Recording artist Kid Cudi has dropped rapper M.I.A. from his tour due to “offensive” statements she made about immigrants.
M.I.A. was dropped following an incident on May 2 at the Dallas stop of Cudi’s Rebel Ragers Tour. Some audience members were enraged by the comments M.I.A. made during her opening act, which included her saying, “I’ve been canceled for many reasons. I never thought I would be canceled for being a brown Republican voter.”
She also discussed not performing one of her songs, saying, “I can’t do ‘Illegal,’ though some of you could be in the audience.”
Left-leaning Reddit commenters went into a spiral over her remarks, which they <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/KidCudi/comments/1t2dgz7/did_anyone_catch_all_that_wildly_racist_shit_mia/?rdt=40922">called</a> “wildly racist.”
“Her entire set left a bad taste in my mouth,” one person complained.
Cudi told fans that M.I.A. was out via an Instagram post shared yesterday. 
“TOUR UPDATE: M.I.A is no longer on this tour. I told my management to send a notice to her team before we started tour that I didn’t want anything offensive at my shows, cuz I already knew what time it was, and I was assured things were understood. After the last couple shows, I’ve been flooded with messages from fans that were upset by her rants. This, to me, is very disappointing, and I wont have someone on my tour making offensive remarks that upsets my fanbase. Thank you for understanding. Rager.”
<div id="attachment_1089547" style="width: 336px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1089547" class="size-large wp-image-1089547" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Cudi-326x576.png" alt="Cudi" width="326" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Cudi-326x576.png 326w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Cudi-170x300.png 170w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Cudi.png 588w" sizes=" (max-width: 326px) 100vw, 326px" />Instagram</div>
M.I.A. responded on X later that same day. 
“I WROTE ILLYGAL [sic throughout] ON THE MAYA LP A SONG FROM 2010. I STARTED THIS INTRO TO THE SONG WITH THE STATEMENT SAYING I’M ILLYGAL, AND I SAID MY TEAM HASN’T GOTTEN VISAS YET. THEN PLAYED A SONG THAT HAD LYRICS SAYING &#8216;FU&amp;% THE LAW,&#8217; WHICH I STILL BELIEVE, IF THE LAW IS UNJUST F@%&amp; IT. DO NOT GASLIGHT MY WORDS,” her response said. 
“THAT IS THE WORK OF SATAN. I WROTE BORDERS AND ILLYGAL AND PAPER PLANES BEFORE YOU THOUGHT IMMIGRANT RIGHTS WERE COOL. I’VE HAD THSES BATTLES BY MYSELF WITHOUT THE HELP OF MILLIONS OF FANS BACKING ME . I DON’T NEED THIS VIRTUE SIGNAL ERA TO ALL OF A SUDDEN ERASE AN ENTIRE LIFE I’VE LED.”
The post added, “JESUS WAS AN IMMIGRANT AND A REBEL. I HAVE NO APPOLGY [sic] FOR THE JUDGEMENTAL THE WICKED AND THE IGNORENT [sic], FOR THOSE ARE SPIRITS THAT WE MUST OVER COME IN OUR LIVES AND IN THIS WORLD. JESUS RETURNS TO LEAD THE WORLD JUSTLY BECAUSE THERE IS INJUSTICE IN THIS WORLD. IM PROUD OF THOSE WHO FIGHT FOR IT EVERYDAY. GOD BLESS YOU.”
In a follow-up, M.I.A. noted that she’s British and doesn’t vote anyway, and claimed the backlash is an overreaction.
“DON&#8217;T BE AN AGENT OF DIVISION, I CAN&#8217;T VOTE IN THE US, AND 48% OF LATIN COMMUNITY VOTED TRUMP. SO ARE YOU GOING TO HATE THEM ALL?” she <a href="https://x.com/MIAuniverse/status/2051354178195206386">posted</a>.
“WE MUST UNITE TO MAKE THIS COUNTRY, THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO LIVE IN A BETTER PLACE. IF YOU ARE EASYLY LED BY RUMOUR THEN YOU DON&#8217;T SEE THE LIGHT FOR YOURSELF. I PRAY FOR YOUR AWAKENING,” she went on.
Mathangi &#8220;Maya&#8221; Arulpragasam, or M.I.A. as she&#8217;s known, is a British-born Sri Lankan performer who began expressing Right-wing views following the COVID-19 pandemic. She became a Christian in 2022 and has since incorporated religious themes into her music and public statements.

