Rapper <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jay-z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jay-Z</a> and his wife, recording artist <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/beyonce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beyoncé</a>, just purchased a $200 million mansion in Malibu.
The sale set the record as the most expensive home ever sold in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a> and the second most expensive <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/real-estate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">real estate</a> deal in the country, according to a TMZ <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/05/22/jay-z-beyonce-200-million-malibu-cash-purchase/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a>. The property was initially listed at $295 million. The publication noted that the couple is believed to have paid in cash.
Their new place is a 40,000-square-foot estate on eight acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It’s located in the exclusive Paradise Cove area and was designed by famed Japanese architect Tadao Ando, per <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/beyonce-jay-z-malibu-home-history-162315145.html">Yahoo</a>. 
The concrete and glass Malibu estate took almost 15 years to build.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beyoncé and Jay-Z</a> purchased the home, which doubles as an art museum, from renowned art collectors William and Maria Bell. The outlet noted that the Bells are recognized as some of the most significant art collectors in the world.
According to TMZ, Jay-Z is worth an estimated $2.5 billion, while Beyoncé’s net worth is close to $500 million. Beyoncé just began her Renaissance tour in May with a show in Stockholm. This tour alone is expected to bring in a reported $1 billion. 
The singer faced backlash for performing in Dubai in January because of the country’s strict anti-LGBTQ laws. She reportedly accepted $24 million for the concert, which was put on to celebrate the opening of a new hotel called The Atlantis Royal, per <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beyonce-questioned-for-accepting-24m-to-perform-in-dubai-despite-its-anti-lgbtq-laws" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>.
“Beyoncé is a huge icon for many gay people,” LGB Alliance co-founder Bev Jackson <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/01/22/beyonce-falls-foul-lgbt-fans-exclusive-dubai-concert/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Telegraph Sunday at the time. “LGB Alliance is deeply therefore disappointed that Beyoncé has agreed to give a lucrative concert in Dubai, where same-sex sex acts are a criminal offense, potentially punishable by death.”
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Fans called the singer’s actions hypocritical because she spoke about her gay uncle during an acceptance speech at the 2019 GLAAD Media Awards.
“Witnessing his battle with HIV was one of the most painful experiences I’ve ever lived,” Beyoncé said of her relative. “I’m hopeful that his struggles serve to open pathways for other young people to live more freely. LGBTQI rights are human rights.&#8221;

Jay-Z and Beyonce

Jay-Z And Beyoncé Drop $200M On Most Expensive Home In California

Beyonce

California

Celebrities

Entertainment

Jay-Z

Real estate

U.S.

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/beyonce">Beyoncé</a> fans in the United States are combating astronomical ticket prices by choosing to attend <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/music">concerts</a> in Europe instead.
Music fans have been using this tactic for a while, arguing that a trip abroad can cost the same or less than seeing a show stateside, especially when they use airline points or other rewards to book flights and hotels. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/europe">European</a> concert tickets are often much cheaper than tickets for the same tour in American cities.
Dallas-based Beyoncé fan Mercedes Arielle posted on Instagram about her decision to book a flight for the Renaissance tour to see a show in Sweden even though the performer was coming to her city. She <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/beyonce-fans-european-shows-ticketmaster-rcna74364">told</a> NBC News that VIP tickets to the Stockholm show cost $366, but her friends in Dallas spent $900 on tickets.
The social media user noted that she even got better seats for the money. “Beyoncé is gonna sweat on me,” Arielle said. “That’s how close I am.”
Kentucky-based fan Kylyn Schnelle had the same experience. She told the publication, “When I looked in London, it was 167 pounds [about $200], and the flight was, like, $660. I was like, this is genuinely the same cost.”
She contacted a friend in London and convinced her to attend the show, too. “If you&#8217;re going to spend $800, why would you not milk it as much as possible?” she said of making the trip.
&#8220;With the flight, it was still cheaper than me buying them in Kentucky,&#8221; Schnelle <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@kylynschnelle/video/7199404846452067630?q=kylynschnelle&amp;t=1678479641252">said</a> in a TikTok video.
Lower ticket prices in Europe aren’t just for the Renaissance tour. The Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11888371/Tickets-Beyonc-concerts-expensive-American-fans-flying-Europe.html">reported</a> that admission to Pink’s show in Chicago costs $618, while similar seats at her Warsaw show cost just $126. To see Bruce Springsteen in New Jersey, his home state, costs $537, while seeing him sing in Denmark costs the equivalent of $96. 
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Ticketmaster has come under fire recently for several reasons, including its dynamic pricing strategy, which increases prices based on user demand. They’ve also been called out for excessive service fees and other miscellaneous costs, which some frustrated fans noticed can cost more than the ticket prices themselves.
The Cure guitarist Robert Smith <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-cure-fans-furious-that-ticketmaster-fees-cost-more-than-tickets-robert-smith-responds-sickened">said</a> he was “sickened” by the practice, arguing that the band intentionally tried to keep ticket prices low so more fans could attend. 
“I am as sickened as you all are by today’s Ticketmaster ‘fees’ debacle,” the 63-year-old musician shared with fans last week. “To be very clear: the artist has no way to limit them,” he continued. “I have been asking how they are justified. If I get anything coherent by way of an answer I will let you all know.”

94th Annual Academy Awards – Show

Beyoncé Fans Opt To Purchase Concert Tickets In Europe As U.S. Prices Soar: ‘It Was Still Cheaper’

Beyoncé Fans Opt To Purchase Concert Tickets In Europe As U.S. Prices Soar: 'It Was Still Cheaper'

