10/13/2023: “Eras” On the Big Screen 📽️
PLUS: Gone in 900 Seconds; Sharon & Ozzy’s Death Plan; and The King Goes to Kenya
Today is Friday, October 13, 2023.
It is the 286th day of the year.
79 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Targeted strikes threaten more factories as UAW increases the pressure on automakers and the IOC sanctions Russia’s Olympic organizing committee. More in HIT LIST.
JOE JONAS and SOPHIE TURNER want to settle their divorce in private and DOLLY PARTON is serious about her makeup. More in SHOWBIZ.
These spooky sequels are not worth watching. More in CASTING CALL.
YE has pissed off some more Italians. More in KARDASH.
The KING sets his first foreign trip to a Commonwealth country. More in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
FTX-FILES: During her last day of testimony in SAM BANKMAN-FRIED’s fraud trial, CAROLINE ELLISON says that SBF talked her out of quitting when she tried to walk away from it all, before the collapse last November.
She also said she hasn’t spoken to him since then, either.
OVERALL: Watchers and analysts seem to agree that the defense didn’t make up any ground to undermine her testimony. [via Morning Martini]
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UNITED AUTO WORKERS has expanded its strike against FORD, calling for 8,700 members at a Kentucky plant that makes pickups and SUVs to walk off the job.
CNBC reports that the plant is Ford’s biggest in terms of headcount and revenue. Insiders say the expansion surprised Ford and marked a new phase in UAW’s negotiating tactics, after Ford failed to bring more cash to its most recent union offer. [via CNBC]
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The International Olympic Committee has suspended Russia’s official olympic organizing committee, after the country claimed athletes in occupied Ukrainian regions as their own.
The move cuts off Russia’s organization from IOC funding. It could also prohibit Russian athletes from competing at next summer’s games in Paris, even as country-neutral participants. [via Yahoo! Sports]
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A crew of thieves in Connecticut made off with $380,000 worth of cars from a dealer’s lot late Tuesday night.
Camera footage shows the crooks breaking into the showroom through a broken window and driving off 15 minutes later with four vehicles: a 2015 Porsche, a 2022 Dodge Ram, a 2022 Dodge Charger, and a 2022 GMC Terrain, which was used to ram the barrier open. The Terrain was swiftly abandoned just up the road.
A tracking device located one of the missing vehicles in New York City. Authorities are investigating. [via WFSB]
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This bathroom item is dirtier than your toilet, yet most people say they only wash it twice a year. 🤢 Any guesses?
It’s your bath mat.
Experts suggest washing a bath mat every one to two weeks, but a survey from e-commerce company Big Bathroom Shop found that nearly a third of people admit that they only wash their “two times a year.”
In addition to potential mold from all the moisture they absorb, bath mats also harbor bacteria that is released every time the toilet flushes, which is even more of a reason to wash that mat!! [via NY Post]
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DEATHS
Actress PHYLLIS COATES has died.
She passed away Wednesday of natural causes, according to a statement from her daughter.
Coates was best known for her one-season role as Lois Lane in “Adventures of Superman” -- which made her the first actress to play the character.
She was 96.
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Musician RUDOLPH ISLEY has died.
He passed away Wednesday in Illinois, according to multiple outlets. The cause of death is currently unknown.
Isley is best known as being one of the founding members of THE ISLEY BROTHERS.
He was 84.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW lost 173 points (0.51%) to close at 33,631 on Thursday. The S&P lost 27 points (0.62%) to close at 4,349 and the NASDAQ lost 85 points (0.63%) to close at 13,574.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $83; BRENT CRUDE at $86.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.64 on Thursday.
₿ BITCOIN was mostly flat, trading just over $26,700.
🛩 There were more than 4,210 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Thursday and more than 80 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $48 million jackpot or a $21.2 million cash payout. Saturday night’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $20 million jackpot or a $9.1 million cash payout.
WINNER, WINNER!: A winning ticket for the $1.76 BILLION Powerball jackpot was drawn Wednesday night in Kern County, California. The odds of matching all the numbers was 1 in 292 million.
HISTORY REPEATS: Wednesday’s drawing was the second-largest Powerball in US history. The largest Powerball drawing -- for $2 BILLION -- was also won by a Californian; in 2022.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
These albums drop today:
Adam Melchor, “Fruitland” EP
Bad Bunny, “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana (Nobody Knows What Will Happen Tomorrow)”
Beartooth, “The Surface”
Boygenius, “the rest” EP
Chelsea Cutler, “Stellaria”
Gavin DeGraw, “A Classic Christmas”
Gucci Mane, “Breath of Fresh Air”
Johnny Mathis, “Christmas Time is Here”
Metric, “Formentera II”
Offset, “Set It Off”
Ringo Starr, “Rewind Forward” EP
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JOE JONAS filed to dismiss his petition for divorce in Miami after he and SOPHIE TURNER were able to reach “various agreements” during their recent mediation -- including a custody plan for their two young daughters.
