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What People With Eating Disorders Hear in the Ariana Grande Discourse
On July 31, in the final days of the North American leg of her tour, Ariana Grande released the music video for “Petal,” her newest single from an album of the same name. The video instantly reignited the years-long discourse over Grande’s body into something of a new low, with many presenting the video as irrefutable evidence that the singer is suffering from an eating disorder.
Reactions to those opinions, by turns emotional and censorious, have been intense. They revealed questions about a public unable to cope collectively with a woman’s body. Are such comments inherently sexist? Do well-meaning instructions warning us to refrain from speculation ever have exceptions? What does it mean to express “concern” for someone in the public eye whom we don’t personally know? How does the frenzied discourse land for people with eating disorders?
I reached out to Dr. Rebecca Boswell, a director at Penn Medicine Princeton’s Center for Eating Disorders, to explain the complications of navigating these fraught conversations, and what patients with eating disorders often hear when a celebrity’s weight makes headlines.
There’s been intense debate about the politics of talking about people’s bodies. On one hand, such commentary is often sexist; we aren’t privy to larger dynamics that may be going on with someone. But do we have a responsibility to acknowledge that some appearances may not be healthy?
Many things can be true at the same time, and there’s truth in all sides of this debate. The media has a long history of idealizing and visually showcasing thin bodies in a way that can be extremely harmful to young, vulnerable people and to folks with eating disorder histories or active eating disorders. We know that media coverage and celebrity coverage can play a role in the development and maintenance of eating disorders, and that it’s a major risk factor for the development of body image concerns.
“Every time there’s a media story about someone losing weight or being on a GLP one, therapists hear about it.”
That context makes it important to have responsible reporting around other people’s bodies, especially because so much of this discourse centers around women and women’s bodies. It’s a bit of a Goldilocks phenomenon: What’s too hot? What’s too cold? What’s too big? What’s too small? That can leave folks feeling like there’s no right way to exist in a body. That being said, when there are really concerning things happening or something seems noticeably different, there are helpful and unhelpful ways to express concern.
What do you think when you read all the online diagnosing?
We can’t look at someone and assume things about their health or their mental status. That really is reserved for physicians and people who know someone well and can see changes in behavior or health status. Because someone can lose a lot of weight and have cancer, right? Or someone can be very malnourished in a larger body. There is no one-to-one correlation between thinness and health, and it’s doctors who can make good evaluations with physical exams to discern if someone is experiencing malnutrition or eating-related problems. So can family members.
When it comes to public messaging around concern, again, multiple things can be true. It can be true that it’s powerful when the public expresses concern about someone in the public eye, and that may help them and their teams to evaluate whether there’s a risk or a problem. But it can also be the case that expressing concern garners a lot of clicks, chatter, and a lot of revenue. It also tends to highlight surveillance around women’s bodies in a way that can still be really difficult for folks who have experienced that surveillance themselves, either from family members or from the world in general.
“It’s never a positive effect…They’ll say, ‘Can’t we just live and like not be evaluated based on our bodies?'”
How does that discourse typically affect someone with eating difficulties?
Every time there’s a media story about someone losing weight or being on a GLP-1, therapists hear about it. What we hear can range from “I’m so mad that I have to work on my recovery, and this person’s being glamorized for changing their body in such a profound way,” to “This makes it so much harder for me to stay committed to treatment.” There’s also “It’s so unfair that her people get to live in this like weight loss world, and I’m trying to live outside of it.”
I also hear a lot of sadness around the way that people’s bodies are judged and evaluated, not just in the context of media and culture. It can remind people of their private personal experiences of being judged or bullied or excluded because of the way that they look, and be really retraumatizing.
What about negative reactions to extreme weight loss? Can public concerns when someone famous looks so visibly [too?] thin ever help people with eating disorders?
It’s never a positive effect. What I hear is, “This is a really difficult thing to visually have to see, even when people are talking about how negative this is.” I often hear people saying that the conversations remind them of when they were really sick. They’ll say, “Can’t we just live and like not be evaluated based on our bodies?” They will also often bring up how they would have preferred people telling them that they were concerned about their weight.
I hear from people that it is hard when you’re very ill with an eating disorder to accept the possibility of needing care, and that expressions of concern from loved ones make a big difference—while public or group scrutiny is challenging.
