Here is our Best of Calls until Fonseca is back Monday!
Trending
- A new survey by TurboTax reveals that 53% of Americans anticipate getting a tax refund with the expected refund being $935.80
- People magazine says Tom Brady recently ran a 40-yard dash in 5.12 seconds. That's faster than the 5.28 second run he did at the NFL combine 24 years ago.
- CBS says an IMAX movie theater in Indianapolis served a Dune-themed drink during the premiere of "Dune: Part 2'' last night. The cinnamon vodka is called "Spice on the Beach" and has a sand-inspired caramel color
- BNN says IHOP is offering Girl Scout Thin Mints Pancakes in March. The green buttermilk pancakes have cheesecake mousse and crushed Thin Mints.
- The New York Post says Panera Bread is completely rebooting their menu to offer a wide array of cheaper options. The new menu will debut April 4th with nine new items, enhanced recipes for 12 existing classics, and many salads and sandwiches priced under $10.
- NBC says participating Chuck E. Cheese restaurants are offering family memberships. Families can sign up for Gold, Silver, or Bronze tiers. The memberships come with monthly rewards for new games, food and technology
___________________________________
Chocolate Crisis Means Smaller Candy Bars: Benzinga says consumers are being urged to prepare for smaller candy bars due to record high chocolate prices. Chocolate companies, like Hershey, are feeling the pressure with rising costs and shrinking margins due to supply chain issues for cocoa in West Africa. The cocoa issues could last for 5 years
OK! Magazine says Miley Cyrus's mother, Tish Cyrus, believes she would have been a more enjoyable and superior parent if she had smoked marijuana while raising her kids. "I actually feel like I would’ve been… I didn’t smoke pot when I had kids. I didn’t start smoking until I was like, 46. And so I think I would’ve been a better parent if I would’ve smoked then. I think I would’ve been like, I don’t know ... school projects, I would’ve felt more fun."
Luke Combs tells Esquire magazine that staying true to himself is important to him. "I never walked out and wondered, ‘Is someone going to think I'm good?’ I just went out and did it. I believed that I was doing something that was different, and something that was going to work. I’ve never tried to be something I’m not."
The Daily Mail says Ed Sheeran rented the Louvre Museum in Paris to give his father John and mother Imogen a private tour. John is an art curator. The family had the museum to themselves for three hours and got a close-up look at the Mona Lisa. John expressed his gratitude, calling it an "unforgettable experience."
Benson Boone tells Fault magazine that he only discovered his singing talent recently. "It wasn’t until recently that I discovered I could sing. I thought my voice was complete garbage. Then someone heard me singing to myself and told me I had a great voice. I was like "Are you sure you're listening to me?""
Dua Lipa tells Vanity Fair magazine that she sometimes walks around the cities she visits without security. “I love to go to a city and just walk around, and most of the time I can go about unnoticed. Like my security team will be nearby, but not on top of me. Most of the time people will look at me and be like "She looks just like that singer lady!" But I very rarely get approached. And if I do, my team will be there in seconds if need be.”
Tate McRae tells GQ magazine that she's big on setting goals for herself. "I am one-hundred percent a big goal-setter. I have been like that since I was eight years old. It's something I do every month; it's super important to me. I'm always looking to grab that next gold ring."
Radar Online says Vanna White is going to marry her longtime boyfriend, John Donaldson, while filming 'Wheel of Fortune' in Hawaii. The 67-year-old co-host is planning to have an intimate ceremony. A source says, "She was opposed to getting married but now that she's doing promos in Waikiki for Wheel, the fresh air has gotten to her — along with John's infectious charms! Vanna wants to show her appreciation for this wonderful guy who's been so patient. It will be short and sweet and very intimate ceremony — and of course, she'll want her kids to give her away. Vanna already knows she's going to spend the rest of her life with John. It's time to make that wedding happen!"
Kansas City Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt tells The Sports Shop podcast that Taylor Swift was secretly sneaking into football stadiums to support Travis Kelce before anyone knew. “When she started to come around, it was privately. She was coming into the stadiums without people really knowing until the camera put a big spotlight on it.”
WJW says a Lewis Center, Ohio man is facing charges for selling counterfeit Taylor Swift concert tickets for $1,200. Billy Nelson was indicted for theft after a woman received fake tickets. Detectives believe there may be more victims and urge anyone affected to come forward.
