Miss USA rocked by favoritism, cheating claims as contestants storm off stage
There is no peace in the world of the Miss USA pageant.
The organization is being rocked by cheating and favoritism accusations, and contestants aren't hiding their feelings, as several walked off the stage when Miss Texas, R'Bonney Gabriel, was crowned the new winner.
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Several contestants are convinced that R'Bonney was the predetermined winner, as evidenced by the lead up to the Monday, Oct. 3, crowning ceremony. The seemingly-shunned women point to the fact that the Asian and Filipina American was hugely tight with Miss USA director Crystle Stewart and visited a plastic surgery spa, a key part of the winning prize, weeks before being crowned. The eventual winner — Miss Texas — also participated in a pageant coaching business that is run by Crystle, which solidified the women's friendship.
Miss Montana, Heather Lee O'Keefe, took to TikTok to outline the cheating claims.
"Most of the Miss USA contestants feel very strongly that there was favoritism towards Miss Texas USA and we have the receipts to prove it," she said in a TikTok video, via MailOnline. "We are putting our titles on the line, putting our reputations on the line."
In another video, she said, "That's how strongly we feel about believing and standing up for what is right. There is many of us who have even said we are willing to relinquish our titles to take this stand because that's how serious we are about this."
While it's customary for Miss USA contestants to stay on stage and applaud the winner, video showed the beauty queens leaving in a mass exodus after R'Bonney's win.
Miss Texas' rivals believe the fix was in long before the crowning evening. A video of Crystle doing R'Bonney's hair weeks before the ceremony is just one piece of the controversy. In addition, Heather pointed to a video of R'Bonney being pampered at the NIZUC Resort & Spa over two months ago — the resort tweeted out the video shortly after the win. The spa visit is typically gifted in the days after the win, not months before.
"@MissUSA was crowned less than 24 hours ago, yet she already got her sponsored vacation to @NIZUCResort," Heather said. "Are you kidding me? I was giving y'all the benefit of the doubt, but this is just embarrassing at this point."
Miss Texas, Heather also claims, was the only one featured on the Miss USA website. Further, it turns out that one of the judges of Miss USA is allegedly the founder of a beauty company affiliated with NIZUC.
"Ever since Miss Texas was crowned a couple months ago, she has been shown favoritism by the Miss USA organization through their businesses that are also all owned by the same woman," Heather said.
Former Miss USA contestant Jasmine Jones, who has been involved in pageantry for a decade, also said the favoritism is "obvious" and insisted the mass exodus was a "big tell-all" that "something was off."
"In the background, girls were literally clapping [weakly] and they started exiting the stage before she even turned around for her congratulatory hug from other contestants," she said. "Before she even got halfway down the runway for her crowning moment, the contestants behind her were exiting the stage."
Several women in the Class of 2021, Heather alleged, have filed a lawsuit against the organizers.
Sharon Osbourne backs Kanye, agrees Black Lives Matter is a 'scam'
During his weeklong war against his estranged family, various models and a litany of fashion gurus, Kanye West dubbed the Black Lives Matter movement a "scam." He has a supporter in Sharon Osbourne.
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The former "The Talk" co-host was asked her take on Kanye's views and his now-infamous White Lives Matter shirt, to which she remained mostly mum. Admitting she's not totally up to speed on the situation, Sharon is confused by Ye's viewpoints but also equally confused by the backlash surrounding them.
"I don't understand why white lives don't matter," she told TMZ cameras. "Everybody matters, don't they?"
One thing she's lockstep with Kanye on is his feelings pertaining to BLM, as he recently called it a "scam" on social media.
"We gave $900,000 to [BLM] and I'd like my money back," Sharon said. "I wish he could have said that before."
The British personality didn't indicate when she donated to the organization, but most presume it was in 2020 after the George Floyd killing and ensuing uprising.
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While Kanye claims there are calls for him to be "canceled," Sharon thinks that notion is preposterous — this, of course, coming from someone who was effectively canceled last year over her support of pal Piers Morgan.
"You can't stop people from living their lives," Sharon said, adding that you can curb support Kanye in a multitude of ways. "Don't go to his social media, don't listen to his music, leave the guy alone. Let him do what he does and if you don't like him, do that. Leave him alone."
The interview comes as Adidas is said to be reviewing its partnership with the rapper, something Sharon sees as pure posturing.
