This week on Words With Wista, we’re talking federal judges forcing the Trump administration to restore disaster funds to blue states, America living in the United States of Klarna while still spending like everything’s fine, and holiday shopping numbers that don’t match the economic stress everyone swears they feel. We get into Republicans quietly eyeing 2028, DHS offering cash for self deportation, lawmakers side-eyeing Pam Bondi over redacted Epstein files, and small business owners bracing for ACA subsidy fallout. Plus, we say goodbye to the NYC MetroCard, break down New York’s new mental health warnings for social media, Nicki Minaj logging off after peak backlash, Tyler Perry facing another lawsuit, Charlamagne’s $200 million podcast flex causing industry tension, and Timothée Chalamet marketing his way into a Christmas box office upset. A lot is happening, and none of it is subtle. IG: itswista Podcast IG/SubStack: wordswithwista

This week on Words With Wista, we are truly living in a Real Life Hunger Games timeline. Trump announces Patriot Games for one boy and one girl, floats a $1,776 warrior dividend, and slaps his name on the Kennedy Center while Epstein files, photos, and a very uncomfortable Vanity Fair article shake the internet. Meanwhile, Candace Owens drama resurfaces, the CDC ends routine Hepatitis B vaccines for newborns, sickle cell is cured for the first time in New York, and the state moves to legalize end of life care options for terminally ill patients. We also get into a disturbing ER incident involving HIV positive blood, Wiz Khalifa’s Romania weed sentence, a tragic plane crash claiming former NASCAR champ Greg Biffle and his family, major shakeups at Hot 97 with Funkmaster Flex stepping in, Netflix pulling podcasts off YouTube, Ice Spice causing chaos at a SpongeBob premiere, and why 2026 might actually be the year of the cabbage. It is heavy, messy, hopeful, and unserious all at once just how we like it. IG: itswista IG/SubStack: wordswithwista

In this episode of Words With Wista, we’re unpacking Trump calling the affordability crisis a “hoax” while the data tells a very different story, tourists being asked to submit five years of social media history to visit the U.S., and multiple devastating tragedies from Brown University to Australia’s Bondi Beach that raise serious questions about safety and accountability. We also get into the rising cases of HIV in NYC, Busta Rhymes checking a TikToker, a University of Michigan football scandal that reportedly led to an arrest, and an OnlyFans creator facing major legal trouble overseas. Plus, Jason Derulo rewriting his personal rules post-lawsuit, Beyoncé and friends stepping into Met Gala 2026 leadership, Russell Simmons responding to Kimora Lee Simmons, a jaw-dropping $2.5M NYC restaurant scheme, and the shocking passing of Rob Reiner and his wife. Heavy news, loud celebrities, and the mess in between. IG: itswista IG/SubStack: wordswithwista

In this episode of Words With Wista, we’re unpacking America’s latest circus: the Supreme Court entertaining Trump’s mission to end birthright citizenship, the National Park Service dropping free admission on MLK Day and Juneteenth while adding Trump’s birthday, and Senator Bernie Moreno trying to make dual citizens pick a side like it’s Survivor. We get into Trump vowing to send American companies to Congo and Rwanda to scoop up rare earth assets, Amazon plotting its own postal service, and Klarna rolling out membership tiers that cost more than people’s groceries while Americans juggle $1.23 trillion in credit card debt. Major record labels want pricier streaming, Cinnabon fired an employee after a discriminatory incident caught on camera but supporters still donated over $50K to her, and a TikToker checked a commenter for his prejudiced remark by reminding him his Grindr account exists, that he’s married, and that she will be telling his wife. The Kennedy Center Honors also sparked conversation after Trump presented awards to Sylvester Stallone, KISS, Michael Crawford, George Strait, and especially Gloria Gaynor, with many calling out the irony of the “I Will Survive” icon receiving honors while being a known supporter of the president. Plus, the Streamer Awards imploded under FanFan’s jokes, the World Cup draw turned into a weird PR stunt for Trump, and Haiti lands a dream-but-terrifying group with Brazil, Morocco, and Scotland. A buffet of nonsense. IG: itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista Substack: wordswithwista

