In between the Cookie Monster explaining his favorite exercise and Elmo pretending to be a DJ with frisbees, “Sesame Street” took time to promote Arabic culture.

The formerly beloved children’s program put out a video celebrating “Arab-American Heritage Month” letting everyone know the word of the day is “habibi.”

‘Happy Arab-American Heritage Month, habibi.’

The word, a common term of affection often translated as “my dear,” was not only featured in the caption for the show’s social media push, but was featured in a video where Elmo learns Arabic along with viewers.

Sesame souk

New York comedian Ramy Youssef joined Elmo for the sketch; Youssef has Egyptian parents.

“Salam alaykum, everyone,” the comedian began, prompting questions from the muppet.

“Mr. Ramy, what does salam alaykum mean?”

Youssef explained that “salam means peace” and that the greeting is generally a “way to say hello.”

“Oh, cool,” Elmo replied, before repeating the greeting to the children. “Oh, salam alaykum everybody. … Happy Arab-American Heritage Month.”

Elmo and Youssef then dove into the “Sesame Street” word of the day to teach viewers another Arabic word.

RELATED: ‘Sesame Street’ targets children for Pride Month … again: ‘This should not be promoted to kids’

– YouTube

Muppet madrasa

In a video with 1.2 million views on TikTok, Youssef said, “‘I’m so proud of my Arab heritage, and I’m so happy to share this month with my fellow Arabs and Elmo. So, thanks, habibi.”

Elmo, who is neither Muslim nor a native Arabic speaker, again asked for the meaning of the word.

“Oh, it’s an Arabic word for a special friend,” the comedian replied.

“Really? Uh, well, happy Arab-American Heritage Month, habibi. We love you,” Elmo concluded.

The video might be more jarring if this type of content wasn’t part and parcel of “Sesame Street” in recent years.

The show has been heavily invested in promoting progressive politics to children, even extending that to dipping its furry toes into gender politics.

RELATED: ‘Elmo says ALL JEWS SHOULD DIE’: Elmo X account goes rabid, calls for genocide after alleged hack

BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images

Street smarts

In 2022, “Sesame Street” promoted gay and lesbian parents to children through a song, and in May 2020 it showcased Jonathan Van Ness, a man who claims to be nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns.

Other odd presentations have included Hispanic Heritage Month and “Sesame Street: The ABCs of COVID Vaccines.”

Youssef is reportedly a practicing Muslim and is married to a woman from Saudi Arabia.

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

​Align, Arabamerican heritage, Arabic, Cookie monster, Egypt, Gender politics, Sesame street, Entertainment 

BlazeTV host and investigative journalist Sara Gonzales has been rolling out viral video after viral video exposing alleged widespread H-1B visa abuses in Texas.

Her investigations into alleged “sham” companies, empty offices/mailboxes listed as worksites, and “H-1B only” job ads have led to quick government responses.

In January, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered an immediate halt on all new H-1B visa petitions by Texas state agencies and public universities (through May 2027), citing abuse that displaces American workers. Shortly after, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched probes into at least three North Texas companies suspected of running fake operations to sponsor H-1B workers.

In April, the Department of Justice fined Compunnel Software Group Inc. $313,420 for posting job ads that specified “H-1B visa only” after Sara exposed one of these discriminatory recruiter ads.

And now, Sara says, “JD Vance is involved.”

Last month, the White House launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, with Vice President JD Vance serving as chair.

This initiative, Sara says, “is going to include H-1Bs.”

She then plays a clip from Vance’s April 14 Turning Point USA speech in Georgia, where he stated that there is “a lot of fraud in the H-1B system,” accused Big Tech of taking advantage of the program, and called on Congress to codify the Trump administration’s reforms that have already cut new H-1B approvals by 90%.

While Sara is “extremely grateful for everything that the Trump administration has done with trying to curb what is very obviously an invasion,” the progress that’s happened is just a “first step,” she says.

From high registration numbers and unchecked renewals to the $100,000 fee loopholes and continued mass sponsorships by Big Tech, Sara says “there is more work to be done.”

“If there is a scam, if there is a fraud to be had within the system, the folks in Hyderabad are going to sniff it right out, and they’re going to get on top of it. So, Congress needs to act on this,” she urges. “We need a new plan because this is still broken and not working.”

To hear more, watch the video above.

Want more from Sara Gonzales?

