‘Papa' Jake Larson obituary: D-Day veteran and TikTok sensation
When Second World War veterans' events were cancelled in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, McKaela Larson started a TikTok account for her grandfather, Jake Larson, an American who took part in the Normandy landings and the Battle of the Bulge. His war tales, shared under Story Time With Papa Jake, attracted 1.2 million followers and more than 11 million 'likes'.
The spry Larson appeared in more than 200 posts and relished his late-in-life celebrity, whether responding to fan mail at home from the padded comfort of his reclining chair, making his first trip to Disneyland or throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game — as he did aged 102 in March for the San Francisco Giants.
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Daily Mail
24 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
There was no love on Love Island but there's an awful reason viewers have lapped up the most toxic season yet
It's billed as the island to find love if you are willing to get grafting and put all your eggs in one basket. But season 7 of dating show Love Island USA was more like 'Toxic Island' by the time the finale rolled around on July 13 as there were no official couples in the top four and two contestants had been removed from the show after their previous disgusting social media posts resurfaced. The toxicity and poor communication skills floating around the reality TV show villa created an environment in which it was impossible to foster real connections – not unlike today's real life dating scene, according to psychologists. Daily Mail spoke to psychologists and relationship experts who revealed why, despite the car crash relationships that played out on screens, the show proved so popular and drew in more viewers than ever this season and saw hundreds of watch parties pop-up at bars and restaurants across the country. Dr. Marni Feuerman, a licensed psychotherapist and relationship expert, explained that, when people are suffering publicly - like after a car crash on the side of the road, people can't help but watch. 'They're wanting to see it for themselves,' Feuerman said. When we see other people posting about drama and turmoil, we want to experience it too, hence why more and more people were tuning into Love Island this year. Feuerman explained that the toxicity viewers witnessed on Love Island is not all that different to what's going on in modern dating in the real world. She said: 'There's a lot of very hot and cold behaviors – almost like ghosting.' The premise of the show sees a group of hot singles willingly trapped in a villa for weeks to explore romantic connections with each other as the audience can help vote contestants off the show to make way for new ones. At the end, one lucky couple who wins the public vote scores $100,000 and guaranteed social media stardom. Feuerman described how the premise of the show is similar to 'swiping mentality' that has become common with the rise of dating apps. 'I think there's a bit of a swiping culture mentality – we see the contestants quickly couple up and uncouple and recouple. There's this sort of disposable nature,' she told Daily Mail. She likened some of the behaviors exhibited by islanders to 'love bombing', saying, 'There's very rapid intensification early on. Some couples are saying they love each other right away, but really it's infatuation. And then, when the dust settles, there's a lot of instability and stress,' which is also common in real life dating experiences, Feuerman says. Earlier this month Peacock revealed that Season 7 has officially become the platform's most-watched entertainment series on mobile devices, with nearly 30 percent of viewership happening on phones and tablets. And since relaunching the app in May ahead of Season 7, it has averaged more than 100,000 new unique users per day and latest figures as of July 8 show it had surpassed 5.5 million unique users in total. On July 25th, it was announced that Season 7 was Peacock's most-watched original ever, with a total of 18.4 billion minutes viewed. Peacock also reported that 49 percent of the audience were first-time watchers. Psychologists say that what kept viewers watching this year was the relentless drama and the fact that the audience had chance to direct the narrative with brutal public voting. In episode 12, the public voted to interfere with a couple, consisting of Jeremiah Brown and Huda Mustafa, by choosing him to 're–couple' with a 'bombshell' new contestant. Viewers knew that this would cause Huda great distress because of her intense attachment to Jeremiah at that point in the show, yet they did it anyway. Therapist Jennifer Ochiagha explained that viewers want to have power over the show. Once it was a trending opinion online that Jeremiah was a victim in his relationship, fans wanted to give him an 'out', Ochiagha said. Ochiagha explained that audience members become attached to certain characters because they want to relate their own lives to the contestants. 'People want to see themselves in somebody,' she said. Ochiagha went on to divulge that many issues in the villa stemmed from islanders' unresolved attachment styles, and how those styles showed up under pressure. 'We saw a lot of avoidant and anxious behaviors play out in real time. Some islanders would shut down when things got too real, while others clung harder for reassurance, and I think that's a clear example of how unhealed attachment can impact communication and trust,' the therapist said. 'Anxiety and avoidance playing out in real time was the most common theme I saw,' she continued. This season was also marred with controversy. Within the first two days, contestant Yulissa Escobar was kicked out of the villa after a video of her saying a racial slur re–surfaced. The revelation of this clip begged the question: how thoroughly are Love Island producers vetting their contestants. This question would come up time and time again throughout the season. One X user wrote, 'i think this season of love island usa's downfall was a combination of the producers not doing basic background checks and the fans being psychotic.' Another posted, 'How some of these Love Island USA contestants only getting caught making racist comments? Who did background checks this year? This is crazy!' 