‘We Are Disenfranchised’: Masked White Nationalists, Patriot Front Took Over Kansas City, Claim They Are Under Attack, Oppressed In America and Need to Reclaim Their Nation
More than 150 masked white nationalists marched through Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday, flooding downtown with Confederate flags, upside-down American banners, and chants of “life, liberty, victory” and “reclaim America,” in a brazen pop-up rally that alarmed residents and drew fierce condemnation from city officials and civil rights advocates.
The demonstration, held on the public grounds surrounding the National WWI Museum and Memorial, was organized by the white nationalist group Patriot Front — an avowed fascist organization founded in Texas in 2017. The group’s members, dressed in matching navy shirts, khaki pants, and tan caps, marched in military-style formation for roughly an hour. Some carried shields, while others bore symbols tied to white supremacist ideologies, the Kansas City Star reported.
A video posted on X by a verified account showed the rally’s leader, Thomas Rousseau, delivering a megaphone speech as rows of masked white men stood in tight formation. Rousseau, unmasked and wearing a 10-gallon hat, gave a rousing speech invoking white power and white grievance rhetoric.
Members of the far-right group Patriot Front are seen marching through Washington, DC, on May 13th, 2023. (Photo: Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)The account that made the post proclaimed, “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for White children. ” Then, it added, “I fully support the message, vision, grit, and determination of Patriot Front. Thomas Rousseau delivered a powerful speech at the National WWI Memorial.” It ended with, “White lives matter.”
Rousseau claimed that “war was being waged against their people,” and urged his followers to take the country back.
“We are disenfranchised, demoralized and downtrodden people,” he added.
Later, Rousseau declared online, “Today was the largest action we’ve ever put on as an organization. It was remarkably successful, and we accomplished every single objective we set out to for the day.”
The event appeared to have been planned in secret, with no permits requested or police escorts arranged, according to the Kansas City Police Department.
“The KCPD was unaware this group was planning to come into our city as they do not advertise their protest/march locations,” said Officer Alayna Gonzalez. “We learned this group calls themselves the Patriot Front, and it is believed everyone involved is from out of town and not local to Kansas City.”
She noted that because the march stayed on sidewalks, no permit was needed, and no arrests or citations were made. However, video footage showed the brigade had in fact taken over the entire set of concrete steps leading up to the museum. As Rousseau wrapped up his speech, he rallied the platoon with chants of “life, liberty, and victory,” the crowd shouting each phrase in unison, their voices echoing in the distance.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas responded strongly in a post on X: “While the First Amendment provides the right to bring any message to Kansas City, we know that our diversity, our welcoming community, and our respect for the rights of all reject whatever hate and cowardice come our way.”
Museum officials quickly distanced themselves from the demonstration.
“We respect First Amendment protections for peaceful assembly and free speech, and want to be unequivocally clear that the views expressed by this group do not represent or align with our values,” said Karis Erwin, the museum’s vice president of marketing and guest services. “The Museum and Memorial remains committed to serving as a place of learning, reflection and unity for all visitors.”
Civil rights advocates warned that the rally represents more than just a weekend stunt—it’s part of a calculated effort by the Patriot Front to build visibility and draw new recruits through online virality and alignment with extremist parts of the MAGA movement.
“The attention-seeking neo-fascist group Patriot Front is well-known for utilizing stunts like this to generate publicity and attract broken young men to their ranks,” said Devin Burghart, president of the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights. “Widespread community condemnation and long-term organizing are essential in making sure this new generation of white nationalists can’t take root in our communities.”
Founded in the wake of the deadly 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, where neo-Nazi James Alex Fields Jr. murdered counter-protester Heather Heyer, the Patriot Front emerged as a splinter group from Vanguard America. Fields had marched in Charlottesville behind a shield bearing Vanguard’s logo. Rousseau, once a leader in Vanguard, assumed control of Patriot Front through what former colleagues described as a calculated internal coup.
Today, the Southern Poverty Law Center designates Patriot Front as a hate group. The SPLC describes it as “image-obsessed,” focused on theatrical rhetoric and choreographed activism meant to be recycled as propaganda across its nationwide network. Its manifesto disavows democracy, promoting instead an ethno-nationalist vision that excludes immigrants, non-whites, and anyone outside of its so-called “founding stock.”
“An African, for example, may have lived, worked, and even been classed as a citizen in America for centuries, yet he is not American,” the manifesto states. “The same rule applies to others who are not of the founding stock of our people.”
The group has become known for its guerrilla-style tactics, including unannounced marches, flash mobs, and propaganda drops. In June 2022, 31 Patriot Front members were arrested in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, after police intercepted a U-Haul packed with shields, riot gear, and a smoke grenade near a Pride event. The truck also contained documents outlining plans to incite violence.
Despite their attempts to project community engagement, such as distributing food to the homeless with recruitment flyers attached, experts say such acts are a façade. “This type of action is about more than helping the community,” IREHR wrote in a 2023 report. “This recruitment tool gets young men and teenagers involved in the group.”
Missouri ranks as the third-most active state for Patriot Front activity, according to that report, underscoring a broader national strategy to infiltrate mainstream conservative spaces by wrapping hate speech in the language of patriotism and grievance.
“The presence of a group of masked white nationalists tromping through the streets of Kansas City is a stark reminder that, in this moment, we must counter racism and bigotry on the margins and in the mainstream,” Burghart said.
While the group has since left Kansas City, the images and videos from Saturday’s march remain online, amplifying the group’s message and drawing in an audience far beyond Missouri. For those monitoring extremist threats in the U.S., the march was not just an isolated incident—it was a warning.
‘It Has to Stop!: 6-Year-Old Black Girl Dragged by Hair and Called the N-Word—Georgia Parents Say School Retaliated Against Them for Demanding Change Instead of Stopping the Attacks
The parents of a 6-year-old Black girl in the Atlanta area have filed a federal lawsuit against the DeKalb County School District, claiming their daughter endured racial harassment and physical assaults at Ashford Park Elementary School.
The allegations include a terrifying incident in 2024 where a violent pack of students allegedly grabbed the girl, scratched her face up and dragged her by the hair while shouting “attack.”
Cathea and Albenis Terminio say the abuse began shortly after their daughter enrolled in the school in 2023 and worsened over time, with school officials failing to protect her. The family has turned to the courts after what they describe as inaction from administrators and a school culture that ignored their cries for help.
Parents Cathea and Albenis Terminio are suing a Georgia elementary school who they say failed to protect their 6-year-old from racial violence. (Credit: WSBTV Video Screengrab)“It has to stop. This is not acceptable,” said Cathea Terminio, according to station WSB-TV.
According to the legal action, the child was first targeted in 2023 when a white classmate began calling her the N-word and “monkey.” The insults soon gave way to physical violence. One incident involved a student stomping on the child’s hand. In another, a classmate reportedly threw a desk at the girl.
The most alarming event detailed in the lawsuit took place in 2024, when a mob of students allegedly cornered the girl while the assailants egged each other on, yelling, “attack!”
“This is systemic, this is ongoing, and we weren’t the first family to experience these issues,” said Cathea, adding that she repeatedly alerted school officials about ongoing bullying and demanded a plan to ensure her daughter’s safety. But her requests, she says, have been met with silence or hostility.
“I immediately asked for a safety plan, which to date, we never received a specific, comprehensive safety plan for our child,” Terminio told WSB.
Instead of receiving help, Cathea says she was issued a no trespassing order after visiting the school in 2024 to request an update on the safety plan. Security staff allegedly ordered her to leave school property.
“We’ve been prohibited from communicating with her teachers,” she said.
The family’s isolation didn’t stop there. Cathea says she also began receiving anonymous, threatening emails, warning her to leave the community.
One message read:
“Get out, leave now, you’re not wanted we don’t want you here.”
Another stated:
“If you wanted to be at a school that’s more diverse, maybe you shouldn’t have moved to this neighborhood.”
Cathea reported the threats to Brookhaven police. Investigators were able to trace one of the emails to California and another to China, she said.
DeKalb County School District issued a statement to WSB, saying:
“The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) is fully committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all students and employees. District and school leaders actively promote a culture of professionalism and respect, aiming to create and maintain learning environments free from bullying, threats, or intimidation for all students, staff, and families. It is the longstanding practice of DCSD not to comment on potential or pending litigation.”
Ashford Park Elementary School, located in the suburban Brookhaven area of Atlanta, serves 697 students in pre-K through fifth grade. According to state data, the school performs well academically: 68 percent of students scored at or above proficiency in reading and 60 percent in math — far outperforming district and statewide averages.
Yet, a deeper look at the school’s demographics may shed light on the family’s allegations. While 42 percent of students are minorities, the majority remain white, and only 12 percent of the student body is economically disadvantaged — suggesting the school’s population may not reflect the diversity seen elsewhere in the district. In DeKalb County overall, just 27 percent of students tested at or above math proficiency and 32 percent in reading.
Notably, only 34 percent of Ashford Park’s full-time teachers are certified — a surprisingly low rate for a school ranked 163rd out of 1,249 elementary schools in Georgia.
The school has 48 full-time teachers and just two counselors, raising concerns about its capacity to handle complex student needs, including racial bias and bullying. With a student-teacher ratio of 15:1, some parents question whether enough is being done to protect the most vulnerable children.
For the Terminios, the legal fight is about more than one child. They believe their daughter’s case reflects a deeper, unaddressed problem at Ashford Park and beyond.
“This is systemic, this is ongoing,” Cathea repeated. “And we weren’t the first family to experience these issues.”
The lawsuit is pending in federal court.
