Roommates, a terrifying situation rocked New York City on Friday afternoon at a Staten Island shipyard, and officials say it quickly turned deadly. Emergency crews rushed into the area as smoke poured into the sky and multiple explosions shook nearby businesses, all before officials confirmed the full scope of the situation. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani later addressed the chaos during an evening press conference, as residents tried to piece together exactly what happened.

RELATED: Prayers Up! Suspected Drunk Driver Reportedly Faces Charges After Fatal Sidewalk Crash Kills Two Men (VIDEO)

Mamdani Speaks As Deadly Explosions Leave Dozens Injured

According to officials, one person was killed and at least 36 others were injured after a fire sparked two explosions inside a massive metal structure at the shipyard. Most of the injured were firefighters and first responders who rushed to the scene after calls came in around 3:30 p.m. reporting smoke and two workers trapped inside the building’s basement.

Fire crews reportedly arrived within six minutes, but moments later, the first explosion erupted, seriously injuring several FDNY members and civilians nearby. “This was a complex, fast-developing emergency situation,” New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani claimed during a Friday evening news conference.

Second Explosion Severely Injures FDNY First Responders

Things reportedly escalated again when a second explosion hit while firefighters and rescue paramedics were actively searching for the trapped workers. Officials say five emergency responders were positioned inside, on top of, and near the structure when the blast happened. The explosion’s powerful shock wave struck a firefighter and a fire marshal inside the structure, leaving both with some of the most severe injuries.

FDNY Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Prezant revealed that the injured fire marshal remains in critical but stable condition after suffering a fractured skull and a small brain bleed. Meanwhile, doctors initially listed the firefighter injured in the blast in serious condition, but he improved and was doing much better by Friday evening. Authorities said more than 200 firefighters remained on-site Friday night as crews continued battling the fire while investigators prepared to determine what caused the explosions.

Witnesses Describe Terrifying Blasts At Historic Shipyard

Witnesses in the area reported hearing two loud blasts, followed by a massive shock wave that rattled nearby buildings. Several businesses—including a coffee roasting company and storage facilities—surround the shipyard area, which traces its history back to the Bethlehem Steel Company, which built Navy ships during World War II.

RELATED: Say, WHAT?! Man Allegedly Dragged Screaming Girlfriend Down Sidewalk & Shot Her And 2 Men After They Reportedly Intervened

Lizzo is clearing the air and addressing the viral rumors that she dissed fellow musician Taylor Swift.

“The Life Of A Showgirl + MY FACE HURTS FROM SMILING — 4.005M 👑,” an X user wrote on Friday, May 22, alongside footage from Lizzo’s “STFU” music video. “ICEMAN + MAID OF HONOUR + HABIBTI — 683k ⚰️⚰️⚰️⚰️.”

Lizzo, 38, replied to the tweet, asking, “Can someone explain what this means?”

A fan subsequently claimed that “all that s***-talking” Lizzo allegedly did about Swift, 36, “finally caught up” to her and impacted her My Face Hurts From Smiling record’s chart position.

Related: Lizzo’s Ups and Downs Over the Years: Plagiarism, Lawsuits and More

Lizzo has made headlines over the years, both for her empowering music and controversial moments. In 2017 and 2019, the singer was accused of plagiarism by British singer Mina Lioness and producer Justin Raisen over her 2017 single “Truth Hurts.” The drama surrounded one of the song’s opening lines — “I just took a DNA […]

Lizzo clapped back at the implication.

“Are you well? First of all I have never talked s*** about Taylor Swift,” Lizzo tweeted on Saturday, May 23. “Also while we [are] on the subject I’ve never talked s*** about any artist. Just because I mention an artist by name does not mean I’m talking s*** — grow tf up pls.”

Lizzo has long been inspired by Swift, even finding a slew of similarities with the pop superstar.

“I’m Black Taylor Swift,” she quipped during a 2022 appearance on The Breakfast Club radio show, joking about how the two singers often pull from their personal lives in various songs. “I really am, I’m trifling.”

