Nationwide — Zoe Saldaña won her first-ever Golden Globe on Sunday, January 5th, at the 82nd annual ceremony in Los Angeles. She made history as the only Black actor to win that night, taking home the award for her supporting role in Emilia Pérez.
The ceremony, held at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, honored top performances in film and television. Several African American stars, including Denzel Washington, Cynthia Erivo, Zendaya, Jamie Foxx, Quinta Brunson, Donald Glover, and Colman Domingo were nominated, but Saldaña was the only one to win, according to iHeart.
Viola Davis received the Cecil B. DeMille Award, recognizing her contributions to the world of entertainment, at a separate gala two days before the main event.
Saldaña earned the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Emilia Pérez, the most-nominated film of the night. In the film, she plays a lawyer who helps a drug lord fake their death and undergo gender-affirming surgery.
During her emotional acceptance speech, Saldaña said, “I’m filled with adrenaline, but my heart is full of gratitude.”
Saldaña’s win came in a competitive category, with other nominees including her Emilia Pérez costar Selena Gomez, Wicked’s Ariana Grande, The Brutalist’s Felicity Jones, The Substance’s Margaret Qualley, and Conclave’s Isabella Rossellini.
Nationwide — Kirk Franklin has apologized to the Christian community for his outfit and dance moves during his performance at a Jamaican concert. In a YouTube video posted this past December, the gospel singer addressed the controversies that sparked reactions during his 2024 performances.
Franklin performed at the Fun in the Son concert in Jamaica last April, where his outfit drew criticism from local ministers. In his recent 16-minute YouTube video, he explained that he and his team chose the outfit to suit the weather but didn’t realize it would be viewed as disrespectful, according to WBLS.
Franklin also addressed backlash over his dance moves, particularly during a performance with Bishop Marvin Sapp. He shared clips from the performance and clarified that the energetic choreography was his idea, with Sapp joining in willingly.
“I’ve spent most of my career dancing and moving around and jumping on stage that I didn’t know that I would ever do anything that would ever offend anyone in any community, but it did. And because it did, I sincerely apologize,” Franklin said.
Franklin, who is now 54 years old, expressed regret over offending anyone, emphasizing his commitment to personal growth and humility. He said he remains open to learning from others and wants his actions to reflect his faith.
“It doesn’t matter what my goal and intent is, if I’m louder than the message of Jesus, then I failed,” he continued.
Franklin is a highly awarded gospel artist, with 32 Grammy nominations, 20 wins, and several other accolades, including BET and GMA Dove Awards.
Nationwide — Allison Holker, the widow of beloved entertainer Stephen “tWitch” Boss, is facing backlash for revelations she made about her late husband, with critics accusing her of tarnishing his legacy as a Black man instead of protecting it. Boss, known for his charismatic presence on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and his celebrated dance career, tragically died by suicide in December 2022 at the age of 40. Holker, 36, has since detailed his private struggles in a new memoir and a recent interview with People, sparking outrage for exposing deeply personal details that some argue should have remained private.
During the interview, Holker disclosed that she discovered a hidden stash of drugs, including pills and mushrooms, in Boss’s shoeboxes while preparing for his funeral. “It was a really triggering moment,” she said, describing her shock at uncovering the secret. Holker also shared entries from Boss’s journals that alluded to childhood sexual abuse and his attempts to self-medicate. Critics contend that such revelations betray her late husband’s memory, casting a shadow over his life instead of celebrating his accomplishments.
Holker insists that her intentions are rooted in raising awareness about mental health, but detractors argue that her decision to publicly share Boss’s private struggles is unnecessary and damaging. “He was wrestling with a lot inside himself,” Holker explained, describing how Boss hid his pain from even those closest to him. For many, however, her candor feels like an exploitation of her late husband’s vulnerability, particularly given the context of his legacy as a prominent Black entertainer who inspired millions.
The backlash has been especially pointed among those who feel Holker, a white woman, has a responsibility to protect and preserve the dignity of her late husband’s story. They argue that exposing such details reinforces harmful stereotypes about Black men and detracts from the joy and inspiration that Boss brought to so many lives. “Why air his deepest secrets when he’s no longer here to explain his side?” one critic questioned.
