Fyre Festival Founder 'Wonka' Team Needs to Make Amends ... Then Come to FF2 For Redemption!!!

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CALL THE PROS
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The team behind the viral, and failed, Willy Wonka experience has some making up to do, and Billy McFarland -- a guy who's very familiar with that situation -- wants to give them a shot at getting it right.

We talked to the Fyre Festival founder in NYC, and had to ask him about that Wonka disaster in the UK that's captured the world's attention ... and instantly reminded folks of Billy's own failed festival.

ICYMI ... pics from a pop-up Willy Wonka experience in Scotland have been all over X and other social media platforms with people complaining about how truly lackluster and appalling the whole thing was.

And, Billy agrees ... saying right off the bat he thinks organizers need to make amends with the kids for the one-star factory tour ASAP, and IF that happens ... he's offering team Wonka a spot at Fyre Festival II.

Remember, Billy put on a similarly, and legendarily, bad experience in the form of a music festival for high-paying fans back in 2017 in the Bahamas. The set-up was abysmal, and Billy later pled guilty to defrauding investors. He served around four years in prison.

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WONKA FEST
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McFarland says he wants to give the Wonka folks a chance to do things right at Fyre 2 ... albeit with some guardrails in place to keep everything on track.

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Land Of Pure Disappointment
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Billy's clearly got the second Fyre Festival on his mind ... saying it's set for some time next year, but his partners will announce the date when they're ready. For now, he's taking on more of a marketing role and trying not to go overboard and do too much.

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FYRE FEST REKINDLED

And, it seems like Fyre tickets are goin' quickly ... with Billy telling the world on Thursday that the Fyre II presale has received applications for around $110 million worth of tickets.

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Clearly, second chances can be hella lucrative -- so, the 'Wonka' people might wanna look into taking Billy up on his offer!

FUNDADOR DEL "FYRE FESTIVAL" EL EQUIPO DE "WONKA" TIENE QUE REDIMIRSE Hay padres indignados...

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El equipo detrás de la experiencia viral de Willy Wonka necesita compensar a los niños -según Billy McFarland- quien quiere darle a los organizadores una oportunidad de redención.

Hablamos con el fundador del Festival Fyre en la ciudad de Nueva York el martes y tuvimos que preguntarle acerca de la experiencia Willy Wonka que ha capturado la atención del mundo, mientras que se podría compar con el propio festival fallido de Billy.

Fotos de una experiencia de Willy Wonka fallida en Escocia han circulado por X y otras plataformas de redes sociales con la gente quejándose de lo verdaderamente mediocre y espantoso que fue todo el asunto.

Billy está de acuerdo, diciendo desde el principio que él piensa que los organizadores tienen que hacer las paces con los niños lo antes posible, y luego les ofreció una rama de olivo y un lugar en el Festival Fyre II.

Recordemos que Billy vivió una mala experiencia similar en la forma de un festival de música para los fanáticos de alto pago de vuelta en 2017 en las Bahamas. El montaje fue pésimo, y Billy más tarde se declaró culpable de estafar a los inversores. Cumplió unos cuatro años de cárcel.

McFarland quiere darle al equipo la oportunidad de hacer las cosas bien en Fyre 2, aunque con algunos guardarraíles en su lugar para mantener todo en orden.

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"la tierra de la desilución"
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Billy claramente tiene el segundo Festival Fyre en su mente, diciendo que está programado para algún momento del próximo año, pero sus socios anunciarán la fecha cuando estén listos. Por ahora, él está tomando más de un papel de marketing y tratando de no ir por la borda y hacer demasiado.

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SE REAVIVA EL FYRE FEST

Parece que las entradas de Fyre se van rápidamente, con Billy contándonos que el día que la preventa Fyre ha recibido solicitudes de alrededor de $110 millones de dólares en entradas.

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Suena como una segunda oportunidad muy lucrativa, la gente de "Wonka" podría interesarse en la nueva oferta de Billy.

Drake Rinde homenaje a las fans que fueron asesinadas tras su concierto

Drake está rindiendo homenaje a la madre y la hija que murieron trágicamente después de un reciente show en St. Louis, al mismo tiempo que está haciendo otro gesto dulce con una fanática que está luchando contra el cáncer.

