In April, ProPublica released a shocking report on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. ProPublica had extensive documentation that Justice Thomas took millions in undisclosed gifts and travel from a top Republican donor named Harlan Crow. None of this is some tricky ethical quagmire – for years, Thomas has broken federal law in his failure to disclose to gifts AND by receiving the gifts. Well, funny story: it’s so much worse than that. ProPublica just published a new report, once again with extensive documentation, about Thomas also receiving millions in gifts, vacations and private-plane flights from other GOP-affiliated billionaires.

During his three decades on the Supreme Court, Clarence Thomas has enjoyed steady access to a lifestyle most Americans can only imagine. A cadre of industry titans and ultrawealthy executives have treated him to far-flung vacations aboard their yachts, ushered him into the premium suites at sporting events and sent their private jets to fetch him — including, on more than one occasion, an entire 737. It’s a stream of luxury that is both more extensive and from a wider circle than has been previously understood. Like clockwork, Thomas’ leisure activities have been underwritten by benefactors who share the ideology that drives his jurisprudence. Their gifts include:

At least 38 destination vacations, including a previously unreported voyage on a yacht around the Bahamas; 26 private jet flights, plus an additional eight by helicopter; a dozen VIP passes to professional and college sporting events, typically perched in the skybox; two stays at luxury resorts in Florida and Jamaica; and one standing invitation to an uber-exclusive golf club overlooking the Atlantic coast.

This accounting of Thomas’ travel, revealed for the first time here from an array of previously unavailable information, is the fullest to date of the generosity that has regularly afforded Thomas a lifestyle far beyond what his income could provide. And it is almost certainly an undercount. While some of the hospitality, such as stays in personal homes, may not have required disclosure, Thomas appears to have violated the law by failing to disclose flights, yacht cruises and expensive sports tickets, according to ethics experts.

Perhaps even more significant, the pattern exposes consistent violations of judicial norms, experts, including seven current and former federal judges appointed by both parties, told ProPublica. “In my career I don’t remember ever seeing this degree of largesse given to anybody,” said Jeremy Fogel, a former federal judge who served for years on the judicial committee that reviews judges’ financial disclosures. “I think it’s unprecedented.”

The New York Times recently surfaced VIP treatment from wealthy businessmen he met through the Horatio Alger Association, an exclusive nonprofit. Among them were David Sokol, a former top executive at Berkshire Hathaway, and H. Wayne Huizenga, a billionaire who turned Blockbuster and Waste Management into national goliaths. (The Times noted Thomas gives access to the Supreme Court building for Horatio Alger events; ProPublica confirmed that the access has cost $1,500 or more in donations per person.)

The total value of the undisclosed trips they’ve given Thomas since 1991, the year he was appointed to the Supreme Court, is difficult to measure. But it’s likely in the millions.

[From ProPublica]

You can read more at the ProPublica link – this kind of blatant criminality is shocking, and it’s shocking that no one reported it before now. Thomas has been on the Supreme Court since the early ‘90s! Three decades of five-star vacations, rides on private jets, shady real estate deals and on and on. Where were the reporters on the SCOTUS beat? The only thing I’ll say in Justice Thomas’s defense is that he’s such a morally bankrupt hack that he would have voted in these Republican donors’ favor anyway, without the gifts. It’s not so much a quid pro quo or an explicit bribe – these donors are simply rewarding him for always voting in a way that aligns with their interests.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red.

The faces we see on screen often become like family. So, when we lose them due to natural or unexpected death, it truly is a tragedy.

Although only just over halfway through the year, death has already affected so many sports, television, and music stars alike.

It is important to reflect on the positive impact these stars had on our lives and others, for even though they may be gone, they are not lost from our memories.

Doris Day

Doris Day was an adored actress and singer in the 50’s and 60’s. Some of her most famous works included Pillow Talk, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Calamity Jane, and Love Me or Leave Me. Miss Day died on May 13 at age 97 due to natural causes. Her girl-next-door-image, as well as her animal activism work with the Doris Day Animal League, will always be remembered.

