ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Former Lost Star Maggie Grace Is Engaged! Congratulations are in order for Maggie Grace! The former Lost star is engaged to boyfriend Brent Bushnell, a rep for the actress confirms to E! News. In an Instagram posted Tuesday afternoon, Maggie shared a rare photo of herself with her main man while enjoying a boat ride in an undisclosed city. "The strongest and sweetest songs yet remain to be sung (Whitman)," she wrote while putting her hand on Brent's chest. Two weeks earlier, the couple was spotted at Los Angeles City Hall attending the Women's March. "WHAT A MAN," she captioned the picture. "#StrongMenSupportStrongWomen." According to Us Weekly, who first reported the news, the pair plan to tie the knot later this year. In fact, the bride-to-be was spotted wedding dress shopping at Claire Pettibone in West Hollywood just this past weekend. Fans may know Maggie from her roles in Californication and Lost. As for Brent, he's the founder of an engineering entertainment firm called Two Bit Circus. While Maggie dated a few famous faces in the past, she recently shared her hopes of dating a more private person. Luckily, it appears she has found her match. "I haven't dated too many actors," Maggie previously explained to New You. "I did when I was really young, for a couple of years...but it's nothing against actors...You can certainly reconcile schedules with actors but it takes some doing, and I just don't have that energy." (Eonline)

Tom Hiddleston Defends Taylor Swift and That "I ? T.S." Tank Top. There's no "Bad Blood" between Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift. From the moment the actor and the singer were photographed kissing in Rhode Island last summer, they became one of the most talked about couples in the world. Within the first month alone, Hiddleston and Swift -- dubbed Hiddleswift -- met each other's parents and traveled the world together. But when the public reacted to their whirlwind romance with skepticism, Hiddleston was confused. Fans wondered: Was their relationship a publicity stunt? After a long pause, Hiddleston tells GQ, "Of course it was real." The magazine's March cover story marks the first time Hiddleston speaks in-depth about his ex-girlfriend. Ever the gentleman, he only has nice things to say. "Taylor is an amazing woman," the 35-year-old actor tells GQ. "She's generous and kind and lovely, and we had the best time." Swift had just ended her relationship with Calvin Harris when she met Hiddleston at the 2016 Met Gala. As he tells it, they were both looking for a genuine connection at the time. "So we decided to go out for dinner, we decided to travel... She's incredible," he says. But with the paparazzi trailing their every move, staying connected wasn't so easy. "A relationship in the limelight...A relationship always takes work. And it's not just the limelight. It's everything else." Hiddleswift's relationship reached fever pitch when the Kong: Skull Island actor was photographed wearing an "I ? T.S." tank top at Swift's annual Fourth of July party. As he bonded with Swift's squad (including Cara Delevingne, Gigi Hadid, Karlie Kloss, Blake Lively and Ruby Rose), their romance seemed stronger than ever; Swift even shared photos of herself with Hiddleston -- something she'd rarely done with Harris (and never did with previous boyfriends.) So, why did Hiddleston make such a bold fashion statement? "The truth is it was the Fourth of July and a public holiday and we were playing a game and I slipped and hurt my back," Hiddleston tells the magazine. "And I wanted to protect the graze from the sun and said, 'Does anyone have a T-shirt?' And one of her friends said, 'I've got this.'" The friend gave him the "I ? T.S." tank top, he says, "and we all laughed about it. It was a joke." "It was a joke," Hiddleston reiterates. "Among friends." (Eonline)

In the less than five months since NBC's smash hit drama This Is Us premiered, breakout star Chrissy Metz has found fame and a calling as a role model for body positivity. But just a few years ago, Metz was nearing a breaking point resulting from a decade-long spiral of depression and self-doubt. "I'd be getting maybe two auditions a year, and I'd always see the same small group of girls," says Metz, who was a size 12 when she was first scouted but dropped 50 lbs. at the recommendation of her then-manager before moving to L.A. With work slow, she took a job as a junior commercial casting agent but says having to backburner her own dreams "was like watching your boyfriend take another woman out every day." Depressed and "eating my feelings," Metz gained more than 100 lbs. before a panic attack on her 30th birthday sent her to the hospital and snapped her back into reality. She set about overhauling herself physically and emotionally, including following doctor's orders to lose weight. "I was so gung ho, I lost 100 lbs. in less than five months," she says. "All I did was eat a 2,000-calorie diet and walk 20 minutes a day." As the numbers on the scale fell, Metz regained confidence. Then she landed the recurring part on American Horror Story: Freak Show that would kick-start her career. Playing a "fat lady" meant stepping into a fat suit. "It was sobering," she says. "I thought, 'What if I become that heavy and can't walk around or get stuck in the doorframe? I was like, 'I don't want this for me.' " The role also lead her to This Is Us. Baring her body and stepping on a scale within the first few minutes of the show's pilot this past September, Metz -- through her character -- Kate instantly instantly became a fan-favorite. "You don't realize that somebody who's average or even very fit could relate to someone who's overweight," she says of the feedback she's gotten, "but it's not about our size -- it's how we look at ourselves and how we feel about ourselves." Though there was a bit of blowback to Metz's prior statements about losing weight in tandem with Kate on the show (Metz now tells PEOPLE her contract with NBC does not mandate a specific workout regimen, any surgery or include an explicit weight-loss target), the actress acknowledges that having her own physical journey tied to Kate's is a key element of why This Is Us is the role of a lifetime. "You have to use what you have, and I wouldn't have this role if I had already lost weight," she says. "Now it's about telling a story of a woman struggling with her weight, just as I have and still am." As for what's next, while Metz says she's taking steps to lose weight, she does make it clear that the stops along her weight loss journey are "not for anybody but myself. ... I want to have a fit, healthy body and not have to be put in a box. I don't want to be limited by anything." This Is Us airs Tuesdays (9 p.m. ET) on NBC. (People)

Tom Brady Gives Update On His Mom's Cancer Battle & Dabs With His Son At The Patriots' Victory Parade! After his fifth Super Bowl Championship, Tom Brady is still hoping for another victory in his personal life. Specifically, a victory in his mom Galynn's cancer battle, which the NFL star opened up about to a local radio station earlier this week. On Monday, the New England Patriots quarterback spoke to WEEI 93.7 FM and gave fans an update on his mother's condition. The 39-year-old confirmed she's been undergoing "intensive treatment" but noted "the prognosis is good," explaining: "Mom is doing better. She's been through a lot and my dad's been through a lot. It's been a really hard year for them." Galynn had missed most of Brady's games this year due to radiation treatments and chemotherapy, though she was able to make the big game and witness her son's fifth Super Bowl victory. Brady said Sunday's game "was a nice win for her," adding: "She's not quite through it yet, but hopefully there was some healing energy from our game... hopefully she turns a corner and we all pray for that." Speaking of healing energy, the Patriots' Super Bowl victory parade injected the city of Boston with some well needed comradery on Tuesday. And the Brady that stole the show was Tom's 7-year-old son Benjamin, who was the most adorable hype man ever! In an Instagram video posted by the athlete, the little guy is seen riding on top of a duck boat with his all-star daddy, waving to the crowd and even performing a cute little dab! Awww! (Perez Hilton)

