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The firehose of propaganda and information lockdown in Russia has made it possible for Vladimir Putin to attack Ukraine without having to face a significant backlash in his home country.

Russians have falsely been told that their country is in danger because Ukraine’s government is full of neo-Nazis with nuclear ambitions. These lies have been spread unabated because the government will retaliate against any media outlet or social media platform that challenges its narrative.

In an attempt to share the truth about the war in Ukraine, actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recorded a nine-minute video explaining what’s really happening, directed at the Russian people.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s message to the Russian people

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“The strength and the heart of the Russian people have always inspired me,” he said. “That is why I hope that you will let me tell you the truth about the war in Ukraine and what is happening there. No one likes to hear something critical of their government, I understand that. But as a longtime friend of the Russian people, I hope that you will hear what I have to say.”

Schwarzenegger hopes that his popularity and status as a private citizen can change some hearts and minds in Russia. The video is moving because he doesn’t just chastise Putin’s policies. He compares the struggles faced by Russian soldiers with the pain that his father endured after fighting in World War II on the side of the Nazis.

“I don’t want you to be programmed like my father,” Arnold said.

Arnold shared the truth about Russia

In the video, the “Terminator” star also shares the cold truth about the war, backed up by images of death and destruction to let the Russian people know about the horrors that are being committed in their name.

“The world has turned against Russia because of its actions in Ukraine,” he said. “The destruction that Russian bombs are raining down on innocent civilians has so outraged the world that the strongest global economic sanctions ever taken have been imposed on your country … This is not the war to defend Russia like your grandfather or your great grandfather fought. This is an illegal war!”

While it’ll be tough for Schwarzenegger’s message to make it past the iron information curtain surrounding Russia, his heartfelt effort to spread a message of peace should be applauded.

The vast majority of people walking the earth today remember what it was like to be a 13-year-old child. Wrestling with the idea that you’re growing up, hormones are all over the place, and suddenly you want to be more than friends with some of your classmates. It’s a weird and complicated age, but Disney’s Turning Red takes on the challenge with a strong 13 year old female lead who grapples with cultural norms, coming of age and finding her voice. The themes of this movie don’t fall too far from the Disney tradition of displaying coming of age stories in anything from the Little Mermaid to Finding Nemo.

Mei is a 2nd generation Chinese American girl who struggles with regulating her emotions, which is something we can all relate to when it comes to navigating becoming a teenager. The cultural piece is something that really resonated with 2nd generation Chinese American therapists. I took the time to speak with a few therapists to get their thoughts on Disney’s Turning Red.

Jocelyn Lam, who is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes working with this population said “I loved Turning Red because of the nuanced approach to the mother-daughter relationships across generations in the Lee Family. Mei-Lin grapples with saving face and being a ‘loyal’ daughter to her family, versus embracing a more messy side to her personality and broader range of emotions, which is a common struggle that 2nd generation Chinese teens experience.” Lam went on to express how much she “loved that the story spotlighted how interdependence within Chinese families can result in strength and vulnerability.”

With Turning Red, Disney has sparked an important cultural conversation

Stay chill and check out this brand-new clip of Mei and her squad in Disney and @Pixar’s #TurningRed, now streaming only on @DisneyPlus.pic.twitter.com/VgqaQEueq5

— Disney (@Disney)
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It’s clear that Disney struck an important chord by capturing how culture and mental health intertwine. Lisa Ibekwe, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and first generation American viewed the movie and said “Turning Red was a phenomenal depiction of the thin line between culture and intergenerational trauma. It represents how culture heavily influences what we pass down to our children. Many children in general struggle to express their wants and desires to adults, and it’s even harder when there is a cultural gap between their desires and the expectations.”

While the cultural stuff stood out to many who rarely see their culture played out on the big screen, that wasn’t the only reason therapists have been singing the praises of the movie. There are some therapeutic things in there that parents might have missed, but kids could truly learn from. Jocelyn pointed out “the movie showed active coping tools and redirection of thought, open discussion of menstruation, accepting that different emotions can co-exist, a holistic view of psychological happiness and addressing intergenerational trauma.”

Turning Red helps show the importance of talking about sex education with kids 

Growing up unleashes so many emotions. Have a look at how Panda Mei captures all our moods and comment with yours. #TurningRed (1/9)pic.twitter.com/YvA3zxZFpA

— Disney+ (@Disney+)
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Jenny Moore Greunke, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker expressed that Turning Red was “such a great example of not feeling the need to change yourself to make others comfortable. Showing that being who you are without shame is healing, even when there may be generations before you who haven’t evolved to your level of emotional intelligence yet. Radical Self love!” Kathleen Hearne, Licensed Professional Counselor said “through openly talking about the traumas and it’s affects can help individuals and generations grow and thrive from those experiences verses it causing continued trauma within the family through hurtful behavior patterns.” Hearne went further to say that “it’s helpful in normalizing that we all have experiences in life that have shaped us and that we can use them to thrive and grow towards our authentic self by being open and compassionate with ourselves and others.”

