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Is It Time for SNL to Retire Its Trump Parodies?

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SNL's Saturday Night Live logo/title card for Season 48

For decades, Saturday Night Live has made a habit out of mocking the President of the United States. Phil Hartman was hilarious as Bill Clinton, and Will Ferrell killed it as George W. Bush. When Donald Trump entered the scene, Alec Baldwin played him perfectly. For the last few years, the President has been played by James Austin Johnson with comedic precision. However, for many, it’s getting harder to laugh at these SNL skits that portray Trump as a bumbling buffoon when the world around us is so dark. This came to a head last week following the killing of Alex Pretti by ICE in Minneapolis. Is it time for the Trump parodies to come to an end for now?

The Last Episode of ‘SNL’ Had an Awkward Cold Open

Alex Pretti’s shooting death on the Saturday morning of January 24 led to many Americans spending their day on their phones or watching cable news, where you could see Pretti’s recorded death from several angles over and over again. With a snowstorm shutting down much of the country, there was little else to do than stay inside and sit with the news, which came just weeks after the shooting death of Renee Good. It has become all too much for a lot of people, and normally we might want to escape with some comedy, but there is so little to laugh at lately for those paying attention.

Watching SNL last week felt weird. None of the sketches mattered, and guest host, Teyana Taylor, try as she might, didn’t click. Worst of all was the cold open, which, as the show often does, focused on Johnson’s parody of Trump. This time, the President was hosting the “Trump Awards”, with the joke being that he gave every award to himself. It highlighted Trump’s bizarre ego and the somehow real-life news that he added his name to the Kennedy Center and accepted Maria Corina Machado‘s Nobel Peace Prize as a gift. All of it felt off and incredibly awkward, a tone-deaf moment during a time of great anger and heartbreak. Johnson did sort of address what happened that day, with his Trump saying, “After what all my little freaks and psychos in ICE have been doing, I need more distractions.” We all do, but it’s getting difficult.

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Many Fans No Longer Find James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump Funny

James Austin Johnson did a phenomenal job of playing Trump as always. He has an incredible gift for getting the voice and all the strange mannerisms right as he skewers the President’s weekly odd behavior. The problem is that the act is getting old when so many want a break from seeing Trump in our faces 24/7. Many of the comments on SNL‘s YouTube video of the cold open weren’t about how funny the segment was. Instead, they spoke about Alex Pretti, how hard it is to laugh at something so serious, and how the show is being too kind to Trump when they should go darker. An article from The Mirror highlighted the social media response with tweets like, “I used to enjoy watching the opening to SNL as they made fun of Trump. But it’s not funny anymore because it’s so serious. The president of violence has got to go.”

SNL's Saturday Night Live logo/title card for Season 48


No ‘SNL’ Host Has Ever Beat This Groundbreaking Record That’s Over 40 Years Old

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So what are Lorne Michaels and company to do? One option would be to remove Trump from SNL segments for the time being. Not every cold open needs to start out the same way, and as gifted as Johnson is, the light approach to the President only serves to make him more acceptable. The actor might be better off focusing on other characters, while the cold open could still mock real-life news without making Trump and his administration the target.

‘SNL’ Needs to Go Harder in Their Donald Trump Skits

Donald Trump at the desk in the Oval Office in the 'South Park' episode "Sermon on the Mount"
Donald Trump in the ‘South Park’ episode “Sermon on the Mount”
Image via Comedy Central/Paramount+
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That sounds doable enough, but is this the best option for Saturday Night Live? Removing the Trump impersonation skins could be seen as giving up, which is another way of accepting what the President is doing. And with how much he dislikes the parody of him, Trump could also boast that the lack of mocking him is a win. This is the last thing SNL needs!

There is another path forward. The best route is to stick with the Trump skits, except rather than throwing softballs by making fun of how Trump talks or his personality traits, they need to go hard. South Park is the best example of this. Trey Parker and Matt Stone didn’t hold back last year in how harshly they took down the President in each episode. The animated series can get away with more on Comedy Central than SNL can on NBC, but the latter doesn’t need to show Trump with his pants off to be effective. For example, South Park showed him in bed with Satan (a little bit of a double meaning there, eh), or in a rather serious moment, had the Jesus character giving up over how MAGA Christians act.

