At 54 years old, Jada Pinkett Smith still has that “unlimited swipes” type of face card! She recently flexed her flawless skin while feeding fans nostalgia. So, what’s the TEA behind her mesmerizing MUG? Smith is reprising her role as Lena James in ‘A Different World.’ And after dropping her selfie to confirm, fans are losing it with excitement!

RELATED: Will Smith & Jada Pinkett Have The Internet Losing It Over Their Rare Pop Out At Paris Fashion Week (PHOTO)

Jada Pinkett Smith Slays In Set Selfie

‘A Different World’ is getting a superstar treat! The series, coming up on Netflix, will be based on the same fictional HBCU campus that fans fell in love with 38 years ago. Jada Pinkett Smith first stepped on the Hillman scene midway through the original series’ run. Now, Lena James is confirmed to be back on campus. Jada shared the news on Wednesday, posing outside of the trailer for her reprised role. She gave fans a smize while wearing a black head wrap, large sunglasses and a dainty necklace. Sunkissed skin and clocked in! Meanwhile, her caption said, “She back 😜#ADifferentWorld✨.”

Details About The Return Of ‘A Different World’

While Lena James is making her appearance in ‘A Different World,’ she won’t be the focus character in script. Deborah Wayne is the girl leading in this modern version of life at Hillman. Deb, played by Maleah Joi Moon, is the daughter of characters Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert-Wayne and a freshman at her parents’ alma mater.

Like Jada, the OG actors behind Dwayne and Whitley, Kadeem Hardison and Jasmine Guy, are returning. Cree Summer (Freddie Brooks) and Darryl M. Bell (Ron Johnson) are also coming back to Hillman.

RELATED: Oop! Will Smith Sounds OFF About Slapping Chris Rock At The Oscars & His Marriage To Jada Pinkett In New Album (LISTEN)

Although the kind of story it told was far from original, the success of Coralie Fargeat‘s The Substance seems to have kicked off a trend for body horror movies that explore the psychology of women’s beauty standards. Last year’s Shell looked more at the cynical corporate side of creating insecurities to sell solutions to, and now Amy Wang‘s feature debut Slanted takes it in the direction of the erasure of cultural heritage. It’s a wickedly entertaining movie which, despite a couple of minor drawbacks, manages to make some interesting points about the self-image of Americans from immigrant families, and about teenage girls.

What Is ‘Slanted’ About?

Joan (Shirley Chen) and her parents came to America when she was a child, and ten years later, she is a high-schooler looking forward to prom. She desperately wants to be voted prom queen, but feels constantly sidelined or overlooked by those around her. She uses a face-tuning app that makes her look white, to such an extent that the company that operates it, Ethnos Inc., starts messaging her with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She relents and finds herself in the suspicious office of Dr. Singer (R. Keith Harris), who promises her a pain-free, recovery-free operation that will permanently transform her into a beautiful white woman. She takes little convincing and undergoes the operation, waking up in the body of Mckenna Grace, and she sets about establishing a new life for herself under the pseudonym Jo.

Of course, what first appears to be a dream come true ends up being something of a Faustian pact, one that forces Joan to really look at herself and consider who she is and why she felt so othered in the first place. Her parents, played wonderfully by Vivian Wu and Fang Du, are the important straight men in this surprisingly funny dystopian story. They are completely blindsided by Joan’s surgery — one she tricks them into signing consent forms for — and outraged that she would want to shed her Chinese heritage. They serve as constant reminders to Joan of the characteristics she feels embarrassed and held back by, and ultimately as the emotional core of the story.

‘Slanted’ Is a Strange New Breed of Teen Movie

You get a bit of everything with Slanted. You might think you’re going into a body horror or sci-fi movie from the setup, but it spins out into a Mean Girls-style high school comedy at times, before reining it back in to very emotional drama territory akin to Thirteen. You could say that it has some tonal inconsistencies and doesn’t quite know what it wants to be, but this is played off quite well as reflecting the fast pace and spontaneity of being a teenager. Joan makes several quick and very dumb decisions over the course of the movie that make you wonder just what the hell she thought would happen as a result — the surgery itself being the biggest. She just comes home one day in an entirely different body and expects her parents to go about their lives as normal, and not completely freak out and need convincing that a stranger hasn’t wandered into their home. She doesn’t even tell her best friend what she’s done. For all intents and purposes, Joan Huang just vanishes.

This is very much one of those allegorical movies that you have to switch off the logical side of your brain for. It’s taking place in a vaguely alternate universe in which scientific impossibilities are shrugged off and explained away as, “I dunno — science?” What we’re really here to do is consider how a young Chinese girl feels growing up in a very proudly white place. The opening scene sees Joan being driven through town on her first day of school, and every billboard is plastered with sexy young white women, while all the stores have darkly hilarious names like Prayers & Ammo. The writing and production design go a long way in satirizing the American way of life for all its chest-beating glorification, lending the movie that pitch-black humor that stops it from feeling too preachy or boring. In this world, it is no wonder that Joan feels like she doesn’t belong, and that all her problems would be solved if she were white.

