Val Kilmer 'resurrected' in new film — estate says he'd want it this way



Val Kilmer would have wanted it this way, the late actor's daughter claims.

Kilmer was originally cast in the film "As Deep as the Grave" in 2020 but grew too ill to participate in the production.

The actor's battle with throat cancer saw him never make it to set, with the 65-year-old tragically passing in 2025.

However, that will not stop him from being in the movie.

'It was very much designed around him.'

Writer and director Coerte Voorhees said that Kilmer was indeed the actor he had wanted to play the role of Father Fintan, a Native American Catholic priest.

"It was very much designed around him. It drew on his Native American heritage and his ties to and love of the Southwest," Voorhees said, per Variety. Kilmer is reportedly Cherokee, German, Irish, and Swedish.

"I was looking at a call sheet the other day, and we had him ready to shoot. He was just going through a really, really tough time medically, and he couldn't do it," the director recalled.

Now through a deal with Kilmer's estate and cooperation from his family, the star of "The Doors" and "Batman Forever" will posthumously appear on screen again.

RELATED: Val Kilmer: Two movies to celebrate the late actor's peculiar 'Genius'

Kilmer's family "kept saying how important they thought the movie was," the director stated, and that Kilmer "really wanted to be a part of this."

As such, Kilmer's estate was allegedly compensated according to SAG Guidelines, People reported.

Website Greenslate states actors must be paid their typical rate for any time saved using an "employment-based digital replica" of the performer. Therefore, it is likely that Kilmer's estate would be paid the actor's going rate as if he were alive.

However, consent is not required for changes made to the production using AI, which of course limits actor control (or in this case, the estate's) in terms of the final product.

Daughter Mercedes Kilmer has openly supported the use of her father's likeness, Variety reported, claiming her father was a "deeply spiritual man" who connected with the film's "story of discovery and enlightenment."

RELATED: 50 Cent will open a film studio in the Deep South, not Hollywood, to create 'stories that need to be told'

Val Kilmer 2004. Photo by Mark Mainz/Getty Images

"He always looked at emerging technologies with optimism as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling," Mercedes added. "This spirit is something that we are all honoring within this specific film, of which he was an integral part."

Kilmer's son is also reportedly in favor of the AI representation of his father.

It is important to note that in 2022, Kilmer said he was "grateful" to work with tech company Sonantic, which recreated his voice for the "Top Gun: Maverick" sequel.

"A phrase we often hear is 'having a creative voice.' But I was struck by throat cancer. After getting treated, my voice as I knew it was taken away from me," Kilmer said, per Men's Health. "But now I can express myself again, I can bring these dreams to you, and show you this part of myself once more. A part that was never truly gone, just hiding away."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

James Van Der Beek's message about finding God resurfaces after death: 'I am worthy of God's love'



Actor James Van Der Beek found love from God before his passing.

Since the 48-year-old "Dawson's Creek" star's death from cancer, support has poured in for his family by the millions. However, a video from Van Der Beek's journey with faith may provide an even longer lasting impression than some of his films.

'If I'm worthy of God's love, shouldn't I also be worthy of my own?'

Van Der Beek passed away on February 11, with his family delivering the message on his Instagram account.

"Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace," the message read.

Nose-to-nose with death

Since then, fans have reconnected with a message the actor posted on his birthday on March 8, 2024. At that time, Van Der Beek said he was on the road to recovery after having to look his own mortality in the eye, coming "nose-to-nose with death."

"All of those definitions that I cared so deeply about were stripped from me," he said, after saying he viewed himself as an actor. Being away for cancer treatment meant he could "no longer be a husband" and no longer "pick up his kids and put them to bed."

"I could not be a provider because I wasn't working. I couldn't even be a steward of a land," Van Der Beek continued. It was at this point the Connecticut native revealed how he felt about his identity as a "skinny, weak guy alone in an apartment with cancer."

RELATED: Scott Adams made Trump plausible before anyone else would

Worthy of God's love

"I meditated, and the answer came through. I am worthy of God's love simply because I exist. And if I'm worthy of God's love, shouldn't I also be worthy of my own? And the same is true for you," he posited.

Van Der Beek admitted to his audience that he believed this revelation came to him because of "all the prayers and the love that have been directed toward me."

He added, "However it sits in your consciousness, however it resonates, run with it. ... I am worthy of love because you are. Thank you for the love and prayers everyone. Have a blessed day."

Van Der Beek leaves behind his wife, Kimberly, and six children. Since his passing, many celebrities have come out in support of his family, emphasizing how kind of a soul the actor was.

'Forever in my heart'

This included WWE star Stacy Keibler, who said, "Spending these final days with you has been a true gift from God. I have never been so present in my life," according to Page Six.

NFL legend Brett Favre revealed he was good friends with the Van Der Beek family, remarking on their shared faith, laughs, and conversations over the years.

"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" actor Alfonso Ribeiro shared multiple heartfelt messages online, stating that he was with Van Der Beek before his passing.

"I'm so broken right now," Ribeiro wrote. "I will forever be in debt for all they’ve given me and my family. He will live forever in my heart."

RELATED: Actor James Van Der Beek calls out Democrats for not holding primary debates, calls them 'back room' decision-makers

'Dawson's Creek' (1997). Photo by Warner Bros./Getty Images

'No debate no democracy'

Throughout his illness, Van Der Beek remarked how financially straining the ordeal had become. He had even auctioned off jerseys from his beloved football movie "Varsity Blues" to pay for cancer treatment in November.

The actor's family has posted a Go Fund Me campaign, which as reached nearly $2.3 million at the time of this writing. Director Steven Spielberg reportedly donated $25,000 as well.

In 2023, Van Der Beek made headlines after criticizing the Democratic Party for not holding a primary to choose their presidential candidate.

"How do we have a government, how do we have democracy if we're letting a small, little back room of people make all the important decisions for us?" he asked at the time.

"That's not a democracy, and it doesn't work. Because y'all have been wrong about a lot these last couple years in that back room. No debate no democracy."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

'I wouldn't ask for no f**king charity!': Mickey Rourke blasts 'embarrassing' GoFundMe plea



Actor Mickey Rourke says asking for handouts is not his style.

Earlier this week, a GoFundMe page was created by sources close to Rourke who claimed he needed help paying back rent on his Los Angeles home in order to avoid eviction.

''I'd rather stick a gun up my ass and pull the trigger.'

The fundraiser page was organized by Liya-Joelle Jones for the benefit of Kimberly Hines, the page says. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Jones is Hines' assistant, and Hines has been Rourke's manager for nearly a decade.

Under the gun

"Fame does not protect against hardship, and talent does not guarantee stability. What remains is a person who deserves dignity, housing, and the chance to regain his footing," the fundraiser wrote.

Stating that Rourke's "full permission" was given, the page said he needed $60,000 to avoid losing his home. Now, with donations at over $100,000, the campaign has been paused after Rourke posted a video to his Instagram page denouncing the fund.

"I wouldn't ask for no f**king charity. I'd rather stick a gun up my ass and pull the trigger," Rourke began, with his dog on his lap.

RELATED: 'Frankenstein' director's AI warning: It's here to 'debase' our humanity

"I don't understand it," the actor continued. "I wouldn't know what a GoFund foundation is in a million years. My life is very simple. I don't go to outside sources like that. And yeah, it is embarrassing," he added.

Rourke explained that he would never approve a charitable cause for his benefit, and urged fans and supporters to stop giving money and seek refunds.

Anger management

Since the video was posted late Monday, Hines has spoken out about the campaign despite both her and Jones reportedly posting the page "with Mickey's permission."

In a phone call with the Hollywood Reporter, Hines said that in 48 hours, her management team had paid for Rourke to move into a hotel, have his clothing packed, and put his belongings in a storage unit.

"All of this is being paid for by his management team, which is me," Hines said. "We said, 'Mickey, there's some people that want to help you out.' He's like, 'OK, great.' I don't think he understood, and now it's taken on this media frenzy, and he flipped out," she went on.

RELATED: Actor Mickey Rourke promises to punch President Trump with 'left hook from hell' once he leaves office

Photo by Panayotis Tzamaros/NurPhoto via Getty Images

After confirming the fundraiser was legitimate, Hines further explained that the locks were being changed on Rourke's home as she spoke, and she was setting him up with an apartment in Koreatown.

Return to sender

Hines blamed the state of Rourke's home on the property owner, who allegedly raised the rent from $5,200 to $7,000 in mid-2024. The house was allegedly littered with black mold, had no running water, and was heavily damaged.

Hines added that Rourke told her he had been receiving calls from all over the world asking to give him money, and she told him to let them help. However, before stating that Rourke "has to say" that he did not know who started the fund, she was happy to return the money to donors if he would not accept it.

"This money has been to help Mickey. If Mickey doesn't want the money, the money will go back. It's putting me in a very bad position where now I'm financing his move and the hotel and the movers and his storage. Mickey was cool with getting help the other day. And now Mickey’s like, 'I'm not taking charity.'"

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

George Clooney laments sale of 'mom-and-pop' shop Paramount



Actor George Clooney compared entertainment studio Paramount to a "mom-and-pop" shop after a massive entertainment merger will see the company swept up in an $8 billion sale.

Clooney was asked in a recent GQ interview if he was invested in the outcome of the sale, given its history and the fact that it means there is one less studio hiring actors.

'It's all getting eaten up by big Walmarts and Amazons around the world.'

"Paramount’s one of the great original studios," Clooney said.

Paramount was founded as the Paramount Pictures Corporation in 1912.

"But some of it you just have no say in it. Because the business, it's all getting eaten up. It's like everything — it's all getting eaten up by big Walmarts and Amazons around the world. Our version of mom-and-pop shops in a small town is Paramount."

Clooney's idea of small business may not be everyone's. Paramount Global's 2023 revenue was just shy of $30 billion.

Still, this was enough of a decline to send shares tumbling — and prompt the company to start shopping for offers.

The upcoming merger has already resulted in nearly 2,000 job cuts at Paramount Global and the shuttering of its television studios, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The studio is responsible for popular show "Reacher" on Amazon's Prime Video, as well as other shows like Roku's "The Spiderwick Chronicles."

Paramount Global's parent company, National Amusements, will be purchased by Skydance Media and other investors for $2.4 billion, along with another $1.5 billion in cash to pay off debts, and an additional $4 billion to buy off remaining Paramount shares.

Clooney reminisced in his interview about how studios "developed stars" in the past but added, "We kind of were at the very end of that, where you could work at a studio and do three or four films, and there was some plan to it."

"I don't think that’s necessarily the case anymore. So it's harder for you to sell somebody something on the back of a star."

The 63-year-old added that it's a "great time as a young actor" due to the plethora of television shows being made.

Clooney most recently made headlines after making an about-turn following a fundraiser for Joe Biden in May 2024. The actor praised the president at the successful event that brought in over $28 million for the Democrat's presidential campaign.

Clooney quickly changed course in July 2024, however, penning an op-ed in the New York Times that claimed Biden could save democracy by stepping out of the presidential race.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Disney actively looking for trans actors to star in new 'Little Mermaid' show



Disney made some waves when it cast a black actress to play Ariel in its 2023 live-action adaption of "The Little Mermaid." The company is apparently now entertaining the possibility of making a bigger splash with a transvestite actor in its upcoming musical stage production at Hollywood Studios.

Disney has in recent months sought video submissions from "Equity actors" of both sexes and all ethnicities for the roles of Ariel and Prince Eric in "The Littler Mermaid - A Musical Adventure."

Walt Disney World News revealed earlier this month that casting director Erika Ureña refined the open call to specify that for the role of the "spirited, fun-loving, yet curious mermaid princess," the company was looking for a white woman or white male transvestite between the ages of 18 and 30.

Included among the songs the actor or actress playing Ariel will sing at the Animation Courtyard Theater in the Walt Disney Resort is a number titled, "Kiss the Girl." The lead will also sing "Daughters of Triton."

Prince Eric, too, could be played by a member of the opposite sex. Ureña's posting indicated that for the non-singing role, Disney was looking for a white man or a "transgender man" between the ages of 18 and 30.

This potentially transvestic adaptation will replace the "Voyage of the Little Mermaid," which was a feature show at the Animation Courtyard from January 1992 until the pandemic.

While Disney has evidenced on multiple occasions its willingness to cast transvestites in various roles, That Park Place indicated that this is the first time the company is openly advertising it.

'I realized that I was just being gaslighted.'

Blaze News previously reported that a conservative Christian family paid for a meet-and-greet with the Evil Queen at the Walt Disney World Resort in April. When it came time to take pictures and glad-hand with the Disney cast member, they realized that instead of a poisoned apple, the Evil Queen had an Adam's apple. The father told That Park Place that when he complained, the manager assured him that "she is a woman."

"She went even further, trying to shame me, informing me that 'she' was so excited to get the part as the Evil Queen," said the father. "For a brief moment, I thought, 'Oh ... maybe I’m wrong,' but then I realized that I was just being gaslighted."

At the time, John F. Trent, the editor in chief of That Park Place, told Blaze News that this "appears to be a continued pattern from the Walt Disney Company and its 'not-at-all-secret gay agenda,' as the company's Latoya Raveneau confirmed in March 2022."

