Rosie O’Donnell managed to taunt President Donald Trump without directly mentioning his name in her guest-hosting debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

“If you thought the president hated Jimmy Kimmel Live! when it was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, buckle up, people,” O’Donnell, 64, began her monologue during the Monday, August 17, edition of the ABC show.

O’Donnell kicked off a week-long stint filling in for Kimmel, 58, with a joke about what the world was like during her previous stint as a talk show host in the 1990s. (She hosted The Rosie O’Donnell Show from 1996 to 2002.)

“I haven’t sat behind a desk on TV in almost 30 years and a lot has changed since the ‘90s,” she said. “Well, back then, there was a war in the Middle East. Climate change was ravaging our planet, we had a president who was embroiled in scandals. But today, everything is so chill.”

O’Donnell then opened up about her move with her child, Clay, to Ireland in January 2025 on the eve of Trump’s second inauguration.

“I’ve been living in Ireland the last two years because of ‘Mango Mussolini,’” she quipped. “I read that Project 2025 and said, ‘I’ve gotta get myself out of here.’ I decided to go to Ireland, a place where people are driven to drink regardless of who’s running their country. I decided to move and I took my little then-11-year-old kid with me and I just said, ‘Whatever you do, don’t tell anyone. We don’t want a lot of press and a lot of paparazzi. So, please don’t tell anyone.’”

The comedian went on, “They’re a pretty smart kid, they got it. They said, ‘Don’t worry, I won’t,’ and then went to school and proceeded to tell their entire class [they were moving to another country] because ‘the President of the United States hates my mother. But, in all fairness, I believe my mother hates him more.’”

O’Donnell then shared a few charming anecdotes about living in Ireland among “the kindest people I’ve ever met.”

“To the people of Ireland, I send my love. I’ll be home soon,” she vowed.

O’Donnell finished off her debut Jimmy Kimmel Live! monologue by hinting that her decision not to mention Trump by name was deliberate.

“Right now, he’s in the White House crying because I haven’t mentioned him,” she teased.

O’Donnell recently returned to the U.S. for an extended stay over the summer for the Off-Broadway run of her one-woman show, Common Knowledge.

In June, Kimmel, 58, took great delight in revealing he’d personally selected O’Donnell to guest host his ABC show during his summer break.

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Related: Rosie O’Donnell Reveals Secret U.S. Trip After Leaving Amid Trump Presidency

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Rosie O’Donnell revealed she secretly traveled to the United States after leaving the country amid Donald Trump’s second term as president. “I was recently home for two weeks and I did not really tell anyone,” O’Donnell, 63, said after calling into SiriusXM’s Cuomo Mornings on Friday, February 13. “I just went to see my family. […]

“As a special treat for our commander-in-chief, I asked one of his all-time favorites, Rosie O’Donnell, to be here to keep the hits coming. So, you’re welcome,” he joked. “All I ask in return, Mr. President, is that you don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

O’Donnell later debunked reports claiming that she was in the running to potentially replace Kimmel for good, calling those claims “funny — and completely untrue” in July.

Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs on ABC weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET.

Justin Chatwin, who starred alongside Hayden Panettiere in her final movie, said the actress appeared to be “struggling” on set.

“Hayden seemed different when I met her this time than when I met her in the early years,” the Shameless alum, 43, told People in an interview on Monday, August 17, recalling how he first met Panettiere during her stint on the hit show Heroes in the mid-2000s before reuniting on Sleepwalker, which was released in January.

Chatwin continued, “I could tell she was struggling, and I was like, ‘I don’t think it’s this movie.’ There’s a handful of women that I’ve worked with that I really liked, and I really loved working with her, but I also know that she was really lonely.”

In Sleepwalker, Panettiere played a mom mourning the death of her daughter in a car accident. Chatwin played her abusive husband.

Related: Hayden Panettiere’s Addiction Battle: Everything She Said Before Her Death

Hayden Panettiere was open about her substance abuse issues, revealing the highs and lows of her sobriety journey prior to her shocking August 2026 death at the age of 36. Panettiere died of a suspected overdose on August 16, 2026. Authorities in South Carolina confirmed the following day that officers responded to a home after […]

“We hit it off great, and it was an awesome shoot, but it was about domestic abuse, and it was subject matter that may have hit close to home, because she did mention it,” Chatwin told People. “She opened up to me about a lot of things.”

“I’m sure that everyone else is going to say, ‘Oh, she’s amazing. She’s such a sweet person on set,’ because she was,” he added. “But we’re trained to be actors, so we’re acting on set, you know? And she is sweet. She had a beautiful heart. But we’re trained to be on, and I really liked spending time with her because she took that off, and she was authentic with me about her life and she opened up about her struggles with addiction. And who knows where it comes from? Does it come from Hollywood? Does it come from home? And a lot of times, it’s both.”

