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Entertainment

Melissa Villaseñor Impersonates Gwen Stefani on Ellen Present

Melissa Villaseñor’s talent for collecting celebrity impressions is unmatched. During a virtual appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Tuesday the comedian and Saturday night live The performer showed her uncanny ability to mimic the voices of various stars and seamlessly rattled off six impressions in less than two minutes without breaking a sweat.

She started the game by impersonating actress Wanda Sykes, who rode a roller coaster before turning into a hippo-obsessed Owen Wilson and an angry Lily Tomlin who ordered a pizza on a safari. The real gem came about halfway when Villaseñor revived her flawless Gwen Stefani imitation from the archives when she faked the singer “Hollaback Girl” calling a cab. If you close your eyes before hitting play in the video above, you will no doubt think that DeGeneres interviewed Stefani himself – Villaseñor is so good.

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Business

With out Events, There’s No Place to Present Off That Costly Watch

With so many people in the pandemic flooded with content pouring into their homes, brands are struggling to find a way to connect.

This is especially true when marketing expensive luxury goods – the kind of items that people enjoy wearing and using. Last year the parties and the cultural and charitable events where the rich can see and be seen did not take place.

“Why do I put on a $ 200,000 clock when I have a clock in the microwave and haven’t left my house in four months?” said Chris Olshan, global executive director of the Luxury Marketing Council, an organization that promotes luxury brands. “What is the value of a $ 10,000 Brioni suit if I don’t go out and nobody sees it?”

He said brands are forced to explain why a new product is worth their interest and money. “It’s” Hey, you can immerse yourself in this watch and it has this button that if you press it, we’ll save you from an island, “he said.” It has to be more than another Swiss watch. It has to be a little more give to justify the value. “

What can a luxury brand do without the fancy brands parties that often include a celebrity or two?

Audemars Piguet, the Swiss watchmaker who is introducing a $ 161,000 watch tied to a Marvel character – a project that has been in the works for years – has decided to try something it hasn’t done before had done: a purely virtual event on Saturday to reveal the character.

The watchmaker also hired tennis champion Serena Williams to be the brand’s ambassador and to attend on Saturday.

She is a serious fan of Marvel Comics. “You don’t understand how excited I was that you were doing something with Marvel,” Ms. Williams said in an interview from her Florida home. “I’m the ultimate Marvel fan. I’m obsessed with comics. And then the films came out. I wanted to be part of it somehow. “(When asked about her favorite character, she said it was a tie between Iron Man and Black Panther.)

Audemars Piguet has a long history of celebrity partnerships. With Arnold Schwarzenegger, the actor and former Governor of California, nine variations of his signature Royal Oak watch were made. It has also made watches with hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and basketball star LeBron James.

Marvel was more challenging. First, it was difficult to get Marvel to agree to the partnership, said François-Henry Bennahmias, executive director of Audemars Piguet, adding that he had tried unsuccessfully to meet with Marvel himself for a decade. He finally got one through his friendship with Don Cheadle, the actor who plays War Machine, he said.

Creating the clock was also challenging as it contains a sculpture of the character in the case. But Mr Bennahmias said the virtual introduction could be one of the most challenging elements – especially since the limited-edition watch sells for $ 161,000.

“When you think of all the starts we’ve made, it’s always with the celebrities and lots of people,” he said. “Covid killed that completely. We start in a fully digital format. “

Because of this, the watchmaker hoped to spark interest by keeping the figure a secret until the announcement on Saturday and hiring ambassadors like Ms. Williams, who is not immediately associated with comics.

Some brands have tried to attract customers by promising behind-the-scenes access. Or as Mr Olshan put it: “You know what time it is, but you don’t know how the clock works.”

A shoemaker from the 1870s, FootJoy has been the leading manufacturer of golf shoes since 1945, with a classic image that resembles Audemars Piguet. However, this image has been challenged by social media influencers promoting sportier golf shoes.

That is why the company has revised its shoes this year and introduced the Premiere series, classic shoes with more technology in the soles and shoes.

To get the message across to wealthy consumers willing to pay $ 200 or more for golf shoes, she used a mix of pitchmen: Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters champion from Australia, who embodies a classic approach to the game , and Max Homa, a younger pro who rose to social media notoriety during the pandemic with his gently sarcastic Twitter, takes up people’s golf swings.

“My brand is to take golf seriously, but also to play at a high level,” said 30-year-old Homa, who won his second PGA Tour event at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles in February. “I want people to understand that there are many ways to do this.”

The shoemaker announced Thursday that he has also teamed up with Todd Snyder, a menswear designer who prefers camouflage and doesn’t play golf, but has a large social media following and can appeal to different types of consumers.

“We’re facing Adam Scott, who’s not on the central casting stage and is focused on someone like Max Homa,” said Ken LaRose, senior vice president of branding and consumer experience for FootJoy. “But we’re also looking for style influencers outside of the golf world.”

