Why Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider is assuring fans he's 'not dying'

Dee Snidermay be retiring from stage, but the rocker is still alive and kicking.

The formerTwisted Sisterlead singer, who made waves earlier this month after resigning from the band due to a "series of health challenges," addressed speculation about his condition during a Feb. 14 appearance on his radio show"The House of Hair."

"I'm not dying!" Snider, 70, said. "No, not never; I mean, we're all dying, but not immediately."

In aFeb. 5 statement, Twisted Sister said shows between April 25 in Sao Paulo and through the summer were canceled following the "sudden and unexpected resignation" of Snider. The tour would've been the first for the reunited band in a decade.

In a statement of his own at the time, Snider explained that a "lifetime of legendarily aggressive performing" had taken a toll on his physical health, adding that he had been suffering from degenerative arthritis. "The idea of slowing down is unacceptable to me," he wrote. "I'd rather walk away than be a shadow of my former self."

The veteran British glam rockers will be asking Las Vegas, "Do you wanna get rocked?" at their new dozen-concert residency at Caesars Palace. Singer Joe Elliott told USA TODAY the band wants to keep some "mystique" about show plans but, "Vegas will have a new concept."

Dates: Feb. 3 - Feb. 28 (Las Vegas). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The Americana sweetheart is supporting her eighth studio album – and first solo project in four years – "Returning to Myself," released in October. She'll be joined by The Head and the Heart.

Dates: Feb. 10 (Philadelphia) – March 6 (San Francisco). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The hip-hop maven embarks on her Little Miss Drama Tour – its name drawn from her second studio album that released in September – for more than 30 dates. It's her first tour in six years and her first arena outing.

Dates: Feb. 11 (Palm Desert, California) – April 18 (Atlanta). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The Mayhem Ball was unequivocally the most spectacular road show of 2025. The indefatigable Gaga is back for a second North American leg that will hit some new cities (Atlanta, Boston, Washington DC) and return her captivating pop-opera to others (Los Angeles, New York) because of insatiable demand.

Dates: Feb. 14 (Glendale, Arizona) – April 13 (New York). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Following the major success of his fourth studio album, "Wishbone," which bore the dreamy "This Song" and "Vodka Cranberry," the sensitive singer-songwriter will circle North American arenas with Esha Tewari before heading to Europe and Australia.

Dates: Feb. 19 (Minneapolis) – March 20 (Los Angeles). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Following the recent release of his sixth album, "With Heaven on Top," the alt-country singer-songwriter will launch another slate of stadium shows to promote the 25-song effort. He's also tapped a heady supporting cast: Kings of Leon and Ben Howard, Alabama Shakes and Caamp.

Dates: March 7 (St. Louis) - Oct. 10 (Auburn, Alabama). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Country megastar Combs has produced a stadium-sized career, and he'll fill those venues on his My Kinda Saturday Night Tour, which kicks off the day after his new album, "The Way I Am," arrives. Combs tapped guest performers – Dierks Bentley, The Script, Thomas Rhett, Thelma & James, among others – for various dates.

Dates: March 21 (Las Vegas) – June 6 (Toronto). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The forthright British songbird hasn't toured North America since 2018, and is only doing nine concerts before heading back to the U.K. this summer. But she'll make them memorable. Her Lily Allen Performs West End Girl will find her performing her intense new album, "West End Girl," start to finish.

Dates: April 3 (Chicago) – April 28 (San Francisco). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Florence Welch – an ever-captivating and a dazzling stage presence – will lead her band through a romp inspired by her sixth album, "Everybody Scream," released on Halloween. She'll be joined by Rachel Chinouriri, Sofia Isella and other artists on varying dates.

Dates: April 8 (Minneapolis) – May 20 (Los Angeles). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> It's been four years since Lovato's last major outing and she's primed to bring her nearly two decades (!) of hits to 23 cities. Touring behind last year's "It's Not That Deep," which marked her return to pop, Lovato will welcome ADÉLA as her special guest.

