The 98th annual Academy Awards on Sunday was the least-watched broadcast since 2022, attracting just 17.86 million viewers on ABC and Hulu, marking a 9% decline from last year. 
Hollywood’s biggest night was emceed once again this year by former late-night host Conan O’Brien. He mostly avoided hot-button political topics as promised, but did make some subtle political references, including a dig at the TPUSA Halftime Show.
Other presenters were more direct. Jimmy Kimmel, predictably, attacked President Donald Trump during the show, joking that Trump must be “mad” that “Melania” wasn’t nominated in the documentary category despite the film not being eligible this year. He also described “Melania” as being about “[walking] around the White House trying on shoes.&#8221;
Presenter Javier Bardem took a moment to <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/16/us-news/javier-bardem-faces-criticism-for-using-oscars-to-attack-israel/">virtue signal</a> from the stage, saying, “No to war and free Palestine,” while wearing buttons with identical messaging on his jacket.
Documentary filmmaker David Borenstein also had some thinly veiled criticisms of the Trump administration, which he expressed during his Best Documentary win for his critique of the Russian regime, “Mr. Nobody Against Putin.” 
During his acceptance speech, Borenstein said the film is about “how you lose your country,” which happens “when we act complicit when a government murders people on the streets of our major cities, when we don’t say anything when oligarchs take over the media and control how we produce it and consume it.” 
The blatantly political “One Battle After Another” was the night’s big winner, taking home six Oscars, including the coveted Best Picture and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson.
“Sinners,” a horror film that tackled the Jim Crow-era South, also performed well, winning four golden statuettes, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan.
It was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oscars-trade-abc-for-youtube-in-2029-because-fewer-people-are-watching-anyway">announced</a> at the end of last year that the Oscars will move from ABC, its broadcast home since 1976, to YouTube beginning in 2029, as part of an effort to reach younger and more global audiences.

Oscars

Politics Took Center Stage At The Oscars And It Didn’t Go Unnoticed

Academy Awards

Entertainment

Hollywood

Activist actor Sean Penn raised eyebrows for skipping the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday, especially after he won the award for Best Supporting Actor in “One Battle After Another.” It was later revealed that Penn was in Ukraine at the time.
Per <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/03/18/entertainment/sean-penn-awarded-oscar-forged-from-war-damaged-train-in-ukraine-after-skipping-ceremony/">Page Six,</a> Penn was meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Monday, and while he was there, he was given a flat, Oscar-shaped statue made out of forged metal from a destroyed railcar.
Ukrainian Railways CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi shared a video of Penn receiving the “IronOscar” on X. 
“You’re missing the Oscars,” Pertsovskyi told Penn. “Plus, you gave the last one to the president. So we made this one … You said the metals survived, so we put some words here that are very special to us. It’s not golden, but it’s very real, and it’s from the bottom of our hearts. It’s important to us.”
Penn hugged Pertsovskyi and said, “These are all treasures, thank you.”
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Sean Penn opted for the trip to 🇺🇦 vs. Oscar ceremony at Dolby Theater where he was awarded his 3rd 🏆. We couldn&#8217;t leave our great friend and loyal Ukrainian Raiwlays passenger without an award. So, I have presented Sean with our IronOscar on behalf of all of us! <a href="https://t.co/OLyzOY4h7L">pic.twitter.com/OLyzOY4h7L</a>
— Oleksandr Pertsovskyi (@Pertsovskyi_O) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pertsovskyi_O/status/2033873846546153537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The iron Oscar-shaped statue says on the back, “This steel once carried millions of people away from war. Then a Russian missile came. We did not melt it into a weapon. We forged it into gratitude — for you. For your talent. For your courage to stand with Ukraine.”
Academy Awards presenter Kieran Culkin joked during Sunday’s broadcast about Penn not being there after announcing he had won.  “Sean Penn couldn’t be here this evening, or didn’t want to, so I’ll be accepting the award on his behalf,” Culkin said from the stage.
In 2022, Penn <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sean-penn-threatens-to-smelt-his-own-oscars-if-academy-nixes-zelensky-speech">threatened</a> to “smelt” his Oscar if the Academy Awards planners said no to a virtual appearance by the Ukrainian president, plus encouraged other celebrities to boycott the ceremony. 
Penn later gave his Oscars statue to Zelensky.
“I feel terrible. This is for you. It’s just a symbolic silly thing, but if I know this is here with you then I’ll feel better and stronger for the fight,” he <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/nov/09/sean-penn-gives-oscar-to-ukraine-president-zelenskiy">said</a> at the time. “When you win, bring it back to Malibu. I’ll feel much better knowing a piece of me is here.”