Durante su concierto en Buffalo, Nueva York, la noche del miércoles en el KeyBank Center, Drake se tomó el tiempo para compartir un emotivo mensaje con la multitud, a quienes les dijo: "Nunca sabes cómo será la realidad de la otra persona cuando salga de este edificio".

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También animó a los fans a mostrarle su amor a un total desconocido, lo que hicieron.

La mente y el corazón de Drake estaban apenados, ya que se refería claramente a Laticha Bracero y su hija de 21 años de edad, Alyssa Cordova. El rapero añadió: "Que descansen en paz esa joven madre y su hija".

El trágico momento fue grabado en video: el dúo madre e hija salían del concierto de Drake y J. Cole en St. Louis la madrugada del 14 de febrero cuando un carro las golpeó a gran velocidad.

La policía dice que el hombre que presuntamente conducía el vehículo, Monte Henderson, se saltó varios semáforos en rojo antes de la colisión y acusó al joven de 22 años de dos cargos de homicidio involuntario y dos cargos de acción criminal armada.

Pese a esta triste noticia, el primero de los 2 conciertos de Drake en Buffalo no fue del todo sombrío. Un fan se asomó entre la multitud agitando un cartel que decía "Beat stage four cancer just in time for Drake #godsplan".

El rapero hizo que la ida al concierto valiera la pena para la mujer. La bendijo con $25k al igual que lo hizo en el video real de "God's Plan".

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Muy buen momento de Drizzy, en ambos frentes.

CHEERIOS LAWSUIT YOUR CEREAL IS FILLED WITH PESTICIDE!!!

General Mills has been hit with a class-action lawsuit claiming Cheerios contains a harmful pesticide ... which some angry customers say definitely ain't good for the heart!

In the docs obtained by TMZ, plaintiff Steven Epstein alleges that GM has been manufacturing, marketing and distributing the hugely popular oat-based cereal brand without making it clear that it's laden with dangerously high levels of a particular pesticide known as chlormequat chloride ... which he claims independent studies have confirmed to be present.

In the docs, NY native Epstein says when he bought a box of Cheerios from the store in January, he had no reason to suspect that it contained chlormequat chloride based on the product's advertising, marketing, and listed ingredients.

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He says chlormequat is linked to causing problems with fetal growth and the nervous system.

Epstein claims that if he had known that Cheerios contained dangerous levels of the pesticide and the potential harm that could result from ingesting it, he either wouldn't have purchased it at all or would have been willing to pay significantly less for it.

So now, Epstein is trying to put together a class action ... and is looking for millions in damages for what he claims are material misrepresentations and omissions in marketing the popular cereal.

We've reached out to General Mills for comment ... so far, no word back.

Drake Cancer Survivor Gets $25K Honors Fans Killed After His Show

Drake's honoring the mother and daughter who died tragically after a recent show in St. Louis ... while also making another sweet gesture to somebody battling cancer.

During his Buffalo, NY concert Wednesday night at KeyBank Center, Drake took time to share an emotional message with the crowd, saying ... "You never know what somebody else's reality will be when they walk out of this building,"

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Show Some Love

He also encouraged fans in the audience to show love to a total stranger, which people did.

Drake's mind and heart were heavy as he was clearly referring to Laticha Bracero and her daughter, 21-year-old Alyssa Cordova, adding …"Rest in peace to that young mother and her child."

The tragic moment was caught on video ... the mother/daughter duo were leaving Drake and J. Cole's St. Louis concert on the early morning of February 14 when a car struck them at a high rate of speed.

Police say the man they allege was operating the vehicle, Monte Henderson, ran several red lights before the collision and charged the 22-year-old with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of armed criminal action.

Drake's first of his 2 Buffalo shows wasn't all somber though ... he peeped a fan in the crowd waving a sign that said “Beat stage four cancer just in time for Drake #godsplan.”

The rapper made the concert trip worth the woman's while -- he blessed her with $25k just like he did in the actual "God's Plan" video.

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Pretty cool moment from Drizzy, on both fronts.

