The controversy surrounding John Galliano’s planned involvement in the 2027 Met Gala has quickly evolved into a larger conversation about Anna Wintour’s influence, judgment, and standing within the fashion industry. 

The situation, which began as excitement over a major exhibition announcement turned into a fierce debate that ultimately ended with Galliano stepping away from the event altogether. 

Now, critics are questioning whether one of fashion’s most powerful figures misread the public mood at a moment when scrutiny of institutions and cultural leaders remains intense.

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The criticism surrounding Anna Wintour did not begin when the 2027 Met Gala theme was announced. Rather, the controversy has prompted renewed attention on her years-long support of Galliano following the designer’s spectacular fall from grace in 2011 after making antisemitic and racist remarks in a Paris café.

Those within the fashion industry have long viewed Wintour as one of Galliano’s most powerful allies. Her support continued through his rehabilitation and eventual return to the industry, helping keep him connected to influential circles while others remained reluctant to embrace him.

That history has now become central to the debate. According to one industry insider, the fashion icon’s determination to champion Galliano ultimately exposed them both to renewed criticism.

“Anna singlehandedly thought she could willfully get [Galliano] back in [fashion]. She’s been at it a long time, and she really misjudged it, and she made him vulnerable while doing that,” the source told Page Six.

Adding fuel to the speculation was a February dinner in New York attended by Wintour, Galliano, and Vogue veteran Grace Coddington. 

At the time, one fashion source reportedly left the encounter with a lingering suspicion, noting, “Something is up. Anna is up to something.” 

Months later, industry observers connected that meeting to the eventual unveiling of “John Galliano: Horizons” as the 2027 Met Gala theme.

Wintour’s Critics Say The Met Gala Controversy Revealed A Bigger Problem

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While Galliano’s name became the immediate focus of the backlash, many insiders viewed the reaction as a referendum on Anna Wintour’s leadership and cultural judgment. 

Critics argued that the issue was not simply the theme itself but the belief that influential figures underestimated how strongly people would respond.

One frustrated source accused Wintour of badly misreading the moment, saying, “She’s not reading the f–king room … She really overplayed her hand. They really need to take a beat, take a year off, because people don’t have time for this s–t right now.”

The criticism intensified after Jewish leaders and museum donors reportedly objected to the exhibition announcement. As opposition mounted, some insiders claimed the controversy exposed a growing disconnect between elite fashion institutions and the audiences they seek to engage.

Not everyone agreed with placing the blame on Wintour, however. A source close to the Vogue editor emphasized that the Met Gala theme was approved through a much broader process.

“People seem to think she’s the sole person [making the decision about Met theme],” the insider shared, adding, “It’s a huge amount of people on the Met board that signed off on this. She’s a piece of that.”

The source further stressed that discussions surrounding a Galliano exhibition had been ongoing for years, adding, “It wasn’t her decision alone, by any stretch of the imagination.”

Anna Wintour Faces New Questions After John Galliano Steps Aside

By the time Galliano announced he was withdrawing from the gala, the conversation had shifted far beyond the event itself. His decision became the clearest sign yet that the controversy was not fading as some may have expected.

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In his statement, Galliano acknowledged the lasting impact of his past actions, revealing per the BBC, “I remain fully accountable for the pain caused by my words in the past, particularly the hurt I caused to the Jewish and Asian communities, and I remain deeply sorry.”

He continued, “I understand that meaningful atonement is not achieved through an exhibition, institutional recognition or a single public gesture. It is a continuing responsibility, demonstrated through listening, learning and one’s conduct over time.”

Rather than ending the debate, Galliano’s withdrawal intensified scrutiny of Wintour’s role in the situation. According to a Condé Nast insider, she failed to anticipate how forcefully critics would push back.

The source claimed Wintour “doesn’t understand what people are talking about and thought she could shoulder through this and it would blow over.”

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That assessment culminated in perhaps the most damaging criticism of all, with the insider concluding that “Anna’s lost her touch on the zeitgeist.” 

