7/3/2023: 🥊 Colosseum Clash!
PLUS: Cassius the Long Croc; Shania Twain’s Tumble; and Salty Sussexes
Today is Monday, July 3, 2023.
It is the 184th day of the year.
181 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Police in France appear to be getting control of the violence and terror that has gripped locals and tourists for a week and NASA has restored communications with the Ingenuity chopper. More in HIT LIST.
TAYLOR SWIFT has been fined for not keeping her Tribeca sidewalk clean and LEONARDO DICAPRIO and JEFF BEZOS are teaming up to save the planet. More in SHOWBIZ.
To show his annoyance with a recent SCOTUS decision, actor MICHAEL IMPERIOLI is forbidding some people from watching his shows and movies. More in CASTING CALL.
YE and BIANCA CENSORI checked out some interesting souvenirs while shopping in Tokyo. More in KARDASH.
PRINCE HARRY and MEGHAN MARKLE just can’t catch a break, if you ask them. More in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
An estimated 45,000 police officers deployed across major cities in France over the weekend as racial tensions boiled over into violence and terror.
More than 2,000 people were arrested between Friday and Saturday, though the number appears to be trending down as authorities get control of the situation.
The riots began after a 17-year-old was shot dead by a police officer during a traffic stop last week.
WORTH NOTING: Paris is set to host the Olympic games next summer. [via NBC News]
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A crocodile living in an Australian wildlife park is believed to be the biggest croc ever recorded, at least in captivity.
Cassius the Crocodile is now nearly 18 feet long, about a foot longer than he was twenty years ago. The most liberal estimates put him at 120 years old. He was first captured in 1984.
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A week after billionaires MARK ZUCKERBERG and ELON MUSK (sort of) agreed to some kind of public fight or wrestling match, officials in Italy have offered up The Colosseum to host the event, and reached out to Zuck and Elon individually to try to make it happen.
Neither tech titan has confirmed that a throwdown will actually happen, though plenty of rumors have swirled that they’ve connected with specialized trainers to get in tip top shape if and when it does happen.
BUT WAIT: TMZ published an official statement that the Italian government never made any such formal offer – but added that their inside sources say that’s just not true. [via TMZ]
SPEAKING OF THE COLOSSEUM: Italian officials say they’ve identified the man who recorded himself carving his and his girlfriend’s names into a brick of the Colosseum last month.
No name has been released, but they say he lives in Britain. The carving said “Ivan+Haley 23,” so there’s a good chance his first name, at least, is Ivan.
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NASA has restored communication with the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars following an uncertain 63-day stretch of radio silence.
The chopper first lost contact at the end of April after its 52nd flight, which was well beyond NASA’s expectations for the mission. It landed on a hill opposite of the Perseverance rover, which Ingenuity relies on to communicate with Earth. Since then, Perseverance was able to reposition to restore communications.
NASA is hoping Ingenuity will fly again in the coming weeks. [via Space.com]
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Grillo’s Pickles, a Boston-based pickle company, is accusing its former-partner-turned-rival, Patriot Pickle, of stealing and using a 100-year-old family recipe.
A spokesperson for Grillo’s Pickles told Boston ABC affiliate WCVB that they believe Patriot Pickle is using its proprietary recipe in their product. They also claim that Patriot Pickle introduced its product at a lower price at Whole Foods, where Grillo’s Pickles are also sold, to undermine them.
The two companies were partners from 2012 to 2021 before suffering a falling out and parting ways. [via WCVB]
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DEATHS
Oscar and Tony-winning actor ALAN ARKIN has died.
He passed away Friday at his home, according to a statement from his sons. No cause of death was shared.
Arkin is well-known for his roles in “Argo” and “Little Miss Sunshine.”
He was 89.
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Football player turned wrestler DARREN DROZDOV has died.
He passed away on Friday of natural causes, according to a statement from his family.
Drozdov was a defensive lineman for the Denver Broncos before taking his talents to the wrestling ring. In 1999 he suffered a neck injury during a match that left him a quadriplegic.
He was 54.
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BABY NEWS
Pro surfer BETHANY HAMILTON and husband ADAM DIRKS have welcomed their fourth child, a daughter named Alaya Dorothy Dirks.
The couple are already parents to sons Micah, 2, Wesley, 5, and Tobias, 8.
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RELATIONSHIPS
MICK JAGGER is engaged to his long-term girlfriend, former ballerina MELANIE HAMRICK.
The pair sparked engagement rumors last month when the 36-year-old was spotted with a rock on her ring finger. At the time, she laughed it off, calling it a “promise ring.”
Hamrick and Jagger met in 2014 and share one child -- his eighth.
By the way -- the ROLLING STONES singer is 79.
