When a Devastating Famine Hit the Nigerian Village Where I Volunteered, I Felt Powerless. Then I Read This Book (Exclusive)

When a Devastating Famine Hit the Nigerian Village Where I Volunteered, I Felt Powerless. Then I Read This Book (Exclusive) Lizz Schumer, Janet Rich EdwardsDecember 1, 2025 at 7:30 AM 0 Courtesy of Janet Rich Edwards Photos from Janet Rich Edward's time in Niger as a Peace Corps Volunteer, 1982 It was 1984, and I was 22, flying to my post as a Peace Corps volunteer. I was glued to the window as we crossed the Sahara, awed by the barren expanse that was shrouded in red haze to the horizon. When I pressed my hand to the pane, it came back warm.

- - When a Devastating Famine Hit the Nigerian Village Where I Volunteered, I Felt Powerless. Then I Read This Book (Exclusive)

Lizz Schumer, Janet Rich EdwardsDecember 1, 2025 at 7:30 AM

0

Courtesy of Janet Rich Edwards

Photos from Janet Rich Edward's time in Niger as a Peace Corps Volunteer, 1982

It was 1984, and I was 22, flying to my post as a Peace Corps volunteer. I was glued to the window as we crossed the Sahara, awed by the barren expanse that was shrouded in red haze to the horizon. When I pressed my hand to the pane, it came back warm. I remember thinking it would green up as we approached Niger, which I knew was dry, but not desert desert. I'd grown up in the Cuyahoga Valley, splashing through brooks and pressing autumn leaves between wax paper sheets on my mother's ironing board. Only as we descended to the Niamey airport did I make out any trees. They were spindly, unfamiliar. It felt like we were landing on the moon.

My assignment was as a "nutritionist" in a maternal and infant clinic in the village of Torodi. In practice, that meant doing well-baby checkups, mixing up a homemade version of Pedialyte, and lecturing mothers on the value of a balanced diet, which was kind of absurd, given the difficulty of growing vegetables in sand. As out-of-place as I felt, I came to love the work and my colleagues, especially Djulde, the tiny, sharp-witted traditional midwife who taught me jokes in the local language and how to dance to the drums. I held the lantern for her while she delivered babies.

Courtesy of Janet Rich Edwards

Djulde and Janet

My favorite part of the job was riding my bicycle out to remote hamlets to check on the children. Toddlers would hide behind their mothers' skirts, thinking I was a ghost. More often than not, I'd return with a live chicken dangling by its feet from my handlebars. I'd learned not to protest the gift; that generosity was the lifeblood of Niger. By the end of the first year, I thought I had my feet under me. But I had no idea what was coming.

If you're old enough, you'll recall the song, "Feed the World," the Band Aid anthem for the Ethiopian famine. Its lyrics were cringey even then, but it was meant as a heartfelt fundraiser for food aid. The song was on a mix tape that a friend sent me, sandwiched between "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "What's Love Got to Do With It?" I danced my heart out to that tape, behind the closed door of my hut so my neighbors couldn't see my awkward moves. The Ethiopian drought felt far off. But by 1985, the whole desert belt of Africa was running out of food.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) sent us food aid in bulk packages, including dried soup, which I taught the mothers to pronounce: "MIN–UH–STRO–NEE ZOOP." We laughed together. But the laughter couldn't disguise what was happening. Children were dying. When we lost our first newborn at the clinic, I stepped outside, blinking back tears. Djulde strode up to me and slapped my face — sharp, quick. "Don't you dare cry," she said. "If you do, how will the mother feel?"

Courtesy of Janet Rich Edwards

Janet teaching the villagers how to make minestrone soup

I had no knowledge of death. I'd grown up sheltered, losing only grandparents we visited once a year. In Niger, death was suddenly everywhere — even the tough lizards that scampered over the mud walls of my compound were dying. I felt an impotence so deep it verged on despair. Raised vaguely Christian, I had, at best, a wary relationship with God. While I could see that the villagers around me drew great comfort from their faith, the oft-murmured phrase "Insh'Allah "— "God willing" — rang hollow to me.

Then, one day, an army duffel bag of paperbacks arrived from my mother. Inside was Huston Smith's The Religions of Man. I was so hungry for spiritual guidance, I devoured that book. I recall being struck by how similar the great faiths were, each describing something true and eternal, something far larger than us. To be sure, they used different words and parables, but they all seemed to be pointing toward some fundamental truth.

That was the thread that led me to the medieval mystics. For roughly 400 years, from 1100 to about 1500, a series of remarkable women claimed to communicate directly with God, receiving what they called "showings." They were Catholic, but they sounded remarkably similar to modern-day Buddhists. And they were women who sounded like, well, women. Writing from centuries plagued by war and plague and famine, they spoke of divine love. Their words rang with passion, urgency, clarity. The anchoress Julian of Norwich, who probably lost her entire family to the Black Death, was still able to write, "All is well, and all is well, and all manner of things shall be well." When I first read it, I laughed. It sounded naïve.

Courtesy of Janet Rich Edwards

Janet (second from right) with her clinic colleagues

But then something happened that I'll never forget. It was late afternoon in the clinic, and the call to prayer had just echoed from the mosque. Our last patient was a toddler who was so sick, his body so wasted, it was obvious he wouldn't last the night. My heart ached for him and his mother, who held him tightly. The little boy raised his head to look at me and suddenly everything fell away. His gaze was direct and his eyes were frank. He seemed to know he was dying. I felt that I was looking into the eyes of someone who had already seen ahead, and I somehow knew — I knew — that something in him would live on. I can't explain how I knew, nor can I expect anyone to believe me. He died that night. But in the morning, alongside the pain, I felt a strange peace. Nothing was well. Everything was well. Both were true. Somehow, in the eyes of that child, I'd glimpsed a mystery.

