1/30/2023: How to Stick It To Your Ex
1/30/2023: How to Stick It To Your Ex
PLUS: Trump on the Stump, “Shakira, Shakira”; and Some Brits Still Like Harry
Today is Monday, January 30, 2023.
It is the 30th day of the year.
335 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Former FTX employees appear to have gone dark on the feds prosecuting SAM BANKMAN-FRIED and the WHO will announce what’s next for the pandemic. More in HIT LIST.
Former President DONALD TRUMP got back on the stump over the weekend, taking digs at President JOE BIDEN’s foreign policy and leadership. More in THE SWAMP.
MARIE KONDO says she is no longer living the tidy lifestyle and COLDPLAY will only release three more albums. More in SHOWBIZ.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department is investigating YE for alleged battery after an incident with a fan turned aggressive. More in KARDASHOPUS.
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HIT LIST
Prosecutors trying SAM BANKMAN-FRIED told a Manhattan judge they have concerns he’s committing witness tampering using the encrypted messaging service Signal.
SBF allegedly wrote to FTX’s counsel to “see if there’s a way for us to have a construction relationship, use each other as resources when possible, or at least vet things with each other.”
Without filing charges, the DOJ asserts that SBF reaching out at all could itself be considered witness tampering. [via CNBC]
WORTH NOTING: There’s nothing nefarious about using Signal itself – it’s just another chat app, but promises end-to-end encryption, meaning messages aren’t stored on a third party server somewhere.
MEANWHILE: Lawyers for FTX say former staffers CAROLINE ELLISON and GARY WANG have stopped talking to investigators. FTX’s camp filed a subpoena request for Ellison, Wang, and SBF’s parents and brother last week. [via New York Post]
Ellison agreed to a plea deal in December premised on her ongoing cooperation with the feds that limits any prosecution to tax crimes and took fraud and conspiracy charges off the table. No word yet if getting subpoenaed would upend that deal.
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More layoffs could be on the way at FACEBOOK parent company Meta.
During an internal meeting last week, MARK ZUCKERBERG reportedly decried the company’s thick layers of management. "I don't think you want a management structure that's just managers managing managers, managing managers, managing managers, managing the people who are doing the work,” he said, according to The Verge’s Command Line newsletter.
The leak comes after 11,000 employees were axed in November, and suggests more belt tightening could be on the way. [via Command Line]
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The World Health Organization’s committee overseeing covid announced Monday that the disease still constitutes “a public health emergency of international concern” — but notes the pandemic is at a “transition point.”
The official memo reports that a combination of natural immunity and vaccination campaign will limit the disease’s impact on “morbidity and mortality,” but neither will eradicate the disease outright. [via World Health Organization]
WORTH REMEMBERING: Saying this a year ago was enough to get unpersoned on social media.
WORTH NOTING: The announcement comes three years to the day that it first designated the covid outbreak a global public health emergency on January 30, 2020.
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YouTube star Airrack has taken the prize for the world’s largest pizza, clocking in at 13,990 square feet.
The whole pie was baked in sections at the Los Angeles Convention Center, and included more than 13,600 pounds of dough, nearly 5,000 pounds of marinara sauce, over 8,800 pounds of cheese and more than 630,000 pieces of pepperoni.
The Youtuber shares the record with Pizza Hut, which helped produce the stunt. [via Guinness World Records]
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If you want to stick it to an ex ahead of Valentine’s Day, the San Antonio Zoo has just the solution for you: For $150, they’ll name a cockroach after your former flame and take a video of an animal eating it.
There’s some cheaper options, too. For just $10 they’ll send an email to your ex informing them of your heart-heavy gesture. You can also name a vegetable for $5 or a rodent for $25 and get the same package.
Last year, the zoo said they got 8,000 contributions through the program from all over the world. [via CNN]
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CHARTS
Weekend Box Office
10. The Wandering Earth II: $1.3 million (new)
9. Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist: $2.3 million (new)
8. Infinity Pool: $2.7 million (new)
7. Plane: $3.8 million (down from 6)
6. Missing: $5.6 million (down from 4)
5. Pathaan: $5.9 million (new)
4. M3GAN: $6.3 million (down from 3)
3. A Man Called Otto: $6.7 million (up from 5)
2. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish: $10.6 million (stayed at 2)
1. Avatar: The Way of Water: $15.7 million (stayed at 1)
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DEATHS
Actress ANNIE WERSCHING, known for her roles in “24” and “Bosch,” has died.
She passed away Sunday after a two-year battle with cancer, according to her publicist.
She was 45.
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College basketball announcer BILLY PACKER, who was part of 34 Final Fours, has died.
He passed away Thursday, according to a tweet from his son. No other details were shared.
He was 92.
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TOM VERLAINE, co-founder of ‘70s punk rock band TELEVISION, has died.
He passed away Saturday in New York City after suffering from a brief illness, according to his publicist. Not further details were shared.
He was 73.
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Screenwriter GREGORY ALLEN HOWARD has died.
He passed away Friday at a hospital in Miami of heart failure, according to his publicist.
