Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, White Stripes Among Rock Hall of Fame Inductees

Inductee Jack White of The White Stripes speaks during the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at LA Live in Los Angeles. (AP)
Inductee Jack White of The White Stripes speaks during the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at LA Live in Los Angeles. (AP)
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Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, White Stripes Among Rock Hall of Fame Inductees

Inductee Jack White of The White Stripes speaks during the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at LA Live in Los Angeles. (AP)
Inductee Jack White of The White Stripes speaks during the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at LA Live in Los Angeles. (AP)

Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, the White Stripes and Soundgarden were among this year's inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, adding their names to the pantheon of music's most esteemed and beloved acts.

New Yorker Lauper, who burst onto the pop scene with colorful punk looks and infectious tunes like "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,True Colors" and "Time After Time," was inducted by "Pink Pony Club" singer Chappell Roan.

Praising her "four-octave range" and unapologetic style, Roan thanked Lauper for being an icon for any artist who may be called "too much, too loud, too eccentric or all of the above -- their honesty becomes their greatest strength."

To induct Detroit rock band The White Stripes -- known for sports arena favorite "Seven Nation Army" and "Fell in Love with a Girl," among others -- singer Iggy Pop gave an exuberant speech peppered with curse words and his own screeching impressions of the band's raucous sound.

"The White Stripes music was coming from a foundation of love, not revolution," Pop said.

Singer-guitarist Jack White accepted on behalf of himself and drummer Meg White, who did not attend. He named a long list of industry heavies and bands before adding: "To the homeless and the powerless and the forgotten, we always say thank you."

Other inducted American performers included Atlanta's hip-hop duo Outkast, who topped charts with "Hey Ya,Ms. Jackson" and "The Way You Move," and Seattle's grunge band Soundgarden, who had hits with "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman."

English singer Joe Cocker, who died in 2014, was inducted posthumously to honor his bluesy music, including "You Are So Beautiful," his cover of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" and the Grammy-winning duet with Jennifer Warnes "Up Where We Belong."

Other inductees included arena rockers Bad Company, who sang "Can't Get Enough," and "The Twist" singer Chubby Checker.

Groundbreaking New York hip-hop trio Salt-N-Pepa was honored with a Musical Influence Award for their hit songs "Push It" and "Shoop," which celebrate women's independence in a male-dominated genre.

"These three women are the bricklayers to the foundation that holds hip-hop together," Grammy-winning singer Missy Elliott told the audience before introducing their performance. "They gave us their shoulders to stand on."

English session pianist Nicky Hopkins was honored with the Musical Excellence Award for his work with superstars including The Rolling Stones, The Who, David Bowie and The Beatles.

"That song started off as a kind of slowish song, and then Nicky started playing this samba piano with this percussion, that's like the hook of the song," Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger said of Hopkins's work on the song "Sympathy for the Devil."

Along with awards and heartfelt acceptance speeches, the event featured performances by Elton John; Bryan Adams; Olivia Rodrigo; Twenty One Pilots; Doja Cat; Tyler, the Creator; and many more.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, now features an exhibit with artifacts and memorabilia from this year's inductees.



Affable Comedy Acting Legend Dick Van Dyke Turns 100 Years Old

Dick Van Dyke accepts the award for outstanding guest performance in a daytime drama series for "Days of our Lives" during the 51st Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday, June 7, 2024, at the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles. (AP)
Dick Van Dyke accepts the award for outstanding guest performance in a daytime drama series for "Days of our Lives" during the 51st Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday, June 7, 2024, at the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles. (AP)
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Affable Comedy Acting Legend Dick Van Dyke Turns 100 Years Old

Dick Van Dyke accepts the award for outstanding guest performance in a daytime drama series for "Days of our Lives" during the 51st Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday, June 7, 2024, at the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles. (AP)
Dick Van Dyke accepts the award for outstanding guest performance in a daytime drama series for "Days of our Lives" during the 51st Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday, June 7, 2024, at the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles. (AP)

Comedy icon Dick Van Dyke celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday, hitting the century mark some six decades after he sang and danced with Julie Andrews in "Mary Poppins" and starred in his self-titled sitcom.

"The funniest thing is, it’s not enough," Van Dyke said in an interview with ABC News at his Malibu, California home. "A hundred years is not enough. You want to live more, which I plan to."

As part of the celebration of Van Dyke's birthday this weekend, theaters around the country are showing a new documentary about his life, "Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration."

Van Dyke became one of the biggest actors of his era with "The Dick Van Dyke Show," which ran from 1961-66 on CBS; appeared with Andrews as a chimney sweep with a Cockney accent in the 1964 Disney classic "Mary Poppins" and, in his 70s, played a physician-sleuth on "Diagnosis: Murder."

Also a Broadway star, Van Dyke won a Tony Award for "Bye Bye Birdie" to go with a Grammy and four Primetime Emmys. In 1963, he starred in the film version of "Bye Bye Birdie."

Just last year, he became the oldest winner of a Daytime Emmy, for a guest role on the soap "Days of Our Lives."

In the 1970s, he found sobriety after battling alcoholism, and spoke out about it at a time when that was uncommon to do.

Now that he has hit triple digits, Van Dyke said he's gotten some perspective on how he used to play older characters.

