Happy Thanksgiving!

NEW YORK—I’ve just come home from a rehearsal for one of the most fun events in this city, which is then telecast all over the world: the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!


The very first parade took place in 1924 when the annual parade started by Louis Bamberger in Newark, New Jersey, at the Bamberger’s store was transferred to the Macy’s flagship store on Herald Square. There were Macy’s employees in colorful costumes, animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo, floats and professional bands. So many floats and balloons have been introduced since, with many from the worlds of children’s television and animated films.

We were at our theater in our second day of tech rehearsals when our producer Ken Davenport announced to the company that we would be performing at the parade.

There was plenty of joyful screaming and jumping going on. For a few of us, this will be our second parade, but for many, this one will be the first. There will be four Broadway shows making appearances at the Thanksgiving Day Parade: “Once on This Island,” “Anastasia,” “SpongeBob Squarepants” and “Dear Evan Hansen.” It’s especially exciting for the first two shows I listed, as the team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty wrote them both.

Performing for this event takes quite a bit of preparation. First, the powers-that-be in charge of the parade came to one of our previews to figure out what number they wanted to feature. Next, they scheduled a recording session for us to lay down our vocals for what we were going to perform, which is a mash-up of a couple of our bigger songs.

We spent a good morning at the Power Station recording studio, bumping into the cast of “Anastasia” as we were heading out to our theater. And then a few days ago, we spent a couple of hours at the Ripley-Grier rehearsal studios with our director Michael Arden and choreographer Camille Brown to figure out how to best present the production number.

Fast forward to tonight. After our preview performance at Circle in the Square, the whole cast, as well as members of the production team, boarded a bus and headed down to Macy’s. In the freezing cold, we ran through our number twice with the NBC technical and camera crew, just to make sure they got the angles they needed to get.

So now, all of us are safe at home trying to get some sleep, as we all have another long day. Most of our days during this preview period have us in rehearsal for the afternoon, followed by a performance that night.

We shall be keeping this schedule up until our opening night on Dec. 3. However, despite the physical and mental fatigue with these long days, there is much for us all to be thankful for. We get to wake up every single day knowing that we get to do what we love to do, and share it with one another as a company and with the enthusiastic audiences that join us
at night.

Truly, this coming Thanksgiving Day, we will be up very early with smiles on our faces and joy in our hearts. It’s not just about turkey and pumpkin pie, but about being grateful. And we are very, very grateful.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade airs on NBC today. (For details, visit nbc.com.)

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

California man goes on 150 Tinder dates in just 4 months

Tinder has given its users a more convenient medium for potentially landing dates, but one man from California has admittedly been “swiping” way too much.

Sebastian Stadil, 32, hacked the famed dating app and came up with an algorithm that would automatically say yes to all of his Tinder matches.

In a span of just four months, the software engineer went on 150 dates, as his profile automatically said yes to 200,000 matches, an NBC report said.

“A very well crafted message doesn’t really get you any more responses than if you kind of just copy and pasted an answer,” Stadil said in the report, adding that normal dating was a “nightmare” for him, so he decided to hack the app instead.

His program also responded to every nearby female user in the Bay Area—all with previously crafted messages.

“So, I have reached an embarrassingly large number of people. I think the application swiped right on about 200,000 people,” Stadil said. “Little bit more than 10,000 messages. One-hundred-fifty first dates.”

If someone did not respond to Stadil, his program would automatically send another message, sometimes as many as seven a day, the report said.

Stadil’s ingenious creation proved to be quite a hit, as he claimed that his app resulted in 50 second dates and 17 third dates. He also said to have spent $6,000 during his romantic escapades.

“I have to admit, I did all this and kind of don’t have a long-term significant other as a result of this,” Stadil said.

Despite being unsuccessful on his quest for love, Stadil’s 150 dates did not leave him empty-handed.

“What I noticed is Asian-Americans tend to swipe right on me more frequently than the general population, which means I have some certain appeal there,” he said.

The software engineer added that he had no plans to monetize his invention, and intends to keep it for himself. Khristian Ibarrola

source: technology.inquirer.net

Adam Levine offers to pay funeral expense for Christina Grimmie

EVESHAM TOWNSHIP, New Jersey — Pop star Adam Levine has offered to pay the funeral expenses for singer Christina Grimmie gunned down after a Florida concert.

Levine mentored Grimmie when she finished third on NBC’s “The Voice” two years ago.

