December 15, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal(LOS ANGELES) — Kelly Clarkson had a bit of a rough year as far as her personal life goes, so it’s great that she’s now got something to celebrate.

Now in its second season, her program The Kelly Clarkson Show has been renewed for two additional seasons, through 2023. In a statement, NBCUniversal executive Tracie Wilson said, “One ray of sunshine in this wildly unpredictable year is that we get to continue to deliver to stations and fans, a show that brings people together.”

During the pandemic, Kelly continued to film new episodes of her show, both from Montana and from her house in Los Angeles. She returned to the studio to film season two in September, albeit with a virtual audience.

The renewal is no surprise, given that The Kelly Clarkson Show is the most-watched new talk show in seven years. The show also won three Daytime Emmys in its first year, including one for Kelly herself for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host.

By Andrea Dresdale
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

December 15, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/Nicole Wilder(TEXAS) — In an interview from his Texas home with Good Morning Britain, Matthew McConaughey again lamented the lack of real debate in this country these days. 

“You’ve got to have confrontation to have unity. That’s when a democracy works really well,” said the Oscar winner. “I would argue we don’t have true confrontation right now, confrontation that gives some validation and legitimizes the opposing point of view.” 

He added, “We don’t give a legitimacy or validation to an opposing point of view, we make it persona non grata, and that’s unconstitutional.”

“We need liberals, what I don’t think we need is illiberals,” McConaughey also told hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid.

The Wolf of Wall Street star says, “What I don’t think some liberals see is they’re being cannibalized by the illiberals. [T]he extreme left and extreme right completely illegitimize the other side. They exaggerate the other side’s stance into an irrational state that makes no sense. That’s not fair.”

McConaughey also touched on so-called “cancel culture,” expressing the fear of being punished for saying the wrong thing is counter to the First Amendment. “Where the water line is gonna land on freedom of speech, what we allow and what we don’t, where this cancel culture goes, is a very interesting place that we’re engaged in as a society and are trying to figure out. We haven’t found the right spot.”

Said the star, who was rumored to be considering a step into politics, “What leaders do we trust? What media outlets do we trust? There is so much distrust right now, you start distrusting yourself, that leads to some really tough places. We have to find some form of leadership that we can listen to — agree with it or not — but trust it.”

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

December 15, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Courtesy of Karamo(NEW YORK) — The pandemic has taken a toll on our mental health, and with the socially distanced holiday season fast approaching, ABC Audio caught up with licensed therapist and Queer Eye star Karamo Brown to see what we can do to stay connected.

“What are other ways that we’ve forgotten about that you could still connect with people outside of just giving each other gifts?” asks Brown, who was a licensed social worker before becoming a media personality.

“I’ve been writing letters during the pandemic,” Karamo continues, “and it has been such a treat to write a letter and to get a letter back. I mean, you would swear it was 1983 the way I’ve been at my mailbox excited for letters, but there’s something more intimate and something about connecting through a letter where someone is actually taking the time.”

He adds, “It sort of helps you to step away from your television or your social devices. It’s been really great.”

“Though things have changed, doesn’t mean that they’ve changed for the worst,” Brown insists.  “[W]e we can still find new ways to connect to send cheer, to show people that — listen, we can still give back and be there for each other, even though things are a little bit difficult this time.” 

With giving back in mind, the TV personality is hosting Karamo’s Holiday Spectacular. The Instagram Live event on December 17 at 7 p.m. Eastern is being presented by online payment company Zelle, and will not only see Brown giving advice on dating and mental health, but also awarding $75,000 to worthy winners of Zelle’s “Send Cheer” contest.

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.