The Kennedy Center is bringing a patriotic new change to concerts at the Washington, D.C., performing arts center ahead of America’s 250th birthday, The Daily Wire has learned.
Every performance of the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center throughout the 2025-2026 season will begin with the National Anthem. The move coincides with plans from the Trump administration to celebrate the 250 anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence next summer.
“The National Symphony should be playing the National Anthem,” Kennedy Center President Ric Grenell said.
The National Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1931 and performs around 150 concerts annually.
The move is the latest change at the Kennedy Center since President Donald Trump promised to end wokeness at the performing arts center. As part of this move, Trump became chair of the center and tapped Grenell to serve as its president.
“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote in February. “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.”
The changes the new board made led to full-scale meltdowns on the Left, including protests expressed through interpretive dancing.
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According to a previous report published by The Daily Wire, the Kennedy Center is $40 million in debt and will be making major cuts to staff.
“The former leadership built a broken budget with an operating deficit of 100 million dollars and a bottom-line deficit of 26 million dollars,” CFO Donna Arduin said. “The former leadership led Board members to believe there was a balanced budget when there was $26 Million in false funds. Fiscal Year 25 budget was previously passed with $26M of fictitious funds. We have now truly balanced the budget.”
To get the Center out of the red, Grenell “has hired new Department leaders with lower salaries than those they replaced, including his salary which is dramatically lower than the previous President’s.”
The CFO also said that the Kennedy Center “will adopt business practices with performance goals to bring accountability to our patrons and philanthropists.”

US-CULTURE-KENNEDY

Patriotic Change Coming To The Kennedy Center Ahead Of America’s 250th

Donald Trump

Kennedy Center

Music

Patriotism

Ric Grenell

U.S.

Washington D.C.

Wokeness

A graffiti exhibition at Canterbury Cathedral, one of the oldest Christian structures in England dating back to 597, has many people baffled and enraged.
The newly unveiled installation by the poet Alex Vellis and curator Jacqueline Creswell includes graffiti-style messages applied directly to the stone walls of the massive cathedral. Questions such as, “What is the architecture of heaven?” and “Does everything have a soul?” can be seen in the customary graffiti style script on the walls and columns of the building.
“Why are you indifferent to suffering?” another message found beneath a stained glass window says, per <a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/canterbury-cathedral-graffiti-art-hear-us-controversy-1234756433/">ARTnews</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Church of England decided this week to cover the interior of the oldest cathedral in England in graffiti in order to represent the voices of “marginalised communities.”
The Very Rev David Monteith, Dean of Canterbury, said: “There is a rawness which is magnified by the… <a href="https://t.co/bQ6BYsNU2A">pic.twitter.com/bQ6BYsNU2A</a>
— Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@DrewPavlou) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrewPavlou/status/1976571987381395614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Creswell explained the exhibition’s goals on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPjR6L9gmfG/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1">Instagram</a>, writing, “By collaborating with marginalized communities—including the Punjabi, black and brown diaspora, neurodivergent individuals, and the LGBTQIA+ population—the exhibition promotes inclusivity and representation. It transforms the cathedral into a space where diverse voices can be heard, validating their experiences and fostering a sense of belonging.”
The exhibition has the support of the dean of Canterbury, David Monteith, who <a href="https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/home-news/canterbury-cathedral-artwork-graffiti-drawings-b2843041.html">said</a> of the display, “There is a rawness which is magnified by the graffiti style, which is disruptive. There is also an authenticity in what is said because it is unfiltered and not tidied up or sanitized. Above all, this graffiti makes me wonder why I am not always able to be as candid, not least in my prayers.”
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Meanwhile, social media users are voicing their dismay at temporarily desecrating a house of worship.
Irish author Keith Woods <a href="https://x.com/KeithWoodsYT/status/1976595414565466254">posted</a> on X, “Was horrified to see this graffiti on Canterbury Cathedral, founded by St. Augustine [himself], then I discovered it was actually an initiative welcomed by the Church of England!”
“It’s actually stunning how much the elite of Britain hate their own culture and civilization,” Australian conservative activist Drew Pavlou wrote. “You couldn’t even invent this as satire. They are literally scrawling graffiti on the walls of ancient cathedrals. Everything beautiful is just torn down and destroyed.”
The graffiti display is scheduled to remain until January 2026.