Both Lizzo and Swift are known for writing about their respective love lives.

“I don’t talk too badly about [an ex’s] character, it’s just what he do,” Lizzo explained at the time. “I’ll be like, ‘He’s a good person, but this is what he did. Am I tripping?’ They’d be like, ‘You’re not tripping, you’re not tripping.’”

Related: Lizzo Says Her Plans to Return to Music ‘Crumbled’ After Lawsuits

Lizzo is opening up about how her plans for her music comeback have changed. The “Good as Hell” singer, 37, spoke about reentering the music industry after she was the subject of multiple harassment and hostile work environment lawsuits in an interview with Vulture published on Monday, September 8. “I put out those two singles, […]

Advertisement

Lizzo’s new single, “Bitch,” also takes inspiration from Swift.

“Shout-out to Meredith Brooks. I want the whole world to know that this is her record,” Lizzo said on the “Genius Verified” podcast earlier this month, revealing the new track interpolates Brooks’ ‘90s-era hit. “I feel like that would’ve gotten lost in translation a little bit. I was like, ‘This is Lizzo’s version.’”

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

Lizzo continued, “You know how it’s like, ‘Taylor’s Version?’ It’s like, ‘Bitch (Lizzo’s Version).’”

Swift re-recorded four of her past albums, save for Taylor Swift and Reputation, beginning in 2021 after the masters were sold from record label Big Machine to a third party. The 14-time Grammy winner was ultimately able to purchase her discography in May 2025.

“All I’ve ever wanted was the opportunity to work hard enough to be able to one day purchase my music outright with no strings attached, no partnership [and] with full autonomy,” Swift said in a statement at the time. “I will forever be grateful to everyone at Shamrock Capital for being the first people to ever offer this to me. The way they’ve handled every interaction we’ve had has been honest, fair and respectful. This was a business deal to them, but I really felt like they saw it for what it was to me: My memories and my sweat and my handwriting and my decades of dreams.”

Drew Carey is slamming reality TV star Spencer Pratt as his candidacy for mayor of Los Angeles continues to gain momentum.

“Anyone who votes for, or endorses Spencer Prattfall for Mayor of LA needs to get their head out of their ass,” the comedian and game show host wrote via Threads on Friday, May 22. “I understand being angry/unsatisfied, but at least get behind someone competent and not some serial scammer without a soul or moral compass.”

The actor continued, “F*** this guy already.”

The former U.S. Marine’s comments sparked a widespread response, with some fans praising the TV host, 68, for his political take while other condemned his social media rant.

Related: Yvette Nicole Brown Reacts to Spencer Pratt Raising $539K for Mayor Race

Community alum Yvette Nicole Brown cannot believe notorious reality TV villain Spencer Pratt could pull ahead in the Los Angeles race for mayor. “This nation is unserious and has learned nothing. 💔,” Brown, 54, wrote via Threads on Friday, April 24, seemingly referring to President Donald Trump, a former reality TV star-turned-politician. Brown also reposted […]

“The is [sic] documentation of me never having to add Drew to the Spencer Pratt endorsement list,” Heather Ashley, host of the “Big Mad True Crime” podcast, wrote in response along with a checkmark emoji.

“You don’t have to hate him just to prove you’re liberal,” another social media user commented. “How about criticizing his policies?”

Pratt, 42, is running for L.A. mayor against Democratic incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and a slew of other mayoral hopefuls, including Nithya Raman, Adam Miller and others. The Hills alum claims he’s running as an “independent community advocate,” though he is a registered Republican with many ties to the conservative, right-wing and MAGA media spheres.

“Regardless of the outcome of Spencer Pratt’s race, what he’s doing is authentically American,” Erika Kirk, the widow of late Turning Point USA cofounder Charlie Kirk, wrote via X on Thursday, May 21, voicing her support for Pratt’s campaign.

“See a problem, become a part of the solution,” Erika, 37, continued. “His campaign ads are unconventional, but that’s the point; it’s refreshing. Instead of speaking like a career politician, he’s speaking as an American who sees and deeply understands how fragile the simple things in life are when leadership fails.”

