President Trump posted a video Thursday to his social media site that contains animated images depicting former President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.
The White House took down the post Friday, and after first calling it nothing more than a meme, they dubbed it a mistake by a staffer. Sure.
But while the justifiable outrage over this overt racism spins itself into a brief media circus (because we all know something else will come along is about three minutes), let’s look a bit deeper into why this video is more than an affront to everything America stands for, or should stand for, anyway.
It’s no accident that the images of the Obamas are embedded deep inside a video about voter fraud conspiracies from the 2020 election (which are untrue, if I need to say it again). This video is an escalation in the assault that is likely to come on voting rights and voting access in the midterms.
“Absolutely, there’s a connection to the vote,” Melina Abdullah told me Friday. She’s a professor at Cal State Los Angeles and co-founder of Black Lives Matter-LA.
“This is about more than just about the Obamas,” added Brian Levin, a professor Emeritus at California State University, San Bernardino, and founder of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. “It’s about people that are (perceived as) undermining our elections and our democracy.”
I caught Levin the day after he turned in a chapter about authoritarianism for a new book, which happens to look at how discrimination and the imposition of social hierarchies ties in with power.
Let me summarize. Vulnerable groups are smashed down as dangerous and not fit to be full citizens, so a smaller group of elites can justify power by any means to protect society from these lowly and nasty influences.
Let me make that messaging even simpler: Black and brown people are bad and shouldn’t be allowed to participate in democracy because they don’t deserve the right.
How does that play out at the ballot box?
All that talk about voter identification and election integrity is really about stopping people from voting — people who legally have the right to vote. Those who are least likely to be able to obtain proof of citizenship — which might require a passport, or birth certificate along with the money and know-how to get such documents — are often Black or brown people. They are often also poor, or poorer, and therefore have less time and money to put into obtaining documents, and also live in urban areas where they share polling places.
Is it such a stretch to imagine some kind of federal oversight at those types of polling places, turning away — or simply intimidating away — legal voters who have long made up a strong block of the Democratic base?
Let’s hope that never happens. But the current undermining of the legitimacy of Black and brown voters is, said both Levin and Abdullah, systemic and concerning.
Trump’s latest video is “part of a floodgate of bigotry and conspiracy that relates to elections and immigrants and Black people and it’s important to condemn the manner in which these puzzle pieces are put together to label African Americans and immigrants as a threat to democracy with respect to the vote,” Levin said.
The premise of the video in question is that Democrats have engaged in a complicated and decades-long scheme to steal elections. It’s presented as a documentary, and the images of the Obamas have been weirdly inserted as almost a subliminal flash near the end.
If you’ve missed the white supremacist postings that have now become commonplace on official government communications such as those from the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security, let me assure you that Levin is right and this primate video is indeed part of a “firehose” of white nationalist rhetoric coming not just from Trump but from the federal government as a whole.
The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, for example, has turned its focus toward punishing diversity, equity and inclusion. Just this week, another federal agency, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, began a probe against Nike for allegedly discriminating against white people in hiring.
“It has been not even a dog whistling, but a Xeroxing of the exact kind of terms that that I’ve been looking at on white supremacists and neo Nazi websites for decades,” Levin said.
It’s not my place or intent to warn Black people about racism, because that would be ludicrous and insulting, but I’ll warn the rest of us because in the end, authoritarianism targets everyone. This video is a clear statement that Trump’s vision of America is one in which every non-white group, every vulnerable group really, is a second class citizen.
“He’s enabling an entire group of people who want to take this country back to a time when rampant violent white supremacy was enabled in the law,” Abdullah said. “What they mean is recapturing an old school, oppressive racism that is pre-1965 pre-Voting Rights Act.”
That message, Levin said, has “a resonance with a decent part of his base,” and when fed ceaselessly into the system, can have violent outcomes.
Levin uses the example of when Trump tweeted during the protests over the killing of George Floyd, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts,” a phrase with a violent and racist history.
Levin said Black people have always been the primary targets of hate crimes in the United States, but after that tweet, it was some of the “worst days” for violence aimed by race.
“When a high transmitter, like a president, circulates imagery with regard to prejudice, it creates these stereotypes and conspiracy theories, which then are the groundwork for further conspiracy theories and aggression,” he added.
Abdullah said she worries that even if the voter crackdown isn’t officially sanctioned, those empowered conspiracy theorists will take action anyway.
“So the people who are so-called ‘monitoring,’ self-appointed monitors … this is who’s going to be pulling people out of voter lines, and so this is what he’s whipping up intentionally,” she said.
Keep your eye on the ball, folks, because the far-right Republicans running the show are laser-focused on it. The midterm elections have to go their way for them to remain in power.
The easiest way to ensure that outcome is to only allow voters who see things their way.
BUENOS AIRES — Argentina and the United States said they reached an expansive trade deal Thursday, boosting President Javier Milei as he moves to open up the South American nation’s notoriously protectionist economy and reflecting the close alliance between the radical libertarian and President Trump.
Argentina’s foreign minister, Pablo Quirno, posted a selfie on social media showing him and several diplomats beaming after emerging from a meeting in Washington where he said they’d signed the pact.
“Congratulations to our team and thanks to the U.S. Trade Representative’s team for building this great agreement together,” Quirno wrote. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative also confirmed the deal.
The countries announced a framework for the agreement in November, saying Argentina would ease restrictions on a range of American imports, including cattle, dairy products, medicines, chemicals, machinery, medical devices and vehicles. Those were key concessions for Argentina, where local industries long protected by steep tariffs have expressed concern about their ability to compete with American manufacturers.
The U.S., for its part, would remove reciprocal tariffs on imports of “certain unavailable natural resources” and ingredients for pharmaceutical goods from Argentina, according to the framework.
At the time, the White House reached similar frameworks with Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador — part of what it described as an effort to improve the ability of American firms to sell industrial and agricultural products in Latin American countries and bring down food prices for U.S. consumers.
Officials did not immediately offer details about the final version of the U.S.-Argentina deal signed Thursday.
The agreement marks the latest development in the close alliance between Trump and Milei, who has reshaped Argentine foreign policy to align with the U.S., earned Trump’s praise for stabilizing his nation’s crisis-prone economy and traveled to the U.S. more than a dozen times in the last two years. Milei is scheduled to appear at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate next week to speak at a gala.
Trump supported Milei’s fiscal program last year with a $20-billion credit line that succeeded in calming markets and boosting Milei’s prospects in a crucial midterm election in October. The U.S. Treasury also directly purchased U.S. dollar-denominated Argentine bonds that ratings agencies were classifying as “junk” at the time and snapped up the volatile local currency that Argentines were dumping in droves.
The extraordinary intervention drew backlash from across the U.S. political spectrum.
Trump’s MAGA base questioned the need to bail out a far-flung country that’s not only of little importance to the U.S. but also directly competes with its exports of corn, wheat, meat and oil.
Democratic lawmakers expressed outrage that Trump was staking taxpayer money on a political gift to an ideological soulmate.
That criticism has continued, with U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, on Thursday appealing to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to end the $20-billion lifeline.
In a letter, she wrote that even though the Treasury promised its credit line for Argentina “was for an acute, short-term, and urgent purpose, it appears … to have left open the possibility of continued use.”
Debre writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.
The Rams, who last year were designated the home team for the first NFL game in Australia, will play the NFC West-rival San Francisco 49ers, the league announced Thursday during “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN. Australian actor and conservationist Robert Irwin, son of the late Steve Irwin of “Crocodile Hunter” fame made the announcement.
The NFL has not announced a date for the game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but it almost certainly will be in the first week because of the 19-hour time difference and the length of travel for both teams.
“As we make history with the NFL and bring the first regular season game to Australia, we are pleased to take our annual matchup against our NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers to the MCG,” said Rams president Kevin Demoff in a statement. “Since we first secured marketing rights to the country in 2021 and more recently since the announcement of this game last year, we have seen tremendous excitement for our team from fans both in Australia and also across the world. We look forward to spending this offseason continuing to deepen our connection with the Melbourne community leading up to the game this fall.”
As part of the process for International Series games, the NFL allows designated home teams to protect two of its scheduled home games from being played abroad.
With the game against the 49ers, which annually draws tens of thousands of 49ers fans, being played in Australia, the Rams’ home opponents at SoFi Stadium next season will be the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and the Chargers.
As part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program, the Rams in the last decade were granted rights in Mexico, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
Since returning to Los Angeles in 2016, the Rams have played four International Series games, all in London, including a victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars last October.
In 2026, in addition to the game in Australia, the NFL has confirmed three games in London and one each in Rio de Janeiro, Munich, Madrid and Paris.
Before hitting the stage, the comedians of the TV series “Jokes with JoySauce” have an on-camera ritual of exchanging immigrant stories about growing up with their families. There is no audience during these moments, just comics being vulnerable with one another.
The tales give insight into the lives they live offstage and their perspectives as Asian Americans that inspire so much of their material. It lets the audience know more about these up-and-coming comedians without the generic stage introductions.
The series is part of the original program curated for JoySauce, available on Amazon Prime. It premiered in early January as part of the first free, ad-supported streaming channel dedicated to highlighting Asian American voices across comedy, film, reality TV and sitcoms.
Season 1 of “Jokes with JoySauce” is currently airing as part of the launching programming for the channel. Director and creator of the series Ana Tuazon Parsons is excited to watch it grow.
Narumi Inatsugu, from left, Cat Ce, Ana Tuazon Parsons and Jonathan Sposato at The Times’ office in El Segundo.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
“I’m still definitely going for that underground punk rock, like, let’s-find-some-cool-people kind of thing for Season 2,” Parsons said. “Bigger and better venue, and more budget, more budget, please.”
While Parsons focuses on cultivating new comedic voices, JoySauce wants to create its own opportunities for people in the community by broadening its mission of ownership and representation.
“We won’t really get the full spectrum of the representation that I believe that we deserve unless we own the pipeline and the platforms and the carriers and really the gateways,” Jonathan Sposato, creator of Joysauce, said.
He decided to bring the platform to the masses in 2022 after growing sick and tired of how much hate his community was going through and wanting to fill in a gap in the media. Media representation was also low for Asian American actors, with only 6% of all Asian characters in 100 titles on streaming platforms in 2022 in leading roles, according to a study by USC Annenberg Gold House.
“I do think positivity wins,” Sposato said. “Comedy is a very necessary tool, a necessary ingredient in the overall mix of what we’re trying to offer.”
