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politics

South Park’s Trey Parker Says “Politics Became Pop Culture”

by jummy84 November 9, 2025

written by jummy84

This season, South Park has drawn attention for repeatedly targeting President Donald Trump and his administration. In an interview with The New York Times, however, co-creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker clarified that this wasn’t intentional, but rather a byproduct of the times.

“It’s not that we got all political,” Parker said. “It’s that politics became pop culture.” Stone added that they were also “attracted to” the idea that speaking out against the administration had become “taboo.”

According to the creative duo, they didn’t decide to take on the US president until after their deal with Paramount was delayed by a merger between Paramount and Skydance that required the Trump administration’s approval.

SNL Sticks to Politics, Addresses Zohran Mamdani’s Mayor Win

by jummy84 November 9, 2025

written by jummy84

A man collapsed in the faux Oval Office during Saturday Night Live‘s cold open, parodying the real-life event that took place this week as President Trump announced his plan to lower the price of weight loss drugs.

“Oh, hi. I didn’t see you there,” James Austin Johnson’s Trump said as his introduction during the episode following a reenactment of the collapse. “Someone was dying in my office.”

“Each week, I like to create a big visual that sort of sums up how things are going. Last week, it was the demolishing of the East Wing. This week, it’s a medical professional almost dying in my Oval Office at the mere thought of charging less for drugs,” he continued. “Maybe next week a bald eagle will fall dead out of the sky and splat right on the White House lawn. And by lawn, of course I mean big outdoor concrete floor.”

Johnson’s Trump recounted a few hot tops topics in the country over the past week, including the government shutdown, grocery prices and the various elections across the nation.

“Hey, all in all, a great caper to an awesome week, except for election. The Democrats won. The lame stream media called the elections a rebuke of Trump’s policies,” he said. “Jokes on them: They’re Stephen Miller’s policies. I don’t read that stuff.”

He, too, addressed Zohran Mamdani being elected the new mayor of New York City, adding, “Can’t believe they elected Mamdani. You know, I’m torn because I like a winner, but I’m not crazy about a Muslim. Maybe he’ll convert, right? We’ll put him in line behind Usha Vance, and I hope I’m pronouncing that wrong.

In what he described as “our side” having “some wins this week,” Johnson’s Trump said, “the Supreme Court said we could stop feeding poor people. You can clap for that, SNAP!”

“And for those of you who can afford food, actually, no you can’t. I promised grocery prices would plummet, and they did — they plummeted straight up,” he continued. “And people are saying, ‘But sir, how will I afford my Thanksgiving turkey for my family?’ Well, good news is your family’s not coming because all the planes are gone.”

Nikki Glaser hosted the sketch comedy series for the first time on Saturday, where she was joined my musical guest Sombr, fresh off his Grammy nomination for best new artist.

During her opening monologue, the comedian joked that she was “in New York City, Epstein’s original island.” Glaser referenced the controversy again later by bringing up Ghislaine Maxwell. She was discussing the prevalence of sex trafficking awareness posters in public restrooms, noting that there is a “really a big fear of being trafficked, mostly for, like, Gen Z girls.”

“I’m getting scared, like, it’s rubbing off on me. I was out with them recently and I was like, ‘What if we get trafficked?’ And they’re like, ‘You’re good,’” Glaser continued. “They’re like, ‘We’re safer when you’re with us, because they think you’re our madam. You have resting Ghislaine face, so just keep that up.’”

Later in the night, former cast member Pete Davidson made a surprise appearance during the “Weekend Update” segment. There, he and Colin Jost addressed recent headlines about the Staten Island Ferry boat they bought together years ago, while subtly touching on a few topical events in his own life.

“So yeah, in case you’re wondering why I had to do a show in Saudi Arabia, we’re losing millions on this ferry,” he joked, referencing him partaking in the Riyadh Comedy Festival earlier this year. “I assume that’s what the article says. I can’t spend $5 on a paywall when I got a kid on the way.”

Glaser served as the second SNL host for the month of November, following Miles Teller’s Nov. 1 appearance. Next week, Glen Powell will make his hosting debut as Bad Bunny, Amy Poehler and Sabrina Carpenter have already previously led season 51 this year.

