Paul McCartney Was On The Verge Of Tears Discussing John Lennon’s Death On The Jonathan Ross Show

Paul McCartney broke down discussing the shock he felt after hearing about John Lennon’s passing.

Highlights

Paul McCartney opens up about the shock and sadness he felt upon learning of John Lennon’s death during an emotional interview with Jonathan Ross.
McCartney expresses his gratitude for reconciling with Lennon before his passing, emphasizing their deep friendship and the solace it offered.
McCartney describes the difficulty of publicly addressing Lennon’s death and how it inspired him to write the heartfelt song “Here Today.” The process of creating the song was emotionally intense for McCartney.

To this day, Paul McCartney continues to remember his fallen Beatles band member, John Lennon. In fact, Paul McCartney predicted Lennon’s reaction to completing his unfinished work with AI.

Throughout the years, McCartney has been very raw discussing Lennon’s passing. One moment in particlar had fans completely emotional, as Paul took part in a deep interview alongside Jonathan Ross. We’re going to take a look back at the interview, and what was said. McCartney was very emotional, and almost on the verge of tears discussing his late band member.

Along with recapping the interview, we’ll also reveal McCartney’s status with Lennon prior to his passing.

Paul McCartney Was Emotional Discussing John Lennon’s Death With Jonathan Ross

During his interview alongside Jonathan Ross, Paul McCartney remembers the shock of John Lennon’s death. All those years later, it was still difficult for McCartney to discuss. He was clearly emotional when speaking about Lennon’s passing.

He said, “I just for days couldn’t think that he was gone… It was just a huge shock. I was at home and I got a phone call. It was early in the morning… It was just so horrific, you couldn’t take it in and I couldn’t take it in.”

McCartney continues, “For me it was just so sad that I wasn’t going to see him again and we weren’t going to hang.”

Paul would also discuss Mark Chapman, and his disgust at what he had done. “The phrase kept coming in my head ‘The jerk of all jerks’. It was just like ‘this is just a jerk, this is not even a guy politically motivated, it’s just some total random thing.”

Fans appreciated McCartney’s strength and his willingness to discuss the horrible moment in public all these years later.

One fan wrote, “Some people don’t realize that they were like brothers. Paul and John literally needed each other. I know George and Ringo are also a big part but John and Paul were the heart and Soul.”

Another fan adds, “Was anyone else crying or was it just me? I feel so sorry for Paul, loosing your best friend like that.”

Thankfully, before Lennon’s passing, the two were back to being friends.

Paul McCartney Was Thankful He Made Up With John Lennon Before His Passing

“We were good friends when Lennon was killed.” That was another reveal made by Paul McCarntey during his interview on The Jonathan Ross Show.

Paul was thankful that prior to Lennon’s passing, the two were able to get back on track behind the scenes. Lennon also had major plans. He wanted to expand his career as an author, while he was also thinking about launching a solo career similar to Paul McCartney’s.

Paul spoke about his rekindled friendship with Lennon, “The story about the break-up, it’s true it’s not the main bit, the main bit was the affection.”

He continues, “I’m so glad because it would have been the worst thing in the world to have this great relationship that then soured and he gets killed, so there was some solace in the fact that we got back together. We were good friends,” said McCartney.

Fast-forward to now, and Paul McCartney is still detailing his emotions after the tragic events of John Lennon’s passing.

Paul McCartney Also Discussed His Mental Process When John Lennon Had Passed Away

Writing Here Today, Paul McCartney was processing John Lennon’s death. At the time, McCartney revealed that it was impossible to issue a public statement given all the emotions he was feeling.

“I remember getting home from the studio on the day that we’d heard the news he died, and turning the TV on, and seeing people say, ‘Well, John Lennon was this,’ and, ‘What he was was this,’ and, ‘I remember meeting him then.’ It was like, ‘I don’t know, I can’t be one of those people. I can’t just go on TV and say what John meant to me.’ It was just too deep. It [was] just too much. I couldn’t put it into words.”

McCartney would go on to reveal that he broke down coming up with the lyrics for Here Today.

“I was in a building that would become my recording studio, and there were just a couple of little empty rooms upstairs. So, I found a room and just sat on the wooden floor in a corner with my guitar, and just started to play the opening chords to ‘Here Today’.”

He continues, “For some reason, I think it was like a hurricane, something had been delayed, and we couldn’t play for a couple of days. So, we holed up in a little motel. So, what would we do? Well, we’d have a drink, and we would get drunk. We didn’t have a play, so we did. That night, we got drunk and started to get kind of emotional,” McCartney continued. “It all came out.”

An emotional process for McCartney, to say the least.

