By Joshua Tyler
| Published 18 seconds ago

Star Trek has never been at a lower point. The franchise’s last batch of shows received almost no ratings, and the brand’s total mismanagement became so bad that it drove away existing Trekkies while failing to attract any new viewers.

With no clear plan to turn it around, Star Trek has been shut down. It’s done. It’s finished. There’s nothing new in production, and there aren’t firm plans to make anything more. Paramount has torn down all its existing sets, and they’re currently auctioning off the Discovery-verse props to the highest bidders, and there aren’t many bidders.

Star Trek has been in a place where there’s nothing new coming before; in fact, it’s happened twice previously in the franchise’s history. But this time it’s different. Those previous Star Trek dark periods happened because of either Hollywood underestimating its potential or a cooling fan interest.

Star Trek enters this new dark age, drowning in hatred and indifference. Trekkies are so burned they’re now happy to see it go, convinced that no Star Trek at all is better than watching their favorite thing ruined over and over and over again. Things got that bad. It means getting out of this mess, if Star Trek ever does, will be harder than ever. 

What happened? What went wrong? More than a year ago, we tried to find the answer, but since then, things have gotten so, so much worse. Our warnings weren’t heeded, and now the end times are here.

To find out how Trek can get out of this darkest of all timelines, we’re going to have to take some risks. Luckily, risk is our business. What follows is the full and complete history of how Star Trek self-destructed.

All Of This Has Happened Before

To find the answers we need, we’ll need to visit the Guardian of Forever and peer deep into Star Trek’s past. The year is 2017. Star Trek had been off television for 12 years. The last Trek release, Star Trek: Beyond, turned out to be a box-office disappointment.

Paramount devised a bold new plan to revitalize Star Trek with a prequel series.

Oh, wait, they’d just done that. The entire 2009 Star Trek movie franchise was a prequel.

But that was on the big screen; this time, it would be different. This time it wasn’t a movie, it was a television series. 

Oh, wait, they already did that, too. It was called Enterprise, and Paramount pulled the plug on that show after four seasons. 

That very recent past somehow totally forgotten, Paramount moved forward with another prequel, their third attempt in a row at making a Star Trek prequel happen. The focus of the plan was that it serve as a flagship show for their new streaming service, CBS All Access.

Oh, wait, they’d already tried that, too. When Paramount launched its own television network in the 1990s, it created Star Trek: Voyager to serve as its flagship program. The UPN network ceased broadcasting in 2005.

Third, and I guess also second, time was not the charm. These obviously stupid decisions began the worst chapter in Star Trek’s history: The Disco era.

Star Trek Enters The Disco Era With Brian Fuller

The Disco era of Star Trek did not actually begin in the era of disco, the ‘70s, no matter what Bones’ outfit from The Motion Picture might have you believe. The Disco era began with the debut of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017. It ended, spiritually at least, with the cancellation of Starfleet Academy in 2026, a television show widely agreed to be one of the worst things ever made.

Discovery was created by a man named Brian Fuller. Fuller was a well-known television writer and producer. He’d written for both Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager in the 90s. Since then, he’d established himself as a much sought-after talent, creating critically acclaimed series like Pushing Daisies and Hannibal.

Fuller had the right resume, and so, Paramount hired him to create a new Star Trek series. His initial pitch was for an anthology series, with “diversity” as a focus, and a dark, gritty tone inspired by Game of Thrones.

That’s right, Brian Fuller wanted to turn Gene Roddenberry’s bright and hopeful view of the future into dark, gritty, and violent Game of Thrones. 

Fuller worked on the show for 9 months. His tenure was marked by missed deadlines and ever-expanding budgets. Paramount clashed with him over his desire to reboot Star Trek into a gritty Game of Thrones knockoff. The company wanted its brand to stick with the traditions that made Star Trek work, and Fuller wanted to warp it into something entirely different.

Eventually, Paramount grew fed up with Fuller and fired him.

Fuller’s Ghost Pushes Star Trek: Discovery Forward

Aside from the fact that no lessons were learned from their previous failures, Paramount had up til this point made at least some reasonable decisions on this project that, probably never should have happened in the first place. Hiring Fuller didn’t work out, but on paper, it should have. And when Fuller failed, Paramount made another good decision by firing him. Paramount’s good decisions stop here.

They replaced Fuller with Gretchen J. Berg & Aaron Harberts. Berg & Harberts were Fuller’s people. They’d worked with him on past projects and were already helping him make Discovery. The ideas Fuller was implementing, the terrible ideas that got him fired, were also their ideas. So they stayed the course and kept working on their Game of Thrones-ification of Star Trek.

Eventually, Berg & Harberts were also fired, amidst accusations of abuse towards the show’s writers.

