Jackye Clayton and Lauren McKinney may not have won The Amazing Race but the sisters did conquer some big fears.

In the season 37 premiere, fans saw Clayton, 51, get emotional as she and McKinney, 61, were tasked with climbing up a colossal series of stairs at the Tian Tan Buddha in Hong Kong. Clayton explained on the show that she suffered a scary fall from a series of steps that required her to get surgery and sparked a phobia.

“I think about it every time I see stairs,” Clayton exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, March, following their elimination from the competition series. “Like last week at a basketball game, I had to hold popcorn and there wasn’t an aisle. And I was like, ‘Oh, let me do it.’ I just wanted to call my sister and say, ‘Lauren, I took the stairs without a guardrail.’”

Clayton couldn’t help but feel “so proud” of herself for facing the fear and she was even more grateful that the series included it in the episode.

Amazing Race's Mark and Larry Were 'Less Than a Minute' Behind Other Teams

“I don’t know if everyone watching would know this was major for me. This is my jumping out of an airplane or trying to do a trapeze,” she said. “Like, for me it was a major deal. So I am ultimately proud of myself.”

When watching the show back, Clayton looked at the aerial shot of the lengthy stairs and was still amazed she climbed up and down them. While a fear of stairs might not be an ideal trait for an Amazing Race competitor, Clayton explained that she trained and practiced for it since stairs have popped up before.

“The first thing that we had to do was run down the stairs,” she quipped. “‘And I was like, ‘Oh good. We got the stairs over with out of the way.’”

McKinney, for her part, gushed about how proud she was of her sister for not backing down from the challenge.

“I never felt like she disappointed me at all. All I could think about was, ‘Wow, there’s somebody out there that’s watching this because there’s a fear. There’s something that they don’t talk about with someone because they feel like they’ll be ridiculed or judged or whatever because it’s so minor,’” McKinney told Us. “Maybe it’ll help us all just stop. Everybody’s going through something on their own, sometimes their own silent journey. And you can extend a hand and be a help to somebody and let them actually it’s the opposite.”

In addition to Clayton taking on the stairs, McKinney had a moment herself when she stepped up to complete the first Roadblock of the season. McKinney was tasked with climbing up a Cheung Chau Bun Festival bamboo tower — which she did without an issue. However, tackling the heights-themed challenges was not on McKinney’s radar.

“We watched every season of The Amazing Race. Leading up to this, we decided in advance who’s going to do this, who’s gonna eat that if it comes up, who’s gonna, and she was gonna do all the height things,” she explained. “Put me in the mud. I’ll climb through mud, I’ll push ox, I don’t care, swim, whatever she was gonna do all the height things jump out of a plane bunch, whatever. So I was not gonna do that.”

After Clayton’s emotional moment with the stairs, McKinney knew that the pair had a significant delay and were already in last place. So she decided to give her sister a break and master the tower herself.

Meet ‘The Amazing Race’ Season 37 Cast — And Learn the New Twists

“She had just conquered those stairs. I had to conquer this tower,” McKinney told Us. “So I just knew something within me you don’t like, I didn’t even feel scared. It just went away. I just went straight into, ‘I have to do this.’”

Once McKinney accomplished the feat, she felt “joy” and “pride.”

“There was that feeling of when you overcome something that you didn’t think you could. I knew my sister was waiting for me at the bottom,” she reflected. “I couldn’t see her, but I knew she was there cheering me on the whole way. So it was absolutely amazing and quite a moment.”

The Amazing Race airs on CBS on Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET and is available to stream on Paramount+ the next day.

© Sonja Flemming/CBS

Oliver Stark’s 9-1-1 character, Evan “Buck” Buckley, is preparing for best friend Eddie Diaz’s move to Texas — and he is not handling it well.

“He’s dealt with abandonment issues his whole life, and that is a huge piece of the puzzle and the makeup of who he is, is that he has felt abandoned many times,” Stark, 33, exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of the midseason premiere. “And I think something about the 118 and Eddie, in particular, because of their bond outside of the 118, he is someone that Buck didn’t expect to deal with that from.”

Stark pointed out that Buck’s deeply rooted abandonment issues stem back to the “Buck Begins” episode in season 4, when he learned that he had an older brother who died of leukemia just after he was born — and that he was conceived with the hopes of donating his bone marrow to his sick sibling.

Warning: Spoilers below for season 8, episode 9 of 9-1-1. 

9-1-1's Oliver Stark Says Buck Doesn't 'Understand' His Jealousy of Eddie

In “Sob Stories,” which premiered on Thursday, March 6, those abandonment issues rear their ugly head once again when, despite his best attempts, Buck can’t help but spiral over Eddie’s (Ryan Guzman) impending move to the Lone Star state to be closer to son Christopher (Gavin McHugh).

From sabotaging potential subletters to a knee-jerk pet adoption, Buck is clearly struggling over losing his biggest confidant. Stark said the abandonment hits “extra hard” for Buck because when it comes to Eddie, he “never” expected to have to say goodbye.

“I think that’s the basis of why it hits him so hard, because it’s something that he depended on so much and put so much stability in, and faith in that stability,” he explained, adding that Buck overhearing Eddie telling potential renters that there’s nothing and no one keeping him in L.A. is an extra punch to the gut.

“Listen, nobody wants to hear what he heard Eddie say, right? Eddie didn’t mean it in this way, but Buck has clearly interpreted that as nothing here really matters to me,” Stark explained. “That’s not what Eddie’s saying, not at all, but Buck being the emotional, used-to-abandonment person that he is has heard it and interpreted it that way and he’s run with it. That’s hurtful, and he’s acting from a place of hurt and regurgitated trauma.”

Stark added that Eddie is “obviously a huge part” of Buck’s life — “There’s no denying that,” he said — noting that Buck starts the episode “intent on helping” his friend rent out his apartment before things quickly go awry.

“He really wants to be that good friend to him and be a part of the process and take the weight off Eddie’s shoulders as much as possible,” Stark insisted. “And I think, in doing that, he almost convinces himself that he wants [him to move] and [if] it’s best for Eddie, then it’s best for me.”

Buck, Stark pointed out, “almost has blinders on” about how painful Eddie leaving actually is. “He won’t let himself feel those emotions because he wants to be a supportive friend and wants to just be there and help. So he wasn’t allowing himself to really delve into those emotions and [think about] how difficult it will be for him. Because he would then be an obstruction in the way of getting it done,” Stark explained, adding with a smile, “As he ends up being.”

True to form, Buck ends up doing the right thing by episode’s end, going above and beyond by actually signing up — under fake name Freddie Fakeman — to rent Eddie’s home while he’s gone. Before that moment of clarity, however, Buck and Eddie find themselves at odds in a way viewers don’t often see. That tension was something Stark enjoyed playing into, even for just a beat.

“It’s always fun to tap into that. We all have a really great level of trust and safety with each other as a cast. So in those moments where we do get to be a bit more antagonistic toward each other, it’s fun,” he confessed. “Like, I love that stuff, to kind of push those buttons and see how far you can push the envelope on it. Conflict is drama and makes for great TV. I’m always here for that.”

Drama is served up in spades in “Sob Stories” — and we’re not even talking about that whole Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) being kidnapped thing. As Eddie reaches his limit over Buck sabotaging his moving plans, he accuses Buck of “always making it about” himself. For Stark, however, the situation is more complex.

“I think that’s what we all do to some extent, right? We all have reactions to scenarios,” Stark argued. “We feel how we feel and we react. Buck only can react to any given situation from where he stands within it. And he’s truthful in the scene where he says, ‘It’s not even a question that I’m not asking you to not go and get your son. Of course your son wins.’ He’s not delusional, he is not stupid and he wouldn’t want that. But he is also hurt.”

Human beings, Stark explained, can feel and want multiple things at once. “At the same time, you can want someone to go and do the thing that’s best for them and you are gonna miss them, you know? That doesn’t mean that [he wants] Christopher to be alone forever. It’s just that he’s a complex being ,as we all are, and he is feeling more than one thing at the same time.”

In the end, Buck’s hopes for Eddie and Christopher’s happiness to win out, and Buck finishes the episode feeling good about his decision to rent Eddie’s apartment. But, according to Stark, those positive feelings won’t last very long.

