When people talk about great animated movies for kids, the conversation usually circles back to familiar comfort watches. The safe ones. The reassuring ones. The ones that remind audiences that everything will be okay. And then there’s Coraline.

Released in 2009 by Laika Studios and based on the novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman, Coraline remains one of the most unsettling “children’s movies” ever made. Seventeen years later, it still stands apart from mainstream family animation because it does something most studios — especially Disney — tend to avoid: it doesn’t protect kids from fear. Instead, it argues something far more radical: fear is necessary, danger is real, and courage only matters when things genuinely feel hopeless. That’s exactly what makes Coraline feel like the anti-Disney movie.

‘Coraline’ Refuses To Sanitize Horror for Young Audiences

Most family films that flirt with horror quickly soften the edges. The scary elements are balanced with humor or quick reassurance. Even when danger appears, it rarely feels permanent. Coraline takes the opposite approach. From its opening sequence showing a doll being dissected and rebuilt, the film establishes a tone closer to gothic horror like you’d expect to see in a Guillermo del Toro film than traditional family animation. The stop-motion aesthetic only enhances the discomfort, with slightly unnatural character movements creating a constant sense that something is wrong.

Then the Other Mother appears. Unlike many animated villains, the Beldam isn’t theatrical at first. She’s attentive and perfect. She represents wish fulfillment rather than obvious danger, which makes her far more psychologically terrifying than typical animated antagonists. Where Disney villains often signal evil through spectacle, the Other Mother weaponizes comfort. She doesn’t overtly threaten Coraline: she offers her everything she thinks she wants. That’s what makes the horror effective. The film understands that the scariest threats aren’t always monsters, but situations that feel too good to be true.

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‘Coraline’ Understands That Childhood Fear Is Real Fear

What separates Coraline from traditional animated storytelling is how seriously it takes a child’s emotional reality. Coraline isn’t afraid because she’s weak, she’s afraid because she’s facing something genuinely terrifying. Too often, family films treat childhood fear as something to be corrected. Adults reassure the child, and the danger turns out to be harmless. Coraline doesn’t do that. The Other World is not misunderstood, the Beldam is not redeemable, and the danger is not imaginary. Coraline is right to be afraid, and she has to face it largely alone.

Her real parents are emotionally distant at the start, distracted by work rather than cruelty. This is another way Coraline diverges from typical animated storytelling. Many children’s films remove parents entirely. Dead parents are practically a genre tradition. But Coraline does something more realistic. Her parents are present, they just aren’t fully available. That distinction reflects a truth many kids understand: sometimes adults aren’t villains, sometimes they’re just overwhelmed. The film doesn’t punish them with death, but allows both real parents to live and remain flawed people who still love their child. That’s a far more mature message than most animated films attempt.

Another reason Coraline feels so different is that its horror has weight, because the film shows the cost of failure. The ghost children trapped by the Beldam aren’t warnings: they’re casualties. They failed, they died, and they remain imprisoned because they couldn’t escape. That’s heavy material for a film aimed at younger audiences. Instead of diluting this darkness, the movie uses it to reinforce Coraline’s bravery. Her victory isn’t guaranteed. She isn’t special because she’s destined to win. She wins because she refuses to give up even when she’s terrified. The film also doesn’t pretend bravery eliminates fear. Coraline is scared the entire time. Courage isn’t fearlessness: it’s persistence. That distinction is subtle but powerful.

‘Coraline’ Is Ultimately About Choosing Reality Over Fantasy

Image via Focus Features.

At its core, Coraline isn’t really about defeating a monster: it’s about rejecting a fantasy. The Other World represents escapism. It offers better food, more attention, and seemingly perfect parents. It’s everything Coraline thinks she wants. But perfection comes with a price: control. The button eyes symbolize surrendering agency for comfort. Coraline’s refusal isn’t just about survival — it’s about maintaining her identity. Instead of promising kids a perfect world, Coraline tells them something harder: real life is imperfect, and that’s why it matters. By the end, Coraline doesn’t get better parents. She gets the same parents trying a little harder, and she’s trying too. The victory isn’t a magical transformation, it’s mutual understanding.