Alex Kurtzman Seizes Control Of Star Trek

Alex Kurtzman was put in Berg & Harbert’s place. Kurtzman was the man most responsible for the worst of the recent Star Trek movies, Star Trek: Into Darkness. He now held the future of the entire franchise in his hands. He would remain in charge not just of Discovery, but of the entire Star Trek franchise, throughout the Disco era.

By then, production on Star Trek: Discovery was pretty far along. Kurtzman made tweaks to satisfy some of Paramount’s concerns, but much of what the show would be was already written in stone. 

Discovery was the most expensive series Star Trek ever produced. Paramount could have trashed it and taken a tax write-off, but that’s tough to do with so much money on the line. So they released it.

Star Trek: Discovery Arrives On Streaming And Gets Quarantined

Star Trek: Discovery was poorly received by fans from the beginning. Critics initially praised it, but critics rarely watch shows beyond the first one or two episodes. They ignore it after that, which makes their reviews meaningless. 

Reports of Discovery’s ratings were vague and unreliable. Most indications were that after an initially strong showing, people began abandoning the show.

Paramount took note and tried making big changes for season 2. They brought in Anson Mount to play Christopher Pike, and Mount was fantastic. 

Unfortunately, the rest of the show was still the show it was always designed to be. Adding one good character to a terrible show cannot save it. 

Stuck with a show no one liked, Paramount did the only thing they could do besides cancel it: They quarantined the entire series, separating it from the rest of Star Trek. They did that by time-jumping Star Trek: Discovery so far into the future that nothing it did could have any further impact on the franchise.

Strange New Worlds Rights Discovery’s Wrongs

Then, they created a spinoff called Star Trek: Strange New Worlds for Pike to rescue him from Discovery’s sinking ship. Though his new series was technically an extension of the Disco-verse, it quickly went to work differentiating itself from Discovery and the mistakes it had made. Strange New Worlds even fixed the Klingons.

That new direction should have been it for the Disco era. The franchise forked away from it; Paramount was working on other Star Trek shows. Discovery limped onward but was soon canceled after five seasons of disinterest

But as Discovery was canceled, Strange New Worlds soon morphed into something different. 

Strange New Worlds Becomes A Vaudeville Act For Theater Kids

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 was a distinct decline in quality from season one. By season three, the show had become a vaudeville act for theater kids, filled with musical episodes, puppet episodes, and endless silliness, which had nothing to do with Star Trek. 

Paramount finally had enough. With season 3 still airing and two more seasons completed and awaiting airtime, Paramount pulled the plug. The remaining two seasons would eventually be allowed to stream because they’d already been completed, but the sets were torn down and thrown in the trash. 

Michelle Yeoh Wins An Oscar And Changes Everything

Amidst all of this, Alex Kurtzman had been trying to make a Star Trek: Section 31 spinoff since the first season of Discovery. His plan centered on a widely disliked Star Trek: Discovery character, played by actress Michelle Yeoh. 

Fans hated the idea, and no one at Paramount seemed particularly excited about it. They prioritized Strange New Worlds over it, and while a Section 31 series was announced, it never went into full production. Kurtzman’s last update stated clearly that Section 31 was now a very low priority.

And then, in March of 2023, Michelle Yeoh won an Oscar. 

In April of 2023, Star Trek: Section 31 went into full production as a full-length feature film. Oscar-winning tends to have that effect.

The Worst Star Trek Movie

In January of 2025, Star Trek: Section 31 arrived as a direct-to-streaming movie on Paramount+. It was the first Star Trek movie released in nearly a decade. It’s now the worst-reviewed movie in the entire Star Trek canon, and audiences have given it an appalling 15% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Star Trek: Section 31 begins when a spitwad flies across the screen, tracing the shape of the Starfleet logo. Viewers would later learn that Spitwad is actually the movie’s hero ship, but that knowledge doesn’t make it any better. 

The movie revolves around Michelle Yeoh’s Philippa character, a woman responsible for numerous acts of genocide, and she’s not sorry about any of it. The movie quickly confirms her status as a monster with a flashback, in which she exterminates her entire family for a job promotion, where she’ll get to spend decades committing galactic massacres and torturing the man she loves for fun. This murderous abomination is Philippa Georgiou, played by Michelle Yeoh on Star Trek: Discovery.

Star Trek Endorses Genocide And Cannibalism

The movie flashes forward to a present where she runs a floating space bar. We’re reintroduced to her while the soundtrack blasts badass chick rock music to clue the audience in on the notion that we’re supposed to think she’s really, really awesome, despite being an unapologetic slaughterer of innocents. 

Then Georgiou pops a human eyeball into her mouth and savors its taste as the music swells and the camera swirls around her in adoration. Yes, Star Trek: Section 31 is selling the idea of cannibalistic mass murder being super cool, as long as it’s done in high heels. It’s the entire premise of this film. 

