Parade
Sarah Jessica Parker Says Fans Have Been Wrong About Her Since ‘Sex and the City’
Sarah Jessica Parker may have spent nearly three decades playing Carrie Bradshaw, but she wants fans to know there is a “very clear line” between her and the iconic Sex and the City character.
Parker, 61, set the record straight during an Aug. 30 interview with British Vogue.
When asked to name the biggest misconception people have about her, Parker didn’t hesitate.
“That I’m Carrie,” she replied.
Sex and the City MoviePhoto by James Devaney on Getty Images
Parker first stepped into Carrie’s Manolo Blahniks when Sex and the City premiered in 1998. The New York City columnist became known for her love of designer shoes, cosmopolitans and complicated romances.
The actress, however, insists that playing Carrie for so long didn’t make them the same person.
Parker’s answers to British Vogue’s questions offered a glimpse at the woman behind the character. She named lamb chops as her signature dish, said her ability to hail a cab may be the most New York thing about her and called the family she shares with husband Matthew Broderick her greatest accomplishment.
There may be one unexpected trait Parker and Carrie do share: Neither of them likes parsley.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Chris Noth on the set of “‘Sex and the City.’(Photo by HBO/Getty Images)
Parker revealed the quirky similarity during a 2025 Q&A, explaining that the show’s writers may have picked up on her real-life habit of asking servers to leave the herb off her food.
“It must’ve been just being around the writers and then hearing me say to a server, ‘Hey, so parsley, all other herbs are fine. It’s just parsley,’” she recalled.
Carrie’s famous wardrobe has also occasionally crossed over into Parker’s real life.
The actress admitted in 2025 that she once turned to the character’s fashion archive when she needed something to wear to a party in England.
“We were already nearby, so I pulled from the archive,” Parker said, noting that she has borrowed from Carrie’s closet for personal use only a handful of times.
When she does consider wearing one of the archived pieces, Parker said she is careful about where she will be going and whether the clothing could be damaged.
“It’s not every day,” she explained.
Parker played Carrie throughout Sex and the City’s six-season run, earning five Emmy nominations and winning once. She later returned for two feature films before reviving the character in HBO Max’s And Just Like That….
The sequel series, which also starred Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis, concluded in 2025 after three seasons.
(Photo by HUGO MATHY/AFP via Getty Images)Parker marked the end of her time as Carrie with an emotional tribute reflecting on the character’s romances, friendships, fashion and enduring devotion to New York City.
“Carrie Bradshaw has dominated my professional heartbeat for 27 years,” Parker wrote at the time. “I think I have loved her most of all.”
Parker may not be Carrie Bradshaw, but after nearly three decades together, the character will always be an important part of her story.
1949 Country Classic, Covered by Elvis Presley, Is Considered One of the 'Saddest Songs of All Time'
Country star Hank Williams is responsible for writing one of the saddest songs ever: his tear-jerking ballad, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.”
With its bluesy melody and melancholy lyrics, the 1949 single is one of the most enduring tracks from Williams’ catalog, and it’s been covered by a number of different artists over the years, including Elvis Presley.
The King of Rock and Roll was keenly aware of how somber the song truly is, as he once even referred to it as the saddest song he’d ever heard.
Elvis was recording his famous Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite concert in January 1973, when he introduced “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” by telling the crowd, “I’d like to sing a song that’s probably the saddest song I ever heard,” according to American Songwriter.
And the “Suspicious Minds” singer isn’t the only one to feel that way about Williams’ somber ballad, which has been ranked as one of the saddest songs ever recorded. “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” was voted as the No. 10 saddest song of all time in a 2013 reader’s poll conducted by Rolling Stone. The outlet also released a ranking of the 40 Saddest Country Songs of All Time in 2019, where Williams’ deep cut was placed at No. 2.
🎬SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬
Williams recorded “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” in August 1949, and released it that November as the B-side to “My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It.” It has since been covered by a number of other music legends, like Johnny Cash, Al Green, Roy Orbison, B.J. Thomas and Dean Martin.
Elvis’ version of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” is considered by Rolling Stone to be one of his best country performances, along with his renditions of other country hits like “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and more.
1995 Robin Williams Film, Which Inspired a Space-Themed Spinoff, Ranked Among Best Adventure Movies of All Time
Jumanji, starring Robin Williams, was a box office success and a peak ’90s film.
The adventure film, released in 1995, blended fantasy, suspense and emotional storytelling, all centered around a mysterious board game that brings dangers to life.
It followed Williams’ Alan Parrish, who became trapped inside the magical game as a young boy in 1969. When he’s released into the modern world decades later, he’s tasked with finishing what he started alongside two new children, who unwillingly restarted the game.
Each roll of the dice unleashes chaos that extends to the real-world, with stampedes of wild animals and jungle forces such as flash floods and carnivorous plants, invading the town and the old mansion where Judy Shephard (played by a young Kirsten Dunst) and her brother, Peter Shepard (Bradly Pierce), just moved in.
It also reunites Parish with his original game partner, Sarah Whittle, brought to life by Bonnie Hunt, who has been haunted by his bizarre disappearance for 26 years.
Jumanji’s popularity remains just as strong three decades later, with Collider ranking it among the “Best Adventure Movies of All Time,” while The Every Mom praised the nostalgia-driven film among “’90s Kids Movies We Still Love in 2026.”
ScreenRant even ranked it in the No. 3 spot on the “10 Greatest Kids Movies Set In The 90s” list, making it the perfect family movie night watch, especially as it’s currently available to stream on Netflix.
With a series of mystical quests to end the game for good and make it out alive (while also escaping from the big-game hunter), it makes for the perfect PG film to kick off the spooky fall celebrations.
Jumanji’s popularity was instant, as it opened at No. 1 at the U.S box office in its debut weekend, overtaking Toy Story, marking a strong commercial success, especially for a mid-90s fantasy film. It went on to become the tenth highest-grossing film of 1995.
It became a blockbuster favorite with success on home video and TV reruns, which helped justify the modern franchise expansion decades later.
In 2017 and 2019, two modern sequels were released, with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level.
The former, starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan, was a direct sequel that updated the concept by turning the board game into a video game console. The latter found the same group returning to rescue a friend.
The fifth and final installment, Jumanji: Open World, is scheduled to hit theaters on Christmas Day 2026, bringing the video game chaos into the real world as the avatars get stuck in “demo mode.”
But if you’re wondering about the second installment in the franchise, it exists as a lesser-known film that doesn’t boast the Jumanji name at all.
The 2005 space-themed standalone spinoff, or “spiritual successor,” Zathura: A Space Adventure, is inspired by Jumanji, replacing the jungle board game with a cosmic space version.
It was directed by Star Wars‘ Jon Favreau and based on a story by Chris Van Allsburg—who also wrote the original Jumanji book in 1981—which was released as a printed sequel in 2002.
Two brothers, Danny and Walter (Jonah Bobo and Josh Hutcherson, respectively), play the game before their house is shot into space. Also starring Dax Shepard and Kristen Stewart (before the Twilight fame), it was considered a box office disappointment, opening at No. 2, as it did not recoup profits in theaters, facing intense competition from Chicken Little, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and The Chronicles of Narnia.
