Donald Trump Slams George Clooney After Actor Details Past Friendship – Inside the Latest Hollywood-Politics Feud

Meta Description: Dive into how Donald Trump slams George Clooney after the actor details their past friendship, sparking a fresh feud over politics and citizenship. Explore the drama, reactions, and what it means for celebrity-political crossovers in 2026.

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By Riley Kane – Entertainment & Music Enthusiast

Picture this: It’s New Year’s Eve 2025, and as fireworks light up the sky, I’m cozied up in my Los Angeles den, spinning a classic vinyl from the soundtrack of an old George Clooney film while scrolling through Truth Social. Suddenly, a post from Donald Trump slams George Clooney, reigniting a feud that’s simmered for years after the actor details their past friendship in a recent interview. As a 29-year-old music journalist who’s chased concert road trips and binge-watched countless Hollywood dramas, moments like these remind me how entertainment and politics collide in the most unexpected ways. Trump, never one to hold back, mocked Clooney’s acting career, political predictions, and even his new French citizenship with wife Amal. Clooney’s quick-witted response? A cheeky agreement to “make America great again.” In this deep dive, we’ll unpack how Donald Trump slams George Clooney, tracing the roots of their once-cordial bond turned bitter rivalry, public reactions, and what it says about celebrity influence in 2026. Backed by insights from Variety and Daily Mail, this feud isn’t just tabloid fodder—it’s a snapshot of how personal histories fuel public spats, offering lessons in resilience and humor amid the spotlight.

The Spark: How Donald Trump Slams George Clooney on Truth Social

It all ignited on December 31, 2025, when Donald Trump took to Truth Social with a lengthy post slamming George Clooney. Labeling him one of the “worst political prognosticators of all time,” Trump criticized Clooney’s shift from supporting Joe Biden to Kamala Harris, even throwing in a jab at his “totally mediocre movies.” As reported by Variety, Trump’s rant tied into Clooney’s recent French citizenship, quipping that France’s immigration issues mirror those under Biden. In my late-night scrolls, I’ve seen how these posts go viral, amassing millions of views and sparking debates across platforms. This isn’t Trump’s first rodeo—he’s long used social media to call out critics, but slamming Clooney feels personal, given their shared history in New York’s social scene.

realtor.com

Donald Trump Slams George Clooney for Taking French Citizenship

Caption: Donald Trump and George Clooney in a heated exchange montage, highlighting how Donald Trump slams George Clooney over their past friendship and political differences.

George Clooney Details Past Friendship: From Buddies to Bitter Rivals

Before the barbs, George Clooney details past friendship with Trump in a Variety interview, recalling how they crossed paths at clubs and restaurants in the pre-political era. Clooney described Trump as a “big goofball” who once helped him with a back surgeon recommendation, per The Independent. But as Trump entered politics, their dynamic soured—Clooney became a vocal Democrat supporter, even penning a 2024 New York Times op-ed urging Biden to step aside. This history adds layers to how Donald Trump slams George Clooney, turning a once-casual acquaintance into a public target. In my binge-watching of Clooney’s films like Ocean’s Eleven, it’s fascinating how his real-life persona mirrors the suave, principled characters he plays.

Clooney’s Witty Clapback: Agreeing to ‘Make America Great Again’

Not one to stay silent, George Clooney fired back swiftly, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I totally agree with the current president. We have to make America great again.” This cheeky response flips Trump’s slogan against him, showcasing Clooney’s trademark humor amid the feud. Daily Mail captured the exchange, noting how it escalated from citizenship jabs to broader political digs. As someone who’s followed Clooney’s activism, from Darfur advocacy to his work with wife Amal on human rights, this retort feels like a masterclass in graceful deflection.

ew.com

George Clooney says CBS and ABC should have told Trump ‘go f …

Caption: George Clooney responding to Donald Trump’s slams, capturing the actor’s witty comeback after detailing their past friendship.

The Citizenship Angle: Why Trump Targeted Clooney’s Move to France

Trump’s post celebrated George and Amal Clooney’s new French citizenship, tying it to France’s “major crime problem” from immigration—a jab echoing his own policies. As detailed in Us Weekly, this came shortly after Clooney’s interview reflecting on their friendship. The Clooneys’ decision, possibly for Amal’s work or family ties, became fodder for Trump’s narrative. In my entertainment dives, I’ve seen how stars like Clooney use dual citizenship for global mobility, but Trump’s spin turns it political, highlighting tensions between Hollywood liberals and conservative figures.

Public Reactions: Fans and Critics Weigh In on the Feud

Social media erupted as Donald Trump slams George Clooney, with X users dividing into camps. Some praised Trump’s unfiltered style, while others defended Clooney’s philanthropy, per Yahoo Entertainment. Comments ranged from “Clooney’s movies are iconic!” to memes mocking Trump’s film cameos. In my concert road trips, I’ve chatted with fans who see this as entertainment gold, boosting engagement for both. High-DA sites like Parade captured the buzz, noting how it distracts from weightier news.

aol.com

Donald Trump Slams George Clooney After Actor Reflected on Their …

Caption: Public reactions to Donald Trump slams George Clooney, showing social media memes and fan comments on their past friendship feud.

History of Trump-Clooney Tensions: From Compliments to Criticisms

Their rift traces back to 2016, when Clooney called Trump a “xenophobic fascist” during his campaign. Trump retorted by labeling Clooney a “Hollywood phony.” AOL recounts how Clooney’s 2024 op-ed slamming Biden indirectly fueled Trump’s ire. Yet, pre-politics, they shared social circles, as Clooney details past friendship in interviews. This evolution from allies to adversaries mirrors broader Hollywood-Washington divides.

