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Donna Kelce, the well-known mother of football stars Jason and Travis Kelce, has a special appearance on the “Ultimate Super Bowl Party” episode of The Price Is Right on Wednesday, Feb. 8, and her sons took on the task of introducing the guest to game show fans in a fun video.

In a sneak peek clip shared on Instagram by The Price Is Right ahead of the episode, Travis and Jason took a break from filming their podcast New Heights to say, "We wanted to welcome a very special woman to The Price Is Right."

"That's right," said Jason, picking up where Travis left off. "From Cleveland Heights, Ohio, the first lady of football, America's mom and also our mom, and more importantly, the woman whose dinner rolls belong in the showcase showdown..." 

"Donna Kelce, come on down!" bellowed Travis, before Donna introduced one of the major prizes contestants can win on the NFL-centered The Price Is Right episode.

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"We’ve got a very special guest on Wednesday’s #PriceisRight at Night — and who better to introduce America’s mom @donnakelce than her sons @killatrav and @jason.kelce?" read the video caption.

"I will be watching The Price is Right at Night on Wednesday next week," declared a fan convinced to watch Donna's special appearance on the show.

"Love Mama Kelce 🫶🏼," said another, as a third cheered, "I LOVE this!! Can't wait to watch 💕."

While the Kelce brothers have a lot of fans for both their skills on the football field and their personalities, their mother Donna has plenty of her own fans as well. She is often seen supporting her sons at their football games, while many Swifties have loved seeing her interact with Travis' girlfriend Taylor Swift throughout the 2023 season and playoffs.

Now, fans of the Kelce matriarch have a chance to see her take on the classic long-running game show The Price Is Right on Feb. 7. 

Next: Donna Kelce Explains Why She and Daughter-in-Law Kylie Are "Very Similar"

Hoda Kotb unintentionally stirred up a little drama during this morning's broadcast of Today with Hoda & Jenna as she struggled with one of her contacts. 

The media personality was conducting business as usual when she suddenly expressed a bit of discomfort in her left eye, blaming it on her contact lens. 

"I think I have a contact stuck in my eye," Kotb, 59, shared with co-host Jenna Bush Hager. "It's way up here," she continued while pointing towards her upper eyelid. 

"I don't think I took it out last night and I can't find it," Kotb further explained, as Hager, 42, interjected with concern, asking, "Is this a medical emergency?"

"No, well, it feels like it's in there," Kotb replied. "I'm not kidding, I was going to go to the eye doctor, but I didn't have time." 

Kotb then turned to the camera, asking viewers if they could share any "tricks to get it out." 

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Some wrote back on social media, commiserating with the mother of two and sharing their methods for getting a "lost" contact out, like using saline to flush it out. Luckily, Kotb was eventually able to work the contact out of her eye and thanked viewers for their helpful suggestions, though fans still expressed concern over the situation. 

Related: The One Thing Eye Doctors Say You Should Never, Ever Do

"Go get your eyes checked by your doctor just to be safe," one Instagram user suggested. "This is your eye we are talking about . You want to make sure your [sic] not at risk for infection."

"Hope everything turns out okay and you don’t harm your eye," someone else shared.

A third added, "Lucky you didn’t damage your eye! Glad it worked out."

The concern wasn't just found on Instagram, but across multiple social media platforms.

"Go to the eye doctor now asap before you get a corneal abrasion or something..," one X (formerly Twitter) wrote, before following up with, "Even if they come out, you should go to the eye doctor to make sure you don't get an infection or have a corneal operation after all this."

"It’s due to dry eye and inflammation!" another asserted. "Go see the ophthalmologist, they’ll examine under lights and scopes and numb the area in order to remove! It’s painful!!"

Next: Hoda Kotb Warns About Traps While Hinting at Slipping Into ‘Old Habits’ With an Ex

Charles Barkley isn't vibing with some of the shade getting thrown Taylor Swift's way amid her whirlwind romance with Travis Kelce. 

As we know, Swift and the Kansas City Chiefs player have certainly become the "it" couple in recent months, but some "dads, Brads and Chads" are still making complaints over the singer's prominence at his games, especially in the NFL coverage. 

But Barkley isn't one of those critics. 

In fact, the 60-year-old retired basketball star recently spoke out to defend the "Bejeweled" songstress from the haters during a conversation with sports commentator Bob Costas on his and Gayle King's CNN show, King Charles. 

"If you're screaming at Taylor Swift saying she ruined [football], you're just a loser," Barkley bluntly stated. "You're just a loser or a jack—s." 

"If you’re screaming at Taylor Swift saying she ruined [football], you’re just a loser. You’re just a loser or a jackass." - Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/fhah8fjCjz

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 1, 2024

King, 69, went on to point out that Swift's presence at the Chiefs games this season has brought in a whole new demographic of football fans, including "young teen girls" who are now tuning in to the NFL. 

Costas also chimed in to mention Swift's effect on "merchandise sales" and "Travis Kelce jerseys," after the pop star has added "the equivalent of around $330 million in brand value to the Chiefs and the league" by her association with the NFL, NPR reports. 

And Barkley isn't the only sports media personality who has come to the singer's defense, as Pat McAfee, Stephen A. Smith and several other members of the sports world have since spoken out to shut down the naysayers of Swift and Kelce's relationship. 

Just this week, McAfee shared a passionate message about the duo, saying he is "sick" of people being "mad about" their romance. 

"The most successful woman on Earth right now happens to be dating the greatest tight end of all time who's on the current dynasty. Why's everybody so mad about it?" he challenged during an episode of his show earlier this week. 

"Taylor’s a part of the football world now,” he also said, clarifying, “This is good news, not bad news."

And the Swifties certainly agree. 

Next: Sportscaster Colin Cowherd Defends Taylor Swift By Calling Out ‘Insecure’ NFL Fans

If you're one half of a father-daughter duo that has bonded over Taylor Swift and football this season, listen up! You could win a free trip to this year's Super Bowl to watch the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the San Francisco 49ers. 

Ticket exchange and resale company Vivid Seats has been inspired by all the fathers and daughters whose relationships have strengthened since the pop superstar began dating record-breaking NFL star Travis Kelce. Knowing just how hard it was for some fans to get tickets to the Eras tour and how quickly Super Bowl passes sell out, Vivid Seats has come up with quite the offer for football-loving families that are also Swifties–and you don't want to fumble this.

Vivid Seats announced it will send the ultimate father-daughter duo to the big game at no cost to them. The giveaway kicked off today, and all you have to do to enter is share your father-daughter football story on social media, explaining how you've bonded over the NFL thanks to the 12-time Grammy winner this NFL season using the hashtag #VividMoments.

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One winner will be chosen from all eligible submissions. The winner will receive two tickets to Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, Feb. 11, with a ticket value of up to $15,000. The grand prize winner will also receive a $10,000 travel stipend, adding to a total winnings of $25,000. 

Eligible individuals may participate by commenting on one of Vivid Seats' posts or by creating their own post in accordance with the official rules during the submission period, which runs from Thursday, Feb. 1 through Monday, Feb. 5. Comments and/or posts made in accordance with these official rules will be evaluated by the sponsor in accordance with the judging procedures.

...Ready for it? Good luck! 

Next: Stadium Issues Stern Warning to Unticketed Fans Ahead of Taylor Swift Concerts

Paulina Porizkova is sharing some brutal honesty while reflecting on her recent double hip replacement surgery.

In a new photo she shared Thursday on Instagram, the supermodel nearly bared it all as she stood before a bathroom mirror wearing a fuzzy pink robe. The robe was pulled open to reveal the new scars visible on both of her hips.

Porizkova wrote that she “couldn’t help but think” about those scars before she went in to have the surgery done. “The ones I have, I embrace,” her Instagram caption said. “But I have no desire to make new ones.”