The film also caused some confusion among viewers as it is set in the same fictional universe of Jumanji but does not reference the game or the original film in the plot.
Despite its lackluster box office performance, breaking even at $65 million, compared to Jumanji’s $235 million a decade prior, Zathura gained a cult following on home video and streaming—currently also available to stream on Netflix.
The companion film reimagined the concept in a different setting while keeping the idea of a game that comes to life, further cementing it as a lasting pop culture concept and paving the way for future spinoffs.
As for Jumanji, it remains a standout family must-watch decades later.
Joanna Gaines’ 'Stunning' 5-Quart Ceramic Mixing Bowl Is 25% Off Just in Time for Fall Baking Season
Parade aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.
Fall baking season is right around the corner, so if you’ve been wanting to swap the standard metal bowl on your KitchenAid for something a little more decorative, now’s a good time to do it. The Hearth and Hand with Magnolia KitchenAid 5-Quart Classic Column Ceramic Bowl is currently on sale for just $90 at Target, down from $120. It comes in a light neutral shade with the prettiest ribbing around the outside.
The bowl fits all 4.5- and 5-quart KitchenAid tilt-head stand mixers and measures 7.5 inches tall by 12.5 inches wide by 9.13 inches deep. It weighs a little over 4 pounds and is made from ceramic that’s designed to resist chipping, cracking, and staining. It can also go in the freezer, microwave, dishwasher, and even the oven at temperatures up to 475 degrees, so you can use the same bowl for several steps of a recipe.
Hearth and Hand with Magnolia KitchenAid 5-Quart Classic Column Ceramic Bowl, $90 (was $120) at Target Shop at TargetThis versatile bowl can be used in many ways, whether it’s for softening butter, mixing or whipping ingredients directly in the stand mixer, chilling dough in the freezer, or baking in the oven. The 5-quart capacity also gives you plenty of room for larger batches, which is perfect for making cake batter, cookies, or bread dough around the holidays.
Shoppers have called the bowl “stunning” and the “perfect height.” One person noted that it “makes your mixer look like a statement piece” and called it “elegant and classy.” Beyond its appearance, reviewers have described it as “extremely durable, luxurious, and well-crafted,” while also praising how easy it is to clean.
Its neutral ceramic finish makes this a very easy swap if your KitchenAid already lives on your counter. Instead of putting the mixer away between uses, the ribbed bowl gives it a more decorative look than a traditional metal bowl. It’s a small change that can make an appliance you already use regularly look a little more cohesive with the rest of your kitchen decor.
Shop More Deals- Hearth and Hand KitchenAid 10-Speed Stand Mixer, $380 (was $500) at Target
- Hearth and Hand Copper Spoon with Gold Handle, $15 (was $23) at Target
- Hearth and Hand KitchenAid Go Cordless Blade Grinder, $90 (was $110) at Target
If fall usually means breaking out the mixer for cakes, cookies, breads, and holiday recipes, having a second bowl can make those baking days a little easier. Be sure to grab the Hearth and Hand with Magnolia KitchenAid 5-Quart Classic Column Ceramic Bowl at Target while the sale price is still available.
Don’t miss future deals! Sign up for Parade Picks to receive our commerce team’s curated selection of discounts and sales twice a week.
1960 Jack Lemmon Movie Ranked Among ‘Greatest American Films of All Time’
Some movies become classics because they changed Hollywood. Others endure because, decades later, they still feel remarkably familiar.
The Apartment, Billy Wilder’s 1960 romantic comedy-drama, belongs to the latter category — a film about loneliness, ambition and messy relationships that remains surprisingly relevant more than 60 years after its release.
The film follows insurance clerk Calvin Clifford (CC) “Buddy Boy” Baxter, played by Hollywood legend Jack Lemmon, who is trying to climb the corporate ladder. He allows his superiors to use his apartment in Manhattan’s Upper West Side for their affairs, but he becomes attracted to Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), an elevator operator, not knowing she is having an affair of her own. The cast also included Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston and Edie Adams.
“The Apartment was great. A wonderful shoot and it was one of the first pictures where we mixed comedy and drama together,” MacLaine wrote on her blog in 2007. “Jack Lemmon was terrific and such a nice guy. And Jack was a pro in every theatrical sense of the word. Billy was in love with Jack’s talent. The chemistry between the two was a joy to watch. In fact it was such a wonderful experience that I would come to the set on my days off just to observe two masters at work.”
Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine ride the elevator in a scene from the 1960 film ‘The Apartment.’ Billy Wilder only had 29 pages of script written when shooting startedMacLaine revealed years ago in that same blog post that she and Lemmon had no idea how the film would end, and neither did Wilder, who also wrote the script alongside I.A.L Diamond. According to her, Wilder “just watched our relationship to see how the chemistry would evolve.”
“Everything was evolving,” she wrote. “Billy Wilder was such a fabulous writer/director that the studio just financed the film without knowing what he would do, but they did know his reputation of creating great films and the studios knew their investment was secure. Billy could do a film on the phone book and studios and actors would stand in line to be part of the project.”
She added: “Billy Wilder would never shoot a master shot. We never had a rehearsal with a master shot. So we never knew what we were actually doing.”
C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) strains spaghetti with a tennis racket as Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine) watches, in the 1960 film The Apartment.Photo by John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
Not only did the cast and crew have a fun time filming it, The Apartment was also critically successful. It was nominated for 10 Academy Awards in 1961, and took home five of them, including Best Motion Picture, Best Director, Best Story and Screenplay, Best Art Direction and Best Film Editing. The movie also had nominations and wins across other major award shows including the Golden Globes, the Grammy Awards, the British Academy Film Awards and more.
In addition, the movie was also ranked No. 80 on the American Film Institute’s “100 Years…100 Movies” list, which aims to “reflect the collective opinion of a wide range of scholars, artists and experts who champion the power of the art form” and was updated during its 10th anniversary. The Apartment was also inducted into the National Film Registry in 1994 and was ranked eighth place on the Top 10 Films by the National Board of Review Awards.
Why is ‘The Apartment’ so significant more than 65 years later?Although The Apartment received some mixed reviews when it was released in 1960, it was the eighth highest-grossing film that year, and its reputation has only grown with time. Wilder’s blend of romantic comedy, workplace satire and darker drama was unconventional for its era, with some critics objecting to its cynical view of relationships and its treatment of infidelity. Others, however, praised Wilder’s direction and the performances of Lemmon and MacLaine. Even decades later, its themes of loneliness, ambition, workplace pressure and complicated relationships have helped it remain relevant to a new generation of viewers today.
“The Apartment is not merely about an everyman type, but a profound reflection on what life is like for the everyman in America — and for the everywoman, too,” The Guardian beautifully wrote on the film’s 60th anniversary. “It’s so obvious to the audience that they belong together, and so elating when it finally happens – as it should be in any good romcom. But The Apartment understands the forces that keep them apart so clearly, and they’re as ordinary as clocking into work.”
The Apartment can be streamed for free on YouTube, Tubi, Philo and Pluto TV, as well as rented for less than $6 on Fandango, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Google Play Movies.
Related: 2007 Hit Film Ranked Among ‘Best Movies of the Century’
Over 10,000 Cases of Tofu Have Been Recalled for Contamination—Here's What to Know
Yet another food recall is underway, as more than 10,000 cases of tofu are being removed from shelves due to a potential chemical contamination.