Europe

Music

Ticketmaster

World

Oddly enough, there’s something less sinister about the over-the-top evil vibes of the 65th Annual Grammy Awards than if Sam Smith and Kim Petras had chosen a bit more subtlety.
By now, most people have seen snippets of the “Unholy” performance. Smith donned a red suit and devil horns to sing about a man abandoning his family for sexual perversion as scantily clad dancers gyrated around in a circle.
The costume was reminiscent of something a trick-or-treater might find at Party City.
Many conservative viewers reacted strongly to this “satanic” performance, which only made the Left more gleeful in their derision. &#8216;How could anyone fall for such a blatant caricature of the devil,&#8217; they wondered. &#8216;How pathetic.&#8217;
Smith, “Unholy,” the transgender artist Kim Petras, and indeed the whole Grammys broadcast weren’t really about the fallen angel who wanted to become more powerful than God, however. As many pundits rightly pointed out, modern-day Satanism isn’t usually about worshiping the devil; it’s about worshiping the self. 
And no one is better at that than Hollywood celebrities, including all the musical artists clapping along in the audience.
The whole spectacle was engineered to elicit a big reaction. Before the performance, Smith <a href="https://twitter.com/samsmith/status/1622338593808158720" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a> black and white snapshots from the show rehearsal and wrote in the caption, “This is going to be SPECIAL.”
That prompted the official CBS to reply in a now-deleted tweet, &#8220;….you can say that again. We are ready to worship!&#8221;
Smith and Petras’ performance delivered the publicity it promised. Reactions were strong from everyone from politicians and business leaders to regular Twitter users who couldn’t believe how blatant the whole thing was.
“End of days vibes,” Musk <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/end-of-days-vibes-elon-musk-other-public-figures-slam-demonic-performance-at-the-grammys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> to a clip from the performance.
Country music singer John Rich tweeted, “The Grammys looked like hell last night. If God doesn’t bring judgement on America he’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”
Even the song choice fits the theme of radical self-worship. “Unholy” is about a man who chooses sexual fulfillment over his familial obligations. Does it get much more satanic than that?
As the lyrics say:
<blockquote>Mummy don’t know daddy’s getting hot
At the body shop, doing something unholy
He’s sat back while she’s dropping it, she be popping it
Yeah, she put it down slowly
Oh-ee-oh-ee-oh, he left his kids at
Ho-ee-oh-ee-ome, so he can get that
Mummy don’t know daddy’s getting hot
At the body shop, doing something unholy (woo)</blockquote>
It’s worth pointing out that many artists choose to thank God during their acceptance speeches. It’s unclear whether that’s out of habit or because they truly believe, but it does make for an interesting juxtaposition between the “Unholy” drama and the gushing speech portion of the evening.
“I’m trying not to be too emotional. I’m trying to just receive this night. I want to thank God for protecting me. Thank you, God,” Beyonce began her speech when she made Grammy history by breaking the record for the most wins ever as she won the Best Dance/Electronic Music Album trophy.
Petras, meanwhile, thanked Madonna and the transgender community.
The German-born singer specifically thanked, “all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open for me so I could be here tonight,” including the late electronic artist/producer SOPHIE. Petras also said, “This is a huge moment for me, Sam. Thank you. You are a true angel and hero in my life, and I love you.”
Petras, who is a male who identifies as transgender and medically transitioned at 16, also mentioned the controversy following the show.
“I think a lot of people, honestly, have kind of labeled what I stand for and what Sam stands for as religiously not cool,” the singer said.
“And I personally grew up wondering about religion and wanting to be a part of it, but then slowly realizing it doesn’t want me to be a part of it,” Petras continued. “So it’s a take on not being able to choose religion and not being able to live the way that people might want you to live, because, you know, as a trans person, I’m kind of already not wanted in religion.”
Daily Wire co-founder and host <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1662-getting-satanic-at-the-grammys-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Shapiro</a> summed it up well, pointing out how the satanic performance was both intentional trolling and unintentionally accurate.
“The Grammys annual trolling of traditionally moral people continued apace this year with a full-on Satanic performance from two white men, Sam Smith and Kim Petras,” Shapiro <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1622610253442342915" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a> after the show. 
“To even note that this happened is to draw fire: “Hey, why are you even noticing? Why do you even care?” This is the Face Tattoo Syndrome™ in action: do something highly provocative, then act shocked and appalled when people are provoked.”
“But there’s something deeper happening here, too. The elite in our society are fully in line with the ideology of Satanic fealty expressed by Smith and Petras,” he went on. “So what’s the story with Satan and the transgressive ideology? For most of religious history, Satan was the great villain, an emblem of rebellion against the Good and the True, a symbol of resistance to the Holy.”
He next described how John Milton made Satan the villain in “Paradise Lost” but the poet Percy Shelley made the opposite interpretation.
“Why did [Shelley] believe this? Because he believed that the essence of ‘love’ is ‘liberty,’ that the goal of life is subjective ‘happiness,’ and that ‘religion and morality, as they now stand, compose a practical code of misery and servitude,’” Shapiro went on.
“This is the message of our modern-day Satanists as well,” he concluded. “Religion and morality are evils. Worship of ‘authenticity,’ particularly in the sexual realm, is the highest possible good. Worship Satan by worshiping yourself.”
Yes, the red cape and devil horns are overkill. They’re meant to inspire big reactions just so mainstream media can laugh at religious zealots for being ridiculous. But ultimately, the type of religion that Hollywood celebrates is Satanism, which worships the self even as they claim to be thanking God.

65th GRAMMY Awards – Show

Thanking God While Heiling Satan: How The Grammy Awards Worshiped On The Altar Of Self-Expression