Grumpy Cat

This social media-loving cat, who’s real name was Tardar Sauce, died at age 7 on May 14. This lovable cat met his fame 7 years ago when his photo was shared on Reddit in 2012. His owner captioned “Meet Grumpy Cat” and from then the image went viral. His meme-loving face was all over social media and even featured on the front of a New York Times magazine. It just goes to show you that the celebrities we love come in all shapes and sizes.

Peter Mayhew

There is no way to forget Peter Mayhew; both for his world-renowned role as Han Solo’s sidekick Chewbacca in the Star Wars saga and for his incredible 7 foot 3 inch stature. There’s no way not to miss an individual as unique and talented as Mayhew. Mayhew was 74 and died on April 30; a date that Star Wars fanatics will never forget.

Luke Perry

Luke Perry, otherwise known as Dylan McKay from television series Beverly Hills 90210, unexpectedly lost his life on March 4 when he suffered a massive stroke. He was 52 years old. The teenage heartthrob will be missed in the hearts of many, and Leonardo DiCaprio seeks to honor Perry’s kind soul, as he prepares to play the role of McKay in the new 90210.

 Cameron Boyce

One of the more recent and tragic deaths of 2019 was that of Disney-Channel star Cameron Boyce. He died on July 6, at the age of 20, due to a seizure in his sleep from an ongoing medical condition. His mother has shared how Cameron will always be remembered as the kind, loving, funny spirit that he always was.

Gloria Vanderbilt

Gloria was a talented woman who considered herself an actress, fashion designer, artist, and author. She was born straight into her fame however, into one of the wealthiest families in America. The Vanderbilt name was commonly associated with their jeans empire, and later Gloria remained in the spotlight with her son, Anderson Cooper’s, television fame. Gloria Vanderbilt died on June 17 at the age of 95. She lived a full and successful life that continues to live on, especially through her family.

Carmine Caridi

This famous actor made his presence in some of the most famous films of all time including Murder She Wrote, The Money Pit, and Starsky & Hutch, as well as The Godfather Part II and III. Caridi died on May 28 at age 83. His presence on the big screen will be forever missed.

Niki Lauda

Niki Lauda was a world-famous car-racing champion who had won the Formula One three times in his life. Lauda died on May 21 at the age of 70. His tenacity will always be remembered, especially for his participation in the world championship in 1976. During this time, Lauda was horribly burned in a crash in the German Grand Prix, but after a brief recovery, returned to the race, only to be narrowly beaten by James Hunt. His strength and passion for the sport are truly admirable.

Tim Conway

Tim Conway will always be remembered for his incredible ability to make co-stars of The Carol Burnett Show roll with laughter. He was witty, fun, but it wasn’t until his appearances on The Steve Allen Show and McHale’s Navy that he became world famous. Conway also made several television guest appearance such as on 30 Rock, and Spongebob Squarepants. He actually received an Emmy for his role on 30 Rock. Tim Conway died on May 14 at the age of 85, but his laughter provoking soul will forever love on.

These are only a few of the faces we have lost in 2019, and like all the others, their memories will outlast on the screen and in our hearts.

The post Remembering Celebrities of 2023 first appeared on CelebrityBabyScoop.

From CB: I bought the Dash mini rice cooker back in April, 2021 and still use it just about every day. It makes the perfect amount of rice for 2-3 people and it always comes out fluffy and perfectly cooked. I also use it to make oatmeal in the mornings. You can set it and leave it, and it will keep your food warm without drying it out. Here are some more things Rosie and I are looking at on Amazon.

A roomy gym bag with wet and dry compartments

From CB: This versatile bag comes in over 20 different colors and patterns, with many on sale under $30. It has a little matching cosmetic pouch and a USB port to charge your phone through an internal power bank (sold separately). There’s also a separate area underneath for your shoes and a wet compartment! This listing has over 5,400 ratings, 4.5 stars and a B on Fakespot. People say it’s just what they needed and is so convenient. “I’ve only had this for 2.5 months. I have taken this bag on my last 4 road-trips and can’t live without it. It has so many pockets on the inside and outside, plus a zippered compartment on the bottom for shoes. It even came with two drawstring shoe bags! I haven’t hooked up my power bank to use as a charger yet but it also came with the usb cord. The inner compartment is very well lined in case you have spills or wet items. I purchased the light cream color and I was worried that it would get dirty, but it really hasn’t.”

