Pop Culture

Echoing that sentiment was German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who said he was “greatly relieved,” adding, “Despite all the joy we feel today, we must not forget that even the most powerful democracy in the world has been seduced by populism. We must work resolutely to counter polarization, protect and strengthen the public square in our

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a full pardon to rapper Lil Wayne and a commutation to rapper Kodak Black, the White House announced as part of a slew of pardons early Wednesday morning. Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., pleaded guilty last month to a federal charge that he possessed

Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrived at Joe Biden’s inauguration this morning, following the tradition of past American presidents and their spouses attending all inaugural ceremonies. Michelle wore a raspberry belted outfit and coat by Sergio Hudson for the event. MELINA MARAGetty Images Rob CarrGetty Images Today is deeply personal for

With a dramatically reduced crowd, beefed-up security, and a pandemic-era sense of solemnity, the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris was far from traditional. But as one of the largest-scale events to happen in Washington, D.C., since the pandemic began, it was also a prime opportunity for displays of fashion diplomacy,

Lawyers for Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, asked a British judge on Tuesday to settle her lawsuit against a newspaper before it goes to trial by ruling that its publication of a “deeply personal” letter to her estranged father was “a plain and a serious breach of her rights of privacy.” The duchess, 39,

Donald Trump has been attacking the New York Times’ “1619 Project” since it was first launched. The Pulitzer-winning series seeks to reframe the history of America around the date the first slave ships arrived in the country and for whatever reason, Trump seems to see that idea as a personal assault. Last year, he announced

For the past few years, Kim’s Convenience has provided numerous fans with fun and heartwarming moments. In the last year, viewers have also looked to the Kim family for a sense of comfort and laughter during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The time that we’re in, everybody’s stressed, everybody’s anxious about COVID, racial tensions rising,” said Jean

As Donald Trump prepares for his post-presidency in de facto exile at Mar-a-Lago, America’s soon-to-be ex-president is confronting a series of existential crises no predecessor has faced. The most immediate threat, of course, is the upcoming Senate impeachment trial, the outcome of which could bar him from ever serving office again. At the same time,

The moment I met Kamala, I knew I was in love. Not just because of who she is—the warm, funny, and compassionate woman who grounds our family—but also because of the deep resolve with which she fights for the causes she believes in. As we built our lives together, we began joining our families and

Under a Jan. 15 U.S. federal court order, all big cat cubs under one year of age and their mothers at Tiger King and Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park must be relinquished to the government. Jeff and Lauren Lowe, the couple who own the now-closed exotic animal park seen in the Netflix docuseries Tiger King

On Monday night Tony-winning actor Laura Benanti paid Stephen Colbert’s Late Show one last visit [in character as Melania Trump](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/07/laura-benanti-melania-trump-impression-late-show-stephen-colbert), bidding a musical farewell to the soon-to-be former FLOTUS. In a truly impressive pretaped song and dance number, Benanti’s Trump wonders what her life will look like after the White House. She realizes she should

U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to grant clemency to rapper Lil Wayne on Tuesday in a final wave of pardons and commutations that is not expected to include lawyer Rudy Giuliani or ex-aide Steve Bannon, sources told Reuters on Monday. The New York Times also reported the news. Trump is expected to issue more

I made a delightful discovery this week: There might be no better way to close the door on 2020 than by stuffing your face with Christmas cookies and bingeing eight straight episodes of a period drama by Shonda Rhimes. The steamy, lavish Regency-set Bridgerton—Rhimes’s first new scripted series as part of her massive deal with

President Donald Trump reportedly plans to grant roughly 100 pardons and commutations on Tuesday, his last full day in office, a last-minute exercise of presidential power that is expected to benefit a range of recipients, from controversial political allies to big-name rappers, according to CNN. The steady stream of pardons and commutations Trump had been

The Lincoln Memorial is iconic in the history of the Civil Rights movement. It was on the steps of the memorial to the President who signed the emancipation proclamation that Martin Luther King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech (which this country continues to view through a sanitized lens) during the March on Washington

