4/27/2022: Twitter Tears
PLUS: Kamala Gets Covid, Marvel’s First Latin Superhero, and Wild William
Today is Wednesday, April 27, 2022.
It is the 117th day of the year.
248 days remain.
TRENDING
Foodies celebrated #NationalPretzelDay on Tuesday. Several eateries gave away free pretzels in honor of the day.
El Muerto was trending yesterday after Marvel announced a new film centered on the Spider-Man character. More in Casting Call.
#ThingsYouShouldNeverMessWith landed in Twitter’s Top 10 Trends on Tuesday. Tweets included, “Teachers,” “a woman who says nothing,” “1. Spitting cobras 2. Angry bears 3. Angry hippos 4. Stupid brain-washing cults,” and “Ukraine.”
Ivermectin was trending yesterday as Twitter users shared their experiences with the drug. Several users also commended Tennessee lawmakers for making it available over the counter.
Wicked was trending after an announcement about the upcoming film adaptation was made. Head to Casting Call to see what’s up.
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HIT LIST
Wimbledon announced Tuesday it was lifting its vaccine requirement for competitors.
Notably, Novak Djokovic was unable to compete in the Australian Open in January because he chose not to take a covid vaccine. France lifted its international travel vaccination requirement in March.
MEANWHILE: Pfizer filed for an Emergency Use Authorization for a booster shot for kids 5-11 years old.
WORTH ASKING: Why still the Emergency Use Authorization? Especially for the age group least vulnerable to sickness from covid?
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The SEC published particulars of the sale of Twitter to Elon Musk.
The deal has to close before October 24. And if Musk doesn’t make good on his end of the bargain, he’ll owe Twitter $1 billion.
MEANWHILE: The widespread meltdown over Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter continued Tuesday.
In an anti-Musk editorial disguised as a reporting, the Associated Press lazily laments, “Experts who have studied content moderation and researched Twitter for years have expressed doubt that Musk knows exactly what he is getting into. And some of the problems he has identified aren’t felt by most users.”
WORTH NOTING: Musk is the reason humans developed launch vehicle rockets that return to Earth upright and are able to be reused. He can probably figure out how to wrangle a bunch of pants-wetting hippies.
MEANWHILE: Prominent conservative commentators noted Tuesday that their follower counts suddenly exploded, while some lefties decried losing thousands of followers in droves. The development comes as Twitter announced it was locking any changes to its algorithm and code structure, leaving many to wonder just how hands-on its employees have been in moderating accounts that espouse certain opinions.
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An Ohio man is facing jail time after his 10-year-old daughter mistook his weed edibles for Easter candy and brought them to school to share with friends.
The kids were all hospitalized, and the dad is facing charges of child endangerment and possession of controlled substances. The man also tossed the remaining candies down the garbage disposal while investigators tried to speak to him, so he’s facing an obstruction charge, too.
He says he’s had them since a trip to Colorado in 2018 and uses the edibles to manage pain.
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The third grade class of a Phoenix-area elementary school is reportedly receiving future full-ride scholarships to college, courtesy of the Rosztoczy foundation. Supposedly, the only caveats are that the kids complete their high school diploma in the district and go to an Arizona state university. They’ll also have to demonstrate actual financial need for the scholarship.
WORTH HOPING: Remember that horrifyingly awkward episode of “The Office” where Michael Scott promised a bunch of elementary schoolers he’d pay for their college, and had to face the music years later? This feels way too much like that.
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A Tennessee man keeps failing his written driver’s test – because it’s not offered in Arabic.
Nagi Abaza moved to Nashville a few years ago from New Jersey, where he held a valid license. Now that it’s expired, he needs a Tennessee license, but the written tests are only offered in English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and German.
So far, Abaza has tried 14 times to pass. He speaks English, but can’t read it.
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CHARTS
Top 5 Fiction & Nonfiction Books Currently on the New York Times Best Sellers List:
FICTION:
“The Investigator,” John Sanford
"It Ends With Us," Colleen Hoover
“Where The Crawdads Sing,” Delia Owens
“Verity,” Colleen Hoover
“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” Taylor Jenkins Reid
NONFICTION:
“Freezing Order,” Bill Browder
“The Body Keeps The Score,” Bessel van der Kolk
“Hello, Molly!,” Molly Shannon with Sean Wilsey
“Left on Tenth,” Delia Ephron
“Bittersweet,” Susan Cain
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DEATHS
ANDREW WOOLFOLK has died.
