ABC“Ain’t Always the Cowboy” is on track to be Jon Pardi‘s second number one from Heartache Medication, and the California native reveals it’s also something more — a little tip of the hat to Tim McGraw and King George.
“It’s definitely got some influence from, probably some George Strait,” he reflects, “and it’s a little more rockin’ too, you know. We really souped up ‘Ain’t Always the Cowboy.’ We wanted it to be emotional.”
Thanks to an unexpected “Western Version” of the song, the hit takes on even more depth.
“If you listen to each version, from the ‘Western Version’ to the single version,” Jon explains, “it was really fun to take something where it was like really kind of rockin’ and we had to really break it down. And then it becomes like a really intimate song and it builds and builds.”
“I didn’t see the other version coming,” he admits.
For the newly-married Pardi, the track’s always been a favorite, even if he didn’t write it.
“I just thought the song was great. I thought the lyrics were there and it was a great fresh idea that hasn’t been [sung] before, and I look for that,” Jon says. “I always said it was kind of like ‘Just to See You Smile’ or ‘She’ll Leave You with a Smile.'”
“It was that kind of thing, but it’s just got a little more grit, a little more cowboy tough,” he adds.
Jon’s third album, featuring its chart-topping title track “Heartache Medication,” was nominated for both CMA and ACM Album of the Year in 2020.
Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Cetaphil(NEW YORK) — Rachel Brosnahan stars in the new film I’m Your Woman, premiering today on Amazon Prime, and says the part was a bit of stretch.
Brosnahan describes the movie as “a quiet woman’s journey towards becoming the hero of her own story,” but the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star tells ABC Audio she didn’t exactly identify with the character.
“I am not a quiet woman, much to my parents’ chagrin,” she says. “[But] I don’t always consider myself a confident one. But you have to be given permission to use your voice and to feel like it’s valuable. And that’s something that I recognize as a woman who should probably sometimes use it a little bit less.”
“[It’s] a real privilege,” she continues. “And Jeanne is someone who has at some point been taught that perhaps her voice isn’t as valuable.
The role also proved to be a bit of a challenge for the 30-year-old actress, who doesn’t have any children of her own.
Says Brosnahan, “I have a whole new respect for the strength of mothers everywhere, quite literally, physically, emotionally and I’m only playing one in the movie, but I definitely got a little bit of mom arm. I got really strong [on] one side.”
By the way, for nearly half the movie, that baby she’s carrying throughout the film is crying, but Rachel swears no babies were harmed in the making of the movie.
“Nobody’s pinching babies on the set!” she assured. So how did they do it?
“The trick to that…is that we had twins. And…the more sensitive baby they like to face outward. That was how they were the most comfortable. And…[we] would sometimes just sort of hold them differently.”
LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty ImagesBy HALEY YAMADA, JON SCHLOSBERG, and SENI TIENABESO
(NEW YORK) — Bill Gates has warned about the need to prepare for a pandemic for years. Since the novel coronavirus swept across the country in March, the billionaire has put his money where his mouth is.
“This will be seared in the memory of this generation, hopefully enough, to invest, to be more ready next time. Hopefully to invest more in all these infectious diseases that are still a huge problem,” Gates told ABC News.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced a new $250 million commitment on Thursday, adding to the foundation’s total investment to $1.75 billion into combating COVID-19 through vaccine development and distribution.
“The plan is coming together to get this vaccine out. So, you know, it’s a tragedy, but there’s a lot of heroes in the process of getting it to end,” said Gates.
Gates, who had invested in the vaccine technology in 2015, emphasized the importance of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines ending this pandemic and potentially ones to come in the future.
“Well, your immune system is kind of magic. If it sees a foreign shape once, then it says, ‘Wow, if I ever see that again, I am going to react very quickly,’ and so that it doesn’t cause a problem,” said Gates.
“With mRNA, we actually give instructions to your cells to make them build part of the virus,” said Gates, who said that the immune system kicks in to help inoculate against the virus.
The U.K. was the first country to authorized the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and began distributing it to first-wave participants on Dec. 8.
The U.S. is likely not far behind on authorizing emergency use and beginning to distribute a that COVID-19 vaccine. On Dec. 10, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel held a hearing on the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Alex Azar, the U.S Department of Health and Human Services secretary, offered ABC News an optimistic look the vaccine authorization process.
