Bright Side: We’re Gonna Party Like It’s 1776

bright side

Upstream

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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This summer, America’s hitting the open road in search of bold adventures. But if you don’t want to drag family drama across state lines, these kid-friendly road trip tips keep it copacetic in the back seat. (Let there be Cheez-Its.)
Whether it’s the annual trek to the lake house or a day trip to the beach, if you’re one of the <a href="https://newsroom.aaa.com/2026/06/72-2-million-americans-expected-to-travel-over-july-4th-week/">61.4 million</a> people road-tripping over July 4th weekend, traffic looks clearer with your travel plans on lock. Gas prices may be steep, and the vacation budget tighter than ever, but the only way to experience America is to see it for yourself.
As for an itinerary, we’re taking inspiration from “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRCKcNNE1Uw">The Great American Road Trip</a>,” U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy’s America 250 travel series where he and his wife <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/weekend-plans-with-rachel-campos-duffy">Rachel Campos-Duffy</a> — and their nine children — explore America’s greatest hits. From the desert dunes of Maine to a “Stonehenge” made of cars in Nebraska (yep, that’s a thing!), <a href="https://roadtripinamerica.com/dot-2025">iconic stops</a> like these mean you don’t have to travel the globe to discover the world.
You’ll still be able to make a Diet Coke drinking game out of every “Are we there yet?” But packing a few of these tips in your duffel will make the journey as awesome as your destination. Buckle up! We’re going on a road trip.
Get ready to rumble
Some might advise that you never take a road trip with small children. But we don’t need that kind of negativity in our lives. That next-level energy can work to your advantage. 
Get kids on the same page by planning your trip with them. Little kids can help pick out snacks at Costco and get hyped up about hotel pools or playgrounds along the route. But older kids can contribute with meaningful tasks. Is your daughter obsessed with the family calendar? Put her on road map duty. Does your son communicate solely through text? Have him message your Airbnb host that you’re on your way.  
Making sure kids (and adults!) get some real exercise the day before a stint in the car guarantees that residual exhaustion will lead to less restlessness on the road.
Prep your ride
We’re officially beyond the full tank of gas and a 3,000-mile oil change. When you’re road-tripping with kids, it’s essential to stock that glovebox with supplies.
Baby wipes are a no-brainer. Whether they’re hand sanitizing or flushable, if you think you have too many, pack more. Reusable water bottles let you fill up for free at the next water fountain. And about that first aid kit, don’t be afraid to repurpose tampons to stop a nosebleed like a boxing champ.
It’s also smart to pin pit stops on your map ahead of time. The last thing you want to do is hunt down <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/artists-palette.htm">Artist’s Palette</a> in Death Valley while your phone searches for WiFi somewhere between gas stations.
Pack road-tested snacks
No one tries to start a hunger-induced car fight, but they happen. To avoid this easily preventable phenomenon, pack snacks — and make those goodies count. 
Aim healthy, not messy. Baby carrots, Cuties, string cheese, apple wedges, and grapes fit in a cooler. Shelf-stable yogurt pouches, meat sticks, and freeze-dried mango, bananas, or peaches tap in as handy room-temp treats. Craving crunch? Veggie straws, pretzels, and Goldfish understand the assignment. But if you wanna get creative, pack mini cooked cheese tortellini in zip-top portions to mix it up. (Skip the sauce!)
Older kids can prep their own daily snack bags to eliminate the “Mom! I’m hungry!” chorus, and save some cash at rest stops. Still, if you pass Buc-ee’s, you’re legally required to pick up a bag of those <a href="https://truetexasmerch.com/products/bucees-beaver-nuggets-original?variant=49947132133687&amp;country=US&amp;currency=USD&amp;utm_medium=product_sync&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_content=sag_organic&amp;utm_campaign=sag_organic&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23820468168&amp;gbraid=0AAAAA-ezFJRSGJBeZ8QKOOdCM0FV1d3-u&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw0o3SBhBVEiwAh28-jbtwp-fxAGLsbRuajbSZb1ThpdBccDzMczM8o319hIKnHV0oohUTohoCRLEQAvD_BwE">Beaver nuggs</a>. 
Turn up the entertainment
Good news: The analog car games of your youth still hit. “I spy,” the alphabet game, and rocking out to songs everyone loves will dutifully occupy the miles.  
“My sister and I would play this game we called ‘Cows vs Cemeteries,’” one <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/daddit/comments/1jla3aj/comment/mk29ex5/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">Redditor</a> shared. “If you passed a cow pasture that was on your side of the car, you counted the cows and those were your points. You kept your points the whole trip, unless you passed a cemetery on your side of the car. Then you lost all your points and had to start over.”
A short stack of favorite books, a secret stash of surprise goodies, and dry erase markers for window art coax creativity. And a few rounds of “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593196791/ref=as_li_ss_tl">Would You Rather</a>” sparks hilarious conversation for all ages.
But if the crowd’s getting restless, intentional screen time comes in clutch. Preload an iPad with kid-friendly audiobooks or podcasts (like <a href="https://brainson.org/">Brains On!</a>, “<a href="https://tinkercast.com/all-podcasts/wow-in-the-world/">Wow in the World</a>,” or “<a href="https://www.relaxwithanimalfacts.com/">Relax With Animal Facts</a>”), and save it for longer stretches of highway.
If all else fails, stick grandma (or another capable adult) in the back seat to play with the kids. If grandma’s into it, it’s a win-win.
Carve out some quiet time
Add a sense of calm to your road trip rager by designating quiet time on your trip — even if the kids aren’t napping. Two hours into kids scream-laughing while you chug the Starbucks, and you’ll be singing the praises of this technique.
Cozy blankets, pillows, and cranked A/C help convey the relaxing message, and independent activities like coloring or sticker books focus growing minds. The mental break offers parents time to recoup some of their sanity without low-key “losing the will to live” before the next exit.
Make those hours count
Maybe you could grind out 17 hours straight if you were traveling solo, but you’ve got to give kids lots of breaks. And setting time limits can actually make your travel days even more efficient.
Set a maximum number of driving hours for the day, as well as in between stops. Drive at night while the kids are sleeping (or start before the crack of dawn) if you want to make the best time.
When you need a break, seek out rest areas with playgrounds. And whatever you do, don’t rest. Challenge kids to jumping jack contests and push-ups to blow off some steam. And make sure everyone goes to the bathroom every time you stop.
Choose your own adventure
You could book that all-inclusive in Cabo and fly straight to lazing by the pool. But stepping outside your comfort zone for a family road trip might be the key to a stronger family bond.
Hilariously, <a href="https://mentalzon.com/en/post/7700/when-adrenaline-bonds-why-shared-stress-brings-us-closer">research</a> shows that shared stress actually brings us closer together. (Great news for every family!) And in a vote for recounting the best part of the day, <a href="https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/can-we-purposely-make-memories-last-forever-0324167">studies</a> prove that passionately recalling your favorite moments helps you remember them even longer. 
Lastly, don’t sweat the small stuff. Whether or not you make it through all the verses to “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” without turning this car around, you’re making memories that last. Take the scenic route and let the journey unfold.

Seven Tips For Family Road-Tripping That Will Save Your Vacation (And Your Sanity)