The longtime saxophonist for Earth, Wind & Fire passed away Sunday after battling a lengthy undisclosed illness.
He was 71.
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BREAKUPS
Actress SHAILENE WOODLEY, 30, is done with NFL star AARON RODGERS, 38.
Insiders told E! News that Shailene tried to give the relationship another shot after the two ended their engagement, but quickly saw “everything was on his terms and nothing was going to change.”
The couple got engaged in February 2021. They called off the relationship a year later.
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THE SWAMP
GET A LOAD OF THIS: The Daily Mail has published an email found on one of the multiple laptops HUNTER BIDEN lost that shows President JOE BIDEN agreed to pay the legal bills connected to Hunter’s business dealings in China.
The bills in question totaled more than $700,000.
IT GETS WORSE: The Daily Mail’s investigation shows a $5.2 million discrepancy between the income Biden declared on his taxes and what he reported to a government transparency report from 2017 to 2019.
WORTH NOTING: This is all gleaned from public data that any honest journalist could spend time corroborating. But they don’t. Why not?
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President JOE BIDEN has used his pardon pen for the first time.
Three people received outright pardons, while another 75 received sentence commutations, all for nonviolent drug offenses.
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Vice President KAMALA HARRIS has Covid, by the way.
She’s fine. Her reps say she hasn’t had recent contact with the president, because we’re living in an episode of “Veep.”
WORTH NOTING: She’s been double-vaccinated AND double boosted, too.
WORTH REMEMBERING: More people died from covid in 2021 under President JOE BIDEN’s leadership than in 2020, despite the abundant availability of therapeutics and shots that mitigate death.
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LOTTERY
No winner for Monday night’s Powerball drawing. Tonight’s drawing will be for a $454 million jackpot or a $271.9 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
Officers were even busier on weekend No. 2 of Coachella.
The Indio Police Department released numbers from the weekend, reporting a total of 133 arrests from Friday through Sunday — about 20 more than the weekend prior.
Cops also handed out 96 citations over the weekend, an increase from the 72 handed out over weekend No. 1.
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Video of ALEC BALDWIN’s first interview with investigators was released this week along with other footage from the aftermath of the fatal shooting on the set of “Rust.”
Footage of the interview, conducted in what appears to be an interrogation room, shows Baldwin describing the process of being handed the prop gun and it going off, striking cinematographer HALYNA HUTCHINS.
Baldwin explained to investigators the process of firing a gun with a blank which requires the actor to react to the shot as if the gun “kicked back,” as it would when firing a live round. He then goes through the motions he made, using his thumb and forefinger to simulate a gun.
“Bang! It went off - the first time. It was the first time we were shooting that shot, we were rehearsing for that shot,” Baldwin explained.
The Santa Fe County District Attorney’s Office will wait until the full investigation is completed before making decisions about filing charges, a source told CNN.
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VIOLA DAVIS has no time for criticism over her portrayal of MICHELLE OBAMA in the new Showtime series “The First Lady.”
In a recent interview with the BBC, Davis acknowledged that “critics are part of the job,” before adding that she still found the comments to be “incredibly hurtful.”
At the end of the day, she says the only opinion she really cares about is Michelle’s.
As previously reported, some viewers made a big deal about Davis’ over exaggerated pursed lips.
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CASTING CALL
BAD BUNNY will star in the new Marvel flick “El Muerto.”
Spider-Man fans will remember El Muerto aka Juan Carlos as the super powered wrestler who originally fought the superhero in a charity wrestling match in which he almost unmasked him. The two later team up to defeat the villain El Dorado.
The project marks the first Marvel film to star a Latin superhero.
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The upcoming film adaptation of the musical “Wicked” will be split into two films.
The first will be released on December 25, 2024, with the second part debuting a year later on December 25, 2025.
“Wicked,” a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” tells the story of everything leading up to Dorothy’s arrival in Oz.
