“Summer House” star Carl Radke is reflecting on what he’s learned about business after one year of managing his bar and café, Soft Bar. The non-alcoholic bar opened up a year ago, and Radke showcased everything leading up to that moment during the last season of the hit Bravo reality show.

While speaking with Us Weekly, Radke said he was “proud” of the brand he’s built over the last year. One reason is that he and his team were able to trademark the name Soft Bar.

“Something I was really excited about with building Soft Bar is I wanted to go brand first and community first, and being able to wrap our arms around the ‘soft’ terminology in Soft Bar, soft drink, soft cocktail — these are all terms that were in our vocabulary, but no one really had wrapped their arms around it. My goal was to really elevate the non-alcoholic industry, and the way I believe in doing that was to build a brand that [has] a mission and a strong foundation,” he said.

Carl Radke Is Grateful He’s Been Able To See His Business Come To Life

Since opening his Brooklyn bar a year ago, Radke said things have been going well for him and his business. And while business is booming, Radke admitted he couldn’t do it alone, leading him to praise his incredible staff and thank everyone involved for helping him build an amazing community.

“It’s been really cool to see my vision come to life. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. We’ve made mistakes. We’ve learned. We’ve had to adjust. We’ve had to evolve. But any new business is going to do that. But we are really listening to our customers. We’re trying to understand what they like, take all the feedback and become a better operation as a result. So I’m really happy and proud, but there’s still some work to do for sure,” he stated.

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Carl Radke Said It’s Important To Build ‘Thick Skin’ In Business

When asked what advice Radke, who’s been on “Summer House” since 2017, would have for those wanting to start a business, the reality star said people should be highly adaptable and resilient.

“You’ve got to be willing to have a thick skin and be really patient. I would start small, and what I mean by that is if you want to open up, in theory, a lemonade drink café, I would say, start a little lemonade stand in your front yard first. Get your product or service in people’s hands before you make that bigger commitment,” he said.

He added, “Start organically small, locally, get it in front of your close friends and family, and get it in front of other people that don’t know you would be my advice. I think some people get big ideas and you can overwhelm yourself. Be balanced and try to find slow and steady.”

Radke Struggled With Addiction

Before opening Soft Bar, Radke struggled with drug and alcohol addiction following the death of his brother, Curtis. In a previous interview with Nick Viall, the reality star said the loss led him to develop a habit of overindulging.

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“As I would joke, it was like my f—boy pad, and I went right back into doing drugs and drinking all the time, but I was doing it alone. I would drink all day by myself and do cocaine by myself in my apartment, and, like, call people, text people, say crazy sh-t. It just was on this downward spiral,” he said.

What Led Radke To Seek Help?

On “Summer House,” Radke appeared to be handling his brother’s death well, but behind closed doors, he admitted to living a double life. Everything changed for him, though, when a Bravo executive spoke with him about his substance abuse in 2019.

“For the first time, I actually had someone call me out and say, ‘I know it’s not just alcohol. It’s coke. All the other sh-t as a result,” he said. “I would take Xanax to kinda come down. I would take Ambien to help sleep, all the things. But it still wasn’t right away, like, I’m gonna go to get my help. I did it in my own.”

Thrillers hit differently when experienced on the page. That’s because movies and TV shows rely on music, editing, and dramatic visuals to signal when something is about to go wrong. However, books don’t have any of that, so they operate by trapping the readers inside the characters’ heads and immersing them in fear, suspicion, and uncertainty.

The format also leaves a lot of room for character development, detailed worldbuilding, and small details that don’t translate well on screen. The best books in the genre don’t need to constantly hold the reader’s hand or throw in a twist every few pages, and that’s why the medium feels so drastically different than film or TV. To prove that, here are six unputdownable thriller books that will keep you hooked from start to finish

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‘Gone Girl’ (2012)

Image via Phoenix

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn begins with the perfect mystery. On the morning of their fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne returns home to find signs of a struggle and no trace of his wife, Amy. However, things take a turn when he becomes the biggest suspect in the case. To make things worse, Nick does himself no favors by reacting strangely to his wife’s disappearance and keeping things from investigators even as the evidence keeps stacking up against him. The author tells this compelling story through two competing perspectives. Nick narrates the investigation in the present, while Amy’s diary entries take the reader through their relationship from its picture-perfect beginning to its bitter collapse.

Nick is clearly hiding something, but Amy’s version of their marriage also starts to feel too good to be true. The structure leaves the reader trapped between two intelligent and relentless people who are determined to control how they are perceived. The most unexpected thing about Gone Girl is that it delivers its big reveal midway through the story. Once the readers learn the truth about what happened to Amy, the narrative transforms into an entirely different kind of psychological battle. The mystery also works because Nick and Amy’s marriage is every bit as interesting as Amy’s disappearance. The book is fast-paced, yet it still gives the readers a lot of time to sit with the characters and understand why they are the way they are. Gone Girl triggered an entire wave of domestic thrillers featuring toxic marriages and unreliable narrators, but Flynn’s novel remains in a league of its own.

