The ‘Freedom 250’ concert, associated with Donald Trump, has descended into disarray as yet another performer has withdrawn, citing severe threats to his family, which he deemed ‘unforgivable.’ This celebration intended to honor America’s founding has become embroiled in controversy due to its connections with the former President.

On Thursday evening, Bret Michaels, the lead singer of Poison, announced his decision to withdraw from the event. Initially eager to participate in the national celebration, he reconsidered after concerns about the safety of his loved ones and bandmates arose.

Michaels joins a growing list of artists, including Morris Day, Young MC, the Commodores, and Martina McBride, who have departed from the event. With five out of the nine headlining acts dropping out since the lineup was revealed just one month before the festival’s launch on the National Mall, the event faces significant challenges.

The performers were reportedly under the impression that Freedom 250 was a neutral celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary. However, they later discovered its affiliation with the Trump administration, prompting their withdrawals.

Michaels expressed that the event, which was initially presented to him, had transformed into something far more polarizing than he had agreed to participate in.

The rocker, 63, said he’d been sold on the idea that the concert was ‘a celebration of our country through music and a chance to honor our veterans,’ but the politics surrounding the event had put his family, friends and bandmates at risk.

‘Concerns have also been raised regarding the safety of my fans, band, crew, family and myself, including threats that are completely unfounded and unforgivable,’ Michaels said.

He insisted: ‘This isn’t about politics. It’s about staying true to what I’ve always believed in. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. That’s one of the freedoms our veterans fought for and something I’ve always respected. But as a father, friend and bandmate, I have to take threats and safety concerns seriously.’ 

Brett Michaels (left), lead singer for the “big hair” metal rock band, Poison, and guitarist Bobby Dall prance on stage during a 1987 Long Beach, California, concert at the Long Beach Arena

American glam rock band, Poison, including Bret Michaels, Rikki Rockett, C.C. Deville and Bobby Dall, on January 9, 1987, at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan

Bret Michaels, singer of the band Poison, performs onstage during Day 1 of the 2019 Stagecoach Country Music Festival on April 26, 2019 in Indio, California

Donald Trump dances to YMCA at his rally in Greensboro, North Carolina

Michaels’ departure deepens the crisis for the event organizers who are now left with just four acts: Vanilla Ice, Flo Rida, C+C Music Factory, and Milli Vanilli.

The exodus was sparked by Morris Day, best known as lead singer of The Time, on Wednesday.

He shared a graphic to his Instagram page, stating: ‘Contrary to rumor, Morris Day & the Time will not be performing at the “Great American State Fair.”‘

The Commodores soon followed and it was then that it emerged that the celebration’s political ties were causing discomfort for the stars.

‘Our music has always been our voice and we choose not to publicly affiliate with any single political party,’ the funk act said in a statement. ‘We support the betterment of all Americans.’

Country music hitmaker Martina McBride then followed, lashing the event’s organizers for selling her a false pitch.

‘I was presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading,’ McBride said, adding that she had ‘asked lots of questions and was assured this was a nonpartisan event that was meant to celebrate ALL 50 states.’

She continued: ‘Yesterday things started changing and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening.’

Morris Day and Martina McBride

The Commodores 

Rapper Vanilla Ice performs onstage during the 9th Annual Tequila & Taco Music Festival at Ventura County Fairgrounds and Event Center on July 24, 2021 in Ventura, California

She defended herself, saying she had spent her ‘entire career singing songs about real people with real issues’ as a ‘voice for those who have felt like they didn’t have one.’ 

‘It greatly upsets me that any fan who has been moved by my music may now feel like I’m abandoning the meaning behind those songs,’ McBride continued. ‘I assure you, that is not the case. I appreciate every single fan who has reached out.’

Young MC joined the chorus of artists distancing themselves from the event in a Facebook post.

‘I had no clue it was considered a “Trump-backed” event, so that was new to me,’ the rapper, born Marvin Young, said.

‘My whole thing was “tell me what the event is, what it’s about, who you are, and then give me the choice of whether I want to do the event or not.” I was never given that choice.’ 

Among the performers announced was Milli Vanilli, but members of a group calling themselves The Real Milli Vanilli issued a statement on Thursday distancing themselves from Freedom 250.

