By Mark Gray
8:15am PDT, Apr 27, 2020
Coronavirus battle
Pink opened up all month about the coronavirus battle that she and her 3-year-old son, Jameson Hart, endured. Unfortunately, Pink's son had it worse than the pop star (he had a 102-103 degree fever for two to three weeks). "At one point when he started throwing up and saying he had chest pains and it hurt to breathe, that's the point where you just kind of like [say], 'OK, are we going to the hospital? What are we doing right now?' Because this is the scariest thing I've ever, ever been through in my whole life," she tearfully told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres on April 9. The tyke and his mom are now finally feeling better. During her battle, Pink never experienced a fever. "I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't breathe and I needed to get to a nebulizer for the first time in 30 years," she said (she was diagnosed with asthma as a child). "I have this inhaler that I use, this rescue inhaler, and I couldn't function without it, and that's when I started to get really scared."
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Mask issue
"Shark Tank" star Daymond John was accused of trying to hawk coveted and hard-to-find N95 masks for more than three times their value to the state of Florida. But Daymond slammed the story, explaining that his company was vetting distributors and that he didn't set prices. The Miami Herald reported on April 22 that Daymond, who founded Fubu and now heads the Shark Group, told Florida officials he had access to masks from China and could get them for $7 each. The masks, which are made by 3M, typically sell for less than $2 each. Florida officials agreed to buy 1 million masks at the inflated price to help healthcare workers fight COVID-19. The deal eventually fell through but got the attention of 3M. "3M is filing lawsuits in cases where third parties use the company's name, brand or trademark to engage in price gouging of N95 respirators and other illegal and unethical behavior," a spokesman said. Daymond insisted, "My company was serving as an intermediary to vet the numerous 3M distributors and to protect Florida taxpayers, while establishing escrow protections that allowed the State to conduct proper due diligence before finalizing its purchase of masks."
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New life
Say hello to non-royals Harry and Meghan. April 1 marked the first day since "Megxit," as the pair are no longer senior working royals. Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan — who are still able to use their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles but agreed not to use their His/Her Royal Highness titles — had announced plans to step down back in January and now live in Meghan's native Los Angeles. The former actress has hit the ground running: She narrated the Disney+ nature documentary "Elephant," which was available to stream on April 3. The pair have also been spotted doing good deeds in L.A.: On Easter Sunday and on April 15, the couple joined Project Angel Food to deliver meals to 20 clients living with critical illnesses West Hollywood.
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Testing, testing…
Joe Rogan faced tremendous backlash after bragging on his podcast that he had been tested for COVID-19 twice within a week, and that he planned to be tested several times a week. On his "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast on April 15, the former "Fear Factor" host said, "I got tested yesterday, and I got tested two days before that. I'm just going to test myself every three or four days." Yahoo reported that Joe is paying a Los Angeles doctor to test his podcast guests too (the doctor told Vice that he administers an antibody test that was not yet approved by the FDA). Since many hospitals and states don't have access to coronavirus or antibody tests, Joe's comments didn't sit well with many on social media.
Amputation
Broadway star Nick Cordero had his right leg amputated as result of coronavirus-related complications, his wife announced on April 18. "We took him off the blood thinners, but that again was going to cause the clotting in the right leg," his wife, Broadway dancer and Radio City Rockette-turned-fitness trainer Amanda Kloots, said on Instagram. "So the right leg will be amputated today." Thankfully, the surgery went well. Nick, a Tony Award nominee for his work in "Bullets Over Broadway," entered the ICU on March 31 and has been hospitalized since. Amanda and Nick's fans have started using the hashtag #WakeUpNick, as he'd been unconscious for more than three weeks. Nick and Amanda share a 10-month-old son.
Divorce
After a decade together, Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler have split. The "Very Cavallari" stars announced their divorce on April 26 with matching Instagram messages, with both indicating the split is amicable. "With great sadness, after 10 years together we have come to a loving conclusion to get a divorce. We have nothing but love and respect for one another and are deeply grateful for the years shared, memories made, and the children we are so proud of," the both wrote. "This is just the situation of two people growing apart. We ask everyone to respect our privacy as we navigate this difficult time within our family."
Baby No. 2
Congrats to Leighton Meester and Adam Brody! The couple is expecting their second child together, according to multiple outlets. On April 1, the Daily Mail published images that showed the former "Gossip Girl" star with a very visible baby bump. The fiercely private couple are already parents to daughter Arlo Day, who was born in late 2015.
