Carly Simon made a name for herself during the 70’s and 80’s, the period when many new musicians became part of the big scene and rose to stardom. Her hits and her two very successful albums which she released in a short period of time brought young Simon a Grammy Award for Best New Artist of the Year, and a nomination in the “Best Pop Female Vocalist” category.
Not only Carly, but her two older sisters made an impact on the world of music, too.
Carly and her sister Lucy even formed a band when they were teenagers, The Simon Sisters, and released three albums together.
They performed at a local bar called The Moors, with a repertoire consisting of folk music, as well as some of their own songs.
The sisters’ father, Richard Simon, was the co-founder of the Simon & Schuster publishing company. Their mom, Andrea was known as a civil right activist.
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Unfortunately, Carly lost both her sisters recently. They died a day apart and left the singer utterly heartbroken.
“I am filled with sorrow to speak about the passing of Joanna and Lucy Simon. Their loss will be long and haunting,” Carly said in a statement.
“We were three sisters who not only took turns blazing trails and marking courses for one another, we were each other’s secret shares. The co-keepers of each other’s memories. I have no words to explain the feeling of suddenly being the only remaining direct offspring of Richard and Andrea Simon. They touched everyone they knew and those of us they’ve left behind will be lucky and honored to carry their memories forward. With great and eternal love and respect,” the singer added.
Carly Simon and sisters Lucy Simon and Joanna Simon attend The National Academy of Popular Music’s 25th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on June 1, 1994 at Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers in New York City (Getty Images)
Joanna Simon, acclaimed mezzo-soprano and Emmy-winning TV correspondent, passed away Wednesday of thyroid cancer at the age of 85, as per a statement released by Carly Simon’s manager Larry Ciancia. She was married to novelist and journalist Gerald Walker from 1976 until his death in 2004.
Lucy Simon, who composed Broadway musical The Secret Garden, passed Thursday at 82 after batting breast cancer, Ciancia confirmed.
She was married to David Levine with whom she went on to produce two Grammy-winning children’s albums, “In Harmony,” and “In Harmony 2.”
Lucy and David remained married for 55 years, until her death. They had two children together: Julie and James.
Joanna, Carly, and Lucy Simon pose for a photograph before their concert May 12, 1982 in New York City. The Simon sisters returned to their school for a benefit. (Photo by Yvonne Hemsey/Getty Images)
Carly Simon’s brother, Peter, died in 2018.
Are thoughts and prayers are with Carly Simon.
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Leslie Jordan, the beloved actor and comedian best known for his portrayal of conniving Beverly Leslie on the show Will and Grace, died at 67.
Leslie was driving in Hollywood Monday morning when he crashed into the side of a building at Cahuenga Blvd. and Romaine St. as reported by The Times. He was pronounced dead at the scene although it is still uncertain whether he was killed in the crash or he suffered medical emergency beforehand.
A law enforcement representative suggested Leslie lost control over his vehicle before crashing into the building.
“The world is definitely a much darker place today without the love and light of Leslie Jordan,” the actor’s spokesperson said, as per NBC News. “Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation at one of its most difficult times.”
For his role of Beverly Leslie, the nemesis of Karen Walker, in Will and Grace, Leslie was awarded an Emmy for guest actor in a comedy series.
Leslie was also popular for his work on the shows Hearts Afire, The Cool Kids, Call Me Kat, which is currently in its third season, and American Horror Story among the rest.
During the pandemic, Leslie reached a new kind of fame, especially with the younger population, with his witty posts and silly videos. He gained millions of followers on social media and was dubbed a media phenomenon.
“I didn’t realize (I blew up) until last night when everybody started calling me telling me you’ve gone viral,” Leslie told TODAY in March 2020. “I don’t really even know what that means!”
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Mariska Hargitay may be best known for the role of Olivia Benson in the series Law and Order: SVU, the bold detective who stops criminals and brings them to justice, but in real life, she a loving mom and wife.
Hargitay has been married to co-star Peter Herman whom she met on the show where he first appeared as a guest star in season three. The two have been married for 18 years and have three children, but it wasn’t until years later that Hargitay spoke of the first impression she had on her husband when she first laid eyes on him.
