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Chicago Tribune
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Column: The celebrity spotlight, brighter than ever, still shines on Tiger Woods
The conversation, one recent night at a cozy west suburban restaurant, turned surprisingly quickly from the new pope — 'Did I tell you that my best friend's cousin went to grammar school with him, a different class but the same school?' — to professional golfer Tiger Woods, whose recent new girlfriend has the gossip machine rolling again with another bit of recent 'news.' 'Did you hear? He was at the White House,' said one of the people at the table. Four other people shook their heads, no, but I had heard that Woods had visited the White House on Thursday, and saw various outlets spread the headlines — 'Tiger Woods Visits the White House After Going Public with Vanessa Trump Romance' via People magazine — and a photo of Woods with Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana. Not much more to say on that count, we turned to other topics. But later I was thinking how so many people enjoy devouring our celebrities. And how easy it is, with an ever-expanding gossip industry. There was a time, not so very long ago, that newspapers carried what were called 'gossip columns,' giving readers columns about the bold-faced comings and goings, failures and triumphs of movie stars, mobsters, politicians and other notables. This form was popularized in the 1930s by the mean-spirited, score-settling Walter Winchell in New York, where he would become the first nationally syndicated gossip columnist, and here by the Sun-Times' Irv Kupcinet for more than 60 years. I always appreciated the way Kup described what he did: 'My lesson in journalism was not to be mean, not to try to undo people, but to help people. I pride myself in not abusing people, not using the column to ridicule people. I stayed away from being nasty as much as I could. Unless somebody really deserved it.' Times have changed. For some time, Vanessa Trump was mostly relegated to the celebrity shadows. There were some whispers as early as last fall about her relationship with Woods, but things exploded on March 23 when Instagram delivered it in the form of a photo: Woods in a white polo shirt, his face basically without expression. On his left, the lovely blond Trump in a tank top and jeans, smiling. Their arms were around one another, a white wall behind them, strands of ivy climbing. And there was this caption: 'Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together. At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts.' Good luck with that. It's almost delusional of Woods, who wouldn't know privacy if he could find it. He has been on television since he was trotted out for a 36-second spot on 'The Mike Douglas Show,' putting against comedian Bob Hope. He was 2 years old then and since has been sports news, front page and tabloid fodder. Or as Elizabeth Nelson put it in a fine recent New York Times essay, 'Celebrity is always a distorting proposition, but in Woods's case, the distortions have been practically psychedelic. … Friends have asked how I can root for him after so many episodes of unpleasant behavior. What can I say? I still root for Mick Jagger, too.' Woods' Instagram post also includes a second photo of Woods and Trump relaxing in a hammock. It had, last time I checked, more than half a million likes and more than 10,000 comments. Some commenters expressed happiness for the twosome, while an almost equal number said they didn't care but were still compelled to comment. There are many theories on why many of us are so attracted to celebrities. There is a condition that some have labeled celebrity worship syndrome, defining it as an obsessive-addictive disorder where people become overly involved with celebrities' personal lives. It's characterized by an intense fascination, often leading to unhealthy behaviors such as the compulsive seeking of information, and, at its very worst, stalking. It's not a formally recognized mental disorder, but it certainly is familiar and creepy. OK then, back to Woods. In the wake of his Instagram post, the media poured forth a stream of facts, among them that Trump is 47 years old and Woods is 49; she is Donald Trump Jr.'s ex-wife, thus President Donald Trump's former daughter-in-law; she and Trump Jr. were married on Nov. 12, 2005, at Mar-a-Lago, divorced in 2018, and have five children (Kai, 18; Donald III, 16; Tristan, 13; Spencer, 12; and Chloe, 10); and on and on and on. In other news, I hear that the company run by Barack and Michelle Obama, Higher Ground, is 'in talks' to produce a biopic about the golfer based on Kevin Cook's book, 'The Tiger Slam: The Inside Story of the Greatest Golf Ever Played.' Who knows? You can find gossip about the Obamas, too.