That paradox stayed with me. I came home, fell in love, got married, had children and a career. It wasn't until later, after my daughters left home, while attending a lecture about medieval nuns who crafted illuminated manuscripts, that I knew I wanted to write about a mystic. I had wondered so long about the brave women who dared to speak their experience. They were as likely to be branded heretic as they were to be recognized as messengers of God. As a young woman, I'd been struck by their words. As I grew older, I grew more curious about their lives. That's why I wrote Canticle, a novel about a headstrong mystic and the sisterhood that shelters her. It's a story with roots in a famine, a book, a child, and the mystery that still makes me wonder.

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'Canticle' by Janet Rich Edwards

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Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards comes out Dec. 2 and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.

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Source: "AOL Entertainment"

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Source: Entertainment

Published: December 01, 2025 at 03:45PM on Source: RON MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byKris Ronald

in

December 01, 2025

When a Devastating Famine Hit the Nigerian Village Where I Volunteered, I Felt Powerless. Then I Read This Book (Exclusive)

When a Devastating Famine Hit the Nigerian Village Where I Volunteered, I Felt Powerless. Then I Read This Book (Ex...

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’90 Day Fiance’ Star Matt Questions Whether Jasmine’s Daughter Matilda Is His

'90 Day Fiance' Star Matt Questions Whether Jasmine's Daughter Matilda Is His Kristie LauAdamsDecember 1, 2025 at 12:40 AM 0 Courtesy of Jasmine Pineda / Instagram The tension between 90 Day Fiancé stars Matt Branistareanu and Jasmine Pineda finally played out away from social media. During the Sunday, November 30, episode of Happily Ever After? Tell All: No Limits, the couple were seen leaving a reunion between all of the TLC reality show's couples when they became engaged in a heated discussion.

- - '90 Day Fiance' Star Matt Questions Whether Jasmine's Daughter Matilda Is His

Kristie Lau-AdamsDecember 1, 2025 at 12:40 AM

0

Courtesy of Jasmine Pineda / Instagram

The tension between 90 Day Fiancé stars Matt Branistareanu and Jasmine Pineda finally played out away from social media.

During the Sunday, November 30, episode of Happily Ever After? Tell All: No Limits, the couple were seen leaving a reunion between all of the TLC reality show's couples when they became engaged in a heated discussion. Footage from the episode was shared via Instagram fan account @omfgrealitytv after the episode aired on Sunday.

Taking a seat in a private car as a driver took the couple, who share 8-month-old daughter Matilda together, back to their shared home, Matt was seen asking Jasmine, "What are we going to do about the kid? That baby's mine, right?"

The question sparked fury from Jasmine, 39, who responded, "What the f*** did you say?" before Matt pointed out that before she fell pregnant with Matilda, she traveled to New York City — where her ex-boyfriend Dane lived.

'90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After?' Sneak Peek: Matt Finally Tells Jasmine 'I Love You'

Matt said in the car, "I remember at one point you said Dane lives in New York and you were going to New York. You were by yourself a lot. [Matilda] could be Dane's. The kid's blonde, Dane is as well."

He then teared up as he reflected on what the revelation would mean for him. "Can you imagine how f***ing stupid I'm going to look if this kid's not even mine? Even if it's mine, like, I gotta get dragged through some bulls*** forever with you," Matt said to a furious Jasmine.

She then concluded, "Wow. I don't have to wait until that f***ing lease expires. If you don't leave the apartment, I'm going to leave," to which Matt agreed before the couple stopped talking and the episode ended.

'90 Day Fiance' Star Elizabeth Castravet Provides Emotional Update After Father's Death: 'In Shock Still'

Taking to social media after the episode aired, Jasmine shared an Instagram Story that thanked her fans for "all the supportive messages," before sharing a more in-depth reflection of her own. "Unfortunately, ever since I came to [the U.S.] I've gotten used to being treated as damaged goods, and as an object that can be returned as it is broken," she wrote in black text against a white background.

Jasmine continued, "All this has caused severe depression in me. But I'm stronger than all this and I have my babies to look for so giving up is never an option." (Jasmine shares two sons, Juance and JC, with her first husband.)

She then followed the Instagram Story up with a photo of Matilda smiling for the camera. The snap was taken during a family photo shoot that included Matt and was originally shared via both Matt and Jasmine's Instagram grids.

Matt and Jasmine's confrontation was aired as part of a four-episode special, and after Jasmine revealed via Instagram on November 23 that she will "never marry" Matt. "You're gonna see the reason why I will never marry Matt and I don't care how 'good of a catch' he is," Jasmine again wrote in black text against a white background. "After he did what he did … I might change my mind in 50 years."

A second Instagram Story from Jasmine responded to a fan who urged her to leave Matt. "No worries! His mommy has a list of Romanian women waiting for him. I'm just here to have fun," Jasmine wrote in response to the suggestion.

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Entertainment"

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Source: Entertainment

Published: December 01, 2025 at 03:45PM on Source: RON MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byKris Ronald

in

December 01, 2025

’90 Day Fiance’ Star Matt Questions Whether Jasmine’s Daughter Matilda Is His

'90 Day Fiance' Star Matt Questions Whether Jasmine's Daughter Matilda Is His Kristie LauAdamsDecember 1, 2...