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‘The Silent Patient’ (2019)

Image via Celadon Books

Alex Michaelides’s debut novel, The Silent Patient, is a BookTok sensation. The novel is one of the internet’s favorite psychological thrillers that has sparked endless discussion over its famous twist, and the hype is totally justified. The story follows Alicia Berenson, a successful painter living with her fashion-photographer husband, Gabriel. One evening, Gabriel returns home, and Alicia shoots him five times. She never explains why she did it. Instead, she completely stops speaking and is eventually placed in a psychiatric facility in London. Her total silence turns what could have been a straightforward murder into a mystery that the public becomes obsessed with. Things take a turn when criminal psychotherapist Theo Faber accepts a position at the Grove because he is convinced that he can get Alicia to speak.

However, the book never loses sight of the uncomfortable fact that in trying to solve the mystery, Theo is crossing professional boundaries himself. The narrative alternates between Theo’s investigation and entries from Alicia’s diary written before the murder. That structure keeps the chapters short and the information carefully controlled, which allows Michaelides to reveal the details gradually to maintain the suspense that drives the plot forward. The Silent Patient might not be the most unpredictable book out there, but even if the readers put the pieces together, the ending still forces them to rethink almost everything they have read. The virality of the book might drive people to buy it, but Michaelides’s tightly controlled story is what keeps them reading until the final page.

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‘Misery’ (1987)

Image via Viking

Misery is a Stephen King classic that doesn’t need any traditional horror tropes to terrify his readers. The novel follows Paul Sheldon, a successful author best known for a series of historical romance books centered on a character named Misery Chastain. Paul has grown to resent the books that made him famous and finally kills Misery off to leave the series behind and establish himself as a more serious writer. However, after crashing his car during a snowstorm, he wakes up inside the remote home of Annie Wilkes, a former nurse who proudly introduces herself as his number one fan. Initially, it seems like she has saved Paul’s life, but things take a turn when Paul realizes that she has not contacted a hospital or told anyone where he is.

The stakes rise when she reads his latest book and discovers that Misery is dead. In a fit of rage, Annie forces Paul to write a new novel that brings her favorite character back to life. Now, most of the novel is confined to Paul’s room, but the setup never gets boring. Every time Annie enters, the reader has no idea what she might do. Paul is almost completely helpless, which means survival depends on reading her moods, earning her trust, and making the most of the brief periods when she leaves him alone. Through the narrative, King explores the complex relationship between writers and their audiences, which gives the book a meta quality that never really gets old. Misery is graphic when it needs to be, but the most relentless thing about the story is the constant suspense that keeps the readers hooked until the end.

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‘No Exit’ (2017)

Image via William Morrow / HarperCollins

Taylor Adams’s No Exit takes one of the worst places imaginable to spend the night and makes it even more terrifying. The thriller follows college student Darby Thorne as she drives through the Colorado mountains to reach her critically ill mother. A violent blizzard forces her to abandon the journey and take shelter at an isolated highway rest stop with four strangers. There is no phone signal, and the roads are closed until the storm passes. Then, while searching outside for reception, Darby discovers a little girl kidnapped and locked inside an animal cage in the back of a parked van. That’s not the most horrifying part, though — it’s the fact that the person responsible has to be one of the strangers waiting inside. Now, Darby has to work out which vehicle belongs to whom, determine who she can trust, and find a way to free the girl without revealing what she knows.

Every conversation suddenly becomes an interrogation, but Darby cannot ask the questions directly without placing both of them in immediate danger. That simple setup gives No Exit an incredible amount of momentum. The story unfolds over one night and within a very limited area, yet Adams constantly finds new ways to make the situation worse. Even when Darby finally learns who she is dealing with, the tension does not die down. The protagonist is also far from a trained detective or action hero, which makes her peril all the more dangerous. The reader has to work alongside Darby as she makes difficult decisions and constantly risks her life in the process. Some might feel like the novel is doing too much, but this relentlessness is actually a major part of its appeal. Plenty of books are described as impossible to put down, but No Exit does absolute justice to its title and gives the reader no room for comfort.

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‘Dark Matter’ (2016)

Image via Crown Publishing Group

Dark Matter is Blake Crouch’s science-fiction thriller that follows former research physicist Jason Dessen, who gave up a potentially groundbreaking career to live a quiet life in Chicago with his wife, Daniela, and their teenage son, Charlie. He occasionally wonders what might have happened had he chosen ambition over family, but one night, that question is answered for him in the worst possible way. Jason is abducted by a masked stranger, drugged, and knocked unconscious. When he wakes up, he finds himself in a version of Chicago where Daniela is not his wife, and Charlie was never born. In this reality, Jason pursued his scientific career and became a celebrated physicist responsible for an invention capable of accessing alternate worlds.

The physicist suddenly has everything he once wondered about, but soon enough, he realizes that all he wants is the ordinary life that has been taken from him. That personal motivation balances all the quantum mechanics, branching realities, and endless possibilities that Crouch creates in Dark Matter. Jason’s objective is to find the correct version of his world and return to his family. That premise might sound simple, but the book’s short chapters and relentless pace keep it from ever feeling boring. Every new reality Jason enters introduces another version of his life. The novel asks larger questions about identity, regret, and whether people would genuinely be happy if they could reverse their life’s biggest decisions. The scientific logic in the story definitely needs some suspension of disbelief, but the book’s strong emotional core more than makes up for it.

