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Fans Slam Gwen Stefani’s “Ego Play” Against Beloved Reba McEntire

‘The Voice’ Viewers Call Out Gwen Stefani For Big Ego Move Against Reba McEntire

This season of The Voice has already proven to be utterly bananas! …No, I’m not ashamed of that joke. On top of everyone already loving the inclusion of Snoop Dogg to the panel of judges, an early blood feud has already been formed between Gwen Stefani and Reba McEntire. Vying to snatch up only the best singers for their team, Stefani outright blocked McEntire from adding one of the contestants to her squad.

Videos by Wide Open Country

The moment caused immediate reactions online as people applauded (or disapproved of) Stefani’s bold move. “Haven’t watched the voice in years and this block button??? Oh that’s messy,” one X (formerly known as Twitter) user stated. Additionally, others adored the chaotic usage of the block while the performances were ongoing!

“This blocking is amazing compared to the Australia voice which the blocking happens after the singer is done. and the ultimate block is when of a coach blocks all the other coaches…again this is done after the singing is done. Not a good feeling to watch,” an Instagram user chimed in.

‘The Voice’ Reaches New Heights As Gwen Stefani Blocks Reba McEntire

For some reason, I’m reminded of The Wire and one of my favorite quotes from the show. “You come at the king, you best not miss.” Stefani took her shot at the queen, and surely enough, she didn’t miss! The only problem, though, is that McEntire likely won’t forget Stefani’s actions. This is how primetime television keeps us entertained, and we’re all waiting to see how McEntire will retaliate.

“This season is going to be great. Awesome judges who interact great with each other. No awkwardness. They all seem genuine and encourage and teach even the artists that don’t get picked,” another user added. I’ll admit it: I had my doubts about the synergy between the judges. Individually, everyone’s great! But, come on, don’t tell me you didn’t see the four of them together and weren’t skeptical!

“Snoop, you did amazing, your spirit and how you are showing your emotions. I loved you before and love you even more now…you are showing millions of guys what a man is….” Also, I’ve learned that people love Snoop on The Voice way more than they probably should.

 

Voice Coach Michael Bublé infuriates the fans as he Keeps Lying on the show

Every Coach on The Voice has their own methods for getting Artists on their side. Some simply use their own reputation as an artist, others talk about their famous friends, still others speak from the heart and try to relate to prospective team members on a deeper level. Then there’s new Coach Michael Bublé, who has a different tactic altogether, and it came to a head during the fourth episode of Season 26.

In his first season as a Voice Coach, Bublé has developed an interesting tic when talking to vocalists that is, at its core, quite simple: He lies. Not about important things, exactly, but Bublé has a tendency to make up stories about his life during Blind Auditions, throwing everyone off their game.

So far this season, Bublé has mentioned he was on the Titanic; he’s claimed it was his anniversary when it wasn’t; he’s claimed he has a toupee; and he’s dropped weird little lies so often that even host Carson Daly has stepped in to ask him what’s up. It’s an odd tendency, and it made one Coach reveal an entirely new button during Memphis native Jamison Puckett’s Blind Audition Tuesday night.

Watch Jamison Puckett’s Performance of Journey’s “Faithfully” During The Voice Season 26 Blind Auditions

Jamison Puckett on The Voice Season 26 Episode 4. Photo: Tyler Golden/NBC

Puckett, a 34-year-old singer who got his start in churches and is now married with his first child on the way, launched into a soulful, stripped down cover of the Journey classic “Faithfully” for his Blind Audition. By the end of the song, he’d earned two chair turns from Bublé and Reba McEntire. During the post-song interview, Gwen Stefani praised his potential, and praised Bublé’s willingness to take a chance on the singer.

“I didn’t press, but when you pressed it made me so happy,” Stefani told Bublé. “I like your taste.”

When it was Bublé’s turn to react to Puckett’s performance, he took a different approach.

“I’m not happy, I’m deeply unhappy, because Reba turned too, and I’m so tired of this,” Bublé joked. “I truly am.”

Bublé then launched into a strange story that turned out to be nothing more than reciting a version of the plot of the 1999 film Fight Club, starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton.

“When I was a kid, I don’t know 20, 21, I moved to L.A. trying to get my big break,” Bublé began. “I was in this underground club where we used to fight. You weren’t allowed to talk about it, that was rule number one. And now, after that life, and fighting…”

McEntire then hit a button somewhere on her chair, cutting Bublé off with an excerpt from her 1990 hit single “You Lie.” The entire panel of Coaches burst into laughter, and Bublé in particular laughed to the point of tears. We don’t know yet how McEntire got her own button to deploy specifically on Bublé, but chances are it’ll come up again, because Bublé shows no signs of stopping his tactics.

In the meantime, the segment closed with a happy ending, as Puckett picked Bublé to be his Coach, adding another vocalist to Team Michael.

