Actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ben-stiller">Ben Stiller</a> expressed his shock at how badly “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Zoolander 2</a>” performed at the box office following its release in 2016 despite the original film&#8217;s success in 2001.
The 58-year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">star</a> discussed his thoughts during a recent episode of David Duchovny’s “Fail Better” podcast. “I thought everybody wanted this,” Stiller said of making the sequel. “And then it’s like, ‘Wow, I must have really f***ed this up. Everybody didn’t go to it. And it’s gotten these horrible reviews.”
“It really freaked me out because I was like, ‘I didn’t know, was that bad?’ What scared me the most on that one was I’m losing what I think what’s funny, the questioning yourself … on ‘Zoolander 2,’ it was definitely blindsiding to me. And it definitely affected me for a long time.”
Stiller directed, wrote, produced, and starred in the sequel, just as he did with the original. The first “Zoolander” was a critical and commercial success. The movie satirized the fashion industry as it documented the life of a male model, Derek Zoolander (Stiller), and his rival Hansel (Owen Wilson). It earned $60.8 million against a production budget of $28 million.
The sequel fared much worse. Set ten years after the original, “Zoolander 2” included many of the original cast members, including Stiller and Wilson, while Will Ferrell, Penelope Cruz, Kristen Wiig, Naomi Campbell, and Justin Bieber were also co-stars. Benedict Cumberbatch played a transgender model named AII. 
As The Guardian <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/apr/24/ben-stiller-i-was-blindsided-by-zoolander-2-flopping">noted</a>, “Zoolander 2” barely broke even on its $50 million production budget and received terrible reviews. 
Stiller told Duchovny that the failure became a learning experience for him. 
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“The wonderful thing that came out of that for me was just having space where, if that had been a hit, and they said ‘Make Zoolander 3 right now,’ or offered some other movie, I would have just probably jumped in and done that,” the “Meet the Parents” star said.
“But I had this space to kind of sit with myself and have to deal with it and other projects that I had been working on – not comedies, some of them – I have the time to actually just work on and develop. Even if somebody said, ‘Well, why don’t you go do another comedy or do this?’ I probably could have figured out something to do. But I just didn’t want to,” Stiller continued.

Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller Says He Was ‘Blindsided’ By ‘Zoolander 2’ Flopping: ‘Thought Everybody Wanted This’

Ben Stiller Said He Was 'Blindsided' By 'Zoolander 2' Flopping: 'Thought Everybody Wanted This'

Celebrities

Entertainment

Hollywood

U.S.

Runaways singer Cherie Currie has had enough of the &#8220;lies and more lies&#8221; coming out of the Democratic Party — and she said that it&#8217;s no longer &#8220;punk&#8221; to vote for them.
Currie, who rose to fame as part of the &#8220;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzH-k4Ks1Cp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all-girls answer to Grand Funk [Railroad]</a>,&#8221; shared the spotlight with iconic punk guitarists Joan Jett and Lita Ford — but she said in a post to X on Wednesday that the Democratic Party had lost its Rock &#8216;n&#8217; Roll cred.
&#8220;It used to be PUNK, R&amp;R to vote Democrat. I fell for it,&#8221; Currie said. &#8220;But when your party demands you live in fear, squaller [sic], beyond your means by just buying groceries, gasoline, disrespecting our veterans, our police, our elderly, supporting CRIMINALS, chaos, riots, Hamas, FAILING Israel, demeaning us at every turn! HURTING our CHILDREN! Wasting OUR MONEY.&#8221;
&#8220;Ineptitude with every policy! Lies and more lies &#8230; NO MORE!&#8221; she continued. &#8220;The Democrat Party can KISS MY A$$. They don’t give a damn. That’s true. Voting Dem used to be cool. But now, it just makes you a FOOL.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
It used to be PUNK, R&amp;R to vote Democrat. I fell for it. But when your party demands you live in fear, squaller, beyond your means by just buying groceries, gasoline, disrespecting our veterans, our police, our elderly, supporting CRIMINALS, chaos, riots, Hamas, FAILING Israel,… <a href="https://t.co/JyHRucdbI2">pic.twitter.com/JyHRucdbI2</a>
&mdash; Cherie Currie (@CherieCurrie3) <a href="https://twitter.com/CherieCurrie3/status/1783296721285730783?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Currie went on to respond to several of the comments on her original post, including one that reminded her that Democrats were &#8220;the pro-choice party&#8221; and Republicans had tried multiple times (although they failed) to do away with former President Barack Obama&#8217;s Affordable Care Act.
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Currie was not buying the argument, however, responding, &#8220;Obama LIED. He was a terrible president and I VOTED FOR HIM! But only once. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that man could create racism and devolve us as a nation. He did that. He’s a liar. A mistake! We are in this racist hell whole thanks to him!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Obama LIED. He was a terrible president and I VOTED FOR HIM! But only once. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that man could create racism and devolve us as a nation. He did that. He’s a liar. A mistake! We are in this racist hell whole thanks to him!
&mdash; Cherie Currie (@CherieCurrie3) <a href="https://twitter.com/CherieCurrie3/status/1783324973320511495?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Currie recently made headlines when her <a href="https://twitter.com/CherieCurrie3/status/1766637936009953293" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opinions</a> about gender transitions for children resulted in her removal from the Riot Girl Festival in Bisbee, Arizona.
&#8220;It’s official! I’ve finally been cancelled by the Trans Activists. The Riot Girl Festival in Bisbee, AZ early May had to be cancelled due to an uproar that I speak out against Transitioning children. I am sad for my cherished friend that was putting this great Festival on. For the belligerent threats against me which caused her stress, I am so very sorry,&#8221; she posted. &#8220;To those behind ruining a lucrative weekend for you and your town? You lose. That’s on you. I will never stop protecting children, speaking the truth and I’ll never back down. For me, it’s only a scratch.&#8221;