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Wintour Meets With Zohran Mamdani As Fashion Industry Focus Shifts 

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Amid the headlines centered on Galliano’s withdrawal and the criticism directed at Anna Wintour, the fashion executive found herself involved in a very different conversation: the future of New York’s fashion industry itself. 

Rather than discussing gala themes or designer controversies, Wintour met with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani in late July to talk about how they could work together to support one of the city’s most important economic and cultural sectors. 

According to Mamdani’s press secretary, the pair discussed their shared commitment to New York and explored ways to strengthen the city’s fashion community. 

“The mayor and Ms. Wintour had a good meeting where they talked about their shared love for New York City and ways they can work together to support New York City’s fashion industry,” they said per The Cut.

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Anna Wintour Returns To The US Open Spotlight

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Following her meeting with Mayor Mamdani, Wintour returned to a more familiar setting the following month, emerging as a high-profile attendee at the 2026 US Open. 

Her appearance drew attention not only because of her status in the fashion world but because she took on a visible role during festivities surrounding tennis legend Roger Federer.

Wintour participated in the ceremonial coin toss at a special exhibition honoring Federer, placing her at the center of one of the tournament’s most talked-about off-court moments. 

During the event, she discussed the growing relationship between fashion and tennis, describing the connection as “a wonderful sort of marriage.” 

She also used the occasion to talk about the next generation of athlete-fashion influencers, singling out Filipino tennis star Alex Eala. 

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Wintour praised the young player’s interest in fashion and suggested that athletes are increasingly shaping style conversations beyond their respective sports.

Disney+ has become one of the largest streaming platforms of all time, thanks to the fact that they have the products and franchises of the likes of Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and more. However, despite this, they don’t seem to have a lot lined up for their fall schedule this year. There are only four Disney+ originals coming out this fall, which is surprising, given the fact that autumn is traditionally the time of the year in which network television shows begin their new seasons.

However, even though there’s not much coming, that doesn’t mean that the projects that actually are aren’t worth getting excited about. Marvel Studios has an all-new entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and one of Disney Animation’s biggest properties of all time is getting a short film, too. There’s a lot of love to be had for the many franchises and fictional worlds that the company has control over, and any chance to revisit the likes of the Star Wars franchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and any other universe they have is always a welcome treat for most. Disney+’s content is usually decent (depending on the creatives working behind whatever project someone is watching), so fans can rest easy knowing that the majority of these projects will be at the very least good or, hopefully, great!

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‘LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian’ (September 2nd)

Disney loves teaming up with LEGO, doing so quite frequently with almost all of their biggest franchises, and their LEGO Star Wars series is returning to Disney+ on September 2nd with LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian. This new animated television special is a small celebration of The Mandalorian, recapping the events of the three seasons in LEGO form, meaning a far more cartoony and comedic take than the original, which is what the brick-based company is most well-known for across almost all media. Having explored franchises like Marvel, DC Comics, Indiana Jones, and, of course, Star Wars, they have a plethora of experience taking pre-established intellectual properties and retelling them in ways that are new and refreshing, without losing the main heart behind the original stories, thanks to most of their early video games retelling the stories from the movies they were based on — the LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Indiana Jones series, most notably. Whether actors like Pedro Pascal will return from the original series is still up in the air, but they typically do not, so no one would be surprised if they get someone else to voice the titular Mandalorian this go around.

It’s a tad disappointing that this isn’t going to be a new story for the iconic duo. Fans of LEGO projects, especially those who love the highly popular LEGO Star Wars video games from the past, already know, though, that, at the very least, this is going to deliver an adventure that — while already having been told — will be done in an all-new way that will be extremely entertaining, especially for those who have seen it already. It’s very hard to deny the opinion that the vast majority of audiences all over the world adore pretty much anything Star Wars-related at this point, and there will likely be a lot of love for LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian when it releases on September 2nd.