His goal is to broaden the concept of Asian American culture through storytelling that would display what the U.S. has to offer while staying rooted in Asia.
“A win for JoySauce is a win for anybody who feels underrepresented, who doesn’t feel like they’re considered the normative mainstream,” he said.
At a time when attention is a currency, creating a space that’s focused on elevating AAPI voices will help diversify the media landscape.
“A win for JoySauce is a win for anybody who feels underrepresented, who doesn’t feel like they’re considered the normative mainstream,” JoySauce creator Jonathan Sposato, left, said.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
“As a comedian, you cannot complain,” Cat Ce, a comedian whose special “Perfect Chinglish” was licensed by JoySauce, said. “Nowadays, you want it on so many different platforms, you never know which kind of audience you may reach.”
Her work reflects the kind of storytelling JoySauce hopes to amplify. The comedy hour by Ce deals with the cultural differences when dealing with family, friends and romantic relationships as a Chinese American. For Narumi Inatsugu, that universality is the point.
As the chief creative officer of JoySauce, Inatsugu wants to create a space where Asian Americans do not feel outnumbered.
“For so long I thought nobody cared about Asian American stories,” he said.
As a curator of the channel, and host of the upcoming “Chopsticks and Chill,” an interview show where he shares a meal with influential members of the AAPI community, Inatsugu wants to create a platform where the younger generation can see the many opportunities life can offer, regardless of your cultural background.
“It’s community building, it’s letting people know they can be whatever they want, do whatever they want,” he said.
Season 1 of “Jokes with JoySauce” is currently airing and is part of the first free, ad-supported streaming channel dedicated to highlighting Asian American voices across comedy, film, reality TV and sitcoms.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Throughout his years in the entertainment industry and in production meetings, Inatsugu felt like he couldn’t pitch certain stories because they were aimed at his Asian community. He hopes an outlet like JoySauce can create a safe space for creative minds to feel like they can be themselves and not feel outnumbered, the way he once did.
Everything in the details of a show will make people feel welcomed, from the people making it to the food that’s made available for the cast and crew.
During production of the first season of “Jokes with JoySauce,” Parsons made sure every aspect of the production was AAPI, including the food. Her production team made sure to fill the craft table with food that can be found at any Asian market. The sense of belonging is exactly the reason she built “Jokes with JoySauce” and why JoySauce exists.
“When I’d see the comics come up into the greenroom and their faces, it was like ‘Oh, I feel so like they were just reverted to their childhoods,’” she said. “It was just like they felt like they were at home with their families, and it was so important for me, it made me cry a little bit.”
Former Baltimore slugger and cancer survivor Trey Mancini is taking another shot at a major league comeback after agreeing to a minor league contract with the Angels that includes an invitation to big league spring training.
The Angels on Wednesday listed the infielder among their 27 non-roster invitees to camp in Tempe, Ariz.
The 33-year-old Mancini has batted .263 with 129 homers and 400 RBIs over parts of seven seasons, but he hasn’t played in the major leagues since 2023. He began his career by playing parts of six seasons with the Orioles, hitting a career-high 29 homers in 2019.
Mancini then missed the 2020 season after surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his colon. He made a successful return to the Orioles in 2021, and he won a World Series ring in 2022 after Baltimore traded him to the Houston Astros.
He spent part of the 2023 season with the Chicago Cubs. He has since played in the minor-league systems of the Reds, Marlins and Diamondbacks.
Mancini opted out of a minor-league deal with Arizona last July after batting .308 with 16 homers for triple-A Reno.
“Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie will not head to Milan for NBC’s 2026 Winter Olympics coverage as she deals with the ongoing police investigation into the suspected abduction of her mother.
“Savannah will not be joining us at the Olympics as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time,” an NBC News representative said Tuesday in a statement. “Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search continues for their mother.”
Guthrie was scheduled to co-host NBC’s telecast of the Friday opening ceremonies for the Milan Cortina Games alongside Terry Gannon of NBC Sports. The network representative said alternative plans will be announced shortly.
June 2023 photo of Savannah Guthrie and mother Nancy Guthrie. (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
(Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
Law enforcement officials believe Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her home outside of Tuscon, Ariz. on Saturday night. Police were called after relatives were told she missed the Sunday church service she regularly attends and did not find her at home.
Police found Nancy Guthrie’s cell phone, wallet, car and medication were left behind, indicating she did not leave voluntarily. She has no cognitive issues, but has limited physical mobility and could not walk far on her own, family members have told police.
On Tuesday, Lima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said at press briefing that authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will. He also said the department is aware of “reports circulating about possible ransom note(s)” in the case. TMZ reported on the existence of an alleged ransom note Tuesday, but Nanos did not verify the account,
According to law enforcement sources not authorized to speak about the case publicly, there was blood at the scene and someone appeared to have forced their way inside.
Guthrie, a “Today” co-host since 2012, has been off the program since Monday. She was scheduled to head to Milan early this week.
Guthrie’s mother, who lived on her own, has been an occasional on-air guest at “Today.” Her appearances made her a favorite of Guthrie’s co-workers and staff at the program.
Thousands of cheering fans surround the ice at the Honda Center. The arena is loud, packed with fans in Anaheim Ducks jerseys. As the puck drops and the action starts, players zoom back and forth until — boom! A shot, and the Ducks score. But when the music hits for the first goal of the game, it’s not the typical “We Will Rock You” by Queen. It’s “Come Out and Play” by local heroes, and one of Orange County’s most influential punk bands, the Offspring.
To celebrate the third annual Come Out and Play Night, the Ducks have once again collaborated with the band for an evening of hockey, music and special exclusive merchandise for fans. The event will take place Tuesday at the Honda Center against the Vancouver Canucks. The collaborative effort began in 2024, but at the time, no one knew if it would last, including the Offspring’s guitarist, Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman, who told The Times in a phone interview from Canada while on tour with Bad Religion that he and the band hoped it would be more than a one-time event. “This was the first time we’d ever teamed up with an organized sports team, and the fact that it’s an Orange County team, where we grew up, made it feel right,” Noodles said. “It’s been really fun, but we had no idea how long it would last. Now it’s three years later.”
Merrit Tully, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of the Ducks said that the concept for the collaboration between the club and the Offspring came organically as part of an evolution the organization was going through.
“We started putting a lot more emphasis on the in-arena experience a little over three years ago. That gave us the opportunity to rethink music, not just as something played between periods, but as something that could really elevate the experience for fans and players alike,” Tully said. “As this was happening, we approached our 30th season, and we were really leaning into our Orange County roots. We looked at collaborating with the Offspring, since they grew up just a few miles from here, and their rise happened at the same time our franchise was starting. This just felt authentically Orange County in a way that was hard to ignore.”
Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal and Noodles hold albums by the Offspring.
(Jordan Bathe)
For Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal, who was recently named NHL Third Star of the Week, having a collaboration with a band like the Offspring has special sentimental meaning. “I remember growing up hearing rock music a lot back in my home country, the Czech Republic,” Dostal said. “My parents would play punk rock and metal when they were driving me to the rink for practice, so hearing the Offspring now kind of brings me back to that.”
Dostal said that he loves many rock and alternative bands he remembers hearing back in his home country, such as Linkin Park. He also said that, as an athlete, music is part of his daily regimen, and it is the same with the Ducks. “We listen to music every day, before practice, before games. It’s a big part of how we get ready,” he said. “I grew up listening to this kind of music, so whenever I hear these songs, it just pumps me up.”
For fans who attended the two previous Come Out and Play Nights, people should expect lots of enthusiasm and high energy, mixing the intensity of a concert and a hockey game. “Those nights definitely had a different vibe. You can feel it from the ice,” Dostal said. “The fans are excited, the music is louder, and it just feels like something special for everyone in the building.”
Noodles said he agreed with Dostal and added that he thinks the collaboration makes sense because there are a lot of parallels between punk rock and sports like surfing, skating and ice hockey. “With surfing and skating, there’s always been that mix of flow and violence. You’re carving, you’re gliding, and then sometimes you take a wave on the head,” he said. “Hockey has that same thing. It can be really violent, but then there are moments where it’s all speed and movement.”
With a band having a successful career for over three decades, Noodles said there have been instances of being approached by professional athletes who are fans of the Offspring. “Over the years, we’ve had professional athletes come up to us as fans for sure. One time, Dennis Rodman came out onstage with us and did ‘Come Out and Play,’” he said. “Our producer, Bob Rock, is a huge hockey fan and really got us into going to the Ducks and Kings games.”
Members of the band the Offspring pose for a photo during a pre-game puck ceremony of the game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 27, 2025, at Honda Center.
(Debora Robinson / NHLI via Getty Images)
Noodles said he appreciates that a band like the Offspring has generations of fans and values how much the OC music scene is still thriving. “We’ve always had late teens and early 20s kids in the front row, but now we’re seeing younger kids and their parents, too. There’s a really wide age range at our shows now, and that’s been pretty cool to see,” he said. “The Orange County scene is still really alive. You see a mix of people from the old bands, but there are also a lot of younger bands coming up. I actually love going to see younger bands because nobody cares who I am. I can just stand in the pit and watch the show.”
This idea of generations of fans is also seen in the NHL, and Dostal agrees it can be seen with fans of the Ducks. He said this is one of the reasons he loves working with an OC band. “The Offspring are local, the Ducks represent Orange County, and I’m really happy I can be part of something that connects the two,” he said. Dostal also said that a custom collaborative design on a mask will be revealed at the Come Out and Play Night against the Canucks. “I worked with the guys in the Offspring, we threw around ideas together, and I told them they could basically do whatever they wanted. I’m really excited for fans to see it,” Dostal said.
Fans of the Ducks and the Offspring can expect a night to remember. It’s all about connection, and giving fans of the music and the team a chance to bring the worlds of sports and punk together for one special night. “Beyond ticket sales, we look at how fans respond in the building,” Tully said. “When we score and the arena reacts together to an Offspring song, that tells us the connection is real.”
Dostal agreed with the sentiment and said he is humbled by the collaborative event, which he said is fan emphasized. “The Offspring is a huge band all over the world, so being able to work with them and represent that on the ice is something I really appreciate.”
The latest cache of investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein released Friday include personal emails exchanged more than 20 years ago between Casey Wasserman, chairman of the LA28 Olympics organizing committee, and convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former romantic partner.
