Comedian, actor, and entertainer Bill Bellamy will be presented with the Icon Award at the 2026 Whats Funny Comedy Festival, recognizing his decades of excellence and impact on stand-up comedy and entertainment.
The Whats Funny Comedy Festival was co-founded by Knowledge Beckom and Lil Rel Howery ("Get Out," "Rel," "Vacation Friends 2") with the mission to spotlight Black and Brown comedians and make Chicago the "next great home of comedy discovery."
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#whats #funny #bill

Amanda Knox is taking her story to a comedy stage in Edinburgh, nearly two decades after the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher thrust her into an international media frenzy.
Knox made her Edinburgh Fringe debut with her show "Cartwheel," a one-woman show that blends comedy and storytelling as she reflects on her wrongful conviction, years in an Italian prison and the challenge of explaining her past to her young daughter.
The show, which began its Edinburgh run Aug. 7, and is scheduled through Aug. 17 at Gilded Balloon, is already sold out. The show takes its name from one of the most infamous narratives to emerge during the investigation into Kercher's death, which claimed that Knox performed cartwheels at an Italian police station.
Amanda Knox: 'Twisted Tale' asks, 'in the wake of trauma, how do you rebuild your life?'
The show has reignited the controversy surrounding the 2007 murder of Kercher, with members of the British student's family criticizing Knox decision to revisit the case through comedy.

#edinburgh #kercher #murder #fringe

Ben Jones, the "Dukes of Hazzard" star who turned to politics, had died. He was 84.
Jones died from a "massive heart attack," his longtime wife, Alma Viator, confirmed in a post on Facebook Sunday, Aug. 9.
"I lost the love of my life today," Viator wrote. "He was home resting in his favorite chair waiting for the Braves to come on and whoop the Yankees. Ben had the most amazing rich life."
Jones played scruffy mechanic "Crazy" Cooter Davenport in nearly every episode of the hit sitcom, from 1979 to 1985, as well as its 1997 and 2000 TV films. He was later replaced by David Koechner in the 2005 theatrical film and Joel Moore in the 2007 direct-to-video prequel, "The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning."
Jones grew up in a railroad shack near Portsmouth, Virginia, and got his start acting in his mid-20s, in the films "Killer's Three," an uncredited role, and "Together for Days." He went on to land other film and TV roles, including an uncredited role in "Smokey and the Bandit," the Richard Pryor and Bill Dee Williams sports comedy "The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings" and the action-comedy "Moonrunners," the predecessor to "Dukes."

#life

Shane Gillis recently broke the world record for the most tickets sold for a solo comedy show, but his mom missed the historic event while vacationing in Europe.
The controversial comedian has previously opened up about how he got into comedy, saying he struggled in the military and at school, which eventually led to his expulsion and his parents branding him "a loser."
He has also made headlines for his controversial remarks about Donald Trump, once saying the president was "circling the drain."
Over 73,000 people took to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia last month as Shane Gillis made history by setting two Guinness World Records for the largest live audience for a standalone comedian and the most tickets sold for a solo comedy show.
However, he has now revealed that one special seat remained empty throughout the event — the one reserved for his mom.

