Day: February 3, 2025

LOS ANGELES — The Super Bowl isn’t just a game on Sunday, it’ll involve a nearly weeklong spectacle taking over New Orleans with non-stop entertainment leading up to the big showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. 

While the Chiefs and Eagles gear up for their championship rematch, the Big Easy will be the epicenter for star-studded concerts, exclusive parties, a comedy show, and guest lists filled with A-listers. From Post Malone, Cardi B to Shaquille O’Neal, the city will be buzzing long before Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs attempt a monumental three-peat. 

“It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be different than other Super Bowls,” said O’Neal, who will host his popular carnival-themed Shaq’s Fun House on Friday night. It’s a hot ticket — starting at $199 — for the NBA legend’s over-the-top festival event featuring headline performances from Ludacris, John Summit and O’Neal under his stage name DJ Diesel. 

O’Neal’s event will feature several attractions including a Ferris wheel, circus performers and premium bar. This will be somewhat of a homecoming week for O’Neal, who played college hoops at Louisiana State University and visits Louisiana about four times a year. 

For Flavor Flav, he wants to help lift morale in New Orleans following the aftermath of the terror attack that killed 14 people on New Year’s Day. 

“This is going to be special. I’m here to uplift spirits,” said Flav, who will perform at Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate along with Diplo and Cowboy Mouth on Sunday afternoon. It’s free for general admission with paid upgraded experiences for $49.99 and $349 for a VIP ticket. 

“I’m getting on the turntables to make people party and have a good time,” he said. 

Along with those events, here’s a look at some of the invite-only and public events during a busy Super Bowl week: 

Fanatics party 

Michael Rubin’s Fanatics Super Bowl party is impossible to get into without an invite. The star-studded affair on Saturday afternoon is strictly for the who’s who of sports and entertainment. 

Rubin, the founder and CEO of Fanatics, will likely be front and center, taking in performances from Post Malone, Travis Scott, Don Tolliver and many more. 

The expected attendees include big names such as Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, Lil Baby, Tiffany Haddish and Tom Brady. 

Madden Bowl 

Just like EA Sports’ iconic phrase, “It’s in the game,” Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton and Shaboozey will literally be in the game at the Madden Bowl. 

The trio is set to separately take the stage Friday night, bringing the hype before the competition kicks off. 

“I can’t wait to keep this party going,” Shaboozey said. 

Along with performances, the event will include the Madden NFL 25 Championship Series in front of a live audience — where two of the world’s best players will travel to New Orleans for their share of the $1 million prize pool. 

Double up for some, triple duties for others 

The Madden Bowl won’t be the only stage where Stapleton will showcase his powerhouse vocals. The country star is set to headline the SiriusXM and Pandora concert Thursday night. 

Stapleton’s performance will air on SiriusXM’s Chris Stapleton Radio, an exclusive channel curated and presented by him and his band. Pandora listeners can access the Chris Stapleton Radio station. 

After Ludacris takes the stage at Shaq’s Fun House on Friday, the rapper will perform Sunday at On Location’s Super Bowl pregame party. He’ll be joined by rock band The Revivalists at the Club 67 and Touchdown Club just outside the Caesars Superdome for One Location — a premium hospitality provider of the NFL. 

Post Malone will be making moves too. He’s scheduled to perform at three different events. Along with Fanatics, the superstar artist will hit the stage at the Bud Light Backyard Tour on Friday, then he’s set to headline the YouTube Tailgate Concert on Sunday near the Superdome. 

Diplo will perform at parties for Sports Illustrated and Maxim along with Guy Fieri’s tailgate event. 

Gospel celebration 

Bill Bellamy and Rocsi Diaz will bring some gospel flavor to the Big Easy. 

The tandem will host the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration on Wednesday night. The lineup includes some of music’s best from The Isley Brothers, Muni Long, Yolanda Adams, Tori Kelly and Jonathan McReynolds. 