In her defense, Holker emphasizes that she hopes her transparency will help others struggling with similar issues. She describes feeling empathy for Boss after learning about his internal battles and believes sharing his story could save lives. “I really hope people dealing with the same thing will help themselves out of the shadows,” she said. However, many argue that her approach comes at the expense of her husband’s dignity and legacy, raising questions about whether it was her story to tell.
As Holker continues to promote her book, This Far: My Story of Love, Loss, and Embracing the Light, critics are divided over whether her revelations are courageous or exploitative. While some appreciate her efforts to spark conversations about mental health, others see her actions as deeply disrespectful. For now, the debate over how to honor Boss’s legacy—without tarnishing his memory—remains a contentious topic among fans and critics alike.
OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said he expects to pass most of President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda with one “big, beautiful bill” by Memorial Day.
During an interview on Fox News, Johnson said that Republicans would attempt to include as many policy matters as possible in a massive reconciliation bill to sidestep the 60-vote threshold required to pass most legislation in the Senate.
A simple majority, or 50 votes, is needed in the upper house to pass reconciliation legislation.
“We’re 15 days out from the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump for his second term. And we want to make sure that we’re jump-starting the agenda now over the next two weeks, so that he’s prepared and ready on day one. We have a lot to do, as you know. And we have been putting all the plays together and figuring out the sequence of how we’re going to run those plays. And we’re really excited about it,” Johnson said.
“At the end of the day, President Trump is going to prefer, as he likes to say, one big, beautiful bill. And there’s a lot of merit to that, because we can put it all together, one big up-or-down vote, which can save the country, quite literally, because there are so many elements to it. And it’ll give us a little bit more time to negotiate that and get it right,” Johnson added.
Johnson stated that he will immediately bring certain “low-hanging fruit” proposals on the floor for a vote, including those that deal with the border. However, Johnson stated that the reconciliation package will also include tax cuts, energy permitting reform, and measures related to immigration and deportation.
According to Johnson, Trump also requested that the debt ceiling be resolved by June.
“I think we’re going to have to do it in that bill,” Johnson said about raising or eliminating the debt ceiling.
Asked for a “realistic timeline” for getting the large bill to the president’s desk, Johnson said it would happen “certainly by May, yes.”
Johnson said Republicans are “targeting a vote in the House maybe in the first week of April,” adding that the vote may come “maybe as soon as April 3, and then move it over to the Senate.”
“That would put that bill on the president’s desk for signature by the end of April. That would be fantastic,” Johnson said. “And, in a worst-case scenario, Memorial Day.”
Johnson expressed his belief that combining several legislative issues into a single bill would lessen the possibility of losing members’ support.
“A lot of moving pieces, a lot of things to negotiate, a lot of opinions on all that, so we will be working long, long hours with whiteboards, making sure every Republican is on board, because, remember, I will be dealing with the smallest margin in U.S. history for much of the first 100 days. But we’re going to get it done.”
WATCH:
He also spoke about the president-elect’s agenda and how they plan to accomplish it.
“We’re ready,” Johnson said. “Look, I think we’re going to get this done. Everybody here in the House Republican Conference understands the necessity of the moment, the urgency of the hour. They know we don’t have time for games and palace intrigue. We’ve got a lot of very important work to do. We have to deliver on the America First agenda.
“We got a mandate in the election. President Trump got 77 million votes and House Republicans almost 75 million. That was a record for us. And that’s a message that we’ve got to stick together. And if we stay unified, no matter how small our margin — and it will be probably the smallest in U.S. history for a short period — we’ve got to get this done, and I think we will,” he said.
He went on to explain that he was not thrilled with the deals he had to make with Democrats to get legislation done in the House but blamed the thin majority Republicans have, which just got smaller, for having to make those concessions.
James Woods caυsed a stir wheп he appeared oп the famoυs TV show The View aпd did пot hesitate to criticize Whoopi Goldberg. Iп a coпtroversial statemeпt, James Woods called Whoopi “oпe of the worst characters oп televisioп”, shockiпg the aυdieпce aпd gυests iп the stυdio.