Singer Dropped From Kid Cudi Tour After She Enrages Crowd With Statement On Illegals

Celebrities

Entertainment

Instagram

Music

Republican

The Met Gala is always a ridiculous spectacle, but this year may have taken the cake as the absolute worst of the worst.
The theme this year was “Costume Art,” and the dress code was “Fashion is Art.”
Observers noted that one red carpet attendee was being touted with a title that sounded like a “South Park” parody, but instead was 100% real. Aariana Rose Philip arrived and was described as “a black transgender disabled model with quadriplegic cerebral palsy.”
“When people see my mannequin, I want them to see a beautiful, sexy lady,” Philip <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/aariana-rose-philip-2026-met-gala">told</a> Vogue ahead of the event. “I want them to see a supermodel and a legend. I want them to see that disabled and black trans people matter always, and that we should’ve been in these spaces for a long time.”
<div id="attachment_1089497" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1089497" class="size-large wp-image-1089497" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Aariana-Rose-Philip-864x576.jpg" alt="Aariana Rose Philip" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Aariana-Rose-Philip-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Aariana-Rose-Philip-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Aariana-Rose-Philip-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Aariana-Rose-Philip.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue</div>
Actress Sarah Paulson is also being criticized for her $1 bill mask, which is supposed to be a criticism of “the 1%.” Her stunt was seen as especially hypocritical considering Paulson’s <a href="https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/actors/sarah-paulson-net-worth/">estimated</a> $12 million net worth.
Even the libs were annoyed by the “American Horror Story” actress’s stunt, with many noting how it cost about $75,000 just to attend the fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Gown designer Matières Fécales <a href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a71216914/sarah-paulson-met-gala-tone-deaf/">said</a> of the look: “Fashion is Art and at its most daring, Political. [Paulson] is wearing the ‘Blinded by Money’ leather mask and the Destroyed Tulle Debutante Ballgown. The collection was a reflection of the greed and corruption that comes with extreme power.”
<div id="attachment_1089499" style="width: 859px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1089499" class="size-large wp-image-1089499" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Sarah-Paulson-849x576.jpg" alt="Sarah Paulson" width="849" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Sarah-Paulson-849x576.jpg 849w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Sarah-Paulson-300x204.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Sarah-Paulson-768x521.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Sarah-Paulson.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 849px) 100vw, 849px" />Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue</div>
The outfit was compared to the infamous “Tax the Rich” dress that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) wore to the Met Gala in 2021. 
Meanwhile, MTV touted Hunter Schafer, a man who identifies as a woman, as the “Pretttiestt girl in the whole world!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Pretttiestt girl in the whole world!
📍 Hunter Schafer at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MetGala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MetGala</a> <a href="https://t.co/p4DYlYx07U">pic.twitter.com/p4DYlYx07U</a>
— MTV (@MTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/MTV/status/2051443532078907630?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“Snow White” actress Rachel Zegler was also at the event, causing a spectacle. She wore a white dress and a blindfold inspired by the painting &#8220;The Execution of Lady Jane Grey&#8221; by Paul Delaroche. Viewers pointed out her strange mannerisms while walking the red carpet, including opening and closing her mouth without making any sounds, which was thought to be symbolic of crying for help.
<div id="attachment_1089501" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1089501" class="size-large wp-image-1089501" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Rachel-Zegler-864x576.jpg" alt="Rachel Zegler" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Rachel-Zegler-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Rachel-Zegler-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Rachel-Zegler-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Rachel-Zegler.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Angela Weiss / AFP</div>
Leftists were annoyed that the Met Gala was sponsored by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, but many pointed out that the richest celebrities in the world had no right to call out Bezos for his massive wealth. 
Hundreds of “piss bottles” filled with fake urine were distributed throughout the Met by the British political activist group Everyone Hates Elon. The move sought to highlight allegations that Amazon employees don’t receive adequate bathroom breaks.
“Jeff Bezos’s company Amazon is literally being sued for forcing workers to urinate in bottles,” the group <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DX1iP3CCLL-/?img_index=1">shared</a> on Instagram. “Amazon avoids MILLIONS in tax and Bezos is one of the world&#8217;s richest men. The Met Museum is taking the PISS by having Jeff honoured as their Gala host. When they celebrate Trump’s billionaires, let’s ridicule them instead.”