In emails sent in March and April 2003, Wasserman — who was married at the time — writes about wanting to see Maxwell in a tight leather outfit, she offers to give him a massage that can “drive a man wild,” and the pair discuss how much they miss each other, according to files released and posted online by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Representatives for Wasserman did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Friday.
In an email sent on March 14, 2003, Maxwell describes a “tight leather flying outfit” she wore recently and said she was thinking of Wasserman in inappropriate moments. He wrote back, “I think of you all the time … So what do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?”
She then promises him, “Casey — I will be coming back to NY tom late afternoon. I shall be wearing a tight leather flying suit …”
Newly released Epstein files show emails exchanged between Casey Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell in March and April 2003.
(U.S. Department of Justice)
The exchange, part of a trove of documents about Epstein released on Friday, reveal that Wasserman was at one time friendly with Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 on five counts related to sex trafficking and the abuse of minors in partnership with Epstein.
Other documents show that Wasserman and his then wife flew on Epstein’s private jet in September 2002 alongside Maxwell, Epstein, former President Clinton, actor Kevin Spacey and several others as part of a 10-day trip to explore the problems of HIV in Africa. (That trip had been documented in a 2003 Vanity Fair story).
During her trial, federal prosecutors established that Maxwell and Epstein — who died by suicide while in federal custody in 2019 — were engaged in a sex-trafficking scheme involving minors from the late 1990s through the early 2000s.
In an April 2, 2003, email to Wasserman, Maxwell offers to “continue the massage concept into your bed … and then again in the morning … not sure if or when we would stop.”
Newly released Epstein files show emails exchanged between Casey Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell in March and April 2003.
(U.S. Department of Justice)
Later that day she writes, “Umm — all that rubbing — are you sure you can take it? The thought frankly is leaving me a little breathless. There are a few spots that apparently drive a man wild — I suppose I could practice them on you and you could let me know if they work or not?”
A few days later, Maxwell tells Wasserman that “JE” says she should pick a week to go to Los Angeles and look at properties they can rent in Malibu that summer and offers to bring Wasserman something from Paris.
Wasserman wrote back, “I think you picking a week to be in LA is a really good idea … The only thing i want from paris is you”
The pair continue their exchange on April 6, with Maxwell then offering to bring him food from London such as KitKats, cheddar and baked beans to which he says, “Among all my desires, that combination is pretty low on the list … xoxo”
She asks him what combination would do it for him and he says “You, me, and not else much …”
Wasserman then explains the concept of June gloom, California’s famous seasonal fog, and Maxwell inquires whether it would be foggy enough “so that you can float naked down the beach and no one can see you unless they are close up?”
He responds, “or something like that …”
Newly released Epstein files show emails exchanged between Casey Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell in March and April 2003.
(U.S. Department of Justice)
Wasserman, a UCLA alumnus, is the grandson of Hollywood mogul Lew Wasserman. He built his own fortune through his sports marketing and talent agency Wasserman, which represents more than 30 No. 1 overall picks in major sports leagues including the MLB, NFL, NBA and WNBA. In 2023, the agency acquired Brillstein Entertainment Partners, a management production company that represents stars such as Adam Sandler and Brad Pitt and launched hit shows that included “The Sopranos.”
Wasserman was recruited by former Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2017 to help Los Angeles win its Olympic host bid. While Garcetti completed his mayoral term and faded from the Olympic spotlight, Wasserman remains the face of the city’s push to host a successful Games in 2028. He has led every major Olympic update presented to the IOC and met multiple times with President Trump to secure his support.
Wasserman is expected to join an LA28 delegation in Italy for the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, the final Games before L.A.
Epstein, 66, was once a well-connected financial consultant who rubbed shoulders with many prominent politicians and celebrities, including Trump and Clinton. He was arrested and taken into federal custody in July 2019 and charged with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors.
The indictment alleged that, between 2002 and 2005, Epstein sexually exploited and abused dozens of underage girls at his homes in Manhattan, N.Y., and Palm Beach, Fla., and other locations, by enticing them to engage in sex acts with him for cash. It also alleged Epstein paid several of his victims to recruit other underage girls to engage in similar sex acts.
The latest documents were disclosed under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was enacted after months of public and political pressure and requires the government to open its files on the late financier and Maxwell. Deputy Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche said the Justice Department was releasing more than 3 million pages of documents in the latest disclosure, as well as more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images.
Times staff writer Jenny Jarvie and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
This time 36 years ago, Fabrice Morvan was preparing for his first Grammy Awards. It had been a wild few years for the 23-year-old Parisian and his best friend Robert Pilatus from Germany. The duo known as Milli Vanilli had rocketed to fame, going from obscure dancers in Munich to dominate the pop music scene. Not only were they nominated for best new artist, but they were expected to perform live. Underneath it all, the pair were quickly reaching their breaking point.
Don Henley’s “The End of the Innocence” was nominated for both song and record of the year. Indeed, for the tens of millions of Milli Vanilli fans who bought their records, the 1990 Grammy ceremony marked an end of innocence of sorts. To this day, Milli Vanilli are the only artists in the history of the Grammys to have their award revoked.
L-R: The pop duo Milli Vanilli comprised of Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus, the subject of the Paramount+ documentary Milli Vanilli, streaming on Paramount+ beginning October 24, 2023.
(Ingrid Segeith/Ingrid Segeith/Paramount+)
“Rob and Fab,” as they were known, never sang — live or in studio — on any of the smash hit singles from their 6x platinum debut North American album, “Girl You Know It’s True.” Their Grammy performance was them lip-synching to a playback.
The real singing was done by paid session vocalists John Davis, Brad Howell and Charles Shaw while Rob and Fab captivated with their charisma, athletic dance moves and eye for style. In the wake of the fallout, Milli Vanilli remained steadfast that what they did was wrong. There was, in fact, plenty of blame to go around even if Rob and Fab suffered the brunt of it.
“They removed the platinum records from the wall at Arista,” says Morvan, now 59. He is perched on the edge of a poolside lounge chair from a boutique hotel in the heart of Hollywood. It’s a sunny December day, but he’s dressed all in black with glasses to match, slim fingers adorned with a custom silver skull ring. He loves the sunshine, but offers for my sake to move somewhere in the shade. Able to pass for decades younger, he now basks in life on the other side of infamy.
“They say the truth will set you free. The truth takes the stairs while the lies take the elevators. And that is true,” Morvan said. “So finally, after 35 years, my truth comes to the surface.”
(Stephen Shadrach)
Now, in a redemption as astounding as his rise, Morvan is back in the running for the 2026 Grammys as the only person in Recording Academy history nominated after a prior revocation.
This time, the voice is unmistakably his. Nominated in the audio book, narration, and storytelling recording category for his memoir “You Know It’s True: The Real Story of Milli Vanilli,” Morvan’s lilting French dialect and soft tone are hypnotizing and he has a natural knack for storytelling. The recording was performed alone in his home studio.
“They say the truth will set you free. The truth takes the stairs while the lies take the elevators. And that is true. So finally, after 35 years, my truth comes to the surface,” he contends. “And people, they get it, they understand that.”
Sadly, Rob Pilatus isn’t here to see it. Unable to handle the fallout and struggling in addiction, he died in 1998. In one of the more moving parts of his memoir, Morvan speaks to his former partner, laying bare for the first time some of the more unhealthy aspects of their relationship but in a way that makes clear his love for Pilatus runs deep.
After Pilatus’ death, Morvan tried his best to move on. He taught French at a Berlitz school for a while when not performing at small venues. “I’m not even looking at becoming big,” he told Times journalist Carla Rivera in a 1997 profile. He even had a stint on radio hosting “Fabrice’s Fabulous Flashbacks” for KIIS-FM. But he always returned to making music.
“Music was always there with me,” he says, his excitement building. So when it came to moving forward in life, and, I said, ‘OK, what am I going to do?’ Music kind of popped up and said, ‘Hey, show me how much you love me.’ And then I worked on that, and I learned how to play guitar, and I learned how to produce, and I learned how to write … it allowed me to take the pain away, to remove it.”
But after 20 years in Los Angeles, Morvan felt it was time to leave “Hotel California,” as he calls it, for opportunities in Europe. In a follow-up Zoom call from his home in Amsterdam, he confides that he almost felt like giving up, but figured maybe a change of scenery was what he needed.
“I was very disillusioned,” he says, headphones crowning his dreadlocked updo. “I found a producer that I could work with and build something with, but due to certain circumstances, it didn’t come together. So I met some Dutch people that wanted to launch a fashion line. And I heard that Holland was a place where dance music was evolving.”
Becoming a DJ, he played festivals and kept Milli Vanilli’s legacy alive, performing with a live band.
Morvan with his wife Tessa van der steen and their four children
While preparing for a project about 15 years ago, Morvan met his current partner, Tessa van der Steen, who is Dutch and works as a health and fitness coach and alternative medicine practitioner. Together, they have four children: a 12-year-old boy, 9-year-old girl, and a set of 4-year-old twin boys.
During Milli Vanilli’s heyday, powerful male (mostly white) figures held the cards, but in this phase of his life it’s women who play big roles. Not mentioned in his book is Kim Marlowe, who Morvan says, in the 1997 Times article was his manager and best friend. They at one point married; Marlowe quietly filed for divorce in L.A. in 2024.
Van der Steen, however, is the love of his life. She had no idea who he was when they first met, he was simply “Fabrice.” And according to Morvan, she is fiercely protective. “Fab is the most loving partner and father I could ever imagine,” Van der Steen writes over email. “We are soulmates. We have been together for more than 15 years. We understand each other, and it happens often that we are thinking of the same things, without saying a word.” She champions his efforts to release original music and continue performing.
In recent years, changes in culture, technology and the music industry have opened up conversations casting Rob and Fab in a more sympathetic light. Morvan himself took part in the well-received 2023 Paramount+ documentary “Milli Vanilli.” That same year, “Girl You Know It’s True,” a well-made biopic directed by Simon Verhoeven, came out.
And Morvan was caught off guard when Ryan Murphy featured Milli Vanilli prominently in his 2024 series on the Menendez brothers, a move introducing the group to new generations unfamiliar with the story. Motivated by the renewed interest, he recorded a stripped down, acoustic version of the Diane Warren-penned hit “Blame It on the Rain.”
As recently as November, Milli Vanilli came up in the zeitgeist, sparked by a comment on X by veteran producer Jermaine Dupri commenting on AI “artists” charting on Billboard.
Of course there are still detractors, but in an era in which public cancellations abound and apologies are scrutinized for any whiff of inauthenticity, Milli Vanilli’s wrongdoings can now seem quaint.
