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Rep. Nancy Mace Gets Brutal Reminder On X After She Tried To Praise Trump For 'Rebuilding' The U.S.
The success of this legislation was specifically under the Biden administration but Mace conveniently left that out when she wrote:
"For decades, D.C. rebuilt other countries while ours crumbled. [President Trump] is flipping the script."
And for all her apparent concern about rebuilding here at home, Mace also left out that she voted against the legislation in question—as this blunt Community Note pointed out:
Nancy Mace voted against the 2021 Infrasctructure Investment & Jobs Act which included investments in roads, bridges, public transit, water infrastructure, broadband internet access, and clean energy initiatives. Her district alone received $34 million dollars."
You can see her post and the Community Note below.
@RepNancyMace/X
Mace was quickly called out.
It's worth noting that Mace once referred to the IIJA as a “socialist wish list” and a “fiasco.”
Only 13 House Republicans supported the IIJA. Several of those lawmakers later left Congress after facing intense backlash from the right, including threats and harsh criticism from Trump, who said they should be “ashamed of themselves.” Most Republicans opposed the legislation, citing its massive cost and a broader reluctance to hand President Joe Biden a legislative victory.
Despite Mace's clear lack of support for the bill, in 2023, she celebrated the announcement of a nearly $26 million federal grant for a public transit project in her district, funding made possible by the very infrastructure measure she had opposed.
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People Are Convinced Viral Labubu Dolls Are Based On Ancient Demons—And Snopes Just Weighed In
People everywhere have filmed videos of finding rare boxes in stores, unboxing them and revealing the surprise creature inside, and some even finding the rare "secret" creature.
But some viral and trending commentators have started voicing their concern about the Labubu trend, wondering if the interest is sweeping into the territory of obsession, and based on circulating conspiracy theories, if the interest is even worth it.
Even people who originally did not want a Labubu doll have voiced their bewilderment at their shifting interests.
Probably because of social media, digital influence, and FOMO, many people have shared how they originally didn't want a Labubu and even thought that the dolls were ugly or creepy, only for them to start thinking about them all the time, with the increasing urge to own one, two, or ten.
@stephinparis I want a labubu, I want a labubu 🤣 do you heard it? #labubu #popmart #latinacontentcreator #labubuthemonsters @POP MART US @Beis Travel
Others have even hinted at the obsessive nature of wanting to hop on the Labubu trend.
But beyond collecting Labubu dolls, being a part of the conversation, and possibly getting one of the "secret" dolls, some have become suspicious that there might be more to these dolls than their appearance.
They theorize that perhaps there's a reason that people are so attached to the idea of having a Labubu, or an explanation for why people keep changing their minds about getting one—perhaps...involuntarily?
These social media users believe that these dolls might be evil or demonic, and that their faces are similar to the Mesopotamian demon Pazuzu, as well as the elves in Nordic folklore.
One TikToker discussed this theory at length on TikTok.
@lindsayivan LABUBU PAZUZU DOLL #SCARYFACTS #SCARYVIDEOS #LABUBU #PAZUZU #caughtoncamera
Some TikTokers confessed that Labubu dolls had always made them uncomfortable.
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But others did not buy into the theory and offered clarifications about the mythology and folklore.
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@lindsayivan/TikTok
The conspiracy has continued to spread, and some have even cited The Simpsons as proof, since in the episode "Treehouse of Horror XXVIII," Homer brought home a statue of Pazuzu, which contained the demon that possesses Maggie.
In response to the theories, Snopes finally stepped in to clear the air.
According to Snopes, the Labubu comes from a storybook series called The Monsters, which was written and illustrated by Kasing Lung in 2015. Lung moved to the Netherlands from Hong Kong when he was seven, and he quickly jumped into reading children's storybooks and folklore to learn Dutch.
He also got really interested in fairy tales that originated in Northern Europe and Scandinavia, giving his later art and stories a complex and layered feel.
When Lung's storybook series became popular, Pop Mart took interest in the Labubu character specifically and wrote:
"At the heart of [the story] is Labubu, the most iconic Monster, made recognizable by her pointy ears and serrated grin."
"Though her mischievous appearance suggests trouble, Labubu is kind-hearted and always eager to help, even if her good intentions often lead to chaos. Her bright, cheerful smile reminds us that a little positivity can lift our spirits, even in the toughest times."
