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Who Has a Higher Net Worth: Kevin Durant or Steph Curry?

Michelle Kapusta — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 01:00:00 +0000

Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have cemented their legacies as great basketball players. Between them, they have three MVPs, six NBA Championships, five Olympic gold medals, and 26 All-Star appearances. They’re also some of the most popular players on the planet, which is why people want to know as much as they can about the future Hall of Famers.

Here are a few things you may not have known about the Golden State Warriors guard and the Phoenix Suns forward including who’s older and who has a higher net worth.

Steph Curry’s net worth

Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant react after the men’s basketball gold medal game between the United States and France at the Paris 2024 Olympics | Meng Yongmin/Xinhua via Getty Images

Curry was born on March 14, 1988, in Akron, Ohio, to Sonya and former NBA player Dell Curry. The family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina when he was a child.

After becoming a standout player at Davidson, Curry was selected by the Warriors with the seventh pick of the 2009 NBA Draft. Today, he is regarded as one of the best shooters in the game and has won four championships with The Dubs. He also won two MVP Awards back to back in 2015 and 2016 becoming the first unanimous MVP selection in NBA history. And in 2024, won his first Olympic gold medal with Team USA in Paris.

Curry’s NBA salary is $62 million a season and he’s had endorsement deals with several top brands including Nike, which he left to become the face of Under Armour, and TCL corporation’s line of “Palm” phones. The athlete is a leading investor in the Palm device and is involved with testing and development.

Today, Curry has a net worth of $240 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Kevin Durant’s net worth

Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant take part in a press conference at the MPC during the Paris Olympics | Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images

Durant and Curry are actually the same age. KD was born in Washington D.C. to Wanda and Wayne Pratt on Sept. 29, 1988, making him just a few months younger than Curry. Durant’s father was not present during most of his childhood as he was raised by his mother and grandmother. Wayne Pratt re-entered his son’s life when he was 13 and began taking him to basketball tournaments around the country.

Durant was selected with the second overall pick by the Seattle SuperSonics (later the Oklahoma City Thunder) in the 2007 NBA Draft. He has become one of the time greats in the game. Over the course of his career, Durant has won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, two NBA championships, four Olympic gold medals, one MVP Award, two Finals MVP Awards, and four NBA scoring titles.

When it comes to his net worth, Durant has Curry beat with a net worth of $300 million.

In addition to his $42 million a season salary from the NBA, Durant has “multiple lucrative endorsement deals allow him to earn tens of millions more each year,” per Celebrity Net Worth. Some of those endorsements are with Gatorade, Nike, and Degree. In 2020, Durant purchased a 5% stake in Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union. In addition, the athlete has a media company and production deals with Fox, ESPN, Apple, and Showtime.

‘The Last Showgirl’ Star Pamela Anderson Just Rocked a 68-Carat Necklace but the Price Tag Isn’t What You’d Expect

Michelle Kapusta — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 00:47:46 +0000

Pamela Anderson turned heads when she arrived on the red carpet at the 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards in London.

The Last Showgirl actor went makeup-free and stunned in an all-white, floor-length gown by Jacquemus with detailed ruching and matching white pumps. Anderson, who is the Globe Ambassador for Pandora, completed her look with a gorgeous necklace, ring, and earrings from the Danish brand.

People have not been able to stop talking about her collar necklace, and one of the most surprising things about is how much the exquisite piece actually cost. Here’s more on that and where you just may have seen the same necklace before.

Anderson did not wear traditional diamonds

Pamela Anderson smiling on the red carpet at the EE BAFTA Film Awards | Joe Maher/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA

The custom necklace Anderson donned at the awards ceremony on Feb. 16, 2025, is a recycled piece she also wore to the Golden Globes and 2024 Met Gala. It has been reworked utilizing Pandora lab-grown diamonds.

“The Met Gala was a huge moment for me–it was about expression, creativity, and conversation, and finally, being part of that night was so special,” the former Baywatch star told InStyle. “I remember how my jewelry that night caught the light and how good it felt to wear something that wasn’t just beautiful but purposeful.”

Anderson added: “This necklace isn’t just stunning–it’s meaningful. It’s been reimagined from moments that matter to me, my first attending the Met Gala and my first Golden Globe nomination experience. I am carrying that excitement and beauty from those nights still, and this piece represents that. It feels like a reflection of my own journey–it still has that same sparkle I remember, but now with a new energy–proof that beauty can be timeless and adaptable.”

How much Anderson’s necklace cost

The jewelry experts at the U.K. retailer Steven Stone discussed Anderson’s necklace and explained that because the diamonds are “lab-grown,” the cost of those 68 carats isn’t astronomical. While gemstones created in a lab have the same chemical and optical properties as those formed within the earth’s crust, mined diamonds are worth much more and will retain their value over the years.

Pamela Anderson at the EE BAFTA Film Awards Dinner 2025 | John Armour/BAFTA via Getty Images

Maxwell Stone said: “A reflection of her personal journey and cherished milestones, Pamela’s custom necklace was reimagined using diamonds from her first Met Gala and Golden Globe nomination. As a result, it carries the magic, excitement, and beauty of those unforgettable nights.

“Pandora’s creative directors, Francesco Terzo and A. Filippo Ficarelli, are the visionaries behind this recycled masterpiece. The talented duo reimagined the original necklace’s 68 carats of lab-grown diamonds, crafting them into a captivating cascade of teardrop shapes.”

Maxwell added: “Though undeniably mesmerizing, the necklace isn’t as valuable as one might expect due to its lab-grown diamonds. Even though the most skilled diamond experts and geologists can’t distinguish them from natural diamonds, there remains a significant difference in value. As a result, I’d estimate Pamela’s necklace to be worth approximately $20,000.”

Paul McCartney Said John Lennon Was Jealous He Didn’t Write 1 Beatles Song: ‘It Drove Him Nuts’

Emma McKee — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 23:23:00 +0000

In the years after The Beatles split, John Lennon insulted some of Paul McCartney’s work. He took shots at him through song and criticized him in interviews. Still, he had begrudging respect for one of McCartney’s most famous songs. It reportedly frustrated him that he didn’t write it himself.

Paul McCartney said John Lennon wished he had written ‘Yesterday’

In 1965, McCartney wrote “Yesterday,” a song he says came to him in a dream. It’s one of The Beatles’ most celebrated tracks and has been covered endlessly by other artists. According to McCartney, his bandmate liked the song so much that it irritated him.

“The worst thing for John,” McCartney said (per Cosmic Magazine), “was that he didn’t write ‘Yesterday.’”

McCartney said Lennon got visibly frustrated when he heard the song.

“I did,” McCartney said, “and he would get really quite biffed because you would be in New York and the pianist would go and hum the song. That would annoy him.”

McCartney wasn’t the only one to notice Lennon’s jealousy. His friend said he couldn’t stand it when people attributed the song to him.

“‘Yesterday’ drove him crazy,” friend Howard Smith told MOJO Magazine. “People would say, ‘Thank you for writing ‘Yesterday,’ I got married to it, what a beautiful song…’ He was always civil. But it drove him nuts.”

John Lennon told Paul McCartney the only good thing he did was ‘Yesterday’

In 1971, amid the fallout of The Beatles’ breakup, Lennon released the song “How Do You Sleep?” The song is a blistering attack on McCartney, a nuclear response to the song “Too Many People.” Even amid the attacks on McCartney, though, Lennon couldn’t bring himself to criticize “Yesterday.”

“The only thing you done was yesterday / And since you’ve gone you’re just another day,” Lennon sings.

Adding insult to injury, George Harrison played guitar on the song. He said he was glad he wasn’t the target of Lennon’s ire.

“I enjoyed ‘How Do You Sleep?’” he said in a 1987 interview with Musician Magazine. “I liked being on that side of it with Paul [chuckles] rather than on the receiving end.”

He shared his favorite songs by his bandmate

When asked about his favorite songs by his former bandmate, McCartney had three in mind: “Imagine,” “Instant Karma,” and “Beautiful Boy.”

“Obviously, ‘Imagine,’” he told BBC Radio (per Far Out Magazine). “‘Instant Karma’ is great, and the nice thing was, when I listen to the records, I can imagine him in the studio and go, ‘Oh ok, I know what he’s done. He’s just said to the engineer, ‘Gimme some Elvis echo. Bog echo.’”

He said that “Beautiful Boy,” a song Lennon wrote about his son Sean, is among his favorite songs of all time.

“I’m often asked for my favorite tunes kind of thing, and I always include ‘Beautiful Boy,’” he said.

