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NYC Puppet Show Sparks Outrage with Surprise Anti-Israel Content

NYC Puppet Show Sparks Outrage with Surprise Anti-Israel Content

A Jewish mother who took her 4-year-old son to what she thought would be a family-friendly puppet show in Lower Manhattan earlier this month was horrified when the performance morphed into an Israel-bashing disgrace, she told The Post. “The Cardboard Pizza Puppet Circus,” a show created and performed by puppet troupe the Boxcutter Collective that the ensemble describes as “a celebration of” New York City, was featured at this year’s International Puppet Fringe Festival, a multi-day celebration sponsored in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and New York State Council on the Arts. The Cardboard Pizza Puppet Circus performs during the International Puppet Fringe Festival, sponsored in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and New York State Council on the Arts. Instagram / Judie Eisenberg“Featuring dancing skyscrapers, giant rats, fossil-fuel-fighting flowers, a live brass band, and Lady Liberty herself,” the show’s description reads.But 15 minutes into the Aug. 13 performance, the show shifted from covering New York-centric topics into controversial political positions against the Jewish state, said the Brooklyn mom, 43, who declined to be named. “The anti-Israel stuff came out of nowhere,” the mom said.“It went from pizza rat and parallel parking to accusations of Israel bombing hospitals.”The “packed” courtyard show, which the mom said was performed to a crowd of about 200 and ran for about an hour, included a skit with eight performers recreating a flotilla, which was met with enthusiastic jeers against Israel from audience members. At another point, remarks were made about American tax dollars going to Israel, she said. “How does anti-Israel propaganda figure into a play that’s otherwise entirely about New York? Is hatred for Israel as synonymous with the City’s brand as pizza rat?” asked the “proud Zionist” mom, adding that her 4-year-old son “kept asking what was happening when he saw I was taken aback.”A Soviet Union refugee who now resides in Windsor Terrace, the mother said her “heart was racing,” as she watched many in the crowd appear to agree with “the litany of accusations” made against Israel.“(I was) feeling like I was surrounded by my ideological enemies,” she said.“This particular group had very antisemitic views,” she said of the Boxcutter Collective. “It felt like a mob – the hairs on your neck stand up.” “It went from pizza rat and parallel parking to accusations of Israel bombing hospitals,” a Brooklyn mom who was at the show told The Post. Instagram / Judie EisenbergThe Boxcutter Collective proved its pro-Palestinian bona fides in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 atrocity against Israel in which 1,200 men, women and children were killed, when it performed in the “Gaza Monologues” in November 2023 – on “The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People” – in response to the “horrific war taking place in Gaza.”“I knew that if I shouted something against Hamas, the crowd would turn against me, so I kept my mouth shut,” the mother told The Post. “My generation is now experiencing a fresh iteration of antisemitism here in New York that my family escaped back in the Soviet Union.”Manuel Moran, the festival’s founder and producer, told Jerusalem News Syndicate earlier this week that organizers may have been in the dark about the troupe’s rogue content.“As with many festivals, the full content of a production is not always known in advance, and the company premiered many elements of this work as part of the event,” he told JNS. “We stand behind our role in providing a platform for artists while recognizing that artists are responsible for their own work and should be able to speak to it directly.”Moran told the outlet that in addition to a Yiddish-tinged skit appearing during the festival, an Israeli troupe, Hanut Theater Company, was invited but couldn’t arrange visas.Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, slammed the performance and festival, saying in a post on X, “This is an inappropriate use of public resources. Publicly funded cultural programming should never contribute to an environment in which Jewish New Yorkers feel unsafe.”Calls made to the Boxcutter Collective, the International Puppet Fringe Festival, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts went unanswered.

