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Trump ally James Comer defends Kimmel's free speech after 'widow' joke, says we shouldn't cancel comedy
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., politely disagreed with President Donald Trump on Wednesday, defending late-night host Jimmy Kimmel against renewed calls to remove him from the air following a controversial joke.
The White House kept up its heat on Kimmel Monday, with Trump calling on Disney to fire the ABC host. This came after first lady Melania Trump condemned Kimmel for referring to her as "an expectant widow" days before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was interrupted by a suspected attempted assassin.
"I don’t want to cancel comedy," Comer said. "I believe in freedom of speech. I think that was, you know, a lot of Kimmel’s jokes are tasteless and probably borderline inappropriate," Comer said in an interview with NewsNation. "But at the end of the day, he has a right to do that."
MENTALIST OZ PEARLMAN PULLS OUT OF KIMMEL GUEST APPEARANCE, REPLACED BY LEFT-WING PODCASTER
He said that if audiences find it distasteful, they should change the channel, adding that if the FCC does scrutinize Kimmel’s network, it should be for something more substantial.
Citing that he is a fan of comedy, particularly comics like Dave Chappelle, the Kentucky Republican argued that if anything, cracking down on comedians has been an activity associated with the political left in recent years.
"All the comedians, and I know a lot of them, feel like many people, usually from the left, have kind of canceled comedy, and I think that’s unfortunate," Comer said. "But hopefully Kimmel can proceed with jokes that don’t pertain to assassinations or things like that because I think that gets a lot of people jacked up, and I think that contributes to the rise in political violence that we’re seeing."
KAROLINE LEAVITT SAYS OBAMA 'HAS NO IDEA WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT' AFTER KIMMEL COMMENTS
Kimmel has defended his joke about Melania Trump having the glow of an "expectant widow," insisting his jab suggesting the first lady will be happy when her husband dies "was a very light roast joke about the fact that he's almost 80." Many of his critics were not persuaded.
"It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination," Kimmel said.
Last year, Kimmel was briefly suspended by Disney after controversial remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk sparked outrage. He returned to the air days later and insisted he never intended to make light of Kirk’s death.
In December, ABC extended his contract until at least May 2027.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and to ABC but did not immediately receive responses.
Fox News’ Brian Flood contributed to this report.
Rashida Tlaib slams anti-israel Arab group over handling of sexual harassment claims
The leadership of a prominent Arab-American advocacy group active in anti-Israel campus protests is under fire after Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., blasted the group over past sexual harassment allegations, while a former board member says he was ousted after raising harassment concerns with the DC attorney general’s office.
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), one of the country’s oldest Arab-American civil rights organizations, came under renewed scrutiny after former board member Dr. Ed Hasan filed a formal complaint on April 22 outlining concerns about the organization’s internal handling of allegations.
Tlaib said she was sexually harassed while working for the group early in her career and has accused the organization of failing to properly address the issue, renewing attention to longstanding allegations in a recent video posted to social media. The group has played a visible role in campus protests tied to the Israel-Hamas war, including providing legal support and advocacy for student demonstrators.
Hasan, a Georgetown University adjunct lecturer, said he filed a formal derivative demand on April 22 seeking corrective action — including the removal of board leadership — and shared those concerns with the attorney general’s office.
He said he raised concerns about harassment and governance failures and expected an independent investigation, but instead alleged the organization conducted an internal review and removed him from his board position within days, which he described as retaliation.
Hasan also criticized how the review was handled, saying the board investigated the matter internally despite his objections that it should be handled by an independent third party, creating what he described as a conflict of interest.
"A board cannot investigate itself," he said.
"Since then, additional survivors have shared deeply painful experiences with me, making it clear that these are not isolated incidents but part of a systemic problem," he added. Fox News Digital has not independently verified those claims.
"In my professional view, meaningful change will require the resignation of the current board and the creation of a community-driven interim transitional board to rebuild trust and safety," he added.
In a public statement, ADC said it had been reviewing concerns raised "across various platforms" and acknowledged that some allegations reference incidents from more than a decade ago.
"Because we recognize that the passage of time does not erase harm, we reiterate our previous apology sincerely and without reservation," the organization said.
ADC added that it maintains a "zero-tolerance policy for harassment" and warned against the spread of misinformation, saying it would defend itself against "false claims."
