Page 5839 – 105.7 WDNY

Rupert Murdoch said Trump, Giuliani were ‘both increasingly mad’ in wake of 2020 election, new documents show

March 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Fox Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch privately bashed then-President Donald Trump and his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, following the 2020 election, according to court records made public on Tuesday as part of Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News.

Murdoch wrote that Trump and Giuliani were “both increasingly mad” — using the British expression for “crazy” — in an email whose contents were read during a deposition taken as part of the lawsuit.

The voting machine company has filed court documents containing private communications from Fox News personnel appearing to cast doubt on claims that Dominion’s voting machines had somehow rigged the presidential election in Joe Biden’s favor.

Tuesday’s newly unveiled records included additional correspondence between Fox network executives and on-air hosts regarding Trump’s claim that the 2020 presidential election was rigged against him.

“The real danger is what he might do as president,” Murdoch wrote of Trump, according to a transcript of the deposition. “Apparently not sleeping and bouncing off walls!”

Murdoch also acknowledged in a Jan. 21, 2021, email to a Fox News executive that “maybe Sean and Laura went too far,” referring to Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, two primetime hosts who echoed Trump’s claims of election fraud. The email was sent in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

“All very well for Sean to tell you he was in despair about Trump, but what did he tell his viewers?” Murdoch wrote.

The thousands of pages of new documents provide additional evidence that network leaders privately acknowledged that Biden had won the election despite what Fox News’ on-air personalities told their viewers.

In response to the documents, Fox News officials said that Dominion was misleading the public by not providing the full context behind some of the quotes. In one example, Hannity’s statement about election fraud that he “did not believe it for one second,” which was included in an early Dominion filing, was only a partial quote and did not include that he said that he “waited for the proof.”

“Thanks to today’s filings, Dominion has been caught red-handed using more distortions and misinformation in their PR campaign to smear FOX News and trample on free speech and freedom of the press,” Fox News officials said in a statement. “We already know they will say and do anything to try to win this case, but to twist and even misattribute quotes to the highest levels of our company is truly beyond the pale.”

Other documents released Tuesday show one of Fox’s biggest stars, Tucker Carlson, privately saying that he hated Trump “passionately.”

“We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights,” Carlson privately wrote on Jan. 4, 2021, according to the documents. “I truly can’t wait.”

“I hate him passionately,” he said.

Separately, in a group chat between Carlson, Hannity and Ingraham, the Fox News hosts vented privately about the network, its declining ratings, and their fellow employees in mid-November, the records show.

“We are all officially working for an organization that hates us,” Ingraham wrote on Nov. 16, 2020, according to the documents. “My anger at the news channel is pronounced,” she said later.

“I’m disgusted at this point,” Hannity said later in the conversation, per the records.

The new material also documents backlash to Fox News’ decision to call Arizona for Biden before other networks had done so. After Fox News made the call, Bret Baier, the network’s chief political anchor, urged executives to “back off AZ” and retract the call.

“The sooner we pull it — even if it gives us major egg … the better we are. In my opinion,” Baier wrote on Nov. 5.

Murdoch also said during his deposition as part of the lawsuit that he “never” believed the theory that the voting company was involved in an effort to “delegitimize and destroy votes for Donald Trump.”

“I never believed it,” he said during his deposition on Jan. 19, 2023, according to a more complete transcript that was released as part of the newer documents.

But elsewhere in the deposition, Murdoch acknowledged Trump’s importance, saying “nobody wants Trump as an enemy.”

When asked why, Murdoch said “because he had a great following, big.”

“Seventy-five million people voted for him,” Murdoch said.

Bindi Irwin says she underwent surgery for endometriosis

March 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Bindi Irwin shared a major health update with the world on Tuesday, saying she recently underwent surgery for endometriosis.

“Dear Friends, I battled for a long time wondering if I should share this journey with you in such a public space,” she wrote in a lengthy Instagram caption alongside a photo of her in a hospital bed. “It came down to the responsibility I feel to share my story for other women who need help.”

Irwin, 24, said she has “struggled with insurmountable fatigue, pain & nausea” for the last 10 years, attempting to “remain a positive person & hide the pain.”

The Dancing with the Stars alum said a doctor told her “it was simply something you deal with as a woman,” which caused her to give up “entirely, trying to function through pain.” Irwin said that her friend, Leslie Mosier, helped her navigate endometriosis, which helped set her on a “path of regaining my life.”