Related: Paulina Porizkova, 58, Wears Nothing But Silver Body Paint for Newest Magazine Cover

Porizkova’s surgery announcement was unexpected for many fans who saw the 10-time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model posting photos from her recent vacation in St. Barts just last week. In one vacation photo, Porizkova posed in a blue string bikini for her partner, producer and TV writer Jeff Greenstein, who traveled to the Caribbean island with her.

Soon thereafter, Porizkova told her fans that the wear and tear her hips have endured due to her congenital hip dysplasia diagnosis meant it was necessary for her to undergo surgery. She has posted a couple of recovery photos in the last few days, but her Thursday post marks the first time she has put her new scars on display.

“On our vacation, I kept saying goodbye to the smooth skin across my hip bones, even as I felt guilty for being vain,” she wrote. She recalled thinking carefully about what type of incision she preferred and being warned that they would “look gnarly” once she removed the bandages.

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In addition to the mirror snapshot Porizkova posted, she also shared close-up photos of the scars, each of which appears to be around two or three inches in length.

“I know the incisions will soon become a part of me,” she wrote, adding that they will serve as “a reminder of old pain and new victories” as they join other seen and unseen marks on her body to become “the glue that holds me together, a netting of past fractures which have healed stronger.”

Though Porizkova wrote that she will “accept” her new scars, she reiterated that she has no interest in adding any more.

Next: Paulina Porizkova Praised for 'Realness' After Sharing Raw Photo of Her Unedited Belly

As everyone continues talking about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's buzzworthy romance ahead of the Super Bowl, NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner shared his perspective on whether or not their relationship is a good thing for the franchise.

“Our sport has become as much about spectacle as anything that's out there—and so I love it," declared Warner as he spoke with People in a recent interview. 

Taking it a step further, he admitted to personally liking Kelce while sharing a positive outlook on the tight end's current relationship, saying, "I love it more for those two because I know Travis and I'm a big fan, and that it seems to be working well.”

"It brings another layer of excitement to the games and to what's going on, and to a fan base that maybe hadn't watched that much football before, and now we're watching it and maybe they tuned in for something besides football," the former quarterback continued, appreciating how Swift has brought many new faces to the world of football. 

Warner continued to highlight the positive effects of the big attention on the NFL thanks to Swift and Kelce's romance: "I believe things like this with Taylor Swift and Travis — and not to just make it something, ‘Oh, it's helping our league,’ or ‘It's building a fan base’ — but I do believe that it's brought more to our game.”

Along with Warner, many big-name football stars and influential figures in other industries have shared their thoughts on the high-profile relationship, including fellow retired NFL players like J.J. Watt and Shannon Sharpe, as well as rapper Plies and ESPN sports anchor Elle Duncan, among others.

Meanwhile, the couple in question doesn't appear to let any of the public's response, whether good or bad, bother them, with Kelce stating in a recent interview, "We're two people in a relationship supporting each other and having fun with it. It's nothing more than that."

Next up for the couple, Swift will be attending the Grammys on Feb. 4, while Kelce is working hard preparing with his team for the big Super Bowl game on Feb. 11.

Next: Travis Kelce Opens Up About the "Crazy Ride" of His Relationship With Taylor Swift

Paris Jackson showed off her toned legs in her latest glamorous look.

The Empire alum stepped out for Billboard's New Nominees Dinner at The Sun Rose on Wednesday, Jan. 30 in West Hollywood, California, wearing a strapless ruffled dress that was made for the dance floor. The pre-Grammy party was hosted in partnership with tequila brand Tres Generaciones.

The 25-year-old salsa-inspired number featured a sheer structured corseted bodice, high-low design, and daring hip-high slit. The daughter of Michael Jackson showed off her many pieces of body art in the outfit, as she put her arms and legs on full display.

She accessorized the look with brown ankle strap heels, while her blonde-streaked brown hair was worn down in loose waves.

In photos from inside the star-studded event, the singer struck an empowering pose while standing alongside Eric Hainey, and in others, she snapped it up with Halle Bailey, who looked sensational in a red satin ensemble after giving birth to her first child with boyfriend DDG just weeks ago.

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 30: Paris Jackson and Halle Bailey attend Tres Generaciones And Billboard Host New Nominees Dinner at The Sun Rose on January 30, 2024 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Natasha Campos/Getty Images for Tres Generaciones)

Natasha Campos/Getty Images

Other attendees spotted making appearances at the function included TV personality Rocsi Diaz, Hannah Karp, Moses Sumney, Conan Gray, Danielle Kirkwood, Mike Muse, and Eddie Wintle.

The celebrity gathering was one of many being held this week ahead of Sunday's Grammy Awards, which will broadcast on Feb. 4 at 8 PM EST on CBS.

SZA, Billie Eilish, Billy Joel, Burna Boy, Dua Lipa, Joni Mitchell, Luke Combs, Olivia Rodrigo, Travis Scott and U2 are all slated to perform during the show, while Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Janelle Monae, Jon Batiste, and more all racked up several nominations.

Next: Everything to Know About the 2024 Grammys, Including the Nominees

With kids, there’s no telling what time the little tikes are going to bust into a hunger fit and need a snack to calm them down. Whether you’re sending your little ones to school for the day or planning a day trip to the park, being prepared with snacks and beverages is of the utmost importance. And when you’re scrambling to get everything together before leaving the house, it’s nice to have a system in place that ensures nothing gets left behind and nobody ends up in tears, adults included.

While on the hunt for the ultimate grab-and-go system, consider Costco as your one-stop shop for all things food and snack related. This week, the popular bulk warehouse club just made available a snack storage system that every parent is going to want to get their hands on. The super portable, 3-Pack Bluey and Mickey Snack Stack Cups were just spotted at a warehouse by the fine people at Costco Hot Finds, which means these snack cups could be coming to a Costco near you very soon.

Related: Costco's Durable 10-Piece Bakeware Set Is Selling for a Wildly Low Price and Fans Call Them 'Incredible'

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The stackable snack cups come in a pack of three and retail for only $19.99. Customers can purchase the portable and handy storage system with either a Bluey or Mickey-themed Disney design and immediately upgrade their child’s snacking experience. Featuring an easy to hold handle that is designed with little hands in mind, each cup twists open and closed, one on top of the next, using a trademarked Twist n’Lock system. The cups are all BPA free and dishwasher safe, so all you need to worry about is dividing up the snacks and hitting the road.

For those interested in this fun Disney-themed offering from Costco, each snack stack contains one 3-ounce cup and two 8-ounce cups, giving you plenty of space to pack snacks creatively. And with three snack stacks available in each pack, this is one deal that every parent is going to want to take advantage of. So remember, as most things Disney tend to play out, snag yours while you can before the droves of loyal fanatics swoop in and purchase them all. 

Up next: Sam's Club is Selling a 20-Jar Stainless Steel Spice Rack with Free Refills and Fans Are Calling it 'a Great Deal'

Apparently Larry David isn't planning to jump on the Tayvis bandwagon anytime soon. 

The Curb Your Enthusiasm star was recently asked to give his thoughts on Taylor Swift and boyfriend Travis Kelce during an appearance on the Today show—but he wasn't really feeling it. 

Before the interview, David, 76, said he was open to talking about anything with hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb, except there was just one topic he wanted to avoid. 

Since he preferred not to discuss Swift, 34, and her relationship with the Kansas City Chiefs player, 34, Guthrie and Kotb naturally decided to ask him anyways.

"You've really got a nerve," the Seinfeld creator told Guthrie, while he appeared to be playfully peeved by the question. Kotb and Guthrie, however, seemed to find it hilarious. 

David went on to give the people what they want, telling the hosts that his thoughts on the matter include the "S-word." "I don't give a...." he stated, which Guthrie nicely filled in with the word, "a shnoodle." 

