12/2/2024: Turkey Terror!
PLUS: Notre Dame to Reopen; Jelly Roll x Snoop Dogg; and Meg vs. Trademark Office
Today is Monday, December 2, 2024.
It is the 337th day of the year.
29 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
A brother and sister say they have definitive proof their father was DB COOPER and an FTX executive earns time off her prison sentence. Details in HIT LIST
TAYLOR SWIFT is influential and NIKO MOON gets sued. More in SHOWBIZ.
“Wicked” is a box office hit for Broadway and BARRY KEOGHAN will play RINGO STARR. Details in CASTING CALL.
NORTH and CHICAGO star in “Bomb.” More on that in KARDASH.
MEGHAN MARKLE’s legal troubles with the trademark office worsen. Details in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
A brother and sister in North Carolina say their late father was D. B. Cooper – and that they have the parachute to prove it.
AS THE STORY GOES: On November 24, 1971, a passenger named Dan Cooper successfully hijacked a Boeing 727 with a bomb threat, exchanged the passengers on board for a set of parachutes and $200,000 ransom money, and managed to disappear from the aircraft mid-flight somewhere over southwestern Washington state.
The following April, a man named Richard McCoy Jr. attempted a similar hijacking, making off with half a million dollars when he bailed out over Provo Utah. He was arrested just two days later and convicted. Two years later, he busted out of prison, and died in a shootout three months after that.
NOW: McCoy’s two kids say they found the parachute their father used, as DB Cooper, in a storage shed, and showed it to an independent journalist who has tracked the case for two decades. WATCH:
video segment via Dan Gryder; Watch his full report >
The parachute matches the type provided to Cooper in 1971. After showing it to the reporter, they gave it to the FBI. The Bureau formally closed the Cooper case in 2016, but did reportedly collect DNA samples from the siblings.
The siblings say they’ve known the secret for years but didn’t come forward until after their mother died, fearing she would be implicated in both the 1971 and 1972 hijackings. [via Cowboy State Daily, Morning Martini]
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The fruit vendor who sold the 35-cent banana that was then duct taped to a wall and sold for $6.2 million felt like he was made the butt of a cruel joke.
When Shah Alam, a nearly-blind 74-year-old Bangladeshi immigrant who works a sidewalk stand outside of Sotheby’s, was told that his fruit was part of the artwork, he became emotional, saying, “I am a poor man. I have never had this kind of money; I have never seen this kind of money.”
After hearing his story, Justin Sim, the guy who bought and ate the banana, tweeted that he will “buy 100,000 bananas from [Alam’s] stand,” and will then distribute the fruit “free worldwide.”
No word on how Sim, who lives in China, is going to follow through on that promise.
BUT WAIT: An anonymous New Yorker started a GoFundMe for Alam, with a promise to match the first $5,000 raised. Donors contributed over $17,000 by Sunday. [via NY Post]
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LAST MONTH: CAROLINE ELLISON, the former girlfriend of SAM BANKMAN-FRIED and the head of the hedge fund at the center of FTX’s collapse, reported to Danbury Federal Correctional Institution in Connecticut to begin a two-year prison sentece.
NOW: Prison records show she’s already had more than three months shaved off her sentence. While neither her lawyers nor prison officials have commented, prisoners with good behavior often earn time off their sentence as a part of the 2018 First Step Act.
As reported by Business Insider, inmates can earn up to 54 days of “Good Conduct Time” for every year of the sentence. [via Business Insider]
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The public got the first glimpse inside the restored Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, more than five years after a devastating fire broke out on the roof. While reconstruction brought a new design, architects and builders carefully paid tribute to the original construction.
President of France EMMANUEL MACRON and his wife toured the site in a televised special, and inspected the new oak beams in the roof.
Private donations worth nearly $1 BILLION helped fund the extensive restoration project, which cleaned smoke-damage stained glass windows and the iconic flying buttresses inside. The building will open to the public on Saturday. [via New York Post]
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An invasion of wild turkeys in northeast Minneapolis has USPS letter carriers on edge.