Benjamin Matheson, assistant professor at the University of Bern’s Institute on Philosophy, studies collective shame and writes on celebrity apology. He offers the startling thought that certain fans might be more willing to forgive a moral wrong, even an egregious one like unlawful intercourse with a minor in the example of director Roman Polanski, as opposed to artistic deception because it can be seen as more authentic.
“I think that perhaps,” Matheson writes over email, “Milli Vanilli suffered because they were an early ‘created’ pop band, and the public hadn’t been acclimatized to this kind of music. Whereas now I think people are much more comfortable with autotuning, AI music, and so on — though I’d love it if there was a bit more push back on this kind of thing.”
Morvan has plenty of thoughts on the state of the music industry past and present. He welcomes the change in perspective, and while he doesn’t live in regret, looking back, he would give his younger self a little advice.
“Keep working on your craft now. No matter what, and don’t ever start drugs. And don’t let your buddy Rob start with that. With those two, things would have been different.”
The pop duo Milli Vanilli comprised of Rob Pilatus(left) and Fab Morvan are the subject of the Paramount+ documentary Milli Vanilli, streaming on Paramount+ beginning October 24, 2023.
(Paul Cox/Paramount+/Paul Cox/Paramount+)
When the Los Angeles Tribune editorial staff selected “Girl You Know It’s True” as its movie of the year, Morvan met Parisa Rose, his co-writer and executive producer for the recording of the memoir. Rose, a first-time author and mother of two, first met Morvan when she interviewed him for the quirky paper — now in its fourth revival. She is now chief operating officer of the Tribune, which has expanded to include a publishing house.
Rose, who grew up in Pasadena, helped Morvan reckon with parts of his background he had long buried. One of the most compelling parts of the memoir is when he breaks the fourth wall, narrating letters to individuals from his past.
“You need to say everything you have never said before to them that you’ve always wanted to say,” she says of the exercise they conducted for the interludes. “You need to know that this is the last conversation you will ever have with them. And you need to imagine they are sitting across from you now.” Reached over the phone, Rose said she also helped with research, uncovering details on the seaside sanatorium in France where Morvan spent much of his early childhood.
A great part of Morvan’s motivation for the memoir was to leave a legacy for his kids. His oldest son is getting into music and recently found an old Milli Vanilli vinyl and plays it along with Daft Punk and Michael Jackson. Remaining “zen” about the idea of winning, he’s enjoying the moment. And the big dreams never die. He plans to tour in the next year and come back to perform in America. And who knows? Maybe one day he can play Coachella.
He’s particularly thrilled over his Grammy outfit, a collaboration with Spanish designer Helen López, whom he previously worked with on a Milli Vanilli-inspired line. “When you’ll see what I’m wearing … you’ll see that I don’t play,” he says with a twinkle in his eye. “No matter what the outcome in life, you have to just be, be in the moment. Enjoy the moment. Whatever happens will lead you to something else. I have no expectations.”
The brief preview clip, shown after viewers complete season four, episode four, reunites audiences with fan favourites Anthony (portrayed by Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Bridgerton (Simone Ashley), reports the Manchester Evening News.
The couple are shown relaxing on a bed with their newborn baby, following confirmation that Kate had given birth in India during the Viscount and Viscountess’s travels abroad.
The pair, affectionately dubbed ‘Kanthony’ by devoted fans, appear utterly content with their precious bundle nestled between them.
Fans have already flocked to Reddit to share their reactions to the heartwarming scene, particularly after some had expressed disappointment about the limited Kanthony content in Netflix’s earlier season four trailer.
Watch Bridgerton on Netflix for free with Sky
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.
This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Bridgerton.
One delighted viewer shared a screenshot of the adorable infant on Reddit, writing: “Makes me broody for another one”, accompanied by two crying emojis.
Another commented: “Looks like a little girl with those eyelashes.”
A third gushed: “THAT KANTHONY BABY IS GORGEOUSSSSSS OMMMMGGG [sic]”, whilst a fourth fan remarked: “I devoured the first part. Absolutely incredible. So glad Kanthony have finally made an appearance as well. But oh my the chemistry between Benophie [sic].”
The newly released trailer reveals Benedict Bridgerton (portrayed by Luke Thompson) proposing that maid Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) become his mistress, prompting her to storm off in bewilderment and revulsion.
Yet the sneak peek at season four, part two, hints that Benedict may choose to defy society’s strict conventions and pursue his true feelings.
In a pivotal moment, Benedict confides in Will Mondrich (Martins Imhangbe): “There is a woman. She is not a person of any rank, and I have upset her.”
Will responds with crucial advice: “No matter her rank, no woman truly desires to be hidden.”
These words could prove the catalyst for Benedict’s transformation.
Nevertheless, the preview teases plenty of tension, with Sophie and Benedict sharing longing yet strained looks as they navigate society’s expectations.
Sophie appears determined to depart Bridgerton House, attempting to convince Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) that her choice isn’t influenced by “anyone” in the residence.
Yet Violet clearly senses there’s something deeper to Sophie’s story and is intent on uncovering the truth – but will she manage before the maid departs?
The trailer builds to a crescendo with Lady Whistledown’s words: “Dearest Gentle reader, there are moments in our lives when we arrive at a crossroads.”
However, her words aren’t solely aimed at Benedict’s predicament, but also touch upon Violet’s blossoming romance with Lord Anderson (Daniel Francis), Francesca Bridgerton’s (Hannah Dodd) emerging feelings for Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), and Lady Danbury’s (Adjoa Andoh) choice to embark on travels rather than continuing as a lady’s maid to Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel).
There’s also an exchange between Violet and Benedict, where she questions her son: “Will you sacrifice your family? Whatever you choose, you must live with it forever. We all will.”
Considering Violet’s steadfast conviction in love above everything else, she may be encouraging Benedict to pursue his heart whilst ensuring he understands the ramifications of his choice.
Bridgerton season 4, part 2 will be released on Netflix on February 26
**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new ** Everything Gossip ** website**
“This is what you can expect from Lockheed Martin: continued significant investment to advance technology development and produce proven major weapon systems at ever greater scale. We build on this momentum with a powerful start to 2026,” CEO Jim Taiclet said during a quarterly earnings call this morning. “Lockheed Martin products, once again, proved critical to the U.S. military’s most demanding missions. The recent Operation Absolute Resolve [in Venezuela] included F-35 and F-22 fighter jets, RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drones, and Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters, which helped ensure mission success while bringing the men and women of our armed forces home safely.”
After the conclusion of Operation Absolute Resolve on January 3, video footage had emerged showing at least one, and possibly two, RQ-170s arriving at the former Naval Station Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico. This was a major hub for aircraft employed in the operation and had already offered very strong evidence of the Sentinel’s involvement.
The U.S. military subsequently confirmed that F-35s, F-22s, and Black Hawks – the latter belonging to the U.S. Army’s elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the Night Stalkers – among many other types of aircraft had taken part in the operation. While mention was also made of the use of drones, the RQ-170 was not explicitly named.
F-22s and F-35s, among other aircraft, seen in Puerto Rico after the conclusion of Operation Absolute Resolve. USAF
A now-deleted post in December 2025 from Air Forces Southern (AFSOUTH) on X, which included a picture of an individual wearing a name patch with an RQ-170 silhouette and the sleeve insignia of the 432nd Wing, had prompted earlier questions about whether the drones were operating in the region. The only units known to fly Sentinel are the 30th and 44th Reconnaissance Squadrons, both of which are assigned to the 432nd Wing at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada. A total of between 20 and 30 RQ-170s are said to be in the Air Force’s inventory.
The exact role the RQ-170 played in Operation Absolute Resolve remains unclear, and Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet offered no further details. TWZhas previously detailed how the mission and the lead-up to it are exactly what the Sentinel was designed for. As we wrote:
“RQ-170s would have provided a valuable way to discreetly track Maduro’s movements and otherwise establish his ‘patterns of life,’ as well as those of the forces guarding him, for an extended period of time in the lead-up to the actual launch of the operation to capture him. During the mission itself, having one of the drones orbiting overhead would have provided an indispensable source of real-time information, including to help spot threats that might unexpectedly appear. Those same feeds would also have given senior leaders, including President Donald Trump, a way to watch the operation as it happened.”
…
“With all this in mind, RQ-170s could also have surveilled Venezuelan military bases and other sites that U.S. forces struck as part of the operation overnight, and helped with post-strike assessments. The Air Force has disclosed having at least conducted tests in the past of the Sentinel in the bomb damage assessment role in combination with B-2 bombers.”
Since then, it has also emerged that the U.S. military planning for the mission included preparations to destroy three airfields in the country if it appeared that fighters belonging to the Venezuelan Air Force were attempting to scramble and intercept the raiding force. That threat did not materialize, and none of those facilities were ultimately struck, but it would have been necessary to closely monitor them to be sure.
Multiple Venezuelan air defense assets were also struck at various locations in the country during the operation. TWZhas also highlighted previously how suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD) would have been a key mission for the F-22s and F-35s in the force package. U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers, and likely at least one U.S. Air Force EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, also contributed electronic warfare support to this mission and other aspects of the operation.
The RQ-170’s participation in Operation Absolute Resolve adds to the still relatively limited publicly available information (and even less that is officially confirmed) about the use of these drones over the years. The U.S. Air Force only officially acknowledged the Sentinel’s existence in 2009, two years after it was first spotted in Afghanistan and had been dubbed the “Beast of Kandahar.”
RQ-170s were used to monitor aspects of Iran’s nuclear program, something that was thrust into the public eye after one of the drones went down in that country in 2011, a major intelligence loss. RQ-170s likely also played a role in relation to the Operation Midnight Hammer strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last year, where they could have provided direct overhead coverage and intelligence for post-mission bomb damage assessments.
Sentinels are understood to have surveilled Al Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan in the lead-up to the raid that led to his death, which also occurred in 2011. This, as well as operations over Iran, are prime examples of the Sentinel’s ability to persistently surveil key sites even in denied areas. The preparations for and execution of Operation Absolute Resolve also followed a playbook with direct parallels, as well as notable differences, to the Bin Laden mission.
Between 2022 and 2023, Sentinels may have flown missions in the Black Sea region, gathering intelligence on Russian forces on the heavily-defended occupied Crimean Peninsula. A satellite image available through Apple Maps showing an RQ-170 at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Italy has lent some further credence to those reports. Sigonella has been and continues to be a hub for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance flights over the Black Sea. It is unclear when the image was taken, but it looks to be from a relevant timeframe based on the visible state of construction elsewhere at the base.
A satellite image showing an RQ-170 at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Italy. Apple MapsConstruction seen at Naval Air Station Sigonella in the same Apple Maps image that shows the RQ-170s. A review of other imagery shows a similar degree of construction throughout much of 2023. The physical break seen here between the taxiway extension work and the existing taxiways to the north was still present until at least April 2024. Apple Maps
Though much still remains to be learned, the remarks today from Lockheed Martin CEO Taiclet have added a small, but notable addition to the story of the RQ-170.
DENVER — Donald Trump lost his bid for reelection in 2020. But for more than five years, he’s been trying to convince Americans the opposite is true by falsely saying the election was marred by widespread fraud.
Now that he’s president again, Trump is pushing the federal government to back up those bogus claims.
On Wednesday, the FBI served a search warrant at the election headquarters of Fulton County, Georgia, which includes most of Atlanta, seeking ballots from the 2020 election. That follows Trump’s comments earlier this month when he suggested during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that charges related to the election were imminent.
“The man has obsessions, as do a fair number of people, but he’s the only one who has the full power of the United States behind him,” said Rick Hasen, a UCLA law professor.
Hasen and many others noted that Trump’s use of the FBI to pursue his obsession with the 2020 election is part of a pattern of the president transforming the federal government into his personal tool of vengeance.
Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat, compared the search to the Minnesota immigration crackdown that has killed two U.S. citizen protesters, launched by Trump as his latest blow against the state’s governor, who ran against him as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024.
“From Minnesota to Georgia, on display to the whole world, is a President spiraling out of control, wielding federal law enforcement as an unaccountable instrument of personal power and revenge,” Ossoff said in a statement.
It also comes as election officials across the country are starting to rev up for the 2026 midterms, where Trump is struggling to help his party maintain its control of Congress. Noting that, in 2020, Trump contemplated using the military to seize voting machines after his loss, some worry he’s laying the groundwork for a similar maneuver in the fall.
“Georgia’s a blueprint,” said Kristin Nabers of the left-leaning group All Voting Is Local. “If they can get away with taking election materials here, what’s to stop them from taking election materials or machines from some other state after they lose?”
Georgia has been at the heart of Trump’s 2020 obsession. He infamously called Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Jan. 2, 2021, asking that Raffensperger “find” 11,780 more votes for Trump so he could be declared the winner of the state. Raffensperger refused, noting that repeated reviews confirmed Democrat Joe Biden had narrowly won Georgia.
Those were part of a series of reviews in battleground states, often led by Republicans, that affirmed Biden’s win, including in Michigan, Wisconsin and Nevada. Trump also lost dozens of court cases challenging the election results and his own attorney general at the time said there was no evidence of widespread fraud.
His allies who repeated his lies have been successfully sued for defamation. That includes former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who settled with two Georgia election workers after a court ruled he owed them $148 million for defaming them after the 2020 election.
Voting machine companies also have brought defamation cases against some conservative-leaning news sites that aired unsubstantiated claims about their equipment being linked to fraud in 2020. Fox News settled one such case by agreeing to pay $787 million after the judge ruled it was “CRYSTAL clear” that none of the allegations were true.
Trump’s campaign to move Georgia into his column also sparked an ill-fated attempt to prosecute him and some of his allies by Fulton County District Atty. Fani Willis, a Democrat. The case collapsed after Willis was removed over conflict-of-interest concerns, and Trump has since sought damages from the office.
On his first day in office, Trump rewarded some of those who helped him try to overturn the 2020 election results by pardoning, commuting or vowing to dismiss the cases of about 1,500 people charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He later signed an executive order trying to set new rules for state election systems and voting procedures, although that has been repeatedly blocked by judges who have ruled that the Constitution gives states, and in some instances Congress, control of elections rather than the president.
As part of his campaign of retribution, Trump also has spoken about wanting to criminally charge lawmakers who sat on the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack, suggesting protective pardons of them from Biden are legally invalid. He’s targeted a former cybersecurity appointee who assured the public in 2020 that the election was secure.
During a year of presidential duties, from dealing with wars in Gaza and Ukraine to shepherding sweeping tax and spending legislation through Congress, Trump has reliably found time to turn the subject to 2020. He has falsely called the election rigged, said Democrats cheated and even installed a White House plaque claiming Biden took office after “the most corrupt election ever.”
David Becker, a former Department of Justice voting rights attorney and executive director of The Center for Election Innovation & Research, said he was skeptical the FBI search in Georgia would lead to any successful prosecutions. Trump has demanded charges against several enemies such as former FBI Director James Comey and New York’s Democratic Atty. Gen., Letitia James, that have stalled in court.
“So much this administration has done is to make claims in social media rather than go to court,” Becker said. “I suspect this is more about poisoning the well for 2026.”
This article contains spoilers for Part 1 of Season 4 of “Bridgerton.”
Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha are lounging on a blue velvet couch in a swanky green room inside of Netflix’s offices in New York, bracing for the whirlwind that inevitably envelops every pair of actors who become the central couple in a season of the popular romance drama “Bridgerton.” And they’re still settling into the idea of being romantic leads.
“It doesn’t feel real,” Ha says fresh into their first press day in early December. “Because for a very long time, I didn’t think that it was possible for me — maybe I should have dreamed bigger. To keep saying that I’m the lead of a season feels really bizarre.”
“But maybe that’s a way of coping with it,” Thompson says. “I remember in Season 1, I just finished a Zoom call and I just sat in my living room and it was the first time I really touched into the idea that millions of people are watching this thing. Millions of people. And I never did it again.”
“You just did it for me now,” Ha says with a smidgen of dread that launches the pair into laughter. “That’s not really helping.”
Thompson, though, isn’t feeling the pressure of keeping the romance alive and extremely meme-able as they take up the mantle of the Regency-era fairy tale.
“It’s a show that’s proven time and time again that there’s huge appetite for romance,” he says. “It was a genre that might have been, not looked down on, but not really taken very seriously. To be able to incarnate some projection of romance for people, particularly in January and February, when people are feeling a bit miserable, maybe, it’s lovely to be part of that.”
The duo play Benedict and Sophie, affectionately dubbed #Benophie, a couple whose story gives the classic Cinderella tale a bit of steam and is one that readers of Julia Quinn’s “An Offer From a Gentleman,” which inspired this season, know well. Thompson’s Benedict, whom “Bridgerton” viewers have come to know as the artistic, pansexual second-oldest son of the Bridgerton clan, has long shown disinterest in settling down or adhering to societal norms. But then in Part 1 of Season 4, released Thursday, he meets Sophie Baek, a maid in her abusive stepmother’s home, at a masquerade ball hosted by his mother. Viewers eventually learn Sophie’s servitude is forced after her parentage is revealed — she’s the illegitimate daughter of an earl.
Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek and Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton during their masquerade ball meet-cute in Season 4.
(Liam Daniel / Netflix)
Showrunner Jess Brownell says this season, they were is interested in prodding the wish-fulfillment fantasy many of us were introduced to at a young age.
“We learn about them as children from Disney movies,” she says. “For us, though, in interacting with this trope, it was really important to interrogate it a little bit. I think what our interrogation hopefully reveals is that oftentimes it’s the prince figure or the man of a ‘higher station’ who … needs to do some work on himself, to step out of his fantasy life a little bit and step more into reality to be worthy of the love of a Cinderella-type. It’s not to say that the Sophie character doesn’t have her own journey to go on, I think that she absolutely has to let her walls down and has to allow herself to dream of and believe in the possibility of love.”
Over a video call from that cozy couch inside Netflix’s offices, Thompson and Ha discussed navigating the spotlight as the newest “Bridgerton” couple, this season’s very unromantic declaration of love and trying to capture a swoon-worthy meet-cute behind an oversized mask.
The excitement for this season is already in full effect. How are you feeling about Benophie as the couple name? Am I even pronouncing it right?
Thompson: I don’t know!
Ha: I think that is right. I initially said Ben-off-ee like Banoffee pie, but then I realized it wouldn’t make sense because it’s So-fee. So Ben-o-fee would make more sense.
Thompson: There’s been a couple of fun AI pictures.
Ha: I actually just got one yesterday from my mom about our kids, our future kids. [Thompson laughs.] And I was like, “Mom, why are you on the internet looking at these things?” So it’s really out there, and I’m really being fed it out of my own will, but it’s amazing to see people already so excited about it and wanting to create things and future possibilities. It’s quite amazing. And the fans are actually so lovely.
Thompson: I think that’s one of the best things about social media, actually; that whole aspect of people projecting or imagining themselves or creating stuff sometimes. That’s something that we never used to be able to really get a handle on, but to be able to see the amount of energy and thought that people put into it is kind of amazing.
Ha: Also creative artistry. So many fans are drawing, sketching. It’s incredible. The amount of talent that people just share with us, it’s really beautiful.
1
2
3
4
1.The “Bridgerton” couples over the seasons: Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page) and Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) in Season 1.2.Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) and Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) in Season 2.3.Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) in Season 3.4.Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) in Season 4.(Liam Daniel / Netflix)
Luke, you’ve had three seasons to observe how others have taken on this mantle. Did Jonathan or Luke impart any words of wisdom as you stepped into lead duties? Did you have any observations in watching them navigate the spotlight and the intensity of this?
They were always very, very open to offering advice — Regé[-Jean Page, who led the first season as Simon Bassett, the Duke of Hastings], as well; all three of them. That’s been really, really helpful to know that it’s there. In terms of observing them, that’s why I’ve had a bit of a lucky ride, really, because I got to watch them. I mean this in a positive way — Regé is very serious. There’s something about the nature of the show that could encourage you to be a bit more light about it, but I think he really took it very seriously. Johnny [Jonathan Bailey, who plays Anthony Bridgerton] has this amazing energy that’s extremely contagious. I watched that and how that affects the atmosphere on set. And then Luke [Newton, who plays Colin Bridgerton] is very sensitive and he’s very careful and clued in terms of how and when he expresses himself. I’m so lucky I got to watch all of them do it and admire them and think about them and think also about how it would work for me.
What about you, Yerin? You’re a newcomer to this fictional world being thrown into the deep end. Did you get any useful feedback from Nicola Coughlan or Simone Ashley?
