Mike Flanagan has distinguished himself as one of the great modern horror creatives, and he’s not limited to just one medium. Although Flanagan got his start making low-budget horror films, he later struck up a deal with Netflix and has made some of the best miniseries on the streamer. Flanagan has consistently proven himself an expert at adapting Stephen King, as he has both shown reverence for the source material and been willing to put his own spin on the stories. However, Flanagan’s best series to date was based on a legendary work by Edgar Allan Poe and still managed to earn King’s seal of approval.

‘Fall of the House of Usher’ Is an Inventive Edgar Allan Poe Adaptation

Although it’s technically an adaptation of the 1839 short story of the same name, The Fall of the House of Usher is an homage to many of Poe’s best works, taking a modernist look at societal evil. As is frequently the case with Flanagan’s writing, The Fall of the House of Usher is told in a non-linear way, including flashbacks that help flesh out the history of a complex family legacy. The series introduces Roderick (Zach Gilford) and Madeline Usher (Willa Fitzgerald) as siblings whose ambitions lead them to found the powerful company Fortunato Pharmaceuticals, which is riddled with corruption and has a detrimental impact on public health.

In the present, an older Roderick (Bruce Greenwood) and Madeline (Mary McDonnell) reflect upon their mistakes as a curse seemingly comes for their family; Roderick finds that each of his children has been doomed to horrific fates as a result of his misdeeds. Although Fall of the House of Usher is a lot pulpier than some of the more grounded works of horror from Flanagan earlier in his collaborations with Netflix, the series has a lot to say about the legacy of Poe’s writing and why it continues to resonate today. King had nothing but praise for the show, and said, “there’s a case to be made for Mike Flanagan being the Quentin Tarantino of horror.”

Poe has notoriously been a difficult author to adapt because much of the power in his writing comes from the language, as his stories tend to be fairly light on plot. Although the original short story on which the series was based contributed the narrative structure and themes, The Fall of the House of Usher goes deeper into detailing all the Usher children and uses each of them to represent a different aspect of their family’s sins. The death sequences are shockingly violent, but they are not used simply to appease an audience’s desire to see rich people suffer; the series examines how those with power and privilege are given opportunities to make amends, and how their refusal only leads to a cycle of continued suffering. Flanagan has often had a much better sense of humor than he is given credit for, and The Fall of the House of Usher sees him engaging in dark comedy in a way that makes it feel completely distinct from his previous work.

The Fall of the House of Usher succeeds as an adaptation because the show isn’t based on just one Poe story. The name of Roderick’s company is lifted from the short story “The Cask of Amontillado,” and characters are lifted from “The Murders in Rue Morgue,” “The Gold-Bug,” “Tamerlane,” and “The Premature Burial”; additionally, there are thematic connections to the terrifying repetition in “The Raven” and the double-edged sword of revenge in “The Tell-Tale Heart.” “The Fall of the House of Usher” is often cited as Poe’s definitive work because it embodied his ideas about generational horror and the inevitability of consequences, allowing Flanagan to fuel his epic tale of familial plight.

‘Fall of the House of Usher’ Is a Sharp, Modern Work of Horror

The Fall of the House of Usher felt particularly timely because the depiction of the Ushers bears a striking resemblance to that of the Sackler family, whose empire is largely credited with exacerbating the world’s opioid crisis. To insert Poe’s work into a modern context is the smartest thing that the show could have done, because it turns a theoretical window into the past into an embodiment of what corruption looks like today. What’s most brilliant about Flanagan’s approach is that he notes how little has changed about power dynamics since Poe originally wrote “The Fall of the House of Usher,” as class stagnation is just as big an issue in contemporary America.

The Fall of the House of Usher is a true masterpiece of horror because the show is executed in the right format. A single film wouldn’t be able to include all the details needed to expand the world that Flanagan created, but the story also needed a definitive resolution. Even if Flanagan has spent much of his career iterating on and drawing from works by established franchises and authors, The Fall of the House of Usher is an example of how adaptation is its own art form that requires a singular vision to execute.

A new legal situation involving Big Tigger is drawing attention after police records surfaced tied to a domestic incident and an ongoing investigation involving his wife, Alicia Brown. According to the documents, authorities opened a probe following an alleged incident in May that led to reported injuries and medical treatment. The records identify Big Tigger, whose real name is Darian Morgan, as the suspect in the case, as the investigation remains ongoing.

