LFO's Brad Fischetti Shares Heartbreak Over the Tragic Early Deaths of All Three Of His Bandmates: 'How Could This Happen?'

Brad Fischetti originally started LFO with Rich Cronin and Brian 'Brizz' Gillis

NEED TO KNOW

• When Gillis left the group, he was replaced by Harold 'Devin' Lima, who became one of Fischetti's best friends

• Fischetti opens up about the death of all three of his bandmates before they reached the age of 50

Brad Fischetti has experienced tremendous loss in his time in a boy band.

In ID'sBoy Band Confidential,Fischetti speaks candidly about being the last surviving member of LFO. The trio "started as a rap group," and evolved as the original lineup — Fischetti, Rich Cronin and Brian "Brizz" Gillis — got their start.

In 1998, Gillis left the group and was replaced by Harold 'Devin' Lima. The new trio "wrote a lot of our songs ourselves," which was uncommon for the landscape at the time.

"'Summer Girls,' it's an anthem. It's this classic... the video could be shot today, you know? We did the ocean, the beach scene. At the end, Devin and I had our arms around each other and walked into the ocean. It's really timeless."

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Not only was "Summer Girls" a hit, but their second single, "Girl on TV," also charted, inspired by the fact that Cronin "was infatuated with Jennifer Love Hewitt," who they got to appear in the music video.

When it came to their third single, however, the band started seeing their momentum slow down. "It got added to a bunch of radio stations, but it didn't really hit. When the sales didn't hit, I think the label was like, 'Well, that's that. Time to move on.' "

The group disbanded and in 2005, Fischetti got a call from Cronin's brother with heartbreaking news.

"He's like, 'Hey Brad, I got some bad news. Rich has leukemia.' I had heard that Rich was having trouble with his legs. So I texted him like, 'Hey man, I heard you were having some trouble walking. I figure there's two ways to get you out of bed — one is a beautiful blonde, or a tour.' I said, 'What do you think? You want to tour again?'"

Fischetti never got a response. "A few weeks later, I found out from a fan, actually, that he had died."

The loss was hard for Fischetti, but he still had a close relationship with Lima, who was living with him at the time.

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"We just started making music together. So we did a tour, it's amazing," Fischetti recalls. "We were going to do two more legs, but I remember one day, I was at my office and Alan, who played acoustic guitar for us, he came in and goes, 'Can you talk? Devin's in the hospital.' "

He continued, "Devin was never sick. I run to the hospital and he's not in his bed. He's sitting on a chair, meditating. But then, on the desk, they hav a list of doctors and one of the doctors listed was an oncologist. And I was like, 'Oh my God.' "

Fischetti tearfully explained that Lima had a "very rare cancer, called primary adrenal cancer," adding, "Your adrenal gland's like a little acorn-sized organ on top of your kidney, and it just engulfed his entire kidney."

The cancer spread throughout Lima's body and, "For the next year, nothing worked."

"I used to yell at God, like, 'Please don't take him. Please.' He passed away and he was not only my bandmate, but my best friend."

Fischetti took himself to a doctor, looking into his own health. When he got good news for himself, he thought it was the end of a painful saga, but that didn't prove to be the case. In 2023, Fischetti received a call from his manager with more difficult news.

"He goes, 'I don't think you're ready for this.' Then he goes, 'Brian's dead.' "

The news was devastating for Fischetti, who recalls, "I cried like the way I died when Devin died... How could this happen? How is this possible, that these three guys under 50 are all dead?"

"If you look from the outside, people say, 'Oh, LFO is cursed.' I don't really believe in that kind of stuff. But who knows? Maybe by the time this airs, I'm gone," he said.

Today, Fischetti keeps the band's legacy going, performing LFO's biggest hits with members of O-Town.

Boy Band Confidential: A Hollywood Demons Eventpremieres Monday, April 13 and Tuesday, April 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ID, with both titles available to stream on HBO Max. The second season ofHollywood Demonspremieres Monday, April 20, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ID.

Read the original article onPeople

byAndy Corry

in

April 13, 2026

LFO's Brad Fischetti Shares Heartbreak Over the Tragic Early Deaths of All Three Of His Bandmates: 'How Could This Happen?'

