We have tragic news to report out of Hollywood today:
Daveigh Chase — the gifted actress who wowed audiences in films like The Ring, Donnie Darko, and Lilo & Stitch — has passed away.
She was just 35 years old.
Actress Daveigh Chase arrives at the official launch party for the most anticipated video game of the year, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, at the Belasco Theatre on November 8, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Getty Images for Bethesda)
News of Chase’s death comes courtesy of Chase’s boyfriend, Ray Hernandez, who also confirmed her cause of death in a statement to TMZ:
“Daveigh died Tuesday from meningitis and an infection in her blood, which caused her to have septic issues and led to her body shutting down,” Hernandez told the outlet.
Insiders report that Chase had been hospitalized earlier this month for malnutrition.
In addition to her work on screen, Chase was also one of Hollywood’s most highly regarded voice actors.
In addition to voicing one of the title characters in Lilo & Stitch, she starred as Chihiro in the English-language version of the Japanese animated classic Spirited Away.
Chase also racked up dozens of television credits over the course of her career, appearing on hit shows like ER and Big Love, where she played Rhonda Volmer in 32 episodes.
Across social media today, family, friends, and a legion of adoring fans are paying tribute to a star taken much, much too soon:
“I hope her family finds peace knowing that she isn’t suffering now. Meningitis and blood infection isn’t easy. Sending positive vibes,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter).
“If this heartbreaking news is true, may Daveigh Chase be remembered not just for the characters she brought to life, but for the impact her work had on millions who grew up watching it,” another chimed in, adding:
“Life is painfully fragile. Cherish the people you love while you still can.”
A third user referenced the recent deaths of singer Oliver Tree and Love Island producer James Barker, noting that June has been an unusually tragic month in the entertainment industry:
“Seems like we lost a lot of stars this month. Gaspi and Oliver, the Brazil girl, James Barker and so on. So sad about this. May her soul rest in peace and her family comforted,” they wrote.
Our condolences go out to Daveigh Chase’s loved ones during this enormously difficult time.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
There, his lawyers told the judge that he hopes to use an unusual but familiar defense at his trial: Extreme Emotional Disturbance.
Simply put, an EED defense is an affirmative defense, in which a defendant says that they committed an act during an altered state of consciousness.
This would mean that Luigi (allegedly) committed an act of voluntary manslaughter.
If the jury agrees with the defense’s case, this would mean a conviction — and a minimum sentence of five years. (The maximum sentence would be more like 25 years.)
Assuming that the judge permits this defense strategy, this would play out in court by effectively putting UnitedHealthCare on trial.
The core argument would be that the company’s egregious conduct prompted Luigi to have a psychological break.
In court, they would have to show that Luigi had a plausible yet extreme emotional reaction to denied healthcare claims alongside his lasting pain.
However, Luigi will also be facing murder charges in federal court — where the Extreme Emotional Disturbance defense is unavailable.
Nothing about his attorneys’ comments in court on Wednesday suggested what their planned defensive strategy would be in federal court.
What is the broader strategy here?
If successful, Extreme Emotional Disturbance arguments could get Luigi anywhere from 5 to 25 years behind bars. (That’s what First Degree Manslaughter will land you in New York.)
So why, some ask, would he try this defense first instead of simply saying that he’s been framed by a bloodthirsty police force under intense political pressure?
Is the prosecution’s case airtight in proving that he did the deed? That would be surprising, considering.
It is also possible that his team hopes that his affirmative defense will end, not with the jury siding with him, but with jury nullification.
Simply put, someone sitting there hearing how awful UnitedHealthCare is might just vote to acquit him, no matter what evidence is presented.
THE COURTROOM SKETCH ARTIST DREW THE MOMENT THEY REALIZED THEY FORGOT LUIGI
At this point, we should acknowledge that Extreme Emotional Disturbance defense strategies do have a partially ugly history.
Yes, they can apply to sympathetic situations, such as someone who sees a loved one being attacked and then kills the attacker. But EED has also been used in “gay panic” and “trans panic” defenses, as well as in racist and other bigoted ways.
Those instances are problematic because the victims of those crimes were innocent, the only “emotional disturbance” being the perpetrator’s bigotry.
Luigi isn’t accused of killing an innocent person, however, but a for-profit healthcare CEO. That’s arguably as far from an innocent person as you can get.
Tens of millions of Americans view Luigi favorably. Finding jurors who haven’t already formed a strong opinion on this young man will be an unenviable task.
Donald Trump has a few pretty famous passions. One of them is decorating.
He undertook a project to paint the reflecting pool on the National Mall, shelling out $13 million in a sweetheart deal with the pool contractor.
