Entertainment
6 Greatest Forgotten ’70s Cult Classic Movies
Not every movie enjoys the success it deserves. Plenty of films failed when they were first released, either with critics, at the box office, or both, but have gone on to find success as cult films. These are movies that are adored, usually by a small but devoted group of fans. In the age of the internet and now social media, it’s become far easier for these fandoms to maintain their support of these films in a more public fashion, but there are cult classics that still feel far too forgotten, many from the ’70s.
The decade of oil crises, political corruption, and economic instability produced a great many classics which are still loved in this current era of…oil crises, political corruption and economic instability. More now than ever, many audiences can relate to the pessimistic viewpoint that permeated much of ’70s cinema, but there’s even more that the decade had to offer in movies. Cult classics abound from the ’70s, and these are six of the best that should never be forgotten.
6
‘Brewster McCloud’ (1970)
Idiosyncratic filmmaker Robert Altman’s output in the decade was wild and varied, from masterpieces like Nashville, The Long Goodbye, and McCabe & Mrs. Miller to underrated gems like California Split and 3 Women to debacles like Quintet and Buffalo Bill and the Indians. Altman never stayed stagnant in one genre, and was always making interesting left turns in his career, none more so than the black comedy Brewster McCloud. As his follow-up to M*A*S*H, the film is a strange contemporary fable featuring the enigmatic Bud Cort as a man who dreams of wings.
In Houston, Texas, Brewster McCloud (Cort) lives in a fallout shelter beneath the Astrodome, where he bides his time building a pair of wings that will allow him to fly like the birds he idolizes. His only human contacts are two women, the mysterious Louise (Sally Kellerman), who has distinctive scars on her back, and tour guide Suzanne (Shelley Duvall). There’s so much more freewheeling madness to the film, and we haven’t even mentioned the murders that occur and the hard-boiled detective who believes Brewster might be the cause. There aren’t many films like Brewster McCloud, and fewer still made by filmmakers like Altman, who can maintain a balance in the quirky film that prevents it from folding in on its own affectations.
5
‘Freebie and the Bean’ (1974)
There was plenty of action in the ’70s, with the international success of martial arts films and the rise of exploitation filmmakers. It’s the era that gave us cult classics like Vanishing Point, Coffy, and The Gauntlet, and the essential buddy cop movie Freebie and the Bean. Akira Kurosawa’s Stray Dog and the thriller In the Heat of the Night helped establish the mismatched detective archetypes, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid inspired the comedic banter that would define the buddy action subgenre, but Richard Rush’s Freebie and the Bean is the first true American buddy cop action comedy.
Rush’s film establishes the exact tone between its San Francisco cops Freebie (James Caan) and Bean (Alan Arkin) that would define ’80s movies like 48 Hrs. and Lethal Weapon. The two detectives trade barbs as well as bullets as they strive to protect a crime boss from getting killed before they can arrest him. Their antics practically destroy the entire city, and it’s not hard to see why many critics chided the film for its blasé approach to police violence. It would inspire queasiness if it weren’t amped to such high levels of ridiculousness and if Caan and Arkin didn’t have such scalding chemistry. Freebie and the Bean is to the buddy cop movie what Halloween is to slashers, and it deserves more recognition.
4
‘Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia’ (1974)
Westerns were still a viable genre in the ’70s. They weren’t being produced nearly as prolifically as they were during the genre’s golden age, but riding the wave of success that Spaghetti Westerns started, many filmmakers were able to put their own revisionist stamp on the genre, and no filmmaker made more cult films for it than Sam Peckinpah. The iconic director started the decade with the comedic Western gem The Ballad of Cable Hogue, brought the genre’s sensibilities to the contemporary thrillers Straw Dogs and The Getaway as well as the gentler drama Junior Bonner. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid would be his final official statement on the genre, but he’d make an even bolder one with the Neo-Western cult classic Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia.
