Latonya Pottain, a northern Louisiana woman known for her appearance on “My 600-Lb. Life,” has died at the age of 40, a local coroner confirmed.
The former reality TV star’s cause of death on May 17 has not been confirmed but a preliminary finding suggests that it was likely due to congestive heart failure, according to the Natchitoches Parish Coroner’s Office.
The Shreveport woman became well-known during her appearance on Season 11 of the hit TLC show, which showcases the emotional journeys of morbidly obese patients as they lose weight through diet and gastric bypass surgery.
Season 11 Episode 2 followed Pottain, the youngest of three siblings who turned to food for emotional comfort following a series of challenging life experiences. When she was 12, her mother died suddenly and her father moved away to be with another woman. She lived with her oldest sister until she turned 15 when her father co-signed a place for her to live on her own.
Pottain joined the show to get help losing weight so she could walk down the aisle to marry her future husband Daune, according to the Shreveport Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. She said that her brother died shortly before filming began, which impacted her ability to lose weight during the time.
“I’m back with my trainer, I’m dieting and my weight is going down,” Pottain told the Shreveport Times in 2023. “I’m also moving to be closer to my family so I can get my weight down and get my surgery.”
Pottain sought financial help for medical treatment this year
In February, Pottain created a GoFundMe page seeking financial support being bedridden since June 2024 due to severe health issues and nearing her highest weight of 740 pounds.
“I worked extremely hard to get it down,” Pottain wrote. “My journey with weight struggles has been a long and difficult one. In 2022, I was featured on ‘My 600-lb Life,’ where I started at 531 pounds and worked hard to get down to 505 pounds. However, after the show aired, I experienced overwhelming backlash, which sent me into a deep depression. My mental health suffered, and I became fearful of undergoing weight loss surgery.”
Pottain revealed that she moved to Houston in 2023 for a “fresh start” but unfortunately found herself in an abusive relationship while coping with her father’s new cancer diagnosis.
“Unable to take the emotional and physical toll, I returned home to Louisiana. Unfortunately, my health continued to decline, and I developed severe sciatica nerve pain, which caused extreme stomach cramps,” she wrote. “I was prescribed fentanyl, but my body rejected the medication, leading me to begin therapy. Now, I am completely bedridden and unable to get to the hospital because EMTs say transporting me would be a fire hazard due to my weight.”
Pottain was passionate about foster care
Lacking a stable environment growing up, Pottain sought to help others in her community as a foster parent.
“All my life I have taken care of young girls and helped support them, getting them through school, helping them with their kids and just encourage them and be there for them,” Pottain said in 2023. “There’s so many young girls that have lost both of their parents, going through what I went through as a teenager and not having anywhere to go.”
At the time she said aimed to found a girls group home and have an “awesome wedding.”
“Life can take a turn and you have to have to be positive and just remind yourself that you are special, you are somebody,” Pottain said.
Defense strategies for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in his sex crimes trial
A legal expert discusses strategies the defense attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs might use in his federal sex crimes trial.
Kim Porter and Sean “Diddy” Combs were something of a pop culture power couple, and their decade-long romance is still taking center stage.
Porter, the late model-actress who dated the hip-hop mogul from 1994 to 2007, has been referenced during Combs’ ongoing criminal trial in Manhattan — in which Combs, 55, is accused of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Porter’s enduring romance with the Bad Boy Records founder was brought up when Combs’ former girlfriend, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura Fine, took the stand. The one-time R&B star, whose relationship with Combs also spanned a decade, got candid on her feelings toward Porter as she opened up about the harrowing abuse she allegedly experienced from Combs.
From her hip-hop love story with Combs to her tragic 2018 death, here’s everything you need to know about Kim Porter.
How did Diddy and Kim Porter meet?
Porter met Combs in the 1990s when he was an A&R executive at Uptown Records. At the time, Porter was dating R&B singer-songwriter Al B. Sure!, who was signed to the label.
