5/19/2022: Big Mac Diet

PLUS: Pharma Bro Released, Elton John Documentary, and USWNT’s Big PayDay

May 19, 2022

Today is Thursday, May 19, 2022.

It is the 139th day of the year.

226 days remain.

HIT LIST

Some wild developments in the Elon Musk Twitter acquisition saga.

After Musk put pressure on Twitter to prove fewer than 5% of the accounts on the site are bots, the board is now demanding that Musk make good on his offer to buy.

If Twitter shows data that more than 5% of its users are bots, it risks running afoul the Securities and Exchange Commission, which could charge Twitter with fraud.

It’s also a 180-degree turn from the reluctant sale to the demand that it happens.

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A woman hiking in Northern California says her pet dog, a 55-pound Belgian Malinois, came to her rescue to fight off a mountain lion attack.

While the animals tousled, the woman, named Erin Wilson, ran for help and grabbed a tire iron from her truck before flagging down another motorist for help. The helper grabbed a PVC pipe and pepper spray, which ultimately caused the mountain lion to run off.

Wilson was treated for scrapes and bruises, but she’s raising money online for her dog Eva’s medical bills, which include treating two skull fractures and eye damage.

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Does the name Don Gorske ring a bell? He’s in the news every few years for breaking his own record: Eating a Big Mac from McDonald’s every darn day.

In 1999, the Fond du Lac, Wisconsin resident first took home the world record title for most Big Macs consumed, after starting near-daily consumption in 1972.

As of Tuesday, he’s kept it up for 50 years straight.

He’s told local ABC affiliate WBAY he’ll likely eat his 40,000th ‘Mac when he’s 78 years old.

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Martin Shkreli is out of prison.

The “Pharma Bro” started a 7-year sentence in May 2018 for securities fraud.

Unrelated to the conviction, he was publicly reviled for buying the exclusive rights to a drug that treats parasitic infections and jacking up the price from about $13 to $750 per pill.

He was released to a halfway house where he’ll stay until September.

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The Dow got walloped Wednesday, listing more than 1,100 points and 3.5% of its value. It was the worst single trading day since June 2020. The S&P and Nasdaq each lost at least 4% as well.

Both Brent Crude and West Texas Intermediate were trading under $110 a barrel Wednesday evening.

The national average price of gas is now over $4.50.

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CHARTS

A person shot at a Johnny Cash silhouette featured on a 50,000-gallon water tank in Kingsland, Arkansas, hitting the Man in Black right between the legs.

The puncture -- though costly -- caused a hilarious leak.

CHECK IT OUT:

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DEATHS

MARNIE SCHULENBURG has died.

The actress, best known for her role as Alison Stewart on “As the World Turns,” passed away Thursday of metastatic breast cancer at a hospital in New Jersey.

She was 37.

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MUSA YAMAK has died.

The undefeated boxer passed away during a match on Saturday after suffering a heart attack in the ring.

He was 38.

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BREAKUPS

Race car driver KURT BUSCH and his wife ASHLEY BUSCH are calling it quits after five years of marriage.

Ashley filed for divorce on May 9, saying the couple’s marriage is “irretrievably broken,” according to PEOPLE magazine. Kurt told the outlet that he is “heartbroken.”

They do not have any children.

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THE SWAMP

The Washington Post reports that the much-maligned Disinformation Governance Board isn’t going to be assembled after all.

On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security reportedly decided to shut down the effort. NINA JANKOWICZ, who was tapped to lead the Board, has resigned before she could even start.

A DHS spokesman says Jankowicz “has been subjected to unjustified and vile personal attacks and physical threats” since the announcement.

During a press briefing Wednesday, White House Media Commissar KARINE JEAN-PIERRE said the White House didn’t directly influence the decision. “We did not have an involvement in this at all,” she said.

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President JOE BIDEN has slid into the worst polling of his presidency yet.

A Quinnipiac Poll says 35% of Americans approve while 57% disapprove.

When it comes to his handling of the economy, 63% disapprove.

MEANWHILE: 54% of Americans say former President DONALD TRUMP should be allowed back on Twitter.

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LOTTERY

No winner for Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing. Friday night’s drawing will be for a $131 million jackpot or a $74.9 million cash payout.

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SHOWBIZ NEWS

TAYLOR SWIFT took a shot at cancel culture during her commencement address at New York University on Wednesday.

She told the crowd of graduates that everyone should learn to “tolerate mistakes and allow people to grow, not shelve them” aka cancel them and destroy their careers.

Swift also received an honorary doctorate degree from the school.

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HALSEY abruptly stopped her concert in West Palm Beach on Tuesday night to address the crowd.

After telling her band to cut the music, Halsey kneeled on the stage and told concertgoers to act like “[effing] people” and treat each other with “compassion.”

