America has a basic moral rule that used to be understood without explanation: when someone dies, especially violently, you put down the rhetorical knives.
You don’t dance on graves, and you don’t treat a coffin like a political prop.
This rule is not about pretending we agree with the dead. It is not about suspending our convictions. It’s about preserving the last thin strand of decency that keeps politics from becoming blood sport.
In 2025, America learned again what happens when that strand snaps.
When Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University on September 10, the country did not just witness a murder, we witnessed a national test. Would we respond like a serious people, or like a civilization that has forgotten the difference between a political opponent and an enemy?
We all saw what followed. Social media was filled with people eager to prove they had no soul left to guard. Some didn’t simply mourn differently. They mocked. They rationalized. They insinuated that Kirk somehow “deserved it.” One of the most grotesque examples came from longtime left-wing commentator Keith Olbermann, who wrote that someone should “burn in hell… alongside Charlie Kirk,” a post that quickly spread before being deleted.
That moment felt clarifying — and damning. For years, conservatives have argued that parts of the modern Left have normalized a kind of moral vandalism: that if you label someone “dangerous,” you can justify anything done to them. That if you call someone “literally Hitler,” the next step is always implied. The reaction to Kirk’s murder made that argument impossible to ignore.
But something else happened, too.
In the immediate aftermath, many conservatives made a conscious choice to be better. They mourned a young father and husband. They prayed for his family. They condemned the violence without qualification. They insisted that assassination can never be a political tool.
Even voices on the Left noticed the contrast. Bill Maher, hardly a conservative, criticized the ghoulish reactions from his own side and condemned those who mocked or justified the killing. He warned about what happens when tribalism makes basic humanity optional. That acknowledgment mattered, not because it redeemed anyone, but because it underscored something essential: this was no longer a Left-Right debate. It was a human one.
Then, this week, the country faced the test again.
Director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found murdered in a horrifying family tragedy, with their son arrested in connection with the killings. Reiner spent years as one of Donald Trump’s most relentless critics. Conservatives have no shortage of reasons to oppose his politics, his activism, or his rhetoric. But this was not a policy dispute. It was a tragedy.
And once again, conservatives initially rose to the moment.
Prominent right-of-center voices expressed sympathy and restraint. Ben Shapiro wrote that, regardless of political differences, “The murder of Rob Reiner and his wife is horrific, and their family deserves prayers and privacy.” Speaker Mike Johnson called it “a heartbreaking loss” and urged Americans to “lower the temperature and remember our shared humanity.” Even figures known for sharp rhetoric paused, recognizing that death demands humility, not point-scoring.
In that moment, conservatives were proving something — to the country and to ourselves. We were showing that our condemnation of the Left’s reaction to Charlie Kirk was not merely tribal outrage. We were passing our own test.
And then Donald Trump logged on.
Trump took to <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115724141568860081">Truth Social</a> to frame Rob Reiner’s murder through the lens of “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” writing that Reiner “spent his life consumed by hatred” and implying that his death was somehow a reflection of that obsession.
It was not restraint. It was not leadership. It was mockery dressed up as commentary — and it detonated the moral high ground conservatives had just earned.
This is why the Reiner tragedy is not just another cycle of outrage. It’s a verdict.
Conservatives can argue, correctly, that the Left’s reaction to Charlie Kirk’s assassination exposed something deeply broken. But if we insist we are better, we have to prove it when it costs us something — when the deceased is someone we disagree with, someone who attacked our side, someone who spent years calling our leaders names.
This is the leadership test. And Trump failed it.
Some will dismiss this as overblown. It was just a post, they’ll say. Just Trump being Trump. Just rhetoric. But that defense collapses under scrutiny. Rhetoric is not incidental to leadership; it is central to it. Leaders do not merely reflect the temperature, they set it. When the most powerful voice on the Right treats murder as an opportunity for mockery, he licenses the very sickness conservatives claim to oppose.
The Right cannot be a movement that condemns grave-dancing only when the dead wear our jersey. We cannot demand dignity for our slain and deny it to others. That is not strength, it is tribal weakness. It is not principle, it is reflex.
After Charlie Kirk’s assassination, conservatives promised the country we would not become what we despise. In the immediate aftermath of the Reiner murders, many conservatives honored that promise. Our most influential leader did not.
There is still time to recover what has been lost, but it will require making some adult decisions:
That we will treat death with dignity, not like content.
That we will make room for grief even when we disagree.
That we will reserve our sharpest words for arguments, not funerals.
And that we will demand more from our leaders because if they cannot pass the decency test when blood is on the ground, they become unfit to lecture the country about moral decline.
* * *
Gates Garcia is the host of the YouTube show and podcast “We The People.” Follow him on Instagram and X @GatesGarciaFL.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Premiere of “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” – Arrivals

