A DEARLY departed Irishman had the last laugh at his funeral with a gag that had mourners in tears of laughter.
In an inspired gag from beyond the grave, he organised it so that a recorded message was played after his coffin was lowered to the ground.
To all intents and purposes, it appeared as if he was shouting for help from within his casket.
In some countries, this kind of morbid humour might not have gone down so well.
Thankfully, however, this was Ireland.
A clip of the prank was posted to Reddit under the title: “Irish man leaves funny recording for his funeral!”
It certainly lived up to the billing.
The man who decided to prank his family for one last time was Shay Bradley, a Dublin granddad of eight
“Shay was a prankster, always thought outside the box and wanted to leave his family laughing,” the man’s wife explained. “He was a larger than life character and sadly missed by anyone who knew him,” she concluded.
“Hello?” the man can heard asking before a knocking sound is heard.
“Let me out,” he continues, much to the amusement of those in attendance. him.
“Where the f*** am I.
“Let me out it’s f***ing dark in here.
“Is that that priest I can hear.”
Mourners in attendance can be seen falling bout in fits of laughter before the cameraman pans to the casket where the sound is coming from.
It was a gag that has won plenty of praise online.
“What a beautiful idea to keep people happy,” one Reddit user said.
“Laughter does help a lot when dealing with grief,” another concurred.
A 92-year-old man wanted to withdraw some money from the local Bank of America, but his ID was expired and the teller told him he couldn’t help him. The elderly man was upset and then the bank managers called the police and told them to take the man out of the premises.
It was officer Robert Josett who answered the call about the man who was reportedly causing a scene.
A Bank of America location for visual representation. (Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons)
As the man didn’t have any proper identification, the bank was unable to process his request to withdraw his money. However, he didn’t understand why the teller was refusing to help him. As a result, the elderly man grew upset and caused a commotion.
When Officer Josett learned what was going on, he decided to do something unconventional.
Officer Robert Josett (Photo Credit: Screen Capture/CBS Los Angeles/YouTube)
Not wanting the elderly gentleman to leave the place without his money, Officer Josett offered him a lift to the DMV where he got a new ID. After that, he took the man back to the Bank of America so that he could proceed with the withdrawal.
This act of kindness didn’t go unnoticed. Someone at the bank learned what the officer did, and soon after, the story reached the Montebello Police Department, who shared it on Facebook along with some photos.
Officer Robert Josett assists an elderly man who was unable to withdraw money from his account at Bank of America because of an expired ID. (Photo Credit: Montebello Police Department/Facebook)
“This Officer is a Saint!” commented one person on the police department’s Facebook post. “All this Little Grampa wants is to keep his independence. And the officer helped him in a dignified manner. Good Job Officer!”
“Heart touching and I love that the officer was able to get him in and out of the DMV so quickly!” joked another. “That alone is medal worthy!”
Social media users praised Officer Josett for helping the elderly Bank of America customer renew his license. (Photo Credit: Facebook)
“This is beautiful,” wrote someone else. “We need more stories like this to show the people that not all police officers are bad and that they go above and behind their regular duties to help everyone.”
“We often hear only bad news of officers, we can’t judge everyone the same,” agreed another. “Officer Robert Josett thank you so much for helping this elderly man, it could have been my father or grandfather. God Bless you….and thank you for your service.”
Anyone with an elderly parent or grandparent can likely relate to the situation this old man found himself in. At 92-years-old, you’re simply not as sharp as you used to be, so something like an expired ID can really throw you off, especially when it’s preventing you from accessing your own money.
This old man only needed to be shown some kindness and a bit of patience. Officer Josett showed him both and turned out to be his guardian angel. The people of Montebello, California, are certainly lucky to have such a compassionate officer protecting them.
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Most people would go great lengths to enhance their appearance, that is the reason why plastic surgeries become a common practice everywhere in the world.
Sadly, these procedures aren’t always successful and leave permanent damage and deformation of the face. Such was the case with the famous reality star Elsa Patton, best known for her appearance in the show “The Real Housewives of Miami.” She was part of the show for two years, between 2011 and 2013, but it was more than enough for her to reach a celebrity status. It was her one-liners and her lively personality that made her a beloved character.
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At the same time, she underwent a number of procedures which left her unrecognizable to the extent that a plastic surgeon in Tampa, Florida, called it out and said there was “no worse case” of plastic surgery going wrong than Elsa Patton.
What we know of Elsa Patton before her appearance in the show is not much. Ancestry.com reported that she was born in Cuba on August 25, 1936. She was married to husband Donald Patton for over five decades before his passing in 2018, over a year before Elsa died too.
“Mama Elsa” and Donald had two children together, daughter Marysol Patton, who was part of “The Real Housewives of Miami” together with her mother and later on was part of the reboot, and son Thomas Anthony Jones.
Youtube/InMyWorld002
Speaking of her mother, Marysol told Reality Tea: “Growing up my mother always had so many people that always wanted to be around her; a lot of celebrities, a lot of very important people always wanted to be friends with my mother.
“Everyone was always fascinated by her so this doesn’t seem any different than how it’s always been.”
Marysol added, “It’s a little different when we go out together on the streets because strangers are coming up to us or staring or pointing or taking pictures, so that’s a little a different. But she enjoys it very much.”
In 2012, Elsa was given her spin-off show, Havana Elsa, which followed her journey towards starting her coffee chain. “I love Cuban coffee… and now I’m going to have a coffee of my own, that is gonna be wonderful, it’s gonna be to my taste, and on top of that I’m gonna make me money,” she said at the time, as reported by Huffington Post.
When it came to her plastic surgeries, it was evident she had many, although she never really spoke openly about it. She referred to her surgeon as of “the man who ruined my face.” Her daughter, Maryson, however, revealed more information about Elsa’s surgeries and said that her mom had her eyelids done during the 80’s, which left her with hematomas on her eyes for nearly three years.
Elsa Patton in her youth/ Instagram/Marysolpatton
Facial Plastic Surgeon Benjamin C. Stong of the Kalos Facial Plastic Surgery in Atlanta, Georgia, said that it’s “almost hard to even imagine” what she looked like before her surgeries. Another expert, double-board certified surgeon Dr. Farrior in Tampa, Florida, described Elsa’s face condition as a “tragedy” in judgment, ethics, and technique.
“Chances are that she did not do it to herself but was able to convince someone to do it to her. That is where it should have stopped,” Dr. Farrior wrote, adding that the surgeon in question had the responsibility to refuse further surgery.
“The real mistake was the choice she made for a provider because they did not say NO,” he added.
Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images
In 2013, mere days before they were about to start shooting season three of the reality show, Elsa suffered a stroke and was rushed to the hospital. As months and years passed by, her health deteriorated and she passed away on May 13, 2019, after “a long illness.” Elsa was 84 at the time of her passing.
