Nearly three years after Ashlyn Harris filed for divorce from her ex-wife, Ali Krieger, the soccer star explained why her former partner is still “a big part of my life.”

“She’s the mother of my children,” Harris, 40, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting her new documentary, Gamechangers: The Ashlyn Harris Story. “I respect her as a mom, I respect her as a player, I respect what she’s done for the game. I don’t ever want to speak poorly about the mother of my children.”

Harris filed for divorce from Krieger, 41, in September 2023 and the couple share two children: daughter Sloane, 5, and son Ocean, 3. Their divorce was finalized in January 2025. 

“When all of this news was going crazy, it was really important for me to be intentional that I was a good human during a really hard season that became very public,” Harris recalled of their split. “I never wanted to speak ill about the mother of my children in front of them, with other friends. It was really important to me.”

Related: Ashlyn Harris Gets Candid About Ali Krieger Divorce: ‘I Know I Hurt Her‘

Soccer superstar Ashlyn Harris finds herself in an era of reflection, which includes getting honest about her relationship with her ex-wife, Ali Krieger.  “I don’t resent or regret anything about the life that I built with her; it just wasn’t for me,” Harris, 40, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting her new documentary, Gamechangers: The […]

Harris started dating actress Sophia Bush in October 2023, which has found the trio of women in a new era of “coparenting.”

“I respect her and I’m proud of what we did,” Harris said of her relationship with Krieger. “I don’t resent or regret anything about the life that I built with her; it just wasn’t for me.”

Harris explained that her relationship with Bush, 43, finds her in a blissful “season of love and tenderness and care and companionship.”

“She is home,” Harris gushed. “She is a feeling that I’ve been yearning and longing for for so long. I just feel my shoulders relax. I move differently.”

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The couple began dating during a period of change for Bush, as well. The One Tree Hill star filed for divorce from her ex-husband, Grant Hughes, after 13 months of marriage in August 2023. The couple finalized their divorce in January 2025. 

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“I think what people see is two people who have kind of had it really hard and they found each other,” Harris said of her relationship with Bush. “It took a long time. We’ve been chasing and trying and doing all of the work.”

She continued, “Now we just get to be at ease and happy and in love and raise these kids in this family. We’re just so grateful and lucky.”

Gamechangers: The Ashlyn Harris Story premieres June 8 on The Roku Channel.

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts staffers have reportedly received a memo asking them to remove all references to President Donald Trump on signage and official communications due to a recent court ruling.

“You must immediately change email signatures, letterhead, and other documents to reflect the name as ‘The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,’ or ‘Kennedy Center,’” staff were instructed in a memo obtained by Politico on Thursday, June 4. “Other changes, such as to templates and forms, signage, brochures, and website pages, must be completed no later than Friday, June 12, 2026.”

A Kennedy Center spokesperson subsequently told Us Weekly, “We are complying with the court’s order while evaluating all legal options to preserve this revitalization and recognize President Trump’s leadership.”

A lawsuit was filed by Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio — a member of the Kennedy Center board of trustees through Congress — in December 2025 to block widespread changes that Trump intended to implement to the Center, including renaming the venue as the “Trump-Kennedy Center.”

Judge Christopher Cooper subsequently ruled on Friday, May 29, that Trump, 79, and his allies did not have the proper authority to officially change the name of the event space to the “The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” Per Cooper’s ruling, only Congress has the ability to make such changes to the institution since they dedicated the building to the late JFK in 1964.

“The Kennedy Center’s organic statute makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board’s unilateral say-so,” Cooper wrote. “Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it.”

As a result of the ruling, the cultural organization officially instructed its employees to delete any references to the “Trump-Kennedy Center” or “The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” and revert to using “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “the Kennedy Center” or “the Center” on all official communications.

Another aspect of Trump’s overhaul of the Kennedy Center involved a planned two-year closure beginning in July to undergo extensive renovations.

Judge Cooper temporarily halted those plans because “none of the board members had sufficient information in advance of the March 16 meeting to make a well-considered decision to close the center.” The judge left the door open for renovations to move forward if the board was provided more concrete information. (Trump was appointed chairman of the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees in February 2025.)