‘Grown Man Knocked My Baby Out Cold’: California Cop Caught on Video Body Slamming Handcuffed 17-Year-Old Girl Like a ‘Rag Doll,’ Sparking Outrage and Calls for Investigation
A viral social media video showing a San Bernardino police officer viciously body-slamming a 17-year-old girl last week has sparked outrage and calls for an independent investigation.
The brutal arrest occurred the afternoon of May 21 outside a grocery store in the 500 block of West Second Street. Police responded to a report of a person trespassing at the San Bernardino Food4Less and trying to start a fight. When officers arrived, several teenagers in the parking lot scattered, but one of them, a girl identified only as Erin, found herself singled out.
Three of the officers reportedly stood guard while a fourth grabbed the girl and tried to handcuff her. The officer managed to cuff one of her wrists before she started resisting. That’s when the patrolman flung the girl to the ground face-first, according to the Los Angeles Times.
A San Bernardino police officer was caught on video body slamming Erin. (Photos: Facebook/Najee Lee)The girl suffered several injuries during the incident and required immediate medical treatment for a dislocated wrist and cuts to her chin and face that required stitches, according to KTLA.
Afterward, police reportedly claimed Erin “fell” during the arrest, but the video circulating on social media shows the officer manhandling the lightweight girl.
The person filming yelled, “Hey!” and walked toward the fracas, with Erin now lying on the asphalt, bleeding. Two officers extended their batons and yelled for the person filming to back up.
Footage of the violent takedown was partially obscured by a police vehicle, and only captured the moment when the girl’s legs crashed violently into the pavement after being lifted off her feet and flipped over like a “ragdoll,” said the girl’s father, Christopher Crowser.
“He should not even have had his hands on her, but he picked up my child like she was a ragdoll and slammed her to the ground,” he said, adding, “I want justice.”
View this post on InstagramA post shared by ALWAYS FILM THE POLICE, ALWAYS FOR THE PEOPLE (@mrcheckpoint_)
The clip does not show the full extent of the girl’s injuries due to Instagram’s restrictions on graphic content.
For now, the officer’s identity has been withheld by the department.
The family is urging California Attorney General Rob Bonta to launch a formal investigation into the officer’s actions and how the department handled the arrest.
In a statement posted to social media, the San Bernardino Police Department defended the officer’s actions.
“At the time of the physical encounter, the officer was attempting to place the female in handcuffs. The officer was only able to place one of her hands in cuffs when she began actively pulling away and attempting to walk off from the officer, when a takedown maneuver was used.”
The department added: “The San Bernardino Police Department is committed to impartial and accountable policing. Use of force is applied based on behavior, not on age, gender, or race.”
In response, Erin’s family called a press conference Sunday, where the teenager appeared alongside her mother, grandmother, and other supporters, demanding justice and questioning the department’s account of what happened.
“I’m just in a lot of pain. I’m hurt everywhere—my head, my whole body. I’m not the same person I was,” Erin said. “Since that day, I’ve been in a lot of pain and I’m scared to go to sleep,” she explained, according to KTLA. “If I walk outside, even just taking out the trash, I’m scared because I don’t know what’s going to happen to me.”
Her mother, Tanya Brownridge, said the teen continues to suffer from injuries nearly a week after the incident. “I’ll be taking her to the hospital again today. She’s still complaining about her face hurting, her head hurting, her wrist hurting, her legs hurt, her back hurt. Let’s just get justice for my baby,” Brownridge said.
According to the family, Erin and her friends were inside the store when they were attacked by another group of teens. They claim Erin was targeted by officers despite doing nothing wrong.
“I’m not OK because that grown man knocked my baby out cold,” said Erin’s grandmother, Rhonda Taylor. “You could see the blood by the police car where it busted her chin open. It’s not OK. She’s a baby. She’s a baby. It’s not OK.”
The family says Erin is suffering from cement burns on her face and a bruised wrist. They also claim they were misled by conflicting information from authorities in the hours following the incident.
The family’s attorney told KTLA they plan to sue the San Bernardino Police Department.
“I just want justice for my baby. She didn’t do anything. The fact that I had to drive two hours— they let her bleed out for three hours in the hospital before they stitched her up,” Brownridge said. “They gave us three different stories — one to me, one to my mom, and one to my sister. I just want justice, that’s it.”
The video, which has circulated on Instagram via the account Mr. Checkpoint, has drawn widespread outrage, with social media critics calling out the department for past incidents of police misconduct.
“San Bernardino just paid out a $5 million lawsuit for killing an unarmed person,” one person wrote in the comments, referencing a separate case from December 2023. That incident involved Robert Brown, a 28-year-old man shot and killed by police after a foot chase. Body camera footage showed Brown dropping a handgun twice while fleeing, though police claimed he had the weapon in hand when the officer fired. The gun was later confirmed stolen, and Brown had a no-bail warrant and prior convictions.
“San Bernardino police need to do better,” the commenter added.
‘The Chain Was Around My Waist’: California Mom Who Falsely Accused Two Hispanic Women of Abduction and Torture Now Says Ex-Boyfriend Kidnapped Her
Sherri Papini is changing her story in a big way, but does she have any credibility left to sell her new claim that her ex-boyfriend kidnapped her in 2016?
Papini was released from prison more than one year ago after serving 10 months of an 18-month sentence for falsely claiming two masked Hispanic women kidnapped and tortured her.
Papini disappeared on Nov. 2, 2016, after she had left her home to go for a jog in rural Redding, Calif. Keith Papini, her husband, reported her missing, and the whereabouts of the mother of two became a national story as neighbors and family members conducted exhaustive searches to find her. A GoFundMe account for the family raised more than $49,000.
Sherri Papini (YouTube screenshot/KGO)Twenty-two days later, Sherri Papini resurfaced, 150 miles south of Redding, walking clumsily along a highway in the middle of the night. She was covered in bruises, burns and rashes and appeared emaciated.
Her once long blond locks had been cut off, and she had a chain around her waist and hose clamps around her wrists. Police said Papini had been branded on her right shoulder.
But it was all a hoax, Papini would later tell police. She had been staying the entire time at her boyfriend James Reyes’ apartment in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Now she’s changing her story again.
“The truth is,” she said, “I was concealing an affair from my husband, who (was) threatening to take everything from me if he found out that I was having any involvement (with another man).”
The other man, Reyes, was holding her against her will, she now claims. Papini’s shocking allegations will be featured in an upcoming documentary, “Sherri Papini — Caught in a Lie,” premiering May 26.
“I was abducted,” she insisted. “I remember waking up briefly in the back of the vehicle and not being able to even keep my eyes open. And then the next time I woke up was when he was getting me out of the vehicle to go inside, and it was dark. He had one hand underneath my arm trying to help me walk. And I just remember thinking, ‘This is not where I’m supposed to be.'”
“I’m supposed to be picking my kids up from day care. I am not supposed to be here,'” she continued. “The injuries that occurred… the bites on my thigh, the footprint on my back, the brand, the melting of my skin—I am telling you there was no consent.”
Papini claims Reyes kidnapped her after he discovered she intended to end their long-distance relationship. The two had been communicating for nearly a year prior but their romance never turned sexual, Papini insists.
“James was someone that was actually listening to me and hearing me, and that’s what I needed,” she said.
Papini said she woke up in a tiny room in Reyes’ apartment. She tried to escape, she said, pulling a board off the window, but Reyes stopped her, hitting her in the face.
“And that’s the first bruise that I got,” she said. “And after being knocked out and waking up, that’s when the chain was around my waist, secured with a padlock attached to a cable that was attached to a pole in the closet.”
Papini said she warned Reyes that her now-former husband would not give up until he found her.
“You need to let me go,” she recalling telling him. “He was like, ‘Well, there’s too much has happened.’ So it all came down to me. It all came down to my coverup, and that’s [when] I agreed to . . . make up that someone else did it.”
In April 2022, Papini pleaded guilty to felony charges of making false statements to federal agents and mail fraud. She was also ordered to pay more than $300,000 in restitution to multiple law enforcement associations.
There is little evidence about whether Papini’s third story is true. DNA found on the clothes Papini was wearing when she was recovered was traced to Reyes. He told FBI agents Papini had planned everything, including the decision to use a wood-burning tool to brand her shoulder.
“I didn’t kidnap her,” said Reyes, who passed a polygraph test administered by the FBI. “She was just a friend in need asking for help. She was trying to get away from her husband.”
Asked about her decision to identify two Hispanic women as her kidnappers, Papini claimed that one supposedly looked like James’ mother.
“I was trying to give them little breadcrumbs and trying to give them little clues of who was involved, without directly saying who was involved,” she said. “Doing a sketch of James’ mom was like trying to lead them to James without revealing James’ identity. It was the best that I could do.”
However, producers of docuseries hired a private investigator who discovered Reyes’ mom is Irish.
Keith Papini, her ex-husband who has full custody of the couple’s two children, said his former spouse has a tendency to stretch the truth.
“She definitely had a history of exaggerating,” he told People. “And I would say at this point, lying.”
Keith Papini said he didn’t find out about the kidnapping hoax until 2022, when she pleaded guilty.
“Even if she were to come out someday and do a book or magazine, I can assure you that whatever is in there is going to be what she thinks she should say to get whatever goal she’s after, but it will not be the truth,” he said.
‘I Couldn’t Really Trust Her’: Lauren Sánchez Exposed for Cheating by NFL Ex in Resurfaced Interview Ahead of Wedding to the Amazon Billionaire Jeff Bezos
The countdown has begun for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding day in June. As their special day gets closer, Sánchez’s past continues to creep back up.