Trump’s project has instantly backfired, resulting in a comically aggressive algae bloom that any expert might have predicted.
But his diehard fans — yes, they still exist — are spinning another theory. They believe that the project was sabotaged.
A U.S. National Park Service employee uses a vacuum pump to clean algae off the bottom of the newly repainted Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall on June 16, 2026. (Photo Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Red, White, and … Green?
Facing the Lincoln Memorial, the reflecting pool is a monumental installation. Multiple presidents have worked to revitalize the iconic national symbol.
Thus far, only Donald Trump has shelled out $13 million to a pool contractor with whom he had previously worked.
What would be a massive scandal under any other administration gets barely any attention under the Trump regime. Much larger and more blatantly corrupt financial transactions take place with this crowd constantly.
Within days of the completion of the renovation, in which Trump resolved to paint the bottom of the pool a blue in roughly the same hue as that of the American Flag, the pool was no longer blue.
It is green. A massive and predictable algae bloom has turned the reflecting pool project into Trump’s latest expensive blunder. What gives?
Took a 20 mile bike ride this morning to check out the Reflecting Pool
MAGA was, at its core, built upon conspiracy theories, some of which were rooted in simply misunderstanding existing systems.
So it is no surprise that some of Trump’s lingering supporters believe that this is not merely what happens when you have a massive pool of standing freshwater exposed to the sunlight and heated by a dark blue bottom, but a vindictive piece of sabotage by the “deep state” or whatever.
“A week later it’s green again, loaded with algae… Sabotage… Vandalism?” a MAGA commentator named Grant Stinchfield tweeted. “I believe it is.”
He continued: “The left can’t stand Trump, American greatness, and his quest to make DC beautiful again. What a shame!”
In an accompanying video, Stinchfield added: “Is it nefarious? I tend to think so. You wouldn’t have so much algae that you see in here, you would not have that that quickly unless somebody did something. I’m telling you.”
President Trump fixes the reflecting pool and a week later it’s green again, loaded with algae… Sabotage… Vandalism? I believe it is. The left can’t stand Trump, American greatness and his quest to make DC beautiful again. What a shame! pic.twitter.com/ohvldLLgZL
— Grant Stinchfield (@stinchfield1776) June 13, 2026
Not everyone thinks that it’s sabotage
Some conservatives are bending over backwards to defend Trump’s blunder (this specific one, there are just so many these days) without claiming that the Obamas planted antifa algae in the water.
For example, notorious right-winger Emily Miller says that there’s a piece of Trump-friendly tech that just hasn’t come into play yet.
According to her, Trump plans to implement a “nano-bubbler,” which she believes will purge the algae and keep it at bay.
(We’re not sure what technology she refers to. Nano-bubbles are tiny bubbles. A device that generates them might be used to oxygenate water, but given the factors involved, it’s not clear if it would keep the reflecting pool algae-free if it even exists and is installed.)
Meanwhile, Trump’s actual response seems to be having people pour gallon after gallon of hydrogen peroxide into the reflecting pool. The bleaching agent has, thus far, only lightened the perimeter of the pool.
Not believing in science really comes back to bite you, doesn’t it?
In the early weeks of the Trump regime retaking power in 2025, many people quipped that everything looks like a conspiracy if you don’t know how anything works.
This applies as much to the reflecting pool snafu as it does to the deadly cuts that DOGE made to government spending.
Dark colors absorb more heat from the sun, making for a hotter pool. A large, stationary, unchlorinated freshwater pool heated by intense sunlight just a week before summer begins is going to fill with algae.
There’s a reason that the bottom of the pool wasn’t painted dark blue before this. There are reasons for so many things that normal politicians who understand how the world works would have at least had the curiosity to ask about.
Is Trump a fundamentally incurious person? He seems to be constantly learning new things while in office, from how “dumb” is spelled to the optimal conditions for algae to grow.
Right now, he’s surrounded by ever-nodding yes men who would be afraid to question him even if they themselves had the wisdom of expertise to do so. It’s a catastrophe. This is a small, yet visibly glaring, example of what happens when the executive branch is filled with incompetence.
Walter Parazaider, a founding member of the iconic rock band Chicago, has died at the age of 81 following a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
News of Parazaider’s passing was confirmed by his wife, JacLynn, who revealed that he died early Wednesday morning while receiving hospice care.
Inductee Walter Parazaider of Chicago performs at the 31st Annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center on April 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
She was by his side when he passed away.
While his name may not have been as recognizable as some frontmen of his era, Parazaider played a crucial role in shaping the sound of Chicago, one of the most successful rock bands of all time.