Clooney’s Political Stance: A Thorn in Trump’s Side

George Clooney’s Democratic leanings, from fundraising for Obama to criticizing Trump’s policies, make him a prime target. His 60 Minutes interview dismissing Trump’s barbs as irrelevant, per Mediaite, shows resilience. In my music journalism, I’ve covered how stars like Clooney use platforms for advocacy, influencing public opinion and drawing fire from opponents.

yahoo.com

Donald Trump Celebrates George Clooney’s French Citizenship: ‘Wasn …

Caption: Timeline of Donald Trump and George Clooney’s feud, from past friendship to recent slams over politics and citizenship.

Amal Clooney’s Role: The Power Couple Dynamic in the Spotlight

Trump didn’t spare Amal, mocking her alongside George. As a renowned human rights lawyer, Amal’s work often intersects politics, per The Irish Times. Their dual citizenship highlights their global life, but Trump’s post frames it negatively. In family reflections, I admire how couples like the Clooneys navigate fame together, turning slights into unity.

What This Feud Means for Celebrity-Political Crossovers in 2026

As Donald Trump slams George Clooney, it underscores how stars’ opinions amplify political discourse. With 2026 midterms looming, such spats could influence voter sentiment. Rolling Stone explores how Hollywood’s left-leaning voice clashes with conservative narratives, making these feuds cultural touchstones.

mediaite.com

Trump Goes On NYE Rant Slamming ‘Average Guy’ George Clooney

Caption: Donald Trump on Truth Social slamming George Clooney, capturing the post that reignited their feud over past friendship.

Fan Theories and Memes: The Lighter Side of the Drama

The internet turned Trump’s rant into memes, from photoshopped Clooney in berets to quips about his “mediocre” films. Instagram comments captured the humor, with users joking about Clooney’s response. In my binge sessions, these viral moments make celebrity feuds entertaining, reminding us not to take it too seriously.

Looking Ahead: Will the Feud Escalate or Fizzle?

With Trump’s history of prolonged grudges, this could linger. Clooney’s laid-back style suggests he’ll brush it off, as in past exchanges. Facebook posts show fans hoping for reconciliation, but politics likely keeps the spark alive.

aol.com

Donald Trump cheers for George Clooney’s new French citizenship …

Caption: George Clooney and Amal Clooney in France, tying into Trump’s slams over their citizenship and past friendship.

This feud where Donald Trump slams George Clooney after the actor details past friendship is a classic Hollywood-political clash, blending personal history with public barbs. From my vinyl-spinning nights, it’s these stories that make entertainment endlessly fascinating. As 2026 unfolds, watch for more crossovers that shape culture.

Essentials for Binge-Watching Celebrity Feuds and Entertainment

Dive deeper into star dramas with these favorites from my collection:

• This noise-cancelling headphones set – the exact one I use for immersing in podcasts on Hollywood spats without distractions.
• Vinyl turntable for classic soundtracks – spin movie scores while dissecting feuds like Trump and Clooney.
• Book on Hollywood scandals – packed with insights on celebrity rivalries that mirror this one.
• Popcorn maker for movie marathons – currently 30% off—run!
• Streaming device for docs – my go-to for bingeing celebrity interviews.
• Journal for noting memories – capture thoughts on past friendships turned feuds.
• Essential oils diffuser for relaxation – unwind after the drama of political slams.

For more on stars, check out Jack White and Eminem release their NFL halftime show or new music Friday picks. Dive into IMDb for feud timelines or Rolling Stone for celebrity insights.

P.S. Curious about entertainment trends? Sign up for my free music discovery playlist—it’s packed with tracks from feud-era artists to build your list of groovy discoveries.

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You Can Never Hear ‘I Love You’ Enough

There is something almost embarrassingly simple about those three words, yet they carry the weight of entire lifetimes. You can be 6 or 96, married fifty years or on a third date, a parent or a child or a friend — and still, when someone looks you in the eye and says “I love you,” the world tilts a little. The air feels cleaner. The colors get brighter. Your shoulders drop two inches without permission.

allprodad.com

7 Ways to Tell Your Daughter You Love Her Without Using Words …

We act like love is a finite resource we have to ration. We wait for the “perfect moment.” We worry we’ll wear the phrase out. We convince ourselves the other person “already knows.” But here’s the truth no one tells you loudly enough: you can never hear “I love you” too many times. Not once. Not ever.

The Science Agrees (Because Of Course It Does)

Researchers at Penn State and the University of California asked couples to increase how often they expressed affection verbally. The result? Higher relationship satisfaction, lower stress hormones, even improved immune function. Another study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people chronically underestimate how much their “I love you” means to the recipient — by about 50%.

We think it’s no big deal to say it. The person hearing it feels like they just won the emotional lottery.

tiktok.com

Sunset on Beach with Boyfriend Caption | TikTok

My Own Wake-Up Call

A few years ago my dad had a heart scare. Nothing catastrophic in the end, thank God, but serious enough for a midnight ER visit. I sat next to his bed at 3 a.m. while machines beeped and he drifted in and out. In one lucid moment he grabbed my hand, looked me dead in the eye, and said, “You know I love you, right?”

I laughed through tears and said, “Dad, you tell me every single time we talk.” He squeezed harder. “Good. Because I’m never going to stop.”