Spokeswoman Carleen Donovan confirmed Monday that Levine made the offer.

Grimmie’s New Jersey hometown will hold a candlelight vigil Monday night to honor the 22-year-old killed Friday night as she signed autographs after a show in Orlando.

The YouTube star lived in Evesham, a small community about 20 miles from Philadelphia, before moving to Los Angeles in 2012.

A motive for the shooting hasn’t been determined.

Authorities say she apparently had no personal connection to the man who shot her. The gunman fatally shot himself after being tackled by her brother.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Grimmie’s shooter traveled to Orlando carrying 2 guns, knife

ORLANDO, Florida, United States — A gunman who shot and killed a singer who rose to fame after appearing on “The Voice” traveled to Orlando from another Florida city specifically to attack her and then fatally shot himself, authorities said Saturday.

Orlando Police Chief John Mina said at a news conference that the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Kevin Loibl of St. Petersburg, Florida, didn’t appear to know Christina Grimmie personally. Grimmie was shot to death after giving a concert in Orlando on Friday night. She died early Saturday.

“She was doing a meet-and-greet, just signing autographs and selling merchandise. This white male approached her and opened fire, striking her,” Mina said. “We believe he came here to commit this crime.”

The 22-year-old singer from New Jersey finished third during season six of NBC’s “The Voice” in 2014, competing on the team of Maroon 5 star Adam Levine. She began amassing a following on YouTube as a teenager, gripping online viewers with her powerful renditions of hit songs. Her videos on YouTube have garnered millions of views.

In an earlier statement, police said Grimmie had performed with the band Before You Exit at The Plaza Live in Orlando. The concert ended around 10 p.m., and Grimmie was shot as she signed autographs for fans at a merchandise table in The Plaza Live concert venue.

Grimmie’s brother, Marcus, immediately tackled the gunman, who then shot and killed himself during the struggle, police said. They credited the singer’s brother with preventing the gunman from hurting others. Around 120 others were in The Plaza Live at the time.

“Very heroic actions by Marcus Grimmie to jump in and it definitely could have prevented further loss of life,” Mina said.

After the concert, 17-year-old Kaitlin Martin was standing with a group of other fans outside The Plaza Live, waiting for members of Before You Exit to come out, when she heard several loud “pops.”

“We thought at first they were balloons … but then security started running all over the place yelling at people to get out because someone has a gun and someone is shooting. Everyone is just running all over the place,” said Martin, who traveled to see to the concert from Brunswick, Georgia. “It was chaos.”

Martin said she was unsettled knowing the suspect had watched the concert in the same audience she was in.

“This person was in the crowd with us, and while we were singing, having a great time, he was there with different intentions,” she said.

Detectives were searching Loibl’s cellphone and social media accounts looking for clues as to a motive, Mina said, but they weren’t aware of any history of stalking of Grimmie by the suspect.

At Loibl’s home, in St. Petersburg, someone had left a note on the front door, expressing the “deepest sorrow” for the loss “to the family, friends & fans of the very talented, loving Christina Grimmie.” The note said there would be no other comment. No one answered the door to the one-story house that had a rusted, metal animal trap in the yard.

Loibl had on him two handguns, two loaded magazines and a hunting knife, Mina said.

There were unarmed security guards at The Plaza Live and they checked bags and purses for contraband, but there were no metal detectors or pat-downs of people as they entered The Plaza Live, he said.

A spokeswoman said all events at The Plaza Live had been suspended until further notice.

Loibl had made travel arrangements to come to Orlando alone, as well as travel arrangements to go back home, but he didn’t have a car, Mina said. The police chief wouldn’t elaborate further.

Grimmie had posted a video of herself shortly before the concert was scheduled to begin, encouraging fans to come see her perform.

Levine posted a photo of himself with Grimmie on Instagram, commenting before her death was confirmed: “I’m sad, shocked and confused. We love you so much Grimmie. We are all praying hard that you can pull through this … this just isn’t fair.”

“The Voice” paid tribute to Grimmie on its official Twitter page: “There are no words. We lost a beautiful soul with an amazing voice.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported in 2014 that Grimmie moved to Los Angeles in 2012 after joining Selena Gomez on tour to focus on her singing career.

