Vice President Kamala Harris celebrated “Pride” this week after a poll gave her news that was nothing to be proud of.
On Wednesday, Harris partied with Hollywood types and LGBT activists at her home in an event emceed by Sasha Colby, the Season 15 winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” according to The Messenger. The event was held in collaboration with GLAAD, formerly known as the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
“Pride Month is about celebrating those whose shoulders we stand on for their work to advance civil rights and an opportunity to recommit ourselves to the fight for equal rights,” Harris said at the event, per The Messenger.
“As Pride Month comes to a close, let us remember that pride is, and has always been, patriotic. And, as we confront the attacks on LGBTQ+ rights across the country, let us remember that we are in this together.”
During Pride Month, we celebrate the LGBTQI+ community, the promise of our country, and the heroes upon whose shoulders we stand as we continue the fight for equality. pic.twitter.com/m3Mg7mzPu1
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) June 30, 2023
Celebrities Ariana DeBose, Frankie Grande, Bobby Berk, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Gus Kenworthy, Jazz Jennings, Dove Cameron, G Flip, Brooke Eden, Murray Hill, Jeff Hiller, Rafael L. Silva and Ronen Rubinstein were at the event, as was White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Before Harris rubbed shoulders with liberals, an NBC poll Monday showed the vice president needs all the help she can get.
The poll showed that 49 percent of those surveyed have a negative view of Harris, with 39 percent holding a “very negative” view while 32 percent have a positive view. Only 11 percent have a “very positive” view of Harris, the lowest in polling that dates to August 2020.
The poll of 1,000 registered voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
NBC noted that Harris, by having her negatives outweigh her positives by 17 percentage points, has set a new low for vice presidents in the NBC poll.
Racism and misogamy clearly in play here. https://t.co/jerHvgLUMJ
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) June 26, 2023
By way of comparison, in October 2019, former Vice President Mike Pence had a negative of 4 percentage points (38 percent negative, 34 percent positive). In December 2010, then-Vice President Joe Biden had a positive of one point, with 34 percent positive and 33 percent negative.
In May 2003, then-Vice President Dick Cheney had a massive 23 percent edge with 47 percent positive and 24 percent negative, while in March 1995, Vice President Al Gore was 15 points to the good with 42 percent positive and 27 percent negative.
Best insurance policy Joe Biden has ever gotten. https://t.co/sLwFLcH1XW
— Giancarlo Sopo (@GiancarloSopo) June 26, 2023
"There's no doubt Harris is a drag on the ticket, but the extent to which she'll pull down Biden will largely depend on who the Republican nominee is," Thomas Gift, associate professor of Political Science at University College London, said, according to Newsweek.
"If it's Trump, then her impact will be near zero because the difference in the presidential choices will be so stark. If it's another GOP nominee, then the prospect of Harris in the White House may be enough to swing a few voters over to the opposing side."
However, he said, Harris cannot be thrown overboard without sinking the Biden campaign.
"Biden can't afford to dispense with Harris for all the obvious reasons -- identity politics, and the prospect of alienating a small fraction of the progressive base being chief among them," Gift said.
"But anyone in the White House who's being intellectually honest would tell you that Biden knows Harris offers very little by way of help in his re-election bid.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
In the past year, lithium-ion battery fires in electric vehicles have led to blazing wrecks along highways that take firefighters hours to extinguish and buildings that go up like a torch from fires that cannot be swiftly brought under control.
And now, a plant that uses lithium to make components for batteries for electric vehicles has gone up in flames.
A plant belonging to the Livent Corp. was on fire early Monday in the North Carolina town of Bessemer City, according to WCNC-TV in Charlotte.
The company said there were no reports of injuries and that all employees were accounted for.
The fire was declared a three-alarm blaze. Images from the scene showed firefighters not attempting to battle the massive flames, letting the fire burn itself out.
Crews battle 3-alarm fire at lithium plant in North Carolina https://t.co/4NII5oL0Yl
— KYOU (@KYOUTV) June 26, 2023
BREAKING: A three-alarm fire at a lithium plant in Bessemer City broke out early Monday morning. https://t.co/ryRBd8WpY1
— WSOCTV (@wsoctv) June 26, 2023
The fire is in a building where solid lithium metal ingots are produced, according to a release from the company.