Hooray for space Hitler?

There are other characters in Section 31, but they’re no better. The super cool Section 31 spy team engages in introductions by shouting at each other, making threats, and posing for the camera. Like Georgiou, they’re also mostly serial killers, and they’re all pretty upset they aren’t able to do more killing.

Luckily, this mission to do a thing takes place in the exact same space bar they’re already standing in. Paramount didn’t need to build any other sets for their heist. What a financially fortuitous coincidence. 

There’s a confusing fistfight in front of a bad green screen rendering of a blurry tunnel. A murder mystery that no one cares about. A robot gets incapacitated by being kneed in the crotch. Star Trek: Section 31 ends when Phillipa Georgiou genocides an entire universe on suspicion of possible mischief and then tells her team she’s going to kill them.

If you still have doubts about the quality of Star Trek: Section 31’s writing, please enjoy this actual line of dialogue from the movie: “She died like she lived. By that you know what I mean.” 

Alex Kurtzman Solidifies Star Trek As A Franchise For Criminals With Starfleet Academy

Using Star Trek to glorify atrocities while offering up a light endorsement of cannibalism in a movie everyone hated and no one watched should have ended the career of Alex Kurtzman and prompted a pause for self-reflection. That didn’t happen.

At the same time, he’d been pushing for this terrible Section 31 movie, Alex Kurtzman’s other pet project was a show set at Starfleet Academy. This idea had been kicking around for a long time as a way to get hot, young people on screen posing for the camera. Obviously, it’s a terrible idea; fans never liked it or wanted it. Which is why it never happened. With the failures stacking up, some coke fiend at Paramount said, ‘Why not?’ and Kurtzman made it.

Starfleet Academy begins with a hero character who is a criminal. It’s the second NuTrek series to be led by a criminal, and the third time a Star Trek project has been centered around a lawbreaker.

A criminal past was Michael Burnham’s introduction, too, on Star Trek: Discovery. 

The 2009 Star Trek movie begins with a young James T. Kirk being arrested for stealing a car.

In the future, all the best people will be criminals, I guess? No more high-achieving, hardworking professionals. Something to aspire to, kids.

40,000 Viewers Per Episode Ends Star Trek

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy would go on to be the most hated thing in the history of the franchise. You might think otherwise, since Kurtzman did manage to convince critics to give it good reviews by stuffing every episode with woke political propaganda. Critics love that stuff and will praise it any time they see it.

Objective viewers and anyone who likes good writing hated it. The show has some of the lowest audience scores of any series in history.  Some reports have Starfleet Academy’s viewership as low as 40,000 tune-ins per episode. For a Star Trek show. Paramount’s flagship Star Trek show. 

Starfleet Academy was humiliation on an epic scale. Despite the fact that a second season had already been filmed, Paramount quickly waved the white flag and canceled Starfleet Academy, too.

No Lessons Were Learned

As of this moment, that’s the end. The end of Star Trek. There’s been some vague talk from Paramount that they’re exploring ideas, but for now, they aren’t making it anymore.  It’s also the final legacy of Star Trek’s Disco era. The destruction of everything Star Trek fans loved. The destruction of a franchise 50 years in the making.

Along the way, no lessons were ever learned. Instead, mistakes were repeated over and over and over again.

Did your show about a criminal fail? Make another one. 

Did your prequel fail? Make another one. 

Did your network fail? Make another one.

Rejecting Good Ideas Along The Way

It didn’t have to be this way. Even after Fuller’s initial Discovery plans failed, Paramount had ways to correct course.

Developing in parallel with the Disco-verse was a Star Trek animated series called Lower Decks, helmed by Rick & Morty alum Mike McMahan. The show he created was a huge success, and it had nothing at all to do with the Disco-verse. Paramount rewarded McMahan’s success by canceling the show after five seasons and firing him. 

There was also Star Trek: Prodigy, an animated series for kids, which was so beloved that fans basically forced Paramount to give it another season with a letter-writing campaign. Paramount gave in and allowed more of the show, but only begrudgingly. They didn’t put it on their streaming app, opting instead to let Netflix have it to defer costs.

Tangential to the Disco-verse was the Picard-verse, a series vanity project developed around Patrick Stewart’s Captain Picard character. The show was a standard Alex Kurtzman disaster for two seasons until the third, when Paramount turned the whole thing over to veteran TV showrunner and legit Star Trek fan, Terry Matalas.

Indications are that Kurtzman wasn’t involved in making the third season, occupied with filming his pet projects, instead. That allowed Matalas to run with it and make Picard season 3 a tribute to the thing he loved most: Actual Star Trek.

Terry jettisoned everything the series had done previously, started over, and, in the process, delivered the best Star Trek season of the modern Trek era. Fans loved it. Audience scores were through the roof.