Dates: April 8 (Charlotte) – May 25 (Houston). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> While he hasn't headlined a tour since 2017, the song-and-dance man has hardly been idle. He's helmed a popular Vegas residency and club opening as well as moonlighting with Silk Sonic and appearing on hits with Lady Gaga and Rosé. His grand return for The Romantic Tour – his fourth album, "The Romantic," – will play nearly 70 stadium shows across North America and Europe and was met with instant sellouts.

Dates: April 10 (Las Vegas) – Oct. 17 (Vancouver). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Cue the eardrum-shattering screams because the K-pop conquerors are back. A 70-plus date world tour featuring an in-the-round stage should sate the BTS Army, especially since it's the group's first headline tour since 2022. A new record, "Arirang," is also expected this year.

Dates: April 25 (Tampa) - Sept. 6 (Los Angeles). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The effervescent ska-punk of the "Tragic Kingdom" quartet will meld with the remarkable technology at Sphere Las Vegas for what is sure to be a colorful show. Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont and Adrian Young have 18 performances set at the venue to host their cache of '90s and '00s smashes.

Dates: May 6 - June 13 (Las Vegas). More here. 

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The voice behind the ubiquitous "Ordinary" released his full-length debut album, "You'll Be Alright, Kid," in July (with Jelly Roll and Rosé popping on a couple of songs). He'll parlay his burgeoning success on his Little Orphan Alex Live tour with a run of 28 North American amphitheaters and arenas.

Dates: May 25 (Nashville) - July 28 (Cheyenne, Wyoming). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The Australian pop-rockers show their sense of humor on new album "Everyone's a Star!" with the single "Boyband." They'll take their polished riffs to Europe in the early part of the year before hitting more than three dozen arenas and amphitheaters in North America.

Dates: May 29 (Uncasville, Connecticut) - Aug. 28 (Mountain View, California). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The global superstar broke through in a major way with "LUX," her fourth full-length album released in November featuring the London Symphony Orchestra, Björk, Carminho and Estrella Morente, among others. Her LUX Tour 2026 will play 42 arena shows in 17 countries.  

Dates: June 4 (Miami) - July 3 (San Diego). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> It's a long way from "Wicked" as Grande embarks on her first tour in six years. The album she's ostensibly supporting, "Eternal Sunshine," arrived in March 2024, but Grande spent the last couple of years exploring her acting interests and hinted that she will return to that path following this excursion.

Dates: June 6 (Oakland, California) – Aug. 6 (Chicago). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Even Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson were surprised at the demand that met the first seven dates they announced on their Fifty Something tour, their first since 2015. Modern Drummer Hall of Famer Neil Peart died in 2020, but the Canadian rockers will be joined by Anika Nilles behind the kit.

Dates: June 7 (Los Angeles) – Dec. 17 (Vancouver). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Following a spate of shows in Australia and South America, the affable Sheeran will land in North America for a stadium run. Sheeran is rocking a pink-hued motif for the tour in support of his eighth studio album, "Play," which spawned the hits "Azizam," "Sapphire" and "Camera."

Dates: June 13 (Glendale, Arizona) – Nov. 7 (Tampa). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jon Bon Jovi was extremely candid in the band's fulfilling Hulu documentary, "Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story," about the devastating vocal cord issues that robbed him of his singing voice. But following surgery and intensive rehab, one of rock's greatest frontmen and the rest of his Jersey boys are ready to rock again with a nine-show residency at Madison Square Garden before heading to Ireland and the U.K. for another handful of shows.

Dates: July 7-26 (New York). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> It's been quite the whirlwind year for the young London native, whose second album, "The Art of Loving," earned her a best new artist Grammy nomination and commandeered radio with the soulful pop of "Man I Need" and "Nice to Each Other." Her The Art of Loving Live tour is her most ambitious as she plays all arenas for the first time.

