5/25/2023: Don’t Touch the Bison!
Discover more from Morning Martini
5/25/2023: Don’t Touch the Bison!
PLUS: Ron’s Running; Josh Duhamel is Doomsday Prepping; and Aaron Rodgers Loves to Fist Pump
Today is Thursday, May 25, 2023.
It is the 145th day of the year.
220 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Sand in Dubai is expensive and convicted murderer ALEX MURDAUGH is facing new indictments. More in HIT LIST.
SHAKIRA is trying to dodge TOM CRUISE’s advances and SHAQ gets served -- again. More in SHOWBIZ.
More shows are halting production due to the ongoing writers’ strike and JUDE LAW took method acting to another level. More in CASTING CALL.
YE is facing yet another lawsuit. More in KARDASH.
KING CHARLES and QUEEN CAMILLA visit Ireland. More in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
An empty plot of sand in Dubai recently sold for $34 million.
The undeveloped 24,500-square-foot plot -- of sand -- was sold by British entrepreneur Umar Kamani, who purchased the lot -- of sand -- for $10 million in 2021. The buyer’s identity is not known.
As for why the staggering price? The sand is located on Jumeirah Bay Island, which is “the most exclusive of exclusive” locations, according to Dubai real estate agent Andrew Cummings.
Jumeirah Bay Island is a 6.3 million-square-foot artificial island that is shaped like a seahorse. It features a five-star hotel, which was crowned the “best new luxury hotel in the world” when it opened in 2017. There are 128 plots on the island, which is connected to the mainland via a 1,000-foot bridge.
Two plots were sold together for just over $49 million in 2022. [via CNN]
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MALLS AIN’T DEAD YET: Two clothing retailers published surprising financial results for the first quarter of the year: ABERCROMBIE & FITCH increased net profitability by $30 million year over year while KOHL’S showed no change in revenue year over year, beating analyst expectations that the company would post a loss.
Both stores have online operations but are also in-person staples at malls around the country that have grown increasingly empty and quiet. [via CNBC]
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Weeks after a jury convicted ALEX MURDAUGH of murder charges, the federal Department of Justice has filed a 22-page indictment against him for a variety of financial crimes.
The indictment maps out how as a personal injury attorney, Murdaugh had settlement funds sent into his personal accounts and never paid them out to clients. It also seeks to connect the death of one of Murdaugh’s housekeepers to a property insurance claim. [via DOJ]
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After years of speculation, Florida Governor RON DESANTIS filed paperwork to run for president on Wednesday, just hours before making an official announcement during a livestream “Spaces” chat on Twitter with ELON MUSK.
The announcement event itself was plagued with technical glitches, as the audio cut in and out haphazardly as more than 728,000 people tuned in at once – more than watch CNN in primetime. At one point, it sounded like Musk himself was troubleshooting the problem, muttering that the servers were under strain with the massive number of people tuning in, before elevator music started playing.
GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE: On the one hand, it’s embarrassing for both Twitter and the governor that it took nearly a half hour to get the announcement up and running; on the other, the number of people tuning in to crash the app suggests the vast interest in DeSantis’ candidacy.
BUT WAIT: DeSantis was quickly trolled by both former President DONALD TRUMP and President JOE BIDEN on their respective social media accounts.
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A baby bison had to be euthanized this week after being rejected by its herd.
According to Yellowstone National Park officials, the calf was separated from its mother while trying to cross the Lamar River and an unidentified man tried to help by giving the animal a push up to the roadway. From there, park officials tried to reunite the calf with its herd, but were unsuccessful, leaving them only one option.
This isn’t the first time a park visitor has tried to “help” a wandering calf. In 2016, a man and his son picked up a calf and put it in their SUV with the intent of finding its herd. That calf also was euthanized.
Moral of the story…leave wild animals to the professionals. [via ABC News]
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DEATHS
TINA TURNER has died.
She passed away Tuesday at her home in Switzerland following a battle with an undisclosed illness, according to a statement from her manager.
