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Jerry O'Connell reveals the powerful bedroom ultimatum that finally ended his smoking habit
Jerry O'Connell went to extreme measures to quit smoking.
In a recent appearance on Sophia Bush's podcast, "Work In Progress," the 52-year-old actor discussed how a threat from his wife, Rebecca Romijn, ultimately led to his decision to quit smoking cigarettes.
"I struggled with nicotine for decades, struggled with it. Had to get hypnotized. I haven't had a ciggy in like fourteen years," he said. "My wife said she would not touch me if I smoked. And that lasted about two months. And by the way, no contact. My wife said, 'I'm not touching you anymore until you quit smoking.' I thought it was a joke, and then, after, like, two weeks, there was no physical contact."
He explained that after three weeks of no physical contact, he realized it was time to do something about his bad habit, adding, "I tried to quit, and I couldn't quit."
REBECCA ROMIJN, JERRY O'CONNELL ADMIT UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACH TO 18-YEAR MARRIAGE
After trying and failing to quit on his own, O'Connell sought out an unconventional method to help him kick the addiction.
"I knew a girl who had quit smoking, and I called her up, and I said, 'How did you do it?' And she said, 'I'm going to give you the number of this lady,'" he recalled. "And I went to see her, and I had to bring a photo of my children and my wife, and I sat down on her recliner, and she put her headphones on me and there was like spa music, and she was like, 'I'm going to count to ten. Ten, nine, eight …' And I fell asleep."
When he first woke up, the "Stand by Me" star recalled thinking "that was baloney" and that he couldn't believe "I just gave some old lady $800" for that, calling it "a waste of money."
He explained, however, that when he got back to his car he put a cigarette in his mouth but "couldn't light it."
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O'Connell and Romijn first met in 2004 at the Maxim Hot 100 party and just one year later, the two were engaged. They later tied the knot in July 2008, and have welcomed two children over the course of their marriage: 17-year-old twin daughters, Dolly and Charlie.
Prior to starting a relationship with O'Connell, Romijn was married to "Full House" star John Stamos, who called her the "devil" and said she was "evil" towards the end of their marriage in his memoir, "If You Would Have Told Me."
"My wife’s ex-husband recently wrote a biography, and it referred to my wife in a negative manner and a lot of people have asked me about that in the press," O'Connell said in November 2023. "And it would be easy for me to say like, ‘Screw you, how dare you ask me that,’ but really it would be bringing attention to a situation that I don’t want to feed into."
He added, "There’s children involved. Teenage children who read everything on the internet. So you don’t want to like feed that fire."
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Stamos and O'Connell publicly put their feud to rest when they posted a picture of them with Stamos' wife, Caitlin McHugh, while at Howie Mendel's birthday party in November.
"First @zohrankmamdani and @realdonaldtrump Then me and @johnstamos You are up @russian_kremlin & zelenskyy_official," O'Connell captioned the post.
Truck caught on camera plowing into famed Australian synagogue in alleged hate crime
Newly released video shows the moment a man allegedly plowed into the famed Brisbane Synagogue in Australia on Friday, before speeding off into the night.
The suspect, a 32-year-old Sunnybank man whose name has not been released, is charged with willful damage, serious vilification or hate crime, dangerous operation of a vehicle, possession of dangerous drugs and possession of utensils or pipes for use, according to Queensland Police.
Authorities said the attack happened just after 7:15 p.m. local time Friday, when a black Toyota Hilux utility truck struck and knocked down the gates of the synagogue, located on Margaret Street.
Footage shows the truck driving in front of the place of worship, and then suddenly stopping and backing up into the gates, knocking one side down.
AUSTRALIAN PM ANNOUNCES NATIONAL BRAVERY HONORS AFTER ANTISEMITIC TERROR ATTACK
The driver could then be seen putting the vehicle back into drive and speeding away in the same direction.
Police quickly tracked down the car and took the driver into custody without incident.
No one was injured during the incident, officials said.
TRUCK SMASHES INTO FAMED SYNAGOGUE, POLICE CHARGE MAN WITH HATE CRIME: 'VERY DISTRESSING'
The suspect, who is believed to have acted alone, is scheduled to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday.
Authorities said there is no ongoing threat to the community.
The incident came two months after a father and son allegedly carried out Australia's deadliest terror attack, targeting a Jewish "Hanukkah by the Sea" celebration at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14.