To enjoy more of Sara’s no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Blaze media, Blazetv, Compunnel software group, Eliminate fraud, Greg abbott, H-1b fraud, H-1b scam, H-1b visas, Jd vance, Ken paxton, Sara gonzales, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Sponsor h1b, Texas governor 

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. corrected the record during his testimony before Congress on Friday morning after Democrat lawmakers spread false information about the Trump administration’s health care policies.

‘It is the Democratic policy to benefit billionaires.’

Kennedy appeared before the House Education and Workforce Committee to answer questions about the HHS’ priorities.

Following his opening statement, Chairman Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) posed the first question to Kennedy, asking whether he was “responsible for the measles outbreak.”

Kennedy acknowledged that he had been accused of that but said the accusation was “not science-based.”

“The measles outbreak began in January 2025, before I took office. … The measles outbreak is not an American phenomenon; it is global,” he replied.

He explained that in 2025, the U.S. had approximately 2,200 measles cases, while Mexico had more than three times that amount, despite having one-third of the U.S. population. Canada reportedly had twice as many cases, even though its population is just one-eighth of that of the U.S. In Europe, the number of cases was nearly 10 times that in the U.S., despite having twice the U.S. population, Kennedy said.

RELATED: ‘Truly a fool’s errand’: Top CDC adviser, RFK Jr. ally resigns from vaccine panel

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Heather Diehl/Getty Images

“Two little girls died tragically in the Mennonite community in Texas. Mennonites have not vaccinated since 1796. So, this has nothing to do with me,” Kennedy stated.

He mentioned attending the funeral of one child and spending the day with the family of the other.

“Both of them told me that when they took their children to the hospital, they were treated as pariahs. They were shamed. They were not given proper treatment. Both families believed their daughters, and their own doctors believe, their daughters could have been saved if the hospital gave them proper treatment,” Kennedy continued.

“There’s a lot of people in this country who, for religious reasons or other reasons, are not gonna vaccinate. And I believe that we need to treat them with compassion and understanding and empathy and get them the treatments they would get anywhere else in the world except for this country,” he added.

Kennedy was later questioned by Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), who pressed the secretary about “kicking 15 million Americans off of their affordable health care.”

“Have you met with everyday Americans who have lost their health insurance just this last year?” Casar asked.

“I meet with everyday Americans every day,” Kennedy replied. He also noted that he spoke with the advocacy community “on virtually everything that we regulate” and “more tribes and tribal leaders than any HHS secretary in history.”

Casar then asked whether Kennedy had met with Americans who would be impacted this year by “cuts to Medicaid.”

“There are no cuts to Medicaid. … We are increasing Medicaid spending by 47% over the next 10 years. … How is that a cut? That is only a cut in Washington, D.C.,” Kennedy responded.

RELATED: ‘Rogue’ Biden judge blocks critical pieces of RFK Jr.’s vaccine reform

Greg Casar. Heather Diehl/Getty Images

Casar ignored Kennedy’s comments and pushed forward with his line of questioning.

“Have you met with any of the 1.4 million people who have lost their health insurance just this last year from dropping off of Obamacare?” he asked.

“They’re almost all illegal immigrants. … We found 1.5 million illegal immigrants illegally collecting Medicaid,” Kennedy remarked.

Casar attempted to corner Kennedy into admitting he had dedicated time to meet with billionaires but not with everyday Americans. However, Kennedy repeatedly denied this and turned it back around on Casar by slamming Democrats for Obamacare.

“It is the Democratic policy to benefit billionaires,” Kennedy said. “The insurance companies’ stocks raised by 1,000% after Obamacare was passed. The money was not going to Americans; it was going to them.”

“It was you who did it,” Kennedy declared.

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

​Health, News, Rfk jr, Rfk jr., Robert f kennedy, Robert f kennedy jr, Robert f. kennedy jr., Trump administration, Obamacare, Health and human services, Hhs, Greg casar, Texas, House education and workforce committee, Education and workforce committee, Tim walberg, Measles, Vaccines, Vaccination, Health care, Healthcare, Politics 

A woman who wore an inflatable phallic costume to protest against the Trump administration beat all charges at a Fairhope court in Alabama.

Police body-camera footage captured the moment that an officer pushed a 62-year-old grandmother to the ground at a No Kings protest after she refused to take off the costume on Oct. 20, 2025.

‘We have some growing and relearning to do about the rights the citizens of this town have.’

The officer told Renea Gamble that the costume was offensive at the time, but her defense attorney argued in court Wednesday that the arrest violated her constitutional right to free speech.

He also pointed out that the officer did not at the time accuse her of causing a traffic hazard, which is what she was charged with.

