Without a doubt, Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy is one of the best, if not the best Christmas classics, and the story behind the way this song came to life and everything that preceded crooner Bing Crosby and icon David Bowie’s duet is quite impressive to say the least.
At the time, Crosby was doing his Christmas special, Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas, and producers wished Bowie, who was an international super star, to be part of it. In order to persuade him to do so, they agreed to promote the video of the glam rocker’s latest single, Heroes, during the broadcast.
This didn’t mean much to Bowie, but it certainly meant to him that his mom was a huge fan of Crosby who was drawn to Bowie because of his children. Namely, Crosby’s son and daughter dreamed of seeing their father perform together with Bowie, so it was a win-win situation.
The legendary duet between Crosby and Bowie took place on September 11, 1977.
However, not everything was smooth at first. It turned out that Crosby wasn’t too impressed with Bowie’s appearance, his lipstick and his earring among the rest.
“The doors opened and David walked in with his wife,” Mary, Crosby’s daughter, recalled several years ago. “They were both wearing full-length mink coats, they had matching full makeup, and their hair was bright red. We were thinking, Oh, my God!”
The performance almost didn’t happen.
Just as the two got cozy around the grand piano and started singing Little Drummer Boy, Bowie turned to the producers, looking a bit bored, and asked if there was anything else that they could sing.
At that moment, composer Ian Fraser “didn’t know quite what to do.” But as true professionals, Fraser, along with co-writers Buz Kohan and Larry Grossman, decided to improvise and create an original song, and that’s how Peace on Earth was born.
It only took around an hour for these great names in the music industry to rehearse the masterpiece which is until this day considered a Christmas classic.
Unfortunately, Crosby passed away of massive heart attack not long after his Christmas special was recorded. It aired posthumously in the U.S. at the end of November, and on Christmas Eve in England.
The song still continues to inspire. To listen to it go to the video below.
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Angela Lansbury, a true Hollywood icon, passed away at the age of 96.
This incredible woman captivated millions in her youth, then went on to become a Broadway musical sensation, and drew even bigger audience portraying a widowed mystery writer on the long-running television series “Murder, She Wrote.”
She died in her sleep in her Los Angeles home.
Angela’s career, across film, TV, and stage, spanned 75 years.
Actress Angela Lansbury a scene from the movie “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (Getty Images)
Angela Brigid Lansbury was born on October 16, 1923, in London, England. She suffered a huge heartbreak when her father died. She was just nine years old at the time and the loss affected her childhood and life a great deal.
In an attempt to cope with her grief, young Angela found solace in performance, and that saved her. She would later describe it as a “defining moment of her life.”
“Nothing before or since has ever affected me so deeply,” she told Closer. “I became something of a dreamer, lost in my grief [and] much more interested in acting, following the example of my mother.”
Angela’s mom was a well-respected actress, so when the family was forced to leave England for America, she found herself working on Broadway. It’s safe to say that Angela inherited her mom’s acting talent and found her place under the Hollywood sky.
Angela had her big breakthrough acting alongside Ingrid Bergman in Gaslight. At the time, she had just turned 18.
“That was a thrilling experience, to work with Ingrid [Bergman], who was so kind. It was sort of a dream world,” she recalled.
“I was so young; I was really awed by what I was being asked to do. And when you’re challenged like that, you damn well do your best.”
After appearing in her first movie, she was nominated for best supporting actress for an Academy Award. She continued her career during the ’60s and ’70s and appeared in a number of television projects such as The King and I and Sweeney Todd. in 1945, Angela received her second Oscar nomination for her supporting performance in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
She won five Tony’s, six Golden Globes and one Oliver Award.
Flickr / Isabel Santos Pilot
Already a famous name in the industry back in 1983, Angela was offered two roles at the same time, that of writer Jessica Fletcher and another in a sitcom. Her manager was convinced she should accept the role in the sitcom, but she felt that playing the role of a widowed former school teacher turned successful mystery writer and amateur sleuth would be the right thing to do. Years later, her decision turned fateful.
For her role in Murder, She Wrote, Angela was nominated for Prime Time Emmy 12 times, but she didn’t win any.
“It pissed me off!” she told the Radio Times in 2017.
“Because I just didn’t add up at all in Hollywood. Everywhere else in the U.S., Murder, She Wrote was huge, but not in Hollywood — no, no, no, they didn’t want to know. I wasn’t upset… Well, I was upset, really. It rankled me. I can’t say it didn’t.”
Flickr / Isabel Santos Pilot
When it comes to her private life, Angela was married twice. In 1949, tied the knot with her second husband, British actor Peter Shaw, with whom she had two children, Anthony and Deirdre. The two were married for over five decades before Shaw passed away in 2003.
Their relationship resembled a fairy-tale.
