[Editor’s note: The following contains major spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.]In the season finale of the HBO series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, set in Westeros a century before the events of Game of Thrones, hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) was left wondering just what his responsibilities toward his squire Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) should be. The aftermath of the Trial of Seven and the death of Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel) make Dunk reflect on his own regret and guilt, unsure of what to do and where to go next. When Dunk ultimately decides to take Egg back, it’s on the condition of continuing to travel as a hedge knight and getting as far away from royalty as possible.
While there is a sense of closure to the story being told over the six-episode first season, there’s also a sense of adventure to come. Already deep into production on Season 2, showrunner Ira Parker is continuing to work with the source material, following The Sworn Sword while also getting feedback from George R.R. Martin as he adds his own touches to the adventures of Dunk and Egg.
Collider recently got the opportunity to chat one-on-one with Parker about the events of the finale, poking fun at the need to rename the series A Knight of the Nine Kingdoms now (and no, the title is not actually changing), that reunion between Dunk and Sweetfoot, how that final shot with Ser Arlan riding off as Dunk and Egg go on their way came about, whether Dunk was ever really knighted, the change in dynamic between Dunk and Rafe from what was in the book, the nod to Brienne of Tarth, and the reveal that Egg lied again so that he could rejoin Dunk. Parker also talked about how far into the Season 2 production they are, whether any Season 1 cast members will show up in Dunk and Egg’s world again, the possibility of continuing beyond Season 3, and how they handle any potential changes that might need to be made.
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Collider: It’s fun to see a show that feels so different from the other shows in this world, and yet still looks like it fits in this world.
IRA PARKER: I’m glad it still looks like it fits in this world. That was what made us the most nervous. One of our actor’s agents almost didn’t let them be in it because he said, “We don’t know how you’re going to make this look okay for the money that they’re giving you.” They took those words back by the end. I’m glad that this is the result.
No, the Series Will Not Be Renamed ‘A Knight of the Nine Kingdoms’
“We’re just having some fun in Westeros.”
Peter Claffey as Dunk in armor on a horse as Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg helps in A Knight of the Seven KingdomsImage via HBO
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So, do you have to rename the series now to A Knight of the Nine Kingdoms, or were you just having fun with the title card at the end of the finale?
PARKER: I think that’s probably what it was. We try not to take ourselves too seriously. We’re serious when it’s appropriate. We’re just having some fun in Westeros.
It was nice to have that little bit of humor again, after some of the heavier stuff in the last couple episodes.
PARKER: It was important to have that last little conversation between them to cleanse the palate a little bit. So much stuff has come to pass between the two of them in both of their lives, and we just needed to let the audience know, “Don’t worry, going forward, this will still be the Dunk and Egg that we all grew to know and love even before we turned that relationship upside down.
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I also have to give you kudos for taking the time to reunite Dunk with Sweetfoot, the horse. Why was it important for you to find the time for that moment when that’s not something that you had to do?
PARKER: We all felt, pretty early on, that a lot of people, including us, were going to care only if Dunk got reunited with that horse. If he wins the tournament, fine. The Trial of Seven, great, we want him to live. But the horse, that was a hard seed to watch. Obviously, Dunk has a great affinity for his animals, so we felt that it was appropriate to at least address that. And he’s going to an apple farm. What could be better? It’s like horsey heaven.
The new ‘Game of Thrones’ spin-off is a win for the franchise.
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I thought there was something really beautiful about seeing Ser Arlan on Sweetfoot, heading off in another direction from Dunk and Egg. It’s far away, but I thought I saw Dunk turn and look in his direction. Did that happen? Was that moment more emotional than you expected, because it made me very emotional?
PARKER: I’m glad. That was the very last thing that I wrote for this show. It wasn’t actually in the original script, and when we were cutting all the things together, our ending didn’t feel quite right. I forget exactly when or how that came up. We were very lucky when we went back to do some of the re-shoots. We very quickly went and grabbed that, and I’m really glad that we did. First of all, Dunk is looking. There is just a little bit of something there. It’s perfect because your response is exactly what I wanted. Is he looking? Is he not? Was that on purpose? Was it not? We’re sending Ser Arlan off on his way. Ser Arlan has done his job and remained present with Dunk even after he died, but now Dunk is setting off to become his own mentor.
Well, thank you for confirming and clarifying.
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PARKER: You have an eagle eye. I appreciate you picking that out.
I’ve really enjoyed watching Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell work together this season. They’re so different, but they also work so well together. They’ve been a fun odd couple/buddy comedy duo. What has most surprised you about watching them together? When there’s no way you could have known if they would work until you saw them together, was there a moment that just gave you a sigh of relief?
PARKER: In the audition, they related to each other very well physically. How do you quantify that? There was just a certain natural familiarity that they always had. They both went out of their way to forge a relationship off-screen as well, hoping that would translate to more ease and more chemistry on screen, and it worked. Those guys off-screen are exactly like the pair that they are on-screen. They needle each other, but in a brotherly way. I don’t think the mentorship is bottom up the way it is in the show. It’s more classic in real life. But there’s still a lot of back and forth, which I really appreciate. They’re just two very delightful people. George [R.R. Martin] knows what he’s doing. Those odd couple pairings he creates are like none other. We’re very happy to have Peter and Dex bringing them to life, but a lot of that comes from the source material.
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Did Dunk Ever Really Get Knighted by Ser Arlan in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’?
“The whole journey is going to be about what makes a true knight.”
Peter Claffey as Dunk and Danny Webb as Ser Arlan ride horses together in A Knight of the Seven KingdomsImage via HBO
There’s a moment in the finale flashback when Dunk reveals that he wasn’t knighted by Ser Arlan. Why did you want to make that clear?
