Kansas singer Ronnie Platt revealed he has been diagnosed with cancer as the rock band canceled multiple shows.
Platt, 64, seemed in good spirits following his diagnosis as he shared a statement on Facebook regarding his health.
“For all of you asking, Tuesday I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer but before everyone gets all excited, it has a 99% survival rate, it has not spread,” Platt wrote on Feb. 15. “It’s contained to my thyroid. I just have to have my thyroid removed. Go through some rehab time and be right back in the saddle.”
“I sincerely appreciate everyone’s positive thoughts and prayers,” Platt continued. “I have some absolutely amazing people going to bat for me!! as it has been put to me, this is just a bump in the road and will be behind me very soon! so everyone please CARRY ON!”
Thyroid cancer can begin with no symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. Eventually, the cancer may cause “swelling in your neck, voice changes and difficulty swallowing.” There are several types of thyroid cancer.
“Our goal is to be back on the road as soon as possible,” assistant band manager J.R. Rees told Ultimate Classic Rock in a statement. “Right now, we’re all focused on supporting Ronnie through this.”
Kansas singer Ronnie Platt revealed he has been diagnosed with cancer as the rock band canceled multiple shows.
“For all of you asking, Tuesday I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer but before everyone gets all excited, it has a 99% survival rate, it has not spread,” Platt wrote on Facebook on Feb. 15.
The band also shared an article on Platt’s cancer diagnosis on social media, writing, “This is just a bump in the road.”
Before announcing his diagnosis, Kansas pushed two shows scheduled for Feb. 14 and Feb. 15 in Oklahoma to November.
The rock band also canceled an upcoming show in Lake Charles, Louisiana, scheduled for March 1.“The band apologizes for the inconvenience and hopes to be back on the road soon,” Kansas wrote on Instagram.
“It’s contained to my thyroid. I just have to have my thyroid removed. Go through some rehab time and be right back in the saddle,” he continued.
“Our goal is to be back on the road as soon as possible,” assistant band manager J.R. Rees told Ultimate Classic Rock in a statement. “Right now, we’re all focused on supporting Ronnie through this.”
Kansas was formed five decades ago as a “garage band” in Topeka.
The rock band released its debut album, “Kansas,” in 1974.
Kansas charted on Billboard for 200 weeks during the 1970s and 1980s, according to the band’s website.
“Carry on Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind” have continued to be popular songs to this day.
Robert De Niro on “Live with Kelly and Mark,” Feb. 20, 2025.
Robert De Niro has shared the backstory behind one of the most unforgettable moments in Martin Scorsese’s 1976 masterpiece “Taxi Driver,” revealing that the iconic scene was partially improvised.
During an appearance on “Live with Kelly and Mark” on Thursday, the 81-year-old actor recalled how some of the best moments in film come from spontaneous improvisation. “Some of the best stuff, not always, is when it’s improvised,” De Niro told hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos.
In “Taxi Driver,” De Niro’s portrayal of disturbed cabbie Travis Bickle birthed one of the most memorable scenes in cinema history: standing in front of a mirror, Bickle talks to himself and points a gun at his reflection as he imagines facing off with a foe.
TAXI DRIVER, Robert De Niro, 1976
TAXI DRIVER, Robert De Niro, 1976
“You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? Then who the hell else are you talkin’ to?” De Niro, as Bickle, famously demands of his invisible adversary. “You talkin’ to me? Well, I’m the only one here. Who the f–k do you think you’re talking to?”
During his chat with Ripa and Consuelos, De Niro said that the scene wasn’t entirely scripted. “The producer [of the film] … said on some show that Marty had said it was all improvised. We had something [on the page], I forget exactly but Marty remembers a lot better than I do,” the actor shared.
Robert De Niro on “Live with Kelly and Mark,” Feb. 20, 2025.
Robert De Niro on “Live with Kelly and Mark,” Feb. 20, 2025.
“It seemed right,” De Niro added, reflecting on the moment. “It was done spontaneously. You don’t know what’s going to [happen]. That’s the fun of working, especially with someone like Marty Scorsese. It’s nice to be able to go here and there, go off, following the scene or the thrust of the story, but you can go here and there. You never know when that stuff is usable.”
De Niro’s performance in “Taxi Driver” earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. The trophy ended up going to the late Peter Finch for his role in “Network.”
TAXI DRIVER, Robert De Niro, 1976
In 2003, Bickle was ranked as the 30th greatest movie villain in movie history by the American Film Institute in their “AFI 100 Years…100 Heroes & Villains” list.