“The first time I saw her, she was at the studio with her ex-boyfriend,” Combs told Essence magazine in a 2006 interview. “I wasn’t trying to holler at her or anything, but I was admiring her — her lips, her eyes, her mouth, her shape, her energy — and thinking, ‘I wish I had a girl like that.’”
Porter was later hired as a receptionist at the pioneering hip-hop record label, which set the stage for a budding romance.
“She was smooth, you know, like ice,” Combs told the outlet. “She’s cool and collected and thinks before she speaks. You meet a lot of young ladies, and they just don’t do that. Kim was never pressed; she was always in control.”
The on-again, off-again couple officially called it quits in 2007 after 13 years of dating, but the two remained friendly, often spending holidays together.
Do Diddy and Kim Porter have kids?
Porter and Combs shared four children, including Porter’s son Quincy Brown, 33, whom she had with Al B. Sure! The couple’s other children include son Christian “King” Combs, 27, and twin daughters D’Lila and Jessie Combs, 18.
Who are Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ kids? These family members attended his sex-crimes trial
How did Kim Porter die?
Porter died in November 2018 at the age of 47 after she was found unresponsive in her San Fernando Valley home. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office later confirmed she died of pneumonia.
Combs mourned Porter and paid tribute to their tight-knit bond in an emotional Instagram post shared just days after her unexpected death.
“We were more than best friends, we were more than soulmates,” wrote Combs, who called Porter’s death a “nightmare.” “And I miss you so much. Super Black Love.”
Kim Porter dies: Model, Diddy’s ex-girlfriend was 47
What has Cassie said about Kim Porter?
During her May 15 testimony, Ventura Fine said she had “some jealousy” toward Porter, and jurors were shown a series of text messages from 2013 in which she was upset at seeing Porter and Combs with their children and not being invited to family vacations and get-togethers. She also expressed concern about looking like a “side piece” and not Combs’ partner.
While taking the stand on May 16, Ventura Fine said the last time she saw Combs was at Porter’s memorial service in Georgia. She told the defense she found it “extremely hurtful” when Combs called Porter his “soulmate” on social media, which she confronted Combs about over text message.
Jamal Roberts on being ‘American Idol’ winner, going home to daughters
Jamal Roberts won “American Idol” Season 23, but he’s about to get even busier after recently welcoming a baby girl.
You can say this for “American Idol”: More than 20 years in, it’s still worth arguing about.
Should Kris Allen have prevailed over Adam Lambert? Queen would like a word.
Carrie Underwood over Bo Bice? We loved the hair, Bo, but sorry, Carrie was the rightful empress.
Lee DeWyze instead of Crystal Bowersox? Our blood pressure spikes just recalling that travesty.
And there are no words for the injustice that was ousting Jennifer Hudson in seventh place during the show’s third season. But the “Idol” spotlight still allowed for the discovery of Hudson’s talent and eventual mega-stardom.
Though the “Idol” hitmaking machine now creaks rather than churns out superstars, the platform is still unparalleled when compared to its singing competition peers.
We’ve ranked the 23 “American Idol” winners based primarily on sheer talent, but with an obvious nod toward their success after the show (new winner Jamal Roberts excepted from that criteria).
Please, continue arguing.
23. Lee DeWyze (2010)
Despite his affable personality and gruff coffeehouse croon, DeWyze lacked the undeniable spark and grit of Crystal Bowersox, the Janis Joplin incarnate who outrageously only placed second that season. – Patrick Ryan
22. Chayce Beckham (2021)
Beckham impressed on the show with his passionate rendition of The Beatles’ “Blackbird,” but his gravelly voice often conjured memories of Creed. And no, that’s not a good thing. But Beckham’s career plans reside in country – his coronation song, “23,” from his 2024 debut album “Bad for Me,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard country digital chart. – Melissa Ruggieri
21. Laine Hardy (2019)
The Louisiana native, who in 2022 was arrested and charged with secretly recording an ex-girlfriend, rose through the “Idol” ranks with his Elvis Presley-style croon and stage persona. But outside the throwback shtick, the husky-voiced Hardy has struggled to stand out from other past winners who have charted similar country/bluegrass terrain. − Ryan
20. Noah Thompson (2022)
Between his casual style and bashful demeanor – and, of course, the reality that “Idol” voters tend to favor young white men who can be presented as harmless heartthrobs – Thompson was the natural choice. The judges praised his performance of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire” during the finale, a toothless rendition that nonetheless achieved its goal: squealing girls in the audience. − Ruggieri
19. Taylor Hicks (2006)
Given the top three talent pool of Season 5 – which also included Katharine McPhee and Elliott Yamin – it’s still a bit stunning that the overwrought Alabamian prevailed. But the “Soul Patrol” proved a mighty engine and Hicks successfully parlayed his win into a platinum-selling self-titled debut album in 2006, a Broadway stint and tour (playing the Teen Angel in “Grease”) and a modest residency in Las Vegas. – Ruggieri
18. Kris Allen (2009)
Some were shocked when the innocuous Allen triumphed over the bold flamboyance of Adam Lambert during Season 8 of “Idol” – not that it hindered Lambert’s future. But more than Allen’s couple of hits (“No Boundaries,” “Live Like We’re Dying”), his win ushered in the era of nondescript male singer-songwriters armed with guitars and crooked grins. – Ruggieri
17. Trent Harmon (2016)
Harmon’s boyish face and soft-spoken demeanor masked a deceptively brawny set of pipes, which were put to best use on an enchanting cover of Sia’s “Chandelier.” Harmon signed to Big Machine Records (Taylor Swift’s former label) post-“Idol,” finding minor success on the country charts with singles “Falling” and “There’s a Girl.” – Ryan
16. Just Sam (2020)
A former subway busker, New York-bred Samantha Diaz stormed the (virtual) “Idol” stage with their unfiltered persona and pure singing talent. Their pandemic-season performance of Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You),” as well as a stunning duet with Lauren Daigle on “You Say,” solidified their deserved victory. The realities of the record business derailed their post-show album release, but in 2022 they independently released the songs “Pain Is Power” and “Question.” – Ruggieri
15. Caleb Johnson (2014)
Johnson was the typically staid competition’s closest answer to Whitesnake and AC/DC, with squalling vocals and head-banging dynamism that have made him a hit with the legacy rock crowd in the years since his victory, touring with Trans-Siberian Orchestra and taking over singing duties from Neverland Express, the touring band of the late Meat Loaf. – Ryan
14. Iam Tongi (2023)
The Hawaiian-born 18-year-old captured hearts starting with his tear-inducing audition with James Blunt’s “Monsters,” which Tongi dedicated to his late father. His combination of a mellifluous voice and gentle, upbeat demeanor proved irresistible, but there is also no denying Tongi’s soul. His first single, the acoustic ballad “I’ll Be Seeing You,” served as a touching, honest debut. – Ruggieri
13. Phillip Phillips (2012)
A soft-spoken guitar strummer who in his pre-“Idol” life worked at his family’s pawn shop in Leesburg, Georgia, Phillips earned a significant bona fide: His coronation song, the Dave Matthews Band-esque “Home,” is the bestselling single in the show’s history, with more than 5 million sold. A spate of other hits (“Raging Fire,” “Gone, Gone, Gone”) preserved his momentum. – Ruggieri
12. Maddie Poppe (2018)
In a competition that favors blue-eyed crooners and power belters, Poppe was a refreshingly sophisticated pick: a raspy-voiced folk artist who could make you smile singing Disney’s “The Jungle Book” just as easily as she could rip your heart out with a Beach Boys cover. She’s one of the few recent “Idol” victors who you could legitimately call a “singular talent.” – Ryan
11. Abi Carter (2024)
Though she captured the attention of judges and viewers with her soulful take on Billie Eilish’s award-gobbling “Barbie” ballad, “What Was I Made For?,” Carter’s true strength is her potent pipes. She likely clinched her victory with her top eight performance of Evanescence’s searing “Bring Me to Life” and demonstrated her rock chops again by romping through “Triumph” with British alt-rock singer Bishop Briggs on the season finale. ‒ Ruggieri
10. Nick Fradiani (2015)
It felt like the buff singer was the next breakout star after his victory song, the catchy singalong “Beautiful Life,” dented the charts. But his 2016 debut album, “Hurricane,” fared poorly and an independently released EP in 2017, “Where We Left Off,” also failed to produce liftoff. But Fradiani has found his niche in theater, first on the national tour of “A Bronx Tale” and on Broadway, where he starred as Neil Diamond in “A Beautiful Noise.” – Ruggieri
9. Jamal Roberts (2025)
His room-brightening smile and cool style were instantly appealing magnets, but the P.E. teacher from Mississippi truly captured hearts and votes with his creamy voice, an instrument that can soar through soul ballads and dig into gritty gospel with equal potency. Roberts, the first Black man to win the crown since Ruben Studdard in Season 2, best demonstrated his supple vocals on the heartfelt ballad “Heal,” which probes mental health struggles with sensitivity and urgency. − Ruggieri
8. Scotty McCreery (2011)
The resident male country star to graduate from the “Idol” laboratory – like Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks, at only 17 – the North Carolina native with a molasses-hued voice that belies his unassuming demeanor remains a prominent chart presence more than a decade after his Season 10 win. “Five More Minutes,” “This Is It” and “In Between” are among his chart-toppers, while 2024’s “Rise & Fall” album spawned a top 5 country hit with “Cab in a Solo.” – Ruggieri
7. Candice Glover (2013)
Whether she was covering Ben E. King, Aretha Franklin, or The Cure (on tearful standout “Lovesong”), the Beaufort, South Carolina, native brought unmatched vulnerability and powerhouse vocals to every single performance. Her recording career post-“Idol,” too, is filled with stirring ballads that have been sadly ignored by radio. – Ryan
6. David Cook (2008)
With his pleasantly raspy voice and a knack for melody and unearthing lesser-known versions of hits to cover on the show (e.g., Whitesnake’s “Day Tripper,” Chris Cornell’s “Billie Jean”), the Season 7 winner – over angelic David Archuleta – skyrocketed to success. His victory song, the inspirational pop-rock anthem “The Time of My Life,” and its follow-up, “Light On,” each sold more than a million copies and showcased his musical worldview (Collective Soul, Foo Fighters and the Goo Goo Dolls counted among his inspirations). In 2021, Cook’s music delved into his struggle with anxiety on the independently released EP, “The Looking Glass,” while 2024 brought the singles “Dead Weight” and “This Time Tomorrow 16.” – Ruggieri
5. Ruben Studdard (2003)
Studdard’s smooth, velvety vocals were the perfect complement to runner-up Clay Aiken’s earnest pop theatrics, with standout performances of Stevie Wonder and Dionne Warwick classics, and a respectable career as a gospel/R&B hitmaker in years to follow. – Ryan
4. Jordin Sparks (2007)
The show’s youngest winner at 17 (by two months compared to McCreery), the sweet-smiling Sparks found immediate success a few months after her victory with a pair of Billboard top 10 hits: “Tattoo” and “No Air,” her duet with a pre-scandal Chris Brown. Broadway (“In the Heights”) and film (“Sparkle”) expanded Sparks’ reach, but in recent years she’s concentrated more on motherhood with a few career moves – the 2020 holiday album “Cider & Hennessey,” her 2021 participation in “The Masked Dancer” – sprinkled in. – Ruggieri
3. Fantasia Barrino (2004)
Barrino’s sultry, soulful rendition of George Gershwin’s “Summertime” might be the all-time greatest performance to ever hit the “Idol” stage. The R&B artist’s elastic vocals and deep well of emotion have continued to serve her well, as she reprised her role as Celie from the Broadway musical “The Color Purple” for the star-studded movie adaptation. – Ryan
2. Carrie Underwood (2005)
It feels like 100 lifetimes ago that a pouffy-haired Underwood blasted us off our couches with her rendition of Heart’s “Alone” during her Season 4 run to the top. And remember her small-town country-girl proclamation that she’d never been on an airplane prior to her “Idol” audition? Six massive headlining tours, an aerial-filled Las Vegas residency, a lot of leg bronzer and 65 million-plus album sales later (she’s the top-selling artist in the “Idol” franchise and its newest judge), Underwood has earned a few frequent flier rewards. – Ruggieri
1. Kelly Clarkson (2002)
There’s a reason Clarkson goes viral every other week with her adventurous and breathtaking “Kellyoke” covers on the daytime talk show “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” The Texas native is so effortlessly charming and in control of her instrument, with an outsized personality and even larger voice that bring all the ferocity and drama you want from a top 40 hit (of which she has nearly two dozen). Frankly, our lives would suck without Clarkson, who is the brightest star “Idol” has and will likely ever produce. – Ryan
Photos released by government shows what was in Diddy’s hotel room
Prosecutors released photos of evidence collected in Sean “Diddy” Combs hotel room before his arrest.
This story contains photos and descriptions of drugs that some readers may find disturbing.
As Sean “Diddy” Combs’ criminal trial entered its third week, prosecutors are releasing images of the belongings found in his hotel room after the embattled music mogul was arrested at a New York hotel.
Photos from Combs’ hotel room at the Park Hyatt New York, where he was taken into custody on Sept. 16 on racketeering and sex-crimes charges, show an illuminating scene of the hip-hop billionaire’s life in the moments leading up to his arrest.
Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Yasin Binda took the stand May 16 and described to jurors the items her team discovered, including baby oil, lubricant, prescription medication and a device that she described “as potentially mood lighting.”
The jury, comprising eight men and four women as well as a group of alternates, saw photos from the room as well as an exhibit bag with drugs found in his nightstand drawers, which tested positive for MDMA and ketamine.
Throughout testimony in Combs’ case so far, witnesses in the Manhattan courtroom have spoken about Combs’ alleged drug use, which his ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura Fine described as “daily.” She also said his mood changed while using various substances such as ecstasy, cocaine, marijuana, ketamine and GHB.
Though U.S. attorneys have have proposed drugs were a means by which Combs would coerce and ensure participation in his alleged dayslong “freak offs,” Combs’ defense team has claimed the drugs were for “personal use” by Combs and “freak off” participants.
The photos were shared by prosecutors with media outlets May 19. See all the details – and images – of what investigators discovered.
Diddy on Trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom with USA TODAY as Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces sex crimes and trafficking charges — sign up here.
What was found in Diddy’s hotel room after his arrest? Baby oil, drugs and more
Among the items discovered in Combs’ hotel room on Sept. 16 were:
A plastic bag filled with Johnson & Johnson baby oil
Five bottles of baby oil and lubricant standing together on the floor of the bathtub (This was not all of the baby oil and lubricant they’d found, Binda confirmed.)
A Louis Vuitton bag with a bottle of clonazepam – a benzodiazepine that is used for anxiety and seizures – which was prescribed to Combs’ alias, Frank Black
Two bottles of lubricant in the right nightstand drawer
A bottle of medication in the left nightstand with two clear plastic bags filled with a pink substance. One of the bags tested positive for ketamine, and the other had a mixture of MDMA and ketamine
A fanny pack hanging off the bed with $9,000 in cash
Cell phones belonging to Combs and Kristina “KK” Khorram, who has been described as Combs’ “right hand”
In past court filings, Combs’ lawyers have said he was staying at the Park Hyatt to make himself accessible to authorities and “surrender” to law enforcement. Combs has been jailed at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental and/or substance use disorders, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration‘s free and confidential treatment referral and information service at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). It’s available 24/7 in English and Spanish (TTY: 1-800-487-4889).
