11/22/2024: DOGE Preview
PLUS: Thanksgiving Floats; Hoax Conviction Overturned; and Premiere Date
Today is Friday, November 22, 2024.
It is the 327th day of the year.
39 days remain.
PROGRAMMING NOTE
There will be no newsletter on Thursday, November 28 or Friday, November 29 for the Thanksgiving holiday.
###
WHAT’S ON TAP
A deranged airline passenger threatens his fellow flyers and a rogue bus driver scares students and their parents. Details in HIT LIST.
A South American cartel may be behind Kansas City burglaries and COLDPLAY gets an assist from The Karate Kid. More in SHOWBIZ.
Viewers at the premiere of “Rust” have a strong reaction and an ESPN staple is coming to an end. Details in CASTING CALL.
An Olympian, two billionaires, and a robot go for a run in KARDASH.
A long-awaited project from PRINCE HARRY and MEGHAN MARKLE gets a release date. Details in ROYALS.
###
HIT LIST
Passengers on a flight from Milwaukee to Dallas forcibly duct taped another passenger to subdue him after he tried to open the door while in the air.
The unidentified culprit is reportedly a Canadian citizen who told a flight attendant he needed to exit. Concerned onlookers rushed to the attendant’s aid. The suspect aggressively tried to push the attendant out of the way, eventually jumping on top of her and injuring her wrist and neck. That’s when a fellow flier bear-hugged the suspect to subdue him.
Another passenger pinned down his legs and secured them with duct tape. After the flight landed, police reported finding the suspect on his stomach with his hands bound behind his back and ankles taped together.
Witnesses say the suspect babbled about seeing his therapist in Toronto. The investigation is ongoing. [via NBC News]
###
Parents of students in the Castle Rock, Colorado school district want to know why a bus driver told 40-some kids to exit the vehicle miles from their normal stops.
Irving Johnson, a substitute driver, was behind the wheel that day, who demanded the elementary school-age kids on board be silent before leaving the school parking lot. He then drove past many of the typical stops. One 10-year-old passenger tells local media it felt like they were getting kidnapped.
Then, at a seemingly random intersection, the driver demanded that everyone get off the bus. Fortunately, a kind stranger nearby allowed the children to call their parents and arrange rides.
The driver, who has since been fired, gave a bizarre statement to local media, saying, "I should have stopped and shut the bus, and talked to the parents, and gotten in their heads to get the kids back on the bus who had gotten off. And I didn’t think to do that, and that was my fault, and that’s why I got terminated. That’s what they told me.” [via 9 News]
###
More than a dozen new floats will make their debut next week at the 98th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.
The floats will feature characters from Netflix series “Wednesday” and the Bronx Zoo, Rao’s “Pasta Knight’’, a “Go Bowling” figure, Nickelodeon’s “Dora’s Fantastical Rainforest,” “Candy Cosmos” by Haribo, and a “Magic Meets the Seas” display from Disney Cruise Line.
The parade airs live on Thanksgiving morning on NBC. [via NY Post]
###
A small Scottish dairy farm is selling what could be the world’s most expensive cup of coffee, at $344 – sort of.
Mossgiel Organic Dairy is charging the pricey sum for a “flat white,” which for coffee non-connoisseurs is a double shot of espresso and a layer of steamed milk. But when a customer makes the purchase, they’re really getting 34 shares in the farm and a certificate to redeem the free beverage at one of 13 coffee shops that use Mossgiel’s dairy products. Mossgiel’s owners admit it’s an elaborate marketing stunt but see it as a good way to drum up local financial support to grow their operation.
Previously, a ritzy coffee bar in the swanky London neighborhoods of Mayfair and Marylebone offered a $335 cup of coffee using special beans from Japan – and you didn’t even get a stock certificate. [via Associated Press]
###
In a Wall Street Journal editorial ELON MUSK and VIVEK RAMASWAMY, the two men tasked with running the Department of Government Efficiency, laid out their vision for the ad hoc program.
“Unlike government commissions or advisory committees, we won’t just write reports or cut ribbons. We’ll cut costs,” they write, adding that they’re volunteering their time and energy to the initiative.
DOGE will use two recent Supreme Court rulings related to regulatory overreach as the basis for vastly scaling back government rules. In turn, executive departments will need fewer employees to facilitate and enforce these regulations. For those still sticking around, requiring government employees to work in the office five days a week would likely lead to voluntary regulations, the entrepreneurs argue, writing: “If federal employees don’t want to show up, American taxpayers shouldn’t pay them for the Covid-era privilege of staying home.”
Across the board, DOGE will look at eliminating spending not explicitly authorized by Congress and expand the Executive’s ability to intervene when spending exceeds Congressional and agency authority. [via WSJ]
ALSO IN ELONWORLD: The Federal Aviation Administration has authorized SPACEX to launch its Starship rocket up to 25 times a year, up from the current five. Earlier this week, SpaceX successfully conducted its sixth test launch of Starship. [via ArsTechnica]
###
BABY NEWS
Country singer SAM HUNT and wife HANNAH LEE FOWLER are expecting their third child together.
