Drew Carey Reflects on ‘The Price Is Right’ During its 53rd Anniversary

Current “The Price Is Right” host Drew Carey is about to take the long-running daytime gameshow past a big milestone.

On February 26 2025, the show – currently in its 53rd season – will air its 10,000th episode. Carey has been hosting for 18 years – leading 3,317 episodes. He trails behind previous host Bob Barker’s legendary run of 6,731 episodes.

Carey told Variety that he feels like he’s always been there but does recognize he’s still the new guy compared to Barker.

The current host notes how significant Barker’s legacy is to the show’s own: “It’s very important to keep the memory of Bob alive. I’m not replacing anybody,” Carey states. “I’m just doing a show that he used to do.”

Adjusting to Hosting ‘The Price Is Right’ was Surreal

Being the new guy on the set did not exactly shake the comedian turned host. Carey said the thing that stood out the most was how loud the audience was. In fact, he had to adjust the settings of his Apple Watch because the decibel reading Noise app told him he was in an environment that was too loud.

In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Carey also revealed something that bugged him initially about one of the prizes. During his first season as host, “The Price Is Right” gave away a grandfather clock in every episode.

Secrets of ‘The Price Is Right’ Revealed

Carey also delivered some tidbits about what happens to the prizes not won after the game show’s season ends. There’s a prize warehouse where crew members can buy the items at reduced prices.

 

He also revealed that “The Price Is Right” was a vegan show wherein no meat products, no leather and so on were offered or on display as prizes. The show team would go so far to only include plastic vegetables on the grills in lieu of even fake meat.

Carey was able to convince them to now include fake meat.

An Act of Good Will During the Writer’s Strike

Carey was in the news during the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike for paying for everyone’s lunch during the work stoppage that lasted from April to October. One estimate puts the total number somewhere around $500,000 alone at LA restaurant Bob’s Big Boy. He also paid for meals at Swingers.

He previously pulled the same generous moves during the 2007/2008 writer’s strike. That time, the comedian spent $67,000.

He appeared at the 2024 Writer’s Guild Awards to a standing ovation. He said writers deserve every bit of recognition due to their hard work.

“The Price Is Right’s” 10,000th episode airs Wednesday, February 26 on CBS. Catch other episodes streaming on Paramount+.

 

‘The Voice’: John Legend Addresses Whether Blake Shelton Will Ever Return to Show

Amy Sussman/Getty Images; Jason Davis/Getty Images)

Following Blake Shelton‘s exit from The Voice at the end of Season 23, John Legend is now the longest-tenured coach on the NBC singing competition series. But could the country star ever return to the hot seat?

“I feel like Gwen [Stefani] is the only chance we have. I don’t think Blake is coming back,” Legend said with a laugh when speaking with Entertainment Tonight. “He is staying on the farm; he’s enjoying himself.”

“I’ve talked to him and he’s, like, picking corn. He sent us some fresh corn from the farm, he sent us some fresh peaches from the farm, we made peach cobbler,” the EGOT winner continued. “I don’t think he has any desire to come back to Hollywood and film The Voice.”

Even though a Voice reunion seems out of the question, yubi, Legend said he still regularly keeps in touch with his former co-stars.

“We have different group chats for each combo of coaches, and then Chrissy [Teigen, Legend’s wife], Gwen, and Blake and I have a group chat where we’re just couples talking,” he shared. “We usually stay in touch with each other and we’re friends. It’s just a good vibe with all the other coaches.”

The Voice

The Voice has seen several departures in recent years, with Shelton, Stefani, Kelly Clarkson, and Niall Horan all exiting as coaches. But Legend remains committed to the show as he now coaches alongside Reba McEntire, Chance the Rapper, and Dan + Shay.

“I love coaching on The Voice,” he stated. “I love working with our artists, just seeing people’s dreams come true through this show, giving them all the advice I’ve gotten over the years, helping them learn from all the experiences that I’ve had over the years. It’s a lot of fun for me.”

Legend is the only current coach with a win to his name, but he knows the competition is strong.

“[Reba’s] obviously very seasoned in her career, she’s done everything from television to many, many, many, many, many hit songs over her career and performing on every stage you can imagine,” the “Ordinary People” singer said. “She just brings such a wealth of experience and expertise to our show. We’re so lucky to have her.”

Meanwhile, he said Dan + Shay bring that “new coach fire,” explaining, “They’re trying to win. We definitely battled back and forth when it came to the blind auditions, and yeah, they’ve got the fire. They want to win.”

