#MAGFAB: #RIP: Iconic Italian fashion designer Valentino dies at 93. Vogue Italia honors His passing with a poignant and symbolic all red February 2026 cover!
Dubbed an "international arbiter of taste" by Vogue, notable women wore his designs at funerals and weddings, as well as on the red carpet. He dressed the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Onassis, as well as modern stars from Anna Wintour to Gwyneth Paltrow and Zendaya.
The image of style and lavish living, Valentino's signature features included crisp suits and a "crème brûlée" complexion — due to his fervor for tanning. He was heavily inspired by the stars he saw on the silver screen and had a lifelong fixation with glamour.
"I love a beautiful lady, I love a beautiful dog, I love a beautiful piece of furniture. I love beauty, it's not my fault," he said in The Last Emperor, a 2008 documentary about him.
In the world of haute couture, Valentino embraced sophistication, elegance, and traditional femininity through his dresses and trademarked a vibrant red hue. His work embodied romance, luxury and an aristocratic lifestyle.
He was born Valentino Garavani and named after the silent movie star Rudolph Valentino. A self-described spoiled child, the designer acquired a taste for the expensive from a young age; his shoes were custom-made, and the stripe, color, and buttons of his blazers were designed to his specifications.
His father, a well-to-do electrical supplier, and his mother, who appreciated the value of a well-made garment, catered to their young son's refined palate and later supported his fashion endeavors, sending him to school and financing his early work.
Growing up in the small town of Voghera, Italy, he learned sewing from his Aunt Rosa in Lombardy. After high school, he moved to Paris t #MAGFAB: #RIP: Iconic Italian fashion designer Valentino dies at 93
The image of style and lavish living, Valentino's signature features included crisp suits and a "crème brûlée" complexion — due to his fervor for tanning. He was heavily inspired by the stars he saw on the silver screen and had a lifelong fixation with glamour.
"I love a beautiful lady, I love a beautiful dog, I love a beautiful piece of furniture. I love beauty, it's not my fault," he said in The Last Emperor, a 2008 documentary about him.
In the world of haute couture, Valentino embraced sophistication, elegance, and traditional femininity through his dresses and trademarked a vibrant red hue. His work embodied romance, luxury and an aristocratic lifestyle.
He was born Valentino Garavani and named after the silent movie star Rudolph Valentino. A self-described spoiled child, the designer acquired a taste for the expensive from a young age; his shoes were custom-made, and the stripe, color, and buttons of his blazers were designed to his specifications.
His father, a well-to-do electrical supplier, and his mother, who appreciated the value of a well-made garment, catered to their young son's refined palate and later supported his fashion endeavors, sending him to school and financing his early work.
Growing up in the small town of Voghera, Italy, he learned sewing from his Aunt Rosa in Lombardy. After high school, he moved to Paris t #MAGFAB: #RIP: Iconic Italian fashion designer Valentino dies at 93
o study fashion and take on apprenticeships.
Valentino owed much of his success to his former lover and business partner, Giancarlo Giammetti. The two met in a café on the famed Via Condotti in Rome in 1960, where Valentino had opened his first couture studio.
They founded Valentino Company the same year, and its first ready-to-wear shop opened in Milan in 1969. Together, the pair built a fashion empire over five decades.
They separated romantically when Valentino was 30, but remained business partners and close friends. Valentino knew little about business and accounting before meeting Giammetti; together, they formed two parts of a whole — Giammetti the business mind, and Valentino the creative force.
"Valentino has a perfect vision of how a woman should dress," Giammetti told Charlie Rose in 2009. "He looks for beauty. Women should be more beautiful. His work is to make women more beautiful."
They sold the Valentino company in 1998 for nearly $300 million. It made $1.36 billion in revenue in 2021, according to Reuters.
Even after his retirement in 2008, he couldn't completely leave fashion behind and continued to design dresses for opera productions.
Once the fashion world became more accessible to the public, millions of aspiring fashionistas bought jeans, handbags, shoes, umbrellas, and even Lincoln Continentals with his gleaming "V" monogram. By the peak of his career, Valentino's popularity would rival that of the pope's in Rome.
They founded Valentino Company the same year, and its first ready-to-wear shop opened in Milan in 1969. Together, the pair built a fashion empire over five decades.
They separated romantically when Valentino was 30, but remained business partners and close friends. Valentino knew little about business and accounting before meeting Giammetti; together, they formed two parts of a whole — Giammetti the business mind, and Valentino the creative force.
"Valentino has a perfect vision of how a woman should dress," Giammetti told Charlie Rose in 2009. "He looks for beauty. Women should be more beautiful. His work is to make women more beautiful."
They sold the Valentino company in 1998 for nearly $300 million. It made $1.36 billion in revenue in 2021, according to Reuters.
Even after his retirement in 2008, he couldn't completely leave fashion behind and continued to design dresses for opera productions.
Once the fashion world became more accessible to the public, millions of aspiring fashionistas bought jeans, handbags, shoes, umbrellas, and even Lincoln Continentals with his gleaming "V" monogram. By the peak of his career, Valentino's popularity would rival that of the pope's in Rome.
#RHOP: The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: Hostile Takeover
Gizelle’s coup of the Aspen trip leaves Angel backed into a corner and creates more misery than entertainment. Photo: Bravo
At the moment, my favorite non-reality television series is HBO’s Industry. I love it for all the reasons that everyone else does, but beyond that, I am enthralled by the premise of a show heralded by a woman who we know from day one is committed to making her life better at the world’s expense, and is willing to claw her way to the top by hook or by crook alongside the caravan of Machiavellian schemers she calls colleagues and mentors. Without a doubt, Harper Stern is my favorite evil Black woman on television right now. When she peers down in slight aggravation as a client strokes out in front of her, I can only gasp in awe at her and her boho braids of doom.
While Harper is the example of Machiavellian plotting wielded for maximum enjoyment, Potomac’s Gizelle Bryant shows how that same kind of scheming, executed poorly, just amounts to misery for all parties involved. It is a wonder of wonders how she can take an incident that rightfully infuriates her — subpar accommodations from the host — and somehow be so insufferable about it that I still find her in the wrong. Still, her ultimate problem is that her lack of tact or consideration propels her to escalate something way beyond any reasonable measure. Is it appropriate to be frustrated with Angel about the subpar accommodations and hosting failures? Absolutely. Is it worthwhile, entertaining, or productive to sit in a private jet and berate Angel for over 30 minutes about the issue, without giving a word in edgewise? Not as far as I am concerned.
Therein lies the conundrum of the show — Gizelle is the most propulsive member of the cast and its anchoring force, and without Karen in play to really keep her in check, the vibe and tenor of the cast accommodates her whims. Multiple women later sheepishly admit that the pile-on of Angel while she was trying to show them the Aspen experience was overkill, but it was almost entirely in the confessionals, not in person. Angel was left to endure the barrage that she was clearly attempting to apologize for on her own, while Wendy leapt to get in unnecessary jabs in edgewise. Not only was this remarkably unpleasant to watch, but it further cements Gizelle as the cast’s gravitational nucleus for the foreseeable future.
Angel undoubtedly made numerous unforced errors that created this issue, but at this point, she is fully backed into a corner and fighting for her life. She’s being penalized for not being open about her marriage, when they refuse to accept any remarks she gives about her family life as fact; she’s held to the fire over having alliances and friendships, which they all do; caviar bumps (which are a known trend) are unhygienic and classless. She’s berated for assuming that the workers were telling her the truth when they reported the water was back, and for not hearing anything to the contrary from the women, which is a hosting failure but not the most egregious transgression in the world.
All of this ire would be way more understandable to me if Potomac had a reputation for glamorous cast trips, but we all know that is far from the truth, which is why they continue to recycle the same footage from Cannes and Nevis when Gizelle insists that her standard is the Four Seasons, a hotel chain that we haven’t seen her in once in the last 10 years. Now we have to humor her delusions about hosting top-tier trips, all because the women are afraid to tell her that she has beaten the dead horse already and is now just spouting delusions. It’s in moments like this where it becomes more obvious than ever why Karen is a necessary oppositional force to cut things like this at the quick.