Matalas lobbied to be given more work, pitching a spinoff series called Star Trek: Legacy. Fans launched petitions to support him, trying to convince Paramount to hand the entire franchise over.

But Kurtzman was still firmly in charge, and if I had to guess, probably jealous over the response Matalas was getting, in comparison to the way people were deservedly shitting on him. So, he responded to that outpouring of support by firing Matalas. 

Why Star Trek Failed

That’s the current state of Star Trek. It’s dead. There are two more seasons of Strange New Worlds in the can to release, and maybe Paramount will also still release that completed second season of Starfleet Academy, but that’s it, and those last few dribbles are likely to do more harm than good since basically everyone hates all of it.

Ok, sure, the .001% of humans who spent their formative years as theater kids may like it. But is that really a demographic worth pursuing? It’s like five people, and four of them are named Skylar.

I get the impulse. The entertainment industry actually is run by theater types. By actors and drama dorks who actually really were theater kids. But that’s not who their audience is. That’s not who they’re making shows for. 

Star Trek is supposed to be for people who like Star Trek, and instead of making that, Paramount got a bunch of theater kids together and let them turn Star Trek into something for themselves. It’s next-level narcissism. Rot from the inside. The antithesis of everything that the entertainment industry is supposed to be about.

Your job as a creative is to think outside yourself, to think beyond you to something bigger, greater, and more noble. What you create should be informed by your experiences, not imprisoned by them.

That’s what Star Trek is now: A prison. Let me out!

Matthew McConaughey is opening up like never before. During a recent interview, the Oscar-winning actor reflected on fame, solitude, fatherhood, and the emotional work it takes to truly know yourself outside of public perception. Rather than focusing on his Hollywood career, McConaughey spent much of the conversation discussing the periods in his life when he intentionally stepped away from success in search of something deeper.

After skyrocketing to fame, McConaughey admitted he began to feel he could no longer move through life anonymously. “No strangers do I meet anymore… the world is a mirror,” he said during a revealing appearance on the inaugural episode of Blake Mycoskie’s “No Magic Pill” podcast, explaining that the realization eventually pushed him to leave for Peru for 22 days in hopes of reconnecting with himself away from celebrity life.

During that trip, the actor sought spaces where he could simply exist as “Mateo” instead of the Hollywood version of himself the public had come to know. “The first 12 days were wonky… and then the last 10 days were great. I was at the place long enough to go, I could live this,” he shared.

‘The Demons On Our Back’ Begin To Surface In Solitude

McConaughey explained that being alone for extended periods forced him to confront difficult emotions and uncomfortable truths about himself. “There’s an initiation period when we go away with ourselves. Yes. Where the demons on our back man are, are dancing and having a good time at our expense, where the guilt can get really heavy,” he said during the interview.

The actor admitted that solitude is not always easy for him at first. “I do not enjoy my own company… at first,” McConaughey confessed. However, he said the discomfort eventually gives way to clarity if you stay in it long enough. “For me, it’s around day 12… that’s when the breakthrough comes,” he added.

Matthew McConaughey Shares Lessons He’s Passing Down To His Children

Now a father of three, McConaughey revealed that those experiences continue to shape the way he raises his children, especially in a world increasingly dominated by screens, technology, and artificial intelligence. He encouraged the importance of spending time alone, even when it feels uncomfortable. “If you have trouble spending time alone… that’s the first sign you need to,” he shared.

The actor also discussed the growing influence of AI and how younger generations now have instant access to information. “Everyone now knows they don’t know the answer, but they know where to find it,” McConaughey said.

Despite the rapid evolution of technology, he believes emotional awareness, discipline, and critical thinking will remain some of the most important skills people can develop.

McConaughey Reflects On Legacy, Curiosity, And Life Beyond Fame

At the end of the episode, McConaughey left listeners with a final reminder centered around curiosity and self-discovery. “There’s nobody more important to be curious about than yourself,” he said. “Stay curious.”

Over the years, the Texas native has cemented himself as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars, earning critical acclaim for projects like “Dallas Buyers Club,” which earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, as well as fan-favorite roles in “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” “Interstellar,” and “True Detective.”

Matthew McConaughey Continues Expanding His Career Beyond Hollywood

Beyond the screen, McConaughey has also stepped into the business world alongside his wife, Camila Alves McConaughey. The couple co-founded Pantalones Organic Tequila, an organic tequila brand that has quickly gained attention for both its playful marketing and premium spirits.

“Tequila has gotten snooty,” he previously said while discussing the brand. The actor explained that he personally judges a good tequila experience by five things: “Does it taste good? What kind of time did I have? How did I sleep? How did I dream? And how did I feel the next day?”