When Death Comes, Rhetoric Matters

assassination

Charlie Kirk

Death

Donald Trump

Murder

Rob Reiner

Social Media

U.S. Politics

Hollywood was still absorbing the shock of the violent deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Reiner, when another development further stunned the industry — the Reiners’ 32-year-old son had been arrested and booked on suspicion of their murders. Then entertainment industry insiders began to tell their stories, and it soon became clear — maybe no one should have been surprised. It seems like everyone in LA knew that screenwriter Nick Reiner had been a ticking time bomb for years.
Emergency responders were called to the Reiners’ $13.5 million Brentwood mansion shortly after 3:40 p.m. Sunday following a request for medical assistance. When firefighters arrived, they discovered both Rob and Michele Reiner dead inside the home. While the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office has not yet released official causes of death, police have said the case is being investigated as a double homicide. And not just homicide, but the shocking kind that usually winds up as the basis of a movie. The couple suffered multiple stab wounds, their throats cut. Adding to the surreality of the news came the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15387065/Billy-Crystal-saw-bodies-Rob-Reiner-wife-murder.html">revelation</a> that Billy Crystal had rushed to the scene just in time to see the bodies of his dear friend and his wife. Nick, meanwhile, was picked up at a posh beachside hotel, his room <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/15/nick-reiner-blood-filled-hotel-room-after-murders/">reportedly</a> smeared with blood.
Later Sunday night, he was taken into custody on a felony charge related to the deaths. He’s currently being held on $4 million bail. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell confirmed that Reiner was booked for murder, though formal charges had not yet been announced as of Monday, and police have not publicly laid out a motive. But industry insiders are offering a fairly clear picture of decades-long battles with addiction and volatility.
<div id="attachment_1014809" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1014809" class="size-large wp-image-1014809" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-528237626-864x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NY - MAY 04: Rob Reiner and Nick Reiner attend AOL Build Speaker Series at AOL Studios In New York on May 4, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Laura Cavanaugh/FilmMagic)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-528237626-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-528237626-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-528237626-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-528237626.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Laura Cavanaugh/FilmMagic</div>
It was an open secret in Hollywood that Nick had faced serious substance-abuse issues since he was 15 years old, including periods of homelessness and repeated stints in rehab. In past interviews, his parents spoke openly about the toll those struggles took on their family, even as they emphasized their commitment to supporting their son through recovery.
Those tensions became part of the public record in 2015, when Nick Reiner co-wrote and starred in “Being Charlie,” a semi-autobiographical film about a young man grappling with addiction. Reiner directed the film, and during its promotion, both father and son acknowledged that the story closely mirrored their own experiences. At the time, they described the project as painful but ultimately healing, saying it forced them to confront years of unresolved conflict.
But now details are emerging that suggest those conflicts may never have healed enough. Nick reportedly <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/articles/why-nick-reiner-reportedly-resented-204517353.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJGoc1svvbuDrhUMrzR7QAwpb2w_DRARUjFIHH24PXLaE2vqSNKBT1wGNfFxRWv5e0WONwa8fY1ltTbFDyxd13bXernFj-Bq4vY16Jcpw0XIhTQloUann-N4KpMGaBFpfxsARLqUlmrGOQmGobHA5FHScIqDTU6PiEeHLe9bLh_-">harbored</a> deep resentment toward his father, fueled in part by comparisons between his own stalled career and Reiner’s prolific success. Sources have described a relationship marked by endless cycles of reconciliation and rupture, intense anger and regret.
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reiner-son-arrested-fbi-kneecaps-terror-plot-12-16-25/id1576594336?i=1000741503828" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
Page Six, Variety, People, and TMZ — the entertainment outlets are full now of stories of Nick’s <a href="https://pagesix.com/2025/12/15/celebrity-news/nick-reiner-once-destroyed-parents-rob-and-micheles-home-during-drug-fueled-rage/">drug-fueled rages</a>, including one that destroyed furniture at his parents’ house. Other accounts describe him stealing money from his dad to <a href="https://pagesix.com/2025/12/15/celebrity-news/nick-reiner-lost-his-virginity-to-sex-worker-paid-with-money-from-parents-rob-and-michele/?utm_campaign=pagesix&amp;utm_social_post_id=624205515&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_social_handle_id=182107650&amp;utm_source=twitter">lose his virginity</a> to a prostitute. Recollections of <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/15/rob-reiner-son-nick-conan-obrien-christmas-party/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">behavioral issues,</a> even in his childhood, have added to a picture of a family grappling for years with instability behind a public façade of Hollywood success.
Even the night before, TMZ <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/15/rob-reiner-son-nick-conan-obrien-christmas-party/">reported</a>, father and son both attended a Christmas party at Conan O’Brien’s house, where witnesses observed a “very loud” argument involving members of the Reiner family. Nick had been acting bizarrely enough to disturb other guests.
The Reiners’ daughter, 28-year-old Romy Reiner, discovered her parents’ bodies and called authorities. There have been reports that she told police she believed her brother was responsible.
President Trump seemed to think there might have been another cause. In an inappropriate social media post that would be hard to believe even in a screenplay, he said, Reiner, who frequently accused him of being treasonous and mentally unfit, suffered from Trump Derangement Syndrome and suggested that might have had something to do with the director’s death. Trump did add, though, that the news was “very sad” and he hoped the Reiners rest in peace. Other Republicans struck a more dignified tone. Senator Ted Cruz said he and his family were mourning “the loss of a comedic and story-telling master” whose films “touched us deeply and spoke to our fundamental humanity.”
<div id="attachment_1016429" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1016429" class="size-large wp-image-1016429" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2252147367-864x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 15: Flowers and candles are placed on director/actor Rob Reiner's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 15, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. The LAPD confirmed that Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their Brentwood home on December 14. Their son Nick has been arrested in connection to their deaths. (Photo by Matei Horvath/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2252147367-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2252147367-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2252147367-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2252147367.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Matei Horvath/Getty Images</div>
For now, much about the case remains unknown. Police have not said whether a weapon has been recovered, whether there were signs of forced entry, or how long the Reiners may have been dead before they were found. Investigators are continuing to interview family members and associates as they seek to establish a timeline.
What is clear is that the killings have cast a harsh and tragic light on a family whose private struggles were long intertwined with public success. As law enforcement works toward answers, Hollywood and audiences around the world are left mourning a filmmaker whose stories often celebrated love, loyalty, and redemption — values that now stand in painful contrast to the violence that ended his life.

