5/30/2023: Climbing Companion
Discover more from Morning Martini
5/30/2023: Climbing Companion
PLUS: Elon’s Last Laugh; Top TV Dads; and the Privileged Prince
Today is Tuesday, May 30, 2023.
It is the 150th day of the year.
215 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
A promising new carbon-free air travel technology emerges and a new discovery sheds light on a centuries-old mysterious ritual. More in HIT LIST.
QUENTIN TARANTINO likes his feet like he likes his martinis -- dirty -- and JAY LENO reveals the one thing that could make him slow down. More in SHOWBIZ.
“The Simpsons” aired its 750th episode with a special opening sequence and WILL FERRELL will play JOHN MADDEN in the forthcoming biopic, titled “Madden.” More in CASTING CALL.
YE’s Malibu mansion is in crumbles. More in KARDASH.
PRINCESS DIANA’s former butler says she would be upset with how PRINCE HARRY is treating his royal family members. More in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
In the aftermath of last week’s Twitter Spaces debacle in which Governor RON DESANTIS announced his candidacy for president, at least one senior engineer has left his job at the social media site.
FOAD DABIRI announced his departure on Twitter, but carefully added that it happened “independent of any recent events.” Owner ELON MUSK was reportedly furious with his team over the clumsy technology.
BUT WAIT: Musk gloated over the event anyway over the weekend, after the DeSantis camp announced it had raised more than $8 MILLION in its first 24 hours since the official announcement.
BY CONTRAST: Former President DONALD TRUMP has raised $9.5 million in the last six months. [via CBS News, Platformer, @ElonMusk]
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The man who opened the passenger door of a plane during its landing into South Korea last week told authorities he was “uncomfortable” and recently stressed out from losing his job.
The unidentified culprit unlatched the door when the plane was at 700 feet. Everyone survived, but a handful spent some time in the hospital with breathing issues.
MEANWHILE: Asiana Airlines says it’s going to stop selling emergency row seats next to the door for a while. [via CNN, Reuters]
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A hydrogen energy startup says it successfully tested a jet at the end of last year with top speeds over five times the speed of sound.
By contrast, the Concorde reached Mach 2 speed.
The 25-passenger model is expected to be ready for commercial use by 2030. If successful, a flight from the US to Australia could be completed in just four hours. [via The Sun]
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A new discovery in Egypt reveals some of the secrets of how ancient priests prepared corpses for mummification – for both humans and animals.
Two such workshops were discovered outside of Cairo that date back to around 300 BC, near a location where hundreds of mummified animals were discovered in 2019. One workshop was specifically for humans, the second specifically for animals. The facilities included a trove of tools used for the mummification process and even some inscriptions and engravings with instructions. [via Reuters]
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A 10-year-old pug named Woof has gone where no dog has gone before (well, maybe).
Alongside his owner Erin McMahon, Woof has summited the New Hampshire 48 -- four dozen mountains in the state that are all at least 4,000 ft. high.
“He just loves being with me. He gets a really nice lunch at the top and he’s all about lunch” McMahon said. [via People]
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DEATHS
Actor GEORGE MAHARIS has died.
He passed away Wednesday at his home in Beverly Hills, according to his longtime friend and caregiver Marc Bahan. An official cause of death was not shared.
Maharis was best known for his role as Buz Murdock in “Route 66.”
He was 94.
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Magician MILT LARSEN has died.
He passed away in his sleep Sunday night at his Hollywood home, according to family sources.
Larsen was best known for creating Magic Castle, a private club for magicians in Hollywood.
He was 92.
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Musician ED AMES has died.
He passed away on May 21 from Alzheimer’s disease, according to his wife.
Ames was the youngest member of the popular 1950s group AMES BROTHERS. He also later became a successful actor.
He was 95.
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WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Memorial Day Weekend
10. John Wick: Chapter 4: $639k (down from 6)
9. Book Club: The Next Chapter: $1.2 million (down from 4)
8. You Hurt My Feelings: $1.7 million (new)
7. Kandahar: $3 million (new)
6. About My Father: $5.2 million (new)
5. The Machine: $5.8 million (new)
4. The Super Mario Bros. Movie: $8.3 million (down from 3)
3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: $25.3 million (down from 2)
2. Fast X: $28.6 million (down from 1)
1. The Little Mermaid: $117.5 million (new)
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW added 328 points (1%) to close at 33,093 on Friday. The S&P added 54 points (1.3%) to close at 4,250 and the NASDAQ added 277 points (2.19%) to close at 12,975.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $73 on Friday; BRENT CRUDE at $77.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.58 on Monday.
