Best of calls for Today:
Trending
- Shopify says a record-breaking $4.1 billion was spent on Black Friday. That’s up 22% from last year. Holiday shopping sales peaked at $4.2 million per minute at 12:01 p.m. EST.
- NBC says ‘’Elf’’ casting director Susie Farris wants Bill Hader to play Buddy the Elf in a remake of Will Ferrell’s 2003 Christmas movie. Farris says Hader is quirky and endearing.
- MediaPost says Krispy Kreme has partnered with Warner Bros. for a limited-edition "Elf" Doughnut Collection. There are three new versions of the Original Glazed Doughnut. They are decorated with sugar cookie icing, sprinkles, and chocolate pieces.
- The Daily Dot says an Instacart shopper recently delivered a 600-pound order from Costco and Sam's Club. Jo Ezzy was only paid $38.35. Tik Tokers said the amount of work was not worth the pay.
- The Wrap says Kim Kardashian is set to produce and star in a Netflix comedy called "The Fifth Wheel". The details of the film are being kept secret, but Kardashian will play the title character alongside an ensemble female cast.
- The NY Post says a Barbie-pink superyacht was recently sold for $5.86 million.An international tech mogul bought the 80-foot boat. It has pink paintwork and pink furniture. The megayacht also has four suites, a DJ console, and a flybridge
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Hooray for Hollywood: Here are this past weekend's box office results.
1. “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” $28.8 million.
2. “Napoleon," $20.4 million. (CINEMA SCOOP .. The film cost $200 million to produce. It earned $58.4 million overseas. Total weekend earnings = $78.8 million)
3. “Wish,” $19.5 million. (CINEMA SCOOP .. The film cost $175 million to produce. It earned $29.5 million overseas. Total weekend earnings = $49 million)
4. “Trolls Band Together,” $17.5 million.
5. “Thanksgiving,” $7.2 million.
The Sun says Justin Timberlake is secretly planning a massive world tour. He wants to remind the world of his talent as a performer and showcase his new music. Justin is determined to make a comeback and put on a spectacular show for his fans.
The Messenger says Ed Sheeran surprised 50 Cent's concert crowd in London.He jumped on stage and sang "Shape of You"
The Daily Mail says Ed Sheeran is selling his old clothes for charity. The items are covered in cat hair and include a Versace two-piece suit and a monkey onesie. Fans are warned not to wear his underwear due to visible "stains."
Billie Eilish tells Vanity Fair magazine that her self-worth is not tied to her success. "I think that people put a lot of value into their career and their success, which, of course, is important, but for me, my worth is no longer based on how successful I am — it's about the things that make me happy and satisfied."
Miley Cyrus tells Rolling Stone magazine that changing her birth name helped her separate her personal and professional lives. "I think Miley is who I am when I'm here, now, in front of you guys," she explains. "But when I go home, it doesn't feel natural to say, 'Hey, Miley!' to myself or anyone around me. Destiny is who I am on the inside, the person I was when I didn't have the whole world watching me when I was just a kid. That's the side of myself that no one will ever see, which is exactly how it's supposed to be."
Taylor Swift tells Variety magazine that writing a good song is a lot like falling in love. "Getting a great idea with song writing is a lot like love. You don’t know why this one is different, but it is. You don’t know why this one is better, but it is. It sticks in your head, and you can’t stop thinking about it.
Paul Russell tells Billboard magazine that music has the power to connect people. "The beautiful thing about art, music in specific, is that it allows people to relate and connect. You could come from completely different cultures, backgrounds, speak entirely different languages – but still feel a connection to someone based solely on the musical energy. That's powerful. Regardless of who you are, where you're from, or what you believe in – for those few minutes when the sound waves hit your eardrums...we're all connected."
Entertainment Tonight says Selena Gomez is "casually dating" and not feeling any pressure to be in a relationship. A source says, "Selena is casually dating and doing well. She is doing her own thing and doesn't feel any sort of pressure to be in a relationship. She is just focusing on what's best for her right now and has been very in tune with maintaining her own boundaries. Her friends and family support her and just want her to be happy."
The Daily Mail says a 24-year-old Brazilian woman recently gave birth to a healthy baby girl after her water broke at a Taylor Swift concert. Maria Mendes attended the concert even though she had cramps. Her pain became so intense that she rushed to the hospital. Maria was surprised to learn that she was 40 weeks pregnant and in labor. She had no idea she was pregnant. Maria named her daughter, Maria Flor.
Parade Magazine says a Taylor Swift-inspired Christmas lights display is going viral. A Naperville, Illinois family is paying tribute to Taylor's Era's Tour. They're playing her music and have created likenesses of her and Travis Kelce using Christmas lights. Travis’ likeness is holding a neon sign that reads "Karma is the guy on the Chiefs." The lawn is also decorated with giant versions of Taylor's album covers.
