pop culture
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Source: picture alliance / Getty / Elmo
Elmo might be a puppet, but like everyone else, he feels the sting of Donald Trump’s unstable economy and is now searching for new employment.
The internet has been in stitches since a debunked viral post featuring the lovable puppet monster from Sesame Street popped up on LinkedIn. The post features Elmo updating his profile after the Trump administration’s stupid budget cuts.
“Hi LinkedIn, Unfortunately Elmo was recently laid off because of the federal budget cuts,” the post begins. “Elmo worked at Sesame Street for 45 years. Elmo is sad. Elmo loved his time at Sesame Street.”
Like a normal profile on the job-search site, the puppet provided his credentials while sending a heartfelt farewell to friends and other longtime residents of Sesame Street, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster.
“Elmo is looking for his next opportunity,” the post continued. “Elmo is good at so many things. Like hugs. Elmo LOVES giving hugs. Elmo can also recognize the letter E, spell his name, feel empathy, sing ‘Elmo’s Song’ and ask how you are doing. Elmo is open to full-time or freelance roles.”
Elmo’s Post Reflects What’s Going On In The US Right Now
While the unemployment rate in the United States remains steady, currently sitting at 4.2%, it’s not looking good for those who reside on Sesame Street.
Thanks to an executive order issued on May 1 by the Trump administration calling for the cutting of federal funding to PBS and NPR in an effort to save money.
If you’re wondering exactly how much money in the federal budget goes to both entities, Katherine Maher, NPR President and CEO, said, “The appropriation for public broadcasting, including NPR and PBS, represents less than 0.0001% of the federal budget.”
The LinkedIn post has also garnered reactions, which you can see in the gallery below.
3. Blame Donald Trump and Elon Musk
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Dia Dipasupil / Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Thee Stallion wanted to ensure the hotties got a sneak peek of what happens inside the Met Gala, but did she risk being banned to deliver some great content?
Outside the red carpet where the celebs and other guests show off their Met Gala fits, no one knows what happens inside the museum, where all the action and hobnobbing takes place, thanks to Anna Wintour’s strict “no-cellphone” policy.
Megan Thee Stallion didn’t seem to care about the rule, admitting that every chance she got in her Instagram posts, she snuck her phone in and posted and deleted several videos.
In the one video still up on her account, Thee Stallion, Angel Reese, and Doechii rating the Met Gala’s fine cuisine, which, unlike previous years with past attendees, was delicious based on their reactions.
The “Whenever” crafter also took unauthorized videos with Serena Williams, Cynthia Erivo, Rihanna, and Lupita Nyong’o.
In another clip, Megan Thee Stallion hypes up Ciara, who looked stunning in a LaQuan Smith gown. She tells the “Goodies” singer to show off her dress in the video while zooming in to give fans a good look at the piece’s details.
Megan Thee Stallion Wasn’t The Only One To Break The Rule
Megan Thee Stallion wasn’t the only person to seemingly break Wintour’s strict policy. Questlove also broke the rule while filming the annual bathroom selfie moment, captioning the video “Black sh*t.”
Other notable rule breakers include Halle Bailey, Sydney Sweeney, and Angela Bassett.
Now, what will be the consequences for breaking the rule? According to the rules, you risk being banned from the next Met Gala, but chances are high that everyone will just get off with a warning.
But who could blame all these folks for being hyped to be at the BLACKEST MET GALA we have ever witnessed?
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Source: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty / Future
The king of toxicity, Future, popped up in NYC for the Met Gala looking quite different, and the internet wasted no time clowning the hitmaker.
Future hasn’t been on the radar for much of 2025, but he is used this year’s Met Gala to make a bold statement with his hair.
Fans were shocked to see the “March Madness” rapper without the locs we have come to know him for. He wore a shorter hairdo that showed off his natural hairstyle while keeping his signature bleach blonde coloring.
Trying his best to stick with this year’s theme, Met Gala is Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, Future came correct with a Louis Vuitton tweed-like ensemble, paired with a white collared shirt, black tie, and shoes with an LV bag.
Unfortunately, it was hair that took all the attention, and not his drip.
Immediately, users on X, formerly Twitter, hilariously began comparing the rapper’s hair to that of comedian/actor Wanada Sykes, also known for a similar hairstyle.
Another user on X had something to say about Future’s ends, writing in a post, “Future’s ends are damaged just like mine. That’s why I don’t idolize celebrities.”
Tears.
“future needs some faux locs IMMEDIATELY. STAT,” another post on X read.
Someone compared his hair to Scottie Pippen’s fro-twist look in another post.