“I think that it’s just not as smooth of a transition as he’s expecting it to be,” Stark told Us of Buck’s new digs. “You know, he’s moving into a space that reminds him of his missing friend. So, yeah … not gonna be as smooth of a transition as he was hoping, or expecting, it to be.”

Will Buck turn to a new dog? After all, the first one he saved from the fire ultimately went home to its rightful owners. (Whoa, everyone really does always leave Buck!) Stark said that he would “love” a pooch pal for his character, but as a dog owner himself, isn’t sure it would make much sense.

Buck Gets Comforted by a Pantsless Eddie on '9-1-1': Friendship Timeline

“The issue is, firefighters work very long hours. Who’s gonna take care of that dog? Is that dog gonna get walks? Is it gonna be let out to pee? These are the questions that I have to ask,” he joked. “And I like the idea of working with a dog more, but the practicality of it for Buck, I just don’t know.”

So if no dog, then what’s next for Buck? That remains under wraps, but whatever it is, viewers are seemingly in for a ride. When asked how he’d describe the rest of Buck’s season 8 journey in three words, Stark told Us: “Uncomfortable, opportunity and devastating.” Well, that sounds alarming!

9-1-1 airs on ABC Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.

© Disney/Christopher Willard

Craig Conover opened up to Austen Kroll on the latest episode of Southern Charm about his alcohol addiction, revealing Paige DeSorbo was his rock while getting sober.

“She was right with me this entire time,” Craig, 36, told Austen, 37, of his then-girlfriend during the Thursday, March 6, episode of the Bravo series.

Craig explained that Paige, 32 — whom he dated for three years before their November 2024 split — was his confidant after he cut out liquor. (Craig previously struggled with Adderall addiction, which was documented on Southern Charm in 2014.)

“There’s a reason that me and Paige are so close,” Craig explained during his Bahamas heart-to-heart with Austen. “I just could not imagine being closer to someone.”

Craig Conover Claims Paige DeSorbo Breakup Wasn't 'Mutual'

The Sewing Down South founder added, “I’m so lucky that she chose to be like, ‘I see someone there.’ She helped me, like, beat this demon.”

Craig previously spoke about his alcohol ups and downs during the season 9 reunion, which aired in January 2024. “I haven’t drank liquor in two years but I had to make a massive change this summer. I’m an addict to that stuff,” he told host Andy Cohen.

During season 10, Craig explained that part of his positive lifestyle shift was because of Paige.

“When we first started dating, we were out and about all the time,” Craig said during a December 2024 episode, which was filmed before their breakup. “We’ve just grown with each other where we’d rather spend the time at home relaxing than out partying. I built this sanctuary [at my house] for us to be away from the world and be able to relax and connect.”

Following their split, Paige and Craig have traded public jabs about the end of their relationship. Paige was accused of cheating on Craig, which she denied. (Craig also claimed he wasn’t the one spreading that rumor).

Paige, meanwhile, alleged during an episode of Summer House in February that Craig was texting other women while they were together. Craig refuted those claims and alleged he never cheated on the fashion correspondent.

Craig Conover Is the Unsung Hero of 'Southern Charm' in 2023: Here's Why

Despite their back and forth, Paige’s Summer House costar Ciara Miller pointed out that Craig has positively transformed throughout their time together. “We’re not gonna sit here and act like Craig is just like the ultimate peach,” Ciara quipped during an exclusive interview with Us Weekly in February. “I’m sorry, but she did a lot of work to get him to this point where he’s at now.”

Ciara, 29, noted, “And whether he’ll give her credit or not. The Craig that we know now is not the Craig, you know, that we were dealing with three years ago.”

Craig, for his part, explained during Thursday’s episode that he was “lucky” to overcome his demons with alcohol, which took place while in a relationship with Paige. His revelation was a much-needed breakthrough for his friendship with Austen, which had become fractured in recent years.

Throughout season 10 of Southern Charm, Craig and Austen butted heads in part because Austen felt like Craig never wanted to spend time together. Craig, meanwhile, claimed it was because Austen only wanted to go out drinking.

“You’re one of my best friends. I was never trying to do stuff to better myself to get away from other people,” Craig told Austen on the latest episode. “I didn’t know that it would ever change the level of our friendship. I want to get back to a place of love.”

Austen revealed, “I feel like where all the disconnect has come because you’ve created this wonderful image that you are terrified of disappointing someone or something that now in order to maintain this I need to sit at my house and not see me with a beer or something.”

When Austen suggested that Craig just needed to “loosen the reins a little bit,” Craig confessed, “I can’t because I don’t have any lease on myself. That’s any addict.”

“I was like, ‘F—. Me, like, trying not to be an alcoholic is now affecting my friendship with Austen.’ That’s where I was coming from,” Craig continued. “I have tears in my eyes because it’s real. I was in the trenches by myself trying to better myself.”

Why Southern Charm’s Craig Wants to Take ‘Step Back’ From Austen Podcast

Craig revealed that even though Austen wanted to hang out, he knew, “I gotta stay on my couch. I leave my couch, I’m going to drink a bottle of Jaeger and do dumb s—.”

Austen, meanwhile, pointed out that it’s the first time Craig ever used the word “addict” around him. “I am very sorry for not understanding what you were going through,” the beermaker said.

Austen later told the cameras that Craig’s addiction “doesn’t excuse him from being an a—hole” but it does make him want to give his longtime friend some “grace.”

“I’m sorry that I never told you. I’m sorry that you thought I just didn’t f—ing like you. I should’ve told you. I love you,” Craig told his “Pillows & Beer” podcast cohost. As the two hugged, Austen playfully replied, “I love you, dude. Doesn’t mean that I don’t think you’re a bitch.”

Southern Charm airs on Bravo Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.

© Getty Images (2)

After careful thought, Briana DeJesus believes it’s best to have her tubes tied.

“I just need to make sure that I wipe out any possibility of me having another baby with someone like Luis [Hernandez] or Devoin [Austin],” Briana, 30, shared on the Thursday, March 6, episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter. “Three baby daddies? No, not me. Once is a mistake. Three times is a pattern, and that’s just not going to be me.”

In June of 2017, MTV announced that Briana would be joining the cast of Teen Mom 2. Ever since then, she’s been documenting her life as a mom to Nova, 13, who she shares with Devoin, and Stella, 7, who she welcomed with Luis.

“I just don’t want to do birth control. Birth control is not for me,” Briana shared with her mom Roxanne and sister Brittany when explaining her decision. “It gives me horrible side effects. Birth control works for some people, but for me, it doesn’t, so how else can I protect myself?”

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While Briana said she is “extremely celebrant” and not having sex, the MTV reality star wanted to take further steps to ensure she won’t get pregnant anytime soon.

In the candid conversation, Roxanne pushed back against the idea saying her daughter will “regret it” especially when she finds a “stable” and “solid” relationship.

As for Brittany, 33, she had her sister’s back when she shared, “You don’t got to explain yourself to nobody because at the end of the day, no is a complete f—ing sentence, and it’s your body, your choice.”

Earlier in the episode, Briana met with Mackenzie McKee. While enjoying a play date with their kids, Briana asked her costar if she regretted getting her tubes tied at 20.

“I’m going through IVF now because my tubes are tied,” Mackenzie shared. “I do [regret tying my tubes] now because I met someone, but I never thought I would be in a relationship like this, but I did it at 20.”

When chatting with her mom and sister, Briana couldn’t help but break down into tears when she shared the ultimate reason behind her decision.

'Teen Mom' Stars Share Their Kids' Biggest Milestones From 2024

“I had two kids. I struggled hard,” she said before crying. “I think about that all the time. I try to make that up to Nova because I know I was so young and I felt like Nova wasn’t my main priority when I was younger. What if I have another baby now? My full attention will go to that baby, and it wouldn’t be fully on Nova and Stella, and I feel like Nova and Stella just deserve everything.

“In order for me to give them everything, I need to make sure that I don’t let what I did twice happen one more time. I don’t want to continue to create these broken homes.”

Teen Mom: The Next Chapter airs on MTV Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.

© Courtesy of MTV

Gabby Windey predicted her happily ever after with Robby Hoffman while filming The Traitors season 3 finale.

Spoilers for the finale of The Traitors below.

After the final banishment during the Thursday, March 6, episode, host Alan Cumming asked Gabby, 34, what winning Traitors would mean to her, to which she replied, “It does make me emotional just because I think about my girlfriend. She would be so proud.”