“There’s a big difference between a lie and a fib,” Bublé said by way of explaining himself. “And also, you know what? It’s humor. I’m just throwing everything out there, see what works. I’m having too much fun.”

McEntire’s explanation for the new button? She’s trying to throw Bublé off his game with a little tactic of her own.

“You can’t trust a thing he says, so I hit my ‘You Lie’ button,” she said.

Where can you watch The Voice?

Catch new episodes of The Voice Mondays and Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC. Every episode also arrives on Peacock the next day, so if you missed it the night before, you can always catch up.

Tim Allen Unveils a Surprise New Series, Fueling Excitement for “Shifting Gears” Season 2 and Beyond!

Tim Allen gives the buzz on ‘Toy Story 5,’ talks season 2 of ‘Shifting Gears’ ahead of Fallsview show

With his television show “Shifting Gears” having just been renewed for a second season and “Toy Story 5” on the way, Tim Allen is getting back to his roots, embarking on a comedy tour, which includes an April 25 stop at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario. WIVB caught up with Allen ahead of the show to discuss all three projects.

“All of this centers around the comedy that I’ve been doing since I grew up in Denver, moved to Detroit, and when I was a young guy in Detroit, started doing standup comedy for the Comedy Castle there,” he said. “And all of this keeps coming back to me, especially on the East Coast, touring this whole area when I was a kid. And ‘Home Improvement’ started from my act and my act started — I was the only guy talking about lawn mowing, tools, grunting, all of that. And so ‘Home Improvement’ started there.”

Actor and comedian Tim Allen is seen on the sideline during pregame of an NFL football game between the Detroit Lions and the Buffalo Bills, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Allen recalled spending many summers of his youth in the Canadian province, specifically the village of Bayfield. He also noted that his great grandmother was from London, Ontario.

“It occurred to me, every time I go back to Canada, ‘Why do I know so much about Canada?’ Because I think half my family’s Canadian, and we never even think about that,” he said, joking about the differences in car names in the Great White North and his relatives calling him a “downstater.”

Allen said he feels very at home in Ontario and is looking forward to playing Fallsview next Friday, as this will be his first tour on the East Coast in a few years. He said his material has evolved quite a bit over the past 30 years and noted his admiration for Richard Pryor as his inspiration for wanting to get his audiences laughing.

“I absolutely had a life-changing experience many, many years ago at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan, with Richard Pryor,” he recalled. “And I said, ‘If I can get anywhere near what he did to me, to other people — I laughed so hard.’ I changed everything about — laughter is the best medicine. Forget about everything that was going on in my life and have a sense of humor about it.”

Allen’s Niagara Falls show comes on the heels of the April 3 announcement that his ABC show “Shifting Gears” will be coming back for season 2. The show stars Allen as Matt Parker, alongside Kat Dennings as his newly separated daughter Riley, as well as Seann William Scott and Daryl Mitchell as Gabriel and Stitch from Parker’s shop, Parker Custom Cars.

Allen said in his time on television, from playing Tim Taylor on “Home Improvement,” to Mike Baxter on “Last Man Standing,” now to Matt Parker on “Shifting Gears,” he has learned that with each project, his characters have become more centered around his own comedy.

In terms of helping create the shows, each has centered around an interest of his. He noted that with “Home Improvement” and “Last Man Standing,” the shows featured an out-of-balance family, with more children than parents. They also featured loving relationships with his character’s wives. The biggest difference with “Shifting Gears” is that Allen’s character is a widower, and to this point in the series, is mostly dealing with his daughter and two grandkids.

“This time the guy lost his wife, so he’s dealing with grief,” he said. “Life is changing, where people that do stuff with their hands aren’t as appreciated as I wish they were. So I deal with that and a dance studio next door that is invigorating because it’s it’s about the live arts, which I find — my niece is a ballet dancer in Washington, and I never really understood ballet until I see how much work she does and how people do it for the love of that craft.”

He said that, different from his pragmatic and business-minded characters, Matt Parker is a designer, an artist, who never got to fulfill his true passion after taking over his father’s business. Allen said ultimately, the show is about fixing things — from old cars to broken relationships.

On the horizon for Allen is also “Toy Story 5, which is scheduled for a June 19, 2026 release and has already begun production. Allen wasn’t going to give any spoilers about the film, but he did give a very general plot outline.

“I can tell you that it’s a lot about Jessie,” he said. “Tom [Hanks] and I do — Woody and I — do realign. And there’s an unbelievable opening scene with Buzz Lightyears. I can give you that, but I can’t give you much more.”

Most immediate for Allen, however, is the current comedy tour.

“I’m really geeked about coming up [to Niagara Falls],” he said. “Last time we were here, I think my opening act forgot his passport. We got to the gate that and we had a horrible event to try to get back through because they don’t want you coming through the border without a passport.”

Lowell Sanders is set to open for Allen at this year’s Fallsview Casino show, provided he is better at packing his passport than Allen’s last opener.

