Cracker Barrel desperately rewrites 'inclusion' and DEI web page after backlash



Cracker Barrel has changed its diversity page at least three times this month as it deals with backlash from the redesign.

Love for the franchise tanked when customers saw the company had changed its recognizable logo into a shadow of its former self, removing the "old-timer" known as Uncle Herschel sitting on a chair next to a barrel.

'Discrimination, overt or through unconscious bias, has no place at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.'

Also gone was the barrel itself, along with the text "Old Country Store," leaving just black "Cracker Barrel" text on a yellow background. The new menus, website, and interior design of Cracker Barrel locations also angered consumers, leaving the company to apologize for the errors.

The company does not appear to be returning to the old logo and design, however, and is seemingly digging itself a deeper hole by trying to mask its progressive leanings.

In an attempt to invoke old Uncle Herschel without actually showing him, Cracker Barrel has featured "the Herschel Way" on its web page dedicated to "culture and belonging."

"Our culture of belonging extends to our guests. The Herschel Way is our standard for hospitality," the company wrote. However, the new text represents at least the third change to the page this month as the company deals with the blowback over the past week.

Thanks to internet archives, readers can see what Cracker Barrel's progressive page looked like on August 4, which at that time was labeled "culture and inclusion."

The page included mentions of being "inclusive," while stating, "Discrimination, overt or through unconscious bias, has no place at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store."

Also featured was a photo labeled "Moving Forward Together," showcasing a diverse cast of people, including a man in a wheelchair.

By August 21, the company had updated the page to reflect its new font and style, but it seemingly remained identical otherwise. That was, until the fury of American consumers hit.

RELATED: Cracker Barrel ditches Americana as customers call for boycott over iconic brand change

Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

August 21 was the same day many outlets — including Blaze News — began covering the backlash from Cracker Barrel customers, and by the next day on August 22, the desperate diversity image was removed.

Fast-forward another few days, and Cracker Barrel has remodeled the page to change its wording away from "inclusion" and toward "belonging."

This is not the first time the company has eliminated certain words to cover its messaging, though. Back in July 2024, the same page used the heading "Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging" at Cracker Barrel. In fact, the previous link still redirects to the new text, further proving the adjustments were made to the same page.

The 2024 page showcased extreme dedication to diversity and race-based initiatives. It celebrated "Diversity in Our Decor," "Diversity in Our Leadership & Development," and even boasted about achievements on the Human Rights Campaign "equality index."

According to investigative reporter Robby Starbuck, the company "sponsored HRC events for 10 years" and even "brought an HRC representative to their Tennessee HQ to do a pronoun and transgenderism training."

Cracker Barrel told Fox News it "has not participated in the Human Rights Campaign Index or had any affiliation with HRC in several years."

RELATED: Cracker Barrel responds with sneaky message after backlash over rebrand

There are almost too many initiatives to name from the 2024 page, but the company bragged about "standing against racial injustice," having "zero tolerance" for gay discrimination, and offering a series of gay and race-driven events.

What has remained consistent throughout the years, though, has been Cracker Barrel's promotion of programs like "Be Bold," a mission to develop "black leaders," and the "LGBTQ+ Alliance," which has the purpose of "strengthening Cracker Barrel's relationship to the LGBTQ+ community."

In addition, HOLA's mission is to "promote Hispanic and Latino culture through hiring, developing, and retaining talent within Cracker Barrel."

The Cracker Barrel spokesperson insisted in comments to Fox News that the company's "values haven't changed, and the heart and soul of Cracker Barrel haven't changed."

"Cracker Barrel has been a destination for comfort and community for more than half a century, and this fifth evolution of the brand's logo, which works across digital platforms as well as billboards and roadside signs, is a callback to the original and rooted even more in the iconic barrel shape and word mark that started it all back in 1969," Cracker Barrel said.

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

Iconic actress tells 'James Bond' star to his face: 'James Bond has to be a guy'



Progressive writers should stay away from the "James Bond" series, according to one of the industry's most celebrated actresses.

For years, critics have wondered how long it would take for the iconic macho character to become a feminist version of himself or be portrayed by a woman entirely.

Even actor Pierce Brosnan, who portrayed the spy four times between 1995 and 2002, suggested the iconic character should be played by a female because he would find it "exhilarating."

"Get out of the way, guys, and put a woman up there," Brosnan said in September 2019.

Now, Brosnan's own co-star is telling him the beloved character cannot be played by a woman, ever.

'James Bond has to be James Bond; otherwise it becomes something else.'

During an interview for the upcoming film "The Thursday Murder Club," Brosnan was asked to reflect on what the Bond character means to him after all this time.