Seventeen years later, Coraline still feels bold because it trusts young audiences in ways many modern family films don’t. It trusts them to handle discomfort. It trusts them to understand emotional complexity. It trusts them to sit with fear. And most importantly, it understands scary stories aren’t harmful when they’re honest. Like original fairy tales, its danger exists to teach resilience. That may be why the film’s reputation has only grown: Coraline remains proof that family films don’t have to avoid darkness to be meaningful.

Because what makes Coraline endure isn’t just that it’s scary, it’s that it refuses to lie to kids. Where Disney often promises that love alone solves everything, Coraline suggests something more honest: that courage comes from facing fear, not avoiding it. Coraline doesn’t win because she’s special. She wins because she’s brave enough to see the truth. Seventeen years later, that honesty still feels radical. And that’s why Coraline isn’t just different from Disney — it’s the movie that proves kids’ stories don’t need to be safe to matter.

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Release Date

February 5, 2009

Runtime

100 minutes

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The temporary restraining order against Huda Mustafa remains in place as the Love Island star awaits the next hearing, Us Weekly can confirm.

A hearing was scheduled for Friday, April 3, at the Los Angeles Superior Court after Nicole Olivera, the ex of Mustafa’s boyfriend Louis Russell, filed a restraining order against the reality star last month. Neither Mustafa nor Russell, both 25, present in court, although Olivera was in attendance.

The judge ultimately pushed the hearing to Thursday, April 23, after Olivera’s attorney asked for a continuance, ruling that Olivera’s temporary restraining order be extended. (The order was set to expire on Friday.)

“Any temporary orders are to remain in full force and effect until the continued hearing date,” read the ruling, per court documents obtained by Us. “Order on Request to Continue Court Hearing is signed and filed [on] this date.”

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Mustafa has yet to appoint legal counsel to the case. Us has reached out to Mustafa’s spokesperson for comment.

Us previously obtained court documents filed by Olivera on March 12 seeking protection for herself and her son with Russell. Russell’s ex claimed at the time that Mustafa “was making threats” against Olivera, the exes’ son Luka-Kai, the reality star’s own daughter, Arleigh, 5 — whom she shares with ex Noah Sheline — on February 20.

According to Olivera, after experiencing “about 12 hours” of threats from Mustafa before the TV personality then “broke into” the building where Olivera’s son lives. Mustafa also allegedly harassed Olivera on social media.

Olivera claimed that Russell informed Mustafa that “her actions have called for a restraining order.”

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Chris Brown isn’t the only celeb who has faced a judge. See more stars in court such as Taylor Swift, Lindsay Lohan and more.

As for her reason for pursuing a protective order, Olivera alleged in the court documents that she was “mentally and emotionally in fear for my son and my own safety.”

The same day of Olivera’s filing, a judge granted her request for a temporary restraining order against Mustafa, who was ordered to stay “at least 100 yards” away from Olivera and her son and to not contact them.

After news of the protective order made headlines, Mustafa denied the allegations via her Instagram Story.

“I’m aware of what’s being said and it’s not true,” she claimed on March 17. “I’m handling everything the right way by letting legal take care of it. I appreciate everyone who continues to support me.”

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Us also confirmed that Russell filed an emergency court order on March 18 for joint legal custody of his and Olivera’s son as well as a parenting and custody plan between the exes. In the paperwork Russell filed, he claimed that Olivera “unreasonably” halted contact between him and their son. He also accused his ex of using their son “as a bargaining chip” and threatening to move out of state. A judge ultimately denied Russell’s emergency request.

Mustafa rose to fame on Love Island season 7, which aired in the summer of 2025. Although she and Chris Seeley finished in third place, they became the first couple in the reality show’s history to break up during a season finale.

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Soon after she wrapped filming on Love Island, Mustafa was linked to Russell, who previously appeared on seasons 5 and 6 of Too Hot to Handle in 2023 and 2024 and season 3 of Perfect Match in 2025.

