10/23/2023: Mannequin Bandit!
PLUS: Fishtermination; #TeamBritney vs. #TeamJustin; and Building the Meg-pire
Today is Monday, October 23, 2023.
It is the 296th day of the year.
69 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
An NYPD officer has been busted for an illicit trade while on the job and police in England investigate a salacious discovery. Details in HIT LIST.
BRET MICHAELS has a new furry friend and TOBY KEITH is ready to get back to performing. More in SHOWBIZ.
JON STEWART’s show on Apple is coming to an end. Find out why in CASTING CALL.
KIM KARDASHIAN celebrated turning 43 over the weekend. More in KARDASH.
MEGHAN MARKLE has what appears to be an inefficient approach to earning money. More in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
An NYPD officer has resigned from the force and faces multiple drug charges for her role in negotiating drug deals – while on the job!
The officer, 37-year-old Grace Baez, has been on the force for just over a decade. Her roommate faces charges, though he’s not on the force.
Prosecutors say they busted Baez’s drug ring using a confidential source, who was able to record the deal.
No word how long she’s been allegedly running the ring, but the evidence to charge was collected in the last few weeks. [via NBC News]
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Conservation officials in Virginia have led a mass-euthanization initiative to kill out an estimated 40,000 trout to stop the spread of whirling disease.
A parasite triggers the affliction, which often causes trout to endlessly swim in circles – hence the “whirling.”
Fortunately, the issue was identified at a hatchery, not in the wild. Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources says the culling represents a 20% reduction in normal stocking levels for the area. [via News Nation]
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Locals in the sleepy village of Kineton, England, were frightened to find what looked like human remains sticking out from tree limbs along a hiking trail.
When cops were dispatched with a forensics team to investigate, everyone quickly breathed a sigh of relief. There was not a killer among them, after all: the remains were that of a realistic, life-size sex doll.
One local described it, perhaps even more frightening than a corpse, as being “very dirty, broken and overused.” [via NY Post]
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A 22-year-old Polish man pretended to be a mannequin so he could go undetected inside a Warsaw department store and rob the place.
The unnamed man stood still in front of a shop, while unsuspecting employees closed things down. Once he felt he was in the clear, the guy proceeded to roam the different boutiques, swiping whatever caught his attention.
The perp was eventually spotted by security guards who called local police. He was arrested, booked and charged with theft and burglary, which could land him up to 10 years in prison. [via Insider]
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A 1981 DeLorean -- the same car featured in “Back to The Future -- was found in a barn in Wisconsin, with original parts and less than 1,000 miles on it.
Mike McElhattan, who specializes in repairing DeLoreans, said he was skeptical when he received a call about the vintage ride, but perked up when he was given more details, such that it had the original tires and the iconic doors still worked.
After wiping off nearly two decades worth of dust and rodent droppings, McElhattan decided he needed to buy the ride. It is unknown what he paid for it, but others have sold for up to six figures.
HISTORY LESSON: DeLoreans were made between 1981 and 1983. Only about 9,000 were ever produced, however, before the DeLorean Motor Company went bankrupt. The good news is that the company had planned on making 25,000 cars a year and had stocked its warehouses with enough parts that even today DeLorean drivers can get what they need. [via CNN]
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DEATHS
Actress ELAINE DEVRY has died.
She passed away on September 20 at her home in Grants Pass, Oregon, according to a recent report. No cause of death was shared.
Devry, who appeared in “The Atomic Kid” and “A Guide for the Married Man,” was also the fourth of actor MICKEY ROONEY’s eight wives.
She was 93.
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Texas high school sophomore ANGEL HERNANDEZ collapsed and died last week after breaking his personal time record at a cross-country meet.
It is not yet known what caused the teen to collapse.
He was only 16.
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BREAKUPS
Oscar-winning actress MERYL STREEP and her husband, sculptor DON GUMMER have secretly been living separate lives for more than six years.