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

Erika added, “This is what this country is all about. Citizens willing to step into the political arena, unafraid, and challenge a failing system, much like the one that has destroyed Los Angeles. I hope moments like this inspire more Americans to throw their names into the mix, run for office, get involved and stand up for what makes this country exceptional.”

Pratt, who is currently ranked second in the highly-contentious mayoral race after announcing his candidacy on the one-year anniversary of the deadly L.A. fires that destroyed the Palisades and Pratt’s home, also gained the support of President Donald Trump.

“I’d like to see him do well,” Trump 79, told reporters on Wednesday, May 20. “He’s a character. I assume he probably supports me. I heard he does [support me]. I heard he’s a big MAGA person. He’s doing well.”

More details related to Tom Hardy‘s alleged firing from “MobLand” have come to light amid claims he got into “clashes” with producers.

Reports highlighted that the producers decided not to continue with the actor for a third season of the show due to tensions and disagreements on set.

However, sources claim Tom Hardy also had a fraught relationship with a co-star when the cameras were off, describing his attitude on set as “arrogant.”

Hardy may have gotten into “clashes” with producers of his show, but insiders claim he also “enraged” his co-star, Dame Helen Mirren, with his attitude on set.

According to the Daily Mail, a source revealed that Mirren had her reservations about Hardy’s behavior on set.

“Tom’s character is charming. He’s the calm one, but it is quite the opposite when the cameras stop. Dame Helen is a joy; she is a total pro, and she has worked with so many people over the years,” the source noted.

The actress was said to be growing “frustrated” with how Hardy acted off camera, as he would sometimes be caught using his phone to play games when he was meant to be at a certain location.

“She is getting increasingly frustrated with Tom and his attitude. He can be late to filming, too, and that is annoying for Dame Helen, who is extremely professional and disciplined,” the insider alleged. “His tone is something Dame Helen doesn’t like, along with his lateness.”

“She expects better,” they added. “She holds people to a high standard. She’s 80. She’s been there and seen it all.”

Tom Hardy Was Described As ‘Very, Very Arrogant’

Speaking more on Hardy’s alleged on-set behavior, the insider described him as “arrogant,” claiming that his behavior began to affect Mirren, who no longer seemed happy working with him in the scenes they shared.

“The behind-the-scenes crew watch it all and believe that she no longer looks as happy working on scenes with him,” the source said. “It has all become quite personal between them.”

“It feels like Tom is winding her up,” they continued. “There is much chatter that he swaggers around like he’s the king. He is very, very arrogant. It’s a fantastic show, and everyone loves working on it. It’s such a shame there is this undertone.”

A Puck News report shared the news that Hardy will not return to the show where he plays the role of Fixer, Harry Da Souza, alongside Mirren and Pierce Brosnan, for a third season.

“I’m told Paramount recently opted not to pick up Hardy for season three,” the newsletter read, adding that “clashes with producers Jez Butterworth and David Glasser, among others, during the recent production of season two,” led to the decision to fire the star.

‘MobLand’ Has Yet To Be Picked Up For A Third Season

Reports of Hardy’s firing have raised eyebrows for many reasons, but mostly due to the fact that a third season for the show has yet to be announced.

According to TMZ, sources stated that the door is not totally shut on Hardy, describing the current situation as “fluid” since the series hasn’t even been renewed yet.

To add to the confusing situation, a former British journalist, Scott Jones, shared in a viral X post that most of the show was filmed near where he lived, and he never noticed any sign of tension between Hardy and the showrunners.

“Tom Hardy was on set early doors (ask the Mums who were doing school drop-off) and often late into the evening,” Jones said. “I spoke to SCORES of crew, some main actors, and a handful of extras (some of whom I’m still in contact with), there was NEVER even a hint of this being an unhappy set.”

“This seems VERY odd,” he added about the report of Hardy’s firing from the show.