At a time when common grocery staples are being recalled at an alarming clip, this latest development serves as a further reminder to stay on top of new recall notices so you can always be aware of what’s sitting in your pantry or refrigerator.
😋😋 SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & more in our daily Pop Kitchen newsletter 🍳🍔
Hodo Recalls Over 10,000 Cases of Chili Crisp Lightly Fried TofuFirst initiated on Aug. 7, the recall names 10,084 cases of Hodo Chili Crisp Lightly Fried Tofu as potentially at risk, as the products may be contaminated with ink. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the at-risk packages were distributed to 29 states nationwide and feature best-by dates ranging from May through November of 2026.
At the moment, no illnesses or adverse reactions have been reported in relation to the recall. However, Hodo tofu now joins the ranks of iceberg lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, eggs, jalapeños, frozen blueberries and more that have been removed from shelves due to possible safety issues this summer alone.
Which States Sold the Recalled Tofu?As of now, the FDA notice does not reveal which stores have the recalled Hodo tofu in stock, but we do know which states the packages were distributed to: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
Related: This Popular Snack Cake Flavor Is Being Recalled for Undeclared Dairy
Product Information to Look Out ForIf you need help identifying the right product, the recall affects only Hodo brand Lightly Fried Chili Crisp Tofu, a marinated, ready-to-heat product sold in eight-ounce packages. That said, the recall is limited to specific packages identified by their lot codes and corresponding use-by dates. To cross-reference what you have at home, look out for the following:
- Lot code 260114 — Use by May 15, 2026
- Lot code 260114A — Use by May 15, 2026
- Lot code 260122 — Use by May 23, 2026
- Lot code 260128 — Use by May 29, 2026
- Lot code 260205 — Use by June 6, 2026
- Lot code 260213 — Use by June 14, 2026
- Lot code 260213A — Use by June 14, 2026
- Lot code 260219 — Use by June 20, 2026
- Lot code 260219A — Use by June 20, 2026
- Lot code 260220 — Use by June 21, 2026
- Lot code 260226 — Use by June 27, 2026
- Lot code 260305 — Use by July 4, 2026
- Lot code 260312 — Use by July 11, 2026
- Lot code 260319 — Use by July 18, 2026
- Lot code 260326 — Use by July 25, 2026
- Lot code 260402 — Use by Aug. 1, 2026
- Lot code 260423 — Use by Aug. 22, 2026
- Lot code 260521 — Use by Sept. 19, 2026
- Lot code 260611 — Use by Oct. 10, 2026
- Lot code 260625 — Use by Oct. 24, 2026
- Lot code 260709 — Use by Nov. 7, 2026
While this recall is still under investigation, it’s important that you refrain from eating Hodo Lightly Fried Chili Crisp Tofu to avoid getting sick. For your safety, either return it to the store you purchased it from or discard it entirely. And if you’re feeling disheartened about the current state of groceries, don’t worry. A little extra due diligence goes a long way, and as long as you stay up to date on new recalls as they pop up, you should be safe to continue shopping as you normally would.
Related: Fast-Food Fans Have Spoken: This Chain Still Has America’s Best French Fries
Are ‘Love Island USA’ Season 8 Finalists Kayda and Zach Still Together? Where They Stand Today
Love Island USA Season 8 finalist Kayda Bosse and Zach Georgiou ended the season together. However, as the highly anticipated reunion airs tonight, fans are left wondering if the couple is still together.
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬
Are Kayda and Zach From Love Island Still Together? LOVE ISLAND USA — Episode 835 — Pictured: (l-r) Kayda Reese Bosse, Zacharias Georgiou — (Photo by: Ben Symons/Peacock)YES!! The 4th-place finalists remain together today! Currently living together with Zach’s brother Charlie Georgiou, who appeared on Love Island USA Season 7 and Love Island Beyond the Villa Season 2. Kayda has recently officially called Georgiou her boyfriend, marking a pivotal moment for the happy couple.
What Happened Between Kayda and Zach on Love Island? LOVE ISLAND USA — Episode 827 — Pictured: (l-r) Kayda Reese Bosse, Zacharias Georgiou — (Photo by: Ben Symons/Peacock)Kayda and Zach’s journey this summer was filled with complications from the jump. When Kayda arrived as the first female bombshell of the season, Zach was currently paired up with Kenzie Annis. However, he expressed a desire to explore his connection with someone new.
So when Kayda arrived, she took him on a romantic overnight trip with Bryce Alakai and quickly developed a connection. At the following recoupling, Kayda and Zach coupled up for the first time, and remained together for the remainder of the season.
During Casa Amor, the season’s biggest trial for couples, Zach did explore his connection with Alannah Keyser. Despite saying he was planning to go back to Kayda, the decision was made for him when Alannah was removed from the villa following resurfaced content on social media.
Related: Who Is ‘Love Island USA’s Alannah Keyser? Everything to Know Including The Real Reason She Left
Kayda confronted Zach about being chosen “by default” after the movie night revelation that Alannah had left the Casa experience. The two argued but ultimately decided to stay together.
Before the finale, the pair decided to make things exclusive, but highlighted that they are not “officially boyfriend and girlfriend” yet. The pair ended the experience as the fourth-place finalists, chosen by America’s vote, and left the villa happy together.
Since leaving the Villa, fans have remained tough on the contestants, challenging the validity of their relationship. Despite this, Zach has said on social media that he is excited to experience life with Kayda, sharing in a recent Instagram video, “I’m just so excited to see the world with her now, see where she lives, go to New Hampshire, meet her family properly. Bring her back to the U.K., meet my family, start doing normal stuff.”
Love Island USA Season 8 is streaming now exclusively on Peacock, with the Season 8 reunion premiering August 31, 2026 at 9 PM ET.
Jodie Sweetin Reveals the Lesson She Learned After Four Marriages
Jodie Sweetin is sharing some insight into her marriage with her fourth husband, Mescal Wasilewski.
During an August 2026 appearance on Good Guys Podcast, hosted by Josh Peck and Ben Soffer, Sweetin shared her thoughts about married couples living in separate residences.
“I love it,” said Sweetin, who wed Wasilewski in 2022.
She then explained that she and Wasilewski “are both very, like, independent people.”
“He goes and does his thing. He works in treatment as a clinical director, and you know, I’ll go travel and do something,” said Sweetin, who has previously worked as a treatment center’s director of operations.
The Full House star, who famously played Stephanie Tanner, went on to say that she and her husband have a goal “to own property somewhere” that has “a few little like tiny homes on it.”
“He gets his tiny home. I get my tiny home, and then there’s like the middle one where it’s like, ‘Okay, it’s got a kitchen, and like a living room and whatever,'” said Sweetin, now 44.
Sweetin also said she believes “that more time apart” could be beneficial for a couple as it reduces everyday annoyances and increases a desire for quality time. She then said she learned that she likes to have her own space after being married four times.
“I’ve been married four times. So after a few, I think you just kind of go, ‘Maybe I should have some space on my own,'” said Sweetin.
During the podcast episode, Sweetin also shared that she and her husband sleep on their own mattresses “pushed up against each other,” as Wasilewski is a very light sleeper. In addition, she said they have “separate duvets” so they never have to fight “over the blanket.”
