ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Ryan Reynolds Confirms His Second Child With Blake Lively Is a Girl. It looks like the cat's outta the bag! Ryan Reynolds appeared on Conan this evening and spilled some very exciting news about his new family of four with Blake Lively. The actor dished that his wife gave birth to the couple's second daughter, but didn't divulge any details yet on the baby girl's name. "Two [kids] under two is tough," he told the comedian before adding, "Yeah, a lot of estrogen. It's like an American Girl doll took a s--t on my life." Earlier last month, Ryan let it slip that his little bundle of joy was a female when he tweeted, "The mobile above my daughter's crib is just a whole bunch of NuvaRings. So she remembers how lucky she is." The actor and actress recently welcomed their second child into the world but have remained notoriously private about any details surrounding the arrival. Back in January 2015, the well-known twosome became parents for the first time after the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Gossip Girl star gave birth to daughter James. Congratulations once again to the proud new parents! (Eonline)

Ryan Reynolds Sweetly Apologizes to Blake Lively for Revealing Baby No. 2 Is a Girl on Conan. Oops! Ryan Reynolds got into trouble with wife Blake Lively Wednesday when he let it slip on Conan that the sex of their second child is a girl. The couple, who was famously private about the sex and name of their first child, was trying to keep it a secret yet again when the Deadpool star inadvertently came clean. "Two [kids] under two is tough," he told host Conan O'Brien before adding, "Yeah, a lot of estrogen. It's like an American Girl doll took a s--t on my life." This was the second time Reynolds implied that his second child was a girl. Just last month he tweeted, "The mobile above my daughter's crib is just a whole bunch of NuvaRings. So she remembers how lucky she is." Lively, however, was none too pleased with her husband after his joke on the late-night show, so he had to make it up to her. "The ways I know that @vancityreynolds got himself into huge trouble on @teamcoco tonight: Not only did he come home with my true love, @levain_bakery cookies, but he personally toasted them for me and brought me a cup of milk WITH ICE," she captioned a picture of her drool-worthy cookie and glass of milk. "Literal brownie points. ? #IfYoureABirdImABird." All it takes is a little bit of sugar, spice and everything nice to warm up Lively's heart! Still a mystery, however, is the name of their little bundle joy. Reynolds and Lively kept their first-born's identity, James Reynolds, a secret for as long as possible before letting the cat out of the bag. Now that we know it's a girl, we can start guessing names! (Eonline)

Ben Affleck's Son Played With Prince George and Princess Charlotte and He Had No Idea. Just because you're Hollywood royalty doesn't necessarily mean you'd recognize actual royalty! Such was the case for Ben Affleck when he failed to realize his youngest son, Samuel, was playing at an indoor park in London with Prince George and Princess Charlotte earlier this year. The actor joined the Graham Norton Show for an interview that will air on Friday and recalled the funny incident. "Despite going to Windsor Castle, Tower of London and Buckingham Palace, we didn't see one royal," he said of his time spent in London while filming Justice League. "Then, when it was raining, I took my youngest to one of those kids' indoor play parks." He continued, "It was pretty empty and then I noticed this weird vibe from the other grown-ups. They were all very well dressed and they had earpieces and I thought, 'For a kids' place, this is tight security.'" However, he later understood what was going on. "I was the very last person to realize that Prince George and Princess Charlotte were in there playing with my kid," he said, laughing, "I can now tell him that he got a cold from the King of England!" Speaking of their trip to Europe, many people wondered if Affleck and Jennifer Garner were planning to move their kids -- Violet, 10, Seraphina, 7, and Samuel, 4 -- to the city as they were spotted there multiple times earlier this year. However, a source told E! News at the time that the family was simply staying in the U.K. while Affleck finished filming Justice League, adding, "They continue to do what's best for the kids." Affleck has reiterated that sentiment, telling CBS This Morning, "Life doesn't always turn out exactly the way you want. We're doing our very best and we're putting our kids first and that's how we're focusing on our day to day lives and we don't know what the future's gonna hold, but each step that we take is one where we prioritize our children and everything else comes second." He continued, praising Garner, "She's just so good at doing that and has set such a good example and a lead that I follow. She's somebody that I admire and respect and remain excellent friends with." (Eonline)

Mariah Carey settled her divorce with ex-husband Nick Cannon by calling him directly and begging him to let her marry Australian billionaire James Packer -- only to split with her fiance days later, sources tell Page Six. Carey and Cannon separated in August 2014, but their divorce dragged on because of legal wrangling over custody of their twins. They finally settled their divorce in September, when Carey called Cannon personally and said, "I want you to sign the divorce papers. I really want to get married to James Packer." One source added, "Nick and Mariah's divorce was dragging on and on, mainly because of the back and forth between their lawyers. Mariah's team brought in [famed LA divorce attorney] Laura Wasser, who helped simplify things, but then Mariah called Nick and said, 'I really want to get married. Will you sign these papers?' Nick was cool and said, 'I'm not going to stand in your way. I'll sign the papers.' He signed in September, because Mariah and James wanted to get married in early 2017." But things suddenly soured between Packer and Carey, and they split shortly after her divorce with Cannon was finalized. As Page Six previously reported, sources close to Carey claim that Packer changed into a different person overnight. They blame the influence of his business manager Tommy Davis, a former spokesperson for the Church of Scientology. Lawyers for Carey and Packer had been negotiating a prenup. According to an email obtained by TMZ, Packer demanded his lawyers rush the document after he was told it would not be ready in time for the wedding. "The people who work for me .?.?. do as I say or f?-?-?k off. I want to get married on March 1," Packer wrote. But the prenup was never signed, and Carey's camp believes his people poisoned their relationship. Now Carey is asking Packer for a multimillion-dollar settlement and is spending time with her backup dancer Bryan Tanaka. The source added, "After all she's been through, she's like, 'F?-?-?k you. I'll do what I want.' She's enjoying the attention from Bryan." (Page Six)

Tommy Hilfiger has clarified his previous comments about Gigi Hadid, saying the supermodel is "the epitome of perfection." The iconic designer unhappy that Hadid was hidden in a giant poncho in his February 2015 New York Fashion Week show. "Our casting director said, 'She doesn't really fit because you know she's not quite as tall as the other girls, she's not quite as thin,'" he told Yahoo Style. But after the comments went viral, Hilfiger explained to Page Six, "The casting people put Gigi in the poncho, and I was not happy. I was saying, 'Don't hide her body.' Even though the poncho ended up being the best-selling piece, I was very unhappy. The suggestion that I thought she wasn't thin enough upsets me to no end. Gigi is the epitome of perfection." Hilfiger, who signed Hadid as the face of his brand and collaborated with her on a collection, continued, "I am proud to have her as the face of my brand and proud to have her collaborate with me. There's no other girl like her in the entire fashion world -- not only because of her beauty, but because of her style. We worked with her to design a line -- designers don't usually let models design with them -- she had a style we thought was incredible." He put Hadid in a bikini in his following New York show. "She opened and closed the show in the bikini, because she's our No.?1 model. She would not be the Tommy girl if I didn't think she was perfection, the It girl of today, not just because of her face, not just because of her body, but because of who she is." Hadid was among guests celebrating Hilfiger's new memoir, "American Dreamer: My Life in Fashion & Business," at the Clock tower Tuesday. Other guests included Christie Brinkley, Karolina Kurkova and Naomi Campbell. (Page Six)

Dakota Fanning will not be a (grown) child of divorce after all ... her pops just yanked his divorce docs. Dakota's father, Steven Fanning, is dismissing his divorce petition from Heather, his wife of almost 27 years. Sources connected with the family tell us Steven and Heather will try to work their differences out. They do not want to give up on the marriage. We broke the story ... Steven filed for the split late last week, citing irreconcilable differences. He did not ask for spousal support from Heather, and custody of the kids wasn't going to be an issue since both Dakota and her sister, Elle, are adults. Good luck. (TMZ)

