9/11/2023: “Who Is The President?” 🇺🇸
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9/11/2023: “Who Is The President?” 🇺🇸
PLUS: SpaceX Relaunch; Defending Danny; and Still No Brotherly Love
Today is Monday, September 11, 2023.
It is the 253rd day of the year.
112 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
A seven-year-old made a rare find at an Arkansas State Park and a self-proclaimed “Film Lover” set a new movie watching record. More in HIT LIST.
TODD and JULIE CHRISLEY get some time shaved off their sentences and POPE FRANCIS is a “Rocky” fan. More in SHOWBIZ.
JIMMY FALLON apologizes to staffers and NICKI MINAJ will return to host the MTV VMAs. More in CASTING CALL.
KIM KARDASHIAN begs JOE BIDEN to take action. More in KARDASH.
There is still zero communication between PRINCE WILLIAM and PRINCE HARRY. More in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
The FAA says SpaceX must make 63 corrections to the Starship rocket before it can apply for a modified license to relaunch.
Recently closing its investigation into the 394-foot rocket’s failed debut, the FAA says there were multiple problems that led to the post-launch explosion in April.
In response, SpaceX founder ELON MUSK said there have already been improvements made to the mega rocket, which is currently set up on a newly strengthened launch pad, awaiting lift off. [via AP News]
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Do YOU know who is in charge?
According to an analysis from Casino.org, “Who is the president?” was the third most commonly Googled question beginning with “Who is” nationwide from June through August.
The top two “who is” queries Googled most often were “Who is Grimace?” -- referring to the purple McDonald’s mascot -- and “Who is the richest person in the world?” -- which is currently ELON MUSK. [via Casino.org]
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Seven-year-old Aspen Brown found a rare 2.95-carat golden brown diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas while celebrating her birthday on September 1.
Finding a gem of that size at the 37.5-acre diamond search area is “exceptionally rare,” a research scientist for the Gemological Institute of America told Insider.
The Aspen Diamond -- named after its founder -- is the second-largest found this year at the state park, topped by a 3.29-carat brown stone discovered in March. [via Insider]
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Zach Swope watched 777 movies at theaters over the past year, setting a new Guinness World Record.
The 32-year-old self-proclaimed “Lover of Films” kicked off his movie journey on July 5, 2022 with “Minions: The Rise of Gru” and ended it this past July with “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.”
Swope said his favorite film was “Across the Spider-Verse” and his least favorite was “The Devil Conspiracy.”
The record was previously held by Frenchman Vincent Krohn, who watched 715 films from 2017 to 2018. [via UPI]
WORTH NOTING: Swope watched several films multiple times to achieve the feat, but always in a theater.
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A newly discovered, half-mile-sized comet, named Nishimura, will be visible from the Northern Hemisphere for five mornings starting Tuesday.
The ball will be closest to Earth tomorrow, passing at a distance of 78 million miles away as it heads toward the sun. If it survives its time near the sun, the comet will make another pass at the end of the month, where it will be visible from the Southern Hemisphere.
It will be another 400 years before it is likely to return. [via Washington Post]
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DEATHS
Professional bodybuilder LISA LYONS has died.
She passed away at her home in San Fernando Valley on Friday after a battle with stomach cancer.
Lyons famously posed for Playboy in 1980, a year after she won the first International Federation of Bodybuilders Woman’s World Pro Bodybuilding Championship.
She was 70.
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“Moonshiners” star JIM TOM HEDRICK has died.
He passed away on September 6 in Robbinsville, North Carolina, according to a recent report. No cause of death was shared, though it was noted that he had been battling kidney cancer.
Hedrick was known as “one of the most skilled moonshiners in the South.”
He was 82.
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BABY NEWS
ELON MUSK secretly welcomed a third child with GRIMES, named Techno Mechanicus.
The child joins 1-year-old Exa Dark Sideræl - whose nickname is “Y” - and 3-year-old X Æ A-12.
Musk is also dad to eight other children, whom he shares with three women.
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“Vanderpump Rules” star STASSI SCHROEDER and husband BEAU CLARK welcomed their second child, a baby boy named Messer Rhys Clark.
The newborn joins big sister, two-year-old Hartford.
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WEDDINGS
“Captain America” star CHRIS EVANS married actress ALBA BAPTISTA on Saturday in an intimate ceremony at their home in Boston.
In order to keep things private, guests were asked to sign NDAs and forfeit their phones before entering.
By the way -- he is 42 and she is 26.
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WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
10. Bottoms: $2 million (down from 7)
9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem: $2.6 million (down from 6)
8. Oppenheimer: $3 million (down from 5)
7. Gran Turismo: $3.3 million (down from 4)
6. Blue Beetle: $3.7 million (down from 3)
5. Barbie: $5.9 million (down from 2)
4. Jawan: $6 million (new)
3. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3: $10 million (new)
2. The Equalizer 3: $12.1 million (down from 1)
1. The Nun II: $32.6 million (new)
###
BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW added 76 points (0.22%) to close at 34,576 on Friday. The S&P was up 6 points (0.14%) to close at 4,457 and the NASDAQ added 13 points (0.092%) to close at 13,761.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $87 on Friday; BRENT CRUDE at $90.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.83 on Sunday.