PARKER: It’s fascinating to me that that’s what you got out of that scene. At that moment, Dunk had never been knighted by Ser Arlan. He says, “Why did you never knight me?” And then, Ser Arlan dies, and we think it’s over. But then, he’s back and, as far as we know, the continuation of that scene is, “Boy, go get me my sword,” and then he knights him. There is no conformation, one way or the other, coming out of that scene. That’s exactly how Mr. R.R. Martin requested it. It remains [ambiguous] and people can decide for themselves. Look, Danny Webb is a fucking magician. I love him so much. He’s just become Arlan. It could have been no one else in this whole world. He was just pitch perfect, all the way up until his death. This whole journey is going to be about what makes a true knight, whether or not you’re given the title, or if you have to earn the title even after you’re given it. Can you earn it, even if you’ve never been given it?
It feels like, for someone like Dunk, it’s also very much a confidence issue because even if he really has the title, it’s not something he feels that he deserves or is worthy of.
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PARKER: Yep. What person doesn’t feel that way, even deep into their careers and even successfully deep into their careers, that they’re not complete frauds and undeserving of any little morsel of praise or success that they receive. Honestly – spoiler alert, except I guess people know from the original series – even when he is more successful in his career than he is now and at quite high levels, as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, he’s still feeling that way. He’s still feeling insecure because there’s always new levels of a job. No one ever lets you stay at the same place for your whole life. As soon as you do a good job, they want you to do something that’s out of your comfort zone. And so, you can remain anxious and feeling unworthy for your entire career.
The ‘Game of Thrones’ spin-off star goes deep on that surprise twist at the end of the penultimate episode.
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Was there ever a version of The Trial of Seven that showed Maekar attacking Baelor? Did you always want that to be something that you held for the end of the episode?
PARKER: We always knew that because of the nature of the novella that is completely told from Dunk’s POV, that our show would follow that quite closely. We’re almost religiously in Dunk’s POV, breaking only a few times for Egg, but no one else. In that Trial of Seven, we wanted to keep it between Dunk and who he was fighting in that moment. That’s not to say we don’t see other little bits of that fight, but we do through Dunk’s perspective and Dunk’s story. When Aerion says on the ground to him very softly, “I yield, it’s over,” Dunk knows it’s over, but people are still fighting. There are still battles to the death going on and Dunk thinks, “I have to get this information out.”
It’s like those war movies when the war is over, but you still feel even more tense now because, what if somebody you love dies after the war is over and they didn’t have to? He sees these brutal fights going on. You see Maekar turning around with his flail and Baelor is still fighting with him. You see the Fossoways going at it, which is one of my favorite ones, and Dunk says, “I need to get this guy to the fucking front and end this thing right now,” and literally drags him there. So, we were always, no matter what, going to show it through Dunk’s POV. That moment at the end had to come through Dunk again. He’s just been given maybe everything he wants. He finally got through it, and maybe now he’s going to be Baelor’s guy. But as George so often does, it was not exactly meant to be that way.
Why did you decide to change Dunk’s childhood friend, Rafe, into a girl and add a bit of romantic interest to it? Did something about that relationship feel important?
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PARKER: Is it 100% confirmed that Rafe was a boy?
No, it wasn’t.
PARKER: More than anything else in Dunk’s life, the fact that he was an orphan with no family probably weighs the heaviest and informs most of his decisions. Just that search for family, that search for a mother and somebody to take care of you, which he never had, is very at the core of what it is to be a lonely kid out there, trying to do better. I think Rafe fills that gap in some ways. Not in all ways. Dunk does this thing where he tries to see the very best in everyone because he really wants that family, even when it’s not quite right. I’m still not completely convinced that Rafe isn’t using him a little bit because he’s big and he’s strong, and he doesn’t seem to be that smart, so she can manipulate him. She’s not a bad person. That’s just what she has to do to get by. Dunk is quite earnest. He wears his emotions at the front. It makes you hope for good things.
Rafe is a very interesting relationship in Dunk’s life. At one point, we were going to have all of his little friends. We were going to have Rafe and Ferret and Pudding all in the mix. Of course, our budget necessities brought that all down to what we could accomplish. It originally started off as City of God in Westeros, and then it got paired down a little bit. Rafe, ultimately, was the most important of all those friendships. When a kid that age says, “I love you,” what does it really mean? What is he really saying? I’m not sure it’s romantic love, even though maybe it feels that way because they’re close in age and they only have each other. What is love? Feeling safe and protected and reassured, and somebody you can trust and rely on. Rafe probably qualifies to check off a bunch of those things, and I think a mother probably does the same. I think it was written in the script somewhere that Dunk looks at her like she’s his mother, sister, best friend and wife, all wrapped into one. He’s heaping a lot of things into that moment.
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‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Showrunner Ira Parker Says That Moment Connecting Dunk and Brienne of Tarth Came Up During Reshoots
“It just seemed perfect.”
Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth looking to the distrance in Game of ThronesImage via HBO
You also have a subtle moment connecting Dunk and Brienne of Tarth, and I love that you not only did that, but also shot at the same location. How did all of that come about? Was that something you had always wanted to include? Did that come up later?