Tom Hardy Once Clashed With Charlize Theron

Mirren’s alleged frustration with Hardy mirrors reports of his clash with Oscar award winner, Charlize Theron, during the filming of their 2015 blockbuster, “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

The former co-stars were said to have been involved in several heated moments, with Theron reportedly being frustrated with Hardy for coming to set late, and once branding the actor a “f-cking c-nt.”

According to New York Times columnist Kyle Buchanan, Theron was also worried about Hardy’s “aggressive” behavior on set to the point that she requested for a female producer to be close by for her “protection.”

Hardy, for his part, later admitted that their fallout was somewhat his fault, noting that he was in over his “head in many ways.”

“The pressure on both of us was overwhelming at times,” the actor told Buchanan, per Variety. “What she needed was a better, perhaps more experienced partner in me.”

The Actor Might Take A Long Break From Acting Due To Physical Issues

Prior to reports of Hardy’s firing, insiders claimed that the actor was considering taking a “major” break from Hollywood so he could rest and be with his loved ones.

A source told the Daily Mail in April that Hardy planned to “take a sabbatical,” adding that his schedule was clear as he had finished wrapping up filming of “MobLand” season two.

Hardy had also talked about the physical toll his acting roles had taken on his body in a chat with Esquire.

“I’ve had two knee surgeries now, my disc’s herniated in my back, I’ve got sciatica as well… It’s all falling to bits now, and it’s not going to get better,” Hardy told the publication, with sources later linking his desire for a break to his health remarks.

There is little question that we’re living in the age of miniseries. This genre of television consists of shows that don’t want to commit to multiple seasons, and, instead, opt to tell their story in one short season, usually running no more than 12 episodes. The miniseries gained widespread notoriety in 1977, when the TV adaptation of Alex Haley’s best-selling novel Roots became a ratings juggernaut for ABC and took home nine Primetime Emmy Awards.

While there have been numerous miniseries that have garnered both critical and audience praise over the years, the genre really hit its peak with the rise in streaming, which allowed services such as Netflix to create one-off programming that could easily be consumed in a weekend, and there is little to suggest that this will be changing anytime soon. So, to honor the miniseries that reshaped the TV landscape, here are the most bingeable series that you can watch over-and-over again, and never feel like you have to poke your eyeballs out.

9

‘Little Fires Everywhere’ (2020)

Image via Hulu

Let’s rewind the clock back to March 2020. As bad as that year was health-wise, 2020 was a great year for miniseries, as people were ordered to stay at home and protect themselves and their loved ones from the “Virus That Shall Not Be Named.” Everyone was searching for the best series to binge while passing the “two weeks” it would take to “flatten the curve” (no need to explain how that worked out), and during this time, people tuned in to an eight-episode Hulu drama called Little Fires Everywhere, based off of the 2017 novel by Celeste Ng that told the story of two Cleveland-area mothers (Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington) from different backgrounds and how their fates intertwined with one-another.

There was something both sad and uplifting about Little Fires Everywhere, and Liz Tigelaar and her team did a great job in weaving a story about loss, secrets, identity, and hope, all the while exposing the myth that following the rules of society can avert disaster. If you haven’t watched it, I highly recommend you do. It’s a tear-jerker, and a surprisingly bingeable series that will have you ugly-crying for a week.

8

‘Black Bird’ (2022)

Image via Apple TV

True crime shows were made for the miniseries format. The story structure is tight, it’s engaging, and can easily be told in a nice, six-to-12 episode-long season with binge-watching opportunities oozing through the screen. This perfectly describes Apple TV’s Black Bird, which premiered in 2022, and is (rightfully) considered among the best modern true crime miniseries of our era.

Based on the 2010 autobiography In with the Devil: a Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption by James Keene and Hilel Levin, Black Bird follows Keene, a once-promising football player who gets recruited by the FBI while serving time in prison. Although this is a fictionalized version of the story, the series doesn’t deviate much from the book, and why should it? The true story of Jimmy Keene is fascinating, and Dennis Lehane did a great job in staying true to the book. Let’s also give a standing ovation to Taron Egerton, who portrayed the talkative Keene masterfully.

