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When V.C. Andrews published Flowers in the Attic in 1979, readers thought they were stepping into a completely wild, exaggerated gothic teenage nightmare.

However, what millions of unsuspecting fans didn’t realize was that the chilling isolation of the Dollanganger family was drawn directly from the quiet reality playing out in Andrews’ own home. While readers were stunned by the dark tale, the truth about what drove Andrews to write it was far more personal than anyone imagined.

Upon its 1979 debut, Flowers in the Attic became an instant bestseller, but it faced significant backlash. According to the website 29 Secrets, the novel was banned in many schools and libraries because of its plotline, which included a romantic relationship between a brother and sister and incidents of child abuse.

However, according to Andrew Neiderman‘s biography The Woman Beyond the Attic, Andrews lived a life of isolation similar to that of her most famous characters. She reportedly fought a quiet, lifelong battle under the thumb of her overbearing mother, Lillian, as highlighted by The Guardian.

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“Her mother would lock her in her room and not give her dinner if she got angry at her,” Neiderman claimed. “She controlled who Virginia could see, what she could do, and punished her for not doing what she wanted.”

According to the author, Andrews suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, and surgery in her late teens left her unable to walk and move her neck without pain. She was said to have been dependent on her mother, Lillian, for years.

Neiderman claimed that Andrews was “trapped. Her mother kept her under lock and key. Firstly, because she was ashamed of her for being disabled, and secondly, because she couldn’t handle it [Andrews’s disability].”

He concluded, “[Andrews’s mother] wouldn’t read her books, she wouldn’t read anything she wrote. It wasn’t until Virginia became famous and did readings and book signings and a trip to Europe that her mother respected her as a writer.”

The author wrote Flowers in the Attic at 56, as reported by Salon. Andrews said, “I wrote [the book] in two weeks. By that time, however, I had been writing for seven years and had written nine unpublished novels.” 

“I lost 12 pounds [in the weeks writing it]; it upset me so much. For I lived through everything those children suffered,” Andrews explained, as reported by Neiderman, per a 2022 New York Post story.

After her book became a runaway bestseller, Andrews responded to critics of the book as reported by Twilight Magazine in 1983. She said, “I don’t care what the critics say. I used to, until I found out that most critics are would-be writers who are just jealous because I’m getting published and they aren’t. I also don’t think that anybody cares about what they say. Nor should they care.”

Andrews authored nine books. These included Flowers in the Attic (1979), Petals on the Wind (1980), If There Be Thorns (1981), My Sweet Audrina (1982), Seeds of Yesterday (1984), Heaven (1985), and Dark Angel (1986). Two books released after her death included Garden of Shadows (1986) and Gods of Green Mountain (2004).

Neiderman, Andrews’ biographer, became her ghostwriter after she died of breast cancer in 1986. He finished his final book in 2025 after writing 100 titles under her name over 37 years.

The original Flowers in the Attic book series was adapted into a cult-classic 1987 feature film. Subsequently, it was also a hit 2014 Lifetime movie franchise, and eventually a star-studded television prequel series, as generations of audiences remained obsessed with the Dollangangers’ dark saga.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit their website.

Related: 1997 Blockbuster Book Series’ First Released 29 Years Ago, Remains One of the Top 5 Best-Selling Novels in History

Sharna Burgess has not appeared on Dancing with the Stars since Season 30 in 2021. But today on Good Morning America, it was revealed that she will return to the ballroom this fall.

“I’m back! Some of you guys guessed it. Yes, I am here with a special announcement to finally confirm I’m back on Dancing with the Stars, baby,” Burgess said. “I’m going to be competing for that Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. I can’t wait to be back in the ballroom with my dancing family, and mostly it feels so good to be coming home. I’ll see you all soon.”

The Australian ballroom dancer won the Mirrorball trophy in Season 27 when she was paired with the controversial celebrity winner, radio personality Bobby Bones, on Nov. 19, 2018. Burgess took a hiatus from Dancing with the Stars for Season 31 in 2022 to focus on motherhood after welcoming her newborn son, Zane.

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Previously announced celebrity contestants –reality star Maura Higgins from The Traitors and Love Island, Ciara Miller from Summer House, and Savannah Bananas’ Jackson Olson — have not yet had their pro partners revealed, but Jimmy Kimmel’s longtime sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez will be teamed up with Season 34 Len Goodman Mirrorball Champion Witney Carson.

Related:  Everything You Need to Know about Dancing with the Stars Season 35?

The full cast of celebrities and pro partners will be revealed on Wednesday, Sept. 2, again, on Good Morning America.

Dancing with the Stars will have a two-night premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 15, and Wednesday, Sept 16, at  8 p.m. on ABC and Disney+ and stream next day on Hulu.

Next, Dancing with the Stars Season 35 Rumored Cast Features Shocking Names and TV Icons

Ella Langley’s “Be Her” is now one of the biggest songs of her career, but the country hit came together in only about 30 minutes.

The song, which serves as the second single from Langley’s second studio album, Dandelion, has become a major chart success. “Be Her” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it was kept out of the top spot by Langley’s own “Choosin’ Texas,” making it her second-best-performing hit.

The song is also continuing to gain attention outside the U.. In the United Kingdom, “Be Her” recently debuted at No. 77 on the Official Streaming chart and later jumped from No. 42 to a new peak of No. 28 on the Official Singles chart.

Behind the fast-growing hit is an equally fast writing session.

Langley wrote “Be Her” with HARDY, Smith Ahnquist, and Jordan Schmidt. According to the singer, the song came together quickly while she was working to finish Dandelion.

Ella Langley performs onstage at the Billboard Women in Music 2026 held at the Hollywood Palladium on April 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.

Photo by Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Images

In a video shared by Nash Everything in May, Langley explained how the writing session happened.

“Well that song, it’s funny because I wrote it with three guys. I think it’s what the funniest parts of it.”

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She continued by naming her co-writers and explaining that she was trying to finish the record when she was placed in one of HARDY’s writing rooms.

“Threw me on one of his little rooms and I mean the song fell out in like 30 minutes.”

For Langley, the idea behind the title made the writing process simple. “Be Her” is not about wanting to become another person. Instead, the song looks inward at the person she wants to become.

The singer explained that the song came from thinking about her own life and the things she would like to improve.

“I just literally sat there and said things I wanted to work on. When I was writing, I was really thinking of myself looking at a mirror.”

That personal approach became the center of “Be Her.” Langley made it clear that the song is about self-reflection rather than wishing to become someone else.

“I didn’t want people to think that this song was about trying to be someone else. It’s not about being another woman or looking at someone and thinking like, ‘God, I wish I had hair like that’ … But it really is about looking at yourself.”

Langley also gave examples of the everyday things she thought about while writing. She joked about wanting to make better choices, including drinking less wine and avoiding a hangover the next morning.

The quick process did not stop the song from becoming one of the most important releases from Langley’s Dandelion era.

Langley also admitted that the song has a special place in her own life. She said it is the only song she has danced to by herself in front of a mirror.

“The only one I’ve like danced to myself in the mirror.”

