
Loni Anderson, star of TV hit 'WKRP in Cincinnati,' dies at 79
Anderson, who played receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the CBS comedy about the staff of an AM radio station in Ohio, died on Sunday, Aug. 3, at a Los Angeles hospital following "an acute prolonged illness," the actress's representative Cheryl J. Kagan confirmed to USA TODAY.
Anderson earned two Primetime Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy for her performance as Marlowe during the four-year run of "WKRP."
She was the ex-wife of movie star Burt Reynolds.
This is a developing story.

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Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
CBS staffers speculate on Gayle King's future as network bosses push 'editorial shift' on struggling AM show
CBS staffers are speculating whether their longtime morning show star Gayle King will have a long future ahead of her as network bosses implement changes to her program. King, the liberal co-host of "CBS Mornings," has struggled to give CBS a ratings lift despite having a roster of A-list pals like Oprah Winfrey and her mega salary ranging from $10-15 million per year, according to reports. During the month of July, CBS' marquee morning program averaged 1.8 million total viewers, trailing behind ABC's "Good Morning America" with 2.6 million and NBC's "Today" with 2.4 million. "A lot of people like how she says off-the-wall things. But also there's people that don't like it," one CBS staffer told Fox News Digital about how King's colleagues feel about her. "Anytime you have a big name, they are going to be a target." King is "generally liked" within the network and "still has a lot of power in the morning when it comes to things she wants." "She is insulated by her team and ["CBS Mornings" executive producer Shawna Thomas] a good bit. But so are [co-hosts Nate Burleson and Tony Dokoupil] to an extent," the staffer said. Perhaps puncturing a hole in King's bubble is the "editorial shift" being pushed by CBS News president and executive editor Tom Cibrowski and his No. 2 Wendy Fisher, the network's senior vice president of editorial. "They're changing story selection and tweaking the show some," the CBS staffer said. "I know Tom has been involved in the show heavily though… He wants us to focus on stories outside of major cities and in the middle of the country. Stories that affect real people and that they're talking about at home. Lots of economic stories." "You can see Tom's work in the show- they've added [former "Good Morning America" meteorologist Rob Marciano] full-time, tweaked teases, and you even see more camera movement and dramatics similar to 'GMA,'" they continued. "I don't know that Shawna has pushed back on Tom, but I do know he has had his hand in tweaks on the show especially recently." Cibrowski joined CBS News in March after a 30-year stint at ABC News, following in the footsteps of Fisher, who similarly joined the network in April 2024 after a three-decade stint at the Disney-owned rival. "Everyone I've talked to is super happy with him," the CBS staffer said of Cibrowski. "He's a steady hand and has a proven track record. He's extremely respected internally. So is Wendy." The staffer is convinced that the changes Cibrowski has implemented over the past couple of months are him "putting his mark on the division" and have nothing to do with the parent company Paramount's settlement to President Donald Trump or the forthcoming Paramount-Skydance merger set to close Thursday. "The editorial changes I've seen feel more focused on growing the shows and stories that resonate better than making changes based on pressure from up top," they said. "He just got here in the spring so he's just getting to a point now where he knows everyone and everything and is changing things based on his vision is the impression I get." Expect more editorial changes in the coming weeks, the staffer says, before "CBS Mornings" packs up and leaves its studio in Times Square and returns to CBS Broadcast Center on 57th Street in New York City in September. There has been a lot of chatter about Skydance CEO David Ellison and how he envisions the future of CBS News, including whether it includes King. The CBS staffer suggests the current network leadership has a contingency plan, as they "started to groom" Adrianna Diaz as the "heir" to the 70-year-old host when she was tapped to co-host the third hour of the program, dubbed "CBS Mornings Plus." "People are talking about it because Gayle is our biggest star, but also I don't think anyone cares that much," the staffer said. "I think everyone just wants stability, so from that standpoint, people want her to stay." CBS News did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.


USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Inside Universal's year-round haunted house opening soon in Las Vegas
Universal Horror Unleashed is set to open in Las Vegas on August 14, followed by a second location in Chicago in 2027. Walking through Universal Horror Unleashed's scarecrow-themed haunted house should have been a piece of cake. After all, I was raised in Iowa – I'm no stranger to corn fields. But, while walking through the haunted house's dark maze, pushing past the stalks of corn blocking my path, I could just barely make out the shape of something lurking around the corner, ready to leap from the shadows. I debated turning around. Then, I heard a scream and decided rejoining the monsters lurking in the dark farmhouse behind me wasn't a better alternative. As soon as I took a step forward, a scarecrow lurched at me and made me jump, his clawed hand and ghastly mask illuminated by the flashing lights overhead. "Scarecrow: The Reaping' is just one of four haunted houses available at Universal Horror Unleashed, a new experience located at the Area15 entertainment district just off the Las Vegas Strip. While the space won't open to the public until August 14, USA TODAY was able to take a sneak peek at the event space in early August. Here's what horror fans can expect. One attraction, four haunted houses There are four haunted house options scattered across the attraction, which is made to resemble an abandoned production warehouse: Universal added special touches to fully immerse its guests in each scene. The restaurant inside the 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' haunted house smells like barbecue, while the woods inside "Blumhouse's The Exorcist: Believer" smell like a real forest. In 'Scarecrow: The Reaping," guests push their way through a corn field and get blasted by wind from a dust storm, while ropes hanging from the Hunchback's bell tower block guests' path inside "Universal Monsters." There are even water effects in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" house, meant to mimic splattering blood during a particularly gruesome reenactment. 'We realize that we can't reach out and actually grab the guests,' said show director Nate Stevenson. 'But we need to reach out and touch the guests in every other sense that we possibly can.' More than just haunted houses The horror isn't over once you escape the haunted houses. Guests can also explore four immersive areas staged between the houses with their own themes, like '80s slasher flicks and classic Universal monsters. Here, original characters like a menacing set of twins and a bug monster are available to chat with guests or give them a fright. 'Our guests can approach these characters, and they'll actually tell you about their story and who they are and they'll interact with you,' Stevenson said, as a vampire queen and mad doctor lingered nearby, adding that it's 'very much immersive theater.' (I made the mistake of asking Stevenson a question about the characters in front of one and got called out for it. 'I'm right here!' said one of the spooky twins, looking like she was ready to tear my head off.) Jack's Alley Bar, another themed area in the warehouse, features a 15-minute show starring Jack the Clown and his sidekick, Chance. Two 'victims' are brought to a stage to perform in Jack's game show, 'Stay or Slay.' (Spoiler: the contestants' dancing and hula-hoop performances were impressive, but did little to win the killer clowns' sympathy.) And in the middle of it all sits The Boiler bar, an enormous machine where guests can take a break to drink craft cocktails. 'The Boiler bar definitely has a spirit of its own, so bear with us. Sometimes he gets a little upset,' said Kim Scott, general manager of Universal Horror Unleashed, as the machine let off steam with a roar in the background. Universal's Las Vegas horror experience: What to expect. Dining options at Universal Horror Unleashed Universal Horror Unleashed offers several dining options to guests who have worked up an appetite from any horror-induced adrenaline rush. Fast-casual stops like Rough Cuts offer themed dishes like Parts of Pieces, a spicy sausage sandwich. There's also a sit-down tapas bar, Premiere House, decorated with movie props and decor representing more recent horror films from Blumhouse. At the latter, guests can dine on small plates inspired by the surrounding houses – including a Texas Chainsaw Flatbread shaped like a saw blade and 'Scarecrow: The Reaping'-inspired dessert called The Haybale, a pecan kataifi roll served on a shovel. Drink options include the Green Dread – a bright green gin concoction served from a beaker – and the Bloodsucker, a rum and blackberry liqueur drink served with a dollop of dark red jello meant to look like a glob of blood. TJ Mannarino, vice president of entertainment, art and design, said attractions would have turned up their noses at the idea of adding grotesque themes to food in the not-too-distant past. But as guests increasingly look for more immersive offerings, he said that's no longer the case. 'Now, people love that,' he said. 'That's another step in this new world.' Horror is no longer just for fall The day I visited was a 100-plus-degree day in the middle of a Las Vegas summer. Not exactly the backdrop that comes to mind when you think of the typical fall spooky season. But that's the point: The team behind Universal Horror Unleashed says horror fans don't disappear once the clock strikes midnight on October 31. Mannarino said that's why Universal's Horror Nights pushed back its opening date from mid-October to late August, and why horror movies and horror-adjacent shows like 'Stranger Things' have success with spring or summer releases. 'Horror has a place year-round now,' Stevenson said. 'People love this group experience. ... There's a lot of real horror in the world, and this offers an escape. It's a way to laugh at horror.' Tickets start at $69 for one-time entry to each house and $99 for unlimited access to houses, with a discount offered to Nevada residents. A second location in Chicago is set to open in 2027.


USA Today
7 hours ago
- USA Today
'South Park' is leaving HBO Max as the show gets a new streaming home
"South Park" fans don't have long to binge their favorite dark comedy on HBO Max before it leaves the platform for good. All 26 seasons of Comedy Central's show are set to depart Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming service on Wednesday, Aug. 5, according to HBO Max. The exit comes after Paramount revealed an exclusive five-year licensing deal with Park County, the entertainment company founded by series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. HBO Max subscribers in the United States have enjoyed the entire show's library for the past five years. Since its 1997 premiere, the animated comedy has been renewed season after season, arguably due to its raunchy humor that makes satirical digs about pop culture and politics. The new season has already stirred controversy over its July 23 episode that depicted President Donald Trump cuddling in bed with Satan, his lover, using actual photos of the president crudely placed on an animated body. In a statement to USA TODAY, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said the show "hasn't been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention." Paramount Global reported a ratings milestone with the episode, titled "Sermon on the Mount," becoming the show's most-watched season premiere since 1999, with viewership up 68% from the Season 26 premiere. Where to watch 'South Park' now? All seasons of "South Park," including the 27th season, are now available to stream on Paramount+. New episodes will hit the service the day after each one airs on Comedy Central. What time does the next 'South Park' episode drop? The newest episode of "South Park" Season 27 is set to drop Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central. The episode will be available to stream on Paramount+ the following day, Aug. 7, at 6 am ET/3 a.m. PT, according to the streaming platform. Contributing: Brendan Morrow, Sara Chernikoff and Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY