Latest news with #RockinintheFreeWorld
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Dave Grohl 'spotted' at Glastonbury as anticipation builds for Neil Young's set
Glastonbury 2025 has kicked off this week and music enthusiasts can expect to see some of their favourite musicians across the festival All eyes will be on Neil Young tonight as he headlines the Pyramid stage - and speculation is raging if the rocker will bring out any special guests. Rumours are sweeping the festival - especially after unconfirmed reports Dave Grohl was spotted on site. The Foo Fighters front man is a massive Young fan and credits the rocker as inspiring his previous band Nirvana. Grohl has said previously: "Not only is Neil a hero today because he's always walked it like he's talked it, and he has the history and integrity of a real legend, he's amazing, but, he's an incredible songwriter." Could anyone else take to the stage with Neil? Well some fans wonder whether Jon Bon Jovi could make an appearance after spotting him at Queen's Club for the tennis last week. The star has covered Young's song Rockin in the Free World before, and like Grohl, is a huge fan of the Canadian legend. Bon Jovi has form for duets - he was due to join Bruce Springsteen on stage at his BST Hyde Park show in London in 2023, but had to pull out after recovering from vocal surgery. Of course, Neil is playing BST too in two weeks - so could any potential Glastonbury duet be a warm-up to that too. While the BBC iPlayer is geared up to stream live from the main five stages, Neil Young's act was not expected to air – but that has since changed. A BBC spokesperson previously said: "On Saturday on BBC iPlayer, our Glastonbury Channel and five streams for the main stages will bring a range of live performances to audiences." They added: "At the artist's request, we won't be livestreaming Neil Young's set. Our plans, including those for our TV highlights shows and on-demand coverage, continue to be finalised right up to and during the festival." But, the star later had a change of heart as a BBC spokesperson later told the Mirror: "We are delighted to confirm that Neil Young's headline set from Glastonbury on Saturday will be broadcast live to audiences across the UK on the BBC." BBC iPlayer is due to offer over 90 hours of performances over the festival with live streams from the five main stages - Pyramid, Other, West Holts, Woodsies and The Park. This means that viewers are able to create their own list of must-see acts and plan their weekend watching schedule. Sets from the Pyramid Stage will be available to stream live in Ultra High Definition and in British Sign Language. While those who prefer to listen on the radio can tune into BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. Saturday's line-up has a mystery act listed as 'Patchwork' performing from 6.15pm to 7.15pm on the Pyramid Stages. Speculation is rife that it could be anyone from Haim to Pulp to Chappell Roan but no one has been confirmed yet.
CBS News
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Conan O'Brien honored at Kennedy Center, with Trump targeted by many comics as his moves there loom large
Washington — On a night when half a dozen people made jokes about this being the last-ever Mark Twain Prize, Conan O'Brien made sure the ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ended on a high note. O'Brien accepted the award for lifetime achievement in comedy Sunday night while acknowledging the backstage turmoil that hangs over the future of the cultural center in Washington. O'Brien, 61, was named the 26th recipient of the Mark Twain Prize in mid-January. Last month, Mr. Trump dissolved the Kennedy Center's board of directors and named himself chairman . The new board includes political allies like White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, longtime senior Trump aide Dan Scavino, second lady Usha Vance and Fox News host Laura Ingraham. On Sunday, O'Brien specifically thanked Rubenstein and Rutter — drawing an extended round of applause — as well as Kennedy Center staffers who, he said, were "worried about what the future might bring." He said the example of Mark Twain's own life and career was particularly