Teenage Judy Garland Was Repeatedly Molested by Munchkins on Set of Wizard of Oz, According to Her Ex-Husband. In The Wizard of Oz, the lovable Munchkins help Dorothy follow the yellow brick road to find her way home. But just like Oz himself, it turns out some of the Munchkins may not have been all they seemed. A new memoir by Judy Garland's ex-husband claims the Dorothy actress was repeatedly molested by some of the actors who played the Munchkins in the classic musical. Sid Luft, who was married to Garland from 1952-1965, described the alleged abuse in a new, posthumous memoir, Judy and I: My Life with Judy Garland. 'They would make Judy's life miserable on set by putting their hands under her dress ... The men were 40 or more years old," wrote the producer and business manager, who died in 2005. "They thought they could get away with anything because they were so small," he added. Garland, who died in 1969, described the actor's behavior before her death. In a 1967 interview with Jack Paar, Judy Garland said, "They were little drunks ... They got smashed every night, and they picked them up in butterfly nets." Rumors about the actors' bad behavior -- ranging from Caligula-like orgies to gambling to prostitution -- have been floating around Hollywood for decades. Julie Lugo Cerra, whose father worked near the Wizard of Oz studio in Culver City, CA at the time, told NPR that the hundred and twenty some Munchkin actors "had a really good time" during filming because, for many of them, it was their first time interacting with other little people. "They were having a very good time and they celebrated a lot," Cerra added. Her father told her that the Munchkin actors "were all over the place" ... "and they would pile them into cars, and they would be even under the dashboards because you could get so many in." While she denied many of the rumors, Cerra said, "I'm sure that they had a very good time, and I'm sure that most of them remembered it for the rest of their lives." Many of the Munchkin actors have denied the claims, arguing that they worked hard for little pay. Munchkin actress Margaret Pellegrini told The Independent in 2009, "There were a lot of them who liked to go out and have a few drinks, but nothing got out of hand. Everyone was having a good time and enjoying themselves. There was no rowdiness or anything like that, and those stories are very upsetting." Jerry Maren, the last surviving Munchkin at 97, reportedly asked, "How could you get drunk on $50 a week?" He added, "There were a couple of kids from Germany who liked to drink beer. They drank beer morning, noon and night, and got in a little trouble. They wanted to meet the girls, but they were the only ones." In addition to the Munchkin allegations, Luft's memoir details his love affair with Garland, including her drug addictions and multiple suicide attempts. (People)

Lady Gaga on Super Bowl Criticism: "I'm Proud of My Body." Lady Gaga gave the performance of a lifetime at the 2017 Super Bowl. Rather than focus on her art, however, some criticized the pop star's figure. Never one to let bullies win, Gaga shared a message of body positivity via Instagram Tuesday. "I heard my body is a topic of conversation so I wanted to say, I'm proud of my body and you should be proud of yours too. No matter who you are or what you do," she said. "I could give you a million reasons why you don't need to cater to anyone or anything to succeed. Be you, and be relentlessly you. That's the stuff of champions. Thank you so much everyone for supporting me. I love you guys." Several celebrities -- including Jenna Dewan Tatum, Colton Haynes, Nick Jonas and Reese Witherspoon -- showed their support by liking the "Million Reason" singer's Instagram picture. Gaga spent months training for the Super Bowl Halftime Show. She kicked off Sunday's set by singing a medley of "God Bless America" and "This Land Is Your Land," then jumped off the roof of Houston's NRG stadium and onto the stage. She followed it up with "Poker Face," "Born This Way," "Telephone," "Just Dance," "Million Reasons." Fellow musicians Adele, Demi Lovato, Katy Perry, LeAnn Rimes and Jordin Sparks were among those to praise Gaga via social media. Some critics compared Gaga's entrance to Pink's aerial acrobatics, but the singer-songwriter wasn't having any of it. "For the record: Let's squash this before it even has a chance to be a thing..." the "Just Like Fire" singer told fans Monday. "Lady Gaga killed it yesterday. Her voice was powerful and beautiful, her outfits were on point, choreography stellar, her heart was in it and she sang about love and inclusiveness, all in front of millions and millions of people. Let's celebrate a woman who has the guts to jump off a roof and stand up there in the first place." Prior to her performance, Gaga explained why she wouldn't be sharing the stage with anyone. "There will not be any guest performers tonight," the "Perfect Illusion" singer said. "I'm doing these 13 minutes solo! I dedicate every second to the love, diversity, compassion, and wild spirit of our fan base. To that kid who felt unwanted, or the grown up who remembers how hard it was to find acceptance. This is for you. It is also for those whose hearts and minds have opened to our message. Thank you for believing in us so we could be here today little monsters this is YOUR stage. And I'm gonna leave my heart on it so you never forget it. Let's do this." (Eonline)

Chrissy Teigen Unhurt After Being Involved in Hit and Run Car Accident Near Hollywood. Not even celebrities can escape an unfortunate car accident. E! News has learned that Chrissy Teigen was involved in a hit and run accident around 7:30 p.m. local time in Hollywood this Tuesday evening. Law enforcement sources tell E! News that the supermodel was the passenger of the vehicle that was hit. She ultimately sustained no injuries. An unnamed suspect was arrested by Hollywood division on misdemeanor hit and run. Earlier in the day, Chrissy appeared to be in great spirits on Snapchat where she shared a throwback photo of herself. "Tell me that doesn't look like Lu, Lu," she told her followers. "But that's me. That's mama." It's already been a big week for the supermodel who recently made it into the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. It's one of her first major photo shoots since giving birth to her baby girl Luna. "It's been awhile since I've done anything swimsuit," the Lip Sync Battle star said. "I haven't shot since baby. But of course, you know that [editor] MJ [Day] and everyone at Sports Illustrated in general is going to embrace your body no matter what's happening and embrace the changes." Just a couple of days ago, Chrissy also joined John Legend in Houston to experience all the fun of Super Bowl 2017. Something tells us a minor accident won't stop this Hollywood star from living her best life. (Eonline)

Charlie Rose will undergo heart surgery on Thursday, February 9. The CBS This Morning host announced the news on Wednesday. "Almost 15 years ago skilled surgeons replaced my aorta valve with a new replacement valve. It has served me well, enabling me to live the vigorous, full, complete life you are all so familiar with. No one loves life more than I do," Rose, 75, wrote in a statement. "To continue to live this amazing life so full of challenges and friends, including so many of you in the audience, I have chosen to replace the valve with a new one. The timing is my choice." The veteran journalist will spend a few days in the hospital before going home to rest for a couple of weeks. He will return to CBS in March. "In the meantime you are in great hands with my remarkable colleagues, Norah [O'Donnell] and Gayle [King], backed by the best morning team anywhere," he wrote. "I can't wait to be back completely rested with my heart recharged, my passion for the work ahead purposeful and my joy at life's pleasures high. Until then, stay close." Rose hosted CBS's first late-night news broadcast, Nightwatch, from 1984 to 1990 before taking on the PBS program Charlie Rose: The Week, which he continues to host today. He has been a part of CBS This Morning since its launch in January 2012. (US Weekly)

Tyga's got lawsuits on top of lawsuits to deal with ... the latest filed by a process server who got beat after handing him some legal docs. You'll recall Tyga was served as he walked into his birthday party at The Penthouse nightclub in WeHo back in November. The server claims he was assaulted by Tyga's crew. According to the suit ... the process server was "grabbed, yanked, pulled and choked" by someone in the rapper's entourage. Watch the video ... looks like he might have a case. The process server claims Kylie's BF green lit the violence. The suit calls Tyga a minor "celebrity" ... known more for his social life than his music. If the process server is that familiar, he probably also knows collecting from Tyga will be a bitch. (TMZ)