Larry David gives his thoughts on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship: pic.twitter.com/74wn546MQd

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 1, 2024

Kotb, 58, and Guthrie, 52, accepted his answer after teasing him about the topic, claiming they only asked because he specifically told them not to. 

"You bring it out in us," Guthrie told the comedian, while Kotb revealed "we weren't going to [ask about Swift and Kelce]" until he tried to forbid it. 

But we can't blame the Today show hosts for trying, especially since Swift and Kelce seem to be the talk of the town just about everywhere. 

The publicity surrounding their love story only amplified over the weekend, when the couple packed on some passionate PDA while celebrating the Chiefs' win on the field after the game, which secured their title as AFC Champions and earned them a spot in Super Bowl LVIII.

The big game is scheduled to take place on Sunday, Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Swifties—but probably not David—are praying the "Cruel Summer" singer will be in attendance. 

Next: Second Grader's Message for Taylor Swift and the Chiefs Is Melting Hearts

"Success" can mean different things to different people. However, what is common with all accomplishments is the need to take action and even some risks. The dreams in our heads will just stay there unless we are willing to step out and work toward achievement. To give ourselves a little push, it may take some wise words from successful leaders. There are so many quotes about success that have proven to be both inspiring and motivating.

If you find yourself lacking the initiative or have a fear of failure, it would be good to read through some quotes from successful people—like Dale Carnegie, Bill Gates, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and more—and gain confidence. When someone has already achieved significant goals, their words and experiences can be encouraging to others. We've picked out our favorite 40 quotes about prospering that offer plenty of inspiration.

Related: 10 Ways To Become Someone Who Avoids Negativity, According to Psychologists

Best Success Quotes

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1. "Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." —Winston Churchill

2. “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” —Dale Carnegie

3. “There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.” —Mister Rogers

4. "It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation." —Herman Melville

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5. “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” —Estée Lauder

6. “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.” —John Wooden

7. “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty." —Winston Churchill

8. “Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.” —Vernon Sanders Law

9. “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” —Paulo Coelho

Related: Best Quotes About Teamwork

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10. “The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs, one step at a time.” —Joe Girard

11. “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” —Zig Ziglar

12. “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” —George Eliot

13. “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” —Stephen R. Covey

14. “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.” —William James

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15. "You cannot plow a field by turning it over in your mind. To begin, begin." —Gordon B. Hinckley

Motivational Quotes About Success

16. “One of the differences between some successful and unsuccessful people is that one group is full of doers, while the other is full of wishers.” —Edmond Mbiaka

17. “When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love…” —Marcus Aurelius

18. “Don't settle for average. Bring your best to the moment. Then, whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know you gave all you had.” —Angela Bassett

19. “If you believe something needs to exist, if it's something you want to use yourself, don't let anyone ever stop you from doing it.” —Tobias Lütke

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Related: Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude With These 101 Things To Be Thankful For

20. “Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” —Warren Buffet

21. “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” —Albert Einstein

22. “If you can't yet do great things, do small things in a great way.” —Napoleon Hill

23. “If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse.” —Jim Rohn

24. “Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” —Abraham Lincoln

25. “If the decisions you make about where you invest your blood, sweat, and tears are not consistent with the person you aspire to be, you’ll never become that person.” —Clayton M. Christensen

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Related: Could You Be a Victim of 'Self-Gaslighting'? 5 Signs of the Subtle Form of Self-Sabotage and How To Stop, According to Experts

26. “Live out of your imagination, not your history.” —Stephen Covey

27. “The greater the difficulty, the more the glory in surmounting it.” —Epicurus

28. “The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.” —Arthur C. Clarke

29. "A year from now you will wish you had started today." —Unknown

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30. “If you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.” —Erica Jong

Famous Quotes About Success

31. “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” — Henry Ford

32. “It's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” —Bill Gates

33. "I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been given a no. Only to find that a better, brighter, bigger yes was right around the corner.” —Arlan Hamilton

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34. “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” —Arthur Ashe

35. “We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.” —Ariana Huffington

36. “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” —Babe Ruth

37. “Never let success get to your head and never let failure get to your heart.” —Drake

38. “It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.” —Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Related: Best Quotes About Leadership

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39. “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” —Earl Nightingale

40. “Nothing ever goes away until it teaches us what we need to know.” —Pema Chodron

Next up, 125 empowering quotes from some of the strongest women in history!

Stephen Colbert had the sweetest reaction to Demi Moore bringing her teacup chihuahua Pilaf along for the ride when she stopped by The Late Show on Jan. 31, 2024.

As the two settled in to talk, Colbert requested to meet Pilaf, sending Moore backstage to retrieve her. In a video clip uploaded to the show's Instagram account, the actress toted the handheld pup back to the studio, placing her on Colbert's desk and allowing the host to pick her up and show her some love.

"Does she like strangers or is she going through a moment of stark terror right now?" he asked as she shivered in his hands. 

"She gets cold a little easily," Moore explained. "That's what the shaking is." 

In response, Colbert kissed her on the head before he gently tucked her into his jacket for warmth, focusing his attention on "potentially the world's smallest dog" before eventually relinquishing custody back to Moore.

As she settled back down, he offered her some water, too, proudly pulling a branded doggy dish twice the size of her from behind his desk. 

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Fans were overwhelmed by Colbert's kind treatment of the little dog, with one calling the interaction, "So sweet! 😍."

"Wait I looove how Colbert put the pup in his jacket to keep her warm!" another wrote in response. "Says everything about a man!!"

"Pilaf is mood. 🤍," someone else wrote, with Colbert replying, "best mood!"

"Officially following pilaf 🐶 😍," another joked, with Colbert calling her "the next internet sensation!"

"When Colbert casually pulls out a water bowl with the Late Show logo 😂 I love it!" another couldn't help but laugh.

Moore takes her pup everywhere she goes, from the nail salon all the way to Greece, so we're sure she's happy to see her well taken care of wherever she goes. 

Next: Demi Moore Stuns in Cold Shoulder Top With Pup Pilaf as Adorable Fashion Accessory

Every Black History Month and Juneteenth, pioneers in African American history are often mentioned like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Muhammad Ali and Harriet Tubman. They are revered and in the spotlight because they are on stamps, calendars and even quoted in political speeches. But what about the other unsung Black history heroes that have opened doors, fought for freedoms, and even invented techniques used in healthcare today? 

All of the pioneers should be celebrated and mentioned, so we’re shining a light on 30 Black Americans that have flown under the radar and deserve to be celebrated for their bravery, accomplishments, and contributions to the civil rights movement, the arts, politics, technology, and much more. 

Heroes like Ella Baker, Claudette Colvin, Gordon Parks and Bayard Rustin are celebrated in this list as they’ve made way for many of today’s innovators to shine in the present. 

Related: The Significance of Black History Month and Why It Is Celebrated in February

30 Black Americans To Celebrate During Black History Month, Juneteenth and BeyondClaudette Colvin

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Nine months before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin refused to move to the back of a bus to give up her seat to a white person. When the bus driver ordered her to get up, she refused to say she had paid her fare and it was her constitutional right. She was arrested.  Colvin said to NPR, "All I remember is that I was not going to walk off the bus voluntarily," Colvin says. Colvin later became the main witness in the federal lawsuit Browder v. Gayle, which ended segregation on public transportation in Alabama.

Related: Black History Facts

Robert Sengstacke Abbott

The Abbott Sengstacke Family Papers/Robert Abbott Sengstacke/Getty Images

Abbott laid the foundation for what would eventually birth many Black publications including Ebony, Jet, Essence, Black Enterprise, Right On!, Sheen Magazine, and more. In 1905, Abbott founded the Chicago Defender, a weekly newspaper. The paper started out with a 25-cent investment and a four-page pamphlet, increasing circulation with every edition. The Defender played an important role in encouraging African Americans to migrate from the south for better economic opportunities. The success of the paper made Abbott one of the first African American self-made millionaires. 

