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UNSEEN pictures from inside the hotel where Liam Payne died have revealed more details on the singer’s tragic final hours.

Haunting images show the One Direction star, 31, speaking to two call girls in the hotel lobby before leading them to his room as well as staff bringing him up chilled buckets of booze.

The troubled singer died after falling 46ft from his third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16, 2024.

Cops launched a probe into the tragedy – and collected CCTV footage and witness statements from call girls Aldana Serrano and Lucila Goitea.

The police dossier of more than 3,000 documents and photographs, obtained by the Mail on Sunday, gave a chilling glimpse into the One Direction star’s final hours.

Pictures show Liam swinging around a pole during an alleged booze-and-drugs fuelled bender the night before he fell from the balcony.

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Other photos from the day of his death show hotel workers delivering booze – believed to be champagne and whisky – to his room in buckets.

Further pics show two sex workers in reception before they are greeted by Liam and ushered towards his room.

Call girls Aldana Serrano and Lucila Goitea – who had consensual sex with Payne on the day of his death – told police the boy band star serenaded them with his own songs – before asking them for cocaine.

They also claimed the singer, who was worth £21m, argued with them over paying the agreed $5,000 (£3,700) fee for them to turn up at the hotel because he had no cash.

The star had been left alone in Buenos Aires after his girlfriend Kate Cassidy and friend Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores both left the country.

The pair claimed he had been completely sober for the two weeks he spent with them – but in their absence the star quickly spiralled.

Receipts reveal the One Direction star ordered $600,000 worth of whisky to his room on the day of his death.

Family members seemed to know the singer’s fragile state of mind – and gave devastating accounts to police following his death.

Heartbroken father Geoff Payne told prosecutors his son was “not in control with what he did”, adding: “He was not Liam”.

Group chat messages in the police dossier show hotel staff were concerned about Liam’s “aggressive” behaviour.

In a “Reception” WhatsApp chat, hotel manager Gilda Martin wrote: “This person is going to be very intense throughout his stay.

“It’s important that we tell him ‘no’, always kindly and with excuses.”

A person replied: “Will do whatever we can.”

And when a waitress called Adri was summoned to deliver five bottles of whisky to Room 301, she was warned: “Take security with you.”

A receipt dated the day of his death reveal the One Direction star spent more than $600,000 on bottles of Johnnie Walker whisky.

Payne, who had a history of addiction, allegedly begged reception staff for drugs.

A toxicology report taken after his death revealed that the star had cocaine, alcohol and the powerful sedative Klonopin in his system at the time of the fatal fall.

Hotel worker Ezequiel Pereyra, 22, and waiter Braian Paiz, 26, have since been charged with supplying drugs to the singer.

They spent months in jail but were later released on bail. They deny the charges.

THIS was the moment thousands of disappointed music fans were left drastically booing after an iconic music act’s gig was cut short.

Fans who had descended on Milton Keynes to see The Fugees perform were left stunned when the concert was pulled after less than an hour.

Sounds of boos echoed around the Milton Keynes National Bowl from disgruntled fans who were left saddended that the performance by Lauryn Hill and co. had been sensationally axed.

The venue was forced to end the concert early due to licensing restrictions which prevented it from continuing on past 11pm.

Lauryn Hill, 51, and Wyclef Jean, 56, took to the stage shortly after 10pm, following an introduction from comedian Dave Chappelle – leaving little time for them to complete their full performance.

Fans were left bitterly disappointed when the pair were unable to perform some of the group’s biggest hits, including their 1996 multi-platinum smash Killing Me Softly With His Song as a result of the venue curfew.

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The pair, who first reunited in London ahead of the music and arts festival, attempted to address the crowd but their microphones were switched off.

Moments later, the giant on-stage screens also went black at the 65,000-capacity venue.

Fan-shot footage showed the pair complain to the crew on stage, with Lauryn pleading to finish the set as boos rang out across the crowd.

Lauryn did remain on the stage, according to eyewitnesses, thanking fans as they broke into an impromptu a cappella rendition of her hit, Ready Or Not.

Speaking following the abrupt end to the show, Wyclef Jean told us: “We’re really sad how it ended.

“We was just getting started, so we’re hoping to continue next year.”

He added: “We had so much surprises on the line up and everybody showed up and we really felt the crowd, that love and that energy, it’s something that they need, something they feel, it just reminds you of unity.

“With so much division, the diaspora calling is just to remind everybody to come together.”

Prior to the disruption, Lauryn performed a packed set featuring tracks from her landmark 1998 debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, including Doo Wop (That Thing) and Ex-Factor.

She was also joined on stage by her sons, including Zion Marley and YG Marley — but some fans were left criticising the additional performances for eating into the Fugees’ already limited set time.

During the Los Angeles mayoral primary, Spencer Pratt put out a video saying he was living in a trailer on the burned-out lot where his Pacific Palisades home once stood — a claim that was soon debunked by TMZ, which reported that he was actually staying at the Hotel Bel-Air.

While Pratt’s mayoral bid has come to a close, his campaign’s final spending on luxury hotels — including the Hotel Bel-Air — is now coming to light.

Pratt spent just under $71,000 on hotels for himself, his campaign staff and his fundraising operation, mostly at the Hotel Bel-Air and the Four Seasons Hotel in New York, according to recently released campaign finance filings in the mayoral race.

The former reality TV star has a history of lavish spending on hotels, according to his memoir, “The Guy You Loved to Hate,” where he recounts staying at the Four Seasons in Costa Rica for a month in 2010. He said the hotel stay was “bleeding him dry.”

The tens of thousands of dollars Pratt’s campaign spent on hotels represent just a fraction of the more than $3 million Pratt’s campaign spent overall, including hundreds of thousands to campaign strategy firms and more than $200,000 to the company Black Llama Inc. for billboards. Pratt had AI-designed billboards placed across the city.

Pratt also spent more than $180,000 on private security firm Delta Special Operations Corp., almost entirely in the final month before the June 3 primary.

Delta Special Operations charges $650 per day to provide a single security officer in Los Angeles, but also offers a higher level of “executive protection.” Pratt has said he faced threats during his candidacy.

Pratt placed third in the primary, behind Councilmember Nithya Raman and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, who will square off in the Nov. 3 general election. Raman’s campaign reported spending about $1,000 on security, while Bass has security provided by the city.

Building out her support

Raman secured what could be one of her most significant endorsements of the entire election cycle this week, pulling in the support of the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters.

The endorsement from the carpenters union marks a sharp turn for the labor group, which backed Bass in 2022. The union committed more than $2 million to independent expenditure groups supporting Bass’ candidacy in 2022, paying for television ads that ran in advance of the general election.

During the primary, Raman and independent group supporting her focused on ads on social media and streaming platforms, which are cheaper than traditional television ads.

“We will be matching the same energy and we’ll have same type of commitment as when we endorsed Bass. We don’t plan on holding back,” said Pete Rodriguez, the second general vice president of the international union.

Rodriguez said the union would spend significantly to support Raman, though he did not give a figure.

Bass has dominated labor endorsements throughout the campaign. She has secured more than two dozen endorsements from influential labor unions including the Police Protective League, which represents rank and file police officers in the LAPD, and SEIU 721, which represents public sector workers at the airport and in street services, among other departments. She also has the backing of the powerful Los Angeles Federation of Labor, a coalition of unions (Bass calls its leader, Yvonne Wheeler, “The Beyoncé of Labor”).

“Workers are overwhelmingly behind Karen Bass … because she delivers real results,” said the mayor’s campaign spokesperson, Alex Stack. “Results like building more affordable housing immediately to drive down rents, mortgages, and the cost of housing.”

Rodriguez said one major issue that caused the carpenters union to break with Bass was the mayor’s failure to include higher labor standards in the codified version of Executive Directive 1, which fast-tracked some affordable housing applications.

That law was passed by the council and Raman voted in favor of the law that codified the mayor’s directive.

Raman told The Times in a statement that she stood by her vote, but that she appreciated the union’s ability to work with legislators to enact legislation that “combines density with higher labor standards.”

The DSA endorsement …

Raman could get another key and much-discussed endorsement later this month.

The Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America is once again considering endorsing her for mayor. The endorsement would bring doorknockers for Raman and could bring more national attention to the race.

An internal petition shared with The Times is circulating in the group and needs just 50 signatures by Aug. 8 in order for the consideration of Raman to go to a vote. Raman would then need 60% of the vote at an Aug. 22 chapter meeting in order to win the endorsement.

“Nithya Raman is running an insurgent left-wing campaign for the mayor’s office against Karen Bass and L.A.’s unpopular status quo Democratic establishment,” the petition reads. “Will an insurgent Left seize control of our city government to build a Los Angeles for its working class? Or will the establishment fend off this insurgency and deepen its power?”

After jumping into the race on the last possible day in February, Raman was not endorsed by the left-wing organization in the primary. The group instead “recommended” her — a status that means the DSA wouldn’t actively campaign on her behalf but urged voters to cast their ballots for Raman.

Raman was endorsed by the group in both her council campaigns, but her late entry came after DSA had made its endorsements.

The group considered reopening its endorsement process for either Raman or Rae Huang — who like Raman is a member of the DSA — but ultimately decided to focus on other down ballot races in the primary.

DSA-LA declined to say whether the petition had gained the requisite number of signatures for a vote.

State of play

— LINEAGE LEGISLATION: Los Angeles city and county officials unveiled a slate of measures aimed at speeding recovery, increasing corporate accountability and expanding financial assistance for residents and businesses affected by the June fire at the Lineage cold food storage facility.

— PRICED OUT: Councilmember Curren Price’s motion to get his perjury and embezzlement case dropped was denied Friday by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge. Price’s lawyers maintain that he did not knowingly vote on city contracts for real estate developers that contracted with his wife. The judge argued there was “ample evidence, albeit circumstantial, that this was a scheme and not just happenstance.” The outgoing council member’s next court date is set for October.

— E-BIKES UNDER FIRE: The council’s Rules Committee passed a motion Tuesday that asks the city’s Department of Transportation to come up with ways to regulate e-bikes, including who can ride them and how. The measure next goes to the ways to regulate e-bikesPublic Safety Committee, then the full City Council.

— A NEW ERA: For the first time since 1963, Council District 9 in South Los Angeles will soon have a non-Black representative in the City Council. Estuardo Mazariegos and Jose Ugarte, who are facing each other in the Nov. 3 election to represent parts of downtown and South Los Angeles, are both immigrants from Latin America who arrived undocumented as children.

— OFF THE RAILS: Homelessness on Metro’s rail and bus system has dropped by 57% since 2024, the agency said this week.

— A ROSE AND A THORN: The Rose Bowl Aquatics Center will close April 1, and not be returned to its regular users until the fall of 2028, after the conclusion of the Olympic Games. The announcement came after The Times reported on the impending shutdown.

QUICK HITS

• Where is Inside Safe? The mayor’s signature program went to the intersection of Alameda Street and E. 223rd Street in City Councilmember Tim McOsker’s district where it brought 22 people indoors.
• On the docket next week: The City Council will vote on whether to execute the Enhanced City Resources Master Agreement for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Stay in touch

That’s it for this week! Send your questions, comments and gossip to LAontheRecord@latimes.com. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Saturday morning.

AS she returns to the UK stage for the first time in years, we reveal how heartache has left its mark on Ariana Grande.

She is the quintessential pop princess.

But away from the bright lights of fame, Ariana Grande has had to overcome more serious challenges than any of her contemporaries.

And while it is Taylor Swift who is known for her defining “eras”, Ariana has done some major reinvention of her own.

As she arrives at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday for a 10-night stint of her The Eternal Sunshine Tour – her first in seven years – it will be a very different woman to the one who last performed in the capital.

An insider reveals: “Her tour might be called Eternal Sunshine, but there’s no doubt she’s battled some really dark days and dealt with more tragedy than most her age. Perhaps most impressively, she keeps going, whether it’s movies, music or her search for true love.”

Fresh from her gruelling two-movie Wicked filming schedule and press tour, which took over her life for the best part of three years, Ariana, 33, is back doing what her fans love most – being a pop star.

