(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Justice is asking for help reviewing 5.2 million pages of unreviewed documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, seeking to enlist 400 lawyers total from its criminal and national security divisions along with the U.S. attorneys’ offices in Florida and New York, according to people familiar with the matter.
As Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told ABC News Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas in an interview earlier this month, the DOJ already had nearly 200 lawyers working to review the files.
But in recent days, department leadership has made clear to the workforce that more help is needed.
The New York Times was first to report the development.
The review of the documents is expected to take much of January, the sources said.
The reorienting of resources from both the criminal and national security divisions has already raised concerns among current and former DOJ officials given the department has already diverted many of those resources towards immigration enforcement, according to sources familiar with the matter.
At this point, the next release of documents is not expected until the end of next month, according to the sources.
Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November mandating the release of the DOJ’s files on Epstein. The measure required the DOJ to release all of the documents, with certain exceptions like protecting victim privacy and ongoing investigations, by Friday, Dec. 19. Missing the deadline, the DOJ said it has been delayed by the vetting process to protect victims.
It’s not immediately clear why the Department of Justice is only now claiming that it has just discovered upward of 5 million pages of documents from its investigations into Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 in his jail cell awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi admonished the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York after she said they had only just alerted her to the existence of hundreds of thousands of documents that they had not previously provided to her office. It’s not clear why they are only now claiming to be alerted to this vast volume of alleged unreviewed material.
A new year means a new season of American Idol, and in a new promo, an old favorite makes a return.
In the promo, host Ryan Seacrest welcomes judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood to “American Idol University.” “With decades of talent on display, I’m so excited for you all to explore these historic halls,” says Seacrest.
“Look at all these superstars that have graduated from Idol U.,” says Underwood, while admiring portraits of Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson and season 23 winner Jamal Roberts. They admire a display case that boasts that Idol contestants have scored 65 Platinum records, 18 Grammy Awards, 1one Academy Award and other accolades.
Another display case features photos and memorabilia from other past contestants, like Adam Lambert, season 21 winner Iam Tongi and Underwood herself. Plus, a series of photos on the wall documents Seacrest’s hairstyle journey.
The three judges then come across a wax statue of Clay Aiken, on a pedestal reading “Class of 2003.” “One of the original greats,” says Bryan. “Go Claymates!” says Underwood. Then, the “statue” of Clay turns and winks at them, causing them to jump back and yell in alarm.
As the three judges walk through a door, Underwood announces, “American Idol Class of 2026 is in session!” After a montage of some of the new season’s auditions, Aiken, no longer on a pedestal, says, “Who will be the next American Idol?”
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump issued vetoes for the first bills of his second term, including a bipartisan bill intended to provide funding for a water infrastructure project in Colorado, a measure that passed the House and Senate unanimously.
The Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act was set to provide clean water to rural parts of Colorado.
“Enough is enough. My administration is committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding expensive and unreliable policies,” Trump wrote in a veto letter sent to Congress. “Ending the massive cost of taxpayer handouts and restoring fiscal sanity is vital to economic growth and the fiscal health of the nation.”
Trump also vetoed the Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendment Act, a bipartisan bill that aimed in part to optimize water flow into part of Everglades National Park designated for the Miccosukee Native American tribe and to incorporate the Osceola Camp into the Miccosukee Reserved Area to improve the governing structure of the tribe.
“[D]espite seeking funding and special treatment from the Federal Government, the Miccosukee Tribe has actively sought to obstruct reasonable immigration policies that the American people decisively voted for when I was elected,” Trump wrote in his veto. “My Administration is committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding projects for special interests, especially those that are unaligned with my Administration’s policy of removing violent criminal illegal aliens from the country.”
The Miccosukee tribe was part of the opposition to the construction of the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention facility in the Everglades.
Trump’s veto of the bipartisan bill supporting the Colorado project comes at a time when he has fractious relations with some of the state’s political leaders.
The bill was co-sponsored by House Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who defied the Trump administration by signing onto the Epstein discharge petition that forced a vote on a measure to compel the DOJ to release the files. The pipeline would provide water to residents of Boebert’s district.
“This isn’t over,” Boebert said on social media on Tuesday, responding to the White House’s veto announcement.
Democrats also are responding to the bill’s veto, with Colorado’s Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper lambasting Trump on social media, with both accusing him of playing partisan politics.
