3/12/2024: Haiti In Chaos
PLUS: Camera Ban; Al Pacino’s Memoir; and She Lives (Again)
Today is Tuesday, March 12, 2024.
It is the 72nd day of the year.
294 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Tragedy strikes two dog sled teams in the Iditarod and Florida manages Spring Break expectations. Details in HIT LIST.
TAYLOR and TRAVIS travel back from Singapore for Oscars afterparties. More in SHOWBIZ.
ZACH GALIFIANAKIS joins the cast of a hit Hulu show and CONAN O’BRIEN returns to TV. Details in CASTING CALL.
NORTH WEST goes solo. More in KARDASH.
Some clarity on the royal photo saga in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
Haitian ganglord JIMMY “BARBECUE” CHERIZIER tells ABCNews the violence in Port-au-Prince will end if Prime Minister ARIEL HENRY steps down.
Cherizier committed to reopening access to the capital and ending attacks on police immediately upon his resignation. Gangs reportedly control more than 80% of Port-au-Prince.
Henry came to power in 2021 after the assassination of his predecessor. Despite commitments to hold elections in the meantime, Henry has not yet done so. Before leaving the country to drum up international support, Henry committed to holding elections in August 2025. [via ABC News]
MEANWHILE: Over the weekend, President of El Salvador NAYIB BUKELE posted on X, “We can fix it,” regarding the violent chaos in Haiti, adding he would need a UN Security Council resolution, consent from Haiti’s leaders, and funds to pay for “mission expenses.” Bukele overwhelmingly won re-election to a second term last month after spending recent years aggressively cracking down on gun violence. [via Barron’s]
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Two sled dogs on different teams have died during the Iditarod race in Alaska. The mushers respectively scratched, or voluntarily quit, following the deaths.
In response to the news, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued a statement “calling for this despicable race to end.”
The winner is expected to cross the finish line today or tomorrow in Nome, Alaska. [via AP News]
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The first official weekend of Spring Break along Florida’s coast was less rowdy than years past.
While the beaches in Miami and Fort Lauderdale were still lined with those looking to let loose, officials said things were kept mostly under control, thanks in part to new restrictions.
In a pre-spring break video, local authorities announced beaches will close at 6pm, there will be DUI checkpoints and a stronger police presence in the area than years prior, all in an effort to avoid the criminal activity that has occurred in the past.
Last year, there were two fatal shootings in just 36 hours in Miami Beach. [via NY Post]
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AIRBNB will implement a systemwide ban on interior security cameras for hosts renting their homes in an effort to address privacy concerns from renters. This reverses course on a policy that required disclosure of cameras but allowed them in common areas like hallways and living rooms.
Starting on April 30, hosts must also disclose the presence of any exterior cameras and noise monitors that some property owners have installed to keep an eye on parties and gatherings that could otherwise get out of hand. Nuisance renters throwing shindigs at other peoples’ homes remains a problem for renters, even as AirBNB already banned party rentals. [via Wired]
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In 1930, German archeologists excavating ruins in Egypt discovered a massive statue of Ramses II that was missing the top and head. The remains of the statue depicted Ramses II sitting down, with hieroglyphic inscriptions on the back praising the ruler.
NOW: A team has discovered the 12.5-foot-tall top of the statue, including Ramses II’s head wearing a tall crown. Research teams are working on preparing the fragments for display to show how they would have looked properly unified. [via ARTNews]
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW gained 46 points (0.12%) to close at 38,769 on Monday. The S&P lost 5 points (0.11%) to close at 5,117 and the NASDAQ lost 65 points (0.41%) to close at 16,019.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $78; BRENT CRUDE at $82.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.39 on Monday.
₿ BITCOIN surpassed record highs on Monday, trading over $72,000.
🛩 There were more than 3,615 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Monday and more than 125 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $735 million jackpot or a $356.7 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
TRAVIS KELCE and TAYLOR SWIFT jetted from Singapore to Los Angeles on Sunday to hit up MADONNA’s Oscars afterparty.
The couple were able to attend the event unnoticed thanks to the no-cameras policy. [via Page Six]
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ALEC BALDWIN will likely try to have some of his famous friends testify on his behalf in the upcoming “Rust” trial.