The film follows consummate loser Bennie (Warren Oates), a former soldier turned alcohol-swilling piano player in Mexico who takes on the task of tracking down the titular character who has had a massive bounty put on his head by a crime lord. Shot entirely in Mexico on a low budget, the film is Peckinpah at his most unfiltered, since he was free from the interference of studios. The result is a wild, violent ride that critics hated at the time and bombed at the box office. Since then, it’s rightfully earned recognition, not only as Peckinpah’s most nihilistic film, but also as a clear influence on filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia is a dirty, nasty little Western thriller that belongs on a double bill with No Country for Old Men.
3
‘The Cars That Ate Paris’ (1974)
The Ozploitation movement came about during the Australian New Wave, where international attention came to films and filmmakers from the land down under thanks to a resurgence of their film economy. This era of Australian filmmaking would stretch through the ’80s and bring audiences cult classics like the Mad Max franchise, the harrowing thriller Wake in Fright, the Jaws-inspired horror film Razorback, and the feature debut of Peter Weir with the outlandish The Cars That Ate Paris. It’s a strange mix of vehicular horror and macabre humor that would propel Weir to future success in Australia and eventually Hollywood, and it remains one of the most iconic Ozploitation movies.
The rural town of Paris has an interesting economy, based on profits earned by causing car wrecks of traveling motorists and stealing their valuables. The wrecked vehicles have also inspired a strange subculture of hoons who turn them into mechanical monstrosities meant for violence and destruction. It’s into this chaos that Arthur (Terry Camilleri) drives with his brother, who is killed in their accident, leaving Arthur to fend for himself in the unstable town. The Cars That Ate Paris is the most unique of all the automotive movies that came out of the car culture of the ’70s, and it’s still a perfect microcosm of the era in Australian cinema that made it possible.
2
‘The Driver’ (1978)
A very different kind of car movie, Walter Hill’s minimalist masterpiece The Driver is a crime classic whose influence is apparent in the careers of filmmakers like Michael Mann and Edgar Wright. Its reappraisal has been slow, and it still hasn’t risen to the cult ranks of Hill’s follow-up The Warriors, but it’s an even better film and among the best cult ’70s crime thrillers, of which there are many. Before digging into Hill’s classic, some honorable mentions should go to The Outfit, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, Blue Collar, and The Harder They Come.
The Driver (Ryan O’Neal) is a criminal who’s made a career as a getaway driver, much to the chagrin of the hard-nosed Detective (Bruce Dern), who will stop at nothing to bring him down. It all leads to a high-stakes game set up by the Detective in the form of a heist that leaves plenty of bodies in its wake. The film has some incredibly kinetic car chases, shot at night in Los Angeles with Hill’s distinctive stripped-down efficiency. Hill is one of the most influential action directors of his era, and while he’s often overlooked, his films like The Driver continue to have an immense influence.
1
‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ (1978)
Despite becoming one of the biggest Hollywood directors of the ’80s and ’90s, Robert Zemeckis’ career started inauspiciously. He and his early collaborator Bob Gale were mentored by Steven Spielberg straight out of film school, but their first three collaborations with the filmmaker flopped. They wrote the notorious comedic bomb 1941 for Spielberg, and the filmmaker produced their first two films, I Wanna Hold Your Hand and Used Cars, both of which failed and now have cult followings but are still overshadowed by Zemeckis’ later blockbuster successes. As his directorial debut, I Wanna Hold Your Hand is an incredibly assured comedy that showcases much of what would define Zemeckis’ greatest successes in the ’80s. It’s a madcap movie that charmingly recreates the era of Beatlemania.
Named after the Fab Four’s hit song, the film is structured around the Beatles’ first live appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Trying to get to that show are a group of teens, including super fan Rosie (Wendy Jo Spurber), soon-to-be newlywed Pam (Nancy Allen), aspiring photojournalist Grace (Theresa Saldana), and rebellious Janis (Susan Kendall Newman). Their odyssey to the Ed Sullivan Theater is filled with slapstick, hijinks and hysterics, all of which Zemeckis balances with the same heartfelt tone that made Back to the Future such a similarly nostalgic success. I Wanna Hold Your Hand has all the hallmarks of Zemeckis’ later career and deserves to be mentioned among his best films.
