Today is Monday, November 18, 2024.
It is the 323rd day of the year.
43 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Another FTX executive surrenders massive asset holdings and another airplane gunshot strike. Details in HIT LIST.
DIDDY has been accused of breaking prison phone call rules and TAYLOR SWIFT’s security costs are mind-boggling. More in SHOWBIZ.
A record number of viewers took in Netflix’s Paul vs. Tyson fight and TOM BRADY has some conflicting interests. Details in CASTING CALL.
Another lawsuit for YE. More in KARDASH.
KING CHARLES upgrades an estate’s energy infrastructure. Details in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
A low-profile former executive at Alameda Research, the hedge fund in the middle of the FTX collapse, has agreed to forfeit millions in assets as part of bankruptcy clawback proceedings.
Sam Trabucco was the co-CEO of Alameda, alongside CAROLINE ELLISON, the one-time girlfriend of SAM BANKMAN-FRIED. Ellison recently received a two year prison sentence for her role in the fraud.
Trabucco left the company just a few months before the November 2022 collapse, but not before earning an estimated $40 MILLION from fraudulent money transfers. He has not been criminally indicted or implicated in any wrongdoing.
NOW: Trabucco has agreed to give up an $8.7 MILLION apartment in San Francisco, a $2.5 MILLION yacht, and $70 MILLION in other assets. The proceeds will go into the pot of money getting paid out to debtors. [via Coindesk]
MEANWHILE: LENA DUNHAM is reportedly writing a script about the FTX saga based on journalist MICHAEL LEWIS’ book, “Going Infinite.” [via The Hollywood Reporter]
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FOLLOW UP: Toy company MATTEL, after realizing the packaging for a limited run of dolls included a web address for a porn site, has apologized for the fiasco.
In promoting dolls for the movie “Wicked,” the company mistakenly printed Wicked.com on the box, instead of the movie’s actual site, wickedmovie.com.
“We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this,” the company stated.
Still no word how many toys were affected or whether they’ll be recalled. In the meantime, the company encourages buyers to discard the box and block out the web address. Amazon and Target have pulled the offending toys from their websites. [via Wall Street Journal]
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Another airplane has been hit by a bullet – this time within the United States.
A Southwest aircraft preparing for departure from Dallas Love Field en route to Indianapolis reportedly took a hit to the right side under the flight deck around 8:30 pm on Friday. The pilot returned to the gate and passengers were forced to exit. It took off two hours later.
So far no word where the shot originated. The airport is in a residential area. [via CBS News]
WORTH REMEMBERING: The FAA grounded all flights to Haiti for at least 30 days after two airplanes took gunfire while attempting to land earlier this month.
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Since September, visitors to the beaches at Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, have described and photographed gooey blobs washing up on shore.
Now, a chemist working out of Memorial University of Newfoundland believes he’s figured out that the substance is some type of glue. “I’m confident that the sample I handled was PVA butylene rubber,” which he says is like a concentrated type of the formula commonly found in white glue that kids use for craft projects.
The Canadian government has been conducting its own research but has not yet released any findings. The blobs are not believed to present any threat to humans and there’s so far no explanation for their mysterious appearance. [via New York Times]
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A pair of feral emus are on the loose in Green Sea, South Carolina.
“We are not emu-sed,” a statement about the escapees from the Horry County PD notes.
The flightless birds reportedly escaped from their owner’s property three months ago, and have been evading capture ever since.
Ironically, the pair are named Thelma and Louise -- after the characters played by SUSAN SURANDON and GEENA DAVIS in the 1991 flick about two friends on the run from the law.
Unlike the recent monkey escape in the state, locals are not being advised to hunker down in fear of the birds. [via CBS]
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DEATHS
Controversial gymnastics coach BELA KAROLYI has died.
He passed away Friday, according to USA Gymnastics. No cause of death was given.
Throughout his tenured career, Karolyi turned several young gymnasts into Olympic gold medalists and World Champions, including NADIA COMANECI and MARY LOU RETTON.
He was 82.
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WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
10. Anora: $1.8 million (down from 7)
9. A Real Pain: $2.3 million (up from 18)
8. Hello, Love, Again: $2.32 million (new)
7. Conclave: $2.8 million (down from 6)
6. Smile 2: $2.9 million (down from 5)
5. The Wild Robot: $4.3 million (down from 4)
4. Heretic: $5.1 million (down from 2)
3. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: $5.4 million (stayed at 3)
2. Venom: The Last Dance: $7.3 million (down from 1)
1. Red One: $34 million (new)
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW lost 305 points (0.7%) to close at 43,444 on Friday. The S&P lost 78 points (1.32%) to close at 5,870 and the NASDAQ lost 427 points (2.24%) to close at 18,680.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $67 on Friday; BRENT CRUDE at $71.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.07 on Sunday.