#comedy #sold #solo #Event

A Philadelphia native like me (go Birds), Tina Fey is, without question, the best thing to ever come out of Pennsylvania's Upper Darby Township. (Apologies to the area's other famous residents like Todd Rundgren, Ed McMahon, and Cheri Oteri.) Fey, who rose to prominence on "Saturday Night Live" as a writer, performer, and Weekend Update co-host (alongside her friends Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers) before winning Emmys for her own show, "30 Rock," is one of the funniest talents we've got. If you've ever watched even a single episode of "30 Rock," you know I'm right; pound for pound and joke for joke, it's probably the most hysterically funny sitcom of its generation.
Fey currently stars on the Netflix series "The Four Seasons," but now that she's not personally churning out 20+ episodes of a network TV show anymore, she has a little more time on her hands ... and takes opportunities to appear on podcasts with people like Poehler. In February of 2024, Fey made an appearance on "Las Culturistas," the pop culture obsessed podcast hosted by fellow "SNL" veteran Bowen Yang and his comedy partner Matt Rogers. While there, she gave the world the gift of a particular quote during a closing segment of each episode ******* led "I Don't Think So, Honey," where Yang, Rogers, and the guest each get one minute to air a niche grievance. "Gift" is not an exaggeration. The quote was so good that, at the following Las Culturistas Culture Awards, Rogers and Yang led the entire audience in a recitation of Fey's "I Don't Think So, Honey" and called it their "Pledge of Allegiance."
So, what does Fey say in her one minute that's so impactful? Once you get to a specific level of fame, you can no longer share your hot takes.
Read more: 14 Classic TV Shows That Would Never Be Made Today
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#honey

The '80s were one of the biggest decades of all time, literally and figuratively. From ultra-teased hair to an endless rotation of power ballads playing on radio stations, there was no such thing as too much during this time. Although there was no social media back then, celebrity culture was huge, and folks loved reading about juicy gossip in the tabloids. That was our gateway into their glamorous lives and their love lives. People loved reading about which stars had hooked up, broken up, and made up.
Some romances of the decade stood the test of time and remain Hollywood's success story. Others have fizzled out with a dramatic bang, but are still among those relationships that fans look back on fondly. And it's not just fans who reminisce about their fave celebs' brief romantic stint. Some famous faces have even opened up about their past lovers years later, proving that these were meaningful connections. The '80s were totally tubular in all the right ways, and these couples will go down in history as some of the best romances of the period.
Read more: All The Things Taylor Swift's Exes Have Spilled About Her
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Talk about a love that was meant to be. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell first met in 1966 on the set of "The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band," but the "Tombstone" actor wasn't even legal. Fast forward 17 years, and the two reconnected while filming "Swing Shift" and have been together since. After welcoming their son Wyatt together in 1986, Hawn and Russell proved that their on-screen chemistry was as strong as ever while filming "Overboard" a year later. Hawn later shared on "The Late Late Show with James Corden" in 2017 that rewatching the hit comedy with her longtime partner brought all the feels. "You know how sometimes you forget why you fell in love? I remembered everything, and why I fell in love. It was really something to be able to watch that," she gushed.

#reading

Tim Matheson says working alongside Henry Fonda early in his career turned into an education that extended far beyond acting.
During an appearance on the Still Here Hollywood podcast with Steve Kmetko on Monday, August 3, the actor, 78, reflected on filming the 1968 family comedy Yours, Mine and Ours, where he played one of Fonda's children alongside screen icon Lucille Ball.
While Ball often retreated to her trailer, Fonda stayed near the set between takes, he recalled.
"You had a chair, you stayed on the set, you know, and you just stayed until you were called," explained the Animal House star. "Henry was trying to quit smoking, so he was doing needlepoint."
Fonda's technique for quitting cigarettes had some logic to it. According to smokefree.gov, one way to manage cravings is to "keep your hands busy."

#henry #matheson #here #steve

The sister of Meredith Kercher has said a show by Amanda Knox, who was convicted of her murder and later cleared, "normalizes and trivializes violence against women."
British foreign exchange student Kercher was killed in Perugia, in 2007, and Knox, her US roommate, was arrested and later convicted of murder and ******* ual ******* ault in 2009 alongside Knox's then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito.
The couple maintained their innocence and, after years of legal battles, were acquitted of ******* ual ******* ault and murder by Italy's highest court in 2015.
Knox will now perform the show, named Cartwheel, which references a story that claimed she did cartwheels in the police station after her friend's death, at this year's Edinburgh Fringe.
Stephanie Kercher told BBC Breakfast: "It's left a massive void in our lives, and Amanda is naturally free to continue with her life as she wishes, but I think the problem with this particular project is that it is comedy.