Grammys

Music Industry

Readers Pass

Social Issues

Singer Harry Styles ended up beating out Beyonce for the Album of the Year honor at the 2023 Grammy Awards, and people are not happy about it.
In what many are <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/harry-styles-album-of-the-year_n_63e03400e4b01e9288720150" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling an upset</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/harry-styles">Styles</a> &#8220;Harry&#8217;s House&#8221; album scored the Grammy Sunday night over Beyonce&#8217;s &#8220;Renaissance.&#8221;
Still, Beyonce had a record-breaking night, walking away as the most-awarded artist in Grammys history with a record 32 wins, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/05/entertainment/beyonce-grammys-most-awarded-artist-cec/index.html">CNN</a> noted.
&#8220;They called Harry Styles the new King of Pop and gave him AOTY over the best body of work released in recent memory,&#8221; one person tweeted. &#8220;And hyped the entire show on Beyonce&#8217;s back to drive ratings. I wish I could say I&#8217;m shocked. #GRAMMYs.&#8221;
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They called Harry Styles the new King of Pop and gave him AOTY over the best body of work released in recent memory. And hyped the entire show on Beyonce’s back to drive ratings. I wish I could say I’m shocked. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GRAMMYs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GRAMMYs</a>
&mdash; Geneva S. Thomas (@GenevaSThomas) <a href="https://twitter.com/GenevaSThomas/status/1622461471052496900?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Beyoncé losing Album of The Year at the #GRAMMYs?&#8221; another tweeted. &#8220;They continue to prove their bias towards Latino &amp; Black people. Wasn&#8217;t it enough for Beyoncé to lose in 2016 with Lemonade? Beyoncé continues to be boycotted, without AOTY &amp; used as a token to disguise the Academy&#8217;s racism.&#8221;
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Beyoncé losing Album of The Year at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GRAMMYs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GRAMMYs</a>?
They continue to prove their bias towards Latino &amp; Black people. 
Wasn&#39;t it enough for Beyoncé to lose in 2016 with Lemonade?
Beyoncé continues to be boycotted, without AOTY &amp; used as a token to disguise the Academy’s racism. <a href="https://t.co/PC6RYIOe8K">pic.twitter.com/PC6RYIOe8K</a>
&mdash; Pop Tingz (@ThePopTingz) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThePopTingz/status/1622458781052305410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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While another wrote, &#8220;Not Beyoncé and Kendrick losing Album of the Year to Harry Styles during black history month???&#8221;
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not beyoncé and kendrick losing album of the year to harry styles during black history month???
&mdash; yee yee (@yEeyEe006) <a href="https://twitter.com/yEeyEe006/status/1622460067407855617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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It wasn&#8217;t only the award that upset some people. As <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/harry-styles-grammy-acceptance-speech-sets-fan-fueled-firestorm-rcna69327">NBC News</a> noted, Styles seemed to anger Beyonce fans during his acceptance speech.
&#8220;I think on nights like tonight it&#8217;s important for us to remember there is no such thing as &#8216;best&#8217; in music,&#8221; Styles explained. &#8220;I don&#8217;t think any of us sit in the studio making decisions on what is going to get us one of these. This doesn&#8217;t happen to people like me very often and this is so, so nice. Thank you very much.&#8221;
And apparently, it was the last sentence that drew ire from fans.
&#8220;&#8216;This doesn’t happen to people like me'&#8221; is the most white privilege-iest thing to ever be uttered at an awards show ever for all time,&#8221; one person tweeted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“This doesn’t happen to people like me” is the most white privilege-iest thing to ever be uttered at an awards show ever for all time
&mdash; Sam Sanders (@samsanders) <a href="https://twitter.com/samsanders/status/1622460954733875201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Harry Styles saying people like him don&#8217;t win very often,&#8221; another person wrote. &#8220;Meanwhile, there are watch parties in Puerto Rico rooting for Benito to win the first-ever Puerto Rican Album of the Year at the Grammys. El chiste se cuenta solo.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Harry Styles saying people like him don’t win very often. Meanwhile, there are watch parties in Puerto Rico rooting for Benito to win the first-ever Puerto Rican Album of the Year at the Grammys. El chiste se cuenta solo.
&mdash; Frances Solá-Santiago (@frances_sola) <a href="https://twitter.com/frances_sola/status/1622456881997381632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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While another wrote, &#8220;&#8216;This doesn’t happen to people like me often&#8217;- a white man winning AOTY for the umpteenth time in history.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“This doesn’t happen to people like me often”
&#8211; a white man winning aoty for the umpteenth time in history
&mdash; ✨Glendale 3/17 &amp; 3/18✨🌙 (@DaynerysSwift_) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaynerysSwift_/status/1622456539532386304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Denying Beyoncé AOTY… during black history month… the Grammy’s never seeing heaven.
&mdash; maybe: diane (@dianelyssa) <a href="https://twitter.com/dianelyssa/status/1622455676877344770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Harry Styles can’t act and can’t sing, yet was in two movies this year and won AOTY. Never give up on your dreams, white dudes.
&mdash; Danez (@Danez_Smif) <a href="https://twitter.com/Danez_Smif/status/1622460501815877632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Fans were also quick to note it was the fourth time Beyonce had been nominated for &#8220;AOTY&#8221; and lost, the outlet noted.

Harry Styles-Beyonce

Harry Styles Beat Beyonce For Album Of The Year And People Are Upset

Harry Styles

Beyoncè tied a Grammys record with her first win of the night at the Sunday evening awards show — and she wasn&#8217;t even there to see it happen.
According to Grammys host — and former host of Comedy Central&#8217;s &#8220;The Daily Show&#8221; — Trevor Noah, the &#8220;Break My Soul&#8221; hitmaker was <a href="https://pagesix.com/2023/02/05/beyonce-gets-stuck-in-traffic-misses-award-win-at-grammys-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on her way</a> to the venue still stuck in a Los Angeles traffic jam when she officially won the Grammy for Best R&amp;B Song.
While celebrities and fans alike scanned the crowd for Beyoncè once her name had been announced, Terius Nash — a.k.a. The Dream — and Nile Rodgers came to the stage to accept the award on her behalf. After that, Noah stepped in with an explanation.
WATCH:
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Host Trevor Noah just announced that Beyoncé has tied the record for the most Grammys of any artist in history with her win in the category Best R&amp;B Song, for &#39;Cuff It&#39; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GRAMMYs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GRAMMYs</a> <a href="https://t.co/oRwHoZ0hug">pic.twitter.com/oRwHoZ0hug</a>
&mdash; NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1622410856238555136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;So for real, Beyoncè is on her way. The upside of hosting the Grammys in LA is that everyone can be here, the downside of hosting the Grammys in LA is the traffic,&#8221; Noah explained. &#8220;Beyoncè is on her way, and just for reference &#8230; Just for reference, Beyoncè has now equalled the record for most Grammys of any individual of all time. This is it, this is it.&#8221;
Noah later interrupted the show once Beyoncè arrived, announcing to everyone else that &#8220;the queen is officially in the building&#8221; and delivering her award to her table. &#8220;I was shocked to find out that traffic could stop you,&#8221; Noah quipped, adding, &#8220;I thought you traveled through space and time, but I&#8217;m glad you could be with us.&#8221;
WATCH:
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/Beyonce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Beyonce</a> is officially in the building &#8211; <a href="https://twitter.com/Trevornoah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TrevorNoah</a> presents her with her <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Grammys?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Grammys</a> award <a href="https://t.co/o2lKws9p0D">pic.twitter.com/o2lKws9p0D</a>
&mdash; The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/1622423214772350976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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In addition to nabbing two awards in the pre-show ceremony — Best Dance/Electronic recording for &#8220;Break My Soul&#8221; and Best Traditional R&amp;B Performance for &#8220;Plastic Off the Sofa&#8221; — Beyoncè <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/05/arts/music/beyonce-grammys-win-record.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took home</a> her first award of the night for the song &#8220;Cuff It.&#8221; Her second, a win in the Best Dance Album category for &#8220;Renaissance,&#8221; made history in two ways: it marked her 32nd Grammy, breaking the tie and making her the most decorated artist in history; and she became the first black woman to win in the Best Dance Album category.
During her <a href="https://www.today.com/popculture/awards/beyonce-makes-grammys-history-most-wins-all-time-rcna69236" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emotional acceptance speech</a>, Beyoncè offered her thanks &#8220;to the queer community,&#8221; for their support of her music and for &#8220;inventing this genre.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/Beyonce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Beyonce</a> gets emotional and thanks the queer community as she becomes the most <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Grammys?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Grammys</a>-winning artist in history tonight <a href="https://t.co/XcLBeVXGby">pic.twitter.com/XcLBeVXGby</a>
&mdash; The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/1622433916803235841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I would like to thank the queer community for your love, for inventing this genre,&#8221; she told the crowd. &#8220;God bless you. Thank you so much to the Grammys,&#8221; she said.
The previous record for most total Grammy wins was held by the late Hungarian conductor Georg Solti.

