“Captain America: Brave New World” is slated to open this weekend and it’s already generating negative attention, with some of the worst critical reviews of any Marvel film to date.

The fourth installment in the MCU’s Captain America franchise is led by Anthony Mackie, who took over the role from Chris Evans. Other main characters in this latest installment include Red Hulk (Harrison Ford), The Leader (Tim Blake Nelson), and Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito).

“Brave New World” has debuted with a 52% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes as of Thursday afternoon. Comparatively, that puts it only ahead of “Eternals” (2021) and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (2023), two recent MCU films that also got poor reviews from critics.

Digital Trends critic A. A. Dowd called the film a new “rock bottom” for the franchise with a “mess” of a plot. “No blockbuster that cost this much money should look this shoddy,” he added.

“With its cheap action and garish visuals, it’s then that we enter yet another genre altogether: action-figure commercial,” observed New York Times critic Brandon Yu.

Vulture critic Bilge Ebiri also had harsh words, calling Marvel a “giant slop machine” and saying the franchise was spinning “out of control into the confused and shallow mess that we have before us.”

Meanwhile, Washington Post critic Ty Burr gave the film 1.5 stars and called it “humorless” and a “pixel-pounding mishmash” that is “more interested in fan service and protecting corporate IP” than in telling a good story.

“The fight sequences are meditative, the grave-whisper acting belongs in a coming-attraction trailer from 1996 and, yet again, the viewer needs to have watched a TV series and at least two movies to fully grasp what’s happening,” New York Post reporter Johnny Oleksinski wrote.

The movie’s synopsis says, “Anthony Mackie returns as the high-flying hero Sam Wilson, who’s officially taken up the mantle of Captain America. After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.”

Bad reviews are only the latest controversy for the new “Captain America.” Recently, the film’s star came under fire for comments he made about the titular character. Mackie said, “For me, Captain America represents a lot of different things and I don’t think the term ‘America’ should be one of those representations. It’s about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity, and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable.”

After his comments went viral, the actor clarified his statements and called himself “a proud American.”

“Let me be clear about this, I’m a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like CAP [Captain America] is the honor of a lifetime,” he said, as The Daily Wire previously reported.

“I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country,” he added. “CAP has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to.”

Comedian Seth Rogen, an avowed leftist, weighed in with a blunt take on why the country is so divided politically.

“I personally try not to go too dark on all of it and think like, ‘Oh, are we on the precipice of global societal collapse?’” the “Knocked Up” star said in an Esquire interview posted Tuesday. “Since the end of the Civil War, America’s remained a very divided country in a lot of ways.”

Rogen vaguely referenced President Donald Trump’s campaign promises to prosecute criminals as resonating with people, even those in Democrat-heavy urban areas. 

“People get sick of seeing f***ing hippies doing acid and f***ng on their lawns, and they’re like, ‘Let’s f***ing clean up these streets a little bit,’” Rogen told the outlet. “And then people get sick of seeing f***ng dorks cleaning up the streets and they go back the other way. That’s not to say it doesn’t have very real and troubling ramifications on many people’s lives, but I try to maintain hope that the ball will roll onwards, even though it might be wobbling back and forth.”

This observation differs from what Rogen said a couple of years ago when an X user complained about having his car broken into. At the time, the actor urged the crime victim to just deal with it because crime was common, and Los Angeles “still had a lot going for it.”

“Dude I’ve lived here for over 20 years. You’re nuts haha. It’s lovely here. Don’t leave anything valuable in [your car]. It’s called living in a big city,” he responded to the person who had his personal items stolen, as The Daily Wire previously reported.

“i can still be mad tho right? feel so violated,” the person replied, prompting Rogen to write, “You can be mad but I guess I don’t personally view my car as an extension of myself and I’ve never really felt violated any of the 15 or so times my car was broken in to. Once a guy accidentally left a cool knife in my car so if it keeps happening you might get a little treat.”

“I lived in West Hollywood for 20 years and parked on the street. … Also it sucks your sh** was stolen but LA is not some sh**hole city. As far as big cities go it has a lot going for it,” he added in a follow-up.

Former talk show host Wendy Williams might be released from her guardianship as rumors swirl that she’s feeling unhappy and trapped in her current situation.

The 60-year-old celebrity reportedly signed an affidavit on Wednesday petitioning a judge to end the current arrangement due to her “regained capacity” to function without a guardian, per sources who spoke with TMZ. The outlet noted that Williams is slated to be evaluated by a doctor chosen by her attorney early next week to assert that she never had Frontotemporal Dementia since that condition never improves.

The source further stated that Williams’ lawyers are prepared to take the matter to trial if the judge denies her petition.

This development comes after TMZ dropped a documentary titled “TMZ Presents: Saving Wendy” detailing Williams living in a strict facility where she says she does not have access to the internet, incoming phone calls, or even fresh air.

In court filings, Williams’ guardian has claimed she “is cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated.” But Williams told TMZ founder Harvey Levin she feels “fantastic” and is “not incapacitated,” per People. 

Williams insisted earlier this month that she was misdiagnosed. “I don’t have frontotemporal dementia…it’s disgusting,” Williams said when she called into The Breakfast Club on February 5. “That’s a very rare thing for anybody to have.”

“I’m not incapacitated,” she said later. “I am not a baby.”

