The cause of death for Michelle Trachtenberg, who died suddenly in February at the age of 39, has been revealed.
The “Gossip Girl” star’s death was ruled as natural and was a result of complications of diabetes mellitus, according to the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. 
A spokesperson for the medical examiner told <a href="https://people.com/michelle-trachtenberg-official-cause-of-death-revealed-11688954">People</a> that &#8220;the amended determination was made following review of toxicology testing results” and noted that &#8220;toxicology testing can be done without autopsy.&#8221;
Trachtenberg, who was best known for her roles in “Gossip Girl” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” was discovered unresponsive and unconscious in a New York City apartment after her mother placed a call to 911. 
Sources told the outlet that Trachtenberg had undergone a liver transplant, but that was never confirmed. The “Buffy” star made headlines last year after leaving comments on fan posts saying she looked unhealthy, as The Daily Wire previously reported.
“Explain to me how I look sick,” the actress replied to one commenter. “Did you lose a calendar and not realize I’m not 14. I’m 38. How sad for you to leave such a comment.”
“I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance. I have never had plastic surgery I am happy and healthy,” she added in another post. “Check yourself haters.”
The former child star first got her big break when she landed the role of Harriet in the 1996 children’s movie “Harriet the Spy” alongside Rosie O’Donnell, who played her nanny.
Trachtenberg is also known for her work in films such as the 2005 children’s movie “Ice Princess” and the 2009 romantic comedy “17 Again,” which starred Zac Efron and Matthew Perry.
“Harriet the Spy” director Bronwen Hughes shared a tribute to the late actress after news of her death in February. 
“Michelle was like a lightning bolt of a casting discovery. She had fire, she had spark, she had truth, and she had Harriet’s conviction, like her sense of self,” she <a href="https://x.com/THR/status/1894854106566762568">told</a> The Hollywood Reporter. 
“No one else came in the room like that,” she added. “So she had that acting gene that you can’t really teach. It’s innate, which is not something you find very often.”

Michelle Trachtenberg

Actress Michelle Trachtenberg’s Cause Of Death Revealed

Actress Michelle Trachtenberg's Cause Of Death Revealed

Celebrities

Death

Entertainment

Hollywood

New York City

Television

U.S.

Legendary game show host and radio personality Wink Martindale passed away on Tuesday, April 15, at the age of 91. He died at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage, California, after a year-long battle with lymphoma, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wink-martindale-dead-d2f333da86b6efb3b99b36bb7a71a7a4">Associated Press</a>. 
Born Winston Conrad Martindale on December 4, 1933, in Jackson, Tennessee, he began his broadcasting career at 17 as a radio DJ. Wink said he received his nickname from a childhood friend.
&#8220;When I was a kid in Jackson, Tennessee, one of my playmates, Jimmy McCord, couldn’t say ‘Winston,’ which is my given name. He had a speech impediment, and it came out sounding like ‘Winky.&#8217; So Winston turned into Winky, and then I got into the business and Wink it was! It served me well,&#8221; he <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wink-martindale-explains/story?id=27034447">told</a> ABC in 2014.
His early career included a television interview in 1956 with a young Elvis Presley. This was a defining moment as the two celebrities became lifelong friends.
&#8220;Very few people knew that he gave away literally millions and millions of dollars to charitable organizations not only in this country but all over the world,&#8221; Martindale <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/wink-martindale-iconic-game-show-host-dead-91">told</a> Fox News Digital in 2019. 
&#8220;He was a great giver. If he was your friend, he was your friend until the day you died. I mean, he would always be your friend and do anything for you that you needed him to do. He was that kind of a person.&#8221;
Martindale’s wife Sandra said Presley is the reason she and Wink married. She dated The King on and off before he married Priscilla in 1967.  
&#8220;When [Martindale] said [Presley] was from Tennessee, I said, ‘He must be a nice guy,’ because I loved the state. I loved all the guys. I loved everything in the state of Tennessee because Elvis was such a wonderful part of my life,&#8221; Sandra said, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/wink-martindale-dead-tic-tac-dough-game-show-host-1236191994/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. 
Martindale&#8217;s television career took off in the 1960s, leading to his role as host of NBC&#8217;s &#8220;What&#8217;s This Song?&#8221; He gained national prominence with game shows like &#8220;Gambit&#8221; and &#8220;Tic-Tac-Dough.&#8221; Martindale hosted more than 20 game shows over the course of his career, including &#8220;High Rollers,&#8221; &#8220;Debt,&#8221; and &#8220;Headline Chasers.&#8221;
Beyond television, Martindale achieved musical success with his 1959 spoken-word hit &#8220;Deck of Cards,&#8221; which reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The game show host was also a frequent contributor to charitable causes, including St. Jude Children&#8217;s Hospital.
Martindale is survived by his wife of 49 years, Sandra; his daughters Lisa, Lyn, and Laura; his sister Geraldine; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Wink Jr. 
His enduring charm and warmth made him a beloved figure in American entertainment.