Ringo Starr’s Interview Took An Angry Turn After Topics Of Paul McCartney And Signing Autographs Were Brought Up

Ringo Starr wasn’t impressed with the interviewers, and that was evident at the start when Paul McCartney was brought up.

Highlights

Ringo Starr doesn’t shy away from Paul McCartney questions and the two are still close friends, according to a recent interview.
Starr had a short fuse during an interview on Loose Women, even asking the panel to get the Paul McCartney questions out of the way.
Starr no longer signs autographs due to his signature being sold online, but he still maintains a strong friendship with McCartney.

Ringo Starr isn’t afraid to speak the truth and that held true when he put a Beatles conspiracy theory to bed. The Beatles band member might’ve also have a short fuse during interviews. According to Sherrie Hewson, that was the case both on and off camera during Loose Women.

We’ll take a look back at the interview and how things went off the rails at the start. In addition, we’re going to reveal how things just got worse behind the camera when Starr refused to sign autographs for the fans.

Let’s take a look back at what went down, and why Starr brought up Paul McCartney’s name.

Ringo Starr Started Off His Interview During A Live Event Asking The Panel To Get The Paul McCartney Questions Out Of The Way

Some guests are easier to interview than others. It can also be dependent on a person’s mood that given day. Talk show hosts have revealed their worst guests, and surprisingly, Ringo Starr made the list for his conduct alongside Sherrie Hewson.

For whatever reason, Starr felt as though the panel of ladies wanted to discuss Paul McCartney. So at the start of the interview, Starr gives them the platform to get it out of the way.

Hewson revealed some of the details relating to the interview. “He just sat down, said, ‘OK then, girls, what are we doing here? Shall we just get Paul McCartney out of the way?’ This was live, by the way. Anyway, he carries on, ‘Let’s get Paul McCartney out the way. You want to talk about Paul McCartney?’ I said, ‘Well, no, you’re here.’ And he said, ‘No, you don’t. You want to talk about Paul McCartney.’”

To make matters worse, Lisa Maxwell messed up the name of Ringo Starr’s wife on Loose Women.

As if things weren’t difficult enough on-air, it seems like Starr was just as angry off-camera, refusing to sign autographs.

“He was so angry. It was just so weird, I thought why? Why, why, why? It was just a really weird thing. And then, he said to the audience, ‘Can I tell you all, if anyone wants an autograph, you can’t have one, because I don’t do things like that,” Hewson reveals.

“At the end of it, one of the producers came up with one of her little children, who was only 4, and said that she knew he didn’t do autographs, but told him that her daughter was only 4, and she really loves the Beatles. He just said, ‘Really?’ And then he said, ‘Did you not hear what I just said? I don’t sign autographs.’”

In truth, Starr has made his feelings known when it comes to signing autographs.

Ringo Starr Doesn’t Sign Autographs Anymore Due To The Fact That His Signature Has Been Sold Online

Ringo Starr warned fans in the past not to send mail for an autograph. Starr revealed that his take on autographs changed after he constantly saw his signature for sale online.

He revealed, “I found out because I was signing, suddenly in New York actually, I was signing scratch plates that they have on guitars.”

Starr continued, “And then someone said, ‘Have you seen on the internet?’ There’s a guitar with my signature on the scratch plate, someone had screwed it onto a s*** guitar, and it was selling for three grand… So, I only sign for charity now and mainly my charity and Barbara’s charity.”

RELATED – Despite Being A Huge Beatles Fan, Phil Collins Can’t Stand Paul McCartney

As if that wasn’t enough, Starr would also release a video specifically telling fans not to send him any mail.

“This is a serious message to everybody watching my update right now, peace and love, peace and love. I want to tell you, please, after 20th October do not send fan mail to any address that you have. Nothing will be signed after the 20th of October.”

He continues, “If that has the date on the envelope, it’s gonna be tossed. I’m warning you, with peace and love, I have too much to do. So, no more fan mail, thank you, thank you. And no objects to be signed, nothing. Anyways, peace and love, peace and love.”

Starr is heated when it comes to autographs, but the same doesn’t hold true when it comes to Paul McCartney, despite his past reaction.

Ringo Starr Doesn’t Shy Away From Paul McCarntey Questions And The Two Are Still Close Friends

Speaking alongside CNN, Star discussed the magic of The Beatles and his friendship with Paul McCartney. During the recent interview, Starr didn’t have any issues answering the question, and he spoke fondly of his fellow band member.

“Paul called me the other day … We’re close, close friends. We’re brothers and you know, for me it was great because I’m an only child and suddenly I had three brothers that I could love, I could rely on, I could help out. You know, it was a great moment for me,” he tells CNN.

Great to see the two still on great terms all these years later.

Joni Mitchell Was Furious With John Lennon After What He Said About Her

Joni Mitchell and John Lennon famously wrote beautiful songs but their feud got surprisingly ugly.

