There will doubtless be tributes to Dolly Parton on many upcoming awards shows – the CMA Awards, the ACM Awards, the Grammys and the Oscars, to name a few. But the Primetime Emmys, airing on Monday (Sept. 14) — just three weeks after Parton died of cancer at age 80 — were the first.

Sally Field, who co-starred with Parton in the 1989 film Steel Magnolias, presented the tribute, which featured a performance by Parton’s longtime friend, Reba McEntire.

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The spot was extremely well-produced, though it didn’t mention that Parton first rose to prominence in 1967 on a TV program, The Porter Wagoner Show, or that she soared to stardom in the late 1970s with winning appearances on such programs as The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, or that she won a Primetime Emmy five years ago.

“If there are truly angels on Earth, then we just lost one, Dolly Parton,” Field said. “It was my great good fortune to have worked with Dolly in a film called Steel Magnolias, and over the years, I never stopped loving her. Though we lived very far apart, I adored her from day one. How could you not? She was genuine and humble, supportive, and blisteringly funny, with a bawdy sense of humor that would send any rude guy looking for a place to hide. I couldn’t see then what a real giant Dolly was – not just as an artist, but as a human. She was a humanitarian whose contributions had made a profound difference in the lives of so many in her home state of Tennessee and across our country. God bless you, Dolly Parton, my friend. I am not the only one on earth that will love you forever and ever.”

The show then aired a clip of Parton performing in 1983. “I’m very very proud of the fact that I had the kind of parents that I did and grew up in the Smoky Mountains, the Appalachian Mountains, and I’ve written a song that touches me very deep, and I’m sure that in your own way, that you certainly will relate to this. This song, like I say, is very important to me, and I hope you like it. And if you don’t like it, well, if you don’t mind, I would rather not hear about it later. OK? It’s a song that I call ‘Appalachian Memories.’”

Parton included the song on her 1983 album Burlap & Satin. The song wasn’t a hit, even on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart, but it was a great choice here because it meant a lot to Parton. And it showed the depth of her catalog.

McEntire performed it live, with her characteristic class and warmth. “I love you, Dolly, so much,” she said at the end of her performance.

Parton won a Primetime Emmy five years ago as executive producer of Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square, which was voted outstanding television movie. She received her first Primetime Emmy nod 48 years ago as a guest on Cher’s ABC special, Cher … Special. She received three more nominations as executive producer of the specials Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love (2017), Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings: These Old Bones (2020) and Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas (2023), all of which were nominated for outstanding television movie.

The segment saluting Parton aired prior to the annual In Memoriam segment, which was scheduled to include a Noah Kahan performance.

Noah Kahan soundtracked an especially emotional “in memoriam” segment at the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday night (Sept. 14), which was introduced by the movie and TV children of late actress Catherine O’Hara.

Home Alone star Macauley Culkin tearfully remembered how O’Hara showed up for him in life just like a real parent would after first portraying his mother in the 1990 Christmas classic. Then Schitt’s Creek stars Annie Murphy and Dan Levy both shared joyful memories of O’Hara on set as their quirky mother in the 2015-20 television comedy as well as sweet recollections of how strangers rallied around them in the wake of her death at age 71 in January.

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Following their intro, Kahan took the stage to perform Simon & Garfunkel‘s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” playing acoustic guitar and backed by a mournful string section. The folk duo’s 1970 six-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit has long soundtracked poignant moments, thanks to its sad-but-hopeful lyrics: “When darkness comes and pain is all around/ Like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down.”

Once Kahan finished his performance, Jamie Lee Curtis took the stage to pay tribute to Rob Reiner, the actor/director who first made a name for himself playing Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the 1970s sitcom All in the Family and was tragically murdered alongside his wife, Michelle, in December. Curtis sobbed throughout her remembrance to the Hollywood legend. “He was generous and kind and funny as hell and a friend to all.”