AUSTRALIAN PM ALBANESE GETS BOOED DURING BONDI BEACH VIGIL HONORING HANUKKAH ATTACK VICTIMS
Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, 50, are accused of killing 15 people and wounding dozens of others.
Sajid Akram was killed, and Naveed Akram was critically injured in a gun battle with police at the scene.
Naveed Akram is charged with one count of committing a terrorist act, 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and additional firearms and explosives offenses, according to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions' website.
BONDI BEACH SUSPECTS FILMED ANTISEMITIC VIDEO MANIFESTO, AUSTRALIAN INVESTIGATORS SAY
Weeks after the massacre, police clashed with anti-Israel demonstrators as Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Australia.
At least 27 people were arrested, including 10 for allegedly assaulting officers, after violence broke out as authorities attempted to clear thousands of protesters gathered near Sydney's Town Hall, according to officials.
Herzog warned of rising antisemitism during the visit, calling it a global emergency, and defended Israel’s actions in Gaza when asked about the protests.
Fox News Digital's Efrat Lachter and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Nancy Guthrie disappearance fuels rise of ‘mom detectives’ swapping tips and losing sleep
In the search for missing mother Nancy Guthrie, law enforcement isn’t the only force chasing answers.
Across Facebook groups, Instagram threads and neighborhood camera apps, a growing network of self-described "mom detectives" has mobilized — dissecting timelines, swapping Ring footage and organizing shared online files in an effort to piece together what happened.
"I’m crazy about Nancy Guthrie… I’m not even trying to hide it anymore," Melinda Long, a health and fitness coach, content creator and mother of three, wrote on Instagram, describing "wake-up-at-2am, what-is-the-truth kind of obsessed" deep dives into a case she says has pieces that "don’t quite add up." She then asked her followers: "Anyone else completely locked into this right now?"
The response was immediate.
BORDER PROTOCOLS AUTOMATICALLY TRIGGERED IN SEARCH FOR NANCY GUTHRIE, RETIRED AGENT SAYS
Within minutes, Long said, women flooded the comments echoing the same sentiment — anxious, invested and unable to look away.
"I’m waking up in the middle of the night, and I’m putting on Fox News, and I am not a girl who watches TV at night," Long told Fox News Digital. "A lot of women are writing, ‘Same, same girl, same.’ You just said exactly what I’m feeling but afraid to say out loud."
Long has no personal connection to the Guthrie family. Yet the case feels intensely personal.
FOX NEWS TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER: RANSOM DEADLINE PASSES, KEY EVIDENCE EMERGES IN NANCY GUTHRIE CASE
"Why do I feel so personal about it?" she said. "Savannah is like America’s sweetheart, right? So her mom feels like your mom. It feels like it could be my mom. I have a 75-year-old mom. I think a lot of moms feel that connection to it."
She said recent true-crime documentaries have also shaped her perspective. After watching a Netflix series on Elizabeth Smart’s abduction, Long said she was reminded that early assumptions in missing persons cases can be wrong.
"We all thought she was dead. We just thought she was gone," Long said. "And she wasn’t."
NANCY GUTHRIE CASE: 5 KEY EVIDENCE PIECES SO FAR
That memory, she explained, reinforces hope, even when details appear limited.
"There has to be more," she said. "There has to be more information that we don’t know."
Long says her online community includes "regular moms," professionals and followers from as far away as the United Kingdom and Austria — underscoring how social media has erased geographic boundaries in modern crime cases.
"Social media really crosses that border of being just a U.S. news thing," she said.
The intensity Long describes is not isolated.
On a Facebook page called "True Crime Mama," one recent post asked followers: "Curious where everyone stands… Do you think she will be found or do you think she will never be found?"
In another group, a user named Lori Sparks wrote that she had been following the case "from the beginning," adding that she was monitoring updates on "2 separate laptops that way I don’t miss anything," along with hashtags calling for justice and Nancy’s safe return.
On Instagram, Michele McNaughton posted a reel of herself scrolling on her phone with text overlay that read: "The one new step I never skip in my morning routine: checking social media to see if they found Nancy Guthrie yet." In the caption, she asked: "Why in the world is this taking so long to solve?"
GENETIC GENEALOGY THAT CAUGHT NOTORIOUS KILLERS NOW USED IN NANCY GUTHRIE CASE
"I really do hope they find this woman. This whole thing just feels Mickey Mouse and botched. It’s sad," McNaughton told Fox News Digital. "None of it makes sense."
