Year: 2024

The fight against body-shaming starts with language.

So much of our hidden biases and internalized struggles with body image can be found lurking within the words used to describe ourselves and others—even the well-intentioned ones. It’s one of the reasons why the “body positivity” movement has been reevaluated over the years, since it tends to still place an emphasis on how our body’s physical appearance vs. how it simply helps with daily life.

It’s also why the phrase “you’re so brave” has come under scrutiny. Many celebrities, like Lena Dunham and Lizzo, have called out publications for routinely attributing the word “brave” to larger women who might show their skin. The compliment might come from a sincere place, but since you likely wouldn’t call a thin, able bodied person “brave” for doing the same thing.

Recently during a Q&A in Dublin, “Bridgerton” star Nicola Coughlan (who is no stranger to shielding herself from comments about her body) was met with this not-so-complimentary compliment, and her hilarious response was just so delightful in every way.

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In case you’ve been living on a deserted island for the past few years, “Bridgerton” is a steamy show, many of which Coughlan’s character, Penelope Featherington, take part in. So, perhaps when a journalist commended Coughlan for being “brave,” he was noting the sheer level of intimacy involved, and might have said that to any of the cast members. But considering how often that word is specifically used for plus sized women who dare to be seen as sexual beings, it feels fairly safe to assume that wasn’t the case.

Regardless, Coughlan didn’t miss a beat as she quipped:

“You know, it is hard because I think women with my body type—women with perfect breasts—we don’t get to see ourselves onscreen enough.”

As the crowd erupted in laughter, she continued. “And I’m very proud as a member of the perfect breasts community. I hope you enjoy seeing them.”

So unbothered. So witty. So perfect.

Watch a clip of this iconic moment, which has already racked up thousands of views on X (formerly Twitter), along with the overwhelming amount of positive response from viewers, below:

OH WHAT A QUEEN, WHAT A QUEEN pic.twitter.com/e1tbQfS7rW

— Tanisha 🔭 POLIN ERAAA 💚 (@tanishaahahaha) June 6, 2024

I LOVE HER . That’s why she is the queen . 👏👏👏👏👏

— R.T_W (@FunXR_LoL) June 6, 2024

GOD I LOVE HER😭 pic.twitter.com/ASVfmLJHG1

— es! (@95bwl) June 7, 2024

I LOVE HER SO MUCH AHAHHA

— Daniele Thomaselli (@danithomaselliv) June 6, 2024

Coughlan has on more than one occasion used her “Bridgerton” fame to shift the way pop culture portrays plus-sized women. In an interview with Stylist, she shared how she “specifically asked for certain lines and moments to be included” in subsequent seasons of the show, particularly one scene where she was “very naked on camera.”

“It just felt like the biggest ‘fuck you’ to all the conversation surrounding my body; it was amazingly empowering,” she told the outlet.

Honestly, it’s no wonder she’s a fan favorite, both on and offscreen.

People switch to sugar free things for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s to be more health conscious by reducing their sugar intake and other times it’s because they have a form of diabetes that requires very limited sugar. If you’re a person that likes sweets who is embarking on cutting back, you might turn to a childhood favorite–gummy bears.

In case you haven’t seen the adorable commercial where adults turn into kids after eating the sweet treat, Haribo makes gummy bears. The Haribo company also makes a sugar-free version of the squishy little bears but be warned: do not eat more than a few at a time.

Daniel Ferguson decided to read the “unhinged Amazon reviews” for the sugar-free gummy bears and he did not disappoint. Each review gets more uncomfortably hilarious as he shuffles through his index of character voices to share the details. Apparently there are some disagreements down below that happen should you eat them like a regular pack of gummy bears.

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First up is his impression of Iago from “Aladdin” where he reads off a descriptive review about someone feeling like someone was trying to funnel Niagara Falls through a straw. Commenters could not get enough of of his impressions, the reviews or their own horror stories from the sugar-free treat.

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“Ate an entire bag of these without knowing the side effects. My sister could hear my stomach churning in another room. After a few hours I just stayed within feet of the bathroom. They are like drano for your own intestines if drano violently unclogged drains,” one person writes.