Damn.
Well, we are sure Future couldn’t care less what folks had to say about his hair, and can probably drop a bag to fix it up. But he’s still gonna get these jokes.
You can see more reactions to Future’s new hairdo in the gallery below.
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Arturo Holmes / Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Thee Stallion is taking her love for Popeyes to another level, and we’re not just talking about Hottie Sauce.
The Houston Hot Girl is opening her own Popeyes and is promising her fans it will be “THEE LITTEST Popeyes ever.”
Thee Stallion announced the news via an Instagram post featuring herself looking good, but still rocking a hard hat with a “Hottie” sticker, because the Queen Hottie respects OSHA regulations. She is touring the location, which is still under construction, and will open this summer.
According to TMZ Hip Hop, the location is set to open in Miami.
“Ok, so today we are visiting my Popeyes before it opens,” the “Whenever” crafter said before giving fans a peek at the wall structures.
“It’s just bones, but in a few months, it will be chickens,” she continued before the video cuts to a bottle of her popular Hottie Sauce, which is comprised of honey, cider vinegar, and Aleppo pepper.
Ensuring that her location lives up to what she is hyping, the foreman told the Hip-Hop star that the building will have “speakers all over the place.”
She even made sure to ask about space for a dance floor, because, of course, you need to twerk while waiting for your chicken and biscuits.
Popeyes first announced that it approved Megan Thee Stallion to become a franchise owner in 2021, when they collaborated on the Hottie Sauce and limited merchandise.
At the time, Megan said, “I’m appreciative of Popeyes’ commitment to empowering Black women and look forward to opening Popeyes Restaurants.”
Well, it looks like we got one down, and many more to go. Congrats Meg.
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Source: Alex Slitz / Getty / Beyoncé / Blue Ivy
The Cowboy Carter Tour has officially kicked off, and Beyoncé’s daughters did something no one else on this planet can do: steal the show from their mother.
Rumi made her tour debut during night one of the Cowboy Carter tour, on Monday night (April 28) in Los Angeles, joining her older sister, Blue Ivy Carter, and her mom.
Since their birth, Rumi, along with her twin brother, Sir, have been understandably heavily guarded by their two ridiculously famous parents, only making rare appearances. But like her older sibling, Rumi has been featured on a Beyoncé record, lending her voice on the track “Protector” off Yoncé’s latest project, Act II: Cowboy Carter.
It was a pleasant surprise when Rumi took the stage while her mom performed the song. Wearing a sparkly gold feather dress and matching cowboy boots, Rumi had a large grin on her face as she waved to the crowd, giving her mom several hugs that melted the global superstar’s heart.
Of course, like her mom, Rumi knows how to command a stage, striking a pose with her arms crossed over her chest as her big sister, flanked by Beyoncé’s dancers, performs a dance routine.
In another moment that definitely earned a collective “awwwwww” from those in attendance and on social media, Rumi joined her mom and 13-year-old sister for a warm embrace.
Blue Ivy Also Has The Internet Buzzing
Not to be outdone, Blue Ivy has also been receiving plenty of praise, especially since she continues to dance and her skills have improved immensely since joining her mother on tour during performances.
She even has a solo during her mom’s performance of “Déjà Vu.”
We love to see it, and so does social media, which has been buzzing since Monday when the clips of Rumi and Blue Ivy hit timelines.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Source: Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty / Terrence Howard
Terrence Howard isn’t open to playing gay roles in films.
Howard is an accomplished actor, but he will never live down fumbling the Marvel Studios bag, and he might have fumbled another one due to what many people on social media are describing as homophobia.
Terrence Howard revealed he almost took a role in the forthcoming biopic about the late legendary singer Marvin Gaye while speaking with Bill Maher on the comedian and Real Time host’s podcast, Club Random.
Howard told Maher that he believes he made the “biggest mistake” of his career, aside from fumbling the role of James Rhodes to Don Cheadle in the MCU, was passing up the starring role in the Smokey Robinson biopic.
But instead of taking on the role, he decided to entertain his longtime Empire collaborator Lee Daniels, revealing that he had a conversation with Daniels about playing Marvin Gaye in a different biopic.
Maher responded, saying that he believed that Howard made the right decision because Gaye’s life story was “much more interesting,” adding that he “would’ve been perfect as Marvin Gaye, and that is a story that needs to be told.”
Terrence Howard Passed On Marvin Gaye Role After Hearing Story About His Alleged Sexuality
Howard decided to go full Lucious Lyon and pass on the role because of a story he heard from the late Quincy Jones regarding Gaye’s alleged sexuality, and that he couldn’t kiss a man, saying he would cut his lips off.
