Harvey Weinstein was back in a Manhattan courtroom on Thursday morning to assess where he stands in his legal battles as another trial looms on charges of third-degree rape.
The charge stems from an allegation made by Jessica Mann, a former aspiring actress, who claimed Weinstein raped her at a New York hotel in March 2013. Weinstein has denied that claim.
Weinstein&#8217;s lawyer Arthur Aidala told Judge Curtis Farber that the 73-year-old is considering pleading guilty to that rape charge to avoid another trial, reports <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/harvey-weinstein-considering-guilty-plea-ahead-third-sex-assault-trial-rcna253040">NBC News</a>. The trial would begin on March 3 if Weinstein can&#8217;t reach a plea deal, and Mann would likely testify against the disgraced Hollywood mogul again.
“I understand that your client wants additional time to think about it,” Farber told Weinstein’s lawyer in the courtroom Thursday.
At the end of the hearing, Weinstein, who appeared frail in a wheelchair, spoke directly to the judge, admitting no wrongdoing. “I admit my moral failings, I was unfaithful and acted wrongly,&#8221; Weinstein said. &#8220;But I have never assaulted anyone.&#8221;
Weinstein was found guilty of third-degree rape of Mann in early 2020, but that ruling was overturned in 2024 by a New York state appeals court. Weinstein was then retried on the same case last year, but the jury failed to reach a verdict.
However, the jury did find Weinstein guilty of a first-degree criminal sexual act based on the claims made by a production assistant on the Weinstein-produced &#8220;Project Runway.&#8221; Miriam Haley said Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her in 2006.
The mogul was acquitted of criminal sexual assault against former model Kaja Sokola.
Judge Farber threw out Weinstein&#8217;s request for a new trial in the Haley case after the defense claimed two jurors said they were pressured to convict Weinstein. The judge said, &#8220;The Court&#8217;s response to the jurors&#8217; complaints appropriately balanced the competing interests of investigating the allegations while avoiding any unnecessary taint of the deliberating jury,&#8221; per <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/harvey-weinstein-critical-hearing-grant-new-trial/story?id=129014006">ABC News</a>.
Thursday&#8217;s appearance addressed Weinstein&#8217;s web of cases. Now, he will remain in custody at Rikers Island in New York City as he weighs his options regarding entering a guilty plea to the rape charges involving Mann.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deadlocked-jury-throws-harvey-weinstein-retrial-into-chaos-after-partial-verdict?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Deadlocked+Jury+Throws+Harvey+Weinstein+Retrial+Into+Chaos+After+Partial+Verdict">Deadlocked Jury Throws Harvey Weinstein Retrial Into Chaos After Partial Verdict</a>

Credit: Steven Hirsch-Pool via Getty Images

New Trial Denied As Harvey Weinstein Considers Guilty Plea In Separate Rape Case

Celebrities

Courts

Harvey Weinstein

Hollywood

Movies

U.S.

Reality star Spencer Pratt announced that he will be running for mayor of Los Angeles on the one-year anniversary of the Palisades Fire.
The Republican and former star of “The Hills” has been critical of local Democrats for their actions before and after the fires. Pratt and his wife, Heidi Montag, and his parents all lost their homes.
The TV personality made the announcement while speaking at the “They Let Us Burn” rally, which was organized by residents who lost property. “All of this was preventable,” he said. “We are standing here amongst the ashes of our once beautiful town because the state and local leaders let us burn.”
Pratt blamed California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom for allowing brush to grow wild without management or controlled burns. He also called out the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power CEO Janisse Quiñones and the Los Angeles Fire Department for their poor responses, saying the LAFD’s failure could “be due to lack of budget, lack of knowledge, or simply DEI.” 
Pratt said the fires changed the way he viewed the world and motivated him to strive for change. “This isn’t just a political failure, it’s a moral one.” 
“The system in Los Angeles isn’t struggling; it’s fundamentally broken. It is a machine designed to protect the people at the top and the friends they exchange favors with while the rest of us drown in toxic smoke and ash,” Pratt continued.
“Business as usual is a death sentence for Los Angeles and I&#8217;m done waiting for someone to take real action. That&#8217;s why I am running for mayor.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It’s official. I’m running for Mayor of LA. I’ve waited a whole year for someone to step up and challenge Karen Bass, but I saw no fighters. Guess I’m gonna have to do this myself.
Let’s make LA camera ready again! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MayorPratt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MayorPratt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrattForMayor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrattForMayor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpencerPrattForMayor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpencerPrattForMayor</a> <a href="https://t.co/akXG8Jd7H3">pic.twitter.com/akXG8Jd7H3</a>
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) <a href="https://twitter.com/spencerpratt/status/2009143254684717067?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
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“Let me be clear, this just isn&#8217;t a campaign. This is a mission, and we are going to expose the system. We are going into every dark corner of LA politics and disinfecting the city with our light. And when we are done, LA is going to be camera-ready again,” Pratt concluded.
Pratt is a first-time candidate facing more than a dozen other contenders for the nonpartisan mayoral primary in June, including current Los Angeles Democratic Mayor Karen Bass, who is seeking re-election. Pratt’s campaign website describes him as “Karen Bass’ worst nightmare.” 
Pratt <a href="https://x.com/RichardGrenell/status/2009005532888355283">received an endorsement</a> from Richard Grenell, the interim head of the Kennedy Center, who also runs the group Fix California.
“Transparency is what we need. Spencer has the passion and the drive to make positive change for Los Angeles,” Grenell posted on X.

Spencer Pratt

Reality Star Spencer Pratt Is Running For Mayor Of Los Angeles

Reality Star Spencer Pratt Announces He's Running For Mayor Of Los Angeles

Entertainment

Los Angeles

Mayor

Wildfires

Comedian Nikki Glaser, who is hosting the Golden Globes again this year, said the audience would be too clueless to understand jokes about the situation in Venezuela.
The stand-up performer has given several interviews about how she plans to approach her monologue after receiving generally positive reviews last year. Glaser said she’s been trying out jokes in local bars and has noticed that bits about current events aren&#8217;t landing.
“You can’t even anticipate things a week away as being relevant enough,” she said during an<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-glaser-golden-globes-host-interview-jokes-c7f0a605e1b06b92447cd213a5fd619e"> interview</a> with the Associated Press. “You’d be surprised that half the room had no clue why I was saying ‘Venezuela.’ People aren’t getting the news like we all are.”
The comedian also said she plans to avoid roasting a particular celebrity due to poor reception.
&#8220;I&#8217;m trying out my monologue around L.A. at the clubs here and just even any joke about Julia Roberts, they are not there for,&#8221; she told Gayle King during an<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/comedian-nikki-glaser-host-golden-globes/"> interview</a> on CBS. &#8220;You cannot make fun of America&#8217;s sweetheart. Whatever I end up saying about her, that is the most fine-tuned joke that I&#8217;ve worked on so hard, because it is very delicate.&#8221;
&#8220;I mean, they were booing, and I was like, ‘Is she here?’&#8221; Glaser said. &#8220;It&#8217;s insane.&#8221;
Roberts is up for Best Actress in a Drama for her leading role in “After the Hunt.”
“I’ve been running the jokes constantly,” she told the AP. “I live and die by those crowds. They really tell me what to keep and what not to. Things that I think will kill will just be nothing and things that I think are just a throwaway are like the best joke.”
Glaser revealed one joke she ditched.
“I was going to make a joke about ‘Pluribus’ where I said like, ‘Have you seen it? Pluribly not.’ But we could not find a place for ‘pluribly not’ and so that one is in the graveyard. Probably rightfully so.”
As for her overall strategy for hosting the Golden Globes, Glaser said she wants it to be entertaining and edgy without offending anyone. 
&#8220;You have to be very delicate about making jokes that aren&#8217;t going to ruin anyone&#8217;s night, but you also want to give the people at home something to laugh at, and you want to poke fun at the people that they&#8217;re dying for you to make fun of,&#8221; she told King. &#8220;Like people at home want you to make fun of the A-listers.&#8221;
&#8220;They want you to make them feel a little bit uncomfortable,&#8221; Glaser said. &#8220;So, it&#8217;s covert in the sense that I want to get away with those jokes without just ruining the vibe in the room. So, it&#8217;s really strategic, and it&#8217;s one of the most difficult jobs I&#8217;ve ever had is picking the perfect jokes.&#8221;
The 2026 Golden Globes will air live on Sunday, January 11, from 8-11 p.m. ET / 5-8 p.m. PT on CBS. The broadcast will also be available to stream on Paramount+.

Nikki Glaser

Golden Globes Host Nikki Glaser Says Audience Too Clueless For Venezuela Jokes

comedian

Golden Globes

Television

Actor Mickey Rourke said a GoFundMe created on his behalf was &#8220;humiliating&#8221; and that it had been set up without his knowledge. 
The 73-year-old actor shared a video on his Instagram account on Monday, expressing his feelings about the campaign to help him avoid eviction, which has raised more than its $100,000 goal as of Tuesday morning.
Rourke said he was &#8220;frustrated” and &#8220;confused&#8221; over the fundraiser and insisted it was done without his approval. &#8220;That&#8217;s not me, okay?&#8221; the Golden Globe winner said. &#8220;If I needed money, I wouldn&#8217;t ask for no f***ing charity. I&#8217;d rather stick a gun up my a** and pull the trigger.&#8221;
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&#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t know what a GoFundMe foundation is in a million years. My life is very simple, I wouldn&#8217;t go to outside sources like that,” he added. Rourke also called the <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-mickey-to-prevent-eviction">fundraising campaign</a> “embarrassing” and said, &#8220;There&#8217;s only one person I can think of that would do such a thing, and I hope it&#8217;s not the person I&#8217;m thinking about. It&#8217;s humiliating.&#8221;
In the video, Rourke acknowledged borrowing money from a friend when he needed it, but said he would &#8220;never ask strangers or fans or anybody for a nickel. That&#8217;s not my style.&#8221; He also urged fans not to give any money, and if they already had donated, to &#8220;get it back.&#8221;
The actor said he knew how much was raised and reiterated that he didn&#8217;t want it. &#8220;Get your money back, please,&#8221; he repeated during the video message to fans.
Rourke also admitted that he did a “terrible job” managing his career.
&#8220;I wasn&#8217;t diplomatic. I had to go to over 20 years of therapy to get over the damage that was done to me years ago. I worked very hard to work through that. I&#8217;m not that person anymore.&#8221;
The campaign was apparently started by a woman named Liya-Joelle Jones, who claimed to be the assistant to Rourke’s manager, Kimberly Hines. The GoFundMe description said it was &#8220;created with Mickey’s full permission.&#8221;
The actor was reportedly served notice in December to pay $60,000 in back rent or vacate the premises. According to TMZ, Rourke was seen checking into a West Hollywood hotel with his dog on Sunday.
Rourke’s Hollywood career stalled after a stint in boxing, but he staged a comeback with “The Wrestler” (2008). 
That role earned him the Golden Globe Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor, as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He went on to appear in major Hollywood movies, including “Iron Man 2” (2010), “The Expendables” (2010), and “Immortals” (2011) before moving on to independent and direct-to-TV films.