In this episode of Words With Wista, we’re diving into America’s latest plot twists: Trump flirting with Australia’s retirement system while freezing immigration from 19 countries, billionaires donating to Trump Accounts for kids, Halle Berry snatching Gavin Newsom’s presidential dreams after his menopause bill veto, and Sen. Cory Booker rebranding as a married man just in time for 2028. We’ll also cover AT&T dropping DEI, Southwest telling plus-size travelers to “double up,” Modelo and Corona caught in the immigration crackdown, Gen Z and millennials BNPL-ing their way through life, Prada buying Versace like it’s a Zara sale, NYC raising subway fares to $3, and two wild true-crime cases. And of course—Milano Di Rouge calling out copycats, Travis Kelce accidentally retweeting a twerk video, and Kandi Burruss discovering Todd was talking to other women behind her back. A hot mess from start to finish. IG: itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista Substack: wordswithwista

SNAP benefits are back but a whole lot of folks are about to hit that 80-hour work requirement wall, a child’s birthday party in Stockton turned tragic, and Kash Patel is allegedly earning the “Make-a-Wish Director” nickname with his luxury travel habits. A major winter storm tried to send everyone right back inside after Thanksgiving while consumers still spent a record $11.8 billion on Black Friday like the recession rumors don’t apply to them. Meanwhile, 30% of job listings are reportedly fake, one man committed the wildest “Mrs. Doubtfire” pension scam, and Twitter’s new feature is exposing digital blackface across the platform. Lupita Nyong’o reveals Hollywood only offered her more slave roles after her Oscar win, Blueface says Drake skipped their collab due to “competition,” Topicals is asking for support after focusing too hard on under-eye patches, Summer Walker shuts down side-chick rumors, Garrick from Seeking Sister Wife gets arrested a week after welcoming a new baby, and I share my full thoughts on Joe Dwet Files’ shows and the state of Kompa music. Personal IG: itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista Substack: wordswithwista

The news was messy this week and I’m here to unpack it all so you don’t have to pretend you understand what’s happening. Trump signs the Epstein files bill, giving the DOJ 30 days to release sensitive documents, then drops support for Marjorie Taylor Greene, and fresh details surface in Matt Gaetz’s controversial case. Elon Musk claims his robots could replace surgeons and revolutionize healthcare, while the Dept. of Education proposes removing graduate nursing and other health programs from professional degree lists. The Trump administration plans SNAP reapplications to curb fraud, and a pardoned Jan 6 rioter faces new legal trouble. We cover major legal developments, including O.J. Simpson’s estate paying $58M to Ron Goldman’s family, and high-profile arrests like RHOP alum Mia Thornton allegedly stealing $11K in furniture. Plus, Porsha Williams involved in a Delta flight altercation, Nicki Minaj speaks at the UN regarding Nigeria while the U.S. military operations impact Trinidad, her home country, and Haiti’s historic return to the World Cup after 51 years. Tune in for a whirlwind of current events. IG: itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista SubStack: wordswithwista

The feds finally crawled back to work after a 43 day shutdown, and somehow the world is still wild. We got Kristi Noem tossing TSA workers ten thousand dollar “my bad” bonuses, Epstein emails flying around with Trump’s name all in the mix, Kim catching heat because North got a finger piercing at twelve, and a man ordering a forty-dollar drill set but getting a photo like Amazon is trolling for sport. Vine is rising from the dead, Klay Thompson is calling out Pat Bev over Megan, Ariana Grande got ran up in Singapore like Wicked turned wicked, a TikToker now owes 1.75 million for messing up a marriage, Cardi B and Stefon Diggs had a baby boy, Charlamagne and Roland Martin are beefing, and Rory from that podcast got exposed for talking spicy about Beyoncé. A mess. A cute mess. A delicious Friday mess. IG: itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista Substack: wordswithwista

