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Cowboy chef says phones and screens at dinner are tearing American families apart

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“Cowboy” Kent Rollins has spent decades cooking for ranches across America, but his message goes far beyond cast-iron pans and campfire tips.

The longtime chuck wagon cook and TV personality is urging Americans to put down their phones at the dinner table, saying the habit is taking away from family connections.

“There are more people sitting at a table now, whether it’s at a restaurant or at home, holding a cell phone instead of a fork,” Rollins, based in New Mexico, told Fox News Digital in an interview.

COWBOY CHEF SHARES 6 SURVIVAL COOKING TRICKS FOR MINUS-30 WIND CHILLS AND 117-DEGREE HEAT

Known for his appearances on the Food Network and his Outdoor Channel show “Cast Iron Cowboy,” Rollins said he believes the simple act of gathering to share a meal without digital distractions can strengthen families and communities.

“America would be a better place all the way around if we still all gathered around the table, took our hats off, held hands, thanked God for what we have and the blessings that we’re getting every day, and thanked him for the meal and the hands that prepared it,” he said.

As modern life becomes increasingly fast-paced and tech-driven, Rollins suggests returning to more traditional mealtime habits, which he said can have a meaningful impact.

COWBOY CHEF SAYS AMERICANS ARE TURNING TO ONE OF THE ‘HEALTHIEST MEATS,’ AND IT’S AT MOST GROCERY STORES

“The world has sort of gotten away from that, but let’s all get gathered back up at that table,” he urged.

While about 55% of Americans report eating dinner with family, 63% say they watch TV during the meal and 28% say they use their phones, while just 41% say they talk with others at the table, according to a YouGov survey conducted last year.

But for Rollins, the dinner table has long served as more than just a place to eat. 

“As my mother said, it’s not the legs of the table that hold it up,” he recalled. “It’s the family around it.”

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That means “keep that phone in your pocket, enjoy the food and don’t forget to bless it,” he said.

Looking back, Rollins said some of his strongest memories come from Sunday dinners after church, when families gathered in the kitchen to prepare and share a meal together.

“Whether it be an old pot roast that they pulled out of an oven or a double fried chicken with gravy and mashed potatoes, beans, you know, and bread and cobbler, and you sit down — that’s family,” he said.

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Those moments went beyond feeding the body, he added.

“Not only is it nourishing your stomach, but you’re getting that bond that you need from other people to give you strength,” Rollins said. “You shared a story, you shared laughter, and you shared love.”

Even as he shares cooking tips — from simple oven-baked ribs to proper grill care heading into spring — Rollins grounds his approach to food in simplicity.

He spreads that message through his growing platform, including his YouTube channel, which has millions of subscribers, his Outdoor Channel series and his new podcast, “Cowboy Coffee Hour,” which he hosts with his wife.

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“If cooking was really difficult, I never would have made it,” he said. “Life is simple and don’t complicate cooking with it.”

He added, “Gather your friends and your family around the table, bless the food and have a good time because, hey, summer’s coming, and it’s time to eat.”

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Danica McKellar names the ‘Wonder Years’ co-star she’s ‘closest with’ decades after show’s end

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Danica McKellar made lifelong friends during her time as a child actress.

During an interview with Fox News Digital, the 51-year-old star shared who she is closest to from her former “The Wonder Years” cast members, noting they see each other “here and there.”

“We try to see each other. Not so much with Fred [Savage]. We text every now and then, but I see Josh [Saviano] sometimes when I’m in New York, and Dan Lauria for sure. Dan is the one I’m the closest with,” she said. “And then a lot of us were all at a convention, an autograph convention in 2024, and that was really fun. I think it was all of us except for Fred.”

When they do manage to get together, McKellar said, “it’s just great to see everybody.”

‘WONDER YEARS’ STAR DANICA MCKELLAR SAYS ONE THING KEPT HER FROM LOSING HERSELF AS A CHILD IN HOLLYWOOD

McKellar was 12 years old when she landed the role of Winnie Cooper in the hit show, and was 18 when the show aired its final season in 1993.

WATCH: DANICA MCKELLAR KEEPS IN TOUCH THE MOST WITH THIS ‘WONDER YEARS’ CO-STAR 

As members of the cast get older, they are able to be there as each of them reaches certain milestones, such as Jason Hervey becoming a grandfather, and all of them turning 50.

