Entertainment
Maren Morris Says She’s Leaving Country Music: ‘It’s Burning Itself Down’ on September 15, 2023 at 9:10 pm Us Weekly

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Maren Morris has done her best to change country music from the inside, but she’s tired of fighting a losing battle — and she’s ready to move on.
“I thought I’d like to burn it to the ground and start over,” Morris, 33, said of country music in an interview with the Los Angeles Times published on Friday, September 15. “But it’s burning itself down without my help.”
Morris has long advocated for greater diversity in the genre, which has traditionally been a branch of the music industry dominated by white male heterosexual artists. “But the stories going on within country music right now, I’ve tried to avoid a lot of it at all costs,” she explained, noting that she’s benefitted from the dominant system as well. “I feel very, very distanced from it.”
Her new songs “The Tree” and “Get the Hell Out of Here” — released on Friday as an EP called The Bridge — are about her decision to leave country music behind. “If you truly love this type of music and you start to see problems arise, it needs to be criticized. Anything this popular should be scrutinized if we want to see progress,” she said. “But I’ve kind of said everything I can say.”
Morris has been outspoken about LGBTQ+ issues throughout her career, most famously last year when she feuded with Jason Aldean and his wife, Brittany Aldean, over gender-affirming care for young people. The drama culminated with Tucker Carlson calling Morris a “lunatic country music person” during an interview with Brittany, 36. Morris later sold T-shirts bearing the phrase to benefit GLAAD’s Transgender Media Program and the Trans Lifeline.
Many fans think Morris’ new video for “The Tree” is partly a reference to Jason’s controversial song “Try That in a Small Town,” which some critics believe promotes violence. The clip shows her walking out of a small town where there are signs reading “Don’t Tread on Me” and “Go Woke Go Broke.”
“Try That in a Small Town” recently crossed over to the Billboard pop chart, hitting No. 1 on the Hot 100, but Morris doesn’t think that means people actually like the track.
“People are streaming these songs out of spite,” she said. “It’s not out of true joy or love of the music. It’s to own the libs. And that’s so not what music is intended for. Music is supposed to be the voice of the oppressed — the actual oppressed. And now it’s being used as this really toxic weapon in culture wars.”
Morris, for her part, is busy creating a new album with super-producer Jack Antonoff, who’s worked with Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Lorde, St. Vincent and The Chicks. She didn’t specify whether that means her new music will have more of a pop vibe, but she’s excited to have “freedom” now that she doesn’t have to worry about fitting in with the rigid formula of country radio.
“I’m still writing, so the record’s not done. But there’s a lot of things going on musically in it — quirky jam-band moments to, like, prog rock,” she teased. “It’s so fun, and I feel like my old self back in this space of writing songs I love with people I love.”
Douglas Mason/Getty Images Maren Morris has done her best to change country music from the inside, but she’s tired of fighting a losing battle — and she’s ready to move on. “I thought I’d like to burn it to the ground and start over,” Morris, 33, said of country music in an interview with the
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Entertainment
Jennifer Lopez’s Ex Fires Back: “You Are the Problem”

Ojani Noa Accuses J.Lo of Cheating After “Never Been Loved” Comments
Jennifer Lopez is once again at the center of a media storm — but this time, it’s her first husband, Ojani Noa, turning up the heat. Following Lopez’s recent Howard Stern Show interview, in which she claimed she has “never been truly loved” by any of her exes, Noa has publicly accused the superstar of cheating and playing the victim.
In the viral Instagram post that has now spread across major outlets like TMZ and New York Post, Noa didn’t hold back.
“Stop putting us down. Stop putting me down with your victim card,” he wrote. “The problem is not us. Not me. The problem is you. You’re the one who couldn’t keep it in your pants.”
“You Chose Fame and Lies Over Love”
Noa and Lopez were married briefly from 1997 to 1998, before her rise to Hollywood superstardom. In his explosive statement, he accused her of being unfaithful during their marriage, claiming she prioritized fame over their relationship.
“You have been loved a few times. You’ve been married four times. And have had countless relationships in between,” Noa continued. “You decided to lie, to cheat on me. You begged me to keep the marriage intact to avoid bad press.”
Noa described himself as “faithful, honest, and loving,” saying he uprooted his life and career to support Lopez at the beginning of her entertainment journey. “I left my family, my friends, everything behind for you,” he wrote, “but once fame came calling, you left me behind.”
Lopez Silent Amid Growing Backlash
As of now, Jennifer Lopez has not publicly responded to Noa’s allegations. During her Howard Stern interview, the singer and actress claimed her former partners “weren’t capable” of loving her, saying, “It’s not that I’m not lovable… it’s that they’re not capable.”
Her remarks were widely interpreted as referencing all of her ex-husbands — including Marc Anthony, Cris Judd, and Ben Affleck — but it was Noa who reacted first and most forcefully. His comments have ignited widespread debate online, with many questioning whether Lopez’s honesty came at the expense of others’ reputations.
Public Response and Media Fallout
The online reaction has been intense, with social media users split between defending Lopez’s right to share her truth and blasting her for allegedly rewriting history. Meanwhile, entertainment analysts note that the controversy adds to an increasingly turbulent year for the singer, following canceled tours, underperforming films, and ongoing scrutiny over her marriage to Affleck.
This latest backlash has also reignited conversations about Lopez’s highly publicized romantic history. As tabloids and fans speculate whether more exes might respond, the situation underscores an old truth in celebrity culture — that every candid confession comes with consequences.
For now, Jennifer Lopez remains silent. But in the court of public opinion, the debate about who’s really at fault in her love story is only just beginning.
Entertainment
Selling Your Soul in Hollywood: The Hidden Cost of Fame

By all appearances, Hollywood is a dream factory — a place where charisma, talent, and luck collide to create stars. But behind the camera lights and red carpets lies a conversation few inside the industry speak openly about: the spiritual and moral price of ambition.