Earlier in the Emmys broadcast, there was a stand-alone tribute to Dolly Parton, who died last month of cancer at age 80. Sally Field, who co-starred with Parton in Steel Magnolias, introduced the tribute and Reba McEntire performed “Appalachian Memories.”

Taylor Swift’s Law & Order: SVU dreams all came true Monday night (Sept. 14), as she and her cat Olivia Benson co-starred alongside the original Olivia Benson in a surprise Emmys sketch.

Hilariously, the premise of the sketch — which saw Emmys host Mariska Hargitay embodying the role she’s played for 27 seasons on the NBC crime drama — was whether or not Swift would be attending that night’s 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards.

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Hargitay and her SVU co-stars — including rapper-turned-actor Ice-T as Sgt. Odafin “Fin” Tutuola — all gathered around an elaborate evidence board connected by pushpins and strings making increasingly outlandish connections between the night’s nominated television shows and Swift’s musical universe.

All of a sudden, Swift emerged wearing her best detective suit to let the group know: “Hey guys, this isn’t adding up.” After Ice-T let the “rookie” speak, Swift said the answer might be hiding in plain sight and rattled off four clues that are sure to send Swifties into a tizzy: “Saccharide. Aries. From the Vineyard. North or South.”

“This rookie’s weird,” Ice-T responded.

Swift regained her composure and came to this conclusion: Her category came up during the first two nights of the Emmys last weekend, so why would she attend Monday’s show? Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show was nominated for five Emmys this year, while Swift herself was up for one: outstanding variety special (pre-recorded), which ended up going to The Muppet Show.

Then came the real answer: Swift’s husband Travis Kelce and his Kansas City Chiefs teammates were playing the Denver Broncos at the exact same time on Monday Night Football. “OK then she’s not gonna be there, ’cause her husband’s got a work thing,” chimes in Aimé Donna Kelly as Captain Renee Curry.

And that was the correct answer: Swift could be seen sharing a suite with Tom Cruise at the Chiefs’ home opening game on Monday night.

Below, watch the full surprise sketch:

Céline Dion returned to the stage on Saturday night (Sept. 12) after six years away, opening her 26-date Paris residency at the Plenitude Arena in Nanterre. The crowd of 30,000 was the first of more than 480,000 total across Dion’s first 16 dates staged this autumn, with every ticket bought within hours of the sale. The access lottery drew more than nine million people.

Dion hadn’t headlined a concert since publicly sharing her diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome. On Saturday she leaned on the songs that made her a phenomenon in France, a good number of them pulled from D’eux, the Jean-Jacques Goldman-written album that remains the best-selling French-language record ever made. The English blockbusters were there, too. The staging stayed spare on purpose: a large set, no pyrotechnics, everything built to keep the focus on her voice.

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The show started 47 minutes late and ran to 11:14 p.m. local time, close to two and a half hours. She opened in tears on “On Ne Change Pas,” dropped into a mirror-ball disco stretch partway through, sang the opera aria “La Wally” under falling snow, and pulled a gospel choir around her before the “Pour Que Tu M’aimes Encore” sing-along everyone was waiting for. She debuted “Dansons,” her 2026 Goldman-written comeback single, and took “All by Myself” a cappella.

Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Aya Nakamura and Thomas Pesquet were among the guests in the room.

The night’s biggest gamble was the turn onto the dance floor. “I Feel Love,” “Sweet Dreams” and a reworked “I’m Alive” showed a looser, more playful Dion than the balladeer many had come expecting.

Thinking about catching the Paris residency? Here’s Dion’s full setlist from opening night.


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The house went dark 47 minutes behind schedule, and 30,000 people went quiet. Céline Dion walked out in a black gown, crossed her hands over her face like a prayer, and began to sing the opening notes of “On Ne Change Pas,” accompanied only by pianist Scott Price and four violinists. She had been gone six years.