Mickey Rourke

Mickey Rourke Slams ‘Humiliating’ GoFundMe Launched On His Behalf

Mickey Rourke Slams 'Humiliating' GoFundMe Launched On His Behalf

GoFundMe

Actor Mickey Rourke approved the launch of a GoFundMe over the weekend to help prevent him from being evicted from his Los Angeles home.
The 73-year-old was reportedly served notice in December to pay $60,000 in back rent or vacate the premises. The fundraiser is titled “Help Mickey Rourke Stay in His Home” and has raised $71,506 as of Monday morning with a goal of $100,000. It was created with Rourke’s permission by his manager&#8217;s assistant and will be used for the actor’s “immediate needs and expenses.”
“Mickey Rourke entered American cinema like a force of nature—raw, fearless, and utterly original,” the GoFundMe <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-mickey-to-prevent-eviction">page</a> says. “In the late 1970s and 1980s, he wasn’t just a movie star; he was a symbol of something rare: danger paired with vulnerability, toughness paired with heart. From ‘Diner’ to ‘Rumble Fish’ to ‘9½ Weeks,’ Mickey gave audiences performances that felt lived-in, not performed, and left a permanent mark on American film culture.”
The page says Rourke has “lasting physical and emotional scars” from when he left acting for professional boxing and goes on to say he was abandoned by “the industry that once celebrated him.&#8221;
“Mickey Rourke is an icon—but his trajectory, as painful as it is, is also a deeply human one. It is the story of someone who gave everything to his work, took real risks, and paid real costs. Fame does not protect against hardship, and talent does not guarantee stability,” the page says. 
“What remains is a person who deserves dignity, housing, and the chance to regain his footing. The goal is simple: to give Mickey stability and peace of mind during an extremely stressful time—so he can stay in his home and have the space to get back on his feet. Any donation, no matter the size, will make a real difference.”
<a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/01/05/mickey-rourke-checks-into-hotel-amid-eviction-threat/">According</a> to TMZ, Rourke was seen checking into a West Hollywood hotel with his dog on Sunday.
Rourke&#8217;s Hollywood career stalled after his stint in boxing, but he staged a comeback with “The Wrestler” (2008). 
That role earned him the Golden Globe Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor, as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He went on to appear in major Hollywood movies, including “Iron Man 2” (2010), “The Expendables” (2010), and “Immortals” (2011) before moving on to independent and direct-to-TV films.

Mickey Rourke Turns To GoFundMe To Prevent Eviction From L.A. Home

Victoria Jones, the 34-year-old daughter of actor Tommy Lee Jones, was discovered dead in a San Francisco hotel room in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day, according to multiple reports.
TMZ originally broke the story, <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/01/01/tommy-lee-jones-daughter-victoria-dead/">noting</a> that local law enforcement responded to a medical emergency at the upscale Fairmont San Francisco just before 3 a.m. local time. 
The San Francisco Police Department confirmed that officers responded to the call on Thursday and that paramedics declared an unnamed adult female dead. NBC Bay Area reported that the cause of death is unknown, but <a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/woman-found-dead-sf-hotel/4006464/">noted</a> that foul play is not suspected.
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Victoria was the daughter of the “No Country for Old Men” star and his first wife, Kimberlea Cloughley. Her brother, Austin, is 43.
She dabbled in acting when she was younger, appearing alongside her father in the popular “Men in Black II” (2002). In 2005, Victoria appeared in “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada,” which Jones directed. She had a guest appearance on one episode of the teen drama series “One Tree Hill” in 2003.
According to the New York Post, Victoria was <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/02/entertainment/guest-who-discovered-tommy-lee-jones-daughters-lifeless-body-thought-she-was-drunk-as-mystery-around-her-death-deepens/">arrested</a> three times in the past year for various offenses, including obstructing a peace officer, being under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of a narcotic controlled substance, domestic battery, and domestic violence/elder abuse charges. Court records show she pleaded not guilty to all of those charges.
Jones is an Oscar-winning actor who got his start in the 1960s and became a big-time player in the 1990s after winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in “The Fugitive” (1993). He has also appeared in other profile projects, including “JFK” (1991), the “Men in Black” franchise, “Natural Born Killers (1994), “No Country for Old Men” (2007), and Lincoln (2012), which also earned him an Oscar nomination.
The actor also earned an Emmy Award for his role as executed murderer Gary Gilmore in “The Executioner&#8217;s Song” (1982).