Insiders told TMZ that Baldwin’s defense team is putting together a list of those who have already spoken out in defense of the actor and/or on the topic of whether an actor should be held responsible for weapons on set. Some of these names include, DEBRA MESSING, MICKEY ROURKE, DJ QUALLS and FRANCIS FISHER.
Baldwin pled not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in relation to the fatal on-set shooting of cinematographer HALYNA HUTCHINS. Armorer HANNAH GUTIERREZ-REED was just convicted last week of involuntary manslaughter and is currently awaiting sentencing. [via TMZ]
WORTH ASKING: While Baldwin was merely the actor holding the gun, he is also the film’s producer, so can his defense really be that he should have no fault in the matter?
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MUHAMMAD ALI will be inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024. His widow, Lonnie Ali, will be on hand at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia for the ceremony on April 5.
While known for his boxing skills, Ali did dabble in professional wrestling. In 1976 he fought in an exhibition match against Japanese pro wrestling legend Antonio Inoki. He also went up against Gorilla Monsoon in a match for the WWWF (now WWE), and was a special guest referee at WrestleMania I in 1985.
Other inductees include, PAUL HEYMAN, BULL NAKANO and tag team the “U.S. Express,” made up of MIKE ROTUNDA and BARRY WINDHAM. [via Variety]
WORTH NOTING: It was called the WWWF (World Wide Wrestling Federation) until 1971, at which point it became the WWF (World Wrestling Federation). After a dispute with the World Wildlife Fund (also WWF), the name was changed to WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) in 2002.
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DOJA CAT is the latest celeb to take a social media break.
“Hey I'm gonna deactivate because I'm not really feeling this anymore. You guys take care of yourselves,” the rapper wrote on Instagram before removing her account over the weekend.
No word on how long of a break she is planning to take, but as of Monday afternoon her account was still scrubbed. [via Billboard]
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AL PACINO will release his book, “Sonny Boy: A Memoir,” this October.
The book will take a deep dive into Pacino’s life off-screen, including growing up in the Bronx and his journey to acting.
Pacino announced he will narrate the audiobook version himself. [via People]
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HARRISON FORD says he is haunted by his role as Indiana Jones -- specifically the composition titled “The Raiders March” from the “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
While complimenting composer JOHN WILLIAMS’ work ahead of the Oscars, where Williams earned a Best Original Score nomination for his work on “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” Ford said he cannot escape the tune.
“His music follows me everywhere I go -- literally. When I had my last colonoscopy, they were playing it on the operating room speakers,” Ford quipped.
BY THE WAY: Williams landed his 54th Oscar nomination, “which is the most ever for someone not named Walt Disney, and thus the biggest tally for any living person -- and any nonproducer, period,” according to Variety. [via Decider, Variety]
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POST MALONE paid tribute to the late TOBY KEITH by performing a cover of his song “As Good as I Once Was,” while sipping from a red Solo cup.
The honor went down at the American Rodeo in Dallas on Saturday.
Keith passed away in February at the age of 62 after a battle with stomach cancer. [via TikTok]
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CASTING CALL
“Oppenheimer” is now the highest-grossing film to win Best Picture at the Oscars in 20 years.
In the past two decades, no Best Picture winner has grossed more than $500 million at the global box office…until “Oppenheimer.”
The “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” won Best Picture in 2004, earning over $1.15 BILLION globally. [via The Wrap]
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ZACH GALIFIANAKIS is the latest actor to join the cast of Hulu’s “Only Murders In The Building” for the upcoming fourth season.
He will star opposite series regulars STEVE MARTIN, MARTIN SHORT, and SELENA GOMEZ as well as recurring stars MOLLY SHANNON, EVA LONGORIA, EUGENE LEVY and MERYL STREEP.
No details about Galifianakis’ role have been shared, though Deadline reports it will be recurring. [via Deadline]
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CONAN O’BRIEN’s new show “Conan O’Brien Must Go” will premiere on April 18 on Max.
The show -- inspired by O’Brien’s podcast, “Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan” -- follows the comedic host as he connects with fans around the world. It’s a spinoff of his popular “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” interview show, where he interviews and chats with celebrity pals. [via Variety]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
NORTH WEST is ready to go solo.
