Latest news with #KatieCouricMedia
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'The Boys' Creator Eric Kripke Warns That Trump's Tariff Plan Could Hurt, Not Help, Hollywood
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump stunned the entertainment industry by proposing a 100 percent tariff on foreign-made films — and potentially television shows — as part of a plan to 'save' what he called a 'dying' Hollywood. So far, the White House says 'no final decisions' have been made on whether it will take effect, but inside the industry, pushback is already mounting. In a wide-ranging conversation with Katie Couric Media, The Boys creator Eric Kripke challenged the idea, arguing that while Los Angeles may no longer be the dominant production hub, slapping steep levies on international shoots won't bring business back to the U.S. — and may only deepen the industry's challenges. 'What happens if your visual effects company is international? Do you have to pay double for that even if you're making an American picture?' he posited. Kripke knows what he's talking about. The writer and producer behind long-running series like Supernatural and films like Boogeyman has spent his career navigating the economics of global production — filming in Vancouver, Toronto, and Los Angeles, chasing tax incentives and stretching tight budgets. Few creators have had a closer view of how — and why — the industry has moved away from its traditional home base. Still, many in Hollywood remain hesitant to speak publicly. Some producers declined to comment on the record, and a recent letter to the president from Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone — two of his closest Hollywood allies — urging tax relief for the film and TV industry made no mention of the issue. We spoke with Kripke about why tariffs aren't the answer, what it would actually take to bring production back to Southern California, and how economic policy could shape the future of storytelling. Eric Kripke: The proposed 100 percent tariff on shooting internationally is a real and serious problem. In my entire career, I've only shot in Los Angeles twice — it's a lot of jobs lost in what is the center of the industry. However, tariffs are not the way to solve that problem. It's confusing, a little scattershot, and I think almost impossible to implement because movies like Mission: Impossible or James Bond have to be shot around the world. Even though you're shooting some of it in the United States, you're also circling the globe. What happens if your visual effects company is international? Do you have to pay double for that even if you're making an American picture? [Filmmaking] isn't the same as importing products, where at the port, you say, 'Well, if it's coming from this place, we add this tax.' I don't know how you would define what gets taxed and how those taxes would be implemented. It also infringes on free speech to a certain extent. I just don't understand the legality of it. We shoot The Boys in Toronto for two reasons: The relative strength of the American dollar and the tax incentives and rebates that they give. So in effect, we're getting an additional like 19 cents on the dollar, 20 cents on the dollar of every single dollar spent, which is millions and millions of dollars more than we would have had were we to shoot in Los Angeles. In terms of being able to stretch the dollar, that equates to a whole other action scene or a big actor that I wouldn't be able to afford otherwise. These kinds of things really affect the quality of the show. But filming in Canada used to be a mess. It wasn't until they brought X-Files up there that it really modernized the industry in that city. The tragic thing is Los Angeles already has all the infrastructure that has taken these other towns decades to build, and now it has kind of just been sitting on its butt with amazing crew and sound stages just watching these other towns evolve into amazing production centers. But one thing that's not attractive about Canada is the weather — it's horrible. It would 100 percent [make us more competitive.] Southern California has to be competitive in its tax incentives. They're so far behind not just Canada but also Atlanta and other production hubs like New York. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is actually finally paying attention to it. A bill is starting to circulate about drastically increasing the tax rebate. That's how to get production home — you get them home with a carrot, not a stick. It's not just California: Other states need to really examine their tax incentives and find ways to make it attractive to film there. What they're losing in tax revenue, they're gaining in salaries and thousands of jobs. They're also stabilizing the middle class who work on these productions, including carpenters, craftsmen, cameramen, and caterers. Studios are primarily driven by how they can save money, which I understand. They're a business, and their job is to try to save money. As much as it irritates me personally on a day-to-day