6/12/2023: Who Wants to Be a Billionaire? 💰
PLUS: Tony Award Winners; Lil Wayne Can’t Remember; and Harry’s New Help
Today is Monday, June 12, 2023.
It is the 163rd day of the year.
202 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
More on the Chinese spy base in Cuba and an historic envelope hits the auction block. More in HIT LIST.
CONOR MCGREGOR sends the Heat’s mascot to the emergency room and FLAVOR FLAV loves his fellow Swifties. More in SHOWBIZ.
“The Crown” will pay tribute to the late QUEEN ELIZABETH II in its final season and a horror franchise is getting a remake. More in CASTING CALL.
Actor ZACHARY QUINTO says KIM KARDASHIAN is doing really well in her role on “American Horror Story.” More in KARDASH.
The Sussexes have a new right-hand. More in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
LAST WEEK: The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the Chinese government is negotiating with their Cuban counterparts to build a spy base to intercept electronic American military communications.
TURNS OUT: That base has been up and running since 2019 – but the CCP continues to enhance its capabilities and presence there.
These developments come as Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN prepares for a diplomatic trip to China this month.
WORTH NOTING: Obviously the Chinese spy base isn’t new information for the highest levels of the government – but its public details could add new pressure to Blinken’s trip. [via WSJ]
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Days after the Department of Justice announced lawsuits against two major crypto exchanges, Crypto.com announced it is shutting down its institutional exchange – a special version of its trading platform for financial companies.
Everyday consumers will still have access to the site. The company says it has 50 million worldwide users, about 10% of which are in the U.S.
BUT WAIT: Crypto.com has just applied for a license to operate in Singapore, whose government would be more welcoming of their business model and practices. [via Milkroad]
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Data analytics company Wealth-X has published its annual “Billionaire’s Census,” revealing where the world’s richest folks live.
New York City took the top spot, with 136 billionaires calling the city home in 2022.
Around the world, 3,194 people have net worths in the ten-figures. Last year, their collective net worth fell more than 5% – but that followed the enormous gains many saw in 2021. [via WealthX]
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An envelope -- the only one ever sent to Vermont via the Pony Express -- is hitting the auction block.
Postmarked October 5, 1861, it is one of the last letters to be carried by the mail service. It is addressed to John H. Lyons who lived in the town of Colchester, according to H.R. Harmer Fine Stamp Auctions.
The unknown sender spent $1 (about $35 today) to send the letter.
Bids will start at $2,500. The auction is on June 21.
FUN FACT: The Pony Express ran from April 1860 to October 1861. During that time about 35,000 pieces of mail were carried. [via WCAX]
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A mass graveyard full of headless skeletons and “anti-vampire” items has been discovered in northern Poland by a group working on a road near an 18th century church.
Many of the 450 bodies were positioned with their decapitated skulls between their legs and a coin in their mouth -- an anti-vampire ritual that was common in the 19th century, according to Maciej Stomski, who is leading the excavation.
Stomski told First News that superstitious family members would dig up their loved ones and decapitate them to end the “vampire curse.” As for the coin, that apparently sealed in the person’s soul and gave them currency to travel to the afterlife.
Last year a different set of Polish researchers found remains of a female “vampire” who had been buried with a sickle on her neck and a padlock on her big toe to prevent her from returning from the dead. [via First News]
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DEATHS
Unabomber TED KACZYNSKI has died.
He was found Saturday in his cell at a federal prison medical center in Butner, North Carolina, according to a spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons. It is believed that he committed suicide.
Kaczynski was serving a life sentence for sending homemade bombs by mail across the country, starting in 1978. He pleaded guilty to setting 16 explosions that killed three and injured 23 others.
He was 81.
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Actor and comedian MIKE BATAYEH has died.
He passed away on June 1 of a heart attack. Batayeh is best known for his role as Dennis Markowski in “Breaking Bad.”
He was 52.
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Actress NOREEN NASH has died.
She passed away June 6. No other details were shared. Nash starred in “The Big Fix” and “The Red Stallion.”
She was 99.
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Actor PAUL GEOFFREY has died.
He passed away June 3 in Santa Fe, New Mexico after a battle with cancer. Geoffrey is best known for his roles in “Excalibur” and “Greystoke: the Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes.”
He was 68.
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WEDDINGS
Actors NAOMI WATTS and BILLY CRUDUP are married!
Watts confirmed the new Saturday with a photo of the newlyweds on Instagram, which she captioned, “Hitched!”
She was previously married to actor LIEV SCHREIBER, with whom she shares two children. Crudup shares a son with his ex, actress MARY-LOUISE PARKER.
They are both 54.
