Latest news with #Philistine
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ryan Dotson launches GOP bid for Congress, says he'll slay ‘woke' giant in D.C.
State Rep. Ryan Dotson, R-Winchester, launched his Republican campaign for Congress on Tuesday night with a thunderous prayer calling on God and the voters to let him be the David who slays the Philistine giant Goliath. 'I do know this: I'll fight. And when David fought the giant, he knocked him out, he cut his head off. I want to bring a trophy back to this district,' Dotson, a three-term state representative, told an audience of about 70 supporters at his campaign kickoff dinner at the Bluegrass Community and Technical College campus in Winchester. Dotson said among his priorities in Congress would be codifying President Donald Trump's far-reaching executive orders and Elon Musk's federal government cuts made through the Department of Government Efficiency so they can't easily be reversed in the future. Also, Dotson said, he will fight 'the woke madness' and 'be a thorn in the side of everybody who's got a D behind your name.' 'Washington, D.C., over the last several years has appeared off course,' Dotson said. 'Since the days of (former President Barack) Obama, we have seen the spiraling out of control, the culture wars that has taken place, the cancel culture that is taking place in America, that you can't speak freely without being canceled, you can't tell someone how you really feel without being ostracized. 'And we've seen that Obama made it happen.' Dotson hopes to win Central Kentucky's 6th Congressional District in the 2026 election. The incumbent, U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, R-Lexington, is running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Mitch McConnell, who is not running for reelection next year. The district represents 16 counties around Lexington. Although it has voted consistently Republican since Barr was first elected in 2012, nonpartisan election handicapper Sabato's Crystal Ball on Tuesday shifted the 6th District from 'safe Republican' to 'likely Republican' based on a number of factors, including the arrival of a 'credible' Democratic candidate, former three-term state Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson of Lexington. Dotson, 52, is a Pike County native who has spent most of his adult life in Winchester. He and his wife, Tresa, founded and operated several area businesses, including restaurants, a daycare and a roofing company. He's also a Pentecostal church pastor who has made regular mission trips to foreign countries. Taking an interest in politics, Dotson ran as a Democrat for the state Senate in 2010 and as a Republican for Clark County judge-executive in 2014, losing each time. He finally prevailed in 2020 by unseating incumbent state Rep. Les Yates of Winchester in the Republican primary and winning that year's general election. In the General Assembly, Dotson quickly established himself as a vocal social-conservative. He helped lead the fight in 2022 for a bill to ban transgender women from women's sports at public schools and universities, overcoming Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear's veto. Two years later, he successfully sponsored a bill that struck down local ordinances in Lexington and Louisville that protected the right of tenants to use federal low-income housing vouchers, such as Section 8 vouchers. Again, his bill overcame a veto from Beshear. Standing with landlords, Dotson said his 2024 bill would 'safeguard our citizens from being forced to lease their properties to the government for those on assistance programs, unless the property owner chooses to.' Nearly a dozen Republican members of the legislature spoke in support of Dotson's congressional campaign at Tuesday's dinner, as did David Walls, executive director of the conservative Family Foundation. They said Dotson was a fighter who forced fiercely conservative bills through the General Assembly even when some Republican leaders were hesitant, fearing a political backlash from moderate voters. The lawmakers described praying with Dotson at the Capitol, sometimes on the House steps before they went into session, as they sought guidance for legislation to ban abortion, transgender health care and gender-neutral bathrooms. 'I honestly think Ryan goes to bed at night and lays there thinking about standing up against the woke ideology that we have in Frankfort and in D.C. We have a lot of craziness,' said state Sen. Greg Elkins, R-Winchester. When it was his turn to speak, Dotson warned the crowd about the risks of having 'ungodly people in leadership.' 'But when the righteous are in rule, the people rejoice,' he said to enthusiastic applause. 'I feel a mandate, I truly do.' 'There's been times I get frustrated, I get bent out of shape, and I've stopped and said, 'God, why am I even here?' I go to my office, lock the door, and (said) to the Lord, 'You need to show me.' And he will speak to my heart, 'You are holding back the darkness.' And I will see a vision of the cloud, of a dark cloud just coming over the state of Kentucky. And I alone, with some of my colleagues, were standing there, holding back the darkness.' Other than Dotson, several Central Kentucky Republicans reportedly are considering a run for Congress, including state Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington; state Rep. Deanna Gordon, R-Richmond; state Rep. Matt Lockett, R-Nicholasville; and former state Senate GOP Leader Damon Thayer of Georgetown. Several Democrats also are expected in their own contested primary, including two already declared: Stevenson, the former state representative from Lexington, and, as of Wednesday, former Lexington-Fayette Urban Council councilman David Kloiber, who ran for mayor of Lexington in 2022.
