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There’s something to be said for the Mediterranean aesthetic. Featuring eclectic ornamental tiles, breezy coastal pieces, and earthy decor, this trend elevates everyday life and captures a relaxed lifestyle that oozes quiet luxury. If you’re looking for a stylish yet practical way to bring some Mediterranean-inspired charm into your home, this Vancasso Malacasa 12-Piece Dinnerware Set is definitely worth checking out at Walmart. Adorned with a colorful, ornate design, this dinnerware set can instantly transform your dining room, kitchen, or patio into a Spanish bistro. 

@lamaisonlongco

Always looking for inspo for our Mediterranean, Spanish revival style house 😍 #spanishrevival #1930shome #interiordesignideas #historichome #eclecticdecor #mediterraneanhome

♬ Mambo #5 – Peréz Prado

There’s no better time than right now to snag this dinnerware set because it’s currently on sale. Normally retailing for $69, you can now score it for just $54, which means you’re getting each piece for less than $5! This 12-piece set is available in three vibrant multicolored styles. One set has blue as its base color, another set has orange as its base, and the third set boasts various hues, 

Vancasso Malacasa 12-Piece Dinnerware Set, $54 (was $69) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at Walmart

Reminiscent of backsplash tiles found in Morocco, Mexico, and Spain, this dinnerware set features an ornate symmetrical pattern filled with geometric and floral motifs that fill the entire surface. The cohesive design will make your dining setup feel effortlessly put together, elevating every at-home meal.

“The absolutely gorgeous and vibrant design makes for a beautiful table setting!” one Walmart reviewer raved. Another shopper described the design as “elegant” and said that it’s “perfect for everyday meals and special occasions.” A third customer said this dinnerware set gives them “joy and happiness.” 

From casual alfresco lunches to fancy dinners, this set comes with everything you need for a complete meal, including four dinner plates, four salad plates, and four bowls. For size reference, the large plates have a 10.5-inch diameter, the smaller plates have an 8.5-inch diameter, and the bowls have a 6.3-inch diameter and are 2.7 inches deep. 

Vancasso Malacasa 12-Piece Dinnerware Set, $54 (was $69) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at Walmart

Designed to keep your surfaces clean, the plates have a slightly curved silhouette to prevent sauces and liquids from spilling over the sides. The dinner plates are ideal for your main course. Whether you’re having steak, creamy pasta, or a juicy burger, they offer plenty of space for your food without feeling cramped. You can use the smaller plates for appetizers like salads and calamari, or for desserts like cake and pies. The bowls are a great size for soup, cereal, and ice cream, but you can also use them as a vessel for your snacks during movie nights. 

Made of stoneware, this dinnerware set is lead-free, giving you peace of mind. Shoppers commented that the dishes have a nice weight to them, making them feel expensive. These pieces are microwave- and oven-safe, allowing you to easily heat up food. Because of their non-porous and heat-resistant properties, these dishes are dishwasher-safe. Reviewers noted that they wash well in the dishwasher and don’t scratch. 

While these dishes deserve to be displayed, you can easily store them away if need be. The bowls and plates have a stackable design, minimizing the space they take up in your cabinets. 

Shop More Deals 

• Better Homes & Gardens Ceramic Lemon Candle, $8 (was $10) at Walmart
• Lovecasa 16-Piece Botanical Dinnerware Set, $60 (was $94) at Walmart
• Unbranded Olive Ceramic Plant Pot, From $32 (was $37) at Walmart

Related: Pyrex Has Been the ‘Gold Standard’ of Glass Bakeware Since 1915, and You Can Snag a 2-Piece Set for Just $12

Whether you want to make your dining table feel a bit more put together or just want to bring some practical Mediterranean-inspired charm into your home, don’t hesitate to snag the Vancasso Malacasa 12-Piece Dinnerware Set at Walmart while it’s still on sale for just $54!

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Country music may be synonymous with the American South, but new search data suggests that reputation doesn’t quite match what Americans are actually looking for online.

A new study from SeatPick analyzed Google search interest across 18 music genres in every U.S. state and found that country music (despite being America’s most-searched genre by a huge margin) comes out on top in just four states: West Virginia, Tennessee, North Dakota and South Dakota.

And Texas? Country doesn’t even make the state’s top three.

Country music doesn’t even crack the top three most-searched genres in Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma or Louisiana.

Instead, pop is the No. 1 genre in Texas, as well as in 12 other states. Pop tops more states than any other genre, with Taylor Swift ranking as its most-searched artist nationally.

Country music’s strongest showing comes in West Virginia, which recorded the highest search interest for the genre, followed by Tennessee, North Dakota and South Dakota.

But country isn’t the only genre defying expectations. Metal ranks No. 1 in 11 states, including Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, Idaho, New Mexico, Maine, New Hampshire, Kansas, Ohio, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

Montana is particularly surprising. Metal’s search interest there beats country music by 13 points.

The study also found that several states are most interested in genres with deep roots in their own musical histories. Kentucky leads the country in bluegrass searches, Louisiana tops jazz, Mississippi leads in gospel, Missouri leads in blues, Georgia leads in R&B and Maryland leads in hip hop.

Meanwhile, Hawaii is the top state for reggae searches, while Nevada leads in EDM.

Country music still dominates the nation in overall search volume, with more than 500,000 monthly U.S. searches and Morgan Wallen as its most-searched artist. But the state-by-state results suggest that America’s musical map may look very different from what many people expect.

RELATED: Bryan Adams Brings Pat Benatar Onstage for Surprise Stevie Wonder Cover

Let’s hear it for the lazy Susan: the humble household hero that has been quietly saving us from cabinet chaos and awkward reaching for generations. Sure, at its most basic, it’s a turntable. But calling a lazy Susan just a turntable is like calling a cake stand just a plate with a little confidence. A good lazy Susan is equal parts convenience and style, putting everything you need within easy spinning distance.

Tucked into a pantry, it can keep oils, spices and sauces from disappearing into the dark abyss behind the cereal boxes. (Why does this always happen in my house?) On a kitchen counter, it corrals everyday essentials while making them look properly arranged rather than randomly abandoned. And on a dining or coffee table, it can become a decorative moment all its own, displaying candles, vases or a carefully curated collection of things that make you look far more organized than you may actually be.

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Acacia Wood Scalloped Lazy Susan, $49.99 at World Market

World Market

That’s the beauty of the lazy Susan: It works hard, looks good and asks very little in return. And when it comes with a pretty scalloped edge and charming wood finish, as this lovely World Market Acacia Wood version does, well, suddenly getting organized feels cute.

It measures 16 inches in diameter and 1.75 inches high, offering plenty of room for things like condiments and sauces on a dining room table to snacks on a kitchen counter, all while bringing a little warmth to the space.

Related: Sam’s Club’s Stunning Pre-Lit Topiary Brings Vibrant Color and a Cozy Glow to Your Porch

Naturally, it does the thing a lazy Susan does best—that full 360-degree rotation which puts whatever you need at arm’s length, no cabinet excavation required. When it needs a little cleanup, just give it a quick wipe—no elaborate maintenance routine is necessary.

A pretty wood version like this one can actually pull its weight all over the house without looking like an organizational tool. On a bathroom counter, it holds skincare and perfumes, while on a vanity, it keeps jewelry and hair accessories from wandering off. Even an entryway could benefit from one as a landing spot for keys, sunglasses and all those little things that somehow end up scattered everywhere.