The confused crowd wasn’t sure what prompted the lecture and were happy when Halsey finally continued on with the show.

Perhaps fans were getting out of control and Halsey was hoping to get ahead of the melee.

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CODY SIMPSON will compete with the Australian swim team at the Commonwealth Games later this summer.

The musician and actor competed Wednesday at the Australian Championships, finishing third in the 100-meter butterfly.

ALSO: He has a great mentor in his corner -- Olympian MICHEAL PHELPS.

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SYDNEY SWEENEY is being sued by swim and lifestyle brand LA Collective after breaking an agreement to promote their products.

According to docs obtained by TMZ, the “Euphoria” star agreed to be an influencer for the company’s new line, but then abruptly canceled with no explanation.

The company claims that after bailing, Sweeney wore their swimsuits on at least five episodes of “Euphoria.”

They are suing for damages.

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Ahead of the birth of his eighth child, NICK CANNON has decided to get a vasectomy.

The “Masked Singer” host shared the news on E!’s “The Daily Pop” this week, saying “I ain’t looking to populate the Earth completely.”

HERE’S THE LINE UP: Cannon shares twins Moroccan and Monroe, 11, with ex-wife MARIAH CAREY, son Golden, 5, and daughter Powerful, 1, with BRITTANY BELL and twins Zion and Zillion, 11 months, with ABBY DE LA ROSA. He has a baby on the way with model BRE TIESI.

His 5-month-old son, Zen, passed away from brain cancer in December.

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CARMEN ELECTRA is on OnlyFans.

Insiders told Page Six that the former “Baywatch” star joined the platform as a way to “reconnect with her fanbase” after turning 50 in April.

“She is looking forward to this new, celebratory chapter of her life,” the source added.

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CASTING CALL

Disney has landed the rights to the ELTON JOHN documentary “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances And the Years That Made His Legend.”

The doc features unseen concert footage from the past 50 years, hand-written journals and present-day footage of the musician and his family.

Deadline reports that the plan for the project is for a festival run and limited theatrical release.

The outlet also reports that, although not confirmed, rumor is the doc was sold for $30 million.

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The original cast of “The View” reunited this week to tape a 25th anniversary special.

STAR JONES, DEBBIE MATENOPOULOS, JOY BEHAR and MEREDITH VIEIRA sat down to film the special at the Essex House, where they all auditioned before the show debuted in 1997.

Specifics are being kept under wraps, including when it will air.

Missing from the special is BARBARA WALTERS.

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JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE is reportedly in talks to take over HUGH JACKMAN’s role of Professor Harold Hill in the Broadway musical, “The Music Man.”

Page Six says producers of the musical shared the news with them, but an insider on JT’s team told the outlet the story is “false.”

No reports of when or why or if Jackman is in fact leaving the show.

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Paramount Network announced Wednesday that Season 5 of “Yellowstone” will return on Sunday, November 13.

Production is currently underway in Montana.

IN CASE YOU LIVE UNDER A ROCK: The series follows John Dutton, played by KEVIN COSTNER, who controls the largest cattle ranch in the United States. He and his family fight off anyone and anything that threatens their livelihood. The series also stars LUKE GRIMES, KELLY REILLY, and COLE HAUSER.

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COURT CASES

Former Minneapolis Police officer THOMAS LANE pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter Wednesday for his role in the death of GEORGE FLOYD.

The 39-year-old was one of three former officers to face charges of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter and aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder.

As part of his plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop the murder charge and recommended a sentence of 36 months, according to Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office. Lane is set to be sentenced on September 21.

With no plea deal in place, Lane faced a mandatory 12-year sentence if he were convicted on the murder charge.

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CRIB NOTES

CARA DELEVINGNE has scooped up JIMMY FALLON’s four-unit triplex condo located in Gramercy Park.

The 5,000-square-foot home boasts six-bedrooms and five baths.

Fallon originally listed the home for $15 million in March, though sources told The Post that it is now in contract for a few million less in an off-market deal. He purchased it for around $850,000 in 2002.

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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS

A Kardashian-insider told Entertainment Tonight that SCOTT DISICK feels “out of the loop” when it comes to KOURTNEY's marriage to TRAVIS BARKER.

“Scott has been trying to be respectful of [them] and let them have their moment. But he feels like he’s a bit out of the loop,” the source added.

Following their courthouse nuptials on Sunday, Kourt confirmed that she and Travis are in fact legally married.

Scott and Kourtney, who dated on and off for years, share three kids.

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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS

Royal author TINA BROWN thinks PRINCE ANDREW is “using” his close relationship to QUEEN ELIZABETH to try to return to royal life.

