Month: December 2025

Barry Manilow has announced that he has been diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer and will postpone his January performances while he undergoes surgery.

The 82-year-old singer/songwriter shared the news Monday in a statement posted to Instagram, explaining that lingering bronchitis earlier this year prompted his doctor to order precautionary imaging.

Manilow wrote: “The MRI discovered a cancerous spot on my left lung that needs to be removed, stressing that the cancer was caught early: “It’s pure luck (and a great doctor) that it was found so early,” he said, adding that physicians do not believe the disease has spread and that further tests are underway to confirm that assessment.

Because of the diagnosis, Manilow said he will have surgery now that his ‘Christmas: A Gift of Love’ concerts have concluded. “The bad news is that now that the Christmas is a Gift of Love concerts are over, I’m going into surgery to have the spot removed,” noting that doctors do not anticipate the need for further treatment: “So, that’s it. No chemo. No radiation. Just chicken soup and ‘I Love Lucy’ reruns.”

However, the procedure will require Manilow to reschedule his January arena shows: “I’m very sorry that you have to change your plans .. Just like you, we were all looking forward to the January shows and hate having to move everything around.”

Manilow plans to return to the stage after his Valentine’s Day weekend performances in Las Vegas, with shows running from late February through April. Despite the setback, he remained upbeat about his recovery and return. “Something tells me that February weekend is going to be one big party.”  To conclude, Manilow also urged fans to prioritize their health. “If you have even the slightest symptom, get tested!”

A native of New York City, Manilow is a Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award winner best known for hits such as “Copacabana” and “Mandy,” and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002.  Manilow has been married to his husband, Garry Kief, since 2014, and they live primarily in Palm Springs, California.

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Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas and Nick Jonas are set to reprise their roles as the fictional band Connect 3 in the upcoming Camp Rock 3 film – some 17 years after the release of their Disney Channel original movie, Camp Rock (2008) and its sequel film Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010).

The famous brothers are also set to produce the Disney+/Disney Channel project, alongside their former co-star, Demi Lovato (who played Mitchie Torres in the original films).  Disney Branded Television confirmed that Camp Rock 3 has already begun filming in Vancouver, with Maria Canals-Barrera (‘Wizards of Waverly Place’) also reprising her role as Mitchie’s mother, Connie. The ensemble cast will also include Liamani Segura, Malachi Barton, Lumi Pollack, Hudson Stone, Casey Trotter, Brooklynn Pitts and Ava Jean.

According to an official synopsis from Disney, the film “picks up when Connect 3 lose their opening act for a major reunion tour, returning to their beloved Camp Rock to discover the next big thing. As campers vie for the chance to open for their favorite band, tensions rise and friendships are tested, leading to unexpected alliances, revelations and romances. Camp Rock’s all-new campers include bold and determined Sage (Segura) and her easygoing brother Desi (Stone), cello prodigy Rosie (Pollack), drummer with his own beat Cliff (Trotter), choreo queen Callie (Pitts), intimidating influencer Madison (Jean) and camp bad boy Fletch (Barton).”

Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television, in a press release: “Camp Rock is an important part of the Disney Channel Original Movie legacy, with unforgettable music, energetic storytelling, and characters that live in the hearts of fans to this day. Bringing it back with Kevin, Joe, Nick and Demi is such a full-circle moment, and we can’t wait to reintroduce this world to a new generation.”

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Just one day after it was reported that longtime Saturday Night Live cast member Bowen Yang was leaving the show after nearly seven seasons, with his last episode airing over the weekend, Yang himself confirmed the news a social media post (The Hollywood Reporter was the first to report the news.). His last ‘SNL” episode was hosted by Ariana Grande and featured Cher as the musical guest.

Yang wrote on Instagram: “i loved working at SNL, and most of all i loved the people. i was there at a time when many things in the world started to seem futile, but working at 30 rock taught me the value in showing up anyway when people make it worthwhile … i’m grateful for every minute of my time there. i learned about myself (bad with wigs). i learned about others (generous, vulnerable, hot). i learned that human error can be nothing but correct. i learned that comedy is mostly logistics and that it will usually fail until it doesn’t, which is the besssst … thank you to every single person who showed up there: friends and coworkers and audiences and hosts. thank you celeste, sudi, will, alison, julio, fran, drez, bulla, marty, john, ben, jimmy, ceara, deetch, jake, asha, jack, auguste, tucker, kent, streeter, james, alex, jasmine, gary, and billy for writing with me. thank you to every cast member for making me laugh and cry. to liz and don. tom, jodi, louie, eamon. gena, chris, eddie. the crews, the pages. and to audrey, jameson, cassandra and chris for the fastest, funnest quick-changes in all of showbiz. thank you to ari for sending me off in the dreamiest way i could imagine … thank you to lorne for the job. for the standard. and for bringing everyone at work together. they all care deeply about people in the room, any room, enjoying themselves. i can’t believe i was ever included in that .. the show doesn’t go on because it’s ready, but ***, i hope i am. ”

Yang first joined “SNL” as a writer in 2018 for Season 44, and joined the cast as a featured player during Season 45 before being promoted to join the main cast beginning with Season 47. Yang has received five Emmy nominations for his work on SNL — one for writing in 2018 and four for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025.