On May 26, the Daily Mail went down the list of Sánchez’s former lovers before getting engaged to the Amazon founder, which started with the late sports broadcaster Rory Markas.
The tabloid detailed how after Markas she dated NFL players Anthony Miller and Tony Gonzalez before dating “NYPD Blue” actor Henry Simmons for a short time, and then marrying Endeavor talent agency co-founder Patrick Whitesell.
One notable inclusion in the Daily Mail article was an old interview with Miller, where he claimed that Sánchez was far from an ideal partner.
Lauren Sanchez exposed for cheating on past fiance ahead of wedding to Jeff Bezos. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/VF24/WireImage for Vanity Fair )Miller told the Daily Mail back in 2019, “I couldn’t really trust her. She gets around. She was cheating on me with other guys.”
Sánchez was a TV reporter when she and the Denver Broncos player began dating. The two met somewhere around the time of the 1996 Super Bowl. The tabloid described Miller as saying he asked to take her out for a bite to eat as her crew was breaking down the camera equipment at the game.
Their relationship lasted four years and they were engaged for one and a half years before they ended things. While insiders once accused her high-profile ex of being unfaithful, he dismissed the claim as a “lie” — hinting that Sánchez was the one who had issues with fidelity.
“That’s just a lie. I’m not the one who was cheating,” said Miller. “I found out when I looked in her diary, and I found out more after I broke up with her.
He later claimed, “She was a good person to have around — when she was with you. If you needed a massage or something to eat or anything, she’d be there for you. But if she was away from you, no. I didn’t trust her.”
The retired football player also had complaints about Bezos’ fiancée, claiming she was “very frugal, really kind of cheap. She wanted me to pay for everything. ‘She was making good money back then, reporting for ‘Extra’ and on Fox Sports News, but she didn’t like paying.”
He also alleged that their engagement was something she pushed him to do. “I kind of gave her [the ring] because she bugged me about getting married.” After they split Sánchez allegedly kept the ring.
Sources close to her denied Miller’s statement, calling him an opportunist for speaking about the relationship roughly 20 years after it ended, as noted in the 2019 article.
He said he’d buried the hatchet with Sánchez and was “cool” with how things ended — but still made it clear he wanted a private word with Bezos.
“You tell him to call me, I’ll talk to him. I won’t tell you what I’m going to say, but he should call me,” he said in 2019.
Fans reacted to the Daily Mail story in the comments.
“Will she cheat [on] him too,” asked one person, hinting at Sánchez and Bezos’ relationship.
“She obviously craves wealth & the rich lifestyle that comes with it, can’t believe she broke up her marriage & family for that creep,” said another.
A third referred to Bezos’ ex-wife, Mackenzie Scott, writing, “Compared to his ex-wife he really seems to have traded down.”
Sánchez cheating on Miller isn’t totally unbelievable since that’s the story of how she and Bezos got together.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Lauren Sanchez (@laurenwsanchez)
After dating and welcoming their first child, Nikko, Gonzalez and Sánchez ended their relationship in 2001. The following year, she began dating Simmons and got engaged before splitting the next year in 2003.
In 2005, Sánchez married Whitesell and the two welcomed their son Evan in 2006, and their daughter Ella in 2008. They divorced in 2019, but not before she allegedly cheated on him with Bezos.
Sánchez wasn’t the only one still married when the National Enquirer exposed her and Bezos’ secret texts in 2019. Bezos was then married to his wife Mackenzie Scott. The couple had been husband and wife since 1993 and shared four children together.
They announced their split on Jan. 9, 2019, one day ahead of the Enquirer publishing about the infidelity. Sánchez and Whitesell reportedly filed for divorce that same year in April.
Sánchez and Bezos reportedly are getting married next month in Venice, Italy.
‘Medical Kidnapping’: Black Texas Parents Whose Baby Was Taken Over Rickets Diagnoses Regain Custody, But Mom Faces Criminal Charges
The trouble started for Quentin and Alandria Seabron during the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight last November, when they noticed their daughter’s arm was limp.
Alandria Seabron explained her daughter, Jirah, had trouble latching during breastfeeding and wasn’t gaining weight.
She reached out to an expert who advised her to reduce breastfeeding due to overproduction and use a latching device. Jirah was startled, her mother said, after she had to pull her little girl away from her breast because the milk had overflowed.
Alandria Seabron was indicted by a grand jury on a charge of injury to a child/elderly/disabled with reckless bodily injury. (Photo: Facebook/Parents Behind The Pinwheels)After noticing Jirah’s limp arm, the Seabrons said they rushed their daughter to Children’s Health in Dallas, where X-rays revealed a broken arm and 16 internal fractures.
“In my head, I thought that it was probably just a dislocated arm,” Quentin Seabron told CBS-11 in Dallas. “And like any other mother and father, we were surprised at that because how in the world does my child have a broken arm?”
The hospital staff grew suspicious. Child Protective Services was called in to investigate, reports the station. The Seabrons said they had been concerned about their daughter’s low vitamin D levels but were unaware of the internal fractures. Alandria Seabron said she did her own research and believed Jirah was suffering from rickets, a condition that weakens bones, impacting mainly children with darker skin tones and a family history of the disease.
CPS concluded Jirah needed to be removed from the home, though a judge returned the now-8-month-old to the Seabrons in March. But prosecutors continued to make a case against Alandria Seabron, who would eventually be indicted by a grand jury on a charge of injury to a child/elderly/disabled with reckless bodily injury. The indictment alleges the mother caused Jirah’s injury by “aggressively grabbing, twisting, or pulling the arm of an infant child.”
Mansfield police detailed “grabbing and pulling with force sufficient to cause the fracture” in their report.
The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the case. Alandria Seabron was arrested and is scheduled to make her first court appearance next month.
She said she and her husband are victims, too, of a “medical kidnapping.” Their lawyer, Shelly Troberman-Miller, said initial lab results showed signs of overlooked bone health issues.
“Just the initial labs were so clearly indicative of a child who had some issue with bone health, that that should not have been ignored,” she said.
CPS has not commented on the case, citing confidentiality issues.
Troberman-Miller, who is representing the couple only in the child custody case, not the criminal one, said the Seabrons’ lack of financial resources has put them in this situation.
“This is as destructive to families as missing abuse in certain cases, right? I mean, if you don’t have a lot of money to defend yourself with highly qualified experts, you aren’t getting your baby back,” the defense attorney said.
Alandria Seabron said she is focused on her daughter’s health.
“It’s not just traumatizing to us. It put her through a lot as well,” the 29-year-old mother said.
‘Stick to Acting!’: MAGA Unleashes Fury on Bryan Cranston After Actor’s CNN Remarks on Racism in Trump’s Base Resurface
An interview Bryan Cranston gave two years ago to former CNN host Chris Wallace on President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” is still resonating with some Americans, but it’s also riling up Trump supporters all over again.
As the Trump administration continues dismantling government diversity, equity and inclusion policies, and penalizing American universities and businesses who refuse to follow suit, comments the “Breaking Bad” actor made seem more relevant now after Trump’s first four months in office than when Cranston actually made the remarks almost two years before Trump took office again.
Bryan Cranston attends the Los Angeles Dodgers Game at Dodger Stadium on September 18, 2023, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jerritt Clark/GC Images)“When I see the Make America Great Again,” the Emmy winner said, gesturing to his head and referring to the MAGA hats so many supporters wear, “my comment is do you, do you accept that that could possibly be construed as a racist remark?”
“And most people, a lot of people, go, how could that be racist? Make America Great Again? I said, ‘So just ask yourself from, from an African-American experience, when was it ever great in America for the African-American? When was it great?” he asked.
“So, if you’re making it great again, it’s not including them. So it’s to teach us in the woke world to open up and accept the possibilities that our privilege has created blind spots for us, and maybe I haven’t seen what is really happening yet in all my years.”
Cranston’s comments have riled up social media all over again. “Stick to acting. This doesn’t improve your popularity dumb a$$,” a user posted on the platform Threads.
Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston is just another brainwashed Lib pic.twitter.com/orAtjJVEKo
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) February 2, 2023“Is this guy stupid when they say make America great again they mean economically,” another posted.
And the uproar continued on the platform X. “Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston is just another brainwashed Lib,” an angry user posted.
Those upset by Cranston’s views also criticized his work.
“These ‘activist’ actors would get destroyed in a proper debate. If Cranston is so adamant, then set up a legit debate and let’s get it over with. Big mouth, Hollywood puppets know of nothing outside their small world…” X user Mikesway posted.
Others support Cranston’s view and are tired of race politics.
Social media user Marco Foster said on X, “Just ask yourself, from an African American experience, when was it ever great in America?”
Threads user Bonnie Bush said, “Thank you! I have asked this question myself. It was only great for a few. Often those who are white and male.”
Cranston is also a big supporter of teaching critical race theory in U.S. schools. The theory, CRT, is not new. It’s a 40-year-old academic concept that looks at how race and racism is rooted in U.S. institutions, such as the criminal justice and education systems, in the labor and housing market and in policies and laws. And how this leads to different outcomes for Americans depending on their race.
“I think it’s imperative that it’s taught,” Cranston said. “We (must) look at our history — much the same, I think, that Germany has looked at their history (and) involvement in (WWI and WWII) and embrace it and say, ‘This is where we went wrong. This is how it went wrong. This is why it can’t go wrong again.”
‘Respectfully, Hell No’: Blair Underwood’s Dream Role to Play Marvin Gaye Triggers Debate Over His Complicated Love Life After Ending 27-Year Marriage for His Longtime Friend
‘Respectfully, Hell No’: Blair Underwood’s Dream Role to Play Marvin Gaye Triggers Debate Over His Complicated Love Life After Ending 27-Year Marriage for Longtime Friend
The complicated paths of love and artistry often intertwine in unexpected ways. For actor Blair Underwood, his recent interest in portraying Motown legend Marvin Gaye comes four years after his own romantic life has taken dramatic, almost parallel turns.