Wink Martindale

Beloved Game Show Host Wink Martindale Dies at 91

“Saturday Night Live” issued an apology for a skit the show did making fun of “The White Lotus” actress Aimee Lou Wood’s teeth, which have been a constant topic of conversation since season 3 of the popular HBO series debuted.
“SNL” addressed the issue during a skit called “The White Potus,” which was mostly making fun of their constant target, President Donald Trump. During one scene, actress Sarah Sherman was meant to portray Wood’s character on the show. Host Jon Hamm, playing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., asks what would happen to people’s teeth if he took all the fluoride out of the drinking water. 
The camera then pans to cast member Sherman, who is wearing exaggerated prosthetic gapped teeth, and replies, “Fluoride? What’s that?”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="The White Potus - SNL" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o_1GzmjOvKQ?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>
Wood later addressed the skit, saying in Instagram Stories that she found the skit “mean and unfunny.” 
In another post, the actress claimed she’s “not thin-skinned” and doesn’t mind jokes at her expense if they’re “clever and in good spirits.” But she said the joke about fluoride wasn’t that. 
“I have big gap teeth, not bad teeth,” the British star added.
Wood also insisted that most of that “SNL&#8221; skit was “punching up” because it involved mocking President Trump, his political advisers, and his family. She complained that only the joke about her was an example of being “punched down,” as reported by <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/aimee-lou-wood-white-lotus-snl-skit-teeth-experts_l_67fd35bfe4b09c14eff55690">HuffPost</a>.
On Tuesday, Wood posted a <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/16/entertainment/snl-hasnt-formally-apologized-to-aimee-lou-wood-for-white-lotus-parody/">photo of flowers</a> that Sherman allegedly sent her as a means of apologizing.
Reviews on the skit were mixed. Walton Goggins, who played Chelsea’s love interest, Rick, on “The White Lotus, reacted to the skit with a now-deleted comment that just said, “SMASHING.” Rumors have been circulating that he and Wood were not getting along.
Wood also mentioned in Stories that “SNL” has sent “apologies&#8221; to her, but a new <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/04/15/snl-aimee-lou-wood-no-formal-apology-white-lotus-parody-teeth/">report</a> from TMZ refutes that claim. Their insider said no formal apology has been made, even if individuals from the cast may have apologized.
The flowers and apologies come after photos of Wood crying in public while walking down the street with “House of the Dragon” actor Ralph Davis were posted Monday.
Wood later claimed she wasn’t &#8220;crying&#8221; about the “SNL” drama.
One fan wrote of the images, “Shame on SNL for their cruelty,” inspiring Wood to reply, “Thank you so much. Just to say, I actually wasn’t crying about anything that the papers made out &#8230; I was crying about something completely unrelated.”

Sarah Sherman

‘SNL’ Star Sends Flowers To ‘White Lotus’ Actress After Mocking Her Teeth In Skit

'SNL' Star Sends Flowers To 'White Lotus' Actress After Mocking Her Teeth In Skit