Mustafa’s court hearing comes just days before the Monday, April 6, premiere of Unwell Winter Games, on which she and Russell will both star. The duo are among the 16 “polarizing” public figures set to compete in mental and physical challenges on the YouTube reality series.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Joseph Duggar and his wife, Kendra Duggar, spoke on many calls during his stay at the Washington County Detention Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, after his arrest on child molestation charges in March 2026.

The recorded conversations — spanning several days — give insight into how the family is navigating his arrest years after his older brother Josh Duggar was sentenced on similar charges.

Joseph, for his part, was arrested on March 18, 2026, and charged with lewd and lascivious behavior, molesting a victim under 12 and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person over 18. He has pleaded not guilty.

Joseph and Kendra were also later charged with four counts each of false imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child.

“Kendra’s arrest has nothing to do with Joseph’s — although one precipitated another,” a source with knowledge of the case told Us Weekly on March 21, 2026. “After his charge, they automatically do a home study if minors live there. They came to her house.”

Us breaks down what we’ve learned so far from Joseph and Kendra Duggar’s jail calls:

Joseph and Kendra Duggar’s 1st Call 

The earliest documented call took place March 20, when Joseph Duggar placed a collect call to Kendra Duggar from the Washington County Detention Center, according to audio obtained by Entertainment Weekly. Kendra told Joseph, “It’s good to hear from you,” and the couple discussed her whereabouts. Kendra indicated she was staying somewhere “private” after their arrests.

Joseph and Kendra Duggar Discuss Their Children

During a March 24 phone call from the Washington County Detention Facility, Kendra Duggar revealed she does not have their children. She described the emotional toll of the situation to husband Joseph Duggar, admitting, “I think Friday has probably been my hardest day, but that’s crazy to say because Wednesday was crazy hard.”

In a separate call, Kendra shared her plans for their kids, “I’ve been making plans in my head of what I feel like I need to do moving forward with [the kids], and probably try to get counseling for them,” according to audio obtained by Us.

The Duggar Family Reacts With Support and Disappointment

In a conversation from Thursday, March 26, released by TMZ, Kendra Duggar relayed the broader family’s feelings to husband Joseph Duggar. “Just know that everybody loves you, even if they’re disappointed,” she shared. Joseph acknowledged the “disappointment” but said he “absolutely” feels the love of his family.

Kendra Duggar Reveals She Hired Her Own Lawyer

According to an in-jail audio call obtained by People on Monday, March 30, the couple discussed their legal representation amid the child endangerment case. Kendra Duggar shared details about hiring her own legal counsel, a significant step that signals she is independently managing her legal situation apart from Joseph Duggar.

Joseph Duggar Says He’s Focused on Faith Behind Bars

Joseph Duggar told Kendra Duggar he was focusing on his faith and reading the Bible while in custody. He also described daily life and logistical challenges with communication. “I’m doing good,” he said. “They had so many people, like, 20 people, to check in this morning that I wasn’t able to [call].”

Joseph Duggar Talks About His Workouts and Diet in Custody

“I started working out,” Joseph Duggar shared with wife Kendra Duggar during a phone call in audio obtained by Us. “I’m doing my burn bootcamp-style workout now.”

Joseph said he wanted to keep himself busy while stuck in a “seven by 11-style” cell, adding, “I’m doing squats and push-ups. I can do dips off the edge of the bed.”

Joseph revealed he was also avoiding eating any “junk” food with the hopes of slimming down. “I’m not eating, like, hardly any of the bready stuff. I’m trying not to eat junk, mostly just eat the veggies and the protein stuff,” he told Kendra, noting that he didn’t feel “as bloated” as before.

Kendra also shared that she was “trimming up.”

“I haven’t gotten on the scale, but I feel a lot trimmer now,” she said. “I’m not bloated either. I’m gonna be ‘skinny mini. I cannot eat. Mama keeps trying to get me to eat, but unless it’s liquid, it doesn’t really go down. It’s been a battle.”

Joseph Duggar Complains About ‘Miserable’ Jail Conditions

Joseph Duggar vented to Kendra Duggar about the conditions during his recent stay.