RELATED: Francesca Amiker Shuts Down Affair Allegations From Big Tigger’s Estranged Wife In New Statement (UPDATE)

Big Tigger Identified As Suspect In Police Documents

According to police documents obtained by TMZ, Big Tigger, whose real name is Darian Morgan, has been identified as the suspect in an alleged assault tied to a May incident that led authorities to open a domestic dispute investigation involving Brown. The records state Brown sought medical attention for injuries before anyone contacted law enforcement, and authorities later transported her to a hospital. Officials describe her injuries as not life-threatening, while the circumstances leading to them remain unclear. Authorities have not confirmed whether they made any arrests or filed any charges at this time. As of now, there has been no public response from Big Tigger regarding the allegations.

Social Media Erupts With Mixed Reactions

One Instagram user, @lilmissworldtour added, “I mean do we really trust a grownup calling himself big tigger ?“

This Instagram user @breakthrough_35 said, “Her missing daughter’s father tried to warn him… smh.“

And, Instagram user @ennerestella claimed, “I’ll mop the ocean before I cry and record a video to put on Instagram“

Then, Instagram user @tharealkeez shared, “idk, he look like he did it 😩”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @oweboi_bigshow wrote, “Who else would be a suspect lol“

Finally, Instagram user @luckystaybizzy commented, “Everyone taking sides like they were there. 😂”

Alicia Brown Shares Cryptic Instagram Story Post

Alicia Brown doesn’t appear to be staying silent amid the ongoing conversation. In an Instagram Story posted Wednesday night, she reshared a clip of a woman sitting alone on an empty road, turning to look toward a sunset as Mariah Carey’s ‘Obsessed’ played over the visuals. While the post doesn’t directly name anyone or confirm a target, the timing and song choice have led some social media users to speculate about its meaning and possible subtext.

RELATED: Source Speaks After Big Tigger’s Wife Alicia Brown Accuses Him Of Abuse & Cheating On Her With Francesca Amiker (EXCLUSIVE DETAILS)

Young and the Restless delivers Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) being forced into polite society. And it’s all because of Victor Newman (Eric Braeden). He has ordered Matt to get close to Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn). And asks Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) this week to not warn Cane about Matt’s past, which kind of seems nuts because so many people in town know all about him.

So, we’re going to talk about Victor’s plan for Matt and where that leads, including a job and possibly some romance because Y&R is clearly full steam ahead on this rapist redemption story with no end in sight.

Young and the Restless: Victor’s Antics

And just before we get deeper into this, I want to remind you the Victor has no problem with rapists. It’s sickening for this reason alone that he asks Phyllis to cover for Matt, who again a known rapist. Because Victor brought in Marco Aselli years ago, put that stranger in Phyllis’s bed who was essentially raping her daily for months. That’s a big source of her angst with Victor.

And at the same time, he had kidnapped Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) and dumped him with Kelly Andrews, who had sexually assaulted Jack over and over and over until she was brutally murdered. So, this also was the second time that Victor hired Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) to kidnap and sexually assault Jack. And Victor also did that to Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson), if you recall, because Victor was the one who hired Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan) to drug Billy and rape him.

Plus, Chelsea planted drugs on Billy to get him arrested, then turned up pregnant. So, honestly, Victor inviting Matt to live on the ranch down the road from Sharon Newman (Sharon Case), a woman he raped once and tried to rape a second time, it all makes sense, you know. Because Victor is a rapist apologist.

Y&R: Matt Clark’s Redemption and Victor’s Master Plan

That aside, it’s clear that Matt is sticking around. And this version of him who’s remorseful is being very well played by Roger Howarth, who I do really like. He has done bad man redeemed on both One Life to Live and on General Hospital very well and he’s doing it well here.

The big question is what’s next for Matt? The only thing so far that Victor demanded is that he get close to Cane Ashby, get into his inner circle and spy on him. And that’s of course to help Victor destroy Cane. And I’m guessing with Lily appointing him as Chancellor CEO that Victor’s just going to double down. He’ll be furious that he handed Lily that company and then she’s giving it to Cane to control somebody that he hates.

So now we’ve got Matt ordered to get close to Cane and Phyllis supposedly keeping quiet. So will Cane actually get to know Matt? I mean it seems like Sharon or Sienna Bacall (Tamara Braun) or somebody would spill the beans. But if they don’t then I guess Cane might actually let Matt get close to him. And in fact, there’s a chance that Cane could wind up hiring Matt to work at Chancellor. I also expect that Cane’s going to hire Holden Novak (Nathan Owens) or Lily Winters (Christel Khalil) may ask Cane to hire Holden. But at least, you know, he’s not a creepy rapist.

Young and the Restless: Phyllis Brings Matt to Arabesque?

