4/25/2022: Battle of the Billionaires
PLUS: One-Eye Joe Returns, Smith’s Spiritual Journey and Trump’s Prediction for Prince Harry
Today is Monday, April 25, 2022.
It is the 115 day of the year.
250 days remain.
TRENDING
Saturday was National Picnic Day.
#WeLoveYouJaredPadalecki was trending over the weekend as fans tweeted out well-wishes and hopes of a speedy recovery after news broke that the actor was in a car accident. More in Sick Bay.
Sunday was National Pet Parents Day.
#ShouldBeALessonToYou was trending Sunday. Tweets included, “don’t bite off more than you can chew,” “giving people a chance too many times,” “don’t argue with internet trolls,” “children” and “watch your back.”
#WithYou landed in Twitter’s Top 10 Trends yesterday following the release of BTS’ new song, “With You.”
Emmanuel Macron was trending Sunday following the news that he won a second term as France’s president.
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HIT LIST
A new data analysis by the Brownstone Institute reveals troubling information about the mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna.
In randomized controlled trials, recipients of these shots showed no statistical difference in mortality from contracting covid.
Most importantly, the analysis notes, “The mRNA vaccines were approved based on a reduction in symptomatic infections instead of mortality. That Pfizer and Moderna did not design their RCTs to determine whether the vaccines reduced mortality is inexcusable, as they could easily have done so.”
WORTH NOTING: The analysis shows that the Johnson & Johnson shot and the Astra/Zeneca vaccine have proven to reduce mortality in those who contract covid.
MEANWHILE, IN CHINA: Communist Party officials are strengthening their commitment to an untenable zero-covid policy.
In Shanghai, those who test positive are receiving door alarms that alert authorities if someone infected with covid tries to leave their home. Additionally, otherwise healthy people are forced out of their homes so the state can come in and disinfect inside.
MEANWHILE, AT SEA: Fortune magazine reports that one in five of the world’s approximately 9,000 cargo ships are currently idling outside of a port because of congestion and supply chain snarls.
Outside Shanghai, more than 500 ships await a berth, nearly double as many as were waiting in February.
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A one-eyed black cat nicknamed One-Eye Joe has been reunited with its owner in Scotland after spending more than five years on its own.
People reports the cat first spent a few years around a prison in Aberdeenshire, where prisoners took good care of it. From there, Joe managed to hop on a shipping container that landed on an oil rig. There, workers connected the cat with the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and even arranged for Joe to be flown by helicopter back to the British mainland.
There, Joe was checked for a microchip – and found he’s actually named Dexter and belonged to a woman named Bridie Dorta. She says he always was a wanderer, and hopes she help the cat keep in touch with the inmates he befriended.
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A Cambridge professor tells BBC’s Science Focus magazine that if there’s intelligent life on other planets, it’s probably remarkably human.
Simon Conway Morris notes that even if they look a little different, it’s likely they have a cultural interest in philosophy and literature, which are prerequisites to any civilization that becomes highly technologically advanced.
(h/t Zero Hedge)
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Country Time powdered lemonade mix says on the canister it makes 8 quarts – but does it?
An Alabama man has filed suit against Kraft Heinz, which makes the mix, alleging that when made according to the directions, the mix only yields about six quarts.
The suit is seeking unspecified damages, and for Kraft Heinz to stop mislabeling its product.
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Stocks on Friday had their worst day since October 2020. The Dow barely improved from a session low of losing 1019 points during the day. Friday’s losses completed four consecutive weeks of ending below where it started.
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CHARTS
Weekend Box Office
10. Ambulance: $1.8 million (down from 7)
9. Morbius: $2.2 million (down from 6)
8. Father Stu: $3.3 million (down from 5)
7. The Lost City: $4.3 million (down from 3)
6. Everything Everywhere All at Once: $5.4 million (down from 4)
5. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent: $7.1 million (new)
4. The Northman: $12 million (new)
3. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore: $14 million (down from 1)
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 2: $15.2 million (stayed at 2)
1. The Bad Guys: $24 million (new)
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DEATHS
ORRIN HATCH has died.
The longest-serving Republican senator in history, and fixture in Utah politics for over four decades, passed away Saturday. A cause of death was not shared.
He was 88.
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JIM HARTZ has died.
