Latest news with #Sass
Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
My boyfriend is 27 years older than me - people say our relationship is disgusting and I'm only in it for money but they're just jealous
A young woman who is dating a man twice her age has hit back at people criticising her relationship. Sass, 27, from London took to social media to reveal the romance with her 'silver fox' boyfriend, who is 54. The self-described 'spoiled girlfriend' enjoys a luxury lifestyle with her much older boyfriend, regularly jetting off for sun-soaked holidays and skiing holidays together. Sass often shares scenes of her glamorous life on TikTok, where she has 3,500 followers, but more recently she's been criticised for dating someone so much older. The content creator recently opened up about their romance online, posting a picture of the two snuggled together alongside a caption revealing their years of birth - 1970 and 1997 respectively. People in the comments have blasted what they described as their 'disgusting' relationship and urged her to choose 'self-respect over money'. But Sass said she couldn't be happier and has defended her boyfriend, describing him as 'highly educated, emotionally intelligent, financially secure, a great personality.' Hitting back at the hate comments, Sass said their relationship was 'supportive and happy' despite the 27 year age gap. 'His family are lovely! If you know us as individuals, us as a couple makes sense. Those we know in real life understand, are supportive and happy for us,' she said. Responding to hateful comments, she said she 'doesn't date younger like the majority of women'. She said the negative comments were 'unfortunate' but insisted she wasn't letting them get in the way of their blossoming romance. 'It is unfortunate but I'm having fun. I'm not letting them get to me because they literally don't know anything about me or my partner,' she said. Her family don't mind the relationship - though she said she would date her 'silver fox' regardless of their input. 'My family are chill and even if they weren't, it's me that has to live with my decisions. I'm happy with my life,' she said. Sass's partner supplies her with a steady stream of gifts, recently unboxing a brand new pair of of Louboutin's worth several thousand pounds. The couple enjoy five-star holidays, staying only at the most expensive hotels and dining on Michelin star menus. However, some didn't see the happy side of their romance, accusing Sass of 'using him for money' while others denied the pair were truly in love. One wrote: 'It's better to date a man that's a bit older but a 27 year gap though? Come on, it's a lifestyle choice - you can just admit you want a soft life provided to you.' A second remarked: 'My dad was born in 1977 and me in 1994 if they're old enough to be your parent it's not right sorry.' 'Nah, it's about money,' another wrote while a fourth told her to seek 'self-respect over money'. In one tongue-in-cheek 'get ready with me' video, Sass helped cut her boyfriend's hair and said, 'contrary to popular belief, I'm the one that groomed him'. However, others urged them to 'ignore the haters', sharing their similar stories of dating older men. One wrote: 'Trust me girl, you are in winning strike, people think younger woman go for older men for money, there is more wisdom to an older man, and not to mention the way they treat their younger woman is the exact way a real woman want to be treated.' She said the negative comments were 'unfortunate' but insisted she wasn't letting them get in the way of their blossoming romance A second said: 'I don't even know why people are mad. It's giving financial security.' Another remarked: 'People are projecting in the comment section. Two grown adults with mental capacity to make decisions. meaning, the both know what they want and if they're happy with each are you to judge them. 'Just because you wouldn't be in such age gap relationship doesn't mean the rest of the world wouldn't.' And things appear to going well for the couple, with Sass light-heartedly telling her followers to 'expect your invites soon' - appearing to refer to a potential wedding.