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‘VisionQuest’ (October 14th)

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There’s no denying that the MCU is pretty much always going to be successful, and people will turn the television on to watch their silver screen adventures. This is especially true when it comes to the upcoming miniseries, VisionQuest, which is acting as a trilogy-capper to what the studio is considering the “WandaVision trilogy” that’s been so popular since the beginning of Disney+’s reign over streaming. Starting with the ever-popular WandaVision, then continuing with Agatha All Along, it only makes sense that people are going to come out for the likes of VisionQuest. How it will connect to the other two shows, aside from featuring the second half of the Maximoff kids, Tommy Maximoff (Ruaridh Mollica), is still unknown, though.

What VisionQuest really has going for it is the return of the fan-favorite Avengers: Age of Ultron villain, Ultron (James Spader). Say what one wants about The Avengers sequel, but most Marvel fans agree that Ultron was a super cool villain, especially with Spader as the performer — perfect casting. The only thing that is truly holding VisionQuest back, however, is its centering on the new Vision (Paul Bettany) himself, with people not being super interested in him post-WandaVision. Audiences miss the Vision they know and love and are, for the most part, unsure about what to think of this new one. That doesn’t make it uninteresting to people, but it is the one thing holding this back from being extremely exciting for viewers. However, there’s no question that people will be pulling up to Disney+’s home page for VisionQuest regardless.

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Untitled Frozen Short Film (October TBD)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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At some point in October, fans of the Frozen franchise will be treated to a new short film that leads directly into the upcoming release of Frozen III in theaters on November 24th. There have been a few Frozen short films over the years since the first was released in 2013. Typically, most of these shorts are like this upcoming one, providing a story that is either a cute spin-off to fill the gap between movies or to lead into whatever the next one may be — there’s even one that depicts the adorable Olaf’s (Josh Gad) origin story after he was created by Elsa (Idina Menzel), leading up until he met Anna (Kristen Bell) and Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) in the first entry in the series.

All of this in mind, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about this upcoming Frozen short film, especially since it is going to be a prequel of sorts to Frozen III, which is already extremely anticipated. Regardless of whether it’ll be shorter and more comedy-based like Frozen Fever or something a bit longer and more plot-driven, there’s zero doubt in anyone’s mind that this is going to be a project that fans of the franchise are going to have fun with. Safe to say that Frozen fans are absolutely eating good this year, and that’s something worth celebrating. Frozen III is going to be a smash hit, so here’s hoping that this new short film will be a big success for the franchise, too. Also, one can only hope that Olaf is going to be a big presence, given the fact that he is traditionally the most utilized character in previous short films in this series.

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‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Season 3 (November 20th)

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The book series of the same name, written by the ever-talented Rick Riordan, is already a gigantic success — even being considered the Harry Potter series’ biggest rival — as it is. Almost everyone can agree, though, that, in the past, the franchise has had an extremely difficult time in live-action media, thanks to the general reception of the two films that were released in 2010 and 2013. While nowadays a lot of diehard fans have plenty of nostalgia for them, they’re commonly agreed upon as movies that are really rough around the edges and executed poorly all-around, both as adaptations and as films in general. Fans of the series got quite excited in 2023, though, when they finally got a book-accurate Disney+ series in the form of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1, which adapts the entire first book — the best way to go about making a book-to-live-action adaptation, honestly.

With said format being present, it’s easy to understand that the third season entry of the series is going to be adapting the abundantly beloved third book in the original series, The Titan’s Curse. This is the novel where the story takes a dramatic turn, and things truly begin to kick into gear for the main characters, much like how Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was for the Harry Potter franchise. This means the same is going to be true for the show, because of how genuinely book-accurate it is. Things are likely going to explode for Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) this season, and that means there’s abundant reason for fans to get excited. Starting on November 20th, Percy’s life is going to change in ways that non-book fans who don’t know what happens are not ready for.

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Percy Jackson & the Olympians

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Release Date

December 19, 2023

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Network

Disney+

Showrunner

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Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Shotz

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  Walker Scobell

  Percy Jackson

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  Leah Sava Jeffries

  Annabeth Chase

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Looking for movies that are more than 100 years old feels a lot harder to do than finding books that have stood the test of time for more than a century. Books go back further, because with movies, you’ve got some stuff from the 1910s and the 1920s, if you’re talking feature-length films (including the likes of Intolerance and Nosferatu), but before then, all you have are short films. And not that many, honestly.