PARKER: That came up later. That actually came up in our reshoots. That was a scene that we had early on, that came out for budget reasons but then went back in due to cutting too deeply. We were looking for the original, original spot where they did the very first of those walks, but those trees had become a bit of a Belfast landmark and had actually been destroyed a little bit, just by all the tourism. And so, even the original series had to go, in Season 3 or 4 for the Brienne and Pod walk, had to go to a different spot that looked a lot like it and use that because they couldn’t use the original. So, we went to that one. It just seemed perfect. I loved it when I found out that we could get there and do that. That’s exactly the vibe that we were going for. I love that image of the trees touching over the street. There’s something that feels very special to me about Dunk and his great, great, great-granddaughter, whoever it is, walking along the same road. I think Season 1 is a lot about what we pass down to the next generation. We have father to son. We have knight to squire. We have master to apprentice. And so, it felt very within our motifs or themes for the season.
The ‘Game of Thrones’ series is not told chronologically.
We learn that Egg seems to be disobeying a bit again by venturing off with Dunk. How will that affect things for Egg and his family moving forward? Is Dunk ever going to get so fed up with this kid lying to him?
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PARKER: We’ve tried a bunch of different versions for Season 2, big and small. It’s not actually even determined yet where we’re going to land on that. It will come back up again. It was initially meant as just a bit of a joke, but then people started telling me afterwards that, “No, it’s a huge cliffhanger, man. You have to go and address this.” And I was just like, “Oh, okay. Yeah. I suppose.” I don’t want it to distract from the main story they were telling in Season 2. That is the only goal. We don’t want to create an alternate timeline. In the book, it felt fair game to me because it’s actually never explicitly drawn that Maekar says, “Okay, my son can go squire for you.” They’re talking about it and Dunk makes a good point, but then Maekar just walks off, and a few moments later, Egg shows up. Maybe Egg was just hiding in the bushes. Maybe Egg followed his father there, and his father was going back to the castle to say, “Let’s fucking get out of here.” And then, Egg is like, “Hey, Ser, I’m allowed to come with you.” It created a little gap there. It was ambiguous enough that we didn’t feel like we were contradicting anything that had been written down. The after effects of this could potentially do that, so we were trying to be very careful.
How many of the Targaryens that we saw this season will crossover to the second season? And really, how much of the cast, in general, will we see again?
PARKER: Every book is a brand-new cast of people. George has a plan for later novellas, where certain people would come back in. We’ll see how it goes. It’s going to be, if any, quite light. There might not be any. We’re exploring. If it feels right, if it feels fun, if it adds something to it while not taking away from everything that we’re trying to do with The Sworn Sword, then it could happen.
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Production of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Season 2 Is Moving Right Along
“We’re doing some really cool stuff.”
Peter Claffey as Dunk sitting while wearing a poncho and looking right in A Knight of the Seven KingdomsImage via HBO
How are things going with Season 2? Where are you at in the process of it all?
PARKER: We are pretty deep into shooting now. We’re seeing some scenes get cut together. I’m still writing a little bit and still tweaking here and there. But everything is going very well. I love our cast this season. I think we’re doing some really cool stuff, and some very different stuff than we did in Season 1. We’ll see. You never know until it’s out there.
You’ve said that Season 2 would also be six episodes. Has it felt challenging to tell the story with just six episodes that are at 40 minutes or less, or has it felt like a good amount because you really can pack the episodes with a lot of story?
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PARKER: It is challenging to tell a drama episode in that amount of time, setting up the stakes, telling a full story, and closing it off. However, I will say it’s fortunate for us that, because we are a single POV show, it’s not like we have to manage multiple storylines in every single episode. This feels like the perfect amount for us. It never felt like we were straining or trying to fill time. We were just having fun. Ultimately, at the end of the day, we actually ended up cutting down a lot of stuff because it didn’t work or we didn’t need it or it slowed things down. I’m very grateful that HBO gave us such a wide breadth to deliver an episode in. The truth is, if an episode had come in at one full hour and it was just a banger, then it would have gone out like that. But between 35 and 40 minutes seems to really be our sweet spot.
Do you have plans to go beyond three seasons? Have you discussed that with George R.R. Martin at all, with him still writing and things not being done? Are you worried about the Game of Thrones problem of running out of source material? How do you feel about that?
PARKER: Certainly, I’ve talked to George a lot about this, and he’s given me a bunch of paragraphs and synopses of 10 to 12 more of these – I forget and need to count them up again – to take them all the way through their whole lives, which is very exciting. And there’s a lot of really cool stuff in there. Because we actually already know all the moments that happen, because this is in the past from A Song of Ice and Fire, there’s no danger of big events being done uncanononically. Honestly, we know their fates, or George knows their fates, and we know major events that happen within their lives, we know battles that they fought in, and we know people that came in and out of their world, marriages, and deaths, and all these things. So, we actually have a fair bit to work with. We have, essentially, a finished timeline. But we’ll see. We’ll see how this first season wraps up. If people stick with us into the second season, we’ll go from there. It’s a lot of fun to write these characters.
Everything Showrunner Ira Parker Is Doing in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Is Guided by the Stories of George R.R. Martin
“We never change the story.”
Are there changes that you’ve already needed to make to material for the second book to do Season 2? Do you make those changes and then go to George R.R. Martin, or do you have to ask him about that stuff before you write it? How does that work?
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PARKER: George gets sent every draft of the script, and he’s only been a benefit to the series. That’s all we want, his input. Every now and then, little things have to change, but we never change the story. The beginning is the beginning, the middle is the middle, and the end is the end. We just fill out the world and fill out the characters, and we try to do it in a way that feels seamless and that feels like he would have done it if he had written them as novels instead of novellas. Sometimes we get it wrong, but for the most part, so far, so good. We’ll see where Season 2 comes out. It’s been a joy writing in this world. Just getting to do the fun scenes and having a strong story laid down in front of you that works, what more could you hope for with a big TV series like this? It’s a story that people love. It’s quite a classic tale that can reach a lot of people. We just get to give a different bit of flavor, a little bit of a different tone, and a little bit of a different side of Westeros. We’ll see if people continue to follow us on this journey or not.