Panettiere died at age 36 on Sunday, August 16, in Greenville, South Carolina.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen,” her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement.

The Greenville Police Department said in a statement to Us, “On August 16, 2026, at approximately 1:51 PM, officers from the Greenville Police Department, accompanied by EMS personnel, responded to a report of an unresponsive female at Judson Mill Lofts, located at 701 Easley Bridge Road. Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

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Related: Celebrities React to Hayden Panettiere’s Sudden Death at 36

Hollywood is mourning the tragic loss of Hayden Panettiere at age 36. The Heroes and Nashville alum’s representative confirmed to Us on Sunday, August 16, that the actress had died. Details surrounding Panettiere’s death were not immediately available. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” Panettiere’s father, […]

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“The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. An acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call,” the statement added.

The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said Monday that an autopsy showed “no signs of trauma … that would have contributed to the death.”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

NBA YoungBoy has his fans weighing in after sharing a cryptic post about family on his Instagram Stories on Monday, August 17. The message was posted mere weeks after Mellow Rackz shared her new back ink featuring the married rapper’s face. Now, his fans are speculating about the reason for his new message and whether it’s linked to his wife, Jazlyn Mychelle.

RELATED: Social Media Reacts After NBA YoungBoy Shares Blunt Messages About Family & Loyalty (PHOTOS)

YoungBoy Shares A Mysterious Post About Family

Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, otherwise known as rapper NBA YoungBoy, shared a post about family on his Instagram Stories. Furthermore, he shared a family photograph of himself posing with Jazlyn Mychelle and two of their three children. The rapper noted that he “lost” the thing that completed his family. The artist has 13 children by multiple women, and Mychelle gave birth to the couple’s youngest child in February, per The Los Angeles Times.

“Honestly I feel like I lost the only thing complete my family,” he wrote. “But it’s cool, 5 I love you you need To come home cause that ain’t it. I’ll mind my business though,” he continued. “Like a gangster suppose too.”

“I forgot I was famous,” he added in another post.

RELATED: NBA YoungBoy Calls Out Critics As He Addresses Online Speculation That His Wife Jazlyn Mychelle Left Him (LISTEN)

Fans Raise Eyebrows After Mellow Rackz Tattoos NBA YoungBoy’s Face

The post comes just weeks after the ‘Bandit’ artist was seen getting cozy in a livestream with rapper Mellow Rackz. Subsequently, fans were surprised after Rackz live-streamed her new ink featuring none other than NBA YoungBoy’s real name, Kentrell, on her back. Not only that, but the 24-year-old tattooed an image of the artist on her back. Furthermore, the video was set to NBA YoungBoy’s track ‘No. 9,’ and she jumped on his livestream after sharing her tattoos.

Fans React To NBA YoungBoy’s Post With A Roast

After the post was shared on TSR’ Teens’ Instagram page, fans were not empathetic to the rapper’s family woes given his recent antics. Several noted that they think Mychelle has left the artist while others dragged him for filth over his post. Also, fans think Kentrell’s comment about forgetting he was famous is a reference to his online antics with the rapper and family strife with his wife.

User @theyyloveenae wrote, “Stop cheating then tf!”

User @its_dassah replied, “I love kentrell down but baby …u brought that on yourself 😂😂😂.”

User@ad0reclipz0.1 added, “😂😂she must finally left.”

@laynaadavillain wrote, “As she should tf.”

User stylishbarbie27 wrote, “Run girl run.”

@itssliyaah_ noted, “Jazz got df on & ion blame her.”

RELATED: Wrong Messenger? NBA YoungBoy Turns Heads After Telling Funny Marco To Never Trust A Cheating Husband (VIDEO)

Usher and Chris Brown have the extended dates for their now-infamous ‘The R&B Tour.’ Live Nation made the announcement on Monday, August 17, and fans have opinions on the added tour dates.

RELATED: Back On Track! Usher Fan Delivers Risqué Performance When Brought On Stage Following Viral Mishap (VIDEO)

Usher And Chris Brown Extend Dates For ‘The R&B Tour’

According to Billboard, Live Nation announced the additional tour dates on Instagram. The extended tour dates include eight additional shows in Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Columbia, S.C., East Rutherford, N.J., Miami, and Los Angeles.

Usher also announced the additional dates on Instagram.