The themes that Turning Red touches on are so deep and important that it is amazing to see how seamlessly Disney pulled this movie off. Preteens and teens can see themselves in Mei-Lin and learn to embrace their “messy side” while also learning how to regulate their strong emotions through the coping mechanisms so carefully placed within this movie. Hats off to Disney for not shying away from the hard stuff while also giving us tools and healing to move forward when we relate to the film.

It’s age-old Hollywood wisdom: If you want to play a hero, you have to play a vampire first. It worked for Robert Pattinson and it worked for Paul Wesley.

Deadline announced that the former star of CW’s “Vampire Diaries” will be the next actor to take on the iconic role of 23rd century Starfleet Commanding Officer James T. Kirk.

Don’t worry, Chris Pine fans. He’ll still be around for the movies, sources say. Wesley will be playing Kirk in “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” on Paramount+. Deadline reports that the series will tell the story of Captain Pike (Anson Mount), Number One (Rebecca Romijn) and Spock (Ethan Peck) exploring the cosmos before Kirk steps aboard the famous Enterprise.

Wesley getting cast is just half the story. The next part feels like a moment pulled straight from a “Star Trek” script itself, as two Kirks (one from the past, one from the future) come face-to-face on a plane.

​Wesley shared on Twitter that the role felt like a dream come true as a lifelong Trekkie.

I am deeply humbled and still a little startled to have been given the honor of playing the inimitable James T Kirk. Ever since I was a kid, I have been awed by the imaginative world Gene Roddenberry created.
Recently, I boarded a flight to LA to discover that the man in the pic.twitter.com/U8GVD4ZemP

— Paul Wesley (@paulwesley) March 15, 2022

The actor tweeted, “I am deeply humbled and still a little startled to have been given the honor of playing the inimitable James T Kirk. Ever since I was a kid, I have been awed by the imaginative world Gene Roddenberry created.”

In an amazing twist of fate, Wesley revealed that on a flight back to L.A., he sat right next to the original Captain Kirk, “the one and only William Shatner.”

No, this was not a holodeck program. New Captain Kirk sat right next to William Shatner.

For real. But if “Star Trek” has taught us anything, it’s that the universe is full of strange and fascinating surprises.

Shatner had just finished his real life space voyage on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. After a short romp through the cosmos, he probably didn’t expect to find his doppelgänger. As for Wesley, he was speechless.

“I could barely put two words together,” he wrote. But after mustering up the courage, the starstruck Wesley eventually “managed to say hello” and both Kirks shared a chat.

“I’m not one who usually believes in fate but this was more than a coincidence,” Wesley reflected.

He ended his tweet with a warm thank-you to Shatner for the “good company,” and it got an even sweeter response from Shatner himself.

@paulwesley Keep my ship and crew safe, Captain! 😉 Congratulations!

— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) March 16, 2022

“Keep my ship and my crew safe, Captain! Congratulations!” wrote one Kirk to another.

“Star Trek” is a franchise with a notoriously loyal, passionate—and openly opinionated—fanbase. Wesley has some big shoes to fill, but now he’s equipped with an official seal of approval from Shatner on the internet for all eyes to see.

As Shatner’s Kirk once said, “sometimes a feeling is all we humans have to go on.” I think many of us have had moments like this, where it seems like the universe itself is sending an undeniable confirmation that says, “Yes, I’m exactly where I need to be.”

Though maybe not every version is as epic as this interaction. Still, it’s times like these that can help us feel like we really do have a destiny. Or at the very least, it’s great science fiction fodder!

For more than 50 years, “Star Trek” has captured the hearts and minds of millions, encouraging the thrill of discovery and the hope for a better tomorrow. Shatner might have been the first to boldly go, but the mission isn’t over. Space stories continue to be amazing explorations of our own humanity here on Earth.

Selena Gomez, along with creators Tanya Saracho and Gabriela Revilla Lugo, have teamed up to develop a TV show based on John Hughes’ beloved 1984 coming-of-age comedy, “Sixteen Candles.”

Only this time, Latinas will be the stars.

The original “Sixteen Candles” starred Molly Ringwald as Sam Baker, a sophomore approaching her 16th birthday, only to have her own special day forgotten thanks to her older sister Ginny getting married.