So, singling out a handful of great books that have existed for more than a century that feel especially great is kind of challenging, but that’s what the following is intended to do. These are the best books that are over 100 years old, with some only recently turning 100 (like, in 2025), while a couple of others are even older old-timers, having been around for multiple centuries.

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‘The Trial’ (1925)

Image via Knopf

Starting out with something that’s only a little over a century old, at the time of writing, The Trial was published in 1925, but written about a decade earlier. It was a posthumous publication for Franz Kafka, who died regrettably young, though what he did write has proven incredibly influential, with him being one of those creative people whose name has been reworked into an adjective: “Kafkaesque.”

The Trial is the best way to understand what Kafka was all about, or experience the best (and most Kafkaesque) thing he wrote. The novel’s about a guy on trial for a crime, and they don’t tell him what the crime is, so he slowly goes mad. And the world around him also seems like it’s gone mad, and pretty much dystopian, even if it’s not dystopian in like a science fiction way. It’s psychologically intense and timeless… that’s the important thing here.

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‘Frankenstein’ (1818)

Image via Oxford University Press USA

There’s been a whole lot done with the science fiction genre since Frankenstein, yet this one did lay quite a bit of groundwork, and feels especially impactful and influential if you’re looking at sci-fi/horror books. It’s got one of those plots everyone knows, because it’s about a scientist who wants to bring the dead back to life, and he does so by creating a creature out of different dead body parts.

That’s the basic story that gets followed in various adaptations and re-imaginings, but the original text is something everyone should give time to at least once. Frankenstein (1818) goes to some truly thought-provoking and subtly uneasy places, with the novel being more nuanced than any adaptation. Mary Shelley’s original work here just has a real lingering quality that’s hard to describe, but then even harder to outright deny/ignore.

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‘Crime and Punishment’ (1866)

Image via Penguin

Was the 1860s the greatest decade for literature? Like, Crime and Punishment came out in this decade, and so too did two other immense books that’ll be mentioned a little later. Fyodor Dostoevsky was at his height here, and then The Idiot also came out in the final years of the 1860s. But it’s Crime and Punishment that should be focused on here, just because of how unbelievably effective it is as a proto-psychological thriller of sorts.

It’s also a crime novel, and then much of it digs deep enough that it works as a piece of philosophical and existential fiction, too. You’ve got a lot of things going all at once, even if the plot – about a crime or two, and maybe some punishments – technically isn’t too complex. All the things Dostoevsky does with stuff that might seem simple at first? That’s where Crime and Punishment really gets elevated to the classic status it’s been able to proudly wear for decades upon decades at this point.

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‘The Great Gatsby’ (1925)

Image via Scribner

Like The Trial, The Great Gatsby hasn’t been 100 for very long, but it’s got one disadvantage when it comes to aging: it is distinctly about the decade during which it was published. The Great Gatsby is as 1920s as the Brian De Palma version of Scarface is 1980s. This is not a bad thing, though, in either case. It’s more just that there is a timelessness to something like The Trial because of how indistinct so much of it and its world prove to be.

As for The Great Gatsby, it wants to reflect a time and place, and then it wants to explore a few people caught up in that time and place. It does so expertly, obviously, and this might be another classic people call overrated or a bit whatever (some enthusiasm is lacking, at times, for books you might’ve been made to read at school), yet haters will hate. You don’t have to listen to them. Just focus on that blinking green light or something; the one on the water, and it seems like miles away. What’s the worst that could happen?

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‘Dracula’ (1897)

Image via Penguin Classics

Dracula is the vampire book. There are many other vampire books, but Dracula is just the one, you know? Like, if there had to be one, in a situation where there’s only room for one piece of evidence that vampires were a thing, and there was a rocket being shot into space to preserve humanity and its culture and it’s Noah’s Ark but for pieces of entertainment, there’s Dracula. There’s a spot for Dracula. Dracula has a spot.

