4/7/2023: Snake On A Plane
PLUS: Dildos Not Drones; Stolen Mummy Thumb; and Still No RSVP From the Sussexes
Today is Friday, April 7, 2023.
It is the 97th day of the year.
268 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
FedEx announces some restructuring and Ukrainian activists stick it to a Russian war volunteer. More in HIT LIST.
RFK JR. files paperwork to run for President and Michigan repeals its abortion ban. More in THE SWAMP.
HUGH JACKMAN updates fans on his skin biopsies and CAROL BURNETT reveals what is left on her bucket list. More in SHOWBIZ.
“Wicked” is set to make Broadway history and SARAH SILVERMAN gears up for another HBO comedy special. More in CASTING CALL.
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HIT LIST
FedEx announced that it will combine most of its ground, air and other operations to help cut costs.
The plan would see FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Services and other FedEx companies rolled into one unit, while FedEx Freight would continue to standalone.
The plan, which is said to cut $4 billion in spending, is expected to be in place by June 2024. [via AP News]
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A Delaware man has pleaded guilty to stealing the thumb of an ancient Chinese warrior statue -- valued at $4.5 million -- during a holiday party at the Franklin Institute, located in Philadelphia, in 2017.
Micheal Rohana, who was just 24 at the time, stole the 2,000-year-old finger after sneaking into a closed-off exhibit at the museum. He also posed with the terracotta “Cavalryman” statue for a selfie. When museum staff noticed the missing digit, and the FBI traced the theft back to Rohana, he admitted to the crime and revealed he had the thumb in a desk drawer.
After a mistrial and then delays due to Covid-19, Rohana had his day in court this week, and faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $20,000. He is set to be sentenced on April 17.
The statue was one of 10 on loan from among 8,000 life-size warriors to the Franklin Institute. The warriors were built by Chinese Emperor Quin Shi Huang, who died in 210 BCE. He believed they would protect him in the afterlife. [via NY Post]
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Ukrainian activists, Kiber Sprotyv (Cyber Resistance), hacked into the account of Mikhail Luchin, a Russian military volunteer who was raising money to buy drones for the Russian military, and switched the purchase order to dildos.
“He is a war criminal, volunteer, blogger and now dildo owner,” the hackers said in a statement.
In response, Luchin posted on Telegram that he will open up a sex shop in Russia and buy even more drones with the money he makes off the dildos. [via Politico]
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A pilot in South Africa was forced to make an emergency landing after a venomous cobra stowed away on his plane.
Rudolf Erasmus, who was traveling with four passengers, said he felt “something cold” slither across his back and when he looked down he spotted the head of a Cape Cobra.
After informing passengers about the serpent, he made an emergency landing in Welkom, all while the cobra sat curled under his feet. Upon landing, the plane was completely stripped, but the snake was not found.
According to the University of San Diego, a bite from a Cape Cobra can kill someone in 30 minutes. [via People]
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A couple in Michigan welcomed a daughter named Audrey on March 17. The birth is significant as she is the first girl to be born on her dad, Andrew Clark’s side of the family since 1885.
Initially skeptical of the story, Andrew’s wife Carolyn asked his parents to confirm. Her mother-in-law explained that while there had been girls born to uncles and cousins, in their direct family line only boys had been born.
STICKING WITH TRADITION: Andrew and Carolyn’s first child was a son. [via ABC News]
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CHARTS
What’s Streaming?
New to Amazon Prime:
Jury Duty (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 0%)
On a Wing and a Prayer (No Score)
New to Hulu:
Beast of Burden (Score: 25%)
Medieval (Score: 39%)
Mr. Right (Score: 44%)
The Honeymoon (No Score)
The Program (Score: 62%)
13 Assassins (Score: 95%)
Jesus Camp (Score: 87%)
The Queen of Versailles (Score: 95%)
The War With Grandpa (Score: 29%)
New to Netflix:
Kings of Mulberry Street: Let Love Reign (No Score)
Oh Belinda (No Score)
Hunger (No Score)
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BABY NEWS
Actress EMMY ROSSUM, 36, has welcomed baby #2 with her husband SAM ESMAIL, 45.
The baby boy arrived on Wednesday, according to Rossum’s Instagram post, which featured the newborn’s footprints.
The couple are already parents to an almost 2-year-old daughter, whose name has not been announced publicly.
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THE SWAMP
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to officially launch his 2024 presidential campaign.
He joins the only other declared major Democratic candidate, MARIANNE WILLIAMSON, to challenge President JOE BIDEN.
Kennedy is the son of ROBERT F. KENNEDY and nephew of JOHN F. KENNEDY. [via NY Times]
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Governor GRETCHEN WHITMER repealed a century-old abortion ban in Michigan this week. The 1931 law made it a felony to assist in abortion, but in last November’s midterms it was deemed unconstitutional and unenforceable.