Saturday Night Live

Several actors cast in the highly anticipated “Harry Potter” television series coming to HBO have just been announced.
Confirmed stars so far <a href="https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/hbo-0/hbo-original-harry-potter-series-casts-john-lithgow-janet-mcteer-paapa-essiedu-nick">include</a> John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. Luke Thallon will also take on the recurring role of Quirinus Quirrell, while Paul Whitehouse is set to play the recurring role of Argus Filch.
“We are happy to announce the casting of John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu, Nick Frost, Luke Thallon and Paul Whitehouse to play Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid, Quirrell and Filch,” showrunner and executive producer Francesca Gardiner and executive producer Mark Mylod said in a statement. “We’re delighted to have such extraordinary talent onboard, and we can’t wait to see them bring these beloved characters to new life.”
The main roles of Harry, Ron, and Hermione have yet to be announced. Variety <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/harry-potter-hbo-series-dumbledore-snape-mcgonagall-hagrid-1236368778/">noted</a> that HBO hosted open auditions for the part and received more than 30,000 submissions. 
According to the show&#8217;s logline, the series will be “a faithful adaptation of the beloved ‘Harry Potter’ book series by author and executive producer J.K. Rowling.”
“The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail and much-loved characters ‘Harry Potter’ fans have loved for over twenty-five years,” it says. “Each season will bring ‘Harry Potter’ and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and cherished films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally.”
HBO execs previously voiced support for “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling and defended their decision to keep her on as executive producer despite the backlash she’s gotten from leftists. The billionaire author has been labeled a “TERF” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) for rejecting radical gender theory.
“J.K. is an executive producer, and her insights will be helpful,” Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content said in 2023, as The Daily Wire previously reported. “We are in the Harry Potter business.”
“J.K. is a very online conversation … It’s very nuanced and complicated and not something we’re going to get into,” said Bloys. “Our priority is what’s onscreen. The Harry Potter story is incredibly affirmative and positive about love and acceptance, and that’s our priority, what’s on the screen.”
Filming on the TV series is slated to begin this summer.

John Lithgow

HBO Confirms ‘Harry Potter’ TV Series Casting For Dumbledore, Snape, And Hagrid

HBO Confirms 'Harry Potter' TV Series Casting For Dumbledore, Snape, And Hagrid

Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling

World

A writer for the 1990s show “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” says the casting decisions made at the time were a “mistake.”
&#8220;None of us are thinking stereotypes,&#8221; former &#8220;Power Rangers&#8221; head writer Tony Oliver said during the newly-released episode of the docuseries “Hollywood Demons,” which is titled &#8220;Dark Side of the Power Rangers.”
The writer mentioned how “the black character [was] the Black Ranger and the Asian character [was] the Yellow Ranger.&#8221;
Oliver said his &#8220;assistant pointed it out in a meeting one day.&#8221;
&#8220;It was such a mistake,&#8221; he added, per <a href="https://ew.com/power-rangers-writer-calls-black-and-yellow-ranger-casting-a-mistake-11710918">Entertainment Weekly</a>.
The popular kids series “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” debuted on Fox Kids in 1993. The head writer said the Black Ranger, Zack Taylor (Walter Emanuel Jones) &#8220;seemed to have the swagger of the group,&#8221; while the Yellow Ranger, Trini Kwan (Thuy Trang), was &#8220;the peaceful one, who tends to be the conscience of the group.&#8221; 
He also noted that Trang was not initially cast as the Yellow Ranger but was added after the pilot was shot and their first pick, Audri DuBois, quit the show.
Series co-creator Shuki Levi said in a 2013 <a href="https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/a/elijah-watson/mighty-morphin-power-rangers-interviews-behind-the-scenes">interview</a> with Complex that casting Jones and Trang in those particular roles &#8220;wasn&#8217;t intentional at all.”
The documentary also aired camcorder footage from the set showing Jones saying, “My name’s Walter Jones, I play Zack. I’m black, and I play the Black Ranger — go figure.”
“At that time, [executive producer and co-creator Haim Saban] and I were new to this country. We didn&#8217;t grow up in the same environment that exists in America with regard to skin color. We grew up in Israel, where being a black person is like being any kind of color. It&#8217;s not something we talked about all the time. It wasn&#8217;t a big issue,&#8221; Levi said at the time.
Amy Jo Johnson, who played the Pink Power Ranger, said, &#8220;Walter Jones used to crack good-humored jokes about that. I think it&#8217;s funny if it was done unintentionally by the big bosses. But really? Come on. It wouldn&#8217;t happen today.”
“If they didn’t do it, people would say, ‘Well, why didn’t they make the Black Ranger a black Ranger?’ You could get criticized either way,” actress Barbara Goodson, who played villain Rita Repulsa, told the outlet at the time. She also noted that the characters changed each season. 
“The girl who played the Yellow Ranger after Thuy wasn’t Asian, she was black. You could find something to scoff at everywhere,” Goodson said of the controversy.