Aug 30, 2026
Ex-Ecuador Minister's Deportation Sparks Tension Amid Murder Accusations

Ex-Ecuador Minister's Deportation Sparks Tension Amid Murder Accusations

ICE deported an ex-Ecuadorian minister accused of helping a drug cartel murder a presidential candidate back in his home country — even after a US judge blocked his removal over fears he be tortured if returned to the South American nation.José Serrano, who served as Ecuador’s interior minister under leftist former President Rafael Correa, was deported Friday and promptly mocked by President Daniel Noboa as the newest “guest” of the country’s notorious El Encuentro mega-prison.“We said it, we delivered. José Serrano, Rafael Correa’s Interior Minister, is the new guest at El Encuentro,” he wrote on X.Former Ecuadorian Interior Minister José Serrano was deported from the United States to Ecuador on Friday. x/DanielNoboaONoboa also took a shot at Correa, who ruled from 2007 to 2017 and lives with his family in Belgium, where he was granted asylum. An Ecuadorian court convicted Correa in absentia in 2020 for receiving bribes for public contracts.“It’s your turn any moment now. @mashirafael,” Noboa wrote.Ecuador’s Attorney General’s Office accused Serrano, who was the Interior Minister from 2012 to 2016, and six other people — including Los Lobos cartel leader Wilmer ‘Pipo’ Chavarría — on Aug. 6 for their role in the assassination of Fernando Villavicencio.Villavicencio was executed Aug. 9, 2023, by six Colombian assassins after a campaign rally in Quito.The assault took place just 11 days before the first round of the special general elections after the National Assembly was dissolved in May. Incumbent President Guillermo Lasso was eligible to run but chose not to. Serrano entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in May 2021 and applied for asylum five months later. He was arrested by ICE at his Miami home in August 2025 for overstaying his visa. x/wenewsecNoboa placed second to Luisa González and then defeated her in the run-off election.Authorities allege that Serrano filtered information to Los Lobos regarding Villavicencio’s movements.“This event struck at the foundations of the rule of law, such as freedom of expression (…) and the security of political participation,” lead prosecutor Ana Hidalgo said.Supporters of Fernando Villavicencio shout slogans as they await the sentencing at the trial against the five alleged murderers of the former Ecuadorian presidential candidate at the Judicial Complex in Quito on July 12, 2024. AFP via Getty ImagesSix Colombians detained for the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio were found dead at a Guayaquil, Ecuador prison on Oct. 6. 2023. National Police of EcuadorChavarría, who faked his death, was arrested in Spain in November 2025 and is awaiting extradition. Five people tied to Los Lobos were convicted in 2024 for their roles in crime. The Colombian assassins were found dead at a Guayaquil jail in October 2023.Serrano, who was National Assembly president from 2017 to 2018, arrived in the US on a tourist visa in May 2021 and applied for asylum five months later. ICE arrested him at his Miami home on Aug. 7, 2025.Serrano was accused Aug. 6 for orchestrating the August 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. x/DanielNoboaOUS immigration Judge Romy Lerner denied Serrano’s asylum case during a May 13 hearing but suspended his deportation order under the United Nations Convention Against Torture act, which prohibits the deportation of persons at risk of torture or other cruel punishments.However, ICE still managed to deport Serrano.“Today, @DHSgov deported José Serrano, who was wanted by INTERPOL and faced charges in Ecuador for corruption and ties to cartels,” Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Juan Pablo Segura wrote on X.

Aug 30, 2026
Why Ella Bright's Response to Belmont Cameli Photo Deletion Has Fans Talking

