If anyone is the embodiment of California-chic style, it’s Gwyneth Paltrow. The actress always manages to pull off a look that comes off as both relaxed and expensive. So, of course, we had to recreate some of her best ‘fits for spring, and we managed to do so with budget-friendly pieces that look just as good.

Paltrow’s personal Instagram account is a treasure trove of fashion inspiration. We searched through her posts to find our favorite spring looks, then searched for similar options on Amazon that cost a fraction of the price. Below, find easy breezy dresses and chic matching sets that will take you through spring and summer in style.

Loose Shirt Dresses

Our Favorite: Embrace Paltrow’s California chic style with this button-down maxi shirt dress. We love the airy feel and slouchy sleeves you can roll up for an effortlessly chic look.

Light Neutral Sweaters

Our Favorite: The classic silhouette of this V-neck sweater makes it an instant wardrobe essential. It gives off the same rich mom look as Paltrow’s spring sweaters — but for a fraction of the price.

Loose Denim

Our Favorite: With a drawstring waistline and the perfect amount of stretch, these baggy jeans will quickly earn their spot as your most comfortable pair. They also feature a flattering straight leg silhouette we love.

Related: Nail Gwyneth Paltrow’s Effortlessly Chic Style With These 17 Sweaters

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When we think of rich-mom style, Gwyneth Paltrow is one celebrity who instantly comes to mind. The Goop founder is certainly no stranger to dressing up, but her everyday fashion includes button-down shirts, tailored trousers and, yes, classic sweaters. Paltrow’s timeless taste has inspired us to refresh our own wardrobes with a knit or two […]

Coordinated Matching Outfits

Our Favorite: Made of breezy, lightweight cotton, this relaxed matching set is a versatile pick for spring. Dress it up with heels and a cute bag, or keep it casual and easy by wearing it as a chic swimsuit cover-up.

Related: Gwyneth Paltrow’s Spring Dress Is So Classy, But This $48 Version Is Better

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‘Tis the season for fun and flowy springtime dresses — and Gwyneth Paltrow is setting the standard for the styles that will rule this year. In true Goop queen fashion, Paltrow created an Instagram post of her recent favorite outfits. It felt quite nostalgic! But the first picture immediately caught my attention. The entrepreneur was […]

It’s easy to single out those fantasy movies that are considered pretty much perfect, starting as far back in cinema history as The Wizard of Oz, and then into the 21st century, with something like Pan’s Labyrinth, for instance, that’s honestly hard to fault. Perfection is rare, and also a little too easy to talk about, since it involves looking at something and being like, “Yeah, there’s nothing wrong here.”

So, here are some fantasy movies that are “merely” near-perfect. Some of them are very good with some noticeable flaws, and then the ones near the end of this ranking are the closest to perfect, perhaps with just one or two things that can be nitpicked. You’re also welcome to disagree, but if something’s not here and you’re not happy about that, then consider the possibility that it was potentially too good/perfect for this ranking, and then maybe you’ll feel a little less angry.

10

‘Lost Horizon’ (1937)

Image via Columbia Pictures

Not to be mixed up with the camp-heavy musical movie of the same name, from 1973 (which has the same plot, too), Lost Horizon (1937) has been a little lost to time, at least if you compare its legacy to The Wizard of Oz or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the latter of which also came out in 1937. Lost Horizon is about a man discovering a valley known as Shangri-La, which is hidden from the real world and unlike pretty much any other area previously known to humanity.

Or it seems that way at first, at least, since nothing can really be as perfect as it first seemed. Lost Horizon is interesting, and also ahead of its time in some ways, regarding what it’s going for thematically and with some of its technical qualities, too. It might’ve been a bit much for people in the 1930s, but at least it can be better appreciated nowadays.

9

‘Versus’ (2000)

Image via Distant Horizon

There’s a lot of wonderful chaos to be found in Versus, even if it’s also close to being a bit too much at times. It’s sort of an action/crime movie that has an increasing number of fantastical and supernatural elements as it goes along, seeing as the premise here (more of an excuse to have wild things happen) involves a bunch of shady people having to battle zombies and other creatures in a forest.

They really just have to fight for their lives, and do so in one bombastic scene after another, for two hours. Versus seldom slows down and, by the time it wraps up, you feel as though you’ve binged three or four wild B-grade action movies in a row, rather than just a single one. Whether this is a reason to watch or avoid Versus is entirely up to you.

8

‘Allegro non troppo’ (1976)

Image via Specialty Films

Pretty much everyone knows about Fantasia, which is one of the most important animated movies ever made, famously for the way it blends animation and classical music through a series of very memorable and eye-catching segments. Less well-known is Allegro non troppo, which could be sarcastically labeled as “Fantasia, but Italian, and also a bit weirder,” but it’s also pretty good.