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This iпcideпt was пot oпly a persoпal coпfroпtatioп bυt also highlighted deep differeпces iп views oп moderп media aпd eпtertaiпmeпt. No matter whose side yoυ’re oп, there’s пo deпyiпg that both James Woods aпd Whoopi Goldberg created a memorable momeпt iп televisioп history.
The dark and chilling murder of 10-year-old Sara Sharif sent shockwaves globally, sparking widespread outrage against her father Ufran Sharif, who confessed to brutally killing his young daughter.
But the story doesn’t end with the “campaign of torture” leading to Sara’s death. The details of the tragedy are incredibly disturbing.
Behind bars, “word quickly got round about who [Ufran] was,” and the “sadistic” child killer was ambushed by fellow inmates, taking justice into their own hands.
On August 8, 2023, the world was left heartbroken when the story of Sara Sharif, a bright and loving 10-year-old girl, unfolded in the headlines.
The young girl “was hooded, burned and beaten during a ‘campaign of torture’ that lasted two years before her body was found at the family home in Woking, Surrey,” according to BBC.
When police arrived at the home, they found Sara in a bunkbed along with a confession letter – confirmed to be in her father’s handwriting – which read: “Whoever see this note, it’s me Urfan Sharif who killed my daughter by beating. I am running away because I am scared.”
Before explaining that he would “be back before the postmortem,” he shared “I swear to God that my intention was not to kill her. But I lost it.”
Equally shocking is that Sara’s father and two other family members fled to Pakistan the day before her body was found.
Following a weekslong international manhunt for those responsible in her horrific killing, Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, her dad, 42, and stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, were charged.
‘She died because of me’
Courts heard that Sara had more than 70 injuries, including injuries to her ribs, shoulder blades, fingers and 11 fractures to her spine, a puncture wound to the head, a traumatic brain injury, a burn on her buttock caused by a domestic iron, and human bite marks.
Since the arrest, the trio denied any involvement, but in court, Urfan changed his narrative and admitted that “she died because of me.”
On December 17, 2024, Sharif received a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years, and Batool was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 33 years. During sentencing, Mr. Justice Cavanagh described their actions as “a campaign of torture” marked by ” the degree of cruelty involved is almost inconceivable.” Malik was sentenced to 16 years in prison for causing or allowing the death of a child.
Sara’s birth mother, Olga Domin, issued a statement that was read in court.
Calling the three suspects “sadists,” she said “Although even this word is not enough for you. I would say you are executioners.”
Next, she addressed her daughter and said: “She is now an angel who looks down on us from heaven. She is no longer experiencing violence.”
The inmate code
Upon entering prison, Sharif faced the harrowing reality of life among hardened criminals. Often it is understood that murderers and convicts live under a peculiar code, one that despises crimes against children.
Urfan’s reputation as a child murderer sealed his fate and stories of his crime circulated within the prison walls, branding him a marked man.
Speaking with the Sun, a source explained that since arriving at South London’s HMP Belmarsh, known as Britain’s Guantanamo Bay, “Sharif has tried to keep his head down.”
“But word quickly got round about who he was…Inmates were not happy he is in there with them and, although the other prisoners are in for heinous crimes, a lot of them don’t like people who attack children.”
And on New Year’s Day, only weeks into his life sentence, two prisoners who “were sickened by his abuse of Sara,” ambushed Ufran with a jagged tuna can lid.
“Urfan was sliced up badly in his cell by two others who rushed in. It was planned and they used a makeshift weapon – made from the lid of a tin of tuna. He was sliced in the neck and face and is still in healthcare and in a very bad way,” an insider told the publication of the child killer, who survived the strike.
“He was lucky to survive, has had to have stitches and will have scars as a permanent reminder of the attack. The guards tried to keep him safe because he obviously had a target on his back after the case was such big news.”
The source added, “Something like this was always on the cards, and an attack was probably only a matter of time…A lot of them are saying how it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving guy.”
Recent reports allege that one of Ufran’s attackers is inmate Steve Sansom, who’s serving a life sentence for murdering and dismembering Sarah Mayhew, 38, in 2024. In 1999, Sansom was also convicted for the murder of cab driver Terrence Boyle, 59.
What are your thoughts on the attack against Ufran in prison? Please let us know what you think and then share this story with your friends so we can hear what they have to say!