The former “Today” show host, who worked alongside BARBARA WALTERS, passed away on April 17 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a statement from his wife.
He was 82.
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DECLAN O’BRIEN has died.
The horror writer, producer and director passed away February 16. A cause of death was not shared.
He was 56.
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ADELIA “Dede” ROBERTSON had died.
The influential leader and wife of prominent televangelist PAT ROBERTSON passed away April 19 at her home in Virginia. No cause of death was revealed.
She was 94.
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RE STYLES has died.
The singer, born Shirley Macleod, recorded and toured with The Tubes. She passed away on April 17. A cause of death was not shared.
She was 72.
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JACQUES PERRIN has died.
The French actor, director and producer passed away April 21. While an exact cause of death was not shared, his family said his passing was “peaceful.”
He was 80.
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BREAKUPS
SEAN PENN, 61, and actress LEILA GEORGE’s divorce has been finalized.
A judge signed off on the official docs Friday, according to TMZ.
George, 30, filed for divorce from the actor last October, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
The pair were married for one year.
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SICK BAY
JARED PADALECKI was involved in a car accident over the weekend.
His “Supernatural” costar JENSEN ACKLES updated fans about the incident, saying the actor is “lucky to be alive.”
According to The Sun, Padalecki was a passenger in the vehicle. No further details were shared, except that he is now recovering at home.
No fatalities were reported.
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WEDDINGS
PAULINA GRETZKY, 33, and DUSTIN JOHNSON, 37, are married.
The model and professional golfer, who got engaged in 2013, tied the knot on Saturday at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.
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THE SWAMP
Big Tech would really like you to stop asking questions about HUNTER BIDEN’s business dealings, thank you very much.
Rosemont Seneca Partners is one of the many seedy shell companies Hunter shoveled foreign money through over the years. But one Wikipedia editor notes that the listing for the company fails to meet Wikipedia’s “notability” standards and only invites “conspiracy theories” about the First Son.
But here’s some things Wikipedia thinks are totally notable:
Hundeprutterutchebane, a roller coaster in Denmark in which riders climb inside a cart shaped like a giant farting dog.
The Toast Sandwich – in which the diner puts a toasted piece of bread between two untoasted slices of bread.
Stubbs, the Alaskan cat that was the mayor of a small town in 2017.
A list of people who’ve died on the toilet.
IN OTHER WORDS: Wikipedia says these topics are more relevant than a business owned in part by Hunter Biden, the son of the president of the United States, who is currently under investigation by the US attorney in Delaware for his international business schemes in Ukraine and China.
IT GETS WORSE: The timing of the edit that deleted the listing hardly looks coincidental: the New York Post on Saturday reported that Rosemont Seneca Partners President ERIC SCHWERIN visited the West Wing 17 times 2009-2013, and even met on-the-record with Biden in November 2010.
The unknown contents of these meetings aside, this development further exposes the lies told by President JOE BIDEN and his politburo that he and Hunter have never discussed Hunter’s business affairs — which shouldn’t be confused with his actual affairs, in which he slept with his dead brother’s widow and fathered a son with a stripper in Arkansas.
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A Tale of Two Tweets:
Here’s President JOE BIDEN on Twitter on April 20th: “I know that families are still struggling with higher prices. I grew up in a family where if the price of gas went up, we felt it. Let’s be absolutely clear about why prices are high right now: COVID and Vladimir Putin.”
Here’s then-candidate Biden on April 20th, 2020: “The President needs to stop blaming others and do his job.”
So there’s that.
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Remember all the nonsense last week over Washington Post “reporter” TAYLOR LORENZ outing the identity of the manager of Twitter’s “Libs of TikTok” account – that does little more than repost the already insane videos of the fringiest leftists on the web?
If nothing else, the story has been good for the account’s owner: She has now racked up thousands of paid subscribers to her substack account – and it hasn’t even posted an article yet!
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Senator ELIZABETH WARREN says she’s definitely not running for president in 2024 because JOE BIDEN definitely is. When asked on Meet the Press if she’d rule out a run completely, she said, “You can ask it any way you want but I'm gonna say the same thing. President Biden is running in 2024 and I'm supporting him. Cheerfully."
