By Robert Scucci
| Published 1 hour ago

Though I’m well past the age of regularly seeking out a raunchy coming-of-age comedy, I still like to know what’s out there. As a musician, I want to know what the kids are getting into because it’s the easiest way to follow trends and keep your finger on the pulse (grunge and shoegaze is back, baby!). As a movie fan, and also a parent, I want that same awareness because with so many media touch points these days, you need to know when to restrict content and when to provide guidance. Luckily, my kids are years off from high school, so I don’t have to worry about them watching 2024’s Incoming any time soon.

Why would I be worried about my kids watching Incoming, you ask? Remember the raunchy teen comedies we had in the early aughts? Some guy bangs a pie, another guy puts a rat in his mouth. It’s crude, but knows when to censor itself. As a 13-year-old, I thought that was the be-all, end-all of lowbrow comedy, but just like beer, whacko tobacco, and how much shame we’re willing to collectively process on a daily basis, the potency perpetually increases as time marches forward. Incoming is peak R-rated fodder and kind of a disgrace when you compare it to the raunchy comedies of yesteryear. But that’s also what makes it so fun.

Long story short, when my kids are old enough to watch R-rated movies on their own, I’m not going to read them the riot act if Incoming is one of them. But if they scroll through my recently watched list on Netflix, I’ll probably be sleeping on the couch for the foreseeable future.

Typical High School Party Plot Dialed To 11

Incoming centers on a group of high school freshmen, and it benefits from splitting them up during their first official house party. Benj (Mason Thames), Eddie (Ramon Reed), Connor (Raphael Alejandro), and Koosh (Bardia Seiri) all get their moments to shine, but their motivations are wildly different, which sends them on very different adventures.

Benj is in love with his older sister’s friend Bailey (Isabella Ferreira) and wants to make a move. Eddie and Connor are the wet blankets who just want to hang out like the good old days. Koosh’s older brother, Kayvon (Kayvan Shai), is throwing the rager, and Koosh wants to prove he’s more than just the rich kid with the cool older brother.

It’s time to party, and this is where Incoming starts to heat up. I had my reservations early on because it felt like it was building toward the usual teen movie beats of substance abuse and running from the cops. Like an updated version of Can’t Hardly Wait. Once the group gets split up, though, that’s when things click.

When Koosh is told by Kayvon that he can only let one friend in, Benj jumps at the opportunity to get closer to Bailey. Benj sticking around gives us a look at the chaos of the party itself.

Koosh, whose parents are absurdly rich, has a hidden surveillance room where he spies on every guest. He uses it to figure out who to flirt with despite having zero game. He sets his sights on Gabrielle (Victoria Moroles) and tries to seduce her in his parents’ spa. Meanwhile, Benj takes a more sincere approach, though he’s still too afraid to be himself in that kind of setting, so he plays it cool.

The B Plot Outplots The A Plot

If everything above sounds like enough to keep you watching Incoming, you haven’t even gotten to the best part. The movie’s real MVP is the B story involving Eddie and Connor.

Bored because they didn’t get into the party, they steal Eddie’s mom’s boyfriend’s Tesla and go for a joyride. They swing by the party to check things out, and that’s when Katrina (Loren Gray), the most popular girl in school, mistakes their car for her Uber. She’s well past the point of being reasonably trashed.

After demolishing an ungodly amount of Taco Bell, she creates her own version of Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes all over the back seat (read: explosive diarrhea). What follows is one of the most traumatic experiences of their young lives. Do they ditch her at a fire station covered in her own filth, or do they step up and do the honorable thing by hosing her off in hazmat suits?

Back at the party, recurring bits with their chemistry teacher Mr. Studebaker (Bobby Cannavale) keeps things interesting. Going through a messy divorce and trying to reconnect with his youth, he drinks everyone under the table and becomes the legend of the night, one questionable decision at a time.

So Much Fun, But You Have To Be Primed For It

I’m 37 years old. I don’t seek out movies like Incoming because I’m not in high school or college. Watching it through that lens, it’s nothing special because I grew up on Freddy Got Fingered and Road Trip. That said, I’m genuinely glad movies like Incoming and 2018’s The Package are still being made. Sneaking movies like this when you’re a teenager is a rite of passage.