resonant at this moment in American history. "Twain hated bullies. ... He punched up, not down, and he deeply empathized with the weak," O'Brien said. "Twain loved America, but he knew it was deeply flawed." A Mark Twain impersonator then emerged from the audience. After a back-and-forth debate with O'Brien, he joined him on stage and the pair slow danced for a while. They were then joined by a dozen more Twain impersonators and previous Twain Prize recipient Adam Sandler for a raucous rendition of Neil Young's "Rockin in the Free World." That musical ending capped off a night when the uncertain fate of the Kennedy Center itself was woven through the multiple tributes and testimonials to O'Brien. "I think it would be insane not to address the elephant in the room," comic Nikki Glaser said on the red carpet before the ceremony. "It's in the air tonight. This night is about Conan, but it can be both." Once the festivities began, Stephen Colbert joked that the Kennedy Center had announced two new board members: Bashar Assad, the ousted president of Syria, and Skeletor, a fictional supervillain. John Mulaney quipped that the entire building would soon be renamed "the Roy Cohn Pavilion" after one of Trump's mentors. And Sarah Silverman made multiple Trump jokes that were too vulgar to print. Mr. Trump, in announcing the Kennedy Center changes, posted on his Truth Social social media platform that those who were dismissed " do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture ." How that vision takes shape remains to be seen, but Mr. Trump has spoken about wanting to book more Broadway shows there and floated the idea of granting Kennedy Center Honors status to actor Sylvester Stallone and singer-songwriter Paul Anka. Into this maelstrom stepped O'Brien, whose comedic persona has rarely been particularly political. The comic has always tended more toward goofiness and self-deprecation. But he has also leaned into sensitive societal issues at times. In 2011, O'Brien officiated a gay wedding live on his show, overseeing the marriage of his longtime costume designer Scott Cronick and his partner David Gorshein. O'Brien vaulted into the spotlight from near-total obscurity in 1993 when he was chosen to replace David Letterman as host of "Late Night" despite no significant on-camera experience. The former Harvard Lampoon editor had spent the previous years as a writer for "Saturday Night Live" and "The Simpsons," appearing on camera only as an occasional background extra in "SNL" skits. He went on to host "Late Night" for 16 years, longer than any other host. O'Brien was later tapped to replace Jay Leno as host of "The Tonight Show," but that experiment ended in public failure. After seven months of declining ratings, NBC executives brought Leno back for a new show that would bump "The Tonight Show" back. O'Brien refused to accept the move, leading to a public spat that ended with a multimillion-dollar payout for O'Brien and his staff to exit the network in early 2010. O'Brien went on to host another talk show on the cable station TBS, while launching successful podcasts and travel shows. He is currently on a late-career elder statesman hot streak. His travel series, "Conan O'Brien Must Go," drew popular and critical acclaim, with a second season coming. His recent gig hosting the Academy Awards was so well received that the producers announced they are bringing him back next year . In the wake of Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center, several artists, including the producers of "Hamilton" and actress and writer Issa Rae , announced they were canceling appearances at the venue. Others have chosen to perform while making their sentiments known from the stage. Comic W. Kamau Bell directly addressed the controversy in his performance just days after the shake-up. Earlier this month, cellist Erin Murphy Snedecor ended her set with a performance of the Woody Guthrie protest anthem "All You Fascists Bound to Lose." Other comedians receiving the lifetime achievement award include both Letterman and Leno, along with George Carlin, Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, Bill Murray and Dave Chappelle. The ceremony will be streamed on Netflix on May 4.
