Month: August 2023

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Sports Daypop

NBPA says Orlando Magic’s donation to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ super PAC is ‘alarming’

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In a statement released Thursday, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) called the Orlando Magic’s donation to a super PAC backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis “alarming given recent comments and policies of its beneficiary.”

Federal Election Commission records show that the Magic’s $50,000 donation to ‘Never Back Down Inc.’ was received on June 26, after DeSantis had announced his run for president in 2024 on May 24. The NBPA said “governors, players and personnel have the right to express their personal political views, including through donations and statements … However, if contributions are made on behalf of an entire team, using money earned through the labor of its employees, it is incumbent upon the team governors to consider the diverse values and perspectives of staff and players. The Magic’s donation does not represent player support for the recipient.”

The Magic issued a statement, saying: “To clarify, this gift was given before Governor DeSantis entered the presidential race. It was given as a Florida business in support of a Florida governor for the continued prosperity of Central Florida.” The team indicated that the check was dated May 19, prior to DeSantis’ presidential announcement. The Magic have had a partnership with Disney since 2010, and the company has been the team’s official jersey sponsor since 2017.

The late Richard DeVos purchased the Magic in 1991 and the franchise has been in the family ever since. Richard’s son, Dan DeVos, is the current chairman. Dan’s sister-in-law, Betsy DeVos, is the former chair of the Michigan Republican Party and served as the U.S. Secretary of Education under former President Donald Trump from 2017-2021. The Magic had made three previous donations according to records from the FEC: $500 in 2016 to a super PAC called “Conservative Results,” $2,000 in 2014 to a super PAC called “Maverick PAC USA,” and $500 in 2000 to Linda Chapin for congress.

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Sports Daypop

Yankees’ Domingo Germán entering alcohol abuse treatment center after clubhouse incident

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New York Yankees starter Domingo Germán was placed on the restricted list, and has voluntarily chosen to enter inpatient care for alcohol abuse. Germán’s status comes as a result of an incident within the Yankees clubhouse that occurred Tuesday evening, when Germán reportedly grew belligerent. It doesn’t appear that Germán had an altercation with any teammates or staff members, but it was later determined that the 30-year-old was under the influence of alcohol.

This isn’t the first time that Germán has dealt with issues related to alcohol abuse. In 2019, Germán was involved in an incident with his girlfriend, which led to an 81-game suspension issued by MLB on Jan 2, 2020 for violation of the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. Germán missed the entire 60-game COVID-shortened season and was eventually reinstated Oct. 6, 2020. He currently is not in violation of MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.

GM Brian Cashman said during a news conference: “I don’t want to go into any details. I just know that, obviously, the steps that are being taken today by Domingo are very important and necessary. And hopefully it can be a game-changer.” Cashman added that Germán is not expected to return this season.

Yankee Manager Aaron Boone said: “He is a sweetheart of a guy. So, when you see something that has now affected his livelihood and his life and you know how serious it is, it is very sad for someone that’s very talented. In some way, this goes back years. I mean, I think all of us can probably have someone in our life that we can relate to. It’s always an ongoing battle. So, I don’t know as far as recent history or since things before that he’s dealt with going back to like ’19.”

Germán went 5-7 this season in 19 starts with a 4.56 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. On June 28 he threw the 24th perfect game in MLB history against the Oakland A’s.

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Categories
Country Daypop

Randy Travis tribute concert to take place in October

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A tribute concert in honor of Randy Travis, dubbed “A Heroes & Friends Tribute to Randy Travis – One Night, One Place, One Time” will take place at Von Braun Center’s Propst Arena in Huntsville, Alabama at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

The night will feature Travis’ friends and colleagues performing many of his No. 1 hits live, with a portion of the proceeds donated to the Randy Travis Foundation, which focuses on stroke and aphasia awareness and supporting music education in schools. The official lineup for the event will be announced soon.

Says David Lower, Outback Presents Booking Manager: “It is such a pleasure to have even a small part in an event that celebrates the accomplished life and career of Randy Travis. The fans in Huntsville have such a love of country music and have been so supportive of the artists we have brought to town, this is sure to be another sold-out concert!”

Tickets will go on sale this Friday, Aug. 4 at 10 a.m. CT at the Von Braun Center Box Office and on ticketmaster.com and randytravis.com.

