Trump Can’t Stop Calling Kennedy Center’s Maintenance Guy

President Donald Trump has taken an unusually hands-on role in his MAGA makeover of the Kennedy Center, even going so far as to routinely call the head of building maintenance for personal updates. According to The Wall Street Journal, the 79-year-old president has the maintenance boss’ cellphone number and “calls regularly for updates on fixes at the venerated cultural institution.” Trump has become fixated on completely reshaping the center and plans to shutter it for two years beginning in July to allow for what his administration calls a “complete rebuilding” and modernization. The effort appears to have rattled the public. The Athletic reported in December that the Trump administration takeover has “horrified many in the arts community.” Some artists withdrew from shows in protest, and some regular attendees steered clear. Meanwhile, ticket sales plunged 70 percent earlier this year compared with the same period over the past three years, according to the Journal.

A third ransom note has been sent to TMZ, alleging to have new information about Nancy Guthrie’s kidnappers. The ransom note asks for a 1 bitcoin payment, which is $67,000, in exchange for the “name of the individual involved.” “Time is more than relevant,” the note states. Today show’s Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother, Nancy, was last seen on Jan. 31. According to TMZ’s Harvey Levin, the letter included an address to an active Bitcoin wallet. This bitcoin address is a different one from the one sent in a previous ransom note to TMZ. Levin stated on Fox’s America’s Newsroom that he’s unsure whether this threat is real, but added that the note, along with the last one, was sent to the FBI for further review. The search for Nancy Guthrie, who disappeared from her home in Tucson, Arizona, has so far included one person detained for questioning. But that man was released within hours and told multiple outlets he had no involvement with Guthrie’s case. Authorities released videos of an armed and masked suspect filmed by the home’s Nest doorbell camera to the public in an attempt to assist with the search.

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The cause of death for Scary Movie actress and former bodybuilder Jayne Trcka has been determined by the San Diego County Medical Examiner. According to TMZ, the 62-year-old died in what officials ruled an accident caused by hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, exacerbated by a left femoral fracture. Chronic alcohol use was listed as a contributing factor. Initial reports from the medical examiner noted trauma to her body. Trcka was found unresponsive in her kitchen after a friend became concerned when she failed to respond to calls for several days. A Minnesota native, Trcka began her competitive bodybuilding career in 1988 after previously working as a postal carrier. She later became a personal trainer and competed in 26 bodybuilding competitions through the early 2000s, winning titles including the California State Bodybuilding Championship and the North County Classic. She transitioned into acting and made her film debut as Miss Mann in the 2000 comedy slasher Scary Movie, which grossed more than $278 million worldwide. Trcka later appeared in several projects, including Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” music video, and films such as Black Magic and Cattle Call.

Disney has been scolded by an advertising watchdog over fears its promotional material for Predator: Badlands could have been “disturbing” for young children. The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a complaint filed against a trailer of the movie, which was shown outdoors, after agreeing that images of Elle Fanning’s robotic character being held aloft by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi’s character Dek could be misconstrued as a severed human body. The clip of Fanning’s damaged body, missing its lower half, appears on screen for less than two seconds, with Disney defending its inclusion by noting that Fanning’s character in the film was not a human but a “synth” robot. In its ruling, the ASA said it was not clear that the figure was not a human, and that the “realistic depiction of the smaller figure’s severed torso and exposed spine was gory and likely to be disturbing to younger children.” The ASA ruled the ad was likely to “frighten and cause distress to some children,” and must not appear in its current form. A Disney spokesperson told Deadline they “acknowledge” the ASA’s ruling. They added, “We take our responsibilities to audiences very seriously and strive to work closely with partners to meet the required standards.”

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There’s no better time to take stock of your current skincare lineup than when we’re about to transition into a new season. Sure, it’s still winter, but spring is on the horizon, which means you may be looking for new formulas to prep the skin for warmer weather. Medik8 is known for its luxury, clinically-backed cosmeceuticals, researched and formulated by in-house scientists. The premium skincare brand is known for its targeted yet gentle formulas that address fine lines, sagging skin, and texture without causing irritation or overdrying.

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Sydney-based chef Davide Vulpis has died after a motorcycle crash in Bali earlier this week. The Italian national was traveling with friends on the Indonesian island when the accident occurred. Vulpis worked at Cibaria Italian restaurant inside the Manly Pacific hotel on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and had been living in Australia for more than a year. Before relocating to Sydney, he served as head chef at Aparthotel Playasol Mogambo in Ibiza. His brother, Christian Vulpis, launched a GoFundMe to help cover cremation costs in Bali and return Davide’s ashes to Italy. In the fundraiser, he described the crash as “sudden and devastating,” writing that the family is “heartbroken and still trying to process the unimaginable loss.” He added that bringing Davide home is “incredibly important” to the family. The fundraiser has since been paused after reaching its $12,000 goal, according to the Daily Mail. Friends and colleagues have paid tribute to the chef on the GoFundMe, remembering him for his remarkable energy and loving presence.

