A video featuring “Saturday Night Live” cast member Chloe Fineman jokingly discussing how she was fired as a camp counselor after exposing a young boy&#8217;s genitals appears to have been edited on YouTube following backlash online.
The video in question was posted by Vanity Fair last week. The segment, titled “SNL Cast Test How Well They Know Each Other,” includes cast members quizzing each other about incidents from their past, and opens with Fineman revealing an anecdote from her camp counselor days when she was 16.
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&#8220;I was fired as a camp counselor,&#8221; Fineman said, prompting her castmates to guess the reason, including the suggestion that she “hit on the campers.”
&#8220;I pantsed a boy,&#8221; Fineman said.
“Oh honey. I think you’re on a list somewhere,” Ashley Padilla said in reply in the <a href="https://x.com/TheOnlyDSC/status/2041225730298720468">original version</a>.
Both the original and edited versions include Fineman discussing her reason for pantsing the young child, namely that he allegedly lifted up her shirt after asking for a hug. 
“He was like, 6,” the “SNL” cast member said in the original. The boy’s age did not make it into the edited version.
“No, it was a different time,” she insisted when the other castmates gasped, adding that he was a “d*ck” for lifting her shirt. 
“And then I was like, I’m gonna get back at you,” she explained. “And so we were on a hike, and I was like, ‘Hey Ollie, look over there it’s a hawk,’ and he looked and then I yanked his pants down…&#8221;
“And he wasn’t wearing underpants,” Fineman continued in the original version. The current YouTube video has this part cut out, though it’s still available in clips floating around on social media. 
“He wasn’t wearing underwear. His little dingaling was out. And then these two twins were like, ‘Ollie, I didn’t know you didn’t wear underwear!’”
Both versions end with Fineman concluding, “&#8230;and then I was fired.”
Conde Nast (which owns Vanity Fair) did not immediately return The Daily Wire&#8217;s request for comment.
Social media commenters couldn’t figure out why Fineman would willingly share this type of story. 
“However talented she may be as a comedian (and I have my doubts), I am trying to figure out how someone in Hollywood today could be so tone-deaf, self-absorbed, mean girl, and narcissistic that they would share this story and think everyone would find it cute. It is mind boggling,” one person <a href="https://x.com/hllywoodlandCA/status/2041501203473834293">observed</a>.
“Vanity Fair really tried to sweep chaos under the rug, [editing] out Chloe Fineman’s camp counselor story only made it trend harder, turning what should’ve been a quirky SNL cast segment into a full‑blown PR nightmare where the deleted clip is now the headline,” another <a href="https://x.com/Blizzflix/status/2041317599313871230">agreed</a>.

Chloe Fineman

Vanity Fair Edits ‘SNL’ Comedian’s Story About Pantsing Child

Celebrities

comedian

Entertainment

Saturday Night Live

Vanity Fair

CBS will reportedly replace &#8220;The Late Show with Stephen Colbert&#8221; with a new late-night program block led by comedian Byron Allen.
Beginning May 22, the network will air “Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen” at 11:35 p.m., followed by the comedy game show “Funny You Should Ask” at 12:35 a.m., according to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/cbs-late-show-replacement-byron-allen-comics-unleashed-1236556475/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. The lineup debuts the day after Colbert&#8217;s show airs its final episode on May 21.
Both programs are produced by Allen, who has emphasized a focus on apolitical, family-friendly comedy.
&#8220;I tell the comedians we&#8217;re shooting &#8216;I Love Lucy,'&#8221; Allen <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2025-08-11/byron-allen-comics-unleashed-cbs-late-night">told</a> The Los Angeles Times in 2025 while petitioning to become Colbert’s replacement. &#8220;Something that&#8217;s evergreen. So I don&#8217;t want to hear any political humor. Just be funny, family-friendly, and advertiser-friendly.&#8221;
&#8220;Comics Unleashed&#8221; originally ran in syndication from 2006 to 2016 and later had a brief run on CBS from mid-September 2023 to mid-January 2024, filling the former slot of &#8220;The Late Late Show with James Corden.&#8221; The format features a rotating panel of comedians performing stand-up and engaging in talk show-style banter. 
“I created and launched Comics Unleashed 20 years ago so my fellow comedians could have a platform to do what we all love — make people laugh,” Allen said in a statement, per THR. “I truly appreciate CBS’ confidence in me by picking up our two-hour comedy block of Comics Unleashed and Funny You Should Ask, because the world can never have enough laughter.”
CBS announced last summer that “The Late Show,” which began in 1993, would conclude this year and not be replaced with a traditional late-night format.
“This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount,” the network said at the time.
Colbert followed the announcement with an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anti-trump-late-night-host-stephen-colbert-reveals-date-of-final-show?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Anti-Trump+Late-Night+Host+Stephen+Colbert+Reveals+Date+Of+Final+Show">expletive-laced monologue</a> in which he blasted President Donald Trump and CBS. During the segment, Colbert referenced Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, noting that it paid Trump a $16 million settlement after being accused of election interference.
CBS Entertainment CEO George Cheeks later reiterated that the show had been losing “significant” amounts of money, describing the losses as being in the “tens of millions of dollars.”
“At the end of the day, it just wasn’t sustainable to continue,” Cheeks acknowledged.

Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert’s Replacement Expected To Bring A Different Vibe To Late-Night Slot

Comedy

Television

Rapper Offset, 34, was shot Monday evening in Hollywood, Florida, and is reportedly in stable condition.
The former member of the rap group Migos was shot near the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel &amp; Casino, TMZ <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/04/06/offset-shot-near-florida-casino/">reported</a>. As of Tuesday morning, most details surrounding the incident were not available.
“We can confirm Offset was shot and is currently at the hospital receiving medical care,” Offset’s rep said in a statement to <a href="https://variety.com/2026/music/news/rapper-offset-shot-hospitalized-florida-stable-condition-1236710042/">Variety</a>. “He is stable and being closely monitored.”
The Seminole Police Department confirmed an incident occurred shortly after 7 pm Monday in the valet area outside the casino.
“We are aware of an incident that occurred &#8230; that resulted in non-life-threatening injuries to an individual who was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood,” authorities said in a statement.
“Seminole Police were on site immediately and the situation was contained quickly,” the statement added. “Two individuals have been detained by police. The investigation is ongoing. The site is secure and there is no threat to the public. Operations continue as normal.”
Offset, whose legal name is Kiari Cephus, rose to fame as one of the three members of the rap trio Migos along with Quavo and Takeoff. The group gained widespread recognition with hits including “Bad and Boujee” (2022). 
He is also known for his on-again, off-again relationship with rapper Cardi B. The couple divorced in 2024 and share three children. Offset also has three additional children with other women. 
Takeoff, Offset&#8217;s cousin and fellow Migos member, was shot and killed in 2022 at age 28.
 In an <a href="https://variety.com/2023/music/news/offset-takeoff-death-migos-breakup-solo-album-1235621921/">interview</a> with Variety, Offset reflected on the loss.
“He’s not here. That sh*t feels fake,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I get through my day thinking it’s fake. And I don’t say nothing to nobody about it.”

Offset

Rapper Hospitalized After Casino Shooting

Crime

Florida

Actress Melissa Gilbert gave her first interview since her husband, fellow actor Timothy Busfield, was accused of child sexual abuse. The “Little House on the Prairie” star has made it clear she is standing by her husband amid his legal troubles.
Gilbert explained her stance to George Stephanopoulos on Monday’s episode of “Good Morning America.”
“I know this man in my bones,” she said during the interview. “No one knows him better than I do. I know literally everything about him. Our marriage has had a lot of ups and downs, we’ve been through our struggles, we’ve had our own issues to deal with, and we’ve worked through everything.”
Gilbert added, “He is nothing if not completely honest with me. I trust him with my children’s lives, I trust him with my grandchildren’s lives, my nieces and nephews. He is an honorable, caring, generous human being.”
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Busfield stands accused of sexually assaulting twin boys beginning when they were 7 years old. The actor worked with the child actors, born in 2014, on the set of “The Cleaning Lady,” which aired on Fox from 2022 to 2025. Busfield directed some episodes and was named an executive producer.
One of the boys identified in court documents as “SL” told Albuquerque Police Officer Marvin Brown that Busfield touched his “penis and buttocks, masking it as play” more than once. The alleged abuse is said to have started with the boys when they were 7 years old, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/west-wing-actor-timothy-busfield-turns-himself-in-to-face-child-sex-abuse-charges?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98West+Wing%E2%80%99+Actor+Timothy+Busfield+Turns+Himself+In+To+Face+Child+Sex+Abuse+Charges">reported</a>.
An investigation began in November 2024 when a University of New Mexico Hospital doctor reported his suspicions of sexual abuse and grooming to authorities. Investigators initially didn’t press charges, but the case was reopened in September 2025 when one of the boys reported the alleged abuse to his doctor.
Gilbert told “GMA” that no matter how the trial goes, she believes her life is over and that Busfield’s reputation is forever ruined.
“Our life as we knew it is done. We are grieving what we had. All of our plans, all of our dreams, all of our ideas, all of our projects,” the actress said. “For Tim, it’s done. He’s canceled … even if he’s exonerated, he will always be that guy. The last person in the world who would hurt a child.”
Gilbert also insisted that if she had any inkling that her husband was a predator, she would not forgive him.
“Believe me, if I thought for a second that Tim Busfield hurt a child, he’d have a lot more to worry about than prison,” she said during the same interview.
She said past allegations of sexual misconduct did not faze her prior to their marriage in April 2013. Busfield faced two previous sexual assault allegations in 1994 and 2012, but was never charged.
&#8220;When Tim and I got together, the internet existed. I didn&#8217;t go into my relationship blind. I&#8217;m neither naive nor am I complicit,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I talked to him about it. I asked him questions about it. I heard his side of the story — which nobody has ever heard — which is the truth. And when the time is right, and that is not now, Tim will tell the truth of all of these past allegations when he needs to.&#8221;