A prior phone call with the same radio show had Williams saying more of the same things about her condition and how she shouldn’t be in an assisted living facility. 

“I am not cognitively impaired but I feel like I am in prison,” the celeb said during a call in January, as The Daily Wire previously reported. “I’m in this place with people who are in their 90s and their 80s and their 70s. … These people, there’s something wrong with these people here on this floor. I am clearly not.”

She continued, “Listen, this system is broken, this system that I am in. This system has falsified a lot. For the last three years, I have been caught up in the system.”

Williams hosted “The Wendy Williams Show” from 2008 until 2021. She stepped down from hosting due to medical issues related to lymphedema and Graves’ disease, per Variety.

There have been mixed reactions to Elon Musk bringing his 4-year-old son to high-profile Trump events, including a press conference in the Oval Office earlier this week, with the boy’s mother most recently weighing in on the situation.

The Tesla CEO shares his son X Æ A-Xii, who goes by X, with Canadian singer-songwriter Grimes (real name Claire Boucher). They also have two other children, Exa Dark Sideræl and Techno Mechanicus.

A fan alerted Grimes to an appearance at the White House on Tuesday, prompting her to post on X, “He should not be in public like this. I did not see this, thank u for alerting me. But I’m glad he was polite. Sigh.” 

He should not be in public like this. I did not see this, thank u for alerting me. But I'm glad he was polite. Sigh

— 𝖦𝗋𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗌 ⏳ (@Grimezsz) February 12, 2025

The fan had written under one of Grimes’ posts, “Lil X was very polite today! You raised him well. He was so cute when he told DJT ‘please forgive me, I need to pee.'”

Musk was in the Oval Office to see President Donald Trump sign an executive order urging federal agencies to work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut the number of federal employees, but Musk took center stage defending DOGE’s actions.

X could be seen on camera making faces and grabbing at his father as the press conference went on.

This isn’t the first time X was on display, which advocates say is a benefit because it helps normalize young children being seen and heard in the world. Little X also joined his dad at the podium as Musk delivered a speech the day before Donald Trump’s inauguration. 

“Normalize this,” one X user wrote, as The Daily Wire previously reported. “[Elon Musk] is the richest man in the world, yet consistently lives out his pro-child beliefs by bringing his own children into his daily work.”

“Actions speak louder than words. Children aren’t burdens—they’re the future.”

Despite the outpouring of support, others grumbled that Musk has been bringing his son everywhere. 

Grimes and Musk dated for a while and broke up in 2022. They were very private about their on-again, off-again relationship, but Grimes tweeted recently about the custody situation and her ex’s involvement in politics.

“[I was] fighting and detaching from the love of my life as he comes unrecognizable to me, with a fraction of his resources (or iq/strategy experience),” she tweeted in November.

As for the allegations that Musk did an intentional Nazi salute during a speech, Grimes wrote, “It’s absurd that someone can be this cancelled for something their ex did before they even heard it happened,” she said. “I am not him. I will not make a statement every time he does something. I can only send love back into a world that is hurting.”

She added, “To be clear i could go talk s*** and be on a bunch of magazine covers and be a feminist hero and get clout – but it would serve no purpose. I choose my children’s wellbeing.”

Sir Paul McCartney stunned and delighted fans when he announced he would take the stage at a pop-up concert at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City on Tuesday night.

The 82-year-old former Beatles band member debuted a show called “Paul McCartney Rocks the Bowery,” which was announced on his official website and social media platforms at noon on Tuesday, per CBS News. Fans scrambled to get tickets for the intimate performance at the 575-seat venue as they were only available in person at the Bowery Ballroom’s box office and cost just $50. Purchasers were limited to one ticket each.

Lines quickly wrapped around the block, and the show sold out within an hour.

“There was people running from all directions — subway, bikes, getting out of cars and taxis. Everybody was running,” a fan named Adrienne Dee-Olsen told CBS.

Another fan told the news outlet that he considered McCartney’s concert an “emergency” worth running out of work for. “I literally left work, told my boss it’s a big emergency. He’s like, ‘What’s the emergency?’ I go, ‘It’s Paul McCartney.’ I mean, like, what’s more important than that?” Stephen Esposito said.

Video recording and photography were not permitted in the venue, but a Variety reporter noted that McCartney began his set with “Hard Day’s Night” and followed up with other Beatles classics, along with hits from his other band, Wings. The British rocker was joined onstage by his tour partners, including guitarist Rusty Anderson, guitarist-bassist Brian Ray, keyboardist Paul “Wix” Wickens, and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr.

He did a solo to “Blackbird” on an acoustic guitar, per The New York Post, and recalled how he wrote the song for the Beatles during the civil rights movement. “We were just kids. I’ve got grandchildren older than that now,” McCartney told the crowd.

Other songs played included “Letting Go,” “Got to Get You Into My Life,” “Let Me Roll It,” “My Valentine,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Come on to Me,” “Now and Then,” “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude,” “Jet,” and many others.

The crowd sang along to all the hits and shrieked with delight at times, which McCartney addressed from the stage.

“Hey, that was a Beatles scream,” he said at one point before inviting the audience members to get it out of their system. “Okay girls, let’s get it over with,” he said with a sigh, as Variety noted. “Let’s hear your Beatles screams.”

