Ellen DeGeneres apologizes in TV return, more celeb news ICYMI

By Mark Gray 6:44am PDT, Sep 25, 2020

TV return

After a very trying summer, Ellen DeGeneres returned to her talk show to launch her 18th season on Sept. 21. She immediately addressed allegations of a toxic production environment. "I learned that things happened here that never should have happened. I take that very seriously and I want to say I am so sorry to the people that were affected. I know that I am in a position of privilege and power and with that comes responsibility and I take responsibility for what happens at my show," she said. Over the summer, people also claimed that Ellen wasn't as nice as she seemed to be on TV, particularly given her "Be Kind" motto. "Being known as the 'be kind' lady is a tricky position to be in," she said. "So let me give you some advice out there if anybody's thinking of changing their title or giving yourself a nickname, do not go with the 'be kind' lady. Don't do it. The truth is I am that person that you see on TV."

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Boarding up

Kanye West has been making demands on Twitter for several weeks now, and his latest could affect the retail world. Over the summer, Gap announced it had partnered with the rapper on a new Yeezy line to be sold at its stores. It was hailed as a huge coup for Gap. Kanye has also been a longtime partner with Adidas. On Sept. 23, Kanye said he would boycott both companies unless he got a seat on their respective boards. "I'M WEARING JORDANS TILL I'M ON THE BOARD OF ADIDAS," he tweeted. He followed up by adding, "I'M NOT RELEASING NOTHING ON GAP TILL I'M ON THE BOARD." On Sept. 24, he was already planning for the future. "My first pillar when I'm on the board of adidas will be an adidas Nike collaboration to support community growth," he tweeted. While Kanye is going full steam ahead on his business endeavors, there are reports that his marriage is suffering.

TV exit

The rumors are real. Teddi Mellencamp will not return to "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." Early in the week, reports claimed Bravo would not be renewing Teddi's contract (producers allegedly thought she was "boring"). On Sept. 22, the reality TV star confirmed that her time was done. "I recently found out that my contract as a Housewife is not being renewed," she said on Instagram. "Of course I could give you the standard response of, 'Oh, we both came to the decision that it would be best.' Nah, I'm not going to do that — that's not who I am." She continued, "Of course when I got the news I was sad. It feels like a breakup, almost because you develop such strong relationships with the cast, with the crew. And you get to do incredible things that you probably never get to experience without the show."

Baby bliss

Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik have welcomed their little girl. On Sept. 23, the singer announced the news on Twitter. "Our baby girl is here, healthy & beautiful," he wrote alongside an image of himself holding the newborn's hand. There was more big baby news this week too: On Sept. 24, "This Is Us" star Mandy Moore announced that she's expecting her first child, a boy, with musician husband Taylor Goldsmith. The same day, actress Billie Lourd — who never announced a pregnancy — revealed she'd welcomed son Kingston Fisher Lourd Rydell (whose name honors her late mother, Carrie Fisher) with fiancé Austen Rydell. And on Sept. 25, Britain's royal family announced that Princess Eugenie is pregnant with her first child nearly two years after marrying Jack Brooksbank.

Best of the best

While the Emmy Awards had a bad night in terms of ratings (viewership hit an all-time low), it was still an incredible evening for a couple shows including "Schitt's Creek" and "Succession." The evening's first seven (yes, seven!) awards went to "Schitt's Creek," which took home all the big comedy category awards for best acting, writing and directing. Later, the spotlight shined on "Succession." The hit HBO show won four awards for directing, writing and acting — Jeremy Strong won for best lead actor in a drama series. "Succession" also claimed the big one — the final award of the evening: best drama series. Other big winners included Zendaya, who beat out some stiff competition and became the youngest ever best actress in a drama winner, Regina King and Mark Ruffalo.

Livid with Louisville

Hollywood was livid after Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced on Sept. 23 that no officers would be directly charged in the death of Breonna Taylor, a Black EMT who was killed in her home by Louisville police officers in March. A swath of stars such as Kerry Washington encouraged like-minded fans to express their outrage at the ballot box. "I understand the desire to not vote," she tweeted. "To reject a system that abuses you & denies your worth. But please know that the system – DOES see your worth. It's AFRAID of your power. That's why it works so hard to make you feel powerless. You are NOT powerless. #SayHerName. And Vote!" Of the decision, Emmy Rossum angrily tweeted, "This is shameful. They murdered her in her own home." Alicia Keys said she was "infuriated" and added, "This is is a PRIME example of Rotten to the CORE!!!" After Kentucky's AG criticized celebrities for weighing in as outsiders, A-lister George Clooney issued a statement eviscerating him: "I was born and raised in Kentucky. Cut tobacco on the farms of Kentucky. Both my parents and my sister live in Kentucky. I own a home in Kentucky, and I was there last month. The justice system I was raised to believe in holds people responsible for their actions. Her name was Breonna Taylor and she was shot to death in her bed by 3 white police officers, who will not be charged with any crime for her death. I know the community. I know the commonwealth. And I was taught in the schools and churches of Kentucky what is right and what is wrong. I'm ashamed of this decision."

Trouble in paradise

Demi Lovato got engaged in July, but she's now single again. Multiple outlets reported on Sept. 24 that Demi and fiancé Max Ehrich had split. "It was a tough decision, but Demi and Max have decided to go their separate ways to focus on their respective careers," a source told People magazine. "They have respect and love for one another and will always cherish the time they spent together." The breakup confirmation came just hours after a source told Page Six that the couple's romance was on the rocks. "It's not over yet," a source said at the time, "but it's on its way there." The breakup came after recent screenshots seemed to show Max flirting on social media with other pop stars. Demi, however, dismissed them as "fake" and "doctored."

Secretly married

Did Emma Stone and Dave McCary secretly tied the knot? On Sept. 23, Page Six reported that the duo "have definitely tied the knot." The news comes after the couple was seen in paparazzi photos wearing what appeared to be wedding bands. The Oscar winner and the "Saturday Night Live" segment director were set to marry earlier this year in Los Angeles but their nuptials were scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Engagement rumors

Last month, Tyra Banks was spotted wearing what appeared to be an engagement ring. On Sept. 23, she opened up about the engagement rumors and the ring in question, dismissing it as "just a ring." While speaking to talk show host Tamron Hall, Tyra said, "They're talking about the ring. … The ring is a crab. It's shaped like a crab. … And it's an opal, not a diamond. It is not a crab opal engagement ring. It is just a ring." One thing Tyra didn't confirm or deny: whether or not she's engaged. The "Dancing With The Stars" host has been dating Canadian businessman Louis Bélanger-Martin for well over a year.

Ring thing

On Sept. 23, Kyle Richards shared an incredible story. Back in 2017, the "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star's home was burglarized and $1 million in personal items were taken. In a new interview, Kyle revealed that one of the missing pieces somehow ended up on Diane Keaton's Instagram page two years later. "She posted a picture of a psychic's hands on the 3rd Street Promenade and they had my ring on her hand… It was the craziest, craziest story," Kyle said. Soon, Kyle started doing some investigative work of her own and went to the 3rd Street Promenade, an outdoor mall in Santa Monica, California, to try to find the psychic. The ring quest came up empty at the time, but it's not over. "I do want to pick that up again," she said, "because I want to know if she bought that from someone at a pawn shop, even if I have to buy it back from her, I'm happy to do that."