This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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Anne Hathaway recently announced that she is <a href="https://people.com/anne-hathaway-focused-on-family-prepares-for-baby-no-3-exclusive-source-12004387">expecting a third baby</a>. There is only one appropriate response to that news, especially from people who claim to value children and families, and it goes like this: Congratulations, what a blessing!
Instead, the Academy Award winning actress’s pregnancy reveal has been met with a cascade of judgment. Why? Because the married mother of two is 43 years old. And that’s too old for new motherhood, say many self-professed traditionalists. 
One post on X asked that we “<a href="https://x.com/slxthkween/status/2068109197955445222?s=46">not normalize</a> having kids at 40” since babies born that late in a mother’s life might not know their older grandparents. Other critics were even <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/anne-hathaway-is-pregnant-at-43-and">more unkind</a>, pointing out the increased likelihood of birth defects in babies born to older mothers. 
This negative response to Hathaway’s pregnancy announcement is both mean-spirited and misplaced. While conservatives are right to push back on today’s elite scorn for young marriage and family formation, older child-bearing deserves support as well. There is no contradiction here.
In fact, the historical precedent that traditionalists claim to support involves more, not less, pregnancy for 40-something women — along with more, not less, pregnancy for 20-something ones. 
A healthy, family-centered society would seek a return to both sides of that erstwhile reality, not just one or the other. 
Older Mothers and Antinatalism
Negative reactions to Hathaway’s pregnancy are rooted in conservative anger at an elite culture in which babies are often treated like commodities to be obtained at will rather than honored as gifts to be received in faith and humility. And, indeed, the zeitgeist among educated Americans today does attempt to pit 20-something marriage and motherhood against women’s self-actualization, equality, and flourishing. As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-dating-reality-check?author=Elizabeth+Grace+Matthew&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+Dating+Reality+Check">I have written</a>, this is a grave mistake predicated on a series of lies. 
So, yes, 20-something marriage and motherhood should be the norm. In a culture with biological and moral reality principles, such a norm would not only be accepted but taken for granted. The rootless malaise and extended adolescence afflicting our youth, hollowing our social institutions, and ultimately reducing our population are predominantly a product of the narcissism that ensues when chronological adults remain de facto children instead of raising some. 
And, yes, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-fertility-safety-net-women-were-sold-is-leaving-some-with-fewer-options-than-expected?author=Neeraja+Deshpande&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+Fertility+Safety+Net+Women+Were+Sold+Is+Leaving+Some+With+Fewer+Options+Than+Expected">technological aids to reproduction</a>, such as egg freezing and IVF, are too often marketed to make a woman believe that her biological clock can be outrun. Of course, pregnancy does get more dangerous — and, ultimately more difficult and then impossible — as women age. Moreover, these same technological aids can be and are too often used to <a href="https://www.cofertility.com/">negate or subvert</a> each child’s right to a mother and a father.
For the True Pronatalist, Life — and Openness to It — Doesn’t End at 35
But a preference for 20-something marriage and child-bearing and the embrace of 40-something child-bearing are in no way mutually exclusive. In fact, they&#8217;re complements. Not just historically, though that is true (40-something women with babies the same age as or younger than their oldest grandchildren were once commonplace), but also culturally and morally. 
A society that is open to life — that sees children not as commodities, props, or impediments, but as gifts — would and should expect messier and less optimized decisions around child-bearing, among women of all ages. Yes, this means 20-somethings prioritizing marriage and welcoming children before today’s elite parenting gurus might deem them “ready.” But it also means women in their mid-to-late-30s or early 40s approaching the question of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/on-geriatric-pregnancy">whether to welcome</a> that third, fourth, or fifth baby in a spirit of generosity and humility.
Unfortunately, progressives and conservatives alike often approach the question of parenthood as though it’s about parents, when in fact it should be about children. A curated commodification of parenthood as a lifestyle choice with predetermined requirements and rewards is what leads young couples to delay childbearing until everything is “just so” as they see it. It also leads so-called traditionalists to attack 40-something mothers for bearing children when things are not “just so” as they see it anymore. 
Sure, you won’t have as much time with a baby born when you’re 42 as you will with one born when you’re 22. And indeed, starting a family at 25 is better in all kinds of ways than starting one at 35. 
This is all true, and it is all irrelevant in relation to the pregnancy announcement of a 40-something mother. 
The overarching fact of Hathaway’s pregnancy, as of every pregnancy, is that a unique image-bearer of God is soon to enter the world. That individual — that person (who those criticizing Hathaway disproportionately believe is a wholly formed soul and body awaiting his or her birth) — could not be born to any other woman or at any other time. 
Pope Leo XIV’s mother, for example, was 43 years old when the future pontiff was born in 1955. 
Perhaps we all, progressives and conservatives alike, should be a bit more content to let God do His job and to stay in our all-too-human lane. 
***
Elizabeth Grace Matthew writes about books, education, and culture, including <a href="https://elizabethgracematthew.substack.com/about">on Substack</a>.

