reaction

SACRAMENTO — Reacting with anger and despair, welfare recipients and advocacy groups predicted Monday that Gov. Pete Wilson’s proposed initiative to cut aid payments to families with children would only serve to increase hunger and homelessness among California’s poor.

With housing costs already taking most of each month’s welfare payment, the groups said, even the 10% cut proposed for all recipients would force more families onto the streets. The proposal also calls for an additional 15% cut for the able-bodied after six months.

“I wouldn’t be able to live anywhere. We’re barely living on what we get now,” said Sendre James, a disabled Vietnam veteran who supports his son and two foster children in Los Angeles on $535 a month. James has been unable to receive any aid for the foster children.

Monica Valease Hamilton, a Los Angeles mother of three who has been living on welfare since a son was born three years ago with heart problems, said that if payments are reduced many families will cut back on food to try to keep their homes. Hungry children, she warned, often resort to desperate acts.

“If you’ve got a child whose mother can’t feed him, that child’s going to be stealing somebody’s purse because that child’s got to eat. The whole situation is just frightening. I pray to God it’s not my child who has to resort to stealing,” she said.

Advocacy groups said Wilson’s proposals seemed to be based on his belief in the old myths that welfare recipients are basically lazy, able-bodied adults who have chosen existence on the public dole as a lifetime occupation. Casey McKeever, directing attorney for the Western Center on Law & Poverty, said the state’s own statistics dispute those contentions, showing that most recipients have one or two children and stay on welfare less than two years.

“(Wilson) seems to blame poverty on welfare, and I think the reality is that welfare is the reflection of poverty,” he said.

Lenny Goldberg, executive director of the California Tax Reform Assn., said Wilson’s attack on welfare recipients has served to mask what he considers the real cause of many of government’s fiscal woes–namely, tax loopholes that have been granted large corporations and the wealthy.

Because of the way government is structured, he said, special interests can be granted a tax loophole through a simple majority vote of the Legislature, but tax reformers who want to close those loopholes need a two-thirds vote.

“It seems that from a fiscal standpoint, (Wilson) is trying to lay the burden of balancing the state budget on the backs of the very poor, and that’s not really where it belongs,” Goldberg said.

Hamilton, who acknowledged that the welfare system needs reform, said Wilson seems to be accepting a stereotypical view of poor people rather than trying to understand their plight.

“Poverty is 10 degrees below hell,” said Hamilton, who supports her family on a $788 monthly welfare payment. “If he’s been there, he can relate. But if he hasn’t been there, how can he dictate? He wants to sit up there and cut my check again, and I’m not even surviving on what I’ve got.”

Callie Hutchison, executive director of the California Homeless and Housing Coalition, criticized the governor’s proposal to limit the amount of welfare new residents can receive, noting that there is no “concrete evidence” that large numbers of people were moving to California because of the welfare benefits.

“People come for jobs and the much-touted California lifestyle,” she said. “They are attracted by their dreams for a better life, not how to live better in poverty.”

OLIVIA Attwood has revealed how her husband Bradley Dack reacts to the very saucy footage in her ITV series Getting Filthy Rich.

The programme, which is now in its fourth series, sees Liv delve into the world of kink and how creators monetise fetishes to make, in some cases, megabucks.

Her latest series begins next Monday with an episode on celebrity OnlyFans creators and goes on to more extreme material including an ex-military veteran who sells his stinky socks and men who like having their privates kicked.

Nothing is off the table, though the editors earn their money by artfully hiding the most X-rated material from view.

It might make some husbands a little uncomfortable, but professional footballer Brad isn’t one of them.

In fact, Liv can’t quite believe how laidback he is when she shares details of the intimate footage.

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She says: “When I come home or I text him, and he’s like, ‘what are you up to?’ And I’m like, ‘just literally watching this guy get kicked in the balls’. He still to this day will be like, ‘oh Liv, whatever’.

“And I’m like, ‘why would I lie? You’ve seen the series. Like, I’m not lying’. Like he always thinks I’m exaggerating.

“And then when I start getting rough cuts of the show and I’m like, ‘come here, look at this’. And I’ll be like, ‘I remember that day you told me that I was just pulling your leg or exaggerating’. So it’s like, he still doesn’t fully believe me until he actually sees it.”

Liv really is in the thick of it, with little separation between her and the performers.

“I’m literally watching that like two metres away,” she says.

“I thought I couldn’t be shocked anymore, because I think I’ve seen so much,” she continues.

“But yeah, I’m speechless so many times this series, and I’m enlightened, and I’m shocked, and I’m learning things.

“I have to say, I think this is probably the most shocking series to date, if I’m honest. I think we cover some really unusual, quirky areas, and then we go kind of deeper into areas that we’ve actually already covered, but in a different way.”

