11/11/2024: Monkey Business
PLUS: Battle of the Billionaires; Johnsons For Johnson; and Royal Lodge Resolution?
Today is Monday, November 11, 2024.
It is the 316th day of the year.
50 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
A message in a bottle has shocking family ties and a prominent paper brings its employees back to work. Details in HIT LIST.
GRAMMY nominations and a never-before-seen BRITNEY clip in SHOWBIZ.
“SNL” addresses the election and HBO addresses a rumor about “Euphoria.” Details in CASTING CALL.
KIM reflects on motherhood in KARDASH.
The Royal Lodge saga comes to a close – for now. Details in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
Here’s the state of affairs a week past the election:
Campaign finance reports reveal that KAMALA HARRIS spent a staggering $582 MILLION on staffing expenses. The rest of the $1.37 BILLION she raised largely went to a combination of advertising and production, but a few weird items stand out.
To appear on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Kamala’s team built a replica of the show’s studio in a hotel suite so she didn’t have to fly out to California, for $100,000.
She also paid big league to celebrities who performed and spoke at her events.
WORTH NOTING: While it would be fun to mock her for having to pay these people for their endorsements, megastars like BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN and BEYONCE don’t work for free. If they showed up without getting paid, that could very easily be construed as a campaign finance violation – the very basis for Trump’s (bogus) felony convictions.
BY COMPARISON: Team Trump raised about $380 MILLION, spent $345 MILLION on ads and operations, and just over $10 MILLION on staff. (Not $100 million. $10 million).
ALSO: On Truth Social over the weekend, Trump said he thinks his campaign and the Republican Party should help pay down Harris’ $80 MILLION outstanding debt.
IN OTHER POST-ELECTION UPDATES:
– President JOE BIDEN will host DONALD TRUMP Wednesday morning at the White House.
– Exit polls suggest the Democrat messaging strategy to focus on abortion access might not have worked; women under 30 shifted 11 points to Trump since 2020. Biden won the cohort by 35 points; Harris by 24.
– As the vote totals stand now, Harris did not flip a single county that went for Trump in 2020 into her win column in 2024.
– JD VANCE was spotted with his kids on a Capitol tour over the weekend, with some reports suggesting he brought his son’s Cub Scout Pack for a VIP visit.
– Special prosecutor JACK SMITH has filed paperwork to end the trials against Trump for the January 6 cases.
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UPDATE: Only one of the 43 Rhesus Macaques that escaped from a research facility last week has been recovered.
Employees for the facility, Alpha Genesis, have set up more traps to lure in the monkeys, some of which have been spotted near the property’s fence line and climbing in trees, likely to keep close to their companions behind the fence.
Officials for Alpha Genesis have also warned locals to not fly their own drones to get a look, since the sight and sound of a buzzing aircraft could spook the monkeys. [via WYFF 4]
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In conjunction with the release of the movie “Wicked,” MATTEL released a pair of dolls for two of the characters. The packaging includes a website address one would think is for the movie, Wicked.com.
TURNS OUT: If you visit Wicked.com, and you absolutely should not, it’s a porn site; the site for the actual flick starring Ariana Grande is wickedmovie.com.
So far, Mattel has not made a statement on the smutty slipup. The dolls remain available online and at stores nationwide. [via Variety]
WORTH NOTING: One former retail professional tells Morning Martini that the fix might be as simple as providing a sticker-style decal to cover up the offending website.
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In an all-hands email to Washington Post employees sent after the election, the paper’s CEO said all employees will be required to return to the office five days a week.
Managers will be back at their desks full time by the start of February, while the rest get back in the saddle by June 2. Currently, the paper allows some to work at home two days a week. [via Max Tani]
WORTH NOTING: This could be a way to force the resignations of some staff. Billionaire owner JEFF BEZOS set the newsroom on fire (metaphorically) when he stopped the paper from endorsing KAMALA HARRIS before the election and demanded more conservative ideological representation.
SPEAKING OF BILLIONAIRES: After a surge in TESLA’s stock price last week, ELON MUSK’s net worth soared to $314 BILLION, leading Bezos by $84 BILLION.
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A message in a bottle written by a woman in 1998, and tossed into the water, was returned to her daughter 26 years later.
As a fourth-grader, Mackenzie Van Eyk says she was tasked with writing a letter about the water in the Great Lakes, which she placed in a plastic bottle and dropped into Lake St. Clair (that’s in Ontario).
Earlier this month, kindergartner River Vandenburg, who attends the same school Van Eyk did, found the bottle and brought it to school. After reading the letter, and connecting the dots, Vandenburg’s teacher decided to share the letter with the class. Van Eyk’s daughter, Scarlett, is in the class.
Needless to say, all were shocked the letter and bottle had survived. [via CBC]
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DEATHS
Actor TONY TODD has died.
He passed away Saturday, according to his talent agent. No further details were shared.
Todd is best known for his role as the eponymous phantom killer in “Candyman.”
He was 69.