Sarah Paulson

The Met Gala’s Dumbest Political Stunts

Fashion

Hollywood

Met Gala

Avowed leftist George Clooney doesn’t see anything wrong with what Jimmy Kimmel said about Melania Trump being an “expectant widow.”
The big-time Democrat donor and Hollywood A-lister said as much during a gala event Monday night, even going so far as comparing Kimmel’s joke about the president dying with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt using a popular idiom recently. 
“Jimmy’s a comedian, and I would argue that Karoline Leavitt didn’t mean shots should be fired,” Clooney <a href="https://variety.com/2026/scene/news/george-clooney-trump-jimmy-kimmel-fired-1236731720/">told</a> Variety. “She was making a joke. Fair enough. I look at that side and go, &#8216;Well, jokes are jokes.&#8217; But the rhetoric is a little dangerous. And we’ve seen it a lot lately.”
Clooney was referring to Leavitt telling Fox News “there will be some shots fired tonight in the room,” before heading into the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner.
The “Ocean’s 11” actor said he doesn’t believe that you should have “a good relationship with government” and that there should be a “free and fair press.”
Clooney tried to place blame on conservatives, saying the rhetoric “can be toned down.”
“When one side is calling anyone they disagree with traitors to the country, which is a charge that’s punishable by death, just because they don’t agree with someone, I think the rhetoric is a little too heated,” he went on.
Kimmel has been put on blast for a parody he did during which he said, “Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.”
The clip aired Thursday night, two days before a crazed gunman gained access to the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner with the intention of not only killing the president, but taking out everyone in the room if necessary.
The first lady did not take the “joke” lightly. She wrote a scathing X post Monday morning, urging ABC to reprimand the late-night comedian.
“Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country,” she wrote. “His monologue about my family isn’t comedy- his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America. People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate.”
“A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him. Enough is enough.  It is time for ABC to take a stand,” the first lady added. “How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community.”
Kimmel responded to the backlash on Monday night, doubling down and claiming that everyone was overreacting to his bit. 
“&#8230;Obviously, [it] was a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they’re together. It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he’s almost 80 and she’s younger than I am. It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination,” Kimmel insisted.

George Clooney

Hollywood A-Lister Comes To Kimmel’s Defense, Blames Conservatives For ‘Heated’ Rhetoric

Donald Trump

Jimmy Kimmel

U.S.

Actor and director Patrick Muldoon, best known for appearances on &#8220;Melrose Place&#8221; and long-running soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” died of a heart attack on Sunday at the age of 57.
The actor was also known for his role in the movie “Starship Troopers,” among other projects in the late 1990s and early 2000s, per <a href="https://deadline.com/2026/04/patrick-muldoon-dead-days-of-our-lives-melrose-place-1236865474/">Deadline</a>. He played a villain, Richard Hart, on “Melrose Place” from seasons 3 through 5. He also scored a role on “Saved by the Bell” in 1991. 
Muldoon has been working consistently in Hollywood for decades, with direct-to-video releases put out consistently over the years, followed by work as a producer more recently. 
His latest movie, a crime thriller called “Dirty Hands,” has a scheduled release later this year, the outlet noted. Muldoon also posted about an upcoming project on Instagram a few days before his untimely death. 
“So excited to be a part of this amazing project KOCKROACH directed by Matt Ross starring Chris Hemsworth, Taron Egerton, Zazie Beetz And Alec Baldwin. Filming now in Australia,” he <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXPlPaWjyXC/?hl=en-gb">wrote</a> in the caption alongside a photo of a Deadline article about the new work in progress, which he also noted he’d be producing. 
The comments were flooded with fans expressing their shock over Muldoon’s unexpected death. 
“I am so sad! He was just the best ever! Biggest heart and so kind to his fans. He will forever be missed! My thoughts and prayers are with his family,” one person wrote, echoing what so many others were saying.
Actor Jake Getman shared his thoughts about his former co-star on Instagram and included a picture of the pair on the red carpet together.  
“RIP Patrick Muldoon,” the 18-year-old actor wrote. “Worked with him when I was 8 on Little Dead Rotting Hood — a great guy and always kept the energy light,” he <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXWMwJmkss-/?igsh=dzdibjI5NnJ0ano2">posted</a> alongside the hashtag “gonetoosoon.”
&#8220;Days of Our Lives&#8221; costar Alison Sweeney offered a heartfelt tribute as well, saying, &#8220;This is such heartbreaking news. Pat was a rare kind of person — brilliantly talented, endlessly kind, and generous in spirit. I was so lucky to have worked with him when I first started at Days, he made me feel at ease right away. He brought his unique charm and humor to work every day. A truly gifted guy, and one who will be profoundly missed.&#8221;
Muldoon graduated from the University of Southern California, where he played tight end on the USC Trojans football team. Between projects as an actor, he also dabbled in music. He is survived by his partner, Miriam Rothbart, and his parents Deanna and Patrick Muldoon, Sr., plus a sister and her husband and children.