₿ BITCOIN was trading around $25,865 on Sunday.
🛩 There were more than 4,292 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Sunday and more than 1,491 such cancellations.
💰Tuesday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $141 million jackpot or a $68.3 million cash payout. Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $522 million jackpot or a $252.4 million cash payout.
SHOWBIZ NEWS
JOE JONAS addressed his divorce from SOPHIE TURNER during his recent concert -- with the rest of the JONAS BROTHERS -- in L.A. on Saturday night.
“I just wanna say, look -- if you don’t hear it from these lips, don’t believe it. OK?” he told the crowd.
There have been several rumors swirling about what led to their split, including Turner’s alleged party lifestyle and Jonas’ alleged lack of support after she gave birth to their second child. [via Page Six]
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RIHANNA and A$AP ROCKY’s newborn son’s name has been revealed.
According to the birth certificate, the baby is named Riot Rose Mayers, following the tradition of “R” names in the family. Remember, they named their first son RZA Athelston Mayers.
Riot arrived on August 1. [via E!]
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Actor PAUL REUBENS’ death certificate says he died of acute hypoxic respiratory failure.
According to Healthline, the condition occurs “when your lungs cannot release enough oxygen into your blood, which prevents your organs from properly functioning.”
At the time of his death, he was also battling two types of cancer, according to The Blast.
Reubens passed away last month at the age of 70. [via The Blast, Healthline]
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Prior to sentencing, actor DANNY MASTERSON had two of his “That ‘70s Show” co-stars vouch for him.
ASHTON KUTCHER and MILA KUNIS both wrote letters to the sentencing judge, calling Masterson “a positive influence” and “extraordinarily honest.” They also noted how “having his daughter raised without a present father would [be] a tertiary injustice.”
As previously reported, the actor was sentenced to 30 years behind bars on Thursday for two rape convictions. [via TMZ]
BACKLASH: After reports surfaced that Kutcher and Kunis defended Masterson, people were pissed. In response, the couple made an apology video, explaining that they didn’t mean to “discredit the verdict” or “push back” against the victims’ claims. They said all they were trying to do was explain who they knew their friend to be. [via TMZ]
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TODD and JULIE CHRISLEY -- of “Chrisley Knows Best” fame -- have had time taken off of their lengthy prison sentences.
Todd, who was due to be released in 2035, will now be free on January 22, 2033, while Julie, who was due out in 2030, will now be released on October 19, 2028.
Remember, both were sentenced to a combined 19 years for bank fraud and tax evasion. [via TooFab.]
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POPE FRANCIS is a big fan of SYLVESTOR STALLONE.
The actor and his family were able to meet His Holiness during a recent visit to Vatican City. While chatting, Pope Francis told Sly that he is a huge fan and that he grew up watching the “Rocky” movies.
The two even did some shadowboxing, with the 86-year-old throwing in some left hooks. [via Reuters]
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CARDI B says she has no regrets about throwing a microphone at a woman during her concert in Vegas.
On a recent appearance on “The Breakfast Club,” Cardi -- who has been cleared of all charges -- said she was initially quiet about the whole thing because she thought she was going to jail.
Recalling what actually happened, Cardi said she did tell fans to toss water at her due to the heat, but the woman in question actually threw ice cubes at her, some of which hit her in the face. [via HNHH]
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KIM ZOLCIAK called out reports stating she has vacated the Georgia mansion she shares with estranged husband KROY BIERMANN, saying not only is she still in the home, but they are also once again working on their marriage.
But wait! Just last week Biermann said that he is still going forward with the divorce and there are plans in place to sell the home. [via Page Six]
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CASTING CALL
JIMMY FALLON apologized to staffers during a Zoom call after several told Rolling Stone that they experienced negative behavior from the “Tonight Show” host.
“It’s embarrassing and I feel so bad. Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends. I feel so bad I can’t even tell you. I want this show to be fun, it should be inclusive for everybody, it should be funny, it should be the best show, the best people,” he told them.
Remember, the “Tonight Show” is currently on hiatus due to the ongoing writers’ strike. [via Variety]
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NICKI MINAJ will host the MTV VMAs again this year.
She has also been nominated for six awards, including Video of the Year.
The VMAs are set for September 12. [via Daily Mail]
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CRIB NOTES
The house where Laurie Strode, played by JAMIE LEE CURTIS, lived in “Halloween,” is for sale.
Located in Los Angeles, the place is listed at $1.7 million.
With the spooky season approaching, it's the perfect time to lock down the iconic pad. [via TMZ]
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CELEBRITY CELLBLOCK
“Pawn Stars” alum COREY HARRISON was arrested for DUI in Las Vegas early Friday morning.
Law enforcement told TMZ that the reality star was pulled over for swerving and then arrested after failing a field sobriety test.
