Megan Rapinoe reflected on the “balance to the beautiful side of the game” after her missed penalty helped see the USWNT knocked out of the World Cup at the earliest stage in their history.

Rapinoe, 38, was one of three U.S. players to miss in a dramatic shootout which eventually saw Sweden advance to the quarter-finals via goalline technology and a matter of millimetres.

Rapinoe, who will retire at the end of the season, has won two World Cups with her country and scored from the spot in the 2019 final win over the Netherlands.

But her final kick on the game’s biggest stage was fired over the bar, a scenario she called “a sick joke” afterwards.

“I thought we played really well. I’m so happy for us that we went out like that, playing the way we did,” she told Fox Sports.

“I mean this is like a sick joke for me personally. I’m just like this is dark comedy that I missed a penalty. I still just feel really grateful and joyful.

“I know it’s the end and that’s sad but to know this is really the only time I’ve been in one of these shows how much success I’ve had and how much I’ve loved playing for this team. It’s been an honour.”

The U.S. had reached at least the semi-finals in every World Cup to date. However, it is Sweden who will now play Japan in the last eight.

Rapinoe, who co-captained the U.S between 2018 and 2020, has used her platform at the very top of the women’s game to help drive positive change throughout a glittering career.

She was a key driver of the USWNT’s battle with U.S. Soccer for equal pay while she also supported NFL player Colin Kaepernick in his fight for social justice.

“I think this team has always fought for so much more and that’s been the most rewarding part for me,” she added.

“To know that we’ve used our really special talent to do something that’s changed the world forever. That means the most to me.”

(Photo: WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)

“We would be editing packages and we would send them to her to look at, and she’d say, ‘You know, are you sure that’s not 1963 or 1960?’ because we put the year on a graphic. She just remembers everything. It’s amazing.”

Gierahn said the star is “everything you would imagine her to be,” adding, “she has such a vision. Clearly she’s had it throughout her career, but even having this celebratory night, she had such a vision for what it should include and what should be highlighted. And it was just an absolute joy to work with her. She is so inspiring and I think just a role model to all of us and really paved the way for so many people, so many women. So, it was really an amazing experience, and yes, I pinched myself the whole time.”

Many of the night’s performers sat in the audience until it was their time to pay tribute. Sheryl Lee Ralph recalled memories of being a child in the 1960s and the impact of seeing Black artists like Sammy Davis, Jr. and more be welcomed onto The Carol Burnett Show. Amy Poehler tried her hand at Burnett’s famous audience Q&A warmups, which hilariously proved to be much harder than it looked.

In a shout-out to both Burnett’s guest-star role as Sue Sylvester’s mother on Glee and their mutual connection to Annie, Jane Lynch performed “Little Girls” and was then joined by Bernadette Peters and Billy Porter for a rendition of “Easy Street.” To wrap the Annie medley, the original Annie herself, Aileen Quinn, sang “Tomorrow” while holding Burnett’s hand.

Peters and fellow former Lily St. Regis, Kristin Chenoweth, treated viewers to two performances. The first was a tribute to Burnett and Beverly Sills with “Only an Octave Apart,” and then they honored Burnett and Andrews’ 60+ years of friendship by singing Stephen Sondheim‘s classic “Old Friends.” Two of Burnett’s old friends, Cher and Bob Mackie, each appeared to pay tribute to the star. And in one of the highlights of the night, Vicki Lawrence came out for a touching tribute to her Burnett Show co-star.

No one who was asked to participate in the special said no. If they could make it, they were there, the EPs said. And if they couldn’t, they figured out a way to virtually partake. To that end, video tributes from Oprah Winfrey, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, former First Lady Michelle Obama, President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Dolly Parton, Martin Short and Steve Martin, Bill Hader (Burnett’s cousin, they both recently learned!), and more were peppered throughout the event.

“There were a lot of big stars in the room, and they were all in awe of Carol and Julie,” Bracco shared, “because you recognize, in the history books of Hollywood and entertainment, these are two incredible legends and icons and people who influenced so many millions of people all over the world.” Because of that, the energy in the room was incomparable. “Everyone was just so happy to be a part of it,” he added.

Casey Durkin/NBC

“As we were filming and watching all the different cameras as they were shooting, you just saw so much joy on people’s faces looking up at the screen when we were rolling the retrospective packages,” he went on. “It wasn’t something we thought about when we were shooting, but in the edit, we ended up doing those little picture-in-picture boxes showing some of the stars in the audience watching those retrospective packages because they were laughing and had tears in their eyes at points. Their reactions were so great that we just knew we needed to capture that … including Carol as she was watching those packages. There was just an overwhelming feeling of love in the room. That’s the best way to describe it.”

“There was so much love between all the celebrities and those attending,” Gierahn added. “There was also so much love with just the crew and the production team. We were all so happy to be a part of it and make this night happen. And, you know, you don’t always get that either. So, there was just a lot of positivity that was really felt throughout the load-in and the whole night of the show, which was really nice.”

“There were a lot of really nice moments where various crew members from various departments just kind of would offhandedly like, as you were walking by them, say, ‘This is really special.’ We’ve all worked on a lot of shows and all that, but everyone working on the show recognized that this was a very special special.”