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Release Date
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January 18, 2026
Network
HBO
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Showrunner
Ira Parker
Directors
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Owen Harris
Writers
George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker
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Peter Claffey
Ser Duncan ‘Dunk’ the Tall
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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms airs on HBO and is available to stream on HBO Max.
Spice Girls‘ fans are in for disappointing news, as the iconic act’s highly anticipated 30th-anniversary show has been called off.
It has been years since the British pop sensation, made up of Victoria Beckham, Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm, Geri Halliwell, and Emma Bunton, went their separate ways. However, their loyal fan base has remained as strong as ever.
Over the years, the group has repeatedly hinted at reunions, including plans to celebrate three decades since the release of their debut single. However, it has now been confirmed that nothing is moving forward for now.
Spice Girls Comeback Reportedly Falls Apart Over Disagreements
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Speaking on an episode of “The Smallzy Show,” released on Tuesday, Chisholm did not beat around the bush as she revealed the current situation.
“July will be the 30th anniversary of ‘Wannabe’ being released. And then later in the year, ‘Spice,’ the first album. So, yeah, it’s a big one,” the singer said on the radio show as seen in a clip later shared on Facebook. “And no, there is no reunion.”
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While it is not happening now, Chisholm is not ruling out the possibility of it happening in the future. “We are communicating all the time, we want to do something,” Chisholm said. “Who knows when? But I still feel very optimistic, and I keep my fingers crossed that you will see the Spice Girls together at some point in the future.”
According to Page Six, the planned show crashed because they “failed to reach an agreement.”
Mel B Opens Up About the Challenges Behind A Reunion
Lisa OConnor/AFF-USA.com / MEGA
Although negotiations reportedly broke down, Melanie B has since been candid about the complexities of having a reunion show.
As The Blast previously reported, she explained that coordinating schedules is a major obstacle, especially since each member is balancing personal commitments and family life. “There’s five of us, and we’ve all got completely different diaries, and we’re all parents,” she said.
Despite the complications, Mel B teased that something nostalgic was in the works, describing it as “the gift that keeps on giving.”
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Victoria Beckham Reflected On Her Time In The Band
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While the exact cause of the disagreement surrounding the planned show remains unclear, Victoria Beckham has previously spoken about how revisiting her past with the band can be emotionally triggering.
According to The Blast, the fashion designer admitted that her identity as part of the pop group stayed with her for years, revealing it took nearly two decades to fully move beyond that chapter of her life.
However, going over that phase is not something that appeals to her. “I’m not going to lie, being asked questions about when I was in the Spice Girls was quite triggering,” Beckham said.
Despite those feelings, she emphasized that she loves her former bandmates and remains in regular contact with them.
The Music Group Hung Out Earlier In The Year
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Although a tour is not on the horizon, the women continue to reconnect and share moments that excite fans.
Per The Blast, on Saturday, January 24, Halliwell-Horner, Chisholm, and Beckham joined Bunton for a countryside celebration in England. However, Mel B was absent but sent Bunton a heartfelt birthday message to honor the occasion.
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Beckham later shared photos from the event on her Instagram. “Happy birthday to the most beautiful soul @emmaleebunton. I love you girls so much @gerihalliwellhorner @melaniecmusic xxxxxxx,” she wrote in the caption.
As expected, fans were excited about the moment, and even David Beckham chimed in that he was happy to see the reunion.
How Members Of The Group Seemingly Reacted To Victoria Beckham’s Feud With Her Son Brooklyn
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Beyond their sweet moments, some of the bandmates appeared to weigh in on Victoria’s rift with her eldest son, Brooklyn Beckham. According to The Blast, in a January interview, Chisholm spoke about the challenges of raising children in the public eye, noting how difficult it can be to grow up in the shadow of a successful parent.
She explained that this perspective influenced her decision to keep her daughter, Scarlett, out of the spotlight. While Chisholm believes she made the right choice, she said she’s not judging her friends who made different parenting choices.
Although Chisholm didn’t name anyone, her comments seemed to indirectly touch on the ongoing tension between Victoria and Brooklyn, who have accused her of feeding lies to the public about him.
Mase & Shyne Allege They Dated Brandy At The Same Time
During a recent episode of Cam’ron and Mase’s podcast, ‘It Is What It Is,’ Shyne was featured as a guest, and the conversation shifted to an alleged overlap between him and Mase. In a short shared via YouTube, Cam’ron asked Mase if he was “dating Brandy at one time.” In turn, Mase explained that he was “special.” However, he added that Shyne “came in” and “wound up being special too.”
“So I had to let him be special,” Mase added as the room cracked up in laughter.
In turn, Shyne appeared to joke about wanting to be “special” to Brandy, too. However, he seemingly explained that he had no idea about Mase and Brandy’s relationship.
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“We had a mutual friend who was a snitch… but I was so excited, so I kept telling one of our mutual friends, and he was snitching me out. So Brandy was like, ‘Yo! Who you told you here? How does so and so know that you here with me right now?’ And I’m like, ‘Aw, man,’” Shyne claimed.
Ray J Says He’ll Slap The Daylights Out Of Shyne & Mase For Claiming They Allegedly Dated Brandy At The Same Time
On Tuesday, March 17, Ray J took to a livestream and shared strong words for Mase, Shyne, and even Cam’ron, in a clip captured by Instagram user @livebitez.