The crowd erupted for a few minutes until the rock performer stopped them, saying, “Okay, that’s enough.”

McCartney played for 90 minutes before thanking the crowd and departing. 

“Malcolm in the Middle” actor Frankie Muniz says he was not a fan of the character that made him a household name.

The 39-year-old former child star made the remarks while speaking with People about the upcoming reboot. Muniz said he sat down and watched all the episodes of the show, which led him to the conclusion that child prodigy Malcolm was no good.

“[My wife] looked at me at the very end and she goes, ‘You weren’t acting at all. You are literally Malcolm,’” he told the outlet. “And I’m like, ‘I don’t know how to take that because Malcolm sucked.’ He was the worst character on that show!”

The actor said even though he doesn’t care for Malcolm, he’s still a big fan of the series as a whole. And is “obviously so thrilled” for the reboot.

“We started talking about [a reboot] literally 10 years ago — me and [costar] Bryan Cranston — and slowly been working at it and it’s finally a reality,” Muniz told People. “So I’m really excited. I had to do some chemistry reads. I can’t tell you with what characters, but new characters that would be on the show. And it was so weird to go back and be with Linwood Boomer, the creator, and Ken Kwapis, the director, and be back in that mindset.”

“Oddly, it was right at home,” he added.

The sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle” premiered in January 2000, and ended in May 2006, after seven seasons and 151 episodes. The show was massively popular among audiences and critics, winning a Peabody Award, seven Emmy Awards, one Grammy Award, and earning seven Golden Globe nominations while it was on the air.

The series focused on a dysfunctional family trying to make it work and included Malcolm frequently making comments about their efforts being futile.

The limited, four episode revival will follow Malcolm and his daughter as his parents ask for him to attend their 40th wedding anniversary party.

Disney has made noticeable changes to their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, per an internal memo and multiple sources who confirmed it with Axios.

To start with, the company sent out an internal memo from their chief human resources officer Sonia Coleman detailing some of the upcoming changes. This includes how the company plans to replace their current “Diversity & Inclusion” performance factor that’s used to evaluate executive compensation, the outlet noted, with a new “Talent Strategy.” 

While the new performance measurement does keep some elements of the “Diversity & Inclusion” performance indicator, it more heavily focuses on how values contribute to success. 

Disney will also be ditching its Reimagine Tomorrow initiative which was used to “highlight stories and talent from underrepresented communities.” The site existed on the corporate website and was replaced in December.

It was also located on an internal hub which included training documents for employees with radical leftist messaging. Journalist Christopher Rufo published examples of the leaked training documents in 2021, which insisted America was founded on “systemic racism” and told employees to reject “equality” in favor of “equity,” and the “equality of outcomes.”

The documents included a section explaining how the U.S. has “a long history of systemic racism and transphobia,” and told employees, “If you are feeling confused, shocked, or have recently awakened to systemic racism, recognize that this is probably not new to your Black/African American colleagues.”

The memo also noted an upcoming name change and focus for employee resource groups. Now “Business” Employee Resource Groups (BERGs) will be known as “Belonging” Employee Resource Groups. Their goal will be “strengthening the employee community and workplace experience.”

On the customer-facing side, Disney fans can expect a change in messaging with older films such as “Dumbo” and “Peter Pan,” which were slapped with content warnings in recent times. For now, viewers are told that these classic movies “include negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or cultures.” 

But per two internal sources, an updated advisory will make a more general warning that says, “This program is presented as originally created and may contain stereotypes or negative depictions.” 

The company is making these changes as several other major corporations navigate away from DEI following President Trump taking office. 

Disney is also trying to rehabilitate its image after leaked footage of a meeting detailing their “not-at-all-secret gay agenda” for children’s content made headlines, in addition to their public battle with Florida governor Ron DeSantis. 

After producing multiple lackluster films and series with progressive themes, the company seems to be returning to an image of political neutrality. This is in line with what returning company CEO Bob Iger said when he stepped back into the role. 

“Our primary mission needs to be to entertain, and then through our entertainment to continue to have a positive impact on the world. I’m very serious about that. It should not be agenda-driven, it should be entertainment-driven,” Iger said during the annual shareholders meeting in 2023.

Besides Disney, some other companies revamping or dismantling their DEI initiatives include Google, Meta, Amazon, Walmart, and Target, plus others. Other companies, like Costco and Apple, are doubling down and insisting that DEI makes them stronger.

“Star Wars” actress Daisy Ridley said she believes that all the franchise’s films, even the old ones, contain political messaging. 

The 32-year-old British star rose to fame while playing Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy films “The Force Awakens” (2015), “The Last Jedi” (2017), and “The Rise of Skywalker” (2019). Ridley is slated to appear in the latest sequel, currently called “New Jedi Order.”

Scriptwriter George Nolfi recently discussed the political aspects of the films, saying in an interview, “If you think about George Lucas, the six movies that he did, and the universe that he created, it’s actually very steeped in broad notions of politics. It’s not talking about today, per se, but there’s the Empire’s Nazism slash Roman Empire.”

Ridley spoke with Inverse recently, saying she agreed with Nolfi on that point. “I feel like [the Star Wars films] are all political. I feel like it’s the individual versus the big corporation or the big group, so I think they always have been,” the actress told the outlet. 