"They won't cut their ties," she said, "they make too much money from him."
Michael Landon's grandson dies after being hit by L.A. city bus
The daughter of late TV star Michael Landon revealed that her son was struck by a Los Angeles city bus and claims he was "left to die on the side of the road."
Shawna Landon has been trying to bring attention to Dylan Lupia's death on Instagram since mid-August. On Wednesday, Oct. 5, she spoke to MailOnline about the mystery that she says continues to surround the 24-year-old's death.
Dylan, his mother says, was walking along the bike lane in the coastal city of Rancho Palos Verdes on August 17 when Metro Local 344 bus struck him and continued down the road. It's believed that Dylan died instantly from head injuries.
"I just want answers. It's all I think about. How can you not know you just hit a human being This man didn't even stop to see what happened, nor did he call 911. My son was left to die on the side of the road," Shawna said.
MailOnline claims the bus didn't stop because the driver thought someone was trying to vandalize the vehicle. However, the driver did call LA Metropolitan Transportation Authority after making the next stop.
Why the grandson of the "Little House on the Prairie" star was walking on the road isn't known. In addition, his car has also not been found.
"There are still so many unanswered questions, and as a mother I will do everything in my power to get answers," Shawna said. "Dylan's wallet was found on him and it still contained his ID, money and his credit card. However, his car keys and cell phone were missing."
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Of course, Michael never met Dylan, as the actor passed from pancreatic cancer in 1991 at the age of 54.
"I know he would have been devastated that something like this happened to Dylan, and he'd want me to get to the bottom of it," Shawna said. "My son was a great kid, but he battled mental health issues. When he was 14, he was diagnosed with being on the spectrum and although he was high functioning, he struggled to hold down a job and have healthy relationships. He was living on his own when the accident occurred."
Niecy Nash, wife have matching tattoos of another woman's name
Niecy Nash and her wife will now have a permanent reminder of a simple miscommunication.
While appearing on "The Tamron Hall Show," the "Reno 911!" star and wife Jessica Betts explained why each of them have "Cora" tattooed their bodies, despite it not being either's name.
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The whole thing began when Jessica asked the actress what her birth name was. Niecy said "Carol," but Jessica heard "Cora." Jessica then proceeded to call Niecy "Cora" for almost two years.
"One day, she said, 'Why do you call me Cora?' And I was like, 'That's your name!'" Jessica recalled.
Niecy emphatically corrected her wife.
"I thought it was something that the cool kids called each other in New York on the street," Niecy said. "I said, 'My name is not Cora' and [Jessica] said, 'It is now.'"
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The misheard name is now incredibly meaningful to the duo, as they both got it inked. Jessica's "Cora" ink appears on her neck, whereas Niecy has a tattoo that reads "Mrs. Cora Betts" on her hip.
"It's up and stuck…. JB, I'm Always & Forever your 'Cora' @jessicabettsmusic #IYKYK," Niecy captioned a video of the ink.
Jessica replied, "My Cora.. period."
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Howard Stern goes out to dinner for first time since the pandemic started
Following two years of being a staunch homebody, Howard Stern is back in public — and maskless!
Page Six reported that the famous radio shock jock went out to dinner in public over the weekend for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
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In a photo from the evening, Howard was joined him his wife and a bevy of A-list pals, including Jennifer Aniston, Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Hamm, Justin Theroux and Jason Bateman.
A source at Brooklyn, New York, restaurant Laser Wolf told Page Six, "Howard was there without even a mask. They all sat at a large table, Howard was seated next to Jimmy and also at one point seemed to be in deep conversation with Jon Hamm. Stern told restaurant staff this was his first night out since the start of the pandemic."
Howard, a noted germaphobe, has been open about his COVUD-inspired reclusively. In March 2020, he recorded his SiriusXM radio show from his house, which he once described as a "bunker" for "apocalypse broadcasts." He also made friends take COVID tests before visiting him or coming into his sprawling house.
"For me, [COVID] is still going on and I haven't left my house. I can't figure out how to integrate myself," he said in November 2021. "I've been locked up so long and I haven't gotten COVID. I'm afraid I'll be the one a****** who gets COVID and I'll die. Even though people don't seem to be dying that much [anymore]."