Allen said there’s “nothing like” Niagara Falls, referring to the waterfall, but also said there’s nowhere like Southern Ontario and Western New York as far as communities go. Tickets to Allen’s show at Fallsview Casino can be purchased at this link. The full interview can be viewed in the video player at the top of this page.

Adam Duke is a digital contributor who joined WIVB in 2021. See more of his work here.

Fans of Happy’s Place have been eagerly awaiting updates on the next installment of the beloved series, and Melissa Peterman has just given them plenty to be excited about

Fans of Happy’s Place have been eagerly awaiting updates on the next installment of the beloved series, and Melissa Peterman has just given them plenty to be excited about. The actress, known for her scene-stealing comedic presence, recently shared intriguing details about what’s to come in the newest part of the show, teasing big changes, fresh storylines, and surprising character developments.

A New Direction for Happy’s Place

Peterman, who has played a key role in the show’s success, hinted that the upcoming season will bring unexpected twists while staying true to the heart and humor that fans love. Without revealing too much, she teased that audiences should brace themselves for emotional moments, hilarious new dynamics, and possibly even a few guest appearances.

“We’re taking things to a whole new level,” Peterman shared. “The stories are deeper, the laughs are bigger, and the characters are facing challenges that will really resonate with viewers.”

Character Growth and Surprising Turns

One of the most exciting aspects of the new part of Happy’s Place is the evolution of its characters. Peterman explained that fans will see new sides to familiar faces, with relationships being tested, personal growth taking center stage, and plenty of unexpected comedic moments.

“Everyone is growing in ways that feel so natural but also really surprising,” she added. “I think fans are going to love where we take these characters next.”

When Can Fans Expect the New Installment?

While Peterman didn’t give an exact release date, she reassured fans that the new chapter of Happy’s Place is well underway and worth the wait. With production moving full speed ahead, anticipation is building for what promises to be one of the show’s most exciting seasons yet.

Fans React to the Big Reveal

Following Peterman’s hints, fans took to social media to express their excitement and speculate on what’s in store.

“I can’t wait! This show keeps getting better and better,” one fan tweeted.

Another wrote, “Melissa Peterman never disappoints—her character is my favorite! So excited for the new part of Happy’s Place.”

As the countdown to the next installment continues, Peterman’s insights have only fueled the anticipation. One thing is clear—Happy’s Place is gearing up for an unforgettable new chapter!

“Shifting Gears” Season 2 Shockwave: Major Cast Shake-Ups, Bold New Storylines, and a Surprising Schedule Shift Revealed!

Shifting Gears Season 2: Confirmation & Everything We Know

ABC’s uproarious new sitcom Shifting Gears features TV legend Tim Allen in one of its lead roles, and now the father-daughter comedy has been renewed for season 2. Debuting in the early days of 2025, the series follows a widower named Matt (Allen) who reunites with his estranged daughter Riley (Kat Dennings) and her two kids when she hits the end of her rope and needs somewhere to stay. While the pair try to work out their differences, Riley tries to figure out what she’s going to do with her life, and Matt tries to adjust to his new living situation.

While it might be getting generally bad reviews, Shifting Gears has one big thing going for it, that being the TV starpower of Tim Allen. The Toy Story and The Santa Clause star has rarely missed in his TV ventures, with long-running sitcoms like Home Improvement and Last Man Standing being the comic actor’s true wheelhouse. This will certainly continue in ABC’s latest sitcom outing, and Allen alone might have been the only thing Shifting Gears needed to score a season 2 renewal.

Shifting Gears Season 2 Latest News

ABC Renews Shifting Gears After Troubling Reports

Just a few days after it was announced that the show was on the bubble, the latest news confirms that Shifting Gears has been renewed for season 2. Troubling reports surfaced in late March that indicated Shifting Gears had seen a sharp decline in ratings across the first 10 episodes of season 1. Despite this, ABC opted to pick up another season, and renewed Shifting Gears alongside Grey’s Anatomy, 9-1-1, The Rookie, and Will Trent. No further details are known about season 2 yet, but information will likely come soon.

Shifting Gears premiered with to 6.10 million viewers (via Programming Insider) but dropped to 3.77 by episode 10 (via Programming Insider).

Shifting Gears Season 2 Is Confirmed

A Second Gear For Shifting Gears

If ratings continue to slide into season 2, the series likely won’t be around for season 3.

Though Shifting Gears got off to a blazing hot start, it became clear as season 1 wore on that ratings were dipping considerably. However, ABC opted to renew the show in April 2025, and green-lit the Tim Allen comedy for a second season. This renewal is a good sign that the show can recover, but it’s clear that ABC will be keeping a close eye on Shifting Gears in season 2 to make sure their investment was worthwhile. If ratings continue to slide into season 2, the series likely won’t be around for season 3.