NOW: A three-alarm fire is burning at the Livent Corp. Lithium Plant in Bessemer City. Gaston County has shut down the entrance to Hwy 161 South all the way to Kings Mountain Rd. @MaryCalkinsTV is live on that scene. Latest updates on @WBTV_News. pic.twitter.com/vzufU3dBvB
— Mary King (@MaryKingTV) June 26, 2023
Gaston County Communications said the fire broke out at about 1:20 a.m., according to WCNC.
The fire led to the closing of Highway 161 near the plant, the station reported.
Although no evacuation order was issued, residents near the plant have been told to stay indoors and not drive around roadblocks.
I'll bet this isn't good for our environment 😒
Lithium plant fire causes heavy smoke, road closurehttps://t.co/uMaHfHbxVl
— JT Retired Medic☮️🌊♀️❤💉💉💉💉💉 (@Janaluwho) June 26, 2023
As noted in a CNN report in March, after blaze in New York City that left six dead, with the rise of lithium-ion technology in transportation devices such as e-bikes, as well as electric vehicles, fires have offered new challenges.
"In all of these fires, these lithium-ion fires, it is not a slow burn; there's not a small amount of fire, it literally explodes," FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh told reporters. "It's a tremendous volume of fire as soon as it happens, and it's very difficult to extinguish and so it's particularly dangerous."
Dylan Khoo, an analyst at tech intelligence firm ABI Research, told CNN that, “when a fire does happen, it's much more dangerous,”
CORRECTION, June 26, 2023: The Livent Corp. factory that caught fire early Monday in Bessemer City, North Carolina, is a manufacturing site for lithium ingots, a component of electric-vehicle batteries. An earlier version of this article described its product incorrectly.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
Participants in a New York City drag march have gone viral after a video appeared to show the crowd chanting, “We’re here. We’re queer. We’re coming for your children.”
But some parade defenders said the incident is being misunderstood.
The Friday march was part of New York City's annual "pride month" celebrations and also served as a commemoration of the Stonewall riots 54 years ago that are generally considered the beginning of the gay rights movement.
With many clad in rainbow-colored accessories, flashy clothing, and others going topless, the participants in the march walked through Tompkins Square Park and into Greenwich Village, where they stopped at the Stonewall Inn, the gay bar that was the scene of a 1969 police raid that led to six days of violence, according to multiple reports.
As they walked along, as the New York Post reported, some of the marchers appeared to chant the phrase: “We’re here, we’re queer, we're coming for your children.”
WARNING: The following video contains nudity and images that viewers may find disturbing.
NYC Drag Marchers chant “we’re here, we’re queer, we’re coming for your children” https://t.co/ucK1qM4fv5 pic.twitter.com/OhBguhWwZY
— Timcast News (@TimcastNews) June 24, 2023
The questionable choice of words has been perceived by many as LGBT activists boasting about indoctrinating children.
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said of the video on Twitter: "This movement grooms minors to have mastectomies and castration and fuels a multi billion dollar medical child abuse industry … Let kids be kids."
She also called on Congress to pass her "Protect Children’s Innocence Act" – a bill that would make gender-affirming care illegal to perform on a minor.
People in the medical community that make money selling gender lies about children that aren’t even old enough to talk in order to “treat trans children who are able to be treated” must be stopped.
This is why we must pass my bill Protect Children’s Innocence Act. https://t.co/JPAnMAyrDv
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) June 24, 2023
Those who have defended the marchers, however, have said that they were actually mocking conservatives who think they're targeting children.
The intention is to provoke.
— Jesse Jaimz (@jesse_jaimz) June 24, 2023
Ever hear of satire? They are mocking your silly fears.
— Bredzulianski (@CarpathianMts) June 25, 2023
Some also claimed that they had been instigated by the person taking the video and others argued that they weren't actually chanting "we're coming for your children."
Instigated by camera man. Parade marchers chanted back to mock him.
Both parties in the wrong for this.
— Eccosan (@EccosanTTV) June 25, 2023
It's unclear at this point who actually started the chant and why.
Whatever the case, this isn't the first time such a thing has happened.
In mid-2021, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus went viral after a video of theirs was released to the public, showing them singing about how they'll "corrupt" and "convert" children.
👁️⤵️ pic.twitter.com/3YXTsKWzsR
— MARTIN🤔💭 (@Pas_De_Ce_M0nde) June 24, 2023
The song, called “A Message from the Gay Community,” contained the following lyrics:
“You say we all lead lives you don’t respect,
But you’re just frightened.
You think that we’ll corrupt your kids if our agenda goes unchecked.
