Lifestyle
Brittany Howard on Prince, breakup songs and giving 'everything and leaving nothing'
![Brittany Howard on Prince, breakup songs and giving 'everything and leaving nothing' Brittany Howard on Prince, breakup songs and giving 'everything and leaving nothing'](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1128x635+0+105/resize/1400/quality/100/format/png/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F50%2Ff7%2F104e4f4d43c8a7988268e6ce0899%2Fbhcredbobbirich.png)
“No matter what, there’s one thing you can’t deny … that I am giving it everything and leaving nothing,” Brittany Howard says.
Bobbi Rich/Island Records
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Bobbi Rich/Island Records
From the time she was a kid, former Alabama Shakes frontperson Brittany Howard knew she wanted to be in a band. She remembers seeing some kids from the local high school performing, and it was like a door opened in her mind: “I said, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ “
![Alabama Shakes' Brittany Howard On Small-Town Life, Big-Time Music](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2016/01/27/gettyimages-482951418_sq-5a1a965be8e9c0743915bbcd9a00eb64665d28c5.jpg?s=100&c=85&f=jpeg)
Today, Howard is a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer. But at the time, she was a poor, biracial kid in a small Alabama town. When she began seeking out musicians to play with, she was told repeatedly that she didn’t look like a lead singer.
![On 'What Now,' Brittany Howard is a virtuoso in pursuit of a flow state](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/02/09/gettyimages-1800354614_sq-dd5d05bd15ded5bf439a2633fb88d8ec51f1f161.jpg?s=100&c=85&f=jpeg)
“It made me sing harder and sing louder and perform just as hard as I could perform,” she says of the rejections. “Because no matter what, there’s one thing you can’t deny … that I am giving it everything and leaving nothing.”
Howard’s new solo album is What Now. She talks with Terry Gross about the album, growing up in a haunted house and playing with Prince at his Paisley Park. Click the audio link above to hear the full interview.
Therese Madden and Susan Nyakundi produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz and Molly Seavy-Nesper adapted it for the web.
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Lifestyle
12 great beaches in Southern California beloved by locals
![12 great beaches in Southern California beloved by locals 12 great beaches in Southern California beloved by locals](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f1d97ad/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4800x2520+0+266/resize/1200x630!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc9%2F0c%2F87cf00eb4915b23d340e0a700f9a%2Fla-photos-1staff-562257-la-me-coronavirus-social-gathering-1-ajs.jpg)
When readers shared their favorite Southern California beaches with us, the majority of their recommendations were for beaches that made our recent top 50 list. Picking the best beaches out of the roughly 200 in Southern California was an ambitious task, and it’s gratifying to be in alignment with so many beach lovers.
That said, locals recommended other treasured beaches too, some of which we considered but didn’t make the cut. Here you’ll find a sampling of those suggestions in alphabetical order. A few are harder to get to than ones we prioritized in our guide, which tends to highlight beaches with easy access and special amenities. Note: Some of these don’t get regular water quality tests, but you can check Heal the Bay’s online report card for updates.
Broad Beach
One reader said they like Broad Beach because it’s less crowded than other Malibu beaches.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Claire Weglarz of Hollywood put it simply: “Broad Beach is just a pretty beach with less people.” This Malibu spot doesn’t have amenities such as restrooms or a parking lot. Also, at high tide, there’s little to no sand to walk on. You enter through a staircase that’s between homes; this is one of those Malibu beaches that looks private but isn’t.
There are tide pools to the north near Lechuza Beach, which also didn’t make our list but did get a shoutout.
Capistrano Beach Park
![A person on a jetski out in the ocean with seagulls and sailboats.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b1f5d68/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1620x1080+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc5%2Fe3%2F50c959354d34b6c1730151e6e0cd%2Fwk-50-best-beaches-reader-callout-archive-004.jpg)
A jetski rider enjoys the ocean at Capistrano Beach Park.
(Karen Tapia-Andersen / Los Angeles Times)
Leslie McGee of Los Angeles suggested Capistrano Beach Park in Dana Point because it’s “not too crowded and [is] family-friendly.” There’s easy access to this beach from the parking lot, and fishing is permitted, according to the Orange County Parks Department. In July, 20,000 cubic yards of sand were added along the north end.