The couple are already parents to 2-year-old daughter Lucy and 1-year-old son Lowry.
Both are 39-years-old.
###
BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW gained 461 points (1.06%) to close at 43,870 on Thursday. The S&P increased 31 pionts (0.53%) to close at 5,948 and the NASDAQ increased 6 points (0.03%) to close at 18,972.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $70; BRENT CRUDE at $74.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.06 on Thursday.
₿ BITCOIN surpassed $99,000 for a while Thursday, another all-time high, before dropping down to the high $97,000s.
💰Tonight’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $453 million jackpot or a $209.6 million cash payout. Saturday night’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $171 million jackpot or a $78.7 million cash payout.
###
SHOWBIZ NEWS
New Music Friday
Black Pumas, “Live From Brooklyn Paramount”
Body Count, “Merciless”
Clay Aiken, “Christmas Bells are Ringing”
Daryl Johns, “Daryl Johns”
Marilyn Manson, “One Assassination Under God - Chapter 1”
Various Artists, “Wicked: The Soundtrack”
###
JUSSIE SMOLLET’s conviction for lying about a hoax racist and homophobic attack has been thrown out by the Illinois Supreme Court.
The court found that the disgraced actor had his Fifth Amendment rights violated by a special prosecutor’s decision to try him after initial charges against him were dropped.
For those who may have forgotten, prosecutors alleged that Smollet created the self-victimization ruse after being unhappy with his $100,00 per episode “Empire” salary.
To this day he has yet to apologize for lying or for wasting police and city resources on the bogus claim. [via USA Today]
###
SEAN COMBS’ newest claim of victimhood is that federal prosecutors edited the video of him assaulting former girlfriend CASSIE in an effort to make him appear more dangerous than he is.
The accusation was made in documents filed by Combs’ legal team ahead of today’s bail hearing. [via TMZ]
###
NIKKI GARCIA and ARTEM CHIGVINTSEV are officially divorced.
The pair settled things just two months after she filed to end their marriage, following a domestic dispute.
According to a rep for Garcia, the exes settled out of court and both dropped the domestic restraining orders against each other. Going forward they want to focus on co-parenting 4-year-old son Matteo.
They tied the knot in 2022. [via Page Six]
###
Authorities believe a South American crime ring is behind the burglaries at PATRICK MAHOMES and TRAVIS KELCE’s homes last month.
One security expert said he is not surprised by the “crime spree that is going across the entire country” that appears to be “designed by some very sophisticated people in somewhat of a cartel.” [via Fox4]
###
LIZZO scooped up JEREMY RENNER’s Los Angeles mansion for $12.4 million last month.
The 6-bedroom, 9-bathroom home is perfect for her as it comes with a recording studio.
Renner bought the place in 2012 for $4 million. [via TMZ]
###
COLDPLAY’s latest music video is very zen…very “wax on, wax off,” if you will.
Filmed in Melbourne, the video for their hit song, “The Karate Kid,” features none other than The Karate Kid himself, actor RALPH MACCHIO.
In the video, Macchio is a starving artist who sets up shop with his keyboard at various iconic spots around the city. His hardwork and dedication is rewarded with some tickets to a Coldplay concert, where he takes over vocals for a struggling CHRIS MARTIN.
ELSEWHERE: The band’s recent four-night stint at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium was a smashing success, attracting 227,000 fans -- breaking the 14-year attendance record that was held by AC/DC. [via Daily Mail]
###
CASTING CALL
An audible gasp was heard from the crowd gathered to watch the premiere of “Rust,” during a scene that eerily paralleled the real-life tragedy that happened while filming.
A film critic told Vulture that there “was a noticeable shock in the room” when a character in the film was accidentally shot -- leaving many to think about the accidental shooting of cinematographer HALYNA HUTCHINS.
The critic also told the publication that it is “hard to separate” the movie from the tragic shooting. This is especially true as the plot is about a 13-year-old boy who accidentally kills a rancher and goes on the run with his grandfather.
ALEC BALDWIN did not attend the premiere, which took place this week in Poland. [via Vulture]
###
ESPN’s “Around the Horn” will wrap next year after more than two decades on air.
Hosted by MAX KELLERMAN, the show pitted sportswriters from across the country against each other for who had the best stories of the day.
TONY REALI took over for Kellman in 2004.
No word on what will take the vacant spot. [via NY Post]
###
The cast of “Wicked” looked very different at one point.
When director STEPHEN DALDRY was in charge, LADY GAGA was in the running to play Elphaba, and SHAWN MENDES in talks to play Fiyero.
Things ultimately fell through for all three, and the roles would ultimately go to CYNTHIA ERIVO and JONATHAN BAILEY, with JON M. CHU taking over the director’s seat. [via Page Six]
DON’T MISS OUT: “Wicked” is officially in theaters. Be sure to check out Monday’s report for Box Office numbers
###
THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
CAITLYN JENNER wants to race former stepdaughter KIM KARDASHIAN, ELON MUSK, and Kim’s new Tesla robot.