Beyoncé gives Kamala Harris ‘Freedom’ song for campaign
Kamala Harris visited presidential campaign headquarters at the start of this week and she exited the event to the sound of a Beyoncé song, ‘Freedom’.
unbranded – Entertainment
Former President Trump accused Beyoncé of accepting $11 million to endorse Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential race.
This claim is unsubstantiated, with no evidence from the Federal Election Commission or other sources.
Beyoncé publicly endorsed Harris at a rally and allowed her campaign to use the song “Freedom,” but her mother denied any payment for the endorsement.
Harris’ campaign did pay Beyoncé’s company $165,000 for event production.
President Donald Trump has accused former Vice President Kamala Harris of paying Beyoncé Knowles-Carter $11 million for an “illegal” endorsement during the 2024 presidential race.
In a fiery rant posted May 19 on Truth Social, Trump said he plans to call for a “major investigation” into Harris’ celebrity endorsements, including by Bruce Springsteen, Oprah Winfrey and Beyoncé. He alleged Beyoncé received $11 million to walk on stage and show her support during a Harris’ rally in Houston.
The president did not cite a source for this information. The Federal Election Commission has no record of an $11 million payment to Beyoncé from Harris’ campaign.
Here’s what to know about Beyoncé’s endorsement of Harris.
Beyoncé showed support for Harris throughout presidential campaign
In October 2024, Beyoncé showed up to declare her support and officially endorse Harris at a rally focused on abortion rights in Beyoncé’s hometown of Houston. She was joined by her longtime friend the singer and actress Kelly Rowland on the stage.
During the rally, Beyoncé addressed the crowd.
“I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother,” she said. “Your freedom is your God-given right, your human right.”
Months prior, Beyoncé and her family showed their support for the presidential nominee in other ways. Shortly after President Joe Biden ended his bid for reelection, Beyoncé’s mom, Tina Knowles, quickly endorsed Harris for president.
Beyoncé also cleared the usage of her 2016 song “Freedom” for Harris, and the tune became the former vice president’s official campaign song throughout her bid for president.
The summer prior, Harris attended Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” concert just outside of Washington after the superstar gifted her tickets.
Did Beyoncé receive $11 million from Harris’ campaign?
No evidence has surfaced of the $11 million payment, and it’s unclear where Trump got this figure. The Federal Election Commission did show that Harris’ campaign made a $165,000 payment for “campaign event production” to Parkwood Production Media — Beyoncé’s entertainment company — weeks after the rally.
The campaign also paid $1 million to Harpo Productions, the company Winfrey owns, after she hosted a star-studded town hall event for Harris.
“I did not take any personal fee,” Winfrey said in an Instagram video. “However, the people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story.”
Tina Knowles has denied Beyoncé was paid to endorse Harris
Back in November 2024, Knowles posted on Instagram to shut down claims the singer was paid millions to endorse Harris. In a lengthy Instagram post she wrote:
“The lie is that Beyonce was paid 10 million dollars to speak at a rally in Houston for Vice President Kamala Harris. When In Fact: Beyonce did not receive a penny for speaking at a Presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harrris’ Rally in Houston. In fact, she actually paid for her own flights for her and her team, and total Glam. They are not only lying and disrespecting Beyonce’s name but they are trying to further discredit the power of our vice president!”
Trump claims Beyoncé walked off to ‘loud booing’ at the rally, but that’s not true
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “According to news reports, Beyoncé was paid $11,000,000 to walk onto a stage, quickly ENDORSE KAMALA, and walk off to loud booing for never having performed, NOT EVEN ONE SONG.”
