Category: Entertainment

Slime, that gooey, sticky and often-homemade plaything, was enshrined into the National Toy Hall of Fame on Thursday along with perennial bestselling games Battleship and Trivial Pursuit.

Each year, the Hall of Fame recognizes toys that have inspired creative play across generations, culling its finalists from among thousands of nominees sent in online. Voting by the public and a panel of experts decides which playthings will be inducted.

Milton Bradley’s Battleship, a strategy game that challenges players to strike an opponent’s warships, and Trivial Pursuit, which tests players’ knowledge in categories like geography and sports, have each sold more than 100 million copies over several decades, according to the Hall of Fame.

Battleship started as a pencil-and-paper game in the 1930s, but it was Milton Bradley’s 1967 plastic edition with fold-up stations and model ships that became a hit with the public. Its popularity crested when Universal Pictures and Hasbro, which now owns Milton Bradley, released the 2012 movie, “Battleship,” loosely based on the game. Battleship was also among the first board games to be computerized in 1979, according to the Hall of Fame, and now there are numerous, electronic versions.

Trivial Pursuit lets players compete alone or in teams as they maneuver around a board answering trivia questions in exchange for wedges in a game piece. Canadian journalists Chris Haney and Scott Abbott came up with the game in 1979 and eventually sold the rights to Hasbro. Frequently updated, specialty versions have emerged for young players, baby boomers and other segments and an online daily quiz keeps players engaged, chief curator Chris Bensch said.

Slime’s appeal is more about squish than skill.

It was introduced commercially in 1976 and has been manufactured under various brand names, but it is even more accessible as a do-it-yourself project. The internet offers a variety of recipes using ingredients like baking soda, glue and contact lens solution.

“Though slime continues to carry icky connotations to slugs and swamps — all part of the fun for some — the toy offers meaningful play,” curator Michelle Parnett-Dwyer said, adding that it’s also used for stress relief and building motor skills.

The honorees will be on permanent display at the Hall of Fame inside The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York.

This year’s inductees were voted in over other nominees including the games Catan and Connect Four, the Spirograph drawing device, the “Star Wars” lightsaber, Furby and Tickle Me Elmo. They also beat out classics including scooters, cornhole and snow.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — On her ninth studio album, Demi Lovato has had a revelation: “It’s Not That Deep.”

It’s the title of her energetic dance-pop record, and a celebration of life’s joys and messiness — all of which appear across its 11 tracks.

“I’ve put so much energy and so much love into this album,” Lovato told The Associated Press at rehearsals for a special One Night Only event at the Palladium in Los Angeles last week. “I just couldn’t be more excited.”

Next spring, she’ll tour the album, hitting 23 cities across North America. The “It’s Not That Deep” Tour kicks off April 8 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, and concludes May 25 at the Toyota Center in Houston.

Lovato will hit Orlando, Florida; Atlanta; Nashville; Washington, D.C,; Philadelphia; Toronto; Boston; New York; Columbus, Ohio; Detroit; Chicago; Minneapolis; Denver; Las Vegas; Anaheim, California; San Francisco; Seattle; Los Angeles; Glendale, Arizona; Dallas and Austin, Texas.

Artist presale begins Thursday at 10 a.m. local time. General sales begin Friday.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Lovato discussed her new album, her penchant for musical transformation and her forthcoming tour.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

AP: You’ve said this new album, this new era, is a celebration of your journey. You’re embracing the old, new, good, bad — from coming out on stage with the Jonas Brothers and singing “Camp Rock” stuff to the Poot meme. Are you reclaiming it?

LOVATO: I think it’s a bit of owning it. … I guess I didn’t realize that I’ve done iconic things. And if they are cringe to some people, they’re fun to me. … I think it’s, like, making peace with my past. … I’ve made peace with my journey and now I’m celebrating where I am at today.

For instance: The Poot meme, when it first happened, I didn’t realize it was photoshopped. I thought it was a bad angle of me. So, I like was really self-conscious about that meme and was like, “Oh my God, like, I can’t believe people are laughing at a bad angle of me,” and then I realized it was photoshopped and I was like “Wait, this is actually hilarious.” … Life is too short to take yourself too seriously, and I’m definitely not doing that anymore.

AP: That’s refreshing to hear a pop star say. When you let go of those feelings, what does it unlock for you creatively?