“Trump just vetoed my Arkansas Valley Conduit bill — passed unanimously to deliver clean, affordable water to Southeast Colorado,” Bennet said. “This isn’t governing. It’s a revenge tour.”
“Donald Trump is playing partisan games and punishing Colorado by making rural communities suffer without clean drinking water,” Hickenlooper said, adding that Congress should overturn Trump’s veto.
Since the bill cleared both chambers unanimously, Congress could overturn Trump’s veto. Doing so would require passing the measure by a two-thirds vote in both chambers. Trump vetoed ten bills total during his first administration, only one of which — the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 — was overridden by Congress.
Trump’s veto also comes two weeks after he attacked Colorado Gov. Jared Polis for refusing to release former Mesa County, Colorado, clerk Tina Peters from prison following her receiving a presidential pardon.
Peters was convicted on state charges for a scheme to tamper with voting systems driven by false claims about the 2020 election. Trump’s pardon power does not extend to state crimes.
“The poorly run state of Colorado with a governor whose incompetent and frankly, with a governor that won’t allow our wonderful Tina to come out of a jail, in a high intensity jail because she caught people cheating on an election and they said she was cheating,” Trump said on Dec. 15.
He added, “She wasn’t cheating. She went over, she looked at one of the election scams going on. And because she did that, they put her in jail for nine years.”
Shoppers at the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, CA on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — Holiday shopping season sets forth an annual gut check for the U.S. economy, prompting buyers to splurge in a show of optimism or cut back out of fear of what next year holds.
In 2025, shoppers opened their wallets with gusto, though consumers appeared to favor low-cost options and discounts, according to spending data shared with ABC News.
The performance defied concerns overhanging the economy for months, as hiring slowed and inflation ticked higher. Seemingly undeterred, shoppers flexed their strength at the close of this year, offering some reassurance for the wider economy. Consumer spending accounts for about two-thirds of U.S. economic activity.
Holiday sales climbed 3.9% compared to last year, Mastercard SpendingPulse data showed, tracking online and in-store payments from the start of November to Christmas Eve. The data leaves out car sales and does not account for inflation.
The season-long buying spree followed a strong showing early on, as consumers revved up at the outset of the holiday season.
Digital spending on Thanksgiving jumped 5% from a year earlier, totaling $6.4 billion and exceeding expectations, Adobe Analytics data showed. On Black Friday, shoppers topped the previous day’s pace, as spending soared about 9% compared to 2024, adding up to $11.8 billion, Adobe found.
Adobe attributed the strong performance to better-than-anticipated discounts, especially for electronics. Discounts also touched an array of products from furniture to appliances to toys.
The search for price-savings marked a trend that would continue over the coming weeks.
While overall spending jumped, the largest uptick could be found in low-cost categories, according to Placer.ai, a data firm.
For instance, thrift shops and off-price retailers topped the apparel market with traffic up 11.7% and 6.6% respectively, compared to last year, Placer.ai said. Luxury chains and department stores, by comparison, posted meager gains of 1.8%, the data showed.
“Bifurcation has been a defining trend of consumer behavior in 2025 and continued to shape shopping patterns during the holiday season,” said Shira Petrack, head of content at Placer.ai.
Consumer spending among middle- and low-income Americans slowed earlier this year, triggering warnings from restaurant giants such as McDonald’s and Chipotle. A report this month showed consumer sentiment has fallen to its lowest point since a peak of pandemic-era inflation in 2022, University of Michigan data showed.
As of October, roughly half of buyers planned to use a by-now-pay-later plan for holiday shopping as a means of managing their budget, PayPal said.
Still, consumers have continued to power economic growth, even as they have balked at prices.
In the fall, shoppers helped propel the fastest quarterly U.S. economic growth in two years, federal government data last week showed.
The economy grew at a robust annualized rate of 4.3% in the third quarter in the government’s initial estimate, marking an acceleration from 3.8% growth recorded in the previous quarter, the U.S. Commerce Department said.
“Just as they have for several years now, the U.S. consumer continues to carry the baton for the economy,” Bret Kenwell, U.S. investment analyst at eToro, told ABC News in a statement.
