Latest news with #DaytimeEmmy
USA Today
10 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Anne Burrell cause of death revealed after Food Network star dies at 55
Celebrity chef and Food Network star Anne Burrell's cause of death has been revealed. The 55-year-old TV personality was found dead June 17, and the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in New York City ruled the cause of death as suicide, according to a statement shared July 24 with USA TODAY. The spunky Food Network contributor, recognized for her platinum blonde hairdo and fiery but joyful disposition, made her debut in 2005 on the culinary channel's cutthroat competition series "Iron Chef America." Later, Burrell rapidly became a mainstay as host of "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" and most famously "Worst Cooks in America." As the face of "Worst Cooks in America," Burrell was a centerpiece of the popular cooking competition that follows hapless home cooks as they journey to master simple kitchen techniques. Throughout several seasons, Burrell co-hosted the series with the likes of Beau MacMillan, Robert Irvine, Bobby Flay and Tyler Florence. Anne Burrell, Food Network star chef, dies at 55 "Anne was a remarkable person and culinary talent — teaching, competing and always sharing the importance of food in her life and the joy that a delicious meal can bring," the Food Network said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with Anne's family, friends and fans during this time of tremendous loss." Her family said in a statement that "Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend. Her smile lit up every room she entered. Anne's light radiated far beyond those she knew, touching millions across the world." Her popular series "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" aired for nine seasons from 2008 to 2012 and earned a pair of Daytime Emmy nods, including an outstanding lifestyle/culinary host nomination for the New York native. She is survived by her mother, Marlene, sister Jane and her husband since 2021, Stuart Claxton, and Claxton's son, Javier. Contributing: Edward Segarra
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Eileen Fulton, soap actress who starred in 'As the World Turns' for 50 years, dies at 91
Eileen Fulton, a daytime television star who helped define the soap opera "As the World Turns," has died. She was 91. Fulton, who pulled off the rare feat of remaining on the same soap for half a century, died July 14 in Asheville, North Carolina, according to an announcement from her family. Her death followed "a period of declining health." USA TODAY has reached out to Fulton's rep for comment. Born Margaret Elizabeth McLarty, the Daytime Emmy winner swapped her given title for a stage name and her North Carolina roots for the scrappy New York acting scene in the 1950s. Studying under some of the most notable acting coaches of the time, she notched her big break in 1960 when she was cast as Lisa Miller on CBS' "As the World Turns." Fulton portrayed big-haired villainess Lisa for a whopping 50 years, seeing the character through eight marriages and countless scandals, and becoming one of the longest-running soap stars along the way. She exited and re-entered the show several times throughout her run, a common trope in soap television, but ultimately returned to see the show off for its final episode in 2010. Said to be as full of spunk and panache as her character, Fulton told the Los Angeles Times in 2000 that she was a "diva darling" behind the scenes. Once, when a producer refused to tell her whether Lisa was responsible for a murder written into the show, Fulton recalled saying: "We're live – don't forget. And if you don't tell me, I'll make up your mind for you on the air." In a seeming foreshadowing to its later cancellation, Fulton told the LA Times of the show: "I hope we don't fold, and I hope I don't get canned. But I do think if anything should happen, what would I do? My life would change radically. I would have to stop buying so many clothes." Ultimately, she went on to spend 10 more years as Lisa and no doubt decades more in the soap cannon as an example of enduring success in an oft-volatile genre. Her portrayal of Lisa earned her a spot in the Soap Opera Hall of Fame in 1998 and a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. Throughout her career, she also dabbled in other artistic pursuits, performing as a singer in a cabaret act for several years and authoring two autobiographies and a series of mystery novels.