In 1984, McCartney also included “Beautiful Boy” on his desert island picks.

“I haven’t chosen any of my records, so to sum up the whole thing, I have chosen one of John Lennon’s from Double Fantasy, which I think is a beautiful song, very moving to me,” he said on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. “So, I’d like to sum the whole thing [up] by playing ‘Beautiful Boy.’”

What to Watch This Weekend: The Best New Streaming and Theatrical Releases for Feb. 21-23

Matt Moore — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 22:51:01 +0000

As the weekend approaches, a fresh lineup of TV shows and movies hits screens, offering something for every viewer. From high-stakes thrillers to superhero blockbusters, here are the latest must-watch releases for Feb. 21-23.

What to stream this weekend

Netflix leads the pack with Zero Day, a political thriller starring Robert De Niro as former President George Mullen, investigating a global cyberattack.

Nordic noir enthusiasts can dive into The Åre Murders, a Swedish crime drama featuring detective Hanna Ahlander as she unravels a chilling missing person case in a remote town. Meanwhile, Prime Video premieres Reacher Season 3, where Alan Ritchson returns as Jack Reacher, going undercover in Maine.

HBO and Max bring a brand-new episode of The White Lotus on Sunday. Catch up on the premiere and check out the real-life locations in Thailand used for season 3.

Another exciting addition to Disney+ is Win or Lose, Pixar’s first long-form animated series. The show follows a middle school softball team in the lead-up to their championship game, with each episode told from a different character’s perspective. The voice cast includes Will Forte, Rosie Foss, Lil Rel Howery, Melissa Villaseñor, and Rhea Seehorn.

Reality TV fans can tune into Love Is Blind Season 8, as Netflix releases episodes 7-9 on Feb. 21. The hit dating experiment continues with unexpected twists, emotional revelations, and relationship drama as engaged couples navigate the challenges of love before their wedding day.

What’s in theaters this weekend

In theaters, Marvel continues its box office domination with Captain America: Brave New World, where Anthony Mackie takes on his first solo big-screen adventure as Sam Wilson, the new Captain America.

One of the most anticipated horror releases is The Monkey, an adaptation of Stephen King’s chilling short story. The film, led by Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, and Christian Convery, follows two brothers who discover an eerie mechanical monkey that appears to bring death to those around them. As they uncover its sinister history, they must find a way to break its curse before it claims more lives.

Cleaner, starring Daisy Ridley, hits theaters Feb. 21. This Die-Hard-esque action-thriller follows a former assassin-turned-cleaner who is pulled back into the criminal underworld when a powerful syndicate targets her family. As she navigates a web of deceit and danger, she must confront her past while fighting to protect her loved ones.

For a mix of action and comedy, Old Guy (Feb. 21) stars Christoph Waltz as an aging hitman forced out of retirement when a new generation of assassins begins to target him. Combining sharp wit with intense action sequences, the film offers a fresh take on the classic assassin genre, with Waltz delivering a performance full of charm and deadly precision.

Violet Affleck Is Going No Contact With Jennifer Lopez Because of ‘How Upset’ Ben Affleck Became, Source Says

Lauren Weiler — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 22:30:16 +0000

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck finalized their divorce in early 2025 after officially calling it quits on their marriage in August 2024. Ben and Jennifer Garner’s kids, Violet, Fin, and Samuel Affleck, grew quite close to Lopez and her twins, Emme and Max Muñiz. Violet also established a close relationship with Lopez, as they were often spotted shopping together in the Hamptons. Unfortunately, a source now says Violet feels “used” as a “pawn” in her father and stepmother’s divorce.

Violet Affleck allegedly cut contact with Jennifer Lopez after Lopez’s divorce from Ben Affleck

Jennifer Lopez and Violet Affleck reportedly had a wonderful stepmother and stepdaughter relationship. They were often spotted shopping together without Ben Affleck present. Violet also once wore the same dress Lopez owned, which raised eyebrows. Additionally, Lopez’s sister visited Violet at Yale in November 2024 — months after Lopez and Ben officially filed for divorce.

While Violet and Lopez seemed like they wanted to have a lifelong relationship with each other, that’s allegedly over. “Violet felt like she was used as a pawn so to speak during her dad’s split from J.Lo,” an insider told DailyMail.com.

