Wokeness is out and entertainment is in at The Kennedy Center. 
The Center’s lineup for the <a href="https://www.kennedy-center.org/">new season was just announced</a> as new staffers at the venue continue to make headlines for fighting back against progressive propaganda that’s been on the docket for years.
Now The Kennedy Center will feature a full lineup of music, drama, and dance that’s inspiring for all ages.
For younger fans, there are two world premiere productions as part of the season, including “The Sea Beyond the Ocean” and the Center’s first Theater for the Very Young commission, “Fishing for Stars,” an immersive non-verbal work for ages 2–6. 
There’s also a new play, “Young Dragon,” and a nostalgic throwback millennials are sure to recognize. The brand-new musical adventure “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock LIVE” presented by the Jim Henson Company debuts in 2026.
“This season brings students of all ages on inspiring journeys,” Jordan LaSalle, Vice President of Education, said of the new shows. “Featuring some of the most exciting companies from across the nation and world, each performance encourages the young and young-at-heart to unleash their imaginations. We are thrilled to continue our decades-long commitment to commissioning new works, including our first for our youngest of audiences and their families.”
In the realm of dance, the Center will showcase ballet and dance offerings from world-class companies and artists. As America nears its 250th anniversary, the 2025-26 season features programming that reflects the deep history of the nation plus fresh, modern interpretations. This includes some new shows plus returning favorites such as “The Nutcracker” from The Cincinnati Ballet.
The theater season also has new and award winning shows, per the press release.
“There is truly a great theater season of excitement and joy coming to the Kennedy Center,” said Senior Vice President of Artistic Programming and Executive Producer of Theater, Jeffrey Finn. “I couldn’t be more proud to feature a season filled with Best Musicals from Broadway, including three Tony®–winning original Best Musicals: ‘The Outsiders,’ ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical,’ and ‘Spamalot.’”
Trump made headlines earlier this year when he promised to reform the Kennedy Center, which began when he replaced its board and was elected chairman. Trump also tapped Special Envoy Richard Grenell to serve as the Center’s president.
“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote in February. “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.”
The changes the new board made led to full-scale meltdowns on the Left, including protests expressed through interpretive dancing.
According to a previous report published on The Daily Wire, the Kennedy Center is $40 million in debt and will be making major cuts to staff.
&#8220;The former leadership built a broken budget with an operating deficit of 100 million dollars and a bottom-line deficit of 26 million dollars,&#8221; CFO Donna Arduin said. &#8220;The former leadership led Board members to believe there was a balanced budget when there was $26 Million in false funds. Fiscal Year 25 budget was previously passed with $26M of fictitious funds. We have now truly balanced the budget.”
Besides their financial goals, the Center’s new leadership is focused on offering high-quality entertainment that’s free from radical progressive messaging.

The Kennedy Center

New Kennedy Center Lineup Includes Family-Friendly Content, Zero Drag Shows For Kids

Culture

Dance

Entertainment

Music

Theater

U.S.

Washington D.C.

Actress Jennifer Lawrence is currently promoting a movie that explores some darker aspects of motherhood, but the 34-year-old mom of two had positive things to say about her real-life experience.
A reporter asked the cast of “Die, My Love” during a press conference at Cannes Film Festival: “Considering that ego is a big part of an actor’s career, and you’ve been in the spotlight for a long time, how did the birth of the children change your perspective on your career and about what is really important in life?” 
Lawrence jumped in with her answer, saying, “Having children changes everything. It changes your whole life. It’s brutal and incredible. Not only do they go into every decision of, if I’m working, where I’m working, when I’m working…they’ve taught me… I didn’t know that I could feel so much,” the Academy Award-winning actress replied, per <a href="https://www.vulture.com/article/jennifer-lawrence-lynne-ramsay-die-my-love-cannes-interview.html">Vulture</a>.
Lawrence continued, saying, “My job has a lot to do with emotion, and they’ve opened up the world to me. It’s almost like feeling like a blister or something. So sensitive. So they’ve changed my life, obviously, for the best, and they’ve changed me creatively.” 
“I highly recommend having kids if you want to be an actor,” she quipped.
Her co-star Robert Pattinson, who recently had his first child with actress Suki Waterhouse, also weighed in on the topic. He said, “I think in the most unexpected way, having a baby gives you the biggest trove of energy and inspiration afterwards.” 
“Die, My Love” is a psychological drama about a woman (Lawrence) living in rural Montana who grapples with postpartum depression, violent impulses, and a loss of identity following the birth of her child. Pattinson co-stars as her clueless husband while Sissy Spacek plays her mother-in-law.
Lawrence, who just gave birth to her second child earlier this year, doesn’t usually discuss her personal life. The actress was five months pregnant during filming.

