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Collin Gosselin calls out reality TV producers for putting ratings ahead of kids: 'The show must go on'
Collin Gosselin is sounding the alarm on the reality TV industry, accusing adults of turning a blind eye when children are hurting — all to keep the cameras rolling.
The "Jon & Kate Plus 8" star is revisiting the painful realities of his youth in his new memoir, "In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood," alleging that what made for compelling television often came at the expense of the children living it.
"It's the simple fact that adults that are seeing these things, they surely understood that people are choosing not to say anything because the show must go on," Collin told Fox News Digital.
"And if, at any point in time, a child can voice that they do not want to film, we need to take that seriously," he said.
Collin, one of the sextuplets who rose to fame alongside his parents and siblings, said children should not have to clearly articulate their distress before the adults around them recognize something is wrong.
"To understand and to know that at a young age, at any age, means that you really, you feel in your heart that it is not right, and you know you're being exploited and that's crazy for a child to know," he said. "But we should listen to that because that's a huge thing."
WATCH HERE: COLLIN GOSSELIN CALLS OUT REALITY TV PRODUCERS FOR PUTTING RATINGS AHEAD OF KIDS
Even when children remain silent, Collin argued, adults have a responsibility to pay attention.
"But even without a child saying anything, you can tell, you can absolutely tell. It's reading body language," Collin said. "You can absolutely tell and we should be aware. We should be paying attention. We should be protecting children."
WATCH: COLLIN GOSSELIN BLASTS MOM KATE FOR 'BURYING' HIM TO SAVE HER REPUTATION
Collin said the show's production priorities came at the expense of his well-being and that of his siblings, arguing that the demands of filming conflicted with what was best for the children.
"100% my entire childhood, what was best for production was this direct relationship to what was unhealthy for a child," he said. "But nobody cared about the welfare of me and my siblings, they cared about my paycheck."
He also said his siblings were kept in the dark about what happened at home while they were at school, adding that he hopes they will examine his account for themselves.
JON GOSSELIN CLAIMS HE'S 'PERFECT STRANGERS NOW' WITH SIX OF HIS KIDS AFTER YEARS OF NO CONTACT
"A lot happened that was kept from them intentionally so that they could be told that their brother was this and that," Collin said.
As filming intensified, Collin said the family's public image took priority over the children's experiences at home.
"But once everything got going, and we were at the height of filming and production, it was absolutely more about what it looked like on the outside and not necessarily how me and my siblings felt," he said. "It was always about how it looked for everybody else."
For Collin, the failure is not simply recognizing that something is wrong, but refusing to act.
"Doing something about it because the biggest thing is when we know something's wrong, and we don't say anything that's worse than not knowing it," he said.
Collin said the family that audiences watched on "Jon & Kate Plus 8" did not reflect the full reality of his childhood, arguing that viewers saw a more polished version of life at home.
KATE GOSSELIN CALLED A 'MONSTER' IN SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS AFTER SON COLLIN ANNOUNCES MEMOIR
When asked what cameras failed to capture, he described experiences and opportunities that he said were offered to the children for filming but later taken away.
His criticism goes beyond editing and production decisions. Collin also revisited his experience of being placed in a treatment facility and given medication, describing a period when he felt stripped of control over his life.
"For a long time, my name was dragged, and I was put away. I was essentially put in a juvenile prison, put on all these medications," he said. "I was a zombie half the time. I had no control, I had nothing."
WATCH: COLLIN GOSSELIN DETAILS ALLEGED ABUSE, CONFRONTS FAMILY TRAUMA
He said he spent that time doing what he was told, with little ability to change his circumstances.
"I did what I was told. I went through the motions, and was like a zombie every day," he said.
Reflecting on that experience, Collin said he feels compelled to speak publicly about what happened.
"And so when you reflect on all that, you realize these things need to be talked about, and I feel just an urge to talk about them," he said.
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Collin said he has not spoken to his mother. He recalled a visit from Kate when he was 13, claiming the encounter left him with a painful final memory.
"She berated me for all of 20 minutes after not seeing me for over a year," he said.
Meanwhile, Collin told Fox News Digital he held on to hope even during what he described as his darkest moments.
"I had very little hope, but I always had some, and I hung on to that … I just kept telling myself that there's a better future for me and there will be a time where I will be past this," he said.
