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Entertainment

Enes Kanter Freedom Details Natasha Cloud Clash That Led to Ejection and Intensified WNBA Pursuit [WATCH]

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom said Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud made a vulgar remark and repeatedly cursed before security removed him from Sunday night’s game against the Indiana Fever.

The confrontation unfolded near the baseline at Wintrust Arena on Aug. 23, 2026, as reported by Fox News.

Freedom said the exchange began after he celebrated a three-pointer by Fever guard Sophie Cunningham.

“Sophie Cunningham shot a three, and I put my hands up to celebrate,” Freedom said.

“Literally, a couple possessions later, Natasha came back and started screaming and yelling and said, ‘She’s not gonna sleep with you.’”

Freedom said he responded that he was not trying to sleep with Cunningham and was there to protect women and support her.

He believed his black shirt, which read, “WOMAN noun. adult human female,” contributed to Cloud’s reaction.

Video showed Cloud walking toward Freedom while yelling and pointing late in the third quarter.

Freedom stood, extended his arms, and stepped onto the court as security personnel and Sky players moved between them.

The confrontation came with 1:22 remaining in the third quarter, after Cloud scored inside and celebrated with teammate Aicha Coulibaly.

Freedom said Cloud then used profanity despite children and teenagers being present at the game.

Cloud was not made available during the team’s postgame press conference, and OutKick contacted her representative for further comment.

After the game, Cloud posted a message on Threads supporting the trans community, while Sky coach Tyler Marsh defended her as someone who protects the team and people who need protection.

Freedom insisted the exchange was not connected to transgender issues or his plans to pursue a place in the WNBA.

Even so, security ordered him to leave, and Freedom said staff members did not explain the decision when he asked why he was being removed.

Footage showed arena staff touching Freedom and exchanging intense words with him during the escort.

Freedom said he asked an employee not to touch him, but he ultimately cooperated because his 11 years in the NBA had shown him how difficult security work could become.

Freedom said the Sky knew before the game that he planned to attend. According to him, his manager contacted Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca and explained that they wanted to watch the game peacefully without creating drama, and Pagliocca responded, “Enjoy the game.”

The Fever defeated the Sky 113 to 90, with Clark scoring 37 points and Kelsey Mitchell adding 30.

Earlier that night, Freedom attended a rally outside the arena supporting Cunningham, who has faced protests and counterprotests since opposing transgender girls and women competing in female sports divisions.

Freedom announced earlier in the month that he intended to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft and challenge the league to clarify its eligibility standards.

The collective bargaining agreement says only women are eligible to play in the WNBA, but it does not publicly define the term or establish specific eligibility requirements for transgender athletes.

The WNBA said its anti-hate task force had discussed transgender athletes and online attacks after Freedom and former NBA player Royce White announced draft plans.

Freedom rejected the characterization of his campaign as hostile toward transgender people or the LGBTQ community and offered to meet directly with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

Freedom said the confrontation made him more determined to pursue the league and potentially face Cloud.

Although he had never spoken with her before the incident, he called Cloud an excellent player who improves both herself and the teammates around her.

A resurfaced clip of Golden State Valkyries player Gabby Williams saying she would welcome a trans player inspired Freedom to declare for the draft, he said.

Freedom, who said he is 34, believes he could play until 40 or 45 and identified the Fever as his preferred destination.

Freedom also claimed he was communicating with two former NBA players, three European players and three NBA G League players about similar plans.

He said the G League players cited a difference between earnings of $45,000 and a potential $1.4 million under the WNBA’s new salary structure.

Since announcing his plans, Freedom said he has received death threats, abusive messages and profanity.

He maintained that his campaign was not a right or left issue and said no current WNBA player, coach or league representative had contacted him, although he remained willing to discuss the matter with league leadership.

Entertainment

Actor John Barrowman Torched Over Business Class Rant: ‘Entitlement is Off the Scale’ [WATCH]

Scottish American actor John Barrowman is being roasted online after sharing a video about his recent business class experience. Many critics labelled the clip “ridiculous” and accused the actor of acting like a “diva”.

The Doctor Who star and former Dancing on Ice judge posted the video on X before later deleting it.

Barrowman complained about what he called “shady” service on an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to London, as reported by The New York Post.

His complaints focused partly on the lack of pajamas, which business class passengers receive complimentary on ultra-long-haul flights.

Barrowman filmed himself from his seat while pointing out that his father and husband were sitting behind him.

“Hi American [Airlines], we have paid for the flagship service,” he began. His comments made it clear that he expected a particular level of service because of the tickets they had purchased.

“My father and my husband behind and the tickets were very expensive, and we get on thinking we’d get pajamas with the flagship service,” Barrowman said.

He then questioned why the complimentary clothing apparently was not available throughout the business class cabin.

“Then you apparently only give them to the first two rows in business class. What’s that all about?” he asked in the video, continuing to air his frustration directly at American Airlines.

Barrowman, 59, then delivered a blunt assessment of the experience up to that point. “So far you’re not batting very high,” he said while continuing the complaint from his seat.

The Desperate Housewives actor also said there was a problem with his meal order. According to Barrowman, the cabin crew got the order incorrect and he was then told that the requested option was not available.

“Meal order wrong and then told we don’t have exactly what everyone else is getting on the flight when we all have flagship service.” That complaint added another issue to his criticism of the business class experience.

Reaction on X was divided, with some users defending Barrowman and arguing that passengers should receive the service for which they paid.

Others were considerably less sympathetic and mocked him for complaining publicly about pajamas and a meal order.

“To be fair, if you pay a lot of money for a service, then I’d expect the service I paid for,” one person commented on X.

The response supported Barrowman’s argument that the price of the tickets should come with the promised experience.

Another person also defended his decision to raise the issue, despite making clear that they were not a supporter of the actor.

“I’m in no way a fan of John Barrowman, but how do people have an issue with him asking for something he’s paid for?” the person wrote.

Other viewers were shocked by the tone and substance of the rant. “The entitlement is off the scale,” one person wrote in a particularly sharp response to the now-deleted video.

Another user leaned into sarcasm while reacting to Barrowman’s predicament. “Our thoughts are with John Barrowman at this difficult time,” the person wrote, mocking the level of distress conveyed in his complaint.

A third critic dismissed the pajama issue and suggested Barrowman could simply purchase his own.

“Stop moaning about a pair of pajamas; if you paid business class, you can afford a pair yourself!” the person wrote.

Barrowman also used the caption of his X post to criticize American Airlines further. He claimed that the experience reflected poor customer service and again took aim at the airline’s flagship offering.

“I find that shady and bad customer service. You’re supposed to be pushing this flagship and at the moment it’s not hitting the ball out of the park.”

Although some social media users agreed that a costly service should deliver what customers expect, the harsher reactions focused on Barrowman’s complaints about pajamas.

The video ultimately left him facing a wave of ridicule over the business class rant.

Entertainment

Meghan Markle’s Hollywood Dreams Crash Again as Netflix Role Reportedly Axed After UK Backlash [WATCH]

Meghan Markle has reportedly been removed from consideration for a role in Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen, only days after the possibility of her joining the show first emerged.

Royal biographer Tina Brown said the proposed casting had been withdrawn following an intense response in the UK.

Brown shared the update Saturday through her Fresh Hell Substack.

“I learned this morning that the casting of Meghan Markle in season 3 of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series ‘The Gentlemen’ has been withdrawn,” Brown wrote.

The Hollywood Reporter first detailed Brown’s comments.

Her account brought the prospective role to a swift halt shortly after reports suggested that Markle was in early discussions about joining the series.

Brown directly linked the withdrawal to the reaction in the UK.

She also presented the development as a troubling sign for Markle’s potential return to acting there.

“The backlash in the UK was so intense, it became untenable to go forward. This does not bode well for Meghan’s acting comeback in the UK.”

Brown is the former editor in chief of Vanity Fair and the New Yorker.

Fox News noted that her knowledge of both the entertainment industry and the British Royal Family is well established.

The London born career journalist is also a best selling author.

Her books include 2007’s The Diana Chronicles and 2022’s The Palace Papers.

Before Brown reported that the idea had been withdrawn, the Duchess of Sussex had been in early talks to appear in a third season of The Gentlemen.

That season has not yet been announced.

Ritchie’s program is a British action comedy series produced for Netflix.

The possibility of Markle becoming involved had attracted attention because it could have marked her return to acting.

Markle first gained public attention through her portrayal of lawyer Rachel Zane in the American legal drama Suits.

She appeared across seven seasons of the series.

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The discussions surrounding The Gentlemen also arrived as Markle and Harry were reportedly preparing to relocate their family from the U.S. to England.

Their move is planned for later this month.

The Daily Telegraph and the Sun newspapers first reported the relocation plans.

According to those reports, the couple intends to live in a private residence outside London rather than a Royal residence.

The planned move is expected to include the couple’s two children.

Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, are set to accompany Markle and Harry to England.

Both children are enrolled to begin attending a British school when the new academic year starts in September.

The family is expected to complete the move by the end of the month.

At the same time, Netflix is expected to issue its commissioning announcements next week.

The reported withdrawal means Markle is no longer under consideration for the prospective role, according to Brown’s account.

The rapid reversal came only days after the original possibility was raised.

Brown characterized the UK response as too intense for the proposed casting to continue.

The development leaves the anticipated third season of The Gentlemen unannounced and Markle’s possible involvement withdrawn.

It also undercuts the immediate prospect of an acting comeback in the UK as she prepares for the reported family relocation.

Entertainment

Chinese Humanoid Robot Smashes Usain Bolt’s 100m Dash Record in 9.39 Seconds [WATCH]

A Chinese humanoid robot raced beyond Usain Bolt’s celebrated 100-meter mark during a major robotics showcase filled with running, soccer, boxing and dancing.

The record fell on Saturday, the opening day of the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.

Bolt, the Jamaican sprinting star, set his 100 meter record of 9.58 seconds in 2009.

At the games, a Beijing robot called Lightning Bolt completed the same distance in 9:39 seconds before crashing directly into a blue wall.

Another humanoid had already delivered an even faster performance before the opening.

Chinese smartphone company Honor said its robot completed a 100-meter trial in 9.32 seconds and reached a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second.

The robotic sprinters could move at extraordinary speed, but stopping proved to be another matter.

Staff members placed the machines on stretchers after they crashed into the blue cushioned wall, while Bolt had been able to jog a celebratory lap after his 2009 achievement.

The exhibition race featured a Lightning humanoid robot by Honor and a Tiangong Ultra humanoid robot.

They competed during the opening ceremony for the second World Humanoid Robot Games at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on Aug. 22, 2026.

Now in its second year, the World Humanoid Robot Games features more than 2,000 robots across 51 events and 1,000 competitions.

The five day gathering includes running, table tennis and soccer while highlighting China’s rapid advances in robotics during its heated technology race with the U.S.

The National Speed Skating Oval was constructed for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The robot games opened during the same week that Beijing hosted the 2026 World Robot Conference, where companies displayed around 3,000 products, including humanoid robots.

The machines also delivered a striking result in the standing high jump.

One humanoid reached 2.88 meters, soaring beyond the 0.95 meter best result achieved by a humanoid during the first edition of the games last year.

That 2.88 meter result also surpassed the human high jump record of 2.45 meters.

Cuba’s Javier Sotomayor set that record in 1993.

Spectators said the robots’ quickly improving capabilities left them excited.

Li Yanfeng, an education worker and Beijing resident, said humanoid robots are “evolving rapidly.”

Li also described how her view of the technology had changed as its development continued. “At first, I wasn’t very accepting of artificial intelligence. I was even a bit resistant to it, because of the possibility that it might replace or displace humans,” she said.

“But now that I see this development is unstoppable, I decided to come and take a look.”

Another spectator, Yang Shangzheng, focused on how the machines were mastering activities that people routinely perform.

“These sports are perfectly normal for humans, but now robots can do them. I find it amazing,” Yang said.

Liu Tao attended the games with his son and said he hoped to see “the best robots China currently has to offer.”

Beyond the headline-grabbing races and jumps, this year’s program also includes events such as weightlifting and tug of war.

The organizer said 16 countries are participating in the robot games, including Germany, Japan, and the U.S.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has increased scrutiny of robots from China, which produces the majority of the world’s humanoid robots.

President Donald Trump’s Federal Communications Commission banned imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots because they “pose unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons.”

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FCC Chair Brendan Carr welcomed the move in a statement last month.

“I welcome these Executive Branch national security determinations, and I am pleased that the FCC has now added foreign-produced advanced robotics and power inverters to the FCC’s Covered List,” Carr wrote.

“Following President Trump’s leadership, the FCC will continue to do our part to secure America’s critical supply chains and, with today’s action, the FCC is acting in lockstep with our national security agencies to do just that.”

The event paired record-setting performances with dramatic crashes, giving spectators a view of both the remarkable speed and the remaining limitations of humanoid machines.

The Associated Press contributed to the report.

Entertainment

Superman Actor Dean Cain Breaks Down ‘The American Way’ [WATCH]

Dean Cain delivered a defense of American culture and individual liberty, arguing that the nation’s founding principles, Constitution and traditions have helped make the United States exceptional while warning against political ideologies he believes threaten those freedoms.

Cain began by explaining what he means when he refers to “the American way.”

“Hey, I’m Dean Cain, and this is The Homeland on Proud American Studios, where we discuss all things truth, justice, and the American way. Now, I get asked a lot, What what what do I mean when I say the American way? What is that? Ooh, there is so much to it.”

He defined those principles through a series of values.

“I’ve given speeches on it. I’ve talked to people about it. It means freedom, hard work, self-determination, merit, kindness, grit, rugged individualism.”

Cain then highlighted a video from Marnie Jones, whom he described as an Australian immigrant to the United States.

“So, this morning I’m scrolling through X, and I encounter a video of a lovely young woman named Marni Jones, I believe, who immigrated to the United States from Australia, and she said it brilliantly. Take a look at this. Watch this video.”

Jones described the breadth of American culture after being asked why she moved to the country.

“Yesterday, someone asked me why I moved to America, and I was like, Well, largely because of American culture. And they were like, What culture does America have? And I was like, What culture does America have?”

Jones pointed to traditions and regional identities stretching across the country.

“America is cowboys, ranches, rodeos, the frontier spirit, traditional Southern hospitality, or the Californian surf culture, or New York ambition. What about Midwestern communities or the deep traditions of the South?”

She also cited America’s influence on music and entertainment.

“What about jazz, blues, rock and roll, hip hop, Hollywood, movies, Broadway, some of the most influential artists of all time?”

Jones continued by pointing to American achievements in technology, science, and space exploration.

“What about Silicon Valley? What about fucking NASA? What about taking us to the freaking moon? What about all the universities, all the laboratories and the research, and the sciences, and the humanities? What about all the inventors and the entrepreneurs and the engineers?”

She concluded by highlighting sports, food and military traditions.

“You know, it’s America is baseball, basketball, football. It’s diners and barbecues and Thanksgiving. What about the military culture and traditions that are built on courage, valor, honor, service to country?”

Cain praised Jones’ assessment.

“Boom! Brilliant, brilliant from Ms. Marnie Jones. Fantastic. Thank you, Marni, for saying all that, for saying it so eloquently and so absolutely 100% correct.”

Cain said America’s appeal was also apparent in reactions from international visitors during the recent World Cup.

“It reminds me of all the incredible posts from the recent World Cup, where visitors to America were blown away by our land, by our beaches, by our mountains, by our Buc-ee’s, by our rivers, our air conditioning, our Grand Canyon, our freedom, our culture.”

He attributed America’s success to its constitutional system.

“Now, we are the greatest nation in the history of mankind because of our Constitution, because of the genius of our founding fathers.”

Cain argued that maintaining the country’s system requires citizens to remain informed and vigilant.

“But we need to be vigilant, educated. There are many people and politicians and countries that would love nothing more than to tear us down, that they would love to rewrite our history.”

He acknowledged dark chapters in American history while arguing that the country’s response has included documenting and teaching its mistakes.

“You know, bad things have happened. Yes, slavery, awful. We’ve made some bad decisions. We learned from our mistakes. We document it. We teach it. And we change. or at least we used to.”

Cain then turned to socialism, Marxism, and communism, describing them as incompatible with the American system.

“People who are advocating for Marxism, socialism, communism, all failed ideas, all failed concepts, miserably failed. They cause millions, millions of deaths, starvation, scarcity, stifled innovation, stifled creativity, stifled freedom.”

He also criticized policies including open borders, defunding police and expanding government authority.

“Anti-American, absolutely anti-American, and all those concepts, they are terrible. They suck, if you ask me. Open borders, defund the police, no jails, big government, nanny state, lack of freedom, anti-American.”

Cain specifically targeted recent legislation in California, where he previously lived, arguing that state regulations are increasingly restricting consumer choice.

“These laws don’t give you more freedom, they remove choice.”

He said government programs and legislation should be judged by their actual provisions rather than their names.

“But it sounds so good, like the government is protecting you, taking care of you.”

Cain encouraged Americans to scrutinize legislation carefully.

“So just because they give it a sparkly new name and they try to sell it to you doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t read the fine print, because you should.”

He concluded that Americans should study history and literature to better recognize threats to individual freedom, specifically recommending George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm.

“George Orwell was way ahead of his time. George Orwell, the author, yes. Kids, adults, please read 1984, please read Animal Farm.”

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Cain argued that preserving what he calls “the American way” ultimately depends on citizens understanding the country’s founding principles and resisting policies they believe diminish individual liberty.

Entertainment

Award Winning Songwriter Diane Warren Gives Runaway Pig a Forever Home [WATCH]

Wilbur’s weekend sprint through a West Hollywood neighborhood has ended with a celebrity adoption story and a permanent place to live.

The runaway pig, whose dash near Laurel Avenue was captured on video, is headed to an animal sanctuary connected to award winning songwriter Diane Warren.

The video showed Wilbur scampering loose near Laurel Avenue over the weekend. After he was eventually captured, he was taken to the West L.A. Animal Shelter, where no owner came forward to claim him.

Because nobody claimed Wilbur, the focus shifted to finding him a permanent home.

The response on Thursday showed there were several people ready to adopt the pig.

Four people arrived at the shelter that day hoping they would be selected to take Wilbur home.

Given that level of interest, a silent auction was held to determine who would get him.

The silent auction narrowed the group of four interested adopters to one successful bidder.

Marcia Zwilling made the winning bid on behalf of Grammy winning songwriter Diane Warren.

Zwilling is the managing director of the Diane Warren Foundation.

She explained that Warren reacted quickly after seeing news footage of Wilbur running through West Hollywood.

“Diane saw the news clips and saw the little pig running in West Hollywood and she just called me and said, ‘Please get the pig, get the pig!’,” said Zwilling, managing director of the Diane Warren Foundation.

Warren’s request led to Zwilling’s successful bid and a new home for Wilbur.

Instead of remaining at the shelter, the pig will now live at a seven acre animal sanctuary in Malibu.

The new setting will put Wilbur alongside other animal friends already living at the sanctuary.

Zwilling also said the pig will be eating gourmet salads every day.

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According to Zwilling, Wilbur will be living his best life at the Malibu property.

She described the sanctuary as a wonderful home for the pig while discussing Warren’s response to another runaway animal.

“The pig is going to have a wonderful, wonderful home. The last time there was a runaway it was a cow that escaped a slaughterhouse if you remember that story and Diane saw it and said, ‘get the pig. Save the pig,'” she said.

ABC7 was present Thursday when Warren, an Oscar-nominated musician, met the newest member of her family for the first time.

Warren was absolutely thrilled to welcome Wilbur home after Zwilling secured the winning bid.

“I lose Oscars, but I won a pig… It’s fun. It’s fun,” Warren said.

The adoption also created a small naming complication at Warren’s animal sanctuary.

Warren already has a pig named Wilbur there, so she is considering changing the new pig’s name.

One possibility already stands out to Warren.

She thinks the name Hollywood would be a good fit for the pig who drew attention while running loose through West Hollywood.

Although Warren is considering a different name, Wilbur’s destination is settled. He will call the seven-acre Malibu animal sanctuary home, where he will live with other animal friends and eat gourmet salads every day.

The story moved quickly from a viral weekend video to Warren’s first meeting with Wilbur on Thursday.

A pig spotted scampering near Laurel Avenue was captured, went unclaimed, attracted four prospective adopters, and ultimately found his forever home with Warren.

Entertainment

Sydney Sweeney Sizzles in Wonder Woman Corset While Soaking Up Summer Romance with Scooter Braun [WATCH]

Sydney Sweeney turned up the heat by embracing her superhero alter ego during a playful lakeside getaway with boyfriend Scooter Braun.

The “Euphoria” star shared scenes from the summer escape in her latest social media post, giving followers a look at the couple enjoying their time together.

Sweeney channeled iconic “Wonder Woman” actress Lynda Carter for the superhero-inspired occasion.

She posed in a Wonder Woman corset costume with a coordinating headband, while Braun joined her in a Superman outfit.

One mirror selfie showed Sweeney, 28, standing beside Braun, 45, as both displayed their costumes.

Their matching comic book looks set the tone for a getaway filled with outdoor activities, sunshine and karaoke.

Carter played the iconic DC Comics superhero in the popular television series from 1975 to 1979.

Sweeney’s costume drew directly from the recognizable Wonder Woman image associated with the actress.

In one video from the outing, Sweeney attempted to balance on an inflatable water obstacle course.

Braun rode a jet ski nearby as the couple continued their lakeside adventure.

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Other pictures captured Sweeney and Braun swimming and soaking up the sun.

The Instagram carousel also included moments of the pair singing karaoke as they made the most of the playful escape.

Sweeney shared the glimpse with fans on Saturday, Aug. 22.

She captioned the post, “Camp ’26,” and added a superhero emoji to match the theme.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sydney Sweeney (@sydney_sweeney)

The getaway arrives as Sweeney and Braun continue putting their relationship front and center.

Earlier in the summer, Braun offered another public look at their romance while the two enjoyed a date night in New York City.

Braun filmed the pair riding Citi Bikes through the city after Sweeney revealed that she had never visited Times Square.

He explained the spontaneous nighttime outing in a caption alongside the video.

“When you’re in bed at 11pm and your girl says ‘I’ve never been to Times Square….’” he wrote alongside the video.

Braun also filmed Sweeney grabbing food at Shake Shack during their evening together.

The music executive has also spoken openly about his feelings for Sweeney. During an appearance on the “Second Thought” podcast, Braun described the actress in glowing terms while discussing their relationship.

“I’ve met an extraordinary woman, kind and generous and smart and real and down to earth,” he said.

Braun also called their relationship “one of the biggest surprises ever.”

Sweeney and Braun first generated romance speculation after they were photographed together in 2025.

They appeared at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos’ wedding in Venice, Italy, and continued making appearances together into 2026.

The couple made their relationship Instagram official May 1 after attending Stagecoach together.

Sweeney shared photos from the event and captioned the post, “cowboy kind of weekend.”

That Stagecoach post served as Sweeney’s public launch of the relationship with Braun.

Their romance began months after Sweeney ended her engagement to film producer Jonathan Davino in March 2025.

Braun was previously married to entrepreneur and activist Yael Cohen.

Their divorce was finalized in 2022, and the former couple share three children.

At the same time, Sweeney has continued her rise in Hollywood after breaking out on HBO’s “Euphoria.”

She also earned critical attention for her work on “The White Lotus.”

Her latest social media carousel brought together the couple’s public romance and their shared superhero theme.

With Sweeney dressed as Wonder Woman and Braun appearing as Superman, the lakeside getaway offered another high profile glimpse of their relationship.

Entertainment

Joe Rogan: Twitter Was a ‘Censorship Dystopian Hellhole’ Before Elon Musk Took Over [WATCH]

Joe Rogan credited Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter with fundamentally changing the social media landscape, arguing that the platform previously fostered widespread self-censorship while government officials and intelligence personnel had direct channels for influencing content moderation.

During a conversation with podcaster Chris Williamson, Rogan said Musk’s acquisition was particularly significant because users previously faced the possibility of being removed from the platform for expressing certain views.

“Twitter being purchased was giant, because before that you could get silenced.”

Rogan argued that the threat of losing access to the platform had consequences beyond formal moderation decisions because people began regulating their own speech.

“So if you could get silenced, you self-contained, right? Without being policed, you policed yourself, because people self-censored, worried about losing their jobs, worried about being called out.”

He pointed to an incident involving a sports broadcaster as an example of the cultural climate surrounding public speech.

“Look, a guy got fired. Guy got fired from a broadcast, I think it was a hockey broadcast, some sports broadcast, for saying, All lives matter. Imagine. You got fired.”

Rogan continued:

“Someone said something about Black Lives Matter, and he said, Hey, all lives matter. And then fired! Fired! You’re kicked off of your job. Like people were losing their f**king minds, man. The derangement”

Williamson responded by describing the political and cultural atmosphere of 2020 and 2021 as something deserving long-term examination.

“The derangement of 2020 and 2021 is it should be studied for the rest of time.”

Rogan then shifted the conversation from cultural pressure to government involvement with Twitter before Musk purchased the company.

“There was active government involvement in Twitter. They were actively censoring and removing posts and making accounts banned.”

Williamson characterized the purpose of that activity as an effort:

“To shape the narrative.”

Rogan alleged that intelligence personnel had direct connections to the company and operated behind the scenes.

“And they were doing it in a back door with some intelligence agents that had been embedded in the old Twitter.”