A letter circulated to residents in the area encourages them to not feed them in neighborhoods to try to disperse the turkeys, which have taken to following mailmen while on their routes.
A rep for the local union tells CBS Minnesota, “it’s not like bad attacks are happening, but they are a nuisance.”
The state’s DNR also advises to keep bird feeders clean and scare turkeys off with loud noises – or even a broom. [via CBS Minnesota]
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DEATHS
BOB BRYAR, the former drummer for MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, has died.
He was found dead in his Tennessee home on November 26. The cause of death is not known.
Bryar was only 44.
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Actor EARL HOLLIMAN has died.
He passed away on November 25, according to a statement from his partner. No further details were shared.
Holliman was best known for his roles in “The Twilight Zone” and “The Rainmaker.”
He was 96.
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Actor WAYNE NORTHROP has died.
He passed away Friday at his California home after a years-long battle with Alzheimer’s.
Northrop is best known for his roles in “Dynasty” and “Days of Our Lives.”
He was 77.
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RELATIONSHIPS
Bills Quarterback JOSH ALLEN and actress-singer HAILEE STEINFELD are engaged.
He’s 28 and she’s 27.
Allen popped the question last week during the Buffalo Bills bye-week.
The pair have been dating since last year.
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WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Holiday Weekend
10. Conclave: $690k (down from 9)
9. A Real Pain: $785k (down from 8)
8: The Wild Robot: $820k (down from 7)
7: Venom: The Last Dance: $2.6 million (down from 5)
6. Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.: $2.9 million (down from 4)
5. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: $4 million (up from 6)
4. Red One: $15.9 million (down from 3)
3. Gladiator II: $37.4 million (down from 2)
2. Wicked: $97 million (down from 1)
1. Moana 2: $163.5 million (new)
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW gained 188 points (0.42%) to close at 44,910 on Friday. The S&P gained 33 points (0.56%) to close at 6,032 and the NASDAQ added 157 points (0.83%) to close at 19,218.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $68 on Friday; BRENT CRUDE at $72.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.05 on Sunday.
₿ BITCOIN rebounded a bit over the weekend, trading shy of $97,000.
💰Tuesday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $541 million jackpot or a $257.6 million cash payout. Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $224 million jackpot or a $106 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
Billboard has named TAYLOR SWIFT the second greatest pop star of the 21st century.
She’s followed by RIHANNA, DRAKE, and LADY GAGA.
No. 1 has not yet been revealed, though some outlets are predicting that it will go to BEYONCE.
Billboard describes the list as “the artists who have most defined pop stardom for the last 25 years.”
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Fans of JAMES VAN DER BEEK will be able to buy a limited number of #4 Jonathan “Mox” Moxon jerseys from his role in “Varsity Blues,” all signed by the actor, for charity.
In the announcement, Van Der Beek said the proceeds will go to “families recovering from the financial burden of cancer,” including his own.
Last month, Van Der Beek shared that he is battling colorectal cancer. [via Page Six]
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Country singer NIKO MOON’s former PR accuses the star of cutting him out of a lucrative business deal in a new lawsuit.
Zack Teperman is suing Moon for breach of contract, saying the two co-founded Happy Himalayan Water Company, but he was given the boot as deals were being made.
Teperman says he worked to set up lucrative deals with retailers and less than two weeks before an agreement was finalized, Moon ended their partnership.
He is seeking at least $1 million in damages. [via CountryTown]
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Nine years after being diagnosed with what was considered terminal cancer, DOLPH LUNDGREN says he is now “cancer free.”
In an Instagram post, the 67-year-old said he was getting “rid of that last dead tumor” and had “no cancer cells” left in his body.
Lundgren first spoke about his diagnosis in 2023, revealing he was told he had kidney cancer in 2015. After surgery, he remained symptom-free for five years, but then additional tumors were discovered during a routine doctor visit. At that point he was given a terminal diagnosis and 2-3 years to live. [via Deadline]
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SNOOP DOGG joined JELLY ROLL on stage at his recent concert in Nashville, where the two debuted a new song from the rapper’s forthcoming LP “Missionary.”
