Today is Wednesday, December 20, 2023.
It is the 354th day of the year.
11 days remain.
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PROGRAMMING NOTES
There will be no newsletter December 25-29 or January 1-2. Regular publishing resumes on Wednesday, January 3, 2024.
BUT WAIT: Top Shelf subscribers will get full access to our Year in Review series going out the week after Christmas and the Year Ahead preview on January 2!
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WHAT’S ON TAP
Traveling through airports is about to get much better or a whole lot worse. Details in HIT LIST.
ALEC BALDWIN gets into it with anti-Israel protesters and BRITNEY SPEARS reminisces about the time she burnt down her gym. More in SHOWBIZ.
A “Wednesday” spinoff is in the works and two film critics list their pics for worst films of 2023. Details in CASTING CALL.
Social media trolls come for KIM KARDASHIAN and her house full of trees. More in KARDASH.
KING GEORGE takes a step toward his future in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
Officials in Iceland are optimistic that lava bubbling up from the Reykjanes peninsula will avoid causing serious damage to any man-made buildings or infrastructure. So far, air travel remains unaffected as well.
Locals in nearby Grindavik preemptively evacuated last month as geologists noted increased seismic activity in the area, but they have since returned to their homes.
In the meantime, experts say there’s no way to know how long the lava flows will continue. One professor of earth sciences tells Reuters it could continue for months or just stop any day. [via Reuters]
BY THE WAY: You can watch a live feed of the lava here >
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The Transportation Security Administration will unveil a self-service screening system in January in Las Vegas as part of a pilot program to make the arduous airport security process a bit less daunting – but time will tell.
In theory, the process will be straightforward: scan an ID, drop your bags, a computer looks for anything hazardous or dangerous, and away you go.
While TSA remains mum on the details until after the kiosks open early next year, analysts believe it might first only be available to those approved for PreCheck. [via Washington Post]
WORTH ASKING: Why does this sound like a grocery store trip from hell where in addition to battling a touch screen trying to buy a bag of apples you’re also towing satchels and suitcases?
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An Alaskan woman used her “mom-voice” to scare away a moose that was harassing her Yorkshire terrier, Pixel.
When the animal took off after the small pup, Catherine Diehl-Robbins said she started to yell, “Hey, hey, hey!” but when that did not deter the moose, she kicked things up a notch with her “mom-voice.”
The trick worked as Diehl-Robbins said the next thing she knew the moose stopped and the dog was out of harm's way.
Diehl-Robbins’ husband must be very familiar with her “mom-voice,” as he said that he is not surprised at all that the large animal gave up. [via YouTube]
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Over the weekend, local law enforcement near Dallas received a call expressing concerns about a man spotted slumped over his steering wheel while parked outside a Jack in the Box restaurant. Not only was the driver unresponsive, but the caller said the car had extensive hood and windshield damage.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW: Officers found not just a very, very drunk 31-year-old man behind the wheel, but the pedestrian he had hit and killed 40 miles away crumpled in the passenger seat.
As he sobered up, the driver told officers he thought he had hit a deer.
TURNS OUT: Officials believe the victim was hit with such force they crashed through the windshield and landed in the seat.
An investigation is ongoing. [via CBS News]
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The Portland Rescue Mission just got a massive donation, after a volunteer spotted a rare pair of Nike shoes in a donation bin.
The gold-colored kicks were part of a very limited run made for movie director SPIKE LEE and his close friends and were never available for sale to the public. The shoe’s designer confirmed the authenticity.
On Monday, the shoes finally sold through Sotheby’s auction house. Proceeds from the $50,800 sales will go directly to the Rescue Mission. [via KPTV]
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DEATHS
Actor JAMES MCCAFFREY has died.
He passed away Sunday after a battle with cancer.
McCaffrey voiced the titular character in “Max Payne” and had a recurring role in “Rescue Me.”