Also this week, in a bizarre move of rewarding bad behavior, Victor decided to give Arabesque to Phyllis. And of course, that was Cane’s company, aka the company Cane started under his fake Aristotle Dumas persona. Since Phyllis already likes Matt, I could see her hiring him to work there at Arabesque. And in fact, Victor might actually suggest that Phyllis hire Matt. Or Victor might order Phyllis to hire Matt because then Cane might be even more intrigued by Matt and want to get to know the man who’s helping Phyllis run his former company.

And I’m also interested to see if Cane is ticked that Phyllis wound up with Arabesque because I am sure that that is what Victor intended it to do to tick off Cane by giving the company that Victor stole from Cane, handing it to Phyllis, the woman who helped Victor steal Arabesque from Cane. So, we’ll see. But since Phyllis seems to want to protect and cuddle Matt, you know, I could see her hiring him.

Y&R: Matt’s Future Employment and Love Life

One place I don’t see offering Matt a job is with Sienna or Noah Newman (Lucas Adams) at their new Genoa City Shadow Room. I imagine that they’ll also make it clear that Matt is persona non grata at their new club. Also, I don’t see Sharon Newman offering Matt a job at Crimson Lights as a barista since Sharon wants to avoid him totally.

There’s always a chance, of course, that Victor could offer Matt a job at Newman so that maybe Cane could be tricked into thinking that he might get some Newman info out of Matt. That could make Matt perhaps more alluring to Cane as a new friend. However, I tend to think that Arabesque is where Matt is going to wind up getting a job.

Young and the Restless: Matt’s Romantic Options Limited

As for his love life, I think pretty quickly we can figure out who would never date Matt. First of all, there’s his wife, Sienna Bacall, who actually needs a divorce from Matt. But then again, maybe she doesn’t need a divorce because Mitch Bacall doesn’t really exist and that’s the man she married. She didn’t marry Matt Clark. Also, Sharon wouldn’t date Matt if he was the last man on Earth and sleeping with him would save the human race. I think Sharon would let the human race die out first.

Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle) also wouldn’t touch him because he’s a sex pervert that she blames for her brother Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) getting hooked on fentanyl. Now, I will say this, Matt is really only half responsible for that because if Nick and Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) had handed Matt to the cops, then Nick would never have gotten in the car crash that broke his leg.

And Nick checked himself out of the hospital against medical advice and was gobbling up opioids like Tic Tacs. So, he was addicted before Matt ever gave him that first fentanyl pill. I think that he just complicated Nick’s new addiction. So, I only halfway blame Matt for that. But I know the Newmans fully blame him.

Young and the Restless: Matt’s Responsible for Nick’s Addiction

So, other than him being a creep, you know, starting the whole set of dominoes that tipped resulting in Nick’s addiction, I think it’s kind of on Nick and his DNA because there’s addiction in the family. However, there are two ladies in Genoa City that I am certain would be happy to date Matt Clark. One of them is Patty Williams. First, let’s be clear, she’s also a rapist, so I don’t think she’s going to hold a few instances of sexual assault against Matt.

And second of all, Patty doesn’t stand a chance with Jack. We still don’t know if she’s the one who took Diane Jenkins because that storyline hasn’t resolved on Y&R even though they’ve got Jack and Diane together happy over on Beyond the Gates this week, which seems random. Something is clearly broken at CBS daytime for them not to have stories aligned. It’s a big whoopsie. But Patty did seem to like Matt and she’ll never ever win Jack back. So yeah, Patty might chase Matt.

Young and the Restless: Phyllis Goes after Matt

And then there’s another rapist in Genoa City who would totally date Matt. And of course that is Phyllis. If you recall, she drugged and sexually assaulted Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian) back in the day, then lied and said he got her pregnant. That’s Daniel Romalotti’s (Michael Graziadei) origin story. But he has another biological father.

And we already know Phyllis has a soft spot for Matt even though she betrayed him. Plus, Phyllis wants to protect Matt from Patty. So, if Phyllis sees Patty sniffing around Matt, then yeah, I think Phyllis would totally date him, if for no other reason than to keep Patty away. And in fact, Matt might wind up dating both Patty and Phyllis in some twisted three-way rapist love triangle. I think it’s totally ick. But it feels like that’s where we’re heading.

The Pitt was a certified home run for HBO Max the second it premiered on the service, becoming one of both the production company and the streaming platform’s biggest hits of all time. Season 2 pulled in even more viewers than the Emmy-sweeping first outing, and for good reason, especially since it introduced even more new characters to the Pittsburgh emergency room that are destined to become new fan-favorites. From the professional-yet-complicated Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi (Sepideh Moafi) to new med student Joy Kwon (Irene Choi), the Noah Wyle show’s ambitions to have a rotating roster of medical professionals seems like a foolproof plan, even if it makes saying goodbye to characters like Dr. Heather Collins (Tracy Ifeachor) and Dr. Samira Mohan (Supriya Ganesh) that much harder.