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
- Release Date
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April 1, 1978
- Runtime
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99 minutes
- Director
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Robert Zemeckis
Entertainment
Man Detained in Nancy Guthrie Case Threatens to Sue Police
A man detained and subsequently released in the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie is seeking $2.5 million from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department — or he may sue.
An attorney for Carlos Palazuelos and two others filed a notice of claim on Monday, July 27, addressed to the department, Sheriff Chris Nanos and Detective Eric Gieron, alleging that Palazuelos had been wrongfully arrested at gunpoint on February 10 and that a search on his family’s property led to “significant property damage.”
The notice, obtained by AZ Family on Thursday, July 30, claimed Palazuelos was arrested and held “without probable cause for approximately seven to eight hours.” The notice alleged “Carlos’ arrest was made in a public fashion that was intended to damage Carlos’ reputation and subject him to humiliation and suspicion by implicating Carlos in the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie.”
At the same time, a search warrant was executed on Palazuelos’ family home, owned by Josefina Maddox, where a family member, Daniel Maddox, was placed in handcuffs by police, who “led him outside to a van and ordered him to sit on the van’s running board,” according to the notice. “Deputies held Daniel under guard at the van for several hours, where he was not free to leave.”
Palazuelos is seeking $2.5 million, and Daniel is seeking $500,000, alleging assault, false arrest, negligence, defamation and false imprisonment. Josefina is seeking $250,000, accusing police of trespass.
Palazuelos “was falsely arrested for a crime that he had nothing to do with in a public fashion. Sheriff Nanos, Detective Gieron and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department know that Carlos is an innocent man who had nothing to do with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie,” the claim alleged. “Despite that, they have refused to clear Carlos’ name and have forced him to live under a cloud of suspicion since the time of his arrest.”
Us has reached out to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department for comment.
On February 10, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department told Us that it had “detained a subject during a traffic stop south of Tucson,” adding, “The subject is currently being questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.” The department said at the time that it was also conducting a “court-authorized search” of a home in Rio Rico, Arizona.
After Palazuelos was released, he claimed in an interview with ABC15 Arizona’s Ford Hatchett that his car had been pulled over by police and he was told he was being “detained for kidnapping.”
“I asked, ‘The kidnapping of who?’ and they told me this lady … I don’t know her name,” Palazuelos said at the time. “I told [officers], ‘I work in Tucson for GLS. I might have delivered a package to your house, but I never kidnapped anybody.’”
Palazuelos said he was ultimately told he was “free to go” after answering the officers’ questions.
Nancy, the mother of Today show cohost Savannah Guthrie, has been missing for nearly six months. Police believe the 84-year-old was abducted from her home outside of Tucson, Arizona, in the early hours of February 1. No suspects have been identified.
Entertainment
Man Arrested For Threats To Judge Ashlee Cole
A man is facing up to five years in prison after allegedly sending death threats to Judge Ashlee Cole on Facebook. Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce, according to the Sacramento Bee, is in police custody on federal charges. Her husband, Dr. Benjamin Hudson, recently offered a $50,000 reward for details leading to an arrest in Nolan Wells‘ death investigation. He doubled down on getting death threats. His son and Ashlee’s stepson, Warren Hudson, traveled with Nolan to Horn Island on July 4.
RELATED: FBI Reportedly Investigates Threats Against Individuals As Nolan Xavier Wells’ Case Heads To Grand Jury (VIDEO)
Details About California Man’s Arrest For Death Threats
Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce was identified as the person behind the @yaeyae962 account that went after Ashlee Cole. The FBI task force, Safe Streets, tracked down Dumarce through his email IP addresses and linked them to the username. In the charging documents, he’s accused of threatening that a package would arrive and “blow” her away when she saw it.
“It’s probably best to have the boys there to see as well,” he allegedly threatened. “So much blood everywhere.” “But yours will be quick I promise.” Additional messages said her sons would be “strangled.”
Ashlee Cole & Family Have Been Speaking Out About The Death Threats
Judge Ashlee Cole, her husband, and her stepson have all been addressing the threats. She reportedly shared screenshots earlier this month that included graphic death threats. This week, Dr. Hudson also said his family has been “living through a nightmare” since Nolan Wells’ passing became national news. Also, his son, Warren Hudson, had a three-part interview with YouTuber Officer Tatum about July 4. He ran down a timeline from loading at the dock to the return of Nolan’s phone.