In its memo to staff, Kennedy Center management acknowledged the uncertainty over whether renovations would move forward this summer.

“While the Court ruled that renovations can proceed at this time, it determined that the Board did not have sufficient information to make an informed decision to shut down the Center when it voted in March,” the memo read. “The Court did not rule that the Center must stay open during the renovations, and did not require that the Center present any particular programming on-site during the renovations. Instead, the Court ruled that the specific Board vote in March was inappropriate, and that any subsequent vote regarding closure must take more information into account. The Center is considering its options and will provide further guidance shortly.”

In the aftermath of the ruling, Kennedy Center vice president of public relations, Roma Daravi, told Us in a statement on Friday that the center is “confident that on appeal the court will uphold the Board’s will to recognize President Trump’s historic contributions to our nation’s cultural center.”

“We will review the decision carefully though the reality remains — the Center requires an urgent and significant restoration – a truth that even the plaintiff acknowledges,” Daravi added. “With $257 million secured by President Trump and approved by Congress, the resources are in place and we remain committed to pursuing every lawful avenue to ensure the Trump Kennedy Center is restored as a national cultural landmark for all Americans to enjoy.”

However, President Trump later threatened to cancel his renovation plans for the Kennedy Center unless he is given full decision-making authority.

“Shockingly, a Judge appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, Christopher Cooper, ruled that The Kennedy Center, which was going to close in early July for large-scale renovations and construction due to years of neglect, decay, and poor maintenance, and which was to be transformed by the Trump Administration into the Finest Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World, is not allowed to close for these renovations,” Trump wrote via Truth Social on May 29. “Which would not be possible to properly do without such a closure.”

Related: Donald Trump Says ‘Cancel It’ Amid Backlash Over Freedom 250 Concerts

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President Donald Trump called for organizers of Freedom 250’s Great American State Fair concerts to “cancel” upcoming concerts due to artists dropping out. “I am thinking about bringing the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World, the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime, and he does so without a guitar, the […]

Trump complained that the Kennedy Center had “lost, over the years, prior to our getting involved a short while ago, Hundreds of Millions of Dollars — In some cases, including ridiculous construction jobs that were done, over 100 Million Dollars a year.”

The president then threatened to force Congress to take control of any and all renovations of the Kennedy Center moving forward.

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“Based on the fact that the Radical Left Democrats care more about opposing your favorite President, ME, than saving a dying Performing Arts Center, almost all of which lose large amounts of money throughout the Country, we are going to be working with Congress to transfer this failing Institution back to them so they can make a determination as to what to do with it,” he vowed.

Multiple members of the Kennedy family publicly opposed Trump adding his name to the venue. Maria Shriver — who is the late JFK’s niece — openly celebrated that Trump’s plans for the Kennedy Center were blocked on her uncle’s birthday.

“An appropriate birthday present on my uncle’s birthday today. A federal judge ruled that President Trump and the Kennedy Center Board acted unlawfully in renaming the Kennedy Center after him,” Shriver, 70, wrote via Threads on May 29. “The judge held that only Congress can change the Center’s name and blocked the planned two-year closure for now. I know they’ll probably appeal and the story isn’t over, but for today, let’s celebrate a great birthday gift.”

James Handy, the actor known for his roles in Top Gun: Maverick and Jumanji has been fatally stabbed. He was 81.

According to a police statement, the veteran died at a home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 3, after being stabbed by his girlfriend’s son Michael Gledhill. The incident is currently under investigation.

“On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, around 9:30 a.m., West Valley area patrol officers responded to a radio call of unknown trouble in the 19200 block of Erwin Street. The 911 caller stated, ‘I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.’ Upon their arrival, officers discovered 81-year-old James Handy in the front yard of the residence, unconscious and suffering from a stab wound to his chest. The victim was transported to a local hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics, where he was pronounced deceased,” the LAPD’s statement read.

Police claimed via the statement that Gledhill “flagged down nearby responding officers” and told them that “he was the one they were looking for.”

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“The suspect resides at the location with his mother, who is the victim’s girlfriend,” the LAPD statement continued. “Detectives believe this is an isolated incident and there appears to be no danger to the public at this time.”

