Keith Urban Awkward Radio Moment Over Nicole Kidman Question
For context, on Tuesday, Keith appeared on an Australian radio show called Hayley & Max in the Morning, where the hosts, Max Burford and Hayley Pearson, invited him to play a game where they ask their guests a 'very tricky' and 'deeply personal' question. As I'm sure you know, Keith is married to fellow Aussie icon, Nicole Kidman, and so, Max took it upon himself to ask a question about his wife's career in Hollywood.
'When I was coming up with something to ask you, Keith Urban, if you're happy to play this game, the first thing I thought of, with your beautiful wife Nicole Kidman being on so many great movies, TV shows all the time, I watched a movie with her and Zac Efron recently, A Family Affair,' he began.
In case you're not familiar, A Family Affair came out last year and starred Nicole as a widowed writer who starts dating her daughter's young, famous boss, played by Zac. Being the supportive husband that he is, Keith politely praised the movie before the host's question took a more intimate turn.
Max continued: 'What does Keith Urban think when he sees his beautiful wife with beautiful younger men like Zac Efron having these beautiful love scenes on TV and radio?'
But before Keith answered, an awkward pause indicated that the line had gone dead, and he was no longer on the call. 'He's disconnected from Zoom,' a voice can be heard saying in the clip. 'I think his team hung up on us because they didn't want us to ask that question,' they added.
'That's 100% what's just happened,' Hayley said, as she and her co-host enquired as to whether they were previously told by Keith's team 'not to ask' that specific question. 'No,' the other voice said, as the trio expressed their confusion live on air.'He's gone! He doesn't like the personal stuff,' Hayley said. 'Oh, I knew that would happen. We've upset him.'
Before long, outlets like Rolling Stone, TMZ, and Variety published stories about the awkward on-air moment. And now, with the narrative circulating that it was Keith who pulled the plug on the interview, a source has spoken out to try to set the record straight.
'Keith did not hang up, period,' an insider told People, clarifying that he is 'very easygoing' and did not personally take issue with the question about Nicole. 'He doesn't host his Zoom interviews. This is a complete nothingburger.'
Notably, Nicole has previously said that Keith is totally unbothered by her doing sex scenes in her films and shows. 'My husband is an artist, so he understands all of it, and he also does not get involved,' she told E! News in 2021. 'He sees the show at the very end when it's a show, all edited together, and he's fresh eyes. He doesn't read any script, he really doesn't know what's going on on the set, he's got his own career that he's completely absorbed in.'
Well, there you have it! Keith has not personally addressed the debacle, but we'll be sure to let you know if he ever does.
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Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
Baby raves?! There was just one in L.A. and it was weird and wild with glow sticks galore
Natalie Z. Briones is a concert veteran. She's been to heavy metal concerts and a punk music festival where she napped most of the time. On Sunday, she attended her first baby rave. Natalie is a few months shy of two. In the arms of her dad, Alvin Briones, 36, the pigtailed toddler squealed 'Hi!' to anyone passing by the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood where the Briones family was lined up to meet Lenny Pearce, the mastermind behind Natalie's favorite song, 'The Wheels on the Bus.' It's not the classic version most parents sing while slowly swaying and clapping — Pearce's rendition rages with enough bass to rattle rib cages. Natalie is here for it, and so is her mom, Alondra Briones, who plays the techno remix during her drives to work even without Natalie in the backseat. 'It's a pick-me-up,' said Alondra, 28, from Compton, before filing into the theater with other parents and caregivers for an afternoon rager with their kids. In Pearce's techno remixes of classic children's music, an unexpected subgenre is taking off — toddler techno — which melds the cloyingly sweet lyrics of songs like 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' with the edgy beat drops associated with music from gritty warehouse parties. The unlikely musical pairing creates a bridge between parents like Sandra Mikhail and her 6-year-old daughter, Mila. Both dressed in fuchsia at Pearce's dance party, the mother-daughter duo were there to celebrate Mila's promotion from kindergarten. In their Riverside home, Pearce's music is on heavy rotation. 'I can handle kids' music now,' said Sandra, 38. 'With the beat and [Pearce] adding that techno touch to it, it makes me able to tolerate listening to it all day long.' For the last year, Pearce has been hosting sold-out dance parties boldly called baby raves — first in his native Australia — then on the first leg of his U.S. tour, which culminated in a June 29 double-header at the Roxy. In the afternoon show timed for that sweet spot many parents know well — post-nap and right before the evening witching hours — Pearce pranced, high-fived kids and waved at babies being hoisted in the air. At 34, he's been an entertainer for most of his life. Over a decade ago, he was dancing in music videos as a member of the Australian boy band, Justice Crew. Now, he's firmly affixed in his dad era. His dance partner is now a large balloon spider named Incy Wincy. 'I'm just being a dad on stage,' said Pearce in a video interview from New York. 'I can make a clown of myself to entertain kids.' Pearce's journey into children's entertainment seemed preordained, if only because his identical twin brother is arguably the second most famous purple character on a children's TV show (behind Barney, of course). 