Beyonce Ties Grammys Record, Misses Her Own Award, Shows Up In Time To Break The Record

The Senate Judiciary Committee warned Ticketmaster that they’ll be watching what happens with ticket sales for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/beyonce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beyoncé</a>’s recently announced Renaissance tour.
The committee&#8217;s Twitter account said, “We’re watching, [Ticketmaster],” in response to a headline announcing the tour. The warning comes on the heels of a highly-publicized disaster with ticket sales for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/taylor-swift" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taylor Swift</a>&#8216;s Eras Tour last November.
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We’re watching, <a href="https://twitter.com/Ticketmaster?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Ticketmaster</a>. <a href="https://t.co/LuWjoXrWX4">https://t.co/LuWjoXrWX4</a>
&mdash; Senate Judiciary Committee (@JudiciaryDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/JudiciaryDems/status/1621191756531236866?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Multiple senators blasted Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, during a hearing about the ticket sales fiasco. This was all spurred by allegations that Ticketmaster has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ticketmasters-botched-sale-of-taylor-swift-tickets-converted-gen-zers-into-anti-monopolists-ftc-chairman-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">monopolized</a> the industry after merging with Live Nation in 2010.
When fans tried to purchase <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/music-industry">tickets</a> for the Eras tour after pre-registering, the entire site crashed, leaving some people waiting in line for hours only to never secure their tickets. Eventually, the general sale was called off because demand was too high to match availability.
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino said they were simply not equipped to handle the demand for Swift concert tickets. 
“We invited a million and a half on that day to come and buy those tickets, but it’s kind of like having a party,” he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taylor-swift-finally-breaks-silence-after-eras-tour-ticket-fiasco">explained</a>. “Everybody crashed that door at the same time with 3.5 billion requests.”
“We sold 2 million tickets, the most we’ve ever sold in one day in history, and another million tickets of other artists on the same day,” Rapino continued. “So although we regret it was a slowdown in some queues and some error codes for a short period for some fans, we did manage to recover.”
“This whole concert ticket system is a mess — it’s a monopolistic mess,” Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said during the hearing.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) agreed. “I believe in capitalism, and to have a strong capitalist system, you have to have competition,” she said. “You can’t have too much consolidation – something that unfortunately for this country, as an ode to Taylor Swift, I will say we know ‘All Too Well.’”
Live Nation anticipates that ticket demand for the Renaissance tour will be high, but they’ve put some new systems in place to help avoid what happened before. 
The company wrote in an email to fans this week that the number of pre-sale registrations “already exceed the number of available tickets by more than 800%” in some locations, <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/02/03/senate-warns-ticketmaster-were-watching-beyonce-tour-sales" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per</a> The New York Post. 
“It is expected that many interested fans may not be able to get tickets because demand drastically exceeds supply,” the email said. 
Some measures used to facilitate the buying process include staggered sales and Verified Fan technology, which was also used for Swift’s concert tickets. This is done to avoid tickets being resold by third-party sites for inflated prices.

Atlantis The Royal Grand Reveal Weekend 2023 – Red Carpet Arrivals

Senate Warns Ticketmaster ‘We’re Watching’ Beyoncé Tour Ticket Sales Following Taylor Swift Debacle

Senate Warns Ticketmaster ‘We’re Watching’ Beyoncé Ticket Sales Following Taylor Swift Debacle

Taylor Swift

Performing artist <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/beyonce">Beyoncé</a> is getting called out by some fans for choosing to hold her first <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/music">concert</a> in four years in Dubai, a city known for strict anti-<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lgbtq">LGBTQ</a> laws.
The 41-year-old singer reportedly accepted a $24 million payment for the show, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11664837/Beyonce-faces-criticism-24M-private-performance-Dubai-amid-anti-LGBTQ-policies-UAE.html">per</a> The Daily Mail.
“Beyoncé is a huge icon for many gay people,” LGB Alliance co-founder Bev Jackson <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/01/22/beyonce-falls-foul-lgbt-fans-exclusive-dubai-concert/">told</a> The Telegraph Sunday. “LGB Alliance is deeply therefore disappointed that Beyoncé has agreed to give a lucrative concert in Dubai, where same-sex sex acts are a criminal offense, potentially punishable by death.”
Many fans pointed out that Beyoncé had previously mentioned her uncle, &#8220;the most fabulous gay man” she knows, during her 2019 GLAAD Media Awards acceptance speech. 
“He was brave and unapologetic during a time when this country wasn&#8217;t as accepting,&#8221; the Grammy Award winner said, in part, during her speech.
“Witnessing his battle with HIV was one of the most painful experiences I&#8217;ve ever lived. I&#8217;m hopeful that his struggles serve to open pathways for other young people to live more freely. LGBTQI rights are human rights.”
Many social media critics were especially upset that Beyoncé would perform in Dubai because, in their estimation, she doesn’t need the money. 
“RuPaul&#8217;s Drag Race” star Kitty Scott-Claus posted to Twitter, “Hi I have a question &#8230; can someone explain why everyone was canceling David Beckham the other month but now celebrating Beyoncé for performing in Dubai? One rule for one and one for another?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hi I have a question.. can someone explain why everyone was cancelling David Beckham the other month but now celebrating Beyoncé for performing in Dubai? One rule for one and one for another?
&mdash; Kitty Scott-Claus (@kittyscottclaus) <a href="https://twitter.com/kittyscottclaus/status/1617181623878918145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Plenty of others agreed with that sentiment.
“When you&#8217;re that rich &#8230; largely, if not entirely, through the fierce loyalty of LGBTQ+ fans – what amount of money is simply too much to turn down to perform in a homophobic country?” one Twitter user wrote.
“Beyoncé isn’t [an] LGBTQ+ ally when she’s performing for money in Dubai and she literally doesn’t need a penny of it,” another agreed.
Though the singer banned phones and other recording devices from the venue, footage from her Dubai show leaked on social media following the performance. Beyoncé’s 11-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy, took to the stage to perform the song “Brown Skin Girl,” which won a Grammy Award in 2021.
“Where are all my brown skin girls? Give it up for my baby, my brown skin girl, Miss Blue Ivy Carter,” Beyoncé can be heard saying in one of the recordings. 
She staged the concert to help launch a new hotel in Dubai, The Atlantis Royal. She last performed live in December 2018.