It’s a shame, because the day that Angel put together was quite lovely: a private jet to Aspen and private whiskey tasting, a shopping trip to Kemo Sabe and private catered lounge, and an extended linkup with Mo where all the women contemplated how much they valued a friendship with Kyle Richards over a night with Aspen’s most eligible mid-life crisis. In concept, the effort should have helped put the women in better spirits, but the women have committed to critiquing every part of this experience, from Monique demanding that Angel answer for her marriage in their second meeting ever to Gizelle blatantly looking past Angel in disgust when she finally breaks down in tears. Nothing about this is entertaining, and by the time they finally go on the shopping trip, I am ready for them to wrap this all up and head back to Potomac. Angel is audibly contemplating whether she should end her journey with these women in Colorado and save herself the headache.
By the time things wind down and Angel starts to lay out the itinerary for the next day, Gizelle makes her final coup and announces that not only will the girls be going to the Four Seasons, but they will be heading back to Maryland after brunch, and puts the plan up to a vote. It’s a shameless power play, and an unmerited one by any definition. If Gizelle didn’t leave Miami when Mia got drunk and assaulted Wendy, and stayed in Austin while Ashley had them literally dancing with chicken shit while staying in a souped-up Hampton Inn, there is no way she can reasonably convince me that she cannot endure one more day of activities. But left unchecked, the power that Gizelle has over the cast and the show has the potential to corrupt her absolutely. While most of the season has been an entertaining success, this episode showcased the downside of Gizelle’s dominance, creating fertile ground for Karen’s inevitable return. The trip comes to a miserable end next week. See you all then!
At the moment, my favorite non-reality television series is HBO’s Industry. I love it for all the reasons that everyone else does, but beyond that, I am enthralled by the premise of a show heralded by a woman who we know from day one is committed to making her life better at the world’s expense, and is willing to claw her way to the top by hook or by crook alongside the caravan of Machiavellian schemers she calls colleagues and mentors. Without a doubt, Harper Stern is my favorite evil Black woman on television right now. When she peers down in slight aggravation as a client strokes out in front of her, I can only gasp in awe at her and her boho braids of doom.
While Harper is the example of Machiavellian plotting wielded for maximum enjoyment, Potomac’s Gizelle Bryant shows how that same kind of scheming, executed poorly, just amounts to misery for all parties involved. It is a wonder of wonders how she can take an incident that rightfully infuriates her — subpar accommodations from the host — and somehow be so insufferable about it that I still find her in the wrong. Still, her ultimate problem is that her lack of tact or consideration propels her to escalate something way beyond any reasonable measure. Is it appropriate to be frustrated with Angel about the subpar accommodations and hosting failures? Absolutely. Is it worthwhile, entertaining, or productive to sit in a private jet and berate Angel for over 30 minutes about the issue, without giving a word in edgewise? Not as far as I am concerned.
Therein lies the conundrum of the show — Gizelle is the most propulsive member of the cast and its anchoring force, and without Karen in play to really keep her in check, the vibe and tenor of the cast accommodates her whims. Multiple women later sheepishly admit that the pile-on of Angel while she was trying to show them the Aspen experience was overkill, but it was almost entirely in the confessionals, not in person. Angel was left to endure the barrage that she was clearly attempting to apologize for on her own, while Wendy leapt to get in unnecessary jabs in edgewise. Not only was this remarkably unpleasant to watch, but it further cements Gizelle as the cast’s gravitational nucleus for the foreseeable future.
Angel undoubtedly made numerous unforced errors that created this issue, but at this point, she is fully backed into a corner and fighting for her life. She’s being penalized for not being open about her marriage, when they refuse to accept any remarks she gives about her family life as fact; she’s held to the fire over having alliances and friendships, which they all do; caviar bumps (which are a known trend) are unhygienic and classless. She’s berated for assuming that the workers were telling her the truth when they reported the water was back, and for not hearing anything to the contrary from the women, which is a hosting failure but not the most egregious transgression in the world.
All of this ire would be way more understandable to me if Potomac had a reputation for glamorous cast trips, but we all know that is far from the truth, which is why they continue to recycle the same footage from Cannes and Nevis when Gizelle insists that her standard is the Four Seasons, a hotel chain that we haven’t seen her in once in the last 10 years. Now we have to humor her delusions about hosting top-tier trips, all because the women are afraid to tell her that she has beaten the dead horse already and is now just spouting delusions. It’s in moments like this where it becomes more obvious than ever why Karen is a necessary oppositional force to cut things like this at the quick.
It’s a shame, because the day that Angel put together was quite lovely: a private jet to Aspen and private whiskey tasting, a shopping trip to Kemo Sabe and private catered lounge, and an extended linkup with Mo where all the women contemplated how much they valued a friendship with Kyle Richards over a night with Aspen’s most eligible mid-life crisis. In concept, the effort should have helped put the women in better spirits, but the women have committed to critiquing every part of this experience, from Monique demanding that Angel answer for her marriage in their second meeting ever to Gizelle blatantly looking past Angel in disgust when she finally breaks down in tears. Nothing about this is entertaining, and by the time they finally go on the shopping trip, I am ready for them to wrap this all up and head back to Potomac. Angel is audibly contemplating whether she should end her journey with these women in Colorado and save herself the headache.
By the time things wind down and Angel starts to lay out the itinerary for the next day, Gizelle makes her final coup and announces that not only will the girls be going to the Four Seasons, but they will be heading back to Maryland after brunch, and puts the plan up to a vote. It’s a shameless power play, and an unmerited one by any definition. If Gizelle didn’t leave Miami when Mia got drunk and assaulted Wendy, and stayed in Austin while Ashley had them literally dancing with chicken shit while staying in a souped-up Hampton Inn, there is no way she can reasonably convince me that she cannot endure one more day of activities. But left unchecked, the power that Gizelle has over the cast and the show has the potential to corrupt her absolutely. While most of the season has been an entertaining success, this episode showcased the downside of Gizelle’s dominance, creating fertile ground for Karen’s inevitable return. The trip comes to a miserable end next week. See you all then!
• Even on an episode that doesn’t center on Stacey, she manages to steal the show. Accidentally eating her contacts? I have been wearing glasses and contacts since the ‘90s, and that is absolutely a singular experience, although I will be saying “20/20 bootyhole” to myself for quite some time.
• Did we always know that Ashley met her ex-husband, Jack Skellington, at a “membership lounge”? For a second there I thought she was trying to bring Mia back into the group.
• I get that Jassi really wants a moment to shine on the show, but every time she tries to bring up her marriage as a reference point for anything on the show, I cringe in secondhand embarrassment. There’s no way in this universe or the next that she genuinely believes that her wrangling babysitters for her husband’s harem of co-parents is in any way akin to a breastfeeding mother needing to figure out how to adjust childcare plans for the night.
• I’ve tried to ignore commenting on this because, for the most part, she has been pulling off the looks, but after the stiletto boots, enough is enough. Why is Wendy trying to put on a fashion show to go to Colorado? Go to Designer Shoe Warehouse, get a sensible heel, and keep it pushing.
• A short chartered flight is a lot less expensive than I thought. I’m not saying I’m about to fly to the Hamptons every weekend, but it’s definitely more attainable than expected.
#MusicNews: Bruno Mars Breaks Ticketmaster Single-Day Sales Record, With 2.1m Tickets Sold For ‘The Romantic Tour
Bruno Mars has sold 2.1 million tickets in a single day for his upcoming stadium tour, breaking records and logging the highest single-day sales in Live Nation history across North America, Europe and the UK.
The on-sale also set a new Ticketmaster record for the most tickets sold in a single day.
The 16-time Grammy-winning superstar singer and songwriter recently announced The Romantic Tour, marking his first full headline tour in nearly a decade following the 24K Magic World Tour, which first launched in 2017 and wrapped in 2018.
Produced by Live Nation, the 2026 tour will be his first full headlining stadium tour and will span 70 shows after Mars recently added 32 new dates. Live Nation described the tour as “one of the biggest global outings of the year.”
Mars will play six nights at London’s Wembley Stadium in July, four shows each in Toronto, Amsterdam, East Rutherford (NJ) and Los Angeles, and three nights in Paris, Vancouver and Berlin. MGM Resorts International and The Pinky Ring at Bellagio are sponsoring the North American dates.
