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New York Post
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
I've ditched HR to free my company from the social-justice police
'I want to be the first company without HR.' It was just a throwaway comment I made this month at a conference called Freedom Fest — but the audience went wild, and the line went viral in an Instagram post with over 5 million views. 'They produce nothing,' I continued. 'They monitor our words. They tell us what we can and cannot say. Advertisement 'They inhibit creativity. It's bad for business.' At my own start-up — XX-XY Athletics, the only brand standing up for the protection of women's sports — I'll be damned if I'm going to let the ladies of 'The View' run around policing my employees' conversations. We started with no Human Resources department a year ago, and we'll continue with no HR as we grow. Advertisement My statement touched a nerve because anyone who has worked in corporate America has been subjected to the censorious 'Head Girl' rule-making emanating from HR departments. And they are tired of it. When I started my business career in the early 1990s, HR was responsible for recruiting, benefits and payroll — that was it. As I moved up the ladder and found myself in executive meetings, the HR leader weighed in last on key business decisions, if at all. Advertisement Thirty years on, HR leaders are calling themselves 'Chief Human Resources Officers,' and they proclaim their power with reckless and off-topic abandon. HR departments today are packed with Tracy Flicks, the way-too-eager high schooler played by Reese Witherspoon in the movie 'Election.' Flick is the archetypal 'Head Girl,' a term derived from the British school system and its tight hierarchy of internal discipline — ambitious and officious with little actual skill or intellect. Hand-raisers like these are not selected to lead for intelligence or ability, but for conscientiousness and a willingness to uphold 'the rules.' Advertisement That was fine when HR had no power. But now, after yearning for a seat at the table, HR's midwit elites have found a way to exert increasing influence in the corporate environment — leveraging social-justice buzzwords to accrue power and (what else?) make more rules. In the 2020s, HR asserts its newly found clout with tyrannical zeal. When I interviewed in 2023 for a CEO job at an $8 billion retailer, I made it all the way to the end of the corporate leadership receiving line, successfully fielding queries on my business acumen and brand-building accomplishments. My last interview was with the HR representative on the board. Her first question: 'Will you apologize for what you've done?' Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters What I'd 'done' was advocate for opening public schools during the COVID pandemic. By 2023 I'd been proven right. That didn't matter to the HR lady. I'd violated her tightly enforced script. Advertisement I didn't apologize, and I didn't get the job. Over the last two decades, HR has gone from operational support to Operation Head Girl Hall Monitor. They force-feed trainings about acceptable language; they make 'merit' out to be racist; and they set hiring criteria based on risk avoidance rather than excellence. But hiring people who don't offend anyone won't result in employees who take initiative and make things. Advertisement Am I being sexist in calling them Head Girls? In 2023, 76% of HR managers in the United States were female. The shoe fits. (And yes, men can be Head Girl types, too.) British academic Bruce Charlton explains the Head Girl 'can never be a creative genius because she does what other people want by the standard they most value.' That's why the Head Girls of HR made everyone add pronouns to their email signatures starting around 2020: Social standards. Not because it drove the business. Advertisement No, these time-suckers shift focus away from the business. Front-of-house employees — builders, makers and service providers — must spend a significant amount of time thinking about the words they use rather than their actual jobs. Critics of my viral comment pushed back at me: 'You need HR to avoid unnecessary risk!' they chorused. Right. That's the fear HR leverages to maintain its unearned influence. Advertisement Risk avoidance means hiring mediocre people with no opinions who never offend anyone. Those hires won't take my one-year-old start-up to big-brand status. I want big thinkers with creative minds. Sometimes these folks are disruptive. But there are no new products or breakthrough marketing campaigns without them. My company is a walking, talking HR violation. We 'misgender' all day long. In fact, speaking truth (as I call it) is required to work here. We're not in school anymore. We don't need a persnickety Miss Manners etiquette-enforcer telling us to be nice. I'll continue to go it alone without HR. I'll assume the so-called risk so I can lead in my own voice. And I'll succeed, or fail, on my own terms. Jennifer Sey is founder and CEO of XX-XY Athletics.