‘Others using the name “Milli Vanilli” that appear on the advertisement should be considered a tribute band with no association vocally or musically to our sound or songs,’ they wrote.

Milli Vanilli was originally billed as a duo featuring Rob Pilatus, who died in 1998, and Fab Morvan, but they were later revealed to have only lip-synced to songs performed by studio vocalists, most of whom appear to comprise the Real Milli Vanilli group. 

Fabrice Morvan, left, and Rob Pilatus of Milli Vanilli perform during the taping of the Arsenio Hall Show in Los Angeles in October 1992

Young MC performs during the “I Love The 90’s” tour on Aug. 7, 2022, at RiverEdge Park in Aurora, Illinois

However, Morvan was featured on advertisements for Freedom 250, suggesting that a group featuring him may perform under the Milli Vanilli name.

Even as other artists rushed to jump ship, Vanilla Ice’s management confirmed that he would still be part of the Freedom 250 lineup.

‘Vanilla Ice is contracted and will perform at the Great American Fair at the National Mall on Friday, June 26,’ TQ management told Rolling Stone. ‘He is proud to help celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary! Everyone is welcome to attend and celebrate USA’s Birthday and our Freedom!’

The defections also exposed conflict within some of the groups announced to play Freedom 250.

Freedom Williams of C+C Music Factory clarified in an Instagram video that he doesn’t ‘f*** with Trump,’ but he said he still planned to perform and lashed out at anyone urging him to do otherwise.

‘I don’t give a f*** about Trump. I don’t give a f*** about Trump’s family. I don’t know the n***a. I’m from New York. I know the type of anarchy he creates,’ Williams said. ‘But the day I let you motherf***ers tell me what to do is the day I die.’

Bizarrely, Williams said he would cast votes for Adolf Hitler, Genghis Khan and ‘motherf***ing Ivan the Terrible before I let you n***as tell me what to motherf***ing do.’

But Robert Clivilles, who co-founded C+C Music Factory, explained that Williams, an original member, had acquired the band’s trademark back in 2005 and now performed under the name without Clivilles.

‘Freedom Williams [is] solely misrepresenting C&C Music Factory,’ he said in a social media post that suggested Williams was using the band name without permission. 

‘Please vent on his personal page and know that this is not a C&C Music Factory Participation,’ he continued, adding that the group ‘does not participate nor side with any specific political party.’

Trump founded Freedom 250 as a self-styled nonpartisan organization in January last year, weeks after retaking office, to spearhead a months-long birthday celebration. 

Keith Krach, former undersecretary of state in Trump’s first administration, was named as CEO, tasked with bringing together states, companies and non-profits to put on major events across the country.

Trump billed it as a once-in-a-lifetime line-up, boasting that Americans will ‘never see anything like it, and you’ll ever see anything like it again.’ 

It works in coordination with the White House Task Force 250, federal departments and the America250 Commission, which Trump created by executive order, naming himself as chair and Vice President JD Vance as vice chair. 

A fire broke out on an Amtrak work train near New York’s Penn Station early Friday morning, leaving five people injured.

The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) reported that they received a call about the incident at approximately 1:32 a.m. The fire occurred on track 11 at Penn Station, located on 31st Street between 7th and 8th Avenues.

By 2:43 a.m., the fire had escalated to a second alarm. In response, the FDNY dispatched 46 units and 141 fire and EMS personnel, according to information provided to Fox News Digital.

Among those injured, two individuals sustained serious injuries and were transported to Bellevue Hospital. The other three chose not to receive medical treatment, as stated by the fire department.

UNIONS THAT PARALYZED NEW YORK COMMUTE OVER PAY SPENT MILLIONS ON LUXURY TRAVEL, FILINGS SHOW

People walk through Penn Station during Memorial Day weekend on May 22, 2026, in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

The blaze was under control at 4:05 a.m., and the cause remains under investigation.

The New York Post reported that damaged overhead wiring along Track 11 prompted New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to suspend service into the Manhattan station.

NJ Transit indicated that the Amtrak track car fire has snarled rail service.

