JESSICA SIMPSON shared a totally UNRECOGNIZABLE photo of herself to celebrate 4 years of sobriety. It’s a photo of the moment when she knew she needed to, “take back my light, show victory over my internal battle of self respect, and brave this world with piercing clarity.” Jessica said she needed to stop drinking because it kept her mind and heart circling in the same direction and she was EXHAUSTED. She said she’d rather feel pain and carry it as a badge of honor and live as a leader does. “The real work that needed to be done in my life was to actually accept failure, pain, brokenness, and self sabotage. The drinking wasn’t the issue . . . I was. I didn’t love myself . . . I didn’t respect my own power. Today I do . . .”I have made nice with the fears and I have accepted the parts of my life that are just sad . . . I own my personal power with soulful courage. I am wildly honest and comfortably open. I am free.”
It’s that time of year again, where OPRAH shares her favorite things on Amazon. She even announced it’s been 25 years since her “favorite things” list started. This year she’s focusing on small businesses owned by women and people of color. So, let’s take a look at Oprah’s list . . . we can start with the more AFFORDABLE things:
There’s lavender scented stuffed animals for about $40 . . . blue light glasses for $27 . . . skin tone crayons for $23 . . . and an electric toothbrush for $24.
For a bit of a higher price tag, she has a touchless sanitizer for $80 . . . bubble bath for $68 . . . a dog leash, bandana, and bag set for $93 . . . and silk hair ties with an eye mask for $65.
Now for the items we will NOT be gifting this holiday season . . . there’s an air purifier for $1,300 . . . a row machine for about $1,800 . . . a cashmere throw for $248 . . . and a 10-piece ceramic pots and pans set for $350.
CHRIS PRATT just signed on to be the voice of Mario in a new animated movie, and now he’s the lead in a new “Garfield” movie. There’s no word yet on the plot . . . as if it matters.
HENRY WINKLER is auctioning off some of his old memorabilia, including a Fonzie outfit from “Happy Days” that comes with a leather jacket, T-shirt, jeans, and boots. It’s valued at $50,000 to $70,000.
A bar in Dallas is severely limiting how often MARIAH CAREY’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” can be played on the jukebox. Mariah responded with a picture of herself in armor, ready to fight the “war on Christmas.”
KENNY CHESNEY announced the details of his Here and Now 2022 stadium tour. It’ll launch April 23rd in Tampa, Florida . . . and run into late summer when it wraps with a two-night stand in Foxborough, Massachusetts on August 26th and 27th. Dan + Shay, Old Dominion, and Carly Pearce are the openers.
RUNAWAY JUNE pulled off a terrific tour prank on the final night of LUKE BRYAN’s Proud to Be Right Here Tour last Thursday. They pretended to have what they called “a cat fight” on stage next to Luke and DYLAN SCOTT. It starts with NAOMI COOKE singing while standing on a platform, and then NATALIE STOVALL grabs her arm, pulls her down, and SHE starts singing. Naomi isn’t having it. She tries to go back up and they struggle. JENNIFER WAYNE steps in to calm things down, but doesn’t. And then Naomi wraps her arms around Natalie like they’re going to wrestle. By this point the music has stopped and everyone in the place, including Luke, thinks it’s really going down. That’s when Jennifer starts a pillow fight . . . with feathers flying everywhere. Everyone’s in on the joke by now. Luke cusses them out, Dylan joins the pillow fight, and then he admits, “Hey, I thought that was real. I’m not gonna lie.”
DARIUS RUCKER is doing a theater tour next year. “Darius Rucker Live” is a series of “intimate performances” at iconic theaters across the country. The first show is February 17th at The Met in Philadelphia . . . and the final night is April 1st in New Orleans. CAYLEE HAMMACK will open the shows.
Guess the name of WALKER HAYES’ next tour – yess . . “The Fancy Like Tour” will kick off January 27th in Grand Rapids, Michigan . . . and wrap April 30th in Louisville, Kentucky. He’s bringing MACKENZIE PORTER along as the opener.
TRAVIS DENNING grew up going to Atlanta Braves games in the ’90s. Obviously, he’s thrilled they’re in the World Series, and thinks this team has what it takes. Quote, “I’ve got a good feeling about Game Six, and I like the idea of going to Houston and winning it all right there.”
CMT has two premiering on December 8th
. . . “CMT Crossroads Christmas: Brett Young and Friends” will feature Brett and his guests Boyz II Men, Darius Rucker, Maddie & Tae, Chris Tomlin, Colbie Caillat, and Gavin DeGraw.
. . . Meanwhile, “CMT’s A Tennessee Kind of Christmas” will bring together country icons Amy Grant, Billy Ray Cyrus, Clay Walker, Pam Tillis, Sara Evans, Steve Wariner, Tracy Lawrence, and Wynonna.
TIM MCGRAW released a multi-single called “Christmas All Over The World / It Wasn’t His Child”. It’s a 2021 version of “Christmas All Over the World” paired with “It Wasn’t His Child”, which Tim performed on last year’s “CMA Country Christmas”.
Josh Turner will be hawking his first-ever Christmas album, “King Size Manger” . . . plus limited-edition autographed CDs, and “unique Christmas merchandise bundles.”
Jennifer Garner met up with ex-husband Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez while out trick-or-treating with the kids over the weekend. The stars were spotted out for Halloween in Malibu, with the actress meeting up with Affleck and Lopez at one point. Earlier that day, Affleck and Garner spent time with their kids. “Everyone gets along and the focus is always on the kids. Jennifer, Ben and Jen Garner all wanted the kids to have an amazing Halloween. The kids are friends and wanted to go trick-or-treating together. It made sense that they all went together.”
JASON MOMOA is isolating after testing positive for COVID.
The “New York Times” helped change BRITNEY SPEARS’ life with the documentary “Framing Britney Spears”. Now they’re doing one on the Big Game wardrobe malfunction called “Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson”.
Nelly is 47.
David Schwimmer is 55. Ross Geller on “Friends”.
Stefanie Powers is 79.