I didn’t have the years of looking at the other leads actually experience it. But Nicola and Simone, from the get-go when I was cast, they offered to give me advice and be like, “We’re here for you if you need it.” But the thing about it is, everyone is so different and unique with what they actually struggle with and what is going to be their challenge. I didn’t really know what I wanted advice about, but it was just always so nice and supportive to know that they were there if I needed them. But also, Luke, who was my main scene partner, was in “Bridgerton” for years, so I was able to also lean on him and also the other fellow castmates if I felt insecure or if I didn’t really know how to go about things.
Luke Thompson on “Bridgerton”: “It’s a show that’s proven time and time again that there’s huge appetite for romance,” he says. “To be able to incarnate some projection of romance for people, particularly in January and February, when people are feeling a bit miserable, maybe, it’s lovely to be part of that.”
(Tyler Twins / For The Times)
This being “Bridgerton,” the chemistry between Benedict and Sophie is so crucial to the magic of their story and how it develops over time. Tell me about the chemistry read. What do you remember about meeting each other?
Thompson: It was like this.
Ha: You’re third wheeling with us.
Thompson: It was on Zoom.
Ha: I was in Korea. It was 11 p.m. and I was trying to manage my nerves the entire day, which was quite stressful. And then I logged on, you [Thompson] were there. You had a striped shirt on, I remember — quite vividly, actually. I said that he looked quite tired. Maybe it was me projecting, thinking that he was having lots of auditions, reading with lots of people by then.
Thompson: I’m trying to think how many; we hadn’t auditioned that many people because it’s a very particular part. What we were asking or looking for was fairly particular. That’s the other thing I thought: How are we going to be able to do a chemistry read on Zoom? With all the awkwardness of doing it on Zoom — having to pretend that you’re turning your back and there’s a lake and having to sort of mime in front of the camera is so, so cheesy — despite all of that, I just remember reading scenes with you and feeling very relaxed. You know it when you see it. As soon as the Zoom call ended, I told you, Tom Verica [an executive producer and a director of the series] was a bit teary, and we were like, “Well, obviously it’s her.”
Ha: Obviously the stakes are so high on my end, because he’s already in the show, so I was so focused on just trying to be present and not trying to force anything. I think that’s when it gets a little bit weird. I just remember looking at you in the screen, and Luke’s such an open person anyways, and so it was quite easy to do the scene, despite that there was lots of interjections in the audition scene that we had to do, but we just pushed through.
What were the scenes that you had to do together that day? The lake scene —
Thompson: The lake scene and the tea scene. Just two.
In Season 4, viewers know Sophie (Yerin Ha) is the lady whom Benedict (Luke Thompson) meets at the masquerade ball, but he hasn’t connected the dots when they meet again later.
(Liam Daniel / Netflix)
In the world of romance, how two characters meet is often as important as how they get together. And the masquerade ball holds a lot of excitement and expectations for fans of the book. How did you feel tackling that scene? Did the masks help alleviate any nerves?
Ha: For me, it was a bit more pressure in the sense that my mask is so big [Thompson laughs], it’s hard to actually be quite expressive when your cheekbones are hidden under this mask. I just remember sometimes Tom would be like, “You got to express more with your eyes and your lips.”
Thompson: It’s basically like you were wearing a paper bag.
Ha: Yes! So, that was a challenge, but also, in a way, sometimes masks make you feel a little bit invincible … Sophie, especially in that night, the mask makes her brave and courageous; when she takes off the physical mask, that’s when the metaphorical mask actually comes into play.
Thompson: You’re right. The mask thing is integral to how they both meet. They even talk about it when they’re on the gazebo, the terrace; they have that whole scene where it is all about asking questions, not answering questions. To Benedict, [with] Sophie you’re constantly like, “Is she in earnest? Does she actually not know how to dance? Is she joking that she doesn’t know how to dance? Is she playing the role of someone?” There’s so many different questions about it — and I think that’s what’s so romantic about it. It’s so recognizable because that’s always what love at first sight is. It’s not that in that moment, two people completely see each other; there’s a game that starts happening. It’s all about what they allow the other to see or not, and sometimes there’s these really nice bits where they keep missing each other. There’s that amazing bit … when she’s spying through the door, and then just as she leaves, Benedict looks. It’s the pattern of their relationship, it’s how it’s always been — and it starts in this amazing little dream.
I imagine there was there a lot of discussions on what these masks should look like?
Ha: Yes. The costume team are incredible; they had, like, five different versions of it. Some of it was just completely covering my face with material. And then they were like, “Maybe not.” Because obviously Benedict sees her later as Sophie, and so why doesn’t he recognize her? They had to play this really fine line. But they are so creative and quick to change and adapt and bring in new designs. It turned out really beautifully.
Thompson: One of my fears actually reading the book was, “Oh, is it going to seem a little silly [that] Benedict doesn’t recognize her?” But actually, it’s so ornate, the mask is such a thing. When I since watched the episodes, I was like, yeah, I buy that he can see and feel something. He just can’t put it together.
Yerin Ha on becoming a leading lady in “Bridgerton”: “It doesn’t feel real,” she says. “Because for a very long time, I didn’t think that it was possible for me — maybe I should have dreamed bigger.”
(Tyler Twins / For The Times)
Yerin, our first glimpse of you as Sophie was as she’s putting on the mask — she’s a mystery to both Benedict and the viewers in that first episode, but we come to learn her story, which has echoes of Cinderella. What excited you about Sophie?
Ha: The thing for me is Sophie’s character and morals; it’s the fact that despite all the obstacles and the challenges, she’s still able to lead and live the world with a really caring heart. She’s still witty and she still has a bit of humor to her. But to be honest with you, the thing for me that I really connected with Sophie was her journey and discovery into self-love and knowing that she’s also deserving of it. That’s something I, at least, talk about a lot with my friends — and what does self-love look like and feel like and mean to me? I learned a lot through Sophie, as well, and knowing that it’s who you decide to bring into your life. Love is not just in someone, it’s about the people in the community that you created.
Benedict’s sexuality, his fluidity, has been something the writers have explored in building his overall arc. How will that be discussed or addressed as his relationship with Sophie develops?
Thompson: It’s a tricky one, right? Benedict is quite striking as a character — I can understand why people see all sorts of identities and words that would apply to him in a modern context. A lot of particularly male sexuality, generally, can be portrayed in quite a box-y, angsty way — where it’s like, “Oh, you’re either gay or you’re straight, or this or that.” What’s nice about a character is that it’s a unique construction. It’s not a representation of any particular experience. It seems like, for him, his sexuality isn’t necessarily a big determiner of his identity; it is a symptom of him wanting to explore. He’s curious and he’s open. I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you’re truly open, that means you can form a connection with anyone. You could argue that it’s a force that has kept him, so far, at least, in a relentless chase for freedom and dodging the falling in love part, and I think I’m more interested in that.
About that — let’s get into his misguided declaration of love at the end of Part I. You read the books, you knew it was coming. It was the moment we‘ve come to expect from this show — until the last line where he asks her to be his mistress. How did you decide to play that moment?
Thompson: It is contextual, historically. There’s that scene in the Gentleman’s Club where, clearly, he can see that there are people who have that arrangement and do love each other. But I also think that’s a cop-out. That’s maybe trying to soften what is essentially Benedict’s main flaw. He’s been shown to be caring in many ways. But I also think the problem with someone like that is, if you’re charming to everyone, how can you develop something specific with one person? All of his front makes it very difficult for him to fall for someone, and to really engage and really commit to someone. Him saying that thing can be seen as him trying to have his cake and eat it — like, I’m going to splice the sort of fantasy I’ve got and the real world, and just mash it together and that will work.
He’s a bit blind. Season 4 is about his blindness, literally, in terms of recognizing her, but also that he can’t see that that wouldn’t be a perfect solution. He is maybe a bit blind about it and doesn’t necessarily consider how that might feel for Sophie. I would also say that he doesn’t have the information he needs from Sophie at that stage about being the lady in silver, which is an interesting tension. It’s fascinating because it’s a really dumb move from a character that you wouldn’t necessarily think would come from a character like that, but actually, to me, it makes complete sense that it would come from him. Benedict’s dad died very early, so he has an image of a loving relationship as something pretty terrifying, so you can understand why he’d want to avoid that, or want to find his way to escape the real commitment … but also have his cake.
Yerin, how did you feel about it?
Ha: I was so disappointed. I remember when we were doing the scene, I did actually feel genuinely angry. Benedict lives more in the fantasy realm, and Sophie definitely lives in more of the reality realm, but in that moment, it’s almost like she’s getting drunk on his words. She’s almost imagining as if there’s going to be a proposal, even though she knows that back in those days, that wouldn’t even really work. But she’s hoping and dreaming. But the minute he says that, she wakes up and she realizes, “Actually, this can never be”; her walls are back up. It almost takes her back to a place of her childhood and how she feels as a kid … It brings a lot of trauma back for her. I just remember doing that scene and feeling like I wanted to slap Benedict.
Thompson: We should have tried it. One take. I think people would have loved that.
At the end of Part 1, Thompson’s and Ha’s characters share a declaration of love gone wrong: “I remember when we were doing the scene, I did actually feel genuinely angry,” Ha says.
(Tyler Twins / For The Times)
Did you work with an intimacy coordinator for that scene? How was it to film that first moment of intimacy between the characters?
Ha: It was really hot on the set — literally, metaphorically. It was hot. It was the candles, and the air traveled up and it was a tiny, narrow set. But Lizzie, our intimacy coordinator, she is the best, she is incredible. There’s different ways that you can kind of go about it, where it’s paint by numbers or a blueprint, and just find your way to like A, B and C, which is more the vibe that we went through. She’s so amazing in the energy and space that she creates. She guides us and listens to each of us and what we need and how to make it maybe look a little bit nicer or rougher or whatever it is. I really lean on her as an intimacy coordinator, and felt very safe in those scenes because it is quite vulnerable and exposing.
Thompson: It was a security blanket, isn’t it? It’s just nice having someone to monitor it, so you’re not just stuck, just you two, or you and the director, who sometimes, in my previous … experience, directors are often quite embarrassed about those scenes, which drives me mad because I’m like, “You’re not the one that has to do this.” It’s all about trust. It’s very important to have that person there to facilitate and to have an outside eye on it because what feels good doesn’t necessarily look good. You need to have them choreographed because the actors can only really relate from the inside out, so they don’t know what stories being told outside.
This season’s story has hints of “Cinderella” in it. Did you channel any classic romance heroes, heroines or stories as you prepped?