Sorry, Let the Right One In, Salem’s Lot, Interview with the Vampire, and Twilight. This whole tangent is being mixed with Highlander now (Highlander’s Ark? Noah’s Highlander?) and there can be only one. Also, come on… what else can be said about Dracula? It’s genre-defining, it still feels fairly creepy, and the whole way it’s structured remains clever, engrossing, and even weirdly immersive to this day, almost 130 years on from when it was first published.

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‘Wuthering Heights’ (1847)

Image via Chartwell

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People have been alarmed and challenged by Wuthering Heights for almost 180 years now, and that’s kind of great. Admittedly, the most recent movie adaptation is what caused the most Wuthering Heights-related drama in living memory, but it’s easy to imagine this book causing a stir – and feeling like a shock to the system – when read back in the 1800s. Even throughout much of the 20th century, Wuthering Heights would’ve felt like a lot. And today… maybe still a bit, to be honest.

It’s easy to be taken off-guard if you’re after some kind of sweeping romance, because the book really isn’t that. There is passion, and some people who believe they’re in love, but also, so many dysfunctional characters defined by traumatic pasts, and much more by way of tragedies that happen than moments of romance or passion. It’s a dark, borderline-horror novel at times, and it’s a bit like Frankenstein in that adaptations can be interesting, or even good, but there is something unable to be captured in a different medium, no matter how skilled the filmmaker might be. You just have to find time to read Emily Brontë’s original story the way you need to find time to, one day, read the entirety of Frankenstein’s original text.

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‘Les Misérables’ (1862)

Image via Penguin Classics

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Les Misérables is famous for being a great story, sure, but it’s also known for being lengthy and quite heavy-going (if the title didn’t tip you off). It uses its hundreds of pages to tell an appropriately sweeping story, with close to two decades covered all up, spanning from the 1810s to 1832, the year of the June Rebellion in Paris. That incorporation of history does make it a work of historical fiction, of course.

The characters are fictional, yet many things happening around them happened historically, and then Victor Hugo does use his characters to explore all sorts of real-world issues. You might not think a book about inequality, wealth, crime, and justice written more than a century and a half ago would still feel relevant, but much of Les Misérables does feel topical, regarding all those things. It’s part a testament to Hugo’s skills, as an author, and part a reflection of how some things have not, regrettably, entirely changed for the better.

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‘Don Quixote’ (1605, 1615)

Image via Maple Press

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The two things about the two-part novel that is Don Quixote are just how old and defining for the whole medium of the novel it was, and also how funny much of it aims to be. That’s in contrast to plenty of other “classic” books, especially the really old classics, because they sometimes have a reputation for being more drama-focused and maybe even a little dry here and there.

Don Quixote does have its slightly more dramatic moments, and it touches upon some serious things, but then retains a comedic/somewhat fantastical feel throughout, too. It’s lengthy, creative, and metafictional in ways that clearly felt forward-thinking for the 1600s, with there being good reason why this is one of the oldest books that still has a good reputation for being something people should try to read at least once in their lives.

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‘War and Peace’ (1869)

There are comparisons to be made between War and Peace and Les Misérables, especially given they were published fairly close together, and War and Peace also spans about a decade and a half. Sure, there’s Russian history with War and Peace, and the Napoleonic Wars define much of what happens throughout, while Les Misérables takes place later and mostly covers a slightly different span of time (and with a French focus).

Emphasis on the “slightly different,” though, since both novels situate the action they explore in the first few decades of the 1800s. As for picking which one is better… well, War and Peace is ranking a little higher here, but you could flip a coin if you wanted, since they’re both great and easy to admire for some similar reasons (for what it’s worth, War and Peace might drift out of the realm of “fiction” a little more often, albeit not to the extent that it ever reads like non-fiction; Leo Tolstoy just liked to yap a bit, to borrow a phrase that wasn’t used until about a century on from the author’s death).

