A Q&A I did backstage at the world's best music festival, down in Mexico. Wish I had hours with these two.... Brandi Carlile and Sam Smith: A Conversation About Bravura Voices, Fashion as Queer Armor and Having a Nonbinary Headliner for Carlile’s Girls Just Wanna Weekend variety.com/2026/music/n...

Talked with Mark Ruffalo and Ethan Hawke about the intersections of journalism and Hollywood -- and what is scariest about the current climate -- prior to a live reading of "All the President's Men" in Hollywood Friday night. Here's my report on a great evening. variety.com/2026/film/ne...

Grateful to see Dawes and their friends doing a benefit right... variety.com/2026/music/c...

My report on what John Mayer and McG are up to with their purchase and renovation of the former A&M and Henson Studios... variety.com/2026/music/n...

The Best Concerts of 2025... I wrote up David Byrne, Dua Lipa, the Who, 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' Haim, Halsey, Herb Alpert, Tyler Childers, Paul Simon, Chappell Roan, Dead & Company, Wet Leg, Jesse Welles, Maggie Rose, Rhiannon Giddens and, oh, maybe a few dozen more. variety.com/lists/best-c...

Dr. Possibly You’re Only a Born Again Christian Diamonds Are 50% Off The Spelunker Who Loved Me Mulchraker Never Say Trevor Again Try Another Day Octogonny Morongo Casino Royale A View to a Killers Livestream Quantum of Weak Sauce

It was a pleasure being able to help host an evening with Lady Gaga at the Grammy Museum. She was as warm and wonderful on-stage and off- as you'd hope. I'd written enthusiastically about her "Harlequin Live" concert 15 months ago, and I'm happy everyone will get to see it starting Christmas Eve.

My talk with Lady Gaga about the "Harlequin" concert film is up now...

Variety's annual music books compendium... I wrote up Cameron Crowe's "The Uncool," Barry Mazor's "Blood Harmony: The Everly Brothers Story," Steven Smith's "Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores that Changed Cinema” and Tim Greiving's "John Williams" ... variety.com/2025/music/n...

I interviewed the amazing Steven C. Smith about his great new book, "Hitchcock & Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores That Changed Cinema." Hope you'll read our Q&A *and* ask Santa for the book. variety.com/2025/music/n...

My interview with Nick Mason, remembering the making of "Wish You Were Here" and celebrating the lavish new boxed set. I've talked with both Roger and David on a number of occasions over the years, so I was happy to finally engage Nick in conversation as well. variety.com/2025/music/n...

Fantastic show by Cynthia Erivo last night to reopen the 89-year-old Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs, a spectacular way to mark a fresh start after a few years of darkness, fundraising and renovation. variety.com/2025/music/n...

If you've just watched episode 9 of "The Beatles Anthology," or plan to, here's my interview with its director, Oliver Murray, about putting together the new series finale. variety.com/2025/music/n...

I couldn't be happier (you see what I did there) to bring you my conversation with Stephen Schwartz about "Wicked" and, especially, the two fresh songs he wrote, which are as much about America and the stands we take in it as about Oz. ... variety.com/2025/music/n... via @variety.com

Want to read my Elton cover? He's Variety's Philanthropist of the Year for his AIDS Foundation work. We also cover everything from his road retirement to his vision issues; from the "Captain Fantastic" 50th anniversary to what's on his shopping list for Record Store Day. variety.com/2025/music/f...

I won a CMA Award. Not a typo! I was surprised by Shaboozey and Stephen Wilson Jr. handing me the CMA Media Achievement Award, and I don't imagine I'll get anything that means more to me than something honoring my association with country music. Grateful to every voter who thought I merited it.

Nothing more fun than devoting some extended conversation to the making of a great album, and learning the details of how the process evolved collaboratively, from beginning to end. I was glad to do that with Blue May, executive producer of Lily Allen's "West End Girl." variety.com/2025/music/n...

Enjoyed talking with this emerging country artist, who's going to be sticking around... Stephen Wilson Jr., Best New Artist Nominee for CMA Awards, on Why His Maverick ‘Death Cab for Country’ Approach Found a Home at Big Loud Records variety.com/2025/music/n...

Talked with Sara Bareilles about this new collaboration... Sara Bareilles on Her Duet With Brandi Carlile, ‘Salt Then Sour Then Sweet,’ Theme Song for ‘Come See Me in the Good Light’: ‘This Film Is Medicinal—It’s Easy to Want to Amplify It’ variety.com/2025/music/n...

I interviewed two of the principals behind the modern-day Antone's about the Texas club signing a 50-year lease deal for its downtown Austin location, establishing a museum on the second floor, and taking its all-star blues revues into year 51. variety.com/2025/music/n...

It would always be wonderful to get to talk with Emmylou Harris or Buddy Miller again, but getting them as a two-fer, to discuss the new reissue of "Spyboy," makes my heart triply happy. variety.com/2025/music/n...

