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Pro-trans activists hold rally against Washington state ballot initiative to protect girls sports
Transgender-rights supporters marched through downtown Seattle Thursday after Washington voters approved a measure barring biological males from girls’ K–12 interscholastic sports, setting up a potential court battle over the new restrictions.
Demonstrators gathered at Westlake Park before marching toward Pike Place Market, according to KUOW. The protest followed the passage of Initiative 638, which also requires students seeking to compete in girls’ sports to provide medical verification of their biological sex.
The measure had 56.8% support in returns reported Thursday by FOX 13 Seattle. The Associated Press called its passage Wednesday evening, with ballots still being counted.
WASHINGTON STATE VOTERS APPEAR TO PASS FIRST-EVER BALLOT MEASURE SEPARATING BOYS AND GIRLS SPORTS
"I was kind of expecting it, but it was still devastating nonetheless," Evan Gortner of Gender Equity Movement, which organized the protest, told KUOW.
Marchers chanted, "638 is trans hate." Some attendees also criticized Democratic leaders for not doing more to defeat the initiative.
The result delivered a victory to Let’s Go Washington, the conservative group behind the measure, even as voters rejected two other initiatives it backed concerning parental rights and the repeal of the state’s tax on high earners.
Supporters argue that separating girls’ sports by biological sex protects fairness, safety and athletic opportunities for female students. Opponents contend the restrictions discriminate against transgender students and could subject girls to intrusive medical verification.
The dispute now extends beyond the election results.
Gender Justice League Executive Director Danni Askini told KUOW her organization was consulting partners and evaluating a possible challenge on student-privacy grounds. The group had not formally announced a lawsuit in that Nov. 5 report.
The ACLU of Washington also condemned the outcome, but told KUOW it does not discuss potential litigation. That response did not announce a lawsuit.
Washington Democrats, meanwhile, have said they support other organizations pursuing challenges but will not bring a case themselves.
"WA Dems will not be challenging the initiative in court. We believe there will be organizations who do and we support those efforts," the party previously told OutKick.
Party Chair Shasti Conrad called the initiative unconstitutional in a Nov. 5 statement.
The measure’s medical-verification requirement has become a central point of contention.
Its text requires a health examination and consent form, or another statement signed by a student’s personal healthcare provider, verifying biological sex as part of the required routine sports physical. That verification must rely on reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup or naturally produced testosterone levels. The text does not prescribe a particular examination or test.
Washington has allowed students to compete on teams consistent with their gender identity since 2007.
The debate also prompted protests from female athletes before the election. About a dozen Camas girls declined to race against a transgender teammate on Oct. 13, OutKick previously reported.
For schools, the immediate question is how to carry out the new requirements.
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association told KUOW it was preparing changes for Dec. 3 and reviewing implementation, including physical-examination requirements. It said updated guidance and forms would go to schools after legal review.
Oba Femi becomes ultimate equalizer to help Penta and Je'Von Evans win tag titles at WWE Crown Jewel
Bron Breakker and Austin Theory thought they had the advantage going into their World Tag Team Championship match against Penta and Je’Von Evans at WWE Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.
The Vision was clear. Maxxine Dupri was already interfering with Penta at ringside. Then, Bronson Reed came out of the crowd to take out the Luchador and Evans. It appeared a successful title defense was in Breakker and Theory’s sights.
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All of a sudden, the lights turned off in the arena. The drums sounded. Oba Femi appeared at the top of the stage to a raucous ovation. Reed sprinted up the ramp to accost "The Ruler." The two briefly brawled before Femi hit Reed with an uppercut.
Femi proceeded to dump Reed off the stage and onto several tables below. It sparked enough of a distraction to take Theory and Breakker out of their zones. Penta hit Breakker with a big splash from the top rope.
Evans tagged himself in as Penta hit Theory with a Mexican Destroyer. Evans nailed the OG Cutter and pinned Theory to capture the tag team titles.
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Breakker and Theory’s reign ended after 123 days. Breakker and Theory initially defeated The Street Profits in July with help from Dupri. It marked the second time The Vision held the tag championship.
However, the two defended the titles sparingly which suggests the duo may have been on equal footing with Penta and Evans going into the match.