Bob Shullman, founder and chief executive of Shullman Research Center, a market research firm focused on the rich, said many luxury brands almost pulled out of the pandemic to focus on their core demographics.

“They market to very specific groups, not just based on demographics, but also based on interests, hobbies and location,” he said. “They are looking for left-handers who play with Chinese golf clubs. There can’t be many. But if they find them and have the right offer, they can do it reasonably well. “

Bugaboo, which makes luxury strollers that can cost more than $ 1,000, caters to an affluent population of young mothers who live in cities and who will take their strollers for frequent walks.

“People want to see real people using our product,” said Schafer Stewart, US director of marketing at Bugaboo. “We are looking for people who marry with our aesthetic. We never pay for it. “

(Influencers like Bruna Tenório, a Brazilian model who just had her first baby, get free products.)

“We talked a lot about ways to market without spending a red cent,” said Olshan. “A lot of brands panic when it comes to doing something. How do you get involved inexpensively? “

With Le Creuset, the French cookware manufacturer, brands have also helped each other and promoted the high-end appliance brand Café from General Electric and vice versa.

“Look, if you buy pots and pans from me, you are buying someone else’s oven,” said Mr. Olshan. “We see a lot of partnerships between non-competing brands.”

In troubled times, even luxury brands have to rethink their age-old strategies.

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Business

‘Sport of Thrones’ Broadway present to be penned by George R.R. Martin

Robert Aramayo portrays a young Ned Stark in “Game of Thrones”.

Source: HBO

George RR Martin gives Broadway his talents.

The author of the megahit book series “A Song of Ice and Fire”, which formed the basis for HBO’s Emmy Award-winning series “Game of Thrones”, is now writing a script for a play that is based on the fantasy world based out of Westeros.

The Hollywood Reporter was the first to cover the news on Tuesday, revealing that the play will revolve around the Great Tourney in Harrenhal and will debut in New York City, London and Australia in 2023. Martin will work with playwright Duncan MacMillan (“1984”). and famous theater director Dominic Cooke on the project.

The Harrenhal Grand Tournament is an important historic event in the world of Westeros. 16 years prior to the events of HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” the contest was held for 10 days and included tournaments of jousting, archery, and combat. It is also the place where Prince Rhaegar Targaryen sparked a nationwide scandal for dedicating his victory to Lyanna Stark in place of his wife. That decision resulted in Roberts Rebellion and the Targaryens being overthrown.

While no characters have been officially announced and the play has not been titled, it is expected that young iterations of Ned Stark, Lyanna Stark, Jaime Lannister, Robert Baratheon, Rhaegar Targaryen, Oberyn Martell and Barristan Selmy will likely be in the cast.

“The seeds of war are often planted in peacetime,” Martin said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “Few in Westeros knew the carnage would come when the highborn and the little people gathered in Harrenhal to see the best knights in the realm compete in a grand tournament during the year of false spring. It’s a tournament that often happens during HBO’s Game of Thrones and in my novels, A Song of Ice & Fire … and now we can finally tell the full story … on stage. “

Martin’s representatives were not immediately available to comment.

The news comes just days after Martin signed a five-year deal with HBO to create content for the network. WarnerMedia, owned by HBO, has already started work on a Game of Thrones prequel called House of the Dragon, which is expected to premiere in 2022. The company has at least five other series in various stages of development for HBO and streaming service HBO max.

Additionally, New York City’s Broadway, which has been closed for more than a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, could reopen in September. Last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled a vaccine rollout in the Theater District that would vaccinate members of the industry in hopes of getting the shows back on in the fall.

Categories
Politics

Obamacare’s About to Get a Lot Extra Inexpensive. These Maps Present How.

Under the stimulus bill passed by Congress this week and due to be signed by President Biden on Friday, almost everyone who takes out their own insurance is eligible for a discount.

The US rescue plan expands the subsidies available to comprehensive health insurance under the Affordable Care Act – increasing it for those already eligible and providing new support for those with incomes previously too high to qualify. The top cards, taken from calculations by the Kaiser Family Foundation, show how the changes will reduce health insurance costs across the country based on location and age.

The changes mean minor adjustments for some Americans and very substantial ones for others. For anyone making around $ 19,000, the subsidies are now generous enough to sign up for a typical plan with no monthly payment. For someone making more than $ 51,000, new subsidies could cut premiums in the country’s most expensive markets by as much as $ 1,000 a month.

Some groups are still not eligible for help: undocumented immigrants and poor Americans in states that haven’t expanded Medicaid under an option under the Affordable Care Act. A vast majority of uninsured Americans can now get financial help with purchasing insurance, according to Cynthia Cox, vice president at Kaiser.

“This law will shape it so that the majority of uninsured citizens will be entitled to free or low-cost coverage,” she said. “This won’t bring us to universal health coverage, but it will bring us closer to universal eligibility for subsidized health insurance – for two years.”