7

‘Watchmen’ (2019)

Image via HBO

When HBO announced that they were making a TV series on the DC Comic Watchmen, the first thing that came to my attention-deficit mind was “why?” Did they not see the box office disaster that was Zack Snyder‘s 2009 version (even though I personally like it)? Why would HBO feel they would have better success than Warner Bros. did? Thankfully, when I watched the first episode in October 2019, I happily ate my words. Creator Damon Lindelof did an incredible job bringing Watchmen to life, and it was crystal clear that the story was better told in a TV format.

HBO’s Watchmen was a remix of sorts to the comic that gave birth to it; and, in my opinion, that is what made it work so much better than Snyder’s big-budget flop. Lindelof set off to create a new story that still stayed true to the Watchman universe, and we can’t overlook the binge-watching quality this series has, which is off-the-charts.

6

‘The Night Of’ (2016)

Image via HBO

As I mentioned earlier in the Black Bird entry, true crime is a genre that was made for the miniseries format, and no streaming service or network realizes this more than HBO. In 2016, they released The Night Of, an Americanized version of the famed British series Criminal Justice. Here, John Turturro stars as John Stone, a lawyer who is hired to represent Nasir Khan (Riz Ahmed), a college student who is on trial for the murder of a woman on New York City’s Upper West Side.

The Night Of is filled with tension from the first episode to the series finale, and the cast is simply phenomenal, creating the tension that will grip you and won’t let go. No wonder this drama took home five Primetime Emmy Awards.

5

‘When They See Us’ (2019)

Image via Netflix

Advertisement

This Netflix drama is tough to watch, and you wouldn’t think that a series that is hard to swallow at times would make for a great bingeable series, but When They See Us is different. For starters, the topic is so unbelievable, it will take multiple views for everything to sink in. Created by Ava DuVernay, When They See Us is based on the real-life events of the Central Park 5, a group of five Black and latino males who were falsely accused and convicted of sexually assaulting a jogger in New York City’s Central Park.

The five were later exonerated and awarded a settlement from the city in 2014, but the miniseries does a good job of highlighting the injustices wrought by the judicial system against people of color. As mentioned earlier, When They See Us is tough to watch, especially for people of color like myself. It can be enraging, but it is a story that needed to be told, and DuVernay was the right person to tell it and bring this sad stain of judicial injustice back to light.

4

‘Adolescence’ (2025)

Image via Netflix

Advertisement

There is something rather chilling about watching a young child, who should be enjoying his youth, being questioned for murder. That was the feeling I got when I watched Adolescence, and it didn’t fade after watching the final episode. So, I watched it again. And again. And again.

Each time, it was just as chilling as the last. That’s how unsettling this psychological drama is, and also what makes it great. With each episode being shot in just one take, you really get a sense of just how intense and dreadful the search for the truth was. The spectacular cast really goes in and turns out captivating and chilling performances that will make your spine shiver.

3

‘WandaVision’ (2021)

What can you say about the MCU shows that haven’t already been said? They are not up to the same quality as the movies are (well, were), and most have been a bust, except for WandaVision. Released in 2021, WandaVision is one of the rare MCU shows that was actually worth watching. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany didn’t cut corners here, and give A+ performances reprising their roles as Wanda Maximoff and Vision.

One of the ways WandaVision set itself apart from its counterparts was the way the showrunners and writers used sitcom tropes to tell its story. In fact, I’ll go to my grave professing that the pilot episode, “Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience,” is one of the best pilot episodes ever, and it set the series up for a tremendous finish. Thank God the producers didn’t make this a multiple-season show, it would have totally ruined the vibes.

2

‘Sharp Objects’ (2018)

Image via HBO

OK, I’m going to do a hot take here. Sharp Objects stands on the same pedestal as Oz, Band of Brothers and The Wire as one of HBO’s greatest original series, and I stand on business with that. There is just something unique and thrilling about this Marti Noxon-created psychological drama that will have you keeping your hands off of the remote.