Race and Cultural Heritage Are At The Heart of ‘Slanted’

Image via Bleecker Street Media

The movie says as much. Dr. Singer’s office has videos playing of previous patients explaining how being white has transformed their lives. One was able to become a vet, and says even the animals treat her differently. Another is now able to accuse waiters of sexual harassment and get free meals out of it. Imagine the possibilities! It is notable that almost all the white characters in the movie, including those who are Ethnos patients, are not supermodel types like Margaret Qualley in The Substance. They are actually quite ordinary looking people, which serves to emphasize that whiteness really is the point. You don’t have to be hot; you just have to be the right color, and then you get to play life on easy mode. There is a particularly on-the-nose scene towards the end in which the movie’s message is spoken out loud, admittedly in quite thought-provoking ways, but again, because our protagonist is a teenage girl, the movie gets away with spelling things out for her. Seeing this struggle through the eyes of a teenager, and all the highly emotional, easy swayed recklessness that goes with the territory, makes it all much more believable. Young folks are known to dive into situations without considering, or having the capacity to consider, the long-term ramifications, and because we understand that, we never grow to hate or look down on Joan, no matter how much she ends up hurting those around her.

There is a certain universality to the Western teenage experience, but Slanted is a firmly Asian picture, with a considerable majority of its crew coming from Eastern backgrounds. This is an important choice and one that lends the movie a real authenticity. One can only imagine that there were many discussions both on set and behind the scenes about what spoke to the lived experiences of these Asian American artists, and how best to communicate their feelings and stories to the wider, whiter world. Thanks to this authenticity, Slanted manages to make itself accessible to people who have never had to face the struggles it tells of, in the same way that Jordan Peele‘s movies do. Through Wang’s astute direction, some moving performances, and well-rounded vision, it is just as provocative as it needs to be, while making for a very entertaining watch.

Slanted comes to theaters on March 13.

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Release Date

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March 13, 2026

Runtime

102 Minutes

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Director

Amy Wang

Writers

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Amy Wang

Producers

Trevor Wall, Mark Ankner, Amy Wang

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Pros & Cons

• Strong performances offer everything from deep emotion to sharp comedy.
• Writing, direction and production design are well-synced to deliver a stylish and considered movie.

• The movie’s tone is rather inconsistent, but still works well.

Chile! It’s only been days since G Herbo popped off on a social media user who questioned his intentions with posting for Taina Williams to see. But the ‘net is talking yet again! This time, it’s over another post of his, in which he admits he “snuck out” to the studio after a lit night out with his fiancée and Coi Leray.

RELATED: G Herbo’s Sons Yosohn & Essex Speak Love Into Taina Williams After She Calls Herself “Ugly”(VIDEO)

Taina Williams & Coi Leray Enjoy Lit Club Outing

Earlier this week, footage surfaced of Taina and Coi Leray partying in a nightclub section with G Herbo. At one point, it appears Coi even grabbed the rapper’s phone and gave close-up views of herself and hugs with the “wifey” Taina. Leray also reminded the girls that “none of [them] are bigger than the program.” Her boyfriend, Justin LaBoy, also appeared to be with the group, per social media posts.

Chicago rapper G Herbo out partying with Coi Leray and fiancé Taina Williams pic.twitter.com/oYLSI1IRCe

— Kollege Kidd (@KollegeKidd) March 10, 2026

@real1of1tv

G Herbo On A Double Date With Justin LaBoy & Coi Leray #gherbo #justinlaboy #coileray #club #video

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♬ original sound – Real1Of1TV

G Herbo Admits To Sneaking Out For Studio Time

After the club outing, it seems the rapper and Taina Williams ended up at home. However, for Herb, that didn’t last long! That same night, he posted photos from what looks like a music studio, tagging his fiancée to let her know why he wasn’t in bed beside her. One photo seemingly showed him in the same outfit from the club outing. G Herbo also made a promise to make it up to his future wife at the Chanel store—but it took a second and third post to get the spelling of said promise right. Swipe below to see what all he shared. 

“[@Taina Williams] HEY I SNUCK OUT AFTER I COULDN’T FALL ASLEEP WITH YOUUU! SORRY MAAA I’LL MAKE IT UP IN THE CHAEL STORE,” G Herbo wrote, adding a few emojis.

Social Media Is Drawing All Kinds Of Conclusions

In The Shade Room’s comment section, over 5,000 roommates dropped their two cents on G Herbo putting his fiancée on notice via the ‘gram. Some applauded the love he’s been showing and laughed at his misspelling slips, while others accused him of moving suspicious and seeking attention. A few took it a step further by dropping the “C” bomb, claiming the rapper was trying to make up for cheating with public displays of affection.

Just a few days ago, Herbo called a social media user out of her name for typing, “Man what did you just do” in response to him posting about missing Taina Williams. Still, as mentioned, the comment section under this latest post for Tai-Tai was LOADED with similar comments.

Instagram user @jessybabyyy_ commented, “This is so performative, this couldn’t be a text for her to wake up to? take us out the group chat!”

“He cheated. He doing too much,” @thegoldenkei wrote with a laughing emoticon.

@insanelyy.fine_ said, “I just know he cheating cause men stay feeding info you never asked 😂😂😂”

@zapato_papi added, “I know an alibi when I see one😭”

@sheso716 commented, “Cuz he lying & his fingers know he wrong 😩😂”

“He scared ash can’t even spell rt 😭,” @_vinna.vinaa_ added.

@talkabout.cee speculated, “She must done got real strict, or that man been out here acting crazy 😂”

“But why not txt her this 🙄 lol it’s giving show,” @imanilw.xo said.

Meanwhile, @catchin_cat commented, “Aww he is smitten ❤️ love that for them.” 

@saintdwsn wrote, “This seems like one of those waves of falling in love with your person again ❤️”

“He cheated first then went to the studio to go take a pic,” @toomuch.arijjj alleged.