He’s fine now. But I still think about that moment every time I’m tempted to end a call with “talk soon” instead of “I love you.” I will never regret the hundreds of times I’ve said it to him. I would regret the one time I didn’t.

stock.adobe.com

You and me forever. Close-up of elderly couple holding hands while …

The Lies We Tell Ourselves About Saying It “Too Much”

• “They already know.” → Knowing and hearing are different nervous systems entirely.
• “It loses meaning if I say it all the time.” → It doesn’t. It becomes the baseline melody of your relationship instead of a rare solo.
• “I’m not a mushy person.” → Cool. Say it anyway. Love isn’t a personality type; it’s a verb.
• “I’ll say it when it really matters.” → Every ordinary Tuesday matters.

pinkvilla.com

15 Types of Hugs And What They Tell About Your Relationship …

How to Say It More (Without Feeling Cheesy)

1. Make it tiny and constant Text it when they’re in a boring meeting. Whisper it while they’re brushing their teeth. Slip it into the middle of an argument (“I’m furious right now and I love you so much”).
2. Say it when it’s hard The real magic happens on the days you don’t particularly feel warm fuzzies. That’s when it becomes bulletproof.
3. Say it to your kids until they roll their eyes And then say it some more. The eye-rolling is just evidence it’s working.

todaysparent.com

5 Ways To Show Your Toddler Love Every Day – Today’s Parent

4. Say it to your friends Try it once. Watch what happens.
5. Say it to yourself in the mirror Yes, really. The first few times will feel ridiculous. By the tenth time you’ll believe it.

letsreachsuccess.com

55 Powerful Mirror Affirmations for Confidence

A Few Real-Life Examples That Broke Me (In the Best Way)

• The husband who texts his wife “I love you” every night at 10:17 p.m. — the exact time they met twenty-three years ago.
• The college student whose dad ends every call with “Drive safe, I love you” — she thought it was annoying until she studied abroad and it became her lifeline.
• The 87-year-old widow who still says “I love you” to her late husband’s photo every night before bed. “He can hear me,” she says. “And even if he can’t, I can.”

The Days You’ll Wish You’d Said It One More Time

The last conversation before the accident. The phone call you meant to return tomorrow. The ordinary goodbye that turned out to be final.

We don’t get warnings. We get Mondays that feel eternal and then suddenly don’t.

So Here’s Your Permission Slip

Say it in the carpool line. Say it over burnt toast. Say it when they’re annoying the hell out of you. Say it when they’re asleep and can’t even hear you — say it anyway.

Because you can never hear “I love you” enough. And trust me — you can never say it enough either.

Drop an below if you’re going to tell someone you love them today. (And then actually go do it. I’ll wait.)

More Love on the Blog

• The Four Horsemen: Contempt (Gottman Relationship Principle)
• 4 Loving Ways God Uses Marriage Conflict to Help You Grow
• The Four Horsemen: Defensiveness
• Deal Breakers in Relationships
• 130 Short Good Morning Quotes for Work
• 125 Friendship Day Quotes to Express Love & Gratitude

P.S. If you’re reading this — yes, you — I love you. Keep going.

The overarching question I took away from the film was “How do you love somebody that is loved by everybody?” So I wanted to ask you both, what are the special ways that you show somebody love?

George: Oh, that’s a very sweet thing.

Adam: Tenderly.

George: Money, usually, I just give them money, haha.

Adam: Cash and tenderness. You know coddling, cuddling, holding

George: *hugs Adam* Come here, I love you, buddy. Haha, I think it’s a very nice question because there are a million ways to show love and working with Adam every day, he would come on to the set and say, “Hey George, I love you.”

Adam: That is true.

George: It’s a really warm, kind thing, which makes everybody on the set feel specia,l and it’s a beautiful quality.

Adam: We do love each other, and I meant it daily.

George: You meant it most of the time, there were a couple of times…

Adam: There were three days in particular when Georgey was in one of his moods…

Well, you can never hear I love you enough! 

George: I agree, I love you, buddy.

Adam: I love you, man.

Thanksgiving will soon be here and although many mainly focus on family there are also friends that are very important.

Plenty of people celebrate Friendsgiving these days to show appreciation and love for the people who choose to be in our lives, the ones that are there on tough days to listen and make us laugh and sometimes maybe understand us better than family would.

So in today’s post I want to share 85 of the most positive, meaningful and funny Thanksgiving quotes for friends.

Use them to express your gratitude, to share a couple of laughs together and to have a happy and fun holiday.

Thanksgiving Quotes for Friends to Express Your Gratitude

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
– Marcel Proust

“We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.”
– John F. Kennedy

“I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The capacity for friendship is God’s way of apologizing for our families.”
– Jay McInerney

“Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.”
– Oprah Winfrey

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
– Maya Angelou

“One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood.”
– Lucius Annaeus Seneca

“When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others.”
– Dalai Lama

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.”
– William Blake

“I am happy because I’m grateful. I choose to be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy.”
– Will Arnett

“No one who achieves success does so without the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.”
– Alfred North Whitehead

“The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation.”
– Dalai Lama

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
– Randy Pausch

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.”
– Oscar Wilde

“A friend is someone with whom you dare to be yourself.”
– Frank Crane

“I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar.”
– Robert Brault

“The most thankful person is the most fully human.”
– John Henry Jowett

“When the world is so complicated, the simple gift of friendship is within all of our hands.”
– Maria Shriver

Funny Thanksgiving Quotes for Friends

“What’s not to like? Custard, good. Jam, good. Meat, good!”
– Joey Tribbiani (from the Tv-show Friends)

