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Comedian and sitcom star dies at age 76

<p>Legendary comedian and sitcom star Richard Lewis has passed away at the age of 76. </p> <p>The <em>Curb Your Enthusiasm</em> actor, who has been candid in recent years about his struggle with Parkinson's, died of a heart attack, according to his publicist. </p> <p><em>Curb Your Enthusiasm</em> creator Larry David shared an emotional tribute to his friend and co-star, sharing how the men had been friends their whole lives. </p> <p>“Richard and I were born three days apart in the same hospital and for most of my life he’s been like a brother to me,” David wrote in a statement Wednesday, shared by HBO.</p> <p>“He had that rare combination of being the funniest person and also the sweetest. But today he made me sob and for that I’ll never forgive him.”</p> <p>In April 2023, Lewis took to X, formerly Twitter, to explain his ongoing health issues, sharing how he had undergone a series of surgeries.</p> <p>“Three and a half years ago, I was in the middle of a tour and then I finally ended it with a show I said ‘You know, I’m at the top of my game, after 50 years almost I’m just gonna call it quits.’”</p> <p>“Then, out of the blue, the s**t hit the fan. I had four surgeries back to back to back to back. It was incredible, I couldn’t believe it. It was bad luck but it’s life, you know?”</p> <p>“I had back surgery, then I had a shoulder surgery, then I had a shoulder replacement surgery, and a hip replacement. So, you know, there was much where I was just focusing on [physical therapy].”</p> <p>He added that amidst his physical health battle, he had received a devastating neurological diagnosis. </p> <p>“On top of all that, two years ago, I started walking a little stiffly, I was shuffling my feet and I went to a neurologist and they gave me a brain scan and I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.”</p> <p>While being candid about his health problems, Lewis also became known for his dark jokes about his battles with addiction and neurosis. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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Seinfeld and Analyze This star dies at age 93

<p>Comedian and actor Pat Cooper has passed away peacefully in his Las Vegas home at 93 years of age.</p> <p>Cooper was known for his regular appearances on <em>The Howard Stern Show</em>, and his role in the film <em>Analyze This </em>alongside Robert De Niro, as well as its sequel <em>Analyze That</em>.</p> <p>His producer, Steve Garrin confirmed the news of the star’s death to <em>Fox News Digita</em>l.</p> <p>"There was nobody like Pat Cooper, who burned every bridge that he went over. I put out a lot of the fires!" he joked.</p> <p>“He was one man who was honest. You could depend on him. You could trust him. If he gave you his word and said he was going to do something, he did it. And he helped so many people,” Garrin added.</p> <p>The Brooklyn-born comic also made a brief appearance in a <em>Seinfeld </em>episode titled <em>The Friar's Club</em>, where he played himself, after his reputation as the roast-master at the Friar's Club - where comedians throw their best jokes at each other - garnered the attention of Larry David.</p> <p>“I was sitting at his table in his kitchen and the phone rings, and it’s Larry David,” Garrin recalled the moment Cooper was asked to appear on the show.</p> <p>"He picks up the phone, and he hangs it up. I go, ‘What was that?’ He says, ‘Some nut.’ The phone rings again, and he picks it up, and he hangs it up.</p> <p>“I said, ‘What’s going on with you?’ and he goes, ‘Some guy says he’s Larry David,’ and I said, ‘Well, maybe if he calls again, see if it is,’” Garrin added.</p> <p>A few comedians have paid tribute to the star.</p> <p>“Rest in Peace Pat Cooper. No one ever had the fire for as long as you did. An absolute force of nature and one of the greatest comedians I’ve ever seen,” wrote American comedian, Bill Burr, on Twitter.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Rest in Peace Pat Cooper. No one ever had the fire for as long as you did. An absolute force of nature and one of the greatest comedians I’ve ever seen.</p> <p>— Bill Burr (@billburr) <a href="https://twitter.com/billburr/status/1666843262714535937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>“RIP Pat Cooper. I was lucky enough to interact with him on the radio, as well as Tough Crowd. We lived in the same neighbourhood and he always took the time to stop and talk for a few minutes in front of his apt,” tweeted American comedian Jim Norton.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">RIP Pat Cooper. I was lucky enough to interact with him on the radio, as well as Tough Crowd. We lived in the same neighborhood and he always took the time to stop and talk for a few minutes in front of his apt. His energy was limitless. Pat was an unstoppable, hilarious force.</p> <p>— Jim Norton (@JimNorton) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimNorton/status/1666619128273068032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>“His energy was limitless. Pat was an unstoppable, hilarious force,” he added.</p> <p>Cooper is survived by his wife, Emily Conner, two daughters and a son.</p> <p><em>Image: Grant Lamos IV/ FilmMagic/ Getty Images</em></p>

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Barry Humphries morbid hospital jokes revealed