In response to Kim’s video showing off her “new friend” earlier this week, Jenner commented, “Can we all go on a run, looks like the robot wants to race?” After tagging Elon and Kim in the post, she adds,, “Let’s see who wins.”
Followers appeared to be all for the race, with most putting their money on the former Olympian. [via X]
###
WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
The next documentary project from PRINCE HARRY and MEGHAN MARKLE, called “POLO,” will debut globally on Netflix December 10.
The Sussexes’ company Archewell Productions produced the five-episode series, which will follow the rivalries and training behind the US Open Polo Championship. “POLO” is part of the lucrative, multi-million-dollar deal signed between Netflix and the Sussexes.
BUT WAIT: The Daily Mail previously reported in September that Netflix execs were disappointed in the edits, which focused more on Harry’s polo pal NACHO FIGUERAS while the Duke himself had little screen time. Now word yet if any changes have been made since. [via DailyMail]
###
DAY OF THE YEAR
Go For A Ride Day
National Flossing Day
National Cranberry Relish Day
Humane Society Anniversary Day
###
ON THIS DATE
1718 - Bloodthirsty pirate Edward Teach is killed in battle with the British Navy off the coast of North Carolina.
You'll know Teach better as Blackbeard.
His most notorious ship was the Queen Anne's Revenge, a 26-gun French merchant ship he upgraded to 40 guns. But that was shipwrecked earlier in the year.
In his last battle, legend says he survived five musket shots and 20 slashes from swords before eventually falling.
###
1858 - General William Larimer, a veteran of the Pennsylvania Militia, establishes a little land speculation out West and names it for Kansas Territorial Governor James W. Denver.
Today, we know that town as Denver, Colorado.
Larimer laid cottonwood logs across each other to stake his claim, on a bluff that overlooked where the South Platte River and Cherry Creek flowed into each other. By naming it after the territorial governor, Larimer hoped to land a spot in the local government.
###
1900 - The first official Mercedes car is taken for a drive in Cannstatt, Germany.
It was a custom build for Emil Jellinek, a businessman with a penchant for the new automobile technology. Jellinek thought it could do so well at motor races that he bought 36 of them.
In return for Jellinek's business, the production company agreed to name the cars after his daughter -- Mercedes.
###
1963 - Dallas, Texas: Lee Harvey Oswald murders John F. Kennedy.
Oswald allegedly set up shop in a sixth-floor window of the Texas School Book Depository. As Kennedy's motorcade drove by the street below, the President was susceptible to such an attack in his open convertible.
Oswald was captured that afternoon, after shooting a police officer who tried to apprehend him.
Two days later, a Dallas restaurant owner would fatally shoot Oswald as he was being transported between the police station and the jail.
###
1986 - Mike Tyson knocks out Trevor Berbick in just 5 minutes and 35 seconds.
The win makes Tyson the youngest heavyweight title holder in boxing history.
Berbick was 13 years Tyson's elder, and wanted to stand up to this newcomer and take his punches rather than box him. Obviously, this was a mistake.
###
1990 - British PM Margaret Thatcher resigns from office after 11 years.
She was the first female elected leader of the country. The Iron Lady was a staunch anti-communist and ally to American President Ronald Reagan.
Her capitalist reforms included privatization of government industries, pulling back government spending, and reducing the role of trade unions.
###
2016 - The Vegas Golden Knights are revealed as the Las Vegas NHL expansion team’s name.
Team owner Bill Foley and General Manager George McPhee announced the name during a fan event at Toshiba Plaza outside of T-Mobile Arena.
They also revealed the logo, a knight’s helmet with a V etched into the middle. The colors are black with a gold outline.
###
BIRTHDAYS
Auli’i Cravalho - voice actress, “Moana” - 24
Hailey Bieber - model - 28
JuJu Smith-Schuster - football player - 28
Katherine McNamara - actress, “The Maze Runner” & “Arrow” - 29
Trevor Tordjman - actor, “Zombies” - 29
Dacre Montgomery - actor, “Stranger Things” - 30
Jamie Campbell Bower - actor, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” - 36
Scarlett Johansson - actress, “The Prestige” & “Lost in Translation” - 40
Michael D. Cohen - actor, “Henry Danger” - 49
Mark Ruffalo - actor, “Foxcatcher” & “Shutter Island” - 57
Mads Mikkelsen - actor, “Casino Royale” & “Doctor Strange” - 59
Jamie Lee Curtis - actress, “Halloween” franchise - 66
Billie Jean King - tennis player - 81
Born On This Date
Rodney Dangerfield - comedian & actor, “Caddyshack” - 1921 (d. 2004)
Mary Jackson - actress, “The Waltons” - 1910 (d. 2005)
Wiley Post - aviator, first solo flight around the world - 1898 (d. 1935)
Abigail Adams - First Lady (1797-1801) - 1744 (d. 1818)
###