Have I ever been to a party or road trip like the ones in these movies? Not even close. But that’s the point. These films are harmless wish fulfillment for kids who love gross-out humor and watching a bunch of losers get in way over their heads trying to get laid. It’s good, dumb fun.

I’m not going to shout from the rooftops that everyone needs to see this because I’m not the target audience. But I will recommend it to anyone convinced the raunchy teen comedy is dead. If you need proof, you can stream Incoming on Netflix.

Actor Mark Hamill, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the “Star Wars” franchise, has never been shy about voicing his opinion. Recently, both Lucasfilm and Disney experienced a leadership shakeup. In January 2026, Kathleen Kennedy stepped down as President of Lucasfilm and was replaced by both Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan. In March, Josh D’Amaro officially succeeded Bob Iger as Disney CEO. Many fans have been wondering how these changes might affect the franchise going forward, but Hamill doesn’t seem too concerned about its future.

Mark Hamill Shares His Thoughts On Dave Filoni

While promoting his new role with The Lego Group, the 74-year-old actor praised Dave Filoni, who worked directly with George Lucas on the animated series “The Clone Wars,” while speaking to USA Today.

Hamill said that Filoni understands the franchise “so well” and “can’t think of better hands” to take over the galaxy far, far away. He also praised the “great stuff” Filoni has worked on, including “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett,” both of which featured a young Luke Skywalker.

“George was a mentor to Dave, so he knows George’s sensibility,” Hamill added.

Mark Hamill Celebrates 50 Years Of ‘Star Wars’

March 22, 2026, marked the 50^th anniversary of the day that filming on the first movie began. Disney will be celebrating the milestone by putting “A New Hope” back in theaters in February 2027.  

“It doesn’t feel like 50 years, and it makes you feel old,” Hamill said, revealing that he had recently been reminiscing about the path with a 1976 date book filled with notes about the film’s production.

He recalled how it was “bringing back such memories,” adding, “time flies when you’re having fun!”

Mark Hamill Reveals Which Of His Children Are Interested In ‘Star Wars’

Hamill revealed that each of his children has a different reaction to the franchise. He revealed that his oldest son, Nathan, who was born during the production of “The Empire Strikes Back,” visited him on the set of “Return of the Jedi,” which marked the final installment in the original trilogy.

“He was totally into it,” Hamill recalled. “He could sit in Yoda’s house because he was little. He was perfectly proportioned. He sat on the Emperor’s throne. He was in the creature shop, and they were letting him play with things.”

“When I did ‘The Muppet Show,’ same thing,” he continued. “I thought, ‘What a wonderful experience for him.’ … I was almost envious of him being able to have all these experiences.”

Not All Of His Children Are Interested In ‘Star Wars’

1983 was the year “Return of the Jedi” was released in theaters. It was also the year his son Griffin was born. However, he was less interested in the franchise than his older brother was.

“My second son, Griffin, is more analytical and serious, and he says: ‘You know, Star Wars movies just aren’t for me. They’re too commercial for my liking,’” Hamill said.

However, he went on to say, “My daughter likes them. Kids are all different!”

Mark Hamill Was Fascinated By Tie-In Merchandising

While working with LEGO to promote an upcoming line of SMART Play LEGO sets, Hamill revealed that he’s always loved toys, calling them “therapeutic.” One of the first things he bought with his “Star Wars” paycheck was all the toys he wanted as a kid that he couldn’t afford, like the game Lie Detector.

He also revealed that, out of the whole cast, he was the “most enamored” by all the “Star Wars” action figures and tie-in merchandise that the franchise has since become known for, such as games and comic books.

“I bought every comic, maybe 16 copies, (and) gave them out to friends,” he recalled. “I was thrilled about that. I loved the toy aspect of it. Harrison was sort of, ‘Eh, whatever.’ He didn’t really care. Carrie thought it was kind of fun. But I was the real enthusiast.”

He also loved running across boxes of cereal with “Star Wars” characters’ faces on them when he went grocery shopping. “To me, this was a peak achievement,” he said, adding, “Forget about the Oscars. I’m on a box of Kellogg’s Corn Pops!”

The public dynamic between Elon Musk and his estranged daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, has taken a dramatic new turn following a series of candid revelations. 