Other performances include New Orleans natives Master P, Big Freedia, Lucky Daye and Trombone Shorty. The NFL Players Choir will also participate. 

“Hosting the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration is like hitting the trifecta: music, faith, and football all in one show,” Bellamy said. “I’m excited to bring some laughs, some energy and to be part of this incredible night with an amazing lineup.” 

Michael Strahan, an NFL Hall of Famer and Good Morning America co-anchor, will receive the Lifetime of Inspiration award. He called the honor “truly special.” 

New Orleans Saints player Cameron Jordan will be given the community award while Los Angeles Rams star rookie Jared Verse will be honored with the rising star award. 

Timbaland and Maxim 

Super producer Timbaland will bring his massive hits into New Orleans with the help of Maxim. 

Timbaland will perform at a special concert at the Maxim Saints & Sinners Big Game Party on Saturday. The show will include performances from DJ Loud Luxury, Plastik Funk, DJ unKommon and former NFL player Le’Veon Bell. 

DJ unKommon and Diplo will be featured performers at a pregame party Friday. 

Other concerts  

Captain Morgan will transform Bourbon Street into Rum Street with the help of T-Pain, who will headline a concert Saturday night. 

On the same night, Cardi B is expected to perform at the “Cardi Gras,” 50 Cent will hold the Super Bold Comedy Block Party with standups from Bill Bellamy, Chico Bean and DC Young Fly. 

Dom Dolla and Diplo will perform at the Sports Illustrated Party. 

On Friday, Nelly and the Chainsmokers are set to perform at h.wood Homecoming and the Draft Kings event. Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochosinco” Johnson will do an in-person podcast called the Nightcap NSFW Tour. 
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Paris — A Paris court found a filmmaker guilty of sexual assault on French actor Adèle Haenel when she was between 12 and 15 in the early 2000s, in the country’s first big #MeToo trial.

Filmmaker Christophe Ruggia was sentenced Monday to two years under house arrest with an electronic bracelet plus a two-year suspended sentence. Ruggia had denied any wrongdoing.

Haenel, now 35, was the first top actor in France to accuse the film industry of turning a blind eye to sexual abuse after the #MeToo movement broke out. In 2019, she accused Ruggia of having repeatedly touched her inappropriately during and after filming of the movie “Les Diables,” or “The Devils,” in the early 2000s.

Haenel appeared relieved, breathing deeply, as Monday’s verdict was being released. She was applauded by some women’s rights activists as she left the courtroom.

The court ruled that Ruggia “took advantage of the dominant position” he had on Haenel at the time. “During quasi-weekly meetings at your home for over three years you had sexualized gestures and attitudes,” as Haenel was “gradually isolated” from her loved ones, the court said in a statement.

Ruggia’s lawyer said her client would appeal.

He “maintains that he has never touched Adele Haenel,” the lawyer, Fanny Colin, said. “Sentenced in these conditions and on the sole basis of her words seems to us not only unjustified but dangerous.”

Haenel, star of the 2019 Cannes entry “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” has in recent years vocally protested what she’s called an insufficient response to sexual abuse in French filmmaking.

At the Cesar Awards in 2020, she walked out of the ceremony after Roman Polanski won best director. Polanski is still wanted in the United States decades after he was charged with raping a 13-year-old girl in 1977.

In 2023, Haenel, announced she was quitting the French film industry that she denounced for “complacency toward sexual aggressors.” She published an open letter in which she said Cannes and other pillars of the French film industry are “ready to do anything to defend their rapist chiefs.”

While #MeToo initially struggled to find traction in France, some other actors and film industry workers have since spoken out.

French renowned actor Judith Godreche attended Monday’s verdict at the Paris courthouse. “It was a very moving and a very important moment that reminded me of things that, in my case, may go unpunished,” she told reporters with tears in her eyes.