Timothy Busfield

‘Little House On The Prairie’ Star Addresses Husband’s Heinous Charges

Child Sex Abuse

U.S.

After a long weekend of union agitator-fueled rumors about The Daily Wire&#8217;s new action film, production has wrapped after five weeks, as planned, and the union reps didn’t get their way.
It all started with Deadline <a href="https://deadline.com/2026/04/jonathan-majors-falls-through-window-crew-strike-daily-wire-1236773038/">publishing</a> an exclusive story about actor Jonathan Majors falling through a window while on set of the production in progress, which, according to their sources, led to a union strike and other allegations of safety concerns on set.
Faithful Daily Wire fans won&#8217;t be surprised to learn that there’s more to the story. Film producer Dallas Sonnier provided a short, yet direct, statement to Deadline, saying simply: “The entire industry is in freefall due to strikes, and now that their members are out of work, they’re trying to sabotage the few people who are still producing. We don’t negotiate with communists.”
So what really went down?
During the fourth week of filming, an executive from the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, best known as IATSE, reached out to Sonnier claiming that she “represented the majority of the crew,” which consisted of both local hires in South Carolina and returning staff from previous projects. The IATSE rep “demanded” that they immediately be recognized and negotiate a collective bargaining agreement to cover staff wages, hours, benefits, and working conditions.
Before the deadline she proposed even arrived, a small handful of picketers were out creating a nuisance. It was that same day that Majors and actor JC Kiljoyne fell through a window filming a scene. Deadline posted video of the incident, and reported it was a six foot drop — though pictures posted show it was barely four feet off the ground.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The height of the window btw <a href="https://t.co/Lr1KlckW9c">https://t.co/Lr1KlckW9c</a> <a href="https://t.co/sAZF0UYiLb">pic.twitter.com/sAZF0UYiLb</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/2041249651840454989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
That stunt with the window was part of production&#8217;s plans for later that day, and Sonnier says it was far from an emergency.
&#8220;Everyone handled it quickly and successfully. We always have licensed medics on our sets, and this day, we had two,&#8221; Sonnier said. &#8220;The production was immediately halted to ensure safety sign-offs by both medics before moving forward.&#8221;
He also says the clip leaked to Deadline is definitely going to make it into the final cut.
The actors&#8217; comments are fully aligned. Kiljoyne’s rep told Deadline in the aftermath that he &#8220;did not feel unsafe on set and continues to have a positive experience working on the project.&#8221;
Majors made similar <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/04/04/jonathan-majors-says-hes-fine-after-falling-through-window-on-set/">comments</a> to TMZ. &#8220;I&#8217;m ok. I was happy to be on set and help tell the story. I am grateful for whoever is checking on me, the cast and crew for regarding our safety. It&#8217;s going to be a great movie and I am looking forward to fans seeing it!&#8221;
While IATSE came out of left field, there was a SAG rep on set many days who confirmed that the actors “should show up and finish the movie as planned” following the accident. It was noted that the SAG rep had “zero safety concerns” for the movie.
“We had a licensed armorer every single day,” Sonnier said. “We had a safety meeting at the top of each day, and prior to any special effect or stunt. The reason we don’t have a ‘RUST’ situation is because we take this stuff so seriously,” he added, referring to Alec Baldwin’s firearm discharging while filming and killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021.
During the fourth week of filming, 15% of the crew decided to leave. Based on conversations Sonnier had with the whole crew, this was the result of IATSE pressure and not because of any safety concerns, he said. All the staff who left were replaced by the next morning.
Crucially, those who left did not appear to be part of the picketing. “The ‘strikers’ were just angry union rep protestors,” Sonnier said, noting that by day two, their numbers were reduced to about seven people total.
The picketers caused minor annoyances, such as yelling at actors, encouraging cars to honk to disrupt filming, pressuring vendors to pull gear, sending threatening letters, and yelling “CUT!” and “ACTION!” as a way of confusing the actors on set. But in the end, production rolled on.
The Deadline article was released after all these efforts failed, especially after Sonnier refused to engage with their demands.
Sonnier said IATSE reps never called him or contacted him beyond the first email &#8220;because they are total cowards and whiny busybodies.&#8221; The producer says this was an illegitimate strike. 
Does IATSE have any response to this? IATSE, of course, did not respond to questions from The Daily Wire.