“I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.”
– W.C. Fields

“Real friendship is when your friend comes over to your house on Thanksgiving and doesn’t judge you for eating pie straight from the tin.”
– Jim Harper

“I love spending Thanksgiving surrounded by all these great friends I met in the Best Buy parking lot.”
– John Lyon

“After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.”
– Oscar Wilde

“I come from a family where gravy is considered a beverage.”
– Erma Bombeck

“Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be my pants.”
– Kevin James

“You can tell you ate too much for Thanksgiving when you have to let your bathrobe out.”
– Jay Leno

“What we’re really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets.”
– Erma Bombeck

“I’m from Canada, so Thanksgiving to me is just Thursday with more food. And I’m thankful for that.”
– Howie Mandel

“An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day.”
– Irv Kupcinet

“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.”
– Jim Davis

“Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often.”
– Johnny Carson

“It took me three weeks to stuff the turkey. I stuffed it through the beak.”
– Phyllis Diller

“I suppose I will die never knowing what pumpkin pie tastes like when you have room for it.”
– Robert Brault

“The meal isn’t over when I’m full. The meal is over when I hate myself.”
– Louis C.K.

“Every Thanksgiving I bring the champagne, because in my family we all know what our strengths are.”
– Gloria Fallon

“My cooking is so bad my kids thought Thanksgiving was to commemorate Pearl Harbor.”
– Phyllis Diller

“Cooking tip: Wrap turkey leftovers in aluminum foil and throw them out.”
– Nicole Hollander

“There is no such thing as fun for the whole family.”
– Jerry Seinfeld

“I can’t cook a Thanksgiving dinner. All I can make is cold cereal and maybe toast.”
– Charlie Brown

“It’s not too much food. This is what we’ve been training for our whole lives. This is our destiny, this is our finest hour.”
– Lorelai Gilmore

Positive and Cute Thanksgiving Quotes for Friends

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.”
– Walter Winchell

“True friendship resists time, distance and silence.”
– Isabel Allende

“There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.”
– Thomas Aquinas

“What if today, we were just grateful for everything?”
– Charlie Brown

“Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.”
– Hausa Proverb

“Be thankful for what you have. Your life is someone else’s fairy tale.”
– Wale Ayeni

“Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you; spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.”
– Amy Poehler

“When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in.”
– Kristin Armstrong

“The struggle ends when gratitude begins.”
– Neale Donald Walsch

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”
– Anais Nin

“The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us.”
– James E. Faust

“Gratitude opens the door to the power, the wisdom, the creativity of the universe.”
– Deepak Chopra

“The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.”
– Elisabeth Foley

“A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness.”
– James E. Faust

“Gratitude is the wine for the soul. Go on. Get drunk.”
– Rumi

“Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joys, and dividing our grief.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero

“Good times and crazy friends make the best memories.”
– Unknown

“Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.”
– William Shakespeare

“A best friend is someone who loves you when you forget to love yourself.”
– Unknown

“Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness.”
– Amy Collette

“Thank you is the best prayer that anyone could say.”
– Alice Walker

“Friendship is the wine of life.”
– Edward Young

Short Thanksgiving Quotes for Friends

“Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness and gratitude.”
– Nigel Hamilton

“No gesture is too small when done with gratitude.”
– Oprah Winfrey

“There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark.”
– Helen Keller

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”
– William Arthur Ward

“When I count my blessings, I count you twice.”
– Unknown

“Friends are the siblings God never gave us.”
– Mencius

“Reflect upon your present blessings.”
– Charles Dickens

“Every blessing ignored becomes a curse.”
– Paulo Coelho

“Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.”
– Native American Proverb

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.”
– Oprah Winfrey

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our Thanksgiving.”
– W.T. Purkiser

“Thanksgiving just gets me all warm and tingly and all kinds of wonderful inside.”
– Willard Scott

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.”
– Melody Beattie

“Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day.”
– Robert Caspar Lintner

“Life is meant for good friends and great adventures.”
– Unknown

“Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.”
– W. J. Cameron

“And though I ebb in worth, I’ll flow in thanks.”
– John Taylor

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.”
– Aesop

“Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.”
– Karl Barth

“Every new friend is a new adventure… the start of more memories.”
– Patrick Lindsay

“The more you thank life, the more life gives you to be thankful for.”
– Zig Ziglar

“Forever on Thanksgiving the heart will find the pathway home.”
– Wilbur D. Nesbit

Want more uplifting and timeless thoughts for your holiday? Then check out these Thanksgiving quotes for family, this one filled with Thanksgiving quotes for gratitude at work and also this post with short Thanksgiving quotes.

We all know the pressure of planning an “Instagram-worthy” birthday party: decor, themes, catered food, the works. But sometimes the most joyful celebrations don’t happen in a trendy venue—they happen in the aisles of Costco. (Yes, Costco. Where else can you buy 40 muffins, a kayak, and a diamond ring in one trip?)

That’s exactly what one viral TikTok captures: a group of friends surprising someone for their birthday inside their favorite big-box store. The clip shows hugs, laughter, and pizza by the slice—all in between shopping carts and a warehouse backdrop. 

And honestly? It’s perfect.

Love languages have been a hot topic for decades, and if you believe in them and they work for your relationship, they can honestly be a great resource for staying connected and on the same page as your partner. When you know your partner’s love language is physical touch, for example, you can use a hug or holding hands or just snuggling on the couch as a way to bridge any gaps you’re feeling or to make them feel loved and comforted.

But do love languages work with friendships?