More baby news…
People magazine broke the news on April 25 that 10 months after their wedding, Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger are expecting their first child together. Chris is also a dad to son Jack, 7, with first wife Anna Faris.
More baby bliss
No. five is on the way for Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria. On April 6, the former yoga instructor announced that she is pregnant again. The news comes five months after the 36-year-old suffered a miscarriage, her second within seven months. "Sound up…I'll let the baby do the talking because I don't have the words to express how this sound makes us feel," she captioned an Instagram video in which the baby's heartbeat could clearly be heard. "Just got the great news that all is well and all is healthy with this little munchkin. I wanted to share this with you. Here we go again."
R.I.P.
Fountains of Wayne frontman Adam Schlesinger passed away on April 1 due to complications from the coronavirus. He was 52. The Emmy and Tony winner had been put on a ventilator in a New York hospital as he battled COVID-19. The "Stacy's Mom" singer also wrote the Oscar-nominated song "That Thing You Do!" for the movie of the same name. Tom Hanks, who directed and starred in the film, said, "There would be no Playtone without Adam Schlesinger, without his 'That Thing You Do!' He was a One-der. Lost him to Covid-19. Terribly sad today." On April 17, the cast of "That Thing You Do!" reunited for the first time in 20 years to honor Adam and raise funds for COVID-19 relief efforts.
Apology
Dr. Drew Pinsky is admitting that he was wrong. For months, Dr. Drew had been downplaying the coronavirus pandemic on a slew of cable news show, consistently calling it a "press-induced panic." On April 5, he apologized and took responsibility for his comments from February and March. "My early comments about equating coronavirus with influenza were wrong. They were incorrect," he said. "I was part of a chorus that was saying that, and we were wrong. And I want to apologize for that." He added, "I wish I had gotten it right, but I got it wrong."
Combating allegations
Fans are worried about Michael Bublé's wife, Luisana Lopilato, after they say the singer exhibited abusive behavior toward her during a mid-April Instagram Live. Luisana, however, has insisted that everything is fine in her marriage. In the video, the crooner seems to elbow Luisana after she talks over him. After she quickly apologizes, Michael grabs her arm and pulls her in close. Many fans felt that this too was an aggressive act. "It's incredible how some people are!! While we are in the middle of a pandemic, and living our lives under quarantine, angst, fear, loneliness, and uncertainty of all kinds!" she wrote in Spanish on Instagram on April 13. "I want you all to know that I have no doubts about who my husband is and that I would chose him again a thousand times over!" In a second statement, she denied being in an abusive relationship. "It's very important that we pay attention to these problems that have been mentioned and that I am lucky not to suffer. But it is important to pay attention to be able to help women that are going through it," Luisana said in a video while Michael appeared to hold her hand while sitting next to her.
The wedding's off
In March, Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi canceled plans to hold their May 29 wedding reception in the gardens of Buckingham Palace as the global coronavirus pandemic took off. Now, the nuptials have been put on hold. On April 16, the royal wedding was officially postponed due to the ongoing health crisis. Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter was set to marry at The Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace in London. "There are no plans to switch venues or hold a bigger wedding. They aren't even thinking about their wedding at this time," a spokesperson for the couple told People magazine. "There will come a time to rearrange, but that's not yet."
Lost legend
Farewell, John Prine. On April 8, the folk-country legend passed away from complications related to COVID-19. He was 73. John's music resonated with fans for five decades, and he garnered four Grammys during his long career. Following his death, many in music paid tribute to John. Bruce Springsteen called him "A true national treasure and a songwriter for the ages." Toby Keith said, "There's a huge hole in the music world."
Prison release
Tekashi 6ix9ine is a free man, and it's thanks to the coronavirus. On April 2, a New York judge granted the rapper a compassionate release from prison effective immediately, stating that he should be allowed to finish his sentence at home and under supervision. The release comes after Tekashi, via his lawyers, pleaded with the judge to let him out, claiming the music star's asthma makes him much more susceptible to contracting the coronavirus. Tekashi has a GPS monitor and must remain at an address approved by his probation officer for the first four months of his supervised release. He's only allowed to leave for attorney visits or medical treatment, and both of those need to be approved by the Probation Department. In December he was convicted on racketeering charges and sentenced to two years in prison. Not long after he was sent home, he was already scooping up luxury cars and jewelry.