America 250

kids

Travel

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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Second lady Usha Vance just rocked the internet by reading a story to children. But it wasn’t “Winnie-the-Pooh” that shook us; it was the bargain basement price tag of her show-stopping <a href="https://youtu.be/8uMe-Iydrkk?t=9">dress</a>. 
Now sold out, the bright coral Occasion by Old Navy maternity asymmetrical shoulder maxi dress originally cost $50. Slashed to $12.49 on final sale, the dress with Vance’s discount promo code landed at a grand total of $8.75. 
Clearly on the rise as The People’s Second Lady, Vance cut a gorgeous silhouette in the look for her latest episode of “Storytime with The Second Lady.” She even posted the receipt on the official White House SLOTUS account after the New York Times described her baby bump as part of an idealized “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/24/style/usha-vance-maga-pregnancy-style.html">pronatalist movement</a>.” Like happily married women having babies is a boring topic no one cares about. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
And here’s the receipt! <a href="https://t.co/tgICmpbapQ">pic.twitter.com/tgICmpbapQ</a>
— Second Lady Usha Vance (@SLOTUS) <a href="https://x.com/SLOTUS/status/2069857037303816372?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Some criticized a White House figure for stooping to this supremely discounted level. Praising Vance’s disclosure of the price, and wondering if the dress had pockets, <a href="https://x.com/raplikowski/status/2069874268528095453?s=20">one fan</a> noted, “It&#8217;s a Midwest trademark to respond to a fashion compliment by letting the compliment-giver know if you got it on sale.”
If you’ve been following Vance’s pregnancy, the 40-year-old has described the differences between her last pregnancy and the SLOTUS version. She explained to <a href="https://youtu.be/nMm_EGEx50k?t=19">NBC</a>, “I have to dress up a lot more. My last pregnancy, there were a lot of sweat pants.” She’s appeared in gowns that land at all price points, but this look hit especially close to home.
At a time when we’ve all got an eye on our bank accounts (unless you get your paychecks from Wall Street or Silicon Valley), the under-$20 fashion find feels accessible and relatable. Maternity or not, I can confirm this, having basically saved an entire wardrobe from whatever Zeagoo is to my Amazon cart. Yeah, it’s technically “throwaway,” and fast fashion has a toxic problem with <a href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/unsustainable-fashion-and-textiles-focus-international-day-zero">textile waste</a>, but I can’t afford a closet that also functions as an investment portfolio, gilded with high-end designers. At least, not yet.
Vance’s cash-related connection to fans is, of course, totally a thing. Whether it’s the invention of a precision PR network or mastermind marketing mechanism, some of the most iconic women in culture have stepped out in something we could pick up at the mall.
Princess Diana famously and repeatedly rocked a <a href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/g37681411/princess-diana-sweatshirt-biker-shorts-outfit-inspiration/">Virgin Atlantic graphic sweatshirt</a> and bike shorts look, a combo that still appears every time we hit peak “Princess Diana Outfit Weather.” <a href="https://graziadaily.co.uk/fashion/shopping/affordable-kate-middleton-dresses/">Catherine</a>, princess of Wales, routinely shops ASOS and TopShop for $30 dresses, wearing hers for multiple occasions. Inspired by their favorite royals, fans waste no time scooping up price-savvy style. 
But, just like a Walmart “<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/30/business/wirkin-walmart-hermes-bag">Wirkin</a>” Birkin bag dupe, we can sniff out a fake when we see it.
We were all forced to assume that former first lady Jill Biden “saw us” when she wore a <a href="https://x.com/FLOTUS46Archive/status/1360380679217889280/photo/1">scrunchie</a> to a chocolate shop one time, at least according to Dr. Jill stans on X. (Never mind the part about how she was also bundled up in a <a href="https://hiso.ca/search?q=peacoat&amp;options%5Bprefix%5D=last">$1,000 luxury HiSO</a> peacoat.) But way before that, we were blessed with eight years of Michelle Obama allegedly mirroring our cash-poor struggles with expensive outfits, as the nation crawled out from under the Great Recession. 
Unlike current FLOTUS Melania Trump (who’s clearly unbothered by pretending to be relatable, and by the rules of authenticity, therefore is more relatable), former first lady Michelle Obama’s highly publicized “affordable” J.Crew looks still went for hundreds of dollars. Technically, even a $400 sweater set is a more manageable price point than the <a href="https://www.dailymail.com/lifestyle/article-3851122/This-fashion-history-Michelle-Obama-wows-world-12-000-custom-Versace-gown-designer-thanks-s-women.html">$12,000 Atelier Versace</a> she wore in 2016 for a state dinner, but for most women in America, it was mercilessly steep.
Instead of dunking on her for being a clothes horse (or an allegedly icky trad wife like Usha Vance), media and fashion outlets branded Obama as an all-American, ready-to-wear fashion icon for frugal folk, and then proceeded to detail the exact times she wore something we could buy for ourselves instead of sending our kids to college. 
“I’ve always seen fashion as a way to express larger messages,” Obama recently posted on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reels/DYIOKm_RT4o/">Instagram</a>. “My team and I strategically pick every look … How you dress is a crucial part of how you discover and assert your identity.”
She was unironically portrayed as the FLOTUS who wore fashion for the rest of us, only to turn on us for focusing on her clothes while trying to sell us her “Look” coffee table book that’s all about her style. (Look at me! But not in the eyes!) When she says this era of her life is all about “<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@reshmasaujani/video/7655812233838087438">me</a>,” she’s not wrong.
Now free to parade around the world in glimmering, thigh-high <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/michelle-obama-balenciaga-boots-2018-12">$4,000 Balenciaga</a> boots, Michelle Obama is no longer forced to pretend she cares about inspiring regular Joe Shmoes to look their best. Maybe you can find some of her fans’ old argyle cardigans, now worn out and “relatably” priced on Poshmark. (I wonder what kind of J.Crew haul Obama could snag for <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/michelle-obama-tells-dnc-her-parents-were-suspicious-wealthy-despite-own-70m-net-worth-luxury-homes">$70 million</a> these days.)
Usha Vance, meanwhile, appears to be living the life of someone in the public eye who just wants to look her best for the cameras. Since we all have a chance of catching ourselves on a phone camera, or at least in a mirror under unflattering fluorescents, many of us are grateful for Vance’s tips on how she nails her style.
“I love thrifty shopping, coupons, and great deals! Are we supposed to be against SLOTUS being like normal U.S. housewives? I think that&#8217;s the best quality she has,” an <a href="https://x.com/JenaMcDonald11/status/2069878785827098931?s=20">X user</a> noted.
“Women comfortable in their own skin can look beautiful in anything they choose to wear,” <a href="https://x.com/seasandstories/status/2070474579567579619?s=20">one fan</a> shared, giving the Second Lady a W. “They are not held hostage by luxury brands, and that is an incredibly powerful thing to have.”
<a href="https://x.com/poginstein/status/2069909720740016607?s=20">Someone else</a> commented, “[The] Second Lady needs to run our budget, imagine her stewardship, we’d be in a surplus in 2 years!”
As for Usha’s fashionable relatability, she’s at least an $8.75 out of 10.

FBL-WC-2026-MATCH59-TUR-USA

Usha Vance Just Wore A Maternity Outfit Moms Can Actually Afford

Usha Vance

Weekend Plans is our exclusive lifestyle feature where we highlight the real off-duty routines of the most exciting people in culture. 
This weekend, Academy Award-nominated actor and prominent veterans’ advocate Gary Sinise chats with The Daily Wire to celebrate the most magical year of his late son Mac’s life, offer words of wisdom for those journeying through heartbreak, detail how the <a href="https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/">Gary Sinise Foundation</a> serves with holy purpose, and unwittingly prove why his trailblazing legacy just might last forever. 
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Gary Sinise settles into his home office in Nashville, sporting a black polo emblazoned with his foundation’s logo and a fittingly off-duty Lt. Dan Band ball cap. If you only know him for his lauded film and television career, or for founding Chicago’s world-class <a href="https://www.steppenwolf.org/">Steppenwolf</a> theater, you should know he’s also a monster on bass.
He’s flanked by candid family photos carefully placed among various awards and mementos, an assortment of handheld U.S. flags, a military service banner, and other cherished treasures. The latest vinyl collection of his son Mac’s posthumous musical work, “<a href="https://store.garysinisefoundation.org/collections/merchandise/products/mac-sinise-resurrection-revival-part-three">Resurrection &amp; Revival: Part Three</a>,” suits the tableau. Each album cover in the three-part series features a portrait of Gary’s then-17-year-old grandfather on horseback before he shipped out to France to serve in World War I. 
Gary’s smile is warm and present. I don’t find out until later that he was just on the phone with the wife of someone killed in the recent crash at Edwards Air Force Base in California. He meets me in the moment. “Hi there,” he says. I can’t believe I’m talking to Lieutenant Dan. Still, Gary’s iconic “Forrest Gump” character takes a respectful backseat to this chapter of life, much of which quietly beckons grief to the surface. 
I’ve listened to Mac Sinise&#8217;s stunning “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCCPGtbQ5Pc">Arctic Circles</a>” and soulful “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_93pPbgGPa0&amp;list=RD_93pPbgGPa0&amp;start_radio=1">Shenandoah</a>,” featuring the harmonica Mac taught himself to play as a rare cancer overtook his body, making it impossible to drum like he once did. He recorded both tracks with a studio orchestra on the cusp of his death in 2024 at age 33. “He was able to finish that album before he died, and I mean just weeks before he died. It&#8217;s a beautiful thing because —” Gary wells up. The silence feels sacred. “In some ways, that final year for Mac was one of the greatest years of his life because of what he accomplished.” 
Mac was diagnosed almost in tandem with Gary’s wife, Moira Harris, who is now in remission from Stage 3 breast cancer. After six years of supporting family through surgeries and treatment, Gary is sharing Mac’s music with new audiences and putting pen to paper on his own journey. “It&#8217;s really the story of my son and the family and dealing with all of it,” Gary says of his upcoming release “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Graceful-Warrior-Father-Carried-Through/dp/1400208157">Graceful Warrior</a>,” a follow-up to his debut New York Times bestseller, “Grateful American.”
“It&#8217;s been a hard couple of years navigating through the stuff that bubbles up just at the drop of a hat,” he says. “You have one thought and boom, there you are in the middle of it.”
Gary tears up, recalling the year he surprised Mac with a professionally recorded version of a song he had written during college. “It was just a rough little recording of him singing and playing,” Gary says of the initial inspiration. After convincing two musician buddies to preserve “Eyes of Marigold” in the studio, Gary presented it to Mac. “I have a great picture of him with earphones in his ears in a restaurant when we took him out for his birthday dinner … with this gigantic smile on his face, listening to his song.”
I know I’m just barely scratching the surface on Gary’s inner wellspring, but it almost seems there was a greater force at play when Gary took on his role in “Forrest Gump.” Somehow, <a href="https://youtu.be/fJdxyuNslCI?t=45">Lieutenant Dan’s</a> impassioned outcry on the boat feels like an honest prayer from humanity’s depths, giving voice to our struggles as he screams at the heavens. “You call this a storm? … I’m right here. Come and get me! You’ll never sink this boat!”
The Nashville chapter
Ten years after its founding in 2011, the Gary Sinise Foundation relocated its headquarters from Los Angeles to Franklin, Tennessee. Gary’s family followed. 
“I stopped acting at the end of 2019 because things were getting so tough,” he explains. “I just needed to step away from it … and then I started to realize I don&#8217;t really want to live in California anymore.”
The move hinged on his daughter Sophie agreeing to move from SoCal with her three kids. Soon, Gary’s daughter, Ella, relocated from Virginia to the Volunteer State. Another driver was the security in knowing that his wealth would stretch further in a state with no state income tax (and less of the “dopey things they do out there”), plus gas that’s routinely $3 cheaper than it is in LA. “I have a lot of friends in Nashville,” he adds. “I&#8217;ve always loved Tennessee.”
The whole family, including Gary’s six grandchildren, is planning a getaway this summer. It’s their first vacation since Mac died. Gary’s face lights up when he tells me, “I can’t get enough of my grandkids and daughters.”
A morning fit for reflection
I’m convinced that some of the most fascinating people think their personal lives deserve no headlines. “It&#8217;s not that interesting, quite frankly. You know, I don&#8217;t do that much,” Gary says with a smile. I don’t believe that for a second.
“I&#8217;ll get up at about 5 o&#8217;clock every day,” he shares. Usually, he gets straight to responding to emails, but if he’s looking for something a little more analog, he heads outside to walk the hills of Tennessee. “It&#8217;s peaceful, and there are deer, turkeys … It&#8217;s really a beautiful area that we&#8217;re in and I get my exercise that way,” he says.  
I can’t imagine doing this before dawn without coffee, but Gary skips the hard stuff. “I found out that my gallbladder was shot … I was like, okay, I’ll get rid of coffee, I&#8217;ll get rid of alcohol, I&#8217;ll stop eating spicy food, you know, whatever it was.” He occasionally treats himself to decaf or Ryze superfood mushroom coffee, but he knows his limits. “As soon as I have a cup of caffeine, it&#8217;ll be back to three or four a day,” he says. Still, he adds, “I do like this sort of ritual of having something warm in the morning.” 
He tells me he eats yogurt with “this sort of cereal and fruit,” and I gently tease him for sounding MAHA with this and his mushroom drinks. “You know, a couple days a week … I&#8217;ll do like steak and eggs,” he finally admits. “I&#8217;ll go protein, like heavy protein.” There it is.
Spirit-boosting work
“I&#8217;m always working,” Gary says, confirming my hunch. He’s the kind of person who recharges his batteries by serving others. “Years ago I used to try to play golf.” 
The Lt. Dan Band is currently set to head out on tour, eventually stopping by the Opry in September in salute to our nation’s heroes. “I&#8217;m an actor who happens to have a band,” Gary says. “I&#8217;m not a songwriter or anything like that. I play other people&#8217;s music; we do some of Mac&#8217;s songs.” Even though the band was founded to honor veterans, it also serves as a creative outlet for Gary’s many talents. 
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1124073" style="width: 654px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1124073" class="wp-image-1124073" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/20260201-13620-GSF-LTDB-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="644" height="429" srcset="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/20260201-13620-GSF-LTDB-864x576.jpg 864w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/20260201-13620-GSF-LTDB-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/20260201-13620-GSF-LTDB-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/20260201-13620-GSF-LTDB-1536x1025.jpg 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 644px) 100vw, 644px" />Courtesy of Gary Sinise</div>
“Playing in the band is about the mission work that I&#8217;m doing,” he explains. “I pay everybody else; I play for free. Even though that&#8217;s part of the mission, my sort of relaxing enjoyment is to get up there with my bass and play these songs for people and lift them up. I get a lot of joy out of that.”
A legacy of service
I catch up with Gary at a local firehouse just outside of Franklin, where he’s serving Martin’s Bar-B-Que to first responders alongside his longtime friend Joseph Carr, founder of Josh Cellars. This is clearly not Gary’s first rodeo on baked beans duty. But even though the Gary Sinise Foundation has served nearly 1.5 million meals of appreciation, Gary zhuzhes up the chafing dish and loads up plates like he baked the beans himself. 
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<div id="attachment_1124065" style="width: 643px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1124065" class="wp-image-1124065" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_7991.heic" alt="" width="633" height="364" />Lauren Bair</div>
But it’s really not about the food or leveraging America 250 for the brand. “This is what we do every day of the year at the Gary Sinise Foundation,” he says. “The food is great, but the message of appreciation and remembrance is really what this program is all about.” 
It’s a perfect sunny day. Gary makes himself available for photos with each firefighter and rallies everyone for seconds. The firefighters assure me they never eat like this (usually it’s pizza or takeout). They’re gifted full-fledged catering, maybe once every two years. I hear we’re lucky the siren didn’t go off before everyone got fed.
Still in his apron, Gary ribs me about sneaking a glamor shot of the banana pudding. “What about the beans!” he laughs. If you remember those old Bush’s commercials, we got some beautiful bean footage before the beans ran out. Gary’s staff alerts him to the fact that his servings were extra large today. Gary jokes back, “We’re outta beans! My team has totally failed!” He has everyone in the station laughing.
“Service is a great healer,” Gary says. “I would recommend it to anybody when you&#8217;re going through a tough time.”
He’s been doing this for decades. Unlike other stars chasing photo ops, there’s no question his dedication comes from the heart. I ask if anything changed when his wife and son were in treatment. He says helping others renewed his spirit. 
“[I’d] come back from a trip where I&#8217;m just watching kids jump up and down, and spouses who have deployed service members overseas, and they&#8217;re worried about them, and they&#8217;re smiling,” he says. “I would always come back nourished and energized to continue the fight.”
“When your heart is broken over something, you know how it makes you feel when you lift somebody else up,” he explains. “When you put your arms around them, you lift them up, and you see the smile. You forget about your own broken heart for a while. I never stopped doing the mission work throughout the entire painful period of fighting for my son. He loved that I was out there on the road, helping families of our fallen heroes, and helping our wounded through difficult times.”
It really seems like Gary’s operating on another level, spiritually, holding vigil for people exactly where they are. He’s living his legacy. I can’t help but think of Lieutenant Dan on the dock, joining Forrest on the shrimp boat. “I told you if you were ever a shrimp boat captain, that I’d be your first mate,” <a href="https://youtu.be/HQsImiDtZds?t=72">he says</a>. “Well here I am. I am a man of my word.”