Months after divorcing his wife of nearly 30 years, Underwood quickly got engaged to his best friend of 41 years.
Now, he hopes to channel the brilliance of the “Mercy Mercy Me” singer, whose love life was far more layered and controversial, as well as more complex.
Blair Underwood says that his “dream project” is to play Marvin Gaye. (Photo of Blair Underwood by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images and photo of Marvin Gaye by Armando Gallo/Getty Images)While no biopic is confirmed, the “Set It Off” actor is manifesting the role — even as the public praises their talents and critiques their personal decisions.
“My dream project is to play Marvin Gaye in a movie,” Underwood revealed during his May 19 appearance on “The Today Show” while promoting his new historical fiction book, “Sins of Survivors: A Carter Brothers Novel.”
Adding, “We’re talking to some people,” he said before acknowledging, “And you know, it’s always been a problem with the rights — the musical rights — securing those rights. So, that’s a dance.”
Fans on Lipstick Alley responded with mixed reactions to Underwood’s desire to play the Motown legend.
“Respectfully, hell no,” one person wrote on social media.
Another critic commented, “NO. No ONE is going to see/hear The GOAT (In my daddy’s voice) when they look at him. Don’t know why he is SO desperately trying to be the next Flex Alexander.”
One observed, “I think Marvin story was so complicated it doesn’t need music or even could have an original score. He died fairly young, not sure Blaire can explain that. I don’t know who could play that role. His face was always 2nd to his music.”
A fourth said, “It would be creepy with Blair playing Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, his singing partner, and the actress playing her would be in her early 20s.”
Not everyone disagreed with the casting possibility, as one supportive fan wrote, “This tickled me. Dang I thought Blair would be a great Marvin. Why don’t you think so?”
The skepticism Underwood faces about playing Gaye mirrors the scrutiny both men have encountered in their romantic lives.
Underwood similarly found his personal life under the microscope when he announced his engagement to Hart in 2022, just a year after ending his 27-year marriage to Desiree DaCosta.
BLAIR UNDERWOOD AND WIFE DESIREE BREAK UP AFTER TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS
Another day, another celebrity marriage break-up, and this time it is American actor Blair Underwood and his wife of twenty-seven years Desiree DaCosta. #EsplashOnTVC pic.twitter.com/Owu4spxgAI
When Underwood and DaCosta announced their divorce in May 2021, they expressed a shared commitment to co-parenting their children, Blake, Paris, and Brielle.
Best Friend Turned Bride
Underwood’s swift transition to a relationship with longtime friend Josie Hart, whom he’s known for 41 years, drew attention. Still, he maintains that their bond was platonic until after his marriage had officially ended.
“My mother loved and adored her,” Underwood told People magazine about his new wife, whom he met when he was 16. “We lived separate lives on separate coasts. We never saw each other a lot. But when we talked, there’s always such a strong connection of just understanding each other.”
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Underwood’s life experiences might uniquely position him to understand the emotional depths that made Gaye’s music so powerfully resonant.
The Washington, D.C., native’s personal life was indeed as complicated as his musical genius.
In a resurfaced rare 1983 interview with Tom Joyner posted on the Classic Motown social media accounts, Gaye candidly expressed his disillusionment with romance, stating, “Love is misery. love is miserable. I think I’ll be a bachelor and I’ll swing. And I won’t fall in love, I’ll just be love-ful, be kind and good and have fun.”
When Joyner simply asked about “marriage,” Gaye replied with a single word: “miserable.”
His romantic entanglements were numerous and often controversial. Gaye was linked to several women in the music industry, including Kim Weston, Mary Wells, and Tammy Terrell, though Wells and Weston denied these relationships.
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Tammi Terrell & Marvin’s Bond
Most are familiar with Terrell and Gaye’s story when they began dating in the mid-1960s while working at Motown. The two became known for their duets such as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” In 1967, during a performance of “Your Precious Love,” Terrell collapsed into Gaye’s arms onstage, leading to a diagnosis of a malignant brain tumor.
By 1969, the “Easy” singer had retired from performing and that same year, she made her last public appearance at the Apollo Theater, joining Gaye onstage for a heartfelt performance of “You’re All I Need to Get By.”
Terrell’s death in 1970 deeply devastated her “All I Need to Get By” collaborator, fueling his struggles with depression and inspiring the emotional depth of his later music. Her loss left a lasting impact on Gaye’s life and artistry. Musically, it inspired some of his most iconic and heartfelt work.
“I had such emotional experiences with Tammi and her subsequent death that I don’t imagine I’ll ever work with a girl again,” said Gaye in a rare 1971 interview published by The Guardian.
Gaye’s first marriage to Anna Gordy (17 years his senior and sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy) produced an adopted son, Marvin Gaye III, though Michael Eric Dyson’s book “Mercy, Mercy Me: The Art, Loves and Demons of Marvin Gaye” claims the child’s biological mother was actually Anna’s 16-year-old niece Denise Gordy.
Perhaps most controversially, while still married to Anna, Gaye began a relationship with Janice Hunter (Gaye) when she was just 17 and he was 33. He allegedly asked her to drop out of high school, and they later had two children together: daughter Nona Gaye and son Frankie.
Following his divorce from Anna in 1977, Gaye married Hunter, but their relationship reportedly was troubled. His album “Here, My Dear,” explored themes of love, loss, and heartbreak with raw honesty after their separation.
This complexity in Underwood’s personal life could deepen his portrayal of Gaye, whose romantic turmoil shaped his music and image.
Like Gaye, Underwood is balancing public scrutiny with personal growth. Gaye turned heartbreak into art with “Here, My Dear,” recorded amid his divorce from Anna Gordy. Underwood’s own story — now evolving alongside Hart — could bring authenticity to a role that demands emotional depth, as he steps into the shoes of one of music’s most layered legends.
‘Just Get Bangs’: Chrissy Teigen Takes Extreme Measures to Hide Her ‘Insecurity’ In Photo Revealing New Enhancements
Chrissy Teigen is undergoing a transformation. And for better or worse, she is bringing fans along for the experience.
John Legend‘s wife stunned plenty of people when she went live on Instagram and revealed that her head was heavily bandaged as she lay in a hospital bed on May 22.
At the time, no one knew why Teigen was all banged up. The model disclosed her swollen face resulted from a cosmetic procedure the next day. In a since-deleted Instagram Story post, she shared, “I had a hairline lowering procedure.”
Chrissy Teigen reveals she had recent procedure to fix an “insecurity.” (Photo: Chrissyteigen/Instagram.)Teigen chose the elective procedure to counter the thinning hair caused by the birth of kids Luna, Miles, and Esti. She and her Grammy winning husband welcomed a fourth child, son Wren, via a surrogate in 2023. The dynamic pair has been married since 2013.
“When you see it on a carpet it’s ALWAYS extensions” the “Lip Sync Battle” co-host noted. “Anywho I’ll share more later if you’re interested in the journey became it really is a journey lol,” she added.
The unabashed celebrity struck a nerve with individuals online who detest her transparency.
Chrissy Teigen faces backlash after revealing she underwent a procedure to lower her hairline due to thinning hair. (Photos: Chrissyteigen/Instagram.)One person remarked, “Her insecurity and body dysmorphia has taken over her life.” The painful and invasive procedure was also criticized as a step too far to minimize the size of her forehead.
“The rest of us just get bangs. It must be hard to be known for being beautiful and then start to age and realize all you have is what’s on the outside. Maybe she should start working on the inside?” a second citric typed. A third commenter quipped, “Why would you advertise this? Pathetic.”
Another said, “At least she’s honest about her cosmetic procedures. Some celebrities would be mortified to say so..”
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The Sports Illustrated alum has a track record of being candid about the nips and tucks she has undergone to her face and body over the years. In 2021 Teigen had hair from the back of her head transplanted to create fuller eyebrows.
When she appeared on “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen” in 2024, she fessed up to having three breast augmentations — one to “lift,” a second to put in implants, and a third to remove said implants. The “Cravings” cookbook author also admitted that she had fat removed from her underarms and cheeks.
‘I Want to Know What Happened’: Distraught Family Desperate for Answers After Recent College Grad Has Legs ‘Torn Off’ By Boat Propellers During Freak Accident In Bahamas
It was a dream vacation for Hannah Smith — a week in the Bahamas with friends celebrating their college graduation.
But the joyous excursion turned tragic when 22-year-old Hannah, who just finished her studies at Miles College in Alabama, fell — according to her parents — or jumped — say police — off a pontoon boat as it was being docked last Monday.
Smith, who earlier this month graduated summa cum laude with a degree in communications and graphic design, was dragged under the water by the whirring propeller blades which slashed and partially severed her legs, the Daily Mail reports.
Hannah Smith has a long road to recovery after freak accident. (Credit: Rachel Smith/GoFundMe)She was only saved from drowning when two female passengers managed to grab her arm and heroically haul her back on board.
Smith, from Memphis, was rushed to a hospital, then airlifted back to the United States for emergency surgery where she remains in critical condition.
Police sources told the Daily Mail that alcohol played a role in Smith’s decision to jump off the boat.
But Tracy Smith, Hannah’s mother, vigorously denied the accusations, telling the news outlet, “Hannah was not intoxicated. She fell from the boat. It’s hurtful to say she jumped because she did not.”
Hannah’s dad, Marvin Smith, said he spoke to the doctor who treated her when she arrived at Doctors Hospital in Nassau.