basis, I get it. So if they can save as much money as they would save if they were to shoot in Toronto or Vancouver, for sure, they would choose Los Angeles. It would be simpler logistically: It'd be easier for them to get to set and save them money on plane tickets. If they want to yell at a director, it's just a drive. There's quite a lot of production happening in the United States — it's just not happening in Southern California. You can't book a sound stage in Atlanta because it's so busy. It's the same case with New York State and New Mexico. The worse the economy gets, the harder it is to import things and mount productions. Productions are very much like giant construction projects — you're just building things with equipment from all over. This 100 percent tariff on movies produced outside the U.S. could have a really chilling effect on independent film. Worst-case scenario: Studios will become even more focused on Marvel or comic books, which is not great for variety. But they [make so much money], they'll survive whatever happens. What might not survive is the man or the woman with a really fresh vision and only half a million dollars or a million dollars to make their movie. Those people would normally have to make it in Canada, London, or Ireland just to get it on its feet. It couldn't be worse timing for the tariffs because a lot of the [people being taxed] are very small filmmakers making very low-budget stuff. And if everyone's scared to buy a movie that was shot overseas, there will be people whose dreams will get dashed over this. We live in a scary time, and there are bigger problems to tackle [than the film industry]. But [taxing it] is not helping it. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. The post 'The Boys' Creator Eric Kripke Warns That Trump's Tariff Plan Could Hurt, Not Help, Hollywood appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear Blasts Trump's Tariff Policy
As the rare Democrat who's won two elections in a staunchly red state, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has a unique perspective on the U.S.'s two-party political divide. 'People aren't as political as we think that they are,' he explains to Katie Couric in a new interview. 'When someone wakes up in the morning, they're not thinking about the next election. They're thinking about their job. And whether they make enough to support their family.' In their comprehensive conversation, Beshear explains how he builds bridges based on the practical concerns of his constituents: 'I spend 80 percent of my time focused on those core concerns and areas. The great part is when we do better in those areas — and we have across the board in Kentucky — we lift everybody up. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, we make their life better.' Given his effort to unite the state of Kentucky, Beshear has some specific thoughts on the first 100 days of the Trump administration. Voicing one of his chief concerns, Beshear says, '[Trump's] tariff policy is hitting my people harder than just about anyone.' 'The prices of everything are going up,' he goes on. 'There's one study, I think it's [a] Yale study, that said one of these tariff policies could cost an American family $4,700 in extra costs a year. Most Kentuckians will not make it. Most Americans will not make it.' The tariffs have gotten outsize criticism, thanks in large part to numbers like that, but the governor told Katie the negative responses are clearly warranted. 'I've never seen anything in politics or in government as potentially devastating to families in terms of higher costs,' he says. 'That is attributable to the decisions of one person and one person alone, because Donald Trump is saying, 'I'm making the decisions on these tariffs that are making it harder for you to get by.'' In the full interview, which you can see in the video above, Katie and Beshear discuss how average Kentuckians feel about Trump's first 100 days, the threat of cuts to Medicaid, the rumors Beshear could run for president in 2028, and much more. The post Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear Blasts Trump's Tariff Policy appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A Deepening Divide: Gen Z Men Are Shaping a New Conservative Future
Significant changes are unfolding among American men, with Gen Z at the forefront. In the 2024 presidential election, men aged 18 to 29 swung sharply in their political alignment. Roughly 56 percent voted for President Donald Trump, a stark reversal from 2020, when the same percentage backed Joe Biden. Not since George H.W. Bush's election in 1988 has a majority of young male voters backed a Republican for president. This groundswell isn't exclusive to the voting booth — it's happening at church, too. While Gen Z as a whole remains less religious than previous generations, a growing gender divide is emerging. Young women are becoming increasingly secular and progressive, but young men may be moving in the opposite direction. Here's a closer look at why Gen Z men are embracing