“We had the perfect relationship,” she said of their marriage in 2014.
“Not many people can say that. He was everything to me: we were partners at work as well as husband and wife and lovers. I don’t know how we had such a long marriage, but the simple fact was that we were devoted to one another.”
Actress Angela Lansbury and her husband Peter Shaw attending the premiere of the movie ‘The Glass Menagerie’, 1950. (Photo by Pictorial Parade/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
Writing in the Belfast Telegraph, Angela looked back on her beautiful marriage and the wonderful years she got to spend with Peter.
“I had a wonderfully happy marriage to Peter. We were both doers, we had the same sort of energy, and we did everything for the family, and that was our mutual thrust at all times.
“We had our moments when we could have hit each other out of the ballpark, but it didn’t allow us to think that we couldn’t make it through.”
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For her iconic role of Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote, Angela was paid $40,000 per episode. From 1992 to 1996, however, she worked as the executive producer for the TV series which put her in a better position to negotiate with Universal and CBS.
According to Daily Mail, during these four years of filming, Angela was paid $200,000 per episode. When she died, she had a net worth of around $70 million.
Angela Lansbury is survived by her children, her three grandchildren, five great grandchildren and her brother, producer Edgar Lansbury.
Our thoughts go to her family, friends, and fans. Rest in peace, Angela.
When the McNally family opened the doors to their hearts and their home to a Pit Bull mix named Duk, little did they know the decision would have a huge impact on their life.
The moment the dog entered the house everyone was overjoyed as they all knew they got themselves a best friend for life. This was especially true for the child, 5-year-old Robert, who enjoyed spending every minute of every day by Duke’s side. The two loved being outdoors hiking and having fun in the mountains.
One day, during such a trip into the woods, the family decided to take a short break before getting to the cabin. At one moment, as Robert’s dad and his husband were resting under a tree, they saw Duke running towards Robert at full speed and knocking him to the ground. Unaware of what was going on, they rushed towards the boy believing Duke was trying to hurt him.
But then, they realized that the faithful dog saved Robert’s life.
Duke noticed a snake approaching and rushed to his human brother to prevent the snake from biting him. Sadly, it was Duke who got bitten, instead.
Fearing for the dog’s life, Robert took him to the hospital as soon as possible. Luckily, the poison didn’t get too far into his body. Duke received medications and started feeling fine.
“Without Duke, Robert would have undoubtedly been bitten by the snake, and the likelihood of death is quite high. Duke’s life is a blessing in our eyes because of his selfless deed. Although he is aware of our deep affection for him, we will now be much more connected,” the dad said.
Next time they go hiking, they will be more cautious and will not leave Robert out of sight.
If it wasn’t for Duke, Robert could easily get bitten and die, but he was lucky to have someone as brave as his dog by his side.
This story is yet another proof of how special and loving Pit Bulls are. It is extremely sad that people perceive them as vicious and unfriendly.
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People often speak of the importance of embracing natural beauty, but when some decide to do that for real, they are often judged and called names.
Chances are you have already heard of Edina Jaganjac, a woman from Denmark who has decided to stop shaving her unibrow and her mustache. Her appearance, which many find uncommon for a woman, caused quite a stir on the social media after she posted photos of herself and her natural look online.
The reason behind this decision is that Edina became wary of the world’s expectations on females, especially when it comes to removing their facial hair. Also, she realized that man need much less time to get ready as they spend insignificant amount of time caring for their body hair and how thick or overgrown it is.
She admits that the choices she has made with her body and facial hair are not for anyone but herself, contrary to what the media may believe.
Source: Instagram
Speaking to Tyla, this 31-year-old instructor says she does some trolling from teens online and comments in the street from men. Some tell her to ‘pluck that’ and others say her unibrow resembles a ‘third head.’
Edina, however, doesn’t let these mean comments affect the way she feels about herself, and that’s very confident.
“I’ve chosen to concentrate on the tasks and objectives that I have to do and less on how I come across while doing them and whether people like me or not, because I probably won’t see them again, and if I do, I still don’t care,” she said.
Source: Instagram
According to her, her new looks helps her get rid of judgmental people and ‘weed out’ any conservative potential partners.
“I don’t care what people think. I don’t want it to become this big thing — no pun intended — but it’s a personal choice for everyone to make themselves, and I wish that people wouldn’t care no matter how a woman chooses to look,” she shared.
“Before I let my unibrow grow out, I did feel like there were extremely limited options to how women were supposed to look.
“If a man doesn’t shave and doesn’t pluck his eyebrows, no one notices or comments and it’s nothing out of the ordinary.
“Just like many other women, I have learned to police myself. For instance, I used to not feel comfortable going outside unless my eyebrows were the accepted small size, and I wouldn’t go to the gym unless my legs were clean shaven.”
