Latest news with #BobtheBuilder
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Surprising place where American women are looking for dates... and it's working
Forget dating apps - single women are now heading to The Home Depot to find love. The bizarre new trend has gone viral on TikTok, with hopeful romantics claiming the hardware store is the perfect place to meet a handy, husband-material man. One woman called Nevv, from Toronto, Canada, posted a video from inside the store as she strolled nonchalantly through the aisles. 'Ladies, this is your sign to stop finding these men in the club and go to your nearest Home Depot,' she shared in overlaid text. In reference to the beloved kids show, she added in the caption: 'Get yourself a Bob the Builder.' Scarlett, another content creator, also shared a light-hearted clip, writing: 'Can't find a boyfriend so I have to act lost in Home Depot.' The blonde beauty twirled her hair and gazed at the shelves as if she needed assistance from - hopefully - a man who was boyfriend material. Kelby Joseph, the Founder and Strategic Executive Producer at KKO Productions, also urged singles to make their way to their local The Home Depot and explained how the trend worked. 'It's not about them (women) not knowing what they're doing, it's about the explanation,' he began in his TikTok video. 'If a guy comes to them and they're mansplaining, but they do it in a respectful way, a charming way, a kind way, not demeaning them, not making them seem like "You don't know what you're doing. Let me take over." You're failing the test. 'To pass the test is to be the person who is present and available to help. 'And when you do that in a kind, respectful manner, still allowing her to be in her power, but she's giving you the baton to be in yours that's when you pass the test.' Kelby also said there were specific times of day that were better for meeting people. He didn't disclose them right away, but a comment detailed two specific days. '6am on Thursday and Friday morning... the general contractors are pressed for the weekend goals on construction... they're masculine and some are very single,' it read. However, not everyone is convinced by the method with staff and former employees warning it might not be the dating goldmine it seems. In the comments, many people argue the men at The Home Depot are 'married' or too young to date. One person wrote: 'Girl, I work there, run far, far, far away.' 'I promise the man you want is not at Home Depot,' someone else penned. Despite the possibility that a boyfriend is not waiting for you at The Home Depot, the trend proved to work for one couple. Katelyn Ansari, a single mom of two who had recently moved to Texas from California, found her now-partner after roaming the isles of the hardware store, per a viral TikTok video. She asked him for help finding something, and the rest was history.
Los Angeles Times
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Kaitlyn Dever was Hollywood's best-kept secret. Those days are over now
Kaitlyn Dever knows the words to the 'Bob the Builder' theme song. She's singing it — we're singing it — which isn't something I expected when preparing to talk with her again after we took a deep dive into the season finale of 'The Last of Us.' But then, even the most meticulous research had failed to turn up that Dever's father, Tim, voiced Bob the Builder, as well as another icon of children's television, Barney the Dinosaur. 'I know, right?' Dever says, laughing. 'Barney the Dinosaur. Crazy.' Is it a reach to think that's why Dever is having such a blast right now in Australia shooting 'Godzilla x Kong: Supernova,' the latest entry in the Monsterverse franchise? After all, this isn't her first rodeo with a dinosaur — even if this time around, the creature isn't purple or huggable or even tangible, just a green-screen dream. 'I want to meet Godzilla,' Dever says. 