Thompson: The masquerade ball made me think about Romeo and Juliet a lot. It’s Romeo and Juliet-coded, the way they meet and just going off somewhere private. I don’t think consciously, I thought about that, but when we were doing it, it really brought that into my head.
Ha: I guess because it’s the constant “Cinderella” nod, I really relied heavily on “Cinderella.” It does veer off from the “Cinderella” story. And I do want to acknowledge that it’s a starting point, not the actual plot line. She was my favorite princess growing up. I had a full dress with a Cinderella icon on it. I would wear that every second day.
Thompson: That’s so sweet.
Ha: I just wanted to meet my prince.
The first half ends with Benedict and Sophie at a crossroads, an impasse.
Thompson: Benedict and Sophie meet in dream scenarios. They meet in the masquerade ball, which is Sophie’s dream. Then they meet in [Benedict’s] cottage, which is sort of Benedict’s dream place. Then in [Episode] 4, they have to go back to the ton and the real world. It’s a struggle that everyone knows very well, when you fall for someone, and there’s the honeymoon period where you’re spinning this story together. Then it’s like, how do you deal with the real world, and how do you deal with getting bored with each other or getting angry with one another? It’ll be interesting to see how they find each other again.
Ha: Even reading the scripts, I was like, how are they going to make this work, especially acknowledging the class difference as well, nobility and her being a servant. Fans will really want to see how it all plays out. When society tells you can’t be with someone, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to surrender to that or are you going to fight for it? That’s going to be the journey for Part 2.
With any fandom, parasocial relationships form. There’s an attachment and shipping of fictional characters, but it can sometimes extend to the actors outside of the characters. How do you navigate that?
Ha: I think we’re just being us. What’s really lovely about Luke is that I have so much love for him as a human being, but I can’t control what people project and I can’t control what people will think and create a narrative and story. But I know my truth, and I know that I respect Luke as a human, as an actor, as a colleague, as a friend. We’re very professional, but we’re also good friends.
Thompson: That’s right. It’s nice to have stuff projected on you — that’s the joy of being an actor. You want people to look at you, want them to get lost in some idea of you. My point of view is always to absolutely welcome that and also say, but I don’t have to set the record straight for anyone. It’s their show. Even when I meet fans in the street, I don’t really think, “Oh, they’re coming for me.” They’re seeing the show. It’s a slightly overused word, but it is just about getting those boundaries straight in your head. You can’t really enjoy the attention that you get from fans because you think it’s coming for you. But actually, if you’ve got that nice boundary, you get to enjoy the attention from the fans.
Here’s the lowdown on exactly when you can watch Bridgerton season four, part two and what to expect from the second batch of episodes.
When is Bridgerton season 4 part 2 on Netflix?
Bridgerton season four, episode five will be hitting Netflix on Thursday, February 26 when fans will be getting another four episodes to savour.
The release schedule for season four mirrors that of the third outing after Netflix started splitting up its biggest shows to maintain its subscriber base.
Netflix recently released the episode titles for season four, part two, which marks the second half of the fourth run.
The episode titles are as follows: Episode 5: Yes or No; Episode 6: The Passing Winter; Episode 7: The Beyond; and Episode 8: Dance in the Country.
Season four is adapted from Julia Quinn’s third Bridgerton novel An Offer from a Gentleman and those familiar with the book might be able to guess what the episode titles allude to in terms of the plot.
Watch Bridgerton on Netflix for free with Sky
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.
This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Bridgerton.
What happens in Bridgerton season 4 part 1?
WARNING: This section contains spoilers from Bridgerton season 4, part 1
Season four, part two will see what happens between Sophie Baek (played by Yerin Ha) and Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and their blossoming romance. Despite their attempts to avoid each other, the sparks flew between them.
Benedict was also in the dark about Sophie’s complicated past, something which could come to light in the latter half of the season.
Season four, part two is also expected to address whether or not Benedict will find out if Sophie is also the Lady in Silver, and if that could have a bearing on whether he would want to marry her.
Another storyline in season four, part two will likely be Francesca Bridgerton’s (Hannah Dodd) burgeoning sexuality.
Season three previously hinted at Francesca’s feelings towards female rake Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), when she was left tongue-tied during their first meeting.
Finally, Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) and her decision to become a spinster and be “left on the shelf” will be delved into further as the headstrong Bridgerton daughter might find herself fettered by the constraints of society given in her single status.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in a recent interview, Bridgerton’s showrunner Jess Brownell teased season four and Sophie’s arc: “We get to watch a very headstrong young woman try to decide her fate for herself and pick up the courage to believe in and dream for a life greater than the one she currently has.”
Brownell went on to say that the novel was the “easiest” one to adapt because the structure lent itself “really closely” to ones seen on the small screen.
The writer added: “There are just a lot of rich set pieces that gave us juicy conflict and high stakes. I think fans will be happy to see quite a few of the set pieces from the book in the show.”
Once season four, part two has wrapped up, fans can look forward to both seasons four and five, which are already in the pipeline with Brownell confirming to Deadline that Eloise and Francesca’s stories will be the focus of each of the outings but couldn’t confirm the order.
Given that the television adaptation has already broken with the order of the novels, there’s nothing to stop the sixth novel When He Was Wicked from being first and focusing on Francesca’s love story.
To Sir Phillip, With Love is book five in the series and focuses on Eloise.
Bridgerton season 4, part 1 is streaming on Netflix now
Pop artist Kii Arens made a name for himself in music over the years, creating concert posters for bands and vocalists such as Radiohead, Elton John, Dolly Parton, the Weeknd, Sonic Youth, Tame Impala, Diana Ross and more.
That work is taking center stage at Arens’ new downtown Los Angeles gallery, FAB LA, in a show titled “And the Winner Is.” Curated by Arens and featuring poster art of Grammy winners, the exhibition is set to open Friday, two days before the 2026 Grammys descend on the city, and just in time to welcome plenty of visiting celebrity faces to the gallery’s third-ever event.
A glittering party scene is part of every exhibition Arens hosts, dating back to his previous gallery, LA-LA Land, which he opened two decades ago on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood and ran until its lease came up last year.
FAB LA officially launched in October with “XO, LA: A Love Letter to Los Angeles,” an exhibition that reflected the eclectic voices and existential challenges that define L.A. culture with paintings, illustrations and mixed media works by Shepard Fairey, Corita Kent, Anthony Ausgang, Ashley Dreyfus, Paul Frank and others.
Pop artist Kii Arens lays on his desk in his new gallery, FAB LA, inside the historic Fine Arts Building on 7th Street in downtown Los Angeles. Posters from his new show, “And the Winner Is,” feature images of Grammy winners just in time for the big awards show.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
The flamboyant “Mick Rock’s Rocky Horror Art Show” followed in December. The exhibition was among the last events marking the famous cult film’s 50th anniversary, and featured Rock’s famous photographs alongside pieces by pop star designer Michael Schmidt and digital portraitist Plasticgod. As with previous events at LA-LA Land, the opening attracted rockers, drag queens and club world cognoscenti.
DJs Sean Patrick (Simon Says) and Chris Holmes (Paul McCartney’s touring DJ, and creative collaborator with Cosm) manned the decks, and “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” winner and podcaster, Alaska Thunderf—, performed as Tim Curry’s Dr. Frank-N-Furter, dancing and prancing around the grand environs.
There are galleries all over Los Angeles, but few can be described as works of art unto themselves. FAB LA is that and more.
Its majestic headquarters are housed inside downtown’s historic Fine Arts Building — a breathtaking palace-like structure with a 100-year history of craftsmanship and creativity.
Located near the intersection of 7th and Flower streets, the landmark building was featured in the 2009 film “(500) Days of Summer,” a hidden gem overshadowed in recent years by hectic street life, chain food spots and bustling business energy. Used primarily as an office building, its ornate design, carvings and sculptures — including a ground floor fountain with frolicking bronze youths — hadn’t invited much public attention or appreciation.
Pop artist Kii Arens catches some air in front of the historic Fine Arts Building where he has opened his new gallery, FAB LA. The building was designated a Historic-Cultural Monument in 1974 and restored in 1983.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
That changed late last year when Arens took over the first two floors.
“Historically, artists lived and worked inside this building,” he said during a recent opening. “This idea really resonated with me.”
Originally from St. Paul, Minn., Arens moved to L.A. in 2004 and promptly opened LA-LA Land. The Hollywood showroom debuted on election night 2004 with a group exhibition called “Happy War,” featuring anti-war works and Fairey as DJ. Wild and kitschy shows followed with opening fetes dedicated to colorful subjects including Andy Warhol, circus clowns, and Canadian television creators and puppeteers Sid and Marty Krofft.
In addition to creating art and DJing, Arens is also a musician, and his eclectic music projects reflect his nostalgic proclivities. They include a rock outfit called FLIPP, which he describes as, “the Sex Pistols meets the Spice Girls,” as well as a pop-duo called Jinx, and solo work that counts 4 Non Blondes’ Linda Perry as a collaborator.
Arens is a largely self-taught visual artist. His work has always leaned toward entertainment figures and musical subject matter, which led to major commissions for album covers and tour poster art — some of which will be featured in the upcoming exhibition at FAB LA.
Poster prints of Elton John, left, and Jim Morrison, by Pop artist Kii Arens are part of his latest show, “And the Winner Is,” which features poster art of Grammy winners and is on display in Aren’s new gallery, FAB LA, which opened late last year.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
When LA-LA Land’s lease expired, Arens sought a new place that would embrace his experimental energy. He also wanted a unique backdrop for showcasing imagery that “treats pop culture as a shared memory for all to take in,” he said. “Something worthy of being preserved, not just consumed.”
The Fine Arts Building’s longtime real estate representative, Gibran Begum, was looking for the same thing. Preservation was part of the conversation when the two connected, but both were also focused on revitalization and augmenting the structure’s old-world charms with something fresh and modern. The goal was to once again bring art lovers to the neighborhood.
A cohesive arts event had been lacking in the area since the monthly Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk scaled down in the face of traffic and permit issues, and more recently COVID closures. The event recently resumed, and though it’s much smaller Arens said he has high hopes for its growth, and for FAB LA’s place in its future.
As does Begum, who calls the Fine Arts Building “a rare and special space.”
“The second you enter, you’re somewhere else, it’s almost like walking into something in Florence, Italy,” Begum said. “We were looking for someone to help rejuvenate and reenergize it and who understood the culture of it.”
