fan

Three weeks ago The Times published an article in which general manager Perry Minisian said the Angels are “very competitive” and “our best baseball is in front of us.” He then cited run differential and team ERA as examples. After getting swept by the Dodgers by a combined 31-3 the Angels had the worst run differential, worst won/loss record and are at or near the bottom in all pitching and hitting categories in MLB.

Since owner Arte Moreno believes that “winning is not a top priority,” he must be very pleased with both the work of his GM and the team’s performance so far this season. That the three games against the Dodgers were sold out was not because of fans’ desire to see this “very competitive” Angels team.

Rob Nelson
Dana Point

The Angels’ ultimate indignity is its own hometown newspaper doesn’t regard it highly enough to staff its games with a full-time writer. The Angels are irrelevant in Southern California and the owner isn’t self aware enough to realize it.

Ron Yukelson
San Luis Obispo

I just wanted to give praise to the Angels TV and radio broadcast teams. Even with the Angels having the worst record in baseball, and having suffered 10 straight losing seasons, the broadcast teams approach the games professionally and always with a positive attitude. As a lifelong Angels fan, it always reminds me of that saying “hope springs eternal.”

Steve Shaevel
Woodland Hills

Police in Budapest are studying camera footage to identify supporters fighting before Saturday’s Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris St-Germain.

A police statement said the incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Footage emerged on social media showing what was said to be about 30 supporters of each club brawling and lighting flares.

“Several fans got into a fight on May 30, 2026, at around 00:20 in Budapest’s 7th district, on Kiraly Street,” a police statement said.

“The BRFK 7th District Police Department has initiated proceedings against unknown perpetrators for the crime of gang violence, within the framework of which the camera recordings are also being analysed.”

Nearly 4,000 police officers will be deployed across the Hungarian capital for the Champions League final, with tens of thousands of fans expected to travel to Budapest without tickets.

On Tuesday, Hungary’s deputy national police chief Zoltan Janos Kuczik said: “This will be the largest single-day police deployment in Hungary’s history.”

It was described as a “high-risk event” with security preparations beginning more than a year ago.

Two Portuguese and a British man were arrested on Friday following a fight at the Champions League fan festival site and charged with disorderly conduct.

Police said a British man who climbed on to the roof of a parked car and damaged the vehicle was also arrested.

The prodigal “Daughter From Hell” returns: Gracie Abrams just announced her upcoming tour, and it includes four nights in her hometown of Los Angeles.

The 64-date Look at My Life tour hits arenas across North America and Europe starting Dec. 2 in Denver, before the singer lands in L.A. later that month. Abrams will take the stage at Inglewood’s Kia Forum for four nights: Dec. 14, 18, 19 and 20. The North American leg of the tour concludes in Brooklyn in March, and she kicks off the European leg in April.

The tour will follow the release of Abrams’ third studio album, “Daughter From Hell,” which drops July 17 via Interscope Records. Abrams took to Instagram to share her upcoming tour dates, teasing fans with the caption, “we’re baaaaaack.”

At the Kia Forum, Abrams will be supported by openers Rachel Chinouriri and Holly Humberstone, both popular British singer-songwriters. Fans can sign up on Abrams’ website for access to the June 2 pre-sale for all dates before tickets go on sale to the general public June 5.

Abrams most recently played in L.A. as part of a three-night residency at the Kia Forum in August 2025 for the Secret of Us Deluxe tour. There, she brought out surprise guest Audrey Hobert, Abrams’ longtime best friend and collaborator. Abrams’ other frequent collaborator, musician and producer Aaron Dessner, co-wrote and produced her latest single, “Hit the Wall,” which dropped in mid-May in advance of her new album.

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t tell either of them, so it makes it easy to be completely open when writing,” Abrams told The Times of Hobart and Dessner in 2024.

Her September 2024 shows at L.A.’s Greek Theater sold out so quickly that the singer-songwriter had to add two additional dates to meet demand. At the time, Abrams told The Times that she would keep performing if the fan support continued.

“As long as they’ll have me, I’ll do this,” she said.

Spotify Technology SA announced several new initiatives — from concert ticket perks to a major AI-generated music licensing deal — that the Swedish audio streaming company said will help fuel growth over the next four years.