“He just found her to be offensive,” David Gespass said to reporters outside of the courthouse. “I mean again, that’s all he talked about when he was testifying was … not when he was testifying, when he was confronting her was, ‘I’m not going to put up with this in my town.’ He said nothing about her causing any problems with traffic.”

On the other side, city attorney Marcus McDowell argued that no one had the “constitutional right to wear a seven-foot penis costume on the side of the road.”

Fairhope Municipal Judge Haymes Snedeker found the penis lady not guilty on three charges and dropped the charge related to causing a traffic hazard.

He also found that the officer had probable cause to arrest Gamble but that there was not enough evidence to prove her guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Gamble celebrated the ruling outside the courthouse.

“We have some growing and relearning to do about the rights the citizens of this town have,” Gamble said. “They happen to be on par with the rest of the nation and as Alabamians, we dare to defend our rights, and this fight is not over!”

RELATED: VIDEO: Female No Kings protester wearing phallic costume tossed to the ground by cop

Gespass said that Gamble’s civil rights had been violated and suggested that they may file a lawsuit over the incident.

Some of the locals said they were disappointed in the verdict, while others said the embarrassing story had put a national spotlight on the city.

Before she was arrested at the protest, in keeping with the theme of her costume, Gamble held a sign with a message opposing dictators, but with an extra letter added to make the message explicit.

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

​No kings phallic protest, Woman wearing phallic costume, Renea gamble phallic arrest, Penis lady beats all charges, Politics 

A series of lawsuits seeking potentially billions of dollars from oil companies for environmental damage to Louisiana’s coastal areas got a substantial setback from the U.S. Supreme Court.

The court said 8-0 that one lawsuit would be moved out of the state’s courthouses and instead considered in federal court, considered a more favorable judicial venue for the oil companies.

‘A jury in one of the most conservative, pro-oil and gas communities in the country found that Chevron was liable for billions of gallons of toxic waste dumped into the Louisiana marsh.’

The ruling included only eight of the nine justices because Justice Samuel Alito recused himself over his stock holdings in ConocoPhillips.

The companies argued that the case belongs in federal court based on their predecessors’ production of aviation fuel supply at the behest of the federal government during World War II. All of the justices agreed with that argument.

“Chevron’s case fits comfortably within the ordinary meaning of a suit ‘relating to’ the performance of federal duties,” Clarence Thomas wrote in the court opinion.

The ruling overturned a 2024 decision from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Louisiana.

The ruling will likely be consequential for other cases of parishes suing oil companies for environmental damages.

Republican Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, a plaintiff in the case, ⁠said she was confident they would win against the oil companies, despite the setback.

“A jury in one of the most conservative, pro-oil and gas communities in the country found that Chevron was liable for billions of gallons of toxic waste dumped into the Louisiana marsh,” Murrill said in a statement. “It doesn’t matter whether this case is in state court or federal court — I am confident the outcome will be the same.”

Murrill referred to a jury ruling ordering Chevron USA Inc. to pay $740 million to the Plaquemines Parish.

Republican Gov. Jeff Landry has backed the lawsuits despite being a supporter of the oil industry in general.

“Simply changing where the case will be heard, as has happened, will not deter our efforts to have Big Oil held accountable for the damages they caused and the enormous restoration they owe the people of Louisiana,” said John Carmouche, an attorney representing local state leaders.

RELATED: A red-state lawfare shakedown heads to the Supreme Court

In January, Oversight Project president and Blaze Media contributor Mike Howell argued that the Louisiana lawsuits were contrary to President Donald Trump’s energy independence policies.

“President Trump’s agenda prioritizes American energy dominance. His actions abroad reinforce that priority. Yet Republicans in Louisiana are not merely opposing that objective — they are using the very lawfare tactics they claim to despise to undermine it,” Howell wrote.

“Lawfare does not become acceptable because Republicans use it,” he concluded. “And environmental shakedowns do not become conservative simply because they originate in a red state. If the right intends to oppose lawfare, it needs to oppose it everywhere — especially when its own allies are the ones doing the shaking down.”

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

​Louisiana lawsuits against big oil, Big oil environmental lawsuits, Supreme court ruling, Plaquemine parish vs chevron, Politics 

BlazeTV’s Allie Beth Stuckey sat down with New York Times columnist David French in a rare, candid debate about the concept of “toxic empathy,” which Stuckey wrote about in her book “Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion.”

‘You are using the title of my book, and you called me the foremost architect of this concept of toxic empathy.’