ARIANA GRANDE and CYNTHIA ERIVO are set to star as Glinda and Elphaba, respectively.
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Dreamworks Animation flick “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” will now be released on December 21.
The film was originally set to hit theaters on September 23.
The movie is a sequel to “Shrek” spinoff “Puss in Boots,” which made $149.2 million domestically.
SALMA HAYEK will reprise her role as Kitty Softpaws, with ANTONIO BANDERAS returning as the titular feline.
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TYRA BANKS has joined the cast of a “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead” remake.
The original 1991 film followed a 17-year-old forced to care for her four younger siblings after the babysitter dies while their mom is out of town.
While the flick was a box office flop, it has landed a cult following in the decades since its release, Deadline reports.
In the remake, Banks will play Rose, a fashion executive at General Apparel West.
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CHRIS BROWN and LIL BABY are going on tour.
The musicians are joining forces for a North American tour, called One of Them Ones.
The tour will kick off on July 15 in Raleigh, North Carolina and end on August 27 in Las Vegas.
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REINA HARDESTY has left Prime Video’s spin-off of “The Boys.”
She is the third star to exit the series, according to Deadline.
“The Boys” spinoff is set at America’s only college exclusively for young-adult superheroes.
No word on recasting Hardesty’s role or the other two vacant roles.
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Universal’s Nintendo movie “Super Mario Bros” has moved from its planned December release to April 7, 2023, which is also Easter weekend.
Insiders told Deadline the move is about “optimizing the family audience for that film on that holiday.”
WORTH NOTING: The Super Mario video game franchise has grossed over $30 billion.
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The B-52s have announced a farewell tour.
The event, billed as “Their final tour ever of planet Earth,” will hit 11 cities across the US.
The tour begins in Seattle in August and ends in November in Atlanta. More shows are expected to be added in the coming weeks.
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CBS has renewed “Blue Bloods” for a 13th season.
Insiders told Variety that the current season of the show averages 9.8 million viewers per episode.
The police drama stars TOM SELLECK, DONNIE WAHLBERG, BRIDGET MOYNAHAN, WILL ESTES, LEN CARIOU, MARISA RAMIREZ and VANESSA RAY.
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
A new song on PUSHA T’s latest album, called “Dreamin of the Past,” features KANYE WEST rapping that his “family’s in danger” when he isn’t home.
The words are clearly a jab at his ex, KIM KARDASHIAN.
WORTH NOTING: No word on whether Ye has successfully found a treatment center to help him deal with his pending divorce and social media outbursts.
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KIM and KHLOE took the stand Tuesday in the trial against their family initiated by model BLAC CHYNA.
The sisters both testified how “toxic” they felt Chyna’s relationship with their brother, ROB KARDASHIAN, was and how bad it was for the “family brand.”
Chyna’s attorney presented Kim and Khloe with emails and texts they allegedly wrote to producers of “KUWTK”, saying they would take a break from filming if Chyna was going to be on the show.
Rob is expected to take the stand before all is said and done.
As previously reported, Chyna is suing the Kardashians over claims they had her show, “Rob & Chyna” canceled.
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
PRINCE WILLIAM took the terrible-twos to the extreme.
According to an excerpt from TINA BROWN’s newly released book, “The Palace Papers,” QUEEN ELIZABETH often complained to PRINCE PHILIP about how “out of control” their grandson was.
“She was not amused that he loved to say, ‘When I am king, I’m going to make a new rule that…,’” Brown writes.
When William was four, he reportedly told his nanny at the time “No one tells me what to do! When I am king I will have you punished.”
A few years later William grew out of his feistiness…just in time for PRINCE HARRY to take over.
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SPORTS
Rapper BENZINO will face off against musician AARON CARTER in a Celebrity Boxing Event on June 11.
The fight -- announced as the evening's main event -- will be held at the Charles Dodge Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
WORTH NOTING: Benzino originally challenged fellow rapper 50 CENT to a match, but due to scheduling issues it wasn’t able to be arranged.
MEANWHILE: Carter was more than happy to step into the ring in 50’s place. He boxed LAMAR ODOM in a Celebrity Boxing match last year. Odom pummeled Carter.