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BATTLE OF THE BILLIONAIRES
The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that Twitter’s Board was revisiting ELON MUSK’s $46 billion buyout offer, and even began some negotiations with Musk’s team.
First quarter earnings for Twitter are expected to be reported on Thursday, and more formal information is expected then, if not sooner.
MEANWHILE: Musk huddled with individual Twitter investors on Friday, and promised even if the buyout didn’t work, he’d use his influence on the Board to change some of the social platform’s speech policies.
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Have you heard of XPRIZE? It’s a program under Elon Musk’s $100 million family foundation that awards grants to companies and organizations to solve problems like: removing carbon from the atmosphere, developing nutritious alternatives to chicken and fish in order to aid starving populations, and helping blue collar workers learn skills that help them get jobs in the digital space. You know – all good things most people, and especially liberals, would say are important and necessary.
ANYWAY: Last week, XPRIZE issued fifteen $1 million grants to develop technologies to decarbonize the atmosphere. Just more evil Musk billionaire madness.
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Over the weekend, a text conversation that appeared to be between Musk and BILL GATES went viral. In the exchange, the billionaires make plants to meet. But first, Musk asks if Gates still has a “short position” against Tesla worth half a billion dollars.
(To grossly oversimplify: A short position means you make money if the stock loses value.)
Gates replied the position was still open, but he wanted to talk to Musk about philanthropic opportunities anyway. Musk closed down anything further, saying that he couldn’t take any talk of philanthropy seriously when Gates has a short against “the company doing the most to solve climate change.”
IT GETS BETTER: Before the text conversation leaked, Musk posted a side-by-side photo on twitter of Gates and the “pregnant man” emoji, with the caption, “in case u need to lose a boner fast.”
Later, Musk confirmed the texts between him and Gates that were going viral online were authentic.
THE DRAMA CONTINUES: Musk tweeted early Sunday morning a cryptically short message, “Moving on…”
While some took the message to mean he was moving on from his twitter takeover, he later clarified: that he’s moving on “(from making fun of Gates for shorting Tesla while claiming to support climate change action)”
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LOTTERY
No winner for Friday night’s Mega Millions drawing. Tuesday night’s drawing will be for a $31 million jackpot or an $18.4 million cash payout.
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No winner for Saturday night’s Powerball drawing. Tonight’s drawing will be for a $421 million jackpot or a $252.1 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
The man MIKE TYSON punched on an airplane last week has a lengthy rap sheet.
MELVIN TOWNSEND III has been convicted of fraud, grand theft, burglary, possession of controlled substances and trafficking in stolen property, per Florida state records. He also spent 20 months in jail in 2009 and 15 months in 2019.
As previously reported, Tyson was caught on camera hitting Townsend on a flight from San Francisco to Miami last Thursday. According to fellow fliers, Townsend was harassing Tyson prior to the incident.
Townsend’s lawyer claims the situation could have been handled another way, such as Tyson contacting a flight attendant over the annoyance.
No charges have been filed.
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The second weekend of Coachella was a hit.
HARRY STYLES once again took the stage, surprising the crowd by having LIZZO join him.
BILLIE EILISH, also a headliner, shocked fans when Paramore’s HAYLEY WILLIAMS joined her on stage. It was Williams’ first time performing at the festival.
BIG SEAN and MIKE POSNER also put on a great show over the weekend, performing throwback hits, such as Posner’s “Cooler Than Me.”
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Production on the flick “Being Mortal” was suspended last week after reports that star BILL MURRAY was “touchy” with women on set.
A source told The Post that the actor “put an arm around a woman, touched her hair, pulled her ponytail — but always in a comedic way.”
“While his conduct is not illegal, some women felt uncomfortable and he crossed a line,” the insider added.
An investigation has been opened into the claims.
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“Jeopardy!” contestant MATTEA ROACH, 23, scored her 14th win on the show on Friday, securing her spot among the top contestants on the game show.
Roach took home $34,000 during the episode, bringing her total to $320,081.
She is now eighth on the all-time consecutive games list and 10th on the all-time highest non-tournament cash winnings lists.
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CUBA GOODING JR. will host a party next month at the Sapphire strip club in Times Square.
What’s unnerving about the booking is that the actor just recently pleaded guilty to forcibly touching a woman in the very same neighborhood where the club is located.