However, the singer was not booed at the rally.
Beyoncé is currently in the middle of her Cowboy Carter and Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit Tour, a spectacle filled with fashion, different music genres and most notably country music and political commentary. The song “Freedom” is among the songs on the massive set list.
The nine-city tour will span the U.S. and Europe with the grand finale taking place in Las Vegas on July 26.
Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network’s Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.
Experts say Joe Biden’s cancer no longer curable, but treatable
Former President Joe Biden’s cancer cells are ranked with a “high Gleason score.” Here’s what that means for his treatment.
Scott Adams, creator of the “Dilbert” comic strip, is revealing he’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer like former President Joe Biden – but he does not have long to live.
During a live stream on May 19, the cartoonist, 67, revealed that like Biden, he has also been diagnosed with prostate cancer that has spread to the bone. “My life expectancy is maybe this summer,” Adams said. “I expect to be checking out from this domain sometime this summer.”
Adams, who said he has been using a walker for months, went on to detail how he is “always in pain” and doesn’t “have good days,” telling viewers, “Every day is a nightmare, and evening is even worse.”
Adams announced the news after expressing “compassion and sympathy” for Biden, who a spokesperson said on May 18 has been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that has spread to the bone.
How is prostate cancer diagnosed and treated? Understanding Joe Biden’s illness.
The former president was diagnosed on May 16 after “experiencing urinary symptoms,” the spokesperson said, adding that although the cancer is aggressive, it appears “to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.”
Though Adams noted that fans may be shocked to hear about his cancer diagnosis, he said that he has had time to process it.
Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis and when illness strikes just as you finally retire
“It’s kind of civilized that you know about how long you have, so you can put your affairs together and make sure you’ve said your goodbyes and done all the things you need to do,” Adams said. “So if you had to pick a way to die, this one’s really painful, like really, really painful. But it’s also kind of good that it gives you enough time while your brain is still working to wrap things up.”
He also explained he did not share his diagnosis earlier because he did not want people to think of him differently. When he noticed that some viewers watching the stream were having a “tough time” with the news, he told them, “Nothing lasts forever.”
Adams’ comic strip “Dilbert,” which draws humor from office life, was first published in 1989.
In 2023, numerous newspapers, including the USA TODAY Network, announced they would stop running “Dilbert” due to racist comments made by Adams, who said that white people should “get the hell away from Black people.”
The USA TODAY Network said at the time that “recent discriminatory comments” by Adams “have influenced our decision to discontinue publishing his comic,” adding, “While we respect and encourage free speech, his views do not align with our editorial or business values as an organization.” Adams maintained that the comments were meant to be hyperbolic.
‘Mission: Impossible 8’: Tom Cruise saves day at sea and in skies
Superspy Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) needs to stop a rogue AI from taking over the world in “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.”
Sure, Tom Cruise has hung off the side of an airborne plane, driven a motorbike off a cliff, climbed a skyscraper and sprinted across rooftops to entertain the movie-loving masses. But has he dared to take on a truly harrowing assignment and put the “Mission: Impossible” movies in order from worst to best? Not so much.
Nobody’s better as his own stuntman than Cruise, and he’s back doing things that would have mere mortals in a fetal position in “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” (in theaters May 23). In the eighth (and potentially last) film in the franchise – a spinoff of the TV show from the 1960s and ’70s – the A-lister’s superspy Ethan Hunt returns for another world-saving adventure, this time in a final faceoff with a digital supervillain.
Since Tom hasn’t accepted the mission yet, we’re doing the “Impossible” and ranking all eight films so far. (If you need to catch up, the first seven are streaming on Paramount+, as is the old series.)