<p>Beloved Aussie comedian Barry Humphries was renowned for his jokes and cheeky commentary, and it seems he held onto his humour until the very end.</p> <p>Longtime friend of the jokester, author Kathy Lette, said his comedic flare had everyone laughing, although his jokes were rather grim.</p> <p>Speaking to <em>The Project</em>, Lette, who was Humphries’ UK neighbour for 26 years, mentioned one of her recent visits to the late performer in hospital.</p> <p>“Barry didn’t have a skerrick of self pity so when you’d visit him in hospital his one concern was you felt at ease and that he was making the nurses laugh,” she said.</p> <p>“So the last time I saw him in hospital he was joking about how the grim reaper had been walking up and down the hospital corridors at night saying, ‘He didn’t collect me this time.’</p> <p>“And he joked with the nurses, saying ‘How many did he collect?’ and I said to him, ‘As you’re here they probably died laughing.’ Then he made jokes about what the grim reaper was wearing and what a terrible outfit he has, how it was the original hoodie.</p> <p>“ … Being in hospital visiting Barry I almost had to be hospitalised from hilarity.”</p> <p>Lette shared she was shocked by his death as she had expected him to pull through.</p> <p>“It’s been such a horrible ordeal. We honestly thought he was going to rally.”</p> <p>Humphries <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/tributes-flow-for-barry-humphries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died aged 89 on April 22</a> at Sydney’s St Vincent Hospital in Darlinghurst following health issues caused by a broken hip. He was surrounded by his wife Lizzie and daughters Emily and Tessa.</p> <p>He was infamous for his comedy characters like Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson.</p> <p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described him as “the brightest star in the galaxy” and King Charles said he was “saddened” by the news of his death.</p> <p>“He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit,” the statement read.</p> <p>“With over seventy years on the stage, he was an entertainer to his core, touring up until the last year of his life and planning more shows that will sadly never be.</p> <p>“His audiences were precious to him, and he never took them for granted.</p> <p>“Although he may be best remembered for his work in theatre, he was a painter, author, poet, and a collector and lover of Art in all its forms. He was also a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and a friend and confidant to many.</p> <p>“His passing leaves a void in so many lives.</p> <p>“The characters he created, which brought laughter to millions, will live on.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

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Iconic UK actor proudly reveals new name

<p style="color: #0e101a; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true">A</span>ctor and comedian Eddie Izzard has revealed the name she’s always wanted after changing her pronouns to “she” and “her”.</p> <p>Izzard shared her new name, admitting that it’s what she has wanted to be called since she was 10 years old.</p> <p>On an episode of The Political Party podcast, the British icon, 61, said, “I’m gonna be Suzy Eddie Izzard.</p> <p>“I’ll put Suzy there and then Eddie and then people can choose what they want and no one can go wrong,” <em>The Sun</em> reported.</p> <p>She added, “I’ve wanted to be S-U-Z-Y since I was 10.</p> <p>“That’s how I’m gonna roll so people can choose what they want. They can’t make a mistake; they can’t go wrong.”</p> <p>In December 2020, the British comedian and former political candidate was dubbed a “trailblazer” by fans when she first asked to use the pronouns “she” and “her” during the filming of the UK TV show, Portrait Artist Of The Year, revealing she was “gender fluid”.</p> <p>The transition, however, has been 35 years in the making. Izzard first came out as a transvestite in 1985. In 2021, she told <em>The Guardian</em> that as far as she was concerned, being a transvestite simply meant being transgender without physically transitioning. She now identifies as a trans woman and wants to be “based in girl mode”.</p> <p>The comedian also admitted, “I make mistakes with my own pronouns.”</p> <p>She then spoke to the podcast about political ambitions after not being selected at the UK Labour’s parliamentary candidate in Sheffield Central in 2022.</p> <p>“I will keep going until I get in,” she said.</p> <p>Prior to the TV show in late 2020, Izzard also requested in 2019 to be described as “she” while receiving an honorary degree at Swansea University.</p> <p>The press release from the ceremony described her using female pronouns with a university spokesperson confirming, “we were asked by Eddie to use her/she pronouns.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

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UK comedian shreds thousands in protest of David Beckham’s Qatar deal

<p dir="ltr">English comedian Joe Lycett has called out footballer David Beckham for his multi-million-dollar deal with Qatar by shredding £10,000 - but Lycett’s protest has come with a twist.</p> <p dir="ltr">After Beckham came under fire for accepting the cash from Qatar - where homosexuality is illegal and you can be jailed or put to death as punishment - to promote the World Cup, Lycett took to social media to call on the former English captain to put his money where his mouth is.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b0f7f24c-7fff-e87b-cd94-977224136cd7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Lycett shared a video where he said he would donate £10,000 ($AU 17,700 or $NZ 19,386) if Beckham withdrew from his deal with Qatar before the World Cup started on November 19.</p> <p dir="ltr">If Beckham didn’t, Lycett said he would shred it.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClGfxiQIvDb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClGfxiQIvDb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joe Lycett (@joelycett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">"This is a message to David Beckham... I consider you to be a gay icon," Lycett said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You were the first premiership footballer to do shoots with gay magazines like Attitude, to speak openly about your gay fans, and you married a Spice Girl, which is the gayest thing a human being can do.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Qatar was voted as one of the worst places in the world to be gay. You've always talked about the power of football to be a force for good... so with that in mind, I'm giving you a choice.</p> <p dir="ltr">"If you end your relationship with Qatar, I'll donate this 10 grand of my own money to charities that support queer people in football. However, if you do not... I will throw this money into a shredder.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Not just the money, but also your status as a gay icon will be shredded."</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-735f7414-7fff-0c3f-b123-4b37c34f34e3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">After his video went viral, Lycett shared a message he sent to Beckham’s PR team on social media.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClBdqBgoPAM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClBdqBgoPAM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joe Lycett (@joelycett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve managed to get myself into a bit of a pickle - I’ve been a bit daft and publicly announced that I’m going to shred £10K on Sunday if David doesn’t end his relationship with Qatar, or donate the cash to LGBTQ+ charities if he does, yet we’re now four days out and I haven’t heard a peep from him,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Could you do me a solid and let me know if there’s a chance he might budge on his position, or am I to expect radio silence on this? I really don’t want to shred ten grand!!! I also really don’t want a national treasure that has historically supported the LGBTQ+ community to publicly endorse and advertise a nation state that has an appalling human rights record and has the death penalty for gays - call me old fashioned!!!!!!”</p> <p dir="ltr">With Beckham not responding or backing out of the deal with Qatar, Lycett shared a clip on Sunday of himself putting wads into a woodchipper, dressed in a rainbow coat.</p> <p dir="ltr">But that isn’t the end of the story.</p> <p dir="ltr">The comedian shared another video on Monday, where he revealed that the stunt wasn’t what it appeared to be.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is my final message to David Beckham,” he began the clip.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s me! That prick who shredded loads of money in a cost-of-living crisis.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I told you I was going to destroy £10,000 if you didn’t end your relationship with Qatar before the first day of the World Cup. And then when you didn’t end your relationship or even respond in any way, I streamed myself dropping 10K into a shredder.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Or did I?</p> <p dir="ltr">“I haven’t quite told you the whole truth. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Because the truth is, the money that went into the shredder was real, but the money that came out was fake.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Lycett added that he wouldn’t be “so irresponsible” to destroy “real money”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In fact, the ten grand had already been donated to LGBTQ+ charities before I even pressed send on the initial tweet last week,” he continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I never expected to hear from you. It was an empty threat designed to get people talking.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0189d111-7fff-2b5e-96d4-872ebc0b31b0"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“In many ways, it was like your deal with Qatar, David. Total bulls**t from the start.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/ClOMLKuIY0r/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/ClOMLKuIY0r/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joe Lycett (@joelycett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Lycett ended the clip by shredding another item: the 2002 cover of <em>Attitude </em>magazine that featured Beckham, which was the first gay magazine to feature a Premier League footballer on it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I asked <em>Attitude </em>if I could shred it and they were more than happy to oblige,” Lycett said, before running the cover through a paper shredder.</p> <p dir="ltr">His final video, captioned with a single rainbow flag, received a flood of praise from fellow celebrities and fans.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh you. It’s like you thought it all through or somethin …” Dawn French commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You are flipping amazing ❤️❤️❤️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈,” singer Sophie Ellis Bexter added.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d1dc9455-7fff-40cd-4ae9-c47bf33ab5ef"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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US comedian cracks cruel ‘jokes’ about rollercoaster victim Shylah Rodden