Zohran Mamdani, mayor-elect of New York, during an announcement in New York, US, on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — Zohran Mamdani, the state assemblyman and democratic socialist who catapulted to national attention during the 2025 race for New York City mayor, is set to be inaugurated on New Year’s Day 2026 in a ceremony that will usher in historic leadership for America’s largest city, as Mamdani becomes the city’s first Muslim mayor and first mayor of South Asian descent.
“I think this is an important day for New Yorkers and even for the United States. The Mamdani inaugural on Jan. 1 is going to attract a global audience,” Mitchell Moss, a professor of urban policy at New York University, told ABC News.
Mamdani will be formally sworn in during a private ceremony by New York Attorney General Letitia James at midnight Thursday. That will take place in the now-decommissioned original City Hall subway station, which is known for its ornate arches and tiled ceiling.
Mamdani will be sworn in during the midnight ceremony on a centuries-old Qur’an from the New York Public Library’s collections, the library said Wednesday.
Laura Tamman, a political science professor at Pace University, said she sees both historical and practical significance in that location.
It is “acknowledging the history of the city,” she said. “It also, honestly, is a secure location … It was such a divisive campaign.”
Mamdani faced death and car bomb threats during his campaign, which included threats that targeted his Muslim faith.
“Whenever you have someone who’s making history like this — I’m sure that there are more security concerns than there were for, say, [former Mayor] Bill de Blasio’s swearing-in,” Tamman said.
At his public inauguration ceremony, set for 1 p.m. ET on the steps of New York City Hall on Thursday, Mamdani will be sworn in by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Brooklyn-born independent and fellow democratic socialist who has been an ideological ally.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a fellow democratic socialist who represents a swath of the Bronx, will also deliver remarks.
Moss said that having Sanders be a part of the inauguration makes a statement “that this is a national event … so I think that [Mamdani is] identifying his ideological roots and his connection to national politics.”
Tamman, meanwhile, said that “Ocasio-Cortez was, similarly to [Mamdani], really underestimated by the Democratic establishment, and has gone on to become a really important leader in the party.”
Mamdani’s transition team has also said that Cornelius Eady, a prolific poet and a National Book Award finalist, will read a new poem at Mamdani’s inauguration, and that the inauguration will include a block party open to the public.
Mamdani triumphed over independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa after campaigning largely on making the city more affordable, although he often faced questions over his relative lack of political experience and feasibility of his proposals. His campaign promises included a rent freeze for rent-stabilized apartments, free bus fares and free childcare for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years.
During the campaign, he took stances on policing and public safety more moderate than how he had spoken about policing previously, and committed during his campaign to keeping on New York City’s current police commissioner, Jessica Tisch.
Mamdani will also face the challenge of translating his campaign promises into reality, which will include working with the state government, which controls taxes, and the city council on various city proposals.
At an event on Tuesday with reporters, Mamdani focused largely on administration appointments and the road ahead.
“I will demand excellence from my team, from myself, and also, I will ensure that we create the conditions where that excellence is possible to deliver on,” he said while responding to questions about the city’s Law Department.
Moss said that “no one expects a new mayor to do everything they promise, but they have to be making progress on their promises.”
“So Mamdani has to have some wins this year, which lay the ground for bigger wins in the future. And I think the key part is that he has identified what he wants,” Moss said.
The new mayor will also have to navigate the liberal-leaning city’s relationship with the Republican-controlled federal government. In November, Mamdani met with President Donald Trump in what was widely expected to be a contentious meeting, but ended up being very cordial.
During the meeting, Trump and Mamdani said they agreed on many things, after they had criticized each other for months during the campaign.
“I think you’re going to have, hopefully, a really great mayor; and the better he does, the happier I am,” Trump said at the time.
Neera Tanden, president of the liberal-leaning Center for American Progress, said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday that Mamdani “has to get the rents down. He has to make sure the city runs well.”
“But I think a lot of people look at the fact that he was able to get Donald Trump to basically compliment him,” she added.
ABC News’ Ivan Pereira contributed to this report.
Fireworks light up the sky over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House during New Year’s Eve celebrations on January 01, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Izhar Khan/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — Countries across the globe are beginning to usher in 2026.
The Pacific island nation of Kiribati was the first to ring in the new year, while Alaska and Hawaii will be among the last places to say goodbye to 2025.
