By TeeJay Small
| Published 31 seconds ago

Every once in a while, I find myself trolling Hulu for weird, obscure movies that might scratch my niche interests. This is how I’ve come across such underrated hits as Self Reliance, The Death of Stalin, and an obscure little indie film called Shrek 2. Last week, I was surprised to stumble upon The Luckiest Man In America, which released in 2024 with a stacked cast, an exciting premise, and a top-tier trailer.

A Game Show With A Stacked Cast

Somehow, this film must have completely missed my radar upon release, but The Luckiest Man in America has all the makings of a movie I’d love to watch. Paul Walter Hauser appears in the main role, as real-life game show contestant and down-on-his-luck ice cream vendor Michael Larson.

After essentially scamming his way into a slot on the show Press Your Luck, Larson attempts to take home the biggest game show payday anyone has ever seen. Along the way, the cast and crew of Press Your Luck panic at the idea of losing tens of thousands on a single episode, prompting them to sabotage Larson’s game.

The Luckiest Man in America feels like a game of cat and mouse, a fever dream, and a little piece of Americana all rolled into one. The tension rises throughout the narrative perfectly, all while rarely leaving the set of the game show.

Larson’s shady behavior keeps you on your toes the entire time, and PWH’s performance is one of his best. The supporting cast of The Luckiest Man in America includes a suite of character actors who all knock it out of the park as well, including Walton Goggins, Shamier Anderson, Johnny Knoxville, and Game of Thrones‘ Maisie Williams.

Decades In The Making

The Luckiest Man in America was written and directed by a relatively unknown filmmaker named Samir Oliveros. Apparently, a draft of the script had been floating around since the late 1990s, with Bill Murray originally attached to take on the leading role. While that sounds like it might have been a really fun take on the material, I’m actually glad this project spent a quarter of a century in development hell. Personally, I don’t think anyone else could have brought this story to life quite like this team, and I definitely think the varnish of 80s nostalgia plays better today than it would have in the year 2000.

My only gripe with the movie is that it ends pretty abruptly. I was along for the ride on this one, and I would have fully enjoyed it if the film had gone on for hours. Still, like a prolific game show performance, all great things must come to an end. If you’re interested in checking out this oddball thriller, be sure to stream The Luckiest Man in America on Hulu today.

The Luckiest Man in America SCORE

Days of Our Lives has Jeremy Horton (Michael Roark) building up a big pile of false hope where Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein) is concerned. And this babysitting gig that Alex Kiriakis (Robert Scott Wilson) surprisingly took on revealed the Achilles heel in his and Stephanie’s marriage.

And it is something Jeremy is about to exploit to his advantage. Turns out he may not be psycho anymore, but he is still fixated on Stephanie and we’re gonna talk about Jeremy taking a wrecking ball to Stephanie’s marriage.

Days of our Lives: Stephanie Calls Jeremy Over

So, after Alex and Stephanie argued again about several things, including him showing up without checking with Stephanie before he brought Chanel Dupree DiMera‘s (Raven Bowens) baby home with him. You know, things were tense. They were tense before that and tense after that.

Alex left to take little Trey for a walk and Stephanie immediately called Jeremy over to hang out with her and comfort her. I mean, Stephanie shouldn’t be having her ex-boyfriend over while Alex is gone. Let’s be real. Plus, her husband remains suspicious of Jeremy, as he should be.

While Stephanie was venting to Jeremy, she told him she lost it on Alex. And of course, that has to thrill Jeremy, right? And he reassured Stephanie that he’s also a mess after the ordeal. That seems maybe untrue. Jeremy seems pretty calm and he’s thinking clearly and strategically.

So, Stephanie was telling Jeremy about Alex wanting kids. She’s not sure and Jeremy’s all, oh, Alex doesn’t understand what you’re going through. You know, Jeremy is all sympathy and understanding about what Stephanie’s dealing with. And then she brought up the fact that Alex had a pregnancy scare with Joy Wesley (AlexAnn Hopkins) last year.