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Rihanna Shares Rare Family Moment in Powerful Post

Rihanna Shares Rare Family Moment in Powerful Post Geca FloresDecember 1, 2025 at 4:30 AM 0 Rihanna's Instagram post served not only as a powerful tribute to her homeland but also offered a glimpse into her personal life. In honor of Barbados' Independence Day, the awardwinning singer celebrated the country's 59 years of Sovereignty after gaining independence on Nov. 30, 1966. Moreover, the music icon also acknowledged the country's leaders and paid a special tribute to their second President, Jeffrey Bostic, as he officially assumed office on Independence Day.

- - Rihanna Shares Rare Family Moment in Powerful Post

Geca FloresDecember 1, 2025 at 4:30 AM

0

Rihanna's Instagram post served not only as a powerful tribute to her homeland but also offered a glimpse into her personal life.

In honor of Barbados' Independence Day, the award-winning singer celebrated the country's 59 years of Sovereignty after gaining independence on Nov. 30, 1966.

Moreover, the music icon also acknowledged the country's leaders and paid a special tribute to their second President, Jeffrey Bostic, as he officially assumed office on Independence Day.

"Congratulations to Barbados, MY HOME, on our 59th year of Independence and our 4th year as a Republic! Today also marks the installation of our 2nd President, His Excellency Lieutenant Colonel The Most Honorable Jeffrey Bostic, who, alongside our Honorable Prime Minister Mia Mottley, will continue to lead Barbados with excellence!! Barbados, I LOVE YOU!!!! #Bajan2DeBone," she wrote.

Besides her patriotic and powerful message, the "Umbrella" hitmaker shared a look of her country — from its pristine crystal waters, yummy delicacies, stunning beaches and people, including legendary Barbadian cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers.

Sir Garfield Sobers and Rihanna Fenty during the National Honors ceremony and Independence Day Parade at Golden Square Freedom Park in Bridgetown, Barbados, on November 30, 2021.Photo by RANDY BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images

In addition, Riri also treated fans to a personal glimpse of family life at home, sharing sweet moments with A$AP Rocky and their sons RZA Athelston Mayers and Riot Rose Mayers.

She also highlighted her pregnancy journey with their third child, daughter Rocki Irish Mayers, whom the couple welcomed in September.

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Rihanna celebrates the Independence Day of Barbados

This rare update from the "Don't Stop the Music" singer sparked excitement and admiration from fans, especially from her fellow Barbadians, with some even referring to her as their "Caribbean queen."

"Happy Independence to you and the people of Barbados, our national heroine," a follower added.

The same goes for another saying, "Real thugz never forget where they come from baddest queen."

The post also inspired playful fan commentary, with many teasing that her patriotic message made the album unnecessary.

"We don't need that d--n album, Robyn, we're proud that there's no place like home," one wrote.

"That pic of you and your babies is just top tier! Screw the album, we love mommy Riri," an Instagram user said.

A follower poked fun and noted, "I used to want you to release an album, now I don't, in your time comes!"

"Yeah, we don't need an album. Just continue to represent Barbados. Happy Independence, Barbados," a commenter added.

Besides the singer proudly representing her country, the Fenty Beauty owner has made significant contributions to Barbados through her philanthropic efforts.

"There is nothing more important than saving lives and making lives better because the purpose is better than me," the Barbados native said, according to Fox 13.

In addition to being the official Ambassador for tourism, her foundation, Clara Lionel Foundation, launched in 2012 in honor of her grandparents, Clara and Lionel, has donated millions of dollars worth of equipment to hospitals as well as educational resources and essential supplies to schools and shelters.

Related: Fans Were Annoyed for Rihanna's Son During Fashion Show

This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Published: December 01, 2025 at 03:45PM on Source: RON MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byKris Ronald

in

December 01, 2025

Rihanna Shares Rare Family Moment in Powerful Post

Rihanna Shares Rare Family Moment in Powerful Post Geca FloresDecember 1, 2025 at 4:30 AM 0 Rihanna 's Instagram po...

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Smith is still wondering if his &34;Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves&34; costar was being serious or just British. Justice Smith shares shockingly candid confession from Hugh Grant: 'I would hope that he was joking' Smith is still wondering if his &34;Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves&34; costar was being serious or just British. By Jillian Sederholm Jillian Sederholm Jillian Sederholm is news director at . She has worked at EW for more than eight years.

Smith is still wondering if his "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" costar was being serious or just British.

Justice Smith shares shockingly candid confession from Hugh Grant: 'I would hope that he was joking'

Smith is still wondering if his "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" costar was being serious or just British.

By Jillian Sederholm

Jillian Sederholm

Jillian Sederholm is news director at *. *She has worked at EW for more than eight years. Jillian has previously worked as a reporter, social media editor, and homepage producer at NBC News, Digital First Media, Newsday, and *Random Lengths News.*

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November 26, 2025 10:37 p.m. ET

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Justice Smith and Hugh Grant attend a 2023 'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves' screening in Berlin. Credit:

Andreas Rentz/Getty

Does Hugh Grant seriously hate acting or is he just British?

That's what the BAFTA winner's *Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves* costar Justice Smith is still trying to figure out.

During a visit to Kyle MacLachlan's *What Are We Even Doing?* podcast, the *Twin Peaks *alum asked Smith if he got along with Grant during filming. "I did. Oh, I love Hugh," the actor replied, before sharing an interesting confession from the *Notting Hill *star that he's still not sure what to make of.

"When I worked with him, I was like, 'Hugh, you know, do you still love what you do? Do you still love this?'" the actor recalled. "And he was just like, 'No.' He said, 'I've never loved it.' He's like, 'I just wanted to be famous and make a lot of money.' And I said, 'Really?' He said, 'Yeah.'"**

He continued, "He is so funny. And he's like, 'I've always hated the acting part of it.' And I was like, 'Oh.' But he said it with such sincerity."