However, it was his recent co-star and revered actress Helen Mirren who stole the headlines and put her foot down on the character.

At 80, Mirren plays a retired spy in her new movie and was asked by outlet Saga if the female spy is a "better portrayal" of the world of espionage than 007 is.

"So many women have worked in that world. She's a manifestation of a reality, that's for sure," Mirren said, before dropping the hammer on the reporter. "More realistic. But not so much fun as Bond! I'm such a feminist, but James Bond has to be a guy. You can't have a woman. It just doesn't work."

Mirren added that if you turn Bond into a woman, the movie franchise would shift entirely.

RELATED: 'Left-wing lesbian atheists': Oasis singer mocks liberal comedian who said he stole her audience

Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan attend Netflix's 'The Thursday Murder Club' New York screening at the Plaza Hotel on August 14, 2025, in New York City. Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images

"James Bond has to be James Bond; otherwise it becomes something else," Mirren declared.

Brosnan, on the other hand, seemingly reversed his commentary from 2019 and stated he is "so excited to see the next man come on the stage."

"I adore the world of James Bond. It's been very good to me," the 72-year- old continued, explaining that he is just a member of the audience now. "It's the gift that keeps giving."

Despite Brosnan's apparent change in opinion, the Bond franchise creators have been much less forgiving to the media when it comes to what gender James Bond can be.

About five months after Brosnan's feminist comments, sentiments of a she-Bond were shut down by Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, relatives of the original spy movie producer, Albert R. Broccoli.

RELATED: WNBA coach turns funny moments into feminist lecture: 'This has been going on for centuries'

Eva Green, Daniel Craig, and Caterina Murino during 'Casino Royale' at Le Grand Rex theater in Paris, France. Photo by Toni Anne Barson/WireImage

"He can be of any color, but he is male," Barbara Broccoli told Variety in December 2019. "I believe we should be creating new characters for women — strong female characters. I'm not particularly interested in taking a male character and having a woman play it. I think women are far more interesting than that."

The series flirted with a change in 2021's "No Time to Die," actor Daniel Craig's last foray as the lead character. Actress Lashana Lynch became 007 in Bond's absence during the film, meaning technically 007 was a woman, but the character of James Bond was not.

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

Nike ditches wokeness in family-friendly golf ad: 'More of this, please!'



A Nike ad featuring the world's No.1 golfer, Scottie Scheffler, is being praised by sports fans for its focus on family.

Scheffler is not only the best golfer in the world, but he has proven himself to be a proud American and all-around decent human and family man.

Following yet another win at the Open Championship last weekend, Scheffler's sponsor, Nike, surprisingly celebrated the 29-year-old's family with a heartwarming ad.

'Finally you guys unwoke the marketing.'

Scheffler's 1-year-old son, Bennett, stole the show at Royal Portrush Golf Club; the crowd cheered as the baby tried to run up the green toward his father as he accepted the tournament trophy. A few tumbles made the moment more endearing.

This led to the father and son becoming the focus of Nike's subsequent promo, showing the family on the golf course.

"Priorities unchanged. Another major secured. The wins keep coming on and off the course for Scottie Scheffler," Nike wrote on X.

A photo of Scheffler and son playing with a golf club read, "You've already won," followed by Scheffler taking a swing with the caption, "But another major never hurt."

Sports fans were elated with the ad and immediately poured praise on Nike for straying away from progressive politics.

RELATED: 'They can't speak up': Caitlin Clark headlines latest woke Nike ad that claims women are told they can't succeed

Refreshing to see uplifting content in sports ads from Nike.
— C.Jay Engel 🌲 (@contramordor) July 20, 2025

"More of this and less of the woke BS," a golf page replied.

"More of this, please!" the American Principles Project cried out.

Another golf fan replied on X, "Finally you guys unwoke the marketing."

Hopefully someone is paying attention to how much more this ad resonated than the woke garbage 😂
— The Knowledge Archivist (@KnowledgeArchiv) July 21, 2025

The fans have correctly noticed the shift in tone from the company, as Nike is just months removed from multiple marketing disasters that completely misread the room.

One campaign featuring WNBA star Caitlin Clark received criticism for its gross exaggeration about the treatment female athletes receive.

The campaign from February promoted the idea that prominent female athletes are berated and constantly told "how they should act."

The ad went on to claim that women are told not to be ambitious and that they should not have fun.

But that commercial was nothing compared to a tone-deaf ad Nike put out in the U.K. in April.

RELATED: Nike is getting hammered for 'tone-deaf' ad at London Marathon: 'Heads need to roll'

Nike issued an apology for its ad at the London Marathon after it used a red-colored sign that read, "Never again. Until next year."