“People talk about tequila like it’s a fine wine, and I have no problem with that, but I’m making tequila to have fun,” McConaughey added, before diving into what the process behind creating the brand was like, revealing they spent years perfecting the tequila before launching it publicly.

With Camila Alves McConaughey involved every step of the way, Matthew McConaughey said they were determined to create something they would genuinely choose to drink themselves. “[We said] what are we going to make that’s going to be our first choice next to anything else? That sounded fun to do, and it sounded challenging,” McConaughey explained. “After a couple of years and 40-something taste tests, we got that, and that’s what’s in the bottle.”

Joe McCann, the fiancé of Ashlee Jenae, also known as Ashly Robinson, has broken his silence and released a statement as she is laid to rest.

RELATED: UPDATE: Tanzanian Officials Are Reportedly Questioning Ashlee Jenae’s Fiancé Following Her Death In Zanzibar Hotel

Ashlee Jenae’s Fiancé Joe McCann Breaks His Silence & Releases Statement As She Is Laid To Rest

On Tuesday, May 5, Joe McCann took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share a lengthy statement, breaking his silence on the death of Ashlee Jenae, also known as Ashly Robinson. Furthermore, McCann explained that “there are no adequate words to describe the total devastation, emptiness, and shock” he feels losing his “best friend, confidante, and fiancé.”

“As a father myself, I am also heartbroken for Ashly’s parents, Yolanda Endres and Harry Robinson. Ashly’s death is an incomprehensible tragedy,” he continued. “…Ashly cared deeply for the people closest to her, which to my eternal gratitude included me. She fattened me up with her amazing cooking and had a great relationship with my kids. Each day, we shared both quiet moments of reflection and the many joys of being in love with each other… What Ashly desired most was to become a mother and to raise a family together. There is no question that she would have been an amazing mom.”

Before concluding his lengthy statement, he referred to Jenae as an “angel who shined her light on everyone fortunate enough to be in her presence.”

“There is no way to fill the unfillable void left by Ashly’s passing and no way to make sense of this unfathomable loss. All we can do is carry on Ashly’s legacy of helping other people and strive to live up to her virtues every single day. Ashly, I love you forever,” he concluded.

To note, McCann reportedly shared his statement amid Ashlee Jenae’s being laid to rest at her funeral without his attendance on Tuesday, May 5. Per TMZ, her family did not invite him to the service.

Social Media Reacts To Joe McCann’s Statement

Social media users entered TSR’s comment section with strong reactions to Joe McCann’s statement about Ashlee Jenae’s death.

More On Ashlee Jenae Being Laid To Rest

As The Shade Room previously reported, Ashlee Jenae, also known as Ashly Robinson, passed away on April 9 after being found unconscious in her hotel room in Zanzibar. Jenae had traveled there with McCann for her 31st birthday, and they had become engaged during the trip. Ultimately, it was reported that the discovery of her body was made after the hotel received reports about her and McCann having strong disputes, which sparked them being moved into separate rooms. To the public’s skepticism, it was reported that Jenae died by suicide.

In the weeks that followed, it was reported that Tanzanian officials were questioning Joe McCann as a “witness.”

Most recently, it was reported that Ashlee Jenae’s body was returned to her family without her belongings or engagement ring. KGW reports that Jenae’s “immediate cause of death” has been listed as “cerebral hypoxia due to strangulation and suffocation.” This, as her family awaits the results of their own independent autopsy.

Those interested in donating to the GoFundMe created in remembrance of Ashlee Jenae can do so by clicking here.

RELATED: Ashlee Jenae’s Father Says Family Is Planning A Funeral After Her Body Was Returned From Tanzania Without Her Belongings (UPDATE)

By Robert Scucci
| Published 4 seconds ago

My favorite heist movies always involve bumbling protagonists who are really smart and good at the one thing they’re good at, but terrible at everything else. Which is why I was beyond thrilled to learn that Christopher Lambert and Christopher Lloyd shared the screen in 1990’s Why Me?, a comedy of errors involving two burglars who accidentally steal a priceless artifact that sends the whole world into a tizzy. What’s most impressive, though, is that both Lloyd and Lambert have done very well for themselves as supporting characters throughout their careers, but they both thrive sharing the lead in Why Me?

They share enough screen time to have their own individual shining moments, but the magic really happens when they’re riffing off each other as two of the dumbest criminals known to man while somehow staying one step ahead of their adversaries, despite remaining totally clueless most of the time.

Two Goofy Dudes Getting Chased By Goons

Why Me? kicks off with a seemingly simple robbery that sets the full conflict in motion. This first robbery involves The Byzantine Fire, an extremely valuable ruby making its rounds through the museum circuit in the United States for the first time ever. As it turns out, a group of religious extremists steal the rock, evade the authorities, and hide it in their safe-deposit box.