The *Now You See Me: Now You Don't *star said the exchange with Grant stuck with him so much he even brought it up to costar Rosamund Pike while on set of the heist film to get the take of a fellow Brit.

"She's like, 'No, I'm pretty sure he's just British.' I'm like, 'Are you sure?' I think 'cause it stuck with me. I was like, 'Oh, I guess you can be a really good actor and just want to like just do it for the fame and money.'"

MacLachlan offered his own perspective.

Michelle Rodriguez, Hugh Grant, Daisy Head, Chris Pine, and Justice Smith in 'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves'.

Paramount Pictures and eOne

"Here's the thing about Hugh that I think I 'cause I got a vibe about him," he shared. "I've known Hugh for a long time, and he has the same spiel that he does. I think the thing that is so challenging for him is that he's such a perfectionist, and he takes it so seriously."

Smith chimed in that he also noticed that about the* Bridget Jones* actor.

MacLachlan continued, "It's like everything, he wants it to be perfect. You know, he's got, I think, control issues, but I feel like it's the torture of that experience as opposed to kind of letting it all go and just, you know, doing what he does. But I got to believe that he finds joy in it."**

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

That seemed to give the *I Saw the TV Glow* star some relief.

"I would hope that he was joking, but also that British humor is so dry and like sometimes hard to permeate that I don't know 'cause he was so sincere," Smith said. "Then I watch him...he does the work, he puts a lot of effort into what he does. We were working on a silly comedy together, and you could tell he really cares about it."**

The *Sex and the City *alum said he thought that was just Grant's greatest acting trick of all: "He's such a good actor, he'll make you believe that he doesn't."**

Watch Smith and MacLachlan's full conversation above.

- Celebrities & Creators

- Entertainment Industry Roles

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Source: "EW Actors"

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Source: Actors

Published: December 01, 2025 at 03:38PM on Source: RON MAG

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byKris Ronald

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December 01, 2025

Justice Smith shares shockingly candid confession from Hugh Grant: 'I would hope that he was joking'

Smith is still wondering if his &34;Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves&34; costar was being serious or just ...

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What to Watch this week: George Clooney is a famous movie star in Jay Kelly, Spartacus sequel ser...

Plus, the &34;Real Housewives of Beverly Hills&34; are back, and &34;Vanderpump Rules&34; returns with a completely new cast. What to Watch this week: George Clooney is a famous movie star in Jay Kelly, Spartacus sequel series House of Ashur debuts Plus, the &34;Real Housewives of Beverly Hills&34; are back, and &34;Vanderpump Rules&34; returns with a completely new cast. By Gerrad Hall :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/Gerrad413fcf02541834f43bb26c0de8fe66f66.jpg) Gerrad Hall is an editorial director at , overseeing movie, awards, and music coverage.

Plus, the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" are back, and "Vanderpump Rules" returns with a completely new cast.

What to Watch this week: George Clooney is a famous movie star in Jay Kelly, Spartacus sequel series House of Ashur debuts

Plus, the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" are back, and "Vanderpump Rules" returns with a completely new cast.

By Gerrad Hall

Gerrad Hall is an editorial director at **, overseeing movie, awards, and music coverage. He is also host of *The Awardist* podcast, and has cohosted EW's live Oscars, Emmys, SAG, and Grammys red carpet shows. He has appeared on *Good Morning America*, *The Talk*, *Access Hollywood*, *Extra!*, and other talk shows, delivering the latest news on pop culture and entertainment.

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on December 1, 2025 6:00 a.m. ET

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'Spartacus: House of Ashur'; 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'; George Clooney in 'Jay Kelly'. Credit:

Netflix; Starz; Rich Polk/Bravo/Getty Images

George Clooney stars as *Jay Kelly*, a famous movie star who just wants to spend a little time with his daughter, regretting all the time he's lost with her, but she's headed to Europe for vacation; he sneakily follows her, hoping to convince her to come to a film festival where he's being honored.

In theaters: *Five Nights at Freddy's 2;* *100 Nights of Hero*, starring Emma Corrin, Maika Monroe, Nicholas Galitzine, and Charli xcx; and Kristen Stewart's directorial debut, *The Chronology of Water.*

On TV, fans of *Spartacus* can dive back into that world with the sequel series *House of Ashur*; the *Real Housewives of Beverly Hills* loses one of the ladies but gains another on the new season; and *Vanderpump Rules* cleaned house and hired an entirely new cast, who we get to meet this week.s

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

Monday, Dec. 1

Adam Sandler on 'My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman'.

Courtesy of Netflix

**Movies*********Troll 2 *- Netflix*******American Sasquatch: Man, Myth, or Monster* (doc) - Digital******

**Streaming*********Bel-Air* - Peacock*******The Gone* - Acorn TV*******The Merchants of Joy* (doc) - Prime Video*******My Next Guest Needs With David Letterman and Adam Sandler* (special episode) - Netflix*******Song of My City* (doc short) - HBO Max********

**8 p.m.*********90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way* - TLC*******Below Deck Mediterranean *- Bravo*******DMV* - CBS*******Finding Mr. Christmas* - Hallmark*******Holiday Baking Championship* - Food Network (next day on HBO Max and Discovery+)*******Name That Tune* - Fox*******St. Denis Medical* - NBC*******WWE Monday Night RAW* - Netflix (5 p.m. PT)

**8:15 p.m.*****Monday Night Football* (New York Giants at New England Patriots) - ABC / ESPN

**8:30 p.m.*****The Neighborhood* - CBS******

**9 p.m.*********Baked With Love: Holiday* - Hallmark*******Celebrity Weakest Link *- Fox*******FBI* - CBS*******Gingerbread Land: The Biggest Little Holiday Competition* - Magnolia Network and Food Network (next day on HBO Max and Discovery+)*******Paul Anka: His Way* (doc) - HBO / HBO Max*******The Pitt* (network premiere) - TNT*******Seeking Sister Wife* (season finale) - TLC*******The Voice* - NBC (next day on Peacock)*******Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen* - Bravo******

**10 p.m.*****Brilliant Minds* (fall finale) - NBC*******Watson *- CBS

**11 p.m.*****The Daily Show* - Comedy Central**

Tuesday, Dec. 2

'Vanderpump Rules'.

