'Beneath The Skin' Nnenna Freelon
Joining Freelon across this session are names like Steve Hass on drums and Keith Granz on guitar as well as pianist Alan Pasqua who also contributed to the project as an arranger.
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ABC News
20 minutes ago
- ABC News
Spinal Tap keyboardist David Kaff, aka Viv Savage, dies 'peacefully in his sleep', aged 79
Musician David Kaff, known for playing Spinal Tap keyboardist Viv Savage in Rob Reiner's groundbreaking 1984 mockumentary, has died aged 79. The musician and occasional actor "passed away peacefully in his sleep" on Friday, according to his band Mutual of Alameda's Wild Kingdom. "We are devastated by this event," the band wrote on Facebook. Comedian and Spinal Tap lead singer Michael McKean also paid tribute to Kaff, posting a simple "RIP Dave Kaff" on X. Kaff, born David Kaffinetti, was cast in This Is Spinal Tap after previously reaching the charts in Britain with prog rock group Rare Bird, whose 1970 single Sympathy featured him prominently on the organ. He played the fictional band's hard-partying keyboardist to perfection, delivering only a handful of lines but making each one instantly memorable, such as his spaced-out assertion of his personal philosophy — "Have a good time, all the time" — during the closing credits. After performing with the rest of the band on Saturday Night Live following the movie's release, Kaff didn't rejoin principal stars and co-writers McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer in future iterations of Spinal Tap. Instead, he played in smaller groups on America's west coast, such as Oakland's Model Citizenz, over the decades that followed. However, he remained proud of his association with the group, telling BAM magazine in 1991 that he regularly received fan mail addressed to his character. "I have a great affection for Viv," he said. "I played him very close to my heart, just a little bit dimmer." A sequel to This Is Spinal Tap, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, has been completed and is scheduled for release in September. Kaff is not believed to have been involved in the film.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Ellen DeGeneres backs Rosie O'Donnell after Trump threatened to revoke her US citizenship
Ellen DeGeneres is showing support for Rosie O'Donnell. One day after President Donald Trump threatened to revoke O'Donnell's US citizenship following her move to Ireland earlier this year, DeGeneres – who also reportedly fled the country after Trump was elected president – gave her fellow comedian a public shout out. 'Good for you,' DeGeneres, 67, who reposted Trump's threat and O'Donnell's lengthy response on Instagram. On Saturday, Trump referred to O'Donnell as a 'threat to humanity.' 'Because of the fact that Rosie O'Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship,' Trump wrote in a post to his social media platform Truth Social. 'She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!' he added. O'Donnell quickly responded to Trump's jab in several posts that she shared on her social media pages. The A League of Their Own star posted a collage of photos centred around a screenshot of Trump's post on Instagram and blasted the politician in the caption. 'The president of the USA has always hated the fact that i see him for who he is – a criminal conman sexual abusing liar out to harm our nation to serve himself,' she wrote. 'This is why i moved to Ireland – he is a dangerous old soulless man with dementia who lacks empathy compassion and basic humanity.' 'I stand in direct opposition [to] all he represents- so do millions of others – u gonna deport all who stand against ur evil tendencies – ur a bad joke who cant form a coherent sentence,' O'Donnell added along with the hashtag 'never trump.' The former talk show host later shared a screenshot of her Instagram post on TikTok, where she slammed Trump in the caption, writing that he was a 'disgrace to all our beautiful country stands for' and a 'danger to our nation.' O'Donnell went on to bash Trump as a 'mentally ill untreated criminal,' claiming that he 'lied to America for a decade' during his time hosting the hit reality TV series 'The Apprentice.' 'Had u grown up in NY – as I did – u would know what a total fool he is. Add me to the list of people who oppose him at every turn -it's now or never America,' she wrote. Representatives for the White House and DeGeneres did not respond to Fox News Digital's immediate request for comment. A representative for O'Donnell told Fox News Digital, 'Rosie is thankful for her support.' Despite Trump's post, O'Donnell's citizenship is unlikely to be in jeopardy. The 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to any person born in the United States and the actress was born in Commack, New York. In addition, many legal experts agree that the government cannot unilaterally revoke the citizenship of a natural-born citizen. One exception is if the government was able to prove that citizenship was obtained through fraud in the case of naturalisation. In addition, citizenship can be revoked if an individual commits certain actions, including treason, serving in a foreign military engaged in hostilities against the US, or renouncing citizenship. O'Donnell confirmed her move to Ireland in March, saying she left the US days before Trump's inauguration, and explained the new location would be a good fit for her 12-year-old son, Clay. DeGeneres, much like O'Donnell, left the country recently to establish a new life with wife Portia de Rossi across the pond. In April, O'Donnell admitted that while she hasn't been in touch with DeGeneres lately, she was 'shocked' to hear why the former talk show host fled the United States. 