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Philadelphia Eagles legend on Alabama alumnus’ opportunity: ‘If I’m Tyler, I’m licking my chops’

Jason Kelce’s retirement after 13 seasons as the center for the Philadelphia Eagles created a spot in the lineup for former Alabama offensive tackle Tyler Steen.

Steen didn’t get it, but the opening has returned for 2025.

“If I’m Tyler, I’m licking my chops,” Kelce said on Thursday during an appearance on the “WIP Morning Show” on WIP-FM in Philadelphia. “I got an opportunity here. And I think he was last year, too.

“Steen last year, a big reason it went to Mekhi (Becton) early was because he was hurt. He was out for almost all of training camp. He had an ankle injury, and that’s kind of when Mekhi started playing right guard and really got the bulk of the reps. And then Mekhi flourished with that opportunity. But I don’t know Steen did a lot to necessarily lose that position.”

After the 2023 season, Kelce retired, starting the six-time All-Pro’s countdown to eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

To fill the spot at center, the Eagles plugged in Cam Jurgens, who had spent his second season as Kelce’s heir apparent playing right guard in 2023.

After one season as a third-round rookie that included one start at right guard, Steen appeared next in line to step into Jurgens’ old spot.

But with Steen hobbled in training camp, Becton got the opportunity to show what he could do at right guard. A free-agent signing, Becton had started 30 games at left tackle in four seasons for the New York Jets after entering the NFL as the 11th pick in the 2020 draft.

Becton flourished in a way that he hadn’t at tackle. He started 15 regular-season games and four postseason contests as Philadelphia won the NFL championship in 2024.

RELATED: EAGLES ADD 5 TO ALABAMA’S LIST OF SUPER BOWL WINNERS

Earlier this month, Becton signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers as he left the Eagles via free agency.

The other four offensive-line starters are back for the Eagles in 2025, with Jurgens at center, Jordan Mailata at left tackle, Landon Dickerson (another former Alabama standout) at left guard and Lane Johnson at right tackle.

In addition to losing Becton, Philadelphia lost swing tackle Fred Johnson to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency after he played 42 percent of the offensive snaps last season as the swing tackle.

Former Auburn standout Jack Driscoll and Nick Gates remain unsigned as unrestricted free agents after making one start apiece in the Eagles’ offensive line.

Steen started two regular-season games in 2024 – at right guard in a 37-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 27 and left guard in a 20-13 victory over the New York Giants on Jan. 5. He also handled left guard during Philadelphia’s 55-23 victory over the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 26.

“For the most part, I think Steen played well in the games,” Kelce said. “I would like to see him be a little bit more consistent. He’s very good at times, and other times he’ll get a little bit out of balance or he’ll get beat. But he’s a good player and somebody I certainly am happy with going into a season playing.

“My concern a little bit is you lose Mekhi, you also lose Fred Johnson. You had the Cam and Landon injuries going into the Super Bowl and after that. I want to see who is going to replace this depth issue because the offensive line, the starting five is great and we were very lucky to have all five of those guys pretty much healthy all of last year. That’s not that common in the NFL. Who are we getting that’s going to be those next guys? Who’s going to be the Tyler Steen this year if Tyler Steen is a starter and somebody needs to play? Is this a major drop-off that really hurts the unit?”

On March 11, Philadelphia traded safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans for guard Kenyon Green, who before next month’s NFL Draft, appears Steen’s main competitor for the right-guard spot.

The 15th selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, Green started 23 games in three seasons with Houston and missed the entire 2023 campaign because of a shoulder injury.

“They traded, obviously, CJGJ for Kenyon Green, who has played, if I’m being honest, bad, and he was, like, really bad,” Kelce said. “But I do know he was a hot commodity when he was coming out in the draft. The measurables and the potential there, when you look at that stuff, is exciting. I don’t want to excite anybody. You never know. Is there a coaching thing that can make this better or is this a lack of instinct and lack of kind of like not understanding that he’s not going to be able to grasp it?”

