MICHAEL STRAHAN completed a 10-minute trip to space on Saturday aboard JEFF BEZOS’ Blue Origin rocket. He was one of six passengers, who also included Alan Shepard’s daughter . . . Alan was the first American astronaut to go into space in 1961. Michael said, quote, “It’s almost like an out of body experience, it’s hard to even believe it happened. and it’s such a feeling of almost being completely out of control . . . you completely trust . . . your life is in the hands of other people . . .”The ‘I love you’s’ and all the things that come out that you would not expect to hear before this trip happened, was transformational in my understanding of how much I love people here and how much people love me here, and the importance of it.” He said the term “touchdown” has a new meaning now. He took along his Super Bowl ring and retired New York Giants jersey. Jeff also hid a football on board that will be going to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Michael said he wants to go again, but Jeff joked that he’d have to buy his own ticket next time. After the flight, Michael enjoyed a cigar with his momma.
MIKE NESMITH of THE MONKEES died Friday of natural causes. He was 78 years old. He had undergone a quadruple bypass in 2018. Nesmith had already written “Different Drum” for Linda Ronstadt’s band the Stone Poneys when he was chosen as one of the four stars of NBC’s “The Monkees”, along with Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork. Originally, the band didn’t write their own songs or play their own instruments . . . they just sang the songs. But it was Nesmith who urged them to become a real band . . . although he ended up going solo in 1969. Nesmith also basically created MTV. He started making music videos for his own songs, and that turned into a music video show called “Popclips”. It ran for six episodes on Nickelodeon in 1980. The suits decided to turn the concept into a NETWORK, and thus MTV was born. They actually wanted Nesmith to run it, but he wasn’t interested. Nesmith reunited with the Monkees on-and-off over the years. Earlier this year he toured with Dolenz . . . who is now the LAST MONKEE STANDING. The tour ended less than a month ago . . . on November 14th. Dolenz issued a statement saying, quote, “I’m heartbroken. I’ve lost a dear friend and partner. I’m so grateful that we could spend the last couple of months together doing what we loved best . . . singing, laughing and doing shtick. “I’ll miss it all so much. Especially the shtick. Rest in peace, Nez.” One other thing you may have known about Mike Nesmith: His mother invented Liquid Paper in 1951 and turned it into a multimillion-dollar company. When she died in 1980, he got a massive inheritance.
KIM KARDASHAIN filed documents on Friday to be considered “legally single” and drop “West” from her name.
“West Side Story” star RACHEL ZEGLER is excited to play Snow White in the upcoming live-action of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, because this version of Snow White won’t just exist to be rescued by a man. Quote, “I think that our director has really taken her narrative and turned it into something that’s a lot stronger.”
HARDY’s “Hixtape: Volume Two” came out Friday. It has 14 songs and 33 artists, so maybe he’ll take a breather before tackling the next version, right? Wrong. He tells CMT, quote, “I want a pop star or hip-hop artist on it next. “The song has to be right, but that’s what I want. It doesn’t matter who, but that’s what I’m thinking.” When he says the song has to be “right” . . . it’s because that’s where it all starts. He and his team are always writing songs, and he has first dibs. The others he’ll “ship around” Nashville to see if anyone else is interested in recording them. And if nobody bites, they’re in consideration for the next “Hixtape”. This part is interesting. He was asked what a dream “Hixtape” collaboration would be. Quote, “If somebody like Post Malone could exist or clash perfectly on the same song with Willie Nelson, that would be it. Two completely different artists doing their own thing and owning their lanes with one perfect song would be the coolest thing in the world.”
TIM MCGRAW announced the dates of his Tour 2022. It kicks off April 29th in Rogers, Arkansas . . . and wraps June 4th in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Head over to TimMcGraw.com for details. The openers are Russell Dickerson, Alexandra Kay, and Brandon Davis, and there’s a clip showing each of them getting Tim’s call asking them to join him on the tour. Fri, MAY 20, 2022@ 7:00 PM CAMDEN, NJ —– Fri, MAY 27, 2022@ 7:00 PM HOLMDEL, NJ
SCOTTY MCCREERY posted a Christmas card for ALL of his fans. It has photos of Scotty, his wife Gabi, and their dog Moose on the front and back. Plus this message, “Sending love and joy from our family to yours this Christmas season.”
KEITH URBAN plays a singing toad named Doug in the animated film, “Back to the Outback”. He shared a clip of the scene where other characters find him belting out “When a Man Loves a Woman”. It also stars Isla Fisher, Eric Bana, Guy Pearce, and Kylie Minogue and it’s streaming now on Netflix.
DARIUS RUCKER may have started a trend when he pretended to be a wax figure at Madame Tussauds Nashville back in October. RANDY TRAVIS posted a clip of himself sitting with his guitar, and surprising a few fans that were standing behind him and had no idea.
Lady A, Sam Hunt, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, Ingrid Andress, King Calaway, Riley Green, and Lainey Wilson have been added to the list of performers at “New Year’s Eve Live! Nashville’s Big Bash”, which will air on CBS and Paramount+. Previously announced performers include Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, and Dan + Shay.
Alabama quarterback BRYCE YOUNG won the Heisman Trophy.
Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” remake won the box office with a disappointing $10.5 million.
John Legend is producing a new version of “The Phantom of the Opera” set in New Orleans.
Miss India HARNAAZ SANDHU is your new Miss Universe.
FRANK SINATRA always wore a tux onstage and made his band do the same because he wanted to treat his fans like royalty.
Taylor Swift is 32.
Katherine Schwarzenegger is 32. Mrs. Chris Pratt.
Jamie Foxx is 54.
Randy Owen is 72
Dick Van Dyke is 96.