She continued, “And ultimately I think the films are emotional in that it’s good and evil, which we all can relate to very specifically in our day-to-day lives. But yes, I do feel those conversations are woven within the story, and I’m very excited to see what George [Nolfi] does.”

“Star Wars” fans have been impatient with the delays, leadership changes, and lack of details about “New Jedi Order,” which Disney first announced in 2023. Their waiting has not yet paid off, as Ridley told Screen Rant she hasn’t seen a script yet and that it likely won’t be her next project to go into production.

The studio is likely being cautious, the outlet noted, after having two major box office disappointments with “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018) and poor critical reviews, plus mixed fan reviews of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019).

The next “Star Wars” release will be “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” slated to hit theaters in May 2026.  

Ridley is currently promoting a new movie called “Cleaner,” in which she plays an ex-soldier turned window cleaner who helps rescue hostages from an extremist planning a mass murder. 

Retired Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jason Kelce recently explained his thoughts on Super Bowl LIX, which saw his former team crush the Kansas City Chiefs 40 – 22. Jason said he was feeling “mixed emotions” due to the fact that his brother, Travis Kelce, plays tight end for the Chiefs.

“Congratulations to the Philadelphia Eagles, my former teammates, and friends on being SB LIX Champions!! There were a lot of emotions last night, and now that I’ve collected my thoughts, I’ll attempt to share them in the longest tweet ever,” he shared on X on Tuesday morning.

Congratulations to the Philadelphia Eagles, my former teammates, and friends on being SB LIX Champions!! There were a lot of emotions last night, and now that I’ve collected my thoughts, I’ll attempt to share them in the longest tweet ever.

That game was odd for me to watch if…

— Jason Kelce (@JasonKelce) February 11, 2025

Jason went on to say the game was “odd” to watch because of “mixed emotions before, during, and after.” The former center said his feelings of rooting for both sides were likely similar to what his parents went through when he was still playing and both of their sons were on different teams, including when they became the first brothers in history to play each other at the 2023 Super Bowl, which the Chiefs won 38 – 35.

“On one hand, I wanted what is best for my brother, and to see his success. And on the other hand, there are so many people, teammates, and coaches, in the Philadelphia Eagles organization that I care deeply about … many of whom I owe my own success to throughout my career,” Kelce added. 

Jason spent his entire 13-year NFL career playing for the Eagles.

“I am very proud [of] Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni, and this entire team. They have persevered greatly, answered their critics amazingly, and proved themselves to be undoubtedly the best team this season,” he continued. 

Motherly Love 💐

When Jason and Travis Kelce became the first brothers to play against each other in a Super Bowl, Donna Kelce wore a split Chiefs/Eagles jersey as well as a shoe for each team (now on display at the Hall of Fame) 🫶 #MothersDay

📸: @ProFootballHOF pic.twitter.com/6fJYAqRDZG

— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) May 12, 2024

“It is extremely difficult for a team in the NFL to have enough talent, coaching, fortune, and character to win a Super Bowl.  The character and swagger of this Eagles team was something truly special to behold.  A true representation of the toughness and grit that makes Philadelphia what it is.  Well done fellas, well f***ing done,” he wrote.

Next, Kelce heaped praise on Travis. He said, “As for my brother, There isn’t a person I love or care about more.  It has been tough to process these feelings, of course I feel for him and am always rooting for him,  but I know he does not need, nor want my pity.  He has amassed greatness few on this planet could ever dream of, as has his team, and they should feel pride in their accomplishments this season and in the past.”

“I know right now they are still thinking of last night and the shortcomings in the last game,” he said, “but in time that will fade, and the greatness they have exhibited as a group will remain as one of the most dominant eras of football ever.”

Kelce concluded by saying he was looking forward to the parade in Philadelphia and signed off by saying, “Go Birds.” 

Sunday’s Super Bowl rematch between the Eagles and the Chiefs at the Superdome in New Orleans was one-sided, with the Eagles dominating for the entire game, ending the first half with 24 unanswered points. The Eagles’ big win was the franchise’s second Super Bowl title and dashed the Chiefs in their quest for a history-making “three-peat,” or winning three Super Bowl titles in a row. 

Travis admitted that his team didn’t show up like they wanted to on Sunday. “We haven’t played that bad all year,” he told reporters after the game. “You don’t lose like that without everything going bad.”

Actress Selena Gomez weighed in on the “Emilia Pérez” controversy, saying she’s glad she made the film but admitted that some of the “magic” is now gone due to all the backlash.

The film was flying high with 13 Oscar nominations – the most of any project this year – before controversial tweets made by the lead actor resurfaced, causing many fans and industry members to turn on the Academy Awards’ first trans-identified male Best Actress nominee, Karla Sofía Gascón.

“Some of the magic has disappeared,” Gomez said of the aftermath of the controversy while speaking at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, per Variety. “But I choose to continue to be proud of what I’ve done and I’m just grateful. I live with no regrets, and I would do this movie over and over again if I could.”

“Just having someone see something in me besides the obvious was such a special experience,” the actress added. “The director [Jacques Audiard] just really trusted me, and I was so grateful because I’ve gotten to show people that I am capable of doing more. I hope this is just the beginning for me in this field.”