'I just don't know if, outside my imagination, I ever will. But that's OK. My imagination is a powerful thing.' Dever is home in L.A. for a few days, taking a break from filming, enjoying time with her dad and her younger sisters, anticipating her return for good in July when she'll have enough time for, among other things, a meal or three at the venerable Valley Mexican restaurant Casa Vega. She's experiencing serious taco withdrawal right now. If you've had even a casual relationship with television or movies in the last 15 years, you know Kaitlyn Dever, even if you don't think you do. As a teenager, she got her start playing the gun-toting, pot-growing Loretta McCready on 'Justified' and Tim Allen's daughter on 'Last Man Standing.' She then starred opposite Beanie Feldstein in the thrilling, funny 2019 coming-of-age comedy 'Booksmart,' now part of the teen movie canon, and then gutted viewers portraying a sexual assault survivor in 'Unbelievable' and an opioid addict on 'Dopesick.' Earlier this year, she shined as a cancer-faking Australian wellness influencer in the limited series 'Apple Cider Vinegar.' All that was a prelude to her turn as Abby Anderson on 'The Last of Us,' playing the young woman who killed Joel (Pedro Pascal) to avenge her father's death. Dever appears in only three episodes of the show's second season, and in two of them, she has just one scene. But if you measured an actor's work by the power emanating from brief screen time, Dever would be the television season's MVP. 'I remember feeling like we were capitalizing on a quasi-secret that shouldn't be a secret,' says 'The Last of Us' co-creator and showrunner Craig Mazin. 'It was the same feeling I had with Bella [Ramsey]. You can't wait to watch the reaction when everyone finally sees it.' The second season served as a curtain-raiser for both Dever and her character, ending in a reset that will now follow Abby through the warring factions and fungal-infected hordes of postapocalyptic Seattle, bringing her back to that moment when she meets Ramsey's Ellie again. Both Mazin and Neil Druckmann, co-creator of 'The Last of Us' game, are practically salivating at the prospect of spotlighting Abby, as it will force viewers to reckon with their reactions to her killing Joel. 'Our challenge now is to make you question whether you hate Abby at all and maybe make you start to love her and then be confused,' Mazin says. 'Where are my loyalties? What is the concept of a hero? That requires an actor who can inspire those thoughts without sweating, and we have that in Kaitlyn.' 'That's the experiment of the story,' Druckmann adds. 'What if Abby isn't so horrible? I'm thrilled to watch Kaitlyn bring her version of Abby to the screen because I think people can already see the force she brought to the show in such a short period of time.' That Dever did all this amid the shattering grief of losing her mother, Kathy, to breast cancer is something that, 15 months later, she still can't quite fathom. Dever flew to Vancouver three days after her mom's funeral. Her first day on set was the scene in which Abby kills Joel. 'When you have a moment like that with an actor, you are immediately bound to them,' Mazin says. 'I would stand in front of a bullet for her.' For Dever, everything about that day is a blur, and when she finally watched the episode this year, it was like seeing it for the first time. 'Grief does a really interesting thing with your brain,' she says. 'It messes with your memory.' Truthfully, Dever, 28, didn't want to leave home after her mother's funeral. She didn't think she could do it. It took her father to remind her how excited her mom was when she won the part of Abby. 'I realized there's no part of me that couldn't not do this,' Dever says. 'I had to do it for her.' Saying that she 'won' the role isn't entirely accurate. When Mazin and Druckmann asked her to drive to casting director Mary Vernieu's Santa Monica office in 2023, Dever went in thinking it was going to be an audition, much like the one she had with Druckmann years ago when there had been talk about turning the game into a movie. Dever came in prepared to read. It turned out all she had to do was listen. They were pitching her, detailing their plans for the series and Abby's arc and asking her to trust them. She was so shocked that she spent most of the meeting just trying to hold it together until she could get back to her car, call her dad with the news and listen to him freak out. 'He couldn't believe it,' Dever says. 'He had played the game and loved Abby, so this was huge.' She remembers everything about that day, including the 'really big cookie' they gave her when she left. 'I think only just now have I been able to process that it actually happened,' she says, smiling. Dever stands 5 foot 3 and bears little resemblance to the tall, muscular version of Abby seen in 'The Last of Us' game. Imposing, she is not. And that makes her work on 'The Last of Us' all the more remarkable. 