Sinise Punch

Weekend Plans With Gary Sinise, The Most Patriotic Actor In America

Gary Sinise

weekend plans

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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Welcome to the Bright Side, a weekly roundup of all the good news and ideas you might have missed from the past week.
TSA regulation comedy: They’re here all week
I’m still reeling from being able to leave my shoes on for airport security. But suddenly we’re not allowed to bring <a href="https://x.com/TSA/status/2069813285155750342">live beavers</a> and jugs of ranch on the plane? How are we supposed to live like this?
While it’s still gonna be a no on World Cup fans hauling 40-ounce bottles of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/world-cup-travelers-overwhelm-tsa-with-beloved-american-condiment?author=Trinity+Gentry&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=World+Cup+Travelers+Overwhelm+TSA+With+Beloved+American+Condiment">ranch dressing</a> back to Europe in their carry-ons (stay tuned for TSA-approved <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZvRQNpRKzd/">Kraft packets</a>), the TSA’s recent live beaver restriction was a playful rib at the tourist fever around Buc-ee’s. Does Buc-ee’s stock beaver merch? Yes. Live ones? No. But <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Buc-ees-Famous-Beaver-Nuggets-Snacks/dp/B005VS93GI?th=1">Buc-ee’s Beaver Nuggets</a> are real, and they’re cleared for takeoff. I’m more of a Buc-ee’s Milk Chocolate Cashews person myself.
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Europeans are blown away by Buc-ee&#8217;s
More videos that will make you smile! 
So many Europeans are finding America to be an amazing place!❤️ <a href="https://t.co/gAORs1XPnv">pic.twitter.com/gAORs1XPnv</a>
— Americaforever (@onetexgal9) <a href="https://x.com/onetexgal9/status/2068110832592994334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Soccer can be a pretty boring low-scoring game if you’re new to the sport. Maybe that’s why we’re talking about salad dressing and gas station snacks so much. I’ve lived through many scoreless games thinking about how the sport could be made over for American audiences. How about a time clock to force advancement on the field or shots on goal, or a ban on telenovela drama at a tugged jersey? (Eyeball popping double-take! Arms in the air! Susan was her own evil twin this whole time?) 
Still, even with its international quirks, maybe fútbol is perfect just as it is. As someone posted on <a href="https://x.com/OrevaZSN/status/2069430295674192017">X</a>, “The World Cup is proof that, if it weren&#8217;t for our leaders, the vast majority of people around the world would get along just fine.” I could chug an overpriced stadium beer and honk one of those anti-vuvuzela “<a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1631068081286891">pleasant horns</a>” in agreement. 
Bill Gates just gave you all his money. Go.
Wait, wait, wait. You’re not getting his real money. But a game designed by creative programmer Neal Agarwal gives you the sensation of making it rain on Microsoft’s dime. 
Starting with $100 billion in your bank, <a href="https://neal.fun/spend/">Spend Bill Gates’ Money</a> lets you throw down on everything from $2 Big Macs to a $3,000 acre of farmland, a $15,000 Rolex, and $780,000,000 for the Mona Lisa. I’m pretty sure a Big Mac costs a little more than $2 these days (Blame Big Shredded Lettuce), but designating billions of fake dollars to specific purchases really shows you how far that kind of cash can — or can’t — go! 
If that kind of game isn’t your speed, Neal also built his Every Second series where you can visualize the <a href="https://everysecond.io/animal-heartbeats">heartbeats per minute</a> of everything from elephants to hummingbirds, or how many trillions of <a href="https://everysecond.io/your-body">neurons</a> just fired in your brain while you were reading this sentence. 
It’s official: Meet the world’s loudest talker
FYI, it’s not Doug from the company retreat. The loudest person in the world trashed his vocal cords proving his talents, but he holds the Guinness World Record now, so — worth it!
Australia’s Joseph McGrail-Bateup is just a 58-year-old guy who cleans air conditioners for a living and has a voice that cuts through the noise. He also spends his free time LARPing as the town crier. But after competitively “crying” to his heart’s content, he knew he had to level up. “What can I do that’s a little bit different?” he asked himself. He then hit 122.4 decibels with a single shout. “It took me seven attempts just for one word, which was the word ‘now,’ and my voice was shot for the next couple of days as well.” 
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Guinness World Records has recognized Joseph McGrail-Bateup, a 58-year-old professional air conditioner cleaner, as the world&#8217;s loudest person. He was recorded yelling the word “now” at 122.4 decibels. <a href="https://t.co/D8Gp0YFTm4">pic.twitter.com/D8Gp0YFTm4</a>
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) <a href="https://x.com/washingtonpost/status/2069748018287399196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Possibly my favorite part of this important history is that the previous record was held by Irish schoolteacher Annalisa Flanagan, who hit <a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-guinness-world-record-loudest-shout-2a5aea90b6ece0ceba6ba56fdff866e5">121.7 dBs in 1994</a> by ironically shrieking the word “quiet.” (Then, and probably every afternoon until she retired.)
I was impressed, but also curious about how loud this sound might be. (I also didn’t know the average human ear can actually detect <a href="https://rnid.org.uk/information-and-support/protect-your-hearing/how-loud-is-too-loud/">zero decibels</a>, did you?) Normal conversation hits around 60 to 70 dBs. A motorcycle? 100 dBs. Metallica at Madison Square Garden? 110 to 120 dBs. And at about 130 dBs, you’re gonna feel the pain.  
Hailing from a culture that takes pride in its enthusiastic talking volume, my Puerto Rican boyfriend might be able to best 122 dBs. But for now, Joseph’s the guy to beat. Not even the <a href="https://www.wweek.com/portland/article-5210-abercrombie-fitch-store-in-clackamas-town-center.html">85-decibel music</a> at Abercrombie &amp; Fitch can hold a candle to the reigning champ.
The cutest critter in the Land Down Under
While I was giving the algorithm a break from my newfound obsession with meticulously snatched <a href="https://youtu.be/nvb-5wMF3cI?t=32">corgi butts</a> (they’re groomed like fluffy peaches!), it came to my attention that there’s a creature called a quokka (Thanks, J.K. Rowling.) 
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Today I discovered not only that there is such a thing as a quokka but also that my whole life I&#8217;ve been missing a quokka. <a href="https://t.co/sR0m9so38H">https://t.co/sR0m9so38H</a>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/2069848150987231555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Native to Western Australia, and known as the “happiest animal in the world,” quokkas are the cute, cat-sized cousins of kangaroos and wallabies. They constantly look like they’re smiling and want to be your friend. You’re not supposed to touch or feed them, but the <a href="https://www.natureaustralia.org.au/what-we-do/our-priorities/wildlife/wildlife-stories/meet-the-quokka/">Nature Conservancy of Australia</a> offers tips on taking selfies with them. You’ll have to <a href="https://people.com/movies/keanu-reeves-praised-respectful-way-taking-photos-women/">pose like Keanu Reeves</a> does with open hands hovering behind his fans. 
If you’re trying not to book a flight to Australia to get some quality quokka time, don’t watch this video of a pet <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXxhGemp18k/?hl=en">quokka snuggling and licking its owner</a>. Next up, nonstop <a href="https://x.com/DudespostingWs/status/2069450408028934602">watching dogs watch other dogs eat hot dogs</a> content because this is the content we need right now. 
***
About <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bright-side-the-global-craze-americans-are-finally-joining">last week’s Bright Side</a> featuring the “Asian squat” flex, one fabulous reader emailed me a priceless photo of everyone in his family (except him) happily relaxing in deep squats, noting: “Last month, my family (including my 64-year-old wife) was making fun of my (white dude with bad knees) inability to execute the Asian squat.” 
This kind of self-deprecating humor warms my heart. I sincerely invite you to share your stories and favorite moments in the comments! Feel free to <a href="mailto:lbair@dailywire.com">email</a> me too. I’m off to shop for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-most-patriotic-fashion-picks-of-americas-250th-year">the perfect July 4th fit</a> for next weekend! Let’s go, America! — Lauren

