NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. reads his final texts with Kyle Busch 1 day before driver's sudden death

NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed his final text exchange with Kyle Busch one day before the driver's sudden death at 41 last week.

Key Points

• Earnhardt admitted that he has a "hard time believing" that Busch is gone.

• Busch died after his severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in complications, his family said.

NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. has revealed his final conversation with Kyle Busch the day before the racing pro's unexpected death.

Earnhardt Jr. remembered his fellow driver,who died at 41on May 21, on the latest episode of his podcast,Dale Jr. Download, recalling their last text exchange and Busch's impact on him and the industry.

"I was texting with him the day before he passed away about getting together this Thursday to bring his seat for his late model over to my shop," Earnhardt Jr. began, explaining that they had agreed that Busch would drive the vehicle in the CARS Tour and that they were deciding which number they would run in the race, which spotlights late-model cars.

"He's texting me, and he's like, 'What scheme we going to run?' And I was like, 'You can run any scheme you want,'" Earnhardt Jr. said. "I was like, 'What number do you want to run?' He goes … he said it, literally, 'The Dale Jr. 8.' I was like, 'You got it.'" Earnhardt Jr. had driven the car from 1999 until 2007, making Busch's choice extra personal for him.

Busch responded to Earnhardt Jr.'s sign-off with the head-exploding emoji, Earnhardt Jr. said, referring to how race fans would react to seeing behind the wheel of the vehicle.

Earnhardt Jr. became emotional while discussing Busch's sudden death, saying he has a "hard time believing" that his friend and colleague is gone.

"What I've enjoyed, I guess, is learning more about Kyle the person," Earnhardt Jr. said, referring to recent conversations he has had with fellow drivers about Busch.

"We know who he is on the racetrack. We know how he is on the racetrack and in the media and so forth — what he was like at the track with the suit on and in that environment," he said. "I knew him on a personal level. But hearing how he interacted and how he was to others, the joke they may have shared in a text … I've really enjoyed learning who he was away from the track and how he interacted and engaged, or treated or talked to other people, and it's been good."

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"When he passed away this past weekend, we heard a lot of drivers say, 'He was my hero. I wanted to emulate him. I wanted to be like him,'" Earnhardt Jr. revealed, "and I know that that would have meant the world to him."

NASCAR, the Busch family, and the Richard Childress Racing team announced that the driver had died in a statement toEntertainment Weeklylast week.

"We are devastated to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Kyle Busch," the statement read. "Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken … A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled, and he cared deeply about the sport and fans."

Busch is survived by wife, Samantha, and their children, Brexton and Lennix.

Busch was hospitalized on May 21 for a "severe illness," for which he was "undergoing treatment," his family said.

They announced hiscause of deathtwo days later. "The medical evaluation provided to the Busch Family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications," they said in a statement to theAssociated Press.

Watch Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s full podcast episode below.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byNito

in

May 27, 2026

NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. reads his final texts with Kyle Busch 1 day before driver's sudden death

NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed his final text exchange with Kyle Busch one day before the driver's sudden death at 41 last...

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Jay-Z's D'Ussé brand marks debut album with special release, events

This year,Jay-Z'sdebut album turns 30 and the celebrations have commenced with his cognac brand rolling out special-edition packaging, a signature cocktail and nationwide activations.

D'USSÉ, co-founded by the hip-hop mogul and the global spirits company Bacardi, will be selling a Jay-Z D'USSÉ VSOP box set to mark the 30th anniversary of the Grammy-winning rapper's 1996 debut album "Reasonable Doubt."

The collector's box set is now available at select retailers nationwide. The brand will also host a range of events throughout cities in the U.S. this summer, including Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, Washington, New York and Philadelphia.

D'USSÉ is serving up signature cocktail "CODE30," which the brand says is "inspired by the 'codes' of ambition, excellence, and cultural influence that have defined Mr. Shawn Carter’s legacy for the past 30 years."

Released by his label Roc-A-Fella Records in June 1996, "Reasonable Doubt" has been heralded by some, including Rolling Stone, asone of the greatest albumsof all time. It features collaborations with the likes of Mary J. Blige, the Notorious B.I.G. and Jaz-O.

"Mr. Shawn Carter's codes of ambition, craftsmanship, and excellence are woven into the DNA of D'USSÉ, and JAŸ-Z30 is a powerful reflection of that legacy," General Manager of D’USSÉ Gigi DaDan said in a statement. "For 30 years, he has shaped culture through music, art, style, and philanthropy, and as a brand built as an extension of his innovation, D'USSÉ has continued to redefine the cognac category while honoring its heritage."

The rapper and husband toBeyoncé, who recently changed the styling of his name to Jaÿ-Z to mirror how it appeared on the 1996 album, is poised to make a major return to the stage to celebrate its anniversary.