The ad was intended to refer to the feeling of being exhausted at the end of the race but returning to try again the following year. However, many felt the ad was downplaying the Holocaust, which has often been referenced with the phrase "never again."

If the latest golf ad is any indication of what resonates with sports fans, Nike should certainly continue its straightforward approach to win back the hearts and minds of those who buy its products.

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

'Highly offensive' slur sparks meltdown as rugby league declares words are worse than violence



An Australian rugby player triggered a league-wide meltdown after self-reporting that he used a "slur."

Australian Football League midfielder Jack Graham has been suspended before, receiving a one-match ban in 2018 for throwing an elbow during a game against Brisbane when he played for Richmond.

Now playing for the West Coast Eagles, Graham violated league rules during a July 4 game against the Greater Western Sydney Giants and received a four-match suspension. This time, the league's punishment has made it clear that it considers words to be more harmful than violence.

'I am very remorseful for the word I used and know such language has no place in our community or our game.'

To make matters worse, Graham actually told on himself before league officials even had a chance to investigate. Graham admitted to his club that he had committed a violation, with his team then reporting to the league about the infraction.

7AFL reported that Graham used a "single-word homophobic slur" toward a Giants player during the recent match, with the seemingly devastating remark evoking a lengthy apology from Graham.

"I am very remorseful for the word I used and know such language has no place in our community or our game," Graham said in a club statement, per Daily Mail. "I have offered my unreserved apology to the Giants player and Greater Western Sydney and would also like to publicly apologize for my comment," he continued.

Graham added that his remark did not reflect his values and noted he needs to "be better" and plans to prove that through his actions.

Despite the sincere apology, the AFL had a complete and total meltdown over the unspecified word, with subsequent woke directives and platitudes being issued.

RELATED: Boston Red Sox star Jarren Duran suspended 2 games for insulting heckler with 'a truly horrific word'

Graham's self-snitch not only sparked an AFL integrity unit investigation, but the athlete gave a private apology to his opponent and also called the AFL CEO to apologize.

Still, Graham will have to be re-educated on the matter and will be placed in the Pride in Sport education program, according to the Daily Mail.

According to the AFL's head of integrity and security, Tony Keane, it could have been even worse for Graham had he not confessed his sins.

"The AFL is very clear that homophobia has no place in our game, nor in the community," Keane said in an AFL press release. "Graham's sanction would have been higher if he hadn't self-reported and understood his comment was totally inappropriate."

The league official said there is "much more to be done" on the issue in order to make the AFL a "safe and inclusive environment for all."

The AFL itself also stated that Graham used "a highly offensive homophobic slur" but did not reveal what word he said. They did, however, say the unknown term "demeans and denigrates persons regardless of their sexuality."

Eagles coach Andrew McQualter continued the apology tour last week, telling reporters during a press conference that the team's priority had shifted to "look after [Graham] and his well-being," in addition to continuing to "educate our players as much as we can."

Graham's teammate Liam Duggan said the 27-year-old simply had a "slip of the tongue" but has "learnt his lesson well and truly."

"It was a mistake made and one that Jack was on the front foot (for), he handled everything the right way from the get-go," Duggan told the West.

RELATED: NFL charged players over $12M in fines in 2024, including 27 fines for 'obscene gestures'

Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

The fiasco displays a glaring difference in how the AFL handles its incidents, particularly when it comes to words versus violence.

In addition to Graham receiving just a one-game ban for an elbow in the past, a more recent incident involving direct threats by a player saw a similar punishment.

In May, Port Adelaide player Willie Rioli was caught sending a text message to an opposing player warning him not to leave his hotel because Rioli has friends and family in the area; the message followed an on-field tussle between the players.

According to Nine, Riolo allegedly made other threats to different opponents as well. It was only after the second incident was revealed that the player was suspended, but only for one game.

Rioli had to undergo education on respectful/nonviolent language and conduct.

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

Socialist surge: Minneapolis mayor left in the lurch after DFL Party endorses far-left challenger obsessed with race



Far-left candidates for mayoral positions have been gaining traction across the nation's largest cities. Most notably, socialist Zohran Mamdani defeated Democratic former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the race for New York City mayor, and now a similar figure is stepping up in Minneapolis.

Minnesota state Senator Omar Fateh, a self-styled progressive Democrat, announced on Saturday night that he had won the endorsement of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party to be Minneapolis mayor.

'This election should be decided by the entire city rather than the small group of people who became delegates, particularly in light of the extremely flawed and irregular conduct of this convention.'