A special night for a special talent. Andrews turns 90 in three years. Is this team down for a tribute to Burnett’s beloved friend?

“Let’s do it. Yes, 100 percent,” Bracco said. Gierahn added, “Absolutely. I mean, who wouldn’t be?”

Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love, Streaming Now, Peacock

It’s basic vampire orthodoxy at this point that if you’re dealing with Dracula, he’d better be sexy. Or, barring that: Funny. Those are the two versions of Dracula we’ve settled on in our society: He’s either gotta be a Byronic blood-drinker who smolders as he kills, or Nicolas Cage schticking it up.

Hence our surprise—bordering on dismay!—at the trailer for upcoming horror film The Last Voyage Of The Demeter, in which the movie’s version of Bram Stoker’s infamous vampire is neither erotic nor chuckle-ready, but is, in fact, a pretty damn scary horror movie monster who is just going to eat a whole bunch of people. What is the world coming to?

Drac-heads will recognize that the book’s title and premise both come from Dracula itself, and specifically the chapter “The Captain’s Log,” which details the miserable tale of the ship that Dracula hires to carry his coffin, some native earth, and himself to England after he gets sick of snacking on Romanian peasants. True to the book, the Drac in the film doesn’t do sensual neck nibbles or goofy jokes: He just fucking eats people, none of whom (including stars Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, and Game Of Thrones’ Liam Cunningham) seem especially well-equipped to deal with a ravenous bat-man killing off their comrades.

And we might joke around a little, but Demeter actually looks pretty damn cool: A ship is a great “locked” location for a horror movie to take place in, and this version of Dracula seems legitimately scary, raising genuine questions about how any of these people might survive their voyage. (Spoilers for a century-old book: Most of them won’t.)

The Last Voyage Of The Demeter sails into theaters on August 11.

A teenager who was told he had no chance of making it to Cambridge due to his background is now studying law at the prestigious university.

Callum Stevens, 20, from Bolton, Manchester, came from a single-parent family after his mum, Maria, gave birth to him when she was just 16.

Although the odds were stacked against the aspiring lawyer, the dedicated student managed to bag a spot at one of the most prestigious universities in the world thanks to a mentoring scheme. 

The 20-year-old explained that he would ‘never change’ where he grew up as it has taught him important life lessons. 

Speaking to the Metro, he said: ‘I would never change where I come from, there is a true camaraderie to be had and I thoroughly believe that such an upbringing will teach you things that formal education never will.

Callum Stevens, from Bolton, Manchester, who was told he had no chance of making it to Cambridge due to his background, is now studying law at the prestigious university

At Callum’s state school, 50 per cent of students were eligible for free school meals and only 30 per cent achieved a Grade 5 or above in English or Maths.

As such, he says his teachers never expected him to be applying for such an elite university – especially as his mother or grandmother didn’t go on to higher education.

He said: ‘When I was at school it was often said that ”people like you don’t go to places like Cambridge”, so I decided to apply as a joke at first.

‘The comments were not only disheartening but difficult to overcome as they did not come from a place of animosity, but misinformation.’

Callum landed a work experience placement with a law firm in Year 10 which ignited his passion for law.

He then moved to Holy Cross College in Bury with a new support network and input from the Zero Gravity social mobility tech company. 

As Callum didn’t see Cambridge as a ‘serious option’, he applied for several other universities.

However, he secured his place at Christ’s College with A*’s in Law, English Literature and Mathematics.

Callum came from a single-parent family after his mum, Maria, gave birth to him when she was just 16

Callum said the primary barrier that his place of upbringing put before him was mindset (pictured as a child)

While applying for Cambridge, Callum received help through the process through his Zero Gravity mentor Annabelle, who had recently graduated with a degree in Law.

In hindsight, Callum says this support was ‘vital’ to him and he continues to receive help from the organisation.

The Zero Gravity Fund, also gave the law student a £1,000-a-year scholarship for the duration of his course. 

He admitted: ‘It has opened me up to so many opportunities which otherwise wouldn’t have been available. I hope that no matter what I go on to achieve in life, I will make an active contribution to bring those opportunities to those from upbringings like mine.

‘Getting to university is just one hurdle, funding it is entirely different. This has allowed me to focus on my studies, attend prestigious internships and make the most out of university life.’

Callum was raised by his mother and his grandmother also had a huge impact on his life (pictured with his mum)

Callum posed for a snap with fellow Christ’s student Laura at the college’s May Ball in 2022

Zero Gravity was started by Joe Seddon when he was just 21, after he grew up in a single-parent family and went to state school before attending Oxford.  

He came from a single parent, state school background and grew up in Morley, West Yorkshire before going on to study at Oxford.

As a result, he witnessed first-hand how challenging it can be for someone from his background to enter elite institutions such as Oxbridge, which is what encouraged him to set up Zero Gravity with the last £200 of his student loan. 

Zero Gravity have supported over 8000 students from low opportunity backgrounds into top universities around the UK.

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I was told I’d never get into Cambridge – I only applied as a joke and bagged a place on Law course

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