Though one facet of The Pitt that has developed the quickest cult following is the night shift team led by Dr. Jack Abbot (Shawn Hatosy) — so much so that many fans have been clamoring for an entire spin-off series following the night team, though that dream has repeatedly been debunked. Even the night team got a new face in the form of Dr. Cyrus “Crus Control” Henderson (played by Shrinking star Luke Tennie), and it sounds like we haven’t heard the last of The Pitt‘s newest superstar. I had the opportunity to speak with Tennie during his promotion of Apple TV’s Shrinking at the Newport Beach TV Fest, and when asked if we could see him again in the now-in-development Season 3, he shared the open invitation he received from star and co-creator Noah Wyle:

“Noah Wyle told me in the hair and makeup trailer last time, he said, ‘Hey, if there’s a night shift, Crus is on the night shift, and we always see [the] night shift.’ And I said, ‘Okay, good to know!’”

Luke Tennie Describes Crus’ Approach to Doctoring as “Medical Hip-Hop” in ‘The Pitt’

Crus as a character is one of the most interesting additions to The Pitt‘s roster in Season 2, partially because of the character’s attitude towards X-rays and MRI, which he views as being unnecessary when he can diagnose with an ultrasound machine. An unorthodox way to look at it, to be sure, but also one that ends up coming in handy for Dr. Robby’s (Wyle) team after most of their computerized equipment is taken offline. When asked about his character’s unique approach to diagnosing without modern equipment, Tennie likened it to a new genre of sorts for the medical world:

“It was kind of pitched to me as ‘This guy is sort of on the cutting edge.’ It felt kinda like medical hip-hop. Like when hip-hop started after the blackout in New York, people got all this DJ equipment and stuff, and it was kinda this thing where people learned to DJ on the fly. It was this sort of new, flowy, ‘I’m gonna take this track and then I’m gonna get an MC.’ Nobody really knew what was going on.

I think Crus is kind of on the cutting edge of [a] new hip-hop style of diagnosing issues with ultrasound versus using an MRI or X-rays. That stuff is expensive, and it’s hard to move around. A fricking ultrasound cart, you can move that thing around. It’s super easy to maneuver throughout the hospital. It’s perfect for emergency medicine. So I think that kind of angle fits with the character description of Crus being someone who’s so calm and cool and collected.”

The first two seasons of The Pitt are streaming now on HBO Max. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on Season 3.

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Release Date

January 9, 2025

Network

Max

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Showrunner

R. Scott Gemmill

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Directors

Amanda Marsalis

Writers

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Joe Sachs, Cynthia Adarkwa

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• 

  Noah Wyle

  Dr. Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch

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  Tracy Ifeachor

  Dr. Heather Collins

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Days of Our Lives Coming and Goings updates include Elia Cantu confirming she wrapped her run as Jada Hunter and some other big ins and outs, including five more exits and a couple of new faces cropping up. We’re going to get into the latest ins and outs and the revolving door of cast at Days.

Days of Our Lives: Elia Cantu Wraps as Jada Hunter

So, we’ve got several big pieces of casting news for you in this update. But let’s start with Jada Hunter leaving Salem. So, this week, actress Elia Cantu herself announced on her social media that she is saying goodbye to Days of Our Lives. So, if you don’t remember, the actress made her debut as Jada on the soap on July 19th, 2022. And at the time, she popped up in town applying for a detective position with the Salem PD. And if you don’t remember, Elia Cantu’s character is a legacy. Her dad is Dr. Marcus Hunter (Richard Biggs), who was last seen, I think, back in like 1992.

And we got the first hint of Jada maybe exiting when Elia Cantu was dropped from the Days credits back in March. So at that time it looked like okay she’s been dropped off contract she’ll be recurring. You know that was the assumption whenever that happens is that we would keep seeing her as Jada Hunter. And between 2022 and now almost four years later we have watched her get a lot closer to Shawn Brady (Brandon Beamer). And of course, Jada was promoted to the position of police commissioner. But we do not know her final exit date yet.

Elia Cantu Expresses Her Gratitude to DOOL

Now, in her announcement where she confirmed her exit, Elia said it was an honor having portrayed Jada Louise Hunter. And she thanked the cast, the crew, and the fans. And she says she’s excited for her next adventure, whatever that may be. So far, I haven’t seen any new projects, though, on her IMDb page. And if you recall, her co-star and scene partner Brandon Beemer, who plays Shawn Brady, was actually fired before they brought him back. That was back in 2023 when they also asked Ari Zucker, Camila Banus, Martha Madison, Nadia Bjorlin, and others as part of what was known as the Albert Allar bloodbath.

