 2 in the morning with Clive on the phone that night talking about what we should do to intervene." Pat Houston, Whitney's sister-in-law, also spoke at the ceremony. "I could never speak about Clive and not mention Whitney, and I can never speak about Whitney without speaking of Clive," she said. "The only thing I wish for tonight is Whitney were here to speak instead of me, because I know how proud she would be of you at this moment." Teyana Taylor receives innovator award Teyana Taylor was born in Harlem and performed on the Apollo stage when she was 8 years old: She's now the recipient of the theater's inaugural Innovator Award. The honor was presented to her by fellow Harlem native and fashion designer Dapper Dan along with TV host Sherri Shepherd, who stars with Taylor in the new Netflix film "Straw." Prior to the introduction, rapper Method Man performed a medley of hits and joked that it was worth the "three hours of traffic" he hit en route to the venue to honor Taylor. Taylor's acceptance speech was filled with gratitude. She thanked Shepherd for her sisterhood, Dan for his mentorship and Method Man for believing in her. She also thanked God with a prayer she wrote before acknowledging her family and colleagues. "This little innovative little Harlem girl you see being honored tonight has a tribe that helps me be the greatest that I can be," Taylor, 34, said. "Thank you for having my back, my front (and) both sides." Teyana Taylor, Aaron Pierre go Instagram official with swanky Oscars photoshoot Diddy's presence looms at Apollo Theater event The spring benefit was a celebration of the Apollo and Harlem, but without one of the neighborhood's embattled luminaries. Sean "Diddy" Combs co-founded Bad Boy Records with Davis, but the music mogul is jailed while standing trial on federal sex-crimes in lower Manhattan. Still, his presence at the event was felt. Method Man's set included the single, "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By," which was mixed for radio airplay by Combs. Later in the evening, Rhymes performed "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II" which features Pharrell Williams and Combs. He also credited Davis with helping that song and others become radio hits. Dapper Dan, Busta Rhymes sound the alarm on the Apollo's future Last year, the Kennedy Center bestowed special honors on the Apollo to recognize its status as an iconic American institution. But on day one of President Donald Trump's second term, he issued an executive order to crack down on what he referred to as "illegal and radical' diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Trump later appointed himself chair of the Kennedy Center and took aim at the Smithsonian Institute, complaining that it has "come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology." The Smithsonian opened a Black history museum in 2016. Busta Rhymes, who performed a medley of hits to honor Davis, said before the event that he liked the renovation of the theater "so long as establishment's narrative doesn't change and the history doesn't get erased or removed." "I hope they keep people from the community like myself involved in it," Dapper Dan, born Daniel R. Day, says of the theater's expansion. "I'm deeply concerned about the way culture is being held back by those people in power. So our hope that the liberty that we have to express our culture is not curtailed by people in power."