Saturday night (Sept. 12) was the first of Dion’s 26 Paris nights, a residency that runs into May 2027 at the Plenitude Arena in Nanterre, the largest indoor arena in Europe. More than nine million people had entered the lottery for a shot at purchasing a ticket to see her perform.

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Within a few minutes of walking on the stage in Paris, Dion, who hadn’t put on a headlining concert since sharing her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis with the public, broke a promise she’d made to herself: She cried. Moved by the emotion of the moment, she asked the audience if they could hear her heart beating. Among the tens of thousands in attendance were famous guests including Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Aya Nakamura and Thomas Pesquet.

During the concert, Dion revealed how she’s feeling and delivered ballads, blockbusters, and even a dancefloor section in her set. She also performed her 2026 single, the French-language song “Dansons,” live on stage for the very first time.

Below are the nine best moments from the opening night of Dion’s concert residency in Paris. (Plus, see the full 29-song, two-and-a-half hour setlist from the Sept. 12 show here.)


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BIGBANG brought its 20th anniversary run, the BIGBANG 2026-2027 World Tour ‘XX : COSMOS,’ to MetLife Stadium for the only East Coast date on the entire trek — and for the trio’s first show in the tri-state area since two nights at Newark’s Prudential Center in October 2015. G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung are touring the world together for the first time since 2017, and for the first time as a three-piece, a fact the night never sidestepped but instead absorbed into the celebration.

The set ran through 30 songs across roughly three hours with era-defining K-pop hits (“Fantastic Baby,” “Loser,” “Bang Bang Bang,” “Haru Haru,” “Lies”), solo showcases for each member (who shared their personal affinities for hip-hop, R&B, ballads and even Korea’s traditional trot music), and the live rollout of BIGBANG’s first new single in four years, “BiiiG,” after its official release on Aug. 19 to mark 20 years to the day since the group’s debut.

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Behind all of it, YG Entertainment shared that the show came to life via a 23-ton mobile LED structure, a stage by Tony and Olivier Award–winning designer Es Devlin, direction from 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show creative director Mike Carson, plus a live band led by Wow Jones, whose work spans Usher, Rihanna, Janelle Monáe and Sabrina Carpenter.

From MetLife, ‘XX : COSMOS’ heads across the Atlantic to Paris’ Stade de France and London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for shows on Sept. 19 and 26, respectively, before swinging through Asia and Oceania on the world tour’s 36-show, 19-city run that stretches into February 2027.

From an unhinged “SOBER” performance to the promise to keep going “on and on,” the K-pop legends made their MetLife debut count. Read on for Billboard‘s best moments.


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Pink is addressing the backlash over her reaction to Macklemore’s onstage calls to “free Palestine.”

During his opening sets for Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Sept. 4 and 5, the “Thrift Shop” rapper made pro-Palestine remarks that drew criticism from the pop star.

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Shortly after the shows, Pink reshared a post on social media from StopAntisemitism criticizing Macklemore’s remarks and calling for him to be removed from Sheeran’s ongoing stadium tour. On Friday (Sept. 11), the “Just Give Me a Reason” hitmaker took to Instagram to explain why she shared the post and what concerned her about Macklemore’s onstage actions.

“Last Sunday I reposted somebody else’s post about Macklemore’s set at Ed Sheeran’s show,” Pink began her statement. “It said things in words I didn’t write, and I wouldn’t have chosen all of them. Then the comments came, and I did what I do when I’m hurt, which is post snarky memes and act like I’m fine. That’s on me. A repost isn’t a statement, and a meme isn’t a spine. Social media makes all of us cheap and fast, and we all know it.”

She continued, “I was born a Jew. I didn’t pick it, and I’ve never hidden it. And this week a whole lot of people decided what I believe without asking me, without checking a single thing I’ve ever said or done, because a repost and the word ‘Jew’ were apparently enough to fill in the rest.”

