Entertainment
Indie Film Breaks The System With ‘Underground’ Launch
When “Our Hero, Balthazar“ began filling theaters across New York and Los Angeles without a Sundance launch, a major festival platform, or a traditional studio campaign, the film industry was caught off guard. The people who actually built the release, however, were not. The film, directed by Oscar Boyson and featuring an ensemble cast led by Jaeden Martell, Asa Butterfield, and Noah Centineo, alongside Avan Jogia, Chris Bauer, Jennifer Ehle, Anna Baryshnikov, Becky Ann Baker, and Pippa Knowles, launched in tandem with a fine art exhibition in a raw Brooklyn warehouse, with no traditional studio campaign behind it.
The exhibition, titled “American Wasteland,” was hosted by Relaispunkt, locally known as RP.1, the curatorial arm of Base 36, an independent cultural network that has built its own infrastructure outside the gallery establishment. Base 36 is the core; its projects are the extensions.
From Le Parti’s years of DJing and running after-hours and warehouse events out of his Brooklyn studios, the network took shape across cities: RP.1 operating out of Berlin, and across Los Angeles and Berlin, with a recurring presence in the Downtown Los Angeles and Skid Row area, “Play,” an after-hours and warehouse party, and “Sibyl,” an art advisory. All built on the same instinct: activate the space, own the infrastructure, don’t wait for permission.
The exhibition is the work of Jet Le Parti: a painter, poet, musician, and publisher whose practice has spent years accumulating force outside the channels that typically decide what gets seen. Where Boyson came up through the Safdie brothers’ orbit, producing “Good Time” and “Uncut Gems” before stepping into the director’s chair, Le Parti built his own orbit entirely. He is not an outsider artist in the romantic sense. He deliberately chose where to build, then built it.
When the two projects collided, it wasn’t a promotional alignment. It was two people investigating the same American crisis, arriving at the same room from opposite directions.
‘Our Hero, Balthazar’ Turns Rejection Into Sold-Out Success
Image Credit: Relaispunkt.1
Oscar Boyson has spent his producing career inside a gritty, unflinching tradition of American independent cinema, films about people on the verge of coming apart. As a director, “Our Hero, Balthazar,” co-written with Ricky Camilleri, the former HuffPost journalist turned screenwriter, and executive produced alongside Halsey, is his most direct engagement with the consequences of a collapsing masculine mythology.
The film zeroes in on the specific cruelty of the environments teenage boys are placed inside, tracking the fallout of edgelord internet culture and the performance of masculine identity in the attention economy. Where most films about this terrain reach for sociological distance, “Our Hero, Balthazar” stays close: drawing from the raw, proximate lineage of Larry Clark’s “Bully,” the performances refuse the safety of retrospective judgment. The team approached the release not as a standard theatrical run but as a deliberate cultural act: a film meant to be encountered inside an exhibition that was already asking the same questions.
When the film was turned away by Sundance and SXSW, the team refused to wait for permission to exist. They found a shared ethos in Peter Gold at WG, who architected the unconventional distribution play. Through a pipeline coordinated between WG, Picturehouse, Arkhum Media Rights, and Base 36, the film went directly to audiences. Base 36 and RP.1 connected their community to it, driving turnout, moving tickets, and contributing to multiple sold-out screenings across New York. It didn’t need a traditional campaign. It needed the right people in the right rooms.
This Exhibit Takes A Shocking Look At American Decay
Image Credit: Relaispunkt.1
The film’s reception cannot be separated from that room. Le Parti transformed the warehouse into an extensive study of late American decay, operating, as he typically does, outside the permitting logic that governs institutional spaces. His is a practice of accumulation and witness: he grew up in the American South inside the military apparatus, and his work has never metabolized that origin cleanly. What remains is violence absorbed as atmosphere, institutional failure rendered as aesthetic fact, the fatigue of endurance as formal principle.