Sean Penn

Sean Penn Skipped The Oscars, What He Received Was Far More Symbolic

Celebrities

Ukraine

Actor Jerry O’Connell said his wife, Rebecca Romijn, and the couple’s two teenage daughters &#8220;became physical” with him on election night after he commented on Kamala Harris’ campaign failures.
The 52-year-old “Stand By Me” alum said as much during an interview with Bill Maher released earlier this week. 
&#8220;If I say this, will I stay married?&#8221; he joked with the “Club Random” podcast host. O’Connell went on to describe how Romijn and their children weren’t open to hearing honest feedback. 
&#8220;I said something along the lines of &#8216;there was no planning. This is what they get. There should have been a primary.&#8217; I said something along those lines, you know, like I was just spit-balling ideas. It was a shock. My wife and daughters, without saying anything, became physical with me. They were filled with rage,&#8221; O&#8217;Connell said.
&#8220;So if I am being careful with you in how I say things, yes, I live in California. I live with not one, not two, but three people who, if I made any kind of joke, they&#8217;d become very angry with me,&#8221; the actor added.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Jerry O&#039;Connell | Club Random with Bill Maher" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g_7IpYkjCIc?start=3517&#038;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>
Maher replied by saying he wouldn’t do well with that kind of behavior in his house.
&#8220;Whatever household situation I&#8217;m in, I say what I truly think, and if it makes you angry, I&#8217;m sorry. We&#8217;ll have to work that out. But I am not going to tuck my tail between my legs and just shut the f*** up,&#8221; Maher said.
O’Connell has been married to former supermodel Romijn since 2007, and their twin daughters, Dolly and Charlie, were born in 2008.
He actively supported Harris during the 2024 presidential election, even <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-EPwB9sGRE/">attending a rally</a> in Georgia.
Maher and O’Connell’s discussion about the 2024 presidential election came just after Maher criticized Hollywood for not recognizing Paramount+ hit “Landman” because it’s seen as a “conservative show.”
“First of all, even if it was a conservative show, that should be allowed,” Maher said. “This is f***ing America, you a**holes.”
He continued, “I mean, it’s just not exactly what you are. And so we have to ignore that and pretend it doesn’t exist. You want to know why people vote for Trump? That’s why. Your sh***y attitude is a real turnoff.”

Jerrry O’Connell Rebecca Romijn

Jerry O’Connell Says His Family ‘Became Physical’ With Him After Kamala Lost To Trump

2024 Election

Bill Maher

Donald Trump

Kamala Harris

Liberals

Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar was candid about why the highly anticipated sequel to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” isn’t moving forward, claiming it all came down to one Hulu executive who never liked the original series.
Gellar, 48, made the revelation during an <a href="https://people.com/sarah-michelle-gellar-opens-up-about-marriage-motherhood-what-really-happened-to-buffy-reboot-exclusive-11926726">interview</a> with People published this week, where she reflected on the abrupt end of &#8220;Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale,&#8221; a project that had already shot a pilot. The actress rose to fame for starring in the original supernatural drama series, which began in 1997. She went on to appear in several films and then took a prolonged hiatus from Hollywood to raise her children. 
“I&#8217;ve been asked since the day I left to return to Sunnydale,&#8221; Gellar told the outlet. &#8220;It never occurred to me that it was something I was going to do.&#8221;
That changed, she explained, after meeting Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao, whose passion for the character convinced her to sign on.
&#8220;In one meeting, she makes me say yes to something I never saw on my radar,&#8221; Gellar said.
However, Gellar said the project did not move forward because one executive involved openly distanced themselves from the original series.
 “We had an executive on our show who was not only not a fan of the original, was proud to constantly remind us that they had never seen the entirety of the series and how it wasn&#8217;t for them,&#8221; she said.
People reported that Gellar was at the South by Southwest festival (SXSW) in Austin on March 11 when she learned the project was off the table. “No one saw this coming,&#8221; she added.
Despite the setback, Gellar emphasized that her decision to return was rooted in the show&#8217;s enduring fanbase.
“The fans are why I wanted to do it in the first place,” she said. &#8220;Buffy was about chosen family, and that you may feel like you don&#8217;t belong in the world, but there&#8217;s someone out there that sees you. And for me, it&#8217;s always been about me seeing those fans.” 
The sequel was first announced in February 2025 as a pilot order at Hulu, according to <a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/news/chloe-zhao-reacts-buffy-reboot-killed-hulu-1236689223/">Variety</a>. Zhao, speaking on the red carpet over the weekend, suggested the series could still get picked up by a different distributor.
“Our priority for Sarah and for us has always been to be truthful to the show, to be truthful to our fans,&#8221; Zhao said. &#8220;Things happen for a reason, and we keep our hearts open and we welcome the mystery.&#8221;
Whether &#8220;New Sunnydale&#8221; finds a new home remains to be seen. For now, Gellar says she&#8217;s moving forward with the same resilience as her iconic character.
&#8220;I’m going to hold my head high and keep going,&#8221; she concluded. &#8220;That’s what Buffy Summers would do.&#8221;

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar Says ‘Buffy’ Sequel Fell Apart Because Of One Hulu Exec