The insider noted that Violet saw “how upset her father was that their split was at the center of everything,” which is part of the reason she doesn’t want contact with Lopez. “Ben never said a word about J.Lo.” The source added, “Violet is highly intelligent and will ultimately always be a daddy’s girl. This is why you do not see her on public outings with J.Lo anymore.”

Jennifer Garner “supported her daughter getting close to the singer because she always puts her children first,” the source added. However, Violet continuing to hang out with Lopez post-divorce started to raise red flags. Garner also allegedly found it strange when Lopez’s sister visited Violet at college. “But Jen even let this slide, because she wants Violet to be happy and respects that, as an adult, she can choose who to spend her time with even if Jen does not necessarily agree,” the insider continued.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner allegedly found Violet Affleck’s affinity for Jennifer Lopez ‘very confusing’

Actors Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez at the premiere of ‘AIR’ on March 27, 2023 | Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner seemed to have their concerns over Violet Affleck’s close relationship with Jennifer Lopez. While Lopez and Violet became close during Lopez’s marriage to Ben, Ben and Garner likely thought it would taper off. An insider told DailyMail.com that Violet’s “strong attachment” to Lopez was “quite confusing.”

“Violet has a strong attachment to J.Lo and her family,” the insider said in November 2024. “It’s quite confusing to Ben and Jen [Garner] because they do not understand why Violet is so adamant on keeping her close.”

The source added that Violet didn’t want to “lose” the “bond” she developed with Lopez over the last few years.

“It is unfortunate that her dad didn’t work things out with J.Lo, but it also didn’t work out with him and her mom, and she would rather keep the peace than have any issues,” they continued. “Violet doesn’t want to lose that bond.”

The oldest Affleck child allegedly wanted her father and J.Lo to work through their differences

Violet Affleck allegedly never wanted Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez to get a divorce. Yet another insider told DailyMail.com that she wished her father would’ve stayed with the award-winning multihyphenate.

“Violet does wish her dad Ben would stay with J.Lo,” the source said in August 2024, shortly after Lopez hit Ben with divorce papers. “She wasn’t living in their house and did not see the extent of the breakdown, but she got extremely close to J.Lo over the past couple of years, and it broke her heart when they split.”

Another insider alleged that Violet “championed” her father getting back together with Lopez, as she considered Lopez’s twins as her siblings. “Ben has been so amazing to Max and Emme and is a wonderful father and father figure, so of course they would all love for their parents to find a way to be together,” the second source explained.

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Beyoncé Was ‘Unable to Get Out of Bed’ Amid Harsh Backlash for Destiny’s Child Firings

Emma McKee — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:16:00 +0000

In 1999, Beyoncé found herself the target of backlash after former members of Destiny’s Child sued the group. They ultimately settled the lawsuits, but as the unofficial center of the group, Beyoncé began to receive negative attention. She said this was painful to go through, and made it difficult for her to get out of bed in the morning.

Beyoncé struggled as a result of public backlash

Destiny’s Child members LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson were pushed out of the group and quickly replaced. They later filed lawsuits against Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Matthew Knowles, Beyoncé’s father and the group’s manager. The lawsuit accused the trio of breach of contract, defamation, libel, and fraud. They settled the lawsuit in 2002.

Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé, LeToya Luckett, and LaTavia Roberson | Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images

Sources have said that Luckett and Roberson were primarily frustrated with Matthew Knowles, but Beyoncé found herself bearing the brunt of public backlash. People labeled her a diva and described her as cutthroat. She said this was not easy on her.

“I am not a diva and never have been,” she said in 2003 (per Spin Magazine). “I would never say that I was grateful for the controversy, because it really was hell, but it certainly kept us newsworthy. I just remember being unable to get out of bed while it was all happening, and just crying the whole time.”

She said she loved being in a group

After Destiny’s Child went their separate ways, Beyoncé went on to have a tremendous solo career. She said that she loved working in a group, though.

“I do love sisterhood,” she told The Guardian. “I loved that being in a group was about compromise and sacrifice.”

She enjoyed the creative challenge of collaboration and having to determine what was best for the group as a whole.

“All of us — and not just me, this is about Kelly and Michelle also — whatever was best for the group, no matter whether it was best for us individually, would let something go,” she said. “That element of compromise and sacrifice taught me a lot about myself and about friendship.”

Beyoncé said the backlash made her more cautious

After the backlash from the lawsuit, Beyoncé said she became more cautious of how she presented herself publicly.