Mark Hunter/Bravo

**Movies*****Adventure Tom* - Digital*******Bau* - Digital*******Tapawingo* - Digital*******Tron: Ares* - Digital******

**Streaming*********5-Star* (docuseries debut) - Paramount+*******All's Fair *- Hulu*******The Boulet Brothers' Dragula* - Shudder*******Matt Rife: Unwrapped — A Christmas Crowd Work Special* - Netflix*******Sean Combs: The Reckoning* (docuseries debut) - Netflix*******Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators* - BritBox*******Vanguard* - Viaplay******

**8 p.m.*****Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Throwdown* - Food Network (next day on HBO Max and Discovery+)*******Dancing With the Stars: Dancing With the Holidays* (special) - ABC*******Fixer to Fabulous* (season premiere) - HGTV*******Love & Hip Hop Miami* - BET*******NCIS* - CBS*******The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City* - Bravo******

**9 p.m.*********Baylen Out Loud* - TLC*******CMA Country Christmas* (special) - ABC*******Hard Knocks: In Season With the NFC East* (season premiere) - HBO / HBO Max*******NCIS: Origins* - CBS*******Vanderpump Rules* (season premiere) - Bravo******

**10 p.m.*********7 Little Johnstons* - TLC*******Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane* (series debut) - E!*******NCIS: Sydney* - CBS*******Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen* - Bravo*******What Would You Do?: Holiday Edition* (special) - ABC*******Who Hired the Hit Man?* - ID (next day on HBO Max)

**10:30 p.m.*****Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane* - E!******

**11 p.m.*********The Daily Show* - Comedy Central**

Your guide to 2025 TV premiere dates

Your guide to 2025 movie release dates

Wednesday, Dec. 3

'Oh. What. Fun.'.

Alisha Wetherill/Prime

**Movies*****My Secret Santa* - Netflix*******Oh. What. Fun.* - Prime Video

**Streaming*********Down Cemetery Road* - Apple TV*******Ink Master* - Paramount*******Loot* - Apple TV*******The Mighty Nein* - Prime Video*******The New Years* (series debut) - MUBI*******Palm Royale *- Apple TV*******With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration* (special) - Netflix******

**8 p.m.*********The Challenge: Vets and New Threats* - MTV*******Christmas in Rockefeller Center *- NBC / Peacock*******The Floor* - Fox*******Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent* (season finale) - The CW*******Shifting Gears *- ABC*******Survivor* - CBS*******Tournament of Champions: All-Star Christmas* - Food Network (next day on HBO Max and Discovery+)

**8:30 p.m.*****Abbott Elementary* - ABC******

**9 p.m.*********99 to Beat* - Fox*******Cheap A$$ Beach Houses* (series debut) - HGTV*******Dangerously Obese* - TLC*******Expedition Unknown* - Discovery*******Sistas* - BET*******Southern Charm* - Bravo (next day on Peacock)******

**9:30 p.m.*****The Amazing Race* - CBS*******Cheap A$$ Beach Houses* - HGTV******

**10 p.m.*********About Face* (season finale) - TLC*******Christmas in Nashville* (special) - NBC*******Expedition Files* - Discovery*******Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen* - Bravo******

**11 p.m.*****The Daily Show* - Comedy Central******

Thursday, Dec. 4

'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'.

Phylicia J. L. Munn/Bravo

**Movies*****Love After Holidays* - BET+*******Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning* (streaming debut) - Paramount+******

**Streaming*********The Abandons* (series debut) - Netflix*******Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake* - HBO Max*******Ângela Diniz: Murdered and Convicted* - HBO / HBO Max*******The Assassin* - AMC+*******Blue Lights* - BritBox*******The Kardashians* - Hulu*******Murdering Love* (U.S. debut) - Viaplay*******The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives* (reunion special) - Hulu******

**8 p.m.*********Celebrity Family Feud* - ABC*******George & Mandy's First Marriage* - CBS*******Hell's Kitchen* - Fox*******The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills* (season premiere) - Bravo********

**8:15 p.m.*********Thursday Night Football* (Dallas Cowboys at Detroit Lions) - Prime Video

**9 p.m.*****The Great Christmas Light Fight* (season premiere) - ABC*******It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley *(doc) - HBO / HBO Max*******Matlock* - CBS*******Next Level Baker* (series debut) - Fox

**9:15 p.m.*****Watch Watch Happens Live With Andy Cohen* - Bravo

**10 p.m.*****Elsbeth* - CBS*******The Great Christmas Light Fight* - ABC******

**11 p.m.*****The Daily Show* - Comedy Central**

Friday, Dec. 5

George Clooney in 'Jay Kelly'.