Jimmy Kimmel knows about this as well. Since the FCC tried to shut him down, Kimmel has been better than ever on Jimmy Kimmel Live, not by changing the subject, but by getting more serious and not being afraid to move away from the laughs when the situation calls for it. This has resulted in much higher ratings for the late-night host. South Park and Jimmy Kimmel know the way. It’s time SNL did the same thing. Comedy, especially through satire, is a way for humanity to hold a mirror up to the pain of real life. That can’t be eliminated, even when there’s nothing to laugh about.

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Susan Lucci recalls stunned disbelief when she won first Daytime Emmy after losing 18 times: 'Are you sure?'

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“Winning is definitely better!” she jokes in her new memoir, “La Lucci.”

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Whitney Port’s Fertility Journey Quotes After Pregnancy Losses

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Whitney Port’s journey to expand her family with husband Tim Rosenman has faced its fair share of setbacks.

Port and Rosenman, who wed in November 2015, welcomed son Sonny in July 2017. Following Sonny’s arrival, the Hills alum suffered multiple pregnancy losses.

“It’s been seven years of trying since Sonny. I got pregnant about a year after he was born, and then it was miscarriage after miscarriage after miscarriage. I was getting pregnant but the pregnancies weren’t sticking,” she said in a January 2026 interview with Spread the Jelly. “Eventually, I was told my chances would be better with a fertility doctor. I went to one who came highly recommended and started the process of egg retrieval, freezing embryos, and IVF.”

While struggling with secondary infertility, Port and Rosenman looked into surrogacy as an option. After finding a match and completing two transfers, the surrogate suffered a miscarriage.

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“We decided to go down the surrogacy road at the end of last year after a really long journey of not being able to conceive on our own and just having so many things go wrong,” Port said on the April 2025 episode of her “With Whit” podcast. “We found an amazing surrogate, and we ended up doing two transfers with the surrogate. Both transfers ended up miscarrying.”

Whitney Port and Tim Rosenman Relationship Timeline


Related: Whitney Port and Tim Rosenman’s Relationship Timeline

Whitney Port and Tim Rosenman are everyone’s couple goals. The pair met in the mid 2000s at a birthday dinner for one of Port’s ex-boyfriend’s. “Tim was there. And I sat across from him,” she told She Knows in 2014. “I left the dinner saying to a mutual friend, ‘Oh my god. Who is that […]

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While Port’s journey to expand her and Rosenman’s family hasn’t gone as planned, she has been candid about her journey and remains hopeful to give Sonny a sibling.

Keep scrolling to see Port’s best quotes about her fertility journey:

Whitney Port Recalls Feeling ‘Incomplete’ Amid Fertility Struggles

During a January 2026 interview with Spread the Jelly, Whitney Port opened up about how she never expected her motherhood journey to turn out the way it did.

“I don’t think motherhood looks like what I imagined. I never thought I’d be a mom to an only child. I always knew I wanted more than one,” she told the outlet. “I didn’t picture this, and that’s been a little weird for me. My identity as a mom doesn’t feel fully solidified yet because I feel incomplete. I really do.”

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Port added that while she’s grateful to have Sonny, the struggle to conceive a second child has made her feel insecure.

“This sounds awful, but there’s this feeling like one isn’t enough — or that it’s not as hard, or not as much to balance, or not the full picture,” she continued. “And I carry that insecurity. I’ve done a lot of work around it. Most of the time, I’m able to tell myself, ‘OK, if it’s just the three of us, that is wonderful.’”

Whitney Port Didn’t Feel Like She Deserved to Use a Surrogate

While struggling to conceive a second child, Whitney Port confessed she felt unworthy to use a surrogate.

“I felt like I hadn’t done everything yet, so I didn’t deserve that option. I rejected the idea for a while,” she told Spread the Jelly. “Then I started talking to people who had used surrogates and had similar experiences. I decided to take my power back and see it as a privilege; I don’t need to keep putting my body through this after six years of trying. I was 41 and I was losing myself.”

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Whitney Port’s Candid Update on the Egg Retrieval Process

Whitney Port gave an update on how she was faring ahead of an egg retrieval.

