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Jon Stewart Goes Berserk After Democrats Cave on Government Shutdown Agreement
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Jon Stewart Goes Berserk After Democrats Cave on Government Shutdown Agreement

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“The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart took aim at Senate Democrats on Monday following passage of legislation that ended the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, criticizing the party for agreeing to a deal without securing its key priorities.

The Senate passed an amended continuing resolution that will fund the government through Jan. 30, 2026, while providing full-year appropriations for the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and military construction projects.

The legislation moved forward with bipartisan support after weeks of negotiation.

Stewart opened his Monday episode by telling viewers that the show was sponsored by “I can’t f**king believe it!”

“And what, you ask, is ‘it?’ Well, ‘it’ is the Democrats. You remember the Democrats,” Stewart said.

“They shut down the government last month for a very particular reason.”

He then played a montage of Democratic lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), calling for the extension of enhanced subsidies for the Affordable Care Act that were enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The montage was followed by a clip of Fox News host Dana Perino announcing that Democrats had “caved” on the shutdown.

“Excuse me, ‘cave on the shutdown?’ Huh? Not this forceful, young, authentic Democratic Party that hangs out down by the river and curses in what appears to be a cerulean blue blazer,” Stewart said sarcastically.

“And I say… no f**king way. No, they f**king caved on the shutdown.”

Stewart went on to criticize Senate Democrats for what he described as surrendering too quickly after a string of favorable election results.

“Not even a full week removed from the best election night results they’ve had in years, seven Democratic senators and an ‘independent’ voted with their Republican counterparts to end the shutdown and reopen the government,” he said.

“And did they get their extended healthcare subsidies?”

A clip from ABC News followed, reporting that Republicans had only agreed to hold a future vote on extending the enhanced subsidies.

“I cannot f**king believe it! You had the wind at your back! Election victories all over the country. The new Sydney Sweeney movie, box office bupkis!” Stewart exclaimed, referencing the underperformance of the actress’s recent film.

“Apparently, her new MAGA fanbase didn’t show up in droves to see a biopic about a lesbian professional boxer who overcomes domestic violence to live her truth. Who could have seen that coming? Democrats, you sold out the entire shutdown not to get what you wanted, but for a promise to not get what you wanted later.”

He continued his critique by mocking the Democrats’ negotiating approach.

“Where in ‘The Art of War’—hold on. Okay, here it is. I got it. Sun Tzu said, ‘Never press your advantage. It’s unseemly! Fighting’s hard. How ’bout a snack?’” Stewart said.

“I can’t f**king believe it. And by the way, what good does a promise of a Senate vote even do for you? Democrats, you don’t control the Senate. Do you even know how this shit works? Let’s just say that you managed to win a vote in the Senate, which you haven’t done all year, do you know what happens then?”

Schumer’s handling of the negotiations has drawn sharp criticism from both left-leaning commentators and members of his own party.

Several Democratic lawmakers and progressive figures faulted him for helping advance a Republican-led spending package earlier this year to avert a shutdown, arguing it weakened the party’s leverage and undercut its message on protecting healthcare subsidies.

The deal, while ending a record-length shutdown, has deepened divisions among Democrats who believe the party gave away its negotiating position without securing tangible results.

With the continuing resolution extending funding into early 2026, further debates over healthcare policy and fiscal priorities are expected to resurface in the coming months.

‘The View’s’ Sunny Hostin Attacks Fetterman, He Shuts Down Her Shutdown Comments
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‘The View’s’ Sunny Hostin Attacks Fetterman, He Shuts Down Her Shutdown Comments

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Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) defended his decision to vote for legislation reopening the federal government during a tense exchange with The View co-host Sunny Hostin on Tuesday, after she accused him of surrendering leverage in negotiations with Republicans.

The appearance came one day after Fetterman joined seven other senators in voting for an updated continuing resolution to end the 41-day shutdown, marking the longest in U.S. history.

The bill passed with bipartisan support in the Senate and is expected to move through the House later this week.

Hostin began the interview by referencing recent criticism from within the Democratic Party, quoting Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), who both argued that the shutdown should have continued until Republicans agreed to extend enhanced healthcare subsidies.

She also noted that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) had blamed Republicans for the impasse.

“As you mentioned, Democrats had big wins last week, so you had momentum. Why give in now? Why bring a butter knife to a gunfight?” Hostin asked.