Photo of RUNAWAYS and Lita FORD and Joan JETT and Jackie FOX and Sandy WEST and Cherie CURRIE

‘Kiss My A$$’: 70s Rocker Says ‘No More,’ She’s Had It With Democrat ‘Lies And More Lies’

'Kiss My A$$': 70s Rocker Says 'No More,' She's Had It With Democrat 'Lies And More Lies'

Democrat

Music Industry

Rock and Roll

Actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities">Owen Wilson</a> reportedly turned down a $12 million payday to star in a movie about the late <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/o-j-simpson">O.J. Simpson</a>.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">project</a>, willed as a “satirical thriller” called “The Juice,” is currently in production with British filmmaker Joshua Newton taking the lead.  
The movie depicts Simpson as being innocent of the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. The former NFL Hall of Famer was acquitted of the crime in 1995 following a high-profile criminal trial, but many people believe the verdict was incorrect.
A jury found Simpson liable for the murders during a civil trial in 1997 and awarded the victims&#8217; families $33.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
Newton said he had envisioned Wilson playing attorney Douglas McCann in the film, but the actor shut down initial talks.
“Owen Wilson was perfect for the role,” the filmmaker told Rambler Reporter, per <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2024/04/24/owen-wilson-turned-down-lead-role-oj-simpson-movie-innocent/">TMZ</a>. 
“I actually had a meeting with him in Santa Monica. Everybody loved the script. His agent wanted him to do it. We offered him $12 million dollars,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;But at the end of the lunch, Owen stood up and said, &#8220;If you think I’m going to take the lead role in a movie about how O.J. didn’t do it, you’ve got to be kidding me.'&#8221;
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Newton went on to say that he found another actor who was “spot on” for the part and that 30 minutes of the film had been completed.
There have been multiple films and documentaries made about the murders and subsequent trial of Simpson over the years. The infamous case has been referenced in countless movies, TV shows, songs, and even video games.
The drama with Simpson made headlines earlier this year following his death from cancer at the age of 76. The former Buffalo Bills running back had been released from parole in 2021 after being found guilty of armed robbery and kidnapping in 2007. He served nine years in prison for the crime before being released in 2017.

Owen Wilson

Owen Wilson Turned Down $12M Role In Film Portraying O.J. Simpson’s Innocence: Report

Owen Wilson Turned Down $12M Role In Film Portraying O.J. Simpson's Innocence: Report