Virginia’s First Buc-ee’s Opens

The Bright Side: The Feel-Good American Stop Everyone Wants To Visit

ranch dressing

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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As the GLP-1 train keeps on rolling, the <a href="https://www.aamc.org/news/glp-1-pills-weight-loss-are-here-how-will-they-change-obesity-care">30 million adults</a> taking weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro face a serious struggle to maintain lean muscle mass as they drop the pounds. And to fill in the gaps, supplemental protein is suddenly popping up everywhere, in pasta, cereal, chips — and your morning coffee. 
“When you lose 20 or 30% of your body weight, you lose muscle mass,” University of Texas professor <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/o6Uc_11TZM0?t=31&amp;feature=share">Dr. Ralph DeFronzo</a> told “The Peter Attia Drive” podcast, referencing GLP-1s. <a href="https://store.mayoclinic.com/education/glp-1-medications-and-muscle-loss-what-to-know-about-nutrition-and-supplements/">Research</a> shows that nearly half of the weight dropped with these drugs can come from vanishing muscle. So how do you hang onto those guns? By upping your exercise and getting <a href="https://advances.massgeneral.org/endocrinology/article.aspx?id=1601">more protein</a>. 
Here’s where “proffee” enters as the internet’s buzziest protein bump. Just as delicious as other portmanteaus like brunch, cronuts, and pizzadillas, it involves adding a full serving of protein to your morning cup of joe. (We’re not waking up for less than 25 grams of anything.) 
&#8220;Adding protein powder to your coffee can be a convenient way to supplement your diet, especially if you’re someone that skips breakfast,&#8221; registered dietitian <a href="https://www.foodandwine.com/protein-coffee-proffee-trend-8738994">Dawn Menning</a> says. &#8220;Depending on your nutrition needs, preferences, and goals, this may be an easy way to increase protein intake.&#8221;
If you’ve been hanging out on planet Earth for a minute, you may remember <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/diet/themes/lowfat.html">the &#8217;90s low-fat era</a>, the healthy-fat trend of the 2010s, and conflicting low-carb and high-carb schools of thought. Now we’ve entered the protein jungle as we shed our formerly <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/slang/thicc">thicc</a> skins for mid-2020s “body-positive” skinniness. It’s all kinds of boneless skinless chicken-breasty up in here.
I’m not currently taking GLP-1s, but I definitely didn’t understand how much protein I was missing in my diet until I entered a nutrition challenge at my CrossFit gym a few years ago. (I know, protein plus CrossFit is like the “Inception” of wellness cults.) But balancing my daily macros throughout the day (carbs, fats, and protein — especially the last one) showed me I could sustain energy while preserving lean muscle mass and snatching extra fat. When I entered a bodybuilding competition, slightly adjusting those numbers completely transformed my body. (Also props to the insanely dark spray tan.)
Truth be told, building and maintaining lean muscle should be a priority for everyone, not just the workout crew. Don’t tell Gwyneth or <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/demi-moore-doesnt-look-toned-she-looks-like-shes-starving">Demi</a>, but lean muscle is one of the greatest things your body has going for it. The more muscle you have, the higher your <a href="https://www.massgeneral.org/news/article/why-muscle-mass-matters-and-how-to-keep-it">resting metabolic rate</a>, which means your body easily burns calories to maintain a healthy weight. 
Muscle is also key for strength and mobility, increasing insulin sensitivity, lowering blood pressure, improving cognitive ability, and extending life span. <a href="https://amjmed.org/muscle-mass-index-as-a-predictor-of-longevity/">Studies</a> show it’s your muscle mass, not your BMI, that more accurately predicts how long you’ll live. Turns out six-pack abs and buns of steel are actually good for something other than thirst-trap selfies in the locker room. 
Okay, so let’s agree we need protein to, y’know, survive. How much do we actually need every day? Are you getting enough? Too much? Does Khloe Kardashian’s <a href="https://khloudfoods.com/collections/popcorn?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=22471967737&amp;gbraid=0AAAAA_bFvADOGc3CNtFH4xjaQanp-E7Jb&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw3ejRBhAdEiwADkqPnxMNRw4_mSwGBIXHflh6TtWly24ptjGok9k5C1C5tChJQ35_c7-oDBoC700QAvD_BwE">Khloud Protein Popcorn</a> count as food? Literally everyone has an opinion on the ideal amount. 
Gym bros are over there doing tricep curls on <a href="https://www.verywellfit.com/protein-for-bodybuilding-how-much-is-too-much-3498450">300 grams</a> per day of the stuff, while your yoga-loving bestie’s going full Savasana on nothing more than a few raspberries. Officially, the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/daily-value-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels">Food and Drug Administration</a> recommends 50 grams of protein daily for adults. That’s the rough equivalent of a five-ounce salmon filet and a cup of cooked lentils. 
“If we look at the recommended daily allowance right now, we see it’s around 0.8 kilograms of body weight,” physiologist and nutrition scientist <a href="https://youtu.be/kVjTtdtwYOM?t=34">Dr. Stacy Sims</a> notes. “That, I want people to understand, is the bare minimum you need to consume to prevent malnutrition.”
Active and aging adults need more. “As we get older, our bodies, both men and women, become more resistant to the growth effects of protein, and growth effects of exercise,” Dr. Sims explains. “We need to look at dosing more of both.” 
For women, healthy macros can clock in at one gram of protein per pound of body weight. Active men might need two grams. Maybe you need more, or less. But this isn’t just about getting shredded at the gym. It’s about leveraging the amino acids in protein to preserve brain, bone, and muscle health.
“We’re going to have a stronger skeletal system, a stronger musculoskeletal system, and better brain health if we start looking at increasing our protein intake from that 0.8 grams per pound, trying to eek our way up to at least one gram per pound,” Dr. Sims says.
<a href="https://www.uchealth.org/today/nutrition-vital-when-taking-glp-1-weight-loss-drugs/">GLP-1 users</a> need to be extra vigilant about getting enough nutrients since they may be eating less than half the amount of food they consumed before starting the weight loss medications.
I admit I’ve tried adding protein powder to coffee with limited success. That is, if you prefer coffee that’s not full of powdery clumps you have to chew. There’s boba, and then there’s whatever monster I created. 
Luckily, I’ve been following Dr. Sims as my protein guru. Not only is she an expert in balancing nutrition and exercise during all stages of life (pregnancy, peri-, and menopause), but she also offers a recipe for protein coffee that actually tastes good. Her strategy for letting it chill overnight eliminates unappealing textures. I especially love this method for fueling early morning workouts when I don&#8217;t have time to digest a meal. Plus, it legitimately tastes like a milkshake. You might even skip snoozing your alarm. 
Dr. Stacy Sims Protein Coffee
<ul>
<li>30 grams (two tablespoons) chocolate protein powder</li>
<li>4 ounces cold milk of choice</li>
<li>2 shots coffee or espresso (decaf works too!)</li>
<li>Optional plant-based sweetener like Stevia</li>
</ul>
Mix the protein powder with the milk, then add the coffee and optional sweetener. Stir or shake to combine, and chill in the fridge overnight. You can also drink it on the spot. 
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“Caffeine, good fat, carbohydrates, and 30 grams of protein? And you can put it in a cup to go?” <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@melrobbins/video/7490620535097888030?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc">Mel Robbins</a> remarked after tasting the protein coffee on her podcast. “Dr. Stacy Sims, you’re a genius.” 
Don’t feel restricted to “proffee” if you’re not one of those “offee” types. Try the combo using matcha or chai instead of coffee, pairing these bold teas with vanilla or unflavored protein powder and your favorite milk. You can even pop a few shots of espresso into a pre-made protein shake to satisfy the assignment.  
With many of us trying our best to work a little more protein into the day (without having to tote around a zip-top bag full of grilled chicken breast — I can’t be that girl!), adopting the trendy protein coffee habit might be just the ritual your body has been craving. The best part of waking up is “proffee” in your cup.