Raymond Burr rose to become one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors. The Canadian appeared in more than 90 productions throughout his life, including Rear Window and A Cry in the Night. Of course, he primarily rose to fame through the role of Perry Mason in the crime drama with the same name.
While Burr solved mysteries and crimes on television, his private life was a big mystery itself. The actor, in fact, lived a secret life as a homosexual. At the time, that alone could have tragically ended his career had it became known to the public.
So what happened to Raymond Burr? And did he lie about being married simply to keep up his facade? Here’s all you need to know about the legendary actor, branded “one of the most recognizable and admired actors in the world.”
Being whoever you want to be should be every man and women’s right, no matter their background, religion, or anything else. Looking back over history, of course, that hasn’t always been the case.
Raymond Burr
Now, no one should be judged for or treated differently for the way they choose to live. In the end, we are all humans. We are all equal.
For legendary actor Raymond Burr, his sexuality became a pretty big obstacle during the height of his career – or at least that was his way of thinking. Nevertheless, he became one of the most prominent actors in Hollywood during the course of his long and successful career. All the while, he kept a secret that he never revealed.
Put simply, he was afraid of telling the world that he was gay since he believed it would have cost him his entire career.
Burr’s life was filled with secrets. At times, he even told lies to appear to be a person he wasn’t. In the end, though, Burr truly loved people, and made sure to give his love to everyone he could.
Here’s all you need to know about the legendary actor’s life!
John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
Raymond Burr was born on May 21, 1917, in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. His father moved the family to China for five years when he was only a toddler. Sadly, at age six, his parents divorced.
Raymond and his mother moved to Vallejo, California. When the Great Depression happened, he decided to drop out of school, and took several odd jobs to support his younger siblings and mother – during this time, he worked as a ranch hand, a nightclub singer, and a deputy sheriff.
Raymond Burr – early life and acting
Burr attended junior high school in Berkeley, where he first started performing operettas with the drama society. At the age of 12, he did radio dramas in the San Francisco area, and it was clear that he had a raw talent for acting.
Burr had always been interested in films and theater. At age 16, he attended the Pasadena Playhouse to formally begin his acting career.
He continued his journey towards stardom while attending a military academy, before returning to Canada to star in productions in Toronto. He also joined a repertory company in England, where he mastered his skills.
“This is the kind of its that you have before you’re 20,” he explained. “Somebody asks you to play Macbeth, you say, ‘I’ll be ready tomorrow.’ Now I’d say, ‘Yes, but I need a year to work on it.”
He later decided to move to New York City, where he acted and taught drama at Columbia University. It was at that time he landed his Broadway debut in the production Crazy With the Heat.
With his family enduring trouble on the financial side of things, at age 19, Burr hit the jackpot. According to a short in the Sacramento Bee from 1936, he was the sole heir to an “extensive estate” in England, most likely on his father’s side (his father was of Irish descent).
Burr also took classes at Stanford University – where he played baseball – and The University of California.
Worked with many legends
After a brief stint in the Navy during World War II, Burr made his film debut in San Quentin in 1946. In his early career, most roles involved him being the bad guy.
He starred as the prosecuting attorney in the 1951 film A Place in the Sun, the killer in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Rear Window, and even a kidnapper in A Cry in the Night. Burr appeared in films opposite legends such as Frank Sinatra, Erol Flynn, Jerry Lewis, and Natalie Wood. The actor even starred in the first American-made Godzilla film, Godzilla: King of the Monsters! in 1956.
However, the same year Godzilla was released, Burr began a new journey as an actor, making the transition into television.
He appeared as the trial lawyer and detective Perry Mason in the series of the same name in 1956. Raymond starred as the lead for 271 episodes, spanning over seven years, helping to escalate himself to legendary status.
He became closely identified with Mason, inspired by the murder-mysteries of author Erle Stanley Gardner. Burr won two Emmy awards for the role, first in 1959 for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series, and then in 1961, for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead).
Bruce Bailey/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
He was nominated for an Emmy an additional six times.
Not only that, but the great success of Perry Mason as a television series helped it translate into films. Burr starred as Mason in 20 television films throughout his life – the last one aired the same year he passed away.
“I couldn’t be married, have a family, even have friends”
Years later, however, Burr admitted his regret at having done the show in the first place. He said it prevented him from living everyday life like a normal person.
“I’m sorry I spent nine years of my life tying myself down,” he said. “I couldn’t be married, have a family, even have friends.”
In 1967, Burr was cast in the NBC television drama Ironside. Raymond starred as the San Francisco Chief of Detectives Robert T. Ironside, who was injured in the first episode and left in a wheelchair. It became the first drama series featuring a movie star as a disabled police officer. Ultimately, the show was a huge success, running until 1975 and only getting canceled after nearly 200 episodes.
Burr continued to star in films and television until 1993, when he sadly passed away from kidney cancer. The legendary actor had been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.
Yet despite his accolades and achievements, Burr’s life was something of a mystery while he was alive. After his passing, new details about his life as one of the major Hollywood stars came to light.
It came to light that Raymond had, in fact, been gay, but didn’t tell anyone because it could’ve ruined his career.
Martin Mills/Getty Images
In 2009, New York Post writer Michael Starr released the Burr biography Hiding in Plain Sight: The Secret Life of Raymond Burr, which detailed the actor’s career, including his secret life.
Raymond Burr – marriages, children, tragedies
As he grew to fame, journalists and the public became increasingly interested in Burr’s private life. He said that he had lost his wife, Annette Sutherland, in a 1943 plane crash, and his second marriage to Isabella Ward had ended in divorce.
Furthermore, Burr claimed that his only child, Michael Evan, passed away in 1953 from leukemia. Two years later, his third wife, Laura Morgan, passed away from cancer.
“I once had a long relationship with a lady, and wherever I went in the world, if I saw something she would look great in, a gown or gloves or a ring, I always knew what color she liked most,” Raymond Burr explained.
“I knew her size, what material she appreciated most, and I spent the whole time buying gifts for her. And I loved her very much. At Christmas, she had 12 pairs of socks made for me. They were hand-knit, and they were cashmere, but the socks were all green, the one color I didn’t like, and they were all the wrong size.”
“You find out how little you mean to someone,” he added.
It was a very tragic story. Yet, as the years went by, it turned out that pretty much the entire thing was fabricated. Neither the wives nor his son Michael had ever existed.
Burr was indeed legally married to actress Isabella Ward between 1948 and 1952. However, Ward never heard him mention Sutherland or his son during their brief marriage.
When asked questions about his tragic family past, he simply answered: “I don’t discuss that.”
Raymond Burr hid his sexuality
Perry Mason producer Art Marks also claimed that it was a cover-up for his true self.
“I know he was genuine in liking and disliking people; I don’t think he hid that,” Marks told author Michael Starr in the Hiding in Plain Sight biography.
“But I just know he was putting on a show for the other things about wives and children. That was my gut feeling. I think the wives and the loving women, the Natalie Wood thing, were a bit of a cover.”
In a 1957 interview with the Miami Herald, he was asked if he was married. He stated:
“I’m an unmarried man, as opposed to a single man. A bachelor, according to the dictionary, is a man who has never been married. An unmarried man is not married at the moment. Many of these terms have fallen into misuse. Anyway, there is no wife waiting for you when you return from the studio.”
However, Raymond’s talk of marriage was a smokescreen for his sexuality.
In his memoir Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars, the well-known “introducer” and bartender Scotty Bowers revealed how he served as a middle-man, introducing several Hollywood stars to each other, with the aim for them to engage in sexual encounters.
Was “frequently introduced” to young gay men
“I’m not putting them down or saying they were bad people,” Bowers said. “I’m merely saying what they did, like with Raymond Burr and Bob Benevides, I’m not trying to hurt anybody.”
Bowers wrote about Burr, claiming that he introduced him to actor Robert Benevides, who became Raymond’s life partner for 33 years, up until Burr’s passing.
In a 2012 piece from LA Weekly, Benevides confirmed everything to the extent that he knew personally. He also added that Bowers “frequently introduced” young gay guys to older men like Raymond Burr.
“Scotty Bowers is the most honest person I’ve known, with the best memory for names and places I’ve ever seen,” he says. “If he tells you that something happened to somebody, that’s the way it was.”