“I’m done being surprised by cool things she does. She’s very talented and she’s worked incredibly hard — it’s a dangerous combination,” her brother told the newspaper at the time.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

‘The Voice’ singer Christina Grimmie dies after shooting

ORLANDO, Florida—A gunman opened fire at a Florida concert venue as singer Christina Grimmie signed autographs for fans after a show, killing the onetime star of “The Voice” before shooting and killing himself, officials said Saturday.

A publicist for Grimmie, Heather Walsh, said in an email early Saturday that “we can confirm that Christina has passed and went home to be with the Lord.” The Orlando Police Department also confirmed on its official Twitter page that Grimmie had died.

Police said in a news release that the 22-year-old singer had performed with the band Before You Exit at The Plaza Live in Orlando. The concert ended around 10 p.m., and Grimmie was shot as she signed autographs for fans at a merchandise table.

Grimmie’s brother immediately tackled the gunman, who then shot and killed himself during the struggle, police said. The gunman was not identified, and police have not said why he attacked the singer. An investigation is ongoing, but police credited the singer’s brother with preventing the gunman from hurting others.

Grimmie, a New Jersey native, finished third during season six of NBC’s “The Voice,” competing on the team of Maroon 5 star Adam Levine. She began amassing a following on YouTube as a teenager, gripping online viewers with her powerful renditions of hit songs. Several of her videos on YouTube have garnered millions of views.

When reports of Grimmie’s death first surfaced, #PrayforChristina was the top trending hashtag on Twitter. After her death was confirmed, #RIPChristina became the top trending hashtag as Grimmie’s fans took to social media to express an outpouring of grief.

“The Voice” paid tribute to Grimmie on its official Twitter page: “There are no words. We lost a beautiful soul with an amazing voice.”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Clinton, in ‘dead heat’ with Trump, offers sharper contrast

WASHINGTON, United States — Hillary Clinton tried to draw a sharper contrast with Donald Trump on Sunday, saying the central message of her campaign was “We’re stronger together,” even as a new poll showed the two candidates in a statistical tie.

The new Washington Post/ABC News survey found the presidential frontrunners in “a virtual dead heat” among registered voters.

Never in the poll’s history, The Post said, had two major party nominees been viewed as harshly, with nearly 6 in 10 voters holding negative impressions of both candidates.

That underscored a growing sense of urgency in the Clinton campaign to define her both more clearly and positively — a task made harder by her inability to shake off her tenacious Democratic rival, Bernie Sanders.

Clinton, in an appearance on NBC, challenged Trump’s “Make America Great” slogan, suggesting that “he seems to be particularly focused on making himself appear great.”

The former secretary of state said her campaign would be “demonstrating the hollowness of his rhetoric, and the danger of a lot of what he has said.”

‘We’re stronger together’

Asked to sum up her own message, Clinton said, “We’re stronger together.”

She said Americans needed to unify and work together to improve the economy. “We’re stronger together when we have a bipartisan, even nonpartisan foreign policy that protects our country. And that provides the kind of steady, strong, smart leadership that the rest of the world expects.”

But the new poll seemed to show that if Americans are united about anything, it is in their dissatisfaction with the two leading candidates.

What is shaping up to be the nastiest American presidential campaign in recent memory is beginning with voters expressing historically deep and practically identical levels of discomfort with both Trump and Clinton.

This has shaken up some in the Democratic camp, who assumed Trump would be an easy target, and it has provided encouragement to Sanders, the Vermont senator who trails Clinton but keeps winning primaries.

Appearing on Sunday talk shows, Sanders pleaded with the hundreds of the party’s so-called super-delegates who support Clinton to reconsider their allegiance ahead of the Democratic nominating convention in late July.

A frequent critic of the Democrats’ selection process, he said the party was headed for an “anointment” of Clinton.

As the race for the White House grows closer, Clinton supporters and some Democratic Party leaders have made increasingly insistent calls for Sanders to step aside and let Clinton turn her full attention to Trump.

But Sanders vowed yet again on Sunday to stay in the race at least until California, the most populous state, stages its primary on June 7.

The Post/ABC poll found the two leading candidates are in a statistical dead heat, with 46 percent of registered voters favoring Trump and 44 percent supporting Clinton.

That amounted to an 11-point shift in the Republican’s favor since March.

Clinton’s net negative rating among registered voters was a minus 16, virtually the same as Trump’s minus 17, though his negatives were significantly higher among all adults.

Positive ratings

Voters gave Sanders the most positive ratings of the three, with a net positive of 8 points among registered voters.