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
American soap opera icon Eileen Fulton dies at 91
Eileen Fulton, known for her iconic role as Lisa Miller on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, has died at the age of 91. Fulton passed away on July 21 in Asheville, North Carolina, after a period of declining health, according to Variety. Her death was confirmed by a funeral home through an obituary. Fulton joined As the World Turns in 1960 and remained on the show until it ended in 2010. She played Lisa Miller, one of soap opera's earliest and most famous "bad girl" characters. Over five decades, Lisa's storyline included eight marriages, countless plot twists, and a long-standing place in viewers' hearts. Fulton herself helped shape the role, asking writers to add more edge and drama to her character, which helped keep the show popular. In 1998, Fulton was inducted into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame. She also received a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004 for her work in television. Outside the soap opera, Fulton had a successful stage career. While acting live on As the World Turns, she also appeared in Broadway's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and off-Broadway in The Fantasticks. She performed acts across New York and Los Angeles for years. Fulton also wrote two autobiographies: How My World Turns in 1970 and As My World Still Turns in 1995, marking her 35th year on the soap. In the late 1980s, she wrote six murder mystery novels. She retired from acting in 2019 and moved to Black Mountain, North Carolina. Fulton is survived by her brother Charles Furman McLarty, niece Katherine Morris, and sister-in-law Chris Page McLarty.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
They're influential — and invisible. Inside the high-stakes world of celebrity social media managers
When The Kelly Clarkson Show won a Daytime Emmy in December 2023, Kelly Clarkson wanted the news on her personal Instagram fast. 'Hey Jake, do you mind getting this up for Kelly tonight?' someone from Clarkson's team texted her personal social media manager Jake Updegraff, along with the approved message. Updegraff, who was in the middle of a Friday-night holiday gift exchange with friends, quickly jumped on it. He logged into Clarkson's account, because, yes, having a celebrity's password is just part of the job. The message itself was standard — a thank-you to the Daytime Emmys and a shout-out to her team. But something about the post was unusual once it went live. It turns out Updegraff forgot to delete the internal note that preceded the approved copy. It began, 'Hey Jake, do you mind getting this up for Kelly tonight?' Updegraff had put his phone on Do Not Disturb after he finished the assignment. He didn't realize the mistake until hours later, when a flood of missed calls and texts hit. 'My heart dropped,' he recalls. The gaffe made headlines. 'BECAUSE OF JAKE: Kelly Clarkson baffles fans with Emmy Award message blunder as they beg for a 'Jake reveal' & say 'he deserves a raise,'' read one headline. Clarkson, for her part, found it hilarious. In the comments section of her own post, she thanked Updegraff for 'simply killing it ... I have never laughed so hard!!' "That just shows you the kind of person she is," Updegraff says. "She could have easily been like, 'You're fired.' That's what I thought was going to happen." Moments like this reveal just how close — and high-stakes — the job of a celebrity social media manager can be. If you've ever wondered whether your favorite celebrity is actually the one hitting "post" on their social media accounts — their selfies, their beauty routines, an oddly relatable meme — the answer is: Maybe. Or maybe it's someone like Updegraff, one of the many digital ghostwriters and content strategists working behind the scenes. Their job? Curate every pixel of a celebrity's personal brand online — on their verified account, in their voice, as if they posted it themselves. It's not a new role in Hollywood, but it's one that has evolved significantly. Today's celebrity social media manager is part brand strategist, part confidant, part crisis manager — and, most important, an invisible architect of influence. It's a high-stakes, high-speed job that requires precision, patience and a sixth sense for timing. And while the work is mostly behind the curtain, the impact is often front-page. I spoke to four social media managers — two on the record, two anonymously — who've run social media accounts for some of the biggest names in Hollywood. They revealed what celebrities are like on the other side of the apps, how the culture of posting has changed since the early Instagram era and why, as the people running the show, success often means leaving no trace. The evolution of the celebrity feed While it may seem second nature now, there was a time when celebrities wanted nothing to do with Instagram. When the platform launched in 2010, few saw the value in sharing glimpses into their private lives, especially while they were still figuring out how to make the most of 140 characters on Twitter. 'When we first started publishing for celebrities, not only did they not really think about social media to any great extent, they were very cynical about it,' says Patrick Mulford, former chief creative officer and later CEO of theAudience, one of the first agencies to manage celebrity feeds. 'They already made a lot of money. This was kind of fractional compared to what they'd make on a movie.' Founded in 2011 by Ari Emanuel, Sean Parker and Oliver Luckett, theAudience offered full-service 'ghostposting,' where the agency would craft content that is then published on a star's social media channel. It counted stars like Hugh Jackman, Emma Watson and Charlize Theron as clients. 'We managed a good 40 or 50 big stars,' Mulford says. 