1995 Melrose Party Celebrating 100th Episode

‘Melrose Place,’ ‘Days Of Our Lives’ Actor Dies Suddenly

Death

Television

Outrage erupted this week after a gay Grammy Award-winning singer appeared to mock his baby who cried out for his mom in a viral video.
A <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXFxEo1key5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading">video posted Wednesday</a> by country singer Shane McAnally shows a baby being asked if he wants his “dada” or “papa” before he begins crying after being told “there is no mama.” McAnally, who has won four Grammy Awards, has previously made fun of his baby for being “homophobic.”
“Hey, hey.  Who do you want? Dada or Papa?” McAnally’s baby is asked in the video before he appears to reply “mama&#8221; as the men laugh.
“No, Mama, do you want Dada or Pop?” the baby is asked again. “Who do you want? Dada or Pop?”
The baby again appears to ask for his mother before the man says, “There is no mama. I&#8217;m so sorry.&#8221; After the baby starts crying, the two men laugh at the reaction as they tell him he has &#8220;two choices,&#8221; but no mother. The video was captioned “who’s gonna tell him?” with the hashtags “comedy” and “standup.”
The video quickly racked up tens of thousands of views after it was posted to X and hundreds of comments on Instagram with many criticizing the men for laughing at the baby’s desire for his mom.
“The most horrifying video I&#8217;ve ever seen in my life,” said Daily Wire host Michael Knowles.
“This video ignites disgust and anger on a primal level. If you don’t feel it, you’re broken. This baby just wants Mommy,” <a href="https://x.com/robbystarbuck/status/2044951048352133273">said</a> conservative commentator Robby Starbuck. “The gleeful way these guys respond to the sad baby is just evil. I’ve seen this cry before, and the sweet embrace of Mom as she runs in. Babies need their Mom!”
Another post from December 2025 pinned to McAnally’s Instagram features a video with the baby making a weird face when he is told he has “two dads.” The post is captioned “6 week old homophobic baby.”
“This is not the first time Tony winning musician Shane McAnally has made a joke out of his son&#8217;s instinctive desire for his mother, rather than two fathers,” said Concerned Women for America. “Children deserve better than this.”

Baby’s Instinctive Reaction Goes Viral But Reaction From Gay Dads Sparks Outrage

Children

LGBT

LGBTQ

Social Issues

Actress Elizabeth Banks said women in real life, particularly Trump voters, should be more like the character she played in “The Hunger Games.”
The 52-year-old made the comments during an appearance on Bustle’s “One Nightstand” podcast this week.
“Effie for me is one of the characters that has the greatest arc that I’ve ever played because obviously she props up this fascist regime that she benefits from and it’s not until she really comes to care for and see how unfair it is when they want to pull Katniss and Peeta into the games again…” Banks said, referencing the plot of the popular films based on the dystopian book series. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="One Nightstand With Elizabeth Banks | Bustle" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I3nnXnxwt7w?start=1&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“I think in ‘Catching Fire’ when she’s like, ‘I want to be part of this team,’ and you really see her struggling and then by the end she’s like a revolutionary… I wish more of us were becoming revolutionaries!” she went on. “Effie is the model, guys! I don’t understand the 53% of white ladies that didn’t vote for Kamala.”
Banks played Effie in all four installments of “The Hunger Games” movie franchise between 2012 and 2015. The character is known for being flamboyant and completely devoted to the system at first, but eventually starts doubting their motives after developing relationships with contestants in the fight-to-the-death games that pit human beings against each other.
Banks is a well-known Democratic supporter and liberal activist who frequently engages in political discourse, shills for abortion access, and takes particular issue with the president. At the 2016 Democratic National Convention, she compared Trump to her over-the-top character in the film series.
“Some of you know me from ‘The Hunger Games,’ in which I play a cruel, out-of-touch reality TV star who wears insane wigs while delivering long-winded speeches to a violent dystopia,” she <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/dnc-2016-elizabeth-banks-226250">said at the time</a>. “So when I tuned in to Cleveland last week I was like hey, that’s my act.”

Elizabeth Banks

Actress Targets Female Trump Voters, Urges Them To Think Like Her Dystopian Character

Kamala Harris

Movies

Actress Sydney Sweeney is once again appearing in an American Eagle ad campaign, months after a previous promotion sparked widespread backlash. 
&#8220;What brand am I wearing?&#8221; Sweeney asks in the new commercial while sporting denim shorts. &#8220;Yeah, that one,&#8221; the “Euphoria” star says as the words &#8220;SYD FOR SHORT&#8221; flash across the screen.
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXJtgNYkwG8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">
<div style="padding: 16px">
&nbsp;
<div style="flex-direction: row;align-items: center">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px"></div>
<div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0"></div>
<div style="height: 50px;margin: 0 auto 12px;width: 50px"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px">
<div style="color: #3897f0;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 550;line-height: 18px">View this post on Instagram</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0"></div>
<div style="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px"></div>
<div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto">
<div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"></div>
<div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px"></div>
</div>
&nbsp;
<a style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXJtgNYkwG8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sydney Sweeney (@sydney_sweeney)</a>
</div>
</blockquote>
The new ad spot references the original jeans campaign, which made headlines for months and delivered a significant boost to the company&#8217;s sales. 
Last summer, all hell broke loose over the campaign featuring Sweeney in various seductive poses while saying she had “good jeans.” The double entendre with the word “genes” made leftists deem the ad racist, noting that Sweeney is white with blond hair and blue eyes.
In one of the ads, Sweeney says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.”
American Eagle responded to the backlash at the time with a statement defending the campaign. 
&#8220;&#8216;Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story,&#8221; the company said. &#8220;We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Despite leftist calls for a boycott, the denim collection did exceptionally well, with most of the featured pieces selling out. 
American Eagle’s chief marketing officer, Craig Brommers, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2026/04/15/sydney-sweeney-american-eagle-ad-jeans-controversy-new/89605439007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> USA Today that the company’s stock jumped by 22% thanks to that campaign.
&#8220;A vast, vast, vast majority of Americans understood that the campaign was about jeans,&#8221; Brommers told the outlet, crediting Sweeney’s “duality” of being both casual and glamorous as the reason for the campaign&#8217;s success.
&#8220;American Eagle has a store in all 50 states and during that campaign, we saw new customer acquisition grow in every single county in America,&#8221; he added. &#8220;It is a fact that it was the most successful campaign in the history of the American Eagle brand.&#8221; 
&#8220;The world is curious and the world will be talking when we launch the campaign,&#8221; Brommers said. &#8220;As we learned in the fall campaign, there is noise, but there are also facts as well, and we&#8217;re excited to see where this campaign takes our brand.&#8221;