“The doctor suggested she was coherent when they first got to the hospital,’ he told the Daily Mail. “Everything he said suggested she was not inebriated.”
Hannah arrived in Nassau on Monday as a passenger on the Carnival Sunrise with her friend Brooklyn Pitre. They were returning from a day trip to Pearl Island, a tropical getaway where you can snorkel or swim alongside pigs and dolphins.
Preliminary reports suggest Hannah entered the water moments after the 70-foot pontoon boat docked.
The ferry’s captain told police he heard frantic cries of “she jumped off,” followed by a banging sound that came from the starboard side of the vessel. He saw Hannah in the water, surrounded by a pool of blood, and shifted the engine into neutral.
A deckhand said he saw two female passengers clutching Hannah’s arm and dragging her back onto the vessel.
One of the women was Pitre who told Memphis news outlet WREG that when Hannah went into the water she did not appear distraught, however she “disappeared for about three seconds.”
Then she popped back up asking for help. “And she was like, get me. And me and another woman, we had met on the cruise ship that was on the excursion with us. We pulled her out, and then there was like a lot of blood in the water,” said Pitre.
In a statement, the Royal Bahamas Police reported, “The victim is alleged to have entered the water from a vessel she was a passenger on while it was attempting to dock.”
“She sustained serious injuries to her lower body, caused by the vessel’s propeller,” it concluded.
Hannah’s mother questioned why Pitre hadn’t been interviewed by investigators despite witnessing the accident first-hand and could offer valuable information.
“These kids work their a***s off to graduate. It was a celebratory trip,” Tracy Smith said.
“Do they have fun? Yes. Were they drunk? No,” Smith claimed. “Did she jump? No. Are we completely aware of what happened? No.”
“But could there have been a safety mechanism that was off, was the boat rocking, we are not 100 percent sure of that,” Tracy Smith continued.
‘There are so many things that could have been happening. I want to know the truth,” she said. “This was a young woman, happy, celebrating her life and now she’s fighting for it.”
A GoFundMe page for Smith has raised $46,254 as of late Monday afternoon. On it, her sister Rachel Smith wrote, “Hannah is light. Hannah is love. Hannah is absolutely HER. Our little sister is nothing short of a headache, but we wouldn’t want her any other way. She is literally the strongest of us all.”
“This boating accident will not define your life,” Rachel Smith continued. “We need you to have many more birthdays, more holidays, more life experiences. We love you endlessly. FOREVER AND ALWAYS SUGARBOOGER.”
In the latest update on her health, posted last Thursday by her sister, Rachel Smith wrote, “Hannah suffered a few setbacks. She had to undergo additional transfusions of blood, platelets, and dialysis. Before she was taken into her scheduled surgery, she momentarily came out of her sedation. She was able to acknowledge our presence and encouraging words with head nods and squeezing our hands. She has underwent her fifth surgery. Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers.”
Days later, the family shared another update via The Mirror, stating that Hannah is not yet aware of the extent of her injuries including losing both her legs. Though the family have not explicitly confirmed whether both of Hannah’s legs were amputated.
“She’s been so heavily medicated, she’s mentioned things but it’s like she’s having hallucinations,” said her father, Marvin Smith.
“So we have not asked her anything related to [the accident]. We need her focusing on her healing and not trying to remember or trying to relive it,” added her mother Tracy Smith.
Barack Obama’s Chivalry Toward Michelle In New Video Has Fans Calling Him a ‘Class Act’ After Weeks of Her Airing Their Dirty Laundry
Barack Obama is once again charming the internet — this time simply by being a gentleman.
The former president was spotted by a Chicago-based content creator leaving his residence in the city with his wife, Michelle Obama. In a video posted on May 25, the creator and other onlookers waited outside to catch a glimpse of the power couple.
But what really caught viewers’ attention was the sweet, courteous gesture Barack made toward his wife.
Barack Obama praised after fans witness chivalrous move towards Michelle Obama. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)The video opens with a shot of the home and street lined with black SUVs and Secret Service agents outside. In white text overlayed on the video, the creator narrates the moment with captions. “You won’t believe who just walked out of this house… Captured in Chicago. Real moment,” she wrote.
The clip then shows agents moving around and preparing for departure. “SUVs are parked in front and Secret Service agents are moving around, getting everything ready,” read the caption.
Initially unsure who was inside, the creator keeps recording. Soon, the front door opens and a man appears, holding it open as another figure walks through. When the couple steps fully into view, the crowd realizes it’s Barack and Michelle Obama.
As cheers erupt, the Obamas wave to supporters and descend the steps as they head toward their SUV. Barack waits for his wife to enter her side of the vehicle first before walking around to the other side. A Secret Service agent holds the door open for him as he gets in, just steps away from the smiling fans.
The video ends with the couple being driven away, leaving behind a crowd of thrilled onlookers waving.
“Yes I saw them. What an unforgettable moment,” wrote the creator.
Fans also couldn’t get enough of Barack’s chivalrous gesture to hold the door open for his wife.
After being reposted on Threads, one person wrote, “He STILL opens the door for her. What a class act. I LOVE them!”
Under the TikTok video, someone else wrote, “I loved how he made sure Michelle got in first and safe! That’s a true gentleman The Obamas have so much class!”
Another said, “And just like the gentleman he is, Obama made sure Michelle got into the vehicle first before going around to his seat, even with Secret Service agents holding the doors.”
@chicago_travelgirlYes I saw them. What an unforgettable moment! #chicago #presidentBarackObama #presidentusa #usagovernment #chicagolife #visitchicago #hydepark #chicagovibes #kenwoodchicago #southsidechicago
♬ Heartbeat Suspense – Safer MusicThis latest sight of the couple leaving their Chicago home together further undermines theories that the Obamas’ marriage is going sour.
Michelle was noticeably absent during former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral and President Donald J. Trump’s second inauguration in January, two events Barack attended. The former first lady’s absences provided all the evidence rumormongers needed to begin speculating the husband and wife were about to call it quits.
Michelle finally addressed the gossip in April during an episode of the podcast “In My Opinion” which she co-hosts with her older brother Craig Robinson.
The 60-year-old said, “My decision to make choices at the beginning of this year that suited me were met with such ridicule and criticism, like, people couldn’t believe that I was saying no for any other reason that they had to assume that my marriage was falling apart.”
‘Angry, Unhinged’: MAGA Explodes Over Scott Pelley’s Wake Forest Speech Slamming Trump’s DEI Crackdown and Quoting Maya Angelou
Supporters of President Donald Trump are criticizing CBS 60 Minutes anchor Scott Pelley and referring to Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as “Woke Forest” after Pelley delivered a commencement address last week that criticized the Trump administration’s policies.
“Guys like Scott Pelley, who want to posture as bastions for ‘free speech’ are more likely to have to be reminded that ‘talk is cheap,’” an X user named Stan Sadawski posted. “I hope those poor graduates from Wake Forest didn’t have to listen to him for 60 Minutes commercial-free.”
“60 Minutes” journalist Scott Pelley delivers Wake Forest University’s commencement address May 19, 2025. (Photo: X/@papistosh)“CBS/60 Minutes’ Scott Pelley raged at Trump in angry, unhinged commencement address at Wake Forest,” wrote another X user.
Dan Shive, a graduate of Wake Forest University, posted on X that most students couldn’t care less about commencement addresses. “Well, this graduation should have been one of those days. His political speech was a reflection of the University. Many other topics would have been better. Academic freedom should be about presenting facts and letting students decide. Not biased Socialistic principles. Embarrassing!”
Another Trump supporter posted, “TDS (Trump derangement syndrome) is strong with Woke Forest.”
In his speech, Pelley told graduates, on May 19, “Your country needs you. The country that has given so much is calling you, the Class of 2025.”
He continued: “To move forward, we debate, not demonize. We discuss, not destroy. But in this moment – this moment, this morning – our sacred rule of law is under attack. Journalism is under attack. Universities are under attack. Freedom of speech is under attack.”
“An insidious fear is reaching through our schools, our businesses, our homes and into our private thoughts. The fear to speak. In America? If our government is – in Lincoln’s words – ‘of the people, by the people and for the people’ – then why are we afraid to speak?”
“Today, great universities are threatened with ruin,” Pelley continued.
He cited the words of author, poet, and former Wake Forest Professor Maya Angelou, writer George Orwell, and civil rights pioneer the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Pelley quoted part of Angelou’s famous poem “And Still I Rise”: “You may write me down in history with your bitter, twisted lies. You may tread me into the very dirt, but like dust, I’ll rise.”
He also criticized Trump’s efforts at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in the government, citing Orwell, an author known for his warnings about totalitarianism, injustice, and the dangers of unfettered power.
“‘Diversity’ is now described as ‘illegal.’ ‘Equity’ is to be shunned. ‘Inclusion’ is a dirty word. This is an old playbook, my friends. There is nothing new in this. George Orwell … in 1949, he warned of what he called ‘new speak.’ He understood that ignorance works for power,” Pelley told his audience.
Media personality and podcast host Megyn Kelly joined in on the criticism of the 60 Minutes anchor’s speech.
“I don’t know why Wake Forest would invite Scott Pelley … Here he goes to speak to these poor graduates who are his captive audience. And keep in mind when you hear this clip of the Free Speech crackdowns that we suffered during COVID under Joe Biden when he took over, and how we got censored … Now is the time Scott Pelley would like to throw a word out there about free speech,” Kelly said.
Pelley ended his speech telling graduates their country needs them: “In a moment like this, when our country is in peril, don’t ask the meaning of life. Life is asking, ‘What’s the meaning of you?’”
