By Robert Scucci
| Published 19 seconds ago

Have you ever wondered why everybody in The Simpsons is yellow? There are some fun theories out there, like the entire town of Springfield suffers from radiation poisoning, or that Homer is yellow because of cirrhosis due to drinking heavily. But in order for those theories to work, we need to ask ourselves why all the cousin-marrying residents of Shelbyville are also yellow, and why Homer’s alcoholism would make the rest of his family yellow. The real reason The Simpsons are yellow is actually the result of a brilliant hunch from Georgie Kovacs Peluce, one of the colorists over at Klasky Csupo.

Originally, The Simpsons shorts were going to be black and white, until the fledgling animation studio told Simpsons producer James L. Brooks they would mock up some colored character designs free of charge. There were several iterations and permutations of the characters before they were ever seen on screen, some of which used the traditional peach and tan tones that other animated series use. Peluce had something else in mind, and took it upon herself to design the characters with yellow skin, and, in Marge’s case, blue hair. This initial concept was met with pushback for looking “freakish” by some reps at Gracie Films, Brooks’ production company, but Brooks, Groening, and some of their associates fell in love with it because they knew it would pique viewer curiosity. 

From Throwaway Idea To Final Design

It’s hard to imagine a world in which The Simpsons didn’t exist, but the world wasn’t always like that. Back in 1987, a few short years before Simpsons mania conquered the world, the “nuclear” family was nothing more than a rush job by creator Matt Groening, who was approached by James L. Brooks to produce a show based on his Life in Hell comics, an intellectual property that the cartoonist didn’t feel comfortable selling the rights to. Instead, he quickly whipped up a cartoon family based on his own, pitched The Simpsons to Brooks, and we’d first meet Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie through short-form animated skits on The Tracey Ullman Show.

Groening, being totally inexperienced in television at this point in his career, figured that his drawings would be animated in black and white, but the animation studio behind the shorts, Klasky Csupo, had something else in mind. According to Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of the Simpsons Changed Television – and America – Forever, it was the animation studio that encouraged The Simpsons shorts to be colored in the first place. They were asked to animate everything in black and white as a cost-cutting measure, until Gabor Csupo insisted on trying colored versions as well, offering to do the extra work for free.

Several iterations of the Simpson family were mocked up, but one version from Georgie Kovacs Peluce stuck out more than the rest. Georgie’s design involved yellow skin and blue hair, something that “didn’t look like anything that had come before,” and the design won over Brooks and Groening. The logic was simple: while people were channel surfing, they’d feel more inclined to stop dead in their tracks if they saw a cartoon family that looked so unique. 

Back in those days, home viewers didn’t have a lot of options, often switching back and forth between ABC, NBC, CBS, and the new and struggling Fox network. In essence, the desired reaction would involve somebody watching one of the other networks flipping through the channels during a commercial break, catching a glimpse of the Simpson family, saying “what the hell is this?” and ending up watching the whole short.

Peluce’s instinct paid off because that’s exactly what happened, and it was only a matter of time before The Simpsons took the nation by storm, eventually becoming the longest-running animated show in television history. And to think, we almost got a black-and-white version that probably would have been squashed before anybody even knew who they were.

The Simpsons can be streamed on Disney+.

Brooks Marks, star of Bravo’s “Next Gen NYC,” is gearing up for season 2 of the popular reality show. During a new interview, Brooks, the son of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Meredith Marks, is revealing what he’s learned most about himself since stepping in front of the camera.

“Oh, I mean, I’ve learned that I really hate confrontation,” Brooks told PEOPLE in May 2026. “I feel like I knew I did, but I never recognized how intense my hatred of confrontation was and to the point that it was almost hurting me and making situations deeper than they needed to be.”

Indeed, during season 1 of the reality show, Brooks bumped heads with his co-star, Charlie Zakkour, after the latter made suggestive comments about hooking up with Brooks’ younger sister, Chloe. The uncomfortable situation, however, helped Brooks develop a tougher exterior.

“And so I feel like it’s helped me overcome that and become a more confrontational person and made me more direct as well, which I’m grateful for,” he said.

Brooks Marks Says His Relationship Will Be Shown On Season 2 Of The Show

In a separate interview with Us Weekly, Brooks confirmed that the new batch of episodes, airing on Bravo June 24, will showcase his relationship with his boyfriend.

“I think you’ll see more about my relationship life in season 2,” he said, adding that it’ll be a bit different for his partner, Kade, since he isn’t in the spotlight.

“My boyfriend isn’t really in the public, so it’s definitely a new world for him,” Brooks said. “I love keeping that sacred but, at the end of the day, I signed up for reality TV.”

According to Brooks, being part of the Bravoverse means baring your soul—even if it’s frightenining.

“It’s all about showing every aspect of our lives,” he said. “I hope that it shows other people what a great relationship can look like.”