The Sun
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
My man is 27 years older than me – trolls are ‘disgusted' & say I should choose ‘self-respect over money', I don't care
A WOMAN has revealed that she is in an age gap relationship with a man who is 27 years older than her. Sass, 27, from London, is dating her 54-year-old boyfriend, who she calls her 'silver fox.' 2 2 The self-proclaimed 'spoiled girlfriend' lives a luxury lifestyle with skiing trips to Vail Village, Colorado, designer bags, posh hotel stays and delicious meals out. But now, the content creator has found herself on the receiving end of a barrage of abuse from mean trolls who have criticised her relationship dynamic. Not only were keyboard warriors 'disgusted' by the age gap, but others told her to choose 'self-respect over money.' It came after Sass took to social media to show off her age gap relationship, leaving many open-mouthed. Alongside a gorgeous picture of Sass and her partner before an evening out, she confirmed that while she was born in 1997, her man was welcomed into the world much earlier, in 1970. But Sass, who 'doesn't date younger', was eager to set the record straight on her relationship, as she wrote: 'If you know us as individuals, us as a couple makes sense. 'Those we know in real life understand, are supportive and happy for us.' Not only this, but she claimed that her man is 'highly educated, emotionally intelligent, financially secure', has 'a great personality and is hot.' As a result, she confirmed: 'I'm happy as Larry.' The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ sweetheartsass, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 136,800 views, 4,372 likes and 391 comments. I'm 20 and my man is 63 - people say he looks like Shrek and I must be in it for the money, but I'd still love him if he was a cleaner But social media users were totally divided by Sass' relationship - while some accused her of doing 'anything for money', others were supportive. One person said: 'Lol my dad was born in 1977 and me in 1994. If they're old enough to be your parent, it's not right, sorry.' But to this, Sass eagerly clapped back and snapped: 'I literally do not care about you and your dad. Go away.' Another slammed: 'Self respect over money!' A-list age gap relationships that have stood the test of time Kris Jenner & Corey Gamble - 25 years The Kardashian matriarch, 69, met her younger man, 44, at a mutual friend's 40th birthday party in Ibiza. They've been together since August 2014. Sam & Aaron Taylor-Johnson - 23 years The director, 57, and actor, 34, reportedly met at a film audition in 2009, and were married by 2012. The pair share two daughters and Sam has two children from a previous marriage. Rosie-Huntington-Whiteley & Jason Statham - 20 years The model, 37, started dating actor Jason, 57, in 2010. They were wed in 2016 and have since welcomed a son and a daughter together. Catherine Zeta-Jones & Michael Douglas - 25 years Catherine, 55, was introduced to Michael, 80, a film festival in 1996 and engaged three years later. Shortly after their engagement, the couple welcomed a son and married in 2000. And a third commented: 'Anything for money and a lifestyle I guess.' But at the same time, one user said: 'Why are people disgusted with this? It's not for them so why is it your issue? Not every relationship is a design to fit the usual expectations.' A second chimed in: 'I love this! She's well looked after and if you look at their videos they look really happy. As women all we want is security and love and that's what she's getting regardless of the age gap!' Meanwhile, someone else gushed: 'As long as you're happy, it doesn't matter what the person looks like, how old they are or who they are. Love is Love.' crime.'
Daily Maverick
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Maverick
Pulling State Capture out of Ass and reclaiming it for Sass as politics and plagiarism collide
I feared we'd lose Faith Muthambi forever a couple of seasons ago. Please Sass writers, we need to hear more from this queen. Perhaps a spinoff show? A reality show? The Real House Ministers of the National Assembly? Dear writers of the South Africa Sh*t Show. Thank you so much for reading my monthly reviews of the South Africa Sh*t Show (Sass) and taking my constructive feedback into consideration. When I last wrote about Sass, back in April, it was an open letter to my editor, to submit my notice of resignation over her refusal to investigate the writers of the America Sh*t Show (Ass) for intellectual property theft, specifically their plagiarism of Sass's most original storyline, State Capture. Upon receiving my notice of resignation, she immediately wished me well on my future endeavours, clearly demonstrating a lack of gratitude for my great contribution to culture as our country's all-time greatest non-award-winning film critic. I've since decided to retract the resignation, for your sake of course. As I informed my editor in my resignation retraction email, I'll let her off the hook this time, but she is to consider my now-retracted resignation letter as the first written warning from me; one or five more strikes and that's it, I will resign! But for now, I must humbly accept the tough reality that the local film industry needs me, as demonstrated by the changes you've made since my open letter of resignation was published. It is clear that you realised the gravity of the intellectual property theft that Trump's Ass engaged in by plagiarizing the State Capture storyline. When I read that you'd brought back 'Gupta-era minister Lynne Brown' to help the ANC with its Western Cape strategy, I knew you were