@naturallynellee accused the comment section of projecting, writing, “Shouldn’t you want your man to do the most when it comes to you? Y’all projecting cheating cause that’s what you’re used too…”

“Too extra to not be cheating 😂 like why not just text this,” @callme_feaaa said.

@calientay__ called out the comment section, saying, “When he was doing wrong yall said he didn’t deserve her, when he’s doing right y’all saying he’s cheating. Y’all need to go heal atp lol that or yall just don’t like this man like yall don’t like Queen Naija for no reason 😂.”

@candieecrushglam also had words for the haters. “Y’all tripping this is cute !! Damn can she trust her man ! Can he not be doing what he said he doing!”

@eric_x1029 wrote, “Guys using the oldest trick in the book take some pics before creeping to send when she ask where he at 😂😂.” 

“Good throw off 👏 I bet she ain’t got that location tho,” @saiii3rd commented.

“Or maybe he’s his doing something he never did before 🤷‍♀️ men grow up at some point . I think he love her fr and is a good man to her,” @tyanaa added.

RELATED: G Herbo Claps Back After Social Media User Puts Him On Blast Over Post About Missing Taina Williams (PHOTO)

From Friends to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia to Abbott Elementary, a great sitcom can go on for a number of seasons. Because sitcoms have complex characters and are less confined to linear storylines, they have the potential to continue for a very long time. Many of the very best sitcoms have continued for hundreds of episodes, and in that time, fans have been able to watch the characters and their relationships develop in lovely and surprising ways.

While sitcoms are known for their longevity, there are many fantastic sitcoms that did not get as many seasons. Whether this be because they were prematurely cancelled or they ended at an intentional stopping point, there are quite a few hidden gems of sitcoms that only went on for four seasons or fewer. These are the best sitcoms that are under five seasons, ranked.

7

‘Crashing’ (2016)

Image via Channel 4

Crashing follows a group consisting of some friends and some strangers who are all serving as property guardians in an abandoned hospital. The living space is not in the best condition, and they could be suddenly forced to move out at any time, but they get to live there for free. The series kicks off when two new people move in and shake up the existing dynamic of the hospital, creating messy love triangles and hilarious disagreements.

Crashing sadly only got one season, but its six-episode run was truly something special. Over the course of the series, engaged couple Anthony (Damien Molony) and Kate (Louise Ford) adjust to the arrival of Anthony’s chaotic childhood best friend, Lulu (Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Meanwhile, the rest of the property guardians deal with quite a bit of drama of their own. Sam (Jonathan Bailey) and Fred (Amit Shah) strike up an unlikely close friendship, and Melody (Julie Dray) convinces Kate’s coworker, Colin (Adrian Scarborough), to move into the hospital. Crashing is a truly hilarious show with excellent and unique characters, and it still makes for a great watch.

6

‘Santa Clarita Diet’ (2017–2019)

Image via Netflix

Santa Clarita Diet follows married couple Sheila (Drew Barrymore) and Joel Hammond (Timothy Olyphant), who work as a realtor duo and live in a Santa Clarita suburb with their teenage daughter, Abby (Liv Hewson). Sheila and Joel have a happy but mundane life together, until Sheila starts exhibiting some strange symptoms. When Sheila dies and comes back to life, Joel and Abby realize that she has become a zombie.

Santa Clarita Diet was sadly cancelled after just three seasons, but it is a phenomenal sitcom that perfectly blends sharp comedy with horror elements. Sheila and Joel try to keep up with their lives while also dealing with the startling realization that Sheila now has to kill and eat people in order to survive, and finding ways to help her do so without getting caught by their nosy neighbors. With each season, Santa Clarita Diet delves deeper into its creative and well-written zombie lore, and it only gets more over-the-top and wonderfully outrageous in its humor.

5

‘Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23’ (2012–2014)

Image via ABC

Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 follows the unlikely friendship between two very different roommates living together in New York City: optimist June Colburn (Dreama Walker), It Girl/conwoman, Chloe (Krysten Ritter). Their circle is made up of Chloe’s best friend, a fictionalized and exaggerated version of James Van Der Beek, as well as James’ agent, Luther (Ray Ford), Chloe and June’s neighbors, Robin (Liza Lapira) and Eli (Michael Blaiklock), and June’s boss, Mark (Eric André).

Although Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 was cancelled after just two seasons, it is one of the funniest and most underrated sitcoms ever, with delightfully weird humor and a phenomenal ensemble of characters. The show’s two seasons see Chloe regularly concocting bizarre and over-the-top schemes, and the rest of her friends getting roped into them, even as June often tries to steer her in the other direction.

4

‘Mythic Quest’ (2020–2025)

Image via Apple TV

Mythic Quest is a hilarious workplace sitcom that follows the creative team behind the wildly popular multiplayer roleplaying video game, Mythic Quest. At the center of it all is the intense partnership between the game’s creator, Ian Grimm (Rob Mac), and its lead engineer, Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicdao). Mythic Quest was sadly cancelled after just four seasons, but it is a sharply funny and creative sitcom that still has a satisfying ending.

Mythic Quest is wildly funny, but it also has a powerful emotional core. Each season, Mythic Quest has a departure episode that focuses on characters who aren’t otherwise a part of the show, and who have a surprising connection to the MQ team. Mythic Quest has some of the best and most inventive sitcom episodes ever, and it is also very silly and clever in its humor.