Funny, just this once, you’re correct.
. . .
We’ll convert your children,
Happens bit by bit,
Quietly and subtly and you will barely notice it.
. . .
We’re coming for them.
We’re coming for your children.
We’re coming for them.
We’re coming for your children.”
In a statement, according to TMZ, the chorus later claimed "far-right conservative media" had taken their words out of context in order to "support a narrative that suits their intolerant and hateful needs."
They also noted that the song was meant to be satirical and suggested that the "tongue-in-cheek humor is lost in many."
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
Two fan favorite items returned to the menu of Chick-fil-A.
The fried chicken franchise said that two peach-flavored items had returned in an announcement earlier this month.
Chick-fil-A's Peach Milkshake and the White Peach Sunjoy made their return on June 12, according to the company.
"With each passing year, our Peach Milkshake's loyal followers eagerly await its annual comeback," said Leslie Neslage, Chick-fil-A director of menu and packaging.
"Its arrival signifies the beginning of summer at Chick-fil-A, and this year, the excitement from our fans has inspired us to expand our peach offerings."
Peach season starts TODAY with 2 delicious menu items!
Our refreshing Peach Milkshake features CFA Icedream & peaches, topped off with whipped cream & a cherry!
The Peach Sunjoy is a combination of our CFA Lemonade & Sweetened Iced Tea blended with natural white peach flavor! pic.twitter.com/7cpxkMuxMp
— Chick-fil-A Sienna Crossing (@SiennaCFA) June 12, 2023
"Introducing the White Peach Sunjoy and several other refreshing variations, we are excited to witness the peachy choices our guests will make all summer long!"
Chick-fil-A in Manhattan, Kansas
Peaches are everywhere!! pic.twitter.com/55ScesjXdK
— Thomas B. (Oklahoma) (@JTBAirliner320) June 11, 2023
The Peach Milkshake was first introduced to Chick-fil-A menus in 2009.
It's a creation of Chick-fil-A Chef Angela Canada.
The White Peach Sunjoy was introduced as a season menu item in 2018.
It's unclear how long the summer items will be available.
Peach season starts Monday so get ready to celebrate with a Peach Milkshake or White Peach Sunjoy. Our refreshing peach milkshake features Chick-fil-A Icedream® dessert and peaches. The White Peach Sunjoy is our lemonade and iced tea blended with natural white peach flavor. pic.twitter.com/G23jmulpJA
— Chick-fil-A Pearland (@CFAPearland) June 9, 2023
The restaurant is also testing a Maple Pepper Bacon Sandwich at two different locations in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Lexington, Kentucky.
Chick-fil-A's origins lie in Georgia -- itself a state with the official nickname of the Peach State.
Some patrons of the fried chicken franchise have recently questioned their loyalty to the company after a video of its former CEO making anti-white remarks in 2020 circulated.
Conservative patrons of the chain also were left with questions after a DEI -- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion -- statement was found on Chick-fil-A's website.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
Shortly after the Titan submersible lost communication with the surface, the U.S. Navy, using classified technology, detected sounds the military "suspected" were caused by the implosion of the vessel, according to officials involved in the search.
The Wall Street Journal on Thursday published an exclusive report citing those officials, who said the search commander had been informed of the discovery but that defense officials had withheld the information
Other sounds, including something that sounded like "knocking," were detected at various points during the search, but nothing has yet been conclusively linked to the implosion of the Titan.
"The U.S. held off making public what noises it had detected because it wanted to ensure search-and-rescue operations continued and couldn’t say for sure it was an implosion," the Journal reported.
For reasons of national security, the Navy asked the Journal to refrain from naming the system that detected the noises.
The system's purpose is the detection of enemy submarines. The Navy began using it to aid in the search for the Titan shortly after it lost contact with the outside world.
The estimated location of the implosion sounds helped narrow the area being used by search and rescue teams.
“The U.S. Navy conducted an analysis of acoustic data and detected an anomaly consistent with an implosion or explosion in the general vicinity of where the Titan submersible was operating when communications were lost,” an unnamed senior U.S. Navy official told the Journal in a statement. “While not definitive, this information was immediately shared with the Incident Commander to assist with the ongoing search and rescue mission.”
"[T]he analysis of the acoustic data was a significant factor in scoping the search area, and thereby enabling the assets on scene to locate the degree of the debris field," an unnamed defense official added, according to the Journal.