Why Ella Bright's Response to Belmont Cameli Photo Deletion Has Fans Talking

Off Campus star Ella Bright is addressing speculation surrounding her costar Belmont Cameli’s social media feed. Eagle-eyed fans recently noticed that Cameli, 28, appeared to delete or, at the very least archive, several promotional photos featuring Bright, 19, from his feed. Us can confirm that the Along for the Ride actor currently has other images with different Off Campus costars on his page. As fan chatter rose about a potential feud, the actress clapped back at speculation there’s tension between the pair. “Everything is fine,” Bright reportedly wrote via Instagram comment, according to a fan’s screenshot shared via TikTok on Friday, August 28. “Just move along with your day.” Neither Bright nor Cameli have further publicly addressed the speculation. Us reached out to reps for both actors for comment but did not hear back at the time of publication. Bright and Cameli star as Hannah Wells and Garrett Graham, respectively, in Prime Video’s Off Campus, which was adapted from author Elle Kennedy’s bestselling hockey romance series of the same name. The eight-episode season raised eyebrows for its racy sex scenes. “Listen, I came into this job and during the chemistry reads — with more than enough information and knowledge and understanding of what this role required in the show — I just fell in love with Hannah and these scripts immediately,” Bright said on the “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast in May, addressing her character’s partial nudity. “There was never a question that I wouldn’t want to do this.” Bright further acknowledged that some “people” were also allegedly concerned about her and Cameli’s 10-year age difference in the steamy scenes. “Not once did I feel one left out from being younger than everybody,” she said. “We’re all such a family, and like, everyone was just more than perfect. I couldn’t be more comfortable on the set with these people. So, it is funny when they said that.” Bright and Cameli will pass the torch to Stephen Kalyn and Mika Abdalla for Off Campus season 2, currently in production. The new episodes will follow the third book in Kennedy’s hit series as Garrett’s teammate Dean Heyward-Di Laurentis falls in love with Hannah’s best friend, Allie Hayes. “I’m just really looking forward to digging deeper into who Allie and Dean are. They both, kind of, have these fronts, these personas that are hard to kind of crack through,” Abdalla, 26, exclusively told Us in May, teasing season 2. “They are kind of stereotypes of themselves. But in the books, as we know, there’s so much beneath the surface of Dean, and there’s so much beneath the surface of Allie.” She added at the time, “I’m excited to dig emotionally into that a little bit more, because, you know, we see Allie and Dean as their exteriors a lot in season 1. While that is fun, and they are super fun characters to play, I think as actors, selfishly, both of us are really excited to, kind of, like, get psychological.” Off Campus also stars Antonio Cipriano and Jalen Thomas Brooks, who are expected to lead future seasons of the hit hockey drama.

Aug 30, 2026
Ella Bright Responds to Buzz Over Belmont Cameli's Archived Photos

Ella Bright Responds to Buzz Over Belmont Cameli's Archived Photos

Off Campus star Ella Bright is addressing speculation surrounding her costar Belmont Cameli’s social media feed. Eagle-eyed fans recently noticed that Cameli, 28, appeared to delete or, at the very least archive, several promotional photos featuring Bright, 19, from his feed. Us can confirm that the Along for the Ride actor currently has other images with different Off Campus costars on his page. As fan chatter rose about a potential feud, the actress clapped back at speculation there’s tension between the pair. “Everything is fine,” Bright reportedly wrote via Instagram comment, according to a fan’s screenshot shared via TikTok on Friday, August 28. “Just move along with your day.” Neither Bright nor Cameli have further publicly addressed the speculation. Us reached out to reps for both actors for comment but did not hear back at the time of publication. Bright and Cameli star as Hannah Wells and Garrett Graham, respectively, in Prime Video’s Off Campus, which was adapted from author Elle Kennedy’s bestselling hockey romance series of the same name. The eight-episode season raised eyebrows for its racy sex scenes. “Listen, I came into this job and during the chemistry reads — with more than enough information and knowledge and understanding of what this role required in the show — I just fell in love with Hannah and these scripts immediately,” Bright said on the “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast in May, addressing her character’s partial nudity. “There was never a question that I wouldn’t want to do this.” Bright further acknowledged that some “people” were also allegedly concerned about her and Cameli’s 10-year age difference in the steamy scenes. “Not once did I feel one left out from being younger than everybody,” she said. “We’re all such a family, and like, everyone was just more than perfect. I couldn’t be more comfortable on the set with these people. So, it is funny when they said that.” Bright and Cameli will pass the torch to Stephen Kalyn and Mika Abdalla for Off Campus season 2, currently in production. The new episodes will follow the third book in Kennedy’s hit series as Garrett’s teammate Dean Heyward-Di Laurentis falls in love with Hannah’s best friend, Allie Hayes. “I’m just really looking forward to digging deeper into who Allie and Dean are. They both, kind of, have these fronts, these personas that are hard to kind of crack through,” Abdalla, 26, exclusively told Us in May, teasing season 2. “They are kind of stereotypes of themselves. But in the books, as we know, there’s so much beneath the surface of Dean, and there’s so much beneath the surface of Allie.” She added at the time, “I’m excited to dig emotionally into that a little bit more, because, you know, we see Allie and Dean as their exteriors a lot in season 1. While that is fun, and they are super fun characters to play, I think as actors, selfishly, both of us are really excited to, kind of, like, get psychological.” Off Campus also stars Antonio Cipriano and Jalen Thomas Brooks, who are expected to lead future seasons of the hit hockey drama.