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The Ozempic Side Effect That’s Changing America’s Morning Coffee

Coffee

proffee

protein coffee

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The Most Patriotic Fashion Picks Of America’s 250th Year

Fashion

Weekend Plans is our exclusive lifestyle feature where we highlight the real off-duty routines of the most exciting people in culture. 
This weekend, <a href="https://gill.house.gov/">Congressman Brandon Gill</a> and his wife <a href="https://www.instagram.com/danielledsouzagill/?hl=en">Danielle D’Souza Gill</a> take time out of their D.C. schedule to chat with The Daily Wire about why being a dad is Brandon’s most important role, how they’re making equally wholesome memories on the family’s Texas ranch and inside “the Swamp,” and what they hope their kids remember most about this magical chapter of their lives. 
***
I legitimately feel like I’m running a casting session for the next Superman movie, watching actors auditioning for Clark Kent and Lois Lane get mic’d up for a chemistry read. Rep. Brandon Gill unpins the congressional flair from his lapel and knocks back a Celsius Arctic Vibe. Sporting heritage-chic in pearls and a white tweed skirt suit that sparkles like fresh snow, Danielle glows as she steadies her husband with a gentle touch. 
I get teary watching a revealing off-camera moment unfold between them. Brandon and Danielle are a perfect match.
Just over a year into his first term on Capitol Hill, Brandon has swiftly taken opponents to task, breaking out with viral moments in congressional hearings on <a href="https://youtu.be/ju4CYd7qc3U">illegal immigration</a>, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-rising-star-demands-abortion-advocate-name-favorite-method-hearing-clash">abortion</a>, and alleged donor fraud by the <a href="https://youtu.be/-yjmf7TS9Ao?t=6">Southern Poverty Law Center</a>.
Danielle’s warmth belies her fierce advocacy for faith and family. The daughter of political commentator Dinesh D’Souza, she has published works like “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Choice-Abortion-Divide-America/dp/1546099875/ref">The Choice: The Abortion Divide In America,</a>” which prove she’s developed a distinctive voice in the political arena.
The couple couldn’t be busier raising their two young children Marigold and Winston while jet-setting between their home in Flower Mound, Texas, and D.C. I ask about their plans for Father’s Day. Danielle refuses to ruin the surprise, but dishes a few hints.
“I&#8217;ll tell you what Brandon did for me for Mother&#8217;s Day,” she says. “It was so cute. He got one of those clay crafts, so we have Marigold&#8217;s handprint in it. I definitely have a high bar set for me to top for him for Father&#8217;s Day.” Assuring me there will be handmade crafts, she adds, “Marigold has recently gotten into painting, and we&#8217;ll do a couple extra things for the grandfathers.”
“Conservatives believe that the family is the fundamental unit of society, and we do everything we can to live that out,” Brandon says. He clearly enjoys dad life. “Being a husband and a father is honestly far more rewarding than even being in Congress and being in the political fight because it&#8217;s something that&#8217;s going to stick around a long time.”
An Ivy League romance
Just looking at the Gills, anyone could assume it was love at first sight. “Eventually, I was able to get out of the friend zone,” Brandon jokes. Cue the popcorn, I wanted the full story.
“Danielle and I met in college,” Brandon explains. They first crossed paths through the faith-based Christian Union on campus. “Dartmouth is a very, very liberal college. There aren’t a whole lot of Christians at Dartmouth, so it was a pretty small pool for Danielle to choose from.” He laughs, recalling their initial meet-cute at a bonfire. “I thought that she was very pretty, so I wanted to go up and start talking to her.”
Their first dinner date didn’t spark a romance, but it definitely set the table.
“Basically, the whole dinner, Brandon was asking me all these questions,” Danielle says. “I felt like I had gone an hour and was literally talking the whole time. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I really don&#8217;t know you,’ so I was like, ‘Where are you from?’” Danielle says Brandon then detailed his rural upbringing using the only supplies he had to work with. “There were paper tablecloths at this restaurant, so Brandon found the crayons, which were there to entertain children, and he started drawing different equipment. I didn&#8217;t grow up around ranch life, so that was new for me.”
“It ended with me getting her flowers, and then getting stuck in the friend zone for two years,” Brandon remembers. The couple went on to marry in 2017. “You did write me a very sweet card,” Danielle assures Brandon of their first date. “I still have the card.”
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<div id="attachment_1118761" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1118761" class="size-medium wp-image-1118761" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_7775-300x198.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="198" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_7775-300x198.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_7775-874x576.jpeg 874w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_7775-768x506.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_7775-1536x1012.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_7775-2048x1349.jpeg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Brandon and Danielle Gill</div>
But first, coffee 
Despite raising their kids in two different cities, the Gills try to keep home life as relaxed as possible. One-year-old Winston is usually the first to rise and shine, but Danielle says, “We have very slow mornings when Brandon has a day off.”
“We&#8217;ll usually hang out in the living room and just drink our coffee and play with Winston and Marigold,” Brandon says. When they’re in Texas, they enjoy a stroll around the neighborhood. “Our neighbors got a donkey and some goats. Marigold loves the animals.”
When they get the chance to visit Brandon’s parents, the kids get a taste of ranch life. “We take them out there as often as we can, drive around the ranch in the truck and give Marigold plenty of space to run around and see the wide open spaces,” Brandon says. “She loves cows and the deer whenever they&#8217;re out. We’ll drive the tractor, get a little bit of the Texas full-on ranch experience.”
Cooking with lots of love
When it comes to kitchen duty, Danielle’s doing most of the cooking. But what she’s cooking sounds like a scene out of “Dutton Ranch.”
“We have a lot of meat from Gill Ranch,” Danielle says. “Brandon’s parents gave us half a cow a year ago, so we technically always have food on hand. We have the ranch meat that they raise, so we know it&#8217;s good quality.”
She’ll happily hand over grilling duty to Brandon, and Danielle admits, “I probably am the baking person.” In an era where everything can be instantly ordered with a click, her perspective feels refreshingly analog. “Marigold and I made a cake for Winston&#8217;s birthday. He just turned one, so she did all the sprinkles on top,” she says. “I want to keep the tradition where we always bake the cake from scratch at home for a birthday, as opposed to buying a cake.” 
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<div id="attachment_1119575" style="width: 241px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1119575" class="size-medium wp-image-1119575" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_9315-231x300.jpeg" alt="" width="231" height="300" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_9315-231x300.jpeg 231w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_9315-444x576.jpeg 444w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_9315-768x996.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_9315.jpeg 1154w" sizes=" (max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px" />Brandon and Danielle Gill</div>
The politics of playtime
Ever since the couple went all-in on Brandon’s run for office just three months after Marigold was born, the family has been balancing life in public service through the playful eyes of their children.
“Politics is a family affair for us,” Brandon says, describing his kid-friendly digs. “We&#8217;ve got a whole bookshelf built into the wall that&#8217;s full of toys for Marigold and Winston, so they can play whenever they&#8217;re in the office, and make a big mess of everything. Marigold will play hide-and-seek with us around the Capitol dome, or we&#8217;ll take them to the White House lawn and Winston will just speed crawl all over the place.” Based on the family’s recap of the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DW1mwALkX7S/?hl=en">White House Easter Egg Roll</a>, this checks out. “We definitely have a lot of fun with it, and take them with us everywhere we go.”
Danielle manages the travel days for a family that’s always on the move. “We try to be with Brandon as much as possible,” she says. “I think with our kids being so young, they&#8217;re very used to seeing Brandon every day, having him be a big part of their lives in a deeply involved way,” she explains. “It&#8217;s nice for him to be able to see them in the morning, or do bedtime routine, or just see him at some point in the work day, which wouldn&#8217;t be possible if we weren&#8217;t traveling with him.”
Classic parenting in modern times
The Gills have no rules around screen time at home — because they don’t need them. “We actually don&#8217;t have a TV in our home,” Danielle confirms. Still, if Marigold tunes in, it’s only for the vintage stuff. “When she travels on the plane, sometimes we let her watch ‘Tom and Jerry,’ ‘Popeye,’ like very old cartoons.” The family also sticks to the classics for bedtime stories. “As far as books … of course Bible stories, ‘Frog and Toad’’… Those are just so much better than the modern ones.”
“We&#8217;ve got this children&#8217;s version of ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ that we&#8217;ll read to her,” Brandon says. “We’re reading a lot of Dr. Seuss now, too, as she&#8217;s getting a little bit older.”
Brandon and Danielle genuinely agree that neither one has had to become the “strict” parent. “I feel like we have the same parenting philosophy,” Danielle notes. But if she has to pick, she says, “Probably me, just because I&#8217;m kind of with [the kids] a lot. But when Brandon needs them to go to bed, I can trust that he will make sure it happens.”
Danielle calls Brandon “the spontaneous” one, confirming that her husband brings the adventure to the daily routine. “In Texas, he&#8217;s much more apt to do crazy things outdoors, take them to the water, take them to see animals, things like that. I&#8217;m probably more of the snuggly, cuddly parent, and maybe like a source for food,” she laughs. 
Still, there may be another parental figure in the household. “Marigold has been obsessed with her little brother from the very beginning,” Danielle says. “She&#8217;s very motherly, she&#8217;s like always watching out for him. So, she&#8217;ll tell me, ‘Winston wants milk. Winston doesn&#8217;t want that.’ I think she thinks of herself as kind of the Winston interpreter. She loves dolls, so Winston&#8217;s just like a more fun version of the baby.”
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<div id="attachment_1119577" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1119577" class="size-medium wp-image-1119577" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_3908-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_3908-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_3908-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_3908-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_3908-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_3908-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_3908-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_3908-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Brandon and Danielle Gill</div>
Family time designed by a toddler
I’m curious as to what a busy young family in politics ever does to recharge. Brandon immediately flashes a glance to Danielle. “Do we rest?” They laugh. (I get the feeling that they don’t.)
“I feel like a rejuvenating thing is when we get to go on a date night,” Danielle shares. “And I think running is a nice way to clear your head, to just get outside. Brandon definitely runs more.”
Doing whatever they can to keep the whirlwind of Brandon’s career from overwhelming the family, Brandon explains, “A lot of our downtime is really just casual family time. It&#8217;s just being together, playing with the kids.” When they happen to have time to themselves, Marigold steps in as the family’s social chair. “We&#8217;ve got this little ball pit that Marigold likes to jump into, and she wants Winston to get into it, and then she wants Danielle and me to get into it … Marigold basically decides what we&#8217;re all doing.”
For anyone curious about the soundtrack to these idyllic family moments, you won’t find this playlist on Spotify. “Marigold is a very good memorizer. She can recite ‘Wheels on the Bus.’ She likes to skip over a lot of verses,” Danielle says. And yet, Brandon explains that his daughter won’t be limited to bus lyrics. “She&#8217;ll walk around the house singing a combined mixture of ‘Jesus Loves Me’ and ‘Wheels on the Bus.’ She can somehow combine it all together.” 
A time to remember
As Brandon and Danielle forge their path in D.C., I ask what they hope their children remember about this unique American experience.
“We want to make sure that Marigold and Winston have a very secure place,” Brandon says. “They&#8217;re young right now, but obviously we love them a lot.” I can tell.
Danielle hopes they remember “that they had a very magical childhood that was very warm and that their parents were deeply involved in their lives. That they got to have a lot of adventures, and of course, a Christ-like foundation for life, and that they got to spend a lot of time being happy kids.”