An affordable set of two satin pillowcases

From CB: I had a satin pillowcase with a zipper that stopped working after a while. These envelope-close satin pillowcases by BedSure are on sale with most sets of two under $10 plus a coupon at checkout! They come in over 30 colors and in five different sizes. They have over 285,000 ratings(!) and 4.3 stars on ReviewMeta. Reviewers say they’re so comfortable and that they’ve noticed better skin and less tangled hair since switching. “I’ve had other satin pillowcases/sheets and after washing & drying they are a wrinkled mess. These wash & dry beautifully and are basically wrinkle free. Soft & silky and my hair combs easily after a nights sleep. Was concerned my head would get hot, it doesn’t. These are extremely comfortable.” “I bought one set for myself and it has made a world of difference on my complexion and my hair.”

An induction burner for quicker cooking and easier cleanup

From CB: I was reading a list on Buzzfeed of cost-saving products and someone said their induction cooktop keeps their main stovetop cleaner! I definitely need help with that. We had a full induction stove in Germany and it was awesome. You never get burned by it and it’s hot immediately. You do have to make sure your cookware is compatible. This portable 1800W induction cooktop by Duxtop is under $60 and has a 5% off coupon. It has 15,000 ratings, 4.4 stars and the same score on ReviewMeta. Reviewers say it gets hot almost immediately and that there’s a learning curve, but they love how much quicker it cooks. “I have a gas range because that is the hookup that was there when I bought the home. I don’t have a problem with gas, but the range is so hard to keep clean, and I live alone! I only use this one new induction cooktop now, if I put hot water in a pot and turn it on high it boils in a minute! Put my eggs in and turn it off and I am done.” “I have been using this induction cook top for 6 months now on a daily basis, it is the only cook top I use. I am still as happy with it as I was when I first started using it. Getting use to the heat settings did not take long and it does hold true to the temperature. I most certainly recommend this product to others. Am very happy with my investment.”

A set of 30 dermaplaning tools so you’ll never be without

From CB: I dermaplane, which is a fancy name for shaving your face, after a lot of deliberation. It makes my skin look so smooth and prepares it for serums and moisturizing. The only issue is that the razors get gunky fast and you need to replace them frequently. This set of 30 dermaplaning razors is under $10. It has 4.3 stars, over 3,500 ratings and B on Fakespot. Reviewers say that these aren’t as sharp as much more expensive razors, but that they do the job and are gentle. “I use them to shave my whole face. I like them because they don’t cut my acne and they are thin and small enough that I can shave near my ears and jawline without cutting myself.” “I use these on my clients for my microblading business and they work great. I get a very close shave with these. I have used more expensive ones and I cannot tell a difference between the two.”

An insert to help keep your purse or bag organized

From Rosie: I have a tote bag and always carry way too many things in it. I need something like this purse organizer to help with that. It comes in 6 different sizes and has 21 color options overall (some sizes are only available in certain colors). It has a 4.5 star rating, more than 28,000 reviews, and an A on Fakespot. Reviewers love how well it fits inside their bags, as well as how organized it makes things. “This allows me to keep things organized. I love the insert with Velcro that allows you to remove it you’d like.” “I like that this organizer is sturdy and stout, and won’t fall apart or collapse easily. It has plenty of small pockets in addition to a zippered pouch which can be used or not used to divide the spacious center.”

A fragrance-free hyaluronic acid face moisturizer

From Rosie: This face moisturizer by Neutrogena is hands-down my favorite face cream. I have sensitive skin and used to just forgo moisturizer because it felt heavy and my face would break out or I’d start sneezing. I’ve had no issues at all since I started using this one. It has a 4.6 star rating, more than 43,000 reviews, and a B on Fakespot. People love how nice it feels on their sensitive skin. “I have tried both the fragrance free and the regular jar and both worked great. I have very sensitive skin and I didn’t have any allergic issues with either…Even my Dermatologist rec’d this line.” “I read all the reviews and it does live up to its hype. I am over 50 and I have dry skin. It feels so good on. It feels cooling and it moisturizes my skin all day.” “There is nothing I don’t like about this product! It goes on silky smooth and leaves my skin feel so soft/smooth.”