The Voice continues with the Battle Rounds tonight, Tuesday, March 19.

The Voice, Season 25, Mondays, 8/7c & Tuesdays, 9/8c, NBC (Next day on Peacock)

The Voice fans slam ‘absurd’ and ‘dumb’ schedule change and claim they just ‘want to watch the performances’

THE Voice fans have taken issue with a new prominent schedule change for the reality singing competition.

Annoyed The Voice viewers headed to the show’s community on Reddit after finding out the knockout segment had been moved to the following week.

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The Voice fans have taken the show to task for its most recent surprise scheduling changeCredit: Getty Images

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Viewers were irritated that they had to wait another week to see the most recent knockouts instead of on the same night on MondayCredit: Getty Images
“Why are they waiting till next week to show the knockouts and not tonight?” asked the curious Redditor.

They were immediately met with answers, most of which were negative about the show.

“So dumb. This show is like 50% filler & reruns when the people just want to see all the performances,” one wrote.

“So tonight is basically a rerun?” another annoyed fan asked.

“But why that seems very absurd,” the original poster replied.

Other members of the Reddit community fielded guesses as to why the schedule change had happened.

“My guess is that it’s because of Easter Monday, but I could be wrong,” one suggested.

“Maybe because the NCAA tournament? Two big women’s games were on, so they might lose viewership,” wrote another.

SCHEDULE SHAKEUP

The Voice has received additional backlash as of late since moving to Monday and Tuesday nights.

The show, which is currently airing its 25th season, made the change and got under fans’ skin with it.

The latest change meant viewers wouldn’t be able to watch The Voice until April 2.

Reruns of the sitcom Lopez vs. Lopez began airing instead as well as game show The Weakest Link.

That meant Monday’s episode, yubi, which fans had aired their issues about on Reddit, was a recap.

The Voice winners

The Voice is an American television series broadcast on NBC.

American vocalists work alongside a group of celebrity judges to compete for a $100,00 prize and a record deal with Universal Music Group. Past winners are as follows:

Season 1: Javier Colon
Season 2: Jermaine Paul
Season 3: Cassadee Pope
Season 4: Danielle Bradbery
Season 5: Tessanne Chin
Season 6: Josh Kaufman
Season 7: Craig Wayne Boyd
Season 8: Sawyer Fredericks
Season 9: Jordan Smith
Season 10: Alisan Porter
Season 11: Sundance Head
Season 12: Chris Blue
Season 13: Chloe Kohanski
Season 14: Brynn Cartelli
Season 15: Chevel Shepherd
Season 16: Maelyn Jarmon
Season 17: Jake Hoot
Season 18: Todd Tilghman
Season 19: Carter Rubin
Season 20: Cam Anthony
Season 21: Girl Named Tom
Season 22: Bryce Leatherwood
Season 23: Gina Miles
Season 24: Michael Huntley

FRUSTRATED FANS

Though schedule changes like these are common with The Voice and even shows like American Idol, it still attracted the ire of fans.

This frustration led to fans complaining about the change online once more, going so far as to say the quality was declining.

“I think part of the reason the show has gone downhill recently is cause of NBC. They give us two seasons a year but one is always super short and makes for a bad season cuz they rush it to make space for AGT (which I personally think is falling off too),” they explained, referencing the network’s other popular competition series, America’s Got Talent,” one viewer wrote.

“The year when we only got season 22 was so much better because the format gave the artists more opportunities to perform and there weren’t a ton of people going home each round,” they continued.

After making their point, other fans chimed in as well.

“Idk about y’all but I feel like the show genuinely fell off long ago,” another commented.

“We have had two seasons a year for most of the shows run (2012-2021). The only seasons where had one season in a year was Season 1 and Season 22.

“I just think some of these shows stay on longer than they need to be,” a third noted.

“I think it’s just a new scheduling issue because we didn’t have shortened seasons like this in the past,” one person said about the schedule change.

“I’ve always said that they should get rid of the instant save, the block & the playoff pass (and maybe replace the Knockouts with more live shows) since they make the show less about the performers,” a fourth suggested.

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Enthusiastic fans didn’t understand why the schedule needed to be changed to begin withCredit: NBCUniversal

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They had previously been upset when the schedule changed the days The Voice aired onCredit: Getty Images

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Musical reality competition shows like The Voice and American Idol can shift their scheduling dates and times oftenCredit: Getty Images

John Legend Look-Alike Auditions for ‘The Voice’ and Shocks the Coaches: ‘What’s Up, Twin!’

A contestant named Talakai shocked the vocal coach during Monday night’s episode of the reality competition series

John Legend met his match on The Voice — literally!

