We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
The quest to identify the cause of a widespread diarrhea-inducing parasite outbreak that has spanned multiple states continues, as official sources reveal that the suspected origin has tested negative for the pathogen in question.
On Sunday, the FDA confirmed that lettuce from Taylor Farms, previously believed to be the culprit of the cyclosporiasis outbreak, showed a false-positive result for cyclospora, the parasite responsible for this infection.
Last Friday, Taylor Farms proactively announced a recall of its lettuce cultivated in Mexico. This move came amid growing concerns as the CDC and FDA scrutinized the shredded lettuce that the company delivered to Taco Bell outlets across the U.S. as a potential source of the health scare.
The company stated that none of its products were linked to the outbreak. Nevertheless, ‘based on information provided yesterday by the FDA, Taylor Farms de Mexico is voluntarily withdrawing all iceberg lettuce originating from central Mexico.’
In an update released on Sunday, the FDA noted that a sample examination of the lettuce supplied by the company had initially detected a positive result for cyclospora on July 18.
However, ‘due to the complexity in detection of cyclospora, FDA laboratory experts re-reviewed the sample results and have concluded that the finding does not represent true amplification and should be considered a false positive.’
The statement continued: ‘FDA has notified Taylor Farms and continues working with the firm to ensure product implicated in this outbreak has been removed from the market. FDA and state partners continue to collect and analyze product samples.
‘As of July 19, 2026, there are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for cyclospora.’
Taylor Farms announced on Friday a recall of its lettuce grown in Mexico (stock image)
Following the FDA’s announcement, Taylor Farms said in a statement on Sunday: ‘Yesterday, FDA informed Taylor Fresh Foods that one of its iceberg lettuce products from central Mexico had a “confirmed positive” test for cyclospora.
‘Today, we were informed that FDA made a mistake, and this was a false positive. To be clear, at this moment, FDA has not identified a single positive product test result for cyclospora.’
No update was given on Taco Bell’s potential role in the outbreak.
On Thursday, the CDC had posted an update to the cyclosporiasis outbreak investigation, stating tracing had linked the illnesses to shredded iceberg lettuce from a single supplier that had been used at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
Taco Bell issued a statement the same day: ‘Based on ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell has taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states.
‘The affected ingredient from our supplier is being indefinitely removed from our supply chain nationwide and will be replaced within 24 hours in select states.
‘While no official advisory has been issued, we believe public health is a shared responsibility among restaurants, their suppliers, and authorities, and we are proud to have consistently acted quickly and proactively to protect our guests.
‘Taco Bell has taken precautionary action, and we encourage all relevant restaurants, retailers, and foodservice operators to do the same.’
Nationwide, cases of cyclosporiasis are estimated to have climbed near 7,000 across more than 40 states.
Not all cases are related to this outbreak and the CDC previously said it is ‘also investigating other outbreaks and illnesses of cyclosporiasis nationally that are unrelated to this outbreak.’
People become infected with cyclosporiasis by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the cyclospora parasite, most commonly through fresh produce such as leafy greens, herbs and berries.
In the US, most cases are typically linked to international travel or imported produce from regions where the parasite is common, including Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
Fresh produce can become contaminated if it is washed or irrigated with water contaminated by human sewage.
Previous outbreaks have been linked to bagged salad kits, cilantro, basil and other leafy greens.
Cyclosporiasis typically causes explosive diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting and fatigue.
Unlike norovirus or routine food poisoning, however, symptoms often come and go rather than resolving after a few days.
Without treatment, experts say the illness can persist for weeks or repeatedly return.
Anyone with diarrhea lasting more than a few days should seek medical care and specifically ask for a cyclospora test, as it is not routinely ordered, Dr Swapnil Patel, vice chair of medicine at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, told the Daily Mail.
The test detects cyclospora DNA in stool samples and typically requires one to three samples.
Treatment for the infection consists of the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, sold under the brand names Bactrim, Septra and Cotrim.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military has announced the tragic loss of two soldiers who lost their lives last week amid ongoing hostilities with Iran.
According to a statement from the Defense Department, 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, aged 25, hailing from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, aged 19, from Carrollton, Texas, were killed while supporting a mission in Jordan targeting the Islamic State group. Details surrounding their deaths remain unclear.
Earlier on Saturday, the U.S. Central Command reported the loss of two service members in Jordan, attributing their deaths to defensive actions against Iranian missile and drone assaults.