November 9, 2025 0 comments

Bollywood

Maharani Season 4 REVIEW: ‘Rani Bharti’ Huma Qureshi Returns Strong But Fails Due To Weak Narrative In Dirty Politics

by jummy84 November 6, 2025

written by jummy84

Film:
Maharani Season 4

Bubble Rating:

Director: Puneet Prakash

Writers: Subhash Kapoor, Nandan Singh, Uma Shankar Singh

Cast: Huma Qureshi, Kani Kusruti, Amit Sial, Pramod Pathak, Shweta Basu Prasad, Vineet Kumar, Shardul Bharadwaj, Vipin Sharma

Platform: SonyLIV

Runtime: 39 mins to 57 mins each episode

Maharani Season 4 Review

As rightly compared previously, Politics is just like a game of chess. Huma Qureshi, who portrays Rani Bharti, returns as the CM of Bihar. The opening scene highlights that Navin (Amit Sial) is visited by Murad Patel in jail from the PM Sudhakar Sriniwas Joshi’s (Vipin Sharma) office. He questions how to trouple Rani’s sarkaar and doesn’t leave a stone unturned to find out how. What Rani has to face now is either to trust her own instincts or close people in this game of dirty politics. This season raises questions of whether Rani will become the next PM, challenging Joshi and his alliance. Will Rani be able to keep her alliance close and enemies away? To find out what happens, read our review of Maharani Season 4.

What Works
Huma Qureshi, Shweta Basu Prasad, Shardul Bhardwaj, and other cast members play strong roles. Their accent and body language show every actor’s adaptability for their craft. The plot is good, however could have been carried out better. Dialogue writing and delivery are commendable.
What Doesn’t Work
Most scenes have been dragged. The plot twists are quite predictable and don’t carry enough weight for a political drama.
Technical Analysis
Direction
The direction in Maharani season 4 feels uninspired and lacks the precision needed for a compelling political drama. Although the premise holds promise, the storytelling often loses focus, with pacing issues and stretched-out sequences. The energy and urgency that once defined Rani’s political journey are notably absent, replaced by clichés and predictable moments.
Writing & Screenplay
The writing disappoints with its repetitive tone and lack of emotional grip. What could have been a sharp exploration of power and politics turns into a routine narrative filled with weak dialogue and forced melodrama. The screenplay struggles to weave together the political tension and personal dilemmas, leaving the overall story feeling scattered and inconsistent.
Star Performances
Huma Qureshi remains the show’s saving grace, bringing sincerity and conviction to her role. However, her efforts are weighed down by an uneven script and an underutilised supporting cast. Performances that could have added layers to the story instead feel flat and disconnected.
Conclusion
Maharani season 4 sadly fails to recreate the spark, intensity, and layered storytelling that once made the series compelling. The direction feels uninspired, with inconsistent pacing and scenes that lack dramatic tension. The writing, once sharp and politically charged, now feels diluted by repetitive dialogue and underdeveloped subplots.
Even the lead actors’ sincere effort can’t lift the show from its sluggish execution and emotional flatness. Supporting performances add little depth, leaving the narrative feeling hollow. Overall, the new season struggles to maintain its political intrigue or emotional resonance, making it a disappointing and forgettable continuation.
We hope our review of Maharani Season 4 will help you decide to watch it.
Watch The Trailer Of Maharani Season 4

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Also Read: The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 REVIEW: ‘Belly’ Lola Tung, ‘Conrad’ Christopher Briney- ‘Jeremiah’ Gavin Casalegno Starrer Is Worth The Wait
Akankshya Mukherjee is a dynamic and ambitious individual poised to make waves in the realm of Media and Communication. With a passion for creativity and a drive to contribute to forward-thinking organizations, Akankshya embodies adaptability and a hunger for learning. Having already garnered experience through involvement in various organizations, she has honed the skill of quickly adapting to new environments and challenges. She sees each opportunity as a chance for personal and professional growth, eagerly embracing roles in communications and content writing.

November 6, 2025 0 comments

TV & Streaming

Jennifer Lawrence On Not Sharing Her Politics, Talking About Trump

by jummy84 November 1, 2025

written by jummy84

Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence has reconsidered sharing her politics on the world stage.