Dates: July 10 (San Francisco) – Aug. 29 (Austin, Texas). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Two decades after steamrolling through venues with their Carnival of Sins tour, Motley Crue is resurrecting the explosive production for its 20th anniversary as well as the 45th anniversary of the band. The Return of the Carnival of Sins – featuring updated staging and set lists – will hit 33 cities with Tesla and Extreme in tow.

Dates: July 17 (Burgettstown, Pennsylvania) – Sept. 26 (Ridgefield, Washington). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The band – Axl Rose, Duff McKagan, Slash, Dizzy Reed, Richard Fortus, Isaac Carpenter and Melissa Reese – have returned to their road warrior ways following a 2025 world tour and a 2026 that finds them roaring through South America and Europe before journeying to North America. Among GNR's dates is a Sept. 5 return to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, their first time playing the stadium in more than 30 years.   

Dates: July 24 (Raleigh, North Carolina) – Aug. 22 (Las Vegas). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Their last stadium tour, the 2023-24 Everything or Nothing at All run, sold out stadiums worldwide. The Foos – Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee and Ilan Rubin – will go another round in 12 (for now, they say) North American cities this summer. Queens of the Stone Age will open all dates except Sept. 12 in Fargo, North Dakota.

Dates: Aug. 4 (Toronto) – Sept. 26 (Las Vegas). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The celebration continues for the emo-punk-rockers, who last year kickstarted an anniversary tour to revisit their standout 2006 rock opera, "The Black Parade." Skits and costumes are prevalent as the band – Gerard Way, Ray Toro, Mikey Way and Frank Iero – tears through their landmark album in full before a second set of ragers.

Dates: Aug. 9 (New York) – Oct. 31 (Hollywood, California). More here.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Who is on tour in 2026? Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, BTS, Rush and more

The veteran British glam rockers will be asking Las Vegas, "Do you wanna get rocked?" at their new dozen-concert residency at Caesars Palace. Singer Joe Elliotttold USA TODAYthe band wants to keep some "mystique" about show plans but, "Vegas will have a new concept."Dates:Feb. 3 - Feb. 28 (Las Vegas).More here.

Twisted Sister cancels reunion:Band scraps shows as Dee Snider announces health issues

Snider said on "The House of Hair" that since the announcement of his departure, "the rumors have run wild that I am on my death bed."

"I just can't do those things that I did in my 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and even 60s, alright? Otherwise, I'm alive and well. I'm enjoying life," Snider said. "You won't see me on the stage kicking [butt] like I used to because that will mess me up."

Snider also thanked fans for "all the love and care and worry" following his resignation from the iconic glam metal band.

"It was crazy, the amount of people. The outpouring was beautiful; thank you very much for cheering me on," the singer said. "I'm OK. I just can't do that anymore."

Snider joined Twisted Sister in 1976, helping the fledgling rock group define its heavy metal sound and lively performance style. The band made a name for itself on the New York club circuit in the late '70s, even selling out the New York Palladium prior to signing a record deal.

Twister Sister found mainstream success with its 1984 album "Stay Hungry," which spawned the hits "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock." The band's androgynous fashion style, consisting of heavy makeup and bold stage outfits, helped epitomize the hair metal scene of the 1980s.

Dee Snider:Twisted Sister singer reveals how hit song helped him amid bankruptcy

Snider shared that he will continue to host "The House of Hair" along with other creative projects, including directing a movie. Echoing his earlier statement, the singer said, "I don't want you to see me up there being less than you expect me to be."

"If you've got memories of the great shows that I did, that's what I want to leave you with," Snider concluded. "I went out rockin', I'm still rockin' here. I ain't stopping. I got a lot of life to live. My dad's 95 and still kicking, so I'm expecting to be around for a long time. ... Don't worry about old Dee."

Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider addresses health rumors

byAndy Corry

in

February 16, 2026

Why Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider is assuring fans he's 'not dying'

Dee Snidermay be retiring from stage, but the rocker is still alive and kicking. The formerTwisted Sisterlead singer, who made waves earl...

