“That’s So Raven” and “Cory in The House” star Kyle Massey is stepping back into the spotlight, gearing up to headline his second comedy show at the famed Laugh Factory Hollywood. On August 26, the Disney Channel favorite will host a Birthday Comedy Jam, featuring sets from Massey, Tiffany Haddish, his brother Chris Massey, and a lineup of other celebrity guests. During an exclusive interview with The Blast, Kyle spoke with us about his major return to the Hollywood scene and detailed why now was the perfect time.

Fans are eager to see Kyle back in action after his first Laugh Factory show packed the venue, with an overflow crowd waiting outside to get in.

The response was so strong that Laugh Factory Hollywood invited the fan-favorite back for another round, this time alongside his brother, Chris.

“The audience certainly loves Kyle and Chris!! What a reaction. It was like having the Beatles in the house,” said David Fuhrer, President of Laugh Factory.

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And Kyle’s return promises plenty of laughs, with the new show featuring celebrity guests and a deeper look at his personal story.

“The one thing about my comedy show is all of the stories that I tell are real, true stories,” Kyle told The Blast. “They’re hilarious, and it’s the uncut perspective of a child star growing up in Hollywood that a lot of these people don’t really understand.”

What Inspired Kyle Massey To Tell His Story In A New Way?

Fans may know Kyle from beloved sitcoms and fan-favorite reality competition shows, but his stand-up act is giving them a chance to see a side of the star they’ve never seen before.

In his conversation with The Blast, Kyle credited his brother, known to fans from the Nickelodeon classic “Zoey 101,” with helping push him toward his next career move.

Watching Chris find success on the stand-up circuit, coupled with encouragement from comedy heavyweights like Chris Tucker, gave Kyle the confidence to bet on himself.

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“They inspired me to just get up there and just do it,” he said.

Kyle Massey Is Ready To Give Fans The ‘Real, Raw’ Story Of His Life

Elsewhere in our conversation, the “Being Mary Jane” actor opened up about making the leap into comedy, a space where he can ditch the script and give audiences an unfiltered look at who he really is.

“Growing up with so many funny people and in my family and around me has just kind of made it easier to transition to this, to this free [style] of comedy,” he said. “It’s because this is my story. This is, you know, there’s no one telling me [what to say].”

He continued, “This is me. This is me—raw, and, you know, some people aren’t going to believe half of the things that I say, but this is my perspective coming out as a child star.”

Kyle Is Staying On His Comedy, Focusing On New Show In San Diego In September

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Kyle’s return to Hollywood has exceeded his expectations, and he’s already looking forward to what’s ahead. After his upcoming Birthday Comedy Jam, Kyle will hit the stage again on September 7 at Laugh Factory San Diego for an all-new show.

“You know, the focus is on the comedy right now. The comedy shows are going very well. I’ve been booked left and right,” he shared. In addition to his California stops, Kyle will also visit Detroit, Michigan and Orlando, Florida.

More Details About Kyle’s August 26th Show

For those of you still wanting a ticket to Kyle’s upcoming Laugh Factory show, tickets are available to purchase online.

KYLE MASSEY’S BIRTHDAY COMEDY JAM

DATE: Wednesday, August 26

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TIME: 9:45 PM – 11:15 PM (Doors at 9:15 PM)

LOCATION: Laugh Factory Hollywood

UPCOMING SHOWS:

August 27 – Laugh Factory Hollywood (TBD)

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September 7 – Laugh Factory San Diego

September 20 – The Comedy Bar in Detroit

General Hospital fans, we have got some juicy new leaks for you from our reliable behind the scenes sources. This latest rumor roundup includes a shocking return for Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey), some deaths, a possible recast, and a twist for Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna).

And in today’s rumor roundup, we’ll talk surprise returns, a couple of deaths, two possible recasts actually, and Hudson Parker (Troy Lennon Appel) and Phoebe’s (Lucia & Luna Brighton) storyline may take an explosive turn tying into another huge story line.

General Hospital: Cassius’ Name Tarnished

So, right now everybody in Port Charles thinks Cassius Faison is dead and Z leaned on Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) so that she would stick to the WSB‘s fake story and say that Cassius is the villain and that Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) died a hero trying to stop him.

It’s all lies the furthest thing from the truth because Cassius died trying to stop Cullum only. He didn’t die. Good news is at least Cullum did die. And of course, Z saved Cassius and then packed him off to a WSB black site to decide what to do with him later.

This exit was to facilitate an end to Ryan Paevey’s stint on GH. He had some movie work to do, but there was supposed to be an eye on bringing him back later. And now, of course, Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati)’s mourning. Britt is upset.

Everybody thinks the worst of Cassius and assumes he’s dead. So, Josslyn helped the WSB save face. And in exchange, she got Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) and Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) both pardoned and released from WSB custody.

But Ryan Paevey said he’s definitely open to returning as Cassius. And our leaker said a while ago he wasn’t gone for good. That was before his death/non death on GH. And now the leaker’s back with more info about Ryan Paevey’s return to General Hospital.

GH: Cassius Returns

Our source says we’re going to get Cassius back this fall. Now, originally we’d heard Ryan Paevey would be back late summer, but now our source says Fall instead. We’ve heard chatter that we will see Cassius and Z both back sometime in October or November.

And of course, November is sweeps. There was also a John Oliver tidbit that hinted at his return. So, for a guest star, honestly, I thought he did okay. His stint on Days of Our Lives was a little more over-the-top than his GH turn as Z.