Pop artist Kii Arens strikes a pose inside the historic Fine Arts Building where he has opened his new gallery, FAB LA. The building was designed in the Romanesque revival style by architects Albert R. Walker and Percy A. Eisen, who also created the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Designed in the Romanesque revival style by revered architects Albert R. Walker and Percy A. Eisen, who also created the nearby Oviatt Building as well as the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, the building’s exterior is embellished with dramatic columns and arches. Its interior features gargoyles, griffins and other mystical figures by sculptor Burt W. Johnson, as well as hand-crafted tiles by Ernest Batchelder and murals by Anthony B. Heinsbergen. A vintage elevator ferries guests between floors.
The opulent building opened on Dec. 8, 1926, attracting an estimated crowd of 27,000, and was named a Historic-Cultural Monument in 1974.
Though various artists have shown in the building over its 100-year history, FAB’s vibrant vision, focused on the intersection of design and fine art media, feels like the right fit for the current moment.
“I almost feel like the ghosts of some of the artists are looking down at me and smiling, knowing that what they loved is happening here again,” Arens said.
This includes immersive gatherings, which are a big part of Arens’ plans for FAB. “We’ll have movie premieres, live music events, poetry and I definitely want to have fashion,” Arens said. “The room would make a great runway!”
Charity is also part of the picture.
“And the Winner Is,” serves as a fundraiser for Oxfam, which works to relieve global poverty. Arens said he’s been hosting charity events for the group for the last five years — always right around the Grammys.
“We’ll have a bunch of amazing vinyl records donated by Rhino, and we’ll have clothing donated from famous musicians. Matt Pinfield is DJing and so is Jeffrey Ross,” Arens said.
A poster of Liza Minnelli by Pop artist Kii Arens is part of his latest show, “And the Winner Is” which features poster art of Grammy winners and opens over Grammy weekend.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
The exhibition, which closes March 8, will feature some of what Arens calls his “greatest hits,” including an ebullient Liza Minnelli portrait, and other significant prints such as a black-light poster design of Dolly Parton, and a Van Halen print representing Eddie Van Halen’s famed red-, black- and white-splattered “Frankenstein” guitar design on a notebook.
“I’m into simplifying images until they become familiar, immediate and emotional,” Arens said of his work. “I like to strip images down to what people recognize instantly. The feeling comes first, then I’m focused on evoking optimism, color and joy.”
Up next: A show in April in association with the animation studio Titmouse and dedicated to the art of animation.
“In this moment where everything feels disposable, I want to make something that is solid, something you stand in front of, not scroll past,” Arens said.
Sanders began the season as a third-stringer but eventually became the Browns’ QB1. In eight games played, including seven as a starter, Sanders completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a passer rating of 68.1. He also rushed for one touchdown.
In other words, he wasn’t exactly an elite NFL quarterback.
Yet, Sanders is headed to the Bay Area to take part in the 2026 Pro Bowl Games on Feb. 3. He was named as the replacement for New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who is unable to participate because his team is playing the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8.
Sanders is the first Browns quarterback to make the Pro Bowl since Derek Anderson in 2008 and the first rookie quarterback to make it since Maye last year.
Sanders may be the most unexpected selection since then-Baltimore Ravens backup Tyler Huntley. Huntley made the cut after the 2022 season despite playing in only six games, starting in four, and throwing for 658 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
How did this happen? Here’s what we know.
Pro Bowl selections are determined in equal parts by fan, player and coach voting. When the results were announced in late December, the three quarterbacks selected to represent the AFC were Maye, Buffalo’s Josh Allen and the Chargers’ Justin Herbert.
Sanders was not among the first four alternates at quarterback in the AFC.
Some of the AFC’s top quarterbacks — including Denver’s Bo Nix, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Indianapolis’ Daniel Jones — suffered season-ending injuries.
Players are not required to take part in the Pro Bowl festivities. Several other AFC quarterbacks — possibly including Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, Houston’s C.J. Stroud, Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Tennessee rookie Cam Ward — may have turned down Pro Bowl invites for Sanders to have gotten the nod.
All that aside, not many people ever get to play quarterback in the NFL and even fewer can say they made the Pro Bowl. Sanders seems most appreciative of the honor.
“Thank you God. I’m beyond excited and extremely grateful for all the love and support from the coaches, players, and fans,” Sanders said in a statement released by the Browns. “This wouldn’t be possible without the support behind me. Still plenty of work to do.”
DES MOINES, Iowa — President Trump is headed to Iowa on Tuesday as part of the White House’s midterm year pivot toward affordability, even as his administration remains mired in the fallout in Minneapolis over a second fatal shooting by federal immigration officers this month.
While in Iowa, the Republican president will make a stop at a local business and then deliver a speech on affordability, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The remarks will be at the Horizon Events Center in Clive, a suburb of Des Moines.
The trip is expected to also highlight energy policy, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said last week. It’s part of the White House’s strategy to have Trump travel out of Washington once a week ahead of the midterm elections to focus on affordability issues facing everyday Americans — an effort that keeps getting diverted by crisis.
The latest comes as the Trump administration is grappling with the weekend shooting death of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse killed by federal agents in the neighboring state of Minnesota. Pretti had participated in protests following the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. Even as some top administration officials moved quickly to malign Pretti, the White House said Monday that Trump was waiting until an investigation into the shooting was complete.
Trump calls Pretti killing ‘sad situation’
As Trump left the White House on Tuesday to head to Iowa, he was repeatedly questioned by reporters about Pretti’s killing. Trump disputed language used by his own deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, who on social media described Pretti as an “assassin” who “tried to murder federal agents.” Vice President JD Vance shared the post.
Trump, when asked Tuesday if he believed Pretti was an assassin, said, “No.”
When asked if he thought Pretti’s killing was justified, Trump called it “a very sad situation” and said a “big investigation” was underway.
“I’m going to be watching over it, and I want a very honorable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself,” he said.
He also said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was quick to cast Pretti as a violent instigator, would not be resigning.
Republicans want to switch the subject to affordability
Trump was last in Iowa ahead of the July 4 holiday to kick off the United States’ upcoming 250th anniversary, which morphed largely into a celebration of his major spending and tax cut package hours after Congress had approved it.
Republicans are hoping that Trump’s visit to the state on Tuesday draws focus back to that tax bill, which will be a key part of their pitch as they ask voters to keep them in power in November.
“I invited President Trump back to Iowa to highlight the real progress we’ve made: delivering tax relief for working families, securing the border, and growing our economy,” Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, said in a statement in advance of his trip. “Now we’ve got to keep that momentum going and pass my affordable housing bill, deliver for Iowa’s energy producers, and bring down costs for working families.”
Trump’s affordability tour has taken him to Michigan, Pennsylvania and North Carolina as the White House tries to marshal the president’s political power to appeal to voters in key swing states.
But Trump’s penchant for going off-script has sometimes taken the focus off cost-of-living issues and his administration’s plans for how to combat it. In Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, Trump insisted that inflation was no longer a problem and that Democrats were using the term affordability as a “hoax” to hurt him. At that event, Trump also griped that immigrants arriving to the U.S. from “filthy” countries got more attention than his pledges to fight inflation.
Competitive races in Iowa
Although it was a swing state just a little more than a decade ago, Iowa in recent years has been reliably Republican in national and statewide elections. Trump won Iowa by 13 percentage points in 2024 against Democrat Kamala Harris.
Still, two of Iowa’s four congressional districts have been among the most competitive in the country and are expected to be again in this year’s midterm elections. Trump already has endorsed Republican Reps. Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks. Democrats, who landed three of Iowa’s four House seats in the 2018 midterm elections during Trump’s first term, see a prime opportunity to unseat Iowa incumbents.
This election will be the first since 1968 with open seats for both governor and U.S. senator at the top of the ticket after Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds and Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst opted out of reelection bids. The political shake-ups have rippled throughout the state, with Republican Reps. Randy Feenstra and Ashley Hinson seeking new offices for governor and for U.S. senator, respectively.
Democrats hope Rob Sand, the lone Democrat in statewide office who is running for governor, will make the entire state more competitive with his appeal to moderate and conservative voters and his $13 million in cash on hand.
Kim and Fingerhut write for the Associated Press. Kim reported from Washington. AP writer Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.
The Rams won’t be the only no-shows at the Super Bowl. President Trump will be conspicuous in his absence from the biggest annual, single-day sporting event in the United States.
“It’s just too far away,” Trump told the New York Post. “I would go if, you know, it was a little bit shorter.”
Or perhaps not so far to his left?
Super Bowl LX will be played Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, part of the San Francisco Bay Area that Trump has so often reviled.
The teams — the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks — hail from deeply entrenched blue states. Massachusetts and Washington have voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1988.
Trump also has expressed disgust over the musical performers at this year’s game: Bad Bunny and Green Day, both unabashed critics of the current administration. Bad Bunny will play the halftime show while Green Day will perform ahead of the kickoff.
“I’m anti-them,” Trump said. “I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.”
Ahead of a tour last fall to promote his most recent album, Bad Bunny (whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio) announced he would skip the United States because he was afraid of ICE raids at his concerts. The Puerto Rican superstar — who has nearly 84 million monthly listeners on Spotify — explained why he made an exception for the Super Bowl.
“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” he said in a statement. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown. This is for my people, my culture and our history.”
Green Day, an American pop-punk band of almost 40 years, has since Trump’s first term swapped a line in the lyrics of the 2004 hit “American Idiot” from “I’m not part of a redneck agenda” to “I’m not part of the MAGA agenda.”
Turning Point USA, the conservative non-profit founded by the late Charlie Kirk, announced in October that it would stage its own counterprogramming to the Super Bowl and stream it on conservative outlets. The “All American Halftime Show” is billed as “Celebrating Faith, Family, & Freedom.” As of Monday, musical artists had not been announced.
Trump became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl a year ago when he received a muted, mixed reaction of cheers and boos in New Orleans. But this year, the 5½-hour flight from Washington D.C. to the Bay Area apparently is too long for the president, who in January alone has flown to Switzerland, Detroit and Palm Beach.
The NFL has resisted pressure to replace Bad Bunny with a performer more politically palatable to Trump.
“There’s a lot of people right now who don’t like Bad Bunny being in the Super Bowl halftime show,” NFL chief marketing officer Tim Ellis said at a conference in October. “Well, not everyone has to like everything we do. Bad Bunny is f—ing awesome.”
Not everyone has to like the teams that earned Super Bowl berths and the states they call home, either. And not everyone has to approve of the venue. That includes the President, who made it clear that if he decides to watch, he’ll do so from a distance.