The former child star said sharing his story had weighed on him for years before he finally decided to speak publicly.
"It was heavy on my heart to tell my story and to hope that it would create change," he said.
As for reconciliation with his mother, Collin said an apology alone would not be enough to repair their relationship.
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"Reconciliation requires action and accountability," he said. "I think we can all say, I'm sorry, but if we're not willing to take the actions and take accountability for what has happened in the past and what happened my entire childhood, then what does that really mean, you know?"
"Jon & Kate Plus 8" followed Jon and Kate Gosselin as they raised their twin daughters, Mady and Cara, alongside their sextuplets: Collin, Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Leah and Joel.
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The series aired from 2007 to 2009 before returning as "Kate Plus 8" in 2010. Following the couple's divorce, Collin was placed in a treatment facility as a child. He later moved in with his father, Jon Gosselin, after Jon obtained custody.
Collin's memoir, "In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood," is out now.
Watchdog accuses DSA candidate of blurring charity, business and campaign: ‘What happened to all that money?’
The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), a conservative government watchdog, filed a complaint on Monday against Angie Nixon, a state legislator and candidate for U.S. Senate in Florida backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), alleging that she may have violated "a number of Florida and federal laws."
The complaint asks authorities to probe whether she used her now-defunct nonprofit, the Moxie Group Inc., to benefit herself. It comes as Nixon wages an uphill race to unseat Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla.
Nixon's campaign disputes the characterizations, noting that Nixon's involvement with the nonprofit ended in December 2025 when she resigned as its principal manager. The Moxie Group was initially intended to receive federal tax-exempt contributions for a community project named Café Resistance, a community-oriented bookstore and coffee shop in Jacksonville.
NLPC is asking the Federal Election Commission, the IRS, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Florida attorney general to investigate the Moxie Group along four lines: unaccounted-for charitable expenses, overlap between the nonprofit and a for-profit business, whether it solicited donations even after the group was disbanded and whether Nixon’s use of her business space for campaign purposes violates federal campaign restrictions.
DEFEATED PROGRESSIVE ‘SQUAD’ LAWMAKER IN HOT SEAT FOR NON-PROFIT’S MISSING PAPER TRAIL
According to the Moxie Group’s 2024 reporting, it spent $210,000 with an "other" designation, leaving most of its spending unaccounted for.
"While she itemized some of the charity’s expenses … a whopping $210,000 ... was simply listed as ‘other’ with no description or itemization of what those funds were spent for even though the form requires the charity to ‘list item’ for those ‘other’ expenses. What happened to all that money?" NLPC wrote in its complaint.
Parts of the $210,000 figure have broad descriptions but lack itemization in the 2024 reporting. Two of them under "other" designation include one $42,560 payment and another $68,304 disbursement both under "program services." A third, a $3,437 item, is categorized under "management & general."
Outside of the "other" category, listed expenses include equipment rentals, insurance, advertising, information technology and fees for non-employees.
The unknowns in the money trail, NLPC contends, are especially important given the overlap between Nixon’s nonprofit and her business — the complaint’s second area of concern.
The document notes that after founding her nonprofit in 2019, Nixon transferred its registration license to her personal for-profit company by the same name — DBA Café Resistance Bookstore and Coffee Shop.
SENATE HOPEFUL'S 'TREADING WATER' NARRATIVE CRUMBLES UNDER $500K CAMPAIGN PAYOUTS TO FAMILY
"Although the charity was ostensibly established to raise funds for a local community bookstore/café, the license for that establishment was transferred to her for-profit The Moxie Group LLC DBA Café Resistance Bookstore and Coffee Shop," the complaint reads.
Third, NLPC questioned whether Nixon raised donations for her nonprofit even after its board of directors voted to disband the group on Dec. 15, 2025.
"It waited over nine months to file Articles of Dissolution with the Florida Secretary of State on Oct. 1, 2026," the group wrote.
The complaint says the Moxie Group did not take down its fundraising site, stating that its contributors were promised "a tax receipt for making a donation," a confirmation for charitable donations. The complaint includes screenshots of the now-archieved website.
Fox News Digital is not aware of any specific contributions the Moxie Group may have received that were directed to the nonprofit during that time. Nixon's campaign noted that, because she stepped down as the non-profit's manager in December 2025 — ahead of the board's disbandment on Dec. 15 — she would not have been involved in any decisions about the group's articles of dissolution or donations received after her resignation.