While “Choosin’ Texas” remains Langley’s biggest hit, “Be Her” has become her second-best-performing song on the Billboard Hot 100. From a writing session that lasted only about half an hour, “Be Her” became one of the standout songs connected to Langley’s second album. 

And the story began with a simple question: Who is the person she wants to become?

Related: 1994 Country Song, Reimagined by Ella Langley, Is Still a Major Hit 32 Years Later 

If you have a balance of credit card rewards sitting untouched in your online banking account, you’re in good company.

Industry data shows that while roughly 71% of Americans hold at least one point-earning card, a staggering 86% rarely or never redeem them*. Instead, cardholders tend to treat their balances like a delicate savings fund—saving them for a hypothetical “someday” or defaulting to low-value cash-out options like Amazon checkouts and retail gift cards.

According to award travel specialist and CEO & founder of Point.me, Adam Morvitz, that hesitation is the fastest way to lose real value.

“Points are wealth. They’re additional spending power,” Morvitz explains. “The number one redemption across U.S. consumers is for an Amazon gift card or an Amazon discount at the checkout phase… that is the worst use of your points. Spend your points now. Use your points. They’re not getting more valuable.”

If you want to turn everyday spending into overseas getaways without getting bogged down in confusing loyalty fine print, here is the real-world strategy for navigating the points game.

Related: The Best Travel Credit Cards of 2026, According to The Points Guy

View this post on Instagram 1. Stop Hoarding: Points Are Not a Long-Term Investment

One of the biggest psychological hurdles for everyday cardholders is the fear of “wasting” a hard-earned balance. But unlike money sitting in a high-yield savings account, loyalty points do not earn interest—and airlines adjust their award charts constantly.

The longer points sit idle, the more purchasing power they lose to annual program devaluations. Treating points as currency to be spent as soon as you have enough for a specific flight or hotel stay is the only way to lock in their peak value.

2. Avoid Bank Portals and Use Direct Airline Transfers

The most common trap for casual travelers is booking flights directly through credit card travel portals.

Most bank portals fix your points at a flat baseline rate (typically around one penny per point). Under that math, a standard economy ticket to Europe might cost 50,000 to 80,000 points, while an international business-class ticket could require upwards of 500,000 to 800,000 points.

The real savings happen when you utilize direct airline transfer partners.

Major rewards programs (like Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, and Citi ThankYou) allow you to transfer points directly into frequent flyer programs at a 1:1 ratio.

By transferring points directly to international airlines like Virgin Atlantic, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, or Iberia—especially during promotional transfer bonus periods—that same economy flight to Europe can cost as little as 10,000 to 20,000 points, while lie-flat business class seats frequently open up for 45,000 to 60,000 points.

Related: How to Book a Quick, Last-Minute ‘Points-Cation’ Without Getting Burned

3. Keep Your Routine Simple with the ‘Drawer Method’

Maximizing rewards does not require opening a dozen credit cards or damaging your credit score. In fact, juggling too many active cards often leads to missed payments and high interest fees that completely wipe out the value of any travel perks.

Morvitz, who maintains an 850 credit score, recommends keeping just three or four workhorse cards in your actual wallet:

• One card that earns elevated points on groceries and dining (such as 3x or 4x per dollar).
• One general-purpose card that earns a flat 2x points on everyday miscellaneous spending.
• One flexible travel-rewards card tied to major airline transfer partners.

For cards opened primarily for welcome bonuses, he uses what he calls the “drawer method.”

“I sign up for the bonuses and then I put them in the drawer,” Morvitz says. “If it’s not a card I’m going to use every day, I don’t want to be tempted to use it. So, it goes in the drawer… and that’s it.”

To avoid surprise annual fees on stored cards, request physical paper notices from your card issuers for recurring annual fees, giving you a 30-day window to evaluate whether keeping the account open still makes financial sense.

Related: 6 Airline Perks That Are Actually Worth the Money (and 2 to Skip)

4. Take Advantage of Built-In Award Flight Flexibility

A massive silver lining of modern award bookings that travelers rarely realize is the post-pandemic flexibility built into points tickets.

“Pre-COVID, booking an award flight was very similar to booking a cash flight where you would be penalized for canceling,” Morvitz notes. “The one thing that no one talks about enough is most of those consumer protections that were put in place during COVID to get people traveling have held on in terms of award travel. And so for all the U.S. carriers, there is no fee to cancel your flight and put the points right back in your account.”

While international carriers may assess modest administrative redeposit fees (often $35 to $75), domestic carriers allow you to cancel points bookings and have the miles redeposited immediately with zero penalties—giving you total freedom to lock in a deal when you spot it without locking yourself into rigid plans.

Related: The Secret to Choosing the Best Airline Loyalty Program I Wish I Learned Sooner

5. Use Live Meta-Search Engines to Spot Sub-10K Transatlantic Deals

The biggest barrier to actually using transfer partners has always been the sheer manual labor of opening a dozen browser tabs across foreign airline sites.

To solve that, dedicated award search tools like Point.me pull live inventory across more than 150 airlines and 30 loyalty programs in real time. Rather than relying on outdated cached data, the platform calculates whether a flight is cheaper via cash, bank portal points, or direct partner transfers.

In a live walkthrough, Morvitz pulled up one-way transatlantic flights from Boston to London for as low as 5,000 to 6,000 points via Virgin Atlantic (leveraging a live transfer bonus) and sub-10K redemptions into Paris, proving that jaw-dropping flight deals aren’t urban legends—they’re just hidden behind airline partnerships most travelers don’t know exist.

Related: Best Credit Card for Travel Points

6. Let Price-Drop Alerts and Syncing Do the Heavy Lifting

Instead of endlessly checking flight trackers, the most efficient way to book award travel is to set target parameters and let the system monitor seat availability in the background.

By syncing your loyalty balances—or manually logging your credit card rewards—the platform filters out flights you can’t afford and surfaces options based strictly on what’s in your wallet. Travelers can set specific route, carrier, or cabin alerts to trigger email and text notifications the moment an airline drops the redemption cost into their budget range, allowing you to snag international seats before award space disappears.

For live award flight searching, automated price-drop alerts, and real-time award maps to help convert your credit card points into cheap flights, visit Point.me.

Related: How to ‘Buy’ Marriott Elite Status for Under $200 Without a Credit Card

Sources:

*Point.me/Amex partnership data

Christcore Fest 2027, a Christian metalcore and hardcore music festival, is getting even bigger with a major update ahead of the highly anticipated event.

With the two-day event scheduled for April 24 and 25 at the Wilson Logistics Arena in Springfield, Missouri, the music festival unites heavy music fans who share the same Christian faith while creating an inclusive community and safe space.

Following the initial announcement regarding the festival’s concept and the first wave of bands, Christcore Fest 2027 has announced new additions to its lineup.

In an Instagram post, the festival revealed “five more bands” joining the lineup.

Christian hardcore and metalcore bands Clear Convictions, Symphony in Peril, Project 86, Doulos HC and the Christian nu-metal band Relent are among the latest additions to next year’s festival.