Jodie Sweetin Discussed Her Divorces in a June 2026 InterviewIn a June 2026 interview on Michael Rosenbaum‘s podcast, Inside of You, Sweetin referenced her past divorces from her ex-husbands, Shaun Holguin, Cody Herpin, the father of her 18-year-old daughter, Zoie, and Morty Coyle, the father of her 16-year-old daughter, Beatrix. She explained that after Full House ended after its eight-season run in 1995, she began using drugs and alcohol. The actress, who has been sober since 2011, said she also didn’t have the best relationships.
In addition, Sweetin said that she was “the only common denominator” when it came to her divorces.
“There’s something obviously that I am bringing to things or that I am not honoring for myself before I get into these relationships,” said Sweetin.
During the podcast interview, Sweetin explained that she had a deep need to be loved, “let everyone else make choices for [her],” and didn’t mind “red flags” from romantic partners.
“Just again, ‘Will you love me?’ I’m not going to ask any questions about anything, you know, important or that I should probably know before we do this … ‘Please love a red flag because also I have red flags. So, I’m not going to judge you for yours. In fact, I’m just going to paint them green or take them down. They’re not even there.’ And I did that a lot,” said Sweetin.
Kelly Clarkson Ends Her Talk Show on a High Note—And With a Concert of Her Own Music
Kelly Clarkson‘s last talk show episode is going out with a truly grand finale—and a stellar list of performances.
After seven seasons and over 1,200 episodes with NBC, The Kelly Clarkson Show host is paying homage to her roots and the viewers who made the show such a success with an hour-long mashup of some of her greatest hits introduced by some of her most loyal fans.
Although audiences are certainly bummed that they won’t be able to watch the 44-year-old Grammy singer host exclusive interviews and recurring “Kellyoke” segments, the show’s finale serves as a bittersweet tribute to Clarkson’s career and where she’s off to next (presumably, the recording studio, as she did only recently release a new single).
The Kelly Clarkson Show Finale: Full List of “Kelly by Request” PerformancesMonday’s special “Kelly By Request” episode is more than just a series finale, it’s basically a concert where Clarkson performs some of her most popular hits from over the years—including the first-ever TV performance of her new song, “I’d Be Lyin’.”
Related: Kelly Clarkson Saved Her ‘Most Requested’ Cover for Her Final ‘Kellyoke’—Here’s What She Sang
Clarkson starts off the serenade with a lively performance of “Since U Been Gone,” which first appeared on her 2004 album Breakaway.
Then, with help from the studio audience—which was made up of everyday watchers and members of fan-run clubs, dedicated podcasts and media (including Parade editors)—the Grammy winner Clarkson moves on to belt out tracks like “Sober” off the 2007 release My December, “Stronger” from her fifth studio album of the same name released in 2011 and the title track off her 2015 album “Piece by Piece,” before concluding with her latest tune, “Didn’t I.”
Although the talk show won’t be producing any new content with its namesake after today, viewers can still tune in to past episodes and interviews and enjoy over 800 “Kellyoke” performances via the official Kelly Clarkson Show website and on YouTube.
Next: Kelly Clarkson’s Cover of Major ’90s Hit Gets Epic Response From the Country Queen Herself
Venus Williams Questions US Open After Record-Late Match Starts at 12:13 A.M.
Venus Williams is questioning why she and Sofia Kenin were forced to begin their first-round US Open match after midnight.
Williams, 46, took the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium at approximately 12:13 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 31 — reportedly the latest a match has ever started in US Open history.
“I would’ve preferred something else, definitely,” Williams said after the match, per The New York Times. “I think it wasn’t great for either of us. We both tried our best.”
The seven-time Grand Slam champion also questioned whether athletes in any other professional sport would be expected to begin competing at such a late hour.
“I just don’t know any other sport where you have to start that late,” Williams said. “I definitely think there’s room for improvement there.”
Per the outlet, the scheduling issue arose after the preceding match between Novak Djokovic and Mariano Navone lasted four hours and 36 minutes. Their five-set battle pushed Williams and Kenin’s match into the early hours of Monday morning.
(Photo by Mike Lawrence/USTA via Getty Images)Williams ultimately lost to Kenin, 2-6, 6-7, but nearly extended the match into a third set.
The tennis legend earned three set points while returning at 5-4 in the second set before forcing a tiebreak. Kenin, 27, then won six consecutive points to close out the match.
Williams wasn’t the only person questioning the late start.
(Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images)Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg called the situation “dysfunctional” in a post on X.
“This Venus-Kenin match is setting a new record for latest EVER start to a U.S. Open match,” Rothenberg wrote, noting that the previous record was approximately 12:08 a.m. for Aryna Sabalenka and Ekaterina Alexandrova in 2024.
“This match started at 12:13 by my clock,” he added.
Despite her singles loss, Williams’ run at the US Open isn’t over.
She will next return to the court alongside her younger sister, Serena Williams, after the 14-time Grand Slam doubles champions received a wild card to compete together.
The sisters, who last played US Open doubles together in 2022, are expected to begin their tournament Thursday, Sept. 3, or Friday, Sept. 4.
Walmart’s Fairy Tree House DIY Book Nook Kit Is the Perfect Cozy Fall Activity, Brimming With Cottagecore Vibes
Parade aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.
As September arrives, we’re starting to make the transition from summer to fall. The weather is already cooling down, and the leaves will soon change colors. It’s nearly time to enjoy all your favorite fall activities, from apple picking to cozying up at home. If you’re looking for a way to keep yourself busy on a chilly night in, DIY projects are always a fabulous choice, giving you the opportunity to unplug and create something from scratch.
There are so many types of projects to choose from, including crocheting, candle making, and painting, and one of our favorites is this Strucwood Fairy Tree House Book Nook Kit. It comes with everything you need to build your very own book nook, and it’s currently on sale at Walmart. The kit normally retails for $40, but it’s now marked down to just $35!
Strucwood Fairy Tree House Book Nook Kit, $35 (was $40) at Walmart Shop at WalmartYou’ll be building a darling fairy tree house, featuring a quaint cottage-style home sitting atop a tree trunk. Everything about this piece oozes with cottagecore charm, from the vibrant green moss to the fluttering butterflies. The house itself boasts ornate details, including mossy ladders, scrollwork windows and motifs, and a scalloped roof.
All the decorative accents make the tree house look like a scene plucked straight out of a fairytale. From the ground all the way to the roof, the entire book nook is plastered with moss, giving it a grounded, natural feel. It’s adorned with butterflies, flowers, mushrooms, a bird, and a bunny, creating a buzzy and cheerful scene that brings it to life. The book nook also showcases a dainty little fairy reading a book, serving as a reminder to slow down and enjoy life.
This kit is complete with LED lights, giving it an enchanting vibe when turned on. Placed anywhere in your home, whether it’s on your bookcase, kitchen counter, or console, it’ll instantly add a whimsical and magical feel to your space. For size reference, the completed book nook measures 4.7 inches wide, 4.3 inches deep, and 6.7 inches tall.