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WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
10. Terrifier 3: $1.4 million (down from 7)
9. We Live in Time: $2.2 million (down from 6)
8. Here: $2.4 million (down from 5)
7. Anora: $2.5 million (up from 11)
6. Conclave: $4.1 million (down from 4)
5. Smile 2: $5 million (down from 3)
4. The Wild Robot: $6.6 million (down from 2)
3. Heretic: $11 million (new)
2. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: $11.1 million (new)
1. Venom: The Last Dance: $16.2 million (stayed at 1)
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW gained 259 points (0.59%) to close at 43,988 on Friday. The S&P increased 22 points (0.38%) to close at 5,995 and the NASDAQ increased 17 points (0.09%) to close at 19,286.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $70 on Friday; BRENT CRUDE at $73.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.08 on Sunday.
₿ BITCOIN continues launching past all-time highs, breaking $80,000 for the first time ever on Sunday.
💰Tuesday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $361 million jackpot or a $169.2 million cash payout. Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $103 million jackpot or a $48.6 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Grammy nominations were announced Friday.
With 11 nominations, BEYONCE became the most-nominated artist in the show’s history, breaking the tie with her husband JAY-Z with 99 total nods.
Bey is also the winningest artist in Grammy history with 32 awards.
CHARLIE XCX, BILLIE EILISH, KENDRICK LAMAR, and POST MALONE landed seven nominations, while SABRINA CARPENTER, CHAPPELL ROAN, and TAYLOR SWIFT followed with six.
The 67th annual Grammy Awards will air live on February 2. [via Billboard]
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A never-before-seen clip of BRITNEY SPEARS addressing her conservatorship has surfaced.
While promoting her album, “Glory” on “The Jonathan Ross Show” in 2016, Spears was asked why she is now taking more control of her music, to which she initially plays coy, saying, “there’s a lot of reasons, but I won’t get into the whole story.”
She then bluntly states, “Since the conservatorship … I felt like a lot of the things were planned for me to do and, you know, being told what to do. And I was just like, for this [album], I want to make it my baby…”
At the time that part got edited out -- though Spears did reference it in her memoir, writing, “Huh, How interesting.”
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NICK BOSA will be fined $11,255 for crashing a post-game interview wearing a MAGA hat last month.
He clearly isn’t too devastated over the news, however. During Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers, Bosa celebrated a sack with a DONALD TRUMP-esque dance in the endzone. [via NY Post]
WORTH ASKING: Does the President have power to pardon an NFL fine?
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Authorities are searching for the $32,000 Rolex LIAM PAYNE was wearing just hours before his fatal fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires last month.
The homes of the three suspects have been searched, to no avail. Another sweep of his hotel room will take place this week, in hopes it turns up.
Payne was seen wearing the watch in CCTV footage and photos prior to his death on October 16. [via Daily Mail]
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Actor DON JOHNSON revealed that he had to be conscious about leaving blank pieces of paper lying around when his daughter, actress DAKOTA JOHNSON was growing up.
When asked why, he told JIMMY FALLON that she “would promptly draw a large penis on it.”
Later on in their chat, Don shared that Dakota would also take his phone, if left unattended, and “send obscene messages to random people.”
“[She] was a very eventful child,” he added. [via EW]
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LEONARDO DICAPRIO celebrated his 50th birthday over the weekend and celebs turned out in droves.
Starting out the night, the guests, including STEVEN SPIELBERG, ROBERT DE NIRO, and BRAD PITT, were treated to dinner catered by Nobu, followed by a night of partying at a private Los Angeles home.
Others spotted at the event were KATY PERRY, ORLANDO BLOOM, PARIS HILTON, JAMIE FOXX, DR. DRE, and MARK RUFFALO.
Leo officially turns 50 today! [via Page Six]
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CASTING CALL
In a post-election monologue, “SNL” cast members called the results “shocking” and “horrifying.”
They then sarcastically issued a statement of support for President-elect DONALD TRUMP after joking that there is no longer protection against those who speak out against him.
Later on, the cast revealed their new (and improved) impression of the former president: “Hot Jacked Trump,” played by JAMES AUSTIN JOHNSON.
Comedian BILL BURR, who hosted, also addressed the election, suggesting that KAMALA HARRIS and HILLARY CLINTON should ditch the pantsuits and “whore it up a little” to gain more supporters. [via THR]
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Over the weekend a rumor surfaced that “Euphoria” was canceled.
HBO set the record straight, telling The Independent, “Nothing has changed” and Season 3 will go “into production in 2025.”
“Euphoria” has been on a long-hiatus since Season 2 wrapped in February 2022. The writers’ strike of 2023 also caused delays. [via The Independent]
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Comedian TIM DILLON told JOE ROGAN that “Joker: Folie a Deux” is the “worst film ever made” -- and he would know as he has a brief role in it as a prison guard.
“What is the plot? Is there a plot?” Dillon said he and others would ask on their lunch break. “It’s not even hate-watchable. That’s how terrible it is.”
The first “Joker” film grossed over $1 billion, and landed JOAQUIN PHOENIX an Academy Award for Best Actor, making the sequel’s flop an even bigger shock.
BUT WAIT: Not everyone felt that way. Last month, QUENTIN TARANTINO raved about the movie, saying Phoenix gives “one of the best performances [he’s] ever seen in [his] life.” [via NY Post]
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COLE HAUSER almost didn’t play Rip Wheeler in “Yellowstone.”