Losing the tag team titles might be a wake-up call for The Vision to get back to business. The group was seen as the future of WWE. Femi’s emergence coupled with injuries have muddied their, well, vision, for months.
It’s time for The Vision to get back to business.
Three high school football teams have their playoff fates decided by a midnight parking lot coin toss
In an ideal world, high school football playoff matchups are decided by on-the-field play. But sometimes, in reality, they are decided by a midnight coin toss in a parking lot in front of Catfish Roundup.
Three Oklahoma high school football teams – Liberty, Gore and Central Sallisaw – were all tied for third place in Class A-2, District 3. However, there were only four playoff spots, so only two of the teams could advance.
The problem? The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association’s (OSSAA) tiebreakers didn’t break any ties. The three teams had identical district records, split their head-to-head games and had the exact same point differential.
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So, the next best option? A midnight coin toss in the Catfish Roundup parking lot.
Central Sallisaw head coach Jeremy Thompson was in disbelief.
"Coin toss, is that really going to happen? I called Mr. Johnson and he confirmed it," Thompson said, according to 2News Oklahoma. "Yes, that's how it's going to go."
The coins were flipped, and Liberty and Central Sallisaw both flipped tails, ensuring they would move on to the playoffs.
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"I can't tell you I've ever flipped a point and been that nervous. It's a tough way to do it, but that's the way it is," Thompson said. "We're excited it went our way."
For Gore, there was no love in Oklahoma, as the coin did not flip their way. Gore head coach Nathan McCurley was gutted for his seniors.
"You just hate to see it for the seniors, especially how we've rallied these last four weeks to put ourselves in this position," McCurley said, according to 2News Oklahoma. "To have it go away on a coin flip, I'm not upset over that. It's just, I hate it for the kids more than anything."
For Liberty, on the other hand, the coin flipping the right way was a big deal for the school.
"You never know what's going to happen when you get in a situation like this, so it's a big deal for us, our school history," Liberty head coach Nate Green said, according to 2News Oklahoma. "We don't have a lot of trips to the playoffs."
Well, thanks to the coin, Liberty has an opportunity to play again and add to their school’s history.
STU BURGUIERE: Put your money where your mouth is: Prediction markets won the midterms
Billions of dollars were spent this election season to lie to you.
More than $12.8 billion was spent on political advertising in the 2026 midterms making this the most expensive election cycle in American history. In my home state of Texas, the Senate race drew preliminary estimates of nearly $573 million placing it among the most expensive non-presidential contests on record.
Despite all the differences between races and candidates, a few things were dependable. Every campaign said it was going to win. Every analyst said their numbers were right. Every super PAC said its candidate had the best policies and character. And the mainstream media picked its favorites, cut to commercial, and served up a dozen ads of warring politicians accusing each other of high crimes and misdemeanors.
TRADERS POUR NEARLY $1.3 BILLION INTO PREDICTING WHO WILL CONTROL CONGRESS
A massive industry exists to bend your view of reality toward whatever our would-be leaders in Washington and the state capitals want you to believe. Americans need a way to cut through that noise. No wonder prediction markets are booming.
As with any new technology, prediction markets have drawn a lot of attention and a lot of criticism. Senators wrote letters warning about election contracts. States moved to sue or ban them outright. And somewhere, a podcaster is still on hour 133 of explaining how it's all rigged.
POLLSTERS MISSED THE MARK AGAIN — BUT THIS TIME, IT WASN'T REPUBLICANS THEY UNDERESTIMATED
Then Election Day settled the argument. Across all tracked federal contests, Kalshi's markets had the eventual winner out front in 98% of races. The markets not only correctly priced non-competitive incumbents they also accurately reflected the razor-thin odds in core battlegrounds.
This wasn't a one-time fluke. Kalshi studied 2,243,741 of its resolved markets, dating from its launch in 2021 through mid-2026. It found that prices became remarkably well calibrated as events approached. In plain English, the prices meant what they said. Events priced at 30 cents happened about 30% of the time; events priced at 90 cents, about 90%.
