“So we go in there, and it’s a beautiful place, and the character that was there was Exotic Joe. We’re there and I dropped some donations for the tigers’ foods and all that,” O’Neal detailed. “We take pictures with tigers. We went back a couple times.”
O’Neal, also a big cat enthusiast, continued: “Then we go back another time and we found out that he’s involved with all the stuff, and then, actually, I stopped going.”
Shaquille O’Neal and Joe ExoticGetty Images; Splash News
Exotic was found guilty last year in a murder-for-hire plot on Florida rival Carole Baskin, an animal rights activist and owner of Big Cat Rescue. He was also accused of animal cruelty and is currently serving a 22-year sentence, recently seeking a presidential pardon.
O’Neal, 48, said Exotic is “not” his friend, and that he doesn’t “know him.”
“I don’t harm tigers. I love tigers. I love white tigers. Do I put donations to these zoos to help these tigers out? I do it all the time. Do I own tigers personally at my house? No. But I love tigers,” O’Neal said.
“Listen, people are going to make their own opinions, but, again, I was just a visitor. I met this guy — not my friend. Don’t know him. Never had any business dealings with him, and I had no idea any of that stuff was going on,” he continued.
O’Neal added that he has also binge-watched the doc on Netflix.
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The "God's Plan" hitmaker took to Instagram Monday with an emotional post about missing his family and friends as the coronavirus lockdown restrictions continue to affect billions across the globe.
"What is most important for you right now is to connect to your own inner light," he captioned a series of pictures of his loved ones, including the curly-haired toddler.
"This will create the biggest opening of all. Trust that you have all of the power within to make this happen, and in order to do that connect to the people and things that bring you a lot of joy. When the mind starts to move into overthinking or fear, shift your attention right away to something bright."
The 33-year-old musician, whose real name is Aubrey Graham, went on to urge his 64.5 million followers to "break free of the wheel of suffering and panic and open up to your own light" in his philosophical message, adding: "We are powerful manifestors."
He concluded his online outpouring by declaring: "I love and miss my beautiful family and friends and I can't wait for the joyful day when we are all able to reunite. Until then please keep your lights on."
In one image, Drake is seen holding the little boy in his arms. Another shows Adonis being embraced by both Drake and his mother, former porn star Sophie Brussaux.
Brussaux announced the birth of Adonis in October 2017, but Drake initially kept it a secret. He hinted that he had fathered a child following the brief romance in his 2018 track "Emotionless," rapping the lines: "I wasn't hidin' my kid from the world. I was hidin' the world from my kid."
A representative for Drake confirmed to CNN that the child pictured in the photos was his son.
A Dutch museum that is currently closed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus said Monday a painting by Vincent van Gogh on loan for an exhibition was stolen in a raid overnight. The Singer Laren museum east of Amsterdam says "Spring Garden" by the Dutch master was taken in the early hours of Monday.
Museum director Evert van Os said the institution that houses the collection of American couple William and Anna Singer is "angry, shocked, sad" at the theft of the painting.
Two people look at the glass door which was smashed during a break-in at the Singer Museum in Laren, Netherlands, Monday March 30, 2020.
Peter Dejong / AP
The value of the work, which was on loan from the Groninger Museum in the northern Dutch city of Groningen, was not immediately known. Police are investigating the theft.
Before the closure, the museum was hosting an exhibition titled "Mirror of the Soul" with works by artists ranging from Toorop to Mondrian, in cooperation with Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum.
The museum's collection has a focus on modernism such as neo-impressionism, pointillism, expressionism and cubism.
And, to the delight of “The Office” fans, he invited former co-star Steve Carell to join for his first installment.
Last week, the “A Quiet Place” actor/writer/director asked Twitter to send him “stories that have made you feel good this week or the things that just made you smile!”
Dressed in a suit jacket and tie, Krasinski, 40, addressed the camera with a hand-painted sign reading “SGN” in the background — crafted by his daughters Hazel, 6, and Violet, 3, with wife Emily Blunt, 37.
Introducing his new series, Krasinski told viewers he had “no idea” what he was doing.
“For years now, I’ve been wondering, why is there not a news show dedicated entirely to good news? Well, desperately seeking my fix somewhere else, I reached out to all of you this week, asking — nay, begging — for some good news,” he began. “And boy, did you deliver. After reading those replies and the incredibly heartwarming stories that came with them, I thought, ‘All right. Enough is enough, world. Why not us? Why not now?’ So, ladies and gentlemen, this is your fault, and this is ‘SGN.’ I’m John Krasinski, and if it isn’t clear yet, I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing.”