According to Rogan, Musk’s acquisition brought those relationships into public view.

“When Elon bought it, that was all exposed.”

Rogan argued that the connections were not distant or theoretical but involved direct communications with Twitter.

“These people were like, direct connection with Twitter.”

He further alleged that accurate information was sometimes targeted and that scientists and researchers were among those who faced account penalties.

“They were pulling down factual stories; they were banning accounts of scientists and researchers who were accurate.”

Rogan described the situation before Musk’s acquisition in stark terms.

“I mean, it was dark.”

He suggested that the passage of time and changes to the platform have caused some people to forget how restrictive he believes Twitter once was.

“People don’t realize how dark it was, because we’re out of it now, and now it’s all like Nazi memes and Nick Fuentes clips.”

Rogan concluded by contrasting the current platform with its predecessor and cited writer Meghan Murphy’s suspension as an example of the moderation policies he opposed.

“But if you go back before Elon purchased it, it was a censorship, dystopian hellhole where if you said, A man is never a woman, like Meghan Murphy did, you’re banned for life.”

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The exchange centered on Rogan’s argument that Musk’s takeover did more than change Twitter’s ownership.

In his view, it exposed previously hidden relationships between government officials and the social media company while changing the broader public debate over censorship, content moderation and freedom of expression online.

Entertainment

Toxic Hollywood Leftist Mark Ruffalo Unleashes Jewish Hate While Slamming Paramount Warner Bros. Merger [WATCH]

Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo used his Instagram Story on Friday to attack Paramount Skydance’s pending $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.

His argument also targeted Jewish figures connected to the proposed merger.

The merger is being challenged by a dozen state attorneys general, including in California.

It would reportedly eliminate 4,500 jobs while giving Paramount Skydance owner David Ellison control of the biggest studio in Hollywood as well as CNN.

David Ellison is described as a Trump enthusiast and is the son of Oracle CEO and Trump megadonor Larry Ellison.

Ruffalo reposted a video featuring Oracle executive vice chair Safra Catz, who is Israeli.

In the footage, Catz discussed Oracle’s efforts to assist Israel after the terror attacks of Oct. 7, 2023.

During those attacks, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups killed 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals.

Another 251 people were abducted.

Catz said during a panel a few years ago that Oracle had taken actions she could not discuss to advance the agenda of the Israeli military.

She also said the company had profoundly scary technology that it wanted to make available for the effort.

Ruffalo followed the video with several slides connecting Oracle, the Ellison family and the Warner Bros. Discovery takeover.

He pushed the claim that Palestinians are facing a genocide while failing to address the October 7 terrorist attacks on civilians.

“This is the company that Larry Ellison is using to fund his son David’s Warner Bros acquisition,” Ruffalo wrote.

He then warned his followers about Oracle technology becoming connected to one of the world’s largest media conglomerates.

“These ‘really profoundly scary technologies’ will most likely be merged into one of the largest media conglomerates in the world and one day used on you. Look how she revels in what we now have come to see as a genocide, which was built on an apartheid system of oppression powered by Oracle.”

Ruffalo also questioned Trump’s role in the pending transaction and portrayed Oracle as a force behind destructive conduct.

“From one of the biggest tech companies in the world. Powering some of the most destructive and inhuman forces in the world. Why has Trump pushed this illegal merger through?”

He then attacked Larry Ellison directly while raising concerns about wealth and corporate control.

“Larry Ellison will own most of ‘Para Bros.’ Larry is a classic Oligarch.

They are crushing workers and consolidating the wealth of the world for their own power and concentrated dominance.”

Ruffalo argued that the legal challenges from state officials could still prevent the takeover.

“We have a chance to stop this. There are 12 state Attorneys General suing to block this merger. It will be catastrophic for our film industry.”

He claimed the takeover would destroy thousands of direct and related jobs while harming workers and consumers.

“There will be a loss of 4500 direct filmmaking jobs and the loss of another 10k ancillary jobs. Merger like this are almost always bad for workers, consumers, and the industry they tend to dominate. It’s a classic antitrust case.”

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Ruffalo further claimed that the deal would increase cable costs, weaken competition, and leave audiences with fewer choices.

He also objected to the amount of creative control that would be concentrated under companies associated with Oracle.

The actor’s hostility toward Trump and MAGA supporters previously surfaced in 2024, when he posted fake images generated by AI showing Trump with young girls to promote a false narrative about Epstein Island.