“You all are STILL not playing about The R&B Tour! 🔥,” he wrote. “The love has been unreal, so we’re keeping it going and adding MORE DATES.📍 East Rutherford — Oct 15
📍 Baltimore — Oct 17
📍 Cincinnati — Oct 24
📍 Columbia — Oct 29
📍 Indianapolis — Oct 31
📍 Atlanta — Nov 5
📍 Los Angeles — Nov 16
📍 Miami — Dec 6. The fans have made this tour what it is. We see you. Let’s keep making it BIGGER!”

“Fans signed up for The R&B Tour presale will have access to the newly added dates starting Thursday, August 20th at 10am local,” he continued. “Sign up now thru Tuesday, August 18th at 10pm ET. General On Sale begins Monday, August 24th at 10am local time.”

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Fans Are Cuttin’ Up After Learning The Tour Dates And Cities

Fans reacted to the additional tour dates on Instagram, and they are generally excited about the extra performances. However, several had opinions about the cities left out of the tour, and they were not shy in expressing their disappointment on Instagram.

User @sabbathrose wrote, “YASSSSSSSS🔥🔥🔥🔥 My 3rd show is loading!!!😍😍😍😍.”

@traejay added, “Baltimoreeeee I’m going again.”

@miss.corrina replied, “That’s what I’m talking about cause NY/NJ showed yall mad love!!!!! Run it backkkk 🔥🔥🔥.”

User @yanna_920 replied, “Now why yall changed the ATL Saturday show to a Friday show.”

RELATED: Whoops! Chris Brown Takes A Tumble During Toronto Show, But His Bounce-Back Has Fans In Awe (VIDEO)

Conservative pundit Meghan McCain seemingly showed support for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez amid the Democratic politician’s fertility journey.

“As one of the few women left in conservative media who isn’t trying to live a trad wife life or peddle trad wife content — a lot of you sound so weird and mean talking about fertility, pregnancy, post partum,” McCain, 41, tweeted on Monday, August 17.

She then warned Republicans, “You’re scaring the normies. And you’re gonna need them in ‘28.”

While McCain did not directly address Ocasio-Cortez, 36, by name, there has been a heated discourse among conservatives around her recent decision to freeze her eggs. The congresswoman announced on August 8 that she felt “empowered” by making such an important fertility decision.

Related: Meghan McCain Slams Trolls Calling Her ‘Old and Ugly’: ‘I’m Going to Age’

Meghan McCain is shutting down trolls who called her “old and ugly,” revealing she is aging just like everyone else. “I am normally an Armadillo-skinned person, and there’s been a lot of commentary about how ‘old and ugly’ I am now,” McCain, 41, said during the Wednesday, July 22, of her and Miranda Wilkins’ “Citizen […]

“I want to share with you all a decision that is very personal that I have made that has taken me time to consider, weigh and save up for,” she said via her Instagram Stories at the time. “And it is of a sensitive matter and a personal matter and usually I keep my private life quite private, but I have made the decision to start freezing my eggs.”

However, many on the right criticized Ocasio-Cortez for her career aspirations, her age and more after learning she was freezing her eggs.

The New York representative addressed the backlash via an Instagram Story Q&A on Wednesday, August 12, when someone encouraged her to “ignore the idiotic Republican men saying dumb things.”

“They hate me ‘cause they ain’t me, and they can’t ever be me,” she wrote alongside a photo of her flashing a smile to the camera.

Criticism from conservatives has continued in recent days, though Ocasio-Cortez assured supporters that she did not regret publicly sharing her fertility journey.

“One question that I received earlier is do I regret coming out publicly about this due to all of the political negativity and the larger political context, and especially this idea that, for me, I’m quite young in my career — especially when it comes to politics — so would the backlash around this have any future impact on my career and do I regret it for those reasons,” Ocasio-Cortez said via her Instagram Story on Saturday, August 15.

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“And the answer to that simply is — no. I was born a woman. Period,” she went on. “And I have no control over that, and I wouldn’t want to change that. And the way I feel is any negativity or judgement that I would receive at any point is negativity that I would receive for being a woman whether I shared this information or not, and so I might as well help others.”

The Democratic congresswoman has represented New York City’s 14th congressional district since January 2019.

Us has reached out to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and McCain for comment.

Ben Affleck marked his 54th birthday with a low-key family gathering in Santa Monica, joined by his ex-wife Jennifer Garner and their children.

The celebration comes shortly after the death of his mother, Chris Anne Affleck, who died on June 2 at age 83 following a battle with cancer.

Ben Affleck was photographed at the upscale market Farmshop with his sons Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14, while Garner was also spotted at the same location, showcasing the pair’s bond with their children as co-parents.

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The birthday celebration marks Affleck’s first without his mother, whose passing has profoundly affected the actor and his brother, Casey Affleck.