Also, this Fall, we know Chris McKenna is leaving GH and his character Jack Brennan is being killed off. We leaked this many, many months ago and then another source recently confirmed it.

So, there’s always the chance that Z is back with Cassius and some WSB plot gets dangerous, and that’s how Brennan dies because we know Hudson may be on the WSB‘s radar because of JJE. Plus, we know he’s a bad guy.

Also, because of how tangled Brennan is with Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros), Willow Tait (Katelyn MacMullen), and Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison), I kind of suspected one or more than one of them might have something to do with Brennan’s death, whether it’s accidental or deliberate.

General Hospital: Drew & Ava Target Brennan

Right now, we know that Drew wants to get his hands on the blackmail that Brennan has on him. Drew wants to steal it so Brennan can’t hold it over his head. And Drew is working with Ava Jerome (Maura West) to deal with their enemies.

And this week, Drew wants Ava to keep Brennan busy while Drew searches his hotel room. So, he’s hoping to find the incriminating evidence there. Looks like Ava may be drugging Brennan’s drink to make it happen. So, Drew and Brennan might end up in some physical confrontation soon.

Plus, we just saw him and Willow in a confrontation. Brennan dropped by her house to rant about her missing a WSB funding meeting. And Willow was really sneaky and recorded Brennan admitting he used WSB resources to make the footage of her on the night of Drew’s shooting disappear.

So, we have Willow getting that leverage against Brennan and Drew and Ava also teaming up against him. So, it certainly sounds like Brennan’s going to be in trouble on more than one front. And this could all factor into his death.

General Hospital: Anna on a Mission

We’ve also got Peter August (Wes Ramsey) pushing Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) to kill Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud). And if Brennan’s in the wrong place at the wrong time and intervenes, that could be how he dies. We also have Jenz Sidwell’s (Carlo Rota) final arc that’s just starting now. That could also tie into Brennan’s exit and possible death.

Carlo Rota confirmed that Sidwell wasn’t done and he’d be in Pentonville with another character. And obviously, we know now that’s Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner). But the leaker said that this isn’t a plan for Sidwell to stick around. They told us this is Sidwell’s last storyline before he’s done on General Hospital. So, he might die, too.

Now, we’ve heard different rumors, including one that hints Brennan might help Sidwell escape and get out of Port Charles for some reason. So, Sidwell might have some dirt on Brennan because Cullum dug something up and gave it to him since they were partners in crime. Sidwell might even have proof that Brennan deleted those files.

Also coming this Fall, our leaker says the WSB story line and the Hudson, Delilah Wilson (Lily Cardone), and Phoebe story are going to overlap. Looks like an umbrella story, which honestly I don’t usually care for, but General Hospital writers love them.

General Hospital: Hudson after Pheobe

We definitely know the Hudson and Phoebe storyline is heating up because Hudson just saw Phoebe with Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn Quartermaine (Amanda Setton) and then Josslyn blabbed a bunch of info and pretty much confirmed to Hudson that Phoebe is his daughter. And Hudson probably suspects Ethan Lovett (Christian Howard) frauded and said he was the dad. So, Hudson’s wheels are turning and he’s finding reasons to show up and see Phoebe.

And I fully expect his next move is to get proof that she’s his daughter. He could swipe a binky. He could swipe a drool rag or a baby bottle while he’s over at the Q estate talking to Josslyn. And with her taking the position of CEO at JJE, that will give Hudson even more reason to stick around and be on the Q property seeing her.

We’ve also heard from our source that Hudson is not the next big villain, but works for the next big villain. So, wait and watch on that, too. And that kind of makes sense for why the WSB might have JJE on their radar with the leaker saying the Hudson and Phoebe stuff ties back to WSB. It’s all aligning with what we’re seeing now. Our insider said Hudson would be Josslyn’s next WSB assignment. And I can totally see that manifesting since Brennan just told Josslyn her new assignment is to take the CEO job at JJE.

Hudson’s Family Ties on GH

There was a mention in the rumors about Josslyn not knowing that Hudson is family. That might have been a weirdly worded reference to him being Phoebe’s family, but that would be kind of strange. Or maybe Hudson is Josslyn’s actual family. His last name is Parker, but that could be his mom’s name. Honestly, I’d love it if he was her cousin. And Hudson was the son of super villain Jerry Jax (Sebastian Roché). I would be so thrilled to have Sebastian Roché back to General Hospital. I love him.

You never know on soaps. And they have been bringing old characters back. They just brought back Ethan. We’ve got Serena Baldwin (Kelly Krueger) back now. We finally got Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) back after many years.

So, another info is a rumor that Frank Valentini pitched recasting Agent Vaughn with a more well-known soap actor, but that was rejected by the network. We also heard he pitched a love triangle with Giovanni Palmieri (Giovanni Mazza) in the middle of Josslyn and Emma and got another no.

And we’ve been promised an offscreen death for Robert Scorpio (Tristan Rogers) and a memorial for Tristan Rogers and it keeps not happening. Word on the street is it’s because of Finola Hughes and Steve Burton’s long breaks that everything got pushed back by months, including this.

So, now I’m hearing it might even be next year before we say goodbye to Robert Scorpio, and that kind of hits hard. Tristan Rogers was my very first soap crush when I was a kid, and I would like to see him and Robert Scorpio properly honored by General Hospital.