Travelers prepare to board a Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) train at Penn Station in New York, on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“NJ TRANSIT rail service is experiencing significant impacts due to an earlier Amtrak track car fire in one of the Hudson River tunnels. Impacts are expected to last through the morning rush hour,” NJ Transit noted in a post on X.

The NJ Transit website states, “Service is currently suspended between Newark Penn Station and Penn Station New York. Cross-honoring is in effect with PATH at Newark Penn, Hoboken and 33rd St in New York, as well as with NJ TRANSIT and private carrier buses due to an earlier Amtrak track car fire that caused damage to overhead wire and track infrastructure.”

A Long Island Rail Road train to Ronkonkoma at Penn Station in New York on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Amtrak is working as quickly as possible to make the necessary repairs and restore service as soon as possible,” the site notes.

The LIRR has since resumed normal service, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) spokesman Tim Minton told Fox News Digital. 

He noted that while trains were diverted to Grand Central Madison due to the incident, once power was returned and smoke cleared, “Long Island Rail Road trains resumed running into Penn Station.” 

Hollywood once again finds itself in the spotlight with the latest family development involving Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Their son, Maddox, has reportedly taken steps to legally remove Pitt’s last name.

The 24-year-old made this request on Thursday, as reported by the Daily Mail, citing “personal” reasons for his decision.

If approved, his legal name will change from Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt to simply Maddox Chivan Jolie.

As of now, representatives for both Pitt and Jolie have yet to respond to inquiries from Page Six regarding this matter.

According to a source, the timing of this news is noteworthy, emerging shortly after Pitt celebrated a “significant evidentiary victory” in the ongoing legal dispute with Jolie over Château Miraval, a detail highlighted in our Wednesday coverage.

Maddox, notably, informally ditched his dad’s surname in February credits for his work on Jolie’s most recent movie.

He worked as an assistant director on “Couture” and, per People, was listed at the time as Maddox Jolie.

Two years prior, he was credited as Maddox Jolie-Pitt for his work as executive producer on “Maria.”

Maddox’s decision to take the legal route comes on the heels of his 20-year-old sibling, Shiloh, doing the same.

When Shiloh turned 18 in May 2024, the teenager filed to drop Pitt — and the request was granted three months later.

Shiloh’s move symbolized not just “a name change” but a “deeper estrangement that has been brewing for years” — and left Pitt “devastated,” a source told Us Weekly in June 2024.

The insider, however, insisted he was “not ready to give up” on Shiloh, Maddox and the rest of their siblings — Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 17.

The outlet reported the following year that Pitt “periodically” sees his youngest two children but has “strained” relationships with the rest of his brood.

The kids have repeatedly made headlines for not using the “F1” star’s last name for graduations, Broadway Playbills, sorority initiations and more.

Pitt and Jolie called it quits in 2016 after 12 years together, becoming legally single in 2019.

When their contentious divorce battle was settled in December 2024, Pitt told GQ it wasn’t “that major of a thing” but “just something coming to fruition.”

He has been in a relationship with jewelry designer Ines de Ramon since 2022.

The White House has officially unveiled its enigmatic ‘alien.gov’ website, a domain it acquired back in March. Contrary to speculations, the site is not about disclosing information on UFOs.

On Thursday, the website went live, captivating visitors with an introductory sequence reminiscent of Star Wars. As stars sweep across the screen, an ominous message declares, “They walk among us,” hinting at a supposed long-standing government secret about aliens living unnoticed among everyday Americans.

However, as users scroll down, it becomes apparent that the focus is not on extraterrestrial life. Instead, the site provides a live ticker that tracks federal law enforcement interactions with migrants residing illegally in the United States, alongside data on immigration enforcement and arrest statistics.

This platform includes a comprehensive database of ICE arrests from the Trump era, detailing the detainees’ alleged criminal activities, nationalities, arrest records, and any alleged gang affiliations.

Moreover, visitors are directed to an ICE reporting portal designed for reporting ‘suspicious aliens,’ while the site claims that government officials have long concealed what it describes as an ongoing ‘invasion.’

The rollout immediately sparked backlash from members of the UFO community, who accused the White House of ‘hijacking the language of disclosure for an immigration campaign.’

Investigative journalist Jeremy Corbell appeared to anticipate the move hours before the website launched, posting on X: ‘I suspect tonight the White House is going to punk the American people.’