'We're both in the toddler scene,' said John Pearce, the older twin by minutes, who in 2021 joined 'The Wiggles' cast as the Purple Wiggle. '[My brother's] stuck with it for a long time, and it's all paid off now.' At the Roxy, many parents and caregivers said they found Pearce through the Purple Wiggle. Others discovered him on social media: He has more than 2 million followers on TikTok and more than 1 million followers on Instagram. Before becoming children's entertainers, the Pearce brothers were members of Justice Crew, a dance troupe that won 'Australia's Got Talent' in 2010. For a few years, the boy band's future burned white hot with the aspiration to break through in the U.S. — a dream that never materialized. Most boy bands have a finite time in the spotlight, said Pearce. In 2016, he quit the Justice Crew to focus on DJing and music production, but the transition from boy band to toddler techno didn't happen overnight. For a time, he worked as a salesperson at an Australian electronic store. 'People were like, 'Aren't you from Justice Crew?'' he said. 'And I'm like, 'Yeah. Now, do you want this lens with that camera?'' In 2022, becoming a dad to his daughter Mila changed the course of his creativity. Pearce started remixing children's songs with 'ravey' music and filming himself dancing with her to the songs. Soon, other parents started sharing videos of their kids dancing to his songs, too. In this way, social media allows for ideas to be refined until something sticks. In March, Pearce released his first solo album aptly titled, 'Toddler Techno.' All along the way, he imagined playing these songs at mini raves. For this generation of kids and their millennial parents, it's not a stretch, said Pearce. Pretend DJ tables are just as commonly sold in toy aisles as construction trucks. In the fall, Pearce and his baby raves will return to the U.S. — and, yes, to L.A. — in a 30-city tour. As a solo artist, he's done what he couldn't do in a band — he's broken through to the U.S. and international audiences. 'It's funny, isn't it?' said Pearce. 'I always felt like I had something to say, but no one really listened.' The roots of techno — in Detroit or Berlin depending on whom you talk to — were always antiestablishment, said Ambrus Deak, program manager of music production at the Los Angeles Film School. 'It was exploratory,' said Deak, a longtime DJ who went by DJ AMB, about techno. Toddler techno plays with that contrast — an edgy genre made safe for kids. Deak would not attend a baby rave — 'It would be very cringe for me,' he said — but sees the appeal. 'I can definitely see a lot of people being into it,' said Deak, 48. Still, not everyone is sold on the idea of taking kids to a rave — even one held in the middle of the day with a face-painting station. In the comments of Pearce's social media posts, parents occasionally debate the appropriateness of exposing kids to drug-addled rave culture. 'I know that most people would say, 'Is this the image we want to teach our kids?'' said Pearce. 'What image are you imagining? Because if you think about it, they're just kids with light sticks, right?' He gets the concern, but kids don't know about the darker sides of raves unless they are taught. And that's not what his baby raves are about. In the right dose, some experts say techno music and baby raves can be beneficial for kids and parents. 'Parents' happiness and stress regulation also matter,' said Jenna Marcovitz, director of the UCLA Health Music Therapy program. 'Techno can promote oxytocin and boost endorphins. It can encourage joy and play and really support brain development, emotional regulation and really enhance the parent-child bond as well.' At the Roxy, one man vigorously pumped his fist to the beat of the music. 'Fist pump like this!' he shouted to the child on his shoulders. Both fists — little and big — jabbed the air. Everything — especially baby raves — should be enjoyed in moderation. The pulsating music, giant inflatables tossed into the crowd and sudden blasts of fog can overstimulate kids. For the roughly one-hour show, the music is loud. Typically set to 85 to 90 decibels, Pearce said. Having a sensory support plan is key, said Marcovitz, who recommends toddlers wear headphones with a noise reduction rating of 20 to 30 decibels or higher — like this one or this one. Practicing dance parties at home, so your child knows what to expect, is also helpful. At the rave, look for signs of overstimulation, which can present differently with each child — some might shut down while others might start shoving each other mosh pit-style. At the Roxy show, one toddler sat down, ate half a bag of Goldfish crackers and poured the rest on the floor. Another disappeared into the crowd for a few alarming moments before being returned by a good Samaritan. 'For any child, I would recommend breaks every 30 minutes,' said Marcovitz. 'Step outside.' Because techno hypes people up — even little kids — it's important to help a child regulate their nervous system back down after the show. 'Lots of cuddles, silence and hugs,' said Marcovitz. Pearce also starts the party late, so the dance party before the rave can tucker kids out before he takes the stage. Ashley and Todd Herles drove from Santa Clarita to the Roxy so their son, Oliver, 3, could meet Pearce before the show. They said they bought $120 VIP tickets, which included a meet and greet and table seats where Oliver got to high-five Kuma, Pearce's dancing sidekick in a turquoise monkey suit. For Pearce's November 23 show at the Novo in downtown Los Angeles, ticket prices currently range from $48 to $195, fees and taxes included. Overall, Oliver loved it — until he didn't. '[The] meltdown happened around 1:40 so we left then,' said Ashley, 40. They had big post-rave plans to refuel with french fries. But Oliver was tired. And, most importantly? 'Our backs hurt,' said Ashley.