The previously outspoken actress, who recently reflected on finding her past interviews and public persona “annoying,” told the New York Times in a sprawling Q&A that her stance on discussing her political takes have also shifted.

While discussing Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic One Battle After Another, the Die My Love star and executive producer said “it’s a good idea. It’s not a bad idea,” later clarifying she meant the “revolution” depicted in the Leonardo DiCaprio-starring drama.

When asked how the multi-hyphenate feels about speaking out now, she said, “I don’t really know if I should. During the first Trump administration, I felt like I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. But as we’ve learned, election after election, celebrities do not make a difference whatsoever on who people vote for. So then what am I doing? I’m just sharing my opinion on something that’s going to add fuel to a fire that’s ripping the country apart.”

Lawrence also said she wanted to avoid turning audiences off from her work, or projects in general that could educate viewers: “I think I’m in a complicated recalibration because I’m also an artist. I don’t want to start turning people off to films and to art that could change consciousness or change the world because they don’t like my political opinions. I want to protect my craft so that you can still get lost in what I’m doing. And if I can’t say something that’s going to speak to some kind of peace or lowering the temperature or some sort of solution, I don’t want to be a part of the problem. I don’t want to make the problem worse.”

Clarifying if she feels “regret” for how she approached political topics before, the No Hard Feelings star said, “Probably? I regret everything I’ve ever done or said. I’m going to take the zip drives out of all of these cameras when I leave. The second term feels different. Because he said what he was going to do. We knew what he did for four years. He was very clear. And that’s what we chose.”

Lawrence can soon be seen in Lynne Ramsay’s Die My Love, bowing in theaters Nov. 7. Next up, she will star in and produce murder mystery film The Wives for Apple Original Films. Most recently, Deadline exclusively announced she will be partnering with filmmaker Martin Scorsese and reuniting with former co-star DiCaprio on an adaptation of the ghost story novel What Happens at Night, also at Apple.

November 1, 2025 0 comments

Music

‘The Simpsons’ will be avoiding politics for new season following ‘South Park’ backlash

by jummy84 September 29, 2025

written by jummy84

The Simpsons’ showrunner has said the new season will not tackle contemporary US politics in the way that South Park recently has.

The opening episode of the 37th season of the legendary sitcom premiered on Fox on Sunday night (September 28), with this run set to include the show’s 800th episode.

Matt Selman, who now oversees The Simpsons, spoke to Entertainment Weekly and was asked whether the show would dare to take the kind of provocative approach to the current political landscape that South Park has in recent months.

“When you write a show that doesn’t come out until 10 months after you write it, it kind of takes the pressure off, because who knows what the fuck we’re gonna be looking at in 10 months,” he said. “So like South Park, they make their show in a week, and even they can’t stay up to date on things.”

“More crazy shit goes down faster than even they can do it. And you know, Jimmy Kimmel’s great, and I’m glad he is back on TV,” he added, referring to the late night talk show host, who was briefly suspended this month for his comments relating to the murder of Charlie Kirk, before being recently reinstated.

“Censorship sucks. What can I say? Censorship sucks,” Selman continued. “But it’s not our mission statement to respond to the crisis of the moment. It’s more about a town of good-natured dum-dums dealing with a changing world, yet our characters never really change. The world changes around them.”

South Park is currently in its 27th season and has been mocking Donald Trump consistently in the new episodes. It initially portrayed him as being in a relationship with Satan and having a micro-penis, prompting the White House to attack the show for “not having been relevant for over 20 years”.

The show has since continued the Trump-Satan relationship, with Satan now pregnant with the president’s child and Trump attempting to trap Satan into getting rid of the pregnancy.

They have also attacked the relationship between Trump and the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and its head Brendan Carr, which many perceive to have been the reason for Kimmel’s suspension and for Stephen Colbert’s show being brought to an end.

Despite The Simpsons saying it will not pursue similar storylines, the show’s creator Matt Groening did say this summer that the show will not end until Trump dies. “When you-know-who dies, The Simpsons predicts the there will be dancing in the streets,” he said “Except President [J.D.] Vance will ban dancing”.