Stuckey confronted French’s mischaracterization of her views on empathy in his NYT op-eds, in which he argued that some Christians who align with President Donald Trump have waged a war on empathy.

“My issue is, really, we don’t have enough empathy, that empathy needs to be more holistic,” French said.

“In my view, one of our big problems is not enough empathy and, particularly amongst very partisan people, very selective empathy, so that ‘only my ally’s experience really matters,'” he continued.

French called it a “cultural phenomenon,” particularly among parts of “MAGA Christianity,” to dismiss empathy for human suffering as “toxic.” He claimed instead that it is “incomplete” or “selective” empathy.

Stuckey contended that “selective empathy” that leads to “immoral decisions is a form of toxic empathy.” She continued to press French on his articles.

“I tell both sides of the story. … I’m actually doing what you say needs to be done, which is expanding compassion, but I don’t end there. Because I think you would agree, we don’t get anywhere if both sides are just saying, ‘Well, my story’s sadder. No, my story’s sadder,'” Stuckey stated.

She argued that ending there “actually paralyzes you from making a good moral decision.” She instead called for Christians to be thoughtful and consider both sides of the story, giving the example of illegal immigrants and victims like Laken Riley, a 22-year-old college student who was murdered by a foreign national who was in the U.S. illegally.

“We have to ask discerning questions: What is biblically true? What’s morally true? What’s politically true, logically true, historically true?” she added.

RELATED: David French catches flak for claiming Talarico, a pro-abortion Democrat, ‘acts like a Christian’

David French. William B. Plowman/NBC

During the exchange, Stuckey noted areas of apparent agreement, stating, “It doesn’t really sound like you disagree with me here, but it did sound like you did in the articles.”

“In 2025, you said, for example, ‘If people respond to the foreign aid shutdown and the stop-work orders by talking about how children might suffer and die, then they’re exhibiting toxic empathy,'” Stuckey said. “That’s not what I say toxic empathy is.”

“Well, it’s absolutely what I see a lot in the public discussion,” French responded.

“You are using the title of my book, and you called me the foremost architect of this concept of toxic empathy. But I don’t say that toxic empathy is someone caring about children dying, and that’s how you describe it in the article,” Stuckey remarked.

“I’m not putting this all on you,” French said. “One of the sad things that has occurred is this global, larger attack and talk about empathy has led to an immediate response when you talk about human suffering. I will see many Christians say, ‘That’s toxic empathy.'”

RELATED: Pro-life support plummets among churchgoers despite faith resurgence

Allie Beth Stuckey, David French. Image source: BlazeTV

During the interview, the two also discussed gender, abortion, French’s defense of voting for Vice President Kamala Harris (D) in the 2024 presidential election, and his support for Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D) in the upcoming Texas Senate election against either incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R) or Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R).

As part of his argument for voting for Harris over President Donald Trump, French cited the abortion rates under Trump’s administration compared to those under former President Barack Obama.

French, who considers himself pro-life, told Stuckey, “The largest drop in abortions actually occurred during the eight years of the Obama administration.” While he admitted that the rise in abortion rates under Trump is the result of multiple factors, he argued that the Republican president perpetuates a problematic culture of “libertinism” that “is incompatible with a pro-life ethic.”

“Complex social phenomena typically don’t have singular causes. … We’ve been dealing with some culture changes that I think are really negative. … America is a lot more libertine, and Donald Trump is a very libertine man. He does what he wants,” French said.

Megan Basham, a journalist for the Daily Wire, reacted to Stuckey’s interview with French, criticizing the columnist for his abortion-rate argument.

“Oh my gosh, that is such a ridiculous response. French had said something similar about Obama. He said that the abortion rate went down under Obama because Obama gave people hope. Absolutely idiotic. The truth was, red states enacted more restrictions under Obama and that what was what was bringing the abortion rate down. And French is too smart not to know that,” Basham wrote. “So what does that make him?”

Kylee Griswold, the managing editor for the Federalist, added, “Additionally, abortion #s under Trump 2 can’t be divorced from the Biden-Harris administration removing the in-person dispensing requirements for mifepristone — which is how most abortions are performed. An egregious move that puts women at SERIOUS risk and also causes abortion in red states to SKYROCKET.”

In a separate post, Mollie Hemingway, the editor in chief of the Federalist, wrote, “David French struggles and faceplants with his attempt to justify to @conservmillen why he endorsed Kamala Harris, given her lengthy track record of persecuting prolife Christians and journalists.”

Not the Bee commended Stuckey for the debate.

