Today is Thursday, September 19, 2024.
It is the 263rd day of the year.
103 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
A bad day for the company that owns the ship responsible for March’s bridge collision and a worse day for terrorists. Details in HIT LIST.
BILLY JOEL sells and ROMEO BECKHAM likes models. More in SHOWBIZ.
JENNIFER LOPEZ is staying busy and a new investor joins “Shark Tank.” Details in CASTING CALL.
ROB and KHLOE put a new spin on the modern family. More on that in KARDASH.
PRINCE ANDREW looks forward to another fictional version of himself. Details in ROYALS.
###
HIT LIST
Wednesday brought a second day of carnage for members of terrorist organization Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Earlier this week, an attack believed to have been coordinated by Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad managed to hack pager devices of thousands of suspected terrorists, causing them to overheat and explode. About a dozen are believed to have died and thousands more injured.
On Wednesday, a similar hacking attack targeted handheld radios and home solar energy systems around Beirut, Lebanon’s capital.
Israel has not publicly claimed any responsibility for the counteroffensive. [via DailyMail]
###
Six months after a container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge at the Port of Baltimore, killing six and destabilizing shipping operations, the Department of Justice is bringing a suit against the owner of the vessel.
Following an extensive investigation, the feds allege “outrageous, grossly negligent, willful, wanton, and reckless” lack of care and precaution on behalf of the ship’s owner. In particular, poor maintenance meant key machinery on the ship, like the propeller, rudder, anchor, and bow thruster, weren’t in working order.
The suit seeks $100 MILLION in damages. The amount would both cover the government’s expenses for the investigation and the federal aid paid out to the employees who were put out of work during the port’s closure. The suit also calls for unspecified punitive damages to deter similar future disasters. [via New York Times]
###
A duo of unruly squirrels took occupancy on a train in England on Monday, disrupting service during a busy morning commute.
Passengers reported being attacked by the rodents on the service between Reading and Gatwick in southern England. At each stop along the way, passengers ran out of the train as the conductor tried to intervene and get the squirrels out the door. One eyewitness tells The Telegraph, “It was complete pandemonium!”
IT GETS WORSE: The delay and cancellation on the route to Gatwick meant some passengers likely had to rush to make a flight, or worse, missed it entirely because of the rodent invasion.
One squirrel eventually took the hint, but when no one could find the second one, the service was canceled entirely. [via The Telegraph]
###
The winner of this year’s Florida Python Challenge racked up 20 kills during the 10-day snake slaughter.
Ronald Kiger will take home $10,000 for the righteous achievement, improving on his second-place finish in 2023. A contractor for the South Florida Water Management District, Donna Kalil, won $2,500 for finishing in a close second place this time with 19 pythons.
More than 800 hunters gathered in Florida from 33 states and even Canada to get in on the hunt. In total, they bagged 195 Burmese pythons, which threaten to disrupt the local ecosystem as an invasive species. [via CBS News]
###
One of the bodies found buried beneath Notre Dame in Paris may belong to the Renaissance poet Joachim du Bellay.
The body was found in a lead sarcophagus unearthed in April 2022 by excavators from the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research who have been working at the site since the 2019 fire.
du Bellay was a founder of the literary group La Pleiade. He died around age 37 on January 1, 1560, and was believed to have been buried at Notre Dame, though his actual grave was never found.
MEANWHILE: Restoration projects at Notre Dame are said to be in their final stages. The cathedral is preparing to reopen on December 8. [via BBC]
###
DEATHS
Songwriter JD SOUTHER has died.
He passed away Tuesday at his home in New Mexico. No cause of death was shared.
Souther co-wrote some of the biggest hits for the EAGLES, including “New Kid in Town” and “Best of My Love.”
He was 78.
###
BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW lost 103 points (0.25%) to close at 41,503 on Wednesday. The S&P lost 16 points (0.29%) to close at 5,618 and the NASDAQ lost 54 points (0.31%) to close at 17,573.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $69; BRENT CRUDE at $72.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.21 on Wednesday.
₿ BITCOIN gained slightly on the day, trading just over $60,000.
🛩 There were more than 1,530 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Wednesday and more than 50 such cancellations.
💰Friday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $47 million jackpot or a $23.9 million cash payout.
###
SHOWBIZ NEWS
SEAN COMBS will remain behind bars until his trial.
In a two-hour bail hearing yesterday, Judge Andrew Carter rejected the defense’s pitch of a $50 million bond, regular drug tests, home detention in Miami, no female visitors and more to free the music mogul.