Zorhan Mamdani is officially NYC’s new mayor, Nancy Pelosi is finally clocking out of Congress after 40 years, just in time for the youth to start taking over. Flights are getting cancelled thanks to the shutdown. The government might actually pay SNAP this month (miracles happen), JD Vance is out here talking about converting his wife, hugging other women, and still somehow trending, and Nicki Minaj is entering her political era?? Plus, layoffs are wild, a teacher wins $10 million after being injured by a student, Offset is dissing Cardi and Stefon Diggs, and Starbucks apologized because y’all broke the internet over bear cups. Yeah… it’s been that kind of week. IG: itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista Substack: wordswithwista

This week’s episode is a certified circus. The government said “figure it out” as SNAP benefits vanish but DoorDash said “we got you” with free meals. Paramount’s restructuring again by cutting jobs, China wants influencers to have diplomas now, and Luigi Mangione is a Lil Durk fan. Drake and Stake are getting sued for “deceptive gambling”. A couple robbed a bank on their first date, love that for them. Oh, and Diddy’s got a release date and Stefon Diggs allegedly has twins on the way, because apparently everyone’s making headlines but the government. IG: itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista Substack: wordswithwista

This week’s episode is a hot mess buffet. Trump’s turning the White House into a luxury event space, the government’s playing games with people’s groceries, and the Louvre apparently lost more than art—it lost security. The NBA’s looking more like Vegas after a few players got caught up in a gambling mess, Cardi B’s dragging Armon Wiggins, and there’s another blackout protest coming (are y’all actually participating this time?). Meanwhile, Nicki’s got sheriffs at her mansion, and Keyshia Ka’oir is offering mental health consultations without a medical degree… maybe we all need one after this week. IG: itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista Substack: wordswithwista

Buckle up, because this week’s episode is a wild ride through chaos and couture. We’ve got a possible Thanksgiving travel nightmare thanks to a looming government shutdown, SKIMS launching faux fur panties (the bush is back, baby), and UPS saying “return to sender” by literally throwing packages away. Nicki Minaj might lose her $20M mansion, a beloved website is now blocked in Arizona, and we say RIP to legends Diane Keaton and D’Angelo. RHOP’s Wendy Osefo got arrested, NBC News cut their diversity teams, and buying a new car now costs a casual $50K. America’s running on delusion and iced coffee, and we’re here to talk about it. IG: itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista Substack: wordswithwista

Everything is wild this week: the government has officially shut down leaving chaos in its wake, Letitia James got indicted after Trump’s pressure campaign, a man in Florida is facing serious charges for allegedly starting a massive Palisades blaze, and the last of the New Orleans escapees was finally caught after nearly five months on the run. Meanwhile, Diddy is headed to federal prison with lawyers trying to keep him in a low-security facility, some peopler are having full-blown meltdowns over Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl, and Taylor Swift’s new album dropped to reviews that are… all over the place. IG: itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista Substack: wordswithwista

This week, it’s a hot mess express: the government can’t keep the lights on, Kash Patel is firing folks over Pride flags, and there was a tragedy in Michigan. Eric Adams tapped out of the mayoral race due to low funding, while Michelle Obama is reminding everyone that marriage isn’t #CoupleGoals 24/7. Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman are divorcing, Cardi and Nicki dragged each other’s kids into the beef, and JT and Santana added even more spice to the rap girl drama. Meanwhile, Kai Cenat’s stream had the internet glued, and Diddy wants sympathy from the court while prosecutors want him sitting for 11 years. A mess from top to bottom. IG: Itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista Substack: Words With Wista