“Kronk always going last is not a coincidence. The rest of the impressions are exceptional, but we’re all here for the Kronk,” someone says.

“This is so unhinged, but I love every second of it,” another laughs.

If you’ve learned nothing else from his delightfully unhinged reading of reviews, you’ve learned to never over do it on the sugar-free gummy bears.

Hockey fan Charles Barkley was out in full force on Monday night. With the NBA Finals on a break and TNT’s obligations for the year all wrapped up, Barkley made his way Sunrise to watch the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers play in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, where the Panthers hold a 1-0 series lead.

Barkley made an appearance on ESPN’s intermission report and Charles Barkley’d it up, which is to say he had a good time and made fun of Shaquille O’Neal. A little later, Barkley made his way onto Canadian television, as he gave some time to Sportsnet to talk hockey. At one point, he got asked about Game 1 of the series and forgot he was on live television.

“Well, [the Oilers] played great in Game 1, but they didn’t win,” Barkley said. “[Panthers goalie Sergei] Bobrovsky was f*ck … oops, sorry. I’m sorry. He was freaking amazing. I apologize to y’all kids at home. No, he was freakin’ amazing.”

In fairness to Chuck, Bobrovsky was pretty f*cking amazing during Game 1, as he saved all 32 shots he faced to pitch a shutout as the Panthers picked up a 3-0 win. His performance marked the seventh time that a goalie did not allow a goal in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Longtime fans of Inside the NBA know that Charles Barkley really loves hockey. Barkley has never been shy about how much he enjoys the sport, and when TNT wants him to read an ad for a game they’re broadcasting later in the week, he lights up and gets the job done.

Well, ESPN is broadcasting the NHL and the NBA right now, as both leagues are trying to determine a champion. As such, Barkley has nothing to do, so he went onto ABC between Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers. Right away, the tenuous future of Inside the NBA came up when ESPN’s Steve Levy called Barkley “the newest member of ESPN’s NBA coverage.” Instead of diving in, though, Chuck told a terrific story about how Mark Messier owes him $5,000.

The segment went on, and in classic Chuck fashion, he took an opportunity to make fun of Shaq and ran with it.

Is it frustrating to watch a fun show involving an NBA player on ESPN during a lengthy break in a championship game and for it to not happen during the NBA Finals? A little, but ultimately, we got some good Charles Barkley content after TNT’s obligations for the season came to an end, so we’ll take it.

Stephen A. Smith and First Take have spent a lot more time this season discussing the WNBA than usual, especially in June when the NBA playoffs are still going on. That’s due to the sharp increase in interest in the league, fueled by the arrival of Caitlin Clark, who is rapidly entering the LeBron James and Tim Tebow realm where everything that they do or is tangentially related to them becomes fodder for debate on sports television.

The issue is, the WNBA is not a league that Smith is intimately familiar with in the way that he is the NBA and NFL. While Smith certainly isn’t always right when he talks about those leagues, he is extremely well-connected in the NBA and NFL worlds and does have some genuine insight, on top of the pontificating that makes for excellent television. With the WNBA, he clearly does not and, as such, when he attempts to speak as an authority on things, he can find himself wading into some deep waters and receiving pushback from those who are, in fact, authorities on the league.

We saw this a week ago when, after the Chennedy Carter-Caitlin Clark incident, Monica McNutt called out Stephen A. on air for not using his platform to talk about the WNBA to this extent until this year. Most recently, Stephen A. went off about USA Basketball’s decision to not include Clark on the roster, calling it a marketing disaster. He also got preachy to Andraya Carter when she pushed back about not everything needing to be a marketing decision.

This interaction perfectly illustrated the disconnect between Smith’s approach to sports and the way most everyone that covers the WNBA approaches them. For Smith, everything is about seeking out the most eyeballs to drive his value to the company so he can have more leverage in his next contract negotiation. That has always driven what he talks about on First Take, as he religiously pours over the viewership numbers, tracking what topics engage the audience the most — if you listen to an interview with him, there’s a good chance he’ll bring up how the show has been “number one” for a very long time. He will hammer those topics until the actual audience (not just annoyed people on social media) starts to tune out. Everything is a business decision, with the bottom line in mind.