National Geographic
3 hours ago
- National Geographic
The story behind pavlova, the dessert that sparked an international rivalry
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Sweet as it tastes, this much-loved dessert has a bitter history. As is the case with both hummus and hamburgers, the pavlova's birthplace is hotly disputed, with Australia and New Zealand each claiming credit for the idea of crowning towers of billowing meringue with clouds of snowy cream and tumbling fruit. Regular shots are fired back and forth across the Tasman Sea, most recently when a Kiwi energy company 'declared war' by installing an advert at Auckland Airport baggage reclaim stating: 'Home is where the pavlova was really created'. Reactions on the other side of 'the ditch' were outraged: 'Nice of them to promote tourism to Australia' was one online comment. The feud goes all the way to the top, as then Kiwi prime minister Jacinda Ardern discovered when she arrived in Melbourne to find a DIY pavlova kit in her hotel room — prompting her partner to question whether this represented a 'sense of humour or diplomatic incident'. King Charles must have been unaware of the simmering controversy when he boldly praised Sydney's 'world famous cuisine … whether it's smashed avo, a pav or a cab sav' in a speech at the city's Parramatta Park last year. Yet, in truth, the pavlova's precise origins are shrouded in mystery. It was almost certainly named for the great prima ballerina Anna Pavlova, from St Petersburg — probably to celebrate her hugely successful 1926 tour of Australia and New Zealand. This wasn't uncommon practice at the time; peach melba was invented at London's Savoy Hotel to pay tribute to the Australian soprano Dame Nellie Melba, while Britain's Garibaldi biscuit honours the Italian revolutionary, who was given a rapturous welcome on a visit to these shores. Such was the vogue for sprinkling stardust over a menu that, at the height of Pavlova's career, you can find mention of sponge cakes, layered jellies and 'a popular variety of American ice-cream' all bearing her name, too. Although the meringue number is now the last pavlova standing, at the time it was simply a rebranding of an existing dessert — a fixture in the patisserie repertoire long before Anna pirouetted onto the world stage. Food historian Janet Clarkson suggests 'neither Australia nor New Zealand invented the meringue, because the meringue was invented before they were'. And while many trace meringue's origins to 18th-century Switzerland, in Clarkson's blog, the Old Foodie, she dates the first recorded recipe to the 1604 collection of a Lady Elinor Fettiplace. The pavlova's precise origins are shrouded in mystery. Photograph by Hannah Hughes Annabelle Utrecht, a Queensland-based writer, has devoted the past decade to digging into the history of the pavlova, prompted by an online argument with a Kiwi acquaintance. In the course of their research, the pair discovered that by the 18th century, 'large meringue constructions incorporating cream and fruit elements could be found in aristocratic kitchens across German-speaking lands, so the thing we call a pavlova today is actually more than two centuries old'. Naturally, everyone wanted a slice of this noble pie, and recipes began to appear: the vacherin, a meringue bowl filled with whipped cream or ice cream, fruit and syrup-infused sponge cake, often credited to the 19th-century French chef Marie-Antoine Carême; the baked alaska; the German schaum ('foam') torte. Even English writer Mrs Beeton includes a meringue gateau, filled with macerated strawberries and whipped cream, in her 1861 recipe collection. It therefore seems likely that the pavlova probably arrived in both New Zealand and Australia with European immigrants long before Pavlova herself. Of course, few dishes spring fully formed from nowhere, but when did the idea of a meringue topped with cream and fruit begin to be known as a 'pavlova' — or a 'pav', if you speak Antipodean? The earliest mention of something resembling the modern pavlova labelled as such can be found in the 1929 New Zealand Dairy Exporter Annual, contributed by a reader, although this version seems to have been layered more like a French dacquoise. The next-earliest, from the Rangiora Mothers' Union Cookery Book of Tried and Tested Recipes, of 1933, is also Kiwi. Australia's first claim to the dish dates from 1935, when Herbert 'Bert' Sachse, the chef at Perth's Esplanade Hotel, was asked to come up with something new for the afternoon tea menu. Manager Harry Nairn apparently remarked that his creation was 'as light as Pavlova', and the legend was born. However, one of Sachse's descendants contacted Helen Leach, a culinary anthropologist at the University of Otago, to suggest their ancestor may have confused the dates, given Pavlova's death in 1931. And in a 1973 