GettyImages-2278626786

What Anne Hathaway’s Baby News Reveals About Modern Culture

Celebrities

Pregnancy

Upstream

Actor Russell Crowe said he rejected doing a sex scene in the popular historical drama “Gladiator” (2000) and stuck to his guns when he got pressured.
The actor discussed what happened during an appearance at Taormina Film Festival, per <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reels/DZm5EDqAJQg/">Deadline</a>.
“When we were shooting that film, there was a lot of pressure. The studio, the producers [thought] there should be sex between Maximus and the female characters. I just kept pushing back,” he said.
“This is the story of a man avenging the death of his wife and his child,” Crowe continued. “There cannot be a moment in that journey where he stops and has sex with somebody. It doesn’t make any sense because then that destroys the journey.”
The actor said he &#8220;stuck to my guns,&#8221; despite the fact that director Ridley Scott would have &#8220;loved a sex scene between me and [lead actress] Connie Nielsen.” 
The “Gladiator” star said sticking to his convictions led to Scott coming to his side and agreeing there was a “moral core of the film.&#8221; That bet paid off, as Crowe took home the Academy Award for Best Actor, and the film won Best Picture.
Crowe was not part of the sequel, which was released in 2024. The actor blamed the lackluster response on the film not having a moral code. 
“For them, in a second movie to destroy that moral center … it’s very interesting, because the second movie barely took the same box office that the first movie took. But, that’s 20 years later,&#8221; he said. 
&#8220;When you apply how much of a change there’s been on the value of a dollar, they failed,&#8221; Crowe went on. &#8220;And they failed because they didn’t understand why [the original movie] was successful — it was successful because it had a moral core.&#8221;
Crowe had discussed his frustration with the sequel before. He said in 2024, “I’m slightly uncomfortable with the fact they’re making another one — because, of course, I’m dead and I have no say in what gets done. But a couple of the things I’ve heard I’m like — no, no, no, that’s not in the moral journey of that particular character. But I can’t say anything, it’s not my place.”

Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe Reveals Why He Refused To Do A Sex Scene For ‘Gladiator’

Entertainment

Hollywood

Movies

Trans activist Laverne Cox said he’s lost most of his money, and Donald Trump is the one to blame.
The &#8220;Orange Is the New Black&#8221; actor explained the situation while <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jun/15/free-from-shame-laverne-cox-trans-woman-in-trump-america">speaking to</a> The Guardian, claiming the Trump administration turned people away from accepting radical trans ideology.
&#8220;Over the past two years, [Cox] has lost 90% of [his] income, however. Hosting contracts have ended and not been renewed. Corporate speaking engagements have dried up,&#8221; the outlet reported.
“This regime has threatened to defund any colleges and universities that promote gender ideology, DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion],” Cox told The Guardian. “Even though I’d be teaching a graduate acting class, it could be perceived as promoting trans ideology. These are the realities.”
The activist went on, “I’m not complaining — I’m very blessed. I think the important thing to note is that if Laverne Cox’s income has gone down significantly, what about all the other trans people who are not as privileged and as blessed as I am? There are material consequences for this kind of discrimination and scapegoating.”
Cox said it was all part of the plan, which was Project 2025&#8217;s agenda.
“All these words had to be taken out of every piece of legislation, policy, government document: gender, gender ideology, gender identity, LGBTQ, DEI, abortion, contraception,” he told The Guardian. 
Cox then used the tired analogy of comparing the “fundamentalist Christian ethno-nationalist project” with Nazi Germany.
“We’re in a very similar moment to Germany at that time,” he warned.
While most of the world, including corporate America, continues to move away from the radical trans agenda, Hollywood is still clinging stubbornly to the far-left ideals that dominated the culture six years ago. 
For Cox in particular, the souring of public opinion must be jarring. In 2014, he was celebrated for being the first openly transgender actor to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy. But after Trump was elected, he claimed he lost out on speaking opportunities and other work. 
“I feel that this is a moment where we have to make some really important decisions about who we are, who we want to be, and how we’re going to proceed. I’ve been saying when history looks back at me, I want to be a Christian Dior, not a Coco Chanel. It’s that serious,” he told the New Yorker in a separate <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/laverne-cox-wants-to-rehumanize-everybody">interview </a>this week. 
“We’re in a fascist moment with this crazy president who wants to be a dictator, who’s just thrown every law out the window. In Nazi Germany, trans people were some of the first people who were attacked, and history is repeating …  It’s nuts, and they just keep finding new things to do to disenfranchise trans people in order to delegitimize our identities.”
“It’s not even about hope. We have to take action right now. We have to have the courage to tell the truth… I think rhetorically we need to rehumanize trans people and rehumanize everybody,” Cox insisted.