“Fred’s going to turn 50 in July,” she said. “And once he turns 50 — he was the youngest of all of us — at that point… we’ll all be 50-plus. Pretty wild.”

The show aired on ABC for six seasons from 1988 to 1993, and in that time won four Emmy Awards for writing and directing.

In addition to acting, McKellar has made a name for herself as an author and a mathematician, writing many math books, including “Math Doesn’t Suck,” which focuses on middle school-level math, “Kiss My Math,” for those looking for help with pre-algebra, and more advanced books such as “Hot X: Algebra Exposed” and “Girls Get Curves: Geometry Takes Shape.”

WATCH: DANICA MCKELLAR REACTS TO ALL THE ‘WONDER YEARS’ CAST MEMBERS TURNING 50

The “Swing Into Romance” star is gearing up to release her new book, “I Love You 100,” which she will present at the 31st annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, taking place at the University of Southern California on April 18 and 19.

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“I am so excited to be returning to the LA Times Festival of Books. It’s been so many years, and I love this event,” she told Fox News Digital. 

As the nation’s largest literary festival, the LA Times Festival of Books features over 550 authors, poets and storytellers, as well as hundreds of exhibitors, and free outdoor activities, including panels, cooking demos, and live music. McKellar’s favorite part is the people.

It’s a great event. I love talking to audiences, especially book lovers, because I just feel like in today’s society, today’s world, we need more people who love books, and let’s celebrate people who love books and love reading books. And I just love seeing the faces of teachers, parents, sometimes there’s a bunch of kids in the audience too, which I also love.”

When it comes to reading and writing books, McKellar previously told Fox News Digital that she credits her focus on her education as the reason she managed to avoid the devastating downfall experienced by many child stars when they get older.

“When I got done with ‘The Wonder Years,’ I graduated from high school within a couple months, went to UCLA, got a degree in mathematics, and that’s why I write math books in addition to continuing to be an actress.”

McKellar has since starred in a number of films with Great American Family, including “Grounded in Love,” “Have We Met this Christmas” and “A Royal Christmas Ball.”

WATCH: DANICA MCKELLAR WILL PRESENT HER NEW BOOK AT THE LOS ANGELES TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS 

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She told Fox News Digital she considers herself “fortunate to be making my movies on Great American Family Channel,” as there is less pressure to be “a sex symbol in my 50s.”

“I mean, I still want to put cute dresses on and look attractive and work out and show off my abs here and there or whatever, but it’s not the ideal of Hollywood, and I don’t feel like I need to try to do that,” she explained.

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Hungarians vote in record numbers as Trump-ally Viktor Orbán faces biggest electoral threat since 2010

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The U.S. and Europe are watching closely as Hungarians turned out in record numbers to vote Sunday in a high-stakes election that sets up Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, supported by President Donald Trump, against his former political ally, Péter Magyar.

Trailing in the opinion polls, Orbán received a major boost earlier this week when Vice President JD Vance visited the country, making clear what the administration’s position was on the importance of having a pro-U.S. candidate in the heart of Europe, as so many of its continental allies have proven lackluster, most notably for a lack of help in the war against Iran.

In his remarks, Vance made clear why he was there. “The reason why we’re doing it is because we thought there was so much garbage happening against Viktor in this election that we had to show that there are actually a lot of people and a lot of friends across the world who recognize that Viktor and his government are doing a good job, and they’re important partners for peace,” he said at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, a private university in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. “That’s why we’re here, but ultimately the Hungarian people are going to be sovereigns because that’s how it should be.”

TRUMP CALLS INTO VANCE-ORBAN HUNGARY EVENT: ‘MY KIND OF PEOPLE’

Following Vance’s return to the U.S., Trump weighed in on Truth Social Friday: “My Administration stands ready to use the full economic might of the United States to strengthen Hungary’s Economy, as we have done for our great allies in the past, if Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the Hungarian People ever need it. We are excited to invest in the future prosperity that will be generated by Orbán’s continued leadership!”

Beloved by many older and more rural Hungarians and reviled by detractors, Orbán has emerged as the country’s most consequential leader since its transition to democracy at the end of the Cold War. Still, the election campaign has become intense.