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Retired NBA star JR SMITH was awarded Academic Athlete of the Year at North Carolina A&T State University.
The 36-year-old received the award after finishing his first year with a 4.0 GPA.
Smith is currently studying liberal arts at the school and is also a member of the golf team. He previously told fans and social media followers that he hopes his return to school will inspire others to pursue their goals.
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Gummi Bear Day
National Babe Ruth Day
National Devil Dog Day
National Prime Rib Day
National Tell a Story Day
Stop Food Waste Day
National Administrative Professionals’ Day
Denim Day
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ON THIS DATE
4977 BC - If you ask Johannes Kepler, the universe was created on this date.
He was a 17th century physicist and scientist who studied three laws of planetary physics and motion.
Kepler inspired much of the science that Sir Isaac Newton would use and expound.
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1521 – Ferdinand Magellan is killed at the hands of ticked off natives in the Philippines.
He was working to convert a different tribe to Christianity, and get their support to wipe out the natives ultimately responsible for his death.
Fighting ensued. Magellan was taken out by a poison arrow. As his crewmen retreated, his body was left behind.
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1667 – John Milton sells the rights to his story “Paradise Lost.”
Milton was blind, and dictated the story to his daughters, who transcribed it.
The rights to the long-form poem went for only 10 pounds, which wasn't even a lot of money for the time. But the book took off, and he had 2 more stories published.
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1773 – British Parliament passes the Tea Act.
The law lowered the tax paid to the British government by the East India Trading Company, which was nearing bankruptcy. Since Britain controlled all imports into the colonies, the East India Trading Company gained a virtual monopoly on the tea market in the New World.
While this meant lower prices in the colonies, it also meant less freedom. It was this law that later inspired the Boston Tea Party, in December that year.
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1968 – Hubert Humphrey announces his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president.
He was LBJ's vice president. Johnson announced in March that year that he would not seek the Democratic nomination.
Humphrey's greatest challenger was Bobby Kennedy, who was assassinated during the primaries.
The Chicago DNC convention was historically uproarious that year.
Ultimately Humphrey got the nomination, but lost to Richard Nixon in the general election.
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1978 – Communist rebels overthrow the Afghan president, leading to a prolonged conflict that would leave the country destitute.
Overthrown leader Sardar Mohammed Daoud was unsympathetic to leftist policy, and angered neighboring Russia.
After the coup, Afghanistan and the Soviets forged a treaty that pumped weapons and supplies into the country.
Soviet forces remained until 1988.
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1982 – The trial of John Hinckley Jr. begins for the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan.
On March 30, 1981 Hinckley shot Reagan in the lung as he left a speaking engagement in Washington D.C. He tried to kill the President to impress Jodie Foster, who he had an obsession with.
Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was under psychiatric care until September 2016.
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2014 - “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” premieres on HBO.
The late-night show takes a satirical look at news, politics and current events on a weekly basis.
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2020 - The global confirmed cases of COVID-19 passes 3 million with the death toll at 205,000.
The US accounts for 1/3 of all cases.
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BIRTHDAYS
Cassie Randolph - reality star, “Bachelor” - 27
Corey Seager - baseball player - 28
Lizzo - pop singer - 34
Jenna Coleman - actress, “Doctor Who” & “Me Before You” - 36
Patrick Stump - rock singer, Fall Out Boy - 38
Jerry Trainor - actor, “Drake & Josh” & “iCarly” - 46
Cory Booker - US senator - 53
George Gervin - basketball player - 70
Ace Frehley - guitarist, KISS - 71
Si Robertson - reality star, “Duck Dynasty” - 74
Born On This Date
Jason Gaviati - pianist - 1980 (d. 2015)
Casey Kasem - radio personality, American Top 40 - 1932 (d. 2014)
Coretta Scott King - civil rights leader & wife of MLK Jr. - 1927 (d. 2006)
Sheila Scott - aviator, first female to fly solo around the world - 1927 (d. 1988)
Walter Lanz - cartoonist, Woody Woodpecker - 1900 (d. 1994)
Ulysses S. Grant - 18th POTUS - 1822 (d. 1885)
Samuel Morse - inventor, telegraph & Morse code - 1791 (d. 1872)
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