Gledhill, 44, was arrested and taken to Van Nuys Jail, where he was booked on one count of murder. Bail was set at $2,000,000.

Handy’s representatives confirmed the actor’s death to Us Weekly on Thursday, June 4.

During his acting career, Handy played a bartender in the 2022 film, Top Gun: Maverick. He also portrayed an exterminator in the 1995 classic, Jumanji.

In 2017, Handy portrayed a doctor in Logan opposite Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.

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Also among his 150 acting credits are roles in movies like Arachnophobia (1990) and The Rocketeer (1991) as well as appearances in TV shows such as NYPD Blue, Beverly Hills, 90210, Law & Order; Profiler, The Young and the Restless and 9-1-1.

Handy was born in New York and his first foray into acting was in 1977’s Taps.

The police are asking anyone with additional information about this incident to contact the Robbery-Homicide Division, Valley Section, Dets. Simonyan or Lopez, at (818) 374-9550.

The sweatiest season is well underway, and sometimes perfume isn’t enough to mask (or eradicate) your stench. Teyana Taylor knows this, which is why, along with always carrying perfume, she keeps one luxe deodorant in her purse “at all times.”

The actress sat down with GQ to share the 10 things she can’t live without, and we almost didn’t get any details on her scent routine. “This is the part of the essentials I’m most mad about sharing because I do gatekeep my smells,” the One Battle After Another star admitted. “I love smelling good, people be like ‘oh my god, she smells so good.’” Still, she let Us in on her ultimate sweat-busting secret: the Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Anti-Perspirant Deodorant Stick.

Get the Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Anti-Perspirant Deodorant Stick for $32 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

“Donna Karan Deodorant — she smells fire. It’s good,” Taylor shared. She’s not wrong. Run-of-the-mill deodorants tend to smell like powder or wispy florals, but not this luxe pick. Consider this anti-perspirant the ultimate quiet luxury. On top of controlling body odor and preventing sweat stains, this also leaves you smelling delicately rich thanks to the indulgent yet light combination of lily of the valley, Moroccan jasmine and sandalwood.

Related: Teyana Taylor’s Sleek Grammys ‘Do Stayed Put Thanks to This $10 Gel

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No one knows how to rule a red carpet quite like Teyana Taylor. Hot off the heels of her Best Supporting Actress win at the Golden Globes, the multi-hyphenate was nominated for Best R&B Album at the 2026 Grammys, once again bringing her style A-game to an awards show. To complement an ab-baring Tom Ford dress, […]

Don’t be surprised if you end up wanting to catch whiffs of your armpits once you swipe on the smooth-gliding solid — some Amazon shoppers shamelessly admit that they do. “[This] deodorant is sublime. The only bad thing about it is, it’s embarrassing to walk around smelling my own armpits!” one reviewer writes.

Thousands of other customers have called this the “best deodorant” they’ve ever used. “The scent is soft, clean, and long-lasting, and it keeps me feeling fresh all day,” another one says. It glides on smoothly and does a great job controlling odor and sweat. A little goes a long way, so the stick lasts a long time and feels like it never runs out. Definitely a high-quality product that feels like a small everyday luxury.”

It really is the smallest products that can make the biggest impact on your life. Just like Taylor, once you switch to the little luxury that is the Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Anti-Perspirant Deodorant Stick, no drugstore deodorant will ever cut it.

Get the Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Anti-Perspirant Deodorant Stick for $32 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more from Donna Karan here and more antiperspirants for women here! Don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

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Underboob sweat used to dictate what I wore. Dealing with perspiration was especially annoying during the summer months, but if you’re a self-proclaimed hot body like me, you’re sweaty all year round, making it extra difficult to find cute outfits that hide any hint of moisture. However, that all changed when I discovered Carpe’s Sweat […]

Love Island USA‘s newest challenge revealed an interesting fact about how an Islander slept with someone nearly three decades older than him.

During the Thursday, June 4, episode of the Peacock show, the Islanders had to read out sex facts and figure out which of them it was about. One of the revelations was that an Islander slept with someone in their 50s.

“I was out and I was having a good time with my friends. She started talking to me and she was hot as f*** for her age,” Gabriel, who is 26 years old, said about his encounter with the 52-year-old. “We had a good night together. She had a lot of experience.”