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It seems like the remake will be more of an ensemble story, delving into slightly different (yet very important) themes.

Deadline reports that “The half-hour series … follows four young Latinas starting high school as they overcome their feelings of invisibility while exploring what it means to leave childhood behind through the lens of the traditional female coming-of-age rite: the quinceañera.”

Which is why the show’s title was appropriately renamed “15 Candles.” Brilliant.

A quinceañera is part religious ceremony, part social celebration that marks the passage from girlhood to womanhood. I, of course, have never participated in one (sad), but I have catered about a million quinceañeras. The dresses alone make it feel like something out of a fairy tale. But, as with every family function, there are multiple opportunities for pure comedy gold.

Deadline added that Saracho, a playwright and TV writer, co-founded the Untitled Latinx Project, which aims to “increase Latinx representation in television, broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms through content created by Latinx writers.” Her organization has been described as a “sisterhood” for the way it celebrates fellow creators.

Movie reboots can often feel flat at best, and downright cringey at worst. But when done well, they can offer fresh perspectives to classic stories, especially when told through a different lens.

Take “One Day at a Time” or “Cheaper by the Dozen” for instance. These remakes allowed underrepresented families to be portrayed in the mainstream. This is more than for entertainment’s sake. Representation matters on a deep level, and a lack of it takes a toll on mental health—especially for kids and teens.

Though normally the announcement of (yet another) Hollywood remake makes me question if there really are no more ideas left in the world, I’m actually excited about this one.

Hours ago, Aimee Mann revealed she had been dropped from a Steely Dan tour, writing on Instagram, “No one is entirely sure why, but it seems they thought their audience wouldn’t like a female singer-songwriter?” Now, the band’s Donald Fagen has responded, and as far as Mann’s status as a “female singer-songwriter” being the reason she was cut, it appears she was only right about the “singer-songwriter” part.

Fagen told Rolling Stone:

“Well, first of all, the idea that I would make any decision based on the gender of a performer is ridiculous. That’s something that would never even occur to me. […] There was a communication problem on our end. I was misinformed as to how firm the commitment was to any particular opening act. And, although I have the greatest respect for Aimee as a writer and performer, I thought it might not be the best match-up in terms of musical style. […] But I can’t pass the buck. I’ll take the blame for the screw-up. I apologize for any distress this has caused Aimee and her fans.”

In her post, Mann also wrote, “As it happens, Steely Dan is the one band that I 100% love, with no reservations, so it really sucks. But you know what? People are allowed to not like you, for whatever reason.”

The Cleveland Browns were informed on Thursday that they were no longer under consideration for a Deshaun Watson trade, as the disgraced Texans QB has reportedly set his sights on one of the NFC South teams pursuing his services.

That sends the Browns back to the drawing board having fully burned the bridge between them and former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield, who was not pleased with the team’s decision to pursue Watson and made that clear. The Browns have likewise indicated they want to move on from Mayfield, with ESPN’s Chris Mortenson reporting they want “an adult” at quarterback.

All of this came to a head on Thursday afternoon when Mayfield made an official trade request to the Browns, releasing a statement to ESPN’s Adam Schefter that it’s in the best interest of both sides to move on.

However, the Browns quickly offered a rebuttal to Mayfield’s request, informing his agency that they were not going to accommodate it and planned on entering next season with him still under center.

This could simply be the Browns desperately trying to salvage some kind of leverage in trade talks and maintain what little value Mayfield may still have on the market, but with the star under contract for another year, it very well could be something they’re willing to dig in on and make him play it out. That obviously wouldn’t be the ideal scenario for a team with playoff hopes, but with the top quarterbacks on the market all headed elsewhere, Cleveland doesn’t have a ton of options to find a replacement for Mayfield.

It’s possible things change and they get into discussions about Jimmy Garoppolo or maybe even Matt Ryan, should the Falcons (who also pursued Deshaun Watson) be looking to move on from their veteran signal-caller. Mayfield apparently has his eyes on the Colts, while Seattle may have some interest in him (if the price is right).

Whatever the case, the drama involving Baker and the Browns isn’t ending anytime soon and things may only get uglier before a resolution is reached.

For the past month or so, Kanye West has been making life apparently difficult for Kim Kardashian as he lashes out over their recent divorce. It’s gotten downright concerning at times — so much so that outside observers like Trevor Noah have taken to using their case as an object lesson in the sort of behavior that frightens women into staying in toxic or abusive relationships (Kanye didn’t like that very much, getting himself suspended from Instagram while Noah tried to show empathy for the obviously hurting rapper).