"It is clearly trying to target small children, their families, and even adults in an attempt to warp their minds into believing this objective evil is normal or even good," added Trent.

Disney park-goers have in recent years shared footage online showing other other cast members in drag, including mustachioed men in dresses dealing with young children.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

'He loved what he did': Actor Donald Sutherland dies at 88



Actor Donald Sutherland passed away at 88 years old. He would have turned 89 next month.

"With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away. I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film. Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived," actor Kiefer Sutherland said in posts on social media.

'He was a terrific actor.'

Among his many roles over the years, Donald Sutherland played the character of President Snow in "The Hunger Games" film series. In the 1970 movie "M*A*S*H" he played Hawkeye Pierce. Kiefer Sutherland starred in the TV series "Designated Survivor."

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas tweeted, "Very sad. He was a terrific actor. He always brought a calm gravitas to his many roles. He will be missed. RIP."

"RIP. I think I'll punch up Kelly's Heroes to toast him," GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas said in a post.

Lou Diamond Phillips wrote, "My deepest condolences and love to you and your family, my dear friend. He was a giant and I was honored to work with him and know him. Truly one of the greatest."

"Today we lost one of our greatest actors, Donald Sutherland. It was my honor to work with him many years ago, and I will never forget his charisma and ability. If you want a master class in acting, watch him in “Ordinary People”. My condolences to Kiefer," actor Rob Lowe tweeted.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Thug sucker punches actor Steve Buscemi in face — yet another broad-daylight, random attack on NYC street



A male sucker punched actor Steve Buscemi in the face last week in yet another broad-daylight, random attack on a New York City street.

Police told CBS News they responded to a 911 call about an assault around 11:48 a.m. Wednesday.

Buscemi "is OK and appreciates everyone's well wishes, though incredibly sad for everyone that this has happened to while also walking the streets of NY."

The news network reported that officers were told an unidentified individual punched a 66-year-old man in the face in front of 369 3rd Avenue, the New York Police Department said last week in a news release that didn't name Buscemi; the victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition for treatment of bruising, swelling, and bleeding to his left eye.

Buscemi's publicist on Sunday said the actor "is OK and appreciates everyone's well wishes, though incredibly sad for everyone that this has happened to while also walking the streets of NY," CBS News added.

The NYPD said the suspect was "wearing a dark colored baseball style cap, blue T-shirt, black pants, white sneakers, and carrying a bookbag," the news network reported, adding that there were no arrests, and the investigation was continuing.

Buscemi is a beloved Brooklyn native and former New York City firefighter who rushed to the site of the World Trade Center after the 9/11 terror attacks to join his former fire company, Engine 55, the New York Post reported.

The veteran actor is well-known for roles in movies such as "Armageddon," “Fargo," “Reservoir Dogs," and "The Big Lebowski." The Post noted that Buscemi also received high praise for his work in the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire.”

More of the same

Blaze News in late March reported that a number of horrified women said males punched them in unprovoked, broad-daylight attacks on Manhattan streets. In April, an attacker punched a New York University female administrator in the face in broad daylight. On May 1, a New York City judge reportedly set free a suspect accused of sucker punching a woman and breaking her jaw in a late March attack in Brooklyn — then, the judge retired to Florida days later.

Actor Steve Buscemi is OK after being punched in the face in New York Cityyoutu.be

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

'Reacher’ star gets DESTROYED after attacking police!



If you’re a fan of the hit Amazon Prime series “Reacher,” you’re in for a bit of a disappointment.

Alan Ritchson, who plays Jack Reacher, has been using social media to attack every conservative group he can get his hands on, including Christian groups — despite claiming to be a Christian himself.

Lauren Chen, who is a fan of the show, isn’t pleased.

“Ritchson’s behavior on social media kind of gives me pause,” Chen says. “People are allowed to have whatever political opinions they want, that doesn’t mean that I’m gonna’ boycott their shows or their products, because I’m just not that type of person.”

“The thing with Ritchson, though, is that he takes his political and social beliefs a step further and he doesn’t seem happy to just state what he believes in. He is very vocal about who and what he is actively against,” she continues.

In a recent interview, Ritchson brought his commentary to new heights while discussing his Christian faith. He explained that it’s hard to discuss Christian faith in Hollywood without being labeled as “one of those hateful Christians” or a “bigot.”

“Christians today have become the most vitriolic tribe,” Ritchson continued, adding, “Trump is a rapist and a con man and yet, the entire Christian church seems to treat him like he’s their poster child and it’s unreal.”

