ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Vanessa Bryant Gives Birth to Third Daughter, Bianka Bella Bryant, With Kobe Bryant. There's an exciting new addition in the Bryant household! E! News can confirm Kobe's wife of 15 years, Vanessa, has given birth to their third child together -- another beautiful baby girl! The baby makes five in the family as the former basketball stud and Vanessa are already parents to two daughters, Natalia Diamante Bryant, 13, and Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, 10. The mama-of-three first announced the pregnancy news on Instagram in July. "Beyond blessed and excited to share that we are expecting our third baby girl!!! #blessed #babymamba #thankful," the 34-year-old wrote alongside a photo of a pair of black and red sneakers, a sparkly red bow and a onesie emblazoned with the words "Baby Mamba." Vanessa has since made her account private, but Kobe shared the same picture and caption on his own account. The baby news came at the right time for the family as just a few months earlier, the former NBA star played in his final game with the Los Angeles Lakers. In mid-April, Kobe hit the basketball court at Staples Center for the last time, having announced his retirement last November. He played for the L.A. Lakers for 20 seasons and is ranked third on the NBA's all-time points leaders list. Following his final game, he tweeted a heartfelt message to his fans, writing, "Last night was the final chapter to an incredible story. I walk away at peace knowing my love for the game & this city will never be broken." Cheers to new chapters, Kobe, and congratulations to the family of five! UPDATE: Vanessa Bryant and Kobe Bryant named their third daughter Bianka Bella Bryant, TMZ is reporting. She was born at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach. (Eonline)

HGTV's Property Brothers Star Drew Scott Is Engaged to Longtime Girlfriend. Finally, some happy news coming from the HGTV family! One-half of Property Brothers duo Drew Scott is set to tie the knot with longtime girlfriend Linda Phan, People reports. According to the mag, who was first to report the news, the home improvement guru popped the question while out to dinner with his now-fiance in Toronto. Scott enlisted the restaurant to play Train's hit love song "Marry Me" (how fitting), and a Dr. Suess-themed cake inspired by Oh, the Places You'll Go! was brought out to commemorate the special moment. "I've had to be as stealthy as a ninja to pull this off," Drew told the outlet. After the proposal, Drew and Linda headed off to a surprise engagement party attended by the groom-to-be's twin brother, Jonathan Scott, and their closest family and friends. The lovebirds first crossed paths at a Toronto Fashion Week event in 2010, and have been together ever since. No word yet on just when they'll walk down the aisle, but given Drew's flair for interiors, it's bound to be absolutely breathtaking! Congratulations, you two. (Eonline)

Ben Affleck Proves His Deep Love for Jennifer Garner Once Again: She's the ''Greatest Mom in the World." Ben Affleck has nothing but love and positive words for his ex, Jennifer Garner. The actor sat down for Times Talk at New York University's Skirball Center for Performing Arts on Monday and chatted with NY Times journalist Chip McGrath. Affleck spoke in depth about his career, his various movie choices -- including his most recent film, Live by Night, which he wrote, produced, directed and starred in -- and all of his successes. But despite two Oscars and multiple accolades for his films, his greatest success is still his three children, Violet, Samuel and Seraphina. "In my career or otherwise, it is the birth of my children," he said when asked about his biggest accomplishment. "The entrance of my children into the world." He continued, "It's a joy to hang out with them. I think the meaning of life is to make good people." Luckily, he has some solid help when it comes to raising his children to be good people, noting that Garner is the "greatest mom in the world" and further proving his love for her is never-ending. Despite splitting up in 2015, Affleck has continued to praise Garner. While talking with E! News in March, the actor told us, "Jen is a superhero mom. She is an amazing mother and I'm really lucky to have her as a partner to co-parent these kids with. We try our best, we put them first and that's what we do." Garner has reciprocated that sentiment, explaining that she and Affleck are "great friends," and admitting there's "no other choice" than to put the children first and co-parent as a team. "It has to be. You don't have a choice," she said in an interview in August. "It has to be." Though their new normal might look unusual to some, she promised, "We're doing really well." (Eonline)

Gina Rodriguez Talks About Accepting Love, Why She Won't Take Certain Roles and How She Got Her Start in Acting. In Gina Rodriguez's interview with Marie Claire, she's made one thing crystal clear -- it isn't about the money for her. The 32-year-old star says she's made a critical choice, "I decided I was going to take roles that progressed the image of Latinos in the industry, and I was going to choose those roles over money. I wanted to make sure I was contributing positively and not allowing limitations to dampen my experiences and my journey." The Jane the Virgin star, who recently opened up to Health about living with Hashimoto's disease, says she's currently working on accepting love. "I'm constantly working on the part of myself that doesn't feel like 'enough.' This relationship has been possible because, for the past six months, I have vowed to work on loving myself," she explained. "I want to know that I don't need another to be full. So that whenever another person, an endorsement, or a project comes into play, they are an addition, not filling a need for value or fulfillment or worth or love. Because if I do that, I will forever be hungry." In the sit-down interview, the star revealed that the road to acting wasn't exactly an easy road for her. "My path wasn't laid out for me in my family or my culture because there are so few of us in the industry. That's how my whole career happened. Your eyes are open; you don't know what the next answer is going to be, but you're open. And you take every opportunity that comes your way," she explained. The week the already Golden Globe-winning actress received her third Golden Globe nomination. Don't miss the inaugural Marie Claire's Young Women's Honors, Monday, December 19 at 8/7c on The CW, which will be hosted and produced by Rodriguez. (Eonline)