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Interestingly, the list of bands isn’t complete yet, as organizers teased that there are still more to come, hinting at the growing Christcore Fest 2027 lineup featuring the headliners.

“This lineup is getting absolutely ridiculous, and there are still some BIG names we haven’t told you about yet,” the caption reads.

The post sparked speculation about the yet-to-be-announced artists who will perform at the annual music festival.

“That long blurred-out one is @unbrokenreignband, isn’t it?” one person asked.

On the other hand, others were thrilled to see the exciting lineup of performers.

“This fest will be so fire!!!!! Can’t wait to connect with fellow believers and see how God is gonna show up at this!!!!!” a follower said.

“This is awesome!” an excited fan added.

Fans attending the two-day event will witness a slew of bands taking the stage, with the complete lineup as follows:

Symphony In Peril
P86: Omni
Diamond To Dust
Relent
(Un)worthy
NRWHL
Drown The Planet
Collective Dust
Clear Convictions
Heartbound
xDoulosx
Dreaded Dale
Living Scars
Sequoia
Permeated Bones

John and Carly, the husband-and-wife team and founders of Christcore Fest, want the annual festival to be more than just a Christian music festival and instead make it a celebration of faith-based community.

“Christcore Fest is about more than putting a bunch of bands on a stage for two days,” as mentioned in an Instagram post, adding, “We want to build a community that actually shows up for each other that celebrates together, struggles together, worships together, and prays for each other.”

Fans can now purchase early-bird weekend passes for $135.00 via their official Ticket Tailor platform, while single-day tickets will be released later this year.

Related: Major Hardcore Music Festival Announces Star-Studded 2026 Lineup

Sixty years ago, Jimmy Page was a guitarist for the Yardbirds, but during that time he wrote a song that would become a Led Zeppelin classic.

“Tangerine,” from the 1970 album Led Zeppelin III, is a reflective acoustic guitar ballad about love, loss, and the passage of time. The song’s delicate guitar melody and yearning lyrics are in stark contrast to the album’s hard-rocking tracks such as “Immigrant Song” and “Out on the Tiles.”

Written by Jimmy Page, the music for the song was penned during the musician’s Yardbirds days.  A demo was recorded under the title “Knowing That I’m Losing You,” with Keith Relf on vocals performing early lyrics.

“We tried a version with the Yardbirds and there was a different chorus,” Page once told Mojo in an interview.  “It kinda got lost. I had songs I had written down the years, but I didn’t push them, I was waiting to see whether they would fit, and, on the third [Zeppelin] album, it fitted perfectly. It’s this little vignette with the pedal steel on there.”

“Tangerine” was written following Page’s brief romantic relationship with singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon in the mid-1960s.

“I’d written parts of that song even before I’d joined [The Yardbirds] but that song is definitely the result of us having met,” Page confirmed to Mojo. “I think the original words were different.”

In the book Zigzag The Road to Rock, Page said of “Tangerine,” “I wrote that song years earlier after an emotional upheaval, and I just changed a few of the lyrics. I first tried recording that with the Yardbirds.”

DeShannon, a prolific songwriter behind hits such as “When You Walk in the Room” and “Bette Davis Eyes,” once admitted she had no idea if Page wrote “Tangerine” about her.

“If it was written for me, I’m honored,” she told The Guardian in 2023.

While the Yardbirds version of the song never went anywhere, Page explained why he didn’t immediately whip out the reworked version of “Tangerine” for the first Led Zeppelin album in 1969.

“I really knew what it was that I wanted to do,” the legendary guitarist once told Music Radar in an interview. “If you think about it, on the third album there’s ‘Tangerine,’ but I wrote ‘Tangerine’ back in The Yardbirds. So I’d waited an amount of time. I didn’t stick it on the first album or the second. I waited until it would fit in with the right texture of everything else. It fits great in the third album. So, yeah, I had a bit of a plan.”

Related: ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’ Star Explains Why the Wrong Led Zeppelin Song Was Used in 1982 Film

Today, boarding a commercial flight often means navigating security queues in sweatpants, wrestling for overhead bin space, and bracing for a cramped middle seat.

Six decades ago, taking to the skies was an entirely different universe.

During the mid-20th-century Jet Age, Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) stood as the undisputed titan of international aviation. Flying wasn’t just a way to get from point A to point B—it was an occasion. Passengers dressed in tailored suits and cocktail dresses, multi-course meals were carved table-side on fine porcelain, and the iconic blue-and-white globe logo represented the pinnacle of global sophistication.

These vintage photos capture the golden era when Pan Am set the world standard for style in the skies.

The Dawn of Commercial Jet Travel
8th September 1958: Interior of a giant Boeing 707 jet airliner which can take up to 165 economy class passengers. Owned by Pan-Am she is carrying a service crew for noise test flights over Britain. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

(Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

In September 1958, Pan Am prepared to usher in the Jet Age with the introduction of the giant Boeing 707 jet airliner. Capable of carrying up to 165 economy-class passengers, the aircraft represented a massive leap forward in both speed and passenger capacity. Before officially entering commercial service, the jet took to the skies over Britain carrying service crews for noise test flights—offering a glimpse into the spacious, modern interiors that would soon revolutionize international air travel.

High Fashion at 30,000 Feet Stewardesses pose in their uniforms on stairwell aboard the new Boeing Pan Am 747 jet transport.

Bettmann / Contributor

In the 1960s, Pan Am transformed the role of the flight attendant into a high-profile style symbol. The airline partnered with prominent fashion designers—including Don Loper of Beverly Hills and later Parisian couturiers—to create sleek, tailored skirt suits complete with crisp hats, white gloves, and polished heels.

Beyond their impeccable look, crew members were required to be multilingual and trained in fine dining hospitality, serving as ambassadors of elegance and effortless composure aboard transatlantic routes.

The Cultural Currency of the Jet Set The Beatles leave London for New York on Pan Am Flight 101 for a 10 day tour of the United States of America. Left to right: George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon. (Photo by Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images)

Mirrorpix / Contributor

By the mid-1960s, carrying a Pan Am travel bag was the ultimate international status symbol.

When The Beatles made their historic first trip to the United States in February 1964, touching down at New York’s JFK Airport to ignite Beatlemania on The Ed Sullivan Show, they traveled aboard Pan Am Flight 101. The Fab Four proudly posed with their zip-top blue Pan Am flight bags—instantly cementing the carrier as the official wings of the global cultural elite.

Related: Hundreds of Beatles Photos Just Surfaced — Shot by Paul McCartney Himself

American vocal group The Temptations arrive at London Airport (later Heathrow) to take part in the Tamla-Motown Revue tour of the UK, UK, 15th March 1965. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

By March 1965, the airline’s status as the preferred wings of music royalty was firmly established. When legendary Motown vocal group The Temptations touched down at London Airport for the historic Tamla-Motown Revue tour of the UK, they disembarked from a Pan Am jet impeccably dressed in trench coats and suits, carrying custom Tamla-Motown tour bags along with their Pan Am luggage. The iconic shot captured the exact moment American R&B and soul exploded onto the international stage, with Pan Am serving as the literal bridge connecting Detroit’s signature sound to eager European audiences.

