QUEEN ELIZABETH celebrated her 95th birthday on Saturday by cutting her cake . . . with a SWORD. At one point, one of her aides tried to tell her there was a knife she could use, and she replied, “I know there is” . . . then kept on rolling with the sword. Although she did need some help from CAMILLA PARKER BOWLES. Later in the day, the Queen met with world leaders including PRESIDENT BIDEN. And she got sassy again during a photo op, when she said, “Are you supposed to be looking as if you’re enjoying yourself?”
Jeff’s Bezos’ upcoming space flight . . . he auctioned off a seat on his rocket, and it went for $28 MILLION. It’s an ELEVEN-MINUTE FLIGHT. It’s supposed to take place next month.
Did BLAKE SHELTON and GWEN STEFANI get married? MAYBE. Gwen was seen Saturday wearing a sparkling diamond band with her engagement ring. She, Blake and her son were in Santa Monica attending a children’s sporting event. The day before, she posted a picture of herself sipping wine and holding a present with the caption, “She’s getting marriiieeeeed.” A close source had previously reported that Blake built a chapel on his Oklahoma ranch that they planned on using for the ceremony sometime this year. Gwen and Blake have been engaged since October.
Hollywood legend NED BEATTY died of natural causes yesterday. He was 83. Ned’s films included everything from ’70s classics like “Deliverance”and “Nashville”, to 2010’s “Toy Story 3”, where he played the evil Lotso.
GLADYS KNIGHT’s husband is a gospel musician, but he just released his first country song. It’s a catchy track called “Country Water”, and it’s about moonshine. Gladys sings back-up, but you wouldn’t know it was her.
GARTH BROOKS is moving full-steam ahead, and his tickets are selling like crazy. But COVID-19 isn’t over, and musical acts will be saddled with extra expenses to help ensure the health and safety of fans. Some musicians might raise ticket prices to cover those costs, but Garth isn’t. An average ticket is still going for around $95 . . . just like they were pre-pandemic.
He said, “You’re either going to make an absurd amount of money or you’re going to make a lesser absurd amount of money . . . I can’t imagine raising the ticket prices to make sure [I] keep making the absurd amount of money. “My thing is: If we make 100% of each ticket . . . and because of the Covid regulations and restrictions that we have to put in and pay for, we make 95% . . . I’m more than OK with that.” Garth also refused to talk about what happens if things get bad again, and he gets shut down. He said his managers have a plan, but he’s focused on looking forward.
There’s an old video of LUKE COMBS making the rounds, from back when he was attending college at Appalachian State University. In the clip, he’s singing “The Way She Rides”, and he’s sporting a little pony tail.
The concert scene is FINALLY coming back. ERIC CHURCH hopped into the crowd while performing at the Carolina Country Music Fest . . . and said, “For all of the pandemic, I’ve been dreaming about nights like this right here.
“Where we can all gather again, where we can all be together and we can all just be us.”
CHRIS LANE and Lauren Bushnell welcomed their first child, a son Dutton Walker Lane.
VIN DIESEL says he’ll leave the “Fast and Furious” franchise after two more movies.
John Goodman and Billy Crystal are back for the Disney+ series “Monsters at Work”.
A high school freshman named Jeremiah got a HUGE surprise over the weekend, when he got the chance to meet his idol DARIUS RUCKER backstage at the Carolina Country Music Festival. He was freaking out.