Alan, 60, pointed out that taking home the prize money is important to Gabby. “It would mean so much,” Gabby said while getting visibly emotional. “Like, maybe, we could get married.”

Bachelorette’s Gabby Windey and Partner Robby Hoffman’s Cutest Moments

One day before the finale, Gabby revealed in an interview with Cosmopolitan that she secretly exchanged vows with Robby, 35, in January. “We had just evacuated from the [Los Angeles] fires. Literally cue Rihanna, ‘We found love in a hopeless place,’” Gabby told the outlet. “What better time to get married than right now? Because if the world is ending, we want to be with each other.”

The former Bachelorette revealed it was her idea to get married, adding, “Robby was literally ready to propose three weeks in and I’m always the one pumping the breaks, but when something feels right, it just feels right. I think it was better for the both of us that it was my idea.”

Before finding love with Robby, Gabby documented her search for The One on The Bachelorette. She walked away in the September 2022 finale engaged to Erich Schwer, but they split two months later.

Former 'Bachelor' and 'Bachelorette' Leads: Where Are They Now?

“The end of our relationship happened because we weren’t completely in step and in sync with each other in our common goals or just the way we approach life,” she explained as she competed on Dancing With the Stars amid the breakup.

Gabby discussed how “hard” it was to part ways with Erich. “Ultimately, I’m just grateful that I was able to do it on my own terms and when I was ready,” she exclusively told Us Weekly in November 2022. “It was just a new experience overall — being so public and being thrown into this. I think now it’s just kind of trying to move forward.”

In August 2023, Gabby and Robby made their relationship official. The reality star told Us she hoped she and Robby were “destined to be together.”

“We’re both so busy in our careers [and] have other good distractions and other things to work on. It just feels really balanced,” she noted at the time. “[It was] nice to kind of do things at your own pace and really listen to yourself and know that there doesn’t have to be pressure.”

Gabby’s comments about how meaningful her win would be hit Us even harder after she ended up at the finish line with fellow Faithfuls Dolores Catania, Lord Ivar Mountbatten and Dylan Efron. The foursome will split a pot of $204,300 money.

The Traitors is currently streaming on Peacock.

© Euan Cherry/Peacock ; Courtesy of Robby Hoffman/Instagram

Some say Peacock delivered the best season of The Traitors to date — but did the season 3 finale live up to the hype?

The Thursday, March 6, finale of the hit competition series ended with four Faithfuls at the finish line. But how did we get here? Let’s rewind a bit to last week’s cliffhanger where Danielle Reyes‘ fate in the game was left up to Britney Haynes.

Despite their tense past — as a result of Britney, 37, betraying Danielle, 53, on Big Brother Reindeer Games — a tearful Britney voted for Danielle, leaving Britney, Dylan Efron, Gabby Windey, Dolores Catania and Ivar Mountbatten as the only remaining players.

After the emotional recovery, Britney tried to get the others in the castle to flip on Dylan, 33, so he would be voted off next — and she would get the chance to steal the prize money. Luckily Dylan lived to see another day and Britney was ultimately banished. Britney’s identity as a Traitor, however, identity wasn’t revealed to the contestants as part of the season 3 twist.

'Traitors' Season 3 Cast's Unfiltered Thoughts on Danielle Reyes' Behavior

As a result, Gabby, 34, Dolores, 53, Dylan and Ivar, 62, had to figure out whether it was worth the risk of banishing someone else in case there was a Traitor among them or if they felt confident in the people they were trusting to split the prize money with them.

“Just like life, things are better with company. I want to win with people I trust,” Dylan said after voting to end the game with no more banishments. “That is so much better than winning alone. I trust them and want to finish the game with them.”

Ivar also voted to end the game, saying, “I believe at this point that there are no Traitors in our midst. I think we are all friends.”

Gabby’s flames were also green. “I think banishing people at this point wouldn’t be because I thought they were a Traitor,” she noted. “I think it would be to get more money. I got this far by not being greedy and I don’t want to leave being greedy.”

Dolores was the final vote — and she was on the same page as the others. “I am a Faithful and that is the way I want to leave,” she shared.

All Rules and Behind-the-Scenes Secrets You Didn’t Know About ‘The Traitors’

Since everyone that remained was a Faithful, the foursome walked away winners and set to split the final amount of $204,300.

“We did it! Despite all the odds, we are the most Faithfuls to ever win and honestly it feels so good,” Gabby told the cameras. “But life has taught me that doing the hard thing and doing the right thing are often the same. But you will get an even greater reward.”

Dylan reflected on the moment as well, saying,”We went against some of the best gamers in the world and we won this game. It is hard to believe. That is the underdog story right there.”

The group was excited to celebrate their big win, but Dylan was still locked in. Before the episode was over, he tried to continue to discuss with Gabby why he initially had his suspicions about her. Host Alan Cumming interjected, joking, “Stop playing the game, Dylan.”

The Traitors is currently streaming on Peacock.

© Euan Cherry/Peacock

The Pitt slowly hinted that Patrick Ball‘s character, Langdon, was stealing drugs from the hospital — but somehow it still came as a surprise when the show confirmed his addiction.

During the Thursday, March 6, episode of Max’s hit medical series, Dr. Santos (Isa Briones) expressed her concerns to Robby (Noah Wyle) about missing pills and a tampered bottle of Lorazepam. Robby confronted Langdon about the discrepancy, which led to the senior resident being dismissed from his position at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital.

“All credit goes to our creator R. Scott Gemmill and the writers because it’s never who you think when it comes to addiction,” Ball exclusively told Us Weekly about Langdon acknowledging his problem. “Addiction is a disease and it’s a disease that a lot of people fight with — including a lot of people I know.”

Ball noted the intention behind making Robby’s right-hand man the one secretly struggling, adding, “People don’t come out and tell you that they’re an addict. The person might not be the one hunched over in a chair. It might be the quarterback of the football team. You don’t know what the person across from you is going through.”

What Noah Wyle Said About How 'The Pitt' Medical Drama Differs From 'ER'

According to the actor, the writers’ room was “really great about being really measured” in the hints and clues leading to the reveal.

“[It was also about] making sure that we depict this addiction as accurately and humanely and responsibly as possible,” he continued. “It’s just been an incredible pleasure and honor to get to be part of telling that story.”

The Pitt, which premiered in January, introduced Us to a group of employees at a fictional hospital working a single 15-hour emergency department shift. While Langdon quickly formed a professional bond with Dr. Mel King (Taylor Dearden), he wasn’t as receptive to mentoring Dr. Santos. The intern subsequently came to pick up on Langdon’s questionable behavior — but the signs were there all along for viewers, as well.

“He refers to having hurt his back while helping his parents move and that is frequently the case. He goes to a doctor who gives him pain meds and then those are habit-forming pain meds. This happens all the time. This happens with people that I know that are very, very high functioning,” Ball explained. “You see this opioid problem that is just riddling itself all across this country. It’s really sad because it’s not people that ever set out to become addicts. It’s people that trust and that get caught in a trap. That’s part of what happened with Langdon.”

Off screen, Ball used his personal connection to the story line to help build upon Langdon’s characterization.

“I’ve got someone in my life who is the star of the family, ran the family farm and then blew out his knee working one day. He goes to a doctor, gets put on pain meds and then it’s just a slippery slope and it just really takes control of your life,” he detailed. “There’s also an element that this sort of self-medicating is something that is not uncommon amongst emergency workers. Every day they deal with a lot of trauma and a lot of unprocessed feelings of their own. It’s not uncommon for people to self-medicate when put in that situation.”

ER's Noah Wyle Returns to Medical Dramas With ‘The Pitt’: Everything to Know

He continued: “So being able to raise awareness to that in a way that isn’t like, ‘Oh, this is a junkie doctor.’ It’s like, ‘No, this is your doctor and this is your neighbor and this is your sister that may be going through this.’ It’s been really cool [to represent that].”

The reveal about Langdon also vindicates Dr. Santos. Before Thursday’s episode, Briones, 26, spoke to Us about how viewers may be judging her character too quickly considering she was correct in her concerns regarding Langdon.