Room to Breathe: The Arrival of the Jumbo Jet Passengers sit inside the massive interior of the Boeing 747. 21 January 1970. (Photo by NCJ – Topix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images)

Mirrorpix / Contributor via Getty

When Pan Am ushered in the commercial wide-body era with the debut of the Boeing 747 in 1970, cabin comfort reached unprecedented heights.

Early cabin layouts prioritized space and passenger comfort over passenger density. Cabins featured wide 20-inch aisles, generous legroom, plush seating with wide armrests, and an iconic spiral staircase leading to an upper-deck first-class lounge and bar.

(Original Caption) Two 20″ wide aisles running the length of PanAm World Airways 747’s economy section will permit freedom of movement for passengers as well as for stewardesses to serve food and drink. PanAm’s typical 747 seating allows for 58 1st class seats and 304 economy. Economy seats, arranged in a 9-abreast pattern, offers 10% more hip room than other jets.

Bettmann / Contributor

When Pan Am introduced the Boeing 747, even the economy cabin offered a level of comfort that seems unimaginable today. Designed with a nine-abreast seating layout, the wide-body interior provided 10 percent more hip room than competing jetliners, giving passengers genuine space to stretch out. Two wide, 20-inch aisles ran the entire length of the main cabin, making it easy for travelers to move about freely and allowing flight attendants to seamlessly navigate service carts down the aisles to serve hot meals and drinks to all 304 economy guests.

Related: 6 Airline Perks That Are Actually Worth the Money (and 2 to Skip)

A steward and stewardess serving first-class passengers with drinks and refreshments on board a Boeing 747. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)

Black and white photo of passengers inside a Boeing 747 aircraft cabin in 1970.

In first class, the experience was elevated to a floating luxury lounge. Stewards and stewardesses rolled white-gloved cart service directly down the aisles, pouring premium spirits from crystal decanters and serving gourmet refreshments to well-dressed passengers relaxing in oversized, plush armchairs. Complete with dedicated cabin staff, bespoke cocktails, and unprecedented legroom, Pan Am’s premium cabin made transoceanic travel feel like an exclusive invitation-only event.

While the aviation landscape has evolved into a hyper-efficient modern industry, these vintage moments serve as a timeless reminder of why Pan Am’s golden era continues to capture our collective wanderlust.

Related: I Brought Back One ’90s Family Tradition for a Month—And My Kids Didn’t Want To Stop

Barry Manilow‘s 1978 disco hit sounded like a glittering night out at a world-famous club. However, the song was a chilling story wrapped up in a dance beat.

“Copacabana (At the Copa),” written by Manilow, Bruce Sussman, and Jack Feldman, told the story of Lola and her lovers Tony and Rico. The fictional smash became a Top 10 hit, ranking at No. 8 in August 1978 on the Billboard Hot 100.

However, as millions took to the dance floors, many weren’t really listening to the story’s dark lyrics. The song’s genius lay in its happy beat, which hid a story that ended in one of the characters’ murders.

In an interview reprinted by the website Trent Moorman Writing, Manilow explained just how the now-legendary song came to be. He revealed that the entire track sprang from a spontaneous poolside conversation at a hotel in Rio de Janeiro, where he realized no major pop song had ever claimed the iconic name of the legendary New York City club.

He explained, “I was on vacation at the Copacabana Hotel in Rio de Janeiro. There were ashtrays and towels that said ‘Copacabana.’ Bruce Sussman and Jack Feldman, the guys who wrote the lyrics, took longer with it, writing the story.”

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At first, “Copacabana” appears to be a feel-good story about a showgirl named Lola and her bartender boyfriend, Tony. But things take a dark turn fast when a brawl breaks out, a gun goes off, and Tony ends up dead.

Thirty years into the future, Lola is heartbroken, drinking alone, and completely losing her mind. However, the song’s infectious melody keeps the story moving, as listeners move through the tragedy of Lola’s life without realizing its sad turn.

RELATED: Barry Manilow Heartbreak: ‘I Don’t Know If My Voice Is Coming Back’ After Scary Cancer Battle

Songfacts reprinted Manilow’s quotes from the liner notes of his Even Now LP, where the song was featured among other original tunes such as “Can’t Smile Without You,” “Even Now,” and “Somewhere in the Night.” The entertainer shared, “I remember putting the lyric on the piano’s music stand, punching the ‘record’ button on my tape deck, and writing the song in less than 15 minutes.”

Sussman said that the success of “Copacabana” was a surprise to everyone connected to the LP. He said, per Songfacts, “We thought we were writing the novelty cut for Barry’s Even Now album. ‘Copacabana’ surprised everyone, certainly us, and especially Arista Records, for they were faced with the first of Barry’s hits that was forced off an album.”

RELATED: Barry Manilow Earned Just $500 for a Jingle You Know by Heart

He continued, “This put Barry in the unique position of having three hit records in the Top 40 at once. It earned him his first, and believe it or not, only, Grammy award, his first gold single for a song he composed, his first international hit record, and the first song to inspire projects in other media (a made-for-TV film and a stage musical). So much for novelty cuts!”

The “Copacabana” television film aired in 1985, with Manilow as Tony and Annette O’Toole as Lola. A stage musical based on the song debuted in 1994 at London’s West End and later toured the United States.

It takes a special kind of songwriting magic to turn pure heartbreak into the ultimate feel-good dance anthem. Barry Manilow gave fans a catchy disco classic, but he also left behind one of the greatest hidden story songs in pop music history.

Related: The Carpenters’ Original Version of the Song That Helped Make Barry Manilow a Superstar

Not only did Debby Boone release one of the most commercially successful songs of the entire ’70s decade, but she achieved a rare chart milestone that few songs ever reach.

Boone’s 1977 pop hit “You Light Up My Life” rose to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1977, where it remained for a total of 10 straight weeks, earning it a spot on Billboard’s list of the longest-leading No. 1 hits in the history of the Hot 100.

The list recognizes all of the Hot 100 hits with at least a 10-week stay at No. 1. Currently, the record for the most non-consecutive weeks spent at No. 1 is held by Mariah Carey with 22 weeks for “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”

Other frontrunners on the list include “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey and “Old Town Road,” by Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, which are tied for the longest-reigning No. 1s with 19 weeks each. Plus, Ella Langley has tallied up 18 weeks at No. 1 with her smash-hit Choosin’ Texas,” which has the potential to make it a three-way tie if it stays on top for a 19th week.

As for Boone’s chart-topper, “You Light Up My Life” is just one of several songs to have a 10-week run at No. 1, along with other mega-hits like Ashanti‘s “Foolish,” Kanye West‘s “Gold Digger,” and Olivia Newton-John‘s “Physical,” to name a few. More recent hits to achieve the milestone include like Taylor Swift‘s “The Fate of Ophelia,” and Alex Warren‘s “Ordinary.”

“You Light Up My Life” ended up becoming the biggest songs of Boone’s career, and also one of the best-selling songs of the entire decade. 