Meanwhile, Audiard has distanced himself from Gascón since the tweets went viral. The director responded to a question about the tweets, saying they are “taking up all the space” in the conversations about the transgender musical drama “Emilia Pérez” and that it makes him “very sad.”

“It’s very hard for me to think back to the work I did with Karla Sofía,” Audiard told Deadline earlier this month, as The Daily Wire previously reported. “The trust we shared, the exceptional atmosphere that we had on the set that was indeed based on trust. And when you have that kind of relationship and suddenly you read something that that person has said, things that are absolutely hateful and worthy of being hated, of course that relationship is affected. It’s as if you fall into a hole. Because what Karla Sofía said is inexcusable.”

The film director also confirmed he hasn’t spoken to Gascón since the news broke. 

The tweets in question include critical statements on Muslims and George Floyd, to name a few. The Golden Globe-winning actor has made multiple apologies, but is still being ostracized in Hollywood.

Philadelphia Democratic Mayor Cherelle Parker pleaded to residents ahead of this Sunday’s Super Bowl, urging fans to tone down their celebration antics if the Eagles are victorious.

“Please Philadelphia, I implore you, as your mayor, do not climb light poles,” she said at a press conference on Thursday night. 

The request comes a little less than two weeks after the Eagles clinched the NFC Championship, leading to huge celebrations across the city that resulted in an 18-year-old Temple University student dying after falling from a light pole. The police department issued 31 citations for disorderly conduct and failure to disburse, per the New York Post.

“For your mayor, please, just don’t climb onto anything, OK? That’s our Golden Rule,” Parker added, using a stern tone. “This comes up every time we have an outdoor celebration after our Philly teams win,” she said. “We do not want anything to happen to you, your friends, or your family members.”

Officials did not confirm if they would be greasing the city’s light poles to deter potential climbers ahead of Sunday’s game, which they did two years ago when the Eagles were in the Super Bowl.

The Eagles will take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The Chiefs hope to make Super Bowl history with a “three-peat” win, while the Eagles will attempt to redeem themselves after losing to the Chiefs 38 – 35 at Super LVII in 2023. 

Mayor Parker made headlines last month after she misspelled the word “Eagles” while leading a chant at a pep rally. 

She said, “E-L-G-S-E-S, Eagles!” instead of “E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!” leading to mass mockery online. 

Parker tried to laugh it off later at a press conference, saying, “We don’t promise perfection, I’m so happy I never have, especially after I couldn’t spell Eagles right.” 

Fan gear featuring the team’s name misspelled is already available.

Rapper Snoop Dogg stole the show at the annual NFL Honors award show on Thursday, playfully poking fun at the 49-year age gap between former New England Patriots legendary head coach Bill Belichick, 72, and his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.

Snoop performed a monologue at the pre-Super Bowl event in New Orleans, saying he’s been a “football fan for a long time” while reminiscing about how things used to be in the NFL.

“I remember back when the Cowboys was [sic] good. I remember back when the Chiefs was [sic] bad,” Snoop said. “And I remember — what was it? Bill Belichick’s girlfriend wasn’t even born yet.”

“Bill Belichick’s girlfriend wasn’t even born yet.” @SnoopDogg didn’t hold back in his opening monologue 😅 pic.twitter.com/xJ7Fh8isvX

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) February 7, 2025

The coverage cut to the couple, showing Hudson’s jaw drop wide open in apparent shock while Belichick chuckled next to her.

Belichick arrived at the event wearing a maroon jacket and all six of his Super Bowl rings. In December, he accepted a head coaching position at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

This isn’t the first time Hudson and Belichick have endured jokes about their sizable age gap. In May, during Netflix’s “The Roast of Tom Brady,” former Patriots players took some shots at their former coach.

Bill Belichick hits the red carpet.

📺: #NFLHonors on FOX & NFLN
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/GIEC0u4NDW

— NFL (@NFL) February 7, 2025

“Coach, you used to talk about Foxborough High School when we sucked,” said Rob Gronkowski, who played for Belichick for nine seasons. “But now I know why you were so obsessed with Foxborough High School: you were scouting your new girlfriend.”

Brady, who won six Super Bowls under Belichick, added, “Everybody asks me which [Super Bowl] ring is my favorite, I used to say ‘the next one,'” the former quarterback said. “But now that I am retired, my favorite Ring is the camera that caught Coach Belichick slinking out of that poor girl’s house a few months ago. Hey, you still got it. Respect baby.”

Hudson is a former cheerleader and the 2024 Miss Maine USA pageant’s first runner-up, per Page Six. The couple reportedly met on a flight in 2021 and began dating in 2023. 

Belichick was previously married to Debby Clarke from 1977 until 2006 and has three children with her. Next, he was in a long-term relationship with Linda Holliday from 2007 until 2023.

“Emilia Pérez” director Jacques Audiard is making an effort to distance himself from the film’s star, Karla Sofía Gascón, who has been making headlines recently due to unearthed tweets which were deemed controversial.

Gascón, a man who identifies as a woman and who is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, is currently taking heat for the tweets after being celebrated by the media for his role in the film. The tweets in question include critical statements on Muslims and George Floyd, to name a few. The Golden Globe-winning actor has made multiple apologies, but is still being ostracized in Hollywood.

Audiard spoke with Deadline about his feelings on Gascón now that the Oscars are less than a month away. The film is up for 13 awards, and according to reports, Gascón will not be attending any industry events related to the film.