“Rocketman,” a work by London-based Base 36 artist L.S. Toy, offers a frame-by-frame, photorealistic rendering of active-duty airman Aaron Bushnell’s self-immolation in protest of the Gaza war, holding the image at the scale the decision deserves. Toy’s practice is built around media-heavy subject matter: hyperrealistic paintings of scenes drawn directly from news coverage, political commentary rendered in industrial greyscale, and works that have tested the legal boundaries of image and currency.
‘American Wasteland’ Blurs Line Between Real And ‘Simulated’ Violence
Image Credit: Relaispunkt.1
Nearby, Le Parti’s “Pawn Shop” reconstructs the police scene from the street where his own brother was shot, refusing the distance between private catastrophe and public history. Alongside military diagrams and works like “Sisyphus,” treated here not as classical allusion but as a lived condition, the myth stripped of its consolations, the exhibition features collaborative image-works by Reign.925, the visual project of “Le Parti and Toy,” created together, where school-shooting imagery bleeds into “Call of Duty” aesthetics without ironic distance. The effect is a kind of double exposure: real violence and its simulation rendered indistinguishable, which is precisely the point.
The triptych “Phases of the Nuclear Option” maps the procedural steps toward annihilation in the calm, bureaucratic language of the military itself, the aesthetic of institutional inevitability. At the center of the exhibition is “Ramble,” a long poem from Le Parti’s self-published debut manuscript “Every Day Is a Countdown,” which tracks the evolution of modern violence from the manosphere to the mainstream. The show is, in essence, his poetry made spatial, a poet who refused to soften his language for traditional publishing and who built the room to hold it instead.
Noah Centineo Backs ‘Underground’ Art-Film Collaboration
Image Credit: Relaispunkt.1
The two projects grew from relationships outside the usual industry circles, and from a conversation that began, as many things in Le Parti’s orbit do, through Converting Culture, his editorial platform and magazine. It was there that the idea for the exhibition first took shape as something more than an idea: a felt necessity.
Noah Centineo, who appears in Boyson’s film and had long been a collector of Le Parti’s work, and Enzo Marc, whose Arkhum banner is also attached to the film as a production company, came in behind it together. Nobody was waiting on a grant. It came from people who already believed in each other’s work.
During the exhibition’s opening, Boyson articulated the link connecting the two mediums, asking: “Why does dark humor feel like the only way to find catharsis amongst the horror show we’re living in? And what would you call the horror show we’re living in? I mean, it’s the American wasteland, man.”
Le Parti’s answer was blunt. It’s all just atmosphere now, he said, people wake up, see a child die online, scroll to delivery options, order something, share a story, move on. Extreme violence has become ambient, absorbed into the scroll. Words are just noise. Maybe the art is too. But we’re still recording it. What Le Parti is describing is less a failure of empathy than a structural condition: a culture so saturated with images of its own catastrophe that outrage has become another content category. The exhibition doesn’t solve that. It just refuses to look away.
And the film, in its own way, is proof of the same condition. You don’t arrive at dark comedy about school shooters as a viable form of entertainment unless the culture has already done the work of normalizing the subject matter. “Our Hero, Balthazar” could only exist, could only find an audience willing to laugh and wince and sit with it, because the ambience Le Parti is describing has already settled in. The film isn’t commenting on desensitization from the outside. It was made from the inside. That’s what makes it a document as much as a film, a timestamp of exactly where America is right now, rendered in the only register the moment could hold.
‘American Wasteland’ Challenges How Stories Reach Audiences
Image Credit: Reliaspunkt.1
Neither the film nor the exhibition is context for the other. They are operating on different registers of the same problem. Le Parti works at the systemic level, the military apparatus, the cultural infrastructure that normalizes violence, the long American tradition of absorbing catastrophe without consequence. Boyson works at the phenomenological level, two boys, one country, the specific texture of the damage done. The distinction matters: one maps the structure, the other inhabits it. Together, they argue that neither register is sufficient on its own.
Together, they pulled off what the conventional apparatus could not, and would not. “American Wasteland” and “Our Hero, Balthazar” didn’t prove a theory about independent distribution. They proved something older: that when the work is honest, and the room is right, the audience finds it. Institutions are optional.