El Pescador State Beach
![White foamy waves kiss the sand with a blue sky above.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8e86cc7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3395x2263+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1c%2Fab%2F2c2cdd5b4a7c81c59f24a45f49a9%2Fwk-malibu-beaches-12.jpg)
El Pescador State Beach is a pocket beach near others including El Matador State Beach, which did make our top 50 list.
(Kailyn Brown / Los Angeles Times)
Jonathan Palmer of Los Angeles said he likes secluded El Pescador State Beach because of its “quiet, natural beauty.” This pocket beach is near El Matador State Beach, which did make our list. El Pescador is often less crowded than El Matador, which is a popular spot for photo shoots.
Hermosa Beach
![A man pushes a girl on a sled down a hill of sand.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8b2d1e6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5628x3752+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdf%2Fcb%2F8f90a9d841d893a004d1acee7a0e%2F1234498-me-socal-christmas-gxc-0855.jpg)
Alex Filipchik of Redondo Beach pushes his daughter, Veronica, down a hill of sand on Dec. 25, 2022.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
Several readers gushed about Hermosa Beach. Volleyball and surfing are popular here.
Clarke Mallery of Hermosa Beach said it’s a wide, sandy beach that’s clean, charming and casual with “loads of dining and entertainment on Pier Plaza.” Mallery pointed out the nearby Lighthouse Cafe, a beloved jazz venue that was a filming location in “La La Land.” (It also made our guide to best jazz spots.) Shelby Forier, who grew up in Hermosa Beach, said: “I love this beach with my whole heart, and I’d love to share it with everyone!”
Hueneme Beach Park
Beachgoers enjoy Port Hueneme Beach Park on April 19, 2020.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Andrea Massion of Port Hueneme, a small beach town in Ventura County, recommended Hueneme Beach Park, which she described as “a quiet middle-class family beach with pier and a cafe.” The beach also has volleyball courts, barbecue pits, picnic tables and walking paths.
Lunada Bay
Several readers wrote in to praise Lunada Bay as an inviting surf spot, but the beach has been at the center of a lawsuit that claims a surf clique makes it a hostile space for outsiders.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
This Palos Verdes Estates beach kept popping up in my inbox. Multiple readers said they liked to surf at Lunada Bay, describing it as a pleasant, secluded beach.
But there is some sordid history here: The Lunada Bay Boys surf clique has harassed outsiders for decades by throwing rocks, cutting leashes and blocking beach access. In 2016, two surf-loving attorneys sued the city of Palos Verdes Estates and group members. Since then, more than a dozen individual defendants have settled — some agreeing to stay away from the beach for a year or more, others paying monetary settlements, the highest being $90,000. As of this writing, two defendants remain: an individual and the city of Palos Verdes Estates. (The city manager’s office didn’t respond to requests for comment as of publishing.)
A jury trial is slated to begin next week. One of the attorneys, Kurt Franklin, said Lunada Bay may be beautiful, but it isn’t always inviting to all. Just this winter, he received complaints of people being bullied, noting it’s worse during surf season, which is October through March.
Mandalay Beach
![Pink and orange skies during sunset over the ocean.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6ec7946/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5906x3937+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7a%2Fb1%2F4971e98044688e32e18940694ec6%2Fwk-50-best-beaches-reader-callout-handout-003.jpg)
A sunset view at Mandalay Beach in Oxnard.
(Brallan Perez Favela)
Linda Gorman recommends all the beaches in her hometown of Oxnard, specifying Mandalay Beach and Silver Strand. She said they’re quiet and offer beautiful views of the Channel Islands.
Mandalay Beach, also known as Oxnard State Beach, has sherbet sunsets over its dunes. A 900-foot paved loop provides wheelchair access to the beach. Behind the dunes are a playground, bike, skating and jogging paths, and volleyball courts that are part of the similarly named Oxnard Beach Park, a.k.a. ’Olol’koy Beach Park. Locals who like to surf and kayak tend to hit Silver Strand.