As its final area of concern, NLPC believes that previously reported accounts of letting the group use its space for campaign events — without some form of payment — would constitute a violation of campaign finance laws.
"It appears that the Café Resistance and Bookstore has been functioning as the candidate’s campaign de facto headquarters or a branch thereof. Indeed, Café Resistance is hosting a phone bank operation on its premises," the complaint states.
According to Nixon’s campaign website, the coffee shop is listed as the location for "Ten toes down Tuesday phonebank," an event scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27.
"Let’s go all in for Angie!! Tuesdays can be so fun when we spend them phonebanking for Angie! Together we will call registered voters to remind them that early voting is going on statewide and we need them to vote, now more than ever! Bring your charged-up phone, laptops and/or tablets!" the event’s description reads.
Nixon’s campaign said it has not made payments to Café Resistance and has used only the group’s parking lot. The campaign also noted that Nixon does not own the building.
Even so, NLPC also noted that if any of the funding that had been made as a contribution to the non-profit had ended up paying for the business’ rent, that could also constitute a campaign finance violation, the group contends.
SENATE REPUBLICAN SETTLES SIX-YEAR-OLD CAMPAIGN BILL AFTER BEING CALLED OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
"To the extent that contributions to the charity were used to pay the rent and expenses of the for-profit Café Resistance Bookstore and Coffee Shop, which in turn was used for Angie Nixon’s political campaign, that is a clear violation of 501(c)(3) rules that prohibit charities from using their funds for political campaign purposes," the document reads.
Having secured the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate earlier this year, Nixon will face off against Moody next week in the state's Nov. 3 general election.
Apple News pushed 84 negative headlines about GOP priorities ahead of midterms with zero positive, study finds
Apple News promoted more than 80 stories that negatively framed the issues Republicans care about during the lead-up to the midterm elections while promoting zero positive stories about GOP-aligned issues, according to the Media Research Center (MRC).
The MRC, a conservative media watchdog, analyzed Apple News’ top 20 stories from Sept. 15-30 and found that voters who rely on the platform for information were fed roughly five stories per day that negatively characterized the Republicans' top 10 policy priorities.
During that same period, Apple News, which comes preinstalled on every iPhone in America, did not promote a single story that positively framed a Republican priority, according to the study.
"Apple News ran 84 negative headlines on Republican priorities and zero positive ones. Zero! My dentist finds more good news in a root canal," David Bozell told Fox News Digital.
"Millions of voters open that app before they vote, and Apple's editors are in there like a bartender who waters down only one party's drinks," David Bozell continued. "Come on, Apple, tell us who picks these stories and why Republicans got the whole bad-news buffet."
MRC staffers Luis Cornelio and Madison Van Zant, who conducted the study, wrote that their findings add to the "growing body of evidence that the platform’s editors continue to curate its feeds to push a left-wing political agenda."
The MRC found that 117 stories from outlets Apple News promoted GOP-aligned issues during the review period, with 84 stories featuring negative headlines (72%) and 33 (28%) receiving neutral headlines. None of the headlines promoted by Apple News presented GOP issues in a positive light.
"In short, Apple News ensured that immigration was framed through court defeats and sensationalist stories; the economy through high gas prices; law and order through positive portrayals of police abolition; cuts to government through accusations of radicalism; foreign policy through portrayals of America’s adversaries as warriors; and efforts to curb waste through claims of unlawful cuts," Cornelio and Van Zant wrote.
The study was conducted after the MRC identified 10 prominent Republican-aligned issues based on recent polls: immigration and border security, the economy, law and order, reducing government spending, combating drug use, national security and foreign policy, taxes, countering terrorism, education and protecting the unborn.
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Apple News has long been accused of having a liberal bias, and Fox News Digital reported earlier this year that many of the company’s top executives and board members have made substantial contributions to Democrats over multiple election cycles.
Some conservatives were hopeful that Apple News would pivot once new CEO John Ternus took control of the company, but a previous MRC study found that the news aggregator increased the percentage of stories from leftist outlets during his first month on the job.
Apple did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Cheesecake Factory among list of popular eateries in America's priciest neighborhoods
The Cheesecake Factory has been in the headlines after former President Barack Obama joked that President Donald Trump's White House décor looked "like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory."