“Our Hero, Balthazar” is currently in distribution through Picturehouse. “American Wasteland” was presented by RP.1 / Base 36, featuring works by Jet Le Parti, L.S. Toy, and Reign.925. “Every Day Is a Countdown” by Jet Le Parti is available through Base 36.
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Jessica Alba just gave spring denim a fresh new update. Crisp white barrel jeans were the standout piece in her polished Beverly Hills outfit, proving the trending silhouette can feel equal parts elevated and wearable. Even better? You can channel the same chic spring energy for just $34 on Amazon.
On April 20, the actress and Honest Company founder stepped out in Beverly Hills wearing bright white barrel jeans. She styled them with a draped blouse, tailored blazer, strappy sandals and a structured bucket bag. The monochromatic ensemble felt effortlessly sophisticated and approachable, which is exactly the kind of celebrity outfit that translates beautifully into real life.
Get the Dokotoo High-Waisted Barrel Jeans for $34 (was $40) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
The Dokotoo High-Waisted Wide-Leg Barrel Jeans offer a remarkably similar look for a fraction of the (likely) designer price. Unlike skinny or traditional straight-leg denim, this pair curves softly through the hips before tapering at the ankle, creating shape without feeling restrictive. The breathable cotton-blend fabric, relaxed fit and hidden zipper closure make them feel modern, comfortable and easy to style.
White denim, in particular, feels especially fresh for spring. It instantly brightens your wardrobe and pairs effortlessly with blazers, fitted tanks, breezy blouses or casual sneakers. Available in an Alba-inspired white, as well as multiple other washes, these jeans make it easy to embrace the barrel trend for everyday wear.
Shoppers are equally enthusiastic. One reviewer called them a “wardrobe favorite,” thanks to their “comfortable, flexible fit.” Meanwhile, another praised the “trendy and versatile” silhouette that transitions seamlessly from casual outings to more polished occasions.
If Alba’s latest denim moment is inspiring you to refresh your spring wardrobe, this flattering Amazon find makes the trend feel refreshingly accessible. At just $34, these barrel jeans deliver the same polished energy without the luxury markup.
Get the Dokotoo High-Waisted Barrel Jeans for $34 (was $40) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Looking for something else? Explore more from Dokotoo here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!
Taylor Swift has a way of making even the simplest outfits feel instantly iconic — and her mesh sneakers are proof. Styled with a blue polo top, straight-leg jeans and minimal gold jewelry, the look struck that perfect balance between relaxed and polished. It’s the kind of effortless outfit you screenshot and save for later. […]
I didn’t expect Hereditary to stay with me the way it did. It wasn’t just about a few scary moments here and there; it was the kind of film that keeps getting under your skin even after it ends. I remember finishing it and just sitting there for a while, trying to shake off that uneasy feeling that didn’t go away easily.
At the same time, there are a few older films that go even further because they understand how to build fear in a steady, unavoidable way. These films stay simple, and that’s exactly what makes them harder to forget, so let’s get into it.
3
‘The Exorcist’ (1973)
The story of The Exorcist takes place in a quiet household where Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) begins to show unusual behavior that cannot be explained through normal means. Her mother, Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), initially seeks medical explanations as Regan’s condition becomes worse day by day. But when the doctors couldn’t find any answers, Chris started to think about other possibilities. With passing time, Regan’s behavior grew more extreme, and the situation moved beyond what medicine could handle.
Chris eventually turns to Father Karras (Jason Miller), a priest who is struggling with his own problems, to look into what is happening. Karras later becomes involved in the case and watches the changes in Regan’s condition. As he continues his investigation, he thinks about the true nature of what he is seeing. His role leads to a final confrontation inside the house as the events reach their climax.
2
‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ (1974)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre follows a group of young travelers, including Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns) and her brother Franklin (Paul A. Partain), who are driving through rural Texas to visit a family property. During their trip, they encounter unusual individuals along the road, which creates a sense of unease. After arriving near the property, they begin to explore the surrounding area and eventually approach a nearby house that appears abandoned.