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‘The Devotion of Suspect X’ (2005)

Image via Bungeishunjū/ Minotaur Books

Keigo Higashino begins The Devotion of Suspect X by revealing what most thriller stories would spend the entire time building up to. The Japanese novel opens when Yasuko Hanaoka’s abusive ex-husband, Togashi, appears at her apartment and threatens the peaceful life she has built with her daughter, Misato. The confrontation turns violent and leaves Togashi dead and both women with no idea how they can avoid prison. Their quiet neighbor, Tetsuya Ishigami, an isolated mathematics teacher, overhears the struggle and offers to help. Now, he does not just dispose of evidence or invent a simple alibi. Instead, he constructs an elaborate plan designed to account for every question the police might ask. From that point onward, the suspense comes from watching Yasuko follow his instructions while knowing that even one small mistake could destroy everything.

On the other hand, Detective Kusanagi leads the investigation, but the case quickly takes a personal turn for him. Higashino’s writing is restrained, and he doesn’t bury the central mystery beneath unnecessary action. Mathematics and physics are essential to the story, but the readers don’t need a lot of knowledge to follow it. However, the novel’s greatest achievement is that its final revelation is emotional, clever, and unpredictable. The title gradually takes on a darker meaning as the reader begins to understand the true extent of Ishigami’s devotion and the horrifying logic behind his plan. The book ends with a moral uncertainty that lands with far more weight than a conventional last-minute twist, and that is the brilliance of Higashino’s work.

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Release Date

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November 30, 1990

Runtime

107 minutes

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Producers

Andrew Scheinman

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As a type A fashionista, I like to plan my outfits one season in advance. Call it what you want, but it’s undeniably smart to prep your fall wardrobe before it’s too late — especially when Chico’s always seems to have cozy-chic pieces that make planning half the fun. It’s true: the way Chico’s nails those early-season layers and seasonal statement pieces for women over 40 makes it impossible not to daydream about fall fashion.

Whether you’re on the hunt for summer-to-fall pieces, layerable essentials or those statement-making silhouettes Chico’s does so well, now’s the time to build a wardrobe that seamlessly transitions to cooler weather. Let’s dive in!

Chico’s Pre-Fall Selections for Women Over 40

1. Our Favorite: Transition into fall’s cozy-chic fashion in this satin-sleeve henley blouse. Soft and stretchy, it brings that early-autumn comfort while the satin sleeves add a punch of polish.

2. Demure Denim: Excuse us while we swoon over these cropped straight jeans. A tad distressed and the perfect middleground fit, they feel lived‑in but still look polished — especially with all those early‑fall layers.

3. All Year Long: We love a powerhouse dress, and this long-sleeve denim shirt dress fits the bill. It looks just as chic with a scarf and cropped boots as it does paired with tights and a structured jacket when the temperatures dip.

4. Summer to Fall: Who says linen isn’t a fall fabric? This linen safari shirtdress keeps things breathable while still reading autumn‑appropriate the second you add a belt and ankle boots.

5. Rich Mom Style: Quiet luxury is on full display in this blue pullover sweater. With a rich royal blue hue and a side-button detail, it adds a refined pop of color to all your pre-fall staples.

6. Cozy Workwear: Bring some coziness into your workwear wardrobe with this double-breasted sweater blazer. Featured in easy-to-style shades like black, blue and green, it’s a knit-meets-blazer piece that instantly sharpens your pre-fall fashion.

7. Mix & Match: This colorblock knit tank is part of Chico’s Travelers Collection, which features easy mix‑and‑match pieces. It’s a packable piece that layers effortlessly with coordinating separates, making it a go‑to for fall quiet luxury looks.

8. Easy Wear: Embrace fuss-free fashion this fall with this no-iron white tunic. Packing a punch of rich mom style, the stretchy tunic reads elevated the moment you add boots and a sleek fall jacket.

9. Reviewer Loved: Chico’s shoppers are obsessed with these cool layering tees. Made with a gentle, cool-to-the-touch fabric, the long-sleeve tee stays breathable enough for summer days yet substantial enough to slip under all those early‑fall layers.

10. Fall Essential: Nothing says pre-fall quite like a light sweater dress. With just the right amount of weight, this whipstitch knit is undeniably polished thanks to the stitching detail that makes even simple styling read rich in style and texture.

11. Long & Lean: Make your frame look inches longer in these gorgeous girlfriend flared leg jeans. With regular, petite and tall fits, the slimming silhouette creates a long, lean line that works with everything from tees to tailored tops.

12. Sumptuous Skirt: I love the texture and feel of this fall-ready satin maxi skirt. Its airy drape and crinkled finish give every outfit a soft, luxe touch.

13. Sharp & Tailored: There’s a military appeal to this wool-blend jacket. Designed with a classic band jacket silhouette, it has a uniform-inspired look that instantly sharpens your whole fall wardrobe.

Vanessa Hudgens found an accessory that can make even the simplest fall date night outfit feel instantly more glamorous. A sparkly silver bag adds just enough shimmer to jeans and a cute top, a little black dress or even a cozy sweater-and-skirt combo. And while her version looks seriously luxe, you can recreate the vibe for $24 on Amazon.

Hudgens was spotted in Hollywood on August 13, 2026, wearing a satin contrast maxi dress with glittering heels and a sparkly rhinestone shoulder bag. The shimmering accessory caught the light with every step, giving her otherwise sleek ensemble a playful finishing touch. Consider it proof that sometimes all a date night outfit really needs is one statement accessory.

