Sunday's edition of MSNBC's The Weekend was in meltdown mode over a Trump get-together at Mar-a-Lago for a screening of a documentary about John Eastman's legal tribulations.   Rudy Giuliani and Peter Navarro were in attendance, and Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni was also at the screening. The Weekend panelists portrayed the get-together as a celebration of the events of January 6th. Co-host Symone Sanders called the event "sickening."  Co-host Michael Steele described it as an "in-your-face mf-er," and an "abomination" that made people feel "slime." Steele also claimed Trump doesn't "give a crap" about constitutional norms, and that he will be lying when in taking the oath of office he pledges to protect and defend the Constitution.  Sanders worked in a nasty little shot at Meloni, mentioning that as a teenager [Meloni was 15 at the time], she had been a member of the youth branch of a neo-fascist movement. Sanders initially confused Meloni with Antonio Melani, a dress designer. Meloni was at Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump and discuss several issues, including her concerns over the arrest by Iranian authorities of an Italian journalist, in likely retaliation for the arrest a few days earlier, at the request of the United States, of an Iranian suspected of supplying drone components to Iran's Revolutionary Guards.  John Eastman is a constitutional scholar who undertook a series of efforts on behalf of Trump's challenges to the 2020 election. Whatever one thinks of the merits of Eastman's initiatives, it is undeniable that he suffered calamitous consequences as a result. Eastman was: Forced out of his law faculty position at Chapman University. Disbarred in his home state of California. Made the object of a criminal referral by the January 6th committee. Indicted on criminal charges in Georgia [courtesy Fani Willis] and Arizona. Here's the transcript. MSNBC The Weekend 1/5/25 8:00 am ET SYMONE SANDERS: New this morning, Donald Trump hosted a party at Mar-a-Lago last night. And that's not the news. The news is that the party was celebrating his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The guest list included several key players in those efforts, like Rudy Giuliani and Michael Flynn.  Italy's conservative Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, was also there.  . . .  MICHAEL STEELE: Vaughn [Hillyard], give us a sense of this room. I mean, just, the audaciousness of it. Just the in-your-face mf-er, you know? Yeah, we're going to celebrate the overturning four years later of trying to overturn an election.  . . .  SANDERS: Let's just say, let's just put a finer point on it. This is sickening. This is sickening. I am sick. Peter Navarro, Jeffrey Clark, the people that went to the Capitol to take up arms against the United States government because the former president or the President of the United States at the time lied to them -- because that's what happened. Those people are not patriots.  What Donald Trump did last night is a disgrace to this country. It's a disgrace to the Constitution.  . . .  STEELE: Well, the reality, at least for me, goes to the heart of what Symone said. Folks, the slime you feel right now when you hear this story, that thing in your gut that goes, eww, this doesn't seem right.  To Kimberly's point, we only have one president at a time. Trump doesn't give a crap about that. He's the man. Doesn't matter.  . . .  Because they knew what they were doing was a violation of the 1887 law. And they were doing it anyway. So, Kimberly, how do reporters tell this story? Because I don't want to hear sh--, I don't want to hear, I almost said the bad word. All right, Kyle, be good. I don't want to hear crap coming out of news agencies as if this is new. This is not new.  KIMBERLY ATKINS STOHR: Or as if this is normal.  STEELE: Or as if this is normal. I mean, this event in Mar-a-Lago was an abomination. It shouldn't have happened. . . .  SANDERS: And can I just say one other point about Antonio Melani? Georgia Meloni, not Antonio. That's a clothing line in Dillard's.  STEELE: Isn't that a dress?  SANDERS: That's a clothing line in Dillard's. Look, the prime minister, people should not be surprised. She's been politically active since she was a teenager. And I believe she was an activist in a neo-fascist party youth wing in Rome, honey. So write that up just like that. Because that's what it is. . . .  And the fact that he's about to be inaugurated, and to Alicia's point, say the words that he swears to protect, uphold, protect, defend the Constitution, we know he's lying. So we just know it. They all go sit here and pretend that those words mean something to him. 

