SnS JRNL

The Gist

• Jennifer Aniston turned 57 years old on February 11, and her boyfriend of nearly a year, Jim Curtis, paid tribute to the occasion on Instagram.

• Curtis shared two new photos of the couple, including a PDA-packed black-and-white shot.

• Aniston and Curtis went Instagram official back in November when the actress celebrated Curtis's milestone 50th birthday.

Jennifer Anistonand her boyfriendJim Curtiswent Instagram official onhis50th birthday last November, so there was no question that Curtis would return the favor when Aniston rang in her 57th birthday on February 11.

View this post on Instagram

And that he did in the form ofa sweet Instagram tributeshared on Wednesday, writing, "HBD MY ❤️" alongside two new photos of them. In one, the two laugh on a boat, and in another—a black-and-white shot—the two share a romantic kiss.

Curtis spoke about his relationship with Aniston recently onToday, telling host Craig Melvin on January 26 that they had been together for about a year and had been introduced by friends. "We found out that we had mutual friends, and we started to just chat," Curtis said.

"It took a long time," he added. "We chatted for a long time, and we became close."

Jim Curtis/Instagram

A source toldPeoplerecently that Aniston "feels really good about where things are with Jim," adding, "Jen's always been fine on her own and comfortable being single, but her relationship with Jim is just different. She's very happy and comfortable."

Adding that Curtis is "so sweet and supportive" of Aniston, the insider said, "He makes her everyday life better."

Curtis, a source told the outlet, is "very laid-back, but also focused and driven" and is someone who "does things in a very calm way."

"He brings good energy, and this is something Jen loves," the insider said. "Jen can be very Type A and takes on a lot. He's very steady and grounded. He's not a stressed out, high-intensity guy, and that balance works well for her."

"There's no drama, no emotional games, or whiplash," the source continued. "In many ways, it's the most mature relationship she's ever been in."

Back in November, as Curtis celebrated his milestone 50th birthday, Aniston wrote in her own birthday tribute, "Happy birthday my love. Cherished❤️." Though Curtis pinpointed their relationship's beginnings as right around now one year ago, Aniston and Curtis first sparked rumors of a relationship over the summer, when they were spotted in Mallorca, Spain in July alongsideJason Bateman, his wife Amanda Anka, andAmy Schumer.

"She took her time getting to know him," a source toldPeople. "She already knew she liked so many things about him before it turned romantic. She was actually a bit hesitant, because she really appreciated him as a friend and wanted to keep him around. But life is short, and her friends encouraged her to date him."

"She feels so grateful to share her life with him," the insider said. "She's enjoying every moment. And at this stage, that's enough for her. She's happy with where things are. She isn't really making big plans for the future. She's not chasing anything. She's just incredibly happy, comfortable, and proud to be dating him. And they're truly adorable together."

Aniston herself called Curtis "extraordinary" in an interview withEllelast year, adding, "He's very special, very normal, and very kind, and wants to help people heal, move through their trauma and stagnation into clarity. It's a beautiful thing to commit your life to."

Read the original article onInStyle

Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Justin Baldoni appeared in court for a separate lawsuit against former publicist Stephanie Jones

• Blake Lively is not involved in that case

• Baldoni and Lively failed to reach a settlement in her sexual harassment lawsuit against her It Ends With Us costar after a six-hour mediation session on Wednesday

Justin Baldoniis back in court — but not for the case involvingBlake Lively.

Baldoni, 42, appeared in New York federal court on Thursday alongside hiswife, Emily, for a court-mandatory settlement conference tied to his ongoing litigation against his former publicist, Stephanie Jones.

Lively, 38, is not a party to this lawsuit and did not attend the hearing.

Jones first sued Baldoni and his crisis communications team in December 2024,alleging breach of contract and other claims, marking the start of what has since grown into a wide-ranging legal dispute involving multiple parties.

Then, in March 2025, Baldoni and his publicist Jennifer Abel filed their own lawsuit against Jones, alleging she violated client confidentiality by sharing private communications.

According to the filing, those communications later became central evidence in a separate lawsuit brought by Lively.

Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty

Baldoni's latest court appearance comes a day afterhe and Lively failed to reach a settlement in their own ongoing legal battle.

The former costars attended a mandated mediation session in federal court in connection with Lively's sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni.

Kevin Mazur/WireImage; Araya Doheny/Variety via Getty

The conference lasted approximately six hours before Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave, but the parties did not reach a resolution, a source confirmed to PEOPLE.