Get the Yuwita Sparkly Rhinestone Purse for $24 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, August 18, 2026, but are subject to change.

The Yuwita Sparkly Rhinestone Purse makes it surprisingly easy to get Hudgens’ look without the celebrity price tag. It comes in a similar shimmering silver shade, along with pink, gold and black options, so there’s a version for practically every going-out outfit.

Related: Karlie Kloss Proved Polka Dots Are the Prettiest Print of Summer

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Karlie Kloss may have just convinced Us to give our floral dresses a break. The supermodel’s latest look puts a fresh spin on classic polka dots, pairing the playful print with an ultra-feminine silhouette that feels made for the final weeks of summer. Even better, we found a similar style for less than $30. Kloss […]

Beyond its glamorous rhinestone design, the purse has knotted shoulder straps, a compact build and this slouchy design that still looks elevated due to the shiny exterior. Despite the small shape, this pick is the perfect evening bag since it has just enough space to stash your evening essentials, and keep ’em secure via the zipper closure. Regardless of how you style it, the sparkly purse is equipped to dress up everything from fall wedding guest dresses to your favorite denim.

Over 1,000 shoppers gave the purse a five-star rating, with one buyer saying it looks “a lot more expensive than it is” and is “perfect for a night out or dinner.” Another customer praised its “great space” for holding a phone and other necessities, and called the zipper “very durable.”

Between dinner dates, rehearsal dinners, holiday parties and every other dressy event creeping onto the fall calendar, Hudgens’ sparkly bag is convincing Us that silver might just be the season’s most useful going-out pick. For $24, this Amazon lookalike delivers the same glamorous finishing touch without requiring a special-occasion splurge. Pair it with your favorite dress, heels and a little jewelry, and consider date-night dressing handled.

Love Hudgens’ sparkly date-night bag? Shop more Amazon lookalikes below!

Shop more sparkly rhinestone bags that we love:

Not your style? Explore more rhinestone bags here, and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

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

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

Shop the UsNow Summer Sale –>

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Related: Anne Hathaway’s Black Trousers Create a Legs-for-Days Illusion

Like many women, Anne Hathaway knows the power of a great pair of black trousers, but her latest look is proof that certain silhouettes can completely transform an outfit. With a wide-leg shape, tailored pleats and a long, fluid fit, her pants created the ultimate legs-for-days illusion while still looking effortlessly polished. Better yet, we […]

The New York Times is a true institution, one of the last outlets that still commands widespread respect and whose opinion pieces and recommendations can still impact the broader cultural landscape on a massive scale. A major cornerstone of its content is the Best Sellers list, which compiles the most successful and talked-about books in different genres, acting not only as a recommendation guideline but as a stamp of quality. The books there are the best in the market, and hardly anyone can deny it.

Some books have the fortune of becoming mainstays on the Best Sellers list, as word of mouth spreads and eager audiences embrace them. Such is the case for The Calamity Club, arguably the greatest historical book of 2026 and a strong contender for the title of Best of the Year. The book has spent a whopping 14 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list, and it’s still at number 3. Furthermore, it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere anytime soon, making it the perfect time for you to jump into it if you haven’t already.

What Is ‘The Calamity Club’ About?

Image via Instaread

The Calamity Club is a historical fiction story with strong themes of sisterhood, found family, female liberation, autonomy, and resistance. Set during the Great Depression in Oxford, Mississippi, the plot centers on three characters, each one facing a struggle. Eleven-year-old Meg Lefleur was abandoned on Christmas Eve and now struggles to survive in an orphanage as one of the oldest and seemingly unadoptable children there. Meanwhile, unmarried bookkeeper Birdie Calhoun arrives in town hoping to ask her sister to help her struggling family. Soon, her path crosses that of Charlie, a down-on-her-luck woman, and Meg, and the three will form a strong bond, all while Charlie forms a plan to help her take control of their lives.

Described by Amazon as “an epic testament to underestimated women who know that calamity can be the spark of new beginnings,” the book is one of 2026’s biggest sensations. Author Kathryn Stockett is best known for her 2009 debut, The Help, which was eventually turned into a movie starring Viola Davis, Emma Stone, and an Oscar-winning Octavia Spencer. With The Calamity Club, Stockett revisits familiar themes in a similar setting. However, as she did in her 2009 debut, she injects her story with such vibrancy that it becomes nearly impossible to put it down.

Why Is ‘The Calamity Club’ a Great Book?

Image via Spiegel & Grau

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The trio of main characters is by far the book’s strongest asset. Individually, each one is strongly defined, although the bold and outspoken Birdie is the highlight. However, The Calamity Club finds its true magic in the bond that blossoms between the three characters. Both Birdie and Charlie act as surrogate mothers to Meg, and all three come to confide in each other. The dynamic is not without its bumps, but Stockett keeps the emotional core firmly grounded in the connection born between three resilient figures who help each other in far deeper ways than they initially realize. The theme of found family is strong throughout the story, with each character eventually not only admitting their want and need for belonging but embracing it once it’s there.