During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Hargitay recalled, “He was very handsome, and it was distracting.
“Then he would come back the other day, and all the producers would look at me and give me eyes. I’d never been like that to anyone ever. It was funny because I was single, I was 35, and my friends were like, ‘Mariska, you need to get out more, nobody’s going to show up on your show and ask you to marry them.’”
Even after that many years, the couple still find the time to dance the night away. Just recently, they shared a video of them dancing at a themed wedding party.
Hargitay’s parents are just as famous, if not more. She the daughter of renowned actors Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield.
Mansfield died in a car crash when her vehicle collided with a tractor trailer. Her then-boyfriend Sam Brody and the car’s driver died at the scene while the actress’ three children who were also in the car were uninjured. At the time of her passing, Mansfield was 34 years old.
Being left without a mother from the age of 3, Hargitay wanted a big family and wanted to be a mother herself.
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She welcomed her first child, son August, when she was 42.
As she wasn’t certain if she could go through another pregnancy, Hargitay and her husband turned to adoption. However, the process itself was a painful one. “I was really letting the chips fall as they might, because I do think so much is up to God and I always said, ‘I don’t know how this is going to end up. I don’t know if I’m going to get pregnant and have twins, I don’t know…,’” she told Good Housekeeping in 2012.
Eventually, they adopted baby Amaya Josephine after attending her birth.
“I basically pulled Amaya out,” Hargitay told Good Housekeeping a year after her birth. “Peter and I held her, and then the birth mother and I hugged for a long time. That was profound. That was one of the most meaningful moments I’ve ever had in my life.”
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In 2011, they adopted another child, baby boy Andrew who was born two months premature.
“Being a wife and mother is my life, and that gives me the most joy,” the actress told Closer Weekly. “I understand [my mother] in a new way that gives me peace. Now I understand the love she had in her, and it makes me feel closer to her.”
Today, Amaya is 11 years old and her mom describes her as a young girl with a strong personality.
”My daughter is the boss of me,” Hargitay told People and added, ”She is so strong, her independence inspires me.”
Amaya is also very protective of her younger brother and makes sure he stays out of trouble.
“We adopted Amaya, and Andrew, I always describe [him] as this angel that fell out of the sky,” Hargitay shared, as per PopSugar.
Without a doubt, Jim Carrey is one of the most prominent comedians Hollywood has ever seen. His wit helped him rise to stardom and the roles he played became iconic.
Carrey, however, worked hard to get to where he is today. His childhood wasn’t an easy one since his parents needed to work hard in order to provide for the family. When his dad lost his job, the Canadian-native actor was forced to quit school in order to start working and help his family.
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At one point of their lives, they all worked at a local wheel-rim factory as janitors and security, doing eight-hour shifts. Things were tough, however, and they all decided to quit. Sadly, that meant not being able to pay rent, so Carrey’s parents moved into their car, while he and his brother slept in a tent for a couple of months. They didn’t settle at a single place but moved around Ontario.
Recalling that period of his life, the Ace Ventura star said, “For a while, we pitched a tent on my sister’s lawn in the country. And then for a while, we went to campsites around Ontario. And we’d use the facilities there and we actually had a lot of fun. We had more fun there than we did when we were doing this job that we didn’t like.”
When he turned 17, Carrey, who was aware of his inner talent to make people laugh, started performing comedy at different clubs in downtown Toronto. There, he made a name for himself and moved to L.A. to pursue a career as a comedian.
As he became a regular at the Comedy Story, his career started to take off so he invited his parents to move in with him. However, at one point, he had a hard time landing gigs and felt the pressure to provide for his mom and dad, which made him feel uneasy. He was forced to ask them to return to Canada and that is an experience he’s not happy to think of.
“I resented them because there had always been a lot of pressure on me to be the star, to save their lives, to buy them the big house with the pillars – like Elvis, you know? And it came to a head.
“I had no money. I had no jobs. And I couldn’t even come home to my own house because my parents were in the living room smoking. They were lovely people, but they got caught up in thinking they were going to be taken care of.”
While working as a comedian for $25 a night, Carrey met Melissa Womer, a former actress and a waitress at Comedy Store. It didn’t take long before the two tied the knot and welcomed daughter Jane Erin Carrey, Carrey’s only child, in their lives.