The Simpsons famously predicted that Trump would become U.S. President in a 2000 episode, and also later predicted he would get re-elected in a 2015 episode. The show also appears to have forecasted some other major events over the years.

September 29, 2025 0 comments

TV & Streaming

How Politics and Division Shaped Season 6 (Exclusive)

by jummy84 September 29, 2025

written by jummy84

[Warning: The following contains spoilers for the Unforgotten Season 6 finale.]

Six seasons in, British crime drama Unforgotten continues to tell gripping, complex stories. When the killer of brutish husband, father and business proprietor Gerry Cooper was revealed in the Masterpiece series’ Sunday, September 28 finale on PBS, it turned out not to be any of the four persons of interest set up at the start: his wife Juliet (Victoria Hamilton), onetime mistress Melinda (MyAnna Buring), former employee Marty (Maximilian Fairley), and the Afghani translator who had aided some of Gerry’s immigrant tenants, Asif (Elham Ehsas).

It was Gerry’s teenage daughter, Taylor (Pixie Davies), who was responsible for his death, and she hadn’t even realized it because her mother had covered for her. When the girl, 11 years old at the time, saw her mother on the floor and her father striking Juliet with his foot, she grabbed a knife that was on the kitchen table and stabbed him in the leg.

He bled out, but by then Juliet had taken Taylor upstairs, before returning to dismember her husband’s body and dispose of it in the marsh. In the end, police detectives Sunny Khan and Jess James (Sanjeev Bhaskar and Sinéad Keenan) learned that prosecutors opted not to charge either one.

Besides offering a terrific whodunit, Unforgotten creator and executive producer Chris Lang, who has written every episode of the series, wanted to explore the political divide that Britain — and many other countries — are facing through this season’s characters.

“That was my prevailing theme, division,” he tells TV Insider. “I think the left and the right in the U.K. used to be able to rub along fairly amicably, but since Brexit, it’s been really difficult, and it feels like people have entrenched themselves even further in their positions. There’s a sort of straight fault line down the middle that’s more marked, I think, than it’s ever been.”

MASTERPIECE and Mainstreet Productions

Although the characters represented varying political stances — Melinda was a right-wing political commentator; Asif was helping a friend who’d entered the country illegally — viewer response illustrated the divide when Unforgotten aired in Britain earlier this year. Lang’s social media pages lit up with angry comments.

“The greatest challenge was … to not respond in the way that I was advocating we’ve got to stop doing,” Lang says. “We’ve got to start having more restrained conversations. We’ve got to respect each other more. I developed a technique of saying, ‘Well, I’m sorry you feel like that, and I hope you can still enjoy the show in some way.’ I knew it was going to provoke a reaction, but I didn’t think it would be as strong as it was.”

The American political climate even prompted a change in filming locales. Unforgotten‘s American broadcaster, PBS, was defunded by the federal government this summer amid accusations by Republicans and President Trump that PBS has a liberal bias. But concerns about the political ramifications of this season existed even before the 2024 election.

Lang initially planned to set and shoot part of Season 6 in the U.S., but those scenes, which involved Melinda, were rewritten to take place in Ireland (and shot in Wales). “In the end, it was deemed to be too difficult to shoot in America,” he says. “The elections were coming up and … it was a politically sensitive story. There were a lot of difficult subjects addressed, and in the end, it was felt it was probably more expedient to shoot in a country close to home.”

Lang feels not filming in the U.S. was the right decision. “Whatever I’m saying as a writer is really about the U.K. and its environments. When you move out and start maybe commenting on other countries, it becomes a bit more problematic and less welcome,” he says. “The response the show got here was really evidence of how sensitive these more difficult subjects are. I think it would have just been the same in America, and perhaps the pressure is even greater there.”

Unforgotten‘s seventh season is scheduled to start shooting in January.

