Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora recently opened up about why he skipped a trip to the Trump White House after leading his team to the 2018 World Series title. 

During an interview on "The Mayor's Office" podcast on Wednesday, Cora admitted that he skipped out on meeting President Trump because he wanted to prioritize his home country of Puerto Rico. When the Red Sox visited the White House in May 2019, Puerto Rico was still recovering from the destruction of Hurricane Maria in 2017, and Cora wasn't satisfied with the federal government's response. 

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"One of the things that — it's not that I regret, but I think I should've been more clear — it was a visit to the White House," Cora said. "I have nothing against the President at that moment. It was Donald Trump at that moment, President Trump, but I felt me celebrating something at that stage, while [Puerto Ricans] were still suffering, it was bad. I didn't feel comfortable doing it." 

Cora says he would have felt "awkward" celebrating at the White House, given the state of his country at the time. 

"We are part of the United States," he continued. "What they do for us is amazing — the funding, all of that — but there was still work to do. And I felt very awkward, like, 'let's celebrate this at the White House' right while a lot of people suffered here. People took it like politics. No. My thing is sports and my family, right? I regret because I wasn't clear about it."

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In May 2019, Cora told reporters the U.S. government has done "some things back home that are great," but added that "we still have a long ways to go."

"I'd rather not go. And, you know, just be consistent with everything," Cora said then of skipping the White House visit. 

Trump himself said his response to the hurricane was an "incredible success" in September 2018 while giving remarks at the Oval Office. 

"I think Puerto Rico was incredibly successful," Trump said. "The job that FEMA and law enforcement and everybody did, working along with the governor in Puerto Rico, I think was tremendous. I think that Puerto Rico was an incredible, unsung success."

Hurricanes Irma and Maria struck the island in September 2017, the latter of which had its official death toll increased in August 2018 from initially 64 people dead to 2,975.

The updated number came via an independent investigation ordered by the local government, prompting Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello to raise the official figure.

The Trump administration's efforts in Puerto Rico received widespread criticism. But after visiting the island in September 2017, the president said that Puerto Ricans were fortunate that the storm did not yield a catastrophe akin to the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast in 2005.

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President-elect Trump announced his latest picks to join the growing number of Cabinet choices as his Jan. 20th inauguration nears. 

Trump, in a Friday evening announcement, said that Bill Briggs would serve as the next Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. If confirmed, Briggs will serve alongside Trump's pick for SBA Administrator, Kelly Loeffler.

"Bill is a successful businessman who served in my First Term as the Acting Associate Administrator in the Office of Capital Access at SBA," he said. "During his tenure, Bill helped oversee our Historic Paycheck Protection Program that saved many of our Small Businesses, and millions of jobs."

TRUMP NAMES LATEST WHITE HOUSE STAFF PICKS AS JAN. 20 INAUGURATION APPROACHES

The president-elect also announced Ed Russo as his pick for the Environmental Advisory Task Force.

"I am pleased to announce that Ed Russo, an Environmental Expert, will lead our Environmental Advisory Task Force, which will advise my Administration on initiatives to create great jobs and protect our natural resources, by following my policy of CLEAN AIR and CLEAN WATER," he said. "Together, we will achieve American Energy DOMINANCE, rebuild our Economy, and DRILL, BABY, DRILL."

The nominations come as Trump continues to round out picks for his Cabinet as Jan. 20 nears.

The Republican-controlled U.S. Senate will soon begin holding hearings for Trump's Cabinet nominees.

Republicans will control the Senate with 53 seats to the Democrats' 47 once Senator-elect Jim Justice of West Virginia is sworn in later in January and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appoints a senator to fill Vice President-elect Vance’s seat. 

• Donald Trump and Dana White have enjoyed a decadeslong friendship predating presidential politics.
• In each of Trump's three presidential campaigns, White lined up behind the president-elect.
• During the 2024 race, the mixed martial arts leader also appeared on Trump's first TikTok video.

Donald Trump might be the only person who can attend an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight and outshine the headliners — even UFC CEO Dana White doesn't draw the same type of reaction.

In November, Trump set the crowd off by walking into UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden to join his entourage, which included Elon Musk, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and Trump's cabinet nominees.

White stands at the center of it all. In just under three decades, White has turned his sport, once on the fringe of pop culture, into a spectacle that even a president-elect couldn't resist.

Trump and White's decades-long friendship has been mutually beneficial. White has repeatedly said he will never forget how Trump offered a grand stage to his sport when few others would. Trump successfully deployed White's cohort of podcasters and influencers, led by Joe Rogan, in his 2024 election win.

"Nobody deserves this more than him, and nobody deserves this more than his family does," White told the energetic crowd at Mar-a-Lago as it was apparent that Trump had been elected to a second term. "This is what happens when the machine comes after you."

Here's a look at the decadeslong relationship between Trump and White over the years:

Donald Trump gave a big early boost to UFC

In 1990, Trump opened Trump Taj Mahal, a billion-dollar prized jewel in Atlantic City, that businessman billed as the 8th Wonder of the World. At its peak, it was the biggest casino in town.

Trump needed big acts to fill the casino's arena, which Elton John had christened. In 2001, Trump took a chance on the UFC, which was still trying to escape its brutalist stigma. The sport that then-Sen. John McCain, famously called "human cockfighting" in the 1990s, couldn't even put on an event in Las Vegas.

Trump's UFC event came at a pivotal moment

Shut out of Nevada, UFC staged its fights in a series of smaller venues around the country and the world. White considered the invitation to the Taj Mahal a sign of legitimacy.

"Nobody took us seriously," White has repeatedly said. "Except Donald Trump."

Trump's backing came during a crucial time in the company's history. In January 2001, a month before the Trump-hosted fight, casino moguls Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta purchased UFC. They picked White, Lorenzo's friend and a manager for two of mixed martial arts' biggest fighters, as the president.

Under White's leadership, UFC's popularity skyrocketed

By September 2001, UFC was in Vegas. Four years later, White led UFC onto the airwaves on SpikeTV, cashing in the popularity of reality TV competitions with "The Ultimate Fighter."

It helped that in 2004, Trump welcomed Tito Ortiz, one of the sport's biggest stars, onto the first season of NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice," the glitzier spin-off to Trump's smash reality TV hit.

The Ultimate Fighter was a big success, increasing the company's popularity.

White locked in UFC's voice

If White is the face of UFC, Rogan is undoubtedly its voice. His association with the company even predates White's time as president. After the Fertitta brothers purchased UFC in 2001, White offered Rogan a full-time gig as a color commentator. Rogan has said it's in his contract that he'll leave the UFC if White ever exits, too.

Rogan's profile grew alongside the UFC, considering his association with mixed martial arts was part of why he became the host of NBC's "Fear Factor."

The comedian cashed in on his bigger profile in 2009, starting what was then a weekly commentary show. By the time Trump first ran for president in 2016, "The Joe Rogan Experience" was one of the most popular podcasts in the world.

Business didn't get in the way of Trump and White's friendship.

While he's known for real-estate, Trump has sought out many other partnerships and business ventures to varying degrees of success. In 2008, Trump partnered with Affliction, a clothing brand, to launch a competitor in the mixed-martial arts space. Their promotion even landed Russian fighter Fedor Emelianenko, whom White and the UFC had previously sought to sign.

The venture lasted only two fights. According to The New York Times, White sometimes criticized his friend, pointing out his inexperience in operating such a company, "Donald Trump owns casinos."

White and Trump remained close. The UFC head even vowed that he would never fully go after Trump, a nod to the real estate mogul's early support.

White was once far from a conservative firebrand

In 2010, White campaigned with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada as he sought to hang onto his seat amid a difficult year for Democrats. Reid won, and Democrats held onto a slimmer US Senate majority.

According to The Times, White's politics mirrored Trump's in that both businessmen viewed the enterprise through a transactional lens. Trump faced criticism in the 2016 GOP primaries for previously supporting leading Democrats like Hillary Clinton.

White spoke as if he was a stranger at the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Few major establishment Republicans spoke at Trump's 2016 convention. Enter White, one of a handful of longtime Trump friends who extolled the virtues of the man who would soon become the Republican Party's presidential nominee.

White even alluded to the fact that his attendance might appear odd.

"My name is Dana White. I am the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. I'm sure most you are wondering, 'What are you doing here?'" White told the crowd in Cleveland. "I am not a politician. I am a fight promoter, but I was blown away and honored to be invited here tonight, and I wanted to show up and tell you about my friend, Donald Trump — the Donald Trump that I know."

White returned to the trail again in 2020.

Ahead of Trump's reelection bid, White said Trump's time in the White House only deepened their relationship.

"We've actually become even closer since he's become the President of the United States," White said during a 2020 campaign rally. "When somebody becomes the President of the United States, you don't ever expect to hear from them again. And I understand it. It absolutely makes sense. This guy is so loyal and such a good friend."

The COVID-19 pandemic made White a conservative star

The COVID-19 pandemic devastated the live event business. Sports, including the UFC, were no exception. White saw an opening as the four major professional leagues struggled through discussions on how to return.

White tried to get the UFC to return with an event on tribal land in California, but that effort was postponed amid Disney and ESPN's uneasiness. In turning to Gov. Ron DeSantis' Florida, White found a much more receptive audience — even if the first fight didn't allow any fans. UFC 249 in May was the first major sporting event since the pandemic's beginning.

Trump delivered a video message congratulating White on the event.

"Get the sports leagues back, let's play," Trump said in a video recorded outside of the Oval Office. "Do the social distancing, and whatever you have to do, but we need sports. We want our sports back."

Out of power, Trump found refuge at the UFC

After leaving the White House, Donald Trump wasn't welcomed in many places. Following the January 6 Capitol riot, the two biggest professional golf governing bodies rebuked him. The Professional Golf Association even stripped one Trump-owned course of the right to host one of the PGA's major four tournaments.

In July 2021, the Manhattan District Attorney indicted the Trump Organization, setting off an array of legal headaches that didn't abate until after the 2024 election. A week later, Trump entered to mostly cheers in Las Vegas as he prepared to take in UFC 264.

Trump made the UFC central to his 2024 bid

Trump officially launched on TikTok at UFC 302 in June 2024. The fighting promotion's audience was also the perfect place for the former president's campaign, given his advisors' emphasis on attracting young men.

White's broader orbit suddenly intertwined with the former president's comeback campaign. Trump, and later his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, made a point of appearing on podcasts geared toward this demographic. The Nelk Boys, Theo Von, Adin Ross, and "Bussin' with the Boys" all shared close ties to White. Trump appeared on each of their respective shows.

@realdonaldtrump

Launching my TikTok at @UFC 302.

♬ original sound - President Donald J Trump

White spoke at Trump's pre-election rally at Madison Square Garden.

White energized the crowd at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally just days before the election, where he said that Vice President Kamala Harris wouldn't bring "change" to the country.

And he emphatically praised Trump in advance of an election that was seemingly tied in most of the swing states.

"He is the most resilient, hardest-working human being that I've ever met in my entire life," White said during his remarks.

Celebrating his win, Trump turned the mic over to White

Dana White just thanked

Adin Ross, Theo Von, Nelkboys and Joe Rogan for the Trump victory #Election2024 pic.twitter.com/GYye6c9onc

— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) November 6, 2024

As Trump spoke to an adoring crowd at Mar-a-Lago and to the nation, he invited White to make remarks, and the UFC president wasted no time singing the praises of the president-elect.

"He keeps going forward — he doesn't quit," White bluntly said. "He deserves this. They deserve it as a family."

White also name-checked podcast hosts that had welcomed Trump into the so-called "Manosphere."

A former UFC spokesperson will have a key role in Trump's White House

One of Trump's key White House aides also has ties to UFC. Steven Cheung, who will be the White House communications director, was a spokesperson for UFC before he left to join Trump's 2016 campaign.

Cheung's brash statements, particularly those bashing DeSantis during the 2024 primary season, received considerable attention and drew comparisons to how closely they mirrored Trump's own rhetoric.

Just before Trump took office, Meta tapped White for a new role.

Trump may have helped out White again. In January 2024, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the UFC executive would join the technology company's board. Zuckerberg's move was widely seen as a play to curry favor with Trump and his orbit.

White might be done in the political arena

White wasn't very political before he campaigned for Trump. He has said that his outspokenness may be an exception only reserved for his friend.

"I'm never fucking doing this again," White recently told The New Yorker. "I want nothing to do with this shit. It's gross. It's disgusting. I want nothing to do with politics."

I’ll spare you the experience of listening to one of the richest men in the world whine and just tell you straight out: Mark Zuckerberg’s interview on The Joe Rogan Experience is full of lies.

Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook’s parent company Meta, sets the tone at the very beginning: “I think at some level you only start one of these companies if you believe in giving people a voice, right?”

Unfortunately I wasn’t born yesterday, and I remember Zuckerberg’s first attempt at getting rich: FaceMash, a clone of HotOrNot where he uploaded photos of his fellow female students to be rated — without their consent. “Giving people a voice” is one way of describing that, I suppose. Personally, I’d call it “creep shit.”

Early on in the interview, Zuckerberg tests out the water to see how much pushback he’ll get; Rogan is a notoriously soft interviewer — it’s like listening to your dumbest stoned friend hold a conversation — but he does occasionally challenge his guests. So Zuckerberg says that there are limits on the First Amendment by saying, “It’s like, all right, you can’t yell fire in a crowded theater.”

“Fire in a crowded theater” makes every lawyer I know foam at the mouth because it’s flat out wrong. It is not the law, and it never has been. And, obviously, you can yell “fire” in a crowded theater — especially if, you know, the theater is on fire. Rogan says nothing in response to this, and Zuckerberg knows he’s got a willing mark. If you can get away with the small bullshit, you can get away with the big bullshit, right?

For his part, Rogan serves up Zuckerberg a series of softballs, setting his own tone by referring to content moderation as “censorship.” The idea that the government was forcing Zuckerberg to “censor” news about covid and covid vaccines, Hunter Biden’s laptop, and the election is something of a running theme throughout the interview. When Zuckerberg isn’t outright lying about any of this, he’s quite vague — but in case you were wondering, a man who was formally rebuked by the city of San Francisco for putting his name on a hospital while his platforms spread health misinformation thinks that “on balance, the vaccines are more positive than negative.” Whew!

Misinformation on Facebook started well before the 2016 election — as early as 2014, scammers were spreading Ebola lies on Facebook. Shortly after the 2016 election, Adam Mosseri — then Facebook’s VP of product management — said in a statement that Facebook was combating fake news but “there’s so much more we need to do.” Facebook did receive criticism for spreading fake news, including misinformation that benefitted President Donald Trump, but even then, Zuckerberg wasn’t having it. “I do think there is a certain profound lack of empathy in asserting that the only reason someone could have voted the way they did is they saw some fake news,” Zuckerberg said.

Still, in the 2020 election, Facebook — along with other social media networks — took a harsher stance on fake news, making it harder for Macedonian teenagers to make a profit off Trump supporters. During his Rogan interview, Zuckerberg now characterizes this intervention as giving “too much deference to a lot of folks in the media who were basically saying, okay, there’s no way that this guy could have gotten elected except for misinformation.”

Facebook implemented a fact-checking program, one that involved partners such as the conservative online magazine The Dispatch, Reuters, Agence France-Presse and USA Today. In a concession to Donald Trump’s second presidency, implemented before Trump even took the oath of office, Zuckerberg has said Facebook will end the program. “We’re going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies and restoring free expression on our platforms,” Zuckerberg said in the video announcing the move.

On the Rogan show, Zuckerberg went further in describing the fact-checking program he’d implemented: “It’s something out of like 1984.” He says the fact-checkers were “too biased,” though he doesn’t say exactly how.

The problem wasn’t that the fact-checking was bad; it was that conservatives are more likely to share misinformation and get fact-checked, as some research has shown. That means conservatives are also more likely to be moderated. In this sense, perhaps it wasn’t Facebook’s fact-checking systems that had a liberal bias, but reality.

Well, Zuckerberg’s out of the business of reality now. I am sympathetic to the difficulties social media platforms faced in trying to moderate during covid — where rapidly-changing information about the pandemic was difficult to keep up with and conspiracy theories ran amok. I’m just not convinced it happened the way Zuckerberg describes. Zuckerberg whines about being pushed by the Biden administration to fact-check claims: “These people from the Biden administration would call up our team, and, like, scream at them, and curse,” Zuckerberg says.

“Did you record any of these phone calls?” Rogan asks.

“I don’t know,” Zuckerberg says. “I don’t think we were.”

Rogan then asks who, specifically, was pressuring Facebook. And Zuckerberg has no answer: “It was people in the Biden administration,” he says. “I think it was, you know, I wasn’t involved in those conversations directly, but I think it was.”

But the biggest lie of all is a lie of omission: Zuckerberg doesn’t mention the relentless pressure conservatives have placed on the company for years — which has now clearly paid off. Zuckerberg is particularly full of shit here because Republican Rep. Jim Jordan released Zuckerberg’s internal communications which document this!

In his letter to Jordan’s committee, Zuckerberg writes, “Ultimately it was our decision whether or not to take content down.” Emphasis mine. “Like I said to our teams at the time, I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any Administration in either direction – and we’re ready to push back if something like this happens again.”

Those emails also reveal Zuckerberg wanted to blame the Biden White House for how Facebook chose to moderate the “lab leak” conspiracy theory of covid origins. “Can we include that the WH put pressure on us to censor the lab leak theory?” he asked in a WhatsApp chat. His former president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, responded, “I don’t think they put specific pressure on that theory.”

Joel Kaplan, the former George W. Bush advisor who has now replaced Clegg, said that blaming the White House for Facebook’s behavior would “supercharge” conservatives who believed the social media giant was “collaborating” with the Biden administration. “If they’re more interested in criticizing us than actually solving the problems, then I’m not sure how it’s helping the cause to engage with them further,” Zuckerberg wrote. This doesn’t seem to show that the Biden administration successfully censored anything.

In fact, many of the controversial moderation calls Facebook made in the pandemic were during the Trump administration. Take, for instance, the “Plandemic” video hoax: Facebook removed the video in 2020. Joe Biden took office in 2021. If Zuckerberg was dealing with an administration pressuring him about this, it was the Trump administration. The Biden White House may well have engaged in similar outreach, but it was joining what was already an active discussion about Facebook moderation.

Facebook was widely and obviously targeted by Republican lawmakers, including Jordan, Senator Ted Cruz, Florida governor Ron DeSantis, Texas governor Greg Abbott, Senator Marsha Blackburn, and incoming Vice President JD Vance. It was mostly conservatives who threatened him during the interminable and pointless Congressional hearings Zuckerberg sat through for years – often asking him to comment directly on conspiracy theories or demand that individual trolls be reinstated to his platforms.

But Zuckerberg didn’t mention any of that to Rogan. Instead, he was upset that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau started investigating him for improperly using financial information to target ads. What does Zuckerberg say about this? Well, let me give it to you straight:

They kind of found some theory they wanted to investigate. And it’s like, okay, clearly they were trying really hard, right? To like, to like, find, find some theory, but it, like, I don’t know. It just, it kind of, like, throughout the, the, the, the, the party and the government, there was just sort of, I don’t know if it’s, I don’t know how this stuff works. I mean, I’ve never been in government. I don’t know if it’s like a directive or it’s just like a quiet consensus that like, we don’t like these guys. They’re not doing what we want. We’re going to punish them. But, but it’s, it’s, it’s tough to be at the other end of that.

This is a compelling demonstration that jujitsu and MMA training (or hunting pigs in Hawaii or making your neck real thick or whatever) isn’t going to help you act aggressive if you’re constitutionally bitchmade. Blaming the CFPB for a witch-hunt when we’ve all watched Republicans target Facebook really is something! That’s what this whole performance is about: getting Trump, Vance, Jordan and the rest of the Republican party to lay off. After all, the Cambridge Analytica scandal cost Facebook just $5 billion — chump change, really. If Zuckerberg plays ball, his next privacy whoopsie could be even cheaper.

In fact, Zuckerberg even offers Republicans another target: Apple. According to Zuckerberg, the way Apple makes money is “by basically, like, squeezing people.” Among his complaints:

• Apple’s 30 percent commission on App Store sales
• Airpods work better with Apple phones than all other headphones
• Apple wouldn’t let Zuckerberg’s Meta Ray-Bans connect to iOS using the same quick-setup protocol Airpods use
• iMessage is a walled garden, and groupchats go wonky if there’s a person with an Android phone in there
• “I mean at some point I did this like back of the envelope calculation of like all the random rules that Apple puts out. If you know, if they didn’t apply, like I think you know, it’s like — and this is just Meta, I think we’d like, make twice as much profit or something.”

At least some of these Apple issues actually matter — there is a legitimate DOJ antitrust case against the company. But that isn’t what’s on Zuckerberg’s mind. The last point is the important one, from his perspective. He has a longstanding grudge against Apple after the company implemented anti-tracking features into its default browser, Safari. Facebook criticized those changes in newspaper ads, even. The policy cost social media companies almost $10 billion, according to The Financial Times; Facebook lost the most money “in absolute terms.” You see, it turns out if you ask people whether they want to be tracked, the answer is generally no — and that’s bad for Facebook’s business.

But Zuckerberg wants us to believe this isn’t about politics at all. Getting Rogan’s listeners riled up about Zuckerberg’s enemies and finding Republicans a new tech company target is just a coincidence, as are the changes to allow more hate speech on his platforms happening now, changes that just happen to pacify Republicans. All of this has nothing to do with the incoming administration, Zuckerberg tells Rogan. “I think a lot of people look at this as like a purely political thing, because they kind of look at the timing and they’re like, hey, well, you’re doing this right after the election.” he says. “We try to have policies that reflect mainstream discourse.”

And did this work? Did Zuckerberg’s gambit to talk about how social media needed more “masculine energy” win over the bros? Well, Barstool’s Dave Portnoy isn’t fooled by this shit.

I don’t know. I did think it was pretty funny that after all these complaints about government “censorship,” Zuckerberg didn’t say a word about Trump and the Republicans’ efforts at it. After all, Trump, the incoming president who has on occasion threatened to put Zuckerberg in prison, was recently asked if the Facebook changes were in response to his threats.

“Probably,” Trump said.

Khloé Kardashian, Sophia Bush and Henry Winkler have been supporting those in need following the Pacific Palisades wildfires — and have a no-nonsense attitude for the suspected arsonists adding fuel to the fire.

“You sick motherf—ers,” Kardashian, 40, wrote via Instagram Stories on Thursday, January 9. “What the f— is wrong with people?!?! Arson!!!! may you be fully prosecuted!!! What scum!!!”

A string of wildfires broke out in Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 9, prompting widespread devastation across the city.  Over 10,000 structures were leveled and at least 10 people died, and most residents followed mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders.

Not only were locals battling wind-caused wildfires, but also a string of human-set fires. One suspect was arrested on Thursday for allegedly causing the Kenneth Fire, according to multiple outlets.

DWTS' Jenna and Val Evacuate L.A. Fires Before Son Rome's 2nd Birthday

According to NewsNation, the Los Angeles Police Department assistant chief, Dominic Choi, said there was not enough probable cause to arrest the individual for arson. Instead, the suspect was booked for a felony probation violation.

The L.A.’s district attorney Nathan Hochman, meanwhile, told the outlet that if the fire was determined to be the result of arson, the suspect could face homicide charges and a potential life in prison sentence.

“Justice will be swift. It will be firm, and the maximum punishment will be sought,” Hochman said on NewsNation’s Banfield.

Like Kardashian, Bush, 42, was also outraged by the alleged arson attempt during the “unimaginable” natural disaster.

“Thank you all for the check-ins, texts, the DMs. I know it’s really intense when you don’t hear from people. We’re all really trying our best,” the One Tree Hill alum said in a Thursday video posted to her Instagram Stories. “These last two days have been absolutely horrific for our city. My family’s been evacuated twice. We are all safe, so I feel very, very blessed.”

Bush continued, “So, many people have lost so much and it’s pretty unimaginable, unfathomable and inexplicable. The folks who have jumped on this horrific climate disaster with hurricane-force winds and set fire to some of our surrounding communities are monsters.”

Which Stars Have Been Affected by the Los Angeles Fires?

Bush echoed Kardashian’s sentiments and hoped the apparent arsonists would be “prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

“Everyone out there, be the second [group of people and help], not the first,” Bush added, citing examples of good samaritans aiding victims in the wake of the wildfire devastation.

Winkler, 79, similarly condemned the arsonists, sharing news coverage on his X page. “One has been caught so far !!!!” he wrote on Thursday.

All three celebs have been lending their support, as well. Bush has shared resources online and also cold-called six local fire departments. Kardashian, meanwhile, and her famous family have donated meals from Carousel Restaurant to local first responders.

Dancing With the Stars pro Peta Murgatroyd, for her part, also called out the alleged arsonists. “These people are starting fires everywhere,” she said in a Friday, January 10, social media video. “Like, three people have been caught right down here in the Valley area. I mean, these people are sick in the head.”

Check the LAFD website for local wildfire alerts and click here for resources on how to help those affected.

