Having gobs of money and mountains of fame doesn’t mean you need to eschew fast food. JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette enjoyed this fried chicken joint.
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This week, Joseph Duggar pleaded Not Guilty after his arrest and extradition for sexually abusing a child.
As with his disgraced older brother, his legal battle is likely to be outlasted only by his shaming.
Like her big sister Jana, Jessa has waited until now to speak out after Joseph’s arrest.
Jessa’s showing where her priorities — and sympathies — lie.
‘We are deeply grieved’
On Thursday, April 2, Jessa took to her Instagram Story to make her own statement about Joseph’s arrest.
“We learned, along with the rest of the world, of the heartbreaking news involving my brother, Joseph,” she revealed.
This matches what multiple family members have stated — that they only learned about Joseph through the news.
“And,” Jessa expressed, “we are deeply grieved.”
She then emphasized: “Our hearts ache for this innocent young girl and the harm she has suffered.”
“This is a profound wrong,” Jessa affirmed.
“And,” she wrote, “we know it grieves the heart of God.”
Jessa went on to describe her god as one “who cares deeply for the children and vulnerable.”
To her credit, she focused msot of her words upon the child — and not upon Joseph, her brother.
“We are lifting her up in prayer,” Jessa expressed, “asking for comfort, healing, and justice.”
It’s hard to know what to say, even if this isn’t your first sibling exposed as a monster
Like we said, Jessa clearly directed a lot of her focus upon what the victim has gone through.
In 2020, Joseph went on a family getaway to Florida, where he allegedly preyed upon a 9-year-old girl, touching her legs and genitals.
This happened multiple times, she said, until he finally apologized and ended the sexual abuse.
Now a 14-year-old, having had years to process her trauma, she told her father — who confronted Joseph.
He has since confessed twice, according to a police affidavit.
Her emphasis upon the victim — known only as Jane Doe — experienced does her credit.
Jessa’s is one of the strongest statements to come out of the family since Joseph’s arrest.
Jill spoke out much sooner than her other siblings.
Meanwhile, Jason’s was the most strongly-worded, as he essentially referred to Joseph as evil.
We don’t often get to nod in agreement with the Duggars. Fortunately, this time, most of them don’t seem to be believing that this is a political frame-job or some sort of demonic spirit attack.
Not everyone in the family is on the same page
While Jessa thinks of the victim, her sister-in-law Anna seems to have other priorities.
She’s in the position in which Kendra may soon find herself: raising a lot of children on her own, forbidden by the cult from divorcing or remarrying, and wholly unprepared to take on most jobs that could support her family.
Anna’s sending support and money to Joseph. That’s … certainly a choice.
When Josh was arrested and tried, Anna appeared to cling to beliefs that he was the victim of an elaborate conspiracy.
We cannot rule out that she believes the same about Joseph. But … well, who knows.
Jessa Duggar ‘Deeply Grieved’ by Joseph Scandal, Prays for His Victim to … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
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As you’ve no doubt heard by now, Tiger Woods was arrested for DUI in Florida last week.
The golf legend was taken into custody after he flipped his SUV not far from his home in Jupiter, and bodycam footage of Woods’ arrest has shed light on some surprising details of the incident.
For one thing, Tiger seemed to have trouble staying awake, which is usually not the case when someone is getting arrested after just flipping their car.
On top of that, it seems that the first person Tiger thought to call was none other than his good pal and fellow golf aficionado Donald Trump.
Yes, at about the 17-minute mark of the video above, Tiger saunters down the road a bit to make a call.
“Yeah, I was just talking to the president!” he proudly tells one of the arresting officers after hanging up.
We guess if there’s any time to try and call in a favor, it’s when you just got picked up for DUI. It doesn’t hurt that Tiger is dating Vanessa Trump, the president’s former daughter-in-law.
But it seems that Trump was unable to prevent Tiger’s arrest (although that doesn’t mean he won’t be willing to issue a pardon if Woods is convicted).
Undeterred, Tiger had some other tricks up his sleeve, such as when one of the cops asked if he would be playing in next week’s Masters tournament.
“Hoping to,” Woods replied, before a friend of the golfer’s, who was later identified as a member of his management team, replied, “Depends on y’all.”
Obviously, Tiger and his friend were hoping to walk away from this mess, but a flipped SUV is not an easy thing to sweep under the carpet.