Marysol honored her mother when she married her husband Steve McNamara, president of a Florida construction company, in 2021. Her Mayan wedding ceremony was performed by a shaman. “It was the basis of her mom’s spiritual-religious roots,” a source told Page Six. “She felt her mom’s influence guided her to have this kind of ceremony — Elsa is still in charge!”
Instagram/Marysolpatton
The Real Housewives franchise creator and executive producer Andy Cohen made a touching tribute to Elsa on his show Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. “Throughout the history of the Real Housewives, we have met many friends and relatives of the wives, but rarely has someone’s spirit, humor, and wisdom made such an indelible impression as Elsa’s did,” Cohen said.
We will never forget “Mama Elsa” and her wonderful personality. May she rest in peace.
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What started as an attempted carjacking turned into a tragedy when one of the suspects who tried to steal a car from a mother and son was shot.
Louise Ornduff and her son Kalaeb, from Clearwater, Florida, were contacted by a potential buyer of their car. They arranged to meet at the parking lot of Bank of America not knowing they were going to fall victims of a robbery.
The two men who pretended to be there to buy the vehicle, 18-year-old Lasupta Singletary and 17-year-old Jernaen Dreshaw Coleman, were armed with guns and demanded the keys to the 2016 Hyundai Veloster that Kalaeb Ornduff.
Not wanting to put his life in danger, Kalaeb did what he was told, after which the two carjackers fled the scene. But just as they drove away, Louise fired a shot, hitting Singletary.
Unfortunately, the shot was a deadly one. Coleman realized his friend was shot but he didn’t stop the car. Instead, he drove to the nearest hospital and dropped off Singletary, who was pronounced dead.
As police started an investigation, they realized that the killed young man and his friend were involved in the carjacking that took place at the parking lot.
Although authorities were aware that it was Ornduff who fired the shot, it was Coleman who faced second-degree felony murder and armed robbery charges. Prosecutors can pursue a felony murder charge against a co-conspirator in Florida when someone dies during the commission of a crime.
As for the 36-year-old mother, it wasn’t clear whether she would face any charges. Deputy Chief Eric Gandy said that “It’s important to determine whether the threat existed when the shot was fired.”
Denis DeVlaming, a former prosecutor said Louise is in big problems. According to him, if she had shot the fire during the robbery, she would be justified, but she loses that ability in case the perpetrators are fleeing.
There were those who stood by Louise’s side and justified her decision to fire a shot, with one person writing: “She was right in what she did and had to, I would have done the same thing had I been in her shoes, and the police and courts should back her up and not take the defense of these criminals, help the police clean up the streets against crime,” but there were also those who believed she shouldn’t have used her weapon when she saw the carjackers driving away.
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Country music singer, songwriter, and actor Toby Keith revealed on Sunday that he has started treatment for stomach cancer. According to his post, he was diagnosed with the illness in the fall of 2021.
During the last six months, the multi-platinum-selling artist has been receiving chemo treatments and radiations and has undergone a surgery.
“Last fall, I was diagnosed with stomach cancer,” the country icon, 60, said on social media. “I’ve spent the last 6 months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover, and relax.”
He was scheduled to perform on Friday at the BBQ festival but his performance was cancelled as the Ribfest’s website says the festival is “actively seeking a replacement for Toby Keith to join Elle King on Friday, June 17. Instructions for refund requests will be available in the future.”
The musician added that he’s “looking forward to spending this time with my family. But I will see the fans sooner than later. I can’t wait.”
Many of Keith’s fellow country singers shared their well wishes and prayers.
“Damn bro,” Jason Aldean wrote. “Hate ur dealing with that, but if anybody can kick Cancer’s ass, it’s you. Prayin for ya big man.” “Praying for a full healing in your body!!” RaeLynn added.
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Keith’s publicist, Elaine Schock, said in an email Sunday night that some tour dates will be canceled, “but I’m not sure how many at this point.”
We are certain he will win this battle.
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With the British Royal family being one of the most famous families in the world, it’s not a surprise the media is eager to carefully follow their every move. One thing we love about them are the beautiful photos they share.
This year, the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge treated the public with one very special photo from their personal collection for Christmas. As always, the couple, along with their three children, look amazing.
“Delighted to share a new image of the family, which features on this year’s Christmas card,” the couple wrote on their Instagram account.
The place where the photo was taken is Jordan. When she was still very young, Kate used to live there for around two years when her father worked for British Airways. As for Prince William, this wasn’t the first time for him to visit Jordan either. Back in 2018, he visited the country as part of his tour of The Middle East.
Over 2 million people reacted to the photo. A lot of the comments were related to how fast the children grew up. Many couldn’t help but spot the resemblance between Princess Charlotte and her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, at Charlote’s age. Some even posted photos of the two side by side.
Royal fans go wild over Princess Charlotte’s resemblance to Queen https://t.co/nOuOBC394f via @Femail How grown up does Charlotte look, she’s just like her gan gan,
Recently, during the celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee more photos of the family emerged and what the ones of the little Princess show is that she truly is a spitting image of her great-grandma. On May 2, the family shared a photo of Charlotte to wish her a happy seventh birthday.
Instagram/dukeandduchessofcambridge
However, despite the looks and the fact that they are both part of one of the most powerful, influential, and popular families there are, the way The Queen was brought up has little to do with what Charlotte’s life looks like. When she was her great-granddaughter’s age, Queen Elizabeth was home schooled, while the sweet Princess attends Thomas’s Battersea, an independent mixed school in London, the same school her older brother George attends.
In 1910, when the Girl Guide Association was formed, both The Queen’s mother and the Queen herself became part of it, so the Queen, although she didn’t attend a formal school, got to hang out with girls her age. Charlotte, on the other hand, has a lot girls and boys friends at school.
One thing is certain, the little Princess inherited the best from each of the members of her family. For one, she definitely has her mom’s sense of fashion and looks extremely cute on each of the photographs The Palace shares.
Back in April 2019, the Black Sabbath icon, Ozzy Osbourne, was forced to postpone the remaining tour dates following spine and neck surgery after he suffered a dangerous fall in his home in Los Angeles. Sadly, this aggravated the old injuries he sustained from his 2003 ATV accident that nearly ended his life.
2020 was the year when the musician was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.
“There was a point I was convinced that I was dying,” the rocker told the Daily Mail in August 2020. “I was in that much discomfort and pain and misery. I thought [my family] were all hiding it from me.”
Following the second fall and the surgeries that followed, Osbourne’s wife, Sharon Osbourne, the host of the UK’s The Talk, spoke of her husband’s health and expressed hopefulness that he would be able to perform again.
Sadly, later on, Osbourne went through a life-threatening staph infection in his thumb and contracted COVID-19 earlier this year. “I am very worried about Ozzy right now. We’ve gone two years without him catching Covid, and it’s just Ozzy’s luck he would get it now,” Sharon said while updating his fans on his condition.
