Naomi Watts turned heads at New York Fashion Week, and it wasn’t a sky-high stiletto or a barely-there sandal that had everyone talking. It was a pair of Mary Jane block heels. Yes, the same shoe style your grandmother probably wore to church. Watts styled hers with the effortless polish, proving that the schoolgirl-adjacent silhouette has grown up beautifully for fall 2026.

The Mary Jane block heel is feminine without being fussy, dressy without being uncomfortable, and just quirky enough to make an outfit feel considered. Pair them with wide-leg trousers, a midi skirt or even cropped denim, and suddenly you look like you tried without looking like you tried. Best part? You don’t need a NYFW invite (or Watts’ stylist) to get in on the trend when this Amazon version exists!

Get the LifeStride Mary Jane Block Heel for $50 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

The LifeStride Mary Jane Block Heel is the accessible version of the look Watts wore. It has the signature rounded toe, an adjustable strap across the top of the foot and a sturdy block heel that keeps you upright on cobblestones, subway grates and everything in between.

One five-star Amazon reviewer who hadn’t worn heels in over a decade raved, “Hands down, the most comfortable heels I’ve ever worn!! I haven’t worn heels in 15 years because of an ankle injury but I needed a really dressy pair for an event.” She added that she slipped them on “like Cinderella, without having to unbuckle the straps.”

Fall calendars fill up fast: gallery openings, cocktail hours, that dinner reservation you finally scored. A pair of Mary Jane block heels handles all of it without making your feet stage a revolt by dessert. Watts clearly gets it, and now you can, too!

Get the LifeStride Mary Jane Block Heel for $50 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

Those looking through their options on Pluto TV will notice an iconic action quartet available to watch completely for free — the full John Wick saga. While the first film grabbed audiences with a simple set-up, the sequels would broaden the canvas, making Keanu Reeves’ hero a rogue element in a complex network that punishes rule-breaking. Fast, frenetic, and unforgettable, now is the perfect time to discover, or rediscover, the world of Mr. Wick.

‘John Wick’ is a Roaring Rampage of Revenge

Image via Summit Entertainment

Advertisement

In 2014, Reeves starred as the title character in John Wick. He played a man twisted with grief at the loss of his wife from illness, slowly finding hope again because of a puppy she gifted to him posthumously to help him move on. This healing is short-lived, however, when a chance encounter tears his world apart. He encounters criminal Iosef (Alfie Allen), who demands he sell his classic car to him. When Wick refuses, the criminal invades his house later that night, killing the puppy and stealing the car. What Iosef doesn’t realize, however, is that John Wick is no ordinary widower – he is a former assassin, so deadly that he has become almost mythical among the criminal elite. Enraged by the offense, Wick comes out of retirement to wreak havoc, killing everyone who stands between him and revenge.

The movie was a surprise hit, considering that the production had struggled to gain distributors due to Reeves’ recent run of box office disappointments. However, it opened up a new avenue for the revenge thriller genre that mixed action with intricate fight choreography and a deceptively simple story. As the man said himself, John Wick was never just about a dog, it was about opening a vast and fascinating world few action franchises have matched.

The Sequels Open Up a Complex World of Assassins

Image by Jefferson Chacon

Advertisement

The success of the first movie led to three John Wick sequels – 2017’s John Wick: Chapter 2, 2019’s Chapter 3 – Parabellum, and the fourth and final (for now), Chapter 4 in 2023. It’s the second film in which audiences are truly immersed in the world of assassins, here portrayed as a dense network of disciplined agents working to strict rules overseen by shadowy organizations. The High Table, an anonymous group of crime lords who govern global criminal enterprise, keep a strict code of ethics, with their own currency, vows systems, and sanctuary. The latter comes in the form of The Continental Hotel chain, where assassins may stay and discuss “business,” provided no blood is shed on hotel grounds.

Suddenly, the world of John Wick becomes much larger than a man avenging his dog. It’s about Wick fighting to not be drawn back into the system that he fought so hard to escape, and that system punishing him for breaking their rules. Chapter 2 sees him refusing a job from a crime lord who helped him before his retirement, while Chapter 3 sees him become “excommunicado” in the criminal underworld, making him a target for anyone carrying a gun. We also meet The Soup Kitchen, a global underworld of spies posing as homeless people and tailors, who provide assassins with the clothes and firepower for their missions.

Like the world of James Bond, half the fun of John Wick is exploring these locations and the people within them, learning the rules, and watching with glee as Wick burns them to the ground. Whereas most action franchises are simply happy to replicate what came before, John Wick widens the aperture a little more each time, drawing you further into the story.

Keanu Reeves Remains the Unstoppable Heartbeat of the Action

In the ‘90s, Reeves was the fearless cop who tried to save innocent bus passengers from a bomb in Speed. In the 2000s, he became the savior of humanity in the landmark sci-fi franchise The Matrix. Those two characters alone may have been enough to cement him as an icon of the action genre, but in John Wick, he found a role that fit him like a well-tailored suit. Reeves’ softly spoken, minimalist screen presence perfectly suited someone described in the first film as a “man of focus, commitment, and sheer will.” He took the “One Man Army” trope of action movies and gave it discipline, showing the single-minded nature of a man with nothing to lose, with elaborate fight sequences turning brutality into an art form.

John Wick’s fate appeared to be sealed in the fourth chapter, although he returned briefly in 2025 spin-off Ballerina (set before the fourth film) and a fifth installment is reported to be in the works. Whatever the future, the character will be remembered for generations for his execution, resilience, and style.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

October 24, 2014

Runtime

101 minutes

Advertisement

Writers

Derek Kolstad

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In his first sit-down interview since his ex-wife Lindsay Clancy’s controversial mistrial, Patrick Clancy addressed claims he should have done more before his ex-wife strangled their kids to death.

“I think I did the best I could with what I had at the time, and I live with the outcome,” Patrick, 38, told CBS 60 Minutes correspondent Ross Douthat in a Frida, September 18, clip of the upcoming, highly-anticipated Sunday, September 20, interview.

“I live with it every day, but I think I did the best I could,” the father continued.

Lindsay was on trial for the murder of her three young children — Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months. The mother has never denied she strangled her children to death before jumping out a second-story window in an apparent suicide attempt, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. Instead, her defense team argued she is not criminally liable for her children’s deaths due to her well-documented mental health issues leading up to and at the time of the killings, including postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis and bipolar disorder.

Related: Lindsay Clancy’s Attorney Addresses Conspiracies About Her Ex After Mistrial

Lindsay Clancy’s attorney is addressing online conspiracy theories about her ex-husband Patrick Clancy after a Massachusetts judge declared a mistrial in her triple-murder case for the death of their three children. “I think Patrick, you heard the 911 call, I think you can judge his credibility by that 911 call,” Kevin Reddington told reporters on […]

The prosecution argued that despite her documented mental health issues, Lindsay knew the difference between right or wrong leading up to, during and after the killings, claiming the act was premeditated.

Patrick took the stand in defense of his ex-wife, testifying to her mental health struggles and cries for help prior to the killings. Patrick went out to run errands at the time the crimes took place, returning home to find Lindsay hurt and the children laying lifeless in the basement.

During the weeks-long trial, which ended in a 11-1 deadlocked jury and subsequent mistrial, Patrick became the subject of numerous conspiracy theories, with some arguing he could have done more to help Lindsay and protect his children amid her mental health struggles. Others claimed he framed his ex-wife for their children’s deaths.

“Over the past months, Patrick Clancy and his family have been subjected to a relentless, escalating and destructive defamation campaign,” Patrick’s lawyer, Howard Cooper, said in a statement on September 8, addressing the conspiracy theories directly in the wake of the trial. “This campaign of misinformation has been launched and promoted by minor celebrities, so-called influencers and outright conspiracy theorists who appear intent on boosting their own social media profiles and potential profit by publishing what they know to be outright falsehoods that Patrick was somehow involved in the death of his young children and other vile claims.”

Lindsay’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, also addressed the pervasive online rumors and allegations while speaking of the press in the wake of the trial.

Advertisement

Related: Lindsay Clancy’s Ex-Husband Patrick Breaks Silence After Mistrial

Patrick Clancy and his legal team are reacting to a judge’s decision to declare a mistrial in his ex-wife Lindsay Clancy’s murder case. “Patrick Clancy is grateful to the Court and to the jurors for their hard work, their commitment and their perseverance,” Patrick’s attorney David Meier said in a statement to CBS News on […]

“I think Patrick, you heard the 911 call, I think you can judge his credibility by that 911 call,” Reddington told reporters on September 4. “I don’t know what is in Patrick’s mind. He testified, and the jury was able to evaluate it.”

When a reporter pointed out that many online conspiracy theorists have called Patrick a murderer, the lawyer responded, “Not by me.”

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

In a Thursday, September 17, clip of the upcoming interview, Patrick revealed that he talks to his deceased children regularly.

“I talk to them,” he said, adding that he asks his sons and daughter for help “all the time.”

If you or someone you know is pregnant or just had a baby and is in crisis, help is available. Call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline for free, confidential support 24/7 in English and Spanish at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).

Frankie Muniz and his estranged wife, Paige Price, are putting on a united front for the sake of their 5-year-old son, Mauz.

“Post soccer shenanigans with the fam,” Muniz, 40, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, September 19, alongside a car selfie with Price, 33, and Mauz. “Our little dude got a medal for excellence in sportsmanship!”

Muniz, who announced his separation from Price in July, opened up about a series of apparent personal struggles several hours earlier.

“The last six weeks of my life have been a nightmare I’m praying to wake up from,” he wrote via Instagram on Friday, September 18. “Everything felt heavy, unclear and like it was falling apart at the same time. I wouldn’t wish this season on anyone.”

Related: Frankie Muniz Says He Is Living a ‘Nightmare’ Amid Personal Struggles

Frankie Muniz got candid about currently struggling with a difficult point in his life. “The last 6 weeks of my life have been a nightmare I’m praying to wake up from,” Muniz, 40, wrote via Instagram on Friday, September 18. “Everything felt heavy, unclear, and like it was falling apart at the same time. I […]

He continued, “The unexpected gift in the middle of it is that I’ve had nowhere to hide. I’ve had time to sit with myself, do real self-reflection, and finally see the areas of my life that need work if I want to become a better version of me. Not the polished version I show the world … the actual one.”

The Malcolm in the Middle actor further acknowledged that “hitting rock bottom” can sometimes enact certain “changes.”

“It forces the changes you needed to make all along so you can live the best life possible. That idea has been sitting with me,” he continued at the time. “In five years I believe I’ll look back at this exact low point and feel grateful for it, because the high I’ll be standing on then only exists because I went through this. This isn’t the end of the story. It’s the part where I start doing the work … the uncomfortable, unglamorous, necessary work. I’m choosing to treat this season as the foundation, not the finish line.”

Related: Frankie Muniz’s Ex Shares Cryptic Message After His ‘Hitting Rock Bottom’ Post

Advertisement

Frankie Muniz’s estranged wife, Paige Price Muniz, shared a cryptic message about “perspective” hours after the actor opened up about “hitting rock bottom.” “Life is all about perspective,” Paige, 33, wrote via her Instagram Story on Friday, September 18. “If you ask the grass, the zebra is the monster and the lion is the protector.” […]

Muniz further offered a message of support to his followers, noting, “If you’re in a low place right now too, you’re not broken. You’re being rebuilt. Let’s keep going!”

Within hours, Price shared a cryptic message about “perspective.”

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

“Life is all about perspective,” she wrote via her Instagram Stories on Friday. “If you ask the grass, the zebra is the monster and the lion is the protector.”

In addition to her reflection caption, Price shared a video of herself pouring black wax on a white surface and adding a seal on top. She did not address the meaning of her upload or any potential connection to Muniz’ post.

Muniz and Price were married from 2019 until their split this summer.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle might have Sherlock Holmes, but Agatha Christie has Hercule Poirot. Detective Poirot is just one of the few characters who make recurring appearances in Christie’s novels, so much so that she featured him in 33 novels and 51 short stories. Best known for his crisp sense of fashion and, not to mention, his famous eccentric mustache, Poirot calls himself the greatest detective in the world.

One might try to argue with that, but his cockiness is well justified by his impeccable sleuthing techniques. Having been the face of popular Christie book-to-television adaptations, Poirot’s novels are essential reading for mystery fans. From a love triangle gone wrong on the Nile to a train murder in the middle of a snowstorm, here are the greatest Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot books, ranked.

10

‘After the Funeral’ (1953)

Image via William Morrow

Following Richard Abernethie’s funeral, his family gathers for the reading of his will, only for his sister Cora to casually suggest that he was murdered. The next day, Cora is brutally killed in her sleep. With the family’s inheritance suddenly under suspicion, Poirot is called in to investigate Richard’s death.

Dysfunctional families make the best recipe for murder. After the Funeral is no exception. Instead, there’s a cruel irony in knowing that another death happens after the literal death of someone else. Because everyone has their own set of personal baggage, it’s hard to decide who the suspect is with all the layers to each character.

9

‘Five Little Pigs’ (1942)

Image via HarperCollins

Cold cases are a tough nut to crack. In Five Little Pigs, Poirot revisits the sixteen-year-old murder of painter Amyas Crale after his daughter, Carla, brings him a letter from her imprisoned mother. Convicted of the crime, Caroline maintains in the letter that she was innocent, prompting Poirot to uncover the truth.

Cold cases rarely leave enough physical evidence behind to crack the mystery. Fortunately, Poirot has something arguably more useful: five surviving witnesses with their own versions of what happened. It’s a Rashomon effect at its finest, as every account offers a slightly different perspective. Poirot must nitpick through their contradictions, memories, and missing details to see which version is the most accurate.

8

‘Cards on the Table’ (1936)

Image via HarperCollins

It’s a party to die for in Cards on the Table. Flamboyant collector Mr. Shaitana invites Poirot and three other crime experts to dinner, along with four guests he suspects of getting away with murder. After the evening ends with Shaitana dead from a stab wound, everyone becomes a suspect.

The reason why the book is called Cards on the Table becomes clear when someone is murdered during a game of bridge. It’s an uncanny murder situation, but even more high-stakes, since Poirot isn’t the only one investigating. With a police officer, a secret agent, and a crime writer on the case, there’s plenty of work to be done.

7

‘The Murder on the Links’ (1923)

Image via Vintage

Poirot and Captain Hastings arrive in France to help millionaire Paul Renauld, only to find him stabbed and buried beside a golf course. His wife claims masked men abducted him, but suspicious neighbors, a hidden past, and a mysterious woman complicate the investigation. When Renauld’s son is accused, Poirot is on the case.

The Murder on the Links features one of Christie’s finest rivalries between Poirot and Inspector Giraud of the Paris Sûreté. Their investigation becomes a generational clash, pitting Poirot’s old-fashioned talent for getting inside a killer’s mind against Giraud’s fixation on physical evidence. It’s a battle between little grey cells and hard facts.

6

‘Hercule Poirot’s Christmas’ (1938)

Image via William Morrow

If there’s one thing detectives and killers have in common, it’s that they don’t catch a break during the holidays. Hercule Poirot’s Christmas begins with bitter multimillionaire Simeon Lee inviting his family to his mansion for Christmas. With pent-up resentment boiling over a will, the celebrations are cut short when Lee is found murdered in his locked bedroom.

For a long time, Christie was known for popularizing the cozy country mysteries, which rarely lacked bloodshed beyond the murder itself. The genius of Hercule Poirot’s Christmas is how she uses the snowy white setting to contrast with her increasingly descriptive blood and gore, showing just how willing Christie was to spice things up.

5

‘The A.B.C. Murders’ (1936)

Image via William Morrow

Nothing irks Poirot more than being underestimated, especially by an anonymous killer. The A.B.C. Murders begins in almost Sherlockian fashion, with Poirot receiving a taunting letter signed “A.B.C.” that names a specific date and location. Sure enough, on the appointed day, an elderly shopkeeper is found murdered inside her tobacco shop, with an ABC Railway Guide placed beside her body.

Long before Squid Game turned childhood games and familiar systems into deadly challenges, Christie was already transforming something as innocent as the alphabet into a sinister form of psychological torment. With no obvious suspects to interrogate, Poirot has little more than his intellect to rely on, carefully examining seemingly insignificant details.

4

‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’ (1926)

Image via William Collins, Sons

In the peaceful village of King’s Abbot, Dr. James Sheppard becomes involved in the investigation after wealthy widower Roger Ackroyd is discovered murdered in his study. Ackroyd had recently disclosed that he knew the identity of someone blackmailing him. As suspicion falls on his stepson, Ralph Paton, the retired Poirot steps in.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd changed the course of crime thrillers. Christie lays the clues out on a platter but is relentless enough to pull the rug out from under her readers. While her creative decisions were considered atrocious at the time, Christie’s unconventional approach to storytelling created one of the most shocking plot twists in literary history.

3

‘Peril at End House’ (1932)

Image via William Morrow

Peril at End House begins with one of Poirot’s rare attempts to take a holiday, this time accompanied by Captain Hastings. Their getaway takes a dangerous turn after meeting Magdala “Nick” Buckley, the young owner of the cliff side End House. Nick soon becomes the target of a series of increasingly bizarre, near-fatal accidents.

Although not the strongest Christie mystery, Peril at End House is one of the writer’s attempts to amp up a little insanity in the circumstances. It seems like a twisted sense of serendipity that one person is nearly killed a little too many times, and whether readers believe it or not, the uncanniness of the events is just as entertaining as the mystery itself.

2

‘Murder on the Orient Express’ (1934)

Image via William Morrow

Poirot’s ride back to London is abruptly halted when the Orient Express becomes stranded in the snow. With the train unable to move and American passenger Samuel Ratchett found murdered in his compartment, Poirot has no shortage of suspects to question. With a carriage full of strangers, and twelve stab wounds on Ratchett, Poirot has his work cut out.

Inside this claustrophobic carriage, Murder on the Orient Express is also a lesson in the social hierarchies of the 1930s. A compartment full of international passengers also means prejudices about one another. It’s Poirot’s job to look past these biased assumptions to find out who the murderer is.

1

‘Death on the Nile’ (1937)

Image via William Morrow

Death on the Nile is essentially the Christie version of The White Lotus. A love triangle gets out of hand between Linnet Ridgeway, Simon Doyle, and Jacqueline de Bellefort. Married couple Linnet and Simon are cruising on the Nile for their honeymoon, but Jacqueline—who isn’t pleased with their marital bliss—decides to tag along.

The tension between the three is pure, juicy melodrama, almost like watching a reality TV show unfold on a luxury vacation. Yet beneath the romantic drama lies a darker, more calculated murder. Christie makes the Nile more than just a backdrop, using its ancient surroundings to emphasize how greed, jealousy, and wounded pride have long existed since ancient times.

Advertisement

Death on the Nile

Release Date

Advertisement

February 9, 2022

Runtime

127 minutes

Advertisement

Writers

Michael Green

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Ed Sheeran’s Saturday, September 19,  Loop Tour concert in Philadelphia will feature a major change as the singer continues to face backlash.

The show will begin promptly at 8:00 p.m. ET, per Ticketmaster, three hours after it was initially scheduled to begin. The concert was previously scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. to account for multiple opening acts’ respective sets. (Sheeran took the stage at 8 p.m. on the dot during his most recent New Jersey concerts following three openers’ performances that kicked off at 5:30 p.m.)

Sheeran’s support acts, Macklemore, Finneas and Lukas Graham, are no longer on the Loop Tour bill, likely prompting the change as there are no opening acts on the lineup.

Macklemore, 43, and Graham, 37, both previously opened for Sheeran, 35, during his two concerts at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier this month. During the rapper’s performance of protest track “Hind’s Hall,” he chanted “Free Palestine” in front of the crowd while denouncing genocide and human rights violations in all forms.

Related: Ed Sheeran and Macklemore’s ‘Loop Tour’ Drama Explained: What to Know

Ed Sheeran‘s Loop Tour has become the center of a major music-industry controversy after Macklemore was dropped from the lineup following a pro-Palestine chant during his opening set. Fallout from the situation has since sparked chatter from the likes of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Pink and a string of other artists. Scroll down […]

After alleged pressure from stadiums hosting future Loop Tour concerts this fall, Sheeran’s tour promoter dismissed Macklemore from the lineup ahead of his remaining eight scheduled gigs.

“Ed Sheeran and his team have made the decision to remove me from the Loop Tour. I am not a victim. Ed Sheeran is not a victim,” Macklemore wrote in a Monday, September 14, social media statement. “We have careers, money, opportunities, safety and audiences around the world. Whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families.”

Calling Sheeran a friend that he’s known for 13 years, Macklemore revealed the pair had “difficult conversations” about the tour’s future before the announcement.

“He told me that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with,” Mackelmore alleged. “I hope this isn’t the end of my relationship with Ed. Thirteen years of friendship doesn’t disappear because of one painful disagreement. I hope we both continue listening, studying what is happening in Palestine and wrestling with what neutrality means in a moment like this. My door will always be open to continuing that conversation.”

Advertisement

Related: Ed Sheeran Speaks Out After Macklemore Is Dropped From His Tour

Ed Sheeran is setting the record straight on Macklemore’s controversial exit from his Loop Tour after voicing his support for Palestine on stage. “After Macklemore’s performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting,” Sheeran, 35, claimed via Instagram on […]

Sheeran, for his part, denied that he was personally responsible for removing Macklemore from his upcoming shows.

“I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said,” Sheeran wrote in a Tuesday, September 15, statement about conversations with venue owners. “I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge. … I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so. I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.”

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Following the controversy, Graham and Finneas, 29, voluntarily backed out of their own Loop Tour sets in solidarity with Macklemore and the Palestinian people. Sheeran will now play the Philadelphia show solo.

Despite the controversy, Macklemore has remained committed to sharing his message in support of the people in Gaza. On Wednesday, September 16, the “Thrift Shop” rapper pledged to donate his $1 million Loop Tour salary to Palestinian organizations, challenging Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft to do the same.

Kraft, 85, later revealed that he and Sheeran each planned to donate $2 million to provide humanitarian aid.

Jenni “JWoww” Farley is shutting down speculation that weight loss medication caused her noticeably slimmer appearance. The “Jersey Shore” star explained that her weight loss was not intentional and resulted from serious health complications that recently landed her in the hospital. Farley said she was unable to eat for six days while doctors treated her for appendicitis, a kidney infection, and a kidney abscess she described as being the size of a golf ball.

5

The speculation began after footage showed Farley attending the Macy’s x Rookie Kids: Runway on Broadway event in New York City on Thursday. The 41-year-old reality star was there to support her children, Meilani and Greyson, as they walked in the fashion show.

Some social media users focused on Farley’s appearance and accused her of using Ozempic or another injectable medication to lose weight. “Lay off the Ozempic lady smh,” one commenter wrote.

Another expressed concern, writing, “Oh jenni. What happened. I love you, but this is too extreme.”

Farley responded directly and explained that her health problems had caused her weight to fall to a level she could not control. “Apologies to everyone offended by my weight,” she wrote. “I have never been this thin since middle school.”

She added, “Unfortunately, I was told I couldn’t eat for six days in the hospital as they debated taking out my appendix while I was also suffering from a kidney abscess the size of a golf ball… appendicitis, and a kidney infection sucks (and because I had this ongoing, I was losing weight over the summer).”

“But what sucks more is the fact that I can’t control how thin I am right now, and I did not do any ‘shots’ for this to happen, but I will ask when I gain all the [weight] back for you to then comment about how fat I got because women can’t win either way,” she added with a sarcastic note.

The Reality Star Had Been Feeling Unwell For Months

5

Farley previously detailed her hospitalization in an emotional Instagram update posted around her children’s first day of school. “Not the ‘first day of school’ picture I wanted to post… but then again, I guess we wouldn’t have one,” she wrote alongside a photograph taken from her hospital room.

The television personality shares Meilani and Greyson with her former husband, Roger Mathews. The former couple was married from 2015 until their divorce was finalized in 2019. “I’ve spent every day fighting to get healthy enough to get home to my family while dealing with a horrible kidney infection and appendicitis,” Farley continued.

Although the severity of her condition appeared to develop suddenly, Farley acknowledged that warning signs had been present for months. “I want to say it came out of nowhere, but the truth is, I haven’t felt like myself for months,” she admitted. “Weight loss, exhaustion, constantly feeling off… and then last Friday, my body finally said, ‘We aren’t making it like this anymore.’”

Appendicitis Can Require Urgent Hospital Treatment

5

Farley has not provided complete details about her treatment or disclosed whether doctors ultimately removed her appendix. However, appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix that typically requires prompt medical attention. Treatment can include antibiotics and, in many cases, surgery to remove the appendix, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Earlier this year, she similarly pushed back after critics commented on her appearance in a swimsuit photograph and suggested that she looked ill. At the time, Farley explained that she had not been deliberately trying to lose weight and criticized the conflicting expectations placed on women’s bodies.

Jenni Farley Recently Married Zack Carpinello

5

Farley’s health ordeal came only months after she married Carpinello in a surprise ceremony on June 24. The couple invited approximately 50 guests to what appeared to be a screening for Farley’s movie “Nanny Cam.” Attendees later discovered that they were actually present for the couple’s “Beauty and the Beast”-inspired wedding. Farley and Carpinello held a second, intimate wedding celebration in Lake Como, Italy, in July.

Carpinello also supported Farley throughout her recent hospitalization, while her “Jersey Shore” castmates shared messages wishing her a speedy recovery.

Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi Recently Shared Her Own Health Update

5

Farley’s response comes shortly after her longtime friend and “Jersey Shore” co-star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi announced that she currently has no evidence of cancer. Polizzi was diagnosed with stage 1 cervical cancer earlier this year and underwent a hysterectomy on July 31. “As of right now, I am cancer-free. They got everything out,” Polizzi told PEOPLE.

Polizzi described the experience as a lengthy and difficult journey that began after she stopped delaying her Pap smear. “I avoided getting my pap smear for a long time. And once I finally went to the doctors, I feel like it’s just been week after week of doing a procedure, then another procedure, and then a hysterectomy,” she said. “So it’s been a journey and a long road, but I’m happy that I’m on the other side of it and everything is going good.”

Both women are now recovering from significant health challenges while speaking publicly about the assumptions and scrutiny surrounding their bodies.

Howard Stern‘s expansion to HBO Max has gotten off to a rocky start, with viewers taking to social media to express their disappointment with the new version of his longtime radio show.

The streaming series reduces the shock jock’s weekly three-hour SiriusXM broadcast into a 90-minute television episode, but early reactions suggest the transition has not impressed everyone.

The criticism follows reports of behind-the-scenes difficulties as Howard Stern’s reduced team attempts to adapt the radio program for television.

5

Stern’s HBO Max series made its debut on September 17, giving viewers a condensed version of his SiriusXM program every Thursday.

Rather than producing completely separate material for television, the show takes footage from Stern’s Monday radio broadcast and reshapes it into a 90-minute episode.

However, some longtime viewers were unimpressed by what they saw. “It’s unwatchable!” a Reddit user wrote, according to Globe Magazine. Another questioned the choice of material for the premiere, writing, “And I can’t believe this is the show they kicked it off with.”

The negative reactions did not stop there. One commenter wondered, “HBO show-how long until they pull the plug?” as discussions about the quality of the new format continued online.

The reception is hardly the beginning Stern would have wanted for his latest venture. His HBO Max agreement was intended to introduce his SiriusXM work to a wider television audience, but its debut has instead brought a lot of questions and backlash about the quality of the show.

5

The criticism from viewers comes after reports that Stern’s remaining staff had already been struggling behind the scenes to prepare the program for HBO Max.

Sources described the situation surrounding production as “chaos” and a “total disaster.” Stern’s radio schedule has been reduced to one new live broadcast each Monday instead of two weekly shows.

That single program then provides the material that must be edited and repackaged for HBO Max several days later.

Making that transition has reportedly been difficult, especially after two rounds of layoffs which significantly reduced Stern’s team.

Howard Stern Brushed Off Concerns About His Show

5

Staff members who remained were immediately tasked with determining how to transform hours of SiriusXM material into a television-friendly episode.

Stern has acknowledged the negative coverage surrounding his show, although he did so sarcastically during the September 14 season premiere.

“I’ve never had a summer where I was treated so well in the press,” he joked, before adding, “I can’t tell you how many different people have called me a scumbag.”

However, he did not address the massive layoffs during that broadcast.

The Shock Jock’s HBO Max Flop Makes His ‘Don’t Screw Up’ Warning To Andy Cohen Ironic

5

The rocky reception to Stern’s HBO Max debut comes only weeks after he had some playful advice for Andy Cohen as he took control of Howard 101.

Cohen’s Radio moved to Stern’s longtime Channel 101 on SiriusXM at the beginning of September, while Stern retained Channel 100. During their announcement, Stern expressed confidence in Cohen’s ability to take over the channel.

“I feel Howard 101 is in very capable hands. Enjoy it, take good care of it,” Stern told Cohen, according to People Magazine. But he also jokingly warned him about what would happen if things went badly. “And if you blow it, I will be the first one to laugh at you. Don’t screw it up.”

The comment has taken on an ironic turn following the criticism surrounding Stern’s own new show. While he was teasing Cohen about potentially mishandling his former channel, Stern’s attempt to expand his show to HBO Max has now been regarded as a huge flop.

Howard Stern Won A Legal Battle Against His Former Employee

5

While Stern deals with criticism surrounding his revamped show, he has scored a victory in a separate legal dispute with his former executive assistant, Leslie Kuhn.

Kuhn sued Stern and his wife, Beth, in April, alleging that she experienced a hostile work environment while employed by Stern’s production company, One Twelve. She also challenged non-disclosure agreements from 2022 and 2025 and claimed the latter had been forged.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a judge has now rejected the forgery allegation after evidence showed that an email from Kuhn’s account included the message, “Signed NDA attached,” along with her electronic signature. The judge described her forgery claim as “a bald assertion.”

The lawsuit stems from Kuhn’s employment, which began in 2022 before she eventually became Stern’s executive assistant. She was dismissed in February 2026 and later accused the Stern household of maintaining a hostile work environment.

Stern pushed back against the lawsuit, describing it in court filings as “a thinly veiled attempted shakedown.” The ruling gives him a legal win at a time when his professional changes are generating a very different kind of unwanted attention.

Brad Pitt has reportedly been enjoying the occasional drink again after a seven-year abstinence from alcohol, but one source isn’t worried, claiming the actor had an “Angelina” problem, not a drinking problem.

Pitt, 62, has openly acknowledged that he struggled with alcohol abuse while also dealing with the estrangement from his six kids with Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie as part of the fallout from the divorce.

The former couple, whose marriage officially ended in 2024, have both tried moving on, with Brad Pitt embracing a quieter life with his girlfriend Ines de Ramon and Angelina Jolie publicly speaking about reclaiming her life.

5

Speaking to the Daily Mail, a source close to Pitt made a remark concerning the actor’s drinking after almost a decade since his marriage to Jolie collapsed following a private plane incident in 2016.

According to the source, “Pitt never had a drink problem; he had an Angelina problem.”

The insider claims that the actor’s real issue was never with drinking too much and added that he had “worked hard on himself” and was “finally, in a really good place.”

Another long-time associate similarly explained that the actor may have gone through a period where he excessively consumed alcohol, but he has since addressed the issue.

“Did Pitt go through a period where he drank too much? Yes,” the associate said, adding that “He had some issues with alcohol and he addressed them. He worked through them.”

Pitt and Jolie began dating in 2005 and got married in 2014. Jolie filed for divorce two years later and made allegations concerning the actor’s behavior during the plane incident, while Pitt denied the allegations.

As reported by People Magazine, the FBI investigated the incident but closed the case without bringing any charges. The L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services also ended its investigation without finding any evidence of abuse.

Their divorce was finalized in 2024, officially ending a marriage that, according to one source, was “happy for a while, but when things went bad, they went very, very bad.”

The Actor Has Admitted He’s Drinking Again

5

Pitt has openly acknowledged that he struggled with alcohol following the end of his marriage to the woman he once reportedly said he trusted with his life.

The Hollywood A-lister reportedly had to join Alcoholics Anonymous to deal with his alcohol addiction and was able to abstain from consuming any amount of alcohol for seven years.

In an August 2026 Esquire interview, Pitt revealed that he had begun drinking again after his seven years of sobriety. “I was sober for seven years. And then I got back off the wagon,” Pitt told the outlet.

After a little laugh, he immediately clarified his newfound approach to the substance, saying, “In a more restrained manner. I got overconfident a couple times, went, Yep, nope, not good for me. Not in large quantities.”

When asked if he could have a glass of wine, Pitt explained, “I can have a few. But I can’t have a lot. I have to be professional about it.”

Brad Pitt Got Candid About His Struggles After Dealing With ‘Family Stuff’

5

Discussing what he called “Family stuff,” he explained that he came to a point where he understood how someone could contemplate suicide as an option.

“I understand suicide,” he said, adding that he gets it “in the sense that it’s just relief. It’s just looking for relief from the pain.”

Pitt struggled a lot following the separation, but his greatest pain was perhaps the estrangement from his kids.

A source told the Daily Mail that for the actor, it is the “worst thing that ever happened to him.”

Brad Pitt Has A Strained Relationship With All His Children

5

Pitt and Jolie welcomed six children together, namely, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne.

After the split, as they started to get old enough, several of the children have chosen to remove their father’s name from their surnames, keeping only Jolie’s.

Shiloh legally dropped “Pitt” from her surname in 2024 after turning 18, with Maddox following suit in 2026. Zahara and Vivienne, like their siblings, have both officially filed to drop the actor’s name too.

A source described the situation to People Magazine, calling it a “tragedy” and saying there is “very little communication” between the actor and his children.

A separate source close to Pitt said that the rift between the father and his children was the result of “a prolonged campaign of alienation of children against their parent” and claimed that one parent had weaponized the children against the other.

According to the Daily Mail source, “Brad has fought and fought for them,” and though Jolie has allegedly used his children against him, “his door will always be open to them.”

Brad Pitt And Angeline Jolie Are Moving Forward Post Divorce

5

Pitt has been linked to his current girlfriend since 2022, and she recently accompanied him to the premiere of his movie “Heart of the Beast” in Franklin, Tennessee.

As per the Daily Mail, the premiere itself was different from the traditional Hollywood red carpet fanfare, as Pitt chose the FirstBank Amphitheater, which one source says is in the “middle of nowhere.”

Jolie Meanwhile has also started a new chapter; speaking to Variety, she said, “I think my fighting spirit is finally back.”

She continued, “I got kind of taken down a little bit, and it’s coming back in large part thanks to my children, who are now older, and encouraging it.”

Heidi Klum has revealed two unsettling clues about her next Halloween costume, suggesting her 2026 transformation could be one of her bloodiest yet. The supermodel has not disclosed the character or concept behind the look. However, she confirmed that it will involve plenty of blood and pair surprisingly well with red wine. The hints come after Klum transformed herself into an elaborate version of Medusa for her annual New York City Halloween party last year.

6

Klum offered a cryptic preview of her costume during an interview with PEOPLE. “It goes very well with red wine,” the 53-year-old model said of the upcoming look. “It’s very, very bloody.”

Klum did not explain whether the blood will be connected to a recognizable character, a horror movie, or an original creation.

The red wine clue also arrived as part of Klum’s partnership with Apothic Wine, which is promoting limited-edition Type “A” Blood Bags ahead of Halloween. That connection means the wine reference may be part of the campaign rather than a literal hint about the costume’s identity.

Still, the promise of a bloody transformation indicates that Klum is once again moving toward a dramatic full-body look instead of a traditional celebrity costume.

The Model Became Medusa For Halloween 2025

6

Klum transformed into Medusa for her 24th annual Halloween party in New York City in 2025. Her husband, Tom Kaulitz, joined the concept by appearing as a man who had been turned to stone by Medusa’s stare. Klum wore green scales, prosthetic fangs, colored contact lenses, and a snake-covered headpiece. A long, curved tail followed behind her as she made her way down the carpet.

Vogue reported that the transformation took six months and a team of more than 15 people. Special effects artist Mike Marino helped bring the character to life with mechanical snakes and hand-painted details.

Klum documented part of the lengthy process on Instagram, giving fans a closer look at the makeup, prosthetics, and contact lenses that made her nearly unrecognizable.

Heidi Klum’s Giant Worm Became An Internet Sensation

6

Although Klum has delivered several memorable Halloween transformations, her 2022 worm remains one of her most recognizable. The model arrived inside an enormous, textured worm costume that concealed almost her entire body. She spent part of the evening wriggling on the floor because the design left her with extremely limited movement.

Klum again worked with Marino and his company, Prosthetic Renaissance, on the elaborate costume. The design immediately went viral and generated countless memes across social media.

The final result was memorable, but Klum later admitted that wearing it was physically challenging. “I was so claustrophobic in that costume,” Klum told The Hollywood Reporter. “But Halloween is not about comfort.”

The costume restricted her arms and legs, leaving her largely dependent on her team throughout the evening.

The Supermodel Had To Stop Drinking Hours Before The Party

6

The worm costume also created a practical problem because Klum could not easily remove it once the transformation was complete. “I made sure not to drink anything hours before getting into costume as I knew that there was no way to get in and out of it,” she said at the time.

Despite the discomfort, Klum considered the reaction to the costume worth the effort. “For me, Halloween is all about transforming and being creative,” she said. “I am happy that people are appreciating the creativity and effort to create this as well as all the other costumes I did in the past. I couldn’t have done it without my team.”

Klum has since continued working with makeup artists, designers, and special effects professionals to make each year’s concept more technically ambitious.

Heidi Klum Has Built A History Of Elaborate Transformations

6

Klum’s Halloween archive includes transformations into E.T., a peacock, an alien, and Princess Fiona from “Shrek.”

Her 2023 peacock costume relied on a group of Cirque du Soleil performers to create the bird’s enormous feathers, turning the look into a coordinated performance rather than a traditional outfit.

In 2024, Klum and Kaulitz appeared as different versions of E.T. Their costumes featured oversized heads, glowing features, and motorized elements inspired by Steven Spielberg’s 1982 movie.

Her 2026 Costume Remains A Mystery

6

Klum has not yet confirmed whether Marino or her previous special effects team will help create her 2026 look. She also has not revealed how long the costume has been in development or whether Kaulitz will participate in a matching concept.

However, history suggests the transformation will require far more than fake blood and makeup. Klum has repeatedly used prosthetics, mechanical features, and full-body disguises to prevent fans from recognizing her until the reveal.