Howard was best known for adapting stories of historical Black figures, such as “Remember the Titans,” “Ali” and “Harriet.”
He was 70.
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WEDDINGS
Singer MARC ANTHONY, 54, and former Miss Universe contestant NADIA FERREIRA, 23, have tied the knot.
The couple said “I Do” in a lavish ceremony in Miami on Saturday night.
Anthony was previously married to model DAYANARA TORRES (2000-2004), singer and actress JENNIFER LOPEZ (2004-2014) and model SHANNON DE LIMA (2014-2017).
WORTH NOTING: Several outlets reported that Anthony’s twins, whom he shares with Lopez, were not in attendance.
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THE SWAMP
Former President DONALD TRUMP was back on the stump on Saturday with rallies in New Hampshire and South Carolina. "We need a president who can take on the whole system and a president who can win,” he said, and accused President JOE BIDEN of bringing the world to the brink of another global war.
"We’re at the brink of World War III, just in case anybody doesn’t know it. As president, I will bring back peace through strength,” he said.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW added 28 points (0.084%) to close at 33,978 on Friday. The S&P added 10 points (0.25%) to close at 4,070 and the NASDAQ added 109 points (0.95%) to close at 11,621.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $79; BRENT CRUDE at $86.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.50 on Sunday.
₿ BITCOIN was up Sunday, adding more than $770 and trading over $23,800.
🛩 There were more than 3,900 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Sunday and more than 215 such cancellations.
💰Tuesday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $31 million jackpot or a $16.5 million cash payout. Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $613 million jackpot or a $329 million cash payout.
SHOWBIZ NEWS
Buffalo Bills safety DAMAR HAMLIN addressed fans in his first on-camera statement since suffering cardiac arrest during a “Monday Night Football” game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
In the video message, Hamlin updated fans on his recovery and thanked everyone for the love, support and prayers.
He also said that he feels what happened to him “is a direct example of God using [him] as a vessel to share [his] passion and love directly [...] with the entire world.” [via Deadline]
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TJ HOLMES and AMY ROBACH are officially out at ABC after months of drama surrounding their affair.
The “GMA3” anchors were taken off the air last December after the network opened up an internal investigation into their relationship. At the time, both Holmes and Robach were married to other people, though they claim they were separated from their respective spouses.
Their exit was announced Friday, with a spokesperson from the network saying both parties agreed that it would be for the best for them to “move on from ABC News.”
No details of the exit agreements have been shared publicly. [via Rolling Stone]
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Just months after suffering severe burns while working on one of his vintage cars, comedian JAY LENO is now recovering from a motorcycle accident.
Leno revealed Friday that he was “clotheslined” by some unmarked wire that was hanging between two poles, causing him to crash and break several ribs, his collarbone and crack his kneecaps.
He told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he didn’t reveal the incident right away after the overwhelming coverage of his recovery from his burns. [via Las Vegas Review-Journal]
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SMOKEY ROBINSON is set to release his first solo album in nearly a decade.
“Gasms” will drop April 28, according to a tweet from the Motown legend.
One day after the announcement, Robinson released one of the songs from the album, titled “If We Don’t Have Each Other.” [via Fox News]
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The handwritten lyrics, electric guitar and two outfits worn by SHAKIRA during her Super Bowl halftime performance will be on display at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.
The items will be featured in an exhibit called “Shakira, Shakira: The Grammy Museum Experience,” which is set to open on March 4.
According to the museum, the exhibit will “explore Shakira’s musical evolution, from her origin as a Latin performer in Colombia to reaching global superstardom.” [via Fox News]
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MARIE KONDO shocked fans during a recent webinar when she revealed that after giving birth to her third son she is not as tidy as she used to be.
“My house is messy,” she exclaimed.
Many may recognize Kondo from her Netflix series “Tidying Up,” in which she helped people clean their messy homes in an attempt to “spark joy” in their lives.
Her latest book, “Marie Kondo’s Kurashi at Home: How to Organize Your Space and Achieve Your Ideal Life,” focuses less on the physical space and more on cleaning up the mental and emotional spaces. [via Variety]
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CHRIS MARTIN says COLDPLAY only has three albums left – but hopes the band continues to tour as long as they’re able.
Martin told RYAN SEACREST, "Sometimes you can just feel when a story is going to end and that's what I feel about our albums,” and added, “I've always had a vision of where we're supposed to go and in terms of albums, it finishes and so I don't want to mess with that." [via On Air With Ryan Seacrest]
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HARRY STYLES split his pants during his recent concert in Inglewood, California.
He was in the middle of singing “Music for a Sushi Restaurant” when he dropped it low, and a seam in his crotch-area gave way.
Styles apologized -- especially to those in the front row -- who may have sneaked a peek inside the hole. He then wrapped a towel around his waist and continued on with the show. [via TMZ]
WORTH NOTING: Styles’ first celebrity crush, JENNIFER ANISTON, was at the show.
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CASTING CALL
BLAKE LIVELY and JUSTIN BALDONI are set to star in the film adaptation of COLLEEN HOOVER’s book “It Ends With Us.”
