News: People has named Noah Wyle the Sexiest Man Alive and the internet has some thoughts

People Magazine announced their Sexiest Man Alive for 2026 today.

Noah Wyle Named People’s 2026 Sexiest Man Alive - usatoday.com

So I was skulking around online as usual when the news broke. As expected, the internet has some thoughts. Social media is not kind.

For the record, it never was. I was there for the dawn of time and it was actually more ruthless in the Paleolithic era.

Today the internet remains undefeated in unnecessary roughness:

@filmbitten: noah wyle isn’t even the sexiest man on his own tv show… alive is a stretch

@MAXXXXXLE: noah wyle is committing levels of fraud never seen before

@xjoydivision: imagine you’re having the worst day of your life and you open twitter only to see noah wyle was voted (allegedly) the sexiest man alive for 2026

Wyle himself was a little trepidatious about accepting the honor but says his wife encouraged him because he’s such a good husband and father. Awww. That’s really nice and made me reconsider posting this to the news today.

However…

Women aren’t graded on this, not in Hollywood or anywhere else. Are you kidding me? We don’t get crowned Sexiest Woman Alive for being nice to our kids or spending time with our husbands without asking them to do the chores they promised to do last month.

Clearly, I reconsidered posting about this.

 J. Jane Jameson knows where the story lives.


News: Tom Skerritt has died

Maybe you know him from Top Gun or maybe you know him from Steel Magnolias, either way if you’re a person of a certain age (i.e. old like me), you’re going to feel this one in the chest. Rest in peace, Tom Skerritt.

Tom Skerritt

1933 - 2026

News: Danny Trejo is in a pro-ICE movie and his son says he can’t get out of it

Danny Trejo is probably the most Mexican-looking* man on the planet. When you’re in the States and anyone says “Mexican,” an image of Danny Trejo is bound to materialize somewhere in the grey matter. So you can imagine my ire when I read the news about Trejo starring in what sounds to me to be an ICE propaganda movie.

Earlier this month, news broke that Trejo was working on a conservative film project attached to Ben Shapiro and The Daily Wire.

Here is what’s verifiable:

  • Trejo was approached about working on a movie that is described by ABC News as:

“[A] Daily Wire-affiliated movie about an ICE agent doing battle with Antifa protesters and MS-13 gang members…”

  • Trejo’s son Gilbert has recently made a public statement about his father’s involvement on Pawn Shop, which included the following information:

    • He says his father did not know who Ben Shapiro was prior to signing onto the project.

    • Trejo did not know this was a pro-ICE movie before signing on.

    • Gilbert says his dad was presented with one version of the film and then it changed into what is now being described as a pro-ICE movie.

  • Gilbert says his father is now contractually obligated to finish working on the film.

  • He also says that his father has signed an NDA, and it’s not possible for him to speak freely about this current controversy.

  • Today, I learned that Trejo had previously done some voice acting on Mr. Birchum, an animated series produced by The Daily Wire and executive-produced by one Ben Shapiro.


    Here is what I’m understanding so far about this mess (not verifiable but not completely unlikely to be true either):

  • I can see why a conservative, right-wing, pro-ICE group would want Danny Trejo in their movie, which glorifies ICE whilst ICE is enthusiastically violating constitutional and human rights daily. (Please see my first paragraph if you’re unsure of what I mean here.)

  • It’s plausible that Trejo was sold one version of the script and then it morphed into something else—something like pro-ICE propaganda.

  • The Daily Wire was involved with this thing from the start. I’m no investigative journalist, but that immediately made me suspicious of the project. Why wouldn’t it do the same for a seasoned actor?

  • Trejo has worked on a project linked to both Shapiro and The Daily Wire before. How did he work with them twice and stay ignorant as to who they were and what they were about?

  • Where the hell is this guy’s representation? Aren’t they supposed to look into possible conflicts of interest for the person they’re representing?


Is it possible Trejo was tricked into this? Yes. Is it possible he knew what he was getting into but did it anyway for the paycheck? Sadly, also yes. Am I going to take a beat before we draw and quarter him? Yes. That man makes up a big chunk of our tiny sliver of representation in movies. He does not get a pass; he gets a pause.

Ok I paused.

What does Gilbert Trejo mean when he says Danny agreed to do some voice acting for his friend Adam Carolla without realizing Carolla’s politics had changed?

Look, I’ve been a comedy fan—specifically stand-up—for my ENTIRE life. Carolla has always rubbed me the wrong way. He’s been this version of conservative since I can remember. And I don’t have the benefit of a personal relationship with him. So, he can say he used to be a Democrat all day, but what does that mean exactly when you’re a flaming conservative now? 

Ultimately, the situation is suspect. There were too many opportunities for Danny Trejo and/or his representation to do some of their own investigating to ensure there were no conflicts of interest.

The grace I was trying to give Danny Trejo has been revoked. Ready the horses, raza!

*When I say Mexican I mean Mexican-American not Mexican National. Us Americans are rather liberal with our broad generalizations

News: A former South Park writer is building a website to expose the Cornell 7

Former South Park writer Toby Morton has launched the website:

TheCornell7.org

The website will eventually be populated with all kinds of information pertinent to the seven men accused of 😒 raping Jane Doe, some of whom only had to write an essay as punishment.

“I’m building this carefully, and it will take time,” wrote Morton on the site’s homepage. “I’ve already received names, photographs, documents, messages, and other information related to the case. Before publishing those materials, I want to make certain that every identity is correct, every photograph is of the right person.”

My only question is, where do we send the thank-you notes?

Former ‘South Park’ Writer Launches Site to Expose Information About Cornell University Sexual Assault Case: ‘There Will Be Accountability’ — variety.com

News: Harvey Weinstein was just sentenced to 15 years 🎉

Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 15 years on New York sex crime conviction - nbc.com

That headline is kind of confusing, isn’t it? You thought he had already been sentenced and was currently serving time, right? That’s what I thought too. I had to dig a little deeper, so before you click away, allow me:

May 25, 2018 — By this point Weinstein has been expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and his company, the Weinstein Company, has filed for bankruptcy. He surrenders to police in Manhattan, his first arrest in connection with the sexual assault allegations, according to NPR.

July 2, 2018 — More charges are brought against Weinstein.

October 11, 2018 — One charge against him is dismissed.

January 6, 2020 — NYC trial begins. The same day, Los Angeles prosecutors file their own charges. This man is very clearly an animal. The scope of his depravity is insane.

February 24, 2020 — Weinstein is found guilty in NY with a mixed verdict.

Jurors convicted the former producer of two of the five counts he faced — third-degree rape and a first-degree criminal sexual act — but acquitted him of the most serious charges.

March 11, 2020 — He finally gets a consequence in the form of a prison sentence—23 years in New York.

October 2022 — The LA trial begins.

December 2022 — Weinstein is found guilty in another mixed verdict.

Weinstein was found guilty of rape, forced oral copulation and sexual misconduct – three of seven charges – in his Los Angeles trial.

Weinstein's convictions hinged on allegations from one of four accusers. (The jury ruled Weinstein was not guilty on one of the remaining charges, and couldn't reach a decision on three others.) Four additional charges were dismissed.


February 23, 2023 — He is sentenced to 16 years to be served consecutively after his 23-year sentence in New York.

Finally, right? You’re thinking finally things are sorting themselves out, but nope.

April 25, 2024 — The New York conviction is overturned.

Weinstein's 2020 sex crimes conviction was overturned while serving a 23-year sentence in New York. In a 4-3 decision, the New York State Court of Appeals ruled that Weinstein did not receive a fair trial because the proceedings included testimony from women whose allegations were not part of the case.

Yep, you read that right. Now, unclench your jaw and drop your shoulders. Inhale one time, nice and deep. Hold it for two beats. Now, exhale with me.

Good.

June 7, 2024 — Weinstein’s lawyers appeal the California conviction.

Wow. He must be so grateful that he made so much money while sexually assaulting all those women. He’s so lucky. Now he can afford to litigate until he draws his last breath because don’t forget, his health has started failing by this point—big time.

September 12, 2024 — Another NY indictment is announced.

Hallelujah!

September 18, 2024 — He pleads not guilty to the new charge in NY. 😒

June 11, 2025 — Weinstein is convicted on one charge.

In a split verdict, a Manhattan jury found Weinstein guilty of one count of criminal sexual act in the first degree — the sexual assault of Miriam "Mimi" Haley in 2006. In another count of the same charge, they acquitted the former producer of allegations from former model Kaja Sokola.

They reached no verdict on one count of rape in the third degree, in which former aspiring actress Jessica Mann alleged that Weinstein raped her in a hotel room in 2013. Mann had previously testified in Weinstein's 2020 Manhattan trial.

Judge Curtis Farber sent jurors back to deliberate on that third "no verdict" count, but declared a mistrial the next day, June 12, after the jury foreperson declined to return to deliberations. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr., quickly signaled that prosecutors would be pursuing yet another trial to reach a verdict.

September 23, 2026 — Weinstein is sentenced to 15 years in prison for the sexual assault of Miriam “Mimi” Haley.

Justice doesn’t feel super justice-y anymore, does it? So excuse those of us who have lived through sexual assault when we celebrate a man like Harvey Weinstein feeling any bit of consequence for actions that oftentimes ruin entire lives and frequently go unpunished.

News: Florence Pugh is playing identical twins in her new project

According to The Playlist, “tucked inside” Florence Pugh’s Vanity Fair interview, she mentioned that she would be working on Cassandra at the Wedding, the movie adaptation of the 1962 novel by Dorothy Baker. She will also be co-producing it.