“It’s not the physical discomfort (which totally sucks- bloating, bruising, swelling, heaviness) but the emotional discomfort. The hormones are making me feel like I can’t manage anything, like everything is just the worst,” Port wrote via Instagram in August 2024. “And I’m nervous that I’m not going to get out any quality eggs and what will this all be for. I’m scared. My energy is non existent and I feel like I’m not showing up the way I should as a wife, mom, sister, friend, coworker, etc.”

While the former reality star struggled with her emotions, she expressed her gratitude for the support she’s received amid her fertility struggles.

“I’ll be ready to return to gratitude soon, but I am just not there yet with so much up in the air. That may be pessimistic, but I don’t want to force any feelings either. I can’t thank you all enough for your support and words of encouragement,” she concluded.

Why Whitney Port Spoke Up About Her Fertility Journey

In an October 2023 Us Weekly cover story, Whitney Port explained the reason why she started sharing her struggles online.

“It wasn’t [hard to discuss] at first, and then the more I put it out there, it was. Not because I was getting any negative response but it became something that I had to talk about and be reminded of all the time,” she exclusively told Us at the time. “It was already taking over my life, and then it was taking over my professional life. As a digital creator, you’re in this world of showing your personal life as part of your business. So I felt like that was becoming the conversation, and it was all-encompassing.”

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Parliament-Funkadelic rocker Billy Bass Nelson dies at 75

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The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer met future collaborator George Clinton as a teenager.

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Dr. Peter Attia Apologizes After Epstein Files, Family ICU Scandal

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Dr. Peter Attia issued a lengthy apology after newly-released files connected to the case against convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein claimed he chose to stay in New York City for a meeting with the sex trafficker while his wife and child were in the ICU.

“I apologize and regret putting myself in a position where emails, some of them embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible, are now public, and that is on me,” Attia, 52, wrote in a Monday, February 2, statement shared via X after allegedly sending the same message to his team and patients. “I accept that reality and the humiliation that comes with it.”

Attia, a so-called longevity researcher, came under fire on Friday, January 30, after new emails allegedly sent between the late Epstein and influencers, including Attia, were released by the Department of Justice. (Epstein died by suicide in 2019 at the age of 66 while in jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.)

In one email dated July 12, 2017, Attia and Epstein allegedly engaged in a back and forth exchange to solidify plans to meet up the following morning.

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Bill Gates is responding after an email in newly released documents related to the late child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein claimed the Microsoft billionaire contracted a sexually transmitted infection (STI) from “Russian girls.” “These claims are absolutely absurd and completely false,” a spokesperson for Gates, 70, said in a statement to People published on Saturday, […]

“Can you do before 10am? Tomorrow,” the email allegedly sent from Epstein read. Attia allegedly responded, “Sure. I can come earlier, also, if you have a hard stop at 10. Let me know.”

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While the exchange might not seem significant to most, Attia previously confessed to leaving his wife, Jill, and infant son to handle a health scare without him during that same timeframe.

“Tuesday, July 11, 2017, at 5:45 p.m., to be exact — I had received a call from Jill, my wife,” Attia wrote in his book, Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, published in 2022.

The physician recalled in his book that his wife called him from the back of an ambulance because their son had “suddenly stopped breathing” and had no heartbeat. The child was resuscitated through CPR by a nurse, but wasn’t out of the woods.

Dr Peter Attia Apologizes After Epstein Files Claim He Meet With Sex Offender While Wife Son Were in ICU Inline

Dr. Peter Attia.
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

“When Jill called me from the ambulance, I was in New York, in a taxi on Fifty-Fourth Street, on my way to dinner,” Peter wrote. “After she finished telling me the story, I just said, without a shred of emotion, ‘OK, call me when you get to the hospital, so I can talk to the doctors in the ICU.’”

Eagle-eyed fans noticed that Jill called her husband one day before he allegedly emailed Epstein while in New York to cement their meeting.

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According to Attia’s book, he remained in New York “busy with my ‘important’ work” for 10 days after his son suffered cardiac arrest — and for the four days his wife and child were in the ICU in California.

While Attia didn’t directly address the alleged connection between his 2017 trip to New York and leaving his wife and son alone, he did deny that he is an individual who “participated in criminal activity, enabled it, or witnessed it,” which Peter said is the “purpose” of the DOJ releasing the Epstein documents.