Hulu

Television

The Oscars were televised last night.
I’d bet you didn’t watch the awards ceremony. Nobody watched it.
The Oscars have been in a state of precipitous decline for decades. In part, that’s because nobody has seen the movies that are competing for the Academy Awards. But it&#8217;s also because the ceremony has become a left-wing agitprop fest.
Last night was no exception. The big winner was &#8220;One Battle After Another,&#8221; a truly egregious and terrible film about the virtues of domestic terrorism against a white supremacist infrastructure.
The other big winner was &#8220;Sinners,&#8221; a Critical Race Theory remake of &#8220;From Dusk Till Dawn,&#8221; the Quentin Tarantino vampire movie.
Conan O&#8217;Brien, formerly a funny human, told a bunch of stale jokes about how much Republicans suck, saying, “I should warn you, tonight could get political. Okay. And if that makes you uncomfortable, there&#8217;s an alternate Oscars being hosted by Kid Rock. It&#8217;s at the Dave &amp; Busters down the street. A lot of tickets for that.”
Hollywood loves Hollywood: All those people who don&#8217;t agree with their politics? The only thing they&#8217;ve got is Kid Rock and Dave &amp; Busters and all the rest.
There&#8217;s a reason their ratings are in precipitous decline.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2388-did-the-cia-spy-on-tucker-carlson?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
All in all, it was a totally forgettable evening, but at least most of the Oscar winners stayed out of politics, to the disappointment of at least one author in the New York Times, Daniel Kehlmann. Kehlmann is the author of a book called &#8220;The Director,&#8221; a really, really good book, but also the author of a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/15/opinion/oscar-winners-political-speeches.html">pretty terrible column</a> on the necessity for actors to say things.
Kehlmann wrote before the ceremony, “Hollywood’s great actors and directors are not merely well known; they are famous figures everywhere, even in dictatorships now closed to the world, such as Russia and North Korea. On Oscar night not only will the eyes of the American public be fixed on them; so will the ears of the entire planet, listening for the answer to the question: Your country is being turned into a dictatorship, people are being arrested and shot in the streets, your mad king is trampling your venerable Constitution underfoot — what do you have to say about it?”
Yes, according to Daniel Kehlmann, we need to hear from our greatest artists (actors!) about their geopolitical analysis. His book is about a director named G.W. Pabst, who was a little-known director from the 1920s and 30s who returned to Nazi Germany from the United States in order to be allowed artistic resources by the regime. The book is about art&#8217;s surrender to tyranny. In the book, Pabst is fully complicit with a genocidal Nazi regime. He even takes advantage of concentration camp victims as extras.
To equate America in 2026 with Nazi Germany is, of course, an act of extreme moral blindness. Unfortunately, that seems par for the course in much of the artistic community.
That&#8217;s why actress Charithra Chandran, whom I&#8217;d never heard of, wore a pin for the anti-Israel ceasefire in Gaza, where Hamas is currently murdering opponents in the streets, but not a single actor or actress anywhere on the Oscar red carpet said anything about the slaughter of 32,000 Iranians by the regime.
The only truly overtly political moment from any winner came from Paul Thomas Anderson, who said, “I wrote this movie for my kids to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world we’re handing off to them, but also with the encouragement that they will be the generation that hopefully brings us some common sense and decency.”
Paul Thomas Anderson was not saying sorry to his kids. He was saying, “Look at my virtue signaling while I earn millions of dollars for films that lose $100 million at the box office.”
But at least he’ll sleep better at night with his gold statuette and $10,000 swag bag from the Academy.

