Glynis Johns, a Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” has died. She was 100.

 

Glynis Johns, 'Mary Poppins' star who first sang Sondheim's 'Send in the Clowns,' dies at 100

NEW YORK — Glynis Johns, a Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim, has died. She was 100.

Mitch Clem, her manager, said she died Thursday at an assisted living home in Los Angeles of natural causes. Johns was known to be a perfectionist about her profession — precise, analytical and opinionated. The roles she took had to be multi-faceted. Anything less was giving less than her all.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’m not interested in playing the role on only one level,” she told The Associated Press in 1990. “The whole point of first-class acting is to make a reality of it. To be real. And I have to make sense of it in my own mind in order to be real."

Johns’ greatest triumph was playing Desiree Armfeldt in “A Little Night Music,” for which she won a Tony in 1973. Sondheim wrote the show’s hit song “Send in the Clowns” to suit her distinctive husky voice, but she lost the part in the 1977 film version to Elizabeth Taylor. “I’ve had other songs written for me, but nothing like that,” Johns told the AP in 1990. “It’s the greatest gift I’ve ever been given in the theater.” Others who followed Johns in singing Sondheim’s most popular song include Frank Sinatra, Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughan and Olivia Newton-John. It also appeared in season two of “Yellowjackets” in 2023, sung by Elijah Wood.

In Wednesday's post, Spears also wrote that it was “far from the truth” that her 2023 bestselling memoir, “The Woman In Me,” was released without her approval.

 

Britney Spears shoots down album rumors, vowing to 'never return to the music industry'

LOS ANGELES —Brittney Spears is shooting down rumors of a new album, vowing to “never return to the music industry.” At the same time, Spears noted in Wednesday's Instagram post, she's still writing music — just for other people.

“When I write, I write for fun or I write for other people !!!” she wrote. “I’ve written over 20 songs for other people the past two years !!! I’m a ghostwriter and I honestly enjoy it that way !!!”

The Instagram caption, in which she blasted those who “keep saying I’m turning to random people to do a new album,” was paired with a photo of a Guido Reni painting of Salome holding the head of John the Baptist.
This isn't the first time Spears has indicated she's retiring from releasing her own music. In July 2021, while still under the infamous conservatorship that controlled her life, money and voice for nearly 14 years, her longtime manager Larry Rudolph resigned, saying she had no intention of resuming her career. Just after being released from the conservatorship later that year, she took to Instagram to say she was scared of the music business and that not doing her own music was an act of defiance against her family.
But the next year, she released the single “Hold Me Closer,” a collaboration with Elton John that spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 6. Last year's “Mind Your Business,” a single with will.i.am, was poorly reviewed and failed to make the Hot 100, though. Spears' last full album was 2016's “Glory.”In Wednesday's post, Spears also wrote that it was “far from the truth” that her 2023 bestselling memoir, “The Woman In Me,” was released without her approval.

 Our Sources Inhouse: Will Sign Bill 

Our inside sources from the Statehouse said he will be signing that Bill into law. 

Police made a bizarre find while charging a man over a series of 12 fires across Melbourne’s southeast when they turned out his pockets and allegedly discovered live ducklings.

 Police made a bizarre find while charging a man over a series of 12 fires across Melbourne’s Australia  when they turned out his pockets and allegedly discovered live ducklings.

Police made a bizarre find while charging a man over a series of 12 fires across Melbourne’s southeast when they turned out his pockets and allegedly discovered live ducklings.

The 31-year-old man of no fixed address was arrested in Park Lane, Frankston on Sunday about 9pm after 12 fires were lit across the area over the weekend.

He was charged with reckless conduct endangering serious injury, multiple counts of lighting a fire in the open air, negligently dealing with the proceeds of crime and possessing something with the intent to damage property.

Domino's® is Plowing for Pizza: Snowy Roads Shouldn't Get in the Way of Hot Pizza

Domino's Pizza Inc. (NYSE: DPZ), the largest pizza company in the world, believes nothing should stand in the way of carrying out a hot delicious pizza, including snowy, cold weather. That's why we're going above and beyond for pizza lovers, by awarding half a million dollars in grants for snow plowing, so that carryout customers can have access to hot pizza, even on the coldest, snowiest days. Nominations open up today for up to 20 cities to get $25,000 in snow plowing grants, all in the name of ensuring that hot pizzas are accessible for carryout customers this winter.  "At Domino's we've made delivery cars with warming ovens built in, paved roads to get your pizza home hot and in perfect condition, and offered pizza insurance for when anything goes awry," said Joe Jordan, Domino's president of U.S. and global services. "To us, nothing should stand in the way of getting a delicious pizza, including snowy, cold weather. So yes—you heard it right: a pizza company is actually helping to plow roads."

Customers can visit Plowingforpizza.com to submit the zip code of their hometown for a grant. The nomination period is open from Dec. 4, 2023, - Jan. 21, 2024, and is limited to one submission per email address. Domino's will name selected towns on a rolling basis throughout the program to make sure grants are awarded during the winter season; towns chosen will be announced as soon as mid-January.

Domino's has already worked alongside three municipalities to help their plowing efforts this winter season, including Erie, PA; Marquette, MI and Manhattan, MT. Twenty communities that accept their award will not only get funds to pay for clearing snow on wintry days, they will also get a winter-themed Domino's Plowing for Pizza kit, including winter hats, scarves, snow measuring stick and sign, vehicle magnets and other themed items, including $200 in Domino's gift cards, so plow drivers can warm up with hot pizza after a cold, hard day of work.  The chosen municipalities will be listed on the Plowing for Pizza website, which will also feature images and footage from the plowing locations.

Nomination period ends 1/21/24 or when all available Funds have been claimed. Must be 13+ years of age to make a nomination; eligible minors should have parental consent to participate. Limit one (1) nomination per person, per email address. Void where prohibited by law. For full details, see Terms: https://claim.dominosplowingforpizzaprogram.com/terms.

 

65 Years Later, Brenda Lee’s ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ Soars to No. 1

This week's No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 is one you've probably heard before — over and over again. For decades. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"— sung by Brenda Lee, and first released 65 years ago, during the Eisenhower administration — has gone to No. 1 on the singles chart, for the first time ever.

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" was written by Johnny Marks — who, as part of a long, great tradition of American Christmas songwriters, was himself actually Jewish. (Marks also wrote "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "A Holly Jolly Christmas.") Lee recorded the song when she was just 13 years old, not long after she signed a contract with Decca Records.

 

Taylor Swift At Lambeau Field To Cheer On Travis Kelce in Chiefs-Packers Game

Pop superstar Taylor Swift is in attendance for the 'Sunday Night Football' game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers in support of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Swift was spotted entering Lambeau Field alongside Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Sunday (December 3) night in a video shared by ESPN's Jeff Darlington, who had previously reported that Lambeau Field security were anticipating her attendance.

Swift had previously attended four of Kelce's games between September and November -- all of which were won by the Chiefs -- since initially being spotted in a luxury box at Arrowhead Stadium in September. A source with knowledge of the situation told Us Weekly that Swift reportedly flew back to Kansas City to be with Kelce following the conclusion of her 'Eras Tour' concerts in Brazil last Monday (November 27) before attending the premiere of Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' film in London later in the week.