For actor Omar Gooding, the idea of “selling your soul” in Hollywood isn’t a metaphor — it’s a moral process that begins with tiny compromises. In an October 2025 interview, Gooding explained that no one in Hollywood makes a literal deal with the devil. Instead, it’s the quiet yeses, the moments when comfort overrides conviction, that mark the beginning of the trade. “They don’t say, ‘Take this or you’ll never make it,’” he said. “They just put it in front of you. You choose.”
Those choices, he argues, create a pattern. Once you show that you’ll accept something you once resisted, the industry notices. “Hollywood knows who it can get away with what,” Gooding said. “One thing always leads to another.” The phrase “selling your soul,” in this context, means losing your say — doing what you’re told rather than what you believe in.
That moral tension has long shadowed the arts. Comedians like Dave Chappelle, who famously walked away from millions to preserve his creative integrity, often serve as examples of where conviction and career collide. In resurfaced interviews, Chappelle hinted that he felt manipulated and silenced by powerful figures who sought control of his narrative, warning that “they’re trying to convince me I’m insane.”
This isn’t just about conspiracy — it’s about agency. Hollywood runs on perception. Performers are rewarded for being agreeable, moldable, entertaining. Those who question the machine or refuse the script risk exile, while those who conform are elevated — sometimes beyond what they can handle.
“We see the ‘collections’ all the time,” Gooding explained. “When the bill comes due, you can tell. They made that deal long ago.”

But the story doesn’t end in darkness. Gooding also emphasizes that in today’s entertainment landscape, artists have more control than ever. With streaming, social media, and creator‑driven platforms, performers don’t have to “play the game” to be seen. Independent creators can build their own stages, speak their own truths, and reach millions without trading authenticity for access.
Still, the temptation remains — recognition, validation, quick success. And every generation of artists must answer the same question: What are you willing to do for fame?
As Gooding put it, “You just make the best choices you can. Because once it’s gone — your name, your peace, your soul — there’s no buying it back.”
Entertainment
California Bans AI Clones from Replacing Real Talent

California just made a dramatic stand for human creativity, defeating the threat of AI actor clones with a sweeping new law that puts people—not algorithms—back in the Hollywood spotlight. With the stroke of Governor Gavin Newsom’s pen in October 2025, the state has sent a clear message to studios, tech companies, and the world: entertainment’s heart belongs to those who create and perform, not to digital facsimiles.
California Draws a Hard Line: No More AI Clones
For months, the entertainment industry has been divided over the use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking. Studios, lured by promises of cost-cutting and creative flexibility, have invested in software that can mimic an actor’s face, voice, and even emotional range. But for performers, this wave of synthetic reproduction has triggered alarm—encouraged by chilling stories of deepfakes, unauthorized digital doubles, and contracts that let studios reuse a star’s likeness indefinitely, sometimes without pay or approval.
The new California law, anchored by AB 2602 and AB 1836, changes everything:
- Every contract must explicitly detail how studios can use digital replicas or voice models, preventing once-common “blank check” agreements that overlooked this risk.
- No one—not studios nor streaming giants—can create or release AI-generated clones of an actor, living or dead, without clear, written consent from the performer or their estate.
- The law gives families new powers to defend loved ones from posthumous deepfake exploitation, closing painful loopholes that once let virtual versions of late icons appear in new ads, films, or games.
Actors Celebrate a Major Victory
The legislation rides the momentum of the recent SAG-AFTRA strike, where real-life talent demanded control over their own digital destinies. Leaders say these protections will empower artists to negotiate fair contracts and refuse participation in projects that cross ethical lines, restoring dignity and choice in an industry threatened by silent algorithms.
Stars, unions, and advocacy groups are hailing the law as the most robust defense yet against unwanted AI replications.
As one actor put it, “This isn’t just about money—it’s about identity, legacy, and respect for real artists in a synthetic age.”
A New Chapter for the Entertainment Industry
California’s move isn’t just a victory for local talent—it’s a warning shot to studios everywhere. Companies will now be forced to rethink production pipelines, consult legal counsel, and obtain proper clearance before digitally cloning anyone. Global entertainment platforms and tech developers will need to comply if they want to do business in the world’s entertainment capital.

These laws also set a template likely to ripple through other creative fields, from musicians whose voices can be synthesized to writers whose work could be mimicked by generative AI. For now, California performers finally have a powerful shield, ready to fight for the right to shape their own public image.
Conclusion: Human Talent Takes Center Stage
With its no-nonsense ban on AI actor clones, California draws a bold line, championing the work, likeness, and very humanity of its creative stars. It’s a landmark step that forces the entertainment industry to choose: respect real talent, or face real consequences. The age of the consentless digital double is over—human performers remain the true source of Hollywood magic.
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