3

‘Happy Endings’ (2011–2013)

Image via ABC

Happy Endings is a classic hangout sitcom with a hilarious twist. Jane (Eliza Coupe), Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.), Penny (Casey Wilson), Max (Adam Pally), Alex (Elisha Cuthbert), and Dave (Zachary Knighton) are an extremely tight-knit friend group. When Alex leaves Dave at the altar, though, they all suddenly have to deal with the awkwardness of two of their best friends breaking up.

The friend group at the center of Happy Endings is one of the funniest and strangest sitcom friend groups ever. They’re extremely intense, and they often don’t know how to act around outsiders. They do vicious and personal insult pile-ons, get into over-the-top and deeply intense prank wars with one another, and even celebrate their own made-up holidays. Happy Endings is such a fun and silly show, and although it just got three seasons, it is still the perfect watch.

2

‘Galavant’ (2015–2016)

Image via ABC

Galavant is a fairytale-sitcom hybrid that tells the story of a once-successful knight named Galavant (Joshua Sasse). Ever since Galavant’s true love, Madalena (Mallory Jansen), left him for the evil King Richard (Timothy Omundson), he has been an emotional wreck. When the determined Princess Isabella (Karen David) asks him for help saving her kingdom from Richard, Galavant still refuses, until she tells him that Madalena still loves him.

Of course, the whole thing is a trap designed by Richard to lure an unsuspecting Galavant to his death, but that doesn’t stop Galavant from questing right into it – alongside his trusty squire, Sid (Luke Youngblood). Galavant is an epic, hilarious fantasy series that balances silly musical numbers with exciting tales of adventure. Galavant was prematurely cancelled after only two seasons, but it is a phenomenal series with two very different but equally fantastic installments, and an excellent ensemble cast made up of unique and complex characters.

1

‘The Good Place’ (2016–2020)

The Good Place follows Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell), a selfish woman who has just died in an embarrassing shopping cart crash. As soon as she dies, Eleanor is sent to the Good Place, but she soon realizes that she’s been brought there by mistake. When Eleanor’s misdeeds start causing grave problems for her Good Place neighborhood, she turns to her mistakenly-assigned soulmate, a former ethics and moral philosophy professor named Chidi Anagonye (William Jackson Harper), to teach her how to become a good person.

Whereas most shorter sitcoms were prematurely cancelled, series creator Michael Schur chose to cap The Good Place at four seasons, and it’s the perfect length for the series. The Good Place tells a story that perfectly fits into four very different seasons that see the main characters growing, changing, and becoming better versions of themselves. The series is packed with shocking plot twists, intense cliffhangers, and it has some of the best and most creative concept episodes.

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The Good Place

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Release Date

2016 – 2020

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Directors

Dean Holland, Beth McCarthy-Miller, Morgan Sackett, Michael Schur, Jude Weng, Trent O’Donnell, Rebecca Asher, Linda Mendoza, Claire Scanlon, Ken Whittingham, Kristen Bell, Michael McDonald, Tristram Shapeero, Tucker Gates, Alan Yang, Julie Anne Robinson, Lynn Shelton

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 18 seconds ago

Star Trek has often been described as a philosophical sci-fi franchise, but that’s usually just a general descriptor for the thoughtful nature of various episodes and movies. Shows like The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine frequently tackled big concepts, including personal autonomy, free will, the ethics of euthanasia, and so much more. However, few (if any) episodes from most of those series were written explicitly around the writing sof a singular philosopher.

Interestingly, though, the same can’t be said about “Projections,” an ambitious episode from the second season of Star Trek: Voyager. Episode writer Brannon Braga crafted this tale around the influential theories of renowned philosopher René Descartes. Furthermore, the climax of the episode involves the Doctor invoking Descartes’ most famous contribution to the philosophical canon: “I think, therefore I am.”

Holo Pursuits

For context, “Projections” is a Voyager episode where the ship’s holographic Doctor begins to think that he is actually flesh and blood and everyone else on the ship is a hologram. He spends the episode wrestling with a fundamental question of identity: is he an Emergency Medical Hologram on a ship trapped in the Delta Quadrant, or is he Lewis Zimmerman, the man who designed the EMH program? With a bit of help from the Voyager crew, he escapes this dilemma through sheer force of will: he is the holographic Doctor, and nobody can convince him otherwise.

Now, how does this wacky sci-fi plot connect to René Descartes, arguably the most influential philosopher of all time? Descartes was a philosopher who became obsessed with a simple idea: whether or not everything he was seeing was actual reality, or if this was all just a dream he was having. He went so far as to theorize that all of us could have our very own demon feeding us these illusions, and we would have no way of knowing what was real or what was not.

Eventually, Descartes solved his own crazy dilemma through the phrase “I think, therefore I am,” and this phrase is quite literal. You see, the very fact that he was questioning everything around him meant that he was constantly doubting everything, which meant that he was real and not an illusion. After all, he wouldn’t be thinking about whether or not he existed unless he actually existed.

Barclay The Demon

In an interview with The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine, “Projections” writer Brannon Braga made it very explicitly clear how his story ties into this ancient philosopher’s musings. “In essence, it becomes analogous to the stories written by the philosopher René Descartes, of the man plagued by an evil demon, out to prove that he doesn’t exist, and in this case, the demon is Barclay.” This is in reference to a holographic Barclay consistently telling the Doctor that he is actually a human trapped in a hologram rather than a hologram living among (mostly) humans.

Finishing his thoughts, Braga said, “The story culminates in Descartes’ famous quote, ‘I think, therefore I am.’” This refers to the end of the episode, when the Doctor finds himself in the familiar holodeck grid. When Janeway asks if he knows who he is and where he is, the Doctor is finally certain: he is the Voyager’s EMH and currently on the holodeck.