Outside researchers have reached the same conclusion. Brier.fyi, an independent site that measures prediction-market accuracy, saw a similar pattern across nearly 74,000 Kalshi markets. In a study published last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers examined more than 1 million resolved forecasts across four platforms and found events happened about as often as their prices said they would. A Washington Post review of this year's primaries showed that candidates won about as often as their market prices suggested.
THE BATTLE FOR CONGRESS GETS A WALL STREET-STYLE SCOREBOARD POWERED BY REAL-MONEY BETS
Despite that long track record, critics will seize on upsets like Democrat Annie Andrews' defeat of Republican Sen. Darline Graham in South Carolina as proof that prediction markets are worthless. The markets had her as the underdog, about a 1-in-3 shot heading into Election Day. But if underdogs never won, the markets wouldn't be working. Upsets like hers are exactly what a 1-in-3 price promises.
Prediction markets don't have to be perfect to be useful. They're an incredible addition to the polling, forecasting and reporting we already have, and they make all of it better.
Serious data journalism is expensive. As newsrooms have cut budgets and staff, the deep dives and data desks have been some of the first casualties. Prediction markets give that work a new reason to exist. When information is worth money, someone will pay for it. That means more research, more deep-dive reporting and more jobs for data nerds. That's a win for all of us. Reliable information has never been more valuable, and markets reward people for finding it, weighing it and acting on it.
LEE CARTER: THE 5 WORDS THAT EXPLAIN THIS ELECTION BETTER THAN ANY COMMERCIAL
Show me a profitable trader, and I'll show you someone who would rather read a precinct-by-precinct breakdown of Hinds County, Mississippi, than finish a Netflix series. Ask me how I know.
Understanding the world is no longer just something you can show off at cocktail parties. Now, your dedication to the truth can potentially improve your financial well-being and, at the same time, help make all of us better informed.
For anyone who has felt shut out by the mainstream media, prediction markets are especially good news. They're the next chapter in a long story.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS USING ONLINE PREDICTION MARKETS? DON'T BET ON IT
For decades, three networks and a handful of anchors decided what it was acceptable to believe. Rush Limbaugh broke that hold on talk radio, giving millions of listeners an alternative. Fox News Channel followed with "We Report, You Decide." Blogs and podcasts offered additional perspectives and drew attention to stories that might have never been covered.
But with billions of dollars still lined up to twist the truth, we can always use a new way to separate fact from spin.
Prediction markets do that by making you put your money where your mouth is. A campaign insider can insist a race is in the bag with no downside. A trader has to back the same claim with cash. In a market, you only get paid for being right.
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Even if you never trade, you benefit: Markets crystallize all available information into a single number, and that number has no reason to lie to you.
Depending on who you were rooting for, Tuesday was either exhilarating or devastating. On Election Day there are important issues at stake and emotions run high. That's exactly why it helps to have a way to set those feelings aside and see the race as clearly as possible.
In more than a decade of trading these markets, I've learned that the best traders share one habit: They don't invest with their hearts. I've been fortunate enough to come out ahead cycle after cycle, often in years when the results went against what I'd hoped. That's the discipline these markets teach (and require): It's forecasting, not wishcasting. We root for the world we want, but we invest in the world we have.
If investing in elections feels a little strange, consider this: Politicians have been making money off you for decades. Maybe it's time to return the favor.
Paris agitators defy police orders, renew nationwide protests centered in Paris
Protesters in France are continuing to demonstrate in Paris and across the nation despite police prohibitions on gatherings in the capital.
The Paris Police Prefecture denied numerous formal requests for permits allowing protests in various areas of the city, citing October riots that led to thousands of arrests and violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement.
"These events demonstrated the intention of certain individuals to target the institutions of the Republic, specifically through actions directed against public buildings and State services in order to undermine the foundations of the Republic," the police wrote, according to a Fox News Digital translation of a police order.
"That these elements characterize a particular and serious risk to public institutions, agent safety, and the normal functioning of public services during such demonstrations," the statement continued.
FRANCE'S MACRON BLAMES PROTESTS ON 'ULTRA-LEFT GROUPS WHOSE AIM IS TO BRING DOWN THE REPUBLIC'
FRANCE DEPLOYS 70,000 POLICE OFFICERS TO PREPARE FOR NEW WAVE OF PROTESTS ON HALLOWEEN
Police also prohibited a rally of France's popular Yellow Vest protest movement scheduled for Place de la Concorde, citing security concerns.