Nearly eight months after they secretly split, Tarek and Christina El Moussa are opening up about their shocking separation and the bizarre incident involving a gun. "We decided to separate while we reevaluated the next steps in our married life," the couple tells PEOPLE in this week's issue. "We believed this was in the best interests of the children and the best way to determine a path forward." Though they announced their split on Monday, the Flip or Flop stars hadn't been together since May 23, when a "crying and shaking" Christina called police after Tarek fled their California home with a gun in his backpack following an altercation. He then hopped the fence in their back yard and took off into the Chino Hills State Park as 11 police cars and a helicopter were dispatched. Once he was spotted, the reality star complied with police orders and now the couple say his "intentions were misread." "Tarek was going on a hike and took a gun for protection from mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and rattlesnakes," they add. As for his weapon collection (which includes five firearms kept "unloaded and in a locked gun safe") Tarek agreed to turn them over to police for 30 days. Since then, both 35-year-old Tarek and 33-year-old Christina have been living apart and are trying to move on. "We have both dated other people following the separation, but neither of us is ready to announce anything in terms of another relationship," they say. Despite their separate lives Tarek and Christina have no plans to split up their many businesses. "We plan to continue our professional life together by being professional, by doing our jobs well, by being prepared and by working hard," the couple explains. Currently filming for HGTV, they're also releasing a book, Flip Your Life, in March. For now, the couple says they has no plans to official file for divorce and their two children Taylor, 6, and Brayden, 16 months, are their No. 1 priority. "The most difficult part of the decision to separate was the kids. We want the best for them, and we're doing everything we can to ensure that." (People)

It's been almost two years since dreadlock-gate went down and Giuliana Rancic may never live down the incident. The E! host came under fire after criticizing actress Zendaya's hairstyle at the 2015 Oscars during an episode of "Fashion Police." "I feel like she smells like patchouli oil. Or weed," said Rancic. But the "Spider-Man: Homecoming" star didn't let it fly and ripped Rancic in a scathing Instagram post, sparking a media firestorm. In a new interview with Allure, the actress revealed how she felt when first hearing the comments and why she clapped back so hard. "This is way bigger than a beef between us," she said. "I heard about the comment through Twitter, and my first reaction was angry -- I got really mad. Then I realized this has nothing to do with us. It was one small look into an overall misconception about a large group of people." The 20-year-old Disney star revealed she had her mom proofread her response before posting, "and that was it." "Someone said something about my hair at the Oscars that left me in awe," she wrote at the time. "Not because I was relishing in rave outfit reviews, but because I was hit with ignorant slurs and pure disrespect." After her post, something happened Zendaya wasn't expecting. "I got all of these pictures from women wearing locs. I made it my Twitter header, and that became empowering," she revealed. "It became something very positive. It allowed us to talk about things that make us uncomfortable." "There was a little girl for Halloween last year that was me from the Oscars," Zendaya added, proudly, before applauding the release of a Zendaya Barbie. "I think that was a big moment not just for me but for women of color. It's a step in the right direction. But we have a long way to go." (Too Fab)

The wife of Broncos star Emmanuel Sanders is pulling the plug on their brief marriage, despite the fact she's about to give birth to their 2nd child any day ... TMZ Sports has learned. Gabriella Sanders -- who is due this month -- filed divorce docs in Texas at the end of October, a few days before the couple's 3 year wedding anniversary. According to the court docs, GS says "the marriage has become insupportable because of discord or conflict of personalities," but doesn't say exactly what caused the split. It doesn't seem pretty, cause the judge gave Gabriella a temporary restraining order to keep the wide receiver away from her and their Texas home until further notice. The judge did give the NFLer "limited access" to their 2-year-old son and future daughter. In the docs, Gabriella's also asking for child support and a "disproportionate share" of their assets, because she says the divorce is Emmanuel's fault. We reached out to his camp, but they had no comment at this time. UPDATE: Gabriella had their baby girl Tuesday afternoon, and Emmanuel was there in the delivery room. He posted a pic which makes it seem like they buried their differences, at least for the day. (TMZ)

Sum 41 Rocker Deryck Whibley on Alcohol Addiction: How My Wife and Music Saved My Life. While Sum 41 fans knew frontman Deryck Whibley for his catchy punk-rock anthems and electric live shows, behind the scenes, the singer found himself battling with some serious demons -- including a nearly fatal alcohol addiction. Now healthy and happily remarried, the musician -- who was married to Avril Lavigne before their 2009 split -- opened up to PEOPLE about hitting rock bottom, his journey to sobriety and Sum 41's new album, 13 Voices, which Whibley and the band will be touring behind through March 2017. How has the whole process of getting out there and performing changed since your recovery? There's a lot of things that are the same, and there are a lot of things that are different. The lifestyle on the road is completely different from what it was before: for all of us, not just myself. I obviously went through my issues with alcohol, but our whole band and crew -- everyone in our world -- we were all pretty bad. You guys were basically kids when you first started playing. Yeah, I mean, I've been on the road since I was 17. So we were all pretty bad, but it was just sort of the norm. I think it was a wake-up call for everybody. At this age for all of us, we just care more about different things. Even though there were the health issues that went along with all the partying. ... It also just gets really boring after a while. After that many years, you're looking for something else, and you realize that, really, playing music and being on the road and doing what you love is the most exciting thing that you could do and that you're clouding it all by adding drugs and alcohol. It already is a high. Are you back at 100 percent by this point? You had some problems re-learning guitar initially? Yeah, but it's been two and a half years now, and I feel better than I've ever felt, so I would say I'm more than 100 percent. I feel like I've gotten 100 percent back and then some. The only thing that bothers me know is, like, the common cold. Just being in social situations, being around people... every little thing that you used alcohol as a crutch to get through -- for me, pretty much everything -- all of the sudden is there, again, but you don't have that crutch anymore. So it was really frightening. I mean, I remember at one point, thinking, "I don't even know how to get on the phone and talk to someone without having at least a drink or two already." And then that was the realization of how bad it had really gotten: "Man, I can't even make a f -- ing phone call without having a drink." Where did realizations like this fit into your recovery? What was the looming prospect of sobriety like for you? Before I went into the hospital, when I was still drinking every day, the clearest thought that I could have was that, "This is probably not good, and I'm going to have to deal with this eventually -- just not right now." So I knew that it wasn't great, I just thought I was going to fix it, like, tomorrow. When I woke up sober in the hospital, I knew instantly how bad it was and what had gotten me there and that I wasn't going to drink anymore. I was so done with it. If anything, it almost felt like a bit of freedom: "Finally, something has stopped this whole cycle." Your finance -- now wife, Ariana Cooper -- got sober along with you. What was it like going through that process together? We definitely helped each other, but she probably helped me more than I was able to help her. We both got sober at the same time, and we were both pretty bad together. We were a bit of a team. I think I'd been drinking much longer than she had, but she was just there the whole time, and I couldn't do anything for myself. I couldn't move, I couldn't walk; she had to take care of me completely. And my mom had moved in as well, which really helped because she's actually a nurse, and when it turned out that I was going to need 24-hour care, the two of them just took care of me for months. All the success of the new single, album and tour has to feel really welcome. Everything's been amazing. You just feel really lucky. We didn't really expect anything coming back, we didn't really know what would happen. I just knew that I had to make it and put it out for my own sake. Putting out a record and going out on tour, the whole idea of that was the only thing that helped me recover as quickly as I did. So I didn't really think about how it was going to do -- because what it was doing was keeping me alive. All this other stuff has been a huge surprise, and it's been great, like a bonus. [One of our first performances since returning L.A.] in L.A. was such a great show, and it felt like a victory. All our friends and families were there, even my doctors came to the show! All the people who had seen me go through all this crap over the past few years -- to have them all there and see how far I've come... (People)