Canterbury Cathedral

‘Horrified’: Graffiti Exhibition At Historic Canterbury Cathedral Sparks Outrage

Graffiti

London

Religion

United Kingdom

World

The CEO of the “wokest insurance company” in America once said that a bill to keep men out of women’s bathrooms was a “threat to democracy,” a watchdog organization revealed.
Chubb Corporation CEO Evan Greenberg attacked North Carolina Republicans over a 2016 bill aimed at protecting women’s privacy, video discovered by Consumers’ Research shows. Operating across 54 countries, Chubb Insurance is the largest commercial lines insurer in the United States.
Greenberg’s comments were highlighted in a “<a href="https://consumersresearch.org/woke-alert/woke-alert-chubb-insurance/">woke alert</a>,” first shared with The Daily Wire, sent out Thursday by the watchdog group to over 100,000 people.
“The rights of individuals, including our personal freedom and right to pursue happiness, are a universal right. We protect them. Actions like those in North Carolina and other states to discriminate against sexual preference and strip citizens of their protections, do not reflect who we are as a nation, and are ultimately, I believe, a threat to democracy,” Greenberg said.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Evan Greenberg: Laws That Discriminate Are Not Befitting Who We Are As A Nation" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lTZPClIFD14?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 bill Greenberg was referring to was one that required people to use public bathrooms in accordance with their sex. The intent was to keep transgender-identifying men out of women’s bathrooms. It also prohibited local governments from putting in place so-called non-discrimination laws allowing men into women’s bathrooms.
“After all, where does it stop? This is something we&#8217;re speaking about, and that&#8217;s why I&#8217;m speaking out about it,” Greenberg said.
His comments were made during a speech at the Chubb Leadership Forum, an insurance conference held in San Diego on April 12, 2016.
“Chubb prioritizes pushing a woke agenda to such an extreme extent that it’s earned the title of ‘wokest insurance company,&#8217;” Consumers’ Research executive director Will Hild told The Daily Wire. “Chubb should be focused on delivering the best insurance policies for its customers, not carrying water for repulsive ideological causes.”
Consumers’ Research first launched a national campaign highlighting Chubb’s woke policies on Wednesday. The campaign included a national TV ad, mobile billboards outside Chubb offices in Washington, D.C., and New York City, and a letter demanding the Treasury Department launch an investigation into the insurance giant’s DEI practices.
Chubb also has a 95% score from the far-Left Human Rights Campaign, which <a href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/corporations/chubb-ltd." target="_blank" rel="noopener">documents</a> that the corporation “provides four LGBTQ+ internal training elements (including an intersectionality training)” and “provides Gender Transition Guidelines and at least one additional transgender inclusive policy or practice for its employees.”
The insurance company’s <a href="https://about.chubb.com/our-workforce/racial-justice.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> is also full of diversity, equity, and inclusion language and it offers employees resources like a “Race Fluency Toolkit” and a “Race Matters” platform “to facilitate greater consciousness of racism and understanding of the Black experience.”
“We believe in being anti-racist because a rejection of racism alone is insufficient,” the company’s website says, noting that it places an emphasis on hiring employees from “underrepresented groups.”
In fact, in a 2021 interview, a Chubb executive <a href="https://www.leadersmag.com/issues/2021.3_Jul/Diversity_Inclusion/LEADERS-Joseph-Wayland-Chubb.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that “Diversity, equity and inclusion are the foundation of our Chubb culture.”
Chubb has also <a href="https://www.chubb.com/us-en/individuals-families/our-community/chubb-coal-policy.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">committed</a> to no longer underwriting “the construction and operation of new coal-fired plants or new risks for companies that generate more than 30% of their revenues from coal mining or energy production from coal.”
Hild said that customers should “be warned that doing business with Chubb is doing business with a company that has no problem fully embracing the most polarizing political agendas.”

MixCollage-02-Oct-2025-01-01-PM-4279

‘Woke’ Insurance CEO Said Bill Barring Men From Women’s Bathrooms Was A ‘Threat To Democracy’

bathroom

LGBTQ

North Carolina

Transgender

The retirement savings of millions of federal workers are being weaponized to push climate change and DEI mandates, a watchdog warned lawmakers. 
Financial asset giants BlackRock and State Street are leveraging their management over billions of dollars in federal employees’ retirement savings to push left-wing politics, according to a Monday <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hild-Letter-to-SCHSGA-and-HCOGR-RE-TSP.pdf">letter</a> to top Republican lawmakers from Consumers’ Research obtained by The Daily Wire. The pair manages around $668 billion in federal retirement savings through the Thrift Savings Plan, the federal government’s version of a 401(k) plan. 
“Asset managers like BlackRock using Americans’ hard-earned money to unfairly and illegally push radical political agendas without consent is hardly a new problem, but their control of most of the Thrift Savings Plan takes the scandal to a new level,” Consumers’ Research executive director Will Hild told The Daily Wire. “Flagrantly violating fiduciary duty with federal employee dollars begs for congressional scrutiny and more.”
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The letter was sent to House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chair James Comer (R-KY) and Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chair Rand Paul (R-KY). It requested that the lawmakers investigate the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB), the agency that administers the Thrift Savings Plan program. 
The letter says that the agency “has contracted with asset managers and proxy advisors that have pursued goals to impose emissions reductions and diversity quotas on companies, rather than focus solely on financial returns as required” by federal law. 
“Examples of BlackRock’s and State Street’s harmful conduct include: (1) using proxy voting power to push companies to adopt emissions targets; (2) maintaining commitments to climate-activist organizations in pursuit of Paris Agreement goals; (3) using internal proxy-voting guidelines that require using engagement and voting to pressure companies to align with net zero; (4) using pension fund assets to advance a net-zero agenda; and (5) succumbing to activist pressure to join climate groups and change their proxy voting to support activist proposals,” Hild wrote in the letter. 
An example of political policies being pushed by BlackRock included <a href="https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/literature/publication/annual-stewardship-report-2024.pdf">voting</a> in 2024 for a shareholder proposal to require Cracker Barrel to establish and publish greenhouse gas emissions targets. It backed similar proposals for companies like Jack in the Box, Wingstop, and Denny’s. 
Hild cited previous <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20241226122512/https:/www.ssga.com/library-content/assets/pdf/global/asset-stewardship/proxy-voting-and-engagement-policy.pdf">policies</a> by State Street to generally oppose company boards that are not “composed of at least 30-percent female directors” and “at least one director from an underrepresented racial/ethnic community.”
In recent years, BlackRock has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blackrock-makes-major-change-after-backlash-against-woke-investing">backed away</a> from some of its more recent pushes for activist investing after widespread backlash. In April 2024, the Committee to Unleash Prosperity gave BlackRock a &#8220;B&#8221; for its voting record on &#8220;extreme&#8221; shareholder proposals, up from a &#8220;C&#8221; the previous year. The same report grades State Street as a &#8220;C.&#8221;
&#8220;BlackRock’s CEO, Larry Fink, had been one of the leading voices in support of ESG a few years ago. But last year, under pressure from groups like ours and others, he began to retreat from its ESG advocacy on proxy voting as shareholder proposals have become more extreme,&#8221; the report found.
BlackRock&#8217;s recent global voting <a href="https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/literature/publication/2025-investment-stewardship-voting-spotlight.pdf">spotlight</a> also highlighted that it voted with corporate management on 209 out of 214 votes in the Americas on climate and natural capital. &#8220;We again found that many of these proposals were over-reaching, lacked economic merit, or sought outcomes that were unlikely to promote long-term financial value,&#8221; the report said.
The letter also states that the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board relies on the Institutional Shareholder Services, a proxy advisory firm, for analysis of BlackRock and State Street’s proxy voting record. The firm is also “committed to environmental activism and imposing quotas on company boards,” Hild wrote. 
The agency utilizes quarterly analysis from the Institutional Shareholder Services to ensure that BlackRock and State Street vote in line with their written guidelines. 
“Reliance on ISS is contrary to [federal law’s] sole-interest standard, as ISS pursues an agenda that is incompatible with shareholder value and has made commitments to incorporate ESG into its processes. Contracting with ISS also raises concerns about ISS’s role in recommending votes that would inject race- and sex-based considerations into companies’ practices, which potentially violates federal and state civil rights laws,” Hild wrote. 
Hild wants Congress to press the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board to ensure that federal workers’ retirement savings are not being used to push politics. 
“The [FRTIB] owes the public answers, starting with whether it broke the law by allowing these notoriously woke firms to fund their ESG activism with millions of federal workers&#8217; savings. The longer that firms like BlackRock freely manage Thrift Saving Plan assets, the greater the danger to so many Americans&#8217; retirement security,” he said.

