Today is Thursday, April 18, 2024.
It is the 109th day of the year.
257 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
TESLA plans a vote to restore ELON MUSK’s compensation package and Canadian officials announce a major breakthrough in the investigation of its largest heist in history. Details in HIT LIST.
KELLY CLARKSON’s legal woes with her ex-husband continue and KATE BECKINSALE hints at health issues. More in SHOWBIZ.
The WNBA Draft sets a new record and STEVE BUSCEMI joins a hit Netflix series. Details in CASTING CALL.
KOURT revives another KIM quote. More in KARDASH.
Inside MEGHAN MARKLE’s new brand launch in ROYALS.
###
HIT LIST
IN JANUARY: A Delaware judge sided with a nuisance lawsuit to reject ELON MUSK’s multi-billion-dollar compensation package as the head of TESLA. The suit was brought by a shareholder who bought only a few stock units after the deal was initially struck and lined the pockets of his attorneys.
NOW: Tesla is taking the compensation package to all of its shareholders, again. The judge found against Musk after buying the plaintiff’s argument that shareholders didn’t have all the necessary information the first time around. This time, a new vote, with more complete information, would invalidate the judge’s initial ruling.
Shareholders will vote at the company’s annual meeting in June. [via New York Times]
###
LAST YEAR: An organized criminal crew managed to steal $20 MILLION-worth of gold from the Toronto airport. Since then, officials classified the heist as the largest in Canada’s history.
NOW: Canadian officials have indicted nine people connected to the job. Five have been arrested and warrants have been issued for three more. Two of the suspects are or were employees of airlines.
Police say one of the suspects broke into a cargo storage facility, loaded the 800-pound haul of 6600 gold bars into a delivery truck, and drove off, using a counterfeit inventory document to get the gold through security checkpoints.
The crew then melted the gold down and tried to sell it in the form of jewelry. [via CBS News]
###
The ubiquity of Buy Now, Pay Later programs and social media addiction have fueled a consumer debt crisis for young Americans.
A March CreditKarma report shows Gen Zers hold twice as much credit card debt than millennials. In a recent Bankrate survey, 60% of Gen Z respondents say they’ve impulse-bought from a social media ad in the last year – racking up on average $754 in mindless spending over the course of the year.
And it’s all for show: A LendingTree report shows two-thirds of Gen Z respondents make purchases to keep up with their peers; that’s about double the average for the rest of Americans. [via Yahoo News]
WORTH NOTING: Debt spending beyond means is not just a government problem; it’s a problem for its people too. Spending beyond means has certainly contributed to this artificially overheated economy. But with covid-era savings drained and interest rates climbing, the snap back will upend the economy.
###
A woman in Brazil took a page from Weekend at Bernie’s, rolling a corpse in a wheelchair into a bank and using the deceased’s identity to try to get a bank loan.
Security camera footage shows the woman putting a pen in the dead man’s hand to sign the paperwork, then theatrically made a big deal about signing for him because he could not. At one point she told the banker, “He doesn’t say anything, that’s just how he is.”
While the loan officer managed this charade, other bank officials called police after noticing the body’s head kept rolling all over the place. The woman was arrested and the body taken to the morgue. [via NBC News]
###
Residents of Butte, Montana were shocked to see an elephant strolling down the streets on Tuesday.
According to several reports, the animal escaped from the Jordan World Circus, which had made a stop in the city on its tour circuit.
It’s unknown exactly how the elephant got out, but it sure did make the most of its brief taste of freedom -- including taking a dump on someone’s lawn.
The animal was eventually rounded up by its handlers and guided back to its pen. [via The Guardian]
###
BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW lost 45 points (0.12%) to close at 37,753 on Wednesday. The S&P lost 29 points (0.58%) to close at 5,022 and the NASDAQ lost 181 points (1.15%) to close at 15,683.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $82; BRENT CRUDE at $87.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.66 on Wednesday.
₿ BITCOIN tumbled further, down 3.7% and trading around $61,300.
🛩 There were more than 2,760 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Wednesday and more than 60 such cancellations.
💰Friday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $178 million jackpot or a $79.6 million cash payout.
###
SHOWBIZ NEWS
FOLLOW UP: KELLY CLARKSON has filed another lawsuit against ex-husband DAVID BLACKSTOCK in connection to allegations that he was making deals as her manager that should have been secured by her agents at Creative Artists Agency.
Last November, a California labor commissioner ruled that Blackstock owes Clarkson $2.6 million for making such deals, and taking a cut, starting in 2017.
Now, Clarkson says he has actually been doing it since 2007, and she would like a check for those additional 10 years.
In response, Blackstock and his management company, Starstruck, asked for the new lawsuit to be tossed out, while denying “each and every allegation.” [via Daily Mail]
###
JENNA JAMESON’s estranged wife, influencer JESSI LAWLESS is hoping for an annulment instead of a divorce.