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

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New team alert: Russell Wilson’s New York Giants jersey now available with free shipping

The quarterback carousel this free agency has been entertaining, with one major domino falling earlier this week. Russell Wilson inked a one-year deal with the New York Giants worth up to $21 million with $10.5 million guaranteed.

After their quarterback debacle last season, the Giants decided to roll with two seasoned veterans in Wilson and Jameis Winston this offseason.

Fanatics has been on top of the latest free agent moves, now listing Wilson’s Giants jersey on their site that can be purchased here.

Russell Wilson’s New York Giants jersey now available on Fanatics

The Russell Wilson New York Giants Nike Game Jersey – Royal retails for $129.99 and is available in the following sizes: S-3XL.

Note that this is a pre-order item since Wilson hasn’t chosen a number yet. He’s worn the #3 throughout his entire NFL career, but that’s currently taken.

You can get free shipping on this order with code “24SHIP” at checkout.

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‘Attack on Black America’: Critics blast Trump’s new order as effort to sanitize racism

President Donald Trump’s order accusing the Smithsonian Institution of not reflecting American history notes correctly that the country’s Founding Fathers declared that “all men are created equal.”

But it doesn’t mention that the founders enshrined slavery into the U.S. Constitution and declared enslaved persons as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of the Census.

Civil rights advocates, historians and Black political leaders sharply rebuked Trump on Friday for his order, entitled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” They argued that his executive order targeting the Smithsonian Institution is his administration’s latest move to downplay how race, racism and Black Americans themselves have shaped the nation’s story.

“It seems like we’re headed in the direction where there’s even an attempt to deny that the institution of slavery even existed, or that Jim Crow laws and segregation and racial violence against Black communities, Black families, Black individuals even occurred,” said historian Clarissa Myrick-Harris, a professor at Morehouse College, the historically Black campus in Atlanta.

The Thursday executive order cites the National Museum of African American History and Culture by name and argues that the Smithsonian as a whole is engaging in a “concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history.”

Instead of celebrating an “unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness,” the order argues that a “corrosive … divisive, race-centered ideology” has “reconstructed” the nation “as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed.”

It empowers Vice President JD Vance to review all properties, programs and presentations to prohibit programs that “degrade shared American values” or “divide Americans based on race.”

Trump also ordered Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to determine if any monuments since January 2020 “have been removed or changed to perpetuate a false reconstruction of American history” or “inappropriately minimize the value of certain historical events or figures.” Trump has long criticized the removal of Confederate monuments, a movement that gained steam after the May 2020 murder of George Floyd.

Critics argued the order is the latest move by the Trump administration to quash recognition of Black Americans’ contributions to the nation and to gloss over the legal, political, social and economic obstacles they have faced.

Trump’s approach is “a literal attack on Black America itself,” Ibram X. Kendi, the race historian and bestselling author, said. “The Black Smithsonian, as it is affectionately called, is indeed one of the heartbeats of Black America,” Kendi argued, and “also one of the heartbeats” of the nation at large.

Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., suggested that Trump wants to distort the national narrative to racist ends.

“We do not run from or erase our history simply because we don’t like it,” she said in a statement. “We embrace the history of our country – the good, the bad, and the ugly.”

Trump once praised the ‘Black Smithsonian’

The African American museum, one of 21 distinct Smithsonian entities, opened along the National Mall in 2016, the last year that President Barack Obama held office as the nation’s first Black chief executive. The museum chronicles chattel slavery, Jim Crow segregation and its lingering effects, but also highlights the determination, successes and contributions of individual Black Americans and Black institutions throughout U.S. history.

Former NAACP President Ben Jealous, who now leads the Sierra Club, said museums that focus on specific minority or marginalized groups — enslaved persons and their descendants, women, Native Americans — are necessary because historical narratives from previous generations misrepresented those individuals or overlooked them altogether.