There is something inherently unsettling about the overly cheerful world of children’s television. The colorful sets, catchy songs, talking objects and giant costumed characters are designed to make kids feel safe. Buddy takes all of that childhood comfort, twists it into something deeply disturbing and somehow manages to make the result as funny as it is horrifying.

Directed by Casper Kelly, the filmmaker behind the cult Adult Swim short Too Many Cooks, Buddy is exactly the kind of horror comedy that could have fallen apart almost immediately. A murderous orange unicorn from a 1990s-style children’s television show sounds like a great five-minute joke. Stretching that premise into a feature film is another story.

Somehow, Kelly makes it work.

The movie introduces audiences to It’s Buddy!, an impossibly upbeat children’s program hosted by Buddy, a towering orange unicorn voiced by Keegan-Michael Key. Buddy sings, dances and teaches his young friends important lessons, all while surrounded by the type of talking furniture, puppets and colorful characters that would have felt perfectly at home on television three decades ago.

Then one of the children stops playing along.

That is when Buddy begins revealing what kind of movie it really is.

Buddy [credit: BoulderLight Pictures]

As Buddy’s cheerful personality becomes increasingly threatening, Freddy (Delaney Quinn) and the other children begin questioning the world around them. Their attempt to escape Buddy’s increasingly dangerous playground eventually leads beyond the familiar television set and into a much stranger world.

Meanwhile, Cristin Milioti plays Grace, a mother in the real world who begins experiencing the disturbing feeling that someone is missing from her life, even though she cannot quite understand who that person might be.

It would be easy for Buddy to rely entirely on the joke of turning a Barney-like children’s character into a killer. Instead, Kelly keeps expanding the idea. The movie jumps between the television program, the outside world and increasingly bizarre environments that make it feel as though audiences are slowly discovering just how large Buddy’s nightmare actually is.

The production design is a huge part of why it works. It’s Buddy! genuinely looks like something pulled from a VHS tape sitting in a box since 1997. The cheap-looking sets, overly enthusiastic songs, goofy characters and dated television production aren’t merely background details. They are essential to the movie’s personality.

And once the violence begins, that artificial happiness makes everything happening on screen considerably more disturbing.

Keegan-Michael Key is particularly effective as Buddy. He never needs to completely abandon the character’s upbeat children’s-host personality to become frightening. In fact, Buddy is often at his creepiest when he is desperately trying to maintain that smile and convince everyone that they are still having fun.

Buddy [credit: BoulderLight Pictures]

The supporting cast is equally game for the insanity. Patton Oswalt voices a talking backpack named Strappy, while Michael Shannon appears as the cowboy puppet Willie. Topher Grace also stars alongside Milioti, but it is young Delaney Quinn who gives the movie much of its heart as Freddy.

Most importantly, Buddy understands exactly what kind of movie it wants to be.

This is not restrained horror. It is strange, bloody, absurd and intentionally ridiculous. Kelly throws children’s television, slasher horror, dark comedy and surrealism into the same blender and rarely seems interested in asking whether he has gone too far.

Buddy [credit: BoulderLight Pictures]

That commitment is what makes the movie so much fun.

Not every gag lands, and there are moments when Buddy threatens to stretch its central joke beyond its limits. But whenever the movie begins feeling comfortable, Kelly usually introduces another bizarre character, disturbing revelation or wonderfully ridiculous piece of violence to pull audiences back into Buddy’s world.

There is also something surprisingly effective underneath all the blood and comedy. Buddy plays with the strange relationship adults have with the television shows they loved as children. Looking back, some of those programs were genuinely bizarre. Giant creatures demanded participation, characters stared directly into the camera waiting for children to answer them and everyone repeatedly insisted that viewers were their friends.

Buddy simply asks what happens when one of those characters actually means it.

The answer is one of the strangest horror comedies of the year.

Buddy isn’t interested in reinventing horror. It just takes an incredibly fun idea and commits to it with enough creativity, nostalgia and unapologetic weirdness to make the whole thing work.

You may never look at a friendly children’s television mascot quite the same way again.

Bold and the Beautiful stuns with Taylor Hayes (Rebecca Budig) turning down Deacon Sharpe (Sean Kanan)’s marriage proposal recently, I suspect there may be a big shift in their relationship soon. This could be the beginning of the end for Taylor and Deacon, and it could actually open the door wide for Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown).

Today we’re going to talk about Deacon cheating with Sheila and blindsiding Taylor. This may come after he realizes he and Taylor don’t want the same things.

Bold and the Beautiful: Taylor Crushes Deacon

So, Deacon and Taylor had this scandalous romance. Deacon was forbidden fruit because he was Taylor’s patient and he was married to Sheila. But now that Deacon’s ex-wife let him go, he and Taylor have been blissed out, enjoying their new life together. Sheila’s been staying away and Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) seems to pretty much accept the fact that Taylor is with Deacon.

So, seems like it was all smooth sailing and Taylor and Deacon had a really bright future up until he dropped to one knee and asked Taylor to marry him. Deacon had the ring and everything and Taylor and Deacon are happy and in love. So, he was pretty certain that Taylor was going to say yes to his proposal. Well, Deacon was wrong. Boy, was he wrong.

Taylor assured Deacon that she loves him and that she loves what they have together, but Taylor doesn’t think it’s necessary to get married. She talked about, “At our age, we don’t really need that.” She told Deacon they’ve both been married and divorced. Plus, Taylor’s claiming she doesn’t want marriage to change things between her and Deacon.