Based on the Gillian Flynn novel of the same name, Sharp Objects follows a troubled reporter, Camille (Amy Adams), who heads back to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri to investigate the murder of two young girls. But this isn’t an ordinary reporting assignment for Camille, as she’s also forced to confront personal demons that she thought she long left behind when she left Wind Gap. Adams’ performance as Camille is truly spectacular, and it seems as if this role was specifically made with her in mind. Sharp Objects is dark, grim, and foreboding, and will leave you truly transfixed by this series for its entire eight-episode length.

1

‘Band of Brothers’ (2001)

Image via HBO

For a war drama that premiered 25 years ago, Band of Brothers still gets praised as one of the best war shows of its time, and one of the best shows ever made, and it deserves that praise and then some. Created by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, Band of Brothers follows a parachute unit during World War II as they train and head into battle to help the Allies defeat the Axis powers.

What makes Band of Brothers such a great miniseries is how real it all feels. It’s like we are right there on the field with East Company, experiencing everything they’re going through, and the hurdles they have to overcome while fighting in the war. All the events in Band of Brothers were based on actual events that happened during World War II, and everyone, from the cast to the crew, treated the source material with the respect it deserves. I’ll argue that Band of Brothers is just as, if not better, than any war movie, and if you’re looking for a show to binge-watch, this, along with the other shows on this list, should be teed up for your viewing pleasure.

Advertisement

Band of Brothers

Advertisement

Release Date

2001 – 2001

Network

Advertisement

HBO

Directors

David Frankel, David Nutter, Mikael Salomon, Phil Alden Robinson, Richard Loncraine, Tom Hanks

Advertisement

Advertisement

• 
• 

  Donnie Wahlberg

  C. Carwood Lipton

Advertisement

Advertisement

Lauryn Hill took to social media to celebrate her ex-husband Rohan Marley’s 52nd birthday and used the moment to shut down long-running infidelity claims, saying he “never cheated” on her.

Hill also raised eyebrows as she defended her decision not to release another album after her legendary debut, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” suggesting Hollywood power players played a role.

Hollywood luminary Lauryn Hill has set the record straight on long-running relationship rumors surrounding her previous marriage, declaring that her ex-husband, Rohan Marley, never cheated on her.

The Grammy winner used a recent birthday post on Instagram to clear up the speculation. She shared a throwback photo of herself and Marley with their children when they were younger, captioning it, “Happy Birthday @romarley! We have been through a lot, but I will always be grateful to you and for you as my protector, my defender, and Father to our beautiful children.”

“I hope you’re being celebrated and appreciated today and every day,” she continued. “For those who didn’t know better, @romarley never cheated on me! I remember the beginning when we were young, majestic, and uniting our worlds. Have a blessed one, King.”

Hill And Marley’s Split Remains Unclear

Hill and Marley were together from 1996 to 2008 and welcomed five children together, including vocalist YG Marley and model Selah Marley. Although Hill often referred to Marley as her husband, reports suggest they were never legally married.

Speculation has long surrounded the cause of their split, but Hill denied in 2011 that Marley had “abandoned” her while she was pregnant.

“Contrary to the numerous reports, Mr. Marley did not abandon me while pregnant with his child,” Hill explained in the since-deleted post, per Hello!. “We have had long periods of separation over the years, but our five children together remain a joy to both of us.”

Marley Said He Couldn’t Accept ‘Certain Things’

Nevertheless, Marley maintained in an interview with The Voice around the same time that although Hill was not a “bad person,” there were “certain things” he could not “accept” in their relationship.

“As a man, there are certain things I don’t accept,” he said. “And it just so happened that I didn’t accept certain things [in the relationship]. It doesn’t mean she’s a bad person, or I’m a bad person, it just didn’t work out.”

“[Our relationship] is good as in … in terms of being a mother and father to our children, it’s good. It’s not as perfect as one might want it to be. It’s just the way the road went,” he continued.