No production information is known at this time, but it can be assumed that ABC is aiming to have the show air in the midseason slot. Shifting Gears wasn’t part of the network’s fall slate, and based on the ratings, it would make sense to leave it for January or February 2026. Midseason shows are an important part of any network’s yearly success, and Shifting Gears just doesn’t have the momentum to take a fall schedule slot from one of ABC’s bigger series.

Shifting Gears Season 2 Cast Details

Expect The Main Ensemble To Return

Since sitcoms often rely on a familiar ensemble from season to season, it’s expected that the main cast of Shifting Gears will return to reprise their roles in season 2. Leading the show as its star (and principal draw), Tim Allen will certainly return as widower and auto mechanic shop owner Matt Parker. Coming back to play Matt’s adult daughter Riley, MCU and Two Broke Girls star Kat Dennings will undoubtedly be back. Meanwhile, it’s almost certain that Sean William Scott will be on hand to once again play Gabriel, a close family friend of Matt and Riley’s who works for Matt’s shop.

Daryl “Chill” Mitchell adds to the supporting cast as Matt’s longtime employee and right-hand-man, Stitch, while youngsters Maxwell Simkins and Barrett Margolis play Riley’s kids, Carter and Georgia, respectively. The series will likely follow in the footsteps of other sitcoms and employ a wide range of guest stars from week to week, but it’s unclear which of those could stick around. Often, sitcom guests become full-fledged supporting characters over the long run, but it’s too early in the show’s run to speculate.

The cast of Shifting Gears season 2 will probably include:

Shifting Gears Season 2 Story Details

More Generational Clashes Are Expected

Shifting Gears is hardly the most groundbreaking sitcom of all time, and with that in mind, it will likely continue to deal with familiar themes and ideas going forward. The heart of the story is the slowly growing relationship between Matt and Riley, but the two still have a long way to go before they can fully heal 15 years of separation. On top of that, they’re both dealing with their own grief as they separately try to deal with the loss of Matt’s wife (Riley’s mom). While this could be the thing that ultimately brings them together, it could be another wedge as well.

Meanwhile, Riley will probably continue to struggle with deciding what to do with her life, and she may try out various occupational and educational paths throughout upcoming episodes. Gabriel is potentially being set up as a love interest for the free-spirited mom of two, but it remains to be seen if sparks will ever actually fly. Shifting Gears also explores Matt’s growing relationship with his grandchildren, and the bulk of the show’s humor comes from his old-fashioned ways clashing with the youth of today.

The secret is out: Steve Howey’s role in Happy’s Place has been CHANGED

I’m Still Baffled At This 1 Happy’s Place Storyline, But Thankfully They Changed Steve Howey’s Part In It

Happy’s Place has marked a welcome return to comedy for sitcom star Reba McEntire. She portrays Bobbie, who inherits half of a Knoxville, Tennessee bar called Happy, founded by her father of the same name. She also gets to know her paternal half-sister, Isabella. Her Reba co-star, Melissa Peterman, is another standout as the consistently funny bartender Gabby. For Gabby, she’s a woman with nonstop humor who insists on doing things her way and standing out from the crowd.

There’s an intriguing storyline for Gabby regarding her desire to have a baby. This plot would’ve included a potential sperm donor portrayed by Steve Howey, another former cast member from Reba. According to Happy’s Place showrunner Kevin Abbott, Howey ended up appearing in one episode of Happy’s. Rather than play a sperm donor, Howey played Danny, a wealthy business owner Gabby met at a dog park and encouraged him to host a Christmas party at Bobbie’s tavern. The sperm donor storyline would’ve been interesting, but it may come up again since Happy’s Place has been renewed for season 2.

Gabby Wanting To Be A Mother Arc In Happy’s Place Is Difficult To Believe

Gabby’s Mom Storyline Will Be A Challenge To Incorporate Into The Show

Gabby is a hilarious character who tends to poke fun at her friends and coworkers, including Bobbie and Emmett, the cook at Happy’s. However, there are also times when Gabby expresses her feelings of worry, including her intentions of being a good mother. This is shown in season 1, episode 12, “Baby Doll,” where Gabby reveals her uncertainties regarding motherhood. In order to face her fear of being a good mother, Gabby gets an AI baby doll to help her practice caring for a baby, along with assistance from Bobbie and her expertise as a mom.

While Gabby’s baby storyline is intriguing and unveils the character’s emotional complexity, it may be a challenge moving forward because of Gabby’s advanced age, making her past the time of childbearing and likely not having enough money for IVF. If Gabby were to follow through in having a baby, another additional challenge for her would be in balancing her work as a bartender and her responsibilities as a mom. However, the benefit of Gabby continuing her pursuit of being a parent would allow her character to be fully fleshed out, displaying her sentimental qualities and not just being a bartender.