Taylor’s Bizarre Logic on B&B

But I find it kind of funny because it wasn’t that long ago that Taylor was planning to marry Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) yet again. Not only that, but Taylor was actually the one who proposed to Ridge. And that was not that long ago. It was slightly more than a year ago.

It was like June 2025. So if Taylor’s claiming she’s too old to get married again now, why wasn’t she too old to get married to Ridge a year ago? Especially given how many times he has trampled on Taylor’s heart. She also told Deacon that she didn’t think Steffy, her family, or anybody would accept them getting married.

But A, that shouldn’t matter, and B, honestly, like when Taylor first got with Deacon, people didn’t like it, but then they adjusted. So, I think the same would apply to them getting married.

It just seemed to me that Taylor was coming up with every excuse in the book to justify rejecting Deacon’s proposal. And it also feels like Deacon is a consolation prize that Taylor took from Sheila because she couldn’t have Ridge because Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) took Ridge from her.

Taylor was hurt and her ego was hit and then handsome Deacon wandered onto her radar and maybe she didn’t even realize it, but Taylor being crushed by being dumped by Ridge maybe made her want to retake some kind of control of her life and that’s why she rationalized stealing Sheila’s husband because that’s definitely what Taylor did.

Bold and Beautiful: Deacon Second-Guessing Himself

I already thought Deacon might have been having buyer’s remorse with Taylor because remember when she turned down the proposal, Deacon asked Taylor if he made a mistake leaving Sheila for her. And then things get twisted up this week. Deacon is up at Bikini doing business stuff and Sheila stops by.

We’ve got Deacon behind the bar and Sheila’s catching him up on her life and she tells Deacon that she can’t have the relationship that she wants with her son John Finnegan (Tanner Novlan). And Sheila tells Deacon he can’t fully recognize the relationship he wants with Taylor. And Deacon quickly defends himself and says that just because he and Taylor aren’t getting married doesn’t mean that Taylor doesn’t want to be in a relationship with him.

But then Sheila hits back. So, Sheila’s telling Deacon that Taylor is not exactly allergic to the idea of marriage. And then Sheila asks Deacon, “How many times did Taylor walk down the aisle with Ridge?” I mean, there isn’t much Deacon can say to that, but he tries and he tells Sheila that being treated like that would put anybody off the idea of marriage. You know what she went through with Ridge.

But Sheila makes a very solid point, the same one I mentioned above. If Taylor was willing to marry Ridge, why not marry Deacon? I suspect this is going to eat at him because how can it not? That Taylor was willing to do something with Ridge that she is refusing to do with Deacon.

Deacon Questions Taylor on B&B

And I think he might go back to Taylor and Deacon may ask Taylor, “Explain, why won’t you marry me when you were going to marry Ridge last year?” The too old excuse she gave doesn’t sit right given Taylor’s recent engagement to Ridge, an engagement that she’s the one that set it up.

So, I think this is going to bother Deacon, as it should. And I’m curious to see what Taylor’s response is, if Deacon comes back with follow-up questions, because he was crushed when Taylor rejected his proposal, but she thinks Deacon’s fine with it, but he’s not.

Meanwhile, Sheila was so appreciative when she had Deacon as her husband. She adored him. And with Sheila now upset about losing Finn for good, I suspect that she might try and steal Deacon back from Taylor. And if Deacon asks Taylor these questions that are bothering him about her rejecting the proposal and she doesn’t give good answers, that’s a red flag of trouble.

Plus, we know that Deacon is a serial cheater. He slept with Brooke when he was married to Bridget Forrester (Ashley Jones). That’s how they made Hope. And Deacon also cheated on Macy Alexander (Jennifer Gareis) with Jackie. Then he cheated on Sheila with Taylor. And now Deacon may cheat on Taylor with Sheila.

Deacon & Sheila Vibing on Bold and the Beautiful

The friendly encounter this week between Deacon and Sheila has me real curious. This week they’re chatting. They’re kind of cracking jokes a little bit. They’re getting along well. So, Sheila may prove to Deacon she’s not the same villainess she always was on Bold and the Beautiful.

That she really is a different person. And Sheila hasn’t been lashing out at all even after Deacon cheated on her and left her for Taylor. The old Sheila would have gone nuts. Probably tried to kill Taylor for daring to sleep with her man.

But Sheila’s been chill and calm even despite the heartache. So, I think Deacon might notice that. Plus, Taylor’s rejection still isn’t sitting well with Deacon.

So, Sheila might be able to tempt Deacon into a little fling. I don’t think Sheila would feel bad since Taylor did the same thing to her. And Deacon may realize no one will ever love him like Sheila does.

Bold and Beautiful: Deacon Belongs with Sheila

And honestly, I kind of hope Deacon does because Taylor doesn’t seem to be all in with Deacon. I don’t think Taylor’s putting Deacon first. Taylor cares more about other people’s opinions of their relationship than the relationship itself, it seems.

Whereas Sheila would do anything for Deacon. Her loyalty to him was unwavering. To Sheila, Deacon was the most precious thing in the world to her. You know, besides Finn and Hayes.

So, I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw Deacon going behind Taylor’s back and sneaking around with Sheila. We may get Deacon and Sheila having a torrid little affair for a little while and then Deacon may decide enough of this.

I made a mistake with Taylor and he calls it quits with her because she’s not willing to commit to him. She refused to marry him and Deacon may just say I can’t do it anymore. And he can tell Taylor he needs someone who wants to commit to him the way that he needs and that’s Sheila.