Despite the ban, prominent Yellow Vest members attended and were arrested at the National Assembly in front of Place de la Concorde.
Benjamin Ball, a member of the Yellow Vests coordination group, and spokesperson Azelma Sigaux, were both arrested early in the afternoon Saturday, according to the Agence France-Presse (AFP).
PHOTOS SHOW AFTERMATH OF RIOTS AS MASKED GROUPS CLASH WITH POLICE ACROSS FRANCE
France's Interior Ministry anticipated 170,000 people to protest nationwide Saturday, a day marking the fourth straight week of protests.
The country deployed 70,000 security forces to quell the demonstrations, according to the AFP.
"The risk is exactly the same as on previous Saturdays," Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said, instructing authorities "not to lower their guard," AFP reported.
Videos and photos showed French authorities deploying tear gas and detaining rioters while fires burned throughout Paris.
French authorities also report that protesters have lobbed projectiles at police.
Demonstrators are protesting high costs of living, among other things, as student and teacher unions join Yellow Vests at the mass rallies.
On Monday, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is due to meet with leaders from the unions to discuss wages and purchasing power, AFP reported.
Despite the planned tête-à-tête, union leaders are calling for fresh strikes on Tuesday to keep the pressure on the government, claiming the unions are "in a position of strength (and) the government in a position of weakness and starting to yield."
Since student and union protests began in mid-September, National Assembly Deputy Leader Marine Le Pen has surged in national polling and is now seen as likely to force a runoff in the presidential election after announcing her candidacy in October.
Fox News Digital contacted the French Interior Ministry and Paris Police Prefecture for further information.
Cody Rhodes goes to the dark side, punting bloodied Randy Orton to win Last Man Standing Match at Crown Jewel
Questions loomed over Cody Rhodes about whether he would have that killer instinct when the time came. It seemed to be what he needed to prove at WWE Crown Jewel in a Last Man Standing match on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Rhodes flirted with punting Orton in the head for weeks as he sought retribution for "The Viper" nailing him in the head following his WrestleMania 42 victory. At that point, Rhodes was left with a busted eye. After their match at this premium live event, Orton was left with a kick to his head and a bloody gash.
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There was no doubt that the match itself was going to be brutal. The two took the fight in the crowd for a brief moment where Orton levied his attack on Rhodes with a trash can. The brawl flipped to the stage where Orton powerbombed Rhodes through a table.
Rhodes would flip the momentum briefly as he took out his frustration on Orton with the steel steps. He then went for a high-risk move as Orton was left sprawled out on the Arabic commentary team’s announce table. Rhodes took out a ladder and looked to end the match right then and there. He tried to hit a splash but ended up crashing and burning instead.
Orton thought he had control from there. But the desire for Rhodes to unleash maximum punishment would outweigh Orton’s yearning to put "The American Nightmare" in his rearview mirror. Orton tried to punt Rhodes and keep him down for the count, but missed.
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Rhodes hit Orton with multiple Cross Rhodes and Orton’s head clipped the side of the steel steps that Rhodes had pushed into the ring. Orton started to drip blood from the top of his head – that’s when Rhodes took advantage. He refused to let referee Charles Robinson continue the count.
With Orton reeling, Rhodes cemented the victory with a punt to Orton’s head.
Rhodes was able to finally pull the trigger and do what everyone watching WWE programming had been waiting on for nearly seven months – payback. But it’s something that had been tormenting Rhodes. He’s supposed to be the one to embody what it means to be "QB1."
The punt could signal a change in Rhodes’ attitude moving forward.
California DA says Gavin Newsom's 'cruel' death row clemency stabs crime victims 'in the heart'
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans to commute the death sentences of all 548 inmates on the state's death row, a move that Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer criticized as stabbing crime victims "in the heart."
Speaking on "Fox News @ Night," Spitzer took direct aim at Newsom, saying his decision is "immoral" and arguing that it disregards the extensive judicial review given to death penalty cases.
"He literally stabbed in the heart many victims who have suffered through an already-unjust justice system in California that already revictimizes victims over and over and over," Spitzer said.