Oceanside City Beach
![A fisherman casts out on a rock jetty near Oceanside Harbor Beach.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f222db3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6575x4112+0+0/resize/2000x1251!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F85%2Fa1%2F59e6b62448caae97007b37486010%2F490143-sd-me-xol-hunt-hl-003.jpg)
Christopher Vollrath of Oceanside, Calif., fishes early in the morning on Feb. 7, 2020, from the Oceanside south jetty near Oceanside Harbor Beach.
(Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Dawn Renee of Vista loves Oceanside City Beach because it has nice sidewalks along the strand, fire rings, beach wheelchairs and playground equipment. You’ll find people fishing and surfers in the water, she said.
“I thought perhaps we got left out due to our current wound, the pier fire remnants,” she said, noting that she enjoyed her first senior discount “while watching dolphins frolic from the windows at now-shuttered Ruby’s.”
Indeed, when we were researching our guide, we cut this beach from the short list because of the April fire that closed the pier. Some of it has reopened since, but a full reopening isn’t expected until 2027.
Pirate’s Cove Beach
![Two people pull a yellow kayak into the water.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1b2852f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1278x1917+0+0/resize/2000x3000!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4a%2F8f%2F054e52f34c12a19c0c397de54b40%2Fwk-50-best-beaches-reader-callout-archive-006.jpg)
Kayakers launch their boat into the crystal waters of Pirate’s Cove Beach.
(Kent Treptow / Daily Pilot)
Elena Moore of Huntington Beach nominated this secluded beach that’s connected to Corona del Mar State Beach, which did make our top 50 list.
One must ascend a wall of smooth rocks to get to this spot of sand with views of pricy homes and boats making their way out to sea. Moore recalled spending countless days as a teen at Pirate’s Cove with her friends. One time she made a bet that she could swim across the channel’s choppy water. She was the only one who made it and won lunch at Ruby’s Diner and ice cream from Dairy Queen. She still visits Pirate’s Cove now and then. “Each time I do, I stand at the water’s edge, stare across the channel and smile from ear to ear [and] then suddenly get a craving for a Ruby burger and ice cream.”
Redondo Beach
![Fishermen stand on the end of a pier at sunset.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/764eab5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6122x4083+0+0/resize/2000x1334!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fad%2F4f%2F69ae17ae4e429bfa35f6fd488009%2F1383258-me-weather-redondo-beach-pier-jlc-1204-38546.jpg)
Fishermen end their day as the sun sets on the Redondo Beach Pier on Dec. 4, 2023.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Carla McCue of Los Angeles described Redondo Beach as “scenic, clean.” She shouted out the playground, restaurants on the pier and nearby Veterans Park, where she and her husband attend Memorial Day services. It’s also a “great hangout for picnics,” she said.
To the south, Torrance Beach made our list with a mention of Redondo Beach, particularly for a special night scuba dive experience that happens here December through March: the squid run.
T-Street Beach
![A Boogie boarder enters blue water with white waves.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c040768/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2054x1369+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0a%2Fd0%2Fc4b786b44dba993e5b19e37e16d9%2Fwk-50-best-beaches-reader-callout-archive-005.jpg)
A Boogie boarder enters the water at T-Street Beach in San Clemente on May 23, 2017.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Chris Duncan of San Clemente gushed about his hometown beach, noting that it’s frequented by “some of the best surfers in the world.” He also emphasized that there’s a train station near the pier. Service to the train station resumed in March after stopping in January following a landslide; it was the fifth time in three years that erosion closed this stop.
This palm-tree lined beach is indeed a popular spot. Given all he shared, Duncan asked: “How could you omit it?” T-Street was considered if that counts for anything.
Westward Beach
![People sit on towels along the sand as white foamy waves form in the ocean.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8772203/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1333+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdc%2F34%2F92855b304839a92605dfda59503a%2Fwk-malibu-beaches-03.jpg)
Visitors brave the winds and hot sand as winds gust at Westward Beach in Malibu on April 29, 2014.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
This one, tucked off Pacific Coast Highway, is “less busy and quieter than most beaches,” said Kimberly Maxwell of Reseda, who loves the view of Santa Monica Bay, Santa Monica Mountains and Zuma Beach. “The Sunset restaurant is also a treat after a long walk,” she added.