GettyImages-2212488026 Giants Co-Owner Steve Tisch Breaks Silence After Appearing in Epstein Files.jpg


Related: Giants Co-Owner Steve Tisch Breaks Silence After Appearing in Epstein Files

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New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch broke his silence after he was connected to the late disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “We had a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy, and investments,” Tisch said of his relationship with Epstein in a Friday, […]

“I am not in any of those categories, and there is no evidence to the contrary,” he claimed in his Monday statement. “To be clear: 1. I was not involved in any criminal activity. 2. My interactions with Epstein had nothing to do with his sexual abuse or exploitation of anyone. 3. I was never on his plane, never on his island, and never present at any sex parties.”

In addition to seemingly abandoning his family to buddy up to Epstein in 2017, Attia’s name was mentioned more than 1,700 times in the latest set of released files.

Attia attempted to explain his connection to Epstein in his statement, noting that they met in 2014 through a “prominent female healthcare leader while I was raising funds for scientific research.”

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Attia explained that between summer 2014 and spring 2019 he met with Epstein “on approximately seven or eight occasions at his New York City home, regarding research studies and to meet others he introduced me to.”

Feature Donald Trump Woody Allen Bill Clinton and More Seen With Jeffrey Epstein in Newly Released Photos


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President Donald Trump, Woody Allen, former President Bill Clinton and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are all seen in newly released photos obtained from the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s estate. On Friday, December 12, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released 19 archival photos, of more than 95,000 total images, recovered from Epstein’s estate as part […]

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He claimed he “never visited” Epstein’s ranch or island and “never” flew on any of his planes.

“I was not his doctor, though several times I answered general medical questions and recommended other providers to him,” Attia alleged.

He then cleared up one email exchange between him and Epstein that was reportedly sent in 2015 — and didn’t paint Attia in the best light.

“In June 2015, I sent Epstein an email with the subject line ‘Got a fresh shipment,’” Attia recalled. “The email contained a photograph of bottles of metformin, a medication I had just received from the pharmacy for my own use. The subject line referred to the picture of the bottles of medication.”

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Dr Peter Attia Apologizes After Epstein Files Claim He Meet With Sex Offender While Wife Son Were in ICU Jail

Jeffrey Epstein.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement via Getty Images

Epstein allegedly responded with the words “me too” and sent back a “photograph of an adult woman.”

Attia confessed, “I responded with crude, tasteless banter,” admitting that it is now “very embarrassing,” to see how he engaged with Epstein. “I will not defend it. I’m ashamed of myself for everything about this. At the time, I understood this exchange as juvenile, not a reference to anything dark or harmful,” he added.

Attia claimed that in 2018 he learned that Epstein’s 2008 conviction, which he allegedly characterized as “prostitution-related charges,” was “grossly minimized,” which is when he started to distance himself from the man. (Epstein was convicted in Florida in 2008 on a charge of soliciting prostitution from someone under 18.)

Prince Andrew Kneels On All Fours Over Woman in New Epstein Photos


Related: Prince Andrew ‘Kneels On All Fours’ Over Woman in New Epstein Photos

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — formerly known as Prince Andrew — appears to kneel on all fours over an unknown woman in new photos obtained from late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s estate. On Friday, January 30, the Justice Department released more evidence from Epstein’s estate, including 100 new photographs. Mountbatten-Windsor seemingly appears in three new images […]

“I was incredibly naïve to believe him. I mistook his social acceptance in the eyes of the credible people I saw him with for acceptability, and that was a serious error in my judgment,” Attia wrote. “To be clear, I never witnessed illegal behavior and never saw anyone who appeared underage in his presence.”

He continued, “Nothing in this letter is meant to minimize the harm suffered by the young women Epstein abused. Their trauma is permanent.”

Attia noted he was “not asking for a pass” from anyone, but claimed roughly 10 years after he sent the emails to Epstein — and being the man that he is today — he “would not write them and would not associate with Epstein at all.”

“I recognize that my actions and words have consequences for the people I care deeply about, including all of you,” he concluded. “I regret the cost this has placed on you, and I take responsibility for it.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.

