1/9/2023: Biden Visits the Border
PLUS: Speaker McCarthy; Trans-Joker; and Harry’s “60 Minutes”
Today is Monday, January 9, 2023.
It is the 9th day of the year.
356 days remain.
TRENDING
Saturday was National Bobblehead Day.
Speaker McCarthy was trending Saturday after Kevin McCarthy finally got enough votes to win.
#LoveForDamar3 landed in Twitter’s Top 10 Trends on Saturday after the Buffalo Bills announced that the team would wear a patch with Damar Hamlin’s No. 3 on it, sideline personnel would wear “3’ pins, and the Bill’s field would outline the “3” in each 30-yard line number in royal blue on Sunday.
Sunday was National Bubble Bath Day.
The Joker was trending over the weekend. Head to Showbiz to see why.
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was trending Sunday after his team beat the Cleveland Browns. While the Steelers’ season is over (thanks to a Jet’s loss to the Dolphins), Tomlin is now 16 seasons without a losing record.
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HIT LIST
Supporters for former Brazilian President JAIR BOLSONARO, who lost re-election to far-left LULA DA SILVA late last year, broke into the country’s legislature, Supreme Court, and presidential palace building Sunday.
The buildings are located in one large complex called “Three Powers Plaza.” The demonstrators overtook security barricades and police forces. They don’t believe the election was conducted fairly and some have called for the military to return Bolsonaro to power by force.
Military forces appeared to have cleared most of the buildings Sunday afternoon, though demonstrators continued to linger in prescribed areas.
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The new management at FTX is trying to get back millions in charitable contributions made by the defunct crypto company, The Wall Street Journal reports.
As recently as September last year, the company pledged to give upward of $100 million to charities and research organizations across the globe, with goals of eventually doling out a billion dollars annually.
Reps for disgraced former CEO SAM BANKMAN-FRIED say the donations were generated from trading profits, not the misspent customer funds at the center of the scandal.
WORTH ASKING: If the company didn’t have proper accounting records and bank information, how can he say for certain the funds were from profits and not customer accounts?
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A Wells Fargo executive has been fired following his arrest for allegedly peeing on a woman during a flight from New York to New Delhi, India last November.
Shankar Mishra was apparently very drunk during the flight. Fellow passengers tell the Associated Press he was incoherent and asked a seatmate the same questions about his family multiple times.
Reps for the airline, Air India, say the company didn’t report the incident to police until last week because they believed Mishra and his victim had sorted out the situation on their own. Mishra was arrested on Saturday in India on charges of “outraging the modesty of a woman” and could face three years in prison.
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Last week airline industry analysts predicted Southwest’s holiday-season snafus would cost the company up to $700 million. Now the airline itself says it will spend up to $825 million on refunds and upgrading its technology infrastructure.
Its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission shows it anticipates a fourth quarter loss of between $725-and-825 million. About half of that loss comes from lost revenue, and the rest goes to refunds to customers and pay increases to employees.
So far, the airline has processed three-fourths of the refund requests from the holiday chaos, CBS News reports.
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Seattle Public Schools has filed a lawsuit against the companies behind major social media sites, blaming them for creating a public nuisance that targets children.
The city’s public school organization specifically names the companies behind TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and Snapchat in the complaint. While these companies have typically been shielded from lawsuits regarding content on their platforms by the controversial Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, this case is taking a different direction. Here, the lawsuit alleges the “[d]efendants affirmatively recommend and promote harmful content to youth, such as pro-anorexia and eating disorder content.”
IN OTHER WORDS: The suit isn’t attacking specific content, but the platforms’ targeting methods to connect kids with online material that could be harmful.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The Dow added 700 points (2.13%) on Friday to close at 33,630. The S&P added 86 points (2.28%) to close at 3,895 while the Nasdaq added 264 points (2.56%) to close at 10,569.
🛢 West Texas Intermediate closed at $73 on Friday; Brent Crude at $78.
⛽ The national average price of a gallon of gas was $3.28 on Sunday.
₿ Bitcoin gained over the weekend, picking up nearly $300 to trade near $17,000.
🛩 There were more than 3,100 flights delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Sunday, and 121 such cancellations.