₿ BITCOIN’s been volatile but was trading around $27,700 on Monday.
🛩 There were more than 2,262 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Monday and more than 70 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $187 million jackpot or a $95.3 million cash payout.
SHOWBIZ NEWS
QUENTIN TARANTINO once paid $10,000 to lick a stripper’s feet “til they looked like prunes,” a club manager claims.
The guy, known as NorCal LowLife, reportedly worked at a Hollywood strip club called “Crazy Girls,” which is where the alleged incident took place.
Speaking on the “Get in the Car” podcast, LowLife said the infamous movie maker visited the club and asked for a VIP room with one of the women. Curious about their interaction, LowLife says he watched the “session” on a CCTV monitor and that is when he witnessed Tarantino take the woman’s boots off and start “licking the bottoms of her feet” and “sucking toes.”
LowLife explained that Tarantino’s foot fetish has been a not-so-secret secret in Hollywood for more than a decade. [via Page Six]
THIS TRACKS: In a recent interview actress MARGOT ROBBIE said that Tarantino instructed her very specifically how to position her bare feet -- and make sure they were “dirty” -- while filming a scene for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”
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Jets QB AARON RODGERS, actor MILES TELLER and Teller’s wife KELEIGH attended TAYLOR SWIFT’s concert at MetLife Stadium over the weekend.
Rodgers shared a photo of the stage clock counting down to Swift’s appearance, with the words “Taylor’s Time.” He tagged both Miles and Keleigh in it.
The trio are huge Swifites. A couple of years ago they, along with Rodgers former fiance actress SHAILENE WOODLEY, belted out Swift’s song “The 1” from her “Folklore” album, in an Instagram video.
Also, Miles and Keleigh were featured in Swift’s music video for the song “I Bet You Think About Me.” [via NY Post]
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Despite being the most-hated man on reality TV, “Vanderpump Rules” star TOM SANDOVAL isn’t feeling the burn when it comes to his music.
Sandoval, who cheated on his girlfriend of nearly a decade with a mutual friend in what fans started referring to as “Scandoval,” is selling out venues across the country.
Most recently, his band -- TOM SANDOVAL & THE MOST EXTRAS -- performed at the Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort in Connecticut where people were lined up down the street to get one of the 350 seats inside. The next day, they sold out their gig at the Gramercy Theater in NYC. The band has also had sellout performances in Pennsylvania and Texas.
So, while “Scandoval” may have cost Sandoval his reputation, relationship, friend group and potentially spot on “Vanderpump Rules,” he can find comfort in his sub-par musical talents. [via TMZ]
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JAY LENO says the only thing that could slow him down would be if he were to suffer a “stroke.”
While still recovering from his car fire and motorcycle accident, the funnyman told Page Six that he has no plans to slow down, saying “you retire -- when you have your stroke.”
Remember, last November Leno sustained third-degree burns while working on one of his antique cars. He was hospitalized for nearly two weeks and underwent two skin grafts. Less than a week after being released he was on stage making people laugh again.
Then two months later, Leno suffered “two broken ribs” and “two cracked kneecaps” after being “knocked off” his motorcycle. Days later he was upright and back to work. [via Page Six]
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SELENA GOMEZ was spotted yelling at one of her security guards while attending one of BEYONCE’s Paris concerts over the weekend.
In clips that have gone viral, Gomez is seen turning around to confront a guy who appears to be part of her security team as she crosses the main stage area. While it is not known what she was upset about, fans have several theories. One includes other concertgoers getting too close to the singer, while another suggested maybe she was the one getting too close to the crowd. Of course there are those who are also criticizing Gomez for yelling at the guy.
Whatever the reason, eyewitnesses told TMZ that fans were ecstatic to see Gomez at the venue. [via Huffpost]
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Twitter user @MadScientistFF sparked a major debate over the weekend after tweeting out a list of The Top 10 Greatest TV Dads of All Time and asked his followers if any famous TV dads were missing.
