Today is Thursday, May 23, 2024.
It is the 144th day of the year.
222 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Americans are holding onto their cars longer than ever and the White House announces more student loan debt handouts. Details in HIT LIST.
Excitement is growing around a potential NSYNC reunion and MORGAN WALLEN’s drunken antics hurt him big time. More in SHOWBIZ.
50 CENT’s DIDDY docuseries lands at Netflix. Details in CASTING CALL.
Fans await another delayed album from YE. More in KARDASH.
The Houses of Sussex and Windsor at odds in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
SAM BANKMAN-FRIED is reportedly headed to Mendoza, California, as he continues his twenty-five year prison sentence.
Bankman-Fried had requested to stay in New York as he prepares the appeal of his fraud conviction, and the judge overseeing the case even issued a letter supporting this request. Long term, however, SBF has indicated he wants to be in California to be close to his parents.
A rep for the disgraced crypto mogul said he could not confirm his client’s location, but insiders say SBF was talking about heading out west in recent days. The Bureau of Prisons have not confirmed any movement; as a matter of policy they only comment once a transfer has been completed. [via WSJ]
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Stoners outnumber drunks in America, new data shows.
Survey data suggests that as of 2022, 17.7 MILLION Americans said they used weed daily compared to 14.7 MILLION who drank daily. It’s the first time national survey data showed more chronic marijuana use over hooch.
Overall, more Americans cop to drinking than getting high, though; but of Americans who self-report any marijuana use, 40% say they get baked daily. [via AP News]
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Another 160,000 student loan borrowers are anticipating reduced or forgiven debt balances.
The Education Department is spending $7.7 BILLION to eliminate federal student loans for Americans who meet criteria set forward in an income-driven repayment program or who have earned it through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
So far, despite Supreme Court intervention, the Biden Administration has spent $167 BILLION on student loan forgiveness for 5 million people. [via ABC News]
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Americans are holding onto their cars longer than ever as credit becomes harder to access and vehicle prices remain elevated beyond historical norms.
Even though the average price of a new car has decreased $2,000 since December 2022, finance charges now make those purchases even more expensive. This has driven the average ownership length of a vehicle in America to 12.6 years, a new record.
Total new car sales are expected to hit 16 MILLION this year. [via NBC News]
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The City Museum in St. Louis commemorated “314 Day” by setting a new Guinness World Record: largest gathering of people with underwear on their heads.
A nod to its town’s area code, the museum aimed to gather 314 people together to wear underwear on their heads for one minute; 355 turned out in total. The inspiration came from the fact that the museum claims to own the World’s Largest Pair of Underwear, with a 16-inch waistband.
The museum holds four other Guinness World Records: World’s Largest Pencil (76 feet), World’s Largest Seesaw (82 feet), World’s Largest Tennis Racket and World’s Tallest Man.
FOR THE RECORD: Guinness says the actual Largest Pair of Underwear is currently held by Cottonil in Egypt, with an 82-foot waistband. [via UPI]
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DEATHS
Precious Moments creator SAMUEL BUTCHER has died.
He passed away Monday, according to a social media post from the company.
A commemorative figurine is now being designed to honor Butcher.
He was 85.
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Musician CHARLIE COLIN has died
He passed away after slipping and falling in the shower while house-sitting for a friend in Brussels, Belgium. No word on when exactly he fell.
Colin was one of the co-founding members of TRAIN.
He was 58.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW lost 201 points (0.51%) to close at 39,671. The S&P lost 14 points (0.27%) to close at 5,307 and the NASDAQ lost 31 points (0.18%) to close at 16,801.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $79; BRENT CRUDE at $81.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.61 on Wednesday.
₿ BITCOIN ticked down slightly, trading around $69,400 Wednesday evening.
🛩 There were more than 3,620 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Wednesday and more than 440 such cancellations.
💰Friday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $453 million jackpot or a $211.3 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
Graceland will stay in the Presley family.
A judge blocked the scheduled auction of the estate Wednesday, approving the restraining order requested by ELVIS’ granddaughter RILEY KEOUGH.
As previously reported, a company called Naussany Investments and Private Lending claimed LISA MARIE PRESLEY took a loan out, failed to pay it back and had listed Graceland as collateral. Keough, who inherited the estate after Lisa’s death, called the loan documents “fraudulent.”
Following the judge’s ruling, Naussany Investments and Private Lending withdrew its claims to Graceland -- with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. [via People]
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Major music labels -- like Warner Music and Universal Music -- are chomping at the bit to learn more about the rumored NSYNC reunion.