Weekend Plans With Rising Conservative Power Couple Brandon and Danielle Gill

Brandon Gill

danielle d'souza gill

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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Welcome to the Bright Side, a weekly roundup of all the good news and ideas you might have missed from the past week.
Brötchen the baby Pygmy hippo 
If you’re even vaguely familiar with the Bright Side, you know that there’s a chance this may someday turn into an animals-only column. (Anyone remember the iconic Cute Overload blog? It was God’s gift to lovers of chonky smush-faced floofmuffins.) Adding another marshmallow to the list, meet Brötchen, a baby Pygmy hippo named after Germany’s favorite snack. [Squee!]
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Meet Brötchen. That&#8217;s the name Berlin Zoo has chosen for its rare newborn pygmy hippo, and it means &#8220;bread roll&#8221; in German<a href="https://t.co/ljXPVCb5SP">pic.twitter.com/ljXPVCb5SP</a>
— Nature is Amazing ☘️ (@AMAZlNGNATURE) <a href="https://x.com/AMAZlNGNATURE/status/2065602210759913849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Born in May at <a href="https://www.zoo-berlin.de/de/aktuelles/news/artikel/broetchen-ein-name-zum-anbeissen?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=2023407738&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADRvEZ3g4M6tHcPQtzuS3Ryaxbdmd&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwrs7RBhDuARIsAIVfBD1E2YtWSwQ4w1C7Ye1HDOLkKhIm7CnX79nioyRL4udXddSm_IITAT4aAunREALw_wcB">Zoo Berlin</a>, she’s about 45 pounds of love topped with perky little ears and blinky eyes. “Brötchen” comes from the German term for “<a href="https://x.com/RealChadFather/status/2065605949436399622">bread roll,</a>” and that’s exactly how delicious she is. She’ll grow up to be 600 pounds, which is still smaller than the average river hippo, which can weigh 3,000 pounds. Endangered Pygmies are sweet and shy, preferring to stick by a mate and their babies in the wild. Be still my heart. They’re perfect in every way. 
If you feel the urge to squeeze Brötchen and every other cuddly creature, this is actually a response to extremely positive emotions. “One study … showed relatively more activity in the reward and emotions areas of the brain when viewing something cute,” social psychologist <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2024/02/cute-aggression-why-you-might-want-to-squash-every-adorable-thing-you-see">Lisa A. Williams</a> says. “We like to view cute stimuli, even if we sometimes find it overwhelming.” Maybe this is why I have repeatedly told my French Bulldog that someday I’ll fry up his sqwoonchie ears as dip chips, while I skwoonch his little face.
A time capsule for America&#8217;s 500th birthday
It’s not going into the ground until July 4 in Philadelphia, but the <a href="https://america250.org/time-capsule/contents/?utm_campaign=a250_26_email&amp;utm_source=mailchimp&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=timecapsule">America 250 Time Capsule</a> is officially sealed. All 50 states, several U.S. territories, three branches of government, many national sports leagues, and a few iconic brands (think we’ll be able to unlock an iPhone 17 Pro Max in the year 2276?) added keepsakes to the 900-pound steel capsule collection that will be opened by aliens in the future. (Just kidding, but who knows?) 
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Some of the items couldn’t be more “America let’s go!” Acting cooler than it sounds, the Library of Congress came to play with a <a href="https://manage.america250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/America250-time-capsule-item-LOC-DNA-capsule.jpg">synthetic DNA device</a> storing digital copies of Thomas Jefferson’s rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, and an audio recording of the National Anthem from 1898. Coca-Cola contributed a contour Coke bottle holding sheet music to “I’d Like To Buy America A Coke.” 
Not to name names, but a few entries seemed like, “We forgot this was for today. Here’s a flag.” (Alaska!) What would you send 250 years into the future? I feel like we might need a second capsule for McDonald’s rebooted <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-fried-apple-pie-america-250-962c7e82d7d5089bf63b2e7258f1c864">Fried Apple Pie</a> for America’s birthday. You know that thing will still be in pristine condition.  
Why is everyone doing the “Asian squat” right now?
Either you’re looking at this going, no way in hell-o-operator am I even trying this maneuver, or you’re thinking easy, I do this all the time. If you’re the second person, chances are you grew up squatting like it’s hot, just to relax. (My hip flexors are clenching just thinking about it.)
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BBC journalists try to do the &#8216;Asian squat&#8217;, a resting position frequently used by people in places like China, Japan, and much of Asia.
🎧 Click for more on cultural traditions around the world <a href="https://t.co/xhk2tqvQ2X">https://t.co/xhk2tqvQ2X</a> <a href="https://t.co/SmxXX6yGyV">pic.twitter.com/SmxXX6yGyV</a>
— BBC World Service (@bbcworldservice) <a href="https://x.com/bbcworldservice/status/2066982284092449136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
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I love random feats of strength from the internet. Tell me to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@1stphorm/video/7501455136468798750?lang=en">jump to standing from kneeling</a> to prove that my “bio age” is younger than it is, and I’ll do it. (Just check out the grip strength on <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/04/us-news/90-year-old-grandma-breaks-world-record-for-dead-hang/">Ann Crile Esselstyn</a>, who broke the Guinness World Record by hanging from a pull-up bar for nearly three minutes at 90 years old!) The deep squat, or “Asian squat,” is still popular in Asia. It derives from a time before Western toilets, where we all had to rest our thighs on our calves to use a chamber pot, while steadying ourselves with flat feet. Almost every toddler still does this naturally. And as we age, mobility like this can literally save our lives by allowing us to easily get up from the floor. 
Founder of Upright Health, Matt Hsu, offers <a href="https://youtu.be/a6Na67zUMZk?t=6">three exercises</a> to develop your deep squat muscles. If you were wondering if the talent is genetic, he confirms, “To do the Asian squat, you don’t need to wear glasses and you don’t need to be good at math.” 
World Cup fever is a hot mess and America’s (finally!) here for it
According to search bots, Americans just figured out we’re currently hosting an international soccer tournament. This country’s so massive we didn’t know we invited <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/world-cup/world-cup-2026-super-bowl-viewership-tickets-attendance/6501165/">five billion fans</a> to a party that’s 40 times bigger than the Super Bowl. And that we actually have a U.S. team playing in it! (Face palm.) Guys. I hope we got enough snacks.
Other than the history-making happenings on the field (Argentina’s beloved Lionel Messi is now the oldest — and youngest — player from his country to score a goal in the competition, earning his first World Cup <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-messis-historic-hat-trick-steals-the-show-during-action-packed-day-at-the-world-cup">hat trick</a> against Algeria, and already tying the record for most goals scored), the unapologetic ecstasy of global fandom is bringing the sport to life.
Cementing himself as a national treasure, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/europeans-came-to-see-the-world-cup-and-find-america-at-buc-ees">Freddy</a> the German tourist loved Buc-ee’s so much it got him a NASA tour and a concert invite from Ella Langley. We discovered that <a href="https://x.com/cbsnews/status/2066985724973666525?s=43">Japanese</a> fans bag their own empty nachos trays and used drink cups post-game, and U.K. tourists taught <a href="https://x.com/sanctafamiliatv/status/2067030182838321617?s=46&amp;t=5nB3R1hthzMlYMrXjZyN8Q">American nuns</a> how to chant like fútbol fanatics. We developed a new appreciation for <a href="https://youtu.be/W70JNDCcOdw?t=24">Costco</a>, Florida’s beaches, and baby back ribs. It was the injection of American spirit we needed. 
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The Scots are assimilating well to American culture. <a href="https://t.co/ewRjO0XAgN">pic.twitter.com/ewRjO0XAgN</a>
— The Redheaded libertarian (@TRHLofficial) <a href="https://x.com/TRHLofficial/status/2066170244905750620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Just try to listen to a bunch of Scottish fans belt a flawless rendition of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” without feeling a sense of pride for the place you belong.
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Happy Father’s Day to all the awesome dads out there! (Hope you get <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-fathers-day-gift-dads-secretly-want-most">exactly what you want</a>!) If you’d like to openly confess your soccer-curious status, please consider the safe space of our comments section. You can <a href="mailto:lbair@dailywire.com">email</a> me too. As always, it’s been so much fun hanging out with you! — Lauren