NEWSOM’S DEATH-ROW COMMUTATIONS SPARK DA REVOLT AS PROSECUTORS WARN OF LEGAL FIGHT
Among the victims' relatives criticizing the decision is Marc Klaas, whose 12-year-old daughter, Polly, was kidnapped from her bedroom at knifepoint and murdered in 1993 by condemned killer Richard Allen Davis. Davis was sentenced to death in 1996, and the California Supreme Court upheld his conviction and sentence in 2009.
"Baby killers and cop killers and spree killers and serial killers have all found an ally in Gavin Newsom," Klaas told Fox News Digital in October.
MICHAEL RUIZ: CALIFORNIA PROSECUTORS REVOLT AFTER NEWSOM ORDERS STATE'S WORST KILLERS OFF DEATH ROW
Newsom announced the plan for mass commutations in a letter on Nov. 5, in which he told Californians he would exercise his "constitutional clemency authority to commute all California death sentences to life without the possibility of parole."
The governor said he believes state-sanctioned killing is "incompatible with California's values" and argued that the death penalty cannot be applied fairly, pointing to the risk of executing innocent people.
GOP GOV DEWINE URGES OHIO TO ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY, SAYS IT IS NO LONGER A DETERRENT
Other death row inmates who could be affected by the commutations include Charles Ng, who was convicted of killing 11 people in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and Cary Stayner, who was convicted of murdering four people near Yosemite National Park in 1999 and was sentenced to death for three of the killings.
"Well, it was callous. It was calculated. It was mean. It was ugly. It was ill-spirited. It was [a] lack of any empathy. It was immoral," Spitzer said of Newsom's decision. "I could think of so many adjectives to describe the behavior of the cruel governor."
When reached for comment by Fox News Digital regarding Spitzer's criticisms, Newsom's office pointed to the governor's Nov. 5 letter announcing the commutations.
In the letter, Newsom acknowledged the emotional toll on grieving families, writing, "This decision is among the most difficult of my career, not because I doubt its necessity for our state but because I know its announcement may surface excruciating memories for victims' families."
Spitzer argued that converting death sentences to life without the possibility of parole (LWOP) could allow convicted killers to seek release if future changes to state law create a pathway to parole or resentencing.
"The legislature has tried to convert life without the possibility of parole to eligible for parole. So by converting death penalty to LWOP, it's actually L-WALK: walk out of prison," Spitzer said.
Gavin Newsom's office, however, says the commutations would not make the inmates eligible for release and that the sentences would remain life without the possibility of parole.
NEW YORK BILLS COULD ABOLISH LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE FOR SERIAL KILLERS AND COP KILLERS, CRITICS WARN
MENENDEZ BROTHERS GRANTED 2027 PAROLE HEARING A YEAR EARLIER THAN EXPECTED
Newsom's plan to commute 548 death sentences still faces a legal hurdle for hundreds of inmates. Under the California Constitution, commutations for inmates convicted of a felony on two or more occasions require a recommendation from the California Supreme Court with at least four justices concurring.
Still, Spitzer argued that Newsom's decision has already revictimized families by causing additional suffering after years of legal proceedings.
ALABAMA GOVERNOR COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE AS DOUBTS EMERGE ABOUT EVIDENCE IN MURDER CONVICTION
"Gavin Newsom says he can't sleep at night. He should never sleep at night with the revictimization that he has caused to these poor victims who have suffered irreparable harm," Spitzer said.
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Bill Maher warns Democrats that some on far-left want 'communism' after midterm sweep
Comedian Bill Maher doubled down on his criticism of democratic socialists Friday, telling his "Real Time" audience that "these people want communism" and urging moderates to reclaim control of the party following Democrats' historic sweep in this week's midterm elections.
On Friday, Maher spoke with writer and podcast host Coleman Hughes regarding the rise of socialist policies within the Democratic Party — and the party’s apparent appetite for more moderate candidates — during the show’s roundtable discussion.
"My issues are high rents and crime," Hughes said. "Socialists don't tend to be good on those issues because they institute policies like rent control, which sound good and then end up increasing the rents in the long run."
"And we got a hundred years of data on socialism," Hughes added. "It's not good for the economy. It's not a new idea."