Her tour sold out in 15 minutes, with more than 2 million people trying to buy tickets when they were released in September.

Her big UK comeback coincides with a time of emotional turmoil for the star, though.

In June, following weeks of speculation, it was confirmed she had split from Wicked co-star Ethan Slater, who played munchkin Boq alongside her “good” witch Glinda, after three years together.

While it was claimed they are still friends, those who know the singer have said there is “deep sadness” for Ariana surrounding the split.

The pair’s relationship had caused huge controversy after Ethan left his wife, childhood sweetheart Lilly Jay, for Ariana in 2023, shortly after the birth of the couple’s son.

He had fallen for her during filming, and the outcry threatened to overshadow promo for the first Wicked film.

“The whole thing was a major strain,” the source says. “Ariana has been desperate to put all of it behind her.”

The split was the latest blow for the star, who pursued fame from a young age.

Born in Florida in 1993 to parents Joan Grande and Edward Butera, she landed her first role in a Broadway show aged just 15.

Her major break came a year later, when she was cast as the bubbly Cat Valentine in Nickelodeon hit series Victorious, turning her into a household name.

But it was her extraordinary four-octave vocal range that truly set her apart from her contemporaries, and by her early 20s Ariana had made the leap from TV favourite to global superstar, topping charts around the world with singles such as Right There and The Way.

Meanwhile, her love life was rarely out of the headlines.

She enjoyed romances with rappers Big Sean and Mac Miller, not to mention her infamous engagement to comedian Pete Davidson (Ariana broke the internet when she commented that Pete had “big d**k energy”), as well as a short-lived marriage to luxury real-estate agent Dalton Gomez, which ended months before news emerged of her relationship with Ethan.

It was Mac Miller who supported her through one of the most difficult times of her life.

In May 2017, 22 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured when a terrorist attack took place at her Manchester Arena concert.

The bombing was the deadliest terrorist attack in the UK since the 2005 London bombings, and it deeply affected everyone who survived it – as well as those close to the victims.

Ariana developed PTSD in the aftermath, and then-boyfriend Mac dropped everything to help her through it.

A year later, however, further tragedy struck when the rapper, who by then had split from Ariana, died after an accidental drug overdose.

After so much grief in such a short space of time, the star revealed it was her music that helped her to cope.

“I was doing so much therapy, and I was dealing with PTSD and all different kinds of grief and depression and anxiety,” she told The Hollywood Reporter’s podcast, Awards Chatter.

“I was, of course, treating it very seriously, but having music be a part of that remedy was absolutely contributing to saving my life.”

While Ariana’s fans are delighted that she’s made a return to touring – and there are a lot, with 363 million followers on Instagram alone – her tour dates have not resulted in the celebration she may have hoped for.

Concerns have been raised about her dramatic weight loss in recent years, exacerbated by her return to the stage.

One commenter wrote: “Objectively speaking, Ariana Grande is dangerously underweight.” Another added: “She needs help.”

It’s undeniable that Ariana is much smaller than she once was.

The singer was forced to comment about her size when speculation reached fever pitch during Wicked promotional interviews.

Both she and co-star Cynthia Erivo were subjected to relentless chatter about their thinness.

During an interview to promote the first film, Ariana was asked how she copes with exacting beauty standards for women and the “overwhelming” pressure they feel to always look perfect.

It was a question that elicited an emotional response. Holding back tears, Ariana replied: ”Good question,” before describing the pressures of growing up famous.

“I’ve been doing this in front of the public and kind of been a specimen in a petri dish, really, since I was 16 or 17 years old, so I have heard it all. I’ve heard every version of it, of what’s wrong with me. And then you fix it, and then it’s wrong for different reasons.”

She then went on to condemn the narrative, adding: “I think in today’s society, there is a comfortability that we shouldn’t have at all [with] commenting on others’ looks, appearance, what they think is going on behind the scenes or health or how they present themselves.

“There’s a comfortability that people have commenting on that, that I think is really dangerous – and I think it’s dangerous for all parties involved.”

Those who know Ariana best are understandably protective of the singer, who is repeatedly described as “sensitive” and “vulnerable” behind the scenes, but also praised for her incredible professional commitment.

She is said to be “laser-focused” when it comes to work. The various trials and tribulations life has thrown at her, they say, have left her “damaged, but determined to grow and make a difference with her music and performances”.

It was bagging the role of Glinda, says one insider, that changed the course of Ariana’s life forever.

“This is a role she had wanted to play since she was a child, and Ariana gave it everything. It pushed her on, and she’s never looked back – it definitely raised the bar when it came to her career. It took everything out of the cast, though, as they cared so much.”

Friends and co-stars of Ariana all say the same – that she is uniquely kind and loving.

The Sun’s Associate Bizarre Editor Howell Davies recalls meeting her in the aftermath of the Manchester bombings, and her One Love Manchester concert to honour those who’d lost their lives.

He says: “I had been a massive fan of Ariana for years and was meant to go to the Dangerous Woman Tour in London in 2017, which was cancelled after the Manchester bombing.

“A year later, she made a surprise performance at Coachella festival in Palm Springs. When I spotted her backstage with Mac, I told her how courageous I thought she had been. She was sweet and composed. It really felt like she had time for her fans and wanted to speak to me.”

It would be understandable if Ariana never wanted to sing again, but her return to pop has been important to her.

She told The New York Times: “There was something broken about my relationship to pop music that was healed recently through the time away.”

Now, she’s entering a new chapter – one she will certainly be hoping is less turbulent.

With the release of new album Petal, fans are enjoying her return to the pop princess we know and love – and with this latest tour, she’s giving everything to reconnect with them in person.

Music aside, Ariana is also taking on other exciting projects. She signed up for a comedy role in the latest Meet The Parents sequel Focker-In-Law, starring Robert De Niro (who sang her praises) and Ben Stiller, which is due for release in November.

And it looks like she’s already moving on from her break-up, after she was seen getting cosy with her ex-boyfriend, dancer Ricky Álvarez.

The pair, who dated for a year from 2015, were spotted having dinner in Texas together in June this year, and spent the Fourth of July together in Florida.

He also attended her New York concert date, and the insider says: “They are enjoying downtime together between shows.”

Ariana appeared to confirm the rekindling last month, while performing Thank U, Next in Brooklyn, after changing the lyrics to: “Wrote some songs about Ricky, we always find our way back,” and at another gig in Austin she sang: “He has still got her back”.

An insider says: “This is something of a ‘comfort rebound’ for Ariana, who is feeling vulnerable post her split from Ethan. Ricky definitely makes her feel safe. And more than anything, Ariana wants to be happy again. Settling down is what she has always been keen to do.”

There was, of course, set to be another string added to her bow, with her West End stage debut in London. Ariana and her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey were announced as the leads of Sunday In The Park With George, a musical by Pulitzer-Prize-winning Stephen Sondheim.

This was one of the most hotly anticipated theatre events of 2027 – but earlier this month Ariana pulled out, with the role now set to be recast.

In a statement, her team said: “Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour.”

“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny.

“This tour has been a beautiful experience for her.

“She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

From the little girl in Florida who was musical-theatre-obsessed to the 33-year-old woman who has weathered storms with grace while working her behind off, Ariana has proven that she is a rare thing: a star who cares what people think of her.

Just a day before the Head in the Clouds Music & Arts Festival takes over the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, a member of the headlining pop group Katseye has announced she is taking a hiatus from performing.

Sophia Laforteza announced on Instagram on Friday that she’ll be stepping away to take care of her mental health.

“It truly breaks my heart to have to miss out on a lot,” she wrote in an Instagram story. “You know how much I love being on stage, performing, and sharing these moments with you. Making this decision wasn’t easy, but I’m learning that health has to come first. I’m realizing that if I don’t take care of my mind and body now, I won’t be able to keep doing what I love the most for so long.”

Laforteza thanked her fans for being “patient, understanding, and always showing me so much love,” and said she’d be joining Katseye fans, aka “eyekons,” in cheering on the group in the meantime.

“I promise I’m going to work as hard as I can to get through this, heal properly, and come back stronger,” she wrote.

A post on the group’s official Instagram account said Laforteza “will be temporarily unable to participate in upcoming promotional activities.”

“We understand how much EYEKONS were looking forward to seeing Sophia on stage, but it is imperative that her mental health and wellness are prioritized,” the post stated.

According to the statement, the pop star has been working with medical professionals who advised that she take “dedicated time for extended rest and ongoing care to ensure a full recovery.”

While Laforteza is eager to get back to work with her fellow Katseye members, the post said her “health, safety, and long-term well-being” will always be top priority.

Laforteza’s progress will be monitored and she’ll be reassessed in September — just as the group is slated to kick off their world tour. Fans can expect an update around that time, according to the post.

Earlier this year, Katseye member Manon Bannerman also hit pause on performing with the pop group, meaning Saturday’s headlining performance in Pasadena will feature four of the group’s original six members. Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel and Yoonchae Jeung are still set to take the stage.

Laforteza’s announcement followers similar decisions from actor-musician Ariana Grande, who told fans earlier this week that she would be stepping away from the public eye and that “human beings can need a break sometimes.”

Country music star Jelly Roll also announced a hiatus this month, saying he needed “to heal” following news that he finalized his divorce from Bunnie XO after nearly 10 years of marriage.

It was early Wednesday morning when Edith Pfeffer and Carolyn Tallet became late-night TV stars, charming CNN hosts, producers and viewers alike with their earnest attempt to make sense of a mathematical snafu that had left the outcome of the Iowa caucuses hanging in the balance.

Pfeffer, who is chairwoman of the Clinton County Republican Central Committee, and Tallet, president of the Clinton County Republican Women’s Club, talked by phone with CNN hosts Wolf Blitzer and John King as the network tried to locate the final 3% of precinct tallies that would decide the winner of Iowa’s GOP presidential nominating contest.

The call resulted in eight minutes of hilarious, heartwarming television as the women tried to unscramble the math while King drew numbers on his special television screen and Blitzer pressed on for precision. (Watch the video below.)

Turns out Pfeffer had the missing tallies all night – they were phoned in less than an hour after the caucuses began, she said, but somehow weren’t counted by Republican Party officials.

Tallet told CNN that she learned just after midnight that the party was searching for the tallies, but couldn’t reach Pfeffer by phone.

“I knew they needed the information, and so I came to Edith’s home and pounded on the door and woke her up and got her up,” Tallet said.

“Do you know who carried this precinct?” King asked, referring to the precinct for which the state party said it had no votes. “…Who won?”

“Mitt Romney won with 51 votes,” Pfeffer said. “Rick Santorum and Ron Paul tied with 33 votes each.”

Double-checking, Blitzer asked Tallett and Pfeffer to give the totals for all precincts in Clinton County.

“Oh God, I added them up,” Pfeffer said, sparking giggles from the CNN crew offstage. “I added them up a couple times. I – oh, man.”

After they got the math all sorted out, Blitzer wanted to be sure he had the record straight.

“Just to be precise, we didn’t wake you up – the state chairs in Des Moines, they called you, they woke you up, is that right?”

“No!” Tallet said. “I woke her up…I was staying home watching CNN, waiting for the results, when I was told by the party. And so I came to wake up Edith, who didn’t answer her phone.”

The duo was such a hit that CNN called them back later in the night, once the results were official.

“I am just overwhelmed with all of this,” Pfeffer said. “I am just amazed because really and truly, my people did call this in tonight, and I don’t know where the glitch was…”

Pfeffer said she gave her county’s tallies to Romney campaign staff at the end of the night.

“And then I went to bed, and it’s been kind of interesting to wake up,“ she said.

kim.geiger@latimes.com

For San Francisco fans of Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire, the party at Chase Center ended before it even started.

Earth, Wind & Fire abruptly called off its concert at the NorCal venue on Thursday, notifying fans in a social media statement that the cancellation was “due to a medical emergency involving a member of our band.” A spokesperson for the San Francisco Fire Department confirmed to The Times that personnel were dispatched at 5:30 p.m. to respond to a medical emergency at Chase Center. One person was transported to a hospital via private ambulance, but the individual’s identity was not disclosed. TMZ reported that the Fire Department responded to a “cardiac incident.”

