'Godfather Of Poker' Doyle Brunson Dead At 89
Doyle Brunson, best known as "The Godfather of Poker" and one of the most dominant figures in the game, has died.
Brunson passed away Sunday, according to his agent, Brian Balsbaugh. His cause of death was not disclosed.
Balsbaugh posted a statement to Twitter from Brunson's family ... "It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our father, Doyle Brunson. He was a beloved Christian man, husband, father and grandfather."
The message continued, "We’ll have more to say over the coming days as we honor his legacy. Please keep Doyle and our family in your prayers. May he rest in peace."
Brunson was affectionately named 'Texas Dolly' after the press misinterpreted a similar nickname, but the label stuck. With his unique moniker, Brunson won 10 World Series of Poker tournaments, second only to Phil Hellmuth's 16 victories.
Rest in Peace to the Biggest Legend of Them All. Thank you for being the consummate player and gentleman. No one will ever fill your seat. pic.twitter.com/riE35PCrQh
— WSOP - World Series of Poker (@WSOP) May 15, 2023 @WSOP
The Texas-born, cards competing icon also secured back-to-back world championships -- in 1976 and 1977 -- and was later inducted into the 1988 Poker Hall of Fame.
Brunson was the first player to ever win $1 million in poker tournaments, earning him the “Godfather” title. He also penned a popular book called, "Super System," which detailed poker strategies and was instrumental in luring people to the game.
At his last poker championship in 2016, Brunson came in sixth, but his poor performance did not stain his reputation as arguably the best player ever.
His influence even touched those beyond the poker world. Actor James Woods tweeted in part, "This one is a heartbreaker. Doyle Brunson, the greatest poker player who ever lived, has cashed in his chips. A gentleman and a genuine legend."
Brunson was 89.
RIP
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Donald Trump Posts Fake Anderson Clip ... Trump Ripped CNN a 'New Ass****!!!'
Donald Trump's piling on CNN in the wake of his town hall by posting a doctored clip of Anderson Cooper saying Trump owned CNN during the event ... but with far more colorful language.
Trump is clearly relishing the fact CNN is getting tons of blowback from the left for giving him a platform -- and he spiked the football with this fake video of Anderson reacting to the end of the town hall. As the crowd roars for Trump, you see Anderson say "That was President Donald J. Trump ripping us a new ass****."
Put politics aside, for just a moment, and the clip is pretty hilarious. However, it's also a stark reminder of just how petty and self-congratulatory Trump can be.
Trump didn't produce the spoof -- it was uploaded by YouTube user, "Borg Clone" -- but the ex-prez clearly endorses the message ... which is that Trump's getting the last laugh on the network that hosted him.
As we reported ... Anderson Cooper, the real one, addressed the backlash against CNN by saying viewers shouldn't wall themselves off from Trump, or any politician, just because they hate their policies or personality.
We're sure Anderson still stands by that, but Trump's sophomoric showboating has gotta make it a little harder.
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Anderson Cooper Blasts Trump While Defending CNN ... After Town Hall Outrage
Anderson Cooper's bashing former President Donald Trump for "disturbing" behavior and remarks during CNN's town hall -- but he's also responding to the waves of people dragging the network for giving Trump a platform.
He addressed the outrage Thursday night as tempers continue flaring over Wednesday's town hall by calling out Trump's "lie after lie after lie," and inappropriate name-calling toward moderator, Kaitlan Collins, amongst other shocking moments.
Cooper acknowledged the anger toward CNN, saying people have every right to never tune in to the network again -- but then defended CNN by pointing out a cold, hard truth: Whether you like it or not, DT is the Republican frontrunner for president, and shutting out someone because you don't share their beliefs just isn't a healthy reality.
As you know, many called for CNN to boot Trump from their network ahead of Wednesday night's town hall -- especially after he was found liable this week in his battery and defamation trial with E. Jean Carroll.
As for why CNN viewers, or Trump haters, shouldn't look away -- Anderson says the roaring applause during some of Trump's bombastic comments should strike fear in people, as he says it was a sampling of roughly half the nation.
For what it's worth, the town hall drew more than 3 million pairs of eyeballs -- way higher than CNN's typical viewership around the same time, so the country was definitely watching it all go down. For better or worse.
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Massive Peloton Recall 2.2M Exercise Bikes Seat Posts Breaking, People Gettin' Hurt!
Peloton has issued a MASSIVE recall on its ever-popular exercise bikes ... because instead of people breaking a sweat during a workout, some are breaking bones.