Completely unaware of this high-level thievery, low-level jewel thief Gus Cardinale (Christopher Lambert) just so happens to unwittingly break into that same safe-deposit box looking for a big score. In the process, he steals The Byzantine Fire, but he’s mostly interested in the box of diamonds valued at a million dollars. For context, The Byzantine Fire is a priceless, sacred, highly sought-after ruby that can’t even be reasonably appraised because of its rarity.

Knowing that he’s on the lam for stealing the diamonds, Gus doesn’t even think to mention The Byzantine Fire, which he assumes is probably a fancy knockoff that happened to be in the safe-deposit box, when he gets together with his partner Bruno (Christopher Lloyd) to figure out how they can get away with fencing the diamonds in their possession. Sitting there the whole time with a look of equal parts affection and disappointment is Gus’ girlfriend, June (Kim Greist), who wants him to stop working as a thief and find legitimate work.

Luck is not on either Gus or Bruno’s side in Why Me?, resulting in the duo being chased not only by the LAPD, but also Police Chief Francis Mahoney (J.T. Walsh), the Turkish government, and an extremely pissed-off Armenian terrorist named Gatou Vardebedian (Wendel Meldrum). It’s a full-on comedy of errors about two guys who are way in over their heads over an object they don’t even realize they have in their possession for a good two-thirds of the movie.

The Two Chris’ Commit

One blind spot I had before sitting down with Why Me? was Christopher Lambert’s willingness to do slapstick comedy. While he’s no Jim Carrey on the physical comedy front, he commits to the bit, and his facial expressions do a lot of the comedic heavy lifting. His ability to play somebody so clueless is half the fun because, on paper, he’s the last person you’d want in your corner if you had to make a serious judgment call, despite his good intentions.

One of his best scenes involves helping a little girl unlock her bike without hesitation, only for the real owner to show up seconds later wondering where the hell his Huffy went. Blissfully unaware that he’s now an accessory to theft, Gus just smiles and keeps walking as if the satisfaction of committing a good deed immediately blinds him to what’s actually happening around him.

Christopher Lloyd plays the straight man, if you could call it that, in the sense that Bruno is just as idiotic as Gus, but at the very least seems to think scenarios through before impulsively acting on them. This odd-couple dynamic drives Why Me? exactly where it needs to go by the third act, when every antagonist closes in and they have to figure out how to return the ruby, secure the diamonds they originally intended to steal but lost, and walk away from the entire ordeal without ending up in jail.

Why Me? is pure, goofy fun with two leads who clearly understood the assignment and ran with the premise. Is it the funniest movie ever made? Not by a longshot, but if you want to see both Chrises in their element, sharing the spotlight without ever overstaying their welcome, you can stream the film for free on Tubi as of this writing.

Footage shows Stefon Diggs shedding tears after being found not guilty in his assault and strangulation case involving his former private chef, Jamila Adams.

RELATED: UPDATE: Chef Who Alleges She Was Assaulted By Stefon Diggs Shares Statement As He Enters Not Guilty Plea (VIDEO)

Footage Shows Stefon Diggs Shedding Tears After Being Found Not Guilty In Assault & Strangulation Case

According to ESPN, day two of Stefon Diggs’ trial commenced on Tuesday, May 5.  During day two, Jamila Adams returned to the stand and alleged Diggs offered her $100,000 to recant her assault claims.

Per the outlet, Adams’ alleged demands for $19,000 and later $5.5 million throughout her relationship with Diggs were also discussed by lawyers. Additionally, testimony was reportedly shared “from friends and employees who said she did not appear injured in the days after” Diggs allegedly strangled and assaulted her. Per AP News, the defense argued that Adams’ claims were sparked by a “disagreement over a planned trip to Miami.”

Ultimately, the defense rested its case on the prosecution’s failure to present “a single shred of credible evidence” to prove the act of assault. Diggs was found not guilty.

Social Media Weighs In On Clip Of Him Shedding Tears After Being Found Not Guilty

Social media users reacted to Stefon Diggs being found not guilty and shedding tears in the courtroom in TSR’s comment section.

More On The Assault & Strangulation Case Involving Stefon Diggs & Jamila Adams

As The Shade Room previously reported, in December 2025, Stefon Diggs was charged with felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault. Furthermore, it was alleged that earlier that month, Jamila Adams approached him to discuss her alleged unpaid wages. Additionally, on December 2, he allegedly entered her bedroom, slapped her, and tried to choke her.

In response, Stefon Diggs’ lawyer denied the allegations.

“The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: they are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction,” his attorney reportedly alleged at the time.

In January, Diggs said he was going through a “very emotional time,” then, in early February, Jamila Adams broke her silence on the alleged incident.