Raymond worked as an actor up until his death. He passed away age 76 on September 12, 1993, in Geyserville, California. Burr reportedly left his $32 million estate to Benevides. At the time of his passing, he had a net worth of around $15 million.
Even though Burr never married or had a family surrounding him in his last years, he created his own, very special family tree throughout his life.
“Adopted” 25 children worldwide
As reported by the Spokesman-Review in 1986, Burr “adopted” 25 children from various parts of the world during his television years. He made sure to help those that really needed it the most; Burr wrote to the children and even visited each of them personally several times.
In addition, he helped their families with anything he could, including money for medical expenses, food, school fees, as well as sending them seasonal gifts.
Moreover, Raymond sent money and gifts through the Foster Parents’ Plan. The children came from such places as Vietnam, Italy, and even a remote island in Naituaba, Fiji. From that island, he brought children to America, where they continued their education and later returned.
Burr told many lies during his life. But just why did he? Well, regarding his sexuality, he believed it might have seriously hurt his career. According to his biographer, it there are three possible reasons to consider.
“One, to forge a sympathetic image for a big-screen heavy trying to soften his tough-guy façade. Two, to cover up and muddle the issue of his sexuality. And three, because it was Raymond himself who needed people to pity him,” Michael Starr, the author of Hiding in Plain Sight: The Secret Life of Raymond Burr, said.
Burr became a Hollywood icon, and even though he lived a life full of lies, he became somewhat of a pioneer, inspiring others to speak out. He also made sure to help children in need, and for that, we are eternally grateful.
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In a world where celebrity relationships are often spotlighted, Tom Holland and Zendaya have managed to maintain a sense of privacy and mutual respect that many admire. One particularly poignant moment came during an interview just before their engagement, where Holland was asked why he doesn’t walk the red carpet with Zendaya at her premieres.
His response was simple yet powerful:
“Because it’s not my moment, it’s her moment, and if we go together, it’s about us.”
That sentiment struck a chord with many, highlighting a deeper, often overlooked aspect of relationships. In a society that thrives on competition and personal visibility, Tom’s words remind us that love isn’t always about being in the spotlight. Sometimes, it’s about stepping back to let the other person shine and being content in supporting them from the sidelines.
This approach to love—recognizing that someone else’s triumph doesn’t diminish your own value—is a refreshing perspective in an age where attention is often a zero-sum game. It’s about knowing that being a partner means celebrating the other person’s achievements, without needing to steal their thunder. As Tom put it, it’s about “being proud from the sidelines,” cheering them on as if their success were your own.
Tom Holland: Career and Highlights
Tom Holland, born on June 1, 1996, in London, England, first rose to global fame as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), making his debut in Captain America: Civil War (2016). Since then, he has become one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors, known for his energetic portrayal of the iconic superhero. Holland’s career has spanned a variety of genres, including action-packed blockbusters like Chaos Walking (2021) and heartfelt dramas like The Impossible (2012), which earned him critical acclaim for his performance as a young boy caught in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
Beyond his role as Spider-Man, Holland has showcased his versatility with diverse roles, including his part in the Netflix film The Devil All the Time (2020), and his collaboration with Mark Wahlberg in Uncharted (2022). Through it all, he has kept a down-to-earth persona that has endeared him to fans and industry peers alike.
Zendaya: Career and Highlights
Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, known mononymously as Zendaya, is an actress, singer, and producer whose rise to fame has been nothing short of meteoric. Born on September 1, 1996, in Oakland, California, she first gained widespread recognition through the Disney Channel series Shake It Up (2010-2013). However, it was her portrayal of Rue Bennett in the critically acclaimed HBO series Euphoria (2019–present) that solidified her place as one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. Her performance in Euphoria won her multiple accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, making her the youngest winner in that category.
Zendaya’s career also extends into music, fashion, and entrepreneurship. She has become a style icon, frequently gracing magazine covers and red carpets, and is a vocal advocate for issues like diversity and mental health. In addition to her acting and modeling work, Zendaya co-produced the hit Netflix film Malcolm & Marie (2021), showcasing her multifaceted talents.
The Relationship: Zendaya and Tom Holland
While both Zendaya and Tom Holland have maintained relatively private personal lives, their relationship became public in 2021 after paparazzi photos surfaced showing them kissing. Their chemistry on-screen in the Spider-Man films had already sparked rumors of a romance, but both stars had kept their connection under wraps for years.
What has been particularly refreshing about their relationship is the way they support one another. Tom’s quote about letting Zendaya have her moment on the red carpet speaks volumes about the dynamics of their partnership. Their love story is not one of competition, but of mutual respect, trust, and understanding.
In a world where many relationships can feel transactional or based on competition, the Holland-Zendaya dynamic is a gentle reminder of what true partnership looks like—one where both individuals are celebrated and uplifted, even if it means stepping back to let the other person take the spotlight.
The Takeaway
Tom Holland’s remark encapsulates a lesson we can all take to heart. In both romantic and platonic relationships, it’s important to remember that supporting others doesn’t require making everything about you. Sometimes, the greatest act of love is being there, cheering from the sidelines, and appreciating someone’s moment of success as if it were your own. In a world that often prioritizes individual achievement, this kind of humility and respect is rare—and it’s something we should all strive to cultivate.
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Oweпs’ Call for Actioп
Dυriпg a receпt episode of her podcast, Oweпs addressed the oпgoiпg coпtroversy over Lia Thomas, a traпsgeпder swimmer who has competed iп NCAA womeп’s eveпts. Oweпs, kпowп for her υпapologetic views oп cυltυral aпd political issυes, didп’t hold back iп her critiqυe.
“Womeп have foυght for decades to have their owп spaces iп sports, aпd пow we’re watchiпg that beiпg takeп away,” Oweпs said. “Lia Thomas is пot a womaп iп the biological seпse, aпd allowiпg someoпe like her to compete agaiпst biological females is υпfair.”
Oweпs fυrther argυed that the iпclυsioп of traпsgeпder athletes iп womeп’s sports is detrimeпtal to female athletes who have worked tirelessly to compete oп a level playiпg field. She called oп goverпiпg bodies to take immediate actioп to preserve the iпtegrity of womeп’s sports.
“If we doп’t staпd υp пow, we’ll see the eпd of womeп’s sports as we kпow it. It’s time for policies that protect female athletes from υпfair competitioп,” Oweпs added.
Lia Thomas aпd the Oпgoiпg Debate
Lia Thomas became a polariziпg figυre iп 2022 after becomiпg the first traпsgeпder womaп to wiп aп NCAA Divisioп I swimmiпg champioпship. Her victory sparked widespread debates over whether traпsgeпder athletes shoυld be allowed to compete iп womeп’s sports.
Sυpporters of Thomas argυe that traпsgeпder womeп have the right to compete iп categories that aligп with their geпder ideпtity, poiпtiпg to the importaпce of iпclυsivity iп sports. However, critics like Oweпs believe that biological differeпces betweeп meп aпd womeп give traпsgeпder womeп aп υпfair advaпtage iп competitioп, especially iп streпgth-based sports.
The debate isп’t jυst aboυt swimmiпg. Across varioυs sports, iпclυdiпg track aпd field, cycliпg, aпd weightliftiпg, the participatioп of traпsgeпder athletes has beeп met with both sυpport aпd backlash. The Iпterпatioпal Olympic Committee (IOC) aпd other goverпiпg bodies have strυggled to create policies that balaпce iпclυsivity with fairпess.
A Divided Pυblic Reactioп
Oweпs’ commeпts have sparked fierce reactioпs oпliпe, with sυpporters praisiпg her for defeпdiпg female athletes aпd critics accυsiпg her of promotiпg exclυsioп aпd iпtoleraпce.
Oпe Twitter υser wrote:
“Caпdace Oweпs is right. Womeп deserve fair competitioп, aпd allowiпg Lia Thomas to compete is a slap iп the face to every female athlete who traiпed for years.”
However, others were qυick to pυsh back:
“Oweпs’ rhetoric is harmfυl. Traпsgeпder athletes deserve respect aпd iпclυsioп. This isп’t aboυt fairпess; it’s aboυt hυmaп rights.”
The divide reflects a broader societal debate aboυt geпder ideпtity, fairпess, aпd iпclυsioп iп sports — a debate that shows пo sigпs of slowiпg dowп.
Policy Chaпges oп the Horizoп?