Not as good as the movie it feels like it borrows the most from, but if you want to see a bunch of strange and creative images while having a cinematic experience that feels genuinely psychedelic, that’s just what Allegro non troppo provides. It might be all about vibes over anything else, so call it shallow if you want to, but what imaginative vibes there are to be found here, of both the pleasant and not-so-pleasant variety.

7

‘Beau Is Afraid’ (2023)

Image via A24

After directing Hereditary and Midsommar, both of which were horror movies, Ari Aster directed Beau Is Afraid, which… was almost/sort of a horror movie? But not entirely. It’s a difficult one to try and explain, since it’s meant to feel like something between a panic attack and a fever dream (maybe even both at the same time) for what ends up being a very long time, since the movie clocks in at just under three hours.

The title character here has to travel a great distance to get to his mother’s funeral, basically. Along the way, various messy, chaotic, and unpleasant things happen. Beau Is Afraid isn’t very fun, but it’s also not trying to be, and though it asks a lot from you, as a viewer, it is perhaps a trip worth taking if you’re feeling brave enough (and if you have quite a bit of time to spare, too).

6

‘Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster’ (1964)

Image via Toho

Sure, the Godzilla series is always a bit more sci-fi than fantasy, but depending on the monster Godzilla fights (or aligns himself with), the series can sometimes function as a bit of both. Take Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, for instance. Ghidorah himself looks a bit like a dragon, which is a fantastical creature (Ghidorah is admittedly from space, though), while Mothra also plays a big part in the film, and she’s more of a mythological/fantastical monster than one of scientific origin.

Also, Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster is worth mentioning because it was a key film in the progression from Godzilla’s status as a villain to a hero of sorts, since Ghidorah is the real bad guy here, so to speak. It’s a better-than-average giant monster movie, and a good showcase for some of the most iconic monsters to have ever appeared in the Godzilla series.

5

‘Dante’s Inferno’ (1911)

Image via Helios

One of the earliest of all feature films, at least of those that haven’t been completely lost to time, Dante’s Inferno is pretty remarkable, and worth watching just because of its place in cinema history. Thankfully, it’s also quite good on top of being historically significant, being an adaptation of one part of Dante Alighieri‘s Divine Comedy; namely, the part that sees Dante being guided through the Nine Circles of Hell.

Sure, it can all look a bit primitive 115 years later, but also, come on… it’s 115 years later. Dante’s Inferno did a lot for something of its time, and is still admirably unnerving in some ways all these decades later. It’s easy to forgive/overlook the clunkier parts here, considering the movie was released way back in 1911, and felt so tremendously impressive and ambitious for a work of silent cinema.

4

‘Castle in the Sky’ (1986)

Image via Studio Ghibli

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It’s interesting looking at the earlier films directed by Hayao Miyazaki, since they’re a little different from the sorts of fantasy movies he got the most acclaim for directing (like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke). Some films of his were a little fantasy and sci-fi at the same time, like Castle in the Sky, which has magic and fantasy elements, sure, but it’s also a little steampunk stylistically, plus robots factor into the plot, too.

It’s also a family-friendly movie that’s not just a kids’ movie, having a lot that people of all ages can appreciate here. Castle in the Sky is a very well-executed “chase/race for a MacGuffin” kind of movie, with that MacGuffin being key (and a key) to accessing the titular castle in the sky. It’s all very imaginative and easy on the eyes, only being held back from technical “top-tier Miyazaki” status because he made a handful of true masterpieces that were somehow even better.

3

‘Holy Motors’ (2012)

Image via Les Films du Losange

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Holy Motors does not play out over a lengthy period of time, but it does take you to many different locations and forces you to try (and maybe fail) to comprehend a variety of unusual sights, with the whole thing feeling deliberately episodic. The main character is a man with a series of strange tasks he has to undertake, with each of them requiring him to adopt a new identity.

It’s a film directed by Leos Carax, who’s never been afraid to make strange, distressing, and perplexing movies, with Holy Motors being maybe the most intense of all his movies, when it comes to those aforementioned adjectives. That makes it perhaps a bit much, and some stretches of the film are more absorbing than others, but it does overall remain an unusual cinematic trip worth taking.

2

‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’ (2008)

Guillermo del Toro has always been closely associated with the fantasy genre, since he’s one of the best directors in recent memory to have really explored (and arguably elevated) that sort of film. Pan’s Labyrinth, for instance, is just about perfect, and there’s an argument to be made that The Devil’s Backbone and The Shape of Water (the latter of which might cross over into sci-fi territory) are almost just as good.