‘Stella Got Her Groove Back So Why Can’t Patti?’: Patti LaBelle’s Rumored Tie to Drummer 30 Years Her Junior Has Fans In Disbelief
Patti LaBelle Fans Do a Double Take After Learning About the Singer’s Rumored Relationship with a Man 30 Years Younger for Over a Decade
Patti Labelle’s rumored relationship with her drummer isn’t necessarily a secret but not everyone knows about it either. Over the last few months, several blog pages and fans have posted pictures of the legendary singer and her younger beau Eric Seats, for no reason other than to show the couple some love.
Seats, who is 30 years younger than Labelle, is a well-known songwriter and producer as part of the production duo Keybeats, alongside Rapture Stewart.
Back in March, one person posted a photo of Labelle on Instagram wearing a blue dress and Seats wearing a tuxedo with, “PATTI LABELLE Living her best life,” written as the caption referring to the shocking age gap element in their relationship.
Patti Labelle goes viral after fans rediscover her much younger beau. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)Labelle just turned 81 on May 24, while Seats is reportedly 50 years old. He turns 51 in July – the same month that her eldest son Zuri Edwards turns 52.
Many fans seemingly weren’t aware of their relationship, but most of the responses were positive. “I say enjoy your life, if you happy, that’s what it’s all about. None of nobody business, really,” wrote one.
Another fan commented, “Well, you all know Stella got her groove back so why can’t Patti ?” referring to the movie, “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” where an older woman falls in love with a 20-year-old while on vacation.
“Leave her alone. They both old enough to be together smh. get a life yall’,” added another.
More than three weeks later, a fan on Facebook shared a collage of half a dozen photos of the couple posing and smiling together. Also on Facebook are several images of Seats playing the drums at her show.
Eric Seats and Patti Labelle pose together in photos. (Photo: We Are Black Queens/Facebook Screenshot)Someone under that post said, “That’s why she so young and vibrant still get it Auntieeeee!”
Another sent a warning to “The Right Kind of Lover” singer with a net worth of $70 million as of 2024, wrote “She better hide her account info! He knows damn well he ain’t in love with an 80 year old woman! He could be her Great Grand child,” they said.
When the Daily Mail first reported on LaBelle’s relationship in January 2016, the outlet revealed that she and her much younger partner had already been dating for a year and a half after initially meeting several years prior. At the time, it was also disclosed that Seats played drums in her band.
According to reports, the “On My Own” vocalist was coming out of a difficult relationship when she began striking up conversations with him after her shows, eventually leading to their romance.
Eric Seats was spotted performing as a drummer during different Patti Labelle concerts. (Photos: Facebook)Seats was born to his parents Sylvia and Leroy Seats Jr. Taking after his father, he became interested in playing the drums and received his first drum set at age 2. After being moved from Indianapolis to Los Angeles, Seats graduated high school and immediately began producing songs for celebrity artists.
Besides playing for Labelle, he’s also toured with Timbaland, Mary J. Blige and Stevie Wonder as well as produced for artists like the late singer Aaliyah, Destiny’s Child and 702, to name a few. On top of that, Seats has produced soundtracks for films such as “Romeo Must Die” and “Exit Wounds.”
It’s not clear when Seats joined Labelle’s band, but according to one of his throwback Instagram posts, he’s been playing with her since at least 2011 when she was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards.
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Neither he nor Labelle has confirmed if they are really dating, nor have they said if they are still together.
Back in 2023, she told Jennifer Hudson on her daytime talk show that she was ready to date again and had a potential love interest.
Speaking on her former husband Armstead Edwards, Labelle said, “So I think in life I need to find happiness for myself, other than what I had back in the day with him, which was wonderful. But I’m too good to be solo.”
“I do have a nice person in mind,” she said while keeping his name anonymous. “I really do.”
Not much else is known about Seats’ personal life except that he has at least three children. A daughter named Erin, 28, a daughter named Eri, 14, and a 11-year-old son he refers to as Lil E.
Labelle was married to her ex-husband Edwards from 1969 before they divorced in 2003. They welcomed their son Zuri Edwards in 1973 and adopted sons Stanley and Dodd, before their split. After her sister died of brain cancer in 1989, Labelle stepped up and adopted her children, William and Stayce.
White California Cop Accused of Repeatedly Stealing from Civilians Including $3,500 from a Homeless Man Won’t Face Any Jail Time — DA Says Losing His Job Was Punishment Enough
A white sheriff’s deputy from California with a history of stealing money from vulnerable people, including the homeless and mentally ill, was cleared of the felony charge against him last week after agreeing to relinquish his state law enforcement certification, sparing himself from a potential three-year prison sentence.
The former cop, however, can still become certified as a law enforcement officer in any other state.
Under the plea agreement which dismissed the felony charge of grand theft by embezzlement, former Glenn County sheriff’s deputy John Sanzone also agreed to return the $3,500 he stole from a homeless man he had arrested who was planning on using the money for dental work.
Former Glenn County sheriff’s deputy John Sanzone when he was hired in December 2021 (left) and when he was arrested on felony theft charges in May 2023 (right), accusing of stealing $3,500 from a homeless man. (Photo: Glenn County Sheriff’s Office)However, several other victims had money stolen from them who will not be repaid, according to a whistleblower lawsuit filed by a Black police officer against the Oroville Police Department in 2022, where Sanzone had worked for ten years and had reached the rank of sergeant before joining the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office.
The lawsuit filed by Oroville Police Sgt. Michael Sears accuses the department of covering up for Sanzone for years, allowing him not only to steal money from citizens but also mishandling evidence and contraband as well as refusing to respond to about 80 calls for service during a four-month period, including calls for domestic violence, suicidal subjects, missing juveniles, drug overdoses, animal abuse, vandalism, trespassing and prostitution.
The lawsuit also accuses the Oroville Police Department of retaliating against Sears when he complained about Sanzone by opening an internal affairs investigation against the Black cop.
According to the claim:
On July 5th, 2021, Sergeant Sears was on duty when a citizen who suffered with mental illness came into the police department to report that Sanzone had stolen $1,300 from the citizen during a recent arrest. The citizen said he had come in to report this theft multiple times and he was informed by one sergeant that the citizen could not make that type of complaint and was told to leave. Sergeant Sears looked up the police log history and saw that the sergeant who told the citizen that he could not make such a complaint was John Sanzone himself.
Sergeant Sears was aware that this was at least the fourth unrelated citizen with mental health and or criminal history who had alleged Sanzone had, stolen money from them while he worked at Oroville Police Department.
No one from the administration investigated Sergeant John Sanzone for the alleged theft from this citizen while he was employed at the Oroville Police Department and instead Sergeant Sears was accused of and questioned during the IA investigation against Sears about having made up this theft complaint, was blamed for having filled out former complaint for the citizen, and was accused of conducting his own investigation into the theft by simply documenting it in a memo.
Court records indicate that Sears’ lawsuit which accused the Oroville Police Department of racism, retaliation and violating his civil rights resulted in a settlement last year.
Hired, Fired and ArrestedSanzone left the Oroville Police Department and joined the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office in December 2021, apparently taking a pay cut, so he was apparently either fired or forced to resign from the Oroville Police Department after ten years.
But he only lasted nine months at the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office after he was fired in September 2022 amid accusations that he stole $3,500 from the homeless man planning on using the money for dental work.
In May 2023, he was arrested on a single felony charge of grand theft by embezzlement which carries a sentence of up to three years. He spent no time in jail, posting bond after he was booked.
Two years later, the Glenn County District Attorney’s Office announced on its Facebook page on May 16 that the case against Sanzone was closed after he agreed to the plea deal, sparking criticism from citizens in the comments section.
“So this guy steals while he’s a deputy in Oroville & Glenn County hired him, in turn did the same thing here,” stated a commenter named Faylene Jarman.
“Seems like there’s a pattern here. Glenn County shouldn’t have even hired him! He’ll just move to another state & do the same thing. It’s sad when you can’t even trust the police.”
“What about all the other times he stole from homeless?” asked a commenter named Bill Maggs. “The ban is a joke since it only holds for California. The sheriff old boy network will arrange a job for him in Nevada or Arizona.”
“Just shows the actual level of corruption in this county when a cop steals from a homeless man and walks free,” added a commenter named Corrine Green.
The Glenn County District Attorney’s Office defended the plea deal with the following comment:
“He did not walk free. He will never be a peace officer in California in his lifetime because of the criminal investigation. Many criminals will just do jail time or pay a fine…not lose their jobs. This person lost his job and career.”
But it is not uncommon for decertified cops to simply move to other states to find employment, according to a 107-page report published by the Yale Law Journal in 2020 titled “The Wandering Cop.”
“A significant problem with state-by-state certification is that an officer decertified in one state can move across state lines and obtain certification, and then employment, in another,” the report states.
‘He Looks Totally Disgusted’: Lauren Sánchez Steals the Show In ‘Cheap Mermaid’ Dress, But Fans Can’t Get Over Jeff Bezos’ Facial Expression In New Photos
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez have become one of the most talked-about couples in the world. The billionaire and his fiancée are making headlines in Cannes, France.
According to the Daily Mail, Bezos and Sánchez attended the amfAR Gala at the Cannes Film Festival on May 22. Photographers captured snapshots of them inside the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc.
Sánchez, 55, showed up at the amfAR Gala in a strapless blue and silver gown that showcased her bust. Bezos, 61, wore a traditional black tuxedo with a bowtie.