“Attempts to tell the general history of the country always omit too much … and the place that we’ve come to by having these museums is so we can, in total, do a better job of telling the complete story of this country,” he said.

And, indeed, Trump sounded more like Jealous when he visited the African American museum in 2017, at the outset of his first term, and declared it a national gem.

“I’m deeply proud that we now have a museum that honors the millions of African American men and women who built our national heritage, especially when it comes to faith, culture and the unbreakable American spirit,” Trump said following a tour that included Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and then-Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, both of whom are Black.

“I know President Obama was here for the museum’s opening last fall,” Trump continued. “I’m honored to be the second sitting president to visit this great museum.”

Trump’s war on ‘woke’ targets history

Trump won his comeback White House bid with a notable uptick in support from non-white voters, especially among younger Black and Hispanic men.

He ratcheted up attacks during his campaign on what he labeled “woke” culture and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, not just in government but the private sector. He also used racist and sexist tropes to attack Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to hold national office, and regularly accused her and other liberals of “hating our country.”

Since his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump has banned diversity initiatives across the federal government. The administration has launched investigations of colleges — public and private — that it accuses of discriminating against white and Asian students with race-conscious admissions programs intended to address historic inequities in access for Black students.

The Defense Department, at one point, temporarily removed training videos recognizing the Tuskegee Airmen and an online biography of Jackie Robinson. In February, Trump fired Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr., a champion of racial diversity in the military, as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Brown, in the wake of Floyd’s killing, had spoken publicly about his experiences as a Black man, and was only the second Black general to serve as chairman.

The administration has fired diversity officers across government, curtailed some agencies’ celebrations of Black History Month, and terminated grants and contracts for projects ranging from planting trees in disadvantaged communities to studying achievement gaps in American schools.

Warnings of a chilling effect

Civil rights advocates and historians expressed concern about a chilling effect across other institutions that study Black history.

Kendi noted that many museums and educational centers across the country — such as San Francisco’s Museum of the African Diaspora, The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration in Montgomery, Alabama, and the International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina — exist with little to no federal or other governmental funding sources. Some already are struggling to keep their doors open.

“To me, that’s part of the plan, to starve these institutions that are already starving of resources so that the only institutions that are telling America’s history are actually only telling political propaganda,” Kendi said.

___

Associated Press journalists Aaron Morrison in New York and Gary Fields in Washington contributed to this report.

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Baseball legend celebrates Auburn win by rolling Toomer’s Corner: ‘Pretty cool!’

Chipper Jones still has enough arm strength to roll Toomer’s Corner.

Friday night in Alabama, the retired Atlanta Braves baseball legend participated in an Auburn University tradition after the Tigers basketball team defeated the University of Michigan.

Saturday morning, Jones, age 52, posted on his X/Twitter account: “Got 2 kids at Auburn. They’ve been wanting me to come down and visit, watch a game, hang out. Went to 1716, saw the Tigers make it to the Elite 8. Then we rolled Toomers Corner…..pretty cool!

After big Auburn sports wins, fans take to the intersection of College Street and Magnolia Avenue to throw rolls of toilet paper into the limbs of oak trees there. The corner is named for Toomer’s Drugs, a venerable local business located there.

On Friday, Auburn defeated Michigan 78 – 65. The win put Auburn into the Elite Eight round of this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, aka March Madness.

Next, Auburn faces Michigan State University at 4:05 p.m. Sunday. On the line: A trip to the Final Four. This marks the third time Auburn has made the Elite Eight. The program’s lone Final Four was in 2019.

Jones’ support of Auburn basketball is likely just temporary. The Florida native is a longtime University of Florida Gators sports fan. And if Florida defeats Texas Tech in their Elite Eight matchup tonight, and Auburn beats Michigan State, the Gators and Tigers would meet in the Final Four semifinals.