At the first investor day led by new co-chief executives Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström, Spotify outlined a vision revolving around features that will allow people to personalize their listening experience, whether with music, podcasts, audiobooks or working out. Investors liked what they heard, pushing Spotify shares up as much as 18% over the course of the presentation.

Spotify addressed one of Wall Street’s biggest concerns about artificial intelligence by announcing a major new licensing deal with Universal Music Group NV. The agreement will let Spotify launch a tool to let fans create covers and remixes of their favorite songs from artists and songwriters who opt in. Powered by generative AI, the tool will be available as a paid add-on for Spotify Premium users. It will open up additional revenue streams for Spotify and create a new source of income for artists and songwriters on top of what they already earn on the platform, according to the companies.

Spotify has been working with the music industry on ways to harness the power and consumer interest in AI without violating artists’ rights. Last October, the company announced an agreement with the biggest record labels to use AI in a “responsible way,” but didn’t specify at the time what those tools would look like.

“This era of generation doesn’t need to threaten the future of music,” said Charlie Hellman, Spotify’s head of music. “Because we built the system legal, trusted and aligned, we can make sure that the value flows back to the people who created it.”

In another big announcement, the company laid out plans to work with Live Nation Entertainment Inc. to offer Spotify subscribers the option to purchase two tickets to their favorite star’s concert before they go on sale to the general public. The move could help resolve some of the issues fans have had in beating ticket resellers to face-value tickets, while encouraging customers to stay on as subscribers even as Spotify raises monthly fees.

Fans have long complained about the ticketing process for live performances, which often pit people against bots and scalpers, leading to high prices and sold-out shows.

“It’s frustrating for fans,” said Rene Volker, head of live events. “It’s frustrating for artists too, who look out at a crowd and wonder, are the fans who built my career actually here?” The new “Reserved” perk is designed to relieve some of that tension. “No racing bots, no chasing around online for presale codes. Just two tickets held for you,” she said.

The presentations Thursday were designed to comfort investors and prove that Spotify can still innovate. Wall Street has been skeptical that the company can rein in costs while staying ahead of competitors, particularly as it relates to AI. Those concerns have weighed on shares this year, sending them down 25% through Wednesday’s close. While the company makes most of its money through subscriptions, the executives sought to reinforce the idea that they have other levers to pull in order to generate sales beyond monthly fees and that people are willing to spend more for certain features.

The company outlined its growth targets through 2030, including a compound annual growth rate in the mid teens, a gross margin of 35% to 40% and an operating margin above 20%. Spotify remains committed to its long-term goal of 1 billion subscribers, $100 billion in revenue and over 40% in gross margin, the executives said.

Spotify sees its podcast and audiobook features as complementary to music and said the combination of the multiple verticals has helped broaden its community and convert users from free listeners to paid subscribers. Today, more than 500 million people have streamed a video podcast on Spotify, up nearly 50% from a year ago. And in just a few years, Spotify has captured about 20% of the audiobooks market in the US, executives said. People who use all three verticals — music, podcasts and audiobooks — are engaging with Spotify almost every day of the month, according to the company.

Giving people the tools to personalize their listening experience helps keep them in Spotify’s universe — creating what executives described as the “all day user.”

Personal Podcasts, for example, lets people write a prompt in the Spotify app and AI will create a unique podcast in response.

“We see this much more as a daily brief and a recommendation engine than something that would replace you listening to one of your favorite podcasts,” Söderström said in an interview. He noted that 60% of users in mature markets for Spotify don’t yet listen to podcasts, so features like Personal Podcasts could get them to dive into the medium.

The company said its podcast business has been profitable for two years.

Spotify’s Audiobook+ tier gives listeners more than their allotted 15 hours of audiobook listening per month for an additional fee. It has 1 million subscribers and is on track to generate $100 million in annualized revenue, the company said. To capitalize on the demand, Spotify will start selling even more audiobook hours to super users. Additionally, it will allow podcasters to offer memberships, so subscribers can access special episodes and other content. Spotify will take an undisclosed slice of revenue from the memberships.

Carman writes for Bloomberg.