Related: This Pretty 4-Piece Porcelain Chinoiserie Bowl Set at IKEA Is Versatile, Beautiful and Durable

Days of Our Lives star Annalynne McCord received backlash after news broke that she was “crowdfunding” her wedding to former rugby star Danny Cipriani. According to the bride, the couple even received death threats.

“People actually donated ten dollars towards the wedding so they could write on the site that Danny and I were disgusting,” McCord, 39, told The Sun on Sunday, on Saturday, August 22. “There were even death threats.”

McCord — who is scheduled to wed her British beau on Saturday in Los Angeles — launched a HoneyFund on her wedding website in which guests could contribute to their nuptials.

“Gift any amount, contribute to our journey! Help us create our dream wedding and honeymoon experience with any amount of donation,” the website reads.

Options for guests to contribute towards their marriage license, reception music, photography, catering, and wedding cake were among the items listed with specific dollar amounts.

Ahead of their nuptials, however, the 90210 alum claimed, “Everyone was asking what they could give us. I was like, I have five blenders. I have everything for my home. I’m getting married at 39. I don’t need another item. I am very blessed.”

She added that it wasn’t until a costar asked about the registry that she realized it was “an open link.”

The couple rekindled their romance in 2024 after splitting four years prior.

“On Christmas Day there were rose petals everywhere and Danny got on his knee in front of the tree. We started planning the wedding quickly after that,” she told The Sun of their engagement.

Following their Los Angeles nuptials, the pair have plans to tie the knot a second time in London, and a third in Cambodia.

Bette Midler expressed her disdain for an AI-generated song currently making waves in the industry. While the four-time Grammy Award winner largely received support from artists with similar feelings, one star pushed back.

“This song, currently on the charts, is AI generated,” Midler, 80, shared via Instagram on Friday, August 21, referring to IngaRose’s “Celebrate Me.”

She continued, “It’s a good song, created and sung by a machine that stole every lick, every riff, every thought, phrasing style, every choke in the voice, every sorrowful sound from thousands of human artists since the beginning of recorded music, with zero compensation for the artists on whom they trained the machine.”

According to Midler, “This is [cultural genocide].”

According to IngaRose’s official Instagram page — which boasts more than 400,000 followers — her songs are all “human-written” but generated using the AI platform Suno.

Pop artist Natasha Bedingfield claimed the song, which is gaining popularity on iTunes, “sounds like a lot of [Olivia Dean’s] voice.”

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“They could be curing diseases and instead we get this,” another artist wrote.

Grammy nominee and Fast and Furious star Tyrese Gibson, however, had other thoughts.

“Ai isn’t going anywhere….” he commented under Midler’s post. “Complain complain and it just makes it more popular…. This song is actually a great song. I know it’s Ai so many are so many depressed, divorced, and discouraged 🫤 this song has inspired even ME!!!!!!”

He continued, “The last song that inspired me from a real artist that was ON MESSAGE was AUDRA DAY!!! What HUMAN writer and SINGER IS gonna write a song that’s better than this?? Don’t complain…. Just step your shhhhhhhh up…. The world needs HOPE…..”

In 1971, John Prine turned memories of his family’s Kentucky roots into a song that would follow him for the rest of his career.

“Paradise” appeared on Prine’s acclaimed self-titled debut album, pairing an affectionate portrait of childhood visits to Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, with a much darker story about what coal mining had done to the landscape. Over the decades, the song became a country and folk standard, eventually earning a memorable interpretation from Johnny Cash.

“I wrote it for my father mainly so he would know I was a songwriter,” Prine told Performing Songwriter. “When I recorded the song, I brought a tape of the record home to my dad; I had to borrow a reel-to-reel machine to play it for him. When the song came on, he went into the next room and sat in the dark while it was on. I asked him why, and he said he wanted to pretend it was on the jukebox.”

For Prine, the inspiration was deeply personal.

His parents were from western Kentucky, and as a child, Prine traveled from the family’s home in Illinois to visit relatives there. “Paradise” looks back on those trips through images of the Green River and the town of Paradise before confronting the environmental destruction caused by the Peabody Coal Company and strip mining.

“The few times I’ve had access to a boat in the latter years and been able to go down the river, it surprisingly looks a lot like it did when I was a kid,” Prine told Nashville Scene in 2017. “Because when you’re on the river, everything’s grown up, the grass and the bushes, and you can’t see all the damage that’s been done. Except when you go right by where the town sat. You know, of course, the coal chutes and everything are on the river where they loaded the barges up.”

That combination of beauty and destruction gave the song unusual staying power.

Rather than simply romanticizing the past, Prine placed nostalgia alongside loss. The refrain’s longing to return to Muhlenberg County becomes more poignant as the song reveals that the Paradise of his childhood memories had been irrevocably changed.

“Paradise” soon traveled well beyond Prine’s own catalog.

Artists including John Denver, The Everly Brothers and Lynn Anderson recorded the song, helping establish it as a modern country standard. Johnny Cash later included his version on the 2002 album American IV: The Man Comes Around, bringing Prine’s story to another generation through the weathered voice of one of country music’s most revered performers. For Prine, who idolized Cash, the cover was nothing short of an honor.

“When I turned 40, I invited Johnny Cash to my party, even though I knew there was gonna be 200 people, roasting a pig and wild as can be,” Prine told Rolling Stone. “He didn’t come, but the next day, I got a bowl of chili he’d made and a note that said, ‘John, I’d love to come to your party, but that would mean I would have to leave my house.’ I still have it somewhere, probably pressed inside a Bible or something.”

“Paradise” also took on special significance in Kentucky. In 2020, following Prine’s death, members of his family honored his wishes by scattering some of his ashes in the Green River near the former site of Paradise, a poignant connection between the songwriter and the place he had immortalized decades earlier.

Fifty-five years after “Paradise” first appeared, its portrait of home, memory and irreversible change remains strikingly relevant. What began with John Prine looking back at childhood trips to Kentucky became a song embraced by generations of performers, including Johnny Cash and one of the defining compositions of Prine’s extraordinary career.

Related: 1978 Pop Song, Written by Barry Gibb, Became a Career-Defining No. 1 Hit

It wasn’t an automatic yes for David Boreanaz when he was asked about taking on the role of private investigator Jim Rockford in the NBC update of the hit series The Rockford Files, scheduled to premiere in early 2027.

Rather the Bones and SEAL Team alum had a couple of conditions, one of which was to get the approval of James Garner’s daughter, Gigi Garner. It was Garner who originated the role of the ex-con falsely accused of the crime for which he went to prison, on the critically acclaimed series, which aired on NBC from Sept. 13, 1974, to Jan. 10, 1980.

As luck would have it, about 15 years ago, Boreanaz purchased a bit of Garner memorabilia and, surprisingly, the email he had for Gigi from that time still worked. She replied and they set up a phone call.

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“I called her up and I said, ‘You know that NBC is bringing back The Rockford Files? She said, ‘Yeah, I don’t know who’s going to play my father.’ And I said, ‘Well, they offered me the role.’ And the first thing I said to her is, ‘I need your blessing, but first and foremost I’m not going to play what your father did. What your father did is iconic and he’s already climbed that mountaintop. I inspire to do the same with this character, but I’m not imitating him. I’m not going out, looking at episodes.’”

It turns out that Boreanaz was more into The Six Million Dollar Man and Charlie’s Angels than Rockford, so while he found James Garner inspiring, he didn’t watch the series. Needless to say, Gigi gave him her blessing.