Atlantis The Royal Grand Reveal Weekend 2023 – Beyonce Performance

Beyoncé Questioned For Accepting $24M To Perform In Dubai Despite Its Anti-LGBTQ Laws

LGBTQ

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Sports commentator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/stephen-a-smith">Stephen A. Smith</a> is apologizing to the public for comments he made insinuating that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/beyonce">Beyoncé</a> is a superior performer to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/rihanna">Rihanna</a>.
The controversy began when Smith was asked for his opinion about Rihanna’s upcoming Super Bowl Halftime performance on February 12.
“I don’t want to say I’m not excited. She’s fantastic,” he <a href="https://youtu.be/iy2P2oU27Qc">said</a> during an appearance on “Sherri.” “That’s not where I’m going with this. She’s a lot of things,” Smith continued. “She’s spectacular. And congratulations on new mamahood. There’s one thing she’s not: She ain’t Beyoncé.”
His comments inspired a loud chorus of “boos” from the audience.
“The only reason I brought up Beyoncé is because Beyoncé recently performed at the Super Bowl. And without Bruno Mars and Coldplay.”
Sherri Shepherd argued that Beyoncé “had her time” to shine, but the ESPN host wouldn’t budge.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Stephen A. Smith Says Rihanna is No Beyoncé" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iy2P2oU27Qc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
After receiving a ton of backlash from Rihanna fans, Smith decided to embark on an apology tour. 
He posted a <a href="https://twitter.com/stephenasmith/status/1615808582833868831">video</a> in his own defense, saying he’d compare any artist to what he considered to be an unbeatable performance from Beyoncé, Coldplay, and Bruno Mars in 2016 at the Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show.
“I’m gonna own it,” he said in the video, which was posted to Twitter and Instagram. “I know what y’all trying to do, but I’m gonna own it because I get paid to speak for a living, so I need to be more careful.”
“I want Rihanna to know, you’re a superstar, you’re sensational, you’re spectacular, you’re no joke and you are a worthy person to be doing the Super Bowl halftime show,” he continued.
“Michael Jackson could still be alive and I would say, ‘He’s gotta measure up to that,’” Smith asserted in the video. “I’ve always said that. I meant it as no disrespect to Rihanna. I know she’s phenomenal, and she’s my sister. Nothing but love for her. But Beyoncé is my sister too. I got love for both of them. I just think that Beyoncé is the greatest performer out there today.”
“Rihanna, go do your thing,” Smith said. “I apologize for creating whatever brouhaha comes of this. I gotta be more careful, where people twist it and turn it into something it ain’t. My bad on that.”

Brooklyn Nets v Memphis Grizzlies

Stephen A. Smith Apologizes For Saying Rihanna ‘Ain’t No Beyoncé’ Ahead Of Super Bowl Performance

Stephen A. Smith Apologizes For Saying Rihanna 'Ain't No Beyoncé' Ahead Of Super Bowl Performance

Rihanna

Stephen A. Smith

Super Bowl

Sen.-elect John Fetterman (D-PA), who often wears a hoodie and occasionally dons a suit, has been included in a list of America&#8217;s &#8220;most stylish&#8221; <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/11/style/most-stylish-people.html">compiled</a> by The New York Times.
Really.
The entry for Fetterman, which included a picture of him wearing a baggy hoodie, knee-length shorts, and shoes with no socks, says simply: &#8220;The senator-elect from Pennsylvania is going to bring Carhartt to the Capitol.&#8221;
Yes, we had to look up what that meant. Turns out Carhartt, Inc. is an American clothing company founded in 1889 that makes heavy-duty work clothes like jackets, overalls, vests, jeans, and hunting apparel.
The Times explained its list, saying, &#8220;Love them or hate them, all have at least one thing in common. At some point over the past 12 months, they made us talk: about how we dress, how we live and how we choose to express ourselves. We welcome dissent. But we are, without a doubt, correct.&#8221;
The list of 93 people — and fictional characters, along with the James Webb deep-space telescope — includes all the typical entries, from Rihanna to Harry Styles to Kourtney Kardashian to Beyoncé.
Not surprisingly, there was some pushback on Fetterman&#8217;s inclusion on the list.
“How does @nytimes justify putting John Fetterman on the same list as the late Queen Elizabeth?” Sheridan Nolen, a staffer for Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, <a href="https://twitter.com/sheridannolen/status/1602320936107114502?s=20&amp;t=3CdiWrOeairTiL-j2091fQ">wrote</a> on Twitter.
“Total liberal bias, @nytimes⁩!” Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) <a href="https://twitter.com/timburchett/status/1602330893955338242?s=20&amp;t=3CdiWrOeairTiL-j2091fQ">wrote</a> on Twitter tongue in cheek. “I not only have the best hair in Congress, but I brought [Carhartt⁩] to Capitol Hill four years ago.”
“What is ⁦@nytimes smoking?” <a href="https://twitter.com/nachamasol/status/1602352997006204928?s=20&amp;t=lEVn7PXakto4yk_FBDgG6w">asked</a> Nachama Soloveichik, a D.C. political consultant.
Author John Hawkins got in a good <a href="https://twitter.com/johnhawkinsrwn/status/1602370449823993873?s=20&amp;t=3CdiWrOeairTiL-j2091fQ">zinger</a>. “No one can possibly believe Fetterman is actually stylish. He dresses like someone who hangs out around a vape shop or convenience store all day.&#8221;
And social media influencer Ian Miles Cheong was able to <a href="https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1602352382830030849?s=20&amp;t=YCEZy_9YPU8bFuq7bQu3lQ">work in</a> the Word of the Year, as deemed by Oxford. “2022 is the year of the Goblin Mode. Dress up like a slob and make the NYT’s list of most stylish people,” he wrote.
There were a couple of other political people on the list, including &#8220;Squad&#8221; member Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA).
&#8220;The Massachusetts congresswoman, who has alopecia and has worn her bare scalp with aplomb, this year co-sponsored the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), legislation that seeks to reframe the politics around everyone’s &#8216;crowning glory,'&#8221; the paper wrote.
Yes, this is what U.S. lawmakers spend their time doing as Americans struggle with sky-high inflation and soaring crime. So cute!
The list also included Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, nominated to the bench by President Joe Biden. &#8220;The newest Supreme Court justice has brought statement necklaces to the Marble Palace,&#8221; whatever that means.
Democrats and liberals (duh) dominated the list, which also included New York Mayor Eric Adams, who the paper called the &#8220;Party Mayor&#8221; and said he was picked for his “impeccably tailored suits.&#8221;
Yup, that&#8217;s the most important thing. That&#8217;ll fix New York City.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Joseph Curl has covered politics for 35 years, including 12 years as White House correspondent for a national newspaper. He was also the a.m. editor of the Drudge Report for four years. Send tips to josephcurl@dailywire.com and follow him on Twitter @josephcurl.