A representative for Earth, Wind & Fire did not provide additional details. The band said in its post that it has rescheduled Thursday’s show for a later date to be announced soon and that tickets will be valid for the new date. “We sincerely apologize for the unexpected change and appreciate everyone’s understanding,” the band said.

Live Nation announced Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire’s joint Sing a Song All Night Long tour in January. The tour kicked off in June but quickly hit a snag when Richie also suffered an unspecified health issue while on the road. Richie, 77, postponed a stop at Chicago’s United Center and another show at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio, after he brought his first tour stop to an abrupt end.

The Grammy-winning hitmaker of “Hello” and “Say You, Say Me” unexpectedly stopped the concert at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minn., after taking a seat on stage multiple times during his performance of “Dancing on the Ceiling” and telling his audience he felt “dizzy,” according to videos shared on social media.

“When you are feeling dizzy, sit your a— down,” he joked, according to video a fan posted to TikTok. “When you are feeling strange about yourself, sit your a— down.”

TMZ reported at the time that the singer-songwriter was hospitalized after the health scare. Paramedics reportedly met the artist backstage and transported him to a nearby hospital out of precaution. In a statement following the incident, Richie thanked fans for their support and informed them, “I’m doing well, and I’m grateful for all of you.”

The Sing a Song All Night Long tour is slated to continue Saturday at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert. Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire are scheduled to play the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Sunday. The tour ends Aug. 14 at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.

As the country fixates on the sad saga of the ruined Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., the Trump administration’s plans to build a 250-foot arch at the western terminus of Memorial Bridge have marched forward.

The project received final design approval in late May from the Trump-appointed U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. The problem with that, critics quickly pointed out, was that this approval occurred before a key part of the National Historic Preservation Act — Section 106 — was initiated.

For background: President Lyndon B. Johnson signed NHPA into law in 1966 during an era of rampant unregulated building in order to protect the country’s shared cultural heritage. Section 106, which the Trump administration has been trying to gut, allows for a period of public comment about proposed projects in advance of their approval. This gives time for reasonable concerns to be raised and for pivots in design and siting to take place accordingly.

In a letter submitted to the National Park Service on Thursday by the nonprofit Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) as part of the federal-level reviews of the Triumphal Arch under Section 106, the group’s founding president and chief executive, Charles Birnbaum, called the chain of events leading to the arch’s approval a “radical departure from a well-established series of processes that have made the Monumental Core a global paragon of civic art, landscape architecture, architecture, and planning.”

Birnbaum, who served as coordinator of the Historic Landscape Initiative at the NPS from 1992 to 2007, also noted, “The process for the selection and siting of the Triumphal Arch has been horrifically flawed from the outset. Remarkably, there was no design competition, which is a dangerous and radical decision for what would be the second largest monument in the Monumental Core after the Washington Monument.”

The letter was sent several days after the NPS released a preliminary assessment that found the arch could have significant adverse effects on the historic structures around it. Birnbaum and TCLF, however, worry — based on linguistic hedging in NPS correspondence — that a final “adverse effect determination” will not be made, thus depriving concerned parties of the ability to continue to advocate against the project.

“Given the extensive documentation of adverse effects in the preliminary finding, the suggestion that any uncertainty exists about the final determination is both confounding and alarming,” Birnbaum wrote.

During his tenure at NPS, Birnbaum was the lead author of “The Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes,” which includes a section on “Spatial Organization and Land Patterns,” which, he writes in the letter, “is clear about what is and is not recommended.”

“Identifying, retaining and preserving the existing spatial organization and land patterns of the landscape as they have over time,” is recommended, for example, while, “Allowing spatial organization and land patterns to be altered through incompatible development or neglect,” is not.

“A 250-foot-tall arch in Memorial Circle sited between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery and Arlington House and in the Monumental Core is undeniably incompatible development,” Birnbaum wrote, noting that any new development is stipulated to be in agreement with the cultural landscape guidelines. “The Arch as proposed will not be consistent with the Guidelines and any certification otherwise would not only be factually baseless (in short, a lie), but declaring so would be unprofessional, fraudulent, and, perhaps, illegal.”

Strong words that may very well fall on closed ears, if recent history is any guide. Nonetheless, the resistance forges ahead.

I’m arts editor Jessica Gelt, building an arch to future goodness. This is your arts and culture news for the week.

The week ahead: A curated calendar

FRIDAY

Judy Collins performs at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in 2025.

(Jason Kempin / Getty Images)

Judy Collins: Sweet Judy Blue Eyes Farewell Tour
The singer-songwriter-musician with the lilting voice and eclectic catalog is joined by Bruce Cockburn for an evening of folk-infused heartfelt songs.
8 p.m. The Ford, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East. theford.com

Versa-Style Street Dance Company
The troupe marks its 20th anniversary with “Box of Hope” (2nd Edition), a multidisciplinary program featuring West Coast Hip Hop and Street Dance Styles.
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. sierramadreplayhouse.org

SATURDAY

Betty Boop’s Birthday Bash for a Cause
Kate Micucci hosts an evening of live music — headlined by indie-pop group Dressy Bessy and Allison Wolfe of Bratmobile — animation, comedy, pop-culture nostalgia and the Bob Baker Marionettes to benefit the nonprofits organizations the Birthday Party Project and Saturday Morning Cartoons United.
6:30 p.m. Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. thealex.evnsong.com

The Improvised Shakespeare Company
The troupe takes a single audience suggestion and spontaneously turns it into a full-blown Elizabethan-style comedy that could (possibly) make the Bard himself wish he had written it.
8 p.m. The Ford, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East. theford.com

The Complete History of American Musical Theater: The 1950s
An evening of theatrical history, storytelling and live performances revisits the Golden Age of the American musical, featuring such classics as “Guys and Dolls,” “The King and I,” “My Fair Lady,” “West Side Story” and “The Music Man.” With Eileen Barnett, Camryn Hamm, Scott Harlan, Hayden Kharrazi, Tony nominee Mary Gordon Murray and Tony nominee Rory O’Malley. Narrated by Dan Fishbach and Mark D. Kaufmann. Produced by the Odyssey Theatre and the Los Angeles Musical Theatre Studio.
8 p.m. Odyssey Ensemble Theatre, 2055 South Sepulveda Blvd. odysseytheatre.com

James Morris, from left, Christopher Reiling and Jasmine Kimiko in the play “Slava Ukraini! (or Waiting for Elon).”

(Deverill Weeks)

Slava Ukraini! (or Waiting for Elon)
A Few Thoughts Theatre Company presents a new play by Keith Szarabajka about three soldiers — two Ukrainian and one Russian — trapped together during the siege of Mariupol. Directed by Tony Pasqualini.
8 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays; 3 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 31. (no performances Aug. 16, 17) . Atwater Village, 3269 Casitas Ave., Theater #3, Los Angeles afewthoughtstheatercompany.org

SUNDAY

Jazz keyboardist Carey Frank.

(Courtesy of the artist)

Carey Frank Organ Trio
Joined by guitarist Nadav Peled and drummer Jake Reed, the jazz keyboardist powers a contemporary take on jazz, swing, blues and soul.
8 p.m. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. sierramadreplayhouse.org

Summertime! with Bob Baker Marionettes and Kate Micucci
The marionettes and Micucci have a busy weekend, going from Betty Boop at the Alex to celebrating all things sunny and funny at the Ford.
The Ford, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East. theford.com

TUESDAY

Mozart Under the Stars
A pair of celebrated Canadians, conductor Nicolas Ellis and pianist Angela Hewitt, join the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for their Mozartian summer tradition.
8 p.m. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N Highland Ave., Hollywood. hollywoodbowl.com

WEDNESDAY

Giselle, the chandelier set piece that travels with the North American tour of “Phantom of the Opera,” photographed the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in July.

(Ariana Drehsler / For The Times)

Phantom of the Opera
The new North American touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical, featuring Maria Björnson’s original design — including a really big chandelier — and based on the direction of Harold Prince, with musical staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne, shifts to Orange County.
Through Aug. 30. Segerstrom Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. scfta.org/events

Stanley Jordan Trio
The virtuoso jazz guitarist is joined by drummer Chris Wabich and bassist Ahmet Turkmenoglu.
7 and 9:30 p.m. Blue Note Los Angeles, 6372 Sunset Blvd. bluenotejazz.com

THURSDAY

Michael Douglas and Glenn Close in “Fatal Attraction” directed by Adrian Lyne in 1987.

(Sunset Boulevard / Corbis via Getty Images)

A Weekend With Adrian Lyne
The director known for his sleek, erotic thrillers will be on hand for screenings of “Fatal Attraction” (1987) and “Unfaithful” (2002) at the Academy Museum and the theatrical premiere of “Deep Water” (2022), starring Ana de Armas and Ben Affleck, at Brain Dead Studios.
7:30 p.m. Thursday (“Fatal Attraction”) and Friday (“Unfaithful”). Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org 7:30 p.m. Saturday (“Deep Water”). Brain Dead Studios, 611 N. Fairfax Ave. studios.wearebraindead.com

Helado Tropical
The night will be full of Latin beats, rhythms and experimental sounds as Helado Negro and Reyna Tropical team up following the recent release of their nine-song collaborative album.
8 p.m. The Ford, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East. theford.com

— Kevin Crust

Retrospective

L.A. Times arts coverage from the past …

Ballet dancers Rochelle Chang, Emily Parker and Raffaella Stroik rehearse a new work by choreographer Lincoln Jones, background, in 2016.

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

How a new dance gets made: Behind the scenes at American Contemporary Ballet
Aug. 7, 2016

Emily Parker stood still on pointe. Arms spread like wings, she fixed her gaze somewhere in the distance. Dancers spun around her like ribbons in a breeze. A bend, a twist, a slide of foot, a flutter of light. On and on, with no music, only the tap, tap, tap of toe shoes and the sound of texting from those stretching and waiting in the wings.

Parker relaxed her pose. The other dancers flitted toward windows. Choreographer Lincoln Jones walked among them, hand to chin, thinking, and at times twirling alone as if chasing whispers. The afternoon pressed in. He called a break and headed for a laptop. Dancers from American Contemporary Ballet, which on Aug. 11 [2016] will perform an original work by Jones, dispersed in the studio heat.

A ballet troupe is a small army of fine lines and grace. Some dancers have been with the company for years, others like Parker are new, finding their places amid mats, bags, tape, calluses, balm, egos, sore backs, battered toes and torn tights. They are led by Jones, a dark-haired man who between smiles and asides moves with quiet intensity. His new production for the company’s “Music + Dance: LA II” series was inspired by 19th century French composer Adolphe Adam and set amid a countryside, a lake and a wedding. READ MORE

— Jeffrey Fleishman

Culture news and the SoCal scene

The Boyle Heights side of 6th Street PARC underneath the 6th Street Viaduct.

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

As the once heralded, now neglected 6th Street Bridge continues its precipitous decline, a new park is being built beneath it that supporters hope could uplift the neighboring community of Boyle Heights and help renew the bridge in the process. Called Sixth Street PARC and scheduled to open later this year, the 12-acre green space is meant to serve as a vital community hub connecting downtown’s Arts District with the Eastside neighborhood. It will take more than good intentions to make that plan work, Sam Lubell writes in a detailed story about the project.

Times classical music critic Mark Swed is currently in Austria, taking in the many wonders of the annual Salzburg Festival. Among them: Gustavo Dudamel leading Mahler’s “Resurrection” symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic. “In Salzburg, Dudamel indulged the Vienna Philharmonic’s incomparable lushness, those plush strings, glowing winds, golden brass, voluminous timpani. The symphony received mixed reviews, with critics complaining of a lack of transparency, argument and depth. Had they been in Disney Hall, they would have had it all,” Swed writes.