Shop More Deals- Mojino Miniature House Book Nook Kit, $19 (was $30) at Walmart
- Fyjucpa Hanging Diamond Art Kit, $10 (was $17) at Walmart
- Mosaflare Paint-by-Numbers Kit, $10 (was $16) at Walmart
Filled with 137 pieces ranging from large base parts to small accessories, this book nook kit should take between four and six hours to complete. Whether you build it by yourself, with a partner, or with friends, it’s a fun way to stay busy on a cozy fall night.
The main base pieces are made of sturdy wood and snap together for a secure hold. The LED lights are built in and turn on just by tapping the room. The lights are battery-powered, and the tree house has a hidden compartment for the batteries so they don’t create an eyesore.
On those rainy fall days or brisk, breezy evenings, stay indoors and get started on the Strucwood Fairy Tree House Book Nook Kit for a fun and cozy activity. Head to Walmart and snag it while it’s still on sale for just $35!
Don’t miss future deals! Sign up for Parade Picks to receive our commerce team’s curated selection of discounts and sales, twice a week.
'Made in Korea' Season 2, the Final Chapter of Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung's KCIA Thriller, Hits Disney+ September 9
Made in Korea is coming back. Season 2 of Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung‘s K-Drama political thriller premieres on Disney+ and Hulu on September 9. It’s the final season — six episodes running through September 23. When Season 1 ended, Baek Ki-tae (Hyun Bin) had consolidated his grip on power. Season 2 finds him as the deputy director of the KCIA, expanding his drug operations across the region during one of the most turbulent periods in South Korean political history. Prosecutor Jang Geon-young (Jung Woo-sung) has been getting ready for years. He’s prepared. Ki-tae already knows it’s coming. “I’ve kept my head down, kept my claws hidden, and waited for this moment,” he says in the teaser. The final chapter starts in nine days.
If you haven’t seen Season 1, you’ve got nine days to fix that. Made in Korea was Disney+’s most-watched Korean original of 2025, and TIME magazine named it one of the most anticipated Korean dramas of 2026. Hyun Bin’s Ki-tae is a political operator with no moral ceiling and no intention of stopping. Jung Woo-sung’s Geon-young is the prosecutor who’s made it his life’s work to take him down. Season 1 ended with Ki-tae at the top. Geon-young kept preparing.
The KCIA — Korea’s real-world Central Intelligence Agency — was one of the most feared institutions in modern Korean political history. Its actual involvement in assassinations, coups, and political control gives Made in Korea‘s fictional story a weight that most political thrillers can’t claim accurately. This isn’t just a dramatic backdrop. It’s one of the most consequential institutions in modern Asian history.
Season 2 picks up nine years later. Nine years is long enough to build something unassailable. It’s also long enough to build something that can finally tear it down. Both men used the time well. Now, Woo Do-hwan from Bloodhounds joins as Ki-hyun — Ki-tae’s younger brother — who’s pursuing his own path to power. The brothers aren’t necessarily on the same side. Geon-young presses Ki-hyun directly in the teaser: “Choose which side you will stand on.” Ki-tae’s response to both of them: “This is war now.” Director Woo Min-ho and writer Park Eun-kyo — co-writer of Bong Joon-ho’s Mother — are both back. The same team that built Season 1 is finishing it.
Why the Final Season MattersKorean political dramas operate at a level of moral complexity that most political thrillers can’t match. Made in Korea is among the best the genre has produced. For Hyun Bin, it’s his most politically ambitious role since Crash Landing on You. For Jung Woo-sung, it’s a rare chance to play the moral center of a story this morally complex. For Woo Do-hwan, it’s his biggest stage yet.
Season 1 is on Disney+ and Hulu right now. You’ve got nine days. Ki-tae spent Season 1 grabbing power. Season 2 is about whether anyone can take it away.
That question gets its answer on September 9.
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
1975 Rock Anthem Was Almost Cut Down by Record Executives for Being Too Long
The legendary musician Freddie Mercury wasn’t afraid to fight for what would become one of his most beloved songs.
The Queen frontman is remembered for his originality and stage presence. He died in 1991 at 45 from bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS. He is behind hits such as “We Are the Champions,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” and “Killer Queen,” but arguably his most well-known track is “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The 5 minutes and 55 seconds song almost didn’t make it on the radio because record executives were worried it was too long.
Mercury’s close friend and ex-fiancée, Mary Austin, is giving fans a look at the rockstar’s life in her new book, A Life in Lyrics: The Official Creative Legacy of Freddie Mercury. She tells stories of her late friend’s life, shares pages of his notebooks, and newly released photographs.
Austin wrote about the behind-the-scenes of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Here is an excerpt published in People on Aug. 31:
To discuss the release they held a meeting at EMI from which Freddie returned looking really worried. The record company had said the song was too long and wanted it cut down, but he’d told them that was how it had to be — and then walked out.
If he’d sounded firm to them, he certainly wasn’t so sure in the privacy of his own home. Back at the flat, he said he wasn’t certain he’d done the right thing. He was worried that he’d torpedoed his own career and that of the band. It was unusual for him; I’d never seen him that concerned before.
When the record company dug its heels in, Freddie found an ally in Kenny Everett, who was then a top DJ at Capital Radio (and went on to become a massive TV star). I wasn’t aware of any great friendship between them beforehand, and I couldn’t tell you exactly how they’d been introduced — it may have been through someone he knew at EMI, possibly John Reid, perhaps their publicist, Eric Hall — I honestly don’t know, but what mattered was that Kenny understood the song instinctively and didn’t want to see it ‘edited’ as the record company were suggesting.
Given a copy of the record, I think there was an understanding that he might play it once, maybe twice. But telling Kenny Everett to do something within limits was always a lost cause. He took that as a challenge. His show was at the weekend, and once he started, he played it over and over. He began by teasing it, and then he aired the whole thing, time and time again, and by the end of that weekend it felt as though it was everywhere.
That was also when I heard it properly for the first time. I remember thinking how strange it must sound to people hearing it cold. It was so unlike anything else — you didn’t quite know what you were listening to at first. But it carried you with it. There was such joy in it, such confidence, that it didn’t matter if you couldn’t immediately make sense of every part.
And clearly Kenny felt that, too, because listeners responded straight away. Capital Radio was flooded with requests for a single that didn’t even exist yet.
Freddie was jubilant. I think he felt that someone had finally stood alongside him rather than trying to cut his work down to size. That whole struggle — from the song beginning at the piano, through Wales, through months of work, doubt and turmoil — suddenly tipped the other way. It was as though he’d landed where he’d been trying to get to all along.
I remember a real change in him then. When I think of that time, I see someone centered and happy. He was joyful, of course, but more than that he seemed newly assured — as though he’d found a space he hadn’t quite been in before, and knew he belonged there.
Austin’s book, A Life in Lyrics: The Official Creative Legacy of Freddie Mercury, will hit shelves on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
Rod Stewart, 81, Reveals the 'Pinch Me' Career Moment That Changed His Life
Rod Stewart has been living the dream for quite some time now!
In a resurfaced interview clip from his chat with Ken Bruce for the U.K.’s Greatest Hits Radio, the 81-year-old “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” singer opened up about an early career milestone occurring in the 1970s that changed him forever.