“Not everyone is going to like Santos. But it is funny that when I’ve talked to people — even on set — they would be like, ‘Oh, you’re such a tattletale.’ At the end of the day though, this was something wrong that was going on and she exposed it,” Briones told Us. “Obviously she has a very aggressive way about her and can be pretty arrogant. Her carrying herself that way leads people to being kind of like, ‘What the hell are you doing? Stay in your lane.’ But at the end of the day, it was something that was wrong and needed to be reported. It is illegal.”

Briones was relieved to see that Santos was right, adding, “It’s a cool moment for the audience to be like, ‘OK, maybe that was right of her. I don’t like her. I don’t like what she did but maybe she was correct.’ It will also make the audience ask themselves what was their bias there? People wanted to really like him but then if Langdon is doing something wrong then why are they choosing to cover up for a man instead of believing a woman. That’s what made that story line very interesting.”

Regardless of what side of the conversation each viewer falls under, Ball’s performance has received praise by critics and fans alike. Ball was excited to have The Pitt be his first TV role — aside from a quick Law & Order guest spot.

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“It was absolutely perfect. I couldn’t dream of a better first TV show. I’ve spent a little over 10 years doing theater, doing plays and this is the perfect place for a theater person. We move fast. And I’ve been told that the way it normally goes is actors go back to their little trailer and then the crew set up the lights and they set up the dolly and they set up all this,” he explained. “Then they go fetch the actors, who come out and [after they film their scene they] then they go back to the trailer. But with this, there’s none of that.”

Ball highlighted how there was “no backstage” on a show like The Pitt.

“We are all in all the time. All the crew is on set with us and it creates just this mass. You’re just part of the world. Once you’re in it, you’re just in it and everybody’s in it with you,” he gushed. “There’s no time to get in your head. We will rehearse, then we’ll shoot, then we’ll go straight into rehearsal, then we’ll shoot again and there’s no break.”

New episodes of The Pitt premiere on Max every Thursday.

© Max

Mindy Kaling has addressed the mixed reviews of her recent appearance on pal Meghan Markle’s new series.

“I had a great time,” Kaling, 45, said during a Thursday, March 6, appearance on The View. “I noticed that whenever I do something related to Meghan it becomes …”

Host Whoopi Goldberg suggested “big news” to which Kaling agreed wholeheartedly.

“We were making sandwiches and, you know, then they’ll push in on my face on TikTok and they’ll be like, ‘Look at this emotion you felt,’” she recalled. “And I honestly didn’t even remember, ’cause we shot it, like, nine months ago.”

Mindy Kaling Grills Meghan Markle About Sending Celebs Her Jam in New Show

Despite the mixed reviews from the public, Kaling explained that she thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the Duchess of Sussex, 43, but hinted she didn’t really want to discuss the show.

“I loved my time with Meghan. I’m also like, let her promote her show, I’m here to talk about Running Point,” Kaling said, referring to her own Netflix series, which stars Kate Hudson.

Kaling ended the discussion by reiterating that the appearance was “great” and it was “fascinating” to see the people’s “reaction.”

The Office alum made a guest appearance on the second episode of With Love Meghan. The women revealed that they connected via email. They bonded over motherhood and struck up a friendship. In their episode, Kaling referred to Meghan by her maiden name and the duchess corrected her on her last name — which ultimately went viral.

“It’s so funny you keep saying Markle. You know it’s Sussex now,” Meghan said. “You have kids and you go, I share my name with my children. I didn’t know how meaningful it would be to me but it just means so much to go, this is our family name. Our little family now.”

Kaling replied, “Now I know and I love it.”

In addition to the last name snafu, Kaling grilled Meghan on the number order for her jam brand, which was sent out to many members of the royal’s inner circle.

Mindy Kaling Says Meghan Markle Doesn’t Have 'Expectations of Fanciness'

“[It was] probably one of the most glamorous moments of my life,” Kaling reflected on receiving jar No. 19 before asking the question on everyone’s minds. “As a very hierarchical person, I was like, who are these people? Does having a lower number make me more special?”

Meghan reassured her that it was not “a ranking” of her celebrity friends.

“It was just, ‘Let me share them.’ And then people started to take it very personally,” she said, noting that her mother, Doria Ragland, also received a jar of jam.

© Aeon/GC Images ; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

David Hasselhoff’s ex-wife Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff wrote about “happiness” and “gratitude” in her final social media message before her death.

Bach-Hasselhoff, who died by suicide in Los Angeles on Wednesday, March 5, at age 62, shared a poignant post via Instagram in January to ring in the new year.

“Happy New Year, everyone! As we step into 2025, my heart is full of gratitude, especially for my precious grandbaby, London,” Bach-Hasselhoff wrote alongside a Reel that showed a photo of her standing in front of a Christmas tree before transitioning into a video featuring baby London smiling and laughing.

Bach-Hasselhoff continued: “Watching her grow and seeing her smile light up my world is truly the greatest blessing. My wish for all of you this year is health, happiness, and an abundance of love. May 2025 be filled with beautiful moments, laughter, and all the blessings your hearts can hold. Here’s to a year of making cherished memories, spreading joy, and embracing every precious moment!”

David Hasselhoff's Ex-Wife Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff Dead at 62

According to TMZ, who were the first to break the news of Bach-Hasselhoff’s death, paramedics were called to her house in response to a report of an unconscious female after 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

Bach-Hasselhoff was pronounced dead at the scene.

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A post shared by Pamela Hasselhoff (@pamelabachhasselhoff)

Hasselhoff, who was married to Bach-Hasselhoff from 1989 to 2006, mourned the loss of his ex-wife in a statement to TMZ.

“Our family is deeply saddened by the recent passing of Pamela Hasselhoff,” he said. “We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time but we kindly request privacy as we grieve and navigate through this challenging time.”

Us Weekly reached out to Hasselhoff’s rep and LAPD for comment.

The former couple share two daughters, Taylor, 34, and Hayley, 32. Taylor welcomed daughter London into the world in August 2024. Bach-Hasselhoff often gushed over her grandchild via Instagram posts.

Revisiting David Hasselhoff and Late Ex Pamela Bach's Relationship Timeline

Taylor celebrated London reaching the six month milestone in February and Bach-Hasselhoff took to the comments to send well wishes her way.

“Happy 6 month Birthday to my precious, sweetest and beautiful Granddaughter – London who has my whole heart and lights up our life with her magic- Gigi Loves you so so much” Bach-Hasselhoff wrote. “You’ve brought so much joy into our lives. I’m also so very proud of you @tay and @madison_fiore – You’re wonderful first-time parents! ”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

© Patrick Riviere/Getty Images

Jennifer Nettles has found a family in her The Righteous Gemstones castmates — but she wasn’t expecting her 12-year-old son to be moved to tears when meeting costar John Goodman.

“We would all bring our families there. I brought my son, Magnus, to this last season when we were shooting,” Nettles, 50, exclusively told Us Weekly at The Righteous Gemstones Los Angeles premiere on Wednesday, March 5, noting that her son knows Goodman, 72, because of his work on Monsters Inc.

She recalled explaining Goodman’s connection to the Pixar movie, saying, “I was like, ‘OK, so you know that John plays mommy’s husband in this show, but do you know who he also is?’ And he was like, ‘Who?’ And I was like, ‘Sully.’”

Nettles noted that what followed was an emotional exchange between her son and the iconic actor. (Nettles shares Magnus with husband Justin Miller, whom she married in 2011.)

Kate Winslet Shares Her Son Had an Emotional Reaction to ‘Titanic’

“John spoke and Magnus just went and grabbed him and started crying. He couldn’t believe it,” she shared. “So those kinds of sweet connective moments are ones that I will always cherish. John was so, so kind. John was moved too genuinely by it.”

Goodman has been acting for decades, having voiced the big blue monster Sully in 2001’s Monsters, Inc. He has since voiced the character in video games, the 2013 sequel Monsters University and on the TV series Monsters at Work from 2021 to 2024.

Goodman’s acting path crossed Nettles when they were cast on The Righteous Gemstones, which premiered in 2019. Goodman plays Dr. Eli Gemstone on the Max series, while Nettles plays his late wife, Aimee-Leigh Gemstone.

“Aimee-Leigh shows up in the flashbacks,” Nettles exclusively told Us of her role on the show, which begins its final season Sunday, March 9. “So most of my interaction is with young Jesse.”

She recalled having a “lot of time” with Goodman as well throughout the series, calling him “really sweet.”