Also known as Free Beach, Westward got a mention in our guide alongside Point Dume State Beach.
Lifestyle
Five takeaways by a longtime NABJ member from Trump’s appearance before Black journalists
![Five takeaways by a longtime NABJ member from Trump’s appearance before Black journalists Five takeaways by a longtime NABJ member from Trump’s appearance before Black journalists](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5482x3084+0+141/resize/1400/quality/100/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1d%2Fe3%2Fb5477a4a459999d6f8dd04284a83%2Fap24213685795462.jpg)
Former President Donald Trump walks off stage after speaking at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago on Wednesday.
Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
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Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
Chicago, Ill. — At first, it felt like watching a slow-motion car crash.
I wasn’t actually in the room when Donald Trump brought his toxic rhetoric to the National Association of Black Journalists national convention Wednesday. But I was nearly there, sitting in a taxicab headed from the airport to the conference at the Hilton Chicago downtown, watching a livestream video as the former president insulted a roomful of Black journalists after ABC’s Rachel Scott opened with a tough question.
Scott asked about several instances where Trump said racist things, from falsely insisting Barack Obama wasn’t born in America to calling Black journalists losers and racist. Trump’s response was a torrent of barely-connected ideas, including a complaint that NABJ brought him to Chicago under “false pretenses” because they didn’t work out details to get Vice President Kamala Harris to make a similar, in-person appearance at the convention.
“I have been the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln,” Trump said, drawing scoffs from the crowd. “That is my answer.”
In a flash, it felt like all the predictions critics made of inviting Trump to address Black journalists came true. He was offering his usual torrent of accusations, assertions and insults – some outrageous, most inflated – creating word salad that moderators struggled to fact-check in the moment, raising fears that he owned the organization at its own conference.
As a 34-year member of NABJ, I had my own qualms. Not about inviting Trump – the group has invited the major party candidates for president to its national conferences for many years, to platform questions on issues involving people of color. But, among other things, I objected to seeing an anchor from the right-leaning cable channel Fox News among the three people questioning Trump. (Though I have volunteered for decades as chair of the NABJ’s Media Monitoring Committee, I had nothing to do with organizing Trump’s appearance).
![Former President Donald Trump holds a press conference on May 31 at Trump Tower in New York City following the verdict in his hush-money trial.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3504x3504+526+0/resize/100/quality/100/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F30%2Fac%2F448113c047b392c8430b1fba188c%2Fgettyimages-2155437737.jpg)
And I worried about the optics of a Black journalists’ group offering a prime panel spot to a politician who had attacked Black journalists, while the Black and Asian woman also running for president would not appear.
But, after some reflection and talking with other members at the conference, I think the actual impact of Trump’s appearance is more nuanced. Here’s my five takeaways from what happened.
Trump’s appearance pushed NABJ to face tension between its status as a journalism organization and an advocate for fair treatment of Black journalists and, by extension, Black people.
This is an idea I heard from a friend and fellow journalist/NABJ member, and it rings true. As journalists, we jump at the chance to ask direct questions of a former president who has often stoked racial fears, from birtherism attacks against Obama and Harris to false claims about undocumented immigrants.
But our website also notes that NABJ “advocates on behalf of Black journalists and media professionals,” honoring those who provide “balanced coverage of the Black community and society at large.” I’ve always felt that if the media industry can give Black journalists a fair shot, we can help provide more accurate, less prejudiced coverage of everything – particularly issues involving marginalized groups.
That’s why some NABJ members chafed at platforming Trump, with his long history of racist statements, at a conference aimed at reducing the prejudice Black journalists face every day. But I think part of reaching NABJ’s goals involves Black journalists learning how to confront racist ideas; trying to get Trump to explain himself in front of a group of Black media professionals seems pretty in line with that mission.