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence On Having Kids: ‘I Didn’t Know That I Could Feel So Much’

Jennifer Lawrence On Having Kids: 'I Didn't Know That I Could Feel So Much' 

Celebrities

Motherhood

Bill Maher came down hard on the liberal joke writers for “Saturday Night Live” over a skit they did in February which portrayed Trump supporters as racist.
The political commentator discussed his thoughts on the newest episode of Club Random, which featured fitness star Jillian Michaels as a guest. He was reacting to a skit with Tom Hanks from the “SNL” episode which features Hanks as a MAGA hat-wearing racist who wouldn’t shake the hand of a black man.
“I hated it, too, and I said it on my show. I know. I hated it,” Maher said. “Wearing the MAGA hat, not shaking hands with a black person. And that’s when I thought, ‘You people don’t know MAGA people.’”
“I mean, they have their issues and I certainly have my issues with them … of course, there’s some racists everywhere who are that bad, but generally, all the MAGA people I know have no problem shaking hands with a black person. You’re just hysterical and you’re not helping,” the podcast host continued.
Maher insisted again that it’s a “lie that MAGA people won’t shake hands” with a black person. “I get it, it’s part of a skit and it’s an exaggeration and that’s comedy. It’s a little too delicate a subject to go there,” he said.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Jillian Michaels | Club Random" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JgTy2Q4Lyg0?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>
“They probably think it’s great,” he said of the “SNL” writers. “As a liberal, I don’t like it. Again, because lying offends me. I’m a comedian, when the premise isn’t real, I can’t go with it. The premise doesn’t ring true. It might have rang true X years ago. It doesn’t now.”
Viewers on social media expressed similar sentiments about the skit when it first aired in February, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tom-hanks-bashed-for-playing-racist-trump-supporter-on-snl">reported</a>.
“This show wonders why their ratings are in the gutter. Trump won the popular vote. This tired trope that MAGA is racist is disgusting. SNL is an unfunny show,” one reaction said.
“For its 50 year anniversary special, SNL had Tom Hanks play a racist Trump supporter afraid to shake a black man’s hand. Fun fact: Trump’s 2024 election win was the LEAST racially divisive American election since 1964,” another person wrote.
“Hollywood still doesn’t get it: Portraying Trump supporters as racist caricatures while he’s winning record minority support. SNL’s trying 2016 jokes in 2025,” another person commented.

Bill Maher

Bill Maher Blasts Anti-MAGA ‘SNL’ Skit As ‘Hysterical’: ‘You’re Not Helping’

Bill Maher Blasts Anti-MAGA 'SNL' Skit As 'Hysterical': 'You're Not Helping'