New York Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald, 'the First Lady of Song,' had a voice so nuanced that it conveyed vast emotions within the contexts of jazz and soul with unparalleled grace and dignity. Born April 25, 1917, in Newport News, Va., she grew up in Yonkers, N.Y., working odd jobs — including one as a runner for local gamblers — then, as a teenager, she'd go to Harlem and catch shows at the Apollo. There, in 1934, she won a chance to compete in Amateur Night, and only decided to sing (she was going to dance initially) after a dance group, the Edwards Sisters, did such a great job that she needed to switch gears. Fitzgerald wowed the crowd, and from that moment, her career was set. 'I knew I wanted to sing before people the rest of my life,' she once said. By the mid-1930s, as the frontwoman of Chick Webb's big band, Fitzgerald started experimenting with her voice, using it as an additional horn in the group in the emerging style that became known as scatting. To this day, her masterful use of it is copied by vocalists the world over. At 21, Fitzgerald became a star with her sprightly version of 'A-Tisket, A-Tasket,' which sold more than one million copies. Over the next decades, she was a fixture in jazz and entertainment, touring and performing with pretty much everyone of note while cementing her own status as a cornerstone in music. Fitzgerald's stature has only grown since then. Here are 16 songs chosen by musicians, authors, curators and scholars who admire the singer's contributions to art and culture. Find playlists embedded below, and don't forget to leave your own favorites in the comments. 'Dream a Little Dream of Me' Once Cupid's arrow strikes, falling in love is the easy part. Staying in love is where we get one chance in a lifetime to conjure the best of ourselves with the only true love of our lives. I write this with joy in my soul and sadness in my heart as I dedicate this Ella Fitzgerald song, 'Dream a Little Dream of Me,' to my brother and his wife, Rae Marie Hockett. You see, Rae Marie and Jason were high school sweethearts. I wasn't initially sure if they were a fling or forever. But until death do us part was truly their love story. Last month, Rae passed away suddenly from heart issues at 45. Her life was short but full of love and sweetness. It was like a dream, and their passion tells the tale of longevity and beauty, as we never know how long we get to spend with those we love. Artists like Ella and Count Basie are the forces that hold us together with songs. Once the curtain closes, it might feel like a dream, but every time we hear the song, it reminds us that every moment is real. While my heart beautifully breaks with grief and loss, 'Dream a Little Dream of Me' is from Ella to Rae Marie. Love true, love hard, love and let go — it will come back to you. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Joan Rivers' tribute to bring out the stars including Aubrey Plaza
"I enjoy life when things are happening. I don't care if it's good things or bad things. That means you're alive. Things are happening." ~ Joan Rivers A new comedy special will bring Joan Rivers back from the dead, at least for one night. NBC will honor the life and legacy of the late comic with "Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute," an hour-long television special set to air May 13. It will be available to stream on the Peacock network later this month. "Given that I'm dead, I assume someone will finally decide to honor me," Rivers said in a letter she left for her daughter, Melissa Rivers. "Well, it's about time." The comedy special, which stars Delaware's own Aubrey Plaza and cameos from many famous comics, was filmed at the Apollo Theater in Harlem on the opening night of the 2024 New York Comedy Festival, NBC said in a news release. You won't get far down the list of most influential comedians of the 20th century without landing on Joan Rivers. The comedy pioneer, died in 2014 at the age of 81. Here's what to know: Joan Rivers was a comedian and television personality who was a regular on NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" and made frequent appearances on other shows, including "The Ed Sullivan Show." Rivers also served as host of daytime talk show "The Joan Rivers Show," for which she earned her first and only Emmy Award. She later hosted Fox's version of "The Tonight Show," dubbed "The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers." Rivers is best known for her fashion commentary on E! Network's "Fashion Police" and "E!'s Live from the Red Carpet" telecasts before every major award show, from the Golden Globes to the Grammys. She discussed the dos and don'ts of celebrity fashion from 2010 up until her death in 2014. Rivers also famously coined the phrase, "Who are you wearing?" Rivers also was a Grammy Award winning performer, a Tony Award-nominated actress, bestselling author, playwright, screenwriter, film director, columnist, lecturer, radio host, jewelry designer, entrepreneur and the renowned creator of the modern-day red-carpet interview show. As first reported by Deadline, the tribute to Rivers next month will