“Are you willing to gamble that the GOP will negotiate on healthcare in good faith once the government reopens? Because if that gamble is wrong, half a million Pennsylvanians that you represent, their healthcare costs will skyrocket if you are wrong. I believe you are wrong.”

Fetterman, who has consistently voted with Republicans to end the shutdown, rejected Hostin’s characterization and defended his stance as one focused on the needs of working families.

“MTG is quite literally the last person in America that I’m going to take advice or to get their kinds of my leadership and values from,” he said, referring to Greene.

“Now, if Democrats are celebrating crazy pants like that, then that’s on them. Now, I don’t need a lecture from, whether it’s Bernie or the governor in California, because they are representing very deep-blue kinds of populations and a lot of those things were part of the extreme.”

Fetterman pointed to the human impact of the shutdown, particularly on low-income families and federal workers.

“Forty-two million Americans now are not sure where their next meal is going to come from, and because we vote like that. Or people that haven’t been paid for five weeks now, and that kinds of chaos. Those workers borrow more than half a billion dollars from their credit union just to pay their bills,” he said.

He also cited Virginia Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger, who recently cautioned Democrats not to misinterpret last week’s election victories as justification for continuing the shutdown.

“I refuse to weaponize the SNAP benefit for 42 million Americans that rely on feeding themselves and their family, or making flying in America, you know, less safe, or I refuse not to pay our military and all of the unions attached to all of this, and people,” Fetterman said.

“So for me it’s like I don’t agree with that tactic to respond to circumstances that we’re confronting on this.”

Fetterman’s position places him among a small group of Democrats — including Sens. Angus King (I-ME), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) — who broke ranks with their party leadership to vote in favor of ending the shutdown.

Hostin has been vocal in her criticism of Senate Democrats who supported reopening the government, saying Monday that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s leadership was “over” and that he should be replaced after failing to keep the caucus unified.

Fetterman previously wrote on social media in early October that his votes reflected a choice to “put country over party,” citing the immediate consequences of withholding SNAP benefits and military pay as key factors.

The continuing resolution approved by the Senate will fund the government through early 2026, providing appropriations for major departments including Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and Defense, while also setting up a December vote to address the expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits that initially divided the parties.

Democrat Civil War Erupts on ‘The View’: ‘Chuck Schumer’s Days Are Over’
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Democrat Civil War Erupts on ‘The View’: ‘Chuck Schumer’s Days Are Over’

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Democrats are in turmoil after eight members of their Senate caucus joined Republicans on Sunday night to advance a stopgap measure reopening the government.

The move, which followed 40 days of gridlock, has sparked an internal backlash that now threatens Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s leadership and further divided the party.

The vote marked a major shift in the standoff that led to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Eight Senate Democrats — Dick Durbin, Jacky Rosen, John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto, Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, Tim Kaine, and independent Angus King, who caucuses with Democrats — voted with Republicans to move the House-passed bill forward.

None of the senators who crossed the aisle face reelection in 2026.

Schumer voted against the measure but immediately faced widespread criticism from within his own party for failing to keep his caucus unified.

Many Democrats opposed the deal because it does not address expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. As the shutdown entered its sixth week, pressure grew amid reports of canceled flights, suspended food assistance, and unpaid federal workers.

Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut called the vote “a mistake.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont described it as “a very bad night.”

Others were more direct in their criticism of Schumer’s leadership.

“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,” Rep. Ro Khanna of California wrote on X.

“If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”

Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts echoed that sentiment, saying, “Tonight is another example of why we need new leadership. If @ChuckSchumer were an effective leader, he would have united his caucus to vote ‘No’ tonight and hold the line on healthcare. Maybe now @EdMarkey will finally join me in pledging not to vote for Schumer?”

The criticism extended beyond Capitol Hill.

On ABC’s The View, Sunny Hostin agreed that Schumer should be replaced, while Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin accused him of failing to show leadership in New York’s mayoral race and of negotiating what Pocan called “a terrible deal.”

“Don’t endorse or say who you voted for in NYC despite there being a Dem candidate,” Pocan posted.

“Get Dem Senators to negotiate a terrible ‘deal’ that does nothing real about healthcare. Screw over a national political party. Profile of scourge? Next.”