According to the filing, the estranged couple plan to “pursue an amicable resolution of all issues,” basically meaning they have agreed to settle their split in private.
Jonas filed for divorce from Turner last month after four years of marriage. [via Metro]
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The audio version of BRITNEY SPEARS’ forthcoming memoir, “The Woman in Me” will be co-narrated by an unidentified celebrity.
Insiders told TMZ that part of the story will be told by Britney, while the rest -- mainly the parts about her family -- will be read by a famous female.
“The Woman in Me” hits shelves on October 24. [via TMZ]
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The SpotFund account set up to help with Olympian MARY LOU RETTON’s medical expenses surpassed $375,000 on Thursday -- leaving the $50,000 goal in the dust.
“My sisters and I are overwhelmed,” Retton’s daughter Shayla wrote on Instagram. “We didn’t even realize that there’s so many people out there that love her just as much as we do.”
As previously reported, Retton, who was the first American woman to win all-around gold at the 1984 Olympics, has been hospitalized with a rare case of pneumonia. [via TheCount]
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Actor TOM HARDY has teamed up with writer SCOTT SNYDER on a new comic book, called “Arcbound.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, he will be in charge of character development for the 12-issue series, which takes place in a future where Earth is a barren wasteland.
Hardy has creative experience, having been part of the writing process for “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” and the forthcoming third “Venom” film.
The first issue is set to be released in March 2024. [via THR]
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Nearly two decades after SHARON and OZZY OSBOURNE revealed they have an assisted suicide pact in place, the couple shared that “dying with dignity” is still their plan.
On a recent episode of the “Osbournes Podcast,” their son, JACK OSBOURNE, asked if his parents still plan to travel to Switzerland to end their lives at Dignitas, a physician-assisted suicide organization.
Sharon confirmed the plans, telling listeners that she and Ozzy “don’t want to suffer,” explaining that they came up with the plan after watching Sharon’s dad “deteriorate at such a rapid speed” during his battle with Alzheimer’s. [via Express]
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There are only a few select situations DOLLY PARTON said she would be okay going makeup free.
The first would be some sort of medical emergency for either herself or her husband and the second would be if she was dead.
“I’m going to clean up a little if I’m going outside, unless there’s an absolute emergency, and it would have to be pretty serious. I would do it then, but that would be the only way,” she told People Magazine.
Parton chronicles her iconic looks in “Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones,” which hits shelves on October 17. [via People]
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SHAQUILLE O’NEAL and ALLEN IVERSON have reunited with Reebok, as President and Vice President of basketball, respectively.
Reebok CEO Todd Krinsky said the new roles were “created” for the NBA icons, who first signed with Reebok in 1992 (O’Neal) and 1996 (Iverson). [via USA Today]
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CASTING CALL
TAYLOR SWIFT was on hand at The Grove in Los Angeles on Wednesday where she thanked the more than 2,000 fans for showing up to the premiere of her movie, “The Eras Tour.”
All 13 AMC theaters on site were full of Swifties, including ADAM SANDLER, SIMU LIU, MARISKA HARGITAY, FLAVOR FLAV, MAREN MORRIS, JULIA GARNER and BEYONCE.
Swift’s rumored beau TRAVIS KELCE was not at the premiere, though that may be because his Kansas City Chiefs played in this week’s Thursday Night Football game against the Denver Broncos.
As for the film, it has already broken all records for single-day advance ticket sales at $26 million. By Sunday, it is predicted to gross more than $100 million domestically and at least $150 million worldwide. [via Variety]
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If you’re in the mood for some scary films this spooky season, maybe stay away from these sequels/reboots, which the NY Post calls “scary for all the wrong reasons.”
In no particular order…
“Jaws: The Revenge”
“Leprechaun 4: In Space”
“Friday the 13th Part VII: Jason Takes Manhattan”
“Exorcist II: The Heretic”
“Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2”
“Troll 2”
“I Still Know What You Did Last Summer”
“An American Werewolf in Paris”
“Poltergeist III”
“A Nightmare on Elm Street”
[via NY Post]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
Rumor is…YE is having a set built for a surprise gig at an outdoor venue in Italy and local veterans’ groups are not pleased with the idea.
Those groups, made up of service people who fought against the Nazis and Italian dictator Beniot Mussolini, have blasted Ye over his outspoken support of Hitler.