Sydney Sweeney

American Eagle Doubles Down On Sydney Sweeney After Failed Boycott

advertising

Business

Leftism

More than 1,000 celebrities, many of whom are overwhelmingly leftist, expressed their “unequivocal opposition” to the upcoming merger between Warner Bros. and Paramount.
Actors Bryan Cranston, Alyssa Milano, Cynthia Nixon, Jane Fonda, Kathy Griffin, Rosie O’Donnell, Glenn Close, Ben Stiller, Don Cheadle, Jason Bateman, and Ted Danson added their names to the letter, along with big-name directors like J.J. Abrams, David Chase, and Denis Villeneuve.
“This transaction would further consolidate an already concentrated media landscape, reducing competition at a moment when our industries — and the audiences we serve — can least afford it,” the <a href="https://blockthemerger.com/openletter">letter</a> says. “The result will be fewer opportunities for creators, fewer jobs across the production ecosystem, higher costs, and less choice for audiences in the United States and around the world. Alarmingly, this merger would reduce the number of major U.S. film studios to just four.”
It goes on, “We are deeply concerned by indications of support for this merger that prioritize the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good. The integrity, independence, and diversity of our industry would be grievously compromised.”
The letter ends with a call to action, namely that California Attorney General Rob Bonta and other regulators block the deal.
Paramount released a <a href="https://deadline.com/2026/04/paramount-warner-bros-merger-creatives-letter-1236859235/">response</a> Monday morning. They promised to “create a company that can greenlight more projects, back bold ideas, support talent across multiple stages of their careers, and bring stories to audiences at a truly global scale.”
“We hear and understand the concerns that some in our creative community have raised and respect the commitment to protecting and expanding creativity,” their letter states. 
“We understand the concerns raised as a result of the disruptions caused to our industry by COVID, entry of big-tech, and changes in consumer behavior, but we promise this: Paramount remains deeply committed to talent, and this merger strengthens both consumer choice and competition, creating greater opportunities for creators, audiences, and the communities they live and work in.”
Warner Bros. agreed in December to an $82.7 billion deal with Netflix. Paramount responded with several hostile takeover bids over the following months, culminating in a surprise twist as the streaming giant bowed out in February.
“… this transaction was always a ‘nice to have’ at the right price, not a ‘must have’ at any price,” Sarandos and Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said in a statement at the time, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/netflix-backs-down-in-fight-for-warner-bros-leaving-paramount-inches-from-victory">reported</a>.