I think that’s fair. I mean, the cheating wouldn’t be fair except it’s kind of fair in this case. You know the saying, the way you meet them is the way that you lose them. Deacon met Taylor basically in terms of this relationship by cheating. So, it would be fitting if she lost Deacon to Sheila the exact same way.

Dolly Parton has passed away, her family confirmed on Tuesday (August 25) in a sweet, emotional video. Her nephew revealed that she had asked him years earlier to announce her passing when the time came. She was 80.

RELATED: The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Names Eminem, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie & Others As 2022 Inductees

Dolly Parton’s Nephew Breaks The Tragic News 

No details have been revealed about the singer’s cause of death. However, according to a statement from her publicist, Dolly Parton died peacefully on Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee.

Her nephew mentioned that he hopes she’ll be welcomed in heaven by her husband, Carl Dean, who was an asphalt paving contractor. In the mid-1960s. They were together until his death in 2025 at the age of 82. Though rarely seen in public, he influenced her career. She told NPR that she wrote ‘Jolene’ about a flirty bank teller who seemed to take an interest in Dean.

Dolly Parton Was THAT Girl 

Parton was a country music icon whose soaring, vibrato-laden vocals, poignant songwriting, and sparkling costumes took her from her log cabin in the Tennessee mountains to the heights of stardom. Others might remember her curvy physique, massive blonde wigs and skin-tight outfits and stage style.

Parton also plucked bejeweled banjos, guitar and dulcimers with her long fingernails during performances. She wrote hundreds of songs, including classics like ‘Jolene,’ ‘Coat of Many Colors’ and ‘I Will Always Love You.’ That music totaled more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams. With 55 Grammy nominations and 10 wins, Parton is the third-most nominated woman in Grammy history, only behind Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.

Parton’s career was forever influenced by her upbringing as one of 12 children born into what she called a “dirt poor” Tennessee family. Her first musical performances were in church, where her grandfather was a preacher. By age 10, she was learning guitar and singing on local television shows. At 13, she appeared on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. By the mid-1970s, Dolly Parton was a Nashville queen.

Outside of music, Dolly Parton was a generous philanthropist and successful businesswoman. Her projects included a theme park in the Smoky Mountain foothills near her birthplace. She started her education nonprofit, Imagination Library, to send free books to children in Tennessee because her father struggled to learn to read. He had quit school to work on the farm.

RELATED: Prayers Up! Death Of Hayden Panettiere Reportedly Under Investigation After Actor Passes Away At Age 36

New details have emerged about Dolly Parton’s final days, revealing that the country music legend spent her last four days in the hospital. The revelation is raising questions about the health struggles Parton publicly addressed shortly before her death at age 80. However, questions remain about what led to the hospitalization and whether it was connected to the symptoms she had recently discussed.

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PEOPLE confirmed that Parton was admitted to the hospital on Friday, August 21. The “Jolene” singer remained there until she died on Tuesday, August 25, four days after being admitted.

Parton lived outside Nashville, Tennessee, but the outlet did not identify the hospital where she received treatment. It also remains unclear why Parton was hospitalized. Her cause of death has not been publicly released.

The hospitalization occurred on the same day Parton opened up about her declining health and revealed that she had neglected her own well-being while caring for her late husband, Carl Dean.

Dolly Parton Opened Up About Her Health Before Entering The Hospital

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Parton acknowledged that she had been experiencing ongoing health issues following Dean’s death earlier this year. “As I’ve shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” Parton told PEOPLE on August 21.

She continued, “You know, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to manage something like this. Back in the early ‘80s, I was down for several months with female issues, and I was struggling with my weight at the time too, so it’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health.”

Despite her condition, Parton remained focused on working and bringing several planned projects to life. She told the outlet that social media had intensified public interest in her health, but insisted she was still healing and working.

Parton also expressed her desire to continue pursuing the many goals she had not yet completed, making the timing of her death particularly heartbreaking.

The Singer Recently Missed A Major Dollywood Appearance

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One week before entering the hospital, Parton appeared virtually at the grand opening of Dollywood’s newest attraction rather than attending the event in person. The singer had been expected to travel from Nashville to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, but explained in her video appearance that she had been dealing with dizziness and dehydration. Her doctors ultimately advised her against making the trip.

The missed appearance was the latest professional setback attributed to Parton’s health. She had previously postponed her highly anticipated Las Vegas residency in 2025 before canceling the shows entirely in May 2026.

Despite those setbacks, Parton continued working behind the scenes on business ventures, music and “Dolly: A True Original Musical,” which was expected to arrive on Broadway.

Her official website also announced on August 19 that she had received 82 new global sales certifications across 14 countries, marking one of the final career milestones publicized before her death.

Dolly Parton’s Nephew Announced Her Death

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Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, confirmed her death in an emotional Instagram video shared on August 25. “My name is Bryan Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I’m representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next,” Seaver said.

Seaver revealed that Parton had asked him years earlier to be the person who publicly announced her death. “This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” he continued. “As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.”

Seaver described the responsibility as both an honor and an emotionally difficult moment for the family. “It is an honor, an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly. Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens,” he said.

Her Family Plans To Protect Her Legacy

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Seaver also acknowledged the deeply personal connection millions of fans developed with Parton throughout her decades-long career. “My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you. She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family whether you liked it or not,” he shared.

“Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever,” he continued. “Dolly was a farmer, just like her daddy; he farmed the soil, she farmed songs and happiness.”

The nephew ended the announcement with one of Parton’s final requests, which reflected the humor and love of rhinestones that remained central to her public personality, explaining, “Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest.”

Although questions remain about Parton’s hospitalization and cause of death, her family has made it clear that protecting her work, spirit and extraordinary connection with fans will remain a priority.

Days of Our Lives just saw Wilhelm Rolf (Richard Wharton) sneak back to Salem to offer his boss EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) condolences on Lexie Carver (Nikki Crawford)’s death, and he tells EJ that his Frankenstein days of resurrecting people are over.

So, will EJ turn to a mad scientist in training to continue the rebirth research? Or has EJ also learned his lesson? Let’s get into the nitty-gritty details about Wilhelm Rolf’s supposed retirement and what that could mean for EJ and also who’s in those glowing tubes.

Lexie’s Family Devastatedon  Days of Our Lives

Now, let’s dive right in. So, last week, the DiMera family suffered a staggering loss when Wilhelm Rolf and EJ’s latest back from the dead project, Lexie Carver, passed away. EJ had funded Wilhelm Rolf’s work to bring back Lexie after she was presumed dead for 15 years.

And with Mark Greene’s (Jonah Robinson) help in the lab, Rolf was able to make EJ and the late Stefano DiMera (Joseph Mascolo)’s fondest wish come true, and they brought her back. Sadly, the miracle serum stopped working in the lab rats and also in Lexie.

And Rolf even tried administering a second dose of magic juice to help Lexie. But that didn’t work. And then a third dose.  So, Rolf swore to EJ that his work with bringing back the dead is done. Rolf no longer wants to help EJ with his resurrection projects.

And in a recent episode, we saw Rolf tell three unknown people in the human-sized pods to rest in peace before he shut off the lab lights. Then Rolf walked away. Now Days fans are wondering who Rolf has stashed in those tubes.

Rita’s Latest Scheme on DOOL

Now first we know that EJ’s henchwoman Rita Lesley (Maggie Carney) put Develin St. John (John Oliver), the weird water guy, in one of the person tubes instead of killing him as EJ ordered. And Rita drugged EJ to facilitate it. If you remember, Rita gave EJ the forgetfulness drugs, CRS17, and told him it was cold and flu medicine.

So, Rita made sure that EJ wouldn’t remember what happened with the water inspector. So, one of those pods may contain Develin, who is sleeping and dreaming about his pet ferrets. However, I actually don’t think it’s the water guy in there. Because Rita had him in a room with just a single pod and she was planning to immediately ship Develin off.

She said he was going to paradise. Maybe that meant frozen and dreaming or maybe shipped off to one of the DiMera Islands to enjoy a timeout in safety where EJ won’t ever see him again. And then we caught a glimpse of Rolf this week walking a sheet-covered person on a gurney through the halls of the hospital.

EJ watched Rolf go by and kind of gave a nod. So, I suspect that might have been him taking Lexie back to cold storage. We saw that her hospital room was empty when Abe Carver (James Reynolds) and Theo Carver (Tyler Joseph Andrews) read her letters that EJ brought for them.

Days of our Lives: Abigail Deveraux Returning?

So, he may have ordered Rolf to take Lexie and put her back in a person pod, hoping that down the road they can try to revive her again. You know, despite Rolf saying he was out of the resurrection business. And of course, EJ was devastated to lose his sister twice now, so he may be grasping at straws.

He knows Theo and Abe are heartbroken, so there’s a chance EJ might try to bring her back at some point, although it seems cruel. But the question is, who else is in the person pods? Many fans suspect that Abigail Deveraux (Marci Miller) is in one of those tubes. So, EJ could be waiting for the right time to bring Chad DiMera (Connor Floyd)’s dead wife back to life.

But I also wonder if Clyde Weston (James Read) did something with her after he stabbed her. So, maybe she’s there, maybe she’s not. And if you recall, Chad begged Rolf to use the miracle serum on Abigail right after she was stabbed to death. But the mad scientist told Chad Abigail was too far gone and she’d lost too much blood to bring back with his serum.

But we also know that she’s not in the grave. You know, Jack and Chad had her exhumed and there’s nothing there. So, maybe Rolf stored Abigail in one of those pods in case they are able to stabilize her. You know, they might be keeping Abigail on ice while working on more advanced resurrection serums that might be able to bring her back alive and well. You know, she may already be somewhere alive and well. We’ll see.

Peter Blake Coming Back on Days?

Another option for who’s in one of those person pods is Peter Blake (Dan Gauthier), Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk)’s brother. Remember Peter was recovering from, I think, hitting his head, getting hit in the head in the crypt, and then Rolf slipped in and gave Peter an injection, and then he died suddenly. This was after he kidnapped the DiMeras, remember?

But Rolf might have injected Peter with something to make him look dead and then wheeled him out and put him in a big old test tube for later use or experimentation or revenge. Even though he turned against the family, Peter was still considered Stefano DiMera’s (Joseph Mascolo) son.

And Rolf’s always been loyal to his late boss and all of his children. And then later this week, we’re going to see EJ frantic on the phone trying to get Rita to do something about George O’Halloran and the Coriseal situation. As I mentioned, Rita used CRS17 on Develin St. John and put him in a tube.