It holds the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Top 20 Hot 100 Hits of the 1970s, in front of other iconic tracks from the decade, like “Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright)” by Rod Stewart (No. 2), “Le Freak” by Chic (No. 3), “How Deep Is Your Love” by the Bee Gees (No. 4), and “I Just Want To Be Your Everything” by Andy Gibb (No. 5).

Related: 1974 Folk-Rock Hit, Harry Chapin’s Only No. 1, Ranked One of the ‘Saddest Songs of All Time’

In 1965, David Freiberg helped form Quicksilver Messenger Service, becoming part of the wave of psychedelic rock bands that transformed San Francisco into one of the epicenters of American music.

More than 60 years later, Freiberg is the last surviving member of the band’s original lineup. And on Aug. 24, the musician celebrates his 88th birthday.

Born Aug. 24, 1938, Freiberg began his career far from the psychedelic ballrooms of San Francisco. Classically trained on violin and viola, he worked for a railroad while moonlighting as a coffeehouse singer-songwriter during the folk revival.

Those early years also put him in the orbit of musicians who would become central figures in the emerging San Francisco scene. Freiberg shared a house in Venice, Calif., with David Crosby and Paul Kantner and later became one of the founding members of Quicksilver Messenger Service.

Freiberg shared lead vocals with Gary Duncan and played bass, guitar and keyboards with the group, appearing on six of Quicksilver’s first eight albums. Although the band never enjoyed the singles success of some of its San Francisco contemporaries, albums including Quicksilver Messenger Service and Happy Trails helped establish the group as an important part of the city’s psychedelic sound.

Freiberg left Quicksilver in 1971 and soon became part of another branch of the San Francisco rock family.

Following his release from a brief jail stint for marijuana possession, Freiberg joined Jefferson Airplane for its 1972 tour. When the final Airplane lineup evolved into Jefferson Starship in 1974, he went with it.

Freiberg remained with Jefferson Starship for roughly a decade, contributing vocals, keyboards and bass during one of the band’s most commercially successful periods. He also developed the distinctive organ riff on the Marty Balin-penned “Miracles,” which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

But Freiberg’s biggest songwriting contribution came as Jefferson Starship entered a very different era.

After Grace Slick and Balin left the group in 1978, Mickey Thomas joined as its new lead singer. Freiberg was the primary composer of “Jane,” which he co-wrote with Kantner, Jim McPherson and Craig Chaquico.

Released on Jefferson Starship’s 1979 album Freedom at Point Zero, the hard-rocking “Jane” reached No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped usher the band toward a heavier sound. Decades later, the song found another life in pop culture, including prominent appearances in Wet Hot American Summer and the video game Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned.

Freiberg stayed with Jefferson Starship until the mid-’80s, departing as the group transitioned into Starship. He later said the increasingly synthetic direction represented by “We Built This City” simply wasn’t what he wanted to do.

“I didn’t want to be there because they were doing ‘We Built This City’ and all. It was at the point where they were going to the studio, and nobody in the band was playing anything. Maybe if they needed a guitar… Craig would play it. It was all producing and it was all hot stuff keyboard players and that is what I was basically playing with them…you know…and that wasn’t me. Why have me around? Why should I be around?,” said Freiberg in an interview with John Barthel.

Two decades later, however, Freiberg returned to the Jefferson Starship fold. He rejoined Kantner for a 2005 tour and ultimately became a permanent member of the revived group.

Today, Freiberg remains a member of Jefferson Starship, more than 50 years after he helped launch the original incarnation of the band. He also carries on the legacy of Quicksilver Messenger Service as the last surviving member of the celebrated San Francisco group’s original lineup.

Not bad for a railroad worker who started out playing folk songs in coffeehouses.

Related: ’60s Fictional Band Legend, Who Went on to Work With Cher and Barry Manilow, Turns 81

Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley in all eight of the Harry Potter films,  turned 38 today. The English actor was born on August 24, 1988, in Harlow, Essex.

Grint became well known at the age of 11 when he was chosen to play Ron, one of Harry Potter’s best friends at Hogwarts. He took part in all the films from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 2001 up to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011 and thus gained a worldwide reputation.

After the Harry Potter series had come to an end, Grint continued to act in films, television programmes and plays. He has carefully selected his projects and usually stays away from the spotlight.

Rupert Grint attends the world premiere of Apple TV+’s “Servant” at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House on Nov. 19, 2019 in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City.

Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Grint has stated that the many years spent making the Harry Potter films have made him appreciate the time he has at home.

“The Potter years were an absolute constant,” he said, per Variety. “It was an intense long period of work that made me appreciate not being on set and really value downtime.”

Grint has two daughters as his children; the first of them was born in May 2020 and the second in April 2025. He has been in a relationship with the actress Georgia Groome since 2011. The family reside at an estate in Hertfordshire.

In 2020 Grint joined Instagram and uploaded a photograph of himself with his newborn daughter. It took him four hours and one minute to reach one million followers and this established a Guinness World Record for the shortest time to achieve one million followers. Although he now has approximately 5.2 million followers he does not post very often.

From an early age Grint’s aim had been to become an ice cream vendor, and he later purchased an ice cream van using the money earned from the Harry Potter films to sell ice cream to local customers.

In June the North Herts Council granted him full planning permission to convert Kimpton Grange, the vicarage which he purchased in 2009, into six apartments and to construct nine additional houses on the site. The scheme is intended to be a carbon-neutral eco-village, according to BBC.

Grint starred as Julian Pearce in the Apple TV+ series Servant from 2019 onward. He appeared in M. Night Shyamalan’s 2023 film Knock at the Cabin. In 2022 he took part in the HBO Max special Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts with other cast members.

His latest film is Nightborn, directed by Hanna Bergholm. He plays a father raising a newborn with his wife, played by Seidi Haarla, in an isolated house in the forest. The story has horror and comedy elements tied to parenthood.

“When I first read the script, we’d actually just found out that we were having a second baby,” Grint said. “So it was very weird timing. But it’s kind of life imitating art.”

He also mentioned that the first few months with a baby “can be both isolated and frightening.”

Nightborn made its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in 2026, and Shudder then secured the North American, Australian and New Zealand rights, setting a streaming debut date of July 31 following a screening at the festival.

Grint has started shooting Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, playing Bob Cratchit opposite Johnny Depp as Scrooge. The film, directed by Ti West, is set for release in November 2026.

Related: Fan-Favorite ‘Harry Potter’ Spectacle Returning to Universal Studios for the First Time Since 2022

For theme park fans worldwide, few attractions carry the architectural grandeur and storytelling weight of Disney’s Tower of Terror.

Originally conceived in 1994 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida as an homage to Rod Serling’s classic anthology series The Twilight Zone, the innovative thrill ride revolutionized the theme park industry by pairing an ominous, abandoned hotel lobby with an unpredictable vertical elevator drop sequence.

Over the decades, Disney expanded the concept to its international resorts, creating subtle variations along the way. While Florida’s version sends elevator cabs gliding horizontally through the fifth dimension before plummeting, Disney Adventure World in Paris employs an alternate ride system. Disney California Adventure operated its own Hollywood Tower Hotel for over a decade before permanently retheming the structure to Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! in 2017.