Highlights

Joni Mitchell was mad at John Lennon due to unwanted advice he gave her about her music.
Mitchell resented Lennon’s comments.
Elvis Presley also reportedly hated Lennon.

Similar to influential bands like Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell is an icon who has changed the course of music history. Given everything that Mitchell accomplished, it certainly seems like her peers like John Lennon should have praised her.

Even though the two celebrated artists seemed to have a lot in common, however, Lennon made remarks that insulted Mitchell. In response, the beloved folk singer seemed to be extremely angry with the former member of The Beatles.

Why Was Joni Mitchell Mad At John Lennon?

When a musical artist rises to fame as a successful singer-songwriter, many fans assume they only write tracks for themselves. However, several huge stars have also written hit tracks for their peers like Sia, Pharrell Williams, Avril Lavigne, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran, and Taylor Swift.

Long before any of those artists penned songs for their peers, Joni Mitchell did it first. In a surprising turn of events, Mitchell writing a song that became a hit for one of her musical peers led to a war of worlds between her and John Lennon.

Other Stars Joni Mitchell Didn’t Like:

Bob Dylan
Madonna
Taylor Swift

During the late ’60s, Mitchell wrote a song that became a critical and commercial hit titled “Both Sides, Now”. The thing is, “Both Sides, Now” is mostly associated with another singer since they released the song first and it became a big hit for them.

After Judy Collins’ version of “Both Sides, Now” became a major hit, Mitchell released her version a year later. Mitchell would later reveal that Lennon gave her unwanted advice about not letting other artists record her songs. Lennon also gave Mitchell unwanted advice about making the songs she wrote more commercial.

In 1974, Mitchell was busy recording her album “Court and Spark”. During the recording process, Lennon was busy across the hall from her studio working on his own music. After Mitchell played one of the songs she was working on for Lennon, that is when he offered his unwanted advice.

“When I met John Lennon, it was during his lost year in LA y’know, and he came up to me to say, ‘Oh it’s all a product of overeducation, you want a hit, don’t you?’” Mitchell went on to describe the advice Lennon gave her.

“I was cutting Court and Spark; he was cutting across the hall, so I played him something from Court and Spark. He said, ‘You want a hit don’t you? Put some fiddles on it! Why do you always let other people have your hits for you y’know?’”

In addition to Mitchell revealing the advice Lennon offered her, she would go on to make it pretty obvious that she resented his comments. In terms of Lennon’s comments about Mitchell being over-educated, she called him out for the people he worked with.

One of Lennon’s most famous collaborators was the producer George Martin. During a 2014 Macleans interview, Mitchell was asked about Lennon once saying she was over-educated. In response, Mitchell mocked Lennon’s long-standing working relationship with George Martin, a producer who seemed to be from the upper crust.

“That’s a class difficulty he had. He’s a working-class lad. I’m sure he had that same fight with George Martin because he was afraid that he was betraying his class.” Mitchell then went on to express that she had a negative opinion of Lennon even though she knew that it was an unpopular perspective.

“I know I’m going to get into hot water if I get into this but I have controversial opinions about him. I watched this [English film], which was a roundup of the best musicians of the 20th century. As soon as it hit my era, the intelligence of it dropped considerably. When it came to me, this guy folded his arms and crossed his feet and said, ‘I never liked Joni Mitchell—she’s too twee.’ Well, that’s what John Lennon was like. It was that fear working-class people have of middle-class people.”

While Mitchell didn’t explicitly say anything to Macleans about resenting Lennon’s comments to her, it seems very likely that she did. After all, Mitchell seemed to still have a strong opinion of Lennon decades after he criticized her.

What Stars Hated John Lennon?

When fans learn that Joni Mitchell and John Lennon didn’t see eye to eye, many of them will be shocked. If that wasn’t surprising enough, it turns out that another music legend reportedly passionately hated John Lennon.

Unlike Joni Mitchell, John Lennon publicly expressed how much he adored and respected Elvis Presley. Unfortunately for Lennon, however, Presley seemingly didn’t reciprocate those feelings as the King of Rock ‘N Roll reportedly hated the former Beatles member.

Other Stars Who Reportedly Hated John Lennon:

Tom Jones
Steely Dan
Todd Rundgren

According to what the author Chris Hutchins told The Daily Mail, the reason for Presley’s hatred for Lennon stemmed from their first and only meeting. Apparently, Lennon expressed his pacifist beliefs in front of Presley who was deeply offended.

“His dislike of the pacifist Beatle was born from the night I took the Fab Four to his house for their first — and last — meeting John had annoyed Presley by making his anti-war feelings known the moment he stepped into the massive lounge and spotted the table lamps — model ­wagons engraved with the message: ‘All the way with LBJ.’ Lennon hated President Lyndon B Johnson for raising the stakes in the Vietnam War.”