Irwin ultimately decided to undergo surgery because she said she “couldn’t live like I was.”

“Every part of my life was getting torn apart because of the pain,” she said. “To cut a long story short, they found 37 lesions, some very deep and difficult to remove, and a chocolate cyst.”

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), endometriosis occurs in about 1 out of 10 women of reproductive age and is a condition in which the type of tissue that forms the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) is found outside the uterus.

Even though that tissue is outside of the uterus, it can still respond to hormones during the menstrual cycle, causing irritation, bleeding, pain and scarring. That scarring can also lead to infertility, health expert said.

There isn’t a cure for endometriosis, but there are treatments for pain and infertility, according to ACOG. Treatments include hormone therapy like birth control pills, pain medications and surgery.

The TV personality said she now feels “validation for years of pain” and thanked her family and friends who have been by her side as she battled endometriosis over the years. She also thanked her doctors and nurses.

Irwin’s post comes during National Endometriosis Awareness month, a time to raise awareness about the gynecological disease. As the mother to 2-year-old Grace Warrior Irwin Powell, whom she shares with her husband, Chandler Powell, Irwin ended her post by putting a spotlight on endometriosis and reaching out to women who are also dealing with the disease.

“Things may look fine on the outside looking in through the window of someone’s life, however, that is not always the case,” Irwin said. “Please be gentle & pause before asking me (or any woman) when we’ll be having more children. After all that my body has gone through, I feel tremendously grateful that we have our gorgeous daughter. She feels like our family’s miracle”

“I’m aware of millions of women struggling with a similar story,” she added. “There’s stigma around this awful disease. I’m sharing my story for anyone who reads this & is quietly dealing with pain & no answers. Let this be your validation that your pain is real & you deserve help. Keep searching for answers.”

Is Lainey Wilson “borderline psycho?” No, she’s just got a “Heart Like a Truck”

March 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

If you talk to Lainey Wilson, you’ll likely realize that “Heart Like a Truck” is a lot more than just her latest hit.

It reflects the steely determination that kept the CMA Female Vocalist of the Year going when it looked like she’d never make it.

“There’s definitely been times where I probably should have given up. I mean, common sense would tell you to take it to the house and be done,” she laughs. “I guess I was a little borderline psycho. I don’t really know.”

“But I hope people can see that, you know, first of all, nothing happens overnight,” she tells ABC Audio. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease at the end of the day. Like, if it’s in your heart and in your soul, then stick it out.”

As Lainey uses “Heart Like a Truck” to inspire others, she also remembers how her own strong will played out in her career.

“Every time somebody told me no, I never actually took it as a no,” she confesses. “I always took it as, well, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to even get in front of them in the first place if it was really a no.”

“It’s a yes, they just don’t know it’s a yes yet,” she says, laughing again.

This week, Lainey confirmed she’ll head out with her “wait in the truck” partner HARDY on the fall leg of his the mockingbird & THE CROW tour.

Will Jonas Brothers “dress for the era” at their Broadway residency next week?

March 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Each night of the Jonas Brothers‘ upcoming Broadway residency will feature the guys playing songs from a different album — ranging from their self-titled debut right up to their upcoming release, The Album. But it appears the guys may be contemplating actually dressing to match, too.

On Instagram, the guys posted a video captioned, “When you’re trying to convince your brother to dress for the era* — *including the scarves — at the NYC shows next week.” It shows Joe and Kevin attempting to convince Nick by lip-syncing to that clip of Harry Styles in Don’t Worry Darling saying, “Not everyone gets this opportunity! And if you keep talkin’ like this, you’re gonna put it all at risk!”

Whether or not the guys don scarves and suit vests for their performances, their looks from each era — captured in their album artwork — are prominently displayed on the covers of the Playbills that will be distributed at each show. There will be different Playbills for each night, but you can purchase them all together in one bundle now, or individually.

On the Bros’ website, there’s also a capsule collection of Broadway merch, including tees that feature the different Playbill covers.

The residency kicks off March 14 with a performance of songs from Jonas Brothers, followed by A Little Bit Longer, Lines, Vines and Trying Times, Happiness Begins and The Album. The group also promises to play “all our greatest hits,” as well as the album material, so don’t worry about missing out on those if you don’t go to every show.