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‘The Odyssey’ (8th or 7th century BC)

Image via W. W. Norton & Company

People who swear off audiobooks can scoff at this statement if they want, but The Odyssey is better listened to than it is read. You can always do a bit of both, but the story itself is believed to be old enough that it was told through spoken performances before eventually being written down when the idea of collecting pieces of writing became more of a thing (and then mass-market books were still a while away from then… this is going back ages).

That’s all a bit of a history lesson, and one sped through, so probably not a very good history lesson. But the main thing is that The Odyssey is almost as old as surviving stories get, and so with this whole ranking-related endeavor being about stories that have endured and first existed long ago, it seems more than sensible to mention The Odyssey. Honorable mentions, also, to The Iliad (also by Homer) and The Epic of Gilgamesh.

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The Odyssey

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Release Date

July 15, 2026

Runtime

173 minutes

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Robert Pattinson is taking on an unusual role in “Primetime,” portraying “To Catch a Predator” host and journalist Chris Hansen. The actor has played a wide range of characters throughout his career, but bringing Hansen to life presented a unique challenge. Pattinson recently opened up about how he prepared to capture the host’s distinctive voice and mannerisms.

The premiere of “Primetime” is weeks away, but Robert Pattinson has already received heaps of praise from critics and fans over his portrayal of Chris Hansen.

The teaser for the A24 film was released in May, and it was the first time audiences caught a glimpse of the actor as Hansen, per The Blast. Users commented on Pattinson’s voice and delivery of Hansen’s most famous lines, noting his impressive transformation. “Dude… the ‘you see how this looks’ was spot on holy sh-t” one user commented.

The movie chronicles what happened behind-the-scenes on Dateline NBC’s investigation show, “To Catch a Predator,” which aired from 2004 to 2007. In it, Hansen exposed child predators by setting up sting operations and confronting them in front of cameras as they arrived at a staged home.

It Was ‘Incredibly Difficult’ For The Actor To Mimic The Host’s Voice

Hansen has a distinct voice, and his delivery is characterized by an unnervingly composed tone, even when talking to suspected sexual offenders. He also used common phrases throughout the show, including “What did you think was going to happen here tonight?” and “You see how this looks.”

Pattinson admitted that it was “incredibly difficult” to mimic Hansen’s voice. To prepare for the role, he listened to Hansen’s podcast, “Have a Seat with Chris Hansen,” in which the host revisits some cases and talks to law enforcement and legal experts.

“He has a podcast discussing his old cases, and I was just walking around constantly trying to imitate his voice, but it’s pretty dark material,” Pattinson told GQ. He walked on the streets while listening to Hansen and practiced out loud. “His voice is really iconic to me, and it’s very hard to do it,” the actor added.

Robert Pattinson Really Liked The Script For ‘Primetime’

In 2024, it was reported that documentary filmmaker Lance Oppenheim was helming “Primetime,” which was financed by the independent entertainment company A24. Pattinson was also said to be attached to the project as one of its producers.

The actor said that he came on as a producer after reading the first draft of the script. He was also working on a documentary with Oppenheim and was interested to see how the filmmaker’s style translated into the movie.

“When the second draft of the script came in, I was like, ‘Ooh, I really like this.’ It’s really unusual and kind of audacious. I’m so curious to see how people will receive it,” he said, adding that it’s the first project he produced in which he was involved from the start.

Chris Hansen Said The ‘Primetime’ Trailer Was ‘Dramatic’

Hansen was in no way involved in the production of the movie, but he has seen the trailer. While he acknowledges Pattinson and Oppenheim’s talents, he said the trailer was too “dramatic” for his taste.

Furthermore, he said the “Batman” actor wouldn’t have been his first choice to play him, saying that he would have picked Denis Leary, as reported by The Blast. He noted, however, that he will reserve judgment on the movie until he sees it in its entirety.

Hansen’s family, on the other hand, was impressed by Pattinson, as the journalist told Entertainment Tonight. “It’s not so much what I think; it’s what other people think. My wife, my family, seems to think it’s a pretty good imitation,” he said.