A little further down quality-wise, then, is Hellboy II: The Golden Army, which certainly has its flaws, but also, so much of it’s charming and visually dazzling to such a great extent that the missteps barely register. Also, the biggest obstacle to loving Hellboy II: The Golden Army isn’t really its fault (it was quite clearly set up to be the middle chapter of a trilogy that del Toro ultimately never got to finish, which leaves some things hanging here to a frustrating extent).

1

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ (2002)

Image via New Line Cinemas

The most controversial pick here, so listen: if you take The Lord of the Rings as a single thing, or one massive movie, then that entire epic is pretty much perfect. It has an opening movie that’s ideal, and then the third movie is everything the final chapter of a trilogy should be, itself having a perfect ending. Or perfect endings. It needed to have a perfect/extended ending, given that it wraps up everything that came before.

But if you look at The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers on its own, then it’s probably the only movie in the trilogy that’s imperfect. Those imperfections, mostly regarding pacing (some things happen a little too quickly, and other things feel a bit drawn-out), are easy to overlook when you judge the trilogy as a whole thing. It feels okay to have a transitional movie within a broader, excellent trilogy, and even if the setup is imperfect, it allows perfect payoffs by the time The Return of the King comes around. And also, The Two Towers is still phenomenal, since even if you judge it as its own movie, the issues still feel like nitpicks (the final act, in particular, is unbelievably good).

Dianna Russini is making headlines for photos with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel.

Page Six published photos of Vrabel looking cozy with Russini while on an apparent vacation in March 2026. Vrabel and Russini appeared to be holding hands and hugging at a hotel in Arizona in the images, which have since gone viral. Other photos showed the duo hanging out together at a pool and enjoying time at the resort’s spa.

Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, since 1999. They share two sons: Tyler, born in June 2000, and Carter, born in November 2001. Russini, meanwhile, has been married to Kevin Goldschmidt since September 2020. They are also the parents of two sons: Michael, born in August 2021, and Joey, born in October 2022.

Both Vrabel and Russini spoke out after the photos were published, denying that anything romantic was going on between them.

“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel told the New York Post in an April 2026 statement. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”

Russini also issued a denial, claiming that the photos don’t show the full picture.

“The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day,” her statement read. “Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”

Keep scrolling for everything to know about Russini:

Where Is Dianna Russini From?

Dianna Russini grew up in Norwood, New Jersey. She played four sports in high school — soccer, basketball, softball and ran track — and was an All State athlete in all of them.

Was Dianna Russini an Athlete?

After graduating from high school, Dianna Russini attended George Mason University in Virginia where she played soccer for all four years. Throughout her time on the team, Russini made 51 appearances on the field.

What Is Dianna Russini’s Job?

Dianna Russini was a sports reporter for several local broadcast networks before nabbing a role on ESPN in July 2015. She eventually left the role in 2023 to work with The New York Times’ The Athletic, where she acts as the outlet’s lead NFL insider.

Is Dianna Russini Married?

Dianna Russini and husband Kevin Goldschmidt wed in September 2020. Goldschmidt is an HR technology vice president at Shake Shack.

“Happy Anniversary to my own parents’ favorite person … and mine too,” Russini captioned a September 2025 Instagram post when celebrating their wedding anniversary.

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Does Dianna Russini Have Kids?

Dianna Russini and Kevin Goldschmidt share two sons. Their first, Michael, was born in August 2021.

“This is our little guy Michael Andrew who taught us today in a world filled with so many overrated experiences, this one lived up to it all and more,” she shared via Instagram at the time. “Born on my Dad’s birthday today — there was no better moment than saying happy birthday to him and showing him his grandson.”

Their second son, Joey, joined the family in October 2023.

Days of Our Lives early weekly spoilers for April 13th through the 17th have Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) in a huge life pivot and Paulina Price (Jackée Harry) is in big trouble.

As we always do on early edition day, we talk about what’s coming the rest of this week. Then we dive into what is ahead next week.

Days of Our Lives Wednesday, April 8th: Brady and Kristen Argue Again

So, on Wednesday, April 8th, we’ve got Brady and Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) arguing again about Rachel Black (Lorelei Olivia Mote) being in Bayview. She blames all this on Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) and EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel). So, I wonder if Kristen is going to push to try to get an appeal to go back to court since she is working with Sophia Choi (Rachel Boyd) now.

She may be pursuing legal and illegal revenge and remedies. Kristen wants Sophia to destroy EJ, but I do wonder how much Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) overheard and whether she heard enough to warn EJ about Kristen. Now, I do think if Cat warned EJ, he’d probably say, “Oh, you know, Kristen’s always plotting something.”