The remark sparked debate over whether the chain is a spot for everyday Americans, and a new analysis of restaurant chains near neighborhoods with higher and lower home values found where it ranks.
Home values near Cheesecake Factory restaurants were about 27% higher than in areas in the same region with similar population density, partly because many of them are located in upscale malls, The Washington Sun found.
5 RESTAURANT CHAINS SERVE UP THE BEST BREAKFAST VALUE AS AMERICANS LOOK TO SAVE
The outlet analyzed data from Overture Maps, Zillow and the Census Bureau using a methodology adapted from housing expert Aziz Sunderji's analysis of businesses near areas with higher and lower home values.
The analysis also found that businesses such as Club Pilates, Whole Foods, Warby Parker and Apple stores were associated with neighborhoods with higher home values, while Five Below, Olive Garden, Texas Roadhouse and Planet Fitness were linked to areas with lower home values.
The Cheesecake Factory ranked third among restaurant chains for the highest home values near its locations.
Below are the top five, with two chains tied for fifth.
For the fast-casual Mediterranean and Greek chain, home values within 3 miles of its locations were 39% higher than in areas in the same region with similar population density.
It traces its roots back to 2006, when three childhood friends opened a Greek restaurant honoring their shared heritage. They began selling dips in grocery stores in 2008 and launched the fast-casual chain in 2011.
BELOVED RESTAURANT CHAIN DWINDLES FROM 850 LOCATIONS TO 87, BUT EXPERT SEES 'A LOT OF LIFE LEFT'
Cava celebrated its 500th store opening in September, according to a news release.
Home values near Shake Shacks were 38% higher than in similar areas. The burger chain began in 2001 as a hot dog cart in New York City's Madison Square Park, launched by restaurateur Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group to support a public art project.
Shake Shack's popularity led to the first permanent location in 2004, according to its website. Since then, it has grown into an international fast-casual chain with hundreds of locations, known for its Angus beef burgers, crinkle-cut fries, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches and milkshakes.
REGIONAL BURGER CHAINS ARE BEATING FAST-FOOD GIANTS IN ONE KEY MEASURE
It helped define the mid-2010s era of premium fast-casual smash burgers.
"We certainly didn't invent them — but as a category, they now seem to be everywhere," Meyer told Eater last year.
The Cheesecake Factory's roots were in Beverly Hills, California, where David Overton opened the first restaurant in 1978 to showcase his mother Evelyn's cheesecakes.
She began baking cheesecakes in Detroit in the 1940s before opening a small bakery in Los Angeles in 1972.
Decades later, it ranked third among restaurant chains in the analysis and has expanded to about 250 restaurants worldwide.
BABY BOOMERS CROWN THEIR FAVORITE CASUAL DINING CHAIN AS GEN Z CHOOSES A DIFFERENT WINNER
It has also cemented its place in American culture, synonymous with the suburban mall experience of the 1990s and 2000s and a symbol of American excess with its large portions, sprawling menu and over-the-top interior design.
P.F. Chang's ranked fourth among the restaurant chains, with home values within 3 miles of its locations 26% higher than in comparable areas.
The Asian-inspired chain is known for dishes such as Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Mongolian Beef and is similarly tied to the casual-dining boom of the 1990s and 2000s.
Like The Cheesecake Factory, it serves generous portions and is a fixture in malls and shopping centers, with similarly elaborate decor.
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Founded in 1993 in Scottsdale, Arizona, it now operates more than 300 restaurants worldwide, spanning over 20 countries.
Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panera Bread tied for fifth, with home values within 3 miles of both chains' locations 17% higher than in comparable areas.
Chipotle was founded near the University of Denver in 1993, serving burritos inspired by San Francisco's Mission District.
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It has since grown to more than 4,000 restaurants across several international markets, offering customizable burritos, bowls, tacos and salads.
Panera started as a bakery in 1987 and has grown to more than 2,250 bakery-cafes across 48 states, Washington, D.C., and Ontario, Canada, focusing on soups, salads, sandwiches and baked goods.
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Both commonly appear in suburban shopping centers and retail corridors, while Panera has announced plans to expand to locations such as hospitals and universities.
Fox News Digital reached out to all the chains for comment.