The hosts of the Today show have shared several glimpses into their family lives on the show and online over the years.

Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and more of the NBC morning show stars have welcomed children over the years. Kotb, who left the series in January 2025, became a mother in February 2017 when she adopted her daughter Haley with then-partner Joel Schiffman.

“She’s a Valentine’s baby. She is the love of my life,” Kotb gushed on the show at the time. “I didn’t know my heart could feel like this. This is a moment in my life that I never thought would happen, and here it is, happening to me.”

The pair’s family continued to grow with the addition of their daughter Hope in April 2019. “She is laying on the pillow right now,” Kotb told her cohosts while calling in to the show. “I’m feeding her. I can’t believe it. Like, I’m sitting here and, you know, you think that maybe you have gotten what you deserve, but man, I’m so happy she is here.”

Kotb and Schiffman have continued to coparent their girls following their split in January 2022.

Keep scrolling to get to know the families of the Today show hosts:

The Summer I Turned Pretty team had their work cut out for them when trying to get permission to include Taylor Swift‘s music on the show.

During the Thursday, January 9, episode of Jenna Bush Hager‘s “Open Book” podcast, TSITP creator and showrunner Jenny Han recalled her attempts to get a Swift song for the season 1 finale of the hit Prime Video show.

“I was kind of trying to Inception it into everyone’s heads that we need this,” Han, 44, recalled about how she was willing to do “whatever it took” to get “The Way I Loved You” from Swift’s Fearless album for the season 1 finale. “I don’t think anyone thought we were gonna get it, honestly.”

A rep at Amazon Music suggested to Han that she write a letter to Swift, 35, about why it was “really important” to feature the song on screen.

Every Taylor Swift Song Used in 'The Summer I Turned Pretty'

“I wrote a handwritten note about how much it would mean — not just to me — but to the fans. That was the gift I really wanted to give because I’m like, ‘They’re gonna go crazy for this,'” she recalled. “We were so lucky to get more than one [song].”

Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty centers on Belly (Lola Tung) and her brother, Steven (Sean Kaufman), who spend the summer visiting a beach house belonging to their childhood friends Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). After initially having a crush on Conrad, Belly’s life gets more complicated when she finds herself developing feelings for Jeremiah.

Han, who is a self-proclaimed Swiftie, has previously discussed how the show’s viewers influenced its soundtrack.

“I think for me just as a fan, to be able to give the book fans that moment is what is really meaningful to me, because if you’re a fan of The Summer I Turned Pretty, I’m pretty sure you’re a fan of Taylor Swift,” she told The Wrap in June 2022. “And I know this because so many fans have asked me to put her music on the show and I just never knew if we were going to be able to or not. So when we were, I just, I couldn’t believe it. That’s probably the most excited I’ve been in the whole process and the fact that we got like five total, which I’m really excited for the fans to see, because it will be like, I think maybe unexpected at times at certain big moments.”

TV Shows That Feature Taylor Swift's Music in Pivotal Moments

Season 1 used Swift’s discography for romantic cues revolving around Belly’s crush on Conrad, with “Cruel Summer,” “Lover,” “The Way I Loved You (Taylor’s Version)” and “This Love (Taylor’s Version)” setting the scene as the characters fell in love.

The second season raised the stakes with nearly twice as many Swift songs including “August,” “Sweet Nothing,” “Delicate (Taylor’s Version),” “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” and “Exile.”

“I felt like Taylor is someone who bets on women. And I felt like she bet on me,” Han added on Thursday. “And I can’t say enough how thankful I am that she let us use her music. And I think she knows, too, her fans would like the show.”

The Summer I Turned Pretty is currently streaming on Prime Video.

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard had quite the cheering section at the Orange Bowl on Thursday night — including his longtime girlfriend, Molly Walding. 

Walding was in the stands at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium next to Leonard’s parents, Chad and Heather, for the Fighting Irish’s dramatic 27-24 victory over Penn State, which earned Notre Dame a trip to the College Football National Championship on Monday, January 20. 

“PINCH ME!!!!!!! ,” Walding posted via her Instagram Story, showing a wide shot of Leonard, 22, and his teammates celebrating on the field under a shower of confetti. 

Walding eventually found her way to Leonard after the game and posted a selfie of the happy couple via her Story. “I’m GIDDY! Turning dreams into reality!!!!!!!! ,” she captioned a photo. 

Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard and GF Molly Walding's Relationship Timeline

During his postgame interview with SEC Network’s Alyssa Lang, Leonard said he was anxious to see Walding and give her an orange that he was saving from the team’s postgame celebration. 

“I’m looking for my girlfriend, hopefully I can give her one,” Leonard said. “She loves oranges…Let’s hope we find her right now.”

Leonard and Walding, currently a student at Auburn University, have been dating since December 2017, when they were students together at Fairthorpe High School in Fairthorpe, Alabama. 

Their friendship dates back even further, as evidenced by a picture Walding posted via Instagram in September 2016 when the two were students at Fairthorpe Middle School. 

When the couple celebrated their six-year anniversary in December 2023, Leonard gushed via Instagram, “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while. Happy 6 years.”

Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman Was ‘Angry’ After James Franklin's Age Joke

As for Leonard’s on-field performance on Thursday night, it came with a bit of a scare. Near the end of the first half, the quarterback was pulled from the game due to concussion protocol after taking a big hit. Backup quarterback, Steve Angeli, executed the team’s final drive of the half in Leonard’s absence. 

However, Leonard returned for the second half after being cleared and helped lead Notre Dame to the school’s first national championship game since 2013. 

“I knew I was going to get back out there,” Leonard told ESPN after the game. “Obviously, safety first on the football field. I just kind of had to prove to everybody that I was fine. I got up a little wobbly, but it’s all good.”

Notre Dame will play the winner of the other College Football Playoff semifinal between Ohio State and Texas — who face off in the Cotton Bowl on Friday, January 10 — when in the National Championship from Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 20. 

Now that it’s award season, I’m so excited to see all of the red carpet looks — especially those of Jennifer Lopez. However, what I find even more intriguing is what she wears when she’s off duty. When it comes to the iconic singer’s winter looks for this year, she’s reaching for a cozy pair of platform booties.

Captured by The Daily Mail, Lopez was spotted in out Los Angeles, California on January 5, 2024 — just hours before the Golden Globes! For a brief encounter with her ex Ben Affleck, she wore a cozy-casual fit that still had touches of her classic New Yorker style. She wore some light wash baggy jeans and an oversized beige top, which she matched with her winter booties.

We don’t know where she got her exact boots, but we’d be willing to bet money that they’re the UGG Classic Ultra Mini Platform Boot. A shopper-favorite style, these Uggs come in at a somewhat attainable price point of $160. However, why spend that when you can get this near-exact lookalike version for 72% less on Amazon? With that kind of savings, you not only make extra room to tack on other cozy weather staples like a chunky scarf, you also get a celeb-approved shoe style as well.

Get the Project Cloud Genuine Suede Platform Ankle Boots (Originally $100) on sale for just $45 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, January 10, 2024, but are subject to change.

Jennifer Lopez Elevates Baggy Jeans With a Fitted Turtleneck

We truly can’t tell the difference between Lopez’s pick and the Project Cloud Genuine Suede Platform Ankle Boots. Like the Jenny From the Block singer’s pair, these boots have a chunky platform sole, a soft faux fur lining, an ankle shaft height, a rounded toe and suede outer. What makes them a great winter shoe pick, is not only their cozy-chic style, but also their ultra warm shearling inner and anti-slip EVA outsole.

Another benefit you may not think about with these booties is their tall height. Oftentimes with these suede styles that are closer to the ground, they more easily make your feet accessible to snowy, cold weather, which can leave your feet sopping wet. This style, with a height of 1.75 inches, helps further protect your feet from the elements.

Not to mention, these boots are generally a popular cozy classic for winter fashion. They’re one of those closet staples that’ll really never go out of style due to their functional design that’s bound to keep your feet warm. Even if they have a season where they’re not as trendy, they’re still a style you can wear throughout the house and throw on for errand-running too.

Katie Holmes Can’t Stop Wearing This $795 Tote — a $39 Lookalike

These are far beyond just a Lopez-loved boot though, they’re a major favorite of shoppers on Amazon as well. Seemingly getting ready for the winter season, over 1,000 shoppers have bought the booties just within the last month. On top of that, several hundred shoppers have also left them a five-star rating as well — over 500 to be exact!

One of those shoppers claimed that the boots were “still comfortable even after a few hours of walking” while doing an “all-day holiday shopping trip.”

“I love these boots so much,” they said. “They seem to be sturdily made and have good traction. The platform is super trendy and the shaft height makes them extremely versatile. They’re great to wear with baggy or flare jeans as well as skinny jeans, leggings, and even more casual skirts and dresses.”

If you’ve found yourself inspired by this Lopez-loved boot style, we suggest you act quick on buying! They’re currently marked down to 55% off, which is a savings of $55! We don’t know how long this sale will last and we want you to get them while they’re less!

See it: Project Cloud Genuine Suede Platform Ankle Boots (Originally $100) on sale for just $45 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, January 10, 2024, but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more from Project Cloud here and more suede booties here! Don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

Martha Stewart's Favorite Comfy Slip-On Sneakers are 29% off

Smooth, supple skin can be difficult to maintain year-round, but more especially during the winter. Changes in the weather often lead to dryness and flaking. Popular wintertime fabrics like wool can trap moisture, resulting in dryness and irritation. Thankfully, many of our favorite brands have released nourishing body serums to help our skin thrive through the winter and beyond.

Out of Thousands of Beauty Products, These 5 Were Our Favorite Launches of 2024

From drugstore finds to celeb-loved brands, we’ve rounded up hydrating body serums that get the job done. Get ready to upgrade your body care routine!

Naturium Urea 5% Body Serum

When you think of Naturium, you probably think of lavish body washes and nourishing skincare products. The trusted brand kicked off the new year by launching the Urea 5% Body Serum. The brand’s first serum for the body, this milky serum is enriched with skin-loving ingredients that nourish and plump while improving the appearance of skin firmness.

It’s super easy to use. Apply a generous amount to the body and massage until it’s fully absorbed. You can use it to prep your skin before your daily body care routine or use it alone to restore moisture throughout the day.