As she did in The Help, Stockett uses a dark, biting sense of humor to critique, satirize, and often outright mock outdated social customs, beliefs, and behaviors. Birdie’s POV is perhaps the strongest in this sense. As a 24-year-old, unmarried, cynical, and pragmatic woman, she offers her thoughts with acerbic wit, employing a welcome sarcastic tone that makes her chapters stand out. Yes, there’s more than a bit of 21st-century in her personality that makes her not quite fit the setting, but that’s both on purpose and an inevitable necessity, an appeal to connect with modern readers. Also, as a side note, and probably because of the shadow of The Help, I kept picturing Emma Stone while reading Birdie’s narration.

Sure, the book has several elements of heavy melodrama, akin to the movies from the ’40s and ’50s that would star the likes of Joan Crawford or Barbara Stanwyck. The tonal shift in the middle is well-handled, neither too abrupt to discombobulate nor needlessly slow to bore. That said, the truth behind Charlie is rather expected, if not necessarily telegraphed. As in Stockett’s debut novel, the antagonists are borderline cartoonish figures so detestable that you’ll find it hard to ignore the vile in your mouth as you read their deeds. Whether that’s a strength or a hindrance to the overall story will be up to each reader to decide, but I’m inclined to say it’s the latter. A story like this one benefits from overt antagonistic figures, and Stockett sure knows how to write them.

Should You Read ‘The Calamity Club?’

Some books are so good that they compel a revisit once you reach the last page; The Calamity Club is one. There’s a remarkable accessibility to the book, a level of sheer, unadulterated entertainment that makes it almost impossible to put down. Stockett’s prose is relaxed yet quite insightful, flowing effortlessly between strong character work, vivid descriptions, and engaging, relatable insights into her protagonists’ thoughts, fears, wishes, and joys. The narrative is not straightforward, but Stockett’s writing is, resulting in an incredibly approachable novel, a masterclass in accessibility that makes it the perfect book for avid and casual readers alike.

If you like these types of stories about strong, compelling women defying the status quo through sheer courage, then you simply can’t afford to skip The Calamity Club. Trust me, the book really does live up to the praise. The New York Times called it “pure, hell-raising entertainment“; such raves don’t happen to any book, especially in today’s landscape. Don’t wait until the inevitable movie adaptation; make sure to read The Calamity Club now before Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Birdie on the big screen.

The Calamity Club is available to buy on multiple platforms, including Amazon and Audible.

Riley Burruss hasn’t had the best season on Bravo’s “Next Gen NYC” so far in her second year on the show. This is the case following her arguments with castmates Georgia McCann and Ariana Biermann. Now, in a new interview with Gia Giudice, Burruss is opening up about the backlash she’s faced while also calling out harmful comments she’s received.

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Burruss appeared on Giudice’s “Casual Chaos” podcast in August 2026. While on the show, she was asked about the “hate” she had experienced, with Giudice noting the “toll” it must have taken on Burruss to not only see negative social media posts about herself but also receive hateful messages.

Giudice then led the conversation, telling listeners that “hate is never the answer.” Burruss responded, “I think for me, I got a lot of hate,” before mentioning how Biermann had said on “Watch What Happens Live” that she had not heard from Burruss since their verbal altercation. In explaining why she hadn’t spoken to her “Next Gen NYC” costar, she claimed her number had been leaked and that she turned her phone off for a week as a result.

She then said, “Personally, for me, it’s okay to call me certain things. I get it, the way I showed up on TV was really not okay, and I get some of the comments, but when it comes to, like, race, all of those things, the microaggressions, that’s not okay.”

From there, Burruss said she could understand why she’d be called “a spoiled brat,” saying, “I did look like a spoiled brat. I’m not gonna lie, I agree.”

Riley Tells Gia Giudice The Hate Is Only Online

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After taking accountability, Burruss then turned her conversation back to the more hateful aspects of the backlash she faced. According to her, “But I don’t appreciate the texts about me being a black B-word or the N-word, like, that’s not cool.”

During the conversation, Giudice also disavowed the hateful comments Burruss had received that were targeted at her for her race or that referred to her by derogatory names. The “Casual Chaos” host then stated, “The biggest cowards are the ones behind the screen.”

Burruss continued, “That’s true. I haven’t heard any of that to my face.” After that, she stated that when people met her and others from her cast, they were “surprised by how nice and caring we are, and then they go on social media and see a clip or two, and they make all these assumptions.”

The Fight Between Riley And Georgia Happened Early In The Season

In episode four of “Next Gen NYC,” the women on the show decided to have a girls’ night. However, after drinking alcohol, Burruss became angry and emotional, with multiple of her co-stars attempting to calm her down. During the verbal spat, she even accused McCann of using katameme and made a classist joke, stating that her Bravo costar couldn’t be included in a toast as she couldn’t afford a Birkin.

A bit part of the reason for the backlash is that Burruss then accused Biermann of not defending her or attempting to de-escalate the situation. However, it should be noted that Burruss later retracted the comment that McCann could not afford a Birkin handbag.

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Kandi Burruss Recently Defended Her Daughter Against ‘Next Gen NYC’ Backlash

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Riley’s mother, Kandi Burruss, has been vocal about her support for her daughter’s career in reality TV despite previously wanting her to attend law school. Recently, she mentioned the backlash Riley has faced on a recent episode of her “Speak On It” podcast.

The former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star said, “I hate it for my baby,” before stating that Riley has received “hate mail,” “racist text messages,” and that people have referred to her as a “black b-tch” and accused her of “making the show bad.”

