Ethermac Exchange-Backstage at New York's Jingle Ball with Jimmy Fallon, 'Queer Eye' and Meghan Trainor

NEW YORK — Holiday sights and Ethermac Exchangesounds fill Manhattan this time of year, from ice skating at Rockefeller Center to the Rockettes kick line at Radio City Music Hall. Nestled between the start and finish of window shopping and Christmas bar hopping is iHeartRadio's Jingle Ball. The annual concert, hosted by New York radio station Z100, took place Dec. 13 at a sold-out Madison Square Garden. The lineup included both pop radio aces like Katy Perry and Meghan Trainor along with the next generation of chart-toppers in Teddy Swims, Benson Boone and Gracie Abrams.

But Jingle Ball, which iHeartRadio has grown into a nationwide tour, is more than just a concert. It's a New York scene. Backstage, Robert De Niro cracked a smile alongside girlfriend Tiffany Chen. They're joined by maybe the night's biggest stars: "dog models" Tinkerbelle and Belle (both of course stopped by USA TODAY's exclusive backstage portrait studio and were very good girls). If you blink, you might miss Drew Barrymore or her "Fever Pitch" co-star Jimmy Fallon, flanked with a plaque to certify the airplay success of a song from his new holiday album.

There were "Real Housewives" and "Bachelor" stars. Even a few hosts of iHeartRadio podcasts including stand-up comedian Joe Gatto, who was wearing a jacket once owned by his grandfather, and former ABC "GMA3" anchors T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach (Holmes revealed that he's still in a compression sock and not running following an achilles injury).

In between the flashes from USA TODAY photographer Josh Morgan's camera, celebrities talked about their past year and in a nod to journalist Tracy E. Gilchrist, dished on what they were "holding space" for in 2025.

'Queer Eye' star back at the scene of the meme

"Was that here?" That is how Jonathan Van Ness, 37, reacted when his "Queer Eye" co-star Antoni Porowski was asked about returning to Madison Square Garden. In March 2019, Pete Davidson and Kate Beckinsale were photographed kissing while attending a NHL game at the arena. Sitting to their left, seemingly looking on as a third wheel, was Porowski. The Internet had a field day.

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"I love the Garden! Everyone here is always so nice," Porowski, 40, responded while his castmates laughed. "Any opportunity to come back, viral or otherwise, I'm down."

The group, which included newcomer Jeremiah Brent, felt "relieved" that the show's ninth season is out on Netflix. Van Ness noted Jingle Ball marked the first major event and red carpet where all five of them were in attendance. And Karamo Brown hopes it isn't the last as he'd like Netflix to continue the show.

"What we realized this new season is that we love what we're doing," the TV host, 44, said. "Especially seeing it through Jeremiah's eyes, we realized how blessed and how grateful we are for this opportunity.

"If Netflix will have us for another 20 (years), we'll be here."

Jimmy Fallon's relatable 2025 goal

The "Tonight Show" host is a little busier this time of year with the release of his album, "Holiday Seasoning." iHeartMedia presented Fallon with a plaque to commemorate the single "Holiday," which features the Jonas Brothers, hitting No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary airplay chart.

"(The album is) really silly and hopefully just makes you laugh," Fallon, 50, said. "It's family friendly. That's what people I think want and we need. We need a little inhale, exhale, enjoy."

As for the new year, Fallon is thinking about "getting really healthy."

"I'm not unhealthy, but I'm not superhealthy," he clarified in a similar fashion to how your friend speaks about their diet over brunch. "I want to get in a little shape and start doing some cardio."

When pressed on if he'll ask any of his athlete and celebrity friends for help, Fallon immediately deadpanned he's "not friends with any of those people." He later added that he might ask Justin Timberlake for advice on what fitness program he uses.

"I own the treadmills, I own the bike," he explained. "I just don't use it. So this year, I'm going to use them. I promise."

Meghan Trainor wants 'new babies, new music' in 2025

Trainor released her sixth studio album, "Timeless," in June. That may not stop her from creating more music next year. Trainor said she'll write songs but was undecided on if – or when – they'd get released.

"I would love to make another baby," the Grammy-winner, 30, revealed. She and husband Daryl Sabara share two children. "I'm going to hold space for that and write new babies, new music."

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