Other celebrities were also seen partying at the fundraiser. Supermodel Heidi Klum posed for photos with Sánchez and Bezos. R&B songstress Ciara performed at the star-studded event as well.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez. (Photo: Cindy Ord/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)Once images from the gala hit the internet, most observers focused on Sánchez’s buxom outfit. Bezos was also targeted for the almost expressionless look on his face in many of the pictures.
“Bezos looks as if he’s in a deep state of shock, having second thoughts?” wrote one Daily Mail reader. Another said, “He looks at her like he’s disgusted and she’s such a try hard. So weird.”
A third commenter blasted Sánchez’s gown, saying, “Looks like a cheap mermaid.” A fourth expressed, “Lauren looks vulgar and disgusting. She needs to find a dress that fits properly.”
“Bezos looks bored, and the space cadet looks both jealous and desperate. Frankly, I can’t imagine a more boring party to be at – it looks tacky and full of odious people,” someone voiced.
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Sánchez was not the only person to face scrutiny for her choice of clothing at the amfAR Gala on Thursday. Klum, the former host of the “Project Runway” fashion reality television series, caught flak for her black strapless mesh dress.
“Heidi Klum’s dress is truly awful! Jeff Bezos’ face in picture #6 is saying a lot as his ‘love’ kisses him – he looks totally disgusted,” an opinionated commenter seethed.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez attend the amfAR gala Cannes 2025 presented by Chopard at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 22, 2025 in Cap d’Antibes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/amfAR/Getty Images for amfAR)That person added, “There are a lot of very badly dressed women at this event, but Heidi wins first prize for tacky. I predict Lauren is going to fall out of her dress at some event soon.”
Sánchez’s trip to Europe also included her being spotted in a leopard-print bathing suit on Bezos’ $500 million superyacht, Koru, which has been seen docked in Cannes as the couple enjoys their trip to the south of France.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez at the #amfARGalaCannes. pic.twitter.com/1lrZWES59X
— Variety (@Variety) May 22, 2025Photos of Sánchez and Bezos from their rendezvous on the ocean went viral when the Amazon and Blue Origin founder was snapped kissing, groping, and spanking his wife-to-be aboard his high-priced vessel.
Sánchez also traveled to France to accept the Global Gift Foundation’s Global Gift Women Empowerment Award for “The Fly Who Flew to Space” author’s commitment to climate and social justice.
In addition, the veteran media personality celebrated her upcoming nuptials by having a bachelorette party in Paris with famous friends such as Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Katy Perry, and Eva Longoria.
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Reports claimed Bezos and friends dined at the Ten con Ten restaurant in Madrid’s Salamanca neighborhood on May 17 for his bachelor party. The group then supposedly hit the Gunilla Club later that night.
Bezos proposed to Sánchez with a $2.5 million diamond ring on his Koru yacht in May 2023 during a vacation in Europe. They are reportedly set to wed in an opulent ceremony in June in Venice, Italy.
“When he opened the box, I think I blacked out a bit,” Sánchez recalled to Vogue in 2023 about her now-fiancé’s proposal. She also told the fashion and lifestyle magazine, “I am looking forward to being Mrs. Bezos.”
Sánchez has spent the last six months crisscrossing the globe with headline-grabbing outings in St. Barts and New York. The former news anchor even made it to space in April 2025 as part of the all-female Blue Origin flight. That voyage from Earth received polarizing reactions from the general public.
‘Absolutely Uncalled For’: 72-Year-Old Florida Man Arrested After Allegedly Shooting at Two Salesmen Just as They Were Leaving His Home, Causing Them to Flee In Fear to a Neighbor
An elderly Florida homeowner faces weapons charges after he allegedly tried to shoot two door-to-door salesmen who had to hide in someone’s backyard to escape the gunfire.
William M. Williams, 72, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm in public shortly after the shooting incident on May 19.
William M. Williams, 72, faces weapons charges after allegedly shooting at two door-to-door salesmen as they were leaving his home. (Photo: Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office)According to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, two men were going door-to-door on Boabadilla Lane in Port Charlotte that day, trying to sell solar panel packages for their company.
When they got to Williams’ home and knocked on the door, a woman answered, but she was “upset they were there and told them to leave,” deputies wrote in a news release.
Once they started leaving the property, they suddenly heard multiple gunshots and turned to see Williams pointing a gun in their direction.
Williams then opened fire several more times on the men, and they frantically ran to a neighbor’s home, pounded on the door, and asked for help.
The neighbor let the men into her backyard to hide from Williams.
Neither of the salesmen was hurt.
After deputies were called and arrived at the scene, Williams was positively identified by both victims as the shooter and detained.
The neighbor also told police she heard several gunshots shortly before the men ran to her home.
Investigators obtained a warrant to search Williams’ home, where they found multiple firearms and ammunition inside. They also found two shell casings, one spent and the other unspent, outside on his property.
Williams was booked into the Charlotte County Jail on a $30,000 bond. He’s since bonded out.
“Once again we are called out to a neighborhood in which a firearm was discharged recklessly,” Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Pummell said. “Thankfully, nobody was hurt by this individual’s actions, though I am sure the victims will not forget the fear they felt any time soon. This man’s response to solicitors was absolutely uncalled for and could have been deadly. I pray that people can learn to regulate their emotions instead of jumping to violence so quickly.“
‘Cheaters’: Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster’s Public Outing Fuels Affair Rumors Amid Resurfaced Interview of Foster Revealing Her Marriage to Ted Griffin Hit ‘Zero’
Foster filed for divorce last October, while Jackman and his estranged wife, Deborah Lee Furness, have yet to officially separate or file for divorce despite being apart for almost two years. Despite being legally married to other people, Jackman and Foster continued to spark rumors about their alleged affair since 2022.
Hugh Jackman is still married to his wife Deborra-Lee Furness (left) despite the actor’s alleged affair with Sutton Foster (right) (Photos: @thehughjackman/Instagram)The couple was recently photographed holding hands during a romantic stroll through New York City, marking one of their first public outings together in months and seemingly putting recent reports of a rough patch to rest.
Back in February, they were spotted packing on the PDA while grabbing food in Los Angeles, sharing a passionate kiss in the car — their first public display of affection since going public.
This recent sighting comes as one actor navigates divorce, with both facing scrutiny amid allegations their relationship began before either officially separated from their former spouses.
Still going strong! Hugh Jackman and girlfriend Sutton Foster look smitten as they walk hand-in-hand in New York after sparking rumours they've moved in together https://t.co/pYOGoKfbvb
— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) May 20, 2025Jackman, 56, announced the end of his 27-year marriage to Deborra-Lee Furness in September 2023, while Foster, 50, waited nearly a year before she filed for divorce from Griffin in October 2024.
This timing has fueled persistent rumors that the Broadway co-stars began their romance during their 2022-2023 run in “The Music Man,” while both were still married.
The speculation deepened after a November 2019 podcast interview Foster gave on Hilaria Baldwin’s now-defunct show “Mom Brain.”
In the candid conversation, Foster discussed the challenges she and Griffin faced as new parents, revealing their marriage nearly collapsed after adopting their daughter Emily.
“No one really prepared me that it breaks your marriage apart,” Foster admitted, describing the “big learning curve” of parenthood and relationship maintenance.
The most revealing moment came when she candidly discussed marriage dynamics, explaining her approach to maintaining openness and managing expectations in their relationship.
“That’s what I realized sometimes, that it’s OK letting (the marriage) be, like, a 10 today, or a zero,” Foster shared. These insights have taken on new significance given the timeline of her relationship with Jackman, which many speculate began during their Broadway collaboration just two years later.
The resurfaced interview also revealed Foster’s excitement about working with Jackman, prompting approving reactions from podcast hosts Baldwin and Daphne Oz when she mentioned the “handsome Australian movie star.”
At the time, Foster described trying to salvage her marriage by learning to “let things go” and not “over-talk and over-analyze stuff,” admitting she could be “such a control freak.” The irony of these insights, given her subsequent romance with Jackman, has not been lost on observers.
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Public reaction to the couple’s latest outing has been mixed, with social media users expressing strong opinions about the circumstances of their romance.
Daily Mail readers didn’t hold back, with one person writing, “Both cheaters, what could possibly go wrong?”
Another criticized Foster, stating, “Plain looking Sutton thinks she has the catch of the century. A married man that cheated on his devoted wife of 27 years… pathetic!”
A third noted, “We send Deborrah Lee all our best wishes. This is torture for anyone let alone someone in the lens.”
I believe in life we need to see and truly be seen by the most important people in our lives. Deb, from day one, we had that. 22 years later … it only gets deeper. You and the kids are the greatest gift I will ever receive. I love you a gazillion times around the world. pic.twitter.com/VsoDq4HxDw
— Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) April 11, 2018However, not all reactions were negative.
One observer offered a more nuanced perspective, noting, “Hugh is looking younger and happier than he has in the past few years. People grow apart & obviously his marriage had run its course.”
Still, the general consensus remained critical, with another commenter simply stating, “Shameless, the pair of them.”
Foster and Jackman’s relationship timeline has been scrutinized given how it started amid their professional history.
During promo for the Broadway production, Foster famously revealed on “Live with Kelly and Ryan” that she and Jackman had a pre-show ritual called “carpet chat,” spending time alone in her dressing room before each performance to “catch up on our day.”
Foster’s Instagram activity from that time has also come under scrutiny, with many pointing out that she stopped posting photos with Griffin in January 2023 — months before either couple publicly announced their separations. Her social media presence shifted dramatically, with fewer family photos and posts featuring Griffin and their shared life.
Meanwhile, Jackman’s estranged wife, who reportedly had suspicions about his working relationship with Foster, might be up to dating.
Sources suggest Furness believes the relationship is merely a “mid-life crisis” and has predicted it will last “just one year before it collapses.”