Love Island USA follows a group of singles who have to pair off in order to stay in the show’s luxury villa in Fiji. The contestants — who are referred to as Islanders — live in isolation in a villa and are under constant video surveillance. They must be coupled up to remain on the show and to stand a chance to receive the prize of $100,000.

While the islanders are filming nonstop for weeks, viewers are watching daily episodes and even get to cast votes that affect couples and the fate of the contestants.

Before season 8 premiered, Love Island USA released a statement directed at the audience, which read, “The Villa runs on good vibes, and so does this community. We love seeing your reactions, opinions, and debates, but everyone deserves to feel safe and respected.”

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The statement continued: “This is a space for fun, not negativity – so keep it kind, keep it positive, and remember: this is LOVE Island!”

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In addition to Gabriel, season 8 of Love Island USA features Aniya Harvey, Beatriz Hatz, Bryce Alakai Dettloff, KC Chandler, Mackenzie “Kenzie” Annis, Melanie Moreno, Sincere Rhea, Sean Reifel, Trinity Tatum, Kayda Bosse and Zach Georgiou.

New episodes of Love Island USA are released six days a week — except for Wednesdays — on Peacock.

Michael Fassbender is taking a brief break from the world of espionage and returning to another familiar territory. Last year, the German-Irish actor’s only feature release was Steven Soderbergh‘s Black Bag, the acclaimed star-studded spy thriller that paired him with Cate Blanchett and Pierce Brosnan, but somehow struggled to perform at the box office. He is set to reprise his role in Season 2 of Paramount+’s breakout thriller series The Agency, which premieres later this summer. After that, the actor will return to a genre he has stayed away from in recent years. The project has quietly generated buzz of its own and even broken records along the way. Now, it has officially secured a theatrical release date in the United States.

Fassbender will next star in Hope, a South Korean sci-fi thriller described as an alien monster mash-up. The film premiered in competition for the Palme d’Or at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, where it earned strong reviews and a seven-minute standing ovation following its screening. Hope also marks Fassbender’s return to the alien sci-fi genre for the first time since Ridley Scott‘s Alien: Covenant in 2017. This time, however, the actor trades heroics for villainy, starring as the film’s primary antagonist alongside his wife, Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina). The project marks the couple’s first on-screen reunion since 2016’s The Light Between Oceans.

Set in the remote village of Hope Harbour near the Korean Demilitarized Zone, Hope follows a community terrorized by a mysterious creature initially believed to be a tiger. As the local authorities investigate, they uncover a far more terrifying truth: the village is under attack by alien predators, portrayed by Fassbender and Vikander. The film has already made history, becoming the highest-grossing overseas pre-sales title ever for a Korean film. After securing sales in more than 200 territories, Hope was acquired by NEON for U.S. distribution, per Deadline, and is now set to arrive in theaters this fall on September 9.

Who Is Behind ‘Hope’?

Hope was written and directed by Na Hong-jin, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the cult horror hit, The Wailing. The film appears well-positioned for commercial success, with international sales already recouping roughly half of its production budget. Hong-jin has also revealed that he has a sequel concept ready should the opportunity arise. The film currently holds an 82% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. In her review, Collider’s Theresa Lacson praised Hope as one of the most exciting films to emerge from this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

In addition to Fassbender and Vikander, Hope boasts a star-studded cast that includes Hwang Jung-min (Deliver Us from Evil), Zo In-sung (Moving), Hoyeon (Squid Game), Taylor Russell (Bones and All), and Cameron Britton (The Umbrella Academy).

Hope arrives in theaters on September 9.

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Release Date

May 17, 2026

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Runtime

160 minutes

Director

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Na Hong-jin

Producers

Saemi Kim

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Cast

• 
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Diane Kruger just made a convincing case for retiring bulky sneakers — at least for the summer. While oversized dad shoes have dominated street style for years, the actress is proving that a slimmer, more streamlined sneaker can look just as cool while feeling infinitely more versatile.