Settlement conferences are a standard part of federal civil litigation and are designed to determine whether a case can be resolved without going to trial.

The judge presiding over the case, Lewis J. Liman, has not yet ruled onBaldoni's pending motion for summary judgment.

Baldoni's attorney,Bryan Freedman, confirmed that no deal had been reached. When asked whether he expects the case — Lively v. Wayfarer Studios et al. — to go to trial, he said, "I do. We're looking forward to it," according toVariety.

Lively and Baldoni's legal dispute began in December 2024,when Lively filed a suit against the actor-director, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni has denied the allegations and later filed a $400 million countersuit, which has since been dismissed.Lively has alleged she lost $161 millionas a result of what she describes as a retaliatory smear campaign.

A trial is currently scheduled for May 18.

Read the original article onPeople

HGTV said in a statement toThe Detroit Free Press,part of the USA TODAY Network, that it has removed Curtis and her show from the network after it learned of "an offensive racial comment made during the filming of Rehab Addict."

"Not only is language like this hurtful and disappointing to our viewers, partners, and employees — it does not align with the values of HGTV," the statement said.

Here's what to know about Curtis and her removal from the network.

Nicole Curtis apologizes for 'offensive racial comment'

A video released by Radar Online on Feb. 11 showed Curtis using a racial epithet, reportedly while filming "Rehab Addict" two years ago. HGTV did not specify whether this was the incident in question.

Curtis issued an apology on herInstagram storyon Feb. 11, writing that she is "grateful for the 15-year journey" on HGTV.

"My focus, at this moment is rightfully on my relationships, and my community — the people who truly know my character and where my heart is. I want to be clear: the word in question is wrong and not part of my vocabulary and never has been, and l apologize to everyone," she wrote in part.

The 49-year-old rose to fame with her show,"Rehab Addict,"which first aired on the DIY Network in 2010 before moving to HGTV. The show focused on Curtisrenovating historic homesfrom the 19th and 20th centuries across Minnesota and Michigan.

More:Nicole Curtis' 'Rehab Addict' removed from HGTV after 'racial comment'

Who is Nicole Curtis? A look at former 'Rehab Addict' host's career

Curtis is known for her HGTV show "Rehab Addict," which first premiered in October 2010. Itsninth season was set to returnon Feb. 11 after a hiatus last year, but will not return after being removed from the network.

The first four seasons of the show were filmed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, before moving to Detroit, Michigan. Over the course of each season, Curtis and her team tackled the renovation of several historic homes.

According to herwebsite, Curtis was "working on old houses long before the show came calling."

When the show first premiered, Curtis says on her website, she "was hustling, as a young mother, burning both ends of the candle. Juggling, real estate, design, home restoration and selling garbage finds on Craigslist."

Advertisement

Curtis toldThe Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, in 2014 that before her home renovation career, she went to school in Georgia, Florida and Michigan and originally intended to study law before switching to education. Afterward, she started a cleaning business to help pay for college, she told the Republic.

Later, Curtis said she turned to renovating homes — which she earnestly calls "rehabbing" them — because she was poor.

"Nothing motivates you to learn how to do something like not having the money to pay to have it done. I've never bought anything turnkey and never will. I've never 'flipped' a house in my life. I really don't feel that I fit in that category. I rehab houses out of necessity," she told the Republic.

However, Curtis' decades of renovating homes have not been without woes.The Detroit Free Press reported in 2015that some of the homes renovated on Curtis' shows hit snags with city policies like home inspections and work permits.

Nicole Curtis family: Former HGTV host has two sons

Curtis has two sons, 28-year-old Ethan and 10-year-old Harper.

She gave birth toher son Ethanon Dec. 24, 1997, when she was 21. Her second son, Harper, was born in May 2015.

In 2015, Curtis and former partner Shane Maguire began a custody battle over their son Harper, per theFree Press.

A look at Elfreth's Alley, one of America's oldest streets

Last year,Curtis addressed the tumultin an interview with People,

"Our family went through a lot over the years, and so that's definitely something that I have done my best to keep my family out of the public eye and focus on the houses," she told People. "That's always where we wanted that focus to be."

She also told the outlet that she wasn't planning to show much of her family in the new episodes of "Rehab Addict," though her older son appeared on the show in its early days.