'Only about 10 were really engaged. The rest didn't even realize we were posting for them.' When I ask who was disengaged, he politely declines to give names but says his company found ways to work around the challenge. For example, they would build posts from scratch — using image libraries or stock photos to create the illusion of activity when stars weren't available or willing to share personal content. Mulford says stars' early hesitation with Instagram came down to privacy and image control. But over time, celebrities like Chrissy Teigen, Will Smith and the Kardashian-Jenners changed the game. He cites these stars as ones who leaned into the medium, embracing personality-driven posting and helping reset industry expectations. Their successes — coupled with the rise of influencer culture — rewrote the rules. Suddenly a strong online presence wasn't just helpful; it was vital. Social media became a brand engine, and behind every glossy post, there needed to be someone pulling the strings. Enter the celebrity social media manager. What started as a nice-to-have role quickly became essential. As celebrities embraced social media as a tool to shape their personal brands, the expectations grew — not just from their teams but also from their followers. Stars were expected to be 'authentic' and always on. Fans didn't just want promotional posts; they wanted birthday shout-outs, behind-the-scenes glimpses and unfiltered moments — all while maintaining a level of polish and control that only a professional could provide. The real challenge became finding someone who could manage the pace, protect the brand and disappear into the background. Today Instagram feels like the one platform stars have to be active on. It's the digital front door to both a celebrity's brand and personal life, where a single post can launch a product, spark a headline or shift a narrative. Being invisible For one social media manager who worked closely with two A-list stars, a key part of her job wasn't the content strategy or the caption copy — it was knowing how to disappear. She asked to remain anonymous due to NDAs she signed with both celebrities, so we'll call her Sarah. 'The most important quality of being a celebrity social media manager is the art of being invisible,' she told me. Her job required her to be with one actress almost 24/7. 'When I'm in the glam room, when I'm in the hotel room getting my content, she doesn't even feel my presence — but I'm always at the ready. I'm getting what I need, but I'm never in the way.' Sarah started as a personal assistant to a television personality, eventually running that star's personal and business social accounts before moving on to an A-list actress. "There's a lot of perks to the role," she tells me. " When I traveled, I got to stay where they stayed. They're staying at the f***ing nicest hotels, I get to stay at the nicest hotels. We're flying first or business class. The best part, bar none, is the exposure to their worlds — not from a gossip level but just being able to attend events and go to the premieres and get all the perks.' 'The most important quality of being a celebrity social media manager is the art of being invisible.'Sarah But with those perks came pressure and unpredictability. "The hardest part is the emotional roller coaster that comes with [the job]," she says. "Every day is a different emotion and a different hurdle, but you also learn to be super empathetic to what they deal with. There's somebody needing something from them 24/7. They're never alone. And I think you forget that they're people too.' That emotional proximity gave her a front-row seat to something else: just how involved celebrities actually are in crafting their online images. Far from being hands-off, many stars are invested in what they post and how they're perceived. They care about the tone of the caption, the order of the photo carousel and the filter used on pictures. For them, every post is a piece of the puzzle: a carefully calibrated extension of their public persona. And they expect the people running their accounts to not just understand the vision but to execute it flawlessly. How involved are these stars, really? Quickly learning that the job required emotional intelligence as much as creative instincts helped Sarah be successful. For the A-list star, she knew all personal socials were "the front door into all her business verticals." "I was with her every single day, traveling the world with her, in her home," she says. But with proximity came pressure. The closer you are to a celebrity, the more disciplined you have to be. 'Where people in this job really struggle is they make their presence too known,' she said. 'They try to insert themselves into their lives too much. The people who are successful in a celebrity's life want nothing in return. I don't need to be in the video. I don't care if my socials grow. I just want to do a good job and make sure she's comfortable and happy.' I spoke to another woman, I'll call her Kate, who also asked to remain anonymous as she's still running all personal and business social accounts for a major multi-hyphenate celebrity. Like Sarah, she assumed the star she worked for might be more hands-off. After all, said star should be busy running an empire. 'I come from a news background, and I was like, she's one human being — how much work could there possibly be?' Kate says. 'But with her in particular, she's omnipresent. She's constantly doing stuff.' 'She has 800 other things to do, but she still wants to see everything before it goes up.'Kate, on managing a celebrity's social media presence Kate manages a small team who assist her with drafting copy, pulling selects from photo shoots, scrubbing through shared albums for raw content, and posting across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X. She's in direct contact with the celebrity daily, reviewing captions, approving content and texting about trends. While Kate's client is unusually open — 'shockingly so for a celebrity at her level' — she's also extremely hands-on. 