After being caught, he blamed Elon Musk for “allowing so much disinformation” on X instead of admitting his mistake and lack of due diligence.

Ruffalo’s lack of compassion was also challenged by “The Office” star Rainn Wilson.

Wilson recounted liberal friends having a “kind of a good riddance” reaction to the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk last week and told Ruffalo that such thinking and language were not acceptable.

Entertainment

Rogan Says Dems Are Full of It if They Cannot Name Which Woke 1.0 Stances Went Too Far [WATCH]

Joe Rogan is challenging Democrats to explain exactly where they went wrong on woke policies, arguing that vague attempts to move past those positions will not restore their credibility.

The podcaster said liberals must honestly confront both the policies they supported and the reasons they embraced them.

Rogan focused on the movement to defund police while questioning whether its supporters had seriously considered the consequences.

He asked, “How did ‘Defund the Police’ get you?” as he pressed liberals to examine their own decisions.

“There’s a way out of it for them, but they have to be honest,” Rogan said.

He argued that Democrats seeking to be taken seriously must acknowledge their mistakes, explain what they now believe, and show embarrassment over following what he described as the hive.

Rogan made the comments while discussing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her remarks about Woke 1.0.

He warned that politicians become increasingly discredited when they refuse to speak authentically about their past positions.

Later in the same podcast, YouTuber Chris Williamson questioned whether Democrats would have distanced themselves from Woke 1.0 if former Vice President Kamala Harris had won the election.

He suggested the shift may have followed political failure rather than a genuine rejection of the policies.

“Would AOC have been talking about Woke 1.0 was crazy or would that have been a continuation of, ‘Well, look, we put the policies out, people like the policies.’ How much of this is a reversal of the position because it wasn’t effective?” Williamson asked.

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Meanwhile, commentators from across the political spectrum expressed doubts that the modern Democratic Party truly intends to abandon far-left cultural issues.

Media Research Center’s NewsBusters executive editor Tim Graham said he does not believe Democrats want to appear as though they are retreating from wokeness.

“I don’t believe the Democrats want to be seen backing away from wokeness, especially now that they’re sharing a ‘big tent’ from people who want to empty the prisons,” he said.

Graham argued that Democrats are simply less confident than they were in 2020.

He pointed to past rhetoric surrounding race riots, rebellions, violence, and social change while describing that political period as deeply corrosive.

Democratic consultant and former House Judiciary Committee minority chief counsel Julian Epstein also delivered a blunt warning to his party.

“There is not much difference between Woke 1 and Woke 2, they both involve the commodification of grievance and rage, and then the packaging of lunatic ideas that do little to help voters and seek to make them permanent wards of the state,” he said.

Epstein contrasted those ideas with Democrats of the 90s, who he said celebrated the United States as an opportunity machine and tried to give people agency.

His criticism centered on grievance, rage, and policies that he argued do little to help voters.

Mary Marslender, a Republican consultant and the President and Founder of Leverage PR, described the discussion of leaving Woke 1.0 behind as politically calculated.

“The vague talk of ditching ‘Woke 1.0’ is a temporary political strategy; it’s not genuine course correction,” she said.

Marslender argued that Democrats have not specifically rejected positions involving women’s sports, DEI in schools and institutions, progressive prosecutors, immigration enforcement, ICE, or sanctuary cities.

She said the absence of concrete policy reversals revealed that the supposed change was not genuine.

Former Republican National Committee spokesperson Elizabeth Pipko similarly portrayed Democrats as responsive to political popularity.

“Democrats of today tend to turn with the wind,” she said, arguing that candidates follow their base in primaries before nominees distance themselves from earlier positions during presidential elections.

Pipko said watching Democrats in 2026 deny support for defunding police was entertaining because old posts advocating that policy remain available.

She also called it pompous to dismiss that political period simply as Woke 1 after the damage she said those views caused.

Former White House deputy assistant for domestic policy under Trump and former Assistant Attorney General Theo Wold went further, arguing that Rogan was not skeptical enough.

Wold said Ocasio-Cortez’s dismissal did not show Democrats abandoning a leftist agenda, but instead reflected a move toward phase 2 of their project.

Wold accused Ocasio-Cortez of laughing at ideas she had promoted only a few years earlier.

He maintained that Democrats would neither abandon nor apologize for those positions because they still believe in them and would advance them while in power.


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