Paramount

Woke Hollywood Stars Rally To Kill Major Studio Deal

Warner Bros

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" 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.
***
Sabrina Carpenter is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fan-disrupts-sabrina-carpenters-coachella-set-her-response-has-people-crying-islamophobia">canceled</a>. It&#8217;s surprising it took so long. The pop star famous for her bubbly, retro sounds is no stranger to controversy. She’s come under fire in the past for her performances simulating sex acts on stage, and her music videos routinely feature male murder fantasies. But now, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/sabrina-carpenter">Carpenter</a> has finally stepped on a progressive cultural land mine. During her headline Coachella performance, the singer committed a grave act of “xenophobia” when responding to a disruptive fan, and her carnivorous fan base has finally found an excuse to take out its queen bee.
Coachella 2026 was poised to be the highlight of Sabrina Carpenter’s meteoric rise to pop stardom. Her headline show, dubbed by fans “Sabrinawood” for its nods to Old Hollywood, was a star-studded affair with over-the-top stage production and cameos from iconic actors such as Sam Elliott. As initial videos of the performance trickled onto social media, the internet crowned her the reigning princess of Coachella.
Then the unthinkable happened. An interaction with a loud fan summoned the internet’s cancel culture vultures with accusations of racism and xenophobia.
X user <a href="https://x.com/PopBase/status/2043086112969646135/photo/2" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://x.com/PopBase/status/2043086112969646135/photo/2&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1776194968072000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2_BViCcgPq7UnveoCCxZi1">Poppy</a> posted a clip of the incident, which has now been removed, showing a performance interrupted by what Sabrina Carpenter called a “yodel.” After being informed by the audience member that it was a cultural custom, Sabrina grimaced and responded, “That’s your culture?” Poppy’s caption expressed disappointment: “sabrina saying that she doesn’t like a cultural arabic cheer… this is so insensitive and islamophobic.”
The post garnered 30.9 million views and a response from Carpenter, who quickly <a href="https://x.com/SabrinaAnnLynn/status/2043076482529108262?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://x.com/SabrinaAnnLynn/status/2043076482529108262?s%3D20&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1776194968072000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1EU5stybcQ2ES60TcDk80t">apologized</a> after being informed of the disruptor&#8217;s cultural background, “my apologies I didn’t see this person with my eyes.”
The fan was not from Appalachia or the Swiss Alps, as Sabrina likely assumed, and the noise was not a yodel, but a zaghrouta, a celebratory ululation used throughout North Africa and the Middle East. In the eyes of Sabrina Carpenter’s progressive fanbase, the offender was not a safe person to criticize.
“I’m in a complete shock,” one of the viral posts <a href="https://x.com/maxlldr/status/2043034137267777892" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://x.com/maxlldr/status/2043034137267777892&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1776194968072000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3eXtFG8jGHuXlKOYLZksUN">said</a>, “I used to be a huge sabrina carpenter fan and now she’s mocking my culture and calling me &#8216;weird&#8217;, this is so racist and inappropriate and it made me feel uncomfortable. this white blonde racist woman should be cancelled.”
The speed with which Sabrina Carpenter’s fans were willing to condemn her is revelatory of the inner workings of “stan” culture, a pop-star-obsessed internet subculture. The name originates from Eminem’s 2000 song “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOMhN-hfMtY" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DgOMhN-hfMtY&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1776194968072000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2-KABhGKzVyHq7gaWuTus9">Stan</a>,” which chronicles a fan’s obsession that devolves from sending letters into a murder-suicide. For “stans” to adopt this identity as their own, even if done ironically, indicates a destructive underbelly.
As I pointed out in <a href="https://x.com/maggiemoda/status/2043372428496195946?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://x.com/maggiemoda/status/2043372428496195946?s%3D20&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1776194968072000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2DvwSFJPtN2eyAE1W1EeDy">this</a> post, the quick switch-up from fan to hater is often rooted in progressive politics. Over a decade ago, a Tumblr <a href="https://yourfaveisproblematic.tumblr.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://yourfaveisproblematic.tumblr.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1776194968072000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0_OoV2y0-bp_yAJ0snFloN">account</a> called Your Fave is Problematic became famous for its <a href="https://yourfaveisproblematic.tumblr.com/list" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://yourfaveisproblematic.tumblr.com/list&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1776194968072000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1w8v3IG9hlf6f5TqYkkkx3">lists</a> of celebrity transgressions. Even Katy Perry, the current girlfriend of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, was <a href="https://yourfaveisproblematic.tumblr.com/post/45579525968/katy-perry" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://yourfaveisproblematic.tumblr.com/post/45579525968/katy-perry&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1776194968072000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2dd8t0fJ86A4JhSwpcRrMQ">“called out”</a> for transgressions such as “[demonstrating] unsafe binding techniques,” cultural appropriation, and &#8220;trivializing bisexuality” with her hit song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAp9BKosZXs" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DtAp9BKosZXs&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1776194968072000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3P8JKmdPGiWjiCdfhQCHUj">“I Kissed a Girl.”</a> As a pop culture-obsessed tween, I was introduced to progressive puritanism by blogs such as these.
Stan culture is inextricably linked with progressive politics. Once a star has misbehaved, the incident serves as cover for a variety of heinous comments and obsessive cyberbullying of both the star and her fans. Sabrina Carpenter will undoubtedly encounter this fate. Her fans now have a decision to make that feels consequential: call her out and distance yourself, or become problematic too.
This is an under-recognized entry point of the progressive radicalization pipeline: online stan culture. The participants are young and want to fit in, and participating in the cancelation mob is a moral duty in this environment.
While many have correctly pointed out that Sabrina Carpenter has cultivated this type of fanbase, it is nearly impossible to ascend to her level of stardom without engaging in progressive politicking. The danger is that progressives are more puritan than puritans themselves and offer no path to redemption. The stakes of offending them, which is laughably easy to do, are incredibly high.
For radical progressive pop fans, God is replaced by the pop star. In this role, it isn’t enough for Sabrina Carpenter to be exceptional; she must be perfect. If she is human, like the rest of us, then she doesn’t deserve the lights, the stage, the celebrity cameos, and most importantly, the money that comes with being at the top. In this light, Carpenter’s cancellation is completely predictable.
***
Maggie Anders is a video journalist and political commentator. Her work explores international political movements, history, pop culture, economics, the cost-of-living crisis, and Gen Z social issues.