Jones’ baseball career was filled with accolades. In 1995, the switch-hitting third baseman (and former number one draft pick) won the National League Rookie of the Year Award. The Braves won the World Series that year too.

Former Atlanta Braves legend and the team’s current hitting consultant Chipper Jones is shown in 2023. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)AP

In 1999, Jones was voted NL Most Valuable Player. An eight-time All-Star, he won the NL batting title in 2008. Jones was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. He’s currently a hitting consultant with the Braves.

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Lifetime releases new drama ‘Wife Stalker’: How to watch, where to stream free

The all new drama movie Wife Stalker premieres on Lifetime Saturday, March 29 at 8/7c.

Starring Keshia Knight Pulliam, Trai Byers, Alayna Bernard, Aj Bernard and Grace Byers, Wife Stalker follows a happily married couple named Joanna and Leo who seem to have it all: two adorable children and a beautiful house in the suburbs. Their perfect marriage begins to quickly unravel around them when Piper, the owner of a wellness center moves to town and sets her sights on Leo who quickly falls for her charms.

As Piper ruthlessly maneuvers her way into the family, Joanna starts digging into her past and discovers some very disturbing secrets including two previous dead husbands. Fearing for their safety, Joanna is determined to find the proof that she needs to expose Piper in time to protect her family.

Where can I watch Lifetime’s new Wife Stalker?

Those interested in catching the premiere of this highly anticipated new drama film can stream the movie for free through Philo or DirecTV Stream—both of which have free trials set up for new subscribers. Out of the two, Philo is the cheaper option at just $28 a month after its free trial expires.

Wife Stalker is also available for streaming through Sling, and although there is no free trial set up for new subscribers, those who do commit to a paid subscription receive half off their first month.

What is Philo?

Philo is one of the cheapest basic cable alternatives out there. Users can access over 70 live TV channels for just $28 a month after its 7-day free trial.

Some of the most popular channels available through Philo include MTV, AMC, HGTV, Discovery Channel, CMT, TLC, BET and more. Users can stream these channels and various movies/TV shows on-demand.

Philo subscribers can take advantage of useful features such as the unlimited DVR option which makes recording favorite content simple.

What is DirecTV Stream?

DirecTV Stream offers subscribers with a plethora of live TV channels and helpful features, too. The Entertainment package, also known as DirecTV Stream’s base package, starts at just $86.99 a month after its 5-day free trial and includes popular TV channels such as HGTV, ESPN, Bravo, CMT, CNBC, BET, CNN and more.

Two other DirecTV Stream packages are the Choice package (original price $114.99) and the Ultimate package (original price $129.99), both of which are part of an ongoing promotion that offers new subscribers $25 off the original price for the first three months of their subscription.

Those interested in comparing all DirecTV Stream’s channel packages can check them out here.

What is Sling?

Sling is another streaming service to consider if you want to stream live TV channels like Lifetime. Though no free trial is available to new subscribers, those interested in committing to a paid plan get half off the first month.

Both the Sling Orange plan and the Sling Blue plan are normally $45.99 a month, but with the current promotion, Sling users will pay just $23 a month for the first month.

For those who wish to access channels from both the Sling Blue and Sling Orange plans can do so by signing up for the Orange + Blue plan, which combines the best of both plans for just $60.99 a month ($30.50 for the first month).

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Will Smith’s new song addresses Chris Rock slap at Oscars: ‘Can’t cancel no icon’

It’s been 20 years since Will Smith released an album. But just three years since the rapper/actor famously slapped comedian Chris Rock onstage at the 2022 Academy Awards.

Rock later addressed the incident in his 2023 Netflix standup special, “Selective Outrage.”

Now, Smith is having his say.

The 56-year-old entertainer’s new album “Based on a Story,” which dropped Friday, opens with the track “Int. Barbershop – Day.” The cut finds Smith reuniting with DJ Jazzy Jeff, with whom Smith first rose to fame. Back then Smith was known as the Fresh Prince, with hit songs like 1988’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and 1991’s “Summertime.”

