1/25/2023: Pence Held Classified Docs, Too
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1/25/2023: Pence Held Classified Docs, Too
PLUS: Another Royal Baby; Willie Nelson’s 90th Birthday Bash; and Royal Dog Attack
Today is Wednesday, January 25, 2023.
It is the 25th day of the year.
340 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
The world’s sparkliest watch ever is certified and ELIZABETH HOLMES pushes back on accusations she tried to flee the country. More in HIT LIST.
Former Vice President MIKE PENCE had classified documents of his own at his private home in Indiana. More in THE SWAMP.
Check out this year’s Oscar nominees. More in SHOWBIZ.
NORTH WEST shares a meal with her new step-mom. More in KARDASHOPUS.
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HIT LIST
A computer glitch sent 251 major stocks plummeting Tuesday morning, forcing the stock exchange to halt trading while they addressed the issue.
Companies like EXXONMOBIL, 3M, VERIZON, MCDONALD’S, WELLS FARGO, NIKE, and WALMART were among those affected. Early trades that resulted during the glitch have been canceled.
GO FIGURE: The stock of the company that owns the New York Stock Exchange, called Intercontinental Exchange, was down 2.2%.
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GOOGLE has been hit with an antitrust lawsuit filed by the federal government and joined by eight states. The suit alleges that through buying up competitors, the tech giant has squeezed the market. To make matters worse, it both sells advertising inventory and controls where those ads appear, and how much they cost.
WORTH NOTING: Google’s technology has also greatly decreased the costs associated with online advertising, a move that has empowered countless small businesses to market their products and services to highly targeted audiences on the internet.
The suit seeks to break up Google’s advertising operations into a separate company.
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ELIZABETH HOLMES says the claim she tried to flee to Mexico is unfounded. Her lawyers say she had already surrendered her passport, which had expired anyway, and has a “flawless” record in terms of communicating with officers monitoring her before and after the trial.
They add that she bought the ticket in hopes she’d be acquitted so she could attend a friend’s wedding and that the accusation has “produced negative effects for Ms. Holmes and her partner beyond this case.” [via NBC News]
WORTH NOTING: Bilking investors out of billions of dollars produced some negative effects, too.
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A Kansas man is believed to have died after his dog stepped on the trigger of his rifle. Both the weapon and the dog were in the backseat of a truck when it suddenly went off. The victim was in the passenger seat, and the driver apparently remained unharmed.
No further details have been released. [via NBC News]
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An Indian company has broken the record for the most diamonds set on a watch.
Renani Jewels covered the cuff-style timepiece with 17,524 diamonds. They’ve dubbed the timepiece “the watch of good fortunes.” It weighs .82 pounds. [via Guinness World Records]
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CHARTS
Top 5 Fiction & Nonfiction Books Currently on the New York Times Best Sellers List:
FICTION:
“It Starts With Us,” Colleen Hoover
“It Ends With Us,” Colleen Hoover
“The House of Wolves,” James Patterson & Mike Lupica
“Verity,” Colleen Hoover
“Hell Bent,” Leigh Bardugo
NON-FICTION
“Spare,” Prince Harry
“The Light We Carry,” Michelle Obama
“I’m Glad My Mom Died,” Jennette McCurdy
“The Body Keeps the Score,” Bessel van der Kolk
“The Nazi Conspiracy,” Brad Meltzer & Josh Mensch
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DEATHS
Actress BETTY STURM, known for her role in “The World’s Greatest Sinner,” has died.
She passed away Sunday after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease, her son told Fox News.
She was 89.
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“Sesame Street” creator LLOYD MORRISETT has died.
He passed away Monday, according to a tweet from the Sesame Workshop’s account. No further details were shared.
He was 93.
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BABY NEWS
ROYAL BABY ALERT!
Baby #2 is on the way for PRINCESS EUGENIE, 32, and her husband JACK BROOKSBANK, 36.