In the wake of last week’s riot at the Capitol building, the feds are presumably working day and night to track down everyone involved. For many of the rioters, this has apparently not been challenging. Some of the more prominent characters, like Jake Angeli, the “QAnon Shaman” who is currently receiving organic food for his

Martin Luther King Jr. probably had too much faith in the decency of America. In director Sam Pollard’s new documentary MLK/FBI, close friends and family of the murdered civil rights leader say he dismissed concerns that government authorities, under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover, were tracking his every move. The truth arrived in the

The English language has been evolving for centuries. Each year, new words are added while obsolete words fall from common use. For example, the Oxford English Dictionary, the ultimate arbiter in words with its 20 printed volumes and 21,739 pages, declared at the end of 2020 that adulting — “to become, be, or behave as

In the wake of the deadly storming of the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump insurrectionists, heightened security concerns surrounding Joe Biden’s inauguration have visibly transformed Washington, D.C. into something like a war zone. Ahead of the president-elect’s swearing-in ceremony, an event already dramatically reshaped by the pandemic, officials have established a “green zone” in downtown Washington

Pool/Max MumbyGetty Images Queen Elizabeth has eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren (nearly nine, with the upcoming birth of Princess Eugenie’s baby). It’s hard to keep track of the royal family tree when it comes to children and grandchildren. Don’t forget, those Windsors are a big bunch; it’s easy to lose count of just how many

Phil Spector, the eccentric and revolutionary music producer who transformed rock music with his “Wall of Sound” method and who later was convicted of murder, has died. He was 81. California state prison officials said he died Saturday of natural causes at a hospital. Spector was convicted of murdering actress Lana Clarkson in 2003 at

[embedded content] If you haven’t been watching The Amber Ruffin Show on NBC’s streaming app Peacock, you’re missing out. Comedic powerhouse Amber Ruffin, who has been entertaining us for years on Late Night with Seth Meyers, launched her solo show last year to critical acclaim, and it’s easy to see why. Ruffin’s natural charisma and

Last year’s film calendar saw more shuffles than a riverboat casino, and the sad fact is most moves merely kicked release dates further down the line, hoping things will eventually get better. Finally, some good news. Since Warner Bros. has already made the unusual decision to release its 2021 calendar direct to HBO Max concurrent

Of course, Vonnegut. There’s one part of it that’s great, when the American gets captured by the British soldiers, and the British soldiers are trained to, when they wake up in the morning, make their bed, do 20 minutes of exercise, 20 minutes of reading, polish their boots, shave. And although I don’t agree with

The Dr. is out … of the hospital. Dr. Dre, the 55-year-old rapper, producer, and entrepreneur, is back home recovering after suffering a brain aneurysm, according to reports. He was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on January 5th. Though now home, he currently remains under round-the-clock care of physicians. TMZ says their

Neil Young performs in Amsterdam on July 10, 2019. Paul Bergen/Redferns Canadian rock legend Neil Young has written an emotional, pleading essay about last week’s Capitol riot, blaming social media and President Donald Trump for the discord in the United States. “Sadness and compassion hit me last night as I watched fellow Americans telling their

They reigned supreme on Zoom for most of last year, and now it’s back to video conference calls for William and Kate as they return to work during the UK’s third national lockdown. While January is traditionally a quiet time for the royals, with the Queen taking an extended break until early February, the rest

By the end of 2020, the Marvel Cinematic Universe had started to feel a bit…stale. Part of what makes the superhero genre so universally captivating is its ability to go places that seem too far for other mediums. But by the end of Avengers: Endgame, the MCU was closing the door on a chapter that,

Actor Bruce Willis has acknowledged his behaviour — but did not apologize — after he was spotted in a Los Angeles Rite Aid on Tuesday without a mask. Sensitivities in the city are heightened as it’s seeing one of the worst COVID-19 infection rates in the United States. According to multiple sources, Los Angeles sees