North Wales Live
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Baywatch legend who saved show from cancellation dies at home aged 73
Paul Nichols, the Baywatch legend who played a pivotal role in rescuing the show from cancellation, has passed away. The star died at his home in Weatherford, Texas, with his death occurring on March 14, although it was only recently announced by his family. His wife of 31 years, Linda, had died just 12 days before him. Currently, no cause of death has been revealed. Back in 1991, while working for The Lippen Group, Nichols was instrumental in the resurgence of 'Baywatch' by helping All American Television in moving the show to first-run syndication. This move rejuvenated the series after NBC had dropped it following its debut season. His strategic move ensured the survival and subsequent success of the series, which went on to run until 2001, starring David Hasselhoff and becoming an international sensation. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter Les Eisner, a fellow publicist, praised Nichols' impact in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, noting that he "was largely responsible for branding [Baywatch] as the world's most-watched TV series. Whether that was true or not, who knows? But it stuck." Although the significance of Nichols' contribution to 'Baywatch' might not have been immediately apparent in 1991, by 1996, the show was reportedly attracting a staggering 1.1 billion viewers weekly, according to the Express, reports the Irish Mirror. 'Baywatch' continues to hold the esteemed Guinness World Record for being the most-watched TV show worldwide. Broadcast in 142 countries and translated into 44 languages, the series' success led to the creation of a spin-off, 'Baywatch Nights', and a feature film in 2017. The show didn't just pull in viewers; it catapulted its cast to international stardom. David Hasselhoff, already known for 'Knight Rider', became a global icon through 'Baywatch', which also introduced talents like Pamela Anderson and Donna D'Errico to a broader audience. Born on March 22, 1948, in Delaware, Paul graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism from Penn State University in 1970. He began his career as a DJ before landing a role on the renowned talk show The Mike Douglas Show in Philadelphia. In 1980, he moved to California to work for John Davidson, Douglas' successor. His impressive career also included stints at Group W, All American Television and Sony Pictures Television. Paul's wife Linda, who sadly passed away on March 2 aged 77, held a senior role at the TV marketing association Promax. After retiring, the couple relocated to Texas to be closer to her family. Paul is survived by his brother Robert, sister-in-law Denise, nephews Steve and James, and niece Caitlin.
Wales Online
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Baywatch legend who saved show from cancellation dies at home aged 73
Baywatch legend who saved show from cancellation dies at home aged 73 Paul Nichols, who is credited with saving Baywatch from the axe, has died at the age of 73, just 12 days after the death of his wife of 31 years, Linda The 1997 The cast of the hit television series "Baywatch" (Image: Getty Images ) Paul Nichols, the Baywatch legend who played a pivotal role in rescuing the show from cancellation, has passed away. The star died at his home in Weatherford, Texas, with his death occurring on March 14, although it was only recently announced by his family. His wife of 31 years, Linda, had died just 12 days before him. Currently, no cause of death has been revealed. Back in 1991, while working for The Lippen Group, Nichols was instrumental in the resurgence of 'Baywatch' by helping All American Television in moving the show to first-run syndication. This move rejuvenated the series after NBC had dropped it following its debut season. Paul Nichols, the veteran publicist has died at his home in Weatherford His strategic move ensured the survival and subsequent success of the series, which went on to run until 2001, starring David Hasselhoff and becoming an international sensation. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter Les Eisner, a fellow publicist, praised Nichols' impact in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, noting that he "was largely responsible for branding [Baywatch] as the world's most-watched TV series. Whether that was true or not, who knows? But it stuck." Article continues below Although the significance of Nichols' contribution to 'Baywatch' might not have been immediately apparent in 1991, by 1996, the show was reportedly attracting a staggering 1.1 billion viewers weekly, according to the Express, reports the Irish Mirror. 'Baywatch' continues to hold the esteemed Guinness World Record for being the most-watched TV show worldwide. Broadcast in 142 countries and translated into 44 languages, the series' success led to the creation of a spin-off, 'Baywatch Nights', and a feature film in 2017. The show didn't just pull in viewers; it catapulted its cast to international stardom. David Hasselhoff, already known for 'Knight Rider', became a global icon through 'Baywatch', which also introduced talents like Pamela Anderson and Donna D'Errico to a broader audience. Born on March 22, 1948, in Delaware, Paul graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism from Penn State University in 1970. He began his career as a DJ before landing a role on the renowned talk show The Mike Douglas Show in Philadelphia. In 1980, he moved to California to work for John Davidson, Douglas' successor. His impressive career also included stints at Group W, All American Television and Sony Pictures Television. Paul's wife Linda, who sadly passed away on March 2 aged 77, held a senior role at the TV marketing association Promax. After retiring, the couple relocated to Texas to be closer to her family. Paul is survived by his brother Robert, sister-in-law Denise, nephews Steve and James, and niece Caitlin. Article continues below