Days of our Lives Spoilers: Holly Wants to Make Things Right

Holly Jonas (Ashley Puzemis) wants to make amends with Ariana. We’re going to meet Vico Escorcia as she debuts as Arianna “Ari” Grace Horton on Wednesday. So, Holly’s going to be explaining to her ex-roommate exactly what Sophia did to her, Holly’s going to explain that all of her recent awful antics were down to being drugged by psycho Sophia.

Still hoping to get evidence to take to the Salem PD, Tate Black (Leo Howard) is targeting Sophia and tricking her. So, Tate’s following Sophia around and carefully grabs a soda bottle that she threw away. Tate is removing it from the trash with a cloth so that only her prints and DNA are going to be on it. I wonder if they’re trying to compare those to the supplement bottle that was mailed to Rachel from Bayview.

Meanwhile, Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein) gets some encouragement from Marlena and she is advising her to tell Alex Kiriakis (Robert Scott Wilson) about her anxiety. It looks like her skin is crawling every time he touches her. But Stephanie may confide in Jeremy Horton (Michael Roark) instead.

This obviously will take any chance that he can to be there for Stephanie. I don’t think Alex is going to agree with her getting a gun, but Jeremy might support it. Honestly, I think he would support almost anything if it means that Stephanie is talking to him and spending time with him.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers Thursday, April 9th: Chanel’s New Attitude

Thursday, April 9th, we have got Chanel’s new attitude surprising Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman). So, he’s got to go tell Chanel Dupree DiMera (Raven Bowens) that he wants to stay at DiMera now that Theo Carver (Cameron Johnson) has decided he’s not going to come back.

Given that Chanel is thinking she’s ready to tentatively let EJ back into their lives and around the kids, you know, Johnny may be shocked when Chanel is okay with him staying at the helm of DiMera. Speaking of shockers, Dimitri von Leuschner DiMera (Peter Porte) is stunned by Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart).

Looks like he thinks Javi Hernandez (Al Calderon) won’t take him back, so he may be ready to give Dimitri another shot. The problem is Leo may still be feeling concussed effects and may not be thinking clearly when he thinks this.

Days of our Lives Spoilers: Gwen & RJ Thrilled

Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien) and EJ are thrilled for their big payout since Dr. Rolf‘s (Richard Wharton) mad science project with Lexie Carver (Nikki Crawford) is a big win. And Paulina and Abe Carver (James Reynolds) are squabbling. And it may be about Theo quitting DiMera, which is exactly what Abe wanted and what he was conspiring with EJ to make happen.

But Paulina may question why the abrupt change because she knows about the Lexie thing. She may want to talk it over with Theo and figure out what’s going on. But I think Abe just wants her to shut it and accept it and move on happily because this is what he wants for Theo, who is his son, not hers.

Lexie is going to wake up to the sound of Theo’s voice. So, he’s sitting at his mom’s bedside saying how she was always there for him. And Lexie’s first glimpse as she opens her eyes is going to be her precious son. And her first word is his name.

Friday, April 10th: Gwen Celebrating With Xander on DOOL

Then on Friday, April 10th, we’ve got Gwen celebrating with Xander Kiriakis Cook (Paul Telfer). Probably going to be back in the bedroom again, too. He may want to work out some of his stress over Maggie Kiriakis (Suzanne Rogers) chewing him out.

And then letting Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) move back into the mansion and bringing Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) along while he’s persona non grata. But Gwen is thrilled about her coming Versix payday. So that’s definitely what she wants to celebrate on Days of our Lives.

Javi surprises Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering). Looks like he is back in Salem. So we’re going to see Al Calderon back on our screens. And I wonder if Javi is going to bring his new boyfriend back to Salem.

Days of our Lives Spoilers: Leo Can’t Go Through with It

Leo taps the brakes with Dimitri. So, it looks like Leo is going to shut things down before they actually get intimate. And I wonder if Leo’s brain fog clears and he realizes he can’t hook up with Dimitri until he and Javi talk and he gets definitive closure.

You know, Leo is still wearing his wedding ring. So, it will be bad if Javi goes over to see Leo at the Salem Inn and finds Dimitri in his room. That might be all she wrote. Kristen is blasting her brother EJ on Friday. Nothing new, right? I’m sure she is again blaming him for Rachel being in Bayview.

And I do wonder if Kristen has moved back into the family mansion since she packed her bags to leave Brady’s because she’s so mad at him and at Marlena over Rachel being back at Bayview. Can’t wait to see how Kristen is planning to use Sophia to target EJ.

Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey) and Brady get sexy and they take things to the bedroom. It could be talking to Xander and admitting she’s not getting busy and he is. And him telling Sarah that she finds him irresistible. That may just have her going, “You know what? I’m definitely going to move on. No reason not to.”