Bright Side: The Global Craze Americans Are Finally Joining

America250

Animals

World Cup

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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If you’re like me — not a dad — your inbox is maxing out with last-minute ideas for Father’s Day. But if TheraGuns, bougie bath robes, and Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male fragrance sets don’t spark joy (or sound at all like the Dad you know), don’t worry. Dad doesn’t really want any of that. 
He just wants to be left alone to do … dad stuff. Whatever that is. 
For Le Dude who has everything, needs nothing, or can easily pop into Home Depot to get the exact thing he needs without a gift receipt, a few hours of “nothing” is the Father’s Day flex. As a woman, I can only assume this solitary ritual involves tinkering in silence until a brilliantly dorky joke pops into his head, which he then mentally tucks into his toolbox before getting back to building a canoe with his bare hands. Or something with a mower? Clearing out the attic using barbecue tongs and karate? 
Well, no time like the present to mangle a quote from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/world/europe/01iht-letter.1.14939466.html">Winston Churchill</a>. Most Dads are &#8220;a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma,&#8221; and impossible to shop for. This is why my dad has been gifted car shammies and white crew socks his whole life. He’s literally never requested a single material thing and — classic Dad — he found the utility of these items timeless. 
I was originally hoping to assemble the ultimate list of Father’s Day gift ideas from Daily Wire dads, but after talking to the third devoted father in a row who sheepishly confessed the same concept, I realized that the best Father’s Day gift for dads is a break from the people who made them fathers. Zing.
This is almost universally dad-verified. On <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/daddit/comments/vcy4as/is_it_bad_to_want_to_spend_fathers_day_alone/">r/daddit</a>, one courageous soul started the conversation by conveying how deeply he loves his wife and two sons. He said he’d gladly spend the day with his 4-year-old, but also craved “a little bit of that freedom I had before kids. To go somewhere I enjoy and lead my own actions throughout the day instead of catering to others. Relax and not have to pick anyone up.” Even though his wife was on board, he felt guilty about it.
Another Dad <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/daddit/comments/vcy4as/comment/ich41qf/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">put it</a> like this: “My two favorite things are spending time with my kids and spending time without my kids.” The sentiment got hundreds of thumbs up. 
Maybe you relate. But if you aren’t nodding your head and toasting a cold one to these men, imagine Mom requesting a few hours away for a Mother’s Day mani-pedi. No one would begrudge her sanity-saving blush pink soap nails.
Every Dad I talked to was hesitant to “speak his truth,” as the kids say. These guys clearly love their families with everything they’ve got. (Let&#8217;s go, dads!) But not every hero wears a cape 24/7 without a minute of rest. Maybe nurturing a father’s warrior spirit is a gift to the whole family.
Still, absent-dad vibes on Father’s Day might not fly with young kids who just burned through a whole box of Crayons on homemade cards. If you don’t want anyone wondering where Dad went on the one holiday he has, take Dad-time on a different day when no one will notice that he took <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/daddit/comments/vcy4as/comment/icgyxhj/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">his bike</a> out to “stop at a food cart, get some tacos, and drink a beer” before returning home, fully refurbed.  
I think I can safely say that every man has a clear preference when it comes to his preferred activity for a kid-free day. But just in case, I rounded up a few ideas from very reliable sources.
A round of golf, or an afternoon spent fishing, hunting, or hiking likely satisfies the assignment for adventure Dads. Sports guys might like a ballgame with their best bros, a few brews at a sports bar, or a pickup basketball game on the nearest court. Dads raising babies and toddlers are probably dreaming of something simple like a nice, long, uninterrupted nap. Tackling a forgotten project, fine tuning a car, or tending to the home brew in the garage probably sounds like a good time for a dad who thinks (fun) work is play.
Of course, a small gift also lets him know how much he’s loved. Dress dad up with a slick new <a href="https://carryproof.com/products/minimalist-wallet?variant=48033926873395&amp;country=US&amp;currency=USD&amp;utm_medium=product_sync&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_content=sag_organic&amp;utm_campaign=sag_organic&amp;tw_source=google&amp;tw_adid=753141448710&amp;tw_campaign=22569779670&amp;tw_kwdid=pla-2433427413008&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=22569779670&amp;gbraid=0AAAAA-0-EVx7-wSHPsaxD9_G7sZhtmIjf&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw6MPRBhBTEiwAd-7Mr9zc50cKV1eCCQOqGQQ5M7DwyVjRaGd-diNLIzrN0xAWfK26lnnlVRoCb48QAvD_BwE">wallet</a> or a <a href="https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/1614061/pn/010-03014-00/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23792691771&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADfdpAtHrtT4_34nEp3vBrio6HWsr&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw6MPRBhBTEiwAd-7Mrx6oZLPEfZQdouqXGgNbYXyw3VlZSPf9goBYDbkvD3SIBuwwuze5aBoChMQQAvD_BwE#specs">smartwatch</a> that tracks his relaxation. Deck him out with a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Truman-David-McCullough/dp/0671869205">good book</a>, a fresh <a href="https://www.leatherman.com/collections/bestsellers/products/wave">Leatherman</a> multitool, custom <a href="https://www.yeti.com/drinkware/hydration/21071503826.html">Yeti</a> gear, or a gift card or <a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_campaign=fathers&amp;utm_content=banner_na_creative00002_na&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=cms">subscription</a> for his favorite spot. And steak. Don’t forget steak. I have yet to meet the man who would say no to a tender <a href="https://www.butcherbox.com/collections/fathers-day-gifts/products/dads-favorite-steaks-box-1?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=Shopping_NonBrand_OneTimeBox_All_maxClicks&amp;adgroupid=121147280356&amp;adtype=&amp;utm_term=&amp;utm_content=DadsFavoriteSteaks_OneTimeBox&amp;keyword=&amp;matchtype=&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=12766340391&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADey8Ily5k8SMAIWpfmRh7GhtXeqo&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw6MPRBhBTEiwAd-7Mrx_cLHzJRlVIXwSdQ1E6-ibPp1uKt0DsPetvFhreitsFFSijMFF61hoCsBoQAvD_BwE">ribeye</a>.
I’m also working off the theory that Dad’s me-time requirement might directly relate to the age of his kids. With almost 50 years of parenting under his belt, my dad says his ideal Father’s Day involves a fun hang with me, my sister, and our families. That is, if he can’t have lunch with sports icon Roger Federer, which I just discovered is my tennis-playing dad’s dream Father’s Day scenario. I’m 100% confident that decades of gym socks were equally thrilling.
As any parent knows, it all goes by too fast. One <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/daddit/comments/vcy4as/comment/ich1ymr/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">Reddit dad</a> wrote, “There will come a day where you wish your kids could spend Father’s Day with you, but will be busy with their own kids.” Judging by how quickly Harry Chapin’s “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u-KWa3tL-0&amp;list=RD5u-KWa3tL-0&amp;start_radio=1">Cat’s In The Cradle</a>” lyrics were jokingly worked into the replies, it seems we can all agree that time spent together is never wasted. 
Just in case, the chorus goes like this: And the cat&#8217;s in the cradle and the silver spoon, Little boy blue and the man in the moon, &#8220;When you coming home, Dad?&#8221;, &#8220;I don&#8217;t know when, but we&#8217;ll get together then, You know we&#8217;ll have a good time then.&#8221;
Here’s to the owner of the only legitimate World’s Greatest Dad mug. You’re one in a million. Happy Father’s Day.

The Father’s Day Gift Dads Secretly Want Most

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“Off Campus” serves millennial women all the soapy college romance they could ever want. But even though it trounced “The Summer I Turned Pretty” in views, Amazon’s <a href="https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/off-campus-ratings-amazon-prime-video-1236759095/">third most-watched show</a> ever didn’t need to go so hard on the explicit content to tell the story. 
“I’m Six Flags, baby. Everybody wants a ride,” hockey hunk Dean Di Laurentis says with a smirk. “They come for a good time, not a long time. And that’s fine by me.” Heh heh heh. Aaand action on shenanigans.
Like “Heated Rivalry” for moms with Prime accounts, “Off Campus” comes out swinging with a lingering closeup on main squeeze Garrett Graham’s backside less than two minutes into the series. Directing the female gaze slightly north, a tattoo between his shoulder blades reads “nullum gratuitum prandium,” Latin for “there is no free lunch.” (I feel like the only nerd who ever paused the show and ChatGPT-ed this, but now you know.)
By 16:34, I was fully floored by the revelation that a streaming series on the same platform where I buy Paul Newman dog treats could show NSFW body parts doing NSFW stuff to an audience that most definitely includes teens. Despite the TV-MA alert (meaning the mature content is allegedly suitable for ages 18-plus), it gave me the ick. 
I was a kid once, in a home without cable. If ever a PG kissing scene made it past the nine levels of network censorship and onto primetime, my mom would fly to the TV to cover it with a blue throw from our sofa (the censorship blanket!) until the scene was over. 
I have since seen some things. Three-quarters of the way through the first episode of “Off Campus,” my eyes were already fully dilated with gender equitable top-and-bottomlessness, as well as a wide variety of inspiration for when mommy and daddy really love each other.
For the record, I’m not a prude. I spent decades working in Hollywood and went to art school where we regularly sketched nude strangers to learn to interpret the human form like the Old Masters. I appreciate the cinematography of “<a href="https://youtu.be/hjBdusX225s?t=14">Jack, I want you to draw me like one of your French girls</a>” from “Titanic” and the “<a href="https://youtu.be/b1OGN-1QhHI?t=149">Cry To Me</a>” sequence in “Dirty Dancing,” which threaded the needle on tasteful late-&#8217;80s dirty dancingness. Even though the premise of “Off Campus” didn’t hook me right away (the main college co-eds pretend to be a believable couple so an outside love interest will suddenly want the girl he can’t have), and the classroom backdrop smacked of vampirey werewolf love triangles of the aughts, I was determined to watch the eight-part series with my boyfriend and finally discover what all the fuss was about.
“You’re on your own,” he announced, after suffering through episode one. Not for guys. Noted.
Still, I was fascinated by a girl from my gym who was already watching the season for a third time — and editing her Hinge profile to describe her ideal match as a “Garrett Graham type” — less than a month after the series debuted.
Actual hockey entered the chat halfway through the first episode. Guys, I’m neither Catholic nor plain folk, but I felt like an Amish nun streaming this stuff, covering my head, my ankles, and my eyes. At least figuratively. I wondered aloud to female friends if they, like the Allie Hayes character, ever just popped off their bras and held serious conversations with same-sex roommates with the headlights on. “Yes.” “No!” Respondents were divided.
Before episode two began, I got an ad for the dating site Tinder, which apparently streams Spotify now. The show returned with a lingerie-clad makeout and a bored couple flipping through a Kama Sutra-style calendar for ideas. But 20:30 hit with a “we have to practice kissing in the weight room” scene. Ten minutes later, Allie was dancing at a frat party dressed like JLo in barely there, plunging Versace.
By episode three, I briefly blacked out thinking that maybe the show was mellowing out on the mature themes. But 1:45 brought me back to reality with an intimate dream sequence involving a piano; 8:55 involved a couple taking a shower. At 12:37, lead Hannah Wells walks in on her “fake boyfriend” Garrett and another girl. He wipes his mouth as they do the “don’t you ever lock your door” routine, and at 18:49 we keep things moving with another spicy dream sequence.
At the time of filming, the actress playing Hannah, <a href="https://people.com/off-campus-actress-ella-bright-defends-nearly-10-year-age-gap-with-costar-belmont-cameli-11984326">Ella Bright</a>, was just 18. The rest of the cast was roughly a decade older. 
Episode four notoriously featured Hannah hoping her nonboyfriend-friend Garrett could help her overcome her trauma to finally experience pleasure. Separately but in Garrett’s bedroom together, at 20 minutes in, they … pop the champagne. (I’m running out of words.) Shortly after this, at the halfway point in the season, they realize they have feelings for each other. Utterly shocking, seeing as how much “practicing” they’ve done together. 
It’s this moment where Hannah ditches her third wheel crush and goes all in on Garrett. The scene unfolds in the arena, as Garrett busily battles his inner demons on the ice, rage-shooting pucks on an open goal. Hannah’s beautiful voice echoes through the empty seats; Garrett whips off his skates and runs to her. They embrace. They kiss. The chemistry has never been so real.
I briefly consider where the show goes from here if the will-they-won’t-they leads just got together. As I begrudgingly acknowledge my investment in the storyline, I realize — wait a minute. They had all their clothes on for the most compelling scene of the show! 
All those bras, bath towels, and perfectly rumpled sheets were just shiny objects. For a good show to become great, the relationships need to ring true.
That compelling moment was followed by episode five (1:11 through 4:19), literally the longest unpaywalled or age-gated montage of Garrett and Hannah’s highly amorous relationship. Do they ever study? Does all the stress about hockey and music scholarships from earlier matter?
I’m aware that the series is based on the books by New York Times bestselling author <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Off-Campus-Set-Elle-Kennedy/dp/1464221715">Elle Kennedy</a>, but it seems to be adapted for TV by out-of-work adult entertainment writers. With the explosion of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/onlyfans-made-a-few-stars-rich-but-what-most-creators-actually-see-is-another-story">OnlyFans</a>, it’s surely been tough times for the industry. 
I take more notes as I trudge through the rest of the season. Episode six didn’t load until I watched an ad for Liquid I.V.’s “Ring Pop Cherry” flavor, which is related to the show in at least two ways. Bedroom scenes and bare chests do nothing for the story, and a bright pink “intimacy device” gets in on the fun as part of an interrupted bathtub romp. 
For those of you hoping for none of this, please see PG story-driven episode seven. But by the final episode, prepare yourself for the full monty in the men&#8217;s locker room. Don’t worry, it’s the camera, not you, gawking at each player’s private parts.  
“Off Campus” season two will descend in 2027. And while the storyline is set to shift to other faces in the friend group, I imagine that, once again, there won’t be much need for the wardrobe department.