What exactly happens to the body when an eating disorder is identified?
Different eating disorder symptoms affect the body differently. Intake restriction and prolonged malnutrition have profound effects on every body system. It affects bone density in a way that is often not reversible. It affects GI system function. It affects your kidneys, your liver, and causes cardiac stress. It can even shrink the size of your brain.
The way that the body adapts during malnutrition is incredibly survival-oriented. It slows everything down and shuts everything off to keep the machine running as long as possible. That is an enormous stressor on the body and requires really significant nutritional rehabilitation to repair tissue damage where it’s repairable, and bring your body back to a healthful state. The [real harm with malnutrition] is the speed and the amount of weight loss that really is most strongly correlated with those physical effects, regardless of the body size you started in.
GLP-1’s are everywhere. We have corners of the internet that outright promote anorexia. Is the discourse around body image worse than ever?
I do think that with the rise of GLP-1s, there’s been an increased focus on thinness in the media and the internet in a way that surveils and glamorizes thin bodies. I think that has a negative effect, not just on people with eating disorders, but on children and youth who are vulnerable to developing [eating difficulties].
You talked about the role of responsible reporting when writing about a public figure’s appearance. What does that look like?
That is where the nuance comes in. There have been studies that show, for example, articles that express concern in a kind and thoughtful way, but featuring really sensational pictures, can worsen people’s body image. There’s responsibility around the visualising of the story. There are kind ways to talk about concern that don’t involve [judgements] of like, “This person looks so bad or good” or “Go eat a burger.” Those kinds of comments are not useful.
Personally, I think there’s a lot of good, feminist intentions advising us against commenting on a woman’s body. But I also think that guidance can ignore the way that most of us, especially young people, discover images, which is on social media.
There’s a difference between observing and surveilling, between observing and judging. It is possible to observe variation in a non-judgemental way; that is a mindful, neutral practice. But once judgment comes in, that starts to bring up questions around what’s right and what’s wrong, and that’s where I think the harm comes in, especially part of the narrative around women’s bodies. It’s very uncommon to hear neutral observations around women’s bodies without judgement or shame. That ultimately detracts from women’s achievements, internal talents, and their leadership.
One middle ground I’ve seen being tossed around is that anyone concerned about a celebrity’s weight should reserve this concern for private conversations. What advice do you have for navigating these conversations, especially when talking to our kids?
Private conversations are incredibly powerful when it comes to suspected eating disorders and malnutrition because they come from a place of known love, concern, and respect. Many people who are experiencing problems with nutrition and eating may have limited insight into the severity of their problem. So loving support matters. Typically, I recommend that people focus on behavior and not appearance, because appearance can be really difficult for people to feel like that’s the focus of their loved one’s concern. So instead of saying, “You look very thin,” say, “I’ve noticed that you’ve been skipping meals. I’m worried about your health. I care about you. Is there anything I can do to help you?”
[When it comes to talking about a celebrity,] start by emphasizing that bodies come in all shapes and sizes. That people can be healthy with any body shape and size. Sometimes people can look visibly sick, and we don’t know why. That’s why health is private. We don’t always get to know what’s going on with people, even when they’re public figures. I might also ask, “How does this image make you feel about your body?”
First Images From GAME OF THRONES Play, THE MAD KING
- The Royal Shakespeare Company’s first official photos from its Game of Thrones play The Mad King.
- In this play, we finally see the Mad King in all of his madness, unlike how he appeared on Game of Thrones.
- Nerdist Take: This stage show features a truly amazing weirwood tree that we, as fans, enjoy seeing, along with other truly epic Game of Thrones props.
- Go deeper: Learn more about the history behind the Game of Thrones play in “History of Thrones: Aerys II, The Mad King of Westeros.”
House of the Dragon‘s third season came to an end the same weekend a new Game of Thrones story officially kicked off. The Royal Shakespeare Company’s play, The Mad King, officially opened. While fans who saw early previews have shared details about the story, it’s clear those breakdowns couldn’t capture the grandeur of seeing the Seven Kingdoms’ come to life on stage. For that, we needed to see these first official images from the Game of Thrones play, which show how The Mad King brings to life some of the most beloved, notorious, and important figures from the Realm, surrounded by some truly epic sets worthy of A Song of Ice and Fire.