“I’m very conscious of what I say to people and how I treat them,” she said. “Maybe it’s the Virgo in me, but I tend to analyze myself a lot.”

Beyonce | Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood

She carefully considered her answers in interviews and analyzed all of her public interactions. She wanted to avoid a bad reputation.

“After this talk with you, I will walk away and immediately recap it,” she told the interviewer, adding, “I will try to work out what your intentions were with your questions, and what my intentions were with my answers. I’ve met a lot of horrible and nasty celebrities — and, no, I won’t tell you who — but I don’t ever want to become one myself.”

Prue Leith, 85, Turns Royal Trash Into Runway Treasure at London Fashion Week

Ali Hicks — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 20:48:28 +0000

Dame Prue Leith flew straight from Western Australia to London for a birthday week to remember. The British-South African chef celebrated turning 85 on February 18 at the Royal Perth Yacht Club. She posted photos of crystal clear waters and sunny skies, then headed to chilly London for Fashion Week. Leith participated in a wild, wacky runway show rather than sitting in the front row. See The Great British Baking Show judge prove that age is just a number.

Prue Leith is a runway model at 85 years old

Dame Prue Leith during the VIN + OMI London Fashion Week show | Jeff Moore/PA Images via Getty Images

London Fashion Week Autumn/Winter runs from February 20-24, 2025. The showcase takes place at 180 The Strand in the heart of London’s creative community as well as various locations across the city. Prue Leith has been a significant figure in London’s culinary scene. In more recent years, however, she’s become much more involved in the fashion community. On February 20, Leith helped kick off London Fashion Week by walking in the VIN + OMI show.

Dame Prue Leith on the VIN + OMI catwalk on February 19, 2025 | Jeff Moore/PA Images via Getty Images

Fans know VIN + OMI for its avant-garde, sustainable, and eco-conscious designs. Founded by designers Vin and Omi, the British fashion label pushes style boundaries by using innovative materials made from recycled plastic, repurposed waste, and organic plant-based textiles. VIN + OMI’s most famous collaboration involves Prince Charles’ estate, which allows the label to upcycle waste from Sandringham.

Prue Leith poses backstage ahead of the VIN + OMI show at The Other House | Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Leith, who was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2021, agreed to do the show on the condition that she wouldn’t have to walk up any stairs and get “left behind” the “long-legged models.”

Going for a decidedly ’80s punk look, the cookbook author donned a pink satin dress made from milk cartons, black walnut, oak, and beetroot madder. The recycled print looked like black brushstrokes all over the coat dress. Leith called it an “incredibly elegant, beautifully structured, amazingly well-made dress,” according to the Daily Mail.

Prue Leith added her own famous jewelry to her VIN + OMI look

Dame Prue Leith with the designers on the VIN + OMI catwalk; Jane Moore (L) and Prue Leith at the VIN + OMI ‘Kaos’ show | Jeff Moore/PA Images via Getty Images; Dave Benett/Getty Images

The mother of two also told the publication that she “grinned like a Cheshire cat the whole time.” Leith continued, “I was just trying to keep up, not fall over.” As she beamed down the catwalk, the broadcaster also wore red lipstick, black statement sunglasses, and rubber flip-flops, styling her short gray hair into a spiked, voluminous ‘do. The jewelry enthusiast did wear her own earrings for the VIN + OMI show.

Hannah Rogers, Dame Prue Leith, and Jane Moore backstage ahead of the VIN + OMI London Fashion Week show at The Other House, London on February 19, 2025 | Jeff Moore/PA Images via Getty Images

Leith’s ongoing jewelry collaboration, PRUE by ZSISKA, features vibrant hues and bold designs. She often showcases her pieces on The Great British Baking Show via her colorful outfits. Leith’s FLORA collection is an artful interpretation of flowers. The FLORA earrings, worn by the Dame during her VIN + OMI debut, come in several colors. The Cape Town native donned the bright red variation in a glass, paint-inspired design.

Leith explained her love of jewelry on her website, “Growing up in South Africa, I’ve always been used to strong, bold colours, and I’ve never been one to shy away from adornment. A bit of a show-off really.”