Michigan now joins California and Vermont in adding abortion rights to their state’s constitution. [via AP News]
MEANWHILE: In Wisconsin this week, a Democratic judge won a seat on the state’s Supreme Court, leading to a liberal majority. Wisconsin’s abortion ban is also on the line.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW added 3 points (0.0077%) to close at 33,485 on Thursday. The S&P added 15 points (0.36%) to close at 4,105 and the NASDAQ added 91 points (0.76%) to close at 12,088.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $80; BRENT CRUDE at $85.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.55 on Thursday.
₿ BITCOIN slid Thursday, losing 0.60%, trading just over $28,000.
🛩 There were more than 4,220 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Thursday and more than 342 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $414 million jackpot or a $221 million cash payout. Saturday night’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $186 million jackpot or a $98.9 million cash payout.
SHOWBIZ NEWS
These albums drop today:
Billie Marten, “Drop Cherries”
Blondshell, “Blondshell”
Brandee Younger, “Brand New Life”
Calvin Johnson, “Gallows Wine”
Cub Sport, “Jesus At the Gay Bar”
Daniel Caesar, “Never Enough”
Daughter, “Stereo Mind”
Devon Church, “Strange Strangers”
Ellie Goulding, “Higher Than Heaven”
FACS, “Still Life in Decay”
Hayden, “Are We Good”
Jana Horn, “The Window is the Dream”
Mudhoney, “Plastic Eternity”
One Horse Band, “Useless Propaganda”
Ruston Kelly, “The Weakness”
Thomas Bangalter, “Mythologies”
Wednesday, “Rat Saw God”
Whenyoung, “Paragon Songs”
Worriers, “Warm Blanket”
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SEAN “Diddy” COMBS revealed this week that he pays STING $5000 a day in royalties for using his song “Every Breath You Take” in his 1997 single “I’ll Be Missing You.”
In a 2018 interview, Sting said that Diddy only asked for permission to sample his song after it had already been released, adding “We’re good friends now. It was a beautiful version of that song.” [via People]
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Just days after launching her new line of wine spritzers, JENNIFER LOPEZ is facing backlash.
Followers called her out for creating an alcohol brand despite being a non-drinker. One follower wrote, “Why not create a NA brand considering you’ve been outspoken about the negative effects of alcohol and that you yourself don’t drink?”
Another called the move a “money grab,” noting how her husband BEN AFFLECK is sober.
JLo has not responded to the backlash. [via Page Six]
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REESE WITHERSPOON and TOM BRADY are not dating.
Rumors started swirling this week that the recently divorced celebs were romantically linked, but their reps say it is not true, with one noting that “the two have not even met.” [via People]
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Ahead of her 90th birthday, CAROL BURNETT shared what is still left on her bucket list.
“George Clooney,” she quipped.
The actor has been a longtime crush of Burnett’s. She first shared her affection for him during an appearance on “Larry King Now” in 2013.
She turns 90 on April 26. [via NY Post]
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HUGH JACKMAN updated fans on his recent skin biopsy on Thursday after showing off his bandaged nose earlier in the week.
The 54-year-old, who has been treated for skin cancer in the past, revealed on Instagram that his biopsies came back negative for cancer.
As previously reported, Jackman urged his more than 31 million Instagram followers to always “put some sunscreen on.” [via People]
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BRAD PITT once let a widowed man live rent-free on his $40 million sprawling Los Angeles estate until his death at 105-years-old.
Actress CASSANDRA PETERSON, who sold Pitt a 1.9-acre property in 1994, shared the story in a new interview with People Magazine.
“The whole thing came about as Pitt was buying up neighboring properties. So, when the widowed man’s home hit the market, [Pitt] made a deal with him to let him live in the home rent-free, if he could purchase it,” Peterson explained.
The man was reportedly in his early nineties when the actor made the deal. [via People]
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COOLIO’s death was caused by fentanyl.
In a statement to TMZ, his manager said that the rapper had fentanyl, and traces of heroin and methamphetamines in his system when he died.
As previously reported, Coolio passed away on September 28. He was 59. [via TMZ]
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CASTING CALL
“Wicked” is set to make Broadway history as the fourth-longest running production.
The milestone will be met when the musical is performed for the 7,486th time this coming Tuesday, surpassing ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’s “Cats.”
The top three longest-running shows on Broadway are: “Phantom of the Opera” (13,695 performances), “Chicago” (10,321 performances) and “The Lion King” (9,936 performances).
“Wicked” tells the story of everything that happened before Dorothy landed in Oz. [via Variety]
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SARAH SILVERMAN is returning to HBO for a new stand-up comedy special.
The not-yet-titled special, her second for the network, was taped in front of a live audience at The Wilbur Theater in Boston, Massachusetts.
It will debut in May. [via Deadline]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
Social media trolls are coming for KIM KARDASHIAN after she posted pictures from her family vacay in Japan.
In one post, Kim shared a photo of her and her four kids holding hedgehogs at a Hedgehog cafe.
“They stress easily. Who thought this was a good idea,” one follower wrote, while another added, “Hedgehogs aren’t toys! This is animal cruelty.”