TOPSHOT-US-ENTERTAINMENT-FILM-AWARD-OSCARS-SHOW

The Oscars Nobody Watched: Hollywood Congratulates Itself Again

Acting

Ben Shapiro

Movies

Opinion

Gen Z is having a moment — not in the “It Girl” kind of way, deserving the paparazzi spotlight because it has particular talents, looks, or other … assets. Quite the opposite. Gen Z, the generational group born from 1997 to the early aughts of the 21st century, is emotionally marred by its technological umbilical cord, ADHD, and COVID-induced psychological distress.
This Gen Z moment is more akin to a mid-midlife crisis. And what better cure than a longing for the halcyon days of yore: the 1990s. If your generation is defined by a lack of rebelliousness, social isolation, and emotional cope, then why not live out your fantasies indulging in the wildly innocent and spontaneous authenticity of a world unsoiled by social media, doomscrolling, and the precarious teetering on the edge of ecological, political, and economic collapse that your Boomer grandparents have heaped on your conscience? Of course, relief would only be found in longing for the days of mix tapes, Must See TV, and meeting friends at the mall arcade (IRL!).
Gen Z’s ’90s infatuation is a reminder of what we had and what we lost. A culture grounded in an analogue world, a freedom untethered from 24/7 hyperattentive neuroses based on social media antisocialism, and a freewheeling, spontaneous in-the-moment reality where politics and culture and entertainment still had defined boundaries, and America was, for the most part, an outward-looking, optimistic culture obsessed with collective cohesion, not division.
We’ve seen this coming. It makes perfect sense that kids who never owned a physical thing, let alone burn CDs, copy movies from television onto VHS, or take a date out to the local Blockbuster Video (Netflix and chill has nothing on the suggestive power of “Basic Instinct” or “Wild Things”), would now have extensive vinyl record collections, buy Criterion Collection film DVDs or be snapping up back issues of magazines on eBay.
“Friends,” “Seinfeld,” “Sex and the City,” the Vogue aesthetic, and NYC glamour have newfound cachet. Hell, with the rise of GLP-1 inhibitors, heroin-skinny chic is even back with a fervor (just ask Demi Moore). So it’s only natural that the &#8220;It Couple of America’s&#8221; style capital — John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy — have found a resurrection among this generation. From Bessette’s <a href="https://www.thecut.com/article/carolyn-bessette-kennedy-cbk-headband-co-bigelow-love-story.html?_gl=1*93lvyj*_gcl_au*MTA5MjQ1MTU4Mi4xNzcwMjQxMzU2*FPAU*MjA4ODkwMzQ1MC4xNzY3OTA3NTEz*_ga*NzM5MzQ4NjMxLjE3Njc5MDc1MTM.*_ga_DNE38RK1HX*czE3NzM1MzU2OTkkbzIwJGcxJHQxNzczNTM1NzIxJGozOCRsMCRoODQxNTkwNjQ2*_fplc*Tmd1VUUzV3ZCdlZCJTJCU2hCNUVBOVhsOUpxMFMlMkJjc3ZaZThjd1E0ZnN0ZyUyRkNUd2lIRE9sJTJCR01LM2YlMkJxJTJGU1R3NEIyT2lhd2RlekElMkZxNGVPQWpIWkRRWWJaZXAlMkJDQnNDRUFjNUd4dE9tTkRDS0xmSjFvJTJGUGwlMkJQbWdXQW1JOVElM0QlM0Q.">killer headbands</a> and Calvin Klein fashion to a Washington Square Park JFK, Jr. <a href="https://instinctmagazine.com/jfk-jr-lookalikes-nyc/">lookalike contest</a>, this <a href="https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/love-story">Love Story</a> is the perfect form of escapism. The tabloid favs predated Bennifer and Brangelina and offered relationship drama that Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt only dreamed of.
<div id="attachment_1060545" style="width: 837px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1060545" class="size-large wp-image-1060545" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-1264317423-827x576.jpg" alt="John Kennedy, Jr. and his wife, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy stroll together near their TriBeCa loft today. They had lunch at Bubby's after they bought a paper at Hudson News. In this photo, they head back to their apartment. (Photo by Lawrence Schwartzwald/Sygma via Getty Images)" width="827" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-1264317423-827x576.jpg 827w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-1264317423-300x209.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-1264317423-768x535.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-1264317423.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 827px) 100vw, 827px" />Lawrence Schwartzwald/Sygma via Getty Images</div>
But if there are takeaways from Gen Z’s emotional support decade, it’s that we can’t go back in time, but we can try to recapture the idealism of our past, even if it’s a pieced-together, imperfect idealism, akin to what JFK, Jr. embodied in his own life with the launch of his George magazine in 1995. It was a hope found in a nation of possibilities rather than one of victims or grievances, and “not just politics as usual,” as its tagline pronounced.
George had it all: celebrity cachet to chaperone the political party, think “<a href="https://whca.press/news/annual-dinner/">Nerd Prom</a>” well before Ana Marie Cox stole the moniker from San Diego’s Comic-Con, and with a self-deprecating, tongue-in-cheek cheekiness completely absent in today’s self-important political spheres. This was vibes before vibe-maxxing was a thing; TMZ a decade before its celeb-skewering snark; politics merging with entertainment before The Donald came down the golden escalator.
In a way, JFK, Jr. and George were prophetic but also too good to appreciate in their own time, and too romantic and authentic for today. It would be unthinkable now for the son of President John F. Kennedy to put a too-cute Drew Barrymore evoking <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ7E1fzQzd8">Marilyn Monroe</a>, the sexy starlet who famously crooned for and canoodled with the 35th president, in that dress on the cover of his magazine. It was a figurative nesting doll of iconographic Americana. Kennedy explained the choice on an “Oprah Winfrey Show” <a href="https://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/john-f-kennedy-jrs-life-in-the-spotlight">appearance</a> in 1996: “Bill Clinton turned 50 two days after we went on sale, as an editor, that is a colossal opportunity that you can’t let pass.” Gen Z would lap that up faster than a collagen smoothie.
But in the 1990s, that was the atmosphere proving Andrew Breitbart’s leitmotif that politics is downstream from culture. But George did it in a noncombative, approachable way. Supermodels, sports stars, screen legends, and gossip mingled with serious interviews with George Wallace and profiles of politicos such as Newt Gingrich, poking holes in the pious and self-important world of politics. It certainly defies today’s carefully curated, protect-the-brand-at-all-costs ethos.
Why so serious, Gen Z? Laugh a little! JFK, Jr. and George showed that nothing should be so precious, even your own legendary family. It’s doubtful that Hunter Biden would allow his father’s name, image, or likeness to appear anywhere near an ad — or mock ad — for dementia care, or even Baskin-Robbins. 
Gen Z missed out on real comedy and genuine, innocent fun. The 1990s were a time when late-night talk shows were actually funny and reflected collective cultural entertainment, not just vehicles for applause harvesting and woke scolds. Hollywood was still interested in making movies people wanted to see, and New York City was the center of the universe and a destination for dreamers and tourists; it was possible to meet your future spouse at a bar (when young people went to bars), ride the subway without fear of being pushed onto the tracks, or exist as a <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/28/us-news/stranger-pummels-rabbi-after-sneering-f-k-jews-in-hate-fueled-nyc-attack/">Jew</a>. Instead, NYC has a mayor who seems hellbent on rolling the city back to the gritty urban decay of the 1970s — think “Taxi Driver” and “Mean Streets” — albeit with a touch of antisemitism and domestic terror attacks. Charming! Those films should be cautionary tales, not #Goals.
It’s no wonder Gen Z is looking back. When you’re promised the world and instead you get an IOU, you look for happier times where you can find them — even in the pages of long-lost magazines and People’s <a href="https://people.com/john-f-kennedy-jr-sexiest-man-alive-1988-people-magazine-cover-11916170">Sexiest Man Alive</a> when he was…still alive.
* * *
Jenna Stocker is editor and publisher of American Experiment’s quarterly magazine. A former Marine Corps officer, Stocker also contributes to The Federalist and National Review.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

John F. Kennedy Jr. And Wife Carolyn Remembered Four Years After Death

Gen Z Is Looking Back At The 1990s And Realizing What America Lost

Gen Z Is Looking Back To The Future, 1990s Style

Culture

Gen Z

John F. Kennedy Jr.