Laverne Cox

Trans Actor Blames Trump After Losing 90% Of His Income

Trans Actor Says He's Lost 90% Of His Income, And It's All Trump's Fault

Donald Trump

LGBT

Transgender

The White House issued a response to pop singer Ariana Grande on Thursday after she slammed the Trump administration for using one of her songs in a social media video about ICE arrests.
&#8220;We’ll say this one last time: what’s actually barbaric, inhumane, and heinous are the criminal illegal aliens who have injured and murdered innocent American citizens,&#8221; White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/white-house-fires-back-ariana-grande-told-never-use-music-ice-deportation-video">told</a> Fox News Digital in a statement. 
This was in response to the “Wicked” actress commenting on a TikTok video put out by the White House by saying, &#8220;please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense. f*ck ice.&#8221;
The music appears to be removed from the video as of Thursday, as the outlet noted.
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@whitehouse/video/7649426430756916511" data-video-id="7649426430756916511" data-embed-from="oembed" style="max-width:605px; min-width:325px;">
<section> <a target="_blank" title="@whitehouse" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@whitehouse?refer=embed">@whitehouse</a> 
Bye-bye 👋 President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history 
 <a target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - The White House" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7649426470075026206?refer=embed">♬ original sound &#8211; The White House</a> </section>
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Like many other celebrities, Grande has made anti-ICE statements in the past. She conflated illegal immigration with lawfare attacks against President Donald Trump to her more than 270 million Instagram followers last summer.
“Could someone explain which crimes get you deported and which ones get you elected president? It’s so confusing,” she wrote at the time, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-ice-men-cometh-and-hollywood-comes-unglued">reported</a>.
Then last September, the “Thank U, Next” singer shared an Instagram post that said, &#8220;immigrants have been violently torn from their families and communities have been destroyed.&#8221;
The same month, she called out Trump voters with a snarky, sarcastic post on Instagram, asking if they were happy with their decision to select the Republican candidate to lead the country.
“I want to check in with trump voters. I have one very genuine question: it’s been 250 days. Now that immigrants have been violently torn from their families and communities have been destroyed, now that trans people have been blamed for virtually everything and live in fear, now that free speech is on the brink of collapse for us all — has your life gotten better?” the singer’s Instagram story said. 
Grande publicly endorsed Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 election and subtly mocked fellow recording artist Carrie Underwood for performing at Trump’s presidential inauguration in January.

Ariana Grande

White House Responds To Ariana Grande Over Absurd ICE Video Criticism

White House Responds To Ariana Grande's ICE Video Criticism

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Music

NASCAR driver Kyle Busch’s widow, Samantha, revealed in an Instagram post Wednesday night the promise she made to her husband before his untimely death last month.
Busch died at the age of 41 after he developed sepsis following a bout of pneumonia. The couple had two children together, Brexton and Lennix. Brexton has already begun his racing career at the age of 11.
“Watching Brexton back at the track is both heartbreaking and beautiful all at once because there are moments when I catch a glimpse of Kyle in him, the same determination, the same passion, the same spark, and for a second it feels like a piece of him is still right here with us,” the grieving widow wrote.
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“These moments are incredibly hard, but they also remind me that Kyle’s story isn’t over. It lives on through the dreams he inspired and the two children he loved more than anything.”
“In the hospital, I made Kyle a promise. I promised him that I would do everything I could to help our children pursue their dreams no matter what. For Brexton, that dream is racing.”
The post went on, “It wasn’t a dream Kyle chose for him. It was something they shared. They spent countless hours talking about race cars, working together, dreaming together, and building a bond around something they both genuinely loved. Racing is what lights Brexton up and as long as it’s the dream in his heart, I’ll be right there beside him, cheering him on every step of the way.”
“The racetrack has been home for our family for nearly 20 years. It’s where some of our greatest memories were made, where our kids grew up, and where so much of our life together happened. Right now when so much of our world feels unfamiliar it’s also one of the few places that still feels like home.”
“Every time we get to the track, we’re reminded that a piece of our team is missing. The person who should be standing beside us isn’t there. That part is heartbreaking. But it’s also where we feel closest to him, surrounded by the memories, the people, and the dreams he helped build. So, we race on,” the post concluded. 
Over more than two decades behind the wheel, Busch became one of the winningest and most recognizable drivers in NASCAR history. He captured two Cup Series championships and recorded 234 victories across NASCAR’s three national series, more than any other driver the sport has ever seen.
Known to fans as the face of “Rowdy Nation,” Busch built a reputation as one of racing’s fiercest competitors. Even critics and rivals acknowledged his extraordinary talent and relentless drive to win.