Insiders told TMZ that everything is on the table, including a new single, album or stadium tour.
When the group was still together they were signed to JIVE Records, which was later bought by RCA Records. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE is currently signed with RCA. [via TMZ]
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During a United Nations press conference at the Cannes Film Festival, actress CATE BLANCHETT stated she is “white,” “privileged” and “middle class.” While the first two are true, she is worth about $95 MILLION -- a far cry from middle class, especially in today’s economy.
Social media users came for her hard over the comment, with one person writing, “‘middle class’ my ass.” In trying to defend her, another person argued that maybe Blanchett meant she was “middle class” compared to her Hollywood counterparts who are billionaires.
Oof. [via Page Six]
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Two members from the 605 minibike gang that attacked actor IAN ZIERING on Hollywood Blvd on New Year’s Eve have been arrested.
A 20-year-old and a 40-year-old man were charged with felony vandalism and assault with a deadly weapon for their roles in the traffic brawl that left Ziering’s $100,000 SUV with a shattered windshield and side-view mirror.
Ziering and his daughter, who was in the vehicle at the time, were not harmed. [via Page Six]
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Tennis icon VENUS WILLIAMS is getting her own Barbie.
Part of its 65th anniversary celebration, the iconic brand is releasing nine fierce female athletes as part of a project encouraging girls to stay in sports.
Others included soccer players MARY FOWLER and CHRISTINE SINCLAIR; boxer ESTELLE MOSSELY, gymnasts ALEXA MORENO and REBECA ANDRADE; paratriathlete SUSANA RODRIGUEZ; sprinter EWA SWOBODA; and swimmer FEDERICA PELLEGRINI.
No word on when the dolls will be released or if they will even be released for public purchase. [via NBC]
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MORGAN WALLEN’s drunken antics are coming back to bite him where it hurts…at his new bar.
Nashville’s Metro Council decided that his chair-throwing incident has “tarnished the city’s reputation,” and because of that his forthcoming downtown bar will not be getting a neon sign with his name outside.
Sign or not, Wallen’s place, This Bar and Tennessee Kitchen, is set to open this weekend, though insiders say from the looks of it there is a huge chance it won’t be ready in time. [via TMZ]
WORTH ASKING: Have people not learned that Wallen’s fans are some of the most devoted there are, and when you come for him, they come swinging?
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After staying quiet on the matter, Chiefs QB PATRICK MAHOMES finally addressed his teammate, kicker HARRISON BUTKER’s controversial commencement address…sort of.
Speaking to reporters at the team’s training complex, Mahomes called Butker a “good person,” who “wants to make a good impact on society.” He then spoke about respecting differing opinions and judging people based on their character. [via ET]
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After a week-long countdown of its 100 Best Albums of All Time, Apple Music has finally released its Top 10.
And here they are:
10. Beyonce, “Lemonade”
9. Nirvana, “Nevermind”
8. Amy Winehouse, “Back to Black”
7. Kendrick Lamar, “good kid, m.A.A.d city”
6. Stevie Wonder, “Songs in the Key of Life”
5. Frank Ocean, “Blonde”
4. Prince, “Purple Rain”
3. The Beatles, “Abbey Road”
2. Michael Jackson, “Thriller”
1. Lauryn Hill, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”
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CASTING CALL
After a heated bidding war, Netflix has landed the rights to 50 CENT’s documentary about the sexual assault allegation against SEAN COMBS.
No word on when it will drop, though insiders say the streamer wants it out sooner rather than later.
SPEAKING OF DIDDY: Model CRYSTAL MCKINNEY is the latest woman to file a lawsuit against him, accusing him of sexually assaulting her in 2003. [via TMZ]
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Rumor is…TAYLOR SWIFT recently met with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to discuss a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Details of the meeting are not known.
In other news, Swifties have speculated for months now that she could appear in the upcoming “Deadpool & Wolverine” flick as Dazzler. That movie hits theaters in July. [via Teen Vogue]
WORTH NOTING: The “Deadpool” films star RYAN REYNOLDS who, along with his wife BLAKE LIVELY, are extremely close to Swift.
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
YE and TY DOLLA $IGN’s album “Vultures 2” was supposed to drop earlier this month, yet appears to be following suit with the delayed “Vultures” release.
While some speculate the delayed first album has pushed this one back, Ty Dolla $ign said the album will drop “any day now” and will be released on the YZY app. [via hnhh]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
Some conflicting reports about the status of the relationship between KING CHARLES and PRINCE HARRY.