Lawless filed for annulment this week, explaining that she tied the knot under false pretenses, specifically Jameson’s debt and broken promise to stay sober.
The two got hitched in June 2023, so the nuptials didn’t even make it a year.
A ruling on the annulment has not yet been made.
As for Jameson’s reaction to the split, she simply told fans on social media, “I keep it classy.” [via TMZ]
###
KATE BECKINSALE gave fans a hint about the health issue that landed her in the hospital last month.
In an Instagram post the actress is wearing a shirt that reads, “Tummy Troubles Survivor” with flowers, a cartoon rabbit wearing a suit of armor and a tornado. She captioned the post, “💪🤍.”
Beckinsale first alluded to being ill with two photos she posted in early March from a hospital bed. Weeks later all posts relating to the illness were deleted from her account without explanation.
Now it seems she is maybe ready to talk about it. [via People]
###
JASON KELCE says his 2018 Super Bowl ring is “now in a landfill” after losing it during the “New Heights” live event at the University of Cincinnati last week.
During a game called “Jason Lost His Ring” -- referencing his history of misplacing it -- teams competed to locate Jason’s Super Bowl ring among decoys hidden inside two inflatable pools filled with chili.
“I legitimately lost my Super Bowl ring in this event. They could not find it,” he told his brother, and podcast co-host TRAVIS KELCE on Wednesday’s episode of “New Heights.” Adding, “All of the stuff has been thrown away, so I think we can safely assume [it] is now in a landfill.”
“You are such a [effing] imbecile,” Travis responded. [via ET]
###
CASTING CALL
Monday night’s 2024 WNBA Draft drew in a whopping 2.446 million viewers at ESPN -- a 307% increase from last year’s draft.
It was also the first time ever the women’s league draft had more than 1 million viewers.
Of course the heighted increase was likely due to Iowa superstar CAITLIN CLARK, who was selected first overall by the Indiana Fever. [via Sportico]
###
MARGARET QUALLEY has exited Hulu’s forthcoming AMANDA KNOX limited series due to a scheduling conflict.
According to Deadline, the role of Knox will now be recast. It shouldn’t affect filming however, as that is not scheduled to start until October.
The not-yet-titled series covers Knox’s 16-year journey to freedom after being wrongfully convicted in the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher.
Knox will serve as executive producer, alongside former White House intern MONICA LEWINSKY. [via Deadline]
###
What Would Olivia Benson Do?
MARISKA HARGITAY acted like a real life police officer last week when a little girl ran up to her asking for help while she was filming a scene for “Law & Order: SVU.”
According to eyewitnesses, the little girl got separated from her mom at a playground and ran to Hargitay, who was in character as Detective Oliva Benson.
Completely oblivious to the camera crew, the little girl asked the actress for help finding her mom, prompting filming to stop for about 20 minutes while everyone searched.
A photograph of Hargitay comforting the little girl and her mom has gone viral, with followers applauding her for being a “real life hero.” [via NY Post]
###
STEVE BUSCEMI will appear in Season 2 of Netflix’s “Wednesday.”
No details about his character have been shared, but insiders told Variety that he will play the new principal of Nevermore Academy.
Little is known about the forthcoming season, other than the fact that JENNA ORTEGA will reprise her role as the titular character. [via Variety]
###
Ousted journalists DON LEMON and MATT LAUER are reportedly in cahoots to embark on a “spite-fueled resurgence.”
An insider told Radar Online that the two men “think the time has come for them to put everyone who was mean to them in their places.”
Remember, Lauer was axed from “Today” in 2017 following a sex scandal and Lemon was booted from CNN and most recently had his show on X abruptly canceled by ELON MUSK.
No word on what the two are exactly planning to do. [via Radar Online]
###
TARAJI P. HENSON will host this year’s Time100 Special on ABC.
DUA LIPA and FANTASIA BARRINO will perform at the event, which will honor actor MICHAEL J. FOX with the Time Impact Award.
“Time100: The World’s Most Influential People” will air on Sunday, May 12. [via THR]
###
THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN is taking another infamous KIM KARDASHIAN quote to social media.
In an early birthday celebration this week, Kourt showed off a cake topper that reads, “Happy Birthday To The Most Exciting To Look At.”
Fans will recognize the jab from a 2018 episode of “KUWTK” in which Kim tells Kourt she is the “least exciting to look at” during an argument. [via HuffPost]
###
WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
Production began this week on MEGHAN MARKLE’s new cooking show for Netflix.
The as-yet-untitled program is expected to be a companion piece for Markle’s American Riviera Orchard brand, which she soft-launched earlier this year with some cryptic social media content. Netflix says the show will “celebrate the joys of cooking and gardening, entertaining and friendship.”