The thing about love languages is that they’re a helpful tool in ensuring your partner feels all the love and appreciation you have for them by meeting them where they need you to. So, it makes sense that it would work for friends. Maybe your friend who feels left out when you don’t text back promptly enough, or the friend who feels down because you guys haven’t had enough quality time together, would benefit from you knowing their love language. But is that realistic?

“I do think knowing a friend’s or a partner’s preferred way of receiving support and comfort can be incredibly helpful,” says Arkadiy Volkov, RP, clinical director at Feel Your Way Therapy. “Whether we call it a ‘love language’ or simply ‘what makes them feel cared for,’ understanding what makes another person feel good can make it so much easier for us to be there for them. And it shows our care for them and our willingness to meet them where they are.”

But Volkov acknowledges that it’s also not great to make friendships or any relationship “too rule-bound or heavy with expectations.” By turning that connection into a “checklist,” Volkov says we risk “losing the spontaneity and natural generosity that make friendships so rewarding.”

As with all things, what often works best is a balance, he says. “We can be aware of our friends’ preferences, but also leave room for trial and error. Sometimes, offering care in the way we feel moved to can open up new moments of understanding. And when a relationship is solid and not overly fragile, both people can handle those small misses with grace. They can say, ‘That’s not quite what I needed, but I appreciate the effort,’ and in turn, we can adjust without feeling criticized.”

There are so many online discussions, TikToks, and reels about the value of friendship and what happens when one person feels like the other is less invested. And that kind of chatter always makes me feel super guilty: for being a bad texter, for not always initiating a night out, for not buying my friends more little gifts when I think of them. But it doesn’t make me a bad friend, especially not if I’m committed to a friendship and trying to meet my friend’s needs — just maybe not in the way they’d prefer.

Organically, all of us learn what those around us prefer. Whether it’s our kids, partners, or family members, we know that some people prefer getting confrontation over and done with immediately, and some prefer quiet time before a deep discussion. We can tell when we need to check in, like when one kid needs a little extra chat time at bed or your spouse wants you to watch a show on Netflix with them. We can feel it because we’re close to our people and love them, and we can adapt to what they need while still not overwhelming ourselves. It’s a fill-everyone’s-cups kind of situation.

“The healthiest friendships, in my experience, are those where both people can express their needs openly while also accepting that no one gets it right every time,” Volkov says. “There’s trust in the relationship’s resilience, so even imperfect attempts at support are seen as acts of care.”

These are the friends you can go weeks without seeing, and it’s like no time passed. The friends who would rather talk on the phone for an hour, but still feel your love and support in a 3-minute voice note sent while driving your kid to basketball. The friends who offer to pick up your kids and make you brownies and show up to clean your house when you’re overwhelmed because they love acts of service, and not because they expect anything. The friends who know you’re trying your best and love you for it.

Because friendship might just be a broad love language all on its own.

I “met” Emma in January, but apparently, we’d already been talking for weeks. She was the one helping me reserve dance practice rooms at the library—week after week, behind the desk—faithful, kind, steady.

One random Thursday evening, however, she messaged me on IG. I didn’t realize it was Emma from the library. Quickly, in a half a dozen audio messages and texts, she shared her story, asked questions about faith and mental health, and started opening up. I’m still not sure how, but we instantly clicked. I felt like I’d known her my whole life, but I’d only truly known her for a few weeks.

Over the next few months, we swapped dozens of voice memos and texts. By May, we finally met up in person. Three hours later, sitting across from each other at a coffee shop, I knew I had a new friend.

When Friendship Finds You

Emma was different. Her life shone a light that you could only understand if you’d met her. She didn’t have all the answers about faith, but she loved Jesus deeply. You could tell by the way she lived. The way she listened. The way she showed up. The way she inquired. The way she thought and pursued knowledge and holiness.

She was funny in that dry, roll-your-eyes-and-giggle kind of way. It took a special kind of person to understand her humor, but once you did, you realized she was hilarious.

She was kind, always putting others first—through her job, her proofreading business, her words. Very few people displayed the work ethic that she did, and it was evident to all. Once you met her, you wanted to hire her for every position you had available.

She was a light, the kind you could text for prayer on your darkest day, of which I would do often. As I updated her on my life, my publishing journey, and my health scares, she never failed to remind me of God’s goodness and plan. She reminded me that He would fulfill His purpose for me. She lived by example. 

Then, one day, it was my turn to be a light for her. 

When Grief Hits Without Warning

Emma texted me on July 3rd that she’d been diagnosed with stage 3 adenocarcinoma. It was my husband and I’s wedding anniversary, so I didn’t get the message until late. I was dumbfounded. Emma had never smoked, and neither had anyone in her family. Doctors were scratching their heads at where it came from and how it developed so fast. 

By Friday, July 5th, I learned the diagnosis had progressed to stage 4. I asked her when my husband and I could visit her in the hospital. I told her silly jokes about me having my first accidental overdue library book. I told her I was praying, and I was. 

About a week went by, and I hadn’t heard from her. I figured she was just overwhelmed, exhausted, and busy. She was getting radiation and chemotherapy, and I knew that was a lot to handle, especially at 24 years old.

She was strong, walking through illness like it was nothing, always hopeful, always pressing on. And then, she was gone.

Emma’s cancer had taken a turn for the worse on the evening of July 14th. The family traveled in from Iowa and spent their last moments with her. July 15th hit harder than I can explain.

I didn’t know Emma for long. Not like so many of her friends did. Their posts bring me to tears. I wish I’d had more time with her. But I’m so thankful for the time I did have.