Yet among diehard Disney enthusiasts, the true crown jewel sits across the Pacific at Tokyo DisneySea.

Related: The 10 Biggest Ride Reveals and Nostalgic Surprises from Disney’s D23 Showcase

View this post on Instagram A Global Fan Mecca with an Original Twist

Tokyo DisneySea’s version completely abandons The Twilight Zone IP in favor of an intricate, original storyline set inside the Gothic-revival Hotel Hightower.

Riders step into the year 1912 to tour the preserved estate of Harrison Hightower III, an unscrupulous explorer who vanished on New Year’s Eve 1899 after bringing back a cursed African idol known as Shiriki Utundu. From its stained-glass preshow to its jaw-dropping visual effects, the Japanese installation is widely considered by Disney purists to be the most visually stunning and atmospheric iteration ever built.

Related: Disney Announces Major Change For One of Its Most Popular Parks

The Upcoming Fall Closure Dates

If you are planning an international bucket-list journey to Tokyo Disney Resort this autumn, you will want to check your park itinerary closely.

Tokyo DisneySea will officially close Tower of Terror on September 28, 2026, for a scheduled maintenance period. The attraction is currently slated to reopen to guests on November 6, 2026.

As theme park reporter Chloe James notes for Disney Fanatic, the brief downtime points to standard upkeep rather than a permanent overhaul: “That relatively short turnaround suggests the attraction is undergoing routine refurbishment rather than a major overhaul or retheme.”

Related: Disneyland vs. Disney World: Differences Between Resorts

What to Experience in the Meantime

While Hotel Hightower’s supernatural elevators will be paused through October, visitors to Tokyo DisneySea will still have plenty of world-class attractions to explore.

Thrill-seekers can journey deep beneath the park’s smoking volcano on Journey to the Center of the Earth or experience the high-tech immersive lands inside Fantasy Springs, which debuted major dark rides including Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey and Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival.

For those hoping to experience the cursed idol’s wrath firsthand, make sure to visit before September 28—or time your trip for when the elevators start dropping again on November 6.

Related: Disney Parks Introduce a New Way to Experience Star Wars Rides

His keyboard playing helped give one of Britain’s biggest hard-rock bands its signature sound.

Ken Hensley, the longtime Uriah Heep keyboardist, guitarist and principal songwriter, would have turned 81 today, Aug. 24.

Born Aug. 24, 1945, in Plumstead, London, Hensley died in 2020 at age 75.

Hensley first picked up the guitar at age 12, using a Bert Weedon instructional manual to teach himself. He went on to play in several bands during the 1960s, including The Gods, a group whose members included future Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor and future Emerson, Lake & Palmer musician Greg Lake.

His career changed in 1970 when he joined Spice, which soon became Uriah Heep. As the band’s keyboardist and a key songwriter, Hensley became one of the creative forces behind its classic 1970s sound.

He wrote or co-wrote many of Uriah Heep’s best-known songs, including “Easy Livin’,” “Lady in Black,” “Stealin’,” “Look at Yourself” and “Free Me.”

“Easy Livin’,” released in 1972 on Demons and Wizards, became particularly important to the band’s American success. Written by Hensley, it reached No. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Uriah Heep’s first U.S. hit.

Hensley also sang lead vocals on “Lady in Black,” another of Uriah Heep’s enduring songs. The track became one of the band’s best-known recordings, while Hensley’s keyboard work helped establish the Hammond organ as an important part of its hard-rock sound.

His influence reached beyond Uriah Heep, too. W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless once praised Hensley for essentially creating the template for heavy-metal keyboards, saying he “wrote the rule book for heavy metal keyboards.”

Hensley remained with Uriah Heep for a decade before leaving in 1980. He subsequently joined the Florida hard-rock band Blackfoot, then embarked on an extensive solo career that included numerous albums and tours.

He continued making music for decades. His final album, My Book of Answers, was released posthumously in 2021, while another final solo project, A Little Closer, was recorded in 2019.

Hensley died Nov. 4, 2020, following a short illness. He was 75.

RELATED: The Who Legend Once Called ‘The Greatest Drummer in Rock’ Would Be 80

Anne Archer has built a career around some of Hollywood’s most memorable roles.

The Oscar-nominated actress, best known for playing Beth Gallagher in the 1987 thriller Fatal Attraction, turns 79 today, Aug. 24, 2026.

Born Aug. 24, 1947, in Los Angeles, Archer grew up in a Hollywood family. Her parents were actors John Archer and Marjorie Lord, and she eventually followed them into the entertainment business.

Archer began working in television before making her feature-film debut in the early 1970s. Her early credits included The Honkers, Cancel My Reservation, The All-American Boy and Trackdown.

But her biggest breakthrough came in 1987, when she was cast as Beth Gallagher, the wife of Michael Douglas‘ character, Dan Gallagher, in Adrian Lyne’s Fatal Attraction.

The psychological thriller became one of the defining films of the decade, and Archer’s performance earned her nominations for the Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Her career didn’t end with Fatal Attraction.

Archer went on to play Cathy Ryan opposite Harrison Ford in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger, bringing another memorable role to two films based on Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan novels.

She also earned major recognition for Robert Altman’s 1993 ensemble drama Short Cuts. Her performance as Claire Kane won her a Golden Globe Award, adding another major honor to her résumé.

Archer continued working in both film and television over the following decades, with credits including The L Word, Boston Public, Ghost Whisperer, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Man of the House and The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.

Her stage career has also included a notable turn as Mrs. Robinson in the West End production of The Graduate, as well as work in productions including Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

Nearly four decades after Fatal Attraction first hit theaters, Archer remains best remembered for the role that earned her an Oscar nomination and helped cement her place in one of Hollywood’s most talked-about thrillers.

RELATED: Meg Ryan’s Exit Nearly Changed This Beloved ’90s TV Show

During its five-season run in the 1970s, The Brady Bunch cast went on several trips, including the Grand Canyon and Hawaii.

But the ABC sitcom’s last on-location trip—to a theme park near Cincinnati—could have ended in disaster for the cast, which included Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, Barry Williams, Maureen McCormick, Christopher Knight, Eve Plumb, Mike Lookinland, Susan Olsen and Ann B. Davis.

The episode, titled “The Cincinnati Kids,” was filmed at Kings Island over five days, from Aug. 20-24, 1973. It was the second year the park was open and the second time a major TV show filmed there—The Partridge Family had been there in 1972, per WLWT 5.

The plotline, about architect Mike Brady’s (Reed) sketches for a theme park expansion project, allowed for the park rides to be shown prominently—at one point the whole Brady clan was running around the park looking for the lost canister containing the plans. In the end, the family celebrated finding the canister by taking a ride on The Racer roller coaster—but that scene could have ended very differently.

In a video posted on the Kings Island YouTube page, Williams, who played eldest son Greg Brady on the series, remembered the episode as “one of the most exciting times in our filming.” But he noted that his TV dad took issue with filming the roller coaster scene.