The company ordered the recall Thursday of about 2.2 million of the PL01 model ... according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the seat posts can break while users take a ride, creating a serious fall risk and other injury hazards.
Peloton says there have already been 35 reports of the seat post breaking and detaching during use, with 13 reports of injuries like a fractured wrist, bruises, and even cuts due to folks falling off the bikes -- yikes.
For those unaware, this isn't Peloton's first time recalling products ... it did the same in 2021 for 125K treadmills following children-related injuries, and even one that tragically died.
The company had to do damage control after "And Just Like That..." featured the shocking death of Mr. Big while riding a Peloton, which obviously isn't a great look. In response, they poked fun at the whole thing with a pretty cheeky ad campaign.
Peloton's lookin' more and more like a dangerous game ... maybe it's time to take a hike, literally.
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Elon Musk Makes Play for Don Lemon on Twitter After Tucker Carlson Launch
Elon Musk is making a push to land a Don Lemon show on Twitter, just as Tucker Carlson's started his own show on the platform -- and Elon's goal seems to be balancing right and left.
Elon made his pitch to Don Wednesday morning with a tweet inviting him to do a show on the bird app. He included a dig at CNN's ratings, saying, "Maybe worth a try. Audience is much bigger."
The move comes after Tucker's Tuesday video tweet, announcing he'd be launching a "new version" of his TV show on Twitter -- a move that was quickly welcomed by the platform's owner.
Elon boasted, "On this platform, unlike the one-way street of broadcast, people are able to interact, critique and refute whatever [Tucker] or anyone may say."
He also made it clear he's not involved in Tucker's show or programming -- "We have not signed a deal of any kind whatsoever. Tucker is subject to the same rules & rewards of all content creators."
Of course, Don and Tucker were fired from CNN and Fox News, respectively, on the same day last month. On the heels of Carlson's announcement, Elon said he wanted more content creators, "particularly from the left" to follow suit.
He clearly thinks Don should be one of them.
BTW ... TMZ broke a story about News Nation pushing hard to land Lemon and Carlson. We're told the cable channel's cooled on both of them due to the news about Tucker's racist text messages, and Don's low ratings at CNN.
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Donald Trump Goes Nuclear on E. Jean Carroll, Judge ... After Losing $5 Million Jury Sexual Abuse Verdict
Donald Trump ripped into his perceived enemies Tuesday night after a jury found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation in the E. Jean Carroll civil trial.
The 45th President posted a series of videos to his Truth Social platform, condemning Carroll, the judge and jury in the case and New York City where the trial was held.
As you probably know, Trump was ordered to pay Carroll $5 million in damages for abusing her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the '90s and then defaming her years later by calling her a liar.
In the footage, Trump first directed his ire toward Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, labeling him a "Trump-hating, Clinton-appointed judge, who went out of his way to make sure that the result was as negative as it could possibly be."
The 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner also said the jury was from an "anti-Trump area," meaning NYC, a place where he could never get a fair trial. BTW ... the verdict was unanimous and quick.
Trump then said he would appeal the jury's decision because he doesn't know Carroll from a hole in the wall. He went on to say the trial was a "scam" and "political witch hunt" (No surprise there). He also said the verdict was a "disgrace to our country."
And he wasn't done yet. Trump described Carroll as a liar whose case was financed by Democratic operatives, but it wasn't clear who he was referring to. He also mentioned fighting back against “this stuff,” implying a rigged justice system, so the country doesn't fall into an abyss.
As for why the jury ruled against him ... jurors heard him via taped deposition say for a million years male celebs have groped women, adding "unfortunately or fortunately."
Of course, Trump's legal woes might only just be starting. Last month, he was criminally indicted in the Stormy Daniels hush money case in Manhattan.
He also faces possible criminal charges in two federal cases involving the January 6th riots and for allegedly pilfering classified government documents.
Trump could also face a criminal indictment in Fulton County, Georgia, over his purported role in trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
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Allen Texas Mall Shooter Had SS, Swastika Tattoos
The suspect in the deadly shooting rampage at a Texas mall didn't keep his hateful beliefs a secret ... tattooing the Nazi swastika on his body and spreading sick messages on a Russian social media platform.
Mauricio Garcia, the gunman accused of gunning down 8 people and wounding others Saturday at an outdoor mall, had a large swastika tattooed on his chest ... plus a "SS" tattoo on his arm.
Garcia's alleged social media profile is reportedly chock full of hateful rants targeting women and minorities ... plus posts praising Adolf Hitler and neo-Nazis.
In one of the alleged social media posts, Garcia shows off a bulletproof vest with Punisher patches and one patch embroidered with "RWDS" ... which is short for "Right Wing Death Squad."