₿ BITCOIN was mostly flat on the weekend, trading around $89,200.
💰Tuesday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $420 million jackpot or a $191.7 million cash payout. Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $144 million jackpot or a $66.2 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
The U.S. Postal Service is releasing a BETTY WHITE stamp.
The actress will be on a 2025 Forever stamp, the USPS announced Friday.
The collection will also honor New Orleans musician, producer, and songwriter ALLEN TOUSSAINT. [via Billboard]
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ADAM “Pacman” JONES was arrested early Saturday morning after celebrating JAKE PAUL’s win over MIKE TYSON in Texas on Friday night.
The former football player was booked for alleged public intoxication, resisting arrest, evading arrest, and assault on a police officer.
As of Sunday, he was still behind bars, though a rep told TMZ that Pacman “denies the allegations and looks forward to explaining the truth when the time comes.” [via TMZ]
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Prosecutors are accusing SEAN COMBS of attempting to “corruptly influence” and “blackmailing victims” through communication that violates prison regulations.
According to a Friday filing, Combs has allegedly used the telephone accounts of “at least eight other inmates” in an effort to avoid alerting prosecutors that he is speaking with individuals not on his approved contact list.
In return, he has been adding money to said inmates’ books.
No word on whether or not Combs could potentially lose phone privileges, but this accusation won’t bode well in his attorneys’ next attempt at asking for bail. [via Page Six]
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TAYLOR SWIFT’s most recent sold-out London concerts cost taxpayers about $1 million on police protection following the bomb threat made ahead of her show in Vienna.
The Metropolitan Police Service reports that additional security measures increased for Swift’s second-round of UK shows from $85,000-per-night in June to around $126,000-per-night when she returned in August.
The demand for extra security allegedly came from Swift’s mom, Andrea, who threatened to cancel the run of shows, according to Radar Online.
FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES: When HARRY STYLES performed a sold-out four-night-run of shows at Wembley Stadium, his security cost was around $69,000-per-night, of which he reimbursed $70,000 total. No word on whether or not Swift will do the same. [via Radar Online]
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FOLLOW UP: After spending over a month in jail, ROSIE O’DONNELL’s daughter CHELSEA O’DONNELL, has been released.
The 27-year-old was freed and ordered to maintain “absolute sobriety” while out on bond.
She was arrested twice in a matter of weeks, for drug possession, bail jumping, child neglect, and other drug-related charges.
Chelsea, who was adopted by Rosie and her ex as a baby, has had a strained relationship with the actress over the years. She currently resides in Wisconsin, near her biological mother. [via In Touch]
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FOLLOW UP: After months of reality stars KIM ZOLCIAK and KROY BIERMANN asking the courts to push back the sale of their Georgia mansion, it is finally going up for auction.
The estranged couple still live in the home, which went into foreclosure in 2023.
The auction is set for December 3. [via TMZ]
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CASTING CALL
Over 60 million Netflix users tuned in to watch JAKE PAUL’s win over MIKE TYSON on Friday.
There were plenty of hiccups, however, leaving viewers concerned about the streamer hosting a pair of NFL games -- Chiefs vs. Steelers and Ravens vs. Texans -- on Christmas Day.
MEANWHILE: More than 50 million viewers tuned in to the first co-main-fight between AMANDA SERRANO and KATIE TAYLOR, making it potentially the most-viewed professional women’s sporting event in U.S. history. [via NY Post]
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TOM BRADY’s recent approval as minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders may cause some issues with his NFL broadcasting gig.
Currently in his rookie year of a 10-year, $375 million contract, Brady has been hit with a slew of restrictions which heavily affect his Fox Sports duties, to prevent potential conflicts of interest.
He also hasn’t been received as well as some people had hoped, given his G.O.A.T. status while playing in the league.
STAYING RETIRED: Brady’s minority owner stake also means he is officially staying off the field, as active players are not allowed to invest in or own NFL teams. [via Daily Mail]
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Actor TIM MATHESON says he is “lucky” to have avoided being another Hollywood casualty, falling victim to the hardcore use of cocaine in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
In his new memoir, “Damn Glad to Meet You,” the 76-year-old credits his status of not being “the star” and going “from job to job” as the reasons he was able to keep his nose clean.
Matheson credits working with stars such as LUCILLE BALL, who instilled a no-nonsense work ethic.
He also had a front row seat to the havoc cocaine caused, working opposite JOHN BELUSHI in “Animal House.” Belushi died of a drug overdose in 1982 at 33 years old.
“These brilliant, brilliant lights just snubbed out,” Matheson writes. “And it was just stupid.” [via Page Six]
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Disney has pulled a “Star Wars” movie from its 2026 release calendar, replacing it with “Ice Age 6.”
Details of the “Star Wars” film had not been disclosed, nor has a reason for the change.