Per Variety:
“I was over at Quincy Jones’ house and I’m asking Quincy, ‘I’m hearing rumors that Marvin was gay’ and I’m like, ‘Was he gay?’” Howard explained. “And Quincy’s like, ‘Yes.’”
After that revelation, Howard decided he “could not” star in the movie.
“They would’ve wanted to do that, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that,” he said of portraying a gay man in a movie.
Maher went on to ask, “You mean you couldn’t kiss a guy on screen in a movie?” Howard responded, “No. Because I don’t fake it.”
“That would fuck me,” Howard added. “I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off.”
Maher responded by saying he wouldn’t go that far, but understands why Howard felt the way he did about the role. Howard further explained, “It does not make me homophobic to not want to kiss a man.”
The actor says it was more of a matter of him committing to the role.
“I can’t play that character 100 percent,” Howard told Maher. “I can’t surrender myself to a place that I don’t understand.”
Social Media Isn’t Buying What Howard Is Selling
Maher might understand where Howard is coming from, but social media, on the other hand, is not feeling what the Best Man star said about passing the role.
“Learning that Terrance Howard is a woman abuser, is homophobic & supports trump all in the same sitting… oh my…. Hustle & flow was NO ACT!,” one user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote.
Another user added, “Terrence Howard is a man with a criminal record and history of beating women. You lost your “man card” a long time ago.”
Well damn.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
Comedians Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, co-hosts of the popular Las Culturistas podcast, will host the Las Culturistas Culture Awards, airing Tuesday, Aug. 5 from 9 -11 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo and next day on Peacock. The show will be taped on July 17 in Los Angeles. This show is in its fourth year, but this marks the first time it will be televised.
According to a press statement, “The Las Culturistas Culture Awards celebrates culture’s most iconic and consequential moments of the year. With more than 100 unique award categories, live musical performances and unexpected celebrity guests, this show brings culture’s most crucial moments to life.”
“The word ‘culture’ is defined as ‘the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively,’” Rogers and Yang said in a joint statement. “We are so thrilled to eliminate that whole ‘intellectual’ part entirely with the LCCA’s airing on Bravo and Peacock this August, alongside our partners at Lionsgate. Because while what the world needs now might be love sweet love, it also needs to see an Oscar winning actress and a Real Housewife come together to present a very heavy award to Oprah, if we can book her. Oprah, u up?!”
Trending on Billboard
“We are so happy to bring the vibrant and whimsical Las Culturistas Culture Awards to our Bravo and Peacock audiences,” said Jen Neal, executive vice president, live events and specials, NBCUniversal Entertainment. “Matt and Bowen’s undeniable chemistry, playful humor and love of pop culture’s big and small moments have shaped this spirited award show, redefining what it means to celebrate culture.”
A full list of categories will be announced at a later date.
The Las Culturistas Culture Awards is produced and distributed internationally by Lionsgate Alternative Television. Rogers and Yang serve as executive producers, alongside Lauren LeMieux, Jonah McMichael, 3 Arts’ Olivia Gerke and showrunner Jane Mun.
Rogers, 35, and Yang, 34, have co-hosted the Las Culturistas pop culture podcast since 2016. It won podcast of the year at the 2025 iHeartPodcast Awards in March, which took place at SXSW.
Yang has received four Primetime Emmy nominations for his work on Saturday Night Live – three for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series and one for outstanding writing for a variety series.
Here’s link to Bravo’s social post featuring a clip from Las Culturistas.
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Source: Wirestock / Getty / Gorilla
Who would win between 100 men and one gorilla? Only on social media could this spark a national discussion.
Over the weekend, one user on X, formerly Twitter, who goes by the handle @DreamChasnMike, asked his followers, “i think 100 n***** could beat 1 gorilla everybody just gotta be dedicated to the s***.”
Like with any ridiculous question on the app that is allegedly no longer owned by Elon Musk, a serious debate on the topic broke out, sparking some hilarious reactions, of course, memes.
Some users dropped jokes about what they would do if they found themselves to be one of the 100 men involved in the hypothetical situation with the great ape.
One user joked on X, “me and the homies going to fight the gorilla but wearing suits to make the funerals easier.”
Another post read, “The 100 niggas vs 1 gorilla conversation has me weak cause once he snap the first nigga in half who tf gone wanna go next????”
The debate even found its way onto Shannon Sharpe and Ocho Cinco’s podcast, Nightcap.