Kyle Busch

Kyle Busch’s Widow Reveals The Promise She Made To Him Before His Death

Auto racing

NASCAR

Veteran stunt performer Todd Bryant called out the uber-woke star Ron Perlman on X, saying he refused to work with him because of Perlman&#8217;s &#8220;Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS).&#8221; 
&#8220;I&#8217;ve been contacted to stunt double for Ron Perlman on a job he is on right now,” Bryant, who had worked on major productions such as “Ford v Ferrari” and “Star Trek V,” shared on X. 
“The short answer is NO. I will not work for liberals with TDS like Will Ferrell or Ron. I lost all respect for these Actors.”
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I&#8217;ve been contacted to stunt double for Ron Perlman <a href="https://x.com/perlmutations?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@perlmutations</a> on a job he is on right now.
The short answer is NO.
I will not work for liberals with TDS like Will Ferrell or Ron.
I lost all respect for these Actors. <a href="https://t.co/OuZgAGm0sF">https://t.co/OuZgAGm0sF</a>
— Todd Bryant | Captain Klaa 🇺🇸 (@RealKlaa) <a href="https://x.com/RealKlaa/status/2064381482131431921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The responses were filled with fans and other members of the Hollywood community supporting Bryant’s courage to speak out against hardcore liberals in the industry, even at the risk of career and reputational damage.
“You proved one thing, money can&#8217;t buy ethics and principles,” one reply <a href="https://x.com/MrDparkskip/status/2064603002053255554">said</a>. “You sir are one of the few good men left, on behalf of all good men we salute you!”
“Perlman is foul mouthed and self important. Ferrell peaked at playing more cow bell. Not spending a thin dime to watch anything they make,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/DebNonCompliant/status/2064699761127575689">agreed</a>.
“I have much respect for you sir. I won’t watch anything they are associated with anymore,” echoed a third. “I really wish Hollywood had stayed in the entertainment business. Instead, they decided their audiences wanted to be lectured in THEIR [political] beliefs. Sad…”
Perlman is known for his unhinged, profanity-laced rants against President Donald Trump and other prominent Republicans. In 2020, the actor <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/feb/28/ron-perlman-on-hellboy-the-la-fires-and-trump-a-snake-oil-con-artist-whod-sell-you-bad-vodka-and-swampland-in-new-jersey">challenged</a> Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) to a fight online. He’s called Trump, “a snake-oil con-artist who’d sell you bad vodka and swampland in New Jersey” and referred to <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/ron-perlman-donald-trump-terrified-of-kamala-harris-1236201087/">Kamala Harris</a> as “f***ing brilliant.”
The “Hellboy” star also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ron-perlman-deletes-video-threatening-to-destroy-studio-execs-home">lashed out</a> at Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), calling him a “Nazi pig” over the Parental Rights in Education law — despite the fact that he clearly did not understand what it did.
“Good morning, Governor DeSantis,” Perlman began with a leering smile. “Ron here. Um, don’t say gay? Don’t say… as the first two words of a sentence spoken by a political leader of a state in the United States of America? Don’t say gay? Don’t f***ing say gay you f***ing Nazi pig? Say. First Amendment. Read about it. Then run for office. You piece of s***.”
The Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro responded to Perlman at the time, saying simply, “You are literally too stupid to insult.”