'Abby is so intimidating because of her strength,' Dever says. 'And that comes from her dark and very sad past and how long she has been thinking about killing Joel. That's the energy I was hoping to put across.' Does Dever consider herself a strong person? 'Mmm-hmm, yeah,' she answers immediately. 'When I think of strength, I think of what has brought you to this moment, how much you've been through and how have you gotten here. It's more emotional, what I consider strength.' A few minutes later, though, we stumble upon her kryptonite. Dever has two younger sisters, Mady and Jane. She and Mady have been making music together for years and just released a six-song EP, 'I Think We're Lost,' recorded under the banner Devers. It's beautiful folk pop featuring the kind of intuitive harmonies that only siblings can pull off. But, for a while at least, you'll probably only hear it on streaming services and not in a concert setting. Dever hates performing in front of people. 'When you ask if I have strength, I don't have strength in that regard,' she says. 'It's so scary. Maybe I'm working up to it. I don't know. My sister is so confused by the nerves that I have. She doesn't share that nerve thing with me. She's like, 'You literally perform in front of people for a living.' But with acting, I'm playing a character. Onstage with music, there's nothing for me to hide behind.' But when it comes to songwriting, Dever doesn't want to hide. The last several weeks, she has been pulling out her acoustic guitar and writing songs about her mom for an album she plans to dedicate to her. She writes during her downtime making 'Godzilla x Kong' — there's a lot of downtime on a movie like that — and has come up with seven or eight songs, each playing off core memories. Most of them are upbeat and happy because that's the kind of music that her mom listened to and loved. 'Everyone used to say that she was like a 17-year-old stuck in a 53-year-old body,' Dever says, laughing. 'She had a very youthful quality to her that was magnetic. She approached life with a lot of humor and just wanted to have a good time.' 'And I have to sometimes remember that,' Dever continues, 'because as much as I love the challenge of doing serious stuff and find playing those types of characters therapeutic, there's a place for a Godzilla movie, you know?'
Buzz Feed
10-06-2025
- General
- Buzz Feed
27 Problem-Solvers For The Things You've Been Putting Off
A weekly meal planner you can use to streamline grocery shopping, slash bills, and save a ton of time. It's like having a culinary wingman, especially for those days when you just can't deal with the mental gymnastics of meal planning. A kitchen-safe locking container so you can put your device in phone jail and keep it safe from your wandering hands. And it's not just for phones — stash away your gaming controllers, snacks, or even cash if you need a little reward system to keep yourself motivated. A pair of moisturizing booties to intensely hydrate and repair your dry, rough, cracked feet. If you don't want to deal with those foot peel masks that can take up to a week for the final result, give these a try — they'll make your piggies baby soft in only 30 minutes! An all-in-one spackle kit because you can't hide that hole in the wall you made when you decided to rearrange your whole bedroom at 3 a.m. behind a picture frame forever (speaking for myself, TBH 🫣). This kit comes with everything you need to fill, smooth, and repair those unsightly dents. Gone are the days of needing to be a DIY expert like Bob the Builder to tackle home repairs! Built's "Puff Protein Bars" to make hitting your protein goal a little bit more satisfying. Instead of choking down yet another boring boiled egg, treat yourself to a salted caramel Puff! It's a chocolate-covered marshmallow dream, but with a fab twist: 17 grams of protein are packed into each bar. They're perfect for tossing in your bag for a post-workout snack or a sweet pick-me-up during a busy day. A nifty marshmallow whip maker so you can go a bit longer before restocking your $$$ face wash by turning your regular cleanser into an irresistibly fluffy foam. Simply add a smidge of cleanser, a splash of water, and pump away until you've got a cloud-like concoction. Not only does this make washing your face feel fun, but it's also a savvy way to get your products to last a very long time. A