Looking to Mesopotamian mythology, Pazuzu and Labubu actually bear very little resemblance to one another beyond the large eyes and wide grin.
Also, while some theorize that Pazuzu was an evil, underworldly demon, others felt that the Pazuzu figure was more of a trickster, one inclined more so to create pranks rather than legitimate trouble.
Based on the actual lore behind Lang's work, as well as Pop Mart's take on the Labubu character, it seems highly unlikely that there's any overlap at all between Labubu and Pazuzu.
So if there's a Labubu in your home, there's no cause for concern!
Julia Garner Had The Classiest Reaction To Fan Backlash Over Female Silver Surfer In New 'Fantastic Four' Film
Ozark and Inventing Anna standout Julia Garner is the latest actor to be targeted by toxic fans for creative choices made by writers, directors, producers, and studios.
For the new Fantastic Four reboot, this time set in a highly stylized alternate universe 1960s that never was in our timeline, the decision was made to make the Silver Surfer more feminine in appearance, casting a woman for the role. Prior incarnations were more masculine in appearance.
Speaking to the BBC at the film's London premiere, Garner said:
"Oh, well, you know, I was like, 'I'm just gonna still do my job'."
She added, after hearing people enjoyed the film's trailer:
"I was just happy that people are resonating with it, just like any other project. I'm grateful to be at this dance, to be completely honest with you."
This is Garner's first foray into the comics of the Marvel Universe, but not comics in general.
In 2014, Garner played Marcie in Frank Miller's Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.
Nontoxic fans on the Marvel Studios subReddit broke down the issue their peers are having with Garner's casting.
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The Silver Surfer, created by Jack Kirby in 1966, is a silver skinned humanoid alien that travels the cosmos on a silver surfboard. The mid 1960s to 2025 is a mighty long time, so the Silver Surfer has gone through several changes and multi-verses, like almost all comic book characters around for almost 60 years.
Originally, astronomer Norrin Radd took on the mantle of herald for Galactus, becoming the Silver Surfer to save his homeworld. But on alternate Earth X/Universe X, there are two Silver Surfers—Radd and his lover, the empress of Zenn-La Shalla-Bal, a decidedly feminine version of the character.
Garner is, in fact, playing Shalla-Bal, not Norrin Radd, in the film.
With very few exceptions, women in the sci-fi, fantasy, and superhero genres were just shoehorned into universes as the love interest, the eye candy, or the one with the lame powers.
In the Golden Age comics, as powerful as Wonder Woman has always been—legendary Amazon warrior and literal child of a God—she initially served as the secretary for the Justice Society of America for several years before being granted full membership privileges.
Meanwhile, BIPOC were relegated to the role of goofy sidekick or servant. And no one LGBTQ+ would be anything but a villain or a foil.
So when studios decided to make films or TV series featuring these classic characters, or their franchise was rebooted in comics or on camera, modern creators had to figure out how to handle problematic fiction—the racism and sexism was rife in many—that was devoid of diversity.
Some creators added new characters or retconned existing ones to make their universes a better reflection of reality.
But both options brought out the worst in some fans who felt entitled to dictate the direction of someone else's intellectual property. Some people think supporting someone else's art gives them ownership over it.
For those toxic fans, all their fandoms should always remain patriarchal and racially pure. And they take to online forums to whine to each other, harass stars, and review bomb anything that doesn't fit that mold.
Review bombing is a tactic where a large number of users post negative online reviews, often in a coordinated effort, to negatively impact its success. The reviews are often posted before anyone outside the industry has even seen the finished product, citing acting or plot.
But the tissue paper thinly-veiled real reason is misogyny, racism, and anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry.
Even fandoms where the protagonist has always been a woman, BIPOC, or LGBTQ+, these so-called fans still protest and review bomb over the existence of the characters.
Like with the "fan" outrage over The Last of Us having LGBTQ+ characters, that are LGBTQ+ characters in the game the series is based on, be LGBTQ+ characters in the HBO series.
Some actors have been driven off of social media by fan harassment because of their—or their characters—gender identity, sexuality, or race.
It's good to see Garner isn't letting the tantrums of toxic fans get her down.
It's probably too much to ask toxic fans to grow up and realize they don't own someone else's art and creators don't owe them anything.
Don't like someone else's creative efforts? It's pretty simple to walk away and find something new to like.