McNaughton added that she was "hooked on the story from the start."
"I felt this could be my neighbor or mom who’s gone missing," she said. "And I’m pretty sure we all thought the cops would’ve had it wrapped up in no time."
But as the case unfolded, she said her confidence began to fade.
"As the days dragged on and the story got weirder, I started to think they were bumbling this case," she said, describing what she viewed as a series of confusing developments — including mentions of ransom notes, talk of payment, suspects being detained and later released. "It’s a rollercoaster ride."
The reaction in her comment section reflected similar frustration.
"The Moms of the World would’ve solved this by Tuesday," one follower wrote.
"And the way this is going," she added, "I’m starting to wonder if we could have."
For some women, checking for developments has become part of their morning routine — alongside coffee, workouts and school drop-offs.
At the heart of the online engagement, Long insists, is concern not cruelty.
"I want them to know that everybody’s concern is genuine and real," she said, referring to Guthrie’s family. "Any concerns are only because everybody wants her to be found. There are a lot of prayers and a lot of good intentions."
NANCY GUTHRIE'S FAMILY MEMBERS CLEARED AS SUSPECTS IN DISAPPEARANCE
The phenomenon extends beyond the Guthrie case.
In recent years, mothers and online communities have mobilized around high-profile investigations including the 2022 University of Idaho murders and the disappearance of Gabby Petito — cases that unfolded in real time across TikTok, Reddit and Facebook, with civilians analyzing bodycam footage, social media posts and digital timelines.
Petito’s case in particular demonstrated the power of online attention to amplify a missing persons investigation nationally, but it also highlighted the risks of speculation spreading rapidly across platforms.
Now, digital tools that once served primarily for social connection, like neighborhood camera apps, shared drives and group chats, are being repurposed into informal investigative hubs.
What once might have been passive consumption of true crime has, for some, evolved into active participation.
The idea of mothers stepping into investigative roles is not entirely new.
In his new book, "The Carpool Detectives: A True Story of Four Moms, Two Bodies and One Mysterious Cold Case," author Chuck Hogan details how a group of suburban mothers helped revive a 15-year-old double homicide that had long eluded investigators.
As first reported by the New York Post, the case centered on a 2005 incident involving a suburban businessman and his wife whose bodies were discovered near their wrecked SUV in a Los Angeles County canyon after they vanished without a trace. The family business had collapsed, millions of dollars were unaccounted for, and leads had dried up.
The effort was spearheaded by Marissa Pianko, who learned about the case while taking a broadcast journalism class at UCLA in 2020. What began as an academic exercise evolved into a years-long civilian push to reexamine evidence and press for renewed attention.
Fox News Digital reached out to the group for comment.
The story has fueled discussion about whether organized civilian involvement can sometimes surface overlooked details or whether it risks complicating official investigations.
For Long, the constant scrolling and late-night updates aren’t about playing detective — they’re about hope.
PIMA COUNTY SHERIFF NO STRANGER TO CONTROVERSY AS CRITICISM IN NANCY GUTHRIE CASE RAMPS UP
"There has to be more," she said. "There has to be more information that we don’t know."
Watching public appearances by family members has only deepened her emotional investment.
"She looks like hell," Long said candidly. "And I’m thinking, I would look like hell too. I can’t even imagine if I’m getting up in the middle of the night and not sleeping…imagine the sickness and horror that she feels."
That identification, daughter to mother, mother to mother, may help explain why so many women are gathering in digital spaces to follow cases so closely.
Until there are clearer answers, she and thousands of other mothers say they’ll keep watching, refreshing feeds, sharing posts and waiting for the update they’re hoping to see.
Eric Dane's friends launch $250K GoFundMe for daughters after 'Grey's Anatomy' star loses ALS battle
Eric Dane's friends are stepping up after the "Grey's Anatomy" actor died this week at the age of 53 after a battle with ALS.
Friends of the family have launched a GoFundMe campaign to support his daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, after their father’s fight with the devastating disease.
The GoFundMe page included a statement released by his loved ones, as they mourned the loss of the beloved actor, who had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
ERIC DANE’S HEARTBREAKING FINAL WORDS TO HIS DAUGHTERS REVEALED IN LAST INTERVIEW BEFORE ALS DEATH
"It is with profound sadness that we share the loss of Eric Dane after a hard-fought battle with ALS," the statement read. "He leaves behind his devoted wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and two teenage daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world."
