T(abel) Reads 29

Friday October 17th, 2025 - Edition 029

EVERYONE'S FAVORITE BI-WEEKLY NEWS SOURCE... UNLESS YOU'RE NOT EVERYONE

LE'SECOND DECISION

In His Latest Attempt to Surprise the World, LeBron James Ended Up Doing Just That

SPORTS

Fifteen years after “The Decision,” LeBron James stunned fans again with a second announcement. This time, a playful Hennessy partnership disguised as a major reveal. The stunt ignited social media and added intrigue to an already hyped NBA season. Meanwhile, the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder enter preseason as favorites, but they’ll start without star forward Jalen “JDub” Williams, sidelined after wrist surgery following an All-Star breakout year. In college football, change is brewing in Stillwater: Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State’s longtime head coach, was dismissed after 36 years at the program and 11 straight FBS losses. Rumors are already swirling around potential successors, with former OSU quarterback and current Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson emerging as a top candidate. Between LeBron’s marketing moves, JDub’s injury, and the OSU shake-up, sports headlines this week proved one thing, sometimes the off-court drama rivals the game itself.

ART AND FASHION

After a six-year hiatus, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show made its triumphant return in 2024, and in 2025, its encore proved the brand’s reinvention is here to stay. The show reclaimed its signature spectacle of glitter, nostalgia, and star power, with icons like Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, and the Hadid sisters lighting up the pink runway once more. But it was the newcomers who stirred conversation: WNBA star Angel Reese, Olympic gymnast Suni Lee, and influencer Quenlin Blackwell blurred the line between high fashion and pop culture. Their inclusion reignited an age-old debate: Should the runway remain exclusive to professional models, or can athletes and creators redefine allure on their own terms? Supporters praised the shift toward inclusivity; critics called it brand dilution. Either way, this year’s show did more than entertain; it reflected a cultural pivot, redefining what beauty, confidence, and representation look like in 2025.

Watch More: Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show

Author: McGwire Newell

MUSIC

D’Angelo, the neo-soul pioneer who reshaped R&B in the ’90s, has passed away at 51 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The Richmond-born artist’s family confirmed his death earlier this week. Though his catalog consists of just three studio albums, each release set the tone for the decade that followed. His influence can still be heard across modern R&B, hip-hop, and soul. Elsewhere in music, Neil Young has pulled his catalog from Amazon, urging fans to boycott the platform, saying, “Bezos supports this government. It does not support you or me.” His protest echoes earlier moves by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, who left Spotify over concerns about funding military technology. In an age when streaming dominates, these acts of resistance spotlight the value of physical media, a reminder that vinyl, tapes, and CDs remain the one format that can’t be erased by policy or politics.

TV AND FILM

Tron: Ares opened this past weekend with a domestic box office haul of $33.5 million, which fell short of expectations for Disney’s $150–180 million-budget blockbuster. Globally, it added roughly $27 million overseas, bringing its worldwide opening total to about $60–61 million. Critics have been lukewarm: the film holds around 56–57% on aggregate Rotten Tomatoes, while audience scores are better (~87%). The CinemaScore exit polling came in around B+, suggesting general audience acceptance but limited word-of-mouth carry. On the streaming front, Netflix dropped Monster: The Ed Gein Story, a dark anthology installment focusing on the infamous serial killer and his cultural legacy. Within three days, it ranked #2 globally on Netflix charts, amassing 12.2 million views (~90.6 million hours watched). But reviews have been brutal: it holds a 17% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 28/100 on Metacritic, reflective of widespread “generally unfavorable” reception. Many reviewers argue the show leans too heavily on sensationalism, layered subplots, and graphic content rather than depth or coherent storytelling.

DOMESTIC

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Budapest, Hungary, marking their second summit since Trump’s return to office. The meeting will center on the Ukraine war and broader U.S./Russia relations following their inconclusive August session in Alaska. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán confirmed his country will host and guarantee Putin’s safe passage despite his ICC arrest warrant, a move drawing sharp criticism from Western allies. Orbán, calling Hungary “the only place in Europe” capable of facilitating such dialogue, has positioned himself as a geopolitical mediator between East and West. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are scheduled to finalize logistics ahead of the talks. While both sides present the summit as a diplomatic opportunity, analysts remain skeptical, viewing it more as a stage for political posturing than a genuine path toward peace in Ukraine.