But Clinton suggested on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the Sanders numbers might be meaningless, because early polls are often unreliable and because Sanders has not borne the brunt of the intense scrutiny that she has faced for decades.

“I don’t think he’s ever had a single negative ad against him,” she said. “That’s fine, but we know what we’re going into and understand what it’s going to take to win in the fall.

“Finally, I would say that polls this far out mean nothing. They certainly mean nothing to me.”

Voters also continued to express positive views of President Obama, to whom Clinton has closely tied her campaign, giving him a 51-percent approval rating.

Clinton has largely aligned herself with Obama — while taking her distance on issues like trade with Asia — but said Sunday that she is her own person.

“I’m not running for anybody’s third term,” she said on NBC. “I’m running for my first term. I also want to do what works. My goal is to produce positive results for the American people.”

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Jimmy Fallon takes helm of 'Tonight Show', brings it back to New York

Jimmy Fallon took the reins of the long-running "Tonight Show" on Monday, bringing NBC's late night talk show flagship back to Manhattan after an absence of more than 40 years, being welcomed on set by a host of top stars, including Robert De Niro, Mike Tyson and Lady Gaga.

The surprise appearances, also made by Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Mariah Carey, Lindsay Lohan, Joan Rivers, former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Sarah Jessica Parker, Joe Namath and Stephen Colbert, were among the highlights of Fallon's "Tonight Show" debut, following the departure this month of long-serving host Jay Leno.

The slew of unannounced walk-ons followed Fallon's remark that someone owed him $100 after betting he would never host the "Tonight Show," at which point De Niro and others strode on stage one after another, each plunking bills onto his desk until finally Colbert showered him with a bucket of pennies.

Actor Will Smith and Irish band U2 were the Brooklyn-born Fallon's first official, previously announced guests as the former "Saturday Night Live" comic launched the show's widely anticipated return to Manhattan's Rockefeller Center.

Fallon's stepping into one of the most visible roles in television marked NBC's second attempt to imbue the competitive late-night landscape on U.S. television with a more youthful vibe by appealing to the coveted 18-to-34 year-old demographic.

"I'm Jimmy Fallon and I'll be your host -- for now," Fallon told the audience in the new multi-million dollar studio where such beloved "Tonight" veterans Johnny Carson and Jack Paar once presided.

It was one of a handful of references to the show's recent troubled history. Leno was initially replaced by Conan O'Brien in 2009, but he returned months later in a public relations debacle for the network.

He also paid tribute to the show's previous hosts by name, being sure to mention Leno twice -- once before, and once after, O'Brien.

"If you guys let me stick around long enough, maybe I'll get the hang of it," joked Fallon, who wore an understated gray suit, white shirt and blue tie for his first show.

NEW YORK SETTING EMBRACED

From the outset, the New York "Tonight Show" boldly embraced its new home.

Brooklyn-raised director Spike Lee shot a new opening, a stirring series of black-and-white night shots that gave way to colorful depictions of such iconic locations as Radio City Music Hall, Grand Central Terminal and Rockefeller Center.

The new set, with a dramatic Manhattan skyline backdrop, befit its Rockefeller Center location.

And when it came time for U2 to perform its new single, "Invisible," the band took to 30 Rock's rooftop at sunset.

Scores of fans rocked to the beat with such New York landmarks as the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and Times Square providing a glittering backdrop. Even Mother Nature cooperated, with crystal clear skies and a burnished sunset over New Jersey on a cold, winter dusk.

But in other ways, Fallon's "Tonight Show" hewed to tradition. An opening monologue featured topical issues -- chiefly the Olympics, which also happen to be airing on NBC -- and a chat with Smith touched on the actor's recent adventures skydiving, and more on the Olympics.

"I think I could win a gold medal in the things with the broom," Smith laughed, referring to the curling competition. Earlier Smith and Fallon performed a dance routine together on "The Evolution of Hip-Hop Dancing."

When the four members of U2 joined Fallon for a chat after their rousing al fresco performance, Fallon, 39, asked "Was that the highest you've ever been?"

Earlier, Fallon introduced what seemed likely to become a regular feature, "Tonight Show Superlatives," in which photos -- in this case, again, Olympic athletes -- were paired with "most likely to," high school yearbook-style captions.

The "Tonight Show" first aired on NBC in 1954 from New York with host Steve Allen. Paar hosted the show from 1957 until Carson took over in 1962, and reigned for 30 years, before departing in 1992. Carson moved the show to southern California in 1972.