The fundraiser is designed to provide financial stability for his daughters.
Money raised will cover their schooling, housing, and other essential needs as they "face uncertainty" without their father, the creators of the page explained.
It underscores the immense loss the family is facing but also celebrates Dane's legacy as an advocate for ALS awareness, even as his own health deteriorated rapidly.
‘GREY’S ANATOMY’ STAR ERIC DANE DEAD AT 53
"Following his diagnosis, Eric became a passionate spokesperson for the ALS community, using his voice and platform to advocate for fellow patients and push for greater awareness," the page read. "Any contribution, no matter the size, will help provide stability during this incredibly difficult time and in the future for Eric’s wonderful daughters."
The donation goal was set at $250,000, with "Euphoria" creator Sam Levinson and his wife, Ashley, donating $27,000.
News of the fundraiser comes after the release of a deeply personal video interview Dane recorded last November for Netflix’s "Famous Last Words." The emotional footage captured Dane’s final messages to his daughters.
REBECCA GAYHEART STEPS UP AS CAREGIVER FOR ESTRANGED HUSBAND ERIC DANE AS ALS DEMANDS 24-HOUR CARE
"Billie and Georgia, these words are for you," Dane said, his voice cracking as he spoke directly to the camera. "I tried. I stumbled sometimes, but I tried. Overall, we had a blast, didn’t we?"
He shared poignant memories, including moments spent with his daughters playing in the ocean — calling them his "water babies." The actor then offered his daughters several life lessons he hoped they would hold on to forever.
He strongly encouraged his two daughters to live in the moment.
"The present is all you have. Treasure it. Cherish every moment," he urged in part, reflecting on how ALS forced him to stop worrying about the future and simply live in the present.
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Dane additionally stressed the importance of love to his two daughters. "Find love in your life, whether it’s with someone or in a passion," he advised, recounting how acting had been his own saving grace through his darkest times. "That love eventually got me through my darkest hours… My work doesn’t define me, but it excites me."
The "Grey's Anatomy" star concluded his message by encouraging his daughters to face life’s challenges with grace.
"This disease is slowly taking my body, but it will never take my spirit," he said. "So when something unexpected hits you, and it will, fight and face it with honesty, integrity and grace. Even if it feels insurmountable, I hope I’ve demonstrated that you can face anything."
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Dane’s final words to Billie and Georgia were a father’s last act of love and guidance: "Fight, girls, and hold your heads high. You are my heart. You are my everything. Good night. I love you."
The "Euphoria" actor died after losing his battle with ALS on Feb. 19.
He married Rebecca Gayheart in 2004. They separated in 2017, but the divorce filing was withdrawn in April 2025. Just weeks later, the actor announced he had been diagnosed with ALS.
Democrats have ‘done Jasmine Crockett dirty,’ in attempt to wound campaign, GOP strategist tells MS NOW
GOP strategist Matthew Bartlett appeared on MS NOW's "The Weekend" Saturday, where he argued that Democratic staffers and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" staff did Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, "dirty" earlier this week after not having her on Colbert's show.
Crockett's opponent in Texas' Democratic Senate primary, state Rep. James Talarico, D-Texas, appeared on "The Late Show" Tuesday, sparking controversy after Colbert accused CBS of blocking the interview amid what he described as the FCC's crackdown on the longstanding equal candidate time rule.
On Friday, Crockett said that she had still not been invited to appear on Colbert's show. She previously stated she "received a phone call" on Tuesday, informing her that CBS was told "they could go ahead and move forward with the interview of James Talarico," as long as it provided her, and the other candidate in the race, Ahmad Hassan, with equal time.
BOEBERT JOKES ABOUT ENDORSING CROCKETT IN TEXAS' SENATE RACE TO GIVE HER DEMOCRATIC RIVAL A BOOST
CBS denied Colbert's claim that it blocked his interview with Talarico from airing, telling Fox News Digital on Tuesday, "THE LATE SHOW was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico."
MS NOW's Jonathan Capehart asked Bartlett what he thought of the controversy.