LOVATO: I think there’s something about your 30s, too, where you just take a second, and you are able to let go of some of the pressures that you once put on yourself, maybe in your 20s. And now I’m 33, and I’m not taking myself so seriously because I realize there’s room for everyone.

Creatively, what it unlocks for me is spontaneity and taking risks and having fun and cherishing the moments. … “Kiss,” for instance, it’s not the most intellectually stimulating song. It’s a simple party, fun song, and it’s sexy. And it’s like, that’s what it is. And I think so much of my past was, like, “I want to try and write, you know, deeply emotional songs about my past” and with this album, I was like, “I’m in a place where I’m having fun. I want my lyrics to reflect that, too.”

AP: That’s evident in the music — the party energy and the lyrical content. And there’s a duality.

LOVATO: It was exactly what I was hoping for. There’s songs like “Sorry to Myself,” too, which is another party moment but has a really powerful message. And it also bridges the gap between my old music and my music today, lyrically, where it is a bit emotional.

AP: You’ve played with a lot of genres like pop, rock, R&B and more. What drives these transformations for you?

LOVATO: I think what drives the transformations for me are literally what is inspiring me musically at the moment. And so, I’m a fan of all genres of music pretty much, for the most part. When I was in my rock era, I was listening to a lot of rock music that was inspiring me.

I went into this album thinking, “I’m gonna make an even harder rock album. I wanna go even more rock.” So, I started this process and I realized, I was like, “There’s only so many happy rock songs that you can write.” I’m in love, I’m feeling empowered, and I’m in this really great place, and I don’t know how to write rock songs that are, you know, all sunshine and rainbows. And there’s only so many of that that you can write. And so, I was like, “I need to switch up the genre.” So, I tried a couple of other genres, but what was really inspiring me was all the pop girlies and the pop artists that are out there today.

AP: Let’s talk about the tour. Your one night only show — an intimate 4,000 capacity room — was so popular, your team said over 200,000 people were in the Ticketmaster queue. You’re in demand.

LOVATO: Well, first of all, I cried when I saw that 200,000 people wanted to come to my show at the Palladium. … That was a dream come true — that level of demand is so reassuring. … I can’t thank my fans enough, like, I wouldn’t be here in this place without them. And so, I am just so thankful. And that’s why I shed tears of joy that day. (It) was because I was like, “Wow, I’m really sure of this album and I’m sure of this era, but so many people are too and that’s really rewarding.” And I can’t wait to bring the show on the road.

___

AP Music Writer Maria Sherman contributed to this report from New York.

___

A previous version of this story featured a misquote. Lovato said “So, I tried a couple of other genres,” not “of their genres.”

MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — Kiss rock star Gene Simmons is recovering after he fainted while driving along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu and crashed his SUV into a parked car, authorities said.

Simmons, a co-founder and bassist for the legendary band, was evaluated at a hospital Tuesday before being released. He posted on social media that he was doing well.

“Thanks, everybody, for the kind wishes. I’m completely fine. I had a slight fender bender. It happens,” he said on X.

The 76-year-old’s SUV crossed several lanes before hitting a parked car along the highway, agencies that responded to the crash told several media outlets. Simmons was then transported to a hospital, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

Kiss retired from a half-century of touring in 2023, but Simmons and his bandmates plan to play in November at a special event in Las Vegas. In August, President Donald Trump announced that Kiss will be among this year’s Kennedy Center honorees.

NEW YORK (AP) — The curtain has been drawn. The stage lights are on. It’s time for “The Life of a Showgirl.”

For Taylor Swift’s most dedicated audience, a new album means new opportunities to decode Easter eggs in her lyrics and music videos. The pop superstar’s 12th studio album has no shortage of clever clues and references to her public life and discography. Many are opaque, revealing just enough to inspire a myriad of fan theories. Others are concrete – explicit names and places worth exploring. Below, you will find a guide to those instances, and how they relate to Swift.

Read on, and happy digging!

“Elizabeth Taylor”

Lyric: “That view of Portofino was on my mind / When you called me at the Plaza Athénée”

Meaning: When Swift announced her new album, she did so with the introduction of a shade she’s calling Portofino Orange Glitter after donning the color onstage during the latter part of her “Eras Tour.” “I’ve just always liked it,” she said of the hue during her first appearance on “New Heights,” the popular, typically football-focused podcast hosted by her fiancé Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason Kelce. “It feels like energetically how my life has felt. And this album is about what was going on behind the scenes in my inner life during this tour.” She and beau Kelce were spotted last year in Lake Como, Italy, but it is unclear if they spent time in nearby Portofino. Additionally, the standard version of her album is available in “sweat and vanilla perfume Portofino orange vinyl.” As for the Plaza Athénée? That’s a luxury hotel in Paris.