But that’s not all.

When Elon Musk took over Twitter, now known as X, Ritchson disapproved of Elon as a “free speech absolutist” so much that he not only deleted his account but posted a long video to social media encouraging others to do the same. He used an analogy that made no sense to make his point, which leaves Chen with one suggestion for the actor.

“I believe in free speech, but, like, I also believe you should probably act in your own interest and not let everybody know you’re a complete idiot,” she offers.


Want more from Lauren Chen?

To enjoy more of Lauren’s pro-liberty, pro-logic, and pro-market commentary on social and political issues, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Black Lives Matter activist on trial for fraud; accused of using George Floyd's death to buy real estate, guns, and luxuries



Tyree Conyers-Page, a middling 35-year-old albino actor who calls himself Sir Maejor Page, appears to be another Black Lives Matter activist who realized that George Floyd's death could be exploited as something more than just an excuse for wanton destruction — it could also serve as a means to self-enrichment.

Page, previously arrested on multiple occasions for impersonating a police officer, decided to impersonate a philanthropist in 2020, "fraudulently utilizing a Black Lives Matter non-profit organization by way of misrepresentations," according to the FBI.

Although based in Toledo, Ohio, Page created a Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta fundraising campaign, bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars. He allegedly used that cash to live the high life, buying himself tailored suits, guns, a security system, and a "new cribo-o" that Page's defense lawyer suggests might have been opened to battered women.

The BLM activist went on trial this week, and it quickly became clear that his defense lawyer faces an uphill battle.

High life

The FBI Cleveland Division announced Page's arrest on Sept. 25, 2020. The bureau indicated that investigators were alerted by a complaint to the social media page for Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta, which had been set up by Page as a nonprofit organization.

Contrary to Page's suggestions online, BLMGA lost its tax-exempt status as a charity in May 2019. The IRS revoked its status on account of Page's failure to submit IRS Form 990 for three consecutive years.

Page allegedly failed to notify Facebook of this change, such that the social media company continued to list BLMGA as a nonprofit organization with a donation button until September 2020. BLMGA was also listed as a nonprofit with GoFundMe.

A bank account named "Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta, Inc." was reportedly opened in 2018 with Page being the only signatory on the account. There was little activity in the account until the weeks immediately following George Floyd's death in May 2020. By June, BLMGA had received more than $36,493 in donations. By July 2020, it had brought in well over $370,000.

According to the FBI, all of these donations were transferred into the bank account for which Page was the only signatory.

Page allegedly told donors and other inquiring minds that the funds had been donated for use in the "fight for George Floyd" and that none of "the funds have been used for personal items."

In his supposed fight for George Floyd, Page allegedly lived luxuriously, treating himself to fine dining, tailor-made suits, new furniture, a home security system, and some new real state, according to the FBI. Page even allegedly transferred funds from the BLMGA account to his personal account to buy two rifles and a pistol.

Despite telling critics that everything was aboveboard, he reportedly bragged on social media about his exploits, showing off his new cuff links, $150 ties, and penthouse suite. In one instance, he even boasted about his "room way up at the top ... at the top top ... they put the bottom feeders on these floors."

The FBI suggested "Page has spent over $200,000 on personal items generated from donations received from the BLMGA social media page with no identifiable purchase or expenditure for social or racial justice."

Following the alleged fraudster's arrest, GoFundMe indicated it would refund donations.

Indictment

A federal grand jury in Cleveland indicted Page with three counts of money laundering and one count of wire fraud in March 2021.

"These allegations involve fraudulent misrepresentations that the donations received would support Black Lives Matter (Atlanta, Georgia) when, as stated in the indictment, those funds were actually used by the defendant for personal expenses he incurred in Toledo and elsewhere," said U.S. District Judge Bridget Brennan, then the acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

"Page is accused of using unprecedented tensions and uncertainty due to widespread civil unrest and a global pandemic to fill his own bank account," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Smith. "Page allegedly purchased homes, traveled, and spent other people's money to buy luxury items for himself, all on the backs of hardworking people believing they were donating to a worthy cause. The FBI will continue efforts to root out fraudsters who victimize our fellow citizens for personal gain."

Page was accused of defrauding roughly 1,000 donors collectively out of more than $467,000.

Trial

The Toledo Blade reported that during his testimony in Page's trial this week, FBI agent Matthew Desorbo detailed how Page had blown the donation money on himself. For instance, the agent claimed Page made multiple purchases at the Pyramid Lounge in Toledo, buying 16 blue suits using money transferred over from the BLMGA account.