magazine

Technology

Rebecca Bendheim, the author of a YA book for teen readers, posted on social media about deliberately designing the cover art to hide the book’s theme from parents while simultaneously advertising it to children.
“When Penguin [Random House] asked me what I wanted for my cover, I said I wanted it to be gay enough for queer kids and teens to clock it, but for homophobic parents to just think it’s a friendship story,” the author and middle school teacher bragged on Instagram.
The book in question is called “When You’re Brave Enough” and has a publication date of April 7, 2026. According to the <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/774613/when-youre-brave-enough-by-rebecca-bendheim/">publisher</a>, it is recommended for children ages 10 &#8211; 14.
“So I said, no holding hands, make my character look gay…” She went on to point out the subtle details she and the cover artist agreed on, including flowers growing between the pair to represent a crush that’s “growing.”
“So what do you think? Would you guess this was a queer book?” Bendheim asked her followers.
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In a follow-up video, the author shows her book cover to random people on the street to see if they can guess what it’s about.
“Shoutout to the people who answered and to librarians who help kids and teens find subtle queer books if they need them,” she <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVuH_7CDZfj/">wrote</a> in the caption. “I’m a firm believer that positive representation saves lives!! Would you be able to tell?”
Her <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/good-morning-america-book-pick-for-teens-features-rape-threesomes-necrophilia">comments</a> come just after another YA book, “Sibylline” by Melissa de la Cruz, made headlines for including graphic sex scenes of necrophilia, threesomes, and rape. “Sibylline” is being promoted as a &#8220;Good Morning America&#8221; Book Club selection in their Young Adult category.
This has been a hot topic in the publishing community recently. There was a discussion about the importance of “representation” and a lot of hand-wringing over so-called book bans during a SXSW EDU panel on March 11. The panel was called, “Beyond Bans: Defending LGBTQ+ Stories and Literary Freedom.”
“The worst thing we could possibly do is let that fear stop us from continuing to make art,” author Casey McQuiston <a href="https://people.com/lgbtq-authors-targeted-by-book-bans-exclusive-11925852">said</a> at the time, per People. “And not only to make art, but to go out into public libraries to visit, to go out into schools.”
McQuiston’s author page describes her as a “bestselling author of queer romantic comedies.” The most famous of these, “Red, White, &amp; Royal Blue,” is for adults, but she also wrote the YA romantic mystery, “I Kissed Shara Wheeler.”

Book with bookmark and rainbow ribbon of LGBT pride.

Author Proudly Says She Made Book Cover Gay Enough For Kids But Invisible To Parents

Books

Children's Books

LGBTQ

Social Issues

U.S.

Comedian Chelsea Handler is once again proving that she doesn’t understand human development after she released another sad video praising her child-free lifestyle. 
The 51-year-old star bragged about not having to go to places like Build-a-Bear because she doesn’t have children, but commenters rightly pointed out that at her age, it’s more likely that any children Handler had would be well past that stage of life.
“I just woke up and it’s one o’clock in the afternoon,” Handler says in the video she shared to Instagram. 
The “Chelsea Lately” host is seen wearing pajamas and a sleep mask. “I get to sleep to however late I feel like it because I don’t have any f***ing children,” she went on. “And because I don’t have kids, that means I don’t have to go anywhere today. I don’t have to go to Disneyland, Legoland, Color Me Mine, Build-a-Bear, Yogurtland, the zoo. I don’t have to go to any of those places, not once, not ever.”
“Kids… they’re not that great,” Handler concluded.
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The skit received mixed reactions, especially from followers who don’t understand why Handler is so focused on children&#8217;s formative years. 
“Ma&#8217;am, your kids would be off at college ignoring your phone calls,” one reply <a href="https://x.com/madelineefry/status/2033316372151681500">said</a>.
“Now that my kid is a teenager and prefers the company of his peers, I look back on the days when I ‘had to’ go to those places as some of the most meaningful and sweetest times of my life. You will never know the greatest and purest love until you’ve loved your child,” another reply <a href="https://x.com/Kanchitakarola/status/2033254412635033603">said</a>. 
“People who are untroubled about a life choice don&#8217;t have to post about how untroubled they are about it. They just move on,” a third commenter <a href="https://x.com/QuestionPDX/status/2033392956552736814">pointed out</a>. “She&#8217;s spinning her wheels and making a rut for herself.”
This isn’t the first time Handler has tried to glorify her child-free life. The celeb made headlines in 2023 with her viral “Day In The Life Of A Childless Woman” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/extremely-sad-chelsea-handlers-day-in-the-life-of-a-childless-woman-spoof-goes-viral">spoof video</a>.
“I wake up at 6 AM. I remember that I have no kids to take to school, so I take an edible, masturbate, and go back to sleep,” the video begins.
Each segment of the video got more outlandish, with the comedian saying she gets up at 12:30 PM to “get ready for a busy day of doing whatever the f*** I feel like.” 
“I put on my most impractical and stylish shoes since I won’t be chasing a child around the grocery store,” Handler continued, adding how she enjoys a peaceful time during air travel because she has “no screaming kids.”
Handler’s pretend day ends with her texting a random man, “Wanna f*ck tonight?” 
Reactions at the time were the same, with commenters pointing out that the bit was sad and predictable, plus didn’t reflect the reality of women in their late 40s with older children anyway.

Chelsea Handler

Chelsea Handler’s Child-Free Bit Is Back, And It’s Even Sadder This Time Around

Chelsea Handler Is Back To Glorifying Her Child-Free Life, But It Still Makes No Sense