Through it all, though, Kardashian has handled the situation about as gracefully as can be expected, imploring Kanye to take their dirty laundry offline and change the narrative. She was asked about this tendency on Ellen today, where the host noted that she “always protects him because of the kids.”

Kim admitted that dealing with Kanye is difficult but also explained why she hasn’t thrown him under the bus yet. “I think that’s just who I am and I always saw such a good example in my mom and my dad in their relationship, so I’m always just hopeful,” she said. “No matter what goes on, it’s the father of my kids. I’ll always be protective. I always want my kids to just see the best of the best. So I just try to — as hard as it can be sometimes — ignore it and just try to do whatever’s best for the kids… Take the high road.”

Although she’s done a relatively decent brushing off her ex-husband’s Instagram tantrums, that doesn’t mean she’s handled every situation perfectly. Kardashian was has been trolled for the past week after a promo interview for her family’s new Hulu-based reality show went viral. In the clip, Kim offers her “advice” for success: “get up and work” — which rang more than a little tone-deaf considering she was basically born wealthy and mostly makes money by slapping her name on various products promoted by her and her family’s reality TV empire. Two things can be true, right?

You can watch the Ellen clip above.

Any self-respecting Radiohead fan oughta be made familiar with The Smile. For the uninitiated, it’s the spinoff group of Radiohead braintrust Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, along with Sons Of Kemet drummer Tim Skinner, and with production by Radiohead’s go-to man on the boards, Nigel Godrich. Today, the group has shared its third single, “Skrtng On The Surface,” and it might just be the best offering yet from this enigmatic supergroup.

Whereas raucous lead single “You Will Never Work In Television Again” had a distinct punk sensibility, “Skrtng On The Surface” is more akin to second single “The Smoke,” with pronounced strings and cinematic horns. Greenwood’s deliberate guitar picking nestle up against Skinner’s chill drum beat. Yorke is at his best, singing spookily as a stoic and stingy clarinet bellows in the background.

The black-and-white video was filmed in 16mm format by Director Mark Jenkin in an abandoned tin mine off the rocky shores of Cornwall in the Southwestern England. Yorke is a weary spelunker in the clip, trying to find his way from an underground pool of water back up to the surface; almost as if he’s seeking revenge on whoever put him there in the first place. The film for the clip was developed by hand in water from the mine and it’s a marvelous artistic touch.

Watch the “Skrtng On The Surface” video above.

Lil Nas X is back on social media and already treating the fans. In a new video, the “Industry Baby” rapper shared a snippet of a new track.

On the synth-infused track, Lil Nas X boasts about his accomplishments, rapping, “I’m doing real sh*t / Some never worried about a bill sh*t / That build a house on the hills sh*t.” He’s not worried about a thing, as he believes “the money’s gravy / It’s coming crazy.”

Lil Nas X didn’t confirm a name for the track, but the video, shared to TikTok and Twitter today, was captioned “LEAN ON MY BODY!”

The rapper also teased new music yesterday via Twitter, sharing screenshots of an audio player streaming collaborations with YoungBoy Never Broke Again and fellow gay rapper Saucy Santana, titled “Late To The Party” and “Down Souf Hoes,” respectively. He also shared a snippet of a new song sampling “Black Cat” by Janet Jackson.

These teases follow a three-month hiatus from social media. Upon his return, he revealed his next album is “close to finished.” Production duo Take A Daytrip seemingly confirmed the “LEAN ON MY BODY!” snippet comes from a song from Lil Nas X’s upcoming Montero follow-up.

YoungBoy Never Broke Again is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Ahead of the premiere of her Driving Home 2 U: A Sour Film, Olivia Rodrigo just revealed the official trailer for the upcoming documentary. Driving Home 2 U sees the “Good 4 U” singer driving from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, recounting the making of her debut album, Sour.

Released last May, Sour has spawned several hits, including the chart-topping “Good 4 U” and breakout hit “Drivers License,” as well as fan favorites “Brutal,” “Traitor,” and “Deja Vu.”

Driving Home 2 U gives fans an inside look at the production of the album, including never-before-seen footage, interviews, and live performances of Sour tracks backed by an all-woman band. Fans will also hear their favorite songs with all-new arrangements, as well as a brand new track.

Earlier this month, ET reported that Rodrigo will have a reduced role in the upcoming third season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. This is presumable due to the fact that she is already hard at work on her sophomore album.

Rodrigo told Billboard of her next album, “I have a title for my next album and a few songs. It’s really exciting to think about the next world that’s coming up for me. I just love writing songs. I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself. [I want to] just sort of explore and have fun right now.”

Check out the trailer above.

Driving Home 2 U: A Sour Film streams 3/25 on Disney+.