2/23/2023: FBI Busts Art Fraudster
PLUS: Trump Does East Palestine; Kylie’s Favorite Kardashian; and Harry & Meghan Are Unbothered
Today is Thursday, February 23, 2023.
It is the 54th day of the year.
311 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Tesla returns engineering operations to California and a Welsh man grows the heaviest sunflower head ever. More in HIT LIST.
Former President DONALD TRUMP visited East Palestine, Ohio, on Wednesday, bringing supplies for locals and stopping in at McD’s. More in THE SWAMP.
VERA WANG doesn’t age and GUNS N’ ROSES is going on tour! More in SHOWBIZ.
KEVIN COSTNER’s lawyer says the rumors about his filming schedule for “Yellowstone” are not true and “Rust” production moves out of New Mexico. More in CASTING CALL.
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HIT LIST
Tesla’s engineering headquarters is returning to California.
ELON MUSK joined California Governor GAVIN NEWSOM to announce the move, about two years after Musk moved the company’s HQ to Austin, Texas, amid his frustration with California’s unending and ineffective pandemic mitigation efforts.
Tesla will set up shop at Hewlett-Packard’s old digs in Palo Alto.
WORTH NOTING: The engineering headquarters is different from the general corporate headquarters, which will remain in Austin. [via KTLA]
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The 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class will offer three different screens on the dashboard: one for instrument readings, one for the main entertainment system, and a third passenger screen, running on the company’s own operating system.
A camera facing inward will even allow the driver to participate in video conferencing – but only when the car is stopped. [via Motor Authority]
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A Florida gallerist has pleaded guilty for selling counterfeit works he pretended were done by famous artists.
Over the span of several months starting in 2021, undercover FBI agents purchased art from Daniel Elie Bouaziz, who provided forged certificates and stamps of authenticity for each. In one major haul, the agents bought a collection that Bouaziz said included works by Basquiat, Banksy, and Georgia O’Keefe for $22 million in bitcoin.
GET THIS: Further investigation showed that art he was selling for $12 million was purchased online for under $500.
IT GETS WORSE: Bouaziz is currently in the US on a tourist visa that prevents him from operating a business anyway.
In exchange for pleading guilty to one count of money laundering, the court dropped 16 other counts. He faces sentencing in May. [via ARTnews]
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A Welsh man has broken his own world record for the heaviest sunflower head.
This time, the massive, round top of a sunflower plant weighs in at 14.21 pounds, nearly three pounds heavier than his last record-breaker. The stalk grew eleven feet high over the course of 20 weeks last year, between May and October.
The grower’s family has been cultivating sunflowers and using their own seeds for over a century. [via Guinness World Records]
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Sunnyvale, California, is the happiest city in the country.
The study, commissioned by personal finance company SmartAsset, looked at the 200 largest cities in the country and analyzed 13 metrics dealing with quality of life, personal finance, and overall well-being.
Six of the top ten spots are also in California.
Birmingham, Alabama, is at the bottom of the list, based on high numbers of personal bankruptcy filings, lower life expectancy, and the number of residents living in poverty. Newark, New Jersey, and Memphis, Tennessee, rounded out the bottom three. [via The Hill]
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CHARTS
Recommended Reading
Two women with the same name, born on the same day in South Korea, who eventually emigrated to the United States, were both issued the same Social Security number. And the government is doing nothing to fix their mistake. NBC News gets into the details of their lives turned upside down >
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BREAKUPS
“Dancing With the Stars” pro-dancer EMMA SLATER, 34, has filed for divorce from her husband, fellow professional dancer SASHA FARBER, 38.
The filing comes nearly a year after the two decided to separate.
They were married for four years.
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THE SWAMP
Former President DONALD TRUMP visited East Palestine, Ohio, on Wednesday, as residents grow increasingly frustrated over the Biden White House’s inaction after a train derailment earlier this month caused vinyl chloride to spill into a river and a controlled burn of the chemical sent an enormous black smoke plume into the air.
Newly-minted Ohio Senator JD VANCE joined Trump for a press conference. The former president donated 13 pallets of food and Trump-brand bottled water for locals. Before hopping back on his plane, Trump stopped in at McDonald’s to order Big Macs for himself and first responders. “I know this menu better than you do. I probably know it better than anybody in here,” he told the cashier.
So far, the highest-ranking administration official to visit the site is the EPA Administrator Michael Regan. [via DailyMail]
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Politico reports that President JOE BIDEN isn’t as certain he’ll run again in 2024 as he once was.
Advisers had a February announcement in mind that has now been postponed to April. [via Politico]
MEANWHILE: Demorat swing-vote Senator JOE MANCHIN said Wednesday he’s unequivocally not running for President – for those who were concerned.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW lost 84 points (0.26%) to close at 33,045 on Wednesday. The S&P lost 6 points (0.16%) to close at 3,991 while the NASDAQ added 14 points (0.13%) to close at 11,507.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $73; BRENT CRUDE at $80.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.39 on Wednesday.
₿ BITCOIN slid 1.6% and was trading just over $24,000.
🛩 There were more than 4,500 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Wednesday and more than 1,500 such cancellations.
💰Friday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $126 million jackpot or a $63.9 million cash payout.
SHOWBIZ NEWS
PARIS HILTON revealed the name of her newborn son with husband CARTER REUM on her “This Is Paris” podcast on Wednesday.
“My beautiful baby boy’s name is Phoenix Barron Hilton Reum,” she said
Hilton also stated that she plans on naming a future daughter London, and sticking with city-themed names for subsequent kids.
Phoenix arrived last month via a surrogate. [via Page Six]
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Reality star KRISTIN CAVALLARI says she can’t find the right man to date because all of the ones hitting on her are married.
The “Laguna Beach” alum, who was married to former NFL star JAY CUTLER, shared the tidbit with RACHEL BILSON on her “Broad Ideas” podcast. Cavallari said she has gone on dates with some men -- who are not married -- but they are all too young and “unestablished” for her. [via TMZ]
WORTH REMEMBERING: Cavallari filed for divorce from Cutler in 2020 after seven years of marriage. They share three kids.
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Fashion designer VERA WANG apparently doesn’t age.
Social media users reacted to the 73-year-old’s recent appearance at Sunday’s BAFTAs with shock and awe over her youthful look.
As for the secret behind her wrinkle-free glow, Wang said it's “work, sleep, a vodka cocktail [and] not much sun.” [via NY Post]
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GUNS N’ ROSES is going on tour.
The band -- made up of frontman AXL ROSE, 61, bassist DUFF MCKAGEN, 59, and guitarist SLASH, 57 -- will kick things off in June in Tel Aviv, Israel. They will then do 15 shows in Europe before heading to North America for a 22-date stretch.
Their last tour was in 2021, the same year they released their first new track in over a decade, “Absurd.” [via Daily Mail]
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Country singer MORGAN EVANS says his ex-wife, fellow country singer, KELSEA BALLERINI isn’t telling the truth about their marriage.
During her recent appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Ballerini said they had a “nasty divorce” and admitted to not really wanting to get married in the first place. In response, Evans said her stories “aren't reality,” before adding, “If this is what she needs to heal, I hope it helps.”
Both musicians have released tracks about the end of their 5-year marriage, following their split last August. [via TMZ]
SINCE THE SPLIT: Ballerini has been linked to “Outer Banks” star CHASE STOKES, whom she confirmed she is dating for the first time on the podcast.
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CASTING CALL
In the early ‘90s, LIAM NEESON said he was offered the chance to play James Bond but turned it down because of an ultimatum from his then-fiance, actress NATASHA RICHARDSON.
“She told me, ‘Liam, I want to tell you something: If you play James Bond, we’re not getting married,’” he explained to Rolling Stone. “She gave me a James Bond ultimatum. And she meant it!”
As for why Richardson didn’t want her soon-to-be husband to take the role, Neeson said, “Come on, there’s all those gorgeous girls in various countries getting into bed and getting out of bed. I’m sure a lot of her decision-making was based on that!”
The role ultimately went to PIERCE BROSNAN. [via Daily Mail]
WORTH REMEMBERING: Richardson, who tied the knot with Neeson in 1994, tragically passed away in 2009 following a skiing accident.
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KEVIN COSTNER’s lawyer is denying rumors that the actor wants to limit his time on set for the remainder of the current season of “Yellowstone.”
Marty Singer told Puck News that the reports stating Costner only wants to spend one week filming the second part of season five “an absolute lie.”
“Everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success,” he added.
A previous Puck News report claimed that there was “tension” between Costner and “Yellowstone” creator TAYLOR SHERIDAN. [via Daily Mail]
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“Rust” will resume filming outside of New Mexico.
A rep for the film told TMZ that producers found a church that looks a lot like the one cinematographer HALYNA HUTCHINS was fatally shot in, at Yellowstone Film Ranch in Montana.
Insiders also shared that production may start again in March or April. [via TMZ]
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SAVANNAH CHRISLEY, daughter of TODD and JULIE CHRISLEY, revealed that her family has a new reality show in the works as her parents remain in prison.
She shared the news on a recent episode of her “Unlocked With Savannah Chrisley” podcast, telling listeners that fans will soon get to see the family’s “new normal.”
“We’re going to touch on where we’re at today, Mom and Dad being gone, how we’re coping with it, how we get through it,” she explained. [via Page Six]
WORTH REMEMBERING: Todd and Julie were sentenced to a combined total of 19 years in prison for fraud and tax evasion. They reported to their respective prisons in January. Savannah meanwhile is taking care of her younger brother Grayson and adopted niece Chloe.
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Singer SAM SMITH will appear in Season 2 of “Sex and the City” reboot “And Just Like That…” on HBO Max.
The show shared a photo of Smith on its official Instagram account on Wednesday, on which he commented “Up to something unholy on set.”
Other than JOHN CORBETT returning as Aidan Shaw, details of the upcoming season have been kept under wraps.
A premiere date for Season 2 has not been shared. [via Deadline]
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COURT CASES
ERIC HOLDER, the man who killed rapper NIPSEY HUSSLE, was sentenced to 60 years to life on Wednesday.
The sentencing comes months after a Los Angeles jury found him guilty of first degree murder.
Hussle was gunned down in 2019 outside of his clothing store, The Marathon Clothing. He was only 33. [via TMZ]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
KYLIE JENNER says her current favorite sister is KIM KARDASHIAN.
She told Vanity Fair Italy, that she feels “very connected” to Kim right now as they have been “going through a lot of similar experiences lately” -- likely referring to their recent breakups. Kylie split from her children’s father, rapper TRAVIS SCOTT last month, while Kim and comedian PETE DAVIDSON went their separate ways last August.
As for who she feels the least connected to, Kylie said that is KENDALL JENNER.
“You know what they say, though? Opposites attract. And that’s what works with us,” she added. [via ET]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
Following reports that MEGHAN MARKLE was “upset and overwhelmed” after being mocked on “South Park,” their rep now says she and PRINCE HARRY think the episode was “baseless and boring.”
The episode, titled “The Worldwide Privacy Tour,” did not name Harry and Meg specifically, but featured characters that heavily resembled them. The two were mocked for begging for their privacy all while putting themselves directly in the limelight.
After the episode aired rumors swirled that Harry and Meg were considering taking legal action, but their rep now says the couple “know they’re in good company with other decent people who’ve been raked over the coals by the show.” [via NY Post]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day
National Chili Day
National Banana Bread Day
National Toast Day
National Play Tennis Day
Curling Is Cool Day
Digital Learning Day
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ON THIS DATE
1885 - A young man marches to the gallows, to be executed for the murder of one of Queen Victoria’s handmaidens.
But when John Lee stood on the platform, with the noose around his neck, the lever would not release the floor.
He stepped aside, and it was tried 2 more times, without Lee on the platform and it worked.
When he stood there again, the lever malfunctioned again.
Lee was taken back to prison. He maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal.
He was released 22 years later after his sentence was commuted from Death Row.
British authorities maintained it was an act of God that saved him.
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1861 - President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrives in Washington.
His visit was kept secret to protect him from assassination attempts, as seven states had already joined the Confederacy.
A plot to assassinate Lincoln while he passed through Baltimore had also recently been uncovered. But all the security precautions frustrated Lincoln, who did not want to seem a coward.
Still, he managed to slip in unnoticed by train.
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1945 - An American flag is raised atop Mt. Suribachi, an inactive volcano, on the island of Iwo Jima, marking the capture by US Marines of the island’s highest point and a strategic position on the island. The strategic victory came after five days of fighting, following the invasion on February 19. Fighting continued for more than a month until Marines were able to completely secure the island.
Marine photographer Louis Lowery captured the famous moment. He took 3 iconic shots, but the first showed six Marines struggling to get the flagpole upright. By some accounts, this has become the most reproduced picture in history.
A motion picture of the raising affirms that the shot indeed was not staged, but instead was a special, iconic moment in World War II history.
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1954 - The first children receive preemptive polio vaccinations.
Dr. Jonas Salk developed the vaccines.
Polio was a contagious and dangerous disease whose spread was near impossible to stop at the time.
Some who contracted the ailment survived but were left disabled. Most famously, FDR fell victim to Polio in 1921 — but he would go on to become president.
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1997 - “Schindler’s List” appears uncut on NBC, drawing criticisms from the government and decency groups.
NBC chose not to sell traditional advertisements, but rather sold sponsorships on brief intermissions on the film.
Republican Senator Tom Coburn famously blasted NBC for airing the movie on Sunday night, a time when families often gathered to watch TV.
65 million viewers tuned in to watch anyway.
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2020 - The first major COVID-19 outbreak in Europe is identified in Italy.
After 152 cases were discovered — and three deaths — emergency measures were put into place, locking down 10 towns.
Surrounding countries began blocking travel to and from the country.
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2020 - China’s Supreme Leader Xi Jinping describes the country’s COVID-19 outbreak as China’s “fastest spreading, most extensive and most challenging public health emergency” since the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949.
At that point, the virus had killed over 2,400 people and infected more than 77,000.
Hundreds of millions were under restrictions on movement.
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BIRTHDAYS
Jamal Murray - basketball player - 26
D’Angelo Russell - basketball player - 27
Andrew Wiggins - basketball player - 28
Little Simz - rapper - 29
Dakota Fanning - actress, “Man on Fire” & “War of the Worlds” - 29
Carlos Casimiro - soccer player - 31
Samara Weaving - actress, “Home and Away” & “Out Of The Blue” - 31
Skylar Grey - pop singer - 37
Aziz Ansari - actor, “Parks and Recreation” & “Master of None” - 40
Emily Blunt - actress, “Into the Woods” & “Mary Poppins Returns” - 40
Josh Gad - actor, “Frozen” & “Beauty and the Beast” & “The Rocker” - 42
Jhonny Rivera - world music singer - 49
Niecy Nash - actress, “Reno 911!” & “Scream Queens” - 53
Brad Whitford - guitarist, Aerosmith - 71
Born On This Date
Victor Fleming - director, “The Wizard of Oz” & “Gone With The Wind” - 1889 (d. 1949)
WEB DuBois - civil rights activist & author, “The Souls of Black Folk” - 1868 (d. 1963)
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