A lot of Royal Absences: Who’s Stepping Up?

Prepping for Oscars, and What You Need to Watch This Week

By H. Alan Scott

It's Oscars week, and we've got a lot planned for you! As we get ready for the Academy Awards this Sunday, March 10, I'll be providing expert coverage of who will win and what moments to look out for. So, make sure you're following me and listening to the Parting Shot podcast. In other news, did you watch Saturday Night Live this weekend? Sydney Sweeney hosted, and she was fine. (Although I have to admit, something has changed with SNL this season. It isn't as...funny.) But SNL did go hard on President Joe Biden's age. Oh, and did you hear? Apparently, Beyonce is saving country music. I wonder if she and Taylor Swift plotted this? (And when are they going to do a duet?!) Also, I wanted to share a few things I'll be watching this week... a new National Geographic doc called Queens drops today and it's narrated by queen Angela Bassett... Hannah Gadsby's Gender Agenda comedy special drops on Netflix this Tuesday... Survivor continues this week and I'll be recapping it... The Walking Dead: Those Who Live drops on AMC this Thursday... and The Traitors continues on Peacock—can you believe that last episode?! Let me know what you're watching! I'm HAlanScott on everything. Have a great week!

Which Royals Are Working as King, Kate and Camilla Step Back?

By James Crawford-Smith

Since 2017, the British monarchy has faced increasing manpower issues as senior royals have either died, stepped down from their roles within the monarchy, or, as in more recent weeks, been forced to take time out due to illness.

Now, King Charles III and the Princess of Wales are taking breaks—Charles to undergo cancer treatment and Kate to recover from abdominal surgery she had in January.

Though the long list of working royals may have shrunk, the number of duties that need to be fulfilled has not, leaving an increasing amount of pressure on those left on the roster. Only one of them is under the age of 59.

Now is a time when the minor royals are facing their own call out of the velvet-lined shadows and into the public spotlight. But who are they?

Country Music's Popularity Is at an All-Time High

By Billie Schwab Dunn

Country music is enjoying a huge resurgence this year—and it's also showing signs that it could become more inclusive.

With both Beyoncé and Lana Del Rey having announced that they're releasing country albums and country songs regularly going viral on TikTok, it's safe to say that the genre is more popular than ever before.

It's safe to say that country music is taking over but the genre isn't new, as it has an often debated history. It draws influences from both African and European musical traditions but today, it is often largely associated with white people.

This has been linked to record companies attempting to segregate the music industry, which dates back to the 1920s. Fans online have theorized that Beyoncé's latest projects—including her house album Renaissance—are about claiming back music created by Black people.