interview, Sachse himself explained his creation was an adaptation of a recipe from Australian Woman's Mirror magazine, submitted by a New Zealand resident. When questioned by Australian newspaper The Beverley Times, the 'silver-haired great grandfather' mused that he'd 'always regretted that the meringue cake was invariably too hard and crusty, so I set out to create something that would have a crunchy top and would cut like a marshmallow'. This, according to Utrecht's Kiwi research partner Dr Andrew Paul Wood, makes Western Australia-born Sachse unusual among his countrymen: 'I think the Australian meringue is crunchier … the New Zealand one is more marshmallowy inside,' Wood told The Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food guide. In her 2024 book Sift, British pastry chef and cookery book author Nicola Lamb writes that adding cornflour to the meringue base, as both Sachse and the New Zealand Dairy Exporter Annual reader suggest, 'helps promote [this] marshmallowy, thick texture'. For maximum squishiness, however, Lamb recommends shaping the mixture into a tall crown, 'as it's more difficult for the heat to penetrate the thick meringue walls'; if you prefer crunchy all the way through, go for a shallow bowl shape. Whatever texture you choose, once the meringue has cooled completely it's generally filled with whipped cream — usually unsweetened, given the sugar in the meringue, although it may be flavoured with vanilla — and then your choice of fruit. Australian cultural historian Dr Carmel Cedro agrees with Wood that not only do the two countries disagree over the correct texture for a pavlova, but on appropriate toppings. 'Here, passion fruit is a must,' she told Australia's ABC News, 'whereas [in New Zealand], they would never do that; it's always kiwi fruit.' In recent years, however, this classic summer dessert — or, if you're Down Under, festive favourite — has gone as rogue as its history. Australian food stylist and author Donna Hay has published countless recipes for everything from a banoffee pavlova to a baked pavlova and upside-down and frozen versions, and even a festive raspberry swirl pavlova wreath. South African restaurateur, broadcaster and writer Prue Leith, meanwhile, has a vegan-friendly take using aquafaba and coconut milk, while English food writer and TV cook Nigella Lawson gifted the world the chocolate pavlova paired with raspberries. And although pavlova isn't typically seen as a gourmet creation, Australian chef Peter Gilmore's signature dessert at Bennelong, the Sydney Opera House's fine-dining restaurant, takes it high end. Inspired by the architecture of the building itself, it features white meringue sails atop perfect spikes of whipped cream and Italian meringue filled with passion fruit curd. When it comes to pavlova, it seems, there's one for every taste. Although the caviar and cranberry number recently dreamed up by a firm of Polish fish farmers might prove the one pav neither Australia nor New Zealand wants to claim as their own. The pavlova's birthplace is hotly disputed, with Australia and New Zealand each claiming credit for the idea of crowning towers of billowing meringue with clouds of snowy cream and tumbling fruit. Photograph by Hannah Hughes Where to eat pavlova in Australia and New Zealand Cibo, Auckland Hidden away in a former chocolate factory in Parnell, Cibo has been described as one of Auckland's best-kept secrets, although it's still won numerous awards over the past three decades. There are usually at least two pavlovas on offer: a fruit version (classic strawberry and kiwi, for example) and one with salted caramel, peanut and chocolate dust. Floriditas, Wellington When The Sydney Morning Herald praises a New Zealand pavlova, the dessert has to be doing something right — although this much-loved bistro doesn't make things easy for itself. Instead of the classic recipe using white caster sugar, Floriditas opts for brown sugar, which is damper and more temperamental, but which gives the meringue base a deeper, richer flavour. Fruit varies with the seasons, from strawberries in summer to tamarillos in autumn. Ester, Sydney Forget hovering anxiously in front of the oven to ensure your snowy meringue doesn't take on even the merest hint of tan — at this Sydney neighbourhood joint (which comes highly recommended by Nigella Lawson) they char them in a wood-fired oven at a toasty 600C. That's a full 500C hotter than most recipes recommend, giving them the distinct look of a marshmallow toasted over a campfire. The accompaniments vary; they might be nectarine and yoghurt or passion fruit and elderflower, for example. Snow White Bakery, Melbourne Overwhelming local enthusiasm for this tiny bakery's classic pavlova — an unapologetically traditional tower of meringue, cream and icing-sugar-dusted berries — may be less of a news