Cosmopolitan
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
3 OnlyFans creators weigh in on Bonnie Blue's shock, ‘permanent' OF ban
By now, you'll have surely heard of Bonnie Blue: a woman who is no stranger to online infamy. The 26-year-old OnlyFans creator is notorious for her extreme sex stunts, including breaking the world record for sleeping with 1,000 men in a day. She's also toured university freshers weeks in the UK and visited Cancun, a popular spring break destination for US students, offering 'barely legal' men (aged at least 18) the opportunity to sleep with her in exchange for their consent to be filmed and appear in her OF content. Her stunts have gained her a substantial online following — and attracted considerable backlash. Speaking to Cosmopolitan UK earlier this year, Blue pushed back at critics, suggesting that her stunts are a way of educating participants about sex. 'If I had a child, I'd be sending them to one of these events,' she said. 'I provide a safe, judgement-free environment with security-scanned ID and a breathalyser test. And [participants] are doing something good for society by putting an educational video out there. What part of that is dangerous?' Now, the platform on which she's made her name (and big bucks — specifically, an eye-watering $2.1 million per month) has thrown a spanner in her controversial success: OnlyFans has banned Bonnie Blue. Earlier this month, Blue promised to top her 1,000 men in a day feat: announcing a stunt she called the 'Bonnie Blue petting zoo' which would allow members of the public to touch her, or have intercourse with her, while she was tied up in a glass box. The challenge was due to take place tomorrow (15 June), but has since been cancelled due to online outrage. And this time, the controversy has caught the attention of OnlyFans, who've shut down Blue's account. When we reached out for comment, an OnlyFans spokesperson told Cosmopolitan UK: 'Extreme 'challenge' content is not available on OnlyFans and is not permitted under our Acceptable Use Policy and Terms of Service. Any breach of our Terms of Service results in content or account deactivation.' According to The Metro, a contact at the platform also confirmed that the ban was 'permanent'. Cosmopolitan UK can confirm that when attempting to access Bonnie Blue's two OnlyFans accounts ( and both pages have been taken down. Blue has not yet made any statement on social media or to the press, but she has updated the link in her Instagram bio so that it directs to her Fansly account, where she began posting on 11 June. Fansly is an alternative, subscription-based platform to OnlyFans, and her page currently stands at 5.5k followers, which is a huge dip from the 300,000 OnlyFans followers she had earlier in 2025 – suggesting her income has taken a major hit. Blue — alongside the OnlyFans creator Lily Philips, who embarked on her own challenge to sleep with 100 men in a day — has been the subject of plenty of column inches, which paint her online presence as a cause, rather than a symptom, of misogyny and sexism. However, while there is plenty of spirited online discourse about Blue from those outside the sex industry, what do other online sex workers think? So far, Blue has been criticised by Sophie Rain, the creator of the popular OnlyFans collective Bop House, who said: 'It's no longer women empowerment. It's shock value, and she's making a joke out of all of us.' Regardless of individuals' personal feelings around Blue, the ban has taken place amid a time of uncertainty for OnlyFans creators. It was revealed in late May that the platform's owner, Fenix International, was in talks to be sold for $8 billion (£5.9 billion) to a consortium headed up by US investment firm Forest Road Company. Whenever a company is set to change hands, it raises questions about its future direction. However, with the increasing censorship of online pornography — which, in recent years, has seen the likes of Pornhub exit France and be blocked in multiple US states due to age verification controversies — the stakes could be even higher for OnlyFans NSFW content creators as they navigate uncertain territory. Now, speaking exclusively to Cosmopolitan UK, three OnlyFans creators and online sex workers weigh in with their opinions about the news of Blue's permanent ban. 'Anytime a performer loses access to their main source of income and primary platform, it's a sad day. Especially in 2025, when our payment processors and platforms are threatened by incoming censorship laws disguised as 'adult verification'. Bonnie is privileged that she is in an income bracket where she has support in place to protect herself in case of removal from one of her platforms. She also has the ability to use her network and brand name to spread the word that she was banned. Most models, who often get banned or reprimanded for much less, do not have those options. This means they're less likely to pivot easily via funnelling fans to new platforms or regaining account access due to press or protest. I think Bonnie [has made] the OnlyFans platform enough money that the choice to ban her is more about the OF brand image than anything else. I'm sure the press she's been acquiring for her 'extreme' sexual stunts is counterintuitive to the brand OnlyFans has been trying to reign in the past couple of years. The platform has been investing heavily into their safe-for-work avenues, like OFTV, so I'm guessing that factors into their decision making. Especially if the company plans on selling, taking on investors, or simply dealing with payment processors and banks.' 