O.J. Simpson

A New York appeals court moved on Thursday to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/weinstein-metoo-appeal-ed29faeec862abf0c071e8bd3574c4a3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">overturn</a> the 2020 rape conviction of former Miramax producer Harvey Weinstein, citing “egregious” rulings that allowed allegations unrelated to the charges to be introduced in testimony.
The court’s 4-3 ruling came down in Weinstein’s favor, leaving it up to prosecutors whether or not they will try him again.
“We conclude that the trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes,” the decision read in part. “The remedy for these egregious errors is a new trial.”
“It is an abuse of judicial discretion to permit untested allegations of nothing more than bad behavior that destroys a defendant’s character but sheds no light on their credibility as related to the criminal charges lodged against them,” the decision continued.
The virtual flood of accusations against Weinstein — whose accusers included “Charmed” star Rose McGowan and others — cascaded in 2017 following a New Yorker exposé written by Ronan Farrow. What followed was a slew of additional accusations against Weinstein, which sparked the #MeToo movement.
Judge Madeline Singas penned a dissent on behalf of the minority, saying that the decision meant the court was “whitewashing the facts to conform to a he-said/she-said narrative,” following a “disturbing trend of overturning juries’ guilty verdicts in cases involving sexual violence.”
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“The majority’s determination perpetuates outdated notions of sexual violence and allows predators to escape accountability,” she wrote.
Weinstein will remain in prison — despite the New York conviction being overturned — because his 2022 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/disgraced-film-producer-harvey-weinstein-sentenced-to-16-more-years-for-sex-crimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conviction</a> in Los Angeles still stands.

Harvey Weinstein Court Hearing – Los Angeles, CA

New York Appeals Court Tosses Harvey Weinstein Rape Conviction

Harvey Weinstein

MeToo

Sexual Assault

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celine-dion">Celine Dion</a> opened up about her life-altering illness after being diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) in 2022 and said she’s hoping to “find a miracle.”
Speaking to <a href="https://www.vogue.fr/article/celine-dion-may-cover-vogue-france-interview">Vogue France</a>, the 56-year-old Canadian singer said she’s “well, but it’s a lot of work” living with the rare neurological disease so she’s “taking it one day at a time.”
“I haven’t beat the disease, as it’s still within me and always will be,” Dion said. “I hope that we’ll find a miracle, a way to cure it with scientific research, but for now I have to learn to live with it. So that&#8217;s me, now, with Stiff Person Syndrome.”
“Five days a week I undergo athletic, physical and vocal therapy,” she added. “I work on my toes, my knees, my calves, my fingers, my singing, my voice &#8230; I have to learn to live with it now and stop questioning myself. At the beginning I would ask myself: why me? How did this happen?What have I done? Is this my fault? Life doesn&#8217;t give you any answers. You just have to live it!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Elle revient ? Elle revient ! Nous avons eu du mal à réaliser que <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/C%C3%A9lineDion?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CélineDion</a> serait la star de notre numéro de mai. Quelle joie de la retrouver ! 
Le numéro est à découvrir en kiosques et en ligne juste ici &#8211;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/8iVtUtmk1U">https://t.co/8iVtUtmk1U</a> 
© Cass Bird <a href="https://t.co/FPj2TPskSh">pic.twitter.com/FPj2TPskSh</a>
— Vogue France (@VogueFrance) <a href="https://twitter.com/VogueFrance/status/1783142011622576139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
“I have this illness for some unknown reason,” the legendary singer continued. “The way I see it, I have two choices. Either I train like an athlete and work super hard, or I switch off and it’s over, I stay at home, listen to my songs, stand in front of my mirror and sing to myself. I&#8217;ve chosen to work with all my body and soul, from head to toe, with a medical team. I want to be the best I can be. My goal is to see the Eiffel Tower again!”
The “All By Myself” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/celine-dion-reveals-heartbreaking-news-about-her-health">singer</a> and mother of three — who revealed her diagnosis after canceling several of her concerts — said she is able to keep fighting thanks to all the love of her family, children and fans.
“People who suffer from SPS may not be lucky enough or have the means to have good doctors and good treatments,” Dion said. “I have those means, and this is a gift. What&#8217;s more, I have this strength within me. I know that nothing is going to stop me.”
“The Power Of Love” hitmaker made it clear she’s not sure when she will be back on stage but knows she won’t stop trying everyday to get there.
“I don&#8217;t know &#8230; My body will tell me,” Dion said. “On the other hand, I don&#8217;t just want to wait. It&#8217;s morally hard to live from day to day. It&#8217;s hard, I&#8217;m working very hard and tomorrow will be even harder.”
“Tomorrow is another day,” she added.”But there&#8217;s one thing that will never stop, and that&#8217;s the will. It&#8217;s the passion. It&#8217;s the dream. It&#8217;s the determination.”
“Today, I am a woman, who feels strong and positive about the future,” Dion continued. “One day at a time.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/celine-dion-documentary-will-give-fans-a-look-at-singers-life-altering-illness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Celine Dion Documentary Will Give Fans A Look At Singer&#8217;s Life-Altering Illness</a>