Aug 30, 2026
Allie Colleen Brooks' Emotional Reveal About Her Greatest Fear

Allie Colleen Brooks' Emotional Reveal About Her Greatest Fear

Legendary country music star Garth Brooks' daughter Allie Colleen Brooks is opening up about her greatest fear in the wake of icon Dolly Parton’s death at age 80. “My greatest fear in life is the day my Dad loses his life and I have to see the world mourn a man they never knew the way I knew him,” Allie, 30, wrote via Instagram earlier this week. “To the personal family and friends of Mrs. Dolly you have all my love and condolences today and forever going forward.” She continued, “What a huge, beautiful, special life to have loved and to grief. Thank you for sharing her with us all.” Allie, a country singer and songwriter in her own right, captioned the post, “What a beautiful privilege it is to mourn.. to grieve is to know you loved deeply and fully. To the woman we all loved and to those who grief for her — I love you all. Please respect the family and her personal friends.” Us confirmed on Tuesday, August 25, that the legendary country music star died after a private and brief battle with an undisclosed type of cancer. “My sister was one of the most generous, thoughtful and kind people I’ve ever known,” the country star’s sister, Stella Parton, said when breaking her silence in the wake of her sibling’s death. “What the world saw is exactly who she was, so much so, she told me recently that their was no hope for her, she would still allow her medical team to try experimental drugs in the hope of helping others in the future," she wrote via social media at the time. https://www.instagram.com/alliecolleenmusic/p/Dce0czEgpYg/ In honor of Dolly’s legacy, Garth — who shares Allie and her siblings Taylor and August with his ex-wife Sandy Mahl — and his current wife and fellow singer Trisha Yearwood announced September 25 will be “Dolly Day’ at their Nashville bar, Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk, with all profits going towards children’s literacy. Allie’s public confession in the wake of Dolly’s death received mixed reactions from her many followers, with some condemning her statement as selfish while others — including children of other country music stars — offered their solidarity in the comments section. “No one is allowed to be sad except the family? That’s wild,” one user wrote, prompting a response from the country singer’s daughter. “This is my account – I am saying I don’t know how to respond to these things in my industry because of my life experiences,” she wrote. “I’m not telling anyone else how to grieve. I’m just acknolwedging the family. You do you babe.” Mackenzie Adkins, daughter of fellow country music star Trace Adkins, wrote, “I’m more of an avoidant when it comes to fears like this. But that is very very scary and real for my sisters and I. Thank you for explaining it better than I could.” “I know you understand babe,” Allie responded. “Should the day come — we’ll get through it.”

Aug 30, 2026
How 'Honey Boo Boo' Star Pumpkin is Reviving Strip Clubs

How 'Honey Boo Boo' Star Pumpkin is Reviving Strip Clubs

Pumpkin spice!As strip clubs struggle to retain customers due in part to the rise of online pornography, one chain has turned to a new crop of performers to put butts in seats — influencers and reality TV stars.Mike Dickinson, regional operator of Pony Clubs in the South and Midwest, said he got the idea to book influencers — such as viral jiggle joint phenom “Honey Boo Boo” star Pumpkin — after realizing they could stimulate some cash flow.Mike Dickinson has been booking influencers and television stars for his strip clubs. Courtesy of Mike Dickinson“You don’t want to be Blockbuster in a Netflix world,” Dickinson told The Post. He said he originally booked strippers with massive online followings before expanding out further and landing influencers who had never danced in a jiggle joint before — such as Pumpkin, real name Lauryn Efird.“She was someone that you wouldn’t think would be a big draw in a strip club, but she’s phenomenal. People come, they line up early to see her,” Dickinson said. Pumpkin performs at a strip club owned by Dickinson on Sunday, April 12, 2026. Courtesy of Mike DickensonBig-name influencers are paid an appearance fee ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 to show up at his clubs on a weekend, Dickinson said. They also make tips, and some will give private dances in the VIP room for a fee, depending on the influencer, he said.Pumpkin said she’s loved her foray into the world of exotic dancing and that her appeal as an influencer has brought people who would never otherwise go to a strip club out to see her.Dickinson with Pumpkin and her husband Darrin. Courtesy of Mike Dickenson“My fans follow me everywhere I go, the crowds are insane, at the Pony in Chattanooga we had 200 people in the door before midnight,” she said. Pumpkin, who began stripping shortly after launching her OnlyFans, said that she’s found her performances to be a real “confidence booster,” but won’t become a full-time dancer anytime soon.“Teen Mom” star Farrah Abraham with Dickenson. Courtesy of Mike Dickenson“Me and my boyfriend tell people it’s a fun event to do once or twice a month, but not something I could do every night,” she said.And the money isn’t bad, either. Pumpkin said her star power can generate up to $10,000 on a good night of dancing.Mike Dickenson with Charm Daze on Monday, August 24, 2026. Courtesy of Mike DickensonDickinson’s embrace of influencers comes as strip clubs have seen a downturn of revenue since the COVID pandemic, industry experts said. “The strip club industry never bounced back after COVID; young people have changed, they’re on their phones, they’re not drinking, they’re not having sex anymore,” Frank Bane, owner of Continental Agency, which provides representation for strippers, said. Shanna Brooks, a porn star turned stand-up comedian, has performed comedy topless at Dickinson’s clubs and said that the patrons were caught off guard by her performance. “It’s not what they’re used to, but by the end they gave me a really positive response, people were handing me tips after the show,” she said. Former UFC and WWE star Matt Riddle, who was booked by Dickinson to judge a butt-slapping contest at one of his clubs, said that influencers are good for the strip club industry.“The girls are excited to have someone to have in their besides customers. It helped everybody out, not just me but the business, the girls,” Riddle said.