On May 29, Kruger was spotted in New York City after a workout, wearing a white tank top, black leggings, a baseball cap and a slouchy cream shoulder bag. Finishing the look was a pair of checkerboard Vans slip-ons, a classic sneaker choice that felt refreshingly simple compared to the chunky styles we’ve been seeing everywhere.

Get the Vans Teva Hurricane Xlt3 Low-Top Sneaker for $60 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

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The exact pair Kruger wore was the Vans Classic Slip-On Checkerboard Sneaker, a timeless style that’s remained popular for decades. Featuring the brand’s signature black-and-pewter checkerboard print, the low-profile silhouette delivers a laid-back look that works with everything from activewear to jeans, shorts and casual dresses.

Part of the appeal is comfort. The slip-on design makes them easy to throw on and head out the door, while Vans’ padded footbed and durable rubber outsole help provide support for all-day wear. Unlike bulky sneakers that can sometimes overwhelm an outfit, these keep the look sleek and balanced while still feeling practical enough for everyday errands, walks and weekend plans.

At $60 on Amazon, they’re also one of the more affordable celebrity-approved sneakers we’ve spotted lately. The checkerboard print functions almost like a neutral, pairing effortlessly with black, white, denim and even brighter summer colors.

There’s a reason Vans never really go out of style. They’re comfortable, versatile and instantly recognizable without feeling trendy. Whether you wear them with leggings like Kruger, denim cutoffs or a breezy sundress, they’re the kind of sneaker you’ll reach for again and again all season long.

Get the Vans Teva Hurricane Xlt3 Low-Top Sneaker for $60 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more from Vans here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

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Taylor Swift may be known for her collection of designer bags and sky-high heels, but her latest New York City outfit proves that sometimes the chicest wardrobe upgrades aren’t flashy at all. Instead of reaching for classic denim, the singer wore flowy wide-leg trousers that instantly made her legs look miles long, and now we’re […]

Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky’s recent family travel plans didn’t go as smoothly as hoped.

Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar Arabia for a video shared via Instagram on Tuesday, June 2, Hemsworth, 42, and Pataky, 49, opened up about an airport mishap.

“I actually went to the airport once and I had my daughter’s passport instead of my son’s passport,” Hemsworth, who shares daughter India Rose, 14, and 12-year-old twin boys Sasha and Tristan with Pataky, said.

Pataky added, “He couldn’t fly.”

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Attempting to salvage the situation, Hemsworth explained that he tried to convince security that the passport was the correct one so he could sneak his son on board without the required documents.

“They kind of look the same,” the Thor star joked as he recalled trying to convince airport authorities that one of his sons was pictured in the passport. Pataky chimed in, “They don’t.”

“I said, ‘This is her,’” the actor recalled, adding that the security agent remained unconvinced and responded, “That’s a boy.”

Hemsworth concluded, “So, yeah, that didn’t work.”

After starting a family with Pataky, whom he wed in 2010, the Home and Away alum has been candid about how fatherhood has changed his life.

Speaking to The Father Hood in 2019, Hemsworth said having kids made him think twice about the acting roles he takes on.

“It’s all about you before kids,” he told the outlet. “And then you have children and you still try to hang onto that, you say ‘I am who I am’. And then it goes out the window. A lot of my decisions now are based on how things are going to affect the family. What’s the location the film shoots in?”

He further explained, “If it’s some obscure, not so attractive place, do I want to drag the family there for four months? And then there’s the question of what the role’s going to do to me? Is it going to put my head in a space that’s pretty consuming? There are times [a role comes up] when I say, maybe not that one yet.”

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Hemsworth has also emphasized the importance of making sure his kids get to enjoy their childhood before potentially following in the footsteps of their famous parents.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight in 2023 about his daughter India’s interest in acting after starring as Gorr’s daughter in the 2022 film, Thor: Love and Thunder, Hemsworth said he wanted her to delay her ambitions until she’s older.

“I want her to have a childhood, and I think so does she,” Hemsworth said. “There’s plenty of time, sweetie. Go to school, horse ride, have fun, be a kid.”

Ted Danson is revisiting one of the most controversial moments of his decades-long career. In 1993, the actor appeared in blackface at the roast of Whoopi Goldberg, with whom he was in a relationship at the time. The backlash was immediate, and now, Danson is shedding light on the thought process behind the roast, saying that he will forever be apologetic for his past actions.