The couple moved separate ways when Carrey’s career took off. According to Melissa, he turned into a completely different man. She could be heard saying that fame changed him.
”I was happy to take on the traditional wife and mother roles. He knows I’m a good woman, a good wife, a good mother. But, you know what? He’s not good husband material. Marriage takes empathy, commitment and sacrifice. The dude has changed,” Melissa told The Spokesman-Review in 1995.
He didn’t happen to be a good husband, but he certainly has been the best father Jane Erin Carrey could ever ask for.
American actor Jim Carrey at home with his wife Melissa and daughter Jane. (Getty Images)
Jane, who is 35, is a mom of 12-year-old son Jackson Riley Santana, whom she has with former husband Alex Santana.
Speaking to People before she gave birth to her son, Jane said, “I’m excited about it because I never really got along with girls growing up. I was a little afraid that if it was a girl, that she would not like me, you know? So I’m very happy about the boy.”
Unlike most children of celebrities, Jane didn’t follow into her dad’s footsteps. Instead, she embraced music and is part of a band.
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Most people first learned of Jane when she auditioned for the 11th season of the popular show American Idol from which she was eliminated in the first week of the live auditions.
“I freaked out when I was there so I was really really shaky,” she said of her performance on the show. “I know I can do way better than that so I’m really disappointed.” She was able to seek comfort from none other than her dad. “I talked to my dad and he was kind of comforting,” she continued. “He said ‘I’ve been said no to a bunch of times’ and it worked out for him, so hopefully I have a shot.”
Jane appeared on Catfish: The TV Show, starring as herself, and in 2014, she wrote several soundtracks for the Dumb and Dumber To movie.
A new ear for the British royalty is just around the corner. King Charles’ coronation is to take place on May 6, 2023 which is also the day when his wife Camilla becomes Queen Consort.
When Britain first learned of the affair between then-prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, she became one of the most detested people in the country, at least among the royal fans who were madly infatuated with Princess Diana, one of the most loved figures of Britain.
Over the years, however, Camilla showed she cared for Charles and the royal family and she managed to gain certain popularity. Not only people accepted her, but they also started to like her.
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When the two tied the knot some 17 years ago, it was reported that Camilla opted to be called Queen Consort once Charles accedes to the throne. At the time, the Palace reported that she would be given the title of a Princess, but late Queen Elizabeth wished Camilla to be known as Queen Consort and she spoke openly about that wish during the celebration of her platinum jubilee.
Charles, on the other hand, never had doubts that his wife would get the title of a Queen one day.
“I count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla,” Charles said in the statement he issued following his mother’s death. “In recognition of her own loyal public service since our marriage seventeen years ago, she becomes my Queen Consort.”
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One person that stood by Camilla’s side through thick and thin is her younger sister, Annabel Elliot.
It is believed that when Princess Diana confronted Camilla about her affair with Charles, they were attending Annabel Elliot’s 40th birthday party.
“She said to me, ‘You’ve got everything you ever wanted. You’ve got all the men in the world fall in love with you and you’ve got two beautiful children, what more do you want?’ So I said, ‘I want my husband,’” Diana explained back in the day. “And I said, ‘I’m sorry I’m in the way … and it must be hell for both of you. But I do know what’s going on. Don’t treat me like an idiot.’”
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Annabel and Camilla are more than sisters; they are greatest of friends. Annabel has run her show Annabel Elliot Interior Designand Antiques in Dorset for more than 30 years, becoming the fifth most influential female interior designer in the UK in 2014.
It was on Annabel’s 50th birthday party that Charles and Camilla first posed together in public and stole she show. Later, amid the divorce of Charles and Diana, it was Annabel who drove the car that whisked Camilla away from public view and the notorious paparazzi press.
Over time, Annabel became close part of the royal family, especially with Charles, with whom she had been reported to have clashed from time to time, especially when she felt like he was trying to do most of what she was paid for himself.
“He always likes to be completely involved and know what’s being suggested,” Annabel said in the 2012 ITV documentary The Royal Restoration.
“He’s looking at every piece of material — ‘What’s this for?, Is that for a chair? Where’s that sourced from? Has it got nylon in it?’ He doesn’t like duvets.”