Then, on May 4, Jamila Adams took the stand for day one of the trial. Furthermore, she revealed that her relationship with Diggs had been sexual. And she believed she would be paid $2,000 a week to be his live-in chef. Ultimately, their relationship and live-in agreement reportedly hit a snag over another woman. And this resulted in Adams allegedly being excluded from a trip to Miami.

“We have taken these allegations seriously from day one, and that’s exactly why we were eager for the facts to come to light through the legal process… Professional athletes have a target on their back. When someone sees a uniform and a contract, they see leverage; they see a settlement. And they’re counting on that pressure in the court of public opinion to drive a default decision to settle regardless of the facts of the matter,” Diggs’ attorneys reportedly asserted after the verdict. “The evidence has shown what we’ve maintained from day one: Mr. Diggs was wrongly accused, and this case represents exactly the kind of opportunistic targeting that players can face the moment they step off the field.”

RELATED: UPDATE: Stefon Diggs Accuser Speaks On Their Alleged Past Relationship As His Legal Team Continues To Deny Her Assault Claims (VIDEO)

When Michael first hit Rotten Tomatoes with a brutal 27 percent critics score, it looked like another high profile biopic was about to crash under the weight of expectations. Then audiences showed up. And everything changed.

The film has now surged to a staggering 96 percent audience score, instantly flipping the narrative and putting Michael in rare territory as one of the highest rated musical biopics ever from a fan perspective.

So what happened?

Critics vs Audience A Familiar Divide

Early critic reactions focused on pacing, tone, and the film’s approach to controversial moments in Michael Jackson’s life. Some reviews called it uneven, others said it played things too safe. But audiences saw something completely different.

Fans praised the performance, the music, and most importantly, the emotional connection. Social reactions have been flooded with comments about how the film captures the energy, pressure, and genius of Jackson in a way that feels authentic and powerful. For many viewers, it is not about perfection. It is about feeling. And Michael delivers that in a big way.

The Power of Music and Nostalgia

Musical biopics live and die by one thing more than anything else. Connection.

From the moment the first iconic track hits, audiences are pulled into a shared experience. With a catalog as legendary as Michael Jackson’s, Michael had a built in advantage that critics may have underestimated.

The film leans heavily into that legacy. The performances, choreography, and stage recreations are being called some of the best ever put on screen in this genre. That alone is driving repeat viewings and word of mouth momentum.

Jafaar Jackson, Michael [credit: Lionsgate]

Audience Scores Are Becoming the Real Indicator

We have seen this trend before. Critics analyze. Audiences react.

And in the era of social media and instant feedback, audience scores are increasingly shaping a film’s reputation in real time. A 96 percent score is not just good. It signals strong emotional resonance and mass appeal.

That kind of response can extend box office legs, boost streaming performance, and even reshape award season conversations.

One of the Biggest Turnarounds in Recent Memory

Going from 27 percent to 96 percent is not just a rebound. It is a complete narrative reversal.

For Michael, it means the film is no longer defined by its early reviews. It is being defined by the people actually watching it. And right now, they love it.

The Bottom Line

Michael may not be a critic darling, but it is becoming a fan phenomenon.

And in today’s landscape, that might matter more than ever.

Sister Wives star Tony Padron offered up his observations on how Robyn Brown goes with the flow when it comes to Kody Brown. Tony is known to bypass that filter that lets you think about the words before blurting them out.

His mother-in-law, Christine Brown Woolley, explained Tony’s tendency for this in a recent season of the show. So, that could help explain why what Tony said about Robyn isn’t seen as flattering by some fans.

And that goes for Kody too. When it comes to his son-in-law’s description of the way the Sister Wives’ patriarch approached his role as a father, it didn’t sound too good.

Sister Wives: Tony Padron Adds His Two Cents…

Tony Padron is usually alongside his wife, Myklelti Brown Padron, when she embarks on an interview. The couple also posts videos of their own chats online.

Sister Wives fans frequently learn something new about the inner workings of the Brown family from Mykelti and Tony during these ventures.

Tony is also known for adding his opinion to the topic, and it usually reinforces what his wife is saying. This is especially true when she talks about Kody Brown and the four women he married. Fans love when Kody’s son-in-law spices up the show with his opinions flowing filter-free.

In a recent podcast, Mykelti answered a fan’s question—”How long will Robyn Brown stay with Kody?” Despite Kody’s other three wives jumping ship, the Sister Wives‘ daughter doesn’t see Robyn following her ex-sister wives.

Mykelti Brown Padron sees the Sister Wives star Robyn Brown never leaving Kody Brown. She describes Robyn as having commitment to her marriage. But there’s more to it than that. She explained that Robyn won’t be going anywhere, as she is “happy and comfortable.” She also suggested that Robyn is enjoying her “cush life” with Kody.