The Tesla founder’s daughter is stepping out of her father’s shadow to define her own identity on her own terms. 

Vivian was born to Musk and his ex-wife, Canadian author Justine Wilson. However, the transgender model and her father have been estranged for years. 

Vivian Candidly Reflects On Her Future With Dad Elon Musk

In a recent interview with Cosmopolitan, Vivian, the 21-year-old daughter of 54-year-old Musk, provided a blunt assessment of her relationship with her father. 

She explained that she has essentially made peace with their estrangement, noting that since there is “not much” she can do to change the situation, she has chosen not to let it define her. While she acknowledges that being Musk’s daughter is part of her history, she firmly stated that it is not her story. 

“There’s not much I can do about it, so who cares? It’s part of my story, but it’s not the future of my story,” she said. 

Despite the internet’s tendency to constantly link her back to her father, Vivian joked that her recent media training has helped her navigate these recurring questions with a newfound level of detachment.

Reflecting on the extreme wealth of her upbringing, she described a “level of detachment from reality” where people feel they deserve their fortune while others suffer. 

Now, choosing to reject that lifestyle, Vivian admitted that her biggest fear is how greed and the never-ending desire for power can corrupt people, turning them into someone completely different.

Vivian Addressed Her Financial Independence And New Modeling Career

Despite her choice to step away from the fame and fortune associated with her father, Vivian is often forced to address public assumptions about her financial situation. According to The Blast, she clarified that, contrary to popular belief, she does not have vast sums of money at her disposal. 

While she acknowledged that her mother is wealthy and her father possesses “unimaginable” riches, the 21-year-old emphasized that she does not have hundreds of thousands of dollars and lives a much more modest life than many would expect.

Vivian made it clear that she has no desire to be “super rich” and is content living within her means. She also shared that she is grateful to be able to afford basic necessities like food and shelter, noting that she feels more fortunate than many others her age in Los Angeles. 

Notably, her commitment to financial independence from her father follows their public fallout, which was largely sparked by his negative reaction to her gender transition.

The Model Constantly Critiques Her Father’s Politics And Business Ethics

Vivian’s journey toward self-definition involves both financial independence and a direct challenge to the public image her father cultivated for years. In April 2025, Vivian took part in an extensive interview with influencer Hasan Piker, where she offered a scathing critique of Elon’s true political leanings and professional reputation. 

She claimed that the tech mogul was never the “liberal darling” he once appeared to be, per The Blast.

During the candid conversation, Vivian stated that her father has actually been “right-wing since at least 2016” and pushed back against the idea that her gender transition caused his political shift. 

Vivian went even further by branding her estranged father an “insecure little buffoon.” She also targeted his automotive company, describing it as a “Ponzi scheme” designed to strip people of their money. 

Elon Musk’s Daughter Slammed Him For Sex-Selective Birth

The intensity of Vivian’s public rebukes against Musk often stems from what she describes as a fundamental betrayal of her own personhood by her father. In September, she launched a scathing social media thread addressing the circumstances of her birth, alleging that Elon Musk specifically used sex-selective IVF to ensure he had sons. 

In these posts, she expressed a deep sense of resentment, claiming that her assigned sex at birth was treated as a “commodity that was bought and paid for.”

“That expectation of masculinity that I had to rebel against all my life was a monetary transaction,” she wrote, per The Blast. 

This perspective resonated with thousands of social media users who voiced their support as she questioned the ethics and legality of the practice.

Vivian Used Her Runway Debut To Advocate For Trans Rights

Mark Wahlberg, long known as a dedicated fitness buff, is now sharing that passion with others through a new series centered on his intense daily workout routine. The new YouTube series offers a glimpse into his disciplined lifestyle, while also putting celebrity guests to the test.

Wahlberg has named one of the influencers who he said made minimal effort in the challenge, revealing that not everyone was able to keep up with the demanding regimen.

Mark Wahlberg Calls Out Influencer

Mark Wahlberg’s new YouTube series, “4 AM Club Challenge,” was announced in late March, and two weeks later, TMZ caught up with the actor to talk about the new project.