pulling State Capture out of that Ass and bringing it back home where it belongs. With Brown's return the show, almost all the 'Gupta ministers' are back in play. Bravo!!! Her fellow Gupta ministers, Faith Muthambi and Malusi Gigaba, have long returned to Parliament as ANC MPs. We still await former mines minister Mosebenzi Zwane's return, but hopefully it won't be much longer now, Sass always delivers. I feared we'd lose Faith Muthambi forever a couple of seasons ago when the Zondo Commission found that 'she had abused her powers in a number of instances. In these circumstances, the finding to make is that Ms Muthambi had unlawfully (shared) that confidential information with the Guptas and their associates. It was quite clear that she was doing so in order to talk to their friend, (then) President Zuma, to ensure that she had certain powers as Minister of Communications.' The Thloloe Commission on the other hand, came to the 'conclusion that Muthambi had abused her power to influence news coverage by the SABC'. Then of course there was that Sunday Times report about the R300,000 of public funds she spent on, among other things, flying 30 friends and family to her Budget speech. A little more than a year later, circa 2019, she ranked a lowly 79th on the ANC National Party List. Thankfully, the ANC has given her a few more government gigs since then, and even rewarded her with an appointment as a member of the ANC's influential National Disciplinary Committee. After taking a much needed 18-month sabbatical, in May last year she returned to her seat in the National Assembly, and is now ranked 38th on the ANC National Party List. What a legend!!! Please Sass writers, we need to hear more from this queen. Perhaps a spinoff show with the freshly returned Lynne Brown? A reality show? The Real House Ministers of the National Assembly? An upcoming film reviewer and ardent fan of Sass, Ferial Haffajee, recently made a good observation on these very pages: 'Brown was at the heart of the State Capture project as she enabled the Gupta network at Eskom, Transnet and Denel by using her position as the minister of public enterprises to influence board appointments at various state-owned companies, the commission of inquiry into State Capture found.' When Sassy met Assy in the Oval While I had my doubts about the recent 'Sass and Ass in the Oval' crossover special episode, I couldn't deny the brilliance of the Sass writers in that moment. Maestro Malema's rendition of a South African classic, beamed on screens worldwide; a truly outstanding and nuanced portrayal of the bittersweet taste of success. Here be Malema finally on top of the world, his name uttered by presidents and top golfers alike. Yet, as viewers we knew that this moment that he had long dreamt of reached him at his loneliest, abandoned by comrades, his face deserted by collagen. Is that not a perfect metaphor for life itself, that the moments we dream of and work towards never come in the neatly nationalised package we imagined. So much to think about. Still, another moment just as bittersweet: seated there in the Ass Oval opposite Trump was that dear John character; at the apotheosis of his career, finally a member of the ruling class; a moment beamed on screens all over the world. Alas, his president would soon reveal his role as little more than window-dressing to demonstrate to the world the country's ongoing commitment to its White Economic Empowerment programme (WEE). No sooner had he made peace with his role as a token, his aptitude for governance was questioned live in front of the world by the country's CEO, one very snitchy Mr Rupert. 'Mr Steenhuisen won't admit that he runs the Western Cape where I live, and the biggest murder rate is in the Cape Flats,' CEO Rupert snitched to literally millions of people. Why are CEOs always the biggest snitches?!? Meanwhile, as the maestro and the WEE beneficiary embraced these bittersweet moments in the global spotlight, one Ms Zille watched and wondered when her 'one moment in time, when I'm all that I thought I could be' — as the late great Whitney Houston sang — would come to fruition. She knew deep within her heart that it should be her up there on those screens, not some token. Never one to give up on a dream, be it trying out drag or Comedy Central roasts, she continues to pursue her 'one moment in time'. Rumour has it you guys might have a Joburg mayorship storyline lined up for her. Please give the poor thing her happy ending already, give her her moment, let her have that mayorship and let everything work out. Let her zeal fill every pothole. That said, beyond the return of State Capture, I'm quite captivated by this moving exploration of themes of aspiration, desperation and betrayal, as demonstrated by the rise and fall of Maestro Malema, and the insatiable appetite for the limelight that still consumes Septuagenarian Zille. I'm especially touched by the heartbreaking Steenhuisen storyline. While we may not have had the experience of the richest and most powerful men telling the whole world that we're the kind of WEE candidate who's not up to the job, I think many of us can relate to what it feels to always be reminded that nobody thinks you deserve your position in life. With such great writing and performances in the bag, I have no doubt the future of Sass is in safe hands. And that Ass can plagiarise all they want, they can even keep Sass's most crooked export, Mr Musk; but State Capture is surely coming back to its originators, the South Africa Sh*t Show, the Cradle of Crooked Kind. DM
Refinery29
13-06-2025
- Health
- Refinery29
Why Can't Sunscreen Brands Be Honest About White Casts?