Power Rangers

‘Power Rangers’ Writer Discusses ‘Mistake’ With Casting Black, Asian Stars In Series

'Power Rangers' Writer Discusses 'Mistake' With Casting Black, Asian Stars In Series

Race

“The White Lotus” creator Mike White responded to criticism he’s received from fans about the third season of the popular HBO series, which just aired its season finale last Sunday.
Fans and critics have been complaining that compared to the previous two seasons, this latest installment had a slower pace and was just “<a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tv/article-14507879/White-Lotus-fire-fans-critics-alike-glacially-slow-season.html">boring</a>.” White, who serves as writer and director, said it was all very intentional.
“The pacing and the vibe … it definitely gets under their skin,” White said in response to the criticism on the official “White Lotus” podcast, per <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/mike-white-defends-white-lotus-season-3-slow-boring-1236362151/">Variety</a>.
“There was complaining about how there’s no plot. That part I find weird. It never did … part of me is just like bro, this is the vibe. I’m world-building. If you don’t want to go to bed with me then get out of my bed.”
“I’m edging you! Enjoy the edging. If you don’t want to be edged, then get out of my bed,” the showrunner continued, referencing slang for intentionally delaying gratification during sexual encounters.
“Do you know what I mean?” White continued. “Get the f*** out of my bed. Don’t come home with me.&#8221;
Despite the criticism for season 3, it earned some of the highest numbers yet for “The White Lotus,” with 6.2 million people watching the finale. This bested the previous record for viewers by 30%, the outlet noted.
During the same podcast interview, White revealed a deleted scene he wished there was time to include, which involved Piper Ratliff losing her virginity to Belinda’s son, Zion.
“She decides to lose her virginity in the script in the last episode,” White said of Sarah Catherine Hook’s character Piper.
“And she actually has sex with Zion,” he added. “There’s this whole scene where she’s like, ‘It’s true. Saxon is right about this one thing. I need to get this over with.’ And you know how after she leaves the monastery she’s just like, ‘I need to have sex.’ But in the end, it was one of these things where it was like, it’s already an hour and a half.”
White said, “It would have added 10 minutes to the thing. And it had a little bit of a rom-com vibe in the middle of trying to kill the family with the pong pong fruits. It just felt like I was trying to do too much narratively.”
Ultimately, the finale included the deaths of revenge-bent Rick Hatchett (Walter Goggins), his girlfriend Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood), and Jim Hollinger (Scott Glenn), the hotel owner who Rick thought killed his father, but turned out to actually be his father.

Mike White

‘The White Lotus’ Creator Responds To Fans Complaining About Season 3 Pacing: ‘Get The F*** Out’

'The White Lotus' Creator Responds To Fans Complaining About Season 3 Pacing: 'Get The F*** Out'

