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Machine Gun Kelly woke up 15 minutes before stepping on set at The Kelly Clarkson Show this week — and he forgot his shoes.
Host Kelly Clarkson didn’t mind. MGK might have walked out on stage in slippers, but he brought birthday wishes, a queso fountain, margaritas and a mariachi band with him in honor of the singer’s birthday. Clarkson turns 40 on Sunday (April 24).
“I woke up 15 minutes ago. I forgot my shoes,” Machine Gun Kelly explained.
“So you woke up on your birthday to … Oh, that’s kind,” Clarkson said.
“No, no, no, it’s cool,” he insisted. “It’s cool.”
“Is it? I don’t know,” joked Clarkson, and then the celebration began.
The pair shared a bond over having birthdays in the same week and enjoyed a drink and a bite to eat while the all-female Mariachi Bonitas performed.
Watch the moment below, and in case you missed it, check out Clarkson’s most recent Kellyoke performance (of the Stevie Nicks classic “Edge of Seventeen”) here.
Chris Rock’s mom, Rose Rock, is sharing her thoughts on Will Smith slapping her son at the 2022 Oscars ceremony one month removed from the moment.
Rock, an author and motivational speaker, told WIS that the comedian is doing well but “still processing” the incident that led Smith to resign from the Academy. The organization has since announced that Smith, who won best actor for his performance in King Richard, is banned from all events, including the Oscars ceremonies, for the next 10 years.
“I told someone, when Will slapped Chris, he slapped all of us, but he really slapped me,” Rose Rock said. “When you hurt my child, you hurt me.”
When asked what she would say to Smith, Rock replied, “I have no idea what I would say other than, ‘What in the world were you thinking?’ Because you did a slap, but so many things could have happened. Chris could have stepped back and fallen. You really could have gotten taken out in handcuffs. You didn’t think. You reacted to your wife giving you the side-eye, and you went up, and you made her day because she was bowled over laughing when it happened.”
Regarding the 10-year ban, she said, “What does that mean? You don’t even go every year.” Rock, who pointed out that she didn’t think the Academy should have taken away Smith’s Oscar, went on to say she was “really, really proud” of how her son reacted in the moment.
She added that she didn’t think the apology Smith posted to his Instagram account on the day after the ceremony felt genuine. “I feel really bad that he never apologized,” Rock said. “His people wrote up a piece and said, ‘I apologize to Chris Rock,’ but something like that is personal. You reach out.”
Smith’s slap followed Chris Rock making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, having a shaved head. The comedian has largely remained mum since the Oscars.
Earlier this month, Chris’ brother Kenny Rock told the Los Angeles Times that he didn’t find Smith’s apology to be genuine.
This article originally appeared on The Hollywood Reporter.
Joe Rogan says his recent controversy has given his Spotify podcast even more horsepower.
The podcaster claims the media frenzy over anti-vax conspiracy theorist guests and his past use of the N-word has netted him two million additional subscribers.
In Friday’s episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the comic and UFC commentator was asked by his guest, British political commentator Douglas Murray, about the uproar.
“You have been put through the wringer since we last met,” Murray says. “They did a number on you. Wow.”
“It’s interesting, my subscriptions went up massively — that’s what’s crazy,” Rogan replies. “During the height of it all, I gained two million subscribers … Yeah, [the media] went for it. It’s also fortunate that the people who went for it were CNN. They’re so untrustworthy and people know how biased they are and socially weird their anchors are.”
Spotify doesn’t publicly release its JRE subscriber numbers. But sources clarified the show has been consistently growing since the podcaster joined the streamer and hasn’t spiked due to any particular event. By one recent estimate, Rogan typically averages 11 million listeners per episode.
During the episode, Rogan mocked CNN in particular, which had inaccurately claimed that he took “horse dewormer” when he had COVID-19. (He took the formulation of Ivermectin made for humans.) The podcaster also took the opportunity to mock CNN for the shuttering of its ultra-short-lived streaming service CNN+, which folded after just three weeks.
“They spent $300 million dollars, they got 10,000 subscribers,” he marvels. “Imagine the hubris of thinking that something that people don’t want for free … that you’re going to charge money for it.”
The recent controversies had many pressuring Spotify to cancel the podcaster, and musicians such as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell pulled their music from the streamer in protest. In addition, Spotify removed about 70 of Rogan’s past episodes and added an advisory to episodes that discussed COVID-19.
After the controversy, Rogan took the stage in Austin, Texas, and discussed the headlines in a set at Vulcan Gas Company.
