Sammy Kershaw shared how the CMAs denied his request to walk the red carpet at next week’s awards. Well, the Country Music Association responded to his claim, and they aren’t denying it. They said, “Like any major televised event, the red carpet has criteria that exists to help manage limited space and the security needs for both the artists and the media. We are deeply sorry anyone felt excluded by those decisions . . .”With this 60th anniversary year, we are working extra hard to simultaneously spotlight the last six decades . . . To that point, we are in touch with Sammy Kershaw’s team and look forward to continuing that conversation.” Well, Jake Owen wasn’t impressed with the CMAs’ statement. He said, This is a lot of words saying nothing . . . How about, ‘Sorry Sammy . . we messed up . . . our words don’t match our actions.’ “Instead, you waited 4 days to craft this?!?” Sammy isn’t the only country star who got denied by the CMAs. Rodney Atkins was denied too.
Have you ever seen Dolly Parton’s 1986 made-for-TV movie, “A Smoky Mountain Christmas”? If you didn’t know, it was directed by The Fonz, Henry Winkler. He spoke about working with Dolly at Rhode Island Comic Con. Henry said Dolly was, quote, “everything you can imagine she was and more . . . The most amazing star, she just was a powerful being on this earth. Truly, I was honored to direct her first television movie.” He also shared a fun story about how one of the actors was disappointed that he couldn’t take a souvenir home from the set, since it would be stealing. Then the boom operator came up with a great suggestion. “She was writing music, and she crumpled it up and threw it in the trash can.” So he told the guy, “It was gonna be trash anyway. You could take that.”
Hulu released a trailer for a documentary about Darius Rucker’s career. It’s called “Darius Rucker: They Called Me Hootie” and it comes out next Monday, the 16th. It follows his days at the University of South Carolina, where he met his Hootie & the Blowfish bandmates, his substance abuse issues, and his journey into country music. It also shows how he’s working on a new album in London. It includes appearances from Rucker’s Hootie bandmates, Brad Paisley, Lady A, Woody Harrelson, and family members.
National Geographic is doing a special about the REAL “Frozen”, and Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Goff, and Josh Gad will all return for it.
Next fall, Pink will become the first solo female to headline the Sphere in Las Vegas.
Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” extended its record to 27 weeks at #1.
It doesn’t sound like Daniel Radcliffe will watch HBO’s “Harry Potter” series. Quote, “I’ve been in a lot of ‘Harry Potter’ already . . . and also I don’t watch any TV.”
TV Tonight: Grammy Night on “Dancing with the Stars”, and the “VisionQuest” finale
Josh Peck is 40. Josh Nichols on Nickelodeon’s “Drake & Josh”.
Lou Ferrigno Jr. is 42.
Miranda Lambert is 43.
Diplo is 48.
Ellen Pompeo is 57. Dr. Meredith Grey on “Grey’s Anatomy”.
Tracy Morgan is 58.
Mackenzie Phillips is 67. Barb Denning on “Orange Is the New Black”, and Julie on “One Day at a Time”. John Phillips from the Mamas & Papas was her dad.
Sinbad is 70. Comedian turned actor. He was also Coach Walter Oakes on “A Different World”.
Donna Fargi us 71
Abert Hall is 89 (Ally McBeal)