I took a look at the history of the Barbra/Judy "Get Happy"/"Happy Days Are Here Again" mashup that Ariana and Cynthia performed on the "Wicked" special tonight, coming up with some other examples of duet partners who've tried to recreate it in the 62-year interim... variety.com/2025/music/n...

How an 1802 letter from Thomas Jefferson found its way onto "Saturday Night Live," in song... What Was Brandi Carlile Reciting on ‘SNL’? How Thomas Jefferson’s Proclamation About Separating ‘Church & State’ Made It Into a Blazing Rock Song variety.com/2025/music/n... via @variety

Loved talking with Cameron about a book exploring the stuff that brought him to the dance... Cameron Crowe on ‘The Uncool,’ Memoir of His Teen Journalist Years, and How Patti Smith Inspired Its Prose — Also: What to Expect From His Joni Biopic

Here's the most popular musician I will interview all year, probably: Dieter Ruehle!... Dodgers Organist Dieter Ruehle on His Witty, Spontaneous Song Picks and Keeping Up With the Series’ Epic Game 3: ‘The Game Isn’t Scripted — What’s Better Than Live Accompaniment?’ variety.com/2025/music/n...

I talked to Brad Paisley this afternoon about his unbroken streak of performing National Anthems before World Series games that go into overtime, including last night's epic... "I’m available also for football. I’d like to see that go into more quarters, as well.” variety.com/2025/music/n...

Love this album even more than I thought I would, and I thought I'd love it... Lily Allen’s ‘West End Girl’ Is a Stunner — A Divorce Album That Feels Like a Stage Drama Unfolding in Real Time, but With Bops: Album Review variety.com/2025/music/a... via @variety

Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska '82" is one of the most rewarding retrospective projects he's put out. If nothing else, thank you to Scott Cooper for maybe having finally forced his hand!

This, for me, was one of the most fascinating interviews I've done in a long time, talking with Elizabeth Weber about her marriage and career with Billy Joel, the HBO documentary and what her life is like now. If you saw the documentary, I know you'll enjoy reading this. variety.com/2025/music/n...

Scoop: Trump has started demolishing the White House's East Wing facade to build his ballroom. The president had claimed construction of the $250 million building wouldn’t ‘interfere’ with the existing White House structure. /W @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4hqBNiU

Halsey continues to be underrated, to my mind... variety.com/2025/music/c...

It’s like they fed a bunch of mobster movies into ChatGPT and then beat it with sticks until it shat out the most garbled mafia boss preening imaginable

"Blue Moon," with Ethan Hawke as Lorenz Hart, is at the Century City/Burbank AMCs; goes wider next week. Urge you to see it; it was my favorite film out of Telluride and the best screenplay I've seen put to film all year. I'll repost a Q&A I did with Hawke at Telluride that got into "Blue Moon" ...

Wishing everyone a safe #NoKings. On behalf of @freedom.press I’m on lookout for reports of press rights violations nationwide. DMs should be open. Or tag me in a reply if you see concerning post. Most incidents are by police/DHS/ICE, but I want to hear if by protesters or counterprotesters too.

“Kids”

"Taylor Swift has lost the plot"

here are 14 albums that turned 50 this year that you might dig www.dontrocktheinbox.com/14-essential...

I interviewed Ken Sharp about this labor-of-love Raspberries tribute, which had me reliving my not-misspent-enough youth through all 37 tracks... Raspberries Mania Finally Goes All the Way With ‘Play On,’ a Tribute Album Giving the Power-Pop Greats Their Full Due variety.com/2025/music/n...

I wish I was surprised that Deadline claims it asked questions that were actually asked by me and other journalists at this James Gunn press conference. No one from Deadline even *submitted questions* for it (and I know, because I moderated). This is just brazen and sad.

I got deep into it with Amanda Shires... which is always a very good place to go. She was as bold, funny and perceptive as always when we had a long conversation backstage at the Opry. variety.com/2025/music/n...

I reviewed Paul McCartney's tour opening at the Santa Barbara Bowl. variety.com/2025/music/c...

Shit...

I had such a good time seeing "Eureka Day" at the Pasadena Playhouse. Here's my endorsement...

Jimmy Kimmel for President. (See: Ukraine 🇺🇦)

The Kimmel monologue was 18 minutes of extraordinary, raw television that will be hated by the people who wanted him off the air for good. Trump and Brendan Carr lost this one as badly as it's possible to lose.

Jimmy Kimmel: "He's gunning for our journalists too ... They want to pick and choose what the news is. I know that's not as interesting as muzzling a comedian, but it's so important to have a free press and it is nuts that we aren't paying more attention to it." Direct link. Watch these 60 seconds:

So many coverups. Release the Epstein files. Release the Homan tapes. Release the Venezuelan fishing boats evidence.

Eleven hours of “Twin Peaks: The Return” down, only eight to go at the ⁦‪American Cinematheque‬⁩’s weekend marathon.… I was afraid this might not hold up, after not having seen any of it since first airing, but it does—I wish everyone could experience it in one fell theatrical swoop.

My review of the Who at the Hollywood Bowl: variety.com/2025/music/n...