Richard Hatch -- best known for playing Captain Apollo on the original "Battlestar Galactica" TV series -- has died ... family sources tell TMZ. We're told Hatch had pancreatic cancer and went into hospice care a few weeks ago. The actor, writer and producer began working in television in 1970 when he joined the cast of "All My Children" ... before landing a starring role on 'BG' in 1978. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV series in 1979. Hatch made several guest appearances in the '80s on shows like "Murder, She Wrote," "The Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island." He also returned to the "Battlestar Galactica" franchise in a re-imagined series in 2004 as the character Tom Zarek. Hatch was 71 years old. RIP. (TMZ)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Gigi Hadid Is Getting Her Very Own Barbie Doll Just in Time for Tommy Hilfiger's Fashion Show. She's a Barbie girl in a supermodel world. As Gigi Hadid prepares to celebrate her second collection with Tommy Hilfiger, Mattel is giving fans a sneak peek at a brand-new special doll. E! News has learned the toy company is releasing photos where Barbie and Gigi are taking on Los Angeles in their own Tommy looks. Based on a sneak peek, they totally nailed it. "Can't believe that's me!!!!!!!" Gigi shared on Instagram. "Thank you for this honor #Mattel @tommyhilfiger can't wait to have #BARBIE join us at the #TOMMYxGIGI show tomorrow! @barbiestyle @tommyxgigi." While this unique doll isn't for sale to the general public, fans are already loving the Tommy Jeans T-shirts, denim shorts and accessories. "Great (Malibu!) minds think alike!" Barbie shared on Instagram with a photo from the Venice Beach Boardwalk. "Snapping a selfie with @gigihadid in our matching @tommyhilfiger tees." Wednesday's runway show is expected to be a special event for both fashion and pop culture lovers. Venice Beach will be transformed into "Tommyland" and feature amusement rides, local food trucks, musical performances and plenty of must-see fashion. And for those who don't recall, Tommy and Gigi's last runway show was nothing short of a special event. Back in September, the Tommy X Gigi carnival-themed NYFW show was something to behold with a Ferris wheel, string lights and plenty of famous faces including Hailey Baldwin and Chanel Iman serving as models. Every single item show on Wednesday's runway will be available to shop globally on Tommy.com. The day after the show, it will be available at more than 250 Tommy stores around the world. (Eonline)

Joe Biden's Daughter, Ashley Biden, Makes Her Fashion Designer Debut in an Awesome Hoodie. Who does Ashley Biden wear to New York Fashion Week? Herself, of course! Joe Biden's daughter celebrated the launch of her latest hoodie collection -- Livelihood -- Tuesday night, along with a star-studded (and political savvy) crowd. Although the 35-year-old designer was surrounded by an eclectic mix of famous names -- including her father, former Vice President Joe Biden, Lindsay Ellington, Christian Siriano, Olivia Palermo and Al Sharpton, Ashley was still the star of the spotlight wearing a black, half-sleeved Sandro dress with micro prints, red pumps and, of course, a Livelihood Hooded Sweatshirt. Ashley's demure dress and bold heel combo serves as inspiration for your next dinner date, while a sweatshirt that gives back is always on-trend. With the help of friend Aubrey Plaza, the social-worker-turned-designer partnered up with e-tailer Gilt to create a line of quality hoodies -- 100 percent of net proceeds will benefit and revitalize underprivileged zip codes. Think: job training and placement programs as well as educational fund assistance. If that doesn't make you feel good, the hoodies are made of organic cotton -- we're talking about sustainable fashion, people. Pockets are phone-size friendly. And the back reads: "Keep your hood up. Livelihood. Keep your head up." The Gilt x Livelihood collection is now available online. (Eonline)

Pamela Anderson strips naked before pleasuring herself on a bed of roses with a sex toy in a raunchy new advertisement. The 49-year-old former "Baywatch" star is seen writhing around and quietly moaning in front of the camera in the X-rated scenes for high-end sex shop Coco de Mer. The actress starts the steamy clip in a trench coat as she walks inside a house before stripping off to put on some lacy white underwear. The star flashes her bare bum in a pair of cut-out knickers with suspenders, once again appearing completely ageless. She then begins scattering roses across her bed, appearing to hint she's expecting a guest. Anderson then runs to lock the door before pulling a sex toy from a cupboard. Finally, she is heard lightly moaning before saying, "F -- k Valentine's Day." The star is newly single after divorcing her third husband in 2015, and the clip, shot by famous celebrity photographer Rankin, couldn't have been more perfectly timed. It comes after Anderson was spotted on a string of outings to visit WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is holed up at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. As The Sun Online reported previously, Anderson has been seen visiting him on October 15, November 13, December 7, December 12 and January 21. On one occasion she was seen carrying a Whole Foods bag and is thought to have been bringing him shopping, and she has also brought him a sandwich from Pret A Manger. Speaking about their relationship, Anderson previously said, "I really believe in him and think he's a good person, and I'm concerned about his health, his family, and I just hope that by some miracle he's set free. I brought him a nice vegan lunch and some vegan snacks." She later joked, "He said I tortured him with bringing him vegan food." Anderson set up The Pamela Anderson Foundation at the start of 2014 to help environmental causes and to protect vulnerable people and animals. She has also campaigned to raise awareness for organizations such as PETA and Mercy For Animals and joined initiatives to protect the Arctic, combat deforestation and condemn the force-feeding of ducks and geese in the production of foie gras. (Page Six)

Olivia Wilde Chops Off Her Locks and Goes Platinum: "What's Up Blonde Life." Olivia Wilde was ready for a change. The Vinyl star stepped out in New York City Tuesday night in honor of jewelry, but it was her hair that was making just as much of a statement. While attending Tiffany & Co.'s Tiffany Hardwear launch in the Big Apple, the star donned a platinum chin-length chop with dark roots. "Oh what's up, BLONDE LIFE," she captioned a selfie on Instagram. Later into the evening, the new mom of two ran into her pal Kate Mara and the ladies were caught mid-laugh by a photographer -- perhaps over their nearly identical dresses. "When you roll up to the party with your new look and it turns out you just single white female your friend you haven't seen in a year," she quipped. "So fun checking out the new #TiffanyHardWear collection tonight. Thanks for having us @tiffanyandco! #TiffanyPartner #iloveyoukatemara." Throughout her years in Hollywood, Wilde hasn't shied away from experimenting with hair color and cuts. The actress has worked everything from an ombre bob to chocolate bangs. However, it seems the increasingly shorter length was inspired by politics this time around. In December, the star shared a video of her new shoulder-length locks after previously sporting mermaid waves down to her bust. "Feelin myself apparently. Thanks to the master @harryjoshhair for the chop," she wrote at the time. "#nomoremelaniahair." (Eonline)

More retailers are saying bye-bye to Ivanka Trump's fashion label! Belk, Jet, ShopStyle, and Home Shopping Network have joined Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus in dropping the brand. That makes a grand total of six retailers now that have done so! A spokesperson for HSN admitted the label had been removed from the site, but not for any political reason. Jill Kermes, head of corporate affairs, said: "At HSN we are non-partisan and our product decisions are based solely on a continual evaluation related to our business." Belk had a similar excuse -- that the brand was not performing well. Even if the retailers are not dumping the brand for political reasons, it's pretty obvious the boycott started by the #GrabYourWallet campaign back in October is working. It's too much of a coincidence that all these retailers are now one-by-one getting rid of Ivanka's wares. We doubt she cares, as she's already a millionaire several times over, but it's still nice to see her feeling some type of repercussions for being horrible. (Perez Hilton)