#knox #show #meredith

Christina Pazsitzky was visibly emotional while addressing her divorce from Tom Segura. The comedian opened up about her divorce from Segura after decades of marriage as she reflected on their relationship during a podcast.
Christina Pazsitzky shared an emotional detail with listeners on her Your Mom's House podcast. According to TMZ, Pazsitzky said she had spent years trying to save her marriage before the couple finally decided to split.
She said, "Tom and I are divorcing and um, it is extremely sad. It's um, sorry, I don't know if I was going to cry this soon. It is very sad. Um, that being said, we have tried to work it out for several, several years for the sake of our children and our family, and we gave it all we could."
Pazsitzky said they had a really good run in their marriage and that they had given everything they could to save it. She said, "I think in a marriage 20 years together and we uh had a very successful marriage. We created this, um, we have comedy careers. We most importantly created a family."
Pazsitzky said she wanted to formally address the news to their audience, as they have been supporting the couple since the beginning of their careers. She added, "This is just an unfortunate thing. Uh, but we're going to be okay. Tom and I are, just so everybody knows, like we are amicable. This is not an ugly divorce. Like, we're cool, dude." She also asked viewers not to take sides, as there is no bad blood between the two as they continue to live their lives.

#podcast

The 2023 Golden Globe Awards was an incredible night for Michelle Yeoh. The 60-year-old actress had waited 40 years to play the lead in a Hollywood film, and winning the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy for her starring role in "Everything Everywhere All at Once" was a dream come true. Yeoh's moment in the spotlight made headlines that night as her award speech went viral. But following the ceremony, another moment went viral, the split second Yeoh's name was called as the winner and the reaction of her co-star, Jamie Lee Curtis.
Curtis herself had been nominated for the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in the film but didn't win. (That award went to Angela Bassett in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.") But whatever disappointment Curtis may have felt about not winning her own award did not diminish her response to Yeoh's win, which was immediate, intense and immensely joyful.
A screenshot of Curtis' triumphant celebration of Yeoh's win was shared on LinkedIn by Erin Gallagher, CEO and founder of gender equity company Ella, along with a powerful message that's resonating with women everywhere.
Screenshot of Jamie Lee Curtis and Michelle Yeoh at the 2023 Golden Globes Erin Gallagher via LinkedIn
Gallagher wrote:

#curtis #award #went #best

Ariana Madix has come a long way from slinging ****** tails at SUR: The Love Island USA host recently landed her first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program.
"It felt very surreal," Madix, 41, said of the nomination, according to an article Marie Claire published on Monday, August 3. "It's really going to hit when we start scheduling things closer to the Emmys. Whenever they do billboards for Love Island, I'm always [in Fiji]. If they do something to promote this, I'll probably get very emotional."
Madix has already expanded her résumé beyond reality TV, making her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago and landing a guest role as Dr. Emerson on NBC's comedy St. Denis Medical. With new opportunities continuing to open up, she is already thinking about what comes next.
"What are the loftiest goals possible? EGOT status is probably the biggest," Madix said, per the outlet.
An EGOT is one of the entertainment industry's most prestigious achievements, earned by artists who have won all four major entertainment awards: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony.

#host

All roads lead back to comedy for Kevin Hart.
Hart is a comedian who has expanded his business ventures beyond comedy shows. He currently has an R-rated comedy film streaming on Netflix called "72 Hours," produced in partnership with Sony, Davis Entertainment, Counterbalance Entertainment, Will Packer, and Hart's own studio, Hartbeat, according to What's On Netflix.
"72 Hours" features Marcello Hernández, Mason Gooding, Kam Patterson, and Ben Marshall all sharing screen time with Hart. Supporting the next generation of comedians is important for Hart.
"At this point in my career, it's all about the next wave. It's all about whether you are comedians, comedic actors, whether you are writers, whether you are streamers, influencers, like it's all about saying, 'All right, I get it all. How can I help,'" Hart said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
Hart now has several projects with Netflix, including "Lift," "Me Time," "The Man From Toronto," "Fatherhood" and a celebrity comedy roast, Variety reported. Beyond streaming, Hart has also found success at the box office, with his films grossing more than $4 billion, as AFROTECH