Related: Black Booksellers Recommend 25 Books to Read During Black History Month

Shirley Chisholm

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Chisholm kicked the door in for African American women holding major roles in government. She first served as an educational consultant for New York City’s Bureau of Child Welfare and ran for New York State Assembly in 1964. Chisholm was elected in 1968 as the first African American Congresswoman. She served from 1969 to 1983 representing New York’s 12th District. She later became one of the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Chisholm made more history in 1972 by becoming the first African American woman of a major political party to run for the Democratic party’s presidential nomination. Her campaign slogan: "Unbought and Unbossed." Vice President Kamala Harris even paid tribute to Chisholm in her presidential campaign announcement by using a similar logo to Chisholm's.

Johnson H. Johnson

Hailed as one of the most influential Black media publishers, Johnson got his start working for Supreme Life Insurance Company collecting weekly news clippings for his manager, which sparked his idea for his first publication, Negro Digest. In 1942, with a $500 loan and $6,000 raised through subscriptions, Johnson launched his dream project which later became Black World. Three years later, he launched Ebony. In 1951, he created Jet, a weekly news magazine featuring the Jet Beauty of the Week. Johnson also expanded from magazines into book publishing and owned Fashion Fair Cosmetics, the premier cosmetics company that catered to darker skin tones before there was Fenty. 

Related: Get Ready for Freedom Day! Here Are 30 Ways To Celebrate Juneteenth

Dorothy Height

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Height has been called the matriarch of the civil rights movement and often worked behind the scenes. After receiving two degrees from New York University in the 1930s, Height worked for the New York City Welfare Department and then became the assistant executive director of the Harlem Y.M.C.A. She was involved in anti-lynching protests, brought public attention to the exploitation of African-American women working in "slave markets," and escorted First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to the National Council of Negro Women, a council she served on for more than 40 years. In the 1950s, she lobbied President Dwight D. Eisenhower to take an aggressive stance on school desegregation issues. Height also worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and she stood on the platform with him when he delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech in August 1963.

Related: 120 Inspiring Quotes for Black History Month

Don Cornelius

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With a distinctive baritone and demanding stature, Don Cornelius helped to shift Black culture into the spotlight with the creation of the show Soul Train. The “Hippest Trip in America” was picked up for national syndication in 1971 with its first episode featuring performers Gladys Knight & The Pips, Eddie Kendricks, Bobby Hutton, and Honey Cone. The dance show exposed Black acts to a larger national audience, featuring Soul Train dancers, the Scramble Board, the Soul Train Line, and Cornelius’ famous catchphrase “Love, Peace, and Soul.” The combination of performances and interviews proved to be a formula that worked. The show is one of the longest-running syndicated shows that ran until 2006. 

Alice Coachman

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Alice Coachman became the first African American woman from any country to win an Olympic Gold Medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. She set the record for the high jump at the Olympics, leaping to 5 feet and 6 ⅛ inches. Four years later, she became the first Black female athlete to endorse an international consumer product when she signed on as a Coca-Cola spokesperson. Over the course of her career, she won 34 national titles. She was officially inducted into the National Track-and-Field Hall of Fame in 1975 and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2004. 

Maria P. Williams

The landscape of Hollywood has the work of many Black women from Ava DuVernay, Issa Rae, and Shonda Rhimes to name a few. Maria P. Williams paved the way as the first Black woman to produce, write, and act in her own silent crime movie in 1923, The Flames of Wrath. To distribute the film, she formed the Western Film Producing Company and Booking Exchange with her husband. The former Kansas City teacher was also an activist, and detailed her leadership skills in her 1916 book, My Work and Public Sentiment. 

Related: Black History Month Through the Years: Every Black History Month Theme Since 1928

Ethel Waters

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Ethel Waters first entered the entertainment business in the 1920s as a blues singer, before making history. Waters was the first to integrate Broadway appearing in Irving Berlin’s As Thousands Cheer and eventually became the highest-paid performer on Broadway. In addition to becoming the first African American to star in her own television variety show in 1939, The Ethel Waters Show. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film Pinky in 1950. Also in 1950, Waters was the first Black actress to star in a television series, Beulah, which aired on ABC. In 1962, she became the first African American woman to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Performance by a Leading Lady for the show Route 66. 

Bayard Rustin

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Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is usually credited for the iconic March on Washington in August 1963, but it was actually Rustin who organized the historical event. The march brought more than 200,000 peaceful protestors of varying races and religions together to hear King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. As a gay man who had controversial ties to communism, he was considered too much of a liability to be on the front lines of the movement so he worked in the background. Rustin also helped King found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Related: 75 Best Foot-tapping, Hand-raising Gospel Songs

Ruby Bridges

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Ruby Bridges was the first African American child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana during the New Orleans school desegregation crisis on November 14, 1960. She was six years old at the time. Despite intimidation and discrimination, Bridges never missed a day of school. Bridges has written two books on her experience and has been honored with the Carter G. Woodson Book Award. In 1999, she also set up The Ruby Bridges Foundation to promote equality in education. Bridges is also a lifelong activist for racial equality. In 1999, Ruby established The Ruby Bridges Foundation to promote tolerance and create change through education. In 2000, she was made an honorary deputy marshal in a ceremony in Washington, DC.

Gordon Parks

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Gordon Parks was one of the most prolific figures behind a camera in the 20th century. His photojournalism from the 1940s through the 1970s captured aspects of American life including issues like civil rights, poverty, and race relations. Parks was the first African American on the staff of LIFE magazine, and he was also responsible for some of the most beautiful imagery in the pages of Ebony, Glamour, and Vogue. He later went on to co-found Essence magazine. In 1969, Parks became the first African American to write and direct a major Hollywood studio feature film, The Learning Tree, based on his bestselling semi-autobiographical novel. His next film, Shaft, helped to shape the blaxploitation era in the '70s. Parks once said: "I saw that the camera could be a weapon against poverty, against racism, against all sorts of social wrongs. I knew at that point I had to have a camera."

Related: 35 Inspiring, Joyful, and Moving Movies You Should Stream for Black History Month

Madam C.J. Walker

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Madam C.J. Walker was the first Black female millionaire in America. She made her fortune by creating a homemade line of hair care products for Black women. Born Sarah Breedlove, she was inspired to create hair products after experiencing a scalp disorder and hair loss. It led to the creation of the Walker system of hair care. She built an empire selling products directly to Black women, then employing others to sell them. She used her fortune to fund scholarships for women at the Tuskegee Institute and donated to the NAACP, the Black YMCA, and other charities. In fact, Netflix's historical drama Self-Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker gives insight into her story. 

Annie Turnbo Malone

While Madam C.J. Walker may be known as the first Black female millionaire, she didn’t get there without the likes of her employer Annie Turnbo Malone, who was also a millionaire. Her contributions to the hair care industry have been overshadowed by Walker’s success. Malone was a chemist and entrepreneur. She developed a hair product to straighten African American women’s hair without damaging it, and eventually created a line of hair care and beauty products. She and her assistants sold the products door to door giving demonstrations before business took off after the World Fair in 1904. Malone established Poro College, a cosmetology school and training center in St. Louis in 1918. She had thirty-two branches of the school throughout the country in the mid-50s. 

Alvin Ailey

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Alvin Ailey was an acclaimed dancer and choreographer who earned global recognition for his impact on modern dance. After honing his technique at the Lester Horton Dance Theater and acting as its director until its 1954 disbandment, Ailey had the desire to choreograph his own ballets and works that differed from the traditional pieces of the time. This inspired him to start the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958, a multiracial troupe that provided a platform for talented Black dancers and traveled around the world.  His most popular piece, "Revelations," is an ode to the Southern Black Church. He died in 1989, but in 2014, he posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his contributions and commitment to civil rights and dance in America. 