Richard Simmons may not be transitioning or missing, but a new podcast is setting out to explore the sudden seclusion of one of Hollywood's most beloved fitness instructors. Missing Richard Simmons, a weekly podcast created by a former student and friend of Simmons, Dan Taberski, will explore his abrupt departure from the public eye and seek to answer the question of why he seems to have vanished. Taberski, a former producer on The Daily Show with John Stewart, began taking classes at Slimmons in 2012, the now-closed Beverly Hills fitness studio established by Simmons, and created the podcast as a personal search for the icon, who he befriended. Taberski tells PEOPLE Simmons "disappeared" sometime after Taberski approached him with the idea of making a documentary on his life. "I thought it was just me and then I learned he wasn't returning anyone's calls and he taught his last class in February 2014," Taberski says. "That's what this podcast is about and what became of him. I was interested in him before he disappeared and this just magnified it." He describes the podcast as "an open-ended project." Even though he has not had any contact with Simmons since he withdrew from the public eye, Taberski still hopes to make contact with the fitness instructor who once inspired him. "I want to find the man behind the persona," he says. "I think people have forgotten how important he is and how he made it and changed fitness and how he made it for regular people instead of hard bodies who wanted to get harder." Simmons' withdrawal from the public eye sparked rumors of him being held hostage in his home against his will to rumors that he was transitioning into a woman. His rep, Tom Estey, refuted those claims, telling PEOPLE, "He has decided to live quietly the last few years. He had knee surgery a few years ago and has a bum knee. He is still on Twitter and Facebook and works behind the scenes continuing to inspire and motivate people to lose weight. When he decides to come back, he will come back." In October, Simmons announced that he would be closing his long-standing exercise studio after more than 40 years in operation. It officially closed the following month, with Simmons taking to Facebook to deliver a touching statement to his fans. "I will not see you today because I am not very good at endings. I would just spend the whole time hugging and crying. My eyes would get puffy and red, my hair would get all frizzy and I'd be a mess," he wrote. "I cannot bear to be sad today. And you shouldn't be sad either. This should be a celebration of our forty-plus years together dancin' and sweatin'. So let's turn this ending into a new beginning." Taberski says he'll continue reaching out to Simmons in an attempt to figure out what caused him to "cut himself off from the world." "We haven't made contact with him and a big part of the process it to reach out to Richard and let him now that he's loved," Taberski says. "I think he's important and I just want to talk to him and find out he's okay and maybe understand a little bit about what's going on in his head and what happened to him." Missing Richard Simmons premieres Feb. 15 and will be available for free streaming on Stitcher, iTunes, Google Play and Spotify. (People)

Sandra Lee didn't get a wink of sleep during the Super Bowl because they put her room next to Lil Wayne's at the Four Seasons Hotel in Houston. The TV chef, who was on the Super Bowl Host Committee, endured three nights of parties, pot smoke and music blaring from the rapper's room in the run-up to Sunday's big game. The hotel was full, so she couldn't move rooms. Finally, she ended up in the elevator with the rapper, who said -- mixing her up with the baked-goods company -- "Hey Sara Lee! You going to cook for us?" Sandra answered, "Can't make anything for the munchies today -- gotta catch a flight." (Page Six)

There's more high drama behind the scenes at Carolina Herrera after a failed coup to replace the fashion legend. On the spiky heels of a blockbuster lawsuit filed by Herrera against Oscar de la Renta regarding Laura Kim, her former designer who jumped ship to de la Renta -- which revealed that Herrera's own CEO, Francois Kress, had plotted to replace her with Kim -- Herrera is now feuding with her vice president of design, Raffaele Ilardo. As New York Fashion Week kicks off Thursday, a source says that "next on the chopping block at CH is the newly installed VP of design," Ilardo. Things have become so bad that he has threatened to stop work on Herrera's collection ahead of her show on Monday, we're told. One insider said, "Carolina angrily stormed out of a meeting with him this week .?.?. Things are getting very ugly," but that Ilardo's "fighting back" by "threatening to walk out." While both Kim and Kress are out -- and the suit was settled in January -- the source said, "Raffaele was brought in by Francois, and once Francois was terminated, it seems like Raffaele was just automatically going to be next." The source added that Herrera "was heard yelling in the hallway, 'I am the boss!' [She fears] if the group that owns CH likes what he is doing, and if it is selling, they really don't need her." Another fashion source added of the elegantly dressed Herrera's fiery temper, "Carolina is one of the greatest performers of all time." Ilardo joined Herrera last year to replace her veteran creative director Herve Pierre -- whose own brand has taken off after he designed Melania Trump's inaugural gown. Ilardo also helped design Amal Clooney and Huma Abedin's wedding gowns when he was head tailor at Oscar de la Renta. Herrera said when Ilardo was hired, "He has a deep understanding of how to create perfectly made clothes." A spokeswoman for Herrera insisted there was no drama, commenting that "Mrs. Herrera is currently hard at work with her whole design team, including Raffaele, for the new collection." (Page Six)

Tom Brady's Son Can't Stop Dabbing During the New England Patriots Super Bowl Victory Parade. Take your son to work day has never been so epic. Just two days after being crowned Super Bowl champions, Tom Brady and his New England Patriots teammates celebrated their big win with a victory parade in the streets of Boston. Close to one million fans stepped out to catch coaches and players holding on to the most important trophy in the NFL. Along the way, however, a young fan couldn't help but steal the show. While on board the bus, Benjamin Brady celebrated in his own special way. Turn up the music because it's time to dance. "Raindrop. Drop top," Tom wrote on Instagram with video of his son's epic moves. "Benny dabbin on the boat with his Papa!" And while dad may be called the greatest quarterback in NFL history, he's also just your typical cool dad. During the parade route, Tom had to wipe his son's nose. And without any tissues nearby, he had to rely on his good ole fashion clothes for assistance. All parents who have experienced this, please say aye. The past few days have been nothing short of unforgettable for Tom, his three kids and wife Gisele Bündchen. And despite celebrations on and off the football field, someone in the family wouldn't mind a break from football. "If it was up to my wife, she would have me retire today," Tom shared on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "She told me that last night three times." "I said, 'Too bad, babe, I'm having too much fun right now,'" he continued. "You know, I feel like I can still do it, and if you love what you do and you're capable of doing it then, I mean, I'd be so bored if I wasn't going out there, knowing that I could still do it. So I'm going to work hard to be ready to go and I still plan on playing for a long time." (Eonline)

Music

Katy Perry Finally Teases Her Brand-New Single. Prepare yourselves, Katycats... It looks like Katy Perry just teased a snippet of her upcoming (and highly anticipated) new single on Instagram. The Grammy nominee captioned one of the videos "Why are we all so chained #Fridaythe10th" alongside a clip of her walking in heels with a disco ball chained to her ankle. Multiple outlets report that the single is called "Chained to the Rhythm" and was co-produced by Max Martin and Sia. Moments earlier, Perry posted a video of a billboard going up featuring a photo of her with the words "February 10" written across it. So, clearly, something is going down this Friday, you guys. Any guesses? Maybe she's finally releasing her first single since last summer's Olympics anthem, "Rise." But this Friday won't be the only dose of Perry that fans around the world will get. In fact, it was announced that the singing sensation is set to take center stage for a performance at the 2017 Grammy Awards. Perry joins a slew of other stars that have been previously announced including Beyonce, Demi Lovato, Lady Gaga, Metallica, Adele, Bruno Mars, The Weeknd and Carrie Underwood. So it's safe to say that she's in some seriously good company... And it's not like Perry is any stranger to music's biggest night of the year. She was most recently nominated for a Grammy Award back in 2015 for Best Pop Vocal Album for her mega-successful Prism. To date, Perry has also earned 13 nominations. Only time will tell if she's about to earn a whole lot more for her upcoming tunes! (Eonline)

Kelsea Ballerini Reveals Why She's ''So Anxious'' to Perform in Front of Adele and Beyonce at 2017 Grammys. Not many artists attend their first-ever Grammy Awards with a nomination and performance slot, but then again not every artist is Kelsea Ballerini. As the country music darling prepares for Sunday's festivities, she recently sat down exclusively with E! News and dished about her nerves going into music's biggest night. "I've never even been to the Grammys before so I'm just like the fangirl that has seen it on TV every year and watched it as a fan," she shared, adding, " To be able to go this year and have a reason to go this year is insane." Ballerini will face-off against The Chainsmokers, Maren Morris, Chance the Rapper and Anderson .Paak for the Best New Artist honor, but as she told us, the 23-year-old is just thankful for the recognition. "Being nominated in of the big four categories, it's one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me. I'm really excited, really nervous, but I'm glad to kick it off up here in New York," Kelsea explained. The "Peter Pan" songstress also joins an impressive group of headliners including Adele, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars and The Weeknd slated to take the Staples Center stage. "You never really prepare to sing on a stage that has such deep roots in music and such a big legacy, let alone look down and see Adele, Beyonce, all these legends in music right now. I'm probably going to be more nervous than I've ever been," she dished. Lucky for Kelsea, she's got two special people ready to support her every step of the way. Ballerini's mom will attend the 2017 Grammys as her official date, as well as her newly engaged fiance Morgan Evans. "He's still coming to the Grammys because he just makes me very comfortable and at peace when he's around me and I'm going to be so anxious so he'll be there for me," Ballerini gushed. The Late Late Show's James Corden will host the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 12. (Eonline)