Brad Fischetti originally started LFO with Rich Cronin and Brian 'Brizz' Gillis NEED TO KNOW When Gillis l...

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1960 Elvis Presley Hit Turned a Future '70s Soul Superstar’s Life Around—You Won’t Believe How

In 1960, a chart-toppingElvis Presleysong did more than dominate the airwaves—it unexpectedly turned the life of one young man around, setting him on the path to becoming a soul legend.

The King of Rock and Roll released "It's Now or Never." The song was a career-defining hit, released shortly after his tour of service for the United States Army concluded.

The song was written byWally GoldandAaron Schroeder, who based their version on a melody similar to the Italian classic,Eduardo di Capua's "O Sole Mio." According to American Songwriter, Presley heard "There’s No Tomorrow” byTony Martinwhile stationed in Germany, and wanted a song with a similar musical style.

Gold and Schroeder came up with "It's Now or Never." The song would become a worldwide smash, per theElvis History Blog, and reach thepinnacle of Billboard's chartsin August 1960.

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The song did more than become a worldwide hit; it changed the life of a future soul superstar who was spending time in a juvenile detention center for his crimes.American Songwriterreported that, as a young man,Barry Whitespent four months in jail after stealing $30,000 worth of Cadillac tires.

White was midway through his sentence when he heard the Presley hit coming from another cellmate's block. He recounted the moment in his bookLove Unlimited.

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RELATED:Elvis Presley’s Most Scandalous Song Ever

The future soul superstar explained, “I’d heard [the song] before, I don’t know, twenty-five, thirty times. But it never hit me like it did that night. It was, of all people, Elvis Presley!"

"The song? ‘It’s Now Or Never’. It became my personal message, meant only for me. ‘Stop wasting your time, Barry,’ it said. ‘When you get out, you better change your ways. It’s now or never.’ I sat up in my cell bed, and right then, and there took an oath that I would do just that—change my life.”

He concluded, “I knew I was never going back in, that the life I’d known on the street, all of it was history. I was going to change everything, because the night before I’d heard the Voice and the Voice had heard me!”

White stayed true to his promise. He turned his life around and began a career in themusicbusiness, recording some of the best soul songs of a generation.

Barry White would go on to havesix Top 10 Billboard hits. These would include 1975's "You're The First, The Last, My Everything," 1973's "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby," 1977's "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me," 1974's "Never Ever Gonna Give Ya Up," and 1975's "What Am I Gonna Do With You."

RELATED:1972 Chart-Buster Elvis Presley Had to Be Convinced to RecordElvis Presley died in 1977 at 42. Barry White died 26 years later in 2003 at 58.

MORE:1972 Elvis Presley Apology Ballad Ranks Among the Decade’s Greatest Love Songs, But a Rival Artist Took it To No. 1

This story was originally published byParadeon Apr 12, 2026, where it first appeared in theNewssection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

byAndy Corry

in

April 13, 2026

1960 Elvis Presley Hit Turned a Future '70s Soul Superstar’s Life Around—You Won’t Believe How

In 1960, a chart-toppingElvis Presleysong did more than dominate the airwaves—it unexpectedly turned the life of one young man around, ...

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Laverne Cox Admits the ‘Loneliness’ of Fame Is a ‘Sacrifice for the Work’ (Exclusive)

Laverne Cox revealed that she finds fame to be a “lonely” experience, but she explained why the “sacrifice” is worth it

NEED TO KNOW

• The actress also shared that the constant scrutiny from being in the public eye can feel “debilitating” at times

• The Orange Is the New Black alum caught up with PEOPLE exclusively at the premiere of her Apple TV+ movie, Outcome

Laverne Coxis getting candid about the “loneliness” of a career in the spotlight — as well as why her work makes it worth it.

The actress, 53, caught up with PEOPLE exclusively at the premiere of her new Apple TV+ movie,Outcome, aJonah Hill-directed dark comedy starringKeanu Reeves. During the conversation, Cox said she resonated with the film’s themes, which center on fame, loneliness and disconnection.