Ella Baker 

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Baker was a major force in shaping the development of the civil rights movement. She was a field secretary and branch director for the NAACP and also co-founded an organization that raised money to fight Jim Crow laws. Additionally, Baker was a key organizer for Martin Luther King Jr.'s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). One of her biggest contributions to the movement was the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which prioritized nonviolent protest, assisted in organizing the 1961 Freedom Rides, and aided in registering Black voters. The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights continues to carry on her legacy. 

Related: February Is Black History Month! What Are the Black History Month Colors and What Do They Mean?

Mae Jemison

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Mae Jemison was the first African American woman who orbited into space aboard the shuttle Endeavour in 1992. The team made 127 orbits around the earth over the course of eight days. Jemison is also a physician, teacher, a Peace Corps volunteer, and president of a tech company, the Jemison Group. She continues to work towards the advancement of young women of color getting more involved in technology, engineering, and math careers. 

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

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Before Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, Elvis, or Johnny Cash strummed their guitars, or banged out a melody on the piano, Sister Rosetta Tharpe created a musical style that would take the world by storm. Hailed as the godmother of rock and roll, Tharpe is both the originator of pop gospel and she brought an emotionally charged dimension to the electric guitar, creating the foundation of rock and roll.  Tharpe is credited with introducing the spirituality of the gospel into the secular world of rock ‘n’ roll. Little Richard called her his greatest influence and Chuck Berry said that his entire career was just “one long Rosetta Tharpe impersonation.”  In 1969, she was nominated for a Grammy for Best Gospel Performance for the album Precious Memories. 

Max Robinson

Max Robinson became the first Black person to anchor the nightly network news in 1978. Robinson got his start in 1959 when he was hired to read the news at a station in Portsmouth, Virginia. The station owner hired him as a news-reader, but was told he couldn’t show his face. When Robinson protested, he was fired. He moved to Washington to work as a reporter, and later co-anchored the evening news making him the first Black anchor in a major U.S. city. ABC News took notice and named him one of three co-anchors on World News Tonight. He was also one of the 44 founders of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).

Dr. Patricia Bath

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Dr. Patricia Bath, an ophthalmologist and laser scientist, was not only the first female African-American doctor to patent a medical device but also the first person to invent a surgery that greatly advanced treatment for cataracts. Dr. Bath invented the Laserphaco Probe in 1981 which used lasers to treat cataracts more precisely and less painfully. The invention was able to recover vision for people who had been blind or vision impaired for decades. 

Ethel L. Payne

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Ethel L. Payne is known as the “First Lady of the Black Press.” She combined activism with journalism during the 1950s and 1960s. Some of the iconic figures of history Payne interviewed include Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., President John F. Kennedy, and Nelson Mandela, among several other noteworthy figures. In 1972, CBS hired Payne as a radio and television commentator and she became the first Black woman to hold such a position. Payne is also the only African-American out of four female journalists honored by the U.S. Postal Service on a “Women in Journalism” stamp.

Related: Everything You Need To Know About the Black American Heritage Flag, Including Its History and What It Symbolizes

Fritz Pollard

Fritz Pollard was the first African American head coach in the National Football League (NFL). He was 5 feet, 9 inches and 165 pounds, what most would consider small for the sport. He attended Brown University and was the school’s first Black player. After serving in World War I, he joined the Akron Pros of the American Professional Football Association, which later became the NFL. He was one of only two Black players in the league. In 1921, while still playing, the team named him its coach. Over the course of his career he coached four different teams and founded a Chicago football team of all African American players. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. 

Maya Angelou 

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A prolific writer and poet, and activist known for her lyrical prose and regal speaking voice, Angelou was the first Black woman to appear on a quarter. Angelou rose to international prominence after the publication of her groundbreaking autobiography, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," with its account of rape and racism in the segregated South. The recipient of more than 30 honorary degrees, Angelou read On the Pulse of Morning at the 1993 inauguration of former President Bill Clinton. Angelou's reading was the first time an African American woman wrote and presented a poem at a presidential inauguration.

Henrietta Lacks

After being diagnosed with cervical cancer at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1951, a sample of Lacks's cancer cells was taken without her consent by a researcher. She died later that year at 31 years old. Her cells would go on to advance medical research for years to come, as they had the unique ability to double every 20-24 hours. "They have been used to test the effects of radiation and poisons, to study the human genome, to learn more about how viruses work, and played a crucial role in the development of the polio vaccine," Johns Hopkins said.

Wally Amos

As you stroll the cookie aisle in the grocery, the familiar yellow box filled with chocolate chip cookies that says Famous Amos Cookies was created by Wally Amos. He first began selling cookies in 1975, after receiving some start-up money from several close friends, including the late singer Marvin Gaye, to open a store on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. By the early 1980s, demand was rising, so Amos decided to mass-produce the cookies. He also created Uncle Wally’s Muffins and the Cookie Kahuna.

Related: Martin Luther King, Jr. Facts

Ida B. Wells

Ida B. Wells was an African American journalist, abolitionist and feminist who led an anti-lynching crusade in the United States in the 1890s. She owned the newspaper The Memphis Free Speech and Headlight and was a vocal critic of segregated schools. Later, she became active in the anti-lynching campaign in 1892 after multiple friends were lynched, according to the National Park Service, even visiting the White House to advocate for reforms. In 1896, she formed the National Association of Colored Women. Wells is also considered a founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Most recently, Wells was immortalized with a Barbie doll modeled after her.

Jesse Owens (Original Caption) 10/19/1937-Jesse Owens, runner.

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Owens was a track-and-field athlete who set a world record in the long jump at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin and went unrivaled for 25 years. He was the first American to win four gold medals at the Olympics. That year he won medals in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, along with the 100-meter relay and other events off the track. In 1976, Owens received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1990.

Related: 45 Frederick Douglass Quotes To Celebrate His Incredible Legacy

Bessie Coleman

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Coleman is the first licensed Black pilot in the world.  Though history has favored Amelia Earhart or the Wright brothers, Coleman went to flight school in France in 1919, and received her pilot license in 1921 inspiring diversity in the aviation field. In 1922, she performed the first public flight by a Black woman. She was famous for doing “loop-the-loops,” and making figure eights in an airplane. In 1995, the Bessie Coleman Stamp was created in her honor. 

Rebecca Lee Crumpler

Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first Black female doctor in the United States. After attending the prestigious Massachusetts private school West-Newton English and Classical School, she worked as a nurse for eight years until applying to medical school in 1860 at the New England Female Medical College. PBS reported that she worked as a physician for the Freedmen's Bureau for the State of Virginia. She later practiced in Boston's predominantly Black neighborhood at the time, Beacon Hill, and published A Book of Medical Discourses in Two Parts.

Marsha P. Johnson

Marsha P. Johnson is a celebrated veteran of the 1969 Stonewall Inn protests in New York, an influential transgender activist, and a force to be reckoned with in the gay liberation movement. Johnson, a Black transwoman and activist, was at the forefront of the LGBTQ movement. In addition to being the co-founder of STAR, an organization that housed homeless queer youth, Johnson also fought for equality through the Gay Liberation Front. There’s a Netflix documentary that brought Johnson's story to life with the documentary, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson by David France that highlights the impact she had.

Next, here are some activities to get your children involved in Black History Month. 

One of my favorite things to do on my day off is bake all the things. I’ve already made King Arthur’s 2024 recipe of the year more times than I can count, and I’ve got enough yeast stored in my freezer to last a lifetime. Of course, whipping up a batch of perfectly risen muffins or buttery, flaky biscuits isn’t everyone's modus operandi, but there’s no harm in having the right tools on hand if and when the urge to become one with the flour strikes.