‘They’ll use the massive public interest in UAP, in “aliens,” and weaponize that curiosity for a political message that has nothing to do with the global mystery surrounding UFOs,’ he wrote.

Only after scrolling further do visitors discover the site is not about extraterrestrials at all, but instead features a live ticker tracking federal law enforcement ‘encounters’ involving migrants living in the US illegally

The website text accuses the US government of hiding illegal immigrants from Americans for 60 years. 

‘Aliens have been walking among us, living in our neighborhoods, and interacting with us in our daily lives,’ it states. 

‘They’ve shopped in the same stores, attended the same classes as our children, and lived seemingly normal human existences.’

‘With one exception — they do not belong here,’ the website text continued.

A running counter on the website claims more than 3.1 million ‘encounters,’ with the figure continuing to climb as of Thursday evening.  The site does not explain what period the tally covers.

‘President Trump was the first to call out the real danger Aliens pose to every American family, every community, and the future of our nation,’ the website reads. 

 The site is packed with UFO disclosure language, telling people not to be alarmed if they witness an alien abduction.

‘The Alien is in good hands. We will take care of it… and return it safely to its place of origin,’ it reads.

 The rollout immediately sparked backlash from members of the UFO community, who accused the White House of ‘hijacking the language of disclosure for an immigration campaign’

The site also includes a a heat map of the US featuring immigration arrest statistics pulled from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data

The website, however, has led many people to believe that the Trump administration may not be taking disclosure as seriously as it seemed. 

One X user posted: ‘There is clearly something going on with UAP (should have never changed from UFO) and conflating “illegal aliens” with “aliens/extraterrestrials” is f****** stupid. 

‘And everyone was thinking this administration was taking disclosure seriously, and then you drop this sad attempt at being witty and punny.’

Other X users did not seem surprised about the true purpose of the domain, with one saying: ‘Wait, you really thought there were real aliens the government was going to tell us about? 

‘Aliens are almost certainly real, but none of the fuzzy footage, weird radar signals or anything else this gov could release will be aliens.’

The frustration comes as the President released troves of UFO files in the past month, promising Americans transparency. 

EXCLUSIVE: DAVIE, Fla. — Law enforcement agencies throughout Florida are collaborating more effectively to apprehend undocumented immigrants on the state’s highways.

This month, Fox News Digital joined the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) during their most extensive collaboration yet, known as Operation 9.

In this three-day initiative, FHP partnered with five other federal, state, and local agencies.

By the end of the operation, 249 undocumented immigrants were detained, processed, and transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

A federal immigration officer is seen next to a detained person near a vehicle during the enforcement action. (Natasha Holt for Fox News Digital)

FOX NEWS RIDES ALONG AS FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL BEGINS ENFORCING FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAWS ON STATE ROADS

And many handcuffed on the shoulders of South Florida highways were “ghosts,” said Lt. Ramin Sulaiman, assistant commander of the FHP Immigration Enforcement Section.

What’s alarming, he said, is “we have no records for them, no accountability of who they are.” 

And that’s what his team sees every day in their routine work patrolling the state’s highways.

ICE AND FLORIDA ARREST 230 CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS IN 10-DAY OPERATION

More than one million immigrants who came into the country illegally during the Biden administration told immigration officials at the border that they were headed to Florida, Sulaiman said. Then, they were released.

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“But that does not include all the ghosts, meaning the people that have no encounters [with law enforcement],” said Sulaiman.

“They’re just here.”

‘SHAMEFUL’: LEGAL IMMIGRANTS FACE UPHILL BATTLE AMID ONGOING BORDER CRISIS

And with unknown criminal histories and intentions, he said. 

Florida has about 23.5 million known residents. Based on their daily roadside encounters, Sulaiman and other troopers say there are likely millions more uncounted ghosts.  

Florida’s tactics

Troopers patrolling the Sunshine State on routine duties have happened upon—and gathered up—more than 10,476 illegal immigrants since March 2025, Dave Kerner, executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, told Fox News Digital. 

