Arts & Entertainment
Chicken nugget boy breaks Ellen DeGeneres’ Twitter record
the fast food chain also donated $100k to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

(Carter Wilkerson and Ellen DeGeneres. Screenshot via YouTube.)
High school student Carter Wilkerson broke the record for most retweets on Twitter, surpassing Ellen DeGeneres who previously held the title.
In April, Wilkerson, 16, tweeted Wendy’s asking the fast food chain how many retweets it would take to receive a year of free chicken nuggets. Wendy’s replied it would seal the deal if he could earn 18 million retweets.
Wilkerson took on the challenge and the hashtag #NuggsforCarter was born.
HELP ME PLEASE. A MAN NEEDS HIS NUGGS pic.twitter.com/4SrfHmEMo3
— Carter Wilkerson (@carterjwm) April 6, 2017
DeGeneres held the record for the most retweets with her March 2014 Oscars selfie. While hosting the Academy Awards, DeGeneres gathered big-name celebrities like Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep and Lupita Nyong’o for a selfie that has since received more than 3.4 million retweets.
If only Bradley’s arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscars pic.twitter.com/C9U5NOtGap
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 3, 2014
As Wilkerson gained on DeGeneres, the talk show host invited him on her April 18 show and gave him a new TV and a year’s supply of Ellen underwear in exchange for him to not take away her title.
While Wilkerson didn’t reach 18 million he did surpass DeGeneres’ tweet making his plea for free chicken nuggets the most retweeted on Twitter. Wendy’s agreed to gift Wilkerson his nuggets and donated $100,000 to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in his name.
Wilkerson has started his own website to raise funds for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Pinocchio’s Moms on the Run, a charity that provides services to women with breast cancer and their families.
.@carterjwm is now the most retweeted tweet of all-time. That’s good for the nuggets, and $100k to @DTFA. Consider it done. #nuggsforcarter pic.twitter.com/k6uhsJiP4E
— Wendy’s (@Wendys) May 9, 2017
The Capital Pride Alliance presented the 2026 Capital Pride Honors at “The Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia” at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C. on Sunday, June 7.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)












Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.
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