New Zealand
At 6 a.m. ET, New Zealand was one of the first countries to reach 2026, ringing in the new year with a fireworks display.
Australia
In Australia, fireworks over the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge went along as planned, but law enforcement presence was ramped up in Sydney in the wake of this month’s mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach.
Khaled Fouad (L) and Mimi Laine (R) embrace as they inspect a family member’s property that was destroyed by Eaton Fire on January 09, 2025 in Altadena, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Devastating wildfires, flooding and extreme heat events took place over the past year, several resulting in mass fatalities, with experts linking some of the worst events to human-amplified climate change.
These are the biggest weather stories of the year:
Los Angeles wildfires
Multiple wildfires that sparked in Los Angeles at the beginning of the year spread quickly and burned for weeks, destroying more than 16,000 structures and killing dozens of people.
Fueled by severe drought conditions and Santa Ana winds, the Palisades and Eaton fires both erupted on Jan. 7, eventually spreading more than 37,000 acres over the course of 24 days.
At one point, five wildfires — including the Hurst, Woodley and Lidia fires — were burning through Ventura and Los Angeles counties, according to officials.
Hydroclimate whiplash — the rapid shift between wet and dry conditions — likely contributed to the severity of the wildfires burning in Southern California.
In recent years, parts of the state shifted from a major drought to an extended period of above-average precipitation that allowed for abundant vegetation growth. After that, a stretch of intense, record-breaking heat dried out much of that vegetation and provided ample fuel for large and fast-growing wildfires.
Once the fires were sparked, an exceptionally strong mountain wave wind event, with northerly 80 to 100 mph gusts, spread the fires rapidly through densely populated neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
Among the neighborhoods heavily impacted were the Pacific Palisades, Topanga, Malibu and Altadena.
Celebrities including Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, Mandy Moore and Eugene Levy were among the residents who lost their homes in the wildfires.
While wildfires are a natural and necessary part of Earth’s cycle, climate change and other more direct human influences have increased their likelihood, research shows.
Texas floods
Extreme flooding that occurred this year in a region in Texas known as “Flash Flood Alley” quickly turned to tragedy when it inundated a popular campground site.
In the early morning hours of July 3, torrential rains turned the Guadalupe River in Kerr County into a raging wall of water, causing the river to rise 26 feet in less than an hour. In some spots, rainfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour were measured.
Campsites along the river were filled with campers for the 4th of July weekend, including Camp Mystic, one of the hardest-hit sites.
The flash flooding killed more than 130 people, 36 of whom were children, according to officials.
Texas Hill Country is often colloquially referred to as “Flash Flood Alley” because the weather and landscape in the south-central Texas region have a tendency to produce rapid flood events, according to the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI). The “alley” stretches from Dallas to San Antonio and encompasses the Colorado and Guadalupe River basins.
The region’s steep terrain, shallow soil and repeated high rainfall events make it one of the most flood-prone regions in the country.
Drought also played a role in the severity of the event. Severe to exceptional drought conditions were prevalent for much of south-central Texas when the downpours came, making areas more susceptible to flash flooding because the soil could not absorb rainfall as efficiently.
Climate change is likely to make extreme weather events, like the flash flooding in Texas, occur more intensely and frequently, climate scientists told ABC News in July in the aftermath of the floods.
Deadly tornado outbreak in the South
Tornado outbreaks in Kentucky, Missouri and Virginia in mid-May killed at least 28 people, according to officials.
Strong supercell storms spurred tornado activity, tearing roofs off homes and causing several buildings to collapse.
In Missouri, St. Louis was particularly hard hit when an EF-3 tornado with 140 mph winds ripped through neighborhoods.
The first EF-5 tornado in the U.S. in over a decade also occurred this year.
On June 20, a monster tornado with peak winds topping 210 mph hit Enderlin, North Dakota, tipping several fully-loaded grain hopper cars and lofting tanker cars, including one empty tanker car that was tossed more than 475 feet, according to the National Weather Service.
There was also extensive tree damage throughout the entire Maple River valley, with only stubs of large branches or large trunks remaining and debarking with a “sandpapering” effect prevalent, officials said.
While the EF-5 tornado mostly struck a rural area, three people died as a result, according to the NWS.
No hurricanes made landfall in the US
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season proved to be consequential, even though no hurricanes made landfall in the U.S for the first time since 2015.