Spouse of 'The Bachelor' star catches historic home run, turns down $2M offer for ball
The husband of a former "Bachelor" star has been identified as the man who caught Aaron Judge's record-breaking 62nd home run ball in Texas on Tuesday night, and he's already turning down seven-figure offers for the memorabilia.
Multiple outlets claim that Cory Youmans, the millionaire Vice President of Fisher Investments, caught the ball and now holds it. Those reports seemed to be confirmed by Bachelor Nation alum Bri Amaranthus, who is Cory's wife.
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Bri, who appeared on Arie Luyendyk Jr.'s "Bachelor" season in 2018, posted a photo of the ball on her Instagram.
"That's my man @thejudge44 #62.' ," she captioned the photo. On Twitter, she shared a video of Cory holding the ball while being escorted by stadium security.
"THIS IS MY HUSBAND," she wrote alongside the video.
Make no mistake about it, the ball that Cory caught is historic. With the homer, Judge set the single-season American League home run record, having passed Roger Maris' previous home run total of 61, which stood for 61 years. Many baseball purists now consider Judge the legitimate home run king, as they discount the three other players who have hit more in a season due to the steroid era in which they played.
Prior to Bri's husband catching the ball at Globe Life Field, memorabilia companies said the record-setting ball would be worth millions. Front Row Sports said Cory already turned down a $2 million offer.
After catching the ball, a reporter asked Cory what he planned to do with the ball. He replied, "Good question. I haven't thought about it."
Cory and Bri, a Dallas sports reporter, married in Mexico in 2021 after a year-long engagement.
Marvel star reveals secret 12-year MS battle
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" actress Emma Caulfield revealed that she's been living with multiple sclerosis since 2010.
While chatting with Vanity Fair, Emma, who recently starred in Marvel's "WandaVision," recalled preparing for 2010's "Gigantic" series when things felt off.
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"Prior to starting that job, I woke up one morning and the left side of my face felt like there were a million ants crawling on it," she said.
Soon, Emma got tested for several things, including Bell's palsy, but found out the results while shooting a scene that it was MS. The diagnosis, she said, "was literally a kind of nightmare." The actress, now 49, was also in denial, despite the fact her father lived with MS.
"'No, that's not possible.' I'm like, 'What are you talking about?,'" she said. "[The doctor] was very matter of fact about it."
In that moment, Emma decided to keep her diagnosis a secret, save for a few close friends.
"I knew in my bones that if you talk about this, you're just going to stop working. That's it," she said. "And no one had been really vocal…. The only reference points I had for anybody who was out there were Montel Williams and Annette Funicello from The Mickey Mouse Club."
After 12 years of living with MS, Emma, who starred as Anya in "Buffy," decided it was time to publicly reveal her health condition, largely because it's beginning to affect her acting.
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While shooting "WandaVision" in 2020, Emma was worn out due to the heat in Atlanta and Los Angeles, where the series was filmed.
"I got really weak. I just went into survival mode and I remember having to be outside…. It was just unfortunate timing really," she added. "But I was very, very uncomfortable, and no one knew. I said nothing. And I paid the price for that."
Her condition is no longer secret.
"I'm so tired of not being honest," she said. "My daughter has changed my perspective, as I think anybody who is a parent can attest. I know that she has a 30% greater chance of coming down with this, just luck of the draw for her."
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U.S. Supreme Court makes decision in Danny Masterson, Scientology lawsuit
The United States Supreme Court shut down Church of Scientology's request to keep a Danny Masterson lawsuit out of the public eye.
Back in 2019, four women and one of their husbands filed a civil lawsuit against the controversial church, claiming they were being harassed, stalked and surveilled after accusing the "That '70s Show" star — a prominent Scientologist — of sexual assault.
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Scientology argued that the lawsuit should be handled by church's private arbitration, citing the fact that the accusers — all former members — signed contracts barring them from suing the church. The Church won its initial plea, but the California appeals court overturned the ruling earlier this year.
"We hold that once petitioners had terminated their affiliation with the Church, they were not bound to its dispute resolution procedures to resolve the claims at issue here, which are based on alleged tortious conduct occurring after their separation from the Church and do not implicate resolution of ecclesiastical issues," wrote California's Second Appellate Court.
On Monday, Oct. 3, the SCOTUS said it would not take up the case and let the appellate court's decision stand, Deadline reported.