In its final Burbank days, the "Tonight Show" drew about 3.9 million viewers per episode.

First Lady Michelle Obama is among the guests scheduled for this week, along with Bradley Cooper and Justin Timberlake. Jerry Seinfeld, Kristen Wiig and Lady Gaga will appear on Tuesday. - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Longtime NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw diagnosed with cancer

LOS ANGELES - Veteran news anchor Tom Brokaw, the face of "NBC Nightly News" for more than two decades, has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer affecting blood cells in the bone marrow, but is hopeful about the outcome of his treatment, the network said on Tuesday.

Brokaw, 74, stepped down as anchor in December 2004 but has remained with the network as a special correspondent, currently covering the Winter Olympics coverage in Sochi, and has continued to work on NBC projects during his treatment, NBC News said in a statement.

It said Brokaw and his physicians were "very encouraged with the progress he is making."

In his own statement accompanying the network announcement, Brokaw said: "With the exceptional support of my family, medical team and friends, I am very optimistic about the future and look forward to continuing my life, my work and adventures still to come."

He added, "I remain the luckiest guy I know."

A South Dakota native who joined NBC in 1966, Brokaw served as White House correspondent during the Watergate scandal of the Richard Nixon administration and hosted NBC's "Today" show from 1976 until 1982.

He replaced John Chancellor at the helm of the "Nightly News" desk, first as co-anchor that year with Roger Mudd and then as sole anchor in September 1983, while the "CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite" was still the top weeknight network newscast.

Within several years, however, Brokaw and "Nightly News" moved to the top of the Nielsen ratings, leading Dan Rather and the "CBS Evening News" and Peter Jennings' "ABC World News Tonight" through the end of Brokaw's tenure in 2004.

The youngest of his Big-Three network news contemporaries, Brokaw was the first to retire as anchor, stepping down from the job at age 64.

Despite his accomplishments as a journalist, Brokaw has said it was a work of history that he was most proud of—his book "The Greatest Generation," a bestseller about Americans who grew up during the Great Depression and served in World War Two.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer that strikes white blood cells in the bone marrow called plasma cells, which normally produce antibodies to help fight infection. But in multiple myeloma, an over-abundance of malignant plasma cells releases unhealthy levels of a protein into the bones and blood that in turn can cause damage to bone tissue and organs.

There is no cure, but treatments are available that slow its progression, according to the medical website WebMD.com. —Reuters

Oklahoma country singer plans benefit for tornado victims

LOS ANGELES  -- Oklahoma country singer Blake Shelton is planning a televised benefit to raise money for victims of the massive tornado that swept through Moore, Oklahoma, this week, music magazine Billboard reported Wednesday.

"The Voice" judge Shelton, a native of Ada, Oklahoma, which is 75 miles northwest of Moore, said he would have more information on the NBC concert in the next 24 hours.

"I'm hoping it will raise a lot of money. Obviously it will be televised and will happen really quickly," Shelton told Billboard after the conclusion of Tuesday's "The Voice."


Representatives for NBC and Shelton did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The singer opened Tuesday's reality singing competition show with his ballad "Over You," which he sang with wife Miranda Lambert as a tribute to the tornado's victims.

Shelton, who serves as a judge along with Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, R&B star Usher and pop singer Shakira, said he hoped to "call in some really big favors" for the benefit.

The huge tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb on Monday, ripping apart two elementary schools and a hospital and killing 24 people, including nine school children.

Country singer Toby Keith, a native of Moore, appeared on CNN on Tuesday night as he returned to his hometown

"Always when these things happen, music people get together. I've had 500 text messages from people all over the music world saying 'What are we going to do? We want to help...'" a visibly shaken Keith said on the "Piers Morgan Live" program.

"I'm in and Moore knows I'm going to be here, hopefully in the next couple days we can sort it out," he added.

Celebrities have been quick to take to social media to voice their support for tornado victims, urging people to donate to the American Red Cross and Salvation Army.

Basketball player Kevin Durant, one of the stars of the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA team, has pledged $1 million for tornado relief through his family foundation and encouraged his 4.1 million Twitter followers to help raise relief funds.

NBC's star-studded telethon with Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel for the victims of Superstorm Sandy in November 2012 helped raise more than $23 million, while ABC's "Day of Giving" event raised more than $10 million for the American Red Cross.

NBC is a unit of Comcast Corp. - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com