Week of April 13th-17th on Days of Our Lives

The week of April 13th through the 17th, we may see Stephanie pursuing getting that gun after all. Obviously, she would need shooting lessons. And I wonder if she’s going to approach her papa Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols) or Jeremy.

But I wonder if Steve will decide that, you know, Stephanie having a gun eventually, that’s fine. But right now, while she’s so mired in PTSD, fresh off this trauma, it’s not a good idea. And Stephanie continues pulling away from Alex next week.

Cat makes her final plans for Stefano DiMera‘s will reading. And I wonder if she is going to be there at EJ’s invitation to attend. Not only could the will take EJ by surprise, but I think Sophia will. He’s not going to see her coming when she starts targeting him on Kristen’s orders.

Days of our Lives Spoilers: Brady Makes a Decision

Brady gives Steve his answer about joining Black Patch. Remember, he said we need to put the black back in Black Patch. I do think that Brady is going to pivot and do this thing. Plus, Tate is looking to Brady to help make sure that Sophia pays for drugging both him and Holly.

And he’s got this bottle and the evidence. And so, we’ll see if Brady and Steve run that for prints and all that good stuff. Abe learns that Lexie is alive, that EJ brought her back from the grave, and Theo now has another shot at knowing his mom.

Word is going to spread around Salem that Lexie is alive thanks to EJ and Rolf’s super serum. And I’m betting EJ is going to tell Abe that Paulina has known about Lexie for a while. Once Abe finds out Paulina knew, hot on the heels of her arguing with him about Theo’s role at DiMera.

That could be a break point for their marriage, especially given Lexie’s return. Rumor has it that Kayla Johnson (Mary Beth Evans) is going to be appalled and wants EJ out at Salem University Hospital for his dodgy science. Joy Wesley (AlexAnn Hopkins) is back soon with Alex’s baby.

Michael Roark has just a few weeks left as Jeremy. Around the same time that he exits, new Chad DiMera enters with Connor Floyd in the role, and EJ may find out very soon that Cat played him for a fool because Leo may act on Dimitri’s inkling that Cat is an ISA agent.

It looks like Judge Mathis‘ wife, Linda Reese Mathis, is standing by her husband and their love. Linda reportedly asked the court this week to dismiss her divorce request, after first filing in August 2024. The news gagged their followers, given their decades-long marriage, but soon after, they appeared to rekindle. It’s unclear why she delayed filing a dismissal.

RELATED: Judge Mathis & Linda Reese Speak On Rekindling Their Marriage After Divorce Filing (VIDEO)

Linda Reese Mathis Cancels Divorce Request

39 years of marriage. That’s how it had been when Mrs. Mathis filed for divorce from the iconic TV judge, real name Gregory Ellis Mathis. In the paperwork from August 2024, she reportedly listed their separation date as July 17, 2024, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split. She had also requested spousal support and that Judge Mathis be banned from receiving it.

Fast-forward to April 2026, and TMZ reports that Linda Reese Mathis filed a request to dismiss the divorce without prejudice on Monday (April 6). The clerk reportedly submitted the request on Tuesday. There are no additional details about what led to her decision to drop the request.

How Did Judge Mathis Win His Wife Back?

Days after Linda filed for divorce, Gregory Mathis made it clear he wanted his wife back. TMZ caught up with him days later at LAX, where he told the outlet he’d been experiencing some of his “worst days.” At the time, he and Linda were still living in the same home, despite the divorce paperwork. He gave “cautionary tale” advice to other men, too, saying, “Don’t neglect your wife.” Mathis said he’d been putting his wife third, behind work and serving his community. Adding, “Never be busy, never have too much fun beyond your wife.” Also, he denied their separation had anything to do with cheating.

“…I’m trying to get my wife back,” Mathis told TMZ. “I have to show her that, though. Hopefully, I can show her while we’re there together. And hopefully, she doesn’t complete the process, but I’m changing in hopes that she will.”

More than a year later, it appeared he’d kept his promise to win his lady’s heart again. In October, Mathis and Linda Reese appeared on Tamron Hall’s talkshow, where he said losing his wife felt like losing his mother. So he “did everything to get” her back. Reese mentioned that it was a team-effort, both working to rebuild their bond and learn each other again. “And it’s just been progressively great. Every day it’s been wonderful,” Mrs. Mathis said on the show.

Fans React To News Of Divorce Dismissal 

In The Shade Room’s comment section, the request to dismiss the divorce was a cause for celebration! Over 1,200 roommates weighed in with a majority praising a marriage surviving its rough patch.

@jazzyiest commented, “And once again, black love prevails.”

“Oh, she don’t play! 😂 I like her,” @thekingkianna said.

“That man got his lady back 💙,” @syxfigures6 added.