low-profile under-the-desk elliptical if the main reason you've been pushing off going to the gym is because you just want to collapse onto your bed after working for 8 hours straight. This allows you to sneak in some cardio right from your chair. Plus, its low-impact design gives your joints a break as you pedal and power through your tasks. Naked Sundays sunscreen mist with SPF 50, because I know you aren't reapplying your sun protection throughout the day like you should be. It's a super-fine mist that doesn't leave any greasiness or white cast (it can even be applied over makeup!) and adds a burst of hydration using hyaluronic acid, watermelon extract, and kakadu plum. Just a clear, effortless spritz and you're good to ✨ glow ✨. And for your body, Skylar Scent-Screen that smells like a dreamy blend of cotton candy, coconut milk, and pure vanilla, so you'll look forward to reapplying just for the scent alone. It's a lightweight formula with a subtle shimmer, leaving you with that glowy, goddess-like aura all day long. A set of fast-acting cleaning K-Cups because you probably didn't even think your machine needed cleaning until now. Just pop the pod in and brew like you're making your normal cup of coffee and watch all the gunk come out that you didn't know was in there. And for your insulated tumblers, a box of bottle cleaning tablets specifically designed to get rid of those lingering matcha latte stains inside your precious Stanley cup. Just fill the bottle with warm water, drop in the tablet, and let it stand for 15–30 minutes. The results: a sparkly clean cup with no scrubbing required. A bottle of Elizavecca Hair Treatment if it's been a minute since you went to the salon and your hair is BEGGING for a treatment. It instantly smoothes and detangles, and you'll notice way less frizz, giving you that sleek, polished look with minimal effort. Think Olaplex (without the $$$). A reviewer-beloved veggie chopper that'll help you fly through making dinner because (in my opinion) prepping your fresh ingredients is the most time-consuming part. This handy gadget allows you to chop, slice, and julienne your veggies in record time. This chopper also features a built-in storage container to prevent messy countertops. And a two-stage knife-sharpener ready to sharpen all of your dull kitchen knives so you won't have to struggle thinly slicing a ribeye to make your Philly cheesesteak sandwich. A neck and shoulder relaxer if you don't have the time or money for visiting a chiropractor to address that persistent shoulder pain from being hunched over a laptop all day. It may look a at first glance, but it's here to help soothe neck stiffness and shoulder tension in as little as 10 minutes. An Angry Mama microwave cleaner for when you've had enough of your instant noodles having a faint tang from the burnt-on spaghetti sauce. All you have to do is fill her up with water and vinegar, pop her in the microwave, and within minutes the steam will soften up all the stuck-on food and you can wipe it away with ease. A pack of dishwasher cleaning tablets, because you wouldn't shower in a dirty bathroom, so why would you eat off of plates that were cleaned in a dirty dishwasher? Just pop these in and run a cycle like normal, then sit back while it scrubs away all the gunk and grime. And a pack of washing machine cleaning tablets, since the same machine that you use to clean your undies and the pee-drenched doggy bed could use some TLC. Trust me, you won't regret it. Heyhae gel nail wraps so you can jazz up your manicure without the pricey salon visits. No need to juggle bottles of polish or buy a UV lamp — these wraps cure effortlessly in sunlight. Plus, they're designed to be easily stretchable, ensuring perfect coverage on every nail. Reviewers say it takes about 10 minutes in the sun to cure, and you can expect about a week of wear. A pool cleaner device that passively does all the dirty work for you while you sit pretty and sunbathe. This skimmer sits on the pool's perimeter and scoops up fallen twigs, leaves, and maybe the occasional froggy. A convenient, no-scrub Wet & Forget cleaner you only have to use ONCE a week to maintain a squeaky clean shower. This bleach-free cleaner removes soap scum, mildew, and hard water deposits from glass or tile surfaces without any overpowering odors. Just spray it on, walk away, and rinse it off the next day — easy peasy. A robotic vacuum that'll