HBO Max

The ongoing drama between political commentator Meghan McCain and “The White Lotus” actress Carrie Coon is still going strong, which is enough to make McCain question why the actress on one of the most popular shows on TV right now is so fixated on her and other conservatives actually watching it.
“I don’t understand why Carrie Coon’s been talking about me as much as she has,” McCain told The Daily Wire. “It just feels so random, like given that she’s on the biggest show on TV.”
It all started with a back and forth on social media. Coon, who plays an affluent liberal hotel guest on the hit HBO series, responded to one of McCain&#8217;s posts on X about President Donald Trump voicing support for cancer treatment during his address to Congress, which McCain <a href="https://x.com/MeghanMcCain/status/1897127251445154235">described</a> as “so beautiful.” 
Coon responded by commenting, “Who’s gonna tell her?” McCain shot back with a still from the HBO series of Kate, who plays Coon&#8217;s conservative friend, making an annoyed and disgusted face. A few days later, McCain <a href="https://x.com/MeghanMcCain/status/1898824564567597307">told</a> X followers that she couldn’t “decide if I should still watch White Lotus tonight since one of the stars decided to tweet some nasty crap at me.”
Podcast host Megyn Kelly chimed in, <a href="https://x.com/megynkelly/status/1898835232075505669">saying</a>, “Watch it anyway. Virtually every star in every movie and TV show hates conservatives, who could watch nothing if the prerequisite were: the ppl on screen could possibly like me or be like me.”
But Coon didn’t stop at the snarky tweet. While speaking to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/white-lotus-finale-mike-white-interview-1236177751/">The Hollywood Reporter</a> on April 2, she said, “I do think people like Meghan McCain and her community are really gratified to see a conservative person on television,” referencing Bibb’s character, who called herself an “independent” and strongly insinuated she voted for Trump.
McCain expressed her surprise at being name-dropped in the magazine interview. “I’ve never met this woman. I do not know this person,” she emphasized. “If I were on the number one HBO show that everyone on planet earth was talking about, I tell you one thing: I would not be feuding with me on Twitter.”
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<a href="https://t.co/NjYQgUHcYZ">https://t.co/NjYQgUHcYZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/112hrR3Gxc">pic.twitter.com/112hrR3Gxc</a>
&mdash; Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeghanMcCain/status/1898065159806996655?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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McCain told The Daily Wire that she thinks it&#8217;s &#8220;triggering&#8221; for Coon that conservative women exist.
“It’s so triggering for people like her that Republican women exist, that we just live in the world and breathe and watch her content,” McCain said. 
She also pointed out the hypocrisy of actors criticizing audiences with opposing views while still expecting their support. “I just don’t understand this,” she said, adding that the whole thing was “weird and unfortunate.”
She added that while she doesn’t necessarily feel “represented” by the closeted conservative character of Kate, she does respect her the most out of the trio of friends on “The White Lotus.”
“I do think it’s interesting that she’s not the dark villain of the show,” she added, praising creator Mike White for giving all the characters nuance and depth. “She’s like a normal friend. She was the one that was drinking water and had her pajamas on … the one who’s going to church every week.”
It&#8217;s also possible that the narrative changes. &#8220;The White Lotus&#8221; season 3 finale, titled &#8220;Amor Fati,&#8221; is this Sunday, and as anyone who&#8217;s watched the first two seasons knows, anything can happen. So maybe the seemingly normal friend will end up being the murderer?

Meghan McCain Carrie Coon

Meghan McCain: Why Is White Lotus Actress Carrie Coon So Obsessed with Me?

Meghan McCain

“The White Lotus” actress Carrie Coon says a scene featuring her discussing a child who was “maybe trans” got cut following the re-election of President Donald Trump.
The dark comedy-drama HBO series satirically explores the lives of wealthy guests and hotel staff at luxurious resorts. Each season features a different location and cast of characters. The latest season is set in Thailand.
Coon plays one of three adult best friends who are on vacation together and increasingly getting more annoyed with each other.
“There was a bit more context to her home life. You originally found out that her daughter was actually non-binary, maybe trans, and going by they/them,” the actress said of her character, Laurie, during a recent interview with <a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a64258074/carrie-coon-white-lotus-interview/">Harper’s Bazaar</a>.
One of the three friends, Kate (Leslie Bibb), seems to imply during season 3 that she and her husband may have voted for Trump. 
“You see Laurie struggling to explain it to her friends, struggling to use they/them pronouns, struggling with the language, which was all interesting,” Coon continued. “It was only a short scene, but for me, it did make the question [in episode 3] of whether Kate voted for Trump so much more provocative and personally offensive to Laurie, considering who her child is in the world.”
Coon said series creator Mike White cut the scene following the 2024 election.
“The season was written before the election. And considering the way the Trump administration has weaponized the cultural war against transgender people even more since then, when the time came to cut the episode down, Mike felt that the scene was so small and the topic so big that it wasn’t the right way to engage in that conversation,” she said.
“[White’s] father wrote a very influential book about what it was like to come out as a gay man himself in the evangelical church as an adult, which a lot of young men have read and was a very meaningful text for them in their own journeys,” Coon added. “So Mike doesn&#8217;t shy away from challenging cultural conversations, and I really appreciate that about his work.”
Every season of “The White Lotus” includes graphic sexual content and violence. The latest installment includes instances of incest between two brothers who are on vacation together.