Scientists have just uncovered why populations of radioactive pig-boar hybrids have been flourishing in Fukushima. Since the 2011 nuclear accident, a portion of Fukushima has been abandoned due to its dangerous levels of radioactivity. While humans don’t roam there anymore, pigs from nearby farms escaped and joined radioactive wild boars in the area, mating with them. By analyzing the DNA of these hybrids, scientists found that over time, the pig’s genes would give way to the boars, as the hybrids became more similar to the native wild boars. But not all of the pig’s traits were lost. Their rapid reproductive capacity was sustained in the subsequent, more boar-like generations, explaining the population boom. These kinds of mixes between domestic and wild animals are more likely to occur in the context of environmental degradation. This kind of research is essential to grasping how changes in the food chain occur, the study’s author, Shingo Kaneko, explained. “By understanding that maternal swine lineages accelerate generation turnover, authorities can better predict population explosion risks.”

Pierre Wolnik, a world champion wingsuit skydiver from France, died on Saturday during a jump in the French Alps after his parachute failed to open. Wolnik, 37, jumped from a helicopter in a wingsuit in the highest mountain range in the Alps, the Mont Blanc massif. After several seconds of free-fall, Wolnik’s parachute failed to deploy as he approached the ground, which resulted in his death, according to French outlet Le Figaro. First responders found his body in the village of Les Bossons and declared him dead at the scene. Wolnik was a two-time freefly world champion, according to his Instagram, and a leading figure in wingsuit skydiving. He was a member of the French team for the 2026 World Air Sports Federation World Championships, and worked as a videographer for the Fédération Française de Parachutisme (FPF), filming his exciting free-fall stunts and sharing them with his social media followers. In a translated statement, the FPF said that Wolnik would be “remembered as a teammate whose presence will forever be etched in the memories of those around him.”

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Keion White, 27, was shot in the leg following an argument at a nightclub allegedly involving rapper Lil Baby, 31. The nightclub was hosting a Super Bowl party on the main floor, and White was hosting a private event downstairs. White and Lil Baby, whose birth name is Dominique Jones, got into the altercation when the rapper attempted to enter White’s private party, a witness told police. The witness went to the club’s management to try to calm the situation when he heard two gunshots. The witness found White shot in the leg downstairs, but noted he did not know who shot him. Another witness told the San Francisco Standard that they heard four gunshots. Police said White was being uncooperative at the time of the incident. The 49ers organization said White underwent surgery later Monday. A suspect in the shooting has not yet been named. The Daily Beast has reached out to representatives for Lil Baby and the 49ers for comment.

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The ex-girlfriend of Norwegian Olympian Sturla Holm Lægreid has spoken out after he publicly admitted to cheating on her during a tearful interview. Lægreid’s former girlfriend, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Norwegian tabloid VG on Wednesday that it is “hard to forgive” him, “even after a declaration of love in front of the whole world.” After winning bronze in the men’s 20km biathlon, Lægreid publicly admitted he cheated on his girlfriend, calling it the “biggest mistake” of his life. In an emotional interview with NRK, he said the medal meant little compared to potentially losing her, describing her as “the love of my life.” Lægreid said he regretted his actions deeply and hoped his public confession would show his remorse and help repair their relationship. But it seems his public declaration did not have the result he expected. “I did not choose to be put in this position, and it hurts to have to be in it. We have had contact, and he is aware of my opinions on this,” the Olympian’s ex-girlfriend added.

The Pogues’ drummer, Andrew ‘The Clobberer’ Ranken, has died at the age of 72, his bandmates said. “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Andrew Ranken, drummer, founding member, and heartbeat of The Pogues,” a statement posted on social media by the band read. “Andrew, thank you for everything, for your friendship, your wit and your generosity of spirit, and of course for the music, forever a true friend and brother,” it added. “Our thoughts and love are with his family at this sad and difficult time.” His cause of death was not revealed. However, the 72-year-old suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for years. Nicknamed ‘The Clobberer’, Raken was a founding member of The Pogues, playing drums, percussion, harmonica, and contributing vocals. He first joined the band in 1983, remaining until 1996, and later returned for a second stint from 2001 to 2014. The Pogues last year launched a celebratory 40th anniversary tour featuring its surviving members. Ranken was absent from the tour due to health concerns, with Tom Cull of Fontaine’s D.C. stepping in to fill his role.