'So this season of Love Island USA they just didn't do background checks,' said another. Towards the end of the season, producers had to force the exit of another contestant – Cierra Ortega. An old social media post of Ortega using a slur circulated online. Internet users called for the producer's removal of Cierra, and when they did, what awaited her on the outside was a concerning mountain of online hate. Her family had to release a statement begging viewers to ease off. Once Ortega, 25, was shipped back from Fiji to California, she shared some of the messages cluttering her inbox that were verbally abusing her. This raises the question of how well islanders are taken care off after they leave the island. According to Vogue, there is a full team supporting cast members before, during and after filming. Islanders have access to – on top of producers, managers and HR – a duty of care representative, two on–site licensed psychologists and a full–time welfare manager who oversees the daily care of participants. Before selection, potential islanders go through multiple rounds of assessments with a psychologist to get a full understanding of their background and mental health. Each contestant is required to get a letter from their doctors giving them the okay to go on the show, according to a TikTok made by season 4 contestant Deb Chubb. Then, once officially picked for the show, islanders are assigned a psychologist who is there for them throughout their time in the villa. After leaving the villa, islanders go through an offboarding process – which consists of two meetings with a psychologist before going home, and follow–ups at least once a month for up to six months. When Huda – who is a 24–year–old single mother – started exhibiting worrying behaviors on the show, viewers once again wondered if the pre–filming examinations were rigorous enough. These concerns were confirmed when, after coming out of the villa, Huda revealed on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast that she had an 'extremely abusive' childhood. 'When I was in middle school, there was a point where I wanted to take my own life. I did not want to live anymore,' she told Cooper. The 24–year–old explained that, because of those traumatic early experiences, many things in the villa 'triggered' her. Ochiagha says it's extremely important for islanders to have access to a mental health professional - or even reality TV support groups - after the show to 'handle the new hate', and prepare for seeing themselves back on camera in the same way millions of eyes saw them. The importance of continued support for islanders after the show is especially pertinent given the three suicides of cast members from Love Island UK. Contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis have both taken their lives since being on the show, as has the former host, Caroline Flack. Daily Mail reached out to Love Island USA for further comment.
Scottish Sun
36 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
‘Absolutely not, immediately no' people cry as man proposes in Nando's with the big question written in mayonnaise
Scroll down for some top tips on how to ace a proposal I DO(N'T) 'Absolutely not, immediately no' people cry as man proposes in Nando's with the big question written in mayonnaise Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MAN has been slated for his unconventional wedding proposal, after popping the big question to his beau by writing it out in mayonnaise. We all dream of a romantic proposal, with some choosing to take their partner to an exotic location, or share an intimate moment at home. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 A man decided to propose to his girlfriend in Nandos Credit: 2 The woman didn't seem to impressed by the proposal Credit: However, one man decided to take a very unique approach to popping the question, after taking his girlfriend out to their local Nando's. Taking to TikTok, Nando's waiter Mal shared a snap of the proposal, which he recorded whilst serving the couple. "POV: When he does the bare minimum proposal at Nando's", Mal said. In the video, Mal can be seen carrying a plate of mayonnaise over to the couple. Written in curly mayo writing is the misspelt phrase: "Will you mary me?" Mal then gave the woman at the table the ring, whilst her partner can be seen smiling and not saying a word, assumedly too shy to pop the question himself. He doesn't stand up, or even get down on one knee, with Mal revealing that his legs "curled round that chair." The waiter said that the woman was left extremely perplexed by the unique proposal, and was unsure how to respond. He said that she sat confused for 10 minutes, before finally saying yes to the proposal. However, he added that they didn't even kiss after agreeing to spend the rest of their lives together, and instead just chose to hug. Love Island stars slam Dejon over 'worst exclusive proposal in show history' "He could have put way more thought into it", Mal critiqued, adding that the man had even turned up late to the proposal. The video, posted to Mal's TikTok account (@micmanmal5), has quickly gone viral, racking up 1.2 million views in just 24 hours. TikTok users raced to the comments section to share their thoughts, with many left unimpressed. One person said: "It literally doesn't cost a thing to get down on one knee and propose. How to ace a proposal Thinking of proposing? Follow this checklist by Fabulous' Deputy Editor Josie Griffiths to ensure a yes… Time it right - the average Brit waits between 18 months and two years to get engaged. But you might feel ready after six months, or decide to wait five plus years to pop the question. Only you truly know when the time's right, and this isn't a decision you want to rush. Falling in love might feel amazing but of course most relationships DON'T end in marriage - and this is for good reason… Pay attention - hopefully you haven't reached the point yet of your frustrated partner leaving their laptop open with 'hints' for rings they like. Ideally you'll want the ring to be a secret, but also something they'd happily wear - and for the rest of their life, so just a TEENY bit of pressure here. You need to be paying attention to any comments your partner makes about other people's rings, what they do and don't like, and what's most important to them - size, clarity, specific details. If you're really unsure, or if your partner hates surprises, it's best to propose with a dummy and then buy the real thing together. Family matters - tradition dictates that you ask the dad's permission for his daughter's hand in marriage, but it's not so straightforward nowadays. Maybe your partner's closer to their step-dad, or wants her mum to walk her down the aisle, in which case you'd be better off chatting to them. Maybe they'd find it weird if you went to their parents first, in which case you could ditch the whole thing. Or perhaps they're closer to their friends and the best idea would be letting your partner's best mate pick the ring. These things do matter and could come back to bite you if handled in the wrong way. Plan the setting - does your partner dread being centre of attention, or are they someone who'd be gutted if you proposed at home, berating you forever for a lack of 'effort'? Plan the place for your perfect proposal - how busy it'll be, whether you'll be able to get a good pic there, and other logistics around it. A proposal at the top of a mountain might sound good in theory but your girlfriend might not actually appreciate it when there's sweat dripping down her forehead and she's not wearing the cute dress she'd imagined for the pictures. Personally, I can't think of anything worse than a public proposal where everyone's waiting to hear your answer - in a group of friends, the middle of a restaurant or with an announcement at an event. So bear all of this in mind and remember, it's meant to be about what THEY want, not you. "You can do it in Nandos, sure, but at least get down on one knee and tell her why you want to marry her." A second person said: "Immediately, no. "The least he could do is stand up." A third said: "Absolutely not." A fourth added: "Gonna be honest here. I would pass him."
