Culture

The Word 'Black' Has Disappeared From Bills Addressing Black Maternal Health

The Momnibus Act was built to close a specifically racial gap — Black women die in childbirth at three times the rate of white women. The word "Black" has now been all but cut from the bill.

Technology

General Catalyst's a16z Parody Video Drew 2.4 Million Views and 15 Andreessen Replies

A General Catalyst parody ad mocking a16z pulled 2.4 million views — most of them delivered by Marc Andreessen's own 15-reply meltdown. Venture firms used to compete privately; now they run diss tracks.

Sneakers

Nike's Wembanyama 'Believe This' Ad Targets adidas's Anthony Edwards Campaign

adidas built Anthony Edwards' signature campaign by casting Wembanyama as an alien punchline. Then Wemby's Spurs eliminated Edwards — and Nike answered with two words.

Culture

Mitchell & Ness x Supreme Spring 2026 Collection Drops May 21

Supreme's Mitchell & Ness capsule — officially licensed Braves, Astros, Nuggets, and Washington Bullets merch — drops May 21. The retired Bullets name is the whole thesis.

Culture

Academy Rules AI-Generated Performances and Screenplays Ineligible for Oscars

The Academy will not nominate AI-generated performances or AI-written screenplays — a rule that turns two years of abstract argument about AI in Hollywood into enforceable procedure.

Daily Roundup

The Daily Roundup: Nike Sabrina 3 "Infinite", Thunder vs. Spurs WCF Game 1, Antoine Fuqua's "Michael", and Google I/O 2026 — May 18, 2026

Victor Wembanyama vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in WCF Game 1 tonight — the San Antonio Spurs went 4-1 against OKC in the regular season, making the Thunder's status as betting favorites a genuine question.

Culture

John Travolta Receives Honorary Palme d'Or at Cannes Ahead of Directorial Debut

Cannes surprised John Travolta with an honorary Palme d'Or — hours before his directorial debut premiered. The timing, and where the film lands next, says everything about the festival in 2026.

Culture

Drake's 'Iceman' Draws Mixed Reviews From Critics and Fans

The reviews for Iceman split hard — and the most common complaint is that Drake is still litigating a feud he lost two years ago.

Culture

Madonna, Shakira and BTS to Headline First World Cup Final Halftime Show on July 19

FIFA is importing the Super Bowl's most lucrative invention — the halftime spectacle — into the World Cup final for the first time, curated by Chris Martin and tied to a $100M education fund.

Intelligence Brief

The Intelligence Brief: The Microsoft–OpenAI Reset, OKC's 8-0 Run, and Drake's Iceman — May 16, 2026

This week the biggest deals in tech, sports, and media were all about the same thing: controlling distribution, not the product inside it.

Culture

Post Malone, Meghan Trainor and Zayn Cancel 2026 Tour Dates Amid Slow Ticket Sales

A wave of 2026 tour cancellations has the music industry naming a new problem: "blue dot fever." Post Malone, Meghan Trainor, Zayn and others are calling off dates as ticket prices outrun demand.

Culture

Shakira and Burna Boy Release 'Dai Dai' as Official 2026 World Cup Song

FIFA's official 2026 World Cup song pairs the biggest pop star of the last World Cup era with Afrobeats' global standard-bearer — and sets up the tournament's first halftime show.