<p dir="ltr">A US comedian has cracked a series of distasteful jokes about Shylah Rodden, the Melbourne woman who was hit by a rollercoaster last month.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 26-year-old suffered severe facial and brain injuries after being struck by the 70 km/h Rebel Coaster Ride at the Royal Melbourne Show, and she remains in hospital in a serious condition.</p> <p dir="ltr">It is believed she had walked onto the tracks to retrieve her phone when she was hit.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, comedian Anthony Jeselnik seemed to find the situation quite funny while discussing the accident with NFL Network analyst Gregg Rosenthal on their podcast, <em>The Jeselnik &amp; Rosenthal Vanity Project</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This story is absolutely hilarious to me,” Jeselnik said during the episode, titled ‘Your Luck Is Like A Rollercoaster, Baby-Baby’.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I bet no one could believe it. I bet she feels dumb.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Rosenthal then explained how Ms Rodden had only just re-learned how to walk when she was struck, having been involved in a car crash in January 2021 that saw her car collide with a truck and flip over, with Jeselnik bursting into laughter.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Now you’re wondering why is this funny to us?” Jeselnik said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Walking onto a rollercoaster track is a bad idea. If you drop your cell phone, ask someone who works there to get your phone for you. Do not jump onto the rollercoaster tracks.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She’d gotten hit by a car a few years ago, had to go through physical therapy to be able to walk again. To celebrate learning to walk again… she goes to an amusement park and immediately gets hit by a rollercoaster</p> <p dir="ltr">“Can you be forgiven because you haven’t been walking around that much that you don’t really know how to walk, and so you think walking onto rollercoaster tracks are fine?</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s bad luck but rollercoasters only go in two directions. It’s hard to get hit by them.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A car, ok anything could have happened, maybe you’re in the street, maybe the car jumped the kerb.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A rollercoaster, that’s your fault every single time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Jeselnik’s comments come amid a growing number taking to social media to criticise Ms Rodden’s actions in the lead-up to the accident, with some claiming that she isn’t a victim and deserves to be in intensive care.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, a friend of Ms Rodden has appealed for prayers for the young woman, who he described as having a “heart of gold”.</p> <p dir="ltr"> “Please pray for Shylah Rodden. Shylah Rodden is one of my best friends [and has a] heart of gold. Shyla has always been there for me and is always there for anyone, not just her friends,” Mr Nawar wrote on Facebook.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She has suffered a horrible accident at the Melbourne Show and was put in a induced coma. I don’t know her current status but please ask anyone who sees this to make a small prayer for her and her family, even if it’s [as] small as please God help them heal.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Shylah and her family lost their son/brother a few months ago and were all still grieving. I saw the pain this had on Shylah.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-6e63ddfe-7fff-8163-f54e-c4deff582289"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: YouTube / Facebook</em></p>

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Canine comedians: can dogs play practical jokes on their owners?

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’ve ever thought your dog might be playing a joke on you, science is here to let you know that you’re not paranoid – dogs might know more about humour than we think (they still get tripped up by wordplay, unfortunately).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dog expert and psychology professor Stanley Coren </span><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-24/dogs-have-a-sense-of-humour-stanley-coren-says/100482444"><span style="font-weight: 400;">told ABC Adelaide</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that certain breeds of dog do have a sense of humour, and their jokes are often at their owner’s expense. "This was suggested way back in 1872 by none other than Charles Darwin, who wrote a book on the emotions of animals and man.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He suggested there are things that dogs add to their play that seem to be the doggy equivalent of practical jokes. The most typical one is their game of keep away, where if you toss something to a dog, he'll grab it, run a distance away, then drop it on the ground and wait there until you come close, then grab it and run away."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to a study done by Benjamin Hart and Lynette Hart at the University of California, Davis, the most playful breeds of dog include Irish setters, English springer spaniels, cairn and Airedale terriers, golden retrievers and standard poodles. Tragically, chihuahuas, rottweilers, bulldogs and bloodhounds were the least playful. Their playfulness was assessed by studying their willingness to chase balls or frisbees, and to play games like hide-and-seek.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor Coren said the key to understanding dog behaviour was to remember that their minds are equivalent to those of two to three-year-old children, meaning dogs have the same sense of humour you would find in a toddler. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor Coren shared a story of an ongoing ‘war’ between his terrier, Flint, and his wife, Joan; Flint was incredibly playful, while Joan prized “order, quiet, and predictability”. "One day she had a group of her friends over for an afternoon coffee and Flint was doing his usual thing by hovering under the table hoping that somebody would bend down and pat him or something edible would fall on the floor. My wife thought he was going to bother people so she shooed him out of the room and basically said something in the vicinity of: 'Go find something interesting to do'.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"He dashed out of the room with a definite sense of purpose and a few minutes later reappeared carrying one of Joan's undergarments, which he blatantly snapped from side to side with a lot of joy, to the amusement of her company."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Certain clusters of dogs have an incredible sense of humour and, for them, their motto is 'Nothing is worth doing unless it creates a furore.” That sounds like more than a few children, and even adults, we know!</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Mario Forcherio/EyeEm/Getty Images</span></em></p>