“Some Good News” host John Krasinski with his first guest, former “The Office” co-star Steve CarellYouTube
Anchor Krasinski modeled the show after a stereotypical nightly news broadcast: Seated at a desk, he shuffled papers, turning his head from one camera angle to the next as he read the headlines.
“Without question, we are all going through an incredibly trying time, but through all the anxiety, all the confusion, all the isolation and all the ‘Tiger King’ [Netflix’s much-discussed new documentary series], somehow the human spirit found a way to break through and blow us all away.”
He also dedicated a portion of his first newscast to the show that made him famous, “The Office.” The American adaptation of Ricky Gervais’ British creation celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. As a treat for fans who have begged for a cast reunion, he invited Carell to share some memories of the nine-season series.
“I guarantee you that the bottom half of what you have on does not match the top,” joked Carell, insinuating that Krasinski may not be wearing suit trousers.
Krasinski also confessed that he hoped the cast would indeed get together post-coronavirus isolation, “as people, just to say hi.”
The newscast featured several stories inspired by fans’ tweets, including public praise for health care workers and stories of people helping people, providing cleaning supplies, performing chores and delivering meals to the sick or elderly.
He also invited 15-year-old Coco, a fan who had just finished her final round of chemotherapy, to share her good news. Following her final treatment, she returned home to find her street filled with cheering neighbors, all there to encourage her recovery.
“You are my newest and biggest hero,” Krasinski told her.
Signing off, Krasinski told watchers, “I’m John Krasinski, and this is ‘SGN,’ asking you to remember, no matter how tough life can get, there’s always good in the world and we will see you next time. Good night.”
He then stood up to reveal that Carell had correctly guessed that his playfully printed bottoms did not match his suited top before walking off-camera.
“We might just do this again,” the end credits concluded.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A Dutch museum says that a painting by Vincent van Gogh was stolen in a raid overnight.
The Singer Laren museum east of Amsterdam says “Spring Garden” by the Dutch master was stolen in the early hours of Monday.
Police are investigating a break-in at a Dutch art museum that is currently closed because of restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus, the museum and police said Monday.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether any other paintings or other artworks were stolen in the heist. The museum did not release any details. It scheduled a news conference for Monday afternoon.
Before the closure, the museum was hosting an exhibition titled “Mirror of the Soul” with works by artists ranging from Toorop to Mondrian, in cooperation with Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum.
The museum houses the collection of American couple William and Anna Singer, with a focus on modernism such as neo-impressionism, pointillism, expressionism and cubism.
The "God's Plan" hitmaker took to Instagram Monday with an emotional post about missing his family and friends as the coronavirus lockdown restrictions continue to affect billions across the globe.
"What is most important for you right now is to connect to your own inner light," he captioned a series of pictures of his loved ones, including a curly-haired toddler believed to be his son.
"This will create the biggest opening of all. Trust that you have all of the power within to make this happen, and in order to do that connect to the people and things that bring you a lot of joy. When the mind starts to move into overthinking or fear, shift your attention right away to something bright."
The 33-year-old musician whose real name is Aubrey Graham, went on to urge his 64.5 million followers to "break free of the wheel of suffering and panic and open up to your own light" in his philosophical message, adding: "We are powerful manifestors."
He concluded his online outpouring by declaring: "I love and miss my beautiful family and friends and I can't wait for the joyful day when we are all able to reunite. Until then please k,eep your lights on."
In one image, Drake is seen holding the little boy in his arms. Another shows Adonis being embraced by both Drake and his mother, former porn star Sophie Brussaux.
Brussaux announced the birth of Adonis in October 2017, but Drake initially kept it a secret. He hinted that he had fathered a child following the brief romance in his 2018 track "Emotionless," rapping the lines: "I wasn't hidin' my kid from the world. I was hidin' the world from my kid."
CNN has reached out to Drake's representatives for further comment.
“Tiger King,” the Netflix documentary about Joe Exotic’s Oklahoma zoo and his fight against another big cat sanctuary in Florida, was among the top shows on the streaming platform over the weekend.
Viewers may have been surprised to see Shaquille O’Neal’s cameo on the show. The documentary showed O’Neal going through the zoo. The former NBA star quickly clarified his relationship with Exotic on the latest episode of his podcast “The Big Podcast with Shaq.”
He admitted he visited the zoo but doesn’t have a relationship with Exotic.
“So we go in there, and it’s a beautiful place, and the character that was there was Exotic Joe. We’re there and I dropped some donations for the tigers’ foods and all that. We take pictures with [the] tigers. We went back a couple times,” O’Neal said. “Then we go back another time and we found out that he’s involved with all the stuff, and then, actually, I stopped going.”