“I love your way of confronting men like French. I’d say in this case, it would have made sense to bring up the fact that if you follow his logic, speaking to somebody about the Gospel could be equated to telling them an unkind truth. They are sinners. They are incapable of saving themselves, and they need Jesus. That’s not ‘kind.’ But it’s necessary. If you avoid unkind truths, you will never share the Gospel,” Not the Bee wrote.

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

​Abortion, Abortion rates, Allie beth stuckey, Barack obama, Biblical truths, Christianity, David french, Donald trump, Empathy, James talarico, John cornyn, Kamala harris, Ken paxton, New york times, News, Nyt, Pro-life, Texas senate, Toxic empathy, Trump, Trump admin, Trump administration, Politics 

The horror of the surrogacy trend reared its head again this week.

An Instagram video posted by gay musician Shane McAnally has triggered the ire of many conservatives and viewers alike.

‘The most horrifying video I’ve ever seen in my life.’

Posted earlier this week, the video shows a man, presumably either McAnally or his “husband,” Michael Baum, holding their adopted third child, Texson, whom they recently brought into the family after taking him from his mother after she gave birth.

“Who do you want, Dada or Pop?” the man asks the baby repeatedly over the course of the video.

The baby can be heard making noises that sound remarkably like “mama” and “mom” throughout the video.

RELATED: Surrogacy ‘trafficking’? Unmarried Chinese couple in the US accused of massive baby scam — 21 kids placed in foster care

Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images

The man holding the baby feigns shock when the infant cries out for his mother, saying, “No way, Jose,” to the baby.

The baby, who according to People was born in late October 2025 and immediately turned over to the homosexual couple, begins to cry at this point in the video, visibly upset.

The man in the video and the man holding the camera both begin to laugh at the baby while he cries harder and harder for his “mama.”

“There is no mama. I’m so sorry. You have Dada and Pop,” the man in the video says.

“No mama,” he repeats as the baby cries.

The Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles described this video as “the most horrifying video I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Instagram users seemed to have experienced the same revulsion Knowles did.

“This is why it’s important to remember that it’s a child’s right to have parents- and not a[n] adult’s right to have children,” one user said.

Another said, “That’s not funny. Someone please save this baby :(.”

“People go to therapy for the trauma that’s caused when they grow up with an absent mother. Why are adults trying to get children to meet their needs when it was always supposed to be the other way around?” a third commenter added to the post.

McAnally has repeatedly mocked his child as the “homophobic baby” in other posts on his page.

For example, a video posted in December shows a 6-week-old Texson smiling as the man holding the camera tells him about his brother, sister, and two puppies. He then says, “And two dads.” Texson stops smiling and appears to furrow his brow at this moment.

According to People, McAnally and Baum were “married’ in 2012. They have another son and a daughter, named Dash and Dylan, respectively.

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

​Conservatives, Foster care, Michael baum, Michael knowles, Politics, Shane mcanally, Texson, Two dads, Homophobic baby, Surrogacy, Homosexuals, Gay dads, Child abuse 

Tune in to any late-night talk show these days, and it’s nothing but wall-to-wall clapter — the seal-like applause emitted by audiences in response to any variation of the phrase “orange man bad.”

As Robert Plant once queried, “Does anybody remember laughter?”

Those of us old enough to have watched Carson, Letterman, or O’Brien do.

Well, Jimmy Kimmel has news for you: He’s not here to entertain you. In fact, he’s offended you even expect it.

The “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host unloaded on entitled TV viewers while chatting with former first lady Michelle Obama on the failing podcast she co-hosts.

And it was as cringe-inducing as you’d expect. Turns out, Kimmel takes it personally when critics say he should be funny.

“To say that, ‘Well, your job is this,’ it makes me — I bristle at that because, first of all, don’t tell me what my job is. I don’t tell you what your job is. My job is whatever I decide my job is, whatever my employer allows me to do. That’s what my job is.”

His job, apparently, is to speed up the decline of late-night TV, and in his defense, he’s doing a heckuva job …

French toast

First, the French found Jerry Lewis irresistible. Now, the country’s movie buffs have fallen for one of 2025’s biggest box office busts.

“Ella McCay” arrived with plenty of hype last year, from its starry cast (Jamie Lee Curtis, Albert Brooks, Woody Harrelson) to a legendary writer/director (James L. Brooks) behind the camera. The film, focusing on a flustered young woman (Emma Mackey) thrust into the political scene, earned withering reviews. The box office tally? A shockingly low $4 million domestically.

