Celebrity

Nils Lofgren Drops Powerful New Protest Anthem: “No Kings, No Hate, No Fear”

Published

5 months ago

February 2, 2026

Veteran rocker and longtime E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren has released a raw, urgent protest song titled “No Kings, No Hate, No Fear”—co-written with his wife, Amy Lofgren, and described as “A Street Anthem for Freedom’s Gladiators.”

The track is currently available as a free download for a limited time directly from his official website, nilslofgren.com. Its simple, repetitive chorus—“Shout it loud and clear / Our freedom beating here”—aims to serve as an accessible rallying cry in turbulent times.

Lofgren premiered the official video on February 5, 2026, during a live appearance on the Mary Trump Media YouTube channel, where he joined host Mary L. Trump for an in-depth conversation. In the interview, Lofgren drew stark parallels between the current political climate and the Vietnam War era he experienced as a young musician in the late 1960s and 1970s.

“No Kings, No Hate, No Fear”—co-written with his wife, Amy Lofgren, and described as “A Street Anthem for Freedom’s Gladiators.”

“I have such PTSD from those times,” he shared. “And this time … this is worse.” He explained his choice of a stripped-down, primitive style: “I wanted to try writing an anthem that was honest, that didn’t have a lot of words, that was repetitive. Because we need that.” Lofgren expressed deep disappointment that progress from the civil rights advancements of the late ’60s feels reversed, amid ongoing violence and unrest.

He specifically referenced the heartbreaking recent deaths of protesters Renée Good (killed January 7, 2026) and Alex Pretti (killed January 24, 2026), both by federal agents during immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis. “We’re all watching in horror as people are getting killed in the street, and not just Renée Good and Alex Pretti. Other people are being killed, too,” he said. “Our heart goes out to all of them. But it’s just unacceptable and horrific, and we gotta try to get out of it.”

The song and its release come amid heightened national tensions over immigration policies, protests, and civil liberties. Lofgren, known for his lifelong commitment to social justice through music (from his work with Neil Young’s Crazy Horse to Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band), positions this as a direct call for unity and resistance without hatred or authoritarianism.

Fans and listeners can grab the free download while available at nilslofgren.com and check out the premiere video on the Mary Trump Media channel for the full context of the interview and performance.

This release underscores Lofgren’s enduring role as a voice for freedom and human dignity—timely, direct, and unapologetically hopeful in the face of division.

Celebrity

TESD, Q, and the Great NJ Fame Wall Conspiracy: Did They Finally Notice The Jersey Review?

Published

3 weeks ago

May 31, 2026

Editor-in-Chief

The Jersey Review - Tell Em' Steve- Dave, Impractical Jokers, Brian Quinn

There are certain moments in New Jersey entertainment culture where reality begins to blur into pure Jersey mythology. A casual podcast conversation turns into a weeks-long debate. A throwaway joke becomes local folklore. And somehow, against all odds, everyone ends up arguing about Ernie O’Donnell again.

Which brings us to the latest episode of Tell ’Em Steve-Dave! and what may or may not be the beginning of the greatest cultural controversy in modern New Jersey history:

Did TESD secretly launch a campaign to get onto The Jersey Review Fame Wall?

We’re just asking questions here.

Because after Episode #672, “Now You’re Fabio,” listeners quickly noticed something unusual: The Jersey Review got mentioned inside the sacred TESD universe. Now, for most podcasts, that would just be a nice little shoutout.

But this is TESD. Nothing is ever normal.

Especially when Impractical Jokers star Brian Quinn is involved.

Longtime listeners already know that Q exists in a rare category of New Jersey-adjacent fame. He’s simultaneously:

one of the most recognizable faces in American Comedy,
one of the funniest podcasters “kind of running a show in Jersey territory,”
and somehow still feels like a guy you’d randomly run into arguing about horror movies at a diner in Hazlet at 1:00 a.m with Jersey folks.

Which honestly makes him a consideration for our New Jersey Fame Wall. Normally, Fame Wall candidates must formally submit through info@thejerseyreview.com and pass the Jersey Review Smell Test. But for Q, we may need to convene an emergency committee.

And yet… nobody from TESD has formally requested induction yet. Suspicious.

Of course, once the conversation drifted into Jersey personalities and local legends, there was only one inevitable apparent destination: Ernie O’Donnell.

At this point, the “Ernie Debate” deserves protected historical status in New Jersey. TESD fans have spent plenty of time trying to determine whether Ernie is:

a cult comedy genius,
a chaos magnet,
the same guy who takes care of droves of children down at the local movie theatre,
a misunderstood icon,
the lighthouse that keeps Kevin Smith (Clerks, Dogma, Jersey Girl) returning to Jersey every month,
a suspiciously capable carpenter,
or the single most Jersey human being ever created.

The answer somehow continues to be… only Ernie truly knows.

What makes TESD special is that it still feels local in the best possible way. It feels Jersey. Even with massive audiences and years of podcast success, the show still sounds like old friends from Jersey (and Q, lol) sitting around making each other LAUGH until the conversation completely derails. And goes a little too south for general audiences.

That authenticity is why people love it.

It also explains why the possibility of Q, Walt, or even Bry himself appearing on the NJ Fame Wall suddenly feels weirdly plausible.

And honestly? It could happen. Submissions come in regularly.

Because the Fame Wall was never just about traditional celebrities. It’s always been about those shining stars, the people who are worthy of celebration for just being part of New Jersey culture itself. The personalities who represent the strange, funny, loyal, sarcastic energy that makes this state feel different from everywhere else. Those New Jerseyians that pass our smell test, and most of the time, it’s one strong whiff, and it’s either, “yup, she’s Jersey,” or “nope, not on our watch.”