QUEEN ELIZABETH’s granddaughter shared the news on Instagram Tuesday, posting a photo of her 1-year-old son August kissing her stomach.
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THE SWAMP
Former Vice President MIKE PENCE has come forward as also illegally possessing classified documents in his home, just like his predecessor and now-President JOE BIDEN and his former boss DONALD TRUMP.
In a statement, Pence’s attorney said his team proactively searched his house in Indiana and the office of his political organization earlier this month, and reported the documents to the National Archives on January 18.
WORTH NOTING: Again, the scandal here is not the possession of these documents; it’s the bald-faced double standard and hypocrisy dripping from the media and the White House depending on which party the possessor belongs to.
ALSO WORTH NOTING: There are not mountains of evidence suggesting Pence has leveraged his political connections to enrich his family and he does not have a drug-addicted son selling out the country for power and wealth, as is the case with the Biden Family Crime Syndicate. Such documents are much less dangerous in Pence’s hands than in Biden’s.
BY THE WAY: Trump came to Pence’s defense on Tuesday, writing on Truth Social that Pence is an innocent man and, “He never did anything knowingly dishonest in his life.”
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW added 104 points (0.31%) to close at 33,733 on Tuesday. The S&P lost 2 points (0.071%) to close at 4,016 while the NASDAQ lost 30 points (0.27%) to close at 11,334.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $80; BRENT CRUDE at $86.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS rose to $3.44 on Tuesday.
₿ BITCOIN was volatile but mostly flat for the day on Tuesday, trading just over $22,800.
🛩 There were more than 2,250 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Tuesday and 266 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $526 million jackpot or a $284 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
Nominations for the 95th Academy Awards were announced Tuesday.
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” led the pack with 11 nominations, followed by “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “The Banshees of Inisherin” with nine noms each. All three landed in the Best Film category.
“Top Gun: Maverick,” “Elvis” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” also landed Best Film nominations.
There were several notable snubs this year. For Best Actor, TOM CRUISE was left off the list for his role in “Top Gun: Maverick” and ADAM SANDLER for his performance in “Hustle.” In the Best Actress category, VIOLA DAVIS was left off the list for her role in “The Woman King.”
JIMMY KIMMEL will host the awards show, set to air on Sunday, March 12.
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The TAYLOR SWIFT-Ticketmaster chaos took center stage during Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, as many argued that the monopoly -- meaning Ticketmaster and its parent company LiveNation -- should be broken up.
The topic at hand was the debacle that was ticket presales in November for Swift’s upcoming “Eras Tour,” during which fans experienced long wait times and site crashes.
During the three-hour hearing, senators took the opportunity to quote the singer in their arguments. Senator MIKE LEE used lyrics from Swift’s song “Karma,” saying “Karma’s a relaxing thought, aren’t you envious that for you it’s not?” Earlier he called the idea of limits on ticket transfers a “nightmare dressed like a daydream,” from her hit, “Blank Space.”
The justice department is still investigating Live Nation’s handling of the presale. [via People]
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PANIC! AT THE DISCO is disbanding.
After nearly 20 years together, frontman BRENDON URIE announced the band’s split in a statement on Instagram. He also shared that he and his wife are expecting their first child this year.
The official breakup will come after the group finishes its current European tour. [via Huffpost]
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WILLIE NELSON will celebrate his 90th birthday with a two-day concert at the Hollywood Bowl on April 29-30.
Joining him on stage will be NEIL YOUNG, CHRIS STAPLETON, MIRANDA LAMBERT, SNOOP DOGG, KACEY MUSGRAVE, and more.
WHAT’S MORE: Nelson’s new album, “I Don’t Know a Thing About Love,” drops in March. [via Fox News]
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TOM BRADY is really sick of people asking him what his future plans are -- including his “Let’s Go!” podcast co-host JIM GRAY.
During a discussion about what teams are left in the current NFL season, Gray asked Brady whether he plans to retire or not.