Unforgotten, Seasons 1-6, PBS app (with Passport) and PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel

September 29, 2025 0 comments

Bollywood

‘I Don’t Drink, I Don’t Smoke, I Don’t Flatter People To Get Work’, Ameesha Patel Took A Dig At Politics In Bollywood

by jummy84 September 15, 2025

written by jummy84

Bollywood actress Ameesha Patel is known for speaking her heart out without fear. The actress never hesitates to call out the mistakes of filmmakers and openly shares her views about the Bollywood industry. In a recent interview, she revealed that despite the blockbuster success of her debut film Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, she did not receive the recognition she truly deserved. Ameesha admitted that many people in the industry simply do not like her.

Ameesha Patel

Speaking to one of the media houses, Ameesha said, “For me, the love of the audience is what really matters. It doesn’t matter which camp or group you belong to. I don’t fit into any particular circle. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, and I don’t flatter anyone to get work. Whatever I’ve achieved is purely on the strength of my talent. Because of this, some people are not fond of me. I don’t run after anyone for favors.”

Ameesha Patel

Calling herself an outsider, the actress explained how tough it is to survive without industry connections. “It becomes even harder when you don’t have a boyfriend or husband from the film fraternity. People often support those who can present themselves as a ‘power couple.’ When you are alone and an outsider, there is very little reason for others to back you,” she said. Ameesha also exposed the reality of social media in Bollywood and claimed that almost 90 percent of celebrities buy followers.

Ameesha Patel

Ameesha said, “Agencies approach stars demanding huge amounts of money and, in return, promise lakhs of followers. Many celebrities have paid for these fake followers. I’ve been approached several times, but I always refused. I value my real fans and don’t want anyone to follow me because of money.” The actress proudly added that her Instagram and Twitter accounts are completely authentic. “I never plan my posts or rely on perfect photoshoots. I upload my pictures as they are—no fancy composition, no calculated captions. I want my audience to see the real me, not a carefully crafted image,” she concluded.

September 15, 2025 0 comments

TV & Streaming

Steven Moffat teases new show Number 10 & why it’s not about politics

by jummy84 August 28, 2025

written by jummy84

He explained: “I’ve always been intrigued about what on earth goes on in that ridiculous little toy-town street that runs Britain. So [Number 10] is not really about politics at all, though everyone’s going to think it is.

“It’s just about what it’s like being in there, with the two most powerful people in the country in the attic, the worst coffee shop you’ve ever seen in the basement, and basically a knock-through with mice and a nuclear deterrent. It’s just the most remarkable address I can think of.”

“There’s quite a lot of comedy – it’s a funny place,” he teased. “I wanted to write an ensemble comedy like I did many years ago [in] Press Gang, and you need a workplace for that. Well, that’s the ultimate workplace. If you get a hangover there, you can start a war.”

Steven Moffat standing on the set of Doctor Who episode Boom. BBC Studios/James Pardon

While he’s not quite ready to share who’s taking on the role of his Prime Minister, he pointed out that you’ll never know which party is in power in the series, adding: “I’m not really interested in any of that. I don’t think they are either!

“There’s very little politics in real politics – every five years there’s an outbreak of politics called the General Election. The rest of the time, they’re just trying to run a country!

“I’ve read a ton. I’ve met a lot of people, including quite well-known people – I can never give their names away – and I’ve heard lots of stories, but it’s really just about the ultimate Upstairs Downstairs, where upstairs runs the country and downstairs sells Twixes. And I’ve been there a few times.”

While Moffat wrote the pilot just a year ago, describing it as a fairly quick process, he added: “I’ve been thinking about it for years.

“I’ve been reading the books, not because I’m a big expert on politics, I really am not. I’m just more interested in what the hell it’s like when you become Prime Minister.

“One thing it does to all of them is ages them 15 years in about a year. So for all that we’re cynical about it, and derisory about it, all the cynics and the deriders don’t work as hard as the person they’re deriding.”

Number 10, which is set to air on Channel 4, was announced earlier this month, with the synopsis stating: “The government will be fictional, but the problems will be real. We’ll never know which party is in power, because once the whole world hits the fan it barely matters.

“This is a show about the building and everyone inside. Not just the prime minister upstairs, but the conspiracy theorist who runs the cafe three floors below, the man who repairs the lift that never works, the madly ambitious ‘advisors’ fighting for office space in cupboards. Oh, and of course, the cat.”

Number 10 will air on Channel 4.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

August 28, 2025 0 comments