Mary J. Blige Doesn't Want to Pay Her Ex (and Former Manager) Martin ''Kendu'' Isaacs Spousal Support. Mary J. Blige is asking the court to deny her ex and former manager, Martin "Kendu" Isaacs, spousal support. E! News obtained the divorce documents in which the singer declares the couple's prenuptial agreement waivers any spousal support, noting, "My success as an entertainer has nothing to do with [Isaacs]. I was successful when I met him and have continued to enjoy success, although there have certainly been ups and downs." In the documents, Blige also claims Isaacs had been misappropriating money for two years, spending $420,000 in travel charges for hotels and airfare that were not related to her business and did not include her. "I just recently learned this information," she wrote. Blige noted that she made no money from the European leg of her recent tour and has been struggling with debt lately. "[Isaacs] suggests we lived a lavish lifestyle and in fact, we over spent and we are in significant debt," she explained. "We owe millions of dollars in taxes and have significant advances that have to be recouped by record companies." She claimed Isaacs also hasn't been helping her financially when it comes to a New Jersey home they share as well as a storage facility that holds personal property. She also says he hasn't returned a Grammy Award to her as well as three leased cars that were prepaid by her. Furthermore, Blige states that, though she's no longer responsible for supporting his parents and his children from a previous marriage, her income was used for that during their marriage rather than his. Blige filed for divorce from Isaacs in July after 13 years of marriage. At the time, her rep told E! News, "Ms. Blige is saddened to say it is true that she has filed for divorce saying sometimes things don't work how we hoped they would... But, there is a divine plan and a reason for everything. Mary will continue writing & working on her album which is due out later this year along with her world tour. She thanks and appreciates her fans for their support and love through this very difficult emotional time." (Eonline)

Lena Headey got a HUGE pay raise on "Game of Thrones" and is now making more than $1 million PER EPISODE ... so claims her ex-husband, who's got plans for that extra dough. Peter Loughran just filed new docs asking the court to make Lena pay his legal fees in their nasty custody battle -- to the tune of $40k. He says it's only fair, since he's jobless and Lena's sleeping on a bed of 'GoT' cash. It's interesting ... there were reports Lena was set to make upwards of $500k per episode for season 7, but Peter obviously thinks she's making more than double that already. The judge hasn't ruled on his request for Lena to pay. (TMZ)

A Massachusetts man has been ordered to stay away from Ariana Grande after he pleaded guilty to harassing the pop star by sending her text messages and unwanted gifts. The Sun reports a judge on Tuesday placed 31-year-old Timothy Normandin, of Lowell, on probation for three years after he pleaded guilty to criminal harassment. In 2014, prosecutors say Normandin used text messages, social media and traveled to New York and Connecticut to try to talk to Grande. Normandin is accused of sending Grande unwanted gifts including a 42-pound pumpkin, eight Yankee candles and a rock from the White Mountains of New Hampshire. A court clinician has said Normandin has a number of mental health issues, including delusional disorder. The judge ordered Normandin to continue with counseling. (Page Six)

Fifth Harmony had only 4 members who were free Tuesday night, because Lauren Jauregui was busted for weed Tuesday night while trying to get on a plane at Dulles Airport. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Lauren was stopped at a TSA checkpoint and forced to submit to a secondary search, when a TSA staffer found what appeared to be a bag of marijuana in her carry-on luggage. Cops were flagged down in the terminal and they promptly arrested the singer. It appears Lauren was heading for Brazil where the group is set to perform Wednesday night. (TMZ)

Growing Pains Star Alan Thicke Dead at 69. Hollywood is mourning the loss of a TV icon. Alan Thicke passed away due to a heart attack, a publicist for the Thicke family confirmed to NBC News. He was 69. According to TMZ who first broke the news, the actor had a heart attack while he was playing hockey with his 19-year-old son, Carter. He was transported to Providence St. Joseph's Medical Center around noon local time and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The actor is survived by his wife Tanya Thicke and his three children including Carter, Brennan and singer Robin Thicke. Fans will remember the actor for his role as Dr. Jason Seaver in the long-running series Growing Pains. He also appeared in The Bold and the Beautiful, How I Met Your Mother and most recently Fuller House. Just hours before the news broke, the actor expressed his excitement at the show's new season on Twitter. "Season 2 Fuller House looking good," a Twitter post read. "I even like the ones I'm not in! #fullerhouse @fullhouseguy @bobsaget @candacecbure #netflix." The actor also recently attended the Whistler Film Festival in Canada where he accepted the Icon Award. The celebration occurred around Dec. 4. (Eonline)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