Game of Thrones fans might only know Aerys II, the Mad King himself, from his brief appearances in vision-flashbacks from the show. But this is the true Mad King, a once charming monarch whose descent into madness helped end his family’s nearly three-century reign. But he’s just one of the many famous faces seen here. This batch of first-look images from the Game of Thrones play The Mad King include Ned and Lyanna Stark, Rhaegar Targaryen, Robert Baratheon, Elia Martell, Ashara Dayne, and Shella Whent.
This batch of images from The Mad King also shows the Tourney at Harrenhal that takes place in the Game of Thrones play. That event changed Westeros and the world of the living forever. The Mad King‘s version of that ill-fated gathering even includes the infamous tourney joust. A joust. On stage. My R’hllor!
HBO
Nerdist Take: The Mad King Brings to Life Epic Game of Thrones Sets in Play Form, Including the Weirwood Tree and Iron Throne
The first-look images from the Game of Thrones play also feature maybe the best weirwood tree ever. We see Rhaegar alone near the tall, holy weirwood, which has many faces carved into it. How many greenseers were watching him through those eyes at this vital moment in Seven Kingdoms’ history? Maybe as many people who sat in the audience on opening night.
We also love the version of the Iron Throne from The Mad King, which is much taller than the iconic version seen on HBO. Neither is wholly accurate to the description found in George R.R. Martin’s books, but that’s because that giant monstrosity would not be practical for a TV show or a stage play. Plus, this way we get many versions of the most famous chair in Westeros. We ready to see even more angles of this epic set piece as more images from the Game of Thrones play surface.
If only Aerys II could have taken one of the Iron Thrones’ swords to use as a razor. Maybe if he didn’t look so mad he wouldn’t have become the Mad King. But we’re certainly not upset we finally got to see him the way he really looked.
Go Deeper Into the Mad King’s StoryWhy are so many notorious figures from Game of Thrones involved in this play? Not sure what to expect from The Mad King? Excited but confused by these first-look images from the Game of Thrones play? We have you covered. Read our pieces about The Mad King, Rhaeghar Targaryen, and his relationship with Lyanna Stark to really get into the meat of this tale.
And, if you can, make sure to snag tickets for The Mad King. The Game of Thrones play is now performing at the Royal Shakespeare Theater in Stratford-upon-Avon in the UK.
The post First Images From GAME OF THRONES Play, THE MAD KING appeared first on Nerdist.
Transportation Sec. Decides to Turn Air Traffic Control Into a Game
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has bet big on video gamers to fix the country’s dangerous shortage of air traffic controllers—but it probably won’t pay off.
Duffy announced the results of DOT’s unorthodox hiring campaign to use a “supercharged” hiring process to recruit gamers Sunday night. Since launching in April, the DOT has reached 94 percent of its hiring goal, bringing in more than 2,000 new air traffic controllers—“the most in a single year.”
The secretary claimed candidates belonging to the “best and brightest” campaign were now “reaching the Academy quicker than any class before them, thanks to the most streamlined hiring process.”
🚨 GAME CHANGER
In April, we launched a NEW CAMPAIGN to recruit video gamers as air traffic controllers — and supercharged the entire hiring process to get the BEST & BRIGHTEST in faster. The results are HISTORIC ✈️
✅ 94% of hiring goal met — fastest time ever to reach target… pic.twitter.com/gN3OGmEIBB
But Duffy may be counting his chickens before they’ve hatched. Turning a trainee into a certified professional controller takes up to two years, and roughly one third of trainees never complete the process. Every unsuccessful trainee costs the government roughly $130,000.
While gamers may have the multi-tasking skills, high cognitive function, and spatial awareness the Federal Aviation Administration is seeking, will they be given the support they need not to rage quit?
Air traffic controllers experience extreme stress and burnout, and it doesn’t seem that the FAA is going to be able to fix that problem any time soon.