Anderson .Paak will join Mars on all dates, performing as DJ Pee .Wee. The pairing reunites the Silk Sonic collaborators on the road. Victoria Monét, RAYE and Leon Thomas will appear as special guests in select markets. The tour launches on April 10 in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium, and runs through October 17 at BC Place in Vancouver.
The tour announcement followed news that Mars will release his fourth solo album, The Romantic, on February 27 via Atlantic Records. The album’s first single, I Just Might, dropped on January 9. It has been streamed nearly 43 million times on Spotify to date.
The artist’s six-time Grammy-winning album 24K Magic dropped in November 2016. Despite the decade-long gap between solo albums, Mars has maintained commercial momentum through singles and collaborations.
His collaboration with Lady Gaga, Die With A Smile, released as a single in August 2024 via Interscope Records, won a Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and was nominated for Song of the Year. It became Spotify’s fastest track to reach 1 billion streams. It also helped Mars become the first artist to reach 150 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
The music video for Die With A Smile was the most-watched on Vevo in 2025, with 932 million global views.
APT., Mars’ collab with BLACKPINK member Rosé also dominated global streaming charts last year. It was the most-streamed song on Apple Music and on Deezer last year, and spent 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. US Chart and 12 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 Chart.
APT. also won Song of the Year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, and was nominated for Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.
Mars’ 2010 single, Just the Way You Are, holds the RIAA record for highest-certified song. Mars has sold over 150 million records worldwide and charted 35 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including nine No. 1 singles.
According to a press release from Live Nation, The Romantic Tour builds on years of global performances for Mars. He held a Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM and toured extensively across Australia, Asia, the Middle East and South America. In early 2024, he became the first international artist this century to perform seven consecutive sold-out concerts at Tokyo Dome.
He achieved the highest-grossing tour in Brazilian history in fall 2024, performing 14 sold-out stadium shows across five cities: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, BrasÃlia, Belo Horizonte and Curitiba. In August 2024, Mars opened Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome with two sold-out performances, including a surprise duet with Lady Gaga where they debuted the first live performance of Die with A Smile.
#HipHopNews: Ariana Grande Reveals An Untold Moment She Shared With Mac Miller
Mac Miller would have turned 36 years of age. The Pennsylvania rapper, singer, and producer extraordinaire is still sorely missed nearly eight years later due with his music and personality being a beacon of light for fans. While the days without him are a bit easier to get through, his presence will never leave.
Ariana Grande can attest to that, revealing that her music journey took off after some empowering advice he gave her. In an episode of The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast last week, the pop and R&B singer shared that Mac inspired her to be her real self after a memorable run on Nickelodeon.
She played Cat Valentine on the hit program Victorious alongside Victoria Justice and Leon Thomas. Grande's air-headed portrayal of the red-haired character was a beloved part of the show. But Mac, as you'll hear, saw a lot more in her shortly after her TV career ended.
Grande reveals she was struggling to get her musical career off the ground, unsure of what direction to go in for her debut record. "My debut album took some time to figure out, because there was also a strange presence from Nickelodeon in my head at the beginning of, like, what should this project be?"
That's when Mac stepped in to push her forward. "I've never talked about this, but actually Malcolm – who you might know as Mac – encouraged me to be myself, and that it was OK to kind of shed that character and embrace my brown hair and make R&B-influenced pop music and separate and do the brave thing."
In part, Mac's belief spawned a terrific debut album for Ariana. The 2013 record, Yours Truly, would debut at number one per USA Today. Of course, the project houses "The Way," their first collab and the beginning of their journey to a romantic partnership.
Grande also reveals in that interview that she owed it to Miller to include him on the record as a thank you for his wisdom. "That's also why I was so eager to ask him to be a part of it, not only because he was perfect for the song, but I also felt like I had him to thank for finding my sound."
Miller and Grande would become one of the couples in the music industry, confirming their relationship in September 2016. They would split in May 2018, and it sadly led to Grande receiving a lot of backlash. Shortly after she announced their breakup, Mac would get into a drunk hit-and-run incident, crashing his car afterwards.
The Pittsburgh native would pass in September 2018 from an accidental overdose. That resulted in the arrest and charges of three men who were found guilty of contributing to his death.
Ariana Grande can attest to that, revealing that her music journey took off after some empowering advice he gave her. In an episode of The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast last week, the pop and R&B singer shared that Mac inspired her to be her real self after a memorable run on Nickelodeon.
She played Cat Valentine on the hit program Victorious alongside Victoria Justice and Leon Thomas. Grande's air-headed portrayal of the red-haired character was a beloved part of the show. But Mac, as you'll hear, saw a lot more in her shortly after her TV career ended.
Grande reveals she was struggling to get her musical career off the ground, unsure of what direction to go in for her debut record. "My debut album took some time to figure out, because there was also a strange presence from Nickelodeon in my head at the beginning of, like, what should this project be?"
That's when Mac stepped in to push her forward. "I've never talked about this, but actually Malcolm – who you might know as Mac – encouraged me to be myself, and that it was OK to kind of shed that character and embrace my brown hair and make R&B-influenced pop music and separate and do the brave thing."
In part, Mac's belief spawned a terrific debut album for Ariana. The 2013 record, Yours Truly, would debut at number one per USA Today. Of course, the project houses "The Way," their first collab and the beginning of their journey to a romantic partnership.
Grande also reveals in that interview that she owed it to Miller to include him on the record as a thank you for his wisdom. "That's also why I was so eager to ask him to be a part of it, not only because he was perfect for the song, but I also felt like I had him to thank for finding my sound."
Miller and Grande would become one of the couples in the music industry, confirming their relationship in September 2016. They would split in May 2018, and it sadly led to Grande receiving a lot of backlash. Shortly after she announced their breakup, Mac would get into a drunk hit-and-run incident, crashing his car afterwards.
The Pittsburgh native would pass in September 2018 from an accidental overdose. That resulted in the arrest and charges of three men who were found guilty of contributing to his death.
Indiana judge, and wife shot inside home; shooter at large, officials say
An Indiana judge and his wife were shot in their home Sunday afternoon, the chief justice of Indiana said in a letter to Indiana judges.
Lafayette, Indiana police said they were called just after 2:15 p.m. to the 1700-block of Mill Pond Lane for a reported shooting.
There, police found Steven Meyer and his wife, Kimberly, had been shot.
Steven Meyer was shot in the arm, and Kimberly Meyer was shot in the hip, police said.
Police said they remain stable after the shooting.
Justice Loretta H. Rush said Meyer is a Tippecanoe Superior Court 2 judge and longtime friend.
"I am deeply grateful he and his wife Kim are alive after having been shot in their home. Their health and well-being are of utmost concern to me," Rush said.
"I worry about the safety of all our judges. As you work to peacefully resolve more than 1 million cases a year, you must not only feel safe, you must also be safe. Any violence against a judge or a judge's family is completely unacceptable. As public servants, you are dedicated to the rule of law," Rush said. "Please remain vigilant in your own security."
Kimberly Meyer thanked first responders and the community in a statement released by police.
"I have great confidence in the Lafayette Police Department's investigation and want to thank all the agencies involved for their work," she said. "We are also incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support from the community; everyone has been so kind and compassionate. We would also like to thank the medical personnel who provided care and assistance to us following the incident."
Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski called the shooting a "senseless unacceptable act of violence."
The FBI is involved in the investigation.
Lafayette, Indiana police said they were called just after 2:15 p.m. to the 1700-block of Mill Pond Lane for a reported shooting.
There, police found Steven Meyer and his wife, Kimberly, had been shot.
Steven Meyer was shot in the arm, and Kimberly Meyer was shot in the hip, police said.
Police said they remain stable after the shooting.
Justice Loretta H. Rush said Meyer is a Tippecanoe Superior Court 2 judge and longtime friend.
"I am deeply grateful he and his wife Kim are alive after having been shot in their home. Their health and well-being are of utmost concern to me," Rush said.