In 1969, Buzz Aldrin became the second person to walk on the moon. And in 2016, he set another record -- as the oldest man to visit the South Pole. But while altitude sickness caused the 86-year-old former astronaut to be medically evacuated from his historic trip, Aldrin said the journey was "worth it." Appearing on Today for his first television interview since being hospitalized after his trip, a recovered Aldrin said that despite his health scare, he never thought about abandoning his mission. "When turning back is about as difficult as pressing on, you press on because you've got an objective, especially when they tell me I just set a record," Aldrin told Al Roker while chatting at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "The oldest guy to the South Pole. See, now it was worth it, really." Aldrin was visiting Antarctica with a group hosted by luxury tourism operator White Desert, alongside his son, Andrew. They had reached an elevation of 9,000 feet when Aldrin started showing signs of illness. "I got out of breath," Aldrin said. "You know, nothing new except I felt a little more concentrated. It's cold. You've got a lot of heavy stuff, and there's not much room to breathe up there." He was evacuated on the first available flight from McMurdo Station, a research center in Antarctica run by the National Science Foundation, to a hospital in Christchurch, New Zealand. An examination at a local hospital found Aldrin had fluid in his lungs, but Aldrin responded well to antibiotics and was said to be in stable condition and "good spirits." He passed the time, like many Americans, by keeping up with the Kardashians. While he was recovering, Aldrin also learned about the passing of fellow astronaut John Glenn, whom he called a "typical, all-American guy." "I just admire that guy so much, even though he was a Marine," Aldrin told Roker. "But he knew how to fly that airplane, I could tell you that." (People)

Lamar Odom checked himself into rehab out of fear he'd go on a major bender as his deceased son's birthday approached ... TMZ Sports has learned. Lamar's son, Jayden, was born Dec 15, 2005, but died the following June from SIDS. We're told his son's death was the primary reason he started doing hardcore drugs ... and he was keenly aware the birthday might push him over the edge again. As we reported, our Lamar sources say he went to a San Diego area facility late last week. We're told Lamar's also struggling with the fact his divorce from Khloe will be final on Saturday, and he didn't want to be tempted to use. Lamar is shooting for a 60-day rehab stint. He bailed after 3 weeks when he attempted rehab in 2012. (TMZ)

John Mayer celebrated Taylor Swift's birthday not by throwing a party, but by throwing MAJOR shade her way. John tweeted a not-so-subtle diss at his ex Tuesday -- her 27th born day -- calling it "the lamest day of the year." He pulled the classic post-and-delete ... which only makes it more obvious it was a shot at Taylor. Dear John clearly still has some bad blood with T-Swift. On a happier note -- happy birthday, Taylor? Belatedly. (TMZ)

Jennifer Lawrence Took a Picture With Her Mom While Peeing. Well, that's one way to take a mother-daughter photo. During an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence shared a unique picture of her and her mom with the audience. In the shot, her mother is holding a glass of wine while sitting in a chair and smirking at the camera. Behind her, Lawrence looks like she is kneeling and smiling at the camera in unison. Unbeknownst to the audience -- and her mom sitting there -- the star was actually peeing while the photo was taken. "She has no idea, no clue," Lawrence said of her mama. "I went to pee and my friend got the phone because she knew I was peeing and then we both decided to leave my mom out of it." "That's a very relaxed peeing face," James Corden observed. "I know how to do it. I've done it a lot," Lawrence quipped. Meanwhile, she hasn't been making the cut in co-star Christ Pratt's photos. Instead, the Passengers star has been purposely -- and hilariously -- cropping her out of their pictures together on his Instagram feed. Fortunately, with the help of Jimmy Kimmel, Lawrence finally got her revenge when she used a bottle of spray paint to destroy a poster of his face on the side of a bus. "I feel better," she said. Upon further reflection, she added, "I should have given him devil eyes, but -- you know." (Eonline)

Rob Kardashian's 19-year-old kid sister is his new landlord. Rob, his fiancee Blac Chyna and their one-month-old daughter Dream have uprooted their family from Tarzana, Calif., and are said to be renting from Kylie, reports TMZ. The couple, 29 and 28 respectfully, has settled into one of Kylie's Hidden Hills, Calif., homes so they can be near the rest of the Kardashian-Jenner brood. The property boasts six bedrooms, seven bathrooms and a pool. By the looks of Blac Chyna and Rob's social media posts, they've made the home their own in recent weeks. Blac Chyna shared a holiday photo with son King Cairo sitting in front of the home, which is adorned with Christmas lights and decorations. The new pad will also be the backdrop for season two of "Rob & Chyna," which is set to air in 2017, per a press release. Home for the holidays. (Page Six)

After years in the spotlight, Zendaya is questioning if she actually wants to be famous. "Eh, I don't know. Sometimes I do; sometimes I don't," the 20-year-old Disney darling shared in the January issue of Allure magazine. "You just see so many people who are miserable here. It's like, why?" With a number of projects in the works, including a role in the upcoming "Spider-Man: Homecoming" movie, Zendaya worries she'll fall out of love with acting. "It's OK to be focused, but I can't get to a point where I don't like what I'm doing," she said. "It's gotta be fun and creative and good." Contemplating her fame isn't the only thing that sets Zendaya apart from her Hollywood peers. Rather than going out, she'd rather "be home with my family," she said. "I've never had a desire to drink." (Page Six)

Louis Tomlinson's stepdad, Dan Deakin, took to Twitter Tuesday, December 13, to share a message from the One Direction alum's late mother, Johannah Deakin, who died of leukemia December 7. "Hi, it's Dan. Johannah asked for me to send this afterward," Dan wrote from Johannah's Twitter account. "She wanted to thank you all, and to let you know that you have been amazing right from the start." He added: "You changed Louis' life, but also her life. Your support now is as strong if not stronger than ever. So from Johannah one last time, thank you for everything xxx." Dan confirmed Johannah's death to Us Weekly in a statement December 9. "It is with immeasurable sadness that Deakin's family said goodbye to Johannah in the early hours of Wednesday 7th December 2016," he wrote. She was 42. On December 10, Tomlinson, 24, expressed his gratitude to those who have stuck by his side in the wake of his mom's passing. "All the support has been incredible! Let's do this together tonight," the former boy bander tweeted ahead of his highly anticipated solo performance of his new single "Just Hold On" on The X Factor Saturday night. The lyrics to the Steve Aoki–assisted track are particularly poignant given Tomlinson's loss. "Oh, until it's all been said, it's not over until your dying breath," the dad of one -- he shares son Freddie with ex Briana Jungwirth -- sang. "So what do you want them to say when you're gone? That you gave up or that you kept going on? What do you do when a chapter ends? Do you close the book and never read it again?" "Where do you go when your story's done?" he continued. "You can be who you want or who you'll become. Oh, if it all goes wrong, oh, darling, just hold on. The sun goes down and it comes back up. The world still turns no matter what." Hours after the performance, Tomlinson thanked his fans for making the moment memorable. "That was harder than I ever imagined. I want to thank everyone around me and all of the amazing fans out there that made that so special!" he tweeted. (US Weekly)