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“We lost a comedy giant today”: Norm Macdonald dead at 61

<p>The comedy world is in mourning after Norm Macdonald died of cancer on Tuesday at age 61. </p> <p>The Canadian stand-up comic and <em>Saturday Night Live</em> cast member <span>had been battling cancer in private </span>for nearly a decade, according to his lifelong friend Lori Jo Hoekstra who was with him when he dies. </p> <p>"He was most proud of his comedy", she said.</p> <p><span>"He never wanted the diagnosis to affect the way the audience or any of his loved ones saw him."</span></p> <p><span>"Norm was a pure comic. He once wrote that ‘a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never pander.’ He certainly never pandered. Norm will be missed terribly.”</span></p> <p><span>Norm was known in the comedic circle for his signature deadpan delivery and dry style of humour that quickly made him an icon of the craft.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>Norm's impressions of </span>famous figures, such as TV star Burt Reynolds, became a teaching tool and huge inspiration for up and coming comics. </p> <p><span>“I essentially ripped off his delivery when I first started acting,” actor and fellow Canadian Seth Rogen tweeted. </span></p> <p><span>“I would stay up specifically to watch him on talk shows. He was the funniest guest of all time. We lost a comedy giant today. One of the all time greats.”</span></p> <p><span>Norm shot to fame when he was cast on <em>Saturday Night Live</em> in 1993 after performing in comedy circuits in Canada for several years. </span></p> <p><span>He performed on <em>SNL</em> until 1998, serving as a co-host of Weekend Update for three seasons.</span></p> <p><span>Norm then went on to star in his own ABC sitcom, <em>The Norm Show</em>, from 1999 until 2001, and also became a hilarious regular on a series of talk shows. </span></p> <p><span>In 2018, he hosted a Netflix talk show, <em>Norm Macdonald Has a Show</em>, that was inspired by his podcast and garnered an international audience. </span></p> <p><span>Hundred of comedians have shared their stories of Norm on Twitter in remembrance of the comedy giant and all he did for the world of show business. </span></p> <p><span>Actor Josh Gad wrote, "Absolutely gutted. One of the most underrated and hilarious SNL performers."</span></p> <p><span>Writer and director Edgar Wright also tweeted, saying, "Of the many addictive rabbit holes you can disappear down on the internet, the most pleasurable is ‘Norm MacDonald chat show appearances'."</span></p> <p><span>“Thanks for all the laughs Norm, very sorry to see you go.”</span></p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty Images</em></p>

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British comedian dies after long battle with cancer

<p>Legendary comedian Sean Lock has died at the age of 58 as many people around the world mourn his loss, stating he was an “influential” comedian for this generation.</p> <p>The celebrity was best known for his deadpan humour when he appeared on the British panel shows <em>8 Out Of 10 Cats</em> and <em>8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown</em>.</p> <p>Lock’s agent confirmed the father-of-three passed away after a long battle with cancer, surrounded by his family.</p> <p>A statement from Off The Kerb Productions said: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Sean Lock.</p> <p>“He died at home from cancer, surrounded by his family.</p> <p>“Sean was one of Britain’s finest comedians, his boundless creativity, lightning wit and the absurdist brilliance of his work, marked him out as a unique voice in British comedy.</p> <p>“Sean was also a cherished husband and father to three children. Sean will be sorely missed by all that knew him.</p> <p>“We kindly request that the privacy of his family and children is respected at this difficult time.”</p> <p><strong>Previous battle with cancer</strong></p> <p>In 1990, Lock was diagnosed with skin cancer while he worked as a labourer on a building site but it’s not clear if this was the type of cancer which returned.</p> <p>He went on to make a full recovery and has since worked with others to help raise awareness of the disease.</p> <p>Lock’s final public appearance was in December when he appeared in a video for the charity - Edible London.</p> <p><strong>Many tributes have flooded in</strong></p> <p>Tributes to Lock as a person - and to his prodigious talent - have started flooding in from the comedy world.</p> <p><em>8 Out Of 10 Cat</em>s host Jimmy Carr said: “Brutal news about Sean Lock today. I loved him. I’m watching clips of him right now – laughing &amp; crying. I’ll miss him so much.”</p> <p>Comedian Lee Mack, who was a close friend, paid tribute saying: “I’ve known this day was coming for some time, but it’s no less heartbreaking. A true original both in comedy and life. I will miss him so much.”</p> <p>More British personalities took to social media to pay tribute to him, including Ricky Gervais who posted on Twitter: ‘Such sad news. RIP the great Sean Lock. One of the funniest, most influential comedians of a generation. A lovely man.’</p> <p>Lock’s TV career began in 1993 when he starred alongside Rob Newman and David Baddiel on their signature show <em>Newman And Baddiel In Pieces.</em></p> <p>Lock was also praised for his live comedy and won the gong for best live stand-up at the British Comedy Awards in 2000.</p> <p>In 2005, the comic became a team captain on panel show<em> 8 Out Of 10 Cats</em> and went on to appear for 18 series.</p> <p><em>Photo: Getty Images</em></p>