The cards here roughly show how much Americans who buy such plans will have to pay each month under the new rules. All eligible plans must cover a standard set of comprehensive benefits, including prenatal care, prescription medication, and mental health services – more coverage than available in the short-term plans or departments of health some middle-income Americans are currently enrolled in.

To qualify for the new benefits, individuals must register with Healthcare.gov or a government exchange website for plans. The changes will be retroactive to January 1, which means people who already have Obamacare plans will get their money back. Anyone who is not insured now can qualify for new prizes immediately after registering. However, experts say it may take a while for the subsidy changes to appear on Healthcare.gov. If you sign up right away, you may have to pay the old price for the first month and wait for a refund.

If you have unemployment insurance, the law gives you a special discount: regardless of your income, your premiums will look similar to those of the person who earns $ 19,000 on our cards. And if you’ve lost your cover at work and want to keep it, the invoice will also pay the full cost of your six-month premiums under the federal COBRA program.

Notes: The rewards and subsidies shown here are for individuals who purchase a silver plan at the second lowest price in their market. However, subsidies are calculated differently depending on the size of the family. A family of four earning around $ 40,000 would pay the same premium as an individual earning $ 19,000, for example.

In a few states, people on $ 19,000 are not eligible for new grants because they already qualify for other low-cost government insurance programs – Medicaid in Alaska, Hawaii, and the District of Columbia; and the Minnesota and New York Primary Health Plan (the Primary Health Plan is Medicaid-style, low-premium coverage for a portion of low-income Americans in certain states).

If you want to calculate the premium you would pay for your income, household size, and location, this online tool can come in handy.

Here you can find answers to other frequently asked questions about the stimulus package.

Categories
Health

Charts present how Pfizer’s vaccine is working

1.8 ml sodium chloride is added to a vial of Pfizer / BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine concentrate ready for administration at Guy’s Hospital at the start of the largest vaccination program in UK history on December 8, 2020 in London, UK.

Victoria Jones – Pool | Getty Images

LONDON – New data from England has shown how effective coronavirus vaccines are in fighting the disease, even after just one dose.

In December, the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech became the first vaccine to be approved and launched in the UK

The elderly, health workers and nursing home workers were the first to be vaccinated. This was soon followed by the shot developed by the British company AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, another vaccine that requires two doses.

Infection control

Figures in a research report by Public Health England released Monday, but pending peer review, showed Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines are highly effective in reducing Covid infections in people aged 70 and over.

Since the study began in January, protection against symptomatic Covid four weeks after the first dose has ranged between 57% and 61% for the Pfizer vaccine and between 60% and 73% for the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The effectiveness of the vaccine in the data for Public Health England is calculated using a mathematical ratio. Click here for full data and methods.

Reduce hospital stays and deaths

The study, which included data from over 7.5 million people, also found that a single dose offered additional protection against hospitalizations and death.

It is said that coronavirus cases in vaccinated people had about half the risk of severe outcomes compared to non-vaccinated cases. It combined this with estimates of their effectiveness against symptomatic disease and predicted that a single dose of either vaccine would be about 80% effective in preventing hospitalization in the elderly about three to four weeks after the first dose.

It has also been suggested that a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine is 85% effective in preventing death from Covid-19 in those over 80.

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock called the results “very strong”.

“They could also help explain why the number of Covid ICU admissions for people over 80 in the UK has dropped to single digits in recent weeks,” he said.

UK policymakers feel vindicated after deciding to postpone the second dose to around three months in order to vaccinate more people with a first dose faster. Experts in the US hesitated with the strategy, and White House chief medical officer Dr. Anthony Fauci said Monday that “there are risks on both sides”.

As of Sunday, 20,275,451 Brits have received their first dose of vaccine and 815,816 have received both doses, government data said.

The UK vaccination program was widely hailed as a triumph amid tragedy. The UK has the fifth highest number of infections in the world after the US, India, Brazil and Russia, with nearly 4.2 million infections and over 123,000 deaths. This is the fifth highest number of deaths in the world, according to Johns Hopkins University.

—CNBC’s Bryn Bache contributed to this article.

Explanation: This story has been updated to better reflect the vaccine effectiveness calculations.

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Business

Golden Globes rankings hit all-time low, as present loses two-thirds of viewers

Gregg Donovan holds a sign in support of the Time’s Up Globes movement outside the Beverly Hilton Hotel where the Golden Globes will be held on February 28, 2021 in Beverly Hills, California.

VALERIE MACON | AFP | Getty Images

Not even Tina Fey and Amy Poehler were able to save the Golden Globes from sour ratings on Sunday.

On Tuesday, Nielsen data showed that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s 78th annual awards show captured just 6.9 million viewers, a 63% decrease from the 18.4 million viewers hired to air in 2020.

The last time the ceremony reached such a lukewarm audience was in 2008 when the show was turned into a press conference due to the writers’ strike. Around 6 million people saw this program. The least viewed globes, however, were in 1995 when only 3.6 million saw the program.