Music

Jackie Evancho will sing the national anthem at the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump next month, the 16-year-old singer announced on Today Wednesday. Evancho, who rose to fame in 2010 when she came in second place on America's Got Talent at the age of ten, said she felt honored that she was asked to sing at the swearing in ceremony. "I'm so excited. It's going to be awesome," she said. It won't be the first time the teen has performed in the presence of a commander in chief. In 2010, Evancho sang "O Holy Night" at the National Christmas Tree Lighting hosted by President Barack Obama, and in 2012, she performed for Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast. Evancho has also met Trump before. Not long after her victory on America's Got Talent, she met the president-elect at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A photo of the duo was posted on the young singing sensation's Facebook page. Evancho joins an elite group of singers who have performed at presidential inaugurations. Beyonce sang the national anthem at the second inauguration for President Obama in 2013, while Aretha Franklin had the honor during his first ceremony. (People)

Yikes! Mariah Carey Is Over an Hour Late for Her Concert After Time Difference Confusion: ''Please Tell Me This Isn't True!'' Mariah Carey is late for a very important date. Mimi's tour manager Yoni makes a big mistake and forgets to mention a crucial detail in this Mariah's World sneak peek as the pop star travels from London to Luxembourg for a concert stop. "We decided to base ourselves out of London, so we're traveling to the show in Luxembourg for one night," Mariah explains. "Even if it means longer commutes for me, it's worth it for me to have my kids have a home base." Mariah's manager Stella Bulochnikov is a little worried when they land because they only have 55 minutes left before show time -- that is until Yoni drops a bombshell! "I think that there's an hour time difference between Luxembourg and the UK," he casually mentions. Stella then begins to freak out. "What are you talking about?!" she asks alarmed. "It's 9:15 here," he responds. "It's one hour ahead." "Are you kidding?" Mariah's makeup artist Kristofer Buckle asks. "So, she's supposed to be on stage 15 minutes ago and we're here on a plane?" "Please tell me that she's not supposed to be onstage 15 minutes ago," Stella pleads. "Please tell me this is not possible. Please tell me this is not true!" Whoops! (Eonline)

Prince Royce on Performing for Rock the Troops: "It Was Very Moving." Prince Royce and many of the biggest stars in Hollywood united for an epic concert for a group of very special people: our troops. The 27-year-old singer performed for 45,000 troops and their families, the epic event took place at the historic Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii. "My team approached me with the idea, and I automatically said I am in -- what an important show to be a part of," the star explains to E! News about how he got involved with the project. "It was very moving, and I was in awe of what many of our service men and women have been through." Other celebrities that joined include Kevin Hart, Matthew McConaughey, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Rob Riggle, Scott Eastwood, Terry Crews and Laird Hamilton. You can enjoy special performances by Nick Jonas, Flo Rida, Tenacious D, Katharine McPhee and Lynyrd Skynyrd. When it came to his performance, Royce handpicked the songs he sang. "I wanted to sing something uptempo that everyone would enjoy so I chose "Back It Up" and I also sang "Darte Un Beso" (in Spanish) which is one of my songs that has been a favorite internationally," he said before adding." I wanted to honor so many of our service men and women who have Hispanic heritage. Out of all the performances, the star said he liked Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's best. "I loved The Rock's performance -- wow can he sing! It was a huge surprise and definitely a wonderful performance." Royce says that he hopes the troops know, "That the show was a small way for us to show the great appreciation our country and its citizens have for what they do to keep us safe and protected each and every day." You can catch the singer and tons of celebrities on Rock the Troops, December 13 at 9PM ET/PT on Spike. (Eonline)

Jennifer Hudson and Ariana Grande Will "Definitely" Sing Together Again. Hairspray Live wasn't the last time we'll be hearing Jennifer Hudson and Ariana Grande singing together. Hudson tells me they're likely to cut a song together. "We fell in love with each other so I think that will definitely happen," the Oscar winner said while promoting her new movie Sing with the animated flick's music producer Harvey Mason Jr. "I cannot wait." She gushed that her and Grande's Hairspray Live duet "Come so Far (Got so Far to Go)" was one of her favorite collaborations. "I love her," J-Hud said, adding, "It's a feel-good record. You could feel our energy through it." Mason said, "I think your voices go really well together...You really compliment her and I think she compliments you." Hudson and Mason first worked together 10 years ago on Dreamgirls. JHud is opening to playing Effie again. "I wouldn't mind doing a one-night-only," she said with a wink to the Dreamgirls song "One Night Only." "Something like what we did with Hairspray Live. I think that would be amazing." Dreamgirls Live? Yes, please! "I Got Faith," a Sing tune performed by Stevie Wonder and Grande, was nominated for a Golden Globe for original song. "It was so much fun. We had a great time," Mason said of the movie, which is also up for best-animated film. "It's a great cast, great music [and a] great story." Sing stars Matthew McCanaughey as a koala who puts on an American Idol-like singing competition to help save his failing theater. The star-studded cast also includes Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Tori Kelly, Seth MacFarlane, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton and Nick Kroll singing more than 65 songs. Sing will be in theaters on Dec. 21. (Eonline)

Pitbull's company is threatening to sue if details of his sweet deal with the state of Florida get out -- but the state's Speaker of the House refuses to be bullied. State Rep. Richard Corcoran is suing Mr. Worldwide's company over his contract to be a celebrity tourism ambassador for the Sunshine State. Corcoran says Pitbull got "significant compensation" from FL when he signed the 2015 deal, but the amount was kept under wraps. Corcoran says Florida's Congress was in the dark, until the company turned over the contract with one caveat -- if its "confidential trade secrets" were leaked, Pitbull could sue. According to docs, obtained by TMZ, Corcoran wants the veil of secrecy lifted so legislators can work on the state's budget -- including tourism expenditures -- without worrying some singer is going to sue them. Corcoran wants a judge to declare Florida's Congress immune from potential litigation -- and to rule there are no "trade secrets" in the contract, anyway. (TMZ)