A source told People Magazine about how the actor was coping: “Losing your mom is an unimaginable loss at any age, and they’re grieving deeply.”

The source added that the family is supported “by an incredible support system, and their kids have been a real source of comfort and strength during this heartbreaking time.” As reported, the family leans on one another, and they’ll “get through it together.”

Now, according to images obtained by the Daily Mail, Affleck spent part of his birthday with his children, Fin and Samuel, at an outing in Santa Monica as he did last year.

The trio was spotted at a Farmshop, dressing casually with Affleck in a striped shirt, dark trousers and shades.

Garner was also reportedly seen at the same Farmshop, although the former couple was not photographed together. The former couple also share a daughter, Violet, 20, who wasn’t present during the recent birthday outing.

See the images of their outing here.

The Actor’s Mother Achieved Her ‘Greatest Wish’ Before Her Death

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The passing of Affleck’s mother was first announced by the family last month through an obituary in the Boston Globe. She was diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma in December 2025 and was reportedly given six months to live.

In her death certificate obtained by US Weekly, the late mother of two died from cardiopulmonary arrest while “visiting her son’s residence” in Los Angeles.

As noted in the obituary, Chris’ “greatest wish” after her diagnosis was to see her grandson graduate from high school.

She achieved that goal on May 31 in attendance with her family, two days before she died “peacefully in her sleep.”

Affleck’s mother was a grandmother to five grandchildren, namely Indiana, 22; Violet; Atticus, 18; Fin; and Sam, who were referred to as “the animating force of her last two decades.”

Chris Anne Affleck Lived A Life Of Purpose And Advocacy

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Chris Anne was born in New York City in 1942. As a Harvard graduate, she spent 35 years educating in a public school in Massachusetts.

As stated in the obituary, Chris was a committed civil rights activist who taught literacy classes in Mississippi during the Freedom Summer of 1964. She reportedly marched against the Vietnam War and “reveled in 1960s counterculture.”

In a 2012 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Affleck spoke proudly of his mother, saying, “My mother taught public school, went to Harvard and then got her master’s there and taught fifth and sixth grade in a public school.”

Chris was fairly instrumental in launching the acting career of the ‘Good Will Hunting’ star. She reportedly connected her son to casting director Patty Collins, who was her roommate at Harvard.

Jennifer Garner And Ben Affleck’s Co-Parenting Bond

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The recent gathering at Affleck’s 54th birthday celebration highlights the wholesome co-parenting relationship between Affleck and Garner, who were married from 2005 to 2015.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Garner claimed Affleck’s reliability as a parent gave her freedom in her career. The ‘Five Star Weekend’ actress said in the report, “There is a time in your life where you just do get caught up in all of that, and that’s okay.”

She added that “Nothing is forever. That’s a season. And it’s a beautiful thing. And I wouldn’t trade a minute of it. But I feel like my kids are a little bigger. Their dad has become this incredible co-parent.”

Affleck has reportedly also offered similar praise. According to Today, the actor said, “I’m really lucky that I have a really good co-parent and partner in Jennifer Garner, the kids’ mom, who’s wonderful and great and we work together well.”

The pair have maintained a supportive dynamic, with Garner repeatedly attending the 54-year-old’s birthday celebration.

The Actor’s Ex-Wives Reportedly Rushed To Support Him After The Passing Of His Mom

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According to a previous report, Affleck received the support of both his ex-wives, Garner and Jennifer Lopez, following the news of his mother’s death.

An insider told Globe Magazine, “They’re both determined to surround him with as much love and support as possible.”

“Ben adored his mom; she was his everything, so her death has left him absolutely devastated,” they continued.

“It all happened very fast, so Ben’s still reeling,” the insider noted. “Without her, he feels very lost — and the people around him are worried because grief can be especially dangerous for someone in recovery.”

Funny Mike is opening up about his mental health and reflecting on some of the struggles he has faced behind the scenes. The content creator shared a concerning message online Saturday, Aug. 15, prompting fans and followers to encourage him to prioritize his well-being.

Related: Prayers Up! Funny Mike Mourns Loss Of “Bad Kids” Teen Tyruan Dunn Following Baton Rouge Shooting (WATCH)

On Saturday, Aug. 15, Funny Mike shared a post online that appeared to give followers a glimpse into his current headspace. In a tweet, the content creator expressed that life has taken a toll on him mentally and that he has been struggling to find happiness.

He wrote, “Life then beat me up mentally I’ll never be happy!”

The post quickly caught fans’ attention, with many encouraging Funny Mike to take time for himself and seek support. Others pointed out that people can appear happy and energetic in public while dealing with personal struggles privately.

