Jackson Snelling said that music helped him deal with autism making both Gwen Stefani and Reba McEntire turn chairs for him

Lauryn Hill has been forced to postpone most of the remaining dates on her 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' 25th anniversary tour after battling "serious vocal strain" for the past month, but she needs to take time off to "allow for real vocal recovery".

Ben Shapiro reports on how Hamas 'fooled' the world', Internet says 'it's unfair to freely throw labels around'

Barbie director Greta Gerwig has responded to the torrent of hate that rightwingers in the US have directed at the film, saying it’s “an invitation for everybody to be part of the party”. Speaking to the New York Times, Gerwig was asked if she had anticipated the degree of woke-bashing that rightwing critics have engaged in since the film came out, with some calling it a “man-hating” movie. Gerwig said: “Certainly, there’s a lot of passion. My hope for the movie is that it’s an invitation for everybody to be part of the party and let go of the things that aren’t necessarily serving us as either women or men.” She added: “I hope that in all of that passion, if they see it or engage with it, it can give them some of the relief that it gave other people.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Barbie’s feminist themes have sparked rage from influencers like Ben Shapiro, who made a bizarre Youtube video last week in which he burned Barbie dolls. Ginger Luckey Gaetz, wife of Republican congressman Matt Gaetz, said the movie “neglects to address any notion of faith or family, and tries to normalise the idea that men and women can’t collaborate positively”. Gerwig also responded to criticism that Mattel, which owns the Barbie doll range and executive produced the movie, interfered in the production creatively, in a scene where a character described the dolls as “sexist and fascist”. She said: “It wasn’t like I ever got the full seal of approval from [Mattel], like, ‘We love it!’ I got a tentative, ‘Well, OK. I see that you are going to do this, so go ahead and we’ll see how it goes.’ “But that’s all you need, and I had faith once it was in there and they saw it that they would embrace it, not fight it. Maybe at the end of the day, my will to have it in was stronger than any other will to take it out.” The backlash has been strong, but the support has been stronger, with Barbie already breaking the record for the highest-ever opening weekend for a female director at $356m. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Love Island is back with ten new singletons putting all their eggs in one basket. Like most Love Island alumni, Megan Barton Hanson sky-rocketed to fame when she strolled out of the villa in 2018. At just 28 years old, Megan has combined her unapologetic attitude with her impressive social media presence to flip dated views of sexuality on their head. Last summer, she voiced her opinions on sex workers' rights and the new age of porn at one of the world's most prestigious universities. "I’ve always felt the same about women’s issues," Megan told indy100, who openly shares her candid thoughts in her sex and relationships column for VICE and podcast You Come First. She added: "I’ve always been keen for women to have a voice and to feel sexually liberated, but no one really listened before or cared about my opinion. Now I’ve gained such a platform. It’s so important to use it for good and for those who aren’t being heard." Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Recalling her Love Island experience, Megan said her model agent put her forward for the show. "I didn’t think I would get very far because I’m quite introverted and shy until I know people better," she shared. "I think they loved my honesty, though." Despite Love Island having viewers gripped over the summer, a certain mystery remains. There are parts of the show that are so elusive, so much so that Megan only found out she was heading to the villa 48 hours before. With Love Island 2023 in full swing, Megan gives indy100 the scoop on all the Love Island secrets. Islanders have to pass a pre-show STI screening “Thank god, or there would have been zero action," Megan revealed. "It’s so important for me to check every partner has been tested before sleeping together.” …Speaking of safe sex, plenty of branded Love Island condoms are said to be scattered around the villa. The hidden smoking area Due to OFCOM's broadcasting guidelines, smoking "must generally be avoided and in any case must not be condoned, encouraged or glamorised.” Love Island is no exception. Megan revealed islanders have to ask for permission for a smoke break and go one at a time to the designated area. “Having to ask for a cigarette after a row wasn’t a vibe,” she joked. “The stress!” The show runners grow to become friends The crew behind the scenes become pretty close to the islanders. Megan noted that while they "don't directly tell you what to do", it's nice that they chat to you after things after a villa spat. Dinner in the villa While we see islanders battling it out at breakfast, we rarely see them eat any other meal. This is because a catering company comes in with a buffet-style selection of chicken, fish and vegetables. It is also a time for contestants to charge up their mics. “There are runners making sure that there are no storyline conversations, so you aren’t meant to sit near who you are coupled up with, and you are only allowed to chit-chat,” Megan revealed. “If you are lucky, the runners will put on some music and play our favourite songs so we can have a little dance after lunch. Then we get ready for the evening!” The rush to get ready Islanders are allocated a time slot to shower, with Megan saying they only had 20 minutes to get ready. “The stress was real,” Megan said. “I’m so bad at getting ready under pressure,” she said. “With the heat and humidity, I had daily sweaty top lips! Not a look I was picturing for my Love Island experience! Time awareness isn't a thing There are no clocks or calendars around the villa, meaning islanders have no clue what time or date it is. However, Megan found a sneaky loophole after discovering the time was hidden behind a sticker on the cooker. “Me and Wes peeled the tape off to sneak a look,” Megan joked. “This was, however, a big mistake as it was 2am, and we still had loads of chats and beach hut interviews to film!” “I'VE GOT A TEXT!” Megan revealed that the mobile phones were rarely used “unless we were told to go and hold them – this way, we knew something spicy was about to happen.” Of course, they have no internet access but can be used to text other islanders and producers. “Thank god, though,” Megan added. “I would have run up that gravel driveway as quick as possible and gone into hiding if I knew how bad the press was about me!” Megan came fourth place in the 2018 series with then-partner Wes Nelson. She described leaving the villa as a whirlwind, becoming overwhelmed by the amount of love. Despite receiving some harsh criticism while in the villa, Megan said: "the nice messages certainly outweighed the negativity." As for what's next? Megan is currently working on her own lingerie line with one of her favourite brands. "I can’t wait to share more with you, but for now, I’ve got to keep it under wraps," she said. "People have been asking for some 'Meg-approved' lingerie, so I’m so pleased to be able to provide it now!" Megan is also keen to have her own documentary series exploring issues such as sex positivity, sex work, and body positivity. She said: "I am really interested in finding out more about how we have gotten to the place we are in today as a society where these topics are so taboo. "I know a lot of brands and production companies have shied away from working with sex workers and OnlyFans girls, so hopefully, as it becomes more normalised, I will get the chance to them!" Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Maria Shriver answered a viewer's query about dealing with an opinionated mother-in-law in a segment of the 'Today with Hoda and Jenna' show

Oliver Anthony released 'Rich Men North of Richmond' in August 2023, and which debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100

When Ludwig issued the challenge to Squeex, he did not think the latter would actually win

Suga, the K-pop superstar rapper/singer/songwriter, has become the third member of BTS to begin South Korea’s compulsory military service

Quite a tangent.

'Pure soul man !!! you can tell kai love what does, just want bring people together smile'

George Stephanopoulos and Ali Wentworth are vacationing in Greece