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Still, the lawsuit will likely stay on hold for some time, as the actor will first stand trial next week in Los Angeles Superior Court over criminal rape charges involving three of the four women suing him.
On June 17, 2020 the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office charged Danny with raping three women in separate incidents in 2001 and 2003 at his Hollywood Hills home. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the DA's office declined to file sexual assault charges against the former "The Ranch" star in two other investigations due to insufficient evidence in one case and because the statute of limitations had passed for the other. Los Angeles police began investigating the actor, who maintains his innocence, in 2017.
If convicted on all charges, the actor faces 45 years to life behind bars.
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Supermodel and athlete husband hire divorce lawyers: Report
Amid a cascade of reports claiming their marriage has been sacked, Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady are both reportedly making a major move: They've hired divorce lawyers.
On Tuesday, Oct. 4, Page Six said the duo has been fighting and living separately for several months. The writing is now on the wall, as the two are said to be dividing up their treasure trove of assets.
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"I never actually thought this argument would be the end of them, but it looks like it is," a source close to the duo told the New York Post's gossip section. "I don't think there will be any coming back now. They both have lawyers and are looking at what a split will entail, who gets what and what the finances will be."
A People magazine source said there's "tension" between the two and adds that Tom is "trying to figure out what to do."
The supermodel and NFL stud share two children, Benjamin, 12, and Vivian, 9. Tom also shares 15-year-old son Jack with ex Bridget Moynahan.
Although issues have seemingly been piling up for a while, rumors of a rift between the couple began after Tom un-retired from football, something that sources said irked Gisele. Their issues have gotten so bad that they two didn't hunker down together for Hurricane Ian despite being in the same city. The former Victoria's Secret model was also once a consistent presence at Tom's football games, but she's yet to watch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback play in person this season.
Should they officially split, Gisele and Tom will have to divide a reported $26 million property portfolio, which includes homes in Florida, New York, Montana and Costa Rica.
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Although the two have remained publicly mum about the state of their marriage, Gisele recently expressed concern over Tom's career and plainly stated that she wants her husband to be more of a family man.
"This is a very violent sport, and I have my children and I would like him to be more present," she told Elle. "I have definitely had those conversations with him over and over again. But ultimately, I feel that everybody has to make a decision that works for [them]. He needs to follow his joy, too."
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In that same interview, she said she has her own goals, almost implying that Tom's career is keeping her from fulfilling those desires.
"I feel very fulfilled in that way, as a mother and as a wife," she said. "And now it's going to be my turn. It's not like I'm going to be in the valley forever."
Page Six's source said, "As with many marriages, it's not just one thing. Gisele has made it clear that she worried about Tom playing football and that they had had many talks about it. But they have had a series of blowups over the past few years, and this time it looks like there's no going back."
The People magazine source wasn't quite willing to put a fork in the marriage just yet.
"She was so happy when he announced his retirement, and she wasn't thrilled at all when he went back on that," the source said. "They're hitting a rough patch, but I know they're trying, or at least he's trying, to figure it out and make it work. He wants to get through this and for things to get better."
Legendary Las Vegas magician Teller undergoes open-heart surgery
Teller, one half of the legendary magical duo Penn & Teller, underwent open-heart surgery recently, his team confirmed.
It's unknown what forced Teller, 74, to undergo triple-bypass surgery. However, the duo has since postponed a series of shows while Teller recovers.
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"Teller underwent bypass surgery on [Oct. 29} here in Las Vegas and is resting and recovering well," the duo's manger told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "Under doctor's orders, he will be off stage over the next several weeks with an eye towards returning to performances in late November or early December."
Although Penn & Teller travel the country to perform, Las Vegas is their home, as they've had a residency act there for over 20 years.
Teller, the silent half of the FX's "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" stars, has dealt with health issues in the past, as he underwent three back surgeries over 18 months in 2018 and 2019. At the time, it was reported that Teller's spine injury was a result of his physically-taxing tricks.
Penn & Teller have performed more than 12,000 shows since first partnering in 1975.
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Kanye West dons 'White Lives Matter' shirt with woman who once dubbed Kim Kardashian a 'prostitute'
Kanye West is again making a shocking statement, and he's linking arms with a woman who recently demonized his ex-wife.
On Monday, Oct. 3, the rapper donned a shirt bearing the words "White Lives Matter" across the back. Not only was Kanye wearing the shirt, but so did right-wing commentator Candace Owens.
Candace even shared a Twitter image showing her and Ye linking arms in the attire. Candace provided no caption, instead letting the picture speak for itself.
The pairing, while not hugely surprising, comes just weeks after Candace went on a tangent about Kim and her mother, Kris Jenner.
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"Kim Kardashian is a billionaire today, and she is, by the way, still selling sex," Candace said on her Daily Wire show on Sept. 15. "I now hold the opinion that Kim Kardashian is a prostitute. And I'm not going to edit this opinion: Kim Kardashian is a prostitute; her mother is a pimp — worse than a prostitute."
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Kanye, for that matter, has sided with conservative politics for several years, which wasn't always the case. In 2005, he famously declared, "George Bush doesn't care about black people." However, 10 years later, Ye aligned himself with Donald Trump and was often seen sporting a Make America Great Again hat, a show of support for the former POTUS.
After wearing the "White Lives Matter" slogan, conservatives predictably applauded the clothing. Liberals predictably slammed the duo for the clothing choices.
Billy Eichner seems to blame homophobia for 'Bros' box office flop
Billy Eichner seems to be blaming straight people for the dismal box office receipts of his new gay rom-com.
The comedian had high hopes for "Bros," which he co-wrote and executive produced. After the first weekend of the highly-publicized film being in theaters, reports indicated that the movie only hauled in $4.8 million in the United States and Canada. It was expected to far exceed that number.
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On Sunday, Oct. 2, Billy took to Twitter to explain the lower-than-expected turnout, and he all but blamed homophobia.
"Even with glowing reviews, great Rotten Tomatoes scores, an A CinemaScore etc, straight people, especially in certain parts of the country, just didn't show up for Bros. And that's disappointing but it is what it is," Billy wrote. "That's just the world we live in, unfortunately."
In the pre-release marketing effort, Billy leaned heavily into the fact that the film was the first of its kind, as it featured an entirely LGBTQIA+ cast.
"Everyone who ISN'T a homophobic weirdo should go see BROS tonight! You will have a blast!," the "Billy on the Street" star continued on Twitter. "And it *is* special and uniquely powerful to see this particular story on a big screen, esp for queer folks who don't get this opportunity often. I love this movie so much. GO BROS!!!"
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Billy claimed that the audiences who did see the film are loving it.
"Last night I snuck in and sat in the back of a sold out theater playing 'Bros' in LA," he wrote. "The audience howled with laughter start to finish, burst into applause at the end and some were wiping away tears as they walked out. It was truly magical. Really. I am VERY proud of this movie."
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'Queen of Versailles' Florida mega-mansion sustains massive damage from Hurricane Ian
The Orlando mega-mansion at the center of the "The Queen of Versailles" documentary has been absolutely ravaged by Hurricane Ian, and its owner estimates damages could exceed $10 million.
"Versailles is a DISASTER! Water flooded the house and we can't even wrap our heads around the damage. Luckily we're ok," Jackie Siegel, known as the "The Queen of Versailles," tweeted on Friday, Sept. 30.
Jackie shared images and videos of the damage with TMZ, and they show several inches of standing water filling most of the ground floor. In addition, portions of the ceiling caved in and have significant water damage. Just before Hurricane Ian, workers finished laying 24-carat gold molding in the living room and pieces of it are on the floor. The outdoor patio was also under several inches of water.
"There's a flood coming into Versailles," she said in a video. "My back patio is a giant lake and all this water is coming into Versailles… This whole place is soaked."
TMZ said Jackie has begun the process of pumping water outside of the home, which is costing $100,000.
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Modeled after the Palace of Versailles in France, the Siegel family home is rather infamous, largely due to the aforementioned 2012 documentary, which showcased the construction of the 90,000-square-foot mansion. Once dubbed the largest single-family house in America, the home has been under construction since 2004, but due to a series of setbacks over the last 18 years the family has yet to spend a night there.
Prior to Ian, Jackie and her husband, Westgate Resorts founder David Siegel, hoped to finish construction by 2023. Because of damages from the hurricane, that date has been pushed back. While the home's been under construction, the Siegel's have been living in a home about a mile away from Versailles.
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