Just before 2025 came to a close, Barry Manilow did five benefit Christmas concerts at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert.  It was after those shows that he revealed his doctor had detected a spot on his lung.  It was diagnosed as stage one lung cancer.  Barry had surgery, the spot was removed, and signs are good the cancer hasn’t spread.  He hopes to be back onstage at the Westgate Las Vegas in time for Valentine’s Day weekend.

Dick Van Dyke turned 100 in December and let it be known that he still has professional aspirations.  He’d like to play Ebenezer Scrooge.  He even posted a photo as the lead in A Christmas Carol.  While I would love to see Dick in one more project, I suspect insurance would be an issue, as it always has been for actors of a certain age.