stay on top of all the pet hair and dirt that gets tracked around your home. This handy guy features an infrared sensor for avoiding obstacles, which means it knows to avoid crashing into chew toys and furniture. And if you hate emptying vacuum bins (who doesn't?) you'll love the self-emptying feature. A hairbrush cleaning tool here to effectively remove all those strands, fuzzies, and buildup from your bristles so that when you lend it to someone (or just leave it sitting out), it'll actually look like a styling tool and not a mini Chewbacca. A Litter Genie — the ultimate waste disposal system to combat lingering unpleasant smells. To use, simply scoop clumps from the litter box and drop them into the pail, then pull the handle to seal in the contents. The pail can hold up to two week's worth of liter from a single-cat household, making it perfect for when you rather not walk what feels like half a mile just to go to the trash chute. An easy-to-use ear-washing bottle because you've been saying "huh" more often than usual lately. It might be time to ditch those cotton swabs that only seem to push wax deeper in instead of out. This handy tool flushes out all those little nuggets and gunk like hitting the jackpot in your very own earwax gold mine. A laundry folding board if you're guilty of letting that pile of clothes on your bed or in the chair in the corner of your room get bigger and bigger. With just a few quick flips and folds, every piece of laundry — be it a T-shirt, sweater, or even bath towels — will come out perfectly neat and crisp. This board ensures your clothes are folded uniformly so they stack up easily and take up significantly less room. A slide-away storage bag because you've uttered "I'll clean it up later" after playtime way too many times. Simply gather up all of your little one's toys, place them on the mat, and use the drawstring to neatly deposit everything into the basket.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Mattel is combining film and television units to create Mattel Studios
HighlightsToy maker Mattel is merging its film and television divisions to establish Mattel Studios, aiming to create entertainment centered around its iconic brands, following the success of the 'Barbie' movie. Robbie Brenner has been appointed as president and chief content officer of Mattel Studios, reporting directly to chairman and chief executive officer Ynon Kreiz. Upcoming projects from Mattel Studios include a live-action 'Masters of the Universe' film set for June 2026, a 'Matchbox' theatrical release in fall 2026, and an animated movie featuring 'Bob the Builder' with actor Anthony Ramos. Toy maker Mattel is combining its film and television units to form Mattel Studios , it said on Monday, as the company seeks to produce entertainment driven by its brands and potentially repeat the commercial success of the "Barbie" movie. Mattel Films President Robbie Brenner , who joined the company in 2018, was named president and chief content officer of the combined unit. She will report to the company's chairman and chief executive officer, Ynon Kreiz. "Our vision for Mattel Studios is to collaborate with leading creators to make standout quality content based on Mattel's iconic brands that will resonate in culture and appeal to global audiences," Kreiz said in a statement. Mattel's biggest brand is Barbie and its portfolio also includes Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Matchbox , Masters of the Universe , Polly Pocket and Uno. "Barbie," the 2023 film starring Margo Robbie and Ryan Gosling, grossed more than $1.4 billion in worldwide box office and received nine Oscar nominations. Mattel plans to release "Masters of the Universe," a live-action film inspired by the He-Man action figures, in June 2026, and "Matchbox," based on its miniature cars, is slated for a fall 2026 theatrical release The company has also developed television content like the animated series "Hot Wheels Let's Race" and "Masters of the Universe: Revolution." Jennifer Breslow, who previously was president of television and digital media at Legendary Entertainment, was named head of television at Mattel Studios. Other upcoming projects include "Bob the Builder," the brand's first animated theatrical movie featuring actor and singer Anthony Ramos voicing the lead character. Mattel also has a live-action "Polly Pocket" film in its pipeline, based on the tiny 1980s dolls.