Sunday’s broadcast was marked by technical problems and overshadowed by scandals as the HFPA came under heavy fire due to the lack of black voters and continued reports of internal corruption. Fey, Poehler, and a number of award winners used their airtime to berate the organization, resulting in an awkward night of pseudo-celebration.

The ceremony was rated 1.5 by adults between 18 and 49 years old, a drastic 68% drop from the previous year’s exhibit, which previously held the record for the lowest ever rating for this important demographic.

NBC, which signed a $ 60 million-a-year deal with HFPA in 2018 to get eight years of exclusive rights to the show, may rethink the value of the ceremony.

While the HFPA used the show on Sunday to make a statement about its plans to include more black journalists and other minority reporters in its organization in the future, many felt the apology fell flat. The organization has grappled with multiple scandals and its reputation has tarnished in the eyes of Hollywood’s elite and audiences around the world.

Nevertheless, the ceremony and its awards remain coveted by the film and television industries. Nominations and wins, even from an organization like the HFPA, are still marketing opportunities for studios and celebrities. Note how often the words “Golden Globe Winner” or “Golden Globe Nominated” are used in trailers and other promotional materials.

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC.

Categories
Health

Charts present how vaccines are working

Pharmacist Murtaza Abdulkarim (L) administers a dose of the AstraZeneca / Oxford Covid-19 vaccine to a patient at the Al-Abbas Islamic Center in Birmingham, West Midlands on February 4, 2021 at a temporary vaccination center manned by pharmacists and pharmacist assistants.

Oli Scarff | AFP | Getty Images

LONDON – The first real data from the UK vaccination program has given some insight into the effectiveness of vaccines against Covid-19.

Developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, the vaccine was the first vaccine to be approved and launched in the UK in December. Those over 80, health workers and nursing home staff were the first to be vaccinated. This was soon followed by the shot developed by the Briton AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford.

Here are four charts summarizing how effective these vaccines are and how they are doing their part in fighting the pandemic:

Falling deaths in those over 85

Since older people were the first to be vaccinated from December 8th, it is noticeable that deaths from Covid are falling the fastest in these age groups. The graph below shows deaths from Covid in Scotland, with a decline in the over-85 group as the vaccination program gained momentum. Click here for the full details.

An increase in antibodies

A blood test published last week by Imperial College London found that nearly 14% of the UK population now have antibodies to the coronavirus. While this does not necessarily mean immunity, the results of the people vaccinated and the level of their antibody levels were interesting. 18,000 participants in the 155,000-person study were vaccinated and the results are shown in the table below. Click here for the full details.

A separate study in England found that the highest percentage of people who tested positive for antibodies was aged 80 and over, at 41%, which, according to statisticians, “is most likely due to the high vaccination rate in this group”.

The real effectiveness of the Pfizer shot

Public Health England has done a thorough study of how effective the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine has been in protecting against symptomatic disease. The table below shows that a dose is 57% effective against symptomatic Covid-19 disease in people over 80 years of age (from 28 days after the first dose).

The effectiveness of the vaccine is calculated using a mathematical statistic called the odds ratio. Click here for full data and methods.

… and the AstraZeneca vaccine

Public Health Scotland also collected data on the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine for all ages. The graph shows that the Pfizer BioNTech and Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines reduce the risk of Covid-19 hospitalization by up to 85% and 94%, respectively, in the fourth week after receiving a first dose. Click here for the dates and the full methodology.

Since the start of the vaccination rollout, the UK has targeted all four key priority groups. The goal is now to vaccinate all over 50s by mid-April and all adults by the end of July, two months ahead of an earlier goal.

As of Sunday, over 20 million people had received their first vaccine dose and nearly 800,000 had received both doses, government data said.

The UK vaccination program was widely hailed as a triumph amid tragedy. The UK has the fifth highest number of infections in the world after the US, India, Brazil and Russia with over 4.1 million registered infections and 123,083 deaths. This is the fifth highest number of deaths in the world, according to Johns Hopkins University.

—CNBC’s Bryn Bache contributed to this article.

Categories
Business

How you can stream the awards present with out cable

Golden Globe trophies are featured on stage ahead of the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards nominations announcement on December 9, 2019 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

ROBYN BECK | AFP | Getty Images

The 78th Golden Globes kick off Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

The ceremony, which honors the best of television and film, shows much of what people saw during the 2020 pandemic lockdown.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, veteran hosts of the Globes, will lead the event. Fey will be seen live at New York’s Rainbow Room and Poehler at the Beverly Hilton.

The Hollywood Foreign Press previously announced that Jane Fonda would receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award and Norman Lear would receive the Carol Burnett Award. One of the closely observed categories is the directing category, in which three women were nominated for the first time.

For those looking to get ready for the annual awards show but don’t have a cable, there are plenty of options.