Soon after, the group members go into the house one by one and face sudden violence. Things quickly change when they realize the house is occupied by people who fight back. Sally tries to escape, moving through strange places with few choices. The events keep unfolding as she passes through different areas, trying to avoid being caught and searching for a way out.
1
‘The Shining’ (1980)
The Shining begins with Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), who accepts a position as a caretaker at an isolated hotel during the winter and takes his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and son Danny (Danny Lloyd) with him. As they settle into the hotel, Danny begins experiencing visions connected to the building’s past. The isolation and environment gradually affect Jack, altering his behavior over time as he spends more time inside the hotel.
As winter goes on, Jack becomes more affected by what he experiences inside the hotel, while Wendy and Danny start to notice the changes in him. Danny’s visions reveal events from the past, linking them to what is happening now. The family’s situation grows more trapped as the conditions get worse, forcing them to face the danger inside the hotel.
Entertainment
“The Brady Bunch” star Eve Plumb reveals how she really feels about “SNL” parodying Jan's iconic 'Marcia' line
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“It oddly enough felt like a schoolyard taunt,” the former child star admitted.
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Working at a boutique, I learned quickly that not every dress makes it past spring. You’d see someone buy a piece in March, wear it once or twice, then move on when the weather changed. The styles that actually lasted were always the same: easy midis, breezy maxis and throw-on dresses that feel right no matter the forecast.
From a cotton maxi that keeps you cool all day to a retro floral style with Euro summer energy, I rounded up 17 dresses that channel boutique style without the price tag. They’re flattering, versatile and guaranteed to earn you plenty of compliments this spring and summer.
Spring-to-Summer Dresses That Look Like Boutique Bestsellers
1. Our Favorite: When you need to look put-together in five minutes, this pleated midi dress does the work for you. The belt cinches your waist while flutter sleeves keep things breezy.
2. Cotton Classic: This sleeveless cotton sundress pairs a smocked bodice with lace detailing for a classic warm-weather look. The maxi length in breathable cotton keeps you cool all day.
3. Pretty Print: The V-neck and long sleeves on this colorful, floral midi make it one of those rare pieces that work for formal spring events and casual weekend plans. The flowy cut keeps it from feeling heavy.
4. Floral Fun: If you want a dress that gets compliments, reach for this floral puff sleeve dress. It’s bold enough to wear solo, so skip the accessories entirely!
5. Vacation-Ready: Packing for a trip gets easier when one dress does everything. This checkered maxi dress in orange and pink goes from poolside lunch to sunset dinner without a change.
From linens to neutrals, spring calls for a touch of luxury — even if you’re just headed for an iced coffee. If you want to look like you’re summering in Europe, we have good news: You don’t have to blow your budget just to get the look. We found 17 Zara-looking spring dresses that channel […]
6. Boho-Chic: Grab this boho floral maxi dress for a weekend market stroll or casual dinner out. The loose fit and half sleeves keep you comfortable when temps start climbing.
7. Pretty Pastels: The cinched waist and puff sleeves on this pastel floral maxi create a structured silhouette that’s genuinely flattering. Soft pastel tones make it feel elevated and fresh.
8. Dainty and Darling: This floral wrap midi pairs ruffle cap sleeves with a belted A-line cut that defines your waist naturally. The dainty print keeps it feminine without being fussy.
9. Euro Summer Style: The square neckline and puff sleeves on this retro floral maxi give it a distinctly European summer vibe. Ruffle details add visual interest without overwhelming the print.
10. Elegantly Embroidered: The hollow-out eyelet detailing on this embroidered V-neck maxi gives it a texture you can actually see from across the room. Short sleeves keep the look from feeling heavy.
11. Brunch-Ready Maxi: Finding a dress that works for both brunch reservations and afternoon errands is rare. This Swiss dot maxi with its belted waist and cap sleeves handles both with ease.