Although plans for a “Taxi Driver” sequel were discussed in the early 2000s, with De Niro and Scorsese working with screenwriter Paul Schrader, the project was ultimately abandoned in 2013 when the famous director grew dissatisfied with the script.
Robert De Niro attends “A Bronx Tale” screening during the 2023 Tribeca Festival at Beacon Theatre on June 17, 2023 in New York City.
Nearly 50 years since “Taxi Driver,” De Niro’s performance continues to influence film and popular culture. When the “Goodfellas” star made a cameo in a “Debbie Downer” sketch on Sunday’s “SNL 50: The Anniversary Special,” Debbie (Rachel Dratch) responded to De Niro’s request for a straw by asking, “You talking to me? You talking to me?”
Harrison Ford is still going strong at 82. When the Hollywood legend was on the red carpet for Season 2 of his “Yellowstone” prequel show “1923” (returning Sunday on Paramount+), Entertainment Tonight asked what would make him retire.
The “Indiana Jones” star quipped, “When you forget my name.”
Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford leave the “Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny” red carpet during the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2023, in Cannes, France.
When asked if a third season of “1923” would happen, he shrugged and said, “I just work here.”
During that same red carpet, Extra asked Ford the same question about retirement, and he replied, “Haven’t thought about it.”
As for what keeps him working, Ford answered, “Good writing. I just stumbled into a kind of vein of it, and that’s why I’m so ubiquitous right now.”
Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton and Helen Mirren as Cara Dutton in Season 2, Episode 7 of “1923.”
About “Yellowstone” universe creator Taylor Sheridan, he said, “His writing is exceptional. He’s an incredible storyteller. Nothing like that that I’ve ever seen.”
Helen Mirren, 79, plays his on-screen wife in “1923,” and the pair are “old friends.”
“She’s [an] absolutely extraordinary actress and wonderful person to be with and hang out with. I really adore her,” Ford gushed. “She’s a lot of fun, and she’s extraordinarily talented and one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.”
“The Fugitive” actor is currently in two shows in his eighth decade — “1923” and the Apple TV+ comedy “Shrinking,” which he got a Golden Globe nomination for. He’s also in the blockbuster “Captain America: Brave New World.”
Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart attend the 2024 Critics Choice Awards on Jan. 14, 2024, in Santa Monica, Calif.
Harrison Ford attends the Los Angeles premiere of Paramount+ Series “1923” Season 2 on Feb. 19, 2025, in Los Angeles, Calif.
He’s been married to his third wife, Calista Flockhart, 60, since 2010. The couple share one adopted son, Liam, 22, and Ford also has four adult children from his past marriages: Benjamin, 58, Willard, 55, Malcolm, 36, and Georgia, 34.
During a recent interview with The Post, Ford’s “1923” co-star, Julia Schlaepfer, who plays his character’s daughter-in-law, gushed about Ford and his sense of humor.
“He’s the funniest person alive,” Schlaepfer, 29, said about the “Star Wars” star.
Harrison Ford is seen on Oct. 8, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Brandon Sklenar, Michelle Randolph, Julia Schlaepfer and Harrison Ford attend the “1923” Season 2 premiere at Delilah on Feb. 19, 2025, in Los Angeles, Calif.
She added, “We all spent so much time together, and he just has the best sense of humor. He would joke with me all the time. He would… ask for my autograph and then crumple it up and throw it in the trash. He would make fun of me, and I would make fun of him.”
Ford “respects the work so much,” she said, “and respects all the people who are working and is obviously so talented and a legend — but he’s just so humble and cool and like he’s like somebody you just want to hang out with.”
Blake Lively in new claims accused Justin Baldoni of ‘predatory behaviour’
Blake Lively faces major setback in $400 million lawsuit with Justin Baldoni
Blake Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloane seeks dismissal from a $400 million lawsuit filed by Justin Baldoni.
On February 20, Sloane’s lawyer, Sigrid McCawley, filed a motion to dismiss in federal court in New York, requesting reimbursement of legal fees and removal of Sloane and her firm, Vision PR, from the countersuit.
The petition, as per People magazine, claims that they were “dragged” into the legal dispute as a “smoke and mirrors exercise to distract from” Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and retaliation, suggesting that there is no “basis” for charging Sloane of spreading “malicious stories” or starting a “smear campaign.”
Sloane’s lawyers assert that Baldoni’s lawyers fail to “identify where or how the alleged extortion occurred” or explain how Sloane “received anything of value because of that extortion.”