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Man predicts exact COVID case numbers two days in a row

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An Aussie comedian has many questioning whether he has insider knowledge after he predicted the exact number of COVID-19 cases in New South Wales two days in a row.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jon-Bernard Kairouz, a comedian from Western Sydney, claims to have uncovered a secret formula he uses to calculate the next day’s case numbers using information issues by NSW Health.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the first video, posted on Tuesday evening to </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jonbernardk?lang=en&amp;is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">TikTok</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Kairouz predicted there would be 97 cases announced by Premier Gladys Berijiklian at Wednesday’s press conference.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I know how many cases there’s going to be tomorrow, no need for an update Gladys,” he said in the clip.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Given that there’s 30 infectious cases in the community plus how contagious the Delta strain is, you also have to factor in the circumference of southwest Sydney, plus the amount of households in Fairfield with 11 children, I can conclude there’ll be 97 cases tomorrow.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CRSoGSMscUU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CRSoGSMscUU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Jon-Bernard Kairouz (@jonbernardk)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The following day comments flooded in when his predictions proved true, with Kairouz smugly telling many commenters, “yes I am correct. It’s simple maths.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a second video, posted to both his Instagram and Tiktok accounts on Wednesday night, he provided his next prediction.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CRTs1z0AeXi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CRTs1z0AeXi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Jon-Bernard Kairouz (@jonbernardk)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Number of new cases in Sydney, Gladdy I’ve got you again,” he said while standing in front of a whiteboard covered in equations and graphs.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If we just carry the one here, here’s 28 infectious cases in Sydney, plus the diameter of Fairfield, divided by the population of Sydney. There will be 65 new cases tomorrow - you can follow me when I’m right.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At Thursday’s 11am press conference, Ms Berijiklian announced 65 new cases, proving the comedian right again.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other users praised him and shared their surprise at his accuracy, with some claiming he must have insider information or work for NSW Health.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Jumping on sportsbet now!” one user wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m convinced you have inside information,” another commented.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Never been so excited to find out the number of COVID cases every day,” a third added, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">prompting everyone to wonder: Can he possibly do it again?</span></p> <p><em><strong>EDITOR'S UPDATE: For COVID case numbers for Friday July 16, Kairouz again predicted 97, mirroring his prediction for Wednesday’s tally.</strong></em></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: jonbernardk / TikTok</span></em></p>

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Bill Cosby’s first words upon release revealed

<p><span>Bill Cosby is out of prison and it seems he is not accustomed to a life of luxury anymore after being convicted on three accounts of aggravated assault.</span><br /><br /><span>The former star’s first moments have been revealed to the public, after Cosby’s friend and spokesperson Andrew Wyatt opened up about the hours that followed.</span><br /><br /><span>Wyatt told Daily Mail that Cosby’s first words were: “Andrew, is this a dream?”</span><br /><br /><span>“He said, 'Are you real?' I said, 'I'm real, touch me.'</span><br /><br /><span>“He said, 'Look, people can sometimes feel things in dreams.'</span><br /><br /><span>“And I said, 'Mr. Cosby this is real. You're free.'”</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842367/bill-cosby-6.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/eded8278e8264eaaaa7ee00bea88a098" /><br /><br /><span>Wyatt also revealed Cosby had been able to reunite with his wife Camille. 77.</span><br /><br /><span>He had not allowed her to see him in prison, but spoke to his wife on the phone everyday.</span></p> <p><span>Cosby was sent to prison on three counts of aggravated assault, after nearly 60 women accused the once beloved celebrity of sexual assault.</span><br /><br /><span>Wyatt says that when the Supreme Court ruled that Cosby could walk free despite his crimes, he kept the news to himself.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842368/bill-cosby-7.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a2654a37b60745f8a3fe4574951f9fd9" /><br /><br /><span>“I didn't tell anyone because it's been a roller-coaster and so many people have come with information saying that he's not going to be sentenced, he's not going to be charged, he's not going to be convicted…It's emotionally and mentally draining,” he said.</span><br /><br /><span>“I called Mrs. Cosby and said, ‘You’re not going to believe this.</span><br /><br /><span>“‘They've vacated his entire conviction. They threw it out in perpetuity.’</span><br /><br /><span>“And she said, ‘No, we need to check this.'''</span></p> <p><img id="__mcenew" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842365/bill-cosby-4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/34f0b45c484b46288be75f78debcdb63" /><br /><br /><span>Wyatt said at the moment Cosby was awoken from a deep sleep when guards to him to “get up” as he was “free.”</span><br /><br /><span>Wyatt said, “He said, 'I heard all these inmates shouting, kicking the doors, shouting 'Get outta here Bill, Uncle Bill, the Godfather.”</span><br /><br /><span>Cosby has gone blind, having lost his sight to glaucoma many years ago and told Wyatt, “I thought it was a fight going on. I don't know what's happening.”</span><br /><br /><span>A US court overturned Cosby’s conviction for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman 15 years ago, which allowed his release from prison.</span><br /><br /><span>The state Supreme Court found that through an agreement with a previous prosecutor, it prevented him from being charged for allegedly drugging and molesting Andrea Constand in 2004.</span></p>

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Ellen’s former staffer speaks out: “The stories are all true”