A debris field was subsequently identified roughly 1,600 from the bow of wreckage of the Titanic that the submersible had intended to explore.
The Titan submersible began its original descent to explore the ruins of the Titanic on Sunday and was last heard from less than two hours into its dive.
The Titan reportedly launched with an estimated 96 hours of oxygen for its five passengers, which means the group likely would have run out of air by Thursday morning.
Canadian P-3 aircraft detected underwater noises in the search area. As a result, ROV operations were relocated in an attempt to explore the origin of the noises. Those ROV searches have yielded negative results but continue. 1/2
— USCGNortheast (@USCGNortheast) June 21, 2023
The story took a haunting turn Wednesday morning with reports of "underwater noises" detected by the Coast Guard, leading some to speculate that the crew was trying to make contact with the outside world.
On Thursday, the families of those on board the Titan were informed of the Navy's findings. On the same day, the Coast Guard and OceanGate, the company that operated the Titan, both stated that the Titan had been lost and its occupants presumed dead.
A defense official told the Journal that the U.S. would investigate further to determine if the implosion sounds detected were actually caused by the Titan.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
Two conservative firebrands, both known as staunch MAGA Republicans, appeared at odds before a Wednesday vote on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Rep. Lauren Boebert traded words in an interaction that got heated, according to a report from the liberal website The Daily Beast.
Video of the interaction reveals a conversation that didn't appear friendly.
Saw this conversation… not sure if it was a friendly one pic.twitter.com/tpz3z2Phtv
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 21, 2023
Greene went so far as to call Boebert a "little b****" in the conversation, according to The Daily Beast, which cited three sources, two who reportedly saw the exchange and a third "familiar with the matter."
Both Greene and Boebert have introduced articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden, citing the immigration crisis on the southern border. Greene was reportedly displeased with what she saw as Boebert's copying of her articles of impeachment.
Greene also told Boebert she wanted to talk about "statements you've made about me publicly," according to The Daily Beast.
“I’ve donated to you, I’ve defended you. But you’ve been nothing but a little b**** to me," she said, according to the website. "And you copied my articles of impeachment after I asked you to cosponsor them.”
Another member of the House Republican Caucus indicated that Greene referred to Boebert with the profanity, according to The Daily Beast.
“I heard Marjorie call Boebert a b**** right to her face," the lawmaker said, according to The Daily Beast.
Boebert herself reportedly renounced Greene in the heated House floor conversation.
“OK, Marjorie, we’re through," she said, the website reported.
"We were never together," Greene responded, according to The Daily Beast.
According to a Twitter post published by Politico reporter Olivia Beavers, Greene later confirmed that The Daily Beast's description of the conversation was accurate.
To be clear, I asked: “Was the name calling correct? There was a Daily Beast story that said you called her “a little bitch.’”
“Impressively correct,” she replied.
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) June 21, 2023
The feud between the two members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus has brewed for months.
In a January interview with conservative radio host Dana Loesch, Boebert recounted arguing with Greene in a women's restroom in the Capitol during the fight over the House speakership. Greene supported Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, who eventually won the speaker's post.
According to The Daily Beast, Boebert issued a statement Wednesday that declined to focus on her differences with Greene, instead opting to focus her political efforts on opposing Biden's agenda.
“Marjorie is not my enemy. I came here to protect our children and their posterity," the statement said, according to The Daily Beast. "Joe Biden and the Democrats are destroying our country.
"My priorities are to correct their bad policies and save America.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
A "Jeopardy!" contestant shared a memory on the show last week about the time he crashed the wedding rehearsal of his idol at the time -- Pat Sajak, host of "Wheel of Fortune," according to the U.S. Sun.
It might have been a tad creepy and stalkerish if he hadn't explained that he was 6 years old at the time.
"Jeopardy!" co-host Mayim Bialik was aware of the incident and prompted David Ford of Pasadena, Maryland, to talk about it during introductions at the start of the show.
"From a very young age, you loved game shows," she began, "and something very special happened when you were six."
So excited to watch David Ford on Jeopardy tonight! The Pasadena resident and Annapolis native prepared for months for the show.https://t.co/xgksLZEQXu
— dana munro (@danamunro2) June 8, 2023
"That's correct," he agreed. "I crashed Pat Sajak's wedding rehearsal."
He paused to crack a joke about stalking. "Aaand here comes the restraining order in 3, 2, 1," he said.
Ford went on to explain that as a child, he attended the school and church where Sajak got married -- St. Mary's in Annapolis, Maryland.