Aug 29, 2026
Garth Brooks' Daughter Faces Backlash Over Emotional Tribute to Dolly Parton

Garth Brooks' Daughter Faces Backlash Over Emotional Tribute to Dolly Parton

Legendary country music star Garth Brooks' daughter Allie Colleen Brooks is opening up about her greatest fear in the wake of icon Dolly Parton’s death at age 80. “My greatest fear in life is the day my Dad loses his life and I have to see the world mourn a man they never knew the way I knew him,” Allie, 30, wrote via Instagram earlier this week. “To the personal family and friends of Mrs. Dolly you have all my love and condolences today and forever going forward.” She continued, “What a huge, beautiful, special life to have loved and to grief. Thank you for sharing her with us all.” Allie, a country singer and songwriter in her own right, captioned the post, “What a beautiful privilege it is to mourn.. to grieve is to know you loved deeply and fully. To the woman we all loved and to those who grief for her — I love you all. Please respect the family and her personal friends.” Us confirmed on Tuesday, August 25, that the legendary country music star died after a private and brief battle with an undisclosed type of cancer. “My sister was one of the most generous, thoughtful and kind people I’ve ever known,” the country star’s sister, Stella Parton, said when breaking her silence in the wake of her sibling’s death. “What the world saw is exactly who she was, so much so, she told me recently that their was no hope for her, she would still allow her medical team to try experimental drugs in the hope of helping others in the future," she wrote via social media at the time. https://www.instagram.com/alliecolleenmusic/p/Dce0czEgpYg/ In honor of Dolly’s legacy, Garth — who shares Allie and her siblings Taylor and August with his ex-wife Sandy Mahl — and his current wife and fellow singer Trisha Yearwood announced September 25 will be “Dolly Day’ at their Nashville bar, Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk, with all profits going towards children’s literacy. Allie’s public confession in the wake of Dolly’s death received mixed reactions from her many followers, with some condemning her statement as selfish while others — including children of other country music stars — offered their solidarity in the comments section. “No one is allowed to be sad except the family? That’s wild,” one user wrote, prompting a response from the country singer’s daughter. “This is my account – I am saying I don’t know how to respond to these things in my industry because of my life experiences,” she wrote. “I’m not telling anyone else how to grieve. I’m just acknolwedging the family. You do you babe.” Mackenzie Adkins, daughter of fellow country music star Trace Adkins, wrote, “I’m more of an avoidant when it comes to fears like this. But that is very very scary and real for my sisters and I. Thank you for explaining it better than I could.” “I know you understand babe,” Allie responded. “Should the day come — we’ll get through it.”

Aug 29, 2026
Good Good Golf Faces Backlash Over Controversial Ad: What Went Wrong?

Good Good Golf Faces Backlash Over Controversial Ad: What Went Wrong?