<p>A former Ellen DeGeneres Show staff member confirmed that “the stories are all true!”, saying that the richest comedian in the world is also, allegedly, one of the rudest.</p> <p>“Is she always nice? No,” said the former staffer. “It irritates me that people think she’s all sweetness and light and she gets away with it.”</p> <p>In recent times, DeGeneres who is famous for her catchphrase “be kind” has been outed for being the complete opposite.</p> <p>The 62-year-old has been criticised for comparing the coronavirus lockdown to “being in jail” even though she’s self-isolating in her $US27 million Balinese-style mansion near Santa Barbara, California.</p> <p>Then, in a report leaked to<span> </span><em>Variety</em>, she was accused of cutting her talk show’s union show crew in favour of freelancers. Later on a spokesperson for Warner Bros. Television, which distributes Ellen’s show, told the publication that the change was cleared with union reps and no crew member lost a job.</p> <p>Shortly after that, a Twitter thread labelling her as “one of the meanest people alive” exposed the star as stories came to light of her antics, including complaining about a waitress’ nail polish and ordering that those below her do not make eye contact with her.</p> <p>Last week, a former security guard who served as a bodyguard to DeGeneres and her family when the comedian was hosting the 2014 Academy Awards told Fox News that she was very unfriendly.</p> <p>“Ellen pretty much just gave me a side glance out of her eye and didn’t even say ‘hello,’ or ‘thank you for protecting my mother, my wife and me,'” Tom Majercak said. “It was very cold, and it was very sly and it was actually kind of demeaning in the way that she treats people other than those who are in her circle.”</p> <p>But according to the executive producer of<span> </span><em>Ellen</em>, Mary Connelly, she has never seen DeGeneres exhibit diva behaviour.</p> <p>“None of what’s being said speaks to the Ellen I know,” Connelly said.</p> <p>“Do the producers and her sometimes have to make unpopular decisions? Yes. Ellen is not afraid to tell you when she doesn’t like something. She’s had tough conversations with me. That’s a function of everyday life. But the person I know is someone who comes in every day and wants to put on a fun show in a fun environment and help people.”</p>

TV

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Peter Helliar breaks down in tears on The Project

<p><em>The Project</em> co-host and comedian Peter Helliar has shown a softer side as he was overcome with emotion on last night’s episode of the news show.</p> <p>Helliar did a story about his friend and former radio co-host Richard Marsland, who took his own life back in 2008.</p> <p>In the segment, Helliar paid tribute to his former co-host, who he described as “one of the happiest, friendliest people” he knew.</p> <p>“Rich was more than a mate. He was like family,” Helliar shared.</p> <p>“Rich was always smiling. I thought he was always happy, but I was wrong.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">We’ve come a long way when it comes to our understanding of mental illness. Yet every day, on average, eight Australians still take their lives. And even years later, families and friends are left hurting. Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/pjhelliar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pjhelliar</a> for sharing this powerful story. <a href="https://t.co/LA5mN5Zegm">pic.twitter.com/LA5mN5Zegm</a></p> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1156141639074639873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">30 July 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The segment initially aimed to highlight the mental health crisis in Australia.</p> <p>“We've come a long way when it comes to our understanding of mental illness. Yet every day on average, eight Australians still take their lives,” Helliar said.</p> <p>“Every day, about 10 million Australians wake up with brekkie radio. Along with an incredible comedian called Richard Marsland, 10 years ago I was lucky enough to be part of a brekkie radio team.”</p> <p>The segment had interviews from Marsland’s family and other people in the industry, including<span> </span><em>Sunrise</em><span> </span>weather presenter Sam Mac, who described Marsland as “universally loved”.</p> <p>“He didn't have an enemy. In an industry that can be quite harsh and competitive and ''watch your back'', he was so supportive and caring,” Mac said.</p> <p>“You kind of play back conversations in your mind or moments in your mind. You try and think, 'Could I potentially have helped someone in some way or let him know that...' Yeah, it's still very raw.”</p> <p>Helliar added, “And he's certainly so missed. And as Sam said, you play things back over [in] your head, and that just doesn't go away.”</p> <p>After the segment, Helliar was staring at his desk intently instead of facing the cameras and co-host Waleed Aly asked, “You OK mate?”</p> <p>“Yeah. Um ... We need to keep talking about it [mental illness]. We need to keep listening,” Helliar replied with his voice shaking.</p> <p>“Um... Uh, only a few people knew... um, about Richard's history. I don't begrudge him not sharing that, or his family not letting us know at all,” he said.</p> <p>“But hopefully, 11 years on, we know how to have those conversations and we are better at having them.”</p> <p>If you are troubled by this article, experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide, you can call Lifeline 131 114 or beyondblue 1300 224 636 or visit <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/">lifeline.org.au</a> or <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" target="_blank">beyondblue.org.au</a>.</p>

Mind

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A life in pictures: Will Ferrell turns 52!

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Will Ferrell, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee is celebrating 52 years of age today. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The renowned actor is best known for his hilarious roles in films including </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Step Brothers, Elf, Anchorman</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Old School. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fans of the comedian, father of three and husband know him as a standout who brings endless supplies of laughter at the box office. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While he has had a number of hits in theatre, he has been in more movie productions than we can count but got his big break on the American television show </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Saturday Night Live </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">when he was just 22. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Will currently lives in California with his wife, Viveca Paulin and three sons, Magnus, Axel and Mattias. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scroll through the gallery above to see Will Ferrell throughout the years. </span></p>

Art

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Disgraced comedian Bill Cosby sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison

<p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__intro sics-component__story__paragraph">His Hollywood career and good-guy image in ruins, 81-year-old Bill Cosby has been sentenced to 3 to 10 years in a US prison for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">The sentence makes Cosby the first celebrity of the #MeToo era to be sent to prison.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">The punishment all but completed the dizzying late-in-life fall for the comedian, former TV star and breaker of racial barriers.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">"It is time for justice. Mr Cosby, this has all circled back to you. The time has come," Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill said. He quoted from victim Andrea Constand's own statement to the court, in which she said Cosby took her "beautiful, young spirit and crushed it."</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Cosby declined the opportunity to address the court before the sentence came down.</p> <div class="sics-component__ad-space sics-component__ad-space--storybody "> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">The punishment came at the end of a two-day hearing at which the judge declared Cosby a "sexually violent predator" – a modern-day scarlet letter that subjects him to monthly counselling for the rest of his life and requires that neighbours and schools be notified of his whereabouts.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">The comic, once known as "America's Dad" for his role on the top-rated<span> </span><em>The Cosby Show</em> in the 1980s, was convicted in April of violating Constand, a Temple University women's basketball administrator, at his suburban Philadelphia estate in 2004. It was the first celebrity trial of the #MeToo era.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Cosby faced a sentence of anywhere from probation to 10 years in prison. His lawyers asked for house arrest, saying Cosby – who is legally blind – is too old and vulnerable to do time in prison.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Prosecutors asked for five to 10 years behind bars, saying he could still pose a threat to women.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele rejected the notion that Cosby's age and infirmity entitle him to mercy. "He was good at hiding this for a long time. Good at suppressing this for a long time. So it's taken a long time to get there," Steele said.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">The sentencing came as another extraordinary #MeToo drama unfolded on Capitol Hill, where Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh stands accused of sexual misconduct more than three decades ago.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">The Cosby case "really raised awareness of the pervasiveness of ... sexual misconduct against subordinates and against women of relatively less power," said Daniel Filler, dean of Drexel University's law school. "For jurors, I think it's inherently changed the credibility of the accusers."</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">In the years since Constand first went to authorities in 2005, more than 60 women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct, though none of those claims have led to criminal charges.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">The judge ruled on Cosby's "sexually violent predator" status after a psychologist for the state testified that the entertainer appears to have a mental disorder that gives him an uncontrollable urge to have sex with women without their consent. When the ruling came down, a woman in the courtroom shot her fist into the air and whispered, "Yessss!"</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">In a statement submitted to the court and released on Tuesday (Wednesday local time), Constand, now 45, admitted that she has had to cope with years of anxiety and self-doubt. She said she now lives alone with her two dogs and has trouble trusting people.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">"When the sexual assault happened, I was a young woman brimming with confidence and looking forward to a future bright with possibilities," she wrote in her five-page statement. "Now, almost 15 years later, I'm a middle-aged woman who's been stuck in a holding pattern for most of her adult life, unable to heal fully or to move forward."</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">She also wrote of Cosby: "We may never know the full extent of his double life as a sexual predator, but his decades-long reign of terror as a serial rapist is over."</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">The AP does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, which Constand and other accusers have done.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Constand went to police a year after waking up in a fog at Cosby's gated estate, her clothes askew, only to have the district attorney pass on the case.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Another district attorney reopened the file a decade later and charged the TV star after stand-up comic Hannibal Buress' riff about Cosby being a rapist prompted more accusers to come forward and after a federal judge, acting on a request from The Associated Press, unsealed some of Cosby's startling, decade-old testimony in Constand's related civil suit.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">In his testimony, Cosby described sexual encounters with a string of actresses, models and other young women and talked about obtaining quaaludes to give to those he wanted to sleep with.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Cosby's first trial in 2017 ended with a hung jury. He was convicted at a retrial that opened months after the #MeToo movement had taken down such figures as Hollywood studio boss Harvey Weinstein, NBC's Matt Lauer, actor Kevin Spacey and US Senator Al Franken.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Constand said Cosby gave her what she thought were herbal pills to ease stress, then penetrated her with his fingers as she lay immobilised on a couch. Cosby claimed the encounter was consensual, and his lawyers branded her a "con artist" who framed the comedian to get a big payday – a US$3.4 million settlement she received over a decade ago.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Five other accusers took the stand at the trial as part of an effort by prosecutors to portray him as a predator.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Cosby, whose estimated fortune once topped US$400 million, broke barriers in the 1960s as the first black actor to star in a network show,<span> </span><em>I Spy</em>.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">He went on to superstardom as wise and understanding Dr Cliff Huxtable on<span> </span><em>The Cosby Show</em>, a sitcom that showed America a new kind of black TV family: a warm and loving household led by two professionals, one a lawyer, the other a doctor.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">He also found success with his Saturday morning cartoon<span> </span><em>Fat Albert</em>, appeared in commercials for Jello-O pudding and became a public moralist, lecturing the black community about young people stealing things and wearing baggy pants. He won a Presidential Medal of Freedom and countless Emmys, Golden Globes and Grammy awards.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">As the allegations mounted, his career all but collapsed,<span> </span><em>The Cosby Show</em> reruns were taken off the air, and one college after another stripped him of his honorary degrees.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph"><em>Written by MaryClaire Dale and Michael R Sisak. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/whats-on/entertainment/107376007/Bill-Cosby-81-sentenced-to-3-to-10-years-in-state-prison-for-2004-sexual-assault">Stuff.co.nz</a>.</em></p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph"> </p> </div>

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Comedian Jean Kittson reveals the taboo family topic she tackles with humour