Chris Brown got a judge to see eye to eye with him, for once -- he's scored protection from an obsessed fan who's been repeatedly busted for showing up uninvited at his house. Danielle Patti must stay away from Breezy, his home and his shows for 5 years ... according to the judge's order. Patti's not a high risk right now -- she's currently in a mental as a result of her last trespassing arrest at Chris' house. TMZ broke the story ... she was first arrested in December at CB's property, then again in April ... when Chris says she shouted some graphic sexual comments. Unclear when Patti will be released, but Chris can rest a little easier now. (TMZ)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Meryl Streep to Be Honored With the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2017 Golden Globes. Meryl Streep will take home one of the biggest honors at the 2017 Golden Globes. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association just confirmed to E! News that the 67-year-old actress will receive the Cecil B. DeMille award, which is given to a talented individual who has made an incredible impact on the world of entertainment. The President of the HFPA, Lorenzo Soria, released a statement about the news, saying, "It's no surprise that the HFPA has chosen Meryl Streep as the recipient of the 2017 Cecil B. DeMille Award. Meryl's enthralling body of work across a diverse set of genres has made her a role model over the past 40 years, and she will continue to do so for generations to come." Soria continued, "She has always taken roles with strong female leads, creating art by showing vulnerability and portraying truth on the big screen. Simply put, she is a trailblazer, having paved the way for women in television, film and stage. For shattering gender and age barriers, all with finesse and grace, the HFPA is humbled to bestow this honor upon her." Stars who have received the award in years past include: Denzel Washington, George Clooney, Woody Allen and Jodie Foster. Streep is renowned for her work not only as an actress but in the community as well. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and has been accorded a Commandeur de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government as well as an honorary Cesar. She's also been dominating the silver screen for nearly four decades, taking home three Academy Awards, eight Golden Globes and two Emmy Awards. Most recently, Streep has been busy politicking for Hillary Clinton as the 2016 presidential election nears. She spoke at the Democratic National Convention in July and said, "Nearly 100 years after women got the vote, you people have made history. And you're going to make history again in November because Hillary Clinton will be our first woman president, and she will be a great president. And she will be the first in a long line of women, and men, who serve with grit and grace. She'll be the first, but she won't be the last." The Golden Globes will air Sunday, January 8, 2017, at 8 p.m. EST. (Eonline)

Miranda Lambert and Boyfriend Anderson East Stun on the Red Carpet at the 2016 CMA Awards. Everyone make room, because one of the queens of country music has arrived. Miranda Lambert, who is known to snag award after award at almost every show, stepped on to the red carpet Wednesday night at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville for the 50th annual Country Music Association Awards alongside her beau Anderson East. Lambert looks stunning in a plunging black gown with sheer and lace detail. She added some edge to her look by rocking some jeweled pumps and a number of blingtastic diamonds on her arm. Miranda came out with a smokey eye for Wednesday night's show and pulled her hair back, leaving just some bangs to frame her face. Meanwhile, East kept it traditional in a black and white suit that not only made him look dapper, but also coordinated with his lady's fit for the night. But these two lovebirds weren't the only ones to stop for a snap. (Eonline)

She's gorgeous, she's talented, she's philanthropic. And now, LA-born and Toronto-based TV star Meghan Markle may have found her happily-ever-after with an actual prince. Markle's storybook romance with Britain's Prince Harry, the most eligible bachelor in the world, has been simmering for at least two months on at least two continents. The actress -- who plays the sultry paralegal Rachel Zane in the USA Network legal drama "Suits" -- has repeatedly jetted to London, and Kensington Palace, to see her beau. The secretive duo are believed to have met in May at a charity event in Toronto. Harry, 32, barraged the hesitant Markle, 35, with text messages until she relented. "They had gotten on when they first met, but it was just as friends," a source told Us Magazine. "Before you knew it, they were texting every day." The two have been dating seriously for at least two months, according to reports. Markle reportedly traveled to Britain in July to watch her pal Serena Williams at Wimbledon -- and then made trips again in September and last month. And as a possible sign that an engagement may be in the offing, according to People magazine, Harry introduced Markle to Prince William and Kate and even his dad, Prince Charles. She was last in the UK last month, staying at the private Soho Farmhouse in the Oxfordshire countryside, the Mirror reported. "He's head over heels, and she feels the same," one friend of Markle's told the Daily Mail. What could possibly go wrong with this fairy tale come to life? Family trouble, that's what -- and, surprisingly, not from the royals. News that Markle and the Ginger Prince have been dating has Markle's older half-sister, Samantha Grant, sharp-elbowing her way into the spotlight. Grant, 51, wheelchair-bound, suffering from multiple sclerosis and living in Florida, told the UK's Mirror that her little sis is "shallow," "narcissistic" and bent on "social climbing." She always wanted to be a princess and has a soft spot for redheads, Grant dished. Grant went on to tell The Sun that "Meghan is narcissistic and selfish," and to tell RadarOnline that she raised Markle for 12 years in California -- and has nothing good to say about her. Grant showed Radar a family album of their childhood photos to prove her bona fides, then went on to snark that Markle -- who travels the world doing charitable works when not acting -- is hardly the humanitarian she claims to be. Or, at least for Markle, charity does not begin at home. "The royal family would be appalled by what she's done to her own family," Grant told Radar. "The truth would kill her relationship with Prince Harry," the sneering sister claimed. "He wouldn't want to date her anymore because it puts her in a bad public light." The gossip site gave up none of Grant's details, merely quoting the sister's vague but ominous-sounding taunts. "I certainly don't think Harry or his family would want to associate with her afterwards," Grant said. Others in Markle's family believe the raven-haired star has failed to support her family either emotionally or financially, Radar said, attributing that slight to "sources." This may be only the start of the media maelstrom for Markle, who is about to learn that a royal romance can also be a royal pain. Paparazzi from around the world -- utterly thwarted, to date, in their efforts to catch the couple together -- are circling voraciously. And haters on two continents have already begun, noisily, to emerge -- mere days after news of their affair broke. Markle is a divorcee; her marriage, to film producer Trevor Engelson in 2011, ended less than two years later with the filing of an amicable divorce. The British press "have made it clear that her relationship with Harry is scandalous, for a number of reasons," The Guardian tsk-tsked on Wednesday. "She is divorced; she is older (Markle is 35, Harry 32); she's played raunchy scenes in the US TV series 'Suits' -- and her mother is visibly black, with dreadlocks," the paper said. "These details would be unremarkable -- irrelevant, inappropriate, even," the paper said -- "were it any other celebrity romance." But while her own family has poisonously weighed in, it remains to be seen what his side, the Windsors, will ultimately say. To date the royal family has yet to comment. "My cup runneth over," Markle told her hometown paper, the Toronto Sun, on Tuesday, in her first and only interview since news broke of the romance. "And I'm the luckiest girl in the world," she added, before deftly shifting the topic to her fashion-and-lifestyle blog. For now, Markle has remained press-shy, but that may change for the outspoken actress. After all, "I'm a brash American," she told the Toronto Sun this week. "And if my name is going to be on something," she added, "I'm going to have my say." She was still speaking of her blog -- but could well have been referring to her very personal, and now increasingly very public, fairy tale. (Page Six)

Miranda Lambert Selling Tennessee Marital Home She Shared With Blake Shelton. Out with the old, in with the new! Miranda Lambert recently listed the 11,000 square-foot Tennessee mansion she once shared with ex Blake Shelton, E! News confirms. When the country singers went their separate ways in July 2015, a divorce settlement awarded the massive Nashville homestead to Lambert while Shelton keep the duo's sprawling Oklahoma ranch. According to Variety, who was first to report the real estate news, one potential buyer has already made an offer on the listing, which boasts an asking price just under $2.6 million. The former lovebirds reportedly purchased the property in 2013 for $2.26 million. The next lucky homeowner will be sitting pretty in the gated Brentwood community, more specifically with five impressive bedrooms and eight bathrooms to call their very own. As for the master suite, it includes an octagonal sitting room, vaulted ceilings, a fireplace and morning bar. In addition to a spiral staircase, stunning wood floors and a dining room lined by stone columns, Lambert's abode also contains an in-home movie theater, recreation room, fitness center, a tennis court and a swimming pool that backs up to a private golf course. Sold! Miranda also shelled out $3.4 million on a 400 acre farm property that includes three separate residences, a lake with boathouse and a six-bay garage. Not only that, but the star's estate also features a pavilion with seating for 60 people. (Eonline)

It Would Cost You This Much to Own Every One of Oprah's Favorite Things. It's that time of the year again! Purveyor of all things favorite Oprah Winfrey just released her annual gift-giving guide, and boy will it cost you a pretty penny. Never one for subtlety (and that's why we love her), the media mogul went bigger than ever by including 104 items for the 2016 edition of Oprah's Favorite Things. Tucked into the pages of O, The Oprah Magazine's December issue is a menagerie of gadgets and gizmos, in Winfrey's words, "You never knew you always wanted." Take, for example, a $165 chocolate and vanilla cake with a potted poinsettia plant as a topper; or a $400 blanket for your pooch with a hand-drawn portrait of its face on it. Emphasis on things you never knew you always wanted... There's also quite a few practical items Oprah fawns over, like an extra cozy vest perfect for that winter chill ($119) and a collection of the 62-year-old's favorite bottle of wines ($99), because no holiday season is complete without a buzz induced by your less-than tolerable family members. If you're looking to follow in the billionaire's footsteps, she also shared a few items that she personally uses on the regular. Look no further than her prized coloring books. Winfrey loves the popular de-stressing activity so much, she included three on her list! Then there's her signature cherry red lip color and cheek stain from Edward Bess, which can be all yours for $65. Ready for that grand total yet? Drumroll, please! If you're looking to purchase every single one of Oprah's favorite things, it'll cost approximately $11,555. Thank goodness for holiday bonuses! (Eonline)