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2 years on, Navalny's death still casts a shadow over Russia and wider Europe

MOSCOW (AP) — Mourners gathered in Moscow Monday to mark two years since the death in custody of Russian opposition leaderAlexei Navalny, under the shadow of a Kremlin crackdown and just two days since a new analysis reinforced suspicions that he was killed by poisoning.

Russia Navalny Anniversary

Navalnydiedin an Arctic penal colony on Feb. 16, 2024, while serving a 19-year sentence that many believed to be politically motivated. His death at the age of 47 left the Russian opposition leaderless and divided, struggling to build an effective or united front without one of its most visible and charismatic figures.

On the second anniversary of Navalny's death, we look at the latest investigation into its cause and the continuing political repercussions, both within Russia and beyond.

Across Russia, Navalny's supporters pay their respects

Navalny's mother,Lyudmila Navalnaya, and his mother-in-law, Alla Abrosimova, were among the mourners laying flowers on his grave. A mound of bouquets rose above the heavy drifts of snow that blanketed Moscow's Borisovsky Cemetery.

Representatives from several European embassies also paid their respects, watched by a conspicuously high security presence. Later, a small choir gathered to sing by Navalny's graveside.

Addressing the crowd, Lyudmila Navalnaya restated her belief that her son waskilled by the Russian authorities, a scenario which has also been backed by several European countries in recent days. "We knew that our son did not simply die in prison," she said. "He was murdered."

The Kremlin has denied the allegations, saying that Navalny died of natural causes.

Flowers were also laid at the memorial to the victims of political repression in St Petersburg. Access to the site was later blocked with temporary fences, local news outlets reported.

European nations believe Navalny was poisoned

The anniversary coincides with the release of a joint statement by five European countries, which said that Navalny was poisoned by the Kremlin with a rare and lethal toxin found in the skin of poison dart frogs.

The foreign ministries of the U.K., France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said on Saturday that analysis in European labs of samples taken from Navalny's body "conclusively confirmed the presence of epibatidine." The neurotoxin secreted by dart frogs in South America is not found naturally in Russia, they said.

A joint statement said: "Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to administer this poison."

In a written tribute to Navalny on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron also linked the Kremlin with the opposition leader's death.

"Two years ago, the world learned of the death of Alexei Navalny. I pay tribute to his memory," Macron wrote on social media. "I said then that I believed his death said everything about the Kremlin's weakness and its fear of any opponent. It is now clear that this death was premeditated.

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"Truth always prevails, while we await justice to do the same."

Moscow has vehemently denied its involvement in Navalny's death, saying that the politician had become unwell after going for a walk.

When asked about the allegations by journalists on Monday, presidential spokesperson said that the Kremlin does "not accept such accusations."

"We consider them biased and unfounded. In fact, we resolutely reject them," he said.

Saturday's announcement came as Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, attended theMunich Security Conferencein Germany. She said she had been "certain from the first day" that her husband had been poisoned, "but now there is proof."

"Putin killed Alexei with a chemical weapon," she wrote on social media, describing the Russian leader as "a murderer" who "must be held accountable."

Navalny was the target of an earlier poisoning in 2020, with a nerve agent in an attack he blamed on the Kremlin, which always denied involvement. His family and allies fought to have him flown to Germany for treatment and recovery. Five months later, he returned to Russia, where hewas immediately arrestedand imprisoned forthe last three yearsof his life.

Russia's opposition is struggling to start a new chapter

Navalny's closest allies, as well as otherkey members of Russia's opposition, now continue their fight from exile.

Many have been handed lengthy prison sentences in absentia in Russia and are unable to return home. Some have been designated "terrorists and extremists" by the authorities, a designation that was also applied to Navalny in January 2022.

Yet Russia's opposition has failed to form a united front and a clear plan of action against the Kremlin. Instead, rival groups have traded accusations that some see as efforts to discredit each other and vie for influence.