The single, titled “Last Dance with Mary Jane,” is an homage to marijuana (because of course it is!) and features an interpolation of TOM PETTY’s 1993 song “Mary Jane’s Last Dance.”
After singing together, Snoop lit a blunt, which he graciously shared with JR.
“Missionary” is due out December 13. [via Rolling Stone]
video segment via Nashville Music Now >
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In honor of PATRICK MAHOMES’ son Patrick “Bronze” Lavon Mahomes III turning two, he used his partnership with Adidas to name a shoe after him.
The new “Mahomes 2 Impact FLX Bronze Training Shoes” retail for $150, and come in a beige color, with three stripes representing three generations.
The Kansas City Chiefs QB inked a multi-million dollar deal with Adidas in 2017. [via X]
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DEMI MOORE proved herself to be a bit of a food scientist on a recent episode of “Hot Ones.”
Moore kicked off the episode by proclaiming she’s a spicy food enthusiast and was ready for the challenge, in which celebs sample increasingly fiery hot sauces. While getting toward the end of the lineup, she explained the science behind why some people actively subject themselves to the mouth-numbing sensation. WATCH:
video segment via Hot Ones >
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Auction house Gotta Have Rock and Roll is selling a short video showing ELVIS PRESLEY, PRISCILLA, and their three-year-old daughter LISA MARIE..
The footage is the last Christmas the family of three spent together before Priscilla filed for divorce.
Bidding is open through December 6, with a minimum required bid of $50,000. The film is expected to fetch between $80,000 and $100,000. [via TMZ]
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CASTING CALL
“Wicked” is the highest-grossing movie based on a Broadway musical at the domestic box office.
In the middle of its second weekend, the film sat at $214.3 million, surpassing 1978’s “Grease.”
With $358 million worldwide, it is the fourth highest-grossing movie based on a Broadway musical, following “Mamma Mia!” ($611.2M), “Les Miserables” ($442.7M), and “Grease” ($396.2M).” [via Deadline]
MEANWHILE, IN THE UK: The British Film Board of Film Classification has issued a trigger warning, alerting viewers to the film’s discrimination against people with green skin. The official stance, per the British Board of Film Classification, states in part, “A green-skinned woman is mocked, bullied and humiliated because of her skin color.” The warning also touches on how the talking animals “are persecuted in a fantastical society.” [via TMZ]
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“Saltburn” star BARRY KEOGHAN will play RINGO STARR in an upcoming four-part film series about THE BEATLES.
The news was confirmed by Starr, who told Entertainment Tonight that he thought it was “great” the Oscar-nominated star would be playing him.
Keoghan is the first to officially be linked to the project, which tells the story of the band from the point-of-view of each member -- PAUL MCCARTNEY, JOHN LENNON, GEORGE HARRISON, and Starr.
The first part is set to drop in 2027. [via ET]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
YE released a music video for his song “Bomb” last week featuring his daughters 11-year-old NORTH and 6-year-old CHICAGO.
In the video, the duo are driving Cybertrucks in a race through the desert with some gremlin-like creatures in hot pursuit.
For her verse, North raps mostly in Japanese, while Chicago freestyles about having fun and going to the beach.
Ye does not appear in the video. [via TMZ]
MEANWHILE: Reaction to the video was all over the place, with some praising the “creative process” and others calling the girls' appearance “nepotism.” One person even referred to KIM KARDASHIAN as “Kris Jenner 2.0” for marketing her kids at such a young age. [via Page Six]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
MEGHAN MARKLE needs more time to secure trademarks for her American Riviera Orchard brand.
In September, the US Patent and Trademark Office said she couldn’t trademark geographic locations. “American Riviera” commonly describes the Santa Barbara area where she lives with PRINCE HARRY. In October, lifestyle brand Harry & David filed a protest letter, saying the brand’s name was too close to their “Royal Riviera” line of pears.