Anti-Trump “No Kings” Protests Pop Up Across The Country

Stunt Man Refuses To Work With Woke Hollywood Actor Over ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’

Ron Perlman

Trump Derangement Syndrome

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow revealed some details about her political affiliation, describing herself as a &#8220;centrist,&#8221; but acknowledging that her leftist husband disagrees.
The 53-year-old &#8220;Marty Supreme&#8221; star discussed the topic during a recent episode of her &#8220;goop Podcast.”
&#8220;He&#8217;s so progressive,&#8221; Paltrow said of her writer/producer husband Brad Falchuk, whom she married in 2018. &#8220;I&#8217;m pretty centrist, and my husband thinks I&#8217;m a Republican… which, I&#8217;m not a Republican. I don&#8217;t feel anything right now, to be totally honest with you. I feel like I&#8217;m completely an independent.&#8221;
The actress was talking with defense technology company founder Trae Stephens at the time, who was arguing in favor of mandatory civil service in the United States, and said, &#8220;We&#8217;re all getting so tribal&#8221; in politics.
Paltrow said she agreed. She also added that her husband &#8220;has such a sweet heart, and he wants to make sure everybody&#8217;s looked after.” But she still finds herself disagreeing with him. 
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&#8220;It is very triggering for people,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It&#8217;s become so binary, I think. I am trying to, in my journey through being an American right now, I guess sort of weave together lots of different points of view, and also to get out of that place of, like, righteousness and anger and fear.&#8221;
Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DailyWire/videos/gwyneth-paltrow-husband-thinks-she-is-a-republican/1656325605643979/">reacted</a> to the clip, saying Paltrow is only considered Republican because she’s “not a psycho.”
“Just because she’s not mimicking the most crazy excesses of the Left, this now means she’s a Republican. This is the Elon Musk chart in real life,” Shapiro added, referencing a viral chart the Tesla founder shared showing how far to the Left the Democratic party has shifted over the years.
The actress has hosted Democratic fundraisers in her home, including one for Pete Buttigieg in 2019. Former President Barack Obama showed up at one of Paltrow’s fundraisers in 2014.
However, she also admitted to being &#8220;open-minded about everybody.” This included Paltrow listening to a podcast featuring HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
&#8220;It was very interesting to hear his point of view,&#8221; she said at the time.
Paltrow was also speculative rather than furious after Trump won the 2016 presidential election. “It’s such an exciting time to be an American because we are at this amazing inflection point,” the Oscar-winning actress said at the time, per <a href="https://pagesix.com/2016/11/19/xanax-and-booze-make-travel-better-for-gwyneth/">Page Six</a>.
“People are clearly tired of the status quo, and … it’s sort of like someone threw it all in the air and we’re going to see how it all lands. It’s very important for me, personally, now more than ever, to create a community and to remember the humanity of everybody and to create love and … understanding.”
“The most amazing thing for me about this election is I felt … ‘I don’t understand the opposition well enough at all.’ I’m not going to tell you what side I’m on, but my big takeaway was, ‘I really need to open my mind and understand better because I don’t,’” Paltrow concluded.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Political Confession

Politics

Progressivism

British actor Idris Elba is addressing rumors that he could be selected as the next James Bond, saying the world is not ready for a black Agent 007.
“I’ve always felt that it’s not a realistic thing,” the 53-year-old celeb <a href="https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/idris-elba-is-flying-solo">told</a> British GQ in a newly published interview. 
“James Bond was written how he was written for a reason. But I was complimented by it. And also, I think, in realistic terms, some markets just don’t go for that. Bond is big all over the world. And [audiences] won’t [all] go for a black male, an African male, playing Bond. That’s not what they like in their culture. Period.”
He went on to say he doesn’t believe Bond should change, anyway.
“Bond is so unrealistic, so a hint of reality is good, but let’s not try and make it woke,” Elba continued. “I think you’ve got to be pure to what it is: escapism. Don’t try and answer the world’s taste. Just be Bond.”
Fans have been speculating about who could play the next Bond weeks after Amazon Studios announced it had begun casting.
“The search for the next James Bond is underway. While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right,” Amazon MGM Studios said in a statement.
The role was last played by Daniel Craig, who retired from the franchise after “No Time To Die” in 2021. There has been a lot of speculation about who the next Agent 007 would be, but now, with Amazon leading the charge, anything can happen.
Former producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli surprised fans in 2025 when they announced they would step back from the James Bond franchise and give creative control to Amazon. The company purchased MGM for $8.5 billion in 2022 and, in doing so, acquired the rights to distribute all “James Bond” projects. 
Broccoli previously said she was open to a black man playing Bond.
“I think [the next James Bond] will be a man because I don’t think a woman should play James Bond,” Broccoli said in 2021. “I believe in making characters for women and not just having women play men’s roles.”
“I don’t think there are enough great roles for women, and it’s very important to me that we make movies for women about women,” she added. “He should be British, so British can be any [ethnicity or race].”