RELATED: Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office Reportedly Completes Nolan Wells’ Autopsy (UPDATE)
What Do You Think Roomies?
Entertainment
Tony Romo placed on leave from CBS Sports ‘until further notice’ after OWI arrest
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The retired Dallas Cowboys quarterback was pulled over on July 23 and “performed poorly” on a field sobriety test.
Entertainment
Mahershala Ali Speaks Out on Marvel’s Canceled Blade Movie
After years of delays, rewrites, and uncertainty surrounding Marvel Studios’ long troubled Blade reboot, Mahershala Ali has finally addressed the project’s cancellation in his most candid comments yet.
Speaking with GQ while promoting his new film Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, Ali made it clear that he’s no longer dwelling on the failed Marvel project and has found peace with how everything unfolded.
“If they wanted to do it, we would’ve done it,” Ali told GQ. “So I have to move on, and I have moved on.”
The Oscar winner was first announced as Marvel’s new Blade during San Diego Comic Con in 2019, a reveal that instantly became one of the MCU’s biggest casting announcements. However, after multiple directors departed, several writers took over the screenplay, and the film was repeatedly delayed, Marvel ultimately shelved the project. Earlier this month, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige admitted he felt “like a gigantic loser and a failure” that the film never came together.
Despite the disappointment, Ali says the experience wasn’t a complete loss.
“The best way I can answer this question is, when I look at what is for me, is it was either this or that and I’ll take this. No offense to them,” Ali explained. “I’ve been doing this professionally for pushing 30 years now, and one thing I’ve learned is that what is for you is for you and what is not is not.”
Mahershala Ali Blade Concept
Instead of starring as Marvel’s vampire hunter, Ali reunited with former Blade director Bassam Tariq to create the original action drama Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. The actor believes the film ultimately became a more rewarding creative experience than the Marvel reboot could have been.
“When I look at this and Blade, I couldn’t have done both,” Ali said. “The reason this even exists is because that project fell apart… I was able to use those skills that I had been working on for over a year training for Blade. In that way, I feel creatively redeemed on some level.”
Ali also acknowledged that the first teaser for the new film intentionally included him wielding a sword, something many fans viewed as a nod to the character they never got to see him play.
“I’m glad we were able to satisfy that and kind of move on,” he said, adding that while audiences may have expected a big budget superhero spectacle, the smaller scale project allowed them to tell a much deeper and more personal story.
Mahershala Ali and Kevin Fiege [getty]
As for whether fans should continue asking him about Marvel’s canceled reboot, Ali made his position perfectly clear.
“I’m good,” he said with a laugh. “Again, you had me under contract, they have billions of dollars, if they wanted to do the movie, we would’ve done the movie. So we’re not doing the movie… I feel ready to move on from the Blade questions. Those questions are for them. They didn’t want to do it, so they should answer that question.”
For many Marvel fans, Ali’s comments offer long awaited closure on one of the MCU’s most infamous canceled projects. While his version of Blade never made it to the big screen, the actor has made it clear he’s looking ahead, not back.
Entertainment
Ian Bohen Teases Dutton Ranch Appearance With Lainey Wilson
Ian Bohen is known for his role as Ryan on Yellowstone — but is there a chance he could reprise the character on Dutton Ranch with his onscreen love interest Lainey Wilson?
“It would be interesting to see where Abby and Ryan are within that world,” Bohen, 49, exclusively told Us at the red carpet premiere for Lioness, another of Taylor Sheridan‘s hit Paramount+ series, on Wednesday, July 29, in New York City.
Bohen didn’t rule out the possibility.
“They got one season under their belt and they’re figuring out their future and their arc for the next several seasons,” he noted. “Maybe there’ll be a spot for those two people to show up and contribute. That’d be great.”
The hit Paramount+ franchise started with Sheridan’s hit series Yellowstone, which premiered in 2018.
Fans got to know Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser’s characters, Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, who had a decades-long relationship enduring peaks and pitfalls. The original show came to an end in 2024, later expanding its universe with Luke Grimes‘ CBS show Marshals and now Dutton Ranch.
Bohen, for his part, has continued to work with Sheridan, 56, on other TV projects. He joined season 3 of Lioness, which premieres on August 2.

Created by Sheridan, Lioness is a spy thriller that follows the leader of a CIA team that enlists female operatives — known as Lionesses — to go undercover in the war on terror.
“Taylor’s words are extraordinary — of course — on the page. As far as an on the day collaborator, he’s attentive and he listens and he’s a very good communicator,” the actor told Us. “When you talk with him about what you’re doing on set and a scene and a direction, he makes you feel like you’re important.”
Bohen called getting to keep appearing in Sheridan’s shows a “treat,” adding, “It’s like working with a really good buddy. So I’m blessed to continue to work with him and I look forward to continuing that in the future.”
When asked by Us whether Bohen would want to be in Sheridan’s other existing shows — such as Landman — Bohen showed his support.
“From your lips to God’s ears,” he said. “But also who knows what the future holds.”
Lioness returns to Paramount+ on Sunday, August 2.
Entertainment
Tom Selleck Reignites CBS Feud With Surprising Admission
Tom Selleck is renewing his criticism of CBS over the cancellation of “Blue Bloods,” revealing that the cast had already sacrificed part of their salaries to keep the long-running drama alive. The 81-year-old actor claimed the ensemble agreed to a 25% pay reduction despite the show remaining one of broadcast television’s strongest performers. Selleck, who portrayed New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan throughout the show’s run, argued that neither the cast nor the story had run out of steam when CBS ended the series in 2024.

Appearing on Ted Danson’s “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” podcast, Selleck revealed the extent of the cast’s efforts to prevent the cancellation.
“The real truth to that is in the last year of [the series], at our last family dinner, everybody wanted to come back. We’d already taken a 25% cut in salary,” Selleck said, adding that they had already “done all sorts of things to keep the show going.”
Selleck was reportedly earning approximately $200,000 per episode before the reduction. Across a traditional 22-episode season, that rate would have amounted to roughly $4.4 million. His reported salary dropped to approximately $150,000 per episode during the final season. Despite those financial concessions, CBS moved forward with concluding “Blue Bloods” after 14 seasons.
Tom Selleck Says The Show Was ‘Certainly Not Out Of Ideas’

Selleck also pushed back against any suggestion that the procedural drama had reached the natural end of its creative life. The actor said “Blue Bloods” was “certainly not out of ideas” and pointed to its enduring popularity as evidence that the series could have continued.
“Out of the top 100 shows on broadcast television, Blue Bloods was number six in our fifteenth year. Nobody wanted to leave. It may be some kind of record to have the same cast intact for that length of time,” he said.
The drama premiered on September 24, 2010, and went on to become CBS’ second-longest-running scripted series behind “NCIS.” Selleck previously expressed similar frustration during a 2024 interview as the final episodes approached.
“During those last eight shows, I haven’t wanted to talk about an ending for ‘Blue Bloods’ but about it still being wildly successful,” he said. “In a Top 100 Shows of 2023-2024 (in total viewers, we were number 9 out of 100), if you discount the three football shows, we’re #6!”
Actor Believes ‘Blue Bloods’ Was Taken For Granted

According to Selleck, the show’s consistent performance may have ultimately caused the network to undervalue it. “My frustration is the show was always taken for granted because it performed from the get-go,” he explained.
Selleck noted that “Blue Bloods” reliably attracted an audience despite airing on Friday nights, a time slot that networks have traditionally viewed as difficult.
“I’m not going to turn into a bitter old guy saying, ‘Get off my lawn!’ I don’t believe in holding grudges, but if you were to say to the television network, ‘Here’s a show you can program in the worst time slot you got, and it is going to guarantee you winning Friday night for the next 15 years,’ it would be almost impossible to believe,” he said.
The actor admitted that he was still processing how such a dependable show could be brought to an end while viewers and cast members remained invested. “So how do I feel? It’s going to take a long time to sort all of this out,” Selleck said.