Both the PBS News Hour and PBS’s weekly journalist roundtable Washington Week in Review broke out their extreme-right label tricks for the new 199th Congress and Rep. Mike Johnson narrowly winning the vote to become Speaker of the House. Washington Week moderator and Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg (along with contributors Leigh Ann Caldwell and David Ignatius of The Washington Post) weren’t content to talk about the “right.” It had to be the “far right” or “extreme right.” David Ignatius, Washington Post: I thought that today's events were a piece of political theater. The right got to flex its muscles. Trump got to show everybody I'm in charge, I can make it happen. I think the interesting question, Jeff, is whether Trump really wants to set about being the leader of a governing party. He's shown ways that he's trying to be pragmatic, push the extreme right in his party down on the question of the H-1B visas, on questions of an abortion mandate, on some other cultural issues…. Even when the panel is giving Trump a bit of backhanded credit, they can't help but portray Republicans negatively. Host Jeffrey Goldberg (to New York Times’ Peter Baker): But on the other hand, I mean, to go back to David's point, just to follow this, is this an indication that there's a learning curve here, that he's learned some lessons from the first term and is trying to apply the normal rules of politics and, you know, trying to marginalize to some degree the extreme right? Later Ignatius’s Post colleague Leigh Ann Caldwell mentioned “there's three dozen members in the far-right Freedom Caucus” that could potentially oppose Speaker Johnson. There was still more high-octane labeling to come. Goldberg: Peter, let me change the subject to something historic. January 6th is coming. It's exactly four years since the insurrection, the violent insurrection of January 6th…. The Friday News Hour reported in similar slanted fashion in its segment on the opening of the new Congress. The segment included two “hard right” labels by reporter Desjardins (she favors that formulation in her coverage of the Republican Congress, as NewsBusters documented). Political reporter Lisa Desjardins: ….To become Speaker of the House, Johnson needed 218 votes, and, initially, he received only 216. Three Republicans voted against him, voted for someone else. And those members were members of the hard right. All three of them, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Keith Self of Oklahoma, prominent fiscal hawks, they care about the debt and deficit. Apparently, a little streak of fiscal responsibility makes you “hard right” in Congress these days. Desjardins: Now, those members told us, one of them told me that they left with the understanding, and been reported elsewhere, that Speaker Johnson would put more hard-right members on negotiation teams, but they said, there wasn't any direct promise. One wonders if those members really referred to themselves or their colleagues as “hard-right,” or if that’s just Desjardins using her favorite phrase. NewsBusters documented a year and a half of “extreme” style labeling bias by the PBS News Hour last month. A transcript is available, click “Expand.” PBS News Hour 1/3/25 7:02:32 p.m. (ET) Amna Nawaz: Welcome to the "News Hour." It was a dramatic beginning to the 119th Congress, as Republicans prepare for unified control in Washington. And for the House GOP, unified it was, albeit with some delay. Despite a handful of initial holdouts, Representative Mike Johnson of Louisiana was reelected speaker of the House on the first ballot, earning support from all but one member of his party. Johnson spoke about his priorities for the coming year. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA): After four years of high inflation, we have a big agenda. We have a lot to do, and we can do it in a bipartisan fashion. We can fight high inflation, and we must. We'll give relief to Americans, and we'll extend the Trump tax cuts. Amna Nawaz: Speaker Johnson will now have to wrangle the narrow Republican majority to implement president-elect Donald Trump's agenda Lisa Desjardins has been tracking the maneuvering on Capitol Hill all day, and she joins me now.So, Lisa, a dramatic day indeed. Walk us through how this vote unfolded. Lisa Desjardins: Maneuvering is the right word, Amna. Walking into the House today, it seemed the odds were against Mike Johnson winning on the first vote, or even today at all. He had 12, at least, members that I knew of who had serious doubts and were ready to vote no. And, in fact, he was losing this race for at least an hour. Let's go over those numbers. To become speaker of the House, Johnson needed 218 votes, and, initially, he received only 216. Three Republicans voted against him, voted for someone else. And those members were members of the hard right. All three of them, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Keith Self of Oklahoma, prominent fiscal hawks, they care about the debt and deficit. They think that Johnson botched the last funding deal, and they are someone who they believe that he has not been a strong enough speaker. But over the course of an hour, they kept that vote open. And thanks to phone calls with former President Donald Trump, two of those members switched their vote, and Johnson was able to become speaker on the first vote. Amna Nawaz: So tell us more about why they changed their minds. Was it just those calls, as you mentioned, from president-elect Donald Trump, and what does this mean for what comes ahead? Lisa Desjardins: You know there's almost never a universal agreement about anything at the Capitol, but there is universal agreement tonight that Mike Johnson is speaker because of former President Donald Trump. And you could see, even on the House floor, he's someone whose endorsement earlier this week was pinging around, but it was not enough to get a dozen members over the finish line for Johnson. Instead, we saw a member, Marjorie Taylor Greene, on the phone, on the chamber floor, trying to help negotiate and spread