“It hit close to home in a way that was scary and frightening,” Cox explained. “The overawareness that Reef [Reeves’ character] has about how, [with] every interaction, people are going to perceive him in a certain way and then go and talk about it.”

“I’ve always had that awareness, too, and it’s debilitating. It really can be,” she continued, adding, “So it’s like, how do you give yourself permission to just be?”

“Right now, I’m just me, but I also don’t go out much. I have to be really careful. If I can’t get there, I don’t go out … it is lonely,” Cox said, adding that she’s been single “for two years.”

However, theOrange is the New Blackalum went on to say that for her, the satisfaction she gets from her work makes the sacrifices worth it.

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“I just had the most amazing experience onSoapboxwithDavid Duchovnyand the amazing cast. I just had this amazing experience shooting a film. So the loneliness feels like a sacrifice for the work,” she explained.

She added, “When I’m on set, I’m not lonely at all. All the preparation and all the sacrifices I’ve made are worth it when I’m on set and I’m ready to go and take direction and live truthful in the imaginary circumstances of the character.”

Cox also shared that her busy schedule — and immense work ethic — can mean she misses out on day-to-day connections.

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“When I’m working I don’t ever really hang out. I just finished a movie in L.A. and the wrap party was Friday, and I was going to go and I was so tired — I had to fly the next day — and I missed thewrap party.It’s hard,” she said.

“Even when I was younger, when I have to work, I’m very focused. Even when I’m not shooting, I’m preparing for the next day. I’m just making sure I’m rested … so my voice and my body is ready to go. I’m very committed, and when I’m working I’m working,” Cox added.

Outcomepremiered on Apple TV+ on April 10.

Read the original article onPeople

byAndy Corry

in

April 12, 2026

Laverne Cox Admits the ‘Loneliness’ of Fame Is a ‘Sacrifice for the Work’ (Exclusive)

Laverne Cox revealed that she finds fame to be a “lonely” experience, but she explained why the “sacrifice” is worth it NEED TO K...

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Woman Goes Viral for Dramatic Video Demonstrating How Her Uggs ‘Saved My Life’ (Exclusive)

A woman's platform Uggs unexpectedly came to her aid when she stepped on a rusty screw

NEED TO KNOW

• Luckily, her Uggs contained a foam platform sole, which provides extra height — and extra protection

• "I definitely won't be going barefoot in the malls after this," she jokes to PEOPLE

A woman is giving her Uggs a shoutout after the cozy shoes' platforms unexpectedly came to her aid.

Charlize Esguerra, a 23-year-old living in Canada, was just walking through a mall when she felt something underneath her tan platform Uggs. At first, she assumed it was just a piece of trash or gum that had gotten stuck, maybe even a tack — until she took a closer look and discovered a sizable screw.

Esguerra recently went viral on Instagram after sharing the surprising find. Hervideofirst depicted the screw, apparently lodged vertically into the shoe's sole, then captured the moments afterward in which her boyfriend worked to twist it out of the foam.

Luckily for Esguerra, her Uggs featured a thick layer of foam on the sole, giving about an inch of extra height — and extra protection, apparently — to the wearer.

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"I was very grateful to be wearing my platforms. If I hadn't been wearing such tall shoes, the screw would have gone through the shoe and likely into my foot," Esguerra tells PEOPLE. "It was also extremely rusty, which could have caused infections."

In the video, after he removed the entire screw, her boyfriend held it up to show how far the piece of metal had punctured the sole — and how close it had been to Esguerra's foot. He then held the same screw up to Esguerra's grandmother's boot, showing that the same incident on another shoe could have been more painful and dangerous.

After her video went viral, social media users in Esguerra's comments were divided. Some said she was being dramatic about the whole situation, while others defended Esguerra's genuine concerns.

"All I know is my day would have gone a lot differently if I had a rusty nail going through my foot instead of the bottom of my shoe," she tells PEOPLE.

"Stay safe, wear your platforms," she joked in her comments, and to PEOPLE, she quipped, "I definitely won't be going barefoot in the malls after this."