Nahar Net
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Nahar Net
Conan O'Brien accepts Mark Twain Prize for humor as politics roils Kennedy Center
by Naharnet Newsdesk 24 March 2025, 15:45 On a night when half a dozen people made jokes about this being the last-ever Mark Twain Prize, Conan O'Brien made sure the ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ended on a high note. O'Brien accepted the award for lifetime achievement in comedy Sunday night while acknowledging the backstage turmoil that hangs over the future of the cultural center in Washington. O'Brien, 61, was named the 26th recipient of the Mark Twain Prize in mid-January, about three weeks before President Donald Trump upended the Kennedy Center by ousting longtime president Deborah Rutter and board chairman David Rubenstein. Trump dismissed the board of trustees and replaced them with loyalists, who then elected him as chairman. On Sunday, O'Brien specifically thanked Rubenstein and Rutter — drawing an extended round of applause — and also Kennedy Center staffers who, he said, were "worried about what the future might bring." He said the example of Mark Twain's own life and career was particularly resonant at this moment in American history. "Twain hated bullies. ... He punched up, not down, and he deeply empathized with the weak," O'Brien said. "Twain loved America, but he knew it was deeply flawed." A Mark Twain impersonator then emerged from the audience. After a back-and-forth debate with O'Brien, he joined him on stage and the pair slow danced for a while. They were then joined by a dozen more Twain impersonators and previous Twain Prize recipient Adam Sandler for a raucous rendition of Neil Young's "Rockin in the Free World." That musical ending capped off a night when the uncertain fate of the Kennedy Center itself was woven through the multiple tributes and testimonials to O'Brien. "I think it would be insane not to address the elephant in the room," comic Nikki Glaser said on the red carpet before the ceremony. "It's in the air tonight. This night is about Conan, but it can be both." Once the festivities began, Stephen Colbert joked that the Kennedy Center had announced two new board members: Bashar Assad, the ousted president of Syria, and Skeletor, a fictional supervillain. John Mulaney quipped that the entire building would soon be renamed "the Roy Cohn Pavilion" after one of Trump's mentors. And Sarah Silverman made multiple Trump jokes that were too vulgar to print. Trump, in announcing the Kennedy Center changes, posted on social media that those who were dismissed "do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture." How that vision takes shape remains to be seen, but Trump has spoken about wanting to book more Broadway shows there and floated the idea of granting Kennedy Center Honors status to actor Sylvester Stallone and singer-songwriter Paul Anka. Into this maelstrom stepped O'Brien, whose comedic persona has never been particularly political. The comic has always tended more toward goofiness and self-deprecation. But he has also leaned into sensitive societal issues at times. In 2011, O'Brien officiated a gay wedding live on his show, overseeing the marriage of his longtime costume designer Scott Cronick and his partner David Gorshein. O'Brien vaulted into the spotlight from near-total obscurity in 1993 when he was chosen to replace David Letterman as host of "Late Night" despite no significant on-camera experience. The former Harvard Lampoon editor had spent the previous years as a writer for "Saturday Night Live" and "The Simpsons," appearing on camera only as an occasional background extra in "SNL" skits. He went on to host "Late Night" for 16 years, longer than any other host. O'Brien was later tapped to replace Jay Leno as host of "The Tonight Show," but that experiment ended in public failure. After seven months of declining ratings, NBC executives brought Leno back for a new show that would bump "The Tonight Show" back. O'Brien refused to accept the move, leading to a public spat that ended with a multimillion-dollar payout for O'Brien and his staff to exit the network in early 2010. O'Brien went on to host another talk show on the cable station TBS, while launching successful podcasts and travel shows. He is currently on a late-career elder statesman hot streak. His travel series, "Conan O'Brien Must Go," drew popular and critical acclaim, with a second season coming. His recent gig hosting the Academy Awards was so well received that the producers announced they are bringing him back next year. In the wake of Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center, several artists, including the producers of "Hamilton" and actress and writer Issa Rae, announced they were canceling appearances at the venue. Others have chosen to perform while making their sentiments known from the stage. Leftist comic W. Kamau Bell directly addressed the controversy in his performance just days after the shake-up. Earlier this month, cellist Erin Murphy Snedecor ended her set with a performance of the Woody Guthrie protest anthem "All You Fascists Bound to Lose." Other comedians receiving the lifetime achievement award include both Letterman and Leno, along with George Carlin, Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, Bill Murray and Dave Chappelle. The ceremony will be streamed on Netflix on May 4.