word, get the Trump message out. And, indeed, the members who talked to Trump said that it was in conversations with him, those two members who changed, that they decided to reverse course. Rep. Keith Self (R-TX): We had a lively conversation, and I was very honest with the president, which I think everyone ought to be, that I thought that we needed a stronger negotiating position. I think we need a very strong Republican Conference, and I wanted some changes. Lisa Desjardins: Now, those members told us, one of them told me that they left with the understanding, and been reported elsewhere, that Speaker Johnson would put more hard right members on negotiation teams, but they said, there wasn't any direct promise. There's been talk of making one member a chairman. They said nothing like that. Now, it's just the easy part, I have to say, and to some degree, but, at the same time, Democrats told me they were not surprised that Johnson was in a pickle. They were surprised he won the first vote, but not surprised that things began with a roller coaster. Let's listen. Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL): It just seems that the 119th Congress is going to pick up right where the 118th Congress left off. And what I'd say to my colleagues across the aisle is Democrats like myself are ready to work with them where we can. Lisa Desjardins: This is the easy part, as I say, two Republican members expected to join Trump's administration and then the margin will just get narrower, Amna. Amna Nawaz: So the easier part is behind him now. Mr. Johnson managed to capture the gavel on that first ballot, but how secure is his speakership? Lisa Desjardins: It still could be in danger, depending on how things go. But, tonight, just in the last hour, the House passed a new rules package that actually will make it tougher for Republicans to oust him. It will now require nine members, instead of one. Also, they're getting rid of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. And, tonight, we had the House Freedom Caucus members send out a letter essentially warning Johnson that if he doesn't meet their demands going forward, they still will be on top of them and that they could use this new harder-to-use method to oust him. I also want to mention today was the first day in the Senate. Worth noting the Republicans there with 53 seats, it's the largest majority for either party in a decade, John Thune now the Republican Senate leader. Amna, he is the first Republican leader in the Senate since 2007, the first new one, when Mitch McConnell took office. 2007, Amna, that was the year the iPhone was invented, so a generational change happening today in the U.S. Senate. Amna Nawaz: Generational change and a big day on Capitol Hill. Lisa Desjardins is covering it all. Lisa, thank you. Lisa Desjardins: You're welcome.

On the front of Saturday's Style section, The Washington Post dropped a sugar bomb on trans activist/actress Laverne Cox as she stepped away from being a red-carpet interviewer for the E! network. The headline: "Laverne Cox elevated E! red carpet coverage. Now she’s signing off." Janay Kingsberry, a Post writer focusing on “features with a gender and identity focus,” was too busy mourning these apparently glorious three years to wonder if Cox was canned, but allowed to make it sound like she quit. It began: Since she first glided onto the red carpet as the new host of E!’s “Live From the Red Carpet” in 2022, Laverne Cox has been a mainstay of awards show season — charming stars and viewers at home with engaging questions and candid moments that have circulated social media. Now, as the Golden Globes kick off the 2025 award season on Sunday, some fans were crushed to learn Cox won’t be there. Kingsberry said Cox "replaced Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic, known for their fawning, occasionally tone-deaf, red-carpet coverage." This is bizarre, since Cox repeatedly fawned over nearly everyone in front of her. She routinely told interviewees she was "obsessed" with them. That was her drinking-bingo phrase. One would hope Cox would send her a check for this kind of gooey PR spin. In my house, we have watched hours of Cox prattling on, and it seemed like a LGBTQ quota exercise. But the Post didn't allow an alternative viewpoint. It was somehow impressive that "Cox also found a way to skirt the overused 'who are you wearing' question with a more broadened and thoughtful 'what’s the story behind your look tonight?'" Cox was especially fawning over fellow transgender actresses, but Kingsberry celebrated that as so intimate and relatable!   Cox last year shared an emotional embrace with Baby Reindeer star Nava Mau who became the first trans woman to be nominated for an Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or film. “I’m supposed to keep it together, I’m the host,” said Cox, who 10 years earlier, became the first trans woman to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Orange Is the New Black. The interview, widely shared on social media, highlighted Cox’s instincts for cultivating personal, intimate and relatable moments with her guests. If you listened to this valentine, you would think Cox was a Barbara Walters of the award-show set:  As a veteran of both sides of the microphone, Cox was often lauded for her thoughtful and sensitive interviewing style, diving into the crafts, techniques and physical demands of acting — a stark contrast to the bold and often outrageous strategy of former red carpet icon, the late Joan Rivers. At the end, Kingsberry insisted "Stars were just as likely to shower Cox in compliments as she was to fangirl over them. In her video montage, Anne Hathaway, Andrew Garfield and Tracee Ellis Ross are among the actors who approached Cox on the red carpet with adoration and glowing words." Adoration and glowing words just like The Washington Post articles.  It would be rude to wonder whether dumping the compliments on Cox might be more political than personal, a way for Hollywood stars to virtue-signal how super-supportive they were of the LGBTQ agenda. 