After you’ve caught up on every season of The Great British Baking Show (for research purposes, of course) and are ready to select your precious bakeware, navigating the landscape of brands, materials and price points can be a bit overwhelming. But fret not, dear reader; we’ve got the deets on a fresh new deal from Costco that has shoppers racing to the store to pick up.

All it takes is a quick search for Circulon Bakeware on Amazon, and you’ll instantly see why cooks and bakers alike are raving about the non-stick bakeware brand. Aside from being incredibly well made, the bakeware performs exceptionally well and rarely needs additional oils or aerosol sprays to aid in its non-stick capabilities. Typically, quality like this comes with an equally high price tag, but while supplies last, you can grab the 10-Piece Circulon Non-Stick Bakeware Set for just $79.99 at your local Costco.

Related: Costco's Stylish 12-Piece Glassware Set is Giving Pottery Barn Vibes for a Fraction of the Price

Circulon 10-Piece Non-Stick Bakeware Set

Costco

Included in the set, shoppers will receive two 9-inch round cake pans, one 9-inch square cake pan, a 9x5-inch loaf pan, two 10x15-inch cookie sheets, a 9x13-inch cake pan with plastic lid for convenient storage, a 9.25x14-inch cooling rack and — last but not least — a 12-cup muffin tin. 

Each piece in the set is made of warp-resistant, heavy gauge steel and features wide ergonomic handles to ensure a confident grip, even when sporting bulky oven mitts. Additionally, the interior surface of the bakeware features a raised circle design, a double layer non-stick coating and smooth corners to ensure that even the stickiest of foods releases from the pans with ease. The bakeware is also oven-safe up to 500°F, so you can confidently roast your veggies with ease.

To ensure you get the longest lifespan out of your newly acquired bakeware, it’s recommended to hand wash and dry each piece versus throwing them into the dishwasher — even though they’ll fare fine in the dishwasher if you’re pressed for time. You’ll also want to avoid using any sharp utensils when removing your food from the pans to ensure the non-stick coating stays intact.

Now, there’s no excuse not to try your hand at making that 76-year old cookie recipe or an Orange Kiss Me cake. And who knows, you might actually enjoy baking in the process. 

Up next: Aldi Fans are Sprinting to Grab the Super-Cute 6-Piece Meal Prep Sets for Just $10

Kevin Costner has a furry new family member!

The Yellowstone actor took to social media this week to introduce his followers to the newest addition to his family: an adorable pup who has already stolen his heart. 

The precious photos, shared to Instagram on Thursday, Feb. 1, feature Costner, 69, getting well-acquainted with his new four-legged friend, who appears to be a white Labrador Retriever. 

One of the pics showed the pooch running around on the grass while Costner, a proud dog dad, gazed at him with adoration while leaning against his truck. Another photo showed the Field of Dreams star sweetly cuddling the puppy in his arms while it napped. 

The final photo featured a solo shot of the doggo, whose name has not yet been shared, lying down in front of the camera and showing off those adorable puppy dog eyes.

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A post shared by Kevin Costner & Modern West (@kevincostnermodernwest)

"Newest addition to the family," Costner wrote in his Instagram caption, adding, "I'm already in love with this special guy." 

"Adorable. Nothing sweeter than puppy love. 🥰" one of his followers commented under the post, while others predicted the pup is going to be "a big boy," judging by the size of its paws. 

"Oh my goodness! Labs are just the best! 😍," another fan wrote to Costner, who has previously shared pics of another all-grown-up white lab named Daisy. He is believed to have a total of about 8 or 9 dogs in his family, according to MustLoveDogsTV. 

In addition to his pack of canines, Costner is also father to a whole brood of human children, including his eldest three kids, Annie, 39, Lily, 37, and Joe, 36, whom he shares with ex-wife Cindy Silva. He also has a son Liam, 26, with former partner Bridget Rooney. 

The Oscar-winner also has three kids with his now-estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, who filed to divorce the actor in May 2023. The estranged couple are parents to Cayden Wyatt, 15, Hayes Logan, 14 and Grace Avery, 13. 

Next: Kevin Costner and Jewel Reportedly Dating Following His Contentious Divorce

Susan Lucci put on her best red dress on Wednesday, Jan. 31, to attend an event in support of a cause to which she has a very personal connection.

The All My Children star, who is well-known for portraying fan-favorite character Erica Kane for the entirety of the soap opera, arrived at the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection concert event at Lincoln Center in New York City in a bright and glamorous mermaid-silhouette strapless gown.

The dress was covered in red sequins, with feathers adorning the bottom from her thighs to her feet. Lucci paired the shining ensemble with silver jewelry, including dangling Chanel earrings, while her makeup featured a bright red lip perfect for the night.

Susan Lucci

Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for The American Heart Association's Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection Concert

Lucci attended the event, which she goes to every year, as an ambassador for the American Heart Association. She started advocating for heart health awareness after experiencing her first cardiac event in late 2018, when she had pain in her chest that led doctors to discover a 90% blockage in the main artery of her heart, along with a 70% blockage in another artery. 

"I was shocked," she told People in 2019. "I’m lucky to be alive." She had heart surgery then, only to go through another surgery three years later. Thankfully, she got through the ordeal and partnered with the AHA for what she called her "passion project."

The actress explained at the 2024 event, "I came out of it knowing that I just had to pass my good luck on," leading to her hard work spreading awareness and urging people to stay up to date with their health checkups and know their family history. 

Many other celebrities also came out to the AHA event in NYC, including Demi Lovato, Mira Sorvino, The View's Ana Navarro-Cárdenas and more, while Sherri Shepherd took on the role of host for the night.

Next, "Naughty" Daytime Star Susan Lucci: "I Don't Feel My Age"

She was called "selfish." She was called "weird." She was called "the biggest f*cking Traitor here." But Janelle Pierzina cannot ever be called "bad TV." Big Brother fans rejoiced when the show's legendary four-time player was announced as a cast member for Season 2 of The Traitors. 

The return of Janelle, however, came with a little extra spiciness baked in, for her former Big Brother 14 castmate Dan Gheesling would also be arriving at the Traitors mansion. Having orchestrated her demise once upon a time, would they bury the hatchet and move forward or would The Traitors lead to another showdown? 

Related: Dan Got Janelle Evicted from 'Big Brother.' Is 'The Traitors' the Perfect Opportunity for Revenge? [Interview]

As luck (or Alan Cumming) would have it, the two were placed on opposite sides of the battle with Dan as a Traitor and Janelle as a Faithful, and their gameplay couldn't have been more different. While Dan shrunk into the background (to the point it where it became suspicious), Janelle served as one of the Faithful's chief witchhunt leaders. She constantly found herself in feuds (with John Bercow over asthma, with Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu over a Shield, with Larsa Pippen over the word "cheers", with Sandra Diaz-Twine over sipping water) as she tried to root out the Traitors. 

In Episode 5, however, the Dan/Janelle battle once again reached a boiling point with her (accurately) accusing him of being a Traitor, while he, forced to give the Faithfuls a new target, aimed at her. In the end, Dan sent Janelle packing for a second time, as she was banished from the Round Table and proclaimed herself a Faithful. 

After her elimination Parade sat down with Janelle to discuss her strategy going into the game, her viral internet moments ("Yeah, drink that water. You're nervous, aren't you?") and why she didn't make a move on Dan earlier. 

Matthew Huff: To start, what was your relationship like with Dan post-Big Brother and coming into The Traitors? Did you have any lingering ill will towards him from what happened on Big Brother 14? 

Janelle Pierzina: I never take anything personally in these games. And Dan and I, we've been friends for a long time. At least once or twice a year, I talk to Dan, so there's obviously no ill will. Unfortunately, we were placed on opposite sides in the castle. So that was a different dynamic to our friendship, but I talk to Dan all the time. 