Dave Kerner stands outside the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles headquarters in Florida. (Natasha Holt for Fox News Digital)

FLORIDA SHERIFF SAYS ICE PARTNERSHIP ONLY THE BEGINNING IN ILLEGAL MIGRANT CRACKDOWN

On routine stops for driving infractions, they find that many drivers don’t have a license. That’s the first clue they might not be citizens. And that leads to more-probing questions. 

Trooper Tony Golden normally focuses on commercial vehicles on the highways in six counties in Florida’s Panhandle.

ILLEGAL TRUCKER ‘DEPORTED HIMSELF TO CA,’ LAWMAKER SAYS, WHILE REVEALING SYSTEMIC CRISIS IN TRANSPORTATION

He encounters so many illegal immigrants in his day-to-day work that he believes the number of them in Florida “is astronomical,” he said.

Golden understands why immigration enforcement is a polarizing topic, even among some law enforcement officers. 

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But “we are enforcing the law,” he said. “We don’t pick and choose what we want to enforce.”

He bristles at suggestions that troopers pull over drivers because they look a certain way. 

“People accuse officers of targeting people for immigration enforcement,” Golden said. “That’s not true.”

An officer guides a detained individual into a transport vehicle during an immigration enforcement operation in Florida. (Natasha Holt for Fox News Digital)

The scary part, he said, is that many illegal immigrants—including violent criminals—blend into the communities where they live and work.

‘WORST OF THE WORST’: THE 10 MOST VIOLENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NABBED IN 2025

“The ones that are running around with no [traffic] violations—you might not ever see them. And they could be the worst of the worst.”

Operation 9 

During Operation 9, more than 100 officers huddled in groups before daybreak at an FHP station in Broward County. Gathered were troopers, agents from ICE and U.S. Border Patrol, deputies on specialty teams from the Broward Sheriff’s Office, officers with Florida’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, and guardsmen with the Florida State Guard.

OPERATION TIDAL WAVE: ICE, FLORIDA LAW ENFORCEMENT ARREST OVER 1,100 IN RECORD-BREAKING CRACKDOWN

Since October, Florida has carried out eight similar operations, Sulaiman said.

With each round, the partnerships between agencies have become increasingly efficient, because “we all have the same common goal,” Sulaiman said. 

And now, he added, “we don’t really go through any of the hiccups.”

DESANTIS ANNOUNCES FLORIDA ARRESTED 10,400 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN ‘OPERATION TIDAL WAVE’

As additional agencies tag along and learn, Florida’s efforts continue to expand. 

During Operation 9, officers made frequent trips back to the station, guiding handcuffed men and women into an air-conditioned waiting area. There, they were patted down, processed for transfer to ICE and offered bottled water and snacks. 

A law enforcement officer documents information during an immigration enforcement operation in Florida as a detained individual stands nearby in handcuffs. (Natasha Holt for Fox News Digital)

Later, most would have a choice, said Nestor Yglesias, a public affairs officer for ICE who rode along on Operation 9. They could opt for an arranged flight back home, or wait in custody for an immigration hearing.

ICE REVEALS ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ ARRESTS IN JUST ONE DAY AFTER ROUNDING UP ‘THUGS’ CONVICTED OF VILE CRIMES

On a case-by-case basis, ICE determines whether an immigrant headed home will pay for his or her flight out of the country or whether the U.S. government will cover the bill, Yglesias said. 

Some leave with cash, up to $2,600 recently, he said. The amount varies and depends on each individual’s circumstances.

The consequences of illegal entry

Many officers who participate in immigration enforcement hail from other countries, said Sulaiman, who was born in Afghanistan. 

“Since they took the proper steps to come here, they feel like everyone should,” he said. 

Still, some participating in Operation 9 expressed sympathy for immigrants’ desires to be here. 

GOT A TIP?

“I kind of feel bad for them,” an officer with a Spanish accent admitted with a shrug as she turned back to her vehicle after assisting with an arrest.

Officers guide multiple detained individuals into a transport vehicle during a law enforcement operation. (Natasha Holt for Fox News Digital)

But overall, officers with Operation 9 were unapologetic about the mission.

“We treat every single person we stop with respect from the beginning,” Sulaiman said. 

Even after a suspect resists arrest, he said, “once it’s addressed, we’ll go right back to the same level when we first started – kindness.


“We’re just doing our jobs. There’s nothing personal.”