"As a conservative, I think there's been a lot of political maneuvering that has been quite impressive. This notion [that] Trump [was] going to stop Colbert in order to stop Talarico — people kind of went with this narrative," he responded. "I'm not sure it's true. I think, candidly, they've actually done Jasmine Crockett dirty."
Bartlett added that he doesn't believe the narrative of President Donald Trump suppressing the interview with Talarico "is reality," and that the state representative "got a nice little bump from this" in terms of fundraising.
Following up on Bartlett’s claim, Capehart asked who the "they" was that he believed had done Crockett "dirty."
"I would say, some of the Colbert media folks and some of the Democratic, you know, staffers with Talarico here," he argued. "So I'm not sure. You know, everyone likes to be the victim. I'm not sure Talarico is the victim of Trump's suppression. I think Jasmine Crockett might be the victim of a false media narrative."
FCC CHAIR BRENDAN CARR SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON STEPHEN COLBERT CENSORSHIP CLAIMS
Similar to Bartlett's claim that Talarico likely received a "nice little bump" in fundraising, Crockett told MS NOW's Jen Psaki on Tuesday that the controversy probably gave her opponent "the boost he was looking for."
Fox News Digital reached out to CBS and Talarico for comment. Talarico's campaign declined to comment.
Fox News Digital's Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.
Former Illinois governor slams Pritzker for ‘malpractice’ as Bears look to flee to red state
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich argued Gov. JB Pritzker got "outplayed and outflanked" as the Chicago Bears look to leave the state for Indiana.
On Thursday, an Indiana House panel approved legislation to help finance a potential new NFL stadium for the team. The facility could be constructed near Wolf Lake in Hammond, Indiana, just across the state border.
"The Indiana legislature did what it did, and it caught our governor asleep," Blagojevich said Saturday on "Fox & Friends Weekend."
"Governor Pritzker really is guilty of gubernatorial malpractice, and this isn't the first time a major business is about to leave Illinois," he added.
ILLINOIS FATHER SAYS PRITZKER SHOWS 'INDIFFERENCE' TO HIS DAUGHTER BEING KILLED BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT
Blagojevich blamed the blue state's high taxes as a reason the team may be considering the move, noting other major companies like Boeing and Tyson Foods that have already left.
"He [Pritzker] spent $3 billion on illegal immigrants, migrants, and apparently doesn't have the money or has paid the attention to try to keep the Bears in Illinois," he said.
Fox News Digital reached out to representatives of Pritzker but did not immediately hear back.
"He's been outplayed and outflanked by this Indiana governor because his priorities are all about defending sanctuary for illegal immigrants," Blagojevich said.
The Bears released a statement on the development plans, calling them the "most meaningful step forward" in their quest for a new stadium.
Chicago leaders, however, aren't giving up hope. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said during a news conference that the Bears "belong" in Chicago, adding that the door is open for conversations with the team about remaining in its namesake city.
PRITZKER URGES 'UNIFIED RESPONSE' FROM DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS AFTER CPB FATALLY SHOOTS MAN
"[Pritzker] turned his back on a working-class fan base of the Chicago Bears," Blagojevich said.
"This would be a disgrace if Pritzker allows the Bears to leave and allows the governor of Indiana to intercept our Bears."
Pritzker told reporters he was "very disappointed" and caught off guard by the Bears' latest announcement, saying his staff spoke to the franchise for more than three hours on Wednesday.
While Illinois leaders expressed shock at the news, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun revealed the Bears approached his state five months ago after being "rebuffed" by its own government.
"This is dereliction because they've been trying to work with the state, with the city, for three years," Braun said Saturday on "Fox News Live."
The Indiana governor confirmed he has no intention of changing the team’s title, noting that "Chicago Bears" remains an "iconic name" regardless of the zip code. He said he's looking to give the franchise a "better home" in a state where the "dollar goes a lot farther."
United States wins its most Winter Olympics gold medals ever
The United States has made Olympic history.
Americans took home their 11th gold medal Saturday, setting a new record for the country's most golds in Winter Olympics history.
The record-setting medal was won by the mixed aerials team of Chris Lillis, Connor Curran and Kaila Kuhn.
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The previous record had been 10 during the 2002 Games on home soil in Salt Lake City.
Individual gold winners include the aforementioned Stolz, Breezy Johnson (alpine skiing, women’s downhill), Elizabeth Lawley (freestyle skiing, women’s moguls), Elana Meyers Taylor (women’s monobob), Mikaela Shiffrin (alpine skiing, women’s slalom), Alex Ferreira (men’s freestyle halfpipe skiing), and Alysa Liu, who won the U.S.’s first gold in women’s singles figure skating since 2002.