"I am incredibly honored to be the DFL endorsed candidate for Minneapolis Mayor. This endorsement is a message that Minneapolis residents are done with broken promises, vetoes, and politics as usual. It’s a mandate to build a city that works for all of us," Fateh said in an X post on Saturday night.

Fateh won the endorsement of the DFL over the incumbent mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, who is also a Democrat. Frey responded to the news hours later, criticizing the selection process in which he lost the endorsement.

"I want to thank everyone who showed up to support my campaign. This election should be decided by our entire city, not by a handful of delegates," Jacob Frey, the incumbent mayor, said in a late Saturday night post on X.

RELATED: Mamdani 2.0: Minneapolis mayoral candidate reveals plan to destroy city

Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

"I look forward to a full debate with Sen. Fateh about our records and visions for our Minneapolis's future. Onward to November!" he added in the same post.

Mayor Frey's campaign manager, Sam Schulenberg, likewise criticized the process by which Fateh beat Frey for the endorsement. “This election should be decided by the entire city rather than the small group of people who became delegates, particularly in light of the extremely flawed and irregular conduct of this convention. Voters will now have a clear choice between the records and leadership of Sen. Fateh and Mayor Frey. We look forward to taking our vision to the voters in November,” Schulenberg said via a press release, according to KARE.

Omar Fateh has been accused of pushing anti-white sentiment while advocating for more immigration. In a 2023 speech, Fateh advocated for greater trust in immigrants and insinuated that white people were the real threat to American security, saying, "We heard [immigrants] are a threat to national security, but that's a flat-out lie."

He continued that the real national security threats "look like many of the members that sit in the front," allegedly referring to Republican state senators.

"The real threat comes from 'racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists, specifically those who advocate for the superiority of the white race,'" he continued, quoting Biden-era federal agencies.

Fateh faced an ethics complaint for allegedly insinuating during that speech that his Republican colleagues were violent extremists and white supremacists.

Minneapolis will hold a general election for mayor on November 4, 2025.

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

Study: 7 In 10 College Energy Courses Focus On So-Called Climate Change

'Ignoring the extant realities of energy will render students unprepared for making sensible decisions, whether in the public or private sector.'

'Too Much' whiteness in Lena Dunham's new Netflix show? Just look BEHIND the camera, says 'Girls' star



Actress, writer, and former leftist "It girl" Lena Dunham is back — older, wiser, and ready to confront the biggest mistake she made with the hit HBO show that put her on the map: It simply wasn't woke enough.

Dunham vows this won't happen with her latest venture, the romantic comedy "Too Much." The Netflix series comes more than a decade after the 2012 debut of "Girls," which brought instant acclaim — and near-instant backlash — for star and creator Dunham.

'The funny thing is that she would probably still be under fire if her cast was more diverse.'

"Girls" wrapped up its sixth and final season in April 2017; since then, Dunham has starred in or written one-off television episodes while acting in about a dozen films.

But after all this time, the legacy of "Girls" has returned to haunt her.

White what you know

While conservatives dismissed "Girls" for its self-indulgent depiction of promiscuity as "sexual empowerment," its harshest critics were arguably liberals.

As soon as it aired, "Girls" was heckled from the far corners of leftism for its apparent lack of "diversity." Dunham admitted at the time that the nearly all-white skin tones in the show were simply a reflection of her life, since she is "half-Jew, half-WASP."

This time around, Dunham is determined to affirm her loyalty to progressive ideology before anyone can question it.

In 2012, Dunham did damage control by going on NPR's "Fresh Air" to say she was trying to avoid "tokenism in [her] casting" and opted for her chosen actresses because she assumed the "experience of an African American girl and a white girl" were "drastically different."

You see, it wasn't indifference that made her exclude black characters — but respect.

Pre-emptive apology

While that may have worked almost a decade ago, it's not going to fly in 2025 — and Dunham knows it. That's why she's doing a kind of pre-emptive apology tour before "Too Much" even premieres.

RELATED: 'Superman' director faces backlash for 'racist' India mention; responds with heroic backpedaling

Lena Dunham (Photo by J. Countess/Getty Images)

In a recent interview with the Independent, Dunham suggested that the real culprit in the "Girls" diversity imbroglio was the entertainment industry as a whole.

"I think one of the profound issues around ''Girls' ... was that there was so little real estate for women in television that if you had a show called 'Girls,' which is such a monolithic name, it sounds like it's describing all the girls in all the places."

Dunham added that she understands how it would be "really disappointing to people" if they felt the show did not reflect "a multitude of experiences."

The 39-year-old went on to explain that she did "like the conversation" about how woke her show needs to be and said it would not be a problem for the new Netflix series.