And Woods failed field sobriety tests from officers who were wearing bodycams. So the cops would have to do some serious maneuvering to clear his name.
At one point in the video, Tiger asks the officers if he can retrieve his golf clubs from the flipped vehicle, noting that he “won 14 majors” with that particular putter.
We guess you can’t blame the guy for trying to cash in on his star power.
Police were left with no choice but to take Woods into custody.
But even as a repeat offender, he likely won’t face any serious consequences.
Tiger is a famous billionaire who’s friends with the president, all of which makes it unlikely that he’ll ever see the inside of a jail cell.
Already, a judge has granted Woods permission to leave the country to seek treatment.
His lawyers argued that he needed to go abroad for privacy reasons, which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, as he’s definitely famous worldwide.
Whatever the case, we hope he’s able to find the treatment he needs.
Everyone would’ve loved to see a Masters comeback next week, but the man clearly needs to focus on his health and sobriety right now.
Tiger Woods Called Donald Trump Minutes Before DUI Arrest was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
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The judge has tossed out a whopping 10 of Blake Lively’s 13 claims against Justin Baldoni.
It is not, perhaps, for the reasons that some of his supporters seem to think.
Apparently, the nature of her employment and the filming location mean that she’s unable to pursue her sexual harassment claims.
Even though her retaliation lawsuit is moving forward, Baldoni’s team seems to be taking a victory lap.
Because, really, why would anything good happen
Lively accused Baldoni, both her director and co-star, of sexual harassment during the production of It Ends With Us.
She described him as having made unwelcome comments about her appearance and weight, among other things.
On Thursday, April 2, Judge Lewis Liman ruled that 10 out of 13 of Lively’s claims could not move forward.
Simply put, Lively cannot bring a sexual harassment claim under federal law because the court has determined that she was an independent contractor.
She also could not sue for sexual harassment under California law because It Ends With Us filmed in New Jersey.
To be blunt, that is a ghastly illumination of the major shortcomings of our legal system. More on that a in a moment.
Lively also accused Baldoni of hiring publicists to wage a smear campaign against her.
The goal was to both plant and amplify negative stories about her. Anyone who was on social media late in the summer of 2024 remembers how intense things were.
She says that this was clear retaliation against her.
Judge Liman ruled that the retaliation claims can proceed. That, aiding and abetting in retaliation, and breach of contract remain part of the lawsuit.
His legal team is doing backflips (metaphorically)
“The defendants were not afraid of the truth,” Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman gushed in a statement to TMZ on Friday, April 3.
“The plan was not only to speak the truth but to also show that same truth over and over again through the presentation of actual evidence,” the statement alleged.
“Neither Justin Baldoni, Jamey Heath, nor any of the other defendants have engaged in the sexual harassment of Blake Lively,” Freedman then claimed.
“Despite our clients being accused of DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender) in defending these claims and despite our client being referred to in writing as a predator,” the statement continued.
“What I said, on behalf of our client’s day one and every day since then is true,” Freedman alleged. “Our clients are very good people who have not engaged in this sexual harassment as alleged.”
“As such, they have deserved a vigorous defense which was led through transparency,” Freedman insisted.
He then expressed: “It is gratifying to see that the court’s ruling confirms what the legal team believed from day one.”
Just to be clear, the court’s ruling has confirmed that Lively was an independent contractor, and that It Ends With Us did not film in California.
Meanwhile, Lively’s attorney, Sigrid McCawley, said that the case “has always been and will remain focused on the devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively’s reputation.”
McCawley also emphasized: “Sexual harassment isn’t going forward, not because the defendants did nothing wrong, but because the court determined Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee.”
This is an indictment of our legal system
As many on social media are pointing out, this ruling has more to do with our legal system than it does with any facts of the case — in Baldoni’s favor or in Lively’s.
Federal Title VII protections for employees allow them to sue over sexual harassment.
But an independent contractor — which can mean anything from someone hired to a one-time job to someone who’s effectively a full-time employee without the benefits — has no such recourse.
This, like the lines on a map that differentiate California from New Jersey, is a technicality. It’s not a fact of the case. It’s not justice.
If Baldoni really wants to prove his alleged innocence, this isn’t doing it. In the eyes of the public — at least, anyone reading past a headline — this may be as much of a setback for him as it is for Lively.
Justin Baldoni’s Team Gloats After Judge Guts Blake Lively Lawsuit was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
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It’s no secret that things have been rough for Britney Spears.