Brady gave an expletive-filled response, before adding, “I’m taking it a day at a time.”
Gray explained that he only asked because, “it’s the question everyone wants to know the answer to.” [via TMZ]
WORTH REMEMBERING: Several of Brady’s Buccaneers teammates have shared that they don’t think he will return to Tampa…if he comes back at all.
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JENNIFER GARNER, BEN AFFLECK and JENNIFER LOPEZ were one big happy family as they cheered on Seraphina Affleck, 14, at her musical performance over the weekend.
Lopez’s daughter Emme, 14, also attended the event, as did Violet Affleck, 17, and Samuel Affleck, 10.
It is the first time the exes have united publicly as one. Sources told Harper’s Bazaar that there has never been drama in the blended family. [via Harper’s Bazaar]
WORTH NOTING: Ben and Jen Garner were married from 2005 to 2018 and have three kids -- Seraphina, Violet and Samuel. Meanwhile, JLo shares twins Max and Emme with her ex-husband, singer MARC ANTHONY.
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JUSTIN BIEBER has sold his publishing and recorded music rights to Hipgnosis Songs Capital.
The deal, worth north of $200 million, covers his entire back catalog -- 290 songs released before the end of 2021.
It is the largest rights sale “for any artist in Bieber’s generation,” according to Billboard. It is also Hipgnosis’ biggest acquisition to date. [via Billboard]
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DREW BARRYMORE fully supports her friend LEONARDO DICAPRIO’s “naughty boy” lifestyle.
Speaking with singer SAM SMITH on her talk show this week, Barrymore said that she loves that Leo is “still clubbing.”
In response, Smith called the actor a “naughty boy,” to which Barrymore said “I know, and I love it.”
Leo has made headlines for years for being the life of the party and always having a model by his side. Most recently, the 48-year-old was spotted hanging out on a yacht in St. Barts with a handful of hot bods around him. [via Page Six]
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CASTING CALL
Child actor VIOLET MCGRAW, who currently stars in the horror flick “M3GAN,” made a killing (pun intended) on the project.
According to her contract, obtained by TMZ, the 11-year-old earned just over $3,900 a week, for six weeks of work.
She also got to enjoy the perks of filming, including traveling to New Zealand in style.
McGraw’s contract also promises bonuses if the film does well. So far, it has raked in more than $73 million domestically. [via TMZ]
WHAT’S MORE: Sources confirmed that she will return for the sequel, due out in 2025.
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The MADONNA biopic has been postponed indefinitely.
Sources told Variety that Madge planned to direct the project herself, so it had to be put on hold while she goes on her World Tour.
Plans for the film were announced in 2020, though by the end of 2022, the only thing on the table were some scripts based on large periods of Madonna’s life and career. Last June it was announced that “Ozark” star JULIA GARNER would play the singer. Garner has not commented on the project getting shelved.
Insiders did add that Madonna still hopes to create her own biopic…one day. [via Variety]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
YE, his oldest daughter, NORTH WEST, and his new wife BIANCA CENSORI were spotted dining at Nobu in California over the weekend.
The dinner date likely means Ye’s ex-wife KIM KARDASHIAN has already had a sit-down with Censori, as an insider told The Daily Mail that she wanted to “get to know her in a private meeting” and “establish ground rules” in regards to co-parenting. [via Daily Mail]
It is unknown if Ye’s other three kids have met their new step-mom yet.
WORTH REMEMBERING: Kardashian is already familiar with Censori, as she has worked for Ye’s Yeezy company for a while.
ALSO: The rumor was that Kim “hated” Censori -- even before she married her ex-husband -- but insiders say that she couldn’t care less.
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
One of PRINCESS ANNE’s bull terriers attacked another dog during a pheasant hunt last month.
According to The Sun, the dog “sank its teeth into a gamekeeper's dog and bit its ear at Sandringham.”