The woodwind musician helped found the group in 1967.
Before becoming known simply as Chicago, the band performed under the names The Big Thing and Chicago Transit Authority.
Parazaider was a key member of the band’s celebrated brass and woodwind section alongside fellow founding members Lee Loughnane and James Pankow.
Over the decades, he contributed to some of Chicago’s biggest hits, including “25 or 6 to 4,” “Saturday in the Park,” and “If You Leave Me Now.”
The band’s unique blend of rock and horn-driven arrangements helped sell more than 100 million records worldwide and earned Chicago a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
According to TMZ, Parazaider was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease six years ago. His wife said he fought the illness bravely before ultimately succumbing to it this week.
“He had put up a good fight with Alzheimer’s and unfortunately it ended tonight,” JacLynn told the outlet. “We are going to miss him for sure.”
She also reflected on the couple’s nearly six decades together, noting that they had been married for 59 years.
Parazaider retired from Chicago in 2016 after decades of touring and recording with the band. He later revealed his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2021.
For generations of fans, Walter Parazaider’s musicianship was an essential part of Chicago’s signature sound.
Though he often stayed out of the spotlight, his contributions helped transform the band from a local Chicago act into one of the most enduring groups in rock history.
Parazaider is survived by his wife and their daughters, Laura and Felicia.
A memorial service is expected to be announced at a later date.
Our thoughts go out to Walter’s loved ones, friends, and fans during this difficult time.
From Top Gear to Clarkson’s Farm, Jeremy Clarkson has been entertaining viewers for decades and decades.
Now, the iconic British television personality has had to break some difficult news.
Clarkson has cancer.
It was caught early, but it was aggressive. And treatment soon ran into complications.
Speaking at the end of ‘Clarkson’s Farm’ Season 5, Jeremy Clarkson revealed that he has an aggressive form of prostate cancer. (Image Credit: Prime Video)
PHOTO ONE
For as long as many of us have been alive, Clarkson has been a famous Top Gear presenter on the BBC.
He hosted from 1988 to 1999 and then again from 2002 until 2015.
Clarkson’s Farm is a more low-key series, and usually an uplifting one.
however, for the final two episodes of Season 5, he had some somber news to share with viewers.
“I’ve got cancer,” he shared, speaking to the camera.
Specifically, Clarkson has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
He shared that the cancer is “aggressive,” but it had been discovered before it could spread too far.
“I disappeared off the other week and I had a biopsy,” Clarkson explained.
“And it is cancer, and it’s aggressive,” he detailed. “But it’s really early.”
Clarkson shared that he expects to be “fine” but warned that he will be out of action “for a while” as he undergoes treatments.
At the time of the filming, he shared that he had known about the cancer “since May.”
The episodes aired in mid-June, but we have to emphasize that the show did not film in 2026.
Season 5 filmed between 2024-2025, so it seems likely that these two finale episodes are from 2025.
“I won’t know whether it’s worked or not until November, probably,” Clarkson predicted.
He then detailed: “The prostate, 10% of it’s dead, the 10% where the cancer is.”
At the very end of the season finale, Clarkson was in a hospital bed, telling the camera that his cancer treatment had involved complications.
“We started Season 5 with me in a hospital bed, and here we are at the end of Season 5, and I’m back in a hospital bed,” he quipped.
“What I wanted to say was if this is all successful, I’ll see you for Season 6, and if it isn’t, I won’t,” Clarkson grimly promised. “Take care, everyone.”
Fear not, as there are no indications that this aired posthumously.
In fact, Clarkson gave fans a vague preview of the finale episodes’ ups and downs hours ahead of the finale on Instagram.
The news came as a shock to many — but there are those who say they saw it coming.
And one insider claims it came down to a difference in values — or at least the way these two have chosen to present their values publicly.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo attend the 68th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Brianna Bryson/WireImage)
“There is just such a conflict in what’s going on. He’s preaching this Christian way of life. She’s posing mostly naked and talking about porn and penises on her podcast,” a source told the Daily Mail on Tuesday, referring to Bunnie’s “Dumb Blonde” podcast.
“At every turn she’s just kind of embarrassing him and wrecking every PR narrative that they’re trying to create. This is the talk of the town [in Nashville],”
Jelly Roll quietly filed for divorce in Tennessee in May, citing irreconcilable differences.
The filing came as a surprise to many fans, especially given how openly the couple had discussed their relationship, family life, and plans for the future.
Jelly’s pivot toward a more family-friendly image was on full display when he won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Country Album back in February.