“The pinch me moment, I think, was when I was in the Faces and I’d released [my third solo record], Every Pictures Tells a Story. And, it got to number one. And, [the song] ‘Maggie May’ got to number one in America and Great Britain,” he began to recall. “I was driving me Bentley. I had a Bentley, right. And I drove it around and it came on the radio. And I drove it back home, knocked on my mum and dad’s house, and gave them a big hug. And they had just heard, too, that it was number one.”
The moment proved to be very emotional for both Stewart and his parents. “We had a big old cry, because my family supported me so much,” he added.
@greatesthitsukRod Stewart reflects on learning that ‘Maggie May’ had gone to number one, a career moment that changed his life… ✨ #rodstewart #70smusic #rodstewartfans
♬ original sound – Greatest Hits RadioStewart continued to find great success in the years that followed. He won a Brit Award in 1993 for Outstanding Contribution to Music and a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album in 2005. He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1994 and alongside the Faces in 2012.
Last year, Stewart received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 American Music Awards. Not only did he perform “Forever Young” during the ceremony, but he also gave an inspiring acceptance speech.
He even told the audience how “absolutely flabbergasted” he was over his eight children getting to take the stage with him for the big occassion.
“I started singing in the early ’60s, well before all of you lot were here. The reason I got into it is because I had this burning ambition to sing. That’s all I wanted to do,” he said. “I didn’t want to be rich or famous. And here I am, a few years later picking up this wonderful award. Thank you so much.”
Stewart is still actively performing. He’s been doing the “One Last Time” farewell tour with Richard Marx since 2024, but he’s also has a Las Vegas residency called “The Encore Shows.”
However, the “Sailing” crooner was recently forced to cancel several dates from both tours after undergoing a coronary stent procedure.
“I’m already feeling better and very much on the mend,” Stewart shared in a statement, per Variety. “I want to thank the doctors, nurses and everyone who has taken such wonderful care of me. I’m deeply disappointed to miss these shows and sorry to let my fans down, but I look forward to getting back on stage and having a good time with you all again soon.”
Stewart’s next scheduled appearance is at the Red Rocks Ampitheatre in Colorado on September 3, 2027.
Debi Mazar Reveals the ‘Toxic’ Reality of Her Entourage Days After Giving Birth to Her Second Daughter
Debi Mazar is reflecting on a “toxic” environment on the Entourage set after she returned from giving birth.
The actress, 62, rose to stardom in films like Batman Forever and Goodfellas, followed by TV shows like Entourage and Younger. On Entourage, she played Shauna Roberts, the sassy publicist of Adrian Grenier‘s movie star character Vincent Chase. But in a new interview, Mazar made it clear that she didn’t feel so welcome on the Entourage set when she returned from giving birth to her second daughter. Instead, she felt judged.
In the first season, appearing on the hit HBO show was a “joy-fest,” Mazar told the UK’s Times. However, that didn’t last. The star shared that after giving birth for the second time, the vibe changed on set. “They didn’t like that I got fat, even though I got skinny again,” she said.
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
“In the third season, the set was a testosterone-fueled environment,” Mazar told the Times. “I’m tough, but it got toxic towards the end for me.” She noted that being on the show was “a lot of fun, until it wasn’t,” she said.
Fox News has since reached out to HBO for a comment.
Despite the bad environment, Mazar did return to appear in the 2015 movie version of Entourage.
Mazar Soaked Up the Summer in ItalyDespite her trouble on the Entourage set, Mazar is thriving. Last summer, she and her husband, Gabriele Corcos, had a dream-like vacation on the Italian coast.
“You are my universe and my inspiration, My strength and my reason, My truth and my obsession. Happy birthday my love, I adore you! #birthday #summer #italy #family,” Corcos captioned the photo set, which showed the stunning Mazar looking as glamorous as ever in two retro-style bathing suits as she stood by the ocean.
View this post on InstagramBack in 2022, Mazar, who lives in Italy, told PEOPLE that she’s always been on a mission to raise her daughters, Evelina and Giulia, with a love of travel.
“I have been dragging my kids on airplanes to countries all over the world since they were born,” she said. “I like that. I want them to understand culture and art and different cities.”
The girls now have the same love of travel as their mom.
“It’s been amazing because now that they live in Europe, my daughter, who’s 16, has friends come from the states,” she shared at the time. “They jump on trains. They go to Venice for the day. They go to Rome for the day. They go to Milan for a weekend. They go to concerts in other cities here. My oldest flies to Israel, Madrid, Barcelona.”
But if you’d like a little flashback to one of Shauna’s vicious insults on Entourage, here’s a quick clip:
Clarks' 'Comfortable' Slip-ons Have a 'Cushiony Sole' That’s Great for Walking and Everyday Errands
Parade aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.
If you’ve been searching for a stylish everyday shoe that’s easy to slip on and comfortable enough for travel, errands, and long days on your feet, Clarks’ Cora Poppy Slip-On Shoes at JCPenney are worth a look. The versatile closed-toe style combines the polished appearance of a leather loafer with the comfort-focused features of a sneaker, offering plenty of support and comfort as you move throughout your day.
Originally priced at $100, the popular slip-ins are currently available for just $35. They feature a full-grain leather upper with subtle metal detailing, providing a classic look that can easily transition from casual everyday outfits to dressier wear. Sizes range from 5 to 12, including half size and wide widths, although availability depends on whether you opt for the black or brown colorway.
Clarks Cora Poppy Slip-On Shoes, $35 (were $100) at JCPenney Shop at JCPenneyDesigned for ultimate comfort, these shoes have a cushioned foam ortholite footbed that molds to your feet and helps absorb impact during every step. The stretchy elastic gores eliminate the need for laces, allowing for an effortlessly secure fit, while the fabric lining enhances breathability and wicks away moisture. The 1.5-inch heel adds a slight lift that gives the shoes a slightly dressier feel, while still remaining wearable and stable enough for everyday use.
Featuring a closed round toe, the shoes have an easy slip-on design that’s ideal for anyone who prefers throw-on-and-go styles that you can keep by the door. They also have a thick durable rubber outsole that provides plenty of traction while navigating wet surfaces, uneven sidewalks, and other terrain.
Shoppers praised the shoes for their soft, supportive feel. “They are extremely comfortable and durable. The fit is perfect, and the cushiony sole is perfect,” one reviewer wrote, while another said they’re “great for walking in.” Several also mentioned that they’re ideal for wide feet, thanks to the “larger toe box.”
Shop More Deals- East 5th Elander Moc Slip-on Shoes, $45 (were $60) at JCPenney
- Clarks Angie Pearl Slip-on Shoes, $65 (were $110) at JCPenney
- Clarks Kaetlyn Mila Round Toe Mary Jane Shoes, $60 (were $100) at JCPenney
With their stylish look, plush feel, and effortless slip-on design, these Clarks shoes are ones you’re sure to wear on repeat throughout the fall. Snag a pair while both colors are still in stock and on sale for 65% off at JCPenney.
Don’t miss future deals! Sign up for Parade Picks to receive our commerce team’s curated selection of discounts and sales, twice a week.
Why Dolly Parton's Death Is Hitting Fans So Hard, According to a Psychologist
The world seemed to shift to slow motion last Monday, August 25, when news of Dolly Parton’s death hit the news. After a “brief battle with cancer,” Parton passed away at the age of 80, and the public immediately began to collectively mourn the beloved superstar and cultural icon.