"I worry about the safety of all our judges. As you work to peacefully resolve more than 1 million cases a year, you must not only feel safe, you must also be safe. Any violence against a judge or a judge's family is completely unacceptable. As public servants, you are dedicated to the rule of law," Rush said. "Please remain vigilant in your own security."
Kimberly Meyer thanked first responders and the community in a statement released by police.
"I have great confidence in the Lafayette Police Department's investigation and want to thank all the agencies involved for their work," she said. "We are also incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support from the community; everyone has been so kind and compassionate. We would also like to thank the medical personnel who provided care and assistance to us following the incident."
Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski called the shooting a "senseless unacceptable act of violence."
The FBI is involved in the investigation.
Don Lemon Claps Back At This 'Homophobic Bigot' Rapper Nicki Minaj After ICE Coverage
Don Lemon is firing back at Nicki Minaj after the rapper hurled a homophobic slur at him on social media.
Lemon, a former CNN anchor, was covering an ICE protest in Minneapolis on January 18, 2026, coverage that Minaj made clear she disapproved of.
In a new interview, Don Lemon clapped back at Nicki Minaj after learning of her comments, suggesting she harbors disdain for "African Americans" in the United States and lacks the acumen to speak on politics.
Speaking with TMZ, Lemon wasted no time addressing Minaj's vitriol, telling the "Super Bass" rapper to "sit the f-ck down" before attacking her intellect by advising her to "grow some brains."
Lemon also addressed Minaj's "homophobic" rhetoric, calling her a "bigot" who has "shown her disdain for African Americans."
The 59-year-old didn't stop there, further scrutinizing the performer's intelligence by asserting that politics is "out of her depth."
"She doesn't understand politics, she doesn't understand journalism, and I'm not surprised that she's weighing in on something that is beyond her capacity."
Lemon, who hosts "The Don Lemon Show," also blasted Minaj for being an alleged "pick me," a term often applied to those seeking male validation.
"Nicki Minaj will do anything that is expedient for her politically. And again, she's ignorant; she doesn't know what she's talking about, and she's always weighing in on things she doesn't know about. Nicki Minaj should just sit the f-ck down.
And there's more. Before Lemon wrapped up his response, he took a shot at Minaj's husband, Kenneth Petty, calling him an "alleged pedophile."
Lemon expressed confusion regarding Minaj's "homophobic" statements, citing her husband's criminal background as a point of hypocrisy.
Lemon's response follows the pushback he faced from some social media users and Minaj over his coverage of an ICE protest unfolding in Minnesota.
According to PEOPLE, the protest disrupted a church service "where David Easterwood — a local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent — is a pastor."
Lemon posted footage of the protest on his BlueSky social media account, which drew the ire of Minaj.
"DON ‘C--- SUCKIN’ LEMON IS DISGUSTING. HOW DARE YOU? I WANT THAT THUG IN JAIL!!!!! HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION. LOCK HIM UP!!!!!" Minaj wrote, per The Blast.
Minaj's statements arrive just weeks after the "No Frauds" rapper made a surprise appearance at a Turning Points USA convention.
During her appearance, the artist spoke about her faith and explained that she felt encouraged to talk openly about her Christian religion.
She also directed a remark toward the men in the audience, sparking backlash online. "Boys, be boys... It's ok be boys... There's nothing wrong with being a boy."
"Dear young men, you have amazing role models like our handsome, dashing president, and you have amazing role models like the assassin JD Vance, our vice president," she added.
The ICE protest in Minnesota follows ICE's fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Good. According to The Blast, Good was struck by gunfire during an immigration operation; however, she was not the intended target of said operation.
The fatal shooting occurred after Good's vehicle reportedly struck an ICE agent when the agent attempted to open her car door. The video is chilling, showing Good's vehicle driving forward a few feet before crashing into a light pole.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr spoke out about the shooting days after the event, slamming the government for perpetuating a "lie about what happened."
"So, very demoralizing, devastating to lose anyone’s life, especially in that manner," Kerr said. "So it’s terrible, terribly sad for her family, and for her, and that city, and I’m glad the Timberwolves came out and expressed that sadness."
Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch likewise expressed his thoughts on the unfathomable "tragedy."
"We want to just convey our condolences and heartfelt wishes and prayers and thoughts to the families and loved ones and all of those that are greatly affected by what happened," he said.
Lemon, a former CNN anchor, was covering an ICE protest in Minneapolis on January 18, 2026, coverage that Minaj made clear she disapproved of.
In a new interview, Don Lemon clapped back at Nicki Minaj after learning of her comments, suggesting she harbors disdain for "African Americans" in the United States and lacks the acumen to speak on politics.
Speaking with TMZ, Lemon wasted no time addressing Minaj's vitriol, telling the "Super Bass" rapper to "sit the f-ck down" before attacking her intellect by advising her to "grow some brains."
Lemon also addressed Minaj's "homophobic" rhetoric, calling her a "bigot" who has "shown her disdain for African Americans."
The 59-year-old didn't stop there, further scrutinizing the performer's intelligence by asserting that politics is "out of her depth."
"She doesn't understand politics, she doesn't understand journalism, and I'm not surprised that she's weighing in on something that is beyond her capacity."
Lemon, who hosts "The Don Lemon Show," also blasted Minaj for being an alleged "pick me," a term often applied to those seeking male validation.
"Nicki Minaj will do anything that is expedient for her politically. And again, she's ignorant; she doesn't know what she's talking about, and she's always weighing in on things she doesn't know about. Nicki Minaj should just sit the f-ck down.
And there's more. Before Lemon wrapped up his response, he took a shot at Minaj's husband, Kenneth Petty, calling him an "alleged pedophile."
Lemon expressed confusion regarding Minaj's "homophobic" statements, citing her husband's criminal background as a point of hypocrisy.
Lemon's response follows the pushback he faced from some social media users and Minaj over his coverage of an ICE protest unfolding in Minnesota.
According to PEOPLE, the protest disrupted a church service "where David Easterwood — a local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent — is a pastor."
Lemon posted footage of the protest on his BlueSky social media account, which drew the ire of Minaj.
"DON ‘C--- SUCKIN’ LEMON IS DISGUSTING. HOW DARE YOU? I WANT THAT THUG IN JAIL!!!!! HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION. LOCK HIM UP!!!!!" Minaj wrote, per The Blast.
Minaj's statements arrive just weeks after the "No Frauds" rapper made a surprise appearance at a Turning Points USA convention.
During her appearance, the artist spoke about her faith and explained that she felt encouraged to talk openly about her Christian religion.
She also directed a remark toward the men in the audience, sparking backlash online. "Boys, be boys... It's ok be boys... There's nothing wrong with being a boy."
"Dear young men, you have amazing role models like our handsome, dashing president, and you have amazing role models like the assassin JD Vance, our vice president," she added.
The ICE protest in Minnesota follows ICE's fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Good. According to The Blast, Good was struck by gunfire during an immigration operation; however, she was not the intended target of said operation.
The fatal shooting occurred after Good's vehicle reportedly struck an ICE agent when the agent attempted to open her car door. The video is chilling, showing Good's vehicle driving forward a few feet before crashing into a light pole.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr spoke out about the shooting days after the event, slamming the government for perpetuating a "lie about what happened."
"So, very demoralizing, devastating to lose anyone’s life, especially in that manner," Kerr said. "So it’s terrible, terribly sad for her family, and for her, and that city, and I’m glad the Timberwolves came out and expressed that sadness."
Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch likewise expressed his thoughts on the unfathomable "tragedy."
"We want to just convey our condolences and heartfelt wishes and prayers and thoughts to the families and loved ones and all of those that are greatly affected by what happened," he said.
#HISTORIC: Indiana Hoosiers beats Miami Hurricanes 27-21 to clinch undefeated season and first national title
When the college football season began last summer, the only distinction Indiana held in the sport was its most dubious. No program in the history of the NCAA's largest division had lost more games than the Hoosiers.
On Monday night, the season ended with Indiana completing perhaps the unlikeliest worst-to-first turnaround in the sport’s history after the Hoosiers beat Miami, 27-21, to win the College Football Playoff national championship in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Behind Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, whose diving run on fourth down catapulted Indiana to a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and who helped keep Miami at bay later when the Hurricanes had trimmed that lead to just three, the Hoosiers completed a perfect season that would have been deemed nearly impossible even two years ago when Curt Cignetti was hired in Bloomington.