What Emma Taught Me About Living Well

Losing Emma has shaken me. She was only 24. She had so much life. But she also had this quiet peace—like she knew her time wasn’t hers anyway. Like she would eternally praise the God who gives and takes away.

And now I can’t stop thinking about how fragile life is. How quickly things change. How each day really is a gift. How scared I am that someone else I love is going to get cancer. 

What if it’s my husband?

What if it’s my mom?

What if it’s my dad?

What if it’s my grandma?

What if it’s me?

I didn’t get to see her after she got sick, but I did get to meet her family at the visiting hours. No matter how many times we call these events “Celebrations of Life,” something within me churns. I know she’s in a better place. I know she’s pain-free. I know that life in heaven is better than anything we could conjure up here. But I like to remember people alive. As they were. Before death or sickness and disease took hold of them.

Their tears were too much for me to handle. I looked at them, but beyond. I told them how I knew Emma. I told them we’d only been friends for about half a year. I wanted them to know the profound impact she’d had on my life. I told them I was so sorry. But that was all I could muster out before the tears. 

As we approached her body, I knew it didn’t look like her. I took a quick look and glanced away. My eyes found a poem she’d written earlier that year. Part of it read this way: “To release and be empty is not a loss, true, but leaves my hands open to fullness of you.” 

You see, Emma wasn’t in that body in the casket. And though I can still picture her smile, the way she made people feel seen, the way she loved, fully, she’s no longer here. Because she’d fully surrendered her life to the Lord in health, sickness would not be the end of her story. This release. This emptiness was the path to fullness. Of life, of love, of eternity. Just earlier than we’d expect for such a young friend. 

Emma’s story still doesn’t feel fair. It pains me to think of her and the grief her family is experiencing. But it’s made me remember something crucial.

Living Like It Matters

We don’t get to choose how long we’re here, but we do get to choose how we love while we are. It’s a gentle reminder to live life well, to the full, while we have it. That no matter how hard life gets, it’s a blessing, a gift, we’re still here. 

And though this earth is not our eternal home, we’re all just passing through, and we can look forward to a place that is. We don’t need to fear death, for death is not the end. Rather, to see and receive Christ is just the beginning. As John 11:25-26 notes: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'” (NIV).

Today, I want to know the Emmas in your life. Tell me about them. Let your heart remember and reflect. And if they’re still here, tell them how much they mean to you. But then, I want you to think about this: 

-How are you living? 

-Is your life in line with Christ’s? 

-What are you holding onto that doesn’t matter in the end? Who do you need to forgive, thank, or reach out to today?

-If today were your last day, are you living like life matters?

Before she passed away, Emma texted me this: “I’m so thankful for your support. I thought of you a few times while in the hospital—when you were diagnosed with all those conditions at once, and how it must have felt a little like this.” I immediately thought to myself, my chronic health issues are nothing compared to cancer. But yet again, Emma displayed wisdom, humility, and submission beyond her years: “I would be grateful for prayers for a correct diagnosis and humility to accept what God has for me even if it changes a bunch of stuff I thought I could do.”

Near the end of her days, Emma never lost that humility. Her friends tell me over and over again that she wasn’t scared; she knew the Lord was near. I can’t say with certainty that I would display such faithful courage. I hope and pray that I would, but I also pray and hope that I don’t have to experience what she did. 

Emma’s kindness changed me. It’s a reminder to all of us that we can change someone’s life just by the way we live. She also reminds us that it’s okay to ask the hard questions about faith and life, especially when the answers to those questions seem to go unanswered. 

I don’t know why Emma had to get diagnosed with cancer. I don’t know why she had to die so young. My mind still struggles to understand. But I do know that she lived with open hands, as we all should. 

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25, ESV). 

Friends, choose one way you’ll live differently today. 

Send the text. Forgive the person. Start the journal. Make the appointment. Pray the prayer. Pursue the dream. 

Then waste no time. Live changed. Be changed. And change others’ lives. For the good. For the better. Because the hope of Jesus isn’t just for the afterlife, it’s for the now. He gives meaning to both life and loss, and we will walk that road together.

Agape, Amber

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/KatarzynaBialasiewicz

Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.

Lou Diamond Phillips
I’m Shocked My Friend Is Dead …
RIP Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Published July 24, 2025 4:34 PM PDT

Moms feeling lonely isn’t anything new. In any Facebook group, Instagram reel, or Reddit thread, you can find moms sharing how deeply they want a village — they want friends they can call on a Saturday and invite over for a playdate, friends they can meet at the park with a box of doughnuts and a cup of coffee, friends they can text at midnight when their baby has some weird rash. It’s harder than it sounds, though… and differing parenting styles can be a major issue when trying to find your own village of moms.

Of course, you don’t know how different someone’s parenting style is until you’re truly around them. And once you do get to know them, it can be kind of startling to learn that someone you hoped to parent alongside believes in absolutely zero screen-time and all organic food when you rely on the television to cook frozen nuggets and boxed macaroni and cheese every night. But what kind of parenting differences matter, if at all, when it comes to friendship?

Like so many things in life, it really depends on your own personal priorities and principles — as well as how someone else’s choices impact you and your child’s life. Jola Jovani, a certified relationship coach, tells Scary Mommy that, ideally, the more your parenting values align with those of another mom, the easier it is to maintain a relationship. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t maintain a healthy friendship even if your values differ.