In this instance, Smith cannot understand how anyone wouldn’t be thinking about the ratings when it comes to putting together the USA Basketball roster. He simply cannot wrap his head around not being able to bend one’s long-term principles for a short-term boost of engagement that could lead to more eyeballs (and, therefore, more money) coming in down the road. Is a roster for a basketball tournament put together with that in mind? Of course not! The goal is to win a gold medal with the best possible collection of talent. But Smith is not looking at this through that lens, he’s looking at it as someone whose life has been about the relentless pursuit of television ratings.

That runs almost entirely contrary to how anyone that covers women’s basketball has had to operate for their entire career, and it’s partially why they are less like to play Smith’s game on First Take. Women’s sports have long been viewed as a stepping stone for those in the media, and those that have chosen to make it their career to cover women’s basketball care deeply about the sport and bristle at the notion it can’t be the pinnacle. They also want to cover it with a certain level of respect that isn’t always the case in the sports media. Those that cover the sport on a day-to-day basis are some of the best in the business at making sure they’re approaching their subject matter with a certain degree of professionalism and with a deep, nuanced understanding of every element of the league. This goes beyond just the players and the Xs and Os, and includes things like the cultural and societal issues that women in sports must navigate.

As such, distilling things down to classic tropes and the narratives that have dictated how many men’s sports get discussed on a national scale isn’t appealing, which runs entirely contrary to the essence of Stephen A. and his show. The result has been some tense moments on First Take, and the occasional shock and dismay on Smith’s part that he’d receive measured, pointed pushback to what he’s saying, rather than someone yelling at him on the other end. Smith has always determined the terms of engagement on his show, but with the WNBA, he’s running into the one thing that he’s never been able to handle: calm, collected dismissal.

In other sports, even the smartest analysts will often play the game with Stephen A., understanding that they’ll have an opportunity somewhere else to dive into more nuanced takes. But those who cover women’s basketball don’t seem keen to do the same, and understandably so. They’ve fought for years to have a chance to talk about the sport they love on a major platform, and as Carter notes, they aren’t willing to sacrifice their expertise in the name of making for better TV drama.

That doesn’t work on First Take, a television show that is built around the idea that everything can and should be debated, with things taken to the extreme time and time again. And yet for how frustrated Smith clearly is that his tried and true formula keeps backfiring when the W pops up, it’s nowhere near as frustrating as his attempt at presenting himself as an authority on the sport, when he’s simply dipping a toe in for the moment while the audience is hot.

The wait for more 9-1-1: Lone Star looked to be longer than desired for fans following the Hollywood strikes. The Fox spin off series is currently filming its fifth season with a speculative air date sometime this fall. Yet that season might turn out to be the last one they wrote, if a now-deleted social media post is to be believed.

Actually, Deadline has reportedly confirmed that Sierra McClain (who portrays Grace Ryder) has “quietly” left the series amid already existing speculation that the Rob Lowe-starring spin off would soon end. Additionally, Deadline relays that Robin Lively (who portrays Marlene Harris) referred (on social media) to the series as filming its “final season” before Lively nixed the post:

“So excited to be a part of @911lonestar’s final season!! What a ride it’s been!,” Robyn Lively, who has recurred on the show as Marlene Harrism the mother of Judd’s (Jim Parrack) son, wrote on social media earlier this week before deleting the post.

In other words, there’s no definitive answer, but it’s not looking good for those who would like the show to continue. Now if the show really is cancelled, that would follow a near-miss for Law & Order: Organized Crime fans and a blow recently felt by NCIS: Hawai’i viewers after the show suddenly ended with a cliffhanger. That last situation was an unusually disappointing development.

Whatever the case, it sounds like the 9-1-1 spin off wouldn’t end without warning, which is at least semi-positive news. Unresolved cliffhangers are brutal, man.

(Via Deadline)

There’s a popular trend where parents often share they are creating “core memories” for their children on social media posts, whether it’s planning an elaborate vacation or creating an extra-special holiday moment.

While it’s important for parents to want their kids to have happy childhoods, sometimes it feels presumptuous when they believe they can manufacture a core memory. Especially when a child’s inner world is so much different than an adult’s.