When fans learn that Presley hated Lennon, they may assume that could be an overstatement. However, if Hutchins’ claims about the rock legends’ relationship are true, that is an accurate way of describing things.

After all, Hutchins claimed that Presley resented Lennon so much that he tried to get the former Beatles star kicked out of America.

“Presley allied himself with the FBI director Edgar Hoover and ­encouraged him to have Lennon thrown out of the U.S.”

The One Record Label That Turned Down The Beatles Not Once, But Twice

Dick Rowe of Decca Records had a particular reason for turning down The Beatles twice before they ultimately singed with EMI.

Highlights

The Beatles initially struggled to find a record label and were rejected twice by Decca Records, who believed guitar groups were on their way out.
Paul McCartney understood and accepted the rejection, recognizing that the band wasn’t ready for the spotlight and their demo wasn’t up to par.
Despite the setback, The Beatles went on to sign a major nine-year deal with EMI Records, although the terms included a significant royalty payment to their manager’s company.

Despite the success of The Beatles, there were some bumps along the way. The band was sued by their former manager Allen Klein for $19 million. In addition, they were contractually obligated to release certain albums which didn’t do particularly well.

In the following, we’re taking it back to the start. It might be hard to believe, but the iconic band struggled to find a record label at the start. Decca Records showed interest in the group, but Dick Rowe made the bold decision to reject the group not once, but twice.

We’re going to reveal why the band was turned down, while also taking a look at what Paul McCartney and the late John Lennon had to say about the rejection. It seems like the two had different points of view. One of them understood why the deal didn’t go through, while the other revealed that the band was already showing flashes of brilliance. Ultimately, The Beatles signed a major deal elsewhere, but their renewal had some fishy terms…

Dick Rowe Of Decca Records Turned Down The Beatles Twice Thinking That Guitar Groups Were A Thing Of The Past

Credit to Dick Rowe’s assistant Mike Smith, who was responsible for finding The Beatles during his tour from London to Liverpool. Smith took to the band, and contacted their manager Brian Epstein. The goal was to have them audition in London, creating a demo in the Decca studio.

At the time, Brian Poole & The Tremeloes was also in the running to get signed by the label. They were only able to choose one of the bands due to budgetary reasons.

Ultimately, Rowe revealed that the decision was made to hire the local band, not The Beatles. “I told Mike he would have to decide between them. It was up to him—The Beatles or Brian Poole & The Tremeloes,” said Rowe. “We decided it was better to take the local group.”

Among the other reasons the deal did not fall through for The Beatles was given that Rowe felt as though guitar groups were a thing of the past the time.

“Guitar groups are on their way out,” he revealed.

Ultimately, it was a costly decision, but the likes of Paul McCartney fully understood why Rowe decided the way he did. Rowe was given another chance to watch The Beatles perform after the rejection, and for a second time, he still refused to sign the group… Despite the story, Rowe denies the allegations of turning down the group twice.

Paul McCartney Understood Why They Failed The Audition For Decca, While John Lennon Did Not Agree

The agency missed out in a major way, but there weren’t any hard feelings from some of The Beatles’ band members. Paul McCartney in particular felt as though the group wasn’t ready for such a spotlight back then. Looking back at their demo, McCartney revealed that it wasn’t up to par.

“Listening to the tapes, I can understand why we failed the Decca audition,” said McCartney. “We weren’t that good, though there were some quite original interesting things.”

As for the late John Lennon, he completely disagreed with the outcome. He felt as though the potential was evident, even back then during the early ’60s.

Lennon revealed, “I wouldn’t have turned us down on that. I think it sounded okay,” Lennon offered. “I think Decca expected us to be all polished when we were just doing a demo. They should have seen our potential.”

What turned out to be a major loss for Decca Records, was a major win for the label, EMI. They were able to ink The Beatles to a massive nine-year deal.

The Beatles Ended Up Signing A 9-Year-Deal With EMI Records

The first deal for The Beatles alongside EMI was for five-years. We assume the deal was a discount price given that the group was fresh at the time. However, once it came time to negotiate the new contract, EMI dreaded this day. Ultimately, a huge deal was signed for nine years. The terms were also major according to The Paul McCartney Project.

The publication reveals, “Brian dreaded the imminent expiration of the five-year management contract that The Beatles had signed in the autumn of 1962. In 1966, while renegotiating their recording deals with Capitol and EMI, he had stuck in a clause stipulating that twenty-five per cent of The Beatles’ royalties through to 1976 were to be automatically siphoned off by his own company, NEMS.”

“Unaware of the implications of this fine print, The Beatles, to their subsequent regret, duly affixed their signatures to the dotted line.”

