Dolly Parton passed away less than a year after announcing health issues following years of caregiving, and studies show that this burnout is all too common.
Health Digest – Health News, Wellness, Expert Insights
Day: September 1, 2026
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We all know that Doja Cat is not shy about speaking her mind.
But even her most diehard fans might be surprised by Ms. Cat’s brutal honesty in her latest social media posts.
The Grammy-winning artist opened up about her past struggles with cocaine, alcohol, mental health, and social media in a series of remarkably candid TikTok videos this week.
And while Doja made it clear that she has moved past some of those issues, she admitted that alcohol remains something she has a complicated relationship with.
“I’m going to make a disclaimer that I don’t want to make,” she said in one video. “I have struggled with cocaine — could’ve been like eight years ago.”
“But I’m well past that. Thank God,” she added.
Doja emphasized that she never considered herself someone who had a serious drug problem, aside from marijuana.
Alcohol, however, was a different story.
“I’ve never had a real problem with drugs, except for weed, but alcohol is something that I definitely have had a problem with,” she explained.
Doja said drinking could fuel negative thoughts that she would then turn to the internet to validate.
“The best example for my experience is using the internet as a means of validation to the negative thoughts in my head, which were then brought on by drinking alcohol,” she said.
“I was never an alcoholic, but I definitely had problems,” she continued, warning that combining alcohol, social media, and unresolved mental health struggles can be particularly destructive.
Doja also addressed another deeply personal subject: accusations that she hates herself or has rejected her Black identity.
The singer and rapper, who is biracial, said she believes those feelings date back to childhood, when she moved to a predominantly white neighborhood at around age 8.
“I think I hated myself since I was — could have been like 8 years old,” she said.
Doja previously revealed in March that she had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and said she had spent years in therapy working through what she described as an “agonizing condition.”
Now, she appears determined to be more open about the experiences that shaped her.
In another TikTok, Doja pushed back against accusations that she is racist, a white supremacist, or a Nazi, insisting that she does not hate herself.
Ultimately, she said she simply felt it was time to speak her truth.
“I just felt like this TikTok was necessary,” Doja said.
“And I need to get this s–t off of my chest. Today felt like the right day.”
Considering how much of Doja’s life has played out under the microscope of the internet, it’s understandable that she might finally want to take control of the narrative herself.
And we applaud her for doing so.
Doja Cat Admits to ‘Struggles’ With Cocaine, Alcohol: ‘I Need to Get … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
Fish is a delicate protein, but it can hold up to some strong flavors well. Add this garlic butter to your favorite fish for an ultimate upgrade.
Food Republic – Restaurants, Reviews, Recipes, Cooking Tips
Lauren Alaina returns with her new album, STAGES, a deeply personal 17-song collection divided into three defining chapters of her life. The project chronicles the moments that helped shape the woman, wife and mother she is today, beginning with Stage One: The Dreaming, followed by Stage Two: The Breaking and Stage Three: The Becoming.
The first stage takes listeners back to Alaina’s childhood growing up in Rossville, Georgia, surrounded by family and friends. From attending church to eventually making the life-changing decision to audition for American Idol, these early experiences helped shape the person she would become and set her on a path toward pursuing music in Nashville.
One of the songs featured in the first stage of the album is “Babies Raising Babies,” which Alaina co-wrote with Ben Hayslip and Matt Jenkins. A quick glance at the track list reveals a duet partner alongside Alaina’s name: Tyler Suddeth.
While the album also features recognizable names like Kane Brown on “Never Been In Love” and Chase Matthew on “All My Exes,” Suddeth may not be a name immediately familiar to fans. However, he holds a very special place in Alaina’s life: he’s her older brother.
During a recent appearance on The Bobby Bones Show, Alaina opened up about why she wanted to begin the album with a song featuring her brother and shared the sweet story behind how their collaboration came to life.
“I start the record with a song that I sing with my brother,” she explained. “He sings in his church choir. He sings in church every Sunday. He sang at the Opry with me a couple of times, but he loves to sing. He’s just very shy. I soaked up every bit of the outgoing personality in the house, so he was the quiet one.”
Alaina said her brother had actually approached her a few years ago with the idea of recording together, even if the song never saw the light of day.
“But he came to me a couple of years ago and said, ‘I know I work at Costco and you have a label and all of these things, but I would really love to record a song with you one day, even if we never released it,’” she recalled.
That conversation ultimately inspired Alaina to write “Babies Raising Babies,” a song she originally wrote about her brother and his wife. The timing of the song’s release ended up becoming even more meaningful as Alaina’s own life began to mirror the story she had written about.