NABJ president Ken Lemon asserted during the conference’s opening ceremonies later that day that the group is, at its core, a journalism organization. On this day, at least, it’s obvious the journalism side took precedence.
![Former President Donald Trump shakes hands with ABC's Rachel Scott, one of the journalists who moderated the event at NABJ in Chicago on Wednesday.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/7207x5027+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff0%2F4c%2Ff1e1c72a4bc1b4c2330752dc3e23%2Fap24213687445718.jpg)
Former President Donald Trump shakes hands with ABC’s Rachel Scott, one of the journalists who moderated the event at NABJ in Chicago on Wednesday.
Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
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Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
If the goal was to get Trump to reveal his terrible takes on race to the world – mission accomplished.
Lots of media outlets focused on his awful comments on how Harris “suddenly” became Black in his eyes. Trump tried the classic maneuver of turning an opponent’s advantage against them, acting as if the embrace of Harris as a history-making Black and Asian woman in politics was the result of some cynical marketing spin.
“I did not know she was Black until a couple of years ago when she happened to turn Black,” he said. “And now she wants to be known as Black. Is she Indian, or is she Black?”
True enough, the questioners struggled to pin Trump down on exactly why he talks about race the way he does. Or how he can believe such ideas aren’t racist.
![Republican presidential nominee and President Donald Trump speaks at a panel moderated by, from left, ABC's Rachel Scott, Semafor's Kadia Goba and Fox News' Harris Faulkner at the National Association of Black Journalists convention Wednesday in Chicago.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5760x5760+1354+0/resize/100/quality/100/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F97%2F57%2Fc648d3694d999ac157a2ae2c9b32%2Fap24213660509768.jpg)
Still, what Trump did say mostly made him look old-fashioned and prejudiced. Will it appeal to his base? Perhaps – but the moment didn’t feel like a strong, confident leader puncturing racial hypocrisy.
It seemed more like the wandering statements of someone who just doesn’t understand America’s modern melting pot of ethnicities.
Sometimes, with Trump, there is value in having an interviewer on hand who he trusts.
Much as I disliked seeing an anchor from a news organization that has won the NABJ’s Thumbs Down Award twice on the panel, Fox News’ Harris Faulkner did get Trump to open up a bit with less-pointed but telling questions.
In particular, when Trump said he thought the vice presidential candidates had “virtually no impact” on election results, he seemed to put into perspective his relationship with JD Vance while belittling the guy he is supposed to spend months alongside in a tight campaign.
There are other journalists from less partisan news outlets who likely could have achieved the same moment. But there is value in having one journalist in the mix who doesn’t immediately raise Trump’s defenses and might provoke more telling responses.
![Former President Donald Trump appears on a panel at NABJ on Wednesday in Chicago. From left, ABC's Rachel Scott, Semafor's Kadia Goba and FOX News' Harris Faulkner moderated the event.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/8366x5577+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F84%2F89%2F911e3fc841e48f9c626c5d6c7873%2Fap24213670036767.jpg)
Former President Donald Trump appears on a panel at NABJ on Wednesday in Chicago. From left, ABC’s Rachel Scott, Semafor’s Kadia Goba and FOX News’ Harris Faulkner moderated the event.
Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
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Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
Trump is a chaos agent who divides people and divides NABJ
In the end, I was less concerned about how NABJ looked to the world in the wake of Trump’s visit than how it deals with itself.
As news of the panel spread, many journalists spoke out passionately against having him at the conference, reasoning that any appearance would likely benefit him more than the group, platforming his terrible rhetoric about racial issues. Well-known figures like Roland Martin and April Ryan – who Trump criticized when he was president – spoke out; Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah quit her post as convention co-chair amid the controversy.
There are also tough questions about why the group couldn’t work out an arrangement to have Harris appear at the convention virtually, given that she was flying to Houston for the funeral of friend and sorority sister Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.
Considering the intense emotions at hand over the coming election and widespread skepticism about coverage decisions by journalists, there’s lots of criticism and bruising assumptions about what happened here.
This is the kind of division that can hobble NABJ in the future as people cancel memberships, decline to volunteer, hold back donations and continue to criticize the group’s direction. I expect the group’s membership meeting, scheduled for Saturday morning, will draw lots of pointed feedback from those who still question the wisdom of welcoming the former president here.