In the middle of the conversation, Wahlberg mentioned influencer-turned-comedian Druski, real name Drew Desbordes, singling him out as the celebrity who made the least effort in the challenge. “Druski, he really didn’t do much,” Wahlberg revealed. “Every time I turn around, I hear ‘9, 10.’ I turn around, he’s just sitting there looking at his phone,” he added.

Druski’s “4 AM Club Challenge” has yet to be released, and it’s unclear whether the comedian did that for comedic relief. For past events, the influencer took training seriously, participating in the Nike Runski running event in 2024. A year later, Druski shared 6 a.m. basketball training sessions on social media as he prepared for an All-Star Charity Game.

The Actor Said Some Of The Celebrities Thought His Routine Was Fake

Wahlberg was asked how difficult his workout routine would be for the average person, and he said he doesn’t think it’s the “most difficult thing to do,” advising those who want to try the routine to “do what you’re capable of doing.”

The 54-year-old said personally, he just wants to get his routine done early to get it out of the way so he can focus on other things for the rest of the day. “All these different guys came in, and most of the guys thought it was either fake that I do it for Instagram or whatever. Or they just felt like they wanted to outdo me,” he said of the celebrities who took on his challenge.

Wahlberg said the participants weren’t used to the pace and intensity of the workout, which resulted in them getting tired early.

Mark Wahlberg’s ‘4 AM Club Challenge’

On March 26, Wahlberg dropped the trailer for “4 AM Club Challenge,” a 10-part series on YouTube created in conjunction with his production company, Unrealistic Ideas.

“I’ve always believed that how you start your morning sets the tone for everything else,” said Wahlberg, adding that his 4 a.m. fitness challenge focuses on “discipline, accountability, and pushing yourself to be better.” The actor shared that working with the celebrity influencers was a fun experience.

Archie Gips, the production company’s president, said the series aims to show a “different side” to Wahlberg and the featured influencers. “It’s competitive, it’s funny, and it’s ultimately about the mindset it takes to succeed,” Gips added.

The first season of “4 AM Club Challenge” features Druski, Brent Rivera, Hannah Stocking, Ben Azelart, Dhar Mann, Pierson, Airrack, Adam W, The Stokes Twins, and Jesse James West.

Mark Wahlberg’s Daily Routine Went Viral

In 2018, the “Ted” actor shared his daily routine on Instagram Stories. It quickly went viral after online users reacted to how intense the schedule was.

As Wahlberg noted, a typical day for him starts at 2:30 a.m. He does his daily prayers and eats breakfast before beginning his workout at 3:40 a.m. and finishing at 5:30 a.m. Before noon, the actor has already done plenty, including eating a post-workout meal, showering, playing a round of golf, eating a snack, spending time in the cryo chamber, having another snack, and spending time with family.

The second half of his day is spent having meetings and doing work. At 4:00 p.m., he has another hour-long workout session before having dinner with his family. Wahlberg is in bed by 7:30 p.m., ensuring he gets eight hours of sleep.

The Fitness Buff Eats The Same Breakfast Daily

Apart from regularly working out, Wahlberg keeps in shape by having healthy meals. In December 2025, the actor posted an Instagram video sharing what he eats for breakfast daily. The meal consists of hard-boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, turkey, salmon with lemon, and blueberries. “Same old, same old, every day,” Wahlberg said while eating his meal and enjoying the sunrise.

However, he also indulges from time to time, telling Men’s Health he sometimes has “cheat meals.” He likes having tequila, chocolate, pasta, and different types of desserts, but admits that he doesn’t feel good after ingesting them. Most of the time, however, he sticks to his “boring and repetitive” diet.

“4 AM Club Challenge” released its first episode on March 27, with new episodes released every two weeks.

Young Thug‘s reaction to the news that Offset was recently shot has internet users GAGGED.

RELATED: Whew! Lil Tjay Shares STRONG Words About Offset After Being Released From Jail In Florida (VIDEO)

Young Thug Reacts To News That Offset Was Recently Shot

On Thursday, April 9, The Shade Room obtained footage of Young Thug heading to his car in a parking lot. Before getting in, Thug is asked about Offset getting shot at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. In response, Thug appeared to be hearing the news for the first time and was visibly puzzled.

Ultimately, Thug shared that he had just gotten off a 26-hour flight from Asia.

Check out his reaction below.