Another factor that seemingly affected their family dynamic was Hill’s three-month jail stint for tax evasion, during which their five children relied on Marley for care and support.

Lauryn Hill Faced Paternity Claims From Wyclef Jean

Hill faced damaging allegations involving the paternity of her and Marley’s eldest son, Zion, when her former Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean released his controversial autobiography.

In the book, titled Purpose: An Immigrant’s Story, Jean claimed the group’s fallout began after Hill allegedly made him believe the child was his and not Marley’s, per BET.

“When Lauryn gave birth, I learned the truth: the child wasn’t mine. It was Rohan Marley’s,” he wrote. “And in that moment, something died between us. I was married, and Lauryn and I were having an affair, but she led me to believe that the baby was mine, and I couldn’t forgive that.”

He added, “She could no longer be my muse. Our love spell was broken through her creation.”

Lauryn Hill Blamed Industry Politics For Album Hiatus

More recently, the “Doo Wop (That Thing)” singer caused a stir online when she revealed why she never released another album after 1998’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”

Her remarks came in response to a viral post that suggested she may have run into roadblocks while trying to release a follow-up project, including creative ownership battles and the exhaustion that came with her fame.

However, Hill disagreed, suggesting that her long hiatus from releasing albums was more tied to industry bottlenecks, executive power plays, and the pressure that followed her breakout success.

“When you’re inspired and desire to be principled, what doesn’t get talked about enough is the drain… nor the challenge to find safety so that you can create with integrity,” she began. “Most see opportunity as dollars only and often exclude the ‘sense.’”

She then went on a lengthy rant about greed, claiming money began to “degenerate the art” and adding that creativity is “most potent when it’s free.”

“The wild thing is no one from my label has ever called me and asked how we can help you make another album, ever!” Hill said. She continued, “With ‘The Miseducation,’ there was no precedent. I was, for the most part, free to explore, experiment, and express. After ‘The Miseducation,’ there were scores of tentacled obstructionists, politics, repressing agendas, unrealistic expectations, and saboteurs EVERYWHERE.”

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 37 seconds ago

One of the reasons that Star Trek became such a major cultural phenomenon is that it invented some killer sci-fi tropes that really resonated with mainstream audiences. The transporter, for example, was such a cool concept that “Beam me up, Scotty” soon became part of our everyday vernacular. Similarly, Dr. McCoy’s gruff “He’s dead, Jim” became a common phrase in households around the world (even the non-geeky ones). Arguably, though, Star Trek’s most enduring trope is the idea of the redshirt. You know, those hapless security guards who end up getting killed by some horrific monster of the week so that Kirk can strike a heroic pose over his dead body.

The redshirt concept continued in future Trek shows, even though the uniform color changed. In shows like The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager, security officers wore yellow instead, but the idea was the same: any of them (including main characters like Tasha Yar!) could get killed at any time. However, Scott Bakula, the biggest star of Enterprise, actually forced writers to abandon this trope for “Strange New World,” a decision that saved the episode and also established Archer as the safest captain in Star Trek history!

The First Canonical Red Shirt?

The episode “Strange New World” really lives up to its title, as the Enterprise decides to explore a planet that has an Earth-like atmosphere. Unfortunately, things go south when a storm forces the Away Team into a cave where they see scary alien rock monsters. However, that turns out to simply be a hallucination caused by some alien pollen on the planet’s surface. In addition to causing hallucinations, it caused some of the Away Team to be wary of T’Pol’s true intentions. Their paranoia was all for naught, though, as she is able to administer a cure to everyone infected, restoring them to their right minds.

The alien pollen in “Strange New World” is no joke, and it very nearly kills Novakavich, one of the lower deckers who joined the Away Team. Fortunately, Dr. Phlox is able to cure him before that happens. As it turns out, though, Novakavich was supposed to die in the original script, which would have made him the first red shirt to get killed in this new Star Trek spinoff. However, that death was written out because of the show’s biggest name: Captain Archer actor Scott Bakula.