Schumer defended his approach late Sunday, saying he would “keep fighting,” but the backlash continued to mount.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts criticized Republicans, saying, “I want Republicans to actually grow a backbone and say, regardless of what Donald Trump says, we’re actually going to restore these cuts on health care — but it looks like I’ve lost that fight.”

Sen. Murphy maintained that the deal failed to address key issues. “This bill doesn’t do anything to arrest the health care catastrophe, nor does it constrain in any meaningful way President Trump’s illegality,” he said.

“I think the voters were pretty clear on Tuesday night what they wanted Congress to do … and I am really saddened that we didn’t listen to them.”

Democrats say they have been promised a December vote in the Senate to extend ACA tax credits and to rehire government workers who lost their jobs during the shutdown. But several lawmakers voiced skepticism about that pledge.

“A wink and a nod to deal with this health care crisis later — with no actual guarantees — is just not enough,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.

Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin agreed, saying, “The promise of a vote in over a month does not meet that threshold.”

The House is expected to take up the compromise later this week. Democratic leaders there have signaled opposition, but members from competitive districts may face mounting pressure to support it.

Outside Congress, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin denounced the agreement as “a betrayal of the American people,” placing blame on Republicans and President Trump.

“The voters will never forget the day Trump turned his back on them so he could focus on building his gilded ballroom,” Martin said.

The outcome has left Democrats deeply divided, with frustration directed at both party leadership and the concessions made to end the stalemate.

As the shutdown nears its end, Schumer faces growing questions about his future atop the caucus and whether the fractured party can repair its divisions before the next legislative battle.

Passenger vs. Preschooler: Viral Airplane Fight Over Window Shade Divides the Internet
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Passenger vs. Preschooler: Viral Airplane Fight Over Window Shade Divides the Internet

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A viral video of a passenger clashing with a young child over an airplane window shade has triggered a widespread debate on social media about proper airline etiquette and parental responsibility during flights.

The footage, shared on X, showed a man attempting to watch the movie Hocus Pocus 2 during an unspecified flight when a child seated behind him repeatedly reached forward to lift his window shade.

The video caption read, “He had to fight a 4-year-old to keep his window down during the flight.”

The short clip captured a tense exchange between the two.

Each time the man pulled the window shade down, the child reached forward to lift it again.

After several back-and-forth attempts, the passenger eventually held the cover down with his hand, preventing the child from raising it further.

The video ended with the child leaning over the seat and placing their hands over the passenger’s screen, appearing to block his view of the movie.

The incident quickly spread across social media, prompting a flurry of comments divided over who was at fault.

Some viewers criticized the parents for failing to control their child.

One commenter wrote, “I’m calling the flight attendant, make them reprimand the parent and child.”

Another added, “Someone needs to control their child.”

A third user questioned why the child was interfering with another passenger’s window, noting there was “a window in front of that spoiled brat.”

Others sympathized with the child, arguing that passengers in window seats should be more considerate.

“You have eyelids, let the child enjoy the whimsy of being in a plane watching the land below him,” one user wrote.

Another remarked, “People who shut the windows while having a window seat should be on a no-fly list.”

Several commenters framed the issue as one of courtesy rather than rules.

“People who want to close the window are the worst type of people,” one wrote.

“Just because you don’t enjoy beautiful things doesn’t mean you have to make everyone else suffer. Sad all around for both sides.”

Aviation experts also weighed in on the debate. Gary Leff, a travel writer for A View From The Wing, sided with the passenger, explaining that airline etiquette generally grants control of the window shade to the person sitting in the window seat.

“The window seat passenger owns the window, and passengers in their own row own that row’s window shade,” Leff said.

Leff added that if he had been in the passenger’s position, he would have handled the issue by calmly involving the parent and cabin crew.

“If I’m the passenger (and good heavens if I’m flying Emirates coach), I’d ask the parent, ‘Could you help keep hands/feet on your side of the row? I’m keeping the shade down to see the screen,’” he wrote.

“Then I’d call a flight attendant for help.”

Still, Leff criticized the passenger’s decision to physically “wrestle a kid through a wall,” suggesting that the situation should have been managed through communication rather than confrontation.

Leff also clarified exceptions to the window shade rule. Cabin crew can request passengers to keep shades open during takeoff and landing to help eyes adjust in case of an emergency.