Celine Dion Performs In Macau

Celine Dion Talks About Her Life-Altering Illness, Says She’s Hoping For A ‘Miracle’

Celine Dion Talks About Her Life-Altering Illness, Says She's Hoping For A 'Miracle'

Celine Dion

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taylor-swift-fans-cause-earthquake-during-la-concert-seismologists-find" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taylor Swift’s</a> latest album &#8220;The Tortured Poets Department&#8221; has a noticeably darker, mature tone than her others, which is leaving some moms asking whether or not it is &#8220;suitable for kids.”
Swift’s new album contains seven <a href="https://gabb.com/blog/explicit-content-logo/#:~:text=Explicit%20content%20warnings%20like%20an,%2C%20sex%2C%20or%20substance%20abuse.">explicit songs</a> that all come with warning labels, which means the lyrics can include things like strong language, violence, sex, or substance abuse, notifying parents it “may be inappropriate for kids.”
The 7 <a href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a60228193/the-tortured-poets-department-explicit-songs/">songs</a> which have caused a stir for moms of “Taylor Tots” &#8212; a term describing younger Swift fans &#8212; are “The Tortured Poets Department,” “Down Bad,” “But, Daddy, I Love Him,” “Florida!!!,” “loml,” “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,” and “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” the <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/04/20/entertainment/taylor-tots-moms-cant-shake-off-taylor-swifts-ttpd-mature-themes-words/?utm_source=instagram&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=pagesix&amp;utm_content=pagesix_feed&amp;_gl=1*1j9owno*_ga*MTY5ODgwMzA2MS4xNjgwNzE5MzY0*_ga_0DZ7LHF5PZ*MTcxMzg4OTcxNi4xOTQuMC4xNzEzODg5NzE2LjAuMC4w&amp;_ga=2.136648176.1972840462.1713889717-1698803061.1680719364">New York Post</a> reported.
Over on the Facebook group <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2254218764714763">Taylor Swift’s Vault</a> &#8212; with close to 500,000 members &#8212; they have been busy discussing the issue, with moms of young fans saying they are shielding their little ones from the themes of sex and violence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
‘Taylor Tots’ moms can’t shake off Taylor Swift’s dirty lyrics, mature themes on ‘TTPD’: ‘Definitely got some darkness’ <a href="https://t.co/JI1kr4PE0c">https://t.co/JI1kr4PE0c</a> <a href="https://t.co/oIsuMsfKkV">pic.twitter.com/oIsuMsfKkV</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1782258309975732589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
“I feel bad for all the Taylor Tots because most parents are not going to deem this album appropriate,” member Crystal Barkley <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2254218764714763/search/?q=I%20feel%20bad%20for%20all%20the%20Taylor%20Tots">wrote</a> in a recent post that garnered a lot of attention.
“This album is definitely NOT suitable for kids,” Tana Hancock replied.
“It’s called ‘tortured poets’ who thought this would be a kid-oriented album?” Stephanie DeVaughn added.
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Another wrote, “Taylor isn’t for the little girls anymore, she grew up and so did we and we’re here for it and we love it.”
The back and forth continued with one mom arguing, “But that’s so hard to explain to her younger fans who love her so much. I have a 10 year old.”
Another mom wrote that she “already texted” her “daughter and said I have to go through it again and figure out what she can and can’t listen to.”
Some parents said they were less worried about the “curse words&#8221; than they were about the harm and violence.
Casey McDonald Smith wrote that it was the “self-harm, violence, and death talk” she’s “not feeling comfy with at this second.”
“I’m going to sleep on it and give it a few more listens before I decide how I’m going to approach it with my 9 year old,” another mom added.
While Kilee Herlin admited she’s not sure it’s right for kids.
“I have been debating this myself,” Herlin wrote. “Not because of swears, but just because of the deep, mature feelings. It’s definitely got some darkness.”