The D.C.-based anonymous arts activist group Secret Handshake is taking its satirical work on tour. The group recently started an Instagram page to chart the journey of a 10-foot golden cup dedicated to Trump, “The Iran War Participation Trophy.” The trophy went to New York City after appearing late last month on the National Mall. This week it popped up on the lawn of the Capitol Building in St. Paul, Minn. Other cities will follow, Secret Handshake promises.

Dorothy Wolpert, board chair of the Fountain Theatre for 12 has died. She was 91.

(Fountain Theatre)

The Fountain Theatre is mourning the death of Dorothy Wolpert, who served as the theater’s board chair for 12 years. She was 91. Wolpert was deeply involved in the life of the city through her love and support of the arts as well as in her professional life. As the co-founder of Bird Marella, a Century City law firm, Wolpert was involved in cases that advanced equity and social justice, including the landmark school desegregation case Crawford v. Los Angeles Board of Education. She also used her legal expertise in the fight against human trafficking.

Wolpert received UCLA Law’s Trailblazers Lifetime Achievement Award and the ACLU Humanitarian Award, and in 2022 UCLA Law established the Dorothy and Stanley Wolpert Public Interest Fellowship in her honor.

Wolpert became the Fountain’s board chair in 2013, and served until 2025. In an email, the Fountain’s co-founder Stephen Sachs wrote that Wolpert was “instrumental in expanding [the Fountain’s] board, strengthening its leadership, and raising its national profile. She was also a generous supporter of numerous LA arts organizations and a devoted patron of LA Opera.”

“On a personal level, Dorothy was my trusted mentor and confidant. Whenever I faced a difficult decision, she was the person I turned to first. She had a remarkable gift for asking exactly the right question. Her wisdom shaped not only the Fountain, but many of us fortunate enough to know her,” Sachs wrote.

— Jessica Gelt

And last but not least

Here are 18 things you should do if you can afford to go to Carmel-by-the-Sea.

The sister of Meredith Kercher has criticised a solo comedy show by Amanda Knox, who was convicted and later acquitted of murdering the British student in Italy in 2007.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe website says Knox’s show, Cartwheel, is about motherhood and how she will explain what happened in Perugia to her daughter.

Stephanie Kercher, addressing Knox directly on BBC Breakfast, said: “What I would say [to Knox] is to think about the family here, think about her friends and to turn the tables if it was your sister that this had happened to, because I know you have a sister as well.”

Knox said the show, set to run over 11 days from Friday, honours Kercher’s memory.

Her comedy show’s title Cartwheel references a story that once claimed she did cartwheels in the police station after her friend’s death.

Knox told the Telegraph newspaper, external last week: “I don’t joke about Meredith’s death. I joke a lot about how I was vilified, but I don’t joke about her murder.”

Asked if Meredith Kercher would have found her comedy funny, she added: “Yeah, I think so. I mean, it is funny!”.

Responding to that suggestion, Stephanie Kercher told the BBC: “Meredith absolutely wouldn’t find these topics of any comedy value.”

She said: “Our family’s pain is immense. I can’t explain to you how much pain our family have been through, and also we’re talking two decades later now, this pain.”

A petition against the show, set up by a friend of Meredith, has been signed by just over 2,400 people, and says the show disrespects her memory and also risks normalising violence against women by making light of such a harrowing event.

Rhea Seehorn possesses what Vince Gilligan calls “Jumbotron face.” As the creator of “Pluribus” and (with Peter Gould) “Better Call Saul,” Gilligan has relied on Seehorn’s ability to broadcast what her characters are thinking and feeling without saying much of anything. Gilligan loves silences and uses them in long stretches, allowing — or, perhaps more accurately, demanding — his audience to figure out what’s happening on their own.

And in Seehorn he found someone who, with a mere sidelong glance or knitted brow, can let you in on Gilligan’s secrets.

But Seehorn carries this ability wherever she goes, she tells me. People take a look at her and make assumptions. She’s 5 foot 4, lean and seems athletic, though she says she’s “the least athletic person that anybody knows.” That hasn’t stopped her from being cast as a golf instructor in the upcoming second season of the Owen Wilson comedy series “Stick” and a track and field coach in a movie she’s shooting right now called “Running.”

“I do not run,” she told the movie’s director, Gavin O’Connor. “I can tell people to run, but you don’t want to see me running.”

It’s not just work, though, where these deductions are made. Up until a few years ago, when people started recognizing her for playing poker-faced attorney Kim Wexler on “Better Call Saul,” Seehorn would be standing in a store and customers figured she worked there. Shopping at the Gap, she’d be asked if a T-shirt comes in medium. In Target, she’d be queried about where to find the Christmas decorations. Even on set, a background person would approach her, wondering if there’s any more plain bagels at craft service.

Why do you think this happens? I ask her. Because, even with her fame and her Golden Globe win for playing Carol, a sad woman forced to save the world from happiness and the hive mind in “Pluribus,” Seehorn, 54, says this still takes place on a regular basis.

“I’ve asked my friends, and apparently my daydreaming or thinking face looks focused,” she says. “I guess my interior monologue is highly interpretable to people, and if you’re standing in a store and you see somebody really thinking and thinking, they’re like, ‘She must be restocking the shelves.’ When in reality, I’m probably thinking about what I said wrong to somebody at a party in the ’80s.”

Rhea Seehorn as Carol Sturka in “Pluribus.”

(Apple TV)

Seehorn bursts out laughing, which she does often and with great gusto throughout our conversation. We’re at The Times, nine years after her last visit to our offices, which I know because she shows me a photo on her camera roll of her youngest stepson, McLain, taken when we were downtown and he was 9, young enough to still be thrilled about being in a “newspaper building.”

This prompts another take-your-kids-to-work memory.

“I brought him and Gray [the other stepson she shares with her partner of 12 years, real estate agent Graham Larson] to the set of ‘Better Call Saul’ when they were 7 and 9, and the thing they were most excited about was signing an NDA,” Seehorn says. “Everybody in the production office made a huge deal of it, pretending like they were spies, because I knew they’d think that was cool.”

Seehorn played Kim opposite Bob Odenkirk on “Better Call Saul” for six seasons, creating a character that evolved from a minor role to what Gilligan calls the “backbone of the series.” Dazzled by her versatility, Gilligan wrote “Pluribus” for Seehorn. But he didn’t want to tell her about it until he had a script and not just an outline. He asked “Saul” executive producer Melissa Bernstein to act as a spy and tell him if Seehorn was close to taking another job. One day, during the show’s final season, Bernstein told him he’d better pounce.

“I didn’t want to miss my opportunity,” Gilligan says over the phone. “That would have been a bummer. Rhea is the manager that makes the show work.”

(Ian Spanier / For The Times)

Where Kim Wexler was a composed and poised overachiever, suppressing her emotions when things (as they often did) spiraled out of control, “Pluribus’” Carol Sturka lets it all hang out. She’s volatile and angry, drinking heavily to obliterate her regret and rage. The characters share a fierce drive to fight for what they believe is right, which, for Carol, means maintaining her autonomy and resisting the good-vibes group contentment of the Others. A hero has never been more reluctant than this curmudgeon.

Seehorn is the ultimate professional: pleasant, quick to credit her colleagues, a team player. So Carol’s bitter fury feels distinct from her friendly personality as well as anything we’ve ever seen her do onscreen. But it’s not entirely foreign. Talking about the “Pluribus” season finale, she said that while she’s never murdered anyone, she has felt out-of-control rage.

When did this happen?

“I’m not going to tell you that!” she answers, laughing.

I’m just trying to picture it, I tell her.

“I know, because a lot of people are like, ‘I’ve never seen you mad,’” Seehorn says. “I suppress. I suppress too much. That’s something I work on with my therapist. I used to scream and yell as a teenager. That’s how I fought. And I just decided in college one day — I think I had an out-of-body experience — that I don’t want to be this person. And it probably moved the needle too far the other way. Now, when I’m angry, often I withdraw and get very quiet. I say everything is fine and then I’m never speaking to you again.”

That could have made playing a highly reactive character like Carol therapeutic. Instead, it did a number on Seehorn’s body.

(Ian Spanier / For The Times)

“Unlike Carol, I cry often when I’m extremely angry and in the middle of trying to tell someone how upset I am,” Seehorn says. “Like the anger disturbs my body so much that it makes me cry. No matter how much I tried to unplug from Carol, my body didn’t understand that I was pretending.”

We start talking about relationships and unhealthy withdrawal and letting things fester to the point that when the emotions come out, it feels abrupt and the other person has no idea what’s going on. And out of nowhere, Seehorn gives me a taste of Carol, growling the words, “Can you just get it?” with such ferocity that I’m almost physically blown back in my chair.

“God, you scared me with that,” I tell her.

“Thank you,” Seehorn says, beaming.

Because she’s a (generally) well-adjusted human being, Seehorn has developed ways of dealing with the terror and flop sweat that comes with playing the lead on an expensive, highly touted TV series, one that earned 18 Emmy nominations, including one for her lead turn. She converted the garage at her home into what sounds like a veritable wonderland. In one corner, there’s a tiny gym. There’s a place to record voice-over work, not a proper booth, which she’d like someday, but close. There’s a space to be quiet and read scripts. There’s an area where she can paint, sculpt, do jigsaw puzzles, Lego sets, embroider — all the things that ease her anxiety but also help her work through creative blocks.

“If I have too much of a vice grip on a scene and I can’t figure it out, I’ll do a jigsaw puzzle or draw while running the lines,” Seehorn says.

She loves creating things, but she also loves projects that involve following instructions. That soothes her. In the middle of enthusing about a cross-stitch embroidery project, she says, “Don’t roll your eyes at me!” Which I most definitely was not doing. That was my daydreaming, thinking face.

(Ian Spanier / For The Times)

Sometimes these projects make their way inside the house, where Seehorn might turn on the television and watch what she calls “murder TV,” sitting under a big, curved metal dome lamp that feels like an interrogation spotlight. There, her brain still working on what she was doing in her office, she’ll lose herself on multiple fronts as she wrestles with a scene.

Seehorn loves watching shows like “Dateline” because they provide a sense of order in a chaotic world. Bad guy. Bad guy gets caught. Bad guy goes to jail. All is well. But it goes beyond that. As an actor, she loves watching people trying to lie — and failing. She can’t believe how bad people are at not telling the truth.

“Every single time, I’m like, ‘Dude’s lying,’” Seehorn says. “Women too, where I’m watching an interrogation scene and thinking, ‘There’s a zero percent chance you did not know someone was going to break in and shoot your husband.’ It’s funny because as actors, whenever we’re playing criminals that are lying to the police, we’re really good at it.”

Does that mean Seehorn is an adept liar? Yes and no. You’ve seen her act. She can make you believe anything. But when she does lie, she is compelled to confess, even when the fib is innocuous.

“I’ll be in a conversation where there’s a bunch of cool people talking about a movie they saw, and I’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah, that was great!’” Seehorn says. “And then I’ll leave and then I’ll come back and say, ‘I didn’t actually see it. I’m sorry.’ And they’re like, ‘Who’s that weird girl?’ I’m good at lying, but bad at holding the guilt.”

So when you’re telling me you don’t know any details about the second season of “Pluribus,” are you misleading me? I ask.

“I know nothing!” Seehorn says. The atomic bomb in the crate that a helicopter carefully deposits in Carol’s driveway in the last scene? “As soon as they said, ‘Cut,’ I went up to Vince and asked, ‘Now can you tell me what we’re doing?’ And he said, ‘I have no idea.’”

“And all these months later, I know no more than that,” she continues.

But if you did…

“You’d be getting a phone call from me about an hour after we say goodbye, confessing all,” Seehorn answers, smiling.

The phone still hasn’t rung.

(Ian Spanier / For The Times)

British athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson shared sweet memories of her dad, including his ‘full beam smile’.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson has remembered her late dad in an emotional on-screen moment.

The Olympic athlete is looking into her family heritage in a new episode of BBC ’s Who Do You Think You Are?

During the episode, Katarina, 33, who grew up with her mum in Liverpool, visits the Bahamas to learn about her dad’s family, after his death in 2017.