Jeremy Calls His Dad on DOOL

And from there, Jeremy trotted home to Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth) for a quick catchup before he did something devious. So, he heard about Lani Price (Sal Stowers) and the twins arriving in Salem. You know, small talk, small talk. Then Jeremy hustles off to call his dad, Mike Horton (Roark Critchlow), to ask him for a phone number.

Now, I bet I know whose phone number it is. Consider this. Joy’s mom, Nancy Wesley, dated Jeremy’s dad, Mike, about four years ago. So, I guess that he still has Nancy’s contact info. And Joy was heading back to New York to be with her mom after lying and saying she’s not pregnant. If you recall, Joy took a pregnancy test and then lied right to Stephanie and Alex’s face.

And Joy said she wasn’t pregnant when she most definitely was. So, we don’t know right now exactly how much Jeremy knows for certain. Clearly, their parents were close and they may have remained close. So, Jeremy may know that Joy had a baby, but Jeremy might not have known who the dad was.

Or maybe he didn’t know that Joy had a baby. But Jeremy may call just to check in to poke around, nose around and see if it’s Alex’s baby. So, I feel whether he knows nothing or a little, you know, I don’t know if Jeremy knows the whole story about Joy.

But Jeremy may in fact be calling to get more info, like a fact-finding mission..And he just told Stephanie he’s staying in Salem. Jeremy told Alex before he even left the hospital that he was staying and Alex told Jeremy, “Leave Salem now.” He refused. I’m sure Stephanie’s glad that Jeremy stayed around.

Days of our Lives: Jeremy May Tell Joy To Come To Salem

And we know by the end of this week, Joy Wesley is at Alex and Stephanie’s door. And it looks like Jeremy has smelled blood in the water and he’s going to tell Joy this is her big chance to get Alex back. That’s where I expect this is going. I expect Jeremy may tell Joy, “Oh, guess what I just found out? Alex wants kids and Stephanie doesn’t.”

And their relationship is at a really weak point because of this kidnapping and all this. Jeremy may tell Joy, “This is it now or never. If you want to be with Alex and raise your child together, you need to get to Salem right now.” So, this is all based on the assumption that Joy had a healthy pregnancy that went to term and her and Alex’s baby is healthy and fine.

If so, the kid should have been born in like October or November if they stuck with an actual, you know, 40-week timeline. So, Joy could show up with an adorable little six-month-old. That kid would be just a few months younger than baby Trey, as a matter of fact.

So, when Joy shows up at Alex’s door later this week, it’s not out of nowhere. It’s not a random return. It looks like Joy is either conspiring with Jeremy or that he has fed Joy enough info to trigger her to show up. And I’m sure Jeremy’s hoping it’ll break up Stephanie and Alex’s marriage once and for all.

Jeremy’s Plan May Not Work Out on Days

What’s interesting is just based on timelines, doesn’t look like it’s going to work out well for Jeremy because Michael Roark’s last air date is April 29th. So that has Jeremy leaving just a few episodes after Joy arrives at Alex’s door. Now, as far as we know, there’s no recast of Jeremy coming unless they kept it a huge secret. Otherwise, it could be that his plan to use Joy to rip Stephanie and Alex apart may not work out in his favor on Days of our Lives.

You know, like if Jeremy is exposed for being the one who told Joy to come to Salem to look for Alex and bring the baby, I think that would kill any interest Stephanie has in Jeremy because she would see him as the same old manipulator he was before. But they could throw a big curve and Stephanie leaves town with Jeremy. But I don’t think so. That’s not on my bingo card.

So, it seems like no matter what he and Joy pull, they’re not going to both get what they want. But we could see Alex being thrilled to find out he and Joy have a baby. And of course, Stephanie likely won’t be thrilled because Joy lied to them at the time, right to their faces. But in the end, Jeremy’s part in whatever’s going on could be exposed and he could walk out of town.

So, it could be that his final action before his character exits is for him to push a wedge between Stephanie and Alex, even if Jeremy’s not going to be there to take advantage of it, because Joy and Alex’s baby being in Salem, that’s enough to cause plenty of problems for his marriage.