In one small victory for opposition activists, Europe's leading human rights body, PACE, announced in late January the creation of a new body — the Platform for Dialogue with Russian Democratic Forces — tasked with giving opposition Russians a voice and a formal platform to engage European lawmakers.

It has been heralded as a victory for anti-war Russians, but also attracted criticism as the body was not elected democratically. Members ofNavalny's anti-corruption organizationare also absent from the group

In a statement to mark Navalny's death, Russian members of the Council of Europe's human rights body, PACE, said that Navalny's death was "an inevitable link in a chain of systemic crimes by the Kremlin regime against its own citizens and the citizens of foreign states."

"Alexei Navalny gave his life for a free Russia," the statement said. "We are obliged to ensure that his death was not in vain."

byAndy Corry

in

February 16, 2026

2 years on, Navalny's death still casts a shadow over Russia and wider Europe

MOSCOW (AP) — Mourners gathered in Moscow Monday to mark two years since the death in custody of Russian opposition lead...

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'Lovers' Arch' collapses on Valentine's Day on Italy's Adriatic coast

ROME, Feb 16 (Reuters) - A famous rock structure on Italy's Adriatic coast known as the "Lovers' Arch" collapsed ‌on Valentine's Day after days of bad weather, prompting ‌local officials to warn that other stretches of the fragile coastline could ​be at risk.

Drone view of Italy's 'Love Arch'

The natural arch, part of the Sant'Andrea sea stacks near the town of Melendugno in the southern region of Puglia, had long been a popular backdrop for wedding proposals ‌and tourist photos.

"This ⁠is an unwanted Valentine's Day gift," Melendugno Mayor Maurizio Cisternino told the local Corriere Salentino newspaper, ⁠calling the collapse "a very hard blow" for the area's image and for tourism.

Cisternino said days of heavy rain, strong winds and ​rough ​seas had battered the coastline ​and ultimately destroyed the arch. "Nature ‌has taken back what it created," he said.

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Officials have warned that other parts of the rocky coastline could also collapse, with cracks visible along the cliff, underscoring the growing threat of coastal erosion.

Storms and heavy rain in recent days ‌have also eaten away at long ​stretches of coastline on the Ionian ​Sea, from Ugento to ​the beaches of Gallipoli, damaging beach structures, ‌causing small cliff falls and harming ​ports.

Weeks of ​terrible weather this year have also caused damage estimated at well over a billion euros in southern Italy, including ​a landslide that ‌has forced more than 1,500 people to evacuate ​their homes in the Sicilian town of Niscemi.

(Reporting by ​Crispian BalmerEditing by Ros Russell)

byAndy Corry

in

February 16, 2026

'Lovers' Arch' collapses on Valentine's Day on Italy's Adriatic coast

ROME, Feb 16 (Reuters) - A famous rock structure on Italy's Adriatic coast known as the "Lovers' Arch"...

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Daniel Radcliffe Explains the Funny Way He Became a ‘Huge NFL Fan’ (Exclusive)

Bruce Glikas/WireImage

NEED TO KNOW

• Daniel Radcliffe stars alongside Tracy Morgan in The Fall & Rise of Reggie Dinkins, a new comedy from Tina Fey

• In the series, Radcliffe plays a down-on-his-luck director who decides to film a documentary about a disgraced football player (played by Morgan) in an attempt to rehabilitate his public image

• Though it may sound surprising, Radcliffe, 36, tells PEOPLE that he's a big football fan himself as he describes the funny way he got into the sport

Daniel Radcliffeis not exactly someone you'd expect to be a die-hard football fan, but he's full of surprises.

TheHarry Potterstar, 36, joinsTracy Morganin an all-new NBC comedy,The Fall & Rise of Reggie Dinkins, which sees him play a down-on-his-luck director who decides to film a documentary about disgraced football player Reggie (Morgan) in an attempt to rehabilitate his public image.