OPRAH LE DICE ADIÓS A WEIGHTWATCHERS Tras admitir que usa un fármaco para adelgazar

Oprah se separa de WeightWatchers después de casi una década, una decisión que viene seguida de las críticas que recibió luego de decir que utiliza una droga para perder peso.

La compañía de pérdida de peso dejó claro en su comunicado oficial el miércoles que no hay mala sangre con Oprah y su salida de la Junta de Directores no se debe a ningún desacuerdo con la empresa o cualquier cosa relacionada con las operaciones de la empresa, políticas o prácticas.

La CEO de Sima Sistani dice: "Aunque yo y el resto de nuestros directores ciertamente la echaremos de menos en nuestras reuniones de la junta tras el final de su mandato actual, ella sigue siendo una voz estratégica, fuerte y colaboradora de WeightWatchers".

Dicho esto, la salida de Oprah se produce unos meses después de confesar el uso de medicamentos para bajar de peso en diciembre. La admisión levantó cejas, sobre todo porque ella había hablado en contra de medicamentos como Ozempic y Mounjaro meses antes.

Como ya informamos, Oprah reveló que bajó 40 libras en 2023 y parte de su estrategia implicó la medicación prescrita por los médicos, pero nunca ha revelado el nombre de la droga.

Algunas personas, sobre todo la gurú del fitness Jillian Michaels, criticaron a Oprah por no ser transparente con el hecho de que WeightWatchers invertió en un popular medicamento para perder peso. Se especulaba con que Oprah se beneficiaría enormemente de abogar por el uso de dicho medicamento.

Oprah en realidad está abordando directamente esa crítica al salir de la empresa -WeightWatchers dice que está donando su participación del 1.4% al Museo Nacional de Historia y Cultura Afroamericana para "eliminar cualquier conflicto de intereses percibido en torno a su toma de medicamentos para bajar de peso".

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A propósito, el anuncio de su salida está perjudicando a las acciones de la compañía, las cuales se desplomaron más del 20% inmediatamente después de la noticia que se conoció el jueves por la mañana.

Perder a Oprah nunca es algo bueno para ninguna organización, sin embargo, ella asegura que nunca ha estado mejor en cuanto a salud, tanto física como mentalmente a medida que pierde kilos.

Lo cubrimos todo en el último episodio de The TMZ Podcast, disponible en todas las plataformas de pódcast.

OPRAH SAYS GOODBYE TO WEIGHTWATCHERS After Weight Loss Meds Admission

Oprah is parting ways with WeightWatchers after nearly a decade ... a decision that comes on the heels of criticism about her proudly revealing she uses a weight loss drug.

The weight loss company made it clear in its official statement Wednesday there's no bad blood with Oprah ... and her departure from the Board of Directors isn't due to any disagreements with the company or anything related to the company's operations, policies, or practices.

WW's CEO Sima Sistani says, "While I and the rest of our directors will certainly miss her in our board meetings following the end of her current term, she remains a strong strategic voice and collaborator with WeightWatchers."

That being said ... Oprah's departure comes a few months after confessing to using weight-loss drugs in December -- the admission raised eyebrows, especially as she'd spoken out against medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro months earlier.

As we reported ... Oprah revealed she dropped 40 pounds in 2023, and part of her strategy involved medication prescribed by doctors -- but she's never revealed the drug's name.

Some people, most notably fitness guru Jillian Michaels, criticized O for not being transparent that WeightWatchers had invested in a popular weight loss drug. The speculation was Oprah stood to profit greatly from advocating for the use of such medication.

Oprah's actually directly addressing that criticism as she leaves the company -- WW says she's donating her 1.4% stake in WW to the National Museum of African American History and Culture to "eliminate any perceived conflict of interest around her taking weight loss medications."

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BTW ... the announcement her bolting from WW is putting a hurting on the company's stock -- it plummeted more than 20% immediately after the news broke Thursday morning.

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PARTING WAYS
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Wall Street's bottom line ... losing Oprah is never a good thing for any organization -- but Oprah's bottom line is she's in the best place she's ever been health-wise, both physically and mentally as she sheds pounds.

We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Kate Middleton Team Responds to Viral Speculation ... On Whereabouts, Health

Kate Middleton's team is responding to viral speculation/jokes about why she hasn't surfaced publicly in months -- but they don't find anything funny about all the gossip and chatter.