As previously reported, Cuba was charged with three counts of forcible touching in 2020. His recent plea landed him continued counseling and an order to stay out of trouble or end up in jail.
WORTH ASKING: Who on his team thought this gig was a good — or appropriate — thing for him to do?
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In a series of tweets over the weekend, IGGY AZALEA claims she was left stranded, along with her baby, by American Airlines.
The rapper warned others against flying with the airline, claiming that they sold off her and her son’s seats while the gate was still open.
BUT WAIT: American says Iggy showed up to the airport around 5:30pm for a 6pm flight. While she was able to check her bags and get through security, someone from her party got held up, causing them to miss the flight.
Airport sources told TMZ that boarding ends 15 minutes prior to take off, so that means Iggy and co only had minutes to make it to their gate.
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Paparazzi caught up with WILL SMITH in India over the weekend.
The actor touched down at a private airport in Mumbai, where a swarm of paps were ready and waiting. He appeared happy and relaxed as he smiled for photos with eager fans.
Smith is reportedly in India to meet with spiritual leader Sadhguru, who teaches powerful methods for self-transformation.
Insiders told Page Six that Smith and his family previously met with the spiritual leader in Los Angeles in 2020.
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TIFFANY HADDISH recently told TMZ that not only has she been making music for years, but she now has plans to merge her acting and musical careers by putting her tunes in her movies and TV shows.
As for what genre she identifies most with, Haddish said she creates mostly Hip Hop and classical tunes.
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CASTING CALL
SEAN “Diddy” COMBS will host the 2022 Billboard Music Awards.
The awards show will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 15. It will air on NBC and Peacock.
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Jackson and April will return for the Season 18 finale of “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Played by JESSE WILLIAMS and SARAH DREW the couple will appear in the episode set for May 26, Variety has confirmed.
Williams left the long-running medical drama last season, while Drew exited in 2018. The onscreen pair shared a daughter and are often referred to as Japril.
SPEAKING OF JAPRIL: Fans of the show have long begged for a spinoff revolving around the two characters, but an ABC spokesperson told Variety that will never happen.
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A new weekly podcast dedicated to J.R.R. TOLKIEN’s “The Lord of the Rings” has launched.
“Not Another [effing] Elf” takes a deep dive into each of the franchise’s characters, with clips from different adaptations of the work. Each hour long episode begins with a recap of the character.
The first episode, which dropped Friday, focuses on Gollum.
The podcast is hosted by British critic, writer, producer, commissioner and director CATHERINE BRAY and film acquisitions executive PAUL RIDD.
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TRAVIS SCOTT has released his first new music video since the Astroworld tragedy.
He collaborated with FUTURE on the video for his single, “Hold That Threat.”
Scott has kept mostly under the radar since the tragedy, minus an impromptu performance at a Coachella after party last weekend.
WORTH NOTING: Scott is being sued by a number of people who were at Astroworld, as well as family members of those who died. It could be years before the lawsuits are settled.
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CELEBRITY CELLBLOCK
NFL player BYRON PRINGLE was arrested Saturday in Florida after police say they caught him doing donuts in his sports car, with a suspended license and his young son in the vehicle.
Responding officers also claim he was “verbally confrontational” during the stop.
The 28-year-old wide receiver for the Chicago Bears was arrested for reckless driving and driving on a suspended license.
WORTH ASKING: No child endangerment charge?
ALSO: No word on if he posted bail or how much it was set at.
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
KRIS JENNER took the stand Friday where she testified that she thought BLAC CHYNA was going to kill her son ROB KARDASHIAN when she pointed a gun at his head.
Kris said that she came to the conclusion after looking at everything else that occurred during Rob and Chyna’s tumultuous relationship.
She also shared that she believes Chyna feels animosity toward her family.
The trial between the Kardashians and Chyna continues this week. KHLOE, KIM and KYLIE are all expected to take the stand. Meanwhile, Rob has been absent from the proceedings.
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
PRINCESS ANNE, 70, will make military history by becoming the first woman to head the Royal Marines.
The role was previously held by her nephew PRINCE HARRY, who was stripped of the post after moving to California.
Anne’s official title will be Admiral in the Royal Navy.
An announcement about the move will be made this August following an endorsement from QUEEN ELIZABETH.