Fortunately, they’re improving. And her two favorite men on the planet are part of that.
Britney’s been spending more time with her sons — including Sean Preston, who’d been a little slower to reconnect than his younger brother.
Not only is he posing for selfies with his mom these days, but he also ditched his dad’s name in favor of hers.
Sean Preston made a sweet symbolic gesture
Recently, you may have noticed Britney hanging out with a couple of tall, handsome young men.
Just to be clear, those are her sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James.
Sean Preston is the eldest by almost exactly one year.
During recent hangouts, Britney showed off both of her handsome boys to the world. It was clear that she felt overjoyed with delight.
And one of her sons decided to mark the occasion with a symbolic gesture.
Previously, Sean Preston’s Instagram handle was simply “Sean Preston.”
His first and middle name, coupled with his famous mother, meant that he needed no further introduction.
However, TMZ reports that he recently updated his handle to “Sean P Spears.”
Without reports of a rift with his dad, Kevin Federline, it sounds like the 20-year-old just did it to make his mom smile.
At the moment, there are no indications that Jayden James has done — or is expected to do — anything similar. Each brother can make his own sweet gesture towards their mom, you know?
Fractured family bonds are healing
In recent years, Britney and 19-year-old Jayden have spent more time with each other.
Sean was welcome at their hangout last December, but reportedly declined.
(No judgment on that. He’s a young adult, and making decisions at that point in life is so different. No shade, but it’s likely that he’ll have very different priorities when he’s 25.)
Both sons had tensions with their mom, both due to perceptions of favoritism growing up and because of what the press portrays as “erratic” behavior on Britney’s Instagram posts.
But in their rare public statements, they always maintained that they love her and want a relationship with her. And that’s happening!
Jayden has shown up in plenty of photos with Britney — especially after he turned 18.
(When both boys were still minors, Britney signed off on allowing them to move to Hawaii with their dad.)
Yes, it is less remarkable that he’s spending quality time towering over his famous mom.
But that doesn’t make it any less sweet.
Both young men have been supporting their mom following her unfortunate DUI this past winter. Good for them!
This is a key bonding time for them
Sean Preston and Jayden James are children of divorce. That’s rough — albeit not as rough as being children of two adults stuck in a loveless, toxic marriage would have been.
It is extremely normal for kids who grow up this way to feel alienated from at least one parent. (This also happens in other contexts, like a child who feels alienated from both parents even if only one is abusive, or children who feel detached from a surviving parent after the other dies, etc.)
Early adulthood can be an opportunity to bond as adults — as friends as well as family.
This vital time together can help heal old wounds and forge new bonds over shared interests.
Not every parent gets — or deserves — this opportunity. But it sounds like Sean and Jayden are happy to have their mom in their lives.
Britney Spears’ Son Ditches Dad’s Name After Hangout was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
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Anna Duggar knows a thing or two about the justice system.
After all, her husband, Josh Duggar, has been locked up since 2021, and he’s not scheduled for release until 2032.
Anna supported Josh throughout his trial and imprisonment, so we guess it should come as no surprise that she’s now showing similar support to her disgraced brother-in-law, Joseph Duggar.
As you’ve likely heard by now, Joseph was arrested on child molestation charges last month.
He was sprung from jail after his dad, Jim Bob Duggar, posted $600,000 bail.
But while Joseph was still behind bars, he received both money and support from Anna.
“Bro, you’ve got our prayers,” Anna wrote in an email dated March 21 (via The Ashley’s Reality Roundup).
“We love you. How ever we can help, please let us know. I think I put some money on your books.”
At the time of the email, Joseph was locked up at Arkansas’ Washington County Jail, where Josh cooled his heels throughout his trial, having been denied bail.
Anna assured her brother-in-law that as jails go, Washington County’s isn’t so bad.
“Joshua’s experience there at Washington County was fairly safe,” Anna wrote.
“If there are any concerns for your health or safety please let me know.”
As we previously reported, Joseph’s wife, Kendra Duggar, was also arrested but on a much lesser charge.
She was taken into custody for child endangerment after police noticed locks on the outside of her children’s doors during a search of the family home.
Kendra was allowed to make bail after just a few hours of incarceration, but she is not permitted to have any contact with her four kids.
Anna informed Joseph that the family has been supporting Kendra throughout her ordeal.