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***
Grammy-winner Phoebe Bridgers just announced her concert dates for the end of the year. But unlike most arena circuits, it will feature one unique detail. 
“I’m going on tour no phones,” Bridgers posted on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZNSNKxFqyX/?img_index=1">Instagram</a>. Cue expressionless Gen Z chaos. 
All manner of tech, including smartwatches, smartphones, digital cameras, and other portable recorders, will be corralled into neoprene Yondr pouches designed to block functionality, providing the artist with a distraction-free space while fans maintain possession of their personal effects. The pouch locks and unlocks outside the designated perimeter, or in an assigned Phone Use Area within the venue.
Even if you don’t recognize Phoebe Bridgers from her other bands, Boygenius and Better Oblivion Community Center, I&#8217;m guessing you already formed an opinion on locking your phone in koozie prison. 
“If any of you figured out how to stick an Apple Watch up your a** or whatever to record, just please don’t put it on the internet,” <a href="https://archive.is/kgQl5#selection-423.0-423.133">Bridgers announced</a> on stage.
Bridgers tested the Yondr pouch strategy at a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden this month, where not even a <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/phoebe-bridgers-no-phones-msg-show">pencil</a> and paper were allowed, lest fans transcribe unreleased lyrics and post them online, spoiling future album releases and shows. Sad-girl indie lovers who paid <a href="https://atwoodmagazine.com/live-phoebe-bridgers-madison-square-garden-nyc-2026-concert-review/">as little as $1</a> for lottery-style entry seemed to be largely on board with acting as a human popemobile to protect Bridgers&#8217; divine intellectual property. 
“All of you are gonna be happy,” two fans gushed on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/byspencerthomas/reel/DZMQ7Xvg-Ih/?hl=af">Instagram</a> after the show. “It was beautiful and perturbing … the songwriting was there.”  
Another awestruck <a href="https://youtu.be/DURK9Jj7B10?t=8">girl recalled</a>, “My jaw was open the entire time, it was absolutely incredible.” Her friend added, “It was insane not seeing any phones there. People brought out lighters halfway through … I didn’t even know that was a thing people did, still.” 
Reviews were intentionally murky and slightly confusing. Many sounded like someone trying to get you to taste a food for the first time. Maybe that&#8217;s the point. You have to be there. You have to experience it for yourself. No janky livestream could ever do it justice.
Meanwhile, one rogue audience member reportedly found a way to hack the Yondr sitch to document the no-phones show. “Girl on the bus recorded the entire Phoebe Bridgers MSG concert through her Yondr pouch and is currently listening to the audio file,” an <a href="https://x.com/meh_sofia/status/2062728066804203879">X user</a> reported. Signs point to audio sounding like it was recorded underwater. 
Back in the day, not filming concerts was a normal thing. Thirsty for every last note from iconic artists, fans produced the first bootleg in 1969 featuring <a href="https://www.avclub.com/a-brief-history-of-live-concert-bootlegging-1798284737">Bob Dylan</a> sessions that had never officially been released. It’s still <a href="https://www.romanolaw.com/is-it-legal-to-record-and-publish-live-performances-key-considerations-for-content-creators-and-concert-goers/">technically illegal</a> to publish someone else’s live performance without their consent, but fair use rules around commentary and education blur the lines. Still, rebels remain, even when the no-phones vibe appears to be largely consensual.
“Hill I’ll die on: phone free concerts are utter bullsh*t in this economy,” one <a href="https://x.com/RAGNAROKNR0LL/status/2062908976191201354?s=20">X user</a> wrote. “For what you’re charging me … i’ll record whenever and whatever i want … i have to right to take pics, videos, MEMORIES.”
“It’s an artists job and the fans PAY THEM TO PLAY,” a <a href="https://x.com/fictionalangst/status/2063280199232368710?s=20">Bridgers fan</a> posted. “Concerts are not about what an artist wants or being as good as possible for the artist. It’s about the fans experience, that’s the whole reason the show is being put on.” 
Plenty of other commenters noted that no one’s forcing anyone to buy concert tickets.
Bridgers follows other major acts that have enacted the same policy. <a href="https://www.ebony.com/we-got-a-seat-inside-bruno-mars-no-phones-las-vegas-residency-and-nightclub-heres-what-went-down/">Bruno Mars</a> famously banned phones from his Las Vegas residency. One fan recalled that he said on stage, &#8220;Yes, I made you lock your phones up … I just want us to be able to forget about all that is going [on] in the world right now and have a good time.” Or something like that.
<a href="https://www.nme.com/news/music/jack-white-bans-phones-gigs-2227093">Jack White</a> was doing this almost a decade ago, advising audiences, “Enjoy a phone-free, 100% human experience,” and telling them to repost official Jack White social media content as desired. As if that would ever satisfy the like economy.
Still, maybe Bridgers could have softened the statement into something sounding more like an organic suggestion. Bridgers’ friend, <a href="https://x.com/BBCR1/status/1145413016785170435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1145413016785170435%7Ctwgr%5E7f3aaa1ac332f1ca132933b951907dd0174864e5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.teenvogue.com%2Fstory%2Fbillie-eilish-glastonbury-performance">Billie Eilish</a>, made a similar request at Glastonbury in 2019. “All I ask is that we all try to live in the moment,” Eilish told the crowd. “Look at me in my eyes … We’re never gonna be right here, this second, on this day, and this age ever again.” 
Other musicians have enacted alternative vibe checks. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1712883046417355">Morgan Wallen</a> ripped a phone out of a venue security worker’s hands and threw it across the stage during one recent performance. And Misfits singer <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Danzig/comments/1h2pagl/danzig_kicking_cell_phone_out_of_fans_hand/">Glenn Danzig</a> unapologetically kicked a phone out of a fan’s grasp, mid-set. 
Rowdy concertgoers throwing phones on stage and injuring <a href="https://ew.com/riley-green-wanted-to-dive-into-the-crowd-after-a-fan-hit-him-phone-11989104">Riley Green</a> and <a href="https://abc7.com/post/drake-chicago-hotline-bling-fan-throws-phone-on-stage/13471963/">Drake</a> only further escalate the tension between artists and audiences. Metal band Bring Me the Horizon frontman <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-news/bring-me-the-horizon-singer-concussion-phone-throw-concert-1236594029/">Oli Sykes</a> endured a concussion from a projectile phone in May — and continued the show.
After sharing intimate details about her life during lockdown, Bridgers was forced to learn how to protect herself from in-person verbal attacks and invasions of her personal space by followers who assumed a too-familiar relationship. “There’s a higher chance that you’ll meet a fan that you hate than a fan that you love,” <a href="https://archive.is/kgQl5#selection-1425.500-1425.589">she said</a>. Maybe this plays into the phone thing, too.
The drive to control outrageous fan behavior makes sense. And who really wants to pay $200 to look through a sea of screens hovering over general admission? Instead of filming and posting footage during the show, maybe you sing along with Phoebs on older songs and listen as she rolls out new ethereal tracks. Sip a $25 beer, vape if it’s your thing, and sway to the tune of a musical conversation in the present tense.
Bridgers plans to donate <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZNeqoWlXpQ/">$1 from every ticket</a> sold on her North American leg to anti-abuse organization RAINN. But with fans reporting $500 price tags for the better seats, some of Bridgers’ followers may be left out in the cold. One person claimed Bridgers’ younger contingent may be too broke to afford her solo shows, while <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/phoebebridgers/comments/1u15z40/comment/oqncpao/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">another posted</a>, “Guys. Can’t call her indie anymore.”
Still, with fans posting about everything but actual shows — and selling the heck out of the vibe, like kids who went nuts on the Dole Whips at Disney World — maybe “no phones” offers the best way to drum up enough FOMO to sell out a two-month tour. At least Phoebe Bridgers seems to think so.
“It’s so sick,” <a href="https://youtu.be/DURK9Jj7B10?t=74">said a fan</a>, still reeling from a phone-free Phoebe Bridgers set. “It’s really cool.”
In an age where most of us feel lost without our devices, ditching our phones for a couple of hours might be the greatest gift we could give ourselves. Even better if you get to do it while listening to your favorite song.

This Concert Rule Is Sending Gen Z Into Meltdown Mode

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