Carol Kim, a mother of 3 and licensed Marriage and family Therapist, known as ParentingResilience on Instagram, recently shared the “5 Things Kids Will Remember from Their Childhood” on her page. The fascinating insight is that none of the entries had to do with extravagant vacations, over-the-top birthday parties, or Christmas gifts that kids could only dream about.

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According to Kim, the five things that kids will remember all revolve around their parents’ presence and support. “Notice how creating good memories doesn’t require expensive toys or lavish family trips. Your presence is the most valuable present you can give to your child,” Kim wrote in the post’s description.

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1. Quality time together

“Taking some time to focus only on your child is very special. Playing games, reading books, or just talking can create strong, happy memories. These moments show your child that you are present with them.”

2. Words of encouragement

“Encouraging words can greatly impact your child during both good times and tough times. Kids often seek approval from their parents and your positive words can be a strong motivator and source of comfort…. It can help kids believe in themselves, giving them the confidence to take on new challenges and keep going when things get tough.”

3. Family traditions

“It creates a feeling of stability and togetherness … Family traditions make children feel like they belong and are part of a larger story, deepening their sense of security and understanding of family identity and values.”

4. Acts of kindness

“Seeing and doing kind things leaves a strong impression on children. It shows them the importance of being kind and caring. They remember how good it feels to help others and to see their parents helping too.”

5. Comfort during tough times

“Knowing they can rely on you during tough times makes them feel secure and build trust. … Comforting them when they’re struggling shows them they are loved no matter what, helping them feel emotionally secure and strong.”

Kim’s strategies are all beautiful ways to be present in our children’s lives and to communicate our support. However, these seemingly simple behaviors can be challenging for some parents who are dealing with issues stemming from their pasts.

“If you find barriers to providing these things, it’s important to reflect on why,” Kim writes in the post. “There could be several reasons, such as parenting in isolation (we’re not meant to parent alone), feeling overstimulated, dealing with past trauma, or struggling with mental health. Recognizing these challenges is the first step to addressing them and finding support.”

It goes without saying that water is a basic human right that should never be denied to anyone. So when a homeless woman named Polly in Cardiff, Wales, was refused a drink at her local McDonald’s recently, a good Samaritan wouldn’t stand for it.

Jonathon Pengelly couldn’t believe his eyes when the cashier told the woman no. “I don’t know what was going through their minds but a lady, clearly homeless was asking for a basic human right; and for a multi-billion pound company, for them to say no is disgusting!” Pengelly wrote on Facebook.

Pengelly was behind the woman in line, so he offered to buy her and her friend something to eat and was shocked at Polly’s response.

“She asked for a single cheeseburger and that was it,” Pengelly said. “We bought as much as we could carry so I knew she wasn’t going to be hungry.” He then sat and ate with them and was blown away by their positive attitudes. So he brought them back to his house, where they showered and brushed their teeth. While they cleaned up, Pengelly prepared some food to tide the women over for a few days.

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Pengelly posted about the evening’s events on Facebook to raise awareness about the problem of homelessness in the U.K. “I’m no saint, but this small act of kindness cost me about £20,” he wrote. “I know 90% of people reading this will earn about 10 times that a day. … If you see someone on the streets, don’t look down on them like they’re nothing. You don’t know what they’ve been though! Spare a little thought!”

Pengelly’s experience didn’t just open up his eyes to a real problem, he made a friend as well. “Me and Polly have chatted on the phone and I’ve promised her that she will never go hungry or cold again!” he said.

Here’s Pengelly’s full post:

“Well, my night took an unexpected turn! So I finished my night out, ended up in the dreaded McDonald’s queue. I couldn’t help but notice the lady in front me, all she asked for was a cup of hot water.

The member of staff told her no. I don’t know what was going through their mind but a lady, clearly homeless was asking for a basic human right; and for a multi billion pound company, for them to say no is disgusting!

My heart was shattered! So I spoke to her and told her to order what she wanted, expecting her to order everything. I was so shocked. She asked for a single cheese burger and that was it. We bought as much as we could carry so I knew she wasn’t going to be hungry.