Days of our Lives: Will Stephanie Walk Away?

Now, of course, we’ll wait to see whether Joy can get anywhere with Alex. Now, I’m sure he would love their baby, assuming there is a baby, but that doesn’t mean he’ll have any affection for Joy other than being the mother of his child. He does love Stephanie, but then again, I could see her letting Alex go.

If Stephanie knows how badly Alex wants a child, I think Stephanie might walk away. And really, Alex himself may not know how badly he wants a child until he holds his own child in his arms. Stephanie might see in that moment that Alex will never be happy without children of his own. And if he could make do with just one, well, he has one and he can co-parent with Joy.

But if this whole thing has Alex deciding he doesn’t want just one, he wants more kids, and Stephanie hasn’t changed her mind and still doesn’t want any, this could be the end of them. Even though Alex and Stephanie really love each other. So, while Jeremy may not get to take advantage of it, he could be the thing that breaks their marriage.

B.J. Novak is sharing rare insight into his role as godfather to Mindy Kaling’s three kids.

During his appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Monday, April 20, Novak, 46, was asked about the “best gift” he ever gave his godchildren.

“Kit nicknamed me Fofo, which is based on [the education app] Duolingo for kids character — the bear, Fofo,” the Office alum explained. “So, I got her a Fofo stuffed animal for her collection and that hit the spot.”

Related: Mindy Kaling’s Rare Family Photos With Her Children

Mindy Kaling doesn’t show her children’s faces via social media, but she has given glimpses of the little ones over the years. The Office alum welcomed daughter Katherine in December 2017, waiting until November of the following year to show her Instagram followers a photo of her baby girl. Kaling, who has kept the paternity […]

Novak is the godfather to Kaling’s three kids, daughters Katherine “Kit,” 8, and Anne, 2, and son Spencer, 5.

WWHL host Andy Cohen praised Novak for how “present” he is with his godchildren.

“He gets on their level. He talks to them,” Cohen, 57, added.

Kaling, 46, has never publicly revealed the identity of her children’s father, leading some fans to speculate that it may be Novak. However, the actress shut down the rumors in a 2022 interview with Marie Claire, emphasizing that she and Novak are close friends.

“He’s the godparent to both my kids — and they have such a great relationship — and so far [the speculation hasn’t] affected my happiness at all, it hasn’t affected my kids or B.J.,” she said. “It doesn’t bother me. If that’s what is going to be titillating to people, I’ll take it.”

Kaling — who has been candid about being a single mother by choice — previously called Novak an “integral part” of her family while accepting her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February 2025. Novak also spoke on Kaling’s behalf at the ceremony, calling her an “incredible mother of three.”

“Mindy respects and understands [fame] in a very intuitive way, because in addition to being a brilliant and wildly successful showrunner, [she is] an incredible mother of three, a deep and caring daughter and friend and mentor to so many,” the Vengeance star said.

Novak continued, “You’d be on the walk of talent if they had one. You’d be on the walk of friendship. You’d be on the walk of compassionate parenthood, but let’s face it all of these would be terrible field trips, so here you are instead, very deservedly, a person who means so much to so many on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.”

Kaling first announced she was pregnant in 2017, giving birth to Kit later that year. She later welcomed Spencer in September 2020 and Anne in February 2024.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

In February 2024, Kaling opened up about how motherhood has changed her life.

“It’s really rewarding, being a mom and spending time with these two people who look like me,” she told WSJ Magazine at the time. “I love them, and they’re so funny. In terms of my career, I’m a single mom, I’m the breadwinner in the house.”

The Never Have I Ever creator continued, “So there’s a lot of panic that comes with that, the buck stops with me, I have to earn money for them. Having kids is everything — wanting to be a good role model and wanting to produce content that doesn’t embarrass them and makes them proud is another layer to my life and a complication that I welcome.”