Tor Miller Premieres Haunting Video for "Always". Tor Miller is haunted by visions of his past in the music video for "Always," which is premiering exclusively on Billboard Wednesday (Dec. 14). "The video for 'Always' is about the conflicting views the main character has on his current situation and the person he thinks he still loves," Miller says in a statement. Starting off with Miller walking into a tunnel, the video finds him ultimately being met with an array of identically dressed women. "Always" was filmed during a cold night in London's Greenwich foot tunnel and served as an integral part in telling the story between Miller and the women in the video. "We wanted to portray the conflicting emotions within the song, envisioning the tunnel as a sort of nightmare which keeps looping -- being haunted by apparitions of your significant other, questioning your future together," said Miller. "I think it's my best video to date." Miller, a singer-songwriter from New York, started his career playing piano bars across the Lower East Side before being signed to Glassnote Records in 2014. "Always" comes from his debut album American English which was released Sep. 30. Miller will be kicking off a North American tour in February 2017. (Billboard)

Masta Killa Recruits Method Man and Redman for Adult Swim Single 'Therapy': Premiere. There is magic whenever any members of the Wu-Tang Clan join forces on a track. Today, as part of the Adult Swim Singles Program, Wu-Tang's Masta Killa recruits fellow Shaolin swordsman Method Man and frequent Wu collaborator Redman for a new single, "Therapy." With a steady piano-centered uptempo beat provided by PF Cuttin, Masta Killa, Mef and the Funk Doc cut right to the chase, with MK dropping the thesis statement in his first bar: "Yo, I gotta be around this music / It's therapeutic," echoed by Method Man with his impeccable flow in the opening of his second verse as well before Redman comes through with some typically funny and quotable bars of his own. "Therapy" is the first single off Masta Killa's forthcoming new album, Loyalty Is Royalty, which is due out on Nature Sounds, and he had some praise for Adult Swim for helping promote the track. "Adult Swim is always crazy; they give it to you raw, straight no chaser and that's what this music stands for," he told Billboard in an email. "There needs to be more major outlets for music in its raw form where it doesn't have to be watered down or politically correct. Big respect to Adult Swim for that." (Billboard)

Country Producer-Guitarist Dann Huff Works Both Sides of the Amp. The Thomas Rhett and Keith Urban associate started out as an ace session guitarist. When the Country Music Association handed out its 50th annual awards on Nov. 2, Chris Stapleton got a fair amount of attention for taking home two trophies. Only one other person was a double-winner that night, though most people didn't pay much attention. He stood in the background as Thomas Rhett accepted single of the year for "Die a Happy Man." He wasn't even present when his other award, musician of the year, was announced off-camera. And he never made it back to the press room to have his photo snapped with his two trophies. Producer-guitarist Dann Huff (Keith Urban, Brantley Gilbert) wasn't trying to be difficult. He showed up late to the pre-telecast because he had work at the studio during the day -- and spent his first 20 minutes apologizing for not being available. Then when it seemed like the best time to go backstage for interviews, TV producers wanted him to stay seated in the house in case they needed a reaction shot. In the middle of it all, Huff was distracted by Game 7 of the World Series. "I kept trying to get out and watch the Cubs game at the bar," he says. "In fact, the Cubs won. I'm an uber Cubs fan, so it was a great night." Huff hadn't really expected much that evening. As a full-time producer, his playing is usually reserved for moments when he's tinkering on a track that needs a little work. "I'm incredibly honored, obviously, to get the musician's award," he says, "but the guys that were nominated against me, they play for me in the studio, and I feel that that [award] should go to the guys who do it every day." And while the sparsely produced "Die a Happy Man" became one of the definitive country hits of 2016, Huff didn't foresee it as a career-making title for Rhett, and a rejuvenating one for himself. "I'd love to say that I knew it, but I would be lying," says Huff. The idea that things have happened by accident -- that he has stumbled into his successes -- is a recurring theme in conversation with him, in part because he's built to stay in the background. And in part because he's still trying to perfect his craft. "Dann is Dann's worst critic," says Gilbert. "He's an amazing producer, and there ain't a whole lot of wrong he can do in my book." While critics have focused on Huff's rock-tinged productions and his -middle-of-the-road tracks, such as Lonestar's "Amazed," he actually has compiled a fairly diverse resume. His hit list ranges from the Southern rock of Trace Adkins' "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" to Rascal Flatts' poppish ballad "My Wish" to Maddie & Tae's fiercely country "Fly." He has worked with such big-voiced females as LeAnn Rimes and Martina McBride, overseen R&B-shaded males like Gary LeVox and Billy Currington, and helped fellow guitarist Urban build an ever-changing career. And while Huff is quite capable on his own, he also gets credit for working well with others. "Dann and I are both kindred spirits in the fact that we want to stay focused on the most important thing in the room: the artist and the song," says Nathan Chapman, who has co-produced Taylor Swift and Cassadee Pope with Huff. "The production wasn't about how good can me and Dann make ourselves look. It's about making the song and making [the artist] shine." A Nashville native who went through the Belmont University system, Huff was already playing technically challenging guitar parts in sessions as a teenager, appearing on his first bona fide hit, Greg Guidry's "Goin' Down" (No. 17, Billboard Hot 100), at age 21 in 1982. In short order, he got contracted to play sessions in Los Angeles, keeping his Tennessee residence hidden until he finally bit the bullet and moved. "I was so green," he recalls. "I paid for all my expenses every time I went out there. I would have to fly all my gear out there, rent a car, get a hotel; I wasn't even smart enough to know that there were cartage companies. Every time I played, I would go in the hole probably by a thousand dollars." During the roughly seven years he lived in California, he played on sessions for Michael, Barbra, Bob Seger, Whitney Houston, Whitesnake and Chaka. So when he moved back to Nashville, his credits made it easy to get a gig. What was hard was finding a way to fit in in country, which he admittedly did not know well. Producer James Stroud (Clint Black, John Anderson), who had played drums on Guidry's album, put him to work as the sound of country got bigger. "He wanted somebody that didn't come from the Nashville scene because he was wanting to change the styles," says Huff. "He did just a ridiculous amount of records, and he hired me for almost every one of them for about 10 years." Producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange hired Huff, too, for the groundbreaking Shania Twain albums The Woman in Me and Come On Over, and it was Lange who put the production bug in Huff's ear. Twain and Lange also recommended him to Faith Hill, who used him on her Vince Gill duet "Let Me Let Go," a No. 1 single in 1998. "Amazed," which Huff says had been turned down by about 10 artists before Lonestar cut it, vaulted him into the A-list of Nashville country producers, though when Capitol chief Mike Dungan paired him with Urban, he met some resistance. Urban wasn't sure, based on some of Huff's records, that it would be an ideal match. By the same token, Huff wasn't sure why everyone was so high on Urban's talents. "They told me what a great guitar player he was, but on the record, I didn't hear it," recalls Huff. "I've been making records for a long time and played on a lot of great records, and what I identified as great I didn't hear in him. But I went and saw him play live, and then all of a sudden the light clicked on." "Somebody Like You," which introduced the ganjo as a central Urban sound in 2002, was their first single as a unit. They've worked together regularly ever since, clearly bringing out the best in each other. Huff won the CMA's musician of the year award twice during that decade, in 2001 and 2004, and while Huff was nominated a dozen times as a producer for an album or single of the year finalist, "Die a Happy Man" is his first victory in that role. But that producer chair is the one he fills most often now. As much as he enjoys playing, he rarely has time to work other sessions, and he doesn't even charge his clients when he plays on his own productions. That's not out of character for a guy who was cool with his CMA victories going largely unnoticed beyond Music Row. "Whatever I do as a guitar player, it's absolutely the support role," he says of his dual role as a producer-musician. "I love all the guitar players in Nashville. It's a real treat for me to get to hire them, cast them and let them do really what they do best, and then I'll fill in the gaps. It really works well." (Billboard)