“And The Racer presented a particular challenge because it’s like really a good roller coaster,” Williams said. “And all the things he didn’t want: fast, steep sharp. So he refused actually to go on the roller coaster.”

It turned out Reed, who had a reputation for being difficult on the set, had a better reason to refuse the ride than anyone could have imagined.

Co-star Eve Plumb (Jan Brady) wrote about Reed’s demands for the roller coaster ride in her book,  Happiness Included.

“Robert Reed insisted that the roller coaster be sent around the track empty to test the safety of having a camera attached to it,” she wrote, adding that producers reluctantly complied and sent the coaster on a test run with no passengers.

“It came back with a fragmented brace on the front car and no camera,” Plumb continued. ”Mike [Lookinland] and I were the kids in the first car, so I’m pretty sure that Robert Reed being difficult prevented us from being badly injured or killed in one of his disagreeable moments.”

RELATED: ‘Brady Bunch’ Star Reveals the No. 1 Question He Still Gets From Fans

A post on the Six Flags website also addressed the near-disastrous ride, noting that a large temporary camera mount was secured to the front of the train to obtain on-ride footage of the cast and that producers were “shocked” when the train returned from the test run with no camera mounted to it.

“The camera had dislodged and fell off its mount and backwards towards the seats. Had the cast been on board, they would have been injured,” the outlet shared.

Reed and Susan Olsen (Cindy) refused to go on the ride and are not seen in the episode’s roller coaster footage. Instead, a stand-in for Olsen was seated behind Williams, who was instructed to hold his hands up to hide her face.

While Kings Island was ultimately fun to film, Plumb admitted in her book that after the Hawaii episodes there had been talk of sending the Bradys to Japan.

“Then the announcement came that we would be filming episodes in Warren County, Ohio near Cincinnati,” she shared. “Truth to tell, I was still a kid enough to get excited about it!”

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Travelers with upcoming international holidays and cruises booked through longtime Scottish travel company Frasers Travel are facing unexpected disruptions after the agency announced an immediate shutdown.

Established in 1986 in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, the agency spent four decades organizing worldwide package vacations, international flights, and getaways on major cruise lines like Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean.

In a statement addressing the sudden closure, the agency confirmed: “We regret to inform you that Frasers Travel Ltd has today ceased trading. We would like to thank all our past clients for their loyalty and support.”

Following the announcement, the agency’s official website went dark, leaving travelers with booked trips searching for immediate next steps.

Related: Is Your Summer Vacation At Risk? Another Boutique Sailing Company Just Went Bust

What to Do If Your Booking Is Impacted

For travelers holding reservations through Frasers Travel, customer protections and next steps depend heavily on the type of itinerary booked:

• Contacting the Bankruptcy Firm: Disrupted travelers have been directed to reach out directly to insolvency firm McLennan Corporate at info@mclenancorporate.com to navigate claims and administration updates.  
• Flight-Inclusive Vacation Packages: Because Frasers Travel was an Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) member, package vacations are covered by industry protections. In a guidance release, ABTA noted: “If you booked a holiday through Frasers Travel Ltd, the tour operator with who Frasers Travel Ltd booked your holiday will be named on your paperwork. If you booked a flight inclusive holiday, your tour operator will be named on your ATOL Certificate under ‘Who is protecting your trip.’ To ensure your holiday continues as planned, you will need to contact the Credit Control Department of your Tour Operator with whom you have a contract. Your booking should continue as normal, and they will now be your direct point of contact.”
• Direct Cruise and Hotel Reservations: If your booking was made directly with an individual cruise line or hotel through the agency, contacting that primary service provider with your confirmation number can clarify whether your reservation remains secure or needs to be transferred.  

Related: 3 Epic Repositioning Cruises to Book This Fall for Maximum Sea Days, Rare Ports, and Major Value

Navigating a Changing Travel Agency Landscape

Frasers Travel joins a growing roster of travel agencies and specialized tour operators in the UK and internationally that have closed their doors in 2026 due to mounting operational costs, shifting consumer booking habits, and volatile aviation expenses.

For travelers looking ahead to upcoming getaways, industry experts emphasize a few key safety practices when booking through third-party agencies: always save independent copies of your ATOL or travel operator certificates, pay with a credit card that offers robust consumer fraud and cancellation protections, and secure comprehensive travel insurance immediately after putting down a deposit.

Related: A Beloved Family Entertainment Park Is Shutting Down After 38 Years

Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban is taking aim at Facebook over AI-generated scams that use fake versions of his image and voice to target users.

During an appearance on Pivot with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway, Cuban said Meta allows deceptive ads featuring an AI version of him, even when people are being led to believe he is promoting fake diabetes cures and other products.

“I think Facebook is the worst of the worst,” Cuban said.

Cuban explained that he regularly receives messages from older people who believe they have bought a product connected to him.

“Every single week I get emails from every little old men and ladies saying, ‘Will my cure for diabetes work?’ or ‘I just ordered your cure for diabetes for $294,’” Cuban said.

Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the second quarter of the game against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on April 10, 2024 in Miami, Florida.

Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images

He said he already knows what is happening.

“I already know the answer now, which is they’re using an AI version of me, and Meta allows it.”

According to Cuban, the fake ads often appear on Facebook and use an AI-generated version of him to make false claims. He described ads in which a digital version of him appears to promise a cure for diabetes or another health solution.

View this post on Instagram

Cuban said the problem is not hidden. He said the ads include a disclaimer at the bottom explaining that the person shown is not actually him.

“And then when you read the fine print all the way to the bottom, ‘This is just an AI representation of Mark Cuban it’s not real. This is for entertainment purposes always,’” Cuban said.

He argued that this disclaimer does not fix the harm caused when people believe the ad is real.

“And to Facebook, that’s good enough,” he said.

Cuban’s strongest criticism was not only about the fake ads themselves. He said Meta’s handling of the problem raises a larger question about the culture inside the company.

“Facebook knows that it’s [expletive]. Facebook knows the little old ladies are getting ripped off,” Cuban said.

For Cuban, the issue goes beyond one misleading advertisement or one AI-generated impersonation. He said allowing such scams to continue sends a message about what a company is willing to accept.

“The point is that defines the culture of the organization,” Cuban said.

He continued, “If you’re willing to rip off little old, your grandparents, right? and that’s acceptable, all that kind of [expletive] is acceptable top to in your organization.”

Cuban has become one of the best-known business figures to speak openly about both the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence. He has supported AI and said he uses the technology in his own work, but he has also warned that users should not blindly trust what AI systems produce.

“You’ve got to be careful,” Cuban previously told High Performance about AI chatbots. He compared using the technology to “talking to a friend who you think knows a lot about something.”

That warning is especially important when AI is used to create fake endorsements. A person may see a familiar face or hear a recognizable voice and assume the message is real.

In Cuban’s case, the alleged fake ads appear to use his identity to sell products he says he never promoted.

Cuban’s criticism of Facebook does not mean he is against AI. In fact, he has been a strong supporter of using the technology in business and health care.

One of his business ventures, Cost Plus Drugs, has used AI customer care agents as part of its effort to help scale access to affordable medication. Cuban has also said he uses AI daily for work and other tasks.