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Jessica Alba packs on PDA with new boyfriend Danny Ramirez outside his home as sizzling romance takes off
Jessica Alba 's sizzling new romance with Top Gun: Maverick star Danny Ramirez just hit a whole new level. In photos obtained by the 44-year-old actress was seen packing on the PDA with her new man outside his Los Angeles home on Saturday—just days after their flirty Italian dinner date. Dressed down in a grey sweatsuit, black jacket, and baseball cap pulled low, Jessica kept it casual but clearly couldn't keep her hands—or lips—off her new beau. Danny, 31, matched her low-key vibe in a dark T-shirt, grey pants, and a similar cap, proving they're already syncing up in more ways than one. Fresh off a crystal shopping trip the day before, Jessica looked recharged and glowing as she locked lips with Danny in a passionate embrace. At one point, she even leaned in for another kiss as he gazed at her with total adoration. The 44-year-old actress was seen packing on the PDA with her new man outside his Los Angeles home—just days after their flirty Italian dinner date After their extended makeout session, Danny was spotted receiving a large floral arrangement delivered to his doorstep—romantic gesture, or just good timing? Either way, it's safe to say this romance is heating up fast. The PDA-packed sighting came just two days after Jessica was seen stocking up on spiritual essentials at KM Crystals in Venice Beach, a favorite haunt for wellness lovers looking to recharge. Dressed down in a white tank and matching shorts, Jessica kept a low profile in a baseball cap as she exited the trendy boutique, which boasts on its website, 'We create an atmosphere that helps uplift your internal state so that you'll feel more at home the moment you walk through our door.' Alba doubled down on her love of crystals in a 2021 Instagram post, sharing a photo of herself clutching a massive purple amethyst and writing, 'Let's be real—I've always been into collecting crystals. They are powerful and healing in their own unique ways and I've found that they help me keep my mind right by making me feel more grounded and connected to myself.' The Honey star also gushed about her crystal collection in a 2020 interview with New Beauty, saying, 'I love crystals—they hold so much power and energy.' Now, with a new man in her life, it looks like Jessica is stocking up on good vibes. The crystal haul came hot on the heels of Jessica and Danny's romantic Italian dinner date on Wednesday night, where the pair were spotted cozying up and looking completely smitten. Jessica rode shotgun while her 32-year-old beau took the wheel, eyes glued to the road—but the grins on their faces said it all. Whatever started off casual is now heating up fast. Though the relationship may have begun under the radar, it's quickly showing signs of something more. Despite Jessica's early reluctance, things are clearly shifting. A source told 'Jessica's romance with Danny has taken a surprising turn. What started out as a summer fling feels like it's getting more serious, although she still wants to take things slow. 'But at the end of the day Jessica has never been one to play the field. She's excited to see where this romance is headed.' The Fantastic Four actress officially confirmed her split from longtime husband Cash Warren, 46, back in January, after speculation swirled for weeks. The pair—who met on set in 2004 and married four years later—filed for divorce in February, though the case is still ongoing. They share three children: Honor, 17, Haven, 13, and Hayes, 7. Buzz around Jessica and Danny first kicked off earlier this month when they were seen vacationing together in Cancun, marking the first time they were publicly linked. The tropical getaway came on the heels of a separate sighting in London, where Alba was caught 'kissing' a mystery man—though it's never been confirmed if that was Danny. How the two met remains unclear, but a source previously told that Danny's interest in Jessica has been strong from the jump, even if she's been slower to commit. 'Danny is cool, a nice guy and he is enamored with her, but it is not exclusive,' the insider said earlier this month. 'She's not in that frame of mind. He has a chance to make something out of their connection, but she is taking it all in stride. Right now, she's looking to just have fun.' Ramirez, a Chicago native, is best known for his Marvel role as Joaquin Torres—the new Falcon—in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World. He also played Lt. Mickey Garcia in Top Gun: Maverick and is currently filming Avengers: Doomsday, slated for release on December 18, 2026.