traditional values — and the far-reaching implications for politics, faith, and society. The answer is more nuanced than you might think — and it largely has to do who's sticking with their beliefs, especially when compared to their female peers. In the U.S., the percentage of Gen Z men identifying as religiously unaffiliated has remained relatively stable over the past decade, staying around 35–36 percent, according to the nonprofit Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). This suggests that this cohort isn't increasingly moving away from religion, as has been the case with Americans at large in recent years. In contrast, the same survey found that the share of young women in the same age group identifying as unaffiliated has risen from 29 percent in 2013 to 40 percent in 2024, showing a clear shift away from organized religion among women. This marks a major reversal of historical norms — not just here in the U.S., but globally. Social scientists have long argued that women are universally more religious than men across all societies, cultures, and faiths. PRRI CEO Melissa Deckman says there are a couple of reasons why women have historically been more religious than men, including social roles. 'For most of American history, women didn't really work much outside the home. Now, of course, there were always women who did — don't get me wrong,' Deckman tells Katie Couric Media. 'But generally speaking, the church provided a socially accepted space where women could take on leadership roles, organize, and be part of a larger community beyond the home. Churches have always relied on the unpaid labor of women.' Ryan Burge, a political scientist at Eastern Illinois University, points out that by some measures — like church attendance — young men may actually be more religious than young women. In 2024, 30 percent of men reported attending church weekly, compared to 27 percent of women, according to the nonprofit news site Religion Unplugged. This represents a reversal from 2000, when 47 percent of women and 38 percent of men attended weekly services. This phenomenon seems to be driven by a mix of cultural, psychological, political, and digital forces. At its heart, Deckman argues, it's a reaction to the ways young men are falling behind, especially when measured against their female peers. Today, about 60 percent of college students are women, while men make up just 40 percent, a gap that would have been unthinkable a few decades ago. One of the loudest responses is the rise of the 'manosphere' — a sprawling, loosely connected ecosystem of YouTube channels, Reddit forums, and TikTok accounts where a combative vision of masculinity is taking root. In these spaces, anti-woke, anti-feminist, and pro-tradition messages dominate, fueled by a sense of lost status and growing frustration. 'There has been a real emphasis on Christian manhood, fueling a sense of masculine resentment — blaming feminism, liberalism, and so-called 'woke culture' for displacing masculine authority and robbing men of what they believe is rightfully theirs,' says Kristin Du Mez, a history professor at Calvin University. Religion — particularly conservative Christianity — is now being reimagined as a kind of countercultural refuge. Men are encouraged to reclaim a sense of identity and purpose, pushing back against the perceived pressures of modern secular progressivism. Influencers like Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson amplify this worldview, packaging traditional gender roles, self-discipline, and faith into viral, bite-sized content. 'A common theme is that men have lost their way,' Deckman explains. 'They argue that what we really need to make America great again is a return to a time when young men were stronger and in charge.' Politics is another major force influencing the shift of young men toward more conservative and religious views. 'Young men tend to be more moderate, while young women — particularly those who are college-educated — are much more liberal,' Burge tellsus. 'This divide is especially pronounced on social issues, such as acceptance of transgender people, where young men and young women differ by about 18 percentage points.' Amidst this growing political polarization and the broader mental health crisis, Deckman notes that religion may also serve as a source of structure, meaning, and belonging. 'We're having this big, ongoing conversation about the harmful effects of social media on kids,' she says. 