Tlaib described her experience working at the group’s Michigan office early in her career in a video posted to social media last week.
She said she was sexually harassed while working at the organization and that the alleged misconduct later escalated to involve multiple women, with more than two dozen individuals coming forward with similar accounts.
Tlaib accused the organization of failing to properly address the allegations, saying the individual accused of misconduct "didn’t get fired" and was instead "paid… to just go away."
She also suggested leadership sought to minimize the issue, saying they "threw it under the rug."
Tlaib said she spoke out again after discovering the organization was using her image on its website.
"Shame on you for using the image of a victim of your organization and continuation of a toxic work environment. You all haven't changed," Tlaib wrote.
"I stand with all of ADC’s survivors who were shamed instead of protected and believed," she added.
The allegations referenced by Tlaib were publicly reported more than a decade ago, when multiple women came forward with claims of misconduct involving a senior staffer, distinguishing them from Hasan’s more recent governance-related claims.
Other activists have echoed similar criticisms.
Palestinian-American political analyst Omar Baddar, who previously led a regional ADC chapter, said he stood with Tlaib outside an ADC event 13 years ago, demanding accountability over sexual harassment allegations involving a senior staffer. Fox News Digital has not independently verified those claims.
It is not clear whether any criminal charges were filed in connection with the past allegations.
ADC referred Fox News Digital to a statement posted on its social media accounts when asked for additional comment. Fox News Digital has also reached out to Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s office and the attorney general’s office for comment.
'Shark Tank' star backs Trump's White House ballroom plan amid security concerns: ‘It’s bipartisan’
"Shark Tank" star and investor Kevin O’Leary backed President Donald Trump’s push for a White House ballroom as a way to showcase the "American Dream" and serve future administrations of both parties, days after the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting.
"I don't think the ballroom's a partisan issue, it's bipartisan because one day there'll be a Democratic president that'll use the ballroom," O’Leary told Fox News Digital.
The comments come as congressional Republicans push to approve the ballroom following the shooting at the Washington Hilton ballroom during the annual event attended by hundreds of journalists and Cabinet officials. Lawmakers believe this would offer a secure venue for future events.
O’Leary argued the project, opposed by many Democrats, would also elevate the "American brand" on the world stage.
REPUBLICANS EYE PICKING UP $400M TAB FOR TRUMP'S BALLROOM AS SOME DEMS OPEN TO 'DISCUSS' IDEA
"I want the ballroom because I believe in pomp and circumstance, the American brand," he added.
He said the nation’s image is more than just the economy.
"People think it's exporting technology or exporting energy," he said. "It's not. It's the American Dream and so you want to showcase that."
He added the ballroom would bring this image to life.
"Let's get that ballroom fired up and show the world the American Dream," he said. "That's what it is."
He noted the project would not rely on taxpayer dollars. President Trump said the project would be privately financed through personal contributions and outside donors.
WALZ REPEATS DEBUNKED CLAIM THAT TRUMP CONSIDERS WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM 'TOP PRIORITY'
"My lobbyist over here said the taxpayers are not paying for it," he said. "So then why not let them have a ballroom? I don't get it."
However, Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Katie Britt, R-Ala., and Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., proposed new legislation this week that would fund the project using customs fees on imports to cover the cost.
A lawsuit and court-ordered injunction halted construction of the 90,000-square-foot, $400 million ballroom. A federal court ruled in March that construction must stop without congressional approval, but an appeal allowed limited below-ground construction to continue.
O’Leary addressed Saturday’s shooting, saying it unfolded "at a moment’s notice."
"No one was hurt, thank goodness," he said. "I think there'll be a lot of investigations on that stuff."
The suspect was identified as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, Calif. He is facing charges of attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, transporting a firearm across state lines and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Authorities said the suspect sent a manifesto to family members outlining his intent to target President Trump and other Cabinet officials.
President Trump said at a news conference Saturday night the shooting reinforces the need for a White House ballroom.
"We need the ballroom," he said. "That's why the Secret Service, that's why the military are demanding it. They've wanted the ballroom for 150 years for lots of different reasons. But today is a little bit different, because today we need levels of security that probably nobody's ever seen before."
O’Leary expressed doubts about the future of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and raised concerns about securing large-scale events.