His exit follows the mass exodus of cast members ahead of Season 51, with Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker, Emil Wakim and John Higgins all departing from the show.

Bowen currently co-hosts the popular “Las Culturistas” podcast with comedian Matt Rogers.

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Almost 20 years after the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada, the first anticipated teaser trailer for the sequel film ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ has been released.

The sequel reunites much of the film’s original cast, including stars Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci; with director David Frankel and writer Aline Brosh McKenna back at the helm.

Set to the tune of Madonna’s “Vogue,” the teaser features Anne Hathaway‘s Andy Sachs walking into an elevator after Meryl Streep‘s Miranda Priestly, who tells her, “Took you long enough.”

The original film, based on Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel of the same name, followed Hathaway’s Andy, a journalism graduate, in her experiences after moving to New York City and starting her demanding job as Priestly’s junior assistant.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 debuts exclusively in theaters May 1, 2026. see the teaser trailer: HERE.

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The Academy Awards will make a historic move to YouTube beginning in 2029, ending a decades-long run on ABC and signaling a major shift for the world’s most watched awards show.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that YouTube will hold exclusive global streaming rights to the Oscars from 2029 through 2033. (per The Hollywood Reporter). ABC, which has aired the ceremony almost continuously since 1961, will remain the broadcast home through 2028, culminating with the 100th Academy Awards.

The network said in a statement: “ABC has been the proud home to The Oscars for more than half a century. We look forward to the next three telecasts, including the show’s centennial celebration in 2028, and wish the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences continued success.”

Starting with the 101st ceremony, the Oscars will stream live and free worldwide on YouTube, while also being available to YouTube TV subscribers in the United States. The platform reaches more than 2 billion viewers globally.

Under the new multi-year agreement, YouTube will carry not only the main Oscars broadcast but also an expanded slate of related programming, including red-carpet events, nominations announcements, pre-show coverage, the Governors Awards, and the Nominees Luncheon. The Academy said the broader distribution is designed to extend its reach and engagement beyond a single night each year.

Academy leadership described the YouTube partnership as a way to modernize access to its programming. Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor said the deal would help “expand access” to the organization’s work and connect with audiences around the world:  “This collaboration will leverage YouTube’s vast reach and infuse the Oscars and other Academy programming with innovative opportunities for engagement while honoring our legacy.”

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan also praised the agreement, calling the Oscars a cornerstone of global culture. “The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honoring excellence in storytelling and artistry,” he said. “Partnering with the academy to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”

Financial terms were not fully disclosed, though the Oscars generated roughly $150 million in Academy revenue in the most recent fiscal year, largely from its television rights deal. The move makes the Oscars the first of the major U.S. awards shows — alongside the Grammys, Emmys and Tonys — to fully depart traditional broadcast television. While other ceremonies have added streaming options, none have previously abandoned network TV entirely.

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Netflix is teasing ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Vol. 2 on social media with a collection of posters featuring the show’s stars, looking off camera as a red, lightning-filled sky glows behind them. The caption reads: “Ready for one last battle. Stranger Things 5 Vol. 2 premieres Christmas Day.”

The upcoming episodes arriving Christmas Day, Dec. 25, will close out the series that first debuted on Netflix in 2016.  Season 5 follows the main characters’ quest to kill Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), with an official synopsis reading:  “But his has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown.”

Cast members for Season 5 include Millie Bobbie Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson, Brett Gelman, Cara Buono, Amybeth McNulty, Neil Fisher, Jack Connelly, Alex Breaux, Linda Hamilton, David Harbour and Winona Ryder.

Additionally, it was previously announced that the finale for Season 5 of Stranger Things is slated to screen in theaters as special fan events on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

Netflix revealed that the highly anticipated feature-length ending to the series will be released theatrically, with a post on social media reading: “Spend the Holidays in Hawkins! Volume 1 Nov 26 Volume 2 Christmas The finale New Years Eve, in select theaters in US & Canada, and only on Netflix. More information to come!”

Screenings will take place in over 350 theaters in the U.S. and Canada starting on December 31, 2025 at 5 pm PT, the same time the series finale drops on Netflix globally, through Jan. 1, 2026.

The Duffer Brothers, creators of the show, said in a statement: “We’re beyond excited that fans will have the chance to experience the final episode of Stranger Things in theaters — it’s something we’ve dreamed about for years, and we’re so grateful to Ted, Bela, and everyone at Netflix for making it happen. Getting to see it on the big screen, with incredible sound, picture, and a room full of fans, feels like the perfect — dare we say bitchin’ — way to celebrate the end of this adventure.”

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