Peter Mountain/Netflix

**Movies*****100 Nights of Hero* - In theaters*******The Chronology of Water* - In select theaters*******Come Closer* - In select theaters*******The Family McMullen* - HBO Max*******Five Nights at Freddy's 2* - In theaters*******Frontier Crucible* - In theaters, Digital*******La Grazia* - In theaters*******Hunting Season* - In theaters, Digital, VOD*******Jay Kelly* - Netflix*******Jingle Bell Wedding* - The Roku Channel*******Man Finds Tape* - In theaters*******Merrily We Roll Along* (Broadway film) - In theaters*******The New Yorker at 100* (doc) - Netflix*******Night in West Texas* (doc) - In theaters*******A Private Life* - In select theaters*******Reflection in a Dead Diamond* - Shudder*******Rosemead* - In select theaters*******Speed Train* - In theaters, VOD*******Universal* - Digital*******WTO/99* (doc) - In select theaters******

**Streaming*****The First Snow of Fraggle Roc*k (holiday special) - Apple TV*******The Last Frontier* (season finale) - Apple TV*******Heated Rivalry* - HBO Max*******Owning Manhattan* (season premiere) - Netflix*******Pluribus* - Apple TV*******The Seduction* - HBO Max******

**8 p.m.*********2025 National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony* (special) - GAF*******Friday Night Vibes* (*Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody*) - TBS*******Gold Rush* - Discovery *******Jingle All the Way to Love* (movie) - Lifetime*******The Last Cowboy* - CMT*******Power Book IV: Force* - Starz*******Ready to Love* - OWN*******Sheriff Country* - CBS*******Twelve Dates 'Til Christmas* (series debut) - Hallmark******

**9 p.m.*****Fire Country* - CBS*******The Last Woodsman* - Discovery*******Spartacus: House of Ashur* (series debut) - Starz*******Twelve Dates 'Til Christmas* - Hallmark*******The Unbelievable With Dan Aykroyd* - History

**9:15 p.m.*****Happy's Place* - NBC

**9:45 p.m.*****Stumble* - NBC******

**10 p.m.*****Boston Blue* - CBS*******A Christmas Cookbook* (movie) - Lifetime*******Everything on the Menu With Braun Strowman* (season finale) - USA*******It's Florida, Man* - HBO / HBO Max*******Spartacus: House of Ashur* - Starz

**10:15 p.m.*****Dateline* - NBC**

Saturday, Dec. 6

**8 p.m.*********Cranberries and Carols* (movie) - GAF*******Deck the Hallways* (movie) - Lifetime*******Dinner and a Movie* (*Sweet Home Alabama*) - TBS*******Love & Marriage: Huntsville* - OWN*******She's Making a List* (movie) - Hallmark ******

**9 p.m.*****The Christmas Showdown* (movie) - OWN******

**10 p.m.*****48 Hours* - CBS*******The Hallmark Christmas Experience: A Hometown Holiday Christmas Special* - Hallmark*******Merry Missed Connection* (movie) - Lifetime

**11:30 p.m.*********Saturday Night Live* (host Melissa McCarthy; musical guest Dijon) - NBC******

Sunday, Dec. 7

Justin Hartley on 'Tracker'.

Sergei Bachlakov/CBS

**Streaming*********Landman* - Paramount+*******Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints* (fall finale) - FOX Nation*******Mayor of Kingstown* - Paramount+******

**6 p.m.*****Snapped: Behind Bars* - Oxygen******

**7 p.m.*********60 Minutes* - CBS*******America's Funniest Home Videos* - ABC*******Killer Relationship With Faith Jenkins* - Oxygen

**8 p.m.*********90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days* (season premiere) - TLC*******Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking* (season finale) - Food Network (next day on HBO Max and Discovery+)*******Killer Grannies* - Oxygen*******Masterpiece: Miss Scarlet* (season premiere) - PBS*******Mistletoe at the Manor* (movie) - GAF*******The Real Housewives of Potomac* - Bravo*******Reality Hot Seat* (special) - Peacock*******The Simpsons* - Fox*******Single on the 25th* (movie) - Hallmark*******Tracker* - CBS********

**8:15 p.m.*****Sunday Night Football* (Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs) - NBC

**8:30 p.m.*********Universal Basic Guys* - Fox********

**9 p.m.*********It: Welcome to Derry* - HBO / HBO Max*******Krapopolis* - Fox*******Married to Medicine* - Bravo*******The Road* - CBS*******Robin Hood* - MGM+*******Sweet Empire: Winter Wars* - Food Network (next day on HBO Max and Discovery+)******

**9:30 p.m.*****Bob's Burgers* - Fox******

**10 p.m.*********Sister Wives* - TLC*******Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen* - Bravo*******Words + Music* - MGM+******

**10:30 p.m.*****I Love LA* - HBO / HBO Max**

*times are ET and subject to change

- What to Watch

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW What"

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Source: What

Published: December 01, 2025 at 01:38PM on Source: RON MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byKris Ronald

in

December 01, 2025

What to Watch this week: George Clooney is a famous movie star in Jay Kelly, Spartacus sequel ser...

Plus, the &34;Real Housewives of Beverly Hills&34; are back, and &34;Vanderpump Rules&34; returns with a compl...

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After the dramatic Volume 1 conclusion, the cast and crew promise it's just the tip of the iceberg. Stranger Things 5 stars preview what's ahead in Volume 2 and series finale: 'It does not scale down' After the dramatic Volume 1 conclusion, the cast and crew promise it's just the tip of the iceberg. By Nick Romano :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/NicholasRomanoauthorphotoadc9b60763e34711935cbf7b3d768d24.jpg) Nick Romano is a senior editor at with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in Vanity Fair, Vulture, IGN, and more.

After the dramatic Volume 1 conclusion, the cast and crew promise it's just the tip of the iceberg.

Stranger Things 5 stars preview what's ahead in Volume 2 and series finale: 'It does not scale down'

After the dramatic Volume 1 conclusion, the cast and crew promise it's just the tip of the iceberg.

By Nick Romano

Nick Romano is a senior editor at ** with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in *Vanity Fair*, Vulture, IGN, and more.

EW's editorial guidelines

November 27, 2025 1:00 p.m. ET

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Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Joe Keery, Charlie Heaton, and Gaten Matarazzo in 'Stranger Things 5'. Credit:

Courtesy of Netflix

- The *Stranger Things 5* cast and creators tease what's ahead in Volume 2 and the series finale.

- "It gets very big," Matt Duffer says of the back half of the season.

- Shawn Levy on directing Volume 2 episodes: "There's a lot of ambitious sequences in it, but also some really juicy, emotional character work."

**Warning: This article contains spoilers from *Stranger Things* season 5, Volume 1. **

It's hard to imagine what the rest of *Stranger Things* season 5 is going to look like after Volume 1. The first four episodes arrived Wednesday night on Netflix and, collectively, they feel like their own contained season of television, complete with full character arcs, intense event set pieces, and one shocker of a cliffhanger. Now, fans await Volume 2, which will bring episodes 5-7 on Christmas Day, and then the 2-hour series finale come New Year's Eve.

How much bigger is the final season going to get? "It does not scale down, I will say that much," series co-creator Ross Duffer tells ** of the back half of *Stranger Things 5*. "This is one reason it's taken so long to get out and why we were filming for so long."

The final season filmed over a calendar year from January-December 2024. Ross' brother and creative partner, Matt Duffer, calls the episode 4 Demogorgon battle "the most challenging sequence we shot for the entire season" from a logistics perspective. From there, "it gets very big," he teases.

"I would say Volume 2, though, more than scaling up on the action, visual effects front, the emotional aspect of it is really what gets bigger and more impactful," Matt continues. "Obviously, we're barreling towards the end and the final episode is, in fact, the end of this story for these characters. So it's highly emotional — and much more emotional than Volume 1."

The Upside Down scene from the back half of 'Stranger Things 5'.

The stars echo a lot of the same sentiments. "I haven't even seen the Volume 2 episodes yet, but from what I remember, it just keeps getting bigger, or you keep up that stamina," Sadie Sink, our resident Max Mayfield, says. "What's smart about the volumes, too, is that it's all building to episode 4 in the first one, and we start on a higher note [in Volume 2] but then build to episode 7 and then the series finale."

"You thought Volume 1 was crazy..." Noah Schnapp, who plays Will Byers, begins, while his costar and bestie Millie Bobby Brown, who stars as Eleven, finishes that statement: "Get ready."

6 past 'Stranger Things' episodes that influenced season 5, according to the Duffers

What's next for Sadie Sink? 'Stranger Things' star talks the new phase of her career

The first Volume of *Stranger Things 5* left viewers with the remains of a massive Demogorgon battle, featuring a Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) appearance, that laid waste to the military base in Hawkins. As the Duffers confirmed to EW, Will was able to channel the big bad's psychic powers and destroy the monsters about to harm his friends, which adds what Matt Duffer calls a "new chess piece on the board in the battle for Hawkins."

Eleven also discovers her "sister" Kali/Eight (Linnea Berthelsen) is the thing hidden behind mystery door No. 1 in Dr. Kay's Upside Down laboratory. Meanwhile, the mind of Max has been trapped in Vecna's "mindscape" (essentially his memories) all this time while her body remains in Hawkins. Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and Nancy's (Natalia Dyer) little sister, Holly (Nell Fisher), remains with Max, while Vecna continues his hunt for the 12 children that he needs to fulfill some mysterious mission.

"The end of this volume is like a finale in itself," Charlie Heaton, who plays Will's older brother Jonathan Byers, comments. "If that was a long movie, it would end there and there'd be another one."

Joe Keery, who plays Steve Harrington, describes the later episodes as a "big swing."

Finn Wolfhard's Will and Jamie Campbell Bower's Vecna on 'Stranger Things 5'.

Shawn Levy, a longtime *Stranger Things* producer, typically directs episodes 3 and 4 of every season. Thanks to his commitments making *Deadpool & Wolverine*, he shifted gears for season 5, instead directing episode 6 and then co-directing episode 7 with the Duffer Brothers.

"I have to be cautious of spoilers. Let's just say there's a lot of ambitious sequences in it, but also some really juicy, emotional character work," Levy says of episode 6, titled "Escape From Camazotz."

For episode 7, "I'd never gotten to do one of those classic late-season 15-character scenes in a room, breaking down the plan, explaining the mythology," he points out. "I've always loved those scenes 'cause it's so satisfying. We wait all season for the characters to intersect and come up with that plan. So I got to direct some of those days, 14-15 of our series regulars in one room. It was chaos, very hard to get anyone to pay attention. Felt like a boisterous family reunion, but very fun to get to direct that kind of scene."

Levy, a filmmaker who regularly references the works of Steven Spielberg, further teases how "certain sequences are particularly Spielbergian in their inspiration" in the episodes he directs. "Every episode [in season 5] is ambitious storytelling, but there are some sequences in episode 6, for instance, where for something to feel event-y, it needs to be more than just big and complicated. It needs to be an ambitious set piece that is also rooted in key themes or key character growth moments."

Mike (Finn Wolfhard) walks the gang through the plan of attack in 'Stranger Things 5'.

It applies to the budgets, as well. Season 5's episodes don't just look expensive, "they are!" Levy exclaims. He came to *Stranger Things 5* after directing *Deadpool & Wolverine*, and he's now busy shooting *Star Wars: Starfighter* with Ryan Gosling. By comparison, "These episodes might as well be called movies," he says.