“If things are on track, the advisory committee goes well, I believe we could see FDA authorization within days,” Azar told ABC News on Dec. 6.
Gates said that citizens in other countries may not be as lucky and could potentially be left behind amid the rush to manufacture, obtain and distribute the vaccines.
“Well, there are many countries that have no vaccine factories at all, and it doesn’t make any sense that their citizens wouldn’t get any protection,” said Gates. “We want to end the disease everywhere, so we’re not constantly having these re-infections. And if anyone cares about equity, they should not want the vaccines only to go to the rich people or the rich countries.”
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Dec. 9 that stated the U.S. would only share its vaccine doses after “all Americans who choose to be vaccinated” are able to.
Gates said that he was hopeful other billionaires will step up to help fill the global gaps in vaccine distribution.
“I always think we could do more, we should give more, give smarter,” he told ABC News. “I hope in the future people are even more generous.”
Although vaccine authorization and distribution is imminent, the U.S. saw its deadliest week since the beginning of the pandemic this week, with 15,578 deaths — roughly the equivalent to 92 deaths every hour, ABC News reported.
In less than a week alone, the U.S. has reported 1.4 million new cases.
Gates said he hopes what the U.S. has done and learned during the coronavirus pandemic will help mitigate the next global disease outbreak.
“Well, you know, just the way people have come together on this. Science, caring about other people,” he said. “I’m very hopeful the way we get out of this disaster sets a model for innovation and cooperation.”
ABC News’ Adam Kelsey and Adia Robinson contributed to this report.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Yeezy Season 3(LOS ANGELES) — The Kardashian/Jenner family is heading to Hulu.
The streaming service announced Thursday during Disney’s Investor Day presentation that Kourtney, Kim and Khloé Kardashian, and Kris, Kendall and Kylie Jenner have inked a multiyear deal to create content for Hulu.
Internationally, it will stream on Star.
More details are forthcoming; new content is expected to be available next year.
Kim Kardashian West announced on social media in September that her family’s long-running E! reality TV show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, was coming to an end. The 20th and final season is expected to air next year.
“After what will be 14 years, 20 seasons, hundreds of episodes and numerous spin-off shows, we are beyond grateful to all of you who’ve watched us for all of these years — through the good times, the bad times, the happiness, the tears, and the many relationships and children,” she wrote. “We’ll forever cherish the wonderful memories and countless people we’ve met along the way.”
Disney is the parent company of Hulu and ABC News.
Disney+(LOS ANGELES) — On Thursday, The Walt Disney Company held a virtual streaming event called Investor Day 2020, during which it announced that nine new Star Wars series will debut on Disney+, which is now more than 86 million subscribers strong.
Disney had hinted about a “significant expansion” of the Star Wars universe, but even the most die-hard Mandalorian fan might not have predicted quite this many shows centered on that galaxy far, far away.
Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy announced the new Star Wars shows, and two new films: an as-yet-untitled one directed by Oscar winner Taika Waititi, and Rogue Squadron, directed by Wonder Woman‘s Patty Jenkins.
As for the TV shows:
Ahsoka — A Mandalorian spin-off centering on Rosario Dawson’s former Jedi Ahsoka Tano. Rangers of the New Republic — A series set during the events of The Mandalorian.
Andor — A Rogue One spin-off centering on star and executive producer Diego Luna’s Rebel spy Cassian Andor.
Obi-Wan Kenobi — A series centering on Ewan McGregor’s Jedi Master that takes place after the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. And fans will be thrilled at the fact that Hayden Christensen will reprise his role as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. The Bad Batch — An animated spin-off from Star Wars: The Clone Wars centering on a group of specially trained clone troopers. Lando — A series based on the early days of the swashbuckling smuggler who was played by Donald Glover in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Star Wars: Visions — An animated anthology of Star Wars tales from acclaimed anime artists.
The Acolyte — A series set long before the events of the previous Star Wars films. It’s described as a “mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.” A Droid Story — R2-D2 and C-3PO are leading this series about on a secret mission undertaken by the pair.
ABC“Ain’t Always the Cowboy” is on track to be Jon Pardi‘s second number one from Heartache Medication, and the California native reveals it’s also something more — a little tip of the hat to Tim McGraw and King George.