feature a long line of comedians including Aubrey Plaza, Tracy Morgan, Sarah Silverman, Margaret Cho, Chelsea Handler, Howie Mandel, Patton Oswalt and many more. With her sharp tongue and daring wit, Rivers didn't hold back, and neither will the tribute special. Other celebrities on the bill for "Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute'' include Nikki Glaser, Bill Maher, Rachel Brosnahan, Tiffany Haddish, Neil Patrick Harris, Joel McHale, Jean Smart and Rita Wilson. Also featured in the special, which was recorded at the historic Apollo Theater in New York City last fall, will be Rivers' daughter, Melissa Rivers. According to NBC, "Performers will deliver a mix of classic Rivers zingers and modern stand-up, and there will be musical bits, as well.'' The group, including Chelsea Handler, will "pay homage to Rivers' razor-sharp humor and impact on pop culture" through standup, musical bits and tributes. They will also revisit "Rivers' legendary cabinet of jokes" but add their own personal spin to the material to make it timely and a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. "Given that I'm dead, I assume someone will finally decide to honor me. Well, it's about time,' Rivers wrote in a letter she left for her daughter, Melissa Rivers, NBC reports. "This tribute is everything my mother would have wanted — hilarious, unfiltered and filled with people she respected (and roasted). And as usual, she was still the funniest person in the room," Melissa Rivers said in a statement. "It's incredibly moving to see so many iconic comedians come together to celebrate her legacy, especially the women whose careers she helped make possible by breaking down so many doors." Aubrey Plaza has been keeping a low profiile since the death of her husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena, who died earlier this year at the age of 47. Plaza made her first public appearance since Baena's death on Feb. 16 when "Saturday Night Live" celebrated turning 50 that weekend. The Wilmington actor Plaza once interned for "SNL,'' served as a page for NBC and also hosted the show in 2023. Plaza, who stars in Marvel's "Agatha All Along,'' also appeared in previously recorded Super Bowl commercial for Ritz crackers. The award-winning actress has several films due out later this year including Ethan Coen's "Honey, Don't,'' and Zach Woods' "The Accompanist,'' starring Susan Sarandon. You can watch the Joan Rivers tribute on NBC on May 13 at 10 p.m. EST, and subscribers also will be able to stream an 'extended and uncensored version' of the special on Peacock on May 14. The longer version will include more artists to be announced. And on June 5, an encore presentation of the original special will air on E! You can learn more by visiting Delaware and Hollywood: What movies & TV shows were made in Delaware? If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, seek help from a professional and call 988. The United States' first nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline988 will connect callers with trained mental health counselors. Text 'HOME' to 741741 in the U.S. and Canada to reach the Crisis Text Line. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: How to watch 'Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute,' Aubrey Plaza
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Melissa Rivers got famous comedians in a room together to honor her mom, Joan. Just don't call it a roast.
No, those are not Joan Rivers's actual ashes. Ahead of Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute special, airing on May 13 on NBC, Melissa Rivers and an A-list group of comedians and actors struck a pose with a gold urn. Nikki Glaser pretended she almost dropped it. Rachel Brosnahan acted like she was going to pour a martini in it. Tiffany Haddish balanced it precariously on the palm of one hand. 'That's not the real urn,' Melissa told Yahoo Entertainment as if the idea was unfathomable, even though Joan's actual ashes were literally shipped around the world after her death in 2014. 'I originally wanted to do a bit in the greenroom called 'urn point of view,'' said Melissa, who produced the special. 'Have a GoPro camera in the urn and have it judging people — looking everyone's outfits up and down. The urn cam. I got shot down on that one.' For what it's worth, Joan's actual ashes were lost after the special taped. More on that in a minute. The televised tribute came together somewhat miraculously, said the Melissa Rivers' Group Text Podcast host. It taped in one night at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, during the 20th annual New York Comedy Festival in November 2024, with a talent roster also including Chelsea Handler, Aubrey Plaza, Joel McHale, Jeff Ross, Sarah Silverman, Margaret Cho and Tracy Morgan. Getting the comics there, from their tours and sets, for the brief window was tricky, but they showed up in force for the comedy trailblazer. 'What was amazing was how many people found a way to get there, even if it meant staying somewhere, flying in from somewhere or flying out to somewhere,' said Melissa. 