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Then there’s another twist to the story. There’s the added fact that Boreanaz’s mother had once told him that he needed to follow in Garner’s footsteps.

“When I started Bones, my mother said, ‘David, you need to play something of Jim Garner. You have to. You look just like him. You resemble him. Somehow, you have to do something.’ So, within those 15, I don’t know, 20 years, of doing Bones and then doing a military show for seven years, which I call it the boot camp to get to this show, my mother’s spirit obviously brought that to light somehow. So, I thank my mom a little bit for that energy.”

The second thing that Boreanaz had hoped for and which came to pass when The Rockford Files was awarded a tax credit by the state of California was to film in Los Angeles, which is a huge character in the series, and one that they plan to take advantage of.

“I don’t think you can shoot The Rockford Files anywhere else,” he says. “We would have tried. It probably would have been in Australia. I don’t know. I don’t know where.”

The official storyline for The Rockford Files reads: “Newly paroled after doing time for a crime he didn’t commit, James Rockford returns to his life as a private investigator using his charm and wit to solve cases around Los Angeles. It doesn’t take long for his quest for legitimacy to land him squarely in the crosshairs of both local police and organized crime.”

“For me, it’s really tapping into the vulnerability of this character,” Boreanaz says of playing the character. “That’s a big goal of mine for me for him, is to wear that mask of vulnerability.”

As for Rockford’s other qualities, Boreanaz says, “He’s confident. He’s savvy. He’s fun to watch. He’s interesting. Sure, he can be a little curmudgeon at times, but he gets the job done — not necessarily with his fists, but he walks with his fists in mind. So, there’s a lot of ways that he can get information and get things done using his fists some other way, with his mind or whatnot.”

The Rockford Files, also starring Michaela McManus and Jacki Weaver, will join the NBC 2026-2027 schedule in midseason.

Next, NBC Announces Fall 2026-2027 Schedule, Including The Rockford Files Reboot and Civilian Traitors

If you’re expecting in the coming months, then you’re probably thinking about both first names and middle names for your newborn. Perhaps you’ve been browsing the naming websites and books to see what’s trending or what sticks out to you. That said, you might be stuck in a rut of not wanting to choose a baby name, including (and maybe especially) a middle name, that is either dated or overused. 

“Middle names are a really special part of a child’s name because they’re often where families can add meaning, honor loved ones or choose something a little more unexpected,” says Nikki Terrell, baby name consultant and founder of Names By Rose. “The best name combinations aren’t always the trendiest ones—they’re the ones that feel right for the family choosing them.”

But if you don’t have a family connection to work with or a middle moniker in mind, where do you even start? It’s kind of a personal journey, but what you can start with is what middle names to stop using based on trends or how overused they are.

With that in mind, Parade spoke with two professional baby name consultants about the two middle names you’ll want to steer clear of if you can help it. Spoiler alert: a flower moniker is indeed on this list. Plus, some good rules to remember when choosing a second name for your baby, including how to make it flow.

Related: 9 Baby Names Nobody Was Using 5 Years Ago—but They’re About To Be Everywhere

The Middle Name Dilemma: What Are the 2 Names Consultants Want You To Skip?

When it comes to middle names that parents should stop using, our baby name experts have two: Mae and Rose.

Now, there’s no denying that they are absolutely beautiful; however, they have become the “Marie” and “Lynn” of the 2020s. In other words, they’ve become filler names that have lost their spark.

The Rise of ‘Mae’ for Girls: Why It’s Time To Retire the Trend

If you’re thinking about “Mae” for your baby’s middle name, then you might want to reconsider.

“Mae has such a sweet vintage charm, and I completely understand why parents love it,” says Terrell. “At the same time, it has become one of those easy-to-pair middle names that shows up very often. I’d love to see parents look beyond the most familiar choices and find names that feel uniquely theirs.”

Related: 125 Weird Baby Names for Parents Who Think Outside the Box

Breaking Free from ‘Filler’ Names: How To Move Past ‘Rose’

There’s no denying that “Rose” is a beautiful, timeless name, but it’s become almost like the default middle name for girls.

“It’s so common that it often feels like a placeholder rather than a meaningful choice,” says Greer Lane, a baby name consultant. 

The Art of the Perfect Flow: 3 Rules for Pairing First and Middle Names

If you’re thinking about middle names for your baby, then there is a bit of a soft science behind it in terms of flow, according to our experts. Here are three rules for pairing first and middle names that they recommend. 

• The syllable bounce: Pay attention to syllables and how the names sound together. “A first and middle name often flow best when they have different rhythms rather than matching too closely,” explains Terrell. “For example, a two-syllable first name often pairs beautifully with a one- or three-syllable middle name, and the variation creates a natural ‘bounce’ when you say the full name aloud.” 

• Mix the style: Lane suggests trying to combine names from different styles. “A vintage first name with a modern middle (or vice versa) creates a combination that feels unique without being overdone,” she explains.

• Say the name aloud: “A name can look beautiful written down but sound completely different when spoken. Saying it aloud helps you catch awkward transitions or sounds that run together like Elise Elaine or Parker Patrick,” says Terrell.

Related: 75 Most Popular Baby Names in France Right Now

15 Sophisticated, Expert-Approved Middle Names To Use Instead

If you’re looking for other middle names to consider for your baby, here’s a list of 15 that our baby name consultants love.

Middle Name

Vibe/Style

Why Consultants Love It

Claire

Refined

Simple, elegant and timeless

Catherine

Sophisticated

Classic, regal and full of history

Sky

Free-spirited

Light, fresh and unexpected

Summer

Romantic

Warm, cheerful and full of personality

Pearl

Delicate

Vintage and distinctive with a soft elegance

Selene

Mystical

Celestial, elegant and a little unexpected

Blair

Chic

Polished, preppy and modern

Maeve

Irish

Strong while still feminine

Dove

Ethereal

Soft, peaceful and distinctive

Lux

Sleek

Bold, modern and memorable

Lane

Minimalist

Sleek, understated and versatile

August

Literary

Warm and quietly sophisticated

Troy

Stately

Strong and timeless with a vintage charm

Duke

Distinguished

Bold and has a polished Southern feel

Bea

Charming

Sweet, simple and full of character

Up Next:

Related: 75 Most Popular Baby Names in the Midwest Right Now

Sources:

• Nikki Terrell is a baby name consultant and founder of Names By Rose.
• Greer Lane is a baby name consultant.

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Over the last several decades, IKEA has built a very convincing case for affordable furniture that looks more expensive than it has any right to be. With that said, the Swedish retailer’s recent tableware offerings might be some of its most impressive work yet (like a set of high-gloss stoneware bowls that scream fall). It has been busting out both gorgeous solid pieces and intricate printed patterns with a decidedly old-world feel. You know the look—the kind that makes you wonder if you should be browsing a fancy china shop instead of making a beeline for the Swedish home goods giant.

And that’s part of the fun. Chinoiserie has long been associated with beautifully decorated ceramics and elaborate motifs. IKEA just introduced a set of bowls that bring a little of that decorative drama to the table without requiring you to inherit a sprawling estate—or spend a small fortune at an antiques shop.

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ENTUSIASM Bowls, Set of 4, $19.99 at IKEA

IKEA

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The IKEA ENTUSIASM Bowls may look like they belong in a much fancier china cabinet, but they’re perfectly happy handling the everyday stuff. Made from durable feldspar porcelain, the four-pack features a petite 4 ½-inch diameter and a 10-ounce capacity, making it just the right size for everything from a scoop of ice cream to a handful of berries or whatever snack is calling your name.