He was 65.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW gained 251 points (0.68%) to close at 37,557 on Tuesday. The S&P added 27 points (0.59%) to close at 4,768 and the NASDAQ increased 98 points (0.66%) to close at 15,003.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $73; BRENT CRUDE at $79.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.08 on Tuesday.
₿ BITCOIN was mostly flat on the day, trading around $42,300.
🛩 There were more than 2,675 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Tuesday and more than 60 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $572 million jackpot or a $286.7 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
ALEC BALDWIN had a heated run-in with anti-Israel protesters in New York this week.
When asked if he supports Palestine or Israel he responded that he supports “peace for Gaza,” which seemed to just anger the mob, who then spewed profanities at the actor.
In response, Alec, being Alec, shouted “[eff] You!” back at them. [via Page Six]
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BRITNEY SPEARS shared a photo of her burned-down gym on Instagram this week, captioning it, “Reflecting back remembering when I burnt the gym down in 2020.”
In an accompanying video, Spears discussed the incident, saying two candles are to blame for the blaze.
No word on the status of the gym area now. [via Instagram]
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In his new memoir, “Reality Check: Making the Best of The Situation,” MIKE “The Situation” SORRENTINO revealed that JAY LENO and WHOOPI GOLDBERG shared their concerns over his drug use.
“A couple of times Jay pulled me aside after appearances on ‘The Tonight Show.’ I could see the concern on his face. He’d witnessed it before and wanted to straighten me out,” Sorrentino wrote.
As for Whoopi, Sorrentino noted that she “graciously reached out” to him with a warning to slow down.
He later writes that it wasn’t until he had a chat with actor ROBERT DOWNEY JR., who has struggled with his own addiction, that he truly understood that he needed to get some help.
“Reality Check: Making the Best of The Situation” is out now. [via People]
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MADONNA revealed that she was in a 48-hour induced coma during her hospitalization over the summer for a serious bacterial infection.
The topic of her health has come up quite a bit during her “Celebration Tour” as she tells the crowd how blessed she is to be alive and performing. [via TMZ]
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Weeks after revealing that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer, actress KATE MICUCCI announced that she is now cancer-free.
The 43-year-old took to TikTok to share with followers that after undergoing a successful surgery last week she no longer needs any further treatment and the cancer is gone.
Micucci added that she was “very, very lucky to catch it early.” [via TikTok]
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During a recent appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” actress SYDNEY SWEENEY said that the best part about her success was being able to buy back her great-grandmother’s home.
“My grandma was born in it. My mom was born in it [...] and when my great-grandpa passed away and my great-grandma got old they just couldn’t afford to keep it anymore,” she explained.
Fast forward to last year and Sweeney said she was financially in a place to buy the home back for her family. [via People]
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GUY FIERI doesn’t believe in nepotism.
The celebrity chef recently stated that he will not pass any of his fortune down to his two sons unless they get two degrees.
“Shaq said it best, ‘If you want this cheese, you got to get two degrees,’” Fieri exclaimed. [via TMZ]
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Welp, that’s all folks!
AARON RODGERS appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” Tuesday, where he revealed that his dream of making a comeback this season is not going to happen.
According to the QB his leg needs about another month of healing to get to “100 percent,” and since the Jets are out of playoff contention next year will be the year he returns to the field. [via YouTube]
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CASTING CALL
A “Wednesday” spinoff is in the works at Netflix.
The streamer is reportedly working on a show that will center on Wednesday’s Uncle Fester, played by FRED ARMISEN, in the first season of the series.
And this may not be the only spinoff, Bloomberg says there are talks about expanding the Addams family’s live-action universe.
Filming for Season 2 of “Wednesday” is set to begin in April. [via Bloomberg]
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Two of Variety’s chief film critics compiled a list of what they believe are the Top 5 Worst Films of 2023.