Jay Z and Jim Jones just put together the hip-hop deal they said would never happen -- Jim's now part of Jay's Roc Nation empire, which officially squashes a nearly 13-year beef. Sources close to the "We Fly High" rapper tell us he signed Tuesday with Jay Z and his lieutenants, OG and Ty Ty, to manage all facets of Jim's brand ... music, fashion, acting and more. Our sources say Jim decided to end the feud with Hova to show other rappers it's possible to cut through the drama, and just make smart business decisions. Pretty amazing truce, considering they've been at each other since JJ sided with Cam'ron over Jay in the 2004 breakup of Roc-A-Fella Records. (TMZ)

An upstate New York event organizer says he lost $360,000 when the Atlanta rapper Young Thug did not show up at a concert he was supposed to headline. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that organizer Nicholas Fitts filed a lawsuit last month in a Cobb County, Georgia court against the rapper and his Smyrna-based company YSL Enterprises. The lawsuit says Young Thug, whose, name is Jeffrey Williams, had signed a $55,000 contract to play an August concert at Sahlens Stadium in Rochester, New York and "did not have a valid legal reason" for skipping the show. Fitts says he lost more than $200,000 in lost tickets sales, in addition to about $57,000 in promotional costs. Young Thug's record label didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. (Page Six)

Beyonce is "very pregnant" -- according to a source with eyes on her as she prepares for her Grammys performance -- and the pace onstage will slow dramatically as a result. Sources connected with the show tell TMZ, Beyonce is in rehearsals for Sunday's show but the routine is changing constantly and the word is she will not lock the performance in until Saturday night. There will be an elaborate digital screen onstage, which we're told will create movement that will cover the slower pace onstage. And there are other tricks ... we're told there will be cameos during Beyonce's performance. One source says Beyonce has made it clear, "She'll be taking it easier than normal." One thing we know ... the folks producing Coachella will be watching CBS Sunday night, so they can gauge the likelihood of Bey showing up for April's festival. (TMZ)

Tommy Hilfiger's On-Again, Off-Again Relationship With Hip-Hop Is Back In Full Swing. In fashion, there are few second acts. But 65-year-old Tommy Hilfiger -- whose eponymous clothing label catapulted him to fame and $1 billion in sales at the end of the 21st century -- is, after a decade of falling sales, once again in the spotlight, fueled by fashion's nostalgia for the '90s, as well as ties to digitally savvy influencers. At New York Fashion Week last September, Hilfiger shelved a private runway show in favor of a live-streamed "fashion carnival" to promote a collaboration with Gigi Hadid, the 21-year-old model with 28.5 million Instagram fans. The nautical-inspired collection, priced from $50, was made immediately available for purchase at the venue, onTommy.com and at 300 Hilfiger stores and 150 wholesale partners. Clockwise from top right: TOMMY HILFIGER vintage rugby shirt (the same style as the one Snoop Dogg wore during his Saturday Night Live performance in 1994), $1,000; vintage wide-leg women's pants, $1,000; vintage nylon flag backpack, $150. All from FULL COURT CLASSICS; fullcourtclassics.com. According to Hilfiger, sales "broke all records," and traffic to Tommy.com increased 900 percent. "Gigi has sliced 30 years off the brand," says Teri Agins, author of Hijacking the Runway: How Celebrities Are Stealing the Spotlight From Fashion Designers. On the back of this success, Hilfiger in January presented his fall 2017 menswear collection on a cast of "teen influencers" like The Atomics' Lucky Blue Smith(Instagram fans: 2.7 million) in classic '90s Tommy wear. On Feb. 8, in Venice Beach, Calif., he will host another carnival to fete his second collaboration with Hadid, inviting 3,000 guests (up from 2,000 in September). Music, he says, will be "at the heart." A$AP Rocky performs during the "Under The Influence Of Music" Hip Hop Tour at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater on Aug. 6, 2013 in Wantagh, New York. For Hilfiger, the man and the brand, music always has been central. Growing up in Elmira, N.Y., Hilfiger played in a rock band and started in fashion as a teen buying bell-bottoms and other rock staples from wholesalers in Manhattan and selling them back home. In the early years of his company, he sponsored tours for The Rolling Stones and Britney Spears, making his one of the first fashion brands to do so. But it was ties with hip-hop that cemented his status. "Rap at the time was seen as somewhat counterculture," says Agins. "Tommy wasn't afraid of it; he thought it was hip." In the early '90s, Grand Puba name-dropped Hilfiger in hit tracks and wore his clothes on album covers. In 1994, Snoop Dogg donned a shirt emblazoned with the Tommy name on Saturday Night Live, gifted to him just hours before. Bruno Mars performs on stage during the MTV Europe Music Awards 2016 on Nov. 6, 2016 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Eventually, however, Hilfiger fell out with the hip-hop world, dogged by a rumor in the early 2000s that he had told Oprah Winfrey he didn't want black people wearing his clothes -- a strange accusation, given that Hilfiger featured black artists, including Aaliyah and Usher, in campaigns. He didn't formally deny the rumor until appearing on her show in 2007. The controversy was revived in 2014, when he told Bloomberg News that aligning with the hip-hop community in the '90s "fueled growth but took us away from our roots." He clarifies for Billboard that the brand "shouldn't just be one thing. It's all about pop culture. It's hip-hop, rock, Hollywood, the entertainment world. I wouldn't want only to be known for [rock style] either." Zendaya attends the 20th Annual Dream Halloween at the Barker Hangar Santa Monica Airport on Oct. 26, 2013 in Santa Monica, Calif. As Hilfiger's clothes populate the feeds of models and acts like Zendaya, the designer also has been embraced by established music artists. Rihanna approached him about designing a "throwback collection" for her Monster World Tour (and wore one of his looks in her "Work" video in 2016). Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj and Drake have been photographed in classic or vintage Tommy in recent months. "Fashion comes in cycles, and the cycle is upon [the Tommy brand] because people who were born in the '90s, they never had the opportunity to see people wearing Tommy logo merchandise on the streets," says Hilfiger. "They think it's cool." (Billboard)

Kings of Chaos With Chester Bennington, Billy Idol & Billy Gibbons to Rock Long Beach Grand Prix. The Long Beach Grand Prix will rev up to 11 when the Matt Sorum-founded supergroup Kings of Chaos will follow the day's racing activities, Saturday, April 8, on the Convention Center outdoor stage. The rotating group, which will consist of Sorum on drums, The Cult's Billy Duffy on guitar and Stone Temple Pilots brothers Robert and Dean DeLeo on bass and guitar respectively for this gig, will be bringing in some A-list rock power to amp up the show. They'll be joined on vocals by Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington and Billy Idol, as well as some extra guitar help from ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons. For Sorum it's a true hometown gig, making it very special. "I am really looking forward to playing for racing fans in the town where I was born," Sorum said in a press release. "The Grand Prix of Long Beach is the coolest event going." The show, which will be free to fans with racing tickets, is scheduled to begin around 6 p.m. And based on previous Kings of Chaos setlists, it will be a very fan-friendly gig. The group draws on the hits of band members, pulling out tracks like Stone Temple Pilots' "Vasoline" and "Interstate Love Song," The Cult's "Fire Woman" and "Love Removal Machine," and classic rockers such as Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" and Motorhead's "Ace of Spades." With the fire power of Bennington, Idol and Gibbons, the group has a slew of new hits to draw upon, which the Grand Prix people are looking forward to. "This unique Kings of Chaos 'supergroup' concert format featuring so many famous artists will be a huge draw and a fantastic addition to our already impressive Super Saturday lineup," Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, said in a statement. But, as one would expect from a true rock star, Idol summed up the teaming of Kings of Chaos and the Grand Prix perfectly. "Fast cars, rock-and-roll music and hot chicks! What could be better than that?" he said. (Billboard)

