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The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Why are you so damn gay?': the public policing of Karl-Anthony Towns' joy
The first time I danced was with my father. I plucked my bare feet onto his work boots, to my mother's distress, and let his rubber soles guide me into a groove. Hand in hand, we spun through the kitchen as Al Green's Love and Happiness christened my rhythm's baptism. The second time I danced was with myself – and it would be my last. I wrapped my arms around the fleshy part of my waist as Seal's Kiss from a Rose played from the Batman Forever CD in my stereo. Alone in my room, I was OK with the mirror seeing every part of me. I danced like Shirley Temple with Buddy Ebsen. Like my father guided me. The only thing that could have broken my rhythm did. My stepmother filled the doorway, barefoot except for a roach she had stepped on. 'Why are you so damn gay?' That question didn't land as curiosity. It landed as a sentence – as instruction. From that moment on, joy had to pass inspection before it could be expressed. A decade later, in a different home and a different neighborhood, I stood over a sink, washing someone else's blood off my hands – still shaking from having fought my way out of being jumped. I wasn't just cleaning up. I was trying to scrub away any lingering doubt about my masculinity. This essay is about what happens when boys who move freely are taught to fear their own rhythm – and what it means when grown men like Karl-Anthony Towns are mocked for keeping theirs. Confusion, softness and the urge to question societal norms are beaten out of all of us – but especially out of young boys of color in dangerous neighborhoods. It's as if the praxis of masculinity demands violence as the antidote to vulnerability. Even laughter had rules. You couldn't let it be too high-pitched. Too quick. You learned to clap shoulders, not hold hands. I didn't immediately reconcile my behavior with its double, but I spent my adolescence trying to prove my stepmom wrong. Since moving from Minnesota to New York, expectations for former No 1 draft pick Karl-Anthony Towns have increased on all fronts. In New York, the world's largest media market, scrutiny moves faster than any headline – amplified by the virality of social media. Towns is discovering what happens when softness is punished, when queerness is projected, and when public figures become unwilling avatars in culture wars over masculinity. The term 'zesty', a softened descendant of homophobic slang, became Towns' shadow. It trailed him through every three-point play, podcast outtake and postgame moment. He became the target for people eager to mock what they couldn't define. In Hilton Als's The Women, he recalls being called an 'auntie man' – a Barbadian phrase for a queer man, used with equal parts derision and familiarity. For Als, the term was both burden and lens – a way to understand how femininity in male bodies disturbs cultural norms. Towns, in his gestures and tones, touched that nerve – not by coming out, but by refusing to contort himself into the rigid, humorless frame of what a man in sports is supposed to be. Towns is far from alone. Figures like Tyler, the Creator, Russell Westbrook and Odell Beckham Jr have also been queer-coded and mocked online – not for coming out, but for expressing aesthetic freedom that unsettles traditional expectations of Black masculinity. Reading Als, I realized I wasn't just haunted by my stepmother's question. I was haunted by the idea that my joy, softness and rhythm might be interpreted the same way – that to some, my way of moving through the world would always be 'off'. Homophobia today isn't what it was in the 1990s, when the idea of a gay NBA player sparked outrage. American culture has shifted. Most people – not just millennials – know someone who is openly gay. Even baby boomers often count LGBTQ+ individuals among their friends or family. This broader familiarity has normalized queerness – but mostly white, heteronormative queerness. During his presidency, Donald Trump welcomed 'Gays for Trump', revealing how sexuality has become more complicated in modern politics, so long as it's white and votes red. But in sports, John Amaechi and Jason Collins remain punchlines. Dwight Howard was the most recent NBA player to be publicly dissected for his queer preferences. His situation involved layers of moral, legal and consensual complexity, but the cultural judgment echoed the same old anxieties. Towns is ostensibly straight. He's in a public relationship with Jordyn Woods. But his moments of effeminacy have gone viral on TikTok, trickling down through Twitter and into Facebook echo chambers. Many cite his Dominican heritage – not as a direct link to queerness, but to the flamboyance, rhythm and emotional expressiveness embedded in that culture. And if he were gay or bi or queer, what exactly would that change? KAT is still a dawg. It's ironic that this ridicule came during the best season of his career. He averaged 24.7 points and a career-high 13.5 rebounds while leading the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 25 years. He delivered signature performances, including back-to-back 40-point games and a playoff triple-double. His offensive dominance marked a personal and franchise turning point. But it wasn't enough. The online ridicule intensified, crystallizing into what became known as 'Zesty Karl-Anthony Towns', or Zesty KAT – a meme that painted the Knicks star as flamboyant or queer-coded based on voice, gesture and posture. The term resurfaced in 2024 after viral TikTok compilations dissected clips from his postgame interviews and on-court expressions, reigniting during the 2025 playoffs. One of the most viral examples came from X user @Zazamyodor, who quote-tweeted a clip of Towns softly saying 'for sure' with the caption, 'That 'for sure' was nasty work.' The post earned over 46,000 likes and helped cement 'zesty' as shorthand for mocking his style, despite his career peak. I still haven't danced like I did that first time, or even the second. But I think about it often: what it meant to be light on my feet, unburdened, joyful without explanation. What Karl-Anthony Towns is enduring isn't just a meme cycle. It's the same sentence I heard in my doorway, repackaged for likes and algorithm reach: 'Why are you so damn gay?' Not a question, an accusation. In this world, to be joyful in your body, to be expressive without apology, is still treated like defiance. Towns may not need to dance like I did. But every time he celebrates a three-pointer with flair, every time he speaks in a tone too tender for a seven-footer, he keeps the rhythm going for those of us who had ours interrupted.