The conflict with Iran has claimed a total of 17 American lives, according to military reports.
This grim statistic underscores the perilous nature of the conflict; even without boots on Iranian soil, American soldiers face significant threats from afar. The capacity for drones, missiles, and aircraft to reach U.S. personnel stationed across the Middle East has intensified the risk. As diplomatic efforts falter, Iran continues to target American allies in the region, reflecting the escalating tensions.
President Donald Trump, a Republican, has said the war is necessary to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
First fatalities came soon after the war started
Shortly after the war began on Feb. 28, an Iranian drone strike at a civilian port in Kuwait killed six American soldiers. The soldiers were part of a supply and logistics unit based in Iowa who were working at a shipping container-style building that had no defenses.
A seventh soldier died more than a week after being wounded during a March 1 attack by Iran on the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
Later in March, six service members were killed when a KC-135 refueling aircraft supporting U.S. military operations against Iran crashed in Iraq. The aircraft was in “friendly” airspace when an unspecified incident involving another aircraft took place, according to U.S. Central Command.
On Monday, the U.S. military said a Navy pilot died in a helicopter crash in the Arabian Sea. The Navy initially described the July 1 crash as an emergency landing and said there was “no indication the emergency was caused by hostile action.” The remaining three sailors aboard the helicopter were rescued.
Drones and missiles still claiming lives
The latest U.S. military death from the conflict was on Saturday in northern Iraq when an American service member in northern Iraq was killed during a “controlled detonation” of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone, U.S. Central Command said Sunday. A second service member was wounded and was receiving medical treatment for a minor injury.
People stand on a bridge destroyed after a strike in Hormozgan province, southern Iran, Saturday, July 18, 2026. (Amirhosein Khorgooi/Iranian Students’ News Agency via AP)
The military said it was withholding additional information until 24 hours after families had been notified.
The deaths in the war are not limited to Americans.
Iranian authorities said at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 wounded in U.S. strikes in the past three weeks, including eight killed in a strike on a bridge Friday.
People working on ships, as well as foreign workers and others in Gulf nations, Israel and Lebanon have also perished in the conflict.
GISBSON CITY, Ill. (WCIA) — The First Presbyterian Church of Gibson City, a place of solace and community for over a century, bid farewell to its congregation with its final service on Sunday.
While church leaders celebrate the deep-rooted legacy of this historic institution, they cited the dwindling membership and the ensuing financial challenges as reasons why keeping it open was no longer feasible.
“This church occupies a special place in my heart,” shared Dr. Rebecca Blair, Lead Presbyter For Transformation and Stated Clerk. “Their commitment to compassion and service truly embodies the essence of Jesus’ teachings and ministry.”
Blair acknowledged that the decision to close the church was a difficult one for many members to accept.
“Every church reaches a point at which either the age of the congregants or the number of congregants, simply makes the economic calculus untenable,” said Blair.
Blair said the hardest part about closing the church doors is stopping the people from worshiping in the place they call home.
“This church has reached the point where they want to continue to, share the money that they have with the community, and serve the community, rather than going until the last dollar is left,” said Blair.
Now, the church is looking towards the future, and she said the building’s history is too important to forget.
“We’re trying to preserve this legacy, so that the ministry of the church can continue… just in another form,” said Blair.
Community partners are now looking to use it, and continue to honor the people that came before them.
“It would be a use that would serve the community, a gathering spot, say, for senior citizens or some other similar type of use,” said Blair.
As this chapter of the church comes to an end, Blair is thankful for the people who made it a place to worship, and called it home.
“I also know that the congregants will continue to serve this community individually because they carry that heart for service with them,” said Blair. “Well done, good and faithful servants.”
Blair said a historical room will keep relics of history from the church that anyone can see.
Inset: Michael Devon Webb (Oakland County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Rachel Wooten (GoFundMe).
In Michigan, a chilling murder case involving a 23-year-old man has concluded with a conviction. Michael Webb was found guilty of murdering his fiancée, a horrendous act carried out in front of their child. Prosecutors depicted a brutal scene where Webb shot his young partner, Rachel Wooten, in the neck at close proximity, all under the guise that he was merely “cleaning his gun.”