The ceremony can be streamed on:

  • year
  • Hulu with live TV
  • YouTube TV
  • AT&T TV
  • Sling TV
  • Fubo TV
  • NBC’s website, app, or streaming service Peacock

There won’t be a traditional red carpet this year, just like the Emmy Awards last September, as those who would normally have been invited to the ceremony will be staying at home due to the ongoing epidemic. However, some broadcasters use the hours leading up to the ceremony to count down top red carpet outfits, memorable Golden Globe moments, and nominations for interviews.

Like the Emmys, the nominees will stay at home and only a handful of presenters will be live from the location.

The full list of nominees for this year’s Golden Globes can be found here.

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC.

Categories
Politics

Rush Limbaugh, the incendiary radio discuss present host, dies at age 70

Rush Limbaugh, der selbsternannte “Doktor der Demokratie”, der die konservative Medienrevolution anführte, indem er “Feminazis”, “Umweltschützer”, “Commie Libs” und prominente Schwarze – insbesondere den ehemaligen Präsidenten Barack Obama – verprügelte, starb am Mittwoch. Er war 70 Jahre alt.

Seine Frau kündigte seinen Tod in seiner Radiosendung an.

“Ich weiß, dass ich mit Sicherheit nicht der Limbaugh bin, den Sie heute gehört haben”, sagte Kathryn Limbaugh. “Ich, wie Sie, wünschte sehr, Rush wäre jetzt hinter diesem goldenen Mikrofon und würde Sie zu weiteren außergewöhnlichen drei Stunden Sendung begrüßen. … Mit tiefer Trauer muss ich Ihnen direkt mitteilen, dass unser geliebter Rush, mein wunderbarer Ehemann , starb heute Morgen aufgrund von Komplikationen durch Lungenkrebs. “

Der frühere Präsident Donald Trump sagte Fox News am Mittwoch, er habe drei oder vier Tage zuvor mit Limbaugh gesprochen. “Er hat bis zum Ende gekämpft”, sagte Trump in seinen ersten öffentlichen Kommentaren seit seinem Ausscheiden aus dem Amt im letzten Monat. “Er ist eine Legende. Er ist es wirklich.”

Ein anderer ehemaliger Präsident, George W. Bush, beklagte ebenfalls Limbaughs Tod. “Während er dreist, manchmal kontrovers und immer einfühlsam war, sprach er seine Meinung als Stimme für Millionen von Amerikanern aus und trat jeden Tag mit Begeisterung an”, sagte Bush in einer Erklärung. “Rush Limbaugh war ein unbezwingbarer Geist mit einem großen Herzen, und er wird vermisst werden.”

Die Sprecherin des Weißen Hauses, Jen Psaki, sagte, Präsident Joe Bidens “Beileid gilt der Familie und den Freunden”.

Einen Tag nach dem tödlichen Aufstand eines Trumpisten im Januar, um den Sieg von Demokrat Biden bei den Wahlen im November aufzuheben, verglich Limbaugh die Invasoren des US-Kapitols mit den Patrioten des Unabhängigkeitskrieges.

“Es gibt viele Leute, die das Ende der Gewalt fordern”, sagte Limbaugh in seinem Radioprogramm. “Es gibt viele Konservative, soziale Medien, die sagen, dass Gewalt oder Aggression überhaupt nicht akzeptabel sind. Unabhängig von den Umständen. Ich bin froh, dass Sam Adams, Thomas Paine, die tatsächlichen Tea-Party-Leute, die Männer in Lexington und Concord dies nicht getan haben fühle mich nicht so. “

Im Dezember sagte er, konservative Staaten würden “zur Sezession tendieren”.

Als sein Krebs fortschritt, ging Limbaugh am 2. Februar aus der Luft. Sein Mikrofon war eine Woche vor Beginn von Trumps zweitem Amtsenthebungsverfahren mit Ersatzspielern besetzt.

Aber sein Standpunkt war unverkennbar. “Sie haben dieses Ding nicht fair und fair gewonnen, und wir werden nicht nur fügsam sein wie in der Vergangenheit und weggehen und bis zur nächsten Wahl warten”, sagte er den Zuhörern sechs Wochen nach Bidens Sieg Die Wahl.

Der bittere Radiomoderator, der mit satirischen Beschimpfungen Millionen von Fans anzog und begeisterte und Millionen anderer beleidigte und verärgerte, gab im Februar 2020 bekannt, dass bei ihm fortgeschrittener Lungenkrebs diagnostiziert worden war. Einen Tag später verlieh ihm der damalige Präsident Trump in einer überraschenden Ankündigung während der Rede zur Lage der Union die Freiheitsmedaille des Präsidenten.

“Das sind keine guten Nachrichten”, sagte Trump damals und bezog sich auf die Diagnose. “Aber was eine gute Nachricht ist, ist, dass er der größte Kämpfer und Gewinner ist, den Sie jemals treffen werden. Rush Limbaugh: Vielen Dank für Ihre jahrzehntelange unermüdliche Hingabe an unser Land.”

Im Oktober teilte Limbaugh seinen Zuhörern mit, dass sein Zustand in die falsche Richtung gehe.