(This likely would have been in 1989, when, according to People, Sajak married Lesly Brown. The two are still married, the news outlet said.)
"The pastor and my kindergarten teacher knew I was a massive fan, so they said, 'Look, just have your dad bring you at the end of the service, and then sneak on back and you can say hi to him,'" Ford recalled.
Unfortunately, the excitement was too much for the young fan and he ended up missing his chance to meet his TV game-show hero.
"So it finally got to that point and I froze," he said.
"I froze, I couldn't do it, I was just -- he was an idol for me back then."
"That's really funny," replied Bialik, who has shared hosting duties on the show with Ken Jennings since longtime host Alex Trebek died in 2020.
https://youtu.be/3OdB0jlcPzg?t=15
"Jeopardy!" debuted in 1964. Its current version has been on the air since 1984.
"Wheel of Fortune" has been on the air since 1975 and has been hosted by Sajak since 1981.
Sajak recently announced that 2024 will be his last year of hosting "Wheel."
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
A submersible vehicle industry expert says indications to date do not bode well for the missing Titan submersible with five tourists on board that went to explore the wreck of the Titanic on Sunday.
One hour and 45 minutes into the dive, the craft went missing, according to The New York Times. The dives take about eight hours, with about 2.5 hours each for the ascent and descent.
"For there not to be any communications or any movement, indications are that something went critical," Steve Somlyody of Florida, who has spent 20 years in the design and operation of submersibles, told Fox News on Monday.
The Titan was built with emergency methods to rise to the surface, but a sonobuoy like the ones in use to find the craft would detect it if that was happening, Somlyody said.
"The lack of signs of communication is deeply worrisome,” he said.
Pressure is the worst enemy at the depth where the Titanic lies, Somlyody said.
"The pressure down there at 4,000 meters is pretty high. About 5,800 [pounds per square inch] at Titanic depth. If they had any kind of leak, it would lead to an implosion, and it would happen in an instant, very immediately. You wouldn’t even know it happened,” he said.
Somlyody said he knows of only two vessels in the U.S. that could reach the depth of the Titanic. Deploying them would take preparation and transportation time, he said.
The Titan could jettison equipment in an effort to rise, he said.
"If they were to float up from that depth, it would take a significant amount of time, depending upon how much weight they were able to shed and how buoyant they become,” Somlyody said, estimating an ascent in such a fashion could take 10 hours.
OceanGate, the company that runs the tourist dives, confirmed Monday that it had lost contact with the Titan.
"We are exploring and mobilizing all options to bring the crew back safely. Our entire focus is on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families. We are working toward the safe return of the crewmembers,” the company said in a statement.
— OceanGate Expeditions (@OceanGateExped) June 19, 2023
The expedition cost passengers about $250,000, according to ABC News.
Rear Adm. John Mauger, a Coast Guard spokesman, said Monday the Titan would have between 70 to 96 hours of oxygen.
“We’re using that time making the best use of every moment of that time,” Mauger said.
He said the Coast Guard and Canadian officials were searching an area about 900 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, at a depth of about 13,000 feet.
“We are doing everything we can do,” Mauger said, adding that it was “a challenge to conduct a search in that remote area, but we are deploying all available assets to make sure that we can locate the craft and rescue the people on board.”
Stockton Rush, president of OceanGate, said last year the trips to the Titanic were important to keep alive interest in the wreck.
“No public entity is going to fund going back to the Titanic. There are other sites that are newer and probably of greater scientific value,” he said.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
News of the purchase of San Diego's KRDC by Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa may not seem like much of a big deal, but it marks a milestone in the history of a major U.S. entertainment company.
The Walt Disney Company is officially no longer a competitor on the radio.
That still may not sound like earthshaking news, but consider the fact that, at its peak, Radio Disney operated more than 40 "terrestrial radio" stations in both the AM and FM bands.
That's opposed to satellite media such as SiriusXM, which still lists "Disney Hits" as a channel, although one that "may not be available in-vehicle on certain makes and models."
The purchase puts Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa into the AM radio market; the church has operated WKVE-FM since purchasing that station in 1985.
KRDC is the last of Disney's radio stations to be sold, according to Radio and Television Business Report.
The station's signal covers "all of Southern California," according to the outlet, and was previously co-owned by songwriter Art Laboe and comedian Bob Hope.