“Keep my sister name out your mouth before I slap the f*****g daylights out of you, period. ‘Cause one thing n****s not gon’ do is talk s**t about my sister without me going back on these big head ass n****s. Shyne, Mase, and Cam — like, I don’t know. I never had a problem with them but I saw some s**t today, and they gotta know that a n****a gon’ come back strong and say some s**t,” Ray told viewers.
On Wednesday, March 18, Shyne took to Instagram to share an apparent throwback photo of himself, Brandy, and Ray J alongside Ray’s single, ‘I Hit It First.’
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“Let the record reflect I DID NOT ‘HIT IT FIRST’…….. Most respectfully @masonbetha @mr_camron @itiswhatitis_talk MAY 2 @kingsbklyn,” he wrote alongside the clip.
Instagram user @dolynmabika wrote, “But let me get this straight … he can write songs and disrespect other people sisters but they can’t disrespect his ??? Oh 🤔”
While Instagram user @jessvsjessica85 added, “Shayne said he didn’t hit first.. 😭😂but he still hit 😮💨”
Instagram user @instagramsam3100 wrote, “Shyne will pack Ray up lol. Only person he might have action with Is Mase 😂”
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While Instagram user @410bywayof313 added, “How can anyone take Ray serious 😩”
Instagram user @ivy_xoxo1 wrote, “But what did brandy do to deserve any grown man talking about her????? Any man feeding into Rjay must want clout lol”
While Instagram user @asetomyancestors added, “Y grown ass men sitting around talking about who they had in their bed? These kneegrows are in their 40s…maybe 50s WTF….this is not middle school or even high school….grow the eeef up….brandy is so quiet and unproblematic and probably somewhere wondering how she got in these kneegrows conversations….”
Instagram user @muslimqueen72 wrote, “@Shyne_bz responding in true Shyne fashion using Ray’s lyrics is hilarious! The song Ray made after Kim married one of her first husbands lmao”
From long-running series to one-off guest spots, Bruce Willis has been all over our television screens. How many of these appearances do you know?
Image via ABC Photo Archives/ABC Photo Archives
Welcome to the Collider TV Quiz! Every Monday through Friday, we’ll give you an opportunity to prove your knowledge in the world of television trivia. We’ll be using the most prestigious, scientifically accurate method for separating 4K devotees from Cathode ray couch potatoes: multiple choice. Sign in to your account to track your daily progress. Don’t forget to play today’s Movie Quiz for even more trivia challenges, and you can find all of our current and archived quizzes here.
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Whether it’s characters or catchphrases, series regulars or guest stars, prime-time hits or late-night gems, a show from 1930-something or a show simply called thirtysomething… we’ll cover it all. So, you’ll need to flip through channels upon channels of the useless factoids you’ve accumulated over the years in order to tune in to the correct answer. For today’s challenge, you’re going to have to brush up on your Bruce Willis acumen. It’s his birthday, so we’re rerunning some of his greatest hits. Scroll down for the cold open!
“I wanted to wait until Bob was gone because I knew he would jump in and deny everything,” Holly Hallstrom shared on E!’s two-part documentary. “But I was there. I heard what was said. … For years, Bob Barker controlled the story. But that ends today.”
Before Barker’s death in August 2023 at the age of 99, the TV personality held the mic and served as host of The Price Is Right from 1972 until 2007. (Drew Carey currently hosts the show, which still airs new episodes on CBS.)
Bob Barker was a household name in the entertainment industry among generations. Decades before becoming a beloved game show host, Barker was born in Washington. After spending his formative years in South Dakota and Missouri, he and late wife Dorothy Jo Gideon moved to Florida after college graduation, where he began his career in entertainment […]
In Dirty Rotten Scandals: The Price Is Right, several models — previously referred to as “Barker’s Beauties” — painted a picture of a set that featured everything from alleged affairs to alleged sexual harassment.
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Keep reading to see some of the biggest claims made in the shocking documentary:
‘The Price Is Right’ Model’s Boob Job Ask
According to Holly Hallstrom, producers wanted to put models in bathing suits “every opportunity they got.”
“They liked to remind us that we were replacements so that we would never feel secure,” Hallstrom claimed. “The producers would call us every week and say, ‘We would like to use you this week,’ like, we were weekly contract players when actually, we were a huge part of the show.”
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At one point, Hallstrom alleged that producer Frank Wayne — who died in 1988 — came to her and said, “We really need a model who can fill out a bathing suit. I would advise you to use your hiatus wisely.”
What did that mean?
“Meaning I had to go get breast implants, and I had to pay for it myself,” Hallstrom claimed. “They could do that back then.”
‘The Price Is Right’ Model Gets Injured
In the documentary, stage manager Robert Cisneros recalled a story of being backstage when the announcer started asking contestants to come on down.
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As cameras began to move, Cisneros claimed that “a guy whipped his camera and [model] Janice [Pennington] happened to be standing right there. There’s a ledge and a 3-foot job. … She went over. People started screaming.”
According to Cisneros, Bob Barker said the show must go on and filming continued quickly after the frightening injury.
‘The Price Is Right’ Model Alleges Racism
As the first permanent Black model on The Price Is Right, Kathleen Bradley claimed that she heard — and saw — a lot on set.
“One of the ladies on the production team brought to my attention that inside a production meeting, when the models weren’t in there, they would use the N word,” Bradley claimed on Dirty Rotten Secrets. “I think people should know the truth — the good, the bad and the ugly.”
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In a separate part of the documentary, Holly Hallstrom claimed she was told: “Bob has always said that Black men are the most diseased people on earth.”