MixCollage-29-Sep-2025-11-26-AM-2253

Federal Retirement Dollars Used To Push Leftist Politics, Watchdog Warns

BlackRock

Climate Change

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

James Comer

Rand Paul

DEI has taken root in the world of video games for years, but it may soon be game over for that hopelessly woke initiative.
The fight against woke culture spans every industry, and often makes headlines in relation to schools, libraries, retailers, and restaurants. But there’s another space infected by the relentless scourge of wokeness that has likely affected the teenage boys in your life.  
It turns out the gaming industry has more pressing issues than just screen time limits. The industry has become a battleground for the culture wars, especially for younger Americans. Now, after one of the most expensive failures in Sony’s history, fans are wondering if the obsession with DEI quotas and virtue signaling in the video game industry has finally reached its breaking point.
Less than a year ago, Sony pulled the plug on Concord, a highly anticipated first-person shooter that was billed as the next Overwatch. The game reportedly had a development budget of up to $400 million, though this figure is <a href="https://www.gamesradar.com/games/fps/claims-that-concord-cost-dollar400-million-are-inaccurate-according-to-fan-analysis-that-claims-sonys-ill-fated-hero-shooter-was-a-dollar150-million-game-failure/">disputed</a>.
Overwatch, the wildly successful shooter that Concord aimed to rival, boasts an <a href="https://icon-era.com/blog/overwatch-2-live-player-count-and-statistics.77/">estimated</a> 30 million active monthly users.
Instead, the title was pulled from online servers just weeks after launch, with full refunds offered to players. Fans had warned early on that the game looked like yet another case of developers prioritizing politics over fun. Still, the absolute magnitude of the disaster was shocking even for the most dialed-in gamer.
When it premiered last August, Concord only <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2024/08/24/playstations-concord-did-not-break-700-players-on-steam-on-launch-day/">peaked</a> at 697 concurrent players on its release day on PC, which is a terribly low number for a major release from a company like Sony. By comparison, competing hero shooter Marvel Rivals reached a <a href="https://steamcharts.com/app/2767030#All">peak</a> of approximately 600,000 concurrent players shortly after its December 2024 release.
Analysts also estimate that only 25,000 copies of Concord were sold, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/concord-is-estimated-to-have-sold-only-25000-units-heres-why-analysts-think-its-failing">according</a> to IGN.
Amid such dismal sales and widespread ridicule, Sony was forced to shut the whole thing down and issue refunds within two weeks of the game&#8217;s release date.
In a <a href="https://blog.playstation.com/2024/09/03/an-important-update-on-concord/">statement</a> from Sony in September 2024 that seemed to echo those sentiments, the company said that &#8220;aspects of the game and our initial launch didn’t land the way we’d intended.&#8221;
The studio attempted to blame the flop on other factors, but users and industry insiders pointed out a major issue with the game that likely contributed to its lack of resonance with players.
A former World of Warcraft developer wrote that Concord was “so focused on ‘inclusive’ teams that they forgot the white guys in their game. Inclusive should not mean racist against white people, but it too often does.”
Another person on X agreed, <a href="https://x.com/Mangalawyer/status/1796362084499833224">saying</a> the game “features five black women, four aliens, three robots, and one white man. It’s incredibly diverse and non-heteronormative. Plus, it has pronouns. Are you excited?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Concord is a new progressive and modern shooter for Pc &amp; Playstation. It features five black women, four aliens, three robots, and one white man. It&#8217;s incredibly diverse and non-heteronormative. Plus, it has pronouns. Are you excited? 😆 <a href="https://t.co/DpLfjIvpp1">pic.twitter.com/DpLfjIvpp1</a>
— LearningTheLaw ✝️ (@Mangalawyer) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mangalawyer/status/1796362084499833224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Even Elon Musk chimed in <a href="https://x.com/ElonClipsX/status/1860528576958783915">to say</a> that he was frustrated with “DEI woke bullsh*t” that’s ruining video games.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Elon Musk: Can you just leave the video games alone?
“It&#8217;s really annoying when a video game gets interrupted by some DEI woke bullshit.
And I&#8217;m like, Jesus, I was playing a video game here. Can you just leave the video games alone?
You don&#8217;t want to do things that damage art.… <a href="https://t.co/cMrMZZBctN">pic.twitter.com/cMrMZZBctN</a>
— ELON CLIPS (@ElonClipsX) <a href="https://twitter.com/ElonClipsX/status/1860528576958783915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