Now that the show is coming to an end, Nettles said it is “so sad,” but she is grateful for the memories.

Richard Schiff’s Daughter Ruby Kelley Guest Stars on ‘The Good Doctor’

“Not only are these characters so beloved, but when you work together, and especially with Gemstones and Roughhouse and [creator] Danny [McBride], everything, it does become like a family,” the Sugarland singer gushed. “You get to know each other and you get to know each other’s families and people have babies and it’s really special. … I will miss the people the most.”

As Nettles prepares to say goodbye to her Gemstones family, she told Us she has been keeping busy with new music.

“I have some fun stuff coming up. I mean also this is where television and music overlap. I have a project called The Bondsman that’s going to be coming out in April on Amazon Prime with Kevin Bacon and music is a part of that show,” she revealed. “He and I wrote some songs that appear in the show and we’ve gone and recorded an EP of those songs as well.”

The country singer teased, “I’ve been writing a musical for years that I’m currently actually in a workshop right now [for] … [We will be doing] off Broadway development production in the fall.”

The Righteous Gemstones’ final season premieres on Max Sunday, March 9.

With reporting by Mariel Turner

© Maya Dehlin Spach/WireImage ; Jake Giles Netter/HBO

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni‘s legal teams have spoken out while they await for the judge’s ruling on the actress’ request for a stronger protective order.

During the Thursday, March 6, hearing, Lively’s attorney claimed that Baldoni’s team “created improper disclosure of information.”

“We want to stop the public publication of this information, in the case, during discovery. The rules try and prevent the burden to be on the third parties,” the actress’ lawyer said during Thursday’s hearing. “We should not make the dozens of third parties run to the court for protection. We are supposed to reduce the burden on third parties. He should drop the third-party subpoena against the security firm that protects Lively and Reynolds.”

Bryan Freedman, an attorney for 41-year-old Baldoni, denounced the claims in his own statement before the judge.

Blake Lively Slams Justin Baldoni's 'Disrespect' for Harassment Victims

“These are matters of ‘for attorney’s eyes only’ restrictions,” Freedman said on Thursday. “This is a case where no one has any intention of harming Ms. Lively in any way. She detailed the sexual harassment claims and put that out there. My clients have been adjudicated as guilty right when this was filed. My client has a right to fight back and to defend himself. We want to agree to the protective order and place the burden on the party, who wants greater protection, to go to court and be transparent.”

Lively’s team further wanted to protect her private correspondence with “high-profile individuals.”

“There is a significant chance of irreparable harm if marginal conversations with high-profile individuals with no relevance to the case were to fall into wrong hands,” her attorney claimed.

Freedman, meanwhile, replied, “We cannot treat celebrity people, and people who are powerful in the industry differently from other people.”

While an official ruling was not made on Thursday, the judge shared the decision would be “soon.”

News broke in February that Lively, 37, and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, requested a stronger PO than the standard one they were granted when she and It Ends With Us costar Baldoni first filed their lawsuits.

“As detailed in Ms. Lively’s Amended Complaint, Ms. Lively, her family, other members of the cast, various fact witnesses, and individuals that have spoken out publicly in support of Ms. Lively have received violent, profane, sexist, and threatening communications,” a letter from Lively and Reynolds, 48, read, noting Lively was seeking “additional protections.”

Lively previously named Baldoni in a December 2024 lawsuit, claiming that he sexually harassed her and fostered a “hostile work environment” on the set of 2024’s It Ends With Us. She amended her complaint last month, detailing the alleged “emotional impact” she is facing from the legal fallout.

Justin Baldoni's Lawyer Reacts to Blake Lively's Gag Order Request

“The emotional impact on Ms. Lively has been extreme, not only affecting her, but her family, including her husband and four children,” court docs obtained by Us read. “There are days when she has struggled to get out of bed, and she frequently chooses not to venture outside in public.”

Lively also claimed that she has received multiple violent social media messages amid the legal drama. Baldoni has denied all of the allegations. He also filed a defamation lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds earlier this year. (The married couple, meanwhile, denied the accusations.)

“Anyone receiving violent messages by anonymous parties is abhorrent. When private parties were wrongfully accused by Lively and her paid team of wrongdoing, they received continuous death threats and visits to private homes where young children reside after their addresses were leaked on her initial complaints,” Baldoni’s team told Us in a February statement regarding Lively’s protective order request. “No one should have to face that, especially private parties who do not have means for security detail. We do not condone dangerous rhetoric targeted toward anyone no matter the situation.”

© Getty Images (2)

David Hasselhoff and ex-wife Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff were married for 17 years.

Hasselhoff and Bach-Hasselhoff met in 1985 when she appeared on his TV series Knight Rider, and they wed three years later.

After 17 years of marriage — and welcoming daughters Taylor Ann and Hayley — the pair called it quits. In a 2007 interview on Larry King Live, Bach-Hasselhoff claimed she divorced the actor because of his substance abuse issues.

“I have tried, thinking if I just pour out the bottles, if I just be by his side, if I just babysit him, give him more love, do more for him or make him see himself, it will get there,” she claimed. “But the disease of alcoholism is cunning. It’s a baffling disease. And it’s very chaotic. It’s a family disease.”

Original ‘Baywatch’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

She added, “The most important thing is I just pray that he gets help because [my daughters] love their father. … I want them to have a really good, healthy relationship with their father. It’s like when an alcoholic is wrapped around a bottle and then the family and friends are wrapped around the alcoholic. We’re going to protect it.”

The Baywatch alum subsequently revealed in an August 2007 statement that he is a recovering alcoholic and suffered a brief relapse.

“Despite that I have been going through a painful divorce and I have recently been separated from my children due to my work, I have been successfully dealing with my issue,” Hasselhoff said. “Unfortunately, one evening I did have a brief relapse, but part of recovery is relapse.”

Bach-Hasselhoff died 28 years later at the age of 62.

Keep scrolling to revisit Hasselhoff and Bach-Hasselhoff’s relationship timeline through the years:

1985

Hasselhoff and Bach-Hasselhoff met on the set of Knight Rider when she landed a guest-starring role. He later wrote in his 2006 memoir, Making Waves, that his future wife was “a beautiful blonde with green eyes.”

At the time, both stars were in relationships with other people. (Hasselhoff, for his part, was married to Catherine Hickland, while Bach-Hasselhoff was dating a comedian.)

Their relationship statuses each changed in 1988 when they reconnected.

“I went to the opening of a club called the Last Tango in Studio City, Sherman Oaks. Pamela was there. ‘Are you still with the comedian?’ ‘No. Are you still married?’” Hasselhoff wrote. “‘No.’ That night, we talked and talked.”

David Hasselhoff: 25 Things You Don't Know About Me!

December 1989

The next year, Hasselhoff married Bach-Hasseloff.

May 1990

The then-couple’s first child, daughter Taylor Ann, was born on May 5.

August 1992

Two years later, Taylor-Ann became a big sister when Bach-Hasselhoff gave birth to daughter Hayley on August 26.

January 2006

Hasselhoff filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, and the couple battled for custody of Taylor-Ann and Hayley. At one point, Hasselhoff briefly lost visitation rights after a 2007 relapse. They were restored when the acting legend got sober again.

David Hasselhoff's Ex-Wife Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff Dead at 62

July 2018

Hasselhoff found love again with Hayley Roberts and they got married on July 31 in Italy.

March 2025

After news broke that Bach-Hasselhoff died by suicide at the age of 63, Hasselhoff issued a statement.

“Our family is deeply saddened by the recent passing of Pamela Hasselhoff,” he said. “We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time but we kindly request privacy as we grieve and navigate through this challenging time.”

© Patrick Riviere/Getty Images

UPDATE — 3/6/25, 5:35 p.m. ET: A $10 million reward is being offered by the United States Department of State for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ryan James Wedding, a former Olympian who is accused of operating a murderous cocaine ring. 

The reward was offered on Thursday, March 6, the same day Wedding, 43, was added to the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List. 

“Wedding went from shredding powder on the slopes at the Olympics to distributing powder cocaine on the streets of U.S. cities and in his native Canada,” said Akil Davis, the assistant director of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office. “The alleged murders of his competitors make Wedding a very dangerous man, and his addition to the list of 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, coupled with a major reward offer by the State Department, will make the public our partner so that we can catch up with him before he puts anyone else in danger.”