"I also wonder about long-term if that dinner's going to survive, because providing the security for 2,600 people is next to impossible," he said.
Fox News Digital’s Adam Pack and Alex Miller contributed to this report.
Rampaging 1,000-teen mob storms tourist attraction, hurts officers in violent 'takeover' caught on video
Over 1,000 teenagers stormed a Florida tourist attraction over the weekend in the latest viral teen "takeover," leading to nearly a dozen arrests and landing two police officers in the hospital.
The chaos kicked off Saturday around 7 p.m., when the mob of rowdy juveniles descended on Orlando’s ICON Park, according to FOX 35.
Several fights reportedly broke out within the group, resulting in two Orange County deputies being injured as they tried to calm the melee.
Both officers were transported to a hospital and subsequently released, authorities said.
VIOLENT MOB OF JUVENILES SWARMS STREETS, ATTACKS OFFICERS IN WILD 'TEEN TAKEOVER' CAUGHT ON VIDEO
The incident led to nine individuals being taken into custody on charges, including battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, resisting an officer without violence and trespassing after receiving a warning, FOX 35 reported.
Chaotic video obtained by FOX 35 shows local authorities ordering the teens to leave the area as police cars lined the roads. Additional footage shows teens running through the streets as onlookers watch from inside a restaurant.
"They said they planned something on TikTok – a 'TikTok Takeover,'" one individual can be heard saying.
"They posted that s--- on YouTube," another person replied.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office reportedly said the agency was "aware" of an event being planned at the entertainment complex and assigned several deputies to the location in preparation for the group’s arrival.
In response to the wild takeover, ICON Park has implemented a chaperone policy requiring all minors to be accompanied by an adult while visiting the theme park, FOX 35 reported.
"ICON Park always has the safety of our guests and employees top of mind. We are committed to keeping ICON Park a place where guests of all ages can come and enjoy all we have to offer," ICON Park said in a statement, according to the outlet.
The mob scene is the latest to make headlines after dozens of social-media-fueled teen "takeovers" have plagued authorities throughout the country, resulting in arrests and disturbing communities.
"We are aware of a growing pattern of large, organized gatherings at entertainment destinations, and we are taking a proactive approach to ensure these environments remain welcoming for everyone," Commissioner Mike Scott said, FOX 35 reported.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department and ICON Park did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Hundreds of jailed illegal aliens released back onto blue-state streets despite ICE detainers, records show
FIRST ON FOX: Chicago-area officials released more than 400 illegal immigrants arrested on criminal charges amid the Trump administration’s 2025 immigration enforcement surge, public records obtained by a conservative legal group show.
"Cook County and the State of Illinois have turned sanctuary policies into a deadly shield for criminal illegal aliens," Will Scolinos, an America First Legal attorney, said in a comment to Fox News Digital of the data.
"By releasing hundreds of illegal aliens despite explicit ICE detainers in just one year, sanctuary laws endangered American lives. The tragic murder of Sheridan Gorman is the predictable outcome of pro-illegal alien madness that has infiltrated the Blue States," he added.
Illinois law generally bars state and local law enforcement from honoring ICE detainers or transferring people to immigration authorities unless presented with a federal criminal warrant. Sanctuary policies like those in Illinois have become a political flash point, drawing the ire of the Trump administration as it accuses Democratic governors of imperiling community safety by failing to hand over illegal immigrants.
"The safest way to arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our streets is by lodging arrest detainers," a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. "Because sanctuary cities refuse to work with ICE law enforcement, criminal illegal aliens are released from jails into American communities to perpetuate more crimes."
America First Legal's data, which was obtained through a public records request, covers January to December 2025.
Though Cook County released most of the illegal immigrants federal authorities wanted to apprehend, records show that the county transferred 86 jailed illegal immigrants to federal custody in 2025.
The DHS spokesperson noted that some of the illegal immigrants held in jails may have committed serious crimes in their home countries that don't appear in American records.
Controversy surrounding how Illinois handles illegal immigrants arrested by local law enforcement came to a head in March when Jose Medina-Medina, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, allegedly shot and killed Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old college student in Chicago.
Medina-Medina was previously arrested in Illinois on charges of shoplifting in 2023 and was released rather than deported, which conservatives have pointed to while criticizing the state’s approach to immigration enforcement.