Streep and Gummer tied the knot in 1978, just six months after meeting. They welcomed four children over the course of their relationship.
While the couple has not been spotted publicly since 2018, earlier this year Streep told Vogue magazine that the secret to their lengthy marriage was “goodwill and willingness to bend -- and to shut up every once in a while.”
There has not been any talk of divorce -- at least not publicly.
By the way -- he’s 76 and she’s 74.
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WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
10. The Nun II: $887k (down from 8)
9. The Blind: $1 million (down from 6)
8. A Haunting in Venice: $1.1 million (down from 7)
7. The Creator: $2.6 million (down from 5)
6. Saw X: $3.5 million (down from 4)
5. The Nightmare Before Christmas: $4.1 million (re-release)
4. PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie: $4.4 million (down from 3)
3. The Exorcist: Believer: $5.6 million (down from 2)
2. Killers of the Flower Moon: $23 million (new)
1. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour: $31 million (stayed at 1)
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈The DOW lost 286 points (0.86%) to close at 33,127 on Friday. The S&P lost 53 points (1.26%) to close at 4,224 and the NASDAQ lost 202 points (1.53%) to close at 12,983.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $89 on Friday; BRENT CRUDE at $92.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.55 on Sunday.
₿ BITCOIN gained over the weekend, trading just shy of $30,000 on Sunday.
🛩 There were more than 1,890 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Sunday and more than 120 such cancellations.
💰Tuesday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $114 million jackpot or a $49.1 million cash payout. Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $85 million jackpot or a $36.9 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
More details about BRITNEY SPEARS’ abortion have surfaced.
In her forthcoming memoir, “The Woman in Me,” Spears details how after becoming pregnant in 2000, she and then-boyfriend JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE decided to have an abortion at home -- so no one would know.
Shaken by the “excruciating” and “hours-long” procedure, Spears writes how she was left “sobbing” on the bathroom floor while Timberlake tried to comfort her by playing his guitar. [via Metro]
For his part, insiders told the Daily Mail that Timberlake “thought the decision that they made was a decision made together and he intended to never talk about it and for it to be kept their secret forever.” As for the other bombshells from Spears’ memoir, the source says Timberlake does not plan to speak out about them. [via Daily Mail]
“The Woman in Me” hits shelves tomorrow.
PICK A SIDE: Get ready for lots of #TeamBritney and #TeamJustin.
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A YouTube clip of actress EMILY BLUNT negatively describing a restaurant server during an appearance on the “Jonathan Ross Show” has resurfaced.
“If you go to Chili’s you can see why so many of our American friends are enormous [...] the girl who was serving me was enormous,” she tells Ross in the clip.
Now, Blunt is apologizing for her “insensitive” and “hurtful” words, saying she is “appalled” by her actions. [via THR]
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BRET MICHAELS adopted a six-year-old husky -- named Bret Michaels -- who gave a life-saving blood donation to a kitten that was dealing with flea anemia.
The story was shared by the Nebraska Humane Society and made its way to Michaels -- the POISON frontman, not the dog -- who reached out about adopting the hero pooch.
“I could not work fast enough to adopt this husky and extend the awesome quality of little Bret Jr.’s life,” he posted on social media. [via Consequence]
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DEE SNIDER is cool with politicians -- on the right or left -- using TWISTED SISTER’s song “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” just as long as they don’t support QAnon.
In a tweet, Snider reminded anyone wanting to use the song that it was “written by a cross-dressing … tree-hugging half-Jew.”
Speaking about being Jewish, Snider also said that he gives the Israel Defense Forces permission to use the anthem as a battle cry. [via TMZ]
BUT WAIT: While Snider claims anyone can use the song, he previously spoke out against former president DONALD TRUMP using the track at his rallies.
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DANNY MASTERSON has agreed to give his estranged wife BIJOU PHILLIPS full custody of their nine-year-old daughter, Fianna.
The decision makes sense as he will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Remember, Masterson is currently serving a 30-years-to-life prison sentence for two counts of forcible rape.