TESD is definitely worth a submission, but none have been received to date.

The truth is, New Jersey has always had two entertainment industries:

the official one,
and the weird local one everybody actually talks about.

We have famous people from both. Which one TESD belongs to is probably still being debated, and that’s exactly what makes it fun.

So yes, we noticed the mention.

Yes, the NJ Fame Wall doors remain open… but heavily guarded. ;P

And yes, Q may currently be under highly classified internal review for “advanced Jersey icon status by the sheer mention of close professional association with NJ Fame Wall Star, Ernie O’Donnell, but only time will tell.”

As for Ernie O’Donnell?

The debate continues everywhere else. Here, however, the wall has spoken. As it should.

Here he sits in New Jersey, watching movies with an old friend, still half-kid at heart, tucked behind the public wall of the theater that shaped them.

Celebrity

Opinion: Why Whoopi Goldberg Was Removed from the NJ Fame Wall

Published

3 months ago

April 7, 2026

Editorial Director

There are certain names in American culture that carry undeniable weight. Whoopi Goldberg is one of them. Her career spans decades, her accomplishments are historic, and her place in entertainment history is secure. That was never in question.

What is in question is something more specific: identity, origin, and what it really means to represent New Jersey.
— a member of the Board of Trustees

The NJ Fame Wall was created with a clear purpose, to recognize individuals whose story is rooted in this state. Not those who passed through it. Not those who later chose to live here. But those whose formative years, cultural identity, and rise are directly tied to New Jersey itself.

That distinction matters.

After a formal review under the Jersey Review Celebrity Smell Test (JRCST), a member of the Board of Trustees pointed out something simple but critical: Whoopi Goldberg does not meet the first requirement for inclusion. She was not born here. She was not raised here. Her early life, her development, and her breakthrough all took place in New York City.

That’s her story, and it deserves to be respected as it is.

Yes, she has been a longtime resident of West Orange. And New Jersey has always been a place that welcomes people who choose to build a life here. But residency is not the same as representation. A home address doesn’t redefine where someone comes from, and it doesn’t place them within the cultural foundation the Fame Wall is meant to preserve.

This isn’t about exclusion, it’s about clarity.

New Jersey’s identity, especially in its Shore towns and long-standing communities, is built on generations of families, shared traditions, and a very real cultural backbone. The Fame Wall reflects that. It’s meant to highlight people who were shaped by that environment—people who carry it with them in their work and their story.

Once that line starts to blur, even for someone as accomplished as Goldberg—the purpose of the platform starts to fade.

And that’s why the standards matter.

The JRCST isn’t just a guideline, it’s a guardrail. It keeps recognition grounded in something real, not just fame. Because once exceptions are made, especially for major names, it becomes harder to say no the next time. And eventually, the wall stops meaning what it was built to represent.

This decision wasn’t political. It wasn’t personal. It was about staying consistent.

Whoopi Goldberg remains one of the most accomplished entertainers of her generation. Nothing about that changes. But her story is not a New Jersey story in the way this platform is designed to honor.

And in the long run, protecting that truth matters more than expanding the list. Because this was never about removing someone.

It was about protecting what the Fame Wall stands for.

Celebrity

Southside Johnny: The Grandfather of the New Jersey Sound

Few artists capture the soul of the Garden State the way Southside Johnny does. Born John Lyon on December 4, 1948, in Neptune, New Jersey, and raised in nearby Ocean Grove, Southside Johnny’s rise from local club stages to becoming a living legend of the Jersey music scene is as authentic and storied as the very boardwalks he once played beside.

Published

3 months ago

April 6, 2026

Editor-in-Chief

Why the Jersey Shore legend earns his place on the NJ Celebrity Fame Wall

Few artists capture the soul of the Garden State the way Southside Johnny does. Born John Lyon on December 4, 1948, in Neptune, New Jersey, and raised in nearby Ocean Grove, Southside Johnny’s rise from local club stages to becoming a living legend of the Jersey music scene is as authentic and storied as the very boardwalks he once played beside.

A Jersey Born and Raised Sound

Southside Johnny didn’t just make music, he helped define what people now celebrate as the Jersey Shore sound. Emerging from the vibrant Asbury Park music scene in the 1970s, he co-founded Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, a band that blended stones-tinged rock ’n’ roll with soul, R&B, and horn-driven rhythm, a style that came to characterize the local musical identity.

The band was a staple at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, a venue that itself has become synonymous with Jersey music lore, and their early albums; like I Don’t Want to Go Home and Hearts of Stone , helped elevate the Jersey Shore sound into a wider national spotlight.

A Legacy of Influence

Southside Johnny’s influence rippled far beyond bar gigs and regional tours. He was a mentor and touchstone for future stars; Jon Bon Jovi has credited him as his “reason for singing,” and his collaborations with Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt tied the Asbury Park scene’s major talents together in a shared musical heritage.

After decades of touring, recording, and performing globally, the impact of Southside Johnny’s music reverberated not just through the Northeast but across generations of fans and artists. In recognition of his cultural contributions, he was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame with the Class of 2018, an honor reflecting his deep roots in the state’s artistic legacy.

A True Jersey Icon

What makes Southside Johnny especially worthy of a place on thejerseyreview.com’s NJ Celebrity Fame Wall isn’t just his longevity or his catalog, it’s how intrinsically his story is tied to New Jersey’s identity. His music evokes the grit, soul, and rugged charm of the Shore; his journey mirrors the ups and downs of the local music scene; and his influence stretches from Asbury Park’s dive bars to arenas and concert halls around the world.

From Neptune to international stages, Southside Johnny’s sound truly is New Jersey, and that’s exactly why he belongs on the Fame Wall.