Not only is the show Radcliffe in his most comedic role to date — it's also about a subject that he tells PEOPLE he has a personal interest in. "I did a musical here in 2011, and they started a fantasy football league," he explains. "They needed someone to make up the numbers, and so I got involved."

After he made the account, Radcliffe says he "didn't do anything with my account for four weeks, and then somebody was like, 'You're bottom of the league.' I was like, 'Okay, well, I've got to do something.' "

He "got into it" from there, "and then [has] never looked back," he says. "I'm a huge NFL fan."

If more proof is needed, the Tony-winner admits he's in not just one but "two fantasy leagues, one of which I run with my girlfriend. We're all in now."

Scott Gries/NBC

Radcliffe is also admittedly a big fan of his now-costar, Morgan. "I always say, the thing about Tracy — what he brings as an actor is it is unteachable and unlearnable," Radcliffe says. "He just has a natural comedy, charisma in his bones. There are line readings he has access to that 99% of actors just cannot say."

"Every day, he's going to say five of the craziest things you've ever heard, but also be incredibly kind and generous and funny," Radcliffe continues.

MakingTheFall & Rise of Reggie Dinkins—which also starsErika Alexander,Bobby Moynihan, Precious Way and Jalyn Hall — was a real exercise in joy for Radcliffe.

"The thing we really have in common, that I think all of us do actually, is that we love doing our jobs," he says of the cast. "We love being on set and getting to work on stuff like this."

Scott Gries/NBC

That feeling rang particularly true for Morgan, 57, who reunited with30 Rock'sTina Feyand Robert Carlock for the new series. "I think, particularly, Tracy — on this job with Robert and Tina — I think, is very happy to be working with them again," Radcliffe says.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE'sfree daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

That feeling was echoed by Fey, who toldEntertainment Weeklythat Morgan — whose life changed when hesurvived a fatal car crash in 2014that left him critically injured and killed his friend and mentor,Jimmy McNair— is "literally happy to be alive."

"That energy is contagious. He's thrilled to be able to work and make comedy, and he loves everyone around him," she said. "He's just such a wonderful presence to be around, and I've really missed him."

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkinspremieres Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

Read the original article onPeople

byAndy Corry

in

February 16, 2026

Daniel Radcliffe Explains the Funny Way He Became a ‘Huge NFL Fan’ (Exclusive)

Bruce Glikas/WireImage NEED TO KNOW Daniel Radcliffe stars alongside Tracy Morgan in The Fall & Rise of Reggie Dinkins , a new comed...

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“Love Boat” star admits he messed up scene on purpose to keep kissing Diahann Carroll: 'Cut that out!'

Actor Ted Lange still has fond memories of the time thatDiahann Carrollappeared on a 1977 episode of his show,The Love Boat.

Lange played bartender Isaac Watson on all nine seasons of the ABC dramedy, which aired until 1986, and was he ever excited — perhaps too excited — to share a moment with his leading lady.

"I kissed Diahann Carroll about 15 times before she realized I was messing up on purpose," Lange said on theStill Here Hollywoodpodcasthosted by Steve Kmetko. "So then she said, 'Hey, hey, cut that out!'"

Lange said that he immediately apologized for his behavior.

"You're just so beautiful," he recalled telling Carroll.

"And she could kiss." Lange said, before laughing. "That's my claim to fame!"

More seriously, he said that the Oscar nominee, who later appeared on series includingA Different World,Grey's Anatomy, andWhite Collar, had been "a delight."

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The kissing took place when the long-running show was still a freshman. He and Carroll shared the screen in only the fifth episode of season 1, in which Isaac finds himself romancing his favorite singer, Roxy Blue, who was played by the actress.

Carroll, was already familiar to TV audiences by the time she appeared onThe Love Boat. Most significantly, she had starred on the groundbreaking sitcomJulia, which depicted a Black, widowed nurse raising her son alone, from 1968 to 1971. (She received her second Emmy nomination for the part; her first was for a 1962 episode of police proceduralNaked City.)