News18
24-07-2025
- Science
- News18
Back From Hiss-tory: World's Smallest Snake Rediscovered In Barbados After 20 Years
Last Updated: Once feared extinct, the Barbados threadsnake- thinner than spaghetti and barely 10cm long- has slithered back into scientific spotlight. World's smallest snake, Barbados threadsnake, was found by scientists two decades after it was last seen. The snake- measuring no longer than 10 centimeters when fully grown and as slender as a strand of spaghetti- was feared extinct. The elusive reptile was found under a rock in central Barbados during an ecological survey in March in an expedition led by the Barbados environment ministry and conservation nonprofit Re:wild. The Barbados threadsnake- once listed among 4,800 species globally considered 'lost to science"- had not been officially sighted since the early 2000s. Justin Springer, Caribbean programme officer at Re:wild, said he was joking with his colleague while turning over a rock tangled in tree roots when he exclaimed, 'I smell a threadsnake." He said, 'When you are so accustomed to looking for things and you don't see them, you are shocked when you actually find it." The find came as a thrill to Connor Blades, a project officer for the environment ministry, who had spent over a year with Justin Springer searching for the snake and other rare Barbadian reptiles. He said, 'If the threadsnake population is not very dense, I am worried about their ability to find mates, particularly if their habitat is under threat and being degraded." The Barbados threadsnake, first recorded in 1889, is known to reproduce sexually, with females laying just one egg at a time- a rarity in the reptile world where some species can reproduce without mating. Barbados has lost 98% of its native forests, largely due to agricultural development since colonization more than five centuries ago. Conservationists fear that habitat loss and invasive species could once again push the threadsnake toward extinction. Justin Springer said, 'The threadsnake's rediscovery is also a call to all of us as Barbadians that forests in Barbados are very special and need protection. Not just for the threadsnake, but for other species as well. For plants, animals and our heritage." view comments First Published: July 24, 2025, 18:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Irish Independent
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Smurfs review: Rihanna is Smurfette – but this shoddy musical reboot is among the laziest animations of the year
It's as if comic strip artist Pierre 'Peyo' Culliford's blue-skinned forest dwellers weren't designed for a big-screen feature-length movie. The format doesn't suit them – and this shoddy musical reboot ranks among the laziest animations of the year. Rihanna, would you believe, is a producer of this vacuous fantasy from director Chris Miller (Puss in Boots) and writer Pam Brady (Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken). The Barbadian superstar also lends her voice to Smurfette, the only female Smurf in the village, whose patience is severely tested after a mob of wicked wizards kidnap her beloved Papa Smurf (John Goodman). Business as usual, then. But we also have a Smurf with an identity crisis (James Corden's No Name Smurf), and a bizarre trip to the real world, where nothing much happens and nobody ever notices the tiny blue trespassers. Natasha Lyonne and Nick Offerman provide support, and they'll appreciate the pay packets, I'm sure. But this new-and-unimproved Smurfs movie shows very few signs of intelligent life.