Steve Howey Was Supposed To Be Gabby’s Donor (But His Role Was Changed)

Howey Instead Played A Business Owner In The Show’s Christmas Episode

Steve Howey had a major Reba reunion with his former co-stars, McEntire and Peterman, on Happy’s Place. Howey’s chemistry with Peterman is especially evident when he made his sole appearance thus far on Happy’s in season 1, episode 7, “Ho-Ho-Howey.” While Howey was supposed to play Gabby’s sperm donor so she could potentially have a baby, he instead played Danny, a rich business owner. Gabby tries to persuade Danny to hold a Christmas party at Bobbie’s tavern in order to raise funds for the staff at Happy’s so they can afford health insurance for the year.

Happy’s Place Character
Happy’s Place Actor

Bobbie
Reba McEntire

Isabella
Belissa Escobedo

Gabby
Melissa Peterman

Emmett
Rex Linn

Steve
Pablo Castelblanco

Takoda
Tokala Black Elk

Danny
Steve Howey

Show more

Howey’s changed role from sperm donor to wealthy business owner was warranted for the sake of providing a funny storyline for the show’s Christmas episode. According to Abbott, if the sperm donor storyline were to be included, the holiday episode wouldn’t have been considered suitable for kids and younger audiences. Howey’s role as Danny is also funny here because he is slightly fooled by Gabby, as she makes him believe that she is Bobbie so he can hold the party at the tavern. In return, Danny pretends to be Emmett to get Bobbie’s attention.

Howey was also only available to star in Happy’s for a brief period of time, causing the network to do a Christmas-themed episode rather than have him play Gabby’s sperm donor. The Christmas episode was a better choice at the time in order to establish the chemistry and hilarity between Danny, Gabby, and Bobbie (with a reference to the actors’ days on Reba). However, given that Happy’s Place will return for season 2, Howey could reprise his role as Danny in order to further develop his friendship with Gabby, and to potentially help her become a mother.

What Are More Interesting Storylines For Gabby In Happy’s Place Season 2

Season 2 Can Focus On Gabby’s Backstory And Potential Future Interests

While Gabby’s mother plotline could return in Happy’s Place season 2 with Danny’s help, there are other storylines for Gabby that may be explored in the show’s sophomore year. For instance, Gabby’s family history and backstory could be explored further, especially after Gabby and Bobbie learn that they are sisters in Happy’s Place season 1, episode 10, “The MacAllister Girls.” Gabby’s journey to becoming a bartender at Happy’s could also be shown with flashbacks that establish her interest in bartending, as well as what she went through in her young adult life.

Whether it’s Gabby’s goal to be a mom or her future aspirations, Gabby is a funny and multidimensional character who will continue to be one of the driving forces behind Happy’s Place and its successful run thus far.

Gabby’s other interests should be included in season 2 of Happy’s Place. This includes her expertise at auctions, which was introduced in season 1, episode 16, “Whiskey Business,” where Gabby saved Bobbie and Isabella from selling an old whiskey bottle found at Happy’s. Gabby could have a future as an auctioneer that leads to big business for herself and Happy’s. Whether it’s Gabby’s goal to be a mom or her future aspirations, Gabby is a funny and multidimensional character who will continue to be one of the driving forces behind Happy’s Place and its successful run thus far.

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Reba’s Raw Confession About Rex Linn Tears at Fans’ Hearts: Shocking Vulnerability Revealed!

Reba McEntire Fans Are Emotional as She Shares Personal News About Rex Linn

The Happy’s Place stars are celebrating five years of dating — and tater tots were involved!

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If there’s anything we love more than seeing Reba McEntire on our TVs, it’s celebrating life moments with her.

The country singer and Happy’s Place star is proud of her relationship with boyfriend Rex Linn, and they both adore documenting their love online. Well, the two are celebrating five years of dating, and Reba went on Instagram to mark the momentous occasion. Posting photos of when their romance started to where they are now (seemingly in the same restaurant, no less!), Reba expressed her feelings about it while referencing a key element to their pairing.

“Celebrating five years of tater tots this week! ❤️ #thetots #anniversary,” she captioned the post, referencing the couple’s mutual love of Sonic and the fast food joint’s tater tots.

As fans saw how Reba commemorated a special moment in the couple’s life, they made sure to send her and Rex words of love for reaching this milestone.

“Happiest anniversary to you both, Queen @reba!!! You deserve the world❤️🙏🏻,” one person wrote in the comments. “Oh wow great together.
Happy 5th anniversary Love ya both so much,” another declared. “Congratulations! Cutest couple ever! Here’s to many more tots!! ❤️,” a different follower added.

As fans may know, Reba and Rex first met back in 1991 while co-starring in the movie The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw. They kept in touch after that, but Reba was married at the time to Narvel Blackstock (with whom she shares son Shelby). After Reba and Narvel’s marriage ended in 2015, she and Rex met for dinner in 2020 (which Rex documented on Instagram) and eventually struck up a romance.

What’s more, Reba and Rex’s life isn’t just seen online. The duo love to work together, and they both have starring roles on Happy’s Place. Reba’s character Bonnie and Rex’s character Emmett have a love-hate relationship, but there may be some feelings there that could potentially be explored should the NBC sitcom get renewed for season 2.