Osbourne, who is 73, opened up about his health and said things turned for the worse after he reached 70. “F**k me, when I became 70, I had the f*****g thumb thing. It has been one nightmare after another.”
A few days ago, Sharon once again updated her husband’s fans of his health and revealed he will be going through a major surgery that will likely “determine the rest of his life,” but didn’t share any details.
Of course, this news left many worried for the musician’s condition and life and the family received outpouring support. As a result, the 69-year-old TV personality took her time to thank everyone for their good wishes and wrote on Instagram: “Our family would like to express so much gratitude for the overwhelming amount of love and support leading up to Ozzy’s surgery!
Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have been married since 1982 and share children Aimee Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne and Jack Osbourne. This year, they are about to celebrate 40 years of marriage. Asked whether they would celebrate the milestone anniversary, Sharon said: “I don’t know yet.” The proud wife will be leaving her gig as host of the UK’s The Talk so that she can remain in Los Angeles with her husband during this critical time in his life.
We hope and pray that everything will turn out for the best for the “Prince of Darkness.”
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Leaving Britain and settling in the States didn’t necessarily mean getting the chance for a quieter life for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry whose names always find their way to the headlines of many magazines.
The couple tied the knot back in 2018 and their relationship has been closely followed by the media from the moment they announced they were dating. Today, The Sussexes have two children together, son Archie, and daughter Lilibet Diana, named after both her grandma and great-grandma.
The media, however, came with some interesting information regarding the couple. It turned out that the royal and his Californian-born other half are actually a little bit related, except for being spouses.
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It might be slightly complicated to explain the family relation between Meghan and Prince Harry, but according to Metro, the two are fifteenth cousins and their family tree dates back to 1480. The couple’s common ancestor is Ralph Bowes, a High Sheriff of County Durham in England in the 15th century. This man’s granddaughter, Bridget, married John Hussey and their grandson Christopher Hussey moved to the US as a settler in 1632. Christopher was an ancestor of Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, a renowned television lighting director and director of photography.
Ralph Bowes had another grandchild, George Bowes.
He was a relative of Elizabeth Bowes Lyon who married George VI and went on to become the Queen Mother, the mother of Queen Elizabeth.
Daily News
Although they appear to be cousins, they are not closely related, so this fact of sharing a common ancestor doesn’t really affect their relationship in any way.
Ever since leaving Britain, Meghan has only seen her husband’s family during the recent celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.
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With the extreme scarcity of food in many parts of the world, it’s not surprising that a recent TikTok video enraged a number of people. An employee at the fast-food chicken joint Chick-fil-A, whose identity hasn’t been confirmed, posted a video showing how the fast-food chain throws perfectly good chicken in the trash as the place is about to call the day quits. Apparently, this happens every day.
Many people who have seen the video say that the food could be instead given to the homeless who struggle to find anything to eat.
“What they do every night with the chicken nuggets at Chick-fil-A,” wrote the anonymous employee.
So far, the fast-food chain hasn’t come forward with a comment as the video spread on the social media site like a wildfire. A lot of people say that what the store does with their leftover food is at odds with their Christian values.
So far, the video has been seen over 7.8 million times.
Many took their time to share their thoughts, with one person writing: “The amount of food we throw away and the amount of starving people there are just doesn’t sit right with me.”
“Can confirm,” an employee commented. “We used to throw out SO much chicken…”
“Give them out for free, wtf,” someone added.
One person asked, “Why not give it to the homeless?”
Some of the comments are: “Give them out for free. What the hell.”
“Jesus would not approve.”
“They think God is okay with this?”
“Wait, I thought that at the end of the shift, the employees get to take the leftovers home.”
“They should just let the employees take it home,” one person suggested.
Others, on the other hand, say that getting rid of the food which wasn’t sold that day is what restaurants are simply required to do.
“Chicken that sits too long cannot be given out to the homeless hours later. It will get them sick. It’s not a doughnut,” one person stated.
“It is illegal to give food to the homeless in foodservice. Any food leftover goes to the employees or the trash.”
“I just got my food handlers test. They’re doing it right.”
However, some said that there was no chance for the chicken that was thrown to be cold as Chick-fil-A is quite a busy place and they cook fresh chicken all the time.
“All of you are saying it goes bad. It was made shortly before closing. You guys think they make them in the morning and just keep them hot?”
What do you think of this? Should they give the leftovers to those in need instead of throwing that much food in the trash?
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That day was everything but ordinary for a Memphis KFC worker who received a note by a customer which probably helped save her life.
The worker noticed the pair at the restaurant, but nothing spoke trouble until the woman gathered courage to secretly slip the note to the worker. The woman wrote that the man she was with was abusive and held her against her will.
The worker then called the police and told them about the note. Luckily, the man, who was later identified as 23-year-old Diego Glay, was arrested. When police arrived at the scene and approached Glay and his girlfriend, he disobeyed the officers’ instructions and fled the place but was caught after a short chase.
After authorities interviewed the woman, she explained that her boyfriend was armed with a handgun and held her against her will by using verbal threats and beatings. She recalled that when she tried to leave him, he punched her in the face. He also took her phone and wouldn’t return it so that she couldn’t call her family and friends or the police.
According to the authorities and the affidavit, the couple had been living in “cheap random hotels around the city.”
The suspect, Glay, was taken to the Shelby County jail, where he remains in custody. The judge set his bail at $35,000.
He is expected to appear in front of a judge for a preliminary hearing on June 1, according to court records.
Had it not been for the KFC worker, this woman’s life could still be in danger.
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Robert Downey Sr., father of actor Robert Downey Jr., has died at the age of 85. The famous actor and director died in his sleep, his son said.
Actor Robert Downey Sr. died in his sleep at his home in New York. Both his wife and his famous son, Robert Downey Jr., announced his death. The director suffered from Parkinson’s disease, which he fought for 5 years.
Recently, his son posted an emotional message about the death of a well-known director. It seemed that she breathed her last peacefully and without pain.
“Last night my father passed away peacefully after years of enduring the devastating effects of Parkinson’s disease. A truly noncommittal filmmaker, he remained remarkably optimistic. By my stepmother’s calculations, they are married and happy for over 200 years,” wrote Robert Downey Jr. on his official Facebook page.
Robert Downey Jr supports his stepmother In the spot, the Iron Man protagonist wanted to express his support for his stepmother, who has been the director’s wife for 23 years.
“Rosemary Rogers-Downy, you are a saint and our thoughts and prayers are with you,” the actor told his stepmother.
Robert Downey Sr. is best known for his roles in films such as Boogie Nights, Magnolia and To Live and Die in LA.
The father of the famous Robert Downey Jr. and Alison Downey was also a celebrity. Robert Downey Sr. was a director, writer and producer, but he chose to be more conservative to protect his children. However, when the protagonist’s son was caught up in the scandal after being accused of using cocaine, he gave The Post an interview about it.
“Life is so easy when you’re a movie star. People will do what you want and give you what you want. Hollywood is a terrible place,” he told the newspaper in 2001.