The director responded to a question about the tweets, saying they are “taking up all the space” in the conversations about the transgender musical drama “Emilia Pérez” and that it makes him “very sad.”

“It’s very hard for me to think back to the work I did with Karla Sofía,” Audiard told the outlet. “The trust we shared, the exceptional atmosphere that we had on the set that was indeed based on trust. And when you have that kind of relationship and suddenly you read something that that person has said, things that are absolutely hateful and worthy of being hated, of course that relationship is affected. It’s as if you fall into a hole. Because what Karla Sofía said is inexcusable.”

When asked if he spoke with Gascón, the director said he had not. Audiard referenced Gascón using feminine pronouns and said, “I haven’t spoken to her, and I don’t want to. She is in a self-destructive approach that I can’t interfere in, and I really don’t understand why she’s continuing. Why is she harming herself?”

He continued, “I don’t understand it, and what I don’t understand about this too is why she’s harming people who were very close to her. … I’m thinking of myself, I’m thinking of [other ‘Emilia Pérez’ stars] Zoe [Saldaña] and Selena [Gomez]. I just don’t understand why she’s continuing to harm us.”

“She’s really playing the victim,” Audiard told Deadline. “She’s talking about herself as a victim, which is surprising. It’s as if she thought that words don’t hurt.”

Earlier this week, Gascón told CNN en Español that he was “not racist” and again apologized for the tweets, saying “I believe I have been judged, I have been convicted and sacrificed and crucified and stoned without a trial and without the option to defend myself.”

The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, a “Star Wars”-themed hotel and immersive experience at Disney World, is reportedly being turned into an office building after closing following only 18 months of operation.

The highly anticipated concept experience opened on March 1, 2022, and closed the following September due to lack of bookings. The Wrap talked to an insider who said the building will now house employees who are part of Walt Disney Imagineering, a section of the company responsible for theme park attractions, retail locations, and cruise ships.

Originally, Galactic Starcruiser was billed as a two-night immersive experience, with many fans referring to it as the “Star Wars hotel.”  Starcruiser guests became part of the storyline and took part in themed meals, bars, entertainment, games, and interactive missions. They stayed in fully decked out cabins that looked like they were positioned in outer space.

A one-night stay cost $1,200 per night per guest, according to Parade, a price tag which even hardcore fans were reluctant to pay.

Before it closed, a Disney parks enthusiast named Jenny Nicholson made a four hour long YouTube video about why the hotel flopped, citing price as a major concern. She also took issue with the planned itinerary, which was always two days and two nights, leaving guests no options for making their own choices. She noted how other themed Disney spaces were a lot different and comparatively cheaper. Her video was massively popular, attracting 11 million views on the platform.

Nicholson complained, among other things, that she spent more than $6,000 for a two-person stay and had a tiny room. She also mentioned being seated behind a pole during a dinner show, which left her unable to see the alien singer Gaya.

This update on the building comes after fan speculation that the existing structure, which was built to resemble a ship from the films, would be reimagined as a restaurant or some other type of less expensive fan experience. But the source said that after testing that idea, it was found to be too difficult to access from other areas of the theme park, making the idea a nonstarter.

Disney took a tax writedown on Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, The Wrap noted in August 2023. This meant they couldn’t use the building for anything for a period of time. The outlet said their sources put the cost of Galactic Starcruiser at more than $1 billion, but Disney claimed that figure was much lower.

A Welsh woman is facing a fine and a restraining order for sending videos of herself passing gas to her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend.

Rhiannon Evans, 25, admitted to harassing the other woman by inundating her with the noxious videos on WhatsApp. Evans sent at least eight videos to Deborah Prytherch, which included footage of her laughing while placing a camera near her rear end and passing gas directly into the lens, per a report from U.K.-based outlet Daily Post.

“She admitted she had sent the videos. She suggested she wanted to send videos because she felt her partner was being treated unfairly,” prosecutor Diane Williams said. “It was purely malicious. She was smirking throughout, found it hilarious but the victim didn’t.”

Evans’ defense attorney, Harriet Gorst, defended her client’s actions. “There are some issues going on between Miss Evans’s partner and his ex-partner with regard to child contact.”

“At the time she sent these videos she had some drinks and she sent them, understanding now this has caused the victim some distress,” Gorst said. “She sent them without malicious intent.”

Evans also said during proceedings that she didn’t realize that sending the videos was a criminal act, plus questioned why Prytherch didn’t block her phone number. 

The victim said in a statement: ”I would like to feel safe in my home.”

The outlet also noted that Evans discussed having “mental health problems.” According to the Daily Post, Evans “pleaded guilty to pursuing a course of conduct amounting to the harassment.” She was fined the pound equivalent of around $373, which included $124 to compensate Prytherch. She was also ordered to attend 15 rehabilitation sessions, undergo 60 days of alcohol abstinence monitoring, and was given a two-year restraining order.

Jennifer Love Hewitt discussed being sexualized when she was a teenage actress working in Hollywood, saying she didn’t fully understand what it meant to be a sex symbol at the time.

The 45-year-old actress made the remarks during a recent episode of Mayim Bialik’s “Breakdown” podcast.