Three Category 5 hurricanes formed during this past hurricane season, the second-most on record in the Atlantic basin. The only other season with more Category 5 storms was in 2005, when there were four Category 5 storms.
A combination of favorable conditions and a bit of luck helped the U.S. avoid a landfalling hurricane.
Prevailing winds and weather patterns steered storms away from the coast, and many variables aligned at the right times, keeping hurricanes from making landfall. Persistent dry air and other unfavorable atmospheric conditions hindered storm development during a historically busy timeframe.
Many of the storms that did form followed a similar path, curving away from the U.S. coastline and toward Bermuda. An unusually persistent upper-level trough, or area of lower pressure, sat over the Eastern U.S. throughout much of the season, bringing seasonably mild temperatures by late summer. The recurring trough frequently pushed the jet stream south, helping curve storms northward parallel to the East Coast and then out to sea, following the prevailing west to east wind pattern.
The trough also weakened the western side of the Bermuda High; the dominant high-pressure system located over the Atlantic Ocean that usually helps steer weather systems. When the Bermuda High is strong, storms are pushed farther west toward the East Coast and the Gulf. However, when it is weaker, they tend to turn northward earlier. This season, the weakened Bermuda High, combined with a dip in the jet stream, deflected storms away from land.
The Fujiwhara effect, a rare occurrence in the Atlantic basin, also helped keep Hurricanes Imelda and Humberto away from the U.S. as they were churning through the Western Atlantic at the same time. The Fujiwhara effect occurs when two tropical cyclones within several hundred miles of each other begin to interact and rotate around a common midpoint
Although no hurricanes made landfall in the U.S. in 2025, Hurricane Melissa became one of the most powerful hurricanes on record to make landfall in the Atlantic basin, ranking with Hurricane Dorian (2019) and the “Labor Day” hurricane (1935) for the strongest sustained winds at landfall.
Human-amplified climate change is expected to influence tropical activity in the coming decades. While the total number of tropical cyclones is expected to remain steady or even decrease slightly, the storms that do form are likely to be more intense, according to climate scientists.
Global warming has led to substantial ocean warming, which fuels hurricane intensification. More than 90% of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases has been absorbed by the oceans, creating conditions that favor rapid intensification and stronger peak winds. As a result, more storms are reaching major hurricane strength compared to past decades, the latest research shows.
The changing climate is also amplifying the indirect effects of tropical systems that remain well offshore, making coastal areas more vulnerable. Sea level rise and more intense storms increase the risks of flooding, erosion, and shoreline change, according to the federal government’s Fifth National Climate Assessment.
Record heat in Europe
Major heat waves across southern Europe over the summer pushed temperatures passed triple digits in many major cities.
Severe heat waves were recorded in Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal at the end of June and beginning of July.
The heat was so severe that outdoor work activities were banned in several regions in Italy. On July 1, the Eiffel Tower in Paris was closed as temperatures topped 101 degrees Fahrenheit.
In Portugal, where two-thirds of the country was on alert for high heat and wildfires, temperatures reached 107 degrees Fahrenheit. Similar temperatures were recorded in Seville, Spain.
In Athens, a large wildfire broke out and was fueled by strong winds, forcing evacuations and road closures near the ancient Temple of Poseidon.
Multiple fatalities occurred, and tourists were advised by local governments to alter their plans as a result of the heat.
Climate scientists warn that extreme heat will become more commonplace across southern Europe as a result of global warming.
Europe is fastest-warming continent on planet, heating up twice as much as the global average since the 1980s, according to a 2023 report by Copernicus, European Union’s climate change service, and the World Meteorological Organization.
There is high confidence in the connection between human-amplified climate change and extreme heat events, research has shown. The attribution of climate change to extreme heat has the strongest connection and highest confidence compared to all other weather events.
ABC News’ Weather and Climate Unit contributed to this report.
Isiah Whitlock, Jr. attends the ‘Plane’ New York Screening at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on Jan. 10, 2023, in New York. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images, FILE)
Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. has died, his manager confirmed to ABC News.
“It is with deep sadness that I share the passing of Isiah Whitlock Jr. He passed away today peacefully in NYC after a brave battle with a short illness,” his manager Brian Liebman said in a statement. “Isiah was a brilliant actor and even better person. He was loved by all who had the pleasure to work with or know him.”