Tommy Lee Jones Victoria Jones

Tommy Lee Jones’s 34-Year Old Daughter Found Dead In San Francisco Hotel

Tommy Lee Jones's 34-Year Old Daughter Found Dead At San Francisco Hotel

Death

San Francisco

Actor and recording artist Will Smith has been accused of sexual harassment and retaliation by a violinist employed on his most recent tour.
Violinist Brian King Joseph, 32, named both Smith and his company, Treyball Studios Management, in a wrongful termination and retaliation suit filed in California, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15427821/will-smith-sued-sexual-harassment-violinist-brian-king-joseph-played-tour.html">per</a> the Daily Mail.
The suit states that Joseph began performing with Smith in December 2024. Most recently, he joined the rapper on tour to promote his “Based on a True Story” album in 2025. Joseph alleges that Smith told him, “You and I have such a special connection, that I don&#8217;t share with anyone else.”
Joseph claims that on or around March 20, he returned to his hotel room in Las Vegas around 11 p.m. and discovered someone had entered the room without permission and deposited a variety of items including, “wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication with another individual’s name, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork belonging to a person unbeknownst to Plaintiff.”
There was also allegedly a note that said, “Brian, I’ll be back no later 5.30, just us &lt;3, Stone F.”
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Per the suit, Joseph believed that “an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts” with him. The complaint also noted that members of tour management were the only ones with access to the room, and that there were no signs of forced entry.
Joseph stated that he reported the incident to law enforcement, hotel security, and Smith’s management. The violinist said he was subsequently “shamed” by management and had his contract terminated, the outlet noted.
Per court documents, Joseph felt “stress” after being fired, which led to “major physiological damage” including “PTSD and other mental illness as a result of the termination.” He is seeking unknown damages.
Smith’s attorney Allen B. Grodsky <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15427821/will-smith-sued-sexual-harassment-violinist-brian-king-joseph-played-tour.html">denied</a> these allegations in a statement to the Daily Mail. “Mr. Joseph’s allegations concerning my client are false, baseless and reckless,” the statement said. “They are categorically denied, and we will use all legal means available to address these claims and to ensure that the truth is brought to light.”
Joseph became nationally known as one of the top three finalists on the reality competition show “America&#8217;s Got Talent” in 2018. Smith has been attempting a musical comeback with &#8220;Based on a True Story,&#8221; his first album release in two decades.

Will Smith

Will Smith Sued For Sexual Harassment, Retaliation By Tour Violinist

Lawsuit

Music

Sexual Harassment

Legendary investor Warren Buffett on Wednesday worked his final day as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, ending a six-decade run at the helm. Buffett stunned Wall Street in May when he announced plans to step down at the end of the year. While he’s relinquishing the CEO title, the 95-year-old is not entering full retirement. 
Berkshire Hathaway’s board unanimously named Vice Chairman Greg Abel, 63, as Buffett’s successor. Abel, who has been with the company since 2000 and oversees its non-insurance operations, will assume the role of CEO on January 1.
In his <a href="https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/news/nov1025.pdf">final letter</a> to shareholders in November, Buffett voiced strong support for Abel. Buffett also said he plans to retain a significant stake in Berkshire Hathaway until shareholders grow comfortable with Abel’s leadership, adding that the company’s board and his family fully support the transition. He also emphasized that Berkshire would continue to be managed in a way that benefits both shareholders and the country.
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Buffett also expressed confidence in Berkshire Hathaway’s long-term stability, telling shareholders that the company faces “less chance of a devastating disaster than any business I know” and has “a more shareholder-conscious management and board than almost any company with which I am familiar.”
He also offered a characteristically steady warning to investors that market volatility is inevitable, regardless of who is in charge. 
“Our stock price will move capriciously, occasionally falling 50% or so as has happened three times in 60 years under present management,&#8221; said Buffett. &#8220;Don’t despair; America will come back and so will Berkshire shares.”
Abel is stepping into enormous shoes. Over Buffett’s tenure, Berkshire Hathaway’s stock climbed from roughly $19 per share to about $750,000, a gain of nearly 4 million percent. Buffett transformed the company from a struggling textile mill into a $1 trillion conglomerate, marking one of the most successful business turnarounds in American history. 
Buffett’s fascination with business <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/warren-buffett-95-birthday-berkshire-hathaway-stock-investing-025-8#partnerships-old-and-new-4">began early</a>. He bought his first stock, Cities Service Preferred, at age 11. By 22, he was teaching night classes on investing and managing money for family and friends. In 1956, he launched his firm, Buffett Partnership, which grew from $100,000 to $20 million before he took control of Berkshire Hathaway. He began acquiring shares in 1962 and assumed full leadership in 1965.