AT THE TELEGRAPH: Insiders say Harry rejected an offer to visit his father while he was in London earlier this month for Invictus Games events. Harry was reportedly concerned over his own security — which doesn’t quite seem to explain why he thought a hotel would be safer than staying at a Crown-owned property that the King had offered to make available to him. [via The Telegraph]
BUT WAIT: Royal commentator Michael Cole tells GB News that the King doesn’t want the stress of dealing with Harry while he goes through cancer treatment. “It is upsetting to him that his younger son has said such heartless and cruel things, not just about himself, but about Queen Camilla, and that has gone home harder than anything else he could do,” Cole said, adding that the King didn’t “want to be bothered with this because it is emotionally upsetting.” [via NY Post]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
Chardonnay Day
National Taffy Day
National Lucky Penny Day
World Turtle Day
National Taffy Day
National Title Track Day
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ON THIS DATE
1618 - Two Catholic Lords Regent and their secretary are thrown out of a window following an assembly in Prague to protect Protestant rights.
Shockingly, all three survive the 70 foot fall. Supporters claim they were caught and protected from injury by holy angels.
This event, known as the Defenestration of Prague, signaled the beginning of the Thirty Years’ War.
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1701 - Captain William Kidd is hanged in London after being convicted of piracy and the murder of William Moore.
Two years prior, Kidd and his crew attacked a massive American ship named the Quedagh Merchant, which was full of gold, silk and spice. He was swiftly marked as a wanted criminal by the British East India Company.
He would eventually return to Boston, were he was arrested and shipped back to London.
On May 8 he was tried and found guilty. On this date he was hanged, and his body was suspended in a cage over the River Thames as a warning for others.
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1785 - Ben Franklin debuts the bifocal. He may not have been the first to invent them, but evidence suggests his invention was found independently. He was also one of the first to wear them publicly.
The convex lenses allow the visually-impaired to see objects both near and far.
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1788 - South Carolina becomes the 8th state to ratify the US Constitution.
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1867 - The Jesse James gang robs the Daviess County Savings Association in Richmond, Missouri, stealing more than $4,000.
Jesse shot and killed the cashier, the mayor, and the deputy sheriff.
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1903 - The first automobile to drive across the US sets out.
While on vacation in San Francisco, Vermont doctor Horatio Nelson Jackson accepted a $50 bet that he could drive across the country in less than 90 days.
He bought a Winton 1903 Touring Car, which he named Vermont, and along with mechanic Sewall Crocker, set off for the East Coast.
After several technical difficulties, and the pickup of another traveling companion -- a pit bull named Bud -- Jackson and Crocker would arrive in New York in the early morning hours of July 26; crossing the country in 63 days, 12 hours and 30 minutes.
The “Vermont” motor car is now on display at the Smithsonian.
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1934 - Outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are killed by police in an ambush near Sailes, Louisiana.
As the wanted fugitives pulled over to ask for help, police officers lying in wait opened fire.
Clyde was killed instantly by a shot to the head.
When all was said and done, officers emptied their entire support of ammunition on the pair — about 130 rounds in all.
Bonnie was 23 and Clyde was 24.
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1980 - “The Shining” is released.
Based on Stephen King’s book of the same name, the horror flick follows a family who heads to an isolated hotel for the winter. A sinister presence influences the father, played by Jack Nicholson, pressuring him into violence. Meanwhile his psychic son sees glimpses of the past and future.
It grossed $622,337 on its opening weekend.
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2018 - NFL owners approve a new policy requiring players to stand for the national anthem if they are on the field for pre-game presentations.
Per the new rule, teams will be fined for any personnel that “do not show proper respect for the flag and Anthem” on the sidelines.
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BIRTHDAYS
Steve Lacy - music producer - 26
Issac Cruz - boxer - 26
Aaron Donald - football player - 33
Jewel - pop singer - 50
Ken Jennings - “Jeopardy!” champ & host - 50
Sean Williams - novelist - 57
Melissa McBride - actress, “The Walking Dead” - 59
Drew Carey - actor & game show host, “The Price is Right” - 66
Linda Thompson - actress, “Hee Haw” - 74
Joan Collins - actress, “Dynasty” - 91
Born On This Date
Bray Wyatt - wrestler - 1987 (d. 2023)
Douglas Fairbanks - actor, “The Mask of Zorro” & “Robin Hood” - 1883 (d. 1939)
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