Last year, Godreche accused film director Benoit Jacquot of having raped and physically abused her in a six-year relationship that began when she was 14 years old. Jacquot, who has more than 50 director credits in film and television, was handed preliminary charges of rape, sexual assault and violence in July 2024.

Godreche is also accusing another film director, Jacques Doillon, of sexual abuse while he was directing a film when she was 15.

Both Jacquot and Doillon have denied the allegations.

In a separate case, French actor Gerard Depardieu is to go on trial in March on charges of sexually assaulting two women on a film set.

Depardieu, who has denied any wrongdoing, is accused of using “violence, coercion, surprise or threat” in the alleged sexual assaults that prosecutors say took place in 2021 on the set of “Les Volets verts,” or “The Green Shutters.”
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LOS ANGELES — Chappell Roan was named best new artist at the 2025 Grammys.

She read a speech from a notebook, beginning by addressing her fellow nominees. “BRAT was the best night of my life this year,” she said, as her hat fell off her head, referencing Charli xcx.

Then her speech changed course. She directed her attention to major labels and the music industry, instructing them to “offer a living wage and healthcare, especially to developing artists.” Then she described getting signed as a minor, getting dropped and entering the workforce during COVID-19 with no work experience and no health care. She asked them to treat artists like “valuable employees.”

“Labels, we got you, but do you got us?” she concluded her speech. “Thank you.”

In one of the biggest moments of the evening so far, Taylor Swift presented the award for best country album at the 2025 Grammys to Beyoncé for her groundbreaking “Cowboy Carter.”

“I really was not expecting this. Wow,” she started her speech. “Genre is a cold word to keep us in our place as artists … I’m still in shock. Thank you so much for this honor.”

A little bit of the wild west, a little bit of West Hollywood. Chappell Roan brought a rocking version of her “Pink Pony Club” to the 2025 Grammy stage. Joined by a posse of dancing clown cowboys, she sang from atop a giant pink horse.

The Grammys are airing live on CBS and Paramount+. Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers can also watch live and on demand.

The first televised award of the 2025 Grammy Awards went to Doechii for best rap album for “Alligator Bites Never Heal.”

The tears were immediate. “This category was introduced in 1989. Two women have won, Lauryn Hill —” she said, correcting herself. “Three women have won. Lauryn Hill, Cardi B and Doechii.”

It was Doechii’s first Grammy. Her heartfelt speech came after the show opened with several references to the Los Angeles-area wildfires that have devastated the city but put the spotlight on the city’s resiliency. The Grammys kicked off Sunday at the Crypto.com Arena in high spirits, drawing attention to first responders and the resilience of the music community.

Host Trevor Noah’s opening speech was dedicated to those affected by the fires, promising a show that not only celebrates them, but one that also celebrates “the city that brought us so much of that music.” The Grammys have also allotted ad time to be used by local businesses affected by the fires.

On a stage set up to look like the mountains of Los Angeles, the LA born-and-raised Billie Eilish and her brother/collaborator Finneas performed her hit “Birds of a Feather.” It was one of a number of ways the show seeks to salute the city. “We love you LA,” she told the crowd at the end of the set.

The show kicked off with a powerful opening performance of Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.” by Dawes — whose members were directly affected by the Eaton fire — backed by John Legend, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, Brittany Howard and St. Vincent.

Later, Sabrina Carpenter launched into a medley of her biggest singles of the last year — a jazzy rendition of “Espresso” into “Please, Please, Please,” with a brief “Espresso” reprise.

Most of the best new artist nominees took part in a medley performance: Khruangbin with “May Ninth,” Benson Boone with “Beautiful Things,” Doechii launching “Catfish” into “Denial Is a River,” Teddy Swims doing “Lose Control,” Shaboozey with “Good News” into “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and RAYE with “Oscar Winning Tears.”

The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis and Chad Smith led the crowd in a short singalong of their hit “Under the Bridge,” reminding the crowd to “support their friends and neighbors as they rebuild their lives,” said Kiedis. Then they presented the best pop vocal album award to Carpenter for “Short n’ Sweet.”