Russell Crowe has pushed back against TMZ’s coverage of his recent interactions with a crowd of autograph seekers.

“Clickbait,” the “Gladiator” actor wrote in a Monday post on X. “Everybody got their autograph and selfie, the passage to the hotel was kept free for guests, and I still got to the airport on time. One man, no security. Handled. What’s your problem ?”

Earlier that day, the outlet had posted a video of Crowe addressing a crowd of fans and autograph seekers outside of a Paris hotel before making his way to them to sign various memorabilia.

“If you needed a reminder that fans are not always priority No. 1 — turn to Russell Crowe — cause the guy was absolutely not having it outside of his Paris hotel,” TMZ wrote in its since-deleted X post sharing the video. The outlet also framed the video as Crowe “explod[ing] on Pushy Autograph Seekers” in its news story.

In the video, the Academy Award winner is shown giving clear directions to those gathered for his autograph or to snap a photo with him.

“Stay where you are, don’t f— push in on me, I’ll come to you,” Crowe says. “Give everybody space. As soon as somebody’s a d—, I’m gone.”

The actor then approaches the crowd to sign various items held out in front of him. The short clip ends soon after Crowe declines a request to also write “Maximus” — the name of his “Gladiator” character — next to his signature as he continues to sign other things.

Crowe’s temperament, blunt demeanor and distaste for certain aspects of “celebrity” have long been fodder for news coverage. In 2005, the actor made headlines for throwing a phone that hit a Manhattan hotel concierge.

“If I ever was going to torture somebody, I’d put them in a room where they can’t leave and have someone new come in every three minutes and ask the same question over a number of days and then weeks,” Crowe said in a 2010 interview with The Times, describing what happens at a movie press junket on the eve of embarking on one.

“Some people believe celebrity is a power that should be used. Ultimately, your dollars are more powerful,” Crowe said in that interview. “I’m famous for making movies. Celebrity just happens to be an unfortunate byproduct of what I do.”

The Vicar of Dibley star Dawn French was taken aback when a fan yelled at her in the street enthusiastically but had mistaken her for her fellow sitcom legend Dame Joanna Lumley

Dawn French was taken aback aback when a fan mistook her for Dame Joanna Lumley. The comedienne, 68, is best known playing the title role of Geraldine Granger in The Vicar of Dibley, while former model Joanna, 80, starred as boozy fashion magazine editor Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous alongside Dawn’s sketch comedy partner Jennifer Saunders.

The TV star took to social media on Bank Holiday with a humorous video where she recounted the situation for her fans and followers as she appeared to take it all in good humour.

She said: “So I did something on the telly and come out of there, just walking along and [someone shouts] ‘Hey you, you! You are absolutely fabulous.’

READ MORE: Dawn French shocks fans with talk of ‘funeral’ plans and the sad story behind new projectREAD MORE: Joanna Lumley says she believes secret to not ageing is not eating meat as she turns 80

“Oh, thank you very much!’ [And they said] ‘No, you are Absolutely Fabulous, Joanna Lumley. That’s you!’ Yeah that’s me all right!” Captioning the post, she wrote: “ABSOLOOOOTLY FABLUSS!!!”

Fans were quick to react to the post, with one simply writing: “Joanna Lumley,” and leaving behind a string of crying-laughing emojis. Referring to a moment from the second series of The Vicar of Dibley, in which Geraldine is mistaken for a celebrity, another fan wrote: “Its like someone thinking you’re Alison Moyet all over again!”

Another joked: “You’ve finally made it [face palm emoji]” and a fourth said: “Recognition get it where you can! and another said: “Poor fella probably thinks Joanna Lumley was a lady vicar.”

Author and singer Jann Arden wrote: “joanna lumley!! just the best. I once had someone come up to me in the grocery store, they were awfully excited and then proceeded to tell me that I looked like Jann Arden’s mother. So there’s that.”

Dawn is actually part of the history of Absolutely Fabulous, which followed the capers of hapless PR guru Edina Monsoon and her best friend Patsy.

The sitcom, which ran sporadically over the course of 20 years, was initially based on a sketch that appeared as part of French & Saunders titled Modern Mother and Daughter, where Dawn played the part of Edina’s straight-laced daughter Saffy, and the part was eventually taken on by Julia Sawalha when the project was greenlit as a full series.