Lawyers for Sarma Melngailis -- the former Pure Food and Wine restaurateur who's infamously been called the "vegan Bernie Madoff" after her arrest at a Tennessee hotel in May -- might launch a so-called "coercive-control defense" against accusations she stole nearly $2 million from her trendy "raw organic" restaurant with husband Anthony Strangis, according to Vanity Fair. VF reports in its new piece, "The Runaway Vegan" that at the time of her arrest with Strangis, when the couple was on the lam and busted after allegedly ordering (non-vegan) pizza and wings to their room, "the radiantly blonde poster woman for vegan living" was so unhinged she'd "come to believe -- really, really believe -- that her pit bull, Leon, was on the cusp of being made immortal ... by her husband, Strangis, 35, a gambler with a criminal past she'd met on Twitter five years earlier." (Melngailis further claims the pizza and wings were for him.) Strangis' attorneys deny all charges. Melngailis' lawyer Sheila Tendy told VF that Strangis, "combined the best techniques of cult leaders -- abusive partner control, manipulation, and con artist -- along with the worst tactics of prosperity theology, meaning, 'When you give me your money, you'll get 10 times back next week,'" to drain money from her business. Strangis' lawyer Samuel Karliner tells VF, "such claims make, 'her even freakier than him," and "No jury is going to look at her and say, 'Oh, poor her, she was taken advantage of ... She doesn't have that history. She was too savvy a business-woman." A trial could start in 2017. Tendy didn't comment on the piece. Karliner didn't immediately return our call. (Page Six)

This topless pic of 'Real Housewives of Orange County' star Vicki Gunvalson has triggered an FBI complaint, and the agency is now looking into it ... TMZ has learned. The pic was taken in Dublin, Ireland where cast members were on a retreat. Production sources say Tamra Judge took the pic and sent it to other cast members and producers with some snarky comments. Somehow, the photo ended up on the social media account of a 15-year-old girl, who tweeted it out. A woman named Rosalie Coleman saw the photo and filed a complaint with the FBI, saying "Tamara Judge ... sent a nude photograph of an acquaintance of hers (taken at a small gathering) to a FIFTEEN YEAR OLD girl & asked her to distribute it online in an effort to humiliate & harass one Vicki Gunvalson." We reached out to Tamra ... sources close to her tell us she didn't leak the photo or in any way facilitate it getting into the hands of a minor. The FBI is evaluating it but has not yet opened a formal investigation ... law enforcement sources tell us. As for why Vicki posed topless ... fellow castmate Heather Dubrow was FaceTiming her hubby, "Botched" plastic surgeon Terry Dubrow, and Vicki wanted him to examine her nipples, which she felt were uneven. (TMZ)

Truth bombs from Charlie Sheen after his Cleveland Indians lost Wednesday night -- "It was exciting for a while, but let's face it ... we f**king lost." Sheen hit up Barley House in Cleveland to drink his World Series sorrows away with the rest of the Tribe fans ... and once he got a good buzz going, he picked up the house mic and addressed the fans. "Sorry, we f**king lost." You can tell he's disappointed -- and takes a shot at MLB for not letting him throw out the first pitch -- but that didn't stop him from raging into the early morning. Can you imagine the party if they actually won? #TheresAlwaysNextYear (TMZ)

Music

2016 American Music Awards Announces The Weeknd, John Legend, Shawn Mendes, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj as Performers. ABC and Dick Clark Productions are really giving fans an A-list lineup for the 2016 American Music Awards. The companies announced even more A-List performers for its show this year: John Legend and Shawn Mendes are both slated to perform solo at the award show, while Ariana Grande will be joined by Nicki Minaj to perform their song "Side to Side." ABC also announced on Facebook Live Thursday morning that The Weeknd will be performing at the 2016 AMAs. This will be the "Into You" songstress' fourth year performing on the American Music Awards, and she is a three-time AMA nominee, including a nomination at this year's show for the top honor, Artist of the Year. This newly announced group of artists joins previously announced performers James Bay, Fifth Harmony, Lady Gaga, Green Day, Bruno Mars, Twenty One Pilots and a duet from The Chainsmokers and Halsey. Drake leads with 13 nominations this year, trailed by Rihanna with seven. Fans determine who the winners will be, and voting is open in all categories except New Artist of the Year Un-leashed by T-Mobile, which opened Nov. 2. Fans can choose their favorites in all categories once per day, per platform, by casting their votes at AMAvote.com or by posting a tweet that includes the nominee's Twitter handle, the category name and #AMAs within the post(s). For New Artist of the Year Un-leashed by T-Mobile, fans can vote 100 times per day, per platform. The 2016 American Music Awards will be broadcast live Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)

It's gonna be a very green Christmas for Mariah Carey ... whose services don't come cheap, but Saks Fifth Avenue is happy to ante up a sack full o' cash. We're told Mimi's wheels up right now and Toronto-bound to help Saks debut its Christmas window displays there. MC's set to sing just 2 songs, but our sources say she's getting just shy of a million bucks for it. It ain't her magic number of $50 mil, but we're guessing this will do for now. We're told one of the songs Mariah's singing is "All I Want For Christmas Is You" ... of course. #EasyMoney. (TMZ)

Bruno Mars Covers Adele's "All I Ask" With a Show-Stopping Finale. All Bruno Mars asks is: hand over the mic. The Grammy-winning crooner took the stage at BBC Radio's 1 Live Lounge Wednesday to perform a song he co-wrote with Adele, Philip Lawrence and Christopher Brody Brown called "All I Ask." The piano ballad, off the British songstress' third studio album 25, is a melancholy melody packed with heartbreak. While Adele has performed the track live on several grand occasions, including on Ellen DeGeneres' daytime talk show in February and at the 2016 Grammy Awards, it was Mars' turn to give the track a try. Backed by a full band and two harmonizing singers, the "24K Magic" star gave the song a dash of his signature cool with an electronic sound. For the grand finale, he riffed impressively through a few key changes before landing on the final note. "We love you, Adele!" he shouted before pushing over his stand for a necessary mic drop. He particularly loves singing the line "Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do," but it wasn't always that way. "We were aiming for that big, diva, ballad thing -- that's what I envisioned," Mars told Rolling Stone. "But 'lovers'? I don't know if anybody really says 'lovers.' 'Yeah, we're lovers.' 'This is my lover.' I was like, 'Should we rethink that?'" "But [Adele] was so gangster about it," he recalled to the magazine. "She was like, 'Nope. That's what it has to be.' And she was right. It's this grand word that makes the song bigger because no one says it. Because nobody talks like that, it pops out. It's not 'what boyfriends-and-girlfriends do' -- it's this over-the-top 'lovers.' Sometimes I play it on the piano, and I look forward to singing that part. It's f--king perfect." (Eonline)

Beyonce Brings the House Down With the Dixie Chicks During Her CMA Awards Debut. The 50th annual CMA Awards has been blessed with some Beyonce. After fans got word that the superstar singer was going to surprise everyone with a performance during Wednesday night's big awards show, everyone has been on high alert to see what Queen B was going to pull off, and as expected, she definitely delivered. Wearing a dazzling, long-sleeve mermaid gown in lace, beads and crystals from Zuhair Murad's Spring 2016 Couture collection that left little to the imagination, Bey made her country debut by getting the crowd going with her Lemonade country-inspired track "Daddy Lessons" alongside country greats Dixie Chicks. The ladies, along with a full band, gave a high-energy performance full that got everyone dancing to the beat, and also gave us a number of Bey facials that will certainly take over the internet through various GIFs (we can't wait!). The anticipation for Bey's performance was so huge, there were even Snapchat filters ready for use prior to her taking the stage. One filter gave a video-recording vibe with the words "Bey Watch" and an icon of the singer performing in the middle. Another filter had a silver banner that read, "Beyonce is close..." E! News was told that hubby Jay Z may have also been in attendance to support his ladylove as she performed in Nashville. And now we know, there's no stage Bey can't slay. (Eonline)