Maher appeared to agree with his guest, arguing that many of the policies pushed by socialist candidates are more closely aligned with communist ideology.
LIBERAL HOT SPOT RESIDENTS CAN’T AGREE ON WHAT SOCIALISM MEANS AS FAR-LEFT MOVEMENTS GAINS STEAM
"We already have a lot of socialism and a lot of it is appropriate," Maher said. "That's not what these people are selling, these far-left people."
Maher said some government services and programs — including Medicare, the Marine Corps and Social Security — fall under his definition of socialism.
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"It's anything the government does and the private sector doesn't," the comedian said. "You just read what they say in their manifesto. They want the government to take over everything. That is a prescription for failure."
Maher also argued that the sweeping victories by moderate Democrats could indicate a broader voter rejection of the policies advocated by far-left candidates.
AMERICA SAW THE BLUE WAVE COMING — BUT DRASTICALLY UNDERESTIMATED THE EXTENT OF THE DEM TSUNAMI
"To me, one of the great results of this election was it gave moderates a big stick to beat them off with," Maher told his audience.
He added that moderate Democrats could use their midterm victories to regain control of the party, while suggesting that the socialist agenda may not be as popular with voters as its supporters believe.
JOE MANCHIN WARNS DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS ARE GAINING GROUND AS DEMOCRATS REMAIN SILENT
"Who has the guts to say this is the Democratic Party, you are doing a whole different thing," he continued. "We already have a lot of socialism, and I'm for most of it. We need most of it, but these people want communism."
The liberal comedian has repeatedly criticized the rise of socialism within the Democratic Party and warned about socialist policies ahead of the midterms earlier this year.
"I did say that it was about two months ago, and you see how quickly the news changes in just two months, because that was before the Supreme Court made a ruling on voting rights," Maher said at an event in June, referencing the Supreme Court's April 29 decision in "Louisiana v. Callais," which found that Louisiana's revised congressional map constituted an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
"So, that has changed just in the last two months, and then the Democrats just elected three very far-left democratic socialists in New York who are crazy — like outright really crazy — so like, how are they gonna blow it? I don't know, but they seem to be well on their way," he added at the time.
Maher’s comments come after Democrats have won at least 254 U.S. House of Representatives races, according to the Associated Press — subsequently giving the party its largest House majority since 2009.
MAJORITY OF AMERICANS BROADLY REJECT SOCIALIST IDEOLOGY EVEN AS FAR LEFT SURGES TO POWER
Additionally, democratic socialist Nithya Raman defeated incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass earlier this week, becoming another democratic socialist elected to lead a major American city, following New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's victory last year.
However, Democratic strategist Kaivan Shroff told Fox News Digital that Maher's criticisms of socialist policies — and his characterization of candidates who support them — are misguided as the comedian continues to criticize Democrats.
"There is something perfectly ‘Bill Maher’ about declaring it an ‘indictment of our educational system’ that young people supposedly do not understand socialism, and then immediately revealing that he does not understand it either," Shroff said. "Medicare and Social Security are social insurance programs. The Marine Corps is literally a branch of the military."
BERNIE SANDERS, DSA REVEAL DEMANDS FOR DEM PARTY AFTER SOCIALISTS SWEEP NEW YORK ELECTIONS
"If every service the government provides counts as socialism, then courts, cops and Congress are socialist too and the word has basically lost all meaning," he added. "He is mocking other people for being uneducated on the subject while demonstrating the same sloppy understanding himself."
Shroff also pointed to Maher's history of dining with President Donald Trump at the White House — most recently last month — and accused the liberal comedian of criticizing socialist policies more harshly when Democrats embrace them.
"And if Maher really wants to worry about socialism, he might want to look a little harder at his dinner buddy Donald Trump," Shroff said. "Trump’s government has taken roughly a 10 percent stake in Intel and about a 15 percent stake in MP Materials. Those examples are far closer to socialism than Medicare is. Yet somehow Maher’s socialism panic gets a lot quieter when Trump is the one doing it."
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Fox News Digital reached out to Maher for comment.
Fox News Digital's Peter D'Abrosca contributed to this report.