“I talk s— for a living — that’s why this is so baffling to me,” he said. “If you’re taking vaccine advice from me, is that really my fault? What dumb s— were you about to do when my stupid idea sounded better?” he said. “‘You know that dude who made people eat animal d—s on TV? How does he feel about medicine?’ If you want my advice, don’t take my advice.”’
This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.
Taylor Swift is celebrating Record Store Day 2022.
The 32-year-old pop superstar, who was announced earlier this year as the first-ever global ambassador for Record Store Day, took to social media on Saturday (April 23) to acknowledge the annual event and give a special shout-out to Nashville-based indie music retailer Grimey’s New and Pre-Loved Music.
“Happy Record Store Day!” Swift wrote in her Instagram Story. “Honored to be this year’s Global Ambassador and glad we get to celebrate these sacred & important places now more than ever.”
The singer’s post included a mural photo of the artist’s face emblazoned on the record store’s outside wall. “Thanks @grimeys for the mural, I am overwhelmed,” Swift added. The mural is a recreation of this year’s RSD logo. Check out more snapshots of Swifties posing with the mural here and here.
In late January, the 11-time Grammy Award winner was named RSD’s first global ambassador to help mark the 15th anniversary of the annual celebration. “RSD AMBASSADOR (Taylor’s Version),” organizers wrote, referencing the recent re-recordings of her classic Fearless and Red albums.
“Thanks to @taylorswift for putting on the sash and serving as the first ever GLOBAL RECORD STORE DAY AMBASSADOR, helping us celebrate the culture of the independent record store around the world,” RSD wrote on Instagram.
RSD has previously endorsed ambassadors including Fred Armisen, Brandi Carlile, Pearl Jam, Run the Jewels, St. Vincent, Metallica, David Grohl, Chuck D and Jack White.
For this year’s event, Swift is dropping a 7″ of Folklore bonus track “The Lakes” with its orchestral version as the B-side. She is also included on charity benefit album Portraits of Her, which celebrates female artists and music industry professionals while raising money for nonprofit We Are Moving the Needle.
The singer has supported RSD a number of times in the past, offering up special versions of her albums 1989 and Speak Now, and a 7″ vinyl single version of Haim’s single “Gasoline.”
Check out Swift’s celebratory RSD 2022 post here, and check out a video of the mural below.
#takemetotherecordstore, but not without our muse 🎼 exclusive the lakes #RSD22 vinyl is available at participating stores today with limited supply! there’s nothing like auroras & sad prose from your #RSDAmbassadorTaylor to celebrate @recordstoreday’s 15th anniversary. @Grimeys pic.twitter.com/2C9LthP3wf
— Taylor Nation (@taylornation13) April 23, 2022
Jhayco (formerly known as Jhay Cortez) had a successful evening at the 2022 Latin American Music Awards on Thursday (April 21), where he was an eight-time nominee.
The Puerto Rican singer won song of the year and favorite urban song for his Bad Bunny-assisted “Dákiti,” which he also performed on stage, followed by a presentation of his new single “Sensual Bebé.”
That same night, the artist born Jesús Manuel Nieves Cortez officially announced his artistic name change to Jhayco at the live, televised event.
“It’s something that I always wanted to do,” he told Billboard on the red carpet. “That’s the name that goes with my personality and always wanted. I created my brand, my own path, and with all respect there’s a J Balvin, there’s a Jay Wheeler, and I just want my name to be unique and when people hear Jhayco, they know there’s only one Jhayco.”
On the carpet, he was accompanied by his girlfriend, model Mia Khalifa, who admitted to being a fan of all his music. “I never hesitate. I don’t think he would show me a song that I wouldn’t want to play to death,” she said of giving Jhayco’s music her stamp of approval.
In fact, Khalifa says her favorite song right now is “Sensual Bebe.” “I actually told him to send me the MP3 to play it over and over again. My favorite song always changes, but overall, I would say it’s ‘Easy.’”
When asked about her starring role in Becky G and Karol G’s “Mamiii” music video, Khalifa expressed that it was “so much fun” and called it one of her favorite songs of the year.
“It came out on my birthday and not going to lie, he [Jhay] even came out of the shower because I was playing it so much. I was so happy. I’m so thankful to Becky and Karol for asking me to be part of the video.”
As for how the couple planned to celebrate their big night, Jhaco said, “It’s all about being with the right person, the right energy and the people you love, so we’re going to have a good time.”
The 2022 Latin AMAs took place Thursday, April 21, live from the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Karol G was the night’s biggest winner, nabbing six of seven awards, including artist of the year and album of the year.
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