Euan Cherry/Peacock

What was your strategy coming into the game? When you got the call, what sort of prep did you do? 

I've watched many different versions of The Traitors. I've watched Australia. I've watched the UK. I've watched the US. My strategy was: I wanted to find a Traitor or Traitors, and I wanted to work with them for as long as I could. Because I knew they would keep me safe. 

I always thought there were four Traitors. I don't know why that was in my head. I think it was the amount of people. There were so many people, and so by process of elimination, and based on the fact there was a recruitment already, I was like, "There's got to be at least three." 

Right away, I knew that Dan was a Traitor. And I was like, "I'm not gonna say anything. I would like to work with him, actually. We're friends, he won't murder me or he'll have my back in the turret. If I hear his name, I'll tell him." And I did, I worked with Dan and Parvati [Shallow] in the beginning of the game very much. I always told them who was coming after them. And we worked together as long as we could, but it was a fine balance because I was also growing really, really close to the Faithfuls, especially Peter [Weber], Trishelle [Cannatella] and [Carsten] "Bergie" [Bergersen]. But it got to a point where after the Larsa thing, I couldn't get Dan to give me a name. At some point Dan needed to lead me to an actual Traitor. I just couldn't sit there and wait to be murdered or banished, like I'm not gonna do that.

So I was like, "Okay, if he's literally not going to give me a name, like one fucking name, he doesn't want to work with me." You know? Because I had given him so much information. Dan wasn't really socially connected to a lot of the Faithfuls. So I was annoyed, and I got really, really angry with Dan. 

I was really upset with the Ekin-Su poisoning because there was already heat on me from Ekin-Su. And Kevin [Kreider] and MJ [Mercedes Javid] wholeheartedly believe that I have poisoned Ekin-Su. I'm like, "Dude, now there's two people in the castle that think I've poisoned Ekin-Su." And I kind of blamed Dan for that. Turns out, he didn't even do that. It was Parvati. But I did blame Dan because I knew he was a Traitor and it was a setup or at least that's how it felt to me. 

So that night Larsa was voted out, the Faithfuls basically decided we have to get a Traitor because if we miss a Traitor the next day, they've won the game. So we have to get out a Traitor. Dan was not willing to give me a name. He's the most obvious trader. We had to make a move at Dan.

Euan Cherry/Peacock

Why did you believe Dan was a Traitor so strongly? 

I know Dan. I've lived with him. I played Big Brother with him. It's like playing with a friend. I wouldn't say Dan's the best liar. I think Dan's skill is being sneaky. Like, he's like a backstabber, not this amazing liar. I didn't even have to ask him, "Dan, are you a traitor?" He was just acting different to me. He was hiding, and asking me who I thought were the Traitors. He wasn't saying anything or giving anything back. So I was like, "Okay, you're a Traitor." That's fine. And Parvati, she played similarly in the beginning. She wouldn't give me any information. She wanted a lot of information, which I gave her, but very, very sneaky.

Dan and Parvati never participated in Traitor hunting, which is the goal of a Faithfuls. So it was very obvious to me. But Phaedra [Parks] was always throwing names to me. She was like, "Ooh, girl, what do you think of this one?" So she was so off my radar because of that.

Related: Who Was Eliminated on 'The Traitors' Season 2 This Week?

So was Phaedra's name ever brought up? 

So the day that I was banished, Peter and John came to me and they  told me Phaedra and I was like, "It's not Phaedra. I think it's Sandra," and then we thought CT [Chris Tamburello] was a recruit.

John would bring up, John was the one that was always spinning why it's Phaedra. He would say, "She runs a business. She's a lawyer. She can always deflect and she knows her way around a courtroom. Like you need to keep your eyes on Phaedra. She's a fucking lawyer." 

On the day you were banished, your name was floating around. Going into the Round Table, did you think you were going to be eliminated? How much of the Round Table is live vs. people knowing who they're going to vote for going in? 

Oh my God, those votes are so locked. I'm sure there's some banishments where people are undecided, but my banishment was so obvious to me. I had been working a little bit with the gamers alliance. I had voted with CT and Sandra every single vote, and they didn't come to me asking how I was going to vote so I knew. I've played these games before. Duh, I don't have CT and Sandra, so I'm going home 

The Traitors has become like the water cooler show of the moment and there's so many memes going around. Was that something you recognized in the moment or has it been surprising for you how much moments like you and Sandra with the water have took over the internet? 

I knew that the show would be a hit by the cast because when you put that kind of cast together, big things are going to happen. There's going to be fireworks, screaming, lies, allegations, all that stuff. 

With Sandra, in those moments, you don't know. Sandra and I fought like we were sisters. That's just me and Sandra. We're both very very alpha. And that's just how we talk to each other.

Peacock

If they have an all stars season, which hopefully they do, would you go back? If so, what would you do differently? 

Yes, I would love to do an All-Stars. I love playing Traitors.

You know, I was so mad at myself, because I did want to play a more laid-back game. I really wanted to go with the flow, but the Faithfuls I was working with were always looking to me like, "Who do you think?" I never wanted to be the leader, but I was always in that role. And Peter was always in that role too. We were both the leaders on things, and that's definitely a way to get banished or murdered. So if I played again, I would try and be more quiet, not go for Shields, obviously, but every single Shield I went for, I absolutely thought I needed. But moving forward, just be more quiet and observe more.

You were serving fashion on this season. How did you put together your looks for the show?

I watched a lot of Scooby-Doo growing up and Gossip Girl as well. And I was like, "What would a really hot detective look like?" And I just went with that. I was like, "Yeah. Tweed. We're in Scotland. Throwing some like yellow gloves for mystery." And that's just how I did it. I just went with like fall colors and like a Scottish vibe.

Next, Who Will Win 'The Traitors' Season 2?

Travis Kelce is offering a rare comment on his relationship with Taylor Swift. 

During a recent interview with Pat McAfee on The Pat McAfee Show, the NFL star opened up about the spotlight that now follows his every move, ever since Swift set foot at her first game earlier this season. 

"It's exciting for me, but it was all brand new," he said of the limelight. "I couldn't tell you—from having the paparazzi follow me every single day into work to everybody having my name on their talk show every single day, whether it's sports, whether it's not sports, you know—it's been a crazy, crazy ride I could have never anticipated."

But he, along with "the majority of the world," is "having fun with it"—"cranky NFL fans that just don't want to see the Chiefs win" aside. But he said that "we're slowly reeling [even the haters] in."

Kelce also confirmed that when he issued a public invite for the superstar to attend one of his games, he already knew she was going to be in attendance, with the two knowing each other "pretty well" for "close to a month at that point."

We're happy for you brother..

"It's been a crazy ride that I could've never anticipated and I'm having fun with it..

Taylor and I knew each other for close to a month before she came to that first game"@tkelce #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/W38R6RYxzi

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 31, 2024

Swift first offered a little insight into the beginnings of their whirlwind relationship in her Person of the Year interview with TIME magazine, calling it "metal as hell" when the tight end "very adorably put [her] on blast on his podcast" back in July, a couple of weeks after he tried and failed to get her attention at her Kansas City concert. 

Based on Kelce's timeline, it seems that they spent part of Aug. and most of Sept. getting to know one another before taking things public.  

Some took the first game she attended on Sept. 24. to be their first date, seeing as they didn't really hard-launch the relationship until Swift changed the lyrics to "Karma" to say "Karma is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me" before leaping into his arms in front of the crowd at one of the final Eras Tour shows of the year, but Swift asserted, "We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.” 

Next: Travis Kelce Explains How He Actually Feels About Taylor Swift Attending His Games

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's romance has gripped the nation so much that even the singer's youngest fans are following along with their love story. 