With Miami driving for a potential game-winning touchdown in the game's final minute, Indiana’s Jamari Sharpe intercepted Carson Beck, sealing the victory.
“We're 16-0, national champions. One of the greatest sports stories of all time," Cignetti said.
On its playoff run this winter, Indiana routed Alabama in the Rose Bowl, 38-3, then crushed Oregon in the semifinal, 56-22, setting up a date with Miami in the Hurricanes' home stadium.
Indiana’s win denied Miami a long-sought sixth national championship in program history, with Mario Cristobal trying to become the fifth coach to lead the Hurricanes to a title.
The Hoosiers join Yale, in 1894, as the only teams to go 16-0 in the history of the NCAA’s largest division.
College football has changed mightily since Yale’s run. The sport is intensely stratified, with longtime powerhouses rich in financial resources and tradition staying at the top for years. Since 2009, eight teams had won national championships — brand names like Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia and Michigan.
While it was winning just three bowl games in 126 seasons, Indiana remained a speed bump regularly crushed by such established powers.
But when legislation allowed players to be compensated for their names, images and likenesses in 2021, something entered the sport — parity. Teams with empty trophy cases but the full wallets of boosters could attract talented players on a more even playing field. Relaxed rules that allowed players to transfer and play immediately added to the de facto free agency. Indiana had one other thing working in its favor, too. As a member of the Big Ten Conference, it received annual payouts from the conference’s television rights deal that dwarfed those of every other conference, enabling even a longtime also-ran team to compete financially.
Indiana’s hire of Cignetti, a former assistant to Nick Saban who won national titles at Alabama before he found success as a small-school head coach, went largely unnoticed two years ago, except when he scowled and told fans unaware of him that “I win. Google me.”
What initially seemed like a brazen line was prophetic.
After having led Indiana to the 12-team playoff last season using a roster of mostly transfers from his previous school, James Madison, Cignetti signed former Cal quarterback Mendoza in hopes that Indiana's turn in the spotlight wasn't one-and-done. Mendoza's passing led Indiana to a Big Ten championship and earned him the school’s first Heisman Trophy.
Indiana’s NIL was “nowhere near where people think it is,” Cignetti said, later adding that “are there eight (NFL) draft picks on this team? Probably not. But the whole was better than the sum of its parts.”
Facing a relentless defense that hit Mendoza three times early and bloodied his lip, Indiana couldn’t run roughshod over Miami early tonight as it had Alabama and Oregon in its previous College Football Playoff victories. The Hoosiers punted on two of their first three drives while leading, 3-0.
Then, in the second quarter, came a backbreaking possession that lasted 85 yards and 14 plays — as many as Miami had run all game to that point — and ended with a short touchdown to lead, 10-0. The drive was aided by a pair of costly penalties on Miami.
With Miami mired in an offensive drought, the margin felt larger than 10 points would suggest. When the Hurricanes’ 50-yard field goal attempt missed in the first half’s final seconds, it capped a half in which they managed just 69 yards, 100 fewer than Indiana, and failed to convert any of their six third-down attempts.
If that lead felt formidable, it quickly felt tenuous after Indiana punted on its first three drives of the second half, while Miami answered with its own touchdown to trail, 10-7. Yet when Indiana’s offense couldn’t add points, its special-teams unit did. Late in the third quarter, Indiana’s Mikail Kamara sprinted off the left edge to block a Miami punt, sending the ball tumbling backward into the end zone, where the Hoosiers recovered it for a touchdown and a 17-7 lead.
Mendoza's touchdown run on fourth down and 5, Miami refused to go away meekly, scoring touchdowns on three consecutive possessions between the third and fourth quarters to have a chance at a game-winning drive. That opportunity to win a national title in its home stadium was denied, however, by a costly underthrown pass by Beck in the final minute, a play that turned what long seemed impossible — an Indiana national title — into reality.
When the college football season began last summer, the only distinction Indiana held in the sport was its most dubious. No program in the history of the NCAA's largest division had lost more games than the Hoosiers.
On Monday night, the season ended with Indiana completing perhaps the unlikeliest worst-to-first turnaround in the sport’s history after the Hoosiers beat Miami, 27-21, to win the College Football Playoff national championship in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Behind Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, whose diving run on fourth down catapulted Indiana to a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and who helped keep Miami at bay later when the Hurricanes had trimmed that lead to just three, the Hoosiers completed a perfect season that would have been deemed nearly impossible even two years ago when Curt Cignetti was hired in Bloomington.
With Miami driving for a potential game-winning touchdown in the game's final minute, Indiana’s Jamari Sharpe intercepted Carson Beck, sealing the victory.
“We're 16-0, national champions. One of the greatest sports stories of all time," Cignetti said.
On its playoff run this winter, Indiana routed Alabama in the Rose Bowl, 38-3, then crushed Oregon in the semifinal, 56-22, setting up a date with Miami in the Hurricanes' home stadium.
Indiana’s win denied Miami a long-sought sixth national championship in program history, with Mario Cristobal trying to become the fifth coach to lead the Hurricanes to a title.
The Hoosiers join Yale, in 1894, as the only teams to go 16-0 in the history of the NCAA’s largest division.
College football has changed mightily since Yale’s run. The sport is intensely stratified, with longtime powerhouses rich in financial resources and tradition staying at the top for years. Since 2009, eight teams had won national championships — brand names like Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia and Michigan.
While it was winning just three bowl games in 126 seasons, Indiana remained a speed bump regularly crushed by such established powers.
But when legislation allowed players to be compensated for their names, images and likenesses in 2021, something entered the sport — parity. Teams with empty trophy cases but the full wallets of boosters could attract talented players on a more even playing field. Relaxed rules that allowed players to transfer and play immediately added to the de facto free agency. Indiana had one other thing working in its favor, too. As a member of the Big Ten Conference, it received annual payouts from the conference’s television rights deal that dwarfed those of every other conference, enabling even a longtime also-ran team to compete financially.
Indiana’s hire of Cignetti, a former assistant to Nick Saban who won national titles at Alabama before he found success as a small-school head coach, went largely unnoticed two years ago, except when he scowled and told fans unaware of him that “I win. Google me.”
What initially seemed like a brazen line was prophetic.
After having led Indiana to the 12-team playoff last season using a roster of mostly transfers from his previous school, James Madison, Cignetti signed former Cal quarterback Mendoza in hopes that Indiana's turn in the spotlight wasn't one-and-done. Mendoza's passing led Indiana to a Big Ten championship and earned him the school’s first Heisman Trophy.
Indiana’s NIL was “nowhere near where people think it is,” Cignetti said, later adding that “are there eight (NFL) draft picks on this team? Probably not. But the whole was better than the sum of its parts.”
Facing a relentless defense that hit Mendoza three times early and bloodied his lip, Indiana couldn’t run roughshod over Miami early tonight as it had Alabama and Oregon in its previous College Football Playoff victories. The Hoosiers punted on two of their first three drives while leading, 3-0.
Then, in the second quarter, came a backbreaking possession that lasted 85 yards and 14 plays — as many as Miami had run all game to that point — and ended with a short touchdown to lead, 10-0. The drive was aided by a pair of costly penalties on Miami.
With Miami mired in an offensive drought, the margin felt larger than 10 points would suggest. When the Hurricanes’ 50-yard field goal attempt missed in the first half’s final seconds, it capped a half in which they managed just 69 yards, 100 fewer than Indiana, and failed to convert any of their six third-down attempts.
If that lead felt formidable, it quickly felt tenuous after Indiana punted on its first three drives of the second half, while Miami answered with its own touchdown to trail, 10-7. Yet when Indiana’s offense couldn’t add points, its special-teams unit did. Late in the third quarter, Indiana’s Mikail Kamara sprinted off the left edge to block a Miami punt, sending the ball tumbling backward into the end zone, where the Hoosiers recovered it for a touchdown and a 17-7 lead.
