VIDEO: Meet a life-like Toothless, the loveable dragon, at the new Epic Universe

CNN's Natasha Chen gets an early preview at one of the largest new theme parks to open in decades. At Orlando's Epic Universe, fan-favorite creatures like Toothless, from "How to Train Your Dragon," come to life to greet visitors.

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Yahoo

43 minutes ago

• Yahoo

Steve Ray Ladson Wows Crowd (and Catches Mel B's Eye) With Original ‘Blackgrass Brothercana' Anthem ‘Back of My Truck'

Steve Ray Ladson appeared to have no nerves when he swaggered up to the mic on Tuesday night's (June 17) episode of America's Got Talent. The Hopkins, S.C. native with the big smile confidently told judge Howie Mandel that he's made a living 'all my life' making music, though he's only been at it professionally for 15 years. Cradling his banjo, the musician who has performed with the Blind Boys of Alabama and Robert Randolph and the Family Band said he came on the show to share his signature musical genre, which he calls 'Blackgrass Brothercana.' More from Billboard Young Singer Wins Over 'AGT' Judges With Ed Sheeran Cover Phoenix Mercury vs. Chicago Sky: How to Watch WNBA Stars Kahleah Copper & Angel Reese Face Off With Hulu + Live TV Here's Where to Buy 'How to Train Your Dragon' Book Series & Blu-ray Collection Online Joined by his backing band, Ladson unfurled his beat-heavy, country trap sound drawling, 'When I pull up on the scene/ It hit different/ Cuz ain't nobody whippin' how I'm whippin'/ We can leave the house, bring the dog and my guitar/ Fill up on some diesel, yeah we about to take it far/ I got my pole and the tackle box for the lake.' Hitting on a clutch of requisite country tropes: dogs, fishing, trucks and getting busy, Ladson caught the eyes (and ears) of judges Mel B and Sofia Vergara when he crooned about it all going down 'on the back of my truck' in a crowd-thrilling falsetto. The former Spice Girl grabbed Vergara's arm and shouted 'I love it! 'Cause you want to go in the back of his truck!' Ladson got a standing ovation and big props from the judging panel, with Vergara saying he was her favorite music act of the season so far. 'You guys were amazing, I loved it!' she enthused. Mel B spilled some tea about fellow panelist Vergara, revealing that 'she really loved the part in the back of my truck. She was very happy with you guys.' Vergara appeared to blush and explained, 'I liked the whole song, not only that part.' Ladson played along, cheekily asking, 'do you wanna ride?' Mel said she liked seeing things she's never seen before and Ladson definitely fit that bill for her. 'So slick, with swagger and lyrics like, 'I'm gonna [blank] in the back of my truck,'' she said. 'I loved it! Brilliant.' Mandel gushed that Ladson had a '100% hit song,' with Simon Cowell marveling that the band had only been together for a year. 'Everything was, like, on point. I love the song, I love you. I love the band,' Cowell said. 'This is when I love my job.' Needless to say, Ladson will be driving his truck to the next round after getting four big yes votes. America's Got Talent airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and streams on Peacock the next day. Watch Ladson's performance below. Best of Billboard Kelly Clarkson, Michael Buble, Pentatonix & Train Will Bring Their Holiday Hits to iHeart Christmas Concert Fox Plans NFT Debut With $20 'Masked Singer' Collectibles 14 Things That Changed (or Didn't) at Farm Aid 2021

Miami Herald

an hour ago

• Miami Herald

Rachael Ray says she's ‘truly shaken' after learning of Anne Burrell's unexpected death

Rachael Ray is paying tribute to her former co-host, Anne Burrell. The 56-year-old culinary star, best known for her Emmy-winning syndicated talk show 'Rachael Ray,' spent four seasons as Burrell's co-host on Food Network's hit show 'Worst Cooks In America.' Burrell, who hosted the show from 2010 to 2024, died on June 17, according to CNN. She was 55. 'The news about Anne has truly shaken us. John and I are heartbroken,' Ray wrote on behalf of her and her husband, John Cusimano, in a June 18 Instagram post. 'I can't quite believe it — such a strong, vibrant, fearless woman, so full of life and love, could be gone so soon,' she continued alongside several photos of the former co-hosts. Ray made her debut on 'Worst Cooks In America' in 2015 for the first celebrity edition of the show. Burrell's team won that season, but Ray returned to the show for three straight seasons in 2016 and 2017 — and her team was crowned the winner in two of those seasons (9 and 10). The two friends split a 2-2 tie in the four seasons they competed against each other. 'Anne was a rockstar!' Ray said of Burrell. 'I came to know her well through multiple seasons of Worst Cooks on Food Network, and she became so much more than a colleague.' 'Despite being surrounded by incredible chefs, she never once made me feel self-conscious about not being one — she always treated me as one of the gang,' she added. Ray went on to remember all the 'incredible laughs' they shared and Burrell's 'great taste in music.' 'I'll never forget walking into our dressing rooms at Food Network studios early in the morning and hearing her blasting the song of the moment down the hall,' she wrote. 'She was a force in the kitchen, in any room, in every life she touched,' Ray continued. Elsewhere in her social media tribute, Ray reflected on one of her fondest memories with Burrell. 'Anne honored me by asking me to be her bridesmaid, something I'd only done once before for my sister,' Ray wrote of Burrell and her husband, Stuart Claxton, whom she married in 2021. 'She even cooked for me and my guests at my wedding anniversary in Italy,' Ray added of Burrell. Burrell's family confirmed the culinary star's death in a June 17 statement shared by People. 'Anne's light radiated far beyond those she knew, touching millions across the world,' her family wrote. 'Though she is no longer with us, her warmth, spirit, and boundless love remain eternal.' According to TMZ, Claxton 'found her unresponsive and lying on the floor of their shower' before calling 911. She was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after. 'Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered,' her family added in the statement. Many of her Food Network colleagues and fellow culinary superstars took to social media to honor her legacy. One Food Network spokesperson praised Burrell for 'teaching, competing and always sharing the importance of food in her life and the joy that a delicious meal can bring,' according to Today. Fellow culinary star Robert Irvine took to X to describe her as 'generous and supportive.' 'Anne wasn't just a fiery chef. She was a radiant spirit who lit up every room she entered,' he wrote. 'From the very beginning on Worst Cooks in America, our friendly rivalry was fueled by mutual respect.' Another one of her 'Worst Cooks' rivals, Tyler Florence, reflected on his time spent with Burrell. 'No one was funnier. She was Mensa smart with razor wit and sincere kindness,' he said of Burrell in a June 17 Instagram post. 'She was recognized everywhere. The city loved her.' Burrell is survived by her husband, his son Javier, her mother (Marlene), sister (Jane) and brother (Ben).