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WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
10. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: $1.8 million (down from 8)
9. Asteroid City: $3.8 million (down from 6)
8. The Flash: $5 million (down from 3)
7. The Little Mermaid: $5.1 million (stayed at 7)
6. Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken: $5.2 million (new)
5. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts: $7 million (stayed at 5)
4. No Hard Feelings: $7.5 million (stayed at 4)
3. Elemental: $11.3 million (down from 2)
2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: $11.5 million (down from 1)
1. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: $60 million (new)
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW added 285 points (0.84%) to close at 34,407 on Friday. The S&P added 53 points (1.23%) to close at 4,450 and the NASDAQ added 196 points (1.45%) to close at 13,787.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $70; BRENT CRUDE at $75.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.53 on Sunday.
₿ BITCOIN was trading around $30,600 Sunday evening.
🛩 There were more than 6,034 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Sunday and more than 588 such cancellations.
💰Tuesday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $400 million jackpot or a $205 million cash payout. Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $522 million jackpot or a $269.9 million cash payout.
SHOWBIZ NEWS
TAYLOR SWIFT has been fined more than $3,000 for failing to keep the sidewalk clean in front of her Tribeca townhouse.
According to city records, she has been ticketed 32 times since purchasing the home in 2017 for having a dirty sidewalk and improperly disposing of garbage.
Instead of paying the fee, which is pocket change for the singer, her lawyers fought the fines, ultimately getting $200 shaved off. [via NY Post]
WORTH ASKING: Was the $200 reduction worth whatever she had to pay her army of attorneys to fight the fine?
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RIHANNA is the first female artist to have 10 songs reach one billion streams on Spotify, even though she has not dropped a new album in years.
Her last album, “Anti,” was released in 2016.
RiRi released her first single in over seven years last year. “Lift Me Up,” was featured on the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack. [via People]
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SHANIA TWAIN took a tumble during her concert in Chicago on Saturday night.
While belting out her hit “Don’t Be Stupid,” Twain tripped and fell on her butt while walking across the stage.
She quickly recovered, got back on her feet and continued on with the song.
Twain is currently on her “Queen of Me” tour. [via TMZ]
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Reality star KIM ZOLCIAK is now being sued by Target over an unpaid credit card balance of about $2,500.
According to new legal documents, Kim hasn’t made a payment toward the balance since September, when she paid $500.
The amount is a measly one compared to the millions of dollars Kim and her estranged husband KROY BIERMANN allegedly owe -- including $1 million to the IRS. [via RealityTea]
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Before becoming a movie star, SYLVESTOR STALLONE was shoveling lion poop at the Central Park Zoo for $1.12 an hour.
If that sounds bad…it gets worse.
Stallone said the lions would sometimes urinate on him.
“Let me tell you, they’re accurate up to 15 feet, and after a month of getting whizzed on, I quit,” he once shared.
That story and more are featured in NICK DE SEMLYEN’s new book, “The Last Action Heroes: The Triumphs, Flops and Feuds of Hollywood’s Kings of Carnage.” [via NY Post]
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A real-life horror story played out in STEPHEN KING’s front yard last week, when a deer impaled itself on the spiked fence surrounding his mansion in Maine.
According to eyewitnesses, the animal attempted to jump the fence when it got caught, leaving half of its body hanging inside the property and half outside of it.
Authorities responded to the scene where they were forced to put the deer out of its misery.
It is unknown if King was home at the time of the incident. [via Mirror]
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LEONARDO DICAPRIO’s Re:Wild Conservation and JEFF BEZOS’ Nature Solutions (part of Bezos’ Earth Fund) donated $200 million, collectively, to the Protect Our Planet Challenge to support the Amazon rainforest.
According to Variety, the money will go toward helping Brazil achieve zero deforestation in the Amazon and accelerate the country’s transition to a sustainable and green economy.
Protect Our Planet launched in 2021 and is the largest-ever private funding commitment to biodiversity conservation. [via Variety]
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Jack in the Box had a pop-up restaurant in Inglewood, California over the holiday weekend named in honor of SNOOP DOGG.
On the menu were Snoopadelic Shakes and a Snoop Munchie meal, which included a spicy chicken sandwich, a classic taco, a “baked” brownie, and Sprite.
After chowing down, fans were able to take photos on Snoop’s throne and purchase ‘90s themed merchandise.
Snoop previously collaborated with the eatery in 2018 on a Munchie Meal. [via Deadline]
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CASTING CALL
Actor MICHAEL IMPERIOLI has forbidden “bigots and homophobes” from watching any of his shows and movies, which include “The Sopranos,” “The White Lotus,” and “Goodfellas.”
His spoken ban comes amid the US Supreme Court’s ruling that a Colorado-based web designer could refuse to provide services for same-sex weddings, despite the state’s non-discrimination law.
“Thank you Supreme Court for allowing me to discriminate and exclude those who I don’t agree with and am opposed to. USA! USA!,” Imperioli posted on Instagram. [via Hollywood Reporter]
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RAQUEL LEVISS is reportedly in talks with Bravo about returning to “Vanderpump Rules.”
Insiders say Leviss’ team only recently opened up negotiations with producers, who have already started filming Season 11 of the reality show.