Social media personality B. Simone also guests on Smith’s new track “Int. Barbershop — Day.” As previously reported by CNN, lines rapped on that track include: “I heard he won the Oscar but he had to give it back. And you know they only made him do that s— because he’s Black.”

At the same 2022 Oscars where he slapped Rock, Smith won the best actor award for his portrayal of tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams’ father Richard in the film “King Richard.”

While the slapping incident resulted in Smith being banned from the Oscars for 10 years, he wasn’t required to forfeit his award. He also won a Golden Globe award for the role. After the Oscars incident, Smith publicly apologized to Rock via video statement.

Another line from “Int. Barbershop – Day” goes, “Him and Jada both crazy, girl, what you talkin’ bout?” Then there’s, “You better keep his wife’s name out of your mouth.”

Smith is married to actor Jada Pinkett Smith. At the ‘22 Oscars, Smith walked on stage and struck Rock, who was presenting the best documentary award, after the comedian made a joke about Pinkett Smith’s bald head.

Sonically, “Int. Barbershop – Day” evokes the irreverent style of early Eminem songs like “The Real Slim Shady,” albeit with a funkier instrumental track. Other vocal lines from the song include “Will Smith is canceled.” The retort: “Can’t cancel no icon.”

As a musician, Smith has won four Grammy Awards. His solo hits include 1997’s “Men In Black,” the theme from the comedy/sci-fi film of the same name, which Smith also starred in as an actor. Other classic Smith cuts include ‘98’s “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It.” His previous album, 2005’s “Lost and Found,” debuted at No. 6.

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Man killed in Saturday morning traffic crash in Calera

A Saturday morning crash in Calera left one person dead.

The two-vehicle wreck happened just after 6 a.m. in the 3000 block of County Road 12.

Chief David Hyche said officers arrived on the scene to find one of the drivers dead. His name is being withheld pending notification of family members.

Hyche said an investigation is ongoing by the Calera Police Department Traffic Homicide Unit, the Shelby County Traffic Homicide Task Force and the Shelby County Coroner’s Office.

No additional information was immediately available.

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Live updates from women’s March Madness games in Birmingham

Another pair of heavy-hitting matchups highlight Saturday’s Sweet 16 action in Birmingham.

Notre Dame will face off against TCU in the first game of the day at noon, followed by a matchup of SEC foes in Tennessee and Texas at 2:30 p.m.

RELATED: Rewinding Friday’s women’s March Madness games in Birmingham

Inside TCU star Hailey Van Lith’s ‘evolution’ amidst historic basketball season

Both games, which will be at Legacy Arena, will be broadcast on ABC and streamed on ESPN+ and Disney+.

Keep up with all the action.

11:42 a.m., Finishing touches: Notre Dame has taken the floor for final warmups against TCU.

11:33 a.m., Gearing up: TCU is getting set for a matchup against Notre Dame in the Sweet 16.

TCU is aiming for its first Elite Eight appearance, while Notre Dame is going for its first since 2019.

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Bruins-Red Wings free livestream: How to watch NHL game tonight, TV, schedule

The Boston Bruins play against the Detroit Red Wings in an NHL game tonight. The matchup will begin at 7 p.m. CT on ABC. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

The Bruins enter this matchup with a 30-34-9 record, and they have lost seven consecutive games. In their most recent game, the Bruins lost 6-2 against Anaheim.

In order to bounce back tonight, the Bruins will need a great performance from their star forward David Pastrnak. He leads the team with 85 points this season, so he will look to continue his offensive success this evening.

The Red Wings enter this matchup with a 33-33-6 record, and they have lost four of their last five games. In their last game, the Red Wings lost 4-3 against Ottawa.

In order to win this evening, the Red Wings will need a great performance from their star forward Lucas Raymond. He leads the team in points and assists this season.