Scott Bakula Gives The Script A Second Opinion

Episode co-writer Mike Sussman revealed in an old interview with Larry Nemecek what Bakula hated about this plot point. The Quantum Leap star objected to the idea of killing off an Enterprise crew member like he was just another red shirt on The Original Series. Bakula felt that something like this was a big deal and that the crew would need to mourn the dead and process what happened. “It was felt at the time that the death of a crewmember would require time to show Archer and the crew dealing with the loss, and there wasn’t time for such a scene,” Sussman said. The producers were convinced by Bakula’s argument, and Novakavich lived, though he never appeared again.

While this likely wasn’t Scott Bakula’s intention, his objection to this red shirt’s death ended up making him arguably the safest of the onscreen captains in Star Trek history. After he saved Novakavich from his scripted death, it wasn’t until two years later (in the episode “Anomaly”) that Archer lost a crewman!  Love him or hate him, that makes this Enterprise captain a far safer guy to work for than Kirk, Picard, Sisko, or Janeway, which is that much more impressive given his limited technology and lack of spacefaring experience.

Certainly, some fans would have liked for “Strange New World” to include one of those grisly, unexpected deaths that The Original Series was so famous for. Personally, I love that this Enterprise episode subverted our expectations, a further signifier (as if the theme song wasn’t enough!) that this show was unlike any Star Trek series we had ever seen. And thanks to Scott Bakula, Archer boldly gained what no captain had gained before: a clean OSHA certification! 

Fox News is reacting to a viral conspiracy theory claiming a vice admiral wore a Mission Impossible-like mask during an on-air interview in an effort to hide his real identity.

Vice Admiral Robert Harward, a retired Navy Seal and the former Deputy commander of the United States Central Command, appeared on the network’s show America’s Newsroom on Tuesday, May 19, to share his expertise and personal opinions on the ongoing war in Iran with hosts Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino.

During his appearance, a shadow was cast on the base of the former Seal’s throat, sparking an instantly-viral claim that Harward was wearing a silicone, life-like mask in the hopes of hiding or at the very least obscuring his true identity.

“Fox aired an interview with retired Robert Harward, former Deputy Commander of CENTCOM,” one social media user wrote. “I think the Deep State does this a lot to make it difficult to figure out what on this Flat Earth is going on.”

Related: Whoopi Goldberg Slams Theory Pentagon Is Using Taylor Swift for Control

Whoopi Goldberg needs people to calm down — especially when it comes to Fox’s latest conspiracy theory that Taylor Swift is being used by the government to control the masses. “There are real issues impacting millions of Americans,” Goldberg, 68, said during the Thursday, January 11, episode of The View. “This is what the Fox […]

“The Robert Harward Fox News interview doesn’t mean he’s dead, replaced, or alien. He was very likely just unavailable that day,” another wrote.

Even famous influencers and musicians were publicly questioning the vice admiral’s Fox News appearance.

“I need an explanation Or ima feel like we under siege with mind control!” Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill wrote via X on Friday, May 22, reacting to the interview and the strange shadow on the vice admiral’s neck. “Wassup with bro bro neck!”

Others, however, seemed to make comments in jest, poking fun at the viral claims and online conspiracy theories.

“That motherf***er is NOT real!” Meghan McCain, former The View cohost and daughter of the late Senator and presidential hopeful John McCain, wrote via X while sharing a clip of the interview, seemingly poking fun at claims Harward is not who he claims he is. (McCain, 41, was referencing Tiffany Gomas’ infamous airplane rant.)

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Fox News later issued a statement in response to the conspiracy theories, which gained so much online traction the prediction-betting platform Polymarket started taking bets on whether Harward was, indeed, hiding his true identity.

“Vice Admiral Robert Harward appeared on FOX News Channel earlier this week via a remote, mobile camera operated by an outside vendor,” the network wrote in a statement to TMZ published on Friday. “During the interview, lighting conditions in the van contrasted with the vice admiral’s jacket, which caused a shadow to appear on his neck.”

The former Navy Seal has not publicly commented on the viral reaction to his Fox News interview.