TEAM USA TO BATTLE CANADA FOR OLYMPIC GOLD AFTER DOMINANT PERFORMANCE AGAINST SLOVAKIA
Overall victories include three in freestyle skiing, two in speedskating (both by Jordan Stolz), alpine skiing and figure skating and one each in bobsled and women’s ice hockey from an exhilarating comeback and overtime victory against archrival Canada.
The Americans have totaled 31 medals, including 12 silver and eight bronze, and there are a few more opportunities before the Games end Sunday.
The men's hockey team will play for gold against Canada on the final day of the games, which is also the 46th anniversary of the "Miracle on Ice."
Before the hockey game, the U.S. can also medal in mixed four-man bobsled, women’s 50-kilometer cross-country skiing and women’s halfpipe freestyle skiing.
Norway leads with 40 medals and 18 golds.
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Tim McGraw stood firm against industry elites who tried to cancel his 'controversial' hit
Tim McGraw is looking back at the most "controversial" song of his career.
During a recent interview on "The Tim Ferriss Show," the 58-year-old country singer shared which song he had to fight to include on one of his albums, and why it was such a big risk.
"'Indian Outlaw' — because I had that song for my first album and nobody liked it," he explained when asked for an example of a song of his he thought was "lightning in a bottle." "The label didn’t like it. [Producer] James Stroud didn’t like it. Byron [Gallimore, his longtime producer and collaborator] liked it, but I couldn’t talk James into letting me record it and I couldn’t talk the label into it."
According to the musician, the label told him "it was too controversial, and it was a bad song," going as far as telling McGraw "it wasn't country music" and would not get played on the radio.
TIM MCGRAW NEARLY WALKED AWAY FROM HIS CAREER AFTER SERIOUS HEALTH STRUGGLES
He recalled the first night he heard the song, in the Hall of Fame Lounge and Hotel in Nashville, when he bumped into songwriters Tommy and Max D. Barnes, who played the song for him live.
"I heard it that first night and I started playing it immediately," McGraw said. "Learned it and started playing it in all the clubs around town, the honky-tonks around town, and when we would travel and play clubs all over the country, I was playing that song, and we’d end up having to play it two or three times a night, four times a night, because people loved it so much."
Due to his love of the song and the praise it was receiving at his shows, McGraw pleaded with his record label to include it on his debut album, but because he "didn’t have any say-so on the first album," it was left off.
When it came time to cut his second album, "Not a Moment Too Soon," the singer insisted it be included, noting, "I felt like this is either going to work in a huge way or it’s going to ruin my career forever."
CARRIE UNDERWOOD ALMOST PASSED ON ONE OF HER BIGGEST HITS OVER CONCERNS ABOUT HER IMAGE
"Luckily, it worked," McGraw added. "And I think that what kept me from being just sort of a novelty act with this sort of funky, weird song that made some noise was being able to come right behind it with ‘Don’t Take the Girl.’ I’ll forever believe that the combination of those two songs is what set my career in motion and gave me momentum that I probably couldn’t have gotten any other way."
The song went on to become McGraw's first top 10 country hit and went platinum.
McGraw touched on the controversy of "Indian Outlaw," explaining, "I understood why it was controversial, because it was stereotypical, and it was sort of a play on Native American stereotypes. And there was a lot of controversy around it, and I understood the controversy and I wasn't upset about the controversy."
He added, "In fact, I met with several Native American leaders. Some liked the song, some didn't like the song. And my answer was, ‘Look, I understand what your concerns are. The song’s not meant to be that way, I understand your concerns. My opinion, if you need to go after me in order to raise attention and awareness, by all means, use my song for that. If you like it or don't like it, if you can make something good happen from it, then by all means, I'm not going to be offended.'"
The singer said that when he plays at Native American casinos, he offers to take the song out of his set, but "99 percent of the time, ‘That’s why we hired you, is to sing that song.' So they love it. So it's been really good to me."
In October 2025, the singer opened up about a rough patch in his career following a series of injuries, which left him wondering if he would ever perform again, adding he nearly quit his career.
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"I've had four back surgeries and double knee replacements, just in the last couple of years," he told the crowd at his concert in Highland, California at the time.