Taylor Swift Makes Surprise Appearance at the 2016 CMA Awards. This year's Country Music Association Awards were jam-packed with star-studded surprises! Case in point, not only did Beyonce take the stage to perform, but Taylor Swift made an appearance at the 50th annual award show. The singer previously took home the coveted Entertainer of the Year Award twice, so it makes perfect sense that the award-winning singer presented the trophy for this year's recipient. Back in 2009, that exciting year that she nabbed the trophy for the first time, she also won Album of the Year for Fearless and the Video of the Year Award for "Love Story." During her memorable acceptance speech, T.Swift fought back tears as she told the audience, "I will never forget this moment because in this moment, everything that I have ever wanted has just happened to me." She continued, "I would like to call up the musicians who stand up on that stage every single day with me." Tonight's big show, which was once again co-hosted by Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley, featured every single recipient of the prestigious honor as a tribute to the 50 years that the country music show has been running. Clearly, the 2016 CMAs were a night that Nashville won't soon forget! (Eonline)

Dolly Parton Thanks Fans for Making "My Little Girl Dreams Come True" During Star-Studded CMA Awards Tribute. The stars came through to honor the one and only Dolly Parton Wednesday night. Before the country music icon appeared on stage at the 2016 CMA Awards to accept her trophy for the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, Dolly was treated to a star-studded tribute that included more than a few thoughtful words from close friend Lily Tomlin. "I go way back with the great Dolly Parton. While we were working on 9 to 5, she was working 24/7 on becoming one of America's best singer/songwriters," she explained. "And as Dolly's adoring fan and loving friend, I know why tonight Dolly is receiving the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award." She continued, "For being an iconic artist in country music, Dolly is country music, pure and simple... Dolly really is a force of nature and one of the greatest artists in the history of country music." What came next was a list of familiar faces and voices to sing classic hits from the singer. Jennifer Nettles and Pentatonix kicked things off with a rendition of "Jolene." Reba McEntire followed with "9 to 5" while Kacey Musgraves belted out "Here You Come Again." To close things out, co-host Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride came together for "I Will Always Love You." And yes, Dolly was moved to tears during the group performance. "This is such a great compliment. This is a wonderful, wonderful night for me so thank you for all of that," she shared before getting cut off. "I just want to thank all my fans and everybody for letting my little girl dreams come true." When Male Vocalist of the Year winner Chris Stapleton accepted his prize right after, he told the crowd: "If Dolly was still back there, I'd give her my time." This certainly isn't the first award Dolly has received on behalf of the CMA Awards. Her first award from the association came in 1970 when she received the award for Vocal Duo of the Year. She would later earn Female Vocalist of the Year twice and then Entertainer of the Year in 1978. Safe to say Dolly has earned her spot in country music for many, many years to come. (Eonline)

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood Pay Tribute to Country Classics at the 2016 CMAs. Who better to pay tribute to classic country duets than one of country's power couples? Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood took the stage Wednesday night at the 2016 CMA Awards in Nashville to entertain the audience with a medley of some of our favorite country tunes. Starting with Johnny Cash and June Carter's "Jackson," the pair got everyone excited about what was happening. Whether it was the celebs nodding and singing along to the songs at the awards show, or fans praising the pair on Twitter, there was no denying the pull Brooks and Yearwood had during their performance. They also took on Lynn Anderson's "I Beg Your Pardon, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden," Keith Whitley's "Don't Close Your Eyes," and George Jones' "Golden Ring." The pair married in 2005 and have grown to become one of country music's most famous, powerful and adored couples...and for good reason. Despite being married for 11 years, they still remain totally enamored with one another. In fact, when Brooks sat down with Ellen DeGeneres in the past, he couldn't help but gush about being married -- something you don't often hear. "I've got to tell you, I never knew it could be like this," Brooks admitted. "I never knew that everyday you could wake up and feel like this. And I have God and I have Ms. Yearwood to thank for this." The two have also worked together on several tours and musical collaboration that have brought so much joy to country music fans all over the world. In fact, the couple, who were each inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame in downtown Nashville last year, just announced that they'll be releasing a Christmas duets album later this year and recently released their most recent duet, "Whiskey to Wine." We can't wait. (Eonline)

Randy Travis Brings Us to Tears During the 2016 CMA Awards Star-Studded Opening Performance. The 50th Annual Country Music Academy Awards has already started off with a bang! The opening performance brought the crowd to their feet with a medley of songs from some of the biggest names in the history of country music, including Randy Travis. The renowned 57-year-old crooner suffered a stroke in 2013 and went through years of physical therapy in order to recover. However, he proved just how far he's come by ending the star-studded opening performance standing beside Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley and the rest of the performers as they sang, "Forever and Ever, Amen." The moment certainly had the crowd and viewers alike wiping tears from their eyes. Meanwhile, the opening performance also included several other big names. Pailsey and Roy Clark sang "I've Got a Tiger by the Tail," while Reba McEntire belted out "Fancy." Alabama performed their hit "Mountain Music" and Charley Pride even joined Paisley on-stage for "Kiss an Angel Good Morning." Underwood gave us the chills as she opened with Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" and Charlie Daniels had us clapping along with "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." Ben Haggard, Dwight Yoakam, Clint Black, Ricky Skaggs and Alan Jackson also joined the incredible performance, which certainly made waves as the start to the major moment in the CMA Awards history. (Eonline)

Taylor Swift Beats Beyonce, Adele and Rihanna as the World's Highest-Paid Woman in Music for 2016. No matter what's going on in Taylor Swift 's personal life, one thing is certain -- she's rich. Sure, you may be rolling your eyes and scoffing because DUH, but chances are you don't realize just how much dough this young songstress is bringing in. Forbes magazine has released it's list of The World's Highest-Paid Women in Music for 2016, and, as you already know, T.Swift came in at No. 1 by a long shot. According to the article, Taylor, who came in second last year behind Katy Perry, made a whopping $170 million last year alone, thanks to her 1989 Tour, which grossed over a quarter of a billion dollars. The mag also credits her total to moving "more than 3 million album equivalents during our scoring period and shilling brands including Keds, Diet Coke and Apple." "She has been building her fan base for years, and that fan base crosses multiple market segments," entertainment attorney Lori Landew tells Forbes. "It's this ability to appeal to younger and older audiences, and those in between, that makes Taylor such a sure bet with both concert promoters and brands who want to affiliate with her and with the community she has cultivated." Coming in at No. 2 is Adele with $80.5 million, almost $100 million less than Swift. The majority of the British singer's wealth comes from her album sales for her latest release 25, which became the best-selling album in 2015. Madonna rounds out the top three with $76.5 million, much of which was from her Rebel Heart Tour. Rihanna claims the No. 4 spot with $75 million from her Anti radio hits and deals with Dior, Puma, Samsung and Stance. Surprisingly, Beyonce, who made everyone a lover of Lemonade, rounds out the top five with $54 million. Despite the project becoming her sixth No. 1 album, Bey still garners most of her moolah from her tours. (Eonline)

Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd Is a Free Bird on New Album 'Take It on Faith': Exclusive. It's been a long time -- 36 years, in fact -- since Gary Rossington has released music outside of Lynyrd Skynyrd. But it was fan, and even band, demand that convinced he and his wife, Skynyrd backing vocalist Dale Krantz-Rossington, to record Take It On Faith, which comes out Friday. "It was from the fans all these years talking about the Rossington Collins Band days, and would I ever do anything like that with Dale," Rossington tells Billboard. Gary launched the Rossington Collins Band with fellow Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins and other Skynyrd members in 1979, two years after the fatal plane crash that halted the band for a decade. The group released a pair of albums. "After a while of those meet-and-greets of people asking, we had a little time off a few years back, so we went in and did it and it was just spontaneous, quick," Rossington explains. "It only took a couple weeks of recording and a few overdubs, and we were done. It was such a fun thing to do, and our fans were asking us and some of the guys in the band even mentioned, 'Why don't you guys do something?' So we went in and did it, and that was it." The 12-track "Take It On Faith" was produced by David Z (Prince, Buddy Guy, Etta James), who assembled a lineup of players that included the late Richie Hayward (of Little Feat fame), Delbert McClinton, Bekka Bramlett, Double Trouble keyboardist Reese Winans and others, as well as songs co-written by Gary Nicholson and ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons. And if the Rossington Collins Band felt like an extension of Skynyrd, this group of players made for a very separate kind of musical environment. "It was different than Skynyrd," Rossington notes. "The personalities were different, so it sounds different. Nothing was worked up; We just kind of went in and did it." Krantz-Rossington adds, "These studio guys, they have that extra blessing from God that they can pick it up so fast. A lot of these are pretty much live tracks. I was singing in a little closet next to them and they just played 'em one time through with more feeling than you'd ever believe. I can't tell you how impressed we are with this bunch that came to us." Take It On Faith was originally designed to be a blues album, and the bluesier tracks were among the first recorded. But, Krantz-Rossington says, "As the different songs came in we just couldn't pass them up. Some were really fun and silly, some were cookin' pretty good and some were just sweet, slow songs." The Rossingtons haven't made any plans yet to play live to promote Take It On Faith. Skynyrd will be back on the road in 2017, and is talking about making its own new album, a follow-up to 2012's Last of a Dyin' Breed. The group had to cancel some shows this year due to Rossington's continuing heart problems, and there was some talk discussion about whether it was time for this particular Free Bird to nest for good. "He's got several stents in his heart now, and after this last stent we really had a serious talk about just letting it go for now and being happy to be alive," Krantz-Rossington says. "But after a few days he was just miserable, and he said to me, 'I would much rather go out kickin' it than sitting here in my chair,' and that was the last time we talked about it. After that we just decided to hit the road and ask for God's mercy, and do it 'til we drop. It's just the way you do it when you've lived it your whole life. Every musician of age will tell that, I think." Rossington says he "feels great" now, and views the new album's title as a statement of philosophy. "I just take every day on faith," he explains. "I guess when it's my time, I'm ready, and I'd rather be playing and living life -- like Neil Young said, it's better to burn out than to fade way." But he sees a finite time for Skynyrd as well. "We hope to keep on doing it a little while longer. I'm sure we'll end up doing a farewell tour in the next few years; I don't know exactly when but we're getting old here. Touring's gotten to be harder, but we still love it. It's just a gas. I don't think it's time to wrap it up. Not just yet." (Billboard)

Skrillex, RL Grime and What So Not Team Up For 'Waiting'. What do you get when you throw Skrillex, RL Grime and What So Not on a track together? An electrified banger. The three bass masters had us on the edges of our seats all week as they all teased "Waiting" on their social media accounts and now we can finally hear it in all of its glory. The first half of the track leading up to the drop is sure to get your heart racing until bass hits fast and hard around the 1-minute mark. "Waiting" changes tones again 2 minutes in with some mellow instrumental work before any filthy drop helps it morph back into the energetic jam that it is. (Billboard)

Rush to Receive Canada's Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award. Rush can add the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award to its collection of industry honors. The alt-rock outfit's Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart will receive the accolade April 20 during the 2017 Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards at Toronto's Sheraton Centre. The Hall of Famers said they were "so incredibly honored" for the decoration, which recognizes outstanding Canadian artists who've contributed to social activism and supported humanitarian causes. "The depth of Allan and Gary Slaight's generosity, consideration and benevolence has no measure," say Lee, Lifeson and Peart in a joint statement. "We will strive to carry forward their spirit of charity and goodwill." Previous recipients include Bruce Cockburn, Bryan Adams, Simple Plan, and this year's winner, Nelly Furtado. Neill Dixon, president & CEO, Canadian Music Week, welcomed the announcement. "We praise their spirit and determination in philanthropic and humanitarian causes, as their dedication to multiple charities and organizations is very inspirational," he said of Rush. "They have shown extraordinary support in social involvement and charitable causes, and we are excited to celebrate them at this year's awards." Gary Slaight, president and CEO Slaight Communications Inc., paid homage to the band's tireless campaigning for people in need. In recent years, the group has "raised money for food banks, Casey House, the Kidney Foundation, Doctors Without Borders, AIDS research; the list goes on," he explained. "Alex, Geddy and Neil have been in my family's rock'n'roll life since the early days when we started Q107 in the late 1970s, and it gives me real pleasure today to thank these three exemplary musicians, on behalf of the Slaight Family, in awarding them with the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Award. Good deeds deserve acknowledgement and this is one group that exemplifies the spirit of giving." Rush has sold more than 40 million albums -- and raised millions more for good causes -- over a celebrated, 40-year-plus career. The musos were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994, made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1996 and inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010. The veteran act was entered into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. Thursday's announcement coincides with the premiere of the documentary R40 Tour, Rush Time Stand Still (Anthem/Ole/Universal) at Cineplex/Landmark theaters across Canada and Fathom in the U.S. The film will be distributed on Blu-ray and DVD from Nov. 18. Click here for more information on Canadian Music Week. (Billboard)

PBS Series 'Soundbreaking' Lovingly Details the Art Of Record Making in 8-Part Series. Sir George Martin had a last project: a documentary series on the impact of recorded music. Unfortunately, the legendary Beatles producer died before the final work was completed, but his spirit imbues every frame of Soundbreaking: Stories From The Cutting Edge of Recorded Music, an 8-part series that airs on PBS beginning Nov. 14. Featuring never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with more than 150 top artists, producers, engineers, and musicians, Soundbreaking is a love letter to the recording process as well as historical trek from the invention of the microphone to digital streaming. Among the names who appear are Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Roger Waters, Roger Daltrey, Barry Gibb, Elton John, Quincy Jones, B.B. King, Annie Lennox, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Lindsey Buckingham, Questlove, RZA, Nile Rodgers, Nigel Godrich, Brian Eno and Rick Rubin. Each hour-long episode tackles a different topic, including recording vocals, the electrification of instruments, the artistry of sampling and the rise of the music video. "The hardest part was figuring out how we were going to tell the story," says Show of Force's Jeff Dupre, who, along with Maro Chermayeff, produced and directed the series, in association with executive producers Higher Ground. "George's vision was always to show how technology transformed music and then how that music transformed us." Though Dupre declined to put a figure on the project's budget beyond "significant," he adds, "everyone in the record industry stepped forward and wanted to help us because it was George Martin's project and because they understood that it's a valentine to the music industry." The first episode examines the inner workings of the studio and the role of the producer, something that even those involved have trouble defining. "The producer services the artist's vision," says Don Was, who, along with fellow producers Peter Asher, Linda Perry and Hank Shocklee, all appear in the series and talked to Billboard after a panel on Soundbreaking at the Television Critics Assn. this summer. "One of the cool things about this series is it condenses the continuum," Was continues. "Linda and I were discussing how we both pine for an earlier era, which seems more romantic, but when you see it all together, you realize presently we're doing the same thing that was done before. Even though the methodology and the distribution has changed, we're still about capturing emotional magic." For Perry, the series serves as way to show a younger generation different possibilities. "Kids don't know to put a microphone in their living room and they can't record an 18-piece band because they're on GarageBand and these quick easy fixes," she says. "There has to be the space of motivation, drive and vision. I do believe with the fast paced world we're in, we're taking short cuts left and right. With matters of the heart, you can't do shortcuts." For Shocklee, the series shows how artists bring everything that comes before them into the studio -- he talks in one segment about playing Motown records for Public Enemy. "That's just allowing the artist to open up his frequency," he says. "Bringing in other musical genres allows you to open up that frequency range a little bit." He elaborates on Perry's points: "The art of collaboration is the key that has to happen with the new producers and the new artists because everyone is making music by themselves in their own little room without any outside energy. It's about bringing back collaboration." Asher hopes viewers take away an appreciation for the art of making a hit record and see what's behind the curtain. "There's capturing a great performance plus the separate art of making a great hit record," he says, "which is the kind of record where, regardless of who the artist is, the minute it finishes you want to take the needle and put it back at the beginning because it sounded so great. How did they do that? It can be not necessarily a great music record, but there's an excitement about a hit that you have to hear again." In the exclusive electrifying clip from the fourth episode, producers Malcolm Cecil and Bob Margouleff describe working with Stevie Wonder. "We let him in the studio and we didn't wake up for another five years," Margouleff says, as they captured an extraordinary phase in Wonder's creativity. I had an 8-track tape running at all times," Cecil says. Each Soundbreaking episode will be available for next-day digital purchase via multiple platforms including iTunes, Amazon Video, and Google Play. The series will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday, Nov. 29. (Hollywood Reporter)

Niall Horan's 'This Town' Gets an EDM Remix by DJ Tiesto. Niall Horan's solo debut single "This Town" just got dressed-up for the dancefloor thanks to superstar DJ Tiesto. The Dutch EDM producer and turntablist has remixed, tightened and turned Horan's acoustic tear-jerker into a club tune. Tiesto's new version, which dropped Wednesday (Nov. 3), adds a chunky beat, shaves a minute from the 4-minute running time of the original and leaves the One Direction singer's vocals up front in the mix. Horan's original ballad was produced by Greg Kurstin (Sia, Adele) and soared to No. 1 on the Billboard + Twitter Top Tracks chart. (Hollywood Reporter)