‘Next Gen NYC’ Is Bringing The Drama To Bravo

In addition to Brooks, season 2 of “Next Gen NYC” will feature returners Ariana Biermann, Riley Burruss, Emira D’Spain, Ava Dash, Gia Giudice, Georgia McCann, Charlie Zakkour, Shai Fruchter, and Hudson McLeroy. The new season will also feature newcomers Rowan Henchy, Liam Obergfoll, and Kendall White.

According to a previous report from The Blast, the new season will be packed with drama as the cast navigate their personal relationships and address scandalous headlines.

“Eager to carve out their own identities, they’re determined to make it on their own terms while also navigating the pressure to curate the right vibe, the right circles, and a feed that keeps up with the life they’re chasing. In a world driven by image, ambition, and constant visibility, they quickly learn that making it is one thing — holding onto it, and each other, is another,” the show’s synopsis reads.

Other ‘Housewives’ Kids Are On ‘Next Gen NYC’

Brooks isn’t the only child of a “Real Housewives” cast member part of the “Next Gen NYC” cast.

Gia is the daughter of “RHONJ” star Teresa Giudice, while Arianna and Riley are the daughters of “RHOA” alum Kim Zolciak and Kandi Burruss.

While they grew up in front of the cameras, Kandi previously admitted to giving her daughter a bit of advice on navigating the world of unscripted television.

“Well, I just told her don’t be on there [and] say anything that you ain’t going to stand behind. You got to make sure you keep it honest on this show,” Kandi said. “And even if you say something they don’t like, just own it and keep it pushing.”

Riley Is Proud Of Her First Season On The Show

Riley, meanwhile, opened up about her first season on the show last year and said she was “proud” of how she handled herself.

“I think the thing I’m most proud of is how well I articulated myself [throughout the whole season]. At first, I thought that I didn’t do as great. In the moment, you’re emotional, you’re not really realizing how it’s going,” Riley shared.

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The first Oscar Awards, honoring films released between July 1927 and August 1928, were held on May 16, 1929, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. That night saw Wings take home the inaugural Academy Award for Outstanding Picture, launching a lineup of nominees that would later become classics. Interestingly, almost 100 years after that first ceremony, all the films on that list are available to see in some way, shape, or form. All but one, that is: 1928’s The Patriot, a film that is completely lost.

A Tyrant Is Toppled In 1928’s ‘The Patriot’

Set in Imperial Russia, The Patriot tells the story of the final days of Tsar Paul I (Emil Jannings), a tyrant ruling through cruelty and fear. Yet the despot was paralyzed by a fear of his own, that he is doomed to be assassinated like his ancestors before him. He trusts only one man: his Prime Minister, Count Pahlen (Lewis Stone). Pahlen is loyal to the Tsar, but is deeply troubled by the horrors Paul unleashes upon his people. His conscience no longer able to separate duty from morality, Pahlen commits to bringing about the Tsar’s downfall. To that end, he encourages Stefan (Harry Cording), a soldier who recently faced the wrath of Paul for minor uniform violations, to join him in his pursuit, promising him vengeance.

As Paul becomes increasingly unbalanced, obsessing over trivial matters while disregarding affairs of state, Pahlen rallies conspirators at court. Pahlen even turns to Crown Prince Alexander (Neil Hamilton), but the prince makes it clear he won’t support treason. So Pahlen turns on him, branding him a traitor and prompting Paul to place Alexander under arrest. Pahlen’s plan is free to be implemented, only for Paul to inadvertently upset it by announcing he’s leaving the city with his mistress. To keep Paul from leaving, Pahlen shows him a portrait of Countess Ostermann (Florence Vidor), the woman he loves, hoping the ravishing beauty will tempt Paul to stay.

It works, with Paul demanding to meet the Countess, so Pahlen arranges a meeting. Paul unsuccessfully tries to proposition her, but the disgusted Countess rejects him and, betrayed, reveals the plan to assassinate Paul. Paul demands an explanation from Pahlen, who craftily claims to have gained the conspirator’s trust, ready to expose them when the time is right, and offers his own life to regain trust. Satisfied, Paul retires to his room, but as he sleeps, a group of conspirators enters, waking him, with Stefan ignoring his pleas and murdering him. As the people celebrate, Stefan appears and shoots Pahlen, the consequence of his actions, and as he lies dying in the Countess’ arms, he says: “I have been a bad friend and lover—but I have been a ‘Patriot’.”

What Remains of ‘The Patriot’ Only Makes Its Loss a True Tragedy

The Patriot is a part-talkie, representative of that brief period between silent films and full-on talkies, with its sound effects heavily promoted, including Jannings’ “agonized roar” as something that had to be heard to be believed (technically, however, still a silent film: the only silent film to be nominated that year, per The Week. As such, the film would be a much-coveted prize for any cinephile, for the industry as a whole, for that matter, but to date it remains lost. All that remains is a few recovered pieces, currently stored in the UCLA non-circulating nitrate vaults, and one reel out of 10 found in Portugal in 2001.