Idris Elba

Idris Elba Reacts To Rumors He’ll Play The Next James Bond

James Bond

“House” actor Hugh Laurie got into an online argument with a journalist, then apologized later for calling her out, saying he was under the influence of alcohol at the time.
&#8220;I&#8217;m sorry if people have been having a go at you because of my tweet,&#8221; the 66-year-old actor <a href="https://x.com/hughlaurie/status/2064076498894836159">wrote</a> in his apology shared on Monday, saying it was &#8220;not at all the plan&#8221; of his initial response to her criticism of the show.
&#8220;I was very slightly drunk and already upset about something that had nothing to do with you,&#8221; Laurie wrote in an X post. &#8220;If it&#8217;s any comfort, I got it in the neck too. I&#8217;m a thin-skinned twat, apparently, even though it wasn&#8217;t my skin.&#8221;
He went on to say he reacted in anger because he was defending the show’s writers. 
The drama started on Saturday when British journalist Janet Murray shared some of her criticisms of “House,” a popular medical drama series that aired for eight seasons beginning in 2004.
“Late to the party, but I&#8217;ve started watching Season 1 of House. Same narrative every episode: Patient has mysterious illness. Hugh Laurie (House) gets diagnosis wrong. Patient nearly dies,” Murray <a href="https://x.com/jan_murray/status/2063310360514363400">wrote</a> in the original post. 
She continued, “Hugh Laurie gets diagnosis wrong again. Gets threatened with being fired. Patient nearly dies again.”
“Hugh Laurie has last minute left-field idea. Gets diagnosis right. Doesn&#8217;t get fired. Eight seasons of this?”
Laurie wrote back in his original response, “Thanks for your critique, Janet. We actually tried a couple of episodes where House (Hugh Laurie) (please put the brackets in the right place) gets it right first time, but they were only 6 minutes long. NBC weren&#8217;t (sic) happy. Then we tried some where House never gets it right and the patient dies. The audience wasn&#8217;t happy.”
“One could apply your trenchant analysis to other art forms: JS Bach wrote 30 Goldberg variations on the same chord structure; Frida Kahlo painted 50 portraits of herself;  Henry Moore, what??”
He added, “The point is, or was, variations on a theme; if all you see is hospital, medical blah blah, then it wasn&#8217;t meant for you. Nonetheless, I look forward to your first novel!”
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Thanks for your critique, Janet. We actually tried a couple of episodes where House (Hugh Laurie) (please put the brackets in the right place) gets it right first time, but they were only 6 minutes long. NBC weren’t happy. Then we tried some where House never gets it right and…
— Hugh Laurie (@hughlaurie) <a href="https://x.com/hughlaurie/status/2063714447084929437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Murray went on to publish an article in UnHerd about the interaction and the fallout on social media. It was titled, “What I learnt from my online fight with Hugh Laurie.”
&#8220;While it&#8217;s all been rather fun, I do hope @hughlaurie takes the time to read my @unherd article (I&#8217;m sure he can stretch to a subscription),&#8221; Murray wrote in an X post sharing the article on Monday.
&#8220;Because while his witty riposte was genuinely amusing, one point I make in the piece is that it was shared with his 1.2 million followers on X,&#8221; she wrote, comparing it to her paltry audience of just 38,000.
&#8220;That creates something of an imbalance &#8211; particularly given that the responses to my original post were overwhelmingly warm-hearted and affectionate towards the show. The result has been some fairly horrific trolling. It turns out House fans are even more abusive than trans activists (and that’s saying something).&#8221;
She concluded, &#8220;I have enough experience of the media to take it on the chin, as the saying goes. But someone without my background might have found the experience far more distressing.&#8221;