But right now, Jada is in the thick of things, front and center. She may possibly have to arrest her best friend Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein) for shooting at Joy Wesley (AlexAnn Hopkins). Plus, Jada and Shawn are heating up this week. They are getting into a real romance soon and are probably hitting the sheets again soon. And fortunately, thanks to that 9-to-10-month advance tape to air delay for Days of Our Lives, we will get to see more of Jada with Shawn before Elia Cantu wraps her run should be in early 2027.

Days of Our Lives: Multiple Exits Coming Soon

So, maybe Jada and Shawn leave town together because Days seems to be exiting people in pairs right now. Because don’t forget when the actors came back from their holiday break in January, Carson Boatman, Raven Bowens, Leo Howard, and Ashley Puzemis all got pink slips in their Christmas stockings in lieu of a bonus. So, we will be saying goodbye to Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) and Chanel Dupree (Raven Bowens) in just a few months.

Now, currently, Johnny and Chanel are going through her high-risk pregnancy, with the breast cancer complication. And there’s corporate drama with DiMera Enterprises, including EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) doing more bad stuff that Johnny’s having to answer to as CEO alongside Theo Carver (Cameron Johnson), who’s helping him. So, Chanel and Johnny may take their kids and leave Salem to get away from EJ. Unless, of course, Johnny loses Chanel to her cancer. And then he picks up and takes his kids to go live near his mom, Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney), in Italy so he can have help raising Trey and Quattro and get away from EJ.

Tate Black Exits Days

We’ll also see the last of Tate Donovan Black (Leo Howard) and Holly Jonas (Ashley Puzemis) because right now Sophia’s mom, Amy Choi (Shi Ne Nielson), wants to sue Holly in civil court over Sophia’s apparent suicide. Her body hasn’t been found and that means Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) continues to get away with murder framed as a suicide. But you never know, Sophia might be alive and plotting somewhere.

She could come back and do something to Tate and Holly. Or Tate and Holly could head to Paris to escape Salem drama and Amy Choi and she could pick up and go to the Sorbonne and they could be near her mom Nicole Walker (Arianne Zucker) and his uncle Eric Brady (Greg Vaughan).

Also coming soon, Holly and Tate are going to be up at the hospital with Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey). And Holly is denying that she’s back on pills. It looks like some were found on her. And she’s screaming at Tate to get out. So maybe they break up. Holly heads to Paris. So, Tate heads to be with his mom, Teresa Donovan (Emily O’Brien), out west.

Days of Our Lives: Lexie’s Six-Month Return and Other Changes

Next, another exit coming up is actress Nikki Crawford, who plays Lexie Carver. Her stint on the Peacock sudser was only a six-month run. So, the actress Nikki Crawford wrapped her run months ago and has moved on. And now it’s just a matter of waiting to see when and how Lexie makes her Salem exit once again.

Her first air date was March 6, so Nikki Crawford’s half a year run should wrap up sometime around early September. And Lexie is already experiencing symptoms from Dr. Wilhelm Rolf (Richard Wharton) resurrection serum. You know, it’s not easy being brought back from the dead after 15 years frozen in a person pod.

To me, this all seems like a big waste of time really to bring Lexie back just to kill her off again so soon. You know, maybe she really won’t die. But we’ll agree to let Ralph and EJ refreeze her in that tube, you know, at least until they can figure out how to bring her back for good. Or maybe Lexie will refuse and decide she wants to pass away peacefully.

Days of our Lives: Kristen DiMera Out

And finally, we’re also going to see Kristen DiMera leaving Salem over the summer. Stacy Haiduk’s character seems to be snatched by EJ or, you know, more likely a goon on his payroll. Once he finds out that Kristen tried to get Sophia to kill Johnny, it’s all over for her. EJ is going to take her out like yesterday’s trash.

Fortunately for Stacy Haiduk, she has moved on to another juicy soap role and is appearing as Patty Williams over on Young and the Restless. She’s absolutely killing it on Y&R, playing basically another crazy bad girl up to no good.

Days Cast Changes and New Arrivals

Also, we are expecting Al Calderon’s last air date as Javi Hernandez at any moment now. Al left when he landed a role on NBC prime time drama Brilliant Minds. But that’s actually kind of bad news for him since it was just abruptly cancelled. It’s not going to get another season. In the meantime, Jacob Martinez has taken over the role of Javi. Things are getting interesting for him right now since his new boyfriend Gus (Michael Ocampo) is moving to Salem after landing a firefighter gig there. We will meet the new hottie on June 30th.