“She wasn’t playing! I’m glad they worked it out ❤️,” @imshedai wrote.

“Unc wasn’t playing about keeping his Black Queen ❤️” @morgeebeee said.

“Proof that if that man want to, he will❤️,” @nybangaaa commented.

“It’s ok to start over with your person,” @aireee_ added.

RELATED: Sierra Gates Breaks Her Silence Amid Divorce From Xzavia Thomas & Reveals Plans To Temporarily Close Her Business (VIDEO)

Deborah Cox is revealing how she ended up as “the voice” of the legendary Whitney Houston in her 2015 biopic.

During the Wednesday, April 8, episode of the “What Matters with Liz” podcast with Woman’s World Editor-in-Chief, Liz Vaccariello, Cox, 51, recalled how director Angela Bassett reached out to her for the Lifetime Whitney Houston biographical film, Whitney.

“She was the one that called me and said, ‘I’m working on this project. Would you sing the music?’ And I was like, ‘Absolutely,’” Cox shared. “That was the only day that I had off ’cause I was on another project. So I literally flew from Miami to LA, recorded the songs, and we did it.”

“In a day we cut, like, six songs,” Cox continued.

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Waiting to Exhale turns 30 this year, and Angela Bassett has nothing but fond memories of filming the beloved rom-com. “Waiting to Exhale, four incredible women, an incredible time in a very, very hot place,” Bassett, 66, recalled while chatting exclusively with Us Weekly at the New York City premiere of her new miniseries, Zero […]

Cox also shared how hands-on Bassett was during the filming process.

“Under her direction, she was just like, ‘This is the moment. This is what’s happening,’” Cox said of Bassett, 67, explaining the plot to her during big musical moments like “I’m Every Woman” or “I Will Always Love You,’” adding that the goal was to nail the “essence” of Houston’s voice.

“And I think, as a performer, you find little areas of a person’s voice that really resonate with you and that’s what’s inspired me all these years,” Cox explained.

Cox said she knew “very early on” that singing was what she was meant to do.

“I knew when I was singing along to songs on the radio, commercial jingles. I had an affinity for melodies. You know, certain things would just stick with me,” she shared.

Some of her early influences included Billie Holiday, Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin and Dinah Washington, all of whom her mother would play in the house as she was growing up. Cox discovered Houston later in life, and knew that she “wanted music to be a career.”

In 1994, Cox signed with Clive Davis, the famed award-winning producer and music executive who shaped careers of artists like Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys and Houston. In 2000, Houston and Cox collaborated on the duet “Same Script, Different Cast.”

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“It’s interesting ’cause it’s not until you go through life when you look back you go, ‘Wow, there’s certain patterns that happen and certain synchronicities that happen as well,”’ Cox told Vaccariello. “And I found that to be very interesting.”

Houston died on February 11, 2012, of an accidental drowning in her hotel bathtub, while under the influence of cocaine and other drugs.

Cox, meanwhile, is currently starring as “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” in Titanique, a musical parody of the hit 1997 film Titanic starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Titanique features an exclusive score of Céline Dion songs. She also appeared as Glinda in The Wiz and as the titular character in Aida.

Former employees from The Howard Stern Show previously addressed the “frightening” truth about working on the radio show.

Three years before Stern’s executive assistant sued him for creating an allegedly hostile work environment, other ex-staffers spoke out in the Vice TV docuseries Dark Side of the 2000s about issues including low wages.

Jackie Martling, who was a cast member and writer for Stern’s show from 1983 to 2001, claimed a majority of the staff “weren’t getting paid well” despite Stern “making countless millions of dollars.”

“It was frightening what was going on,” Martling, now 78, said at the time before adding, “There was so much money coming in. It was crazy the amount of money.”

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Howard Stern has gotten into feuds with David Letterman, Lena Dunham and many more stars throughout his career. Stern and Letterman started off as friends in the ‘90s ​ — until the radio host started bashing the former late-night host. The two had a falling out and did not patch things up until 2018 when […]

Martling ultimately left the show because of Stern’s refusal to increase his salary.

“You are beyond rich and successful, and you have someone sitting next to you who makes you enjoy that job much more. And you let them go?” Martling continued. “Because he asked for more money? Especially when you’re friends. It boggles the mind.”

Martling also called out Stern, 73, directly, saying, “He’s got all his listeners calling me cheap. And he just crows and crows about how he’s the most loyal guy in the world … which, you know, it’s funny.”

John Melendez, meanwhile, claimed he only made $20,000 a year. After bringing in $75,000 after 15 years on the show, Melendez left to earn from $350,000 to $400,000 with Jay Leno.

“He couldn’t let me evolve and be happy,” Melendez, now 60, said about Stern.