President Donald Trump blamed Illinois' sanctuary policies for the death, while Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker accused the president of "politicizing" the killing and called on his administration to provide more public safety funding.
Illegal immigrants are far less likely to be convicted of crimes than native-born Americans, data compiled by the libertarian Cato Institute has found. Democrats cite similar findings to counter the Trump administration’s claim that illegal immigrants are dangerous. Illegal immigrants detained in connection with suspected crimes, however, may pose a greater risk than the broader population of illegal immigrants.
The DHS spokesperson claimed that "nearly 70% of ICE arrests" involve illegal immigrants charged or convicted of a crime in the United States.
Pritzker, a vocal opponent of federal deportation efforts, signed the Illinois Way Forward Act in 2021. The legislation prohibits local law enforcement agencies from signing immigration enforcement contracts with the federal government and limits their ability to investigate the immigration status of individuals detained on suspicion of crimes.
"Throughout my governorship, I’ve directed my administration to adopt policies that make Illinois a welcoming state for immigrants, and I’m proud to sign these accountability measures into law to advance our cause," Pritzker said at the time. "Every family, every child, every human being deserves to feel safe and secure in the place they call home. I am committed to making sure that value defines what it means to live in Illinois."
The Trump administration has threatened to withhold funding from jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement operations, including Chicago.
Fox News Digital reached the Illinois Office of the Governor via email on Tuesday morning for comment.
Former FBI agent says Comey charges hinge on intent evidence and jury interpretation
Nicole Parker, a former FBI special agent, Fox News contributor and author of "The Two FBIs," said the case against former FBI Director James Comey could be difficult to prove, though "certainly possible" for prosecutors to secure a conviction.
Federal authorities have charged Comey in connection with a social media post they say threatened President Donald Trump.
Parker told Fox News Digital that cases involving alleged threats are often complex, particularly when they rely on interpretation rather than explicit language, and depend heavily on the specific facts and evidence gathered by investigators.
"These cases may be difficult to charge," Parker said. "I have charged them before in the past, and it is certainly possible to come up with guilty verdicts. No one is above the law, and guilty verdicts do come down the pipeline."
GREGG JARRETT: HOW OBAMA AND CRONIES CREATED TRUMP-RUSSIA HOAX, AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Comey was indicted Tuesday on two felony counts related to a May 2025 Instagram post showing seashells arranged to form "86 47," which prosecutors argue could be interpreted as a threat against Trump, the 47th president.
Comey, who self-surrendered and appeared in federal court Wednesday, has denied wrongdoing and previously described the image as a "cool shell formation."
Parker said that in threat investigations, agents typically gather a wide range of evidence before presenting a case to prosecutors, who then determine whether charges are warranted. She added that cases do not always hinge on a single piece of evidence, and that prosecutors may rely on a broader body of information when attempting to establish intent.
The case against Comey is expected to hinge in part on whether prosecutors can demonstrate intent behind the social media post, an issue that has already drawn scrutiny from legal analysts.
DEMOCRATS' NEW BOOGEYMAN IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF DONALD TRUMP
Parker also noted that where a case is tried can play a significant role in how it unfolds, particularly when it comes to how juries interpret evidence.
She added that venue can influence how a case is received, especially in a highly polarized environment, making it an important factor in how cases are ultimately decided.
"In a perfect country, the prosecution should be able to present evidence to any jury nationwide and receive a verdict based strictly on the evidence," she said. "More than ever before, venue does matter because in this current state of polarization in our nation – it is not just what evidence is presented but where the evidence is presented."
SEN LINDSEY GRAHAM: COMEY’S FBI INVESTIGATED ME AND 8 COLLEAGUES IN ANTI-TRUMP CRUSADE
The case is being brought in the Eastern District of North Carolina, a venue that could factor into how the evidence is evaluated by a jury.
Parker, who worked under Comey during her time at the FBI, said she believes his history with Trump provides important context surrounding the case.
"Many from the bureau believe Comey has a bruised ego and has never gotten over the fact that he was fired in May 2017 by President Donald Trump while on a trip to the Los Angeles Field Office," Parker said. "Director Comey was perceived by many as arrogant and untouchable."