By Robert Scucci
| Published 28 seconds ago

Some of my favorite movies lean heavily on vibe, color, and a musical score that evokes a pure sense of dread. Panos Cosmatos’ Mandy (2018) rips through your consciousness like shattered glass through wet tissue paper with its hallucinogenic, magenta-tinted Nicolas Cage rampage, and it’s such a cathartic film because the visuals and sound design come together in such an enthralling way. Cosmatos’ first film, 2010’s Beyond the Black Rainbow, has all the elements I love about Mandy, but its journey is an inward one that sinks deep into the subconscious.

If I had to compare the film’s aesthetic and setting to other well-known properties for context, it would be the first season of Stranger Things crossed with 1980’s Altered States. Ironically, the Duffer Brothers, who through interviews have made it increasingly apparent that they somehow became wildly successful in spite of their own creative instincts, deny any connection between their hit Netflix series and Beyond the Black Rainbow. For what it’s worth, I made this connection going in blind, before even checking the Wikipedia page.

That same Wikipedia page cites an article from The Hollywood Reporter in which Matt Duffer was outraged over allegations of taking inspiration from Beyond the Black Rainbow, while Ross admitted to seeing “a little bit” of it. So maybe it’s just a coincidence that half of the duo behind Hawkins Lab is at least aware of the film’s aesthetic. If only Lucas Sinclair didn’t believe in coincidences anymore, but I digress. 

Let’s Not Get Into The Nitty Gritty Details Here

I love a good plot rundown. I don’t care about spoilers. You could tell me every twist ending ahead of time and it wouldn’t bother me. That just means I can look for clues on my first viewing and try connecting the dots. For some reason, and I know I’m in the minority here, spoilers can make movies better because you’re free to just watch and appreciate what’s happening.

That said, you really don’t have to know much about Beyond the Black Rainbow to enjoy it. There’s a definitive plot, protagonist, antagonist, and existential dilemma, but watching this movie is more of a cathartic, audiovisual experience than a narrative one.

We’re introduced to the head of research at the Arboria Institute, Barry Nyle (Michael Rogers). The institute, like I said, bears a striking resemblance to the Hawkins National Laboratory depicted in Stranger Things, where mind-control experiments are conducted on children. That could be coincidence, as both seem heavily influenced by the Montauk Project conspiracy theory. Living in captivity at the institute is Eleven… er, sorry, Elena (Eva Bourne), who has psychic powers kept in check by a powerful glowing prism.

The facility itself was founded by Mercurio Arboria (Scott Hylands), a drug-addicted recluse who Barry occasionally reports to, despite their strained relationship. Through hypnotic, drug-addled sequences, we learn that Barry is sexually obsessed with Elena and is also connected to her mother through his work, though he never fully discloses how right off the rip. Elena, when she’s not subdued by a cocktail of drugs or the prism dulling her powers, has a lethal mind that requires constant monitoring from staff like Nurse Margo (Rondel Reynoldson), along with guards known as Sentionauts, who can subdue her with injections if she gets too feisty after being mentally tortured all day.

Watch It With Headphones

Beyond the Black Rainbow is all about mind control, hallucinations, and sinking deep into your subconscious while experiencing a spiritual awakening under hostile, controlled conditions. The best way to watch this film is with your full attention. Not to catch Easter eggs or subtle clues, though there are plenty, but because of how immersive it is. If there’s a single movie you could describe as a fever dream, it’s this one. Lights and sounds throb in lockstep as your entire being gets assaulted by neon flickers that make you feel like you’re being pulled into a trance against your will.

If you lock into Beyond the Black Rainbow just right, it barely feels like a movie. It establishes a vibe that pulls you in, and you just exist with these characters for 109 minutes straight. Voices distort, scenes and faces melt from one frame to the next, and the whole experience is dizzying and disorienting from start to finish. If I had to sum it up in two words, they’d be “viscerally upsetting,” and I mean that as a compliment of the highest order.

