NEW YORK — Book bans and attempted bans remain at record highs, according to the American Library Association. And efforts to have titles removed have never been more coordinated or politicized. The ALA on Monday issued its annual list of the books most challenged at the country’s libraries, part of the association’s State of America’s Libraries Report. … Read more
“Superman” has been censored in India. The Indian Central Board of Film Certification removed two kiss scenes between the titular superhero (David Corenswet) and Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) in James Gunn’s new blockbuster film, according to a Bollywood Hungama report. The scenes, which include a 33-second mid-air kiss between the beloved fictional couple, were deemed … Read more
It ends with Qatar. Blake Lively’s new romantic drama “It Ends With Us” has reportedly been banned from movie screens in Qatar because of the film’s kissing scenes. The nation’s Censorship Committee – which has the final word on what plays in Qatari theaters – was behind the decision to block the PG-13 film, according … Read more
It was a booty re-call. Colombian actress, TV host and model Jessica Cediel has been censored on Instagram after uploading a graphic video depicting doctors removing her butt filler implants. However, she doesn’t regret posting the clip as it illustrates the hurdles she had to jump through to revert to her natural booty. “Y’all don’t … Read more
Netflix was forced to pull one of its films from the platform on Friday after several right-wing Hindu groups complained about a scene in which the main character is seen eating meat. “Annapoorani: the Goddess of Food” tells the story of a young woman from the Brahmin caste who aspires to become the best chef … Read more
Robert De Niro appeared flustered Monday night after realizing his speech at the Gotham Awards had been edited — to cut blistering remarks he wrote about former President Donald Trump. “I’m going to go back. I’m sorry. Okay, there was a mistake in this. I’ll keep going. Just keep scrolling,” De Niro, 80, said while … Read more
Fat bottomed girls are apparently no longer allowed to make the rocking world go round. That is, at least according to streaming service Yoto, which recently re-released Queen’s “Greatest Hits” album with track five — the iconic “Fat Bottomed Girls” — glaringly omitted. This callipygian ode — what today would be considered a body positivity … Read more
THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FILM “OPPENHEIMER.” A sex scene in the highly anticipated drama “Oppenheimer” is being slammed by Indian officials who claim the scene is “a scathing attack on Hinduism.” The biographical drama tells the story of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer as he and a group of scientists rush to complete the … Read more
Like Indiana Jones finding the Holy Grail, Steven Spielberg has finally seen the light. This week, the filmmaker said onstage at the Time100 Summit that he regrets editing the guns out of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and digitally swapping them with walkie-talkies for the 20th anniversary re-release in 2002. “That was a mistake,” a repentant Spielberg … Read more
Trigger Warning: This is a column about trigger warnings. Our coddling culture of celebrating weakness is perilously close to letting the above sentence become a serious, totally real, non-satirical norm. Take the latest label that was just added before Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 novel “Gone With The Wind.” It says that the old book, which was … Read more
God’s bestseller is next up on the chopping block. A Utah parent is calling for the Bible to be banned in school districts, claiming it violates the state’s 2022 law regarding “sensitive material.” “Get this PORN out of our schools!” pleas the anonymous parent in their scathing request to Davis High School, calling the Bible … Read more
Public screenings of a slasher film that features Winnie the Pooh were scrapped abruptly in Hong Kong on Tuesday, sparking discussions over increasing censorship in the city. Film distributor VII Pillars Entertainment announced on Facebook that the release of “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” on Thursday had been canceled with “great regret” in Hong Kong and … Read more
They’re charging a pretty penny for the una-Dahl-terated classics. While undoubtedly maligned by many, the notorious Roald Dahl word purge could prove a boon to one segment of society: the owners of the original books. “Unedited” versions of the classic children’s novels have reportedly been listed for as much as $7,000 on eBay. This comes … Read more
Tech journalist Kara Swisher interviewed legendary British comedian Eric Idle on Monday, where he spoke extensively about the state of comedy in his heyday and said he hated conservatives. Swisher asked, “How do you look at cancel culture today because now everybody is watched under great scrutiny,” asking if Idle had seen the recent Dave Chappelle … Read more
They thought it was an a-steroid. A UK astronomer has been reinstated on Twitter after allegedly getting banned because her meteor video was mistaken for porn. A Tweet detailing her exile from the Elon Musk-owned platform is currently orbiting online. “I’m back!!!!!!!!!!” announced Mary McIntyre, an astronomer from Oxfordshire, in the jubilant post. “After 3 … Read more
Much has been made of the rating given to Blonde. Opening in select theaters on Sept. 16, the Marilyn Monroe biopic was slapped with an NC-17 by the Motion Picture Association, meaning that teens 17 and under will have to wait until it hits Netflix 12 days later to find out what all the fuss … Read more