GREGG JARRETT: SHOULD PROSECUTORS BE PROSECUTED FOR THEIR LAWFARE CAMPAIGN AGAINST TRUMP?
She added that, in her view, the social media post at the center of the case crossed a line, particularly given Comey’s former role leading the FBI.
"Around the same time frame of Comey’s ‘86 47’ seashell Instagram post, he posted an announcement on X regarding his latest mystery novel that was coming out. This would have been a ridiculous post if he was simply trying to drum up attention for his book," Parker said. "A former FBI director should know better than this."
"He claims innocence regarding these allegations in the indictment, but it seems that Comey never knew when to stop," she added.
Parker said questions surrounding intent and interpretation are common in threat-related cases and are ultimately decided in court based on the totality of the evidence.
As the case moves forward, Comey is expected to contest the charges, setting up a legal battle that could test how courts interpret statements made on social media and where the line is drawn between protected speech and criminal threats.
DAVID MARCUS: Why I'll take my clunker over any new car with a government kill switch
Back in January, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., proposed legislation to repeal a Biden-era regulation that will require all auto manufacturers to put kill switches in their new cars, as well as software to determine if a driver is impaired. It failed, with 57 Republicans opposing it.
Today, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, is leading a battle to kill the kill switch as part of the new FISA legislation, but his effort isn’t looking good, either.
My initial reaction to this bad news was to get my beat-up 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer to the shop because I might now have to drive it for the rest of my life.
Obviously, I have no plans to drive impaired in any way, but the idea of owning a car, connected to the internet that the government can just shut off at a whim is an Orwellian step too far for me, and, I suspect, many Americans.
NEW YORK HALTS ROBOTAXI EXPANSION PLAN
Sure, it starts with not letting you start your own car if you look drunk, but soon it will happen if you miss a payment, or fail to cover your EZ-Pass bill or say something controversial on a website.
I may be old-fashioned, but all I want out of a car is an engine and wheels. I don’t want it to talk to me, and I sure as hell don’t want it to listen to me. It's a car, not my boss or my therapist.
I could drive from West Virginia to Utah without my seat belt on in my Lancer, and it wouldn’t sound like the dinging and buzzing inside of a Vegas casino.
MORNING GLORY: A PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP-BRANDED ENERGY DRINK?
Never does my vehicle, in a soft and dulcet voice, with a blinking red light say, "Dave, you’re driving a bit rapidly, aren't you?"
It’s bad enough that cars are self-driving today. So, not only could the government potentially lock your ignition, it could use your own car to take you to jail, which I suppose is at least efficient.
The argument from Democrats and the 57 Republicans who want to control you more is what it almost always is; an appeal to safety, a ballpark figure of how many lives will be saved that will be treated as irrefutable, as if we don’t make life and death tradeoffs everyday.
SEN BERNIE SANDERS: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS COMING FOR THE WORKING CLASS. WE MUST FIGHT BACK
To borrow a phrase from the bad old days of COVID, "If it saves just one life."
But if that really is the bottom line, then why not mandate that all vehicles have governors that max their speed out at 75 miles an hour? That would save an enormous number of lives and make policing traffic vastly easier.
If the issue is drunk driving, then install breathalyzers needed to start the engine. Problem solved.
LIZ PEEK: FIVE UNFORGETTABLE LESSONS WE ALL LEARNED IN 2025, BUT SOME DEMOCRATS STILL DIDN’T
The reason we don’t take these invasive measures to prevent auto deaths is that neither can be used as a cudgel, neither of those options make our personal automobiles more like government-controlled public transportation.
What’s next? The government rationing by remote control how often you can drive your own car? Where you can and can’t go in it?
Does that really sound so farfetched?
GOV GAVIN NEWSOM: PROTECTING AMERICAN JOBS – AND AIR
At the point at which we can no longer simply turn on our cars and drive them, without some go ahead from the federal government, our cars stop being our own. We just rent them from the state.
Sadly, it seems as though that point is about to arrive, as once again, too many Congressional Republicans roll over like a cute seal at the zoo and watch our rights get trampled.
To make matters worse, we are now reaping the foul rewards of President Barack Obama’s "Cash for Clunkers" program, which mindlessly took hundreds of thousands of usable used cars off of the market.