“Es ist schwer zu erkennen, dass die Zeiten, in denen ich nicht glaube, dass ich unter einem Todesurteil stehe, vorbei sind”, sagte Limbaugh. “Jetzt sind wir alle der Punkt. Wir alle wissen, dass wir irgendwann sterben werden, aber wenn Sie eine Diagnose einer unheilbaren Krankheit haben, die einen Zeitrahmen hat, dann stellt dies eine andere psychische und sogar physische Situation dar Bewusstsein dafür. ”

Tage vor Limbaughs Update veranstaltete er eine “Radio-Rallye” für Trump, bei der eine Menge “We love you” sang und der Präsident während seiner Genesung von Covid-19 für einen Großteil des zweistündigen Ereignisses sprach.

Limbaugh war der Schlüssel zur Übernahme des Kongresses durch die Republikaner im Jahr 1994, die Rep. Newt Gingrich in die Sprecher des Repräsentantenhauses beförderte und schließlich zur Amtsenthebung von Präsident Bill Clinton führte.

“Rush Limbaugh war der Innovator, der für die Amerikaner sprach, die von den Eliten ignoriert und missachtet wurden”, sagte Trump-Anwalt Bürgermeister Rudy Giuliani in einem Tweet, nachdem Limbaugh seine Krebsdiagnose angekündigt hatte.

Rush Hudson Limbaugh III wurde am 12. Januar 1951 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, geboren. Sein Vater und sein Großvater waren Anwälte. Der Großvater erhielt den Namen Rush, um eine Verwandte, Edna Rush, zu ehren.

Limbaugh begann seine Sendekarriere 1971 als 20-jähriger Top 40-DJ in West-Pennsylvania, nachdem er die Southeast Missouri State University verlassen hatte. Nach einer Reihe von späteren Jobs, darunter fünf Jahre bei den Kansas City Royals der Major League Baseball, landete er 1984 schließlich eine Talkshow bei KFBK in Sacramento, Kalifornien. Er ersetzte Morton Downey Jr., der zurücktrat, nachdem er scherzhaft einen rassistischen Begriff verwendet hatte ein Stadtrat chinesischer Abstammung.

Zu dieser Zeit war das Tagesgesprächsradio weitgehend lokal. Vier Jahre später, 1988, erlangte Limbaugh nationale Bekanntheit, nachdem er zu WABC-AM in New York kam, angelockt von dem Netzwerk-Manager Edward F. McLaughlin. Innerhalb von zwei Jahren hörten mehr als 5 Millionen Menschen “The Rush Limbaugh Show” – drei Stunden am Tag, fünf Tage die Woche – auf fast 300 Sendern, schrieb der Medienkritiker Lewis Grossberger Ende 1990 im New York Times Magazine.

Rush Limbaugh 1995 in seinem Radiostudio.

Mark Peterson | Corbis | Getty Images

Zum 20. Jahrestag der Show unterzeichnete er eine achtjährige Vertragsverlängerung über 400 Millionen US-Dollar mit Premiere Radio Networks von iHeartMedia. Zu dieser Zeit wurde die Show auf fast 600 lokalen Sendern ausgestrahlt. 2016 unterzeichnete er einen neuen Vertrag über einen nicht genannten Betrag für “vier weitere Jahre”, kündigte er in der Luft an.

“Sein Thema ist Politik. Seine Haltung: konservativ. Seine Person: komisch blasig. Sein Stil: ein schizoider Spritz, der zwischen ernsthaftem Dozenten und politischem Varieté schwankt”, schrieb Grossberg in der Zeitschrift Times aus dem Jahr 1990.

Limbaughs Shtick über das, was er sein EIB-Netzwerk (Excellence in Broadcasting) nannte, war vielleicht eine Satire für Millionen, aber unzählige andere betrachteten ihn als frauenfeindlichen, rassistischen Hasshändler, der dazu beitrug, die Polarisierung der Nation in einen Overdrive zu treiben, der den Weg für Trumps Wahlsieg 2016 ebnete .

Kurz bevor er mit WABC anfing, kam er auf “Rushs erste 35 unbestreitbare Wahrheiten des Lebens”. Ganz oben auf der Liste stand: “Die größte Bedrohung für die Menschheit liegt im nuklearen Arsenal der UdSSR.” Am Ende stand: “Sie sollten Gott dafür danken, dass er Sie zu einem Amerikaner gemacht hat. Statt sich schuldig zu fühlen, sollten Sie dazu beitragen, unsere Ideen weltweit zu verbreiten.” Dazwischen enthalten: (# 7) “Es gibt nur einen Weg, Atomwaffen loszuwerden – sie zu benutzen”; (# 21) “Abtreibung ist falsch”; (# 25) “Evolution kann Schöpfung nicht erklären”; und (# 31) “Für immer mehr Menschen ist eine siegreiche US eine sündige US”

Hier ist eine Auswahl anderer verbaler Knüppel, die Limbaugh in seinem Krieg gegen die politische Korrektheit geführt hat.