“I felt like [the] past two nights, like not last night, but the two nights before that, there [were] people up all night, and it was really loud and stuff, but so I didn’t get good sleep,” Joseph admitted during one phone conversation, per audio obtained by Us. “So yesterday was a little bit more miserable.”

“Sometimes I can’t even hear myself think whenever they’re next door,” he added, noting that the noise was “like getting hit by a jackhammer.”

During a separate call, Joseph said he struggled to get some shut eye because another inmate threw a “tantrum.”

Kendra Duggar Asks Joseph Duggar If He Needs Money

Kendra Duggar figured out how to get in contact with husband Josh Duggar via the jail system. “Oh, so [it] costs money for you to call me each time?” Kendra asked Joseph during a private exchange between the two while he was in custody, per audio obtained by Us. “Do you need more money?”

Joseph said he had $60 for phone and other privileges at the time. “I’m not gonna use it for anything else,” Joseph told his wife.

Michelle and Anna Duggar Have Reached Out

Kendra Duggar told Joseph Duggar she had been leaning on his mother, Michelle Duggar, for guidance during the difficult period. “Your mom and I, we got to visit this morning, and she was encouraging me with how to live humbly,” Kendra said during a call while Joseph was incarcerated at the Washington County Detention Center, according to People.

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Separately, Anna Duggar, wife of Josh Duggar, emailed Joseph after his arrest to offer support, writing, “You’ve got our prayers. We love you — however we can help, please let us know.”

Anna also urged caution, advising Joseph not to discuss legal matters unless he was with an attorney — a notable piece of guidance given the family’s prior experience with Josh’s own legal issues.

Joseph was extradited from Arkansas to Florida on March 27. He was later released from the Bay County Jail in Florida on March 31 after posting bond.

For Hollywood’s A-list, Iván Pol’s treatment bed is the place where skincare dreams come true.

His famed Beauty Sandwich facial leaves stars looking snatched — what Pol describes as “a defined jawline, a tight lower face [and] plump cheeks.” They also feel healed and grounded, thanks to a calming playlist and radiofrequency technology. “People are carrying a bunch of other weight,” he tells Us. “[I sandwich] these energies together to snatch not only your face, but your spirit. That’s what the celebrities become addicted to — the way they feel.”

While results appear effortless without any downtime or redness, there’s meticulous choreography behind the method. “It’s three different [layers], that’s why it’s a sandwich,” Pol explains. He spent more than a decade as a makeup artist, and one pivotal moment came while working with Jennifer Lopez, whose flawless skin left a lasting impression. When he asked her secret, she credited facials — and he remembers thinking, “That’s it. I’m going to create the best red carpet pre-glam facial.”

Fast-forward to this year’s Oscars week, when Pol officially unveiled his new Lunchtime Lift. “The signature Beauty Sandwich was more modeled [after] getting Botox and fillers,” he says. “Now I can completely diffuse the look of the jowl.” The added ingredient? Erchonia, a low-level laser therapy that fights inflammation and rejuvenates the skin. Used with his other noninvasive radiofrequency tools, including the Pellevé wand and a bipolar RF device with infrared, the multilayer technique helps shrink tissue and reposition muscles to achieve the V-shaped, heartlike contour he’s known for.

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Pol’s trained with the best, spending 10 years with Dr. Martin Zaiac at Greater Miami Skin and Laser Center. For the past five years, he’s shared clients with Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Diamond, whose natural-looking facelifts he admires. “I want to learn from people who have the most knowledge,” he says. (Pol sees clients at Dr. Diamond’s practice and in Miami.)

Topical skincare completes the ritual. Pol uses his favorite products from Chanel’s science-backed Sublimage line — which targets cellular aging and promotes a radiant, firm, and hydrated glow — as part of his pre-red-carpet treatments, along with the brand’s Le Lift Sérum. He finishes with a spritz of Amuse Bouche from his own Beauty Sandwich skincare line to “plump everything and snatch pores.”