<p>The topic of dying isn’t often met with laughter, but for comedian Jean Kittson, comedy is often the best way to talk about taboo subjects.</p> <p>The comedian admitted, “As a dinner conversation, dying is not what anyone wants to talk about. They’re happy to talk about holidays, yes. Reality TV, oh yeah. You know, food allergies. Menopause, even. But not dying. La la la la la la la.”</p> <p>Jean added, “I hate to break it to you, but we’re all gonna die. We might as well talk about dying. Anyway, isn’t the conversation easier when we all have something in common?”</p> <p>In support of National Palliative Care Week, Jean recently recorded an intimate video, sharing her honest and candid thoughts on the importance of having a conversation about death and palliative care with loved ones.</p> <p>“I think humour can be used as a great tool to talk about taboo subjects. I don’t mean you use it to make light of death and dying, but I think comedy and humour is important in opening the conversation,” says Jean.</p> <p>82% of Australians feel that talking about their own death and dying is important, but when it comes down to it, most people don’t actually have the conversation.</p> <p>The Australian Government Department of Health aims to raise awareness and understanding about palliative care in the Australian community.</p> <p>In 2016, there were 3.7 million Australians aged 65, and that number is expected to grow.</p> <p>By 2056, it is projected there will be 8.7 million older Australians, and by 2096, 12.8 million people will be aged 65 years and over.</p> <p>With Australia’s ageing population, it’s essential that people talk to their friends and loved ones about their end-of-life care wishes.</p> <p>“As you get older, you realise that conversations about death and dying are more important. It’s a hard conversation to have because it’s a downer, but it needn’t be. You can have fun and it’s a good way to open up these conversations,” Jean said.</p> <p>“Talking about death and dying with your loved ones means you won't have any regrets and that awful guilt that can come when you think you could have done more or you could have done something differently. So, it's just out there in the open and everyone's honest and it's such a relief.”</p> <p>And for Jean, there are several items on her checklist when it comes to planning for her end-of-life care.</p> <p>“I’d love a concierge by my bed just getting my every wish, doing whatever I want, making sure I’m happy,” Jean shared.</p> <p>“I want music from the ‘60s and ‘70s, probably a bit of classical. I don’t want any rainforest or meditation music. No music that I get while I’m having a facial or being waxed,” she continued.</p> <p>“I want a huge bed with lots of pillows so when I’m dying, I want everyone to lie down with me.”</p> <p><em>For more information on palliative and end-of-life care and how to begin having the conversation visit: health.gov.au/palliativecare</em></p>

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Denise Scott’s terrifying hitchhiking incident

<p>Denise Scott is unquestionably one of the funniest comics working in Australia today, and is set for another bumper run at the <a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2018/shows/judith-lucy-denise-scott-disappointments" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2018</strong></span></a>. But it all might have been very different according to a <a href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>new interview in Now to Love</strong></em></span></a>, where the 62-year-old share details of a terrifying hitchhiking incident.</p> <p>As a younger woman Scott was hitchhiking around France, with one rule in place – never get into a car with two men in it. But one day she broke the rule.</p> <p>"They drove off the main road and down this bush road," Denise remembers.</p> <p>"They were trying to tell me they were going to do some electrical work or something. And I kept saying, 'But I don't want to go with you. Please let me out.' And they didn't."</p> <p>At the end of the long road, the men reportedly stopped the vehicle.</p> <p>"They drove off the main road and down this bush road," Denise remembers.</p> <p>"They were trying to tell me they were going to do some electrical work or something. And I kept saying, 'But I don't want to go with you. Please let me out.' And they didn't."</p> <p class="content-body__paragraph">"I got out of the car," she says. "There was no-one around. It was so scary. I screamed and screamed, but they just stood there, looking at me.</p> <p class="content-body__paragraph">"Then, they got out their electrical tools and started fixing the overhead wire. But they knew! They must have known they were terrifying me."</p> <p>It was moments like this that led to Scott giving up hitchhiking.</p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o5nWAEi33Sc" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>But the travel world’s loss is the world of comedy’s gain, and Scott has turned her nerve and quick wit into a comedy career spanning the course of 30 years.</p> <p><span>"It doesn't get easier," the 62-year-old said</span><span>. </span></p> <p><span>"You do get better, hopefully. But it's still very stressful."</span></p>

Travel Insurance

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Comedian Dawn French's amazing weight loss

<p><span>Dawn French has received encouragement from fans for looking “far too gorgeous” after posting a picture of herself modelling a top.</span></p> <p><span>The 59-year-old smiled as she posed in a colourful shirt that complimented her weight loss.</span></p> <p><span>Looking happy and healthy, fans praised the comedian for her new look.</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span><img width="500" height="769" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39217/dawn-french-twitter_500x769.jpg" alt="Dawn French Twitter"/></span></p> <p><span>One fan wrote, “You are far too gorgeous Miss Dawnie.”</span></p> <p><span>One commented, “Oh my word! Where’ve you gone? Looking great!”</span></p> <p><span>Another added, “OMG! I love it! You look AWESOME!”</span></p> <p><span>In 2014 when the British star began to slim down, some believed it was due to her marriage to Lenny Henry ending. She later revealed it was so she could undergo a hysterectomy.</span></p> <p><span>She told the audience on her <em>30 Million Minutes</em> tour, “When I was due to have my hysterectomy the doc told me that if I could lose some weight before the op, they would be able to do it via keyhole, and I would recover in three weeks or so.”</span></p> <p><span>“Otherwise it would be big open surgery, and three months to recover. So, I set about dropping a few stone.”</span></p> <p><span>“No magic wand, just tiny, joyless lo-cal eating and lots more walking for weeks and weeks. It was grim. I lost seven-and-a-half stone (48kg). I could have the keyhole surgery. Great. That’s all it was, practical.”</span></p> <p><span>Dawn has revealed that she had a “fondness” for her previous figure.</span></p> <p><span>She told Womanmagazine, “I have a great fondness for that other body. I knew it very well and I don’t know this one as well, not yet.”</span></p> <p><span>“I was never actually unhappy then so it’s not the case that I was miserable and I’m happy now."</span></p>

Retirement Life

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Bill Cosby trial takes another twist

<p>The Bill Cosby trial has taken another twist, as the jury begins to deliberate over the case that has already demolished the 79-year-old comedian’s good-guy image.</p> <p>The trial has already moved to the jury, which could see the man who was once one of the most beloved stars in show business spend his remaining years in prison.</p> <p>The closing arguments painted a different picture of what had happened between Cosby and Andrea Constand, with the defence suggesting the “romantic interludes” were consensual, while prosecutors arguing this was fancy lawyering.</p> <p>District Attorney Kevin Steele said, "Drugging somebody and putting them in a position where you can do what you want with them is not romantic. It's criminal."</p> <p>After the prosecution took five days to outline its case, the defence drew just one witness and six minutes of testimony. Cosby himself didn’t take the stand, ending days of suspense, although legal experts say this would’ve been a risky move.</p> <p>Cosby is charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Twitter / billboard‏</em></p>

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