Here’s Why ‘Sinners’ May Have Been Snubbed By Media Outlets
by Sharelle B. McNair
January 2, 2026
In a video posted on TikTok, Jenkins went down a rabbit hole on why Penske may be the reason why the story of the SmokeStack twins was dissed by publications such as Variety.
Ahead of the 2025 Oscar nomination reveal, entertainment and media influencer Jarrod Jenkins is pinpointing the reason why the blockbuster hit “Sinners” was snubbed by some of the major entertainment outlets — their owner, Jay Penske.
In a TikTok video, Jenkins went down a rabbit hole into why Penske may be the reason the story of the SmokeStack twins was dismissed by publications such as Variety. The 46-year-old billionaire owns roughly all of entertainment media, including Rolling Stone, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, and Billboard.
Shortly after Sinners’ April 2025 release, a Variety tweet went viral, seemingly aimed at diminishing the success of the horror film, directed by Hollywood favorite Ryan Coogler, after a $61 million box-office debut.
Jenkins pointed out that despite the movie’s continued success — being re-released twice in select theaters and showcased in Clarksdale, Mississippi — it was left off Rolling Stone’s Top Films of 2025 list.
The No. 1 movie on the list was “One Battle After Another” starring Teyana Taylor, but it has since been criticized for its portrayal of Black women.
Comments on the video touch on this being the reason recent award shows feel empty, as Penske has been accused of leading the selection process of award winners. Tech entrepreneur Isaac Hayes III reposted the video on Instagram, supporting the narrative and feeling that capitalism is another reason journalism is losing its way.
“When one billionaire controls the press, the charts, and the awards, journalism stops being journalism. It becomes narrative management,” Hayes wrote on IG.
“That is why many of these institutions no longer carry cultural weight. Awards feel hollow. Charts feel manufactured. Coverage feels selective. Not because culture stopped evolving, but because legacy media stopped serving the truth and started serving power.”
There may be some truth to it, as America is witnessing a shake-up in the media, including at CBS News, CNN, and other networks. Major networks have been accused of being bought to limit free speech and to cater to a more conservative demographic, potentially pleasing the President of the United States. “Journalism cannot function without free speech, impartiality, and accountability. Legacy media has abandoned all three,” the Fanbase creator continues.
….”The collapse of credibility always precedes the rise of something new.”
It’s not only Sinners that Penske is alleged to hate. According to Santa Monica Daily Press, the media owner purchased a historic Black church, First Baptist Church of Venice, to build a massive home overlooking Oakwood Park. The purchase forced the congregation to relocate to Westchester.
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