Editorial credit: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Zach Bryan makes chart history with ‘Something In The Orange’

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Zach Bryan’s “Something In The Orange” has officially become the longest charting country single for a male artist on Billboard’s Hot 100, with an incredible 65 consecutive weeks. Currently landing at #18, the track has surpassed Carrie Underwood’s “Before he Cheats” to become the second longest-charting country song of all time, following Leann Rimes “How Do I Live,” at 69 straight weeks.

“Something In The Orange” was certified 4x platinum by the RIAA in June and continues its upward trajectory. Bryan’s hit single was within the top 10 Most Streamed Song in the US in 2022, and is off his chart-topping, platinum-certified Warner Records debut album AMERICAN HEARTBREAK that remained in the top 10 in the US for more than a year after its initial release.

Bryan is set to release his new album soon, and will return to the road next week on his ‘Burn Burn Burn’ North American Tour. You can take a listen to ‘Something In The Orange’ – here.

Zach Bryan’s “Something In The Orange” Is The Longest Charting Country Single For A Male Artist On Billboard Hot 100 Chart

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Categories
Rock Daypop

Lynyrd Skynyrd to release 50th Anniversary Box Set ‘FYFTY’

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Lynyrd Skynyrd will celebrate their 50th anniversary with a new box set titled FYFTY, arriving October 13th. The collection will be available as a 4-CD box set and digitally, containing dozens of tracks  encompassing the career-spanning music from the legendary band.

Disc 1 opens with the original Muscle Shoals version of “Comin’ Home” before presenting the some of the band’s most well-known recordings — “Tuesday’s Gone,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” and “Gimme Back My Bullets.”  Live tracks include a previously unreleased performance of “Free Bird” and a rendition of “Gimme Three Steps,” which was recorded at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, on November 13th of last year — guitarist Gary Rossington’s final Lynyrd Skynyrd show before his death in March.

In the liner notes for the box set, lead vocalist Johnny Van Zant wrote about Rossington: “We miss him so much. What kept me going was calling [Rossington] and having these conversations. He was my cheerleader. So now I’m gonna have to remember his voice to keep my spirits up and keep this thing going… as a tribute, and so people remember him and Ronnie and all the others who have been part of this.”

Lynyrd Skynyrd are in the midst of a co-headlining North American tour with ZZ Top; for tickets, head here. To pre-order FYFTY, head to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s website.

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Categories
Rock Daypop

SEVENDUST drops the music video for “Superficial Drug”

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Sevendust has released the video for the track ‘Superficial Drug’, off the band’s new album Truth Killer – their 14th studio LP, and first via Napalm Records.

“Superficial Drug” is the follow-up to Sevendust’s latest single “Everything” which is moving up the Active Rock radio charts. The band – comprised of Lajon Witherspoon, Clint Lowery, John Connolly, Vince Hornsby and Morgan Rose – reunited with director J.T. Ibanez for the third time to create the visual.

To stream ‘Truth Killer’ head here.
Take a look at the video for ‘Superficial Drug’ – here.

SEVENDUST Releases Music Video For New Single ‘Superficial Drug’

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Categories
Pop Daypop

Taylor Swift adds new North American dates to her Eras Tour

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Taylor Swift has announced a new run of North American dates on her ‘Eras Tour’ for late 2024. The 33-year-old singer-songwriter announced 15 more shows, sharing on social media: “Turns out it’s NOT the end of an era 😝 Miami, New Orleans, Indy and Toronto: The Eras Tour is coming to you in 2024 with @gracieabrams! Verified fan registration for all shows is open now – visit http://TaylorSwift.com for more information”

Swift’s return to North America in 2024 will kick off with three shows each in Miami, New Orleans and Indianapolis, with six performances set for Toronto in October and November of next year. Gracie Abrams will serve as support all dates.

Swift will wrap the first leg of her North American run with six shows in SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles that kicked off on August 3rd running through August 9th.  She then heads to Mexico for three dates in August followed by South American stops in Argentina, Rio de Janeiro and Brazil in November. Swift will spend most of 2024 on the European leg of the Eras Tour, beginning May 2024 with stops in Sweden, Portugal, France, Spain, The UK, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, and Austria.