On Monday night’s episode, a 34-year-old contestant named Talakai impressed the judges with his vocals and striking resemblance to Legend, 44, who is among the vocal coaches on the reality competition series.

The singer from Sacramento, California chose to do a rendition of Sam Smith’s “Stay with Me” and captivated Legend with his soulful voice after only several verses. As soon as the “All of Me” artist turned his chair around, he smiled, yubi, instantly recognizing that his look-alike was performing before him.

Reba McEntire also ended up hitting her button and swiveling her chair to see the vocalist, but Legend made sure to tell costars Gwen Stefani and Niall Horan to brace themselves before turning around. “Wait until you see his face,” he said. “I’m looking at myself! Like, a taller, more handsome version of myself.”

“What’s up, Twin!” Talakai joked from the stage.

Talakai of ‘The Voice’ and John Legend.The Voice/NBC; Art Streiber/NBC

The Grammy winner appeared genuinely flabbergasted in the moment. He shared, “On the internet, a lot of times people will send me pictures of people that they think look like me. Most of the time, I’m like, ‘Not really.’ Then I turn around and look at you and we have the same haircut. I’m like, ‘He really, legitimately looks like me.’”

Talakai admitted that he’s gotten the comparison more than a few times. “Every day at work, I get it. In school, they used to sing ‘Ordinary People’ down the hallway all the time,” he said.

“I’m sorry I’ve been haunting you,” Legend joked. “But now you’re on The Voice and I would love to have you on Team Legend.”

While Horan, 30, offered a thoughtful critique, McEntire, 68, shared how impressed she was with the singer, despite knowing he would end up going with Legend as his coach. “I’ll tell you: I absolutely love your voice, your range,” the country music star said. “I know I don’t have a chance against John. I just wanted to come out and watch you. I’m already a huge fan, so welcome to The Voice.”

The aspiring star did in fact go with Legend, who jumped up from his seat to celebrate and take a selfie with his doppelgänger.

According to NBC Insider, ahead of Talakai’s audition, he opened up about being raised by his grandparents and ending up in the foster care system when they died. “I’ve been in about 10 homes. I went through physical and mental abuse. Throughout that time, I would always turn to music and that helped me through those dark times,” he revealed on the show.

The Voice kicked off its 24th season on Sept. 25, with new episodes airing every Monday on NBC.

PEOPLE spoke to McEntire earlier this year about joining the show and replacing Blake Shelton, who left the series after Season 23.

She shared, “The country lane — I’m taking over for Blake so I’m gonna represent country music. [He’s got] big boots. I don’t know what size those boots are, but they’re big, so I’m gonna really work hard to make him proud.”

PEOPLE also recently caught up with all four judges ahead of the premiere. When asked what’s been most surprising about the new season, the “Slow Hands” artist joked, “How mean Gwen Stefani is to me. It’s honestly truly shocking.”

Stefani, 54, got in on the joke, too. She added, “All of the girls in the whole world are going to be so mad at me! We’re playing. It’s a joke. He likes it.”

Reba McEntire rightly scolds ‘Voice’ contestant for changing up ‘one of the most iconic and beautifully written songs of all time’

“When you’re singing a song that is so well-known as ‘How Deep Is Your Love,’ you need to stay with the melody,” straight-shooter Reba warned Mac Royals. But he totally ignored her advice.

Reba McEntire warns Mac Royals and Rachele Ngyuen to repsect the Bee Gees during their Battle Rounds rehearsal on ‘The Voice.’ (NBC)

The Voice Season 24 Battle Rounds continued apace Tuesday, and when two of Reba McEntire’s contestants, crooners Mac Royals and Rachele Ngyuen, were assigned “How Deep Is Your Love,” Mac described the Bee Gees’ Saturday Night Fever end-credits ballad as “one of the most iconic and beautifully written songs of all time.” And that was not hyperbole. The song really is that perfect.

So, it made absolutely no sense when Mac then audaciously and somewhat blasphemously decided to stray far from the song’s beloved melody, so that he and Rachele could “give the people a little of what we do and what we like.” Reba, who is proving to be a refreshingly real straight-shooter this season, was quick to shut that strategy down during rehearsals.

Or, at least, she tried to shut it down.

“Mac, I didn’t think you were hearing the beat. You kind of went in a different direction on it,” a mildly perturbed Reba observed, as she wisely warned both singers not to change up the classic tune too drastically. “The reason we pick the songs we do is because of familiarity. … [Fans] want something they can sing along to. When you’re singing a song that is so well-known as ‘How Deep Is Your Love,’ you need to stay with the melody [viewers] remember, so [they] can sing with you and be a part of the show.”