SEAN DUFFY: TAKE A GREAT AMERICAN ROAD TRIP AND REDISCOVER OUR AMAZING COUNTRY
Not only do the Democrats want to control your new car, they want to destroy the old cars they can’t control.
I saw the impact of this myself in North Carolina after the ravages of Hurricane Helene, where families were going from two cars to one car because there just wasn’t any stock of cheap used cars available.
Having a car is a central facet of the American dream, the conquest of distance, the freedom of travel, but that dream can quickly turn into a nightmare if we hand the keys over to the government.
All of this is why my mindset is now that I’m keeping my Lancer until the government pries it out of my cold, dead driveway. If you are anything like me, well, then I’ll see you soon at the mechanic.
Stephen A Smith refuses to back down from LeBron James feud, calls courtside confrontation unfair
If you’re looking for a warm-and-fuzzy reconciliation between the King and the Screaming A. Smith, don’t hold your breath.
The latest chapter in the LeBron versus Stephen A. Smith saga just dropped on Logan Paul’s "Impaulsive" podcast, and Smith brought a flamethrower.
Speaking with the Paul brother, Smith made it clear that LeBron’s attempt to paint him as someone who attacks children was a bridge too far.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
"It was very disrespectful. I thought it was very unfair to me. I never did what he implied that I did. That was my issue," Smith told Paul. "It was clear when he rolled up on me that he thought I went after his son to get at him because I critique him. I would never do that. I wouldn’t go after somebody’s kid. I would never do that. To paint that narrative just because you don’t like the fact I don’t view you as the GOAT really pissed me off."
For those who spent 2025 living under a rock, LeBron James hijacked a Lakers vs. Knicks game with a courtside confrontation where James hurled some NSFW words at the ESPN host.
Smith had previously delivered a rant about Bronny's NBA qualifications, and LeBron seemed to think Smith was picking on a kid to get at the father.
NBA LEGEND CHIDES LAKERS FOR HOW THEY'VE HANDLED BRONNY JAMES: 'IT'S A BAD LOOK'
Smith’s theory is that LeBron is playing a PR game.
By making it about his son, LeBron wins sympathy from casual fans.
But Smith is making it a point of personal honor. He isn’t backing down from the idea that he can critique a professional athlete, even a bench jockey like Bronny.
On the bright side for Smith, he's still getting paid millions to scream into a camera and show up courtside to stir drama.
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
MAGA bikini congresswoman sends a message to big brother, Dale Earnhardt turns 75 & MLB fan gets pulverized!
Whew. Final Hump Day of April. Can you believe it? What a month. We started it with March Madness. We had The Masters. We had the start of baseball season. The NFL Draft. Dianna Russini. Trump was nearly assassinated for the billionth time.
Hell, even OutKick looked different at the beginning of the month. Look at us now! And you all love it!
Yes, I know. There are some complaints. I've heard you. I've passed the messages on. They're working on it. I promise. These things are jarring at first. It takes me twice as long to put this class together now. Brutal stuff.
But, we're getting there. Hang with us. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Summer is nearly here.
Let's roll.
Welcome to a Hump Day Nightcaps — the one where Anna Paulina Luna sends Big Brother a NASTY message for a disgusting new law. You'll see.
What else? I've got a monster fan fight in Texas, ABS doing the Lord's work in Cincinnati, and Apple TV's baseball girl, Tricia Whitaker, turning out to be the coolest college professor this side of the Mississippi. Whatever that means.
Oh yeah! Dale Earnhardt would've turned 75 today. We'll obviously pay our respects because that's what patriots do.
OK, grab you two beers today in honor of Dale, and settle in for a Hump Day 'Cap!
Two beer? No beer!
That story never gets old. I shared it a few months back during Daytona 500 week, but we have some new faces in class nowadays, so I'm going back to the well.
Anyway, Dale would've turned 75 today. It's been 25 years since he died, which is still wild to think about. I often wonder what in the world he'd think about today's version of NASCAR.
I just can't imagine the things he'd say... and then probably get canceled for. What a legend.
Those were the days.
OK, let's go ahead and get this class going. It's a Hump Day, after all. I've got another gator on the hook outside, so I've got things to go.
Speaking of driving cars... let's check in with how OutKick fan-favorite Anna Paulina Luna likes the DISGUSTING new bill that will put the robots straight inside our cars:
What a FIGHT!