#beyond #next

Steve Carell and his wife Nancy Carell celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary on Aug. 5, 2026
They share two children, daughter Annie and son John
The couple have attended countless events together over the years, from red carpets to sports games
Steve Carell and his wife Nancy Carell are celebrating 31 years of marriage.
The couple wed on Aug. 5, 1995, after they first met in the early '90s while part of the comedy troupe The Second City in Chicago. They share two children: daughter Annie and son John.

#nancy #children

On today's episode of "Daily Variety" podcast, Journey Gunderson, executive director of the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, N.Y., explains why it's important to have an institution devoted to the study of comedy. Jamestown, which is the hometown of Lucille Ball, will be abuzz with laughs as the center hosts the annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival Aug. 7-9, headlined by Jerry Seinfeld, Bert Kreischer and Seth Meyers.
Gunderson has been the driving force behind the nonprofit National Comedy Center for 15 years. She joined what was then the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum in Jamestown in 2011. In 2018, the organization's footprint expanded to include the National Comedy Center, which is now home to the archives of comedy ***** ans George Carlin, Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks.
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#gunderson #brooks

Patrick Warburton recently talked about his experiences with older costars during an appearance on Nostalgia Tonight with Joe Sibilia
Warburton recalled doing a skit with the legendary Carol Burnett in which she played twins who were both romantically interested in him
The actor, now 61, shared how the moment felt as a 27-year-old actor
Patrick Warburton has had some unique opportunities to work with iconic actresses.
During his appearance on the Aug. 2 episode of Nostalgia Tonight with Joe Sibilia, the Seinfeld actor, 61, looked back at a comedy skit that paired him with the legendary Carol Burnett.

#warburton #tonight #appearance

Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard has taken aim at the FIA for reacting too slowly to the problems caused by the 2026 technical regulations, comparing the situation to a slow-moving disaster that everyone saw coming.
The 13-time grand prix winner shared his frustration over the series' governing body failing to listen to early warnings. The introduction of the new rules, particularly the almost 50:50 split between internal combustion and electric power, was met with widespread apprehension from drivers and engineers long before the cars hit the track.
"What I think was a bit of a let-down was, given that [the new regulations] came at us like a road roller... There's that comedy scene in a movie where the road roller is coming, and the person's going, 'Oh, I'm going to get run down.' And then, in the next scene, it's him looking at his watch going, 'Oh, I'm going to get run down'," Coulthard said during an episode of the Up To Speed podcast.
According to Coulthard, while the technical minds within the paddock were vocal about their concerns, their warnings were met with "pretty much silence". It was not until pre-season testing and the season-opening Australian Grand Prix that the reality of the regulations became clear.
"So, the new regs came at us with drivers and engineers going, 'This is not going to be good.' Pretty much silence from everyone else," Coulthard continued. "We get to Melbourne, and we go, 'Ah, they have deceleration as they go towards certain corners.'

#down #pretty

In the ever-evolving world of entertainment and fashion, some stars rewrite the rules of stardom by proving that age is just a number. These extraordinary women not only shattered ceilings but also reached their artistic zeniths after turning 40, commanding lead roles, headlining major productions, launching brands, and ****** ing the industry's top honors. Their journeys inspire us all to embrace reinvention, talent, and tenacity at any age. Here are ten celebrity women whose careers soared in their forties and beyond.
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Kim Cattrall broke out as the unforgettable Samantha Jones, captivating audiences with unapologetic wit and fearless confidence. She starred alongside Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon across all episodes of the hit HBO series, which ran from 1998 to 2004, totaling 94 episodes and won seven Emmy Awards, as reported by Variety. Her later roles on television and stage have only cemented her reputation as a magnetic, enduring talent in Hollywood.
River / MEGA
Jane Lynch's sharp humor and imposing presence made her a household name, particularly through iconic roles in television comedy and acclaimed hosting gigs. Lynch won a 2010 Primetime Emmy for her portrayal of Sue Sylvester on Glee, after beginning her career with Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre and Second City companies, per the Television Academy. Her journey underscores the power of comedic timing and character acting at any age.