photo-output_720

Daily Wire 1, Hollywood Union 0: Production Wraps On Jonathan Majors Action Movie

Daily Wire

Hollywood

Jonathan Majors

Movies

The Daily Wire

Unions

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” just pulled in impressive box office numbers despite being trashed by the critics.
The follow-up to 2023’s smash hit “Super Mario Bros. Movie” from lllumination Studios and Nintendo earned $130.9 million over the weekend and $190.1 million in its first five days, per <a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-mario-galaxy-movie-box-office-58b52a8aa469d6e7fed889c6762dd3aa">Associated Press</a>. It’s not surprising, considering that it’s a family-friendly title with massive name recognition being released over a holiday weekend.
It’s worth noting, however, that the sequel was given a 41% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a markedly better 89% audience rating.
“We all have a finite amount of time on this Earth, and I cannot think of a single reason why you should spend any of yours on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” the critic from Mashable <a href="https://mashable.com/article/super-mario-galaxy-movie-review">wrote</a>.
Wall Street Journal reviewer Kyle Smith <a href="https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-the-plumbers-pump-their-brand-f3291bbc">advised</a> that it was “notably weaker” than the first film, which was itself “barely watchable.” The New York Times, meanwhile, lamented the “flat empty nothingness” of the narrative.
The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/mar/31/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-sequel-video-game-chris-pratt-charlie-day">described it</a> as &#8220;a bland screensaver of a movie that’s actually worse than AI&#8221; in his 1-star review. Kevin Maher from The Times also didn&#8217;t mince words, <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-5w6crmhgr">asking</a> if the kids movie marked &#8220;the end of cinema.&#8221; 
&#8220;&#8230;the film is torturous to sit through and, for me, provoked periods of actual physical discomfort,&#8221; the critic added.
The video game-themed film features the same voice actors behind the original, including Chris Pratt, Jack Black, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Charlie Day. “Mario ventures into space, exploring cosmic worlds and tackling galactic challenges far from the familiar Mushroom Kingdom,” the logline says.
It opened across 4,252 theaters over Easter weekend, including 421 IMAX screens.
“It’s exactly the kind of broad, crowd-pleasing release that brings people into theaters,” AMC Chairman and CEO Adam Aron said in a statement, per AP.
While critics came after it for not having enough depth, other viewers say that’s what made the movie so successful.
“A bright, colorful, and action packed story filled with all the Nintendo characters we know and love. It’s simply a good time at the movies,” one verified Rotten Tomatoes reviewer said.
“If you enjoyed the first you’ll be at home. If you want a Pixar movie with sad bits and life lessons and shoe in adult jokes you ain’t getting it here. It’s a fun ride start to end,” another agreed.
“This is a kids movie. I don&#8217;t know what fantastical storytelling these adults need from a child&#8217;s video game adaptation but it&#8217;s entertaining and light…. Let the kids be kids, these movies don&#8217;t have to be masterpieces and they don&#8217;t have to pander to childish adults who just refuse [to]  grow up. Mario belongs to children, not to your generation,” echoed a third.