He died aged 59, having lived in the Bahamas and apart from Katarina since she was just a year old.

However, she recalled her memories of him in an emotional moment with her mum.

In a clip shared ahead of the episode airing, Katarina’s mum Tracey spoke about the moment she met her dad Ricardo.

Former dancer Tracey explained: “I went to dance in a show at the Crystal Palace Casino and I used to get this little bus, which was a free bus for all the workers. Your dad used to get the bus as well, so that’s how we originally met.”

She went on: “At first we were really good friends, he came across as a kind, generous person. It was around Christmas time, we were on the bus, I happened to mention that I was quite homesick for Christmas.

“The next day, there was a knock on my door, and as I opened my apartment door, all you could see was this great big tree.

“And then this face came around, that’s when he won my heart and before long, everything happened very, very quickly.”

“We’re both so happy there,” she added, looking back on a picture of their wedding day.

Katarina added: “The smile is definitely how I remember him, this full beam.”

The athlete has previously spoken about the relationship she had with her dad, and the “difficult” time she faced after his death.

“What happened with my dad is why I have been so switched on in competitions,” she told The Daily Mail. “He didn’t see me win and that has actually made me want to win in front of my mum even more, if that makes sense.

“She comes to see me in every single competition and I always feel for her when I don’t do well, or I let myself down, or I don’t reach my potential.”

She later told the Guardian: “I am proud of myself because there have been some hard and difficult times. But dad definitely spurred me on this year. I wanted to start winning things. I wanted my family to see me doing well. And I think I have done that for sure.”

Who Do You Think You Are? airs at 9pm on Thursday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

CHICAGO — Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel went directly to Shohei Ohtani’s competition for NL MVP with his gripe.

Ebel, who coached Cubs star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic this year, gave him grief for serving as the designated hitter on Wednesday. He couldn’t play center field every day?

Ohtani and Crow-Armstrong had just traded leadoff home runs, so Crow-Armstrong told reporters that he shot back with: “Well, it took your guy 10 pitches, it only took me one.”

He was exaggerating slightly. Ohtani’s leadoff homer came on the seventh pitch of the at-bat against Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga. And that, of course, wasn’t really how Crow-Armstrong felt.

“A [seven]-pitch at-bat to start the game and finish it off with a 110 [mph] ball at 20 degrees is pretty ridiculous,” Crow-Armstrong said.

The National League MVP race transformed into a head-to-head showdown between the frontrunners at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, as the Dodgers fell to the Cubs 7-6.

“Over the course of a season, there’s a lot of ups and downs,” Ohtani, a four-time MVP, said through interpreter Will Ireton. “It’s too early to think about that. So in a way for me it’s more important for the team to win and for me to contribute to that.”

Though Crow-Armstrong played along with the MVP talk, he came around to a similar sentiment.

“I would be crazy to say that I don’t want to win an MVP, but if we’re talking about having priorities straight, I think mine are pretty straight,” he said. “It’s not on the forefront of my mind. It’s fun to joke about and it’s fun to acknowledge and I think it’s absolutely OK to pay attention to. But it’s not following me up to the plate.

“If you guys want to talk about all this back and forth, like, I really should go get in the lab and start pitching. I really should.”

Ohtani was considered the runaway MVP favorite early in the year, while his pitching performance also put him in the Cy Young conversation. But his extended absence from the mound (left knee issue) and Crow-Armstrong’s contributions on offense and defense have made the race more interesting.

Crow-Armstrong entered Wednesday leading the majors in fWAR (7.5), followed by Ohtani (6.4).

Chicago Cubs designated hitter Pete Crow-Armstrong drops the bat after hitting his second home run against the Dodgers.

(Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press)

“Simply put, just having your name in the same conversation as someone as profound as [Ohtani] feels, it’s awesome and it’s a nice nod,” Crow-Armstrong said. “It’s cool. But … I would feel much more accomplished taking them (the Dodgers) down at some point. I want to see this group (the Cubs) in October because I think it’ll be a dangerous, dangerous group in the playoffs.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts irked Cubs fans a week and a half ago when, asked to evaluate Ohtani’s season overall, he said he’ll still be the NL MVP.

“I haven’t followed the race,” Roberts said before the game Wednesday. “I have followed what Pete’s doing, and he’s figured some things out with the bat. “He’s having a heck of a year. And he has rightfully made it a lot closer than most people expected. He’s had a tremendous season.”

That continued in the finale of the three-game series, for Crow-Armstrong and Ohtani.

Ohtani, struck first, notching the 32nd leadoff homer of his career and 29th as a Dodger, breaking a tie with Davey Lopes for the second-most in franchise history, behind Mookie Betts (32).

In the bottom half of the inning, Crow-Armstrong matched Ohtani with a tying blast.

The next inning, he delivered a two-run double, and in the fourth, he mashed a two-run blast off the right-field scoreboard to put the Cubs up 5-1.

Not to be outdone, Ohtani led off the fifth inning with a single, but the Dodgers failed to score. Then in the eighth, he made it his first multi-homer game of the season, with a two-run shot that trimmed the Cubs’ lead to 7-6.

“He’s a great player,” Ohtani said of Crow-Armstrong. “But I’m really focused on myself on the hitting side of things right now, really working towards hopefully getting back on the mound and working on that side of the game as well.”

Ohtani’s timeline back to the mound is nebulous at this point. Roberts didn’t have a specific day circled to resume playing catch, and Ohtani didn’t provide one, either.

“It’s getting pretty good day by day,” Ohtani said of his knee. “It’s hard to tell at this point what the schedule is going to look like. First I need to do [weighted ply balls], then go into long toss, then go into a bullpen progression. Rather than rush the progression of this I would rather make sure we’re headed in the right direction. But making sure we’re taking the right steps.”

The Dodgers’ rotation depth means he doesn’t necessarily need to build up to a full starter’s workload by the end of the year. Ohtani said he’d leave the timing of his progression up to the front office.

“Any innings we get from him are bonuses, given he’s a two-way player,” Roberts said. “Whether it’s one inning, two innings, three innings, I’m not too concerned about the timeline. … I certainly see him as a starter, but how much he could give us, to then have somebody [piggybacking] behind him, that we don’t know yet.”

Freddie Freeman pulled

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman left the game in the bottom of the fifth inning after a pitch hit his right hand. But X-rays came back negative, Roberts said.

“I obviously didn’t come out of that at-bat because I knew it hit my bat as well,” Freeman said. “It hit bat, then hand and pinched my hand onto the bat. Next pitch, I swung. I could swing, and I swung again. As the adrenaline wore off, pain got a little bit more.”

Freeman said he expects to be ready to return to the lineup by the Dodgers’ next game, against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.

During the 2021 season, NFL players who had not received a COVID-19 vaccination were subject to daily tests for the virus and restrictions, such as wearing masks inside team facilities and practicing social distancing.

Rodgers did not get vaccinated — he has said he’s allergic to an ingredient in the vaccines — and instead opted for an alternative treatment to help prevent him from getting the virus. Still, he told reporters he was “immunized” and did not follow all of the league’s protocols for unvaccinated players.

In early November 2021, Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 and admitted he had “misled people about my status.” He was fined $14,650 for the protocol violation and missed a game because unvaccinated players had to isolate for 10 days after testing positive.

Rodgers clearly still had a lot to get off his chest during Tuesday’s show.

“A lot of people had probably fake vac cards back in the day, too,” Rodgers said. “They didn’t have a problem with that. I mean, I remember seeing some of the vax cards. It was, like, written in crayon. I’m like, all right, so we’re gonna pass that on, but we’re gonna be second-rate citizens over here — I gotta wear a yellow armband, train in the back, can’t be around more than three people.

“Oh, you know, you got to wear a mask when you do your your interview, and all of us are going to be masked up the entire time back here, 20 feet away from you, because that’s safety first. What crock of s— we had to go through! Crazy times.”

Although McAfee tried changing the subject multiple times during the first several minutes of the interview, the host eventually embraced the topic and applauded Rodgers for standing “on your side of the truth throughout the entirety of that thing.”

“Your name was slandered,” McAfee told Rodgers. “You were called a murderer. You were called a lot of things.”

EMMERDALE star Jack Downham has quietly quit the show after 17 years.

The actor, who plays Noah Dingle on the ITV soap, is set to exit the soap tonight, but not before their family dog Monty passes away.

The Sun revealed last month that Noah was leaving the Dales.

Noah has recently shared his desire to apply for a job in Germany but Charity was reluctant for him to leave.

On Wednesday’s show, the Woolpack landlady had a change of heart and encouraged her son to purse his dreams.

As Noah prepared to depart, the Dingle family suffered another major blow when their beloved dog Monty was rushed to the vets.

And sadly Monty couldn’t be saved, leaving the Dingle clan heartbroken.

In Monty’s final scenes, Cain praised the pooch for being a good boy all these years and asked dad Zak Dingle to take care of him in heaven.

In emotional scenes, Cain told a dying Monty: “You are a good boy, I know my dad was always grateful for having you.

“When you get up there, tell him how much you love him and that we miss him loads and that he takes you for plenty of walks, just like old times.

“We love you, scruffy old thing,” with tears running down his face, he turned to vet Rhona and added: “I think he’s gone.”

Noah then visited Cain to bid farewell as he headed off on his new adventure.

Last month, we revealed that character was set to depart and had already filmed his exit scenes.

A telly source said: “Jack is such a lovely lad, and everyone adores him.

“He’s been on the show since he was a young child so it’s all he’s ever known.

“He was told of the news last month and his axing has once again sent shockwaves through the cast and crew.

“Everyone is wondering who will be next.”

But one of his pals added: “Jack is looking at the positives though and is hopeful about future opportunities.”

The bloodbath in the Dales has already hit another popular Dingle recently — plus other cast members.

Bradley Johnson who has played Mandy ­Dingle’s on-screen son Vinny for seven years has been dumped, as well as Nick Miles — who’s been in his Jimmy King role for 22 years — and Olivia Bromley who plays Dawn Taylor.

And rumours are rife that bosses are planning a big stunt that could kill off even more of the long-running soap’s cast later this year.

Last month Emmerdale took home two gongs at the ­Television and Radio Industries Club awards — for Soap of the Year and for Best Soap Actor, which went to Jeff Hordley who has played Cain Dingle for more than 20 years.

Jeremy Clarkson has also confirmed major news regarding another one of his shows today.

A Jeremy Clarkson show’s replacement has already been announced and it’s something viewers have been waiting weeks for.

From Top Gear and The Grand Tour to the unforgettable Clarkson’s Farm on Prime Video, Jeremy Clarkson is never too far away from our small screens.

And this evening, Wednesday, August 5, at 9pm, will be no different as he returns in a repeat episode of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? on ITV where he plays quizmaster.

As always, the 66-year-old will be faced with a new line-up of contestants tasked with answering a series of questions that could ultimately change their lives.

However, this will be the last episode of the quiz show reboot to air for a while with ITV confirming what will take its place next week.

Jeremy Clarkson’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire’s time slot will be taken over by ITV’s live coverage of pre-season football.

Kicking off at 7pm and airing for almost three hours, the special is set to air the match between Manchester United and Leeds United, with the friendly taking place at Croke Park, Dublin.

The official synopsis notes: “Normally used for Gaelic sports, this is the first time this 80,000 capacity venue has hosted a club association football match, and while a friendly in name, it is likely to be a highly competitive contest given the historic rivalry between the teams.”

As presenter Hugh Woozencroft leads the coverage, there will also be analysis from John O’Shea and Michael Brown with commentary by Sam Matterface and Lucy Ward.

Clarkson has been in the news for months thanks to the return of Clarkson’s Farm on Prime Video with season five revealing that he had prostate cancer. Thankfully, it has since been confirmed that he is now officially in remission.

But today, Wednesday, August 5, Clarkson is back in the news as it’s been announced he and his former Grand Tour hosts James May and Richard Hammond, would be reuniting.

The Grand Tour came to an end two years ago but the stars will be making cameo appearances in the reboot to help “pass the baton on”.