The fall guys have been identified for Good Good Golf’s out-of-bounds advertisement.CEO Matt Kendrick told Front Office Sports the individuals responsible for the advertisement in which a man shoves a woman to the ground after she came close to a Callaway driver have been dismissed.“We removed people responsible for the ad,” Kendrick told the outlet.Matt Kendrick, founder and CEO of Good Good Golf. Linkedin/Matt KendrickThis shakeup comes after Good Good Golf has been criticized extensively since the release of the shocking promotion and seen its bottom line affected.In the ad, co-founder Garrett Clark knocked over brand influencer Alexis Miestowski while she attempted to grab a Callaway driver before saying: “Do not touch my new driver.”The commercial meant to imitate the horror film “Obsession.”Good Good Golf has since been lambasted for showing a man hitting a woman.The company — which began as a YouTube platform and has grown rapidly in recent years — took down the ad and has since apologized for it, but the fallout has been immense.Callaway dumped it as a partner, a planned show has been scrapped, some golf outlets reportedly removed Good Good Golf merchandise from stories and the company opted to remove itself from its scheduled sponsored PGA Tour event this fall in Texas.Garrett Clark shoves Alexis Miestowski to the ground in a deleted video advertisement for a Callaway driver. Good Good Golf and Callaway deleted the video and apologized after facing criticism that it portrayed violence against women. Good Good GolfKendrick, though, added some fuel to the fire early Friday morning when he went on an X spree in which he hinted at a possible lawsuit against Callaway and said he would support a boycott.“Interesting that @CallawayGolf asks us to make an ad then approves it then asks us to take the fall then drops us in a coordinated media blitz and covers it up by giving a million dollars away thinking everyone will be ok with it,” Kendrick wrote on X at 3:38 a.m. ET. “(The) 30 for 39 will be legendary.”In his Front Office Sports interview, Kendrick took a much more measured approach and said that he is not actually considering a lawsuit.Garrett Clark shoves Alexis Miestowski to the ground in a video posted by content creator Good Good Golf. Good Good and Callaway deleted the video and apologized following criticism that it portrayed violence against women. Good Good GolfHe said he apologizes to Callaway “that all of us are here” and clarified their responses came after conversations together.Kendrick noted that he personally did not see the advertisement before it went live, and confirmed that Good Good Golf created the ad and Callaway approved it.“We apologize for how bad the ad was,” he told Front Office Sports. “And I think at the end of the day, we wanted to make sure that everyone knew that we understood that we made a mistake, and we weren’t going to deny that. That’s what we wanted to have portrayed.”Garrett Clark shoves Alexis Miestowski to the ground in a video advertisement posted by content creator Good Good Golf. Good Good Golf and Callaway deleted the video and apologized after facing criticism that it portrayed violence against women. Good Good GolfKendrick still believes his company can be a factor in the golf world despite this massive blow.‘I think the biggest thing is we realized we have to put better processes in place and we’re doing that. We’re looking at the right people in the right places as well,” Kendrick told the publication. “So, I think it gave us a good opportunity to really reflect on what all it is that we need to do inside of our organization to be successful for the long run. And I think we’re making the right steps to do that.”