Elsewhere in the 2023 docuseries episodes, Steve Grillo, who was an intern on the show from 1991 to 1998, alleged that he wasn’t paid at all until six years later.

“I started getting paid about 30 hours a week, minimum wage, which was like $6.35 at that time,” he explained. “So I got paid for 30 hours and I was working, like, 60.”

Grillo, now 58, recalled asking K-Rock vice president and general manager Tom Chiusano for a raise to help qualify for health insurance. The request was allegedly shut down at the time, which is when Grillo contacted Stern.

Stern allegedly told Grillo, “Yeah, well, that’s just Tom.” Grillo expressed frustration at his former boss’ lack of support, adding, “That’s a horrible way to do it — to not stand up for an employee that’s [taken] care of you for the past eight years.”

He continued: “You’re making a million dollars an hour and I have to go work at a nightclub in order to survive. And this is the moment I knew I was gonna leave. If that man’s not gonna stick up for me, I’m out. And that’s when I left.”

Stern did not publicly address the accusations made in the docuseries at the time.

Related: Is ‘The Howard Stern Show’ Getting Canceled? Rumors Explained

Howard Stern will still be on the airwaves after reports swirled of an alleged cancellation of the beloved The Howard Stern Show. Multiple outlets reported in August that Stern’s show was canceled after making his debut on Sirius Satellite Radio in 2006. Stern, who began his radio host career in the 1980s, was inducted into […]

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Us Weekly confirmed on Monday, April 6, that Leslie Kuhn sued Howard and his wife, Beth Stern. In the court documents, Kuhn recalled being hired as an office manager for SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show in September 2022 before becoming Howard’s executive assistant in January 2024.

Kuhn claimed she was later asked to move to Southampton, New York, to work at Howard and Beth’s mansion.

“Beth Stern told Kuhn that, in addition to assisting [Howard], Beth needed assistance with such things as managing the staff of the mansion, setting staffing schedules, completing staff payroll and managing general household operations, including Beth’s extensive at-home feline rescue and fostering operations,” the docs stated.

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Kuhn’s employment was allegedly terminated for cause in February.

“Kuhn contends that her termination was the result of, among other things, a hostile work environment and enablement of that hostile work environment, immense pressures on the household created by irresponsible and untenable animal rescue and fostering operations occurring on-site, and massively disorganized and questionable business operations and accounting practices,” court documents stated. “As such, Kuhn fully intends to disclose details concerning the facts surrounding her employment.”

The lawsuit claimed Kuhn was presented with a separation agreement containing a nondisclosure agreement that she allegedly did not sign. She requested that the court declare the NDA unenforceable and to require the Sterns to cover her court costs.

Jonathan Turk, an Arizona man, reportedly confessed to using a hammer and knife to fatally attack his parents, Fraser and Tina Turk.

RELATED: Arizona Black Ski Weekend Chaos Goes Viral | TSR Investigates

Jonathan Turk Reportedly Confesses To Using Hammer & Knife To Fatally Attack Parents

According to Fox News, the bodies of Fraser and Tina Turk were reportedly discovered in a residence on March 31. Per the outlet, on that day, Jonathan Turk called the police around 6:29 p.m., reportedly admitting that he killed his parents. Furthermore, Turk told dispatchers he was angry that they put him on medication. Per PEOPLE, Fraser Turk was found with at least one stab wound, while Tina Turk was found with head injuries.

Furthermore, Turk even told dispatchers he would wait outside for officers to arrive at the scene.

Per the outlet, officers discovered a hammer and a knife in a trash can inside the home. After his arrest, Jonathan Turk reportedly declined to speak with officers.

More On The Charges Against The Arizona Man For Reportedly Unaliving His Parents, Fraser & Tina Turk

According to the outlet, prosecutors have asserted that Turk’s parents had filed multiple mental health petitions citing concerns about his mental stability.

“It was just a gut feeling. Like, a bad feeling. Like something was not right,” a neighbor reportedly told the outlet about Turk. “I just always tried to walk on the other side of the street when I saw him out, and I just felt really uncomfortable because I have kids.”

Per the outlet, Jonathan Turk is facing “two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder.” Furthermore, his bond has reportedly been set at $2 million cash. Lastly, the outlet notes that a preliminary hearing for the case has been scheduled for April 9.