The message also sparked conversations about Funny Mike’s recent breakup with the mother of his children, Jaliyah, with some followers questioning whether their split may be contributing to what he’s currently going through.

Social Media Reacts

Fans flooded the comments with messages of encouragement, advice and prayers for the content creator.

Instagram user @quianachere wrote, “🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 take a solo vacation and pour into yourself see a therapist you do a lot for people around you but who do for you? It’s time to put you first even if losing people around you 🤷🏽‍♀️ praying one day you find your happiness again”

Another Instagram user @dressedtall wrote, “Just did streamer prom some days ago… He looked more than happy! Check on your friends, you never know 🫶🏽”

While Instagram user @chavonstreeter wrote, “No matter how much liquor you drink or how much weed you smoke, no amount of anything can truly helo you, Mike… but God can. Always remember that. 🙏🏽”

Instagram user @joshrollwoods wrote, “Stop doing s*** that goes against your gut feeling it’s gone lead you down a dark road every time”

Another Instagram user @ambitiousgirl.neat wrote, “We been knew just waiting on you to say it”

While Instagram user @lockedoutfayth wrote, “you beat jaaliayh up mentally too 😂”

Instagram user @s.briana1 wrote, “He needs make it right with his family he getting older now God has to be the center and they will prevail all that cheating ain’t worth it when u see what u missing”

Another Instagram user @nelly424 wrote, “Go get your family back ❤️”

While Instagram user @223secardo wrote, “Real tho they think just bc funny mike turn up on cam he not struggling off cam”

Funny Mike Hosts His Second Annual Streamer Prom

Funny Mike’s post comes just days after he hosted his second annual Streamer Prom in Houston on Thursday night. The event brought together streamers, influencers and creators who traded their usual casual looks for formal gowns and suits.

This year’s event appeared to be bigger than the previous, featuring a star-studded red carpet, car giveaways, and custom jewelry from celebrity jeweler Johnny Dang.

This year’s event also brought out internet favorites, including Tia Kemp, DDG, Rakai, and Toosii. DreamDoll and Pudgie were crowned Prom King and Queen during the celebration, paying homage to an iconic look worn by The Notorious B.I.G. and Faith Evans.

Related: Oop! FunnyMike Fires Back At Social Media Users Following Jaliyah’s Claims That He Has Two Children On The Way (VIDEOS)

TeaMates, in case you missed it, Big Lex has officially been crowned the ‘Baddies’ Champion after defeating her co-star Tesehki in a highly anticipated boxing match. The matchup served as part of the undercard for Claressa Shields vs. Kaye Scott at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Saturday. Big Lex secured the victory by unanimous decision after the fight went the full distance across three two-minute rounds. Shields, who previously trained with Big Lex ahead of the matchup, also walked away with a win over Scott after previously showing support for Big Lex as the underdog. Big Lex’s victory appeared to surprise some social media users, who quickly took to the internet to share their reactions. Among those reactions was one from Tesehki’s younger sister, Chrisean Rock, who watched the fight during a livestream.

Related: Social Media Sounds OFF After Claressa Shields Trains Big Lex Ahead Of Her Boxing Match Against Tesehki (VIDEO)

Chrisean Rock Says She Needs That Fade After Watching Her Sister Lose To Big Lex

While Big Lex and Tesehki’s highly anticipated matchup had viewers tuned in, Chrisean was streaming her live reaction to the fight on KICK.

At the beginning of the matchup, Chrisean appeared excited as she cheered her sister on from her living room. She even mimicked boxing movements and offered what seemed like coaching advice as Tesehki went head-to-head with Big Lex.

As the fight progressed and Big Lex appeared to gain momentum, Chrisean’s energy quickly shifted. She went from cheering her sister on to visibly emotional, yelling, “Tiffah!” as the action intensified.

The fight ultimately went the full distance before Big Lex was announced as the winner by unanimous decision. Once the decision was announced, Chrisean was visibly heartbroken over her sister’s loss. Through tears, she told viewers, “I’ma have to take that fade,” seemingly suggesting she may want to step into the ring with Big Lex herself.

Social Media Reacts

Clips of Chrisean’s emotional reaction quickly circulated online, prompting social media users to share their thoughts on her response to the fight.