Rob Reiner In Conversation

A Tragic End For A Hollywood Legend

Hollywood

Movies

A person close to the Reiner family said that Romy Reiner, 28, fled the house after discovering her father&#8217;s body inside, and was only informed later by paramedics that her mother was also deceased inside the residence.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/12/16/us/rob-michele-reiner-death-investigation#reiner-family-rob-nick-michele">reported</a> on Tuesday that the unnamed source revealed several details challenging earlier reporting on the brutal murders of director Rob Reiner and his wife, photographer and producer Michele Singer Reiner. The source also provided insight into what set off the chain of events that culminated with formal charges being filed against Nick Reiner, 32, for two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances.
A massage therapist was the first to alert the Oscar-nominated director&#8217;s daughter to a potential problem, calling her on Sunday afternoon when no one answered at the front gate despite having a scheduled appointment for that day. Romy reportedly rushed over to the home with a roommate, and discovered her father&#8217;s body when she went inside. She immediately ran back outside, distraught, and her roommate called 911.
The source told The NYT that paramedics arrived a short time later, and said that while Romy did inform them that her brother Nick had been living on the property, she did not immediately name him as a suspect in the murder. Paramedics were the first to inform her that, although Romy had not seen a second body when she went inside, her mother was also deceased and in the house.
Investigators checked the guest house, and when they did not find Nick Reiner there, they searched elsewhere and arrested him near Exposition Park — about 20 miles from downtown Los Angeles — hours later. A hotel room linked to Nick Reiner&#8217;s credit card was reportedly found covered in blood on Sunday.
During a Tuesday afternoon <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nick-reiner-charged-with-first-degree-murder-in-brutal-slaying-death-penalty-is-on-the-table">press conference</a>, authorities filled in a few of the gaps in the story as well, saying that they still had not determined whether the Reiners had been killed late on Saturday — after attending a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nick-reiner-fought-with-parents-at-star-studded-holiday-bash-just-24-hours-before-murder">holiday party</a> hosted by comedian Conan O&#8217;Brien alongside Nick — or early on Sunday. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said that autopsies were still pending, and that they would have to wait for the coroner to determine a more specific time of death.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman also told the public that, as of Tuesday afternoon, Nick Reiner had been charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances related to there being multiple murders and to the use of a deadly weapon.
Reiner is being held without bail and made his first court appearance on Wednesday after a short delay as he awaited medical clearance to do so. He has retained <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nick-reiner-taps-heavyweight-defense-attorney-is-not-medically-cleared-for-court">high-powered defense attorney</a> Alan Jackson — whose past clients include actor Kevin Spacey and disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein — to represent him.

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Romy Reiner Fled After Finding Father’s Body, Was Unaware Mother Was Also Killed, Family Friend Says

Family Friend Says Romy Reiner Fled After Finding Father's Body, Was Unaware Mother Was Also Killed

Los Angeles

Nick Reiner

Violent Crime

Nick Reiner, 32, was formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the brutal slaying of his parents, acclaimed director Rob Reiner and his wife, photographer and producer Michele Singer Reiner.
Los Angeles officials gave an update Tuesday afternoon on the investigation, announcing as the press conference began, &#8220;charges are being filed as we speak.&#8221;
L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman spoke first, laying out some of the details of the charges filed against the couple&#8217;s embattled son, Nick Reiner, 32.
Reiner was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, with special circumstances attached because there were multiple murders and because he allegedly attacked with a deadly weapon — a knife. The maximum sentence, should Reiner be convicted on those charges, is life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty — but Hochman said that no decision had yet been made with regard to whether or not his office would pursue the death penalty.
For the time being, he said that his office had requested that Nick Reiner be held without bail.
&#8220;Charges are not evidence,&#8221; Hochman cautioned then, reminding the public that Reiner had to be allowed his day in court and that prosecutors would be held to the long-enduring &#8220;beyond a reasonable doubt” standard when they presented their case to 12 jurors.
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Reiner, he said, was still going through the standard medical clearances necessary to be brought to court, where he would be arraigned and enter a plea.
Hochman also reminded the public that &#8220;cases involving family members are some of the most heart-wrenching cases&#8221; because of how brutal they can be. Noting that the Reiners were &#8220;icons&#8221; — both locally and nationally — he added, &#8220;Their loss is beyond tragic. We will commit ourselves to bringing their murderer to justice.&#8221;
&#8220;Please do not rely on rank speculation, rumor, or hearsay to believe that you know anything about this case,&#8221; Hochman said, reminding the public to make sure that they get their information from &#8220;trusted sources&#8221; and wait for the evidence to be presented in court.
&#8220;This case is heartbreaking and deeply personal, not only for the Reiner family and their loved ones, but to our entire city,&#8221; Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said.
An autopsy of the Reiners is still pending, and McDonnell noted that as far as an official time of death was concerned, &#8220;We don’t have specificity yet, we’re waiting on the coroner to determine as best they can.&#8221;
Several reporters were given the opportunity to ask questions as the briefing wrapped up, but most of them could not yet be answered because officials were not willing to undercut an ongoing investigation.