Children

comedian

Motherhood

“Hamnet” star Jessie Buckley, who just won the Academy Award for Best Actress on Sunday night, is being praised for her pro-family, pro-baby acceptance speech that stands in stark contrast to previous winners who celebrated abortion from the podium. 
Buckley, 36, became visibly emotional when her name was announced during Hollywood’s biggest night. She began her speech by thanking the cast and crew, but then drew the most attention by directing it toward her family. 
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“My family, my Irish family, they’re all here,” she said. “Mom, Dad, thank you for teaching us to dream and to never be defined by expectation and to carve from your own passion.”
Buckley next turned her attention to her husband of three years. “You, Fred, I love you, man. I love you; you’re the most incredible dad. You’re my best friend, and I want to have 20,000 more babies with you, I do. I do!” she said.
The mom of one then addressed her baby daughter. “And Isla, my little girl who is eight months, who has absolutely no idea what’s going on and is probably dreaming of milk, but this is kind of a big deal, and I love you, and I love being your mom, and I can’t wait to discover life beside you,” she went on. 
“It’s Mother’s Day in the U.K. today, so I would like to dedicate this to the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart. We all come from a lineage of women who continue to create against all odds. Thank you for recognizing me in this role. This is the greatest honor. I can’t even believe it.”
Buckley was the first Irish woman to win a Best Actress award, but chose to skip blathering about representation and instead focus on her loved ones.
Reactions on social media were overwhelmingly positive.
“Imagine if every Hollywood actor showed this level of humility and poured this kind of love onto their kids instead of giving us preachy lectures. Hollywood would still have fans,” one commenter <a href="https://x.com/kangminlee/status/2033384463489466865?s=43">wrote</a>.
“This is the greatest expression of love between two healthy people,” conservative pundit Bethany Mandel <a href="https://x.com/bethanyshondark/status/2033468952936866079?s=43">said</a> of the “want to have 20,000 more babies with you” line. 
“Beautiful,” pro-life activist Lila Rose agreed. “Marriage isn’t a trap. Babies aren’t burdens. Motherhood is a gift.”
Buckley’s testament to family following her win stands in stark contrast to Michelle Williams’ infamous acceptance speech at the Golden Globes in 2020, when she said, &#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t have been able to do this without employing a woman&#8217;s right to choose.”

Jessie Buckley

Best Actress Winner Praised For Pro-Family Message At Oscars

family

World

A new poll from UC Berkeley and POLITICO found that voters in California believe Hollywood stars and professionals have far too much political influence. 
The <a href="https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000019c-e3f3-d6f4-a9ff-fff3abd70000">opinion poll</a> revealed that a plurality of the 1,220 voters surveyed, 48% total, said the entertainment industry has “too much influence on politics.” Almost half of the respondents also said that directors, actors, and other high-profile Hollywood figures should “be less vocal with their political beliefs.”
A plurality of voters – 39% – said Hollywood has a negative impact on American culture. Forty-seven percent of respondents admitted that the industry was “too liberal.”
These results come just days ahead of the 98th Academy Awards, which will be hosted again this year by former late-night host Conan O’Brien. Tensions are high as political turmoil abounds, and recent reports show that security will be tight at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
This includes a reported 1,000 private security guards, LAPD SWAT teams, bomb-sniffing dogs, and a fleet of surveillance drones circling overhead, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-elites-scramble-to-embrace-law-and-order-as-iran-threat-looms-over-oscars?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Hollywood+Elites+Scramble+To+Embrace+Law+And+Order+As+Iran+Threat+Looms+Over+Oscars">reported</a>. 
O’Brien said he will discuss politics but claims he plans to tread carefully during the Oscars presentation. 
“My job is to always try and hit this very, very thin line between entertaining people and also acknowledging some of the realities,” the comedian said during a Wednesday news conference with the Oscars creative team, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2026-03-11/oscars-2026-conan-obrien-politics-iran-war-reunions-bridesmaids-marvel">per</a> the LA Times.
“It’s a dance that goes on up until the show begins,” O’Brien said, adding that revisions to his monologue will be ongoing in the days leading up to the telecast to ensure everything is up-to-date with the news cycle.
“Between us, we will find the right tone,” he said, referencing the show’s executive producers.
Others in Hollywood show much less restraint. Several actors have become notorious for their leftist crusades and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/six-celebs-who-prove-trump-derangement-syndrome-has-no-cure">chronic TDS</a>, including insufferable activists such as George Clooney, Sean Penn, Robert De Niro, Alec Baldwin, Pedro Pascal, Larry David, Rosie O’Donnell, among so many others.
Besides these famous faces that keep popping up in the world of politics, there are dozens more celebrities who do their share of virtue signaling, including those who make frequent anti-ICE comments and who offer land acknowledgements despite living in mansions that are also situated on “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/billie-eilishs-stolen-land-rant-blows-up-as-tongva-tribe-says-her-mansion-sits-on-its-land">stolen land</a>.”

red carpet entrance

With Oscars Around The Corner, Even California Thinks Hollywood Is Off The Political Deep End