Internet Users Are GAGGED At Young Thug’s Reaction

Social media users entered TSR’s comment section, gagged at Young Thug’s reaction.

More On Offset Recently Getting Shot

As The Shade Room previously reported, Offset was shot outside of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Monday, April 6. At the time, it was reported that two people were detained while Offset was transported to a hospital in stable condition.

Subsequently, a lawyer for fellow rapper Lil Tjay shared a statement, asserting that he was not involved in the shooting despite rumors alleging otherwise. This, because, amid the shooting, Tjay had reportedly been arrested for disorderly conduct.

On Tuesday, April 7, Tjay was released from jail and shared strong words for Offset, per The Shade Room.

Subsequently, Offset shot back with his own words. This, as authorities reportedly asserted that an associate of Tjay’s shot the former Migos rapper.

RELATED: Whew! Offset Responds To Lil Tjay’s STRONG Words As Authorities Report That Associate Of Bronx Rapper Shot Him

By Jennifer Asencio
| Updated 1 hour ago

The Survivor 50 merge episode aired on April 2, 2026, and proved to be the most explosive episode to that point, only to be followed by an equally exciting episode that proves the game has returned to its cutthroat roots. As if Christian Hubicki arranging the ouster of fan favorite and The White Lotus creator Mike White wasn’t fireworks enough, we lost no fewer than four contestants through Tribal Councils in two episodes, and the epic aftermath of the merge brought out the competitor in even the contestants who’ve been hanging back.

The merge episode was so good that it nearly made up for the hated Zac Brown episode a few weeks ago, in which the country music star hogged 30 minutes of screen time fishing, singing, and having more confessionals than some of the contestants. As soon as the castaways got on the merge beach, strategizing started immediately. Allies, like Hubicki and Rick Devens, were reunited; hidden immunity idols (held by Aubry Bracco, Ozzy Lusth, and Rizo Velovic) were sussed out; and targets were placed, particularly on legends Benjamin “Coach” Wade and Colby Donaldson, injured in a previous challenge.

Emily Flippen, who is turning out to be one of the season’s movers, pointed out the tribe could get “two for the price of one” by voting out Coach and waiting for Colby to be medivaced from the show. That is how ruthless the merge got.

Survivor’s Blood Moon

However, at the Immunity Challenge, host Jeff Probst sprung the surprise on the castaways that there would be a twist that night called The Blood Moon. With Ozzy and Rizo oblivious to this because they were off on a fortuitous jaunt to Exile Island together, the other 15 castaways were divided into three groups. The challenge was an individual immunity endurance challenge, but whatever group won would also be treated to Applebee’s at Survivor’s famous Sanctuary, “where good things happen” to the winners of rewards.

The twist was that each group of five had one immunity winner and would be going separately to Tribal Council rather than as a full merge tribe. Three people would be voted off, and which group each castaway was sorted to was entirely luck of the draw. This resulted in three Tribal Councils.

Survivor Legend Penner Humiliates Himself With Racism Accusations

The first group shown were the reward winners, Chrissy Hofbeck, Jonathan Young, Stephenie LaGrossa-Kendrick, Tiffany Ervin, and Kamila Kathigetsu, the latter of whom was the unlucky victim in a controversial tribal council that had real-world effects.

Two former CBS contestants got angry at Chrissy for claiming she, Jonathan, and Stephenie were “cut from the same cloth” when they allied to vote out either Tiffany or Kamila; since the latter two are women of color, the voting bloc, Chrissy in particular, was targeted as racist by Survivor alum Jonathan Penner and Big Brother contestant Hannah Chadda. The backlash was so bad that Chrissy Hofbeck deleted her X account.

In the aftermath of that outcome, Penner had this to say about his initial accusations: “Let’s just say I meant it as a joke, but as I say to my kids, there are no – jokes.”

The second group shown consisted of Genevieve Musaluk, Aubry, Hubicki, Devens, and Joe Hunter. Despite fireworks between the three men and a heated rivalry between the two women, the second group came together to vote out Genevieve in a move that was rather expected from this team.