It wasn’t exactly the deal The Beatles’ band members were looking for, especially given the massive royalty payment that was going to the NEMS company. Nonetheless, it didn’t hurt The Beatles’ legacy, at least from a performance standpoint.

The Beatles are one of the most successful rock bands of all time, however, one of its members has a lower net worth than the others.

Highlights

The Beatles’ songwriting royalties were only paid to the members who wrote the songs, leading to John Lennon and Paul McCartney earning significantly more than Ringo Starr and George Harrison.
Ringo Starr, despite being named the wealthiest drummer in the world with a net worth of $350 million, is actually the poorest member of The Beatles.
Paul McCartney is currently the richest member of The Beatles with a net worth of $1.2 billion, largely thanks to his successful music career and ownership of publishing copyrights.

The Beatles are one of the most successful bands of all time. With plenty of hit singles and popular songs, this band has estimated sales of over 600 million records across the world. Despite splitting up almost five decades ago, The Beatles are still making millions with the release of documentaries and even new songs made with AI.

Back in the day, 25 percent of The Beatles’ sales, from concerts, merchandise, and records sales, went to their manager Brian Epstein. The rest of the money was split equally between the four Beatles.

However, songwriting royalties were paid only to those who wrote the songs. Given that most of the band’s songs were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, these two musicians earned significantly more than Ringo Starr and George Harrison. Unsurprisingly, one of these two happens to be the poorest member of The Beatles.

Despite Being One Of The Wealthiest Drummer In The World, Ringo Starr Is the Poorest Member of The Beatles

In 2020, Ringo Starr was named the wealthiest drummer in the world, with a net worth of $350 million. He made a lot of money with The Beatles and after the band separated, he continued to have a rather successful career as a solo artist. In fact, since the 1970s, Starr has released 18 solo albums and has toured the world with his All-Starr Band.

In addition to his successful music career, Starr also has a moderately successful acting career. He’s appeared on children’s television shows such as Thomas & Friends and Shining Times Station, he’s also co-starred in films such as Candy, That’ll Be the Day, Son of Dracula, and Caveman, as well as appearing in Martin Scorsese’s documentary The Last Waltz in 1976.

Related: Ringo Starr’s Thoughts On The Beatles Conspiracy Theory Put The Rumors To Bed

With his impressive net worth, Starr has invested plenty of money in real estate. He has homes in Sunninghill in Berkshire, the Chelsea area of London, and Los Angeles. Despite his massive wealth, Starr is the poorest member of The Beatles.

The second-poorest member of this popular band is the late George Harrison, who had amassed a $400 million net worth at the time of his passing. He made most of his wealth as a solo artist, which began with the release of the album All Things Must Pass in 1970, which contained all the songs he had written when he was in The Beatles but his bandmates disregarded.

Plus, in the late 1980s, Harrison formed a band with Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, and Tom Petty, called The Traveling Wilburys, which was extremely successful. Even after his death, Harrison continued to make millions after his family released the album Brainwashed, which contained his final songs.

John Lennon Was Worth Approximately $200 Million When He Died

At the time of his passing in 1980, John Lennon had amassed a $200 million net worth, which would be approximately $800 million today. Back in the day, Lennon was set to become one of the wealthiest members of The Beatles. Not only did he co-write many of the band’s biggest hits, but he also continued to have a successful solo career after he left The Beatles. Even today, his song ‘Imagine’ is one of the most popular anti-war songs of all time.

Reportedly, Lennon’s biggest investments were in real estate. In 1970, the musician bought a New York building called The Dakota, where he lived until his death. Eight years later, Lennon bought a 600-acre farm near Franklin, New York, for $178,000.

Related: The One Song That Nearly Ruined John Lennon and George Harrison’s Relationship

In October 1980, Lennon released his last album, Double Fantasy. Although the record was not well-received immediately after its release, it quickly topped the charts in the United States and the United Kingdom after his death. This is why Lennon is still considered one of the richest musicians after their passing. Nowadays, Lennon’s primary heir, Yoko Ono has a reported net worth of $700 million.

Paul McCartney Is The Richest Of The Beatles Thanks To His $1.2 Billion Net Worth

Today, Paul McCarney is the richest member of The Beatles with an outstanding $1.2 billion net worth. The former The Beatles bassist is even richer than successful musicians such as Mick Jagger.

Although he considered quitting music after The Beatles split up, McCartney went on to have a rather successful music career, first with the band Wings, and later on as a solo artist. Between The Beatles and his solo career, this musician has sold more than 100 million albums and 100 million singles. Even today, at age 81 McCartney continues making new music and touring the world.