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Jay-Z willheadline the Roots festivalin Philadelphia on May 30 and 31 before taking the stage for threemajor showsin his hometown of New York.

On July 10, he will celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Reasonable Doubt" with a concert at Yankee Stadium. This will be followed by a 25th anniversary concert for "The Blueprint" on July 11. A third "EXTRA INNINGS" show was added on July 12 to combine both shows due to high demand.

The nationwide D'USSÉ activations will also take place at the festival as well as his New York shows.

Jay-Z already holds the record for the most sold-out performances at Yankee Stadium and will look to extend his achievement with a seventh sell-out.

Fans can visitDusse.comfor more information.

Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network'sBeyoncéKnowles-Carter reporter, onInstagram,TikTokandXas @cachemcclay.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean:Jay-Z's D'Usse cognac honors debut album with special release, events

byNito

in

May 27, 2026

Jay-Z's D'Ussé brand marks debut album with special release, events

This year,Jay-Z'sdebut album turns 30 and the celebrations have commenced with his cognac brand rolling out special-edition packagi...

Read More

Johnny Carson Bid an Emotional Farewell on His Final “Tonight Show” Broadcast, 34 Years Ago

Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show for 30 years before deciding to end his late-night reign

NEED TO KNOW

• Carson's final show aired May 22, 1992, and had over 50 million viewers

• Carson was openly emotional about what the journey meant to him while also making viewers at home laugh with him one final time

Johnny Carson's farewell toThe Tonight Showwas an emotional moment that still sticks with viewers, over three decades later.

The moment was a year in the making, with Carson announcing his departure with time to give fans time to digest it. The talk show host's 30-year run ended on May 22, 1992, with a look back at three decades of discussing the evolving pop culture landscape that late-night came up in.

In his self-written monologue, Carson explained how the show would play out, the night after an explosive farewell that featured appearances by Bette Midler and Robin Williams.

"The show tonight is our farewell show; it's going to be a little bit quieter," he said at the time. "It's not going to be a performance show. One of the questions people have been asking me, especially this last month, is, 'What's it like doingThe Tonight Show,' and what does it mean to me?"

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"Well, let me try to explain it. If I could magically, somehow, that tape you just saw, make it run backwards. I would like to do the whole thing over again. It's been a hell of a lot of fun," he continued.

Carson added, "As an entertainer, it has been the great experience of my life, and I cannot imagine finding something in television after I leave tonight that would give me as much joy and pleasure, and such a sense of exhilaration, as this show has given me. It's just hard to explain."

While Carson's tone met the moment, he didn't take it too seriously either, concluding the monologue with "This is not really a performance show. This is kind of a look-back retrospective. We are going to show you some moments in time. Some images of the many people, and there have been some 23,000 people. We are going to show you a little excerpt of how the show is put together, so go get some more cheese dip and we'll be back in just a moment."

Further, the audience consisted only of family, friends, and loved ones of the crew members as Carson led the intimate goodbye, which was watched at home by over 50 million viewers.

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Carson's last words to his audience struck a balance between emotional and jovial as he shared gratitude one final time.

"And so it has come to this: I am one of the lucky people in the world. I found something I always wanted to do, and I have enjoyed every single minute of it. I want to thank the people who’ve shared this stage with me for 30 years. Mr. Ed McMahon, Mr. Doc Severinsen and you people watching," he said.

Carson continued, "I can only tell you that it has been an honor and a privilege to come into your homes all these years and entertain you. And I hope when I find something that I want to do — and I think you would like — and come back, that you’ll be as gracious in inviting me into your home as you have been. I bid you a very heartfelt good night."

On the same night, 34 years later,Byron Allenis stepping into what wasStephen Colbert's former CBS time slot, the night afterThe Late Show with Stephen Colbertended.

In an interview withTheWrap, Allen shared that his takeover being on the anniversary of Carson's farewell was by design. He explained that while the show could have premiered in the time slot in September, he encouraged the May 22 start date.

Allen himself made his wider comedy debut onThe Tonight Show with Johnny Carsonin 1979, at just 18. He was the youngest comedian to ever perform during Carson's late-night reign.

"Normally, you would premiere in September, but I said ‘No, no, no, no. That’s when Johnny stepped down. That’s when I’m stepping up,' " he told the outlet.

Comics Unleashedtakes over the time slot on Friday, May 22.

Read the original article onPeople

byNito

in

May 26, 2026

Johnny Carson Bid an Emotional Farewell on His Final “Tonight Show” Broadcast, 34 Years Ago

Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show for 30 years before deciding to end his late-night reign NEED TO KNOW Carson...

Read More