On June 3, Ted Danson appeared on the “Who’s With Me?” podcast to discuss his lengthy career with host W. Kamau Bell. At some point in the conversation, the two talked about the “Cheers” actor wearing blackface in the early ’90s, which led to extreme public backlash. Bell disclosed that before starting the podcast, he asked Danson whether there were topics he didn’t want to get into, to which he answered no.

In October 1993, Whoopi Goldberg was roasted at the members-only New York Friars Club, and one of the roasters was Danson, with whom she was having an affair. Danson appeared in blackface makeup with exaggerated lips, used the n-word, and made explicit jokes about their sex life during his set.

“I have no problem talking about this, but I need to and want to apologize for the rest of my life because somebody today can go on the internet and go, ‘What the f-ck? Wow, I feel betrayed, I feel angry.’ And I did that,” Danson told Bell.

The Actor Attempted To Get Out Of The Roast

Danson also apologized to Goldberg, as he didn’t want her to get caught up in the issue again. He then explained the circumstances leading up to the roast. At that time, Danson was married to producer Casey Coates when he began an affair with Goldberg, which was made public by tabloids and paparazzi while they were filming the movie “Made in America.”

Danson recalled that he had already signed on for the roast when he and Goldberg realized their relationship was nearing its end. He tried to get out of the event, but organizers allegedly threatened legal action because tickets had already been sold.

The actor then shared his thought process, but not before saying that it wasn’t an excuse. Danson had no clue what to do, considering he was not a comedian and he was tasked to roast one of the funniest women in the world.

“And then I thought, ‘Well I can do performance theater.’ I looked at all these tapes and it’s like, well if I were Black, I could say all these outrageous things. I’m not; then my mind went, I will do it in blackface and that will be funny or not, but it will be like, ‘I have license now,’” Danson said.

Ted Danson Said He Was ‘Stupid And Entitled’

The actor explained that the circus surrounding their affair as a mixed-race couple made him angry, “It couldn’t be because they liked each other or saw something in each other… It had to be just pure sex, that’s the only reason for a relationship like this,” Danson said.

As he worked on his material, he thought about what Goldberg had said about using the n-word. “They don’t have to use nasty language. They can take you off. They can be racist in their actions and be the sweetest thing,” Danson explained, adding that he “latched on” to that idea.

“There’s no one been whiter than me in the world. That I thought that this white guy could have something valuable to say about race and race relations was so stupid and entitled,” the actor reflected.

Danson ran his material by Goldberg, but at the roast, he quickly realized his set wasn’t going according to plan. “Within 20 seconds, I was like, ‘I stuck my finger in a light socket,” he said.

The Actor Said His Intentions Didn’t Matter

The backlash was swift. TV personality Montel Williams, who was a celebrity guest at the roast, walked out of the venue enraged and later resigned his membership from the club. New York City Mayor David Dinkins was also in attendance, and while he finished the performance, he later said the jokes were “way, way over the line.”

“Fifty percent of the crowd didn’t get it and f-cking hated it and hated me. And I kept going,” Danson said. “I thought I was doing a satire on race relationships, inner, you know, mixed couple relationship, and I thought I was being edgy,” he explained.

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Danson said that while his intention for the roast was “love,” he later understood that “intentions do not matter. “The impact you have on people is what matters,” he added.

Whoopi Goldberg Defended Ted Danson

Immediately following the set, Goldberg addressed Danson’s blackface, telling the audience, “I don’t care if you didn’t like it. I did.”

Later, Goldberg shared that she was the one who wrote Danson’s material and even hired the artist who did his makeup. “Ted is a funny man, but he is a white man. He didn’t know how to do this. I did. It was my concept.”

Goldberg also spoke about it publicly, saying, “If they knew me, they would know that Whoopi has never been about political correctness. I built my whole career destigmatizing words like ‘n—–r’,” she said. In another statement, the comedian stated, “Friars Club roasts are meant to be ‘vulgar’ and ‘outrageous,’ so why anyone would take offense to Ted’s roasting me in the tradition of the Friars Club is beyond me.”

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