This week is a buffet of foolishness: the TikTok deal is still a hot mess, James Comey’s name is back in drama, and Trump has beef with the UN. The White House warns of mass firings if the government shuts down, Dallas ICE goes sideways, and “Alligator Alcatraz” detainees vanish. A dentist allegedly admits to turning down laughing gas based on patients’ political views, and Jay-Z’s casino dreams get blocked while Nas’s move forward. Diddy’s friends and family are begging for his freedom; Cardi B and JT go back and forth over whose man is more effeminate, Metro Boomin won a lawsuit, and Rihanna gave birth to a baby girl because even in a world full of twists and turns, RiRi wins. IG: Itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista Substack: wordswithwista

This week, we’re spiraling through everything from Trey Reed tragically discovered hanging from a tree at Delta State University in Mississippi to Kash Patel showing us what not to do as FBI director. Jimmy Kimmel got booted from ABC, Trump’s UK visit came with an Epstein jump scare, D4vd's alleged disturbing connection to a missing teen, and Chris Brown rage-quits social media after colorism allegations. Jay-Z and Beyoncé were seen sitting at the same table as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at the Reform Gala, prompting some to raise an eyebrow. Jaden Smith is now the face of Christian Louboutin, and Cardi B’s got a new baby and a new album. IG: itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista Substack: wordswithwista

The job market’s a nightmare, Charlie Kirk news, and D4VD's Tesla holds a creepy surprise. Paramount might merge with Warner Bros., Miguel quietly welcomed a baby with Margaret Zhang, and Tabitha Brown caught heat for telling entrepreneurs to “just get a job” to fund their business. NBA fans roasted Adam Silver for his “highlights-only” streaming advice for folks who can’t afford the service, and Le’Andria Johnson spills tea on Beyoncé having her back through her battle with alcoholism. IG: Itswista Podcast IG: wordswithwista Substack: wordswithwista

This week was a mess! We’re saying RIP to icons Rolling Ray and Giorgio Armani, talking about how America officially has more people without jobs than jobs to give, and Trump wanting to send the National Guard to Chicago and Baltimore like it’s SimCity. Epstein survivors are making their own client list since the courts are playing games, while a Texas dad sold his company for $51M just to build a free amusement park (bless him). New York schools are serving free breakfast and lunch, Gunna is running 5Ks for a cause, and the Caribbean Day Parade brought some culture and a little ethnocentrism drama. Add in an NBA player trying to make Charlamagne his “play friend,” August Alsina catching heat for being in love, Anna Wintour passing the Vogue torch, Cardi B winning in court, and me almost running over a gopher! IG: @itswista Podcast IG: @wordswithwista Substack: @wordswithwista

This week is pure headline whiplash: a tragedy at a school in Minneapolis, Denmark is calling out America over Greenland. RFK Jr. is making bold health claims again, and the CDC higher-ups are getting the boot. E-retailer Ssense is filing for bankruptcy protection, Europe won’t send us packages, and Drake’s OVO store got smashed. Meanwhile, iLoveMakonnen’s flipping plates instead of beats, Dame Dash’s wallet might be lighter than his label, and Cardi B’s on trial for allegedly putting hands on security while pregnant. SNL is letting go of cast members, and Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are officially engaged. IG: @Itswista Podcast IG: @wordswithwista Substack: @wordswithwista

This episode is pure chaos in the best way: Instagram might start counting your messy screenshots as “engagement,” Dr. Umar is out here charging $500 for lunch dates (charity or scam, you decide), and Lil Nas X is fighting the law instead of trolls. Meanwhile, DDG and Halle Bailey are legally gagged from posting about each other, Serena slimmed down with GLP-1s, and the FTC is finally dragging LA Fitness for trapping people in gym contracts. Target’s CEO is tapping out, Nearest Green’s founders are losing their distillery, and someone in California just caught the actual plague. Trump’s DOJ wants trans kids’ medical files and the Smithsonian to stop talking about slavery, Popeyes managers are throwing hands (and hot chicken), and Tyla partied so hard in Brazil she had to be carried out. Let’s just say things have been unhinged, but entertaining. Personal IG: @itswista Podcast IG: @wordswithwista Substack: @wordswithwista