Today is Monday, January 20, 2025.
It is the 20th day of the year.
345 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
STARBUCKS corporate is cleaning house and intrepid worshippers take part in a chilly purification ritual in Japan. Details in HIT LIST.
More on the BLAKE LIVELY-JUSTIN BALDONI battle and the MENENDEZ brothers’ resentencing gets delayed again. More in SHOWBIZ
DON LEMON wants back in the spotlight and some familiar faces resurface in the forthcoming season of “The Kardashians.” Details in CASTING CALL.
A new profile pulls back the curtain on PRINCE HARRY and MEGHAN MARKLE’s attempts to make it big in America. Details in ROYALS.
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At Noon Eastern time today, DONALD TRUMP will become the 47th President of the United States. The ceremony has been moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda over cold weather concerns; wind chills in Washington DC will dip temperatures into the single digits. In January 1985, Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration was also moved indoors when wind chills dipped temperatures well into the negative numbers.
Trump arrived in the Swamp on Saturday to attend a party and fireworks display at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. On Sunday, Trump spoke at a Victory Rally at Capital One Arena in DC.
THIS MORNING: At 9:30 am Eastern, the formal public schedule begins. Trump and MELANIA TRUMP will attend a ceremonial tea service with JOE BIDEN and JILL BIDEN, before everyone heads over to the Capitol. Before Trump takes the Oath of Office, incoming VP JD VANCE will be sworn in, making him the first millennial vice president. The formal inauguration for Trump happens at Noon Eastern, as prescribed in the 20th Amendment.
Afterward, the President will head back to the White House to sign some Day One Executive Orders, including “declaring a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border, rescinding Biden administration directives on diversity, equity and inclusion and unwinding President Biden’s limits on drilling offshore and on federal land,” according to the Wall Street Journal. It’s likely an E.O. regarding TikTok will also be in the mix (details below).
CNN reports that Trump’s team has also already drafted pardons for a select number of people convicted for their part on January 6, 2021.
In the evening, the President and First Lady will attend a series of inaugural balls hosted by various organizations.
MEANWHILE: TIKTOK announced on Sunday it will continue operating in the United States after incoming President DONALD TRUMP signaled he will broker a deal that establishes at least 50% ownership by an American company with national security safeguards in place.
WORTH NOTING: The Supreme Court upheld the ban on the app in a ruling published Friday. It’s important to note that the ban does allow TikTok to continue operating, but any new downloads are currently prohibited. In recent weeks, TikTok’s leadership has said they will shut down operations in the United States instead of selling it off. As of Sunday evening, the app was not available for download in the Apple App store.
HOWEVER: The text of the law also prohibits internet hosting services from enabling the “distribution, maintenance, or updating” of the app. Leave it to the lawyers to figure out if your internet provider is in violation of the law for continuing to serve up the app’s videos.
In a statement issued Sunday on Truth Social, Trump seemed to encourage Apple and Android to re-list TikTok, writing in part, “I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.” Trump also indicated he would shield any app marketplace or internet service provider from any liability while things get squared away.
After shutting down briefly over the weekend, the app added a message on Sunday when users open it, that says in part, “As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”
Ever the showman, Trump added in his statement, “Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations.” [via Morning Martini]
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ROSEANNE BARR joins rapper TOM MACDONALD in a new pro-Trump anthem called “Daddy’s Home.”
“We won, you mad, It’s done, too bad, Boo-hoo, so sad,” the track starts out.
Debuting on Friday, the song racked up nearly 3 MILLION views by Sunday evening. [via TMZ]
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Coldplay frontman CHRIS MARTIN and DAKOTA JOHNSON were spotted hand-in-hand in Mumbai on Friday, shutting down further speculation that there is trouble in Paradise.
The sighting comes amid months of speculation that the notoriously private couple had split.
Martin was in town performing three shows for COLDPLAY’s “Music of the Spheres World Tour.” [via Page Six]
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The buyers of the McCallister home from “Home Alone” can now say they officially own the place.
After being listed (and purchased) last May, the Georgian-style home, located in Winnetka, Illinois, finally closed last week.
As for the delay: According to Mansion Global, the owners wanted one last end-of-year party.
BY THE WAY: It sold for $5.5 million -- that's $250,000 more than the original asking price. [via Mansion Global]
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The movie “A Complete Unknown” is No. 14 on Billboard’s list of top 25 music biopics with the highest worldwide grosses.
TIMOTHEE CHALAMET stars as BOB DYLAN in the film, which follows the musician's journey from January 1961 to July 1965.
Since its theatrical debut on Christmas Day, the movie has grossed over $59.4 million worldwide. [via Billboard]
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UP NEXT: Changes at STARBUCKS, BLAKE LIVELY’s team responds to Friday’s lawsuit, the inside scoop on PRINCE HARRY and MEGHAN MARKLE, plus the release of hostages held in Iran on this date in 1982 in History.
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