Pink clarified that she has never spoken for “Israel, or for any government” and reiterated her belief that “Hamas is a terrorist organization. Palestinians deserve a future that honors their humanity and their aspirations. Protecting innocent life comes first, everywhere, and nobody should ever celebrate the death of a child. Anybody’s child.”

The singer also pointed to her decade-long work as a UNICEF ambassador, saying she has advocated for children impacted by war regardless of where they were born.

“I have grieved every one of them, on both sides of that fence,” she wrote. “I didn’t do it from behind a screen; I went to those children and held them. I’m not going to litigate a complex war in an Instagram caption, and I’m not going to recite anybody’s slogan to earn back a follower.”

In her three-part statement, which continued in the comments, the singer-songwriter recalled a 2014 Macklemore performance in which he wore a costume that was widely criticized as antisemitic. The rapper later apologized, saying, “I respect all cultures and all people.”

“Every Jew I know knew exactly what it was,” Pink wrote on Instagram. “But he apologized, and I let it go, because that’s what we do. We let it go. Then last weekend he stood in front of a stadium full of music-loving families, with violent images from a war on the screens, dedicated a song to the movement of his choice, and then took the mic to tell all of the Jews in the stadium that it wasn’t about them. You don’t get to decide that for us.”

“That’s what prompted my repost,” she continued. “Not ‘Free Palestine,’ and not anyone’s right to say it. I have never asked for another artist to be silenced and I’m not asking now. I don’t need anyone fired, and I don’t need a refund. What I need is to be able to say, as a Jewish mom, that scared me, and it scared people I love, without being told our fear is just propaganda, and without being told I’m somehow cool with genocide because I noticed?”

Pink concluded her statement by reflecting on the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and the start of Rosh Hashanah, wishing her fellow Jewish people a “shana tova” for the new year.

Following his onstage comments in New Jersey, Macklemore stood by his “free Palestine” statements. “Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial,” he wrote on X, along with video of his speech from the Sept. 5 show.

The controversy also drew a response from the Israeli-American Council (IAC), which launched a petition calling for the rapper to be removed from the next eight U.S. stadium shows he’s slated to open for Sheeran through early November.

Read Pink’s full statement on Instagram below.


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Drake has shared another teaser for his mysterious new project, Fear of Missing Out.

On Saturday (Sept. 12), the 39-year-old rap superstar took to social media to share a 25-second video captioned, “a not so short film.”

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“Scored by the family,” the caption on Instagram continues, noting a Sept. 15 release date.

In the clip, a neon green speedboat glides across the water with a cityscape in the distance, while Drake appears to be behind the wheel.

“What if I told you there were two versions of your life?” a female narrator says. “In one, you avoid risk and withhold love. You feel like you’ve gone missing from yourself. You look for something you can’t find. In the other version of your life, you find it.”

The trailer closes with a black-and-white poster for Fear of Missing Out.

The 6 God first rolled out FOMO in early September, when he announced plans for a YouTube livestream scheduled for Sept. 15 at 9 p.m. ET. Following the initial tease, some fans speculated that the cryptic project could be new music, a video or possibly a tour.

Drake made history in May with the release of ICEMAN, HABIBTI and MAID OF HONOUR, becoming the first artist to simultaneously hold the top three spots on the Billboard 200.

“Janice STFU” became the 14th Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit of Drizzy’s career, breaking a tie with Michael Jackson and giving the Toronto MC the most No. 1 hits among male soloists. He also charted a record-high 42 songs on the chart in a single week.

ICEMAN debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, giving Drake his 15th chart-topping album and moving him past Jay-Z for the most No. 1 albums among rappers. The album has continued its strong run, spending a career-best 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Top Rap Albums chart.

Check out Drake’s latest Fear of Missing Out teaser on Instagram below.


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Jessica Simpson is having a busy fall. Between returning to music, preparing for a new Netflix documentary and expanding her Walmart fashion line, the singer has plenty keeping her in the spotlight.