In other comings and goings news, Peter Porte is back as hottie Dimitri von Leuschner DiMera this summer and Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien) just told Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) she’s getting nonstop hate text from Dimitri who is taunting her to keep spending his money now because it’s not going to last forever. He’s going to get evidence to take her down. So, when he’s back, Leo is trying to get Dimitri to cut a deal with him after he rejects some kind of offer from Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering).

Plus, in early 2027, we are going to see Sofia Mattsson make her Days of Our Lives debut. She was last seen on General Hospital and now she has a new contract role on Days. I think you guys are really, really going to love her. So, right now they are saying that she is playing a brand new character. But me personally, I suspect that that new character might turn out to be Abigail DiMera, basically with amnesia, who turns out to not be a new character. We’ll see. Sofia Mattsson honestly has the perfect look to be recast Abigail. But we won’t find out for another six months.

RELATED: Karmelo Anthony’s Grandmother Chants “Racist” & “Biased” Following His Prison Sentence As His Mother Continues To Demand Justice (VIDEOS)

Jeff Metcalf Shares Response To Sentencing Outcome

Although Jeff Metcalf has been vocal about the pain of losing his 17-year-old son, he revealed that he also felt sympathy while watching Karmelo Anthony, now 19, learn his fate in court. Anthony was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison. Speaking about the moment, Jeff told CBS News, “I’ll even say this: I had a little bit of sorrow because I’m human.” He continued, “And that poor boy is fixing to experience a life that I would not wish upon anyone.”

Jeff also explained that his decision to forgive Anthony was rooted in his own healing process rather than reconciliation. “Forgiveness was not for him. Forgiveness was for me,” he said. “So I don’t carry the rage, the hate, and that around; it will eat me up like cancer.” While expressing compassion, Jeff made it clear that he still believes Anthony should have received a harsher punishment.

Metcalf Rejects Race Claims In Case

The sentence allows for a parole review in the future, but Jeff said he intends to oppose any effort to secure Anthony’s release. “If I’m still alive, yes, I will be there in person,” he said. Jeff continued, “If not, I am going to make a video. If I’m passed on, that can be played.” Jeff also addressed ongoing claims that race played a role in the case, rejecting that narrative. “This case was never about race,” he claimed.

He added, “There’s going to be those people now, just, you know, trying to throw shade on the whole trial with the jury makeup and the speed of it and that sort of thing. I mean, those are the same people that said he was jumped by four people. You’re going to spin whatever story to try to keep yourself afloat.” The comments come as the highly publicized case continues to spark discussion online, with many reflecting on the loss of Austin Metcalf, the future Karmelo Anthony is facing, and the lasting impact the tragedy has had on both families.

What Metcalf’s Twin Brother Said To Karmelo In Court?

Austin Metcalf’s twin brother delivered an emotional victim impact statement following the sentencing of Karmelo Anthony, who received 35 years in prison. Hunter Metcalf addressed Anthony in court, reflecting on the impact of the loss on his family and the life milestones his brother will no longer be part of.

“You took a son, a brother, a friend, and my best friend, from this world. You took someone from me who was supposed to be an uncle, godfather to my kids. Now I want everything taken from you,” Hunter said, according to CBS Texas. He also reportedly said, “eventually your name will be forgotten.”

RELATED: Karmelo Anthony Supporter Reportedly Arrested For Unlawfully Carrying A Weapon Following Viral Protest Confrontation (WATCH)

The internet doesn’t play when it comes to getting the tea, and right now, folks are keeping their eyes locked on Carmelo Anthony, wondering if he just soft-launched a new lady in his life. A social media video shows the former NBA star-turned-broadcaster alongside model Racquel Smith, and now fans think a romance might be brewing between the two!

RELATED: Daddy Duties! Carmelo Anthony & His Daughter Genesis Serve Twin Vibes With Rare Pop-Out At Knicks Game (VIDEO)

Carmelo Anthony Sparks Dating Rumors After Clip With Racquel Smith Goes Viral

Okay, so BOOM! For context, Racquel Smith dropped a carousel post on Instagram, and her comment section was immediately flooded with mentions of Carmelo Anthony after he appeared in a video on the fifth slide. The footage shows them waiting for an elevator while Racquel records on her phone with the flash on. While she captures the content, Carmelo lowkey cheeses behind her as they walk into the elevator. They also looked like they coordinated outfits as the video sees them both rocking all-black fits. Racquel wears a satin top with a thigh-high split skirt, while Melo popped out in a black bucket hat, polo shirt, and pants. Racquel kept her caption simple, adding, “This…” alongside the hashtag “#deserved.” 