In May, the FAA announced that it would reduce its air traffic controller staffing target from 14,633 to 12,563, citing modernized staffing models. In reality, the agency planned to increase the amount of time employees spent managing air traffic after discovering that air traffic controllers had logged 2.2 million hours of overtime in 2024, costing the government roughly $200 million. Even with the reduced targets, the FAA remains short roughly 1,800 controllers. Nationally, about two-thirds of the FAA’s largest facilities remain below 85 percent of their staffing targets.
It’s also surprising that simply a “streamlined” hiring process would result in so many applicants being approved for training. Typically, less than 10 percent of applicants gain admission to the training academy in Oklahoma City.
The FAA announced in March 2025 that it had streamlined the process of hiring air traffic controllers by implementing a “fully automated” qualification process, allowing applicants to proceed individually, not in a group, and making the comprehensive medical and security checks concurrent. It’s not immediately clear why those changes would dramatically boost the number of successful applicants if the application process still includes pre-employment tests, including an aptitude test designed to weed out applicants lacking mental acuity.
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Nancy Mace Hit With Humiliating On-Air Lesson on First Amendment
Representative Nancy Mace went on an Islamphobic tirade on CNN Sunday and had to be given a lesson on the Constitution.
CNN’s Omar Jimenez was interviewing the South Carolina congresswoman, who finished fifth in the state’s primary for governor and will not hold elected office at the end of 2026. He asked her about some posts she made on X Friday in which she attacked Muslims holding political office.
“Every single Muslim holding public office in America is a trojan horse, and a threat to both national security and our republic,” Mace posted. When British columnist Owen Jones criticized her bigotry, she replied on Sunday: “If not wanting to be blown up, stabbed, or rammed by a car by a radical Islamist in the United States of America makes us Islamophobes, then so be it.”
Jimenez asked Mace if she was saying that every Muslim was a threat to the U.S., which she denied. She then went on a tangent on terrorism, attacking New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed for associating with controversial figures (such as leftist Twitch streamer Hasan Piker). Jimenez pointed out that Mace didn’t make specific criticisms; she attacked Muslims as a whole.
Mace continued on her racist tirade, warning that “in the future, when our granddaughters are wearing burqas to school, we’re going to look back and say, ‘How did this happen?’” She also attacked the city of Dearborn, Michigan for “the call to prayer five times a day,” saying she didn’t want to hear it in an American city. That’s when Jimenez had to give her a lesson on the Constitution’s First Amendment.
“If you don’t want to hear it, that’s okay. The First Amendment protects from freedom of religion. You know, I grew up in a Christian household, I grew up in the south. Islam is not my religion, but I have Muslim friends, who, if that is how they worship, even if I don’t want to hear it, that is their right to hear it,” Jimenez said, to which Mace said it was fine in the privacy of their homes, but not on American streets.
Nancy Mace claims on CNN that if El-Sayed is elected “our granddaughters will be wearing burkas to school” 😆 pic.twitter.com/KAxylmBuCA
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 9, 2026Mace tried to steer the topic towards women being forced to cover their faces, to which Jimenez reminded her that she wasn’t being forced to do that, and that no Muslim elected officials were pushing anything resembling that. Jimenez then simply spelled out what the Constitution says.
CNN’s Omar Jimenez attempts to explain the 1st Amendment to the preposterously Islamophobic Nancy Mace pic.twitter.com/dJHJYEv7oz
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 9, 2026“I appreciate you taking the time and explaining your tweet as best you could there, but the First Amendment is pretty clear on freedom of religion. Article 6, also, ‘no religious test shall ever be required as a test for political office,’” Jimenez said.
As out of line as Mace’s views are, they are not likely to face condemnation from any of her Republican colleagues. Islamophobia is mainstream within the party today, and will still be there when Mace leaves office in January.
Archer buys former rival Wisk Aero
Chris Evans Returns as Steve Rogers in AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY
- After years of rumors, Avengers: Doomsday confirmed the return of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers to the MCU.
- Evans’ Captain America received a teaser trailer all about Steve Rogers to set the scene.
- Recently, Evans teased Doomsday will be brutal for Steve Rogers.