Director Rob Reiner & Son Nick Visit AOL Build

Nick Reiner Charged With First Degree Murder In Brutal Slaying, Death Penalty Is On The Table

Courts

LAPD

Police

U.S.

Nick Reiner tapped heavyweight defense attorney Alan Jackson to represent him on charges related to the horrific murders of his parents. Jackson immediately argued that Reiner, 32, could not make his first scheduled court appearance because he had not been &#8220;medically cleared.&#8221;
Jackson confirmed to <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/16/nick-reiner-hires-defense-attorney-alan-jackson-in-murder-case/">TMZ</a> that he&#8217;d been retained. The high-profile defense attorney was spotted heading into a Los Angeles court on Tuesday, presumably in relation to Reiner&#8217;s case.
Jackson, of Werksman Jackson &amp; Quinn LLP, <a href="https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/nick-reiner-court?taid=6941afbf1b98180001b1bdcd&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A%20Trending%20Content&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=twitter">recently represented</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/karen-read-acquitted-of-murdering-cop-boyfriend">Karen Read</a>, who was acquitted of the murder of her then-boyfriend, John O&#8217;Keefe, a police officer in Boston. He also previously represented actor Kevin Spacey and disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.
Reiner was supposed to make his <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/12/16/us/rob-michele-reiner-death-investigation">first court appearance</a> on Tuesday, but Jackson informed reporters waiting outside the Los Angeles courtroom that his client would not be present. Jackson said that there would be no hearing in the case Tuesday, and shared no information about his plans for the defense of his client going forward.
&#8220;You have to be medically cleared to be transported to the courthouse, and he has not,&#8221; Jackson said.
In the nearly 48 hours since the Reiners were found dead in their Brentwood home — discovered by their daughter Romy, 28 — dozens of reports have shed light on both the grisly murders and the complicated relationship Nick Reiner had had with his family after years of struggling with drug addiction.
When Romy <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/15/nick-reiner-missing-hours-after-rob-michele-murders/">discovered the bodies</a> of her parents — who had reportedly had their throats slit — she immediately called 911. She informed police that her brother Nick had been living there, but was not there when she arrived, and said that he was &#8220;dangerous&#8221; and should be considered a suspect.
But shortly afterward, TMZ reported, she made a second call to a longtime family friend, actor and comedian Billy Crystal. Crystal rushed to the home quickly enough that the bodies of his deceased friends were still on the premises.
Hours later, Nick Reiner was arrested in Exposition Park, near downtown Los Angeles, in connection with the murders. TMZ reported that a <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/15/nick-reiner-blood-filled-hotel-room-after-murders/">hotel room</a> linked to his credit card was left a bloody mess, with blood found on the bed and in the shower.
Reports indicated that some 24 hours prior to the murders, Nick and his parents had been involved in a &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nick-reiner-fought-with-parents-at-star-studded-holiday-bash-just-24-hours-before-murder">very loud argument</a>&#8221; at a holiday party hosted by late-night comedian Conan O&#8217;Brien, and that Rob and Michele Reiner left the party a short time later. A neighbor and family friend speculated that the fight had likely been about Nick&#8217;s drug use, as he was &#8220;supposedly&#8221; off the drugs, but that may not have been the case.

Nick Reiner Taps Heavyweight Defense Attorney, Is Not ‘Medically Cleared’ For Court

Nick Reiner Taps Heavyweight Defense Attorney, Is Not 'Medically Cleared' For Court 

Court

Actor James Woods is mourning the loss of his friend, Rob Reiner, and calling out anyone who is less than sympathetic to Reiner’s murder.
Some conservatives have posted about Reiner being an outspoken liberal and a Trump critic. But Woods, a conservative, insists that doesn’t change how much sympathy the world should have.
“Rob literally saved my career and really put me back on track in a way that was so important and rewarding in my life. He really fought for me when a studio didn’t want me in a movie,” Woods said during a Fox News appearance Monday night, saying he fought for Woods to get a role when the studio didn’t want him. “I went from really being basically out of a job to getting an Academy Award nomination, and I give all the credit to Rob.”
The longtime actor became emotional several times while speaking with host Jesse Watters on &#8220;Jesse Waters Primetime.&#8221;
“I judge people by how they treat me, and Rob Reiner was a godsend in my life. We got along great, we loved each other… He was always on my side,” Woods continued, “When people would say to me, ‘What do you think of his politics?’ I would say, ‘I think Rob Reiner is a great patriot. Do I agree&#8230; on many of his ideas on how that patriotism should be enacted, to celebrate the America that we both love? No. He doesn’t agree with me either, but he also respects my patriotism. We had a different path to the same destination, which was a country we both love.”
“Because you disagree with people doesn’t mean that you have to hate people,” he added.
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Woods also mentioned the compassionate way Reiner responded to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, which stood in stark contrast to many of his Hollywood comrades.
“I knew Charlie Kirk, I supported him… people said such horrible things, and Rob did not,” Woods told Watters. “When people say horrible things about Rob right now, I find it, quite frankly, infuriating and distasteful. Did I agree with his politics? I did not. Did I love him as a friend, as an artist, as an icon of Hollywood, and as a patriot? I most certainly did, and I am just absolutely devastated by this terrible event.”
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Reiner and his wife, Michele Reiner, were murdered on Sunday. President Trump has been criticized for his reaction on Truth Social, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-responds-to-reiner-murder-says-director-was-tortured-and-struggling-with-tds">which said</a> Reiner “passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS.”
Trump doubled down during a press conference on Monday. “I wasn’t a fan of his at all. He was a deranged person as far as Trump is concerned. … I thought he was very bad for our country.”