And it’s not just this one game. Last fall, Call of Duty <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/01/21/call-of-duty-6-nonbinary-actor-kimber-london-lgbtq2ia/77734948007/">caught heat</a> for introducing Volta Rossi, a “nonbinary” character who uses they/them pronouns. 
One person who understands why gamers are so fed up is Jason Ruchelski, better known online as <a href="https://x.com/jasonruchelski?lang=en">jasonR</a>. He’s a former professional Counter-Strike player who now streams to thousands of fans on Twitch. He’s lived through the rise of DEI and cancel culture in gaming firsthand.
“As far as I’m concerned, there has been a massive shift in how people and how the demographic of this industry kind of looks at this cancel culture, woke type stuff,” Jason said. “If you would have asked two or three years ago, everyone was terrified. Every developer, every gamer, every streamer was scared to say anything wrong because of cancel culture.”
That fear was not unfounded. Jason himself went viral in 2019 when he revealed that, as a married man, he refused to play online with women to avoid drama and protect his relationship. The backlash, he explained, was extreme.
“I was trending on Twitter for two weeks straight,” he recalled. “I was called a sexist, a misogynist. They even went after my wife. All because I set boundaries.”
Jason’s story highlights a broader trend where traditional boundaries are punished in the name of “progress.” But he says, fortunately, the tide is starting to turn in the gaming industry.
“In the last year, maybe two years, there has been a dramatic shift,” he said. “Games are flopping because they’re adding in woke or DEI stuff. Movies are flopping. The industry is so dry because people are turning so heavily against it. There’s just nothing these games can hold on to, so they’re dying.”
Concord is the most recent example of a massive flop. Players mocked the game’s roster of “ugly,” DEI-inspired characters and complained about being forced to use preferred pronouns. On Reddit, fans pointed out that developers seemed more focused on “representation checklists” than on actual gameplay. 
As one commenter said, “They keep insisting we asked for this stuff. We didn’t. No one did.”
Jason said he believes there may have been some activists asking for leftist elements in games, but that group was far outnumbered by normal players who either didn’t care or were annoyed by it.
“The people these [developers] are listening to are just the loudest. They’re not the ones actually playing your game,” he said. “They’re the ones offended on Twitter. But they’re not buying your product. And finally, people are starting to realize that.”
That “vocal minority” effect has been seen across industries, from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cracker-barrel-didnt-go-woke-with-its-rebrand-they-were-conned-by-experts">Cracker Barrel</a> to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-worlds-most-dangerous-blonde-sydney-sweeney-and-the-threat-of-normalcy">Hollywood</a>. In gaming, it’s played out in absurd ways. Jason recalled one instance from Valorant, another massively popular first-person shooter game, where developers introduced a “they/them” character.
“The whole community of streamers started banning viewers for not using the right pronouns,” he said. “If you called the character a ‘he’ or ‘she’ by accident, you were permanently banned from the chat. They even pinned comments saying, ‘if you don’t respect the pronouns, you’ll be banned.’ And this was all over a fictional character.”
The result? Players were on edge in a space that was supposed to be fun. For Jason, it all circles back to authenticity.
“Back in the day, you’d turn on your stream because you loved the game and wanted to build a community. Now it’s, let me turn on my stream and see what people want me to love,” he said. “It’s all fake people, fake content creators, just searching for income. The genuineness has flown out the window.”
Still, he’s cautiously optimistic.
“Yes, there’s been a shift. But now you have people trying to be edgy, standing on that line of being canceled because that’s what gets them fame. So it’s fake in a different way,” he explained. “Nobody knows what anyone really believes anymore. It’s just a big show.”
He also offered some advice for game developers who want to avoid creating the next Concord.
“Focus on your product. Quit worrying about what Twitter thinks. Be innovative. Stop recycling the same boxes to check. Just make the best game you can,” he recommended.
That may sound simple, but as Jason pointed out, too many developers have convinced themselves that the majority of gamers care about pronouns, rainbow flags, and inclusiveness. In reality, they just want to play the game.
And at the end of the day, it’s all about the money. The Concord flop led to a major shakeup at Sony, with leadership admitting that “<a href="https://www.gamespot.com/articles/concords-failure-led-to-increased-oversight-says-sony-exec/1100-6534243/">increased oversight</a>” was now necessary for future games. It’s safe to assume they won’t let another $400 million flop happen because developers are obsessed with pushing some DEI agenda.
Meanwhile, gamers are making their preferences loud and clear: make great games, and keep the identity politics out of it.