She then added, “You know, it’s all that kind of thing, it’s very very important to him. We’ll argue. I’ll say ‘I really think actually…’ So we’ll definitely have a good, healthy debate. He doesn’t just agree or disagree. He will look at everything. His eye for detail is quite extraordinary. I don’t think I’ve ever worked with anybody who is so interested in the detail.”
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Annabel was employed to carry out work on the then-Prince of Wales’s new home in Wales, Llwywormwood, which he bought in 2006 for more than £1 million.
The Telegraph reported at the time that Charles’ sister-in-law was paid over $380,000 for her work between 2005 and 2008, which some politicians thought was a matter of cronyism, but that’s not how Charles viewed it.
“There was no tender. The Prince knows her and likes her work. Annabel Elliot is an established interior designer,” a Clarence House spokesperson said at the time.
This wasn’t the only time Annabel worked for the royals. She also designed 12 Duchy of Cornwall cottages and ran a 2012 project to convert a “run-down barn building” into an elegant guesthouse on the grounds of Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, becoming Charles’ chief interior designer.
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Even today, Camilla and Annabel are extremely close. Recently, the two were spotted together at the Booker Prize for Fiction ceremony at the Roundhouse in London and people couldn’t help but notice how much they look alike.
Annabel has been married to her husband Simon Elliot since 1972 and they share three children together, including Ben Elliot, a businessman and fund-raiser for the Conservative Party who served as Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party from July 2019 to September 2022.
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Christina Applegate is without a doubt one of the most charming actresses there are.
The Dead to Me star was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2008 and underwent a double mastectomy. Some ten years after the procedure, in an interview for USA Today, Applegate revealed she was still facing body image issues. “I think about it every day. Girls who go through this, we say to each other, ‘Yep, it’s been 10 years,’ but you’re never not aware that that’s something you’ve been through. Everything looks different. You have to shower and you’re like, ‘Oh, there they are. That happened,'” she said.
Applegate has also had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed after she was told that she has the BRCA1 genetic mutation, a gene associated with an increased risk of both breast and ovarian cancer.
Image source: Flick/Gage Skidmore
Sadly, her health struggles are far from over. In August 2022, The Sweetest Thing star revealed that she had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune chronic disease of the central nervous system which disrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body, as well as within the brain.
There is currently no cure for it, but the symptoms could be managed with proper treatment. For people with MS, average life expectancy is slightly reduced.
When Applegate first spoke of her diagnosis, she described the experience as a ‘strange journey’ and a ‘tough road.’ She added that she received support from people she knows who also have the condition.
Hi friends. A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS. It’s been a strange journey. But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition. It’s been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going. Unless some asshole blocks it.
In a second twit, she asked for some privacy as she deals with her condition.
As one of my friends that has MS said “ we wake up and take the indicated action”. And that’s what I do. So now I ask for privacy. As I go through this thing. Thank you xo
One of the first people who shared their support is fellow actress Selma Blair, who was diagnosed with MS herself in 2017.
“Loving you always. Always here,” Selma wrote. “As are our kids. Beating us up with love.”
Blair has been very vocal about MS and makes sure she shares her experience on the social media and elswehere.
Applegate has taken her condition seriously and does her best to manage her health. “With MS, most exercises can be scary due to numbness in feet and legs,” she tweeted. “So sitting and knowing I’m still using my body is awesome.”
Thank you @Hydrow_by_CREW for my rower. I’m knowing it will help me to get healthy again. With MS, most exercises can be scary due to numbness in feet and legs. So sitting and knowing I’m still using my body is awesome.
On her 50th birthday, Christina Applegate shared a message honoring the occasion and describing her journey.
“Yup. I turned 50 today. And I have MS. It’s been a hard one,” she twitted. “Sending so much love to all of you this day. Many are hurting today, and I am thinking of you. May we find that strength to lift our heads up. Mine currently is on my pillow. But I try.”
We pray for Christina Applegate and wish she remains as brave as she is.
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And just like that star Sarah Jessica Parker penned a touching social media tribute to her late stepfather, Paul Giffin Forste, who died after sudden an unexpected illness.