“I was amazed at how clearly [Kendra] thought, how focused and articulate she was in the middle of such heavy situations. She loves you deeply,” Anna wrote.
“She was strong on the phone call, except for when she talked about it being a month before she can see the kids.”
Some observers are surprised that Anna has been so supportive of Joseph.
After all, several Duggars have spoken out against him in the wake of his alleged crimes — and Anna is just an in-law.
But it would be hard for Anna to condemn Joseph without also condemning Josh.
And if she was able to turn a blind eye to all of her husband’s atrocities, then she should have no problem sticking up for Joseph amid what is sure to be a very disturbing trial.
We will have further updates on the Duggars and their continued messiness as new information becomes available.
Anna Duggar: Josh Duggar’s Wife Sent Money and Support to Imprisoned Joseph Duggar was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
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After a new shocking family scandal, anyone might need some time to prepare a statement.
But Jana waited until her latest disgraced brother was already extradited to Florida before she spoke up.
Addressing Joseph’s charges, she chose her words carefully.
She also admitted to being blindsided. Like some of her siblings, she learned about his arrest from the news.
A couple of weeks later, she’s ready to make a statement
On Thursday, April 2, Jana took to her Instagram Story to publicly respond to Joseph’s arrest.
“We are deeply saddened and heartbroken by the situation involving my brother, Joseph,”
“This news came as a shock to us, as we had no prior knowledge before it became public,”
To be clear, it doesn’t sound like she’s just assuring people that she didn’t know that her brother allegedly preyed upon a 9-year-old girl.
It sounds like she’s also sharing that she had no head’s up from anyone. She saw Joseph’s arrest on the news, just like the rest of us did.
“Our hearts are with the child who has been harmed,” Jana then expressed.
She affirmed that “this is a grievous and unacceptable wrong.”
Keeping things vague, Jana concluded: “We continued to pray for the victim and for justice to be carried out.”
As you may have noticed, she’s not only glossing over the horrid details of Joseph’s charges. It’s more than that.
She’s using a tremendous amount of passive voice. It’s the sort of verbal wrangling that you usually only see in newspaper headlines after a police shooting. You know, the ones where a “man dies from bullet wounds” as if that happened spontaneously.
What is Joseph accused of, again?
On March 18, Joseph Duggar was arrested after allegedly confessing (twice) to molesting a 9-year-old girl during a 2020 family vacation to Panama City Beach in Florida.
The victim, now 14, remains unidentified. Court filings refer to her as Jane Doe.
We know only that she is not one of the Duggar grandchildren and that she and her family apparently vacationed with Joseph and Kendra (during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, no less) in 2020.
Having had years to process what happened to her, she told her father. Her father confronted Joseph over the phone.
And Joseph reportedly confessed — first to the man and then to police following a second phone call.
From the earliest days of our reporting, we at THG advised caution when it came to Joseph’s apparent repentance.
Spending days behind bars can make someone wildly reconsider a previous plan to make good.
After his extradition to Florida, Joseph pleaded not guilty to the charges.
It is possible that this is simply a tactic to make prosecutors offer him a deal. Many men who prey upon small children want some sort of protection in prison, such as a minimum security facility with more comforts and lower odds of getting murdered.
However, we cannot discount the possibility that Joseph now plans to retract his confessions and claim to be innocent. This would likely force the 14-year-old girl to testify in court.
We do not know what Joseph Duggar has planned.
It seems pretty unlikely that Jana does, either.
Right now, even Joseph’s wife seems to be keeping her distance from him, emphasizing that he’s not her priority as she tries to regain custody of their children.
It sounds like Kendra may have been advised that she could have to throw him under the bus in court.
Only time will tell what Joseph will do. His brother, Josh, has never admitted his guilt — at least, not about his crimes as an adult.
Jana Duggar Reveals She Was Blindsided by Joseph’s Arrest in First Statement Since … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
Keeping up with dietary guidelines can be a struggle at times, and many of us don’t know if we’re eating enough fiber. This is what health officials recommend.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
This Midwest pub might not be top of mind when it comes to this British dish, but it sure makes a splash. It’s so massive diners jokingly call it a “whale.”
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Jana Duggar is speaking out about her brother Joseph Duggar’s run-in with the law.
Two weeks after Joseph was arrested for allegedly molesting a 9-year-old girl during a 2020 vacation to Florida,…
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