CA Voters Think Liberal Hollywood Has Too Much Influence On Politics: Poll

California

Politics

Poll

Hollywood is great at keeping secrets. 
Ellen DeGeneres built a career on a relentlessly nice persona that belied her behind-the-scenes cruelty. Harvey Weinstein’s Midas touch distracted us from his predatory encounters with starlets. And Sean “Diddy” Combs turned out to be more than a music mogul — he allegedly presided over a garish, sex-obsessed ring.
The new Hollywood Blacklist, by comparison, is out in the open. Conservative artists, beware. Sharing your point of view can cost you. Dearly.
Yet very few industry types will admit or decry it. And we’re seeing even more evidence of it.
<div id="attachment_1059531" style="width: 842px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059531" class="size-large wp-image-1059531" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-854869502-832x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 27: Cheryl Hines and Larry David attend the &quot;Curb Your Enthusiasm&quot; season 9 premiere at SVA Theater on September 27, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)" width="832" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-854869502-832x576.jpg 832w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-854869502-300x208.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-854869502-768x532.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-854869502.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 832px) 100vw, 832px" />Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images</div>
Cheryl Hines has been working nonstop for decades, even if we all know her best as Larry’s exasperated wife (then ex-wife) on HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
But a funny thing happened to Hines on the way to her husband Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.&#8217;s endorsement of Donald Trump.
The roles dried up.
The in-demand comic actress hasn’t had a new gig since “Curb” wrapped two years ago. Is she turning work down? Or did her phone stop ringing? What could have changed?
Hines has been polite on the subject in a barrage of interviews, suggesting her Hollywood friendships have strained under that political weight. She also isn’t a part of Larry David’s upcoming HBO comedy series, an untitled satire co-produced by the Obamas.
The Daily Mail added that the Obamas <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15000917/Cheryl-Hines-Larry-David-new-HBO-barack-michelle-obama.html">won’t allow Hines</a> to be part of the show.
She even got <a href="https://x.com/bradleywhitford/status/1827444691316732393?lang=en">called out</a> by Emmy winner Bradley Whitford on social media for her political ties.
<blockquote>…way to stay silent while your lunatic husband throws his support behind the adjudicated rapist who brags about stripping women of their fundamental rights. Gutsy. Great example for the kids. Profile in courage.</blockquote>
She also may have lost a long-term friendship with former podcast partner Tig Notaro. The two <a href="https://people.com/tig-notaro-reflects-on-strange-friendship-fallout-from-cheryl-hines-over-rfk-jr-trump-ties-11923515">hosted “Tig and Cheryl: True Story”</a> for three years before ending the show in May of 2023. Notaro helped end the show due to Hines’ husband’s political aspirations, though it’s unclear why that element had to be a show stopper.
<div id="attachment_1059545" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059545" class="size-large wp-image-1059545" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-13-Mar-2026-01-23-PM-8640-815x576.jpg" alt="PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: Cheryl Hines attends the Third Annual &quot;Starry Starry Night Gala&quot; at Chaparral Country Club on January 31, 2026 in Palm Desert, California. (Photo by David Crotty/Getty Images)BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: Tig Notaro attends the 62nd Cinema Audio Society Awards on March 07, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Lizeth Ramirez/Getty Images)" width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-13-Mar-2026-01-23-PM-8640-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-13-Mar-2026-01-23-PM-8640-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-13-Mar-2026-01-23-PM-8640-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-13-Mar-2026-01-23-PM-8640-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-13-Mar-2026-01-23-PM-8640-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Hines: Photo by David Crotty. Notaro: Photo by Lizeth Ramirez</div>
Notaro suggests politics didn’t end their friendship, although it clearly forced her to quit the podcast.
<blockquote>I realized one day that she doesn’t ever reach out to me anymore. She responds to me, but she doesn’t reach out to me. I had to kind of shake myself out of denial that, ‘Oh, she’s gone,’ and, ‘OK, I need to let this go. I need to let it go.’</blockquote>
Others in Hollywood likely did just that to Hines. The Hollywood Reporter even suggested that would <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/cheryl-hines-rfk-jr-drop-presidential-race-trump-1235981992/">happen due to her political ties</a>. The actress has been on the Left for some time, for what it’s worth, but she’s being judged based on her husband’s views.
Dennis Quaid has defied the new Hollywood Blacklist. For now.
The 71-year-old screen legend stays busy, including a supporting turn in the new Netflix action romp “War Machine.” He even starred as the title character in 2024’s “Reagan” and admitted to being a President Donald Trump supporter during the film’s publicity push.
<div id="attachment_1059553" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059553" class="size-large wp-image-1059553" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263942335-865x576.jpg" alt="CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 27: Actor Dennis Quaid (R) joins U.S. President Donald Trump as he speaks at the Port of Corpus Christi on February 27, 2026 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Trump visited Texas to deliver remarks on affordability and economic issues less than a week before the state's midterm primary elections on March 3rd. (Photo by Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)" width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263942335-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263942335-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263942335-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263942335.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images</div>
Still, the work keeps on coming. That’s more common with established, Right-leaning actors like Tim Allen, Kelsey Grammer, and Jon Voight. But Quaid’s political leanings, which he describes as more independent than doctrinaire conservative, still found him singled out by a peer.
A peer who recently joined him on screen.
Nick Offerman and Quaid worked together on last year’s “Sovereign,” the story of an anti-government zealot (Offerman) who pushes his conspiracy theories too far.
Offerman didn’t share a negative word about his time on the set with Quaid on the “Lovett or Leave It” podcast with former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett. Instead, he insulted the actor <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg2smuJfxN8&amp;t=1s">for thinking the “wrong” way</a>.
“Right after we finished the movie, he suddenly came out with a gospel country record and went on Tucker Carlson and f***ing [Sean] Hannity to play his Trump gospel songs,” Offerman said. 
“What? He’s a hero of my life. I’ve looked up to him. He’s a great actor.”
<div id="attachment_1059591" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059591" class="size-large wp-image-1059591" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2219737581-864x576.jpg" alt="SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 12: Nick Offerman speaks during a press conference at Pier One Sydney Harbour on June 12, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. Offerman and Mullally will take the stage for, Unscripted and Unfiltered, to close out Vivid Sydney 2025. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2219737581-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2219737581-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2219737581-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2219737581.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Brendon Thorne/Getty Images</div>