MAGA

Saturday Night Live

Tom Hanks

Kid Rock credits President Donald Trump with helping to rid the nation of cancel culture, wokeness, and pervasive DEI initiatives.
The 54-year-old recording artist, who has been a fervent supporter of Trump for years, made the remarks while speaking with <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/kid-rock-hails-trump-dragon-slayer-battling-wokeness-cancel-culture">Fox News Digital</a> on Friday at his &#8220;Rock N Rodeo&#8221; event in Texas.
&#8220;I think wokeness and DEI and cancel culture is starting to exit the building, and we can thank President Trump for leading that charge once again. I call him the dragon slayer in that regard, &#8216;cuz he just came and slit the throat of DEI and wokeness,&#8221; Kid Rock told the outlet.
&#8220;There&#8217;s always gonna be cancel culture at some level, somebody getting butt sore about this, wants to protest and not buy a product or whatever. You know, me personally, I&#8217;m not into seeing people lose their jobs over some corporate decision that was made,” he continued, before referencing one of the most successful boycotts by conservatives in history.
&#8220;But sometimes there needs [to be] a little spanking there, like Bud Light had from me and some other people, but at the end of the day, we forgave them, said, ‘It&#8217;s all good. Let&#8217;s get back on track.’&#8221; 
The “Born Free” singer next described his vision for America. 
&#8220;I do think it&#8217;s exiting the building right now, and hopefully it stays gone, but we should be a merit-based system. The best and hardworking rises to the top. I don&#8217;t know how we got here, because to me, that&#8217;s just common sense, that&#8217;s just the ultimate, highest level of common sense that just the best and the hardest workers rise to the top. It doesn&#8217;t matter, anything else,&#8221; he told the outlet.
Kid Rock also called Trump the “greatest president ever.” 
&#8220;My thoughts on President Trump&#8217;s presidency: greatest president ever. I can sum it up like that. Not only because of our friendship and all the laughs we share on the golf course or hanging out at UFC fights or whatever it might be, but just the tenacity this man has. You know, the most resilient,&#8221; he said.
Just after the inauguration, Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie, talked about a major shift in the entertainment industry as mainstream artists like Carrie Underwood and Snoop Dogg were willing to associate themselves with Trump. 
“It feels like the rebirth of our nation,” the singer said at the time, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kid-rock-reflects-on-mainstream-celebrities-associating-with-trump-americas-back?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Kid+Rock+Reflects+On+Mainstream+Celebrities+Associating+With+Trump%3A+%E2%80%98America%E2%80%99s+Back%E2%80%99">reported</a>. 
“There’s just this overwhelming sense … you’ve heard it a million times, that America’s back,” he added. “Now they feel it’s safe to go in the water after dipping their toe in it for four to eight years,” Ritchie said. “I mean, welcome to the party, like I’ve said. Better to have them on board than not.”
In April, Kid Rock helped set up a dinner with Trump, UFC CEO Dana White, and liberal podcast host Bill Maher. He <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kid-rock-trump-meeting-bill-maher?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Kid+Rock+Dishes+On+Trump%E2%80%99s+Meeting+With+Bill+Maher%3A+%E2%80%98Everybody%E2%80%99s+Mind+Was+Kind+Of+Blown%E2%80%99">described</a> the meeting as “so pleasant,” saying, “everybody’s mind was kind of blown.”

Kid Rock and Donald Trump

Kid Rock Dubs Trump The ‘Dragon Slayer’ Of Wokeness

Kid Rock Dubs President Trump The 'Dragon Slayer' Of Wokeness, DEI Culture

Cancel Culture

Donald Trump

Executive

Kid Rock

Wokeness

Country music star Alan Jackson announced his retirement from touring over the weekend, saying he’ll put on one final show in Nashville next summer.
The 66-year-old recording artist revealed the news during a concert in Milwaukee on Saturday, as shown by a fan video uploaded to X. 
“Y’all may have heard that I’m kinda winding down. In fact, this is my last roadshow of my career,” Jackson said as the crowd cheered. “I appreciate it. Y’all gonna make me tear up out here.&#8221;
“It’s been a long, sweet ride; it started 40 years ago this September. My wife and I drove to Nashville with an old U-Haul trailer and chased this dream. It’s been a crazy ride. I lived the American Dream, for sure. So blessed. Thank you all so much for all your support of my music and attending my shows,” he continued. 
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Alan Jackson addressed the sellout Milwaukee crowd. He said this is his last road show. He said he plans on one last show in Nashville next summer to close things out. <a href="https://t.co/sDj8LVxZAz">pic.twitter.com/sDj8LVxZAz</a>
&mdash; Steven Radmer (@Steven_R) <a href="https://twitter.com/Steven_R/status/1923927051817374072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The country music legend’s announcement comes just four years after he revealed that he had been diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which affects his nerves.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve been reluctant to talk about this publicly and to my fans, but it&#8217;s been a while, and it&#8217;s starting to affect my performance onstage a little bit where I don&#8217;t feel comfortable,&#8221; Jackson said in 2021, per <a href="https://people.com/alan-jackson-plays-last-concert-before-retiring-from-touring-11737312">People</a>.
&#8220;I just wanted the fans and the public to know if they&#8217;ve come to see me in the last few years or if they come to see me in the future if I play anymore, what&#8217;s going on. I don&#8217;t want them to think I&#8217;m drunk onstage because I&#8217;m having problems with mobility and balance,&#8221; he went on, explaining that while the condition is not “fatal,” it would eventually affect his physical ability. 
&#8220;This is not a condition that I would be complaining about typically, but it is going to affect me performance-wise onstage, and I don&#8217;t know how much I&#8217;ll continue to tour,&#8221; Jackson said at the time.
The “Remember When” singer embarked on his “Last Call: One More for the Road” tour in June 2022, playing the last scheduled show on Saturday.
Jackson is known for blending traditional honky-tonk with mainstream country, creating a signature sound. With more than 60 million albums sold, 35 number-one hits, and numerous awards, including Grammys and CMA honors, he&#8217;s one of country music’s most enduring and respected artists.