Game Over

GAME OVER: Sony’s $400M Flop Could Finally Signal The End Of Woke Video Games

Game Over: Sony’s $400M Flop Could Mean The End Of Woke Video Games

Culture

Video Games

President Donald Trump is weighing in on the Cracker Barrel controversy with some pointed advice for the company&#8217;s marketing team.
Cracker Barrel has been in the headlines for days following the unveiling of a new logo that most social media users absolutely despise. This, coupled with remodeled stores and a new modern aesthetic, has loyal Cracker Barrel fans seeing red and threatening to boycott. The president says the solution lies in reverting to the way things were before.
“Cracker Barrel should go back to the old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll), and manage the company better than ever before,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115095579197949665">shared</a> on Truth Social on Tuesday morning. 
“They got a Billion Dollars worth of free publicity if they play their cards right. Very tricky to do, but a great opportunity. Have a major News Conference today. Make Cracker Barrel a WINNER again. Remember, in just a short period of time I made the United States of America the ‘HOTTEST’ Country anywhere in the World. One year ago, it was ‘DEAD.’ Good luck!”
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So far, there doesn’t appear to be any movement to backtrack. Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino said during an appearance on “Good Morning America” last week that feedback has been “overwhelmingly positive.” Several days later, a company spokesperson addressed the ongoing backlash by claiming it was part of a “vocal minority.”
But the numbers told a different story. The company reportedly dropped $143 million in market value, as tracked by Dow Jones Market Data Group, per <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/cracker-barrels-loses-143-million-market-value-after-woke-brand-fiasco">Fox Business</a>.
This led to the company releasing a statement that wasn’t quite an apology, but was closer to admitting it had made a mistake. 
“If the last few days have shown us anything, it’s how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel,” the statement began.
“We’re truly grateful for your heartfelt voices. You’ve also shown us that we could’ve done a better job sharing who we are and who we’ll always be,” it continued.
The company promised that Cracker Barrel’s core values have not changed and highlighted some of the traditional elements that it would keep, including “rocking chairs on the porch, a warm fire in the hearth, peg games on the table, unique treasures in our gift shop, and vintage Americana with antiques pulled straight from our warehouse in Lebanon, Tennessee.”
It also discussed how the elderly man sitting next to a barrel on their original logo wouldn’t be disappearing completely either.
“Uncle Herschel will still be on our menu (welcome back Uncle Herschel’s Favorite Breakfast Platter), on our road signs, and featured in our country store. He’s not going anywhere — he’s family.”
The statement continued: “We know we won’t always get everything right the first time, but we’ll keep testing, learning, and listening to our guests and employees. At the end of the day, our promise is simple: you’ll always find comfort, community, and country hospitality here at Cracker Barrel.”

Trump and Cracker Barrel

Make Cracker Barrel Great Again: Trump Dishes Branding Advice As Customers Revolt

Make Cracker Barrel Great Again: Trump Dishes Up Branding Advice As Customers Revolt

Business

Cracker Barrel

Food

As the Cracker Barrel rebrand continues to dominate public discourse, the company is downplaying the plethora of negative comments as a “vocal minority.”
The Southern-themed restaurants are undergoing remodels, and most recently, introduced an updated version of its classic logo that’s been poorly received on social media. Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino said during an appearance on “Good Morning America” that feedback has been “overwhelmingly positive,” but that doesn’t match up with most of the comments and videos circulating online. 
A Cracker Barrel spokesperson <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/cracker-barrel-dismisses-critics-vocal-minority-while-rival-restaurant-backlash">told</a> Fox News Digital in a statement that the response to the remodeled locations and other changes “were informed by direct input from our guests and team members alike.”
The rep continued, acknowledging that “there may be a vocal minority who feel differently.”
“However, the strong performance of these locations affirms that we are moving in the right direction,” the statement added. “We hope people who haven’t yet visited a remodeled store will visit us and experience the country hospitality proudly on display at every table and in every dish.”
“Our values haven’t changed, and the heart and soul of Cracker Barrel haven’t changed,” the company said. “And Uncle Herschel remains front and center in our restaurants and on our menu. He is the face of ‘The Herschel Way,’ the foundation of how our 70,000-plus employees provide the country hospitality for which we are known.”
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“Cracker Barrel has been a destination for comfort and community for more than half a century, and this fifth evolution of the brand’s logo, which works across digital platforms as well as billboards and roadside signs, is a call-back to the original and rooted even more in the iconic barrel shape and word mark that started it all back in 1969.”
The new logo removes the old man perched next to a barrel in favor of modern, minimalist text with no graphics. Critics say the new logo is devoid of personality, just like the remodeled stores have a generic aesthetic that’s leagues apart from the warm, welcoming, eclectic look of before.
They also voiced complaints about the updated menu, which is all part of the rebranding efforts.
Despite the company rep claiming detractors were in the “minority,” Cracker Barrel lost <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cracker-barrel-cbrl-stock-down-200-million-loss-new-logo-change/">roughly $100 million</a> in market value on Thursday following the announcement of the new logo. Social media is still flooded with negative comments and pleas for the restaurant to revert to its previous look.

