Latest news with #WhatNow
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Jim Ross Details Terrifying Incident Days Before AEW All In
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Legendary announcer and WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has revealed that he is recovering from a "bad fall" he suffered in his hotel room just two days before the recent AEW All In: Texas pay-per-view. On the latest episode of his Grilling JR podcast, Ross detailed the scary incident. Despite the fall, Ross made his return to the commentary desk at the event on Saturday, July 12. He received a massive ovation from the Texas crowd and called the two main event matches of the evening. Jim Ross' Fall Ross explained that the fall happened on the Thursday night of the big event weekend in Dallas. The situation was made more challenging because he had misplaced his phone and was unable to call for any assistance. "I had a bad fall on Thursday night in my hotel room," Ross said (H/T to "And I was lucky... I didn't have my phone because, as you know, I had left my phone in an Uber and I didn't have any way of communicating with anybody. I just went to bed. And it was challenging." He noted that he believes he didn't break any bones, but he is dealing with significant soreness from soft tissue damage. Wrestling Commentator Jim Ross attends the premiere of "What Now" at The Laemmle Music Hall on March 10, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California Wrestling Commentator Jim Ross attends the premiere of "What Now" at The Laemmle Music Hall on March 10, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation The veteran announcer stated that he is still feeling the effects of the fall but remains in good spirits. He acknowledged that his age has made the recovery process a slow one. "I was still sore, to this very minute, I'm still sore," he explained. "The older you get, the slower you heal. And that's kind of my situation right now... but I'll make it. I'll be alright." A Lifetime Of Toughness This incident is just the latest in a long history of health battles that Jim Ross has publicly and bravely fought. For decades, he has dealt with Bell's palsy, a condition that has affected his facial muscles. In recent years, he has also undergone extensive radiation treatment and surgery for skin cancer. His dedication to his craft in the face of these challenges is a testament to his toughness. His ability to show up and call the main events at All In just two days after a significant fall is another chapter in the resilient career of the man widely considered to be the greatest wrestling announcer of all time. As the voice of WWE's Attitude Era, "Good Ol' JR" provided the soundtrack to a generation of fans, and his continued presence adds a "big match feel" to any event he is a part of. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Review: Alabama Shakes is back, reuniting for a Chicago audience outdoors at Salt Shed
Why rush the pace on a warm, humid evening? Alabama Shakes eased into its first scheduled show in eight years Tuesday at the outside Fairgrounds at Salt Shed. Performing the opening of a two-night stand and their first local gig since 2016, the reunited rock 'n' roll band received a warm welcome from a packed crowd. It returned the favor throughout a 90-minute concert that contained a few surprises sprinkled amid the familiar. In news that will shock no one, vocalist-guitarist Brittany Howard led the way. Wearing a smart pair of glasses and a hybrid overalls-dress ensemble, she flashed an ear-to-ear smile and openly channeled enthusiasm. And while the 36-year-old belter largely skipped the banter, she expressed gratitude in multiple ways, from blowing kisses to taking formal bows. Happy to be playing with her old friends, she evoked a small-town native who, after moving to the big city for a stretch as a young adult, gladly returned home to comfortable surroundings. While she's been receiving critical acclaim for her solo excursions, Howard looked jazzed to re-engage with her former mates and resurrect long-dormant songs. Save for a surprise one-off event in Alabama last December, the group has been on indefinite hiatus since early 2018. During the break, the two other current permanent members maintained a low profile. But former drummer Steve Johnson dealt with domestic violence issues and was arrested for suspicion of child abuse, a charge subsequently dropped. He's no longer with the band. Alabama Shakes keeps picking Chicago for key stops. During a spring 2015 tour well in advance of its sophomore 'Sound & Color' LP, the band previewed all the album's songs in a Chicago Theatre show for an audience unacquainted with the material. Months later, the group upped the ante with a celebrated set at Lollapalooza. Howard later chose the city to launch her 2024 tour at Thalia Hall with a pair of winter concerts that preceded the release of her most recent effort, the Grammy-nominated 'What Now.' 'What now' for Alabama Shakes is the past, and a small taste of the future. At this show, with pressure and anticipations at a peak, some spots of rust understandably emerged. Ditto a handful of pragmatic choices that can easily be amended and improved as things evolve. Namely, the flow of the set, which at times sagged, and the arrangement of the band onstage. The interplay between Howard and guitarist Heath Fogg helps separate the Alabama Shakes from many lesser bands. But by placing the primarily immobile Fogg behind and to the side of her front-and-center position, the group shut itself off from some spontaneous opportunities. Often, Alabama Shakes Version 2.0 bordered on being too cautious for a band that last issued new original music a decade ago. Chalk up the buttoned-down tactics to nerves, perhaps, or the simple desire to get their sea legs back. Whatever the reason, Howard and company never worked their fare into a sweaty lather or sustained any explosive energy longer than one tune. Three auxiliary instrumentalists (drummer Noah Bond, organist Ben Tanner, keyboardist Paul Horton) and a trio of backing vocalists fleshed out the arrangements, yet this inaugural showing favored restored symmetry over reignited chemistry. An abundance of diligent textures and delicate balladry, a shortage of let-it-all-hang-out looseness and fiery intensity. Of course, with Howard as the center of attention, sparks still flew. Present her a song and she'll stamp it with sincerity, personality and soul. Make that an extra helping of the latter. In complete control, Howard demonstrated a mega-watt range that veered from a quiet, ultra-high register only canines might detect to low, throaty howls that would command the respect of a street tough. She appreciated the role of subtlety, and the rule of 'less is more.' Howard preferred simmer to boil, sugar to sass, and never lacked spunk. Her alteration of one syllable in a verse or chorus usually changed the temperature of the song, and prompted the rhythms to follow suit. Bond and bassist Zac Cockrell held down the low end with workmanlike aptitude, leaving plenty of room for bluesy fills, fuzz-distortion accents and pregnant pauses to enter undetected. For all their graduate-level knowledge of roots rock, vintage R&B and Southern boogie, Alabama Shakes served notice they're just as much students of the art of the build — and of how tension inherently begets deeper grooves. Howard essentially narrated the approach on 'Hold On,' whose steady purr, knee-bending flexibility and slight funkiness contributed to its fabulous sense of restraint — to say nothing of its verbal push-pull tug between patience and pleasure, increasingly relevant in an age where instant gratification reigns supreme. Indicative of the title, 'Dunes' rose and fell akin to a coastal landscape, its ebbing melody threatening to drift away and requiring the band to reel it back as the three-piece vocal choir repeated the refrain. At other times, Howard pushed her singing until it teetered on an imaginary ledge, peering over precipices at once exhilarating and dangerous. Delivered in a scratchy tone, 'Don't Wanna Fight' strutted and swaggered even as it briefly snuck inside a disco club. Framed as a sentimental hymn, 'This Feeling' floated through static-charged air as Howard's soft, breathy shiver twined with minimalist percussion and twinkling keys. A waltzing 'Gimme All Your Love' found the singer begging and demanding, and tempos that bounced between similar extremes. The Alabama Shakes chased synesthesia on the big-sky shimmer of 'Sound & Color,' yet the brand-new 'Another Life' registered a more formidable impression. Its slinky, stacked-block architecture ultimately gave way to Howard testifying and a stomping outro. Another apparent debut, the haunted 'American Dream,' waded into psychedelic territories via dissonant elements and clashing themes. All told, a solid start to an Act 2 that needs a few tweaks — including the exchange of some mellow fare ('Someday,' 'Over My Head') for a couple of garage-rock howlers sitting on the shelf ('Heavy Chevy,' 'The Greatest'). Or an occasional stab at a rollicking cover or an attempt at a cut from Howard's side-project hardcore band, Kumite. Those shifts would grant Howard extra chances to turn her head from side to side, throw her head back and visibly vibrate with excitement. All signs of an impending eruption of uncontainable emotion and fierce determination. In the world of Alabama Shakes, that's always from the Salt Shed Fairgrounds on July 15: 'Future People' 'Don't Wanna Fight' 'I Ain't the Same' 'I Found You' 'Guess Who' 'Hang Loose' 'Hold On' 'This Feeling' 'Dunes' 'Another Life' (unreleased) 'Gimme All Your Love' 'Over My Head' 'Rise to the Sun' 'Shoegaze' 'Drive By Baby' 'Be Mine' 'American Dream' (unreleased) 'Gemini' Encore 'Sound & Color' 'Someday' 'Always Alright'
Newsweek
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Wrestling Legend Jim Ross Provides Major Health Update Amid Cancer Battle
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Legendary announcer Jim Ross has shared a positive update on his health. On his Grilling JR podcast, he confirmed his cancer is gone and praised AEW President Tony Khan. Ross has been dealing with health issues for some time. He stated that his main goal now is to get back to work at the commentary desk. Jim Ross Is Cancer-Free Ross expressed his excitement about returning to AEW. He also delivered the welcome news about his health status. "The cancer's gone, which I'm very happy to say," Ross shared (H/T to "So you know, I'm blessed that my health has returned, and I'm feeling pretty damn good." He is eager to stop sitting at home. He is targeting a major upcoming AEW event for his return. "My plan is to be in Dallas for the big event [AEW All In]," Ross said. Wrestling Commentator Jim Ross attends the premiere of "What Now" at The Laemmle Music Hall on March 10, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California Wrestling Commentator Jim Ross attends the premiere of "What Now" at The Laemmle Music Hall on March 10, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California Praise For Tony Khan Ross made a point to thank his boss for his support. He said Tony Khan has been "amazingly wonderful" during his illness. "He supported me wholeheartedly and I really do appreciate that," Ross stated. "That's the way a boss should act, should do is take care of your people." More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation He noted that he feels indebted to Khan and AEW. He plans to repay that support by doing his best work when he returns. "Tony Khan has certainly taken good care of me, and I plan on being reciprocal and doing my best to take care of him in my role going forward," he said. AEW All In weekend takes place in Arlington, Texas. It begins with the Starrcast convention on Friday, July 11, and the pay-per-view is on Saturday, July 12. Ross has been a foundational voice for AEW since its inception. He signed with the company in April 2019 in a dual role as both a lead commentator and a senior advisor, bringing instant credibility and a familiar, respected voice to the new promotion. For years, Ross was a regular fixture on the commentary team for Dynamite and major pay-per-views, calling many of the company's most historic moments. While health issues have recently seen him transition to making special appearances on shows like Collision and pay-per-views, he remains a key figure and mentor within the company. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
IOL News
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
'I'm pampered': Anele Mdoda shares joys of marriage on the 'What Now with Trevor Noah' podcast
Anele Mdoda and her husband, Buzza James, embracing in Munich. Image: Instagram. In the latest episode of the wildly popular podcast "What Now with Trevor Noah", listeners were treated to a delightful conversation between host Trevor Noah and his friends, radio presenter and film producer Anele Mdoda and fellow radio personality Sizwe Dhlomo. The episode took a heartfelt turn as Mdoda, who recently celebrated her traditional marriage to Bonelela Buzza James, opened up about her exciting new chapter as a bride. Describing her experience of being newly married, Mdoda radiated happiness as she shared: "I'm spoiled, I'm pampered, it's nice. I do nothing which is great ... They try to tell us women, you must cook, you must clean, no, none of that. The real marriage is that it's the man that does everything." She continued to say that all she needed to do was cook. "It's so nice to find a partner, like I've literally found an equal, like he my dude, he's my guy. I feel so protected and safe and it's just that entire thing. Also because he's the one person in the world that I don't have to convince to be on my side. He is automatically on my side." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ While Mdoda celebrated her marital bliss, Dhlomo chimed in with playful banter, teasing the possibility of his own secret marriage. The light-hearted conversation continued as Noah revealed that Mdoda's upcoming white wedding would be a significant milestone for him - it would be the first wedding he has ever attended. "I've never attended a wedding ever in my life ... A part of the reason I don't attend weddings is because I work to much and the other reason is that people don't invite me to their weddings or they uninvite me because I am me," said Noah. Curious about wedding etiquette, he sought advice from Mdoda regarding her special day. "Is there anything I should or shouldn't do?" To which Mdoda responded: "You'll be fine, Trevor. You've been to the Oscars and Grammy's ..." She also divulged the one rule that she will never break when attending weddings. "I have a hard rule that I do not take photos at weddings with people because it's all about the couple, leave me out of it," said Mdoda. Watch the full podcast below.
The Spinoff
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
‘A big, brave thing': Janine Morrell-Gunn on What Now's huge pivot
The children's television veteran shares her life in television. A year-and-a-half ago, beloved local children's series What Now made the hugest swing of it's television tenure. After four decades as a live studio show, the series pivoted to be digital-first. YouTube became the primary platform for the show, with short videos being uploaded regularly and a pre-recorded episode packaging it all together still airing every Sunday morning on TVNZ2. 'We did a big thing and a brave thing,' says Janine Morrell-Gunn, executive producer of What Now and director of Whitebait Media. 'After 42 years on television, it's been tantamount to moving the Titanic.' Aside from moving to a smaller studio, there's also been a refresh of the hosting dynamic. What Now is now helmed by a 'crew' mostly in their early 20s, who take turns hosting the studio show and competing in a range of challenges together. 'It has really changed the whole culture of the show, which I think is much closer to reflecting young people and how they live their lives,' says Morrell-Gunn. She admits that the new era of What Now initially spent time trying to 'out-beast Mr Beast' with the likes of dramatic helicopter stunts, but have now settled into simpler shortform quiz formats and lo-fi crew set-ups. And having worked on everything from Spot On to The Son of a Gunn Show, Morrell-Gunn remains passionate about celebrating local kids. 'Kids seeing themselves on screen, hearing their voices and having their own humour and sensibilities showcased is so important,' she says. 'We need to keep seeing kids from all cultures accepting, playing, and enjoying each other.' And, before you ask, there's still plenty of room for gunge – the new era of What Now also comes with a fully mobile gunge tank, which is still traversing the motu gunging kids to this day. 'Whatever gunge means, it's joyful,' says Morrell-Gunn. Speaking of joyful, we asked Morrell-Gunn to take us through some of her most treasured television memories, including what Michael Jackson had to do with Jason and Thingee's Big Adventure. My earliest TV memory is… Watching The High Chaparral, which is a Western from way back in the day. That's how old I am – the show aired in the late 60s. The reason I remember it is because I was terrified behind this chair watching it. The show I would rush home from school to watch is… We didn't watch TV very much after school as kids, but I do remember Romper Room which was a preschool show. They'd do a song where kids would run around the studio with these little wooden horses between their legs. I knew a girl Eden who got on the show and she took her horse and started hitting the lights in the studio. I don't know why they didn't edit in those days. A TV moment that haunts me is… We made Jason and Thingee's Big Adventure on the weekends while we were working on other things during the week, and we had so much fun. But my haunting memory was that we included various video clips from the Son of a Gunn Show throughout, and one of them was montage with a young group of dancers who were dancing to 'Beat It'. When it was about to come out we got a message saying 'have you cleared the Michael Jackson song?' We hadn't, so we re-recorded a soundalike using session musicians. I thought we had sorted it out, except that the original version with Michael Jackson was somehow put out on the VHS. I've lost a lot of sleep about that because I could see the headlines – 'Michael Jackson sues Christchurch woman' – but we lived to tell the tale. My earliest TV crush was… Definitely David Soul from Starsky and Hutch. He went into singing and I bought his 45 from the local record shop for 99 cents. No one who reads this will remember any of this. My TV guilty pleasure is… I did have a big Schitt's Creek moment. So many people had said to watch it and I couldn't get through the first couple of episodes, and then suddenly those 80 episodes just went like that [Morrell-Gunn snaps her fingers]. I could not get enough of it – I'd just keep tapping on the table and say 'go again, Jason'. I remember feeling very much out of control. My favourite TV character of all time is… Well, my husband. I've enjoyed him on everything that he's ever done. I just think he has this beautiful, real and really relatable way about him. So he is my pick. My favourite TV show I've ever been involved in is… That's a hard one for me, because they're all your babies. 2kaha was a show we made on Saturday mornings and I loved the Māori sensibility, it had a really great energy about it. Bumble was also something special. I just love the kindness of that show, there was real joy in that and innocence to it. You never know what impact your shows ever have, but I remember getting this mail from a mum thanking me because she could put her child in front of Bumble and finally have a shower. And then there's Brain Busters – making the te reo Māori version of Brain Busters just melted my heart. The TV project I wish I could be involved in is… I'd love to have worked on Adolescence. I think it's just stunning what they achieved. From the execution of that idea through the script, to the groundbreaking style of storytelling, to the messaging and the timeliness and the need for it in society… it was just a fabulous piece of content. My controversial TV opinion is… This isn't controversial, but I've always been a champion for children's content. I think that we always get the thin end of the wedge, and that young people deserve the same range and diversity of local content across all genres. Children's television often feels last in a long, long line. A show out there I won't watch, no matter how many people say I should… I don't watch any real-life murder crime series. The family love them and I'll take a look if I'm wandering through the room, but only because I'm fascinated by the technique – how slow it takes, how much is recapped, how they interview. But it's never going to have a happy ending. The last thing I watched on television was… We just waited for that last episode of Mob Land, and loved that. Also just finished My Friends and Neighbours. And then Nine Perfect Strangers, based on the Lianne Moriarty book with Nicole Kidman. We love the dramas.