First up is Owen Gleiberman’s:
5. Heart of Stone
4. Magic Mike’s Last Dance
3. Your Place or Mine
2. Asteroid City
1. Ghosted
And Peter Debruge’s picks:
5. Caligula: The Ultimate Cut
4. Paint
3. The Flash
2. Carmen
1. Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey
[via Variety]
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POLL RESULTS: Yesterday we asked if “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie. 100% of respondents said “Yes”.
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
‘TIS THE SEASON: KIM KARDASHIAN took fans on a virtual tour of her indoor and outdoor Christmas displays, which include dozens of Christmas trees decorated in white lights. In one corridor alone, fans counted over 26 trees.
One follower called the decor “overkill,” while another wrote how “sad” it is that she shows off her “house full of trees” while “a lot of people aren’t able to have Christmas.” That same user also pointed out the amount of “oxygen that was removed from Mother Earth” for Kim to have all those trees. [via MSN]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
PRINCE WILLIAM may break from a Wales family tradition and send future king PRINCE GEORGE to Marlborough College instead of Eton, where Wills and PRINCE HARRY both studied.
Last month, PRINCESS KATE was spotted at the college solo, and recently returned for a second visit, this time with her husband and oldest son along. The Daily Mail reports that Kate hated going to an all-girls school and doesn’t want to send George to the all-male Eton.
Tuition at Marlborough runs 47,000 British Pounds a year – about $60,000 USD. [via DailyMail]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
Games Day
Go Caroling Day
National Sangria Day
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ON THIS DATE
1790 - The first successful cotton mill begins spinning yarn in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
The mill was built by Samuel Slater, based on industrialist Richard Arkwright’s design.
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1812 - “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm is first published.
The first edition contained 86 stories. By the time the seventh edition rolled around in 1857 there were over 210 unique fairy tales.
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1951 – The first atomic power plant puts out electricity at the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois.
A day after generating power, it supplied all the energy to run its own building.
It was largely experimental, lasting until 1963. But the tests at Argonne laid the groundwork for the future of atomic-powered electricity.
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1963 - The first West Berliners are able to visit those trapped behind the Iron Curtain in East Berlin.
4,000 free Germans passed through to visit relatives and loved ones.
More than 170,000 West Berliners would make that crossing before the fall of the wall.
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1989 - American troops storm Panama.
Dictator Manuel Noriega faced charges of drug trafficking and suppressing democracy. He fled to the Vatican's headquarters in Panama City, where he sought asylum. But he would surrender to Americans in January.
Nine thousand troops assaulted the island, along with 12,000 men already stationed in Panama. They squashed all opposition in four days.
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1995 - NATO takes over peacekeeping operations in Bosnia.
The US began its mission in the country in 1992 following an outbreak of civil war. Though the UN played a crucial role in humanitarian aid, it was useless in preventing fighting.
Under the leadership of NATO, influenced heavily by the American military, more stability was brought to the nations.
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2007 - Queen Elizabeth II becomes the oldest monarch to reign over the United Kingdom.
At 81 years, 7 months, and 29 days, she outlived Queen Victoria, who ruled for much of the 19th century. Elizabeth would ultimately reign for 70 years and 214 days when she died at 96 years old.
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2019 - The United States Space Force is founded.
The armed forces branch is dedicated to space warfare.
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2020 - European countries begin closing their borders after news of a faster-spreading variant of COVID-19.
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BIRTHDAYS
Kylian Mbappe - soccer player - 25
Chase Matthew - country singer - 26
De’Aaron Fox - basketball player - 26
Pouya - rapper - 29
Isabel Durant - actress, “Dance Academy” - 32
JoJo - R&B singer - 33
Bugzy Malone - rapper - 33
Bob Morley - actor, “The 100” - 39
Jonah Hill - actor, “Superbad” & “The Wolf of Wall Street” - 40
Ashley Cole - soccer player - 43
Dick Wolf - TV series creator, “Law & Order” franchise - 77
Peter Criss - drummer, KISS - 78
Born On This Date
Paul Ritter - actor, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” - 1966 (d. 2021)
Harvey S. Firestone - founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company - 1868 (d. 1938)
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