“Differences in parenting styles relate closely to differences in values, personal experiences, and at times, educational background. Different is not always bad, especially when we also account for cultural differences and expectations,” Jovani says. So when you’re looking at how a friend parents, it’s important to consider their cultural upbringing, their personal values, and their outlook on life, including any current stressors they might be dealing with. “Even though a mom might find that a certain approach to handling tantrums or homework is more effective, that doesn’t mean that all other approaches are completely wrong or harmful. The most important aspect of parenting is the security of the caregiver’s attachment with their child, which allows a lot of room for mistakes and variations in styles. It’s important to be aware of your fears and insecurities about yourself or your child so that you do not project those same concerns to your friends.”

But let’s be honest — sometimes a difference in parenting styles can be huge. Sometimes you don’t feel safe spending time with a family because of their parenting styles, and that’s OK.

Jovani says if you’re unsure about ending a friendship, you need to consider its impact on you. “Is something happening in a way that is directly impacting you or your child that you don’t feel comfortable with? For example: hitting, pushing, biting, swearing, or any other challenging behavior that might be directed towards you or your child.”

In those cases, she says it makes sense to use your voice and involve the other parent, and then go from there. If you’re not comfortable with how a parent handles a situation, it’s best to go ahead and decide that this is not the friend for you.

In instances where a parenting style simply doesn’t align with yours and doesn’t directly impact you, Jovani advises being mindful of labeling it as something harmful. “We don’t see or know everything, and sometimes people make mistakes or feel overwhelmed in a particular moment or season of life,” she says. “Real change comes from feeling accepted and supported, not from a place of shame or judgement.”

“If you see something that doesn’t sit quite right with you, check in with the other parent if you can offer some thoughts,” she suggests. “You can focus specifically on challenges you have personally faced and how they worked for you. Because you are not a professional, refrain from giving advice, and instead focus on sharing your own journey or experience. Don’t be afraid to also offer support should they need it. This takes the conversation from a space of criticism to one of collaboration and care.”

Deep down, you know that a difference in parenting styles doesn’t mean you have to cut off someone from your life. But if they make you uncomfortable — whether they’re commenting on your own parenting style or making choices that just don’t sit right with you — it’s fair to say the friendship won’t work.

They can still be a person you see, like, at the local park for your kids to interact. If you’re wanting a deeper, more lasting friendship, though, it’s best to find friends whose values align with yours. And then a simple parenting style difference won’t matter so much because the things that are really important and matter to the both of you will always be a top priority.

“It’s not any of ours. Love belongs to itself. It moves how it wants to move and sometimes you catch it, and sometimes you don’t.”

Have you ever loved a friend so much they were your muse? And you loved every part of each other and you had parts that the other lacked. And you inspired each other and your love was a type of insanity and your love worked. The insanity worked. The insanity took care of the both of you and from your love you birthed a third thing. Sometimes an unspoken thing. And you hated each other as much as you loved each other for all the things you had and did not have. And you lived together many times. And he was your muse and he collected his pee in jars and you took care of him not just because you didn’t want him to die but because also he was the most interesting thing about you. Because maybe it made you a good person to take care of him. Like your friendship was the most interesting thing about you. You would go on benders in Miami doing drugs and meeting strangers and letting your love for each other take you anywhere. Take you to strangers houses and weird bars and to the beach at midnight. And your love couldn’t save each other. And your love couldn’t save either of you from time. And your love was a revolution because the way you loved each other brought about a better world between you two. And you were both better for it and also plagued by the insanity of it. Your love could not outrun time. And when your relationship fell apart you grieved in a way you had never grieved before. And then you found yourself at this play called Bad Stars and the play was about a love story all too similar to your own. And the play was about what to do in the ruins of such a type of heartbreak. A love story with no sex.

I have to tell you. I have seen Bad Stars twice now. Before it ends its run at Collapsable Hole, I will have seen it three times. I would see it five times if I could. Twice I’ve seen this play, twice I’ve left the theatre in tears, because it is doing what it is saying it is doing. It is saying a lot. Bad Stars is a play about a love story and what to do in the ruins of that love. It is a play about a love story and worms. It is a story about how to write a story. About friends breaking up and giving this story to the audience, to someone. Knowing they’ll know what to do with the ruins. I’m in ruin and I’m in awe. I got wrapped up in the slapstick and creativity of it all and then I got punched in the gut. I got devastated, because it was a story all too true.

Jess Barbagallo and Bobbi Salvör Menuez in Bad Stars, photo by Maria Baranova

I’ve never read Sam Shepard’s True West and I don’t need to. Bad Stars, an adaptation written and directed by Amanda Horowitz is everything I need to see and hear and be consumed by right now. Bad Stars is an adaptation and then some. Two brothers writing a movie about worms. But then chaos ensues. But then, things slice off and off creating new things. Wriggiling scenes and characters. Writhing spurts of language that I hold onto. I can’t shake this play. I wake up and think “It was Chester.”

Bad Stars is about the disintegration of boundaries in every form you can conceive. Time, language, plot, setting, character, performance, relationships, personhood, the end of the world, revolution. Where things stop and begin and where they don’t. What that does to us as people. What it does to love.

I walk into the set and immediately I’m brought into the world Horowitz is setting up for us. A painter sits on an elevated platform, with an easel and paints and canvas. She’s painting. Her paintings decorate the set around us. We’re in it. All of us are waiting. Her paints are desert colored, dusty hues of gray, blue, brown, and muted reds. When does the play begin? Is it when the painter makes her first stroke?