Alan Jackson

Country Star Alan Jackson Announces Retirement, Plans To Perform In One Last Show

Country Star Alan Jackson Announces Retirement, Final Show In Nashville

Country Music

Action star Tom Cruise summed up his thoughts on retiring from acting with four definitive words, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I will never stop.”
The 62-year-old actor is currently promoting “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” which premiered last week at Cannes ahead of its Memorial Day weekend theatrical release. When an interviewer asked Cruise about the franchise ending with the eighth installment, he replied, “It’s the final! It’s not called ‘final’ for nothing.”
Next, the three-time Golden Globe Award winner was asked about a statement he made two years ago about his admiration for Harrison Ford, who was 80 years old when he starred in &#8220;Indian Jones and the Dial of Destiny.&#8221; When <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tom-cruise-making-movies-into-100s-mission-impossible-1236220928/">asked by THR</a> if he still felt that way, Cruise replied, “I actually said I’m going to make movies into my 80s; actually, I’m going to make them into my 100s.”
“I will never stop. I will never stop doing action, I will never stop doing drama, comedy, films — I’m excited,” he continued.
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At the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissionImpossible?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissionImpossible</a>—The Final Reckoning premiere, Tom Cruise reveals he will keep making movies into his 100s <a href="https://t.co/dZdzfEKnAf">pic.twitter.com/dZdzfEKnAf</a>
&mdash; The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/1924241894973772068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“There’s been so many levels of reward with the filmmakers that I’ve collaborated with, the crews, the people, the cultures that we’ve worked in. Everything that I’ve learned and continue to learn about storytelling, about life, about leadership, about character and every aspect of filmmaking. It’s been exceptional, it really is exceptional,” Cruise said during the red carpet interview.
“I feel very fortunate to be able to make the films that I make and I love it. I love just making movies,” he concluded.
“The Final Reckoning” is getting good buzz from critics who have viewed it ahead of its nationwide release. One reviewer called it “whip-smart and razor-sharp,” while another said it’s “an exhilarating adrenaline rush for the head &amp; heart &amp; immersive, awe-inducing stuntacular of the highest order.”
The “Mission: Impossible” franchise, which began in 1996 and is based on the 1960s television series, has evolved into a high-energy action filmography featuring Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunts and intricate espionage plots. The films have grossed more than $4 billion worldwide, with the most successful being “Fallout” (2018).

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise Has 4 Word Response To Reporter On Retirement Plans

Hollywood

Mission Impossible

Pop star Justin Bieber has issued a statement via his rep addressing rumors that he was one of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ victims.
Combs, 55, is currently on trial for multiple offenses, including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for purposes of prostitution. Bieber frequently consorted with the Bad Boys Records founder when he was younger, which has led people to speculate and circulate videos of the two interacting, which they deemed suspicious.
But Bieber has denied these rumors.  
“Although Justin is not among Sean Combs’ victims, there are individuals who were genuinely harmed by him,” the pop star’s rep <a href="https://pagesix.com/2025/05/15/celebrity-news/justin-bieber-issues-statement-on-sean-diddy-combs-amid-rap-moguls-sex-trafficking-trial/">told</a> Page Six on Thursday. “Shifting focus away from this reality detracts from the justice these victims rightfully deserve.”
One of the most widely distributed video clips shows Combs discussing his time spent with Bieber, who was 15 at the time. “Where we hanging out and what we doing, we can’t really disclose, but it’s definitely a 15-year-old’s dream,” the rap artist can be heard saying in the video.
“I don’t have legal guardianship of him, but for the next 48 hours, he’s with me,” Combs continued. “We gonna go full buck full crazy.”
Bieber agreed, echoing, “Going crazy.”
Reactions on social media discussed how “creepy” the video was. 
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This is creepy AF where the hell are the parents here!? 
And it was Usher who also lived with P.Diddy when he was a child that brought in Bieber…… <a href="https://t.co/qSnLIjUfu5">pic.twitter.com/qSnLIjUfu5</a>
&mdash; Luke Rudkowski (@Lukewearechange) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lukewearechange/status/1772675533282697499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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“This is creepy AF where the hell are the parents here!? And it was Usher who also lived with P. Diddy when he was a child that brought in Bieber,” podcaster Luke Rudkowski <a href="https://x.com/Lukewearechange/status/1772675533282697499">wrote</a> on X last year.
Combs’ trial began with testimony from his longtime ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, who claims the rapper physically, mentally, and sexually assaulted her.
Ventura went into detail about her experience at Combs’ drug-fueled sex parties known as “freak-offs,” which involved her engaging in intercourse with male prostitutes for hours or days at a time. She said, “sometimes Sean — he, himself, or an escort would urinate on me.”
“The freak-offs became a job,” she added, saying that participating made her feel “disgusting” and “humiliated.”
The rapper’s legal team admits that their client was a “complicated” man who engaged in uncommon sexual behavior, but says they seek to prove that all encounters occurred between consenting adults. 
Combs pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Diddy and Bieber