As someone who can attribute almost every major job I’ve gotten to connections made at an NABJ convention, this heightened squabbling is what I fear most – a distraction at a time when job losses and cutbacks in media have made times even more challenging for journalists of color.
In a way, NABJ played Trump’s game – and may have had some success
Another friend noted that Trump – who commands loyalty from GOP voters — has always valued dominating the news cycle, regardless of whether the stories are complimentary. His NABJ appearance ensured everything from the network evening news programs to The Daily Show focused on his comments here rather than Harris’ increasingly energized campaign.
As I saw criticism build over Trump’s visit, I wondered if NABJ wasn’t like a scrappy dog who finally caught a passing car – after years of GOP candidates declining invitations, finally one of the most divisive Republicans in modern politics was accepted. And the consequences of hosting him – particularly when Harris would not appear at the convention – loomed large.
But in the end, NABJ also landed at the top of the news cycle at a time when – as announced by the group during its opening ceremony – the convention drew the largest number of attendees in its history, over 4,000.
Yes, many supporters felt, as I did initially, that the appearance was a train wreck. But NABJ also showed the world three Black female journalists questioning Trump on some of his most provocative statements on race, with telling answers.
In a world where any publicity can be good publicity, that just might be enough.
Lifestyle
Ryan Reynolds Defends Jamie Lee Curtis After Marvel Criticism, Channeling 'Deadpool'
![Ryan Reynolds Defends Jamie Lee Curtis After Marvel Criticism, Channeling 'Deadpool' Ryan Reynolds Defends Jamie Lee Curtis After Marvel Criticism, Channeling 'Deadpool'](https://imagez.tmz.com/image/8a/16by9/2024/08/01/8a3e30e8bc384728b384ef0817c2873c_xl.jpg)
Ryan Reynolds is weighing in on Jamie Lee Curtis‘ Marvel criticism and subsequent apology … and the actor’s response to the sitch would make Deadpool proud.
Here’s the deal … after JLC issued a heartfelt apology for recently claiming Marvel was in its “bad” phase, the “Deadpool & Wolverine” star chimed in — and reminded everyone Jamie Lee’s original quip really wasn’t all that serious … nor did it warrant an I’m-sorry.
MTV
Ryan took to X on Thursday amid Jamie Lee’s announcement that she’d stop with the “mud slinging” — with RR making it clear the apology wasn’t necessary in the first place.
He seemed to channel his rebellious Deadpool character with his sentiment here, as he wrote … “Wait, is everyone expected to apologize for slamming Marvel post-Endgame?”
If we’re translating this correctly … Ryan is essentially saying everyone is entitled to their opinion (even ones that crap on Marvel) … so, people can relax with the pearl-clutching, which is in line with his character.
In fact, we’re right on target in that regard — sources tell us that’s exactly what RR was going for here … namely, channeling Deadpool (who bashes Marvel all the time) in real life.
Of course … this is still a pretty bold move from Ryan, given he’s kind of the darling of Marvel right now. Remember, “Deadpool & Wolverine” has already brought in over half a billion dollars at the box office … and is on pace to break all sorts of records.
JLC has yet to respond to Ryan’s defense of her … but we’re sure she’s feeling the love, especially after sparking outrage from Marvel fans across the globe.
Jamie Lee isn’t alone in her anti-Marvel stance … as director Martin Scorsese has criticized the superhero franchise on a number of occasions. Not to mention, Jennifer Aniston, Seth Rogen, Reese Witherspoon, John Cho and other stars have voiced their disinterest in suiting up for Marvel.
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Marvel isn’t without an A-list roster, however … as they just brought Robert Downey Jr. back into the fold for an exciting new villain role. So, we’re sure they’re not sweatin’ this drama.
All in good fun, right?
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A coup, fake signatures and deepfakes are the latest conspiracy theories about 2024
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Politics1 week ago
Trump team files FEC complaint over transfer of Biden's $91M to Harris campaign: 'Brazen money grab'