Lively, 37, is defended by Sloane’s solicitors in other parts of the document against Baldoni’s portrayal of the dispute as a creative battle to take over It Ends With Us.
“Baldoni’s allegations about the creative issues are irrelevant and tellingly sexist. Because Ms Lively — an executive producer on the film — dared to offer input on the script, wardrobe and editing, Baldoni blasts her as ‘tyrannical’ and ‘aggressive,’ among other coded terms.”
They added, “When Ms Lively bravely spoke up about Baldoni’s predatory behaviour, he and his team used every weapon in their arsenal to blame, embarrass and silence her, going so far as to hire a crisis PR manager who promised to ‘bury’ Ms Lively and ‘destroy’ her life.”
The Age of Adaline star has updated her December lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and several others, accusing them of sexual harassment, retaliation, and orchestrating an online smear campaign to damage her reputation after she reported alleged misconduct.
Buckingham Palace issues major update about key members of royal family in new statement
Palace issues major life update about King Charles, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne
Royal family released a delightful statement from a significant meeting of key royal figures which took place at Buckingham Palace.
King Charles’ office released photos from a gathering organised to honour the remarkable individuals and organisations, working wholeheartedly for philanthropic causes.
Alongside the pictures on the royal family’s Instagram page, the message has also been issued by the Palace’s officials.
The statement reads, “Thank you to the exceptional individuals and organisations contributing towards humanitarian efforts across the globe.”
“At Buckingham Palace, The King and Queen, joined by The Princess Royal and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, welcomed guests to thank them for their vital work.”
“The reception also marked the anniversaries of four global charities: @IHP_UK, @ShelterBoxUK, @IslamicReliefUK, and @ChristianAidUK.”
“Their Majesties were shown displays on the work of these four charities, as well as a special collection of images from the @DisastersEmergencyCommittee.”
Nicolas Cage’s lawyer has slammed the lawsuit filed by Christina Fulton, calling it ‘absurd and frivolous’
Nicolas Cage allegedly ‘failed’ to get their son the help he needed
Nicolas Cage is facing a lawsuit from his ex-wife Christina Fulton, who claims the actor ignored their son Weston Coppola Cage’s mental health issues and enabled his violent behaviour before an alleged assault.
According to court documents obtained by People, Fulton accuses Cage of “failing” to intervene before a 2024 incident where Weston, 33, allegedly attacked her.
The lawsuit stems from an altercation on April 28, 2024, which Fulton initially described as a “mental-health crisis” rather than a dispute.
However, Weston was later arrested in July on charges of assault with a deadly weapon. At the time, Fulton said she was “brutally assaulted” and stressed the importance of her son getting professional help.
In her filing, Fulton, 57, alleges Cage, 61, was aware of Weston’s history of violence but failed to take necessary action.
She claims the Longlegs star has repeatedly bailed their son out of jail, consumed alcohol with him despite his substance abuse struggles, and funded his lifestyle, including paying for his Los Angeles condo near Cage’s own residence.
The lawsuit accuses Cage of neglecting to ensure Weston received proper psychiatric care, instead fostering a “reckless” environment without boundaries.
Cage’s lawyer has since responded to the lawsuit, calling the allegations “absurd and frivolous,” per People.
“Mr. Cage does not control Weston’s behaviour in any manner and is not responsible for Weston’s alleged assault of his mother.”
Taylor Swift allegedly played a bigger role in the production of “It Ends With Us” than what sources have led the public to believe.
The film’s director, Justin Baldoni, and actress Isabela Ferrer, who played a supporting role in the drama, have said in separate interviews that the pop superstar was involved in the latter’s casting.
in a resurfaced clip from a sit-down with “Access Hollywood,” Baldoni, 41, claimed he cast Ferrer, 25, to play a younger version of Blake Lively’s character, Lily, because they resembled one another and the Hollywood newbie is a “phenomenal actress.”
“I had actually brought in and showed her casting tape to Blake and Taylor and they were both, like, ‘Yes! her,’” the director then divulged. “And that’s a true story.”
Taylor Swift was allegedly involved in part of the casting process for “It Ends With Us.”
Justin Baldoni claimed in a resurfaced interview that Swift and Blake Lively both approved of Isabela Ferrer’s casting.
Ferrer, for her part, confirmed to “Extra” at the premiere of “It Ends With Us” that Swift, 35, had “some influence” in her getting the role.