In the movie, Pugh will play identical twins. In the book, one of these twins is getting married; the other is described as being a resentful Berkeley student. The resentful one is traveling back home for her sister’s wedding, determined to ruin it. Apparently, they’ve been apart for some time and, prior to this, have been wholly codependent. You can imagine the turmoil we’ll get to explore once this comes out.

I like Florence Pugh’s work and that she also said in that same Vanity Fair interview that deeply complicated women were her fetish. She loves to play those characters in her work, and I love consuming work that has those kinds of characters, so onward we go.

‘Cassandra At The Wedding’: Florence Pugh To Play Identical Twins In India Donaldson’s Dorothy Baker Adaptation - theplaylist.net

News: A Famous Actor Was a Jerk to Ke Huy Quan at the SAG Awards in 2023

Ke Huy Quan has written a memoir titled Never Say Die. It’s out now, and in it he reveals that during the 2023 SAG Awards ceremony, he was so excited to be there that he was taking selfies with as many stars as he could. Quan was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for Everything Everywhere All at Once at the time, after a lengthy absence from the silver screen.

As Quan tells it, on the big day he ran into a well-known actor whom he respected and, without thinking about it, asked for a selfie. As he was taking the selfie, Quan pulled a face out of pure joy for the moment. The well-known actor looked at him “for a beat and then said sharply, ‘Why did you make that stupid face?’ I laughed, a little surprised and not quite sure what to make of it. He shook his head and added, ‘You’re not going to win tonight with that stupid face.’”

I’m guessing this well-known actor is also good-looking, well-liked, well-compensated, and widely respected. So what was the reason? We’ve all got problems. We’re all living through unprecedented times. We’re all struggling, but the rest of us are not out here spitting venom into Data’s ear on what could possibly be one of the most memorable nights of his life. Why do some people do that—see joy and immediately want to mock it, stomp it out, or both? Is it misery? It can’t just be misery wanting company.

Ke Huy Quan reflects on uncomfortable run-in with ‘well-known’ actor at 2023 SAG Awards – ew.com

This reminds me of a time several years back at a 311 concert. This band has mega fans who follow them all over the country. Some of these folks get REALLY into the shows and put their entire bodies into the physicality of being on the rail. They’re like the personification of joy, essentially, a bubble of energy front and center stage. At this show, this particular group of mega fans was absolutely losing their minds. 311 has been around for a long time, so even though some of us started listening to them in our teens, we’re fully middle-aged now. These folks look middle-aged to me. They look like they’re knee-deep in the minivan crew in their respective suburbs. However, they are living life to the fullest at this show and I respect it, even if they were rather standoffish and kind of mean when we were all in line.

I’m also on the rail because I too am a nerd, but I’m farther down, not front and center. About 30 minutes into the show, the security guard in front of me—a young guy who looked to be in his early 20s—pulls out his phone slowly and discreetly. I notice everything, so when I saw movement in my peripheral vision, I locked in. One of the drawbacks of being on the rail at concerts is that you’re extremely visible to all the folks with cameras on stage and in the area just before the stage. If you’re really opposed to being on camera at a concert, this is probably not the spot for you. When I see the security guy pull out his phone, I’m instantly on alert because I had just seen him watching the minivan crew absolutely lose their minds. A moment of judgment flashed across his face and it registered—noted. Actually, now that I think about it, it wasn’t judgment, it was mockery. He thought it was funny and, yeah, it did look a little funny. We’re old, I get it. But then I see this guy panning. He’s recording as many of us as he can. I have exactly one beat to figure out what I’m going to do, how I’m going to react, because I am standing directly in front of him and it’s only a matter of time until I’m in frame. Will I smile so we can laugh at them together or what?

I can’t do it. Sure, these folks were kind of jerks earlier, but we all have bad days, right? If I point and laugh, too, I’m just as much of a jerk. And so I chose to use my dark, almost black eyes to bore a hole directly into this young man’s soul when the camera got to me. Because I am me, I threw in a disappointed head shake. I am nothing if not melodramatic. In that moment, our eyes locked. He knew I knew. And now he had a decision to make.

He did the right thing. He met my gaze and locked in. He saw my “don’t be a dick” head shake, took a beat to register it, and ever so slowly put his phone back into his pocket. That’s right, me and a complete stranger were faced with a choice and we chose to grow our empathy in real time. Maybe it wasn’t a lot, maybe no one else will ever notice, but in that moment, we knew. We knew what we’d done and we were cool for the rest of the night. We even gave each other one of these 😏 when it was time to go home.

It’s hella easier to not have regrets when you’re not actively trying to extinguish someone else’s joy. Besides, there is far too little joy in this world right now. Let it live. Let it grow. Let it expand instead of snuffing it out.