In a recent interview, he revealed that creator TAYLOR SHERIDAN had other plans for him, specifically the role of Lee Dutton, the eldest child of KEVIN COSTNER’s character John Dutton. Hauser said he expressed his infatuation with Rip and the rest is history.
DAVE ANNABLE would go on to play Lee.
Season 5, Part 2 of “Yellowstone” premiered last night. [via The Mirror]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
KIM KARDASHIAN appeared to be all in her feelings over the weekend, sharing an emotional post about motherhood on Instagram.
“The sad part about motherhood is that you’re raising the one person you can’t live without…to be able to live without you,” the quote read.
The post comes just days after reports surfaced that Kim is essentially solo parenting as YE is “sadly not around very much.” [via Page Six]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
The endless family sniping to settle who will inhabit the Royal Lodge may finally be concluded.
Since taking the throne, KING CHARLES has eliminated PRINCE ANDREW’s annual allowance and threatened to enforce provisions of the lease agreement that would require the disgraced brother to leave the premises for lack of upkeep.
But Andrew has found a way to pay for necessary repairs. The Times of London reports that Andrew has provided financial documentation to the King’s accounting team showing he has the funds for rent and upkeep. While not delving into specifics, the report suggests Andrew’s money is “coming from legitimate sources.”
The Daily Beast reports that Charles “has now accepted that he has lost.”
No confirmation why Charles wanted Andrew out, though reports have suggested that the Waleses could use more space than their Kensington Palace apartment provides, or that Charles wants QUEEN CAMILLA to live there once he dies. [via The Daily Beast]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
Veterans Day
Remembrance Day
National Metal Day
National Sundae Day
World Orphans Day
National Indiana Day
World Origami Day
National Education Day
Pocky Day
Singles Day
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ON THIS DATE
1675 - Gottfried Leibniz becomes the first person on record to use calculus to find the area of an object.
Though he would not publish these findings until 1684, today was the first time the equations appeared in his journal.
By today's standards, Leibniz's findings were rudimentary and not very useful. In fairness, the same could be said of Isaac Newton's similar discoveries. They were hodgepodge and unclear, but necessary to bring mathematics to where it is today.
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Two Presidential marriages, 24 years apart.
1834 - Franklin Pierce weds Jane Appleton. She was a devout Calvinist. He was episcopal.
When Pierce became president a little less than 20 years later, the family had endured much tragedy. Three of their sons died before reaching adulthood and Franklin dealt with alcoholism.
1858 - James Garfield marries Lucretia Randolph. They're both members of the Disciple of Christ Church.
They met while students at the Hiram Eclectic Institute in Ohio. He was a teacher. She started a literary club.
The Garfields also suffered the loss of a child in 1863.
Garfield would only spend four months in office -- he was assassinated on July 2, 1881.
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1918 - At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, major fighting in World War I ends.
Germany signed an armistice with Allies that morning in France.
What was at the time called the "War to End All Wars" killed nine million soldiers and injured 21 million. At least five million civilians died from the effects of war.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed the next year to prevent the conditions that lead to the first World War. Of course, that thinking was folly. Fighting in World War II began in 1939.
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1973 - Standing in opposition to the overthrow of Chilean President Salvador Allende, the Soviet soccer team refuses to play Chile in a scheduled game set for November 21.
The International Football Federation (meaning soccer) DQ'd the Reds, marking the first time a team was booted for making a political stand.
The Soviets would have played on their home turf or in a neutral country, but no agreement was ever made.
In similar circumstances, the US would boycott the Olympic games in Moscow in 1980.
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2008 - The ocean liner Queen Elizabeth II sets sail for the final time.
On the final voyage, she ran aground near England. A series of five tug boats finally got her moving again.
Crews eventually got everything working again. In the farewell ceremony, she was accompanied by the yacht of the ruler of Dubai and 120 other smaller boats.
The QE2 is now property of Dubai.
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2020 - The UK becomes the first European country to record over 50,000 COVID-19 deaths.
It followed the US, Brazil, India and Mexico.
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BIRTHDAYS
Caitlin Ford - soccer player - 30
Christa B. Allen - actress, “Revenge” - 33
Vinny Guadagnino - reality star, “Jersey Shore” - 37
Jon Batiste - pianist & singer-songwriter - 38
Victor Cruz - football player - 38
Leonardo DiCaprio - actor, “Titanic” & “The Revenant” - 50
Jason White - guitarist, Green Day - 51
Carson Kressley - TV personality, “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” - 55
Calista Flockhart - actress, “Ally McBeal” - 60
Demi Moore - actress, “Ghost” - 62
Stanley Tucci - actor, “ - “The Hunger Games” franchise - 64
Born On This Date
Kurt Vonnegut - author, “Slaughterhouse Five” - 1922 (d. 2007)
George S. Patton - four-star Army general, WWII - 1885 (d. 1945)
Fyodor Dostoevsky - novelist, “Crime and Punishment” - 1821 (d. 1881)
Abigail Adams - First Lady - 1744 (d. 1818)
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