Open-minded Liv parks her feelings to one side for the programme, determined to ensure the guest stars are portrayed in a neutral light, neither endorsing or criticising their lifestyle choices.

“I think the way people’s fetishes are, there’s no limits to what people are into,” she says. “And I think every time I think I’ve heard the thing that I think me personally, and I’m no judgment ever, then we find the story where I’m like, ‘okay, no, that, that is not the most unusual thing this is’.”

The one topic she was hesitant to explore was the world of foot fetishes, but she knew the demand was there and bit the bullet.

“We met with this guy who was kicked out of the army for creating OnlyFans content,” she says.

“And he’s selling his really dirty socks for crazy money. When he had the socks off his feet, the whole room stunk and someone would buy them for hundreds of pounds. Like it’s stuff that is really hard for us to get our head around, but people are into what they’re into.”

The Love Island star wanted to break new ground this series and flex her journalistic chops.

She did a deep dive into the Las Vegas sex industry, meeting strippers, escorts and performers, embracing Sin City’s seedier side.

What unfolded sounds reminiscent of the Hangover with Liv indulging in the wild night life and awkwardly standing shoulder to shoulder with her producer pals as porn stars did their thing right in front of them.

Explaining her attitude to the Stateside trip, she says: “You know what, I’m going to just really be an investigative journalist. I’m going to drink and I’m going to spend money.

“And they’re like, ‘you don’t have to do that’. I was like, ‘no, I want to, as a journalist, to get the full experience’. So there are lots of lols in that episode where I was like really trying to ingratiate myself in the Vegas culture.”

Dani Dyer opened up about her childhood with EastEnders star dad Danny Dyer while being interrogated by the Directing Staff on tonight’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins

Celebrity SAS star Dani Dyer has spoken out about the “terrible boyfriends” she’s had in the past while being interrogated on the Channel 4 show. Tonight’s episode saw the Directing Staff call Dani in for a chat after watching her struggle during the latest physical challenge.

Jason ‘Foxy’ Fox took the opportunity to ask Dani how she felt about growing up with her famous dad, Danny Dyer, who is best known for his roles in Human Traffic, The Football Factory and EastEnders. Dani answered: “It was okay, really. I think I get a lot of the things that he’s a hard man, but he genuinely ain’t.

“He’s the softest person. My mum’s the hard man of the family, but I’ve already been alright with having him as a dad. We’ve lived a very, very normal life considering he has been so famous.”

When asked what she was like as a teenager, Dani explained that she wasn’t a “wild” child. “I chatted a lot, I always got in trouble for chatting,” she said.

“I just chose terrible boyfriends, but my mum and dad always knew where I was. I wasn’t one of them kids where they were ringing up the police, I thought I was pretty stable in that sense.” Dani went on to become emotional as she opened up about her insecurities, revealing: “I want to be stronger. I want to believe in myself. I don’t have any self-belief at all.”

Dani married footballer Jarrod Bowen last May after welcoming their twins, Summer and Star, in May 2023. She was previously in an on-off relationship with Sammy Kimmence, dating him before going on Love Island in 2018 and rekindling the romance after splitting from co-star Jack Fincham shortly after the show.

They welcomed their son Santiago in 2021, but split shortly afterwards when Sammy was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for scamming pensioners out of £34,000.

Speaking about taking part in Celebrity SAS, Dani revealed that it was one of the “hardest things” she has ever had to do. Speaking in a video posted on her Instagram Story ahead of the premiere, Dani said: “SAS is obviously on tonight at nine o’clock.

“This is one show I’ve been absolutely really excited for you all to see, but also petrified because it was one of the hardest experiences of my entire life.”

Speaking to The Mirror in an exclusive chat, Dani said that she’s entering a new era as her kids continue to grow up. “I feel like I’m really finding myself again. I’ve had five years obviously with all the kids and now they’re growing up a little bit,” she said.

“You start finding yourself a little bit again – what you like and what you don’t like. I’m finding my feet. In this industry, you have your ups and downs but I feel at the moment that I’m really enjoying everything I’m doing and appreciating it all.”

Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins continues tomorrow at 9pm on Channel 4.

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Strictly’s head judge Shirley Ballas admits it will be ‘sad’ to film the BBC dance programme without Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as the hosts after their unexpected exit

Shirley Ballas has revealed her true thoughts on Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman quitting Strictly Come Dancing. The presenting duo announced in October that they would be departing the series this year after over two decades on the programme.

While they didn’t give any indication as to why they made the decision to step back, the pair simply told fans they were passing over the “baton” to new presenters. But for head judge Shirley, 65, she admits that it will be “sad” to return to the dance studio without the bubbly pair.

In a new interview, Wallasey-born Shirley has revealed she was “surprised” when she heard that they were stepping down after 11 years fronting the BBC show. Winkleman, 53, and Daly, 56, had fronted the series together since 2014, and their last appearance presenting the show together was during its pre-recorded festive episode, which aired on Christmas Day.