Emeril Lagasse is one of the first names that comes to mind when we think of good food. This man, who is 62 years old, has enjoyed quite a career in the world of gastronomy.
He has dedicated his life on the art of preparing delicate and appetizing food, keeping touch with the traditional cooking along the way.
Being born to a mother of Portuguese origin and a father who was French-Canadian, it didn’t come as a surprise that he was introduced to great home-cooked food of mixed traditions from early age. “We always had the value of the family table and these cultural influences of growing up and what we did,” he said.
Even as a child, he developed strong passion for cooking and that’s something that stuck with him even today. What’s most, food became his life and he was able to share it with the millions of viewers who watched him create incredible dishes on his numerous cooking shows.
Shutterstock/Leonard Zhukovsky
In order to be able to further expand his knowledge on food, Lagasse turned down a scholarship at a music school an attended a cooking school instead.
After graduating high school, Lagasse enrolled at the Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island from where he graduated with a degree in culinary arts and decided to head to the French capital of Paris and learn from the best.
Once back to the States, Lagasse landed a job at the famous Commander’s Palace restaurant. The owners, especially Ella, were hesitant whether to give him a chance, mainly because of his age – he was just 23 at the time.
“‘OK, I’ll bring him in, but I’m telling you right now I don’t think it’s going to work,’” Ella recalled.
“The airline had lost his luggage, so he looked a bit discombobulated when he emerged from the cab in front of Commander’s. I invited Emeril into the kitchen and asked him what he thought of all the aromas wafting about. ‘Well, it kind of smells like my mom’s kitchen.’”
This answer was all they were looking forward to hearing.
Youtube/VuTronhDong
After eight years as executive chef, Lagasse knew it was the time for him to embark on a new adventure, one where he would be his own boss. So, he opened a restaurant and then created an empire. He owned 21 restaurants all over America, and his cookbook, Emeril’s New Orleans Cooking, helped him get his own cooking shows on TV.
All of a sudden, everyone knew who he was as he turned into a television personality adored by millions. Some of the shows he worked on during the years are The Essence of Emeril, Emeril Live, and Emeril’s Florida. He also served as a judge on the cooking competition Top Chef for two seasons and appeared regularly on ABC’s Good Morning America.
Monica Schipper/Getty Images for NYCWFF
Despite his cooking skills and all the dishes he was able to produce, Lagasse also became known for some of the catchy phrases he used, and is still using today, such as “Kick it up a notch,” “Feel the love,” “Spice it up” – and of course, “Bam!”
His shows brought him numerous awards, including an Emmy for Outstanding Culinary Program.
Shutterstock/kai hecker
Besides his successful career, Emeril Lagasse always found time for love. He tied the knot three times and is currently still married to his third wife, Alden Lovelace, with whom he has two children, son Emeril John “EJ” Lagasse IV, and daughter Meril. He also has two other children, Jessica and Jillian, from his first marriage.
Lagasse’s son, EJ, followed into his father’s footsteps and is a great chef himself.
Youtube/Rachelrayshow
Lagasse and his wife founded the Emeril Lagasse Foundation which aims to help children and youth access opportunities and “reach their full potential through culinary, nutrition and arts education.” In 2021 alone, the foundation donated over $300,000 to different causes.
Why we don’t hear of one of our favorite chefs recently is because Lagasse sold his brand to Martha Steward’s company for $50 million, except for the restaurants.
Instagram/Aldenlagasse
Chef Lagasse has a net worth of $70 million.
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We should be so thankful that such special animals as dogs are part of our life. No other creature is as compassionate and as friendly as our four legged pals who would always go the extra mile for us humans.
This story is just another proof that dogs are the best.
A 10-year-old girl named Vika, from the island of Sakhalin, Russia, got lost on her way home from school. She simply couldn’t recall how to find her house and wondered off.
Her family got frantic when they realized their girl didn’t come home at the time she was supposed to. They started looking for her everywhere and alerted the police of her disappearance.
The search was an extensive one, but the night fell and Vika was still nowhere to be seen. Everyone got extremely worried because the temperatures fell to -11 degrees Celsius (about 12 degrees Fahrenheit) and the blizzard caused two feet of snow. It was very possible that the girl could freeze to death.
After 18 hours, Vika was finally found. To everyone’s surprise, she was spotted “hugging a fluffy dog for warmth.”
The dog was stray. When Vika noticed him sleeping on a mattress someone had left out for him, she approached closer and the dog accepted her. “She was hiding under a balcony with the dog,” said Olesya Voznyuk, an official with the Investigative Committee.
“She was taken straight to hospital, and found to have mild frostbite,” one of the volunteers who helped with the search sais, as reported by The Mirror.
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Vika’s parents weren’t surprised their daughter made friends with a stray dog in order to keep herself warm because as they said, Vika has always had a special connection with animals and wasn’t afraid of them. On the contrary, she has always been friendly and helpful when it comes to homeless fluffy creatures.
“The girl loves animals very much, she used to play with local dogs all the time,” Voznyuk said. “She went to feed these dogs after school and then got caught in the snow storm and strong winds.”
The dog deserved all the praise for saving Vika. The locals even wanted to make sure he finds a home, but sadly, he went missing.
If you are a fan of reality shows, chances are you enjoyed the Pawn Stars, which featured the life and the work of Richard “Old Man” Harrison and his family, who ran the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop on the outskirts of Las Vegas.
The show was a huge success, winning the ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards for Best Television Series in 2011, 2012 and 2013. It was also nominated for three Critics Choice Television Awards. Besides Richard and his three sons, Joe, Rick and Chris, the Old Man’s grandson Corey and his friend Austin “Chumlee” Russell were also part of it.
Instagram/realcoreyharrison
Sadly, the Old Man, who became a Las Vegas celebrity, passed away at the age of 77 in 2018.
Richard was born in 1941 and was a troubled kid. When he was 17, he stole a car and the judge gave him two options, either go to jail or join the military. Richard chose the latter. He enlisted in the U.S Navy in 1958 and his career lasted for several years, or until it was already impossible for his wife Joanne Rhue to raise their three kids by herself.
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Before they had their sons, Richard and Joanne had a daughter, Sherry, who had Down Syndrome and passed away at the age of six. Richard described losing his little girl as the biggest heartbreak he had ever experienced.
In 1981, the family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, and that’s when the story with their pawn shop started.
If you wonder what was so special about this shop that made it different than the rest of the shops of its kind was that Old Man didn’t only accept silver and gold, but a number of collectibles like vintage cars, antiques, firearms and a lot more.
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When Old Man died, his son Rick, who now runs the pawn shop, paid a beautiful and touching tribute to his father on Instagram.
“He will be tremendously missed by our family, the team at Gold & Silver Pawn and his many fans the world over,” Rick wrote on Instagram. “He was my hero and I was fortunate to get a very cool ‘Old Man’ as my dad. That I got to share him with so many others and they got to see what a great family man he was is something I am grateful to have experienced with him.