Asking yourself what the heck feldspar is? It’s just a mineral that helps give the material its characteristic strength, hardness and smooth, glass-like finish.

Related: Sam’s Club’s Stunning Pre-Lit Topiary Brings Vibrant Color and a Cozy Glow to Your Porch

While their decorative look may inspire you to treat them like precious heirlooms, there’s no need to baby these bowls: They’re both microwave-safe and dishwasher-safe. In other words, you get all the charm without the “hand-wash only and definitely don’t breathe near it” drama that comes with actual rare pieces.

What are IKEA shoppers saying about the ENTUSIASM bowl set? They’re all in.

“Cute bowls perfectly sized,” writes one reviewer. “Ice cream, yogurt, nuts, M&Ms … a million uses. But they get pretty hot in the microwave.”

Another customer loves the variety.

“I love the size and the shape of the bowls,” they said. “Each has a different pattern and all of them are gorgeous.”

IKEA also sells mugs and salad plates in this design, so you can build out a larger collection if you wish.

Related: Martha Stewart’s 3-Piece Quilt Set Brings a Calming Sage Green to Your Bedroom

There was a time when ordering a pizza at McDonald’s wasn’t a joke, a strange internet rumor or a piece of fast-food folklore. In parts of the United States, customers could walk into their local Golden Arches and order an actual McPizza—complete with a crisp crust, tomato sauce, melted cheese and classic toppings like pepperoni.

For a generation that grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, it was simply another option on the McDonald’s menu. For everyone else, it has become one of the chain’s most intriguing stories with fans wondering if it really ever existed.

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The McPizza was McDonald’s ambitious attempt to take on the booming pizza business, but it didn’t fit neatly into the company’s famously fast operating model. Unlike a burger or order of fries, pizza required specialized preparation, equipment and considerably more time. The company experimented with different formats and expanded the concept to hundreds of restaurants, but the pizza eventually disappeared from most locations by the end of the 1990s.

And yet, decades later, McPizza refuses to disappear from the public imagination. Ask people who remember it, and you’ll get wildly different reviews. Some recall it as surprisingly good, cheap and satisfying. Others remember it as mediocre at best. But even people who never tasted it seem fascinated by the idea of McDonald’s selling pizza.

On Reddit, fans have described the McPizza as one of their fondest fast-food memories, with several commenters saying they would gladly order one again if McDonald’s brought it back.

So, what happened to McDonald’s pizza, and why are people still talking about it? Here’s the history and lore of the rise and fall of the McPizza.

When Did McDonald’s Sell Pizza? A Brief History

McDonald’s experimentation with pizza dates back to the 1980s, but the concept became much more prominent toward the end of that decade and into the early 1990s. Select restaurants began testing pizzas, and by the early 1990s, the company had expanded testing to hundreds of locations. The goal was obvious—McDonald’s wanted a piece of the enormous pizza market.

The original concept wasn’t necessarily the individual pizza many people remember. McDonald’s initially experimented with larger, family-style pizzas before developing personal-sized versions that were easier to sell in individual portions. The personal pizza became particularly associated with the 1990s.

That ambition made sense on paper. McDonald’s already had an enormous customer base, thousands of restaurants and a recognizable brand. Why shouldn’t someone be able to get a burger, fries or pizza under the same roof?

The problem was that pizza didn’t behave like the rest of the McDonald’s menu.

Making a pizza required considerably more time than preparing the chain’s signature burgers. Sources commonly cite cooking times of roughly 11 minutes for the McPizza, although the exact preparation process varied during the product’s development. That was a major problem for a restaurant whose entire identity was built around speed.

There were logistical headaches too. McDonald’s had to develop specialized ovens and make room for additional equipment. Even the pizza boxes presented problems at some restaurants because of their size and difficulty moving through drive-thru windows. By the late 1990s, McDonald’s was largely moving on from the McPizza.

Related: The Truth Behind the Wendy’s Logo

Why Did McDonald’s Pizza Actually Fail?

The simplest explanation is that McPizza was a bad fit for the McDonald’s operating system.

McDonald’s had spent decades perfecting an assembly-line approach to fast food. Customers expected to place an order and receive it quickly. Pizza disrupted that rhythm. A customer ordering a Big Mac could be served relatively quickly; a customer ordering a pizza could be waiting several minutes longer. That difference mattered.

There was also the issue of kitchen space. A McDonald’s restaurant is designed around a limited number of ingredients, appliances and procedures. Adding pizza meant introducing another production system into an environment optimized for burgers, chicken, fries and breakfast.

The pizza also put McDonald’s in direct competition with established pizza chains. Customers already had Pizza Hut, Domino’s and local pizza restaurants when they wanted a pie. McDonald’s had the brand recognition, but pizza wasn’t what customers traditionally associated with the Golden Arches.

And while nostalgia has made the McPizza sound like an undiscovered masterpiece, contemporary and retrospective opinions have always been mixed.

Reddit provides a particularly entertaining snapshot of that divide. In a Reddit discussion about McPizza, one commenter called it “so good,” while another said it was “surprisingly good.” Another remembered it as better than Pizza Hut’s personal pan pizza. Others were more restrained, describing it as decent but not exceptional and suggesting nostalgia may have improved people’s memories of the taste.

Still, the enthusiasm is hard to miss. One commenter wrote that the McPizza was a fond food memory shared with their grandfather, adding that they returned every week until it was discontinued. Another remembered the distinctive cornmeal on the bottom of the crust. Yet another said they would choose McPizza over other discontinued McDonald’s favorites if given the opportunity.

In other words, McPizza may not have been universally loved, but for the people who loved it, it was really loved.

Related: McDonald’s Discontinued These 7 Items in the ’80s, and Fans Are Still Begging for Them

Where Can You Still Get McDonald’s Pizza? View this post on Instagram

For years after McDonald’s pulled pizza from most restaurants, a tiny number of locations kept the tradition alive.

The most famous holdouts were restaurants in Orlando, Florida, Pomeroy, Ohio, and Spencer, West Virginia. Those locations continued serving McPizza long after the product had vanished from the vast majority of McDonald’s restaurants. Fans reportedly traveled significant distances just to try one.

That era eventually ended. The Pomeroy, Ohio, location sold its final McPizza on August 31, 2017. Local reporting at the time described it as the end of an era, noting that the restaurant had been one of the last two McDonald’s locations in the country serving the pizza.

There is, however, a strange footnote to the story. The giant McDonald’s restaurant in Orlando, Florida, commonly known as the world’s largest McDonald’s or “Epic McD,” has been associated with pizza and other specialty menu items. However, the pizza served there is not necessarily identical to the classic McPizza that fans remember from the 1980s and 1990s. Redditors who have tried the Orlando version have specifically noted that it isn’t quite the same as the old pizza.

So, if you’re hoping to recreate your exact childhood McPizza experience, there is no guarantee that a trip to Orlando will deliver it.

Related: 7 Forgotten Kitchen Trends From the 1980s That Are Secretly Making a Massive Comeback

Other Discontinued ’90s McDonald’s Menu Items Fans Want Back

McPizza wasn’t the only strange and ambitious menu experiment McDonald’s tried during the 1990s. The decade was packed with products that have since become nostalgia bait.