“And so I actually wrote, it’s called ‘Babies Raising Babies,’ and I wrote it about him and his wife and we recorded it together,” she said. “And the timing’s kind of crazy because I wrote it four years ago and then I got married and I had Beni and the album release moved significantly. And now that we have this song out and I’m also raising a baby, it’s kind of crazy the way the timing worked out.”
The singer-songwriter said she is “so proud” of the way the collaboration turned out.
“I say, ‘Sing it, Bubba,’ before the second verse. And that’s my favorite part because then he sings and he’s so good. He’s actually so good. He’s just really shy,” she shared. “So we’re working on that. But he’s been singing in church every Sunday for a couple of years now and it’s really helped him with his stage fright and stuff.”
STAGES closes with another deeply personal moment, the previously released “Heaven Sent,” a heartfelt tribute to her late father that makes the album’s final chapter even more meaningful.
The post Lauren Alaina Opens Up About Recording ‘Babies Raising Babies’ With Her Older Brother Tyler Suddeth appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Are you using your freezer to its full potential? On long days and busy weeknights, keeping these cooking staples in the freezer can make life so much easier.
Food Republic – Restaurants, Reviews, Recipes, Cooking Tips
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Back in July, Tony Romo was arrested on OWI charges while driving home from a golf course in his home state of Wisconsin.
Romo is now on leave from CBS, and he will not be in the broadcast booth when the NFL returns for Week 1.
The former Cowboys QB has now broken his silence on the arrest after pleading no contest to the charges against him.
On Tuesday, Romo took to social media to share a lengthy statement in which he admitted that injuries sustained on the field led to a dependence on prescription painkillers and later an “over-reliance” on alcohol.
“Football has shaped nearly every meaningful part of my life. I played for more than 20 years, including 14 in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. After my retirement, CBS gave me the profound honor of staying close to the game through broadcasting,” he began adding:
“Playing taught me the power of relationships, the strength of a team, and the toughness to face failure head-on with honesty, resilience, and the determination to do better.
“This is one of those moments when I am leaning on everything football taught me. This morning, I faced a recent personal failure by pleading no contest to a civil offense for OWI in Wisconsin. I own this completely.”
Romo went on to explain that the back surgeries that prematurely ended his career have also complicated his retirement from the game.
“Multiple back surgeries ended my career earlier than I expected and left me with constant, debilitating pain. That pain led to a dependence on pain medication, and my efforts to get off those medications led to an over-reliance on alcohol,” he wrote, adding:
“As I have taught my three young sons: when you fall short, you stand up and take full responsibility. That is an important first step. The harder and more important step is examining the path that brought you here and making the changes necessary to move forward.
“That path requires honesty. None of this is an excuse. These are my failures, and I take responsibility for them.”
Romo concluded by assuring fans that the past month has been a period of profound growth, and he intends to emerge from this incident a better man.
“The past month has been difficult, but it has also been personally significant. It has required me to confront and own my mistakes fully—to the Lord, to myself, to my family, and now to the public,” he wrote.
“I am working closely with a team of doctors to address my health and make the necessary changes. I am deeply grateful for the support of my family, my friends, and the NFL community including players, coaches, and owners. Your encouragement has meant more to me than you know.
“As I turn my attention to my health, my family, and, in time, my return to CBS, I kindly ask for privacy during this period.”
We wish Tony and his family the best as they seek to move on from this setback.
Tony Romo Says He’s Dependent on Alcohol, Pleads No Contest to OWI Charges was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
A slow cooker, like a Crock-Pot, is a great and useful tool in the kitchen, but even such a helpful cooker has its drawbacks. Here is how to get around them.
Food Republic – Restaurants, Reviews, Recipes, Cooking Tips
Hot on the heels of the release of her brand-new album, Honest Woman, Carly Pearce is turning heads with the release of the “Same Circus” music video, bringing the brutally honest song about realizing you’re stuck in the same relationship cycle (just with a different clown each time) to life.
The newly released clip places Pearce at the center of a traveling circus, surrounded by colorful characters including a tarot card reader, a juggler and people on stilts putting on a show for the crowd. But at the center of the story is Pearce and her revolving door of lovers, who eventually morph into clowns as she realizes she keeps finding herself in the same troubling situations with the men she dates.
Using the circus as a metaphor for her love life, Pearce moves on to someone new, only to find herself right back where she started, dealing with another “different clown.”