Fans hoping for an inside look at how Markle entertains whatever friends she and PRINCE HARRY have left will have to look elsewhere; unlike many cooking shows, Markle isn’t using her own kitchen and home for the program, opting to rent a house in her ritzy Montecito neighborhood instead of using the kitchen in her $14 MILLION mansion. [via DailyMail]
MEANWHILE: As part of a quiet launch, a few social media influencers have shown off photos of American Riviera Orchard-branded jam. Fashionista TRACY ROBBINS posted a photo of a jar she received to Instagram, showing it was number “17 of 50” – suggesting a limited initial release within the Sussexes’ network of influencer pals. [via BBC]
###
DAY OF THE YEAR
National Exercise Day
National Velociraptor Awareness Day
International Amateur Radio Day
International Day for Monuments and Sites
College Student Grief Awareness Day
National Auctioneers Day
Pet Owners Independence Day
Poem in Your Pocket Day
World Heritage Day
National High Five Day
National Lineman Appreciation Day
National Pinata Day
National Animal Crackers Day
###
ON THIS DATE
1521 - Martin Luther refuses to recant his anti-Catholic writings after the Holy Roman Emperor publicly called for him to do so and return to the Church.
Later that year Luther would be excommunicated and declared a heretic.
In the ensuing decades, Luther's philosophy would shape much of non-Catholic, western, Christian theology.
###
1775 - Paul Revere and William Dawes set out on their historic ride to warn of British invasion.
British troops were en route to Concord to capture Sam Adams and John Hancock, but the Patriot forces were ready, having expected aggression for quite some time.
The first encounter of British troops and American rebels pitted 700 redcoats against 77 minutemen.
The Patriots hastily dispersed, but suffered their own casualties. Eight were dead and 10 more wounded, while only one Brit was injured.
Either way: The American Revolution had begun.
###
1906 - An earthquake in San Francisco kills nearly 4,000 and leaves countless more homeless from a series of fires that started in its wake.
Shockwaves were felt across the Pacific Northwest, all the way up to Oregon.
The earthquake ruptured water mains, and the small fires that started up spread quickly, with firefighters unable to put them out.
It would take another week for the blazes to be contained..
###
1923 - Yankee Stadium opens in New York City.
Prior to its construction the Yankees shared a facility with the New York Giants baseball team.
In its prime, the stadium hosted three papal masses, championship boxing matches, and many historic victories accomplished by the Yankees.
It would serve as the home for the baseball team until 2008, when a new park opened on an adjacent property.
###
1942 - James H. Doolittle leads a raid of American bombers on Japan.
The 16 B-25s launched from the USS Hornet 650 miles east of Japan.
The raid caused only minor damage, but did expose the island nation as vulnerable to military attack.
###
1989 - Chinese students rally against their government, calling for democracy and freedom.
These uprisings and riots would later culminate with the Tiananmen Square massacre, where communist troops murdered the protestors by the hundreds.
###
1994 - Former president Richard Nixon suffers a stroke.
He would die four days later at 81-years-old.
###
2017 - Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo is the first player to score 100 goals in the Champions League.
He hit the milestone with a hat trick in Real Madrid’s 4-2 win over Bayern Munich.
###
2020 - Lady Gaga hosts the “Together At Home” virtual benefit concert for the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
A six-hour long pre-show was streamed online, followed by a two-hour telecast.
Andra Day, Common, The Killers, Charlie Puth, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, and more all performed.
###
BIRTHDAYS
Suri Cruise - daughter of Tom & Katie Holmes - 18
PinkPantheress - pop singer - 23
Virginia Gardner - actress, “Runaways” - 29
Moises Arias - actor, “Hannah Montana” - 30
Chloe Bennet - actress, “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” - 32
Britt Robertson - actress, “Girlboss” & “For the People” - 34
Vanessa Kirby - actress, “Me Before You” - 36
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley - actress, “Mad Max: Fury Road” - 37
America Ferrera - actress, “Ugly Betty” & “Superstore” - 40
Miguel Cabrera - baseball player - 41
Kourtney Kardashian - reality star - 45
Melissa Joan Hart - actress, “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” & “No Good Nick” - 48
David Tennant - actor, “Doctor Who” & “Camping” - 53
Conan O’Brien - TV show host, “Late Night” & “Conan” - 61
Jeff Dunham - ventriloquist - 62
John James - actor, “Dynasty” - 68
Kenny Ortega - director - 74
Nate Archibald - basketball player - 76
James Woods - actor, “Any Given Sunday” - 77
Born On This Date
Paul A. Rothchild - record producer - 1935 (d. 1995)
Leonid Kinskey - actor, “Casablanca” - 1903 (d. 1998)
###