“Projections” is a fun episode that proves you can create a truly compelling tale out of ancient philosophy. A few years after this episode, The Matrix would transform Plato’s parable of the cave into one of the most influential movies ever made. But when it comes to turning dusty philosophy into killer sci-fi, forget Neo and bullet time: Star Trek did it first, crafting one of the most thoughtful hours of entertainment in television history.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 1 hour ago

I love staying up late. It’s my favorite thing to do. I can get my work done, fold the laundry, work on creative projects, and hit the gym without bothering a soul. My brain operates at a frequency that’s constantly at odds with early birds, who often frown upon my lifestyle because to most people, sleeping in comes with a scarlet letter suggesting you’re lazy and squandering your time. At least that’s what morning people think.

Every single self-help guru extols the virtues of waking up at 4 am, taking an ice bath, jogging 10 miles while listening to Tony Robbins audiobooks, all before the sun even comes up. If I never saw another sunrise in my life, I’d die a happy man. I’m sure they’re beautiful. I’ll take your word for it. I’m simply not wired to operate at this wavelength, and more often than not, I’m fighting for my life.

On one hand, I get it. Adulting, as my fellow Millennials call it, requires you to be present at certain times. Banks close at 5. Since the pandemic, grocery stores close at 10. The world isn’t built for Night Owls, and we’re silently suffering while trying our best to conform to what most people consider normal behavior. The world is built for early birds, and they love to brag about how productive they are. They also go to bed at 8 o’clock, so how does that make sense?

We All Have The Same 24 Hours

I understand that this comes off as petty, but let me break it down for you. If somebody wakes up at 4 am and goes to bed at 8 pm, they’ve got 16 hours to accomplish what they set out to do. Eight of those hours are devoted to work in most cases, and then you have to factor in commuting, meals, self-care, family obligations, and, yes, even sleep. This kind of lifestyle is not only celebrated, it’s expected.

But if I want to stay up until 4 am and sleep until noon, people can’t wrap their heads around it. It’s still a 16-hour cycle of consciousness, but most people don’t see it that way. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. I do. You do. Beyoncé does. It’s insane to think that being able to witness the sunrise somehow makes you superior. Most early risers flaunt this like they’re God’s gift to mankind.

What’s worse is that every single Night Owl I know, including myself, ends up marrying an early bird. The story’s always the same. The night owl uses their phone’s flashlight when they go to the bathroom so they don’t wake anybody up. They turn the doorknob before opening or closing the door so there’s no loud click echoing through the hallway. They tiptoe around their home because they know they’re the odd one out.

Then morning rears its ugly head. Lights are flipped on with reckless abandon, kitchen appliances roar, and doors slam. When the night owl grunts, they’re told they should have gone to bed earlier.

Even worse, if they mention they like to sleep until 10 on the weekends, their peers think their life must be a mess. They must be up all night playing video games and engaging in illicit activities or something. They’re just wasting away because they refuse to, or simply can’t, lock in when everybody else does.

Golly, I wish that were true, but I’m actually doing stuff, like writing (which is what I’m currently doing at 1:30 am) because I think better when I know my family is safe and sound and doesn’t need a single thing from me. I can achieve a flow state that I couldn’t dream of during regular waking hours, and my family’s better off for it! 

Embrace Your Wiring And Let It Work For You

In a previous professional life, I worked third shift as a line cook. My schedule saw me leaving for work at three in the afternoon and getting home 12 hours later. Since this was pre-pandemic and I had an infant at home, I’d stop at the 24-hour grocery store after my shift and load up on a week’s worth of groceries in about 15 minutes. Try doing that on a Sunday afternoon with your regular sleep schedule. 

It will take two hours, and everybody’s going to be stressed out because grocery stores on the weekends are absolute hell; people walk around like coffins, blocking every single damn aisle, the lines are miserable, and everything sucks. I took one for the team, and now we can do other things. Things we like. Just let me squeeze in a power nap, and we’re good. 

In my mind, I wasn’t just optimizing my time by accomplishing a task normally reserved for nine to fivers, I was doing it peacefully.

I’m fortunate enough to live in a household where this lifestyle is actually celebrated and respected, because I know it’s not that way for everybody. Since my wife is an early riser of the highest order, I found myself getting to bed right when she was getting up for work, and I knew I’d have to take care of our child (who woke up at seven) until she got home at noon. I’d then take a glorious nap and do it all over again. Our weekends became fuller because we didn’t have to run errands in time-suck mode, and we all benefited from it.

Presently, I write and work in audio production, meaning I have a flexible schedule that suits my lifestyle, something I’m immensely grateful for. On any given weekday, I’m getting the kids ready for school, doing a line check for my various gigs, planning my day, and snoozing for a bit before getting to work.

At 10 pm, when my family is sleeping soundly and I know all is right with the world, I do my best thinking. There’s a total lack of overstimulation compared to what most of us encounter during the day. It’s peak performance at the most inconvenient time, so might as well roll with it.

Thinking about my life, and I hope some of you reading can identify with this, elementary, middle, and high school were absolutely miserable experiences for me because I’m wired to be a Night Owl. Always have been. I was an average student at best because my brain simply doesn’t boot up until later in the day, and my grades reflected that. 

I’ve tried cutting coffee after noon and even taking prescription sleep medications, but I experience and expect an epic second wind, without fail, when the world goes quiet, meaning it’s go time. That’s when the circus always kicks into high gear, and I got tired of pretending otherwise.