A jury in Pontiac delivered the guilty verdict, holding Webb accountable for first-degree murder and for using a firearm in the execution of a felony in the tragic 2025 killing of his live-in fiancée, Rachel Wooten. She was not only his partner but also the mother of their six-month-old child at the time of this senseless tragedy, as reported by the Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
According to a press release issued Friday by the attorney’s office, the tragic event unfolded on April 15, 2025, when Webb shot Wooten in the neck from an alarmingly close distance. The office confirmed that the pair was romantically involved, resided together, and shared the responsibilities of parenting their young child.
Trial evidence revealed a haunting detail that Wooten had reached out in fear to her family the day she was killed. She sent a text expressing her deep concern for her safety, underscoring the gravity of the situation she faced before her untimely death.
Deputies with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office were sent to the couple’s Highland Township home, located in the 200 block of Maple Drive — about 40 miles northwest of Detroit — around 4 p.m. regarding a report of a shooting. The caller identified himself as Webb and he told a 911 dispatcher that he “had shot his fiancee and himself,” per the release.
“Webb had a self-inflicted, non-fatal gunshot wound and claimed he was cleaning his gun,” the attorney’s office said. “Their child was 6 months old at the time of the murder and was found inside the home unharmed.”
When speaking to police, Webb said, “It was an accident.” Police reported that evidence recovered from the couple’s residence “did not support” that the shooting was accidental.
Webb’s gunshot wound was “apparently from the same bullet” that killed his fiancee, according to investigators.
“Michael Webb executed Rachel Wooten in front of their child, then called 911 and lied about it,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald said Friday in a statement.
“He will most likely spend the rest of his life in prison, as he should,” McDonald added. “While this verdict holds him accountable, nothing can bring back Rachel Wooten or change the fact that her child will grow up without a mother. Too many women and children are living in fear of domestic violence without the resources or support to escape. We must do more to protect women and prevent future tragedies like Rachel’s murder.”
The intricate tapestry of the Game of Thrones universe never fails to capture attention, punctuated by the sweeping narratives of George R.R. Martin’s epic Song of Ice and Fire series. This richness is especially palpable in the third season of HBO’s House of the Dragon. As dragons clash and destinies intertwine, every nuance and character decision seems to echo toward the eventual chaos to come. Episode 5 shifts its focus to characters who have previously been on the sidelines, but whose actions are now becoming pivotal.
HBO
In a captivating development, Alys and Aemond’s paths cross under the ancient boughs of a weirwood tree. Enthusiasts familiar with the books will find cause for excitement here. Recently, we witnessed the one-eyed prince soar to Harrenhal, make a misstep with Vhagar, and land injured at the mercy of the keep’s mistress. Alys Rivers, in a strategic move, sheltered him. As mercenaries creep through Harrenhal’s shadowy corridors, eager to claim Rhaenyra’s bounty on “Aemond Kinslayer,” Alys deftly manipulates the scene, sending them fleeing. As Aemond stirs from his nightmarish slumber—haunted by Helaena’s premonitions of his fiery demise, his brother Aegon’s taunts, and visions of his burning face—he finds solace in Alys’s arms. The imposing warrior, who once claimed self-reliance, seems strangely at ease in this newfound relationship. Their bond hints at an unanticipated harmony.
While Alys and Aemond forge their connection amid his intense dreams, Aegon is busy clashing with Larys Strong, who is at his wit’s end. Plagued by tantrums and incessant complaints aimed at his brother, Aegon grapples with the fallout of squandering his own advantages. Larys, who’s seen it all, points out these failures, leaving the powerless usurper to stew in his discontent. Their alliance retreats to the dirt-strewn encampment, falling back to Larys’s earlier plan: a boat to Essos to wait out this grueling conflict. But just as the plan appears settled, a twist unfolds with the reappearance of Tyland Lannister. Once thrown overboard in a siege, he resurfaces, still aligned with Team Green and ready to reclaim the hidden wealth of King’s Landing.
The storyline also provides an extended glimpse into the tumultuous Riverlands, where Criston Cole’s guerrilla fighters have been disrupting the Rivermen’s southern advance. However, the Rivermen have their own strategies. Young Oscar Tully, seasoned prematurely by war, teams up with Roddy the Ruin to scatter deadly traps in the damp, leech-infested woods, unseating Cole and Gwayne from their injured mounts. As the Greens’ spirits and supplies dwindle, their position at Stoney Sept falls apart. The Rivermen escape ahead of them, destroying the bridge as they go. Cole broods, while Gwayne prepares to depart. Despite the notion of noble retreat, Cole is singular in his resolve. A warrior to the end, he muses of a legendary death in battle and songs sung by minstrels in his honor, reaching even Queen Alicent. May fortune be on his side.