Panos Cosmatos set out to make viewers uncomfortable with his debut, and he succeeds in every conceivable way. There are layers of meaning and consciousness throughout, but it’s best to go in and let them reveal themselves. I can’t say I’ll be throwing this into regular rotation, but once every couple of years, when I’m feeling a disproportionate amount of existential dread and want to sink into an audiovisual representation of that feeling, Beyond the Black Rainbow is the kind of soul ripper that pushes you straight through your own ego death as the inhabitants of the Arboria Institute pry open their third eyes and bleed into the ether.

Beyond the Black Rainbow SCORE

As of this writing, Beyond the Black Rainbow is streaming for free on Tubi.

Beef is back on Netflix, but its return is looking a lot less explosive than the first time around. The Emmy-winning series made a big impression in 2023 by turning a road-rage setup into one of Netflix’s most talked-about original hits, and that kind of breakout success always makes a follow-up harder. Season 2 has arrived with a fresh cast, a new feud, and a much glossier setting, but the early numbers suggest it hasn’t landed with the same force out of the gate. It’s still on the chart, which matters, but the size of the drop is hard to ignore.

According to Variety, Beef Season 2 debuted at No. 10 on Netflix’s English-language TV Top 10 for April 13 through April 19 with 2.4 million views after premiering on April 16. That is a steep fall from Season 1’s launch, which drew 34.1 million hours viewed in its first week in 2023, or about 5.8 million views when adjusted for runtime. In other words, the new season’s opening is down by roughly 58%. The first season also peaked in week two with the equivalent of 12 million views, so Season 2 still has room to grow, but this is a much softer start.

Who Stars in ‘Beef’?

​​​​​​​

This second season swaps out Steven Yeun and Ali Wong for a new cast led by Oscar Isaac​​​​​​​ and Carey Mulligan, reuniting the two stars after Drive and Inside Llewyn Davis. They’re joined by Charles Melton, Cailee Spaeny, Youn Yuh-jung, Seoyeon Jang, and William Fichtner in a new story set around a wealthy California country club, where a fight between a boss and his wife pulls two younger outsiders into a spiraling mess of blackmail, favors, and violence. It’s still recognizably Beef, just with a cleaner, richer, and more socially corrosive setup than the first season’s suburban pressure cooker.

Collider’s review stated that Beef Season 2 is ambitious, well-acted, and often compelling, but it never feels as sharp or complete as the first season. Instead of centering on one tightly wound conflict, this new story spreads itself across two couples, class issues, race, beauty standards, healthcare, and more. That gives the season a lot to say, but not enough time to say it well. The review felt that the “show is trying to do too much with too little. With double the protagonists, the season would have had more room to breathe with even just ten episodes, allowing for the final arc — which takes our protagonists out of California and over to Korea — to feel a bit more natural in the transition.”

Beef is streaming now on Netflix.

Advertisement

Release Date

April 6, 2023

Advertisement

Network

Netflix

Showrunner

Advertisement

Lee Sung Jin

Directors

Hikari, Jake Schreier, Kitao Sakurai, Lee Sung Jin

Advertisement

Writers

Alice Ju

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 30 seconds ago

When it comes to science, moviegoers are willing to forgive some fudging of, say, the laws of thermodynamics or sound in space, but we know it’s all Hollywood magic. Yet there’s one myth that has persisted for decades, and Lucy, the Scarlett Johansson sci-fi action movie, puts it front and center: that humans use only 10 percent of their brain.

While the Luc Besson film pushed the myth to its breaking point, it managed to take root in pop culture because, like a spaceship going at the speed of light, or gigantic sea monsters able to exist without collapsing on themselves, this is a myth that, deep down, we want to be true. 

The Myth Of The True Potential Of The Human Brain

The origin of the 10 percent of the brain myth is unknown, though it may date back to the late 19th century, when neurology was emerging. Unable to get a clear picture of the human brain with the technology of the time, early researchers could have viewed only a fraction of the cells that make up the organ, leading to the belief that we use only 10 percent of it. What Lucy and the similar drug-fueled superpower movie Limitless put forth is similar to the early self-help gurus of the roaring 20s, who talked about the unlimited potential inside every human. 