Super Mario Galaxy

Critics Trashed Mario, But American Families Are Proving Them Wrong

Box Office

Rotten Tomatoes

“Saturday Night Live” mocked HBO’s upcoming “Harry Potter” television series over the weekend for race-swapping the villain, Severus Snape.
Paapa Essiedu, a black British actor, is set to play the role, a character described in J.K. Rowling&#8217;s books as having pale, yellow skin. 
During the &#8220;Weekend Update&#8221; segment on Saturday&#8217;s show, “SNL” cast member Kam Patterson portrayed a black version of Snape and joked about how the character might be perceived. 
“Good evening, Mr. Jost — nah, I’m playing. I don’t talk like that, bro. It’s called code-switching. Codio switchio!” Patterson said after being introduced by host Colin Jost.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Weekend Update: Professor Snape Addresses New Spin on Harry Potter Role - SNL" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JNaf-skJpzo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Jost asked how things were going at Hogwarts, inspiring Patterson to reply, “Not great. We got this new kid. His name is Harry Potter, and he’s racist as hell. Harry Potter — or, the Proud Boy Who Lived — spent the whole year telling everybody that the school’s only black teacher was secretly evil.”
Jost interjected, “I think he’s just worried because he knows someone’s trying to steal the Sorcerer’s Stone.” 
“So somebody stole something, and the number one suspect is Black Snape? They didn’t even look at the white guy in the turban. So offensive. He’s got a wizard on the back of his head,” Patterson shot back.
“I’m really sorry that he just jumped to conclusions like that,” Jost said. 
Snape replied, “All good. It happens all the time. I showed up at Hogwarts, and on the first day, they looked at me and said, ‘You’re the professor of the Dark Arts.’ I never even studied that! I majored in African Muggle Studies.”
“The whole wizarding world is racist,” Patterson went on in the bit. “There’s one other black guy, Kingsley Shacklebolt, a name I’m guessing they got out of the Wu-Tang name generator … why they got to put ‘shackle’ in his name? That’s crazy, man. Shackle? Shackle!”
The skit went on, with a reference to Rowling being “problematic.”
Essiedu claimed that haters have been out in force since his casting for “Harry Potter” was announced. The British star <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/paapa-essiedu-harry-potter-snape-interview-3hqkzzmlk">told</a> The Times last month that he’s been told, “Quit or I’ll murder you.”
“It really matters,” he says. “The reality is that if I look at Instagram I will see somebody saying, ‘I’m going to come to your house and kill you.’ …nobody should have to encounter this for doing their job. Many people put their lives on the line in their work. I’m playing a wizard in Harry Potter. And I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally.”
“But the abuse fuels me,” he went on. “And makes me more passionate about making this character my own, because I think of how I felt as a kid. I would imagine myself at Hogwarts on broomsticks, and the idea that a kid like me can see themselves represented in that world? That’s motivation to not be intimidated by someone saying they’d rather I died instead of doing work I’m going to be really proud of.”