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8. ‘Mission: Impossible 2’ (2000)
Director John Woo is an action-movie master but his “Mission” was a whiff in comparison to films like “The Killer” and “Face/Off.” When a deadly genetically modified virus and its cure are stolen by a former agent (Dougray Scott), Ethan teams up with a professional thief (Thandiwe Newton) to stop him from creating a pandemic. Oh, and did we mention she’s the bad guy’s former lover? This is a case of too much style and too little substance, as melodrama and excessive slo-mo overshadow the few explosive scenes, including a decent motorcycle chase.
7. ‘Mission: Impossible III’ (2006)
Director J.J. Abrams’ one crack at a “Mission” films feels almost like a danger-filled episode of “Felicity.” Ethan tries to make a somewhat normal life for himself and even gets hitched. But marital bliss goes kablooey when Ethan has to rescue a former protege (Keri Russell) and also his kidnapped new wife Julia (Michelle Monaghan), plus steal a biohazard device and further enrage his bosses. The highlight by far is a fantastically villainous turn by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman as a sadistic arms dealer.
6. ‘Mission: Impossible’ (1996)
It pales in comparison to a lot of what came after, yet director Brian De Palma’s continuation of the old show and its tropes (mask reveals, self-destructing messages) made the property cool again. Twists, turns and betrayals abound when Ethan is framed for the deaths of his team and has the government after him. It’s interesting in hindsight to see him as just a member of the Impossible Mission Force rather than the de facto leader, and the tension-packed sequence where Ethan breaks into a booby-trapped CIA vault from the ceiling is still an all-timer.
5. ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’ (2023)
Who else but Ethan are you going to call when a rogue artificial intelligence called The Entity threatens the entire globe? Our hero is in a race to get a key that could destroy the digital baddie before it gets into the hands of countries greedy to have its power. Ethan finds a new partner in spycraft with Grace (Hayley Atwell), a skilled pickpocket, as they go on an epic car chase through Rome and a gnarly ride on the Orient Express. (Plus, Cruise pulls off a seriously impressive mountain jump from a motorbike with a memorable landing.)
4. ‘Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning’ (2025)
Bringing closure to a three-decade story arc, the installment sends Ethan and his crew all over the world, from the Arctic seas to the South African skies, to keep The Entity from causing a global apocalypse. Old faces return, new ones show up (welcome to the “Mission” club, Tramell Tillman and Hannah Waddingham!). And after a slow early going, Cruise goes ballistic in the movie’s awesome second half, spelunking a sunken submarine and pulling off some aerial derring-do that’ll have your jaw on the theater floor next to some spilled popcorn.
3. ‘Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation’ (2015)
The IMF gets shut down at pretty much the worst time for such a thing, just as a sinister bunch of operatives from around the world called The Syndicate have emerged to give everyone fits. Director Christopher McQuarrie begins a doozy of a run with this fifth “Mission,” where Ethan’s a fugitive, ex-MI6 agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) comes into Ethan’s life and Cruise shows off his breathtaking lung capacity for a spiffy underwater rescue sequence.
2. ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ (2018)
Cruise and Henry Cavill destroying a public bathroom during a hellacious fist fight is enough to rank “Fallout” high. But the movie, which hinges on Ethan and Co. dealing with stolen plutonium and a heinous nuclear bomb plot, has so much going for it. Cruise dangles from a helicopter and does a HALO jump from 25,000 feet in the air, Ethan’s ex Julia comes back into the picture, Ilsa is more awesome than usual, and a mustached Cavill plays a double agent no one would want to stare down.
1. ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’ (2011)
Director Brad Bird’s lone “Mission” was a game-changer for the franchise and set the stage for the spy intrigue, interesting ensembles and death-defying stunt work that would become the series’ hallmarks. After Ethan gets blamed for an explosion at the Kremlin, his crew is tasked with preventing the use of stolen nuclear launch codes and staving off a showdown between America and Russia. The characters and plot pop, and Cruise scales the 163-story Burj Khalifa in Dubai for a bit that’s important to the narrative but that also made us all as a culture say, “This dude is nuts, but we love him anyway.”