Yahoo

4 hours ago

• Yahoo

Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial recap: Ex-assistant Brendan Paul testifies he bought drugs for Combs — but he was no 'drug mule'

The trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs resumed Friday in Manhattan federal court, with Brendan Paul, a former assistant described in multiple civil lawsuits as Combs's 'drug mule,' testifying against him in the high-profile sex trafficking case. Federal prosecutors say that for decades, Combs abused, threatened and coerced women to participate in drug-fueled marathon sexual encounters called "freak offs" and used his business empire, along with guns, kidnapping and arson, to conceal his crimes. The defense has argued that the encounters were consensual, and Combs has denied any wrongdoing. The 55-year-old hip-hop mogul is facing five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted, he could face life in prison. Here are some key takeaways from Friday's testimony culled from various reporters and news organizations in the courtroom, including CNN, NBC News, and the Washington Post. Paul testified after invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Judge Arun Subramanian signed an immunity order compelling Paul's testimony. He told the court that he worked for Combs from 2022 until 2024, describing the grueling 80-to-100-hour weeks he spent helping coordinate the mogul's travel, fitness workouts, meal plans and assorted other needs, including setting up hotel rooms for "freak offs" — or what he knew as "wild king nights" — ahead of Combs's arrival. Like other former assistants, Paul said he would stock the rooms with supplies, including candles, condoms, Astroglide and a Gucci pouch that contained drugs. He also sometimes cleaned the rooms after the sex parties, he said. Paul testified that he would sometimes go days without sleep working for Combs, taking prescription Adderall and occasionally cocaine to stay awake. According to Paul, Combs likened his staff of assistants to SEAL Team 6, demanding they operate with no failures. Paul said that Combs 'fired' him numerous times, including once for forgetting to bring his boss's Lululemon fanny pack. The firings would always blow over within a day or two and he would continue working, he said. Paul testified that he was also tasked with buying drugs — including marijuana, cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy — for Combs. Combs or one of his other assistants would instruct him to obtain the drugs, which involved meeting with drug dealers with such nicknames as Guido, Baby Girl and One Stop, Paul said. Paul told the court that he would also pick up prescription drugs for Combs at pharmacies under Combs's real name or the alias "Frank Black." Once he procured the drugs, Paul said he would give them directly to Combs or put them in Combs's Gucci bag, where they were often stored. But under cross-examination by the defense, Paul testified that handling drugs was only a minor part of his work for Combs, and that it was his understanding that the drugs were for the mogul's personal use. 'You were not some drug mule, right?' defense attorney Brian Steel asked. 'Absolutely not,' Paul replied. Paul was arrested for possession of cocaine at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport in March 2024, around the same time federal agents raided Combs's homes. The charges were later dropped. He told the court that he got the cocaine while he was "sweeping" Combs's room and put it in his own bag, but then forgot to remove it before leaving for a family trip. 'I was sweeping his room and put it in my bag and forgot it while I was packing,' he explained. Paul said he told law enforcement that everything in the bag, including the cocaine, was his, and did not say where he got it out of "loyalty" to Combs. Big picture: Prosecutors hope to convince jurors that Combs used his business empire, including assistants like Paul, to procure drugs and help him set up "freak offs" as part of their racketeering conspiracy charge. But under cross-examination, Paul acknowledged that Combs did not ask him to travel with the cocaine, and that he had left it in his bag by mistake. While Joseph Cerciello, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations, was on the stand, prosecutors entered into evidence text messages between Combs and Cassie Ventura, his former girlfriend and a star witness for the government's case. The messages were from March 2017, a year after Combs was captured on surveillance video assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel. "That's not love, that's possession," Ventura wrote to Combs in one of the messages, which was shown in court. At one point, Combs asked Ventura if she was "flipping" on him. She said she 'aint flipping' but that she also did not want to subject herself to another 'beat down.' Later in the exchange, Ventura told Combs, 'You treat me like a hooker to be honest. You always want to call one and you have one. This hooker has been here for 10 years.' Prosecutors had hoped to rest their case this week, but the court was adjourned without testimony Wednesday because a juror was sick with vertigo, delaying the proceedings. Court was not in session Thursday for the Juneteenth holiday. The government said it now expects to wrap up its case Monday. Combs's lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, estimated it would take less than two days to present his defense, and likely rest on Tuesday or Wednesday. (The defense had already hinted that Combs probably won't testify.) Under that timeline, Subramanian said jury deliberations could begin Thursday after closing arguments, and asked both sides to prepare modifications to the proposed instructions that will be given to the jury when it gets the case.