Irish Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Baywatch legend dies just 12 days after his wife
Baywatch legend Paul Nichols, who saved the show from being axed, has died. The star died at his home in Weatherford, Texas, a number of weeks ago. He died on March 14 but his family only now made the news public. Only 12 days before he died, his wife of 31 years, Linda, passed away. No cause of death has been disclosed as of yet. In 1991, Nichols, then working for The Lippen Group, played a crucial role in the revival of 'Baywatch' by helping All American Television shift it into first-run syndication. This savvy move breathed new life into the series that NBC had dropped after its initial season. Thanks to his efforts, the show not only survived but thrived, continuing for another decade until 2001 under the watch of David Hasselhoff and sparking a global phenomenon. Fellow publicist Les Eisner lauded Nichols' influence to The Hollywood Reporter, saying he "was largely responsible for branding [Baywatch] as the world's most-watched TV series. Whether that was true or not, who knows? But it stuck." While Paul's life-saving intervention for 'Baywatch' might not have seemed fully validated in 1991, by 1996, the series was reportedly pulling in an incredible 1.1 billion viewers each week, reports the Express. To this day, 'Baywatch' retains the prestigious Guinness World Record for being the most-watched TV show across the globe. With a reach spanning 142 countries and available in 44 languages, the show's success spawned the spin-off series 'Baywatch Nights' and a feature film in 2017. Paul Nichols, the veteran publicist who saved Baywatch from cancellation, has died But it wasn't just about viewership; 'Baywatch' turned its cast into international sensations. While David Hasselhoff had already gained fame via 'Knight Rider,' it was 'Baywatch' that cemented him as a global icon, and it introduced stars like Pamela Anderson and Donna D'Errico to the wider world. Born on March 22, 1948, in Delaware, Paul earned his degree in broadcast journalism from Penn State University in 1970. He kicked off his career as a DJ before securing a role at the renowned talk show The Mike Douglas Show, based in Philadelphia. In 1980, he relocated to California to work for John Davidson, Douglas' talk-show successor. Throughout his illustrious career, he also worked with Group W, All American Television and Sony Pictures Television. Paul's wife Linda, who passed away on March 2 at the age of 77, held a senior position at the TV marketing association Promax. After hanging up their professional hats, the couple moved to Texas to be nearer to her family. He leaves behind his brother Robert, sister-in-law Denise, nephews Steve and James, and niece Caitlin. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Paul Nichols dead: Baywatch icon dies less than two weeks after wife's death
The veteran publicist who saved Baywatch from cancellation, Paul Nichols, has died at his home in Weatherford, Texas, at the age of 76. He died on March 14 but his family only now made the news public. Only 12 days before he died, his wife of 31 years, Linda, passed cause of death has been disclosed as of yet. In 1991, Nichols, then working for The Lippen Group, played a crucial role in the revival of 'Baywatch' by helping All American Television shift it into first-run syndication. This savvy move breathed new life into the series that NBC had dropped after its initial season. Thanks to his efforts, the show not only survived but thrived, continuing for another decade until 2001 under the watch of David Hasselhoff and sparking a global phenomenon. Fellow publicist Les Eisner lauded Nichols' influence to The Hollywood Reporter, saying he "was largely responsible for branding [Baywatch] as the world's most-watched TV series. Whether that was true or not, who knows? But it stuck." While Paul's life-saving intervention for 'Baywatch' might not have seemed fully validated in 1991, by 1996, the series was reportedly pulling in an incredible 1.1 billion viewers each week, reports the Express. To this day, 'Baywatch' retains the prestigious Guinness World Record for being the most-watched TV show across the globe. With a reach spanning 142 countries and available in 44 languages, the show's success spawned the spin-off series 'Baywatch Nights' and a feature film in 2017. But it wasn't just about viewership; 'Baywatch' turned its cast into international sensations. While David Hasselhoff had already gained fame via 'Knight Rider,' it was 'Baywatch' that cemented him as a global icon, and it introduced stars like Pamela Anderson and Donna D'Errico to the wider world. Born on March 22, 1948, in Delaware, Paul earned his degree in broadcast journalism from Penn State University in 1970. He kicked off his career as a DJ before securing a role at the renowned talk show The Mike Douglas Show, based in Philadelphia. In 1980, he relocated to California to work for John Davidson, Douglas' talk-show successor. Throughout his illustrious career, he also worked with Group W, All American Television and Sony Pictures Television. Paul's wife Linda, who passed away on March 2 at the age of 77, held a senior position at the TV marketing association Promax. After hanging up their professional hats, the couple moved to Texas to be nearer to her family. He leaves behind his brother Robert, sister-in-law Denise, nephews Steve and James, and niece Caitlin.