– Die unbestreitbare Wahrheit des Lebens Nr. 24, die er im Laufe der Jahre mehrfach wiederholte, schlug das, was er “Feminazis” nannte: “Der Feminismus wurde eingeführt, um unattraktiven Frauen einen leichteren Zugang zum Mainstream der Gesellschaft zu ermöglichen.”

– Während er 2003 als ESPN-Kommentator arbeitete, rief er den Quarterback von Philadelphia Eagles, Donovan McNabb, überbewertet an und sagte weiter: “Ich denke, was wir hier hatten, ist ein kleines soziales Problem in der NFL. Die Medien haben sich sehr gewünscht, dass a Schwarzer Quarterback macht es gut. Es gibt ein wenig Hoffnung in McNabb investiert, und er hat viel Anerkennung für die Leistung dieses Teams erhalten, die er nicht verdient hat. Die Verteidigung hat dieses Team getragen. ” Limbaugh trat im folgenden Aufruhr von ESPN zurück.

– Im Jahr 2007 bezog sich Limbaugh auf die Possen der National Football League-Spieler, die nach einem Touchdown in der Endzone tanzen, auf die berüchtigten Straßenbanden in Los Angeles: “Lassen Sie es mich so sagen. Die NFL sieht allzu oft wie eine aus Spiel zwischen den Bloods und den Crips ohne Waffen. Dort habe ich es gesagt. “

– Im März 2018 diskutierte er eine wissenschaftliche Studie, die vor Umweltgefahren durch Osterpralinen warnte: “Jetzt von einer umweltbewussten Wacko-Gruppe an der Universität von Manchester in England, die alle warnt: Vorsicht vor dem Schokoladen-Osterhasen und diesen in Folie verpackten Schokoladeneiern. Beides könnte “umweltschädlich” sein, warnt eine neue Studie, die besagt, dass solche Süßwaren die Umwelt schädigen können. “

– Vier Tage vor Obamas erster Amtseinführung am 20. Januar 2009 sprach Limbaugh darüber, dass er gebeten wurde, 400 Worte über seine Hoffnung auf die Obama-Präsidentschaft zu schreiben. “Ich bin mit den Leuten auf unserer Seite des Ganges, die zusammengebrochen sind und sagen: ‘Nun, ich hoffe, er hat Erfolg.’ … OK, ich werde Ihnen eine Antwort senden, aber ich brauche keine 400 Wörter, ich brauche vier: ‘Ich hoffe, er scheitert.’ “

– Während des Wahlkampfs 2016 hat Limbaugh einen Vorschlag von Hillary Clinton getroffen, öffentliche Hochschulen für Kinder freizugeben, deren Familien weniger als 125.000 US-Dollar pro Jahr verdienten: “Die erste Regel im Erwachsenenalter lautet, dass es kein ‘freies’ Zeug gibt. Jemand Sie müssen Ihre Commie-Lib-Professoren dafür bezahlen, dass sie all diese antikapitalistischen, antiamerikanischen BS ausspucken, die heutzutage als Bildung gelten. “

– Mitten in der Coronavirus-Krise im März 2020 verglich er den Ausbruch mit der Erkältung und beschuldigte die Medien, eine Panik ausgelöst zu haben. “Dieses Coronavirus? All diese Panik ist einfach nicht gerechtfertigt”, sagte er in der Luft. “Sie sind keine Seltenheit. Coronaviren sind Erkältungs- und Grippeviren der Atemwege. Es gibt nichts daran, außer woher es kam und die Panik der wandernden Medien. … Dies ist auf dem Weg, die US-Wirtschaft auszulöschen, und das wird es auch.” sei mehr als nur Donald Trump und seine Wiederwahlchancen, die verletzt werden, wenn das hier passiert. … Nichts geht über das Auslöschen der gesamten US-Wirtschaft mit einem Biothreat aus China, oder? “

Jahre vor seiner Krebsdiagnose hatte Limbaugh andere gesundheitliche Probleme. Er hatte Hörprobleme und wurde 2001 einer Cochlea-Implantation unterzogen. Zwei Jahre später entwickelte er eine Sucht nach verschreibungspflichtigen Schmerzmitteln, die er nach einer verpfuschten Operation am Rücken zu verwenden begann. Limbaugh wurde schließlich beschuldigt, für Ärzte eingekauft zu haben, um Medikamente gegen seine Sucht zu verschreiben. Er bekannte sich unschuldig und schloss später einen Vertrag ab, bei dem die Staatsanwaltschaft die Anklage fallen ließ, als Gegenleistung dafür, dass Limbaugh 30.000 US-Dollar zahlte, um die Kosten für die Untersuchung und die Therapie zu decken.