After years of rumors, denials, and more rumors, the first teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday confirms that Chris Evans is indeed returning to the MCU as Steve Rogers, the original Captain America. Not only that, but the teaser shows a scene where Steve, sometime in the past, comes home to his idyllic life in the suburbs to a brand new baby. So it looks like he took Tony’s advice from Age of Ultron very literally and went ahead and got a life. We also see glimpses of Steve in the full Avengers: Doomsday trailer. But it’s not all fun and games for Steve Rogers, Chris Evans warns Doomsday is going to be a “brutal” movie for the beloved character.
Table of contents- Steve Rogers’ Character Centric Avengers: Doomsday Trailer
- Chris Evans’ Captain America Returns in Avengers: Doomsday Full Trailer
- Chris Evans Warns Avengers: Doomsday Is ‘Brutal’ for Steve Rogers
- Steve Rogers Is Heading Back the the MCU
The very brief Avengers: Doomsday teaser trailer shows Steve riding a motorcycle and parking it in front of his (and presumably Peggy’s) home. This all happens as a slowed-down, piano version of Alan Silvestri’s iconic Avengers theme plays. The motorcycle helmet he wears is very similar to his World War II Captain America helmet from The First Avenger.
Marvel Studios
We also catch a glimpse of Steve taking out his old Cap costume before putting it back in a box. He holds his newborn baby, and the teaser ends with “Steve Rogers will return for Avengers: Doomsday.” A countdown timer begins at the end, one set to expire a year from now when Doomsday finally arrives in theaters.
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Who are the Children of Captain America in Marvel Media? Chris Evans’ Captain America Returns in Avengers: Doomsday Full TrailerIn the full Avengers: Doomsday trailer, we see many MCU teams coming together. And, of course, catch a glimpse of Chris Evans’ return as Steve Rogers. Always the drama queen, Steve snags Mjölnir from Thor as only he can during the final moments of the trailer, showing he is still indeed a worthy ally. Thor looks incredibly surprised to see his friend and one-time teammate. We also see what appears to be Steve walking up to his best friends (or is that his ex-friends), Bucky and Sam. But they don’t seem to happy to see him… And we can’t say we blame them.
Chris Evans Warns Avengers: Doomsday Is ‘Brutal’ for Steve RogersBut it’s not going to be all kissing babies and friendly reunions for Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday. Evans recently shared at Boston’s Fan Expo, “The Russos love beating up Steve Rogers. Their favorite thing to do is to just beat the crap out of him. To them that’s what makes a hero, and that’s someone who gets punched so many times but still gets up.”
But it’s not all about the physical, the mental is important as well. “They keep finding new ways to kick his butt, but this one was brutal,” Evans revealed, “and a really, really good examination into his nature and his values. I’ll say… it’s probably something you haven’t seen yet, but you will.”
In such a jam-packed movie, we’re interested to see just how much time there is for Steve Rogers as a character. But this certainly sounds like a promising direction.
Steve Rogers Is Heading Back the the MCU
Marvel Studios
It seems it will take a massive multiversal incursion that threatens all reality to bring our domesticated Steve Rogers back into action. Baby or no baby, we can’t imagine Cap refusing the call to save the world. Even if it means saving the world from someone who looks (and might be?) his old friend Tony Stark. Will his and Peggy’s child play a big role? There is precedent for a Rogers kid in the comics, after all. Hopefully, this doesn’t mean Sam Wilson as Cap gets totally sidelined, after only one movie to his name. But in the comics, both men have shared the title for years. We’ll have to wait and see how all this pans out when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.
Originally published December 18, 2025.
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Republicans are stuck with Max Miller
Republicans’ odds of maintaining control of the House took a blow over the weekend, after the deadline passed for the GOP to replace Rep. Max Miller on the ballot in his Ohio House seat. A Miller spokeswoman confirmed to The New York Times that Miller is staying in the race, meaning Republicans are now stuck with an accused domestic abuser whose personal scandals—and his abysmal effort to…
Every Major Character Death in HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Season 3
- House of the Dragon is back and bloodier than ever for season three, which features a lot of major deaths in a battle for the Iron Throne.
House of the Dragon is back for season three and whoa did it not waste any time diving right into the action. Rhaenyra’s continuous quest to sit upon the Iron Throne and claim her place as her father’s rightful heir and Alicent’s cold, villainous decisions to attempt to clean up her royal messes are at the forefront of this season as battles rage on. As is customary with any story of war and revenge, there will be a lot of bloodshed and big deaths in House of the Dragon season three. So, who ends up losing their life in this conflict between Team Black and Team Green? Here is every major death that happens in House of the Dragon season three.