Lieutenant Governor & Democratic Senate Candidate John Fetterman Holds Campaign Event

End Of Days: Fetterman Among NY Times ‘Most Stylish’ People Of 2022

Sen. John Fetterman Among NY Times 'Most Stylish' People Of 2022 

Ayanna Pressley

Eric Adams

John Fetterman

Ketanji Brown Jackson

Media

New York Times

The question on my mind today is: Who is your queen? Who is your king?
It’s been especially on my mind as I watched Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and black America’s subsequent reaction, which has painted Elizabeth as a murdering, complicit colonist who doesn’t deserve praise or respect.
I’ve responded to the colonialist critique many times on previous programs and interviews. And I could easily respond to it now.
I think the more fruitful discussion lies in highlighting the stark contrast of how figures, such as Queen Elizabeth, are painted by woke scolds — and therefore many members of the black community — versus who they hold up and revere as heroes for the black community.
What you’ll notice immediately is that the black heroes are often criminals or, as I’ve repeatedly pointed out, characters who can easily be painted by the media as victims of an “oppressive” system. And black enemies are often figures with outstanding character, e.g. Queen Elizabeth.
The most recent example of this dichotomy comes from Uju Ana, a Nigerian professor from Carnegie Mellon. In response to the queen’s death, she tweeted something truly disgusting, vicious, and repulsive. “I heard the chief monarch of a thieving, raping, genocidal empire is finally dying. May her pain be excruciating,” she said.
I want to focus in on the word “raping.” You would assume that — because Uju so vehemently condemned it in the case of England — she would be against it in other cases.
Do you remember Jacob Blake? He was a black man who was fatally shot after his girlfriend called law enforcement on him over a “domestic dispute.” She had previously alleged she had been — I apologize if this is too graphic — digitally raped by him.
Uju Ana had something very different to say about rape then: “Jacob Blake is a family man. His sister Letetra Widman reminds us all that he has people and he is somebody’s people. No image you paint of him erases that.”
In other words, Uju Ana — and the media with her — doesn’t care that a black woman called law enforcement because she was obviously scared for her life. Nor did she care that Blake had been accused of digital rape.
This happens over and over again.
So again, who are the people we are told we should celebrate? Who are our kings and queens?
Consider Karen Attiya, a columnist for the ultra-woke Washington Post, who had a similar response to Queen Elizabeth’s death. She tweeted, “Black and brown people around the world who were subject to horrendous cruelties and economic deprivation under British colonialism are allowed to have feelings about Queen Elizabeth. After all, they were her subjects, too.”
But what did Karen — that’s a perfect name for her — say about George Floyd? Her words for Floyd were glowing. After his death, she suggested he win “Time’s Person of the Year.”
Floyd, who’s criminal record included multiple accounts of drug use, physical assault, and theft. Floyd, who’s alleged “victimhood” did nothing but damage to the inner-city communities destroyed by subsequent riots. Floyd, who’s name was used to legislate policies that have worsened crime in those same struggling communities. I explore Floyd’s troubled history extensively in my documentary “The Greatest Lie Ever Told,” which will drop very soon.
For Karen — and therefore the media and the Left — these hurting communities and their deeply rooted problems are never the focus. It’s always boogeymen like the white queen in Britain. Or it’s “uncle tom” Candace Owens, who has the audacity to criticize the heroes they crown.
This cancer destroying black Americans extends beyond the political sphere. It’s cultural as well.
So who’s our queen in black America today?
Beyoncé, who will often sexualize herself to sell <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljceAs9WMqY">products,</a> is our new queen. And we have other idols. Rappers, who live and sing about degenerate lifestyles. What food products do we allow corporate America to sell us? Popeyes, sponsored by a wonderful role model in Megan Thee Stallion, or McDonald’s, sponsored by Travis Scott.
It’s time for black America to return to the thriving culture it had before the Left began the great welfare experiment. Believe it or not, black Americans, before the 1960s, were well married and outpacing white Americans in terms of economic growth — all while enduring Jim Crow laws.
But this fell apart when president Lyndon Baines Johnson, an avowed racist, extended a government hand and offered incentives for mothers to not marry fathers; the government became the new surrogate father.
Yes — it’s time black Americans reject the degenerate culture and crooked heroes that the Left will continue to push.
It’s time we find new kings and queens which display repute and character. Or else we will continue to be destroyed.