Lyric: “Be my NY when Hollywood hates me”

Meaning: Both locations make appearances in Swift’s songwriting. Among them: “Welcome to New York” from 2014’s “1989” and “White Horse” from 2008’s “Fearless.” She also owns property in both locations.

Lyric: “Babe, I would trade the Cartier for someone to trust … just kidding”

Meaning: In August of this year, Swift announced her engagement to Kelce by posting a carousel of images on Instagram. Eagle-eyed fans noticed that the ring wasn’t the only jewelry she was showing off. She was also wearing a Cartier watch.

Lyric: “We hit the best booth at Musso & Frank’s”

Meaning: Since opening in 1919, Musso & Frank Grill has been a hot spot for celebrities in Los Angeles – embodying the kind of old school Hollywood glamor that inspired “The Life of a Showgirl” artwork.

Lyric: “All my white diamonds and lovers are forever”

Meaning: The song is titled “Elizabeth Taylor” after the classic Hollywood starlet who, in 1991, created her own perfume called “White Diamonds.”

“Ruin the Friendship”

Lyric: “You drive, 85 / Gallatin Road and the lakeside beach”

Meaning: There are several Gallatin Roads in the United States, but given the other lyrics in the song, this one likely refers to a street in Hendersonville, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, where Swift spent her adolescence.

Lyric: “But as the 50 Cent song played”

Meaning: A 50 Cent reference further implies this song is rooted in Swift’s teen years in the ’00s, when the rapper was at the height of his popularity. The song also mentions “prom” and “second period,” what is typically associated with high school.

Lyric: “When I left school, I lost track of you / Abigail called me with the bad news / Goodbye”

Meaning: Abigail refers to Swift’s best friend Abigail Anderson, who she attended Hendersonville High School with. This marks the second time Abigail is mentioned in Swift’s discography: the first is the evocative “Fifteen” from “Fearless.”

“Wood”

Lyric: “Redwood tree / It ain’t hard to see”

Meaning: In Oct. 2023, Swift and Kelce made a surprise appearance at “Saturday Night Live” for a season premiere episode that featured host Pete Davidson and musical performer/friend to Swift, Ice Spice.Afterwards, “SNL” cast member Bowen Yang described the couple as the “tallest people in the world,” on the “Las Culturistas” podcast he co-hosts with comedian Matt Rogers. “I see them together, I go, ‘I am in the Redwood Forest.’” Hence, “Redwood tree.”

Lyric: “New Heights of manhood”

Meaning: “New Heights” is a direct reference to the Kelces’ podcast of the same name.

“Honey”

Lyric: “Summertime spritz, pink skies”

Meaning: Physical album variants have been a huge part of Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” rollout, and in some ways, they appear in the lyrics of “Honey.” The color of her exclusive vinyl release with Target, “The Crowd Is Your King” edition, was described online as “summertime spritz pink shimmer.”

Lyric: “Wintergreen kiss, all mine”

Meaning: This line relates to another one of her variants: “The Shiny Bug Collection,” which is available in “violet shimmer marbled vinyl” and more relevantly, “wintergreen and onyx marbled vinyl.” (“Violet” is mentioned in “Elizabeth Tylor,” as is “onyx” in “Opalite.”)

NEW YORK (AP) — Lights, camera, action. Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” has arrived. Are you ready for it?

Swift announced her latest era back in August, when she began teasing the release.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of its drop date: how to stream, which variants exist, and of course, how the album came together. Enjoy the show!

How to listen to Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl”

“The Life of a Showgirl” is streaming on all major platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.

Fans were able to pre-save the album ahead of its release on Oct. 3. Pre-saving ensures the new music automatically appears in a fan’s library the moment it is available. It is also a way for an artist to promote streams ahead of the drop date.

Spotify announced Monday that Swift’s album surpassed five million pre-saves on their platform to become the most pre-saved album in its history. The previous title holder? Her 2024 album “The Tortured Poets Department.”

In addition to the many streaming options, there will also be a digital-download variant of “The Life of a Showgirl” available via iTunes, featuring a new cover image and a nearly three-minute “exclusive video from Taylor herself detailing inspirations behind the album” labeled “A Look Behind the Curtain.”

What physical variants are there?