HBO
The narrative momentum shifts yet again to Tumbleton, where Ormund “Smell-O-Vision” Hightower seems intent on shaping Daeron Targaryen. Their dialogue, laced with historical allusions, recalls the fierce defense led by Dornish ruler Meria Martell against a Targaryen-Hightower alliance. When Daeron queries whether Martell was a hero or villain for her resistance, the question visibly missteps. Ormund’s grip on his shoulders tightens, and the unease is palpable. Though Daeron is on board with their schemes, a shadow of fear over his father’s intentions and the implications of his role looms. Yet, Ormund’s elation at the sight of coins bearing Daeron’s royal visage makes clear his ambitions for this young Targaryen’s future.
Episode 5 also reveals Ormund, Mr. “Now We Begin,” as the brains behind the sabotage of Rhaenyra’s hearts and minds campaign. It’s his agents in King’s Landing tagging the anti-crown graffiti, stoking sentiment against the “Queen of Bastards.” Not that Rhaenyra’s impulsive orders to Luthor Largent and his gold cloaks made anything better; those guys took their cue from Daemon and applied force without reason. The smallfolk will remember. And in the meantime, Ormund has assassins dismembering GC soldiers in the streets. As the cunning Hightower lord fortifies Tumbleton for battle, he is displacing Rhaenyra’s support in King’s Landing.
HBO
For all the tense and meaningful and dangerous and bloody moments in this season of House of the Dragon, it remains also quite funny. Like, everything Alys Rivers says is a meme. But get a load too of this sequence in the thousand-candle Grand Sept, as Daemon chuckles at Rhaenyra praying, and she’s like “Don’t!” Their relationship! So often it’s heads thrown on tables and dragonflights and what they also discuss here, in High Valyrian, as something nefarious stirs against Rhaenyra’s rule. But every now and again, HOTD finds time to highlight the voices they use with each other, and Emma D’Arcy and Matt Smith make it come alive.
But the bad shit still goes on. Daemon and Luthor uncovered a smallfolk conspirator, and under torture he burps up a Daeron Targaryen king coin. So the Red Keep is closer to knowing the reach of Ormund’s arm. But Rhaenyra’s right, they are still blind. They have no intel on Aemond at Harrenhal, even less on Aegon’s whereabouts, and are beset with financial woe and unhappy constituents. Little fires everywhere turning into an inferno. When Daemon tosses the coin onto Rhaenyra’s desk, he says they should have burned Daeron when they had the chance.
The entirety of Episode 5 comes to fore with Ser Criston Cole delivering a speech to his damned. As he declares all who stand with him will die for his last shot at legend status, we see Alicent and a definitely pregnant Helaena try to escape the Red Keep. At first thwarted by the Queen Whisperer — will Mysaria keep the secret of a potential new heir from Rhaenyra? — they discover a secret passage in their house arrest chamber. Into the walls they go, Alicent and her dearest, only to find the exit bricked over. Their lantern falls, and they are stuck in the dark interior.
Cole’s voice is still heard, seeming to gather all the peripheral moments into strength as this season’s narrative drives forward with haste. And Daemon, almost gloating over his Daeron Coin discovery, is knocked back in terror. “Luthor!” he calls in the gold cloak chamber. But there is no answer. The City Watch commander and his men have been murdered in a tableau of the Last Supper. “A feast for traitors” is scrawled in their blood.
HBO
Hot D’s for House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 5 “Unbowed and Unbent”:
Are Baela Targaryen and Ser Addam of Hull a thing? While she laments becoming persona non grata with Rhaenyra after the Gullet and Jace’s death, Addam says he’d follow her anywhere, and they’d make a new future together.
The crown is a weight that crushes. Rhaenyra can’t even bring herself to greet her little son and heir Joffrey Velaryon (Oscar Eskinazi), who has been returned to the Keep from the Vale. It is as if she cannot face what he represents to her own fretting over legitimacy.
Johnny Loftus (@johnnyloftus.bsky.social) is a Chicago-based writer. A veteran of the alternative weekly trenches, his work has also appeared in Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork, The All Music Guide, and The Village Voice.