Poll shows Hochul adding to lead over Blakeman in New York governor's race: 'Running out of time'
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul expanded her lead over Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman to double digits in a new poll showing the Democratic incumbent pulling further ahead in the final days before Election Day.
Hochul leads the Nassau County executive 54% to 40% among likely New York voters, according to a Siena Research Institute survey released Wednesday. The 14-point margin is five points wider than her lead in September, when she led 50% to 41%.
"Heading into the final stretch, Hochul has a 14-point lead, with Blakeman quickly running out of time to close a gap that is growing rather than narrowing," Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said in a statement.
The poll also showed Blakeman struggling to establish an advantage in areas where Republicans typically need strong support to compete statewide. The candidates are virtually tied in upstate New York and the downstate suburbs, while Hochul leads independent voters by 11 points.
Republicans generally need strong margins in those regions and among independents to overcome Democrats' roughly two-to-one voter registration advantage and their dominance in New York City, Greenberg noted.
"But with only a week to go, Blakeman and Hochul are running virtually evenly upstate and in the downstate suburbs, while Hochul has an 11-point lead with independents," Greenberg said, noting that Blakeman is "quickly running out of time to close a gap that is growing rather than narrowing."
Despite Hochul's overall advantage, the survey revealed uncertainty among voters over whether either candidate would make life more affordable for average New Yorkers.
DEBRA MESSING SAYS COST OF LIVING, SUBWAY VIOLENCE PUSHED HER TO BACK TRUMP-ENDORSED REPUBLICAN
A plurality of voters, 35%, said neither candidate would make life more affordable, compared with 30% who chose Hochul and 27% who selected Blakeman.
Hochul also reached a new milestone in the survey, with 51% of likely voters viewing her favorably compared with 45% who viewed her unfavorably. It marked the first time a majority of voters had viewed her favorably in Siena polling during her five years as governor.
Her job approval rating also rose to 51%, up from 48% in September. Blakeman, meanwhile, received a 39% favorable rating and a 40% unfavorable rating.
The survey found a sizable gender gap, with Hochul leading Blakeman by 23 points among women and six points among men. She also led among Black voters, 81% to 16%, while White voters were closely divided.
The poll also found that 68% of likely voters believed Hochul would win the election, compared with 23% who predicted a Blakeman victory. Among Republicans surveyed, 40% said they expected Hochul to win.
In New York's other statewide races, Democratic Attorney General Letitia James led Republican Saritha Komatireddy 54% to 39%, while Democratic state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli led Republican Joseph Hernandez 59% to 32%.
The Siena poll was conducted Oct. 19–22 among 807 likely New York voters through telephone and text-to-web surveys. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.
Election Day is Nov. 3.
Real Madrid issues apology to China over Mbappe controversy after state-run TV demands it
Real Madrid stood firm longer than most clubs would – all of a few hours – before bending the knee to China and issuing a formal apology amid the controversy and backlash involving forward Kylian Mbappe and a meme of the late dictator Mao Zedong.
The club initially argued that Mbappe had no intent to offend while also explaining that players have freedom of expression, which predictably did not go over well.
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During a recent interview on The Bridge, a French talk show hosted by Mbappe's Real Madrid teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, the 27-year-old superstar laughed about a meme with his face imposed on an image resembling Mao. One of Mbappe's most popular nicknames is "The Dictator," hence the meme and joking around.
China did not find anything funny about the French star laughing at a meme of Mao, the communist dictator whose regime resulted in tens of millions of deaths. Several Chinese sponsors severed ties with Mbappe, and state-run CCTV stopped airing La Liga matches in China, the top-flight league in Spain that featured Real Madrid and 19 other clubs.
La Liga wasted no time in issuing a public apology, explaining that Mbappe's comments do not represent the league. Less than an hour later came Mbappe's own public apology, which included a note that he now understands his comments "hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world."
Real Madrid did not follow suit with a public bending of the knee to China until Wednesday, that is, after immense pressure from state-run media.
The Spanish giant tried distancing itself from Mbappe's comments, a virtually impossible endeavor given Mbappe is among the most popular athletes in the world, by releasing comments to Spanish news outlet Okdiario.
According to the outlet, the club did not believe Mbappe's "personal expression" would affect commercial connections in China, nor did it believe he had any intent to offend the Chinese people.
