Lady Gaga took to her social accounts Monday (April 6) to let fans know she had to cancel her third of three nights of her Mayhem Ball tour at Montreal’s Bell Centre that night due to an ongoing respiratory infection.

“I’m so sorry to share that I’m unable to perform tonight and have to cancel the show,” Gaga’s message reads in part. “I’ve been fighting a respiratory infection for the past few days and doing everything I can to rest and recover, but it’s gotten worse. My doctor has strongly advised me not to perform today and to be honest I don’t think I could give you the quality of a performance today that you deserve.”

She went on to say how “deeply disappointing” it is and she “truly could not feel worse about letting you down.”

“I’m so sorry to everyone who made plans to be there and support me,” she concluded the message.” “Being in Montreal and performing for you on Thursday and Friday was magical and deeply meaningful. To everyone who was coming tonight, I’m absolutely heartbroken and so sorry.”

As Gaga said, she performed two concerts at the end of last week as part of her ongoing Mayhem Ball tour, which kicked off in Las Vegas in July 2025 and is set to wrap up this month, on April 13, with a hometown show at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Read Gaga’s full message to fans below:

Hi everyone. I’m so sorry to share that I’m unable to perform tonight and have to cancel the show. I’ve been fighting a respiratory infection for the past few days and doing everything I can to rest and recover, but it’s gotten worse. My doctor has strongly advised me not to perform today and to be honest I don’t think I could give you the quality of a performance today that you deserve.

I know how deeply disappointing this is, and I truly could not feel worse about letting you down. I’m so sorry to everyone who made plans to be there and support me. Being in Montreal and performing for you on Thursday and Friday was magical and deeply meaningful.

To everyone who was coming tonight, I’m absolutely heartbroken and so sorry.

Brazil and Colombia are coming together on the musical stage.

On Monday (April 6), Anitta and Shakira announced their first-ever collaboration “Choka Choka” via Instagram. The joint post features the single artwork, depicting the two South American superstars on a tarot card each covered in nothing but a large feather.

“You have no idea how happy I am to announce this collaboration from my album EQUILIBRIVM,” Anitta wrote in the caption in Spanish.

Shakira also shared her excitement around the new song. In an Instagram Story repost of the album cover, Shakira wrote in Portuguese — notably switching languages with Anitta — that she was feeling emotional and that “they don’t know the music we have together.” In a follow-up video on her Story, Shakira continued in Portuguese, calling the song “incredible” and saying that fans are going to love it.

“Choka Choka” will be released Thursday as the second single from Anitta’s upcoming album EQUILIBRIVM, set to come out the following Friday, April 16. The album’s lead single, “Pinterest,” was released last month. EQUILIBRIVM is the Brazilian singer’s seventh studio album. Since her debut album in 2013, Anitta has become a global force for Brazilian music. Her viral 2022 reggaetón hit “Envolver” landed her at No. 3 on the Hot Latin Songs chart as well as her first solo Billboard Hot 100 entry. She has performed at major music festivals and events, including Coachella, Lollapalooza Paris and Billboard Latin Women in Music.

On Saturday, Anitta will make her Saturday Night Live debut. With “Choka Choka” coming out just two days prior, might Anitta invite Shakira to join her on the SNL stage for a live performance debut?

Fans can pre-save “Choka Choka” here.

Queen Latifah is set to host the 52nd American Music Awards. Latifah has a long history with the AMAs, having co-hosted the show in 1995 with Tom Jones and Lorrie Morgan. Jennifer Lopez hosted last year’s show.

The 52nd American Music Awards returns to CBS and Paramount+ on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the largest venue in the show’s history.  Tickets are now available on AXS.

“I am so excited to return to the American Music Awards stage to host this year,” Latifah said in a statement. “It’s been an incredible year for music and there is no better place to celebrate than in Vegas.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome Queen Latifah back as host of the American Music Awards,” said Jay Penske, CEO, Dick Clark Productions. “A true powerhouse and trailblazer, she brings a dynamic presence and deep connection to both fans and fellow artists, making her the perfect choice to lead a night celebrating the biggest names and most defining moments in music.”