Liebman also paid tribute to the actor on Instagram, writing, “If you knew him – you loved him. May his memory forever be a blessing. Our hearts are so broken. He will be very, very missed.”
He is known for The Wire and for frequently collaborating with director Spike Lee on films like Da 5 Bloods and BlacKkKlansman.
Born on Sept. 13, 1954, in South Bend, Indiana, Whitlock got his start as an actor while attending college at Southwest Minnesota State University, where he had a football scholarship and studied theater. He joined the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, CA, after graduating in 1976.
In 1987, he landed a role in the TV series Cagney & Lacey, in which, according to IMDB, Whitlock played a man getting in a cab.
He went on to book a few more roles in films like Gremlins 2: The New Batch, 1990’s Goodfellas, the TV series As the World Turns and more.
From 2002 to 2008, he starred as Senator R. Clayton “Clay” Davis in The Wire. He made the role his own when he developed a catchphrase for his character: “Sheeeeee-it.”
Following The Wire, Whitlock continued to star in several TV series, including Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Rubicon and Meet the Browns. He also starred in the 2011 film Cedar Rapids and the 2008 film Cadillac Records alongside Beyoncé, Adrien Brody and Jeffrey Wright.
In 2012, he collaborated with Lee for Red Hook Summer and also starred in the TV series Smash.
He went on to star in Veep alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus from 2013 to 2015 as George Maddox.
In 2020, he starred in the TV series Your Honor as Charlie Figaro alongside Bryan Cranston. The show lasted two seasons and wrapped in 2023.
His most recent role was as Larry Dokes in the Netflix miniseries The Residence, which he starred in with Uzo Aduba, Giancarlo Esposito, Randall Park and more.
In the upcoming 2026 Disney film Hoppers, Whitlock voiced the character of Bird King. The film also stars Jon Hamm, Meryl Streep, Kathy Najimy and Dave Franco.
ABC’s ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026′ (Disney
This year’s edition of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest will boast the iconic show’s largest lineup and longest telecast in its more than 50-year history on ABC Wednesday. The show will span multiple cities, feature dozens of performances and run for eight hours, as Ryan Seacrest and his Times Square co-host Rita Ora tell ABC Radio.
“We start at 8 o’clock, it goes till 4. We’ll be in Chicago for the first time with a drop there. Obviously here in New York, Puerto Rico, Las Vegas, so four [ball] drops, four midnight moments,” Ryan says.
“There’s nothing like it and seeing all the performances — I mean, we have a legend this year,” Rita notes, referring to Times Square performer Diana Ross. “It’s insane how incredible [it is that] we can see her live in action.”
As for working for eight hours, Ryan says, “It’s a record breaker, right?” Rita adds, “There’s so much happening that I’m actually surprised we’ve only got it till 4 a.m. I thought it could go longer.”
Ryan feels his old boss Dick Clark, the late creator and host of the show, would be happy about the show’s expansion.
“When he started, it was a small show and then he grew it. I think he would like it,” Ryan says. “Dick loved to be on the air. He loved to work, and he also loved great music. And so I think he’d love to include as many artists as we’re including now, with 42, and over 90 different songs being performed.”
Those artists include everyone from Mariah Carey and Chappell Roan, to Post Malone, Pitbull and KPop Demon Hunters’HUNTR/X. When the clock strikes midnight, Ryan says, “There is this significant moment of unity with everyone. … For at least once in the year, everybody’s together.”
Apple TV has unveiled the trailer for season 3 of Shrinking, featuring the first look at guest star Michael J. Fox‘s return to acting. The Emmy-nominated show, starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, returns Jan. 28 with a one-hour season premiere, followed by one new episode weekly until April 8 …
Tell Me Lies is getting a companion podcast. Hulu has announced Tell Me Lies’ Official Podcast will premiere Jan. 6 with a season 1 and 2 recap episode. The nine-episode podcast will be hosted by Stassi Schroeder and feature guests including series stars Grace Van Patten and Jackson White. Tell Me Lies season 3 debuts its first two episodes Jan. 13 …
Wicked: For Good is officially available to watch at home. The film hit digital platforms for rent or purchase Tuesday and will arrive on Blu-ray, DVD and 4K on Jan. 20 …