Squawk Alley

It’s Warren Buffett’s Last Day On The Job After 60 Years As CEO

Business

CEOs

Amanda Nguyen, one of the women aboard the so-called first female space flight, says she experienced depression due to the “tsunami of harassment” following the highly publicized Blue Origin ride.
Besides Nguyen, pop singer Katy Perry, CBS anchor Gayle King, and Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez were among the six women who flew to the edge of space on the Amazon founder’s Blue Origin spacecraft in April. Their flight was touted as historic and important by many major outlets, but critics mocked the circus surrounding the 11-minute space tourism flight.
Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist, said backlash to the flight affected both her career and mental health. The 34-year-old posted about it on her Instagram on Tuesday, describing it as “another dream turned into a nightmare.”
She said the news coverage and social media reactions were “unprecedented,” and argued that even a “small fraction of negativity becomes staggering.” Nguyen also noted that her accomplishment of becoming the first Vietnamese woman in space was “buried under an avalanche of misogyny.”
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“It amounted to billions of hostile impressions,” she wrote, “an onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure.”
“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed. A month later, when a senior staff at Blue [Origin] called me, I had to hang up on him because I could not speak through my tears,” Nguyen went on.
“In my moments of deep grief this year, I reached back out to a familiar place, to her – my survivor self – who found the strength to fight. How horrible that I needed to deploy that skill once again,” she said.
The space flight participant said only recently that the “fog of grief has started to lift.” “Vietnam saved me … You all saved me,” she went on. 
Blue Origin is a private space company founded in 2000 by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The all-female space flight was criticized by social media users and celebrities for being over-promoted for what it turned out to be.
Actress Olivia Munn said as much on an episode of “Today with Jenna and Friends,” as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blue-origin-all-female-crew-including-katy-perry-launches-into-space">reported</a>.
“What’s the point? Is it historic that you guys are going on a ride? I think it’s a bit gluttonous,” Munn said. “Space exploration was to further our knowledge and to help mankind. What are they gonna do up there that has made it better for us down here?”

Amanda Nguyen

Blue Origin ‘Astronaut’ Says Mockery Left Her ‘Depressed’ And ‘Unable To Get Out Of Bed’

Blue Origin 'Astronaut' Says Mockery Left Her 'Depressed' And 'Unable To Get Out Of Bed'

Blue Origin

Jeff Bezos

Outer Space

Space

Women

Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr., best known for appearing in “The Wire” and “Veep,” has died at the age of 71. 
The Hollywood mainstay passed away peacefully at home following a brief illness, per his manager Brian Liebman. 
&#8220;It is with tremendous sadness that I share the passing of my dear friend and client Isiah Whitlock Jr. If you knew him — you loved him,” Liebman <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DS5za6eEdp2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D">posted</a> on Instagram. “A brilliant actor and even better person. May his memory forever be a blessing. Our hearts are so broken. He will be very, very missed.&#8221; 
Whitlock was born in South Bend, Indiana. He got into acting by joining the San Francisco American Conservatory Theater after graduating from college. 
His first important role was on the CBS show “Cagney &amp; Lacey” in 1987. Whitlock spent more than 30 years in Hollywood, appearing in major television franchises, including “Law &amp; Order,&#8221; per <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/12/isiah-whitlock-jr-dead-the-wire-spike-lee-movies-1236658855/">Deadline</a>.
He’s best known for playing the corrupt state senator R. Clayton “Clay” Davis on HBO’s “The Wire.” He also took on the role of George Maddox, U.S. Secretary of Defense, on the popular HBO Max political comedy series, &#8220;Veep&#8221; (2012-2019). 
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The actor had roles in several Spike Lee movies, including &#8220;25th Hour&#8221; (2002), &#8220;She Hate Me&#8221; (2004), &#8220;Red Hook Summer&#8221; (2012), &#8220;Chi-Raq&#8221; (2015), &#8220;BlacKkKlansman&#8221; (2018), and &#8220;Da 5 Bloods&#8221; (2020). 
It was in “25th Hour” that Whitlock’s popular catchphrase, an elongated pronunciation of the word “sh**” that sounds like, “sheeeeeeeeit,” was born. 
Whitlock said hearing fans mimic his performance made him happy.
“I did it there, and I did it in ‘She Hate Me,’” the actor said during a 2008 interview. “But then, when I got on to ‘The Wire,’ I saw a couple of opportunities where I could do it, and I did. And they started writing it in.”
&#8220;I was in, I think, Grand Central Station and far away I heard someone say it and they’d be kind of smiling. I’m glad people enjoy it,” he added.
Whitlock&#8217;s last role was on the Netflix series &#8220;The Residence,&#8221; which debuted in March of this year. He has a voice role in the upcoming Pixar film “Hoppers.”

