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Reba McEntire reveals she’s got a boyfriend, shares her story of dating during COVID-19

• No Comments • Country Music News

ABC/Image Group LAAs single people across the world have learned in 2020, dating is tricky during a global pandemic. Still, many have managed to find happy relationships — and one of them is Reba McEntire.

The country superstar revealed her news in an episode of her podcast, Living & Learning with Reba McEntire, alongside her co-host Melissa Peterman and that installment’s special guest, Kristin Chenoweth.

“I am [dating someone],” Reba revealed. “A very, very sweetheart of guy, Rex Linn. And we’ve been talking during the pandemic. We had dinner with Rex, was it in January?…And then February on it was the COVID pandemic and we were talking, texting, FaceTime. And that’s a really good way to get to know people.”

In fact, it seems Reba is finding the upside of socially-distanced dating: She’s been able to get to know her new love interest through a long period of just talk.

“Discussions about our past, our family, funny stories, him being an actor, me being an actress. And he’s very into my music. I’m very into his career,” she explains. “It’s just great getting to talk to somebody who I find very interesting, very funny, very smart, and is interested in me, too.”

So, just who is Reba’s new boyfriend?  A 63-year-old Texas native whose family relocated to Oklahoma when he was young, Rex is an actor known for playing the role of Frank Tripp in TV series CSI: Miami. He’s also appeared in films including as Cheaper By the Dozen and A Million Ways to Die in the West, as well as TV shows like Young Sheldon, Waco, Better Call Saul and Nashville.

Early on this year, Rex shared a snapshot to social media of the dinner date that Reba mentioned as the start of their relationship.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Taraji P. Henson launches new talk show on Facebook Watch focused on mental health

• No Comments • Entertainment News

Rich Fury/Getty Images for Def Jam Recordings(LOS ANGELES) — Taraji P. Henson is taking her commitment to spread awareness about mental health to the next level.

On Monday, Facebook Watch announced they had greenlit Henson’s new show, tentatively called Peace of Mind with Taraji, that will spotlight the challenging mental health issues that we face — particularly those within the Black community. 

Co-hosted by her longtime best friend Tracie Jade Jenkins, the new show will consist of personal interviews with celebrities, experts and everyday people. The show’s goal is to provide support, bring awareness and help eliminate the stigmas of mental health issues.

According to Facebook, each episode will focus on a different mental health topic.

“I’ve long been a mental health advocate for the Black community and created the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation in 2018 that has provided resources to thousands of people who are struggling,” said Henson in a statement. “I’m looking forward to bringing this new talk series to Facebook Watch, where I can continue to create conversation around an issue that is near and dear to my heart.”

Henson’s Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation is named in honor of her father, who suffered with mental health challenges as a result of his tour of duty in the Vietnam War.

The actress joins the the growing list of talent partnering with Facebook Watch for original shows, including Red Table Talk with Jada Pinkett Smith, and STEVE on Watch with Steve Harvey.

Peace of Mind with Taraji is expected to begin production later this year.

By Candice Williams
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Alec Baldwin defends his return as Trump on 'SNL'

• No Comments • Entertainment News

Will Heath/NBC(NEW YORK) — In a lengthy Instagram video posted Sunday, Alec Baldwin defended his decision to reprise his role as President Donald Trump on the Saturday Night Live season premiere this weekend.

After receiving criticism for poking fun at the president while he’s in the hospital with COVID-19, Baldwin says he does not believe SNL was out of line.

“If there was ever the suggestion that Trump was truly, gravely ill, and people said, ‘Trump is really in trouble,’ then I would bet you everything I have that we wouldn’t even get near that, in terms of content of the show,” Baldwin shared in the nearly 15-minute long video, which is soundtracked by classical music.

“They would have done something else. I’ve seen that happen before.”

However, he continued, “We only have the words of the White House itself and the people who work there themselves to go on, and all of them have all been saying he isn’t in any danger…And if their word was that he was in serious trouble, then we probably wouldn’t have done it.”

Baldwin adds that the SNL sketch focused mainly on the debate.

“We thought the debate was something topical, and we didn’t have anything with him in a hospital bed, but we had the debate,” Baldwin said. “You’d have to have a very good reason to avoid that, topicality-wise, and nobody thought that they were mocking somebody’s illness by doing that.”

On Monday, Trump revealed he would be leaving Walter Reed Medical Center later in the day.

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

"My light": Eniko Hart shares first look of adorable baby girl, Kaori Hart

• No Comments • Entertainment News

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) — Eniko Hart is giving fans a first look at her and Kevin Hart’s baby girl, Kaori Hart.

In an Instagram post on Monday, Eniko shared a photo of her holding her adorable little girl, who’s nestled in a blanket.

“When your heart literally lives outside of your body all over again,” Eniko captioned the post. “Ori my girl you are everything i could’ve ever imagined plus more.”

“My light,” she added.

In the comments, Kevin Hart responded to the touching post, writing, “Has my heart already.”

As previously reported, Eniko gave birth to Kaori on September 29. She and Kevin share Kenzo Kash, 2, while Hart has another two children from a previous marriage: Hendrix, 12, and Heaven, 15.

By Candice Williams
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Carrie Underwood’s 'My Gift' goes number-one across three 'Billboard' charts in its first week

• No Comments • Country Music News

Joseph LlanesCarrie Underwood’s first-ever holiday album, My Gift, made a splash this week during its debut week out. The record holds the number-one spot on Billboard’s Country, Christian and Holiday album charts.

My Gift is the latest in an impressive winning streak for Carrie on the country charts, marking the eighth straight project that she’s debuted at number one on the Billboard Country chart. The project also launched Carrie to the top of the country charts in the U.K. and Canada.

The holiday project arrived on September 24, getting fans into the holiday spirit a full three months ahead of time. But the project will be the holiday gift that keeps on giving: On October 30, a special vinyl edition will become available.

Carrie will also offer fans a visual component of the record when she stars in an upcoming holiday special, backed by a live orchestra and choir, on HBO Max.

My Gift is a mix of holiday classics and newer traditional songs, and features a couple of very special duets. Carrie teams up with John Legend for “Hallelujah,” a track that the singer-songwriter and The Voice coach co-wrote. And in one of the project’s sweetest moments, Carrie also enlisted her five-year-old son, Isaiah, to join her for a rendition of “Little Drummer Boy.”

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.