“I think about him every day. I had a different relationship with him,” Rick said.
“Most people, when they turn 18, they go off to school, get a job and move out. I worked with my father from the time I was a kid. He stayed in the Navy for years because of me. Otherwise, it would have been really difficult with my medical expenses. But despite my epilepsy, he never treated me differently.”
Youtube/looper
However, after Richard was gone, one thing left fans shocked and confused. The reality show’s final wish. Apparently, he cut his son Christopher out of his will, according to The Blast. “I would like to express my love and affection for [Christopher Harrison]; however for the purposes of this Will, I have intentionally and with full knowledge failed to provide for him and his issue.”
Richard Old Man Harrison showed a lot of people that dreams do come true. He was a loving man and will be missed by his family and many of his fans.
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“My heart breaks that I will have to postpone these next few shows.”
Pop singer Justin Bieber left his fans in shock following a recent video which shows that half of his face is left paralyzed due to a syndrome he has been diagnosed with. This comes shortly after he was forced to postpone three shows from his Justice World Tour.
He could be seen having a hard time blinking and smiling normally. Further, he shared that his condition is getting more severe as he has started experiencing a hard time eating, which leaves him frustrated. The singer asked his fans to pray for him. “Obviously, as you can probably see with my face,” Bieber spoke in the video about his condition. “I have this syndrome called Ramsay Hunt syndrome, and it is from this virus that attacks the nerves in my ear and my facial nerves and has caused my face to have paralysis.”
Before he opened up about his condition on Friday, he shared with his fans that “a non-Covid-related illness” had struck him.
“So there is full paralysis on this side of my face,” the singer continued, pointing to the right of his face. “So for those who are frustrated by my cancellations of the next shows, I’m just physically obviously not capable of doing them. This is pretty serious, as you can see,” the Canada-born singer said in the three-minute video.
Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) is a rare neurological disorder characterized by paralysis of the facial nerve (facial palsy) and a rash affecting the ear or mouth caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox (VZV).
“Can’t believe I’m saying this. I’ve done everything to get better, but my sickness is getting worse,” he shared.
“I wish this wasn’t the case, but obviously, my body is telling me that I’ve got to slow down, and I hope you guys understand. I will be using this time to rest and relax and get back to 100 percent so that I can do what I was born to do.”
He added, “I love you guys. Thank you for being patient for me, and I am going to get better. I’m doing all of these facial exercises to get my face back to normal, and it will go back to normal.”
“It’s just time, we don’t know how much time it will be, but it’s going to be okay. I hope and I trust God, and I trust that this is all for a reason. I’m not sure what that is right now, but in the meantime, I’m going to rest, and I love you guys. Peace.”
This year hasn’t been an easy one for Bieber and wife Hailey who earlier in March was admitted to hospital after she experienced stroke-like symptoms. Luckily, she managed to recover in a short period of time.
We hope Bieber will be able to recover fully and continue with his tour to the delight of his many fans. As for now, he obviously needs to rest.
Dogs are man’s best friend and they have proven this over and over again over the years, but are we as great of friends to them as they are to us? According to this story, the answer to this question is a resounding yes.
Spike is a 14-year-old English springer spaniel who was lucky enough to become part of the Morris family from Yorkshire. In fact, this sweet pooch was adopted back in 2012 and he has been a very important part of the life of his human parents and siblings ever since.
Source: Instagram – SpikeTheSpringer
Catherine, Spike’s human sibling, says of this amazing dog: “The first time we had him, we closed the stair gate and went to bed. He whined for a couple of minutes before jumping up over the gate in the dark and trotting up into my parents’ room and straight up onto the bed. That’s where he slept from then on.”
Source: Instagram – SpikeTheSpringer
Sadly, Spike’s health started deteriorating after he had two stroke recently, and that meant he was no longer able to climb the stairs and reach his parents’ bedroom. On the other hand, they were afraid he would try to jump or go upstairs and hurt himself, so they came up with a brilliant idea. They moved their bedroom downstairs so that Spike could snuggle with them again each and every night.
Source: The Dodo
Everything he needs, his food, water, and toys is near the bed so that he won’t need to stand up a lot until he gets better.
This story is what we need more of during these tough times for the humanity. People who return the love to their pets are the best kind of people.
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Widely known for her role of Miss Patty on Gilmore Girls, Liz Torres’ rise to stardom as an actress started somewhat unexpectedly. Being raised in Bronx, New York City, by immigrant parents, her mom dreamed of her working as a bank teller.
“‘Be a bank teller,’” Torres recalled her mother instructing her in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. “She had a fantasy of me working in a bank. That was her immigrant dream, the ultimate goal.”
“People who knew me in high school thought I was: A strange bird. I didn’t speak English very well, and my mother was very strict,” the Puerto Rican-American added. “I always wanted to be like an American, and I never really felt like that until now, I always felt like an immigrant.”
Youtube/GilmoreGags
From early age, Torrez fell in love with the stage and performed in several productions in high school.
Following high-school, she attended Manhattan School of Music but dropped out in order to attend NYU instead. There, she found her passion in comedy, something she would pursue as a career.
“I was very serious about anything until an old Vaudeville-styled comic named Phil Foster, who was on the Tonight Show all the time, ran into me at a party. He said, ‘You’re very funny. You should do standup!’ I thought he was nuts. I said, ‘No, my English is not strong.’ He said, “You’re very funny. I’ll teach you how to write,” Torres told Starrymag.
“So, he taught me how to write comedy. I wrote a little nightclub act, and he worked on it with me and took me to Improvisation in New York, which was a little nightclub. I got up and had my first laugh, and I became a laugh [prostitute].”
Youtube/lovesvegas
One thing led to another and Torres ended up on The Tonight Show after a producer saw her perform. Her appearance on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson proved to be a success. One thing that worked in her favor was that she was a New York native and could always jump in when a guest cancelled.
“They called me in if someone didn’t show up. Everyone wanted a secure date,” Torres explained.
“I was never like that, I kept my music at the door if I’d had to run out. I would replace people all the time. If an author got stuck in a snowstorm in Idaho, they’d call me, and I was there in five minutes.”
She became a familiar face and soon after, she started getting offers for movie roles. Eventually, she landed the role of Miss Patty on Gilmore Girls and starred alongside Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, and her longtime friend Sally Anne Struthers. Torres starred in a total of 79 episodes in a period of seven years.
Youtube/Today
However, as career blossomed, there was one thing she wasn’t happy about, her weight. Torres struggled to lose weight for many years and wished she could stop gaining it.
“I’m heavy. This is the reality. I don’t kick myself about it, but I don’t think I look fabulous in my clothes. I know that in my suits I look like a box walking down the street,” Torres told the Los Angeles Times in 1997.