“I don’t even know if I’m supposed to be saying it, but I’m saying it!” she added hesitantly. “Yeah, she was a helpful part of the process of the audition, which I found out later after I got it and that rocked my world. I have no words.”
Additionally, Lively said she asked Swift permission to use her song “My Tears Ricochet” in the film’s trailer and soundtrack and was by her side “throughout this whole process.”
“I think that, for better or worse, she experienced the whole thing with me,” the “Gossip Girl” alum, 37, told “CBS Mornings” in August 2024.
“This was actually — it’s quite a small budget movie. … So we never thought, like, our eyeballs were not that big to think that we could put one of her songs in the movie and it had to be.”
Ferrer, who played Young Lily in the film, once also said she was told Swift had an “influence” in her casting.
Despite these on-camera admissions, sources have tried to distance Swift from Baldoni and Lively’s ongoing legal feud, even going so far as to claim that the “Lover” singer was duped by her friend.
In January, Baldoni name-dropped Swift in his $400 million extortion and defamation lawsuit against Lively after the latter accused him of sexual harassment and other claims in a California Civil Rights Department complaint and her own subsequent lawsuit.
The “Jane the Virgin” alum claimed he was invited to Lively’s New York City penthouse to discuss her script re-writes with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and “a famous, and famously close, friend,” referencing Swift.
Lively allegedly texted Baldoni after the meeting, “If you ever get around to watching ‘Game of Thrones,’ you’ll appreciate that I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have a few dragons,” referring to Swift and Reynolds, 48.
“For better or worse, but usually for better. Because my dragons also protect those I fight for. So really we all benefit from those gorgeous monsters of mine. You will too, I can promise you.”
Baldoni has alleged via his lawyers that Lively used Swift to manipulate his decisions throughout production.
He claimed Lively once texted him, “If you ever get around to watching ‘Game of Thrones,’ you’ll appreciate that I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have a few dragons,” referring to Swift and Ryan Reynolds.
Baldoni’s lawyers argued in the suit that their client “felt obliged to text Lively to say that he had liked her pages and hadn’t needed Reynolds and her megacelebrity friend to pressure him.”
They added, “The message could not have been clearer. Baldoni was not just dealing with Lively. He was also facing Lively’s ‘dragons,’ two of the most influential and wealthy celebrities in the world, who were not afraid to make things very difficult for him.”
Sources then began to speak out, claiming that the Grammy winner felt “used” by Lively and that she “doesn’t appreciate being referred to as one of Blake’s dragons.”
A “well-connected” insider also claimed to TMZ that Swift “had no idea” there was a meeting being held with Baldoni when she was invited to Lively’s penthouse that day.
Sources then began to speak out, claiming that the Grammy winner felt “used” by Lively and that she “doesn’t appreciate being referred to as one of Blake’s dragons.”A “well-connected” insider also claimed to TMZ that Swift “had no idea” there was a meeting being held with Baldoni when she was invited to Lively’s penthouse that day.
Multiple sources have said that the legal issues have strained Lively and Swift’s friendship.
Additionally, Page Six has been told that the “You Belong With Me” singer is “hurt by this whole situation,” feels like a “pawn” and is “taking a break from their friendship.”
Baldoni’s lawyers have said they are considering deposing Swift.
The “Age of Adeline” star still follows Swift on Instagram but was noticeably absent from the Super Bowl 2025, where the “So High School” singer gathered with her closest pals to cheer on Travis Kelce.
A trial date for Lively and Baldoni’s cases has been set for March 9, 2026.
Baldoni’s lead attorney, Bryan Freedman, has said he is considering deposing Swift for his case, but an official decision on that matter has not yet been made.
Meghan Markle shocked to learn about blunt response amid rift Prince William, Kate Middleton
Meghan Markle deeply ‘hurt’ after bombshell revelations emerge from Palace
Meghan Markle was taken aback after her heartfelt gesture towards the royal family received a harsh reaction.
Prince Harry and his wife, who were married in 2018, left their senior royal positions in 2020, after trouble began simmering for the couple living in the royal palace.
The Duchess of Sussex touched up on her fractured relationship with her in-laws during her 2021 Oprah interview, which had further irked the royals. However, Meghan has now moved on to her own ventures since her departure – including the launch of her lifestyle brand, As Ever.
While there has been no response from the royal family over Meghan’s new journey, new details from palace have been brought to spotlight in a new book by royal biographer Tom Quinn.
He revealed that the former Suits actress, who had proclaimed to always have been a “hugger”, did not impress the royal with her informal gestures.