U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson argued that “indisputable evidence makes [it] clear you cannot take the defendant at his word.”
As previously reported, Combs has been charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He faces the rest of his life in prison if found guilty. [via NY Post]
###
TRAVIS KELCE gifted PATRICK MAHOMES a Louis Vuitton golf bag for his 29th birthday.
The brand is a favorite of the QB.
It is unknown exactly which bag Kelce gave him, though most designer golf bags run anywhere from $22,600 to $31,500 a piece.
No word on what Mahomes received from his wife, BRITTANY MAHOMES, besides the party she threw for him on Sunday night. [via Page Six]
###
BILLY JOEL has finally sold his oceanfront mansion in Florida.
He first listed the place in 2018 for around $33 million, only to take it off the market not long after. It was relisted in 2022 for $64.9 million where it sat until January of this year, when Joel decided to slash $10 million from the price. In April the price was cut even further, settling at $49.9 million.
The 13,350-square-foot Mediterranean-style mansion features nine bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, a library, wine cellar with wet bar and a 12-car garage.
No word on who is moving in. [via NY Post]
###
ROMEO BECKHAM, the 22-year-old son of DAVID and VICTORIA BECKHAM, was spotted leaving a party with model AMELIA GRAY HAMLIN last week.
Many may recognize Amelia as the daughter of LISA RINNA and HARRY HAMLIN, but she is also known for dating SCOTT DISICK, who shares three kids with ex KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN.
Days earlier, Romeo was spotted on a date with model, SOPHIE JULIA.
Unlike his older brother, BROOKLYN, Romeo isn’t looking to settle down. Insiders say he recently joined Raya, and is enjoying dating. [via The Sun]
###
HARVEY WEINSTEIN pleaded not guilty to a new sex crime charge in New York on Wednesday.
The new indictment accuses the disgraced movie mogul of “forcing oral sex” on a woman at some point between April 29, 2006 and May 6, 2006.
The 72-year-old is still recovering from emergency heart surgery.
MEANWHILE: Weinstein is awaiting retrial after his 2020 conviction was overturned. That trial is tentatively expected to begin November 12. [via AP]
###
CASTING CALL
“General Hospital” fans are outraged after learning that KELLY MONACO’s character wasn’t “killed off” on the show, but replaced by another actress.
LINDSAY HARTLEY made her debut as Sam McCall, Monaco’s character, this week and viewers had some strong reactions to the new casting.
“This is AWFUL. Lindsay Hartley is a good actress but this is NOT Sam…” one person wrote, while another said, “She is not and will never be @kellymonaco1.”
Monaco has not yet commented on the recasting. [via The Mirror]
###
In addition to promoting her new movie, “Unstoppable,” and allegedly getting back in the studio, JENNIFER LOPEZ is also set to star in a new rom-com for Netflix, titled “Office Romance.”
Plot details are not yet known, though JLo is rumored to be starring opposite “Ted Lasso” star BRETT GOLDSTEIN in the film.
MEANWHILE: Her divorce from BEN AFFLECK is still happening and so is the sale of their Beverly Hills mansion. [via The Blast]
###
FLORENCE PUGH is taking a break from acting.
Speaking to British Vogue, Pugh explained that she wants a better work/life balance because she feels like she is missing out on a lot of life. That being said, she stated that a lengthy career is her goal, but she can’t achieve that if she gets burnt out now.
Currently, however, she is on a press tour for “We Live in Time,” alongside her co-star ANDREW GARFIELD. The movie hits theaters next month. [via British Vogue]
###
DANIEL LUBETZKY, founder of Kind Snacks, is joining “Shark Tank” as the first new regular investor in more than 10 years.
He joins regulars, MARK CUBAN, BARBARA CORCORAN, LORI GREINER, ROBERT HERJAVEC, DAYMOND JOHN, and KEVIN O’LEARY.
Lubetzky appeared as a guest shark in Seasons 11 through 15.
Season 16 premieres on October 18 on ABC. [via Variety]
###
Best-selling author JENEVA ROSE announced a sequel to her 2020 thriller “The Perfect Marriage” will be published next April.
“The Perfect Divorce” picks up 11 years after the happenings of “The Perfect Marriage” in which Sarah, a D.C. lawyer, defends her husband who has been accused of killing his mistress.
Rose’s other books include “You Shouldn’t Have Come Here” and “Home Is Where the Bodies Are.” [via People]
###
THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
ROB KARDASHIAN stays in a wing of sister KHLOE KARDASHIAN’s house when he has his 7-year-old daughter, DREAM KARDASHIAN so she can grow up alongside her cousins, TRUE and TATEM THOMPSON.