"I think there's one gift we can give our children, and I give them privacy. They're out in public with me a lot, and I shield them," she said. "But I won't do that again. My boys are my most precious, precious things in the entire world to me."

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached atmelina.khan@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Who is Nicole Curtis? Fired 'Rehab Addict' host had long HGTV run

WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has agreed to end his unprecedented and hotly protested deportation surge in Minnesota, White House border czar Tom Homan said on Thursday, with many immigration enforcement agents set to return to their home states over the next week.

Under Operation Metro Surge, Trump, a Republican, ‌had deployed about 3,000 armed immigration agents by late January to deport migrants in Minnesota, over the objections and condemnations of Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat, and scores of residents ‌who filled the streets of Minneapolis in protest.

On different days in January, immigration agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens in the state who had come out to protest or observe the agents, and Trump's feud with Minnesota boiled over into one of the ​most fraught political crises he has faced in his presidency.

"I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude," Homan told reporters at a news conference. "Operation Metro Surge is ending."

It was a rare retreat by the Trump administration that came after even fellow Republicans raised questions about the operation. Promises of mass deportations had fueled Trump's 2024 campaign, but support for his policies cooled as immigration officers were deployed in military-style gear on streets across the country, prompting massive protests.

A week ago, Homan announced that about 700 out of 3,000 immigration agents would be withdrawn. Without giving precise numbers, he said on Thursday that many of ‌the remaining agents deployed from other states would be sent home in ⁠the coming week, citing in part what he called "unprecedented" coordination with local law enforcement agencies in Minnesota. Before the surge, about 150 immigration agents worked in Minnesota, according to the Trump administration.

"ICE will continue to identify, arrest and remove illegal aliens that pose a risk to public safety, like we've done for years," Homan ⁠said, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, "and our officers will carry out those duties with professionalism, integrity and compassion, like we've done for years."

Trump has said the surge was in the interest of public safety, describing many migrants, in sweeping terms, as violent criminals or fraudsters. Walz and other Minnesotans said the sometimes-violent federal surge has degraded public safety, and impinged on the constitutional rights of both migrants and Americans.

"The long road to recovery ​starts ​now," Walz said in a statement. "The impact on our economy, our schools, and people's lives won't be reversed overnight. ​That work starts today."

'THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD BREAK US'

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who last ‌month joined Walz in suing the Trump administration and asked a judge to restrain the surge, said in a statement that the increased deployment had been catastrophic.

"They thought they could break us, but a love for our neighbors and a resolve to endure can outlast an occupation," Frey said.

The chief federal judge in Minnesota has reprimanded Trump administration officials, saying the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has defied dozens of court orders to free wrongly detained migrants.

Some of Trump's fellow Republicans have also criticized the way the deportation surge has been carried out and how the administration has handled the killings of two Americans, Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

As Homan made his announcement, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison was in Washington testifying before a Senate committee that oversees homeland security.

Rand Paul, the committee's Republican chairman, criticized how the ‌Trump administration had described Good and Pretti after they were killed. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other administration ​officials initially called them "domestic terrorists."

"The First and Second Amendments are not suspended during periods of unrest or during protests," said ​Paul, a libertarian from Kentucky, referring to constitutional rights to free speech and to carry weapons. "When ​officials speak imprecisely or rashly about constitutional limits, especially in volatile moments, they risk inflaming the situation rather than stabilizing it."

In Minnesota, Avonna Starck, who runs an ‌environmental nonprofit and sits on the school board of a Minneapolis suburb, was ​skeptical of Homan's announcement.

"They're not removing all agents, and ​that was the goal," she said in an interview. "We as a community wanted all of the agents out of Minnesota."

Starck said she would continue protesting the deportation efforts, working to ensure people who are staying home in fear they could be detained by immigration agents have food and access to education, and informing her neighbors about their rights.

Miguel Hernandez, a Minneapolis community organizer ​and owner of Lito's Burritos, said there had been no accountability for ‌the surge, particularly for the killings of Good and Pretti.

"They're saying it's over so that people will stop paying attention, but harm was done and the harm continues to ​be done," he said. "Our community is going to continue to be destroyed."

(Reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington and Jonathan Allen in New York; Additional reporting by Heather Schlitz, Helen ​Coster, Ted Hesson and Katharine Jackson; editing by Michelle Nichols, Paul Thomasch, Rosalba O'Brien and Aurora Ellis)

It's Team Ruff vs. Team Fluff, as the 'pup-ular' football frenzy featuring rescue and shelter dogs takes the field. Rick Damigella reports.