Welcome to Sun Blocked, Refinery29's global call to action to wake up to the serious dangers of tanning. No lectures or shaming, we promise. Instead, our goal is to arm you with the facts you need to protect your skin to the best of your ability, because there's no such thing as safe sun. When cosmetic scientist Dr. Julian Sass first tested Tower 28's new SOS FaceGuard SPF 30 Sunscreen on camera, his disappointment was obvious. Despite the 'no white cast' claim prominently displayed on the PR packaging, the sunscreen left a visible gray tinge on his skin. 'Marketing this as a no white cast sunscreen in 2025? It just makes me feel so undervalued as a consumer,' Dr. Sass said in the clip. 'What frustrates me is that some Black girl is gonna see the advertising about this product and think, Oh my god, they said it had no white cast. And then they're going to end up looking like this.' Dr. Sass's video, now at 54.3K views and climbing, sparked further debate after he highlighted that the marketing materials showed people applying too little sunscreen — a misleading move that compromises both transparency and safety. Tower 28 founder Amy Liu responded on Instagram, acknowledging they 'missed the mark' despite extensive testing. As a result, Liu promised to remove the 'no white cast' and 'universal tint' claims, standardize their testing process, and develop a new version of the sunscreen for deeper skin tones. This was welcome news to Tower 28 fans, but the brand isn't alone in making contested 'no white cast' statements. In addition to Dr. Sass, other skincare experts and beauty content creators have increasingly called out claims of invisibility that don't match reality. ' Entire groups of people are excluded from sun protection options because brands don't think it's profitable to include us. Cosmetic chemist Milan Scott ' Dija Ayodele, an esthetician and founder of the Black Skin Directory, recently tried Merit's The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen, which left her looking 'dull and gray' despite the brand's ' zero white cast ' promise. 'When I first received the press release, I asked to see evidence of the product on Black skin,' Ayodele tells Refinery29. She says the PR company sent her a video of a Black employee using the product, along with information about the brand's formulation process and challenges. Ayodele accepted the PR package based on this response. 'But if I'd bought that sunscreen, I would be quite cross,' she continues. Adding, 'While it's not the worst I've seen, it didn't meet my expectation of not having a white cast.' 'It's misleading to use those exact three words: zero white cast.' Beyond Tower 28 and Merit, brands like CeraVe and SkinCeuticals have also been called out for using terms like 'no white cast' and 'transparent' — claims that some content creators are now challenging. For consumers of color, these misleading claims are not just disappointing, they're exclusionary. So why, when the beauty industry operates under such strict regulations, do countless sunscreens still fail to deliver on their promises? Why do some sunscreens have a white cast? AJ Addae, chief executive officer and chemist of SULA Labs — which tests skincare for brands developing products for melanin-rich consumers — explains that when it comes to mineral sunscreens, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only allows cosmetic chemists to use two UV filters: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Both are white pigments. Addae notes that at the concentrations needed to achieve a broad-spectrum SPF of 30 or higher, it's difficult — if not impossible — to create a mineral sunscreen that doesn't reflect visible, white light. As such, Dr. Sass explains that currently, a truly invisible mineral sunscreen doesn't exist on skincare shelves. So why are brands that use these filters so sure of their invisibility claims? Cosmetic Chemist Milan Scott says, 'What they really mean is that it's invisible on lighter skin tones.' She adds, 'When I see 'invisible' claims on a mineral sunscreen that is very clearly not invisible on people that look like me, it makes me wonder who [the brand] tested it on — and who approved these claims.' ' I think that brands need to do diversity and inclusivity authentically and be brave enough to say, 'This product isn't right for everybody because it creates a white cast. However, we do have other products within our offering that are suitable.' Dija Ayodele, esthetician and founder of the Black Skin Directory ' Dr. Sass explains that when brands make this claim, they typically conduct internal tests on individuals with lighter skin tones and often apply much less than the recommended amount needed to achieve the advertised level of protection. 