Sydney Morning Herald
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
This show hasn't been seen on a Melbourne stage for 40 years. Now it's back
OPERA Samson and Delilah ★★★ Melbourne Opera, Palais Theatre, June 1 Samson and Delilah is the quintessential grand opera – large scale, spectacular (with many choruses and two ballets) and requiring superb singers. Melbourne Opera's production – and music lovers should be grateful yet again for their vision and determination – unfortunately really had only the last. The staging was deeply underplayed – deliberately so, according to the director's program notes, to emphasise psychological aspects (budget constraints might have been relevant). For me, it didn't work. The sets were far too minimalist, the lighting not even that, though Rose Chong's costumes were a highlight. The stage was divided into three, with the singers in front, the orchestra behind – which considerably reduced its impact – and the chorus above and behind them. The outstanding contribution came from the principals, Deborah Humble and Rosario La Spina, and the chorus (which is always outstanding). La Spina's huge, sweet tenor was ideal for Samson, but the biggest moments belong to the mezzo Delilah, and Humble relished them: sensitive, seductive, superb. Simon Meadows, Jeremy Kleeman and Eddie Muliaumaseali'i were splendid in the minor roles, while conductor Raymond Lawrence was sympathetic to composer and singers. The opera, which Camille Saint-Saëns (himself quite familiar with marital problems) takes from the Old Testament, tells of the Israelite leader who is seduced and betrayed by the vengeful Philistine Delilah. First performed in 1877, it was slow to bloom because of its biblical theme, but became immensely popular worldwide. Loading For the shortcomings, director Suzanne Chaundy – a leading force in so many of the company's recent triumphs, especially its series of Wagner operas – must take chief responsibility. The production was almost introverted, especially the climax where the blinded Samson pulls down the temple of the Philistine god Dagon, killing thousands. The bacchanal would scarcely have offended a women's temperance union. When Delilah came on stage brandishing Samson's shorn locks (the secret of his strength, symbolising his vow to God), they looked more like a dead possum. Yet, despite imperfections, Melbourne's first Samson and Delilah in 40 years was a real pleasure.
The Age
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
This show hasn't been seen on a Melbourne stage for 40 years. Now it's back
OPERA Samson and Delilah ★★★ Melbourne Opera, Palais Theatre, June 1 Samson and Delilah is the quintessential grand opera – large scale, spectacular (with many choruses and two ballets) and requiring superb singers. Melbourne Opera's production – and music lovers should be grateful yet again for their vision and determination – unfortunately really had only the last. The staging was deeply underplayed – deliberately so, according to the director's program notes, to emphasise psychological aspects (budget constraints might have been relevant). For me, it didn't work. The sets were far too minimalist, the lighting not even that, though Rose Chong's costumes were a highlight. The stage was divided into three, with the singers in front, the orchestra behind – which considerably reduced its impact – and the chorus above and behind them. The outstanding contribution came from the principals, Deborah Humble and Rosario La Spina, and the chorus (which is always outstanding). La Spina's huge, sweet tenor was ideal for Samson, but the biggest moments belong to the mezzo Delilah, and Humble relished them: sensitive, seductive, superb. Simon Meadows, Jeremy Kleeman and Eddie Muliaumaseali'i were splendid in the minor roles, while conductor Raymond Lawrence was sympathetic to composer and singers. The opera, which Camille Saint-Saëns (himself quite familiar with marital problems) takes from the Old Testament, tells of the Israelite leader who is seduced and betrayed by the vengeful Philistine Delilah. First performed in 1877, it was slow to bloom because of its biblical theme, but became immensely popular worldwide. Loading For the shortcomings, director Suzanne Chaundy – a leading force in so many of the company's recent triumphs, especially its series of Wagner operas – must take chief responsibility. The production was almost introverted, especially the climax where the blinded Samson pulls down the temple of the Philistine god Dagon, killing thousands. The bacchanal would scarcely have offended a women's temperance union. When Delilah came on stage brandishing Samson's shorn locks (the secret of his strength, symbolising his vow to God), they looked more like a dead possum. Yet, despite imperfections, Melbourne's first Samson and Delilah in 40 years was a real pleasure.
