Month: December 2023

A BBC News anchor made international news last week when she did something rather shocking: She was caught flipping the bird on live television. The clip made it to Last Week with John Oliver, and it went viral all over America. Maryam Moshiri, the anchor who performed the lewd act, apologized profusely for the incident, but now there’s full video that proves, like she said, that it was all a silly joke.

In the 13-second video, Moshiri uses her fingers to visually count down to 10, when the feed will go live to viewers. Once she gets to number two, Moshiri flips her hand around, showing a jokily rude gesture that’s popular in the UK. Finally one digit is left, and it’s the one that’s a rude gesture in the U.S. as well.

From there she smoothly slips into a more formal vibe, telling viewers, “Live from London, this is BBC News.” The show’s director simply cut to her too quickly.

After the clip went viral, Moshiri was quick to make amends.

“Hey, I’m so sorry about this,” she tweeted. “I was having a private joke with the team in the gallery and pretending to count down as the director was counting me down from 10-0.. including the fingers to show the number. When we got to 1 I turned finger around as a joke and did not realise that this would be caught on camera.”

Moshiri described the bit as a “silly joke that was meant for a small number of my mates.”

Hey, more embarrassing things have happened to anchors on live television.

(Via Deadline)

The holiday season is supposed to be a time of cheer and fun. Unfortunately, rock fans have found themselves in a rut this morning following some depressing news. Legendary band AC/DC has gained a heaven in the sky. Early this morning (December 16), the group took to their official Instagram page to reveal that their original drummer, Colin Burgess, died at the age of 77.

“Very sad to hear of the passing of Colin Burgess. He was our first drummer and a very respected musician. Happy memories, rock in peace, Colin,” read the note.

At this time, the official cause of death has not yet been revealed. Most AC/DC fans are familiar with founding members Malcolm and Angus Young, as well as bassist Cliff Williams, drummer Phil Rudd, lead vocalist Brian Johnson, and rhythm guitarist Stevie Young. However, the band’s original mix included the Young brothers, alongside bassist Larry Van Kriedt and Burgess as their first drummer.

Unfortunately, Burgess time in the band, as pointed out by Rolling Stone, was relatively brief (only around four months). However, he did record two songs in that time (“Can I Set Next To You, Girl” and “Rockin’ in the Parlour”).

Fans have shown their respects to Burgess online. Read a few of their posts below.

After her iHeartRadio Jingle Ball performance on December 14 in Atlanta, Georgia, Nicki Minaj is laser-focused on all things Pink Friday 2. That means leaving behind anything that will siphon off promotional attention from it, including older collaborations. Unfortunately, that means her leaked viral verse for Kanye West’s song “New Body” might never see the light of day.

After Nicki apparently refused to clear her verse, which was set to appear on West’s forthcoming joint album Vultures with Ty Dolla Sign, he went on a rant against her. Now, Azealia Banks has inserted herself into the mix to take up for Nicki’s artistic decision.

On Saturday, December 16, in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Banks tore into West. “Okay. Now I’m really pissed the f*ck off,” she wrote. “Regardless of how I feel about [Pink Friday 2], did fat, smelly loser Kanye West really just try to step all over Nicki’s release? Did I hear correctly when he tried to take credit for supporting her career.”

She continued, “Did he forget that Lil Wayne and Young Money [Records] supported her, believed in her, and shared their money, time, and resources with her to launch a female rapper to international icon status? Has Kanye ever successfully launched any artist he hasn’t sabotaged out of jealousy?”

Banks’ opinions on other artists tend to divide users online, but most fans support this take.

After her iHeartRadio Jingle Ball performance on December 14 in Atlanta, Georgia, Nicki Minaj is laser-focused on all things Pink Friday 2. That means leaving behind anything that will siphon off promotional attention from it, including older collaborations. Unfortunately, that means her leaked viral verse for Kanye West’s song “New Body” might never see the light of day.

After Nicki apparently refused to clear her verse, which was set to appear on West’s forthcoming joint album Vultures with Ty Dolla Sign, he went on a rant against her. Now, Azealia Banks has inserted herself into the mix to take up for Nicki’s artistic decision.