Movies

Sean Hannity to Executive Produce Faith-Friendly Movie With Kevin Sorbo. "It's been likened to 'Ghost' meets 'Heaven Is for Real,' with a dash of 'God's Not Dead,' " Sorbo said of the film. Fox News' Sean Hannity has delved into filmmaking by partnering with Kevin Sorbo on a movie in which the former star of TV's Hercules: The Legendary Journeys will play a world-renowned atheist whose beliefs are dramatically challenged. For Sorbo, this is the second time he is playing a character in a story with atheism as the central plot point, after having starred in God's Not Dead, the surprise hit that made $61 million domestically on a $2 million production budget and spurred a sequel, God's Not Dead 2, which made $21 million. As for Hannity, he is making his first foray into filmmaking as executive producer, but it won't be his last, according to insiders, as he is pursuing other projects. The longtime star on Fox News could reveal more about his plans on Wednesday during a segment on his show, Hannity, where Sorbo is booked as a guest. The movie, dubbed Let There Be Light, also stars Sorbo's wife, Sam, who co-wrote the script with Dan Gordon. Kevin and Sam Sorbo met when she appeared in several Hercules episodes, and the couple has worked together sporadically since then. The couple's two young sons, who train under former Baywatch star Erika Eleniak also have roles in Let There Be Light. "They blew me away with their auditions," said Sorbo. "Then Sam and I, as producers, realized the amount of money we had just saved by casting our own kids." Sorbo said he, Sam and Gordon flew from Los Angeles to New York to pitch Hannity the movie, now in post-production, and they had a deal within an hour. "It's been likened to Ghost meets Heaven Is for Real, with a dash of God's Not Dead," Sorbo said of the film, which was made on a $3 million production budget. Sorbo is still working on a distribution deal but he expects the film to open in November 2017. Sorbo has been making Christian-themed movies for several years now, a choice that others say can limit an actor's opportunities in Hollywood. "Hollywood can be a very superficial place but then again, so is the world," Sorbo said. "I choose not to focus on whatever negatives that might arise from my taking a stand for what I believe in, because our beliefs are what make us human. I couldn't be the actor I am without knowing what I stand for." (Hollywood Reporter)

SAG Film Snubs: 'Silence,' 'Loving,' '20th Century Women'. Tom Hanks and Taraji P. Henson again failed to be recognized for their lead roles in 'Sully' and 'Hidden Figures,' respectively, while Oscar frontrunner 'La La Land' was left out of SAG-AFTRA's best cast category. While Wednesday's SAG Awards nominations managed to recognize many performers who were left out of the Golden Globe nominations two days earlier, there were still a number of surprising snubs among the movie nominees. The SAG-AFTRA voters failed to recognize such awards hopefuls as Silence (which also failed to crack the Globes list), 20th Century Women (which seemed tailor-made for ensemble consideration) and Loving (which earlier this week saw its two stars Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga get Globe noms). Also coming up short were Sully, Patriots Day and Rules Don't Apply. And Nocturnal Animals earned only a stunt ensemble nomination. Sully star Tom Hanks and 20th Century Women lead Annette Bening, two SAG favorites in the past, were left out of the best actor and best actress categories, respectively. Hidden Figures star Taraji P. Henson was not on the list of best actress nominees. Also among the missing were Elle star and critics' favorite Isabelle Huppert and Miss Sloane's Jessica Chastain, both of whom earned Globe nominations as best dramatic actresses. In the outstanding cast category, the SAG Awards' best-picture equivalent, frontrunners Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea were nominated but fellow awards season front-runner La La Land was not, although it did claim nominations for its stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. Similarly, the drama Lion scored supporting nominations for both Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman, but wasn't acknowledged with ensemble honors. And while the crime tale Hell or High Water was represented by a supporting nom for Jeff Bridges, it also failed to secure a slot in SAG-AFTRA's supporting cast race. (Hollywood Reporter)

'Dunkirk' Trailer: Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Harry Styles Go to War. Mark Rylance and Kenneth Branagh are also featured in the Christopher Nolan WWII film. The first official trailer of Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk has arrived, previewing the action in the WWII movie. The Warner Bros. film centers on the British military evacuation of the French city of Dunkirk in 1940, one of the biggest battles during the war. Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh and Harry Styles are among the featured cast. Dunkirk, shot on 65mm large-format film and Imax, hits theaters July 21. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