The list included:
Danny Tanner (BOB SAGET) - “Full House”
Dan Conner (JOHN GOODMAN) - “Roseanne”
Tim Taylor (TIM ALLEN) - “Home Improvement”
Philip Banks (JAMES AVERY) - “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”
Carl Winslow (REGINALD VELJOHNSON) - “Family Matters”
Phil Dunphy (TY BURRELL) - “Modern Family”
George Lopez (GEORGE LOPEZ) - “George Lopez Show)
Andy Taylor (ANDY GRIFFITH) - “The Andy Griffith Show”
Mike Brady (ROBERT REED) - “The Brady Bunch”
Al Bundy (ED O’NEILL) - “Married…with Children”
While many responses stated the list appeared complete, others questioned whether or not Cliff Huxtable, played by BILL COSBY, should be included.
“Cliff Huxtable was one of the greatest TV dads of all time,” one user wrote, while pointing out that the fictional TV character and man who played him are two separate people. Meanwhile, another user called him “a rapist who played an OBGYN that conducted vaginal exams in his basement.” [via TMZ]
WORTH ASKING: Should fictional characters get canceled when the people who play them do?
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CELINE DION has canceled 42 dates on her “Courage World Tour.”
The 55-year-old took to Twitter on Friday to let fans know that she is “unable to successfully prepare for and perform the remainder of the tour” as she deals with her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis.
Dion added that she is “heartbroken” but “not giving up.”
Remember, last December Dion revealed that she had been diagnosed with the rare and incurable disease that causes debilitating muscle spasms. [via People]
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CASTING CALL
“The Simpsons” 750th episode aired over the weekend.
In honor of the milestone, the opening sequence featured 750 iconic characters, including WILLIE NELSON, DOLLY PARTON, ELTON JOHN, and the late QUEEN ELIZABETH II.
Each of the characters made at least one appearance in the show since it debuted in 1989.
With Season 35 and 36 already in the works it will be interesting to see what creators come up with for the 800th episode. [via Daily Mail]
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PEDRO PASCAL doesn’t actually play his character in “The Mandalorian.”
During a recent sit down with The Hollywood Reporter, Pascal said that he used to play the character when the Disney+ show first debuted, but stopped after the heavily armored suit started to take a toll on his body.
In the most recent season, Pascal says stuntmen and body doubles appear as the bounty hunter Din Djarin, while he provides the voice.
ALSO: By not having to physically be on set to film “The Mandalorian,” Pascal was able to star in HBO’s hit series “The Last Of Us.” [via Hollywood Reporter]
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WILL FERREL will play legendary football coach JOHN MADDEN in the upcoming film, “Madden.”
The movie tells the story of the “NFL icon who went from leading the Raiders to the Super Bowl to sharing his love for the game on TV and creating one of the most popular video game franchises ever,” per Deadline.
A release date is not yet known. [via Deadline]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
Remember the $57.25 million Malibu beachfront mansion YE bought and gutted in September 2021? According to The Sun it is likely a lost cause.
After the dissolution of Yeezy Construction Inc. last November, insiders say the place may remain in its crumbling state indefinitely. Those living near the estate claim to not have seen any activity whatsoever on the home for “several months.”
MEANWHILE: Ye’s ex-wife KIM KARDASHIAN is currently working with renowned architect TADAO ANDO, who built the Malibu mansion Ye demolished. He also drew up the redesign plans Ye was reportedly using to recreate the home. [via The Sun]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
The former butler for PRINCESS DIANA says that PRINCE HARRY has turned into an “angry, petulant, privileged” man.
The former secretary and confidante, Paul Burrell, blew up his relationship with Harry and PRINCE WILLIAM in 2001 when he wrote a book about his time in the royal family.
Now, Burrell says Diana would be angry at Harry’s recent pattern of airing family grievances in public. [via DailyMail]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Mint Julep Day
National Creativity Day
National Water a Flower Day
Loomis Day
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ON THIS DATE
1381 - The Peasants’ Revolt begins in England, after serfs and laborers grew tired of increased tax collection efforts to fund the Hundred Years’ War and general exhaustion set in from the destruction of the Black Death a few decades prior.