Target is once again a major partner with Swift. Their stores are carrying three CD variants, titled as “It’s Frightening,” “It’s Rapturous” and “It’s Beautiful” editions. There is also an exclusive vinyl release, “The Crowd Is Your King” edition in “summertime spritz pink shimmer vinyl.” Many Target locations will remain open past midnight on the day of release for superfans to pick up in real time.

There are a number of other vinyl variants as well: “The Tiny Bubble in Champagne Collection,” which features two vinyl variants described as “under bright lights pearlescent vinyl” and “red lipstick & lace transparent vinyl.”

There is also “The Baby That’s Show Business Collection,” in two colorways: “lovely bouquet golden vinyl” and “lakeside beach blue sparkle vinyl.”

Then there’s “The Shiny Bug Collection” in “violet shimmer marbled vinyl” and “wintergreen and onyx marbled vinyl.”

And of course, there is the standard LP and cassette, in “sweat and vanilla perfume Portofino orange vinyl.”

Artwork varies throughout.

What do we know about the album so far?

Swift partially announced her 12-track new album “The Life of a Showgirl” on the “New Heights” podcast hosted by Travis Kelce — Swift’s fiance and Kansas City Chiefs tight end — and his brother, Jason Kelce, the former Philadelphia Eagles center.

In the full episode, Swift revealed she worked on the album in Sweden while she was on the “Eras Tour” — flying between dates to record, truly embodying the album’s title, “The Life of a Showgirl.” The entire album was completed with producers Max Martin and Shellback, who Swift previously collaborated with on 2012’s “Red,” 2014’s “1989” and 2017’s “Reputation.” Her frequent producing partner Jack Antonoff was not mentioned.

She described the release as full of “bangers.” “I care about this record more than I can even overstate,” she said, agreeing with Travis Kelce when he described the release as “a lot more upbeat” than 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Across the album, there is only one feature listed: the title track, “The Life of a Showgirl,” will include Sabrina Carpenter.

NEW YORK (AP) — Dolly Parton has postponed her first Las Vegas residency in 32 years, citing “health challenges,” the country legend shared on social media Sunday night.

She did not provide specific details, writing, “As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures. As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!”

Parton added that she is postponing the shows because she is “not going to be able to rehearse and put together the show that I want you to see. You pay good money to see me perform, and I want to be at my best for you.”

She was scheduled to perform six shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for “Dolly: Live in Las Vegas” between Dec. 4 and Dec. 13, overlapping with the National Finals Rodeo. Her dates have been moved to next year — Sept. 2026.

Tickets are valid for the new dates and refunds will be available, her statement adds.

“Don’t worry about me quittin’ the business because God hasn’t said anything about stopping yet,” she said. “But I believe he is telling me to slow down right now so I can be ready for more big adventures with all of you.”

Parton performs on occasion but hasn’t toured since her “Pure & Simple Tour” ended in 2016. But she’s remained as busy as ever: On. Nov. 11, she will release a new book, “Star of the Show: My Life on Stage.” And a new stage musical inspired by her life story is set to land on Broadway in 2026.

Earlier this month, Parton was unable to attend the announcement of a new ride at her Tennessee theme park Dollywood due to health issues. “I had a kidney stone that was causing me a lot of problems, turned out it’d given me an infection, and the doctor said, ‘You don’t need to be traveling right this minute, so you need a few days to get better,’” Parton said in a video announcement at the time.

“So, he suggested I not go to Dollywood today, but I’m there with you in spirit. I was looking so forward to it.”

And in March of this year, Parton’s devoted husband of nearly 60 years who avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit “Jolene,” Carl Dean, died. He was 82.

NEW YORK (AP) — Sinclair Broadcast Group is bringing Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show back to its ABC affiliate stations on Friday night, ending a dayslong TV blackout for dozens of cities across the U.S. over remarks the comedian made in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killing.

That means “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will return to Sinclair’s local TV markets from Seattle to Washington, D.C. But blackouts may continue in other parts of the country. Nexstar, another media company that has preempted Kimmel’s show on its ABC affiliates, has yet to announce a similar return.

Disney-owned ABC suspended Kimmel on Sept. 17, following threats of potential repercussions from the Trump-appointed head of the Federal Communications Commission. Sinclair also condemned the host — confirming that it would stop airing the show the same day.

The Maryland-based broadcast giant, which is known for conservative political content, called on Kimmel at the time to apologize to Kirk’s family — and taking it a step further, asked him to “make a meaningful personal donation” to Turning Point USA, the nonprofit that Kirk founded.