McDLT View this post on Instagram

The McDLT was technically introduced before the 1990s, but it remained a memorable part of the era’s McDonald’s mythology. Its gimmick was its packaging—the hot hamburger patty was separated from the lettuce and tomato so customers could put the burger together themselves. The slogan promised to keep the “hot side hot” and the “cool side cool.” It was discontinued as McDonald’s moved away from the polystyrene packaging it used.

McLean Deluxe View this post on Instagram

The McLean Deluxe was McDonald’s answer to the low-fat craze. Introduced in 1991, it was designed as a healthier alternative, using a much leaner beef formulation. It ultimately failed to become a major hit and disappeared in the mid-1990s.

Mighty Wings View this post on Instagram

Mighty Wings arrived in 1990 and brought bone-in, spicy chicken wings to McDonald’s. Unlike some failed products, the wings developed a cult following and remained around for years, even returning for limited runs. Their cost and operational complications ultimately worked against them though.

Arch Deluxe View this post on Instagram

Then there was the Arch Deluxe, perhaps the most famous McDonald’s flop of the decade. Introduced in 1996, it was marketed as a burger for adults, featuring ingredients such as bacon, lettuce, tomato and a mustard and mayonnaise-style sauce.

McDonald’s reportedly invested hundreds of millions of dollars into research and promotion, making the product one of the company’s most expensive failures. It eventually disappeared completely.

Reddit nostalgia threads show that the Arch Deluxe, Mighty Wings, McDLT and other discontinued items still generate plenty of affection today. In one Reddit discussion about forgotten 1990s McDonald’s food, commenters specifically called out Mighty Wings, Chicken Fajitas and the Arch Deluxe, while another person simply declared that “Pizza was never forgotten.”

Why Fans Still Want McPizza Back View this post on Instagram

The McPizza story is more interesting than simply “McDonald’s tried pizza and it failed.” It is really a story about how fast food changed.

In the 1990s, McDonald’s was willing to experiment with its menu on a massive scale. The company tried pizzas, adult-oriented burgers, wings, healthier burgers and other products that stretched far beyond its traditional formula.

Some succeeded. Many didn’t. But McPizza occupies a special place because it feels almost impossible today. McDonald’s is now so strongly associated with burgers, fries, nuggets, breakfast sandwiches and a relatively streamlined menu that the idea of walking into a restaurant and ordering a full pizza seems almost surreal. That’s probably why the Reddit nostalgia never quite goes away when it comes to the McPizza.

In the McPizza discussion, one fan said they would “actually go for a McPizza again” if it returned. Another simply wrote, “I miss it.” Someone else called it one of the best items they’d ever had from McDonald’s.

Even people who admit the pizza wasn’t objectively great seem to understand the appeal. It was inexpensive, familiar and connected to a very specific period of childhood and adolescence. And perhaps that’s the real secret behind the McPizza’s longevity.

The pizza didn’t survive because it was McDonald’s greatest menu item. It survived in people’s memories because it was unusual, fleeting and personal. For some customers, it was the pizza they ate with their grandparents. For others, it was a road trip stop or a favorite after-school meal.

McDonald’s may have abandoned pizza decades ago, but its former customers clearly haven’t. As long as people keep remembering that strange pie from the 1990s—and asking, “Why did they ever get rid of it?”—McDonald’s most unlikely menu experiment will remain one of fast food’s most enduring pieces of nostalgia.

Related: McDonald’s Discontinued These 7 Items in the ’80s, and Fans Are Still Begging for Them

In August 1976, ABBA unleashed a song that would become not only one of the Swedish group’s biggest hits of all time, but one of the most joyful hits in pop history. “Dancing Queen,” a shimmering Europop disco classic that helped define an era, is celebrating 50 years, and somehow, it still sounds every bit as exhilarating as it did when it first hit the airwaves.

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Though the song is forever linked to August 1976, the world actually got its first taste of “Dancing Queen” two months earlier, when ABBA performed it at a televised gala honoring Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and his bride-to-be, Silvia Sommerlath, on the eve of their wedding.

View this post on Instagram

“When Sweden threw a televised all-star gala at the Royal Swedish Opera on the eve of the wedding, the guest list wrote itself,” the Scandinavia Standard wrote. “ABBA—two years past their Eurovision win with ‘Waterloo’ and by then Sweden’s most famous export—were invited as the night’s only pop act, surrounded by opera singers and orchestras.”

The song—with its driving, syncopated rhythm inspired by George McCrae’s 1974 song “Rock Your Baby” and lush, operatic vocal harmonies, sweeping strings, and triumphant grand piano—wasn’t actually written for the future Queen of Sweden, though. It was written a year earlier and held for release on the band’s fourth studio album, Arrival.

According to Songfacts, ABBA finally released the song as a single in August of that year, and it began climbing the charts, making its debut on Billboard‘s Hot 100 in December then peaking in April 1977 at No. 1. The song spent one week at the top, but enjoyed a 22-week chart run and became the only one of ABBA’s 14 Top 40 hits to make it to the pinnacle spot.

The U.S. wasn’t the only country that was a massive fan of “Dancing Queen.” In England, the late Queen Elizabeth II reportedly once joked that she always tried to dance when she heard the song, with former royal aide Angela Kelly confirming the queen’s fandom with People. Plus, the song hit No. 1 in Australia, Belgium, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, its native Sweden, and so many other countries.

“I knew it was absolutely the best song ABBA had ever done,” ABBA’s Benny Andersson told The Guardian in 2014.

Andersson’s love for the song is echoed across music history, with artists from all ages, genres, and backgrounds making the disco tune their own. Chris Stein of Blondie, per Songfacts, confessed that his band’s 1979 hit “Dreaming” owes its existence to “Dancing Queen,” while Carol Douglas just missed the Hot 100 in 1977 with her infectious cover.

Further covers include the A*Teens’ 2000 version and the 2011 iteration performed by the cast of Glee. But one of the most memorable covers ever comes courtesy of legendary Irish rock band U2, who covered it during their Zoo TV Tour in 1992.

The Joshua Tree rockers were joined onstage by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson in Stockholm for an impromptu performance of the song.

“ABBA have a purer joy to their music,” U2 frontman Bono said in the documentary ABBA: The Winner Takes It All, “and that’s what makes them extraordinary.”

Today, ABBA and all four of its members—Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad—continue to keep their music alive. And 50 years later, “Dancing Queen” remains exactly what it was always meant to be: a song that makes you want to get up and dance.

Related: ‘1984’ Rock Hit, Revived 20-Plus Times by Its Own Band, Marked the End of an Era

In the summer of 1978, one of pop music’s most recognizable voices returned to the top of the charts with a song written by another music legend.

Frankie Valli scored the biggest solo hit of his career with Grease, the infectious title track to the blockbuster film Grease. Penned by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the defining hits of 1978.

The collaboration brought together two of the decade’s biggest musical forces. At the height of the Bee Gees’ extraordinary run following Saturday Night Fever, producer Robert Stigwood asked Gibb to write a theme song for Grease.

“How in heaven’s name do you write a song called Grease?'” Valli said in an interview with The New York Times. “I remember walking around on the dock, and it suddenly occurred to me that it’s a word, and you’ve just got to write about the word.”

Although the film was set in the 1950s, Gibb chose a contemporary disco-pop sound rather than trying to recreate the era, giving the movie a modern anthem that stood apart from the rest of its retro-inspired soundtrack.

Gibb’s bold move paid off.

Released ahead of the film, “Grease” spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became an international hit, helping build anticipation for what would become one of the highest-grossing movie musicals of all time.