First Post
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
Cannes 2025: Trump, Gaza, Ukraine, #MeToo, Op Sindoor Shake Festival Firstpost America
Cannes 2025: Trump, Gaza, Ukraine, #MeToo, Op Sindoor Shake Festival | Firstpost America | N18G Cannes 2025: Trump, Gaza, Ukraine, #MeToo, Op Sindoor Shake Festival | Firstpost America | N18G The 2025 Cannes Film Festival traded glamour for grit, with politics taking centre stage. Robert De Niro blasted Donald Trump, calling him 'America's Philistine president,' while Pedro Pascal urged Americans to resist fearmongering. The red carpet saw Julian Assange wearing a shirt honouring Gaza's child victims, as over 350 filmmakers signed a letter condemning silence on Gaza. Ukraine's fight was spotlighted through powerful documentaries and speeches. The festival embraced #MeToo, days after Gérard Depardieu's sentencing. Dissident Iranian director Jafar Panahi made a rare appearance after years of bans and jail. Even Aishwarya Rai's bold sindoor look made headlines, hailed as a cultural tribute. Cannes, once famously apolitical, now seems more like a protest movement in designer heels. See More
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cannes Makes it Official: Nudity and 'Voluminous Outfits' Are Banned on Red Carpet
Nipples and unruly dresses are out in Cannes. Ahead of the start of the 2025 edition, the Cannes Film Festival has issued an updated red carpet dress code that effectively bans full nudity and 'voluminous' ensembles. 'For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival. Voluminous outfits, in particular those with a large train, that hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating in the theater are not permitted,' per the festival on its official charter. 'The festival welcoming teams will be obligated to prohibit red carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules.' More from The Hollywood Reporter Robert De Niro Slams Trump as "America's Philistine President" in Powerful Cannes Speech 'Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent' Lands at CW Mads Mikkelsen to Star in 'Sirius,' Directorial Debut From Christopher Nolan's Editor Lee Smith The Hollywood Reporter reached out to the Cannes press office for additional comment and a festival rep confirms that the charter was just updated to reflect 'certain rules that have long been in effect.' The goal of the update is 'not to regulate attire per se but to prohibit full nudity on the carpet' in accordance with the institutional framework of the festival as well as French law, per the Cannes rep. Amid the sheer dress explosion, there have been many nipple-baring ensembles worn at Cannes in recent years by stars like Elle Fanning, Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner, among many others. In 2022, a topless woman was escorted off the red carpet after she removed her dress in a pro-Ukraine protest. It's not immediately clear if there was one specific instance that led officials to update the charter, though red carpet nudity has become a hot topic of conversation in the wake of a stunt pulled by Kanye West and wife Bianca Censori at the Grammys that found her posing for photographers in a transparent sheath dress that effectively saw her posing nude. (As for the voluminous part, it's hard not to think of what Tems wore to the Oscars in 2023, a cloud-like white gown that obstructed the view of guests behind her in the Dolby Theatre.) Cannes security officials have notoriously been strict when it comes to dress codes at the Palais, specifically for screenings at the glamorous Grand Théâtre Lumière, which routinely hosts the auteur and A-list-packed world premieres. Black tie and evening wear is required for those screenings — held in the nighttime from 7-10 p.m. — and guidance suggests options like tuxedos and long dresses or 'little black dress, cocktail dress, dark-colored pantsuit, a dressy top with black pants; elegant shoes and sandals with or without a heel; a black or navy-blue suit with bow-tie or dark-colored tie. Tote-bags, backpacks or large bags are prohibited.' Controversy ensued a decade ago when multiple female attendees were turned away at the Palais for not wearing heels ahead of a screening of the Cate Blanchett starrer Carol. Movie stars like Emily Blunt, who was in town for Sicario, called the situation 'very disappointing,' leading others to show their dissatisfaction with the unwritten rule, which was relaxed over the course of the 2015 festival. Longtime festival chief Thierry Frémaux downplayed the fracas by calling it an unfounded rumor. Still, Frémaux has worked tirelessly to maintain the integrity of the festival by focusing some of those efforts on the look, feel and vibe of the red carpet. The festival banned selfies in 2015 (with Frémaux calling the practice 'ridiculous and grotesque') and security officials have always acted swiftly to remove protestors or anyone attempting to cause a scene for personal benefit. The new ban on nudity and voluminous outfits aligns with such codes, but it begs two questions: How strictly will the dress code be enforced, and will A-list stars and/or models be booted for flouting the rules? While 'elegant shoes' are required, megastars Julia Roberts and Kristen Stewart have both removed their heels to glide up the Palais steps barefoot. Furthermore, it wouldn't be a surprise to see relaxed rules for guests representing any of the festival's partners from brands like Chopard, L'Oreal and Kering. Some bold-faced name ambassadors from the aforementioned brands have been known to turn up at the Palais in voluminous or sheer ensembles. That means more eyes than normal will be watching the red carpet and what wild antics ensue during the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, which runs May 13-24. Best of The Hollywood Reporter From 'Lady in the Lake' to 'It Ends With Us': 29 New and Upcoming Book Adaptations in 2024 Meet the Superstars Who Glam Up Hollywood's A-List Rosie O'Donnell on Ellen, Madonna, Trump and 40 Years in the Queer Spotlight
