Michelle and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rob Reiner and his beloved wife, Michele. Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen. But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people—and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action. Together, he and his wife lived lives defined by purpose. They will be remembered for the values they championed and the countless people they inspired. We send our deepest condolences to all who loved them.
In 2016, Pharrell Williams visited a NYU music production class to critique songs. After he listened to a song called “Alaska” by student Maggie Rogers, he explained why he had "zero, zero, zero notes for that”:
It’s frustrating when people say, ‘Immigrants don’t pay taxes.’ Pause.
They work in jobs many Americans consider undesirable, pay income, property, and payroll taxes, and make a positive impact on the economy. Yet, they receive very limited government benefits.
Instead, more attention should be focused on unemployed citizens who abuse the system and aren’t contributing to the workforce but rely heavily on government support.