Fans can watch this NHL game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

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‘Hearts Around the Table: Shari’s Second Act’: How to watch, where to stream free

The second movie to join the Hearts Around the Table collection, Hearts Around the Table: Shari’s Second Act premieres on Hallmark Saturday, March 29 at 8/7c.

Starring Mishael Morgan, Brendan Morgan and Mindy Cohn, Hearts Around the Table: Shari’s Second Act follows Shari (Mishael) as she moves back to D.C. after a breakup, with hopes to start painting again.

Inspiration hits when she meets Evan (Brendan), a repairman who wind up actually being a gallery owner.

Where can I watch Hearts Around the Table: Shari’s Second Act?

Those interested in catching the new addition to the Hearts Around the Table collection on Hallmark can stream the movie for free through Philo, Fubo or DirecTV Stream—all of which have free trials set up for new subscribers. Out of the three, Philo is the cheapest option at just $28 a month after its free trial concludes.

The new Hallmark original movie is also available for streaming through Sling. Although there is no free trial set up, new subscribers can enjoy half off their first month when they commit to a paid subscription.

What is Philo?

Philo is one of the cheapest basic cable alternatives out there. Users can access over 70 live TV channels for just $28 a month after its 7-day free trial.

Some of the most popular channels available through Philo include MTV, AMC, HGTV, Discovery Channel, Hallmark Channel, CMT, TLC, BET and more. Users can stream these channels and various movies/TV shows on-demand.

Subscribers can take advantage of Philo’s useful features such as the unlimited DVR option which makes recording favorite content simple.

What is Fubo?

Fubo considers itself a sports-focused live streaming service but also offers over 100 live TV channels through its base package at just $84.99 a month following its free trial. Through this plan, users can stream popular channels such as ABC, USA, Hallmark Channel, ESPN, BET, CMT, MTV and more.

Currently, Fubo’s base plan, also referred to as the Pro plan, is included in the service’s ongoing promotion offering $30 off the first month with a new subscription. Other Fubo plans included in this promotion are the Elite plan ($30 off first month), the Essentials plan ($25 off first month) and the Latino plan ($5 off first month).

To learn more about available channels for streaming through Fubo and a deeper dive into the packages, click here.

What is DirecTV Stream?

DirecTV Stream offers subscribers with a plethora of live TV channels and helpful features, too. The Entertainment package, also known as DirecTV Stream’s base package, starts at just $86.99 a month after its 5-day free trial and includes popular TV channels such as HGTV, ESPN, Bravo, CMT, CNBC, BET, CNN and more.

Two other DirecTV Stream packages are the Choice package (original price $114.99) and the Ultimate package (original price $129.99), both of which are part of an ongoing promotion that offers new subscribers $25 off the original price for the first three months of their subscription.

Those interested in comparing all DirecTV Stream’s channel packages can check them out here.

What is Sling?

Sling is another streaming service to consider if you want to stream live TV channels like the Hallmark Channel. Though no free trial is available to new subscribers, those interested in committing to a paid plan get half off the first month.

Both the Sling Orange plan and the Sling Blue plan are normally $45.99 a month, but with the current promotion, Sling users will pay just $23 a month for the first month.

For those who wish to access channels from both the Sling Blue and Sling Orange plans can do so by signing up for the Orange + Blue plan, which combines the best of both plans for just $60.99 a month ($30.50 for the first month).

More on the Hearts Around the Table collection

Hearts Around the Table is a collection of interconnected stories created to help celebrate the meaningful aspects of life: family, love and good food.

Earlier this month on March 22, the first movie in the new Hallmark collection, Hearts Around the Table: Jenna’s First Love, premiered, making this week’s move premiere the second in the collection.

Two more movies are scheduled to premiere in the collection during April. Hearts Around the Table: Josh’s Third Serving premieres on Saturday, April 5 at 8/7c, while the fourth installment of the collection, Hearts Around the Table: Kiki’s Fourth Ingredient premieres on Saturday, April 12 at 8/7c.

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