In a world increasingly defined by instant gratification, Gen Z seems to be skipping the line to health and fitness, opting instead for a chemical quick fix. A new report reveals that 37% of this generation plans to rely on GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic for weight loss in 2025, ditching a jog for a jab. The promise is tempting — effortless weight loss — but the price is steep. What’s sold as a miracle cure is quietly laying the groundwork for a public health disaster. Users have coined the term “Ozempic personality” to describe the unsettling psychological shifts they experience: mood swings, detachment, and even suicidal ideation. That’s disaster with a capital D. Weak bodies, weaker minds When muscle mass diminishes, the body crumbles from the inside out — a reality especially grim for the sedentary majority. Only 28% of Americans get enough exercise. The clinical term “sarcopenia” might sound abstract, but its consequences are anything but: frailty, fractures, and, for many, a complete loss of freedom. Ozempic and its fat-flaming friends don’t just torch pounds; they accelerate this chronic muscle erosion, leaving users physically weaker and wide open to serious injuries. Muscle is a form of armor. Without it, the body is left defenseless. The metabolic impact of muscle loss is just as catastrophic. Muscles are central to insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation, both of which are vital for preventing diabetes and heart disease. As these systems falter, the body enters a vicious cycle of reduced strength, increased fat storage, and inflammation. Worse, the connection between muscle health and cognitive function is well established. Studies have shown that muscle deterioration contributes to reduced blood flow to the brain and higher levels of systemic inflammation, both of which are precursors to cognitive decline and dementia. Thus, while Ozempic may help its users shrink their waistlines, it also puts them on a fast track to forgetfulness. The damage doesn’t stop there. By altering pathways that regulate hunger and satiety, GLP-1 drugs inadvertently interfere with serotonin and dopamine levels — chemicals that influence mood and emotional stability. Users have coined the term “Ozempic personality” to describe the unsettling psychological shifts they experience: mood swings, detachment, and even suicidal ideation. These aren’t isolated anecdotes; the connection is so strong that regulatory agencies in multiple countries are issuing warnings about the drugs’ mental health risks. Remember, Gen Z is already drowning in depression, existential dread, and rising suicide rates — these drugs will turn the dumpster fire into a full-blown blaze. Why the long face? The visual side effects of GLP-1 drugs are becoming a grotesque hallmark of the treatment. Terms like “Ozempic face” and “Ozempic butt” have entered the popular lexicon to describe the hollowed cheeks and sagging posteriors that result from rapid fat loss. While these changes might seem trivial compared to the appeal of a smaller body size, they reflect deeper, systemic disruptions within the body. Fat isn’t just a cosmetic issue; it serves critical functions, from cushioning organs to regulating hormones. When the body sheds fat too rapidly, it throws its systems off balance, forcing it into survival mode. More troubling is the ease with which these drugs have infiltrated the mainstream, creating a black market rife with unregulated products. For those who cannot obtain a legitimate prescription, the internet offers a tempting, if dangerous, alternative. Dozens of websites are now peddling freeze-dried semaglutide and tirzepatide, disguised as “research chemicals.” With no guidance on dosage or safe injection practices, according to a new editorial in the Annals of Pharmacology, buyers are left to navigate a minefield of risks, from overdoses to infections. These rogue operations are a disaster waiting to happen, threatening to spark a crisis that could rival the fentanyl epidemic. It may not be as deadly, but the danger is real as desperate users risk their lives on shady sellers and mislabeled drugs. The real cost of cutting corners At its core, the rise of GLP-1 drugs signals more than a health crisis — it marks a cultural shift. Generation Shortcut, as it might well be called, embodies an ethos of convenience at all costs. This is the generation of TL;DR (too long; didn’t read), of apps that deliver food with a tap, of viral “life hacks” that promise maximum results with minimal effort. This is a generation of people who text their friends even when they’re sitting inches away. A generation of people who avoid work, shun relationships, and balk at the idea of marriage or children. They’re consumed by carefully curated images and aesthetic ideals, chasing perfection for an Instagram feed as empty as their hollowed cheeks. They ask themselves: Why slog through a workout or fix your diet when a needle does the job? It’s tempting logic but extremely shortsighted. In truth, it’s moronic, myopic, and massively misguided. Exercise isn’t just about looking good; it’s about feeling good. Moreover, it strengthens bones, boosts your heart, sharpens your mind, and builds grit. It teaches discipline, resilience, and the pride of real effort — things no shortcut can give. Gen Z, a generation that prides itself on being digitally savvy, might just be the most naive to ever exist. The fantasy of literally having your cake and eating it too comes with a heavy price. Brittle bodies and broken minds are no blueprint for the future. There’s no shortcut to longevity, no hack for health. Drop the needle and grab a dumbbell.

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