The Journalist Claims He Wasn’t Allowed To See Film Due To Unsigned NDA

Hansen said he was offered a private screening of “Primetime” ahead of its release, but when he arrived at the studio, he was asked to sign an NDA. He refused and left the premises without seeing the film.

A24 has responded to Hansen’s claims, saying that it was a standard NDA needed for unreleased projects to prevent spoilers and protect intellectual property.

Hansen later aired his frustration at the company, calling the filmmakers out for not having the “common courtesy ” to approach him about the film before moving forward with production, especially since he’s being portrayed in the project. The journalist also reminded viewers that “Primetime” is a “work of fiction” and is only loosely based on him and his former show.

“Primetime” will be released in theaters on September 25.

For decades, Jim Thornton’s voice has been one of the most familiar parts of “Wheel of Fortune,” helping guide contestants and viewers through the beloved game show. 

However, as the series prepares for a new season, attention has shifted away from puzzles and prizes and toward an investigation involving the longtime announcer. 

Sony has now taken action after learning of allegations connected to an incident on a flight earlier this year, placing Thornton’s future with the show under scrutiny.

A new controversy has emerged for “Wheel of Fortune” after longtime announcer Jim Thornton was suspended pending an investigation into allegations tied to an incident that reportedly occurred in May.

Sony confirmed the move in a statement to Page Six, making clear that the company was already preparing for the possibility of moving forward without Thornton while the matter is reviewed.

“We have recently been made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton,” a spokesperson for Sony revealed, adding, “He has been suspended from ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ and we are recasting while we conduct a thorough investigation.”

The announcement marks a significant development for the game show, where Thornton has been a familiar presence for years. 

Recall that he joined the show as its announcer in 2011, following the 2010 death of longtime announcer Charlie O’Donnell.

‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Controversy Traces Back To Alleged Flight Incident

Although Sony has remained tight-lipped about the specifics, details reported by outlets link the investigation to an alleged incident aboard an American Airlines flight bound for Los Angeles International Airport on May 14.

According to insiders, a fellow passenger allegedly complained to a flight attendant about Thornton during the trip. 

The matter reportedly escalated to the point that law enforcement officers were notified and met the television personality after the plane landed.

Thornton, who was reportedly wearing a “Wheel of Fortune” jacket at the time, was questioned by officers at the gate before being released.

American Airlines later confirmed that concerns had been reported during the flight and that authorities were contacted upon arrival. 

In a statement to PEOPLE, the airline said, “On ​May 14, ​American Airlines ​Flight ​1276 ​was met by ​law enforcement ​upon ​arrival at ​Los ​Angeles ​International ​Airport ​(LAX) following concerns reported by a customer ​onboard.”

Reddit Fans Debate Whether ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Acted Too Quickly

With few details publicly available about the allegations against Thornton, many Reddit users focused less on the reported airline incident and more on the unanswered questions surrounding it. 

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A number of commenters argued that there was not enough information available for people to draw conclusions about what actually happened.

One fan questioned whether the show’s response was based solely on an allegation, writing, “So he was fired because of an alleged incident that the police didn’t think was a big deal? Is there video proof of whatever happened or was the allegation enough to get him fired? If he isn’t banned from American Airlines and the cops let him go after talking to him for five minutes I’m curious what actually happened.”

Others expressed disbelief that a veteran television personality could jeopardize a high-profile job. “People love to fumble the bag. Idk how much he was getting paid, but I’m sure he’s at least comfortable for doing basically nothing,” one commenter wrote.

At the same time, not everyone was willing to assume Thornton did nothing wrong. Some users argued that the involvement of law enforcement suggested there may be more to the story than what has been reported publicly. 

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One Redditor remarked, “Sounds like he was a creep to someone on a plane that required law enforcement to meet them at the gate. While wearing Wheel of Fortune branded gear.”

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‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Unveils Biggest Gameplay Shake-Up Ahead Of Season 44

As “Wheel of Fortune” works through the fallout from the Thornton suspension, another major development is already reshaping conversation around the long-running game show. 

Beginning with Season 44, which premieres September 14, producers are introducing one of the franchise’s most significant format changes in years. 