No word on how the rest of the cast -- including Leviss’ “Scandoval” partner TOM SANDOVAL -- feel about her potentially returning to the show. [via TMZ]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
YE and his wife BIANCA CENSORI were spotted walking around Tokyo last week, perusing some sex toys.
An eyewitness told TMZ that the couple appeared to be happily enjoying a stroll when they stopped to check out the adult shop.
It is unknown if the pair’s trip to Japan is for business or pleasure. [via Page Six]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
PRINCE HARRY and MEGHAN MARKLE think they’re the posterchildren for bad luck, and that’s why they can’t get any projects off the ground, the Daily Mail reports.
Here’s a roundup of all the ways the universe has victimized them:
They had plans to leave the royal family and cash in as global do-gooders in early 2020. Then the pandemic happened and they couldn’t do all that good.
The pandemic slowdown meant they couldn’t earn as much as they should’ve from platforms like Netflix and Spotify (which were still eye-watering sums for most of the rest of the global population).
The infamous Oprah interview didn’t get the traction it could’ve because PRINCE PHILIP died shortly after it aired.
News and coverage of the death of QUEEN ELIZABETH overshadowed the launch of Meg’s podcast.
As one insider tells the Mail: “The word is that they think they’ve been really unlucky.” [via DailyMail]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
International Plastic Bag Free Day
National Stay Out of the Sun Day
National Compliment Your Mirror Day
National Chocolate Wafer Day
Disobedience Day
Air Conditioning Appreciation Day
National Eat Your Beans Day
National Fried Clam Day
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ON THIS DATE
1775 – George Washington assumes control of the Continental Army.
A veteran of the French and Indian War, he had been commissioned to lead the troops by the Continental Congress. In the spirit of service to the colonies fighting for independence, he refused compensation beyond reimbursement for expenses.
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1863 – On the last day of fighting in the Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate Major General George Pickett leads an infantry assault into the middle of the Union line.
The Confederate men were supported by overwhelming artillery power that was supposed to intimidate and weaken the front Union lines, but turned out to be ineffective. Under fire from Union cannons and troops who were well-fortified, the men in Pickett’s Charge suffered a nearly 50% casualty rate.
Their defeat marked a decisive end to the Battle of Gettysburg, and the farthest the Confederates would ever push north.
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1890 – Idaho becomes a state — it’s number 43.
Its first governor was George L. Shoup, who resigned after only a few months to become one of the state’s first senators.
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1938 – The Mallard breaks the world speed record for steam locomotives.
It clocked in at 126 miles per hour and still holds the record.
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1957 – Nikita Khrushchev commits a purge to eliminate opposition in the highest ranks of the Soviet government.
For the United States, it was a political victory, with some of the stauncher communists being pushed out of power.
Khrushchev’s ascension to power was the first time one dictator had absolute control since the death of Stalin four years earlier. In the interim, the communist regime had been ruled by a 10-member council.
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1969 – In one of the most powerful non-nuclear man made explosions in history, the Soviet N-1 Rocket fails to launch, crashes back to earth, and destroys itself and its launchpad.
During the night launch, a bolt was reportedly knocked into an oxygen pump, causing a massive explosion.
By some accounts, the fireball was visible 35 kilometers away. The destruction took 18 months to clean up and completely rebuild, dealing a significant blow to the Russians’ already lagging space program.
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1986 – President Ronald Reagan presides over the relighting of the newly renovated Statue of Liberty.
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2020 - The MLB All-Star Game is canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The game was set to be played on July 14 at Dodger Stadium. It would have been the second All-Star Game held there.
The cancellation was the first for an All-Star Game since 1945, when it was skipped in compliance with wartime travel restrictions.
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BIRTHDAYS
Sara Waisglass - actress, “Degrassi: The Next Generation” & “Ginny & Georgia” - 25
Nathalia Ramos - actress, “True Jackson, VP” & “The Damned” - 31
Elle King - pop singer - 34
Mike Ryan - country singer - 35
Matty Mullins - metal singer, Memphis May Fire - 35
Sebastian Vettel - race car driver - 36
Olivia Munn - actress, “The Newsroom” - 43
Andrea Barber - actress, “Full House” - 47
Patrick Wilson - actor, “Watchmen” & “Angels in America” - 50
Benedict Wong - actor, “The Martian” & “Doctor Strange” - 52
Julian Assange - WikiLeaks founder - 52
Audra McDonald - actress, “Private Practice” - 53
Moises Alou - baseball player - 57
Tom Cruise - actor, “Jerry Maguire” & “Mission Impossible” films - 61
Thomas Gibson - actor, “Criminal Minds” - 61
Montel Williams - TV host, “The Montel Williams Show” - 67
Kurtwood Smith - actor, “That ‘70s Show” - 80
Born On This Date
Damon Harris - soul singer, The Temptations - 1950 (d. 2013)
Samuel de Champlain - French explorer & founder of Quebec City - 1567 (d. 1635)
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