Movies

New Wonder Woman Trailer Debuts and Gal Gadot Is Stopping Bullets to Defend the World. Prepare to be caught in Wonder Woman's lasso because a new trailer for the upcoming film just dropped. In a fresh trailer for Gal Gadot's first solo venture as Diana Prince, Wonder Woman teams up with Chris Pine to fight "the war that ends all wars." The footage shows Diana stopping bullets with her powers in order to defend Pine and the world. The movie, which is slated for release on June 2, 2017, stars Pine as her partner and famous mortal love interest, fighter pilot Steve Trevor, and Robin Wright as General Antiope and Diana's aunt. "It's a sacred duty to defend the world, and it's what I'm going to do," Diana says in the trailer. For Gadot, Wonder Woman was a personal role model long before she ever got the part to embody her in this year's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. "It was important for me that we show how independent she is. She is not relying on a man, and she's not there because of a love story. She's not there to serve someone else," she told Glamour of her vision for the character. "She has so many strengths and powers, but at the end of the day she's a woman with a lot of emotional intelligence...I think women are amazing for being able to show what they feel. I admire women who do. I think it's a mistake when women cover their emotions to look tough. I say let's own who we are and use it as a strength." Gadot's husband of eight years, Yaron Versano, certainly loves his partner's strength. "He's super happy to be married to Wonder Woman," she told E!'s Maria Menounos. "He's so proud. He's so happy. He's my biggest fan and I love him. The only thing that changed is that he started training more because I became so strong." (Eonline)

Loving: Why You Should See This Movie. It's time the world knows more about Richard and Mildred Loving. Richard, a white man, and Mildred, who was black, were arrested in 1959 in their Virginia home because interracial marriage was illegal in the state. In the landmark case known as Loving v. Virginia, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in their favor in 1967 with the decision also ending to all race-based marriage restrictions in the U.S. Director Jeff Nichols' new drama, Loving, follows Richard and Mildred's romance and legal battle. Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga star as the Lovings. The quiet yet powerful film immediately earned award season buzz when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May. "Why didn't I know about it and why don't a lot of Americans know about such a big seismic shift in civil rights?" Edgerton (who is Australian) said when I sat down with him and Negga to talk about the film. "I suspect it's because it wasn't a situation of violence and bloodshed. We look to other events as the big flag markers for civil rights. More people should know about this and hopefully the film will do that." Negga was familiar with the case, especially after watching Nancy Buirski's 2011 documentary, The Loving Story. "But I was taken aback by how they haven't been championed as much," she said. Richard and Mildred never sought the spotlight. Richard died in car accident just eight years after the Supreme Court decision. Not long before Mildred's death in 2008, she spoke out in support of same-sex marriage. Edgerton and Negga met the Lovings' daughter Peggy while making the movie. "I thought I was meeting a friend or someone super special and I had a super connection to," Negga said Edgerton recalled, "When I first met her because we'd gone to so much trouble to embody these characters and the look of them she actually called me 'daddy.' She said something that was interesting -- the film has such a cloud of oppression, which is such an engine to the movie, but she reminded us too how much laughter and joy and happiness was there because the foundation of the whole story is love." Loving is in theaters. (Eonline)

Nicole Kidman's latest film role is one that's deeply personal for the actress -- because it involves a family that looks a lot like hers. In a new interview with Town & Country magazine, Kidman explains why she felt drawn to her character Sue in the upcoming drama Lion. "I can see now, for Lion, that it was important to me because I'm a mother with adopted children," she says. "This movie is a love letter to my children." Lion tells the story of Sue's adoptive son Saroo (played by Dev Patel), who as a young boy became accidentally separated from his birth family in India. As a young man, he tries to find them, using Google Earth to search for his home village. The movie, which premiered earlier this year at the Toronto International Film Festival, is based on Saroo Brierley's personal story, documented in his non-fiction book A Long Way Home. Kidman adopted her two older children, Isabella, 23, and Connor, 21 with ex-husband Tom Cruise. She is also mom to Sunday Rose, 8, and Faith Margaret, 5, with husband Keith Urban. "[My character] Sue is deeply maternal and full of unconditional love, which is beautiful," Kidman, 49, tells Town & Country. "That's why I wanted to do it. I relate to that. I feel that for my own children who are adopted. It's not about anything else other than 'I wanted you.' It's that deep and personal, and whatever your journey is, I'm here to love and support you. That's what I connected to." Kidman, who posed for the magazine in Dior Haute Couture, also opens up about how she typically picks her roles, calling herself "the wild card." "I'm so spontaneous -- sometimes to my detriment and sometimes my benefit -- but it's how I've always been," she explains. "My husband [Urban] never knows what I'm going to choose. And then he'll ask me to explain why and I can't!" The December/January issue of Town & Country will be available on newsstands Nov. 15. Lion hits theaters on Nov. 25. (People)

'Trainspotting 2' Trailer Updates Ewan McGregor's Signature Choices. "You're an addict. So be addicted -- just be addicted to something else." The first Trainspotting 2 trailer previews the hotly anticipated onscreen reunion of Ewan McGregor, Johnny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle and Ewen Bremner. "Choose life," narrates McGregor, in signature Trainspotting fashion. But they're updated for the digital age. "Choose Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and hope that someone, somewhere cares. Choose looking up old flames and wishing you'd done it differently. And choose watching history repeat itself." Officially titled T2: Trainspotting, Danny Boyle's sequel checks back in on former heroin addict Mark "Rent" Renton (McGregor) after 20 years, as he reconnects with his former drug pals: Spud, Sick Boy and Begbie. It is set to borrow elements from author Irvine Welsh's follow-up book Porno, which is set 10 years after the original, but will, according to Boyle, be it's "own thing." Trainspotting's John Hodge returned to pen the follow-up. Producing the new movie will be Andrew Macdonald, Boyle, Christian Colson and Bernie Bellew through Figment Films, Decibel Films and Cloud Eight Films. Film4 is also involved. T2: Trainspotting hits theaters on Feb. 3. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

Vivica A. Fox's Exotic Male Dancer Reality Series Looks Like the Lifetime Show You Never Knew You Needed. Vivica's Black Magic, the show you never knew you needed, is coming. Vivica A. Fox's new Lifetime series will see her putting together her new business venture, an exotic male revue known as Black Magic. You get it. "We're going to be delivering fantasy," Fox says in the exclusive preview. "And I'm going to work these boys like they've never been worked before." The goal? Create the ultimate ladies' night experience and mount a Las Vegas operation. The sexy drama kicks off on Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 10 p.m. "I am sacrificing a lot to get us to Vegas," she says. There The Independence Day star isn't going it alone. She's got Eurika and Kiana, her girl squad, by her side through the auditions. Have you ever wanted to see hundreds of muscular men writhe and thrust for a spot on an all-male revue? Don't lie. The hundreds eventually become eight -- there's Michael "Bolo" Bolwaire, Alvester Martin, Jonathan "Heat" Martinez, Greg "White Chocolate" Jackson, Mike "Profit the Problem" Strong, Steven "Charm" Beck, Andrew "Penetration" Williams and Christian "Slo-Motion" Dennis -- but along with the dancing, there's plenty of personal drama threatening to delay the magic. "You don't s -- t where you eat," Fox warns her girls in the trailer. Buckle up for the greased up drama starting Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 10 p.m. on Lifetime. (Eonline)

Scandal Season 6 Gets an Explosive Trailer (Quite Literally), January Premiere Date. By now you should expect nothing but sheer insanity from Scandal, but the season six trailer is even more explosive -- literally! -- than we could've ever hoped for. Plus, we finally have a premiere date for the show's midseason debut, which also marks the return of the TGIT lineup. First things first: The trailer, which promises that we'll learn the Scandal election results -- and be so shocked in the first 10 minutes alone that we won't know what hit us. But joke's on you, Shonda Rhimes, we already know to expect madness anywhere in the hour so we'll be prepared (we hope). We also see Olivia in a hospital, Olivia yelling at Fitz, and Olivia yelling at Mellie in this heated head-scratcher of an exchange: "I am done running for president," Mellie tells Liv, who shoots back, "Well I'm not!" Um, what does that even mean? Is the presidential race not over? Could Olivia have something way bigger up her sleeve? Scandal will return to its 9 p.m. time slot beginning Thursday, Jan. 19, alongside its TGIT companions Grey's Anatomy and How to Get Away With Murder (whose midseason finales air on Nov. 17, so we'll be extra ready for the TGIT lineup to return). Scandal's sixth season was pushed to 2017 after news broke earlier this year that Washington was expecting her second child. But that doesn't mean the cast hadn't already gotten to work on the first few episodes of the season, which will debut in the new year. In case you were wondering, no, they're not writing baby No. 2 into the series either. Looks like many more large purses and gorgeous coats for Olivia Pope! "As far as I know, we're going to be hiding things," she told E! News at the Sag-Aftra Foundation Golf Classic in June. "But stay tuned! E! News exclusively reported that the Scandal star and hubby Nnamdi Asomugha welcomed their second child, Caleb Kelechi Asomugha, on Oct. 5. The pair were already parents to daughter Isabelle Amarachi Asomugha, 2. (Eonline)