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards

Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella Stumble Shows How Little It Takes To Trigger The Outrage Mob

Cancel Culture

Culture

Sabrina Carpenter

Upstream

Actress Nicole Kidman said she’s making a slightly morbid-sounding career move: training to become a “death doula.”
The 58-year-old discussed the transition during a talk at the University of San Francisco over the weekend, acknowledging that the work “sounds a little weird.”
A death doula is a non-medical companion who provides emotional, practical, and sometimes spiritual support to people nearing the end of life. The role has gained wider attention in recent years, including through portrayals in the popular medical drama &#8220;The Pitt.&#8221;  
Kidman said her interest in becoming a death doula was shaped by her experience caring for her mother, who died in September 2024 at age 84. Her father died in 2014.
“As my mother was passing, she was lonely, and there was only so much the family could provide,” Kidman said, <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/movies-tv/article/nicole-kidman-usf-death-doula-22198400.php">according</a> to the San Francisco Chronicle. “Between my sister and I, we have so many children and our careers and our work, and wanting to take care of her because my father wasn’t in the world anymore, and that’s when I went, ‘I wish there was these people in the world that were there to sit impartially and just provide solace and care.’”
“So that’s part of my expansion and one of the things I will be learning,” she added. 
Death doulas are apparently becoming a “thing” in Hollywood. “Hamnet” director Chloé Zhao <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/magazine/chloe-zhao-interview.html">revealed</a> earlier this year that she has trained as one as well.
“The societal understanding of death and the space it gives to grief and how it’s embedded in the culture and the medicalization of death have shifted so much,&#8221; Zhao told The New York Times in January. &#8220;In the modern world, when death is no longer seen as a natural part of life — because now it’s about staying alive as long as we can — there’s almost shame around death.” 
“I have been terrified of death my whole life. I still am,” Zhao added. “Because I’ve been so afraid I haven’t been able to live fully … And because I’m so scared of it, I have no choice but to start to develop a healthier relationship with it, or the second half of life would be too hard.”

Nicole Kidman

Driven By Loss, Oscar-Winning Actress Trains To Become ‘Death Doula’

Katy Perry’s rep called the sexual assault accusations made by actress Ruby Rose about an alleged incident from 20 years ago “categorically false” and categorized them as “reckless lies.”
Rose, an Australian actress, is best known for roles in “Orange Is the New Black” and “John Wick: Chapter 2.” She made the allegations against Perry on Sunday with a series of Threads posts.
It all started with a response to Perry reacting to Justin Bieber’s Coachella performance. Rose wrote, &#8220;Katy Perry sexual assaulted me at spice market nightclub in Melbourne. Who gives a sh** what she thinks.&#8221;
The actress went on to say she was in her &#8220;early 20s&#8221; when the incident allegedly occurred and noted it “has taken almost 2 decades to say this publicly.&#8221;
&#8220;Though I am so grateful to have made it long enough to find my voice, it just shows how much of an impact trauma and sexual assault takes,&#8221; she wrote in a Threads post, as People <a href="https://people.com/katy-perry-denies-ruby-rose-sexual-assault-allegation-11948436">reported</a>.
A rep for Perry denied the claims in a statement shared on Monday, the outlet noted. “The allegations being circulated on social media by Ruby Rose about Katy Perry are not only categorically false, they are dangerous, reckless lies,&#8221; it said. &#8220;Ms. Rose has a well-documented history of making serious public allegations on social media against various individuals, claims that have repeatedly been denied by those named.&#8221;
Rose detailed the incident, claiming Perry, &#8220;saw me &#8216;resting&#8217; on my best friends lap to avoid her and bent down, pulled her underwear to the side and rubbed her disgusting vagina on my face until my eyes snapped open and I projectile vomitted on her.&#8221;
The actress also gave an excuse for not reporting the alleged assault. “&#8230; as a woman, for a myriad of reasons, opening up about W on W [women-on-women] violence and sexual abuse, seems to be 100 times harder than speaking about the male predators, at least for me.&#8221;
When a Threads user asked if she was planning to press charges, Rose said she’s “not interested.” 
&#8220;[Perry] is more than welcome to sue me (she won’t, because it happened, I have photos and it was literally in public and witnessed by multiple people),&#8221; Rose wrote. &#8220;Plus there is so much more that happened in the years leading up to her silly song she won’t want me discussing. The psychological manipulation was strong with that one.&#8221;
The actress seemingly changed her mind on Tuesday when she claimed to have filed police reports. 
&#8220;This means I am no longer able to comment, repost, or talk publicly about any of those cases, or the individuals involved,&#8221; she <a href="https://www.threads.com/@rubyrose/post/DXGvBQEmjac/hi-last-update-on-this-as-of-this-afternoon-i-have-finalized-all-of-my-reports">wrote</a>. &#8220;It&#8217;s going to look like I am ignoring everything from supportive messages, to other people&#8217;s experiences, but I&#8217;m not. This is a standard request from the police and in many ways, quite the relief. I can start the healing process now. And temporary [sic] move forward. I love you all so much.&#8221;
Perry was previously accused of sexual assault in 2019 when actor Josh Kloss who starred in her “Teenage Dream” music video claimed she verbally bullied him during filming and exposed his genitals to others during a party afterwards, as the Los Angeles Times <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2026-04-13/katy-perry-ruby-rose-sexual-assault-allegations-australia">noted</a>. Shortly after, Georgian Russian television host Tina Kandelaki claimed Perry touched her inappropriately and tried to kiss her without consent at an industry event.
Rose parted ways with Warner Bros. in 2020 after starring as Batwoman Kate Kane. At the time the split was rumored to be mutual, but the following year Rose wrote on social media, &#8220;I did not quit. They ruined Kate Kane and they destroyed Batwoman not me. I followed orders, and if I wanted to stay I was going to have to sign my rights away.&#8221;
Warner Bros. <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2021-10-20/ruby-rose-batwoman-allegations-cw-warner-bros-tv">responded</a> by saying in reality Rose was fired, saying she was engaging in “revisionist history.”
&#8220;Despite the revisionist history that Ruby Rose is now sharing online aimed at the producers, the cast and crew, the network, and the Studio, the truth is that Warner Bros. Television had decided not to exercise its option to engage Ruby for season two of BATWOMAN based on multiple complaints about workplace behavior that were extensively reviewed and handled privately out of respect for all concerned,&#8221; a statement from the network said.