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Floyd Mayweather Sues Showtime, You Cheated Me Out Of Millions!

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Taylor Frankie Paul Named On NBA All-Star Celebrity Game Roster

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The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

Taylor Frankie Paul has been checking off tons of exciting boxes! She’s about to bring her energy to the court, officially joining the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game lineup for her first time. The “Mormon Wives” star will join other celebrities on the court during All-Star Weekend, bringing her signature energy and fan following to the popular annual NBA event.

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Taylor Frankie Paul Joins Star-Studded NBA All-Star Celebrity Game

The NBA All-Star Celebrity Game roster was released on Tuesday morning and “Mormon Wives” fans will notice a familiar name – the one and only Taylor Frankie Paul.

Other names on the roster include Mustard, Tacko Fall, Keegan-Michael Key, Glorilla, Shams Charania, and others. Coaches for the celebrity game are Giannis, Alex, and Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Mookie Betts, Anthony Anderson, Lethal Shooter, and Chris Brickley.

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The game is set to tip-off on Friday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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‘Mormon Wives’ Fans Are Ready To See Taylor Frankie Paul On The Court

Popular viral content creator, who goes by Stephwithdadeets on TikTok, shared Paul’s big basketball news. After sharing that this news could be why other members of MomTok had surprising reactions to something Paul was telling them in recent social media posts, Steph explained why she “loves this for Taylor.”

“And I actually kind of love this for Taylor cause I remember her saying that she likes to play basketball. I’ve seen videos she’s posted playing basketball, and you know, she’s not bad,” Steph said. “And someone that commented on my last video being like, Taylor has no talents outside of ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.’ A. I think that’s kind of rude. B. We’re not gonna know someone’s talents unless they showcase it.”

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Many fans dropped into the comment section to leave their thoughts on Paul being on the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game roster.

“She definitely is talented, she is a strategic queen, rage bait master, are just a few that come to mind,” one viewer wrote. Another added, “Wasn’t she like a legit athlete in high school?”

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This Year’s NBA All-Star Game Format Is Different Than Previous Years

In addition to the Ruffles All-Star Celebrity Game, NBA All-Star Weekend also has other exciting games and challenges happening from Friday, Feb. 13 through Sunday, Feb. 15.

This year, the All-Star game will be a bit different than in previous years. The NBA shared some news about the game on social media a few weeks ago, explaining that this year’s game will feature “new U.S. vs. World competition.” The game will include two U.S. teams and one world team in a round-robin tournament with four 12-minute games on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. PT.

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“In the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players (known as the World team) will compete in a round-robin tournament featuring four 12-minute games. The three teams will each have a minimum of eight players,” the statement reads. “In the round-robin tournament, Team A will play Team B in Game 1. The winning team from Game 1 will take on Team C in Game 2, followed by the losing team of Game 1 meeting Team C in Game 3.”

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After Game 3, the top two teams will advance and face off in the championship game.

Taylor Frankie Paul Recently Said, ‘I Know Ball’ About Another Topic

A few days prior to Paul’s NBA news hitting the internet, she shared a video on Instagram that really hit home for many viewers.

Captioned, “Trust me I know ball, however if I’ve learned anything, it’s that more often than not, people just want to be heard. It’s also important to validate yourself in whatever you may be feeling or it just gets louder. Forever grateful for the knowledge and tools I was taught by these amazing people even if I don’t always utilize it,” Paul shared clips of things that have helped her mental health journey.

A few of those things include – equine therapy, art therapy, movement, trauma yoga, and prayer, red light therapy, among a few others.

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The video quickly grabbed tons of attention with viewers heading for the comment section to share some positivity and thoughts.

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Quinton Aaron’s Family Says His Wife Isn’t Legit, She Claims Spiritual Marriage

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Jennifer Esposito says she has to move out of home she mortgaged to finance her first film: 'I've been crying'

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The actress’ directorial debut, “Fresh Kills,” opened to little fanfare in 2024.

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Ricky Martin issues public statement to Bad Bunny after Grammys: 'I know how heavy it is'

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Martin is sending love and support, from one Puerto Rican singer to another.

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Donald Trump Willing to Dedicate Federal Resources to Hunt for Nancy Guthrie

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