12. Rich Mom-Worthy: This blue and white floral maxi shirt dress has puff sleeves, a tie belt and pockets. The structured shirt-dress cut gives it that polished, rich mom energy without the price tag.
13. Throw-On-And-Go: Some mornings you need a dress that does all the thinking for you. This chic tie-strap maxi has a square neck and flowy fit that goes from door to destination in seconds.
14. Has Pockets: Tired of choosing between a cute dress and somewhere to put your phone? This embroidered floral maxi has actual pockets plus a V-neckline and short sleeves for warm days.
15. Expensive-Looking: The pink hydrangea print on this button-down maxi dress looks like something from a high-end boutique. A belted waist and short sleeves give it a clean, polished silhouette.
16. Lily Pulitzer-Style: This tiered mini dress channels Lilly Pulitzer with its 3/4 puff sleeves, embroidered details and bow tie waist. The V-neck and tiered design nail that preppy-fun feel.
17. Darling Denim: A denim dress that actually moves with you is hard to find. This V-neck denim maxi has a cinched waist and a tiered skirt that drapes instead of stiffening up.
Keith Urban is facing a painful new chapter in his personal life as the fallout from his split with Nicole Kidman continues to ripple through his family.
Urban once appeared to have a solid bond with his daughters, but that now seems strained, with subtle public moves and insider claims painting a complicated picture.
As tensions grow and loyalties become clearer, those close to the situation say the country star is struggling to come to terms with where he stands in his daughters’ lives.
Keith Urban found himself at the center of attention after his eldest daughter, Sunday Rose, made a move that many interpreted as a statement.
The 17-year-old appeared to unfollow her father on Instagram, a small but noticeable action that quickly fueled speculation about their relationship.
Although Urban was reportedly added back within 24 hours, the moment still raised questions.
For many, it hinted at deeper issues following the split between the Country singer and Kidman, which became public in September 2025 and was finalized in January.
Sunday and her younger sister Faith Margaret have largely stayed out of the spotlight, but this brief social media change suggested that tensions may be more visible than before.
Observers quickly connected the move to ongoing reports that Urban’s relationship with his daughters has become strained in recent months.
Urban Branded ‘The Bad Guy’ By His Own Daughters
According to insiders, Keith Urban’s situation at home is far more emotional than it appears on the surface.
Sources claim his daughters have taken a firm stance, aligning themselves with their mother in the wake of the breakup.
One insider described the dynamic bluntly, telling the Daily Mail, “[The girls] are completely team Nicole and, right now, Keith is the bad guy. He is the cause of every problem in their minds, and it’s harrowing for him.”
The same source added that the 58-year-old is “distraught” over how things have unfolded. Despite the tension, those close to the family insist the girls reached their own conclusions.
“I don’t even think this is Nicole painting a narrative; this is the girls coming to this conclusion on their own,” the insider explained.
For Urban, the situation is deeply painful. He reportedly continues to express love for his daughters, even as they distance themselves.
Keith Urban Struggles With Distance As Communication Breaks Down
Urban’s attempts to maintain a connection with his daughters have reportedly been met with limited response.
Early on, sources say he would receive short replies, but communication has since become even more strained.
“He was texting [his daughters] before and getting one or two-word answers, if he got anything at all. Now nothing,” an insider revealed.
The lack of communication has left the doting dad feeling uncertain about how to move forward. For now, he is said to be giving them space, hoping time will ease tensions.
“For now, he’s just letting it happen and hoping that they can talk it out down the road. It hurts but hopefully at some point they can have the conversations and move forward,” the source added.
The emotional toll has been significant, with another insider describing him as “completely lost” as he adjusts to the new family dynamic.
Urban Faces New Reality As Daughters Grow Closer To Nicole Kidman
As Keith Urban navigates the aftermath of the split, Kidman’s bond with their daughters appears stronger than ever.
Court arrangements have seen the girls spend the majority of their time with their mother, who remains in the family’s Nashville home.
Their closeness has been evident publicly as well. Sunday recently described Kidman as her “biggest inspiration in life” and said she plays “a key part of everything I do.”