Movies

Mel Brooks has been named this year's recipient of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' Fellowship, it was announced Wednesday. The actor, director and producer will receive the award from Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, who serves as president of BAFTA, at the British Academy Film Awards, which take place at London's Royal Albert Hall on Sunday. "Mel Brooks is a truly unique and multi-talented filmmaker. We are absolutely thrilled to award him the Fellowship," said Amanda Berry, chief executive of BAFTA. The BAFTA Fellowship is the body's highest honor. It recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, television or games. Recent recipients include Terry Gilliam, Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Lee, Martin Scorsese, Alan Parker, Mike Leigh and last year's honoree Sidney Poitier. "I am not overwhelmed, but I am definitely whelmed by this singular honor," said Brooks. "To be included among such iconic talents is absolutely humbling. In choosing me for the 2017 Fellowship I think that BAFTA has made a strangely surprising yet ultimately wise decision." Brooks was nominated for BAFTA's best screenplay award for his 1974 film "Blazing Saddles," but ultimately lost out to Robert Towne for "Chinatown" and "The Last Detail." He had previous shared the organization's Animated Film Award in 1964 for his three-minute short "The Critic." Also a composer and songwriter, and creator of hit stage show "The Producers," Brooks is one of only 12 people in history to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award. (Page Six)

Jack Nicholson, who hasn't appeared in a feature film since 2010, will star opposite Kristen Wiig in the English-language remake of "Toni Erdmann." Sources tell Variety Paramount Pictures has acquired remake rights to the Oscar-nominated film with Nicholson and Wiig attached to star. Paramount had no comment. (Page Six)

Casey Affleck Promises to Make Amends for Snubbing Brother Ben in Golden Globes Speech. "I promise if I get another chance I'll be sure to thank my big brother first," he tells THR after Ben joked he was "taken aback." When Ben Affleck stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! immediately after his little brother won a Golden Globe for his work in Manchester by the Sea, Affleck and the upcoming Oscar host Kimmel had quite a few laughs over Casey Affleck's speech. Why? Because Casey Affleck, 41, failed to mention his big brother. "He thanked a shitload of people. I was a little taken aback," Ben Affleck, 44, joked. "That's not the kind of thing I would do." And he's right. When Ben Affleck took home an Oscar in 1998 with Matt Damon for writing Good Will Hunting, he praised "my brother Casey, who is brilliant." It seems Casey Affleck heard the ribbing loud and clear. When The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Casey Affleck recently, he said he's got his list ready to go. "Now that I know that it's so important, I promise if I get another chance to get onstage at an awards ceremony I'll be sure to thank my big brother first," explains Casey Affleck, who will have a shot at both the Independent Spirit Awards and the Oscars. And if he does take the stage on Oscar night Feb. 26, Ben Affleck joked to Jimmy Kimmel that a win would make him "the very first person to win an Academy Award who once asked his brother if Back to the Future was a true story." During his sit-down with Kimmel, the host also played a clip of Eli Manning thanking his older brother, Peyton Manning, when he won the Super Bowl in 2012. "And they hate each other," Ben Affleck joked, after watching the clip. The Affleck brothers clearly don't hate each other, but when THR asked the younger actor who he would want sitting next to him at the Oscars, he had a quick answer: "Peyton Manning." (Hollywood Reporter)

Legendary's 'Kong: Skull Island', Fox's 'Logan' Secure China Release Dates. 'Logan' will open opposite Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' on March 17, while 'Skull Island' will have the March 24 frame to itself. Legendary Entertainment's Kong: Skull Island and 20th Century Fox's Logan have locked in March release dates in China, the world's No. 2 film market. Logan is set to open in the Middle Kingdom on Friday, March 17, just two weeks after its North American debut, March 3. Skull Island will follow one week later, launching Friday, March 24 -- also two weeks after its North American bow. Legendary, now owned by Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group, has had recent releases that are among the top Hollywood performers in China. Duncan Jones' Warcraft was the third-biggest title of 2016, earning $221 million. The studio's high-profile U.S.-China co-production The Great Wall, starring Matt Damon, has earned over $170 million since its opening Dec. 16. The Wolverine, the second and most recent installment in the Hugh Jackman-starring Marvel franchise, earned $40.6 million of its $415 million global haul in China in 2013. China's film regulators typically set Hollywood releases some four to six weeks in advance. Other major upcoming China openings include: Vin Diesel's xXx: Return of Xander Cage and video game adaptation Assassin's Creed on Feb. 10; awards favorite La La Land on Feb. 14; Universal's animated musical Sing on Feb. 17; Lego Batman and A Dog's Purpose on March 3; and Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast reboot on March 17. (Hollywood Reporter)

Berlin Airport Strikes Cause Delay, Frustration Before Film Market Opens. Ground staff at Berlin's Tegel and Schonefeld airports carried out warning strikes Wednesday morning, leading to 130 canceled flights. Strikes early Wednesday morning at Berlin's two main airports are leading to travel chaos for some industry executives struggling to get to the German capital for the European Film Market and Berlin Film Festival, which kick off Thursday. Some 2,000 ground crew members at Berlin's Tegel and Schonefeld airports held so-called warning strikes between 5 and 11 a.m. local time Wednesday, leading to the cancellation of 130 flights and long delays. Some Berlin market attendees, particularly those on long-haul flights or making connections within Europe, were caught up in the dispute. Employees of Hong Kong-based sales company Golden Network Asia, which will be selling Jackie Chan starrers Kung Fu Yoga and Railroad Tigers at the EFM, were grounded in Paris after their connecting flight to Berlin was canceled. "I'm stuck in the Vienna airport, hoping to arrive in Berlin later this afternoon," Julian Chiu, a sales executive for Hong Kong and Chinese production and distribution giant Edko Films, told THR. "I guess we are going to have to rush to set up our booth [on Thursday]," Golden Network sales and marketing executive Xaey Wong told The Hollywood Reporter. A U.S. sales executive posted on social media that he was rerouted to Leipzig, a city some 120 miles from Berlin, because of the strike, while several Europe-based execs chose to travel to Germany by train. A simultaneous strike in Britain by British Airways cabin crew staff is also disrupting flights to Berlin. The next round of negotiations between Berlin's ground crew union and the airports is set for Friday. Travelers can check the status of their flights online on the Berlin airport site. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

Mandy Moore's Toughest This Is Us Critics? Her Parents. Who are Mandy Moore's harshest This Is Us critics? Her parents. Right after "I Call Marriage," the latest episode, aired, Moore's parents adorably texted their daughter. But it wasn't all praise. Moore posted screenshots of the texts from her mom and dad who were critical of Rebecca Pearson's actions on This Is Us. "Although Rebecca has issues, doesn't she? Hopefully she is made to look better in future episodes," Moore's mom texted. "Right now Jack is the super hero." "Mom and Dad know how to keep it real," Moore captioned the photo of the texts. "Thanks guys? The episode showed Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca's wedding and the dissolution of Miguel (Jon Huertas) Shelly's (Wynn Everett) marriage as the story jumped around in time. At the end of the episode, determined to make his marriage as strong as possible, Jack surprised his wife and brought her to their first apartment for a romantic rendezvous. They seemed closer than ever when Rebecca dropped a bombshell: her band is going on a five-state tour and she wants to go. "The final moment is critical for where we're going. It's been a line of dialogue that I planned on hitting around this time of the season, even as we were planning out this season initially. This episode is so important. If this season is a door, that moment at the end of this episode is the hinge," creator Dan Fogelman told EW. "On the Jack and Rebecca side of things, we're going to stay very much in this story line for them, for multiple episodes now as we head toward completion of our season, and it's going to be exactly what you described -- it's a confusing experience to be with this couple who so many are attaching to both individually and as a couple primarily, and watch them really go through a difficult thing. Whenever we've been in this time period in the past, there's been hints even from this start of the episode that this is the part where their marriage is most tested. And I think this is the moment that leads to it really starting to get tested in the rest of this season," he continued. Chrissy Metz, Kate on the series, praised her TV parents. "Jack and Rebecca have some of the most beautiful television love and relationship that I have seen, that I am obviously partial to," she said in the This Is Us after show. This Is Us airs Tuesdays, 9 p.m. on NBC. (Eonline)