James Woods

James Woods Calls Out ‘Infuriating’ Comments About Rob Reiner’s Murder

James Woods Calls Out 'Infuriating And Distasteful' Comments About Rob Reiner's Murder

Entertainment

Hollywood reels after the gruesome deaths of iconic director Rob Reiner and his wife, and the arrest of their son. The FBI says it foiled a major left-wing terrorist plot in Southern California, and the manhunt continues for the Brown University shooter.
It’s Tuesday, December 16, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251216-member-exclusive">video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Reiner Murders</h2>
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Hollywood icon Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele, 70, were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-director-rob-reiner-and-wife-found-dead-in-apparent-homicide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> dead in their Los Angeles home on Sunday, and authorities determined that they were &#8220;victims of homicide.&#8221; Emergency responders were called to the home around 3:30 p.m. for a medical aid request. When firefighters arrived, they discovered the couple&#8217;s bodies. It’s been widely reported that their throats were cut. The Los Angeles County Coroner&#8217;s Office hasn’t officially released its causes of death yet, but the LAPD has classified them as homicides. The Reiners’ son, 32-year-old Nick Reiner, was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rob-reiners-son-charged-in-brutal-slayings-bail-set-at-4-million">taken</a> into custody later that night and &#8220;booked for murder,&#8221; according to police. He has reportedly struggled with substance abuse that create conflicts in the household. The Los Angeles Times reports that Rob and Nick got into an argument on Saturday at a party at Conan O&#8217;Brien&#8217;s home.
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Police said homicide detectives will present their case to the L.A. County District Attorney&#8217;s Office on Tuesday, when officials will determine which charges to file.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Leftwing Terror Plot Thwarted</h2>
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On Monday, Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftist-pro-palestinian-groups-new-years-eve-bombing-plot-foiled-by-feds">announced</a> that after a thorough investigation, the Department of Justice thwarted a “massive and horrific” left-wing terror plot to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/radical-leftist-group-accused-of-plotting-new-years-eve-bombings-also-had-plans-to-attack-ice?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Radical+Leftist+Group+Accused+Of+Plotting+New+Year%E2%80%99s+Eve+Bombings+Also+Had+Plans+To+Attack+ICE">bomb</a> a number of locations across Southern California on New Year’s Eve. The plan was allegedly being organized by a faction of the Turtle Island Liberation Front, a leftist group that holds anti-Israel, anti-capitalist, and anti-American views. Bondi simply said this had been a long investigation, but it appears the turning point came when the FBI obtained clear plans for a terror attack. According to a DOJ affidavit obtained by Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan, one of the group’s leaders, Audrey Carroll, 30, of Los Angeles, unknowingly provided an 8-page outline of the plot to a law enforcement source. That document, dubbed Operation Midnight Sun, outlined plans to drop backpacks containing IEDs at five separate locations across Los Angeles and Orange counties on New Year&#8217;s Eve. Carroll, along with three other individuals also living in the L.A. area, was charged with conspiracy and possession of an unregistered destructive device. The FBI said the targets chosen included large American corporations–they didn’t give any names but said they were “similar to Amazon.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">The Hunt For The Brown University Gunman Continues</h2>
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Law enforcement continues to investigate a shooting at Brown University that killed two students and injured nine others. The Providence, Rhode Island, community has been deeply unsettled since officials released a person of interest late Sunday night after concluding the man they had detained was not the gunman. Authorities have continued a frenzied manhunt for the suspect, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/authorities-release-new-footage-offer-50000-bounty-for-brown-shooting-suspect">releasing</a> additional images and video of a person of interest on Monday. The FBI offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the individual

MRN_251216_V2

Morning Brief: New Twists In Rob Reiner Murder & FBI Thwarts California Terror Plot