The Princess of Wales' camp was forced to respond this week after a ton of memes were posted online over the past several days -- several of which were making cracks at her expense over her whereabouts and conjecture over what sort of procedure she had done.

Her rep told Page Six Thursday ... "Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess’ recovery and we’d only be providing significant updates. That guidance stands."

They also emphasized she continues to be doing well and making progress in her recovery.

As you can see, they didn't address the specific theories that have been floating online -- several of which are wild and salacious ... and which really aren't worth addressing here. Clearly, her camp is taking her health seriously ... and didn't feel the need to fuel the fire.

Still, that's not stopping the internet from making light of her situation ... which is kinda sad.

Fact is ... Kate underwent a very serious surgery that was focused on her abdominal area -- and it sidelined her for a good while. When news broke about her hospitalization last month ... the Palace said she'd be out of the public spotlight until at least Easter.

So, them emphasizing that plan yet again here appears to project some frustration on her team's part -- which is understandable. A lot of people are leaning into these Kate Middleton jokes ... and it's a little cringeworthy to say the least.

We haven't seen Kate out since December ... but we know she's been released from the hospital, and that she's recovering at home. Prince William has been quite attentive ... visiting her at the clinic she was at while she was there, while continuing on with his work too.

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THE MIDDLETON MYSTERY
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He did make a last-minute cancelation on one of his engagements this week for "personal reasons" ... and while many assumed it pertained to his wife, it's just unclear why.

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In any case ... her camp has spoken, so here's hoping the ha-has settle down now.

Kate Middleton Su equipo responde a las teorías sobre su paradero

El equipo de Kate Middleton está respondiendo a las especulaciones y bromas sobre su desaparición pública, las que se han vuelto muy virales por estos días. Aunque al equipo real no le parecen nada graciosos los chismes y habladurías que se han generado.

El equipo de la Princesa de Gales se vio obligado a responder después de que aparecieran un montón de memes en Internet esta semana, varios de los cuales estaban haciendo bromas sobre su paradero y conjeturas sobre qué tipo de procedimiento se habría hecho.

Su representante le dijo a Page Six el jueves: "El Palacio de Kensington dejó claro en enero los plazos de recuperación de la princesa y que solo estaríamos proporcionando actualizaciones significativas. Esa orientación se mantiene".

También enfatizaron que ella sigue estando bien y haciendo progresos en su recuperación.

Como pueden ver, no se refirieron a las teorías específicas que han estado circulando en línea, varias de las cuales son súper descabelladas y no vale la pena abordar aquí. Está claro que su equipo se toma en serio su salud y no siente la necesidad de avivar el fuego.

Sin embargo, eso no impide que Internet siga haciendo polémicas por su situación, lo que es un poco triste.

El hecho es que Kate se sometió a una cirugía muy grave en su área abdominal, que la marginó por un buen tiempo. Cuando se conoció la noticia de su hospitalización el mes pasado, el Palacio dijo que estaría fuera del foco público hasta por lo menos Pascua.

Por lo tanto, enfatizar ese plan una vez más aquí parece proyectar cierta frustración por parte de su equipo, lo cual es comprensible. Mucha gente está haciendo bromas y especulaciones sobre Kate Middleton, lo que es un poco incómodo, por decir lo menos.

No hemos visto a Kate desde diciembre, pero sabemos que fue dada de alta del hospital y que se está recuperando en casa. El príncipe Guillermo ha estado muy atento y la visitó en la clínica mientras estaba allí, al mismo tiempo que continuaba con su trabajo también.

Además, hizo una cancelación de último minuto a uno de sus compromisos de esta semana por "razones personales" y aunque muchos asumieron que se refería a su esposa, no está claro el motivo.

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En cualquier caso, su equipo ha hablado, así que esperemos que las habladurías terminen.

Brazilian Soccer Journalist Accuses Mascot Of Sexual Harassment ... At Huge Rivalry Game

A soccer reporter who was covering a famed rivalry game in Brazil over the weekend says she was forced to go to cops following the conclusion of the match ... after she claims one of the team's mascots sexually harassed her.