When Dream is with her mom, Rob’s ex-fiance BLAC CHYNA, he then lives at his home, which was gifted to him by his mom, KRIS JENNER.
Despite living in such close proximity, Rob “refuses” to appear on the family’s Hulu show, though Dream does make appearances alongside her aunts and cousins. [via The Sun]
###
WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
PRINCE ANDREW is reportedly very excited to watch the upcoming series “A Very Royal Scandal,” which covers the disastrous interview he gave to the BBC in 2019 about his connection to JEFFREY EPSTEIN.
The show premieres today in the U.S. on Amazon Prime. Andrew even plans to host a screening of the show for friends – even though he’s not likely to be depicted in particularly sympathetic light.
But that hasn’t stopped him before. Andy was also reportedly delighted by his portrayal in the Netflix drama “Scoop,” a movie version depicting the leadup to and production of the same interview. In that version, he was mocked for his absurd stuffed animal collection, even as an adult, and for being an aloof, out-of-touch aristocrat.
No one ever said royals need to be self aware. [via Express]
###
DAY OF THE YEAR
Talking Like a Pirate Day
National Butterscotch Pudding Day
###
ON THIS DATE
1796 - George Washington's Farewell Address is published in the American Daily Advertiser.
He had drafted it four years earlier with the help of James Madison, when he intended to only serve one term as president. But after winning re-election it was shelved, though much of the content was still relevant.
Many of the founding fathers had already started fighting and political parties were quickly forming. This terrified Washington, who knew such division would not be healthy for the emerging nation.
He warned against all this in his address.
###
1881 - James Garfield dies 79 days after being shot by Charles Guiteau on July 2nd.
Garfield had been bedridden, as surgeons were not able to find the bullet that was lodged in his back. The president suffered a fever and infection.
The last straw was a massive heart attack.
###
1893 - New Zealand becomes the first free country in the world to grant suffrage rights to women.
The first election that women participated in occurred in November that year.
The U.S. would follow in 1920; Great Britain in 1928.
###
1959 - Russian premier Nikita Khrushchev is barred from entering Disneyland in California.
The Soviet leader had been on a tour of Los Angeles, including visits to the Twentieth Century Fox studios and the set of the movie “Can-Can."
But his American security detail said a trip to Disneyland would pose too significant a threat.
Khrushchev was furious and left the West Coast the next morning.
###
1990 - “Goodfellas” opens in theaters nationwide.
The mob flick was based on the book “Wiseguy,” penned by crime reporter Nick Pileggi.
Joe Pesci would win a Best Actor Oscar for his role.
###
1991 - A German archaeologist digs up the remains of what would become the oldest known and best-preserved human mummy.
He was nicknamed Otzi the Iceman, who is thought to have been born more than 5,000 years ago.
His corpse quickly froze after death, preserving even the contents of his stomach.
Otzi has been the best insight into life during the European Copper Age.
###
1995 - The New York Times and Washington Post publish the Unabomber's 35,000-word manifesto, after he promised more death if the newspapers didn't comply.
Federal investigators actually approved the move. They thought increased public awareness would help capture the terrorist.
###
2021 - The missing person’s case involving video-blogger Gabby Petito comes to an end when her body is found at Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming.
She was traveling across the country with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, at the time she went missing. He quickly became investigators' main suspect.
It would later come to light that Laundrie was in fact responsible for Petito’s death. The confession would be revealed after he took his own life.
###
BIRTHDAYS
Trae Young - basketball player - 26
Rachel Sennott - actress, “Get Money” - 29
Danielle Panabaker - actress, “Friday the 13th” - 37
Brittany Lincicome - golfer - 39
Natalie Eva Marie - wrestler - 40
Ryan Dusick - drummer, Maroon 5 - 47
Jimmy Fallon - TV show host, “The Tonight Show” - 50
Sanaa Lathan - actress, “Love & Basketball” - 53
Tim Scott - politician - 59
Trisha Yearwood - country singer - 60
Twiggy - model - 75
Jeremy Irons - actor, “Reversal of Fortune” - 76
Born On This Date
Erica Ash - actress, “Survivor’s Remorse” - 1977 (d. 2024)
Cass Elliot - folk singer, The Mamas & the Papas - 1941 (d. 1974)
Adam West - actor, “Batman” - 1928 (d. 2017)
William Golding - novelist, “Lord of the Flies” - 1911 (d. 1993)
Lewis F. Powell Jr. - Supreme Court justice - 1907 (d. 1998)
###