January 28, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

“Firefly Lane” – Netflix(LOS ANGELES) — (NOTE LANGUAGE) Katherine Heigl may have left Grey’s Anatomy years ago, but that didn’t stop her from offering up her opinion on the show’s shocking twist involving Alex and Izzie. 

The shocking twist being referred to here is the season 16 reveal that Justin Chambers’ character Alex left Seattle and his wife, Jo, to be with his former flame, Izzie Stevens, which is the character Heigl portrayed while appearing on the ABC medical drama. 

Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, the 42-year-old actress revealed that she hadn’t seen the episode, which aired on March 5, 2020. 

“I didn’t see it,” she admitted before being brought up to speed on what happened. 

“Wasn’t he with someone?,” she then asked before adding, “Listen, isn’t that an a**hole move?”

Heigl appeared on Grey’s Anatomy as Izzie for six seasons from 2005 until 2010. Currently, the show is airing its seventeenth season, which has seen the return of past stars like Patrick Dempsey and T.R. Knight, but it doesn’t seem that fans should expect her to join them. 

When asked if she would make a cameo, Heigl explained that she’s “super focused” on her new show Firefly Lane. 

“I would never say never,” she teased, but quickly stated that “it’s not likely.” Given how she left the show — amid a flood of bad blood, criticizing the writing staff on the Shonda Rhimes-created hit — it’s safe to say she’s probably right.

In a 2014 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Rhimes said of her shows: “I don’t put up with bulls**t or nasty people, I don’t have time for it.” She added that there were “no Heigls” working on her current shows, which also included Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder.

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

January 28, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Netflix/Denise Crew(LOS ANGELES) — Looks like Marie Kondo will have another little one to “tidy up” after: her third child.

The bestselling author and star of Netflix’s Tidying Up with Marie Kondo star announced the exciting news in an Instagram post on Wednesday.

“I have some news! Another bundle of joy on the way. ??” she captioned a photo of herself cradling her baby bump.

The post was flooded with well-wishes for the KonMari Method founder and her family. She did not reveal her due date in the pregnancy announcement.

Kondo and her husband Takumi Kawahara married in 2012. They are already parents to two young daughters, Satsuki and Miko.

While promoting her book, Kiki & Jax: The Life-Changing Magic of Friendship in 2019, the organizing expert discussed how having her daughters inspired her to write a children’s book.

“I was thinking about how I could teach my daughters how to tidy, and I noticed that they loved books,” she told HuffPost. “They always wanted to mimic what they learned in books, so I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could somehow use books to teach them how to tidy?'”

Kondo has also written four books on organizing, including the bestselling 2010 guide, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

By Hayley Fitzpatrick
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

January 28, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/Lorenzo Bevilaqua(NEW YORK) — On Thursday’s edition of Good Morning America, it was revealed that co-anchor Michael Strahan has tested positive for COVID-19. 

“He wanted us to let you know that he tested positive,” co-anchor Robin Roberts said, noting that viewers had noticed Strahan hadn’t been in the studio this week. “He’s at home quarantining right now,” she explained. 

“So many of you have…reached out to him,” George Stephanopoulos added, saying of his co-anchor, “He says thank you for the concern, very grateful for that and the well-wishes. He’s also feeling well and looking to be back here shortly.” 

The GMA personality added that the show’s staff that was in studio both in front of and behind the camera had been cleared by ABC parent company Disney after contact tracing was done for those who had been in Strahan’s orbit.

Co-anchor Amy Robach, who has been on camera earlier than usual in Strahan’s absence, joked that she told him to hurry back, “because I’d like to set my alarm back an hour.”

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

January 28, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/Brian Bowen Smith(LOS ANGELES) — “What do you have to lose by not going for your dreams?” asks Katy Perry in a new teaser for the 2021 season of American Idol.  Well, according to host Ryan Seacrest, one thing you didn’t have to lose was your health, thanks to the COVID-19 protocols the show followed this year.

Last year, the pandemic forced Idol to originate from the homes of the contestants and the judges.  But going into this year’s auditions, Ryan says they were prepared.

“This season we created bubbles, different places in California — we did all the auditions there,” he tells ABC Audio. “The contestants, they auditioned online, then the best of the best came out to California and they had to quarantine and be tested, as we all did, before each of these shoots.”

“We were in a safe environment. We shot Hollywood Week from the Dolby Theater, as we have done in years past,” he explains. “So the scale of the show looks like American Idol should look and has looked over the years.”

“And then our plan in the spring is to be back in the studio,” Ryan notes. “I don’t know if we have an audience or not, but we should be back on the big stage with the judges, myself and the contestants. So that’s exciting.” 

Katy certainly thinks it’s exciting: On her socials, the new mom posted a GIF of herself in a cow-print outfit — a nod to the fact that she was nursing during the auditions — along with the caption, “This MOM says WOW…only 3 weeks until the @americanidol premiere! See you there?”

Katy and and her fellow judges, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie will be behind the judges’ table when American Idol returns to ABC on Valentine’s Day, February 14.

By Andrea Dresdale
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

January 28, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Stiller outside his home on “Seinfeld” – Julia Xanthos/ NY Daily News via Getty ImagesComedy legend Jerry Stiller died in May and details of the Seinfeld star’s will have been made public.

New York Post on Wednesday revealed how the 92-year-old comedian wanted his $5 million estate to be handled.  While the comedy great made sure his family was well cared for, Stiller also bequeathed some of his estate to former employees and made a few final charitable donations to some local organizations.

Stiller’s will was dated May 2010, so two beneficiaries who were to inherit a portion of Stiller’s estate had unfortunately passed before him: his wife and former Stiller and Meara comedy partner Anne Meara, as well as his former housekeeper.

Meara, who died in 2015, was to inherit Stiller’s automobiles, jewelry and other physical valuables.  The will indicated that, in the case of Meara’s death, their children, Ben Stiller and Amy Stiller, would be divide the belongings.  

Manhattan Surrogate’s court, which filed the will in September, listed Stiller’s longtime personal assistant as another recipient.  She was bequeathed $150,000 “in recognition of her exceptional services toward enhancing the professional careers of myself and my wife for many years.”

The late comedian also willed $25,000 to Syracuse University, his alma mater, and directed the funds to their theatre department.  

He also left $10,000 to The Actors Fund of America to benefit various New Jersey-based retirement and nursing homes.

Other organizations Stiller supported in his will were the Boys & Girls Republic and the Abrons Arts Center.

A spokesperson of the latter told the Post, “Jerry Stiller was certainly a beloved member of the Henry Street family, who got his start on the stage of what is now our Abrons Arts Center…He always spoke very fondly of the Settlement!”

Ben and Amy Stiller have not responded to request for comment regarding the matter.

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