“That’s the thing that hurts me most. Thank God, there’s a product out there that you can wear that’s passable. It’s corrective dressing, but it’s not who I am and ultimately that’s very hard.”
Being Hispanic and overweight was limiting and she knew she needed to do something about the latter.
“I would go on the set and people would not look at me. They also tend not to hear you. You have to make them focus on you. If I really want to be heard, I have that command but a lot of heavy women don’t. When I see someone heavy working on television I say, “Oh, God, go, girl. You do it.” You know, it shouldn’t stop your life,” she shared with Los Angeles Times.
Shutterstock/Joe Seer
But then, in 2010, Liz Torres appeared on the opening night of the Broadway show It Must Be Him and looked totally unrecognizable. She showed her impressive weight loss and people were stunned by her looks. Even today, she manages to keep the weight off and looks fabulous.
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A 29-year-old mother from Lafayette, Louisiana, had been kidnapped by her ex boyfriend and the father of her two-year-old son. After the family alerted the police, they felt like the authorities weren’t taking this abduction case seriously so they took matters into their own hands.
The dramatic rescue ended with one person being stabbed to death. This story that shook the country is unlike anything you’ve heard so far.
One of Bethany Arceneaux’s neighbors, Derrimetrie Robinson, witnessed the actual act of abduction after she heard the young mother screaming at a nearby parking lot. Bethany’s ex, Scott Thomas could be seen violently dragging her, trying to place her and their son inside his vehicle. Luckily, the neighbor managed to grab the boy before Thomas kidnapped Bethany and started driving.
“SHE (ARCENEAUX) WENT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE TO GET HER BABY OUT, AND WHEN SHE WAS DOING THAT A WHITE BUICK PULLED UP BEHIND HER. SHE STARTED RUNNING, AND HE (THE DRIVER OF THE CAR) RAN BEHIND HER AND HE ATTACKED HER, YOU KNOW, WHILE SHE WAS HOLDING HER BABY,” ROBINSON SAID.
The woman’s family was left horrified and feared for Bethany’s life knowing how this wasn’t the first time for Thomas to mistreat her and beat her. He didn’t care for the restraining order and the only thing that was on his mind was to harm the mother of his son.
Bethany’s brother, uncle, and cousins couldn’t just stay calm and wait for the police to act so they started their own search. First, they covered the town with flyers asking people whether they’ve seen Bethany.
After the police managed to locate the suspect’s vehicle at a remote area, Bethany’s family used off-road vehicles and continued the search around the sugar cane fields.
Eventually, they learned of an abandoned house near the place where Scott’s car was found and they decided to get inside, hoping they could track Bethany down. As soon as the relatives got closer the place, they could hear her screaming as Scott was stabbing her and slicing her throat. It was the most horrific sight they’ve ever seen.
“WE KICKED DOORS DOWN. IT WAS LIKE A MOVIE UNFOLDING,” MISS ARCENEAUX’S BROTHER, RYAN, TOLD THE ADVERTISER. “IF WE WOULD HAVE WAITED, SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD.”
Bethany’s cousin, Marcus Arceneaux, Jr. stabbed Scott 11 times before he bled to death.
Everyone was disturbed by the whole thing that had just unfolded in front of their eyes. Bethany was finally placed to safety, and her family describes the incident, saying:
“SHE’S SHOOK UP, SHE’S SLICED UP, BUT SHE’S ALRIGHT.”
“I WAS LIKE, WOW, SHE’S HURT BUT SHE’S ALIVE. IT’S A MIRACLE. I WAS TRYING TO GET HER IN THE TRUCK AND GET HER TO THE HOSPITAL. SHE WAS BLEEDING, AND I DIDN’T KNOW WHERE THE BLOOD WAS COMING FROM. SHE HAD BLOOD EVERYWHERE,” MARCUS ARCENEAUX SAID.
Bethany revealed what her ex told her before her brother kicked the door down.
“IT’S ABOUT TO BE THAT TIME. WE ARE ABOUT TO DIE.”
Those three days were the worst days of her life. She didn’t only fear for her own life, but her thoughts were with her young son all the way through the ordeal. She reveals how Thomas planned on taking his own life before slicing her to death. He even made one final phone call, saying goodbye to his other child. She recalls what he was saying all along:
“YOU SHOULD’VE JUST LOVED ME. WHY DIDN’T YOU JUST LOVE ME?” “YOU NOT GONNA LIVE NO HAPPY LIFE. YOU’RE NOT. I’M NOT GOIN’ TO JAIL! AND YOU NOT GOIN’ LIVE NO HAPPY LIFE,” THOMAS TOLD HER. “WE GONNA DIE TOGETHER.”
The stabbing has been ruled justified by the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Department and no charges had been filed against any of the family members.
“THE MAN BEGAN HARMING HER. HE [ARCENEAUX’S FAMILY MEMBER] DID WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO TO STOP THAT AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR FROM MR. THOMAS.”
As Thomas was a really violent man, Bethany had filed a restraining order against him after various threats and violent behavior. This is what Bethany had to say after an incident that took place earlier in which she and her son were held locked for three days.
“AFTER WE CALLED COPS ON HIM HE GRABBED OUR SON FROM ME AND SHOVED HIM INTO THE CAR. HE THEN GOT ON HIS KNEES IN FRONT OF THE COPS AND SAID ‘I SWEAR TO GOD ON ALL MY CHILDREN I WILL KILL YOU.’”
Bethany can now continue with her life not having to fear that the vicious man would hurt her or her loved ones ever again.
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The #MeToo movement that helps show survivors of sexual abuse they are not alone, as well as the #Black Lives Mattermovement, whose goal is to bring justice, healing, and freedom to Black people across the globe, caught America by storm and led to a cultural reckoning.
These movements, and other with similar causes, encouraged many to raise their voice against violence and injustice to the extent that now people are going back in time and slam those who mistreated others back in the day.
As an old interview done by Oprah and the Olsen sisters emerged, many slammed the famous host for the way she treated her guests. The interview in question was done during the time both Mary-Kate and Ashley were struggling with an eating disorder in 2004. The twins were just 17 at the time and were facing many personal issues which came with their celeb status.
Although they were both pretty slim at the time, Mary-Kate was forced to confront Oprah over an awkward question about their size.
“I know a new rumor [that has] recently surfaced has really upset you, right?” Oprah said. The twins didn’t answer straight away as they were probably unsure which rumor the host referred to or they simply tried to avoid the answering. However, Oprah was persistent and said: “You know, the one about eating.”
Ashley then went on to say: “Yeah, you know people are going to write what they’re going to write. We try not to read the good or the bad because it just comes with the territory. Either you’re too fat, too skinny, and people are just gonna write what they –”
Oprah then interrupted Ashley with the question: “What size are you, by the way?” Listening in disbelief, the sisters replied: “Size?”