During long flights, flight attendants may ask passengers to lower shades to allow others to rest.

Despite those guidelines, Leff said courtesy should remain the priority.

“If someone asks you to put the window shade down (or up), consider accommodating them, especially if they have a strong preference and you do not,” he advised.

“Don’t just arbitrarily do the thing they object to, or object to moving the position of the shade for its own sake.”

The viral video has continued to draw attention across social media, sparking further discussions about shared spaces, parenting responsibility, and respect between passengers on crowded flights.

Bill Maher Says He Wants Second Dinner With President Trump Despite Left-Wing Criticism
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Bill Maher Says He Wants Second Dinner With President Trump Despite Left-Wing Criticism

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Comedian and talk show host Bill Maher said Monday on his “Club Random” podcast that he wants to have a second dinner with President Donald Trump, despite backlash from the left following his first visit to the White House earlier this year, as reported by The Independent Journal Review.

Maher attended the March dinner alongside UFC President Dana White and musician Kid Rock.

The meeting drew widespread criticism from progressive commentators, but Maher said he appreciated that President Trump was willing to engage with him even though the two have disagreed publicly in the past.

SACRAMENTO, CA – AUG 19: Bill Maher performs at Sacramento Convention Center in Sacramento, California on August 19th, 2011

“I hope to have dinner with him again,” Maher said.

“And he definitely doesn’t like it when you critique him and thinks you’re being unfair, but he is willing to listen. And he totally is not — because I had dinner with him and then didn’t become a Trumpist, he will yell at me, but does not want to cut me off. He does not want to cut me off, which is something I cannot say about the left. They want to cut you off.”

Maher expanded on his experience during the April 12 episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, where he discussed the dinner at length and compared his interactions with President Trump to those he’s had with Democratic leaders.

“Honestly, I voted for [Bill] Clinton and [Barack] Obama, but I would never feel comfortable talking to them the way I was able to talk with Donald Trump,” Maher said.

“That’s just how it went down, make of it what you will. Me, I feel it’s emblematic of why the Democrats are so unpopular these days.”

Following Maher’s remarks, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” creator Larry David wrote a satirical op-ed for The New York Times on April 21, in which he mocked Maher’s meeting with Trump by comparing it to “dining with Adolf Hitler.”

Maher later addressed the backlash on a July episode of his podcast, calling the reaction from the left “stupid” and arguing that refusing to engage with political opponents only worsens divisions.

“The stupidest thing the left does — and this dinner is a perfect example of it — is having this attitude toward the right that: ‘We won’t even break bread with you. We are so far above you that we won’t even sit down at the same table with you!’ That is their attitude — and that makes me sick too!” Maher said.

Maher has frequently criticized what he sees as intolerance within his own political sphere, while maintaining that open dialogue — even with figures like President Trump — remains essential.

Allison Mack Claims Female Smallville Co-star Introduced Her to NXIVM Sex Cult
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Allison Mack Claims Female Smallville Co-star Introduced Her to NXIVM Sex Cult

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Actress Allison Mack has alleged that her former Smallville co-star Kristin Kreuk was the one who introduced her to the NXIVM organization, which was later exposed as a sex cult, as reported by the New York Post.

During the debut episode of her new podcast Allison After NXIVM, released this week, Mack, 43, claimed that Kreuk, 42, first brought her into contact with the Albany-based group, originally promoted as a self-help and leadership organization. NXIVM’s founder, Keith Raniere, is currently serving a 120-year prison sentence for sex trafficking and racketeering.

Mack, who served 21 months in prison for her role in the group, is now detailing her experiences in a seven-episode podcast series. She recounted her friendship with Kreuk during their years on Smallville, including shared travels and personal struggles.

“We went to Syria and Turkey together, we went to Mongolia together, we went to Paris, and we had so much fun,” Mack said. “We went to Paris multiple times together and just shopped and saw art and sat on the top of the Pompidou and had rosé and lived this kind of dream.”

She added that by their mid-20s, the two were living in New York City and both felt “oddly unsatisfied.”

Mack recalled, “We both were at the point where we were 25, we were in New York City together, it was our break. And we rented an apartment in the same building in the West Village, and we both were like, ‘Why do we feel so unsatisfied?’”