“Barry Gibb called and said, ‘I wrote a song. I think it’s for you. It’s going to be the title song for this motion picture,” Valli told Billboard. “My manager at the time was Allan Carr, who was partners in Grease with Robert Stigwood. He called and said, ‘What do you want to do? Do you want to be in the movie? Or sing the title song?’ Well, I had already heard the title song, and I loved it. I called [famed arranger] Don Costa up and told him to come over right away and hear this song. He said, ‘If you don’t record this song, you’re crazy.'”

For Valli, the song marked a remarkable career resurgence.

Already famous as the unmistakable falsetto voice of The Four Seasons, he had enjoyed a successful solo career throughout the 1970s. But “Grease” became his biggest solo achievement, giving him his first, and ultimately only, No. 1 hit as a solo artist. It also proved to be the final chart-topper of his storied career.

Its success highlighted Barry Gibb’s extraordinary songwriting streak during the late 1970s. In addition to writing hits for the Bee Gees, he penned chart-toppers for artists including Yvonne Elliman, Samantha Sang, and later collaborated with Barbra Streisand, cementing his reputation as one of pop music’s premier songwriters.

More than 45 years later, “Grease” remains inseparable from the beloved film and continues to introduce new generations to Valli’s soaring vocals. For a singer whose career had already produced countless classics, it became one final chart-topping triumph and a career-defining No. 1 hit that still resonates with audiences today.

Related: 1972 Soft Rock Song, Produced by Brian Wilson, Became a Collector’s Item Despite Never Reaching No. 1

When Michelle Kwan stepped onto the ice, fans could expect elegance, grace, beauty and a refined artistry that made her stand out. One of her most memorable routines was her 2001 “East of Eden” performance, which leaned into a side of performance she particularly loved: drama.

The Olympic legend is looking back on the magical performance, writing on social media:

“Reflecting on my 15-year-old self, skating to the enchanting ‘East of Eden’. Everything about the program felt ethereal especially having a replica of World Champion Linda Fratianne’s costume flowing as I glided across the ice. The magic of that moment still lingers to this day.”

@michellekwann

Reflecting on my 15-year-old self, skating to the enchanting ‘East of Eden’. Everything about the program felt ethereal especially having a replica of World Champion Linda Fratianne’s costume flowing as I glided across the ice. The magic of that moment still lingers to this day ✨#fyp #michellekwan #figureskating

♬ original sound – 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗸𝘄𝗮𝗻

Kwan had previously used “East of Eden,” composed by Lee Holdridge for the 1981 film, in exhibitions in 1996 before bringing it back for her competitive short program. Choreographed by Lori Nichol, the routine allowed Kwan to embody a character on the ice and immerse herself in the music rather than simply skate from one element to the next.

Michelle Kwan’s “East of Eden” Performance

When she took the ice at the 2001 U.S. Championships, Kwan wore a replica of one of Linda Fratianne’s famously dramatic costumes, which helped cement the character and tied the entire performance together. The look helped. Michelle Kwan received seven perfect 6.0 marks for presentation and finished the program with a standing ovation.

For Michelle Kwan, like Linda Fratianne, a costume wasn’t just something beautiful to wear on the ice. The costume helped create the atmosphere of the performance she wanted to deliver. The connection is perfectly fitting. Linda Fratianne had been one of the first skaters to establish the idea that women’s skating costumes could be an important part of the performance—not just something functional.

Related: Olympic Skating Legend, 62, Who Created Magic at the 1988 Winter Games, Can Still Make the Ice Sing

Linda Fratianne’s Dramatic Skating Costumes

Through her elaborate costumes, Linda Fratianne brought glamour to the ice, featuring designs using beads, sequins, feathers and chiffon. Linda Fratianne became a fashion legend on the ice, influencing generations of skating costumes for generations.

Michelle Kwan wasn’t just seeking inspiration from the past. She was drawing on the visual language of a skater who had helped change what female figure skating could look like.

Linda Fratianne won the World Championship in 1977 and again in 1979 and captured four consecutive U.S. titles from 1977 through 1980. At the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, she won the silver medal behind East Germany’s Anett Pötzsch.

Linda Fratianne’s Lasting Impact on Figure Skating View this post on Instagram

A fashion and skating influence, Linda Fratianne’s legacy continues through the generations of skating performances she inspired. Her influence can still be seen in the way skaters use costumes to enhance their characters and bring their programs to life.

For Kwan, wearing a replica of Fratianne’s costume for “East of Eden” created a connection between two generations of skating champions. Decades later, the magic of that performance still lingers for Kwan—and the influence of the skater who inspired her remains part of its story.

Related: Olympic Skating Legends, Who Defined Figure Skating’s Golden Age, Made the Ice Sound Like Tap Dancing

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Before it became one of the most successful sci-fi trilogies ever made, Back to the Future almost never made it to theaters at all. Writers Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale conceived the time-travel story in 1980, but their script was turned down 44 times over the next several years. Columbia dismissed it as “too sweet,” Universal initially argued time-travel movies didn’t make money, and Disney passed as well, reportedly uneasy with the plot point of Marty McFly’s mother falling for her own son back in 1955.

The tide turned once Zemeckis scored a hit with 1984’s Romancing the Stone. That success finally got Universal on board, with Steven Spielberg signing on as producer through his Amblin Entertainment banner. Even then, the production wasn’t smooth. Eric Stoltz was originally cast as Marty McFly, and the crew shot five weeks of footage with him before Zemeckis decided the tone wasn’t working and pushed to recast Michael J. Fox, an expensive last-minute swap that meant reshooting much of the film.

The gamble paid off. Back to the Future opened on a $19 million budget in July 1985 and held the No. 1 spot at the box office for 11 of its first 12 weeks. It finished its run with $215.6 million domestically and $173.2 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $388.8 million. Two sequels followed in quick succession, Back to the Future Part II in 1989 and Part III in 1990, earning $332 million and $245 million worldwide, respectively. Bob Gale later admitted a follow-up was never part of the original plan, telling The Hundreds in 2015, “We had no idea that there was ever going to be a sequel.”

Four decades after nearly two dozen studios said no, it remains one of Hollywood’s most enduring what-ifs and is still growing with its own unofficial holiday, Back to the Future Day, every October 21.

In 1969, Neil Diamond released a song that would eventually become so much bigger than he ever imagined.

More than half a century later, “Sweet Caroline” is arguably Diamond’s most universally recognizable song, heard everywhere from his own concerts to sporting events and celebrations around the world. But according to the singer-songwriter, there came a point when he realized the song didn’t really belong to him anymore.

In a new interview with Billboard, Diamond reflected on the remarkable second life of “Sweet Caroline” and what the song has come to mean to the millions of people who sing along with it.

For Diamond, its transformation is about “happiness, unity, joy and togetherness.”

And witnessing that transformation ultimately changed the way he thought about one of his own creations.

“It no longer was my song,” Diamond said. “It belonged to the world.”

Neil Diamond Says ‘Sweet Caroline’ ‘Came Through Me and Not From Me’

Diamond’s relationship with “Sweet Caroline” is especially fascinating because he doesn’t entirely take credit for creating it.

He described the song as something that “came through me and not from me,” suggesting that even at the beginning, there was something about “Sweet Caroline” that felt bigger than its songwriter.

The song was released in 1969 and became one of Diamond’s early breakthrough hits, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Yet its original chart performance only tells a fraction of its story.