The Daily Mail says Taylor Swift's family is relieved she's in love with Travis Kelce. A source says, “Taylor’s family and everyone who knows her is so relieved by her relationship with Travis not only because she is madly in love but also because he makes her security personnel job much easier. She has a built-in bodyguard at all times. Travis has vowed to keep her safe and there is no doubt about this. No one will try to come close to her when she is holding hands with her powerhouse boyfriend.”
The Sun says the NFL is allegedly desperate to have Taylor Swift perform at halftime of next year's Super Bowl. A source says her appearance will send Super Bowl commercial prices soaring. "The ads could reach a cost of $8.5 million each, an increase of $1 million, or more. This year, it has been estimated that her presence helped generate a lot of money, estimated between $700-750 million. If she is the main artist of next year’s halftime show, it’s expected to generate more than $1.3-1.5 billion. The story was perfect this year. And next year, it could be even better. If the planets align, and Taylor and Travis are both there again, the money made would break every record."
Trend Hunter says Ryan Reynolds celebrated Leap Year Day yesterday by offering $290 weddings at his Aviation Gin distillery in Portland, Oregon. Ryan's wedding package included the ceremony, five mini cocktails, a cake, a distillery tour and Polaroid snapshots
The Washington Post says Oprah Winfrey is leaving the board of Weight Watchers after eight years. She is donating her financial stake in the company to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The company lost $88 million in 2023. Shares of the company dropped more than 27% after Oprah’s announcement. Oprah told People magazine in December that she uses weight loss medication
The Robb Report says Ellen DeGeneres has sold her Montecito, California estate for $32 million. The price was nearly $10 million more than what she paid last year. The compound has a Roman courtyard with formal gardens, a swimming pool, a tennis court, and a chardonnay vineyard."
The New York Post says the famous booth from the final episode of "The Sopranos" is being auctioned off in New Jersey. Holstein's Ice Cream Parlor is selling the booth to raise funds for a major renovation. Bids reached over $32,000 when the auction began this week
Adam Sandler's new Netflix movie, “Spaceman”, starts streaming today. He tells WGN, that he would take a Marathon bar into space if he could. "Oh, that’s good. I guess right now a Marathon bar. You ever have one of those? They don’t make them anymore. Maybe they make only a few.
Child Growth Survey
A new survey by Stokke reveals that 78% of parents feel their child is growing up too fast. Other findings:
- 61% of parents would give up social media to slow down their child's growth
- 45% of parents would give up coffee for a year to slow down their child's growth
- 34% of parents would give up booze for a year to slow down their child's growth
Top 10 Things To Buy In March... According to a new article by FinanceBuzz
1. Storage solutions for spring cleaning
2. Discounted winter coats
3. Mattresses on sale
4. Home warranty for unexpected repairs
5. Ski equipment deals
6. Seasonal items post-St. Patrick’s Day
7. Grills at discounted prices
8. Sweaters on sale
9. Early tax software purchases
10. Cleaning supplies at a discount.
10 Car Brands Most Likely To Get Speeding Tickets … According to a new article by Finance Buzz
10. Hyundai
9. BMW
8. Honda
7. Kia
6. Audi
5. Mazda
4. Subaru
3. Volkswagen
2. Scion
1. Infiniti
Zoom Survey
A new survey by VSP Vision Care reveals that workers zone out 27 minutes into the average virtual work meeting. Other findings:
- 22% of workers have been distracted by unusual items in virtual meeting backgrounds
- 69% of workers admit to being "business up top, casual on the bottom" during virtual meetings
- 40% of workers feel their eye health has worsened in the past year
- 32% of workers experience daily "screen fatigue" with 18% of them struggling multiple times a day
Dear Fonseca
I'm 21 and a junior in college. My boyfriend and I just started dating three weeks ago. We are going to separate places on Spring Break. We were tipsy the other night when we started talking about Celebrity Hall Passes. That conversation turned to Spring Break Hall Passes. We talked about whether or not we should allow each other to have a Hall Pass during Spring Break. We were both split on the idea and not sure if it's a good one. On one hand, we like each other and definitely want to date. On the other hand, we just started dating and barely know one another. It may be too soon to say we're exclusive. When I talked to my friends about this they were also split and said a Hall Pass could be good AND bad. It may be good because it may allow us to get any urges out of our system before we become exclusive. It could also be bad because it may infuse trust issues later on. Should my new boyfriend and I grant each other Hall Passes on Spring Break?