“In my 30s, I sort of went back and looked at that time again and I was like, ‘Oh my God,’” Hewitt said during the episode. “There were grown men talking to me at 16 about my breasts just openly on a talk show, and people were laughing about it.”

Hewitt’s career took off when she was cast as Sarah Reeves Merrin on the Fox teen drama Party of Five (1995–1999). She was 18 when the massively popular teen horror movie “I Know What You Did Last Summer” was released in 1997. 

“In hindsight, it was really strange, I think, to become a sex symbol sort of like before I even knew what that was,” she continued. “I didn’t know what being sexy meant.”

The actress continued, “I was on the cover of Maxim magazines, and people would openly walk up and be like, ‘I took your magazine with me on a trip last week.’ I didn’t know what that meant, you know what I mean? It’s kind of gross. I think later it sort of hit me more… but at the time, it felt very innocent and exciting and fun.”

Later in the conversation, Hewitt recalled some of the jokes made after “I Know What You Did Last Summer” was released. 

“After the movie came out, everybody said, ‘Oh, I know what your breasts did last summer’ and that was the joke,” she told Bialik, per Page Six. “Everybody would laugh, and so I would laugh, ’cause it was supposed to be funny, I guess. It didn’t register with me that this was a grown man, talking about my breasts on national television.”

The actress said she doesn’t blame the people making jokes, explaining that it was standard procedure then. 

“It was a culture that was fully accepted. They were allowed to believe that that was appropriate, and I answered the questions, laughed right along with them,” she said.

Hewitt said she was embarrassed by her figure and wore baggy clothing to hide it. “I had bigger boobs for a smaller person, and so it was embarrassing. I didn’t want to be looked at by a 40-year-old in Pizza Hut,” she said. Hewitt also recalled being “so mad” that she was only noticed for her looks in the film. 

“I had worked so hard trying to be good in a horror movie, and I really wanted people to walk away from the movie going, ‘That’s a really good actress,’” Hewitt said. “And instead, every headline — and I’m not even joking — for 10 or 12 years after that … it was always about my breasts, always first. …That was heartbreaking for me.”

Fans of the classic TV series “Little House on the Prairie” are in an absolute panic that Netflix announced a reboot, saying its new version would be a “reimagining” of the beloved series that aired from 1974-1983.

Laura Ingalls Wilder released eight “Little House” books in the 1930s and 1940s, with a ninth book released in 1971 after her death. Her books, which sold more than 73 million copies, were inspired by her childhood in the American Midwest in the late 1800s. 

The books were later used to develop the NBC series “Little House on the Prairie,” which aired for nine seasons. The series is still incredibly popular among nostalgic audiences and new fans alike.

The reboot’s description says, “Part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West, this fresh adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s iconic semi-autobiographical ‘Little House’ books offers a kaleidoscopic view of the struggles and triumphs of those who shaped the frontier.”

The new show is also described as a “reimagining of the treasured novels.”

Social media users immediately reacted to the announcement, saying they feared the reboot would “ruin” the revered series. 

“[Netflix] if you wokeify Little House on the Prairie I will make it my singular mission to absolutely ruin your project,” Megyn Kelly wrote on X.

.@Netflix if you wokeify Little House on the Prairie I will make it my singular mission to absolutely ruin your project. https://t.co/RkAO8vPq65

— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) January 30, 2025

“I look forward to the episode where Doc Baker begins transing all the kids and Mary teaches us that blind people can’t see gender,” liberal-turned-conservative Brandon Straka quipped.

“You know they’re going to ruin it,” another commenter predicted.

“That was my first reaction, too. How will Netflix turn Little House on the Prairie into an ‘inclusive’ circus?” another chimed in.

“’Little House on the Prairie’ has captured the hearts and imaginations of so many fans around the world, and we’re excited to share its enduring themes of hope and optimism with a fresh take on this iconic story,” Jinny Howe, vice president of drama series for Netflix, said. “Rebecca’s vision threads the needle with an emotional depth that will delight both new and existing fans of this beloved classic.”

Rebecca Sonnenshine, whose previous work includes “The Boys,” “Vampire Diaries,” and “Archive 81,” will serve as showrunner and executive producer on the new series.

Trip Friendly, one of the new show’s executive producers, is the son of Ed Friendly, who was executive producer of the original “Little House on the Prairie” series. 

“It has been a long-held dream of mine to carry on my father’s legacy and adapt Wilder’s classic American stories for a 21st century audience in a way that brings together fans of both the books and the original television series,” Friendly said. “I am thrilled by our talented creative team led by Rebecca Sonnenshine who are bringing these beloved stories about family, community, and survival to long-time fans and new generations.”

U.S. Figure Skating announced that there were “several” athletes and coaches aboard American Airlines Flight 5342 when it crashed into the Potomac River after colliding with an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night.

The organization provided a statement to news outlet WUSA9 on Thursday morning. 

“U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C.,” the statement read. “These athletes, coaches and family members were returning home from National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.”

There were reportedly 60 passengers and four crew members on Flight 5342, a regional American Eagle jet that departed from Wichita, Kansas. The names of the athletes and coaches involved in the crash have not yet been made public.

World champion husband and wife pairs competitors Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were reportedly on board the plane, according to Russian state media.