Taylor Swift

‘NOT Suitable For Kids’: Moms Of Young Taylor Swift Fans Upset About New Album’s Many Explicit Songs

‘NOT Suitable For Kids’: Moms Of Young Taylor Swift Fans Upset About New Album's Many Explicit Songs

Motherhood

Daily Wire host Matt Walsh said Taylor Swift is “not a positive influence” while he and talk show host Piers Morgan debated the superstar’s dominance in the culture.
On Tuesday&#8217;s edition of “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs3UbPAIptI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Piers Morgan Uncensored</a>,” Morgan and the host of “The Matt Walsh Show” podcast talked about Swift’s “brand of feminism,” with Morgan praising the singer as an “incredibly gifted singer-songwriter” who’s now more famous than the Beatles.
Walsh admitted he’s not “exactly a Taylor Swift scholar,” and said these days the “Blank Space” hitmaker is “one of the most famous people in the world” and the “most powerful, influential pop star by a mile.”
“There are many pop stars that are far more objectionable than her, and far more vulgar and objectionable,” the Daily Wire host explained. “I think, for the most part, what you get from Taylor Swift, it’s not good…it’s just kind of vapid and shallow and silly.”
“The most relevant criticism of her is that she’s 34,” he added “She’s a 34-year-old woman still singing about her high school-level relationship problems. So, this appears to be a 34-year-old woman who hasn’t grown up much. And hasn’t grown as a person or an artist.
Walsh noted how Swift even has a song on her new album The Tortured Poets Department, called “So High School,” where he said she’s “actually comparing her current relationships to being in high school.”
“So, this is someone kind of in a state of arrested development,” he added. “And I think that there are a lot of people in the West who struggle with that same condition. So, she’s not a positive influence as far as that goes.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“Generally, I think there are many pop stars that are far more vulgar and objectionable than her … but she is someone who is in a kind of a state of arrested development.”<a href="https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MattWalshBlog</a> discussing Taylor Swift with <a href="https://twitter.com/piersmorgan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@piersmorgan</a>. <a href="https://t.co/tcnsO19Dpl">pic.twitter.com/tcnsO19Dpl</a>
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1782853726593773848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Morgan disagreed with the Daily Wire host and said that the “best stuff” from “all great singer/songwriters” comes from “the negative stuff in their life.”
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Walsh clarified that he doesn’t see anything wrong with artists talking about “negative” things in their lives, but suggested what Swift was doing was different.
“She doesn’t appear to be saying anything interesting or insightful about it [the struggles and sorrows in her life],” Walsh said. “If there is a Swift song out there where she offered some real, beautiful, poetic insight to any of these issues I haven’t heard it.”
“I would love to hear what it is,” he added. “But from what I hear, it’s just the same thing over and over again, and that’s part of the problem.”
Morgan also asked Walsh about his new comedy court drama series “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/judged-by-matt-walsh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JUDGED by Matt Walsh</a>,” which is now streaming on DailyWire+.
“It’s a very serious legal courtroom show,” Walsh said. “This is a place where we take on very serious cases, and as I’ve christened myself, I am now America’s — if not foremost legal authority — at least foremost legal expert.”

Matt Walsh/Piers Morgan/Taylor Swift

‘Not A Positive Influence’: Matt Walsh, Piers Morgan Debate Taylor Swift’s Cultural Dominance

'Not A Positive Influence': Matt Walsh, Piers Morgan Debate Taylor Swift's Cultural Dominance

Matt Walsh

Piers Morgan

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet certainly has a way with words — and he did not mince any when he delivered a blistering takedown of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dei" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion</a> (DEI) standards that now limit him and others who share his profession.
Mamet made the comments during an <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2024-04-21/david-mamet-hollywood-diversity-dei-initiatives-festival-of-books" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Los Angeles Times deputy entertainment editor Matt Brennan and the outlet&#8217;s Festival of Books — hosted by University of Southern California — where he was promoting his memoir, &#8220;Everywhere an Oink, Oink.&#8221;
&#8220;DEI is garbage. It’s fascist totalitarianism,&#8221; Mamet told Brennan. His memoir, which was published last fall, tells his life story in a series of anecdotes — and follows his political metamorphosis as well. Mamet refers to himself as a &#8220;red diaper baby,&#8221; the child of two communists — and details how he made the journey from the far Left to his current position: supporting former President Donald Trump.
The award-winning playwright and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000519/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">screenwriter</a> — whose works include &#8220;Glengarry Glen Ross,&#8221; &#8220;The Untouchables,&#8221; and &#8220;Hannibal&#8221; — also took issue with the new &#8220;inclusion standards&#8221; that have been implemented by the Academy of Motion Pictures, noting that for films to even be considered for awards, they had to check certain boxes according to DEI standards.
&#8220;I can’t give you a stupid f***ing statue unless you have 7% of this, 8% of that,&#8221; Mamet complained. &#8220;It’s intrusive.&#8221;
He did not spare the feelings of those charged with implementing the new standards either, referring to them in his memoir as &#8220;diversity capos&#8221; and &#8220;diversity commissars.&#8221;
Mamet conceded that Hollywood had long been a place where discrimination had thrived — but argued that the executives dictating the new rules were better suited to &#8220;selling popcorn&#8221; than to creating a less restrictive environment.
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&#8220;The [film industry] has little business improving everybody’s racial understanding as does the fire department,&#8221; he said.
Despite his long career in Hollywood, Mamet said that he&#8217;s been shuffled off the main stage in recent years — but he did not blame the shift in his political views for that. Instead, he said that his age was the likely culprit — and younger directors preferred to work with people closer to their own age.
&#8220;Nobody’s going to pay me a lot of money anymore. Nobody’s going to let me have a lot of fun,&#8221; he said.