Hugh Laurie

Hugh Laurie Calls Out Journalist Over ‘House’ — Then Has A Very Good Reason For Apologizing

journalist

Television

Twitter

Actor Elijah Wood posted a rant on X detailing his negative experience with a QR code menu at the cinema chain Alamo Drafthouse.
The “Lord of the Rings” star made a sarcastic dig while describing the new food ordering process, which he called “truly awful.” Wood demanded a return to physical menus.
“For the first time yesterday, I experienced the new Alamo Drafthouse QR code ordering system and I can tell you it’s truly awful,” the actor shared on X.
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For the first time yesterday, I experienced the new <a href="https://x.com/alamodrafthouse?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@alamodrafthouse</a> QR code ordering system and I can tell you it’s truly awful. Rather than making ordering food and drink more efficient, it actually adds steps to the process AND if you want to order additional items during the…
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) <a href="https://x.com/elijahwood/status/2061849244915622015?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
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“Rather than making ordering food and drink more efficient, it actually adds steps to the process AND if you want to order additional items during the film you HAVE to open your phone,” the post continued. “No, your cute reference to that irony in your How To Alamo video doesn’t negate how ridiculous this is. Please don’t cut corners with your staff and revert back to physical menus and order cards.”
WATCH FROM TODAY&#8217;S EPISODE OF MORNING WIRE:
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Alamo Drafthouse is a popular cinema chain known for combining new releases and cult classics with full in-theater dining. They are also notorious for a strict &#8220;no talking or texting&#8221; policy, which is one of the reasons that the QR code ordering was met with such disdain by customers. 
The company <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/alamo-drafthouse-layoffs-1236108753/">laid off</a> 15 corporate employees in 2025, roughly 9% of its support staff, and an unknown number of hourly cinema workers in January last year.
Per <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/elijah-wood-hates-alamo-drafthouse-qr-code-ordering/">The Wrap</a>, a spokesperson for the Alamo claimed that the change would not lead to future layoffs and said all staffers who previously helped with ordering had new positions in the company. That unnamed spokesperson also reportedly said that 85% of guests placed food orders before the movie began.
The theater chain introduced the <a href="https://drafthouse.com/news/our-shift-to-qr-ordering?srsltid=AfmBOorvMzuushpKmnLMu2g1i_cKlxfEiANtAKwQiPrPEjXrC9FrEptN">QR code ordering system</a> earlier this year. The company <a href="https://drafthouse.com/news/our-shift-to-qr-ordering">website</a> said it was done in an effort to “reduce distractions (goodbye check drop during the climax) and, in the long term, make the experience even better.”
“Putting ordering control directly in our guests’ hands allows us to move faster and more efficiently, creating a smoother, more responsive experience without added distraction,” the original announcement said.
The company also said as the policy was introduced that “only a small percentage” of orders were made during films. It also stressed that the no cell phone policy for texting and personal use would remain as a “custom-built, dark-screen system” that’s “designed to minimize distractions” would be used for taking orders.
Social media users were not impressed.
“They terminated my fiancée and all the others on the IT team who tried to warn management that the company’s infrastructure couldn’t handle it and that the customer base didn’t want it. It’s all about Sony’s bottom line,” one of the commenters on Wood’s post <a href="https://x.com/yeoldethotticus/status/2061872363529019422">said</a>, prompting the actor to reply, “Ugh. I’m sorry.”
“I took someone [to Alamo Drafthouse] for their first time not knowing they changed it and apologized to them,” echoed <a href="https://x.com/AllieGoertz/status/2061880788224999824">another</a>. “It used to be so special, I don&#8217;t know what happened.&#8221;
“Experienced this a few weeks ago. Add the zero tolerance policy on using phones during movies, so stuck with no napkins and no water- no service, no call button. The bill comes with an 18% service fee added on then expects additional gratuity- insanity,” a third commenter <a href="https://x.com/nanleejewelry/status/2062157528641814578">agreed</a>.