OK! Magazine claims Ben Affleck is allegedly tired of being Jennifer Lopez's chauffeur. A source says, “She hates driving and feels much safer riding shotgun. From J.Lo’s point of view, it’s her man’s duty to get her from place to place safely. He’s behind the wheel twice as much, it’s no wonder he’s having fender benders. The honeymoon phase is over. Of course, they're still madly in love, but they're under a lot of pressure with work obligations, being in the spotlight and blending their families."
Gossip Cop says Eric McCormack's wife, Janet Holden, has filed for a divorce after 26 years of marriage. The couple, who met on the set of a TV show, got married in 1997. They are ending their marriage due to irreconcilable differences. Holden is seeking spousal support because they have one son together.
The News International says Britney Spears and Sam Asghari's divorce is almost complete. Spears is set to pay Asghari a "low six figure" settlement. Asghari is living in a $10k a month apartment paid for by Spears.
OK! Magazine says Britney Spears is allegedly facing serious financial trouble. A source says, "Britney was warned a few months ago that she was running into the red, but she didn’t change anything and kept on blowing her cash and now it’s happened. She’s got a mountain of debts and no money coming in. It's not all Britney’s fault given all the people who’ve leeched off her and continue to do so. But the problem is she doesn’t know how things add up. She was never formally educated about money and how it works, and now she’s paying a terrible emotional and financial price!"
The New York Post says Paris Hilton has secretly welcomed her second child. She now has a daughter named London. Hilton is already a mother to a son named Phoenix. She previously expressed her desire to have a daughter and had 20 embryos frozen to see if any were girls.
The Daily Mail says Brad Pitt is planning a joint birthday bash with his girlfriend, Ines de Ramon. He is turning 60 while she will turn 31 next month. A source says, “Brad is happy and in love with his girlfriend, Ines, but any sign of engagement or getting married or eloping is not in the near future. Brad isn’t gun shy to get married again, it just is not anything on the mind of both of them. No one is pressuring anyone to move fast, no thoughts of having kids or anything like that is happening, they are perfectly happy with each other and love how everything is simple, fun and exciting and always seems new. Brad has no worries when he is with Ines, they just seem to work and are a fun couple.”
Page Six says Tiffany Haddish was arrested for a DUI in Beverly Hills after a comedy show on Thanksgiving. The police received a call about a car on the road and found Haddish asleep behind the wheel. She was arrested for a DUI. Tiff was also arrested for a DUI in 2022 in Georgia.
TMZ says Tiffany addressed her recent DUI arrest during a stand-up comedy routine. When asked about what happened, Tiffany responded by making a joke about her prayers for a man in uniform being answered.
The Daily Beast says Bradley Cooper recently expressed his enthusiasm for doing a fourth 'Hangover' film. He said, “I would do probably Hangover 4 in an instant, yeah. Just because I love [director] Todd [Phillips], I love Zach [Galifianakis], I love Ed [Helms] so much. I probably would, yeah.”
Deadline Hollywood says John Travolta recently revealed that his new film, "The Shepherd," was inspired by his own near-death experience. He was flying a corporate jet when he had a total electrical failure. John thought he and his family were going to die. “I had my family on board and I said, ‘This is it, I can’t believe I’m going to die in this plane.’ And then, as if by a miracle, we descended to a lower altitude, I saw the Washington DC Monument and identified that Washington National Airport was right next to it and I made a landing. So I’m reading this book saying, ‘I’ve lived this.’”
TV Shows Ace says a “Barbie sequel: is not happening. Margot Robbie says the cast and crew put everything they had into the first film and didn't plan for a sequel or trilogy. While fans may be disappointed, they can look forward to seeing Robbie and Ryan Gosling star together in an Ocean's Eleven spinoff.
Soaring Christmas Tree Prices Could Strain Gift Budgets
The American Christmas Tree Association says the average price of a Christmas tree has gone up 10% from last year. The average cost for a tree this season is between $80 and $100. Artificial trees are even more expensive, ranging in price from $85 to $1,000. Consumers are advised to shop early to find the best deals.
Holiday Shopping Survey
A new survey by the John Lewis Partnership Credit Card reveals that 57% of people find the most stressful part of Christmas to be staying within their budget. Other findings:
37% of people start gift-shopping as early as the end of Summer
30% of people say Christmas feels like a year-long event
71% of people would struggle to afford Xmas without setting any money aside
Infidelity Survey
A new study by illicitencounters.com reveals that having an affair can actually improve your marriage. Study findings:
- 72% of cheaters say their relationship with their spouse had "improved dramatically" after they started an affair.
- 52% of cheaters say their love life with their partner improved after they began cheating.
- 72% of married cheaters are happier in their marriage since starting an affair
Dear Fonseca,
I'm 16 years old and work at a well-known store at the mall. My manager, who is 24, is my best friend. She joined my family and I for Thanksgiving because she has no relatives in town. On Black Friday, she asked me why I don't look like any of my brothers or sisters. She suggested I take a 23andMe DNA test. She's offered to secretly help me buy it. The more I think about what she said, the more I think she may be right. What if my father is not really my biological father? I have two questions. Should I take the test and what happens if I find out my father is not my real father? What would you do if you were me?