'Every respectable platform takes consent, privacy, and age verification very seriously. As OnlyFans creators we are all at risk if we violate their rules, and I suspect there were many rules violated with her type of content. I think her publicity stunts have probably put pressure onto OnlyFans and other similar platforms to enforce their rules more. Honestly as an older woman and mum, who had a full career before my success on OnlyFans, I feel bad for [Bonnie Blue]. Clearly I believe in a woman having the power to do what she wants — and in no way am shaming her, or anyone — but I don't see this ending well for her or the others that are competing to outdo each other with these extremes.' 'I'm not surprised [Bonnie Blue] has been banned; I could see it from a mile off. In my opinion, what she does is escorting ['escort' and 'escorting' are restricted words on OnlyFans, and the platform's terms of service discourage any mention of creators and fans meeting in person]. She's agreeing to meet these men to have intercourse and they are paying in consent to post on OnlyFans. OnlyFans is trying to sell their platform right now. If she's the poster girl for OnlyFans, it makes sense for her to be banned: she doesn't have much backing from the general public, except for sadistic men who have pent-up rage against women. It sucks because it's likely that any woman who has followed in her suit will get banned. You don't want people to lose their income, all of these girls have worked hard to get where they are. Bonnie has done some things that will change her for the rest of her life and it's unfortunate that she's losing what makes her thrive and survive. Bonnie, though, has taken rage baiting to the extreme, saying things like 'you need to expect [men are] going to go elsewhere if you aren't sleeping with them'. These are the repercussions if you're going to push boundaries like these in a society where women are so pushed down behind the scenes.' Cosmopolitan UK has reached out to Bonnie Blue for comment. Megan Wallace (they/them) is Cosmopolitan UK's Former Sex and Relationships Editor covering sexual pleasure, sex toys, LGBTQIA+ identity, dating and romance. They have covered sexuality and relationships for over five years and are the founder of the PULP zine, which publishes essays on culture and sex. In their spare time, they can be found exploring the London kink scene and planning dates on Feeld.
Hindustan Times
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Why has Bonnie Blue been banned by OnlyFans? Details here
OnlyFans star Bonnie Blue built her fame through jaw-dropping headlines, but it appears the adult content platform that helped make her a millionaire has now shown her the door. Known for her outlandish and provocative challenges, the OnlyFans creator has been permanently banned from the platform, costing her a reported £600,000 a month in earnings, as per The Sun. Bonnie, whose real name is Tia Billinger, isn't new to controversy. The 25-year-old from rural Derbyshire gained notoriety for allegedly sleeping with 1,057 men in just 12 hours. But her recent stunts seem to have gone too far, even for the internet. An OnlyFans spokesperson confirmed: 'Extreme 'challenge' content is not available on OnlyFans and is not permitted under our Acceptable Use Policy and Terms of Service. Any breach of our Terms of Service results in content or account deactivation," The Sun reported. Also read: When OnlyFans star Bonnie Blue who slept with 1,000 men revealed what her dad thinks of her profession Bonnie had reportedly planned a controversial meet-and-greet in London, which involved being tied up inside a glass box. She described the stunt on a podcast as 'Bonnie Blue's petting zoo,' suggesting the public could 'do basically whatever they want' to her. That sparked severe backlash online, with many accusing her of 'promoting rape culture. Her subsequent plan? A 24-hour graphic livestream that never made it to the screen. In January, she made another shocking claim that she had broken the world record for having sex with the most men in 12 hours at a secret event in London. She had also challenged college students during Spring Break in a bizarre contest to give her the "best orgasm", promising to fund the winner's tuition. Born in 1999, Tia reportedly grew up in the village of Sandiacre. She had a modest upbringing, attending Friesland School and competing in street dance competitions. After a stint working retail and then recruitment, she married Oliver Davidson in 2022. The two had been together since she was 15. Their move to Australia marked a turning point. Tia, encouraged by Oliver, tried her hand as a cam girl. It worked. She soon transitioned to OnlyFans, gaining popularity through her 'niche' of sleeping with young students. She even claimed to have slept with 158 students during a Nottingham Trent freshers' week. Her family, particularly her mother Sarah, has supported her unconventional career. Sarah even called herself her daughter's personal assistant. But the viral antics came with consequences. Bonnie was recently banned from Nottingham Forest's stadium for a failed prank. She snuck into the Chelsea away section in disguise, only to be escorted out when spotted. 1 Why was Bonnie Blue banned from OnlyFans?She was banned from the platform due to her extreme content challenges that violated OnlyFans' terms and policies. 2 How much did Bonnie Blue earn on OnlyFans?She claimed she was making £600,000 a month, which totals an estimated £7.2 million annually. 3 Has she attempted similar stunts before?Yes, including a world record sex claim, controversial livestreams, and university-based challenges. 4 Who is Bonnie Blue in real life?Her real name is Tia Billinger. She hails from Derbyshire and began her adult content career after moving to Australia. 5 Is her family supportive of her career?Yes. Her mother, Sarah, often helps with events and logistics, calling herself Bonnie's personal assistant.