'Blue Lagoon' star Christopher Atkins wanted to be a dad more than 'a drunk' as he nears 40 years sober
Christopher Atkins says becoming a father gave him a reason to walk away from alcohol, and nearly four decades later, his grandchildren are giving him another reason to stay sober.
The former Hollywood heartthrob, who rose to fame opposite Brooke Shields in the 1980 film, "The Blue Lagoon," opened up about the turning point that changed his life during an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital at Chiller Theatre Expo in New Jersey.
"I guess the turning point for me was having children, so I wanted to be a dad more than I wanted to be a drunk," Atkins said.
‘DALLAS’ STAR SAYS TV ‘COUGAR’ LINDA GRAY’S PRANK DURING CONTROVERSIAL KISS LEFT HIS LIPS NUMB
"So, I did that, cleaned up, coming up to 40 years, so still very active and wouldn't change it for a minute."
WATCH: 'BLUE LAGOON' STAR CHRISTOPHER ATKINS SAYS FATHERHOOD SAVED HIM FROM ALCOHOL
The actor explained that his commitment to sobriety has taken on new meaning as his family has grown.
"Just when you think, okay, well they grew up [his children], they moved out, [I] got a divorce, now you're by yourself, ‘I guess it's okay to start drinking again,’" he said.
"No, they had grandkids, so now I don't want my grandkids ever seeing their grandpa drunk, you know, so no."
Atkins credited his children with helping him make a lasting change.
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"That's a huge turning point, I think, in a lot of people's lives, and certainly for me. So that saved me," he said.
The actor shares two adult children, Grant and Brittney, with his former wife, Lyn Barron Weber, whom he married in 1985. The couple divorced in 2007.
Atkins previously spoke about how his drinking affected his Hollywood career, including an opportunity to star in the 1984 film "Footloose."
During an appearance at Fanboy Expo Knoxville earlier this year, the actor said he had been considered for the lead role that ultimately went to Kevin Bacon, but was drinking heavily when he met with filmmakers.
"I was a mess back then," Atkins said at the event, according to People magazine, as previously reported by Fox News Digital.
JOHN GOODMAN WAS 'EATING ALCOHOLICALLY' BEFORE STARTING WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY AT NEARLY 400 POUNDS
He explained that his condition during the meeting cost him the opportunity.
Despite the setbacks he experienced early in his career, Atkins has continued to reflect on the unexpected fame that followed his breakout performance in "The Blue Lagoon."
The actor told Fox News Digital this month that he never planned on pursuing a career in Hollywood.
"I never wanted to act," he said.
Atkins explained that he entered the entertainment industry through modeling before attending an open casting call for "The Blue Lagoon."
When the film became a massive success, he found himself adjusting to a level of attention he had never imagined.
‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’ STAR CHRISTOPHER LLOYD CONFESSES HE WAS ‘HOOKED’ ON COCAINE DURING ‘TAXI’ YEARS
"There wasn't a place on the planet I could go where I didn't get recognized and people stopped me," he recalled. "It was very, very, very weird."
He added that the experience was difficult to comprehend at such a young age.
"It's interesting if you try to think about what it's like to have people you've never met all over the world know who you are and know things about you that you didn't know."
More than four decades after becoming a household name, Atkins has traded much of his Hollywood lifestyle for a quieter existence on the East Coast.
The New York native relocated from California to Connecticut after his two children settled in North Carolina and his family circumstances changed.
‘DALLAS’ STAR SAYS TV ‘COUGAR’ LINDA GRAY’S PRANK DURING CONTROVERSIAL KISS LEFT HIS LIPS NUMB
"I'm an East Coast guy. You can't take the East Coast out of the boy," he said.
The actor explained that both his father and stepfather had died, while his mother was experiencing memory issues, making the move feel like the right decision.
Now, Atkins spends much of his time outdoors, enjoying fishing, hiking and woodworking.
WATCH: 'BLUE LAGOON' STAR CHRISTOPHER ATKINS EMBRACES OUTDOOR LIFE AFTER LEAVING HOLLYWOOD BEHIND
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He said he has even developed an interest in creating pieces with wood and epoxy, initially as a hobby.
"I just like being outdoors, I like working with my hands," he told Fox News Digital.