Limbaugh war viermal verheiratet, zuletzt am 5. Juni 2010 mit Kathryn Rogers, wobei Elton John für Unterhaltung sorgte. Die Zeremonie für Limbaughs dritte Ehe mit Marta Fitzgerald, einer ehemaligen Aerobic-Lehrerin, die er online kennengelernt hatte, wurde am 27. Mai 1994 von Clarence Thomas, Richter am Obersten Gerichtshof, in Thomas ‘Haus in Nord-Virginia durchgeführt. Sie ließen sich 10 Jahre später scheiden. Seine früheren Ehen endeten ebenfalls mit einer Scheidung.

Limbaugh engagierte sich aktiv für wohltätige Zwecke. Laut Andrea Greif, einer Sprecherin der Organisation, sammelte seine EIB Cure-a-thon über einen Zeitraum von 26 Jahren bis zum Ende der jährlichen Veranstaltung im Jahr 2016 rund 50 Millionen US-Dollar für die Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Er sammelte auch Geld für und diente im Vorstand der Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation.

Limbaugh, ein Zigarrenraucher, erschien 1994 auf dem Cover der Zeitschrift Cigar Aficionado. Fünf Jahre bevor er bekannt gab, dass er Lungenkrebs hatte, bestritt er einen Zusammenhang zwischen Passivrauchen und Krebs.

“Das ist ein Mythos. Das wurde von der Weltgesundheitsorganisation widerlegt und der Bericht wurde unterdrückt. Es gibt überhaupt keinen Todesfall. Es gibt keinen.”[t] sogar Hauptkrankheitskomponente, die mit Passivrauch verbunden ist. Es mag dich irritieren und du magst es vielleicht nicht, aber es wird dich nicht krank machen und es wird dich nicht töten “, sagte er in seiner Show.” Rauch aus erster Hand braucht 50 Jahre, um Menschen zu töten, wenn es so ist. Nicht jeder, der raucht, bekommt Krebs. Nun ist es wahr, dass jeder, der raucht, stirbt, aber auch jeder, der Karotten isst. “

In seinem Update seines Zustands vom Oktober 2020 sagte er den Zuhörern: “Von dem Moment an, in dem Sie die Diagnose erhalten, gibt es jeden Tag einen Teil von Ihnen, OK, das ist es, das Leben ist vorbei, Sie wissen einfach nicht wann … Also Während der Zeit nach der Diagnose tun Sie, was Sie können, um das Leben zu verlängern, und tun, was Sie können, um ein glückliches Leben zu verlängern. ”

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Politics

Home managers present senators beforehand unseen, graphic Capitol safety footage from Jan. 6.

Whispered, panicked calls from frightened employees barricaded in an office. Violent scenes of broken windows and pushed open doors. Frenzied audio between Capitol cops.

On the second day of the impeachment trial, the House impeachment managers showed Senators previously unseen Capitol security footage and displayed a terrifying portrait of the violence that the pro-Trump mob sparked in the Capitol on Jan. 6.

The new evidence was presented by Delegate Stacey Plaskett of the Virgin Islands, who created a methodical narrative of the day and timestamped each new video. Representative Eric Swalwell, Democrat of California, continued the presentation.

When it began, Ms. Plaskett recalled the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and reported that a plane was heading for the Capitol.

“Almost every day I remember 44 Americans giving their lives to stop the plane that went to this Capitol,” said Ms. Plaskett, who was serving as the adjutant at the time. “I thank them every day for saving my life and that of many other people. These Americans sacrificed their lives for the love of the country, honor, duty, and all the things America means. The Capitol stands because of such people. “

As each new video and audio clip was introduced, a map of the Capitol remained in the lower corner of the screen, with a red dot tracking the progress of the rioters in the building while more violent images flickered across the screen.

In one scene, Utah Republican Senator Mitt Romney was walking down a corridor where he met Capitol Police officer Eugene Goodman, who appeared to be warning him of the progress of the rioters. Mr. Romney ran off.

Security footage from the Capitol showed the mob pounding through windows first to break through the building before turning to other doors to break them open from the inside as rioters flooded in. Ms. Plaskett recalled the threats the rioters had made publicly against the lives of California spokeswoman Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence.

“You were talking about the assassination of the Vice President of the United States,” said Ms. Plaskett. She added that Mr. Pence and his family never left the Capitol during the siege.

After Ms. Plaskett played scenes of lawmakers and their coworkers escaping to safety, she played audio of frightened coworkers from Ms. Pelosi’s office barricaded in a room.

“We need the Capitol Police to get into the hall,” said one, and whispered into a phone in the hope that the rioters outside would not hear anything.

Mr. Swalwell introduced perhaps the cruelest video showing the moment when Ashli ​​Babbitt, one of the rioters, was killed and warned viewers before playing the clip that it would be graphic.

As the impeachment executives played videos and never-before-heard recordings of radio communications from the Capitol Police on January 6, senators from both parties sat in tense silence. Many tried to get a better view. In the back row on the Democratic side, Senators Mark Warner from Virginia and Michael Bennet from Colorado stood up to watch.

On the Republican side, the senators showed little emotion, but paid close attention to it. Many turned their heads from the video screens just to take notes.