U.S. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., slammed President Donald Trump for calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty in Washington, D.C.

“Like Donald Trump himself, the death penalty is flawed and deeply racist. It is a fundamentally unjust punishment that has no place in any society,” said Pressley in a statement after Trump said on Tuesday that the death penalty is a “very strong preventative” against crime.

Pressley, who has sponsored federal legislation to prohibit the death penalty, noted that capital punishment has been “disproportionately weaponized against Black and brown communities,” adding “[it] failed to make America any safer—which is why we’ve worked persistently to abolish it and successfully partnered with President [Joe] Biden to re-sentence most of federal death row.”

An execution of a defendant has not happened in Washington, D.C., since 1957. The D.C. Council moved to abolish the death penalty in 1981.

Pressley recalled the ’80s, when Trump, then just a New York real estate mogul and tabloid figure, took out a nearly six-figure newspaper ad calling for the Central Park Five, then teenage Black and Latino boys, to be executed. In 2002, the five men were exonerated and are now known as the Exonerated Five.

“In 1989, Donald Trump paid for multiple ads calling for the execution of five innocent teenagers of color who were coerced and beaten to confess to a murder they did not commit,” said Pressley. “To this day, he has yet to change his views or apologize to these men—who have since been exonerated—and is now seeking to expand capital punishment in Washington, D.C. and across the country.”

The Massachusetts congresswoman excoriated President Trump’s first seven months since returning to the White House, describing his second term as a host of “broken promises.”

“Rather than militarize our cities, weaponize the federal government to terrorize communities, and continue distracting from his many broken promises, Donald Trump should instead prioritize what actually keeps people safe: community-based, trauma-informed solutions like affordable housing, mental health care, and gun violence prevention programs—the same initiatives he has attacked and defunded since taking office,” said Pressley. “That’s how we break cycles of violence and build safe, healthy, and thriving communities.”

Since 2019, during Trump’s first term in office, Congresswoman Pressley has introduced the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act alongside Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill. If passed into law, the bill would prohibit the use of the death penalty at the federal level and require re-sentencing of those currently on death row.

Pressley has also been a vocal criminal justice advocate in Congress since her election in 2018. During former President Joe Biden’s presidency, Pressley urged him to use his clemency powers to address racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

After Biden commuted the sentences of 37 mostly Black and brown individuals on death row and re-sentenced them to life in prison during his final days in office, Pressley applauded him.

“There is no action more powerful or righteous than sparing someone’s life,” said Pressley. “The President’s decision to commute the death sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row is a historic and groundbreaking act of compassion that will save lives, address the deep racial disparities in our criminal legal system, and send a powerful message about redemption, decency, and humanity.”

15

The girls are at each other’s throats! …Or at least that’s what the internet would have you believe. To the misfortune of the drama junkie hordes, Camilla Araujo is not providing you some Hunger Games epiphany by Sophie Rain. Instead, she’s delivering chill composure, a well-manicured hand, and a curt “next question.”

No, She Does Not Resentfully Hate Sophie Rain

“Everybody wants to stir the drama, and it’s particularly when women are prospering,” Camilla said, throwing cold water on the conspiracy that she and Sophie are secretly plotting against each other. “Sophie and me have had flare-ups, don’t get me wrong,” she stated. “We’re not adversaries. If anything, I admire her grind. Do we see eye to eye on absolutely everything? No. But the narrative that we personally despise one another is exaggerated.”

Translation? They’re not braiding each other’s hair come Friday night, but they’re not going to be tossing stilettos around a Beverly Hills restaurant either. Sophie can have her handbag, Camilla can have one of her own, and both of them can exist without the internet fabricating WWE style feuds. Daring me.