Candace_3b16x9 copy 14

Black America Needs To Change Or It Will Continue To Be Destroyed

Blacks

Candace Owens

George Floyd

Queen Elizabeth

Washington Post

College is getting a bad rap these days, and for good reason.
The price tag for University, Inc. is astronomical, sending countless students into a debt spiral of their own design. Many campuses now double as indoctrination centers, where students are taught a singular set of progressive rules. Naysayers and free thinkers alike face discrimination, or worse, for challenging that groupthink.
At least the core subjects taught in these houses of higher learning remain the same. Right?
In many cases, that’s true. Yet there is a wave of new courses that won’t help graduates find a job or gain an invaluable skill. You might crush it at your next Trivial Pursuit game, though.
Yes, we all love pop culture, but do we need to pay through the proverbial nose to learn all of its nuances?
<h3>“Literary Contests And Contexts — The Taylor Swift Songbook”</h3>
Need to learn every detail about the pop superstar’s love life? Obsessed with Swift’s ruminations on LGBTQ+ culture? This University of Texas course is your salvation. Professor Elizabeth Scala will <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/taylor-swift-class-university-of-texas-austin/">guide students through Swift’s colorful career</a>, focusing on her literary chops.
“For me, it’s all about form (not just or even primarily about content). We will study Swift’s songs as poems and literary structures.” Scala <a href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/education/2022/08/22/taylor-swift-class-university-texas-offered-fall-2022/65413810007/">told</a> the American-Statesman.
The university’s Facebook dove deeper into this critical class, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/UTDepartmentOfEnglish/photos/a.4014535531933637/5051664228220757/?type=3">saying</a> it “provides an introduction to literary studies and research methods that uses the songwriting of @taylorswift as the basis for teaching a wide range of skills.”
<h3>“Beyonce, Gender And Race”</h3>
The University of Copenhagen may seem like an <a href="https://fortune.com/2017/09/05/beyonce-class-university/">unlikely source for all things Queen Bey</a>, but in 2017 the school unleashed a popular course offering just that.
Students could study the songstress’ lyrics, performances, and music videos, zeroing in on hot-button issues she stirs such as sex, race, and gender. 
“One of the goals is to introduce black feminist thought, which is not very well known in Scandinavia,” Professor Erik Steinskog told Denmark&#8217;s TV2 in 2017 in the run-up to the course’s debut.
Alas, a recent search of the university’s courses finds “Beyonce” isn’t available for current students.
<h3>“Lady Gaga And The Sociology Of Fame”</h3>
Professor Mathieu Deflem, a professor of sociology at the University of South Carolina, got his 15 minutes of fame by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/may/25/lady-gaga-celebrity-fame">teaching about the versatile pop star</a>. The syllabus explored Lady Gaga’s career before her transition to the big screen and alliance with future President Joe Biden on sexual assault issues.
Like Madonna before her, Lady Gaga took an active role in her own rise to superstardom, material the professor found illuminating … and worth sharing.
Deflem became overwhelmed by the fame the course brought about, as meta an experience as possible. He ended up teaching it only five times before shifting to other topics. None of that stopped him from penning a book, with the same title as his course, capturing that moment in his career.
<h3>“Makin’ Whoopi: Goldberg’s Canon”</h3>
Whoopi Goldberg teaches an unofficial course on misinformation five days a week via “The View.” She’s not an official professor, but that doesn’t stop her or her ill-informed peers.
The Oscar winner also inspired her <a href="http://abacus.bates.edu/~cnero/makinwhoopi.html">own symposium at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine</a>, based primarily on her work prior to joining “The View.”
Professor Charles I. Nero&#8217;s “Makin&#8217; Whoopi: Goldberg&#8217;s Canon” symposium debuted in 2013, a time before Goldberg’s current “View” work led to a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-effective-immediately-abc-suspends-whoopi-goldberg-over-wrong-and-hurtful-holocaust-comments">suspension</a> atop her serial obfuscations.
<h3>“Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse”</h3>
Michigan State University could be the go-to place for George A. Romero fans.
The Pittsburgh filmmaker’s career is synonymous with zombie films, and his legacy is alive and well via <a href="https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2012/new-zombie-course-helps-students-learn-about-survival-behavior">this cagey online course</a>. The syllabus has real-world applications, at least for those expecting modern culture will collapse sooner than later.
And people are paying attention. The course grabbed headlines courtesy of <a href="https://christopherirvin.com/proj/surviving-the-coming-zombie-apocalypse-disaster-catastrophes-and-human-behavior/">Bill Maher and Conan O’Brien</a>, and should a zombie outbreak actually occur, its alumni may lead humanity to a brighter future.
<h3>“Arguing With Judge Judy: Popular ‘Logic’ On TV Judge Shows”</h3>
This intro course at the University of California, Berkeley, the former home for free speech advocacy, examines a <a href="https://rhetoric.berkeley.edu/courses/freshman-seminar-arguing-with-judge-judy-popular-logic-on-tv-judge-shows-2/">specific realm of modern TV</a>. Shows like “The People’s Court” and “Judge Judy” anchor instruction designed to reveal common courtroom techniques.
One aspect of the course will feel all too familiar for anyone who ever battled an online troll.
“A fascinating aspect of TV judge shows from a rhetorical point of view is the number of arguments made by the litigants that are utterly illogical, or are perversions of standard logic, and yet are used over and over again,” according to the Berkeley web site.
<h3>“South Park And Contemporary Social Issues”</h3>
Professor Cartman would like to speak with you after class…
Comedy Central’s iconic and famously balanced series <a href="https://catalog.mcdaniel.edu/preview_course_nopop.php?catoid=21&amp;coid=15548">spawned a McDaniel College course</a>. The Maryland institution explored how the series, from creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, use humor to navigate sticky public issues like immigration and terrorism.
“Using historical and contemporary texts, theories, and concepts from sociology and philosophy, this course will address issues such as race, gender, sexuality, consumerism, and many more,” the syllabus from the 2014-15 academic year read.
The course sprung to life in 2009 but is no longer available for curious students.
<h3>“Science Fiction Or Real Science? The Physics Of Star Trek”</h3>
Course founder Dr. Philip Kesten leaned on his appreciation for the ‘60s series by exploring its real-world potential for warp drives, phasers, and more. Even non-Trekkies were invited to sample the course, which also caught the attention of the greater “Star Trek” universe.
“What I’m trying to do is motivate some piece of science from Star Trek, and what I tell the students is that we’re going to peel back the layers bit by bit by bit. It’s a very different approach to one I would take in, say, an introductory physics class, where you start with a basic principle and develop one piece after the other,” <a href="https://www.startrek.com/article/how-star-trek-changed-my-life-dr-philip-kesten">Kesten told StarTrek.com</a> about his academic goals.
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

v2 Toto – Wierdest Pop Culture Classes on Campus

Taylor Swift 101: New University Pop Culture Courses Offered On A Campus Near You