“Same stage, different show / Different cowboy, same damn rodeo / Oh, I shoulda known / Different boots, different names / They all break my heart the same / ’Fore they pack up to skip to the next town / Same circus, different clown,” she sings.
Written by Pearce alongside Lauren Hungate, Jordan Reynolds, and Emily Weisband, “Same Circus” is a standout on the 16-track collection, which also features Pearce’s chart-climbing single, “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” featuring Riley Green as well as fan-favorites like “Happy For Myself” and “You Can Have Him.”
In just a few days, Pearce will embark on her “Honest Woman: Up Close” tour, bringing the new project to fans across the country in a special way.
“The Honest Woman Tour for me, I’ve gotten to do a lot over the last 10 years. I’ve played pretty much every kind of venue that you can imagine. And so this tour, I wanted to do something really for the fans,” she recently explained to Country Now. “And I think when people come to my shows, what I have realized, they come to hear my stories and they come to hear me sing. They don’t come for a show, they come for those honest moments. And I wanted this album that really does feel like the most me moment of my life in general. I wanted it to feel special. So they are limited shows, two nights in each city and just really about the storytelling and the music and being really like tangible with these people.”
Fans can catch Pearce on the intimate tour beginning September 10 through October 22.
CARLY PEARCE – “HONEST WOMAN: UP CLOSE” ROUTING
Thursday, September 10 – Detroit, MI – Saint Andrew’s Hall*
Friday, September 11 – Detroit, MI – Saint Andrew’s Hall*
Wednesday, September 16 – Chicago, IL – Joe’s on Weed*
Thursday, September 17 – Chicago, IL – Joe’s on Weed*
Friday, September 18 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line*
Saturday, September 19 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line*
Sunday, September 27 – Los Angeles, CA – The Troubadour*
Tuesday, September 29 – Los Angeles, CA – GRAMMY Museum
Thursday, October 15 – Toronto, ON – Toronto Opera House*
Friday, October 16 – Toronto, ON – Toronto Opera House*
Sunday, October 18 – Boston, MA – The Sinclair*
Monday, October 19 – Boston, MA – The Sinclair*
Wednesday, October 21 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre*
Thursday, October 22 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre*
*With support from Belle Frantz
The post WATCH: Carly Pearce Finds Herself Dealing With a ‘Different Clown’ in New ‘Same Circus’ Video appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
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Music icon and grandfather Lionel Richie is in the ICU.
The singer was hospitalized over the weekend after falling ill during a concert.
It was not his first time in the hospital this summer.
Was Saturday his final concert?
Lional Richie is in Intensive Care
On Saturday, August 29, Lionel Richie performed at The Muny in Forest Park.
Following that evening’s St. Louis performance, TMZ reports, Richie checked himself in to a local hospital.
He reportedly sought to have tests run after not feeling well.
How, he is apparently in the intensive care unit (ICU).
What was wrong?
According to TMZ‘s sources, the legendary singer is in the ICU out of an abundance of caution.
Doctors are looking into what may be as minor as dehydration.
His hope, the report says, is for the hospital to discharge him on Tuesday, September 1.
We certainly share that hope. And so do his fans.
If it is dehydration, he still did the right thing by seeking medical attention. If you can afford healthcare, it’s better safe than sorry.
There was another incident in June
TMZ‘s report also includes information gleaned from attendees at the St. Louis concert.
Lionel Richie was reportedly “struggling a bit” as the show neared its conclusion.
At one point, he even reportedly asked his team to bring a chair out onto the stage.
The chair allowed him to sit (obviously) as he performed “All Night Long,” his final song of the night.
Performing is exhausting and some songs just fit the vibe better if the singer is seated. However, in light of his hospitalization a short time later, perhaps he was already experiencing symptoms.
If you’re unsure why Richie is being so cautious with his health, well, there’ some precedent.
In June, the music icon ended up rushing to the hospital via ambulance in St. Paul.
He was performing at a concert there, too, when he told the audience that he felt “dizzy” and “strange.”
That time, the show ended abruptly, and paramedics met him backstage.
We hope that all is well. We hope that it is dehydration and not some dire illness — or a strange allergy to cities with “Saint” in the name.
Lionel Richie Hospitalized, In Intensive Care After Concert was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
By: James Brooks, Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s November election for governor will include one Democrat and three Republicans after a final-days shakeup that included a wild last-hour substitution on Monday, the deadline to make changes after August’s primary election.
Under Alaska’s unique elections system, all candidates for an office run against each other in the primary election. The top four candidates, regardless of political party, advance to the general election in November.