Adi Blaustein Rejto in Bad Stars, photo by Maria Baranova

Bad Stars introduces itself to us through sounds. Chicken sounds, words being yelled behind the walls surrounding us. “Boyyyysssss” in a southern drawl is repeated. Then, almost Romeo and Juliet style, the two brothers appear above our heads. Talking to each other from across the room, high up. Coyote (Bobbi Salvör Menuez) opens a curtain, Cricket (Jess Barbagallo) pokes his head out over the wall that encircles us. They talk about Chester, a third thing, love. How love is like animals, like children. Love is its own thing. I get caught in the net of language. They address us, the audience. “Stop saying you’re alone, all these people are here”. This play is about the blurring and the retelling of our relationships. About contending with time, with clocks.

There are five characters in this play. The Painter, the brothers, Cricket and Coyote, Macrame Mama and Papa. Papa. Pasta. Papa Pasta. He’s a drunk dad. He’s drunk and in the desert and he’s got two sons. One good. One bad. He says so as he stumbles on stage. The painter sits silently painting.

Bad Stars is like stage direction poetry. Another boundary played with. When does a play become a poem and when does a poem become a play? The actors speak in poems. The brothers enter the stage, moving like worms on the ground. I’m never lost in this production. Each utterance brings me to the next place I need to be. Each monologue, every line, builds the history of these brothers up around them. They are in the desert and there is an ocean in the desert.

Two characters in one. Papa Pasta and Macrame Mama are played by the same actor, Pete Simpson. Another disintegration of boundaries? The actor does an amazing job of embodying the two and adding to the playful world of Bad Stars. Crassness and earnestness and camp erupt from Simpson’s performance. There are amazing feats of the body happening throughout the production. At one point Cricket is on the floor, flagellating like a worm while lip syncing drag style “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus. I can’t stop thinking in my head “this is genius.” There is insane poetry of the body, of the eye, of the spirit in this production. Done through the overlapping and breaking down of language, movement, ideas.

Pete Simpson in Bad Stars, photo by Maria Baranova

The ethos of Bad Stars is repeated again and again in different ways through the splitting and slices. It is given different points of views from all characters. It is delivered in beautiful and heartbreaking ways. The brothers lip sync to “Highwayman” by The Highwaymen and facilitate a flow of cash throughout the audience. Passing out dollars and taking them back. I’m smiling at this act of play while the lyrics of “Highwayman” reverberate around the room. The song is about time, death, and again-ness. Much so like the play. Papa Pasta delivers a monologue on getting on the wrong train getting stuck on the wrong train. Coyote delivers a monologue about loneliness, charm, and stars. What if Cricket was the only one to ever see Coyote for who he is? To give him redemption again and again. Cricket says to Coyote “I want to write a script that makes you cry, it’s so good.” Horowitz has done this. There is a rhythm to the production where I get swept up in the comedy, in the dadaism, surreal, world-making, and dissection of language. Suddenly the rug is pulled out from under me and I am face to face with an emotional truth that makes me want to drop to my knees and sob. There is an insane honesty wrapped up in the mechanizations of language and production and play.

This play is a blueprint of what to do with this type of heartbreak that is so familiar to many of us. To me at least. It felt like God. Horowoitz, producer Max Mooney, and the cast do a brilliant job of buttering you up with playful language, lovable characters, magic tricks of the stage and then devastating in the way I needed to be. It was like a mirror. It was like a tutorial video on what to do in the ruins of these relationships we have. I didn’t feel alone.

Jess Barbagallo and Bobbi Salvör Menuez in Bad Stars, photo by Maria Baranova

In the final scene, Macrame Mama comes home from her vacation on a fishing boat in Alaska and sees what the boys have done to her home while she is away. She takes everything in. She tells the painter to move, that she, Mama, wants to be the artist now.

“This canvas is like a net I throw over the ruins and see what it picks up.”

Which feels like this play. Which feels like art. Which feels like all we can do with the experiences given to us by love and life and how to share it with others. I am grateful this was in Horowitz’s net and that she gave it to us on this canvas.

This play is about two brothers cut from the same root. Estranged but now brought back together to write a movie. A movie about worms and love. A love story about friendship and the family you choose. When they were kids they would channel their energy to say and do the same thing. They would play games. Their love was a third thing that you couldn’t catch or own. Like children. Like animals. It was Chester.

Bad Stars runs through Sunday, June 8 at Collapsable Hole. 

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Wednesday haven’t announced a new album yet, but they seem to be up to something. Last month, they released “Elderberry Wine,” their first new music since 2023, and now, the band has announced a run of 2025 tour dates.

The North American shows run in October and November. Friendship will support on the West Coast shows in October, while Daffo will take over opening duties in November.

Pre-sales start June 4 followed by the general on-sale on June 6 at 10 a.m. local time. More information about getting tickets can be found on the band’s website.

Check out the full list of tour dates below.

Wednesday’s 2025 Tour Dates

07/26-7/27 — Portland, OR @ Project Pabst
09/27 — Austin, TX @ LEVITATION Festival
10/09 — Santa Fe, NM @ Tumble Root *
10/10-12 — Las Vegas, NV @ Best Friends Forever Festival 
10/11 — Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom *
10/14 — Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern *
10/17 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre *
10/18 — Oakland, CA @ The Fox Theater *
10/20 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell *
10/22 — Ft. Collins, CO @ Aggie Theatre *
10/23 — Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre *
11/10 — Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer ^
11/11 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel ^
11/12 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel ^
11/13 — Montreal, QC @ Club Soda ^
11/15 — Toronto, ON @ Concert Hall ^
11/16 — Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre ^
11/17 — Chicago, IL @ The Riviera Theater ^
11/19 — Cleveland, OH @ Globe Iron ^
11/20 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Roxian Theatre ^
11/21 — Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club ^

* with Friendship
^ with Daffo