Several sports orgaпizatioпs have already begυп revisiпg their policies oп traпsgeпder athletes. Iп Jυпe 2022, FINA, the iпterпatioпal swimmiпg federatioп, voted to restrict traпsgeпder womeп from competiпg iп elite womeп’s eveпts υпless they traпsitioпed before the age of 12.
Other orgaпizatioпs, iпclυdiпg World Athletics aпd the Iпterпatioпal Cycliпg Uпioп, have also implemeпted stricter rυles regardiпg traпsgeпder participatioп iп womeп’s categories.
However, Oweпs believes these measυres doп’t go far eпoυgh.
“It’s пot aboυt wheп someoпe traпsitioпs; it’s aboυt biology. We пeed to stop preteпdiпg that scieпce doesп’t matter iп sports,” she said.
What’s Next for Womeп’s Sports?
The fυtυre of womeп’s sports haпgs iп the balaпce as orgaпizatioпs, athletes, aпd faпs grapple with how to address the iпclυsioп of traпsgeпder athletes. Oweпs’ commeпts have added more fυel to aп already heated debate, aпd it’s likely that goverпiпg bodies will face iпcreasiпg pressυre to clarify their policies.
For Oweпs, the aпswer is clear:
“We пeed to staпd υp for womeп’s rights iп sports. It’s пot aboυt hate or exclυsioп — it’s aboυt fairпess. Female athletes deserve better.”
As the discυssioп coпtiпυes, oпe thiпg is certaiп — the coпversatioп aroυпd fairпess, geпder ideпtity, aпd iпclυsioп iп sports is far from over.
A heated controversy erupted this week after musician Kid Rock bluntly criticized basketball star Brittney Griner over her perceived stance on American values. Rock’s sharp remarks—“If you don’t respect America, you don’t deserve to represent this place”—have drawn widespread attention and sparked an intense debate about patriotism, sportsmanship, and national identity.
The Incident
Kid Rock’s comments came during a recent podcast interview where he expressed frustration with Griner’s actions in the past, including her decision to remain seated during the national anthem in protest of social injustices. “How can someone represent this country on an international stage if they can’t even stand for the anthem?” Rock stated. “It’s disrespectful to every American who’s fought for our freedoms.”
Griner, who has previously been vocal about her support for social justice movements, reportedly reacted strongly to the criticism. According to sources close to the athlete, she was “screaming in frustration” when she heard Rock’s remarks.
Griner’s Response
In a statement released through her publicist, Griner defended her actions and reiterated her commitment to fighting for equality. “Standing for the anthem or sitting during it should never define someone’s love for their country,” she said. “I represent America every time I step onto the court, and I do so with pride, even as I fight to make it better for everyone.”
Griner’s supporters have rallied around her, arguing that patriotism is about more than symbolic gestures. “True patriotism means standing up for what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable,” said activist and former NBA player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Public Reaction
As the controversy gained traction, social media erupted with opinions from both sides. Fans of Kid Rock praised his straightforwardness, while others criticized his remarks as overly simplistic and dismissive of Griner’s perspective.
“Kid Rock has every right to his opinion, but dismissing someone’s patriotism based on a single act is unfair,” tweeted journalist Maria Sanchez. “Griner’s contributions on and off the court speak volumes about her dedication to this country.”
On the other hand, Rock’s supporters argue that national representation comes with a responsibility to honor American traditions. “You can’t pick and choose when to respect the country you’re representing,” said one Twitter user.
The clash between Griner and Rock highlights a larger cultural debate about the meaning of patriotism in modern America. Can acts of protest coexist with representing a nation on a global stage? Is patriotism defined by symbols like the flag and anthem, or by the principles they stand for?
Dr. Rebecca Collins, a political science professor at Georgetown University, weighed in on the issue. “This is a classic example of how patriotism is deeply personal and often polarizing,” she said. “Griner’s actions reflect a desire to improve the nation, while Rock’s comments echo a more traditional view of national pride.”
What’s Next?
As the debate rages on, both Griner and Rock seem unlikely to back down from their positions. Griner is set to return to the court next week, where all eyes will be on how she handles the renewed scrutiny. Meanwhile, Kid Rock continues to double down on his stance, stating on social media that he won’t apologize for “speaking the truth.”