'Sunscreen is tested at 2 mg per square centimeter of skin, which comes out to about 1/4 teaspoon for just the face and about 1/2 teaspoon if you include the ears and neck,' he says — the optimum amount to protect your skin. Esthetician and skincare expert Alicia Lartey — whose Instagram series Sunscreen or SunSCREAM puts the invisibility claims of SPFs to the test — agrees that clinical trials and SPF testing often lack the diversity they should. Frustratingly, Scott notes that there's no requirement for brands to test on a wide range of skin tones before making such claims. How do brands get away with claiming their sunscreens leave no white cast? Surprisingly, Addae notes that, unlike the term 'water resistance,' which requires standardized testing, there are no regulations around the term 'white cast.' The same applies to the word 'invisible,' says Scott. If a brand deems its sunscreen traceless based on its testing, it can label it as such, even if that's not true for darker skin tones. You're right to be outraged — and so are the experts: 'It's a marketing loophole that a lot of us in the industry side-eye hard,' says Scott. Ayodele has a hunch as to why: 'Brands are doing this because they want to be seen as inclusive at all costs,' she believes. 'They don't want the backlash of [people] saying that they're not inclusive. But if these brands tested their mineral sunscreens [on a more diverse range of people], they'd know whether they were invisible or not.' That said, it's important to acknowledge the limits of science, says Ayodele. 'Yes, of course, we want diversity and for brands to be inclusive, but by nature, the mineral filters titanium dioxide and zinc oxide aren't inclusive,' she says. 'That's not a problem because not everything is going to be,' she adds. 'Unless further scientific techniques are brought in to make these white mineral ingredients invisible, that's just where we're at.' Still, Scott emphasizes the need for more transparency and testing across shade ranges. Ayodele's advice to brands is simple: honesty is the best policy: 'I think that brands need to do diversity and inclusivity authentically and be brave enough to say, 'This product isn't right for everybody because it creates a white cast. However, we do have other products within our offering that are suitable',' she says. ' Frustratingly, Scott notes that there's no requirement for brands to test on a wide range of skin tones before making such claims ' TikTok would have you believe that mineral sunscreens are the gold standard. Ayodele acknowledges they have benefits — especially for sensitive skin and conditions like rosacea, melasma, or pigmentation — but stresses that more inclusive options exist. Chemical sunscreens, which use UV filters like avobenzone or oxybenzone, are suitable for everyone. Still, they've come under scrutiny, with some convinced that chemical filters are toxic while mineral ones are safe. This simply isn't true, says Scott: 'This fear drives people toward mineral sunscreens, even though many of them leave a visible cast on deeper skin tones and make sunscreens less accessible for folks who already deal with health disparities,' she says. Scott doesn't mince her words: 'This is what medical racism looks like in real time,' she continues. 'It's when fear-based marketing pushes mineral sunscreens as the safer option, even though those same formulas leave people with darker skin out of the conversation entirely.' So who's to blame? The experts point to the 'clean beauty' movement. 'Clean beauty has been an axe to scientific innovation,' says Lartey. 