American Horror Story: Roanoke: Confessions and Cannibalism. If you've got a thing about sounds, like we do, then the night's American Horror Story was particularly horrific. We're specifically talking about all scenes involving Lee (Adina Porter) and one of the Polks (played by Finn Wittrock), which mostly consisted of casual conversation sprinkled with audible cannibalism. After everything we've seen so far this season (hello, disembowelments!), this was right up there with the squirmiest. Cannibalism just grosses us out, OK? Unappetizing meals aside, the night was also filled with torture, throat slitting, head smashing, and enough demented laughter to supply our nightmares for the rest of our lives. And we were really feeling bad for the "innocent" Lee, but then she made a confession. Her cannibal friend allowed her to record a video for daughter Flora, and in it, she confessed that she had murdered her ex-husband Mason in order to keep him from taking the girl (meaning she lied to Kristin Dos Santos). We wouldn't typically suggest "being eaten" as a punishment for anyone for doing anything, but maybe she deserves it just a little? IDK? This is so complicated. We were actually about to throw up when, after her confession, Lee was about to willingly allow her cannibal friend to have sex with her, but then she used the opportunity break free and gravely injure him. So that was good? But she still horribly murdered her ex-husband, so we weren't ready to cheer for her yet -- a decision that we felt pretty comfortable with a little later. Of course, while Lee survived, the bloodbath continued. After realizing she had murdered the only man she had ever loved, Shelby (Lily Rabe) gave up and slit her own throat, much to Dominic's (Cuba Gooding Jr.) horror. Dominic was just sure the show was still happening, and kept yelling for Sidney to come and help, not knowing Sidney was long dead. At the Polk farm, Lee killed Finn Wittrock, and Audrey took down Mama Polk by smashing her head in while she cackled. Monet escaped, but didn't get very far before the Polks were chasing her down in the dark. It's unclear if they got her or if she got away. When Audrey and Lee -- the only survivors from the Polk farm -- returned to the house, they found Dominic, alone, sitting in a room with Shelby's dead body, in shock. He tried to explain what happened, but Lee was just sure Shelby would never murder Matt, no matter who he was having sex with. So, they locked Dominic out of the room...with the piggy man. In the morning, Lee realized that she had lived, and now there was a tape of her confessing to killing Mason. So, she convinced Audrey that they needed to go back to Polk farm in order to destroy the tapes of them killing the people who deserved to be killed, with no mention of her own tape... Fortunately, they were sidelined on the way, first by Dominic's dead body (RIP), and then by the piggy man knocking on the door...except it wasn't piggy man. It was someone named Dylan, and Dylan looked an awful lot like Wes Bentley in a piggy man costume. And now, a few questions and observations: Does Dylan count in the pool of possible survivors? (This does explain why he's been in the credits all this time...) Where the heck is Taissa Farmiga? Could Ryan Murphy be planning a season around the 1893 Chicago World's Fair? According to Lee's cannibal friend (we never learned his name, sorry), Piggy Man was born out of that infamous event. He was a Polk relative who had gotten the idea from the Butcher to put on a pig head and slaughter people, like they did in the Chicago stock yards. That World's Fair is also the setting of serial killer H.H. Holmes and his murder castle (vaguely referenced last season), so there's plenty of material there. And yes, we want it real bad. Isn't it kind of interesting that such a big chunk of the deaths this season have come from living humans killing other living humans? What a twist! American Horror Story: Roanoke airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX. (Eonline)

Sophia Bush, Jesse Lee Soffer Tease Linstead's Newest Chicago P.D. Obstacle: Lindsay's Dad. Erin Lindsay (Sophia Bush) and Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) are stronger than ever on Chicago P.D. -- but that doesn't mean they won't face more obstacles this season. What's different this year is that the couple is leaning on each other more than ever when times get tough. "Their relationship has been so solid, but she's just not a person who lets people get all the way in," Bush told E! News in Chicago last week. But after Lindsay was forced to examine where her loyalties lie -- and decide whether to cover for Voight -- she came to a conclusion about her romantic life as well. "It's kind of a lightbulb moment of the healthiest relationship I have, the person who has my back through high and low and who has my safety at heart and as a major concern, has always been him," she explained to us. The incident was "a great way to allow her to let her guard down enough to let him in to the extent he'd been asking to." Soffer told us that the Linstead relationship is in a lighter place this year. "It's kind of fun this season; they're not living under Voight's thumb anymore," he said. "They're relaxing a little bit; they're living together; it's a little domesticated. They're talking about where the TV's going to go and where the art's going to go on the walls." That doesn't mean there won't be anything difficult coming up for them, just that they'll have to turn to each other to get through it. "Her father is going to come back in town," Soffer revealed, "and they have a really dark past. I think because of her situation with Jay now she's going to lean on him instead of Voight, so that's going to be really cool too." Just don't get ahead of yourselves -- they might be living together, but let them enjoy that before they start thinking about the future. Says Soffer, "We just moved in, wait a second!" Thanks to the World Series you'll have to wait until Wednesday, Nov. 9 to catch the next new episode of Chicago P.D., which airs at 10 p.m. each week on NBC. (Eonline)

Leah Remini and the Church of Scientology Are at War...Again. Leah Remini is on a crusade. The Church of Scientology is accused of abuse, lies and sexual misconduct in her A&E docue-series, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. "My whole life I was a very dedicated Scientologist. I didn't want to find out what I'd done was a lie," says Remini, whose family left the church three years ago. "Something inside of me was saying, 'Get them out of this thing.'" Remini interviewed former Scientology members about their experiences with the church. "Fight for your family. Fight for your daughters, your sons," says the actress, who executive produced the eight-part series. "Let's get to the abuses. Let's get to the abortions. Wake up." Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath premieres Nov. 29 at 10 p.m. on A&E.

Hollywood predicted the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series -- and no, this has nothing to do with Marty's almanac and Doc Brown's trash-fueled DeLorean. In the final season of Parks and Recreation in 2015, Tom (Aziz Ansari) and Andy (Chris Pratt) take a trip to Chicago in 2017 and catch up with Lucy (Natalie Morales) in the second episode, titled "Ron & Jammy." Taking a stroll through the city, Lucy tells the guys that "obviously everyone's in a really great mood now because of the Cubs winning the series." Just in time for the show's prediction to become a reality, the Cubs topped the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in the 10th inning during Game 7 of the World Series on Wednesday. Prior to the win, Parks and Rec co-creator Michael Schur spoke with the Washington Post about his prophecy. "As soon as we decided to throw the last season of Parks and Rec into the future, into 2017, we sort of started calculating what the world might be like," said Schur, who co-created the baseball blog Fire Joe Morgan. "I was the only person on the staff who cared about baseball enough to track the Cubs' minor league system." However, Schur isn't looking for praise. "It's not like I was only person who thought the Cubs were going to be good," he explained. "Every baseball writer in America knew the Cubs were going to be good. I can't emphasize enough how little credit I feel like I should take for that prediction." He continued: "It's a little like, if we had predicted [in the show] that Hillary Clinton was the president in 2017, there would probably be people asking me about that now. Saying Hillary Clinton was running for president in 2014 or 2013... that would've also been a pretty easy call to make based on the information that we had at the time. We're not like wizards." Morales, the actress behind Lucy, got excited about the potential outcome on the Cubs' path to victory in late October, tweeting out photographic proof from the show and writing, "There is a chance Lucy predicted the future #ParksandRec." (People)