"You know, I played old men a lot, and I always played them as angry and cantankerous," he told ABC News. "It's not really that way. I don't know any other 100-year-olds, but I can speak for myself."

He recently imparted wisdom about reaching the century mark in his book, "100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life." He credited his wife, 54-year-old makeup artist and producer Arlene Silver, with keeping him young.

"She gives me energy. She gives me humor, and all kinds of support," he told ABC News.

Van Dyke was born in West Plains, Missouri, in 1925, and grew up "the class clown" in Danville, Illinois, while admiring and imitating the silent film comedians.

He told ABC News he started acting when he was about 4 or 5 years old in a Christmas pageant.

"I made some kind of crack, I don't know what I said, but it broke the congregation up," he said. "And I liked the sound of that laughter."

And what's hard about being 100?

"I miss movement," he told ABC News. "I've got one game leg from I don't know what."

"I still try to dance," he said with a laugh.


Disney’s ‘Zootopia 2’ Set to Join $1 Billion Box Office Club

This image released by Disney shows Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman, left, and Judy Hopps, voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, in a scene from "Zootopia 2." (Disney via AP)
This image released by Disney shows Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman, left, and Judy Hopps, voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, in a scene from "Zootopia 2." (Disney via AP)
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Disney’s ‘Zootopia 2’ Set to Join $1 Billion Box Office Club

This image released by Disney shows Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman, left, and Judy Hopps, voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, in a scene from "Zootopia 2." (Disney via AP)
This image released by Disney shows Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman, left, and Judy Hopps, voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, in a scene from "Zootopia 2." (Disney via AP)

Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Zootopia 2" is on track to surpass $1 billion at the global box office, the company said on Friday, as the sequel continues its strong run in international markets.

The film, which revisits the bustling animal metropolis of "Zootopia," features returning characters Judy Hopps, a rabbit police officer voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, and her fox partner Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman.

The duo embarks on a new adventure that blends humor and social themes, echoing the formula that made the original a hit.

"Zootopia 2" opened strongly over the US Thanksgiving weekend, giving Hollywood a boost at the start of the critical holiday season.

The film's runaway success has been fueled by an extraordinary reception in China, where "Zootopia 2" dominated the box office during its opening weekend, accounting for roughly 95% of all ticket sales nationwide.

The original "Zootopia" also became China's most popular foreign animated film when it was released in 2016.

The performance offers welcome relief for theater operators hoping for packed cinemas through Christmas, traditionally the second-busiest moviegoing period of the year. Global box office receipts have yet to return to the pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019.


Disney to Invest $1 Billion in OpenAI, License Characters for Sora Video Tool

FILE PHOTO: The main gate of entertainment giant Walt Disney Co. is pictured in Burbank, California May 5, 2009. REUTERS/Fred Prouser
FILE PHOTO: The main gate of entertainment giant Walt Disney Co. is pictured in Burbank, California May 5, 2009. REUTERS/Fred Prouser
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Disney to Invest $1 Billion in OpenAI, License Characters for Sora Video Tool

FILE PHOTO: The main gate of entertainment giant Walt Disney Co. is pictured in Burbank, California May 5, 2009. REUTERS/Fred Prouser
FILE PHOTO: The main gate of entertainment giant Walt Disney Co. is pictured in Burbank, California May 5, 2009. REUTERS/Fred Prouser

Walt Disney is investing $1 billion in OpenAI and will let the startup use characters from Star Wars, Pixar and Marvel franchises in its Sora AI video generator, a crucial deal that could reshape how Hollywood makes content.

The three-year partnership announced on Thursday is a pivotal step in Hollywood's embrace of generative artificial intelligence, side-stepping the industry's concerns over the impact of AI on creative jobs and intellectual property rights.

As part of the licensing deal, Sora and ChatGPT Images will start generating videos using licensed Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Cinderella and Mufasa, from early next year. The agreement excludes any talent likenesses or voices.

"Through this collaboration with OpenAI we will thoughtfully and responsibly extend the reach of our storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their works," Disney CEO Bob Iger said.

OpenAI has been engaging with Disney and others in Hollywood for the past year in its search for partners, a person with knowledge of the discussions said.
The move marks a major shift in Disney's approach to AI - the company had decided to keep out its characters from the Sora app when OpenAI was in talks with companies regarding the tool's copyright policy.

Disney and Comcast's Universal had in June filed a copyright lawsuit against AI photo generation firm Midjourney for its use of the studios' best-known characters.

As part of the agreement with OpenAI, a selection of the videos by users will be made available for streaming on Disney+, allowing the streaming platform to capitalize on the growing appeal for short-form video content.

The media conglomerate will also receive warrants to purchase additional equity in the ChatGPT maker.

The companies will use OpenAI's models to build new products and customer experiences, including for Disney+ subscribers, while Disney will deploy ChatGPT for its employees, Reuters reported.

The partnership comes months after Hollywood's premier talent agency sharply criticized the same technology Disney is now embracing.

Creative Artists Agency, which represents thousands of actors, directors and music artists, said in October OpenAI was exposing artists to "significant risk" through Sora, questioning whether the AI company believed creative professionals "deserve to be compensated and credited for the work they create".