While both dogs survived, those who witnessed the attack were upset and tense for the rest of the hunt, a source told the outlet. [via The Sun]
This isn’t the first time one of Anne’s dogs has attacked.
In 2002, her dog, Dotty, got loose during a walk at Windsor Castle and bit two young boys. Anne was ordered to appear in court for the incident -- becoming the first senior-ranking British royal to be convicted of a criminal offense in modern times. Also, in 2003, one of Anne’s dogs attacked a corgi belonging to her mom, QUEEN ELIZABETH. [via People]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
Observe the Weather Day
St. Dwynwen’s Day
National Florida Day
Burns Night
National IV Nurse Day
National Fish Taco Day
National Opposite Day
National Irish Coffee Day
A Room of One’s Own Day
Snow Sculpting Week
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ON THIS DATE
1905 - A 3,106-carat diamond is discovered during a routine inspection at the Permier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa by the mine's superintendent. Weighing 1.33 pounds, and nicknamed the "Cullinan," it is the largest diamond ever found.
It was lodged 18 feet underground. It went immediately to the mine's owner -- Sir Thomas Cullinan.
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1924 - The first unofficial Winter Olympics begin in the French Alps.
The French Olympic committee organized the International Winter Sports Week, which was held the same year as the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Only a few events took place at this Olympics, including bobsled, curling, ice hockey and various versions of Nordic skiing. Sixteen countries participated, including the United States, Sweden, Norway, Latvia, and Hungary.
Despite the events relatively small size, it was considered a big success, prompting the International Olympic Committee to designate it as the first Winter Olympics.
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1956 - Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agrees that President Eisenhower is leading the charge for peace between the two superpowers.
He would later that year give a historic speech calling for "peaceful coexistence" between the US and USSR.
Khurshchev's dictatorship was certainly the most benign at that point in the 20th century. But even the optimism for peace fell apart when the Soviets violently squashed a freedom uprising in Hungary later that year.
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1961 - JFK becomes the first president to hold a live televised news conference.
He gave it from the State Department, reading a prepared statement regarding famine in the Congo, the release of two American pilots who had been held by Russians, and updates on negotiations regarding the atomic test ban treaty.
It was a lot to cover, especially compared to nowadays -- but this is before the endless news cycles that exist today.
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1971 - Charles Manson and three of his followers are convicted for murdering five victims at the home of actress Sharon Tate in 1969.
They all received the death penalty. But the next year the California supreme court eliminated capital punishment.
Manson would die in 2017 of cardiac arrest.
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1993 - Sears announces it is closing its catalog sales department after 97 years.
The last Big Book to be published would be the 1993 Spring/Summer edition.
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2019 - The longest-ever US government shutdown ends.
After 35 days, President Donald Trump agrees to the terms negotiated by a House-Senate conference committee.
Over 800,000 federal employees were furloughed during the shutdown.
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BIRTHDAYS
Lil Mosey - rapper - 21
Calum Hood - bassist, 5 Seconds of Summer - 27
Tati Gabrielle - actress, “The 100” - 27
Pauline Chalamet - actress, “Royal Pains” - 31
Jack Fowler - guitarist, Sleeping with Sirens - 32
Ariana DeBose - actress, “West Side Story” - 32
Michael Trevino - actor, “The Vampire Diaries” - 38
Hartley Sawyer - actor, “The Flash” & “Glory Daze” - 38
Alicia Keys - R&B singer - 42
Xavi - soccer player - 43
Volodymyr Zelensky - President of Ukraine - 45
Ana Ortiz - actress, “Ugly Betty” - 52
Jenifer Lewis - actress, “Dreamgirls” & “Black-ish” - 66
Born On This Date
Etta James - blues singer - 1938 (d. 2012)
Virginia Woolf - author, “Jacob’s Room” - 1882 (d. 1941)
Charles Curtis - 31st Vice President - 1860 (d. 1936)
Robert Burns - poet, “A Red, Red Rose” - 1759 (d. 1796)
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