The 69-year-old actress, who met Jackman on the Australian TV show “Correlli” in 1995 and was married to him for almost three decades, is being urged by close friends to consider dating again.
The professional implications have been significant, with speculation that Foster’s Tony Award snub for her performance in “Once Upon a Mattress” may have been influenced by the scandal surrounding her personal life, overshadowing what should have been career highlights for both performers, according to the Mercury News.
Despite ongoing speculation and public criticism, sources close to the couple maintain they are “madly in love” and “relieved and happy” to have made their relationship public. Recent sightings of Foster helping move boxes into Jackman’s Chelsea penthouse suggest their relationship continues to move forward amidst intense public scrutiny.
Black Navy SEAL Mocked as a ‘Slave’ and Monkey for Years, Then Stripped of His Badge Will Finally Get Justice As Peers Who Created Racist Memes Could Now Lose Their Careers
After two Navy SEALs created racist memes about a Black sailor on their platoon that were shared for years, they and their platoon and team leaders are finally facing disciplinary action that could threaten their positions or end their careers entirely.
According to The Associated Press, two enlisted members on SEAL Team 4 based in Virginia made the racist memes that depicted a Black sailor on their platoon as a slave and then sent the content to other members of their team in a group chat.
A defense official who spoke anonymously to AP reported details about the ongoing investigation into the memes.
US special operations Navy Seals commandos at Baledogle airfield where they are training Soldiers of the Somali National Army commando force, Danab. (Credit: Getty Images)The victim reported the incidents earlier this year, years after the memes had been developed and sent to his other platoon members starting in 2022.
According to the victim’s attorney, the racist content was sent in a group chat on the Signal instant messaging app.
“This was a very shocking case of explicit and repeated racist memes directed at our client in a platoon-wide text thread,” said Timothy Parlatore, the sailor’s lawyer. “They modified his face in photos to look like a monkey and portrayed him as a chained slave on a slave ship, among others.”
The Black Navy SEAL had his qualifications and SEAL trident revoked last year. He stated that his failure to remain a SEAL was directly connected to the racist treatment. He filed more than a dozen complaints about the racist treatment, roughly half of which were substantiated by naval officials.
Officials from Naval Special Warfare Group 2, who directly oversee SEAL Team 4, said his SEAL qualifications are being reinstated, and he will also receive back pay.
During the probe, officials discovered that because the platoon and Team 4 leaders never sufficiently addressed the sailors’ concerns, they erred in their decision to revoke his qualifications.
Those leaders are facing administrative actions that could determine if they continue as SEALs.
As for the two platoon members who created and first shared the memes, they will face non-judicial punishment and punitive letters in their files, which could result in demotions, loss of pay, or their terminations. Other actions are still pending.
The Naval Special Warfare Command acknowledged the investigation into “serious allegations of unprofessional conduct within one of our commands” and said “accountability actions are ongoing.”
It added that “we are dedicated to fostering a climate of dignity and respect, and after conducting a thorough and fair investigation, we will hold anyone found responsible of misconduct accountable.”
Data provided to AP shows that as of March 2021, 95 percent of all SEAL and combatant-craft crew officers were white and just 2 percent were Black. Of the entire Navy population, roughly 40 percent of the enlisted force and 24 percent of its officers are non-white.
Military ranks could wane in diversity as the Trump administration and the Department of Defense end DEI initiatives across the U.S. armed forces and scale back on recruiting efforts at programs and events that boast more diverse talent pools.
‘She Lost Too Much Weight’: Rosie O’Donnell’s Drastic Weight Loss Sparks Concern as Fans Compare Her ‘Sickly’ Look to Sharon Osbourne
Rosie O’Donnell has never been one to shy away from sharing her personal journey with the public, but her latest Instagram post has sparked a wave of concern among fans who barely recognize the beloved comedian and former talk show host.
The 63-year-old entertainer recently shared a screenshot of herself performing onstage, showcasing a dramatically slimmed-down figure that has left many of her followers worried about her health and well-being.
Rosie O’Donnell shows off her drastic weight loss in new photos, leaving fans stunned at how thin she’s gotten. (Photo by Mike Pont/Getty Images)The former “View” host is crediting much of her weight loss to Mounjaro, a type 2 diabetes medication that has become increasingly popular among celebrities seeking to shed pounds. Many celebrities, like Sharon Osbourne and Oprah Winfrey, have embraced weight loss drugs like Mounjaro and Ozempic to shed unwanted pounds.
In her Instagram caption, she expressed her own disbelief at her appearance, writing, “I can’t believe this is me now,” while adding hashtags including “#mounjaro,” “#weightloss” and “#bodydismorphia.”
The image showed her wearing dark pants and a light green sweater while holding a microphone, appearing confident yet noticeably different from her previous public appearances.
However, the response from fans has been mixed, with many expressing genuine concern about her current state. PEOPLE readers chimed in, giving their opinion on the drastic weight loss and also defending her against unfair critics.
“She needs to get clothes that fit better. I think she’s lost too much weight and looks older,” wrote one follower.
Another was more direct in their assessment, commenting, “She doesn’t look well. I wouldn’t brag about that look.”
A third claimed, “What happens when you start looking like Sharon Osbourne? At some point it looks so unhealthy. Please be careful.”
Sharon OsBourne is being told she should sue Ozempic … so sad pic.twitter.com/3Hnkj5zSiZ
— JacobIsrael71 (@JacobIsrael71) May 20, 2025One more thoughtful commenter provided context for the concerns, stating, “She looks older but not sickly to me. Sometimes people look older when they lose a lot of weight too quickly. I’m willing to bet that her blood sugar, cholesterol levels and blood pressure have also improved dramatically. Her smile looks the same to me…Rosie is 63 years old.”
O’Donnell’s journey toward better health began when her doctor prescribed her Mounjaro for diabetes management in late 2022. Her weight loss journey has been closely tied to significant life changes, including her decision to move to Ireland with her 12-year-old child Clay following Trump’s presidential reelection.
Rosie O’Donnell in 2013 vs 2025. (Photos by Mike Pont/Getty Images; rosie/Instagram)The relocation has brought unexpected benefits to her health routine, as she explained in a March TikTok video where she revealed that not having a personal chef has contributed to her continued weight loss. For over two years in Los Angeles, she had relied on professional meal preparation, but now finds herself cooking for Clay and herself, creating a more active and hands-on approach to nutrition.
The comedian has been refreshingly honest about her relationship with food and weight throughout her career.
The “Harriet the Spy” actress admitted to struggling with portion control and food choices for years, describing herself as someone who “always had a weight issue.”
The medication has significantly decreased her appetite, and she has made conscious lifestyle changes including eliminating multiple daily Diet Cokes in favor of drinking only water and reducing her sugar intake.
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This isn’t O’Donnell’s first major weight loss transformation.
According to Page Six, after suffering a heart attack in 2012, she underwent vertical sleeve gastric surgery the following year, which she credited with changing her life. At that time, she dropped from 240 pounds to 176, demonstrating her commitment to improving her health through various means when necessary.
Beyond the physical changes, O’Donnell reports feeling healthier overall and sleeping better, suggesting that the weight loss has brought genuine improvements to her quality of life.
The entertainer’s openness about her health journey continues to resonate with fans who have followed her career through various personal and professional challenges, even as some worry about the dramatic nature of her latest transformation.
‘Record It Yourself: Melania Trump Replaces Her Voice In Audiobook Memoir as Fans Poke Fun at Claims She Barely Speaks English
Melania Trump is getting flak after releasing the new audiobook for her memoir.
Trump shared the video announcement on her social media pages along with a surprise that she calls “the future of publishing.” The May 22 clip started with a black background zooming out to show several grey “M”s forming together to make her face.
Melania Trump teased for releasing a audiobook that is being voiced by AI. (Photos by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)In the caption, Trump’s wife revealed that while it would sound like her voice reading the audiobook, it wouldn’t really be her.
“A NEW ERA IN PUBLISHING,” she started. “I am honored to bring you Melania – The AI Audiobook – narrated entirely using artificial intelligence in my own voice. Let the future of publishing begin.”
As the video played, a voice that sounded like hers said, “My story, my perspective, the truth.” It’s not clear if she actually said that part or if she was giving fans a taste of what the AI narration would sound like.
Fans reacted in the comments of her post on X.
One person pointing out the White House first lady’s accent said, “Understandably AI since you can barely speak English.”
Melania has a Slovenian accent, as she is originally from Slovenia.
Understandably AI since you can barely speak English.
— Holly Bellwether (@Hellwether) May 22, 2025A second person subtly shading Trump wrote, “Melania record it yourself you’re not that busy.”
A third said, “Still can’t speak English.”
According to her website, the audio is an AI generated replica of her voice created by Eleven Labs. Trump also gave her “direction and supervision” during the creation of the audio. The audiobook is currently being sold for $25 and is about seven hours long.
Right now the English version of the book is the only one available, but other languages can be purchased this fall.
The memoir, which was originally released last October, covers everything from Trump’s life in the Cold War-era Yugoslavia to meeting President Donald Trump before marrying him, to also laying out some of her political stances.
Originally released last October, the memoir traces Melania Trump’s journey from Cold War-era Yugoslavia to meeting Donald Trump and ultimately marrying him, while also outlining some of her political views.
The release follows Audible’s announcement of new AI-powered audiobook production tools, offering publishers the choice between self-managing the process or handing over full control to Audible.
But the move has been condemned by some voice actors, writers, and translators, who argue that AI will take away the authenticity and emotion that human voices bring to an audiobook. On top of that, it will minimize opportunities.