Turner, best known for her hit “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” won 11 Grammys, sold more than 150 million records worldwide and was voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside her husband IKE TURNER in 1991 and as a solo artist in 2021.
She was 83.
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EARTH, WIND & FIRE guitarist SHELDON REYNOLDS has died.
He passed away on Wednesday, according to a statement from current band member PHILIP BAILEY. No cause of death was shared.
Prior to joining Earth, Wind & Fire, Reynolds was part of the COMMODORES.
He was 63.
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Musician CHAS NEWBY has died.
He passed away Tuesday in London, according to several media outlets. No further information was shared.
Newby played bass alongside JOHN LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY, and PETE BEST for a few gigs in the ‘60s. When the group landed a recording contract, Newby opted out to attend university.
He was 81.
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Actor GERALD CASTILLO has died.
He passed away on May 4 at his home in Houston, according to his wife. No details about his passing were shared.
Castillo starred in “General Hospital” and “Saved by the Bell.”
He was 90.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW lost 255 points (0.77%) to close at 32,799 on Wednesday. The S&P lost 30 points (0.73%) to close at 4,155 and the NASDAQ lost 76 points (0.61%) to close at 12,484.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $74; BRENT CRUDE at $78.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.56 on Wednesday.
₿ BITCOIN tumbled 3.2% to $26,350.
🛩 There were more than 4,000 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Wednesday and more than 66 such cancellations.
💰Friday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $169 million jackpot or a $86.4 million cash payout.
SHOWBIZ NEWS
The white dress worn by CARRIE FISHER as Princess Leia in “Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope” has hit the auction block. Propstore Auction estimates the outfit will go for at least $1 million.
Also in the auction are Batman’s Batpod, which CHRISTIAN BALE used in “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises” and an evil clown doll from STEVEN SPIELBERG’s film “Poltergeist.”
The auction opens June 28. [via TMZ]
IN OTHER AUCTION NEWS: A jersey worn by hockey legend WAYNE GRETZKY is up for grabs at Grey Flannel Auctions. Gretzky wore the jersey during the final game of his career in 1999. [via TMZ]
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Actor JOSH DUHAMEL says he has turned into a “bit of a doomsday prepper.”
After leaving his Hollywood Hills home for a tranquil cabin in the woods, Duhamel said he started learning how to catch his own dinner, and is also brushing up on his hunting skills.
Duhamel explained that his desire to live this way is in case “s--t hits the fan” and he needs to “live off the land.” [via Page Six]
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ANGELINA JOLIE is launching her own fashion brand, called Atelier Jolie.
In an Instagram post, the actress described the brand as “a place for creative people to collaborate with a skilled and diverse family of expert tailors, pattern makers and artisans from around the world.”
The post also states that the company emphasizes “diversity,” “self-expression” and “cultural heritage.”
The theme makes sense as one of Jolie’s major passions is humanitarian work. [via CNN]
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TOM CRUISE needs to take a hint.
According to insiders, SHAKIRA has been “begging” the actor to stop with the romantic gestures.
Many may recall, the two were spotted together at the F1 Grand Prix in Miami a few weeks ago, leading to speculation that they were dating. Since then, sources say Cruise has been reaching out, sending flowers and trying to get a date with the Columbian singer, but she is simply not interested.
It’s not just Cruise, however. Shakira is reportedly not looking to date anyone following her split with soccer player GERARD PIQUE, who she was with for over a decade. [via Us Weekly]
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Before moving out east, QB AARON RODGERS said the only thing he knew about New Jersey was what he watched on MTV’s “Jersey Shore.”
Now that he calls the area home, Rodgers told reporters this week that he understands the show does not give the full picture of what life is like in the Garden State.
He still considers the reality series “one of the greatest shows” ever though. In fact, Rodgers said he is such a superfan of the cast that he has attended more than one of DJ PAULY D’s Vegas shows. [via TMZ]
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A photo that has gone viral showing TOM HANKS and his wife RITA WILSON appearing to yell at a Cannes Film Festival employee is not what it seems.