Hosting duties are being taken over by YouTubers Thomas Holland and James Engelsma with The Grand Tour season seven airing on Friday, September 4.

Live Pre-season Football airs on Wednesday, August 12, from 7pm, on ITV.

When I pulled into the parking lot near Long Beach’s F&M Bank Amphitheater with just 30 minutes until the opening of the show on a recent Friday, my heart raced.

“Do you think we’ll make it in time?” I asked my boyfriend, worried.

We were heading to Ice Cube and Mike Epps’ “Everyday’s Friday” concert and comedy show — a celebration of the cult classic “Friday” movie franchise — so a huge turnout was guaranteed. And ever since F&M Bank Amphitheater opened earlier this summer, my social media feeds have been flooded with complaints about Long Beach’s new temporary waterfront venue. Concertgoers have cited uncomfortable seating, sky-high parking rates and long shuttle wait times.

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Those comments swirled in my head as I hustled toward the shuttle pickup line near the Pike Outlets. But to my surprise and relief, a bus arrived within a few minutes. After a roughly 15-minute drive through mild traffic, we made it to the venue just in time to see Epps tease a few audience members during his opening comedy segment.

The 11,000-seat F&M Bank Amphitheater has gotten a lot of buzz in the two months it’s been open, with conversations surrounding its funding, noise concerns in the neighborhood and the purpose of the venue for the city of Long Beach. My mission was simply to see what it’s like to experience a show. The verdict? If you’re not expecting luxury and you arrive with a healthy dose of patience, it’s a treat.

Here’s a rundown, starting with getting to the amphitheater. Because the venue doesn’t have its own parking lot, the options are rideshare, the bus, e-scooters, bikes (with storage available at the venue), taking a water taxi ($5 per way) or paying $55 for reserved spaces, then taking the free shuttle.

Walking inside felt less like entering a temporary venue and more like stepping into a mini music festival. The pathway toward the security checkpoint was adorned with a bright abstract mural, hanging lights and swaying palm trees. A display of lowriders greeted us alongside a massive mural of iconic scenes from the film “Friday,” including Cube and Chris Tucker’s legendary “Dammnnnn” moment. Deeper into the grounds, fans delighted in interactive art installations — from a replica of Pinky’s Records & Discs to Craig’s front porch. Nearby were even more classic lowriders that drivers made bounce and dance for the crowd. The layout made the space feel more expansive and interactive than just watching a performance.

The spacious F&M Bank Amphitheater felt like a mini music festival with food trucks, art installations and more.

(Daniel Rojas)

Food trucks and bars were scattered throughout, serving up tacos, burgers, hot dogs and other hand-held bites. I ordered a smashburger with fries — which was decent though the line moved slowly — and paired it with a cocktail, which was moderately priced by L.A. standards ($19 for premium liquor). Grab-and-go beers and seltzers were easily accessible although I didn’t spot any refillable water stations around the venue.

And a major thing to note is the venue’s only restrooms are Porta Potties. I was instantly grateful that I’d brought hand sanitizer as there weren’t any hand-washing stations near the entrance. Fortunately, a second portable toilet area deeper inside the venue had working sinks and held up well throughout the show.

Thousands of fans attended the “Everyday’s Friday” event, which celebrated the “Friday” movie franchise.

(Daniel Rojas)

Much like shows at the Hollywood Bowl, the concert kicked off a few minutes after 7 p.m. With our burgers and margaritas in hand, my boyfriend and I nestled into our seats in the center 300 section, which gave us a clear, unobstructed view of the stage. Thanks to the tiered bleacher-style seating, almost every seat in the house offers a great vantage point. The actual seats were hard and mildly uncomfortable, but we didn’t mind this because we stood up for most of the show. Some attendees opted to hang out at one of the many picnic tables sprinkled around the venue.

By the time Houston rap legend Scarface — who’s known for his use of heavy bass — hit the stage I realized just how crisp the sound quality was. Even when we left our seats for a quick bathroom break, I could still hear the music clearly. The sound combined with lasers and immersive backdrop visuals of scenes from the films elevated the show experience.

Thanks to the tiered bleacher-style seating, almost every seat in the venue offers a great vantage point of the stage.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

It’s difficult to ignore the picturesque views of the harbor and famed Queen Mary, particularly at sunset. (On certain concert days, the Queen Mary offers free admission.) It felt like the perfect setting for a show that celebrated the beloved film, its soundtrack and most importantly West Coast hip-hop culture.

About two-thirds into Ice Cube’s set, I noticed small groups of people sneaking toward the exit. Mindful of the online horror stories about post-show delays, my boyfriend and I decided to duck out early to beat the rush. By the time we made it outside, people were already power-walking toward an expanding line. Security seemed scrambled, first directing a large crowd of us to the far side of the pickup zone, which sparked confusion and frustration, then waving us back. Unlike the Hollywood Bowl, which has fleets of shuttles ready to go, F&M Bank Amphitheater’s shuttle operation felt a bit leaner. Still, a bus arrived within 10 minutes, and despite initially driving to the wrong drop-off spot, the driver quickly course-corrected and got us back on track.

V.I.P Records, a store that helped launch the careers of artists like Snoop Dogg and Warren G, had a booth at the event.

(Daniel Rojas)

As an avid concertgoer, I enjoyed the overall experience at the F&M Amphitheater. It delivered on all the key elements I look for in a show: pristine sound, engaging visuals and a seamless entry. While the venue still has some post-show shuttle kinks to smooth out — an expected growing pain for a new space — it successfully turns a temporary layout into a lively entertainment venue that could soon evolve into a permanent “Long Beach Bowl.” For music lovers and promoters alike, that’s worth celebrating.

Strictly Come Dancing pro Amy Dowden is one of the stars on the run on Celebrity Hunted

Celebrity Hunted viewers were emotional as one of the contestants broke down in tears on the show.

Strictly Come Dancing pro Amy Dowden, who is taking part in the Channel 4 programme with fellow dancer Carlos Gu, started to cry as she talked about her fears she can’t have children after cancer.

The star announced in May 2023 that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and she went on to have a mastectomy and chemotherapy.

She opened up about her concerns during the latest instalment of the show, which sees stars on the run and trying to evade capture while being pursued by experts. She and Carlos stayed with fellow Strictly star Neil Jones and his family, including his daughter Havana. When Carlos noted how good Amy was with the three-year-old, she became tearful.

“I’ve always wanted the honour to be a mum,” she said. “And obviously I don’t know if that’s going to be possible.”

Amy, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease when she was 19, went on: “A cancer diagnosis changes your life forever. I’d just got married, I had my whole life ahead of me, and all of a sudden my world fell apart in front of me.

“I’ve been given another shot at life, and I want to embrace and take every opportunity that comes my way.”

Viewers were also moved, with one posting on X: “If anyone is in doubt about why Shine & C4 make this show, watch that first part. BRB, something’s in my eye.”

Sharing a teary-eyed emoji on the platform, which was formerly Twitter, someone else said: “Amy Dowden opening up about her cancer journey on Celebrity Hunted. WE LOVE YOU AMY!”

“Awww Amy,” said another moved fan.

The latest series of Celebrity Hunted, which is in aid of Stand Up To Cancer, also features EastEnders‘ Brian Conley and his daughter Lucy, and television personalities Scarlette and Stuart Douglas.

Love Islanders Chris Taylor and Toby Aromolaran, presenters and disability advocates JJ Chalmers and Sophie Morgan, and comedians Jen Brister and Laura Smyth are also striving to escape from lead Hunter Ray Howard and his squad.

Celebrity Hunted is airing on Channel 4.

You can’t keep a beloved news team down, even after more than a decade since being yanked off the air in a move that stunned fans and local TV newsrooms.

For almost 20 years, KTTV Fox 11’s “Good Day L.A.” was hosted by Steve Edwards, Dorothy Lucey and Jillian Barberie, becoming a dominant fixture in the fiercely competitive morning show arena. The show’s popularity for a time outdistanced network morning shows and crosstown rivals “The KTLA Morning News.”

The trio’s freewheeling banter spiced with humorous mayhem and mischief enchanted legions of viewers while bringing freshness to the familiar formula of news, weather and sports. The distinct personalities meshed effortlessly — veteran newsman Edwards, relentlessly upbeat co-host Lucey and fiery weather reporter Barberie, who injected the proceedings with outrageous, at times crass comments along with declarations that “my breasts are real.”

An undercurrent of friction brought an edge to the breezy vibe, with Edwards often acting as the awkward buffer between Lucey and Barberie, who did little to disguise their dislike of each other. Barberie would go on to bash Lucey on Howard Stern’s radio show, calling her “very Christian and Bible-thumpy.” Lucey was frequently distraught by Barberie’s “mean.”

But that winning combination was broken up starting in May 2012, when Lucey was fired as part of a show revamp. Barberie was let go four months later after declining a demotion. And after continuing with other co-hosts, Edwards vanished from the show in December 2017 after allegations of sexual harassment, but there was never an official explanation from him or management about the reason for his departure. The exits sparked a wave of protests from viewers and celebrities, including Suzanne Somers, Piers Morgan and Simon Cowell of “American Idol.”

Dorothy Lucey, left, Steve Edwards and Jillian Barberie in 2001 on the set of Fox 11’s “Good Day L.A.”

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

But good days have returned for the former “Good Day L.A.” hosts. More than a decade after being let go, Edwards, Lucey and Barberie are fired up about their new venture.

The trio has reunited for “So Unanchored,” a weekly podcast fueled by spontaneous riffs on their years together, pop culture and their deep friendship. As they did on “Good Day L.A.,” they consistently interrupt one another and the chatter careens from one topic to the next without a breath. Complete sentences are rare.

“We have not missed a beat,” Edwards said as he, Lucey and Barberie relaxed in an office lounge after a recent taping. “It’s the most effortless thing. It makes us very happy when we get together. There’s an endorphin thing going on.”

“And we like each other more,” added Lucey.

They will tape a special live episode Wednesday at 11 a.m.. New episodes usually appear on Fridays.

The shattering of the “Good Day L.A.” team was particularly traumatic for Barberie, the breakout star of the trio. In addition to getting divorced after the Fox 11 job, she was later sideswiped by financial woes and a devastating health scare.

“I lost my job, got divorced and got cancer all at the same time,” said Barberie, her voice cracking as she sat near Edwards and Lucey in the lounge. “The fact that these two were a constant in my life during those 12 years when I was going through all those things is everything. I’m so grateful.”

Of course, there are major differences from their previous collaboration. While “Good Day L.A.” was broadcast at Fox 11’s massive West Los Angeles studio, “So Unanchored” is a no-frills affair staged at a Canoga Park office park.

The hosts sit in a small office, backed by nondescript office furniture and a framed poster of the vintage “Please Stand By” image broadcast by stations when there were technical difficulties.

Lucey, left, Edwards and Barberie in the Canoga Park office where they tape their podcast, “So Unanchored.”

(Annie Noelker/For The Times)

On their initial podcast, Barberie made it clear that there is no love lost when it comes to her former employer.

“I don’t want anything associated with that show,” she said. “Let’s start fresh, man. They used us and they treated us like s— at the end. Who needs them? Goodbye!”

The other major shift is the relationship between Lucey and Barberie.

“Dorothy and I love each other now,” Barberie said on one episode.

Lucey: “We do. Because the last time you saw us, we really didn’t like each other.”

Barberie: “And Steve has never been happier.”

Edwards: “You two are like sisters. You used to be like brothers — Cain and Abel.”

Barberie: “And then something happened between the three of us that got her and I close, and then I got cancer. She took me to all of my surgeries and took care of me. I’m telling you, it’s a beautiful thing.”

Lucey: “We still hate Steve, though.”

Barberie: “We have that in common.”

The burying of the hatchet is a great relief for Edwards, who was troubled by the tension between his colleagues during their time on “Good Day L.A.”

Barberie pressed Edwards on their first podcast: “Be honest, Steve. Did you like it when we didn’t get along?”

Edwards: “Sometimes it would get ugly and my stomach would turn.”