Goodbye Bop House, Hello Main Character Era

If you closed your eyes this summer, you may have missed Sophie Rain theatrically storming out of Bop House, the OnlyFans girlboss mansion that hit screens in December 2024 starring Aishah Sofey, Alina Rose, Ava Reyes, Julia Filippo, Summer Iris, and Joy Mei. Barely a week later, Camilla dived in. Coincidence? Fans screamed “plot twist.” Camilla says, “calm down.”

“We were in business together, but at some level, you realize that a chapter has come and gone,” she said. “This was not about giving up on any person personally, it was about moving toward something more aligned toward goals.” Period. You know when you just want to roller out a suitcase, out of the influencer sorority house, and just unleash that main character energy.

Camilla isn’t tumbling into subtweets and seemingly inscrutable IG stories, she’s lapping up magazine covers, campaigns, and what she’s dubbing her “new era.” The rest of us will just have to wait and stay pressed.

Keep Her Brother’s Name Out Your Mouth

Internet critics have attempted to fault Camilla for “using” her bro for OnlyFans publicity. To that, she essentially responded: mind your own business.

“I and my brother are close. We’ve gone through a lot and at the end of the day, family is family,” she said. “And as for the aegyoeros, I don’t think it’s fair.”

Just picture waking up and determining that that was the angle of attack? Camilla’s got six working brand deals and picking up campaigns one after another, and you’re whining about her sibling? Please.

Related

Red Lobster’s triumphant return to the cultural mainstream is owed squarely to Black America, whose love, nostalgia, and joy have reignited the brand’s popularity.

That’s according to CEO Damola Adamolekun, who recently told The New York Times that Black diners have played a pivotal role in the restaurant’s epic comeback. 

“Black Americans tell me it was a celebratory experience, and I think people were sad to lose that and want to get it back,” he told the publication.

For many, Red Lobster has always been more than a place for seafood. From being one of the first restaurants to welcome Black diners and workers with open arms in the late 1960s to becoming the venue for countless family dinners, graduation celebrations, and first dates, to even earning a mention in Beyoncé’s iconic song “Formation,” the chain has been deeply rooted in Black culture. Adamolekun is leaning into that legacy, restoring Red Lobster as a space for Black joy, connection, and celebration.

The 36-year-old Nigerian-American executive became Red Lobster’s youngest-ever CEO in August 2024, after successfully leading P.F. Chang’s out of the dark as its first Black chief. As he approaches his one-year anniversary leading Red Lobster, the results are already clear. Sales are up, the buzz is louder than ever, and the brand feels relevant again. Social media chatter has surged, influencers are raving, and pop culture is embracing the chain.

Earlier this month, after partnering with the BIG3 Basketball League, founded by Ice Cube, Red Lobster hosted a celebratory dinner with Adamolekun ahead of the league’s championship at a location in Orlando, Florida. Then Adamolekun joined top influencers for an event at the New York City’s Red Lobster location in Times Square, tapping tastemakers to help tell its comeback story. Days later, the brand hosted a surprise album release party for Ciara’s “CiCi” at the same location, Complex reported.  

The Grammy winner, joined by her husband Russell Wilson, turned the seafood staple into a hotspot complete with her own special off-menu item, CiCi’s Combo, featuring the Sailor’s Seafood Boil with Roasted Garlic and Cajun Butter.

 “Red Lobster has always been a go-to for me,” Ciara said, per Complex. “Russell and I even had one of our first dates there!”

Afterward, Ciara shared her gratitude with fans, writing, “The album release party at @redlobster was lit and the in-store signing was so beautiful. I am truly grateful!”

With nostalgia, cultural resonance, and community pride fueling the resurgence, Adamolekun is hoping this wave of momentum continues. 

His vision is clear: “I want Red Lobster to be a place where you celebrate big occasions and daily occasions.”

7

The Wayne Ayers Podcast has released a new episode that features A-listers Lili Reinhart and Joel Fry and there couldn’t be a more timely release: their new thriller American Sweatshop hit theatres today. Today, August 29th. Call off the weekend.

What Went Down During the Podcast?

Wayne Ayers has a way of summoning Tinseltown’s biggest names just before their most talked-about films drop, and this week was no exception. Reinhart and Fry drove by for a visit about their new movie, but what transpired was more than a promo tour roadstop, it was a glimpse into the mental turmoil at the center of American Sweatshop.

Talking on the pod, Reinhart admitted Daisy Morris, her content moderator character, is one of her most disturbing roles yet. And Joel Fry? He reiterated just how timely (and HORRIFYING) this film is in the age of bottomless scrolling. Get it in your queue. Now.

From Nightmarish Job to Obsession

We meet Daisy, a female working a nine-to-five watching the internet’s darkest corners. Don’t worry about memes and kitten videos, her day’s dose is hate rants, physical attacks, animal abuse, and child mistreatment. All for a buck and some change. No medical coverage. No sick leave. Trauma on the computer monitor. Period.

And then there’s the video that breaks her. A hammer-and-nail beating. Daisy faints. She reports it. The system shrugs. Now she’s not only deleting content, she’s out for it. From dark web to barroom fights, Daisy goes rogue and gets addicted to violence. And the most horrifying part? It makes her feel good.

Get To Know Minds Behind Madness

American Sweatshop is the feature directional debut of Emmy-nominated titan Uta Briesewitz, who applies a slick, gimlet eye to Matthew Nemeth’s script. Casting is highly impressive:

• Lili Reinhart (Riverdale) exchanging teen soap for genuine psycho-h.
• Joel Fry (Cruella, Game of Thrones) bringing understated grit.
• Daniela Melchior, Jeremy Ang Jones, Josh Whitehouse, Tim Plester, and Christiane Paul filling out.

Behind the scenes, some big names like Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana support the project, so this isn’t some indie shock humor, this is prestige nightmare fuel.

Why Everyone’s Talking

Because it’s not just a thriller. It’s a cultural punch in the face. American Sweatshop forces audiences to think about the unseen army of moderators scrubbing the internet clean while corporations rake in billions. These are the people keeping your feeds “safe,” and they’re breaking under the weight of humanity’s worst impulses.

The movie doesn’t just pose the “what if someone snapped?” question, it demonstrates what happens when they did. And it’s visceral.

The Big Dates Today, August 29, 2025: American Sweatshop opens in select theaters. September 19, 2025: The film shall be released on On Demand for the bold at heart that would rather have nightmares from their own home.

Related

Issa Rae has never been shy about telling the stories Hollywood once ignored — and now, she’s putting the entire history of Black television under the spotlight.

The Emmy-nominated creator is executive producing “Seen & Heard: The History Of Black Television,” a two-part HBO Original documentary that chronicles the evolution of Black visibility and storytelling on TV. Premiering Sept. 9 and 10, the project traces the ways Black creators have shaped the medium, and how they’ve had to fight to be recognized as more than stereotypes along the way.

In the newly released trailer, Rae sets the tone with a reminder that feels both obvious and overdue: “If you’re telling Black stories, then you need to have Black people create their own.”

That sentiment appears to pulse through every frame of the documentary. Heavy-hitters like Shonda Rhimes, Mara Brock Akil, Cord Jefferson, and Tracee Ellis Ross sit alongside cultural giants like Oprah Winfrey, who reflects on coming of age without seeing herself reflected on screen. “I grew up when there was nobody like me on TV,” she says, as vintage clips of her early career flash across the screen.

But the series doesn’t just spotlight struggle; it celebrates the joy, brilliance, and legacy that Black TV has built over generations. From trailblazers who cracked open Hollywood’s doors to shows like “Moesha” that made Blackness the blueprint, “Seen & Heard” captures the movement, not just the moment. “With Moesha, it was Black people everywhere: hair, makeup, wardrobe. It was Black joy,” one voice reflects.