Now, Meg’s team has filed a request to extend the timeline to file a response, which originally ended mid-December – along paying with a $700 extension fee. Or, as the New York Post originally reported in September, she might just change the name completely. So far, the only obvious product the line she’s brought to market was some jams she sent to online influencers back in April, but even those are not available for sale to the public. [via New York Post]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
Cyber Monday // Walt Disney Day // Play Basketball Day // National Mutt Day // World Computer Literacy Day // Special Education Day // National Build Joy Day // Business of Popping Corn Day // National Fritters Day // Safety Razor Day // National Skip School Day
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ON THIS DATE
1804 - Pope Pius VII declares Napoleon Bonaparte "Emperor," and he takes the name Napoleon the First. The Pope handed Napoleon his crown, which he put on his own head.
By 1807, Napoleon's territory reached through Italy and across the Pyrenees – but the power was fleeting. He was ultimately exiled to the Island of Saint Helena, where he died in May 1821.
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1845 - President Polk addresses Congress, calling for further Westward Expansion in the spirit of the Monroe Doctrine.
James Monroe, who was Polk's predecessor in the White House, argued to remove European influences in the country and surrounding territory. Both presidents advocated for a strong, aggressive nation responsible for its own future without the help of European superpowers.
Polk's policy agenda included acquiring California and making the southern border of the US the Rio Grande River.
Obviously, both policies were rather successful.
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1901 - King C. Gillette begins selling safety razor blades.
Born in Fond du Lac, WI and raised in Chicago, Gillette was working for the Crown Cork and Seal Company when he noted the value in basing a business on a product that was used a few times, then discarded.
While safety razors already existed, they still used a forged blade. Gillette improved the design, introducing a stamped razor blade made from carbon steel sheet.
To sell the product, Gillette founded the American Safety Razor Company, later known as Gillette Safety Razor Company. In the first year he sold 51 razors and 168 blades. The following year that grew to 90,884 razors and 123,648 blades.
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1961 - Fidel Castro publicly explains his support for Marxist-Leninist philosophy.
This came on the heels of his increasingly strained relations with the US, and Castro wanted the world to know just whose side he was on. While some at the time thought the dictator was trying to appeal to the Soviets for support, Castro remained a staunch communist throughout his years of control.
Castro held on to power until 2006, when his younger brother Raul would take the reins of Cuba.
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1997 - “Good Will Hunting” premieres in Los Angeles.
It was the movie that shot Ben Affleck and Matt Damon to overnight stardom in Hollywood. The pair won Best Screenplay at the Oscars the following year.
Both actors had taken large roles in acting, but were not the household names they are today. Robin Williams won an Oscar for best supporting actor.
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2001 - Energy giant Enron files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, exposing one of the largest corporate scandals to ever rock the US.
The company got in trouble for its creative -- and illegal -- accounting practices that defrauded shareholders and employees. The company's stock price dropped from $90 a share in mid-2000 to less than a dollar by December 2001.
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2020 - The UK becomes the first western country to authorize a COVID-19 vaccine — the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
Meanwhile…
The US records its largest daily death toll from COVID-19 at 2,885. Also, for the first time, the number of hospital patients with the virus exceeds 100,000.
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BIRTHDAYS
Amber Frank - actress, “Haunted Hathaways” - 26
Mitchel Cave - rock singer, What About Tonight - 28
Aaron Jones - football player - 30
Charlie Puth - pop singer - 33
Alfred Enoch - actor, “How to Get Away with Murder” - 36
Jana Kramer - actress & country singer - 41
Aaron Rodgers - football player - 41
Britney Spears - pop singer - 43
Nelly Furtado - pop singer - 46
Joe Lo Truglio - actor, “Superbad” & “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” - 54
Lucy Liu - actress, “Ally McBeal” & “Charlie’s Angels” - 56
Edwin Meese - 75th US Attorney General - 93
Born On This Date
Juice WRLD - rapper - 1998 (d. 2019)
Gianni Versace - fashion designer - 1946 (d. 1997)
Alexander Haig - 59th Secretary of State - 1924 (d. 2010)
Charles Ringling - circus owner, Ringling Brothers - 1863 (d. 1926)
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