Paul McCartney Once Said Working With Kanye West Reminded Him of John Lennon

Emma McKee — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 20:37:00 +0000

Paul McCartney’s closest collaborator was John Lennon, and he once said that working with Kanye West brought him back to those Beatles days. McCartney and West worked together on songs like “FourFiveSeconds” and “Only One.” While the creative process between the two of them felt slightly new, McCartney said there was a quality to it that reminded him of Lennon.

Paul McCartney said working with Kanye West reminded him of John Lennon

When McCartney and West worked together, he played guitar while West seemingly sat by, distracted.

“I was tootling around on guitar, and Kanye spent a lot of time just looking at pictures of Kim on his computer,” he said, per Variety. “I’m thinking, are we ever gonna get around to writing?!”

McCartney realized that this was all a part of how West worked. He listened to the guitar and built songs off of it.

Kanye West and Paul McCartney | Michel Dufour/WireImage

“But it turns out he was writing. That’s his muse,” McCartney said. “He was listening to this riff I was doing and obviously he knew in his mind that he could use that, so he took it, sped it up, and then somehow he got Rihanna to sing on it. She’s a big favorite of mine anyway, so that just came without me lifting a finger.”

Upon reflection, McCartney said this was in some ways similar to how he worked with Lennon.

“When I wrote with John, he would sit down with a guitar. I would sit down. We’d ping-pong till we had a song,” McCartney told The Sun (per Time). “[Working with West] was like that.”

Paul McCartney said an artist like Kanye West could never replace John Lennon

McCartney has worked with a number of artists over the years. While he likes the collaborative process, he didn’t think anyone would be able to replicate what he had with Lennon.

“I don’t think it could be,” he told Rolling Stone. “At some point, you have to realize, some things just can’t be.”

Unlike his other collaborators, he and Lennon had the benefit of growing up together.

“John and me, we were kids growing up together, in the same environment with the same influences: He knows the records I know, I know the records he knows,” he said. “You’re writing your first little innocent songs together. Then you’re writing something that gets recorded. Each year goes by, and you get the cooler clothes. Then you write the cooler song to go with the cooler clothes. We were on the same escalator – on the same step of the escalator, all the way. It’s irreplaceable – that time, friendship, and bonding.”

He spoke about their collaborative process in The Beatles

McCartney described the “ping pong” process he employed with both West and Lennon.

“Writing with John was a lot easier because you’ve actually got a sounding board,” McCartney said on Fresh Air. “You’re sitting across from someone and we normally wrote on two acoustic guitars. So he’d be sitting there, I’d be sitting here and one of us would suggest an opening line. And then the other one would go okay and would make a suggestion for the second line. So you would kind of ping pong.”

Paul McCartney and John Lennon | Val Wilmer/Redferns

He said it made the songwriting process much easier.

“If a line was terrible, the other person would say that’s terrible and we’d scratch it,” McCartney said. “So just with that process of the two of us making this piece, it was quite easy. I don’t want to make it sound too easy but it made the process very enjoyable and easy. If you had a line that you were questioning in your own mind, if you were writing on your own, you could spend a good half hour going, ‘This is terrible, what can I do, think of something quick.’ Whereas with John, you just go, ‘Oh, this is terrible.’ He’d go, ‘Yeah, I know’, and we’d fix it. Between the two of us we would just improve it so it was easier.”

‘Reacher’ Star Alan Ritchson Spotted Filming New Movie With Arnold Schwarzenegger in NYC

Megan Elliott — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 20:22:07 +0000

Alan Ritchson is getting in the Christmas spirit. The Reacher star has teamed up with Arnold Schwarzenegger for the upcoming holiday film The Man With the Bag.

Alan Ritchson and Arnold Schwarzenegger film Christmas movie in Central Park

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alan Ritchson, and Berkeley James on the set of ‘The Man with the Bag’ on Feb. 20 | Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

On Feb. 20, Ritchson and Schwarzenegger were spotted filming the action-comedy – which will also feature Kyle Mooney, Awkwafina, Murray Hill, and Ken Jeong – on the streets of New York City.

Photographers captured the pair with their young costar Berkeley James in a snowy Central Park. The movie, which is directed by Adam Shankman, follows Santa as he turns to a former thief named Vance to help him retrieve his stolen magic bag.

Awkwafina on the set of ‘The Man with the Bag’ | Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

“Along with his daughter, Santa, and a group of misfit elves, Vance will have to pull off the greatest heist of his life to save Christmas,” reads the synopsis, according to Deadline.

In one image, Ritchson checks his phone while Schwarzenegger, dressed in a scarlet-colored coat, stands by. In another set photo, Awkwafina struts through the park while carrying a bright red bag.

The ‘Reacher’ actor ‘wanted to be a top comedic star’

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Alan Ritchson on the set of ‘The Man with the Bag’ | Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

The Man With the Bag will be the first movie for screen icon Schwarzenegger since 2019’s Terminator: Dark Fate. Last year, he starred in the Netflix series FUBAR. Schwarzenegger’s most recent holiday movie was Jingle All the Way in 1996. Ritchson currently stars in Prime Video’s action-drama Reacher. Season 3 premiered on Feb. 20, and the show has been renewed for a fourth season.

For Ritchson – who is currently known for busting heads as a vigilante ex-Army officer on Reacher – a movie like The Man With the Bag is another chance to flex his comedic chops. (He previously starred in Spike TV’s football comedy Blue Mountain State.)

“I wanted to be a top comedic star,” he recently told GQ of his career goals when he started acting. “I was compared to Ryan Reynolds once. They’re like, ‘You’re a leading man, but funny. Ryan Reynolds is the only other guy in town doing it. You can pick up all the jobs he had!’”

Reacher Season 3 is currently streaming on Prime Video. New episodes debut on Thursdays through March 27.

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Led Zeppelin: Jimmy Page Played on a Beach Boys Rip-Off Song

Matthew Trzcinski — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:44:00 +0000

Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin played on many pop tracks by other stars. One of those songs was a Beach Boys rip-off. That’s no insult — more pop tunes should take ideas from The Beach Boys!

Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin named some of the pop songs he helped create

Before becoming a rock star, Page was a session musician, playing instruments on many famous songs by other artists. During a 2014 interview with Reverb, Page said it was difficult to remember all of his work as a session musician. “It’s difficult, yeah, but I’ll tell you what I do know,” he said. “On BBC2 [television] at the moment, there’s like a weather advert, this song fraction that they’ve got. I think it’s by The Fenmen, they’re singing like, ‘I’ve got everything you need, babe,’ and then suddenly this solo goes on at the end [sings]. And I went: ‘Hey, that’s me!’

“I’d completely forgotten about that, but I knew the minute I heard that guitar who it was,” he said. “And all those Petula Clark things, I was on all of those, ‘Downtown,’ all the big hits, ‘Don’t Sleep in the Subway.’ So every now and again, they come around.”

How a song with Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page ended up sounding like The Beach Boys

Clark was the most vanilla singer to come out of the British Invasion. It’s incredible she’s lumped in with innovators like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who! Despite her traditional sound and style, “Don’t Sleep in the Subway” might be her most interesting song since it takes so much inspiration from The Beach Boys.

Most of “Don’t Sleep in the Subway” is a simple pop song about love gone wrong. However, the chorus has some avant-garde instrumentation. Listen to it a couple of times, and it’ll vaguely remind you of The Beach Boys. If you listen to it more, you’ll probably notice it’s reminiscent of the hook of “God Only Knows.” Both tunes have a similar melody and a choppy, progressive arrangement. They also mix lyrics about love with a sense of desperation.

“Don’t Sleep in the Subway” also has an abrupt change in its beat that makes it stand out. The Beach Boys incorporated such shifts into the instrumentation of “Good Vibrations.” If only Clark had taken more inspiration from The Beach Boys — she would have been a more interesting singer!

Considering that “God Only Knows,” its parent album, Pet Sounds, and “Good Vibrations” all came out in 1966 and “Don’t Sleep in the Subway” came out in 1967, it seems plausible that Clark’s songwriter, Tony Hatch, took some ideas from The Beach Boys. During a 2014 interview with the Daily Express, Hatch said he wished that he had written The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations.” Clearly, Hatch had Brian Wilson and company on his mind.

What Petula Clark thought of her Beach Boys-style song

Whether its derivative or not, Clark seems to have a special place in her heart for “Don’t Sleep in the Subway.” During a 2014 interview with Smashing Interviews Magazine, Clark discussed her hits. “I like all of them,” she said. “Some of them I like more. Probably, I like ‘Don’t Sleep in the Subway’ and ‘I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love.’ They may be my favorites, actually.”

If you are a fan of Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys — or classic rock in general — “Don’t Sleep in the Subway” might be your favorite of Clark’s songs, too.