#only #talent #episodes

Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce turned their "New Heights" podcast into one of the biggest success stories after launching the show in 2022. The brothers built a massive audience that reached far beyond football and helped make them among the highest-paid podcasters in the world.
However, the Kelce family has another podcast star as well: Jason's wife, Kylie Kelce.
Kylie delivered a memorable podcast moment when she teamed up with the Backstreet Boys, the best-selling boy band in history, to recreate one of television's most recognizable comedy scenes.
Kyle and the legendary band recreated the "I Want It That Way" cold open from "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" Season 5, Episode 17, ***** led "DFW."
That scene became one of the most shared sitcom moments ever, largely because Detective Jake Peralta, played by Andy Samberg, turned a police lineup into a performance.

#kelce #kylie

Nick Cannon understands the absurdity of the amount of children he has, and now he has filmed a comedy sketch about the lengths he's willing to go to avoid paying child support.
"Nick, it's time to pay child support," his girlfriend Bre Tiesi says at the start of the comedy skit, which can be seen below. "Como say what?" he replies, seemingly shocked. She insists that he needs to pay up, only for him to respond in Amish garb, "No, I don't, I'm Amish." She's confused about what that has to do with her request, and he pivots to blaming a vaccine and then suggesting that he doesn't have to pay if he has over ten children.
Cannon has 12 children with six different women, but as Tiesi points out, his excuse about not having to pay up because of the number of kids he has would only apply in foreign countries. He then vanishes and gives her a FaceTime call from China, showing just how far he's willing to go to not pay child support.
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This isn't the first time Cannon and Tiesi—who share one child together, Legendary Love Cannon—have filmed a skit about their relationship. Back in 2023, they shared a video in which he jokes about her making more money than him.

#children

The Pittsburgh Pirates appeared to be on the upswing entering the second half, but after four straight losses, the Pirates find themselves 55-56 and 2.5 games back of the National League's third Wild Card slot.
And after Friday's 8-7 loss to the last-place Cincinnati Reds, a Pirates fan called into 93.7 The Fan to sound off on the struggles, and he did so while in the Wendy's drive-thru.
The conversation between the caller, Steve, and 93.7 The Fan host Dan Zangrilli turned into great comedy.
"These 13 games are probably some of the most important 13 games," Steve began on the 93.7 The Fan postgame show.
"But Steve, what a familiar place," Zangrilli interjected. "What a familiar place. What a comfortable chair in which we sit."

#games

Kylie Vincent's multiple sclerosis symptoms were initially misdiagnosed as a UTI despite her severe neurological issues
She struggled to advocate for herself in the hospital while facing a "terrifying" new diagnosis
Vincent turned to stand-up comedy to cope with her diagnosis and connect with others facing similar challenges
A woman is detailing the "psychological torture" she experienced after her multiple sclerosis symptoms were dismissed as a UTI.
Kylie Vincent, a 26-year-old comedian from Los Angeles, was filming an independent short film in late January when her symptoms began. She noticed a "tingling and numbness" in her left hand, but initially brushed it off. The following week, she went to the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, where things quickly escalated.

#facing #diagnosis

Giuliana Rancic is not holding back as she says all the details on her former relationship with ex Jerry O'Connell after he recently admitted to being a "pretty terrible boyfriend."
"For a year and a half — except for the one breakup — we were together 24/7 every day, every night," Giuliana, 51, said during the Wednesday, July 29, episode of her podcast, Bill and Giuliana. "You could listen to his interview and think maybe this was an easy relationship, he was dating a bunch of girls, but no. It was a real relationship."
The former entertainment reporter, who dated the actor from 2003 to 2004, recalled photos surfacing of the Jerry Maguire star with Spice Girls' Geri Halliwell while they filmed the 2004 comedy Fat Slags.
"It was, like the most shocking moment of my life," she explained. "I walked into a voiceover booth and fell to the ground, crying hysterically. It was awful. So upsetting and so devastating."
"I was left to pick up the pieces of what was literally a perfect relationship for a year," Giuliana added.