After that, the singer-songwriter noted that Riley had “let that stuff get to her.”

The ‘Next Gen NYC’ Cast Has Filmed The Season 2 Reunion

According to Bravo, the cast of “Next Gen NYC” sat down with Andy Cohen in New York City on July 30 to film the reunion. Notably, despite this being the show’s second season, it serves as its first reunion, as the first installment ended with its finale.

As of this writing, Bravo has not announced when the “Next Gen NYC” season 2 reunion will air or how many parts it will include.

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Callum Turner and Dua Lipa are officially navigating a new chapter in their lives together, and Turner is spilling all the tea on what’s to come. 

After sparking romance rumors in early 2024 and confirming their engagement the following autumn, the couple recently made headlines with an intimate civil ceremony at London’s Marylebone Town Hall.

The duo opted for a small ceremony surrounded by their loved ones, while also planning for a larger celebration in Italy. 

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In a recent interview, Turner reflected on the whirlwind of public attention surrounding his wedding to Lipa and expressed his joy.

“It was amazing, and it was… it was the most beautiful day of my life,” Turner shared. “We went to the park yesterday, and everyone who walked past said, ‘Congratulations.’ It was pretty surreal.”

Addressing the unusual nature of having a deeply personal milestone played out across international headlines, Turner noted that while it feels “weird,” he has learned over time to tune out public noise.

Looking ahead to what he wants from the next decade, the 36-year-old actor revealed his desire to expand his family. When asked if building a family was his “priority,” he told Esquire Magazine, “Obviously, yeah, I’m 36. I’d like to have a family and raise some kids.”

As the couple enjoys their newlyweds era, Turner is keeping busy professionally as well. Next up, he is working on a remake of “Possession,” while simultaneously tackling the personal goal of learning French.

What Dua Lipa Said About Her Views On Motherhood

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Building on Turner’s candid reflections about family priorities, his partner has similarly shared her perspective on the future.

Long before tying the knot, the “New Rules” singer confirmed her desire for children, stating, “I’d love to have kids one day.” 

However, the global pop star didn’t shy away from discussing the many sacrifices required to balance motherhood with a demanding international music career.

Despite those professional concerns, the Grammy winner maintained a hopeful outlook, trusting that family milestones would align naturally over time. “It will happen when it happens,” she noted, per The Blast. 

Her practical approach to the realities of balancing a high-profile career with future parenthood earned widespread praise from fans and commentators alike.

Dua Lipa & Callum Turner Tied The Knot In A Lowkey London Ceremony

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Almost a year after sharing her thoughts on motherhood, Lipa walked down the aisle and made her commitment to Turner official in a low-key setting in London.

The couple officially tied the knot surrounded by close family, which served as the precursor to a star-studded wedding celebration that later took place in Sicily.

According to The Blast, the singer opted for modern bridal elegance, wearing a custom Schiaparelli, a Bulgari necklace, and a dramatic hat, while her new husband rocked a tailored navy suit.

The intimate ceremony lasted approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Following the service, the newlyweds celebrated in relaxed, classic London style, hopping into an iconic black London cab as family members cheered them off.

The Couple Specifically Wanted An Intimate London Ceremony 

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The quiet London ceremony gave the newlyweds “exactly what they wanted”: a private, deeply personal moment to mark their commitment before stepping back into the international spotlight.

Following their nuptials at Old Marylebone Town Hall, a source close to the pair revealed that Lipa “couldn’t be happier.” 

The informant noted that an intimate civil service was paramount for the couple before hosting their larger, multi-day festivities because they wanted the event to be meaningful, according to The Blast.

The source also revealed that they wanted to enjoy the intimacy of a small wedding and the bigger celebration in Sicily. After exchanging vows, Lipa and Turner enjoyed a small post-ceremony gathering with close friends and family, with insiders noting they were “so excited for what’s still to come.”

Dua Lipa & Callum Turner’s Sicily Wedding Resulted In Backlash From Locals

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Although Lipa and Turner eventually had their big celebration in Sicily, it did not go without a hitch. The extensive street closures and heavy security surrounding the private event sparked notable pushback from Palermo residents. 

Discontented locals voiced their frustration over the disruption of public spaces by hanging protest signs from balconies and tagging slogans across neighborhood walls. According to The Blast, community members also argued that public areas should remain accessible to everyone rather than being privatized for high-profile events. 

One slogan read, “Palermo is not for rent. Public spaces belong to everyone,” and another stressed that Palermo was not exclusive to “rich” people alone.

Lindsay Clancy’s former mother-in-law, Susan Clancy, claims her former daughter-in-law was “begging for help” in the months leading up to the brutal killing of her three kids in January 2023.

“Lindsay was struggling — we were all concerned,” Susan, who is the mother of Lindsay’s ex-husband, Patrick Clancy, testified in court on Tuesday, August 18, while discussingLindsay’s alleged behavior in the months before she allegedly strangled her three young children, according to the Associated Press.

Susan said that she and Lindsay, 36, were close, and she added that her former daughter-in-law was a “wonderful mother” who was “very nurturing” and “very loving.”

She said that Lindsay was open with her about her mental health struggles and that she often turned to her for help.