Mary-Kate simply answered that they have always been petite, to what the host added: “Oh, that’s so interesting!” As she probably realized her question wasn’t an appropriate one, Oprah said that she has always been obsessed with size. Mary-Kate then replied: “If we were obsessed with our size, it’d be, I don’t know, a different story.”
Shortly after the interview, Mary-Kate entered a rehabilitation center where she was treated for anorexia.
Now that this old interview is on again, many took their time to express their disbelief of Oprah’s question.
“Wow! Was Oprah ever called out for this? Inappropriate much?” one person commented.
“I know we’re living in different times, but how did they think that was okay!?! [Because] they’re young?” another added.
You can watch the video of the interview below.
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Whenever we face difficulties in life, we feel the urge to share our fears and struggles with those around us because that way, we know we are not alone.
One day, a woman learned that her husband was cheating on her. Her world shattered into a million pieces and she needed someone to talk to, so she went to her grandma. When she explained the situation, the elderly lady told her to follow her to the kitchen. There, she took three pots in which she boiled water. Then, she took a carrot, an egg, and some coffee beans and put them into separate pots.
The granddaughter was confused and asked her granny what was going on, to which the lady said that she needed to be patient and see it for herself.
After some time, the grandma took the carrot out and asked her granddaughter to tell her what the water did to the vegetable. The granddaughter said that the boiling water softened the root. At the same time, that same boiling water hardened the egg. As for the coffee beans, they were the ones that changed the water.
The grandma then asked her granddaughter which one she was, the carrot, the egg, or the coffee beans.
Sometimes, just like what the water did to the carrot, adversities make us soft. We prevail our problems and emerge more flexible and more understanding. Other times, just like the egg, we end up stronger and tougher. If we choose to be a coffee bean, we don’t let the situation affect us, but we do our best to change it the way it suits us best and elevate ourselves to another level.
The granddaughter learned an important lesson that day.
Which one are you? The carrot, the egg, or the coffee bean?
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People first learned of Sarah Palin when she became the first woman and youngest governor of Alaska, but she only became a very famous name in the world of politics when John McCain picked her as his running mate in 2008. At the time, she depicted herself as “just your average hockey mom,” but everyone was certain she was way more than that. Both charming and fierce, she convinced many to give her their trust by voting for her.
As a high-schooler, Sarah Palin was part of her school’s basketball team and she has a lot to thank to that sport as she says it was basketball that taught her “all about setting a goal, about discipline, teamwork, and then success.”
During her high-school days, Palin met her husband Todd Palin with whom she has five children, the youngest of which, Trig Paxson Van, has Down Syndrome.
The sweethearts tied the knot back in 1988 after they convinced two random people from the pioneers’ home across the local courthouse to be their witnesses. Speaking of their decision to elope, Palin told Anchorage Daily News that they didn’t want their parents to pay the bill for a wedding.
Wikipedia Commons / David Shankbone
Over the years, Palin always received full support from her husband when it came to her involvement in politics. Some of Todd’s friends even said that he jokingly referred to himself as to the “First Dude” while Sarah was governor.
“He was almost embarrassed about it or shy, I guess,”, Scott Davis, one of Todd’s closest friends, told New York Times. “It never changed him one iota. It took him a little while to adjust to the attention.”
During the presidential campaign in which Palin run for vice-president, the country learned that her unmarried teenage daughter Bristol was pregnant. Rumors were Palin and her husband tried to hide that from the wide public, with the child’s father claiming that Pelin even offered to adopt her daughter’s baby and present it as her own. That, however, didn’t happen so the Palin family released a statement which read that they were “proud of Bristol’s decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents.”
Today, Bristol is 31 and a mother of three. She’s a business owner and a very successful woman.
Mark Hirsch/Getty Images
Sarah Pelin always put her family first as it was in the spirit of her Christian upbringing. Never could she imagine that her happy marriage of almost 3 decades would end up in divorce.
The way she learned her husband Todd wanted them to go separate ways was a truly heartbreaking one. After that many years and five children together, he told her he wanted to divorce her through an e-mail message.
“I found out from an email from an attorney saying that she was hired and that was on June 19; I’ll never forget it… Oh, yeah. It’s not easy to talk about,” she said in an interview with Christian author James Dobson.
“I’m sure so many of you either maybe you’ve been through it or you have people whom you love, you’ve witnessed how horrible it is. But I just think, wow, maybe except for the death of a child, I don’t know what could be more … Yeah, it hurts,” the ex-Alaska governor shared.
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He cited “incompatibility of temperament between the parties such that they find it impossible to live together as husband and wife” as his reasons. Later, the couple went through counseling, but their divorce was finalized on March 23, 2020. Today, they have little contact and only communicate when it comes to their youngest child whom they share the custody of.
As Todd moved on and is dating a woman from New York, Palin did the same. Today, she’s in a relationship with former New York Rangers star Ron Duguay. The couple were seen dining outdoors in January 2022, before confirming their romance one month later.
She describes her relationship with him as “safe and comfortable” and adds that she has his full support as she is now running for Alaska’s at-large congressional seat.
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
We are glad Sarah Palin found love again.
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It’s a fact that technology facilitates our lives a great deal, but do we overuse it? I’d say yes. Sometimes, without even being aware of it, we let our smartphones and computers occupy a great deal of our time. Time that we can spend with our children and those we love instead. And as much as we speak of keeping our little ones off the screens as much as we can, it seems like we don’t apply that piece of advice when it comes to ourselves.
An owner of a daycare center in Hockley, Texas, couldn’t stand seeing parents be on their phones while picking their kids from the center, so he decided to tell them how he flt about it. What he did? He posted a sign on the daycare center’s front door. One mom, Juliana Farris Mazurkewicz then took photo of the sign and shared it online. She knew people would react about it, but she had no idea it will cause such stir.
As some people agree with what has been written on that piece of paper, others say the owner had no right to tell parents what to do and how to raise their kids.
Flickr
The sign read:
‘”You are picking up your child! GET OFF YOUR PHONE!!!!
Your child is happy to see you! Are you not happy to see your child?? We have seen children trying to hand their parents their work they completed and the parent is on the phone.
‘We have heard a child say, ‘Mommy, mommy, mommy…’ and the parent is paying more attention to their phone than their own child. It is appalling. Get off your phone!!”
Facebook/Juliana Mazurkewicz
Juliana said how she completely supported what the owner had to say and confessed that she was using her phone when she stumbled upon the sign and that made her even more aware of how true those words sounded.
‘”I was a bit shocked, but I didn’t feel any negativity towards the daycare. I know that the staff has the best interests of the children in mind, even to the point where they are willing to offend the parent.”
Some parents, however, were upset with the sign.
‘”This is ridiculous. Who is anyone to tell a child’s parent not to use their phone? They might be working? Or have an emergency or anything else that’s none of their business.”
Facebook/Juliana Mazurkewicz
Whatever your thoughts on this are, one thing is certain, we should do our best to spend as much time as we can with our kids because they grow up really fast. We should put the technology aside and enjoy the present, don’t you agree?