'I've never really known Ellen to say anything political in her life, so I was surprised to read that she left because of President Trump. Like, that shocked me, actually,' O'Donnell told Us Weekly. 'I've been a political person my whole life, not better or worse, it's just a different way to be in the world.' 'I was very clear about the reason why I was leaving, and I don't think it came as a surprise to anyone. We're not really in each other's worlds, and it's been kind of awkward but you know what? I wish her the best. I wish that she has peace and love in her life and that she is OK.' While they've never had a strong relationship, O'Donnell insisted she harbours no ill will for the comedian. 'I don't want to fight against another gay woman. It's not like we're tenaciously opposed to each other,' O'Donnell told the outlet. 'We're just very different people. We have had some stuff in the past that we never resolved. And not in any way as, as partners or lovers or anything like that, just as friends and comedians, but I wish her the best. I seriously do.' She added, 'I think that there's enough room in the world for all of the gay comedians, and we all need to stick together because gay people are the next group to be threatened. And the way they attack trans people is absolutely terrifying.'
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Fans fume as father of NFL star Amon-Ra St. Brown goes viral for ‘breeding' theory
The father of Detroit Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown made waves online while discussing his sons' personal lives, specifically saying they should have children with Black women in order to 'breed' better athletes. John Brown and his wife, Miram, who is white, have three sons, including Equanimeous and Osiris, both of whom were Division I athletes. Equanimeous, a wide receiver and sixth-round draft pick in 2018, played for the Saints last year. Osiris was a wideout for Stanford but didn't pursue professional career due a lingering foot injury, the New York Post reports. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. On Saturday, the 'St. Brown' podcast — which is hosted by Amon-Ra and Equanimeous — posted a clip of John, a former bodybuilder, explaining his philosophy on 'breeding' and raising three athletic sons. You can watch John Brown explain his breeding theory in the player above. 'I believe in breeding,' John said. 'You gotta pick the right girl and the right guy … Look at you [both], good athlete, I'm Black, mom is white. I've done stepped on it once, you can't keep stepping on it because you're going to mess it up. You're going to weaken it … 'You can't keep cutting it. You and Brooklyn [Adams, Amon-Ra's fiancee], because Brooklyn's half and half, you've got a chance. ' … You've got to be careful, you've got to think about that. I'm Black, I've got the Black gold running through my veins, I'm excited and just going to find the right person to mate with. If I'm white, I'm saying, 'Let me get one of those brothers around here,' if you want to have athletes. If you don't want to have athletes, then just go ahead and spread your seed wherever. 'Mama got that big chin and big toes. Ain't nothing wrong with a big-toed woman … You've gotta think of this stuff, some guys don't think of it until later.' The podcast was an old episode from August 2024, when John joined his sons as a guest. Many were surprised by Brown's comments, while others deemed his remarks to be racist. This isn't the first time John has echoed similar remarks when discussing his sons' personal lives on a mic. During a December 2021 appearance on the 'Momentum' podcast, John explained how he told his sons to marry a Black woman. 'You can't keep cutting that blackness … My sons, I'm like, 'Man, you're all half black and half white. So you better try to marry a black girl because you want some athletes … because if not you gotta know what it is. 'You need a volleyball girl, like [5-foot-9] … African-American, oh yeah. Make sure her knees are lined up, you gotta be careful with that. 'I like little ankles, because they're swift. You want strong knees, and ask her about her family, but don't be so obvious … [Ask] did your dad play sports? Did your mom play? … You gotta think about these things.'
