Kanye West has stirred up controversy on multiple occasions, most recently due to his social media tirades. In recent years, the 48-year-old rapper has particularly come under fire for making antisemitic comments. Those views have also seeped into his work, as West notably released a single called “Heil Hitler.” Since it was dropped, the song has garnered backlash and, now, a country’s government is taking action. West has been banned from traveling to Australia, and a blistering statement has been released about the decision.
Over the past few years, Ye has visited the Land Down Under on a number of occasions, due to the fact that it’s the birthplace of his wife, Bianca Censori. Members of the 30-year-old Yeezy architectural designer’s family actually still live in Melbourne, hence the couple’s visits. It was announced this week that the Grammy winner’s visa had been revoked due to “Heil Hitler.” Tony Burke, the Home Affairs Minister, spoke to Australian Broadcasting Corp (via the Associated Press), citing prejudice as the reason for this move:
He’s been coming to Australia for a long time. He’s got family here. And he’s made a lot of offensive comments that my officials looked at again once he released the ’Heil Hitler’ song and he no longer has a valid visa in Australia. We have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry.
Ye might be banned from visiting the country. As of this writing, the “Jesus Walks” performer’s representatives have not commented on the matter.
The Guardian, a petition was even put together in order to bar the rapper from performing. The decision to have West join the event was collectively referred to as “an insult to historic memory, a glorification of wartime violence and debasement of all victims of the Nazi regime.”
Ye first came under fire for making antisemitic remarks in the fall of 2022 during a since-removed episode of the Drink Champs podcast. He later proceeded to share inflammatory posts, including one captured by NPR, in which he claimed he’d go “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE.” Eventually, Ye lost a number of business partnerships, with Adidas most notably cutting ties with him. At the time, the hip hop mogul admitted to having been “beat to a pulp.”
Kanye West later attributed his anti-Jewish remarks to “demons” and, in 2023, he claimed that Jonah Hill’s 21 Jump Street changed his mind on people of the Jewish faith. That sentiment garnered a response from an antisemitism watch dog group. However, this past May, West took to social media to say that he was truly “done with antisemitism.”
Nevertheless, Ye’s “Heil Hitler” has still been released to the public, and there doesn’t seem to be any backtrack on that. Time will tell how Ye might respond to the news that he’s no longer allowed in Australia due to his controversial tune.
Just when you thought even the best streaming services couldn’t find a new way to surprise us, Netflix goes and finds a way to do just that. Between its heartbreaking documentaries, must-watch thrillers, and the occasional reality competition fever dream, there is tons of great stuff to stream on the 2025 Netflix schedule. Still, the streaming giant will soon be heading for the stars. Starting this summer, Netflix will partner with NASA for a fun new programming perk, and I’m in. Cue the 2001: A Space Odyssey theme music.
According to a release from NASA.gov, the agency announced Monday that its ad-free streaming platform, NASA+, will soon be available to Netflix’s global audience of 700 million subscribers. That means we’ll get to stream rocket launches, astronaut spacewalks, mission coverage, and jaw-dropping real-time views from the International Space Station—all without leaving our couch. The science nerd in me is jumping up and down for joy.
Interstellar to Gravity to The Martian, the best space movies have been milking the final frontier for decades. But this new move is different. It’s not science fiction movies, it’s science happening in real time. And for space nerds, curious kids, or just anyone who loves watching humans defy death and launch themselves into the void at 17,000 miles per hour, this is basically the ultimate binge-worthy upgrade.
(Image credit: MGM)
And the best part is, NASA+ won’t cost you extra. Seriously, how can you beat free fifty? No need to fork out cash for another plan or sit through ads for toothpaste. It’ll be rolled into your existing Netflix subscription. So, all that awesome NASA content will join Netflix’s vast library, allowing science fans to dive into live and on-demand coverage just like they would with the latest episode of Bridgerton or a gripping true crime documentary. Now, it’s all about high-stakes, real-life exploration with Earth as the backdrop!
This is more than just good PR for both brands—it’s a savvy evolution of how we connect with space. NASA has been trying to reframe its image for the TikTok generation, and partnering with a platform that thrives on buzz and global reach makes perfect sense. Whether you’re a space buff, a homeschool parent looking for cool STEM content, or just someone who needs something to put on while folding laundry that won’t make you feel like your brain is melting, this is a win.
The agency hasn’t dropped the full programming schedule yet, but we’re promised that details are coming soon. If past livestreams of rocket launches and ISS flyovers are any indication, we’re in for some epic stuff. So yeah, “Netflix and chill” just became “Netflix and thrust.” Too much? Okay. Well, either way, count me in!
If you’re going to jump into something dangerous and unfamiliar expert advice is a must. Director Joseph Kosinski’s 2025 movie release did just that, as it allowed F1 star Brad Pitt to actually drive some of those marvelous machines. One of those beauties belonged to racing superstar Lando Norris, and the McLaren-Mercedes team star didn’t mince words when it came to telling his Hollywood equivalent how to handle himself within his performance vehicle.
Speaking with BBC Radio 1’s Greg James, the actor was asked to clear up a rumor that he had gotten behind the wheel of Norris’ #23 McClaren. Confirming that F1 did indeed give him that experience, Pitt was also happy to share Lando Norris’s brief words of encouragement:
‘Don’t cock it up.’
Warner Bros.’s first place box office finish, this sport that’s not for the faint of heart did manage to find quite the worldwide audience. That’s even despite F1’s critical responses seeming to highlight some very Hollywood trappings being present in this larger than life blockbuster.