“Everyone was surprised,” Ballas said. She went on to tell Saga Magazine, for their January issue: “I share the changing room next to them, and they are full of giggles and laughter.

“They also showed me the way from when I joined until now, so it will be a sad day when they go.” Shirley, who admits she had no TV experience when she joined the show, made her debut as head judge in September 2017. But while Shirley has appeared on nine seasons of the show, she almost quit the year after she joined.

“I didn’t know if I wanted the job back because of the intrusion, people selling stories, the constant criticism,” she explained. But it was her son, fellow dancer Mark, who encouraged Shirley to stay on the show. He told his mother that the programme would give her a platform to shout about causes she’s passionate about.

But while Shirley was shocked about Tess and Claudia’s decision to exit, the stars of this years series found out when the pair made a public announcement. “We’d just finished on Lorraine, and we just looked at our phones and we saw it on social media,” actor Lewis Cope said.

He added: “We were so shocked. And then we were told later, it had to be that way, and they couldn’t really give anyone a heads up.” This, however, hasn’t stopped several celebs being linked to the job. These include Zoe Ball, who previously hosted It Takes Two, former professional dancer Janette Manrara and Roman Kemp.

However, Chief Content Officer for the BBC, Kate Phillips, has been sifting through dozens of names. She said on the Rest Is Entertainment podcast that her emails had been “inundated” with people sharing their interest.

“We have had so many people who are keen to be considered, which is great,” she said. This year, it wasn’t just Tess and Claudia’s unexpected exit which saw a major change to Strictly, the casting vote in the dance off also rotated between Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton du Beke.

“They called me about the idea and I loved it,” she said of the new decision. Shirley added: “It’s onerous; quite often there’s just a hair’s breadth in it, so it makes sense to share it. And when I spoke to Craig [Revel Horwood], he said, ‘Darling I’ve been waiting 21 years to send somebody home.’ It made his day.”

The full interview is available in Saga Magazine’s January issue.

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HELEN Flanagan has opened up on a “difficult” fallout from her split with her ex that impacts her relationship with her daughter Matilda.

The former Coronation Street actress, 35, took to her Instagram page to give an insight into her state of mind after her children returned from their Christmas stay with Scott Sinclair.

In her frank video Helen, who starred as the Wicked Queen in Liverpool’s Snow White panto through the festive season, began by stating that she now had her kids back.

Her three children Matilda, 10, Delilah, seven, and Charlie, four had all been spending Christmas with their father Scott, 36.

Helen said: “What I find probably the most difficult is probably with Maltida because I feel like she’s the eldest.

“Me and her Dad broke up when she was seven.

ONE HEL OF A NIGHT

Helen Flanagan turns heads in cut-out black dress on night out with pals

hel’s hurt

Helen Flanagan brands Xmas without her kids ‘unnatural’ amid Scott Sinclair row

“I feel like Delilah is just so oblivious she doesn’t care, Charlie doesn’t care he was one.

“But Matilda is sensitive and she takes everything very much in and every single time that I get her back, she’s in a mood with me.

“She’s really moody, she’s got attitude, she’s really sassy and it’s just expected because I know it’s what it’s like.

“And I think it’s almost like she feels like I’m kind of disowning her in a way when I’ve not got her and it’s not.

“Regardless of mine and her Dad’s relationship I always want her to have a relationship with her father because I think that’s good for her.

“And regardless of everything that goes on, I always tell her that her Dad loves her and that she must love her Dad.

“It’s totally separate.”

This comes weeks after Helen publicly slated her ex Scott Sinclair for skipping their son’s Christmas nativity.

The mum-of-three lashed out online at the Bristol Rovers footballer after he posted about spending a weekend in Abu Dhabi at the Grand Prix instead.

Scott had posted snaps from his weekend in the United Arab Emirates where he watched Lando Norris secure his maiden Drivers’ Championship title.

“What a weekend-Abu Dhabi F1,” Scott wrote.

He added: “Happy Days, blurry nights..”

“You really are a piece of s***,” Helen raged, as she shared Scott’s Instagram post.

“How dare you not turn up to Charlie’s nativity.”

Meanwhile Helen posted a snap of her cuddling their son, writing: “Loved Charlie’s nativity. My star, my heartbeat.”

The Coronation Street star split from her ex-fiancé Scott in 2022 after 13 years together.

She recently hinted at trouble “co-parenting” with Scott, telling The Sun: “He lives like Somerset and I live in Lancashire. So we live so far away from each other, which is really difficult when you’ve got three young children.

“I hate calling it co-parenting because I don’t really feel like a co-parent to be honest with you anyway.”

She recently took to her social media pages to praise her mum for her support in raising their brood.

“My mum’s incredible,” Helen said.

“She really helps me bring up my children really. I’m very lucky to have that support.”