By the time I was attending university, I suddenly became a Dean’s List student because I decided to take night classes. I saw desirable results when I stopped fighting my wiring and started embracing it. It’s almost as if some people are destined to be late-night lurkers.

Night Owls Are Essential Beings

The hardest part about being a Night Owl is adjusting to everybody else. I wear a sleep mask during the day so our houseplants can thrive. Those without a proper support network struggle because 7 am on a Saturday means running on barely any sleep, and having to live up to everybody else’s expectations. They’re called grumpy and told they should have a more responsible sleep routine.

If we were living on a different timeline, we’d be stoking the fire and watching out for marauders. Our willingness to stay up late would serve what most people consider a practical purpose.

But in this modern nine-to-five world, our lifestyle is scrutinized because we choose to operate when everybody else chooses to rest. When we decide to catch some Zs, however, we’re told to get up and at it because there’s just “so much to do.”

What early birds don’t understand is that we already did it all, just not on their time. 

Chris Brown‘s mom, Joyce Hawkins, has been showing Jada Wallace love as she returns to social media following her back-and-forth with Diamond Brown.

RELATED: Diamond Brown’s Latest Social Media Post Has Some Internet Users Thinking She Has More Tea To Spill About Chris Brown (WATCH)

Chris Brown’s Mom, Joyce Hawkins, Shows Love To Jada Wallace As She Returns To Social Media Following Her Back-And-Forth With Diamond Brown

Jada Wallace appeared to kick off her return to social media with a TikTok post shared about five days ago. Furthermore, Wallace captioned the clip, “Under the weather but always grateful.”

The clip featured Wallace showing off her face card while playing with her hair.

Peep it below.

@_jwallace

Under the weather but always grateful.

♬ LOVE GALORE – Sped Up – 5an

Around the same time, Wallace also shared a carousel of selfies on Instagram. Similarly, she captioned the post, “Sick but nothing a little makeup can’t fix.” Furthermore, as the comments rolled in, Chris Brown’s mom, whose Instagram username is @mombreezyofficial, also stepped in with a simple:

“♥️”

Peep Wallace’s post and Hawkin’s comment by clicking here.

But the love didn’t stop there. On Wednesday, March 11, Wallace returned to Instagram to share a photo of herself posing in a large hoodie while sitting on a car. Furthermore, she captioned the post, “🐝💟”

Joyce Hawkins also peeped Wallace’s photo and left another comment.

“LOVE THIS PIC!! REMAIN HUMBLE MY LOVE!!”

Click here to see the photo and Hawkins’ reaction.

More On Her Back-And-Forth With Diamond Brown

As The Shade Room previously reported, the year kicked off with social media users speculating about Jada Wallace being pregnant with Chris Brown’s child. This, after their appearance at Paris Fashion Week, where she was seen declining a drink.

@gala.fr

#chrisbrown #amiri #tiktokfashion #tiktokmusic #pfw

♬ Man I Need – Olivia Dean

By February, Diamond Brown, the mother of Chris Brown’s youngest child, took to social media to tell him to leave her alone. Additionally, she alleged that he should worry about his “new baby on the way,” per The Shade Room.

Subsequently, Diamond alleged that Chris was ruining her recent romances, which prompted Wallace to clap back, accusing Diamond of keeping her daughter from Chris. Diamond denied the accusation and ended their back-and-forth by saying she would “whoop” Wallace after she dropped her baby, per The Shade Room. Ultimately, Chris and Wallace did not confirm or deny the baby allegations, though he briefly weighed in on their spat as well.

Soon after, Wallace appeared to be showing she had the last laugh. Furthermore, she posted a photo rocking Chris’s “OHB” chain, per The Shade Room.

Jada Wallace on this OHB piece just got me laughing honestly. Chris Brown gon’ break you down real baddd. pic.twitter.com/q28rrtHImR

— Cincinnati™️ (@OnomeKings) February 19, 2026

Before Chris Brown’s Mom, Joyce Hawkins, Showed Jada Wallace Love — Here’s What Users Were Recently Talking About Amid Jada Wallace’s Return To Social Media

Since then, Diamond Brown has left social media users chattin’, as some believe she may have revealed the gender of his alleged baby on the way, per The Shade Room. Additionally, Diamond Brown also appeared to imply that she has more tea to spill on Breezy, per The Shade Room. Despite this, more recently, fans have been focused on where Chris Brown appears to be putting his attention lately.

As The Shade Room previously reported, earlier this month, Chris had social media users droppin’ side-eyes after commenting on a TikToker who posted about looking like his ex-girlfriend, Karrueche Tran.

RELATED: Chris Brown’s Apparent Comment To TikToker Who Posted About Looking Like Karrueche Tran Has Internet Users Dropping Side-Eyes (VIDEO)

The Pussycat Dolls are officially back. After years of speculation and false starts, the pop group has reunited as a trio and is launching a brand new chapter filled with fresh music and a global tour.

With longtime stars Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt, and Ashley Roberts leading the comeback, the iconic group is ready to bring its signature energy back to stages worldwide.

Pussycat Dolls Reunite As Trio With New Music

The Pussycat Dolls are making a long-awaited return to the spotlight with new music and a major international tour announcement. This time, the group reunites as a trio featuring Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt and Ashley Roberts.

Their comeback arrives with a brand-new track titled “Club Song,” which marks the group’s first release since their 2020 single “React.”

The song dropped early Thursday morning, signaling the start of a new era for the chart-topping group.

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The single was produced by Mike Sabath, who collaborated with Scherzinger along with songwriters Caroline Ailin and Solly.