Alamo Drafthouse

Elijah Wood Posts Rant About Popular Cinema Chain’s ‘Awful’ New Policy

Technology

Katy Perry celebrated the advent of June with an announcement that many of her fanatic followers would consider to be out of this world and her critics wish had been lost in space.
“I know so many of you are doing so much for this month, but me? I’d like to introduce the earth to the world’s first gaylien!” Perry crowed in a <a href="http://instagram.com/reel/DZDritwyxy_/">post</a> on social media.
This announcement joins the laundry list of Pride-related shoutouts that no one asked for.
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Perry&#8217;s “gaylien&#8221; wore a tangerine orange beanie and a black, white, and orange sweatshirt emblazoned with a green alien face. The person in the costume wore a mask that looked like a shriveled gray mummy with stereotypically beady alien eyes. 
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Despite rumors that the man in the alien costume was her boyfriend former Canadian Prime Minister <a href="https://people.com/katy-perry-shares-new-photos-justin-trudeau-miranda-kerr-instagram-11964886">Justin Trudeau</a>, the alien was likely just a backup dancer.
Perry proceeded to join the alien in doing a dance that appeared to be a mix of a forgotten &#8217;90s workout routine and a mating ritual from a lame bird of paradise.
In the video, the man in the alien costume jumped up into the air and proceeded to do an extended squat. He shook his legs and his butt in seizure-like contortions while swaying his hands and wrists in a circular fashion. He then feigned a melodramatic collapse on the floor, came back up to do off-brand Michael Jackson moonwalk step, then fell to the floor again.
The gaylien will reportedly be making appearances at Perry&#8217;s European summer festivals to celebrate pride.
Perry has been notorious for being supportive of gay rights, with her hit song “I Kissed a Girl” being famous for its depiction of a lesbian relationship. She has also shown an interest in space with her song “E.T.” and her widely mocked <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blue-origin-sent-celebs-up-for-minutes-they-came-back-with-astronaut-egos?author=Lauren+Bair&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Blue+Origin+Sent+Celebs+Up+For+Minutes.+They+Came+Back+With+Astronaut+Egos.">Blue Origin flight</a>.
Perry&#8217;s &#8220;gaylien&#8221; also seems to ride on the wave of renewed public interest in aliens, especially after the U.S. government has released documents <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-opens-secret-ufo-vault-tells-americans-to-decide-whats-real">detailing</a> UFO sightings.

Katy Perry

Katy Perry’s ‘Gaylien’ Will Make You Wish You Weren’t On Planet Earth

Aliens

Dance

Gay Rights

Media

pop music

Pride

Pride Month

Social Media

President Donald Trump suggested that he would take the place of multiple &#8220;third rate&#8221; artists who have dropped out of the Freedom 250 concert planned for next month, calling himself &#8220;the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World.&#8221;
At least five artists <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/what-the-america-250-concert-reveals-about-our-broken-political-culture">pulled out</a> of the concert earlier this week, claiming that the event has become too politicized. After the Great American State Fair announced the lineup, artists Morris Day &amp; The Time, Martina McBride, Bret Michaels, Young MC, and the Commodores all announced they had changed their minds about performing at one of America&#8217;s 250th anniversary celebrations, which begin next month.
Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116664367963376218">suggested</a> on Saturday that the concert might be replaced by an &#8220;America is Back&#8221; rally.
&#8220;I understand Artists are getting &#8216;the yips&#8217; having to do with their performance on Wednesday, so I am thinking about bringing the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World, the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime, and he does so without a guitar, the man who loves our Country more than anyone else, and the man who some say is the Greatest President in History (THE GOAT!), DONALD J. TRUMP, to take the place of these highly paid, Third Rate &#8216;Artists,&#8217; and give a major speech, rallying the Country forward like I have done ever since being President!&#8221; he wrote on Truth Social.
Some of the artists scheduled to perform have remained committed to the concert, but with the loss of five headline singers, the Freedom 250 event could be forced to make major last-minute changes to the programming.
&#8220;I don’t want so-called &#8216;Artists&#8217; that get paid far too much money, who aren’t happy,&#8221; Trump added on Saturday. &#8220;I only want to be surrounded by Happy People, Smart People, Successful People, and People that know how to WIN.&#8221;
The artists who dropped out complained about so-called partisanship in the concert programming, arguing that it was a Trump-backed event.
&#8220;The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event. And despite the claims by the organizers that the event is non-partisan, SPIN magazine describes it as Trump-backed. I hope to perform in D.C. in the near future at an event that is not so politically charged,&#8221; Young MC said.
Michaels released a similar statement and added that he and his team had faced threats after it was announced that he was performing.
&#8220;Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Concerns have also been raised regarding the safety of my fans, band, crew, family and myself, including threats that are completely unfounded and unforgivable.&#8221;
Freedom 250, the nonprofit dedicated to uniting Americans around the nation&#8217;s 250th anniversary, said the concert will be non-political.
&#8220;Freedom 250 is focused on our signature celebrations and events that honor our history and engage all Americans — welcoming all who share our goal of commemorating this milestone in a way that uplifts and unites America,&#8221; spokeswoman Rachel Reisner told CBS News.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Trump Hints At New Programming For Freedom 250 Concert After ‘Third Rate’ Artists Drop Out

Freedom 250

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