The final tribal council of the merge episode was a tear-jerker for longtime fans of the show, including contestant Dee Valaderes, who had to choose between Emily, Colby, Coach, and their fellow legend, Cirie Fields. The only person in this group who actually wanted to vote was true gamer Emily, as the three legends and former winner Dee broke down in tears over how important these icons were to the history of Survivor. Before he was tragically voted out, Colby delivered a heartfelt speech about how much the show has been a part of his life for half of it, and the opportunities he was presented with thanks to his appearances.

Colby Speaks For The Fans

For many people, Survivor is a way to bond with family as they watch together and talk about it. Colby’s speech about what the show has done for him was felt by all of us, for whom the show has been meaningful as fans.

It was a bittersweet ending to an incredible episode, but fans were disappointed that the merge vote was split up the way it was because they wanted to see how the morass of everyone together in one tribal council would play out, rather than the New Era trick of splitting the vote. It was the one dark spot in an almost perfect episode.

Blood Moon’s Aftermath Episode

The next episode, aired April 9, 2026, saw the intertribal conflicts intensify as “trust clusters” (a term coined by former Survivor player Hannah Shapiro at tribal council during Millennials vs GenX) form. Ozzy and Rizo returned from their bonding trip to Exile Island to reunite with ally Cirie. Rizo wanted to enhance that alliance with Dee, except she blabbed his secret about having an idol to several people, and Emily told Rizo what she had done.

Emily is loosely allied with the super-nerd alliance of Devens and Hubicki, a duo that seems to be floating around together. Coach had formed an alliance he called The Four Horsemen; the loss of Colby prompted him to try to add Rizo alongside himself, Jonathan, and Joe. Further complicating alliances is Jonathan’s loyalty to Stephenie and Chrissy. Aubry and Tiffany don’t seem to have an alliance and are floating around the various webs of other alliances, just trying to survive.

Coach’s Plan Works To Perfection

Despite the attempts of the Cirie-Ozzy-Rizo voting block to save her, Dee landed herself in hot water when she betrayed Rizo’s secret about his immunity idol. This was further compounded when Jonathan took advantage of the buzz to rile her up enough to admit her role in the blindside of Charlie Davis a few episodes before. All this damning evidence against Dee prompted a haiku-spouting Coach to assemble what he called “7 and 4,” referring to the number of votes needed to vote Dee out and also to cover themselves with some votes for Tiffany in case Dee played her Shot in the Dark. Dee reacted by trying to put together votes against Coach, and it looked like tribal council was going to be a toss-up.

Coach’s plan worked to perfection, despite the show giving the appearance that he was in danger for his bossy behavior in assembling the vote. A sorry Dee was voted out for the first time in her Survivor career, with the only stray vote going to Coach and a warning shot fired across Tiffany’s bow in the form of the four security votes. Dee did play her Shot in the Dark, but it failed, so she lost her vote.

Stephenie LaGrossa’s Survivor Journey

Aside from explosive scheming and plenty of fighting, another notable moment in the episode saw Stephenie LaGrossa-Kendrick on a Survivor journey, one of the individual challenges that castaways are occasionally sent on. She didn’t really want to go and miss out on all the social play on the beach, but the group picked her name out of a bag, and she handled it with grace, especially when she saw what her challenge was: the infamous bucket on a swivel, to which one arm was chained, pointing straight up. A win would give her an advantage, a loss would not only drench her but also cost her her vote at the next tribal council.

This was a remarkable event because of Stephenie’s history on the show. She was notably the only castaway whose team lost so much that she was eventually its last member, alone on the Ulong beach in Palau for three days until the tribes merged. She was runner-up the following season in Guatemala, her blunt honesty costing her the top spot by rubbing the jury the wrong way.

However, it is Heroes vs Villains that had an impact on this challenge, because there, she dislocated her shoulder, had it reset in the middle of a very physical challenge, and then had to have surgery on it after the show ended. Forced to use her good arm, she persevered through the entire endurance challenge and won a Steal-a-Vote, allowing her to replace another castaway’s vote with her own at a time of her choosing.

Stephenie spent all day April 9 celebrating this achievement with a video posted to social media teasing the episode, and it was well-earned and richly deserved. As soon as she said, “This is my happy face,” I knew from her posts that we were in for an epic ride.