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CCTV did not appreciate Real Madrid's initial response, and issued a statement explaining that it did "not accept this attitude" from the club and that until it issues an apology, "all other discussions are off-limits."
Real Madrid wasted no time and issued a public apology very shortly after CCTV demanded it.
"Real Madrid C.F. wishes to apologize to the Chinese people for any distress that may have been caused by the recent remarks made by our player, Kylian Mbappé," the apology began.
"Our club holds deep respect for China — its history, its culture, and its citizens—as well as for the millions of Chinese fans who feel affection and admiration for Real Madrid."
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Again, all of this fallout and barrage of public apologies are a result of a French athlete laughing at a meme of a Chinese dictator who died 50 years ago.
Real Madrid may have stood firm beside Mbappe and freedom of expression, but the unfortunate reality quickly sank in with China ending the broadcast of La Liga matches and the league itself already issuing an apology.
MATT CALKINS: Why are flagpoles allowed at Portland Thorns games? Alleged attacks raise serious questions
Ari Laureano is a detransitioned man who sported an XX-XY Athletics T-shirt at a Portland Thorns game Friday. Moments after opening his coat to reveal the logo, he said he was attacked by members of the emphatically pro-trans Thorns crowd.
Laureano said fans struck him twice in the face with flagpoles, then used trans-pride flags to conceal themselves while poking other women in his group — most of whom were holding up a sign reading "Save Women's Sports." And while this unhinged reaction prompts a multitude of questions, one of them has to be: Why do they let attendees bring flagpoles into the stadium?
Most sports venues have strict rules about what fans can bring inside.
The NBA prohibits poles and sticks, while Major League Baseball stadiums such as Seattle's T-Mobile Park explicitly ban flagpoles. Yet at Providence Park, fans were apparently able to wield objects that, according to Laureano, were used as weapons.
Why is that? Well, spokespeople for the Portland Timbers and Thorns — Providence Park's primary tenants — did not respond to emails inquiring about the policy. The likely explanation is that American soccer clubs have embraced the traditions of their European counterparts, where fans routinely wave flags, sing chants and unfurl massive banners.
But Friday showed the risk associated with allowing said flagpoles into a stadium. And there is no immediate sign that any rule changes are coming.
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So what exactly is the policy?
According to the stadium's guest guide, flag and banner poles "must be hollow PVC pipe and no longer than 6' in length." Wooden and metal sticks or poles are prohibited. The guide also says that a flagpole "cannot be used as a projectile, and must not be constructed of wood, metal or other materials that may cause harm to others."
I can't say whether any of the poles Friday violated those specifications. But if Laureano's account is accurate, they were used as weapons regardless of their size or composition.
And that raises a question the Thorns and Timbers should have to answer: Is preserving a soccer tradition worth putting spectators at risk?
Angel Reese went from taunting Golden State to complaining about officiating as WNBA Finals shifted
Following a dominant Game 3 performance in the WNBA Finals, Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese wanted all the smoke.
After posting 21 points and 12 rebounds in a 97-71 win at State Farm Arena, Reese taunted Golden State players with a "too small" gesture. Atlanta had a 2-1 series lead, and Reese had combined for 51 points and 28 rebounds in consecutive victories.
WNBA PLAYERS, COACHES REFUSE TO EXPLAIN NATIONAL ANTHEM ABSENCES AMID MOUNTING CRITICISM
By the end of Game 3, Reese had become the odds-on betting favorite to win Finals MVP.
Two games later, it’s Reese who looks small.
The 24-year-old forward combined for 15 points on 4-for-20 shooting in Games 4 and 5, both Atlanta losses. She committed nine turnovers, more than twice her four made field goals. What had been a 2-1 series advantage is now a 3-2 deficit, leaving Reese and the Dream one loss from elimination.
WNBA FINALS GAME 6, A POTENTIAL TITLE-CLINCHER, WILL BE HELD IN THE AFTERNOON ON THURSDAY
Her tone has changed, too. After explaining how she was getting into Golden State’s head, Reese is now complaining about the whistle.
During Friday’s media availability before Game 4, Reese sounded like a player who believed she had the Valkyries figured out.
"They’re playing into my mental game where I can take their confidence and just try to do whatever to mess them up," Reese said.
She wasn’t done.