Carrie Coons

Culture Shift: ‘White Lotus’ Actress Says Scene About ‘Maybe Trans’ Child Axed After Trump Won

Donald Trump

Transgender

Country singer Morgan Wallen caused some drama during an appearance on “Saturday Night Live” over the weekend, which included him abruptly exiting the stage and later sharing with fans that he was happy to be heading back to “God’s country.”
The 31-year-old resident of Nashville performed two songs during Saturday night’s episode and stuck around until the gathering of cast members at the end, which usually involves hugs and waves to the audience. However, Wallen didn’t stick around for small talk, opting to walk off the stage and past a camera that captured his abrupt movements. 
“SNL” fans were quick to comment on Wallen&#8217;s untraditional exit, which is not the way guests and cast members usually wrap up their appearances.
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Thank you, Mikey Madison and <a href="https://twitter.com/MorganWallen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MorganWallen</a>! Goodnight! <a href="https://t.co/FDlInhhHqb">pic.twitter.com/FDlInhhHqb</a>
&mdash; Saturday Night Live &#8211; SNL (@nbcsnl) <a href="https://twitter.com/nbcsnl/status/1906220126245880009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Later, Wallen got even more attention when he posted a photo to Instagram Stories of what appeared to be a private jet ready to depart from the New York area. “Get me to God’s country,” the caption said, per <a href="https://variety.com/2025/music/news/morgan-wallen-snl-walk-off-gods-country-social-post-1236352063/">Variety</a>.
Fans were divided over the drama, arguing over whether it was an accidental faux pas or if Wallen was making a point by exiting the left-leaning show in what many considered a rude manner.
“Wow, Morgan Wallen just walking off the stage during the @nbcsnl credits? In decades of watching SNL, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that. For so many of us, that is sacred ground,” one reaction <a href="https://x.com/jefflocker/status/1906212761589383228">said</a>.
“Morgan Wallen with a little more of the catty-ass petty loser sh** he so proudly displayed running offstage down the center aisle &amp; right past the camera at SNL curtain call,” another reply <a href="https://x.com/AmayaLancelot/status/1906246917174235178">said</a>. “This &amp; the tone-deaf private jet flaunt couldn’t be more lame &amp; undercutting coming from a country star.”
“All this hate to Morgan Wallen because he walked off stage before the end credits as if he hasn’t been getting bashed literally all week by all you insane liberals. He [doesn&#8217;t] owe you anything and you all are low life haters who can’t let go of the past. Like grow tf up,” one commenter <a href="https://x.com/c0ltxn79/status/1906235694286012480">wrote</a>. 
Another <a href="https://x.com/jackunheard/status/1906472485496774981">agreed</a>, “This is so based. SNL is officially irrelevant.”
“SNL” writer Josh Patten joked about the whole debacle, posting a photo to his social media of a Krispy Kreme truck with the back doors open. He included the same caption Wallen used, writing, “Get me to God’s country,” per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/snl-writer-morgan-wallen-post-1236176118/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>.
When one media outlet suggested that meant Patten was “not a Morgan Wallen fan,” the writer responded with an eye roll emoji and a screenshot of one of his playlists from 2023, which included some of Wallen’s music.
Wallen was a guest on “SNL” to promote his upcoming album, “I’m the Problem,” which comes out May 16.

Morgan Wallen

Morgan Wallen Causes Stir For Abruptly Exiting ‘SNL’ Stage: ‘Get Me To God’s Country’