Atkins also has a new physical challenge in mind: hiking a lengthy stretch of the Appalachian Trail.
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"My goal is next year to do a leg of the Appalachian Trail, take a week or so and see if I can do 100 miles or 200 miles or something," he said.
The actor acknowledged that decades of sports have taken a toll on his body.
He said he recently underwent shoulder replacement surgery, following an elbow replacement less than a year earlier. Atkins also described having a metal plate and artificial disc in his back, along with three previous knee operations.
Despite those physical challenges, he remains determined to stay active.
"I think staying physical and staying active is really important to keeping more metal out of your body," he said.
Macklemore claims ‘Free Palestine’ tour blocked from 9 major US arenas
Macklemore is claiming that Madison Square Garden and the Kia Forum are among venues who refused to host his "Free Palestine" tour.
On Friday, Macklemore – whose legal name is Ben Haggerty – uploaded a lengthy statement to Instagram, claiming it has been difficult for him to bring his "Free Palestine" tour over to the United States. He claimed that nine major venues across the U.S. turned him down.
Madison Square Garden, Prudential Center, Barclays Center, UBS Arena, Intuit Dome, Kia Forum, Crypto.com Arena, Chase Center and Climate Pledge Arena were all among the venues that said no, according to Macklemore. He emphasized that their decision came "once they found out these were my benefit shows for Palestine."
MACKLEMORE DOUBLES DOWN AFTER GETTING KICKED OFF ED SHEERAN TOUR AFTER PRO-PALESTINE STANCE
"In over twenty years of touring, I’ve never experienced anything like this," he wrote.
Macklemore went on to explain that activists, poets, entertainers and artists who stood in solidarity with Palestine have been experiencing this treatment for "decades."
The "Thrift Shop" singer said the only real regret he has from the past three years "is not speaking publicly when Zionists were kicking me under the table."
"But the intimidation, manipulation and suppression I experienced are part of how those in power keep entertainers quiet. It’s their main tactic to keep us in line. Shut up and dribble, or you will be punished," he wrote.
MACKLEMORE SLAMMED AS 'PERFORMATIVE' AFTER ANNOUNCING 'FREE PALESTINE TOUR'
"But at this point, I’m three years past giving two s---s about maintaining any relationships, business or personal, with anyone that isn’t riding for a Free Palestine," Macklemore continued.
He explained that he would rather lose "every opportunity" in the entertainment industry than keep his opinions about Palestine to himself.
"To these owners," he wrote, addressing the venues directly, "the words Free Palestine represent a threat. Not because they endanger anyone, but because those words challenge the systems of power they have built their fortunes on."
Macklemore encouraged other artists to not keep their opinions silent and referenced his three overseas shows as proof that people want to support Palestinian liberation.
"Look at what just happened in Europe. Three sold-out arenas. Tens of thousands of people from different backgrounds, religions and walks of life standing together. More than forty artists and speakers putting their names and platforms behind Palestinian liberation. For all the attempts to paint this movement as one rooted in hatred, what filled those rooms was love," he wrote.
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His statement included references to the historic midterm elections and Abdul El-Sayed winning a Senate seat in Michigan.
"The tides are turning. Just three nights ago, Abdul El-Sayed won his Senate race on a platform that included ending the genocide in Gaza and stopping U.S. arms sales to Israel. AIPAC spent $42 million trying to defeat him. And they still couldn’t win," Macklemore wrote.
"The trouble with buying power is believing you’ve bought the people too. The billionaires depend on our silence and complicity. They forget that we buy their tickets. We fill their arenas. We build their empires. And we have the power to bring them down," he continued.
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Macklemore added, "The people have spoken. We want an end to the genocide and we want a Free Palestine. The arenas have made their decision. Now we’ll make ours. If they think the threat of never playing another arena in America will make me retreat into silence, they got me f---ed up."
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Macklemore concluded his statement by saying he will be hosting more shows in support of Palestine. "We’ll probably just take that s--- outside where it belonged in the first place," he wrote.
Macklemore has been dominating headlines after he faced backlash in September for making pro-Palestinian remarks during a Sept. 4 Ed Sheeran tour stop at MetLife Stadium, leading to his removal as an opening act.