‘Trying to clean up the mess’

On Day 2 of Operation 9, officers pulled over a pickup truck with pool-cleaning tools in the back for going 11 mph over the speed limit. 

The driver showed a passport from Mexico. He had been in the country for six years, Golden said. He did not have a driver’s license. That led to questions about his two passengers. 

One, officers learned, was deported 22 years earlier and slipped past authorities when he returned to the United States. The other sneaked in 22 years earlier, as well, Golden said. 

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT IN FLORIDA CHARGED WITH ARSON, FELONY CRIMINAL MISCHIEF, SHERIFF SAYS

Their identification was from Guatemala.

“We don’t know if they have a criminal history,” Golden said. “We will run that later.”

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“They seem like hard-working people, but we don’t know what they’re doing on their free time.

“When you’re doing this job, if you let the heartstrings get to you, you’ll beat yourself up nonstop.” 

Golden said he understands why pangs of compassion and sympathy strike some Americans. 

“Unfortunately, these people [getting arrested and deported] could be the best people in the world. But they did it the wrong way … They didn’t go through the proper steps to get into our country legally.”

KRISTI NOEM ANNOUNCES MORE THAN 150 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SEX OFFENDERS ARRESTED IN MASSIVE FLORIDA CRACKDOWN

The number with a criminal past—often violent—in their home countries is high, Golden said. 

One that haunts him came from a recent arrest: a 30-year-old accused of impregnating his 14-year-old niece.

Golden deployed multiple times to the border in Texas during the Biden administration. 

Often, people caught crossing into the country were young men with plans to travel to specific cities, Golden said. To him, they didn’t sound like people leaving family to flee danger. It was maddening.

WATCH: ICE and Florida law enforcement arrest criminal illegal immigrants

“It was like when you have a water leak, and you just sit back, and you watch it, and don’t take any progressive action. Well, now, four years later, the floor’s ruined, the wall’s gone, and now you’re trying to clean up the mess.” 

As a father, he said, the scariest part is that “they don’t have a clue who’s over here.”

So when people argue that it’s wrong to deport illegal immigrants, Golden squares his jaw. He feels that he and his colleagues have a way of life to preserve, a country to save. 

“The way I look at it, I’ve got a 9-year-old daughter. I’m not only doing it for me, but I’m doing it for her.” 

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Raine Michaels, the 26-year-old offspring of the legendary Poison frontman Bret Michaels, is carving her own path in the entertainment industry. Instead of rocking out in sold-out arenas like her father, Raine is stepping into the limelight as one of Netflix’s fresh faces in the world of reality television.

Calabasas Confidential, which premiered on Netflix today, features Raine and her group of Gen Z friends from the glamorous Californian city of Calabasas, a locale that owes much of its fame to the Kardashian family. Among the cast, Raine stands out not only for her famous lineage but also for her down-to-earth nature, often acting as the calm amidst the show’s whirlwind of drama.

Raine is no stranger to the reality TV scene. As a child, she appeared in VH1’s Bret Michaels: Life as I Know It, a series that chronicled her father’s life as he managed the dual roles of rock star and father. Prior to that, Bret Michaels was the star of Rock of Love with Bret Michaels, a dating show where he sought love among 20 hopeful contestants. Despite her father’s extensive reality TV experience, Raine humorously noted that he gave her some “terrible advice” when she embarked on her own reality TV journey.

“He told me, ‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,’ which was just awful advice considering he did just about everything on [Rock of Love],” Raine shared during a recent Zoom interview with DECIDER. “So, not the best guidance from him in that regard. But he did say, ‘Just be yourself and hopefully everyone will love you.’”

Raine, who landed her first modeling gig with Sports Illustrated at the young age of 18, is depicted in the series as she contemplates her future career path. Should she continue in modeling, venture into sports broadcasting, or perhaps explore the quirky option of selling feet pics? Whatever choice she makes, it’s clear she has her father’s support in all her endeavors.

In Episode 7, Raine opens up about the pressure she feels to find success, given the fact that Bret was so young when he skyrocketed to fame. When we caught up with Raine, she said her dad’s early success “both” motivates her and makes her nervous.