In a proactive measure to protect public health, Taylor Fresh Foods, a prominent fruit and vegetable producer, has decided to voluntarily withdraw all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market. This decision comes amid a spreading cyclosporiasis outbreak that has so far affected over 1,600 individuals nationwide.
A recall notice from the Food and Drug Administration, issued on Saturday, highlights that the shredded lettuce in question was distributed across 27 states between June 29 and July 16. The states impacted include Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
A truck arrives at a Taylor Farms facility on July 17, 2026 in Salinas, California.Photo by Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images
Taylor Fresh Foods elaborated in the notice, stating, “We are actively removing the implicated products. The company has stopped receiving product from the implicated lot, suspended distribution of the iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico, notified our customers, and we are continuing to work with the FDA, CDC, and state authorities.”
The recall encompasses various products, including Marketside-brand items available at certain Walmart stores. Additionally, some of these now-recalled products were sent to food service clients, highlighting the breadth of the distribution.
As of Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has indicated that this multistate outbreak remains a subject of investigation. The issue has now been traced back to shredded iceberg lettuce used at select Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that its traceback investigation had identified a single supplier of iceberg lettuce from Mexico that was used at those Taco Bell locations.
In a statement, Taco Bell said it had taken “immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states” following “ongoing conversations with public health officials.”
“We believe public health is a shared responsibility among restaurants, their suppliers, and authorities, and we are proud to have consistently acted quickly and proactively to protect our guests,” the statement read in part. “Taco Bell has taken precautionary action, and we encourage all relevant restaurants, retailers, and foodservice operators to do the same.”
The CDC and FDA said they are also investigating other cyclosporiasis illnesses that may be unrelated to the lettuce supplied to Taco Bell restaurants, “in collaboration with state and local partners.” Overall, there have been more than 1,644 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis across the country, with 94 hospitalizations and no reported deaths so far.
Cyclosporiasis cases happen every year, but there have been more reported this year than in general.
In a statement to ABC News on Friday, Taylor Fresh Foods said in part, “While the FDA traceback is indicating a specific independent farm, which represents less than 1% of the U.S.’s iceberg lettuce supply, as the potential source of the outbreak, we have removed all iceberg lettuce from the region indefinitely.”
Taylor Farms, a subsidiary of Taylor Fresh Foods, supplies fruits and vegetables to many restaurants and grocery stores throughout the U.S., sourcing and processing the food
For Toby Huss, stepping back into the world of King of the Hill was an emotional experience.
Huss, originally known for voicing characters like Cotton Hill and Kahn Souphanousinphone in the animated show’s initial run, now adds conspiracy theorist Dale Gribble to his repertoire. This iconic role was originally brought to life by Johnny Hardwick, who sadly passed away in August 2023, just after Hulu announced the show’s revival.
“Even amidst our sadness, Greg [Daniels], Mike [Judge], and Saladin Patterson internally decided I could take on Dale’s voice,” Huss shared with DECIDER in a studio chat last week. “After some read-throughs, they were on board, asking if I’d like to do it. How could I turn it down? Johnny was not just an old friend—a sweet, immensely talented guy—but a true gem. A quirky one, yes, but cherished among us.”
King of the Hill kicks off its 15th season today, marking its second since transitioning to streaming. With two more seasons already greenlit on Hulu, the series stands as a shining star amongst a crowded field of reboots. Pamela Adlon, Huss’ co-star and Emmy nominee for her portrayal of Bobby Hill, previously told DECIDER that the show’s distinctive qualities lie in its “handmade” approach and its genuine presence. For Huss, the essence of the show is found in its “kindness.”
“Ultimately, there’s no meanness in this show. It centers around kindness and sincerity, avoiding irony,” he described. “It’s apolitical by design, rarely touching on politics. The core is a family that embraces kindness and understanding, ensuring that in the end, no character is mean to others.”
As for Huss himself, you’d be hard-pressed to find a hit new show that he hasn’t appeared in. King of the Hill aside, the actor has made audiences laugh on shows like Chad Powers and The Four Seasons Season 2, and even—SPOILER—met an untimely demise as Reverend Bryce on Widow’s Bay. DECIDER spoke with Huss about the latest season of King of the Hill, rooting for his King of the Hill and Widow’s Bay co-star Stephen Root in this year’s Emmys race, and whether he’s received a call about returning to The Four Seasons for Season 3. Give our chat a read below.