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CHARTS
Weekend Box Office
10. The Menu: $713k (down from 8)
9. Violent Night: $741k (down from 6)
8. Babylon: $1.4 million (down from 5)
7. The Whale: $1.5 million (stayed at 7)
6. Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody: $2.4 million (down from 4)
5. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: $3.3 million (down from 3)
4. A Man Called Otto: $4.2 million (up from 18)
3. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish: $13.1 million (down from 2)
2. M3GAN: $30.2 million (new)
1. Avatar: The Way of Water: $45 million (stayed at 1)
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DEATHS
Actor EARL BOEN (Dr. Peter Silberman in “Terminator”) has died.
He passed away Thursday in Hawaii, a family member told TMZ. No other details were shared.
Boen also starred in “Battle Beyond the Stars,” “The Man with Two Brains” and “Alien Nation.”
He was 81.
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ADAM RICH, best known for his role as Nicholas Bradford, the youngest son on “Eight Is Enough,” has died.
A family member shared the news with TMZ, explaining that Adam was found lifeless at his Los Angeles home on Saturday. No official cause of death has been released.
He was 54.
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TRISTAN THOMPSON’s mom, ANDREA THOMPSON, has died.
According to multiple outlets, she went into cardiac arrest at her Toronto home on January 5 and could not be resuscitated.
Her age is unknown.
More in Kardash.
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BREAKUPS
Six years after separating, boxing legend OSCAR DE LA HOYA, 49, has filed for divorce from his wife, singer MILAGROS “Millie” CORRETJER, 48.
According to The Blast, De La Hoya cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split. He is seeking joint custody of their three children, though is willing to give Millie physical custody as long as visitation rights are fair. Also, an insider told the outlet that De La Hoya is “open to” paying spousal support.
All seems amicable.
The two were married for 16 years.
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RELATIONSHIPS
Green Bay Packers QB AARON RODGERS, 39, is dating model MALLORY EDENS, 26. She is the daughter of WES EDENS, one of the owners of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Rumors of their romance started in December after the two were spotted sitting courtside at a Bucks game.
Rodgers is a minority owner of the NBA team.
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SICK BAY
Former NFL running back PEYTON HILLIS, 36, has been hospitalized after rescuing one of his children and another family member from drowning off the coast of Pensacola, Florida last week.
Family friend Marvin Caston told USA Today that during the rescue Hillis got a lot of salt water in his lungs and nearly drowned. He was rushed to the hospital where they have been working to pump the salt water out and restore function to his kidneys.
Hillis’ uncle posted on Facebook over the weekend that his nephew is “doing better” though is still in intensive care.
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THE SWAMP
Late Friday night, after the fifteenth round of voting, the House of Representatives elected California Rep. KEVIN MCCARTHY as speaker, ending the week-long showdown between a group of staunch conservatives and the rest of Congress.
Ultimately, the holdouts either voted for McCarthy or voted “present,” which lowered the threshold required for a majority of votes from 218 to 216. Their obstinacy proved fruitful for their cause; The Wall Street Journal reports McCarthy agreed to almost all of their demands, including that votes on a debt-ceiling increase will be tied to spending cuts, spending bills will be more easily amended, and the Rules Committee will be stuffed with members of the Freedom Caucus.
WORTH NOTING: Multiple outlets report that former President DONALD TRUMP played an instrumental role in lobbying the holdouts to change their tune. McCarthy said afterward about Trump, “I don’t think anyone should doubt his influence.”
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At least President JOE BIDEN can now say he’s “been to the border,” following a visit to El Paso, Texas on Sunday.
Texas Governor GREG ABBOTT hand-delivered a letter to Biden that blamed his lax law enforcement for “chaos” at the border. Biden later watched a demonstration of border patrol officers conducting car searches for illegal materials.
WORTH NOTING: The lack of border security isn’t an issue at official points of entry; it’s where drugs can flow into the country unchecked because there are no resources to stop them that’s the problem.
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LOTTERY
No winner for Friday night’s Mega Millions drawing. Tuesday night’s drawing will be for a $1.1 BILLION jackpot or a $568.7 million cash payout.
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No winner for Saturday night’s Powerball drawing. Tonight’s drawing will be for a $340 million jackpot or a $178.2 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
DAMAR HAMLIN posted on Instagram for the first time since suffering cardiac arrest.
Sharing photos from the fateful night, along with the quote his doctors told him about how he won at life, Hamline wrote, “When you put real love out into the world it comes back to 3x’s as much.”
He continued on thanking everyone for the love, support and prayers.
Despite Hamlin being up and talking, the Buffalo Bills updated fans on his condition over the weekend, saying he is still in critical care.