'Newsflash — everything is a chemical,' she adds, even water. In reality, chemical sunscreens are often more cosmetically elegant than mineral ones, making them a better option for people with darker skin tones seeking to avoid a white cast. R29 favorites include Glossier Invisible Shield SPF50, $32, The Ordinary UV Filters SPF45, $19, and Dr. Jart+ Every Sun Day™ Invisible Korean Sunscreen Stick SPF 40, $30, to name just a few. Does a truly invisible mineral sunscreen actually exist? For those who prefer mineral sunscreens, is a truly invisible option even possible? Scott believes it is. 'For a mineral sunscreen to be invisible on all skin tones, it takes advanced formulation with nano-sized mineral filters,' she explains — a process that's both expensive and time-consuming for brands. She adds that tinted mineral sunscreens offer another solution, but only a few brands, like Wyn Beauty, are getting it right. 'That's because too many companies still don't see the financial value in creating that many [products] to be truly inclusive for darker skin tones,' she says. And that's a real problem: 'Entire groups of people are excluded from sun protection options because brands don't think it's profitable to include us,' says Scott, who sees it as a public health issue. Ultimately, Lartey believes that brands can easily avoid messy situations like Tower 28's simply by testing products on a wide variety of skin tones — and actually using the correct amount. 'Beyond that, hire a diverse staff, listen to your diverse staff, and make sure there are diverse staff in senior roles,' urges Lartey. 'It's not that hard.'
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mower County man among select group to compete in Minnesota National Guard's 2025 Best Warrior event
May 20—LITTLE FALLS, Minn. — Sgt. Hayden Sass, a combat engineer with Recruiting and Retention Battalion from Adams, Minnesota, was among the 25 service members from the Minnesota National Guard and NATO-allied nations Canada and Croatia, who competed in 18 warrior tasks, all for a chance to be named the Minnesota National Guard's 2025 Best Warrior. The competition was held in April at Camp Ripley over four days and included 25 service members. This year's competition was completely redesigned with several new events and significant modifications to test each service member's warrior ethos, discipline and capabilities, the Minnesota National Guard said in a press release. The competition started with weapons zeroing on the M4 carbine and M17 pistol, then later a night land navigation event, before competitors were divided into three groups to face a new set of challenges each day. Sass said his favorite was the ruck march. The 13.1-mile march is also known as a valor ruck. "The trek stopped at five memorial stations honoring Minnesota's heroes," the National Guard's recap of the competition noted. "The ruck march was not about endurance but a journey through sacrifice and service. In addition to learning about these heroes, competitors had a chance to experience what they went through." As a recruiter, Sass said he didn't have a lot of time to train for the competition, but regardless it gave him a chance to have some fun and connect with others. "I had the two Canadian Army Reserve soldiers in my group. Those guys were really awesome. ... They were a lot of fun to hang out with. They just had good hearts and a good spirit," Sass said. Another highlight for Sass was the chance to ride in a Black Hawk helicopter. "It was a lot of fun," he said. "I thought it was like riding a roller coaster." Army Staff Sgt. Mason Gumbiner, from Minnetonka, who serves as a cavalry scout with Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 94th Cavalry Regiment, was named the top noncommissioned officer, and Army Spc. Dan Whited, from Moose Lake, who serves as an infantry Soldier with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 194th Armor Regiment, earned the title of top Soldier. Croatian Army Pfc. Kristofor Josip Jurjević, from Zadar, Croatia, who serves as a land forces reconnaissance Soldier was named the top international competitor. "You are part of a legacy that is the best warrior," Command Chief Master Sgt. Lisa Erikson, the command senior enlisted leader for the Minnesota National Guard, said. "It is one of excellence, resolve, mentorship, and continuous improvement. Be immensely proud of what you have accomplished over the past four days." While he didn't win the competition, Sass said he had a lot of fun. "It was really nice to get a chance to do some cool Army stuff again," he said.