New York Post
12-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
CNN's Anderson Cooper rakes in $18M annually — as network faces spinoff amid ratings freefall: report
CNN is reportedly paying anchor Anderson Cooper $18 million a year — an eye-popping sum that could be in the crosshairs when the ratings-challenged network is spun off by its debt-ridden parent company. Cooper, the face of the network and host of its primetime show at 8 p.m., along with other anchors like Kaitlan Collins and Jake Tapper face an uncertain future following Monday's stunning announcement by Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav about the looming split, according to the Puck newsletter. Zaslav tapped WBD Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiedenfels to take over CNN and other cable assets including TNT, TBS, HGTV as part of a new company called Global Networks. Advertisement 4 Anderson Cooper is reportedly raking in $18 million a year from CNN — even as the network faces brutal cost-cutting, cratering ratings and an uncertain future. Getty Images for CNN A source told The Post that CNN staffers are worried about Wiedenfel, who they say has a reputation for ruthlessly cutting costs. 'Gunnar news is not good,' the person said. 'He is slash and burn.' Advertisement Puck media writer Dylan Byers singled out Cooper and his $18 million salary as a possible target, considering the network remains mired in last place in the ratings. 'Why, for instance, would Gunnar pay Anderson Cooper $18 million a year when Kaitlan Collins draws the same ratings at roughly a fifth of the salary?' Byers wrote. According to the latest Nielsen ratings, 'Anderson Cooper 360' drew 647,000 total viewers on Tuesday — or about $27 per viewer. Keep up with today's most important news Stay up on the very latest with Evening Update. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Advertisement 'The Source with Kaitlan Collins, which airs at 9 p.m., pulled in 829,000 viewers on Tuesday, according to Nielsen. Cooper's exact salary has never been reported and its not clear where Byers got the figure. The Post previously reported that the son of Gloria Vanderbilt is paid as much as $20 million a year. A CNN spokesperson declined to comment Cooper's salary. Cooper, who joined CNN in 2001, may not stick around for the purported bloodbath. Advertisement 'By the time Gunnar gets around to it, Anderson will likely have determined that he no longer wants to read the day's news to less than a million people every night, either,' Byers wrote. 4 Gunnar Wiedenfels, Warner Bros. Discovery's chief financial officer, is set to take over the company's flailing cable assets, including CNN. Warner Bros. Discovery The CNN rep vigorously pushed back on Byers' suggestion that high-salaried anchors may get severe haircuts amid anticipated restructuring under Wiedenfels. 'This is a complete fabrication. There is zero truth to this,' the spokesperson said. The cable news pioneer — which touts itself as 'The Most Trusted Name in News' — had paid out hefty contracts but its ratings have plunged to historic lows in recent years. During breaking news events, Fox News has often quadrupled CNN's audience. Fox News is a unit of Fox Corp — sister company to The Post's corporate parent News Corp. 4 Warner Bros. Discovery under the leadership of CEO David Zaslav recently announced it would split into two companies. AFP via Getty Images Advertisement The economics of maintaining a sprawling global news operation with expensive talent are becoming increasingly hard to defend, especially as younger viewers turn to TikTok and YouTube for news. Last fall, CNN denied raises to veteran anchors Tapper and Wolf Blitzer as rank-and-file journalists braced for layoffs, as The Post reported. 4 Cooper reportedly earns a salary that is five times more than fellow prime time anchor Kaitlan Collins, who draws around the same number of viewers. Bloomberg via Getty Images As part of the Warner Bros. Discovery breakup, Zaslav will keep HBO, Warner Bros. Studios and the Max streaming platform. Advertisement Last week, 59% of shareholders voted against his massive $51.9 million pay package for 2024 — a strong sign of investor frustration. WBD was formed in 2022 in a $43.1 billion merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery. The majority of WBD's roughly $37 billion in debt load will be foisted onto the Global Network.