We adore this for Reba and Rex, and we wish them a lifetime full of love!

The SHOCKING Truth Behind Eve’s “Last Man Standing” Vanishing Act REVEALED!

Why Kaitlyn Dever’s Eve Baxter Left Last Man Standing

ABC

 

2011 was a huge year for Kaitlyn Dever. Though she was only 14 at the time, the up-and-coming actor booked small parts in two high profile movies (“Bad Teacher” and Clint Eastwood’s “J. Edgar”), popped as tough Kentucky cookie Loretta McCready in the magnificent second season of “Justified,” and joined the main cast of Tim Allen’s new sitcom “Last Man Standing.” That’s quite a range of shows and films, and this ensured Dever would get to flaunt her burgeoning talent all the way across the demographic spectrum.

For families with young viewers, “Last Man Standing” was the kind of relentlessly inoffensive sitcom they could watch together without worrying there’d be a ribald gag or profanity. Say what you will about Allen (and I’m quite certain the cocaine dealers he snitched on in 1978 to avoid serving a length prison sentence have said plenty about him), he knows what his audience expects from him, and, as we know from the legitimately great work he’s done (“Galaxy Quest” and the “Toy Story” movies), the man knows his way around a joke. He possesses an amiable presence and ace comedic timing.

Dever does, too, so it’s hardly surprising to learn that the veteran Allen quickly identified her talent and took her under his wing over six seasons while she played his youngest daughter on “Last Man Standing.” If you’ve watched this show, you know this warmth extends to their characters. Allen’s Mike Baxter is a manly dude who, of his three daughters, obviously likes Dever’s tomboy Eve the best. So why did Dever leave the show after season 6?

When Last Man Standing was briefly cancelled, Kaitlyn Dever found work elsewhere

ABC

 

 

At the close of its sixth season, “Last Man Standing” was the second highest rated sitcom on ABC. The series was a cinch for renewal. So the entire television industry was left gasping when the network unceremoniously brought the axe down in 2017.

Some suspected this was a response to Allen going on “The Jimmy Kimmel Show” and comparing his plight as a Hollywood conservative at the outset of the first Trump administration to Germans who opposed the Nazis in 1930s Germany. Regardless of the rationale, the show was dead, which left its cast and crew scrambling to find new gigs.

The timing couldn’t have been better for Dever. She’d just entered her twenties and was set to showcase her considerable talents in projects that were a tad weightier or more clever than “Last Man Standing.” So she went out and booked roles in “The Front Runner” and “Beautiful Boy,” which wound up being a problem for Allen and company when Fox announced they were bringing back “Last Man Standing” for its seventh season.

It was too late at this juncture to get Dever back as a series regular. Allen understood, but he couldn’t help but get melancholy over the departure of the young talent he’d helped nurture. As Allen told Fox News in 2020:

“We had an episode … where we had to change Eve’s room and it reminded me of real life. You know, your kid’s not coming back. They’ll visit, they’re not going anywhere, but they’re not coming back to the bedroom they grew up in. It was a really hard one for me to do based on my oldest daughter when she left.”

Happily for Allen, Dever wasn’t gone for good. She became a recurring cast member, and made sure she was available for the emotional series finale. Showrunner Kevin Abbott wouldn’t have had it any other way. “Tim [Allen] and Kaitlyn have always had such a special relationship,” he told The Wrap in 2021. “Not that he didn’t have it with the rest of the crew and everything, but I think he felt very fatherly to Kaitlyn.”

Dever has since become one of the brightest lights of her generation via terrific performances in “Booksmart,” “Rosaline” and “No One Will Save You.” She will no doubt be reinforcing this perception over the next two months with her portrayal of Abby in “The Last of Us” season 2.

Experience the raw truth of a significant television moment as the bittersweet farewell to The Conners takes an unforgettable turn, driven by a heartfelt and powerful display of emotion from the remarkable Laurie Metcalf

‘The Conners’ Series Finale: How Laurie Metcalf’s Unexpected Burst Of Emotion Impacted The Final, Bittersweet Moment

Lecy Goranson and John Goodman on ‘The Conners’ Disney/Christopher Willard

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains details from Wednesday’s series finale of The Conners on ABC.

After more than three decades, the Conners have held their final family meeting in that kitschy midwestern living room. The Roseanne spinoff celebrated its series finale tonight with one final nod to the matriarch while acknowledging that life is still good for this working-class clan.

Below, executive producers Bruce Helford, Dave Caplan and Bruce Rasmussen talk about their decision to reference Roseanne in the final episodes, and how Laurie Metcalf‘s unexpected display of emotion changed the final scene for the better.

 

DEADLINE: Before we dive into the episode, Dave Caplan, it’s time to acknowledge your Ph.D that is listed in the credits.