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For decades, episodes traditionally opened with two toss-up puzzles worth $1,000 and $2,000. As The Sun reported, that format is now being replaced by a new segment called the “Toss-Up Sprint.” 

According to a report from audience members who attended recent tapings, contestants will have 30 seconds to solve as many toss-up puzzles as possible. 

Each correct answer is worth $1,000, and players are expected to encounter five or six puzzles during the round.  The rules are designed to speed up the action. Contestants get only one guess per puzzle. 

If they answer correctly, they earn the money and move on. If they answer incorrectly, the solution is immediately revealed, and a new puzzle appears. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, meaning contestants can continue competing throughout the sprint. 

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‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Fans Push Ryan Seacrest To Make One Key Change

While producers are busy changing the gameplay, some viewers have a completely different request for Ryan Seacrest ahead of Season 44. 

The discussion began after fans raised concerns about how prizes were revealed at the end of episodes, particularly for viewers who could not easily read information displayed on screen. 

The issue gained traction when one fan explained on Reddit, “I’m blind. He just shows the card at the end and I never know what it says.” The comment quickly sparked a wider discussion among viewers, many of whom debated whether the responsibility actually fell on Seacrest. 

Some fans noted that the practice didn’t begin with Seacrest. One Redditor observed, “If you watch the [former host] Pat Sajak episodes, he never read the card either. He just refers to it as ‘this.’ I wonder if this is a specific rule they imposed on the host for a particular reason.” 

Others argued that announcing the prize may be part of the announcer’s duties rather than the host’s. “I thought someone here said the announcer is supposed to say it, not Ryan,” one Reddit user shared. Another added, “The announcer gives the grand total. You gotta do some math and have a good memory to know what they just won.”

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Michelle Obama knows the power of a flattering dress, and her latest striped look is one we’re copying ASAP. The former first lady recently stepped out at the Martha’s Vineyard Author Series wearing a green-and-white striped dress with a fitted bodice and full midi skirt, and we found a similar style on Amazon to recreate her polished look for a fraction of the price.

Like Obama’s dress, this affordable option features horizontal stripes across the top to add visual interest and help define the bodice. Then, as it moves along the skirt, the stripes shift direction into vertical for a lengthening effect. The combination gives the classic pattern a more dimensional, figure-flattering feel.

Get the Prettygarden Striped Maxi Dress for $37 (was $50) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

The silhouette itself is just as appealing. A defined waist helps create shape, while the flowy skirt skims over the hips rather than clinging to them. Together with the contrasting stripe placement, these details create a balanced silhouette that’s flattering, comfortable and incredibly easy to wear.

When it comes to styling, the bold stripes do most of the work for you, so there’s no need to overthink the rest of your outfit. For an elevated daytime look, pair the dress with neutral sandals or espadrilles, a structured handbag and simple gold jewelry. Heading to dinner or an event? Swap in a pair of strappy heels, statement earrings and a sleek clutch to instantly dress it up. You can also make it feel more casual with white sneakers and a denim jacket, or transition it into cooler weather with a lightweight cardigan and ankle boots.

Whether you’re looking for an easy everyday dress or something elevated enough for your next dinner or event, this striped style checks all the boxes. Head to Amazon to shop the $33 dress and channel Obama’s look for less!

Get the Prettygarden Striped Maxi Dress for $37 (was $50) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

UsNow Summer Sale Alert: These Chic Fashion Finds are over 30% off – Plus Free Shipping

Welcome to summer with our biggest sale of the year. This summer’s chicest dresses, tops and swimsuits are all over 30% + free shipping. Inventory is limited so hurry before they’re gone.

Shop the UsNow Summer Sale –>

Related: 17 Coastal Rich Mom Dresses I Spotted In The Hamptons, From $13

I don’t know what I was more obsessed with during my weekend in the Hamptons: wandering into every boutique I passed or quietly people-watching to see what everyone was wearing. Somewhere between iced coffee walks, waterfront dinners and shopping along Main Street, I realized the most stylish women all seemed to own the same handful […]