Insiders say the actor has asked for visitation rights, and should his request be granted, those visits would be supervised by prison staff. [via Us Weekly]
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TOBY KEITH will headline two shows at Dolby Live Park MGM in Las Vegas this December -- his first official performances since being diagnosed with stomach cancer.
“They’re kind of rehab shows -- get the band back in sync, get me rolling again,” Keith told fans in his announcement on YouTube.
The country singer hasn’t toured since 2021, but has hit the stage for a few special events, including at the 2023 People’s Choice County Awards, where he received the icon award. [via People]
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TARYN MANNING’s makeup artist was arrested last week for stealing the actress’ car.
According to law enforcement sources, Holly Hartman was pulled over last Wednesday and arrested when officers discovered the 2004 Chrysler Crossfire she was driving wasn’t hers.
This is just the latest in a string of bizarre occurrences between Manning and Hartman; in 2012, Manning allegedly attacked Hartman, though those charges were eventually dropped. Then in 2015, Hartman tried to get a restraining order against Manning, after she claimed the actress attacked her, again. The request was denied by a judge.
As for the most recent incident, Manning has not yet decided if she will press charges. [via TMZ]
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CASTING CALL
“The Morning Show” viewers are convinced that JENNIFER ANISTON had some work done on her face, and a famous celebrity plastic surgeon agrees.
“She definitely had surgery,” plastic surgeon Dr. Sam Rizk told The NY Post, while noting that Aniston’s “cheeks, jowls and neck” all appear to have been “refreshed.”
Whether or not she had a facelift -- or what Rizk calls a “deep plane facelift” -- is not the issue, but rather that Aniston has previously spoken out against those who choose the plastic surgery route.
“I am not injecting [stuff] into my face,” she told Yahoo Beauty in 2015. [via NY Post]
WORTH NOTING: Aniston has been honest about getting a nose job to fix a deviated septum.
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Bravo is being sued by a butler who says he suffered “severe emotional distress” after working a party featured on the “Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip.”
Marco Vega says he was hired as a butler for the second season of the “Housewives” spinoff. During his time with the women, Vega claims he was “sexually harassed and abused,” by housewife BRANDI GLANVILLE, though she is not named in the lawsuit.
Vega is suing for punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, costs and disbursements of action.
Neither Bravo nor any Housewives have commented on the lawsuit. [via People]
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JON STEWART and Apple TV+ have parted ways.
Multiple outlets report that the longtime talk show host and tech giant disagreed over the editorial direction of his show, “The Problem With Jon Stewart,” including on topics such as China, artificial intelligence, and the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
Insiders told The New York Times that Apple told Stewart he needed to be “aligned” with the company on the topics he chooses to discuss, but Stewart wanted full creative autonomy over his show. [via NYT]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
KIM KARDASHIAN turned 43 on Saturday. She celebrated with family and friends the night before at Funke restaurant in Beverly Hills.
Her sister, KHLOE KARDASHIAN, was spotted wearing a mask of Kim’s face at the party, which according to insiders were handed out to all guests.
The bash was also attended by Kim’s other sisters, with the exception of KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN, who is getting ready to give birth to her first child with husband, TRAVIS BARKER.
Kim’s mom, KRIS JENNER, was in attendance, as were some of her closest gal pals, including HAILEY BIEBER, KIMORA LEE SIMMONS, IVANKA TRUMP, SOFIA VERGARA and LAUREN SANCHEZ. [via ELLE]
EARLIER IN THE WEEK: Kim showed off an elaborate floral arrangement and a mini freezer full of Dr. Bombay birthday party-flavored ice cream that SNOOP DOGG sent her. Some on social media commented that he may be trying to be her new man, but Snoop is a married man. Also, Kim has already checked “date a rapper” off her list. [via People]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
MEGHAN MARKLE is struggling to balance her career and time with her kids, as she hustles to drum up projects to fund her lavish lifestyle, an insider tells OK!.