Samples of popular commercial dog foods contained "dangerous levels" ofheavy metals,plastic contaminants, andacrylamide, a cancer-causing compound created when food is subjected to high heat, according to anew investigation.

"The levels of heavy metals and other contaminants we found were alarming," said Molly Hamilton, the executive director ofClean Label Project, which conducted the investigation. The Colorado-based nonprofit tests consumer products for purity and offers manufacturers acertified labelif their commodities meet strict standards.

"Pet owners care for their dogs as deeply as parents care for their children," Hamilton said. "They should be able to buy dog food without worrying it might harm their pet."

Dog foods contained three to 13 times more heavy metals than human food tested over the past decade by Clean Label Project, according to the report. The levels are similar to those found in prior research done by veterinarian Dr. Joseph Wakshlag, a professor and nutritional specialist at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York.

"We wrote apaper in 2018comparing the intake of heavy metals between people and dogs based on a calorie," said Wakshlag, referring to a report he coauthored with three Cornell colleagues. Wakshlag was not involved in the new investigation.

"Compared to a person, we found dogs consumed three to seven times the amounts of heavy metals each day," he said.

Dry dog food, also called kibble, contained the highest levels of heavy metals and other contaminants, followed by air- and freeze-dried dog food. Fresh and frozen dog foods contained the lowest levels of heavy metals, according to the laboratory tests.

The report did not release specific test results by brand or product name.

"Over 85% of dog owners feed dry foods to their pets, and most dogs are eating one type of dog food each and every day, often for their entire life," Hamilton said. "If dry dog food is all they consume, it's possible the accumulation of heavy metals could be contributing to the higher cancer rate in dogs."

Studies show heavy metals can accumulate in the kidney and liver in a dog, potentially contributing to chronic disease. Exposure toleadandcadmiumhas been linked to canine cancer, a leading cause of death in dogs. About 1 in 4 dogs will develop cancer during their lifetime, according to theAmerican Veterinary Medical Association.

The Pet Food Institute, or PFI, which represents manufacturers of dog food, told CNN in an email it will review the Clean Label Report.

"PFI and U.S. pet food makers are continuously monitoring to best support the health and safety of dogs and cats," a spokesperson said.

Fewer contaminants in fresh and frozen dog foods

Clean Label Project purchased 79 samples of best-selling fresh and frozen dog foods, kibble and air- and freeze-dried products. A federally certified laboratory then conducted 11,376 individual tests for plastics, pesticides, lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium and acrylamide.

Fresh and frozen dog foods, which only entered the mainstream pet food market in 2006, were least contaminated. Lead and mercury levels in dry food were about 21 times higher than fresh and frozen dog foods. Kibble also contained over 13 times more arsenic and six times more cadmium than fresh and frozen products.

One potential reason: "Fresh and frozen dog foods are at least 70% water, and water contains far fewer heavy metals than a highly condensed piece of kibble," Wakshlag said. In addition to doing academic research, Wakshlag consults for a dog food company.

"You also can't take those numbers at face value, because a dog has to eat about 3 cups of fresh or frozen dog food to get the same calories and nutrients as 1 cup of dry food," he said. "Therefore, the dog's exposure to heavy metals in fresh or frozen foods goes up because it has to eat two to three times as much."

An October 2021 study also detectedhigh levelsof two heavy metals in dog foods. Nearly 81% of the commercial dog foods analyzed in the study exceeded the maximum tolerated level of mercury set by regulatory agencies while 100% of the dog food products exceeded the maximum tolerated level of lead.

There is no safe level of lead for humans, according to theUS Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA does not list levels for dogs.

Safety thresholds for all animal feed are set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, or AAFCO, and the National Research Council, or NRC.Maximum levelsfor heavy metals are based on the species that would be the most susceptible to the toxins, Wakshlag said.

"The difficulty of using NRC or AAFCO expectations is that they don't have guidelines that are specific to dogs. Pet food is lumped into the same category as agricultural animals," Hamilton said. "The prevailing industry theory is that dogs have a higher tolerance for heavy metals than humans, though what this theory is based on is up for debate."

That's not known, because there are so few studies on toxic exposure in dogs, Wakshlag said.

"How would chronic consumption of these contaminants at really high levels affect a dog? We don't know," he said. "We have very few studies that have followed dogs for years on different diets to find those answers."