Verified Fan registration is open now on Ticketmaster through 5 p.m. ET Saturday, August 5th at 5 pm ET/2 pm PT. Fans will receive confirmation if they will have access to the Verified Fan on sale or if they’ve been placed on a waiting list on Tuesday, August 8th. The Verified Fans on sale runs Wednesday, August 9th through Friday, August 11th with assigned specific on sale windows.

Editorial credit: e.backlund / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Taylor Swift adds new North American dates to her Eras Tour

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Taylor Swift has announced a new run of North American dates on her ‘Eras Tour’ for late 2024. The 33-year-old singer-songwriter announced 15 more shows, sharing on social media: “Turns out it’s NOT the end of an era 😝 Miami, New Orleans, Indy and Toronto: The Eras Tour is coming to you in 2024 with @gracieabrams! Verified fan registration for all shows is open now – visit http://TaylorSwift.com for more information”

Swift’s return to North America in 2024 will kick off with three shows each in Miami, New Orleans and Indianapolis, with six performances set for Toronto in October and November of next year. Gracie Abrams will serve as support all dates.

Swift will wrap the first leg of her North American run with six shows in SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles that kicked off on August 3rd running through August 9th.  She then heads to Mexico for three dates in August followed by South American stops in Argentina, Rio de Janeiro and Brazil in November. Swift will spend most of 2024 on the European leg of the Eras Tour, beginning May 2024 with stops in Sweden, Portugal, France, Spain, The UK, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, and Austria.

Verified Fan registration is open now on Ticketmaster through 5 p.m. ET Saturday, August 5th at 5 pm ET/2 pm PT. Fans will receive confirmation if they will have access to the Verified Fan on sale or if they’ve been placed on a waiting list on Tuesday, August 8th. The Verified Fans on sale runs Wednesday, August 9th through Friday, August 11th with assigned specific on sale windows.

Editorial credit: e.backlund / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Pop Daypop

Lizzo responds to allegations made against her by former backup dancers

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Lizzo is speaking out after news broker earlier this week that a lawsuit was filed against her by three of her former backup dancers. Lizzo — whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson — addressed the claims made by Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez in the lawsuit, which accused her of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment.

The 35-year-old singer posted a lengthy statement to her social media accounts, saying: “these last few days have been gut wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing. My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized. Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed. These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.” Lizzo added: “I take my music and my performances seriously because at the end of the day I only want to put out the best art than represents me and my fans. With passion comes hard work and high standards. Sometimes I have to make hard decisions but it’s never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they aren’t valued as an important part of the team.”

Sayiing that she doesn’t want to be “looked at as a victim”, Lizzo wrote: “But I also know that I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days. I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not. There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight … I’m hurt but I will not let the good work I’ve done in the world be overshadowed by this. I want to thank everyone who has reached out in support to lift me up during this difficult time.”

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on August 1, names Lizzo, as well as her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. (BGBT), and Shirlene Quigley, the captain of her dance team as defendants. The dancers are suing Lizzo for sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment, as well as seeking damages for emotional distress including unpaid wages, loss of earnings, and attorney fees.

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Lizzo responds to allegations made against her by former backup dancers

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Lizzo is speaking out after news broker earlier this week that a lawsuit was filed against her by three of her former backup dancers. Lizzo — whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson — addressed the claims made by Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez in the lawsuit, which accused her of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment.

The 35-year-old singer posted a lengthy statement to her social media accounts, saying: “these last few days have been gut wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing. My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized. Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed. These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.” Lizzo added: “I take my music and my performances seriously because at the end of the day I only want to put out the best art than represents me and my fans. With passion comes hard work and high standards. Sometimes I have to make hard decisions but it’s never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they aren’t valued as an important part of the team.”

Sayiing that she doesn’t want to be “looked at as a victim”, Lizzo wrote: “But I also know that I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days. I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not. There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight … I’m hurt but I will not let the good work I’ve done in the world be overshadowed by this. I want to thank everyone who has reached out in support to lift me up during this difficult time.”

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on August 1, names Lizzo, as well as her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. (BGBT), and Shirlene Quigley, the captain of her dance team as defendants. The dancers are suing Lizzo for sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment, as well as seeking damages for emotional distress including unpaid wages, loss of earnings, and attorney fees.

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com