Note: We are only counting main and important named characters. Sorry to all the ancillary soldiers and random people who are caught in the line of fire between Rhaenyra’s rage and Alicent’s boneheadedness.
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What Is HOUSE OF THE DRAGON’s Battle of the Gullet? (Spoiler Free) Jump To: HOTD Season 3, Episode 1 Deaths // HOTD Season 3, Episode 2 Deaths // HOTD Season 3, Episode 6 Deaths // HOTD Season 3, Episode 8 Deaths House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 1 Major Deaths Prince Jacaerys Velaryon and His Dragon Vermax
HBO
Believing in Alicent’s offer to let her come into King’s Landing and take power, Rhaenyra sends her naval forces, led by the Sea Snake Lord Corlys Velaryon, in that direction to control the city. Her wise son Jace strongly advises against this, saying that it is likely a trap. This decision leads to the Battle of the Gullet when the Triarchy shows up and Admiral Sharako Lohar is determined to take the Sea Snake down. Rhaenyra gets word of this and hastily decides that she will ride Syrax into battle; however, Jace comes up with a plan to protect his mother’s life.
He conspires with Sir Lorent to lock Rhaenyra in her room, and Jace instead rides off with Baela on their respective dragons, Vermax and Moondancer. Unbeknownst to them, Rhaena rides a very untamed Sheepstealer into battle, who begins to burn everything and tries to attack the other dragons. This leads to Vermax being harpooned for a second time. Vermax drowns and Jace manages to unhook himself, but is shot down with several arrows, ending the first episode of House of the Dragon season three with a very major and sad death. Now, Rhaenyra will have to deal with losing two sons in her journey towards the Iron Throne.
Admiral Sharako Lohar
Ollie Upton/HBO
Sure, she’s not necessarily the most “major” character in this show. But Admiral Sharako Lohar made quite the splash with her appearance at the end of season two, and fans were ready to see more from her. The Battle of Gullet features much bloodshed and fire, much of it fueled by Admiral Sharako Lohar’s hatred of Lord Corlys. She wishes to exact revenge on him, saying that he led the persecution and slaughter of her mates for 20 years. She doesn’t care what the King’s mission is, nor is she Team Green. She is driven by hatred, and after much tense battle and chase, finally gets her one-on-one fight against Lord Corlys.
Interestingly, Lohar’s drowning at the hands of Alyn of Hull was a creation of the show. In George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood, the Lyseni admiral survived the Battle of the Gullet. His ship was one of the 28 out of 90 not to burn or sink. Lohar’s survival, and the fact that 25 in total hailed from Lys, helped lead the three Free Cities of the Triarchy to go to war with one another two years later.
As the ship splits, it throws Corlys into the sea, a sight that makes his illegitimate son Alyn of Hull incredibly angry. Alyn tackles Sharako into the seas and attempts to drown her before finally stabbing her in the neck. It’s kinda sad because she was lit but she also dug her own grave by going rogue against the Sea Snake.
House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 2 Major Deaths Ser Simon Strong
HBO
After delivering news to Daemon about Jace’s death, Ser Simon Strong returns to Harrenhal. Little did he know that he’d meet his demise at the hands of Aemond, who continues to operate in a state of chaos. Alicent convinces Aemond to leave King’s Landing and to go to Harrenhal to secretly get him and Vhagar away so that Rhaenyra can take the throne and she can finally escape with her daughter, he arrives there in a fiery fashion. Vhagar cooks most of the soldiers and Aemond goes inside to confront a shocked Ser Simon.
He asks for Daemon before telling Simon to draw his sword, which is just plain cruel. Simon is certainly not a fighter and he’s also an older man. Simon comes close and tries to tell him that the army has decamped, but Aemond stabs him and kills the others in the room. However, Aemond is stabbed in the back and collapses in front of an unsympathetic Alys. We already know she wants control of Harrenhal, so she has no inclination to help Aemond.