After some models expressed concern about their treatment on the set of The Price Is Right, CBS initiated a 10-second rule where people couldn’t stare at models for longer than 10 seconds.
“There was no one monitoring how long the guys were staring at the models,” Holly Hallstrom claimed when confirming the rule. “It was a joke. It was an appeasement. They did things that made it look like they were taking action so you will stop complaining and go away.”
Bob Barker Has an Alleged Affair With ‘The Price Is Right’ Model
At the end of part one of Dirty Rotten Secrets, Bob Barker’s romantic relationship with model Dian Parkinson was explored at length.
“Dian confided in me. ‘Did you know I’m seeing Bob Barker?’ I was really kind of surprised because Bob also had a girlfriend,” Kathleen Bradley shared. “As time went on, people were noticing how close Bob and Dian were. … It didn’t really stay private for very long.”
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The relationship caused friction amongst the models because Parkinson was considered “top dog.” According to Dirty Rotten Scandal producers, “many attempts were made to contact Dian Parkinson for comment, but her whereabouts remain a mystery.”
‘The Price Is Right’ Model’s Weight Struggle
Holly Hallstrom recalled a moment when Bob Barker came to her dressing room and said that her weight “was a problem.”
Hallstrom explained that she was on a prescription medication, which was likely causing the temporary weight gain. According to Hallstrom, Barker said, “Well, just do whatever it takes to lose the weight.”
After the fact, Hallstrom claimed she was “cut out at least 50 percent of the show.” She was later let go from the show.
During her time as one of The Price Is Right’s models, Claudia Jordan recalled always attending meetings at the correct time. For some reason, however, the clock in the meetings would always show her late.
“I found out from a security guard that as soon as I walked in the lot, they were supposed to report to [a producer] when I arrived,” Jordan claimed. “A security guard said, ‘I think [the producer] set the clocks forward so you would look like you’re late,’ and it only got worse.”
Jordan claimed that same producer inappropriately touched her. She also alleged that Barker sided with the male coworker.
“Once that happened, I knew Bob was the enemy,” Claudia shared. “He does not have my back.”
‘The Price Is Right’ Model Quits
In the two-part documentary, Claudia Jordan recalled the moment she had enough and decided to make a grand exit.
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“At the end of every show, a model goes out and has the microphone and gets to say hello to the audience,” Claudia recalled. “I got the microphone and said, ‘I just want to say something. I can’t do this anymore. …. I’m going to miss this, but this is my last day.’”
The next day, she found the same lawyer who worked on Holly Hallstrom’s lawsuit and filed her own suit. (Bob Barker previously sued Hallstrom for libel and slander but dropped the case 48 hours before trial. Hallstrom later countersued for wrongful termination and malicious prosecution. According to the doc, she won her case.)
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Jordan sued for sexual harassment and racial discrimination in 2004. According to Jordan, “the production company settled with me out of court.”
TLC’s reality show Counting On documented Joseph Garrett Duggar courting his wife, Kendra Duggar, years before his arrest on suspicion of child molestation.
Joseph was apprehended by Tontitown police in Arkansas on March 18, 2026, amid allegations that the 19 Kids and Counting alum allegedly sexually abused a 9-year-old girl during a family trip to Florida in 2020.
At the time, he was charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older, per the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
Joseph’s arrest is the latest chapter in a dark decade for the deeply religious Duggar family. In 2015, Joseph’s older brother Josh Duggar publicly apologized for “acting inexcusably” after a police report resurfaced accusations that he had molested five girls, two of whom were his sisters, when he was a teenager. (Josh was later sentenced to 12 years in prison on an unrelated charge of receiving child pornography. He maintains his innocence and is actively appealing his sentence, as of publication.)
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Amid his older brother’s scandal, Joseph married Kendra in September 2017 and they subsequently welcomed four children.
Keep scrolling for more about Joseph’s wife Kendra:
How Did Joseph and Kendra Duggar Meet?
Counting On explored Joseph and Kendra Duggar’s courtship over the years. They originally met in church as teenagers and later officially started courting each other.
“I do feel like the Lord is leading in this direction,” Pastor Caldwell told him. “I do want to remind you, you are taking one of my most precious gifts. … You have my wife and my blessing to go further with this.”
Joseph ultimately proposed to Kendra during his sister Joy-Anna Duggar and her husband Austin Forsyth’s wedding reception in May 2017.
“We are so excited to be engaged and look forward to a lifetime together,” the engaged couple wrote on the Duggar family website at the time. “We are so grateful for how the Lord brought us together, and we look forward to this special time of engagement and to some day serving Christ as man and wife.”
When Did Joseph and Kendra Duggar Get Married?
Us Weekly reported in September 2017 that Joseph and Kendra Duggar tied the knot in Arkansas. Kendra’s father, Pastor Paul Caldwell, served as the officiant for the ceremony.
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The wedding used navy and blush for its color theme, with Joseph’s parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, as well as several of his siblings in attendance. Joseph’s sisters Jana, Jill, Jessa, Jinger, Joy-Anna, Johannah and Jennifer reportedly all served as bridesmaids.
Do Joseph and Kendra Duggar Have Children?
Joseph and Kendra Duggar share four children: Garrett David, born in June 2018, Addison Renee, born in November 2019, Brooklyn Praise, born in February 2021, and Justus, born in February 2022.
The couple launched a joint Instagram account – called The Little Duggar Family — in February 2019, where they posted photos of their growing family and life updates.