Daily Mirror
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Washington Black release date, cast and more as fans 'can't wait to watch'
Washington Black is a historical drama series coming to Disney Plus and Hulu in July and looks set to be a gripping watch for fans of the genre - here's all you need to know Disney Plus and Hulu are set to release a new historical drama, Washington Black, that is sure to captivate fans of the genre. The series unfolds in the early 1800s in Barbados and Nova Scotia, centring around an 11 year old lad named George Washington 'Wash' Black. After a shocking death upends his life on a Barbadian sugar plantation, George finds himself fleeing his home. He's taken under the wing of Medwin Harris, who also endured a traumatic childhood as a Black refugee in Nova Scotia. Here's everything you need to know about the release date, cast, number of episodes, and more. When does Washington Black premiere? All episodes will be released simultaneously on July 23, allowing fans to binge-watch without any suspenseful cliffhangers. Disney Plus typically releases new titles at midnight in the US, which translates to 8am in the UK. Hulu generally releases new episodes at 9pm Pacific Time, or midnight Eastern Time. Who stars in Washington Black? Kingsley Junior, known for his roles in The Sandman and The Sparticle Mystery, is part of the cast. Tom Ellis, recognised for his roles in Miranda and Lucifer, portrays Christopher 'Titch' Wilde. Sterling K. Brown takes on the role of Medwin Harris and also serves as an executive producer on the series. Brown has previously starred in This Is Us and Paradise. Iola Evans, known for her roles in Choose or Die and Out of Darkness, plays Tanna Goff. The star-studded lineup for the eagerly anticipated series Washington Black includes Julian Rhind-Tutt as Erasmus Wilde, Billy Boyd taking on the role of Willard, and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine portraying Gaius. Edward Bluemel steps into the shoes of Billy McGee, with Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Miss Angie and Rupert Graves playing Mr Goff. Completing the ensemble are Shaunette Renée Wilson as Big Kit, Charles Dance embodying James Wilde, and Blaine Dorey featuring as Porter. How many episodes are in Washington Black? The series is neatly packaged into eight episodes, all set to be released simultaneously. While the titles of the episodes remain under wraps, anticipation builds. Is there a trailer for Washington Black? Indeed, the trailer teases a tense chase as Washington Black finds himself in a desperate struggle for survival. But it's more than just a fight to stay alive; it's a quest for love, unity, and equality. Eager fans have already begun buzzing in the comments section, with @peterddb1593 exclaiming: "Imaginative, colorfully filmed and Sterling K Brown leads the cast! Can't wait to watch this!" @ourabouras chimed in with enthusiasm: "Story looks intriguing, love that they filmed on location, and I'm always here for more Sterling K. Brown!" Washington Black makes its debut on Disney Plus and Hulu on July 23.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rihanna, ASAP Rocky, And Children Attend Her Father's Funeral In Barbados
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky gathered their children to visit Barbados for her father's funeral. Ronald Fenty was laid to rest on Tuesday (July 8) at Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, according to WIC News. The outlet reported Ronald Fenty died at the end of May at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after suffering from a combination of acute respiratory failure, pancreas cancer, aspiration pneumonia, contributed by acute renal failure, and acute tubular necrosis. In the obituary, Mr. Fenty was remembered as the father of six children, grandfather to 10, and great-grandfather to several more. The document also referred to Rihanna as 'The Right Excellent Robyn Rihanna Fenty,' in acknowledgement of the national honor given to the Grammy winner by Barbados in 2021. The soon-to-be mother of three has not made a public statement regarding the death of her father. Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley shared an Instagram post at the time and confirmed his passing. 'It is with deep sorrow, that on behalf of the Government and people of Barbados, I extend my sincere condolences to our beloved National Hero, The Right Excellent Robyn Rihanna Fenty, on the passing of her father, Ronald Fenty,' began the honorable caption. 'Ronald was a father, a friend, a neighbour, and a proud Barbadian. Indeed, his path, like so many in our community, was not without struggle, but it was also one marked by love, growth, and a deep connection to the people and place that shaped him. To Rihanna, her mother Monica, her brothers Rorrey, Rajad and Jamie, sisters Kandy and Samantha, and all members of the Fenty family, I offer my deepest sympathies. I equally extend my condolences to Ronald's friends and loved ones, both here in Barbados and abroad.' More from Skepta Challenges A$AP Rocky To Rap Battle In U.K. Versus U.S.A. Hip-Hop Clash Rihanna Reveals Her Go-To Karaoke Song By This R&B Newcomer Did A$AP Rocky Accidentally Reveal The Gender Of His Third Child With Rihanna?