Cracker Barrel Downplays Backlash As The ‘Vocal Minority,’ Stands By Rebrand

Cracker Barrel Downplays Backlash As The 'Vocal Minority,' Stands By Rebrand

ESPN, a global sports media network that has remained woke despite the prevailing zeitgeist having moved away from that perspective, on Thursday put out a problematic post on X celebrating itself, captioned, “All the icons. All the moments. All of @espn. All in one place.”
The problem? The professional athletes pictured in the post — which was later deleted — were heavily dominated by WNBA players, a sport that has low attendance and has to be propped up by the NBA.
Various social media posts counted the number of professional athletes, and the results indicated that ESPN, once again, seemed to be shilling for a woke perspective instead of celebrating the sports that have a genuinely heavy turnout.
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“If you were an alien you would believe from this picture that the most popular sport in the United States is the WNBA. ESPN is out of its damn mind,” Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
If you were an alien you would believe from this picture that the most popular sport in the United States is the WNBA. ESPN is out of its damn mind. <a href="https://t.co/zTWMRS4ZXX">https://t.co/zTWMRS4ZXX</a>
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1958909522732367890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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David Cone, co-host of Crain &amp; Company, posted a hilarious meme referencing “A Clockwork Orange”:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
ESPN making sure I watch the WNBA <a href="https://t.co/k3TpkfUJAD">https://t.co/k3TpkfUJAD</a> <a href="https://t.co/xppktxG3dC">pic.twitter.com/xppktxG3dC</a>
— David Cone (@davidadamcone) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidadamcone/status/1958905364478415055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fellow co-host Blain Crain echoed, “20 WNBA players and no Scottie Scheffler? ESPN is cooked.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A story in 2 parts. <a href="https://t.co/DU3FEt6HX9">pic.twitter.com/DU3FEt6HX9</a>
— NeitherSchnierOrThere (@Cathew_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cathew_/status/1958927099151950270?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Former MLB All-Star Zack Cozart chimed in, “Having more WNBA players than MLB players shows u how big a joke ESPN is.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
having more WNBA players than MLB players shows u how big a joke ESPN is <a href="https://t.co/GR7hzpwjqM">https://t.co/GR7hzpwjqM</a>
— Zack Cozart (@zack_cozart) <a href="https://twitter.com/zack_cozart/status/1958862220416168152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“There are 20 WNBA players on here, 18 of whom most people don’t recognize. Yet Scottie Scheffler, the most dominant athlete today, isn’t included. Why?” Bobby Burack of Outkick noted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
There are 20 WNBA players on here, 18 of whom most people don’t recognize. Yet Scottie Scheffler, the most dominant athlete today, isn’t included. Why? <a href="https://t.co/Q6N9ZBf3t4">https://t.co/Q6N9ZBf3t4</a>
— Bobby Burack (@burackbobby_) <a href="https://twitter.com/burackbobby_/status/1958889640896659572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“3 NHL players. 3 MLB players. 20 WNBA players. Tells you everything you need to know about ESPN,” the Utah Football Fans Podcast snapped.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
3 NHL players. 3 MLB players. 20 WNBA players. Tells you everything you need to know about ESPN
— Utah Football Fans Podcast (@UtahFBFans) <a href="https://twitter.com/UtahFBFans/status/1958758689617088707?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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A baseball analyst and author posted Shane Gillis’ joke about the WNBA at the ESPYs:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/kX57cXM7J3">pic.twitter.com/kX57cXM7J3</a>
— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) <a href="https://twitter.com/theaceofspaeder/status/1958738493573628362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Of course, ESPN has featured woke perspectives for years; Fox News delineated some in a 2022 <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/espn-woke-moments-america-bashing-july-4-china?utm_source=chatgpt.com">article</a> which listed, “Sarah Spain calls Rays players ‘bigots’ for not wearing gay pride patch,’” “On-air tears after Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade,” “ESPN’s Elle Duncan urges fathers to advocate for their daughters&#8217; right to have abortions,” and ‘Moment of silence to protest Florida’s parental rights bill.”

ESPN

ESPN Mocked For Prioritizing WNBA Virtue Signaling Over Athletic Achievement

Social Issues

WNBA

Cracker Barrel’s market value plummeted after the “Old Country Store” sterilized its logo, scrapping its nostalgic man and barrel for a yellow, vaguely barrel-shaped backdrop.
The marketing maneuver was unpopular online as users tore into Cracker Barrel corporate for the new logo. The fast food burger chain Steak &#8216;n Shake piled on to Cracker Barrel, as well.
“Sometimes, people want to change things just to put their own personality on things. At CB, their goal is to just delete the personality altogether. Hence, the elimination of the &#8216;old-timer&#8217; from the signage. Heritage is what got Cracker Barrel this far, and now the CEO wants to just scrape it all away,” Steak ‘N Shake’s X account posted.
“At Steak n Shake, we take pride in our history, our families, and American values. All are welcome. We will never market ourselves away from our past in a cheap effort to gain the approval of trend seekers,” it added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sometimes, people want to change things just to put their own personality on things. At CB, their goal is to just delete the personality altogether. Hence, the elimination of the &#8220;old-timer&#8221; from the signage. Heritage is what got Cracker Barrel this far, and now the CEO wants to… <a href="https://t.co/Aoml8ZOfuT">pic.twitter.com/Aoml8ZOfuT</a>
— Steak &#8216;n Shake (@SteaknShake) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteaknShake/status/1958584823217578214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
Cracker Barrel lost roughly $200 million in market value on Thursday following the announcement of the new logo, according to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cracker-barrel-cbrl-stock-down-200-million-loss-new-logo-change/">CBS News</a>. The stock hit came a day after CEO Julie Felss Masino appeared on &#8220;Good Morning America&#8221; to defend changes she has spearheaded at the southern comfort store and restaurant.
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“Honestly, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive that people like what we’re doing,” Masino told host Michael Strahan. “I actually happened to be in Orlando last week with all of our managers – we bring them together once every other year – and the number one question that I got asked, Michael, was, ‘How can I get a remodel? When can I get a remodel? When can I get on the list?’”
“The feedback and the buzz is so good, not only from our customers, but from our team members,” she continued.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Cracker Barrel reveals new logo, CEO Julie Felss Masino says people love their new rebrand.
&#8220;Honestly, the feedback&#8217;s been overwhelmingly positive that people like what we&#8217;re doing,&#8221; Masino told GMA while discussing the overall rebrand.
This logo is depressing. <a href="https://t.co/EZVpWLv4Bg">pic.twitter.com/EZVpWLv4Bg</a>
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1958248356091949349?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
Amid the fallout, the company said that the old man, known as “Uncle Herschel,” would remain “front and center in our restaurants and on our menu,” according to CBS News.
“Our values haven&#8217;t changed, and the heart and soul of Cracker Barrel haven&#8217;t changed,” Cracker Barrel added.