A solution would be for pet food companies to regularly test their products for toxins and report the results to consumers, Wakshlag added.

"But extensive analyses take time and money," he said. "So if you want this kind of information, then expect your bag of dog food to go up $3 or $4 a bag, because that's what it's going to cost to do these tests."

Acrylamide and chemicals used in plastics

Acrylamide levels in dry dog food were about 24 times higher than fresh and frozen, with one food testing at 780 parts per billion, according to the Clean Label Project report.

"I've never seen acrylamide at a 780 level in a food," Wakshlag said. "That company must be cooking the hell out of their food or using ingredients that are leading to more acrylamide formation. That's like a person eating five servings of french fries every day in terms of acrylamide exposure."

Acrylamide appears in foods rich in carbohydrates when they are fried, grilled or baked at temperatures above 248 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius). The browning of toast, french fries, coffee and baked goods can create acrylamide, which is considered "likely to be carcinogenic to humans" by the EPA. The chemical is also present in tobacco smoke and is used to make paper, dyes and plastics.

"Acrylamide reduces the ability of male animals to produce offspring," the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registrystates on its website. "Acrylamide has caused several types of cancer in animals. Adequate human data are not available."

The investigation also tested levels of two bisphenols — Bisphenol A (BPA) and Bisphenol S (BPS) — and one phthalate calledDi(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, or DEHP. In line with the other findings, dry dog food contained the highest levels; fresh and frozen food contained the lowest.

While no studies have been done in dogs, the phthalate DEHP may have contributed to more than 10% of all adult global mortality from heart disease among men and women ages 55 through 64,according to a studypublished in April 2025.

Bisphenol A, or BPA, has been linked tofetal abnormalities, low birth weight, andbrain and behavior disordersininfants and children. In adults, the chemical compound is associated with the development oftype 2 diabetes,heart disease,erectile dysfunction,cancerand a 49% higher risk ofearly deathwithin 10 years.

Bisphenol S, or BPS, is a common replacement for BPA.Studiesshow that BPS may have a similar negative impact on the reproductive system and may disrupt cellular function.

So with all these toxins, what can a pet parent do?

First, don't panic, Hamilton advised. If your veterinarian agrees and it fits your budget, consider fresh and frozen foods. Many pets, however, are picky and won't allow owners to switch from kibble to fresh or frozen.

"If you're going to keep using dry food, rotate it with other brands to diversify your dog's diet," she said. "You wouldn't want to eat the same thing every day for every meal, and many dogs are thrilled to eat new foods. Rotating the diet is probably the best thing you can do."

Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up forCNN's Life, But Better newsletterfor information and tools designed to improve your well-being.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

TEL AVIV — TwoIsraelishave been charged in connection with the suspected use of classified information to place bets on the prediction platformPolymarket, authorities said Thursday.

The suspects, an army reservist and a civilian, were arrested on suspicion of placing bets on Polymarket "regarding the occurrence of military operations, based on classified information to which the reservists were exposed as part of their military duties," the Israeli Defense Ministry, police and the Shin Bet domestic security agency said in a joint statement.

Israeli authorities did not elaborate on what the bets related to, but the Israel Defense Forces stressed that "no operational harm was caused in this specific incident."

The suspects were arrested following an investigation that authorities said had found sufficient evidence to indict them for "serious security offenses" as well as bribery and obstruction of justice.

Neither indicted suspect has been publicly identified.

Lawyers for the reservist said in a statement to NBC News that their client "is a man with many rights who has made a significant contribution to the security of the state."

"Due to the broad gag order, it is not possible at this stage to relate to the matter in detail, but rather in the sense of what is not in the case," Ran Cohen Rochverger and Naor Alon Sosnosky said in a statement.

The statement added: "The indictment that was filed accuses our client of providing 'confidential information when he is not authorized to do so' after the State Attorney's Office was convinced that there was no reason to attribute to him what was initially investigated as suspicion — an intention to harm national security. No serious security offense or negative motive is attributed to our client in this context."

The lawyers added that they have "strong allegations" about the indictment, including "the flaws in it, selective enforcement and the improper and serious conduct of the investigative authorities, which led to a violation of security — and we are convinced that after these are presented, the case will end in a completely different way than when it was opened."

It was not immediately clear if the other defendant has legal representation.