Mac nodded in seeming agreement, so I still expected the buttery-voiced busker-by-day to excel over less experienced teenager Rachele. But honestly, neither of them did the Bee Gees’ classic much justice. Their vocals didn’t blend well, despite Reba pairing them because they were both from the “R&B space.” Rachele’s off-the-rails wailing was try-hard and cloying. But, most vexingly, Mac was constantly singing behind the beat, against his coach’s clear wishes, presumably on purpose in an attempt to make the song his own.

After their Battle Rounds performance, tough-lovin’ Reba was quick to chastise Mac onstage for his questionable artistic decisions, bluntly stating: “Mac, I still wish we could have stayed with the Bee Gees’ version of the opening, because that kind of threw me again — as it did in our rehearsals.”

Reba ultimately chose Rachele, who at least tried to take direction this week, but John Legend surprisingly stole Mac, explaining that Mac has “the kind of voice I love to listen to, right in my wheelhouse.” But really, if any performance should have been montaged Tuesday, it was this one. Instead, four other singers from John’s supposedly stacked team had their Battles inexplicably edited down to mere blink-and-you’ll-miss-‘em seconds.

Here’s how the rest of Tuesday’s Battles — the good, the bad, and the montaged — played out:

TEAM NIALL: Nini Iris vs. Sophia Hoffman, “Heart of Glass”

Nini turned four chairs at her Blind Audition, while returning contestant Sophia turned no chairs when she tried out in Season 23 last spring. So, this Battle definitely seemed like a Davey/Goliath situation. There was also the legitimate concern, which Niall Horan voiced, that Blondie’s Studio 54 floor-filler “could easily turn into a karaoke song” if either contestant didn’t nail the right rock ‘n’ roll vibe. Niall didn’t need to worry about that at first, because the intro’s slowed-to-a-crawl, almost gothic arrangement was markedly different from the 1979 original. But once the house band’s wocka-wocka hustle beats kicked in and the girls started bouncing and bopping around, their disco performance did veer into drunken-bachelorette-party territory. Nini ultimately elevated the moment with her raw charisma and theatrical presentation; in other words, Goliath won this Battle. Niall thought both women “sang the roof off this place” and hoped one of the other coaches would swoop in for the Steal to alleviate his guilt, but this round was the last dance for Sophia.

WINNER: Nini Iris

TEAM GWEN: Calla Prejean vs. Chechi Sarai, “I Will Never Love Again”

These two pop/R&B powerhouses were assigned Lady Gaga’s mighty A Star Is Born weeper, which proved to be a challenge for poised perfectionist Chechi. “Stop trying to be a singer, and start trying to be a person that we want to get to know,” Gwen Stefani gently but wisely scolded her. Thankfully, Chechi took that direction, allowed herself to be vulnerable, and proceeded to dominate this duet, using her potentially gimmicky Minnie Riperton-esque whistle notes to great effect while still maintaining connection throughout. Meanwhile, Calla’s attempt to heed Gwen’s advice about creating smoother transitions between dynamics didn’t work out quite as well; John even described Calla’s approach as “unsure.” And so, a star was born tonight, and that star was… Chechi.

WINNER: Chechi Sarai

TEAM LEGEND: Talakai vs. Caleb Sasser, “Too Good at Goodbyes”

Talakai received a lot of screentime during the Blinds because he looked so much like his coach John’s long-lost twin, but apparently the “family resemblance” didn’t given him any nepotistic advantage this week. He must not have been too good at singing “Too Good at Goodbyes,” because this performance was ruthlessly montaged. John instead went with Caleb, whose tone he described as “intriguing and mysterious.” I’m just intrigued by the mystery of what really happened with poor Talakai.

WINNER: Caleb Sasser

TEAM LEGEND: JaRae Womack vs. Lila Forde, “Killing Me Softly”

This montage was another big mystery. John has seemed like the coach to beat all season, with eight of his 14 contestants being four-chair turns — and I totally expected one of those four-chair standouts, who also happens to be a member of R&B royalty, to get plenty of screentime this season. But actual nepotism didn’t work here either. Bobby Womack’s niece, JaRae, was only fleetingly shown Tuesday harmonizing with her opponent and this Battle’s ultimate victor, Lila Forde, who John said possessed a “unique magic.” And then, JaRae magically disappeared.