According to Mack, Kreuk eventually told her about a course she had taken through NXIVM while filming in Vancouver. “‘It’s the science of joy. It’s the most amazing thing,’” Mack recalled Kreuk telling her. “‘It’s made everything so much better in my life. You’ve got to do this.’”

“It was all she could talk about,” Mack said. “She was super excited about it.” Kreuk allegedly invited Mack to attend a weekend retreat, telling her, “‘They’re doing a weekend and I think you should do it. I think you’d really like it.’”

The allegations come years after Kreuk publicly distanced herself from NXIVM. In 2018, she issued a statement denying involvement in any criminal activities connected to the group.

“When I was about 23, I took an Executive Success Programs/NXIVM ‘intensive,’ what I understood to be a self-help/personal growth course,” she wrote. “I left about five years ago and had minimal contact with those who were still involved.”

Kreuk added, “The accusations that I was in the ‘inner circle’ or recruited women as ‘sex slaves’ are blatantly false. During my time, I never experienced any illegal or nefarious activity. I am horrified and disgusted by what has come out about DOS.”

NXIVM, founded by Raniere and co-founder Nancy Salzman, drew thousands of members with claims of personal empowerment.

Prosecutors later revealed that within the group, a secret sect called DOS—short for Dominus Obsequious Sororium (“master over slave”)—used coercion, starvation, and blackmail to control female members, some of whom were branded with Raniere’s initials.

Mack was one of the highest-ranking members of DOS, accused of recruiting and supervising women for Raniere. In 2019, she pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy and was sentenced to three years in prison in 2021. She was released early in 2023.

At her sentencing, Mack apologized to the women she recruited, calling her involvement “the biggest mistake and greatest regret of my life.”

Representatives for Kreuk did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Rogan and Musk Rip NC Judiciary for Letting Career Criminals Walk Free
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Rogan and Musk Rip NC Judiciary for Letting Career Criminals Walk Free

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Podcaster Joe Rogan and entrepreneur Elon Musk sharply criticized North Carolina’s judicial appointment process following the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte commuter train earlier this year.

Their comments came during a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, where both questioned how a magistrate judge without a law degree had the authority to release a repeat offender later accused in the killing.

“You think that if you are going to be appointed as a judge, you have to have proven that you have an excellent knowledge of the law and that you will make your decisions according to the law,” Musk said during the discussion.

Rogan and Musk’s remarks focused on Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes, who released suspect DeCarlos Brown Jr. in January after he signed a written promise to appear in court.

Court records obtained by Fox News Digital show Brown, who has been arrested at least 14 times, was released without posting bond.

He has since been charged with first-degree murder in Zarutska’s death.

Under North Carolina law, magistrate judges are appointed to handle matters such as issuing warrants, conducting initial appearances, and setting release conditions for defendants accused of non-capital offenses.

However, the state does not require magistrates to hold law degrees or have extensive legal experience.

According to a study by the Columbia Review, North Carolina is among 32 states that allow judges to serve without passing the bar exam, and about 80 percent of its magistrate judges do not possess law degrees.

Rogan questioned how a judge without a legal background could make critical decisions affecting public safety.

“Wasn’t there a crazy story about the judge who was involved [and] had previously dealt with [Brown], was also invested in a rehabilitation center and was sending people that they were charging to a rehabilitation center instead of putting them in jail,” Rogan said.

“Profiting from this rehabilitation center, letting them back out on the street – violent, insane people.”

The remarks referred to online reports alleging that Stokes had ties to Second Chance Services, a Charlotte-based mental health and addiction treatment clinic.

Posts on social media raised questions about whether she had connections to the facility while presiding over criminal cases.

The North Carolina Courts did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment about Stokes’ background or any potential involvement with the clinic.

The case reignited criticism of the state’s judicial system among lawmakers and residents.

“Unqualified Magistrate Judges are letting loose dangerous repeat criminals in North Carolina,” Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.) posted on X while sharing a clip of Rogan’s discussion.

“Iryna Zarutska’s tragic murder exposed that Democrat judges are putting criminals before victims.”

Harris later elaborated on the issue, telling Fox News Digital, “I just think there’s some real concerns that need to be raised in how we get these magistrate [judges] that have the power to put these people back out on the street.”

In the aftermath of Zarutska’s killing, ten Republican members of the North Carolina House of Representatives sent a letter demanding that Stokes be removed from her position.