The eldest daughter of YE and KIM KARDASHIAN is working on a new album called, “Elementary School Dropout.” The name pays homage to her dad’s 2004 debut album, titled “The College Dropout.”
No word on when the album will drop, or if Ye will be featured. [via TMZ]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
PRINCESS KATE was spotted in the flesh again on Monday, in the back of a car with PRINCE WILLIAM, again dashing the conspiratorial claims there was more to her January surgery than the Firm has let on. [via Page Six]
After a weekend photo showed some odd inconsistencies suggesting it had been photoshopped, in a follow-up social media post, Kate said, “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day.” [via @KensingtonRoyal]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Girl Scout Day
National Working Moms Day
National Plant a Flower Day
National Organize Your Home Office Day
International Fanny Pack Day
National Baked Scallops Day
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ON THIS DATE
1888 - A blizzard blankets New York City, killing hundreds and causing millions of dollars in property damage.
Over a 36-hour period, more than 40 inches of snow fell on the city.
Without a way of clearing large snowdrifts, the city became isolated from the rest of the world, unable to import necessary resources.
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1933 - President Franklin Roosevelt broadcasts his first fireside chat, live from the White House.
It came just eight days after he was sworn in.
He took the time to speak about the national banking industry, during the low point in the Great Depression.
At the time, nearly a third of the American workforce was unemployed. Roosevelt thought his chat could help restore confidence in the nation and the economy.
Before the 24-hour news cycle and Internet, this method of communication was the most efficient and quickest way to reach a large segment of the country -- at the time, 90 percent of households owned a radio.
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1938 - Germany annexes Austria.
The Austrian Chancellor had learned of the invasion plans earlier in the year, and met with Hitler to avoid conflict and assert Austria's sovereignty.
Instead, the Chancellor was forced to name Nazis to his cabinet.
By March 11, he was forced to resign, and on the next day, Hitler personally oversaw his tanks and troops roll into the country -- to much fanfare and enthusiastic crowds.
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1947 - In his State of the Union address, Harry Truman explains and outlines his philosophy and strategy for the Cold War. It would become known as the Truman Doctrine.
He asked for American assistance to aid Greece and Turkey, which were close in proximity to outbreaks of communism in Europe and Asia. This is by some accounts the first declaration of the Cold War.
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2003 - The Dixie Chicks come under fire for bashing George W. Bush. Lead singer Natalie Maines had said at a recent concert that she was ashamed the President was also from Texas.
At the time, the national sentiment toward the Iraq invasion was still favorable, and the comment caused instantaneous backlash.
Even Toby Keith played a concert in front of a backdrop that featured Natalie Maines and Saddam Hussein.
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2013 - The College of Cardinals convenes in the Vatican to select the next Pope.
Early favorites were Angelo Scola of Italy and Odilio Scherer of Brazil. Instead, the vote ultimately went to Jorge Bergolio from Argentina — a surprise pick.
He took the name Francis, and has since been celebrated as a progressive in the Church.
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2019 - More than 53 people are charged in the college admissions scandal.
The scandal arose over a criminal conspiracy to influence undergraduate admissions decisions at several top universities. Parents paid William Rick Singer, organizer of the scheme, more than $25 million to help fraudulently inflate entrance exam scores and bribe college officials.
Most notable are actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin.
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2020 - The NHL announces a pause of the 2019-20 season due to COVID-19.
Also, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament was canceled over concerns of the virus — marking the first time “March Madness” was not held since it began in 1939. The women’s tournament was also canceled.
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BIRTHDAYS
Lauren Holt - comedian, “SNL” - 33
Danny Jones - guitarist, McFly - 38
Stromae - rapper - 39
Jaimie Alexander - actress, “Blindspot” - 40
Aaron Eckhart - actor, “Thank You for Smoking” - 56
Darryl Strawberry - baseball player - 62
Marlon Jackson - pop singer, The Jackson 5 - 67
Steve Harris - bassist, Iron Maiden - 68
Dale Murphy - baseball player - 68
James Taylor - folk singer - 76
Mitt Romney - politician - 77
Liza Minnelli - actress, “Cabaret” - 78
Born On This Date
Christina Grimmie - pop singer - 1994 (d. 2016)
Mae Young - wrestler - 1923 (d. 2014)
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