Thinking of the time was that average humans only used a percentage of their brain, which means, by reading their books and listening to their talks, you weren’t average, you were special, and you used more of your mental power than those other peasants. If that sounds a lot like social media influencers today, that’s because everything’s already happened before. Though the basis comes from a myth designed to promote grifters, Lucy is still an original sci-fi action film worth watching today. 

Lucy Was A Massive Success

Lucy starts as a fairly normal movie, with Johansson’s Lucy forced to smuggle drugs that, when accidentally released in her stomach, start unlocking her brain’s latent power. In real life, accessing 100 percent of your brain at once is called a seizure, but here it grants a normal woman psychokinetic powers, enhanced speed and strength, and, of course, she knows Kung-Fu. Johansson gets to go full action-star and take down a crime syndicate before the film decides to get really strange in its last act. 

Grounding the action and increasing sci-fi elements are Johansson’s effortlessly cool performance and the dulcet tones of Morgan Freeman, the one man Hollywood studios trust to explain absurd sci-fi plots. Unlike Transcendence, the forgotten Johnny Depp AI film in which he has the same role, Lucy was a hit movie. Bringing in $463 million at the box office, the film was a massive success that easily eclipsed its $40 million budget.

The Lasting Appeal Of Lucy

The appeal of Lucy is simple: it’s a sci-fi action movie starring Scarlett Johansson, who, in the middle of her run as Marvel’s Black Widow, was approaching the peak of her popularity and power in Hollywood. It’s also from Besson, the director of The Fifth Element and The Professional, who could make reading from the phone book look amazing.

Who doesn’t want to think that with some hard work and dedication, you could unlock your true potential and become John Wick? Lucy is currently streaming on Netflix.

By TeeJay Small
| Published 31 seconds ago

Back in 2020, the United States was going through a series of dramatic once-in-a-lifetime events all at the same time. The global pandemic had us confined to our homes, binge-watching our favorite sitcoms. The tumultuous election cycle had us wondering if we’d ever see civility in our government again. And a series of viral police brutality encounters engaged a large-scale discussion about the nature of race and policing that spilled over into nationwide protests. While all this was going on, a handful of obnoxious caucasian executives decided they needed to be the center of attention for five minutes, so they banned a handful of TV episodes from streaming.

Several prominent TV series were struck with the ban-hammer over a few weeks in Summer 2020, including five episodes of FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The episodes in question featured a variety of characters donning dark makeup to perform black or brown-skinned caricatures. Whether it’s Dee Reynolds performing her Hispanic character Martina Martinez, or Mac’s ill-advised portrayal of Lethal Weapon‘s Roger Murtaugh, each instance of blackface has been scrubbed from the show.

This Is Not An Argument In Favor Of Blackface

Just to be clear, I don’t think any civilized person is arguing in favor of blackface. As a society, we have effectively all reached an agreement that white actors performing in minstrel makeup to mock or denigrate black people is weird, wrong, and patently unacceptable.

In fact, nobody makes that argument clearer than the cast and crew of Always Sunny, since that was literally the entire point of the now-banned episodes. Each instance of blackface in the show is met with shock and disgust from the rest of the gang, as part of a demonstration of how doing blackface is wrong.

It’s OK To Portray Flawed People Being Flawed

Banning these episodes, to me, scans like banning Star Wars because Darth Vader murders people. Killing people is precisely what establishes him as a villain that we’re supposed to root against.

If you can’t portray a flawed character doing something awful without audiences seeing it as some kind of endorsement, we may as well ban every movie, TV show, and video game that’s ever been made. What’s next? Should we ban every war documentary that makes a passing reference to the atrocities of the Nazis?

No One Was Offended By It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Blackface Episodes

Normally, I’m not one to argue about things like this, because I’m not impacted by the material. But in this case, it seems clear that nobody was offended by these It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia episodes in the first place. Absolutely nobody was talking about the show during the Black Lives Matter demonstrations during the Summer of 2020, and I’ve never encountered somebody who felt offended by these episodes and agreed with them being pulled.