CBS News
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Conan O'Brien honored at Kennedy Center but Trump targeted by many comics as his moves there loom large
Washington — On a night when half a dozen people made jokes about this being the last-ever Mark Twain Prize, Conan O'Brien made sure the ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ended on a high note. O'Brien accepted the award for lifetime achievement in comedy Sunday night while acknowledging the backstage turmoil that hangs over the future of the cultural center in Washington. O'Brien, 61, was named the 26th recipient of the Mark Twain Prize in mid-January, about three weeks before President Trump upended the Kennedy Center by ousting longtime president Deborah Rutter and board chairman David Rubenstein. Mr. Trump dismissed the board of trustees and replaced them with loyalists, who then elected him as chairman . On Sunday, O'Brien specifically thanked Rubenstein and Rutter - drawing an extended round of applause - as well as Kennedy Center staffers who, he said, were "worried about what the future might bring." He said the example of Mark Twain's own life and career was particularly resonant at this moment in American history. "Twain hated bullies. ... He punched up, not down, and he deeply empathized with the weak," O'Brien said. "Twain loved America, but he knew it was deeply flawed." A Mark Twain impersonator then emerged from the audience. After a back-and-forth debate with O'Brien, he joined him on stage and the pair slow danced for a while. They were then joined by a dozen more Twain impersonators and previous Twain Prize recipient Adam Sandler for a raucous rendition of Neil Young's "Rockin in the Free World." That musical ending capped off a night when the uncertain fate of the Kennedy Center itself was woven through the multiple tributes and testimonials to O'Brien. "I think it would be insane not to address the elephant in the room," comic Nikki Glaser said on the red carpet before the ceremony. "It's in the air tonight. This night is about Conan, but it can be both." Once the festivities began, Stephen Colbert joked that the Kennedy Center had announced two new board members: Bashar Assad, the ousted president of Syria, and Skeletor, a fictional supervillain. John Mulaney quipped that the entire building would soon be renamed "the Roy Cohn Pavilion" after one of Trump's mentors. And Sarah Silverman made multiple Trump jokes that were too vulgar to print. Mr. Trump, in announcing the Kennedy Center changes, posted on social media that those who were dismissed " do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture ." How that vision takes shape remains to be seen, but Mr. Trump has spoken about wanting to book more Broadway shows there and floated the idea of granting Kennedy Center Honors status to actor Sylvester Stallone and singer-songwriter Paul Anka. Into this maelstrom stepped O'Brien, whose comedic persona has never been particularly political. The comic has always tended more toward goofiness and self-deprecation. But he has also leaned into sensitive societal issues at times. In 2011, O'Brien officiated a gay wedding live on his show, overseeing the marriage of his longtime costume designer Scott Cronick and his partner David Gorshein. O'Brien vaulted into the spotlight from near-total obscurity in 1993 when he was chosen to replace David Letterman as host of "Late Night" despite no significant on-camera experience. The former Harvard Lampoon editor had spent the previous years as a writer for "Saturday Night Live" and "The Simpsons," appearing on camera only as an occasional background extra in "SNL" skits. He went on to host "Late Night" for 16 years, longer than any other host. O'Brien was later tapped to replace Jay Leno as host of "The Tonight Show," but that experiment ended in public failure. After seven months of declining ratings, NBC executives brought Leno back for a new show that would bump "The Tonight Show" back. O'Brien refused to accept the move, leading to a public spat that ended with a multimillion-dollar payout for O'Brien and his staff to exit the network in early 2010. O'Brien went on to host another talk show on the cable station TBS, while launching successful podcasts and travel shows. He is currently on a late-career elder statesman hot streak. His travel series, "Conan O'Brien Must Go," drew popular and critical acclaim, with a second season coming. His recent gig hosting the Academy Awards was so well received that the producers announced they are bringing him back next year . In the wake of Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center, several artists, including the producers of "Hamilton" and actress and writer Issa Rae , announced they were canceling appearances at the venue. Others have chosen to perform while making their sentiments known from the stage. Leftist comic W. Kamau Bell directly addressed the controversy in his performance just days after the shake-up. Earlier this month, cellist Erin Murphy Snedecor ended her set with a performance of the Woody Guthrie protest anthem "All You Fascists Bound to Lose." Other comedians receiving the lifetime achievement award include both Letterman and Leno, along with George Carlin, Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, Bill Murray and Dave Chappelle. The ceremony will be streamed on Netflix on May 4.