He recently discussed using AI to review contracts. Cuban also told Swisher that he encourages cities, states and companies to run contracts through Claude and ask one direct question: “Where am I getting [screwed] over?”

He said the AI tool can quickly point out clauses that may create problems.

Cuban has also focused heavily on health care costs. He argued that health care benefits can be a major cost target for technology companies with more than 1,000 employees.

“Every penny they save on their healthcare benefits is cashflow that goes right to the bottom line,” Cuban said.

In a recent series of posts on X, he argued that AI cannot match a doctor’s ability to observe a patient in real time, communicate, show empathy and react when a person’s condition suddenly changes.

Human Dr to patient – You just puked. Let’s find out why.

AI – Nothing AI can’t see and reason in real time.

Human Dr sees patient collapse. Does CPR.

AI – Nothing AI can’t see or do CPR

Human Dr sees patient- Discusses patients with other doctor who knows patient and… https://t.co/0qCLjdtIVH

— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) August 19, 2026

“No chance radiologists get replaced,” Cuban wrote, while predicting that radiologists will eventually use AI.

Those views help explain why Cuban’s comments about Facebook stand out. His complaint is not simply that AI exists or that companies are using it. His concern is about how AI can be used to trick people and whether major platforms are doing enough when they know users may be harmed.

Related: ‘Shark Tank’ Star Reveals Truth About Mark Cuban’s ‘Habit’

Many judges have pressed the “golden buzzer” and all-but-crushed contestants on America’s Got Talent (AGT).

NBC’s popular talent show, showcasing anyone from magicians dressed as dragons to even more obscure acts you couldn’t make up if you tried, is airing its 21st season.

Fans will notice a void at this year’s table — at least for a while — according to TMZ. The outlet is reporting Simon Cowell is slated for “routine back surgery” as the 66-year-old has been dealing with off-and-on back issues for quite some time, including a prior back operation after a bike accident in 2020.

Related: 2000s Comedy Star, Known for Signature Catchphrase, Rushed to Hospital for Serious Illness

The procedure will sideline the ever-so-blunt judge for a “couple of weeks,” so performers can either take advantage of the lack of notoriously harsh feedback or miss the occasional speechless reaction Cowell is known to give with a smirk.

Everyone has a soft spot, after all, especially now that Mr. Cowell is in his 60s and years removed from the American Idol days that made his deadpan delivery must-see TV — not just William Hung.

Cowell has been on AGT for 10 years now, joining the judges’ table in 2016, and is fully expected to return to the hit show once he’s well enough to reclaim his seat.

There’s no official timetable as of now, though TMZ does hint his seat will be filled temporarily. Former AGT judge Howard Stern likely won’t be answering calls, as he’s currently enjoying an extended summer vacation.

Related: Howard Stern Claims His Show Is ‘Better Than Ever,’ But Fans Aren’t So Sure Anymore 

With Cowell on the mend, that’s more airtime for AGT’s colorful cast of characters — Mel B, Howie Mandel and Sofía Vergara — with who knows what to expect if another celeb fills in for the show’s sharpest tongue.

Perhaps Heidi Klum could return? Though rumor has it, the iconic supermodel is demanding big bucks these days!

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Fall is about to officially kick off, and many people are already embracing the increase in outdoor activities. If you’re looking for cozy, reliable outdoor seating for all your fall gatherings that won’t break the bank, a classic camp chair is never a bad choice. Luckily, Walmart currently has a bestselling option on sale for just $10.

The Ozark Trail Basic Quad Folding Camp Chair at Walmart has all the bells and whistles you need to make your time outdoors comfortable and convenient. It’s a budget-friendly staple that’s compact and ready to go wherever the season takes you. Right now, certain colors are out of stock, but you can still snag the chair in fall-ready colors like dark green, navy, and rich red.

Ozark Trail Basic Quad Folding Camp Chair, $10 at Walmart Shop at Walmart

Whether you’re heading to a campsite, a tailgate, or a barbecue, this quad-leg folding chair is built to keep up. Its design features a sturdy steel frame, durable PE-coated fabric, and a breathable mesh cup holder meant to keep your drink, phone, or small essentials close by. When the day winds down, it folds up quickly and fits into its own carry bag, so you can pack it away with zero hassle. Reliable, comfortable, and easy to bring along, it’s the kind of chair you’ll want to keep in your trunk all season long — just in case.

This budget-friendly folding chair is winning over fans for its comfort and convenience. “This chair is super lightweight and easy to carry around, whether I’m going camping, to a tailgate, or just hanging out with friends outside,” one reviewer wrote. 

Another praised its ease of use, noting, “The sitting experience is incredibly comfortable. The folding design is smooth and efficient, allowing for quick setup and takedown.” 

When open, the chair measures approximately 32.1 inches high, 19.1 inches wide, and 31.9 inches long. Seven colors are currently in stock, including black, bright red, blue, navy, and yellow gold. The chair is crafted from steel and polyester fabric with a PE (polyethylene) coating that shields it from corrosion and harmful materials. It weighs just 4.4 pounds yet boasts an impressive. weight capacity of 250 pounds

The chair is spot clean only for easy upkeep. Its matching polyester carry bag features a strap that not only makes it easy to carry but also slips effortlessly over the back of the chair, keeping everything together and easy to find when it’s time to go.

Related: Walmart’s ‘Adorable’ $18 Pumpkin Glasses Are the Ultimate Summerween Kitchen Find

At only $10, the Ozark Trail Basic Quad Folding Camp Chair is an easy upgrade for your outdoor adventures. Colors are selling out fast — grab yours today!

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Fred Rose helped shape country music long before the genre became the industry powerhouse it is today.

The legendary songwriter and music publisher was born Aug. 24, 1897, in Evansville, Indiana. He would have turned 129 this year.

Rose became one of the most important figures in early country music, both as a songwriter and as a publisher who helped establish Nashville as a center of the music business.

His legacy is especially notable because he was one of just three charter members of the Country Music Hall of Fame when the institution opened in 1961, alongside Hank Williams and Jimmie Rodgers.

Fred Rose Helped Shape the Careers of Country Legends

Rose’s career stretched far beyond his own recordings.

As a songwriter and music publisher, he worked with some of the biggest names in early country music and played an important role in helping songwriters and performers build careers.

His most famous partnership was with Williams. Rose became Williams’ publisher and mentor, helping guide the young songwriter as he became one of country music’s most influential figures.

The two also collaborated as songwriters, with Rose co-writing several songs recorded by Williams.

That relationship helped cement Rose’s place in country music history.

Fred Rose Was One of the First Country Music Hall of Famers

When the Country Music Hall of Fame opened its doors in 1961, Rose was among its inaugural inductees.

He joined Williams and Rodgers as the institution’s three charter members, an extraordinary distinction that reflected his influence on the genre.

Rose was later recognized by the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, which inducted him in 1970, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, which followed in 1985.

His honors made him one of the few figures whose influence was recognized across both the country music and broader songwriting communities.

Rose died on Dec. 1, 1954, at age 57.

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