“I really wasn’t expecting this,” she said. “This is, woo, my first Grammy so I’m going to cry.” (She’s now won two, but the earlier award was handed out a pre-telecast ceremony that many artists don’t attend.)

First time winners were abundant

An exciting, early theme of the 67th Grammy Awards? First time winners.

During Sunday’s Premiere Ceremony, a pre-telecast show hosted by songwriter Justin Tranter, some of the biggest names in pop like Carpenter and Charli xcx won their first Grammys, as did Música Mexicana star Carin León, French metal band Gojira and country folk artist Sierra Ferrell.

They weren’t the only ones: Veterans took home trophies, as did former President Jimmy Carter. He won a posthumous Grammy Award for narrating “Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration,” recordings from his final Sunday School lessons delivered at Maranatha Baptist Church in Georgia. It was his fourth Grammy win.

Soon afterward, Charli xcx also won her first two Grammys, in the best pop dance recording category for “Von Dutch” and best dance/electronic album for “BRAT.”

Amy Allen won the songwriter of the year, non-classical, a Grammy category that has only existed for three years. She is the first woman to ever win. Tobias Jesso Jr. won in 2023 and Theron Thomas won in 2024.

“The child in me … is screaming and crying and laughing at the absurdity of this moment,” Allen started her speech. “We are the engine that fuels the entire music industry,” she said of songwriters past and present.

Ferrell won her first Grammys for Americana performance, Americana roots song, Americana album, and American roots performance. She pulled an acceptance speech out of scepter. “Honestly this is kind of hilarious,” she joked after returning to the stage for a third time. “Yikes!” she started her fourth acceptance speech.

Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar and other music giants recognized

Leading nominee Beyoncé won her first award of the day for her song featuring Miley Cyrus, “II Most Wanted.” It took home the country duo/group performance during the Grammy’s Premiere Ceremony, where a whopping 85 awards will be handed out. It marks Beyoncé’s first win in a country category.

Kenrick Lamar’s ubiquitous “Not Like Us” was an early winner, receiving trophies for music video, rap song and rap performance. It marks his seventh time winning in the latter category.

The Beatles’ “Now and Then,” which used AI technology, took home best rock performance. Sean Lennon accepted the award on behalf of his father John Lennon. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s the best band of all time,” he said of the Beatles. “Play the Beatles’ music for your kids. I feel like the world can’t afford to forget.”

Who’s nominated at the 2025 Grammys

Beyoncé leads the Grammy nods with 11 thanks to her acclaimed “Cowboy Carter” album, bringing her career total to 99 nominations. She’s also been the most decorated artist, having earned 32 trophies across her career.

Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and Charli xcx follow with seven nominations.

Taylor Swift and first-time nominees Carpenter and Roan boast six nominations each.
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Los Angeles — Former President Jimmy Carter has won a posthumous Grammy award. 

Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, died in December at age 100. Prior to his passing, Carter was nominated in the audio book, narration, and storytelling recording category at the 2025 Grammys for “Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration,” recordings from his final Sunday School lessons delivered at Maranatha Baptist Church in Georgia. Musicians Darius Rucker, Lee Ann Rimes and Jon Batiste are featured on the record. 

It’s Carter’s fourth Grammy. His posthumous Grammy joins his three previous ones for spoken word album. 

If the former president won before his death, he would’ve become the oldest Grammy award winner in history. 

Jason Carter, Jimmy Carter’s grandson, received the award on his behalf. “Having his words captured in this way for my family and for the world is truly remarkable,” he said in an acceptance speech. “Thank you to the academy.” 

In the category, Jimmy Carter beat out Barbra Streisand, George Clinton, Dolly Parton and producer Guy Oldfield. 

If Streisand had won instead of Carter, it would have been her first Grammy win in 38 years. 

Currently, the oldest person to win a Grammy was 97-year-old Pinetop Perkins in 2011. 
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