Aug 29, 2026
Leslie Mann's Surprising Take on Judd Apatow's Ozempic Journey

Leslie Mann's Surprising Take on Judd Apatow's Ozempic Journey

Leslie Mann is offering fans an update on her husband Judd Apatow’s journey on the controversial weight loss drug Ozempic. “He’s on Ozempic, he likes to talk about it, and he has gained, like, 15 pounds in four years,” Mann, 54, said on the Thursday, August 27, episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, speaking about her husband’s weight loss journey. “He’s on the highest dose.” She continued, “He likes to outrun the feeling that you get that Ozempic gives you to stop eating. He likes to, like, override it or outrun it. He’s very proud of the fact that the pharmaceutical companies don't have control over him. … It’s so weird.” Ozempic and other similar semaglutides are commonly prescribed to adults who struggle with weight-related conditions, including diabetes, to slim down. Doctors have since warned individuals for using the medication for casual weight loss. As for Apatow, the 58-year-old filmmaker began taking GLP-1 medications nearly two years ago. “I am on so much Ozempic right now,” the Knocked Up director said during a 2024 stand-up show in New York City. “I’ve been on it for six months, I’ve gained four pounds. I don’t know how it’s supposed to work. It makes you nauseous, so you don’t want to eat, but I take it as a challenge to eat through the nausea.” He added at the time, “You know, like, ‘I’m gonna f***ing prove this medicine doesn’t work.’ Sometimes I’ll eat ice cream and shoot myself with Ozempic at the same time just to see who wins the battle. It’s been a draw so far. That experiment cost me $40,000.” Apatow has previously been candid about his experience trying to lose and maintain his weight. “[Leslie] put me on the Goop detox diet,” he revealed on Live With Kelly and Ryan in 2017, referring to Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle company. “She has a diet up there [on her website], and I did it, and then suddenly, I looked like Ryan [Seacrest] for a while. I got skinny and handsome. … I'm trying very hard to keep it together.” At the time, Apatow noted how Mann was “cooking all this food” that he supplemented with a new exercise routine. “I did a little SoulCycle Hamilton ride the other day, you know how it goes,” he quipped. “I’m trying to ‘cause I hate being healthy, I don’t like it, but I saw an article about ‘dad bods.’ It’s, like, when you work out a little bit and look a little crappy, and my friend sent me an article about it and I clicked the link and there was a picture showing what it was and the picture was of me. I took that as a sign.” Apatow and the Spa Weekend actress have been married since 1997, during which they welcomed daughters Maude, 28, and Iris, 23.

Aug 29, 2026
Judd Apatow's Unconventional Battle with Ozempic: What Leslie Mann Revealed

Judd Apatow's Unconventional Battle with Ozempic: What Leslie Mann Revealed

Leslie Mann is offering fans an update on her husband Judd Apatow’s journey on the controversial weight loss drug Ozempic. “He’s on Ozempic, he likes to talk about it, and he has gained, like, 15 pounds in four years,” Mann, 54, said on the Thursday, August 27, episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, speaking about her husband’s weight loss journey. “He’s on the highest dose.” She continued, “He likes to outrun the feeling that you get that Ozempic gives you to stop eating. He likes to, like, override it or outrun it. He’s very proud of the fact that the pharmaceutical companies don't have control over him. … It’s so weird.” Ozempic and other similar semaglutides are commonly prescribed to adults who struggle with weight-related conditions, including diabetes, to slim down. Doctors have since warned individuals for using the medication for casual weight loss. As for Apatow, the 58-year-old filmmaker began taking GLP-1 medications nearly two years ago. “I am on so much Ozempic right now,” the Knocked Up director said during a 2024 stand-up show in New York City. “I’ve been on it for six months, I’ve gained four pounds. I don’t know how it’s supposed to work. It makes you nauseous, so you don’t want to eat, but I take it as a challenge to eat through the nausea.” He added at the time, “You know, like, ‘I’m gonna f***ing prove this medicine doesn’t work.’ Sometimes I’ll eat ice cream and shoot myself with Ozempic at the same time just to see who wins the battle. It’s been a draw so far. That experiment cost me $40,000.” Apatow has previously been candid about his experience trying to lose and maintain his weight. “[Leslie] put me on the Goop detox diet,” he revealed on Live With Kelly and Ryan in 2017, referring to Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle company. “She has a diet up there [on her website], and I did it, and then suddenly, I looked like Ryan [Seacrest] for a while. I got skinny and handsome. … I'm trying very hard to keep it together.” At the time, Apatow noted how Mann was “cooking all this food” that he supplemented with a new exercise routine. “I did a little SoulCycle Hamilton ride the other day, you know how it goes,” he quipped. “I’m trying to ‘cause I hate being healthy, I don’t like it, but I saw an article about ‘dad bods.’ It’s, like, when you work out a little bit and look a little crappy, and my friend sent me an article about it and I clicked the link and there was a picture showing what it was and the picture was of me. I took that as a sign.” Apatow and the Spa Weekend actress have been married since 1997, during which they welcomed daughters Maude, 28, and Iris, 23.