On “So Unanchored,” Barberie has revived her loose cannon role in their dynamic, raw and unfiltered. She will tear up, and moments later throw her head back with an explosive laugh that bounces off the studio walls.

She detailed her wild lifestyle during her TV days: “From 34 to 40, I was single, had five TV jobs, partied like a rock star, dated anyone I wanted and made a s—load of money.”

Though she eventually landed a talk show on KABC-AM 790 after leaving Fox 11, hard times hit in 2019 as she tried to make ends meet while raising two children as a divorced mom battling cancer.

“When I lost everything, I literally collapsed on my money manager’s table. I was bald and I started crying,” she said.

She listed her ranch-style Tarzana home, which was featured in “MTV Cribs,” for $2.5 million in 2021. She currently rents “a beautiful little apartment way out in Thousand Oaks. I love it and my life is quieter.”

Barberie was more explicit on the podcast: “I haven’t dated in 10 years. I have no tinglies down there. I’m dead from the waist down. I don’t want to date. I don’t want a man, an ape beside me at night if I’m having a hot flash. I have no nipples. I have no desire to cook, sit and talk with you. I don’t care.”

Edwards: “So you’re saying there’s a chance.”

Since leaving “Good Day L.A.,” Barberie, left, and Lucey have developed a close friendship. Edwards, standing center, said, “You two are like sisters. You used to be like brothers — Cain and Abel.”

(Annie Noelker / For The Times)

Scott Sternberg, whose production company produces “So Unanchored,” said “Good Day L.A.” was a clear standout on the morning show spectrum.

“There was something different about ‘Good Day L.A.’ from the other shows,” Sternberg said in a phone interview. “Their personalities were all different, but they could finish each other’s sentences and were not afraid to say what they wanted to say. I felt if I could bring them back together, there would be a huge audience who remembered them fondly.”

Asked to define the magic of their chemistry, Edwards said it was not instantaneous.

“At the time, there were five morning shows, including the network,” he said. “It took years for our thing to happen, but when it did, it happened big. We could do no wrong for 10 years. The ratings were crazy good. There was a run for many years when we were No. 1. We made them a lot of money.”

He continued: “Success is based on the relationship between the people on the show and the audience. Once that is established, it doesn’t matter if the show is good or bad that day. I was going through a lot with these two [Lucey and Barberie], and the audience was doing it with us. But the suits don’t care about that.”

The first indication that the show was in trouble came in 2017, when a new management team initiated a revamp of the morning show.

Lucey wrote at the time in her blog “God and Gossip” that her new boss told her that her voice, which has a trace of raspiness, “made his eyes bleed. Not the crusty yucky pink eye. New guy was saying when I spoke I made his eyes bleed. I have read that can happen after you vomit. Now I could almost see my husband saying something like that to me … But from a new boss…”

But station executives did not express regrets about dismissing Lucey, saying in a statement after her ouster: “The revitalization of ‘Good Day L.A.’ has been refreshing.”

Months later, Barberie was approached about taking a reduced role as a field reporter. She turned it down. Edwards’ departure caused a bigger stir because it was so abrupt. KTTV would say only that he was no longer employed by the station.

“Fox never issued a statement, and I never issued a statement,” Edwards said. “Obviously there was not agreement on what happened.”

As they prepared to leave the lounge, the three hugged each other warmly and said they were looking forward to getting together the following week.

“There is one word for us being back together,” Barberie said. “Home.”

The U.K. electronic band Massive Attack has been banned from Singapore because of its pro-Palestinian activism onstage, the group said.

The group unfurled a Palestinian flag during a performance at the Star Theatre in Singapore on July 29. The band said police detained them after the show, and that an investigation led to the band being forbidden from performing in the country.

The nation of Singapore has strict laws against displaying foreign flags or national symbols without a permit.

Massive Attack, which consists of Robert “3D” Del Naja and Grant “Daddy G” Marshall, described the event as a “surreal experience” in a post on Instagram.

“We were surprised and disappointed that our entire band was detained by the police, isolated and separately questioned – with some members subjected to hotel room searches and temporary passport confiscation,” it read.

“Before we set foot on the stage and again at the end of the show, large sections of the auditorium organically led chants of ‘Free Palestine’, presumably aware but undeterred that this spontaneous expression alone could violate their government’s censorship laws.”

“For our part,” the statement continued, “we did not imagine that merely holding up the flag of a sovereign state recognised by 157 countries would violate any law.”

In a statement issued Saturday, cited by the Guardian, Singapore police and the local Infocomm Media Development Authority said that Del Naja and Marshall had been investigated for “their actions of support for a political cause and unfurling of a foreign flag,” violating Singapore’s Foreign National Emblems (Control of Display) Act and the Public Order Act.

The police said they “take a serious view of acts which could potentially harm the racial and religious harmony in Singapore and urge the public, including foreigners, to refrain from importing foreign politics as this can undermine our social cohesion and the rule of law.”

The statement said Del Naja and Marshall would “be banned from re-entering Singapore” and are forbidden from performing there again.

The band did not back down from its onstage gesture or its longstanding pro-Palestinian activism, stating that “On reflection, we are proud to have made this impromptu expression with our fans in Singapore who clearly felt a moral imperative to show solidarity with the people of Palestine in their ongoing reality of illegal occupation, apartheid and genocide, and we salute their courage in doing so. Right across the world, the continued inaction of the ‘international community’ is moving citizens to personal risk.”

Del Naja was recently arrested at a recent protest in support of the group Palestine Action in London.

Madison Square Garden. Decades before the July 3 wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce catapulted the venue into a new category of global prominence, the Manhattan arena loomed large as a symbol of success.

For the select list of comedians who have sold out the place, filling the arena is considered a pinnacle of achievement. It’s a triumph so encompassing that it inspired the central plot of the final season of “Hacks,” as Jean Smart’s veteran stand-up Deborah Vance demonstrates she’ll do just about anything to sell out the Garden — including putting herself in a glass cube above the Las Vegas Strip and almost perishing up there. “She needs a legacy-defining win, something that’s going to be the inarguable lead to her obituary,” says Paul W. Downs during a Zoom call with his “Hacks” co-creators Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky.

“With Deborah, she likes to go big and Madison Square Garden is big,” adds Statsky. “It’s a testament to what an iconic place it is because we were like, ‘There’s one option here and it’s MSG.’”

So what does it really take to sell out MSG? Back in the day, a comedian could go on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and become nationally known. Now, YouTube subscribers and TikTok followers are part of the equation, along with specials on Netflix, HBO and Hulu. The road to MSG is a long one, with few shortcuts. It usually begins with years of playing club dates, then theaters and larger arenas, creating demand. But the payoff is substantial: With 15,000 to 20,000 seats depending on the configuration, a single night can gross up to $3 million in ticket sales. Then, a streaming platform might fork over $5 million to $20 million for exclusive taped performance rights. Plus, there’s the unquantifiable: “Venues often come and go,” says Aniello, “but Madison Square Garden feels like forever. The name itself has remained protected as this kind of sacred thing.”

Only about 20 comedians have ever achieved the milestone, including the likes of Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, Chris Rock and Amy Schumer — the only woman in this elite group. The Envelope spoke to six of them to understand what it takes and how it feels to reach comedy’s Promised Land.

Max Amini

(Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)

Number of sellouts: 1
Date: Feb. 15, 2026
Max Amini Tour

“No one sells out Madison Square Garden alone. Behind every artist is an audience that believed before the rest of the world caught on, a family that sacrificed, a team that worked tirelessly. I’m incredibly proud of my team because they believed in this vision long before Madison Square Garden was even a conversation. One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is that success is never built by one person. It’s built by people who trust one another, challenge one another, and refuse to let each other settle for less than excellence.”

Nate Bargatze

(Jason Kempin / Getty Images)

Number of sellouts: 3
Dates: Sept. 26 and 27 (two shows), 2025
Big Dumb Eyes World Tour

“I believed I could make a career out of stand-up comedy when I was in my 20s, even when it sounded like a crazy thing to do. I was just hoping somebody would come to the show. You spend so many years doing clubs it’s hard to picture anything bigger than that, until it happens. … Selling out Madison Square Garden, let alone selling it out three times, wasn’t something I ever expected, but it was the result of believing in stand-up, believing people still want to get out of the house and laugh together, and believing in hard work each and every day.”

Dane Cook

(Jesse Grant / Getty Images)

Number of sellouts: 3
Dates: Nov. 12, 2006 (two shows) and Nov. 9, 2009
Rough Around the Edges Tour, Isolated Incident Tour

“When I think of history and legendary artists selling out, it’s the greatest honor of my career. To get to experience that even once, it’s an achievement that forever changes how your career is viewed. I’m standing backstage in the hallway looking at all the photos, it’s like getting an energy massage, realizing the history of this incredible edifice. In my quiet moment pre-show, realizing I’m in rare air, I wanted to enjoy it as much as possible. It is a privilege. When I let the crowd know we got there together, I can still feel the energy in my chest.”

Jim Gaffigan

(Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images for Bob Woodruff Foundation)

Number of sellouts: 1
Date: Dec. 12, 2015
Contagious Tour

“I never thought selling out MSG was a possibility. When I started stand-up it was an unrealistic goal for any comedian. Having lived in NYC for three decades, MSG had exceeded its legendary status for me. MSG is where I brought my kids to see the Knicks and Rangers play. It’s where I saw Bruce Springsteen. Pulling off a sellout seemed like a gamble but worth it. There is something special about an audience seeing you at MSG. I think people coming to the show understand there is a special-event status to a show at MSG.”

Matt Rife

(Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

Number of sellouts: 2
Dates: July 18 and 19, 2025
Stay Golden World Tour

“MSG is the top of the mountain. It symbolizes the pinnacle of ticket-selling success as a comedian. If you can sell out the world’s most famous arena, in the toughest city in America … you’ve made it. For me it was beyond a dream come true. Growing up I always thought selling out comedy clubs was the ceiling for success for stand-up comedians. I never thought I’d be one of them. To not only sell it out twice, but to be the youngest comedian to ever sell it out … it’s still hard to comprehend. It feels like a literal dream, that I can’t remember if it actually happened or not.”

Andrew Schulz

(Bryan Bedder / Getty Images for Food Bank for NYC)

Number of sellouts: 2
Dates: May 3 and 4, 2024
The Life Tour

“I am born and raised in NYC. My dad had so much respect for MSG he would make me wear a collared shirt whenever we stepped in that building. This place had holy significance to me before I knew I wanted to be a comic. Once I decided to make comedy my life I had one goal. It was to sell out MSG … wearing a collared shirt of course. I thought about walking onto that stage every single day for 17 years straight. And then it happened. Dreams do come true.”

One of the most read — and debated — stories from the Arts team this week was an interview with Oskar Eustis a day after he announced that he would step down as the artistic director of the Public Theater in 2028. The New York Times broke the news July 22 in an interview with Eustis in which he also said that the American nonprofit theater movement was over.

I followed up in a phone interview the next day and asked him to explain what he meant, which he did, noting that the broad consensus that nonprofit theater mattered to the country — a belief held by national endowments, state arts agencies, public policy institutes and corporate philanthropic departments — had disappeared. So, too, have many of those very same agencies and their budgets that provided funding to the arts. The case for sustaining any particular theater now comes down to that theater and how relevant and necessary it can make itself to its surrounding community, Eustis said.

There is never enough room in an article when you’ve had a good conversation with someone, so I thought I’d use the newsletter to publish a bit more of what Eustis shared with me. I was particularly interested in something he said about the Public’s famed Shakespeare in the Park program, which is free and takes place every summer at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Since its inception, more than 160 productions have been staged, reaching more than 6 million people.

The free tickets the Public gives away for these shows are “the prime driver of our income at the Public, and this has been true since our founding,” Eustis told me.

That may sound counterintuitive, but it goes directly to the case Eustis is making for modern nonprofit theaters to be as relevant as possible to their communities. Ticket sales will never bring in the kind of money theaters need to sustain a robust slate of diverse programming — that will always have to come from donors. These very same donors, Eustis said, are the ones who feel most excited to be sitting among the citizenry in Central Park, watching the beauty of public art unfold in a joyous communal atmosphere.