NEW: Man killed both of his parents at their Arizona home then called 911 to confess to what he had done

Jonathan Turk, 29, ‘said he murdered his parents with a hammer and a knife because he got mad at them for putting him on medication,’ according to court documents

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Officers… pic.twitter.com/S4pBuDa8Lu

— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) April 2, 2026

Before Jonathan Turk Reportedly Confessed To Using Hammer & Knife To Fatally Attack Parents, Another Man In California Committed Similar Actions

Before Jonathan Turk’s case for allegedly using a hammer and knife to fatally attack his parents, a man in California made similar headlines. As The Shade Room previously reported, in July 2024, Joseph Brandon Gerdvil, a 41-year-old man, was arrested for allegedly decapitating his parents. Furthermore, Gerdvil reportedly lived in a mobile home with his parents. Both were reportedly in their 70s.

Gerdvil was allegedly spotted arguing with his father before he allegedly committed the decapitation and even mutilated their bodies.

RELATED: Say WHAT?! 41-Year-Old California Man Is Arrested & Charged After Allegedly Decapitating His Elderly Parents

Diss tracks are alive and well among pop girlies, but the art of a good diss usually comes with a bit of discretion. Most artists try not to stir too much attention in the press, keeping things subtle rather than outright confrontational. Still, Katy Perry made her message pretty clear with her 2017 single “Swish Swish.”

Framed as an empowerment anthem about rising above negativity, the song still carries a sharp throw aimed at an unnamed opponent. Its kitschy, EDM-driven sound marked a shift from her earlier bubblegum pop style. In a way, the sleek production alone suggested that “Swish Swish” was meant to make a statement. However, as time passed, Perry seemed to reconsider her intentions with “Swish Swish,” and said that the song is just another chapter in her pop career.

“Swish Swish” Was Meant to Be an Anti-Bullying Anthem

Released as part of Perry’s fifth album Witness, at first impression, “Swish Swish” sounds like the sound a basketball makes when it goes through the basket — and that’s the point. Like the competitive, “I’m the man” spirit of the sport, “Swish Swish” is an anthem about standing up against your haters. Amidst the release of the single, Perry explained that the song is “a great anthem for people to use whenever somebody’s trying to hold you down or bully you.” Although she doesn’t explicitly name names, listeners have linked the song to one particular artist: Taylor Swift.

Who’s Your Perfect Classic Rock Band?

Back in 2013, Perry and Swift found themselves in a pickle over their background dancers. This dispute is widely believed to have inspired Swift’s “Bad Blood,” with “Swish Swish” often seen as a response. For context, three of Swift’s dancers allegedly left her in the middle of her Red World Tour and chose to work for Perry on her Prismatic World Tour, since they already had history together. In a Rolling Stone interview, although Swift didn’t mention anyone by name, she recalled that a former friend “did something so horrible,” to the point that the person “tried to sabotage an entire arena tour.”

Katy Perry Buried the Hatchet with Taylor Swift — and Changed the Lyrics to “Swish Swish”

Concept-wise, “Swish Swish” is a cross between the anthem Perry proclaims it to be and a full-on diss track. At one point, Perry positions herself as the bigger person, comparing herself to “a tiger” that doesn’t lose sleep or need opinions from a shellfish or a sheep. On the other hand, she still calls out her opponent, seemingly putting them in their place with lines like “you’re a joker / and I’m a courtside killer queen.” Don’t forget the playful basketball references, including “your game is tired / you should retire” — one of the small details that connects the song to the title.

However, all pop star feuds eventually come to an end. The first gleaming hope of reconciliation occurred when Perry changed the line “don’t you come for me” to “God bless you on your journey, oh baby girl” during a live performance. But what really sealed the deal was when Perry appeared in Swift’s music video for “You Need to Calm Down,” dressed in a hamburger costume alongside Swift’s french fry outfit. Reflecting on the feud in 2020, Perry explained that “gossip and lies, they take the elevator, but the truth takes the stairs, and it just takes time […] they will tell my story.”

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Katy Perry’s “Swish Swish” Performance on ‘Saturday Night Live’ Left Quite the Impression

The drama surrounding “Swish Swish” wasn’t the only reason it became a mid-2010s tabloid obsession. On May 20, 2017, Perry performed the track as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. But the spotlight didn’t stay on her for long. Instead, her backup dancers stole the show, with many of them drag performers and club personalities, walking down the stage like it was a ballroom. As the performance built toward its finale, viral Instagram personality Russell Horning, a.k.a. Backpack Kid, made a surprise appearance, enthusiastically performing his signature “floss” dance (Fornite later popularized the move).

Perry’s Saturday Night Live performance was praised for promoting LGBTQ+ inclusivity in mainstream media. With the message of “Swish Swish” coming across a resistance to those who oppose the community, it felt especially fitting. However, Perry’s advocacy has also been seen as ironic, given her track record of choosing to work with a known producer accused of sexual assault. On one hand, it is commendable that she aims to promote a positive message and embrace inclusivity. On the other hand, it’s contradictory of Perry to simultaneously preach empowerment and collaborating with a questionable industry figure.