Original story:

A former Olympic snowboarder has been charged with operating a deadly cocaine enterprise — and he remains at large.

Ryan James Wedding, 43, who competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, was charged Thursday, October 17 with running a criminal enterprise, murder, conspiring to distribute cocaine and other crimes, U.S. prosecutors said.

Wedding, a Canadian citizen who was living in Mexico and is now considered a fugitive, is accused of running a drug trafficking ring that moved 60 tons of cocaine per year.

According to authorities, Wedding’s group used long-haul semi trucks to move shipments of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and California to Canada and other locations in the United States.

Look Back at the Biggest Olympics Scandals Ever

Wedding is one of 16 individuals charged in connection to the operation, with four of them remaining fugitives. A dozen people were arrested in Florida, Michigan, Canada, Colombia and Mexico in connection with the case, according to FBI special agent Krysti Hawkins. 

The FBI has issued a $50,000 reward for information that leads to Wedding’s arrest and extradition.

Authorities say Wedding’s group turned deadly in 2023 when members of the crime ring killed two members of a family in Canada in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment. Officials say the murders turned out to be a case of mistaken identity. 

Andrew Clark, who was arrested October 8 by the FBI, and Wedding are alleged to have directed the murders, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release on Thursday. 

The group is also charged with the murder of one individual in May 2024 over a drug debt. 

“He chose to become a major drug trafficker, and he chose to become a killer,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada told reporters Thursday. 

In connection with their investigation, authorities seized cocaine, weapons, ammunition, cash and more than $3 million in cryptocurrency.

Wedding also faces separate drug trafficking charges in Canada dating back to 2015. 

Olympian Thomas Craig Arrested for Allegedly Trying to Buy Cocaine

“Those charges are very much unresolved,” said Chris Leather, chief superintendent with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

According to federal records viewed by ESPN, Wedding was previously convicted in the U.S. of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to four years in prison in 2010.

After his release, said Estrada, he is believed to have been protected by the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico while resuming his drug trafficking. 

Wedding finished 24th in the parallel giant slalom at the 2002 Winter Olympics. 

© FBI.GOV

Finding a beige blazer that combines the perfect shade with a flattering fit and quality fabric can be a difficult task for anyone, but Kate Hudson has managed to do it. Ok, fine — it may be due to the help of a team of stylists and designers, but we thank them for their service. The actress’ recent look inspired Us to find a similar version for slightly less than her movie star budget — and find one, we did! The Cicy Bell Open Front Long Sleeve Blazer channel’s the same energy as Hudson’s recent find but for 96% less than her original Congtri pick.

The Running Point star was initially spotted wearing the blazer on February 27 while out and about in New York City. Hudson looked stunning and refined, pairing the piece with matching crepe pants, a statement necklace and pearl drop earrings.

Get the Cicy Bell Open Front Long Sleeve Blazer for just $59 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, March 6, 2025, but are subject to change.

Jennie Garth's Rich Mom Coat Looks Just Like This $60 Style

While Cicy Bell’s blazer is a more laid-back, everyday alternative to the mom of three’s pick, it still has a similar slim fit design that’s comfortable enough for a full day of wear. The piece is made from a soft and stretchy fabric blend that consists of polyester, rayon and spandex. While it looks luxe, it’s surprisingly machine washable, which is a major plus in case of any stains.

Design details, like classic notch lapels and an open front complete with a button closure, ensure this blazer is a timeless staple. Available in sizes XS to 5X, it works for a variety of body types, and while it’s available in a neutral beige like Hudson’s, shoppers can also choose from several other colorways, including brown, navy and blue.

This isn’t just any lookalike blazer though — it’s a top-seller on Amazon, proving that fashion lovers can’t get enough of its quality and style. Even more, it’s been bought over 1,000 times in the last month and has over 15,000 five-star ratings.

One happy customer, who called it “a great buy,” said that it’s “very well made, light-weight, stylish and affordable.”

“It fits great,” they continued. “I love the length as well . . . The sleeves are a bit too long on my petite frame, which I expected, as it is not a petite size. Not a problem, however, as I roll the sleeves up anyway for a more lay-back casual look.”

To copy Hudson’s full outfit, take a look at these matching wide-leg pants that’ll help you achieve the monochromatic look. However, the Cicy Bell blazer pairs well with several other work trousers, such as black or white options, and would even look great with pencil skirts. The best part is that when it comes time for a post-work happy hour, you can easily switch out your pants for a pair of jeans, adding sneakers for a more casual look.

Get Jenna Lyons’ Rich Mom Birkin Bag Look for Just $56

 

Loving the idea of a beige blazer but want to check out more options? Good idea! Scroll through our other favorites below before making your final buy!

Shop more beige blazers that we love:

• The Drop Women’s Blake Long Blazer — was $49, now $46!
• KIRUNDO Oversized Open Front Blazer — was $50, now $42!
• MEROKEETY Long Sleeve Lapel Open Front Blazer — $49!
• ELLEVEN Women’s Ruched 3/4 Sleeve Blazer — was $54, now $46!
• Dokotoo Lapel Collar Buttons Blazer — $48!

Not your style? Explore more blazers here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

Shop Sofia Vergara's Flattering, Wide-Leg Jeans Look for Just $37

© Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Ashley Iaconnetti is breaking down her earnings from multiple appearances on Bachelor in Paradise.

In a Wednesday, March 5, Instagram Story Q&A, Ashley, 37, was asked, “How much do you really get paid when you go on reality TV?” The Bachelor Nation alum replied, “It depends on the reality show of course. I never negotiated for more. I’m just happy to be here!”

In her experience, Ashley claimed she “got paid $400 a day for Paradise each season. You don’t get paid as one of the girls on The Bachelor.”

Bachelor Nation met Ashley when she appeared on Chris Soules’ season 19 of The Bachelor. After Chris, now 43, sent her packing, Ashley appeared on The Bachelor Winter Games in 2018 and seasons 2 and 3 of Bachelor in Paradise.

During her first stint on the beaches of Mexico, Ashley met Jared Haibon — but their romance didn’t pan out in season 2 or when they tried things again in season 3.

“I remember walking down the steps in Paradise and seeing him at the bar, and it was the weirdest feeling. I was just so gravitated and drawn to him. It was truly love at first sight,” she recalled in 2018 on “The Story of Us.”

In May 2018, the pair confirmed that they rekindled when they released their “Story of Us” video. Haibon, who “never felt like it was over” between him and Ashley after Bachelor in Paradise, gave her a love letter.

“I was scream-crying basically alone in my apartment reading that just sobbing and sobbing. He’s written me other letters and filled my apartment with flowers. He tells me every day that he’s the luckiest man alive,” she recalled in the video, to which Haibon added, “I’m living proof that you should listen to your gut, and that it’s not too late. The person I wanted to be with most was right in front of my eyes.”

One month later, Jared popped the question to Ashley during a guest appearance on Bachelor in Paradise season 5.

“He did the best job. He sounded wonderful. Every girl is going to be like, ‘Wow, I want Jared even more,’” she gushed to Us Weekly about the moment. “We don’t even notice when cameras are there. The cameras are so far away. It did not feel like they were part of our engagement.”

BiP's Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon's Relationship Timeline

Ashley and Jared, 36, tied the knot in 2019 and went on to welcome sons Dawson and Hayden in 2022 and 2024, respectively.

While celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary one month after welcoming Hayden, Ashley shared a sweet Instagram video from her and Jared’s wedding before cutting to them sitting on grass with their two kids. She wrote, “It was once a fairy tale and now it’s co-ed softball Sundays.”

© Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for iHeartRadio

Kansas frontman Ronnie Platt has offered an update on his health following his recent thyroid cancer diagnosis.

“I am home! The doctor said my surgery couldn’t have gone any better,” Platt, 64, announced via his Facebook account on Wednesday, March 5.

Platt confirmed in February that he would have to temporarily step back from touring with Kansas to undergo treatment for thyroid cancer. The singer was assured by his doctors that he had a “99 percent survival rate” because the disease had not spread.

In his new Facebook message, Platt credited Kansas’ loyal fans with keeping his spirits high with their supportive messages during a very difficult time.

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“I felt the power of everyone’s prayers and positive energy! You all have helped me [through] this. How do I, or can I, ever thank all of you for that!? Day 1 of recovery here I am,” he wrote.