2024 Los Angeles Times Festival Of Books

‘DEI Is Garbage’: Pulitzer Prize Winner Delivers Scathing Takedown Of Woke Hollywood

'DEI Is Garbage': Pulitzer Prize Winner Delivers Scathing Takedown Of Woke Hollywood

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Oscars

Woke Culture

“Monty Python” alumnus <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/monty-python-alum-john-cleese-slams-wokes-and-the-current-thrill-of-being-offended">John Cleese</a> blasted the current cancel culture and said when a person sets &#8220;out to get someone fired … that&#8217;s very totalitarian.&#8221;
Speaking to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfDBTpAzV4U">Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression group’s</a> Greg Lukianoff, the host asked the legendary comedian about the evolution of cancel culture, from when audiences freaked out over topics in his 1979 film “The Life of Brian” to now. 
“What I experienced [then] was people who were upset and offended by things,” the 84-year-old comedian said. “And once or twice, I’ve done things that afterwards I felt that I’ve crossed the line and thought I shouldn’t have done that. But people would get upset and complain to the BBC or something like that.”
“Or they might get up and walk out of the show,” he added. “The thing about Cancel Culture is, it seems to be very organized. And it’s not just protest. It’s trying to get people fired. I don’t mind people protesting, that’s fine. But if you set out to get someone fired … that’s very totalitarian.”
“The enemy of creativity is interruption,” Cleese continued. “And interruptions can come from inside, as well as outside. And if the moment you think of something you think, ‘Ooh, will that offend someone?,’ you’ve interrupted yourself and it will stop the creative flow.”
The “A Fish Called Wanda” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/monty-python-alum-goes-viral-after-tweeting-about-unfair-advantage-biological-men-have-in-womens-sports">star</a> said “all moments” in his life “that have been important in forming” his personality &#8220;came when I suddenly had a realization that something I believed wasn’t the case.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
John Cleese on Cancel Culture: An ‘Organized … Totalitarian’ Movement <a href="https://t.co/HHPkkaIEGU">https://t.co/HHPkkaIEGU</a>
— MRC NewsBusters (@newsbusters) <a href="https://twitter.com/newsbusters/status/1782088168923160972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
He said none of that would’ve happened if he had to deal with people around him “saying you mustn’t think like that.” Cleese said that you’ve got to “ignore the people who are trying to stop you from learning something new.”
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“A lot of people are very frightened of getting fired, and that’s awful, getting fired,” he added. “There’s good and bad in all of us, and the moment you think you’re more perfect than you are, then that’s trouble. … And that’s why all this virtue signaling is so foolish now … they also need to know they have a nasty streak, too, because we all have.”
The famed British comedian has been very outspoken in the past about cancel culture, labeling the “wokes” the new “authoritarians,” as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beware-the-wokes-monty-python-alum-defends-new-show-tackling-cancel-culture-and-new-authoritarians">previously reported</a>.
“Like all people who believe that are purer than they actually are, they are authoritarians,” Cleese previously <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnCleese/status/1579397566655262720?s=20&amp;t=uUR-qN7yGJAx40uWiVuwFA">tweeted</a>. “Which is why all the best comedians make fun of them.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beware-the-wokes-monty-python-alum-defends-new-show-tackling-cancel-culture-and-new-authoritarians">&#8216;Beware The &#8216;Wokes&#8221; : &#8216;Monty Python&#8217; Alum Defends New Show Tackling &#8216;Cancel Culture&#8217; And New &#8216;Authoritarians&#8217;</a>