Corey told the outlet that the two breathalyzers he was given were “broken” and that he was told at the jail that he would be held all weekend if he didn’t admit to a blood test. After agreeing to the blood draw Corey said he was released about eight hours later.
No word on what the actual BAC was. [via TMZ]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
KIM KARDASHIAN has asked President JOE BIDEN to cut off foreign aid to Azerbaijan and boycott international events happening in the country in defense of the Armenian people.
She notes how “Azerbaijan has blockaded the only lifeline between the indigenous Crhistian Armenians of Artsakh” and the rest of the world since last year and also how the war in Ukraine means some countries have had to rely on the country for oil, leading to “starvation as a weapon against the Armenian population.”
“We are past the point of thoughts, prayers, or concern,” she continued.
Kim, who is of Armenian descent, spoke out in hopes to avoid another Armenian Genocide.
For those unfamiliar, the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia is over the territory that lies between them and has spanned decades. [via Rolling Stone]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
Royal expert Katie Nicholl says it has been “some time” since PRINCE HARRY and PRINCE WILLIAM have spoken.
“They don't talk. There hasn’t been any contact between them for some time now,” she stated. “William really just cannot find it in his heart at the moment to forgive his brother for what he’s done.”
As for PRINCESS KATE, who was very close to Harry, Nicholl says “she’s been left quite devastated” by what he wrote in his book, “Spare” and feels a “great sense of betrayal.” [via The Sun]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
Patriot Day
National Hot Cross Bun Day
National Boss/Employee Exchange Day
No News is Good News Day
National Make Your Bed Day
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ON THIS DATE
1609 - English explorer Henry Hudson describes "as fine a river as can be found." That river now bears his name, the Hudson, near Manhattan.
Captain Hudson's mission was to find the Northwest Passage and a shorter route to China, to open trade of goods between Europe and the East. Hudson and his son were later mutinied, set adrift, and never heard from again.
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1786 - The Annapolis Convention meets in Maryland. Twelve delegates representing New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia meet to lay the foundation for a constitutional convention that would include all 13 American states.
The group sought to fix shortfalls of the Articles of Confederation, which poorly regulated trade and commerce among the independent states. The Convention ultimately produced a report that impelled the Philadelphia Convention a year later.
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1789 - Alexander Hamilton begins as the first Secretary of the Treasury.
Hamilton was an early advocate of the federal government assuming states' debts following the Revolutionary War.
Later he helped found the US Mint, the first national bank, and the foundation for present-day tariffs and excise taxes.
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1903 - William Jones wins a five-lap race around the Milwaukee Mile racetrack in West Allis.
Jones set the record for running a 72 second, 50 mile-per-hour lap.
The first 100-miler would be run in 1915. In the meantime, 10- and 15-mile races were common, as were 24-hour endurance races.
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1941 - Charles Lindbergh accuses the British, President Roosevelt, and Jews of instigating war against the Nazis at a speech in Des Moines, Iowa.
Lindbergh also denounced the Jewish Holocaust, and claimed to not be anti-Semitic, despite the criticisms.
The FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover would later order a secret investigation of Linbergh to determine whether he was a closet Nazi.
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1973 - Chilean Marxist Salvador Allende shoots himself as rebels storm his palace.
Rebel leader Augusto Pinochet led the revolt, and would remain in power for 17 years.
Allende's weapon was a gift from Fidel Castro, who reported in Cuba that Allende had gone down valiantly in battle. An autopsy proved otherwise.
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2001 - More than 3,000 die in the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania.
Terrorist cell al-Qaeda would eventually claim responsibility, and a war against the group and its allies followed.
Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the attacks, would be killed 10 years later.
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2017 - Hurricane Irma leaves 7 million US homes without power in Florida and Georgia.
Irma made landfall in the US as a Category 3, causing about $50 billion in widespread damage.
The affected areas had little time to clean up as Hurricane Marie would form two weeks later.
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BIRTHDAYS
Brandon Butler - actor, “13 Reasons Why” - 27
Tyler Hoechlin - actor, “Teen Wolf” - 36
Elizabeth Henstridge - actress, “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” - 36
Charles Kelley - country singer, Lady A - 42
Ludacris - rapper - 46
Jon Buckland - guitarist, Coldplay - 46
Elephant Man - pop singer - 48
Taraji P. Henson - actress, “Hidden Figures” & “Empire” - 53
Harry Connick Jr. - actor, “Independence Day” & “Will & Grace” - 56
Moby - pop singer - 58
Paul Heyman - wrestler - 58
Elizabeth Daily - voice actress, “Rugrats” & “Powerpuff Girls” - 62
Scott Patterson - actor, “Gilmore Girls” - 65
Tommy Shaw - guitarist, Styx - 70
Mickey Hart - drummer, Grateful Dead - 80
Bob Packwood - attorney & politician, Oregon Senator - 91
Born On This Date
Ian Abercrombie - actor, “Birds of Prey” & “Desperate Housewives” - 1934 (d. 2012)
Tom Landry - football player - 1924 (d. 2000)
O. Henry - short story writer, “Cabbages and Kings” - 1862 (d. 1910)