Katy Perry Ruby Rose

Katy Perry Rejects Sexual Assault Claims As ‘Reckless Lies’

Katy Perry

Sexual Assault

“Malcolm in the Middle” fans are trashing the series reboot, saying it went totally woke to the point of including a “non-binary” child, among other crimes against the original.
The shoehorning of modern leftist elements into a beloved series should come as no surprise, especially since it’s coming from a company like Disney, which now owns the show through its acquisition of 21st Century Fox, the studio behind the original.
“Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair” debuted four back-to-back episodes on Friday, and due to the busy schedules of the cast, there won’t be any more. The latest episodes follow the titular star (played by Frankie Muniz) after he’s all grown up and has grown apart from his family. 
The original series, which ran from 2000 to 2006, focused on Malcolm, an exceptionally intelligent child who made his way through life with a dysfunctional family. The sitcom was a massive hit, winning seven Emmy Awards and attracting a cult following.
It ended with family matriarch Lois (Jane Kaczmarek) finding out she’s pregnant. “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston played the dad, and reprises his role in “Life’s Still Unfair,” too. Their surprise child, Kelly, is a teenager in the new version and uses they/them pronouns. The actor playing the part, Vaughan Murrae, identifies as &#8220;non-binary&#8221; in real life, too. Stevie Kenarban, who was Malcolm&#8217;s best friend in the original series, is depicted as gay in the reboot.
Many fans are not happy about the changes. 
“So. Disney brings Back [‘Malcolm in the Middle’], which ended decades ago with a proper send off. They made Stevie gay, despite him crushing on Malcolm’s babysitter, pretending to be in critical condition to get another girl to like him, there’s stacking amounts of evidence proving he likes girls,” one popular reaction on X <a href="https://x.com/anime_esh202/status/2043078136976273667?s=43">says</a>. 
“And the child Hal and Lois had at the very end is, wait for it……..non binary. If you had even a shred of hope that you were going to ‘relive the glory days’ you were kidding yourself… Don’t waste your time, it’s modern Disney being modern Disney again, and again, and again!”
“What a disgusting, soul-crushing disappointment,” another viral reaction <a href="https://x.com/FloppingAces/status/2042954425137009066">said</a>. “It&#8217;s absolute trash. No laughs. No chaos. No nostalgia. Just four episodes of pointless, preachy slop that feels like it was written by a committee of blue-haired Disney interns who hate straight families and actual comedy.”
“Woke isn&#8217;t gone. It&#8217;s just suppressed for the moment,” another person <a href="https://x.com/IamSvented/status/2043008792191816182">agreed</a>. “They will be back the moment they get the political support they need, and they will be angry, and they will be in full-on retribution mode.”
Show creator Linwood Boomer and his wife, executive producer Tracy Katsky, said they drew inspiration from their personal lives. 
“I gotta tell you, it’s a really important thing to us,” Katsky <a href="https://deadline.com/2026/04/malcolm-in-the-middle-creator-ep-wife-lgbtq-kids-1236786214/">told</a> Deadline during a recent interview just ahead of the reboot’s premiere. 
“Three out of four of our kids are queer, and without making it a thing and without making an issue, I think it’s really nice to have a character that, that’s just a facet of their personality as opposed to the entire story.”

Menu