I spy ... DEI

To that end, Dunham revealed she has pledged her allegiance to diversity in both the production and casting of "Too Much."

Yes, like "Girls," "Too Much" puts white, affluent characters front and center, with little to no room for people of color. But Dunham urges viewers to think of all the non-whites working behind the scenes to bring this vision to the screen.

"The thing I have really come to believe is that one of the most important things is not just diversity in front of the camera, but it's diversity behind the camera," she told the Independent. "As a producer, one of my goals is to bring a lot of different voices into a position where they can tell their story."

RELATED: All in the family: Hollywood golden boy Pedro Pascal's loony leftist pedigree

Lena Dunham (L) and Megan Stalter (Photo by Ben Montgomery/Getty Images)

Nice try

While impressive, Dunham's deft butt-covering may not be enough to satisfy a baying leftist mob always on the hunt for a new victim, warns culture writer Natasha Biase.

"The funny thing is that she would probably still be under fire if her cast was more diverse," Biase told Blaze News.

If anything, Dunham is trying too hard, continued Biase.

"I understand that we live in a diverse world, and film and television are supposed to be a reflection of that, but we are also often told to write what we know, and that’s exactly what Lena Dunham did."

Dunham bending the knee and "forcing herself" to write characters to which she can't relate would arguably be seen as "more controversial and irresponsible," Biase added, implying that Dunham is in a no-win situation.

"Our girl's about to learn that you can’t please the mob!"

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

'Doctor Who' actress tells fans to 'get over' show's extreme woke content because it's 'pure and beautiful'



Actress Millie Gibson praised the woke narratives of the "Doctor Who" franchise and said fans need to simply ignore the overt LGBT tones and watch the show.

Gibson, whose real name is Amelia Eve Gibson, said in a recent interview that she was not concerned with how woke the show was, despite hordes of backlash and criticism over its extremely sexual and liberal storylines.

Last year, the show pushed rampant progressive politics right from the onset of its reboot, ushering in actor Ncuti Gatwa as their new "queer black" lead. Writer and executive producer Russell T. Davies also expressed that he had looked at other "nonbinary" actors for lead roles.

After The Standard's Martin Robinson framed the series as a critique of society that fights fascistic thinking, he asked Gibson about fan reactions to the show's strange direction that has included a drag queen and gay dance scenes.

"I'd just watch the show for what it is," Gibson said, excusing the content as nonpolitical. "I remember watching an episode where David Tennant goes back — I think it's with Martha — and they meet Shakespeare. And he's like, 'Oh yeah, Shakespeare's quite hot.' [This is] literally what Who does."

Gibson further excused the stories as "the way the world is" and said critics have been "making jabs" anywhere they could over the content.

"The show is so pure and beautiful and is literally about two best friends traveling the universe, so just watch it and get over it somewhat!" the 20-year-old requested.

The young actress then praised the aforementioned drag queen, "Jinkx Monsoon," and referred to the male entertainer as a woman.

"I'm her biggest fan. I don't think it's a problem at all."

Gibson's suggestion for fans to remain blissfully unaware of the show's politics strays from the methods her co-star has implemented to deal with the show's record-low ratings.

After critics took issue with dialogue from Gatwa's character like, "I spent a long, hot summer with Harry Houdini," the actor told the audience not to watch if they were not in support of "queer rights."

"Don't watch. Turn off the TV. Go and touch grass, please, for God's sake," he told Variety last year. "As the world darkens — and I do think the world is darkening around queer rights — there is a joy and a celebration, and there’s a community," Gatwa claimed.

Millie Gibson (left) and Ncuti Gatwa (right) have delivered record lows in ratings with extreme progressive storylines in 'Doctor Who.' Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images

Executive producer Davies has taken things a step further, however, and admitted in a 2023 interview that he believes it is important for children to learn about transgender themes at a young age.

"Visibility" is important, Davies said, adding that bigotry can be avoided "if you grow up seeing this stuff."

Davies also claimed that "homophobia and transphobia happens when it's something you've never seen before."

'People are having negative reactions to their beloved series forcing cultural and political narratives on them.'

English reporter Lewis Brackpool told Blaze News that there has long been evidence of government collaboration with U.K. television production companies. He said certain institutions have been "pushing forth certain narratives knowing millions will see them on-screen."

"Topics surrounding public health, climate policy, migration, and extremism have all been pushed," Brackpool added. "While the consumer has the right to turn the program off, people are having negative reactions to their beloved series forcing cultural and political narratives on them."

— (@)

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

Liberal Judge Susan Crawford’s Husband Promotes Lawfare Against Homeschool Families

Progressive Judge Susan Crawford is running for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Her husband wrote a book against homeschooling.