To celebrate the reunion, the group will also reissue two of their classic albums. “PCD,” the band’s debut record, will be re-released on vinyl and digital platforms with additional new and previously unheard material.

Meanwhile, their follow-up album, “Doll Domination,” will be available for the first time on 2LP black vinyl.

Pussycat Dolls Announce PCD Forever Global Tour

Alongside the new music, the Pussycat Dolls have unveiled a massive tour titled “PCD Forever.”

According to Variety, the ambitious run will include 53 shows across the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom. The tour will also feature appearances by hip-hop icon Lil’ Kim and R&B singer Mya during select dates.

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The first concert is scheduled for June 5 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California. From there, the trio will continue across the United States with major stops in cities including Phoenix, Tampa, and New York.

The tour will also include a performance at Madison Square Garden before wrapping up the American leg at Dos Equis Pavilion in Dallas on August 1.

After finishing their U.S. performances, the group will take the show overseas. The European portion begins September 9 in Copenhagen and continues across several countries before concluding at London’s O2 Arena on October 13.

Fans hoping to attend will be able to access North American presale tickets beginning March 18 at 10 a.m. local time. General ticket sales begin March 20.

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Early access tickets for European and U.K. dates will also open on March 18 through the group’s mailing list.

Fans Spotted Pussycat Dolls Comeback Clues Early

While the official announcement surprised many fans, rumors of a reunion had already been circulating online for months.

In December, speculation grew after social media chatter suggested the group had signed with the talent agency CAA.

At the time, a spokesperson for the company clarified the situation to Variety, saying the agency did not represent the group as a whole but did represent Scherzinger individually.

Soon after, new reports hinted that the Pussycat Dolls were planning a comeback as a trio featuring Scherzinger, Wyatt, and Roberts.

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The band also fueled excitement in the days leading up to their reveal by teasing fans on social media. Their official accounts introduced a refreshed logo reading “PCD Forever,” hinting that something major was coming.

Meanwhile, several Live Nation venues across Europe posted cryptic messages referencing the group’s hit song “Stickwitu.”

“We guarantee our next concert announcement will Stickwitu!!,” the venues wrote in pink text online, sparking widespread speculation that a tour announcement was imminent.

Nicole Scherzinger’s Success Kept Spotlight On The Group

The comeback arrives during a particularly successful period for Nicole Scherzinger.

Over the past few years, the singer has found major acclaim on stage, particularly for her portrayal of Norma Desmond in the musical “Sunset Boulevard.”

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She first performed the role in the West End revival in 2023 before transferring the production to Broadway in 2024.

Her performance earned widespread praise and ultimately led to a Tony Award win for best actress in a musical last year.

Scherzinger’s success helped keep the Pussycat Dolls’ name in the spotlight even while the group itself remained inactive.

The Long Road Back For The Pussycat Dolls

This isn’t the first time the Pussycat Dolls have attempted a reunion.

In November 2019, the group confirmed they were working on new music and preparing for a comeback tour.

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They even appeared on a Meghan Trainor track before releasing their single “React” in early 2020.

However, those plans were disrupted when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the tour to be postponed and eventually canceled.

The cancellation caused tension within the group. In early 2022, Scherzinger announced the tour would not happen, and some members later said they learned the news through her social media post.

Despite those setbacks, the Pussycat Dolls now appear ready for a fresh start.

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By Robert Scucci
| Published 24 seconds ago

While I’m admittedly far from an expert when it comes to sword and sorcery films and video game lore, I’m an avid fan of B-movie schlock and just about anything Uwe Boll has his name attached to. This lack of knowledge about 18th century Romania and vampiric etymology works to my advantage when reviewing 2005’s BloodRayne because I’m not convinced Boll knows much about these things either. There’s a revenge arc, a smoking hot lead who knows how to seduce with her fangs and slice with a sword, Michael Madsen and Billy Zane showing up in some of their most bizarre roles to date, and production values in BloodRayne that cannot be denied. It’s absolutely worth your time if you want to see what a spectacular failure looks like.

Billy Zane has gone on record saying it was a “pleasure to work with such a decisive director,” and Michael Madsen, who referred to the final product as a “horrifying and preposterous movie,” didn’t mince words when he said he’d gladly work with Boll again if the opportunity ever presented itself. For my money, BloodRayne is leaps and bounds better than some of Boll’s previous video game adaptations, like the Christian Slater-starring Alone in the Dark that came out the same year.

That said, I can see why BloodRayne currently boasts a punishing 4 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes because everything you’ll read about it is true. It’s tragically hamfisted, fumbling its worldbuilding through dialogue-heavy exposition dumps and delivering some of the most baffling fight choreography you’ll ever lay eyes on. Uwe Boll is also one of the most passionate filmmakers to ever walk this Earth, and you can tell how sincerely he wanted to tell this story, which makes the whole disaster drip with unexpected charm. It’s a total mess, but you can tell a lot of heart went into its production.

Our Ballsy Heroine Is A Dhampir

BloodRayne, set in 18th century Romania, tells the tale of Rayne (Kristanna Loken), a vampire and human half-breed known as a dhampir. While she exhibits typical vampiric behavior when pushed to her limit, her genetics allow her to touch crucifixes, though holy water still poses a problem. She was conceived when her father Kagan (Ben Kingsley), the king of vampires, forced himself on her mother before eventually killing her. Naturally, Rayne is primed for revenge for being born under the circumstances, but we first meet her in captivity, working as a circus freak who sustains brutal injuries that are then healed when she’s fed goat blood.