Related: Lindsay Clancy’s Ex-Husband Choked Up While Describing Their 3 Kids in Court

Lindsay Clancy’s ex-husband, Patrick Clancy, got emotional while describing their three children during his ex-wife’s murder trial after she killed them in January 2023. Lindsay, 35, was arrested on January 26, 2023, and charged with the murders of their children Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months. Three years later, Patrick, 38, took the […]

At one point during the testimony, the jury was shown text messages exchanged between Lindsay and Susan. Lindsay told Susan that she developed a dependence on benzodiazepines, adding that she could not fall or stay asleep without taking the drugs.

“I’m not okay and I’m terrified of taking meds tonight,” Lindsay texted Susan on November 30, 2022, per the outlet. The message was sent just two months before the killings.

Lindsay is currently on trial for allegedly killing her kids Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months, on January 24, 2023.

Her attorney, Kevin Reddington, has not denied that the mother of three killed her children. Instead, he is arguing that Lindsay should not be held criminally responsible for the children’s deaths because she had postpartum psychosis at the time of the killings.

Reddington has also said that his client has bipolar disorder and that she was prescribed antidepressants to treat her postpartum depression that ultimately made her condition worse.

Prosecutors are arguing that Lindsay intentionally killed her children after she sent Patrick, 36, to run errands, purposefully removing him from the home so she would be alone with the children when she strangled them. After she killed the kids, Lindsay jumped from the second-story of her home in an apparent suicide attempt.

Susan testified in court one day after Lindsay’s mother, Paula Musgrove, took the witness stand on Monday, August 17. While testifying in court, Musgrove claimed that Lindsay’s mental health started to decline in October 2022, while the jury was shown a concerning text message Lindsay sent to Musgrove prior to the killings.

“Mom, will you please come up and stay with me for a bit? I’m really sick. Something is wrong,” Lindsay wrote. “I had horrible insomnia all night, and I just don’t know how I am going to get through the day. … It’s just really scary, and I don’t want to be alone.”

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Related: Mom Claims She’s Open to Admitting She Killed Her 3 Children as Trial Looms

Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy said she’s open to admitting she murdered her three children in 2023 as the start of her murder trial approaches. Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, said she “is offering to admit that she killed the children” if the judge agrees to a bifurcated trial format, according to WCVB. A bifurcated trial is […]

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Musgrove also recalled that her daughter appeared nervous during an incident in December 2022, in which she told her and Patrick that she “had thoughts of harming the children.”

Lindsay’s sister, Allison Ozga, also testified on Monday and opened up about a phone call she had with Lindsay in December 2022. Ozga testified that Lindsay admitted to having suicidal thoughts every day for a month at the time of the call.

If you or someone you know is pregnant or just had a baby and is in crisis, help is available. Call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline for free, confidential support 24/7 in English and Spanish at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).

More details about the last few months of Hayden Panettiere‘s life before her tragic death are coming to light. According to a new report, the “Remember the Titans” actress reportedly told friends that she was nervous that “dangerous” people from her past may have been upset with her over things she wrote about in her book, “This Is Me: A Reckoning.”

Panettiere released her headline-making memoir in May 2026, and in it, the “Heroes” actress wrote about her strained relationship with her mother, being forced into acting as a child, her struggles with addiction, and even candidly opened up about the time she was placed into bed with a naked man when she was a teenager.

Sources told TMZ that Panettiere was nervous that she’d get pushback from her “dangerous” former friends over what she’d written. Insiders also said Panettiere felt she was barred from mentioning her ex-friends by name for legal reasons.

Sources Say Revisiting These Parts Of Her Life Were Painful For Hayden Panettiere

According to a previous report from The Blast, Panettiere touched on the terrifying experience she had at just 18 when a former friend of hers placed her in bed with a much older man who was naked and told her to perform sex acts on him.

“The fact that I was 18, even though I’d lived such a huge life and I thought I was oh so mature at 18 … scientifically, your frontal lobes don’t develop until we’re what, 25, 26?” she said. “I wasn’t capable of being fully aware of what was going on around me.”

Panettiere recalled being extremely hurt by the situation because she trusted her ex-friend, who put her in that dangerous situation. “It was led by somebody that I had grown to trust and see as a protector and somebody who had my back,” she said. “When you really find somebody that you trust, you hold on to them for dear life, and you feel so lucky.”

While she spoke bravely about her experience, sources told TMZ that revisiting these moments was “torture” for Panettiere.

Hayden Panettiere Reveals Why She Kept Names Out Of Her Book

The sources’ revelations aren’t surprising, considering Panettiere said herself that she chose to keep names out of her book for fear of repercussions.

“I wanted to tell my stories without dragging anyone else in the mud, through the mud,” she told Tamron Hall, per The Blast. “As much as I want to call people out, this is still an industry that I have to exist in.”

Panettiere also said she could’ve been dragged to court by “very pissed off famous people” if she had included identifying details in her book. “it was to protect me and my company from being sued,” she shared.

Panettiere Died At 36

Panettiere died at age 36, according to The Blast. A rep from her team issued the following statement on Sunday, August 16: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”

The details surrounding her death are still unknown; however, first responders shared that Panettiere was found “unresponsive” at a South Carolina residence, and she received “advanced cardiac life support measures” before she was pronounced dead.