As Platt began his road to recovery, he promised his social media followers that he was committed to “getting back to what [he does] best.”

“Yes, singing, but my true job is entertaining you all and helping you, at least for a couple hours, forget about your problems and recharge your batteries. I take a lot of pride in that,” he concluded his message.

Platt had earlier encouraged Kansas fans not to worry over his condition since his doctors detected his thyroid cancer early.

“I just have to have my thyroid removed … I have some absolutely amazing people going to bat for me!! As it has been put to me, this is just a bump in the road and will be behind me very soon! so everyone please CARRY ON,” he wrote on Facebook in February.

Kansas subsequently cancelled concerts in New Orleans on Friday, February 21 and in Lake Charles on Saturday, March 1 because of “band illness and doctor advisement.”

“The band apologizes for the inconvenience and hopes to be back on the road soon,” Kansas said in a statement at the time.

Kansas’s manager J.R. Rees later told Ultimate Classic Rock that the group had put all touring plans on hold in order to support Platt. They are scheduled to resume performing in April.

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“Our goal is to be back on the road as soon as possible. Right now, we’re all focused on supporting Ronnie through this,” Rees insisted.

Platt originally worked as a truck driver before joining a latter-day incarnation of the Kansas City-based rock band Shooting Star. He reached out to Kansas lead guitarist Rich Williams on social media about joining the legendary group when its original frontman Steve Walsh retired in 2014. Walsh sang most of Kansas’ best-known hits, including 1976’s “Carry on Wayward Son” and 1978’s “Dust in the Wind.”

When Kansas subsequently hired Platt in 2014, the musician told fans: “I want KANSAS fans to know, first and foremost, I’m one of them. Heck, I’m a blue collar guy that rides a Harley and I’ve spent most of my adult life earning a living by driving a truck. I’m a long time fan of the music and have always looked up to Steve Walsh. ”

“My goal is not to replace Steve; no one can do that,” Platt went on. “It is my goal and responsibility to sustain the integrity that is KANSAS. This is a lifelong dream and I would like to thank Phil, Rich, Billy, and David for the opportunity. Yes, I’ve got the job, but now it’s time to earn it …. and I take nothing for granted that has been given to me. My performance in KANSAS will be how I’ve always performed, with passion and enthusiasm.”

Platt has since performed on Kansas’ 2016 album The Prelude Implicit and their most recent recording, 2020’s The Absence of Presence.

© Daniel Knighton/Getty Images

Mark Crawford and Larry Graham’s elimination on The Amazing Race came down to a footrace to the finish line.

“When we drove up, we were trying to get outta the taxi, but there was a bus there and the cab driver wouldn’t allow us to get out there,” Graham, 59, exclusively told Us Weekly of his and Crawford’s elimination. “And by that time when we got out, they were running and so we fell in behind them.”

During the premiere episode, Graham and Crawford were neck and neck with two teams: dating nurses Courtney Ramsey and Jasmin Carey plus brothers Nick Fiorito and Mike Fiorito. Graham added that the time difference between the three teams was “probably less than a minute.”

“It was close,” Crawford told Us. “We could see ’em. They were there.”

Meet ‘The Amazing Race’ Season 37 Cast — And Learn the New Twists

In the episode, viewers saw Ramsey and Carey struggle to find transportation in the busy streets of Hong Kong. The women were the second to last to arrive at the Fork in the Road stop. They ultimately chose to do the dancing task, thinking they could pass other teams, including Graham and Crawford.

Graham and Crawford immediately opted for the dancing challenge rather than the singing one (which had fewer teams signed up at the time) since neither one of them was confident in their vocal abilities. The retired firefighters were also hesitant to attempt to sing in Chinese.

“If you [heard] us sing, then you would know that it really wasn’t [an option],” Crawford quipped. “There was a clear fork there, but we only had one way we were going.”

While Graham and Crawford took some extra time at the dancing challenge, they confessed the task had an extra difficult element due to the language barrier between them and their instructor.

“When we were communicating with our guy, he could dance really well. He could play the little drum beat. But we lost a little bit in interpretation,” Crawford told Us. “The dance wasn’t difficult, but we couldn’t get the steps down because it was just a slight communication issue.”

As Crawford and Graham navigated the challenge, they shared that they weren’t surprised to see Ramsey and Carey catch up to them since they were unsure of their place overall.

The Amazing Race’s Angie and Danny Reveal Their Lost Crew Never Showed Up

“You never know where people are in the race either. We had no idea where we were,” Graham explained. “Like when we got to the Fork in the Road. We were, like, number seven or something right in the middle of the pack. And I was thinking, ‘We’re like dead last.’”

Much like Ramsey and Carey, Graham and Crawford also struggled with getting a ride after letting their cab go once they got to the Fork in the Road.

“Things happen … we’re thankful just to be where we were in the race. And what you don’t realize is it’s not as many taxis,” Graham said. “Sometimes you get one, but then you have to figure out how you can communicate where you’re going.”

The Amazing Race airs on CBS on Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET and is available to stream on Paramount+ the next day.

© Sonja Flemming/CBS

Author Elsie Silver is putting her take on the enemies-to-lovers trope with the third book in her Rose Hill series, titled Wild Side.

The book — which hit shelves on Tuesday, March 4 — follows the story of protagonists Rhys and Tabby and the “emotional stakes are really high” as they navigate their newfound marriage, much to Tabby’s dismay.

“They both come in with their guards up and don’t trust each other,” Silver told Us Weekly exclusively about her latest novel. “Part of their enemies-to-lovers journey is learning to trust one another enough to open up and find the other side of that other person.”

As a self-proclaimed fan of the book boyfriend herself, Silver knows how to write a perfect one — and Rhys is no different.

“I love creating a hero — and a heroine for that matter — but a hero who feels really different from the last book, and Rhys is certainly that. He is kind of one of those people who is so much more than meets the eye,” Silver told Us. “He is big and muscle-bound and handsome and this professional athlete, but he’s actually quite shy and a really thoughtful, tender type of person.”

Romance Novels That Will Have You Feeling the Love on Valentine’s Day 2025

Silver explained that there’s “two versions of him” and, of course, Tabby becomes the “only person who gets that private version” of Rhys.

“I think one of the most romantic things about Rhys is, because he is so quiet, he really watches,” the writer continued. “He can see past her defenses too because he’s really attentive. … I think that’s pretty romantic.”

Keep reading for Silver’s answers to Us Weekly’s burning questions about Wild Side:

Us Weekly: How did you know that it was time to write Rhys’ story?

Elsie Silver: In this case, we started with Ford Grant [in Wild Love] and he comes to town. From his perspective, it’s like you are arriving with him. He has established relationships, but new relationships, and that’s how you get to know everyone. For Rhys and Tabby, I knew that I wanted — I love teasing things on Instagram, but I love teasing them in my books too. I knew that I wanted there to be a little bit of mystery around him and that people wouldn’t really know what his story was. It’s almost as though the reader knows as much as the other characters do too. There’s a level of intrigue that comes with it.

Us Weekly: It seems like you are a big Easter egg person when it comes to your books. What is something you teased that sticks out the most?

Elsie Silver: Back in book 1, the teenage daughter is watching wrestling and says how much she loves Wild Side. That was almost a year ago that that book came out, I’ve been waiting a while to thread him through … Some people just skimmed over it. Not very many people picked up on it.

There’s a mouse in book one that’s definitely a tertiary character, or even less important than that. Planting one tiny scene or little moment with that mouse throughout this series for some reason has been fun for me.

Us Weekly: As a romance author, you’re known for your more intimate — or spicy — moments. Is there one in Wild Side that sticks out the most?

Elsie Silver: That’s my favorite part to write, the back and forth, the almosts. I think that forcing them together or into situations where they have to work together, have to live together, have to cooperate in some way so that they’re interacting on the page a lot. Of course there’s always secondary characters, but I don’t want a chapter where I don’t see some sort of interaction between those two characters.

There is a scene in [this book] — actually the scene happens in all three of the first books, but from different perspectives which has been leading towards this book. It’s at the bowling alley, and it’s from Rhys and Tabby’s perspective. They bump into each other in the back hallway of the smalltown bowling alley, and no one else is around. The confrontation gets a little bit tense in all the best ways.

Us Weekly: What made this book harder to write than others?