Who Is Racquel Smith?

If you’ve been out of the loop, here’s what you need to know about Racquel Smith. According to TMZ, she is the widow of Will Smith, a New Orleans Saints football player who was fatally shot and killed during a 2016 road rage incident. Racquel survived the shooting after suffering injuries during the attack. Authorities convicted Smith’s killer after the incident, and he is currently serving time in prison. As for Melo, fans know he was previously married to La La Anthony. They were together from 2010 until she filed for divorce in 2021. They share a son, Kiyan Anthony, and Melo also has a daughter, Genesis, with his former partner, Mia Burks.

The Internet Reacts To Carmelo & Racquel’s Pop-Out

Once Racquel dropped her new Instagram post, folks flooded the comment section with mentions of Melo. Plenty of people said they loved seeing them pop out together, while others said they just want to see Melo happy,

Instagram user @love_miacedesj wrote, “Carmelo 😮 ok ok! 🔥🔥” 

Instagram user @bakerbynature413 wrote, “Woooooooooooo….Carmelo Anthony????? Ok Rockie….😍😍😍” 

While Instagram user @sheraeaka wrote, “My friend is happy, and that makes me happy 🥰” 

Then Instagram user @buggati_baze wrote, “My boy Melo struck gold 🔥👏” 

Another Instagram user @miaangel_ wrote, “step momma steppinnnn’ in that skirt, okay! 🖤” 

Instagram user @kkk_nikkie wrote, “Is that Carmelo? Beautiful ❤️❤️” 

While another Instagram user @jacquelinekelly8015 wrote, “Beautiful, okay Melo 🤗👏🏾” 

Then another Instagram user @onlyv1_ wrote, “As long as they’re happy 😍” 

Finally, Instagram user @librascale1019 wrote, “I love this for both of y’all. Blessings ❤️🙏🏽and Mel don’t be publicly outside with anyone! 🥰” 

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Love Island USA’s TJ Palma continues to count his blessings after meeting Iris Kendall in Fiji.

“We’re doing great long distance, two opposite sides of the country, but we make it work, and we’ve been just climbing uphill together,” TJ, 24, exclusively shared with Us Weekly on Wednesday, June 11, while celebrating his partnership with Hellmann’s Spicy Mayo. “We’re going through this new life together. We’re best friends, we’re lovers. It’s just a relationship I’ve always dreamt of and wanted, and it’s surreal to have that really come to life.”

Although TJ’s home base is in Florida and Iris lives closer to Los Angeles, the pair try to see each other every other week.

“She’s coming here. I’m going there, or we’re taking a vacation,” TJ explained. “We make it work, and it’s just been amazing.”

Related: ‘Love Island USA’ Status Check: Which Couples Are Still Together?

They got a text — and found love in the Love Island USA villa. The beloved British dating show made its way across the pond in 2019, following a crop of American bombshells searching for The One in a luxury tropical villa. In season 1, eventual winners Elizabeth Weber and Zac Mirabelli had a connection […]

Although TJ left Love Island USA last summer before being officially coupled up with Iris, the pair were able to reconnect in the States once cameras stopped rolling. In November 2025, TJ pulled out all the stops to ask Iris to officially be his girlfriend.

“We have fun doing anything or going anywhere, even if it’s going to the grocery store up the street,” he said. “It’s cool that people look up to us and everything, but we’re just regular people at the end of the day. Half of the time, we don’t even want to go outside. We’re very, like, ‘Let’s stay in. Let’s watch a movie. Let’s frickin’ build a Lego set.’ … It’s no different from anybody else.”

As a new batch of Islanders look for love this summer on Love Island USA, viewers may come across TJ and Iris’ new ad for Hellmann’s Spicy Mayo.

While the couple spotlight the condiment perfect for French fries, sandwiches and other summer food staples, the commercial also shows off the pair’s chemistry and playful sense of humor.

“We had a lot of fun doing it, and I felt like the spicy mayo calls for a spicy commercial,” TJ joked. “Seeing the final product, it’s like, ‘Wow! It really came to life.’”

With the summer just beginning, TJ is looking forward to spending more quality time with Iris, 26, and making unforgettable memories.

As for curious fans wondering when the pair may move in together, TJ said they’ve had discussions about taking the next big step. For now, they are simply enjoying the present.