From celebrity tributes online and on stages, to the general public looking to her music catalog, best recipes and inspiring documentaries for comfort, this loss was felt instantly around the globe, and it hasn’t lessened in the days since.
This profound sadness has made some people wonder, “Why is it that a celebrity’s death can hurt so much, even if it’s someone we’ve never met?”
“At its core, grief is a painful emotional reaction to the severing of an attachment, and we can underestimate our capacity for attachment,” Stanford Medical School adjunct professor and clinical psychologist Dr. Celeste Birkhofer tells Parade. “You are actually capable of becoming quite attached to someone you’ve never met. The human mind is wired for connection, and it doesn’t fully distinguish between ‘in-person’ relationships and the digital ones we cultivate through media.”
While these digital connections can include remote coworkers, support groups and more, it can also involve somewhat one-sided relationships with certain celebrities and influencers we follow online.
“When we follow a celebrity, we are invited into their life—their work, their narrative, their evolution,” Dr. Birkhofer, the author of Beyond Quick Fixes: Essential Ingredients for Better Mental Health and a Fulfilling Life, says. “This creates a parasocial relationship: a one-sided but sometimes deeply felt connection. What makes these bonds uniquely appealing is that they feel safe: they are low-risk. Since the celebrity cannot reject or disappoint us in a direct, personal way, the connection provides a reliable source of comfort without the vulnerabilities inherent in real-world relationships. They don’t know you, which means they can’t dislike you because of your shortcomings and you are not having to directly deal with theirs.”
However, that doesn’t make the grief of losing someone like this any easier. Here, Dr. Birkhofer explains the psychology of parasocial grief and why your pain is valid, why Dolly Parton was more than just a celebrity to so many and psychologist-backed ways to process this loss and honor Parton’s legacy.
Related: 7 Phrases To Use When a Loved One Is Grieving, According to a Trauma Therapist
Some fans might feel surprised by the overwhelming depth of their sadness and grief when a celebrity like Dolly Parton dies. But according to Dr. Birkhofer, it’s a very understandable and valid experience.
“Parasocial grief is valid and psychologically real,” she stresses. “When a celebrity dies, fans experience the loss of a consistent, highly visible person in their life. You can seek them out and be ‘in touch’ with them whenever you want through the internet. Even if the connection is one-sided, the figure may have served as a stabilizing force, a source of solace, or a constant presence during key developmental or emotional milestones in a person’s life. Their music may have helped you navigate a break up, their story may serve as an inspiration or you may live vicariously through them.”
“Grief is the pain we feel when we lose someone or something important to us,” she continues. “No one else gets to determine how bad a particular loss should feel for us. Grief is a personal experience tied to the meaning we assign to a relationship. When that figure dies, the ‘connection’ is severed, and the resulting pain is a legitimate response to that absence.”
Related: 40 Meaningful Songs About Death, Loss and Grief To Help You Cope
Why Dolly Parton Was More Than Just a CelebritySome public figures are much more than just “Hollywood stars,” with their impact felt beyond their discography, credits or general resume. That’s absolutely the case with Parton.
“Dolly Parton represented a rare example of authentic expression of herself and remarkable continuity of that self throughout her long career,” Dr. Birkhofer tells Parade. “She remained grounded in her core identity and values while navigating immense fame. She was not just an entertainer, but for millions of people, she was a powerful symbol of agency, kindness and living a values-driven life.”
Parton’s lifestyle and philanthropy inspired many of us throughout her decades in the spotlight.
“Her degree of self-acceptance was charming and refreshing to witness,” Dr. Birkhofer continues. “She lived an intentional life, despite the temptation celebrities face to morph themselves into what the audience craves or demands. She was an inspiration that you can be yourself and not let success steer you astray of who you truly are and want to be.”
Related: Stop Saying These 9 Common Phrases to People Who Are Grieving, Experts Warn
The Healing Power of Collective MourningWhile some people might prefer to grieve privately, others find solace in public tributes. Dr. Birkhofer explains that this can be a positive way to process grief for many individuals.
“Collective mourning can be profoundly healing,” she tells Parade. “It creates a ‘communal container’ that validates our individual sadness. Sharing grief with a community validates individual emotional experiences and significantly reduces feelings of isolation. It creates a communal container where people can process both their admiration for the public figure and their own personal grief or memories bound up in that person’s work.”
That being said, witnessing collective mourning can sometimes evoke other complicated feelings.
“On the other hand, such an outpouring of public attention to celebrity deaths can sometimes trigger painful existential reflections and evoke ‘grief envy’—highlighting the sharp contrast between the massive, visible love shown to a public figure and a person’s own fears of personal insignificance,” Dr. Birkhofer explains. “In my clinical work, I’ve had patients describe heightened feelings of insignificance after high-profile losses.”
Related: 5 Stages of Grief To Expect After You’ve Experienced Loss, According to a Trauma Therapist
How To Process the Loss and Honor Her LegacyIt’s understandable to feel a bit unmoored after a celebrity’s sudden death, especially processing the loss of someone as beloved as Dolly Parton. Here’s what the clinical psychologist recommends for next steps.
“Honor your feelings about the loss,” Dr. Birkhofer tells Parade. “Process your grief with self-compassion. Remember that her death may be reactivating other losses you have experienced that need your attention. Consider writing a personal tribute or reflection to express what her life and work meant to you, and perhaps post it, to connect with others in shared remembrance. Or take it a step further. Choose one quality of hers that moved you—her humor, authenticity, agency or kindness—and intentionally integrate that into your own life. To embody admirable qualities of those we lose is the highest form of remembrance.”
Up Next:
Related: Psychologist Says These 7 Behaviors Often Signal Unprocessed Grief
Source:- Dr. Celeste Birkhofer is a licensed clinical psychologist, adjunct clinical faculty member at Stanford Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and author of Beyond Quick Fixes: Essential Ingredients for Better Mental Health and a Fulfilling Life.
’90s-Inspired Rock Band Drops Heavy Metal ‘Jolene’ Cover That Had Dolly Parton’s Blessing
The entire music community is mourning the loss of Dolly Parton, who died at age 80 on August 25, 2026, following a brief battle with cancer.
Her songs have been taking over the Billboard charts ever since, while fellow artists have paid tribute by covering her songs live in concert, including Chris Stapleton, Brad Paisley and Megan Moroney. There was even a special show in her honor at the Grand Ole Opry.
Now, the rock band Bad Wolves has honored the Queen of Country with a reimagining of her 1973 classic, “Jolene,” which was ranked the best Dolly Parton song ever.
BlabberMouth reports that Parton was intended to cut vocals for the track, which unfortunately didn’t have a chance to manifest before her death.
Related: 1992 No. 1 Hit Ranked the Greatest Dolly Parton Cover of All Time
Upon releasing the song, which was announced last week, the founder, drummer and songwriter, John Boecklin, revealed, “Our singer is a big fan of Dolly and had posted a bunch of videos of her covering ‘Jolene’. So, we decided to make a heavy metal cover version for our next album. On hearing our version, our label CEO Dan Waite sent the finished demo to Dolly’s manager, Danny Nozell, with a request for Dolly to guest feature on our version. We heard back that Danny had played the track to Dolly, and that Dolly loved our version, and that Dolly was going to go into the studio and add her vocals very soon. We then sent over the stems for Dolly’s studio engineers to work with. Like everyone, we were devastated of this week’s news of Dolly’s passing.”