He added: “I don’t harm tigers. I love tigers. I love white tigers. Do I put donations to these zoos to help these tigers out? I do it all the time. Do I own tigers personally at my house? No. But I love tigers. Listen, people are going to make their own opinions, but, again, I was just a visitor. I met this guy — not my friend. Don’t know him. Never had any business dealings with him, and I had no idea any of that stuff was going on.”
Exotic was convicted two counts of murder-for-hire, eight violations of the Lacey Act – which prohibits the trade of wildlife, fish and plants under illegal means – and nine violations of the Endangered Species Act.
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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, took to Twitter late Saturday to offer followers some levity during the very serious coronavirus outbreak and posted about his life under self-imposed quarantine.
Cruz posted a photo of Joe Exotic, a former zoo owner and the subject of a Netflix docuseries, posing inside a cage with a tiger. The senator captioned the photo, "Me: Running out of things to keep me entertained during quarantine*"
Cruz has been in self-quarantine after learning that he came into contact with a second person who has tested positive for the new coronavirus. He said earlier that he was feeling fine and the move was "out of an abundance of caution."
WARNING: SPOILER ALERT
Exotic was an Oklahoma zoo owner who was born Joseph Schreibvogel. He is the star of a Netflix docuseries called, "Tiger King: murder, Mayhem and Madness."
The series takes you along a troubling ride that involves suicide, attempted murder for hire and the killing of five tiger cubs. Exotic is eccentric and ran for president and governor of Oklahoma before his downfall. USA Today reported that Exotic was sentenced to 22 years in prison earlier this year.
Cruz posted the tweet as the U.S. and the world tries to get a grip on the new coronavirus that has infected hundreds of thousands worldwide and prompted major cities to close down.
Cruz, like other lawmakers, has self-quarantined because the virus is easy to transmit, even without symptoms. The older population is seen to be most at risk.
According to Wilson, March 29 is a special date that "represents a time of great happiness," and she took to Instagram to look back on what this date has meant to her, and why it means even more now.
"I was on Broadway starring with Larry David in his play Fish In The Dark before finding out I had been diagnosed with breast cancer," Wilson captioned a slideshow of three photos, the first of which show her and David standing side by side and smiling. "March 29 also marks five years of being cancer free after having had a bilateral mastectomy. I am so thankful for my health, for the doctors, nurses, friends and family who got me through that time."
"You, online friends, also need to be thanked because your prayers and optimism were felt deeply. And, so thankful for the blessings God has bestowed on me, then and now," she continued.
The slideshow also included a photo of her sitting next to her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which she was presented on March 29, one year ago. "I was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a street, that as a child, I’d walk on and read all the names of the stars I admired," she shared, "never believing one day my name would be on one of those stars."
"And one year ago today, I released my fourth album, Halfway to Home," the caption continued, with the third photo in the post showing the cover of her album. "Every day I get to make music is a gift. So much has happened musically in that one year. So much goodness. All of this would not be possible without good health."
"So, today, March 29, I am celebrating the beauty of this life, the blessings God has given , and my continued good health, even now as a COVID 19 survivor," she continued. "Please take a moment today to acknowledge the amazing creation your bodies are and to thank it for doing so much."
On Friday, two weeks after the Hollywood couple revealed their coronavirus diagnosis, Hanks and Wilson were all smiles as they were photographed driving in Los Angeles and returning home after a long stay in quarantine in a house in Australia.
Hanks announced on Instagram on March 11 that he and Wilson were diagnosed with the flu-like virus while he was working on his latest movie in Australia. He was the first celebrity to confirm he tested positive.
The two continued to share health updates with their fans, and left the hospital on March 16, five days after announcing their diagnosis.
A source told ET that the longtime couple decided to announce that they tested positive for the virus because "they felt it was the right thing to do."
"They felt it was their social duty to let the public know this disease is spreading," the source said. "They'd been in contact with co-workers, friends and fans, that announcing they had the virus was their way of making sure those who had been in contact with them would know to get tested."
For more on the couple's coronavirus journey, watch below.
Joe Diffie, an icon to many country fans for his string of No. 1 hits in the 1990s, has died from complications related to the coronavirus, a spokesperson revealed Sunday afternoon. He was 61.
“Grammy-winning country music legend Joe Diffie passed away today, Sunday, March 29, from complications of coronavirus (COVID-19),” the statement read simply. “His family respects their privacy at this time.”