Read the original article onPeople

byAndy Corry

in

April 11, 2026

Woman Goes Viral for Dramatic Video Demonstrating How Her Uggs ‘Saved My Life’ (Exclusive)

A woman's platform Uggs unexpectedly came to her aid when she stepped on a rusty screw NEED TO KNOW Luckily, h...

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North Korean leader Kim backs China's push for ‘multipolar world’ in talks with foreign minister

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leaderKim Jong Unvoiced support for China’s push to build a “multipolar world” and called for deeper ties between the traditional allies during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, state media said Saturday.

North Korea China

During the meeting Friday, Kim said his government will fully support Chinese efforts to achieve territorial integrity based on its“one-China principle,”a reference to Beijing’s official position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, according to North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency.

Kim also outlinedNorth Korea’sposition on unspecified regional and international issues of “mutual concern” and said sustained development of ties between the two countries has become more crucial in the current geopolitical environment, KCNA said.

Wang, on a two-day trip to North Korea, said the countries’ relations were entering a “new phase” following asummitlast year between Kim and Chinese PresidentXi Jinping.

Embracing the ideas of a “new Cold War” and a “multipolarized world,” Kim has sought to break out of international isolation and push a more assertive foreign policy by expanding ties with governments locked in confrontations with the United States.

While Russia has been Kim’s top foreign policy priority in recent years, sending thousands of troops and large weapons shipments to support its war against Ukraine, he has also been cozying up to China, the North’s traditional main ally and economic lifeline.

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Kim joined Russian President Vladimir Putin at a World War II ceremony in Beijing in September and held his first summit with Xi Jinping in six years, moves that supported his efforts to portray North Korea as part of a united front against Washington.

North Korea and China last month resumed directflight and passenger train services, which had been suspended since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Wang arrived in Pyongyang on Thursday in his first visit to North Korea in seven years. He earlier met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Sun Hui and discussed ways to facilitate further cooperation and exchanges and holding “in-depth” talks on international issues, state media from both countries said.

The state media outlets did not mention whether Wang and North Korean officials discussed issues related to the U.S. or the ongoingwar in the Middle East.

Wang’s trip to North Korea came before U.S. President Donald Trump travels to Beijing for arescheduled summitwith Xi Jinping in May. Some South Korean officials have expressed hope the Trump-Xi meeting could provide a diplomatic opening with Pyongyang.

Kim has suspended all meaningful dialogue with the U.S. and South Korea since the collapse of his diplomacy with Trump in 2019 during the American president’s first term. Kim has since taken a hard-line stance toward South Korea, which he now defines as his “most hostile” adversary, and rejected U.S. offers to resume talks, calling on Washington to drop its demand for North Korea’s denuclearization as a precondition.

byAndy Corry

in

April 11, 2026

North Korean leader Kim backs China's push for ‘multipolar world’ in talks with foreign minister

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leaderKim Jong Unvoiced support for China’s push to build a “multipolar world” and called for de...

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Natasha Lyonne says she took sleeping pill before being escorted off flight, claims she was 'detained' by ICE

Natasha Lyonneis shedding light on the circumstances that led her tobe escorted off a recent flight to NYCand the aftermath that ensued.

ThePoker Facestar, 47, appeared to confirm the reported incident ina social media post on Friday, explaining that she had taken a sleeping pill after sitting down on her red-eye flight back to the Big Apple. She also claimed that she was "detained" by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after being removed from the aircraft.

“Indeed, I took a Lunesta once seated, to ensure some shut eye on the Delta One red eye flight to NYC. Boarded seamlessly with just a backpack and sneakers, eager for a nap,” Lyonne wrote on X. “Plan was to be bushy tailed & beauty rested, as I was meant to head straight to glam for a slot with our beloved @DrewBarrymore , upon landing.”

The actress, who had attended theEuphoriaseason 3 premiere that same evening, explained that she was looking forward to speaking with Barrymore on her eponymous talk show the next morning, but that “I guess ICE had other plans & I was detained instead." She added, “Sign of the times, I guess.”

Lyonne continued, “Thanks for all the love and support. Never had a problem with @Delta or @TSA before. Heart is with our unpaid @TSA workers. 💗💗 Apologies to any travelers who were delayed.”