The actress herself has spoken about their connection, saying, “We’re so close, the three of us, we talk about everything.”
Insiders say Urban recognizes that bond and does not criticize it. “Keith has said that Nicole has been great during all of this,” a source noted. Still, the reality of the situation remains difficult for him to accept.
“They’re young, they’re hurt, and they have to choose sides in their minds. So, they have chosen mom,” the insider explained, adding that despite everything, Urban’s feelings for his daughters remain unchanged.
“But whatever his issues between him and Nicole are, he still loves his daughters very much. For them to cut him out is really hurtful,” they shared.
Keith Urban’s Personal Life Adds Fuel To Family Tension
Urban’s rumored connections to younger musicians have also drawn attention and may be contributing to the strain.
Shortly after the split, he was linked to Nashville-based artist Maggie Baugh, though her friend shut down the claims, calling them “absolutely not true.”
More recently, Urban has been connected to Karley Scott Collins, who joined him on his 2025 tour.
She also dismissed speculation, labeling it “absolutely ridiculous and untrue,” while her mother reinforced that message, saying, “None of that stuff is true.”
Even so, the rumors have persisted, and insiders suggest they may not have helped his relationship with his daughters.
At the same time, Urban is said to be dealing with his own emotions about the end of his marriage.
“He’s in a lot of pain right now,” one source shared, adding, “The worst pain is the type that you inflict on yourself, so he’s got some guilt and shame and hurt. He’s struggling to make sense of it right now.”
Edwin Arroyave offered rare details into the romantic relationship he embarked on after splitting from Teddi Mellencamp.
The entrepreneur, 49, discussed his “girl” during the Tuesday, April 28, episode of his “The Eds” podcast, cohosted by Tamra Judge’s husband Eddie Judge, revealing when the romance began following his 2024 separation from Mellencamp, 44, after 13 years of marriage.
“It’s actually been going great, I can’t believe it’s been a year and … three, four months so it’s been good,” Arroyave told his cohost before commenting on how he had hoped to find new love soon after parting ways with the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum.
“I’m better in a relationship. I’m not good when I’m single, I think it just distracts me too much. It’s a lot of work, a lot of energy. That’s why I didn’t want to remain single for a long time,” he explained. (Arroyave shares three children, Slate, 12, Cruz, 11, and Dove, 6, with Mellencamp, as well as a daughter, Isabella, whom he shares with ex Christina Mecklenburg.)
Edwin Arroyave is dipping his feet back in the dating world after his separation from Teddi Mellencamp. “I am dating someone, yeah,” Arroyave, 48, shared on the Tuesday, October 14, episode of iHeartRadio’s “The Ed’s” podcast. “It’s pretty serious.” While Arroyave didn’t share further details about the mystery woman in his life, guest Joe Gorga […]
Arroyave, who shared a photo of his girlfriend via Instagram in October 2025, also detailed how his family is blending with his girlfriend’s. “We just did Easter together. It was amazing. We started off at church, then had an amazing lunch, the kids were having fun. She’s got a daughter herself who is best friends with my daughter, so her daughter’s seven and mine is six [and] they’re, like, the best of friends,” he said. “Then we went to the park and celebrated with my siblings, my older sibling, and mom and all that. It was a fun time.”
The founder and CEO of Skyline Security Management then revealed how often he spends time with his girlfriend, who seemingly goes by the name of Elsa, however that has not been publicly confirmed by Arroyave. “We see each other not on the daily but at least three or four times a week,” Arroyave said on the episode. “She’s busy, she’s got her own little profession and I’m busy as well. We’ve got kids but we still spend a good amount of time. It’s been good, for sure.”
Mellencamp announced that she had filed to divorce Arroyave in November 2024. “After a great deal of care and consideration, I have made the difficult decision to file for divorce,” the reality TV star wrote via Instagram at the time. “My priority is my children and ensuring that every care is taken with their privacy and wellbeing throughout this new chapter. Making a public statement is not something I wanted to do, but in an effort to protect my family from undue speculation and rumors, I felt being open, honest and vulnerable was the best path forward.”
Us Weekly exclusively reported in the days that followed that the former couple’s split was “a long time coming,” per a source who spoke to Us at the time. “They have been up and down for the last seven-plus years,” the insider revealed. “This isn’t the first time Teddi has wanted a divorce, and it has been an ongoing conversation between them for years.”
The following year, Arroyave said on “The Eds” that the pair were on good terms after the split. “We’re just, you know, we’re great friends, and you know, I want to make sure she’s taken care of, but we’ve maintained that great relationship,” he said on the podcast’s August 4, 2025 episode. “So even though we’re separated and we’re estranged, and we’re still planning on divorcing, like, we’re still friends. I still see her as a friend.”
Entertainment
Meghan McCain slams her “The View” replacement Alyssa Farah Griffin as 'a joke' and 'wildly disappointing'
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“I gave them a list of women I thought would be great” to replace her, McCain claimed, adding that she didn’t want “fake people” who “hate everything Republicans are.”
Congressman Ro Khanna, a Democrat representing California’s 17th congressional district, has expressed disappointment after King Charles III reportedly refused to meet with survivors of convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“It’s very disappointing after the British Ambassador [Sir Christian Turner] told me that the King would talk about the survivors and sex trafficking,” Khanna, 49, told Us Weekly in a Tuesday, April 28 statement — the same day that Charles, 77, was a no-show at a roundtable discussion in Washington, D.C., that united Khanna, 49, with Epstein survivors.
“The King’s failure to acknowledge the pain his brother had caused is a moral failure and emblematic of an elite impunity that is an ongoing affront to survivors,” Khanna added.
Among those in attendance at the roundtable was Sky Roberts, younger brother of Virginia Guiffre, an Epstein survivor who also accused the monarch’s brother, former Prince Andrew, of sexually assaulting her when she was a teen. (Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has repeatedly denied the allegations.)
Us Weekly has reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.
Just hours earlier, Roberts, 36, also criticized Charles — who is currently visiting the U.S. upon invitation by President Donald Trump — for not accepting an invitation to the meeting, hosted by Khanna.
“Survivors are here sitting with members of Congress, still fighting to be heard, still pushing for real accountability, while many of the powerful figures connected to these systems remain just out of reach, unable to acknowledge survivors face to face,” Roberts said, per reporting by The Guardian on Tuesday. “You would expect this to be a moment for the king to give a message to the world that he stands with survivors.”
Rep. Ro Khanna of California DANIEL HEUER / AFP
In the immediate hours that followed the roundtable, Khanna also reflected on Charles’ decision to skip the roundtable to members of the press, per reporting by ABC’s Eyewitness News.
“I thought the king owed that to the survivors, given his brother’s serious allegations of abuse, and I thought it would have been an incredible moment and statement to show that it doesn’t matter how much wealth you have, how much power you have,” he said prior to providing a statement to Us. “No human being is dispensable and the survivors deserve justice. He unfortunately declined that request.”
The New York Times reported last week that a lawyer for Charles and Queen Camilla, who joins the king during this U.S. visit, stated that Charles’ omission from the roundtable was due to “ongoing police inquiries” underway in the U.K. and that the king was “unable to meet survivors or comment directly on the matters under inquiry.”
King Charles III Jonathan Brady – WPA Pool/Getty Images
The report, published on Wednesday, April 22, stated that a letter read, “the king and queen have consistently made clear their support for all victims of abuse, wherever and however perpetrated.”
As a result, Charles avoided any mention of Epstein, or his brother’s former relationship with the late billionaire, while addressing Congress earlier on Tuesday.
Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting his trial for child sex trafficking, remains at the center of a criminal investigation currently examining Andrew’s professional activity, specifically allegations the former royal shared confidential government information with the convicted pedophile while he was in public office.