Get 'em, Anna Paulina Luna! I've been on the APL bandwagon for two years now, and she keeps proving me right.
For those who don't know, that's a real law that passed. Like, it's happening. It's coming for us. Frankly, it's already here.
Yes, it's a good thing to get drunk drivers off the road. Duh. Nobody is arguing that. But this is incredible government overreach, right? It also makes me wonder about the future of car companies.
For starters, they're already in trouble with Tesla — and other self-driving cars. Those are the future, like it or not. I don't know how dealerships survive the next 10 years.
And now you have AI controlling the dashboards and watching over you all the time in every new model, beginning next year? If you thought old cars were valuable now, just wait.
I may be able to retire if I hang on to my 2013 F-150 long enough!
Thanks for trying, Anna Paulina. It's all we ask.
OK, let's beat the crap out of each other and move this class along!
Tricia, ABS & streamer get pulverized
If Star Wars taught us anything, it's that you're NEVER going to win a battle if you don't have the high ground. That's Fighting 101. Chirping at someone from the bleachers a row down is a suicide mission.
And how about the guy with the plastic bat? Didn't see that one coming. Credit to this Yankees fan for having the stones to get back up after that, though. I'd probably just act dead. Stay down, avoid the inevitable cameras, pray to God they didn't get my face.
Instead, he just gets back up, still at a major disadvantage, and goes back in for seconds. What a move. Insane.
OK, let's rapid-fire this Hump Day class into a big Hump Day night. First up? I will be the first to admit, I think I was wrong about the ABS stuff:
I was worried about ABS during spring training, mainly because the players just constantly used it. I'm talking four or five times in an INNING. Clearly, that was just preseason stuff, because they've been far more selective during the season. I'm good with it.
I also underestimated moments like THAT. I didn't anticipate the fans getting into it quite like this. Boring game. No drama. 7-2 in the ninth. Normally, we'd all be half asleep. But not in the world of ABS. What else is going to create real drama like that in a meaningless baseball game in April?
Great move, MLB. I take it back. I'm all in.
Next? Let's stick with the baseball and beer theme to end class:
Could you imagine signing up for a course, and walking into class and seeing Tricia Whitaker as your professor? My God. Is Indiana firing on all cylinders right now, or what? Perhaps journalism isn't dead after all!
P.S.: Tricia is a star. Remember where you met her first last year.
As always, we were ahead of the trends.
OK, that's it for today. Good Hump Day. Good end to the month. Here's video of a streamer getting absolutely demolished while walking on the side of the road for charity.
He's fine, by the way. Somehow.
See you tomorrow.
OutKick Nightcaps is a daily column set to run Monday through Friday at 4 p.m. (roughly, we’re not robots).
What would Dale say about today's NASCAR? Email me at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.
Reporter’s Notebook: King Charles’ visit puts fraying US-UK alliance in the spotlight
It was the spring of 1991.
"Joyride" by Roxette topped the charts. Roseanne and Murphy Brown reigned on TV. And Queen Elizabeth became the first British monarch to speak to a Joint Meeting of Congress.
The world was evolving in early 1991. The Berlin Wall fell a year-and-a-half earlier, the Soviet Union was on the verge of fracturing and the U.S. and United Kingdom – among others – teamed up to defeat Iraq after it invaded Kuwait in the first Gulf War.
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The paradigmatic shift was central to the Queen’s address to Congress that spring.
"The swift and dramatic changes in Eastern Europe over the last decade have opened great opportunity for the people of those countries. They are finding their own paths to freedom. But they are finding that those paths would have been blocked had it not been for the Atlantic alliance, standing together. If your country and mine had not stood together," declared the Queen from the lectern in the House chamber. "Let us never forget that lesson."
That observation was the quintessence of the special bond forged between the United States and United Kingdom over decades.
250 years ago, the U.S. declared its independence from England.
A quarter millennium later, and King Charles descended on Capitol Hill to salute America on its 250th anniversary.
"Ours is a partnership born out of dispute. But no less strong for it," Charles told lawmakers.
There is a rich irony that King Charles spoke to Congress in the era of the "No Kings," movement, championed by the American left. But considering how relations between the U.S. and U.K. devolved over the past few years, some Americans may be less than enthused with the King’s speech.