Brad Pitt admitting he was running just shy of 200 mph in this McClaren dream machine, any slight mishap could have been lethal. That’s a worry that obviously supersedes the concerns about Brad Pitt’s F1 driving skills, while at the same time going hand in hand with such discussions.
(Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures / Apple Original Films)
No matter what anyone thinks about your summer tentpole, danger of that level isn’t worth doing without careful thought an planning. That’s where having a hands-on producer like F1 icon Lewis Hamilton at your disposal truly helps drive such a picture’s authenticity.
Not only does that attention to detail make observing the finished product more impressive, it also hits harder after reading Pitt’s further reaction to the moment:
I did not sleep for 36 hours afterwards, I was on such a high. … He didn’t have a lot of faith in me. Fair enough, like, the time I put up didn’t even come close to his.
While it’s not an experience of direct equivalency, Brad Pitt’s go-kart races with Tom Cruise seem to have paid off after all. At least, that’s until when or if Lando Norris weighs in on whether this star passed the test of not cocking it up. Maybe if that dream F1/Days of Thunder sequel crossover ever comes to pass, Mr. Pitt’s skills will be in a good enough place to get to 200 mph, and with a better track time.
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That only happens if his Damson Idris co-starring racing drama earns its stripes on the field we call the box office standings. Anyone who’s looking to support F1 in theaters, or just wants to relive those intense moments of speed once again, can do so at their nearest multiplex. Helmets are optional, even though one would really cool with the right moviegoing outfit.
Well, it’s really real now, Rob McElhenney is now going by Rob Mac, and he’s officially spoken up about the matter. After it was revealed that he was legally changing his name, the actor took to his social media to explain why he’s decided to go through with it. While he admitted that it is “kind of douchey,” he also shared some solid reasons behind the choice.
After news broke that the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star was looking to legally change his name, he took to Instagram to explain himself. Noting that he’s aware of the silly nature of this whole debacle, he also addressed the major reason why he’s decided to do this, saying:
Yes, I’m shortening my name to Rob Mac, mostly a stage name, but I digress. Is it kind of douchey? Sure. But the amount of time that I have wasted trying to get people to say either or spell my name correctly is literally days of my life. Trust me, I added it up.
Season 17 of It’s Always Sunnypremiering on the 2025 TV schedule on Wednesday, July 9, and the edgier half of its crossover with Abbott Elementaryon the horizon, I’ve been typing McElhenney enough to totally relate to his point. It’s not an easy last name to spell, it’s very easy to misspell, and Rob Mac has been dealing with that fact for his whole life, as he said.
To that point, he also noted that we all have been dealing with it too, humorously explaining that “thousands” have had “minutes of [their] life stolen” over his last name.
I’m sure many of us can relate to all of this as well. My last name, while short, is mispronounced all the time. I’ve had to correct so many people about it, and I know many others who are in the same boat.
However, while this is all silly, Mac (formerly McElhenney) also provided some family history to give deeper context to this change. He noted that while McElhenney is a family name, it’s seen many different spellings over the years, and that’s why he’s not sweating the switch, as he explained:
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Still, it’s a family name. My grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and I all share it, and I love them, and I want to stay connected. There’s heritage. Except, it’s not even really our fucking name. Not only have many generations changed the spelling, the current one was just given to my ancestor by a government official who decided that this was now the spelling.
So, all around, I get the choice to go by Rob Mac. It’s significantly easier to spell and say, and as the co-owner of Wrexham A.F.C. noted, his family’s name has been spelled lots of different ways anyway. He also made it abundantly clear that his loved ones are perfectly fine with this switch-up, noting that he’s been going by Rob Mac for a while now:
Times have changed, and most people already call me Rob Mac anyway. My family knows me and loves me regardless of how many syllables I have, and that’s the only thing that I really care about. There are so many things going on in the world, and this is a silly one to continue to waste your time with. Honestly, call me whatever you want.
He ended things by saying we should “maybe just keep things simple,” and Rob Mac definitely is that.
So, as he continues to work on It’s Always Sunny and becomes an even bigger name in English football thanks to Wrexham’s massive success, let’s all respect his choice to change his name to Rob Mac. Sure, I’ll miss McElhenney; it is a very cool last name. However, I also understand where the actor is coming from and why he made this decision, so as he said, “let’s see how it goes.”
Squid Game is arguably one of the best Netflix shows of all time, and its first season was a global sensation. Those with a Netflix subscription were recently treated to its third and final season, which has been an emotional ride. But the Korean drama repeated a big mistake from Season 2, and it’s kinda ruining the final batch of episodes for me.
Squid Game Season 3 continues the story exactly where the second season ended, with a number of players staging a failed revolution against the masked soldiers. I got frustrated with Season 2’s format change, where games were split among multiple episodes and there were long gaps between each one. The third and final season has followed suit, much to my dismay. Am I alone in this?
The first, Emmy-winning season of Squid Game had a clear and thoroughly enjoyable format. Once the events began, we largely followed one new game each episode. This was both thrilling an horrifying, as we watched villains and heroes alive perish. But for Season 2 and 3 that’s not the case, and we’re getting much more time between each one. I mean, six games have somehow been stretched over two entire seasons of episodes!
Season 3 of Squid Game would be its last. I mean it’s hugely popular and has inspired live experiences and even a reality TV spinoff Squid Game: The Challenge. You’d think Netflix would want to keep this going, but perhaps it’s for the better. Instead a more contained narrative can be told. Continuing for more seasons might have resulted in more frustrations by myself, as those format changes likely wouldn’t have gone anywhere.