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WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
10. Past Lives: $520k (up from 12)
9. The Machine: $575k (down from 8)
8. About My Father: $845k (down from 7)
7. The Super Mario Bros. Movie: $2.1 million (down from 6)
6. Fast X: $5.1 million (down from 5)
5. The Boogeyman: $6.9 million (down from 3)
4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: $7 million (stayed at 4)
3. The Little Mermaid: $22.7 million (down from 2)
2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: $55 million (down from 1)
1. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts: $60 million (new)
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW added 43 points (0.13%) to close at 33,876 on Friday. The S&P was up 4 points (0.11%) to close at 2,498 and the NASDAQ added 20 points (0.16%) to close at 13,259.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $70; BRENT CRUDE at $75.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.59 on Sunday.
₿ BITCOIN continues to struggle, trading under $26,000 over the weekend.
🛩 There were more than 2,435 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Sunday and more than 117 such cancellations.
💰Tuesday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $260 million jackpot or a $134.3 million cash payout. Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $324 million jackpot or a $167.3 million cash payout.
SHOWBIZ NEWS
The 76th annual Tony Awards aired last night live from the United Palace in New York City.
The ceremony was almost called off due to the ongoing writers’ strike, but an agreement was reached with the union, allowing the show to go on, but without a script. As a result, there was no custom-made opening number.
ARIANA DEBOSE hosted the night’s festivities for the second year in a row. [via Independent]
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While BRITNEY SPEARS once again deactivated her Instagram account, her husband SAM ASGHARI still posted about her in honor of their first anniversary on Friday.
“Happy 1 year to me & my better half,” Asghari captioned a photo of their wedding bands. He also shared a video montage of their wedding day and the planning process. [via Page Six]
Spears returned to social media over the weekend to address a story from The Sun that claims those around her fear she is on meth, especially the father of her two sons, KEVIN FEDERLINE. She called the report “sad” and “not true,” while Federline called the piece “lies.” [via TMZ]
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Hot-headed MMA fighter CONOR MCGREGOR was booed off the court during Game 4 of the NBA Finals game between the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
McGregor, dressed in red velour tracksuit, was on the court to announce that his new pain relief spray, TIDL, is now an official sponsor of the Miami team. In response, fans booed him mercilessly.
But wait…there’s more.
After McGregor said his spiel, he was approached by the Heat’s mascot, Burnie, who was wearing boxing gloves. After some playful back-and-forth, McGregor landed a hard left hook to Burnie’s head, knocking his hat off. Not one to walk away from a fight, McGregor got in one more jab on the mascot’s head before he was restrained by a staffer.
The whole ordeal was met with gasps and more boos from fans.
But it didn’t end there…
It was reported Saturday that the guy who dressed as Burnie ended up in the emergency room after getting leveled by McGregor. He was checked out, given some pain meds and sent on his way. [via NY Post]
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Things appear to be heating up between SHAKIRA and race car driver LEWIS HAMILTON.
After splitting from soccer star GERARD PIQUE last year -- after 10 years together -- and turning down the several attempts made by TOM CRUISE to woo her, the hip-shaking singer is reportedly “in the early stages of dating” Hamilton, according to insiders.
“It’s fun and flirty,” one source told People Magazine.
By the way -- she is 46 and he is 38. [via People]
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Country singer JIMMIE ALLEN has been dropped by his record label, BBR Music Group, amid new reports of sexual assault.
According to ET, a woman has come forward claiming Allen filmed the two of them engaging in sexual activities without her consent. The allegations come on the heels of Allen being sued for sexual assault and harassment by his former manager.
Allen denied the accusations in a statement in which he also apologized to his estranged wife, who is currently pregnant with their third child. [via ET]
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LIL WAYNE says that his memory is so bad that he struggles to remember some of his songs.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, the rapper said that he “doesn’t recall which songs [are] part of which albums,” and because of that, he says his projects have “no significance at all.”
He later added that the trade off for having a horrible memory is that he has been blessed with an “amazing mind,” of which he thanks God for his gift to create successful hits. [via Rolling Stone]
WORTH NOTING: Wayne does have health issues that contribute to his memory issues, including epilepsy.
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JERRY SEINFELD and JIM GAFFIGAN are hitting the road.
The two comedians will do a four-arena tour this fall, with stops in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and St. Louis.
Seinfeld shared his excitement about the tour, saying, “We finally made the schedules work out. Can’t wait,” while Gaffigan joked that he is “so excited to help out this unknown up and coming comedian who many may have never heard of.” [via Deadline]
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TAYLOR SWIFT continues to give back as she tours the country.
The 33-year-old made a generous donation to Gleaners Community Foodbank of Southeastern Michigan last week after her two performances at Detroit’s Ford Field.
The food bank posted about the donation on Facebook, along with a quote from Swift that reads, “No matter what happens in life, be good to people.”
WORTH NOTING: Rapper FLAVOR FLAV attended Swift’s Friday night concert. He later tweeted about the show, writing, “luv my fellow Swifties.” [via People]
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CASTING CALL
Netflix series “The Crown” will pay tribute to the late QUEEN ELIZABETH II in the forthcoming final season.
The Sun reports that all three actresses -- CLAIRE FOY, OLIVIA COLEMAN and IMELDA STAUNTON -- who have played the monarch, will appear in a series of special scenes.