He later added, "And this spring, before I had my final back surgery, things were getting really bad, so I was seriously contemplating and figuring out how to walk away. I didn't want to, but I didn't think it was going to get better."
McGraw later shared that he has since gotten better and that while he was recovering he wrote the song, "King Rodeo," which explores themes of aging and the struggles that come with it.
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Lyrics of the song include: "Hey, King Rodeo, You're lookin' lonely / Like you've lost your one and only / Adoring crowds are not around you / Whispers and shadows, they surround you."
German soccer team Werder Bremen cancels Minnesota trip over Trump immigration enforcement: report
German soccer team Werder Bremen canceled its planned trip to Minnesota, citing unrest caused by recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions there, reports said.
The Bundesliga club was expected to visit Minnesota and Michigan in May to play exhibition matches, according to the BBC.
"Playing in a city where there’s unrest and people have been shot, that does not fit with our values here at Werder Bremen," Christoph Pieper, the club’s head of communications, told Politico. "Furthermore, it was unclear for us which players could be able to enter the United States due to the stricter entry requirements."
"We as a club, we have clear values," Pieper reportedly added Friday. "Our club stands for an open, pluralistic and united society. We are committed to ensuring that all people — regardless of their origin, skin color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability — are naturally included and have a firm place in our community."
A spokesperson for the club also told Reuters, "It is correct that we cancelled a planned trip to Minnesota in the United States," and, "There were sporting, economic and political reasons for this."
President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan announced last week that the administration is winding down Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis.
NEYMAR SAYS RETIRING IN 2026 IS ‘POSSIBLE’ WITH WORLD CUP STATUS UNCERTAIN
The city has seen frequent anti-ICE demonstrations surrounding the shootings of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent and Alex Pretti by U.S. Border Patrol.
Werder Bremen, meanwhile, has been trying to stave off relegation from the Bundesliga, the top tier of German soccer.
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As of Saturday, the club is in 16th place, one point behind Wolfsburg — and guaranteed safety.
Colombian nationals allegedly ran fake law firm, impersonated federal judges to defraud migrants out of $100K
Four Colombian nationals were arrested, including three at an airport with one-way tickets out of the country, after prosecutors say they posed as immigration judges and federal agents to target migrants.
Three of the Colombian nationals arrested were identified as siblings Daniela Alejandra Sanchez Ramirez, 25, Jhoan Sebastian Sanchez Ramirez, 29, and Alexandra Patricia Sanchez Ramirez, 38. Federal prosecutors said all three were arrested at Newark Airport in New Jersey with one-way tickets to Colombia.
The fourth individual was identified as Marlyn Yulitza Salazar Pineda, 24. She was arrested at a restaurant in New Jersey.
A fifth defendant in the partially unsealed indictment is still not in U.S. custody.
FOUR DEFENDANTS, INCLUDING 2 VENEZUELANS, USED 115 STOLEN IDENTITIES IN MASSIVE FOOD STAMP FRAUD
"The defendants brazenly stole their victims’ money and deceived them by sending fictitious documents and holding sham court proceedings," Joseph Nocella Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement.
The group allegedly impersonated judges, law enforcement officers and lawyers to orchestrate sham immigration proceedings held over videoconference.
Court documents contain two representative photos of two of the virtual "proceedings" with faces blacked out.
Victims were led to believe that their immigration cases had been resolved, resulting in victims missing their actual appearances in immigration court, according to prosecutors.
At least one victim who mistakenly believed her immigration issues were resolved was ordered to be deported due to the scheme, prosecutors said, noting that the order was later reversed.
The group is also accused of lining their pockets and the pockets of their coconspirators in Colombia by laundering tens of thousands of dollars of victims' funds.
The group operated a fictitious law firm and solicited prospective "clients" primarily through Facebook, prosecutors alleged, adding that they charged fees ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars "for nonexistent legal advice and services."
Investigators have identified over $100,000 in fraudulent transactions allegedly transmitted by victims to the defendants and other individuals associated with the fake law firm.
All five individuals have been charged with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy and two counts of false impersonation of an officer or employee of the United States.
Daniela and Jhoan Ramirez, and Marlyn Pineda are immigration parolees, while Alexandra Ramirez is in the U.S. on a tourist visa, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Fox News’ Jennifer Johsnson contributed to this report.