As we reported, the deadly shooting went down Saturday at the Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, Texas -- where video appears to show the gunman pulling up in a car, hopping out and firing into a crowd of shoppers.
The shooter was killed by a police officer and cops say the motive for the shooting is still unclear.
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Allen, Texas Active Shooter at Outlet Mall ... Gunfire Heard on Video
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4:29 PM PT -- New dashcam footage appears to show the moment the gunman started firing off shots at shoppers -- and it looks like he just pulled up, hopped out and started in on a rampage.
🚨#BREAKING: New Dash Cam Footage Captures the Start of Active Shooter's Deadly Rampage killing multiple bystanders
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) May 6, 2023 @rawsalerts
📌#Allen | #Texas
Newly obtained, dash cam footage captures the moment when an active shooter emerged from their vehicle outside the H&M store in the Allen… pic.twitter.com/CyltHimn4N
The video is chilling. You also seem to see another car pull up right next to it -- although it's unclear if that someone trying to intervene, or another bad actor in this tagedy.
In any case, authorities are now saying the shooter is dead. An official body count hasn't been released.
An active shooter has been reported at an outdoor mall in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area -- and videos are starting to surface showing the fear and chaos as people run for their lives.
Police said Saturday that they're responding to reports of someone opening fire at the Allen Premium Outlets, and are warning to public to steer clear of this area ... as the situation is fluid. First responders could be seen rushing to the scene and evacuating patrons.
🚨BREAKING: Active shooter currently at Allen Premium Outlet Mall in Allen, Texas. Several injuries being reported.
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 6, 2023 @MarioNawfal
Unconfirmed reports suggest at least 5 people are down; no word on gunman.
This is an evolving story. Will update below. pic.twitter.com/xLVvvdQXoD
Clips have made the rounds on Twitter, which show tons of bystanders booking it toward the parking lot and out of buildings -- this while multiple gunshots are heard being fired off.
As of now, there've been no confirmed reports about injuries and/or fatalities from the authorities -- but some preliminary info that's starting to circulate suggests there may be as many as five victims so far. The Allen Premium Outlets is currently on lockdown.
#Breaking Allen, Texas Allen Premium Outlets shopping center pic.twitter.com/COdo43NKlw
— J.D. Miles (@jdmiles11) May 6, 2023 @jdmiles11
Other video shows swarms of shoppers -- including families and children, all of whom are panicked -- forming lines as they trickle into the open area away from the shops.
One video in particular -- which is incredibly graphic -- is making the rounds and appears to show footage taken from a news helicopter that's on the scene -- which seems to show a string of bodies covered in tarps on the ground ... with blood seeping out.
GRAPHIC VIDEO: A Fox news chopper captured images from the scene of the mall shooting in Allen, Texas. #activeshooter Follow @Mighty990KWAM for breaking news updates. pic.twitter.com/6Mb3fEyOW6
— KWAM NewsTalk Memphis (@Mighty990KWAM) May 6, 2023 @Mighty990KWAM
It's unclear if the shooter is still at large, or if the scene is still active at this point. All Allen PD has said thus far is that they're there and dealing with it.
Originally Published -- 3:35 PM PT
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Donald Trump Grabbing Women by P**** Nothing New ... 'Unfortunately or Fortunately'
Donald Trump's infamous "Access Hollywood" quote isn't just locker room talk, apparently -- he repeated it while under oath for a deposition in the E. Jean Carroll case ... and added a pretty shocking clarification.
During Trump's depo -- recorded on video last October -- Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, is grilling him about his treatment of women, generally, and raises the hot mic remarks he made during the 2005 interview with Billy Bush: "And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything, grab them by the p****. You can do anything."
The attorney asks, "That's what you said, correct?" ... and without blinking he responds, "Well, historically, that's true with stars. If you look over the last million years, I guess that's been largely true."
He then, stunningly, added ... "Unfortunately or fortunately."
Trump was being deposed because Carroll is suing him for battery and defamation, and the trial is ongoing right now in NYC. Carroll claimed Trump raped her in the '90s, and he responded by calling her story a "hoax," and declaring she's not his type.
During the depo, he also called her a "nut job" and a "whack job."
Closing arguments are expected to begin Monday, unless Trump decides he wants to testify.
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Accused University Of Idaho Killer Bryan Kohberger Talks His Way Out of Traffic Ticket ... In New Police Body Cam Footage
Bryan Kohberger had an interaction with police exactly one month before the grizzly murders of 4 Idaho college students, and body cam video reveals how he schmoozed his way out of a ticket.