In just 45 minutes, Pol can transform you. “I reposition where [the weight] resides — it’s like a redesign,” he notes. The effects are instant, but “the real result will come in a month,” as collagen, elastin and muscle synthesis kick in. Pol isn’t offering an antiaging session — it’s a one-of-a-kind skin-longevity treatment that leaves faces enhanced.

Pol’s Ways to Glow

FOR A TEMPORARY LIFT

After moisturizing, use Chanel’s N°1 de Chanel Massage Accessory along the jawline, gliding upward along the face’s natural heart-shaped contours in a gentle motion. The expert says its “ripple tier” targets areas with more adhesions for enhanced sculpting.

DON’T OVER-EXFOLIATE

“As we age, our skin naturally sheds — why accelerate it? Focus on strengthening and boosting functionality instead,” he says. Chanel’s Sublimage L’Huile-En-Gel De Démaquillage fits the bill: Its gel-to-oil formula gently removes impurities.

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ON-THE-GO ESSENTIAL

“My Beauty Sandwich SS02 Snatching Sauce does everything,” Pol says. Warm it between your fingers and massage it into the skin (or lips!) to re-energize facial fat for a plump look. “Think of it as a fatty serum — richer than your usual cream and nourishing.”

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YES, YOU CAN USE YOGURT

“I swear by organic, whole-fat yogurt as a cleanser,” Pol says. “It has lactic acid and is rich in fat,” he notes, which is why he uses it as a mild exfoliating cleanser or natural peel.

Head to Pol’s Instagram to see some of the stars he’s worked with, including Gracie Abrams, Penélope Cruz and Teyana Taylor.

Meghan Markle has responded after her former Suits love interest Patrick J. Adams spoke about her on a recent podcast.

After Adams, 44, shared that he never received any of Duchess of Sussex’s famous As Ever jam while appearing on the “Not Skinny But Not Fat,” podcast on Tuesday, March 31, Meghan responded two days later.

Posting via the comments section of the “Not Skinny But Not Fat” Instagram account, Meghan, 44,  said she was rectifying Adam’s lack of jam situation immediately.

“Jams en route for you @patrickjadams & @sleepinthegardn,” Meghan wrote, tagging the actor and his wife, Troian Bellisario.

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Meghan also sent well wishes to other members of Adams’ family via the rare public comment.

“Hugs to those beautiful babies. Send my love to your mom ❤️,” Meghan added, referencing Adam and Bellisario’s three daughters, Aurora, 7, Elliot, 4, and Imogen, 2 months, as well as the actor’s mother.

During the podcast episode, Adam disclosed that he “did not get a jam” when Meghan’s brand, As Ever, was launched despite starring alongside her for years on the legal drama.

“I didn’t get anything,” he joked. “I don’t have enough followers, I don’t think.”

Podcast host Amanda Hirsch admitted that she had been one of the recipients of Meghan’s jam but explained she hadn’t tasted it yet as she’s preserving it in the box.

“You’re treating it like a champagne?” Adams asked. “It’s gonna go bad,” he added. “How long do preserves last? It’s going to go bad.”

Adams played Mike Ross in Suits from 2011 to 2018. His character struck up a romance with colleague Rachel Zane, portrayed by Meghan.

They both left Suits after the show’s seventh season and Meghan quit acting to join the British Royal Family full time. Meghan and her husband Prince Harry married in 2018 and announced they were stepping back from royal duties in January 2020. (The couple also share two children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.)

Related: Meghan Markle Sent Patrick J. Adams ‘Lovely’ Text About ‘Suits’ Podcast

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Meghan Markle still has nothing but love for her former Suits costars. “We are not really in touch. She leads a very different life now for obvious and important reasons,” Patrick J. Adams replied to a fan asking about his and Markle’s relationship via Reddit on Sunday, October 6. “[But] upon hearing about the [Suits […]

During Tuesday’s podcast, Adams also explained why he’s been protective over his former costar amid her romance with Harry.

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“What she’s gone through is insane,” he said. Adams also referenced his Instagram bio — which reads, “The other guy from that show that you’re watching on that app because that girl married that prince.”