“She has a lot on her plate,” the source says.
Royal biographer Emily Andrews adds, “It was no accident that over the summer, we saw rather more of Meghan than for all of the past year.”
Markle reportedly felt extra pressure after losing her Spotify deal and Netflix scaling back their commitments to the Sussexes.
WORTH ASKING: Wouldn’t it have been much less work to produce and deliver on massive, nine-figure contracts? Or – just a suggestion – continuing to work as members of the Royal Family, where they would have a huge support system and generous financial allowances for showing up places and having her picture taken, which is what the celebrity status she seeks boils down to anyway? [via OK!]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
International Snow Leopard Day
National Mole Day
National Boston Cream Pie Day
National TV Talk Show Host Day
National iPod Day
Event Organizers Day
National Croc Day
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ON THIS DATE
1813 - An American fur trading post in present-day Oregon surrenders its land to the more organized and powerful British North West Company.
With that, the Brits would dominate control of trade in the Pacific Northwest.
There were still American civilians living in the nearby town of Astoria, coexisting peacefully following the War of 1812. But the royally-chartered Hudson Bay Company functioned as a de facto dictatorship in the region. That would not end until 1846, when the British would give up control of all territory to the south of the 46th parallel to the Americans.
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1819 - The first boat passes through the Erie Canal. It was called the "Chief Engineer of Rome."
It was a test trip, to ensure the Canal's structural integrity.
On board were 70 guests of New York Governor DeWitt Clinton.
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1855 - Abolitionists in Kansas violently take control of the state government.
After the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, it was decided Nebraska and Kansas would decide individually whether to permit slavery. Pro-slavery contingents from Missouri took the opportunity to violently suppress abolitionists from voting.
Since the election of the pro-slavery government was a fraud, the abolitionists rose up and wrote a new constitution for the state outlawing slavery.
Four years of raids and fighting ensued in the state, which culminated in a nationwide war beginning in 1861 with the secession of the Confederate states.
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1983 - The American embassy in Beirut is attacked.
A suicide bomber drove 2,000 pounds of explosives into the compound, killing 240 soldiers.
President Reagan called the attack "a vicious, terrorist bombing.”
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2002 - Muslim extremists from Chechnya take control of a theater in Moscow, holding 700 hostage.
Their immediate demands were for Russian troops to leave Chechnya, which lies inside Russia's borders but many of whose people desire sovereignty.
Chechnya has a predominantly Muslim population.
Russian special forces ultimately stormed the theater, 57 hours later; two hostages died.
It was later revealed they used a noxious gas to knock everyone inside unconscious before they entered. It is said the Russian forces then shot anyone they identified as terrorists.
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2018 - The world’s longest sea-crossing bridge, the Hong Kong Macau Zhuhai bridge, opens to the public.
The 55km (34 mile) long bridge-tunnel system consists of a series of three cable-stayed bridges, an undersea tunnel and four artificial islands.
The bridge was designed to last for 120 years and cost 127 billion yuan ($18.8 billion US) to build.
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BIRTHDAYS
Amandla Stenberg - actress, “Hunger Games” - 25
Nick Bosa - football player - 26
Ireland Baldwin - model & daughter of Alec - 28
Margaret Qualley - actress, “The Leftovers” - 29
Carmella - wrestler - 36
Emilia Clarke - actress, “Game of Thrones” - 37
Miguel - R&B singer - 38
Ryan Reynolds - actor, “Deadpool” & “The Proposal” - 47
Kate del Castill - actress, “The Last Escape’ & “Ingobernable” - 51
LaVar Ball - entrepreneur, Big Baller Brand - 56
Robert Trujillo - bassist, Metallica - 59
Weird Al Yankovic - pop singer - 64
Martin Luther King III - civil rights leader, son of MLK Jr. - 66
Born On This Date
Pele - soccer player - 1940 (d. 2022)
Johnny Carson - TV show host, “Tonight Show” - 1925 (d. 2005)
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