From my perspective, it seems like the execs at Fox turned on their TVs and watched as protestors stormed the streets seeking police accountability. Then, realizing that they had absolutely nothing to contribute to that conversation, they searched for something inconsequential that might put their company in headlines. They pulled the episodes at the request of nobody at all, patted themselves on the back, and acted like they made some kind of grand gesture, probably while fraternizing with politicians in a Scrooge McDuck-style pool of gold coins.

What We’ve Lost

It’s been six years since the episodes were pulled, and I think it’s past time to put them back on streaming. Some of the episodes, such as “The Gang Recycles Their Trash” and “America’s Next Top Paddy’s Billboard Model Contest,” are foundational to the Always Sunny in Philadelphia catalog. Plus, new viewers are missing out on Paul Walter Hauser‘s hilarious cameo appearance as a young juggalo in “Dee Reynolds: Shaping America’s Youth.”

Hulu doesn’t need to make any major announcements about the episodes. Nobody has to come forward and admit they were wrong for virtue-signaling and attention-seeking by pulling the episodes in the first place. Just quietly reupload the banned episodes, and we can all move on with our lives. They’ve already done this for the single banned Community episode, which was pulled around the same time, and miraculously, nobody batted an eye.

Young and the Restless presents Sally Spectra (Courtney Hope) pregnant with Billy Abbott‘s (Jason Thompson) baby. And as this news spreads around, it’s going to shock a lot of people. Most notable on the list may be Adam Newman (Mark Grossman), who I think is going to be absolutely stunned by this baby bombshell.

We’re going to talk about those in Genoa City who are going to be affected either personally or just emotionally by Sally and Billy’s pregnancy news and we’re going to talk about how hard it will hit them and why. Let’s get right to it!

Sally’s Positive Pregnancy Test on Young and the Restless

So, recently Sally was having a day where she was feeling icky and so much so that she and Billy missed their flight to London to go see Jill. And Sally had an inkling that she might be pregnant.

So she had her bestie Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver) bring over a pregnancy test and sure enough it was positive. And then later with Billy, Sally took another test, also positive. So she told Billy the big news and he said he’s all in on the baby, whatever she decides.

So, now that Sally’s told Billy about the baby and she knows how he feels, we’re going to talk about some other people that Sally needs to tell about this baby bombshell. And we could get a big reaction from some key people.

Sally Proceeds with the Pregnancy on Young and the Restless

First off, I’m sure that Sally is going to keep the baby so long as it’s healthy and the pregnancy is viable, all that good stuff. And since Billy told Sally to do whatever, you know, she wants, whatever she feels is right, I feel like the future is wide open for them. But I’m also certain that even with the risks, Sally’s going to proceed despite her fears after losing baby Ava.

Plus, Sally is also worried about Billy’s past heartache over losing Delia when she was so young. And Sally remains terrified of losing another child. But at the same time, she’s happy and excited. She’s still wrapping her head around the whole idea of this baby with Billy, even if she’s afraid to let herself be happy just yet. So, I think Sally’s going to get there soon and just be all on board, you know, let herself get excited.

Sally Will Want to Tell Adam on Y&R

So, I also think that she’s going to want to tell Adam Newman personally. I have no doubt that Sally would prefer that Adam hears the pregnancy news from her mouth rather than from Billy. Because let’s face it, he might be a big old jerk to Adam about it.

There’s a chance Billy could say something really awful to Adam like, “I’ll take better care of Sally than you did so our baby will survive.” I mean, Billy still blames Adam for Delia’s death, even though I personally think it was mostly Billy’s fault for sloppy parenting. So, I’m sure Sally will want to avoid any drama between Billy and Adam. Those two can be really nasty to each other.

So, I think that he would be stunned but happy for Sally. However, this might hit Adam right in the feels because, you know, he lost their baby, too. But if you remember, on the anniversary of Ava’s loss, Adam totally blew it off. So, there’s still hurt there. And that was around the same time he was cheating with Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan).