Survivor 50’s Contestants Are Here To Play

Overall, the episodes that have followed the Zac Brown fiasco have brought a lot of excitement, backstabbing, gameplay both impressive and sloppy, and even controversy. Survivor 50 may be embracing some of the more annoying conventions of the recent seasons of the show, but one thing that is definitely not present is the Girl Scout camp atmosphere: these people are here to play and aren’t pulling any punches.

This is the first season of Survivor in a long time where the contestants are willing to go to war for the million dollars, and it is refreshing to see. Viewers weren’t tuning in to watch the players have a sing-along; they tune in to watch exactly the drama that this season is delivering.

Catch Survivor 50 on CBS on Wednesday nights at 8pm EST and streaming on Paramount Plus the following day. You can also stream all the other seasons on Paramount Plus and get to know or reconnect with the contestants who were invited to return to play this fantastic season.

First lady Melania Trump is denying ties to Jeffrey Epstein and knowledge of his sex crimes. She said on Thursday (April 9) that the “stories are completely false,” calling accusations that she was somehow involved “smears about me.” Her message comes days after President Donald Trump‘s deadline-based threat to bomb Iran, before pulling it back during the last hour.

RELATED: Videos Show Bill Clinton Explaining Ties To Jeffrey Epstein, Smiling While Viewing Old Photos And Denying He “Likes Them Young” (WATCH)

Melania Trump Shuts Down Alleged Ties To Jeffrey Epstein

Melania Trump addressed the Epstein allegations about her while reading a statement at the White House. She said she and her attorneys were fighting back against “unfound and baseless lies” regarding her connections to Jeffrey.

“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today. The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation,” Mrs.Trump said.

Also, the first lady mentioned her husband several times, who appears in the Epstein files tens of thousands of times, according to The New Republic. She said, contrary to some rumors, Epstein did not introduce her to Trump. Instead, she allegedly met her future husband at a party in NYC in 1998.

Furthermore, Mrs. Trump called on Congress to hold a public hearing centered on survivors of Epstein’s crimes. She also suggested an opportunity for them to testify before lawmakers and have their stories entered into the congressional record.

“Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes,” she said. “Then, and only then, we will have the truth.”

First Lady Melania Trump’s Statement pic.twitter.com/fSEz24NEyg

— First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) April 9, 2026

Is Melania Listed In The Epstein Files?

Melania Trump’s calls for the issue to go back to Congress came after the DOJ released millions of pages of documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Today, Mrs. Trump said in her statement that she was not friends with Jeffrey Epstein or his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, but was in overlapping social circles in New York and Florida. She described an email reply she sent to Maxwell as “casual correspondence” without elaborating. “My polite reply to her email doesn’t amount to anything more than a trifle,” she said.

Among the documents was a brief email from 2002 with the sender and recipient blacked out. It begins, “Dear G!” and ends “Love, Melania.” It also compliments the recipient on a magazine article about “JE.”

“I know you are very busy flying all over the world,” it says. “How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY.”

That email was sent the same month that a New York Magazine article was published about Jeffrey Epstein. In it, Trump called the financier a “terrific guy.” Among other documents released was an image from Epstein’s home showing a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers. In that image, inside a drawer among other photos, was a photograph of Trump, Epstein, Melania Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Why Is Melania Speaking Out About Epstein Now?

It was not immediately clear what prompted the first lady to speak out about this issue now. The seemingly out-of-the-blue message came as Trump and his administration had finally seemed to move past the Epstein controversy that had followed them for over a year. Now, the first lady’s comments have put the Trump-Epstein allegations back in the spotlight, even after the president urged the public and media to move on. The White House account on X reshared a video of Melania’s announcement posted by the first lady’s account. However, it didn’t add any comment.

Meanwhile, Democrats jumped on Melania Trump’s comments, saying they agreed with her call for a congressional hearing. Rep. Robert Garcia is the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee that is investigating Epstein. In a social media post, Garcia called on the Republican chair of the committee, Rep. James Comer, to schedule a public hearing “immediately.” Also on X, the Democrats called for the cover-up investigation to start with Donald Trump.

The Epstein cover-up must end.

Start by investigating Trump. https://t.co/mK0Rrr7qgP pic.twitter.com/hZuUdmTInX

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— Democrats (@TheDemocrats) April 9, 2026

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Associated Press writers Collin Binkley, Will Weisset and Stephen Groves contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.