Tom Selleck Struggled To Adjust After The Finale

For 14 years, Selleck regularly traveled between his California ranch and the East Coast to film “Blue Bloods.” That routine ended abruptly once the final episode was completed, leaving the actor momentarily expecting to return to work as usual.
“I remember after the weekend [of the final episode’s shoot], I said, ‘I’ve got to get to bed early tonight because I have to do my dialogue for Monday.’ Well, there was no Monday. It’s just going to take a while,” he recalled.
Selleck reportedly returned to his California ranch with his wife, Jillie Mack, following the conclusion of the series. The actor remained confident that viewers were not prepared to lose the Reagan family.
“CBS will find an awful lot of people aren’t ready to say goodbye to it,” he said at the time. “The show’s more popular than ever, and I think [numbers] will increase with the interest this year. We’re certainly not out of ideas.”
CBS Called The Series A ‘Beloved’ Part Of Its Legacy

CBS Entertainment and CBS Studios acknowledged the show’s popularity in a joint statement announcing its conclusion. “Blue Bloods will forever be a beloved part of CBS’s legacy,” the network executives said. “It ruled Friday nights with unprecedented dominance since its premiere and established itself as a pillar of our winning lineup with an exceptionally devoted fan base.”
“We’ll be forever grateful to the legendary Leonard Goldberg for developing this signature series and to the amazing cast led by Tom Selleck, who America embraced as a family and watched as welcomed guests at the Reagan dinner table,” they added.
However, those words have done little to ease Selleck’s frustration over the decision, or his concerns about life without the show’s steady income. “You know, hopefully I keep working enough to hold on to the place,” Selleck previously said of his 63-acre ranch.
When asked whether that was seriously a concern if he stopped working, he replied, “That’s always an issue, if I stopped working, yeah. Am I set for life? Yeah, but maybe not on a 63-acre ranch!”
Entertainment
Marvel’s ‘X-Men’ Reboot Officially Casts Emma Frost
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
Samara Weaving has been chosen to play Emma Frost in Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Men movie, according to Deadline. Director Jake Schreier and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige reportedly settled on Weaving earlier this week following an extensive casting process that saw multiple actors considered and tested for the part. Marvel has not officially commented on the report.
More to follow.
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
Entertainment
HGTV Stars Reveal The Financial Struggle Viewers Never Saw
“Renovation Aloha” stars Tristyn and Kamohai Kalama are pushing back against the belief that their real estate success was built on family money. The married HGTV personalities revealed that they were once carrying approximately $80,000 in debt and occasionally needed assistance paying their rent before establishing their business. Although Kamohai’s father, banking executive Corbett Kalama, has achieved considerable success, the television star insists he never received money from him to launch the couple’s real estate company.
In an Instagram video shared Tuesday, Kamohai opened up about the financial hardship he and Tristyn endured before entering the real estate industry. According to the HGTV star, the couple was in a “dire situation when we found real estate” and had accumulated “like $80,000 in bad debt.”
Kamohai said their struggle reflected the financial pressure experienced by many residents of Hawaii because “like a lot of people here in Hawaii, just because it’s so expensive” to live there. At their lowest point, the couple reportedly found themselves “asking for help for rent some months.”
‘Renovation Aloha’ Stars Deny Having Trust Funds
Kamohai also addressed assumptions about his upbringing and his father’s success in the banking industry. He insisted that he did not grow up with a “silver spoon” and is not a “trust fund baby.”
Tristyn joked that she would not necessarily object to receiving one in the future. “I’ll still take a trust fund if anyone wants to make me a beneficiary,” she quipped.
Kamohai explained that “his whole family started from nothing” and denied receiving a loan or investment from his father when launching the couple’s company. “The fact of the matter is, I’ve never taken a penny from my dad to start a real estate company, nor has he invested in it at all,” Kamohai said. “I think a lot of people get that twisted.”
The Couple Says Their Success Came From Taking Risks
Tristyn and Kamohai expanded upon their story in the caption accompanying their Instagram video. They began by emphasizing that “hard work doesn’t always look the way people think it does.”