Young and the Restless: Sally Talks to Nick

So, I’m also assuming that Sally will want to talk to Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) at some point. You know, Sally really used to love Nick and they were together when she was pregnant with baby Ava and Nick was, you know, still with her when she lost the baby.

So, I do think Sally also may want to tell Nick herself just out of courtesy and respect for their past. But Sally may have to wait to tell Nick her big news until he’s cleaned up from his whole drug addiction, cocaine, and fentanyl Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) nightmare.

How Others Will React on Y&R

I also expect Sally’s baby news is going to send shock waves all through town beyond her two ex-boyfriends reactions. Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor) and Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman), I think, will be happy for Sally and Billy. And we know Jack’s got a soft spot for Sally.

Remember, she had that big crush on him when she first came to Genoa City. Hello, Daddy issues, right? But I think Jack may worry that Billy could flake out on Sally and let her down, let their child down. So, Jack might caution Billy that he needs to stand up and be the man that Sally and this baby need.

And then of course there’s Billy’s ex, Chelsea Lawson, to consider who is currently with Adam. And I tend to think when Chelsea hears about Sally’s pregnancy, Chelsea might have a strong reaction. She may worry about Sally’s pregnancy having an effect on Adam since he and Sally lost that child together.

And of course, Chelsea and Adam cheated and broke up their relationships with Sally and Billy. So, it’s also messy. I also would assume that Chelsea’s already going to be upset when she finds out Adam was sucking face with Riza Thomas (Tina Casciani) in Vegas so much. So, this may kind of ice the trouble cake for Chelsea and Adam’s relationship.

Young and the Restless: Sally’s Friends Will be over the Moon

Then, of course, there’s Audra and Lauren Fenmore (Tracey E. Bregman). And Audra already knows obviously, but Lauren is going to be thrilled for Sally. However, I expect Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) is likely going to be catty when she finds out. Because she’ll be jealous that Billy’s having another kid with a woman that Phyllis feels threatened by, which is all women, basically. As for Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), I can see him telling Sally she’s breeding with a loser. We know how much he hates Billy Boy.

Sally May Tell Victoria on Y&R

Now, one last thing I can see somebody else that Sally will want to tell personally, maybe Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle). So Sally may want to tell Victoria herself before Billy gets to his ex-wife. And Sally may want to just privately ask Victoria how she feels about this before they tell the kids. Sally and Victoria talked a lot about Billy’s issues before on Young and the Restless.

If you remember, Sally opened up to Victoria about her father and Sally always being let down by him and cleaning up his messes. And I do think Victoria will be happy for Sally, but I think Victoria may be worried about Billy letting Sally down, which is a valid concern.

But Billy and Victoria’s kids, Johnny and Katie, I think they are going to be so happy about the baby. Because the kids really like Sally and I think they would be really excited to have a little brother or sister. That’s more fun than showing up with an adult sibling like Claire Newman (Hayley Erin), right?

Billy May Propose To Sally on Young and the Restless

So, all in all, I think most people will be happy for Billy and Sally, even Adam eventually once he sees how happy Sally is, hoping to see Billy behaving himself and being there for her. Because Sally is going to be scared and she needs a man to do right by her. And let’s hope Billy steps up.

Assuming everything goes well and Sally and Billy’s baby is born happy and healthy, I think this could be a really good thing. You know, we could see Sally and Billy making big changes. He’s got that nice house that Sally decorated already. So, I think she and Billy are going to stay there and Sally will design a gorgeous nursery for their baby.

Also, I could absolutely see Billy proposing to Sally at some point. You know, we could have Billy waiting until after the baby’s born. Because he doesn’t want to overwhelm Sally or, you know, make her think he’s proposing only because she’s pregnant.

And I’m sure the pregnancy and this big life change is going to give Billy a little push. But I do suspect marrying Sally might have already crossed Billy’s mind once or twice. So, we’ll see what’s next and how everybody reacts, most notably Adam, once the news spreads.