 

DAVE CAPLAN: Yeah. I finished my degree. It’s in media-related psychology. It’s how storytelling affects its audience.

BRUCE HELFORD: We’re smart people.

BRUCE RASMUSSEN: Or dancing monkeys.

DEADLINE: Talk about your decision to name the last episode “The Truck Stops Here.”

CAPLAN: It was the bookend, because the first episode of The Conners had trucking in it, right?

HELFORD: Yeah. The first episode of the reboot was called “Keep on Truckin’.” We kept on trucking.

DEADLINE: So did you know for a couple years that you wanted to pay homage to the Roseanne character in the final season?

HELFORD: There were mentions all along. We never shied away from that. The family loved their matriarch. For the finale, we felt it was right to honor the character and honor Roseanne herself, who birthed the show. It was important to make that part of the end.

DEADLINE: That was kind of an unremarkable payout from the drug company, who Dan Conner sued over Roseanne’s accidental opioid overdose.

RASMUSSEN: The money was funny. We knew they weren’t going to win the lottery. The whole point of the last six episodes was that …

HELFORD: … the Conners were never going to get more than just a nod, and that’s really what that was about.

CAPLAN: The Conners aren’t going to win at the end, and also they’re symbolic of the struggling working class in our country who’s not going to win, either. We didn’t want to betray the audience’s trust in us to tell it like it is by having them have a windfall. They’re doing well in other ways.

 

HELFORD: The reboot started because we wanted to undo the legacy of the lottery. We wanted to find a better ending for the show, so we weren’t going to go back.

DEADLINE: Jackie’s line of dialogue at Roseanne’s grave about not knowing where mom was. Was that your way to acknowledge Estelle Parsons since you couldn’t get her to reprise Beverly for the finale?

HELFORD: The last time we saw her was her getting on the train. It was too much to ask her to come out for the sixth episode. It’s a lot. She is 97. She’s a phenomenal presence. I like the idea that she’s never going to stop being out there, wandering the country on the rail. She’s a flying Dutchman, I think.

DEADLINE: What would you have done with Johnny Galecki, had you persuaded him to reprise his role as David?

CAPLAN: Because we didn’t have him so much, we had to make him a terrible father.

HELFORD: He really did not want to keep doing it. He loved us and we loved him, and he was always invited and we’re all very close with him. We were kind of in a position where, how do you explain this guy without killing him? This guy isn’t around. So unfortunately his character got tarnished in that way. Had he been there, he would’ve definitely been part of the Mark story, for sure.

DEADLINE: Lecy Goranson and Sara Gilbert were quite emotional in those final scenes.

HELFORD: Oh yeah. Yeah, for sure. People in the audience were crying, for God’s sake. When they say goodbye, Laurie Metcalf started it. We had no idea that was coming. The way Laurie said goodbye was not how you say goodbye after having pizza and knowing you are coming back the next day.

CAPLAN: It made no sense at all in the story, and yet when we saw it, we couldn’t deny it was so moving.

HELFORD: It was real. They were saying goodbye.

CAPLAN: You’ve got to go with it.

RASMUSSEN: We did other takes and that weren’t as emotional. They felt less real.

HELFORD: This was the actors saying goodbye to each other for the last time.

CAPLAN: John had pitched to us that he wanted to thank the audience to the camera. We knew there was going to be a break in the fourth wall at the end of that scene anyway, so we felt like all together, it wasn’t as jarring.

HELFORD: I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before on any show where the actors actually break the fourth wall and show their emotion. I can’t remember one.

RASMUSSEN: They earned that, man, for doing the show for as long as they did.

HELFORD: And the audience gets to see something very honest about how they felt, which is really terrific.

CAPLAN: All the actors felt this intense need to say goodbye to the audience, and that’s kind of where it all came from. How can you blame them?

DEADLINE: Did it take much convincing by John to get you to allow him to talk to the camera?

CAPLAN: Oh no. He’s really scary. We try not to say no to him if we can help it. He’s a big guy.

HELFORD: He’s such a sweet guy. Not all shows have this. Some are very fortunate, but the audience is part of our family and we’re part of theirs, and we really feel that on this show. You feel the connection with the audience and 37 years is a long time for these characters to have lived in people’s minds.

CAPLAN: Being on the other side of the monitor, when John did it, it was like, oh my God, it really hit you.

DEADLINE: How were the final months? Was there any regret from the actors that it was ending?

 

HELFORD: I think everybody would’ve been fine continuing forever.

CAPLAN: It didn’t feel stale in any way. The stories were still easy to come by and the actors were still finding things in the characters after all this time.

HELFORD: There were no contracts to go five years or seven years or anything like that. Every year we had a new contract and everybody had to agree that it was still worth continuing with that legacy. Every year we all agreed to continue, but all things do have to come to an end, and this was the right time. ABC granting us those six episodes gave it a real miniseries type of ending. So we had a cohesive line. It wasn’t just a bunch of episodes and then all of a sudden, an ending.