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Love Island USA is all about coupling up — so which Islanders are currently together and which have already called it quits in the villa? Peacock’s popular dating show returned in June 2026 with contestants Aniya Harvey, Beatriz Hatz, Bryce Alakai Dettloff, KC Chandler, Mackenzie “Kenzie” Annis, Melanie Moreno, Sincere Rhea, Sean Reifel, Trinity Tatum […]

“We honestly haven’t come to a decision on where, when, how type of thing,” he shared. “She’s always expressed that she was OK moving out of L.A. I’ve always expressed that I’m OK moving out of Tampa. … We’re still trying to figure it out, but I think we’re doing a pretty decent job, and it’s pretty early. We definitely can see ourselves moving in together soon.”

Love Island USA streams new episodes on Peacock every day except Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET.

Join Us Weekly and Bracketology.tv in our first-ever Love Island USA fantasy league! This is your chance to predict who you think will win Season 8 and rank the Islanders weekly based on how confident you are that they will survive the next elimination. You will be playing against our editors, get access to exclusive content and have the chance to win fun prizes. Sign up for free today!

When “Jersey Shore” star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi learned she was diagnosed with cancer, the veteran reality star had an emotional breakdown. But that’s not all. In a new interview, the mother of three revealed that she also treated herself to a ton of luxury items as a way to help her cope with her feelings.

Speaking with Us Weekly, the MTV mainstay said that she was hysterical after learning she had been diagnosed with cancer. “I called my mom, crying, like, ‘Schedule my funeral, this is what I want,’ like, being so dramatic,” she said.

According to Snooki, who shares three kids with husband Jionni LaValle, she was emotional for three days before shifting her perspective. “… I was like, ‘You’re a bad b-tch, you’re going to be fine, you tackle everything,’” she said.

Later, Snooki treated herself to a luxury shopping spree at Short Hills Mall in New Jersey, spending a hefty amount on luxury goods. “… [I] spent, like, thousands of dollars. Then, after that mental breakdown, I was like, ‘Alright, let’s get this done,’” she revealed.

On her shopping trip, Snooki bought two Louis Vuitton bags before going to Gucci, where she purchased shoes and another bag.

Snooki Opened Up About Her Medical Diagnosis In An Emotional TikTok Video In January 2026

@snooki Ladies we are in this together 🙏🏽 #colposcopy #conebiopsy #cervicalcancer ♬ original sound – Snooki

For those who may be unfamiliar, Snooki opened up about her medical diagnosis with her social media followers in January 2026, per The Blast. At the time, the “Jersey Shore” OG said that she had to undergo a complicated medical procedure, during which her doctor found “cancerous cells” on her cervix.

While frightening, Snooki said her goal was to help inform others about the importance of testing and speaking with medical professionals about their bodies. “The reason why my doctor’s on my a** all the time is because I waited,” she revealed.

“I waited on my d-mn appointments because I knew I might not get great results, but also because I didn’t want to feel the pain. I didn’t want to deal with the stress of having to deal with all of this,” she continued.

Snooki Called Being A Woman A ‘Scary’ Thing

Elsewhere in her video, Snooki opened up about using her platform to help inform others and spread awareness. “Just making this video to spread awareness to make sure you get your pap smears. And if your doctor calls you to do it again, do it,” the beloved TV personality said. “Make sure you’re fine and prevent all the bad things that could happen, like cervical cancer.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, pap smears are “lifesaving” screenings for cervical cancer, adding that the tests can detect “abnormal cells” before they become cancerous. The health center recommends that people with a cervix between the ages of 21 and 30 should get tested at least once every three years. Individuals between the ages of 30 and 65 should be tested once every five years.

In her emotional TikTok video, Snooki got even more candid, saying, “Being a woman is not easy and this is definitely a scary thing. I know I’m going to be fine. It’s just scary.”

Polizzi Revealed Something Else About Her Body During A Podcast Episode

This isn’t the first time that Snooki has opened up about her body. According to a previous report from The Blast, the Messy Mawma owner recalled undergoing a breast augmentation and likening It to feeling like a “dump truck” was on her chest.

“I woke up and it was like [there was] a dump truck on my [chest],” the reality star confessed. “I couldn’t breathe. I was freaking out.”

Despite the pressure, Snooki said she’d do it all again. In fact, she’s planning on that. “I want to do that again eventually,” she said.

Can Fans Expect To See Polizzi On Any Other Reality Shows In The Future?

During an exclusive interview with The Blast, Snooki revealed whether her fans could ever expect to see her on any other reality shows, such as Peacock’s “The Traitors.”

“No – I’m a fan of them, but no, just because I can’t leave my kids for more than 3 days now. That’s a big commitment! That’s like how we used to film back in the day, like you’re stuck in the house with cameras all over you for a month and a half, and I wouldn’t be able to see my kids, so no, I can’t do it,” she said.