"I’m really confident within myself. Everybody knows that," Reese said.
At the time, she had the performances to back it up. Reese scored 30 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in Game 2, then followed with another double-double in Game 3. Atlanta won those games by a combined 40 points.
Then Reese and Atlanta got a harsh reminder that Golden State reached the WNBA Finals for a reason.
Reese scored eight points on 2-for-12 shooting in Saturday’s 67-62 loss at State Farm Arena. She missed her first five shots of the fourth quarter and committed her sixth turnover on Atlanta’s final possession.
ANGEL REESE'S LATEST WNBA CONTROVERSY SHOWS HOW VICTIMHOOD BECAME CENTRAL TO HER BRAND
Afterward, she acknowledged that her finishing had been a problem.
"I didn’t take my time finishing around the basket like I’ve been doing in the last two games," Reese said.
She added that "it happens" and promised, "I’ll just be better."
But Reese didn't play much better in Game 5.
She finished with seven points on 2-for-8 shooting in Golden State’s 64-55 Game 5 victory at Chase Center. Reese once again had more turnovers (3) than made field goals (2), although she did grab 15 rebounds and dish out five assists.
Before Game 5, Reese drew attention for arriving at Chase Center in a "Protect Black Women" shirt.
After the game, Reese was less interested in saying that she should "be better." Instead, she directed her frustration toward the referees.
"A lot of us are getting fouled, and they’re not calling it," she said.
Reese said the officiating had changed after Atlanta took its 2-1 series lead. She pointed to an uncalled grab by Gabby Williams in Game 4 and complained about being whistled for offensive fouls after defenders pushed her first.
"It definitely took a big turn," Reese said.
Her coach backed her up.
"The contact they allow on Angel compared to everybody else is just ridiculous. Just ridiculous," Karl Smesko said.
Smesko argued that contact on Reese alone should have sent Atlanta to the foul line six to eight more times. He also complained about missed traveling and double-dribble violations, while acknowledging that Atlanta was missing shots it should make.
There were calls worth questioning, including a play in which Veronica Burton’s arm hit Allisha Gray’s head as Gray drove to the basket, knocking off her goggles without a foul call.
But the free-throw numbers hardly tell the story of a series tilted toward Golden State.
Atlanta attempted 31 free throws to Golden State’s 13 in Game 4. The Dream missed nine of them in a five-point loss.
In Game 5, Atlanta again had more attempts, 14-13. Eight of Golden State's 13 free throws came in the fourth quarter, all with the Valkyries leading.
Through five games, Atlanta’s advantage in free throw attempts was 130-78.
WNBA officiating has faced criticism throughout the season, so Reese and Smesko aren’t alone in questioning its consistency.
But no whistle changes Reese’s four made baskets in two games.
Reese won the WNBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award this season. But in these Finals, it’s Kiah Stokes who is looking like the league’s best defender, especially when Reese is trying to score against her.
Stokes has blocked 17 shots through five games, already a WNBA Finals record. She has recorded at least three blocks in every game of the series, and her streak extends to six consecutive playoff games. Stokes tied Lisa Leslie’s 2003 record for the longest such run in a single postseason.
Reese has had 11 of her 59 shot attempts blocked through five games, including eight by Stokes. Those Valkyries blocks account for exactly one-third of Reese’s 33 missed shots.
Golden State’s center followed her 16-rebound, three-block Game 4 with 13 points, eight rebounds and three more blocks Monday. She made three three-pointers in Game 5, one more than Reese’s total field goals.
Across Atlanta’s two losses, Stokes blocked six shots while Reese made four.
Angel Reese was happy to tell Golden State how difficult she was to defend when Atlanta was winning. The Valkyries have since made her prove it, and she hasn’t delivered offensively.
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Game 6 is Thursday at 12:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena, with Atlanta needing a win to force a deciding game in San Francisco.
Reese wants to be known as one of the best players in the WNBA, and those players are the ones who show up when the spotlight shines brightest.
After Game 3, she was asked about joining the ranks of Atlanta’s sports greats. Reese said she had only been in the city six months, but explained how she measures greatness.
"I think you become one of the greats … when you can win and impact winning," Reese said.
She did that in Games 2 and 3. But her last two performances aren’t going to convince anyone that she belongs in that conversation right now.