“First of all, Jesus, I hear you, and I’m listening, Lord. I am listening, Lord,” he said in his acceptance speech before shifting his focus to Bunnie:
“Second of all, I want to thank my beautiful wife. I would have never changed my life without you. I would have ended up dead or in jail. I would have killed myself if it wasn’t for you and Jesus. I thank you for that,”
The insider noted that there might be a cynical component to Jelly’s new image, as “there’s so much money” in Christian music.
“He saw a lot of money in this market and told Bunnie to get it together. But she wouldn’t stay in line and it is destroying his brand,” said the source.
Meanwhile, the singer’s 18-year-old daughter from a previous relationship has expressed her disdain with the public’s interest in her father’s split.
“Oh & one more thing I am disgusted at how invested everyone is in a very clearly private family matter,” Bailee Ann wrote in an expiring TikTok post Tuesday.
She went on to call it “fkn crazy” that people are so invested, and she told those following closely along to “worry bout your house – not mine.”
“I’m not speaking on it – yet,” Bailee concluded.
Thus far, neither are Jelly or Bunnie. But based on the moving vans that were reportedly spotted outside of their home this week, it seems that they have every intention of going through with the split.
Sister Wives has followed children growing up into adults (and parents) and also followed the breakdown of a plural marriage into a singular one.
But, at the end of the day, a lot went on for this very troubled family that the cameras never really captured.
Mykelti Brown is describing an extreme no-tattling policy, where simply telling on someone could get you into more trouble than the actual wrongdoer.
She cites multiple examples — including getting punished after a neighbor molested her. Robyn, she says, changed that policy.
‘Sister Wives’ star Mykelti Brown appears on the June 15, 2026 episode of ‘Cults to Consciousness’ podcast for an interview. (Image Credit: YouTube)
Content warning: this article includes mention of child molestation in some form
On the Monday, June 15 episode of the Cults to Consciousness podcast, Mykelti said that she isn’t quite ready to talk about when a neighbor kid — their ages both unspecified — molested her.
Given her word choice, one has to assume that this was not a case of same-age peers experimenting, and that there was an unsavory age gap involved.
“Tattle-telling, that was one of the biggest traumatizing things,” Mykelti recalled. “I know it sounds weird but that was one of the biggest things I remember growing up is we were not allowed to tattle-tell anything.”
She rattled off examples of how this applied even if a sibling was “in a life and death situation.” Bizarre and dangerous, for the Sister Wives stars or any other family.
This wasn’t an issue with just one parent, either. Mykelti explained: “Every single parent had this exact same stance.”
Even in a best-case scenario, where no one dies or is injured as a result, this sort of policy can only have one consequence: silence.
Children need to be able to confide in their parents and trust them. This policy created a culture of the opposite, and that had consequences.
“I think it created a lot of issues with us kids not telling our parents the truth, and not wanting to come to them when things actually needed to be told,” Mykelti reflected.
“Like, ‘hey, this neighbor kid touched me on my private parts,'” she cited as just one obvious example.
Sagely, Mykelti reasoned: “What kid is going to go tell their parents if they’re worried that they’re going to get in more trouble?”
During the interview, Mykelti Brown offered examples of things that were forbidden as “tattling” even if a sibling was in physical danger. (Image Credit: YouTube)
Finally, this toxic family culture changed when Robyn joined the family
“I stopped telling my mom things,” Mykelti said of her childhood.
She said that she kept quiet “to such a degree that I could have been saved a lot of hurt, a lot of emotional damage and pain, if I had that trust with my mom, with my dad, with my other moms.”
But she did not have that culture of trust, where she could safely come forward. So she didn’t.
Mykelti shared that she had only learned about sex from her friends — not from her parents or from educators.
The experience with the neighbor, which she again isn’t ready to talk about in any detail, made her feel “dirty.” Getting into trouble for talking about it certainly didn’t help.
As Mykelti Brown explained, she learned what sex was from friends, not from her parents or from her education. (Image Credit: YouTube)
PHOTO FOUR
Ultimately, it was Robyn joining the family — seemingly being the only person who could reach Kody — that changed this rule.
“She went to my dad and she was like, ‘This is not OK. You guys handled this wrong. She needs help. She needs to be saved and rescued!’” Mykelti explained.
“So, it was like a big thing for me like, ‘OK so there’s this person who came into my family that’s here to protect me,'” she explained. “‘They like it when I tattle-tell. I’m allowed to talk to them about things.'”
Mykelti shared: “So that’s when my life started to change and got a lot more better and I did get help that I needed.”
She added: “That’s when a lot of things began to change in our family, too. Tattle-telling became OK and discipline changed a lot.”