Divided cereal bowls to prevent soggy cereal

From Rosie: I had no idea that this product existed but I’m so intrigued by it. It’s designed to prevent your cereal from getting soggy or separating your favorite snacks or food combos, like chips and salsa. Buying options include a single bowl or a 2- or 3-pack. It has a 4.6 star rating, more than 6,600 reviews, and an A on Fakespot. Reviewers rave about how versatile it is. “This clever bowl is the perfect solution for me. I am not a fan of soggy cereal and it keeps the milk and cereal separated.” “Put hummus or egg salad in one side, crackers in the other. Or berries on one side and cottage cheese on the other. Maybe a bit of salsa and some chips. The possibilities are limitless!” “Perfect for feeding my 7 month old grandbaby as we experiment with puréed foods. I put her baby oatmeal in one section and puréed fruit in the other. Same with lunchtime vegetables and meats.”

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We heard this week that Prince William and Kate will “lead the tributes” to Queen Elizabeth II on the one-year anniversary of her death, September 8th. Kensington Palace went on a briefing spree this week, timed to “pull focus” from Prince Harry’s trip to Japan and Singapore, all to hype Will and Kate’s big death-anniversary event. I said yesterday that all of this hype was kind of dumb because they would probably just tweet an unsettling and macabre video on the death-anniversary, but it turns out, they are planning to do an actual “event.” As in, a public appearance somewhere, probably in Windsor.

The Prince and Princess of Wales will mark the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death with a public engagement, the Telegraph understands. The royal couple are set to make an appearance on Sept 8, the day Queen Elizabeth died last year aged 96, to pay tribute to her.

It is understood that they will not release a public message to commemorate the late monarch despite the plans for an engagement to go ahead.

While members of the Royal family will be going in and out of the King’s Scottish Highlands’ estate during their summer holidays, it is understood that Sept 8 will be kept for private reflection. The Prince and Princess of Wales are likely to have returned to their family home in Windsor by that point, as their children’s school will have started Michaelmas term 2023 on Sept 6.

While the exact location of where the Prince and Princess may carry out their public engagement to mark the anniversary is not yet known, it is possible they wish to stay around Windsor as their children return to school.

A source told the Daily Mirror that the royal couple will use the occasion to reflect on the late monarch’s life, but will also use the opportunity to “look forward”. They said: “Her Majesty’s passing was an event that truly ­signified the end of an era. The Royal Family has been in ­transition since then and following the Coronation and conclusion of the summer holidays, there will be an expectation to see what is next.”

Meanwhile, the King, who began his summer in Scotland earlier this month, will start to receive family members to Balmoral shortly.

[From The Telegraph]

People keep making a big deal about how King Charles isn’t doing anything for the anniversary, and I don’t get it? Is the British media yanking his chain and demanding that Charles do something or give them something? I think that’s what it is, and this is the answer – he is sending Will and Kate out to make asses out of themselves on the anniversary. Problem solved! After all of this hype, you’ve got to think that the actual event will probably be pretty underwhelming. But hey, it will be the first f–king thing they’ve done in two months. Imagine needing this much advanced hype for one hour of work in two months. Peg and Buttons are such a bad investment for the monarchy, I swear to god.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Remember when Q scores were the rage? Q scores were corporate America’s attempt to quantify the unquantifiable – general likability, and a celebrity’s ability to “sell” you a product, like a TV show or an ad campaign. No one ever talks about Q scores anymore, I guess no one cares about that stuff in the fractured TV landscape and the homogenized film landscape. I was reminded of Q scores because someone (?) thought it would be a good idea (??) to engineer a Gallup poll of Americans to rate the most popular “public figures.” Not just any public figures, they asked Americans about Prince William, King Charles, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The results of the Gallup poll are mind-numbing.