Pendulum Summit In Dublin – Day 2

‘Totalitarian’: ‘Monty Python’ Star John Cleese Blasts Cancel Culture

‘Totalitarian’: 'Monty Python’ Star John Cleese Blasts Cancel Culture

Cancel Culture

Comedy

John Cleese

Wokeness

World

Television host Mike Rowe unloaded on the anti-Semitic protesters that have swarmed Ivy League college campuses like Columbia University and Yale, saying that he hadn&#8217;t seen any reports of trade-school students &#8220;calling for the extermination of Jews.&#8221;
Rowe shared his thoughts in a lengthy X post, arguing that parents dismayed by what they saw on college campuses should consider throwing their support and funding into programs like his mikeroweWORKS Foundation instead.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
For a guy who runs a foundation that sends young people to trade schools all over America – trade schools where I’m pleased to report, no one is calling for the extermination of Jews – today’s headlines are once again offering another excellent reason to consider redirecting…
&mdash; The Real Mike Rowe (@mikeroweworks) <a href="https://twitter.com/mikeroweworks/status/1782515467556696120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;For a guy who runs a foundation that sends young people to trade schools all over America – trade schools where I’m pleased to report, no one is calling for the extermination of Jews – today’s headlines are once again offering another excellent reason to consider redirecting whatever financial support you might earmark for the Ivy League, to the mikeroweWORKS Foundation,&#8221; Rowe began. &#8220;Why? Because the Ivy League has truly lost its mind.&#8221;
Rowe went on to mention the chaotic scene at Columbia — where &#8220;a noisy rabble of thugs and bullies calling for the eradication of Israel&#8221; had forced the university president to implement <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/columbia-university-moves-to-remote-learning-as-campus-rancor-puts-jewish-students-on-edge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remote learning</a> to keep Jewish students safe.
&#8220;If I had a kid at Columbia, I’d be livid,&#8221; Rowe continued. &#8220;It’s simply mind-boggling that the president of this university would rather consign her students to another crucible of remote learning, than permanently expel the protesters. I mean, seriously, what does it take to get expelled from Columbia?&#8221;
Rowe went on to quote several of the Jewish students who said they had been berated by protesters. &#8220;&#8216;They yelled at us to go back to Poland, said we have no culture, and chanted, Strike, strike Tel Aviv,&#8217; said one terrified student,&#8221; Rowe quoted. &#8220;Followed by, &#8216;Burn Tel Aviv to the ground,&#8217; &#8216;Go Hamas, we love you, we support your rockets, too.'&#8221;
&#8220;In a now-infamous image, one demonstrator appeared before a group of counter-protesters holding Israeli and American flags with a sign pointing in their direction that read, &#8216;Al-Qasam’s next targets.&#8217; That’s what you get for $68,000 a year at Columbia – an administration who cowers in the face of thugs and bullies, and a university president who would rather make your kids try to learn off campus, than take a truly hard line with those students calling for the murder of Jews,&#8221; Rowe continued. &#8220;For the love of God, expel them. Calling for murder is not protected speech.&#8221;
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Rowe then pivoted back to his own foundation, which provides scholarships for &#8220;hardworking men and women who will keep the lights on, water running, and air flowing — people who will show up early, stay late, and bust their asses to get the job done.&#8221;
&#8220;In the meantime, mikeroweWORKS is accepting applications for our next round of work ethic scholarships. Deadline is the end of the month,&#8221; Rowe concluded. &#8220;It’s worth noting that the careers we’re training people for cannot be taught, or preformed, remotely. It’s also worth mentioning that we accept donations year-round and spend the money we take in with great discretion. You can apply for a scholarship, or donate, at <a href="http://www.mikeroweworks.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mikeroweWORKS.org</a>.&#8221;

Celebrities Visit Build – February 5, 2019

Mike Rowe Unloads On Anti-Semitic Protests: ‘The Ivy League Has Truly Lost Its Mind’

Mike Rowe Unloads On Anti-Semitic Protests: 'The Ivy League Has Truly Lost Its Mind'