“It is demoralizing for police when they arrest these folks [and] put them in jail,” Harris said.

“Only to have these magistrates that are unaccountable, untrained – and in many cases – don’t require law degrees, and they put them back out on the streets, and the American public is paying the price.”

The Charlotte stabbing has prompted renewed calls for judicial reform in North Carolina and other states with similar standards.

Critics argue that requiring judges to hold law degrees would help ensure that those responsible for key pretrial decisions are properly trained to evaluate risk and uphold public safety.

Blake Lively Seeks 1 Million in Damages, Accuses Justin Baldoni of Smear Campaign
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Blake Lively Seeks $161 Million in Damages, Accuses Justin Baldoni of Smear Campaign

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Actress Blake Lively is seeking $161 million in damages from actor and director Justin Baldoni, claiming he launched a smear campaign that severely damaged her career, personal brand, and business ventures, as reported by TMZ.

According to court filings obtained by TMZ, Lively’s attorneys allege that she lost an estimated $56.2 million in past and future earnings tied to acting, producing, speaking engagements, and endorsement deals.

The filing also claims Baldoni’s actions caused additional financial losses to her companies, including $49 million in damages to her haircare brand Blake Brown and $22 million to her beverage line Betty Buzz/Betty Booze.

LOS ANGELES – MAR 07: Justin Baldoni arrives for the ‘Five Feet Apart’ Los Angeles Premiere on March 07, 2019 in Westwood, CA

The documents further assert that Lively suffered $34 million in reputational harm, citing over 65 million negative social media impressions linked to Baldoni’s alleged “mudslinging.”

The two are set to face off in court in March, stemming from a legal battle that began after Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the filming of their 2024 movie “It Ends With Us.”

Lively alleges Baldoni retaliated after she reported the harassment by spreading false claims that damaged her reputation and caused financial losses across multiple ventures.

Baldoni, who directed and co-starred in the film, responded with a $400 million countersuit, accusing Lively of defamation and claiming she had fabricated allegations that destroyed his career.

However, that case was dismissed in June, when a judge ruled that Baldoni could not sue over statements made in legal filings, which are protected by law.

Lively’s lawsuit seeks compensation for lost income, emotional distress, and reputational damage, along with punitive damages meant to deter future misconduct.

Her legal team argues that the alleged campaign against her was deliberate and intended to “destroy her credibility and professional standing.”

The controversy surrounding the two actors has drawn widespread attention in Hollywood, both because of their high-profile status and the financial stakes involved.

Lively’s claims of reputational harm center on online narratives that she says were spread by Baldoni’s representatives and associates following her complaints.

Neither Lively nor Baldoni has issued public statements regarding the latest filing. The case is expected to go to trial in Los Angeles Superior Court next spring, with pre-trial motions scheduled for early February 2026.

The legal dispute marks one of the entertainment industry’s most financially significant defamation-related cases in recent years, involving two major figures whose collaboration on a film has since devolved into ongoing litigation.

‘Golden Bachelor’ Star Accused of Making Disturbing Comment to Ex-Wife
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‘Golden Bachelor’ Star Accused of Making Disturbing Comment to Ex-Wife

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Former “Golden Bachelor” star Gerry Turner is facing new allegations from his ex-wife Theresa Nist, who claimed on a recent podcast that he once made a dark and unsettling comment about killing her and hiding her body, as reported by Decider.

Nist discussed the incident during an appearance on the Dear Shandy podcast, which coincided with the release of Turner’s new memoir Golden Years: What I’ve Learned from Love, Loss, and Reality TV.

The book details Turner’s experiences with fame, relationships, and his short-lived marriage to Nist, whom he married earlier this year.

According to Nist, the disturbing remark occurred during a walk near Pretty Lake in Indiana, where Turner lives.

“I finally went to his house and we took a walk around this lake called Pretty Lake and we were coming to the end of it and he said — this is really bizarre — He said, ‘You see that shed up there?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘Well, that’s where I’m going to hide your body after I kill you and chop you up,’” Nist said. “And he wasn’t laughing. I said, ‘Well, if this was his idea of a joke, that was pretty dark humor.’”