Orbán’s strained relationship with the European Union comes from his positioning on Russia’s war against Ukraine, his country’s firm support of Israel and his hard stance on not accepting migrants, which led to EU financial sanctions for his refusal to open the country’s border to foreigners.

During the 16-year Orbán government, the Hungarian economy has grown relatively quickly for an EU country. The country’s GDP per capita (what the average person earns annually) rose to nearly $17,000 last year, up from approximately $12,000 in 2014, according to Trading Economics data. However, it’s not all good. Inflation has recently been relatively high at an annual rate of 4.9%, and business sentiment has been consistently negative since August 2022.

TRUMP SAYS HUNGARY’S BORDER STANCE KEEPS CRIME DOWN, SAYS EUROPE ‘FLOODING’ WITH MIGRANTS

The polls shows Magyar’s Tisza party with 50% of the vote and Orbán’s Fidesz party behind at 39% as of April 9, according to Politico. Magyar now poses the largest electoral threat to Orbán since 2010.

“The polls are going well for the opposition,” Daniel Wood, portfolio manager at William Blair Investment Management, told Fox News Digital. “If the opposition wins, there’s a chance that the EU unlocks the frozen funds, which are around 7% of the GDP.”  

Speaking to reporters outside a polling station Sunday, Orbán, 62, said the campaign had been “a great national moment on our side” and thanked activists and supporters for their work. “I’m here to win,” the Associated Press reported.

In an interview earlier in the week, Magyar complained the EU’s longest-serving leader has led the country on a “180-degree turn” in recent years, endangering its Western orientation while cozying up to Moscow. Yet despite that drift, “Hungarians still see that Hungary’s peace and development are guaranteed by membership of the European Union and NATO,” Magyar said. “I think this really will be a referendum on our country’s place in the world,” he told the Associated Press.

Results are expected later Sunday afternoon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Debra Messing opens up on antisemitism, October 7 and backlash over pro-Israel stance

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Actress Debra Messing reflected Tuesday on her upbringing, experiences with antisemitism and her public advocacy following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.

“I knew at a very young age that I was different,” Messing told “Being Jewish” podcast host Jonah Platt at an event hosted by the Jewish Federation of Broward County. “People didn’t like me. And I just instinctively shrunk because I always felt the sense of danger.”

The conversation centered on Messing’s childhood in Rhode Island, where she described repeated incidents of anti-Jewish harassment, as well as her later decision to speak out more publicly in defense of Israel and Jewish identity.

Messing said her early experiences shaped how she understood her identity and safety, recalling how her family’s property was repeatedly vandalized and how she concealed her faith in school.

FOX NEWS ‘ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED’ NEWSLETTER: HOLLYWOOD’S HATEFUL HORROR SHOW

“We were not liked,” Messing said. “My parents had to sit me down and say, ‘People don’t like us. There is no reason. It’s just a fact, but we are proud Jews.’”

She described one early incident in elementary school that marked her awareness of antisemitism.

“The first thing that happened was in second grade,” Messing said. “This little boy turned to me and said, ‘Get to the back of the line.’ And I didn’t know what the word was.”

Messing said she did not feel a sense of belonging until attending college, where she encountered a strong Jewish community.

“It wasn’t until then that I realized I’ve never felt safe in my entire life until now,” she said.

Platt asked about her public advocacy, particularly after the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel. Messing said the global response influenced her decision to speak out more forcefully.

THIS PASSOVER, NO MORE WAITING: A CALL FOR STRENGTH, UNITY AND THE UNAPOLOGETIC DEFENSE OF JEWISH LIFE

“When Oct. 7 happened, I expected the whole world to be mourning with us,” Messing said. “And then the very next day when they were celebrating in the streets and siding with Hamas… I remember saying, ‘If not now, now.’”

“There’s absolutely no option,” Messing said. “We have to get out there and defend Israel, defend the Israeli people and straighten people out.”

Messing also addressed her use of social media, explaining that her initial goal was to provide information and encourage dialogue.

“I wanted to educate,” Messing said. “I wanted to put out information about Israel, about our history… to try and encourage a dialogue.”

“It became very clear very quickly that that was impossible.”

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Messing added that she continues to respond to criticism while maintaining her public pro-Israel stance.

“As soon as I started defending Israel and being a proud Jew, the kind of comments that I get… they are so deranged and hurtful and painful,” she said.

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