According to the three involved, there was only yelling because they could not hear each other over the screams of photographers on the red carpet.
“This is called I can’t hear you. People are screaming. What did you say? Where are we supposed to go?” Wilson captioned a photo of an article claiming she and Hanks were upset.
The employee, VINCENT CHAPALAIN, who has worked at Cannes for a decade, corroborated Wilson’s explanation, tweeting, “They simply asked me if they should return to the start of the carpet with the rest of the film crew.” [via Page Six]
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SHAQUILLE O’NEAL has been served again in connection to the FTX lawsuit.
According to People Magazine, he received the papers while broadcasting Tuesday night’s game between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics. Insiders told the outlet that Shaq immediately had the guy “kicked out” of the venue.
As previously reported, Shaq evaded process servers for months prior to being served the first time. [via People]
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CASTING CALL
Nickelodeon’s show “The Really Loud House’ has been forced to halt production as a result of the ongoing writers’ strike. It is the second show in New Mexico to be forced to shut down this week, joining Max’s (formerly HBO Max) “Duster.”
It is not clear when filming will resume.
“The Really Loud House” was a huge hit on cable for kids ages 6-11 during its first season, which debuted in November. [via Deadline]
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Paramount+ has renewed “The Family Stone” for a second season.
The reality series follows actor SYLVESTOR STALLONE, his wife JENNIFER FLAVIN and their three daughters, SOPHIA, SISTINE and SCARLET.
Season 1 was a hit for the streamer, taking the top spot for original series premiere. [via Hollywood Reporter]
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JUDE LAW took his role as King Henry VIII in the upcoming film “Firebrand,” very seriously.
Not only did he learn to act and speak like the royal, Law says he even tried to “smell” like him.
Speaking at a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival, Law said, “I read [...] that you could smell Henry three rooms away -- his leg was rotting so badly, he hid it with rose oil. [So] I thought it would have a great impact if I smelled awful.”
To achieve this, Law says he rubbed himself in a special concoction of “blood, fecal matter and sweat.”
Director KARIM AINOUZ confirmed that the star nailed the pungent scent. [via People]
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CRIB NOTES
HGTV is selling the home of one of TV’s most iconic families: The Brady Bunch.
The network bought the house in 2018 for $3.5 million, which was the first time it had been for sale since 1973. At the time, fans of the sitcom feared it would be demolished, but HGTV instead put over $1.9 million into renovations to turn it into a replica of the set from the show.
The renovation was featured on “A Very Brady Renovation.”
The listing price is $5.5 million. [via NY Post]
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CELEBRITY CELLBLOCK
Rapper FETTY WAP has been sentenced to six years in prison for his role in a bi-coastal drug ring.
The 31-year-old was accused of driving to Long Island six times in the spring of 2020 to buy cocaine which he then sold in New York and New Jersey.
Fetty pleaded guilty in August to one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. He faced a minimum of five years and a max of 40 years. [via Rolling Stone]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
The Gap is suing YE for $2 million after he made “unapproved changes” to a Los Angeles rental property.
According to court documents, Art City Center, which leased the location to Gap, is not pleased with the “alterations” made to the place. These include erecting an exterior ramp, installing a tunnel in the lot, removing ceiling lights, building a wall and removing three bathrooms.
Both Art City and Gap are holding Ye responsible for the damages, with the latter seeking an additional $2 million in compensatory damages.
Remember, Gap once sold Yeezys, but parted ways with the rapper after he made a string of anti-Semitic comments last year. Ye said the partnership fizzled because he is “a king” and needs “to make his own castle.” [via Billboard]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
KING CHARLES and QUEEN CAMILLA made a surprise visit to Northern Ireland on Wednesday. The newly-crowned royals visited a garden that was built to coincide with their coronation festivities earlier this month, just outside of Belfast.