Dawn later made a cameo appearance as a television presenter in the first series, and reprised the role for Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie in 2016, alongside a host of other guest stars like Rylan Clark, Kate Moss and Dame Joan Collins.

Joanna’s early career consisted of appearances in Coronation Street and The New Avengers but she has also gone on to become known for narrating a host of travel documentaries, and has found renewed sitcom success with a starring role in Amandaland.

Meanwhile, as well as French & Saunders and The Vicar of Dibley and more recent TV roles with Can You Keep A Secret? , Dawn has carved out another career as an author, having recently released her fifth novel Enough.

It follows a woman named Etta who at 68 invites all of her family to go to the beach as the sun is rising, where she tells them that by sunset, she won’t be there anymore.

“She’s made a decision to excuse her kids from the difficult, prickly last part of life,” Dawn said as she appeared on The One Show. “And she has made this decision thinking that it’s extremely selfless to do that.”

The star told the BBC show’s hosts Angellica Bell and Clara Amfo that she felt that the fact her own father had died by suicide gave her some “permission” to write the story. Dawn also shared that her own age – 68 – was also a factor when she penned the book.

She said: “I feel a little bit of permission to write this theme because I am a child of suicide myself. My dad took his life when I was 19. And I have lived with the various stages of grief about that for my whole life.”

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Lifelong Angels fan Johnny Gonzalez has reached his boiling point as the team sits at the bottom of the standings, but he’s not giving up. And he’s not alone.

The Angels completed a surprise sweep of the Rangers Sunday, but the team still is tied for the worst record in Major League Baseball with a 20-34. Their fans spent the holiday weekend pushing back against the idea that the franchise would never be more than a bargain option amid rising prices all around them.

Frustrated fans have gone shirtless during the Angels’ homestand and chanted for owner Arte Moreno to “sell the team.” And about 75 fans heeded Gonzalez’s call for a protest, gathering in front of the Angel Stadium State College Boulevard entrance on Saturday chanting “sell the team,” “we want playoffs” and “winning matters.” Drivers passing the spectacle honked their horns in support.

“They’re not doing much for us fans,” said Gonzalez, who organized the protest using the Instagram account @AngelsBoycott. “It seems like every other team is just doing a lot more than us, despite us having a huge following [and] having some of the best players to ever play the game. I mean, it’s just like a lack of commitment, to say the least, and that’s why we’re here today.”

Angels fans wave signs and urge owner Arte Moreno to sell the team to an ownership group willing to invest more in winning during a pregame protest Saturday at Angel Stadium.

(Joaquin Ruiz / For The Times)

It has been three months since Angels owner Arte Moreno told the Orange County Register that, according to Angels survey results, winning was not a top-five priority for fans and that data showed they valued affordability, safety and a “good experience” first.

Outrage over the remarks has grown as the Angels remain anchored at the bottom of the standings.

With a megaphone in his hand, Gonzalez pointed to the Ducks’ recent Stanley Cup playoff run as proof that Anaheim enjoys winning. He also noted how the nearby Dodgers and even the Padres demonstrate how Southern California teams can play for the postseason.

The Angels have missed the MLB playoffs for 11 consecutive seasons — including six with stars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout on the roster — and have reached the postseason six times since Moreno purchased the team in 2003 after the franchise’s sole World Series title win in 2002.

Team officials did not respond to The Times’ request for comment on the fans’ protest, but manager Kurt Suzuki addressed the “sell the team” chants that are so loud they can be heard during Angels television broadcasts.

“I know it’s a thing, the no shirts and waving,” Suzuki said. “But yeah, we see it. We recognize it. They have the right to their opinion, and … they cheer for the guys, they roll-call them. I think it’s pretty neat for them to have that kind of support.”

A fan wears a bag over his head that says “Sell the Team Arte!!!” during a game against the Rangers on Friday at Angel Stadium.

(Mark J. Terrill / Ap Photo/mark J. Terrill)

Suzuki added that the Angels remain focused on winning and haven’t paid the chants too much attention.