Prince William has come out on top of a new poll asking both Republicans and Democrats which public figures they liked. The poll, conducted by Gallup, showed that Americans may have to look outside of its borders to find a public figure that the majority of the country can agree upon.

The Prince came out on top to serve in this US-unifying role, with 59 per cent of voters giving him a favourable rating. William beat out 14 other prominent figures to claim the top spot. He narrowly beat out Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, who got an approval rating of 57 per cent. Both William and the Ukrainian president were the only two figures on the list who earned a majority approval.

At the bottom of the list, is Russian President Vladimir Putin, receiving a 5 per cent favourable rating in comparison to 90 per cent of unfavourable opinions.

Included in the list, is William’s father King Charles, who received an approval percentage of 46 per cent. However, he was still more popular than unpopular with voters, gaining 37 per cent of unfavourable opinions.

[From GB News]

It’s awfully convenient that this suspiciously Peg-positive poll comes out just one month before William is due to make a grand solo-Peg appearance in New York. I suspect that some Earthshot funds went into rigging this Gallup poll, but I have zero evidence to back that up. They’re really trying to make “William is super-popular with Americans” into a thing, nevermind the fact that the last time he was here, his ass got booed at a Celtics game and he spent a full day throwing hissy fits about the Harry & Meghan Netflix teaser. Good times. Just goes to show you, you can’t actually buy your way to a good Q score.

Speaking of, one of the first things on William’s agenda should be backing away from the anti-woke MAGA crowd. Unfortunately, he’s the Tory Party’s useful idiot, so they probably consider it a “win” when Megyn Kelly goes on unhinged rants about how William is better than the Sussexes.

Paging Harry & Meghan – your campaign failed. You remain loathed & the Prince (& Princess) of Wales, beloved. https://t.co/Ezmw2gWosf

— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) August 9, 2023

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.

This has been quite the summer for animals behaving badly. First we had the infamous sea otter 841 who was stealing surf boards from surfers in Santa Cruz. She remains at large after evading capture, and I would advise everyone to avoid her favorite surf breaks. Now we have Hank the Tank (officially known as 64F), a female black bear who has broken into homes over twenty times in Lake Tahoe in the last year. She hasn’t hurt anybody but she’s caused significant property damage. Now the jig is up for 64F, as she has been captured and they plan to re-home her to a wildlife sanctuary in Colorado. Her three cubs are going to be sent to a different sanctuary where they can hopefully un-learn their mom’s dangerous behaviors and be released into the wild. I’m sad they’re being separated but in this case, I think it’s the right call. Oh, and I’m not calling her Hank the Tank, as I simply don’t think it’s the name that 64F would choose for herself.

An infamous black bear linked to over 20 home break-ins in South Lake Tahoe, California, has been captured, according to wildlife officials.

The female bear, nicknamed “Hank the Tank” by locals, was “responsible for at least 21 DNA-confirmed home break-ins and extensive property damage” since 2022, according to a release from the California Fish and Wildlife Department (CDFW).

The CDFW started closely monitoring Hank the Tank, also known as Bear 64F, in 2022 and linked the bear to the 21 incidents mentioned above between February 2022 and May 2023.

The agency encountered the notorious bear earlier this year but did not capture the animal then.

“In March of 2023, she was discovered denning under a residence in South Lake Tahoe along with her three male cubs of the year,” per the release. “Staff from CDFW and the Nevada Department of Wildlife immobilized the bear, collected DNA evidence, attached an ear tag, and affixed a satellite tracking collar to the bear.”

On Friday, CDFW wildlife officials safely immobilized and took in Hank the Tank and her three cubs.

The bears are undergoing veterinary checks before moving on to their new homes.

“Pending a successful veterinary check, CDFW has secured permission from the State of Colorado to transport the female black bear, known as 64F, and place it with The Wild Animal Sanctuary,” CDFW wrote of the Bear 64’s future.

The Wild Animal Sanctuary, located in Keenesburg, Colorado, is looking forward to welcoming the black bear to its expansive facilities.

“We’re just glad that we can help and can give her a good home,” Pat Craig, the executive director of The Wild Animal Sanctuary, shared in a statement to PEOPLE. “Obviously, we’d like to see all animals stay in the wild, but at the same time, those that need to be removed from the wild — and can either be euthanized or go to a sanctuary — this one can go to our sanctuary, and we can give her a semi-natural place to live.”

What’s happening to her cubs: CDFW added that Bear 64’s cubs will “potentially be relocated to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue, a CDFW-permitted wildlife rehabilitation facility in Petaluma, in hopes they can discontinue the negative behaviors they learned from the sow and can be returned to the wild.”

[From People]

I am not a wildlife expert, but I have volunteered for marine mammal rescues, and so I’ve seen many cases where it’s best for baby animals to be separated from their mothers–sometimes that’s the only way they will survive. Sometimes the baby is too sick, other times the mother is too sick, or the mother is showing erratic behaviors that place both of them in danger. Mama bears are always teaching their babies things–there’s a beloved grizzly bear in the Tetons, 399, who has been seen teaching her cubs to look both ways before they cross the road. So 64F’s cubs have been learning to copy her home invasions, trust. It’s a controversial decision to separate them, but I think the cubs deserve the chance to be rehabilitated and released back into the wild where they belong.

I am suspicious of CDFW on principle. But I’m glad CDFW caught 64F and her cubs because it was only a matter of time before the bears hurt somebody or somebody’s pet. Once that happens, there is usually pressure from the community for the animal(s) to be euthanized, which is a choice that I almost never agree with from an ethical standpoint. That’s what happened with the Los Angeles mountain lion P22–they said they euthanized him because he had health issues, but he had also killed somebody’s dog and they were getting a lot of complaints about him from the rich people who live in, like, Bel Air. It’s important to be vigilant and do everything we can to keep wild animals wild. Be bear aware, make noise when you hike so you don’t startle them, learn how to “haze” coyotes so they don’t look to humans as sources of food. When wild animals get habituated to human contact, it places them in just as much danger as it does the humans.

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Photo note by CB: None of these photos are actually of Hank/64F. Photos credit: Aaron J Hill/Pexels, Pete Nuij/Unsplash and via Instagram

Taylor Swift usually sets up multiple concerts in a major city during her tours. That’s especially true of Los Angeles – her concerts always sell out in LA, and if she wanted to, she could easily fill the SoFi Stadium every night for a full month. Let’s be real – I’m a snake-skeptic about a lot of things, but everyone wants to go to Taylor’s concerts. So, she arranged for a six-concert stop in LA, and on Tuesday, the Duchess of Sussex was apparently seen there. There was a story, weeks ago, trying to make it sound like Taylor has beef with Meghan because Meghan wrote her a letter, asking her to appear on Archetypes but Taylor said no. Looks like there’s no BAD BLOOD.

Meghan Markle is a Swiftie! A source confirms to PEOPLE that the Duchess of Sussex, 42, attended Taylor Swift’s performance at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on Tuesday during the Eras Tour’s California leg.

As Swift launched into her Fearless era — telling the excited crowd, “Let’s go back to high school!” — Meghan jumped up out of her chair to sing along to “You Belong with Me.”

Page Six, which was first to report the news, said Meghan attended with her friend Lucy Fraser.

Although Prince Harry did not join his wife as he’s overseas, he’s been to SoFi Stadium since they located to Meghan’s home state in 2020 after stepping back from their royal roles. In 2022, he attended the Super Bowl at the venue alongside his cousin Princess Eugenie, who was visiting from the U.K.

[From People]

“You Belong with Me”? That’s the song Meghan got up for?? Y’all know my feelings on Tay, but I would have been able to rock out to “Anti-Hero” or “Wild Dreams” or “Blank Space.” Sh-t, maybe my preferred era is 1989 or Midnights. Never thought Meg would be a Fearless girl. (Also: Justice 4 Lover.)