story than baker Tegan's Vegemite-infused take on the beloved Australian lamington (a cake), but it's probably more of a crowd-pleaser. For maximum squishiness, pastry chef and cookery book author Nicola Lamb recommends shaping the mixture into a tall crown; if you prefer crunchy all the way through, go for a shallow bowl shape. Photograph by Hannah Hughes Recipe: Helen Goh's summer berry pavlova To celebrate summer, I've chosen a mix of berries with a touch of passion fruit as a nod to the dessert's Antipodean roots — but feel free to use any in-season fruit. Serves: 8-10 Takes: 2 hrs 5 mins plus cooling Ingredients For the meringue250g egg whites (6-8 eggs, depending on size)½ tsp cream of tartar400g caster sugar2 tsp vanilla extract1 tsp white vinegar2 tsp cornflour pinch of salt
USA Today
12 hours ago
- USA Today
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' fans drench themselves in baby oil to celebrate rapper's trial verdict
The bombshell verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs' criminal trial has sparked an unexpected reemergence of baby oil among fans. Ardent supporters of the embattled hip-hop mogul gathered outside Manhattan court on July 2 to celebrate the conclusion of Combs' nearly two-month trial, according to footage shared on social media. The Grammy-winning rapper, 55, was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted on the most serious charge of racketeering and both sex trafficking counts. After learning of his partial acquittal, Combs clasped his hands together and raised them in a prayer motion toward the jury. Some of Combs' fans expressed enthusiasm by covering themselves in baby oil, a controversial item referenced throughout the sweeping federal sex-crimes case. Baby oil and lubricant, specifically over 1,000 bottles, were among the paraphernalia discovered during the federal raids of Combs' homes in March 2024, U.S. attorney Damian Williams revealed in a September 2024 press conference. In one clip, shared by news outlet TMZ and X user CultureClips, a female fan wearing a blue wig could be heard chanting, "I want the baby oil!" while she jumped around in excitement. In another video, shared by X user Katherine Harris, a shirtless male fan screamed "More oil!" as he reacted to the verdict news with other spectators. Baby oil was among the paraphernalia discovered during the federal raids of Combs' homes in March 2024, U.S. attorney Damian Williams revealed in a September 2024 press conference. The items included multiple AR-15 guns, large-capacity magazines, "evidence" of Combs' alleged sex crimes and over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant. Diddy fans celebrate his 'not guilty' verdict outside the courthouse by pouring baby oil on each other 😭😭 According to Combs' original indictment, the baby oil bottles found in his homes were used during the hip-hop mogul's alleged "freak off" parties, which were described as "elaborate and produced sex performances" that involved sex workers. Other items included multiple AR-15 guns, large-capacity magazines and additional "evidence" of Combs' alleged sex crimes. Fans' emphatic celebration of Combs' verdict mirrors similar behavior throughout the high-profile trial, which ignited a ferocious media circus among journalists, social media influencers and zealous supporters of Combs. Inside the court's overflow rooms, where many reporters and onlookers watched the trial unfold on midsize TV screens, fans' antics went largely unchecked by security, as they cackled, booed and hissed profanities when the rapper's accusers took the stand. Social media slams Diddy verdict: 'A nasty precedent' Much like the verdict in Combs' case, the court of public opinion has been split on the rapper's legal fate. Unlike Combs' oil-lathered fans outside the courthouse, many on social media expressed their disappointment at the partial acquittal in Combs' verdict. Some A-list critics of the disgraced music mogul, including 50 Cent and Danity Kane singer Aubrey O'Day, also criticized the ruling. "The Diddy verdict is going to set a nasty precedent and trend for what people (especially those with wealth & power) believe they can get away with, when it comes to sex, domestic violence, (and) abuse crimes," one X user wrote. "And that's honestly, the most terrifying part of this entire case." 10 bingeable memoirs to check out: Celebrities tell all about aging, marriage and Beyoncé Some social media users also shared their dismay at the significance of the verdict for victims of sexual abuse. "The verdict for Diddy is a message to all women that they are not believed. Sorry to the women out there," an X user wrote. "The victims especially, they deserved better." Contributing: KiMi Robinson, Patrick Ryan, Aysha Bagchi, Anna Kaufman, Brendan Morrow and Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY
