2/24/2022: Harrison the Hero

PLUS: The Trump probe teeters; Convoys assemble; and Brit's House Hunt

Today is Thursday, February 24, 2022

It is the 55th day of the year.

310 days remain.

TRENDING

No Covid was trending as Twitter users shared whether or not they have had COVID-19. 

Jane Fonda was trending as news broke that she is teaming up with Tom Brady. More in Showbiz. 

Social media users reacted to the death of The Amazing Jonathan. More on his passing in Deaths. 

Thanks Joe Biden was trending as Twitter users sarcastically thanked the president for rising gas prices, inflation and potentially starting WWIII. There were a few who actually used the trend to praise the president. 

#SpiderManNoWayHome was trending after Marvel announced that the film will be released on UHD & Blu-ray on April 12. 

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HIT LIST

Canadian Prime Minister and (perhaps less enthusiastically-aspiring tyrant) JUSTIN TRUDEAU announced Wednesday he was revoking the Emergency Act powers that gave him tremendous unilateral authority. Trudeau leveraged these powers to create a police state in the country’s capital and shut down the bank accounts of many protestors and the people who contributed to their cause.

BUT WAIT: Deputy Prime Minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND said some of those whose accounts were frozen will indefinitely not have access to their accounts, and it depends on the person, but gave no clear metric for who would or wouldn’t get back access.

WORTH ASKING: Why the vote from Parliament just two nights ago to extend these powers? What changed in the political climate – or in the practical real world – to withdraw his authoritarian powers? Did the memes get to him? Or was it the threat of lawsuits that would expose him for his tyrannical overreach?

MEANWHILE: As several American trucker convoys head to Washington DC, the National Guard has been activated to prevent a lockdown of the Beltway. The Pentagon has authorized 700 troops in total, as well as 50 tactical vehicles, all tasked with keeping traffic flowing, USA Today reports.

Careful to avoid the optics of total crackdowns in Canada, the Guard members will not be armed. 

MEANWHILE: A convoy from California launched on Wednesday, and is planning to arrive in DC on March 5. One independent journalist says more than a thousand vehicles - cars, pickups, and semis – are in the group.

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Time Magazine would like to absolve you of any shame you feel for getting covid – for the people who think they can outsmart billions of years of viral genetic evolution with a piece of fabric.

“Studies and anecdotal reports show that many people who test positive experience shame and guilt—perhaps because they regret accidentally exposing others, feel like failures for not doing enough to prevent it, or experience stigma online,” Jamie Ducharme writes, apparently speaking only to hair-on-fire Biden voters. 

BUT WAIT: Ducharme says, “COVID-19 is such a contagious and widespread disease that feeling guilty for contracting it is, at this point, illogical.”

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A small aluminum dog house that was struck by a meteorite in Costa Rica in 2019 went on the auction block for Christie’s yesterday. For whatever reason, it was hoped to get $300,000 – but sold for a paltry $44,000. 

Weirder yet, the space rock wasn’t even included with the sale – it sold separately for around $7,000.

The head of the science and natural history department at Christie’s tells CNN that objects struck by meteorites actually are incredibly rare.

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Pepsi is rolling out a new flavor.

Pepsi Nitro promises a smoother and creamier taste and texture than traditional Pepsi. It’ll be infused with nitrogen, giving it its name. It’s expected to hit shelves at the end of March.

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The Dow lost 464 points on Wednesday, amid confusion and tensions over the situation in Ukraine. The S&P lost 80.

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CHARTS

This video shows an allegedly impaired driver collide head-on with a police cruiser from Middleton, Wisconsin. No word on whether the driver or the police officers suffered any serious injuries. 

Also, no word on the list of charges the driver faces. 

According to USA Today, it is the city’s fifth police vehicle to be damaged in the past two years by allegedly impaired drivers.

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DEATHS

DONNY DAVIS has died. 

The longtime Vegas impersonator, who performed alongside BRITNEY SPEARS and CHELSEA HANDLER, passed away Tuesday. 

Sources told TMZ that he was found in a Vegas hotel room. The cause of death is not known at this time. 

He was 43.

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JOHN EDWARD SZELES has died. 

The standup comic and magician, known as The Amazing Jonathan, passed away at his home in Las Vegas Tuesday after a long battle with heart disease. 

He was 63.

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BABY NEWS

ODELL BECKHAM JR, 29, and his girlfriend, fitness trainer LAUREN WOOD, 28, have welcomed their first child together. 

The NFL player announced the birth on Instagram this week, calling his son, named Zydn, the “biggest blessing” of his life. 

The newborn arrived on February 17.

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BREAKUPS

CHERYL BURKE, 37, has filed for divorce from her husband, actor MATTHEW LAWRENCE, 42. 

The “Dancing With the Stars” pro filed in Los Angeles last week, after nearly three years of marriage. According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Burke listed the date of separation as January 7 of this year. 

She cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.

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RELATIONSHIPS

Actress ABIGAIL BRESLIN, 25, is engaged to her longtime boyfriend IRA KUNYANSKY, 31. 

The couple announced the news on their respective social media pages. 

It is unclear how long the pair has been together.

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THE SWAMP

For all of the left’s relentless desire for a grand jury investigation into former PRESIDENT TRUMP, the current one in New York doesn’t appear to be going well.

The New York Times reports that Manhattan District Attorney ALVIN BRAGG has “signaled doubts about moving ahead with the Trump probe” – which has caused two prosecutors working on the case to resign.

No details yet on why Bragg isn’t feeling confident on the case. 

WORTH NOTING: You’d think that after all the accusations over the last six years, if there was something to convict Trump on, they’d have found it by now. Someone would’ve blabbed or broke. 

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From Gallup:

• Only 41% of Americans approve overall of President JOE BIDEN. 

• 40% of Americans approve of his foreign policy.

• 62% DISAPPROVE of his handling of the economy.

• Only 36% approve of his handling of Russia.

IT GETS WORSE: The survey concluded on February 17 – before Russia moved into Ukraine.

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LOTTERY

No winner for Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing. Friday night’s drawing will be for $87 million or a $58.2 million cash payout. 

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SHOWBIZ NEWS

Multiple outlets are now reporting that HANNAH LEE FOWLER withdrew her divorce petition from her country music singing husband SAM HUNT hours after she filed it. 

News of the split broke earlier this week, with Fowler, who is pregnant with the couple’s first child, accusing Hunt of adultery. 

Us Weekly was the first to report that Fowler changed her mind. 

WORTH NOTING: Per Tennessee law, where the couple live, a person can only back out of such a filing once. Should Fowler decide to re-file down the road, there would be no changing it. 

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ELTON JOHN’s private jet was forced to make an emergency landing after suffering a hydraulic failure. 

While flying from the UK to New York, the pilot was forced to reverse course, but winds of 80 mph made landing difficult. Finally after three attempts, the plane landed safely. 

An eyewitness told The Sun that everyone watching the plane bounce around in the wind was silent. “It was horrible to see,” the person stated. 

Shaken, but not hurt, John later boarded a flight to New York to continue on with his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour.” 

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DAVE GROHL is basically deaf. 

During a recent appearance on “The Howard Stern Show,” the Foo Fighters frontman explained that he has relied on reading lips for the past 20 years. 

Grohl is not alone when it comes to hearing issues, other musicians, concluding PETE TOWNSHEND from The Who, ROGER DALTREY, NEIL YOUNG and ERIC CLAPTON have all revealed hearing loss after spending years rocking out. 

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HARRISON FORD is a real-life hero. 

The Sun reports that while on the set of the latest “Indiana Jones” flick, the 79-year-old rushed to the aid of a crew member who was believed to be having a heart attack. 

Paramedics quickly arrived on scene and took the person to the hospital. Their current condition is unknown. 

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A new book about the filming of “Mad Max: Fury Road '' details the drama that went down between co-stars CHARLIZE THERON and TOM HARDY. 

A specific incident documented in the book is about a time that Hardy showed up three hours late for filming. When he walked on set, Theron screamed at him for being disrespectful and making her and the entire crew sit around and wait.

Author of the book, Kyle Buchanan wrote that crew members said that was the breaking point for the co-stars. 

Hardy previously addressed the incident saying he was “in over [his] head,” adding that the pressure on both of them was “overwhelming.” 

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The 2022 Winter Olympics had the lowest ratings in the history of the Olympics since NBC started broadcasting the Games decades ago. 

The Beijing Olympics drew in an average of 11.4 million primetime viewers over the two-and-a-half week run. That is a 42% drop from the previously lowest watched Pyeongchang Olympics in 2018. 

It is unclear whether or not NBC actually lost money on this year’s Games.

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CASTING CALL

NBC has picked up “The Blacklist” for a tenth season. 

Season 9 of the crime drama, starring JAMES SPADER, is currently airing. 

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“Arthur,” the longest-running children’s animated series in the history of American TV, has ended with its 25th Season. 

The PBS series centers on Arthur, a young aardvark growing up in the fictional city of Elwood. 

The final episode, titled “All Grown Up,” aired February 21. 

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JULIANA HARKAVY has been tapped to star in ABC’s “L.A. Law.” 

The drama is a revival of the iconic Steven Bochco legal drama, according to Deadline. 

She joins cast members BLAIR UNDERWOOD and CORBIN BERNSEN, who are reprising their roles as Jonathan Rollins and Arnie Becker, respectively. 

Harkavy will play attorney Yvette Cabrera. 

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TOM BRADY is producing and starring in an upcoming film titled “80 For Brady.” 

The 44-year-old, who recently retired from the NFL, is teaming up with JANE FONDA, RITA MORENO, LILY TOMLIN and SALLY FIELD for the flick, which follows four friends who attend the 2017 Super Bowl. 

FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW: The 2017 Super Bowl is the one where Brady made a historic comeback, and his Patriots ultimately beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28.

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“Love Island” is heading to Peacock. 

The streamer has given the series a two-season, 80-episode order. 

The dating show previously ran for three seasons on CBS.

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ERIN MORIARTY and JAMIE CAMPBELL BOWER will co-star in Screen Gems’ upcoming thriller, “True Haunting.” 

The flick is based on true events of a haunted home, a televised exorcism and the bad things that happened after. 

No other details were shared.

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CRIB NOTES

BRITNEY SPEARS is ready to move out of the California mansion she has called home for the last six years. 

The 39-year-old announced on Instagram that she is actively looking for a new place to live.

Spears purchased the five-bedroom, eight-bathroom home for $7.4 million in October 2015. The home is estimated to be worth about $10 million now, according to Zillow. 

It is not yet officially on the market.

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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS

KIM KARDASHIAN is all about aesthetics. 

The reality star recently spent over $100,000 to customize three of her luxury vehicles — a Lambo, Rolls-Royce and Maybach — because she wanted them to match the color of her home. 

In order to apply the “ghost-grey” color, the guys at Platinum Motorsports in Los Angeles had to take apart each car piece by piece. 

WORTH NOTING: Kim has taken her vehicles to Platinum for years and has bragged about the excellent work that they do. She has given them so much praise that people call the shop asking for the “Kim K” treatment. 

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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS

PRINCE HARRY may still attend PRINCE PHILIP’s memorial despite his ongoing battle with the UK government over security. 

According to Page Six, next month’s event will be covered by state security as the Royal Family will be in attendance. 

A royal insider told the outlet that such occasions would cover Harry when it comes to security, so there is likely a chance that he will fly over to attend. 

The odds of MEGHAN MARKLE and the couple’s two young children attending the event are believed to be slim, according to the insider. 

WORTH NOTING: The only member of Harry's family to have met his daughter LILIBET is his cousin PRINCESS EUGENIE, who recently flew with her husband to California.

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SPORTS

Long-time NBA official KEN MAUER, 66, lost his job over the vaccine mandate. 

Despite being the third-longest tenured referee in league history, Mauer said on the “Fearless with Jason Whitlock” podcast that his refusal to get the jab cost him his job — and goal of becoming the league’s longest-tenured referee. 

WORTH NOTING: The league requires all officials to take the vaccine, but not players.

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DAY OF THE YEAR

National Tortilla Chip Day

National Toast Day

National Chili Day

World Bartender Day

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ON THIS DATE

1868 – The House of Representatives files 11 articles of impeachment against President Andrew Johnson.

The lawsuit came after Johnson's dismissal of his Secretary of War, Edward M. Stanton. 

Following the Civil War and Reconstruction, the Senate voted that any officials who needed to be confirmed by the Senate must also be dismissed by the Senate.

Twice Johnson tried to get rid of Stanton, but he was compelled the first time to keep him in office. The second time, Congress voted to impeach.

The trial ran from March 13 to May 26. Congress failed to achieve the two-thirds majority to convict him.

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1917 – The British government informs the U.S. that the Germans are planning an American invasion through Mexico.

The information became known in what is called the Zimmerman Note, a secret memo from German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman to the German ambassador to Mexico.

The note outlined plans for an invasion of the U.S through its southern border, should it decide to enter World War I. The Mexicans would be asked to join Germany as their ally. Germany also promised to restore Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

When President Wilson authorized leaking the memo, the press thought it was a joke -- but Zimmerman himself confirmed its authenticity.

After its release, public opinion went from neutral to negative toward Germany.

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1981 - Prince Charles announces his engagement to Lady Diana Spencer. 

He had proposed at Windsor Castle weeks earlier. 

An interviewer asks the couple if they are in love, to which Diana responds, “Of course” and Charles adds, “Whatever that means.” 

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1982 – Wayne Gretzky knocks in his 77th goal, setting a new record.

The previous record of 76 goals had been held by Phil Esposito.

Gretzky was also the youngest NHL player to score 50 goals in a single season, among a host of other records.

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1982 – The Reagan Administration announces the Caribbean Basin Initiative.

The policy would aid Caribbean nations to protect them from being influenced by communism.

The package included $350 million in economic aid and $60 million in military assistance.

While the program quickly proved ineffective in rebuffing far-left politics, Reagan would leave his mark on Grenada and Nicaragua, where he aggressively overthrew leftist governments.

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1988 – The Supreme Court affirms the media's right to satirize public figures.

The new precedent overturned Jerry Falwell's lawsuit against Hustler magazine, in which Falwell was initially awarded $200,000.

Hustler's depiction of Falwell was of course crude and disgusting. The Supreme Court affirmed this, calling it "in poor taste" but nonetheless protected by the first amendment.

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1998 – Elton John is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. 

Elton Hercules John became Sir Elton for his services to British pop music and his work in raising money for AIDS charities. 

After his knighting, he said, “They don’t come much bigger than this.” 

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2019 - A Roman Catholic Church summit on pedophilia ends with Pope Francis promising more action and calling those guilty “tools of Satan.” 

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2020 - Harvey Weinstein is found guilty of rape and sexual assault, three years after allegations first surfaced. 

The former Hollywood producer is sentenced to 23 years in jail. 

Weinstein’s case ignited the #MeToo movement.   

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BIRTHDAYS

Earl Sweatshirt - rapper - 28

Trace Cyrus - singer - 33

Daniel Kaluuya - actor, “Get Out” & “Black Panther” - 33

Bryce Pappenbrook - voice actor - 36

Corey Graves - wrestler - 38

Shinsuke Nakamure - wrestler - 42

Floyd Mayweather Jr. - boxer - 45

Billy Zane - actor, “Titanic” & “Dead Calm” - 56

Erna Solberg - Prime Minister of Norway - 61

Phil Knight - co-founder of Nike - 84

Born On This Date

Mitch Hedberg - comedian - 1968 (d. 2005)

Steve Jobs - co-founder of Apple - 1955 (d. 2011)

Wilhelm Grimm - German story teller, “Grimm's Fairy Tales” - 1786 (d. 1859)

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