DEADLINE: In those final flashback moments, you didn’t include old clips of Roseanne. Why not?

CAPLAN: It was contractual.

HELFORD: She was very gracious in allowing us to continue the show because she had a say in that. When she realized it would be putting 300 people out of work when the initial reboot was canceled, she gracefully allowed us to continue without her. It really was about these people. This show was really about the lives of these other people in the family, the Conners, and we wanted to focus on them.

(L-R) Laurie Metcalf, Nat Faxon, Sean Astin, Lecy Goranson, John Goodman, Katey Segal, Sara Gilbert, Jay R. Ferguson, Stony Blyden and Emma Kenny on ‘The Conners’ Christopher Willard/Disney

DEADLINE: Which one of you is going to take the afghan home?

HELFORD I don’t know where the afghan went. We had to reclaim a couple of props when we did the reboot. Michael Fishman had taken Godzilla home with him [after Roseanne]. We had to get that back. We had to make a new couch because somebody bought the one.

CAPLAN: I bet Sara has it.

DEADLINE: The last and most important question: What are you guys going to do now? Will you do another multi-cam?

RASMUSSEN: I was doing drama. I was at sitcom writer for years, and then I did drama for 10 years, and Bruce called me up and said, do you want to come back and do comedy? This was one of the few shows that you can do real gut-wrenching stuff, real honest stuff, and then do really funny stuff. So if these guys have something like that, I’m absolutely in.

HELFORD: Once you’ve seen the mountaintop on a show like Roseanne, then you really have to continue that honesty. It makes us feel great to honor the nobility of the working class. We all come from that, and that is something sorely lacking on TV. So yeah, we’re not done.

Reba McEntire FIRES BACK at Joy Behar’s SHOCKING Dolly Parton Insult! The gloves are off in Nashville as superstar Reba McEntire unleashes a powerful defense of the beloved Dolly Parton after a stinging and unexpected attack from “The View” co-host Joy Behar. Insiders reveal the depth of Reba’s fury over the perceived disrespect towards a national treasure, igniting a celebrity feud that has the music world buzzing. Prepare for a dramatic showdown as one country queen fiercely protects another, exposing the raw nerves beneath the glittering facade of fame.

Reba McEntire Defends Dolly Parton After Joy Behar Insult

Reba McEntire jumped to good friend Dolly Parton’s defense after The View co-host Joy Behar insulted the country music icon. Why would the journalist have anything negative to say about the “9 to 5” singer? Keep reading for all the details on the feud.

The View Co-Host Shades Dolly Parton

Pop singer Beyoncé released her first country album last month to mixed reviews. One of the tracks on the Cowboy Carter is a cover of Dolly Parton’s major hit “Jolene.” Beyoncé didn’t stay with the original lyrics, however. Dolly’s version begs Jolene not to take her man. Beyoncé’s version takes a more aggressive approach, practically daring Jolene to even try.

Beyoncé’s version opens with the verse, “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene/I’m warning you, don’t come for my man.”

Some diehard Dolly Parton fans were offended that the R&B singer changed the lyrics. However, Joy Behar thought the new lyrics were actually better than the original. The co-host of ABC’s The View said, “I like the subject of Beyoncé taking over the lyrics,” on a podcast this week.
Joy Behar-YouTube
She added, “I just think that the original thing with Dolly Parton is so, like, anti-feminist, worrying about some good-looking woman taking your man.”

Many fans took to social media to defend Dolly Parton against the claim.

Reba McEntire Defends Her Friend After Joy Behar Insult

Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton have been friends since the 1980s or longer. The blonde bombshell even made a guest appearance on Reba’s self-named sitcom, Reba. Maybe she will make a cameo on Reba’s upcoming NBC show.

TMZ reporters caught up with Reba McEntire to ask her about Joy Behar’s comment about Dolly Parton. The “Fancy” singer simply laughed and said, “Beautiful day, isn’t it?”

The reporter pressed Reba more, asking if she had a favorite “Jolene” cover – Dolly’s or Beyoncé’s. The Voice coach again took the high road again with a “Nope,” as she walked away. Watch the interaction between Reba McEntire and TMZ:

Reba McEntire says it’s wonderful to have Beyoncé making country music.

As for Joy Behar saying Dolly Parton’s song Jolene is anti-feminist, Reba just laughed. pic.twitter.com/Eud2hBeBhb

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) April 4, 2024

 

Not Everyone Is A Fan Of Beyoncé Covering “Jolene”

Joy Behar may be a fan of Beyoncé’s lyrics changes, but not everyone is on board. British singer and actress Lily Allen isn’t a fan. She spoke out about the cover, saying it “wasn’t good.”

She added, “It’s very weird that you cover the most successful songs in that genre.”

What do you think about Joy Behar’s diss of Dolly Parton’s version of “Jolene”? Share your thoughts in the comments.