On Saturday, December 16, in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Banks tore into West. “Okay. Now I’m really pissed the f*ck off,” she wrote. “Regardless of how I feel about [Pink Friday 2], did fat, smelly loser Kanye West really just try to step all over Nicki’s release? Did I hear correctly when he tried to take credit for supporting her career.”

She continued, “Did he forget that Lil Wayne and Young Money [Records] supported her, believed in her, and shared their money, time, and resources with her to launch a female rapper to international icon status? Has Kanye ever successfully launched any artist he hasn’t sabotaged out of jealousy?”

Banks’ opinions on other artists tend to divide users online, but most fans support this take.

After her iHeartRadio Jingle Ball performance on December 14 in Atlanta, Georgia, Nicki Minaj is laser-focused on all things Pink Friday 2. That means leaving behind anything that will siphon off promotional attention from it, including older collaborations. Unfortunately, that means her leaked viral verse for Kanye West’s song “New Body” might never see the light of day.

After Nicki apparently refused to clear her verse, which was set to appear on West’s forthcoming joint album Vultures with Ty Dolla Sign, he went on a rant against her. Now, Azealia Banks has inserted herself into the mix to take up for Nicki’s artistic decision.

On Saturday, December 16, in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Banks tore into West. “Okay. Now I’m really pissed the f*ck off,” she wrote. “Regardless of how I feel about [Pink Friday 2], did fat, smelly loser Kanye West really just try to step all over Nicki’s release? Did I hear correctly when he tried to take credit for supporting her career.”

She continued, “Did he forget that Lil Wayne and Young Money [Records] supported her, believed in her, and shared their money, time, and resources with her to launch a female rapper to international icon status? Has Kanye ever successfully launched any artist he hasn’t sabotaged out of jealousy?”

Banks’ opinions on other artists tend to divide users online, but most fans support this take.

Lots of unprecedented things have happened on Capitol Hill over the last few years. There’ve been spats from gun-toting lawmakers over metal detectors. Triumph the Insult Comic Dog visited there and caused a mini-scandal. Then there’s that whole failed coup thing. Bet few were expecting to learn hardcore porn was shot inside the vaunted building.

Per Mediaite, footage recently leaked to the Tucker Carlson-founded The Daily Caller finds to unidentified men engaging in some anal sex in one of the Senate hearing rooms.

“A source identified the room to the Daily Caller as Senate room Hart 216- The Judiciary Room. The Caller blurred out his face because his identity has not been confirmed,” Daily Caller chief national correspondent Henry Rodgers reported. “It appears to be unprotected sex.”

The video originally was originally “shared in a private group for gay men in politics.” One member apparently leaked it to The Daily Caller.

There’s been some speculation about who is involved in the video. One person who came up was Aidan Maese-Czeropski, a staffer for 80-year-old Democratic Maryland senator Ben Cardin. Maese-Czeropski has denied the allegations. Cardin’s office has yet to weigh in on the video.

On the plus side, Congress last week bid adieu to its most chaotic member, which is saying something.

(Via Mediaite)

Rudy Giuliani is such a wreck his chaos is even spreading to those in his orbit. On Friday the fallen former “America’s Mayor” was ordered to pay a whopping $148 million to two election workers who sued him for defamation. His self-destructive comments came about in December of 2020. It was a wild time for him: He had the Four Seasons Total Landscaping debacle, he introduced the wine lady, and he had that mystery goo moment.

Now some three years later, there’s more Giuliani-related weird hair news. Giuliani and his posse appeared at a Georgia courthouse, where he received the bad news. Among him was his entourage, including someone who appears to be a bag man, one of his lawyers, or simply a staffer. Whoever he was, he had weird, weird hair.

The ‘do sure is a wonder. Most of the guy’s head is shaved, save a gigantic, continent-sized land mass towards the front of his head. To some it looked like Cillian Murphy’s early 20th century Irish gangster get-up from Peaky Blinders, if the hair was in the slightly wrong place.

Others thought it seemed like Hitler-y.

It also inspired tons and tons of jokes.

Currently the Giuliani associate’s identity is unknown, which is probably for the best. At least he’s doing better than Rudy, who before the verdict was so broke he can’t even afford a car in which to cry (or fart). The poor guy’s even jokingly (or not?) begging people for money on live television.

How are you doing? No matter how bad things are for you, you’re probably doing better than Rudy Giuliani. Mere days after it was claimed that he was basically broke, he was ordered to pay a whopping $148 million to two election workers who’d sued him for defamation. Luckily he’s taking it in stride, jokingly asking far right hosts if they’d lend him some dough — unless he wasn’t joking,

Per Mediaite, Giuliani was a guest on Newsmax Friday night where he and host Greg Kelly tried to find the humor in an apocalyptic situation. Kelly, of his part, sarcastically remarked, “That’ll be $148 million, please!”

That prompted Giuliani to reply, “You got any money you can loan me, Greg?” He then laughed.

Giuliani then took a more somber note. “How can you not be so sad for the country?” he remarked. “Here I am in the District of Columbia. The first time I came here, I had goosebumps. I’m gonna leave here thinking that this District of Columbia is a fascist court.”

It’s a similar tack used by his good pal Donald Trump (who left him out to dry): claim anyone holding him responsible for his actions is just fascist. Meanwhile Trump has repeatedly vowed to go full dictator if re-elected, if only on his first day, as if that’s any comfort.

Earlier in the week, Giuliani’s former press secretary Ken Frydman made some grim insinuations about his financial situation, saying, “He can’t even afford a new car, frankly; that’s how low on funds he is.”

(Via Mediaite)

The New York Knicks trailed by five at halftime in Phoenix on Friday night, as Kevin Durant had a big second quarter to push the Suns in front despite an early injury to Bradley Beal.

However, at halftime Knicks guard Jalen Brunson made a very good adjustment to simply make every shot he took in the second half, hitting all 12 of his shot attempts, including eight threes, en route to a career-high 50-point night. Brunson started to rain in threes in the third quarter, helping the Knicks close the gap to two heading into the fourth.

In that final quarter, Brunson remained a flamethrower and got some help from his teammates, as New York outscored the Suns 42-23 in the fourth to turn a nailbiter into a blowout.

Fittingly, it was Brunson who put in the dagger with a filthy stepback three, his ninth make in nine attempts on the night, tying the NBA record for most made threes without a miss in a single game.

After the kerfuffle in Milwaukee earlier in the week, Julius Randle made sure there was no question whether Brunson got the game ball for his career night, cheekily raising it high in the air after nabbing it from the official after the final buzzer.

Brunson finished the night 17-of-23 from the field (9-of-9 from three) with 50 points, nine assists, six rebounds, and five steals, doing a bit of everything to lift New York to a big win on the road. Randle added an efficient 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting, while RJ Barrett had a nice night with 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting. That was enough to outduel Durant and Devin Booker, who combined for 57, but the Suns simply had no answers defensively for Brunson (or anyone else) in the fourth quarter.

The New York Knicks trailed by five at halftime in Phoenix on Friday night, as Kevin Durant had a big second quarter to push the Suns in front despite an early injury to Bradley Beal.

However, at halftime Knicks guard Jalen Brunson made a very good adjustment to simply make every shot he took in the second half, hitting all 12 of his shot attempts, including eight threes, en route to a career-high 50-point night. Brunson started to rain in threes in the third quarter, helping the Knicks close the gap to two heading into the fourth.

In that final quarter, Brunson remained a flamethrower and got some help from his teammates, as New York outscored the Suns 42-23 in the fourth to turn a nailbiter into a blowout.

Fittingly, it was Brunson who put in the dagger with a filthy stepback three, his ninth make in nine attempts on the night, tying the NBA record for most made threes without a miss in a single game.

After the kerfuffle in Milwaukee earlier in the week, Julius Randle made sure there was no question whether Brunson got the game ball for his career night, cheekily raising it high in the air after nabbing it from the official after the final buzzer.

Brunson finished the night 17-of-23 from the field (9-of-9 from three) with 50 points, nine assists, six rebounds, and five steals, doing a bit of everything to lift New York to a big win on the road. Randle added an efficient 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting, while RJ Barrett had a nice night with 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting. That was enough to outduel Durant and Devin Booker, who combined for 57, but the Suns simply had no answers defensively for Brunson (or anyone else) in the fourth quarter.