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Actor Gary Dourdan, best known for portraying Warrick Brown on the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, was a fan favorite. However, after CBS decided not to renew his contract, he disappeared from the Hollywood scene. Many fans wondered what he was doing over the years, so here’s a short overview of Dourdan’s personal life and career.
He was born in 1966 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to a mother who was a teacher and a fashion designer, and a father who worked as an entrepreneur and an agent for jazz musicians.
Growing up, Dourdan’s family moved to New Jersey and that’s where he fell in love with acting and martial arts.
“I’d take the bus to Chinatown, take martial arts lessons, then go to the Chinese movie theater to watch kung fu films. I’d go buy martial arts equipment after I saw Bruce Lee, and I’d act like I was him,” Dourdan told Philly Mag in 2007.
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Dourdan felt that if he needed to succeed, he had to leave New Jersey for New York. Once there, he worked as a doorman at a rehearsal studio.
“I was living in the studio’s basement. There were people rehearsing music videos and films, and there were rats – rats the size of Chihuahuas,” he told The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Dourdan himself was very interested in music and played the piano, the guitar, and the saxophone. He did some off-Broadway plays and was hoping to make a name for himself, something that started feeling more and more within the reach of his hand after he met actress Debbie Reynolds who helped him land the role of Shazza Zulu in A Different World.
During the 90’s, Dourdan was part of a number of music videos, including Janet Jackson’s Again, which became a huge commercial hit at the time.
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It wasn’t until 2000, that Dourdan had his big breakthrough with CSI. Honestly, we couldn’t imagine anyone else portraying the eccentric forensic investigator and audio-video analyst Warrick Brown.
“When I got on the show, it was a great challenge to be an actor and to be in a drama. You want to be able to play a character who has dimensions. And I was able to do that,” Dourdan shared with Red Carpet News.
After eight seasons on the show, Dourdan said goodbye to it.
Getty Images
When it comes to his private life, Dourdan has two children with two different women. Daughter Nyla is 23 years old while son Lyric, whom the actor has with his ex-girlfriend from CynthiaHadden, is 19.
Speaking of his children, Dourdan shared with The Throve, “They’re really good kids. We never had to discipline them the way my mother definitely had to discipline me. I was a bit of a wayward child–a middle child and I was really reckless. My kids aren’t. Their mothers have done an excellent job of raising them. I’m very proud and feel very blessed. There were some uneasy years there; child rearing and relationships are difficult, but for some reason, those kids, those souls chose to be born through us. I have to thank them for that.”
One thing that affected Dourdan’s life was his brother’s death. Dourdan was still very young when his brother, who was 23 at the time, went to Haiti to research their family’s lineage but fell from a balcony and died. The circumstances surrounding his passing remain unclear until this very day. Even though years have passed since this tragedy took place, Douran still mourn’s his brother’s loss.
Throughout the years, Dourdan has found himself in trouble many times. He was once arrested for driving his car into parked vehicles, and shortly after, he was arrested again after an argument with his girlfriend.
In 1012, he filed for bankruptcy. He was reported to had owner $1.7 million.
Gary Dourdan in a mug shot, California, US, April 2008. (Photo by Kypros/Getty Images)
Today, Dourdan is back on the big screen, to the delight of his fans. In 2021, he was part of the action thriller Redemption Day, and according to IMBD, more projects are on the way.
We are glad Gary Dourdan managed to take control of his life again.
Most people find it annoying when ads start popping up while they watch their favorite film or series. The truth is that commercials can be boring, but there are also those that turn iconic. I am sure that everyone is looking forward to the commercials Coca-Cola does before New Year each year as they announce the festivities and boost the holiday spirit.
Another commercial that reached incredible popularity and a cult status is “The Caveman” by Geico which was first released back in 2004. It features a caveman and the aim is to sell car insurance. The company was reported to have spent around $600 million on advertising and commercials in 2006, but “The Caveman” became so popular that the money likely paid off. The agency behind this masterpiece was The Martin Agency, which handled Geico’s advertising for years. As per The New York Times, the agency’s goal has always been to “wrap easy-way-to-save-money pitch in humor on the theory that laugher is almost as universal as lack of interest in car insurance.”
The creative director, Steve Bassett, said they knew the commercial would be a success but they never expected it to get widespread to that extent.
Youtube/clre78
The man behind the character of the caveman is actor and producer John Lehr. Of course, his dirty look and greasy hair, along with his creased forehead and Neanderthalish looks were a result of heavy make up. In reality, Lehr is a very handsome man and a father of two.
His career in the industry had begun before this commercial took place and it all started when Lehr, who worked as a teacher at Kilmer Elementary School in Rogers Park, Chicago, Illinois, decided to do improv shows during the night. During one such performance, he was spotted by a FOX scout who offered him a holding deal with NBC for $15,000.
This was like a dream come true as it opened the doors to Hollywood for Lehr. Among the rest, he appeared in one episode of the legendary television show Friends in 1996, and starred in 22 episodes of the show Jesse alongside Christina Applegate, with whom he later reunited for the rom-com The Sweetest Thing.
Youtube/ALTERIANINC
In 2004, Lehr was offered to audition for “The Caveman,” and he didn’t expect much from it. “I thought, ‘Huh, okay.’ I didn’t think much about it. Went in, did it. They let me improvise,” Lehr recalled in an interview with Chicago Now. “I think that’s what got me the job. It was really fascinating and fun and paid my bills.”
Once he was chosen to be The Caveman, Lehr’s character became sort of a celebrity. All of a sudden everyone spoke of the commercial.
Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
“It’s the perfect job for somebody like me, a character actor, because I make a lot of money on these commercials and nobody knows it’s me,” he told Interviewing Hollywood.
“It kind of fit with my sense of humor, in that it’s kind of, you play it for real but it’s totally absurd, which is basically my cup of tea. And it worked out.”
“I’m stunned…I mean, it’s huge! My wife just recently googled GEICO caveman blogs, and it’s unbelievable,” he added.
“There’s a whole bunch of people out there who are fascinated with these commercials.”
Instagram/johnlehr
The commercial took Lehr’s career to a completely new level. He even made it to the Oscars, but not as himself. Instead, he was all dressed up as The Caveman.
“They sent me to the Oscars in full makeup and cast a babe model to be my date on the Red Carpet,” he recalled in an interview with Forbes.
“The funny thing was that all the stars wanted to take pictures with me. Gary Busey, John Voight, all of them. And this gorgeous actress comes up and starts hitting on me. I drop character and say, ‘You realize I’m not really a caveman. I’m an actor with hair glued on, and I’m married. She goes, ‘I don’t care. Let’s have sex.’”
Marsaili McGrath/Getty Images
Today, Lehr owns a production company, the Howler Monkey Productions, and besides being an actor, he also works as a producer.
Lehr is happily married to wife Jennifer Lehr with whom he has a son and a daughter.
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