What do you think of this woman’s stance on her body and facial hair?
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The new Princess of Wales not only was rewarded the title of her late mother-in-law recently, but she seemed to have acquired Diana’s charm as well. Just like Lady Di, Kate Middleton is a much loved member of the royalty adored by her people and million other from all over the world.
Born on January 9, 1982, in Reading, England, to parents Michael and Carole Middleton who have been pretty rich, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Kate attended prestigious schools, including Downe House, Marlborough College, and St. Andrew’s Prep School.
Shutterstock/LINGTREN.COM
The future Queen has fond memories of her student days at the University of St. Andrew’s in Scotland. In fact, it was then that she and William met and started dating.
“I actually went bright red when I met you and scuttled off feeling very shy about meeting you,” she recalled of the first meeting with her future husband.
“William wasn’t there for quite a bit of the time initially, he wasn’t there from Fresher’s Week, so it did take a bit of time for us to get to know each other.”
William, meanwhile, didn’t recall their first meeting, saying he had to “wrack his brains” to remember it.
Kate Middleton Graduation in 2005. (Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
According to the documentary The Day Will and Kate Got Married, which aired in April 2021, the two were just good friends at the beginning but one night changed it all. During a student fashion show, Kate wore a sheer dress that wooed the Prince, and the rest is history.
“A switch had been flicked, he suddenly saw her in a different light, and I really believe that was the turning point in their relationship,” Vanity Fair’s royal correspondent, Katie Nicholl, said in the documentary.
As reported by The Telegraph, Prince William said: “We were friends for over a year first and it just sort of blossomed from then on. We just spent more time with each other and had a good giggle, and realized we shared the same interests.”
Their love was deep and they got the entire attention from the media. Kate even made a public appearance with the Royals and attended the Sovereign’s Parade at the Royal Military Academy, in which William attended, along with her family.
Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
And as everyone believed a royal marriage was just around the corner, the two split in 2007.
Recalling the time of their break up, both Kate and William claimed it was actually good for them because they got to “find themselves.” Kate even said that “you can get quite consumed by a relationship when you’re younger,” as per The Telegraph.
On April 29, 2011,William and Kate Middleton tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in London.
Today, the couple has been married for over ten years and has three lovely children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Shutterstock/Frederic Legrand
Kate Middleton isn’t just a real-life Princess, a future Queen, and a mother, but she’s also a very attractive woman who never ceases to amaze millions with her generosity, charm, and natural beauty.
According to Amy Bates, a hair-and-makeup artist, the Princess of Wales follows certain beauty regime which helps her stay youthful.
“In her younger years, Kate’s brows were thin and heavily plucked but now they are growing back thicker,” Bates told The Sun. “I imagine a specialist has helped her using a technique such as HD Brows, where the natural brows are tinted and shaped.”
The expert further said that in the past, Kate used thick eyeliner, and over time, she switched to a softer and lighter shade, which in general helps women look younger.
According to Bales, Kate helps add to her appearance by wearing a more laid-back hairstyle that shows off her bone structure. Having the hair high, the way Kate wore it for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, can take “years off you.”
“It elongates the neck, creating a youthful look. With Kate, it draws attention to her perfect posture.”
Chris Uncle/FilmMagic
Another expert, physiotherapist Sammy Margo, believes that how old or young someone appears to be has a lot to do with their posture.
And when it comes to Kate, Margo says, “If you look at photos from a decade ago compared to now, she is standing taller than before and holding herself much better. This gives her a very pleasant allure and makes her appear younger than 40.
“We often see photos of her standing or sitting at events. She never slumps,” Margo added. “When you are sitting or standing, you are still working your muscles. Kate is clearly making an effort to engage her muscles during the day.”
With or without makeup, Kate Middleton is stunningly beautiful.
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Sahar Tabar, self-proclaimed Angelina Jolie lookalike, has caused quite a stir on the social media from the moment she started posting photos of herself, claiming she had undergone 50 surgeries to look like the Hollywood star.
Her Instagram account has attracted over 480,000 followers who dubbed her ‘zombie’ and ‘corpse bride’ because of her eccentric appearance.
Later, however, Tabar confessed the number of surgeries she allegedly had was exaggerated and that most of her photos were photoshopped. Asked why she portrayed herself with a grayish skin color, excessively big lips, and highlighted cheekbones, she said she was just having fun.
In an interview with Sputnik, she said, “Now I can see that I have something in common with her [Angelina Jolie], but I amuse myself, and to look like someone is not my goal.
“Over time I post a photo, I make my face more fun and funny, it is a form of self-expression, a kind of art. My fans know that this is not my real face,” she added.
However, her appearance not only didn’t go unnoticed by millions, but it put her in big trouble.