Instagram user @iamsheiktv wrote, “yall would hate to see how I’d act 🤣”

Another Instagram user @kaylaneshay wrote, “I’m on that bout my sister too 🤣 but I feel like that wasn’t a real figth probably paid her to lose”

While Instagram user @honeey.shayy_ wrote, “She must’ve lost money or sumn bc why she crying?? 🤣😭”

Instagram user @asmr.ashley wrote, “It’s never that deep I mean NEVER 😂”

Another Instagram user @only_reekw wrote, “Lucy she wasn’t there she probably would’ve jumped in the ring 😂😂😂”

While Instagram user @kaylazh wrote, “Rock please you barely like her lmao”

Instagram user @kompozed_ wrote, “Yoo this how the whole internet was feeling last night 😂😂”

Another Instagram user daddy.alaiya wrote, “when she swung 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂”

While Instagram user @riah.reneeeee wrote, “Regardless what they go thru her reaction is genuine. I’d be pissed to I can’t watch nobody I love get hit bro I’m automatically jumping in”

Karlissa Saffold Tells Chrisean Rock To Keep Her Hands Off Blueface

Before reacting to her sister’s matchup, Chrisean was already making headlines after a livestream moment with Blueface.

While livestreaming, the two appeared to engage in a playful sparring session. However, the interaction took a turn when one of Chrisean’s hits connected with Blueface’s face.

Blueface reacted to the moment, and Chrisean grabbed his face and kissed him on the nose, seemingly attempting to smooth things over.

The moment caught the attention of Blueface’s mother, Karlissa Saffold. After clips of the interaction circulated online, Karlissa took to her Instagram Story with a message for Chrisean. “Chrisean please keep your hands off my baby. Thank you,” she wrote.

Related: Chrisean Rock & Blueface Set Off Internet Users After She Says They’re Bigger Than Jay-Z & Beyoncé (VIDEOS)

The 1980s were an exciting time for sci-fi, as the political climate and shifting technological landscape gave writers a lot to work with. Personal computers were becoming increasingly important, biotechnology was advancing, and the Cold War still held the world in its grip; the genre responded by becoming stranger and darker.

Many of the classics of that time are bleak and paranoid, suggesting that technology might create just as many problems for humanity as it solves. For this reason, some 1980s sci-fi novels have aged very well. Here are a few of the finest of them.

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‘Firestarter’ (1980)

Image via Viking

“Some abilities are too dangerous for anyone to control.” With Firestarter, Stephen King took some ideas he’d touched on with Carrie but gave them a more action-packed, overtly sci-fi treatment. The book tells the story of Andy McGee and his daughter Charlie, who has extraordinary abilities because of a government experiment in which Andy and his future wife participated years earlier. Charlie can generate fire with her mind. This makes her an enormously valuable weapon to the clandestine agency known as the Shop.

The plot unfolds as a relentless pursuit. At its core, Firestarter is a paranoid thriller that rhymes thematically with 1970s bangers such as The Parallax View, which were very suspicious about the government and its secrets. Many books and movies have borrowed from it. Decades later, King’s son Joe Hill, too, would pay significant homage to Firestarter in his own novel The Fireman.

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‘The Uplift War’ (1987)

“Humanity isn’t alone—and certainly isn’t in charge.” This space opera takes place largely on the planet Garth, where avian aliens known as the Gubru seize control while humanity is embroiled in a much larger interstellar conflict. Humans and their uplifted chimpanzee allies must navigate occupation, resistance, alien politics, and the complicated rules governing Galactic civilization. It’s a colorful, sweeping tale of space-age culture clash.

Here, author David Brin imagines an ancient interstellar society in which humanity is a strange newcomer surrounded by alien species whose civilizations stretch back millions of years. In addition to the Gubru, there are the Tymbrimi, who have tentacles on their threads that can shift and form symbols; as well as the Thennanin, 7-foot-tall telepathic reptilians, and even genetically engineered neo-dolphins and neo-gorillas. At the core of all this is “uplift”, where pre-sapient animals are modified to achieve higher intelligence.

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‘Ender’s Game’ (1985)

Image via Tor Books

“The enemy’s gate is down.” The movie adaptation was disappointing, but the Ender’s Game novel remains a classic. With it, Orson Scott Card took the familiar premise of humanity preparing for war against an alien civilization and focused it through the perspective of a brilliant child. Andrew “Ender” Wiggin is recruited into Battle School because military leaders believe his unusual combination of intelligence, empathy, and ruthlessness could make him humanity’s greatest commander.

Through increasingly difficult simulations and games, Ender learns to think about conflict in entirely new ways while remaining largely unaware of how completely the adults around him are controlling his development. Card makes the Battle Room sequences especially memorable by turning zero-gravity combat into a series of tactical puzzles. Yet the novel’s enduring power comes from the moral consequences of that training, and the themes continue to hit hard.

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‘Speaker for the Dead’ (1986)

“Understanding can be more difficult than victory.” Speaker for the Dead is the sequel to Ender’s Game. Rather than treading the ground of the first book, the novel changes direction considerably, in a good way, transforming Ender’s story into an exploration of guilt. Thousands of years have passed through the effects of relativistic space travel, and Ender now travels between human colonies working as a Speaker for the Dead, a person who tells the complete truth about someone who has died.