Queen Latifah, 56, is a Grammy-winning artist and Oscar-nominated actress whose career spans music, film, television, and production. She hosted the Grammy telecast in 2005 and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2024. Notably, she had previously won at both of those awards, having won a Grammy for best rap solo performance for “U.N.I.T.Y.” in 1995 and having received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2023. She has also won a Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe, three Actor Awards (formerly Screen Actors Guild Awards) and two NAACP Image Awards.  In 2006, she became the first hip-hop artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her cultural impact was further recognized with the National Medal of the Arts in 2024.

Nominations for the 52nd American Music Awards will be announced on Tuesday, April 14. Fan voting opens the same day, April 14, and will remain open until May 8.

Last year’s 51st American Music Awards, airing on Memorial Day for the first time, reached over 10 million unique viewers across its CBS and Paramount+ premiere and encores on MTV, CMT, and BET. The CBS broadcast marked the show’s largest audience since 2019 with a +38% increase over its last live airing in 2022 on ABC.

The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.

UPDATE (April 6):  James L. Brooks is set to receive the inaugural Industry Icon Award at the 86th annual Peabody Awards ceremony on May 31 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. The acclaimed writer/director/producer is no stranger to the Peabodys. He co-created two Peabody-winning TV shows, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Lou Grant, and co-developed a third, The Simpsons.

“James L. Brooks has shaped the way we understand television as both an art form and a cultural force,” Jeffrey Jones, executive director of the Peabody Awards, said in a statement. His work blends humor, humanity, and sharp social insight in ways that have influenced generations of storytellers.  It’s an honor to recognize his extraordinary legacy with the inaugural Industry Icon Award.”

Brooks, 85, won three Oscars in 1984 for writing, directing and producing Terms of Endearment. In 1997, he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. He has won 22 Primetime Emmys in competition – 12 for The Simpsons, five for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, three for Taxi and two for The Tracey Ullman Show.

PREVIOUSLY (March 18): Actress and podcast host Amy Poehler will receive the Peabody Career Achievement Award at the 86th annual Peabody Awards ceremony on May 31 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Director, producer and screenwriter Sterlin Harjo will be honored with the Peabody Trailblazer Award. PBS KIDS will receive the Peabody Institutional Award.

The Career Achievement Award recognizes an individual whose exceptional body of work and creative contributions have made a significant impact on media and culture. Past recipients include Andrea Mitchell, Mel Brooks and Sam Pollard. The Trailblazer Award recognizes visionaries whose innovative storytelling styles impact culture and affect social change. Previous recipients include Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Quinta Brunson and Issa Rae. The Institutional Award recognizes institutions and organizations, as well as series and programs, for their enduring body of work and their lasting impact on the media landscape and the public imagination. Previous recipients include Saturday Night Live, Fresh Air With Terry Gross and 60 Minutes.

“These honorees represent the very best of storytelling in media and the profound impact it can have on culture,” Jeffrey Jones, executive director of the Peabody Awards said in a statement. “Amy Poehler has built a remarkable career bringing intelligence, humor and fearless creativity to work that continues to shape comedy and inspire audiences. Sterlin Harjo has expanded the possibilities of television with work that is both deeply personal and culturally groundbreaking, with overdue stories and voices Americans have long ignored. And for decades, PBS KIDS has set the gold standard for educational children’s media, creating thoughtful, enriching stories that continue to shape how young audiences learn, grow and understand the world. We’re proud to recognize each of them for their lasting impact on the media landscape.”

Poehler is best known for starring in and helping shape the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation, which won a Peabody Award, and for her eight-season run on Saturday Night Live. Through her Paper Kite Productions, Poehler has produced culturally influential series including Broad City, Russian Doll and Harlem, and has directed projects such as Wine Country and the Peabody-nominated documentary Lucy & Desi. She recently reprised her role as Joy in Disney’s blockbuster Inside Out 2, the highest grossing animated film of all time, and hosts the hit video podcast Good Hang With Amy Poehler, which won the inaugural best podcast award at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards.

A MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Mvskoke) created, wrote, directed and is the executive producer of The Lowdown, starring Ethan Hawke, which is currently airing on FX and Hulu. Previously, he was the showrunner, cocreator with Taika Waititi and director of Reservation Dogs for FX. The series ran for three seasons and received numerous awards including a Gotham Award, two Peabody Awards, two Independent Spirit Awards and honors from the Television Academy.

PBS KIDS, the children’s educational media brand of the Public Broadcasting Service, serves young audiences across the United States through streaming and on-air content, games and community-based initiatives. Since the launch of PBS KIDS as a dedicated programming block in 1999, the brand has become a central presence in public broadcasting, building on earlier children’s programming created by pioneers such as Fred Rogers and Jim Henson.

Its programming for children ages 2 to 8 includes series such as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Carl the Collector, Wild Kratts and Alma’s Way, alongside a wide range of educational games and resources for parents, caregivers and teachers. A cornerstone of the PBS KIDS mission is to support children’s learning through its partnership with local PBS stations across the country to ensure this programming and interactive learning content is available for free to families everywhere.

The Peabody Awards’ mission statement is to “honor stories that defend public interest, encourage empathy and expand our understanding of the world.” Nominees for the 2026 Peabody Awards will be announced on April 7 and April 9, with winners announced later that month. Winners will be celebrated on Sunday, May 31. All proceeds from the annual ceremony support the organization’s ongoing programs and initiatives.

Bill Maher is set to receive the 2026 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at a June 28 gala in the concert hall of The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, the official name (for now at least) of the cultural landmark in Washington, D.C.

Maher will be the 27th recipient of the award; the first since board voted on Dec. 18 to adopt the new name. The program will stream exclusively on Netflix for the third consecutive year on a date to be announced.

“Thank you to the Mark Twain people: I just had the award explained to me, and apparently it’s like an Emmy, except I win,” Maher said in a statement. “I’d just like to say that it is indeed humbling to get anything named for a man who’s been thrown out of as many school libraries as Mark Twain.”

As his quip implies, Maher has indeed lost dozens of times at the Primetime Emmys. He has received 42 nominations over the years but has won just once – as an executive producer of the HBO series Vice. He lost 11 times for his breakout series Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher and an astounding 19 times for the subsequent Real Time With Bill Maher.

In addition to his 42 Primetime Emmy nods, Maher has received two Grammy nods, both for the audiobooks of two of his best-selling books. He was nominated for best spoken word album for When You Ride Alone You Ride With Bin Laden in 2004 and New Rules – Polite Musings From a Timid Observer in 2007. He lost both times.

Maher, 70, will be the oldest recipient of the Mark Twain Prize since David Letterman, who was also 70 when he was honored in 2017. The oldest-ever recipient was Carol Burnett, who was 80 when she was honored in 2013.

The June 28 event is being held more than three months later in the calendar year than last year’s presentation to Conan O’Brien, which was held on March 23, 2025. The event will be held in the same venue – only the name has been changed.

The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recognizes individuals who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to the 19th-century novelist and essayist Samuel Clemens, colloquially known as Mark Twain. Previous recipients are Richard Pryor (1998), Jonathan Winters (1999), Carl Reiner (2000), Whoopi Goldberg (2001), Bob Newhart (2002), Lily Tomlin (2003), Lorne Michaels (2004), Steve Martin (2005), Neil Simon (2006), Billy Crystal (2007), George Carlin (2008), Bill Cosby (2009; rescinded in 2018), Tina Fey (2010), Will Ferrell (2011), Ellen DeGeneres (2012), Carol Burnett (2013), Jay Leno (2014), Eddie Murphy (2015), Bill Murray (2016), David Letterman (2017), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (2018), Dave Chappelle (2019), Jon Stewart (2022), Adam Sandler (2023), Kevin Hart (2024), and Conan O’Brien (2025). The event was created by Bob Kaminsky, Peter Kaminsky, Mark Krantz, and John Schreiber. 

Maher was born in New York City and raised in River Vale, N.J. He launched his career as a stand-up comedian in 1979. In 2022, Maher launched a new podcast, Club Random With Bill Maher. He has done 13 solo specials for HBO including last year’s Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This? The special was nominated for a Golden Globe for best performance in stand-up comedy on television, but (as per usual for Maher at award shows), it lost.

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