Isiah Whitlock

Isiah Whitlock Jr., Actor In ‘The Wire’ And ‘Veep,’ Dies At Age 71

actor

Singer Chappell Roan backtracked on offering condolences for deceased French film actress Brigitte Bardot after finding out she had conservative views. 
Bardot passed away on Sunday at the age of 91, prompting Roan to share on her Instagram stories, “Rest in peace Ms. Bardot. She was my inspiration for red wine supernova.” 
However, her sorrow was short-lived. The 27-year-old recording artist later deleted the post and explained herself in a follow-up post on Monday. “Holy sh** I did not know all that insane shit Mr. Bardot stood for. I do not condone this. Very disappointing to learn.”
Roan’s song “Red Wine Supernova” mentions the French movie star, with one of the lines saying, “She was a playboy, Brigitte Bardot / She showed me things I didn’t know.”
Per <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/brigitte-bardot-tribute-france-split-far-right-views/">CBS News</a>, the citizens of France were “split” on how to honor the star because of her views. 
Bardot became a breakout star after appearing in the 1956 film &#8220;And God Created Woman.&#8221; Her career flourished after that. She quit the industry in 1973 and became an animal rights activist.
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She was also openly conservative. The outlet noted that she was convicted five times for “hate speech,” including critical comments about Muslims infiltrating France. She <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434193.stm">was fined</a> €15,000 (about $23,000) in 2008 after posting on her website that Muslims were &#8220;destroying our country by imposing their ways.” Multiple outlets also accused her of homophobic and racist rhetoric.
Bardot was also critical of the #MeToo movement, <a href="https://apnews.com/99bc10dfab2047dbb824671f4a9602bf">saying</a> in 2018 she thought it was “charming to be told that I was beautiful or that I had a nice little ass.”
Bardot married Bernard d’Ormale in 1992. He was a former advisor to Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of France’s conservative National Front party.

Chappelle Roan and Brigitte Bardot

Chappell Roan Walks Back Condolences After Brigitte Bardot’s Conservative Views Surface

Chappell Roan Backtracks Condolences For Brigitte Bardot Because Of Her Right Wing Views

France

Marina Zenovich, the director of the upcoming documentary “I’m Chevy Chase, and You’re Not,” said she felt relieved when the actor made a snarky remark early in filming.
Zenovich <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/im-chevy-chase-youre-not-cnn-doc-snl-community-1236618483/">told</a> Variety that she wanted to explore Chase’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/is-chevy-chase-really-that-terrible-either-way-he-doesnt-care">notoriously bad reputation</a> in Hollywood, noting that multiple colleagues have gone on record describing him as mean and hard to work with. She said an early exchange with Chase gave her the opening she was looking for.
At the very beginning of the documentary, Zenovich can be heard off-camera telling Chase, “I’m just trying to figure you out.”
“No sh**. It’s not going to be easy for you,” he replied.
“Why is it not going to be easy?” Zenovich asked.
“You’re not bright enough. How’s that?” Chase said, then smiled. 
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“I’d never done an interview where someone was so rude to me,” Zenovich told Variety, saying she was relieved he behaved that way. “But I was so worried going into that first interview with him about how I was going to say to him, like, ‘Everyone thinks you’re an a**hole.’ I thought if I did, he would throw me out of his house. So the minute he said that to me, I had a way in.”
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“I wanted to figure out who was the real person behind the conflicted, guarded and somewhat fragile man we see on camera,” the director continued. “What was behind the surface of his slightly intimidating superstar bravado? Was there any self-awareness there? Having interviewed Chevy at length, I have to say that yes, it’s all there – and a whole lot of pain and heartache too.”
While many of Chase’s co-stars refused to be interviewed for the documentary, including almost everyone involved in the NBC sitcom “Community,” several shared insights. Zenovich spoke with the actor’s friends and family, as well as celebrities including Mike Ovitz, Dan Aykroyd, Beverly D’Angelo, Goldie Hawn, Lorne Michaels, Ryan Reynolds, and Martin Short.
The documentary airs on CNN on January 1. It explores Chase&#8217;s career, beginning with his breakout role on “Saturday Night Live” and on through three failed marriages and drug addiction.

Chevy Chase

‘You’re Not Bright Enough’: Chevy Chase’s Snark Sets Tone For New Documentary

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