Paapa Essideu

SNL Wrecks New ‘Harry Potter’ Series For Racially Profiling Fan-Favorite

Harry Potter

Racism

A California group positioned to shape the future of Artificial Intelligence regulation for children believes drag queens are positive role models for 4-year-olds.
Common Sense Media, a California nonprofit with a stated <a href="https://www.commonsense.org/">mission</a> to protect kids online, gave a children&#8217;s show featuring two male drag queens a <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/the-fabulous-show-with-fay-fluffy">perfect</a> child safety score and recommended it for kids ages 4 and up. &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGyr45BKn_o&amp;list=PL2F3nYtGth8cylKCts9if0EkyoZF1FRiI">The Fabulous Show With Fay &amp; Fluffy</a>&#8221; received a 5/5 star rating and was praised for offering positive role models, having educational value, and showcasing diversity.
Bluey, the popular family-friendly cartoon, was outshined by the drag queens and only received a 4/5 star rating.
Common Sense Media provides safety reviews of movies, books, and video games through a vast database that includes many positive reviews for LGBTQ+ content aimed at young children. The nonprofit has an entire <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/celebrate-lgbtq-pride">webpage</a> devoted to &#8220;LGBTQ+ Stories for the Whole Family.&#8221;
&#8220;From affirming, relatable stories about queer kids and teens, to history-making moments and figures on screen, LGBTQ+ representation in media is increasing. Now, kids have more choices that reflect their world and lived experiences, whether they&#8217;re queer, straight, trans, cisgender, or figuring it all out,&#8221; states its website.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-1071609" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.51.41-PM-736x576.png" alt="" width="736" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.51.41-PM-736x576.png 736w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.51.41-PM-300x235.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.51.41-PM-768x601.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.51.41-PM-1536x1202.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.51.41-PM.png 1766w" sizes=" (max-width: 736px) 100vw, 736px" /></div>
Recent reports say it&#8217;s attempting to extract millions of dollars from AI companies to help them self-regulate in the litigious environment. It&#8217;s simultaneously supporting legislation in California that would require AI chatbot products to submit to regulation from groups like Common Sense Media.
The nonprofit, which claims it&#8217;s &#8220;<a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/what-we-stand-for/tech-accountability">holding tech companies accountable</a>,&#8221; is asking for millions of dollars to launch a new institute focused on providing safety assessments for AI products, according to reporting from <a href="https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/04/key-nonprofit-pitches-tech-giants-to-pay-100m-each-for-ai-safety-effort-00853205?site=pro&amp;prod=alert&amp;prodname=alertmail&amp;linktype=headline&amp;source=email">Politico</a>. Common Sense Media offered the tech companies the opportunity to provide input on the safety assessments if they provided a donation, Politico reported.
Its current ratings, however, indicate it&#8217;s in no position to assess what is appropriate for children.
The group recommends transgender content for 4-year-olds, including &#8220;I Am Jazz,&#8221; which it <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/i-am-jazz">calls</a> a &#8220;Sweet, straightforward story about a transgender girl.&#8221; It also <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/jacobs-new-dress#modal">recommends</a> &#8220;Jacob&#8217;s New Dress,&#8221; a story about a young boy who likes to crossdress and was written by parents of a &#8220;gender-nonconforming child,&#8221; and “Sparkle Boy,” the <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/sparkle-boy">story</a> of a 3-year-old boy who “loves all the glittery stuff his older sister loves” and “causes a stir” when he crossdresses.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-1071613" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.58.10-PM-844x576.png" alt="" width="844" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.58.10-PM-844x576.png 844w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.58.10-PM-300x205.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.58.10-PM-768x524.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.58.10-PM-1536x1048.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.58.10-PM.png 1864w" sizes=" (max-width: 844px) 100vw, 844px" /></div>
Common Sense Media also <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/marleys-pride">recommends</a> &#8220;Marley&#8217;s Pride,&#8221; the &#8220;joyful&#8221; story of “Marley and their grandparent&#8221; who identify as nonbinary and attend their first pride celebration together.
“RuPaul&#8217;s Drag Show” is <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/rupauls-drag-race">recommended</a> for teenagers 15 and older and called a program that promotes &#8220;self-love and compassion for heavily marginalized communities.&#8221; The review tells parents to expect &#8220;lots of sexual innuendo, including references to various sex acts and partial nudity, mostly bare torsos&#8221; and warns it includes strong language and sexual terms such as &#8220;f&#8211;k,&#8221; &#8220;s&#8211;t,&#8221; &#8220;doggy style,&#8221; but notes these words are mostly used &#8220;for tongue-in-cheek humor and camp.&#8221;
The nonprofit also has an education wing and has partnered with schools to provide training about media and online safety to more than <a href="https://www.commonsense.org/">1.4 million</a> educators, according to its website. Common Sense Media has also worked with the <a href="https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/et/dc/index.asp">California Department of Education</a> and the <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/press-releases/common-sense-educations-digital-literacy-curriculum-selected-as-connecticuts-statewide-model-for-k-12#:~:text=%22Connecticut%20has%20taken%20an%20important,new%20technological%20developments%20and%20challenges">Connecticut State Department of Education</a>, who announced in February 2025 that they were implementing the nonprofit&#8217;s K–12 Digital Citizenship <a href="https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship">Curriculum</a> statewide.
Common Sense Media provides <a href="https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/supporting-lgbtq-students-in-the-classroom-and-online">ways</a> teachers can create LGBTQ+ inclusive classrooms, telling them, &#8220;Your courage is critical. Know that you may be the only adult in a kid&#8217;s life who shows acceptance &#8212; their only oasis,&#8221; according to its website. Teachers are recommended to funnel gender confused students to transgender activist groups like the Trevor Project and PFLAG.
Common Sense Media now has its eyes on shaping the safety standards of artificial intelligence products for kids. Common Sense Media is <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/featured-content/files/common-sense-media-2026-ca-legislative-priorities.pdf">supporting</a> two <a href="https://sd18.senate.ca.gov/news/assemblymembers-bauer-kahan-and-wicks-and-senator-padilla-introduce-legislation-protect">California</a> bills aiming to regulate AI chatbot products for minors.
&#8220;Because of the potential risks of AI to children and teens, California must take the lead in establishing a process for vetting the impact of AI products and services on kids,&#8221; states a Common Sense Media <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/featured-content/files/common-sense-media-2026-ca-legislative-priorities.pdf">document</a>.
California Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan introduced <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB2023">AB 2023</a> in <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billHistoryClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB1119">February 2026</a> saying the bill will establish &#8220;nation-leading safety standards for AI companions used by children and teens,&#8221; in a <a href="https://bauer-kahan.asmdc.org/press-releases/20260326-assemblymembers-bauer-kahan-and-wicks-and-senator-padilla-introduce">press release</a>.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-1071611" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.52.27-PM-801x576.png" alt="" width="801" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.52.27-PM-801x576.png 801w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.52.27-PM-300x216.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.52.27-PM-768x552.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.52.27-PM-1536x1104.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-4.52.27-PM.png 1764w" sizes=" (max-width: 801px) 100vw, 801px" /></div>
Chatbot operators will be required to undergo an annual safety assessment of any &#8220;child safety risks&#8221; posed by the AI chatbot if the bill becomes law.
&#8220;This bill would require an operator of a companion chatbot to&#8230;annually perform and document a comprehensive risk assessment to identify any child safety risk posed by the design, configuration, and operation of the companion chatbot that assesses, among other things, the likelihood of a covered harm,&#8221; states the bill.
One of the &#8220;covered harms&#8221; included in the bill is &#8220;gender identity&#8221; discrimination. California considers <a href="https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2022/11/The-Rights-of-Employees-who-are-Transgender-or-Gender-Nonconforming-Fact-Sheet_ENG.pdf">declining</a> to use a person&#8217;s preferred pronouns or not allowing a man to use the women&#8217;s bathroom forms of &#8220;gender identity&#8221; discrimination.
Under AB 2023 if an AI chatbot product is found to be unsafe by the safety assessment, the operator must make changes to the product and then undergo an independent compliance audit that, upon completion, will be submitted to the California Attorney General.
Common Sense Media is positioning itself to be the go-to for AI chatbot safety assessments and stands to play a powerful role in shaping how information is defined and disseminated, if California&#8217;s chatbot bills pass.
&#8220;Three of the people familiar said Common Sense will be positioned to become a default safety auditor in California for AI products aimed at kids,&#8221; Politico reported.
Public figures known for their transgender activism spoke at the March 2026 Common Sense <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/common-sense-summit-speakers-2026">Summit</a> on Kids And Families including <a class="gmail-team-profile-title gmail-link gmail-link--title" href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/common-sense-summit-speakers-2026#">Randi Weingarten</a>, President of The American Federation of Teachers, JB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois, and Rob Bonta, Attorney General at the California Department of Justice. Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and Rebecca Bauer-Kahan also spoke at the summit.
Common Sense Media did not respond to The Daily Wire&#8217;s requests for comment.