DECIDER: I’m so excited to talk about the new season of King of the Hill. This is the second season since its revival last summer. I am curious though: take me back to what it was like receiving that call to return to the show and what your reactions were.
TOBY HUSS: It was a tough one because we were all still sad about Johnny passing away. And it’s, as sad as we were, I think Greg [Daniels] and Mike [Judge] and Saladin Patterson kind of decided, you know, interiorly, that I could do the voice [of Dale]. And I did it at a couple of read-throughs, and they said, “Yeah, that’ll work.” And they said, “Do you want to do it?” [I said,] “Of course I want to do it.” Because he was an old friend, and a sweet guy, and really weirdly talented. He was a nut, but he was our lovely nut, and we loved it. He was great.
Definitely. And taking over the role of Dale Gribble from the late Johnny Hardwick, did you feel like you could infuse kind of your own touches or your own twist on the role? Or have you felt like you’re completely trying to pay homage to the original voice?
Photo: Courtesy of Hulu
Well, it’s interesting because it’s a little bit of a fine line I have to walk. I don’t want to change it too much because what Johnny made was so great. I mean, they had a drawing and had some lines, and Johnny came up with everything of that dude. So then they started writing for what Johnny voiced. So I don’t wanna mess with that. All I’m trying to do is stay in his world. I’ll add my things now and again, but it’s not out of Dale’s world. That’s all I want to do is stay there because his world fits perfectly in the context of the bigger Arlen, Texas, King of the Hill world.
I saw in an interview of yours last year, you were saying you felt like you could kind of take on the role because when you did the original run of the show, you guys would record together and sometimes fill in for each other when someone was out. Has that recording structure or process changed at all? Is it more individualized now?
Yeah, you know, it’s all individualized now. We’re not together in the same room as much as we used to be, which was really fun because we were all younger and starting out and we had this little show. So we’d drive to Fox, and we’d all show up at 10, and we would have a read-through, and then we’d go to record it. And it was just fun. We were watching each other grow up, and people had husbands and wives, they got married, and they got divorced, and they had kids. It was great. But that really cemented a lifelong friendship with all of us. So I think coming back—and even though we can’t be in the same room at the same time all the time—we still have such a connection with each other. Yeah, like, Stephen [Root]’s in town. I’ll see him and his wife tomorrow.
That’s awesome. I know one place some of you got to reunite was at Comic-Con last summer.
Yeah, yeah.
Will you be back this year?
I’m going this year, too. You know, I’d never been to one of those things. It’s nuts. Them nerds is crazy, right? Isn’t that the phrase they use? Them nerds is nuts. It was fun! I’d never been to any Comic-Con before, but that was really something else. That was great. Yeah, it was pretty fun.
Last year was my first too, and it was an experience.
Oh really, how did you find it? It was nuts, right?
Yes.
Did you have guys sneaking around, looking around pillars at you? Because I did now and again. Like they’d be looking at me and they’d say, “Is that the guy?” They’d look again. Maybe he had a hat on or something, I didn’t know. And they’d sort of slowly crawl up to you. It was interesting. It was pretty funny. I hadn’t been around that for a while.
Well, this season of King of the Hill kind of spoofs Comic-Con a little bit in one of the episodes at a sci-fi convention, which I thought was fun. What was it like getting to voice that episode after being at your first Comic-Con last summer?
Well, it’s certainly hard to spoof a Comic-Con, isn’t it? It’s really hard to spoof a thing that’s so wonderfully spoof-able. That’s great. But those are your fans. You know, those are the guys that have been with us since the beginning. And they grew up with this group of people in Arlen. And I think aging the people up was such a great idea and also a really difficult idea. I don’t think people realize. Because I don’t want to see Rick and Morty older. That’s awful. I don’t want to see an older Morty. Who cares about old Morty? But they were somehow able to take Bobby and make Bobby a little bit older. And people, they kind of took to it pretty quickly. And Dale’s older. Everybody’s older. But it’s really interesting. It’s a hard thing to pull off, I think, with Mike and Greg and Saladin, especially. I mean, he really had to sort of walk this very fine line, and he did it; he did a great job.
Completely. And this series has stood out among a slew of recent revivals as one that’s more than worthy of a return. What do you think it was about the series that makes it so timeless?