But Tony’s opinion seemed based on the evidence he’s seen so far. And while the Sister Wives viewers have also seen this, this son-in-law’s words didn’t come off as very flattering for Kody and Robyn. Especially Robyn, who seems like a very protective mom of her own kids.

Sister Wives: Tony Points Out Some Awful Stuff

Tony Padron chimed in as Mykelti gave her reasons for Robyn never leaving Kody. Tony suggested that if Robyn had any intentions of leaving her marriage, she would have already done that by now.

Then the unfiltered reasons from Tony spurt forward. He thinks Robyn stuck around as Kody did some awful stuff. So, Tony asks if she was going to leave, “Wouldn’t it have already happened?”

He added, “They got through three divorces—and she stayed with him. He wasn’t the best, said some mean things, and did some not-so-great stuff.” Despite all that, she stayed, suggests Tony.

But he went even further as Tony ended his observation—he said that she stayed “even though he hurt his kids emotionally.” So as far as Tony is concerned, “What’s going to topple that, right? I think they’re just committed to the end now.”

It seems Tony sized up Robyn by describing her as a woman who stayed while Kody hurt his kids emotionally. And to the Sister Wives fans, it sounds like Tony believes if Robyn could do that, she’d stay through almost anything Kody dishes out.

Head back to Soap Dirt for the latest buzz on Sister Wives.

As temperatures rise, I always start craving lighter, prettier pieces that feel more exciting than the same basics I’ve been rotating for months. That’s exactly why I scrolled through Amazon’s May new arrivals searching for stylish wardrobe upgrades that wouldn’t completely derail my budget. This month’s fashion finds feel especially good.

From easy sundresses for outdoor parties to breezy pants that make vacation packing simpler, Amazon’s newest arrivals are full of wearable spring and summer staples. I spotted polished styles for office days, relaxed pieces for weekend outings and versatile basics that work for everything in between. Starting at just $15, these pieces make seasonal dressing feel significantly easier.

13 Best Finds From Amazon’s New May Fashion Arrivals

1. Our Favorite: I hate when summer dresses cling in the heat, but this loose maxi dress skims right over everything. The flowy black and white print hides what I want hidden.

2. Supportive Sandals: Just $20 will get me these EVA comfort sandals with double buckles for a custom fit and real medium arch support. The khaki colorway will go with nearly everything in my closet.

3. Polished Pants: Stiff trousers in summer heat are a no for me, so the breezy fabric blend on these striped palazzo pants is a relief. The wide leg and breezy fabric actually feel cool on hot days.

4. Hamptons-Looking: For just $34, this striped midi shirt dress gives you a real button-down collar, side pockets and a brown and white stripe that looks coastal-expensive.

5. Expensive-Looking: I’d pack this V-neck mini sundress for a vineyard weekend and wear it twice because it photographs like something three times the price. Adding a pair of white sandals is all it needs.

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Related: 17 Breezy Spring Blouses That Are Everywhere in the Hamptons Right Now

There’s a reason breezy blouses are suddenly everywhere in the Hamptons this spring. As the forecast shifts between crisp mornings, sunny afternoons and breezy coastal evenings, lightweight tops that feel elegant, versatile and comfortable quickly become wardrobe essentials. Stylish women are leaning into polished pieces that look sophisticated without sacrificing ease. Think crisp cotton, relaxed […]

6. Boutique-Worthy: At just $20, the flutter sleeves and pleated skirt on this V-neck sundress look pulled from a small-town boutique. Plus, the pockets are a quiet bonus.

7. Stylish Skirt: Low-rise skirts dig into me all day, so the high waistband on this tiered maxi skirt is the reason it’s in my cart. It sits where it should and doesn’t roll down.

8. Pretty Puff Sleeve: Plain tees feel boring with my nicer pants, but this floral V-neck top elevates jeans without trying too hard. The puff sleeves cover the upper arm comfortably.

9. Must-Have Jeans: Heavy denim in spring is miserable, so the soft hand on these ecru wide-leg jeans makes them wearable when it’s warm. They don’t bag out at the knee either.

10. Sleek Sandals: I’d wear these ankle-strap flat sandals with a sundress for date nights and with linen pants for daytime errands. The gold hardware reads dressy without trying.

11. Classy Cardigan: I’d throw this pastel yellow cardigan over a white tee and jeans for a chic spring look. I’d also keep it in my bag for over-air-conditioned movie theaters.

12. Top Trend: I’d roll up these cuffed boyfriend jeans with white sneakers for weekend errands and swap in heeled sandals for dinner. The wash looks broken-in from day one — and they’re a top trend for spring.

13. Romantic Ruffles: Stiff formal dresses feel wrong for outdoor weddings, so the soft tiered shape on this ruffle maxi dress handles grass and breeze without losing its line.