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How Star Trek Was Destroyed By Hollywood, The Full History Of Its Ruination

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How Star Trek Was Destroyed By Hollywood, The Full History Of Its Ruination

By Joshua Tyler
| Updated

Star Trek has never been at a lower point. The franchise’s current batch of shows receives almost no ratings, and the brand’s total mismanagement has been so bad that it’s driven away existing Trekkies while failing to attract any new viewers.

This is far worse than having no show on the air at all, since a lack of content often builds anticipation and hunger for more. On the other hand, year after year of producing terrible content that actively seeks to alienate fans, breeds hatred and contempt, while destroying any trust or interest in the brand.

Watch the video version of this article.

What happened? What went wrong? How did we end up in this Star Trek hellscape? To find the answer, we have to look into the past.

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Paramount Began Planning Star Trek’s Destruction In 2017

The year is 2017. Star Trek had been off television for 12 years. The last Trek release, Star Trek: Beyond, turned out to be a box-office disappointment.

So, Paramount devised a bold new plan to revitalize Star Trek with a prequel series. Oh, wait, they’d just done that. The entire 2009 Star Trek movie franchise was a prequel.

Scott Bakula as Captain Archer on Star Trek: Enterprise

But that was on the big screen; this time, the twist was that the prequel would be a series. Oh, wait, they already did that, too. It was called Star Trek: Enterprise, and Paramount pulled the plug after four seasons.

That very recent past seemingly forgotten, Paramount moved forward with another prequel, their third attempt in a row at making a Star Trek prequel happen. Third time was not the charm.

Brian Fuller And The Rise Of Alex Kurtzman

The Disco era began with the debut of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017. Discovery was created by a man named Brian Fuller.

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Fuller was a well-known television writer and producer. He’d written for both Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager in the 90s. Since then, he’d established himself as a much sought-after talent, creating critically acclaimed series like Pushing Daisies and Hannibal.

He had the right resume, and so, Paramount hired him to create a new Star Trek series. His initial pitch was to do something serialized, with “diversity” as a focus, and a dark and gritty tone inspired by Game of Thrones. If you’re a Star Trek fan, you probably already see the problem. That’s right, Brian Fuller wanted to turn Gene Roddenberry’s bright and hopeful view of the future into a Game of Thrones knockoff.

Fuller worked on the show for 9 months. His tenure was marked by missed deadlines and ever-expanding budgets. Paramount clashed with him over his desire to reboot Star Trek into a Game of Thrones series. The company wanted its brand to stick with the traditions that made Star Trek work, and Fuller wanted to warp it into something entirely different. After these struggles and amid much controversy, Fuller essentially left the production while maintaining credit for the show.

Up til this point, Paramount had made good decisions. Hiring Fuller didn’t work out, but on paper, it should have. When Fuller failed to get what Star Trek was as a brand, Paramount made another good decision by getting rid of him.

Getting rid of Fuller was the last good Star Trek decision Paramount would ever make.

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They replaced Fuller with Gretchen J. Berg & Aaron Harberts. Berg & Hoberts were Fuller’s people. They’d worked with him on past projects and were already helping him make Star Trek: Discovery. The ideas Fuller was implementing, the terrible ideas that got him essentially fired, were also their ideas. So they stayed the course and kept working on their Game of Thrones-ification of Star Trek.

Eventually, Berg & Hoberts were also fired, but not for trying to ruin Star Trek. It happened amidst accusations of abuse towards the show’s writers.

Still, this was Paramount’s chance to course-correct and save Trekkies from the Game of Thrones-ification of Star Trek. Instead of doing that and fixing things, Paramount did something worse.

Alex Kurtzman was put in their place. Kurtzman was the man most responsible for the worst of the recent Star Trek movies, Star Trek: Into Darkness. He now held the future of the entire franchise in his hands. He would remain in charge not just of Discovery, but of the entire Star Trek franchise, throughout the Disco era.

Star Trek: Discovery Launches And Is Hated

By the time Alex Kurtzman was hired, production was pretty far along on Star Trek: Discovery. Kurtzman made tweaks to satisfy some of Paramount’s concerns, but much of what the show would be was already written in stone. 

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Discovery arrives

Star Trek: Discovery was the most expensive Star Trek series ever produced, at the time. Paramount could have trashed it and taken a tax write-off, but that’s tough to do with so much money on the line. So they released it.

The show was poorly received by fans. Critics initially praised it, but critics rarely watch shows beyond the first one or two episodes. They ignore it after that, which makes their reviews meaningless. 

Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike

Reports of Discovery’s ratings were vague and unreliable. Most indications were that after an initially strong debut, people began abandoning the show.

Paramount and their new best friend, Alex Kurtzman, took note and tried making big changes for season 2. They brought in Anson Mount to play Christopher Pike, and Mount was fantastic. Unfortunately, the rest of the show was still the show it was always designed to be. Adding one good character to a terrible show cannot save it.

Paramount Activates Quarantine Protocols For Star Trek: Discovery

Stuck with a show no one liked, Paramount did the only thing they could do besides cancel it: They quarantined the entire series, separating it from the rest of Star Trek. They did that by time-jumping Star Trek: Discovery so far into the future that nothing it did could have any further impact on the franchise.

The USS Discovery time jumps into a far-off future.

They created a spinoff called Star Trek: Strange New Worlds for Pike to rescue him from Discovery’s sinking ship. Though his new series was technically an extension of the Disco-verse, it quickly set out to differentiate itself from Discovery and the mistakes it had made.

Unfortunately, Alex Kurtzman was still in charge, and he simultaneously set out to make Strange New Worlds his own, which meant he made it stupid. He made it his stated mission to work only with people who didn’t actually like Star Trek, intending to hollow out the brand and wear it like a skinsuit.

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Strange New Worlds debuts its Klingon boy band.

So, instead of hiring serious science fiction writers who might have a fondness for Gene Roddenberry’s work, he hired Strange New Worlds and Discovery writers based on diversity quotas. Those writers, who care nothing about Star Trek or science fiction, then turned the show into a playground for theater kids rather than Star Trek fans. After a strong first-season debut, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds devolved into a series of joke episodes and ridiculous plot arcs, which chased away initially optimistic Trek fans.

Star Trek Starts Winning Razzies

That should have been it for the Disco era. The franchise forked away from it; Paramount was working on other Star Trek shows. Discovery limped onward but was soon canceled after five seasons of disinterest.

Star Trek: Discovery’s Michael Burnham

However, Alex Kurtzman had been trying to make a Star Trek: Section 31 spinoff since the first season of Discovery. His plan centered on a widely disliked Star Trek: Discovery character, played by actress Michelle Yeoh

Fans hated the idea, and no one at Paramount seemed particularly excited about it. They prioritized Strange New Worlds over it, and while a Section 31 series was announced, it never went into full production. Kurtzman’s last update stated clearly that Section 31 was now a very low priority.

And then, in March of 2023, Michelle Yeoh won an Oscar.  In April of 2023, Star Trek: Section 31 entered full production as a feature film. Oscar-winning tends to have that effect.

star trek section 31 michelle yeoh
Michelle Yeoh as Section 31’s genocidal hero.

In January of 2024, Star Trek: Section 31 arrived as a direct-to-streaming movie on Paramount+. It was the first Star Trek movie released in nearly a decade. It’s now the worst-reviewed movie in the entire Star Trek canon, with audiences giving it an appalling 16% fresh score. It received three Razzie nominations: Worst Picture, Worst Actress, and Worst Screenplay.

Star Trek: Section 31 begins when a spitwad flies across the screen, tracing the shape of the Starfleet logo. Viewers would later learn that Spitwad is actually the movie’s hero ship, but that knowledge doesn’t make it any better. The movie revolves around Michelle Yeoh’s Philippa Georgiou, a character responsible for numerous acts of genocide. And she’s not sorry about any of it.

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There are other characters in Section 31, but they’re no better. The super cool Section 31 spy team introduces itself by shouting at each other, issuing threats, and posing for the camera. Like Georgiou, they’re also mostly serial killers, and they’re all pretty upset they aren’t able to do more killing.

Michelle Yeoh savoring the sweet taste of an eyeball in Star Trek: Section 31

Luckily, this mission to do a thing takes place in the exact same space bar they’re already standing in. Paramount didn’t need to build any other sets for their heist. What a financially fortuitous coincidence. 

There’s a confusing fistfight in front of a bad green screen rendering of a blurry tunnel. A murder mystery that no one cares about. A robot gets incapacitated by being kneed in the crotch. 

Star Trek: Section 31 ends when Phillipa Georgiou genocides an entire universe on suspicion of possible mischief and then tells her team she’s going to kill them. If you still have doubts about the quality of Star Trek: Section 31’s writing, please enjoy this actual line of dialogue from the movie: “She died like she lived. By that you know what I mean.”

Star Trek Becomes A Zombie Franchise Thanks To Starfleet Academy

A disaster on the scale of Star Trek: Section 31 should have been the end of Alex Kurtzman. Paramount, however, continues funding his disasters. So enabled, Alex Kurtzman continued moving forward on one of his worst pet projects, Starfleet Academy.

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The idea of a show centered around the Academy had been floating around for decades. It’s not something Trekkies ever really wanted, though, because the point of Star Trek is to be about professionals out exploring and not watching kids sitting in classrooms or flirting with each other in the cafeteria. Alex Kurtzman, however, having clearly demonstrated he didn’t really want existing fans, perhaps saw this as an opportunity to finally be rid of them.

An actual scene from Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

Ratings for the show are self-reported by Paramount and so can’t be relied on. However, most evidence suggests no one is watching it. Some estimates have its total viewership as being under a million. Fans hate it beyond all measure, and Starfleet Academy has some of the lowest audience scores of anything currently airing on streaming.

Yet, somehow, Starfleet Academy was renewed for a second season and will continue. Why? I suspect money laundering. If you have a better explanation, I’d like to hear it.

Heroes Arose, But Alex Kurtzman Struck Them Down

It didn’t have to be this way. Even after Fuller’s plans failed, Paramount had ways to correct course.

Developing in parallel with the Disco-verse was a Star Trek animated series called Lower Decks, helmed by Rick & Morty alum Mike McMahan. Mike McMahan is a serious, lifelong Star Trek fan, and while technically his show was produced under Alex Kurtzman’s auspices, all indications are that Kurtzman had nothing to do with Lower Decks.

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Mike McMahan’s Star Trek: Lower Decks

That allowed McMahan to stack his staff with serious writing talent, who knew the genre and knew everything about Star Trek. They took Star Trek seriously, and as a result, Lower Decks was a huge success, and it had nothing at all to do with the Disco-verse.

Alex Kurtzman rewarded McMahan’s success by canceling his show after five seasons and firing him. Paramount did nothing to stop him.

Tangential to the Disco-verse was the Picard-verse, a series vanity project Alex Kurtzman developed around Patrick Stewart’s Captain Picard character. The show was a disaster for two seasons until the third, when Paramount somehow convinced Kurtzman to turn the whole thing over to veteran TV showrunner and legit Star Trek fan Terry Matalas.

The Star Trek future fans wanted.

Matalas delivered the best Star Trek season of the modern Trek era. Matalas lobbied to be given more work, doing more Star Trek. Fans launched petitions to try and convince Paramount to hand the entire franchise over to him.

Alex Kurtzman, still with an iron grip on the franchise, responded by passing on Matalas and hiring more people who don’t like Star Trek to replace him on the franchise’s next projects, Section 31 and Starfleet Academy.

And that’s the current state of Star Trek. We’re left with dancing Klingon boy bands and rainbow vomit. Sure, the .001% of humans who spent their formative years as theater kids may like it. Is that really a demographic worth pursuing? It’s like five people, and four of them are named Skylar.

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The Legacy Of Star Trek’s Disco Era

Brian Fuller achieved what he set out to achieve. He erased Star Trek and replaced it with an outer space Game of Thrones.

His plan culminated in a horrible Suicide Squad/Guardians of the Galaxy ripoff mashup with the Star Trek name slapped on it in hopes of tricking people into giving them money. Then it blossomed into a Dawson’s Creek knockoff with combadges.

The ship that launched Star Trek’s Disco-era, the USS Shenzou.

Alex Kurtzman’s attempt replace Trekkies with new Trekkies who would like his slop, totally failed. He didn’t find replacements, because those replacements would have to be young women. Newsflash: Young women are never going to watch something called Star Trek.

And yet, despite no longer having an audience or a point for existing, Star Trek keeps going anyway. It’s become a zombie franchise that Paramount keeps making because that’s what franchises are supposed to do. Keep going.

Maybe it will keep going for a while. There doesn’t seem to be any way to stop it. So Star Trek fans have beamed away, and after years of abuse, they’re unlikely to return. No need to set the auto-destruct on your way out, Trekkies. Alex Kurtzman blew it up a long time ago.

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Rich Moms Wear These Pieces to Martha’s Vineyard — From $5

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There’s a reason rich moms flock to Martha’s Vineyard every spring — and totally dress the part. Their outfits are preppy, billowy and luxe, channeling coastal chic and country club vibes at the same time. Fortunately, these elevated spring pieces mirror the aesthetic despite starting at just $5.

Whether you’re brunching with the girls, planting hydrangeas or simply running errands, these classy pieces make you look like an East Coast millionaire. With these 19 seasonal dresses, blouses, bags and sandals, you’re sure to find luxe-looking wardrobe staples worth buying below — including options from brands like Caslon, Tory Burch and Free People. See our favorites from Nordstrom, Amazon, Abercrombie & Fitch and more!

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19 Martha’s Vineyard-Style Rich Mom Pieces — From $5

1. Transitional Season: Spring mornings are usually chilly. This puff-sleeve cardigan bridges the gap without adding bulk. Throw it over a tank or dress, and you’re instantly polished.

2. Sassy Slides: Slip into these raffia-style slides for a boardwalk stroll or a casual lunch. They look put together for both! Oh, and the soft lining means no blisters.

3. Could be Longchamp: This packable nylon tote has the same clean, preppy look of a Longchamp Le Pliage bag, but at a fraction of the price. At $30, you won’t stress about tossing it on the sand.

4. Picnic Party: Gingham print is a staple in Martha’s Vineyard, and this button-front blouse nails it. You’ll wear it for everything from in-office mornings to afternoon picnics.

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5. Sporty Edge: Whether you’re meeting friends for coffee, exploring a new city or simply grabbing groceries, this two-piece outfit delivers comfort and style.

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Related: I Travel Monthly — Cool Moms Wear These 19 Chic Travel Sets

Whether flying or driving, I’m always going somewhere. It gives me plenty of time to spot fashion trends in airports, hotel lobbies and new cities. Somehow, wherever I go, cool moms wear these two-piece outfit styles nonstop. Charleston, New York, Marseilles, you name it — the chicest gals wear matching sets, and these 19 travel […]

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6. Everyday Outfit: Frills, stripes and puff sleeves make this boutiquey blouse look straight off the island. You get a $200 look for $20.

7. Travel Staple: Tired of colors that don’t match? This two-piece set eliminates the problem entirely. One grab from the suitcase and you’re already dressed.

8. Bye, Jeans: With an elasticized waistband and a wide-leg design, these billowy stripe pants bring all-day comfort. Plus, they drape beautifully from every angle.

9. Linen Blend: You’ll obsess over this linen-blend jumpsuit that looks like denim, yet actually breathes. The sleeveless style shows off your shoulders.

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10. Best Dressed: This solid-color maxi dress lets the silhouette do all the talking. No busy print — just a timeless, elegant look.

11. Martha Stewart: Martha Stewart wears butter yellow nonstop, which is why we’re snagging this breezy maxi skirt in the same hue. The lightweight find feels like you’re wearing nothing at all.

12. Boho Babe: An $8 top shouldn’t look this good, but we’re glad this lantern-sleeve wonder totally pulls it off. Pair it with white pants and no one will ever guess the price.

13. Luxe Alert: Once you try on these linen-blend capris, you’ll ditch your tight pants indefinitely. Rich moms wear them with flip-flops, sandals and sneakers.

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14. Nice and Nautical: This T-shirt maxi dress combines the relaxed fit of a tee with a length that reads refined. The nautical stripes are peak New England style.

15. Classic Crossbody: Thanks to the straw and leather accents, this stylish crossbody bag channels high-end coastal vibes — without the designer markup.

16. Tory Burch: Save up to 40% on these classic cork sandals that shoppers wear instead of sneakers. The contoured footbed adds arch support.

17. So Flattering: Show up to a dinner party in this waist-cinching maxi dress, and someone will ask if it’s Zimmermann. It smooths, flows and slims from every angle.

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18. Total Steal: An $8 price is not a glitch! This year-round blouse layers perfectly under cardigans during the spring and works solo in the summer.

19. Seriously Splurge-Worthy: Look no further for the ultimate wear-everywhere dress. This smocked maxi shapes without squeezing, concealing the tummy without looking frumpy.

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Nia Long Poses For Playboy, Opens Up About Dating (PHOTO)

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Come Thru, Then! Nia Long Poses For Playboy & Opens Up About Her Dating Life (PHOTO)

Roomies, Nia Long recently posed for Playboy and opened up about where she’s at with dating, and more.

RELATED: Nia Long Participated In The “Backup Dancer Challenge” & Social Media Is Goin’ Wild Over Her Moves (WATCH)

Nia Long Poses For Playboy & Opens Up Where She’s At With Dating

On Monday, April 13, Nia Long took to Instagram with a joint post with Playboy, teasing her recent sitdown and cover with the outlet.

Then, later that day, Long returned to the platform to share a shot from her feature.

Furthermore, in her interview with the platform, Long got candid and discussed her career, her upcoming role in the Michael Jackson biopic, ‘Michael,’ as Katherine Jackson, her life as a mom, and if she’s dating.

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“I can’t even answer that question. I probably shouldn’t answer that question. Am I ‘dating?’ I don’t like that word,” she said.

When asked why she isn’t dating, Long explained:

“I feel like that requires me to go out and do something. I do think that if you’re looking for a partner, you have to be actively out there in order to meet. But I am not in that space right now. I’m really focused on my kids, my work, and my girlfriends, and going out and having a good time. … I like to get up and do what I want to do when I want to do it. It’s not that I don’t want to have a partner, but I was in a relationship for a very long time, and I’m enjoying getting to know myself without feeling the need to be of service to a relationship. I want to be of service to myself, to my children, and to my career. And when the right man comes along [whom] I choose to commit to, then perhaps he will be of service to me,” she said.

Here’s What Else She Said About Dating

In addition, Long explained that her biggest turn-off about dating is people talking “too much.”

“I need them to shut up. If we’re going to have a one-night stand, I almost feel like I need to have them sign NDAs,” she said, later adding. “The new way of dating is so—I don’t even understand what’s happening! First of all, if I text you and you take a day, I’m never talking to you again. Never talking again.”

Before concluding on the topic, she added that she’s a “big fan” of dating younger because they “also go home.”

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Social Media Reacts After Nia Long Poses For Playboy

Social media users reacted to Nia Long’s shot for Playboy in her comment section.

Instagram user @4thesakeof_aqueen_ wrote, This Scorpio is on 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥”

While Instagram user @sandybeeech added, YOU ARE THE BIRTHDAY🥳😍🤭”

Instagram user @sidrasmithofficial wrote, Oh my GAWD!!!! 😱 Sis! You look FABULOUS!!!!🔥🔥❤️❤️”

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While Instagram user @sislovespurple added,Owwww!! Get it Nia 🔥🔥🔥”

Instagram user @firstladytonesa wrote,Go Nia!!! 😍😍😍😍 congratulations”

While Instagram user @normandiestroter added, Fabulous 👑👑👑🔥🔥👑👑❤️❤️Love this Look 😍😍😍😍”

Instagram user @mo.bettuh wrote,I see you woman! 🤗🤎🌻”

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RELATED: She Gets It From Her Mama! Nia Long Shares Rare Photo & Video Of Her Mom Talita

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Drew Barrymore is barry-done with wearing bras: 'I'm over it'

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“I don’t care if these sausages fall down to my knees,” the actress declared on Tuesday’s episode of her talk show.

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5 Lord of the Rings Characters Who Made Sauron Nearly Unstoppable

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Shelob stalks Frodo in Mordor

Sauron is the primary antagonist throughout The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, and for a significant portion of the universe that author J. R. R. Tolkien outlined. He is the eponymous Lord of the Rings, as he is responsible for distributing the rings of power to the elves, dwarves, and humans. Of course, everyone knows that Sauron lied to them all and secretly forged a ring of his own, one that was infinitely more powerful than the others. One Ring to rule them all.

It is this One Ring that Sauron uses to dominate Middle-Earth, and to wage war against its people, which is why the trilogy revolves around the ring being destroyed. Though Sauron is a powerful force that few could ever hope to stand against, he rarely works alone. Indeed, the Dark Lord of Mordor has had many servants and allies throughout his reign of terror. Many are clumsy and oafish, like the orcs and trolls, but others are much more dangerous. This list will discuss Sauron’s most powerful allies, but they won’t be ranked in any particular order.

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Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz
Which Lord of the Rings
Race Do You Belong To?

Hobbit · Elf · Dwarf · Man · Orc

Middle-earth is home to many peoples — the courageous, the ancient, the stubborn, the ambitious, and the wretched. Ten questions will determine which race truly claims your soul. The answer may surprise you. Or it may confirm what you already suspected.

🌿Hobbit

🌟Elf

⚒️Dwarf

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⚔️Man

💀Orc

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01

What does your ideal day look like?
How we rest reveals as much as how we fight.






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02

How do you feel about the passing of time?
Our relationship with mortality shapes everything we value.






03

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Danger is approaching. Your first instinct is to:
Fight, flight, or something in between — it’s more revealing than you’d think.






04

You stumble upon a great treasure. What do you feel?
What we desire — and what we do about it — is the true test.





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05

How important is community and belonging to you?
No race of Middle-earth is truly alone — but some prefer it that way.






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06

How ambitious are you, honestly?
Ambition is neither virtue nor vice — it depends entirely on what you want.






07

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Where do you feel most at home in the natural world?
Middle-earth is vast — and every race has its place within it.






08

What kind of strength do you most respect?
Every race defines strength differently — and they’re all at least a little right.





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09

What do you want to leave behind when you’re gone?
Legacy is the story we tell ourselves about why any of this matters.






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10

Be honest — what do you actually want most out of life?
The truest question always comes last.






Middle-earth Has Spoken
You Belong To…
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The race that claimed the most of your answers is your true kin. If two tied, both are shown — you walk between worlds.

◆ A TIE — YOU WALK BETWEEN TWO RACES ◆

🌿
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Your Race

The Hobbits

You are, at your core, a creature of comfort, community, and quiet joy — and there is nothing small about that. Hobbits are proof that heroism does not require ambition, that the bravest heart can beat inside the most unassuming chest. You value good food, warm hearths, close friends, and a world that stays largely untroubled by dark lords and quests. When adventure does find you — and it will — you rise to it not because you sought it, but because the people you love needed you to. That is not ordinary. That is the rarest kind of courage in all of Middle-earth.

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🌟

Your Race

The Elves

Ancient, graceful, and carrying a weight of memory most mortals cannot fathom, you are one of the Elves. You see the world in its fullness — its beauty, its impermanence, the unbearable ache of watching everything you love eventually fade. You pursue perfection not from pride, but because excellence is how you honour the time you have been given. Others may see you as remote or melancholy. They are not wrong, exactly. But they mistake depth for distance. You feel everything — which is precisely why you have learned to carry it so quietly.

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⚒️

Your Race

The Dwarves

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Stubborn, proud, fiercely loyal, and possessed of a work ethic that would exhaust most other races before breakfast — you are Dwarf-kind through and through. You do not ask for approval and you do not offer it cheaply. Your loyalty, once given, is given for life. Your grudges last longer. You love deeply and defend ferociously, and the things you build — with your hands, with your sweat, with generations of accumulated craft — are made to last. Not for glory. Because anything worth doing is worth doing properly, and you have never once done anything by half measures.

⚔️

Your Race

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The Race of Men

Mortal, ambitious, flawed, and magnificent — you belong to the most complicated race in Middle-earth, and that complexity is your greatest strength. Men are capable of cowardice and extraordinary bravery, of cruelty and breathtaking sacrifice, sometimes within the same breath. You feel the urgency of your finite years, and it drives you. You want to matter. You want to leave something behind. You fall, and you rise, and the rising is what defines you. Tolkien called mortality the Gift of Men — not a curse, but a fire that burns bright precisely because it does not burn forever. That fire is you.

💀
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Your Race

The Orcs

Brutal, survivalist, and contemptuous of anything that can’t defend itself — you answered with the instincts of an Orc, and there is a certain savage honesty in that. You do not dress up your desires in polite language or pretend you want things you don’t. You want power, survival, and to never be at the bottom of any hierarchy ever again. Orcs are not evil by nature — they were made from something that was once good, and broken into this shape by forces they did not choose. What remains is fierce, territorial, and deeply aware that the world is not kind. You’ve made your peace with that. The question is what you do with it.

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The Witch-King of Angmar

The Witch-King of Angmar is the chief of the Nazgûl, also known as the Ringwraiths. The Ringwraiths were men once, who were given nine rings of power by Sauron himself, which warped them into phantom-like beings, neither living nor dead. The Witch-King, as his name implies, was once the ruler of the northern land of Angmar, a snowy, mountainous land full of antisocial people and misery.

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In The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the Witch-King is played by Lawrence Makoare, who gives the character a deeply imposing presence that lets the viewer feel the evil coming from him. With powers of sorcery behind him, poisonous blades, immortality, and superhuman strength, the Witch-King was among the most feared of Sauron’s lieutenants, especially when he rode astride his flying fell beast. Eventually, the Witch King is famously killed by Éowyn (Miranda Otto), Shieldmaiden of Rohan, aided by the Hobbit Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan).

Shelob

Shelob stalks Frodo in Mordor Image via New Line Cinema

Shelob is one of the Great Spiders and a daughter of Ungoliant, one of the most powerful beings in Middle-earth. While Ungoliant initially worked with Morgoth, Sauron’s master, she eventually betrayed him, acting independently, driven by her insatiable hunger. Shelob is mostly in the same vein: she is primarily interested in herself rather than in serving the Dark Lord.

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However, Shelob and Sauron have developed a minor alliance that is shaky at best. The agreement is that Shelob has to guard Cirith Ungol, the hidden mountain pass into Mordor for Sauron. In exchange, Sauron feeds her prisoners and lets her feast on his orcs should they stray into his territory. While not as powerful as her mother, who actually defeated Morgoth, Shelob is still an immensely powerful being, with very few able to stand against her. In fact, Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) was the first living being to ever harm Shelob in centuries, possibly even millennia, though he was not able to kill her.

Saruman the White

Christopher Lee as Saruman with his hand on a crystal ball in The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers Image via New Line Cinema

Saruman (Sir Christopher Lee) is the leader of the Istari, the five wizards of Middle-earth. He is the most powerful among them, and, like the others, is a Maia. The Maiar are sort of demigods, with both spiritual and human forms. In fact, Sauron is of this very same species. While the Istari are supposed to be dedicated to combating Sauron, Saruman eventually gave up his mission in favor of joining Sauron instead. However, their alliance is thin, and the two are always spying on each other.

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Saruman actually plans to overthrow Sauron and rule Middle-earth himself, and Sauron is well aware of it. Still, their interests align enough that they are able to put their rivalry aside and focus on dominating the free people of Middle-earth. They communicate through the Palantir in their two towers, which is a crystal ball that serves as a direct line between them. Due to the fact that he is immortal and has the magic of the Istari behind him, Saruman is unquestionably one of Sauron’s most powerful allies.

Ancalagon the Black

Charlie Vickers as Sauron in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Season 2.
Charlie Vickers as Sauron in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Season 2.
Image via Prime Video

Ancalagon the Black has never been featured on screen, but his name is enough to strike fear in the hearts of many throughout Middle-earth. Ancalagon was an enormous dragon, the largest ever reported to have lived in Middle-earth. He wreaked havoc throughout the First Age, bringing low the hidden city of Gondolin and slaying countless with his fiery breath. Though he did not possess any magic, his sheer size was enough to make him the ultimate killing machine.

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Ancalagon was eventually slain by Eärendil, the father of Elrond (Hugo Weaving), in the First Age. To get a real grasp of how massive Ancalagon truly was, it is said that when he fell from the sky, his corpse crushed an entire mountain range, reducing it to pebbles, which obviously means he was nearly impossible to kill in the first place — not a lot of Medieval-esque weapons can really damage something that big. For his sheer destructive power, Ancalagon is amongst Sauron’s most feared and powerful allies, though the two never interacted much. They were simply allies due to the fact that they both served the same master at the same time.

Morgoth

Morgoth stands before his armies in The Rings of Power
Morgoth stands before his armies in The Rings of Power
Image via Prime Video

Melkor, later known as Morgoth, is one of the Valar, a group of god-like beings that came into existence with the birth of Middle-earth. He is the only one to turn against the light, choosing instead to lead a path of darkness and death. He waged war against the other Valar and has been doing so for ages. When it comes to the villains of Middle-earth, Morgoth is actually the ultimate force of evil, not Sauron.

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Put simply, Morgoth is a god, and Sauron is a demigod; thus, Morgoth is actually more powerful than Sauron, with the latter actually acting as a servant of the former rather than his own autonomous being. Sauron is always doing Morgoth’s bidding, even when Morgoth temporarily vanishes from Middle-earth. Because most of Arda’s problems are caused by Morgoth, if not all, he is obviously the most powerful ally Sauron has. While Sauron is more of a servant, being a servant and being an ally aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive, provided they have the same purpose.

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Selma Blair Reflects on Legally Blonde’s 25th Anniversary

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Actress Selma Blair arrives at a special screening of the film 'Legally Blonde' in Southampton, New York. 6/7/2001. Photo: Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Ahead of the film’s 25th anniversary, Selma Blair is reflecting on some of the memorable red carpet looks she wore during the press run for Legally Blonde.

“I remember styling myself only, like, it never occurred to me to have a stylist,” Blair, 53, exclusively told Us Weekly. “I do remember that about that time, I just liked something, and I’d go to the store and I’d buy it, or go to the store and be like, ‘Hi, can you dress me?’ It was just a different time. I thought it was wild when people put makeup on for [a] premiere or style it.”

Blair continued, “That’s a young girl’s idea, though, because you realize five years later, I need makeup. I did makeup for that premiere and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, such a big deal.’”

Blair donned a red and navy striped halter dress to the Los Angeles premiere of the iconic Reese Witherspoon-led film in June 2001. She wore a black Ralph Lauren dress to the premiere in Southampton, New York, the following month.

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Blair noted how much things have changed since those days, especially when it comes to fashion.

“Everyone has a stylist. Crazy. You don’t even get to keep the clothes,” Blair said. “Well, like a gown, that’s why you get a stylist or else I’d be able to afford to go into a store and buy the gown.”

Actress Selma Blair arrives at a special screening of the film 'Legally Blonde' in Southampton, New York. 6/7/2001. Photo: Evan Agostini/Getty Images
Evan Agostini

Blair told Us that she has held on to some things from the Legally Blonde set.

“I hung on a long time to my wardrobe from Legally Blonde and Sweetest Thing,” Blair admitted. “I didn’t keep any from Cruel Intentions. But you know what I did, so stupidly, I gave it to people who were fans, or gave it to kids or teenagers that were, like, going through something that I met through years. So yeah, I don’t have any of it. I have one beret that’s like, beaded, but it’s fine. I have moths every once in a while in my closet, so it’s just as well.”

A current wardrobe staple for Blair is a bed jacket. She recently partnered with Kansas-city based lifestyle brand MERSEA to create the limited-edition pajama capsule collection, Sea La Vie, that “celebrates sleepwear as a modern self-care ritual.”

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“I met this wonderful woman-owned business years ago, when I was really not doing great with MS,” said Blair, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018. “I was in bed a lot, and I got this beautiful care package, and it made such an impression on me, and I obviously enjoyed it so much.”

Selma Blair Reflects on the 25th Anniversary of Legally Blonde It Was a Different Time BedJacketJumper
Robin Harper for MERSEA

“Bed is something that I’m in a lot,” Blair said. “So now I have more pajamas than the average bear, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. But I could also throw on my bed jacket and go out and look really, really chic.”

In the collection, which dropped Tuesday, April 14, Blair designed The Molly Bedcoat, with the help of the MERSEA team, which in part, pays tribute to her mother.

GettyImages-2247256584-Selma-Blair-Shares-Health-Update-Amid-Her-Multiple-Sclerosis-Battle.jpg


Related: Selma Blair Shares Health Update Amid Her Multiple Sclerosis Battle

Selma Blair shared an update on her battle with multiple sclerosis (MS), more than seven years after revealing her diagnosis. Speaking to Stellar on Saturday, November 22, Blair, 53, confirmed she had been relapse-free for a “couple of years” and shared her gratitude that her condition was not worsening. “That, of course, means the world […]

“[My mom] was pregnant four times and the bed jackets were very popular in the late ‘50s or ‘60s, so I inherited these bed jackets when I was little from all her pregnancies,” Blair said. “I loved them as a kid. And I remember when I first moved to New York, and I didn’t have any clothes, I was going out to a nice dinner, and I just packed one bag for this whole move to New York. One thing was the bed jacket that my mom had packed in the bag. So I wore it out to this kind of fancy night out just bare underneath, and a cool pair of pants and high heels. I never forgot it.”

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Selma Blair Reflects on the 25th Anniversary of Legally Blonde It Was a Different Time dog
Robin Harper for MERSEA

For their bed jackets, Blair and MERSEA created two colorways, “Starry Navy” and “Ballet Pink.” Other items in the collection include: the Selma Jumper, the Runaround Button Down Top and matching Playground Pants, the Drive Thru Shirt and coordinating Chill Out Shorts, as well as the Boyfriend Button Up Shirt and matching Beddy-Bye Shorts.

There are also accessories and more matching sets available, with 10 percent of the profits benefitting the American Brain Foundation, where Blair is now a Global Ambassador and National Chair for Brain Health.

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Spider-Man: Brand New Day Posters Reveal Dark New Direction as Beyond the Spider-Verse Images Tease Multiversal Finale : Coastal House Media

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Spider-Man: Brand New Day Trailer Sparks Wild Fan Theories From Man-Spider to Jean Grey : Coastal House Media

Marvel Studios hasn’t officially said much about Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but after the first trailer dropped, fans are already convinced it’s hiding some major reveals.

From a possible Man-Spider transformation to the long-rumored arrival of the X-Men, the internet is breaking down every frame for clues. While nothing has been confirmed, several theories have quickly gained traction and could hint at where the MCU is heading next.

A Darker Peter Parker Has Fans Thinking “Man-Spider”

One of the biggest talking points from the trailer is the noticeably darker tone surrounding Peter Parker.

Quick shots appear to show:

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  • A more aggressive Spider-Man

  • Subtle physical changes in his appearance

  • A loss of control over his powers

That has led many fans to speculate Marvel could be adapting elements of the “Man-Spider” storyline, where Peter undergoes a disturbing mutation tied to his spider abilities.

In Marvel Comics, the Man-Spider arc has been explored in several forms, often depicting Peter losing control as his powers evolve beyond what he can manage. While the MCU has never tackled this concept directly, the trailer’s tone suggests something more physical and unstable could be happening to him.

Symbiote Rumors Are Back Again

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Spider-Man theory cycle without talk of the black suit.

Following the ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home, where a fragment of the Venom symbiote was left behind in the MCU, fans have long expected that storyline to pay off. The Brand New Day trailer has only added fuel to that fire.

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Some viewers believe the darker visuals and Peter’s behavior could hint at early symbiote influence. Others think Marvel may combine elements of the symbiote storyline with a Man-Spider-style mutation, creating a new hybrid take on Spider-Man’s transformation.

While there’s no direct confirmation of Venom appearing, the groundwork has clearly been laid.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day [credit: Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures]

Sadie Sink’s Role Is Already a Mystery

Another major topic of discussion is Sadie Sink’s casting.

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Marvel has yet to reveal who she’s playing, but that hasn’t stopped speculation from running wild. The most popular theory right now is that Sink could be portraying Jean Grey, which would mark a massive step toward introducing mutants into the MCU.

The idea has gained traction online, especially as Marvel continues to build toward a post-Secret Wars future that likely includes the X-Men.

However, not everyone is convinced.

Other theories suggest she could be:

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  • Firestar

  • A version of Mary Jane Watson

  • A completely original MCU character

  • Or another lesser-known Marvel figure being reimagined

At this point, her role remains one of the film’s biggest mysteries.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day [credit: Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures]

A Possible Turning Point for the MCU

If even part of these theories prove true, Spider-Man: Brand New Day could be more than just another Spider-Man sequel.

The film appears to pick up with Peter completely isolated following the events of No Way Home, where the world forgot his identity. That emotional reset creates the perfect setup for a darker, more vulnerable version of the character.

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It also opens the door for larger changes in the MCU, whether that’s the introduction of the symbiote storyline, a new phase of Spider-Man’s evolution, or even the early stages of mutant integration.

Nothing Is Confirmed… But That Hasn’t Stopped Fans

As with most Marvel trailers, it’s important to note that none of these theories have been confirmed.

Still, the reaction online shows just how much anticipation is building around Brand New Day. Whether it delivers on these ideas or takes things in a completely different direction, one thing is clear:

Marvel has everyone paying attention again.

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The Dystopian Sci-Fi Tearjerker Inspired By Genre Classic Children Of Men

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The Dystopian Sci-Fi Tearjerker Inspired By Genre Classic Children Of Men

By Charlene Badasie
| Published

One of the most overlooked movies of the past decade is the 2021 dystopian sci-fi film Night Raiders. Written and directed by Danis Goulet, with Taika Waititi serving as executive producer, it stars Elle-Maija Tailfeathers as Niska, Brooklyn Letexier-Hart as Waseese, Alex Tarrant as Leo, Amanda Plummer as Roberta, Violet Nelson as Somonis, and Gail Maurice as Ida.

Set in 2044, Night Raiders depicts North America as a war-torn, environmentally decaying land. Cities have been abandoned, and the people are ruled by a harsh military government known as the Regime. Children into state-run academies, and the movie follows a Cree mother who lives off the grid to keep her daughter hidden, until she’s forced to infiltrate one of those institutions to get her back, uncovering a system built on control and the quiet erasure of identity.

An Anti-Hollywood, Dystopian Sci-Fi

Night Raiders exists because Danis Goulet spent years building it from the ground up as a deliberate counter to the kinds of dystopian stories Hollywood usually tells. Developed through Canada’s indie system with backing from Telefilm Canada and Indigenous Screen Office, the film was shot in Manitoba on a tight budget, leaning on practical locations and atmosphere instead of spectacle.

Casting prioritized authenticity over star power, with Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers leading a largely Indigenous cast, reinforcing the film’s focus both on-screen and behind the camera. It premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it checked all the right prestige boxes, but like a lot of carefully assembled indie productions, those prestige boxes didn’t help it find an audience.

Positive Reviews Didn’t Help

The movie received generally positive reviews from critics, with reviewers applauding its cast and story. However, some critics didn’t care for its reliance on young adult fiction themes. Still, Night Raiders currently holds an 83 percent rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on 53 reviews. The audience score is significantly less favorable at 46 percent.

Unfortunately, the film wasn’t pushed as an event; it was positioned like homework. And the audience score reflects that. Audiences didn’t reject it as much as they never noticed it at all. With no major stars, minimal marketing, and a release strategy that buried it in the streaming churn, Night Raiders became exactly what its tone suggested: something distant, somber, and easy to ignore.

Similarities To Children Of Men

clive owen

The general consensus hails Night Raiders for drawing parallels between its dystopian world and contemporary society, serving as a stark reminder of lingering historical atrocities. Director Goulet has directly stated that the film draws inspiration from Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men and the military actions during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in 2016.

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Bruno Mars’ Big Vegas Moment Came With A Million-Dollar Reveal

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Bruno Mars

Last week was filled with exciting moments for Bruno Mars. He kicked off his tour, had a parade in his honor on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip, and had a street naming ceremony to unveil Bruno Mars Drive. But it’s what he revealed during the ceremony that has many Las Vegas residents talking. 

During the celebration on Friday, April 10, Mars made an unexpected and impactful announcement to the crowd. What began as a tribute to Mars’ influence and connection to Sin City quickly turned into a powerful act of generosity, drawing attention to not just his legacy in entertainment, but to his commitment to giving back to the community.

Bruno Mars Was Celebrated In A Big Way In Las Vegas Last Week

Bruno Mars
John Esparza

While the glitz and glam doesn’t ever seem to slow down in Las Vegas, last Friday had an added layer of excitement. Mars was honored with a street named after him and a parade to get to the ceremony where thousands upon thousands of people lined the Strip to catch a glimpse of the popular singer. 

Friday, April 10 was officially declared “Bruno Mars Day,” recognizing his deep Las Vegas roots and connection. The day began with a parade down the Strip that led to Toshiba Plaza for a ceremony and surprise performance. During the ceremony, Mars was presented with a key to the Las Vegas Strip. 

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Park Avenue Is Now Bruno Mars Drive

Bruno Mars
Raoul Gatchalian/starmaxinc.com

In a rare and exciting move, Park Avenue was officially renamed Bruno Mars Drive. This move joins the tradition of streets dedicated to iconic Vegas entertainers, such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin. Mars has performed in Vegas for more than a decade, including his residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM, and he even owns his own cocktail bar inside Bellagio called Pinky Ring. 

“Bruno Mars isn’t just a global superstar – he’s one of the most electrifying performers of our time, and over the past decade he’s become an integral part of Las Vegas,” Bill Hornbuckle, CEO & President of MGM Resorts International said.

“From his early performances at Bellagio and MGM Grand to his record-setting residency at Dolby Live, Bruno has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors and has created the kind of unforgettable, ‘only in Vegas’ moments that define this city. It’s only fitting that we help launch his world tour here today as we honor his extraordinary impact on Las Vegas and the energy he brings to our community.” 

Bruno Mars Donated $1 Million To A Las Vegas Children’s Hospital

Bruno Mars
Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup / MEGA

During the ceremony that drew excited fans to Toshiba Plaza, Mars made an announcement that shifted the focus of his achievements to what he’s giving back to the city of Las Vegas. He revealed that he made a $1 million donation to Intermountain Children’s Health to support the development of a new children’s hospital in Las Vegas. 

Intermountain Children’s Health shared a post on LinkedIn about the donation.

“On April 10 in Las Vegas, during the citywide celebration at Toshiba Plaza, Bruno Mars presented Intermountain Health Foundation with a $1 million gift to support the future Intermountain Health Nevada Children’s Hospital. Philanthropy at this scale does more than fund a building. It strengthens a community’s ability to deliver lifesaving pediatric care; advancing programs, and expanding access for children and families across Nevada,” they wrote.

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“This moment is a direct reflection of the leadership and relationship our Nevada Campaign for Kids co-chairs, Bill Hornbuckle and Wendy Hornbuckle, are driving every day. Their advocacy, credibility, and connections continue to open doors and bring new partners into this vision in meaningful ways. We’re grateful to every donor and community partner who invests in what’s possible for kids – and to the caregivers who bring clinical excellence, empathy, and teamwork to families every day.” 

See the LinkedIn post here.

Kicking Off ‘The Romantic Tour’ In Vegas With Two Shows

Bruno Mars
Daniel Ramos

After an exciting day filled with fans, a parade, surprise performance, and ceremony honoring Mars, he kicked off his record-breaking global run, “The Romantic Tour,” with the first of two sold-out shows at Allegiant Stadium in Vegas. This marked his first full-scale headlining tour in nearly 10 years. 

Fans attending any of his tour dates can expect a career-spanning set that mixes favorites with fresh material from his Billboard No. 1 album “The Romantic,” released just a few weeks ago via Atlantic Records. 

The Vegas shows kicked off with three standout tracks from the new album – “Risk It All,” “Cha Cha Cha,” and “On My Soul.”  Mars also reworked hits such as “24K Magic,” “Perm,” and “Finesse” to fans’ delight. A theatrical highlight came during “Why You Wanna Fight,” complete with a staged thunderstorm, lightning, and a lowrider cruising down “Bruno Mars Drive.” 

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Joking About Paying His Debts

For any longtime fans of Mars, you’ve likely heard rumors swirling around about a huge debt that he owes the casino (allegedly a $50 million debt). During his opening night in Vegas, he made sure to clear those rumors up once and for all.

During the show, Mars’ Silk Sonic bandmate Anderson .Paak joined him on stage for a surprise performance and said, “I hate to make this about me, but when I think about how much debt, I mean how many steps it took to get here, I get emotional.”

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Mars replied with a laugh, “Andy, I’m sorry you’re going through all that. See, I’m debt-free. I paid the casino off a long time ago.”

Long before Mars put an end to those rumors at the show, MGM Resorts International shared a statement (back in March 2024) to the New York Post that cleared up any confusion still circulating.

“MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM,” they wrote.

For more information about “The Romantic Tour,” visit the website.

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‘Little Rascals’ Star Bug Hall Arrested In Ohio

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Little Rascals star Bug Hall.

Little Rascals” star Bug Hall has found himself in a world of trouble. According to a new report, the actor was arrested in Ohio and charged with failure to appear for a court date from over a year ago. This isn’t the first time Hall has been in trouble with the law. In 2020, Hall was arrested and thrown behind bars for allegedly trying to inhale a volatile chemical. In 2026, the Texas native announced he was going off the grid to focus on his life as a “radical Catholic extremist.”

‘Little Rascals’ Star Bug Hall Behind Bars Once Again After Being Arrested In The Buckeye State

Little Rascals star Bug Hall.
MEGA

According to reports from Page Six and TMZ, the actor, best known for Alfalfa Switzer in the “Little Rascals” and Newt Shaw in “The Big Green,” was arrested and taken into custody in Ohio. The actor was reportedly given a traffic citation in October 2024 for not having liability insurance.

Hall’s arrest is the latest development in the actor’s troubled last few years. Another report from KSAT reveals the former child star was arrested at the America’s Best Value Inn in Texas in 2020 and hit with one charge of “possessing and inhaling/ingesting a volatile chemical.” Per the report, Hall was “huffing” the substance, which landed him behind bars. He was later released on a $1,500 bond.

‘Little Rascals’ Star Vows To Live A Modest Life After Becoming A ‘Radical Catholic Extremist’

Hall was in the headlines earlier this year when he announced he was now living life as a “radical Catholic extremist,” per the Daily Mail.

The actor told the outlet that he’d taken a “vow of poverty” and moved his family to an 80-acre lot where they plan to live off the grid.

Hall admitted to being a “medieval moralist” who left Hollywood behind in 2020 before relocating to different states, including Texas, Michigan, Ohio, and Arkansas.

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Hall went on to say that being in the entertainment industry taught him to live a life of “manipulation” before saying that being a public figure no longer served him.

“I didn’t want to go work some job that was basically meaningless, making widgets to entertain people or distract people,” he said.

‘Little Rascals’ Star Bug Hall Gets Candid About Living Life As A Celebrity And A Religious Person

Hall had gotten even more candid about his personal life in an April 2025 YouTube video, in which he said he no longer felt being a celebrity aligned with his faith.

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“It was a hard realization, but it was something that I was pretty firm on, and I still am. The irony was that I loved the work,” he said. “I wasn’t sort of disillusioned in terms of my love of work. I really, really loved it. I loved film and TV and the process of storytelling, more than any of you.”

In the video, Hall admitted to donating a significant portion of his material possessions to avoid needing an income. He explained that if an expense came up, he’d take on odd jobs for cash.

“It really wasn’t all that great of a sacrifice compared to what our Lord had planned to give me in return,” he said. “The fruits of that decision to live this radical lifestyle.”

'Home Improvement' star Zachery Ty Bryan arrested for DUI in
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Hall isn’t the only former child star who has garnered negative attention lately, according to The Blast.

“Home Improvement” alum Zachery Ty Bryan was accused of displaying aggressive behavior toward his girlfriend, allegedly telling her to “shut the f-ck up or I’m gonna shut you up” during an argument.

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Bryan was later accused of getting into another altercation in the summer of 2025, during which he allegedly sprayed his dog in the face with an unknown substance, locked himself in the room with the animal, and punched a door so hard it spllit from its frame.

Bryan Addressed The Claims In An Emotional Statement

Zachery Ty Bryan mughshot
MEGA

Bryan broke his silence about the claims shortly after news broke, admitting he “deeply” regrets his behavior before condemning “domestic violence in any form.”

According to Bryan, he’s dealt with personal struggles regarding sobriety and addiction for years, which played a role in his latest legal woes.

“The truth is, I’ve struggled with the lasting effects of early fame, addiction, and poor decision-making, which have hurt people I care about and led to repeated legal issues, including DUIs and past domestic incidents. This latest situation, involving a restraining order and serious accusations, has been a painful wake-up call,” he said.

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Young and Restless 2-Week Spoilers April 13-24: Matt Goes Completely Unhinged – Phyllis Scrambles for Survival!

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Young and the Restless Spoilers: Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) - Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford)

Young and the Restless two week spoilers for April 13th through the 24th find Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) being unhinged and Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) scrambling.

Young and the Restless Spoilers Monday, April 13th: Matt Kidnaps Nick

On Monday, April 13th, we have Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) realizing that Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) is gone and he demands that Riza Thompon (Tina Casciani) tell him where is her partner. And then Adam tells Riza that his real name is Matt Clark and that the guy was terrorizing Nick and Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) for years.

Meanwhile, Riza slaps Adam for using her to get to Matt. And Riza also swears she does not know where Nick is. Well, where he is in a storage room. So, Matt somehow got, you know, I’m guessing 200 muscular pounds of Nick downstairs and Matt is taunting him because he tricked both Nick and Adam says he fell into his trap.

And he says Nick has been taking drugs from his suppliers. Matt calls Nick a junkie and says he’s going to do bad things to Sharon, Noah Newman (Lucas Adams), and Sienna Bacall (Tamara Braun) and Nick isn’t going to be in any shape to stop him because he is going to make sure he gets even more addicted.

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Y&R Spoilers: Diane Shocks Michael

So, back in Genoa City, Michael Baldwin (Christian LeBlanc) asked if Diane Jenkins Abbott (Susan Walters) really moved out. And she says that Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) confirmed it for her. It is true that Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) abducted and drugged Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman). And then Diane found him in bed with Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk), so she left.

Of course, Michael’s in shock. And Diane says that Michael needs to drop Victor for good because he’s just really bad. And Michael tries to tell Diane that a marriage can heal after infidelity. He knows it from his own marriage. And Diane can see it’s not all Jack’s fault. But basically, she’s mad. She can’t get past it. She can’t forgive Jack, at least not right now. And Michael says it probably won’t help, but he says he will try and talk to Victor.

Tessa Porter (Cait Fairbanks) tells Daniel Romalotti (Michael Graziadei) she doesn’t think she should go to Spain while Mariah Copeland is gone getting help. Daniel gets it. Tessa walks off and Phyllis walks up and offers Daniel a division of her company to run, but he says Phyllis cannot buy him.

And Daniel says Phyllis needs to give Newman back. And then he storms out. Then Lauren Fenmore (Tracey E. Bregman) shows up and Phyllis tells her Summer Newman isn’t talking to her either. And Phyllis doesn’t get it. She says her kids forgave her for faking her own death, but not for stealing from Victor, who’s a bad guy. Then Lauren asks Phyllis if what she got is worth what she lost. And Phyllis thinks it’s too late and her kids aren’t going to forgive her even if she gives Newman back.

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Young and the Restless Spoilers: Kyle Rages at Victor

Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor) and Victor swap insults on Monday. He tells Kyle that his dad is immoral and made his own choices. And Victor warns Kyle to watch his step. Nikki shows up after Kyle leaves and tells Victor to admit he went too far. She is disgusted that he got Patty out of the mental hospital and tried to ruin Jack’s life.

Victor, of course, lies, denies, and plays victim, but Nikki reminds him that Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson), Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn), and Phyllis were the ones who targeted him, not Jack. Victor tells Nikki that she’s blind and he storms out. We have a lot of storming out on Monday’s episode.

Kyle tells Traci Abbott (Beth Maitland) that he went off on Victor and he also says that he’s afraid his parents won’t reconcile. Traci is shocked about Patty and both she and Kyle worry that Patty is a much bigger threat than anyone realizes and she thinks they’re going to that she’s going to cause more problems for Jack and Diane.

Young and the Restless Spoilers Tuesday, April 14th: Holden Tells Cane About Malcolm

Then on Tuesday, April 14th, we are going to see Holden Novak (Nathan Owens) telling Cane about Malcolm Winters (Shemar Moore) being his dad and Lily Winters (Christel Khalil) being his sister. Of course, Cane’s going to be shocked. And I do wonder if Holden also tells Cane that Malcolm is sick because this week, Cane also talks to Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox) and he may tell her he wants to be tested as a donor.

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Also this week, Traci writes Diane a reality check and reminds her that she convinced Jack and Kyle that she was dead for decades. So maybe Diane could show Jack a little grace in this instance. We also have Lily talking to Stephanie this week about her concerns about Malcolm and him not finding a donor. And also this week, Cane and Lily cross paths at the GCAC.

I’m guessing she’s not going to talk to Cane about any of this. Diane turns down Nikki’s offer of a truce. And I think Diane may hold Nikki responsible in some ways for Victor’s awful antics because of her years of enabling him, defending him, and looking the other way whenever he did terrible things to so many people, including Jack. Because this is not the first time. This is not the worst time.

Wednesday, April 15th: Matt Retaliates Against Nick on Y&R

Wednesday, April 15th. Nick is afraid of what Matt is going to do to Sharon, Noah, and Sienna. And Nick’s far too gone into addiction. He’s been crushing up fentanyl and snorting it. And Matt retaliates against Nick. So, Matt may give Nick some even worse drugs as he threatened to do.

He’s already a full-blown junkie at this point. And I think that if Matt gives him worse drugs, Nick’s not going to be able to withstand the temptation because without doing the drugs, he’s in physical pain, and maybe he rationalizes it as he needs the drugs to function so he can take down Matt. So, we will see.

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We also have Chelsea Newman (Melissa Claire Egan) throwing Adam for a loop when she shows up in Vegas on Wednesday. And then Riza shows up at the door of Adam’s room, and I expect Chelsea is going to have lots of questions about what Spyder has been doing in Vegas. Sharon wants to fix things between Mariah and Devon Hamilton (Bryton James), and she and Christine Blair (Lauralee Bell) go talk to Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway.)

Young and the Restless Spoilers Thursday, April 16th: Is Sally Pregnant?

Thursday, April 16th, Adam forces Matt’s hand. We also have this week Adam facing off with both Riza and Matt. And Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver) shows up at Sally Spectra‘s (Courtney Hope) place with something that she asked Audra to bring her. I’m wondering if it was a pregnancy test.

We also have Sally’s patience tested on Thursday. We’ll see if it’s by Audra or Billy or somebody else. Plus, this week, Sally is leaning on Billy and she looks physically sick. So again, I’m back to is that morning sickness? Is it something else? And Jack leans on Nikki for support, and that could be dangerous territory on Young and Restless.

Young and the Restless Spoilers: Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) - Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford)Young and the Restless Spoilers: Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) - Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford)
Young and the Restless Spoilers: Matt Clark – Phyllis Summers

Young and the Restless Spoilers Friday, April 17th: Victor and Diane Give Jack A Taste of His Own Medicine on Y&R

Friday, April 17th, Lauren and Michael look forward to a new chapter. And Victor and Diane give Jack a taste of his own medicine. I wonder if they’re going to set it up so Jack thinks Diane slept with somebody. Maybe somebody new. We’ll see. This could break both their marriages. Sharon heads for Vegas to help Nick. And this week, Riza has a tense talk alone with Matt.

Week of April 20th-24th Young and the Restless Spoilers

Then the week of April 20th through the 24th, we have Diane and Victor possibly facing more serious consequences after giving Jack a taste of his own medicine. I think that the Abbotts aren’t going to like it. I think the Newmans aren’t going to like it. I don’t think Nikki and Jack are going to like it. And I think they are treading into dangerous waters.

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Nick is in increasingly bad shape in Vegas as Adam, Chelsea, and Sharon face off with Matt to end his reign of terror. And I’m sure Nick would be happy if Sharon hadn’t shown up there. You know, especially since he knows Matt wants to do bad things to her. Also, we’re going to have Sally and Billy discussing the future and their plans. Plus, Jack and Nikki get closer after this mystery stunt that Diane and Victor pull next week.

Lily is still desperate to help Malcolm. We’ll find out soon if the twins are a match or not to donate bone marrow. I suspect they won’t be, but Cane may be because that would be the soapiest outcome. Holden and Lily may try to get to know each other as brother and sister while dealing with their dad’s medical crisis. Nick swirls closer to rock bottom and Adam and Chelsea may struggle after what he’s been doing in Vegas.

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