Orange Is the New Black Season 5 Premiere Date Revealed With Teaser: "Things Will Never Be the Same." Your wait for more Orange Is the New Black is almost over. Almost being the key word. The Netflix prison dramedy announced its anticipated fifth season will premiere on Friday, June 9. The announcement was made via a tweet with a teaser video featuring all your favorite inmates, including Daya (Dascha Polanco) and that gun. "Things will never be the same," the show's trailer is captioned on YouTube. On Twitter, the teaser is, "There's no turning back." Why all the ominous messages? If you'll recall, season four ended on a huge cliffhanger. Spoiler alert! After the death of Poussey (Samira Wiley) at the ends of a guard, the prisoners -- yes, all their various factions -- began to riot. Everyone descended at the prison's entrance where a guard had a hidden gun, but that gun quickly fell out of his hands and it's Daya's. Not much is known about the fifth season, Netflix keeps things under wraps, but Danielle Brooks revealed to E! News at the 2017 SAG Awards that the entire 15-episode season would take place over the course of three days. "I think the stakes are higher in this season than they have been in a while just by virtue of the compressed time and seeing people in compressed circumstance really raises the stakes. It's exciting to watch, I think for all of us," Taylor Schilling told E! News' Zuri Hall. Need another tease? "It's really, really good," Laverne Cox told us about the new season. "What I can tell you is that I was just as excited as all the fans were to see what happens next. When I read it, it was incredible, when we shot it, it was... intense. It's really, really intense. It manages... as intense as it all is, it still manages to have an irreverence and a spin that is funny and thoughtful." Orange Is the New Black season five premieres Friday, June 9 on Netflix. (Eonline)

Is This Is Us' Jack Too Perfect? There is perhaps no character on TV more perfect than Jack Pearson, and it's beginning to bother us. This Is Us' greatest strength is its characters, and most of them are filled with both strengths and flaws--just like real people, and just like the best fictional characters. Then, there's Jack (Milo Ventimiglia). In the beginning of the series, we saw that he was an alcoholic and that he and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) were having some issues, but as soon as he understood how much it bothered his wife, he declared that he would stop drinking, and we haven't seen them deal with that problem again (yet). In any case, the rest of his family have been shown making mistake after mistake -- some worse than others (looking at you, Kevin), but all understandable, and none unforgivable. And then there's Jack, who may stumble, but then he redeems himself as if that stumble were a full fall off a cliff while it sometimes seems like Rebecca is racing to keep up with him. Tuesday night, the topic of divorce came up when Miguel (Jon Huertas) and his wife, Shelly (Wynn Everett) announced to their friends that they were splitting at some point during the kids' teen years. Jack just couldn't believe it, but Rebecca knew Shelley had been unhappy. To Jack, divorce is the end of the world, but Rebecca says that sometimes it just happens. Later, Jack accused Miguel of having an affair, assuming there must have been some big reason for the divorce, or someone to blame, but Miguel told him that over time, they just drifted apart, and there's no one to blame. Meanwhile, Rebecca's bandmate (Sam Trammell) wanted her to join the band on a tour, and tried to make Jack the bad guy when Rebecca said she had to talk to her husband. She shot back with a whole list of all the incredible things he did on a daily basis, and called him a superhero. Then, her superhero husband took her on a date to their first apartment, which he rented for the night and filled with candles and twinkly lights, and they sort of renewed their vows on the bathroom floor, and it was hard not to fall in love with the two of them all over again. While most everything we saw Tuesday night ended up solidifying Jack and Rebecca's marriage, creator Dan Fogelman promised EW that things are going to get a little uglier. "There's a distance in the marriage and in this amazing couple who we've gotten to love so much," Fogelman told the site. "We've seen a little bump in the road in our second episode, but for the most part, they've been rock-solid. We're going to explore a different version of them in the weeks to come. Not that it's all ugly...but we start laying some cracks that are going to scare people." It's currently hard to imagine Jack's part in whatever causes those cracks, and we've begun to wonder if the nearly perfect image we have of Jack is colored by the fact that we know he's going to die. You know how it goes -- good but imperfect people leave us, and suddenly all we remember are the best parts of them, the parts we'll miss, and not the parts we'd rather forget about. Maybe, as we get closer to filling in the gaps in the timeline around Jack's death and Rebecca's marriage to Miguel (which likely happened at least 12 years ago, since Kevin and Sophie were still married at that point), we'll also get closer to filling Jack in as a whole person who doesn't always do everything right (especially where Rebecca might do something wrong), but is still a good person, husband, and father. And maybe, when the show finally finishes putting Jack and the rest of the family together, we won't be so uncomfortable at the idea of Rebecca getting remarried to Miguel, and maybe we'll understand Rebecca a lot better in general. She, after all, is still very much alive, and probably deserves a little less hate for the choices she's made in her life, both before and after the death of her first husband. Or, Jack just truly is a perfect man and This Is Us has ruined real-life parents and spouses forever. We'll just have to wait to see what we learn as the rest of the season plays out. What do you think? This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on NBC. (Eonline)

Could Tamron Hall join Kelly Ripa on "Live With Kelly"? A spy spotted the former "Today" host discussing her career over lunch with Discovery's Henry Schleiff at Michael's. "He was encouraging her to join Kelly," a spy told us. "He said, 'Throw your hat in the ring! Lighten things up.'?" CAA co-founder Bill Haber popped by to greet Hall, who sported a bright red power suit. She still hosts "Deadline Crime" on Schleiff's ID network, but hasn't announced her next move. Hall's rep declined to comment. (Page Six)