On Friday, Diffie become the first country star to go public with a coronavirus diagnosis. “I am under the care of medical professionals and currently receiving treatment,” a statement attributed to him read. “My family and I are asking for privacy at this time. We want to remind the public and all my fans to be vigilant, cautious and careful during this pandemic.”
Diffie, a member of the Grand Ole Opry for 25 years, is a household name to any country fan who came of age listening to the format in the 1990s. Part of a neotraditionalist wave that thrived during that decade, he had more than 20 top 10 country hits, five of which went to No. 1 (“Home,” “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets,” “Third Rock from the Sun,” “Pickup Man” and “Bigger Than the Beatles”). Two of his 13 albums went platinum and another two were certified gold.
Upon learning about his death, fans inevitably began posting a song that only went to No. 3 in 1993, but was destined to be his most revived song upon his passing: “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die).”
Among those quickly paying respect to Diffie upon hearing the news was another country hitmaker of the era, Chely Wright, who tweeted, “My heart is absolutely breaking over the loss of life we are witnessing. @JoeDiffieOnline was so nice and so great to tour with and one of the best country music singers of all time. 61 years old. God damn it.”
Although Diffie has not had a top 10 hit since 2001, it’s a measure of the affection country fans have for him from the ’90s that country superstar Jason Aldean recorded what basically amounts to a tribute song to Diffie, “1994,” which he released in 2012. Aldean’s song calls out the names of a half-dozen Diffie hits, includes lines like “1994, Joe Diffie comin’ out my radio” and “Hey Joe, come on and teach us how to Diffie,” and has features a chant as its chorus: “Joe, Joe, Joe Diffie.”
The Aldean tribute was co-written by a writer who went on to be a superstar in his own right, Thomas Rhett, who has also performed “1994” in his concerts. More recently, Chris Young also gave him a shout-out in the song “Raised On Country,” singing the line, “Got my honky tonk attitude from Joe Diffie.”
Asked in an interview last April about how he felt about becoming a lyrical reference in younger singers’ songs, Diffie told AllAccess, “It’s super flattering. It really is, but it’s taken me a little while to kind of get used to being in that role. I admit, I always heard songs about people [like] George Jones or Merle Haggard, and I just didn’t ever feel like I was at that level. But it’s a really big honor, and I’m just kind of happy to roll with it now.”
Diffie had reportedly been planning to release his first official studio album in seven years, “I Got This.” A special vinyl release, titled “Joe, Joe, Joe Diffie” after the Aldean song, came out last year.
My heart is absolutely breaking over the loss of life we are witnessing. @JoeDiffieOnline was so nice and so great to tour with and one of the best country music singers of all time.
A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma (and member of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame), Diffie, who was born Dec. 28, 1958, lived in Texas and Washington before moving to Nashville in the 1980s and found work as a demo singer before signing with Epic Nashville in 1990. His first album, “A Thousand Winding Roads,” came out that year and generated his first No. 1 song, “Home.” His second album, “Regular Joe,” was his first to go gold. Around that time, he recorded a duet with Mary Chapin Carpenter, “Not Too Much to Ask,” that became a minor hit and was nominated for a Grammy for best country collaboration.
He began to crest in 1993, when his third album, “Honky Tonk Attitude,” went platinum. The song “John Deere Green” did not go No 1, only reaching the top 5, but it became one of his signature songs nonetheless, and marked his first appearance on the pop chart. It was in 1993 when he was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry — his quick designation for that honor being an indication of how far he’d ascended in just three years. He won an ACM Award for vocal event of the year for appearing on George Jones’ single “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair,” along with several other guest performers. He quickly followed that album with 1994’s “Third Rock from the Sun,” his other platinum-certified effort.
He scored a Grammy for best country collaboration when he and others joined Marty Stuart for the song “Same Old Train.” Diffie’s final release with Sony Nashville, “A Night to Remember,” was in 2001. He recorded a subsequent album for Broken Bow (2004’s “Tough as Nails”) and another for the roots label Rounder (2010’s “Homecoming: The Bluegrass Album”) as his recording pace slowed.
Other chart hits Diffie scored included “Ships That Don’t Come In,” “Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox (If I Die),” “Honky Tonk Attitude” and “Pickup Man.”
He was the second Grand Ole Opry member whose death was announced over the weekend, following news Saturday that Jan Howard, 91, had passed.
Diffie was married four times. He is survived by five children and his wife, Tara.
In November, Diffie released a duet with Marc Broussard of the Stevie Ray Vaughan song “Pride and Joy.” Listen here:
