Home

TTR News Center

'SNL' open tackles Britney Spears, Ted Cruz and Gina Carano controversies

No Comments Entertainment News

NBC/Will Heath(NEW YORK) — Saturday Night Live tackled controversies involving Britney Spears, Texas senator Ted Cruz, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and former The Mandalorian actress Gina Carano in this weekend’s opening sketch.

Cruz, Cuomo and Carano — played respectively by Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson and Cecily Strong — guested on a talk show hosted by Chloe Fineman as Spears, that latter of whom has been embroiled in a legal battle with her father over conservatorship of her estate.  

First up was Cruz, who drew criticism this week after it was revealed that he flew from Texas to Cancun for a family vacation, while bitter cold weather left millions of people in the state without power.

“Absolutely. I deeply regret my actions over the last couple of days, most flying United,” Cruz said.  “I’m sorry, I am pretty bad at human stuff.”

Fineman’s Spears then called out Cruz for blaming his actions on his daughters, warning, “As someone who has often blamed for other people’s problems at a young age…it could really mess up with their heads.”

Next, it was Cuomo’s turn to explain why he falsified data regarding the number of COVID-19 deaths in NYC nursing homes.

Davidson eventually said he was sorry, but balked at being lumped in with Cruz.

“I am a man, you are a clown,” he snapped.  “If you mess with me I will send you to a clown hospital and, when you die, I will not count your body.”

However, Strong’s Carano, who — according to SNL — was dropped from Disney+’s The Mandalorian for suggesting on Instagram that conservatives have it as bad as Jewish people living in Nazi Germany, refused to apologize.

“I never would have made that Nazi comparison if I had known everyone was going to be a Nazi about it,” Strong-as-Carano quipped.

By George Costantino
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Ken Jennings honors Alex Trebek as he wraps 'Jeopardy!' guest hosting gig

No Comments Entertainment News

Jeopardy! Productions(LOS ANGELES) — Ken Jennings closed out his six-week hosting stint on Jeopardy! on Friday, where he served as the first person to keep the show running after the passing of Alex Trebek.

Before signing off one last time, Jennings took a moment to honor the beloved show host.

“That’s a wrap on my six weeks of @Jeopardy guest hosting. Thanks for watching, thanks for your patience with a tough learning curve,” the Jeopardychamp wrote on Twitter. “And, as always, thank you Alex.”

Jennings ended his heartfelt shout out with a blue heart emoji.

While a new guest host will step in on Monday, Jennings will remain connected to the show by signing on as a consulting producer.

The 46-year-old trivia whiz teased the upcoming roster of famous faces who will step in for Trebek until a permanent replacement is found.

“Stay tuned for a carousel of surprise guest hosts, each more surprising than the last,” teased Jennings in a follow up tweet. “Collect ‘em all!”

The second guest host will be Jeapordy! and Wheel of Fortune executive producer Mike Richards, who will steer the ship until March 5.  

Katie Couric is set to take over for Richards on March 8 through March 19, where by Dr. Mehemet Oz will pick up from there, however, his shows are currently listed as “TBD”

The show previously revealed that, starting in March, each guest host will single out a charity for the show to benefit and the show will donate the cumulative winnings earned by all the contestants at the end of the host’s tenure.

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Patrick Mahomes and fiancee Brittany Matthews welcome baby girl

No Comments Sports News

Allen Kee / ESPN ImagesBy ANGELINE JANE BERNABE, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — The Chiefs Kingdom welcomed the newest member of their family this weekend — Patrick Mahomes’ baby girl, Sterling Skye Mahomes.

On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback shared an Instagram post of his daughter’s tiny hand wrapped around his finger. His fiancee Brittany Matthews is in the photo, wearing a necklace with their baby girl’s name.

Sterling was born on Saturday at 6 lbs and 11 oz.

Two days ago, Matthews had just shared a few of the photos from their maternity shoot.

“Ready to meet you, baby girl,” Matthews wrote in a caption.

Mahomes and Matthews have been dating since high school. Mahomes popped the question in September 2020 after the Chiefs received their Super Bowl LIV rings, and the couple announced they were having a baby shortly after that, with the couple holding a photo of their ultrasound.

This is the couple’s first child together.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Janet Jackson surprises UCLA gymnast after viral performance to singer's tunes

No Comments Sports News

Katharine Lotze/Getty ImagesBy ANGELINE JANE BERNABE, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — UCLA gymnast Margzetta Frazier is wowing many on social media with her floor routine to some of Janet Jackson’s popular tunes — including the singer herself.

Over the weekend, Jackson surprised Frazier with a FaceTime call before a meet against Utah.

“You’re incredible,” Jackson told the 20-year-old college gymnast in their call, which was shared on Jackson’s Instagram. “I think you are incredible, I think you are beautiful … The routine you did was excellent. And to learn those steps?! You did them perfectly.”

Frazier debuted her floor routine inspired by the singer’s music and choreography in January. Some of the choreography she incorporated included moves from the music videos of Jackson’s songs “If” and “Nasty.”

Earlier this month, her performance of the routine earned a 9.925 out of 10, during a competition against Brigham Young University’s gymnastics team.

Jackson commented on the routine saying, “#iLuvIT” with three heart emojis.

During their FaceTime call, Jackson told Frazier that her performance moved the singer to tears.

“A friend sent me this video, and it was a video of you and the routine you did,” Jackson said. “When I watched it, I began to cry. I was so thankful to God for all that he has allowed me to do and given me and just to see the work that I’ve done — the young generation still having fun with it the way that I did and still do 35 years later.”

“Thank you, because you inspire me,” Jackson added. “You really inspire me. Thank you so much for that inspiration, I think you are incredible.”

Frazier, who was overwhelmed with tears during the conversation with her idol, replied and told Jackson, “You inspire me.”

Jackson ended the call by wishing Frazier luck during her meet later that evening and said she hoped the gymnast would teach her some moves someday.

“Keep doing it,” Jackson said. “Because you’re doing an incredible job. And good luck. All the best.”

Frazier earned a 9.925 on the balance beam and a career-high vault score of 9.875 during UCLA’s meet against Utah, which helped UCLA finish with a season-best team total of 197.100.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

American Idol recap: Look-a-likes and "top 5 material"

No Comments Country Music News

ABC/John Fleenor

Another week of American Idol means another week of auditions.

Another week where the fate of singing hopefuls vying for the chance to earn the golden ticket trip to Hollywood lies in the hands of judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan.

Here are highlights from Sunday’s episode:

  • After coming into his audition dressed like Thor and screaming Viking terms, Anthony Guzman, shocked the trio of judges with his rendition of Michael Buble’s “Cry Me A River,” keeping himself in the competition a little longer. 
  • Cassie Bishop, 15, was compared to past Idol star Alejandro Aranda by Luke after her audition where she performed “Live Wire” by Mötley Crüe. 
  • Yurisbel gave the judges a workout during his audition, which saw him give his best cover of Pitbull‘s “Fireball.” Although Katy said no to him receiving a golden ticket out fear people would never “trust me ever again,” his upbeat personality won over Lionel and Luke, who had a slight resemblance to the American Idol hopeful.
  • Luke wasn’t alone in the doppelgänger department, as Katy met the country version of herself in 17-year-old Hannah Everhart, who sang Johnny Cash‘s “Wayfaring Stranger” and Etta James‘ “At Last” into a ticket to Hollywood. 
  • Chayce Beckham‘s raspy audition of “What Brings Life Also Kills” by Kolton Moore and The Clever Few had Katy calling him “top 5 material” and hailed him as “the heart of America.” The judges voted unanimously to send him through to Hollywood.
  • Although rattled with nerves, Cassandra Coleman sang “The Way It Was” by The Killers with a voice Lionel described as “angelic as it’s gonna get.” And, after showing off her skills on the piano as well, she effortlessly sang her way to the next round. 
  • 16-year-old Ace Stiles got vulnerable by sharing his story of coming out as transgender after performing his original song “Addicted.” While he didn’t make it to Hollywood, the judges left him with words of encouragement. 

American Idol returns next Sunday, February 28 at 8 p.m. ET. 

By Danielle Long
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.