Interestingly, one of the pieces that exists in its entirety is the trailer for the film itself, lauding Emil Jannings’ performance as the Mad Tsar. It’s a tease of a classic film we’ll never see, making The Patriot‘s loss a true tragedy. In the brief moments we see in the footage, Jannings is positively gripping, a vision of unmitigated madness that instantly catches your attention. And the direction of auteur Ernst Lubitsch looks to be epic, with a glimpse of one dramatic scene shot from overhead that features Jannings’ Tsar Paul I encircled by his countrymen, with Paul defiantly lashing out as they close in, telling a story in itself.

Not all hope is lost, of course: Gugusse and the Automaton, a long-lost 1897 film by Georges Méliès featuring film’s first robot, was found in Michigan just recently in an old trunk. And we are talking about a film nominated for Best Picture, not like a throwaway project made to fill theater seats, so the odds are certainly better than they might be otherwise. But until such time, we can only rue the absence of the film that stands as the lone project preventing the Oscars from claiming a complete catalog. For the record, The Patriot may not have won Best Picture, or Best Director, Best Actor (Lewis Stone) or Best Art Direction, but it did win for Best Writing. Hopefully, one day audiences will finally be able to judge it for themselves.

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The Patriot

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Release Date

September 1, 1928

Runtime

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113 minutes

Director

Ernst Lubitsch

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Writers

Ashley Dukes, Hanns Kräly

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Cast

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• 

  Emil Jannings

  Czar Paul I

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  Florence Vidor

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  Countess Ostermann

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  Vera Voronina

  Mademoiselle Lapoukhine

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In 2025, The Gorge delivered an unexpected love story in an atmospheric setting where military values are shattered in the light of survival and hope. If you enjoyed the vast isolation in the sci-fi, dystopian setting, but would have preferred a more serious approach to the fight for survival and military rhetoric, then you need to watch 2023’s Last Sentinel. The thriller is The Gorge meets Jaws, where one’s fear of the ocean is transfigured into something more apocalyptic and all-consuming, as staring out into the empty skyline makes one feel like the only person left on earth. Here, the sea levels have engulfed the planet, leaving two distinct land masses that are waging war against one another, turning this nightmarish landscape into a question of whether war is worth it.

The Relentless Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Last Sentinel’ Creates an Atmospheric Dystopian Apocalypse

Set 40 years into the future, Last Sentinel takes us to a military outpost in the middle of the ocean, where four soldiers are desperately hanging onto survival as they wait for the relief crew, who are three months overdue. At this point, the soldiers’ hope is waning, especially when an unfamiliar vessel is spotted, one that could belong to the enemy. They are led by the no-nonsense, anything-for-the-mission Sergeant Hendrichs (Thomas Kretschmann); Baines (Martin McCann), the unruly engineer that keeps the technology running; Sullivan (Lucien Laviscount) works the comms and is also responsible for hauling in fresh fish; and Cassidy (Kate Bosworth) is the level-headed second-in-command, who also happens to be entangled in a romantic relationship with Sullivan.

While the plot itself hits fairly familiar sci-fi beats, the dystopian world-building is immersive and mesmerizing. Many renditions of the future tend to lean towards clinical, advanced technology or a dilapidated, apocalyptic landscape, but Last Sentinel somewhat blends the two. The technology the crew uses to survive is still fairly modern despite the rust — including iodine baths to reduce the impacts of radiation or sonar equipment — but there is a distinct sense of desolation and brutality in seeing water, wind, and storm as far as the eye can go. It’s even more chilling to imagine that the world is simply reduced to the undulating landscape we see on-screen, where the only variations occur from the choppiness of the water or the strength of the wind. Between the camerawork and the set pieces, you truly feel like you’re alongside them, succumbing to the bleakness of their everyday reality, punctuated only by frantic moments of survival.

‘Last Sentinel’ Is Anchored by Gritty and Emotional Performances

Driving the narrative forward and contributing to the atmosphere are the four central characters of Last Sentinel, each making their mark through their often clashing personalities. Cassidy’s vague role on the crew could have easily led to the character fading into the background, but Bosworth ensures she is still imperative in her own right. She becomes the steady anchor whose serene but hardened personality makes the grim circumstances of the setting feel bearable, and we often look to her as a baseline for the unfolding fight for survival. We only ever get to peer behind the curtain whenever Bosworth shares the screen with Laviscount, as their chemistry endears us to these two characters who seek companionship in such an alienating environment.