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CELINE DION fans showed up outside the Rolling Stone headquarters in New York City on Friday to share their displeasure over the singer being left of their 200 Greatest Singers of All Time list.
Equipped with picket signs, many were chanting “Rolling Stone is stoned” as they loudly bashed the magazine.
As for their demands, they want Celine recognized on the list and an apology from the magazine.
RS editor Steven Pearl did go outside and listen to the protestors, while also explaining how the list was formed. The protestors weren’t having it and broke out in song.
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VINCE MCMAHON is back with the WWE.
The former boss has returned to the organization’s Board of Directors, just six months after resigning following a series of misconduct allegations.
McMahon, the majority shareholder of WWE, will resume his role as executive chairman to help negotiate the organization’s next TV, while also exploring a potential sale of the company.
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DC fans are not sure how to digest the latest story from “The Man Who Stopped Laughing” comic series.
In the series, The Joker wants an heir, so he pursues wizardress Zatanna, who wants nothing to do with him. Annoyed by his advances, Zantanna casts a spell, guaranteeing that no one will ever give him offspring. The thing is, it backfires and instead The Joker ends up pregnant.
Some on Twitter called out DC for trying to push LGBT narratives, while others called the storyline “progressive.”
WORTH REMEMBERING: DC recently revealed that superheroes Robin and Superman are gay.
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JEREMY RENNER celebrated turning 52-years-old on Saturday in the ICU.
The actor, known best for his role as Marvel’s Hawkeye, posted about the great care he has been receiving as he recovers from his snowplow accident.
While Renner appears to be on the road to recovery, it is unknown what sort of uphill battle he faces.
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BILLY IDOL, 67, has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The milestone comes ahead of the 40th anniversary of his self-titled debut album in July.
During Friday’s unveiling, Idol told reporters “It really is crazy to find myself getting an award like this, or being honored in this way.
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RASCAL FLATTS guitarist JOE DON ROONEY says his ongoing divorce from his former Playboy model wife TIFFANY FALLON is turning tumultuous.
According to new court documents obtained by TMZ, he says she cheated and she says he is a cheater who is also hooked on drugs and alcohol.
Many may recall that Rooney filed for divorce in January 2021 after claiming Fallon had been cheating on him with her personal trainer. She admits to the affair, but says she was driven to do it because of Rooney’s “habitual alcoholism and drug abuse.”
Remember, Rooney was arrested for DUI in September 2021 after crashing his car into a tree. He says he is currently in treatment for his issues.
They are also fighting over custody of their three kids.
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Former porn star RON JEREMY will not stand trial for dozens of counts of sexual assault because he suffers from clinical memory loss.
The LA Times reports that Jeremy is believed to have severe dementia, something that medical experts from both the defense and the prosecution agree on.
This means that he will soon be declared incompetent to stand trial, meaning the case will be dropped and he will likely be sent to a state-run hospital.
Jeremy was hit with a 30-count indictment in 2021 that included allegations from 21 different women who all claim that he forced himself on them.
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CASTING CALL
SUZANNE MALVEAUX is leaving CNN.
In a note to staffers, she said that she had made the “heartfelt decision” to put her family first and pursue her long-desired passions, that include promoting wellness, resiliency and social justice.
Malveaux was an anchor and correspondent with the network for 20 years.
WORTH NOTING: Malveaux’s partner is White House Press Secretary KARINE JEAN-PIERRE. They share an eight-year-old daughter.
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Rapper 50 CENT is working on turning the film “8 Mile,” a semi-autobiographical take on fellow rapper EMINEM’s life, into a TV show.
“It’s all in motion,” 50 said during a recent appearance on the BigBoyTV YouTube channel.
The story will be set as a backstory to the film, showing Em’s younger years, he explained.
Eminem is reportedly on board to help produce.
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COURT CASES
Convicted sex trafficker GHISLAINE MAXWELL has hired disgraced movie mogul HARVEY WEINSTEIN’s appeals lawyer to help her overturn her conviction.
Attorney Arthur L. Aidala confirmed to Page Six that he filed legal papers on Friday to represent Maxwell in her planned appeal.
He is also representing Weinstein in his New York appeal.
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
KHLOE KARDASHIAN traveled with her ex, TRISTAN THOMPSON to Toronto to help him “navigate” the sudden death of his mom, ANDREA THOMPSON.
A source told E! News that the entire Kardashian family is “heartbroken” over the news, especially Khloe, who was “incredibly close” to Andrea.
Khloe’s mom, KRIS JENNER, posted a tribute to Andrea on Instagram, sharing multiple photos and writing what a “blessing” Andrea was to the family.
More details on Andrea’s passing in Deaths.
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
Not much new territory covered in PRINCE HARRY’s “60 Minutes” interview with ANDERSON COOPER last night — but he did reveal in an offhand comment that he doesn’t watch “Game of Thrones.”
When Cooper compared the Royal Family’s drama to the fantasy show, only without the dragons, Harry said that while he doesn’t watch the show, he quipped that the dragons in this case are the British tabloid media.
Harry also opened up about his struggle to cry for years, despite the trauma of losing his mother, in a family that generally doesn’t share affection or feelings. He said that he and his brother, PRINCE WILLIAM, who he calls “Willy,” believed for years PRINCESS DIANA faked her death to escape the media and she would one day call them to join her.
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DAY OF THE YEAR
Coming of Age Day
International Choreographer Day
National Gluten Free Day
National Cassoulet Day
National Word Nerd Day
National Apricot Day
Play God Day
National Clean Your Desk Day
National Balloon AscensionDay
National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
National Static Electricity Day
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ON THIS DATE
1493 – Explorer Christopher Columbus documents his sighting of what he calls mermaids.
In reality they were probably manatees. He described them as "not half as beautiful as they are painted."
The sighting was 6 months into his trip from Spain en route to Asia. Of course, he actually landed in the Americas.
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1768 – The first modern circus opens in London.
It was staged and promoted by Philip Astley, an English entertainer.
Astley was a former cavalry sergeant major, who discovered the science behind performing physics-defying stunts.
His first trick included waving his sword while riding a horse with one foot on the saddle and the other on the horse's head.
He was an instant celebrity and star. He soon brought in more horsemen and hired a clown and some musicians.
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1776 – "Common Sense" is published by Thomas Paine, a writer of the American Revolution.
It outlined arguments for American independence. It wasn't a book or a magazine, but a pamphlet, which at the time was a common way to share messages with the masses.
“Common Sense” was originally published anonymously. It served to simplify the complicated political ramifications of American independence for everyday people.
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1972 – Luxury ocean liner Queen Elizabeth starts on fire while harbored in Hong Kong.
It was at the time in the hands of a Taiwanese shipping mogul. The fire destroyed the ship completely.
Some suspect arson for the blaze as the tycoon owner had recently taken out a multi-million-dollar insurance policy on the ship, while others suggested pro-Communist radicals attacked and destroyed the ship.
Either way, the famed vessel sank to the bottom of the harbor, and would never sail again.
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1972 – The Milwaukee Bucks beat the LA Lakers, breaking the Lakers' 33 game winning streak. It's the longest win streak in the history of American professional sports.
The match pitted NBA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain against each other.
The Lakers would later beat the Bucks in the Western Division title match.
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1991 – Pete Rose gets banned from being elected into the Hall of Fame for betting on baseball games.
The triple World Series Winner was accused of gambling while playing for and managing the Reds.
He also has a lifetime ban from the game.
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2007 – Steve Jobs announces the iPhone.
It would be officially released on June 29, 2007.
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2021 - China places two cities, Shjiazhuang and Xingtai, on lockdown after over 130 cases of COVID-19 are reported.
Businesses are shuttered and people’s movements are controlled.
Meanwhile, a team of WHO scientists traveling to Wuhan to trace the origins of the virus are denied entry.
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BIRTHDAYS
Nicola Peltz - actress, “The Last Airbender” - 28
Alvaro Soler - pop singer - 32
Nina Dobrev - actress, “The Vampire Diaries” - 34
Cody Carson - punk singer, Set It Off - 34
Kate Middleton - princess - 41
Chad Johnson - football player - 45
AJ McLean - pop singer, Backstreet Boys - 45
Omari Hardwick - actor, “Saved: & “The A-Team” - 49
Julie Chrisley - reality star, “Chrisley Knows Best” - 50
Sean Paul - rapper - 50
Dave Matthews - rock singer, Dave Matthews Band - 56
Muggsy Bogues - basketball player - 58
J.K. Simmons - actor, “Whiplash” & Farmers Insurance Guy - 68
Jimmy Page - guitarist, Led Zeppelin - 79
Born On This Date
Bob Denver - actor, “Gilligan’s Island” - 1935 (d. 2005)
Richard Nixon - 37th POTUS - 1913 (d. 1994)
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