WINNER: Lila Forde

THE Voice fans have complained about the show barely 24 hours after the premiere episode of its new season.The Voice viewers shaded the program on social media for producers having certain singers as coaches.

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The Voice fans slammed the show shortly after the show’s 25th season premiere, yubi, Credit: Getty

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As of now, Dan + Shay (above), Chance the Rapper, Reba McEntire, and John Legend are the coaches on The VoiceCredit: NBC
Currently, music stars Chance the Rapper, Reba McEntire, Dan + Shay, and John Legend, are the vocal coaches serving on The Voice this year.

Dan + Shay took One Direction alum Niall Horan’s spot on the series after he chose not to return for Season 25.

As it stands now, country singers make up 50% of The Voice’s coaching circle.

This statistic doesn’t sit well with some viewers.

In a thread on Reddit, supporters of The Voice explained why certain coaches perturbed them.

“I can’t be the only person annoyed that Country Western (CW) is overshadowing everything. If CW had its own show it would be better,” one critic ranted.

“If the music industry picked the winner it would also be better. America voting is a train wreck.”

“Some of the world’s best singers would have been voted off the show. That is ridiculous,” they continued.

“I usually watch until the voting starts. This year that double team stunt makes the whole thing unwatchable for me…”

“Who thought it was a good idea to have 3 country judges,” a viewer asked.

Gwen Stefani drops subtle sign of marital status to husband Blake Shelton on her nails in new home video
“I absolutely hate country music. Having the country duo instead of someone different from all the rest is what they should have done. I’m not watching this season,” another slammed.

“I haven’t watched it yet maybe today but I have been fearing that. Especially the way the voting went last season,” third person added.

While some were in agreement that too many country singers dominated The Voice, others saw no problem with it.

“Just because others have different music preferences doesn’t make it wrong,” one person shared.

“Several Voice alums have been successful on country radio… so yeah, country artists are going to be featured,” another added.

ALMOST HAPPENED?

Rumors circulated that former coach Gwen Stefani, 54, would rejoin the panel.

However, the Don’t Speak singer was not announced in the new cast list.

Near the end of September 2023, the 54-year-old hitmaker returned with her co-stars for Season 24 of The Voice.

During Reba’s debut, Gwen cozied up to and sang with her, John, and Niall, 30.

The Tremors scream queen filled in for the empty seat left by Gwen’s husband, Blake Shelton, 47, who retired from the show at the end of Season 23.

At the time, Blake left the talent competition show to spend more time for his family.

Throughout February, the God’s Country singer has been busy promoting his Back to the Honky Tonk tour and performed at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

Meanwhile, Blake’s wife has been preparing to take the stage again soon with her former band, No Doubt, at Coachella in April.

Gwen will reunite with her ex-bandmates – bassist Tony Kanal, guitarist Tom Dumont, and drummer Adrian Young – as they have not performed together in almost a decade.

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Dan + Shay replaced One Direction alum Niall Horan (far right) as a coach on The VoiceCredit: Getty

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Some fans ranted that too many country singers were coaches on the NBC programCredit: NBC

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Other fans defended the fact that 50% of the The Voice coaches were country singersCredit: Getty

See Inside Reba McEntire’s California Estate

Reba McEntire is no stranger to living in style, but her $22 million estate in one of the most exclusive zip codes in California was extravagant even by the standards of celebrity homes.

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Roseanne cast: Where are they now?

While much of the original Roseanne cast can be seen on The Conners, there are some notable exceptions. Find out what the actors of the beloved ’90s sitcom are up to these days.

ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images

02 of 09

Roseanne Barr (Roseanne Conner)

ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images; David Livingston/Getty Images

Roseanne Barr led her namesake show for nearly a decade, playing Roseanne Conner while also making appearances in Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) and on The Larry Sanders Show. Following Roseanne‘s wrap, Barr earned credits for The Roseanne Show, Cecil B. DeMented (2000), and Home on the Range (2004), ran for president in 2012, and served as a judge on Last Comic Standing.

After returning for the 2018 revival season, yubi, Barr sent out a racist tweet about President Obama’s former senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, which led to ABC canceling the series and retooling it as The Conners, without the presence of Barr. She is expected to release a comedy special for Fox Nation in 2023.

03of 09

John Goodman (Dan Conner)

Everett Collection; Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images

After racking up roles in The Survivors (1983), Revenge of the Nerds (1984), C.H.U.D. (1984), The Big Easy (1986), and Raising Arizona (1987), John Goodman joined Roseanne as Dan Conner. Goodman picked up Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe win for the part, and followed up the gig with turns in Blues Brothers 2000 (1998), The Big Lebowski (1998), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), Monsters, Inc. (2001), The Artist (2011), Argo (2012), 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), and Atomic Blonde (2017). Additional TV credits include Treme, Alpha House, and The Righteous Gemstones.