Drag3

It Says Drag Queens Are Safer For Kids Than Bluey. Now It Wants To Regulate AI For Children.

Artificial Intelligence

California

Children's Books

Transgender

A federal judge in New York ruled on Thursday to dismiss ten of Blake Lively’s 13 claims against her “It Ends With Us” costar Justin Baldoni, including those related to harassment, defamation, and conspiracy.
Though three of the claims will stand, this is being celebrated as a victory by Baldoni and his legal team. The claims being argued at trial include retaliation, aiding and abetting retaliation, and breach of contract.
“We’re very pleased the Court dismissed all sexual harassment claims and every claim brought against the individual defendants: Justin Baldoni, Jamey Heath, Steve Sarowitz, Melissa Nathan, and Jennifer Abel,” Alexandra Shapiro and Jonathan Bach of Shapiro Arato Bach said in a statement.
“These were very serious allegations, and we are grateful to the Court for its careful review of the facts, law and voluminous evidence that was provided,” the statement went on. “What’s left is a significantly narrowed case, and we look forward to presenting our defense to the remaining claims in court.”
A rep from Lively’s legal team insisted that even though the harassment claims were dropped, it was on a technicality. Sigrid McCawley said her client’s claim against Baldoni “isn’t going forward not because the defendants did nothing wrong but because the court determined Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee,” per <a href="https://people.com/justin-baldoni-reacts-dismissal-blake-lively-sexual-harassment-claims-trial-11941948">People</a>.
“&#8230;the greatest measure of justice is that the people and the playbook behind these coordinated digital attacks have been exposed and are already being held accountable by other women they’ve targeted,” the statement went on.
The legal drama between the former costars started in December 2024 when Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni accusing him of sexual harassment, retaliation, and attempting to “destroy” her reputation. This came after she starred opposite Baldoni in “It Ends With Us,” a film he also directed.
Baldoni fervently denied the claims, responding with a countersuit against his co-star and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds. He also sued The New York Times for $250 million in a defamation claim for an article about the situation, which he says is “rife with inaccuracies, misrepresentations, and omissions.” The countersuit was dismissed by the judge in June 2025.
A trial is scheduled to kick off May 18 in New York.

Blake Lively

Judge Makes Decision On Blake Lively’s Sexual Harassment Claims Against Justin Baldoni

Courts

Lawsuit

Sexual Harassment

According to a <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/media/see-how-hollywoods-job-market-is-collapsing-230be437?mod=e2tw">new report</a> from The Wall Street Journal, the Hollywood job market is collapsing at an alarming rate.
The news outlet found that entertainment motion picture and video production employment saw a 30% reduction in jobs as compared to 2022. That includes work for actors, carpenters, costume makers, and the hundreds of other professions behind movies and TV shows.
WSJ noted that studios are making fewer movies and shows in general, and that when they do, those projects are often being made in countries that offer cheaper prices for filming.
Noah Wyle, who stars in and serves as executive producer of the popular medical drama “The Pitt,” said it was “a near cratering of our once thriving industry.”
The outlet noted that studios, labor unions, and soundstage owners have been pushing for a federal tax incentive of 15%, which could be combined with state incentives ranging from 20% to 40%. They claim this would entice studios to bring production back to the United States.
But even if those incentives brought the action back to Hollywood, it wouldn’t solve the issue of a general downturn in output. Hollywood has been serving up <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-just-had-its-worst-summer-box-office-in-over-40-years">a lot of flops lately</a>, and that track record has led to major studios being more cautious with what they’re willing to make. This likely has a lot to do with churning out woke crap that audiences are sick of seeing, even if they’d never admit it.
The bad box office results are being blamed on the rise of streaming, short attention spans in the TikTok age, and a general refusal of audiences to return to theaters in a post-COVID world, among other issues. Hollywood analysts insist there is too much competition to make a great hit. But then a success story like “Project Hail Mary” comes along and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-learned-the-wrong-lesson-from-project-hail-mary">blows that theory to shreds</a>.
In September, President Trump addressed the issue, threatening a “100% tariff” on films made overseas in an effort to bring movie production back to the United States.
“Our movie making business has been stolen from the United States of America, by other Countries, just like stealing ‘candy from a baby.’ California, with its weak and incompetent Governor, has been particularly hard hit! Therefore, in order to solve this long time, never ending problem, I will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any and all movies that are made outside of the United States,” the president shared in a Truth Social post at the time, echoing similar statements he made in May.