“We didn’t come from money. We didn’t have trust funds. We didn’t have family writing checks to make our dreams happen,” they wrote.
Instead, the couple said their journey began with serious financial uncertainty and difficult decisions. “We came from debt. From wondering how we were going to pay the bills some months. From taking risks that could’ve gone either way. From failing, learning, and getting back up again.”
Their eventual success did not eliminate public criticism. According to the pair, the scrutiny became more intense as their business and television profiles grew.
Tristyn And Kamohai Kalama Address Assumptions About Their Success
The HGTV stars explained that as they have “grown, the criticism hasn’t gotten quieter,” but instead has become “louder.” They believe some people would rather create their own explanations for the couple’s achievements than accept how much work went into building their career.
“People create stories to explain your success,” they said, “because it’s easier than believing it came from years of sacrifice, consistency, and relentless work.”
According to the pair, criticism can come from people at every level. They wrote that “the ones above you try to keep you down, and the ones below you think you got it handed to you.”
However, the couple said their actual path was much less dramatic than the stories people may tell about them. The TV personalities declared that “the truth is far less glamorous,” explaining that they “just kept showing up.”
HGTV Couple Encourages Followers Not To Give Up
Tristyn and Kamohai concluded their message by encouraging those currently facing financial or professional uncertainty to continue working toward their goals. “If you’re in a season where it feels impossible, keep going. Don’t let someone else’s assumptions make you question your own journey. Your story isn’t finished yet,” they advised.
Their own journey ultimately took them from mounting debt and difficulties covering rent to a successful real estate business and a television series centered on their work in O’ahu, Hawaii. “Renovation Aloha” premiered on HGTV in 2024. The series follows Tristyn and Kamohai as they renovate neglected properties on the island before transforming them into homes for local families.
The program has aired 30 episodes across three seasons.
Entertainment
These Crocs Platforms Are 1 of the Most Comfy Sandals I Own
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Living in New York City, I’ve learned just how important comfortable and stylish shoes truly are. I’ve had my fair share of epic fails, ending with blisters, chafing and lots of Band-Aids, which is why I was shocked when I came across these sleek platform sandals that actually feel like plush little clouds under my feet.
The thing is, the brand behind these sandals is known for delivering ultra-comfortable shoes, but if you ask me — a shopping editor who has been in the media world for a decade — they’re also notorious for being, ehem, ugly. But these? Well, they’re anything but. Another wow-worthy note? They’re Crocs.
Get the Crocs Brooklyn Low Wedge Sandals for $60 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
No, that is not a typo. The Brooklyn Low Wedge Sandals are a top seller from Crocs, earning over 16,300 five-star ratings from fans, and clearly I’m one of them. I slipped on the Crocs over two years ago on a whim. Honestly, I didn’t have high hopes, but the shoes definitely proved me wrong. The cushion, chic appearance and extra height give them staying power. It’s a combo that makes them a top contender in my closet and why I’m still reaching for them to this day.
The TikTok-famous sandals are designed with a plush foam insole and an ergonomic construction that supports the curves of my feet. It’s why I can walk from my apartment to the subway, stand at an hours-long concert and dance the night away at a summer rooftop without fail. Just think: the sandals have the same build as the brand’s O.G. clogs. . . they’re just way cuter.
Crafted with minimalism at the forefront, these sandals look elevated, clean and posh. I credit the wide bands and adjustable back strap for that. Plus, the 1.9-inch wedge heel gives me a bit of height, which is a huge plus for this 5’2″ girlie. And for this reason, they’re my heel alternative, especially in NYC.
The sandals are made with the brand’s ‘Matlite’ material, which has an almost plastic-like feel. They’re a bit smoother yet are super flexible, which I appreciate. The only problem is that if I sweat in the summer, the straps tend to rub against my pinky toe. However, other shoppers did not have that same experience. And after a few years of wear, I’ve noticed a few scratches on the top, but truthfully, that’s only if I really look at them. They’re black after all!