Meanwhile, Mr. O’Halloran, the head of DiMera Pharmaceuticals, was drunkenly telling Develin all about the Coronavirus seal cover up during a slushy round of golf. Although Rolf turned the lights off in the secret lab, by the way, the green person pods were still glowing. So, I assume they are still plugged in and Rolf didn’t just unplug everybody. Maybe when he said rest in peace, he meant in your pod.

Days of our Lives: EJ Recruits Mark

So, from there, since EJ knows that Rolf is out of the zombie business, maybe EJ is going to recruit Dr. Mark Green to be his next official mad scientist and chief resurrector. Remember, he worked alongside Rolf in the secret lab on Days of our Lives. He studied the effects of the serum mixed with Versix on the lab mice.

So, EJ may direct Mark to continue the research until EJ or Rita can convince Rolf to come back and start pursuing his life’s work again. But that would put Cat Greene‘s (AnnaLynne McCord) brother into the dark side of DiMera dealings. Mark’s been trying to keep his nose clean. Because he’s on parole for trying to murder Chad.

But Mark’s job in the lab is at risk. Because Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien) wants to buy the hospital out from under EJ and he and Cat are trying to pay for college. But Gwen may not want to keep anybody employed there that was doing secret things for EJ. So she may well fire him.

So, they could move the person pods and Mark over to a sub-DiMera pharmaceutical to continue the work. Plus, EJ already promised Cat that he’d keep Mark on the DiMera payroll if he is let go at the hospital.

Days of our Lives: Cat’s Risky Scheme

Now, Cat’s already playing a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with EJ. Because she’s an ISA operative and working for the man that she’s building a case on. Plus, Cat just remembered in her hypnosis session with Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) that she told EJ that she was working for the ISA.

And so far, Cat doesn’t think EJ has remembered that. But he might at some point. Marlena advised Cat to tell her ISA boss, Andrew Donovan (Colton Little), that she remembered telling EJ about her being ISA when they were in Italy. So, there is a risk that Cat may wind up in a person pod in cold storage.

For now, it sounds like we’ve seen the last of Wilhelm Rolf and his freaky back from the dead experiments. But I doubt it. You never know. We may see EJ working with a new younger generation mad scientist since Mark Green really seemed to like working for Rolf and you know he’s not always on the right side of things. He seems to be morally gray. So, he may be the perfect candidate to take over the work.

Before the internet killed everything, video killed the radio star. When MTV was created in 1981, cable TV and not FM radio became the way youth discovered new music. The songs and the art behind them made the likes of Michael Jackson and Madonna the biggest stars on the planet. In the 1990s, music videos were bigger than ever, and grunge was there to take advantage of the platform. From 1991 to 1994, long hair, flannel shirts, and Chuck Taylors dominated MTV. Three decades later, even though MTV is no more, these ten grunge music videos remain timeless on YouTube.

10

“Tomorrow” by Silverchair (1994)

In grunge’s last big year emerged a post-grunge band from Australia made up of three 14-year-olds. Despite their youth, Silverchair didn’t sound young and green. This was best shown in their breakout hit “Tomorrow.” The video has the perfect grunge aesthetic, as close-up shots of Daniel Johns screaming mix with yellow-hued clips of the band walking in the shadows. Throw in those creepy images of the pig man spitting out coins and sitting on a throne, and you have a video that is so much more grown up than you’d expect.

9

“Nearly Lost You” by Screaming Trees (1992)

As grunge blew up in the early 90s, some bands didn’t quite make the mainstream. Screaming Trees were one of those acts, but for a moment, with their song “Nearly Lost You,” they broke through. In the music video, the Seattle band rocks out in the dirt of an empty outdoor rodeo stadium. Black and white photo effects, shots of the Singles poster (the song was on the soundtrack), and flashes of bright color add another layer to Mark Lanegan‘s gravelly voice.

8

“Interstate Love Song” by Stone Temple Pilots (1994)

Stone Temple Pilots were just outside of the big four of the 90s grunge bands, but on the charts, they were as popular. In the early to mid 90s, STP were all over the radio. In 1994, their second album, Purple, produced several big hits, including “Interstate Love Song.” The music video for the single was nominated for multiple MTV Video Music Awards. It’s easy to see why. The video doesn’t have some huge concept. The art does not outweigh the music. After opening on a silent film, where a face-painted man is kicked out by the woman he hurt, the following video is filled with exaggerated purples. The chaotic man runs through while Scott Weiland and company chill out before driving through the desert. It’s so effortlessly cool.

7

“I Stay Away” by Alice in Chains (1994)

There are so many great Alice in Chains music videos that could be on the list. For the sake of the effort it took to make it, we’ll go with “I Stay Away.” Coming out in 1994 for the Jar of Flies EP, “I Stay Away” is a stop-motion masterpiece. With exaggerated, and honestly terrifying, puppet representations of the band, they are the background for a story about a boy at a circus who releases a jar of flies which cause everyone to go mad. The video is chaotic violence, a chilling story played over a just as chilling song. Thirty years later, the puppets from the music video now reside at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

6

“Violet” by Hole (1995)

In the early 90s, Courtney Love was the goddess of grunge as the lead singer in her band Hole. She was also the controversial wife of Kurt Cobain. Her husband died right as her iconic album, Live Through This, was about to be released. The music video for the third single, “Violet,” was filmed months after his passing. In it, Love is clad in white, swaying in the snow and screaming her lungs. “Go on, take everything,” she wails as videos of innocent girls as ballerinas give way to half-dressed women in burlesque shows. The song is about taking power back from men. The video shows us the power that needed to be reclaimed in the first place.