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Earlier this week,Page Sixreported that Lyonne was removed from her flight after she failed to follow flight attendants' instructions. The outlet also alleged that theRussian Dollstar "seemed out of it" while she was sitting in her first-class seat.

Lyonnebroke her silence on the incidentin a social media post shared on Thursday. "My heart is with all the unpaid TSA agents at our airports. Sure was looking forward to speaking honestly with @DrewBarrymore yesterday but guess wasn’t in the cards,"she wrotebefore taking a shot at Page Six. "Who owns page six/New York Post now again?"

Lyonne's representatives did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment. A Delta representative told EW the airline had nothing to add to reports about the actress' behavior aboard the flight.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byAndy Corry

in

April 11, 2026

Natasha Lyonne says she took sleeping pill before being escorted off flight, claims she was 'detained' by ICE

Natasha Lyonneis shedding light on the circumstances that led her tobe escorted off a recent flight to NYCand the aftermath that ensued...

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3 Best Peacock Movies to Binge-Watch This Weekend (April 11-12)

Peacock's movie lineup for April is very front-loaded, which means that most of the streamer's new films for the month have already arrived.

There are some exceptions to that, including the recently arrivedFive Nights at Freddy's 2. The original was a massive hit despite debuting in theaters the same day it dropped on Peacock.

Now, that film is one ofWatch With Us' choices for the three best Peacock movies to binge-watch this weekend.

Our remaining picks include an over-the-top comedy and a very unusual animated film.

What’s New on Peacock in April 2026 — The Full List of Movies and TV Shows

'Five Nights at Freddy's 2' (2025)

Five Nights at Freddy's 2kicks off in 2002, two years after the events of the original film. The children killed by William Afton (Matthew Lillard) possessed his animatronic creatures and took their revenge. Or at least that's what Mich Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson) wants to believe. But he's smart enough to refuse the requests of his younger sister, Abby Schmidt (Piper Rubio), to rebuild the creatures so she can reunite with her friends.

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Mike is also increasingly wary of Officer Vanessa Shelly (Elizabeth Lail), the daughter of Afton, who may not be as blameless for her father's rampage as he previously believed. With that relationship in peril, Toy Chica (Megan Fox) and the Marionette lure Abby to one of the original sites to restart the animatronics' rampage. And this time, there's no guarantee that the Schmidt family will be spared.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2is streaming onPeacock.

'Liar Liar' (1997)

Fletcher Reede (Jim Carrey) is a great lawyer and an even better liar inLiar Liar. He lies so easily that it makes him very effective in court, even though Fletcher's dishonesty led to the end of his marriage to Audrey Reede (Maura Tierney). After letting down his young son, Max (Justin Cooper), on his birthday, Fletcher is struck by Max's birthday wish that he be unable to tell a lie for a single day.

9 Must-Watch Movies on Peacock Right Now (December 2025): ‘The Fabelmans’ and More

It's not as if Fletcher believes in birthday wishes, but this one is real, and it came at an inopportune time. Fletcher has to appear in court to settle a high-profile divorce, and he has to be completely truthful while doing it. Not even physically beating himself up is enough to break the hold that this curse has on him.

Liar Liaris streaming onPeacock.

'Piece by Piece' (2024)

Piece by Pieceis both a Lego movie and a music biopic forPharrell Williams, who voices himself in the film. It's an interesting way to present the largely true story of Williams' rise in the music industry as well as his occasional falls and stumbles. Even Williams' real-life wife,Helen Lasichanh, and his parents get in on the fun of voicing themselves.

But one of the biggest attractions of this film is its musical appearances byGwen Stefani,Snoop Dogg,Justin Timberlake,Missy Elliott,Jay-Zand several others, all of whom play themselves. Williams acknowledges that he owes his career and some positive outcomes to his friends in the music industry, but he'll have to chart his own path to be fully happy with himself and his destination.

Piece by Pieceis streaming onPeacock.

byAndy Corry

in

April 11, 2026

3 Best Peacock Movies to Binge-Watch This Weekend (April 11-12)

Peacock's movie lineup for April is very front-loaded, which means that most of the streamer's new films for the month have alr...

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