I couldn’t just leave this lady go, she was so warming and so lovely. So I sat with her, on the cold hard floor, in the middle of winter and you know what I did? I cried my eyes out.

You know if people of Cardiff walked passed them and didn’t do anything because, financially, they weren’t in the position, I would understand. But people walked passed and laughed at them. I don’t care who you are, If this was you; and you’re reading this I hate you!

When I got to speak to them I was genuinely shocked at their story and how educated they were! So full of life and enthusiasm and they literally have nothing!

I invited polly and her mate back to my house and we all cooked enough food to feed them and their friends for the next few nights. We boxed them up and packed them in their bags.

Polly and her mate have had showers, brushed their teeth and they both said they have ever felt so appreciated in their life.
I’m no saint, but this small act of kindness cost me about £20. I know 90% of people reading this will earn about 10 times that a day.

It costs nothing to be kind, and I genuinely hope people share this to raise awareness of homelessness throughout the UK!
Me and polly have chatted on the phone and I’ve promised her that she will never go hungry or cold again! I’ve given her blankets, pillows and a backpack full of food.

If you see someone on the streets, don’t look down on them like they’re nothing. You don’t know what they’ve been though! spare a little thought!

I don’t care if I look like shit cause I’m crying!

Polly, you’ve changed me!”

This article originally appeared on 08.10.18

British singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya released her last album, Painless, in 2022. In the two years since, she toured and came to grips with public acclaim she garnered as a result, beginning the recording process for its follow-up in 2023. The result will be My Method Actor, her third album, which she wrote alongside Wilma Archer, who contributed heavily to her last two albums as well.

Yanya announced the album with the release of its lead single, the evocative “Method Actor.” The song was inspired by the singer’s research into the acting style. “The reason why some people find method acting traumatic and maybe not safe mentally, is because you’re always going back to that moment,” she noted in a press release. “It can be good or bad but you’re always feeding off the energy, something that’s defined you – and that’s what helps you become the character. It’s a bit like being a musician. When you’re performing, you’re still trying to invoke the energy and emotion of when you first wrote it, in that moment. It definitely feels like you’re having to recreate or step into that headspace.”

Watch the “Method Actor” visualizer above.

My Method Actor will be out on 9/13 via Ninja Tune. You can find more info, including tracklist and tour dates, below, and pre-save here.

Tracklist

1. “Keep On Dancing”
2. “Like I Say (I runaway)”
3. “Method Actor”
4. “Binding”
5. “Mutations”
6. “Ready for Sun (touch)”
7. “Call It Love”
8. “Faith’s Late”
9. “Made Out Of Memory”
10. “Just A Western”

US Tour Dates

9/28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
9/30 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
10/1 – New York, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
10/2 – Boston, MA @ Royale
10/4 – Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe
10/5 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
10/6 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
10/7 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
10/9 – Nashville, TN @ Basement East
10/10 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
10/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
10/13 – Lawrence, KS @ Bottleneck
10/15 – Denver, CO @ Meow Wolf
10/18 – Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre
10/19 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
10/20 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
10/22 – San Francisco, CA @ August Hall
10/24 – Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre

Have you been charmed by Glen Powell lately? Dont’ be embarassed — you’re not alone. The man is everywhere, flashing his shiny white teeth and stealing the screen in more than one blockbuster film this year. But in his latest film Hit Man, an even more experienced and equally charming hit man makes a brief appearance: Barry Berkman.

In the film, a montage of famous cinematic hitmen is shown around the 18-minute mark, and Bill Hader appears in a brief clip from Barry, the acclaimed dark comedy in which Hader portrays a killer/actor. The series ran for four seasons until 2023.

In Hit Man, Powell plays a non-threatening philosophy professor who takes on various aliases in order to help the police track down people who are looking to hire contracted killers. During the flick, Powell’s character Gary Johnson acknowledges the long line of TV and film hit men, so yes, technically, Bill Hader is in Hit Man. By the same logic, Colin Farrell also appeared in Hit Man as his In Bruges character. Who would win in a fight?

Hit Man, which Powell co-wrote with Richard Linklater is now streaming on Netflix after a brief theatrical release. The movie also stars Adria Arjona, Retta, Austin Amelio.