The story follows a girl named Lily who is ready to start her life post-college. She meets a man named Ryle and falls head over heels for him. As her feelings grow stronger, her first love, Atlas, reappears and challenges everything she thought she wanted.
“It Ends With Us” was the top-selling print book of 2022 and has been on the New York Times Best Seller List for over 90 weeks. [via Deadline]
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“Avatar: The Way of Water” has hit No. 4 on the highest-grossing movies of all-time chart after earning nearly $2.075 BILLION globally.
The spot was previously held by “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
Director JAMES CAMERON now has three of the top four movies; “Avatar,” “Titanic” and “Avatar: The Way of Water.” [via Deadline]
NEXT ONE TO CONQUER: In the No. 3 spot is Cameron’s “Titanic.”
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
YE is currently under investigation for alleged battery after he was caught on video grabbing a woman’s cell phone out of her hands and hurling it into the street.
According to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, the rapper and the unidentified woman were both stopped at a stoplight in Southern California when Ye exited his vehicle to address her. [via HuffPost]
Watch watch happens next:
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
Most Brits say they are okay if PRINCE HARRY attends his father, KING CHARLES’ coronation in May.
According to an Ipsos survey, around 60% of adults think Harry should attend the event.
It is still unknown if Harry and MEGHAN MARKLE will attend -- or even be invited to -- the coronation, but an insider told the New York Post that “a royal reunion is not in the cards at this moment in time.” [via NY Post]
WORTH NOTING: The survey also asked participants which two or three members of the Royal Family they like the most. PRINCE WILLIAM took the top spot with 50% of mentions, followed by Charles with 32%. Will’s wife PRINCESS CATHERINE came in third with 29%, followed by Harry with 17%. [via IPSOS]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Escape Day
National Draw a Dinosaur Day
Yodel for Your Neighbors Day
School Day of Non-violence and Peace
National Croissant Day
National Bubble Wrap Day
National Inane Answering Message Day
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ON THIS DATE
1781 – Maryland ratifies the Articles of Confederation.
The early governing document for the 13 states was intended to be approved in March of 1778.
Maryland and other small states weren't ready to give all the marbles to the largest states by land size.
The articles would then take effect March 1 of that year, leaving the states with a great deal of individual power and outlining a limp federal government.
The US Constitution would replace the articles in 1789.
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1835 – Andrew Jackson survives the first assassination attempt on a US president.
He was the seventh President, to give some context.
Jackson was attending the memorial service for late Representative Warren R. Davis, which was open to anyone.
A man named Richard Lawrence fired two separate pistols in the direction of Jackson.
Neither weapon actually discharged, though. Lawrence was tackled and arrested.
After a trial, he was found to be criminally insane.
Jackson spent the rest of his life convinced the Whigs were behind the attempt. Vice President Martin Van Buren served out his term personally carrying two loaded pistols whenever visiting Congress.
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1933 – Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany.
He was at the time the leader of the National German Workers Party — the Nazis.
Immediately Hitler expanded the police state. New security forces were hired, including the Gestapo and SS.
The Nazi's influence was solidified, and would continue until Hitler's suicide 11 years later.
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1948 – Nathuram Godse shoots and kills Mohandas Gandhi.
The pacifist leader was headed to a prayer meeting.
The assassin and his planning accomplice were swiftly tried and convicted for the crime.
They would be executed for the crime in November the following year.
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1965 - A state funeral for Winston Churchill is held at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Churchill had passed away six days earlier at 90-years-old.
After his death, he laid in state for three days in the Palace of Westminster, per an order from Queen Elizabeth II.
It was the first state funeral of a politician in the century and the biggest national event since Elizabeth’s Coronation in 1953.
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1994 – Speed skater Dan Jansen sets the record for the 500-meter sprint, clocking in at 35.76 seconds.
Four days later he would take home gold for another world record finish in the 1,000-meter event, at 1-minute 12-seconds.
After the victories, Jansen retired from competitive skating.
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2020 – The World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern at a meeting in Geneva.
At the time, the virus had been detected in 19 countries, with nearly 8,000 cases in China alone.
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BIRTHDAYS
Danielle Campbell - actress, “StarStruck” - 28
Eiza Gonzalez - actress, “Baby Driver” - 33
Khleo Thomas - actor, “Holes” - 34
Becky Lynch - wrestler - 36
Kid Cudi - rapper - 39
Peter Crouch - soccer player - 42
Wilmer Valderrama - actor, “That ‘70s Show” & “NCIS” - 43
Christian Bale - actor, “Batman Begins” & “The Fighter” - 49
Olivia Coleman - actress, “The Crown” & “Fleabag” - 49
Phil Collins - rock singer - 72
Dick Cheney - former VP - 82
Gene Hackman - actor, “The French Connection” & “Birdcage” - 93
Born On This Date
Samuel J. Byck - attempted assassin of Nixon - 1930 (d. 1974)
Franklin D. Roosevelt - 32nd POTUS - 1882 (d. 1945)
Thomas Rolfe - colonial settler & only child of Pocahontas and John Rolfe - 1615 (d. 1675)
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