One second grader named Avilene is particularly enchanted with the "Anti-Hero" songstress and her football star of a boyfriend, and just like the rest of the Swifties, she's still reeling from the events of Sunday's Chiefs game. 

As seen in one of Avilene's school assignments shared to X (formerly Twitter) by a local Kansas City radio station the young girl was tasked with giving her teacher a "weekend report," where she told them all about Swift's post-game celebration on the field with Kelce, and the couple's adorable displays of affection after the Chiefs took home the AFC Championship over the Baltimore Ravens. 

"This weekend I was busy," Avilene's worksheet read, as she first detailed her trip to Bath & Body Works, where she purchased a hand sanitizer topper. (This part of her day was not Tayvis-related, but still nonetheless important to the little one.) 

"Next, we watched the Chiefs game," she continued. "Last, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce kist [sic] on the lips."

"I love the Chiefs," she adorably added at the end. 

OMG #ChiefsKingdom from a second grader named Avilene in Shawnee - I am crying this is so lovely @tkelce @newheightshow @taylorswift13 @tayvisnation what a time to be alive in our town - even the children know. Photos courtesy Avilene’s momma - a listener @KMBZradio ❤️❤️❤️🏈💪 pic.twitter.com/xNLLlcxIeo

— Dana Wright🎙 (@RadioDana) January 31, 2024

"I am crying this is so lovely," the X user from the radio station who uploaded the post wrote alongside the photos of Avilene's worksheet, which also included a drawing of Swift and Kelce, both 34, with a heart in between them. 

"What a time to be alive in our town—even the children know," they added. 

"this is so precious!" one user gushed in the comments, while another echoed, "She's ADORABLE! Love kist on the lips. And her drawings of Tay & Trav." 

"I want her to report on the Super Bowl for us," someone else quipped.

The big upcoming game is scheduled to take place on Sunday, Feb. 11, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the Chiefs will face off against the San Francisco 49ers for this year's Super Bowl title. 

We expect that all the Swifties—even the young Taylor Tots like Avilene—will be tuning in to catch more cute Tayvis moments!

Next: Young Chiefs Fan Jumps for Joy After Unexpected Travis Kelce Encounter in Sweet Video

American Idol is returning to ABC for an all-new season later this month but first Parade has a sneak peek of McKenna Breinholt’s audition and the emotional family reunion that brought Katy Perry to tears.

McKenna, 25, from Gilbert, AZ, told the judges that she was adopted when they asked her if her family also sang.

“I found out I was adopted as early as I could understand it,” she explained. “My mom struggled for several years trying to get pregnant and eventually they decided to go through the adoption process. I have the best family in the world. They’ve always supported me. When I was 21, I sat my parents down and told them to tell me any information they had on my birth mom. They told me her name was Amy Ross Lopez. She was a musician and she had passed away. I just wanted to know where I came from.”

Related: New American Idol Promo Is a Wizard of Oz-Inspired Delight

So, McKenna did a search for her family and just this last summer, she was in contact with them for the very first time over FaceTime.

When Katy asked if she had met them, McKenna said, “No, we’re meeting in three weeks. I feel like I’ve known them my whole life.”

Then McKenna sang “There Was Jesus” by Zach Williams and Dolly Parton, while playing the piano.

Meanwhile, Idol takes viewers into the hallway where Ryan Seacrest is talking to both McKenna’s adoptive family and birth family, who are there to surprise her.

After McKenna finishes her audition, Katy says, “You’ve got a great voice, really signature and raspy and interesting.”

Luke Bryan adds, “You’re very in control of what you’re doing. You’ve very in control of being at the piano, and you’re in control of singing. You’ve got that figured out. I thought it was great.”

Related: Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie Share the Changes They'd Like to See for Season 7 of American Idol

And Lionel Richie says, “I love exactly what you did. I love the sound of your voice, and I’m just anxious to see what you’re going to do with this.”

Katy asks McKenna if she’d like to bring her family in for the verdict as to whether she got a ticket to Hollywood or not, and when McKenna opens the door and sees both families, she bursts into tears.

When the judges ask what’s happening, McKenna says, “They’re here! My birth family is here!”

Cut to Katy pretending not to cry but failing miserably.

The verdict on the Golden Ticket to Hollywood remains to be seen, but it’s a good chance that McKenna is moving on.

Tune in to American Idol 2024 when it premieres Sunday, Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC to find out.

Next, Everything We Know So Far About American Idol 2024, Including the Judges, the Host, and How to Audition

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These days, there are all sorts of treatments available to make your hands appear younger. But the simplest way to keep your hands looking — and feeling — great is a good hand cream. And it's even better if that moisturizer actually contains anti-aging ingredients and comes in aesthetically-pleasing packaging.

Those are some of the reasons why the Soft Services Theraplush hand cream is different from any other hand cream I’ve tried before. Infused with retinol and dispensed from a container that looks stunning on my nightstand, Theraplush quickly became the type of product I looked forward to using daily.

Soft Services Theraplush Overnight Repair Treatment, $62 at Soft Services

Courtesy of Soft Services

Soft Services, a brand built by Glossier alums, is best known for its Buffing Bar that women in the 50s and 60s and people with skin conditions like eczema call a holy grail product. But the recently-relaunched Theraplush has all the makings of the company’s next ‘it’ item, especially among those whose hands could use some TLC.

The hand cream originally launched in 2022 and quickly sold out. It’s taken months and months to get it back in stock (with a new formula and packaging), so shoppers are admittedly thrilled. “Loved this cream from the beginning. Was despondent when they stopped making it and ecstatic when they brought it back,” wrote one 66-year-old shopper. “You are missing out if you haven't tried it. Nothing better!”

Our hands go through a lot. Between working, cooking meals, tidying up my apartment, giving my dog all the pets he deserves, and more, my hands tend to feel rough at the end of an average day. I also play a lot of outdoor sports like golf, which means my hands are prone to sun exposure and calluses. Needless to say, I was eager to start using Theraplush as the last step of my evening routine to see if the ‘overnight repair treatment’ claims are true.

Courtesy of Soft Services

The perfect amount of product dispenses from the reusable airless pump case with a light press. It’s unscented and buttery-soft, a non-negotiable combination of cream or moisturizer for sensitive skin. It didn’t take much effort at all to rub the product into my hands, either, which is a huge plus for those whose fingers and wrists might be a bit more fragile.

When I woke up in the morning, my hands definitely felt more hydrated than when I went to sleep. Then, after about a week of consistent use, I found some of the wrinkles around my base knuckles looked smoother. After two weeks, some of the little scars on the back of my hands blended in better with the rest of my skin. 

Courtesy of Soft Services

Thanks to the addition of pure retinol, the product is supposed to reverse skin discoloration and plump up delicate skin. It’s true that retinol is typically used on face creams, but Soft Services formulated it to be appropriate for hands when paired with two other restorative ingredients: colloidal oatmeal and panthenol.

Theraplush has cuticle maintenance properties, too. Although my cuticles can get unruly, I don’t always have time to make it to the nail salon for a manicure. I feel like the hand cream is helping tide my cuticles over better than other hand creams I’ve tried.

Speaking of other hand creams, Theraplush unfortunately can’t be the only hand cream you use. I know that might come as a surprise given its cost, but since it has retinol, it’s not safe for your skin when exposed to tons of sunlight. I supplement as needed during the daytime with the affordable Eucerin Advanced Repair Hand Cream. Theraplush also might not be for you if you’re averse to a “system” of sorts that requires ordering refills when you run out of product. Soft Services estimates you’ll need to purchase a $36 refill every six weeks if you use the product daily.

That said, if you’re looking to give your hands some love back for all they do for you, Soft Services’s Theraplush is hard to beat. Between the beautiful packaging and proven formula, there’s a new standard for evening hand creams in town.