Aug 29, 2026
Lil Nas X's Heartfelt Tribute to His Mother Amid Sobriety Challenges

Lil Nas X's Heartfelt Tribute to His Mother Amid Sobriety Challenges

Lil Nas X is mourning the death of his mother, Tameka Hill, amid his ongoing recovery and sobriety journey. “RIP TO THE BADDEST EVER! LOVE U FOREVER, MOMMY,” Lil Nas X, 27, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, August 29, alongside throwback photos of Hill. “This one’s gonna hurt.” Further details about Hill’s death were not publicly revealed at the time of publication. Us has reached out to a rep for the “Old Town Road” singer for comment. In addition to Lil Nas X, Hill is survived by her multiple other children. The late matriarch had a complicated relationship with the musician prior to her death. “I never really talk about my mom. She’s an addict, so we don’t have the closest relationship,” Lil Nas X (born Montero Lamar Hill) previously told Variety in 2020. “Even trying to get her better — things didn’t quite work out. But there’s still love.” Lil Nas X is on his own sobriety journey in the wake of public mental health issues, recently reaching a new recovery milestone. “So, tomorrow is my 10,000th day alive and … I made it!” he said in a Monday, August 24, video shared via his Instagram Stories. “A lot of y’all won’t make it but I made it.” Lil Nas X completed an in-patient treatment program in late 2025 for undisclosed “issues.” “Ever since I got out of rehab, everybody’s, like, [so] nice to me. I could be like ‘Hey’ and everybody’s going to be like ‘Oh my God, you’re so brave,’” he said in a Tuesday, August 25, social media update. “I can try to post a thirst trap on my Instagram Story, and then it’s going to be somebody like, ‘Keep fighting King.’” Without disclosing details of his treatment, Lil Nas X returned to social media in June. “I’ve been in rehab for a few months and since then, I’ve been back at home whether it’s in Atlanta with my family or in Los Angeles with myself, friends and what not, and trying to ground myself down to earth and get out of my head,” he said in a June Instagram video. “I have a therapist now and a psychiatrist, which has been really helpful when I got my bipolar disorder diagnosis.” Lil Nas X continued, “I feel like I had known for like the past few years but I didn’t want to admit to it because I didn’t want to have to take medication and have people think different of me... Black, gay, bipolar. I’m living life on, like, extreme hard mode. But on a serious note, I’m doing much better. I’m doing better, I’m feeling better.” He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder last year. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Aug 29, 2026
Lil Nas X Faces Heartbreak Amid Sobriety Journey After Mother's Passing

Lil Nas X Faces Heartbreak Amid Sobriety Journey After Mother's Passing

Lil Nas X is mourning the death of his mother, Tameka Hill, amid his ongoing recovery and sobriety journey. “RIP TO THE BADDEST EVER! LOVE U FOREVER, MOMMY,” Lil Nas X, 27, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, August 29, alongside throwback photos of Hill. “This one’s gonna hurt.” Further details about Hill’s death were not publicly revealed at the time of publication. Us has reached out to a rep for the “Old Town Road” singer for comment. In addition to Lil Nas X, Hill is survived by her multiple other children. The late matriarch had a complicated relationship with the musician prior to her death. “I never really talk about my mom. She’s an addict, so we don’t have the closest relationship,” Lil Nas X (born Montero Lamar Hill) previously told Variety in 2020. “Even trying to get her better — things didn’t quite work out. But there’s still love.” Lil Nas X is on his own sobriety journey in the wake of public mental health issues, recently reaching a new recovery milestone. “So, tomorrow is my 10,000th day alive and … I made it!” he said in a Monday, August 24, video shared via his Instagram Stories. “A lot of y’all won’t make it but I made it.” Lil Nas X completed an in-patient treatment program in late 2025 for undisclosed “issues.” “Ever since I got out of rehab, everybody’s, like, [so] nice to me. I could be like ‘Hey’ and everybody’s going to be like ‘Oh my God, you’re so brave,’” he said in a Tuesday, August 25, social media update. “I can try to post a thirst trap on my Instagram Story, and then it’s going to be somebody like, ‘Keep fighting King.’” Without disclosing details of his treatment, Lil Nas X returned to social media in June. “I’ve been in rehab for a few months and since then, I’ve been back at home whether it’s in Atlanta with my family or in Los Angeles with myself, friends and what not, and trying to ground myself down to earth and get out of my head,” he said in a June Instagram video. “I have a therapist now and a psychiatrist, which has been really helpful when I got my bipolar disorder diagnosis.” Lil Nas X continued, “I feel like I had known for like the past few years but I didn’t want to admit to it because I didn’t want to have to take medication and have people think different of me... Black, gay, bipolar. I’m living life on, like, extreme hard mode. But on a serious note, I’m doing much better. I’m doing better, I’m feeling better.” He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder last year. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Aug 29, 2026