Police body cam footage shows Kohberger getting pulled over by a patrol cop on the Washington State University campus in October 2022.
What's striking about the nine-plus-minute video was just how nice and respectful Kohberger acted toward the officer. His demeanor belies any notion he would commit such a gruesome crime ... but authorities say that's exactly what he did.
The footage began with the officer walking up to the open driver's side window of a car in which Kohberger was seated behind the wheel.
The cop told Kohberger -- a WSU criminal justice graduate student at the time -- he was stopped for running a red light. Kohberger responded that he was forced to turn left because he got stuck at an intersection. The officer then schooled Kohberger on Washington state traffic laws, basically outlining for him what he did wrong.
Kohberger fully accepted the officer's reasoning, going so far as to apologize to her for asking too many questions. At one point, he admitted that he wasn't familiar with the traffic laws because he's originally from Pennsylvania.
After checking his license and registration, the officer let Kohberger go without writing him up. Of course, the cop had no clue that the following month Kohberger would be embroiled in a quadruple homicide involving four University of Idaho students.
As we reported, Kohberger allegedly slipped inside an off-campus home on November 13 and fatally stabbed Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin and his girlfriend, Xana Kernodle.
Kohberger was eventually arrested and charged with the murders after police discovered his DNA at the crime scene and unearthed more evidence pointing to his possible guilt. Investigators have not disclosed his motive.
Kohberger is currently being held without bail in the Latah County jail while awaiting trial. He has denied any wrongdoing.
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John Legend Hey Megyn Kelly, Here's The Attention You Ordered ... Chrissy Attack Is Desperate
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John Legend is firing back at Megyn Kelly for going after his wife, Chrissy Teigen ... he says Megyn is desperate to get conservatives back on her side.
We got John at MÍRAME in Beverly Hills Thursday, and asked him about Megyn's negative reaction to Chrissy's outfit for the White House Correspondents Dinner ... and the singer didn't hold back.
John says Megyn's critique is a gross attempt for attention, which he says she needs now that she's no longer working for FOX.
What's more, John thinks Megyn is going after Chrissy in an attempt to win back Donald Trump supporters.
ICYMI ... Megyn ripped Chrissy's dress, labeling Teigen "elitist" for having "minions" and "serfs" holding the train of her dress. Megyn also chided Chrissy for exposing her underwear with a sheer fabric gown.
John says Megyn sounds desperate and should just shut up ... and he defends his wife as being kind, loving and down to Earth.
While John admits it's not normal to have people carrying someone's dress train down the street, he says it's just part of the deal when Chrissy goes to a big event.
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NYC Subway Rider Killed Protesters Violently Clash with NYPD ... Chokehold Death Fuels Outrage
New York City is a powder keg ... on the heels of a subway rider getting choked to his death, pissed-off protesters are going toe-to-toe with NYPD officers, and it's starting to get violent.
Demonstrations are going down on subway platforms and in the streets ... where cops attempted to detain one protester while several others rushed at the handful of officers who had to form a circle to fend off attacks.
The violence is simmering over the death of Jordan Neely ... a 30-year-old homeless man who was riding a subway train Monday afternoon when a Marine vet placed him in a chokehold for 15 minutes. The Medical Examiner has deemed Neely's death a homicide.
Full video pic.twitter.com/ZR5Lggz9FB
— The Tank (@RickTheTank) May 4, 2023 @RickTheTank
NYPD has said Neely appeared to be having a mental health episode, and had been pacing and shouting on the train. Cell phone footage shows the 24-year-old veteran wrestling Neely to the ground and applying the chokehold. He eventually went unconscious, and although paramedics transported him to a hospital, they could not resuscitate Neely.
Along with the protests, there's now a war of words between NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
This honestly feels like a new low: not being able to clearly condemn a public murder because the victim was of a social status some would deem “too low” to care about.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 3, 2023 @AOC
The last sentence is especially rich from an admin trying to cut the very services that could have helped him. https://t.co/0DtXl9DOO5
AOC is ripping Adams for not calling the incident a murder. The Mayor issued a statement purely focused on Neely's mental health without mentioning the actions of the Marine which led to Neely's death. The medical examiner has already ruled it a homicide.
The Marine has not been named or arrested ... which is prompting numerous protests demanding justice for Neely, and criticizing Mayor Adams' treatment of the city's homeless.
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Jimmy Fallon & Seth Meyers Extend Pay for Late Night Staff ... Amid Writers' Strike
Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers' late night talk employees won't be left high and dry during the writers' strike -- as one of Jimmy's staffers claimed -- as the network will cover their pay ... for the time being, at least.