When Forste and Parker’s mother, Barbara, married, the actress was just three years old.
“Godspeed. RIP. Strong like a bull. Til the end,” Parker, 57, posted on Instagram along with a black and white photo of her stepdad. “At home and among all those who loved you dearly, you will be missed always.
“We will take good care of Mommy, who you worshipped for 54 years.”
A rep for Parker said in a statement, “Paul will be remembered with the spirit of loving kindness which was his faith, his special delight in his 13 grandchildren, and his sustained belief in making the world a more charitable, tolerant and beautiful place for all.”
Parker, who shares three children with husband Matthew Broderick, has always been candid about her upbringing throughout the years.
Speaking to The New York Times back in 2000, the Sex and the City star said, “I remember being poor. There was no great way to hide it. We didn’t have electricity sometimes. We didn’t have Christmases sometimes, or we didn’t have birthdays sometimes, or the bill collectors came, or the phone company would call and say, ‘We’re shutting your phones off.’”
Despite all this, she and her siblings were brought up in a home where love was present at all times.
There has always been some kind of drama surrounding British royalty, especially during the last couple of years, or better said after the famous ‘Megxit,’ when the Sussexes, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, decided to step down from their royal duties and settle down in the States.
Things turned even worse following the infamous Oprah interview where Harry spoke openly of the life as a royal and told the host that he used to be trapped inside the system, the same way his brother and father still are. Allegations against the royals were brought up, among which those of racism.
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U.K. media, as well as many influential international magazines, have slammed their decision to split from the royal family, but both Harry and Meghan believed it was the best thing to do when it came to their own family. During the Oprah interview, Harry once again defended their decision to move from Britain because he didn’t want “history repeating itself,” referring to what had happened to his late mother who was chased by the media non stop.
“[The British press] was destroying my mental health,” he said.
“This is toxic. So, I did what any good husband and what any father would do. It’s like I need to get my family out of here. But, we never walked away, and as far as I’m concerned whatever decisions are made on that side, I will never walk away. I will always be contributing, but my life is public service so wherever I am in the world it’s always going to be the same thing.”
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The couple was financially cut off with the excuse given that there were not enough funds to go around. They were not provided security either, something that bothered Meghan at the time.
Since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, many believe the members of the Firm would do their best to rebuilt the bridges that have been burnt over the last few years, but we are yet to see if something like that happens.
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In a recent interview with Variety Magazine, Meghan spoke of the late Queen and what they have gone through since her passing.
“There’s been such an outpouring of love and support. I’m really grateful that I was able to be with my husband to support him, especially during that time,” the Duchess said.
“What’s so beautiful is to look at the legacy that his grandmother was able to leave on so many fronts. Certainly, in terms of female leadership, she is the most shining example of what that looks like.”
Further, Meghan commented, “I feel deep gratitude to have been able to spend time with her and get to know her. It’s been a complicated time, but my husband, ever the optimist, said, ‘Now she’s reunited with her husband.’
“I’ve reflected on that first official engagement that I had with her, how special that felt. I feel fortunate. And I continue to be proud to have had a nice warmth with the matriarch of the family.”
Meghan also spoke of the power of sisterhood and recalled the times she was helped by certain women who made her feel welcomed.
As of her commitments in the States, where she and Harry started their lives some two years ago, Meghan said, “We share an office. We work from home, as most people started to do during lockdown. It allows us to have significant time with our kids at this really special moment in their lives. We’ll never get this time back. I make breakfast, and we get the kids set for the day.
“We do a lot of joint calls and Zooms, but also try to divide what we can focus our energies on so we can accomplish even more. My husband is on a 24-hour time zone, where half of your life is waking up as the other half is going to sleep. It’s kind of the reverse of what I went through living in the U.K.
“He’s very good at responding on text. Me, I try to be as fast as possible on email. I’ve always said, if it takes less than five minutes, do it now.”
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Life seems to be going great for Meghan and Harry’s family. They have their hands full being parents to Archie and Lilibet and being involved in a number of different projects.
When it comes to Meghan’s former career as an actress, she could be heard saying she doesn’t plan on returning to it, but she also says, ‘never say never,’ so it wouldn’t come as a surprise if we see her as part of Hollywood again.
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