Nist said she believed the comment might have reflected Turner’s “underlying feelings” toward her. “I just felt like there was animosity in that statement that was underlying,” she continued. “Like, maybe if he could have gotten rid of me somehow.”

Despite the remark, Nist clarified that she did not believe Turner was capable of actually harming her. “I don’t think he would have killed me. No, I don’t think that was true. It’s not true, but it just spoke to an underlying feeling about me,” she added.

Her appearance came shortly after Turner’s memoir was released, in which he wrote that he felt “trapped” ahead of his televised wedding to Nist, which aired as ABC’s Golden Wedding special on January 4, 2024.

The pair later announced their divorce on April 12, just three months after their marriage.

When contacted by Us Weekly, Nist responded to the book’s claims, saying:

“It makes me very sad to think that he felt empty and trapped. I wish he had said something and just ended it. But at least now I understand why he was so hurtful to me so many times. And I will say this. Those in glass houses should not throw stones. I do wish him all the best.”

Turner, who revealed this year that he was diagnosed with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia, a rare bone marrow cancer, said the illness played a role in his decision to end the marriage so he could focus on family. He has since become engaged to retired teacher Lana Sutton.

In recent interviews, Turner has pushed back against Nist’s portrayal of their relationship, accusing her of making him “look like the villain” and calling her decision to keep working after their marriage an “impossible situation.”

Asked if he was concerned about her reaction to the memoir, Turner told Us Weekly, “I’m not worried; I think she should be worried.”

Even the Left’s Favorite Comedian Says Democrats Are Falling Apart
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Even the Left’s Favorite Comedian Says Democrats Are Falling Apart

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Comedian Jon Stewart said Thursday that he believes the Democratic Party remains disorganized and directionless despite several major election victories earlier in the week.

Speaking on “The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart,” the comedian argued that Democrats have not successfully harnessed what he described as a growing “potential energy” in the country.

“I think the Democrats are still a mess. I truly believe they’re a mess just because what this shows to me is, again, there is this underlying potential energy within the United States of America that is much larger than I think any of us could have imagined,” Stewart said.

“And channeling the energy directionally will be the challenge for whoever wants to harness it. I still don’t believe they’re doing that.”

Stewart’s remarks followed Democratic victories in several high-profile races on Tuesday. New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger, and New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill all won their contests by comfortable margins, according to projections.

While the party performed well at the ballot box, polling continues to show widespread dissatisfaction among voters.

RealClearPolling’s national average placed the Democratic Party’s favorability at 33.4% leading into Election Day.

In addition, a New York Times analysis of voter registration records published in August found that the party had lost approximately 2.1 million registered voters since 2020.

Public sentiment toward Democrats in Congress has also declined sharply. A Quinnipiac University poll released July 16 reported that only 19% of voters approved of congressional Democrats — the lowest approval rating the polling organization has ever recorded for the group.

Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders voiced similar concerns earlier this week on The New York Times’ “The Opinions” podcast.

He warned that the party’s long-term viability was uncertain if it continued to prioritize wealthy donors and political insiders over working-class voters.

“I think sometimes when people think about the Democratic Party, they think of these cocktail parties in New York City or LA, where wealthy people mingle with consultants, mingle with the leadership. That’s not much of a party,” Sanders said.

“That’s really kind of an elitist institution. So, one of the things that I believe — if the Democratic Party is to survive, maybe it will, maybe it won’t — the transformation has to be to open the doors, to bring in millions of people, to hear what they have to say, to have them start running for office, etc.”

Matt Bennett, co-founder of the liberal think tank Third Way, echoed that assessment during an appearance on “Next Up with Mark Halperin” in October.

He said the party would continue to struggle until it selected a presidential nominee capable of redefining its message.

“We’re in terrible shape. Like, we just have to be very honest with ourselves — the Democratic Party is in really, really bad shape,” Bennett said, referencing the party’s weak standing with voters.

“[T]he nominees and the presidents make the party brand, and for the next few years, we won’t have that. So it’s going to be a tough couple of years deep in the wilderness for us,” he added.

“And I think there are some things we can do to set the table for the nominee. But right now, I don’t feel like we’re doing it.”

Despite their recent electoral gains, the remarks from Stewart, Sanders, and Bennett highlight a recurring concern among Democrats — that the party’s internal divisions and loss of voter trust may pose long-term challenges heading into future elections.


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