Anyway, in all of the reporting about this, people are clutching their pearls that Meghan left her house while Harry was away in Japan and Singapore. Like, it’s 2023? A wife can leave the house without her husband. A woman doesn’t need her husband’s permission to go to a concert. What is this retro – or purposefully regressive – era we’re living in? Even if the argument is “it’s notable because Harry and Meghan are not together, it lends fuel to the breakup rumors” – the rumors were always complete bullsh-t, there was never anything substantive there. A man is away on business for a week and a wife went to a concert with her friend.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

After appearing at the sports summit in Tokyo and before they flew to Singapore, Prince Harry and his brother Nacho Figueras decided to go shopping. Nacho posted the above Instagram pic with this message: “Shopping for our wives. A big thank you to Tokyo for your generous hospitality and kindness towards us. And of course, for your continued support of @sentebale!” LOL – you mean that Harry’s trip doesn’t mean that there’s a Sussex split? You mean that Harry picked up something for Meghan at the duty-free shop?? Page Six had more gossip:

An insider gave further insight into the shopping spree, exclusively telling Page Six that Harry, 38, had “so much fun” and made no attempt to avoid being recognized.

“He didn’t even wear his hat out, we had the best time and everyone was so nice,” the source enthused. Figueras and Harry even took photos with “anyone who asked and waved at anyone who noticed them from afar,” the source told us.

[From Page Six]

Wow, Meghan’s hostage is getting so bold! Imagine, Harry and Nacho being warm and polite to fans during a shopping trip before their flight to Singapore. Too bad the All White Royals can’t go anywhere without being threatened with the guillotine, I guess.

Meanwhile, the Mail has a hilariously obsessive story about the history of Harry and Nacho’s friendship. All of the quotes and stories are old news, except that the Mail claims Nacho is called the “David Beckham of Polo” and I don’t think anyone calls him that except the British media. The Mail also wrote this line with a straight face: “His closeness to the couple is despite his public openness about his friendship with Harry and Meghan, who has previously insisted her family has a ‘basic right to privacy’, as well as even launching a royal-inspired scent.” Yes… how dare Harry and Meghan have friends when they also say they have a basic right to privacy???

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Photos courtesy of Instagram, Cover Images, Backgrid, Instar.

I remember being on Twitter on the afternoon and evening of January 6th, 2021. The MAGA terrorists had forced their way into the Capitol and many congressmen, senators and staffers had been evacuated, but some were still in bunkers or in lockdown in their offices. There were terrorists openly hunting for Speaker Pelosi, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and other Democrats. Republicans began applying pressure on Donald Trump to do or say something to get his terrorists to stand down. He refused to say anything publicly for hours. Then he started tweeting encouragement to the terrorists and actively inciting more violence and more crime. Suddenly, Twitter started deleting his tweets and monitoring his account so that they could take down tweets as soon as he made them. This was happening for hours, and Trump tried tweeting from other accounts and Twitter deleted those too. That was finally when Trump’s Twitter account was suspended.

I’ve wondered, in the years since, if we would ever learn what Trump was trying to tweet out to his terrorist mob, tweets which were caught by the Twitter monitors before they were even published. Looks like DOJ’s Special Council Jack Smith wondered the same thing.

Prosecutors working for Jack Smith, the special counsel who has twice brought indictments against former President Donald J. Trump, obtained a search warrant early this year for Mr. Trump’s long-dormant Twitter account as part of their inquiry into his attempt to overturn the 2020 election, according to court papers unsealed on Wednesday.

The warrant, which was signed by a federal judge in Washington in January after Elon Musk took over Twitter, now called X, is the first known example of prosecutors directly searching Mr. Trump’s communications and adds a new dimension to the scope of the special counsel’s efforts to investigate the former president.

The court papers, which emerged from an appeal by Twitter challenging a part of the judge’s decision to issue the warrant, did not reveal what prosecutors were looking for in Mr. Trump’s Twitter account, which the tech company shut down for nearly two years soon after the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

But the papers indicate that prosecutors received permission from the judge not to tell Mr. Trump for months that they had obtained the warrant for his account. The prosecutors feared that if Mr. Trump learned about the warrant, it “would seriously jeopardize the ongoing investigation” by giving him “an opportunity to destroy evidence, change patterns of behavior [or] notify confederates,” the papers said.