Otto Hightower
HBO
Otto finally came back after being locked away in King’s Landing for a long time. But his return was short because he lost his head to Rhaenyra. After Rhaenyra and Daemon slay their way to the Iron Throne, he goes with a band of soldiers and finds Grand Maester Orwyle, who quickly bends the knee and offers up a prisoner to literally save his own neck. That person is Jasper Wylde, the same man who tried to sexually assault Alicent. But, another man says there is a gift left for him by Lord Larys Strong, yet another prisoner to kill.
That person is none other than Otto Hightower, whom we haven’t seen in a very long time. We knew that he was replaced as the King’s Hand when Aegon took the throne. After Ser Criston Cole took his place, he left to gather allies in the Reach but disappeared. Last season, we saw him in a dark jail but it wasn’t clear where he was. Well, it seems he was in King’s Landing the entire time, and Alicent didn’t have a clue.
Otto and Wylde are brought to Rhaenyra. Daemon tells her that she must take their heads to assert her authority, but she hesitates. To be fair, she’s not a soldier like he is and, at one point, she did care for her former best friend’s father. But she finally did what needed to be done and chopped both of their heads off. Predictably, Alicent is captured and she’s brought into the room to see her father’s lifeless body on the floor. Welp!
House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 6 Major Deaths Ser Criston ColeWe’ve seen quite a few deaths transpire in the last couple of episodes with City Watch, hired assassins, and more dying. But it wasn’t until episode six when we got another shocking death in House of the Dragon when Ser Criston Cole died. His army is ambushed by Tully soldiers and they fight back valiantly. Roderick and Oscar arrive, and Criston challenges him to a duel. However, Alysanne Blackwell shoots him with three arrows. It’s a death that we don’t love for many reasons.
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HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Butchered Yet Another Amazing Book Moment House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 8 Major DeathsSomehow, the finale of House of the Dragon is in the world and season three is a wrap. We know that the series will have a fourth and final season, and that we had to go into it with more demises. The Battle of Tumbleton brought plenty of deaths, but that wasn’t the only place that it happened.
The High SeptonDetermined to have the High Septon’s blessing as the true Queen, Rhaenyra pays his holy abode a visit with Alyn and a full escort in tow. But that does not sway the High Septon from sticking to his decision to not do as she wants, especially in light of the news about Aegon being alive.
She calls the High Septon a traitor and orders Alyn to kill him, and he hesitates because harming the High Septon is basically damning your soul to Hell. Rhaenyra is able to influence Alyn, saying his Old Valyria blood answers to higher gods. Alyn kills the High Septon and the others kill the holy men around him.
Ormund Hightower
HBO
Ormund Hightower met his fiery death at the battle in Tumbleton in the season three finale. After convincing Ulf the White to turn on Rhaenyra’s forces, Ormund and Ser Roderick get into a one-on-one battle. He manages to lob Roderick’s arm off, but gets a sword up his butt in return.
Ulf burns many of Daemon’s forces, then redirects his dragon’s attention to Orumund, showing that he has no loyalty to anyone but himself. It remains to be seen if Daeron is alive or dead, but we know that Gwayne is looking for him.
Helaena Targaryen
This is certainly one of the saddest deaths in House of the Dragon overall. When Rhaenyra sends Mysaria away, she crosses paths with Helaena and gives her a dark warning. Mysaria tells Helaena not to trust the queen and that Aegon lives and her unborn child will be a political pawn, just like Helaena feared. Her dreams of having freedom with her children and getting away from all of this chaos (none of which is her fault) were completely crushed.
She finished her needlework, which displays her death as well as Rhaenyra’s potentially fiery ending, and jumped from her window. Of course, Alicent isn’t back yet and will have to deal with the ramifications of leaving her daughter alone to attempt to kill her son. You deserved better, Helaena.
Roderick Dustin
HBO
Ser Roderick went into the battle at Tumbleton fully willing to die for his Queen, and that’s exactly what happened. After forcing his way into the city and allowing forces to flood in, Roderick found Ormun and they got into a swordfight atop a wall. Roderick lost his arm but didn’t lose his wit nor spunk.
Roderick takes his sword and sticks it right up Ormund’s butt, a fitting consequence for a jerk. The duo die when Ulf flies over and cooks them with his dragon.