Her latest Walmart collection arrived Sept. 10, bringing her signature Cali-boho aesthetic into fall with barn jackets, barrel-leg jeans, maxi dresses, ruffle tops and accessories. Prices start at $10+, making the new collection one of the more accessible ways to tap into Simpson’s recognizable style.

The assortment draws heavily from the mix of bohemian fashion and Western influence that has become synonymous with Simpson. Flowing dresses and ruffled tops bring a romantic touch, while relaxed denim and barn jackets add structure and a nod to her Texas roots.

There’s also a subtle ’70s influence throughout the collection. Rather than leaning into head-to-toe retro dressing, Simpson’s latest Walmart pieces translate the era through wearable details: relaxed denim silhouettes, flowy dresses, feminine ruffles and easy layering pieces.

That makes the collection particularly useful for the September transition. A maxi dress can still work during warmer days, while a barn jacket gives it a fall update. Barrel-leg jeans can be paired with a lightweight top now and a sweater later, making them the kind of staple that can stay in rotation throughout the season.

Jessica Simpson Women's Barn Jacket available now at Walmart for Fall

BEST FALL JACKET

Jessica Simpson Women’s Barn Jacket

Available in sizes XS to XL.


The barn jacket is one of fall’s standout layers, and Simpson’s $49.50 oversized version makes the trend feel distinctly her own with its Western-leaning aesthetic. It’s an especially good pick for those in-between September days when you need a jacket but aren’t ready for a heavier coat.

Jessica Simpson Women's Sienna Maxi Dress  available now at Walmart for Fall

BEST BOHO DRESS

Jessica Simpson Women’s Sienna Maxi Dress

One of Walmart’s highly rated dresses is still available in sizes XS to M.


This maxi dress is the kind of throw-on-and-go style that still looks thoughtfully put together. It has a tiered silhouette, flutter sleeves, lace and bow details, plus an elastic waist for a little extra shape.

Jessica Simpson Women's and Women's Plus Daisy Fitted Flare Jeans available now at Walmart for Fall

BEST AFFORDABLE DENIM

Jessica Simpson Women’s and Women’s Plus Daisy Fitted Flare Jeans

$17 $24.50 31% off

Buy Now at walmart

At an especially wallet-friendly price, these jeans come in four denim washes and three lengths, including short, regular and long.


These affordable Jessica Simpson flare jeans are fitted through the hips and thighs before kicking out into a classic flare, with stretch denim for comfort.

Jessica Simpson Women's Ella Ruffle Top available now at Walmart for Fall

BEST ’70S-INSPIRED TOP

Jessica Simpson Women’s Ella Ruffle Top

It’s the same boho-inspired pattern as the previous dress, but in an easy-to-style top. It’s currently available in sizes XS to XL.


For a blouse that feels a little more special than the everyday basic, this Jessica Simpson top delivers with a ruffled peplum silhouette and feminine button details. The V-neck makes it easy to layer or wear on its own.

Jessica Simpson Women's Roxie Shoulder Handbag in leopard available now at Walmart for Fall

BEST STATEMENT ACCESSORY

Jessica Simpson Women’s Roxie Shoulder Handbag

Leopard

Available in leopard, black and olive colorways.


The butterfly dangle is what caught our eye on this $26 Jessica Simpson shoulder bag, which also has an adjustable strap and paisley lining.

Jessica Simpson Women's Overall Barrel Leg available now at Walmart for Fall

BEST DENIM OVERALLS FOR FALL

Jessica Simpson Women’s Overall Barrel Leg

A highly-rated denim overall with a subtle barrel leg design.


For a one-and-done fall outfit, these $39.50 Jessica Simpson overalls make a strong case for the barrel-leg trend with an denim silhouette and adjustable straps.

Jessica Simpson Women's Savana Cardigan available now at Walmart for Fall

BEST COZY CARDIGAN

Jessica Simpson Women’s Savana Cardigan

The style comes in sizes XS-XL and has a full button placket, long sleeves, and ribbed finishing throughout.