Mendoza's touchdown run on fourth down and 5, Miami refused to go away meekly, scoring touchdowns on three consecutive possessions between the third and fourth quarters to have a chance at a game-winning drive. That opportunity to win a national title in its home stadium was denied, however, by a costly underthrown pass by Beck in the final minute, a play that turned what long seemed impossible — an Indiana national title — into reality.
Oprah Winfrey Once Won a Drinking Contest After Downing 17 Shots of Alcohol in Santa Barbara
In a mostly earnest, insightful and educational conversation about health, food noise, GLP-1s and the dangers of not recognizing obesity as a disease, Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King delivered some moments of levity as only best friends can do during a special appearance at 92nd Street Y.
The two appeared at New York’s cultural and community center Tuesday with King acting as moderator for a conversation that featured Winfrey and Dr. Ania M. Jastreboff discussing their new book, Enough: Your Health, Your Weight and What It’s Like to Be Free. As King noted at the top of the hourlong chat, 2026 marks a milestone 50th anniversary of meeting as friends in Baltimore, Maryland back in 1976. “We were 21 and 22, now we’re 71 and 71. [Oprah] is turning 72 soon.”
Winfrey, whose birthday is Jan. 29, drew laughs, cheers and gasps when she revealed just how many shots she downed in order to win a drinking contest in Santa Barbara, not far from her estate in Montecito. The topic of conversation came up after King recalled being at a Golden Globes party last weekend when she asked the bartender for a Shirley Temple. “The person next to me said, ‘Seriously?’ I go, ‘Seriously with extra cherries.’ I just don’t drink but you don’t drink now either.”
Winfrey confirmed that she’s off the sauce even though she “used to be a tequila girl.” King then prodded her to cite the number of shots she downed in one sitting. “There’s something in Santa Barbara called the Fiesta festival. People are out in the streets, and you’re drinking and having a good time. That’s the whole point. One night we had a drinking contest and I won with 17 shots,” Winfrey confirmed. While she didn’t name names of who she drank under the table, King did have more to say: “Don’t applaud that. That’s terrible.”
King praised her best friend at other times during the revelatory chat. “This is the most open and honest conversation I’ve ever heard her have about her weight, which, by the way, is nobody’s business,” King said of Winfrey, who generated countless headlines when she revealed she turned to GLP-1s to help with a nearly lifelong battle with obesity.
“The bottom line is this, no amount of fame, wealth, success, attention can substitute for your biology,” Winfrey said. “I’m here now telling you there is a pill. There are medications. You can opt to use them or not use them. If you don’t use them or don’t want to use them, that’s really fine. But just know that the struggle doesn’t have to be the struggle that you’ve had, and if you are going to choose to lose weight by eating healthily and working out and the weight comes back, understand why it always comes back.”
Winfrey’s movie career came up when she recalled the promotional cycle for Jonathan Demme’s 1998 film in which she starred opposite Danny Glover. “I was promoting this movie, Beloved, which y’all did not go to see. One person went to see it in this room,” she said jokingly. “Anna Wintour wanted to do a cover. I remember just as she was walking out, she goes, ‘You know, you have to lose 20 pounds.’ I said, ‘OK, I’m gonna do it.’ And I felt really great losing that 20 pounds. I’m telling you, when they brought me the first Polaroid of that Vogue cover, I cried. I cried because I thought the very idea that somebody who had suffered so much from all the weight issues would be on the cover of Vogue.”
King said she still recalled the cover line: “A Major Movie, An Amazing Makeover.”
The two appeared at New York’s cultural and community center Tuesday with King acting as moderator for a conversation that featured Winfrey and Dr. Ania M. Jastreboff discussing their new book, Enough: Your Health, Your Weight and What It’s Like to Be Free. As King noted at the top of the hourlong chat, 2026 marks a milestone 50th anniversary of meeting as friends in Baltimore, Maryland back in 1976. “We were 21 and 22, now we’re 71 and 71. [Oprah] is turning 72 soon.”
Winfrey, whose birthday is Jan. 29, drew laughs, cheers and gasps when she revealed just how many shots she downed in order to win a drinking contest in Santa Barbara, not far from her estate in Montecito. The topic of conversation came up after King recalled being at a Golden Globes party last weekend when she asked the bartender for a Shirley Temple. “The person next to me said, ‘Seriously?’ I go, ‘Seriously with extra cherries.’ I just don’t drink but you don’t drink now either.”
Winfrey confirmed that she’s off the sauce even though she “used to be a tequila girl.” King then prodded her to cite the number of shots she downed in one sitting. “There’s something in Santa Barbara called the Fiesta festival. People are out in the streets, and you’re drinking and having a good time. That’s the whole point. One night we had a drinking contest and I won with 17 shots,” Winfrey confirmed. While she didn’t name names of who she drank under the table, King did have more to say: “Don’t applaud that. That’s terrible.”
King praised her best friend at other times during the revelatory chat. “This is the most open and honest conversation I’ve ever heard her have about her weight, which, by the way, is nobody’s business,” King said of Winfrey, who generated countless headlines when she revealed she turned to GLP-1s to help with a nearly lifelong battle with obesity.
“The bottom line is this, no amount of fame, wealth, success, attention can substitute for your biology,” Winfrey said. “I’m here now telling you there is a pill. There are medications. You can opt to use them or not use them. If you don’t use them or don’t want to use them, that’s really fine. But just know that the struggle doesn’t have to be the struggle that you’ve had, and if you are going to choose to lose weight by eating healthily and working out and the weight comes back, understand why it always comes back.”
Winfrey’s movie career came up when she recalled the promotional cycle for Jonathan Demme’s 1998 film in which she starred opposite Danny Glover. “I was promoting this movie, Beloved, which y’all did not go to see. One person went to see it in this room,” she said jokingly. “Anna Wintour wanted to do a cover. I remember just as she was walking out, she goes, ‘You know, you have to lose 20 pounds.’ I said, ‘OK, I’m gonna do it.’ And I felt really great losing that 20 pounds. I’m telling you, when they brought me the first Polaroid of that Vogue cover, I cried. I cried because I thought the very idea that somebody who had suffered so much from all the weight issues would be on the cover of Vogue.”
King said she still recalled the cover line: “A Major Movie, An Amazing Makeover.”
Kelly Clarkson’s Daytime Show Expected To End After This Season
Kelly Clarkson might be gearing up for her next career and life move.
The singer’s daytime talk show is reportedly set to wrap up after its current season, multiple sources told Page Six. Those close to the situation described her departure from daytime television as “definite,” with another insider noting it’s “likely that it will not go on” beyond this year. The outlet reported that the demanding workload and shifting daytime TV landscape have made producing the show increasingly challenging. Rumors of Clarkson stepping away aren’t new. Last year, speculation swirled that former Today anchor #HodaKotb might replace her on the series.
Another factor behind the potential end of the show could be Clarkson’s desire to spend more time with her children following the death of their father, Brandon Blackstock, who passed away at 48 in August 2025 after a private battle with melanoma. Clarkson and Blackstock, who divorced in 2023 after nearly a decade of marriage, share two children: River Rose, 11, and Remington “Remy” Alexander, 9.
Kelly Clarkson might be gearing up for her next career and life move.
The singer’s daytime talk show is reportedly set to wrap up after its current season, multiple sources told Page Six. Those close to the situation described her departure from daytime television as “definite,” with another insider noting it’s “likely that it will not go on” beyond this year. The outlet reported that the demanding workload and shifting daytime TV landscape have made producing the show increasingly challenging. Rumors of Clarkson stepping away aren’t new. Last year, speculation swirled that former Today anchor #HodaKotb might replace her on the series.
Another factor behind the potential end of the show could be Clarkson’s desire to spend more time with her children following the death of their father, Brandon Blackstock, who passed away at 48 in August 2025 after a private battle with melanoma. Clarkson and Blackstock, who divorced in 2023 after nearly a decade of marriage, share two children: River Rose, 11, and Remington “Remy” Alexander, 9.
Pastor Michael Todd Responds to Druski Megachurch Skit: ‘I Don’t Even Own a Rolls-Royce’
Pastor Michael Todd spoke out in a recent sermon about people claiming he was among the inspirations behind Druski's megachurch skit.