Justin Bieber Responds To Rumors That He Was One Of Diddy’s Victims

Justin Bieber Responds To Rumors That He Was One Of Diddy's Victims

Justin Bieber

Sean 'Diddy' Combs

The feud between President Donald Trump and pop star Taylor Swift has reignited, with Trump declaring himself the victor in a Truth Social post.
&#8220;Has anyone noticed that, since I said ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,’ she&#8217;s no longer ‘HOT?’&#8221; the president <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114517718765768352">shared</a> with his followers on Friday morning.
The animosity between Swift and Trump is not new. In September 2024, Trump posted “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” days after the singer revealed on Instagram that she endorsed Trump’s rival, Democrat Kamala Harris, for president following the debate.
“I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,” Swift wrote at the time. “I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos.”
Trump said in an interview on Fox News&#8217;s “Fox &amp; Friends” that he “was not a Taylor Swift fan” and said “she’ll probably pay a price for it in the marketplace,” as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-reacts-to-taylor-swifts-kamala-endorsement">reported</a>.
“I actually like Mrs. Mahomes MUCH better, if you want to know the truth,” Trump told the hosts in September, referencing Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ wife, Brittany Mahomes. Brittany made headlines after she liked a Trump post and had to defend herself against the “haters.”
“She’s a big Trump fan,” he added. “I was not a Taylor Swift fan. It was just a question of time. She couldn’t … you couldn’t possibly endorse [President Joe] Biden.”
“You look at Biden, you couldn’t possibly endorse him,” Trump continued. “But she’s a very liberal person. She seems to always endorse a Democrat.”
Swift, 35, closed out her popular Eras Tour in December and has maintained a lower profile ever since. She is currently in a relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Trump and Swift

Trump Declares Victory: Taylor Swift ‘No Longer Hot’

Trump Declares Victory: Taylor Swift 'No Longer Hot'

Politics

Social Media

Taylor Swift

Singer Lorde just gave a lengthy interview promoting her new album, “Virgin,” during which she discussed how she doesn’t fully identify with either gender. The 28-year-old celebrity also mentioned going off birth control two years ago for the first time since she was a teen.
Lorde told <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lorde-gender-dentity-interview-1235339017/">Rolling Stone</a> during the cover story interview that she’s “in the middle gender-wise.” During a conversation she had with her friend, “queer” recording artist Chappell Roan, Lorde responded to a question about her being non-binary by saying, “I’m a woman except for the days when I’m a man.”
That same line is included on her new album’s opening track.
“I know that’s not a very satisfying answer but there’s a part of me that is really resistant to boxing it up,” she continued.
The outlet noted how she referred to her journey of self-expression as “the ooze,” which referenced how she allowed herself to “take up more space.”
“My gender got way more expansive when I gave my body more room,” Lorde added.
She mentioned going off birth control in 2023 as being a turning point in her thoughts about gender. She said that action led to her feeling as though she “cut some sort of cord between myself and this regulated femininity. It sounds crazy, but I felt that all of a sudden, I was off the map of femininity. And I totally believed that that allowed things to open up.”
The singer insisted that the labels she currently has for herself are not “radical” compared to others.
“I see these incredibly brave young people, and it’s complicated,” Lorde told Rolling Stone. “Making the expression privately is one thing, but I want to make very clear that I’m not trying to take any space from anyone who has more on the line than me. Because I’m, comparatively, in a very safe place as a wealthy, cis, white woman.”
Lorde, a native of New Zealand whose real name is Ella Yelich-O&#8217;Connor, first gained popularity when she was a teen participating in a singing competition. She is the latest in a long line of celebrities and entertainers to embrace radical left-wing gender theory and identify as something different from the standard gender binary.
This has led to mixed reviews from fans generally. One commenter on X summed up what others have said, <a href="https://x.com/AJ_Macintosh82/status/1923071894930047254">writing</a>, &#8220;WTF is wrong with these people??&#8221;