Brown University

Department of Justice

Morning Wire

Pam Bondi

Nick Reiner, 32, reportedly engaged in a heated argument with his parents — the late director Rob Reiner (78) and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner (68) — at a holiday party just 24 hours before they were found dead in their Brentwood home.
Entertainment site TMZ <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/15/rob-reiner-son-nick-argument-conan-obrien-christmas-party/">reported</a> that Nick was in attendance at a party hosted by comedian and late-night host Conan O&#8217;Brien, and that at some point during the evening, he was involved in what was described as a &#8220;very loud argument&#8221; with both Rob and Michele — after which the couple reportedly left the party.
People magazine <a href="https://people.com/rob-reiner-son-got-in-a-big-fight-conan-obrien-party-before-murders-sources-11869272">reported</a> that others had confirmed there was an argument and said that Nick had been behaving strangely at O&#8217;Brien&#8217;s party. &#8220;Nick was freaking everyone out, acting crazy, kept asking people if they were famous,&#8221; one told the outlet.
Rob and Michele had reportedly voiced concern about Nick&#8217;s behavior to a family friend who lived close by and told <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/15/us-news/rob-reiner-feared-sons-mental-health-was-deteriorating-before-murder/">the New York Post</a>, &#8220;Rob had been telling people that they’re scared for Nick and scared that his mental state was deteriorating. These poor people did everything to help this kid.&#8221;
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The friend also said that Nick was &#8220;supposedly off&#8221; the drugs, but that did not appear to be the case: &#8220;Nick has been troubled mentally for his entire life and they have tried everything to try and help him and been unable to.&#8221;
Nick had often been at odds with his parents over their insistence that he go to rehab, and his refusal to do so had led to him being homeless on several occasions. The film &#8220;Being Charlie&#8221; — which Nick co-wrote and his father directed — was semi-autobiographical and <a href="https://people.com/rob-reiner-wife-michele-shared-regret-how-handled-son-nick-addictions-interview-11868929">brought the two back together</a> for a time.
&#8220;I mean, you know, we got into issues, [but] … the whole process for me, it did make me understand him a lot more and I think it made me a better father, hopefully it did,&#8221; Reiner said of his son at the time.
&#8220;When Nick would tell us that it wasn’t working for him, we wouldn’t listen,&#8221; Reiner added. &#8220;We were desperate and because the people had diplomas on their wall, we listened to them when we should have been listening to our son.&#8221;
&#8220;We were so influenced by these people,&#8221; Michele said. &#8220;They would tell us he’s a liar, that he was trying to manipulate us. And we believed them.&#8221;

Nick Reiner Fought With Parents At Star-Studded Holiday Bash Just 24 Hours Before Murder

Celebrities

Hollywood director Rob Reiner, who was murdered on Sunday, made a film covering his son Nick’s struggles with addiction and other issues a decade before he was accused of murdering his parents.
Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested Monday in connection with his parents’ deaths and is currently being held at the Parker Center Jail in downtown Los Angeles, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rob-reiners-son-charged-in-brutal-slayings-bail-set-at-4-million?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=10&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Rob+Reiner%E2%80%99s+Son+Arrested+In+Connection+With+Brutal+Slayings%2C+Bail+Set+At+%244+Million">reported</a>. His bail is set at $4 million.
The 2016 drama “Being Charlie” is loosely based on the Reiner family drama. It was co-written by Nick and a friend he met in rehab, with his father serving as director. Cary Elwes played the character meant to represent Rob, while Nick Robinson portrayed the son in the film.
“Being Charlie” follows Charlie Mills, an 18-year-old addict whose father, David, is running for governor. Charlie is unhappy that his father and mother take a tough love approach to his substance abuse by forcing him to go to rehab. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Being Charlie Official Trailer 1 (2016) - Nick Robinson, Common Movie HD" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_SDAKgyqKNI?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>
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. 
“When Nick would tell us that it wasn’t working for him, we wouldn’t listen. We were desperate and because the people had diplomas on their wall, we listened to them when we should have been listening to our son,” Rob Reiner <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-rob-reiner-nick-romy-toronto-drug-addiction-20150915-story.html">told</a> the Los Angeles Times while promoting the film in 2016.
“We were so influenced by these people. They would tell us he’s a liar, that he was trying to manipulate us. And we believed them,” Rob’s wife, Michele, who was also murdered on Sunday, said at the time. 
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Nick was sober at the time of the interview and also contributed to the conversation. “I got sick of it. I got sick of doing that sh*t. I come from a nice family. I’m not supposed to be out there on the streets and in homeless shelters doing all these f*cked-up things.” 
After a screening of the film at the Toronto International Film Festival, Rob said it was “cathartic” and “therapeutic” for the family, despite that not being the intention when making it. Nick said it was “overwhelming” to make it, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/rob-reiner-nick-reiner-being-charlie-movie-1236450528/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>.

6th Annual GLSEN Respect Awards

Rob Reiner Made A Movie About His Son’s Struggle With Addiction 10 Years Before His Murder

Rob Reiner Made A Movie About His Son's Struggle With Addiction 10 Years Before His Murder

