oh no she didn

The Twitterazzi takes its turn with CultureMap's Social Icon: Who is the FakeShelby Hodge?

Our Editor-at-Large and society writer extraordinaire Shelby Hodge doesn't carry many airs, but these days, she's really been wearing her heart on her sleeve. She's spilling all her secrets - attending a banquet for the Testicular Elephantiasis Foundation and passing out at swank soirees (a recent tweet revealed, "Thought I was at a black-tie dinner for dwarfism. Turns out I woke up in the @HoustonZoo penguin tank. Raw bar!")

Has our local high society lovely gone off the deep end?

Take a closer look - turns out that these are the words of a Shelby Hodge-obsessed hooligan who's taking the gala savant to trial on the Twittersphere.

When @fakeshelbyhodge unveiled at 2:52 a.m. on Wednesday morning with the confident announcement, "Feeling fabulous," she brought to the fore many questions: Who is the man (or woman) behind the over-the-eyes bangs icon? Why is he awake so late? Will @fakeshelbyhodge have a viral effect similar to @BPglobalPR and @corpzflowrlois?

And most importantly, is Houston ready for two Shelbys?

When asked how the extra attention makes her feel, the real Shelby proudly declares, "It makes me feel fabulous!"

She's announced an open invitation to the secret Twitterer, asking, "Call me - let's do lunch at Tony's." And no bitter feelings here: "Mimicry is the highest form of flattery, isn't it?" she surmises.

Time will tell how far the pseudo society columnist will go. Unlike the real deal, the ghost tweeter appears to prefer the wee hours of the night when it comes to pumping out the gems. For now we only are left chuckling with a mere seven tweets - a scant low work ethic in comparison to the real Shelby Hodge.

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a new record

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo commits over $30 million to education

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo cattle exhibition

Courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

The money supports studies in fields such as animal husbandry.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo continues its annual tradition of breaking its own record when it comes to educational endowments. On Giving Tuesday, the organization pledged to disburse $30,353,380 in 2026 in the form of scholarships, grants, and other funding.

“This milestone moment of reaching $30 million in a single year highlights the Rodeo’s unwavering dedication to Texas youth and education,” HLSR president and CEO Chris Boleman said in a statement. “Thanks to our loyal donors, sponsors, more than 36,000 volunteers and dedicated attendees, 2026 will reach historic heights in supporting the next generation of leaders, agricultural professionals and organizations that share the Rodeo’s mission.”

This brings the total of education funding provided by the Rodeo since 1932 up to $660 million. Last year's $28 million commitment also set a new record.

One innovation this year is the establishment of the Area Go Texan Vocational Scholarship, a program that expands on the relationship with 68 Texas counties through the Area Go Texan affiliate program. One student from each county will receive $6,000 toward a degree or certificate in a vocational field at a Texas nonprofit college or university. Another $500,000 in vocational scholarships will awarded to 10 schools in 2026. Guidelines for applying can be found at this link.

In total, the Rodeo will hand out $15,126,000 in scholarships, $11,273,500 to junior exhibitors, $3,430,880 in grants, and $523,000 in graduate assistantships. Grants will be awarded to 82 Texas institutions and organizations, such as Arts for Rural Texas, BridgeYear, The Bryan Museum, Diversity in the Arts and Entertainment, Greater Houston Partnership Foundation, Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA), Space Center Houston, Texas State University Development Foundation, and University of St. Thomas at Houston.

Money for the annual endowment is raised through the annual auctions, sales of livestock and art, and through charitable donations. The goal of the endowment program is to promote study and research in agriculture, animal husbandry, and other fields that directly benefit the Rodeo.

The Rodeo is scheduled to run from March 2 – 22, 2026. More information on performers, attractions, and vendors can be found at RodeoHouston.com. Scholarship applications are open through February 2, with funds being awarded in summer 2026.

rodeohouston houston livestock show and rodeo