A floral print gives this cardigan more personality than your average button-front knit. It has a V-neckline, dropped shoulders and ribbed trim, with the classic button-front construction keeping the shape familiar.

Jessica Simpson Women's Cherry Barrel Jean available now at Walmart for Fall

BEST MID-RISE JEAN

Jessica Simpson Women’s Cherry Barrel Jean

Sizes range from 2-16, with belt loops, five-pocket styling, a button closure and zip fly.


This pair lands somewhere between a straight leg and a wide leg, thanks to its curved barrel shape. The jeans have a mid-rise waist, ankle-length cut, five pockets and a button-and-zip closure.

Jessica Simpson Women's Plus Calanthe Ruffle Mini Dress available now at Walmart for Fall

BEST PLUS-SIZE MINI DRESS

Jessica Simpson Women’s Plus Calanthe Ruffle Mini Dress

Available in 0X-4X, it has a mini-length hem, long sleeves, and elasticized cuffs.


The Calanthe has the kind of details that make a floral dress stand out. Along with its V-neckline and empire waist, it features long sleeves, elasticized cuffs, ruffle trim and a ruffled hem.

Jessica Simpson Women's Emmory Tiered Maxi Dress available now at Walmart for Fall

BEST FOR EARLY FALL

Jessica Simpson Women’s Emmory Tiered Maxi Dress

Only available in XS.


Boho-inspired style has long been part of Jessica Simpson’s style, and the Emmory Tiered Dress leans right into it. The flowy tiered skirt, puff sleeves and sweetheart neckline create a romantic silhouette that feels made for the start of fall.

The collection reflects Simpson’s evolution beyond music. She rose to fame as a pop singer in the late 1990s alongside Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Mandy Moore, with her 1999 single “I Wanna Love You Forever” peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. She later expanded into television, publishing and fashion, turning the Jessica Simpson name into a lifestyle brand spanning clothing, footwear and accessories. Her Walmart line, which launched in 2024, brings that aesthetic to shoppers at more accessible prices.

Now, music is once again part of the story. After a 15-year hiatus from releasing original music, Simpson returned with Nashville Canyon: Part 1 and Nashville Canyon: Part 2. She is also the subject of a feature-length Netflix documentary exploring her life and career, with Joe Pearlman attached to direct.

For now, her latest Walmart collection gives fans something they can wear. From barrel-leg jeans and barn jackets to flowy dresses and ruffle tops, the fall 2026 lineup stays rooted in the California boho and Texas influences that have long defined her style.

A (baby) star is born: Lady Gaga and her fiancé, Michael Polansky, have welcomed their first child, according to multiple reports.

The couple has yet to share the news, but according to photos obtained by Page Six, they were spotted out in Northern California with a baby in tow, with Gaga wearing the newborn in a sling. No additional details, including the baby’s gender or birth date, are known.

This is the first baby for both Gaga (real name: Stefani Germanotta) and Polansky. Billboard has reached out to reps for Gaga for confirmation.

Gaga and Polansky similarly didn’t announce the news that they were engaged to be married, with the singer simply referring to the tech entrepreneur as her fiancé in July 2024. Later that year, she confirmed that Polansky had proposed months earlier, in April 2024, and then shared details of the proposal in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel.

“He proposed to me right after my birthday, so my birthday passed and I was like, ‘Well, I thought he was gonna propose …,’” Gaga said on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, explaining that he popped the question during a rock-climbing trip. “We were just walking back to the room and talking,” she continued. “He actually — it was very Michael — asked me if he could ask me. He wanted to know if it was OK to propose before he proposed. And I was like, ‘Yes, it’s so OK!’”

The couple have been publicly dating since early 2020 when Gaga made their relationship Instagram-official with a post that February. In an interview a few months later, she referred to Polansky as “the love of my life.”

Gaga wrapped her The Mayhem Ball tour back in April and has kept a low profile publicly since.