5

“Today” by Smashing Pumpkins (1993)

The Smashing Pumpkins‘ music video for “Today” was the second single from their second album, Siamese Dream, a song so old that Billy Corgan still sports hair on his head. The video begins on an ice cream truck, with Corgan as the worker in white daydreaming about young couples making out. It’s what he sees, even as he drives his truck into a yellow-stained field. Along the way, he picks up others members of the band, who go about painting the van to look like it’s something out of Woodstock. The grainy video quality only adds to the aura of the era. You can’t take your eyes away from it.

4

“Hunger Strike” by Temple of the Dog (1992)

Temple of the Dog was a one-album supergroup formed between members of Mother Love Bone (the future Pearl Jam) and Soundgarden to play tribute to the former’s fallen lead singer, Andrew Wood. The lead single, “Hunger Strike,” is a grunge epic framed by the heavenly voices of Chris Cornell and the then unknown Eddie Vedder. The video knows their voices and the songwriting are the focal point. Instead of getting in the way, the video’s best quality is the setting. Starting at a lighthouse at night, and moving to the band on a beach, Cornell sings in the dark before Vedder emerges for the first time in the tall grass. Moving from a day lit beach to a dark forest, the band lets it all out. What an introduction to the man who still stands tall as the last remaining face of grunge.

3

“Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden (1994)

It’s very tempting to put “Outshined,” which just screams grunge, in this spot, but Soundgarden’s most well known song and video, “Black Hole Sun,” can’t be denied. After beginning on a stretched-out shot of the band on a hill, the story moves to a bizarre suburbia of bright colors where the people who live there jump rope, torture bugs, and kneel in front of the TV, all with creepy smiles plastered on their faces. By the end of the song, they are all swallowed up by a black hole, Chris Cornell wailing upwards as everything rains down upon him. Here, surrealistic art and grunge rock converge into the unforgettable.

2

“Jeremy” by Pearl Jam (1992)

Pearl Jam only released a few music videos during the peak of their early fame following the release of their debut album, Ten. Those first batch of songs are filled with alt-rock classics, but one in particular is impossible to listen to without thinking of the video that goes with it. “Jeremy” begins with a barrage of TV news sound-bites and the voice of Ronald Reagan playing over words like “an affluent suburb” and “3:30 in the afternoon.” As Eddie Vedder sings about the inner turmoil of a boy named Jeremy, we watch a kid running through the woods and standing in front of flames. Then comes the shocking ending, as the youth walks into his class at school and, in front of everyone, puts a gun in his mouth. It’s a heartbreaking ending based on the tragic true story of Jeremy Wade Delle. The added detail in the video adds another layer not made explicit in the lyrics of the song. After seeing it, you’ll never listen to “Jeremy” the same way ever again.

1

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana (1991)

Sure, maybe this is the predictable choice to top the list, but there is still truth in the easily guessed because Nirvana‘s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” as both a song and a music video, changed not just rock and roll but the entire face of music. The iconic video is like a Gen X pep rally from hell, with darkly dressed cheerleaders and a smoky haze over everything. Kurt Cobain stands in the gym, a legend being born, with his blonde hair in his face, and his body clad in a simple striped green shirt. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was a revolution. The video is all energy and dirt, a far cry from the usual MTV gloss. It changed not only the sound of rock and roll but its aesthetic and fashion sense. Here we are now, entertain us.

Any fears of the future of the MCU, following the disappointing 2025 trio of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Thunderbolts*, and Captain America: Brave New World, have well and truly been put to bed this summer. On July 31, Spider-Man: Brand New Day — the final MCU stop ahead of Avengers: Doomsday this December — swung into global theaters expecting to make a strong impression, after the previous installment broke the billion-dollar mark and helped revive the industry after the COVID-19 pandemic.

But even with the high expectations of the MCU behind it, Brand New Day has shocked the world with its success so far. The film quickly broke records by earning the biggest opening weekend in domestic history and the biggest first week haul of all time, which was followed by becoming the second-fastest film to reach the $1 billion mark worldwide. The film then fell just short of Avengers: Endgame in the race to the $2 billion mark, which it took just 17 days to cross.

Last weekend, Brand New Day made it four box office victories in a row, placing first in the domestic ranks for its fourth weekend. Now, following its fourth Monday, the film has officially crossed yet another huge box office milestone, toppling a cinematic juggernaut in the process. Thanks to a further $3.5 million yesterday, Brand New Day has officially sunk Titanic to become the fourth highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide with $2.224 billion. Less than $100 million separates Brand New Day and the third-placed Avatar: The Way of Water, a gap that Brand New Day will hope to bridge in the next week.

What Did Critics Say About ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’?

The webslinging return of Tom Holland‘s Peter Parker hasn’t just become a financial behemoth; it also received universal critical acclaim. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 90% critics’ score and a near-perfect audience rating of 98%, making it one of the best-reviewed films in the entire MCU. Collider’s Charlie Ridgley called it “the best Spidey adventure in 20 years,” adding, “If the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues marching forward, this should be the blueprint for how to set up a future without sacrificing your present.”

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is in theaters now. Stay tuned to Collider for more box office updates.

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Release Date

July 29, 2026

Runtime

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145 minutes

Director

Destin Daniel Cretton

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Writers

Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers

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Producers

Avi Arad, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Amy Pascal, David Cain

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