College

Hollywood

Lady Gaga

South Park

Universities

Whoopi Goldberg

Beyoncé’s album “Renaissance,” released just three weeks ago, has already been through many iterations.
First, there was the “ableist slur” controversy. News about “Renaissance” was almost overshadowed by Beyoncé’s inclusion of one controversial word on “Heated.” This word was so bad that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/01/arts/music/beyonce-lyrics-heated-changed.html">major</a> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/08/02/beyonce-spaz-slur/">news</a> <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2022/08/beyonce-renaissance-lyrics-ableist-slur-removed.html">outlets</a> didn’t even include it in their headlines about the drama. The offending lyric? “Spazzin’ on that a**, spazz on that a**.” 
No, the legacy media hasn’t suddenly become concerned with sexual content in pop songs. The word in question was “spaz.” Disability rights advocates complained, and Beyoncé’s team swiftly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harmful-way-beyonce-says-shell-remove-lyric-from-album-following-backlash">issued</a> a statement saying, “​​The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced.” (Ironically, this exact drama played out a couple of months ago with Lizzo, who also <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/the-language-police-are-after-lizzo">chose</a> to have a song rewritten after backlash over the same word.)
Controversy over, listeners could now enjoy the queen of pop’s new album free from problematic content. Just kidding. “Renaissance” is full of music samples, brimming with the influence of “queer” and transgender artists, much to the excitement of <a href="https://ew.com/music/beyonce-renaissance-tribute-to-black-queer-culture-ball-scene/">entertainment writers</a>. But when Beyoncé indirectly referenced Kelis’ hit song “Milkshake” on “Energy,” the singer complained.
As BBC reports, both songs were <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-62405039">updated</a> on streaming services to remove their respective offenses “just five days after ‘Renaissance’ was released.”
Given Beyoncé’s apparent flexibility with her own music, it’s no surprise that yet another person went looking for a lyric change. This time, it was Monica Lewinsky. 
Tweeting out an article about the “spaz” controversy, Lewinsky <a href="https://twitter.com/MonicaLewinsky/status/1554129582755721216">wrote</a>, “uhmm, while we’re at it… #Partition.”
In Beyoncé’s song “Partition” (yes, the one from 2013), the singer crudely references former President Bill Clinton’s affair with Lewinsky, saying, “He Monica Lewinski&#8217;d all on my gown.” A year later, Lewinsky objected to the lyric in an article for Vanity Fair, <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2014/05/monica-lewinsky-speaks">writing</a>, “Thanks, Beyoncé, but if we’re verbing, I think you meant ‘Bill Clinton’d all on my gown,’ not ‘Monica Lewinsky’d.’”
But that was the early 2010s, an age in which artists weren’t cowed by Cancel Culture into changing their music every time someone got offended, rightly or not. (Now, thanks to internet culture and the explosion of streaming over CDs, it’s easier than ever to quietly acquiesce, edit, and pretend the drama never happened.)
Nearly a decade after “Partition” came out, Lewinsky is now hoping to get the lyric change she wants, and why shouldn’t she? It’s almost too easy to act as a censor these days.
But Beyoncé, Lizzo, and other artists who change their lyrics at the behest of their fans have put themselves in a difficult position. Whether they meant to or not, they are now in the business of explicitly choosing winners and losers in their lyrics. Certain people or groups are allowed to complain and be listened to. Others just have to suck it up.
It was always the case that you could complain about song lyrics. Only recently has it been so easy for your complaint to be heard, accepted, and used to implement an accommodation to your preference within a matter of days.
And there are plenty more lyrics on “Renaissance” to which listeners might object. After bragging about “votin&#8217; out forty-five” on “Energy,” the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-news-blog/2012/dec/21/beyonce-jamie-foxx-antigun-campaign">gun-control advocate</a> sings, “I just entered the country with Derringers / &#8216;Cause them Karens just turned into terrorists.” Where are the protests about gun control? For that matter, where are the protests from Karens?
If Beyoncé (or her team, who’s really in charge of responding to these silly outrages) were to address Lewinsky’s tweet, the singer could argue that the statute of limitations has expired. It’s been nearly a decade, for goodness’ sake. You have exactly five days to stir up a Twitter mob about your personal grievance, and after that, you’re done!
But as woke culture’s Overton window swiftly shifts — even “woman” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bette-midler-gets-attacked-as-a-terf-after-saying-women-are-being-erased-due-to-terms-like-birthing-people-people-with-vaginas">isn’t an acceptable word</a> anymore when “birthing people” will do — who knows what will become problematic years, even months, down the line. After all, once a punchline, Lewinsky has become widely recognized as a <a href="https://www.vox.com/identities/2018/11/15/18095050/monica-lewinsky-clinton-affair-tv-series-interview">potential #MeToo victim</a>. It’s not very intersectional for <a href="https://time.com/3181644/beyonce-reclaim-feminism-pop-star/">noted feminist</a> Beyoncé to poke fun at Lewinsky.
The underlying irony in all of this comes from the title of Beyoncé’s latest album: “Renaissance.” The word <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/renaissance">references</a> “a movement or period of vigorous artistic and intellectual activity,” presumably one that includes a debate of ideas in which both sides present their arguments, not one in which one side complains of hurt feelings and the other side plays along out of fear.
Now that Beyoncé has changed her recent music — not even once, but twice — there’s no way listeners will let her get away with another “mistake.” Expect Beyoncé’s next album, and musical albums from other artists, to go through a few early iterations after their release until they’re appropriately sanitized.
Even then, not everyone will be happy. So if she wants to start choosing who has a legitimate right to victimhood, Beyoncé owes everyone an apology.

Fry – Beyonce Owes Everyone An Apology

Beyoncé Owes Everyone An Apology: How ‘Renaissance’ Opened A Pandora’s Box Of Victimhood

Bill Clinton

Cancel Culture

Intersectionality

Monica Lewinsky

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