Tai Gooden is the Features Editor for Nerdist, a fictional villian apologist, and a horror aficionado who is forever waiting for her trip in the TARDIS.
Originally published June 21, 2026.
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September 2026
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S Will Open Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza in 2027
- The Five Nights at Freddy’s universe is opening a real Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza in 2027.
- The location will be in East Rutherford, NJ, and it is not clear if other locations will pop up in the future.
- The pizza joint will have food, two animatronic shows, and horror games for Five Nights at Freddy’s fans.
- Nerdist’s Take: Five Nights at Freddy’s new Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza location will be nostalgic fun for Gen Z.
As an adult, one of the scariest places that you can go is Chuck E. Cheese. There’s a ton of mostly unsupervised children running around with an unhinged amount of energy. Everyone is yelling and there’s a ton of flashing lights, expensive yet cheap games, and food that isn’t great. And, of course, Charles Entertainment Cheese and his weird animatronic band are chilling, too. Perhaps that’s why Five Nights at Freddy’s is so frightening, and why we are a little concerned that a real Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza is coming in 2027.
Universal Pictures
According to Variety, this location will be in East Rutherford, NJ. It will mimic the infamous pizza joint from the games as well as the ongoing film franchise. The real-life Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza will have two animatronic stage shows: one with Freddy and the Fazbear band and the Pirate Cove featuring Foxy the Pirate. Hopefully, they are just there to entertain attendees and not for more sinister reasons. Those who are brave enough to attend can play games, eat pizza, and even play survival horror multiplayer games.
“The only way this experience succeeds is if it’s created by a team that knows Five Nights at Freddy’s inside and out,” said Atreyu Alcantar, creative manager, licensing & location-based entertainment at American Dream and creative lead for the attraction. “The animatronic show has to be authentic. The food has to be high quality. And above all else, we’re not building a set that looks like Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza – we’re building Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. This experience will immerse longtime fans in the world they’ve imagined for years while welcoming an entirely new audience to discover it for the first time.”
Nerdist’s Take: A Five Nights at Freddy’s Real Life Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza Is Gen Z HeavenFNAF, as the youths call it, is a relatively newer franchise that got its start in 2014. While there are likely younger Millennials who were playing the game, it probably resonates more with Gen Z. And right now, Gen Z is out and about in the world, hanging out with friends, going to movies, and spending money. This location will give them that nostalgia of their youth, especially if they are elder Gen Z and in their late 20s.
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FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’s 3 In the Works with IT: CHAPTER 2 WriterEven for the younger Gen Z crowd, Five Nights at Freddy’s was a part of their elementary school experience and they have basically grown up with this franchise as their gateway into gaming and horror. So while I, a Millennial who is almost 40, do not wish to go to the weird animatronic pizza place, my almost 17-year-old is excited and will surely end up planning a trip against my will.
We will have to see when the real Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza comes to life in 2027 to give us a full Five Nights at Freddy’s experience.
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President Donald Trump admits he lied about having proof of alleged vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool while still refusing to drop his claims.
In a post on Truth Social Sunday evening, Trump claimed that a National Park Service career employee, “a highly credible witness,” watched former U.S. Olympian David Hearn “‘violently’ ripping and tugging at the Pool’s somewhat delicate coating.”
“There was substantial other damage to the Reflecting Pool, also but, unfortunately, there is no video or proof, other than the damage, itself,” Trump wrote.
“Security cameras have been, and are being, installed,” he added.
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A week ago, Trump claimed during a press conference that the government possessed photographic and video evidence proving that multiple individuals had vandalized the Reflecting Pool. Shortly after, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro hauled a crate of evidence to the Oval Office in order to explain to the president why that wasn’t actually true. The Department of Justice had previously been forced to admit that damage to the Reflecting Pool was caused by the contractor’s “flawed” installation of the pool lining, not vandals.
Still, the next day, the president ranted to the press about a supposed “tape,” and one or two witnesses who could confirm his narrative.
Trump’s latest post indicates that some of the truth may have gotten through to him—but it was too little, too late. A judge officially tossed the felony charges against Hearn on Thursday.
This week, Representative Jamie Raskin—the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee—will formally demand that the Justice and Interior Departments turn over a wealth of documents related to the charging decisions made in this case.