Lorde

Singer Lorde Refuses To Pick A Gender: ‘I’m A Woman Except For The Days When I’m A Man’

Singer Lorde Refuses To Pick A Gender: 'I'm A Woman Except For The Days When I'm A Man'

Gender

LGBT

singer

Singer and leftist Bruce Springsteen opened his &#8220;Land of Hopes and Dreams&#8221; tour with his E Street Band by delivering a lengthy diatribe on foreign soil against President Donald Trump, which led to mockery and criticism on social media.
The 75-year-old recording artist took to the stage on Wednesday in Manchester, England, to make his complaints. 
“In my home, the America I love, the America I’ve written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration. Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experiment to rise with us, raise your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom ring!” Springsteen <a href="https://www.vulture.com/article/bruce-springsteen-trump-treasonous-concert.html">said</a>, per Vulture.
The longtime Democrat supporter made multiple political statements during his two-and-a-half-hour-long set, per <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/bruce-springsteen-trump-treasonous-concert-2072574">Newsweek</a>.
Before playing the song, My City of Ruins, he said, &#8220;There&#8217;s some very weird, strange, and dangerous s*** going on out there right now.&#8221;
&#8220;In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now. In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world&#8217;s poorest children to sickness and death.&#8221;
On the topic of the Trump administration targeting illegal aliens for deportation, Springsteen said, &#8220;They are removing residents off American streets and without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centers and prisons.&#8221;
&#8220;In my country they&#8217;re taking sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers. They&#8217;re rolling back historic civil rights legislation that has led to a more just and plural society,” the singer said at another point. “They are abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom. They are defunding American universities that won&#8217;t bow down to their ideological demands.&#8221;
While some social media users agreed with Springsteen’s message, a large number of commenters were critical of the statements he was making.
“Nobody cares what Bruce Springsteen has to say,” one X user <a href="https://x.com/IanJaeger29/status/1922809978991124748">replied</a>. 
“Bruce Springsteen has completely lost his mind,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/Bubblebathgirl/status/1922988892732391472">observed</a>. “He goes full MSNBC instead of just playing the music people were there to hear. Entertainers are such narcissists.”
“Fans don&#8217;t want to hear this bullsh**&#8230;.They want to hear music. They should have booed him off the stage,” a third person <a href="https://x.com/RealHickory/status/1922966007754162319">said</a>. 
Another commenter <a href="https://x.com/Alsboringtweets/status/1922937826166870386">wrote</a>, “Bruce Springsteen waited until his European tour to badmouth Trump. Was he afraid of the response he would have gotten if he tried it here?? I will answer this for you, Yes. Coward move.”
Besides being an outspoken Democrat supporter, Springsteen is a friend of former President Barack Obama and campaigned for both of his presidential campaigns. The singer also headlined rallies for both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris&#8217; last election cycle.

Bruce Springsteen

‘Nobody Cares’: Bruce Springsteen Mocked For Tirade Against Trump

'Nobody Cares': Bruce Springsteen Mocked For Tirade Against Trump During His Concert