"The defense establishment emphasizes that engaging in such betting activities, based on secret and classified information, poses a substantial security risk to IDF operations and to the security of the state," the defense ministry said in the statement.

A spokesperson for the IDF said in a statement: "The IDF views with utmost severity any act that endangers the security of the state, particularly the use of highly classified information for the purpose of personal gain."

The IDF statement called it a "grave ethical failure and a clear crossing of a red line," and added that disciplinary action would be taken against anyone found guilty of such crimes. "In response to the incident, measures have been taken and procedures will be reinforced across all IDF units to prevent similar cases from recurring," it said.

Polymarket allows users to buy and sell shares on financial exchanges representing potential future outcomes, which are priced between 0.00 and 1.00 USDC, a cryptocurrency pegged to the value of the dollar. The platforms pay out depending on the outcome, but users are trading with each other and not against "the house" as with a traditional sportsbook.

Polymarket has multiple ongoing bets related to foreign policy and military action, including many relating to Israel.

On one titled "US strikes Iran by...?" users have bet the equivalent of $239 million.

Another, titled "Will Israel strike Gaza on...?" which expires Feb. 28 has had the equivalent of more than $1.4 million in bets.

One Polymarket gamblermade more than $400,000last month betting that the U.S. military would depose President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela.

U.S. users were previously banned from Polymarket and some have called for it to be regulated, amid broader concerns that prediction markets could be used to profit from access to classified information. Congressman Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y.,introduced legislation last monthto crack down on public officials making money from prediction platforms.

Polymarket did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News.

Omer Bekin reported from Tel Aviv, and Patrick Smith from London.

"I was a huge Everly Brothers fan. They were myMonkees," says Dolenz. He recalls sitting eighth-row center at the duo's 1983 reunion concert at Royal Albert Hall, hoping Phil and Don would sing his favorites. "I'd been to some very disappointing shows where the headliner doesn't do anything except maybe one big hit."

The Everly Brothers played their hits and as Dolenz sang along on "Wake Up Little Susie" and "Cathy's Clown" ("Don't want your love-uv-uv-uv-uv anymore"), he thought, "If I ever do go back and am asked to sing (the Monkees') songs, I'm going to make sure I sing every one in their entirety, no medleys and no screwing around," he tells USA TODAY. "I've stuck with that, including arrangements and opening licks and hooks."

At 80, he'sthe last Monkeehere to absorb the outpouring of love from fans as the made-for-TV group turns 60.Davy Jones, the band's baby-faced, percussion-shaking frontman, died in 2012 at just 66, sending shockwaves through the Monkees' once-preteen admirers. Bass and keyboard playerPeter Tork, 77, and guitarist and songwriterMichael Nesmith, 78, died in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

The anniversary is being celebrated with Rhino's just-released"The A's, The B's & The Monkees,"a new compilation of their singles released between 1966 and 1970, and Dolenz's60 Years of the Monkees tour, which launches Feb. 12 in Solana Beach, California. A stop in LA on Sept. 12 marks the 1966 premiere date of the innovative NBC sitcom, and Dolenz promises storytelling and a chronological performance of the hits (a Monkees Eras Tour, if you will).

"All the music is always there, that's the meat and potatoes," he says. "This time, it's going to be a lot of video, talking about the genesis, the genetics of the show."

He acknowledges it can be emotional being the only Monkee on stage.

"Of course I went through the whole grieving thing, but in some ways, they've never left. Every time I do a show, they're there," Dolenz says. If he catches a video glimpse of his bandmates during a performance, "It can still kind of choke me up."

Dolenz remains both pragmatic and romantic about the group and its legacy.

For years, "I have tried to clear up the misconception that the Monkees was a band. It wasn't, it was a musical comedy sitcom." He says he had no issue with being cast as the drummer (at the time, he wasn't one). Though Dolenz is the voice of the bulk of the band's hits, it wasn't the music he was listening to at the time: "I was not a 10-year-old girl or boy."

"I was a humongous Beatles fan, I was a fan of the Animals, the Stones, Otis Redding," he says. "I was a bluesy-rocker kind of guy."

Yet "to this day, I love singing them," he says of beloved Monkees tunes such as "I'm a Believer" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday."

"I've learned to appreciate what makes a really good song. I would wonder: Why do I still love this song? Because it was f------ written by Carole King and Neil Diamond andBoyce & Hartand Harry Nilsson and Paul Williams and David Gates."