'It was a 'meant to be' kind of thing, and I'm really proud of my work on this.' Despite the title and the urn photo shoot, 'It's not a roast. It's a celebration,' she said. 'And yet they do make fun of her.' Glaser, who's had a meteoric rise over the last year, 'was a huge fan of my mother's … and thrilled to be asked to be a part of it,' Melissa said, adding that she thinks Joan 'would really like' the Golden Globe host's comedy. She said that 'stylistically,' their 'timing is very similar.' How would Joan, who was sharp-tongued with biting wit, have fared professionally in 2025 amid this era of cancel culture? 'I think she would have found a way to make fun of cancel culture,' Melissa said. 'She would have turned cancel culture on its head and made fun of what you cannot do … just like Dave Chappelle — and I would hope she would be grandfathered in like Dave Chappelle was.' Being the gatekeeper for her larger-than-life mother's legacy is not easy, but it's something she takes seriously. This summer, the National Comedy Center will open its Joan Rivers exhibition, complete with her famed joke archive. While a limited TV series with Kathryn Hahn never happened, Joan fans may get a biopic — eventually. 'We've had a movie in development with Sony for quite a while,' Melissa said. 'The conversation started during the very end of COVID. We've been going through the script process, the writing process and then we had the [Hollywood writers] strike, so now we're just getting back on track. Coming out of TV, [where] things go so fast, I don't know how these movie people do it … having to be that slow.' As for the former Fashion Police host's dream casting, 'I'm going to keep my mouth shut on that,' she said. There are 'conversations in progress.' Personally, 2025 has been a wild year for Melissa. In January, she lost everything — including Joan's actual ashes and those of her father, Edgar Rosenberg, who died by suicide in 1987 — in the Palisades Fire. 'Unfortunately, no, the ashes did not survive,' she said. 'I just didn't think to grab them. Why would I? I didn't think our house was going to burn down. It's L.A. — it's not like we haven't evacuated before. I could just go get a scoop of the house and call it a day, and have my mom, Uncle Tommy, and my dad and all the dogs. I'm probably going to go do that.' Melissa did take her mother's Emmy, a photo of her father and a drawing her mother did of Melissa and son Cooper when evacuating. She also had a ring of her mother's that she had recently worn to an event as well as her parents' watches. After the fire, Melissa moved five times in 11 weeks. She's now settled in a rental in the L.A. area. Will she rebuild? She's thinking about it but taking a 'wait and see' approach. 'I don't know yet,' she said. 'I'm not letting go of my lot, but I'm trying to stay very disciplined in our thinking because, honestly, nobody knows how anything is going to go. Luckily, my house has its plans, so it would be a much easier process. … Fortunately, I can sort of take a wait and see. I don't want to be the first one, and don't want to be the last one.' On the brighter side, two months after the fires, Melissa, the self-described 'worst bride ever,' married attorney Steve Mitchel in Jackson Hole, Wyo. They 'absolutely' thought about postponing the wedding. 'A lot of people said we should, and a lot of people said we shouldn't,' she said. However, the 'loudest voices saying, 'Do not cancel,'' were friends who had also lost homes in the L.A. fires, so they pressed on. The wedding was 'very nontraditional,' which is what she wanted. 'I always said, 'I want to have a party where a wedding breaks out,' Melissa said, 'and that is what we did.' Her vows fit the nontraditional theme because 'I'm not gonna promise anything in a room full of people,' she said of her second wedding. 'I'm not having you put that on tape to come back and bite me. And I don't think I can vow to do something, but I can vow to not to.' The one thing she did do was a mother-son dance with 'my little man,' Cooper. The 24-year-old recently moved out on his own but also lost everything in the fire. 'He's been rebuilding too,' she said of her only child. How does she stay positive when bad things happen? 'I don't think I necessarily stay positive,' Melissa replied. 'I stay in forward momentum. My mom used to say: 'You get a weekend wallow.' Obviously, that's a saying, [you may need more than one weekend], but that means you get an appropriate amount of time, and then you get up and you start moving forward.' She continued, 'I learned that with my dad. Some days, moving forward was only that I was able to get out of bed. And the same with my mom. You had to allow yourself to have the days where you couldn't, and then the next day you could get across the room. It's about chin out, eyes forward, because your forward momentum will make things change. Better or worse, that's to be seen. But if you're just sitting in it, you're doing nothing. So it's not so much optimism or good attitude, it's more I've been raised and taught: You go forward.' airs May 13 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. The uncensored cut streams on May 14 on Peacock.