Scottish Sun
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Bonnie Blue BANNED from OnlyFans as adult ‘star' set to lose massive ‘£600k a month' pay after ‘extreme challenge'
The adult 'star' has already hit headlines with previous desperate stunts ONLYBANS Bonnie Blue BANNED from OnlyFans as adult 'star' set to lose massive '£600k a month' pay after 'extreme challenge' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CONTROVERSIAL "star" Bonnie Blue has been banned from OnlyFans and is set to lose her massive "£600,000 a month" pay - The Sun can reveal. The content creator who shot to fame by allegedly bedding 1,057 men in 24 hours has had her page pulled due to breach of terms after her "extreme challenge" content "crossed a line". Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Bonnie Blue is known for her 'extreme challenges' Credit: Instagram 6 Bonnie has previously caused massive controversy with sick stunts such as sleeping with 1,057 men in 12 hours Credit: TikTok/@bonnie_blue_xoxo 6 Bonnie was previously branded "predatory" for romping with teenage lads Credit: Instagram/@bonnie_blue_xox A source said: 'Bonnie has taken things way too far. She was making tens of thousand a month via OnlyFans and now that's gone. 'Her page has officially been pulled. Her latest stunts have taken things too far. She's crossed a line and OnlyFans had no choice but to act.' Bonnie - real name Tia Billinger - claims to earn £600,000 a month on the adult site. This means the 25-year-old from a rural village in Derbyshire would be making at least £7.2 million per year - until now. The adult "star" has already hit headlines with previous desperate stunts including apparently breaking the world record by sleeping with 1,057 men in just 12 hours. She then challenged Spring Break "barely legal" college boys to see who could give her the best orgasm - with a pledge to pay for the tuition of the "winner". An OnlyFans spokesperson said: 'Extreme 'challenge' content is not available on OnlyFans and is not permitted under our Acceptable Use Policy and Terms of Service. "Any breach of our Terms of Service results in content or account deactivation.' Over the weekend Bonnie axed plans to hold a meet and greet session in London in which she would be tied up in a glass box. After pulling the stunt she then planned to host a graphic 24 hour live stream. Bonnie Blue arrested Bonnie was slammed for "promoting rape culture" and labelled "vile" for announcing what she called "Bonnie Blue's petting zoo". Explaining the sickening idea during an interview on Kat Baker's podcast, she said that she was going to be naked and tied up in a glass box, which would be "open for the public" to do basically whatever they want to her. When Kat asked "where" the box was going to be, Bonnie continued that she would be in "the centre of London" but "in a house". Making the planned event even more repulsive, Bonnie told Kat that she wanted to beat her own record by "doing 2,000". It comes just weeks after The Sun exposed Bonnie for deliberately faking an arrest in order to hit the headlines. Bonnie's video sparked a flurry of calls to the police who were left baffled. 6 Bonnie Blue was searched in the clip Credit: Instagram / @bonnie_blue_xox 6 She told podcaster Kat Baker that the box will be in a house in London, despite the fact she'd like it on the back of a lorry if it wasn't 'illegal' 6 Bonnie Blue got handed a lifetime ban from Nottingham Forest's stadium Credit: Instagram / bonnie_blue_xox Surrey Police confirmed to The Sun they were not involved in any incident on the Slyfield Estate. Bonnie's right hand man - documentary maker Josh Spooner - also appeared in the clip. She was also banned from Nottingham Forest stadium last month. Despite being slapped with a permanent stadium suspension by Forest in April after trying to enter the ground and pull off a viral stunt, the adult content creator then sneaked into the Chelsea away end in disguise with a cap, wig and glasses. Bonnie was eventually found and escorted out - with footage circulating online capturing the moment.