Despite Dan Conner (decades-old spoiler alert) dying in the original run of Roseanne, the revival revealed that didn’t actually happen. The patriarch of the Conner family and Goodman returned for the 2018 series and continued on to The Conners.

04of 09

Laurie Metcalf (Jackie Harris)

Everett Collection; Noam Galai/Getty Images

Laurie Metcalf landed one of her first major onscreen roles as Jackie Harris on Roseanne and won three Emmy awards during her run. In addition to playing Roseanne’s sister, Metcalf appeared in such films as Scream 2 (1997), Bulworth (1998), and Stop-Loss (2008), as well as voicing Andy’s mom in the Toy Story franchise.

She earned an Oscar nomination for her turn as Saoirse Ronan’s mother in Lady Bird (2017), though most of her work is split between TV and theater. Prominent TV credits include Desperate Housewives, Getting On, The Big Bang Theory, and Hacks, for which she won another Emmy. She has also won two Tony awards, for A Doll’s House, Part 2 in 2017 and Three Tall Women in 2018.

05of 09

Lecy Goranson (Becky Conner)

ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images; Jimi Celeste/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

Lecy Goranson found her spot on Roseanne as Becky Conner-Healy, originating the role of Roseanne’s daughter.

The young actress, who made her on-screen debut on the sitcom, earned subsequent credits for the films Boys Don’t Cry (1999) and The Extra Man (2010) and shows such as Sex and the City and Inside Amy Schumer. She earned a nomination from the Critics Choice Awards in 2021 for her performance on The Conners.

06of 09

Sarah Chalke (Becky Conner-Healy)

ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images; Brian Ach/Getty Images

Sarah Chalke picked up the part of Becky Conner-Healy from Lecy Goranson, playing the young woman in the latter half of the show’s initial run.

Chalke has since spent much of her career on the small screen, appearing on Scrubs, Mad Love, Cougar Town, How I Met Your Mother, and Firefly Lane, in addition to lending her voice to Beth on Rick and Morty. She showed up in the first season of The Conners in 2018, though not as Becky. Chalke played Andrea, a rich woman who (ironically) wanted Becky to be her surrogate.

07of 09

Sara Gilbert (Darlene Conner)

ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images; Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

Then a child star, Sara Gilbert booked her first major gig as Darlene Conner-Healy on Roseanne. The actress went on to fill her résumé with roles in High Fidelity (2000), Riding in Cars With Boys (2001), and 80 for Brady (2023).

Like Chalke, though, Gilbert primarily works on television, creating CBS’ The Talk, which she co-hosted from 2010 to 2019, and popping up on shows like The Big Bang Theory and Atypical, in addition to costarring on The Conners.

08of 09

Michael Fishman (D.J. Conner)

ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images; JB Lacroix/WireImage

Michael Fishman made his onscreen debut as D.J. Conner on Roseanne. The young actor continued to act in the ’90s, popping up in episodes of Hitz, Seinfeld, and Walker, Texas Ranger, before stepping back from the spotlight in the 2000s.

Fishman returned to acting in the 2016 film Undrafted and reprised his role as D.J. in The Conners from 2018 to 2022. The actor released a statement in August 2022 noting, “I was told I would not be returning for season 5,” suggesting it may not have been his choice to leave the series.

09of 09

Johnny Galecki (David Healy)

ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images; Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Years before he was The Big Bang Theory‘s Leonard Hofstadter, Johnny Galecki was Roseanne‘s David Healy.

Galecki filled the following years with appearances in I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), The Opposite of Sex (1998), Vanilla Sky (2001), Hancock (2008), and In Time (2011). His run on The Big Bang Theory lasted from 2007 to 2019, and he popped up in a handful of episodes of The Conners’ first two seasons.

See The Conners prepare to bow out in seventh and final season: ‘It felt like it would be forever’ (exclusive)

After more than three decades in TV viewers’ hearts, the Conner family is saying goodbye at the end of the upcoming season.

‘The Conners’ is back for one more batch of episodes. Photo:Justin Stephens/Disney

The Conners family photo album is finally closing. The promised seventh and final season of the sitcom about the family from Roseanne, which has been on the air since 2018, is offering a look at the final days on set. And fans should probably get out the tissues.