"There was a video that came out this past week with a few hundred million views, and some people were trying to link it to me, and so I watched the video. It was hilarious. It was funny," Todd said at the 39-minute mark in the above video.
Todd went on to claim the skit became a catalyst for frustration before calling the video an "attack on people's lives of distraction."
"The thing I was most taken aback by was how much frustration it created in people," he said. "Like, I was literally watching people go back and forth with people, denounce people, and call people names. I stepped back for a second, I said, 'Oh my gosh. All this was, was an attack on people's lives of distraction."
"You thought it was some attack on the church," Todd continued. "No, it was an attack on focus."
Todd maintained that he was unaware of Druski's skit and being linked to it because he has not been on social media.
"I had a few people tell me what was going on, I was like, 'That's crazy! I don't even got a Rolls-Royce,' he said. "I thought, what?! I didn't know. Like, people AI-ing pictures and doing stuff. Like, I said, 'I don't remember being that big.'"
Christian rapper Lecrae argued that Druski's skit was indicative of a larger conversation that needs to be had about these types of congregations and its leaders, saying, "My first reaction was not offense, but recognition."
While some may consider Druski's portrayal of these particular pastors to be offensive, Lecrae believes there can be truth in the humor.
"There was a video that came out this past week with a few hundred million views, and some people were trying to link it to me, and so I watched the video. It was hilarious. It was funny," Todd said at the 39-minute mark in the above video.
Todd went on to claim the skit became a catalyst for frustration before calling the video an "attack on people's lives of distraction."
"The thing I was most taken aback by was how much frustration it created in people," he said. "Like, I was literally watching people go back and forth with people, denounce people, and call people names. I stepped back for a second, I said, 'Oh my gosh. All this was, was an attack on people's lives of distraction."
"You thought it was some attack on the church," Todd continued. "No, it was an attack on focus."
Todd maintained that he was unaware of Druski's skit and being linked to it because he has not been on social media.
"I had a few people tell me what was going on, I was like, 'That's crazy! I don't even got a Rolls-Royce,' he said. "I thought, what?! I didn't know. Like, people AI-ing pictures and doing stuff. Like, I said, 'I don't remember being that big.'"
Christian rapper Lecrae argued that Druski's skit was indicative of a larger conversation that needs to be had about these types of congregations and its leaders, saying, "My first reaction was not offense, but recognition."
While some may consider Druski's portrayal of these particular pastors to be offensive, Lecrae believes there can be truth in the humor.
Melissa Gilbert Writes Emotional Letter in Defense of Timothy Busfield: 'My Sweet Husband'
Melissa Gilbert has formally stepped into the legal fight surrounding her husband, submitting an emotional letter to a New Mexico judge as he remains in custody while facing child sexual abuse allegations.
In the letter, which was obtained by ABC News, Gilbert pleaded directly with the court for compassion, referring to Busfield as “my sweet husband” and asking the judge to look after him while he is incarcerated.
“Please, please take care of my sweet husband,” she wrote. “As he is my protector, I am his, but I cannot protect him now, and I think that, more than anything else, is what is truly breaking my heart. I am relying on you to protect him for me.”
Gilbert described Busfield as a man of deep integrity and faith, telling the court, “Tim has the strongest moral compass of any human I have ever known. He has dedicated his spiritual self to always being of service to others.”
She also emphasized his role within their family, particularly his relationship with her son, Michael. “Tim nurtured and guided Michael,” she wrote, adding, “I will never be able to express the depth of gratitude I have to God for bringing this wonderful human into our lives.”
Her letter is one of approximately 70 submitted on Busfield’s behalf, according to court records. Additional letters reportedly came from Busfield’s stepson, Michael, as well as longtime colleagues, including Thirtysomething co-stars Ken Olin and Peter Horton.
The letter comes as Busfield, best known for his role on The West Wing, remains jailed without bond in New Mexico. He turned himself in last week following an arrest tied to allegations that he sexually abused a minor.
According to the criminal complaint, the accusations center on alleged inappropriate contact involving a child actor on the set of The Cleaning Lady.
Court documents state that the child’s parents reported the alleged abuse began in 2022, when the child was seven years old, and continued through 2024. Investigators have said Busfield denied the allegations when questioned.
His attorney reiterated that position in a statement last week, saying Busfield “denies the allegations in the criminal complaint and maintains they are completely false,” adding that he voluntarily took and passed an independent polygraph examination.
Busfield’s next court appearance is scheduled for January 20, when a judge will decide whether he remains in custody while the case proceeds. Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman has said formal charges will follow, after which Busfield will be arraigned.
If you suspect child sexual abuse or trafficking, resources are available. You can contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453), which is confidential, available 24/7, and offers support in more than 170 languages. Reports involving child exploitation or trafficking can also be made to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline at 1-800-THE-LOST.
Melissa Gilbert has formally stepped into the legal fight surrounding her husband, submitting an emotional letter to a New Mexico judge as he remains in custody while facing child sexual abuse allegations.
In the letter, which was obtained by ABC News, Gilbert pleaded directly with the court for compassion, referring to Busfield as “my sweet husband” and asking the judge to look after him while he is incarcerated.
“Please, please take care of my sweet husband,” she wrote. “As he is my protector, I am his, but I cannot protect him now, and I think that, more than anything else, is what is truly breaking my heart. I am relying on you to protect him for me.”
Gilbert described Busfield as a man of deep integrity and faith, telling the court, “Tim has the strongest moral compass of any human I have ever known. He has dedicated his spiritual self to always being of service to others.”
She also emphasized his role within their family, particularly his relationship with her son, Michael. “Tim nurtured and guided Michael,” she wrote, adding, “I will never be able to express the depth of gratitude I have to God for bringing this wonderful human into our lives.”
Her letter is one of approximately 70 submitted on Busfield’s behalf, according to court records. Additional letters reportedly came from Busfield’s stepson, Michael, as well as longtime colleagues, including Thirtysomething co-stars Ken Olin and Peter Horton.
The letter comes as Busfield, best known for his role on The West Wing, remains jailed without bond in New Mexico. He turned himself in last week following an arrest tied to allegations that he sexually abused a minor.
According to the criminal complaint, the accusations center on alleged inappropriate contact involving a child actor on the set of The Cleaning Lady.
Court documents state that the child’s parents reported the alleged abuse began in 2022, when the child was seven years old, and continued through 2024. Investigators have said Busfield denied the allegations when questioned.
His attorney reiterated that position in a statement last week, saying Busfield “denies the allegations in the criminal complaint and maintains they are completely false,” adding that he voluntarily took and passed an independent polygraph examination.
Busfield’s next court appearance is scheduled for January 20, when a judge will decide whether he remains in custody while the case proceeds. Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman has said formal charges will follow, after which Busfield will be arraigned.
If you suspect child sexual abuse or trafficking, resources are available. You can contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453), which is confidential, available 24/7, and offers support in more than 170 languages. Reports involving child exploitation or trafficking can also be made to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline at 1-800-THE-LOST.
Professional Light Weight Boxer Gevonta Davis Has been Stripped of His Title
Last week an arrest warrant was issued for professional boxer Gervonta Davis after a woman accused him of holding her against her will and assault
Now Gervonta has been stripped of his lightweight title...From Fight News
The WBA has effectively stripped Gervonta “Tank” Davis of his active lightweight title, reclassifying him as their “Champion in Recess.” This decision was made due to his ongoing legal issues and inactivity in the ring.
The WBA’s decision was influenced by the issuance of an arrest warrant for Davis in Miami Gardens, Florida, related to an alleged domestic violence incident in October 2025.
The “Champion in Recess” designation is typically used when a champion is unable to defend their title due to injury or inactivity. While it removes him as the active champion, it allows him to retain his status and be eligible to compete for the crown upon his return to boxing.
Now Gervonta has been stripped of his lightweight title...From Fight News
The WBA has effectively stripped Gervonta “Tank” Davis of his active lightweight title, reclassifying him as their “Champion in Recess.” This decision was made due to his ongoing legal issues and inactivity in the ring.
The WBA’s decision was influenced by the issuance of an arrest warrant for Davis in Miami Gardens, Florida, related to an alleged domestic violence incident in October 2025.