Ties between the two countries are frayed over the war in Iran, questions about the future of NATO and tariffs.
"It's a special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom — that toxic Republican policies over the last 15 months or so are eroding. And hopefully, the King's visit is going to go a long way toward repairing the damage," said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was more upbeat.
Johnson became the first Speaker to deliver remarks to the British House of Commons in January, but he hinted at the trans-Atlantic fissures.
"That friendship is very important right now. And our allies are very important to us. There has been some strained relations because of things happening internationally. But I think the King's visit is very perfectly timed," said Johnson.
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Timing was everything when Queen Elizabeth spoke to Congress in 1991. Late President George H.W. Bush declared the globe entered a "new world order." The Queen told lawmakers that Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait was "an outrage to be reversed, both for the people of Kuwait and for the sake of the principle that naked aggression should not prevail." That emphasized the importance of the international action – led by Bush – which repelled the invasion.
The Queen added that the American and British responses to the invasion "were identical," noting "we have both learned from history that we must not allow aggression to succeed."
Things are different now. There’s a mixed response from the West and some quarters in Europe to the four-year-old war in Ukraine. And the U.S. and most of Europe disagree about the U.S. waging war with Iran.
In 1990 and 1991, Bush 41 developed an international coalition to beat back Iraq. Former President George W. Bush did the same in 2002 and 2003, leading up to the second Gulf War. However, President Trump assembled no international alliance before moving against Iran – despite their nuclear threat.
Charles focused on risks posed in the current global environment.
"We meet in times of great uncertainty. In times of conflict from Europe to the Middle East which pose immense challenges for the international community and whose impact is felt in communities the length and breadth of our own countries," said Charles.
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But it was America’s 250th anniversary which drew King Charles to Washington in the first place. In fact, his speech to Congress was among one of the first major events in a cavalcade of functions to mark the country’s semiquincentennial.
"With the ‘Spirit of 1776’ in our minds, we can perhaps agree that we do not always agree," said the King. "At least in the first instance."
That drew laughter from those in the chamber.
Nuance and subtlety are a hallmark of statements from the Crown. While King Charles didn’t mention the conflict in Iran by name, he alluded to it.
"It is my hope, my prayer, that in these turbulent times, working together and with our international partners, we can stem the beating of ploughshares into swords," said Charles.
He suggested that the U.S. and United Kingdom could get on the same page because "people of different faiths grow in their understanding of each other."
Like his mother 35 years earlier, the King spoke of where the U.S. and U.K. held historic connections, delicately mentioning the fraying NATO alliance.
"Our defense, intelligence and security ties are hard-wired together through relationships. Measured not in years. But in decades," said Charles. "We are building F-35s together and we have agreed to the most ambitious submarine program in history."
But despite some of the current political chasms, Charles observed there is an indelible, tectonic link between the United States and United Kingdom.
"Millennia before our Nations existed, before any border drawn, the mountains of Scotland and Appalachia were one. A single, continuous range, forged in the ancient collision of continents," said the King.
Yes, a geographic and political ocean may cleave the sides now. But the King’s message is that there was always a connection between what is now the United States and the United Kingdom. All the way down to the Earth’s crust.
The King quoted President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
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"‘The world may little note what we say. But will never forget what they do,’" quoted the King.
So that is the challenge now for the two nations. All relationships oscillate, but the question is what the sides do with the present ravine between them.
No one’s forgotten what the West did — helping end the Cold War and liberating Eastern Europe from the Soviet bloc. The dissolution of the U.S.S.R. then followed. President George H.W. Bush certainly got his "new world order."
That worked for a while, and that’s what Queen Elizabeth spoke about on Capitol Hill in 1991. Then 9/11 happened. And over time, the heady optimism that fueled the early 1990s waned.
That’s where we are now.
Ella Langley’s "Choosin’ Texas" tops the music charts in the spring of 2026. Unchosen and The Pitt dominate what people stream or watch on TV. And King Charles just concluded his address to Congress.
The world is evolving in 2026, just as it was in 1991.
But the question is which direction things will go. People might not remember "words" from the speeches by Queen Elizabeth or King Charles on Capitol Hill. But as Lincoln suggested, the world won’t "forget" what people do.
See where things are in 35 years.