Scotsman
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
How I exposed police failings over 'non-crime hate incident' recorded against me
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Tomorrow night the Free Speech Union, on whose Scottish Advisory Council I am very pleased to sit, will host a meeting in Edinburgh on the topic 'Policing priorities in Scotland: the free speech perspective'. Leading experts from legal and policing circles will come together to discuss how the police in Scotland balance hate crime legislation with the overriding need to protect free speech. It is a timely event when these debates have become ever more intense. It is now a year since Scotland's hate crime laws were introduced, but we have yet to see a single case come to court of an individual accused of the new crime of 'stirring up' hatred, and accordingly it's impossible to know how the courts will interpret the legislation, and where the line will be drawn between fair comment and hate speech. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In the meantime, there remain concerns that the legislation's very existence is having a chilling effect on what individuals are prepared to say, particularly in heated and highly contested areas of public discourse such as around gender. No one in Scotland has yet been prosecuted for the new offence of 'stirring up' hatred, introduced in April last year (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell) | Getty Images Whistling Bob the Builder One area of considerable controversy which I am sure will be discussed tomorrow evening is the existence of 'non-crime hate incidents' (NCHIs), which are recorded by the police when an individual makes a statement deemed to be hateful by a member of the public, which does not meet the threshold of a hate crime. This has no legal effect, and the circumstances of some are simply bizarre. Toby Young of the Free Speech Union has reported one case of a man in Bedfordshire who had an NCHI recorded against him after his neighbour reported him to the police for continually whistling the theme tune to Bob the Builder. Regular readers of this column will recall I had my own experience with Police Scotland and an NCHI last year. I had shared on social media an article written by my fellow columnist Susan Dalgety in which she was critical of the Scottish Government for producing a 'non-binary action plan'. My post was reported to the police by a trans rights activist. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Police Scotland determined, correctly, that no crime had been committed (it would have been absurd had any other conclusion been reached) but nevertheless, in line with their policy, recorded a NCHI. Three grounds for complaint Having obtained legal advice with the assistance of the Free Speech Union, I complained to Police Scotland on three grounds. Firstly, that the recording of an NCHI was unlawful as it contravened both the Human Rights Act and the Data Protection Act, and was an illegitimate interference with my legally protected right to freedom of expression. Secondly, that the policy of recording NCHIs was itself unlawful as a breach of free speech. And thirdly, that the policy was not being consistently applied, as a different approach had been taken in relation to comments on social media made by others, including the former SNP First Minister Humza Yousaf and writer JK Rowling. Police Scotland rejected all three of my complaints. I then referred the matter to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC), which last month upheld them all, issuing three reconsideration directions to the police, to which they must respond within two months. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What is striking about the PIRC report is what it tells us about how my original complaint was addressed by Police Scotland. My detailed legal arguments in relation to the unlawfulness of their policy were simply not responded to in any meaningful way. Police wilfully withheld information The inspector who replied to my original complaint had made enquiries with the police's legal services department to seek an assessment on whether the hate crime national guidance was lawful, but no detailed response as to the rationale on the legality of the policy was ever actually produced to him. What is worse, the inspector noted in the complaint handling form that a response to me would 'provide enough explanation as to why policy is not contrary to law, but will not provide every reason. This would allow Police Scotland to retain their legal arguments should (the applicant) or other pursue legal action'. In other words, Police Scotland were wilfully withholding information that might support their argument, because of their concern that this might weaken their position should I decide to pursue subsequent legal proceedings against them. PIRC found that this response was 'not in the spirit of the complaint process'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There was similar criticism from PIRC of the police's response to my third complaint, in relation to the unfair and inconsistent application of the policy. The inspector confirmed to PIRC that he did not receive guidance on this from senior officers. In the words of PIRC, this was 'a significant shortcoming in the complaint inquiry in establishing material facts'. Outlawing non-crime hate incidents I should hear within a few weeks a more detailed account from Police Scotland, but what we have learned thus far discloses a level of dysfunction within the organisation that must be deeply concerning. I am also very much aware that a Member of the Scottish Parliament has a public platform and position which many others do not benefit from, and I can only shudder to think how someone without that standing might be treated when it comes to complaints against the police, if that is how seriously they take complaints from me. In the meantime, the Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp MP is tabling an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill at Westminster to make it illegal in almost all circumstances for the police to collect or retain personal data about hate incidents where no crime has been committed. It is good to see my party signalling that it wants to bring an end to the existence of Orwellian NCHIs. They serve little purpose, and my own experience proves that even the police have little understanding of how to deal with them.