“Kate, William and Charles tended to flinch when she moved in for a hug”, Quinn disclosed, adding that Meghan was left “understandably hurt,” by their reactions.
“Meghan even tried to hug a singularly stiff Old Etonian equerry. He too flinched as if she’d tried to poke him in the eye, as another member of staff put it,” he shared.
Previously, Meghan revealed in her Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, “I was a hugger. I’ve always been a hugger, I didn’t realise that that is really jarring for a lot of Brits.”
She continued, “I guess I started to understand very quickly that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside. [I thought there would be] a forward-facing way of being, and then you close the door and go, ‘You can relax now.’ But that formality carries over on both sides. And that was surprising to me.”
The new details emerged as Meghan is gearing up to release the latest series for the streaming giant, With Love, Meghan, on March 4th. The show aligns with Meghan’s brand launch, for which Netflix is also a partner in.
Kate Middleton, Prince William change strategy after Meghan’s new announcement
Kate Middleton team receives new crucial task after Meghan’s relaunch
Kate Middleton, who underwent a nine-month cancer treatment last year, is now refocusing her priorities as Meghan Markle picks up speed on her individual business ventures this year.
The Princess of Wales, who is gradually making a return to public facing duties, is making big changes to her strategy on not only for herself but also for her husband Prince William.
The royal family has often been a target of criticism for his wealth and privilege. And now that there major comparisons drawn between the Wales and the Sussexes, Kate is determined to put up a specific image for the public, per historian and author Jane Marguerite Tippett.
Kate’s popularity, which is also by extension the Wales brand, “very much rests on her relatability” and her “penchant for accessible fashion”.
Jane suggested to MailOnline that the pair is taking a “strategic” approach. The team is working on the task as they are “influenced by the larger PR game” to present Kate and William as “down-to-earth figures” and “draw away attention from the reality of their extreme wealth and privilege”.
The expert noted that Kate with her outings gives a visual message which does not reflect on the “actuality of her wealth”.
She also pointed out that while only people scouring through commercial sites would know the actual cost of the “extremely pricey garments”, the outfits would not appear to be luxurious.
The couple’s change in strategy comes after Meghan announced the launch and the rename of her much-anticipated lifestyle brand, As Ever.
Meghan, who has usually adopted an easy-going casual attire with a mix of luxury, has been dominating headlines since the bombshell announcement. It appears that Kate and William were thrown into action after the unexpected move from the Sussexes.
Rob Schneider shared on social media that his view at the ’50th Anniversary Special’ of Saturday Night Live was blocked by Cher’s hair.
Why It Matters
Saturday Night Live celebrated its 50th anniversary with a three-hour prime-time special on Sunday night and had many celebrities in attendance, including Schneider and Cher.
Schneider, a former comedic heavyweight, starred in films like The Hot Chick and 50 First Dates. He has since become known for sharing conspiracy theories online and was accused of spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines.
What To Know
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Schneider wrote, “Cher’s hair is blocking my view… I can’t see S***!” The post has been viewed over 200,000 times at the time of reporting.
Cher was pictured on the red carpet arriving at the event and had her hair styled in a large updo.
Alexander Edwards and Cher attend SNL50: The Anniversary Special on February 16, 2025 at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York City.
Schneider made multiple posts about the event. Writing on X, he said, “It is one of the great honors of my life to have been lucky enough to be a Saturday Night Live cast member.”
Cher was one of many musical guests who performed at the event. She performed her 1989 song, “If I Could Turn Back Time.” The 78-year-old musician attended the event with her boyfriend Alexander Edwards.
The three-hour special was packed with celebrity appearances and performances. Sabrina Carpenter and Paul Simon duetted “Homeward Bound,” to open the show.
Paul McCartney closed the show with a rarely performed rendition of the closing songs from The Beatles Abbey Road, “Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End,” which ended with the line, “The love you take, is equal to the love you make.”
What People Are Saying
Rob Schneider on X: “The way our cast saw our job on Saturday Night Live was to do a good enough job that when our time was up, NBC would leave the lights on for the next young group of funny people to keep America laughing for a few years more. I feel much the same way about our great Nation. All I want is to keep the lights of Freedom on. The Freedoms that have allowed us to live our dreams so that when our time is up, the torch of Liberty can be gifted to the next generations of young Americans!
One social media user responded to Schneider’s post: “Ask her if she could Cher the view.”
What’s Next
SNL’s 50th season began on January 18 and is currently airing.