CBS News
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Conan O'Brien honored at Kennedy Center but Trump targeted by many comics
Washington — On a night when half a dozen people made jokes about this being the last-ever Mark Twain Prize, Conan O'Brien made sure the ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ended on a high note. O'Brien accepted the award for lifetime achievement in comedy Sunday night while acknowledging the backstage turmoil that hangs over the future of the cultural center in Washington. O'Brien, 61, was named the 26th recipient of the Mark Twain Prize in mid-January, about three weeks before President Trump upended the Kennedy Center by ousting longtime president Deborah Rutter and board chairman David Rubenstein. Mr. Trump dismissed the board of trustees and replaced them with loyalists, who then elected him as chairman . On Sunday, O'Brien specifically thanked Rubenstein and Rutter - drawing an extended round of applause - as well as Kennedy Center staffers who, he said, were "worried about what the future might bring." He said the example of Mark Twain's own life and career was particularly resonant at this moment in American history. "Twain hated bullies. ... He punched up, not down, and he deeply empathized with the weak," O'Brien said. "Twain loved America, but he knew it was deeply flawed." A Mark Twain impersonator then emerged from the audience. After a back-and-forth debate with O'Brien, he joined him on stage and the pair slow danced for a while. They were then joined by a dozen more Twain impersonators and previous Twain Prize recipient Adam Sandler for a raucous rendition of Neil Young's "Rockin in the Free World." That musical ending capped off a night when the uncertain fate of the Kennedy Center itself was woven through the multiple tributes and testimonials to O'Brien. "I think it would be insane not to address the elephant in the room," comic Nikki Glaser said on the red carpet before the ceremony. "It's in the air tonight. This night is about Conan, but it can be both." Once the festivities began, Stephen Colbert joked that the Kennedy Center had announced two new board members: Bashar Assad, the ousted president of Syria, and Skeletor, a fictional supervillain. John Mulaney quipped that the entire building would soon be renamed "the Roy Cohn Pavilion" after one of Trump's mentors. And Sarah Silverman made multiple Trump jokes that were too vulgar to print. Mr. Trump, in announcing the Kennedy Center changes, posted on social media that those who were dismissed " do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture ." How that vision takes shape remains to be seen, but Mr. Trump has spoken about wanting to book more Broadway shows there and floated the idea of granting Kennedy Center Honors status to actor Sylvester Stallone and singer-songwriter Paul Anka. Into this maelstrom stepped O'Brien, whose comedic persona has never been particularly political. The comic has always tended more toward goofiness and self-deprecation. But he has also leaned into sensitive societal issues at times. In 2011, O'Brien officiated a gay wedding live on his show, overseeing the marriage of his longtime costume designer Scott Cronick and his partner David Gorshein. O'Brien vaulted into the spotlight from near-total obscurity in 1993 when he was chosen to replace David Letterman as host of "Late Night" despite no significant on-camera experience. The former Harvard Lampoon editor had spent the previous years as a writer for "Saturday Night Live" and "The Simpsons," appearing on camera only as an occasional background extra in "SNL" skits. He went on to host "Late Night" for 16 years, longer than any other host. O'Brien was later tapped to replace Jay Leno as host of "The Tonight Show," but that experiment ended in public failure. After seven months of declining ratings, NBC executives brought Leno back for a new show that would bump "The Tonight Show" back. O'Brien refused to accept the move, leading to a public spat that ended with a multimillion-dollar payout for O'Brien and his staff to exit the network in early 2010. O'Brien went on to host another talk show on the cable station TBS, while launching successful podcasts and travel shows. He is currently on a late-career elder statesman hot streak. His travel series, "Conan O'Brien Must Go," drew popular and critical acclaim, with a second season coming. His recent gig hosting the Academy Awards was so well received that the producers announced they are bringing him back next year . In the wake of Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center, several artists, including the producers of "Hamilton" and actress and writer Issa Rae , announced they were canceling appearances at the venue. Others have chosen to perform while making their sentiments known from the stage. Leftist comic W. Kamau Bell directly addressed the controversy in his performance just days after the shake-up. Earlier this month, cellist Erin Murphy Snedecor ended her set with a performance of the Woody Guthrie protest anthem "All You Fascists Bound to Lose." Other comedians receiving the lifetime achievement award include both Letterman and Leno, along with George Carlin, Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, Bill Murray and Dave Chappelle. The ceremony will be streamed on Netflix on May 4.