Canal Monumental journalist Gisele Kumpel alleged the misconduct happened while she was on the sidelines of Sunday's Grêmio vs. Sport Club Internacional tilt -- which soccer aficionados call "Gre-Nal."

Kumpel said in an interview with GloboEsporte that at several points during the match, Internacional's masked cheerleader, known as Saci, began making gestures at her ... before he bent over and looked down at her phone.

Then, according to Kumpel, following a big goal by Internacional in the second half ... Saci grabbed her and made kissing noises.

"He stopped next to me and simply hugged me," she told GE. "He hugged me. Even with the mask on, he pushed my head and made to kiss me. I could hear the kiss crack and I felt his sweat."

Kumpel went on to say she was the only female reporter in attendance ... and the only one who Saci embraced.

"Another day of women wanting to do their job in football and suffering for it with some idiots who are criminals," she wrote in a post on X ... while adding photos of her reporting the incident to local authorities. "I'm going to the end so that no other woman goes through this."

Internacional officials said in a statement to the U.S. Sun that they've suspended the person in the Saci costume as they and law enforcement continue to investigate the allegations.

Kumpel, meanwhile, said she's doing OK despite the incident ... writing on her social media page, "Everything is fine."

"Taking away the fear, trembling, crying and disbelief of the moment," she said, "I did what I could do, since eliminating the fact is impossible."

Príncipe Harry Pierde batalla judicial en el Reino Unido relacionada a su seguridad ¡¡¡Ahora eres un plebeyo!!!

El príncipe Harry ha estado librando una guerra con el gobierno británico luego de que retiraran su seguridad, que es financiada con fondos públicos del Reino Unido, pero ahora un juez está entregando un veredicto sobre el asunto.

El caso se ha prolongado desde 2022 y el Tribunal Superior de Londres finalmente falló el miércoles a favor del Ministerio del Interior después de que el Príncipe Harry intentara anular una decisión que rebajó su nivel de protección en el Reino Unido.

Recuerden, cuando él y su esposa Meghan Markle renunciaron a sus puestos reales, los abrigos rojos les dieron la espalda también y revocaron la seguridad de alto nivel que se puede permitir un miembro de la realeza que trabaja a tiempo completo normalmente. Harry lo denunció y presentó una demanda.

Como hemos dicho, esto fue hace mucho tiempo, pero finalmente se llegó a una conclusión y el Duque se va con un juez de Los Ángeles, sabiendo que no hay nada ilegal o injusto en la decisión alcanzada en favor del Ministerio del Interior.

No parece haber muchos detalles en términos de los motivos. Todo lo que el juez al parecer dijo en los documentos fue que este movimiento era razonable y legal y que una alternativa para Harry es contar con seguridad a medida, menos formal cuando esté en el Reino Unido.

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Eso sí, Harry ya había perdido otra batalla legal en este frente de seguridad. Allí había tratado de argumentar que él debería ser capaz de pagar por seguridad de alto nivel de la policía, pero también fue rechazada.

Toda la queja de Harry se reducía a que sentía que su familia no estaría segura en el Reino Unido si no podían recibir el tratamiento real en términos de seguridad y ahora parece que el gobierno y el Tribunal Superior le están diciendo rotundamente que ya no es un miembro de la realeza. Acéptalo. 🤷🏽‍♂️

Prince Harry Loses Court Battle Over UK Security You're a Commoner Now!!!

UPDATE

10:41 AM PT -- A spokesperson for Prince Harry announced he will appeal this decision.

Prince Harry has been waging war with the British government over the fact they yanked his publicly-funded security in the UK ... but a judge flipped him the bird once and for all.

A decision was made in the drawn-out case that's been going on since 2022 -- with the London High Court ruling Wednesday in favor of the Home Office after PH had attempted to overturn a decision made that downgraded his level of protection across the pond.

Remember ... when he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped down from their Royal posts -- the red coats turned their back on them too -- revoking top-level police officer security details a full-time working Royal might normally be afforded. Harry cried foul and sued over this.

Like we said, this has been going on for a long time ... but it's finally reached its conclusion -- and the Duke's walking away with an L.A. judge saying there was nothing unlawful or unfair about the way this conclusion was reached by the Home Office.