The Angels entered Sunday’s game ranked No. 9 in MLB attendance with 34,555 announced fans per night, according to ESPN. There are swaths of empty seats during every home game, suggesting some season ticket holders are choosing to stay home.

There is an expanding contingent of fans in the upper deck adjacent to the right-field foul pole who have chanted “sell the team” while waving T-shirts, joining in on a trendy “tarps off” fan movement across MLB sparked by Cardinals fans in St. Louis.

Angels fans who haven’t joined the protests are pleased to see the calls for change.

“I think it’s good that there’s fans that are passionate enough to actually speak out, to want to see a better team and really want to get us back into the playoffs,” Darren Shimasaki, an Angels fan from Yorba Linda, said Friday.

Debbie and Reed Olive, meanwhile, said they usually attend games for the promotions.

“You’re not going to come away with the wins,” Debbie said. “So, we got to get something for our ticket price.”

Even the fan experience unrelated to winning that Moreno touted has taken a hit.

Angels officials said they quickly resolved a rodent infestation Orange County health inspectors flagged at an outdoor food stand in View Level Section 432. Videos of stadium workers capturing a possum in one fan section and spraying gnats on the field during the last few weeks haven’t helped the team’s image.

Reed said the rodent infestation “was a bad look” and that the Angels need a new stadium in addition to a new owner.

Catcher Logan O’Hoppe, who has spent his five-year career with the Angels, said he understands the fans’ frustration.

“We don’t like not doing well, either,” O’Hoppe said. “It’s not OK to us. It doesn’t matter how much we’re getting paid or that we get treated great throughout the league and things like that. We hate it, too. I think people definitely don’t realize that. I think I can speak for a lot of guys in here that we dedicate our lives to this. … We’re not happy with how it’s going, but we’re doing everything we can to fix it.”

O’Hoppe is a New York Rangers fan and gets frustrated when his team struggles, but he said he reminds himself that “we’re all humans.”

The Rangers’ Josh Jung is tagged out at home by Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe on Friday at Angel Stadium.

(Mark J. Terrill / Ap Photo/mark J. Terrill)

Angels left fielder Wade Meckler, who made his debut on Friday night, is an Orange County native who grew up cheering for the team.

“I mean, I get it,” Meckler said. “It’s a hungry fan base. The fan base is hungry for a winning team. So I understand, you know, being frustrated. They just really want a winning team.”

Meckler has been following the Angels since age 5 and remembers feeling dejected after attending the Angels’ 4-1 home loss to the Royals in Game 2 of the 2014 American League Division Series.

“It’s a super loyal fan base,” Meckler said. “I feel like they show up with energy every day.”

The Angels are on track to miss the postseason for a 12th consecutive season, prompting restless fans to call for new owners who will invest in building a team capable of reaching the playoffs.

“Arte don’t know what he’s talking about,” said Austin Kleschka, an Angels fan who joined Gonzalez at the front of Saturday’s protest. “Winning is a priority. We want that.”

Losses by 6-0. 15-2. 10-1. How do you want to spin the Angels now, GM Perry Minasian? Are things still grand in Arteville?

Humiliations galore!

Jim Fredrick
Manhattan Beach

Really? The Angels cannot hit, cannot pitch and certainly cannot field. Their hitting coach, pitching coach and manager Kurt Suzuki‘s terrible management are much higher on the list of what’s wrong with this miserable team this year. So sad.

Michael Reuben
Anaheim Hills

The recent emergence of shirt-waving fans at Angel Stadium urging ownership to “sell the team” is an opportunity for reflection. With the long ago departure of the controversial former Clippers owner Donald Sterling, is Arte Moreno now truly the worst owner in sports? Sterling was truly detestable in his time, but at least he fielded a highly competitive and exciting Lob City squad led by legendary coach Doc Rivers. For the 2026 Angels, the dog days have already begun — before Memorial Day weekend.

Rob Fleishman
Placentia

Going into Memorial Day weekend, the Dodgers are in first place and the Angels are in last place. Plus the Angels’ shirtless fans in the stands are screaming at owner Arte Moreno to “Sell The Team!” The more things change, the more they stay the same. Ho hum.

Chris Sorce
Fountain Valley