MEANWHILE: “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” a spinoff of the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian,” will still hit theaters in 2026. [via THR]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
YE is being sued by another former employee for anti-semitic rhetoric and for having “loud” sex during meetings.
Murphy Aficionado claims the rapper would often accuse his ex-wife, KIM KARDASHIAN, of being a “puppet controlled by Jewish masters” and state that “Jews were going after him and his money.”
In a separate incident, Aficionado claims he was scheduled to have a work meeting with Ye at the Beverly Hills Waldorf Astoria, but when he arrived, his boss was “shirtless and out of breath” with his “pants unbuttoned.” Then-girlfriend BIANCA CENSORI was also in the room half-naked. When Aficionado suggested moving the meeting back, Ye allegedly “commanded” he sit down.
Minutes later, Aficionado claims that Ye dashed into Censori’s adjoining hotel room and “within seconds [...] loud moaning and clapping” could be heard.
That wasn’t the only time that occurred either, though according to Aficionado, it wasn’t always Censori partaking in the “loud” sex with Ye. [via Page Six]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
KING CHARLES has long been a champion of environmental causes and has brought his activism to the Sandringham estate.
Aerial photos of the area show 2,000 solar panels have been built in a grassy area that had been used for horses to graze. The installation will provide enough energy to power the primary buildings at Sandringham and return any surplus to Britain’s National Grid.
The King previously had solar panels installed on the roof of Windsor Castle. [via The Sun]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
Occult Day
National Princess Day
Housing Day
Mickey Mouse Day
Minnie Mouse’s Birthday
Apple Cider Day
Underwater Hockey World Day
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ON THIS DATE
1863 - President Lincoln boards a train bound for Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to dedicate a cemetery at the site of the bloody battle that happened earlier that year.
The famous speech he later delivered was very short -- not the long oration many were expecting. As a result, there is only one confirmed photograph of Lincoln giving the speech, as press photographers had not yet gotten around to getting their equipment ready.
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1883 - Americans adopt a standardized system of time zones.
Beginning at noon, there would be four continental time zones spanning the country. Previously individual cities decided their time standards.
The change came at the request of railroad companies, who found it nearly impossible to keep accurate timetables of their travel schedules with the lack of continuity.
In 1918 Congress officially adopted the time zones. They're now under the discretion of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
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1966 - Star L.A. Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax retires from the MLB.
He was only 30-years-old, coming off a National League pennant and his third Cy Young award, but he was plagued with arthritis in his throwing arm. Doctors said if he kept playing, he might lose the use of his hand.
He would enter the MLB Hall of Fame in 1971, becoming its youngest entrant, at 36 years old.
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1987 - A congressional investigation finalizes and shares its report on the Iran-Contra scandal.
The conclusion called for President Reagan to take ultimate responsibility for the deal, which saw covert weapons sales to Iran in exchange for money that funded anti-Sandinista uprisings in Nicaragua.
While they deplored the method, the committee did agree with overthrowing the communists in South America.
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1996 - Volkswagen opens a revolutionary factory in Brazil.
Rather than staffing assembly lines with trained VW workers, supervisors worked with local contractors who individually oversaw the production of each car.
The change cut labor costs significantly with the work going to the lowest bidders. The system boosted profits for Volkswagen.
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2006 - Tom Cruise marries Katie Holmes in a Church of Scientology ceremony at a castle in Italy.
A smattering of Tom's high-power friends attended, including Will and Jada Smith, Jim Carrey, and Jennifer Lopez.
They would call it quits less than six years later.
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2020 - US deaths from COVID-19 pass 250,000, with 11.5 million recorded cases.
Nearly 77,000 people were hospitalized with the virus.
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BIRTHDAYS
Caleb Williams - football player - 23
Michael Ward - actor, “The A List” - 27
Nathan Kress - actor, “iCarly” - 32
Damon Wayans Jr. - actor, “New Girl” & “Happy Endings” - 42
Mike Jones - rapper - 43
Denny Hamlin - race car driver - 44
Fabolous - rapper - 47
David Ortiz - baseball player - 49
Chloe Sevigny - actress, “Bloodline” - 50
Megyn Kelly - journalist - 54
Mike Epps - comedian - 54
Owen Wilson - actor, “Wedding Crashers” & “Night at the Museum” - 56
Kirk Hammett - guitarist, Metallica - 62
Rick Owens - fashion designer - 63
Linda Evans - actress, “Dynasty” - 82
Margaret Atwood - author, “The Handmaiden’s Tale” - 85
Born On This Date
Alan Shepard - astronaut, first American in space - 1923 (d. 1998)
Johnny Mercer - lyricist & record label exec, Capitol Records - 1909 (d. 1976)
George Gallup - inventor of the Gallup poll - 1901 (d. 1984)
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