D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly said Thursday morning that rescue efforts were now switching to recovery efforts as no survivors are expected. He said first responders had already recovered the bodies of 27 of the 64 people onboard the passenger plane and one body from the military helicopter. 

“We wish we were gathering for different purposes today,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at a press conference. “We will not rest until we have answers for the families and for the flying public. You should be assured that when you fly you are safe.” 

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom released a statement on the crash, sharing his “deep sorrow.” 

“This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, partners, first responders along with their families and loved ones,” he said. 

“Anything we can do now we are doing and right now that means focusing on taking care of all passengers and crew involved as well as their families,” Isom added.

The crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. Army, and the National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the probe.

An actor featured in Disney’s latest Marvel animated series says his “biggest fear” about the project was that it would be “annoying and woke.”

Voice actor Hudson Thames, who stars in the upcoming Disney series “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,” said in a recently published interview with Collider that he was worried that the series would follow the woke trajectory of so many other recent Disney projects. After reviewing the script, he was pleasantly surprised to find that it was “awesome.”

“My biggest fear was that it was gonna be annoying and woke, and it wasn’t,” Thames told the outlet. “I was like, ‘Yes, this is great, it’s so well written,’ like, it feels real. I’m the oldest of five boys, so I feel like I kind of know what’s happening in their lives and in high school, and it felt like it was doing that justice.”

Thames also played Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Marvel animated series “What If…?” in 2021.

This departure from overtly woke storylines comes after several instances of the Marvel Cinematic Universe coming under fire for being too leftist. This resulted in some major box office flops and an overall reputation for being woke.

Disney investor Nelson Peltz slammed the company for its turn to “woke” themes with its Marvel superhero films. Peltz spoke with The Financial Times in March 2024, mentioning films like the female-led “The Marvels” and “Black Panther.”

“People go to watch a movie or a show to be entertained,” Peltz told the outlet. “They don’t go to get a message.”

“Why do I have to have a Marvel that’s all women?” he added. “Not that I have anything against women, but why do I have to do that? Why can’t I have Marvels that are both?”

These attributes went beyond just the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. The “Star Wars” spinoff series “The Acolyte” was also trashed for pushing a leftist agenda, including overt LGBTQ themes, and was rewarded with bad ratings and a cancelation after just one season. The lead actress blamed the cancelation on“hyper-conservative” bigots. But it was more likely that the majority of viewers didn’t want the leftist propaganda.

Could Disney have gotten the message that woke doesn’t sell? That remains to be seen, but for now it appears that “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” is at least politically neutral, according to the lead actor.

Showrunner Jeff Trammell previously discussed what fans can expect in the narrative. “You know, I want to give a cliché, ‘expect the unexpected’ answer but, honestly, I think you can expect Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. He’s hanging around New York; it’s not a huge intergalactic adventure.” 

“Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” became available on Disney+ starting January 29.

New York Magazine recently devoted their cover to a snapshot from one of President Donald Trump’s inauguration parties — but some people who were there accuse the outlet of intentionally cropping out black party attendees and then claiming in the article that the party was mostly “white.”

The magazine’s headline included the bold text, “The Cruel Kids’ Table,” and featured attendees dressed in gowns and tuxedos from a party called the “Power 30 Awards” on the eve of the inauguration. 

The article’s author Brock Colyar wrote, “almost everyone is white,” followed by his take on the party. “The men look like Pete Hegseth, in bow ties and black suits, with clean-shaven faces. The women are almost all out of their league.”

In another quote from the story, a woman who attended a different inauguration party allegedly said: “Have you noticed the entire room is white?”

Conservative commentator Christopher Barnard posted the full photo which accompanied the story inside the magazine on X, noting how it had been strategically cropped. “New York Magazine literally cropped all the black people out of this cover photo and then complained that ‘the entire room is white,’” he wrote on X.

New York Magazine literally cropped all the black people out of this cover photo and then complained that “the entire room is white” https://t.co/gCatY1lZzG pic.twitter.com/VhoaiJhqg1

— Christopher Barnard (@ChrisBarnardDL) January 27, 2025

Co-chair of the Republican National Committee Youth Advisory Council CJ Pearson also took to X and showed the full version of the cropped cover photo.

“This is insane. I hosted this event and @NYMag intentionally left me out of their story because it would have undermined their narrative that MAGA is some racist cult,” Pearson wrote. “They also didn’t include the fact that @WakaFlocka and @Gervontaa were also there.”

“You don’t hate the liberal media enough,” he concluded.

Other black conservatives who attended the event included former Georgia State Representative Vernon Jones, Turning Point USA contributor Rob Smith, and PragerU’s Xaviaer DuRousseau.

Colyar mentioned DuRousseau in the article without revealing that he was black. Pearson, Jones, and Smith were not mentioned at all, per Mediaite.

“I was at this party as were MANY other Conservative media influencers who are Black, Latino, Asian, etc,” Smith posted on X. “NYMag used a whites only photo to push the media narrative that diverse Republicans don’t exist and weren’t welcome. You don’t hate the media enough.”

New York Magazine provided the New York Post with a comment on the photo cropping drama. A spokesperson said, “The magazine’s most recent cover story explores the new class of conservatives taking Washington by storm, through the lens of inauguration weekend. The cover was cropped to the center of a picture that was published in full online, and we believe both the cover and story provide an accurate impression of the weekend.”