On the day Kirk was killed, Kimmel shared a message of support for Kirk’s family and other victims of gun violence on social media, which he reiterated during his Tuesday return to ABC. He had also called the conservative activist’s assassination a “senseless murder” prior to being taken off air.

Kimmel’s original comments didn’t otherwise focus on Kirk. He instead lambasted President Donald Trump and his administration’s response to the killing. The comedian did not apologize on Tuesday, but did say “it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man” and acknowledged that to some, his comments “felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.”

He also used a blend of humor and pointed messages to emphasize the importance of free speech.

Even after Disney brought Kimmel back to its national airways, both Sinclair and Nexstar continued to preempt the show. Nexstar did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment from The Associated Press following Sinclair’s decision to end its blackout.

New episodes of the show air Monday through Thursday. Friday night’s rerun will be of Tuesday’s show — so viewers of Sinclair stations can see Kimmel’s emotional return to the air.

In its statement Friday, Sinclair pointed to its “responsibility as local broadcasters to provide programming that serves the interests of our communities, while also honoring our obligations to air national network programming.”

The company, which operates 38 ABC-affiliated stations, added that it had received “thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives,” and noticed “troubling acts of violence,” referencing the shooting into the lobby of a Sacramento station.

“These events underscore why responsible broadcasting matters and why respectful dialogue between differing voices remains so important,” Sinclair added.

As a result of Sinclair and Nexstar’s boycott, viewers in cities representing roughly a quarter of ABC’s local TV affiliates had been left without the late-night program on local TV. The blackouts escalated nationwide uproar around First Amendment protections — particularly as the Trump administration and other conservatives police speech after Kirk’s killing. They also cast a spotlight on political influence in the media landscape, with critics lambasting companies that they accuse of censoring content.

Ahead of his suspension, Kimmel took aim at the president and his “MAGA gang” of supporters for their response to Kirk’s killing, which Kimmel said included “finger-pointing” and attempts to characterize the alleged shooter as “anything other than one of them.”

These remarks angered many supporters of Kirk — as well as FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who accused Kimmel of appearing to “directly mislead the American public” with his remarks about the man accused of the killing. Ahead of Kimmel’s suspension, Carr warned that Disney and ABC’s local affiliates could face repercussions if the comedian was not punished.

He later applauded Sinclair, as well as Nexstar, for their decisions to preempt the show.

On Sept. 17, Sinclair Vice Chairman Jason Smith called Kimmel’s comments “inappropriate and deeply insensitive” and said that ABC’s suspension wasn’t enough. Smith added that Sinclair appreciated Carr’s comments — and called for “immediate regulatory action” from the FCC “to address control held over local broadcasters by the big national networks.”

Still, in Friday’s announcement, Sinclair maintained that its decision to preempt Kimmel’s show was “independent of any government interaction or influence,” Sinclair’s statement Friday read, adding that broadcasters had the right to exercise their own judgment.

While local TV affiliates broadcast their own programming, such as local news, they also contract with larger national broadcasters — and pay them to air their national content, splitting advertising revenue and fees from cable companies.

Sinclair said “constructive” discussions with ABC were ongoing, and said its proposals to the network to strengthen accountability, feedback and dialogue and appoint an ombudsman had not yet been adopted.

Representatives for ABC declined to comment on Friday.

Matthew Dolgin, senior equity analyst at research firm Morningstar, said he wasn’t surprised by Sinclair’s decision.

“The relationship with Disney is far too important for these firms to risk,” Dolgin said. And setting aside legal rights from either side, he added, “Disney would’ve been free to take its affiliate agreements elsewhere in 2026 if these relationships were too difficult. That scenario would be devastating to Nexstar and Sinclair.”

___

AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton in Los Angeles and AP Business Writer Mae Anderson in New York contributed to this report.

NEMOURS, France (AP) — Acclaimed Italian actor Claudia Cardinale, who starred in some of the most celebrated European films of the 1960s and 1970s, has died, AFP reported Tuesday. She was 87.

She starred in more than 100 films and made-for-television productions, but she was best known for embodying youthful purity in Federico Fellini’s “8½,” in which she co-starred with Marcello Mastroianni in 1963.

She died in Nemours, France, surrounded by her children, her agent Laurent Savry told AFP. Savry and his agency did not immediately return emailed requests for comment from The Associated Press.