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Former President DONALD TRUMP told PIERS MORGAN that not only is PRINCE HARRY “an embarrassment” for turning his back on his family, but also predicts that Harry’s marriage to MEGHAN MARKLE will “have a bad ending.”
Trump made the comments during an interview on Morgan’s new show “Piers Morgan Uncensored,” which launches today on Fox Nation.
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SPORTS
MIGUEL CABRERA, 39, is the 33rd MLB player to reach 3,000 hits.
He hit the milestone Saturday with an opposite-field single against Colorado Rockies pitcher ANTONIO SENZATELA.
Cabrera is the seventh player in history to reach 3,000 hits and 500 home runs, joining HANK AARON, WILLIE MAYS, ALBERT PUJOLS, EDDIE MURRAY, ALEX RODRIGUEZ and RAFAEL PALMIERO.
He has been with the Detroit Tigers since 2008.
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National DNA Day
National East Meets West Day
National Hug a Plumber Day
National Telephone Day
National Zucchini Bread Day
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ON THIS DATE
1719 - Adventure novel "The Life and Strange Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" is first published by Daniel Defoe.
The story tells the tale of a man who spent 28 years shipwrecked on a deserted island. It is based loosely on the experiences of Alexander Selkirk, who spent four years stranded on an island off the coast of South America.
It is regarded as the first English novel.
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1859 - Workers shovel up the first dirt to construct the Suez Canal.
The manmade waterway would stretch 101 miles to connect the Mediterranean and Red seas.
The first ceremonial pickax was thrown by Ferdinand de Lesseps. He was a French diplomat who orchestrated the project.
Since then, the canal has been a key route for opening trade to Europe and the Middle East.
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1901 - New York becomes the first state to require license plates on vehicles.
The first plates bore only the initials of the owner, after going through a registration process with the state government.
State-issued plates wouldn’t roll out until 1910.
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1947 - President Truman becomes the first to use the White House bowling alley.
It was only 2 lanes.
In his first frame, the president knocked down 7 of 10 pins.
While Truman didn't make much use of the lanes, he encouraged White House employees to assemble a bowling team, which would eventually compete around the country.
President Eisenhower turned that bowling alley into a mimeograph room in 1955.
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1983 - Pioneer 10 leaves its orbit around Pluto, and heads to Neptune.
This is back when Pluto was still considered a planet. Because of Neptune and Pluto's orbits, Neptune at the time was the planet farthest from the sun.
Pioneer continued faint communications with Earth for another 20 years.
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1990 - The Hubble Telescope is put into orbit by the shuttle Discovery.
It began as an idea in the 1940s, but took almost 50 more years to make it a reality.
Since then, shuttle crews have maintained and managed the orbiting telescope, which gives astronomers on earth an unprecedented look into deep space.
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2011 - At least 300 people are killed when tornadoes touch down in several southern and eastern states.
The hardest hit were Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee where 175 tornadoes were reported.
Severe damage was also reported in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, New York and Virginia.
Over the next three days, 360 tornadoes would be confirmed in those areas by the National Weather Service.
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2019 - Microsoft becomes the third US company to hit a market value worth of $1 trillion.
The other two were Apple and Amazon.
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BIRTHDAYS
Sam Fender - rock singer - 28
Maggie Rogers - folk singer - 28
Jonathan Bailey - actor, “Bridgerton” - 34
Daniel Sharman - actor, “Fear the Walking Dead” & “Teen Wolf” - 36
Matthew West - rock singer - 45
Tim Duncan - basketball player - 46
Jason Lee - actor, “My Name is Earl” & “Mallrats” - 52
Gina Torres - actress, “Suits” - 53
Renee Zellweger - actress, “Jerry Maguire” & “Nurse Betty” - 53
Joe Buck - sportscaster - 53
Hank Azaria - actor, “The Birdcage” & “The Simpsons” - 58
Adam Silver - NBA commissioner - 60
Len Goodman - TV show host, “Dancing with The Stars” - 78
Al Pacino - actor, “The Godfather” & “Scarface” - 82
William Roache - actor, “Coronation Street” - 90
Born On This Date
Johan Cruyff - soccer player - 1947 (d. 2016)
Ella Fitzgerald - jazz singer - 1917 (d. 1996)
Gladys Presley - Elvis’ mom - 1912 (d. 1958)
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