Mr. Trump quickly responded to the news about the warrant on his own social media site, Truth Social. “Just found out that Crooked Joe Biden’s DOJ secretly attacked my Twitter account, making it a point not to let me know about this major ‘hit’ on my civil rights,” he wrote. “My Political Opponent is going CRAZY trying to infringe on my Campaign for President.”

[From The NY Times]

Politico had more information on the search warrant and how Elon Musk refused to comply with the order initially. The court levied a $350,000 fine on Twitter/Musk for their three-day delay in complying with the search warrant. The opinion was sealed until now. Meaning, I think, that Jack Smith now has all of Twitter’s digital records of what they deleted on January 6th. I would imagine that Smith would probably be able to speak to the people, the actual living humans, who were tasked with monitoring his account on that day as well. Another interesting part of this is the gag order and secrecy – apparently, Elon Musk wanted to “warn” Trump that Jack Smith was looking through his Twitter files but the federal court said no. This was around the same time that Musk reinstated Trump’s account too.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.

I did not know that Jamie Dornan and Robert Pattinson were once roommates as young actors in London. I presume someone somewhere has written a fanfiction about these two beautiful men living together and so forth; if not, please commence, Internet! Just kidding. But I guess it makes sense that they were friends, coming up together at the same time. They also shared a flat with Andrew Garfield, Charlie Cox, and Eddie Redmayne during this period. Prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike, Jamie was promoting the Netflix action movie Heart of Stone, slated for an August 11 release. Obviously the actors are not doing any promotional work anymore. Wired released an interview on YouTube recorded prior to the strike with Jamie and his co-stars Gal Gadot and Alia Bhatt. In it, Jamie talks about his friendship with Rob Pattinson and how he used to be jealous of Rob’s early success with Twilight.

Jamie Dornan has nothing but love — and a hint of jealousy — for longtime friend Robert Pattinson.

In a new WIRED interview with Heart of Stone castmates Gal Gadot and Alia Bhatt, the Irish actor, 41, reflected on his relationship with the Twilight star.

“I’ve known Rob forever,” he said. “He’s a really good friend. I love him. I think he’s one of the most interesting and exciting actors around.”

The Fifty Shades star explained that he was envious of Pattinson, 37, who was making a name for himself as vampire heartthrob Edward Cullen when the pair — as well as pals Andrew Garfield, Charlie Cox and Eddie Redmayne — were roommates over a decade ago.

“I probably at one point was quite jealous of him, like early on when we were all friends back in London and Rob was just like going places and we sort of weren’t,” he admitted, referring to Pattinson’s Twilight fame.

“You love him,” Gadot chimed in, teasing her costar. “You love him so much.”

“I think he’s amazing,” Dornan agreed, adding that the Lighthouse actor is “the nicest guy in the world.”

[From People]

It’s sweet that they’re still friends. In my view, Rob became a movie star (or what passes for a movie star in this day and age) and Jamie didn’t get to quite the same level of fame for one reason: Rob is interesting. Rob is chaotic, and always has been. He constantly says absurd things in interviews, he prefers to play weird characters whenever he can, and he subverted expectations and didn’t get swole to play Batman. (He trained for three months prior to filming, but he didn’t go the full Chris Hemsworth superhero routine.) You truly never know what’s going to come out of that young man’s mouth. Jamie is beautiful, but boring. He’s also a good actor when given the right material but he isn’t as good at being a celebrity and I don’t think he takes as many risks with the roles he chooses. Nevertheless, there are far worse fates than being a square-jawed leading man who has little to do besides look stoic–it’s nice work if you can get it. As an aside, I find it amusing that both men played a version of Edward Cullen–Rob played the Original, and Jamie the Sadist Redux since Fifty Shades is based on Twilight. Fifty Shades is much worse than Twilight, but it’s just funny to me that they’ve both played that character.

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Photos credit: Avalon.red and Getty Images