Learning about Rayne’s existence and wanting to use her abilities against Kagan in his own crusade is Vladimir (Michael Madsen), a senior member of the Brimstone Society, a secret organization dedicated to one thing: killing vampires. Along for the ride are Katarin (Michelle Rodriguez), who distrusts Rayne because of her vampiric lineage, and Sebastian (Matthew Davis), who will eventually fall in love with Rayne with tragic results.

Rayne eventually learns of three sacred talismans and sets out to procure them before her father does. Possession of an eyeball, a rib, and a cross would allow whoever gathers them to become immune to holy water, crosses, and sunlight, respectively. Complicating matters are Katarin’s ties to her noble father, Elrich (Billy Zane), who secretly seeks power for himself while presenting himself as an ally to Kagan. We learn about all these moving parts through dialogue dumps, and a Fortune Teller (Geraldine Chaplin). From there, it’s up to us to decide whether any of this makes sense.

A Beautifully Shot Cinematic Disaster

While watching BloodRayne, I had two competing thoughts. First, the actual production quality is surprisingly strong for a 2005 release thanks to its $25 million budget. The sound design specifically is immersive, and some of the more intense sequences nearly blew my head off. Every sword clang and explosion feels deliberate, and you can tell a lot of care went into this aspect of the production.

My second thought was that all of this potential was wasted on some of the worst dialogue I’ve ever heard and fight choreography that makes absolutely no sense. In my mind, the cameraman was just spinning around during the fight scenes to make them look more elaborate than the actors were capable of pulling off. Some of the set pieces are equally preposterous, breaking the immersion entirely.

There’s even a scene with Rayne, Vladimir, and Sebastian walking down a cobblestone street where a bakery sign looks like it came straight from a Panera Bread. I guess they couldn’t get the “Ye Olde Bagel Shop” placard ready on time, which honestly would have been more authentic than what we see in the final cut. And don’t even get me started on Meat Loaf’s Leonid rolling around with a more nude side-women than any mortal man could realistically handle in a thousand lifetimes.

That said, BloodRayne is an absolute pleasure to watch if you’re into the kind of cinematic experimentation that Uwe Boll is known for. You can tell how much care went into this movie, but it’s all focused on the wrong things. I actually think it would play better with half the budget because the campiness would feel earned. The production values and execution are constantly at odds with each other here, making for a strangely fascinating watch.

If you’re interested in seeing a movie with genuinely great gore and creature effects but lacking in almost every other department, you can stream BloodRayne for free on Pluto TV as of this writing.

In 2016, a fan favorite Black Mirror episode was released on Netflix. For those who haven’t seen this show, it’s a science fiction anthology series exploring technology-related topics and scenarios. 10 years later, this episode will return in an upcoming special release.

“San Junipero” is the fourth episode of Black Mirror Season 3, directed by Owen Harris. In this episode, a simulated reality called San Junipero is showcased, where people can relive different years. It’s also a digital afterlife for those who consent to “upload their consciousness to the cloud.” The episode follows two women, Yorkie (Mackenzie Davis), who enters San Junipero for the first time, and Kelly (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who both eventually fall in love. Since its release, the episode has been highly praised and won several accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Television Movie”. Now, fans can relive what made this episode great thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign.

Black Mirror‘s “San Junipero” will be adapted into a graphic novel by Twisted Comics. The Kickstarter campaign had a goal of £15,000 (~$20,000 USD) and, according to Polygon, reached it in less than 48 hours. As of writing, 720 backers have donated nearly £46,000 (~$61,517 USD). “San Junipero” isn’t the only Black Mirror episode getting a graphic novel adaptation. Back in 2024, it was reported that Twisted Comics would produce comic books based on the popular anthology series.

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Other Black Mirror Episodes To Watch If You Like “San Junipero”

Since its release in 2016, “San Junipero” received a high 92% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and an IMDb score of 8.5. The episode’s popularity stems from its LGBT+ representation and its happy-ending love story. It also gained praise for its visuals, which capture each of the different years it features.

Since Black Mirror is an anthology, you don’t need to watch previous episodes to know what’s going on, as they’re all standalone titles. Fortunately, the series has provided other episodes if you like “San Junipero.” The first is the Season 7 episode “Hotel Reverie,” where an actress named Brandy Friday (Issa Rae) is cast to play the lead role for a remake of the 1940s romance film, Hotel Reverie, where she interacts with a digital replica of Dorothy Chambers (Emma Corrin), an actress who plays Clara in the movie, who suddenly gain consciousness after a mishap during production.

Another episode worth watching is “Hang the DJ,” a Season 4 episode that also features a love story with a happy ending. The episode follows Frank (Joe Cole) and Amy (Georgina Campbell), who are matched by a device called “Coach” for a set period, then paired with other people until the device finds their perfect match. They eventually are matched again and decide not to find out when their pairings expire, due to a series of short flings and terrible matches.

Black Mirror is available to stream on Netflix.

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Release Date

December 4, 2011

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Network

Channel 4, Netflix

Directors

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Owen Harris, Toby Haynes, James Hawes, David Slade, Carl Tibbetts, Ally Pankiw, Bryn Higgins, Dan Trachtenberg, Euros Lyn, Jodie Foster, Joe Wright, John Hillcoat, Sam Miller, Tim Van Patten, Uta Briesewitz, Colm McCarthy, Jakob Verbruggen, James Watkins, John Crowley, Otto Bathurst, Anne Sewitsky, Brian Welsh

Writers

Jesse Armstrong

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