addiction

President Donald Trump sparked much commentary on Monday with his online response to the murders of Hollywood director and producer Rob Reiner &#8212; a vocal Trump critic, who called for the president&#8217;s indictment &#8212; and his wife.
Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were reportedly stabbed to death at their Los Angeles home over the weekend. The couple&#8217;s 32-year-old son, Nick, has been arrested in connection with the brutal attack, according to <a href="https://pagesix.com/2025/12/15/celebrity-news/rob-reiner-and-wife-micheles-son-nick-arrested-for-murder-in-parents-stabbing-deaths/">Page Six</a>.
&#8220;A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS,&#8221; the president wrote in a post on Truth Social.
&#8220;He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;May Rob and Michele rest in peace!&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1015177" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1015177" class="wp-image-1015177 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-2.33.31-PM-1024x482.png" alt="" width="1024" height="482" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-2.33.31-PM-1024x482.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-2.33.31-PM-300x141.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-2.33.31-PM-768x362.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-2.33.31-PM-1536x723.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-2.33.31-PM.png 1584w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Truth Social</div>
Many conservatives responded to the post by voicing their disappointment with Trump&#8217;s comments, while some others underscored Reiner&#8217;s repeated attacks on Trump, which included calls for the president to be indicted and framing the president as an enemy of democracy.
&#8220;What happened last night to Rob Reiner and his wife was a savage butchering of 2 human lives,&#8221; activist Robby Starbuck said. &#8220;I don’t care what their politics were or how they felt about Trump, no law abiding human deserves this. We should pray for + send condolences to his loved ones and NOT make it political.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
What happened last night to Rob Reiner and his wife was a savage butchering of 2 human lives. I don’t care what their politics were or how they felt about Trump, no law abiding human deserves this. We should pray for + send condolences to his loved ones and NOT make it political. <a href="https://t.co/WK99n8zVWF">https://t.co/WK99n8zVWF</a>
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/2000585470531543297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
&#8220;Regardless of how you felt about Rob Reiner, this is inappropriate and disrespectful discourse about a man who was just brutally murdered,&#8221; GOP Rep. Thomas Massie (R) posted. &#8220;I guess my elected GOP colleagues, the VP, and White House staff will just ignore it because they’re afraid? I challenge anyone to defend it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Regardless of how you felt about Rob Reiner, this is inappropriate and disrespectful discourse about a man who was just brutally murdered. I guess my elected GOP colleagues, the VP, and White House staff will just ignore it because they’re afraid? I challenge anyone to defend it. <a href="https://t.co/j3dvzRxLQJ">pic.twitter.com/j3dvzRxLQJ</a>
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/2000597616674193616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
Conservative Allie Beth Stuckey wrote on X, &#8220;With Trump, you could either get a really sweet, compassionate moment like when he heard that [late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg], who hated him, died, or you could get the kind of post he put out about Rob Reiner. Hard to ever know what to expect.&#8221;
&#8220;I really appreciated Reiner’s kind words when Charlie [Kirk] was murdered,&#8221; Stuckey added. &#8220;What a tragedy for his family. May they be comforted and may justice be swift.&#8221;
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When Kirk was assassinated, Reiner <a href="https://x.com/AndrewKolvet/status/2000422293294707079">said</a> what happened &#8220;should never happen to anybody &#8212; I don&#8217;t care what your political beliefs are. That&#8217;s not acceptable, that&#8217;s not a solution to solving problems.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
With Trump, you could either get a really sweet, compassionate moment like when he heard that RBG, who hated him, died, or you could get the kind of post he put out about Rob Reiner. Hard to ever know what to expect. I really appreciated Reiner’s kind words when Charlie was…
— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) <a href="https://twitter.com/conservmillen/status/2000641788135051489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
Others highlighted some of Reiner&#8217;s comments about Trump and suggested outrage from the Left was performative.
&#8220;Rob Reiner called for Trump to be jailed over lies,&#8221; Jack Posobiec <a href="https://x.com/JackPosobiec/status/2000617242342617545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">said</a>. &#8220;Not surprised Trump said what he said.&#8221;
&#8220;I’m not going to participate in the fake outrage at President Trump for his response to Rob Reiner,&#8221; Trump advisor Alex Bruesewitz wrote on X. &#8220;Rob Reiner called for Trump to be arrested and charged with treason, a crime punishable by death. He was quite nasty toward the President. Regardless, RIP!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I’m not going to participate in the fake outrage at President Trump for his response to Rob Reiner.
Rob Reiner called for Trump to be arrested and charged with treason, a crime punishable by death.
He was quite nasty toward the President.
Regardless, RIP!
— Alex Bruesewitz 🇺🇸 (@alexbruesewitz) <a href="https://twitter.com/alexbruesewitz/status/2000623949693010351?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
Reiner called Trump “mentally unfit” to be president and “the single most unqualified human being to ever assume the presidency of the United States.” He also <a href="https://www.ms.now/all-in/watch/rob-reiner-president-trump-is-clearly-a-criminal-62375493933">said</a> the president was &#8220;clearly a criminal&#8221; and called for him to be indicted.
In 2022, Reiner <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/10/30/rob-reiner-claims-trump-directly-responsible-attack-paul-pelosi-calls-indictment/">said</a> Trump was &#8220;100% responsible&#8221; for a physical attack on Paul Pelosi and the January 6 Capitol breach, adding that Trump “must be indicted and never be allowed to hold office.”
More recently, Reiner claimed Trump could bring “full-on autocracy” to the United States. He also said Trump was cracking down on First Amendment rights and &#8220;has declared war on this democracy.&#8221;
&#8220;He throws people out of the country without due process,&#8221; Reiner claimed. &#8220;He takes funds that were appropriated by Congress, refuses to distribute them, in clear contradiction to the Constitution, the separation of powers.”
Reiner also released a documentary in 2024 that focused on the rise of &#8220;Christian Nationalism&#8221; as a threat to democracy. The theme was largely tied to Trump.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rob-reiners-son-charged-in-brutal-slayings-bail-set-at-4-million">Rob Reiner’s Son Arrested In Connection With Brutal Slayings, Bail Set At $4 Million</a>