He shrugs off the Monkees' continued exclusion from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, despite the band's commercial success, cultural impact and longevity. Could it ever happen, maybe in the musical influence category?

"It started out as a private country club," he says of the Rock Hall's launch, which coincided with the Monkees' improbable '80s MTV rebirth. "And like a private country club, they are allowed to have anybody in it they want and not have anybody in it they don't want." At this point, "I just don't know. It isn't on my radar that desperately."

He's prouder of the Monkees' two 1967 Emmys, for outstanding comedy series and comedy director: "To me, it doesn't get better than that."

Hey, hey, it's the Monkees' 60th anniversary!

Revisit the band's best photos, starting with a 1967 group portrait (clockwise from top left): Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Davy Jones.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> America's made-for-TV Beatles, buried in sand on Feb. 2, 1967: Davy Jones (back) with Mike Nesmith (from left), Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The boys goofing at a news conference in England on June 29, 1967.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The band in their 1966 Dean Jeffries-designed Monkeemobile.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Davy Jones catches up on his fan mail.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The Monkees performing in their signature double-buttoned shirts on Feb. 2, 1967.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Davy Jones with TV producer Bert Schneider, co-creator of "The Monkees," on Dec. 19, 1966.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The Monkees film a flying sequence for their NBC sitcom in 1968.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael Nesmith, seen here in 1967, showed up for his Monkees audition in a wool knit cap and the look stuck.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The Monkees in matching shirts and vests for a 1967 promotional portrait.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Davy Jones is all smiles as he signs autographs for younger fans at a welcome party given him by RCA Records at St. Clairs Restaurant in Nashville on Sept. 7, 1968.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Monkees drummer and singer Micky Dolenz on Feb. 6, 1967.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Micky Dolenz (from left), Mike Nesmith and Davy Jones of the Monkees back up Johnny Cash during a taping of the new "The Johnny Cash Show" at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on May 6, 1969.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Peter Tork shows off a pile of sketches from his U.K. mail in January 1968.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Twinning in matching shirts and vests on "The Monkees" TV show.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael Nesmith of the Monkees with his wife, Phyllis Ann Barbour, at Heathrow Airport in London on Feb. 14, 1967.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A publicity still shot on Feb. 1, 1967, with Davy Jones hanging from the trapeze.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Davy Jones of the Monkees with Lulu in the garden of her home in St John's Wood in London on June 1, 1968.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The Monkees in a hospital scene from the TV show in May 1967.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Davy Jones (left) and Micky Dolenz in the U.K. on Nov. 23, 1977.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Micky Dolenz of the Monkees blows into a cowhorn outside a boutique on King's Road in London.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The Monkees in a boardroom, contemplating nonsense with a stock ticker in a scene from their TV show.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The Monkees as mad scientists, complete with bubbling beakers, lab coats and glasses.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Manchester-born Davy Jones, the only English member of the Monkees, in September 1968.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A promotional portrait of the four Monkees lined up in directors chairs emblazoned with their names and the band's famous guitar logo.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The reunited Monkees, Micky Dolenz (from left), Peter Tork and Davy Jones, promoting their tour in London on March 8, 1989.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Relive the magic of the Monkees in archival photos

Hey, hey, it's the Monkees' 60th anniversary!Revisit the band's best photos, starting with a 1967 group portrait (clockwise from top left): Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Davy Jones.

Though Tork and Nesmith were often visibly chafed, Dolenz says he has "never" been unhappy being a Monkee.

"Well, there were times when I did not like being famous and a celebrity and being harassed and followed and sued and threatened," he says, laughing. "There are times I'll be in a restaurant to this day and somebody yells at me across the room, 'Hey, Monkee, come here! Sign my wife's napkin.' "

He's happy performing and recording (2021's "Dolenz Sings Nesmith" was produced by Christian Nesmith, Mike's son), and says he won't ever get off the road, though he's being "more selective" these days. "It's 22 hours of commuting for a two-hour gig, essentially. I hate the travel, but they pay me to travel, I sing for free. When I came to that realization, it made it easier to amortize. The show is the easy part, that's why they call it playing."

The fandom longs for more. "People call me all the time: 'There should be a Monkee movie, there should be a documentary,' " Dolenz says, though the quartet had "absolutely no ownership" of the brand.

Still, "I am incredibly appreciative" to have been a part of it, he says. "It has given me a great frigging life."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Micky Dolenz talks Monkees 60th anniversary tour, being final member