#year

Kaitlyn Collins responded Monday to the string of insults President Trump lobbed at the CNN journalist during his first White House Correspondents' ****** ociation dinner speech, saying it was unsurprising, since hearing similar personal attacks has become normalized in the Oval Office.
The cable network's White House correspondent and anchor has become Trump's new favorite punching bag, and at Friday night's make-up dinner, he didn't hold back as he stumbled through a lengthy and exhausting speech. The pared-down event was rescheduled after a gunman attempted to enter the gala in April and fired a gun in an alleged attempt to kill Trump.
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#president

It took fourteen and a half years, but Jason Alexander finally apologized.
On Wednesday, the "Seinfeld" actor issued a public apology to Courtney Stodden for a "comedy" sketch the two filmed together wherein Alexander, who was 52 at the time, fondled a 17-year-old Stodden's ******* with a cell phone and said that when she turned 18, he would take her behind the couch and have his way with her.
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#jason #courtney #stodden #sketch

Jason Alexander has issued an apology to Courtney Stodden after she accused him of acting inappropriately toward her in a 2012 Funny or Die sketch when she was just a teenager.
The sketch featured Alexander — who was 52 at the time — rubbing his phone on 17-year-old Stodden's ***** and joking that once she turned 18, he would "have his way" with her.
In an Instagram post Monday, Stodden shared a picture from the skit and wrote: "I was 17 years old in this photo. The older I get, the more impossible this is to understand. During this comedy sketch, Jason Alexander repeatedly rubbed his phone across my ***** while saying there was 'no signal' in my head but 'plenty of signal' in my chest."
"Looking back now, I don't see comedy. I see a 17-year-old girl whose body became part of an adult joke," continued Stodden, who is now 31. "People still say, 'You chose to be there.' Legally, I couldn't make those decisions for myself. That's the point. I can't change what happened to me but I can ask myself: How did so many adults look at a minor and decide this was acceptable?"
Alexander, 66, said in a statement to TMZ: "Looking back at the comedy sketch in which Ms. Stodden and I participated in 2012, I completely agree that it was inappropriate and I truly regret it. But more importantly, I am deeply sorry for any harm or distress it has caused Ms. Stodden. I offer my sincerest apologies."

#looking #breasts

Courtney Stodden is sharing details of a 2012 comedy sketch with Jason Alexander, calling it inappropriate and exploitative
Stodden, who was 17 at the time, said adults on set allowed their body to be part of an adult joke
Jason Alexander is now apologizing, agreeing the sketch was inappropriate and expressing regret for his involvement
Seinfeld star Jason Alexander is apologizing for what he called an "inappropriate" sketch with a teenage Courtney Stodden.
The sketch resurfaced this week when Stodden — who came out in April 2021 as non-binary —shared a still from the sketch on Instagram.

#alexander #april #Instagram

On July 11, 2026, Jane Seymour attended the Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Reunion Panel at Fanboy Expo in Knoxville, Tenn.
During the discussion, she reflected on taking the unexpected role of Kathleen Cleary in Wedding Crashers and why she never second-guessed the decision
Seymour also revealed how the film's memorable bedroom scene was created, explaining that she was never actually naked
Jane Seymour surprised plenty of fans when she traded her wholesome Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman image for a memorable role in the R-rated comedy Wedding Crashers.
It was a career move that stood in sharp contrast to the character many viewers had come to know her for in the '90s, but one she never hesitated to make. Reflecting on that unexpected shift during the Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Reunion Panel at Fanboy Expo Knoxville on July 11 in Tennessee, Seymour revealed that, at the time, some people questioned whether the comedy was the right choice after her hit television series.