The trip marked the sovereign’s first official visit outside of London since the coronation. [via Telegraph]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Wine Day
Towel Day
National Tap Dance Day
Geek Pride Day
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ON THIS DATE
1787 – The Constitutional Convention meets in Philadelphia, with the mission of dismantling the Articles of Confederation.
James Madison's plan was the first to be discussed, which included provisions for a bicameral legislature and an elected judiciary. It strongly reflected the British parliamentary system.
But William Patterson contoured with a different plan, in which each state would have one vote in the legislature, eliminating disproportionate representation from over-populous states.
The discussion that ensued would frame the US Constitution.
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1793 – The first Catholic priest is ordained in the United States.
His name was Father Stephen Theodore Badin and he was sent to do mission work in Kentucky.
In the early days of the United States, Maryland was the hotbed of Catholicism. The ordaining bishop was a man who was born in Baltimore, traveled to Europe where he was ordained, and returned to the new United States to help grow the Church, under the orders of the Pope.
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1878 – The “HMS Pinafore” debuts for the first time.
The signature play written by Gilbert and Sullivan was their 4th collaborative work. Audiences in particular enjoyed the melodic and catchy songs. Meanwhile, critics did not give it universal approval.
The role of protagonist Captain Corcoran has been reserved for outstanding thespians with dashing good looks and beautiful singing voices.
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1935 – Babe Ruth hits his last home runs as a professional ballplayer, cementing a record that would stand 40 years.
That game he went 4 for 4, nailing three homers and batting in 6 runs, bringing his career total to 714 home runs.
He would later be surpassed by Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds.
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1977 – “Star Wars” hits theaters for the first time, becoming a worldwide sensation.
The film would earn seven Oscars and sell nearly a billion dollars’ worth of tickets worldwide in its first run.
For its time, the special effects were groundbreaking and revolutionary, contributing to its success.
George Lucas was the mastermind behind the series, and became a kazillionaire from it. He attributed much of his financial success to ensuring a significant cut of profits from all Star Wars-related merchandise that was sold.
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2011 – Oprah Winfrey airs her last show after 25 years of broadcasting.
She planned to go on and rule the world through her OWN network.
OWN is home to shows such as, “Greenleaf,” “Love Is,” “If Loving You Is Wrong” and many centered around Oprah, herself.
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2018 - Harvey Weinstein turns himself in to New York police to face charges of rape, criminal sex act, sex abuse and sexual misconduct.
The charges stem from incidents with two separate women in 2013 and 2004.
His bond is set at $10 million and per conditions of his bail, Weinstein is required to wear a GPS monitoring system and surrender his passport.
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2020 - A video of George Floyd’s arrest and murder while in police custody goes viral.
The 9 minute clip shows Floyd pinned to the ground by police officer Derek Chauvin.
The incident sparks widespread condemnation and nationwide protests.
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BIRTHDAYS
David Pasternak - hockey player - 27
Aly Raisman - Olympic gymnast - 29
Bo Dallas - wrestler - 33
Roman Reigns - wrestler - 38
Terra Jole - reality star, “Little Women” - 43
Joe King - guitarist, The Fray - 43
Adam Gontier - rock singer, Three Days Grace - 45
Alberto del Rio - wrestler - 46
Julia Carey - TV producer & wife of James Corden - 47
Cillian Murphy - actor, “Peaky Blinders” & “Inception” - 47
Jamie Kennedy - comedian - 53
Octavia Spencer - actress, “The Help” & “Hidden Figures” - 53
Mike Myers - actor, “Austin Powers” films - 60
Frank Oz - puppeteer, Voice of Yoda - 79
Ian McKellen - actor, “Stardust” & “Lord of the Rings” films - 84
Born On This Date
Anne Heche - actress, “Volcano” & “John Q” - 1969 (d. 2022)
Ray Stevenson - actor, “Thor” & “The Three Musketeers” - 1964 (d. 2023)
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