He describes one sequence in episode 6 he wishes he could spoil.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

"I remember when I read a first season outline from the brothers and I said at that time, 'Oh my God, whatever poor son of a b---- has to do this sequence, dead meat. I wouldn't even begin to know how to figure out how to do that,'" the filmmaker recalls. "I begged them to actually change the idea. Couldn't it be something that's a little more doable? And they're like, 'No, it'll be awesome.' And then cut to, my calendar has me doing that episode and that sequence. I was the poor son of a b---- who had to figure out how to pull it off."

Wolfhard's advice is to savor it all. "I know that's stupid because I think a lot of people are gonna binge it. That's what streaming is and that's why it can be great," he says. "But also because it's the last season, my advice, if you can, try to make it last as long as you can."

It helps when there are two more episode drops through the new year.

- Sci-Fi & Fantasy Shows

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Sci-Fi"

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Source: Sci-Fi

Published: December 01, 2025 at 01:38PM on Source: RON MAG

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byKris Ronald

in

December 01, 2025

Stranger Things 5 stars preview what's ahead in Volume 2 and series finale: 'It does not scale down'

After the dramatic Volume 1 conclusion, the cast and crew promise it's just the tip of the iceberg. Stranger Things 5 s...

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&34;My mom's like, 'Whoa, what, what'd you get?,'&34; the &34;SNL&34; alum recalls of his childhood discovery. A scandalous Eddie Murphy performance comforted Pete Davidson after his dad's tragic death on 9/11 &34;My mom's like, 'Whoa, what, what'd you get?,'&34; the &34;SNL&34; alum recalls of his childhood discovery. By Jillian Sederholm Jillian Sederholm Jillian Sederholm is news director at . She has worked at EW for more than eight years.

"My mom's like, 'Whoa, what, what'd you get?,'" the "SNL" alum recalls of his childhood discovery.

A scandalous Eddie Murphy performance comforted Pete Davidson after his dad's tragic death on 9/11

"My mom's like, 'Whoa, what, what'd you get?,'" the "SNL" alum recalls of his childhood discovery.

By Jillian Sederholm

Jillian Sederholm

Jillian Sederholm is news director at *. *She has worked at EW for more than eight years. Jillian has previously worked as a reporter, social media editor, and homepage producer at NBC News, Digital First Media, Newsday, and *Random Lengths News.*

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November 27, 2025 2:00 p.m. ET

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Pete Davidson and Eddie Murphy. Credit:

Bruce Glikas/WireImage; Frazer Harrison/WireImage

Like Eddie Murphy before him, Pete Davidson joined the cast of *Saturday Night Live* before he was even old enough to legally drink, but his attachment to the comedy icon started long before.**

In the Netflix documentary *Being Eddie, *the *Bupkis* star explained how Murphy helped get him through one of the darkest times of his life when he was just 8, shortly after his dad, a New York City firefighter, was killed as a first responder to the Sept. 11 attacks. **

"My mom took me to the store in the mall that had DVDs and CDs, and *Eddie Murphy Delirious *was there, and I was like, 'What's this? He looks really cool, and this could be fun," Davidson recalled of seeing Murphy clad in his iconic red leather suit on the cover of the box for his 1983 stand-up comedy special. **

Davidson said he was already "a huge Eddie Murphy fan" from more age-appropriate movies like *Shrek *and* Dr. Doolittle*, but what he discovered when he started playing his newly-purchased DVD in the back of his family's Suburban on the way home wasn't what he was used to. **

Eddie Murphy in 1983's 'Eddie Murphy Delirious'.

"Immediately, you know, 'F--- this, suck this, f--- you,' and my mom's like, 'Whoa, what, what'd you get?" he remembered. "I was dying laughing, and she was like, 'You can't watch this or any of that.'"**

But Davidson pleaded with his mother until she finally relented. **

"I was like, 'Please!' I'm laughing, and I think she saw I was enjoying myself and at a time where I really wasn't," he explained. "And she was like, you could watch this stuff as long as you don't repeat it or tell anybody, and it was a kind of a little pact we made, and that opened me to everything.**

Eddie Murphy reacts to David Spade making fun of him on 'SNL': 'Dirty motherf---er'

Eddie Murphy reveals Yul Brynner tried to proposition him for sex with actor's wife

A decade later, Davidson would follow in Murphy's footsteps by making a name for himself at *SNL, *where he joined the cast at 20 years old, just a year older than his comedy hero had been as a new cast member in 1980. And as luck would have it, Davidson was working there in 2019 when Murphy returned to the sketch comedy show after a 35-year absence.

The next year, the *King of Staten Island *actor paid tribute to Murphy in his own stand-up comedy special, *Pete Davidson: Alive From New York*, which kicked off with Murphy's "Party All the Time" as the intro song.

Things recently came full circle for Davidson when he got to star with Murphy in this year's heist comedy *The Pickup, *and the pair quickly bonded over losing their dads as children (Murphy's father was murdered in a crime of passion in 1969).

Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson in 'The Pickup'.

Courtesy Amazon MGM Studios

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

******"We got along real fast, and we both have a lot in common," Davidson previously told *.* "We were always the young guy amongst a bunch of older dudes. We got along really, really, really well."

The *Norbit *star shared Davidson's enthusiasm. "We hit it off famously, and it was really great working with him," Murphy told EW. "I'd love to work with him again."

*Being Eddie *is on Netflix now.

- Movie Reviews & Recommendations

- Comedy Movies

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Comedy"

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Source: Comedy

Published: December 01, 2025 at 01:38PM on Source: RON MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byKris Ronald

in

December 01, 2025

A scandalous Eddie Murphy performance comforted Pete Davidson after his dad's tragic death on 9/11

&34;My mom's like, 'Whoa, what, what'd you get?,'&34; the &34;SNL&34; alum recalls of his chil...

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