Alan Thicke's TV Theme Song Legacy: The Man Behind The Facts of Life, Diff'rent Strokes and More Opening Numbers. Alan Thicke had quite the career in front of the camera, most recently popping up on This Is Us and Fuller House, but the beloved sitcom dad also had a hand in things behind the camera, namely writing some of TV's most beloved theme songs. In the 1980s, Thicke, who passed away from a heart attack at 69 on Tuesday, Dec. 13, helped create a number of iconic TV theme songs, most notably the opening numbers for The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes. "It Takes Diff'rent Strokes," the theme song for Diff'rent Strokes, the 1980s comedy starring Gary Coleman, Dana Plato, Todd Bridges and Conrad Bain was composed by Thicke, his then-wife Gloria Loring and Al Burton. Thicke sang on the opening number. The Facts of Life theme song was composed by Thicke, Loring and Burton. The lyrics to The Facts of Life theme changed over time, the original opening was sung by star Charlotte Rae and her younger costars. Loring would later sing a version. Thicke also had a hand in the original Wheel of Fortune theme song, The Wizard of Odds, The Joker's Wild, Celebrity Sweepstakes, The Diamond Head Game, Animal Crack-Ups, Blank Check, Stumpers! and Whew! Thicke had quite an extensive sitcom career, notably seven seasons as Dr. Jason Seaver on Growing Pains. "I loved Alan he was one of the smartest and funniest men I have ever known- we shared a life changing success and friendship," Thicke's Growing Pains wife Joanna Kerns tweeted. "Alan made me laugh everyday usually at myself. Loved you dearly RIP old friend." His other TV credits include Married With Children, How I Met Your Mother and his Pop series Unusually Thicke, a reality TV sitcom of sorts. The two-season show starred Thicke, wife Tanya Callau and son Carter Thicke. (Eonline)

Julie Chen Slams The View's "Revolving Door of Hosts." How do you really feel, Julie Chen? When Chen appeared on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live Tuesday, a viewer asked her to comment on a recent report in The New York Post's Page Six. The article in question claimed Barbara Walters is "furious at ABC" for ruining The View's legacy following her 2014 retirement. "She feels they've ruined the franchise that she and Bill Geddie built. Instead of focusing on smart, educated women with strong talent, they cast uninformed child actors on the show," a source told the gossip column. "The legacy has been compromised because of poor casting and bad leadership under ABC News." On the flip side, Walters' rep insisted she "has a wonderful relationship with the show." Furthermore, she remains an executive producer on the long-running series, and she "calls the control room multiple times a week to offer her suggestions." An ABC rep told Page Six, "There's no better producer than Barbara Walters, and we're always grateful for her notes about the show. The ratings are up, and we're very proud of the team." Prior to her retirement, Walters told Variety she wouldn't be watching The View after her exit. "I think it will make me feel bad," she said. "I think I will miss it. If I don't see it, I won't miss it." But, according to Chen, where there's smoke, there's fire. "I believed every word I read in Page Six," she told Andy Cohen. "There were contradicting sides, and I believed all of it was true. You know? Because there's a little bit of truth to everything. Someone said, 'Oh, she calls the control room and we take her notes seriously.' I was like, 'She calls the control room. I don't know if you take her notes that seriously. You probably make her feel like you're taking it that seriously, but she doesn't feel that way.'" Chen, co-host and the moderator of the CBS' rival show The Talk, doesn't believe the show will last long. "I do think Barbara Walters is probably like, 'This amazing show I created is now just kind of withering away with a revolving door of hosts that people can't keep straight,'" she said. "I mean, I should know all the names of the hosts, and I don't, because it changes so often." Joy Behar, Jedediah Bila, Paul Faris, Whoopi Goldberg and Sunny Hostin are the current co-hosts. In October, Raven-Symone announced she was leaving The View to focus on her acting career. Candace Cameron Bure followed suit when she signed off late last week. (Eonline)

Who Won The Voice Season 11? What a season! The Voice season 11 has just come to an end, and congratulations are in order to the show's newest winner, Sundance Head! The 37-year-old soul-country crooner and Team Blake member is the son of Roy Head, who had the 1965 hit "Treat Her Right" with the band The Traits. He may have only gotten Blake Shelton and Adam Levine to turn around with his blind audition song "I've Been Loving You Too Long," but he proved he could sing pretty much anything you put in front of him (including Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys songs) with his own twist. Tuesday night's finale also included a whole lot of fun totally unrelated to the competition. From Adam Levine pulling a Ferris Bueller to Ariana Grande and Stevie Wonder dueting, to Kelly Clarkson, Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Kiss, and more, the two-hour show was packed to the brim with stars and shenanigans. There were also many, many ads for the new movie Sing, which was also fun, we guess! While Miley Cyrus may have been the only coach this year without a team member in the finals, that's not discouraging her from coming back to the show for a second time. She has already been confirmed as a coach for next fall's season 13, though no other coaches have been named. This spring, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, and Alicia Keys will all be back, along with Gwen Stefani, who will be returning to her chair for the spring season, which begins in February. "We can't wait to experience the unique chemistry and energy Gwen, Alicia, Blake and Adam will bring to season 12," Paul Telegdy, president of Alternative and Reality Group at NBC Entertainment, said in a statement. "With Miley returning for season 13, we're truly ecstatic about the unmatched musical know-how and talent coming together in our coming seasons." The Voice returns to NBC in February. (Eonline)

E! Renews 'Rob & Chyna' for Season 2. The docuseries will return with an eight-episode season in 2017. E! remains dedicated to the expansive Kardashian universe. The cable network announced Wednesday that it was ordering a second season of Rob & Chyna, which follows Rob Kardashian and his fiance Blac Chyna. Together, the tabloid-friendly pair have a newborn daughter, Dream. Season two will include eight episodes set to premiere in 2017. "Rob and Chyna's romance struck such a chord with our viewers, who were engaged in their story even before we started filming the first season," noted E!'s executive vp, programming and development Jeff Olde in a statement, adding: "We are excited to share the next chapter of their story." The premiere episode of Rob & Chyna remains cable's most-watched unscripted launch of 2016 in key network demos including adults 18-34 and women 18-49. The series, produced by Bunim/Murray Productions and Ryan Seacrest Productions, joins Keeping Up With the Kardashians and its many spinoffs on the E! schedule. (People)