Well, it’s about, you know, at the end of the day, there’s nothing mean in that show. It’s about kindness, and nothing is ironic in that show. It’s very sincere, and it’s not a political show. They rarely make a political point on anything. So it’s about a family, and it’s about them being kind to each other and understanding each other, and at its heart, nobody gets to be mean on that show to each other. If you watch it, Dale might do something awful, but he’s Dale, and you kind of forgive him. And he understands it as much as he can in his own Dale-like way at the end of the episode. But they’re not mean people. So you get to have a respite from the polarized nature of this country sometimes. And you get to watch these people not be mean to each other and struggle and find their way through life and love on each other a little bit. It’s nice.
Photo: Disney/Mike Judge
Completely! Something that I love about this revival is that it does pay homage to the original run so well, and continues these original storylines. One that gets continued is Nancy infamously having an affair with John Redcorn, and Dale being completely unaware. However, that affair may have finally come to an end in this season, though Dale still has no knowledge. Do you think he’ll ever find out?
There’s a wonderful part of Dale that I think honestly believes that no one would ever stray from him, that there’s no way Nancy would have something else. Even if he saw some guy, which he probably did. I don’t remember exactly, but he probably saw John Redcorn walking out of his front door at one point in the morning and just went, “Hey John.” Didn’t think anything twice about it. So there’s something wonderfully blind about Dale, and there’s something wonderfully blind about a lot of the characters in there. Which is this sweet — people are blind. We walk around—you got a bunch of blind spots, I hate to tell ya, so do I. We all have little weird blind spots that we can’t see, we can’t access, and Dale’s that dude. I don’t think he ever thinks that Nancy would step out on him.
Like King of the Hill, you’ve been in some of the year’s most talked-about shows, one of them being Widow’s Bay.
Yeah! What a fun one that was, right?
I have to ask, what can you share about that experience and working with Matthew Rhys on this series?
He’s really wonderful. He’s really great. And Hiro [Murai], the director, was really great, and everybody on there was top-notch and really fun. And you could say a line now and again that wasn’t in the script, and they didn’t care; you could improvise something. They were great. And Stephen Root, of course, was killer in that. It’s time to load him up with a couple of Emmys here and there now. He was just great in that, and it was so fun to hang out with all those guys.
Totally, and Stephen received an Emmy nomination for the series.
Yeah, man.
And the series got 19 Emmy nominations in total. Have you been in touch with him or any of the cast about this or since the nominations were announced?
Oh, of course. Yeah, [if] Steve gets a nod, you’ve got to yell at him, at least in a text, and I’ll see him tomorrow night at my show. And yeah, it would be good to have him around. It’d be a nice Emmy winner. Wouldn’t it be nice? I think, has he won one yet? I don’t know. Maybe for animation. I don’t know if he’s won a live-action one yet. He was nominated for Barry, I think. But enough about Stephen Root, all right? We’re not here for Stephen Root, are we? Ladies, please! [Laughs].
And another show you have appeared in this past year, Chad Powers, playing Glen Powell’s dad. Have you heard anything about Season 2 or when production might start?
Well, we already wrapped season two, so that’s done. More shenanigans, more shenanigans with makeup. I don’t think you’ll be able to… You might be able to recognize me in a big scene. Probably not [laughs]. We’ll see. More shenanigans with the old, yeah, Glen Powell. He’s fun.
Photo: Courtesy of Netflix
You’ve also appeared in both seasons of The Four Seasons on Netflix. That’s hopefully going to start production soon as well. Have you gotten a call about potentially returning to Season 3?
No, I haven’t. Whatever they decide is great by me. But they’re the greatest. It’s great to watch Tina Fey in that because I think she’s doing everything she wants to do with this show. It’s so brilliant, and the actors are so good in that. Great to see Kerri Kenney-Silver come up and really inhabit a place that she hasn’t been able to do yet. So she’s wonderful, and Will Forte is an old buddy. And yeah, Colman [Domingo]’s wonderful, and Marco [Calvani], it’s just, it couldn’t be better, man. It’s so fun. You know, you watch that thing, don’t you? Come on. Yeah. It’s another show where there’s a humanity to it, like King of the Hill. There’s a kindness. Even though those people might really get contentious, God, they love each other, and that’s what families do. And they’re a real family on that show. It’s a family they chose. And the ones in Arlen are the family that we chose, too. And some of them are real families—there’s the Hills—and then the family they chose, and Dale’s, for whatever reason, is a wonderful part of that wacky family.