Steak ‘N Shake Sizzles Cracker Barrel As ‘Old Country Store’ Loses $200M With New Logo

Just yesterday, Target announced that its longtime CEO Brian Cornell <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/target-ceo-steps-down-as-sales-plummet-and-boycotts-from-both-sides-continue">is stepping down</a> after a decade of leadership. Beginning February 1, 2026, Michael Fiddelke, a 20-year company employee, will assume the top role, as Target flounders amidst slipping profits, stubborn boycotts, and growing public distrust.
Sales <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dougmelville/2025/08/20/as-target-names-new-ceo-stock-tumbles-10-as-dei-hit-and-tariffs-drag-on-sales/">dipped</a> 1% in the most recent quarter, and profits fell 19%. While the retailer mostly blamed some of the economic woes on uncertainty about Trump&#8217;s tariffs, the reality is that consumers on both ends of the political spectrum are turning away, leaving a once-beloved brand caught between an ideological rock and a hard place.
First, the retailer prominently <a href="https://apnews.com/article/target-pride-lgbtq-4bc9de6339f86748bcb8a453d7b9acf0">displayed</a> “Pride” merchandise front and center at their stores, sparking outrage among many Americans. And it wasn’t just rainbow-themed <a href="https://mynbc15.com/news/nation-world/target-making-changes-after-backlash-over-pride-themed-childrens-clothes-transgender-retail-clothes-woke-capitalism-pride-month">baby onesies</a> (though they did have those, too). In 2023, the store offered customers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/target-slammed-after-offering-female-swimsuits-that-have-extra-crotch-coverage-are-tuck-friendly">“tuck-friendly” swimsuits</a> with extra crotch coverage. 
Yes. Seriously. 
Then Target heeded the eventual boycotts and rolled back some of their DEI initiatives right around the time of Trump’s inauguration in January 2025.  
“&#8230;As a retailer that serves millions of consumers every day, we understand the importance of staying in step with the evolving external landscape,” a company spokesperson <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/target-says-it-is-ending-its-dei-goals-and-programs-citing-an-evolving-external-landscape">said</a> at the time, mentioning how they’d stop reporting to external diversity groups like the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index and would cease trying to target black owned businesses to build up their product assortment.
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This move led to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/19/business/target-dei-boycott">meltdowns</a> from outraged leftists, proving the old adage about trying to please everyone and winding up just making them all boycott your business instead. 
While Target stumbles around trying to figure out which way the cultural wind is blowing, smart men have already moved on to brands that never wavered. Jeremy&#8217;s Razors didn&#8217;t spend the last few years getting whiplash as they ricocheted between woke virtue signals and damage control — they&#8217;ve been consistent from day one. Jeremy’s makes razors for men who know there are only two genders and aren&#8217;t afraid to say it. The <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/products/precision-5-special-offer?selling_plan=4201873621?utm_campaign=cracker&amp;utm_content=202508021&amp;utm_source=editorial">Precision 5 Starter Set</a> delivers barber-grade blades and a moisturizing aloe strip that&#8217;ll give you a smoother shave than Target&#8217;s executives trying to backpedal their way out of bankruptcy. You can <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/products/precision-5-special-offer?selling_plan=4201873621?utm_campaign=cracker&amp;utm_content=202508021&amp;utm_source=editorial">try it now for just $7.99.</a>
Unlike corporations that cave to every social media mob, Jeremy&#8217;s Razors stands firm on values while delivering products that actually work. Take the <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/products/legendary-razor-bundle?utm_campaign=cracker&amp;utm_content=20250821&amp;utm_source=editorial">Legendary Bundle</a> — it&#8217;s got everything you need to ditch the companies that hate you: razor cartridges, shave cream, after-shave balm, body wash, shampoo, aluminum-free deodorant, &amp; more. All of it’s paraben-free, sulfate-free, phthalate-free, and most importantly, woke-free. While Target&#8217;s trying to figure out which bathroom to put their &#8220;tuck-friendly&#8221; swimwear in, Jeremy’s is focused on making products for real men who don&#8217;t apologize for existing. 
The lesson here is simple: when you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/?utm_campaign=cracker&amp;utm_content=20250821&amp;utm_source=editorial">Jeremy&#8217;s Razors</a> chose their side from the beginning — the guys who work hard, stand by their principles, and refuse to let corporations lecture them about masculinity being toxic. So while Target&#8217;s new CEO spends his time cleaning up the mess left behind by years of pandering to progressives and draining the personality from their brand, you can get back to what matters: a damn good shave without the shame.
As Target confronts its downward spiral with leadership changes, dipping sales, and ideological backlash, Jeremy’s Razors offers something rare in today’s marketplace: a dependable company unswayed by leftist social trends. 
So if you’re tired of the theatrics and ready for a brand with substance, <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/?utm_campaign=cracker&amp;utm_content=20250821&amp;utm_source=editorial">choose Jeremy’s instead.</a>
And if you bought your last razor at Target, it’s definitely time to make a change.
Jeremy&#8217;s Razors shares common ownership with The Daily Wire.

SeizaVisuals

Target Tried To Please Everyone. Now Nobody’s Happy.