There doesn't seem to be much detail in terms of the rationale here -- all the judge reportedly said in the docs was that this move was reasonable and legal ... and that the alternative for Harry -- a tailored, less formal security detail if/when he's in the UK -- is also appropriate.

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Mind you, Harry had already lost another battle on this security front -- he had tried arguing that he should be able to pay for high-level cop security ... but he got turned down there too.

Harry's whole gripe boiled down to him feeling like his family wasn't safe in the UK if they couldn't get the royal treatment in terms of security -- and now, it sounds like the government and the High Court are flatly telling him ... you're not a Royal anymore, bro. Deal with it. 🤷🏽‍♂️

Originally Published -- 5:36 AM PT

Don Lemon $24.5 Million Payout ... Upon Exiting CNN: Report

Don Lemon was handsomely compensated after being fired from CNN last year -- in fact, it's almost as if he never left ... 'cause the dude's definitely getting paid like it, per a new report.

According to the Wrap, the former CNN anchor finally reached a deal with his former bosses at the cable news network to finalize his separation from the company -- this after he was canned almost a full year ago.

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Apparently, they'd been working out the details of his exit package -- and now, word is they finally landed on a number ... which is astronomical. The Wrap says he got $24.5 million.

What's astonishing about that figure is that, per the outlet, this amount of cash is exactly what he would've been paid if he'd been allowed to stay there and finish out his contract -- which they say had another 3.5 half years left on it before his ousting in April.

In other words, he got his full contract's worth of money ... so good on his negotiating team.

Weirdly enough, though, CNN is actually pushing back on the number ... telling People the report of his massive payout is "incorrect." With that said, they didn't elaborate beyond that.

In any case ... it sounds like Don's walking away from this saga a happy camper. Yes, he's no longer on TV -- but he's moved on over to X for a new show, similar to Tucker Carlson.

While he was fuming after getting the boot at CNN, Don ended up with the last laugh ... the guy who fired him, Chris Licht, ended up being shown the door as well not long after. Meanwhile, Don's millions of dollars richer ... and he's in the free speech space now.

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Win-win?

Willy Wonka Atracción en el Reino Unido es un fracaso rotundo ... Padres indignados

Una atracción de Willy Wonka en el Reino Unido resultó ser una total decepción para las familias que pensaban que visitarían la intrincada fábrica de chocolate de su icónico personaje, y las fotos del lugar son reveladoras.

A las familias se les prometió una "deliciosa" fuente de chocolate y "caprichosos" Oompa Loompas en "Willy's Chocolate Experience" en Glasgow, Escocia, pero terminaron en un lugar relativamente vacío, donde fueron recibidos con una triste vista. ¡Echa un vistazo!

Las fotos de la "fábrica" han estado circulando en línea y casi todos están de acuerdo en que esta supuesta experiencia fue totalmente sobre vendida y eso es lo que sienten los padres también.

Como se puede ver, el lugar donde supuestamente iban a pasar un rato increíble no tenía mucho: solo un arco iris inflable, un castillo hinchable solitario, algunas otras decoraciones dispersas alrededor y algunos actores desaliñados por el lugar.

Echa un vistazo a esta foto de uno de los Oompa Loompas contratados para actuar en esta atracción: es una imagen triste. Según algunos informes, los miembros del reparto recibieron guiones la noche anterior y tuvieron que improvisar sobre la marcha.

Uno de los padres, Aileen Butcher, calificó la debacle de "vergüenza absoluta" y declaró al Daily Record que se tardaron un minuto en recorrer la atracción, que también incluía una mesa llena de gominolas. Según se informa, las entradas costaron alrededor de $35.

Otro padre, Stuart Sinclair, contó todo en Facebook, explicando que viajó dos horas solo para que sus hijos se fueran con dos míseras gominolas y un cuarto de una lata de limonada Barr.

Al parecer, se montó un buen numerito en la supuesta fábrica de chocolate. Los actores se pusieron en pie de guerra, al igual que los padres, muchos de los cuales se enfrentaron al propietario y exigieron que les devolvieran el dinero. Al parecer, incluso tuvo que intervenir la policía para calmar los ánimos.