Former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, a Democrat from Sitka, finished August’s primary election with 22.5% of the vote, the most out of 16 candidates seeking to replace incumbent Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
The second-place finisher, Democratic candidate Tom Begich, withdrew from the race officially on Monday despite earning 20.8% of the vote.
That promoted Anchorage businesswoman Bernadette Wilson, a Republican, to the second spot on the November ballot. Wilson had 10.1% of the vote in the primary.
Begich’s withdrawal put former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, a Republican, into the third spot for November. Bronson earned 8.1% of the primary vote.
The withdrawal would also have promoted Republican candidate and former Attorney General Treg Taylor into the fourth spot, but on Monday, Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom disqualified Taylor because of gaps in a legally required financial report.
That left Taylor’s lieutenant governor candidate, Republican businesswoman Candice English, to decide by 5 p.m. whether to withdraw or continue with another running mate.
English found one — Taylor’s wife, Jodi Taylor, who became English’s lieutenant governor candidate in a form filed less than an hour before the 5 p.m. deadline.
According to the Anchorage Press, which was on the scene in Anchorage, English told election workers, “I’m stepping up to governor.” She also told another visitor to the office: “It’s all for the good of the state. The state needs the right people in place. We can’t get it wrong.”
It was not immediately clear on Monday evening whether the substitution is legal. Jodi Taylor’s required personal financial disclosure form contains the same information as Treg Taylor’s, and state regulators found it inadequate.
State law gives Jodi Taylor 30 days to amend her report before a final determination on her candidacy.
In Alaska’s November general election, voters will rank the four candidates (and any write-in candidates) in order of preference.
When ballots are counted, the candidate with the fewest top rankings is eliminated, and any votes for them are redistributed to their voters’ second choices.
The process continues until only two candidates are left, and the person with the most votes wins.
Ranked choice voting reduces the chances that candidates from the same party will split available voters and improve the odds for a candidate from a different party, but the system does not eliminate that chance entirely.
Since 2022, when Alaska began using the current system, a significant number of voters have continued to rank just one candidate.
As a result, political parties have pressured lower-finishing primary candidates to withdraw ahead of the general election in order to consolidate support.
In the case of Alaska’s governor race, where governor and lieutenant governor run as a single ticket, that led to talks around consolidation, where a lower-finishing governor candidate takes the place of a lieutenant governor on a higher-finishing ticket.
That didn’t happen on the Republican side, but it did on the Democratic one.
Second-place finisher Tom Begich confirms withdrawal
Hours before the 5 p.m. deadline to withdraw, second-place finisher Tom Begich, a Democrat and former state senator, officially filed his paperwork to quit the race.
Begich had announced his intentions on Friday, saying he is now supporting the first-place finisher, former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, a fellow Democrat.
In a written statement, prerecorded video and interviews after the announcement, Begich said that withdrawing means Democratic support is consolidated around a single candidate.
That means more money for the Kreiss-Tomkins’ campaign and less chance of a split vote in November.
While Alaska uses ranked choice voting, which would allow voters to pick both Kreiss-Tomkins and Begich, results over the past four years show a significant number of voters decline to rank multiple candidates.
Lieutenant governor rejects fourth-place finisher Treg Taylor
Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom on Monday declined to certify former Attorney General Treg Taylor as one of the four finalists in Alaska’s top-four primary election for governor.
Taylor, who finished fifth in the primary, was promoted to fourth after the withdrawal of the second-place finisher, Democratic candidate Tom Begich.
Dahlstrom’s decision, announced by email, came after the Alaska Public Offices Commission voted 4-1 to recommend Taylor’s disqualification for failing to complete a personal financial disclosure required by law.
Nick Begich III announces endorsement of Bernadette Wilson
Alaska’s incumbent U.S. Representative, Republican Nick Begich III, said he is endorsing Republican businesswoman Bernadette Wilson as his preference for Alaska’s next governor.
Begich is running for re-election this year; Wilson worked on his prior campaigns for U.S. House, and Begich had previously vowed to support the top-finishing Republican candidate.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders endorsed Wilson on Saturday, as did U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, the leading Republican candidate to become Florida’s next governor.
Turnout is highest for regular primary election since 2014
According to Monday’s certified results, 166,992 voters participated in the August primary election, the most since the 2022 primary, which coincided with a special general election following the death of U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, earlier that year.
Excluding that race, turnout this year was the highest for a primary since 2014, when voters decided a high-profile referendum on whether or not to repeal an oilindustry tax cut.
In terms of the number of votes cast, the 2026 primary was the fourth-largest in state history; in terms of percentage turnout, it was the 18th largest since 1974.