The publication also revealed that actress VIOLA PRETTEJOHN will join the cast as a younger Elizabeth; prior to her 1953 coronation.
The sixth and final season of the show is set to be released later this year. [via The Sun]
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Lionsgate is working on a new take of the horror franchise, “Leprechaun.”
While details are being kept under wraps, it is being billed as a “reimagining for a new generation of moviegoers,” according to Deadline.
In the original six movies WARWICK DAVIS plays the vengeful leprechaun. It is unknown whether or not he will return for the remake.
The last film in the franchise, “Leprechaun Returns,” was released in 2018. [via Deadline]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
Actor ZACHARY QUINTO was impressed with KIM KARDASHIAN’s acting in the upcoming season of “American Horror Story.”
While speaking about his new movie, “He Went That Way,” Quinto said that he filmed a cameo for the new season and got to meet Kardashian.
“She was so lovely and warm and, [...] was really in her element,” he told People Magazine. “I really look forward to seeing this season because I think she’s gonna do a wonderful job.”
Season 12 is expected to be released this summer. [via People]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
PRINCE HARRY and MEGHAN MARKLE have a new assistant.
The Sussexes apparently lured HARISON COLCORD from her job as the marketing director for the San Ysidro Ranch – the luxury resort where Harry filmed interviews earlier this year with ANDERSON COOPER and TOM BRADBY.
MEANWHILE: The couple has not been invited to this year’s Trooping of the Colour, the annual public celebration of the monarch’s birthday.
They did attend last year’s parade for QUEEN ELIZABETH before she died, though they were not a part of the iconic balcony appearance afterward. [via DailyMail]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Red Rose Day
National Loving Day
International Falafel Day
National Peanut Butter Cookie Day
Superman Day
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ON THIS DATE
1665 - A small Dutch settlement on the southern tip of Manhattan island is incorporated as dominion of the British Empire – and renamed New York.
The name honored then-Duke of York and future King James II. His brother, King Charles II, gifted the land to James.
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1776 - Virginia adopts the Declaration of Rights.
The declaration detailed specific liberties that could not be legitimately taken away by the government.
Much of the language of the Constitution – particularly surrounding the pursuits of life and liberty – were drawn from the document.
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1942 – Anne Frank is given a blank diary for her birthday.
She was living with her family quietly in Amsterdam to hide from Nazi oppression.
She dutifully kept her diary, until her family's ultimate and tragic capture.
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1987 – President Reagan speaks directly to Russian Premier Mikhail Gorbachev at the Berlin Wall.
The meeting came near the end of Reagan's second term in office and the culmination of years of work to bring down the communist regime in Asia. The Berlin Wall was a very tangible reminder of Soviet oppression.
Reagan's legendary speech remains iconic today:
"Secretary General Gorbachev, if you seek peace -- if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe -- if you seek liberalization: come here, to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."
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1982 – “E.T.” premieres.
The film was one of Steven Spielberg's early major successes. It was a hit both commercially and critically and even earned Best Picture and Best Director nominations at the Academy Awards, among others.
It would win in the other four categories it was nominated: Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects, Original Score and Sound.
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1994 – Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman are murdered in Brentwood California.
Nicole's ex-husband OJ Simpson quickly became the main suspect. After the historic White Bronco chase and OJ's subsequent arrest, the most-watched trial in history commenced.
Simpson assembled a Dream Team of lawyers, including Johnny Cochran and F. Lee Bailey. The centerpiece of the defense was that Simpson was the victim of racism.
In his criminal trial he was found not guilty. In a civil case brought in 1996, he was found guilty of committing battery against Brown and found responsible for Goldman's death.
He was to pay millions in damages, which he has failed to do.
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2016 – Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first soccer player to top Forbes’ Highest-Paid Athletes List, earning $88 million.
It was the first time since 2000 that someone besides Floyd Mayweather or Tiger Woods held the top spot.
Rounding out the Top Five that year were:
2. Lionel Messi (soccer): $81.4 million
3. LeBron James (basketball): $77.2 million
4. Roger Federer (tennis): $67.8 million
5. Kevin Durant (basketball): $56.2 million
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BIRTHDAYS
Ashley Cooke - country singer - 26
Cody Horn - actress, “Magic Mike” & “Occupant” - 35
Dave Franco - actor, “Scrubs” & “Neighbors” - 38
Kendra Wilkinson - reality star, “Girls Next Door” - 38
Chris Young - country singer - 38
Artem Chigvintsev - dancer, “DWTS” - 41
Adriana Lima - model - 42
Lil Duval - comedian - 46
Mark Henry - wrestler - 52
Damon Buford - baseball player - 53
Jordan Peterson - psychologist & author, “12 Rules for Life” - 61
Rebecca Holden - actress, “Knight Rider” - 65
Alan Dysert - actor, “All My Children” - 72
Born On This Date
Anne Frank - author & Holocaust victim - 1929 (d. 1945)
George H.W. Bush - 41st POTUS - 1924 (d. 2018)
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