Solange Knowles Honors Panettiere With A Moving Post

Solange via instagram:

rest in peace hayden
in peace, because you are so deserving of it
we had so many parallels in our lives, and the world watched u so courageously live in your radical truth telling your story. we watched your endless quest for vulnerability; and healing
i… pic.twitter.com/KxpIUZwW0K

— solange hourly (@solangehourly) August 18, 2026

Panettiere has been honored over the last two days by celebrities who have reflected on their relationships with the actress. One of them is Solange Knowles, who starred alongside Panettiere in the 2006 film “Bring It On: All or Nothing.”

“Rest in peace, Hayden,” Solange captioned a picture of herself and Panettiere. “In peace, because you are so deserving of it. We had so many parallels in our lives, and the world watched you courageously live in your radical truth, telling your story. We watched your endless quest for vulnerability and healing.”

Solange finished, “I salute your journey, and I honor the work we created together that became something that really means something to people. Reaching people we couldn’t have ever imagined at the time, as two young girls trying to keep looking to the light. The light surrounds you now. Rest easy, Hayden.”

Letterboxd’s highest-rated movie of 2025 is the latest bonkers anime adaptation of the hit Japanese manga series, Chainsaw Man. The new movie, Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc, continues the storyline where the anime series last left off, showcasing Denji (Kikunosuke Toya), aka Chainsaw Man, in one of his wildest fights ever. It’s time to find out why everyone on Letterboxd is raving about this madcap anime adaptation.

‘Reze Arc’ Delivers a Canonical Adaptation

Image via MAPPA

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The anime movies created for the One Piece, Naruto, or My Hero Academia franchises are typically filler storylines — specifically, stories created solely for the cinematic experience, using a unique storyline that the original manga creator or artist never depicted in the source material. The great thing about Reze Arc is that it’s not a “filler” storyline. Rather, the movie adapts a canonical storyline in the original manga series created by Tatsuki Fujimoto.

Reze Arc also eschews the usual format for theatrical anime adaptations based on popular manga series; instead, Studio MAPPA adapts a major storyline from Fujimoto’s manga and brings it to life in a feature-length format. It’s great to see that anime studios are experimenting with this trend more — Ufotable took a similar route with the Demon Slayer anime series, starting with the Mugen Train movie in 2021, and more recently with the Infinity Castle feature, which was a smash hit at the global box office. For Reze Arc, it was nice to see the Chainsaw Man anime franchise return with such an impressive big-screen feature, since the first season concluded in December 2022, over two years before the movie’s release. Although it was a long wait for Reze Arc, Studio MAPPA resumed the Chainsaw Man saga in a new movie filled with glorious animated visuals and a canonical story.

‘Reze Arc’ Features a Slow Burn to Unhinged Chaos

Reze Arc starts with a slow burn as the Public Safety devil hunter Denji meets and falls in love with a girl named Reze (Reina Ueda). Reze appears outwardly nice and sweet at first, but she harbors a dark secret. Once that secret is revealed, the plot becomes wildly unhinged and chaotic, as Denji is plunged into a fight for his life, with wild devils unleashing their powers to capture them. Denji is a half-human, half-devil hybrid, empowered by his former pet, Pochita, a devil that embodies people’s fear of chainsaws. Pochita’s power allows Denji to transform into the avenging devil hunter, Chainsaw Man. However, the minions of other factions, devils and humans alike, want Denji’s power for themselves, making him a valuable target.

Once the action in Reze Arc begins, it becomes a non-stop cavalcade of insanity, such as the car chase with the Bomb Devil and the jaw-dropping fight with the Typhoon Devil. Studio MAPPA was game for the task, as the animators crafted some of their most impressive animated sequences ever throughout the movie. The extra time and money the studio was given to adapt the story into the theatrical format certainly pays off. The wait for Reze Arc was long, but the movie did not disappoint in terms of its eye candy factor.

‘Reze Arc’ Features a Bittersweet Emotional Melancholy

Image via MAPPA

Despite its moments of unhinged violence, the genuine heart and emotions present throughout Reze Arc‘s narrative elevate the movie beyond mindless entertainment. Part of what makes Denji such a likable character is that despite everything he’s experienced, he’s oddly nice and naive (perhaps excessively so), and he’s merciful to a fault. There’s also Denji’s partner in the Public Safety devil hunting division, Aki Hayakawa (Shogo Sakata). Throughout the series and movie, Aki typically puts on a tough front, acting incredibly aloof and stoic. However, there’s a major moment in Reze Arc where Aki lets his mask slip, and you see through his usually cool veneer. The story reveals how Aki deeply and genuinely cares for his friends, and he becomes emotional at the loss of more of his comrades.

The narratively complex Reze also lets her mask slip at key moments in the story, proving the profundity of her relationship with Denji. For all of Chainsaw Man’s copious violence and gore, a genuine bittersweet sadness surrounding the characters grounds the narrative and adds emotional depth to the sometimes bizarre storyline. The way Fujimoto writes and depicts his characters, showcasing their emotional pathos, becomes the special sauce of Chainsaw Man. Chainsaw Man takes place in a morally ambiguous, decadent world where the main characters routinely face depressing hardships, yet they display grounded emotions, imbuing the story with fantastic emotional depth and stakes.

On that note, it’s easy to see why Chainsaw Man and its movie sequel became so beloved. The Chainsaw Man anime and the Reze Arc movie are available to stream now, subtitled and English-dubbed, on Crunchyroll in the U.S.