The “Champion in Recess” designation is typically used when a champion is unable to defend their title due to injury or inactivity. While it removes him as the active champion, it allows him to retain his status and be eligible to compete for the crown upon his return to boxing.
Brittney Griner turns her Russia detention into protection for travelers with Zennjet
Zennjet provides legal and medical support for travelers carrying prescription medications, including medical cannabis.
The platform offers destination-specific drug law guidance and emergency assistance.
Brittney Griner’s detainment shaped the company’s mission to prevent similar legal issues for others.
Brittney Griner has turned one of the darkest chapters of her life into something that could help protect other travelers from going through the same nightmare.
The WNBA star recently became founder of Zennjet, an insured travel membership service built for people who travel with prescription medications, especially controlled substances like medical cannabis prescribed by a licensed physician. The goal is simple: help members stay prepared, stay informed, and have support ready if something goes wrong in another country where laws may look completely different than they do at home.
According to the company’s website, members can access vetted legal counsel, translation services, medical assistance abroad, repatriation support, and a 24/7 global emergency line. The company also offers destination-specific risk reports and a centralized database with legal guidance for travelers carrying prescriptions — including benzodiazepines, opioids, and medicinal cannabis.
In a December 2025 interview with USA Today, Griner made it clear that her mission is rooted in making sure other people don’t feel alone or unprotected while traveling. “I never want anybody to go through what I went through. I'm aware that I'm very blessed and very lucky to have an agency team, my wife, and everybody behind me,” she said. “I want people to be able to be aware, informed, and to know where they're going, where they're traveling.”
Zennjet is tied directly to what happened to Griner in 2022, when she was detained in Russia for drug possession after border agents found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. Though the substance was legal in parts of the U.S., it was banned in Russia, and she was sentenced to prison. The Atlanta Dream player served 10 months before being released as part of a prisoner exchange.
Griner described how quickly her situation became overwhelming once she was detained. “They take you, detain you, they literally will strip you of everything you have and all communication is gone. So, for me it was. It was a very scary moment," she told USA Today. “They're talking to me in Russian. I don't speak Russian. There's no translator. They go grab this lady from the duty-free store to ... translate for me, who is not a translator. She works at the duty-free store."
Now, the Houston native is taking those hard lessons and turning them into real-life travel guidance that could save someone else from a devastating mistake. One of Zennjet’s biggest selling points is peace of mind for travelers who rely on medication to function, but don’t always know how strictly it may be treated at the border. “The rules may seem clear, but local authorities can interpret them in different ways. If you are going to travel with meds, a Zennjet membership gives you priceless peace of mind,” Griner said in a statement on the company’s site.
Zennjet also highlights support services like legal advice, help replacing prescriptions if they’re lost, stolen, or confiscated, and even medical evacuation options depending on the membership tier. The company notes that memberships are available for international travel and domestic trips more than 150 miles from home, and they’re open to all nationalities — a reach that reflects how seriously Griner is taking this mission.
Zennjet provides legal and medical support for travelers carrying prescription medications, including medical cannabis.
The platform offers destination-specific drug law guidance and emergency assistance.
Brittney Griner’s detainment shaped the company’s mission to prevent similar legal issues for others.
Brittney Griner has turned one of the darkest chapters of her life into something that could help protect other travelers from going through the same nightmare.
The WNBA star recently became founder of Zennjet, an insured travel membership service built for people who travel with prescription medications, especially controlled substances like medical cannabis prescribed by a licensed physician. The goal is simple: help members stay prepared, stay informed, and have support ready if something goes wrong in another country where laws may look completely different than they do at home.
According to the company’s website, members can access vetted legal counsel, translation services, medical assistance abroad, repatriation support, and a 24/7 global emergency line. The company also offers destination-specific risk reports and a centralized database with legal guidance for travelers carrying prescriptions — including benzodiazepines, opioids, and medicinal cannabis.
In a December 2025 interview with USA Today, Griner made it clear that her mission is rooted in making sure other people don’t feel alone or unprotected while traveling. “I never want anybody to go through what I went through. I'm aware that I'm very blessed and very lucky to have an agency team, my wife, and everybody behind me,” she said. “I want people to be able to be aware, informed, and to know where they're going, where they're traveling.”
Zennjet is tied directly to what happened to Griner in 2022, when she was detained in Russia for drug possession after border agents found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. Though the substance was legal in parts of the U.S., it was banned in Russia, and she was sentenced to prison. The Atlanta Dream player served 10 months before being released as part of a prisoner exchange.
Griner described how quickly her situation became overwhelming once she was detained. “They take you, detain you, they literally will strip you of everything you have and all communication is gone. So, for me it was. It was a very scary moment," she told USA Today. “They're talking to me in Russian. I don't speak Russian. There's no translator. They go grab this lady from the duty-free store to ... translate for me, who is not a translator. She works at the duty-free store."
Now, the Houston native is taking those hard lessons and turning them into real-life travel guidance that could save someone else from a devastating mistake. One of Zennjet’s biggest selling points is peace of mind for travelers who rely on medication to function, but don’t always know how strictly it may be treated at the border. “The rules may seem clear, but local authorities can interpret them in different ways. If you are going to travel with meds, a Zennjet membership gives you priceless peace of mind,” Griner said in a statement on the company’s site.
Zennjet also highlights support services like legal advice, help replacing prescriptions if they’re lost, stolen, or confiscated, and even medical evacuation options depending on the membership tier. The company notes that memberships are available for international travel and domestic trips more than 150 miles from home, and they’re open to all nationalities — a reach that reflects how seriously Griner is taking this mission.
Half of Americans Say ICE Is Making Cities Less Safe as Tensions Explode Nationwide
A growing share of Americans say federal immigration enforcement is leaving their neighborhoods feeling more tense, not safer, according to a new national survey released this week.
A poll conducted by CNN found that 51 percent of respondents believe the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in U.S. cities has made communities less safe. By contrast, 31 percent said ICE operations improve safety, while 18 percent reported seeing little to no impact.
The findings come as Donald Trump continues a renewed push on immigration enforcement during his second term. Public opinion on the administration’s handling of immigration remains divided, with 58 percent of those surveyed saying they disapprove of Trump’s approach and 42 percent approving. Those numbers mirror results from a similar poll conducted last summer.
The survey also measured views of Kristi Noem, who currently leads the Department of Homeland Security. Sixty-one percent of respondents said they disapprove of her performance, while 38 percent said they approve. A small share indicated they had no opinion.
Tensions surrounding immigration enforcement have been especially visible in Minnesota, where DHS recently launched what it described as its largest single-state operation to date. The deployment has drawn national attention following the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, during an ICE operation. Federal officials have said the officer involved acted in self-defense, while local leaders have disputed that account based on video evidence.
According to the poll, 56 percent of respondents described the shooting as an inappropriate use of force, compared with 26 percent who said it was appropriate.
The CNN survey was conducted January 9 through January 12 among 1,209 U.S. adults and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
A poll conducted by CNN found that 51 percent of respondents believe the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in U.S. cities has made communities less safe. By contrast, 31 percent said ICE operations improve safety, while 18 percent reported seeing little to no impact.
The findings come as Donald Trump continues a renewed push on immigration enforcement during his second term. Public opinion on the administration’s handling of immigration remains divided, with 58 percent of those surveyed saying they disapprove of Trump’s approach and 42 percent approving. Those numbers mirror results from a similar poll conducted last summer.
The survey also measured views of Kristi Noem, who currently leads the Department of Homeland Security. Sixty-one percent of respondents said they disapprove of her performance, while 38 percent said they approve. A small share indicated they had no opinion.
Tensions surrounding immigration enforcement have been especially visible in Minnesota, where DHS recently launched what it described as its largest single-state operation to date. The deployment has drawn national attention following the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, during an ICE operation. Federal officials have said the officer involved acted in self-defense, while local leaders have disputed that account based on video evidence.
According to the poll, 56 percent of respondents described the shooting as an inappropriate use of force, compared with 26 percent who said it was appropriate.
The CNN survey was conducted January 9 through January 12 among 1,209 U.S. adults and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Courtesy of P.O.Wm
I bet she ate a cookie too
Test before you buy: Ice Cream Edition
I bet she ate a cookie too
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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