“It’s not just when they make a donation that they get to see the show,” said Eustis of uber-wealthy donors. “They absolutely viscerally feel that — sitting in that theater when 75% of the audience hasn’t paid a penny to be there — they are getting to be part of their dream city. They’re feeling, ‘Oh, this is what New York is supposed to feel like.’”

By giving away free Shakespeare in the Park tickets, Eustis said, the Public is “making an unbelievably powerful case for why we need subsidy … and that’s why the money comes, because we are [showing] that democratic access is more fun for a better city.”

I like the idea of free theater being more fun, and rich people paying for the privilege of being a part of that fun when it is so removed from their cordoned-off daily lives. But I do worry that so much of what we now rely on culturally comes down to the whims and fancies of a handful of ultra-rich patrons. Newspapers are run by them, public school art and music programs rely on them, as do museums, symphonies, ballets and operas.

As Eustis pointed out, these donors no longer represent a broad consensus that is channeled into a civic vision via government support, but that is precisely why the situation feels so precarious. We might be one serious AI-driven stock market crash from artistic oblivion.

I’m Arts editor Jessica Gelt staring gloomily into the distance. This is your arts and culture news for the week.

The week ahead: A curated calendar

FRIDAY

“Ulises Carrión, a bookwork in many places” exhibition at Joan Los Angeles.

(Evan Walsh)

Ulises Carrión, a bookwork in many places
The exhibition, in its final two weeks, examines the Mexican-born conceptual artist’s influence on reimagined systems of exchange through printed matter by artists, librarians, publishers and alternative spaces. The show focuses on Southern California in particular, spanning the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, featuring artist books, correspondence, video and ephemera.
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays. Through Aug. 9. Joan, 1206 Maple Ave., Suite 715, Fashion District, downtown L.A. joanlosangeles.org

Puppet Up!
Brian Henson’s adventurous stage show featuring improv and sketch comedy with the iconic Henson puppets and puppeteers is back for a limited eight-performance run. Also on tap is “A Conversation With Brian Henson,” a live presentation by the Emmy-winning producer, director and puppeteer about the rich history of the Jim Henson Company, 2 p.m. Sunday at the Montalbán.
8 p.m. Friday; 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday; 5 p.m. Sunday; 8 p.m. Aug. 7; 3 and 7 p.m. Aug. 8; and 5 p.m. Aug. 9. Ricardo Montalbán Theatre, 1615 Vine St. puppetup.com

Tchaikovsky Spectacular with Fireworks
L.A.-based circus company Troupe Vertigo and the USC Trojan Marching Band join the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by France’s Chloe Dufresne, for the 1812 overture — with pyrotechnics.
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com

SATURDAY

A scene from “Acquaprofonda” at the Aquarium of the Pacific.”

(Andres Leon for Long Beach Opera)

Acquaprofonda: A Deep-Sea Opera for Families
Long Beach Opera Education collaborates with the Aquarium of the Pacific for this free, family-friendly, 30-minute adventure about a young girl who finds an ailing whale and stands up for what’s right. Music by Giovanni Sollima, libretto by Giancarlo De Cataldo and English libretto by Elle Moody.
Noon and 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through Aug. 9. Aquarium of the Pacific, Honda Pacific Visions Theater, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach. longbeachopera.org

Boleros De Noche
The 10th annual celebration of romance, nostalgia and cultural pride features Puerto Rican singer iLe and a special performance by the L.A.-based trio Voz Bohemia.
8 p.m. Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East. theford.com

Free 4 All
Claremont Lewis Museum of Art opens its doors for this annual one-day takeover by local artists who will display their work with no fees to exhibit and no gatekeepers to choose whose work gets seen. With live music by the Kamran Curlin Trio, Home Again Home Again and Coupe Deville.
1-8 p.m. Claremont Lewis Museum of Art, 200 W. First St., Claremont. clmoa.org

People of Pompeii
A new comedy by Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award-winning playwright Bernardo Cubría, co-directed by Ellen Geer and Xochitl Romero, is set in Topanga Canyon itself and focuses on community in a time of climate catastrophe.
Through Oct. 4. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. theatricum.com

Two Gentlebots of Verona
The annual Actors’ Gang Free Shakespeare in the Park for Families features a cyber-inspired Shakespeare adaptation by Rynn Vogel, directed by Adam J. Jefferis.
11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through Aug. 23. Media Park, 9091 Culver Blvd., Culver City; noon, Aug. 29-30. Buena Vista Branch Library, 300 N. Buena Vista St., Burbank. theactorsgang.com

SUNDAY

Sidney Jacobs & the Monsters
The jazz vocalist and his sextet perform original music with reimagined standards.
8 p.m. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. sierramadreplayhouse.org

St. Vincent with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
The six-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter guitarist goes orchestral with the HBO led by conductor Jules Buckley.
7 p.m. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com

TUESDAY

Louis Langrée
The French conductor leads the L.A. Phil in works from Felix Mendelssohn and Joseph Haydn on Tuesday at the Hollywood Bowl; two nights later, Langrée returns with pieces by Johannes Brahms, Georges Bizet and Louise Farrenc.
Mendelssohn & Haydn, 8 p.m. Tuesday; Brahms & Bizet, 8 p.m. Thursday. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com

“Saint Luke” from Irmengard Codex shortly after 1053. German. Tempera colors, gold, and ink on parchment 22.2 × 18.7 cm (8 3/4 × 7 3/8 in.)

(Getty Museum)

The Making of a Medieval Manuscript
If you ever wondered how the beautiful manuscripts in the Getty’s extensive collection were created, this is the exhibition for you. Tools and materials used illustrate each phase of the process from parchment making, writing and illuminating through the final binding. Christian manuscripts from Europe, Armenia and Ethiopia, plus objects of Jewish and Muslim origin, will also be on display, along with a video component.
Through May 2, 2027. Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Drive, L.A. getty.edu

WEDNESDAY

Kalean Ung as the Chanteuse in “The Comedy of Errors.”

(Mike Ditz)

The Comedy of Errors
Melissa Chalsma directs Indie Shakes’ production of the Bard’s wordplay and slapstick set in a Mediterranean port town, with an original score.
7 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday; through Sept. 6. Old Zoo Picnic Area, Griffith Park. indieshakes.org/free-shakespeare-2026

THURSDAY

Annie and the Caldwells/The Campbell Brothers
The Skirball concludes its 29th season of Sunset Concerts with this family-fueled pairing of disco soul and sacred steel gospel groups, respectively, plus DJ sets by Sonrisita.
7 p.m. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. skirball.org

JazzPOP 2026
The summer series marks its 19th season with three concerts showcasing West Coast creative jazz: Kasey Knudsen Sextet (Thursday); Malachi Whitson Quartet (Aug. 13); and Machado Mijiga Trio (Aug. 20).
8 p.m. Thursdays, through Aug. 20. UCLA Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. hammer.ucla.edu

— Kevin Crust

Retrospective

L.A. Times arts coverage from the the past …

Playwright/director Moises Kaufman of “The Laramie Project” was on the cover of Sunday Calendar, July 29, 2001.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

At the Heart of a Modern Tragedy

Sunday Calendar, July 29, 2001

NEW YORK — Moises Kaufman could not turn off the television. He could not put down the newspaper. Like much of America, he was mesmerized by the news of the horrific beating, robbery and eventual death in 1998 of Matthew Shepard, a gay university student attacked and left for dead by two young men near Laramie, Wyo.

“For the five days until he died, you couldn’t turn on a television or a radio and not hear about it,” says the 37-year-old playwright and director. “Matthew Shepard put a face on hate crimes. He was young, beautiful, starting his life. The nation as a whole said, ‘Oh, my God. What’s going on?’ ”

It was exactly the sort of question that Kaufman and his colleagues at the Tectonic Theater Project here try to ask, if not answer, onstage. So unlike much of America, Kaufman did not simply move on to the next news tragedy. The man who created the widely produced “Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde” had found his next theater project. READ MORE

— Barbara Isenberg

Culture news and the SoCal scene

Artist Betye Saar visits her pet tortoise named Ms. Rojo on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Los Angeles.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Pioneering Los Angeles assemblage artist Betye Saar died Sunday, just a few days shy of her 100th birthday. The Times had the privilege of profiling her a few weeks earlier in a story that also included some wonderful photos of Saar still hard at work in her Laurel Canyon home studio. After Saar’s death, we published an obituary written by former Times columnist Carolina Miranda, and I put together a list of five of Saar’s most compelling works.

Watts Towers is poised to break ground in October on a $22-million campus renovation — the first such work done to the arts campus since it opened in 1970. The work is set to begin as funding for a 15-year project to preserve the towers themselves has dried up, with work about 90% complete. Community leaders say the situation represents the frustrating piecemeal approach taken over the years to preserve one of the city’s most important cultural landmarks. Times contributor Jane Horowitz has the scoop.

Evan Lugo (George Page), Sonya Cooke (Margaret Page), Zane Caputo (Abraham Slender), Zach Trent (Skateboard Fenton) and Heriberto Cruz Jr. (Doctor Cayo) in “The Merry Wives of Windsor Cove.”

(Elijah Waller)

“The Merry Wives of Windsor’” got a ’50s-themed SoCal beach blanket bingo musical makeover at UC Irvine’s New Swan Shakespeare Festival, and Times theater critic Charles McNulty was there to weigh in on the result. “The pastiche score, indebted to the pop charts of the 1950s, isn’t allowed to dominate,” McNulty writes. “As modern musicals go, this is a low-key affair. The comedy is still the thing in this frolicsome outdoor production, which takes place in the charming ambiance of the festival’s portable, mini-Elizabethan venue.”

McNulty also took time to praise the work of stellar older actors in a rare revival of Nöel Coward’s “Waiting in the Wings,” which is running in repertory at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum through Oct. 10. The play, “which is set in ‘The Wings,’ a charity home for retired actresses, provides a feast for veteran thespians for whom it would be impolite to ask their age,” writes McNulty. “Led by Susan Angelo, Jan Wikstrom and Ellen Geer, this ensemble, under the direction of Willow Geer, diverts and distracts from the mustier aspects of Coward’s style.”

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art announced its inaugural film programming, which is set to screen nonstop during museum hours in two dedicated 299-seat theaters. One theater will play mostly documentary films, and the other will be devoted to the more experimental aspects of the art form.

Alaska Thunderf— will play Mary Todd Lincoln in “Oh, Mary!” at the Ahmanson.

(Daniel Rampulla)

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Alaska Thunderf— will play Mary Todd Lincoln in Cole Escola’s Tony-winning comedy “Oh, Mary!” when it arrives at Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre in the fall. Broadway star J. Harrison Ghee has been cast opposite Alaska in the role of her famous husband.

Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block performs during Audacy’s 11th annual We Can Survive at Prudential Center on Sept. 28, 2024, in Newark, N.J.

(Manny Carabel / Getty Images for Audacy)

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts announced some additions to its 2026-2027 season, including the world premiere of a new play, “Radio Galaxy,” written by Michèle Aldin Kushner, directed by Kimberly Senior and starring Joey McIntyre (yes, that Joey McIntyre) and Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita. The show is about a 17-year-old from a working-class New Jersey town who wants to become an astronomer but must deal with the harsh realities of daily life, including his half-sister’s need for a bone marrow transplant. The show is scheduled for 18 performances in the Lovelace Studio Theater Nov. 6-22. Tickets are available here.

A few reduced-rate spots remain for Camp Build at the Gamble House in Pasadena, which runs from Aug. 1 to 5 for three hours each day. Two hours are devoted to learning the art and craft of woodworking, and a third hour is spent on activities inspired by nature and architecture in the historic home. The cost of the camp is assessed on a sliding scale according to income and need with four payment tiers ranging from free to $650. The remaining slots are in the second tier, which costs $350.

— Jessica Gelt

And last but not least

Want a glimpse into the hedonistic L.A. of yore? Check out this story about Eve Babitz’s personal letters. It will not disappoint.