Moreover, the former Beatles member makes a ton of money from owning the publishing copyrights of successful artists such as Carl Perkins and Buddy Holly. According to Express, nowadays, McCartney earns up to £70 million a year, mainly from music royalties. This is how McCartney is maintaining his massive net worth even after losing millions to his ex-wife Heather Mills.

Sean Ono Lennon Jokes Emma Stone Should Play Dad John Lennon in Upcoming Beatles Movies: ‘The Next Obvious Step’

“I do think with someone as famous as my dad, it’s very hard to cast a film like that,” Ono Lennon said

Emma Stone and John Lennon. Photo:Frazer Harrison/Getty; Bettmann Archive/Getty

Sean Ono Lennon is making an inspired casting wish for the upcoming Beatles movies.

While speaking with Variety on the Oscars 2024 red carpet ahead of Sunday’s Academy Awards, Sean, the younger of John Lennon’s two sons, joked that Sunday night’s Best Actress nomineeEmma Stone should play his father in the upcoming four-part biopic about his father’s band.

“Well I’m hoping that Emma Stone might consider it, because she did such a good job in Poor Things and I think if you’re going to reach like that as an actor, the next obvious step is to really go for it,” Sean, 48, said, when asked who should play John, who died at 40 in 1980.

Sean is at Sunday’s 96th Oscars ceremony as a writer and executive producer of War Is Over!, an animated short film based on the music his father John and mother Yoko Ono created together during their partnership. The nominees in that category also include Letter to a Pig, Ninety-Five Senses, Our Uniform and Pachyderme.

“I’m not much of a filmmaker – I guess I am now – but I do think with someone as famous as my dad, it’s very hard to cast a film like that,” Sean shared of the task filmmaker Sam Mendes faces in casting the Fab Four for the recently announced Beatles biopic project. While speaking on the red carpet, Sean cited 2007’s La Vie en Rose and 2004’s Ray as examples of music biopics that were highly successful.

Sean Lennon and Kemp Muhl on March 10, 2024.Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

“So you can pull it off, and I think we’re going to do a good job, so I’m excited,” he added to Variety.

Filmmaker Mendes announced on Feb. 20 that he will direct four movies about the Beatles —  Paul McCartney, Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr — through each member’s perspective of the group’s groundbreaking career in the 1960s.

“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies,” Mendes, 58, said in a statement at the time. No casting announcements for the movies have been made yet; all four films are expected to release in 2027.

George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.getty

The 96th annual Academy Awards are airing on ABC at 7 p.m. ET from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

Dolly Parton’s Family Hated The Way She Looked Before Becoming A Hollywood Legend

Dolly Parton’s unqiue style became one of her calling cards but her family hated the way she looked early in her life.

Highlights

Dolly Parton’s family did not approve of the way she dressed and tried to get her to change.
Parton’s fashion choices were judged by both the media and her family, but she stayed true to herself.
Despite her family’s disapproval of her clothes, Parton had a deep love for her grandpa and was extremely close with her parents.

When Dolly Parton’s career began, she was known as a country music star. However, that has changed over time as Parton became so universally respected that she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Parton has also notably become very rich thanks to everything she has accomplished.

Before any of that, however, Parton was an unknown singer from a huge family. In an ideal world, the members of Parton’s family would always have supported who she is. The reality of the situation is that Parton’s family hated the way she looked as she was trying to launch her career.

Dolly Parton’s Family Tried To Change The Way She Looked

Of course, Dolly Parton has written and recorded a slew of songs that mean the world to her fans. No matter how impressive that is, however, it can still be argued that the most incredible thing about Parton is who she is offstage. With that in mind, it is sad that her family did not approve of how she expressed herself.

Seemingly born with an innate vision for herself, one of the most interesting aspects of Parton’s career is her fashion sense. After all, Parton spent years getting blowback about her clothes from people who were ignorant about how smart she is.

For the most part, it has been people in the media who’ve judged Parton’s clothes in the past. However, it turns out that Parton’s family also used to hate the way she dressed, and they went to extremes in an attempt to get her to change.

In 2023, Parton was interviewed by Howard Stern for his radio show. At one point in the resulting conversation, Stern and Parton had an in-depth conversation about people judging the way she dresses. Amazingly enough, Parton admitted to Stern that she was even struck by members of her family, partially because of her fashion choices.

Where did Dolly Parton grow up according to Biography?

Born on January 19, 1946
Born in Locust Ridge, Tennessee
Has described her family as “dirt poor”

At one point in their interview, Stern asked Parton if she had to deal with the casting couch early in her career. In response, Parton stated that she was never physical with anyone for that reason. However, Parton went on to own that she knew her fashion choices would affect powerful men in the entertainment industry.

“I was pretty sharp too. I was pretty clever and knowing the nature of men and understanding that. If I was going to dress like I dressed and look like I looked, I would have been disappointed if somebody hadn’t noticed me or, you know, have paid attention to me.”