The former prince, who was stripped of his royal titles in October 2025, has repeatedly denied all allegations of misconduct.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). https://www.rainn.org/
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
https://www.childhelphotline.org/
Entertainment
“Stranger Things: Tales From '85” scores quick season 2 renewal, will return sooner than expected
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The animated “Stranger Things” spinoff was just released last week.
Kyle Cooke has no time for his “Summer House” co-star, West Wilson. On social media, the Bravo OG slammed Wilson for allegedly leaving Amanda Batula to fend for herself during the explosive reunion taping.
Cooke’s comments come weeks after Wilson admitted he was in a relationship with the former’s soon-to-be ex-wife, Batula. Their newfound relationship has stirred up chaos in the Bravosphere due to Wilson’s past connection with Ciara Miller.
On Threads, Cooke replied to a fan who expressed their disappointment in Wilson for reportedly failing to defend Batula at the “Summer House” reunion.
“He’s all PR and zero intention or integrity,” Cooke wrote, as reported by Page Six. Continuing, Cooke, who joined the cast of “Summer House” in 2017, said the sit-down gathering was a “brutal beat down” before implying Wilson left Batula to fend for herself.
“I can’t recall a moment when he had Amanda’s back,” Cooke finished.
Batula And Wilson Confirm Their Secret Romance Weeks Before The ‘Summer House’ Reunion
Wilson and Batula have been the talk of the town over the last few weeks, given the pair confirmed their secret romance via Instagram after months of speculation.
“We’ve seen the growing online speculation, so while this is still very new, we wanted to provide some clarity,” the pair wrote online. “It was never our intention to purposely hide anything. Given the complicated relationship dynamics involved and the scrutiny that comes with being on a reality show, we need a little space to process things privately before speaking on it.”
While nontraditional relationships are common among Bravo stars, Wilson and Batula’s relationship has garnered significant backlash due to their proximity to Miller.
Miller, who joined “Summer House” in 2021, dated Wilson briefly in 2023. In a 2026 episode, Miller was candid with the audience about the pressures of dating interracially.
“I don’t think you guys also realize the interracial aspect that exists and all the s— that goes on,” Miller said. “I get a lot of blowback that’s very racial, obviously, being in this position. I was the first Black person in this house, and then dating publicly, dating white guys publicly, is a whole contraption that I don’t think you guys can understand or can even empathize with.”
Things Reach A Boiling Point At The ‘Summer House’ Reunion
Drama between the “Summer House” cast only intensified when an unauthorized clip from the upcoming reunion was shared online. In the footage, Miller can be heard slamming Batula for betraying her and disrespecting their years-long friendship.
Although the leaked recording gave some viewers a sneak peek of what could come during the special, it garnered a disappointed reaction from the network, including Andy Cohen, who begged fans to let the show play out the way its supposed to.
Cooke also chimed in, condemning the audio’s release before defending his cast mates, saying that none of them were behind the leak. “The audio itself, from all of the cast, sounds like it’s audio from our mics,” he said, adding that there was “no way” it came from a cast member.
Cooke And Batula Split
Before Wilson and Batula broke the internet, the latter was the topic of conversation after announcing her split from Cooke.
“After much reflection, we have mutually and amicably decided to part ways as a couple,” the pair wrote on Instagram, according to PEOPLE. “We share this with a heavy heart and kindly ask for your grace and support while we focus on our personal growth and healing.”
They went on to say that while asking for privacy felt “ironic” because of their jobs, they added that “your kindness and respect will go a long way as we try to navigate our next chapter.”
Cooke Wishes He Did Things Differently In His Marriage
On the most recent season of “Summer House,” fans are seeing the demise of Batula and Cooke’s marriage in real time. One of their biggest issues is over Cooke’s desires to become a high-profile DJ.
Speaking with Cohen on “Watch What Happens Live,” Cooke admitted that he wished he made more of an effort to be a better spouse to Batula, whom he married in September 2021.
“I don’t think, going way back then, I understood that those trust issues from, my gosh, like 2018, would have such a big impact,” he said. “But I will say, to almost counter that, I never used to be a proponent of living with someone before you propose, and now I am.”
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