For those who may have forgotten, in an interview last year Ye said, “I love Jewish people, but I also love Nazis. There’s a lot of things that I love about Hitler, a lot of things, I like Hitler…I am a Nazi.”
In a statement regarding the rumored concert, the National Association of Italian Partisans (ANPI) said that while they support “artistic liberty” they are “very concerned about what message [the show] conveys.”
Ye’s reps refused to comment on the situation. [via Daily Mail]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
KING CHARLES will make his first visit to a Commonwealth nation since ascending to the throne, when he travels to Kenya on October 31.
He plans to visit Nairobi National Park and meet with conservationists and environmental activists. [via Express]
WORTH REMEMBERING: A 25-year-old QUEEN ELIZABETH II was visiting Kenya in 1952 when her father died and she became monarch.
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Train Your Brain Day
National Transfer Money to Your Son Day
World Egg Day
National No Bra Day
Vet Nurse Day
National M&M Day
Disaster Day
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ON THIS DATE
1792 - The cornerstone of the United States Executive Mansion is laid in Washington, D.C.
Unlike the foundation of the US Capitol, there was no formal ceremony. Slaves and indentured Europeans bore the bulk of the construction labor.
The whole project took just over eight years and cost $2.8 million in today’s dollars.
Today, no one is certain where the cornerstone is.
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1812 - WAR OF 1812 - An attempted invasion of Canada by American forces is halted by British and Indian troops.
Sir Isaac Brock commanded the Brits, and inflicted more than 1,000 casualties on the American regulars.
The victory halted any future attempts for Americans to push across the Canadian side of the Niagara River.
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1845 - The Independent Republic of Texas approves a new constitution which, if accepted by Congress, would make Texas the 28th state.
Although the republic’s people had recently fought and won a war to gain independence from Mexico, they longed for American statehood.
That dream would come true in December, when President Polk signed legislation to annex Texas. A Mexican ambassador said the annexation would be considered an act of war and tried to flee the U.S.
The first shots of the Mexican-American War would be fired April 25 the next year.
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1946 - The people of France approve a new Constitution, laying the foundation for the Fourth Republic in the wake of World War II.
The new document gave executive power to a President of the Council, and left highly symbolic powers to the President of the Republic.
This government lasted until 1958 – with the foundation of the Fifth Republic.
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1967 - The Oakland Oaks beat the Anaheim Amigos 134-129 in the first game of the American Basketball Association.
There were 11 teams in the league, which lasted until 1976. The ABA was known for ostentation much more so than the NBA: the regulation ball was red, white, and blue; cheerleaders wore bikinis (a little more risqué for the time); trash-talking and fights were regular occurrences.
The shot clock was 30 seconds, and it was the first to use the 3-point shot, which was eventually adopted by the NBA. Its All-Star game also introduced the first slam-dunk contest.
Julius Erving was one of several NBA stars who got their start in the ABA. In 1976, it would merge with the NBA.
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2010 - Thirty-three miners buried in a collapsed gold and copper mine in Chile are rescued after spending more than two months underground.
A one-man capsule pulled men individually to the surface. The individual trip took 15 minutes. The entire rescue operation took just about 24 hours.
All of the men survived, though many needed immediate medical attention.
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2021 - Actor William Shatner becomes the oldest person to head into space at 90-years-old.
He accomplished the feat during a 10-minute flight in Blue Origin’s New Shepard Rocket.
Shatner was joined by three crewmates, and Blue Orgin’s Jeff Bezos.
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BIRTHDAYS
Caleb McLaughlin - actor, “Stranger Things” - 22
Jimin - pop singer, BTS - 28
Tiffany Trump - daughter of Donald - 30
JP Cappelletty - drummer for Machine Gun Kelly - 30
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - politician - 34
Ashanti - R&B singer - 43
Paul Pierce - basketball player - 46
Sacha Baron Cohen - actor, “Talladega Nights” & “The Dictator” - 52
Nancy Kerrigan - Olympic figure skater - 54
Tisha Campbell-Martin - actress, “My Wife and Kids” & “Martin” - 55
Kate Walsh - actress, “Grey’s Anatomy” & “Private Practice” - 56
Matt Walsh - actor, “Veep” & “Ghostbusters” - 59
Jerry Rice - football player - 61
Marie Osmond - actress & singer, The Osmonds - 64
Sammy Hagar - rock singer, Van Halen - 76
Paul Simon - folk singer - 82
Born On This Date
Kelly Preston - actress, “Jack Frost” & “For Love of the Game” - 1962 (d. 2020)
Margaret Thatcher - UK’s first female Prime Minister - 1925 (d. 2013)
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