The rebellion first began in Essex, England, when locals burned court documents and released political prisoners. They demanded an end to serfdom and total reformation of the courts.
Within a few weeks, 14-year-old King Richard II agreed to end serfdom in England, but the rebellion continued to spread. Eventually, the king sent 4,000 troops to quash the rebellion; an estimated 1,500 rebels were killed and serfdom continued.
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1539 - Explorer Hernando de Soto lands in present-day Florida, near the south part of Tampa Bay.
de Soto and his crew of more than 600 men and 200 horses laid waste to native tribes, enslaving those who survived various skirmishes. The expedition explored Florida’s west coast for months before eventually moving north toward modern-day Georgia before heading west and eventually crossing the Mississippi River.
de Soto would die in 1542 from a fever.
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1806 - Future President Andrew Jackson kills a man named Charles Dickinson in a duel.
Dickinson was the son-in-law of Captain Joseph Erwin. Erwin and Jackson owned horses that were to race, with the winner taking home the proceeds of their bet. But Erwin’s horse had to drop out – which meant according to their agreement, Erwin would pay Jackson $800. A fight broke out between Jackson, Dickinson, and Erwin, and Erwin eventually paid up, but plenty of animosity remained between the men.
Later, word got around that Dickinson had insulted Jackson’s wife. When Jackson confronted Dickinson, he apologized and said he was drunk. The back-and-forth escalated to a public exchange of insults published in local newspapers – the early 19th century equivalent of having social media beef.
Eventually, the two agreed to settle the quarrel with a duel. Dickinson landed a shot on Jackson first, square in the chest, which he miraculously survived, enough to return a similar shot that killed Dickinson.
Jackson would carry the bullet for the rest of his life, lodged near his heart.
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1911 - Driver Ray Harroun wins the first Indy 500 in the Marmon Wasp, clocking an average speed of 74.6 miles per hour.
The whole race took six hours, 42 minutes, eight seconds for Harroun to win. One of the major innovations on this car was the rearview mirror for the driver, which eliminated the need for a spotter facing backward, as was customary. Without the extra weight, the whole car was able to move faster.
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1922 - Dignitaries gather in Washington, DC for the dedication of the Lincoln Monument.
The project began in 1914 after Congress approved $300,000 for the project. The original design called for a 10-foot-tall statue of Lincoln, but that was eventually nearly doubled in height so that the statue’s size more appropriately fit the scope of the building itself.
Former president and sitting Chief Justice William Howard Taft oversaw the project. On the day of the dedication, President Warren Harding and Lincoln’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln, then 78-years-old, joined for the ceremony.
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1971 - NASA launches the Mariner 9 spacecraft to study the atmosphere of Mars and its moons.
The probe made it to Mars six months later, narrowly beating two Soviet probes with similar missions by a matter of weeks. It remained in orbit indefinitely. Projections estimated it would burn up in the atmosphere after fifty-or-so years; it’s likely it has done exactly that – otherwise it’s still orbiting somewhere above the Red Planet.
49 YEARS LATER in 2020 - The Crew Dragon Demo-2 spacecraft blasts off for the International Space Station.
The mission marked the first time a privately-funded space craft left for the ISS, and the first time in nearly a decade that a crew-capable ship left Earth, following the end of the Space Shuttle program.
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BIRTHDAYS
Jared Gilmore - actor, “Once Upon a Time” - 23
Sean Giambrone - actor, “The Goldbergs” - 24
Jake Short - actor, “A.N.T. Farm” & “Mighty Med” - 26
Lucki - rapper - 27
Jonah Hauer-King - actor, “Little Women” & “The Last Photograph - 28
Steven Gerrard - soccer player - 43
Remy Ma - rapper - 43
CeeLo Green - R&B singer - 48
Idina Menzel - actress, “Rent” & “Wicked” & “Frozen” films - 52
Mark Sheppard - actor, “Supernatural” & “Leverage” - 59
Wynonna Judd - country singer - 59
Tom Morello - guitarist, Rage Against the Machine - 59
Born On This Date
Big L - rapper - 1974 (d. 1999)
Mel Blanc - voice of Bugs Bunny, Pork Pig, Tweety Bird & Daffy Duck - 1908 (d. 1989)
Jane Seymour - third wife of King Henry VIII - 1508 (d. 1537)
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