Shane Gillis has become one of comedy's biggest stars, selling out arenas and earning a devoted following with his career. Now, the Pennsylvania native has reached another milestone after breaking two Guinness World Records during a sold-out show at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, cementing his place in comedy history.
On Friday, July 17, thousands gathered at Lincoln Financial Field to see Shane Gillis. The comedian has sold out massive arenas and stadiums across North America in the past, but his latest show reached another level after it broke two Guinness World Records.
According to reports, Gillis sold 77,047 tickets with 73,946 confirmed attendees, earning him the records for Most Tickets Sold for a Comedy Show by a Solo Comedian and the Largest Audience for a Comedian, respectively. The ticket sales milestone is a new ****** le introduced by the organization, setting the number to beat at 54,000.
German comedian Mario Barth previously held the record for the largest audience for a comedian, a ****** le he earned in 2008 after performing to a crowd of 67,733.
Guinness World Records adjudicator Andy Glass verified Gillis' figures and said, "Tonight's event was a powerful reminder that record-breaking achievements continue to capture people's imagination around the world."

Rachel Zegler's journey to Hollywood almost seems written in the stars. Named after Rachel Green from the beloved sitcom Friends, she was born to a Colombian mother and a Polish father and grew up alongside her older sister in New Jersey. While attending an all-girls high school, she discovered a passion for musical theater and quickly became one of the standout performers in school productions. At just 17 years old, she took a life-changing chance by auditioning for Steven Spielberg's remake of West Side Story. Competing against more than 30,000 hopefuls, she landed the coveted role of Maria. In a memorable twist, Spielberg personally called to offer her the part while she was rehearsing for her school's production of Shrek the Musical. Rather than celebrating immediately, Rachel's first question was whether she could still finish her school play. Spielberg happily agreed, allowing her to complete the performance before beginning work on her Hollywood debut.
Taking on such an iconic role came with enormous expectations, but Zegler approached the challenge with confidence and determination. Rather than trying to imitate previous performances, she focused on creating her own interpretation of Maria. Working alongside legendary filmmakers and performers could have been intimidating, yet she embraced the opportunity and delivered a performance that earned widespread critical acclaim. Her breakout role brought multiple award nominations and made history when she became the first actress of Colombian descent to win the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical. She quickly proved she was more than a musical talent by expanding into major franchises with roles in Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, demonstrating impressive versatility across musical, fantasy, and action films.
Away from the cameras, Rachel Zegler has become known for speaking openly about fame, representation, body image, and her experiences as a Latina actress in Hollywood. Her casting as Disney's live-action Snow White sparked widespread debate online, with some critics questioning the decision to cast a Latina actress in the classic role. Rather than avoiding the controversy, Zegler addressed it directly, explaining that the new adaptation aimed to modernize the character by giving her greater independence and depth while respecting the heart of the original story. Throughout the criticism, she remained composed and confident, using the conversation to advocate for more inclusive storytelling. As her career continues to grow, Rachel Zegler has established herself not only as one of Hollywood's brightest young performers but also as a thoughtful voice helping shape the future of modern cinema.

Barbara Eden reflected on her experience working alongside Elvis Presley, saying the music icon never received the recognition she believes he deserved as an actor.
The I Dream of Jeannie star, 94, also worked on films alongside screen legends including Presley, Paul Newman and Fred Astaire.
In 1960, she was cast alongside Presley in the western Flaming Star. Featuring just two songs, the dramatic film was a big change from his previous musical comedy, G.I. Blues, which included 11 songs and spawned a best-selling soundtrack released the same year.
Flaming Star was not a huge box office hit, and Presley was then pushed back into musical films for the remainder for his screen roles.
But speaking to Entertainment Weekly during Project Angel Food's Lead With Love telethon, Eden praised her former costar's dramatic abilities and suggested his film career could have taken a different path.