The veteran actressdied in 2019of cancer. She was 84.

Michael Simon/Getty

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AfterThe Love Boat, Lange continued acting in projects such asIn the Heat of the Night,General Hospital,The Cleveland Show, andAre We There Yet?.

Ahead of his conversation about Carroll, the actor had wisely made a point to say he was sorry for talking about it to his wife off-camera.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byAndy Corry

in

February 16, 2026

“Love Boat” star admits he messed up scene on purpose to keep kissing Diahann Carroll: 'Cut that out!'

Actor Ted Lange still has fond memories of the time thatDiahann Carrollappeared on a 1977 episode of his show,The Love B...

Read More

Laura Dern recalls bomb threats from 'Ellen' coming out episode

Laura Dernis looking back on her role in making TV history.

The actress, who starred in the 1997 episode of the ABC sitcom "Ellen" whereEllen DeGenerescomes out, talked about the support she has received from the LGBTQ community. Dern told hostsBowen Yang and Matt Rogerson the"Las Culturistas" podcastFeb. 11 episode that in order to "affect change," someone had to be "first."

"The idea of culture catching up to storytelling had to be a thing when someone would go first," she said, referring to the "Ellen" episode.

Dern said she was excited to be a part of the episode, which was one of the first times a character came out as gay on TV and came shortly after DeGeneres came out in real life. But the actress said her choice to star in the episode amid her film success in "Jurassic Park" confused the people around her.

She said it was an "honor and privilege" to be a part of the episode alongside her "friend," with other guest stars includingOprah Winfrey,Demi Mooreand Billy Bob Thornton. She called it a "massive moment" but also recalled the series receiving bomb threats and losing advertisers.

"In a way, the assumption is you're going to do this thing and thank God people will wake up, love their relatives and their neighbors, see them, everything will expand, culture will catch up, and it will be a beautiful celebration," she added. But instead, there was "major security for a couple of years for any of us involved, the world went 'no, no, no,' she lost her show."

Dern faced intense backlash for starring in the episode, once telling DeGeneres on her talk show 10 years after that she did not work for a year and a half after because of it. But, she added, for the LGBTQ community, seeing that representation on screen meant a great deal.

"You go, 'Oh, right.' That's why you want culture to catch up later. Culture is doing it when nobody's caught up," she continued. "It's such a gift."

In the two-part "The Puppy Episode," Ellen's character connects with a woman named Susan – played by Dern – who suggests she might be lesbian, but Ellen rejects the idea. But after Ellen admits the connection to her therapist, played by Winfrey, she rushes to the airport to catch Susan and comes out to her, though mistakenly doing so over the airport's intercom.

"Being part of that moment with Ellen, it wasn't that I was somebody supporting an actor or a friend by being part of the show," Dern said. "But I was holding her hands as they were shaking, and she was looking in my eyes, saying for the first time, 'I'm gay' out loud with people watching."

She continued: "The privilege, the luxury of feeling it for someone in a moment was so beautiful, literally holding space. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Laura Dern on Ellen DeGeneres coming out on TV, making history

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Italy says it stands ready to train police in Gaza

ROME, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Italy stands ready to help ‌train police forces in ‌Gaza and elsewhere in the ​Palestinian territories, its foreign minister said on Monday, as Rome aims to play a ‌role in ⁠stabilizing the Middle East.

"We are ready to ⁠train a new Gaza police force, and we are ​also ready ​to ​train a Palestinian ‌police force," Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told a news conference in Rome.

He confirmed that Rome was ready to ‌participate as an ​observer in U.S. ​President ​Donald Trump's Board ‌of Peace initiative, and ​Italy ​had been invited to attend a meeting of the ​group ‌this week in Washington.

(Reporting ​by Angelo Amante, editing by ​Gavin Jones)

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