Jeremy's Razors

Leftism

LGBT

Target

The beloved family restaurant Cracker Barrel is taking serious heat online for a rebranding effort that many fans absolutely despise.
The main update is a logo change for the first time in 47 years. 
The Southern country-themed restaurant chain first opened in 1969. It got its name from the 19th-century practice of people gathering to socialize around a barrel full of crackers outside a country store. While the original logo had just text, most customers are more familiar with the version that debuted in 1977, which included a man sitting next to a barrel.
The new logo follows the current trend of simplification and features a basic font on a plain background with no graphics. The restaurant said in a <a href="https://www.crackerbarrel.com/newsroom/news-releases/2025/aug/cracker-barrel-teams-up-with-country-music-star-jordan-davis">press release</a> that the new logo is &#8220;rooted even more closely to the iconic barrel shape and wordmark that started it all.&#8221;
But the public does not appear to be convinced.
“As a brand designer that worked at [Cracker Barrel] for almost 9 years, watching them commit brand suicide is&#8230; something,” one popular <a href="https://x.com/rikoruss31/status/1958251796557705270">response</a> on X says.
“President Trump needs to federalize Cracker Barrel and deport this CEO to Bukele’s  ̶t̶o̶r̶t̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶m̶p̶ correctional facility as soon as possible,” Daily Wire podcast host Michael Knowles joked.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Trump needs to federalize Cracker Barrel and deport this CEO to Bukele’s ̶t̶o̶r̶t̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶m̶p̶ correctional facility as soon as possible. <a href="https://t.co/C1YD89euYe">pic.twitter.com/C1YD89euYe</a>
— Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles/status/1958330927802990765?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“Cracker Barrel has been a staple for years, and they have always embraced tradition and old fashioned dining,” another person <a href="https://x.com/RedsRepair95/status/1958249125763498403">wrote</a>. “The logo was recognizable to generations of people. Why change something that didn’t need to change?”
&#8220;Depressing,&#8221; another person said.
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“Honestly, the feedback’s been overwhelmingly positive that people like what we’re doing,&#8221; Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino said during a recent appearance on Good Morning America. The exec joined the company in 2023 after working in senior roles at Taco Bell, Mattel, Sprinkles Cupcakes, and Starbucks.
&#8220;Cracker Barrel needs to feel like the Cracker Barrel for today and for tomorrow…the things that you love are still there. We need people to choose us, and we want people to choose us,&#8221; Masino added.
In addition to the logo change, the restaurants have been undergoing remodeling to look more modern. The exec insists store managers are keen to get their stores on the list for a remodel, but again, the reactions on social media seem to be mostly negative. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino should face charges for this crime against humanity <a href="https://t.co/auBFPi4bpr">pic.twitter.com/auBFPi4bpr</a>
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1958330887117971578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“The new cracker barrel remodel is biggest architectural catastrophe since penn station i’m so serious,” one person said. 
“Cracker Barrel? more like&#8230;Corporate Sterile,” another agreed.
“This is a war crime,” echoed a third.

Cracker Barrel Restaurants Lawsuit

Cracker Barrel Blasted For Rebrand That Scraps Beloved Logo: ‘Crime Against Humanity’

Cracker Barrel Under Fire For 'Depressing' Logo Redesign, Rebrand: 'Crime Against Humanity'

Restaurant

Social Media

United States

“Basic Instinct” writer Joe Eszterhas, 80, recently discussed how he plans to approach a reboot of the 1992 thriller “Basic Instinct.” 
The film writer spoke again about his plans for the project, telling <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/basic-instinct-writer-promises-anti-woke-reboot-sharon-stone-claims-original-film-ruined-her-image">Fox News Digital</a> that being politically correct has “stripped” films of real dialogue. 
&#8220;I think that the language has been, for political reasons, the truth has been gutted in some ways,&#8221; Eszterhas told the outlet in a newly published interview. &#8220;And yes, I hope that this ‘Basic&#8217; renewal will be as successful, language-wise, as the first one was.&#8221;
He mentioned specific lines with vulgarity, including when Stone’s co-star Michael Douglas, who played homicide detective Nick Curran, called her “the f*** of the century.”
Eszterhas said he’s glad there are conversations in the industry about political correctness. “DEI, it may be a noble concept, but it doesn&#8217;t work in drama and in film,&#8221; he added.
During an <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/joe-eszterhas-basic-instinct-reboot-trump-interview/">interview</a> last month with The Wrap, Eszterhas said the film was “anti-woke” before going into detail about how the main character will be “open about her sexuality” in addition to being, “raunchy at times,” “funny,” and “iconoclastic.”
In the first film, the character Catherine Tramell, a wealthy heiress, is played by Sharon Stone.
“In terms of the woke culture, I think that there is a segment of the population that’s had it with woke culture. But then there’s also a huge segment that hasn’t. I don’t believe in woke and I don’t believe in being politically correct because I think it’s not the truth, and I like the truth spoken,” Eszterhas at the time.
He added, “The absurdities come when a woman who is sexual and open about her sexuality, you know, the culture that that I grew up in would describe that woman as a nymphomaniac. If a man did the same thing he would be a stud.”
While Eszterhas said he’d love Stone to reprise her role as Tramell, the 67-year-old actress seems less enthused about the idea.
&#8220;If it goes the way the one I was in went, I would just say, ‘I don’t know why you do it. I mean, go ahead, but good f***ing luck,&#8221; she said during a Today show appearance this week.
Stone starred in “Basic Instinct 2” in 2006, but the film was panned by both audiences and critics. It currently has a 6% critic’s score and 26% audience rating on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/basic_instinct_2">Rotten Tomatoes</a>.

Basic Instinct

‘Basic Instinct’ Writer Discusses ‘Anti-Woke’ Reboot, Says DEI ‘Doesn’t Work’ In Film

 'Basic Instinct' Writer Discusses 'Anti-Woke' Reboot, Says DEI  'Doesn't Work' In Film

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