Desorbo noted that Page's defunct charity received a great deal of money in the summer of 2020 and that its expenses in July included a $108,499.83 wire transfer to a Toledo title agency for the purchase of a house.

Page's defense lawyer Charles Boss claimed the house was not intended for his client's use but rather for charitable use as a BLM "community House," possibly for sheltering homeless people or as a battered women's shelter.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Melching greatly undermined that narrative by playing video of Page celebrating his new "crib-o" and luxury outfits, reported the Blade.

Other activists testified Wednesday, suggesting they had fallen for Page's con, reported the Blade.

"I assumed Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta was operating as part of Black Lives Matter," said Mike Johnston of Watsonville, California. "I assumed it was operating there and was a nonprofit."

The defense attempted to suggest that Page had not personally solicited charitable donations by way of advertising or direct contact. Desorbo noted that Page "did mislead donors by not providing answers to their questions" after they had coughed up money.

A pattern

Page is not the only leftist to have allegedly used BLM as a vehicle for self-enrichment.

In November, BLM activist Xahra Saleem was sentenced to more than two years in jail for similarly defrauding donors. She raised more than $40,000 in donations, promising to help BLM protesters and to send excess funds to a youth charity. Instead, she blew the money on herself.

Blaze News previously reported that BLM activists Monica Cannon-Grant and her husband, Clark Grant, were charged with 18 federal counts in connection to their nonprofit organization, Violence in Boston. They apparently raised more than $1 million but spent a significant portion on themselves, on everything from personal travel and hotel reservations to nail salon appointments. Cannon-Grant's trial is scheduled for Dec. 2 in Boston.

The National Desk reported last year that only 33% of the national Black Lives Matter group's donations ultimately went to charity: $22 million reportedly went to expenses; $1.6 million went to BLM cofounder Patrisse Cullors' father for security service; and $2.1 million went to BLM board member Shalomyah Bowers for consulting.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Former Nickelodeon star exposes the evil of the network in docu-series



By now, it’s common knowledge that Hollywood is rotten to its core with all forms of debauchery and degeneracy.

However, it’s likely even worse than you realize.

“If you're not familiar with ‘Quiet On Set,’ it's a docu-series that a lot of people are talking about right now,” says Lauren Chen.

The series covers the toxicity of popular children’s shows from the late '90s and early 2000s — specifically, those headed by Nickelodeon's Dan Schneider, who launched the careers of stars such as Drake Bell, Jamie Lynn Spears, Miranda Cosgrove, and Ariana Grande, among others.

The show covers “the unfair harassment and treatment of adult staffers” and the “sexual dog whistles sprinkled into these shows that ... were intended for children and were also acted out by child actors,” says Lauren.

However, she said, “The most egregious allegations that the documentary presents surround the idea that at least some of the child stars that Nickelodeon was promoting and featuring on their shows were actually abused and groomed by the producers and the writers, who were supposed to be helping them and guiding them through their career.”

One of those unfortunate actors was Amanda Bynes, “who has gone on to lead a very troubled and very turbulent adult life.”

While Bynes is not featured in the docu-series, there are nonetheless several disturbing incidents brought up, including “a newly resurfaced clip of Dan Schneider in a hot tub with a young tween Amanda.”

“But if the coverage of Amanda Bynes’ career is sad, what happened to Drake Bell is absolutely heartbreaking,” says Lauren.

Bell played a lead role on one of the network’s most popular shows, “Drake and Josh.”

The actor, who is interviewed in the series, reveals that he was “sexually assaulted and groomed by one of the people working at Nickelodeon” when he was 15 years old.

“Brian Peck, who Drake Bell talks about assaulting him, was actually convicted, so these aren't just allegations,” says Lauren. “This is a sentence that was handed to someone.”

However, Peck was only sentenced to “16 months in prison,” and what’s worse is that several Hollywood actors came out in support of him during the trial period.

Making matters worse, several of Peck’s supporters continued to work on the set of “Drake and Josh” even after Peck was sent to jail.

“I thought I got rid of the cancer,” said Bell. “I had no idea that for four years I was working alongside people who had supported him.”

“Just heinous stuff,” sighs Lauren, adding that Bell, like Amanda Bynes, has “gone on to do some terrible things himself,” including “continuing the cycle of abuse” that eventually led to “two years probation on child endangerment charges.”


Want more from Lauren Chen?

To enjoy more of Lauren’s pro-liberty, pro-logic, and pro-market commentary on social and political issues, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.