Donald Trump/Rob Reiner

Trump Responds To Reiner Murder, Says Director Was ‘Tortured And Struggling’ With TDS

Politics

Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of the late director Rob Reiner, has been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of both of his parents, according to a report published Monday by <a href="https://pagesix.com/2025/12/15/celebrity-news/rob-reiner-and-wife-micheles-son-nick-arrested-for-murder-in-parents-stabbing-deaths/">Page Six</a>.
Nick Reiner, who has a lengthy history of drug addiction, was arrested and is currently being held at the Parker Center Jail in downtown Los Angeles, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff&#8217;s Office. His bail was set at $4 million.
The news broke on Sunday that the Oscar-nominated director, 78 — known for iconic films like &#8220;When Harry Met Sally&#8221; and &#8220;A Few Good Men&#8221; and cult classics like &#8220;This Is Spinal Tap&#8221; and &#8220;The Princess Bride&#8221; — and his wife of more than 35 years, Michele Singer Reiner, 68, had been found dead in their Brentwood home that afternoon.
Later reports confirmed that the couple was found by their daughter, Romy, 28, who quickly called authorities to the scene and tipped them off that her brother may have been involved. Reiner and his wife had lacerations that an early TMZ <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/15/rob-reiner-wife-michele-throats-slit-family-member-argument/">report</a> said were &#8220;consistent with knife wounds,&#8221; but later updates stated that they had both had their &#8220;throats slit&#8221; by their attacker.
The family released a statement, saying, “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”
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Rob and Michele Reiner had three children together since they wed in 1989: Jake, 34; Nick, 32; and Romy, 28.
In the hours that followed the news of their murder, several family friends were seen in the vicinity of their home. Actor and comedian Billy Crystal, a longtime friend of the Reiners, was seen outside the home, as was fellow actor and comedian Larry David.
Actor Cary Elwes, who starred as Westley in &#8220;The Princess Bride,&#8221; shared a photo of two directors&#8217; chairs — one bearing his name and the other Reiner&#8217;s — with the caption, &#8220;No words.&#8221;
Others noted that Reiner, who was often at odds with conservatives over politics, had been very gracious in the aftermath of the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
&#8220;Rob Reiner responded with grace and compassion to Charlie&#8217;s assassination. This video makes it all the more painful to hear of he and his wife&#8217;s tragic end. May God be close to the broken hearted in this terrible story,&#8221; TPUSA spokesman Andrew Kolvet posted, sharing <a href="https://x.com/AndrewKolvet/status/2000422293294707079">video</a> of the moment he&#8217;d discussed Kirk&#8217;s murder with host Piers Morgan.

Rob Reiner, Nick Reiner

Rob Reiner’s Son Arrested In Connection With Brutal Slayings, Bail Set At $4 Million

Domestic Violence

Director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on Sunday, and police are investigating what they are now calling an &#8220;apparent homicide.&#8221;
Authorities were reportedly called to the home earlier in the afternoon, and at approximately 3:30 p.m. local time, the Los Angeles Fire Department discovered a deceased male and a deceased female. Their approximate ages matched those of Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, 68.
The LAPD issued a brief statement, revealing only that the case would be handled going forward by the Robbery Homicide Division (RHD): &#8220;At this time, no further details are available as this is an ongoing RHD investigation, into an apparent homicide.&#8221;
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Later reports determined that the two deceased individuals were, in fact, Reiner and his wife.
Sources told <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/14/rob-reiner-wife-michele-found-dead-los-angeles-home/#continued">entertainment site TMZ</a> that both Reiner and his wife had lacerations that were consistent with stab wounds. The outlet later <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/15/rob-reiner-wife-michele-throats-slit-family-member-argument/?adid=braze-browser-notification">reported</a> that the couple &#8220;had their throats slit by a family member.&#8221;
People magazine <a href="https://people.com/rob-reiner-wife-michele-were-killed-by-son-sources-11868856">reported</a> on Sunday evening — citing multiple unnamed sources — that the couple had been killed by their 32-year-old son, Nick, who had struggled for years with addiction.
Reiner, the son of the late comedian Carl Reiner, forged his own career in comedy and in Hollywood. While he initially rose to fame as Archie Bunker&#8217;s son-in-law Mike Stivic — or Meathead – on the 1970s sitcom &#8220;All in the Family,&#8221; Reiner expanded his Hollywood legacy by directing a slew of iconic films.
Reiner&#8217;s film career spanned decades as he turned out cult classics like &#8220;This is Spinal Tap&#8221; and &#8220;The Princess Bride&#8221; in addition to blockbusters like &#8220;Stand By Me,&#8221; &#8220;A Few Good Men,&#8221; and &#8220;When Harry Met Sally.&#8221;
He was also a political activist, advocating for leftist causes.
Reiner and Michele Singer married in 1989 and were together for more than 35 years. The Oscar-nominated director was previously married to the late director Penny Marshall, who also starred in &#8220;Laverne &amp; Shirley.&#8221;
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Hollywood Director Rob Reiner And Wife Found Dead In ‘Apparent Homicide’

Hollywood Director Rob Reiner and Wife Reportedly Found Dead in Apparent Stabbing

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