Living in Iran, where rules of the way women look like and dress are strict, Tabar was accused of blasphemy, inciting violence, gaining income through inappropriate means and encouraging youths to corruption. Her lawyer claimed she had later been cleared of two of the four charges against her, but did not want to comment further as Tabar was still hoping for a pardon. Instead, she was sentenced to 10 years in jail.
At one point, she called on Angelina Jolie, who she is a big fan of, to campaign for her release, saying: “The Islamic Republic has a history of tormenting women. We need to be united against this gender apartheid.”
When she went public and expressed remorse, her speech triggered sympathy. Medical records showed that at the time she was jailed, Tabar suffered from mental illness.
Shortly after being sent to prison, it was reported that she was allegedly bailed.
The truth is that without excessive makeup on, Tabar still looks like a normal person to some extent.
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When two people say ‘I do,’ they promise to be by each other’s side in sickness and in health, but do they keep that promise when things get hard? Some are determined to remain their partner’s support until the very end, while other’s decide to leave. That is why we should always choose carefully who we want to spend the rest of our life with.
Riona Kelly and her husband were happily married for 14 years, or at least she thought so.
A one point in her life, this mother of two suffered a stoke which left her paralyzed from the waist down. Chances that she could ever walk again were poor, but doctors believed that over time, she could again stand on her feet with the help of exercises and a strong will.
Sadly, her husband wasn’t willing to support her during the process. Instead, he decided to leave her for good.
That broke Riona’s heart. However, as time passed by, she realized that having someone in her life as selfish as her ex-husband wasn’t what she wished for. She now knew that she didn’t need him anymore.
Riona started therapy with Keith, a personal assistant who was about to help her get her old life back.
The two spent much time together, and eventually fell in love with each other. Her determination to get on her feet again and to never give up inspired Keith.
He was there for her through her tough times and helped her overcome them.
Eventually, she recovered and the two are still together. Her kids love Keith and they even refer to him as to their dad.
Not even in her wildest dreams did this woman believe that a tragedy could lead to finding the love of her life.
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As one door closed for the British Royals following the passing of Queen Elizabeth, another, subsequently opened.
Now that Charles became King of the United Kingdom and the 14 Commonwealth realms, after waiting for many years, he is quick to take things under his control together with his wife Camilla who was awarded the title Queen Consort, as the late Queen wished.
The Queen’s passing wasn’t just a moment of profound grief, but one of unification of the British people who mourn their monarch’s passing each in their own way.
Not only Queen Elizabeth reigned for 70 years, more than any other ruler in the history of the United Kingdom, but she became a motherly, and later a grandmotherly figure and a link between the old days and the modern British history. Under her rule, the country has gone through social changes and saw many ups and down, all of which Her Majesty handled with dignity and wisdom.
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As the lives of the royals are slowly but steadily returning to normal, Charles and Camilla have their hands full. They are constantly engaged in a number of royal events, which sadly means stepping down from some of King’s charitable work.
One particular ‘issue’ that needs to be resolved is of course that of the shaky relationship between the King and his younger son, Prince Harry.
According to royal experts things don’t seem dull as in the past and a step towards making things better has been undertaken by the Sussexes recently.
Following the decision to leave Britain, Harry did dish dirt on his family and Charles accused him of dragging the family name in the mud. Back then, the media reported that the two weren’t speaking to each other.
Shutterstock/ITS
And as everyone’s eyes are on the members of the Firm, it has been revealed that Harry will be releasing a memoir later this year, and many expect his book to address issue that have long been kept behind closed doors. What this would mean for the already stormy relationship between Harry and his family is yet to be seen.
Besides Harry, it was his wife Meghan who was pretty vocal when it came to criticizing the royals. Accusations have been made and things have been said. At the time, it seemed that those words caused trouble beyond repair, but as days and years passed by, things started to change and today, many believe that the Sussexes would possibly return to Britain. Others, however, say this thought itself is ridiculous.
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Interestingly, King Charles is said to have his own nickname for Meghan, one coined after she reportedly showed perseverance during her and Prince Harry’s 2018 appearance at the Royal Foundation Forum.
As reported by Page Six, Charles refers, or at least referred, to Meghan as “Tungsten,” a hard steel-grey metal of the third transition series that has the highest melting point of all metallic elements.
In her book The New Royals, author Katie Nicholl wrote: “It was, according to one aide, the moment William and Kate, who was heavily pregnant, realized they needed to up their game.
“The Cambridges [now named the Prince and Princess of Wales] had already signalled their intention to be more than ‘ornamental royals’ and had, along with Harry, made a huge success of their mental health campaign Heads Together.
“But Meghan was the breakout star of the foursome. She was polished, passionate and funny, using all her TV-honed skills to present her case. That was a wake-up moment for William and Kate when they realized that Meghan was very impressive, very confident and very capable, according to a source.”