'And in the midst of that, people are looking for something that offers comfort, meaning, and purpose. In some ways, I think religious institutions can help provide that.' The widening gender gap in religion and conservatism — with young men becoming more religious and right-leaning while young women trend secular and progressive — carries far-reaching cultural and political consequences. As values diverge, romantic compatibility is becoming increasingly strained. Religious Gen Z men, for example, may prioritize traditional family structures, while secular women often value independence and egalitarian partnerships. Dating apps both reflect and reinforce these divides, offering filters based on religious affiliation and political ideology. The effects are already visible: More women are prioritizing their careers and autonomy, with only 34 percent actively seeking a relationship, compared to 54 percent of men, according to the Pew Research Center. These shifts could deepen existing demographic challenges. The U.S. marriage rate is near an all-time low, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the number of births fell by an average of 2 percent annually between 2015 and 2020 — even before the pandemic accelerated declines. Du Mez warns that the growing divide between young men and women is having serious consequences. 'Young men and women are no longer gathering in the same social spaces and are instead spending time in increasingly separate media echo chambers,' the history professor tells us. 'All of this creates the conditions for unhealthy relationships and, ultimately, a destabilized social order.' In the U.S., where religion and politics are deeply intertwined, a gender-based realignment could intensify political polarization even more. As men move right, they may bolster support for populist or socially conservative candidates. Meanwhile, women drifting left could strengthen progressive coalitions focused on issues like reproductive rights and secular governance. It's no longer just a red-versus-blue divide — we're seeing a growing split between male and female worldviews. Religious institutions aren't immune to these shifts either. While some young men may find structure and meaning in church communities, the absence of women could lead to unintended consequences. Without their traditional contributions to organizing, volunteering, and leading, these institutions risk becoming weaker, more insular, and less connected to the broader community. 'Women have long been the backbone of American Christianity throughout much of the nation's history,' says Du Mez. 'This raises some very practical questions: Will men step into those roles? Will churches undergo dramatic transformations? Or could this ultimately lead to the weakening of religious institutions — and perhaps Christianity itself?' What began as a quiet drift in values is now a widening fault line — reshaping how Gen Z finds meaning, love, and community in a fractured world. The post A Deepening Divide: Gen Z Men Are Shaping a New Conservative Future appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Could This Toxin Be Behind the Rise of Early Onset Colon Cancer?
It's still not clear why colon cancer cases continue to rise among young people — but researchers may have come across a lead. A new study has identified a potential culprit: a toxin called colibactin that's capable of altering DNA. Scientists found that exposure to this gut bacteria in early childhood can lead to mutations within colon cells, which could be what's causing so many young adults to develop colorectal cancer (CRC). Here's a closer look at this fascinating new research and what it tells us about this potential carcinogen. The study, which was published last week in Nature, examined tissue samples from nearly 1,000 CRC patients spread across four continents. The team discovered that colibactin leaves behind a specific pattern of DNA mutations, and that patients who developed the disease before the age of 40 were more than three times as likely to exhibit this genetic hallmark than those who were diagnosed after 70. The researchers were also able to trace when these mutations arose, and the scientists believe that they're most likely acquired by the age of 10. That could put these patients 'decades ahead of schedule for developing colorectal cancer, getting it at age 40 instead of 60,' the study's senior author, Ludmil Alexandrov, says. Colibactin is a bacterial toxin that's produced by certain strains of Escherichia coli, or E. coli, and other gut bacteria. Previous studies have shown that the toxin has the potential to damage the DNA of cells within the colon. But this latest research raises the question: If colibactin is triggering CRC-related mutations in childhood, why are more children being exposed to the toxin? Alexandrov tells NBC that 'there are several plausible hypotheses.' One is early antibiotic use, 'which may allow these strains to establish more easily,' he says. Another contributing factor could be the increase in ultraprocessed foods in our diets, the decrease in fiber, and rising rates of C-section births. 'Collectively, these shifts may be tipping the balance towards early-life acquisition of these microbes,' he says. Alexandrov and his team are in the process of developing stool tests to detect colibactin-related mutations and are investigating whether probiotics could help eliminate harmful strains of bacteria. The post Could This Toxin Be Behind the Rise of Early Onset Colon Cancer? appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Is Cory Booker the Fighter Democrats Have Been Waiting For?