In this case, he writes about the dormant Formic Queen whom he secretly carries. At the same time, Ender travels to the planet Lusitania, where he encounters a community divided by secrets and a mysterious indigenous species known as the pequeninos, whose behavior humans repeatedly misinterpret. The central conflict therefore becomes one of understanding rather than conquest.

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‘Life, the Universe and Everything’ (1982)

“The universe is ridiculous enough without anyone trying to destroy it.” Life, the Universe and Everything is the wonderful third installment in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Having perfected his recipe of sci-fi crossed with absurdist comedy, Douglas Adams expands the series into a genuine universe-threatening adventure. In it, Arthur Dent once again finds himself dragged across space and time, eventually becoming involved in an attempt to prevent the inhabitants of the planet Krikkit from destroying the rest of the universe.

Naturally, the resulting story involves bizarre technology, impossible coincidences, robots, aliens, and hilarious digressions that are often more memorable than the central plot itself. Adams’ genius lies in treating big-brain sci-fi concepts as opportunities for philosophical jokes. Artificial intelligence, time travel, interstellar warfare, and the nature of existence are simultaneously taken seriously and rendered completely silly, often within the same paragraph.

Image via Simon and Schuster

“The universe is a pretty big place.” Although best known for his nonfiction science communication, particularly the landmark book and TV series Cosmos, Carl Sagan also penned one of the best sci-fi novels ever. Contact (later made into a film by Robert Zemeckis) centers on Ellie Arroway, whose lifelong search for extraterrestrial intelligence finally produces an astonishing result when an unmistakably artificial signal arrives from the star Vega. Hidden within the transmission are instructions for constructing an enormously complicated machine.

Governments and scientists all around the world are left scrambling to determine what the device does and whether humanity should risk building it. Sagan gets incredibly thoughtful with this premise. Scientists debate the signal’s meaning, governments compete for influence, religious movements respond to its implications, and all of humanity is forced to confront how little it truly understands about the universe.

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‘The Shadow of the Torturer’ (1980)

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“The future can become so old that it resembles the past.” This is the opening entry in the masterful Book of the New Sun series, a seminal sci-fi/fantasy hybrid. Our protagonist is Severian, an apprentice in the Guild of Torturers who is exiled after showing mercy to a prisoner. His journey through the immense city of Nessus and beyond exposes readers to forgotten technologies, ancient institutions, bizarre creatures, and fragments of history whose true meanings are rarely explained directly.

Author Gene Wolfe trusts readers to interpret his world for themselves. Severian is an unreliable narrator, as well, meaning that every detail potentially contains information that only becomes meaningful much later. For that reason, The Shadow of the Torturer rewards rereading. The world-building here is simply rich, too, full of visions, seemingly magical gems, and a badass sword named Terminus Est.

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‘Foundation’s Edge’ (1982)

“The closer to the truth, the better the lie, and the truth itself, when it can be used, is the best lie.” Foundation’s Edge is the fourth book in Isaac Asimov‘s landmark Foundation series, arriving a full thirty years after the first three stories. It picks up centuries into the Foundation’s grand project of shortening humanity’s coming dark age, as councilman Golan Trevize begins to suspect that the supposedly destroyed Second Foundation is still secretly manipulating events.

His investigation sends him and historian Janov Pelorat across the galaxy, gradually transforming a political mystery into a search for something far stranger. Although not as good as its predecessors, Foundation’s Edge is still a respectable achievement. In particular, it revisits ideas the author first developed in the 1940s and ’50s without simply repeating them. The result is a cerebral space opera with a lot of philosophical heft.

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‘Hyperion’ (1989)

Image via Doubleday

“Every pilgrim has a story.” Few science fiction novels combine as many different traditions as confidently as Hyperion. With it, writer Dan Simmons draws on space opera, horror, literary fiction, cyberpunk, romance, religion, and the structure of Chaucer‘s Canterbury Tales to create a truly unique experience. In the novel, seven pilgrims travel toward the mysterious Time Tombs on the planet Hyperion, where they expect to encounter the terrifying creature known as the Shrike (one of the genre’s most fascinating creations).

During their journey, each traveler recounts the events that brought them there, with every story adopting a different tone and subgenre. One account becomes military science fiction, another resembles detective noir, while others explore tragedy, horror, artificial intelligence, religion, and time itself. Even more importantly, the character development is just as thorough and convincing as the world-building.