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China encroaches dangerously close to US land as a single ship breakdown exposes major vulnerability
America's ability to maintain a presence in the Arctic remains thin enough that a single mechanical failure cut the Coast Guard's icebreaking capability in the region in half this summer.
And the breakdown comes as Chinese vessels are expanding their activity around Alaska.
Rear Adm. Bob Little, commander of the Coast Guard's Arctic District, told Fox News Digital the failure of Coast Guard Cutter Healy left him with just one of two icebreakers that had been slated to operate in the ice. Meanwhile, four Chinese research vessels were operating in the region.
"Healy's unexpected mechanical failure cut in half my capability to operate up in the ice," Little said.
ARCTIC POWER PLAY GIVES TOP US ADVERSARY NEW OPENING WITH RUSSIA AS US STAKES GROW
The shortfall comes as the U.S. faces a growing need to maintain a presence in waters that can take days to reach. Chinese research vessels are gaining experience in the Arctic and collecting data that can also have military applications, including for submarine operations, while Russia's much larger icebreaker fleet gives Moscow greater ability to move ships and supplies through the region.
The Coast Guard is now racing to add ships, aircraft and surveillance capabilities as shrinking sea ice opens more of the Arctic to navigation. But its next generation of icebreakers is still years away.
"I can't get those icebreakers soon enough, given the operational environment," Little said.
Little said nearly $25 billion in recent funding will support 11 new Arctic Security Cutters, with the first expected to arrive in the region as early as 2028.
The buildup comes as the Coast Guard's operating area is effectively growing. Declining sea ice is opening more navigable water around Alaska, bringing more commercial and military activity into areas that were once harder to reach.
"As that new operational area becomes accessible, we see an increase in human activity for economic development, for military advancement," Little said. "And that activity is creating a need for additional Coast Guard mission."
China has become an increasingly regular presence in those waters. Little said Chinese research activity has grown from as few as one vessel appearing episodically in the Arctic to five last year, while four operated there this year.
Those vessels are not necessarily violating international rules. The Coast Guard Cutter Munro recently returned from a 112-day Arctic patrol that included monitoring Chinese research ships, and Little said the Coast Guard did not observe activity on the surface that fell outside customary law or international norms.
RUSSIA PULLED BACK FROM THE ARCTIC, FOR NOW. NATO MUST ACT BEFORE THOSE TROOPS RETURN
The concern, he said, is what China can learn simply by operating there.
"Any research vessel that operates in the Arctic has the ability to conduct both scientific research," Little said. "It could be economic research that could be for future exploitation of critical minerals and scarce resources."
"And then all of that research helps aid in military activity if you're trying to identify seabed floors and navigate subsurface assets," he added.
Troy Bouffard, director of the Center for Arctic Security and Resilience at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said China's research activity gives Beijing experience operating in an environment where it has historically had little.
"They're pretty desperate to gain operational experience and knowledge in terms of their growing military capabilities," Bouffard told Fox News Digital.
The research vessels collect legitimate scientific data, he said, but that information can have other applications, "especially when it comes to submarine warfare planning."
For the U.S., Bouffard said the challenge is about more than the number of icebreakers. Unlike the North Atlantic, where the U.S. and its allies have decades of infrastructure and experience, the North Pacific side of the Arctic has far less infrastructure to support a sustained presence.
"If we can't have presence, surface presence in an area, it's very difficult to manage issues that may escalate," Bouffard said.
The distances compound the problem. Getting a ship from Kodiak, Anchorage or Seattle into the Bering Sea can take several days, Bouffard said.
Russia already holds a substantial advantage in its ability to maintain access through its much larger icebreaker fleet.
"Advantage certainly falls in their favor," Little said.
Russia's fleet allows it to maintain access, sea lanes and logistical routes for commercial and military purposes, he said.
"Certainly, as we look at the military advantage, there is a need for the United States to keep up and to ensure that we have ice presence and ice capability," Little said.
The Coast Guard is also watching cooperation between Moscow and Beijing. Little said the service has observed joint Russian-Chinese military surface groups, cooperation between their coast guard forces and Chinese research vessels collaborating with Russia and "likely sharing information."
"Either of them alone are worth paying attention to," Little said. "But anytime they're working together, we're watching closely to see if they pose any threat to homeland security or a military risk to the United States."