Most Folks On X Think 100 Men Stand No Chance Against The Gorilla
The general consensus on social media is that the gorilla would easily beat 100 men.
So, could 100 men beat a gorilla? Well, Newsweek took things a step further and asked ChatGPT what would happen if this situation occurred, with the AI chatbot concluding that victory is possible for the men, but with certain conditions.
Per Newsweek:
Yes, 100 unarmed men could defeat a single adult male gorilla, but:
It would come at extreme cost (likely dozens of deaths or catastrophic injuries).
It would require incredible coordination, courage, and strategic sacrifice.
Without careful planning, the gorilla could very well win or cause immense devastation before being overcome.
“Victory is possible only through overwhelming numbers, sheer courage, and sacrifice.”
Well, we highly suggest you don’t mess with a gorilla because they are an endangered species, and they are strong as hell, just saying.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
9. Brilliant
10. RIP To Sean Price
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Theo Wargo / Billy McFarland
Billy McFarland, for whatever reason, thought he could revive Fyre Fest, but now claims he is canceling the struggling music festival before attempting to make it happen.
Shortly after announcing that he is transforming Fyre Fest into a music streaming video-on-demand service, McFarland is now saying that he is officially canceling the festival.
The news comes after word of the Fyre Fest 2 postponement, with no new date of the festival’s return in sight. McFarland also announced that he is planning to sell the brand that is now synonymous with Ja Rule and struggle after poor festivalgoers found themselves stranded on the Bahamian island of Great Exuma.
McFarland announced the news via a statement he shared on Instagram:
“A new chapter begins. After two years of rebuilding FYRE with honesty, creativity, and relentless effort, it’s time to pass the torch. We’re officially putting the FYRE brand up for sale. To the right buyer: the platform is yours. Execute the vision. Make history.” On why he is selling the brand, McFarland shares that he the festival is becoming “bigger than any one person and bigger than what I’m able to lead on my own.” He added in the statement, “When my team and I launched FYRE Festival 2, it was about two things: finishing what I started and making things right. Over the past two years, we’ve poured everything into bringing Fyre back with honesty, transparency, relentless effort, and creativity. We’ve taken the long road to rebuilding trust. We rebuilt momentum. And we proved one thing without a doubt: FYRE is one of the most powerful attention engines in the world.”
Welp.
Billy McFarland Came Up With The Idea of Fyre Fest 2 While In Prison
McFarland claimed he got the idea to try again with Fyre Fest during a stint in solitary confinement while he was in prison serving out his term after being found guilty of financial crimes related to the festival.
It’s clear he didn’t learn his lesson if he was planning to do it all over again. Our question is who would be dumb enough to bankroll this idea, or even consider purchasing tickets after the last fiasco.
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Theo Wargo / Billy McFarland
Billy McFarland, for whatever reason, thought he could revive Fyre Fest, but now claims he is canceling the struggling music festival before attempting to make it happen.
Shortly after announcing that he is transforming Fyre Fest into a music streaming video-on-demand service, McFarland is now saying that he is officially canceling the festival.
The news comes after word of the Fyre Fest 2 postponement, with no new date of the festival’s return in sight. McFarland also announced that he is planning to sell the brand that is now synonymous with Ja Rule and struggle after poor festivalgoers found themselves stranded on the Bahamian island of Great Exuma.
McFarland announced the news via a statement he shared on Instagram:
“A new chapter begins. After two years of rebuilding FYRE with honesty, creativity, and relentless effort, it’s time to pass the torch. We’re officially putting the FYRE brand up for sale. To the right buyer: the platform is yours. Execute the vision. Make history.” On why he is selling the brand, McFarland shares that he the festival is becoming “bigger than any one person and bigger than what I’m able to lead on my own.” He added in the statement, “When my team and I launched FYRE Festival 2, it was about two things: finishing what I started and making things right. Over the past two years, we’ve poured everything into bringing Fyre back with honesty, transparency, relentless effort, and creativity. We’ve taken the long road to rebuilding trust. We rebuilt momentum. And we proved one thing without a doubt: FYRE is one of the most powerful attention engines in the world.”
Welp.
Billy McFarland Came Up With The Idea of Fyre Fest 2 While In Prison
McFarland claimed he got the idea to try again with Fyre Fest during a stint in solitary confinement while he was in prison serving out his term after being found guilty of financial crimes related to the festival.
It’s clear he didn’t learn his lesson if he was planning to do it all over again. Our question is who would be dumb enough to bankroll this idea, or even consider purchasing tickets after the last fiasco.