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‘Neuromancer’ (1984)

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“The future arrived wearing mirrored shades.” This is the ur-text of cyberpunk. Neuromancer centers on Case, a former hacker whose ability to enter cyberspace has been chemically destroyed after he betrayed his employers. Offered the chance to regain that power, he joins a mysterious operation involving mercenary Molly Millions, powerful corporations, artificial intelligence, and secrets hidden within the digital world.

Along the way, author William Gibson immerses us in a vision of the future that’s grimy, globalized, commercially saturated, and technologically astonishing. In the process, he pioneered several concepts and terms (including “cyberspace” itself) and predicted things like widespread internet access and megacorporations that wield almost as much power as governments. At the same time, he doesn’t scrimp on the atmosphere, conjuring up a striking mood of danger, seduction, and rebel cool. Not for nothing, this banger took home both the Hugo and the Nebula.

The streaming boom has given us a treasure trove of TV shows that would never would have been made in the decades prior, but many of them were cut tragically short. These shows can be heartbreaking when you dwell on how much potential was squandered, but if you accept them as they are, they make for a perfect weekend binge-watch. Into the Badlands is a perfect example. The show aired just 3 seasons — 32 episodes — between 2015 and 2019, and fans grieve for the extra seasons that couldn’t be made. Tragic as it is, the short run of the series does make for an incredible 32-hour binge.

Into the Badlands was created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and it aired on AMC. It’s a post-apocalyptic action-drama set about 500 years in the future, at a time when modern governments have collapsed and technology has regressed. It is set in the region between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River, known colloquially as the Badlands. It explores martial arts, politics, and even touches on spirituality. The series is streaming now on AMC+, and it’s definitely worth the watch.

‘Into the Badlands’ is the Original Premise You’ve Been Craving

Image via Entertainment One

It’s often said that “Hollywood is out of ideas,” and that the industry relies too much on reboots, remakes, and adaptations. For those who feel that way, Into the Badlands is the cure. This show was not adapted from anything, though it did take some narrative views from the classic Chinese legend Journey to the West. Of course, the scribes who set that story down in the 16th Century knew nothing about the Rocky Mountains, cars, or electrical grids, so it’s safe to say this show goes in its own direction.

The main characters here are Sunny (Daniel Wu) and M.K. (Aramis Knight). Sunny is a hardened warrior and the right hand the Badlands’ most powerful Baron, Quinn (Marton Csokas.) M.K. is a teenage boy who seems to have a mysterious power hidden beneath the surface. The two travel through this wasteland together, navigating a world that has descended into ruthless feudalism despite the inhabitants’ yearning for peace.

The Badlands are ruled by a wary alliance of “Barons,” who control all trade between communities. They enforce their dominance with warriors known as Clippers — young men and women who are forbidden from marrying or having children. Clippers are led by another class of warrior known as Regents, such as Sunny. This brutal society has other classes — slaves known as “cogs” and “dolls” — while those outside the baronies are generally known as Nomads. These include individuals, tribes, and even religious groups.

The show builds an amazingly vast fantasy world within a relatively small territory by today’s standards. The characters often wonder and fantasize about what’s going on beyond their borders, but the societal collapse means they have no global communication. Some technology remains, such as ground vehicles and limited electricity, but firearms are strictly taboo. This gives the setting its distinct martial arts aesthetic, as clippers must rely on melee weapons and crossbows.

The Highs and Lows of Binge-Watching Canceled Shows

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The greatest drawback of watching a canceled show is the question of how it ends, but Into the Badlands is fortunate in this regard. Without spoiling anything, the show has a relatively satisfying ending, even if fans wished it had gone on longer. Without spoiling anything, the characters developed a lot over the course of the series, and they aren’t left in some heartbreaking, unresolved place. The story could have gone on, and some might describe the ending as a “cliffhanger,” but in truth it’s a lot more satisfying than many shows get in today’s day and age.

That said, it can be hard to look back at an older show with new titles premiering all the time — especially with social pressure to keep up. Into the Badlands is worth it, and its 32-hour run-time makes it easy to schedule. The show is ideal for a lazy weekend or two at home, with no need to wait for a new episode to drop. It’s all available on one subscription, and it’s presented without ads. It’s refreshing to enjoy a piece of media after the dust has settled, with no pressure to feel a certain way about it.

Perhaps the best part of watching a canceled show is belatedly joining a strong fandom, and Into the Badlands provides that as well. The show inspired thoughtful fan art and discussion that is a joy to jump into after watching. It opens up a whole new world of references, and before long you’ll be catching allusions in other works wherever you look. The show is relatively popular for cosplayers as well, so if you attend conventions you may have seen it already without realizing. Into the Badlands is streaming now on AMC+ in the U.S.

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Release Date

2015 – 2019-00-00

Network

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AMC

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