“I’ve got to change that,” Adams said. “It’s the sort of thing that wherever Meghan is, if she’s ever read that, she’s going, ‘Patrick, give me a break’.”

Adams added, “I got a lot of eye rolls — that was a constant with Meghan.”

Last week, I started off the Flavor Swap review series with Madison Beer and her Sweet Southern Heat BBQ Cheetos. While I was less than impressed with the results, I had high hopes for the Ruffles potato chips. Potato chips have been used as a vehicle for all sorts of eclectic flavors over the years, and Cool Ranch is one of the most popular Doritos flavors out there. Could combining the two possibly create a flavor variation that was anything but delicious? That’s what I set out to discover.  

Inside The Flavor Swap Series

The Flavor Swap is a 2026 collaboration between PepsiCo Foods and Gen-Z influencers in order to create limited-edition snack mashups. While Madison Beer put Lay’s Sweet Southern Heat BBQ seasoning on Cheetos Crunchy and iShowSpeed put Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream seasoning on Doritos, Dude Perfect’s made a mashup of Doritos Cool Ranch and Ruffles, putting the iconic tangy, herby seasoning of Cool Ranch Doritos on the thick, ridged texture of a Ruffles potato chip.

The chips were first released on the TikTok shop in February 2026 before hitting nationwide grocery store chains like Safeway, Walmart, and Kroger in March 2026. Eager fans have also been scoring them on Amazon, although the price is much higher than you’ll find in an average grocery store.

Dude Perfect Scores Major Points With This Mashup

Instead of breaking down the nutrition facts – they’re basically just potato chips with added seasoning, after all – let’s get straight to the review! The good news is that the Ruffles potato chip texture is spot-on. If you were the kind of kid consuming these chips at backyard barbecues and holiday parties, then you won’t be disappointed. They weren’t greasy. They weren’t flimsy. They had the same kind of structure that you would expect from a Ruffles chip, with textures and ridges that make it great for dipping. To focus on the Flavor Swap aspect of this taste test, I decided not to use any dip for these chips, but the option is there! 

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As for the taste itself, I would have told you that these were Sour Cream and Onion potato chips if I had been blindfolded. The Cool Ranch aspect just tastes right on a Dorito, and I’m not sure if the potato chip was the right vehicle for this flavor. I actually think Cool Ranch Cheetos would have been a better way to go, since there would have been a bit more of that classic Cheeto-powder dust (hopefully).

Madison Beer vs. Dude Perfect: Who Made The Better Chip Mashup?

In my last celebrity food taste test, I was disappointed with Madison Beer’s Sweet Heat BBQ Cheetos because I was expecting a little bit of that classic Cheetos cheese flavor with the addition of a sweet BBQ. Unfortunately, as I stated in my review, there was little to no cheese dust on these. The sweet BBQ flavor came through, but the heat did not. Overall, they were a big pass for me. 

Looking at the two flavor combinations side by side, I’m going to give the win to the Cool Ranch potato chips. If you can only go to the store and grab one snack, then the potato chips will most certainly have more mass appeal while the subtle Cool Ranch tang will have everyone asking, “What flavor IS that?” People who love Cheetos and the delicious, sticky Cheetos dust will be disappointed by the lack of it and may be put off by the sweet BBQ flavor, which, to me, still reads as a little too sweet. 

Who Is Dude Perfect?

If you’ve never heard of Dude Perfect before, you may be about to become a fan! They’re a comedy group that boasts over 60 million subscribers on YouTube. The group consists of Tyler Toner, Coby & Cory Cotton, Garrett Hilbert, and Cody Jones. The five best friends were roommates at Texas A&M University.

They’re best known for “Go Big” stunts, such as trick shots, comedic sketches poking fun at gym and driving stereotypes, competitive stunts with a “Wheel Unfortunate” penalty, and hilarious attempts to break bizarre Guinness World Records.

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The good news is that this isn’t the end of the taste test. Next up, we have Doritos, which are usually a crowd-pleasing favorite. I’ve yet to come across a Dorito flavor I didn’t like, so I have high hopes to try this Flavor Swap variety.