NBC will now be paying staffers through the end of next week -- 1 more than originally reported. Both talk show hosts will be footing the bill one week further, too.
Employees for both shows will also reportedly have their healthcare benefits extended through September ... and the additional payout from Seth and Jimmy is similar to what they did for their workers during the pandemic. Deadline first reported the big development at NBC.
As we reported, Jimmy caught some flak Tuesday after tweets from 'Tonight Show' staffer Sarah Kobos went viral ... as she claimed Jimmy "wasn't even at the meeting this morning to tell us we won't get paid after this week."
Last night a lot of A-list celebs were asked if they support the writers' strike.
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) May 2, 2023 @MorePerfectUS
Jimmy Fallon said, "I wouldn't have a show if it wasn't for my writers, I support them all the way."
Who else supports the strike? Thread. pic.twitter.com/EjlRWiRXd3
Sarah said she was irked by a Met Gala interview where Jimmy said he fully supported his striking writers.
While NBC's move to extend pay will quiet some of the anger, for now ... but expect more tension the longer the strike continues, especially because it's not only writers impacted by the work stoppage.
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White House Correspondents' Dinner MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle ... Eats It at After-Party!!!
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D.C. was lit Saturday night at an after-party following the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and apparently so were some of the correspondents!!!
MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle was yukking it up and feelin' the beat with fellow anchor Symone Sanders-Townsend ... posing for pics when she just collapsed. No harm, no foul ... Ruhle bounced back up, with a little help, and was back at it.
The party went down at the French Ambassador's residence in D.C. People were dancing and, we're guessing, drinking some as the shindig blazed on. Stephanie hit the ground at 1 AM. No word on how long the party lasted.
The event's a big deal in D.C. Ariana Madix and Lisa Vanderpump were guests at the Dinner and A.M. had to love it when host Roy Wood Jr. compared her ex, Tom Sandoval, to Tucker Carlson.
Hope the headache's manageable today!
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Fiery Disaster TikToker's Flamethrower Explodes ... Burns Over 80 Percent Of Body
A dangerous challenge on TikTok landed a North Carolina teen in the hospital with serious burns over nearly 80 percent of his disfigured body.
Grisly photos of Mason Dark have gone viral after the 16-year-old was dared by a group of TikTokers to make a torch out of a spray paint can and a lighter.
The TT users often meet online to create mini-flamethrowers, but this time their makeshift project went awry as Dark was engulfed in flames after the can exploded.
Dark ran to a river near his Wake Forest home and dove inside to put out the flames. When he emerged from the water, he had third-degree burns over 76 percent of his body, including his face.
His mom, Holli, told Fox affiliate WRAL News, “He is unrecognizable, unrecognizable." She also said her son was rushed to a burn center, where he has already undergone skin grafts, which are surgeries that replace damaged skin with healthy skin from unaffected areas of the body. Dark is expected to stay in the hospital for at least 6 months.
Holli went on to say her son's flaming, bunched-up T-shirt was seared into his skin while he was trying to remove it at the riverbed.
She added that his physical appearance has only worsened since the accident last week, explaining, “The way he looked when those kids saw him when he first came in, to what he looks like now, it’s 100 times different."
Dark is an active high school football player and track runner.
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Tucker Carlson Newsmax Beating Down His Door ... Here's Key to Our Kingdom!!!
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Tucker Carlson is out at Fox News, and now another conservative news outlet, Newsmax, wants him to be more than just the face of the network, and it's putting on a full-court press to land him.
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the news channel is doing everything it can to sweeten the deal for Tucker to come on board -- including floating the idea of letting him program the whole channel, not just his own show.
That would be a pretty enticing deal point ... in addition to having his own primetime show, Tucker would have a say over what shows lead into and out of his show, which can be key in achieving bigger TV ratings.
While our sources stress Newsmax hasn't formally offered Tucker a job -- he can't have formal discussions due to his current Fox News contract -- we're told the network execs have made it clear to people around him, they would basically give him a big say in rebranding their channel.
Newsmax has some competition for Tucker ... as we first reported, NewsNation is showing early interest as well.
Our sources acknowledge it's too early to know for sure where Tucker will pop up next, and it might not even be at a TV network ... but we're told whatever he does, it's going to be big, disruptive, and will create a seismic shift in the conservative media landscape.
In the meantime, we're told he's cheerful following his Fox News firing ... and he's not dwelling on what he lost, but instead moving forward and hoping FNC does the same.