In response to Parton’s comments, Stern explained what about her fashion choices interests him.

“The whole Dolly look, the whole persona, I find fascinating. You saw the town, whatever they called it back then, the town tr**p or something and you said to yourself, ‘Wow. That’s an outrageous look. I’m going to dress like that. And your grandpa, did he hit you or something because of the way you were dressing?”

After Parton laughed out loud at Stern’s question, she went on to explain how much her family hated the way she dressed.

“Well, my grandpa was just always preaching to me. You know, looking like, he would just call me Jezebel and which. I love my grandpa. He was great but he’d always say, ‘Don’t you want to go to heaven?’ And my famous line is that I would say. I would get smacked around just for sassing, you know. I’d say something like, ‘Yeah, I want to go to heaven but do I have to look like hell when I get there or to get there?’ And then you got to get your, you know, backhanded or something”

Based on Parton’s comments to Stern, it seems clear that she deeply loves her grandpa whether he disapproved of her clothes or not. Unfortunately for Parton, however, it wasn’t just her grandpa who was angry about her clothes as she explained to Stern.

“I was pretty outgoing and I just knew how I was going to look. That daddy couldn’t whip it out of me, mamma couldn’t talk it out of me, and grandpa couldn’t preach it out of me. I was going to look the way I looked and I still do because that is how I felt.”

Was Dolly Parton Close With Her Parents?

Based on today’s standards, Dolly Parton’s description of how her family reacted to her fashion is shocking. With that in mind, it would make sense if some people assumed that Parton wasn’t close with her parents.

No matter what people may assume, Parton actually was extremely close with her parents before their passings. A perfect example of that is the fact that Parton has taken great pride in buying gifts for her parents. In 2015, Parton discussed the cars she gifted to her parents once her music career took off.

Who were Dolly Parton’s parents according to People?

Robert Lee Parton Sr. and Avie Lee Parton
Married in 1939
Had 12 children
One of their children passed away at four days old
Dolly Parton’s song “Coat of Many Colors” was inspired by her mom
Took pride in Dolly Parton’s career

First off, Parton spoke about the truck she got for her father.

“It was always my wish to do something great for my family. I loved my daddy and my mama. My daddy always drove a truck. I bought my daddy a big blue truck, and he was always so proud of that. He never would trade it in. He kept it. The truck is still very much in the family today. Daddy’s gone now, but I still have the truck. It’s on some of the property that I bought that daddy used to own,”

Parton then went on to describe the series of cars she got for her mom since she was willing to trade them in.

“That same year, I bought my mama a Cadillac. Of course, I traded hers in every few years, and she was so proud of that. The last one was a gold Cadillac. That went back to me when Mama passed on. I wouldn’t take nothing for it. My husband drives it a lot. Because it was Mama’s car, and I still drive it some, I call it the ‘Dolly-Mama.’ Everybody knows not to mess with the Dolly-Mama, because that was such a precious thing. I was always proud that I could do for my family when I started making some money.”

Parton spoke about how the couple have made their marriage go the distance.

Dolly Parton is sharing the secret to her 56-year marriage with Carl Thomas Dean. In a new interview with ET Canada, Parton said having different interests has contributed greatly to their long-lasting love story.

“I like it when people say, ‘How did it last so long?’ I say, ‘It’s stay going,’” Parton shared. “You know, there’s a lot to be said about that. So, we’re not in each other’s face all the time. He’s not in the business, so we have different interests, but yet we have the things we love to do together. So, it was meant to be, I think. He was the one I was supposed to have and vice versa.”

Having a “warped sense of humor” doesn’t hurt either, with the 76-year-old singer sharing that through all the ups and downs, it’s laughter that has gotten them through.

“We both have a warped sense of humor. And I think humor, honestly, is one of the best things when you’re married like that. Even if you have a problem, if you have a great sense of humor, if you say something you can’t take back [you] usually have some crazy way of getting out of it,” she explained.

They’ve managed to steer clear of bad arguments over the years too, with Parton adding, “We’ve never had, you know, serious arguments to say bad things to each other we have to take back.”

While Parton has given fans glimpses of her relationship with Dean over the years, including the occasional throwback, the couple have largely remained mum when it comes to their marriage.

When ET’s Rachel Smith spoke to Parton in October 2020, she opened up about why she and Dean have kept their relationship private since tying the knot in 1966.

“He does not want to be in the spotlight at all,” Parton said. “It’s just not who he is. He’s like, a quiet, reserved person and he figured if he ever got out there in that, he’d never get a minute’s peace and he’s right about that.”