Boecklin further revealed that proceeds from their cover will be donated to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to “honor Dolly’s incredible legacy.”
Parton’s manager Danny Nozell confirmed that the country crooner gave the cover “her full blessing,” noting that she was “incredibly excited to collaborate on it.”
Since she was a “champion of the artists pushing musical boundaries,” Nozell added that, “Releasing this track on Monday as a tribute — with proceeds directly supporting her beloved Imagination Library— is exactly what Dolly and her team wanted.”
The release, however, seemed to be the last straw for the band’s guitarist, AJ Rebollo, who reported that the label released the cover against the band’s wishes.
In a lengthy Instagram post, he noted, “TLDR – I am stepping away as a member of Bad Wolves.”
“In short, I can no longer in good faith remain a member and co-sign the decisions constantly being made FOR this band by the label, among other issues I have with the inner workings of the business,” Rebollo said in a statement, adding that Bad Wolves did not want to release the cover following her death “as her collaboration on the song was no longer a possibility.”
Rebollo expressed that the band did not want it to be “interpreted as somewhat of a capitalization on her passing from an outside perspective.”
“They went ahead and posted that we were releasing it anyway, despite efforts from more than one member, myself included, to oppose it,” he noted.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by AJ Rebollo (@ajbends)
“While the donation to her Imagination Library is an incredible choice to do something good with the profits, I can’t help but feel there is ill intent behind the decision to release the song,” he added, noting that it underscores a larger issue with the label disregarding other decisions the band has made.
This is the second time the band has released a song shortly after the passing of a major artist. Eight years ago, the band found fame with their cover of The Cranberries’ “Zombie,” a mere four days after frontwoman Dolores O’Riordan died. She was also set to record vocals before her death, with the band donating proceeds from the song to her children.
While many were in agreement that the cover was solid, as one wrote, “sounds fire,” while another added, “I’m actually addicted to this cover! RIP Dolly Parton,” most fans took Rebollo’s side, telling the label to listen to their band’s wishes next time.
“The suits in the record label knew this band got big because of the exposure from the zombies cover, so they used the “we’ll just donate the royalties to charity, but the band will get millions of eyes and big radio play again,” one fan commented.
Bad Wolves have undergone a series of lineup shifts in recent years, beginning with the 2021 departure of original frontman Tommy Vext. He was replaced by Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz, who later left to join Falling in Reverse as bassist, paving the way for Sara “Killboy” Skinner to step in as the band’s latest vocalist, with the first single with her vocals released in June 2026.
Related: Country Music Queen Dolly Parton Makes History Days After Her Death
Are ‘Love Island USA’ Season 8 Winners Bryce and Trinity Still Together? Inside Their Post-Villa Life
The winners of Love Island USA Season 8, Bryce Alakai and Trinity Tatum, took home the $100,000 grand prize this summer. Still, with the reunion airing tonight, fans are wondering: Is the breakout couple of Season 8 still together?
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬
Are Bryce and Trinity from Love Island still together? LOVE ISLAND USA — Episode 835 — Pictured: (l-r) Trinity Celeste Tatum, Bryce Alakai Dettloff, Ariana Madix — (Photo by: Ben Symons/Peacock)YES! The beloved fan favorite couple remains happily together to this day. Life for the couple since leaving the Villa has been nothing short of a whirlwind experience. Bryce has continued to perform as a DJ, while Trinity has recently been signed by WME talent agency.
According to Cosmopolitan, the couple has spent every day since leaving the Villa this summer together. They kicked off their adventure together with a trip to Los Angeles, Trinity’s first time in the city, and then spent some time in Newport News, Virginia.
Bryce is currently on tour performing alongside Ty Dolla $ign and was recently joined by Trinity and members of the Season 8 cast. Trinity plans to be by his side throughout the whole experience, with the tour expected to take place across the country running through December 12, 2026.
Related: Peacock Makes Major Announcement About the Future of ‘Love Island USA’
What happened between Bryce and Trinity on Love Island USA? LOVE ISLAND USA — Episode 827 — Pictured: (l-r) Trinity Celeste Tatum, Bryce Alakai Dettloff — (Photo by: Ben Symons/Peacock)The couple began their relationship on Day 1 of Love Island USA Season 8. Still, their journey wasn’t without its fair share of twists, with the first happening right out of the gate as both Bryce and Trinity decided they wanted to explore their connections with someone else vs. sticking together.
Thus, when Bombshell Kayda Bosse and Gabriel Vasconcelos came in, they pulled the two for a romantic getaway, before ultimately choosing to couple up with someone else. As a result, Bryce and Trinity were coupled up together once again.
The couple then remained together for the rest of the Season, navigating the ultimate challenge of the season, Casa Amor, with ease. While both Trinity and Bryce did explore with other people, their connection with each other proved to be too strong and they found their way back together.
Following the Casa Amor recoupling, the pair had their romantic first date, during which Bryce asked Trinity to be his girlfriend, and she accepted.
The pair ended the season coming out on top, ranked America’s favorite couple, and echoed the sentiment as they entered the next phase of their relationship, sharing three little words: “I Love You.”
Love Island USA Season 8 is streaming now exclusively on Peacock, with the Season 8 reunion premiering August 31, 2026 at 9 PM ET.
Lionel Richie Reportedly Hospitalized in ICU After St. Louis Concert
Music legend Lionel Richie was hospitalized after taking the stage for a weekend concert in St. Louis.
TMZ reported on Monday, August 31, that the 77-year-old singer checked himself into a local hospital after his performance at The Muny in Forest Park on Saturday night.
Sources told the outlet that Richie sought medical care as a precaution and is undergoing tests. Doctors are reportedly looking into whether mild dehydration contributed to his condition. Richie could be released from the hospital on Tuesday, according to the report.
Did Lionel Richie Appear Unwell During the Concert?Concertgoers told the outlet that Richie appeared to struggle near the end of Saturday’s performance. He reportedly asked his team to bring him a chair while he performed his final song, “All Night Long.”
During the concert, Richie acknowledged that health problems had affected him during his recent tour. “Some things have been happening on this tour that kind of shook me up a little bit, because I couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on,” he told the audience, as reported by St.Louis American. “I went back to the doctor, and he said, ‘You are suffering from dehydration.’”
What Happened During Lionel Richie’s June Health Scare? View this post on InstagramFox News reported that the beloved American Idol judge was previously taken to a hospital after becoming ill during a June 24 concert in St. Paul, Minnesota. Richie told the crowd that he felt “dizzy” and “strange” before sitting down while performing “Dancing on the Ceiling.”
He later cut the concert short. Paramedics met him backstage and transported him to a hospital by ambulance as a precaution, TMZ had reported at the time. The singer postponed his next two shows on doctors’ advice but returned to the stage in Pittsburgh on June 30. His team later said dehydration had caused the episode.
Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire also postponed their August 6 concert at San Francisco’s Chase Center after drummer John Paris suffered a separate medical emergency.
Richie’s representatives have not publicly addressed the hospitalization. Parade has reached out for a statement.