When Sen. Cory Booker took to the Senate floor for a marathon 25-hour speech earlier this month, he didn't just break records — he grabbed the nation's attention. The New Jersey Democrat's historic stand set a new benchmark for the longest continuous speech in Senate history. Could it become a rallying cry in his party's growing resistance to President Donald Trump's flood of executive orders? For frustrated Democrats, the timing couldn't have been better. The party's base, simmering over what they viewed as a timid response to Trump's agenda, found in Booker the fighter they'd been waiting for — and the response was swift. Some clips of the speech pulled in over a million likes. And for Booker's longtime supporters, it felt like poetic justice: He shattered a nearly 70-year-old record set by the late segregationist Sen. Strom Thurmond, who had once used a marathon speech of his own to protest the Civil Rights Act of 1957. 'The Democratic base and Democratic voters are looking for fighters,' leftist strategist Raj Goyle told Katie Couric Media. 'They realize so much is under assault right now — and what Cory did was effectively meet that moment.' Republican strategist Jeanette Hoffman offered a similar take from the other side of the aisle. '[Booker] is framing himself as a fighter and a reformer, and I think that's what people want from the Democratic Party right now.' That headline-grabbing speech wasn't the first time Booker drew public attention for an unconventional approach. The year after he won a 1998 runoff election for a seat on Newark's city council, he launched a 10-day hunger strike, camping out in a tent at a housing project to draw attention to rampant drug dealing. But his latest round of activism didn't stop at the Senate floor. He's taken a version of his record-breaking speech on the road, appearing at town hall meetings in New Jersey and, more recently, Arizona. It's part of a broader Democratic push to engage directly with voters — particularly in red districts — on issues like the economy and affordability. 'Town halls and listening tours are our chance to cut past the headlines and sound bites,' said Jonae Wartel, a partner at political consulting firm Arc Initiatives. 'They allow us to really hear people and understand what they're concerned about in this moment.' Now, whispers of another White House run are growing louder for the New Jersey senator. In his first presidential bid, during the 2020 race, Booker campaigned on a message of unity but struggled to gain traction, hampered by sluggish fundraising and single-digit polling. But could the odds be shifting in his favor? An unofficial 'Cory Booker for President 2028' webpage has already surfaced, fueling the speculation. He's also climbing in early primary polling, coming in second behind former Vice President Kamala Harris with 11 percent support. 'People have looked at Cory Booker for quite some time,' Sara Sadhwani, an assistant professor of politics at Pomona College, tells Katie Couric Media. 'Even if you go back to 2016, there was chatter about whether or not he would make a good vice presidential pick along with Hillary Clinton.' Still, Goyle urged caution, warning that it's far too early to draw conclusions. 'Frankly, we're only now getting our sea legs' in Trump's second term, he said. Others echoed that sentiment — Wartel noted that Booker's move is just the beginning of what could be a long journey for Democrats as they work to define their path forward. 'The Democratic Party has a lot of work to do to regain its footing with voters,' she said. 'That means real soul-searching — and making sure we're prioritizing listening to both the people who turned out in this election and those who stayed home.' Even if Booker doesn't end up running for president again, the strategists we spoke to agree that his Senate floor speech injected much-needed momentum into a Democratic Party still reeling from losses of the White House and both chambers of Congress. The very next day, liberal candidate Susan Crawford decisively defeated conservative Brad Schimel for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in a race that was closely watched around the nation. And while Republicans held onto two House seats in Florida, Democrats nonetheless outperformed expectations. Booker also isn't the only one drumming up Democratic enthusiasm. Progressives like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have been touring the country, speaking directly to communities about Trump's policies. According to Sanders's communications director, Anna Bahr, the pair drew a crowd of 36,000 in Los Angeles alone — and they've even attracted big turnouts in deep-red states like Idaho, where more than 12,000 people showed up. Sadhwani believes Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders, and Booker represent specific sectors of the Democratic Party — ideological divides that could come to a head before the next presidential election, or even as soon as next year's midterms. 'AOC and Cory Booker represent different wings of the Democratic Party,' she said. 'So there will need to be a reckoning between those factions by the time we get to 2028.' While Wartel acknowledged those internal differences, she emphasized that what matters most is that Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, and Booker are working to reconnect with voters. 'It's less about factions and more about the unifying message behind these concerns over what the Trump administration is doing,' she said. 'This isn't just a progressive issue or a moderate one — it's an American one.' The post Is Cory Booker the Fighter Democrats Have Been Waiting For? appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