Get the Urea 5% Body Serum for just $22 at Naturium!

Credo Skincare Seascape Ceramide Body Serum

No matter the weather, you can transport yourself to a tropical oasis with the help of Credo Beauty’s brand-new Seascape Ceramide Body Serum. This silky serum melts into the skin and is enriched with nourishing properties to restore moisture and improve skin elasticity. It leaves behind a dreamy scent that lingers on throughout the day.

Get the Seascape Ceramide Body Serum for just $52 at Credo Beauty!

OSEA Hyaluronic Body Serum

We love OSEA’s lightweight Hyaluronic Body Serum because it instantly moisturizes and leaves behind a subtle glow. It’s enriched with nutrient-rich ingredients to achieve long-lasting hydration.

Get the OSEA Hyaluronic Body Serum for just $48 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, January 10, 2025, but are subject to change.

BYOMA Smoothing Body Serum

Looking for an affordable find? Say hell to the BYOMA Smoothing Body Serum. Barrier Lipids work together to target rough and bumpy skin. It gently exfoliates and soothes sensitivity and redness to deliver smooth and clear skin. Plus, you can snag it online or in-store at Target.

Get the BYOMA Smoothing Body Serum for just $14 at Target!

Nécessaire The Body Serum

There’s nothing worse than a product that takes forever to rub in. Nécessaire’s The Body Serum uses facial-grade ingredients to strengthen the skin’s natural barrier through multilevel hydration. The fragrance-free, non-comedogenic gel is safe for sensitive skin and prevents water loss.

Get the Nécessaire The Body Serum for just $48 at Sephora!

Shani Darden Skin Care Body Reform Treatment Serum

Jessica Alba and Chrissy Teigen are two of the lengthy list of A-listers who are fans of celebrity esthetician and skincare founder Shani Darden. She released the Body Reform Treatment Serum to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while firming and brightening. The multi-tasking body serum has retinol and a slew of other ingredients to smooth, firm, brighten dark spots and fade stretch marks.

Get the Shani Darden Skin Care Body Reform Treatment Serum for $72 at REVOLVE!

Shoppers Say This Customizable Makeup Stack Is Their ‘Go-To Everyday Solution’

Connie Boss Alexander, mother of the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss, has an army of So You Think You Can Dance alumni behind her as she deals with allegations of her son’s drug abuse from her daughter-in-law’s memoir.

Boss Alexander took to Instagram on Thursday, January 9, where she refuted the claims from Allison Holker’s upcoming book, This Far: My Story of Love, Loss, and Embracing the Light. In it, Holker says she found a “cornucopia” of drugs, including mushrooms, pills and “other substances I had to look up on my phone” after Boss died by suicide in December 2022. Holker also claimed Boss was a victim of sexual abuse as a child.

“Our family is absolutely appalled by the misleading and hurtful claims made about my son, Stephen Boss,” Boss Alexander wrote. “The recent publications spreading untruths about Stephen have crossed every line of decency. As his mother, I will not let these accusations go unanswered. We will not stand by while his name and legacy are tarnished. He doesn’t deserve this, and the kids don’t deserve this.”

“For the last two years, I have remained quiet and away from the public eye to protect my family,” she continued. “My primary focus has been on healing and attempting to remain connected to my grandchildren. But when I read these dreadful claims about my baby, our beloved Stephen, I realized I could not stay silent any longer. Our family will ensure his name and memory are protected, and we are committed to defending his honor.”

Stephen 'tWitch' Boss' Family, Friends React to Allison Holker's Memoir

As her post has made the rounds on social media, other So You Think You Can Dance contestants have flocked to the comments section in support.

Boss competed on the show four times, finishing as runner-up in season 4. He was named a judge for season 17, the last season to air before his death.

Keep scrolling for all the reactions from So You Think You Can Dance alumni to Boss Alexander’s statement:

Comfort Fedoke

Fedoke competed with Boss on his first season on So You Think You Can Dance and jumped into the comments to support “mama Connie.”

“Yes mama Connie! Yes ,” she wrote.

Former 'Ellen' Producer Andy Lassner Sends Support to Late tWitch's Mom

Gaby Diaz

Season 12 winner Diaz responded with three yellow heart emojis.

Jim Nowakowski

Nowakowski, who also competed on season 12, added three heart-hands emojis.

D–trix

Dominic “D-trix” Sandoval appeared alongside Boss as an all-star in season 7 and added three white heart emojis of his own.

Lauren Gottlieb

Gottlieb was also an all-star in seasons 7 and 8. She sent a message of solidarity to Boss Alexander, writing, “We are all standing with you .”

Jenna Dewan Supports Allison Holker Amid Backlash Over tWitch Comments

Eddie “Neptune” Eskridge

Eskridge was on Boss’ “Team Street” on season 12, placing in the top eight.

“​​ we are right with you,” he wrote.

Blake Andler McGrath

McGrath’s time on So You Think You Can Dance predates Boss’, but he made sure to send his support to his mom.

“Sending you so much love. we stand with you!” he commented.

Hannahlei Cabanilla

Cabanilla, the season 15 winner, commented with a heart and prayer hands emoji.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).