Related: 1971 Hit, Which Took Neil Diamond 4 Months to Write, Remains His Favorite Song 55 Years Later

Over the ensuing decades, “Sweet Caroline” became a communal singalong, with the audience-supplied “so good, so good, so good” refrain becoming so closely associated with the song that Diamond himself eventually incorporated it into performances.

Its reach has extended especially far into sports. The Boston Red Sox famously made “Sweet Caroline” a Fenway Park tradition, while the song has also been embraced by English soccer fans and heard at countless other sporting events.

That communal life is what appears to fascinate Diamond now. A song written and recorded by one man has become something thousands of strangers can sing together, often with little connection to the circumstances in which it was originally created.

‘Sweet Caroline’ Has Followed Neil Diamond for More Than 50 Years

The song’s longevity is even more remarkable considering the enormous catalog Diamond built around it.

He went on to score major hits including “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “Song Sung Blue,” “I Am… I Said,” “Love on the Rocks” and “America,” selling more than 130 million records worldwide and earning induction into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

But “Sweet Caroline” developed a cultural identity all its own.

Diamond has watched generations who weren’t alive when the single was released learn its words, its pauses and even the extra chants that weren’t part of his original recording.

And that helps explain why, when Diamond talks about the song today, he doesn’t simply describe it as one of his biggest hits.

Instead, he talks about what happened when everyone else got hold of it.

What began as a Neil Diamond song in 1969 became a ritual shared among stadiums full of people, something capable of creating a few minutes of the “happiness, unity, joy and togetherness” Diamond now associates with it.

More than 55 years after its release, perhaps that’s why Diamond’s assessment feels so fitting.

“Sweet Caroline” may have come through Neil Diamond, but somewhere along the way, as he puts it, “it belonged to the world.”

Related: 1972 Album, Called ‘Magic in a Bottle,’ Is Still Neil Diamond’s Favorite 54 Years Later

Few songs stand the test of time, and “Always on My Mind” — written in the early 1970s by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James — is one of them. In 1982, Willie Nelson put his own spin on the classic, which had previously been recorded by artists ranging from Brenda Lee to Elvis Presley. 

Nelson’s version struck a chord with both the pop and country music communities, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles (now Hot Country Songs) chart (where it spent two weeks at the top and 21 weeks total), and peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track swept three trophies at the 1983 Grammy Awards, including Best Male Country Vocal Performance for Nelson, alongside Song of the Year and Best Country Song for its writers.

RELATED: 1990 No. 1 Garth Brooks Hit, Reimagined by a Rising Star, Ranked Among the ‘Greatest Country Songs of All Time’

Now, the beloved song has taken on new life thanks to rising artist Ty Myers, who just released a brand-new version featuring emerging singer-songwriter Carter Faith. 

Out via RECORDS Nashville/Columbia and produced by friend and longtime collaborator Brandon Hood, Myers’ version introduces the classic ballad to an entirely new generation. Designed as a tribute to Nelson, it preserves the remorseful love song’s emotional weight while incorporating a symphonic sweep of strings before stripping back to a delicate backdrop of piano and steel guitar, played by Nashville session legend Bruce Bouton. 

RELATED: 1970 Country Ballad, Written by Kris Kristofferson, Became a Young Singer’s Only No. 1 Hit

Faith enters during the second verse, intertwining her tender vocals with Myers’ to create a beautiful blend of harmonies. Their collaboration of “Always on My Mind” offers listeners a preview of Myers’ upcoming album, the follow-up to Heavy On The Soul. 

The release comes just before Myers takes the stage with Nelson & Family for two performance dates alongside Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts at Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, CT, on Sept. 22, and the TD Pavilion at the Mann in Philadelphia, PA on Sept. 24. Days later, on Sept. 26, the 19-year-old artist — recently named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 Class of 2026 and the Fender Next Class of 2026 — will perform at Farm Aid 2026 in Virginia Beach, VA.

Related: 2004 Country Hit, Reimagined by Ella Langley, Is Still as Iconic as Ever 22 Years Later

Fans who’ve watched Barry Manilow work a stage for six decades know the legendary voice by heart. A voice that still holds up at 83. That’s what made Thursday night at Westgate Las Vegas so jarring. About 40 minutes into his set, the video screens malfunctioned and his in-ear monitors failed, and he had no choice but to head backstage.

The following night, his team confirmed the fallout in an Instagram statement, announcing that Friday and Saturday’s performances at the Westgate residency were being scrapped entirely. “Due to technical and vocal problems, we’re unable to put on our show,” the post read, adding that ticket holders would be automatically refunded.

It’s the second time in a month a Manilow show has come apart without warning. Earlier in August, he abruptly postponed a Lexington, Kentucky, concert at Rupp Arena, an announcement that came with no explanation and left a rescheduled date still unconfirmed.

In December 2025, Manilow revealed that doctors had found a cancerous spot on his left lung, requiring a lobectomy that altered the texture of his voice. He has since been declared cancer-free, and by February he was back onstage. That comeback included a milestone few artists ever reach: his single “Once Before I Go” cracked the Top 10 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart, extending a run that began with “Mandy” in 1974 across six consecutive decades.

Related: Alice Cooper Reveals the “Scary” Reason He Has No Tattoos

That history is likely why fans reacted to Thursday’s malfunction with concern rather than frustration. Broadway star Audra McDonald wrote “Feel better, Barry!” in the comments, joining a wave of well wishes from listeners who’ve tracked his recovery since the surgery. Some questioned whether running a Vegas residency alongside a farewell arena tour, billed as The Last Concerts, is asking too much of a voice that is undoubtedly still adjusting.

Manilow hasn’t addressed the cancellations beyond the initial statement, and no new dates for the missed Vegas shows have been announced. His arena tour is set to resume with stops across the South before the Westgate residency continues into December, a schedule he has described as central to his plans even as recovery keeps dictating the pace.

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For more than a decade, Mike D couldn’t sit down and write a song. The Beastie Boys rapper opened up to The Guardian about the grief that swallowed his creative life after bandmate Adam Yauch died of cancer in 2012, describing how even the act of opening his laptop became painful, saying he’d open a computer file, and he’d just feel sadness.

The loss ended the Beastie Boys for good. The trio, who’d been friends since childhood in New York and rose to fame with 1986’s Licensed to Ill before reinventing themselves on the sample-heavy Paul’s Boutique, disbanded rather than continue without Yauch. Mike D spent the years afterward producing records for other artists, including Soft Play and the Hives, while quietly stepping back from making music of his own.

He told The Guardian the grief tapped into loss he’d never fully processed. Growing up in New York’s club scene in the 1980s, he watched the AIDS crisis take friends and acquaintances, and he was just 15 when his own father died. All of that had stayed buried until Yauch’s death forced it back to the surface, leaving him unable to separate old sorrow from new.

What eventually pulled him out wasn’t a plan to return to music professionally, it was simply playing around at home with his sons, Skyler and Davis, both musicians in their own right as part of the indie duo Very Nice Person. Those informal jam sessions became the foundation for his debut solo album, Thank You, out August 28, which he says let him finally write honestly about aging, mortality, and the people he’s lost along the way.

The album’s themes circle back to that same grief throughout, including reflections on Yauch’s Buddhist faith, which partly inspired the record’s title. For an artist who spent years unable to face a blank file without feeling overwhelmed, finishing an entire album represents its own kind of emotional milestone, one he says finally feels less like carrying a weight and more like a release.

Starbucks is offering customers a free drink add-on through Monday, Aug. 24!

From now through Monday, customers can get mango-pineapple flavored popping pearls at no extra cost in any iced or blended beverage.