Morgan Wallen Causes Stir For Abruptly Exiting 'SNL' Stage Post-Performance

Country singer

One of the executive producers of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a dystopian drama based on the book of the same name by Margaret Atwood, referenced how the show is perceived in the current political climate.
Many liberal women have been drawing comparisons between the fictional republic of Gilead in the story and the current United States. Several stars of the Hulu series joined executive producers Eric Tuchman, Yahlin Chang, Bruce Miller, and Warren Littlefield at PaleyFest LA earlier this week to promote the show’s sixth and final season. 
“It’s been a show that we started the way we wanted to start it; we’re ending it the way we want to end it,” Miller said, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/handmaids-tale-final-season-political-climate-1236173861/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. 
Littlefield discussed how their focus for the series shifted after Trump was elected the first time. “And then along came our 45th president and we entered into a whole other world,” the executive producer said. “We became a symbol of the resistance and a fight for human rights.”
Co-showrunner Chang said, “We really felt like we wanted this [final] season to be a love letter to our fans. You guys have really stuck with us through thick and thin — we all know that it’s not the easiest watch, this show,” adding that there are “some really feel-bad episodes.” 
“I was like, I only want to feel-good episodes. I only want to like, end with victory and feelings of hope and triumph and uplift… this season we wanted to feel rewarding,” Chang said.
“It is very weird that this show started shooting in 2016; here we are, unthinkable things have happened and we’re bewildered right now,” said actor Bradley Whitford, who plays Commander Joseph Lawrence in the series. 
“We need to meet this moment, and [Elisabeth Moss’ character] June is an example of the most fundamental thing we have to remember in this moment, which is that despair’s a luxury that our children cannot afford,” he continued. “Racism is not going to go away, misogyny is not going to go away, religious hypocrisy is not going to go away.”
Littlefield said, “In a world that we want to just kind of walk away because it’s so very painful, don’t give up the fight. Our women are not Marvel characters, they’re ordinary women who are doing extraordinary things. And so our message is actually the war is not over, but the fight continues. That gives us hope and that’s what we’re trying to put forth. That is our legacy.”

Elisabeth Moss

‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Producer Calls Series A ‘Symbol Of Resistance’ Against Trump

'Handmaid's Tale' Producer Calls Series A 'Symbol Of Resistance' Against Trump 

Handmaid's Tale

Spoiler Alert: This piece contains spoilers for White Lotus, Season 3.
Duke University is speaking out after branded apparel featuring its name was used in a violent scene depicting suicide on the hit HBO series “The White Lotus.”
“The White Lotus not only uses our brand without permission, but in our view uses it on imagery that is troubling, does not reflect our values or who we are, and simply goes too far,” Duke’s VP for communications, marketing, and public affairs Frank Tramble said in a statement to <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/03/duke-denounces-white-lotus-school-logo-violent-scene-1236351914/">Deadline</a>. 
“Suicide is the second-leading cause of death on college campuses. As imagery from the show is being shared widely across social media, we are using our brand to promote mental health awareness and remind people that help is available,” the statement said.
“Duke appreciates artistic expression and creative storytelling, but characters prominently wearing apparel bearing Duke’s federally registered trademarks creates confusion and mistakenly suggests an endorsement or affiliation where none exists,” it states.
The scene in question features one of the ensemble characters, Timothy Ratliff (Jason Isaacs), wearing a Duke T-shirt while fantasizing about killing himself. The character has been in turmoil for the whole season as he grapples with being implicated in financial fraud and losing his wealth and reputation. 
He’s been able to hide what&#8217;s happening from his family while they’re on vacation in Thailand, but Timothy is spiraling out of control as he contemplates returning to the United States and facing the consequences of his actions.
The suicide scene is controversial, but the storyline really making the headlines involves an incestuous sexual encounter between Timothy’s two sons. 
In season 3, episode 6, Saxon Ratliff (Patrick Schwarzenegger) realizes he had a threesome with his brother Lochlan Ratliff (Sam Nivola) while the two were high on drugs and drinking at a party. While discussing the scene with <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/white-lotus-incest-brothers-sex-scene-gay-1236336790/">Variety</a>, Nivola said series creator Mike White had a tendency to create characters who are “lovable, yet rotten at their core.”
The actor also defends the actions of his character, saying Lochlan is “not a creep, necessarily.” 
“It’s important to the story that he’s not some psychopath,” Nivola says of Lochlan. Episode 6 was the <a href="https://www.vulture.com/article/white-lotus-incest-episode-viewership-record.html">most watched</a> yet, with 4.2 million viewers.
At the beginning of the season, Lochlan’s main issue was deciding whether to attend Duke University – his father’s alma mater – or the University of North Carolina for college. 
If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or go to <a href="http://speakingofsuicide.com/resources" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources</a> for a list of additional resources.

Jason Isaacs

Duke University Complains ‘The White Lotus’ Went ‘Too Far’ Using Its Apparel In Violent Scene

Duke University Complains 'The White Lotus' Went 'Too Far' Using Their Apparel In Suicide Scene

Duke University

Suicide

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