Miguel, it's not that we don't love you -- but Jack and Rebecca, we love a whole, whole lot. Our favorite fly in the This Is Us ointment, Miguel (Jon Huertas) grabbed extra time in the spotlight during the Tuesday, November 1, episode, as he was promoted at work (and after already having been revealed to be Rebecca's future husband). But if Twitter is any indication, fans may need a little sweet-talking. Here's why: The Bro Code As a sage of bar wisdom, Miguel brings the heat -- but to marry a best friend's wife, even if he is no longer alive? Seems it could be a violation of the Bro Code. We don't know yet when Miguel married Rebecca (Mandy Moore), and if Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) was still in the picture, but the marriage clearly happened at some point. Brad and Jen Rule Jack and Rebecca = Brad and Jen. They are the OG of couples. And as much as people may like Angelina Jolie, it's hard not to root for Jen (aka Jack). So even though Miguel and Rebecca may have genuine love for each other, the fans appear to have made their choice and are sticking to it. He's Too Together With a warts-and-all show title like This Is Us, fans might appreciate a character who is a little less competitive and perhaps more, well, of an underachiever, just like all of Us. They want a friend, not another person to assess. This Is Us airs on NBC Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET. (US Weekly)

Record Highs for Black, Transgender Characters on TV, GLAAD Report Finds. LGBTQ regular characters also hit a high, despite the proliferation of the "Bury Your Gays" trope, the watchdog group finds in its annual "Where We Are on TV" report. There's good and bad news to be found in GLAAD's annual "Where We Are on TV" annual report. The LGBTQ-focused annual report -- now in its 21st year -- found record highs for transgender characters as well as black series regular characters on the small screen during the 2016-17 broadcast season. That's factoring in original series on broadcast, cable, premium cable as well as streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. Of the findings, LGBTQ regular characters hit the highest mark (4.8 percent) on broadcast television since GLAAD began tracking all broadcast series regulars 12 years ago. Additionally, there are a record-high 20 percent of all series regulars who are black (though black women represent just 38 percent of the number) and the number of transgender regular (and recurring) characters has more than doubled from a year ago (from seven to 16). There is also a record high of regular characters with disabilities on broadcast TV (1.7 percent), the report found. "While it is heartening to see progress being made in LGBTQ representation on television, it's important to remember that numbers are only part of the story, and we must continue the push for more diverse and intricate portrayals of the LGBTQ community," GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said. "GLAAD will continue to work with Hollywood to tell nuanced LGBTQ stories that accelerate acceptance -- and hold the networks, streaming services, and content creators accountable for the images and storylines they present." On the flip side, GLAAD blasted broadcast networks for their proliferation of the decades-old "Bury Your Gays" trope in which gay or bisexual female characters are killed off at a higher rate in order to further the storylines of straight leading characters. The trope went mainstream this past broadcast season following the deaths of lesbian or bisexual characters on shows including The 100, The Walking Dead and more. GLAAD said that broadcast series specifically "failed queer women" this year, with more than 25 lesbian and bisexual characters being killed off of scripted TV on both broadcast and streaming series since Jan. 1. GLAAD's report reiterated that the organization called for TV producers to do better and warned that the proliferation of the trope is harmful and sends a message that LGBTQ people are "secondary and disposable." Elsewhere, the report also found that each platform counts one character who is HIV-positive, though there remains only one on broadcast (Oliver on ABC's How to Get Away With Murder). (Hollywood Reporter)

Ex-Obama Speechwriter Jon Favreau Wants to Put Anxious Hillary "Bedwetters" at Ease. With ex-Obama staffers Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor, Favreau hosts the popular 'Keepin' It 1600' podcast and says liberals shouldn't worry: "The race, to us, has been remarkably stable when you look at the fundamentals, which most of the horse-race coverage doesn't do." Hillary can't lose this thing, can she? Not a chance, insists Jon Favreau. No, not that Jon Favreau. This one's the wunderkind President Obama speechwriter who since May has reinvented himself with the season's hottest political podcast, Keepin' It 1600, which he tapes twice a week with fellow ex-Obama staffers Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor. "If Election Day were today, there's no way [Donald Trump] wins," says Favreau over lunch Oct. 25 at South Beverly Grill in Beverly Hills. Of course, that was before the FBI revisited Clinton's emails, but he follows up a few days later to say he firmly stands by his prediction: "Trump is not going to win." In many ways, Favreau and his podcast pals have become Nate Silvers of this wild campaign, calmly (and often hilariously) picking apart polls, media spin and Trump's missteps, giving what they call liberal "bedwetters" a chance to calm down. "The race, to us, has been remarkably stable when you look at the fundamentals, which most of the horse-race coverage doesn't do," says Favreau, who escaped D.C. for L.A. in 2013 to write for film and TV while helping tech companies and nonprofits hone public speeches via his and Vietor's Fenway Strategies (both are from Boston). "People's opinions of Trump have been pretty set. Hillary's favorable [ratings] have moved more than anything else. They've gone down, they've gone up, and I think the debates did more for her favorability ratings than anything else in the campaign because she came off as presidential." Favreau, 35, lives in West Hollywood with fiancee Emily Black, a Sunshine Sachs publicist, on the same street as his brother Andy, an actor (NBC's Aquarius), and Lovett, who created NBC's short-lived 1600 Penn. Favreau and friends were pitching a young-skewing political TV show when fellow Holy Cross alum Bill Simmons suggested a podcast on Simmons' The Ringer digital hub. Amid the election frenzy, it's now generating at least 300,000 listens an episode, appears in the iTunes top 50 podcast list and lures top guests in political media like NBC's Savannah Guthrie and Katy Tur (who jumped off the phone as the Billy Bush scandal was breaking) and GOP strategist Mike Murphy. Favreau hasn't asked Obama to appear -- yet. An Oct. 27 live taping of the show at LA's Silent Movie Theater sold out in 35 minutes at $30 a seat. Of course, interest in politics is about to wane considerable after Nov. 8: "That's the big question: figuring out what's next," Favreau says. "But I'd like to keep doing it for as long as people want to listen." A TV version could be possible -- but probably not on Fox News. "I don't know what's going to happen at Fox," he says. "With [Roger] Ailes gone, you've got Megyn Kelly and Bret Baier and Chris Wallace trying to be legitimate news people, and they're going to be sick of [Trump] pretty fast. But the Hannitys and Fox and Friends and those morons, that's their bread and butter." And if -- or, in Favreau's view, when -- Trump loses Nov. 8, will he concede to Clinton? "That's a good question," he says. "I don't think he gives a concession [speech] that night. He probably waits until the next day -- depending on the margin, I think there are a couple people around him that will tell him various conspiracies." Favreau says he has no plans to go back to D.C. and, at least for now, prefers his new life in L.A. He even met that other Jon Favreau, the director, who invited him to a pop-up dinner last year at the restaurant Animal. "We go up to the front, and I'm like Jon Favreau, party for four.' And they're like, 'What?', '" (Hollywood Reporter)

TV Ratings: World Series Climax Brings TV's Biggest Haul Since Super Bowl. The Chicago Cubs' historic Game 7 win, after 10 innings and a brief rain delay, tops the previous six games on Fox. The World Series ended on an incredibly high note. After a tumultuous Game 7, one that went 10 innings and included an 11th hour rain delay, the Chicago Cubs earned the franchise's first MLB championship in 108 years. And viewers tuned in, solidifying the 2016 World Series the most-watched since 2004. With a huge overnight 25.2 rating among households on Fox, the Cubs' 8-7 win over the Cleveland Indians ranks as the biggest in the seven-game series. It tops the previous high set on Sunday night by 65 percent, when Game 5 earned a 15.3 rating -- and, ultimately 23.6 million viewers. Early indicators for the Game 7 finale have the total audience going as high as 40 million viewers. If that is the case, it will rank as the most-watched baseball game in over 15 years -- and potentially longer. It also makes it the most-watched individual telecast this year outside of the Super Bowl. Forthcoming viewership stats for Wednesday's conclusion will easily drive the seven-game average even higher. Heading into Game 7 series, it had been averaging 20 million viewers. The final average will still be shy of 2004's stunning turnout for the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals. That four-game series averaged more than 25 million viewers. But that series only lasted four games. With seven games and such a high average, the 2016 World Series can arguably claim top ratings status since 2001. This World Series has been a huge boon to Fox. The network, which started the 2016-17 season in the No. 4 slot, has climbed to No. 2 status among adults 18-49 in the Big Four over the last month. It should also be emphasized that baseball has managed to be a huge live draw at a time when flagging NFL ratings have gotten so much attention. Nearly every game of the 2016 World Series outmatched primetime football showings for over the last month. Complete ratings for Wednesday's Game 7 -- and the 2017 World Series as a whole-will arrive later on Thursday. But they'll only be icing the proverbial cake for Fox and Major League Baseball. (Hollywood Reporter)