In Entertainment Weekly’s exclusive backstage video below, Sara Gilbert, who has played Darlene Conner since its parent series debuted in 1988, notes that, “Somehow, it felt like it would be forever.”

Meanwhile, actress Lecy Goranson, who portrayed Gilbert’s older sister Becky on much of the show, speaks lovingly of her longtime workplace: “There wasn’t a day that I was not excited to come here to work.”

John Mellencamp’s 1985 hit “Small Town” plays all the while, adding an extra dose of nostalgia.

Actor John Goodman’s Dan Conner, the husband of Roseanne, who was played by comedian Roseanne Barr in the original series, yubi, also appears in character to give his close-knit family some advice. “If we hang together,” he says, “nothing can stop us.” Of course, before things get too mushy, someone cracks a joke.

Sean Astin, Lecy Goranson, Sara Gilbert, John Goodman, and Katey Sagal on ‘The Conners’.Disney/Christopher Willard

After celebrating its milestone 100th episode last season, ABC announced in May that the beloved show, which also stars Laurie Metcalf as Roseanne’s sister Jackie, had been renewed for a final time. Like its predecessor, Roseanne, which aired from 1988 to 1997, the ABC series is about a blue-collar family struggling to make their way in the Midwest.

Noticeably absent, as she has been from the rest of series, is Barr. The 2018 revival of her show was abruptly canceled after just nine episodes, when its star and executive producer infamously made a racist post on social media. A Barr-less version of the family’s ups and downs, which features extended family members played by the likes of Katey Sagal, Emma Kenney, and Jay R. Ferguson, came back five months later. (As viewers saw later, Barr’s character was killed off with an opiate overdose.)

Sean Astin and Lecy Goranson on ‘The Conners’ season 7.Disney/Christopher Willard

The sequel series has gone on to run a total of seven seasons, and it’s known for featuring big-time stars. Dan Aykroyd, Candice Bergen, Whoopi Goldberg, Juliette Lewis, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, the late Paul Reubens, Mary Steenburgen, and Danny Trejo have been among the guest stars. Recurring roles went to Michael Fishman, who played Roseanne’s son D.J. Conner, and Johnny Galecki, who was formerly Darlene’s boyfriend, David, as well as Sean Astin, Matthew Broderick, Brian Austin Green, and Christopher Lloyd.

The final hurrah of The Conners premieres Wednesday, March 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

Oscar-winner Gene Hackman, his wife and their dog found dead in their New Mexico home

Editor’s note: This story was updated to correct Arakawa’s age. 

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Oscar-winner Gene Hackman, his wife and one of their dogs were apparently dead for some time before a maintenance worker discovered their bodies at the couple’s home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, investigators said.

The bodies were found Wednesday. Denise Avila, a sheriff’s office spokesperson, said there was no indication they had been shot or had any wounds that would indicate foul play. But Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office detectives wrote in a search warrant affidavit investigators thought the deaths were “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.”

Hackman, 95, was in an entryway, and his 65-year-old wife, Betsy Arakawa, was lying on her right side in the bathroom. A space heater was next to her head and may have fallen when she abruptly dropped to the floor, according to the affidavit.

The New Mexico Gas Co. tested the gas lines in and around the home after the bodies were discovered, according to the warrant. At the time, it didn’t find any signs of problems and the Fire Department found no signs of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning. A detective wrote that there were no obvious signs of a gas leak, but he noted that people exposed to gas leaks or carbon monoxide might not show signs of poisoning.

Actor Gene Hackman arrives with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, for the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 19, 2003. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

Actor Gene Hackman with wife Betsy Arakawa in June 1993. (AP Photo, File)

Actor Gene Hackman, winner of Best Supporting Actor at academy awards in March 1993. Hackman will turn 80 years on Jan. 30, 2010. (AP Photo, File)

Actor Gene Hackman waves as he starts out for a practice run in his Toyota Celica, Feb. 5, 1983 at the Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the Daytona 24 Hour Endurac Race. This race marks the start of Hickman?s career as a professional driver. (AP Photo/Bob Self, File)

This Jan. 19, 2003 file photo shows actor Gene Hackman at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file)

Actor Gene Hackman gives fictional Hickory High basketball players instructions during filming of the final game of the movie “Hoosiers” at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the Butler University campus, Friday, Dec. 6, 1985 in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Tom Strickland, File)

Gene Hackman holds his Cecil B. DeMille award at the 60th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. Sunday, Jan. 19, 2003. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)

In this 1993 file photo, actor Gene Hackman is seen. (AP Photo/File)

Actor Gene Hackman discusses the effect of an Academy Award nomination on his career, March 24, 1972. (AP Photo/George Brich, File)

The gruff but beloved Hackman was among the most accomplished actors of his generation, appearing as villains, heroes and antiheroes in dozens of dramas, comedies and action films from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s.