Kendra Duggar and Joseph DuggarCourtesy Instagram / The Little Duggar Family
The Duggars completely stopped updating their family Instagram account following a November 2021 post celebrating their daughter Addison’s 2nd birthday.
“Happy Birthday sweet girl,” Joseph and Kendra wrote to their daughter on November 3, 2021. “We love seeing this girl’s sweet little personality blossom over the last two years! Looking forward to making many more memories.”
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Why Was Joseph Duggar Arrested?
Joseph Duggar was arrested by Arkansas’s Tontitown Police Department on March 18, 2026. Local police were reportedly tipped off to a child molestation allegation involving Joseph in Florida.
Florida’s Bay County Police Department confirmed in a statement that Joseph had been charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older.
According to police, a 14-year-old victim spoke to police about sexual abuse allegations that she said took place on a family vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida, in 2020 when she was 9 years old.
“The victim reported Duggar repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap,” Bay City police said in a statement. “As the vacation continued, he also asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket. During this time, Duggar manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals. Duggar would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs.”
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Per the police, Joseph “eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after the apology.” As of publication, Joseph is awaiting extradition from Arkansas to Florida.
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Has Kendra Duggar Addressed Joseph Duggar’s Arrest?
As of publication, Kendra Duggar has not commented on her husband Joseph Duggar’s arrest.
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Us Weekly has reached out for comment.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Neon Genesis Evangelion has spent nearly three decades being called one of the greatest anime ever made, which is usually the quickest way to scare off new viewers. Hype like that tends to promise something definitive and universally satisfying. Evangelion is neither: it’s messy, polarizing, occasionally frustrating, and still, somehow, essential.
The TV series originally aired in 1995 and had 26 episodes written and directed by Hideaki Anno. Now the series is available on Netflix and is readily accessible to audiences worldwide, at a time when many viewers are discovering one of television’s most significant yet controversial series ever. What can initially be assumed to be a simple sci-fi story becomes a much more complex piece of art when examined through the lens of emotional and physical discomfort rather than the visual spectacle familiar in traditional media industry practices.
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A Mecha Anime That Deconstructs Its Own Genre
Image via TV Tokyo
The setup is clean enough. In a post-apocalyptic future, humans are being attacked by beings referred to as Angels. The only way to combat them is through bio-mechanical weapons called Evangelions, which can only be piloted by a select group of teenagers. Shinji Ikari (Spike Spencer), a 14-year-old recluse, is dragged into this nightmare by his father, who has abandoned him, to become a savior of the human race.
For a while, the series follows those clichés. After several missions, the threat of the Angels increases, and some actions still hold up after years have passed, but from the beginning, there are subtle hints that something about them is off. The victories aren’t triumphant, the systems in place feel cold and transactional, and Shinji, rather than rising to the occasion, hesitates — often. By the midpoint, Evangelion has already started shifting its weight. The battles remain, but they are no longer the point.
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A Psychological Character Study Disguised as Sci-Fi
Image via Prime Video
What replaces the spectacle is a much more difficult experience: a continuous exploration of characters who are almost universally emotionally shattered. Shinji is written as withdrawn, self-critical, and desperate for approval, shaped by abandonment and a constant fear of rejection. The series does not provide a fix to that, but rather shows how he lives with it; Asuka’s (Tiffany Grant) self-confidence is simply a cover for her insecurities, and Rei’s (Amanda Winn-Lee) emotional detachment elicits discomforting thoughts about who she is or why she exists.
Tomorrow is the last day of winter, so let’s bundle up one last time for a wintry mix of some of the coldest television settings we’ve ever seen.
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Adults are just as negatively affected by these issues, with Misato’s (Allison Keith) ability to operate in the field contrasted with her inability to maintain stability in her personal life, and Gendo’s (Tristan MacAvery) methodical personality causing one to question the intentions behind the company’s goals.
The series draws on psychological frameworks associated with figures like Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, but it doesn’t come off as having been studied or analyzed. Rather, they aggregate and build to create an experience that is personal to each viewer, through themes of loneliness, avoidance, and the struggle to develop interpersonal relationships, or face the alternative: isolation.
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The Ending Is Divisive — and That’s Not a Flaw
Asuka in the cockpit of a mecha in Neon Genesis Evangelion.Image via Gainax
The final two episodes are where Evangelion stops pretending to be anything conventional. The narrative collapses inward, focusing almost entirely on Shinji’s internal state, delivered through abstract imagery, minimal animation, and extended introspection.
At the time, it frustrated audiences, and it still does, but that reaction is part of what’s kept the series relevant. The ending doesn’t resolve the story in a traditional sense; it just reframes it, prioritizing emotional clarity over plot closure. The later release of The End of Evangelion offers a more external version of events, but it doesn’t replace what the series finale is trying to do; if anything, the tension between those interpretations is part of the experience.
What’s striking about revisiting Neon Genesis Evangelion now is how little it feels like a relic. The animation has its limitations, especially toward the end, but the direction remains sharp, and the storytelling still feels unusually bold. More importantly, its themes haven’t aged; if anything, they’ve become more recognizable. The fear of rejection, the instinct to withdraw, the difficulty of understanding yourself in relation to others — these are ideas that land just as hard now as they did in the ’90s. It’s not always an easy watch. It’s not always an enjoyable one, either, but it’s the kind of series that stays with you, whether you love it or push back against it.
John Stamos has marked a new milestone by getting his first tattoo ever.
The actor revealed the significance of the ink job, linking it to his own personal journey in trusting himself artistically.
John Stamos is also expanding his career with darker roles in “The Hunting Wives” and the film “Drag,” while working on a book about fatherhood and personal growth.