KRDC was once considered the "flagship" of Radio Disney, which the company has been shutting down for several years after radio listening declined during the pandemic, probably because of reduced commuting during government-mandated lockdowns.
Even before the pandemic, however, Disney initially shifted its programming to satellite and online platforms, The Desk reported. The company announced the sale of all of its radio stations as far back as 2014 -- although it conspicuously left KRDC (previously known as KDIS) out of that plan.
The station switched to a country music format then, however, before shifting to a simulcast of ESPN radio content from KSPN in April 2021.
According to The Desk, Disney's focus now is on direct-to-consumer streaming video on Disney Plus and Hulu, pushing the company to divest itself of other media like broadcast radio.
The news comes on the heels of a number of embarrassment for the company that was once considered unequaled in its provision of family-friendly entertainment.
Last week, it was revealed that the company had "unknowingly" cast a male pornographic performer in its recently released live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid."
“Casting bosses working on the live-action remake wanted to use ‘really sexy male models' to portray the mermen in the film,” the Toronto Sun reported.
The report said a Disney representative declined to comment.
That in turn followed the release of Pixar's "Elemental," which was predicted to come in with possibly the worst Pixar opening weekend ever, or at least in contention for it.
Disney's "Strange World," featuring the studio's first-ever teen LGBT lead character, also flopped last fall.
Combined with "Lightyear," which was largely panned -- in part over its self-conscious inclusion of a same-sex kiss -- the two films reportedly lost more than a quarter-billion dollars for Disney.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
As if Disney didn't have enough problems with the new live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid," reports have been circulating that the studio "unknowingly" hired a porn star to perform in the film.
The movie drew rather lukewarm reviews -- especially for a Disney film -- from critics, scoring a 68 percent on Rotten Tomatoes with a 94 percent audience score.
Financially, it hasn't exactly been deemed a failure, but it has been noticeably "underperforming" at the box office and might be "lucky" to bring in $500 million -- half of what was projected for the film, Variety reported Tuesday.
On Tuesday, news outlets including the Toronto Sun reported another bit of bad news for the production, saying Disney had "accidentally" hired an adult film star to appear in "The Little Mermaid."
"Casting bosses working on the live-action remake wanted to use 'really sexy male models' to portray the mermen in the film," the Sun reported.
"[A]mong those hired for the job was 24-year-old Stefano Tomadini, who has also made adult movies under the alias Dante Ferrari."
“They had no idea about Stefano’s racy videos," an unnamed source told the news outlet, "and, given ‘The Little Mermaid’ is the big summer blockbuster for kids, it’s a bit embarrassing for Disney.”
The report said a Disney representative declined to comment.
It's worth noting that Tomadini's name doesn't appear in the long list of acting credits for the film on IMDb.
However, according to the U.K. tabloid The Daily Sun, the actor posted photos to Instagram showing himself posing with "two other mermen" during filming in Sardinia.
In one caption, Tomadini wrote, “Lifetime memories with lifetime friends,” and tagged the official Disney account, the report said.
Breitbart film reviewer John Nolte, who rarely misses a chance to skewer Disney for its ultra-left-wing policies, was brutal in his comments about the story.
"A report says the child abusers and fetishists at Disney hired a gay porn star to portray a merman (are we assuming gender now, Disney?) in the studio’s latest flop, The Little Mermaid (2023)," he wrote Thursday.
Nolte: Report Says Disney Hired Gay Porn Star for ‘Little Mermaid’ Remake https://t.co/Dbv1m1gwiT
— John Ocasio-Rodham Nolte (@NolteNC) June 15, 2023
Nolte questioned the idea that the casting decision was an accident.
"[I]t wouldn’t surprise anyone who knows anything about Disney to discover this was some in-joke amongst the perverts and child exploiters who now run the Magic Kingdom," he said.
"Are we supposed to believe a gazillion-dollar company doesn’t run basic Google searches and background checks of potential employees? Well, maybe the company is too busy scheming to destroy the innocence of children to worry about such things."
"What I’d like to know," Nolte went on, "is how this report can claim Disney 'accidentally' hired a gay porn star when Disney has so far refused comment?"
He listed several recent box-office flops put out by the company and made it clear that he doesn't feel one bit sorry for the media giant.
"If Indiana Jones 5 flops in two weeks and The Marvels flops this winter…. Well, that will make me and all decent people who believe adults should not sexualize children very happy," he said.
"Disney is now demonic, a slave to its fetishes, and I cheer every failure and setback."
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