Meanwhile, Hendrichs and Baines embody the warring themes in the film: survival and war. At the crux of Last Sentinel is the idea of whether sacrificing oneself and one’s peace for a cause is ever worth it, especially in such extreme, apocalyptic circumstances. While Hendrichs soldiers on with his military values, Baines offers another point of view in an unexpected way, eventually becoming the most important character later on in the film thanks to his philosophy on swallows. As the plot twists and turns, the film weaves this debate effortlessly into the drama, heightening the impact of the barren and memorable setting.

Coming away from Last Sentinel, you’ll never be able to look at the ocean the same way again. The film constructs a dread-laden world that can still foster hope in the wake of destruction — one that is easy to get lost in, as the characters and the themes make the mere idea of water feel haunting.

Meghan Markle reportedly feels she’s being made to play by a “different rulebook” altogether as compared to her estranged sister-in-law, Kate Middleton.

Having both carried out similar activities in recent months, including trips abroad and sharing pictures of their family, Meghan garnered backlash for using her children to “stay relevant” while royal fans gushed over Kate.

The Duchess of Sussex believes Kate and her husband, Prince William, are still “bad-mouthing her” and remains puzzled as to why people keep thinking the Princess of Wales is faultless.

The longstanding rift within the royal family has seemingly taken a more divisive turn, with hopes of a potential reconciliation further tossed down the drain.

According to Star Magazine, a source close to Meghan has revealed that she increasingly feels she is being made to play by a “different rulebook” than her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, amid their ongoing rift.

The former “Suits” actress’s suspicion reportedly comes from the public and media reception of her actions, which she feels carries a critical weight that Kate simply does not face.

For instance, Kate and William recently celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary with cute family photos, including their children and pet, after which they shared a sweet portrait of their daughter Charlotte to celebrate her 11th birthday.

Meghan also did something similar days later, as she took to social media to share a post in honor of her son Archie’s seventh birthday. One photo saw him and his sister Lilibet bonding together, while another had him lying on his dad, Prince Harry’s, chest as a baby.

While Kate’s post left fans gushing about her cute family dynamics, Meghan came under fire for the same, with critics accusing her of “pimping their children to stay in [the] media spotlight.”

The Duchess Of Sussex Believes The Princess Of Wales Will Always Be The ‘Golden Girl’

The source who spoke to the news outlet shared that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex feel like “there’s one set of rules for William and Kate and another for them,” going on to add that “the resentment over the double standard is bubbling up again.”

The insider went further to note that Kate and William are also “clearly using their children as part of the royal image and the branding of the family,” but quizzed why Harry and Meghan are not allowed to do the same.

“Yet Meghan’s been criticized for even including the smallest glimpse of Archie and Lilibet. She feels like she’s constantly being judged by a completely different rulebook, and no matter what she does, Kate will be the golden girl, and she will be the villain,” they added.

Meghan Markle’s Strained Relationship With Kate Middleton Affected Her Stay In The Palace

After stepping back from their royal roles in 2020, Harry and Meghan hurled similar allegations against the royal family, including claims that some family members made life hard for the As Ever founder.

Her relationship with Kate also didn’t kick off on a high note, particularly because of a 2018 clash involving bridesmaid dresses that left the future queen in tears ahead of Meghan and Harry’s wedding.

Although Meghan claimed Kate later apologized, her frosty relationship with the mother-of-three seemingly took a toll on her stay within palace walls, as Kate was always the more favored wife of the two of them.

“Once the word was out that they didn’t get along, the writing was on the wall,” the source told Star. “Meghan knew at that point that her future within The Firm — as well as the U.K. as a whole — was doomed.”

The Duchess Feels Her Family Is Being Compared To Kate and William’s

Meanwhile, talks suggesting that both royal families are being compared all over again have started springing up.

Harry and Meghan recently completed a four-day Australian tour where they took part in some charitable and business ventures.

After that, Kate announced that she was proceeding on a solo trip to Italy for her work with early child development. In fact, reports also suggest that William and Kate will likely proceed on a “revenge tour” to Australia to take the shine off Harry and Meghan’s visit.

“There’s definitely a sense in royal circles that the competition stakes have been reignited again,” the source said.

Meghan Markle Is Reportedly Frustrated With How Kate Is Viewed As A ‘Sweet’ And ‘Faultless Person’

And now, Meghan is even more convinced that Kate is being protected by powerful forces within palace walls who are also out to paint her as the big bad guy.

“Meghan has no doubt the Waleses are still stirring the pot and bad-mouthing her,” the insider noted. “That’s the main reason why it rankles and affects her so much.”

The Montecito-based royal is said to have grown frustrated that Kate continues to be viewed as flawless despite the rancors that have ensued privately behind palace walls.

“Meghan would love one day to expose how Kate isn’t this sweet, faultless person that everyone seems to think,” the source added. “Meghan says their unfortunate showdown before the wedding was just one example of how frosty and controlling Kate can be.”