September 2, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — It’s been 15 years since Dax Shepard committed to a sober lifestyle and his daughter marked that milestone in the sweetest way on Tuesday.

Actress Kristen Bell shared the adorable card and illustration seven-year-old Lincoln made, explaining, “Today is my husband’s 15th sobriety birthday. My daughter woke him up with this sign, and a sketch of the one and only Ronald Weasley(absolutely random, and also perfect).”

The card, written on a plain piece of copy paper, had “Happy sobriety birthday [daddy,]” written in red marker.  As for the accompanying illustration of Ron Weasley from the Harry Potter series, it looks to be drawn on a torn piece of cardboard.

Obviously, the gesture meant the world to both parents as Bell gushed, “Happy birthday Daxy. Thank you for dedicating your life to the hard and wonderful work of sobriety, so that we could share it with you.”

Actresses Octavia Spencer, Mandy Moore and Mindy Kaling cheered on Shepard, with the latter expressing in the comments section, “Wow, this is so awesome.”

Shepard has remained upfront over the years regarding his recovery from alcohol and drug addiction and frequently speaks about his past experiences. 

In an episode of his podcast Armchair Expert, which he recorded last week with actor Rob Lowe — who recently marked being 30-years sober — the Bless This Mess star admitted that he doesn’t regret his past experiences.  But, Shepard admitted that doesn’t want to touch drugs or alcohol ever again.

Shepard also admitted that, when his daughters come of age, he would be open to them experimenting with marijuana and magic mushrooms.

However, he instantly drew the line at harder substances by affirming, “just don’t do cocaine or opiates.”

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

September 2, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/Craig Sjodin(LOS ANGELES) — Black-ish has never shied away from tackling current events, and the ABC sitcom will aim its sights on the upcoming presidential election in a two-part, partially animated special airing early next month, according to Deadline.

Matthew A. Cherry, best-known for directing the Oscar-winning animated short Hair Love, will helm the back-to-back episodes, set to air on October 4.

That air date could change, though, depending on how the National Basketball League Finals progress.

The specials, however, will not serve as part of black-ish’s seventh season premiere, which will reportedly air in late October, according to the entertainment website.

The live-action Election Special Pt. 1 and the animated Election Special Pt. 2 will also kill two birds with one stone: Aside from being topical, it will also buy the Kenya Barris-helmed show more time to have a full season ready after the pause in production due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Black-ish, starring Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross, airs Wednesday nights on ABC.

By George Costantino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

September 2, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC(NEW YORK) — ABC this morning revealed the fifteen celebs who will compete this season on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.

The competitors were all revealed via Zoom call on ABC’s Good Morning America.  They include Tiger King star Carole Baskin, former The Bachelorette star Kaitlyn Bristowe, Backstreet Boys singer AJ McLean, rapper Nelly and more.

Competitors will vie for the mirrorball trophy with help from their pro partners beginning Monday, September 14, when Dancing with the Stars’ new season premieres at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.  Supermodel Tyra Banks joins the show this season as the new host.

Here are this season’s celebrity contestants:

Monica Aldama, cheerleading coach, Cheer
Carole Baskin, animal activist, Tiger King
Kaitlyn Bristowe, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette
Vernon Davis, former NFL star
Anne Heche, actress
Skai Jackson, actress, Jessie, BUNK’D
Justina Machado, actress, One Day at a Time
AJ McLean, Backstreet Boys
Jeannie Mai, The Real, Holey Moley
Jesse Metcalfe, actor,
Nelly, rapper
Nev Schulman, Catfish host
Charles Oakley, former NBA star
Chrishell Stause, Selling Sunset
Johnny Weir, former Olympic figure skater, on-air commentator

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

September 2, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Jeff Kravitz/MTV VMAs 2020/Getty Images for MTV(LOS ANGELES) — ABC gave fans a two for one with the release of the latest promo for The Bachelorette. 

Not only did the new clip give a glimpse into Clare Crawley’s upcoming season, it also shared a special BTS look at Keke Palmer recording a cover of Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.”

The video starts with a look back at the moment Crawley famously stood up to controversial Bachelor Juan Pablo during the memorable 18^th season finale of The Bachelor. 

“Never want my children having a father like you. I want respect,” she says just before Palmer’s rendition of the classic record begins to play. 

Cut to the 39-year-old Bachelorette being showered in red rose petals while donning an elegant one-shoulder, floor length white gown. Between behind-the-scenes cuts of Palmer singing and dancing in the studio, clips of Crawley’s journey to find love appear on the screen, including a few of her locking lips with some lucky men. 

The promo ends with Crawley playfully tossing a rose at the screen and smiling. 

The Bachelorette returns Tuesday, October 13 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

September 1, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Jasper Savage/Amazon Prime(NEW YORK) — On Friday, Amazon Prime unveils the second season of The Boys, its acclaimed comic book adaptation. The series centers on an Avengers-like group of superheroes who, for the most part, are anything but heroic.

The sophomore season is already enjoying the acclaim of critics, who got a sneak peek, while the cast, crew and fans have been buoyed by the network already renewing the show for a third season. 

ABC Audio caught up with Antony Starr, who plays Homelander.  Despite his red, white and blue persona, the character’s possibly the most damaged of the super-powered lot. Starr says he can’t wait to see the fan reaction to season two.

“[W]e’ve really felt a groundswell of support…Amazon has been awesome and they’ve really done a great job in marketing the show, getting us out there,” Starr says, “and the fan response to that has just been amazing. So there’s a lot of good buzz at the moment. So we just hope the fans enjoy the show as much as the critics seem to.”

As for season two of the very R-rated show, Starr hints, “There will be blood…as the book and the movie said. Thankfully, Jack Quaid spends more time covered in blood than anyone else,” he adds with a laugh, referring to the actor who co-stars as Hughie Campbell in the series.

“I did another show where I was constantly fighting and covered in blood and it was just like, ‘Seriously? Again, another day of stickiness,” Starr adds.  “It’s not as much fun as it might as you might think it is.”  

The full second season of The Boys, which also stars Karl Urban, Giancarlo Esposito and Laz Alonso, debuts Friday on Amazon Prime.

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