Anti-Semitism

Hamas

Israel

Mike Rowe

Protests

Comedian <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jerry-seinfeld">Jerry Seinfeld</a> said he believes the movie industry no longer has the cultural sway it once did.
The 69-year-old shared his thoughts during a newly published interview with <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/jerry-seinfeld-gq-hype">GQ</a>. Despite his feelings about the industry, Seinfeld is currently promoting his new Netflix <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">film,</a> “Unfrosted,” about the rivalry between cereal brands Kellogg&#8217;s and Post. Seinfeld wrote and directed the comedy film and has a starring role.
“It was totally new to me. I thought I had done some cool stuff, but it was nothing like the way these people work,” Seinfeld said of getting into the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">movie industry</a> after so many years of focusing on other entertainment endeavors. “They’re so dead serious! They don’t have any idea that the movie business is over. They have no idea.”
“Film doesn’t occupy the pinnacle in the social, cultural hierarchy that it did for most of our lives,” he continued. “When a movie came out, if it was good, we all went to see it. We all discussed it. We quoted lines and scenes we liked. Now we’re walking through a fire hose of water, just trying to see.”
The interviewer followed up by asking what has replaced movies in the culture. “Depression? Malaise? I would say confusion. Disorientation replaced the movie business,” he answered. “Everyone I know in show business, every day, is going, ‘What’s going on? How do you do this? What are we supposed to do now?&#8217;”
Seinfeld next compared the film industry to comedy.
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“I’ve done enough stuff that I have my own thing, which is more valuable than it’s ever been,” the comedian went on. “Stand-up is like you’re a cabinetmaker, and everybody needs a guy who’s good with wood. … There’s trees everywhere, but to make a nice table, it’s not so easy. So, the metaphor is that if you have good craft and craftsmanship, you’re kind of impervious to the whims of the industry.”
“Audiences are now flocking to stand-up because it’s something you can’t fake,” he added. “It’s like platform diving. You could say you’re a platform diver, but in two seconds we can see if you are or you aren’t. That’s what people like about stand-up. They can trust it. Everything else is fake.”
&#8220;Unfrosted&#8221; debuts on Netflix May 3.
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Jerry Seinfeld

Jerry Seinfeld Says ‘The Movie Business Is Over,’ Claims It’s Been Replaced By ‘Confusion’

Jerry Seinfeld Says 'The Movie Business Is Over,' Claims It's Been Replaced By 'Confusion'

Netflix

“Interstellar” actress <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities">Anne Hathaway</a> recalled one method used while casting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">romantic comedies</a> in the early 2000s which involved her kissing up to ten potential co-stars in one day.
The 41-year-old described the process during a recent <a href="https://vmagazine.com/article/v148-anne-hathaway-is-entering-mother-status/">interview</a> with V Magazine.
“Back in the 2000s — and this did happen to me — it was considered normal to ask an actor to make out with other actors to test for chemistry. Which is actually the worst way to do it,” Hathaway recalled.
She continued, “I was told, ‘We have ten guys coming today and you’re cast. Aren’t you excited to make out with all of them?’ And I thought, ‘Is there something wrong with me?’ because I wasn’t excited. I thought it sounded gross. And I was so young and terribly aware how easy it was to lose everything by being labeled ‘difficult,’ so I just pretended I was excited and got on with it.”
“It wasn’t a power play, no one was trying to be awful or hurt me. It was just a very different time and now we know better,” Hathaway added.
The actress is best known for her work after her big break as the lead in Disney’s “The Princess Diaries” in 2001. She went on to work on several other projects, including several romantic comedies such as “Ella Enchanted” (2004), “Bride Wars” (2009), “Valentine&#8217;s Day” (2010), and “Love &amp; Other Drugs” (2010).
Hathaway took home the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2013 for her role in the film version of “Les Misérables.” 
The actress is currently promoting a new romantic comedy she’s starring in, “The Idea of You.” She said she had not been offered those types of parts for several years. 
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&#8220;I didn&#8217;t notice that it was happening,&#8221; Hathaway <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/anne-hathaway-stopped-offered-rom-coms-roles-1892522">said</a> during a press conference over the weekend, per <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/anne-hathaway-stopped-offered-rom-coms-roles-1892522">Newsweek</a>. &#8220;I received a lot of romantic scripts in my 20s, and then in my 30s, I was so focused on my family life and motherhood and trying to find whatever my path was going to be. I didn&#8217;t notice I hadn&#8217;t been sent a script in a long time.&#8221;
She continued, &#8220;A part of me was asking the question, &#8216;Where have these stories gone? Why did they stop?&#8217; These questions, I saw all of these fantastic answers to them in the script and the story, and I just thought, &#8216;Wow, what an unbelievable sort of meta exploration.'&#8221;

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway Says She Was Asked To ‘Make Out’ With 10 Potential Co-Stars In 1 Day ‘To Test For Chemistry’

Anne Hathaway Says She Was Asked To 'Make Out' With 10 Potential Co-Stars In 1 Day 'To Test For Chemistry'

Kissing

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