“Andrew believes strongly that he can get back [and] his mother right now is the best route as he sees it,” Brown said during an interview with “60 Minutes Australia” this week.

She also noted how Andrew was the one at his mother’s side at PRINCE PHILIP’s memorial service, which left others in the Royal Family “in great anxiety and sorrow.”

As previously reported, Andrew has been cast aside following the sexual abuse allegations made against him.

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SPORTS

The US Women’s National Team will now be paid the same as the US Men’s National Team.

The organization announced Wednesday that World Cup earnings for both teams will be split evenly, and both teams will receive the same appearance fees and game bonuses and share commercial revenue.

The Women’s Team has been fighting for equal pay since winning the 2019 World Cup.

The agreement runs through 2028.

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DAY OF THE YEAR

National Devil’s Food Cake Day

National May Ray Day

Endangered Species Day

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ON THIS DATE

1536 – Henry VIII of England has his wife Anne Boleyn beheaded.

Several men were accused of sleeping with the Queen, one of whom was her own brother. Historians speculate this was just a ruse designed by the king's aide Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell didn't like Anne sticking her nose in his business, telling him where to divert Church revenues.

A queen unfaithful to the king was guilty of treason, a crime punishable by death. The adulterous men would be drawn-and-quartered; women burned at the stake.

But the king intervened. Burning his wife at the stake would be brutal, so he ordered her head lopped off by a trained swordsman. A common ax would have been too low-brow.

Anne maintained her innocence throughout it all.

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1749 – King George II of England divvies up part of his empire in the New World and gives it to the Ohio Company.

It was an organization of land speculators and settlers looking to trade in the New World.

They never did end up settling on the land, which was also claimed by the French. It was a dispute over this area that built up to the Seven Years War between France and Britain.

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1848 – Mexico agrees to the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. This ends the Mexican-American War.

Mexico agrees to fork over California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of what became Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, Kansas, and Texas. That's about one million square miles all together.

The Mexicans also paid $15 million to the U.S. - that's about $380 million today.

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1943 – More than a year before the actual invasion, Winston Churchill and FDR decide May 1, 1944 would be the date for storming German-occupied Normandy Beach in France.

Of course, due to bad weather, the invasion was put off for another month.

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1961 – A big win for the Soviets in the space race. The Venera One probe is the first manmade object to pass by another planet as it approaches Venus.

Though, being a Soviet project, nothing came of the launch. Mission controllers had lost contact with the vessel weeks before. They didn't get any images or recordings.

Ten years later, on this date in 1971, the Soviets launch the Mars 2 spacecraft.

It crash-landed into Mars.

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1992 – Amy Fisher shoots Mary Jo Buttafuoco in the face.

Fisher was cheating with Mary Jo's husband Joey.

Mary Jo survived the attack, and was able to identify the gun woman.

Today she’s a motivational speaker and wrote a book about the experience.

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2005 – “Star Wars Episode Three: Revenge of the Sith,” which is the sixth movie in the franchise, is released.

SPOILER ALERT: It depicts how Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader, how Luke and Leia were separated, and what sent all the Jedi into exile.

Critically panned but a success nonetheless - it earned $380 million domestically.

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2018 - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot at Windsor Castle.

They are given the titles the Duke and Duchess of Sussex by Queen Elizabeth II.

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BIRTHDAYS

JoJo Siwa - dancer, singer & reality star - 19

Nick DiGiovanni - chef - 26

Marshmello - DJ - 30

Sam Smith - pop singer - 30

Aleister Black - wrestler - 37

Marcedes Lewis - football player - 38

Yo Gotti - rapper - 41

Andrea Pirlo - soccer player - 43

Kim Zolciak - reality star, “Don’t Be Tardy” - 44

Kelly Sheridan - voice actress, Barbie - 45

Aaron Marino - lifestyle expert - 46

Kevin Garnett - basketball player - 46

Maile Flanagan - voice actress, “Bunsen Is a Beast!” - 57

Phil Rudd - drummer, AC/DC - 68

Grace Jones - pop singer - 74

Peter Townshend - guitarist, The Who - 77

David Hartman - TV personality, “Good Morning America” - 87

Born On This Date

Nicole Brown Simpson - former wife of OJ Simpson - 1959 (d. 1994)

Joey Ramone - singer, The Ramones - 1951 (d. 2001)

Joseph “Dusty” Hill - bassit, ZZ Top - 1949 (d. 2021)

Andre the Giant - wrestler - 1946 (d. 1993)

Peter Mayhew - actor, Chewbacca in “Star Wars” - 1944 (d. 2019)

Malcolm X - human rights activist - 1925 (d. 1965)

Ho Chi Minh - communist revolutionary - 1890 (d. 1969)

Johns Hopkins - founded Johns Hopkins University - 1795 (d. 1873)

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