“I’ve always respected and appreciated that in him, and I’ve always tried to keep him out of the limelight as much as I can,” she continued. “He said, ‘I didn’t choose this world, I chose you, and you chose that world. But we can keep our lives separate and together.’ And we do and we have.”

For more on Parton, check out the video below.

Reba McEntire cheekily spoofs God Save The Queen in promo for The Voice as she joins starry coaches panel

Reba McEntire cheekily spoofed God Save The Queen in a new promo for her upcoming run on The Voice this autumn.

The 68-year-old is joining a star-studded coaches panel, rounding off a foursome with Niall Horan, Gwen Stefani and John Legend.

In a playful new ad for her latest gig, Reba sang a set of new lyrics to the tune of the British national anthem, here retooled as All Hail The Queen.

Committing to the bit, she donned a crown and brandished a scepter and at one point even mimicked the late Queen’s signature ‘royal wave.’

‘This fall on NBC / Her voice has royalty / All hail the Queen,’ Reba sang in the background of the commercial.

The new promo also offers a few glimpses of Reba’s comic timing, which she parlayed into a long-running sitcom in the aughts.

‘I’ve had two country hits!’ Gwen brags at one point, prompting Reba to drily cut her down to size by remarking: ‘I’ve had more than two.’

Reba’s new ad also includes a tip of the hat to her love of tater tots, which is so pronounced that ‘Tater Tot’ is her husband’s nickname for her.

In the promo, Reba can be seen joyfully slathering sauce all over a tray of tater tots before holding them out towards the camera, as if offering them to the viewer.

When Niall says: ‘Reba’s tots are cold,’ she swings her scepter and commands: ‘Off with his head!’ sending herself and her co-coaches into gales of laughter.

Reba is taking over the spot on the panel recently vacated by her fellow country star Blake Shelton, who happens also to be married to Gwen.

‘Everybody loves Blake,’ Reba told Access Hollywood after her hiring was announced. ‘Whatever he does, everybody loves him, and so they’ll miss him.’

The Is There Life Out There singer added: ‘I’m gonna miss him. I wish I coulda done a season or two with him. That woulda been a lot of fun.’

Before acquiring a full-time job on The Voice, Reba guest-starred on the show as a Mega Mentor who assists the main coaches.

‘It was so much fun,’ she reminisced: ‘and I was totally interested in the kids when they would come in and sing. So talented!’

Reba reflected: ‘It’s just refreshing thing to be around talented people. I love it, and if I can help anybody with anything that I’ve learned over the last 48 years, then I think that’s my duty to do that and I’m gonna enjoy doing it.’

The Voice is currently gearing up for the debut of its 24th season, which is scheduled to premiere on NBC on September 25.

Reba McEntire is setting the record straight about her first season as a coach on The Voice.

The country singer, 68, currently serves as a judge alongside veteran panelists John Legend, Gwen Stefani and Niall Horan. So far this season, McEntire has had a tough time getting contestants to join her team, with six of her 13 team members being recruited by default.

Tyler Golden/NBC

McEntire’s apparent onscreen struggles have come amid reports that she’s frustrated with her costars, fueling rumors that she’s unhappy in her new gig.

In a new interview, however, McEntire clarified the situation, saying that she’s actually having “the best time.” While attending the Bring Change to Mind gala on Monday, October 9, McEntire spoke with Extra about her experience on The Voice.

“We’re having a blast,” she said. “It is competition, it’s fun rivalry, but we have the best time on that show. And what blows me away is the amount of talent [that] keeps coming on. We’re in season 24 and the talent is unbelievable. I hope everybody watches.”

When asked who she goes “head to head” with the most, McEntire quipped that she and former One Direction member Horan, 30, are ”always kind of sparring.”

McEntire also said that she found Stefani, 54, “so intimidating” at first. “I thought she was being mean to me, and then she said, ‘I just want you to like me,’ and I said, ‘Well, that’s all you had to say,’” McEntire recalled. “And we’re best friends.”

Related: Reba McEntire and Rex Linn’s Relationship Timeline

McEntire went on to squash rumors that she plans to exit the show before the season ends, saying, “Well, not right yet, we’re not through!”

McEntire has already been confirmed as a judge for season 25, which is set to premiere in spring 2024. Her fellow coaches will include John Legend, Chance the Rapper and the show’s first-ever coaching duo, country pop artists Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney (who record as Dan + Shay).

McEntire announced in May she was joining the competition show following fellow country star Blake Shelton’s exit. Shelton, 47, had served as a coach on The Voice since it premiered in April 2011.

“I’m looking forward to being here with all of y’all,” she told The Voice host Carson Daly during a season 23 episode in which she served as a mega mentor. “You’ve treated me so nicely. I appreciate the hospitality so much that you showed me earlier. And to be able to come in and form my team? I’m so looking forward to it.”