John Stamos Reveals The Meaning Behind His New Tattoo
Stamos has officially joined the tattoo club at the age of 62. On March 17, the actor shared a behind-the-scenes look at getting his first real tattoo, inked by artist Oscar Jordan Urbina on his upper arm.
He chose a design inspired by Cyrus Dallin’s early-1900s sculpture, “Appeal to the Great Spirit,” which depicts a Native American man on horseback connecting with a “divine power,” according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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The artwork also influenced the Beach Boys’ Brother Records logo, symbolizing “artistic freedom and trust in a higher creative path.”
Stamos explained that the tattoo reflects his own journey of creative freedom and trust in following his artistic instincts.
“Lately I’ve felt that same pull in my own life, stepping into this new chapter of my career, taking bigger swings, following the work wherever it leads,” he wrote. “The timing felt right, so I put that Great Spirit on my arm as a reminder to stay brave, stay open, and trust the direction the art is taking me.”
The Actor Reflects On Fatherhood, Growth, And His First Real Tattoo
Jeffrey Mayer/JTMPhotos, Int’l. / MEGA
Besides the new tattoo, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of growth for Stamos.
He recently revealed to People Magazine that he’s working on a book about “modern masculinity, fatherhood, and the lifelong process of growing up.”
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The project was inspired in part by performing “When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)” with The Beach Boys alongside his 7-year-old son, Billy, whom he shares with wife Caitlin McHugh.
Reflecting on his own father’s guidance, Stamos said, “I’m writing it as a dad who’s still learning, still asking questions, and hoping that by talking honestly with other men about kindness, respect, and courage, we can raise boys who grow up with both heart and backbone.”
John Stamos Embraces Darker Roles In ‘The Hunting Wives’ And ‘Drag’
Vinnie Levine / MEGA
Stamos is also taking his career in a darker, more daring direction. He is set to appear in season 2 of “The Hunting Wives,” a role he describes as darker and more challenging than his typical work.
“I’m in this phase of my career where I’m really looking for challenging, different roles,” he shared during a chat with People Magazine. “People trust me. I’ve been coming to their homes for 30 to 40 years or so. It’s like, ‘Okay, we’ll take this ride with him,’ and then it’s like, ‘Oh no, oh no, it’s getting weird. It’s getting weird.”
He also recently wrapped the second season of “Palm Royale” and is starring in the upcoming film “Drag,” produced by Danny DeVito and his children, Lucy and Jake. The film follows two sisters attempting a rural home robbery in upstate New York, which spirals into a tense, dangerous night.
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Stamos plays an eccentric artist, a role far from his usual work. “It becomes very dark in this movie,” he shared. “I watched a lot of true crime [to prepare for the role]. I really wanted to change my look. I wore dark contacts, and I had my eyebrows thinned. It really freaked my wife out.”
The Actor Recently Revealed A Hair Makeover
Earlier this year, Stamos shared a close-up of his new hairstyle on Instagram.
His longtime stylist, Riawna Capri, took the front section of his hair and lightened it with aluminum foil, while the rest of his strands, once dark chocolate brown with a hint of gray, were dyed black and styled with soft waves to add extra volume.
“The Full House” star captioned the makeover post, “trust the process.”
This isn’t Stamos’ first hair adventure. Last summer, he attempted a DIY haircut while Riawna was out of town, using a FaceTime call to get guidance from the pro.
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John Stamos Supported His Close Pal Dave Coulier During Cancer Battle
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When he’s not experimenting with his own style, Stamos is lending a hand to friends in need.
In November 2024, he helped his “Full House” co-star Dave Coulier shave his head during his fight with stage three Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
The actor also rocked a bald cap in solidarity with Coulier, sharing the moment on Instagram with a heartwarming caption.
Stamos wrote, “Nothing like throwing on a bald cap and flexing some Photoshop skills to show some love and solidarity with my bro @dcoulier.”
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While you may have been busy watching (and rewatching) Taylor Swift’s new music video for “Opalite” to find Easter eggs, we had ulterior motives. In one scene, the megastar wore a yellow cat sweatshirt with a red collar sticking out — and a bedazzled, flower claw clip. Hey, we can’t help it if our eyes like shiny things! So, we hunted down a similar flower claw clip that can add sparkle to an everyday look. Bonus: It’s only $9 on Amazon!
Swift’s claw clip features five sparkling flowers, so it’s unique to what we typically toss in our hair. The Anbala Floral Claw Clip with Rhinestones gives a similar vibe, though, as it combines flowers and shine. Plus, for only $9, we can’t resist adding (another) cute clip to our collection.
The Anbala clip comes in white and blue iridescent options, with the former being closer to Swift’s accessory. It features flowers and butterflies that are amped up with rhinestones. Even if you’re feeling casual, this claw clip adds a little something.
Even celebrities like to dress down sometimes — including Natalie Portman. Though it can be hard to make casual outfits look effortless, the actress mastered low-key dressing for warmer months with a popular pair of chunky walking sneakers. The Oscar-winning star opted to step out in a pair of all-black kicks from French brand Hoka, […]
The clip is a generous size, too. It’s 3.4 inches long and 1.8 inches tall, so it can handle thick, curly strands that need more support. Bonus: The claws have rounded edges, so it won’t painfully dig into your head like others might.
The Anbala clip is a new offering on Amazon — perhaps just as new as the “Opalite” music video! Early reviews, though, say that it can hold a lot of hair while remaining comfortable. When you add in the pretty shine from the rhinestones, this versatile hair accessory can take you from lounging at home to a night out (or maybe a mall date, which is where Swift wore hers).
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