PETA agrees with the comments, saying the animals “don't make for ideal pets” as they have “sharp spikes that stand up when they feel anxious” and “they can spread illnesses like hand, foot, and mouth disease and salmonella.” [via SheKnows]
IN KIM’S DEFENSE: The cafe is a popular spot among tourists in Tokyo. Can she get some credit for making memories with her children?
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
It is less than a month until KING CHARLES’ Coronation and PRINCE HARRY and MEGHAN MARKLE still have not RSVP’d for the event.
As previously reported, the couple were invited -- via email -- to the royal shindig, with their spokesperson confirming they had received it. In a follow up, the source told The Times that the couple were still undecided about attending as the day falls on their son, ARCHIE’s birthday.
The coronation is set for May 6. [via The Sun]
IN OTHER ROYAL NEWS: Harry was “too busy” to stop in and say hi to his family when he was in the UK last week, attending the trial against Associated Newspapers.
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LIST OF THE WEEK
Top 10 on Forbes’ newly released List of Billionaires:
Bernard Arnault & family: $211 B (Louis Vuitton)
Elon Musk: $180 B (Tesla & Twitter)
Jeff Bezos: $114 B (Amazon)
Larry Ellison: $107 B (Oracle)
Warren Buffett: $106 B (Berkshire Hathaway)
Bill Gates: $104 B (Microsoft)
Michael Bloomberg: $94.5 B (Bloomberg)
Carlos Slim Helu & family: $93 B (Mexican business magnate)
Mukesh Ambani: $83.4 B (Indian businessman)
Steve Ballmer: $80.7 B (Microsoft CEO & NBA team owner)
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DAY OF THE YEAR
Good Friday
World Health Day
National Beer Day
International Beaver Day
Walk to Work Day
National No Housework Day
National Making The First Move Day
Poet in a Cupcake Day
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ON THIS DATE
1788 – A group of 48 explorers establish the first permanent U.S. settlement in the Northwest Territory, at Marietta, Ohio. It was named for Marie Antoinette, who was Queen of France when the French assisted the colonies in the American Revolution.
The site sits on the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers.
George Washington celebrated the outpost as an excellent first step in building the country westward. The settlement at Marietta was also a venue for establishing relations and treaties with native tribes.
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1906 – Mount Vesuvius erupts near Naples, Italy and kills over 100 people.
It was the largest recorded eruption of Vesuvius, in terms of total lava that flowed out. At the time, Naples was preparing to host the 1908 Summer Olympics. London was then chosen as the alternative site as Naples rebuilt.
The volcano has been quiet since its last eruption in 1944.
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1933 – The Cullen-Harrison Act goes into effect.
The law was a major step toward ending prohibition in America, legalizing the sale of beer and wine with alcohol content of 3.2% or less. The idea was that such low concentration of alcohol would keep anyone from getting drunk.
Prohibition would be repealed before the end of the year with the ratification of the 21st amendment.
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1948 – The UN establishes the World Health Organization.
Its first major victory was the eradication of smallpox, and today plays a major role in educating on and combating AIDS in Africa.
It also coordinates festivities for the annual World Health Day celebrations.
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2003 – Iraqi Information Minister Mohammad Saeed al-Shahaf insists that American soldiers were running scared from Baghdad, as American soldiers were taking control of Baghdad.
al-Shahaf would become known as Baghdad Bob for his relentless propaganda campaign. He was later captured, interrogated and released by American troops. He now lives in the United Arab Emirates.
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2013 – NASA announces plans to capture an asteroid and install it in orbit near the moon, for later observation and study in 2019, with a close-up human examination two years later.
The ultimate goal is to gain a better understanding of asteroids in case one is ever headed toward Earth on a collision course.
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2020 - China ends its lockdown of Wuhan, the city at the center of the COVID-19 pandemic after 76 days.
The decision was made after there were no new deaths reported for the first time since the virus started spreading.
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2021 - The comic book featuring the first appearance of Superman sells for a record-breaking $3.25 million.
Action Comics #1 was released in June 1938, and sold for 10 cents.
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BIRTHDAYS
Anne-Marie - pop singer - 32
Ed Speelers - actor, “Downton Abbey” - 35
Anna Konkle - actress, “PEN15” & “The Afterparty” - 36
Nico Santos - actor, “Superstore” - 44
John Cooper - rock singer, Skillet - 48
Tiki Barber - football player - 48
MacKenzie Scott - philanthropist & novelist & former wife of Jeff Bezos - 53
Russell Crowe - actor, “Gladiator” & “Cinderella Man” - 59
Jackie Chan - actor, “Shanghai Noon” & “The Karate Kid” - 69
Francis Ford Coppola - director, “The Godfather” - 84
Jerry Brown - politician - 85
Born On This Date
Billie Holiday - jazz singer - 1915 (d. 1959)
Ole Kirk Christiansen - founder of the LEGO Group - 1891 (d. 1958)
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