And that joy is a throughline. Whether it’s the global success of Rhimes’ TV empire, the cultural dominance of “Abbott Elementary,” or the unapologetic creativity of Rae herself in “Insecure,” the documentary cements something we’ve always known: Black storytelling transcends entertainment. 

Directed by Giselle Bailey, who worked on “The Legend of the Underground,” and Phil Bertelsen, who worked on “Who Killed Malcolm X?”, the two-part series pulls back the curtain on how Black TV has challenged norms, created space where there was none, and redefined representation.

Watch “Seen & Heard: The History Of Black Television” on September 9 and 10 on HBO.

33

By the end of a conversation with Camilla Araujo, you’re either in tears laughing, reassessing your love life, or messaging your crush something intensely reckless. She’s that kind of destructive inspiration. With her uncompromising honesty and her keen sense of humor, Camilla doesn’t just speak it, she’s already in your DM’s pushing you to keep up.

While chatting with me, Camilla shared one of my favorite celebrity crush admissions in a while, and it perfectly captures why everyone is obsessed with her.

The Crush Heard Round the Timeline

When we asked her for any celebrity crushes, Camilla didn’t blink. “I’ll admit it, Kehlani is definitely a crush of mine,” she smiled at us in a don’t-judge-me-but-judge-me kinda manner.

But the humor is not simply that Camilla is in love with one of the coolest, naturally sexiest musicians on planet earth. It is that she went full-in. “I even once slipped into her DMs and just literally typed, ‘Let’s kiss,’”” she revealed, bursting into laughter.

Stop. No emoji. No sycophantic setup. No “big head” salutation. Just Let’s kiss. That’s it. Get up to it like a 2 a.m. tequila shot.

“I’m playful with it,” she shrugged. “I’m not the kind to sit around wondering what if. If I’m interested in somebody, I’m gonna make my move. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn’t, but at least I can say I made an effort.”

Related

After being announced by President Donald Trump as a recipient of this year’s Kennedy Center Honor, Federal Election Commission records show disco legend Gloria Gaynor donated to several MAGA and conservative political campaigns.

The 81-year-old star, whose 1978 hit song “I Will Survive” has been an undisputable LGBTQ+ anthem for decades, was named among five honorees who will receive the prestigious Kennedy Center honor. The honor has been awarded to entertainers of American culture since 1978.

“My hope is that in accepting this honor, I can continue with the inspirational phenomenon that began with ‘I Will Survive,’” said Gaynor, who is a two-time Grammy Award winner from Newark, New Jersey. The Dance Music Hall of Famer added, “Sharing my music and art on a global level to provide encouragement, hope, empowerment, inspiration, understanding, and unity is the core of my purpose.”

According to a report by MeidasTouch, Gaynor, real name Gloria Fowles, has donated nearly $22,000 to right-wing candidates and conservative organizations between 2023 and 2024.

Gaynor’s donations to Republican campaigns include the National Republican Senatorial Committee ($1,190.53), House Speaker Mike Johnson ($2,160.57), former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy ($356.15), U.S. Senator Josh Hawley ($1,242.28), U.S. Senator Ted Cruz ($476.18), and Trump’s now-Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio ($114.10).

MeidasTouch’s investigation of Gaynor’s campaign donations showed she wasn’t very political until 2016, when she donated $235.00 in support of Ben Carson, who ran for president and later became Trump’s secretary of Housing and Urban Development during his first term. The singer did not donate politically again until 2023.

Gaynor also donated to New Journey PAC, a group that targets Black voters in support of MAGA candidates, including Trump and U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds, who is now running for Florida governor.

MeidasTouch noted that while Gaynor exclusively donated to Republicans, records show she has not directly donated to Trump’s campaigns. However, she did contribute to the campaigns of some of Trump’s opponents in the 2024 election: Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy.

While delivering a speech at the Library of Congress in 2017, Gaynor told an audience, “I’m really not a political person.” However, she added, “It’s a safe bet that a lot needs to change.”