Later, the “Parks &amp; Recreation” alum doubled down on both Dennis and brother Randy Quaid. The latter worked in Hollywood for years, but a <a href="https://abcnews.com/Entertainment/randy-quaid-wife-evi-hollywood-refugees-exclusive-interview/story?id=12020421">series of bizarre incidents</a> coaxed his exit from the industry.
“[Randy Quaid] was very crazy, and he went away, but Dennis kept it under wraps until last year,” he continued. “But he’s now gone.”
The Blacklist-style bigotry isn’t relegated to the film industry. Hip hop superstar Nicki Minaj didn’t don a red MAGA hat during President Trump’s first term, but in recent months, she noticed how the Republican leader <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-deep-sense-of-gratitude-nicki-minaj-praises-trump-for-action-on-persecuted-christians">supported Christians being persecuted in Nigeria</a>.
<div id="attachment_1059621" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059621" class="size-large wp-image-1059621" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2258679012-864x576.jpg" alt="WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 28: Musician Nicki Minaj (L) joins U.S. President Donald Trump on stage as he delivers remarks during the Treasury Department's Trump Accounts Summit at Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on January 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. &quot;Trump Accounts&quot; are a portion of recently passed tax and spending legislation where the federal government will deposit $1,000 into investment accounts for every child born between 2025 and 2028 once parents sign their children up while filing their income taxes.  (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2258679012-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2258679012-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2258679012-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2258679012.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Win McNamee/Getty Images</div>
That resonated with her, and she eventually threw her celebrity cache behind the unorthodox leader. Within weeks, she became the comic target of Grammy host Trevor Noah at the gala’s annual soiree.
<blockquote>Nicki Minaj is not here…She’s still at the White House with Donald Trump, discussing very important issues.</blockquote>
He then broke out his Trump impression as the Tony crowd chortled.
<blockquote>Actually Nicki, I have the biggest ass! Everybody’s saying it. I know they say it’s you, but it’s me. WAP, WAP, WAP. Look at it, baby.</blockquote>
Her crime? Being an independent thinker, and no progressive star in Hollywood or the music industry had her back.
And actress Katherine Heigl could be next. The once-in-demand star of “Grey’s Anatomy” appeared in public earlier this month to support the Big Dog Ranch Rescue gala at Mar-A-Lago, Trump’s private retreat.
<div id="attachment_1058339" style="width: 973px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1058339" class="size-large wp-image-1058339" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Katherine-Heigl-963x576.jpg" alt="Katherine Heigl" width="963" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Katherine-Heigl-963x576.jpg 963w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Katherine-Heigl-300x180.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Katherine-Heigl-768x460.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Katherine-Heigl.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 963px) 100vw, 963px" />Manny Hernandez/Getty Images</div>
She even brought her mom to the red carpet gala.
Heigl had to make a public statement after appearing at the apolitical event, defending her passion for worthy causes by saying, <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/03/11/celebrity-news/katherine-heigl-hits-back-at-fans-politicizing-her-attendance-at-mar-a-lago-rescue-event/">“animals don’t vote.”</a> Could that one appearance impact her chances at a Hollywood comeback?
Ask Offerman.
And this is the stuff we see in public, not the behind-the-scenes cancellations and attacks. It’s likely far worse there.
The unofficial conservative blacklist may have weakened in recent months, with high-profile stars like Zachary Levi and Sylvester Stallone supporting Trump without overt blowback.
In some ways the bigotry against Right-leaning artists is as strong as ever.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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Actor Timothée Chalamet sparked backlash after saying &#8220;no one cares&#8221; about opera and ballet, comments that quickly drew criticism from artists and cultural figures. But one singer admitted that she joined the pile-on for a different reason: &#8220;virtue signaling.&#8221;
Recording artist Doja Cat acknowledged that her criticism came not out of personal conviction, but because she wanted to participate in online outrage, revealing that she has never even attended an opera or ballet performance.
“I took it upon myself yesterday to kind of give it to the man because there is a culture based around outrage and things like that, and people want to feel like they’re part of something,&#8221; the 30-year-old singer shared in a TikTok video. &#8220;It’s a need to connect, whether good or bad.” 
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@dojacat/video/7615352156626963725" data-video-id="7615352156626963725">
<section><a title="@dojacat" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@dojacat?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@dojacat</a><a title="♬ original sound - Doja Cat" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7615352204446223117?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound &#8211; Doja Cat</a></section>
</blockquote>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
“What I was doing&#8230;was virtue signaling because I wanted to connect and I knew that Timothée’s goof up was something that I could leverage in order for people to connect with me and f*** with me,” Doja Cat went on. 
“And it’s easy. It’s a modern way to garner clicks, likes, approval and all kinds of things like that from people. And so I did that yesterday, and I didn’t really think about why I was doing it&#8230; I don’t know anything about opera. I don’t know anything about ballet, and I’ve never been to either shows.&#8221;
That message was shared after Doja Cat’s original, since-deleted TikTok told Chalamet to “sit the f*** down and shut the f*** up” and insisted that “people give a f***” about opera and ballet.
The controversy began after a clip from Chalamet&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/timothee-chalamet-still-getting-slammed-for-saying-ballet-and-opera-are-dead">conversation</a> with Matthew McConaughey during a CNN &amp; Variety town hall event went viral. The “Marty Supreme” actor was blasted for saying “no one cares” about the two art forms. 
Ballet dancer Misty Copeland <a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/global/misty-copeland-timothee-chalamet-actor-ballet-opera-1236684380/">claimed</a> Chalamet wouldn’t have his acting career if opera and ballet didn’t exist. Legendary opera singer Andrea Bocelli said Chalamet’s comments “<a href="https://people.com/andrea-bocelli-speaks-out-after-timothee-chalamet-opera-ballet-comments-exclusive-11924422">surprised</a>” him and invited the actor to attend one of his performances. 
Many social media users are now saying the outrage cycle has dragged on too long. Chalamet has not issued a public apology or clarified any of his comments. So far, Doja Cat appears to be the only celebrity who has admitted that she was only coming down hard on the actor to get clicks.

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Doja Cat Admits She Piled On Chalamet For Clicks, Says She Was ‘Virtue Signaling’

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