It's a new day for journalist Tamron Hall. Last week, news broke that the ever-bubbly co-anchor was suddenly leaving NBC and the Today show just days after learning she'd be losing her 9 a.m. time slot because of the incoming former Fox News star Megyn Kelly, joining the show in September. The fallout from the news left many shocked and disappointed, including top brass at the network. "We are disappointed that she has chosen to leave but we wish her all of the best," NBC said in a joint statement with Hall, who added she was "excited about the next chapter." But in this week's issue of PEOPLE, sources reveal what really went wrong, and why Hall, 46, an accomplished journalist who for a decade had worked her way up through the ranks at NBC, felt compelled to walk away from her dream job. Only a couple weeks ago, things seemed to be going extremely well for Hall. On top of anchoring gigs at MSNBC Live and Dateline, she'd recently been enjoying added exposure at Today, filling in early mornings during host Savannah Guthrie's maternity leave and hosting the 9 a.m. hour alongside Al Roker following Billy Bush's abrupt departure in October amid the election scandal. "Just a few days before all of this happened, she received an email [from an exec] congratulating the team for being number one," a source close to Hall tells PEOPLE, noting that the pair had managed to beat ABC's long-running Live with Kelly in the ratings for several weeks. "Then all of a sudden, it was like it vanished: Megyn Kelly is coming onboard, and who's going to have to move? Tamron. That's who." But a source close to the situation insists Hall had long been made aware that her current time slot was not set in stone. "The idea that she could have been at all surprised rings totally false. In the brief period of time in which she has been part of the 9 a.m. hour ensemble, the ratings have only shrunk (the recent wins over Kelly Ripa were only because that show has tanked in the last several weeks. And no network is in the business of being the slowest sinking ship)." The source continues, "Tamron was told many months ago, a long-term commitment could not be made to her regarding the 9 a.m. hour, but she was offered many millions of dollars to remain at Today and the network." When it comes to her colleagues, the source contends that "The staff is hurt and bewildered, and thinks once again Tamron has put herself above the team." Multiple sources tell PEOPLE that Hall was equal parts furious, hurt and offended that she was essentially losing her highest profile role to Kelly, with nothing being offered in its place. Hall saw the move as a "demotion" and she wasn't alone. The National Association of Black Journalists decried NBC's decision to trade Hall and Roker's show for the staunch conservative stylings of a high-profile Fox News alum as "whitewashing." (A rep for the network countered: "NBC News has a long and proven history as an industry leader in newsroom diversity." The network later agreed to meet with representatives of NABJ to discuss the matter.) As for Hall's final decision to move on, "She wasn't going to settle for sitting on the sidelines," says the Hall source. In the end, "She basically said thank you, but no thank you," adds the anchor's good friend, TV writer-producer Mara Brock Akil, who used Hall as the muse for Gabrielle Union's career-driven character on the hit BET show Being Mary Jane. "Tamron's a woman of integrity," she continues, "and she's writing her own story." Hall's story has always been one of ambition. Growing up in the small, rural town of Luling, Texas, "I wanted to be Johnny Carson," she told PEOPLE last March in a revealing sit-down, opening up about her life and family tragedy (Hall's sister Renate was murdered in 2004). "I was a nosy kid. I was journaling and interviewing neighbors when I was like 4 and 5," she said. Later, she found inspiration in the form of Dallas' first African-American news anchor, Iola Johnson. "It wasn't until I saw someone that looked like me that made me know I could do it," she said. Thus, when Today came calling, making her an official co-anchor in 2014, she was truly honored. "My mother called me and said 'You know I was reading somewhere that you will be the first black woman to host the Today show ever'... I just started crying," Hall told PEOPLE. "With all the adversities, there I was accomplishing something beyond anything that I imagined." She relished her unique position on the show. "I know it's rare to have a single black woman on morning TV," Hall told PEOPLE. "I love my job and the relationship I have with the viewers." But now, as Hall mulls her next move, the self-proclaimed workaholic is finally getting some time to. As her pal Brock Akil says, "She deserves it." (People)

Only time will tell! Hoda Kotb opened up about Tamron Hall's NBC exit, saying she doesn't know what her former colleague's next step is, but she's sure it'll be fun to watch. "I don't know what she's gonna do next, but I think she's gonna surprise all of us," Kotb, 52, told Us Weekly at the Woman's Day 14th Annual Red Dress Awards in NYC on Tuesday, February 7. "I mean, look, she's so talented. It's just a matter of where, not when. So where will she wind up? She's got it together -- she's smart, she's sharp, she's fun, she's funny. I mean, I'm bummed because she's not with us, but I can't wait to see where she winds up." What will she miss most about Hall? Her outfits! "I go, 'Did you rob a bank? Like, what is all of that?' Whenever she walks out you always go, 'OK, what's happening?' When I walk out they're like, 'Didn't you wear that on Wednesday?'" she joked. "But just her sense of style, which was so unique and often not seen in our business... She stands out that way." As previously reported, Hall, 46, announced her decision to leave NBC and MSNBC after she found out that Megyn Kelly would be taking over an hour of the Today show. In early January, Kelly, 46, announced that she was ending her 10-year run at Fox for the new gig. Hall was told only "minutes before going on air Friday that she and Al [Roker] were being taken off the show for Megyn Kelly," an insider told Us Weekly after her departure on Tuesday, January 31. "She was a wreck in commercial breaks and couldn't believe the company would tell her just before going live on MSNBC. It was especially surprising after receiving an email of praise from the co executive producer just days before about how they were No. 1 in the ratings for seven weeks in a row." NBC released a statement about the matter on Wednesday, February 1. "[January 31] was her last day as an anchor on both networks," NBC told Us in a statement. "Tamron is an exceptional journalist, we valued and enjoyed her work at Today and MSNBC and hoped that she would decide to stay. We are disappointed that she has chosen to leave, but we wish her all the best." Hall broke her silence the same day. "The last 10 years have been beyond anything I could have imagined, and I'm grateful," she said in a statement. "I'm also very excited about the next chapter. To all my great colleagues, I will miss you and I will be rooting for you." Despite the TV shake-up, Kotb is ready to welcome Kelly with open arms. She teased, however, that a bit of hazing might go down. "That's how we do it when a newbie shows up," she joked. "The hazing, it includes bringing them on the 10 o'clock show and serving them, if you know what I mean. Then we're gonna see how she is after a few glasses [of wine]. I wanna see how she holds it -- it's very important." (US Weekly)

'The OA' Renewed for Second Season at Netflix. The Brit Marling-Zal Batmanglij drama will be back for another round. Netflix's polarizing drama The OA is returning. The streaming giant announced Wednesday that it has renewed the Brit Marling starrer from Zal Batmanglij for a second season. A return date and episode count were not immediately available. The drama, whose logline was kept under wraps and had a surprise pre-holiday debut Dec. 16, launched to mixed reviews. THR's Daniel Fienberg called the mysterious drama a "failed, but not wholly worthless, experiment in TV autoerotism." Created and exec produced by Marling and Batmanglij, who directed, the show starred Marling as Prairie Johnson, a woman who resurfaces after going missing for seven years. Now called "The OA," she can see despite being blind before she disappeared. The eight-episode drama landed at Netflix following a multiple network bidding war and marked the indie darling (Sound of My Voice) duo's third collaboration and first for TV. Plan B's (12 Years a Slave) Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner executive produce alongside Anonymous Content's (True Detective, The Knick) Michael Sugar. "From the very beginning when we were on our own daydreaming a story, we definitely thought how can we construct something that, many seasons out, has a satisfying end? So there is an end and there is an answer to every riddle and nothing is done to just be sound and fury going nowhere," Marling told THR when asked about the show's future beyond season one. "It all goes somewhere. And as to whether or not we get to tell that, I certainly hope that we do. There is a place that season two already begins in our minds and a place in which it ends." The OA joins a rapidly growing Netflix roster that includes House of Cards, Orange Is the New Black, the third and final season of Bloodline, Stranger Things, The Get Down, The Crown and more. (Hollywood Reporter)

Super Bowl by the Numbers: 'Guardians 2' Scores, Trump No Match for Obama. Fox scored the fifth-most-watched TV event in history with an average 113.7 million viewers tuning in (only problem, football fans didn't stick around afterward to watch '24: Legacy' thanks to the game going into overtime). Questions about the NFL's ratings viability dissolved somewhat during the Feb. 5 Super Bowl, where the New England Patriots scored the winning touchdown in overtime. The game drew an average 113.7 million viewers -- a turnaround from regular-season ratings but down slightly from 2016's big game. "What we learned is that the NFL is, was and likely will remain the most important broadcast property in the U.S.," says Marc Ganis, president of Chicago marketing firm Sportscorp. The season, hurt by weak matchups and the election, ended with the fifth-most-watched program in history -- aided by a record 1.7 million average streaming viewers, up 21 percent from 2016. And the NFL already is working to ensure 2017 starts out on an optimistic note. Sources suggest improving game watchability will be a big talking point at the league's annual meeting in March. After all, football's success is judged on its own barometer. "We try to compare the NFL against any kind of broadcasting," adds Ganis, "but the only thing we can compare it to is itself." (Hollywood Reporter)