Yet the French are coming to the film’s rescue. Disney+’s French edition debuted the film after its theatrical release got benched due to that chilly U.S. reception. The French goodwill, boosted by fawning media support, built up to the point where the studio agreed to a limited theatrical release in the country.

Maybe AI can insert a digital Jerry Lewis into the Paris-set sequel …

Role reversal

Nick Offerman may be our generation’s Laurence Olivier.

The comic actor’s turn as Ron Swanson on NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” remains the libertarian gold standard. His character loathed the government, hoping to shrink it to the size of Jiminy Cricket’s belt buckle.

In real life, Offerman is a raging progressive, and he can’t stop savaging both President Donald Trump and the right in general.

This week, he popped up on the far-left “Daily Show” to trash Trump’s plans for a glorious 250th birthday party for ole Uncle Sam. That includes a permanent arch to honor the historic moment.

“Can’t he play with his model replicas in the basement like a normal demented grandpa. … Can we stop with these self-aggrandizing celebrations, like you’re some Roman emperor? What’s next, gladiator fights?”

Ron Swanson might blanch at the arch as an unnecessary expenditure, but he’d forever love Trump for his DOGE-style shrinkage …

RELATED: Welcome to WokeNut Grove: Sneak peek at Netflix’s ‘Little House on the Prairie’ reboot

NBC/UCG/Education Images/Getty Images

‘Focker’ fatigue

Haven’t we suffered enough?

Some movie franchises stumble after a glorious run. Think “John Wick,” those “Fast & Furious” romps, and even the “Mission: Impossible” saga. It happens, and it’s the rare series that maintains its level of excellence.

We all agreed the 2000 comedy “Meet the Parents” was a hoot, giving stars Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller all the juicy lines they craved. But the sequel, “Meet the Fockers” was a star-studded stiff. And the less said about “Little Fockers,” the better.

But since no franchise is allowed to rest in peace, a fourth “Fockers” is coming this fall.

“Focker-in-Law” adds “Wicked” alum Ariana Grande to the saga. This time, she’s about to marry Greg and Pam’s son (Skyler Gisondo), causing tension in the Focker-verse. The trailer is hard to watch, with so many callouts from the first film and Stiller looking embarrassed to be back in the franchise.

Unlike Offerman, he’s not that good an actor.

The worst part may be De Niro, who, back in 2000, was still regarded as one of our finest actors. Now, his chronic anti-Trump rants have poisoned his box office appeal and alienated plenty of potential moviegoers.

Maybe the sequel will find his character strapped to a lie-detector machine, forced to answer if he actually believes his crazed, anti-Trump predictions.

Now that we’d pay to watch.

​Culture, Entertainment, Late night tv, Jimmy kimmel, Nick offerman, Robert de niro, Ben stiller, Movies, Toto recall 

Iran appears to have capitulated on two of the most important demands of the U.S., according to the president.

After seven weeks of joint strikes against Iran from the U.S. and Israel, President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would no longer be threatened by Iran and that the Iranians agreed to stop seeking nuclear enrichment.

The stock market surged on the news, and oil futures dropped significantly.

“Iran has agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again. It will no longer be used as a weapon against the World!” the president said on social media Friday.

In a phone call with a NewsNation reporter, the president was asked directly about Iran’s nuclear enrichment plans.

“They agreed to everything,” said the president, according to a post from reporter Kellie Meyer on Friday morning. “Yes, are you surprised?”

The stock market surged on the news, and oil futures dropped significantly.

Iran’s foreign minister confirmed the agreement and cited the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.

“In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon,” said Seyed Abbas Araghchi in a post on social media, “the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran.”

Israel agreed to the ceasefire of its military operation targeting Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, Trump announced Thursday. The Israeli-Lebanese conflict had become a sticking point between Iran and the U.S. in seeking a peace deal.

RELATED: Trump announces ceasefire agreement with Lebanon — and meeting at the White House

– YouTube

Axios reported that the U.S. was considering releasing $20 billion in frozen Iranian funds in exchange for Iran giving up its enriched uranium stockpile.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said more than 10,000 sailors, Marines, and airmen; dozens of aircraft; and over a dozen ships were involved in the U.S. operation to shut down the Strait of Hormuz via blockade to pressure Iran.

“Since commencement of the blockade, 19 ships have complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around and return to Iran,” said U.S. Central Command on Friday.

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

​Trump vs iran, Iran nuclear enrichment, Iran opens strait of hormuz, Gas prices to drop, Politics