“Seeing what he’s accomplished in his life is super motivating to me. But then, also, when he was 26, he was doing a bunch of crazy things, [like] selling out arenas,” she said. “I think it’s a little bit of a mix of nervousness, but also excitement to see what can happen when you put your mind to something. He is a testament to success in coming from really nothing to making such a name for himself.”

As for how she feels about the phrase “nepo baby,” Raine said it “doesn’t” bother her, noting that it’s just “a term” that has a “fun spin to it nowadays.”

“My dad has always told me, ‘I can open the door for you. I can get your foot in the door, but it’s your job to keep it open,’” she said. “He can only get me so far, and then I have to do the rest myself. He’s always instilled in me and my sister to just follow our dreams, and whatever we set our mind to, give it 100%.”

Calabasas Confidential is currently streaming on Netflix.

In New York, the humble tomato, found in everything from fast-food delights to gourmet dishes, has taken on a new and unexpected role: a symbol of the soaring costs that are frustrating consumers everywhere.

Over the past year, the price of tomatoes has surged more than any other food item, becoming a focal point for those grappling with rising expenses.

“The tomato has become a symbol of something much deeper,” explains Isaac Bernal Carbajo, a chef in New York City. He expresses concern over how “life’s simplest pleasures” are succumbing to price hikes. “Purchasing fresh vegetables, once a basic act, is now a significant financial decision for many families.”

According to the latest Consumer Price Index, tomato prices have skyrocketed by about 40% compared to a year ago. This increase far surpasses the price hikes of other staples like coffee, which is up by 18.5%, beef roasts rising 17.8%, and frozen fish and seafood climbing 12%. These products have similarly become symbols of America’s ongoing struggle with affordability.

Additionally, a separate inflation measure released last Thursday revealed that overall prices rose by 3.8% in April from the previous year, marking the steepest increase in nearly three years.

Alongside crop yields, experts blame price increases for tomatoes, in part, on two pillars of President Donald Trump’s second-term policies: the Iran war and tariffs. The war spiked gas prices and increased shipping costs. Meantime, the U.S. withdrew from a deal allowing duty-free imports of tomatoes from Mexico, which grows most of America’s supply.

Usha Haley, a Wichita State University economist, says it’s “a perfect storm of trade policy, extreme weather and Mideast policy.”

American tomato farmers cheered the withdrawal from the tomato deal last July, saying it would help rebuild their shrinking industry. But for consumers, it’s been painful. Though the U.S. withdrew from the Mexico tomato deal in July, it took time to see the impact in the produce aisle, with more imports in late winter and early spring.

When the tomatoes arrived, they were slapped with a 17% tariff.

“Tariffs are undeniably a big driver of the price inflation,” says Brett Massimino, a Virginia Commonwealth University business professor. “Because the U.S. relies on Mexico for the majority of its tomato supply, any changes in trade policy can have a large impact.”

U.S. tariffs collected on tomatoes ballooned from just $16,424 in 2024 to nearly $4.6 million, according to federal data, a staggering 27,879% increase.

As the cost trickles down, outraged shoppers have pulled out their phones in the produce aisle, shooting videos lamenting costs they said quadrupled, with some vowing to plant a garden to avoid prices of up to $8 a pound. But the impact has been most pronounced for businesses that rely on tomatoes as a key ingredient in their kitchens.

MarginEdge, which tracks prices for restaurants, says grape tomatoes have increased most — 65% in just a month — but prices have gone up across all types of tomatoes.

Phillip Coles, a professor of supply chain management at Lehigh University, says prices should drop later in the year when domestically grown tomatoes are harvested. Higher prices, he says, will also “induce farmers to increase planting to meet the demand, but this takes longer because of the lead time.”

Meantime, it’s translating to a big hit for businesses like Snarf’s Sandwiches, which puts a tomato in nearly every sandwich it makes.

Wayne Humphrey, chief operating officer of Snarf’s, which operates dozens of stores in Colorado, Missouri and Texas, said cases of tomatoes went from costing him $27 to $93 in the space of a year, piled on top of rising expenses for other ingredients including bread and beef, as well as increased labor costs.

“That single ingredient now costs us more than $1.7 million in additional spend annually,” says Humphrey. “The math is getting harder to ignore.”