“He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa,” his daughters and granddaughter said in a statement Thursday. “We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”

Worker found bodies of Hackman and his wife

According to the search warrant affidavit, a maintenance worker reported that the home’s front door was open when he arrived to do routine work Wednesday, and he called police after finding the bodies.

But in a 911 call, the maintenance worker said he was unable to get inside when the operator asked whether the people in the house were breathing.

“I have no idea,” the subdivision’s caretaker said. “I am not inside the house. It’s closed. It’s locked. I can’t go in. But I can see she’s laying down on the floor from the window.”

He and another worker later told authorities that they rarely saw the homeowners and their last contact with them had been about two weeks ago.

Hackman appeared to have fallen, a deputy observed. A cane was nearby.

A dead German shepherd was found in a bathroom closet near Arakawa, police said. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said during a press conference Thursday that the dog was found in a kennel. Two healthy dogs were found on the property — one inside and one outside.

“There was no indication of a struggle,” Mendoza said. “There was no indication of anything that was missing from the home or disturbed, you know, that would be indication that there was a crime that had occurred.”

Results of autopsies conducted on both bodies are not available yet, sheriff’s officials said, noting that carbon monoxide and toxicology test results are pending.

The search warrant affidavit suggests that police appear to have a working theory that “some kind of gas poisoning” happened, but that they don’t know yet and aren’t ruling anything out, Loyola Marymount University law professor Laurie Levenson said.

“They don’t have clear evidence that it’s any type of homicide, but they’re asking for blunt instruments or other weapons that could be used,” said Levenson, who has no connection to the investigation. “It doesn’t also look like some kind of planned double-suicide.”

William & Mary Law School professor Jeffrey Bellin said the request for a search warrant was somewhat unusual because investigators who file one usually believe a specific crime was committed. In this case, no alleged crime was mentioned, Bellin said.

Police tend to overstate what they know, but this is the opposite, said Bellin, who also isn’t tied to the investigation.

“It just struck me as very careful in a way that search warrant affidavits often are not,” he said.

Actor known for his versatility

Hackman routinely showed up on Hollywood lists of greatest American actors of the 20th century. He could play virtually any kind of role, from comic book villain Lex Luthor in “Superman” to a coach finding redemption in the sentimental favorite “Hoosiers.”

Hackman was a five-time Oscar nominee who won best actor in a leading role for “The French Connection” in 1972 and best actor in a supporting role for “Unforgiven” two decades later. His death comes just four days before this year’s ceremony.

Tributes quickly poured in from Hollywood.

“There was no finer actor than Gene,” actor-director Clint Eastwood, Hackman’s “Unforgiven” co-star, said in a statement. “Intense and instinctive. Never a false note. He was also a dear friend whom I will miss very much.”

Hackman and Arakawa settled in Santa Fe

Hackman met Arakawa, a classically trained pianist who grew up in Hawaii, when she was working part-time at a California gym in the mid-1980s. They soon moved in together and relocated to Santa Fe by the end of the decade.

Their Southwestern-style ranch on Old Sunset Trail sits on a hill in a gated community with views of the Rocky Mountains. The sprawling four-bedroom home on 6 acres (2.4 hectares) was built in 1997 and had an estimated market value of a little over $4 million, according to Santa Fe County property tax records.

Hackman and his wife also owned a more modest home next door.

Hackman also co-wrote three novels, starting with the swashbuckler, “Wake of the Perdido Star,” with Daniel Lenihan in 1999, according to publisher Simon & Schuster. He then penned two by himself, concluding with “Pursuit” in 2013, about a female police officer on the tail of a predator.

In his first couple of decades in New Mexico, Hackman was often seen around the historic state capital, known as an artist enclave, tourism destination and retreat for celebrities.

He served on the board of trustees for the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum from 1997-2004, the museum said in a statement.

Hackman’s later years

In recent years, he was far less visible, though even the most mundane outings caught the attention of the press. There were articles about him attending a show at a performing arts center in 2018, as well as pumping gas, doing yard work and getting a chicken sandwich at Wendy’s in 2023.

Aside from appearances at awards shows, he was rarely seen in the Hollywood social circuit and retired from acting about 20 years ago. His was the rare Hollywood retirement that actually lasted.

Hackman had three children from a previous marriage. He and Arakawa had no children together but were known for having German shepherds.

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