concert

Manchester

Rapper 50 Cent, a longtime rival of disgraced music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, is once again publicly trolling Diddy for his apparent baby oil obsession.
Combs is currently on trial in New York City for sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Details of his sex life have been revealed during the testimony of his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, including graphic details of the drug-fueled sex parties known as “freak offs.” 
Ventura said Combs insisted she reapply baby oil every five minutes to appear “glistening,” as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/diddy-trial-combs-ex-girlfriend-cassie-ventura-shares-graphic-details-of-freak-offs">reported</a>. The rapper’s ex of 11 years also said Combs once made her get into an inflatable pool filled with baby oil.
50 Cent used that detail to create AI-generated images of Combs sitting in pools of baby oil. He shared those on Instagram along with his thoughts on the proceedings, writing, “Damn he did all that sh** to go out like this, [shaking my head].”
“This sh** crazier th[a]n regular crazy,” he added.
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50 Cent has previously mocked Combs for his baby oil usage. Just after Combs was arrested last year, his former friend <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DABjyapOfTF/?igsh=MWpydGFwcWFqbnc4bw%3D%3D">shared</a> on Instagram, “Here I am keeping good company with [The Drew Barrymore Show]. And I don’t have 1,000 bottles of lube at the house.”
This comment came after it was revealed that investigators uncovered <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/diddys-lawyer-attempts-to-justify-those-1000-bottles-of-baby-oil-suggests-they-came-from-costco">more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil</a> and lubricant at Combs’ properties, which were allegedly used during the “freak offs.&#8221;
Attorney Marc Agnifilo, a member of Combs’ legal team, first tried to downplay the number of baby oil bottles recovered, then attempted to justify his client having so many.
“If these are genuinely threesomes, how do you explain the thousand bottles of baby oil?” TMZ founder Harvey Levin asked during the TMZ Studios documentary “The Downfall of Diddy: The Indictment.”
“I don’t know where the number of a thousand came…” Agnifilo answered, prompting Levin to quickly reply, “The U.S. attorney said it.”
“I’m not really sure what the baby oil has to do with anything,” Diddy’s attorney said next. Levin mentioned how it’s being held up as evidence of the orgies that allegedly took place. Agnifilo said, “A little bit goes a long way” when it comes to lubricant.
“I don’t know what you need 1,000 for,” the lawyer said. “He has a big house, he buys in bulk. You know, I think there are Costcos in every place where he has a home. I mean, have you sat in the parking lot of a Costco and seen what people walk out of there with?”
“Not 1,000 bottles of baby oil,” Levin responded.
“I don’t think it was 1,000,” Agnilio said again. “Let’s just say it was a lot, OK?”
Combs&#8217; trial is expected to last eight weeks. If convicted of all charges, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

50 Cent and Diddy

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50 Cent

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex-girlfriend of 11 years, Cassie Ventura, made more allegations against the rapper during her second day on the witness stand on Wednesday.
The final line of questioning from the prosecution led to Ventura accusing Combs of raping her in 2018 when she was attempting to break up with him. She described a dinner in Malibu as a “closure conversation” which ended with Combs allegedly raping her after driving her back home to her apartment that night. Ventura said Combs was acting “romantic, “nice,” and “playful&#8221; before the incident.
&#8220;I just remember crying and saying &#8216;no,&#8217; but it was very fast,&#8221; she said from the witness stand. &#8220;I went inside, he came in and raped me on the living room floor,&#8221; Ventura recalled. &#8220;His eyes were black, he wasn’t himself, it was like somebody taking something from you.”
Ventura also said she had consensual sex with Combs one more time before cutting ties with him for good. When asked why this happened, she replied, “We had been together for over 10 years. You don’t just turn feelings off that way,” Variety <a href="https://variety.com/2025/music/news/cassie-diddy-settlement-alleges-rape-trial-1236398358/">reported</a>.
This was around the same time she began dating personal trainer Alex Fine, whom she married in 2019. The couple is currently expecting their third child.
At the end of her testimony, Ventura recalled suffering psychological repercussions following the incident. She testified that she began “spinning out” in February 2023. 
“I didn’t want to be alive anymore,” Ventura said, tearfully recalling an incident when she “tried to walk out the front door into traffic, and my husband would not let me.”
Ventura filed a civil lawsuit against Combs in 2023 accusing him of rape and physical abuse. While Combs claimed he wasn’t guilty of the charges, the lawsuit was settled just one day after it was filed for an undisclosed amount. During her Wednesday testimony, Ventura revealed that she received $20 million from Combs as part of the settlement.
Earlier in the week, Ventura went into <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/diddy-trial-combs-ex-girlfriend-cassie-ventura-shares-graphic-details-of-freak-offs">detail</a> about her experience at Combs’ drug-fueled sex parties known as “freak-offs,” which involved her engaging in intercourse with male prostitutes for hours or days at a time. She said, “sometimes Sean — he, himself, or an escort would urinate on me.”
“The freak-offs became a job,” she added, saying that participating made her feel “disgusting” and “humiliated.”
Next up, the defense is expected to cross-examine Ventura. As highlighted in opening statements, their objective will be to prove that Combs engaged in unorthodox yet consensual sexual exploits.
Combs pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Cassie and Diddy

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Diddy Trial: Cassie Testifies Combs Raped Her In 2018 When She Tried To Leave Him

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