Distressed image of movie clapperboard

Hollywood Is In Deep Trouble And May Have Itself To Blame

employment

Jobs

Los Angeles

Wokeness

“Supergirl” star Milly Alcock is already facing pushback after preemptively blaming potential criticism of the film on misogyny. 
The remarks have drawn comparisons to Rachel Zegler&#8217;s pre-release comments ahead of Disney&#8217;s &#8220;Snow White,&#8221; which sparked similar backlash.
Fans are calling out Alcock for her recycled feminist arguments after her recent <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/milly-alcock-vanities">interview</a> with Vanity Fair. 
“It definitely made me aware that simply existing as a woman in that space is something that people comment on,” the 25-year-old actress said when asked about the “inevitable backlash” she’d face. 
“We have become very comfortable having this weird ownership of women’s bodies. I can’t really stop them. I can only be myself,” Alcock added.
Alcock assumed people wouldn’t like the movie because she’s a woman, but her description of the plot points to a different criticism fans have raised. She said her character, Kara Zor-El/Supergirl, is “given this incredible responsibility and doesn’t know how to deal with it.” 
“She’s not trying to save the world—she’s just trying to save her own,” Alcock told Vanity Fair. “This film is an excellent reminder that the world can be crumbling around you, but you can be the hero of your own story.”
The interview inspired many negative reactions on social media, with critics calling out Alcock for complaining about backlash that hadn’t even happened yet.
“These movies are so bad that they have to start attacking the fans before the movie even comes out,” one person <a href="https://x.com/newspolitics/status/2039035489760460880?s=43">observed</a>.
“Actors really need to go back to just promoting the movie and staying away from anything else, because this type of discourse does nothing but harm its chances,” another person <a href="https://x.com/reviewsdino2/status/2039357302365446654">agreed</a>.
“I suspect she&#8217;ll face backlash about ‘simply existing’ in a movie that doesn&#8217;t look interesting and which is part of a cinematic universe that&#8217;s already struggling with the disinterest of general audiences following a lackluster Superman and various TV shows that few people even noticed happened… but saying it&#8217;s ‘simply existing as a woman’ certainly works better for generating some sort of buzz,” a third commenter <a href="https://x.com/HarfangDneiges/status/2039323848621916611">wrote</a>. 
Another comment <a href="https://x.com/RecruitBoss/status/2039048717525762381">noted</a>, “This is called pre-release critical armor. Any criticism of this movie will be branded as sexist or misogynistic. They use race and gender as critical armor to protect their poorly written scripts from legitimate criticism.”
Zegler became a legend following the disastrous release of Disney&#8217;s &#8220;Snow White&#8221; in 2025. The movie was bad, but additionally, the lead actress made it all worse by disparaging fans and the original storyline ahead of its release. The negative press for Zegler is believed to have contributed to the abysmal box office results.
The “Supergirl” description from Warner Bros. says, “When an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice.”
The film opens in theaters nationwide on June 26.

Milly Alcock

Another ‘Snow White’? The Fight Superhero Star Picks With Fans Before Movie Hits Theaters

Feminism

Warner Bros

Tiger Woods has entered a not guilty plea in his latest DUI case, according to court records.
Woods has again retained prominent Florida defense attorney Douglas Duncan, who represented him in his 2017 DUI arrest, and has waived his presence at upcoming pretrial hearings, per <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/03/31/tiger-woods-pleads-not-guilty-douglas-duncan-lawyer-dui-arrest/">TMZ</a>.
Police say Woods blew a 0.00 on a breathalyzer but showed signs of impairment and struggled with field sobriety tests. Officers reported he refused to provide a urine sample and had two loose <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tiger-woods-crash-affidavit-details-what-was-found-in-his-pocket">hydrocodone pills</a> on his person at the time of the accident. He now faces charges including DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to testing. A court hearing in the case is scheduled for next month.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.

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Tiger Woods Enters Plea In DUI Case

Tiger Woods

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