'She'll say, 'Swap photos seven and nine.' She has 800 other things to do, but she still wants to see everything before it goes up.' Waiting for approvals across time zones can stall content for hours — and the back-and-forth is round-the-clock. 'She's stunning, obviously,' Kate says. 'But there's a f*** ton of editing that goes into even her [photos].' Still, the star's involvement is part of what makes her feel real to fans — even when it's not technically her posting. 'Sometimes I'll DM someone and say, 'Hey, this is Kate from [celebrity]'s team. She saw your comment and wanted to send you something.' Meanwhile, she didn't. But it makes their day. And my boss loves that — she wants to uphold that reputation because she really is very fan-first,' she explains. That kind of quiet, careful work might be the norm for this job — but it's not the only way to manage a celebrity account. Creating big moments Although some social media managers live in a world of day-to-day maintenance and approval loops, there's a more strategic side too — building campaigns that go viral and making headlines. For Updegraff, who also works with clients like Pentatonix and Alicia Silverstone, his work is about creating the moments fans (and press) can't stop talking about. Updegraff helped launch Alicia Silverstone's TikTok account in 2021 — and turned her debut into a full-blown cultural event. It was Updegraff who had the idea to re-create the "As if" scene from Clueless for her first-ever post, complete with a cameo from her son Bear. 'She gained like two million followers in 24 hours,' he says. 'It was insane.' The idea came together quickly, but strategically. Silverstone was collaborative, even asking if he thought the 'As if!' moment was the film's most iconic scene. 'I knew we could make a splash,' Updegraff says. 'We posted it on a Friday. And it was everywhere.' Silverstone's willingness to lean into nostalgia and share glimpses of her personal life — like including her son — has made her and Updegraff a successful team. Another win: the 'That's Not My Name' trend, which he and Silverstone also kicked off together. 'That one was pretty big,' he recalls. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alicia Silverstone (@aliciasilverstone) Updegraff says his job is part creative director, part executive assistant. He pitches ideas, films content, edits videos, builds UGC campaigns and posts each one across a dozen different platforms. 'People don't realize how much time it takes just to post,' he says. 'It's the same piece of content, but you have to format it 20 different ways.' Not every celebrity wants to get personal, and that's fine with him. 'If you're not comfortable [with an idea], I have 12,000 more,' he says. 'But I'll gently push you if I think something's worth the risk.' He's always encouraging stars to be more vulnerable but never in a way that feels forced. 'Authenticity wins,' he says. 'You just have to know what's real for each person.' The job, behind the post While all the social media managers I spoke to came from different backgrounds and approached their roles differently, they all believe one thing: The job is misunderstood. 'People think it's just posting,' Updegraff says. 'But it's emotional labor. It's creative strategy.' To be successful, all four say it isn't just the skill or the access that makes it possible — it's the trust that allows them to operate in the background without disrupting the spotlight. In a culture where everyone is watching — fans, brands, press, Reddit threads — the most important thing might be making it all look effortless.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Eileen Fulton, 'As the World Turns' soap star, dies at 91
Actor Eileen Fulton, known for her long-running role as Lisa Grimaldi on the CBS soap opera "As the World Turns," has died at 91. Fulton died July 14 in Asheville, N.C., after a period of declining health, according to an obituary posted by Groce Funeral Home in North Carolina. She would become one of the longest-serving soap opera actors, playing Lisa with only a few interruptions from 1960 until the show's end in 2010. Fulton played the character as a villain, telling The Times in 1990 that Lisa was initially "a conniving, screaming witch" who "lied and wanted everything her way," a characterization that led fans to scorn her. Throughout the course of the show, Lisa was married eight times. But over time, Lisa evolved and "matured and learned from her mistakes." Fulton said she began to receive "love letters" from fans who admired the character's spunk. Fulton was inducted into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame in 1998 and received a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. Fulton was born Margaret Elizabeth McLarty on Sept. 13, 1933 in Asheville. The daughter of a Methodist minister and a public school teacher, she graduated from Greensboro College in 1956 with a bachelor's degree in music and performed in an outdoor drama in North Carolina before moving to New York to pursue a career in acting, according to her obituary. She later adopted the stage name Eileen Fulton, and in 1960, she was cast in the drama "Girl of the Night." In addition to her soap opera career, Fulton had a cabaret act for years in New York and Los Angeles. She retired in 2019 and moved to Black Mountain, N.C. She is survived by her brother, Charles Furman McLarty, a niece and other family members. Sign up for Screen Gab, a free newsletter about the TV and movies everyone's talking about from the L.A. Times. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Solve the daily Crossword