I’m not the only Us Weekly editor who loves the shoes. Commerce editor Lauren Anderson also wears the shoes constantly, calling them “literally my favorite shoe.” She explained, “They have the cushioned arch support of an orthotic shoe but the style of a designer wedge sandal. I get compliments whenever I wear them, and people are always so shocked to learn they’re Crocs!”
I love the classic, chic black shade, which goes with everything including summer dresses, tanks and jeans as well as tees and maxi skirts. Yes, I have worn the Crocs with all of the above. But we like having choices, and these sandals come in over 12 options ranging from neutral beige hues to sparkly brown styles.
The Crocs Brooklyn sandals are one of those summer styles that you didn’t think could be *this* comfortable until you try them on and realize you were so, so wrong. Trust me, I know. If you want to see what all the hype is about, don’t miss out on trying the popular sandals for yourself!
Get the Crocs Brooklyn Low Wedge Sandals for $60 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
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Entertainment
State Autopsy Completed, Will Remain Sealed
After weeks of mounting pressure, the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office has completed Nolan Wells‘ autopsy. But the public won’t learn the results of it anytime soon! It will remain sealed until a grand jury gets eyes on it first. During the wait for the completion, social media users had already demanded that the lead examiner step down after digging into her history of “accidental” rulings.
RELATED: Father Of Friend Who Traveled To Horn Island With Nolan Wells Reportedly Offers $50K Reward For Information In His Death
Nolan Wells’ Formal Autopsy Completed, What’s Next?
NBC News was the first to report the completed autopsy, citing direct confirmation from the officials involved. The Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office reportedly conducted the autopsy on July 7, one day after his body was recovered. Wells traveled to Horn Island via boat with friends on July 4, but never made it home. Amid a mass search, a park ranger discovered his body two days later in the water near the island. While local law enforcement quickly suggested the 18-year-old might’ve accidentally drowned, the Black community in particular, including his parents, didn’t fully buy into that narrative.
There’s been a heavy demand, from Nolan’s loved ones too, for transparency in the investigation and the autopsy results. And finally, as of Thursday, Mississippi has concluded the autopsy procedure. However, the public, Nolan Wells’ parents and even their legal rep, Ben Crump, won’t be seeing the final results for a hot minute.
That’s because last week the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office announced the results will remain sealed. DA Angel Myers McIlrath said a grand jury will be first to review the report after the death investigation is completed. The DA revealed that it’s standard practice for non-natural deaths to be presented to a jury. Additionally, McIlrath defended the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office prioritizing the investigation and withholding some information, despite the pressure. “The pressure for answers does not change what the work requires,” the DA added.
What Did The Independent Autopsy Show?
While the official autopsy is just wrapping, the public learned the findings of the independent autopsy last week. With the financial assistance of Colin Kaepernick, Nolan Wells’ family sent his body to Washington, D.C. for an independent autopsy. Dr. Roger Mitchell completed the procedure and Attorney Ben Crump announced the findings last Wednesday (July 22), revealing the autopsy was conducted on July 19.
Ultimately, the report cited Nolan Wells’ cause of death as “undetermined pending investigation.” Also, the date of his death is “unknown.” Furthermore, the report cited a “12×8-inch ‘soft tissue’ with red discoloration at the back of Nolan’s head. Crump called that “significant,” citing pictures he had reviewed.
One part of the independent autopsy that rocked social media was the missing body parts, per Dr. Mitchell. Wells’ body was sent to D.C. while missing “interior inner neck structures” and other parts of his neck, such as the trachea. Crump and team believe the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office retained the structures for evaluation. At a press conference this week, Crump revealed that his team is working to obtain the missing body parts and other information for Dr. Mitchell’s evaluation.
Another standout note from the autopsy was that Nolan Wells’ body had “marked decomposition.” This made it impossible to determine whether Nolan had bruises or abrasions. Overall, Dr. Mitchell could not rule out whether any “intervening non-accidental factors contributed to or caused” Nolan’s death. He requires more information, including photos, from the state medical examiner to get more conclusive results.
RELATED: Christine Wonsley Reportedly Faces Harassment Campaign Targeting Her Workplace Amid Nolan Wells’ Death
What Do You Think Roomies?
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