Desde entonces, los organizadores de esta experiencia, House of Illuminati, han pedido disculpas por el "estresante y frustrante" día.

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Reconocieron que si lo hubieran cancelado antes podrían haberle evitado a todos la frustración. Desde entonces han emitido 850 reembolsos. Sí, este definitivamente no era un boleto dorado. 😅

WILLY WONKA Pop-Up Factory Experience a Bust ... Parents Outraged

A Willy Wonka pop-up attraction in the UK turned out to be underwhelming for families who thought they'd be going through an intricate chocolate factory -- and the pics are wild.

Get this ... families who were promised a "delectable" chocolate fountain and "whimsical" Oompa Loompas at 'Willy's Chocolate Experience' in Glasgow, Scotland ended up in a relatively empty warehouse where they were greeted with a sad sight -- just take a look.

Photos of the "factory" have been circulating online -- and most everyone agrees ... this so-called recreated experience was definitely oversold, and that's how parents feel as well.

As you can see ... the space where people were told they'd be treated to an awesome time was scant and pretty bare -- with an inflatable rainbow, a lonely bouncy castle, and a few other half-hearted decorations scattered about, and some frumpy actors on hand too.

Check out this photo of one of the Oompa Loompas hired to role-play for this attraction -- it's a sad sight. Reports have surfaced claiming the cast members were handed scripts the night before, and then told to improvise on the spot.

One parent, Aileen Butcher, called the whole debacle an "absolute disgrace" ... telling the Daily Record it took all of one minute to walk through this thing, which also included a lone table strewn with jelly beans. The tickets were reportedly about $35 a pop.

Another parent, Stuart Sinclair, spilled all the beans on FB ... explaining he traveled two hours for the event, only for his kids to walk away with two measly jelly babies and a quarter of a can of Barr limeade.

It was apparently quite a scene in the would-be chocolate factory ... actors were reportedly up in arms, as were the parents ... many of whom confronted the owner and demanded refunds. Cops reportedly even had to get involved in all this to settle everyone down.

Organizers House of Illuminati have since apologized for the "stressful and frustrating day."

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They acknowledged that canceling it earlier might've spared everyone a lot of frustration ... and have since issued 850 refunds. Yeah, this definitely wasn't a golden ticket idea. 😅

Drake Fans Mother, Daughter Ran Over By Speeding Car ... After His St. Louis Concert

022624_reckless_driver_kal 02/26/24
Tragic Collision

Tragic new video shows the moment a mother and daughter leaving a Drake concert were killed by a car running a red light -- and you can see just how fast this person was driving.

The dramatic footage shows Laticha Bracero and her adult daughter, 21-year-old Alyssa Cordova, walking through a crosswalk on early Feb. 14 -- right after Drake's concert in St. Louis -- when, suddenly, a car comes flying into frame, blowing through a red light and sideswiping another car before running them over.

It all happens in a flash -- and we've stopped the video to avoid showing the gruesome moment of impact -- but make no mistake ... Bracero and Cordova were obliterated.

Obviously, the fatal incident is absolutely horrific -- and worse yet, it happened a few blocks away from the Enterprise Center in downtown St. Louis, where the women had just left a Drake show ... the 2nd night of his two-show performances there in town.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department says the mother died at the scene and her daughter later died at a hospital.

Cops also claim the alleged driver, 22-year-old Monte Henderson, was running red lights for several blocks and speeding in a Jeep Cherokee before running over the women and injuring several other pedestrians. They ended up finding him and arresting him shortly after this.

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Henderson's been charged with two counts each of armed criminal action and involuntary manslaughter. Cops say he was speeding at over 70 MPH -- it's unclear why he might've been driving that fast ... but in any case, he has reportedly since bonded out of jail.

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According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ... a judge overseeing his case denied a request from prosecutors to keep him locked up -- with them arguing he's a danger to the community -- and allowed to be freed on a $20,000 bail. He has since been released from custody.

The mother and daughter apparently weren't even from St. Louis -- word is, they'd traveled into town from Chicago just to catch Drizzy in person. A GoFundMe to help pay for funeral arrangements and other costs has been started in their name.

RIP

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