Elsie Silver: This book was a little bit, I don’t want to say heavier than some of my other books, but maybe. There were definitely some more serious subject matters, and I put a lot of work into representing those as well as I can. There is a scene where everything that she thought about him crumbles around her, and she finds out that in his own quiet way, he’s kind of been supporting her all along and really protecting her when she didn’t really recognize it or appreciate it. Not only is she having this moment of crumbling personally, but she’s feeling a lot of guilt for how she’s treated him. That was a hard scene to write.

Brynne Weaver Hints at ‘Ruinous Love’ Spinoff After 'Scythe and Sparrow'

Us Weekly: You have one more book in the Rose Hill series, what can you tell Us?

Elsie Silver: Wild Card is the final book in the series. It is about Bash, who has been sprinkled into all the books so far. He is the grumpy older man on the team who comes off, kind of, harsh and maybe not super into some of their goofing around, but he has his moments and it’s part of his charm. He softens up for the woman in Wild Card for sure. We meet her in Wild Side. … She’s a lot of fun and unlike other heroines I’ve written before. I had a lot of fun with her and their dynamic. It’s definitely one of the more forbidden tropes that I’ve written before.

Us Weekly: Do you have an update on Clyde?

Elsie Silver: I know people were worried about Clyde, the old conspiracy theorist guy that pops in and out and has had some health issues. He doesn’t get his own book, but he is definitely a key player in [Wild Card]. You get a little bit of everyone in this last one.

Us Weekly: Tell Us about the book cover smudges and how that blew up on TikTok.

Elsie Silver: The covers have a little bit of oil stains on them or distressing, as do all of my books so far. … I don’t know why I like this vintage dirty look, but it adds character. It’s just part of the western aesthetic that I’m shooting for. Watching people dig through [books], there were moments where I was like, “Oh, my gosh, this was a mistake,” these poor people. I wanted to be like, “Girl, they’re all smudged in the same spot.” But there were some viral ones. Now though, it’s almost like everybody knows.

© Courtesy of Elsie Silver/Instagram

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Jax Taylor‘s Vanderpump Rules costars have offered their unfiltered thoughts on his cocaine addiction and subsequent sobriety.

Taylor made his Bravo debut on Vanderpump Rules in 2013. His highs and lows — including his marriage to Brittany Cartwright — were at the center of the series until his exit in 2020. Taylor didn’t stay away from reality TV for too long and by 2024 scored his own series with Cartwright titled The Valley.

After the first season, Taylor checked himself into a treatment center. He revealed he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder before later confirming he was 83 days sober following a cocaine addiction.

“I have substance issues — primarily with cocaine. It’s hard to say out loud,” he said on Bravo’s “Hot Mic” podcast in March 2025. “I’ve been dealing with this on and off since I was 23 and now I’m 45. There were times where I would stop doing it but then there were times where I’d go heavy on it.”

Jax Taylor Through the Years: All the Highs and Lows of ‘The Valley’ Star

Taylor discussed cutting out alcohol, as well. “People ask you, ‘Do you have an alcohol problem too?’ I don’t necessarily think I have an alcohol problem but the two go hand in hand,” he continued. “I can’t do cocaine without drinking. So I just gave up both. I’m proud to say I’m 83 days sober right now, which is the longest I’ve ever gone in my life without either.”

In response to Taylor’s confession, he received support from several of his former costars. Keep scrolling for their unfiltered responses — including Cartwright’s defense for staying with him amid his addiction:

Brittany Cartwright

“His addiction unfortunately has done irreparable damage to my son and I,” Cartwright, who shares son Cruz with Taylor, wrote via her Instagram Story. “I’ve spent years trying to help him. I wish more than anyone I could say how proud I am of him today but I’d be lying. His actions will speak for themselves.”

Cartwright addressed criticism about her past relationship with Taylor.

“And to those asking why I stayed if I knew he had a problem all these years. You can’t help who you fell in love with. I’ve done absolutely everything in my power to get him the help he desperately needed. Unfortunately, I was naive and believed his empty promises and his pleads to change for years,” she continued. “Once you have a child with someone, it’s not easy to leave. It took everything in my power to gather the strength to walk away. For those that have been through similar, you get it. For those that question me … that’s OK. I’m in a much better place now.”

Tom Sandoval

“I mean, I think that’s amazing,” Sandoval said on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in March 2025 “I’m so proud of him, I think that’s so awesome. He really seems like he’s really been working on himself. For real. For real this time.”

Despite being “somewhat aware” of Taylor’s “problems,” Sandoval didn’t elaborate on the details, adding, “I mean, I’ve been around him over the years.”

Stars Who Have Spoken About Cocaine Use: Jax Taylor, Demi Lovato and More

Lala Kent

After Taylor expressed plans to reach out to Kent — who was six years sober herself — she weighed in on his personal growth.

“Now that Jax has come out talking about his addiction, it’s a very, very delicate subject,” she shared on Amazon Live. “Sobriety for someone, it’s not one size fits all. Everyone has a different level of addiction but addiction is addiction.”

Kent mentioned Cartwright’s state of mind, too. “Brittany is one of my dearest friends. I know a lot,” she added. “I don’t know what is going to be shown on their new season of The Valley. What I do know is I’m very close with her and anything that we’ve discussed, that is her story to share.”

Lisa Vanderpump

Vanderpump recalled questioning Taylor’s behavior during the season 8 finale. She told Cohen “something was awry, for sure” before expressing hope that Taylor remained sober.

“But Jax is very stubborn and he is going to tell you what he wants you to know,” she shared on Radio Andy. “I knew something was going on but [I don’t have much contact with him] on The Valley. I am not that involved — not like I am with Vanderpump Rules.”

Scheana Shay

After learning of Taylor’s addiction revelation, Shay admitted that it was a “long time coming.”

“Jax has put [Brittany] and her son through a lot, and I’m glad that he is finally taking care of himself and sober,” she told People. “I just hope that he continues on this path, not only for him himself, but for Brittany and for their son.”

“Brittany and Cruz have always been my priority in this situation,” Shay continued. “I know everything, and I just want her to have a peaceful life. I want Cruz to grow up with two parents who put him as their priority.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

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Scheana Shay is grateful Jax Taylor is putting his health first after sharing his cocaine addiction with the world.

“I think that was a long time coming,” Shay, 39, told People in an interview published Thursday, March 6. “Jax has put [Brittany Cartwright] and her son through a lot, and I’m glad that he is finally taking care of himself and sober.”

During the Tuesday, March 4, episode of Alex Baskin‘s “Hot Mic” podcast, Taylor, 45, publicly admitted to being “an addict.”

“I have substance issues — primarily with cocaine. It’s hard to say out loud,” he shared. “I’ve been dealing with this on and off since I was 23 and now I’m 45.”

Jax Taylor Through the Years: All the Highs and Lows of ‘The Valley’ Star

After Taylor shared on the podcast that he was 83 days sober, Shay expressed her wish that her longtime costar continues to make good decisions.

“I just hope that he continues on this path,” she shared, “not only for him himself, but for Brittany and for their son.”

Shay and Taylor were both original cast members of Vanderpump Rules when the show premiered in January 2013. Cartwright, 36, made her first appearance in season 4 and went on to marry Taylor in June 2019.

After exiting Vanderpump Rules in 2020, Taylor and Cartwright — who share Cruz, 3 — split in February 2024 after nearly five years of marriage. Their divorce is expected to be documented in season 2 of The Valley.

“Brittany and Cruz have always been my priority in this situation,” Shay said in her latest interview. “I know everything, and I just want her to have a peaceful life. I want Cruz to grow up with two parents who put him as their priority.”

Shay isn’t the only Vanderpump Rules star to speak out about Taylor’s addiction battles.

During an Amazon Live, Lala Kent expressed her support for Taylor while also acknowledging how difficult his addiction has been on his immediate family members.

Bravo Stars Who Have Spoken About Doing Drugs: Jax, Carl and More

“Brittany is one of my dearest friends. I know a lot,” Kent, 34, said. “I don’t know what is going to be shown on their new season of The Valley. What I do know is I’m very close with her and anything that we’ve discussed, that is her story to share.”

She added, “There’s so much hope in sobriety. That’s what I’m feeling for him. Very, very hopeful and excited to see what his future holds if he chooses down this path. Absolutely amazing.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

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