The mango-pineapple-flavored popping pearls are a sweet combination of the two fruits with a thin, gel-like outer layer that pops when you bite into it, releasing juice into your mouth.

Here’s everything you need to know about the promotion before it ends.

How to get free mango-pineapple-flavored popping pearls from Starbucks

The offer is available to all customers! Starbucks Rewards members can add the complimentary pearls when ordering ahead through the Starbucks app, while customers ordering in store can ask a barista to apply the offer at checkout.

The promotion is part of Starbucks’ “Summer for the Fans” campaign and applies to all customized iced and blended beverages.

In addition to this offer, the “Summer for the Fans” campaign includes limited-time promotions and merchandise, including a Pink Drink 10th-anniversary Bearista cup collection and the weekend return of the Unicorn Frappuccino.

RELATED: Wendy’s Is Offering $1 Frostys—Here’s How to Claim Yours

More Starbucks news

Starbucks also added the Mango Pearly Frappuccino to its secret menu on Thursday, Aug. 20 which will also be available through Monday!

Customers can order the beverage by asking for:

• A grande Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino
• Vanilla Sweet Cream instead of whole milk
• Three pumps of mango syrup
• Two scoops of Mango-Pineapple Pearls

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Toys are supposed to be fun, but sometimes, they fall a bit short in the safety department. These days, products typically undergo extensive testing before their release to ensure that manufacturers aren’t unleashing dangerous toys into homes across the country. However, safety standards weren’t always so robust in the past.

As part of our Parade Rewind series over the last few months, we’ve been recapping some of the most influential toys of the 20th century, decade by decade. We’ve also explored a few toys from different decades that would be considered too dangerous now. Today, we’re taking a look back at a 1950s outdoor toy that was responsible for thousands of emergency room visits, but stayed on shelves for three decades.

We’re talking about lawn darts, one of the most well-known dangerous toys from the 1950s. Whether you grew up playing with lawn darts (also known as Jarts) or you’ve simply heard stories about lawn darts emergency room visits, the toys are pretty notorious.

If you’ve ever wondered about lawn darts history, you’ve come to the right place. We consulted Christopher Byrne, aka The Toy Guy, to learn more about Jarts lawn darts and the looming question on everyone’s mind: Why were lawn darts banned?

Related: 25 Popular Toys Every Kid Wanted in the 1990s

The Forbidden Yard Game: What Were Lawn Darts or Jarts?

Lawn darts made their debut in the late 1950s. The popular lawn game was sold under several brand names, but none were as famous as Jarts.

The game featured 12-inch-long, heavy metal-tipped spikes that were meant to be thrown into plastic target rings on the grass. The spikes would dig into the earth, so you’d know where they landed.

“Several companies made them in different configurations,” Byrne, a toy analyst, researcher and consultant, tells Parade. “Some were more hefty and heavy (the ones that caused injuries). Others were lighter and more like a sized-up version of traditional darts.”

The sale of lawn darts is currently banned in the United States and Canada, per the CBC. 

The Shocking ER Statistics: Why Lawn Darts Were So Dangerous

What was meant to be a fun outdoor game quickly proved to be quite dangerous.

“Lawn darts were dangerous because, like so many toys, they were used incorrectly. They were not designed to be thrown at people, and kids who got in the way of the flying dart were likely to be injured,” Byrne explains.

In 1988, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported that an estimated 670 lawn dart injuries were treated each year in U.S. hospital emergency rooms.

“Three quarters of the injured are under 15 years old,” the post read.

In 1990, the National Library of Medicine reported that the people injured ranged in age from 1 to 18 years old and were “predominantly male.”

“The most common sites of injury were head (54%), eye (17%), and face (11%). Hospitalization was required for 54% (41/76) of these patients. Sequelae included unilateral blindness and brain damage. The case fatality rate was 4%,” the post read.

Related: The 2 Most Popular Toys of Every Decade from the 1930s On, According to a Collector

The Loophole: How a Lethal Toy Stayed on Shelves for 3 Decades

If lawn darts were so dangerous, why did they remain on store shelves for three decades? It’s a complicated story, to say the least.

“Because they were originally sold as a sporting goods item, they bypassed many of the safety measures that would have applied to toys,” Byrne states.

Per the CPSC, the sale of lawn darts was banned in toy stores and toy departments in 1970. However, they were still sold for adult use in sporting goods stores and departments. In those cases, they had to include the following label on the front of the package: “WARNING: Not a toy for use by children. May cause serious or fatal injury. Read instructions carefully. Keep out of reach of children.”

In 1988, an episode of 60 Minutes reported on the dangerous toys. Reporter Diane Sawyer spoke with the man who was responsible for enforcing regulations on lawn darts: CPSC Chairman Terrence Scanlon. During the interview, Scanlon said “current compliance is good” but noted that it “was not good” a year beforehand.

60 Minutes discovered that a third of retailers violated the compliance rules in 1987 and continued selling lawn darts with toys. The show also reported that the CPSC published a report saying all 14 dart manufacturers violated requirements on the warning labels. While visiting stores, 60 Minutes learned that some store managers and retail workers weren’t even aware of the rules.

Related: 25 Popular Toys Every Kid Wanted in the 1960s

The Crusade of David Snow: The 1988 Unconditional Ban David Snow holds a lawn dart similar to one that killed his 7-year-old daughter Michelle, in 1987 in Riverside, CA.

Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images

A California man named David Snow is known for leading the efforts to ban lawn darts after the tragic death of his 7-year-old daughter, Michelle.

In 1987, a stray lawn dart hit Snow’s daughter in the head while she was playing outside. She died three days later, per The New York Times. From there, he was determined to prevent other fatal injuries.

Snow took several trips to Capitol Hill to urge lawmakers to ban lawn darts for good. It took quite some time, but he was eventually successful. In October 1988, the CPSC voted to ban lawn darts, effective December 1988.

While announcing the ban, the CPSC noted that it had records of three deaths associated with lawn darts since 1970. At the time, the organization said lawn darts were associated with “an estimated 700 hospital emergency room treated injuries each year.”

Per The New York Times, the ban did not include a recall of darts that were previously purchased.

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Is It Illegal To Own or Sell Original Lawn Darts Today?

In 1997, a 7-year-old boy experienced a brain injury after a lawn dart pierced his skull, prompting the CPSC to issue a press release titled, “Following Recent Injury CPSC Reissues Warning: Lawn Darts Are Banned and Should Be Destroyed.”

The press release included the following message: “‘CPSC banned lawn darts in 1988, but some of these dangerous products may still be in garages, basements, or second-hand stores,’ said CPSC Chairman Ann Brown. ‘Parents should destroy these banned lawn darts immediately.'”

With all this in mind, it begs the question: Are vintage lawn darts illegal to sell?

Per the 1988 ban, retailers are no longer allowed to sell original lawn darts today. Naturally, some original lawn darts are bound to exist in some homes across the country. It’s not illegal to own them in this case. However, the CPSC urges people to destroy them.

Original lawn darts are no longer made or sold in the US, but you can find the lawn toy in other forms.

“Today, lawn darts are still made, but they all have weighted plastic tips and very specific directions,” Byrne says.

Some brands even sell glow-in-the-dark varieties.

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Source:

• Christopher Byrne, aka The Toy Guy, is a toy analyst, researcher and consultant.
• Childhood lawn dart injuries. Summary of 75 patients and patient report. (1990) American Journal of Diseases of Children.