The Zombies’ Colin Blunstone looking forward to another “exciting” South By Southwest

March 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

South By Southwest kicks off Friday and Rock & Roll Hall of Famers The Zombies will be there for several shows, which frontman Colin Blunstone is thrilled about.

“It’s a very exciting place to be, Austin at South by Southwest,” Blunstone tells ABC Audio. “There are bands playing everywhere, in every doorway and every bar.”

And as it turns out, when he says everywhere he means it.

“I remember one of our early ones, I really hope we play back there, it’s someone’s bicycle shop, you know, Fred somebody’s bicycle shop,” he recalls. “And somebody said to me afterwards, ‘What a great name for a club.’ And I said, ‘No, it’s not a club, it’s a bicycle shop. We just play in there amongst the bicycles.’” He adds, “You know you just play in the strangest places and in some ways, it sort of adds to the excitement really.”

The Zombies will also be celebrating their new documentary, Hung Up On A Dream, which will have its world premiere at the festival on March 12, with another screening on March 17.

“It’s a little bit of everything,” Blunstone says of the doc. “They did follow us, there will be some live playing in it and there is some old video, as well. I’m sure it’ll be great. The people who filmed it are wonderful professionals and made us feel very easy.” (

Jason Sudeikis and Brett Goldstein on the possibility of more ‘Ted Lasso’ following show’s third and final season

March 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Will the upcoming season 3 of Ted Lasso be the end? The first episode debuts a week from Wednesday on Apple TV+, and the answer about an ending is complicated.

It seems as if this is the end of the story they want to tell, but the show could continue on in either a different iteration or a spinoff or something else. ABC Audio asked star and co-creator Jason Sudeikis if he could clear up the confusion — is this the final season or not?

“It is as far as I know. Yes. Yeah… I’m editing this one and you know, we have not rented any studio space.” Sudeikis declared, before joking, “Everybody is doing different projects. Nobody would call me back. You know, that’s a good sign, right? When the cast stops being, you know, getting back to you right away. I’m like, Oh, it must be over.”

Show writer and co-star Brett Goldstein had even less to offer in the way of clarity, offering only that “It is an ending…a completion of a story. So I’d say prepare for the end. An end. A end. Apple?”

Sudeikis says they always envisioned a three-season arc, which they “sort of modeled it after the British Office, how they had two seasons and then like a Christmas special,” but they never anticipated how popular the show would be.

“You know, things morphed and changed in many, many ways, with the influence of our writers and certainly the people that we cast as these various characters and we got to stay open to the discovery, it would be silly not to,” he explains. “But yeah, at this point the trilogy if you will…you know, we’re trying to wrap up those stories as the best we can.”

Tessa Thompson looks back on some of her iconic characters

March 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Tessa Thompson‘s range has been displayed as she’s taken on a variety of characters. In the latest issue of Look Back At It, she reflects on some of her iconic roles, including Nyla in For Colored Girls, Diane in Selma and, of course, Bianca in the Creed series.

When Tessa portrayed Nyla, she worked with an “incredible ensemble” featuring Janet Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Kerry Washington, Loretta Devine and Thandiwe Newton. It was her “first time working with an all-female cast in terms of the leads.” “It was incredible to be on set with women who defined my idea of Black femininity at every turn,” she says, noting her love for Janet, Ntozake Shange‘s book and Phylicia Rashad.

Selma‘s Diane impacted Tessa’s life, as it “really challenged me to think about how I show up in these moments now as a Black American.” She says the “film was such an honor to work on” and notes she made some lifelong friendships while shooting the movie.

As for Bianca, fans have gotten pretty familiar with the character, as she’s appeared in three Creedmovies. Tessa says “there’s been so much personal growth” in the film’s characters, adding, “They’re postcards to me because I see my own growth inside of the span of these nine years.” She notes she’s “incredibly proud to be part of” Michael B. Jordan‘s journey.

Tessa also discusses being in Thor: Ragnarok, which she believes is connected to Creed.

“I never ever thought that I would occupy these kinds of spaces or be in big superhero movies,” she says. “But in connecting the dots, I know that Dear White People put me on Ryan Coogler’s radar and I know that Creed put me on Marvel’s radar because all of us joined the MCU.”

Scoreboard roundup — 3/7/23

March 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING

INTERLEAGUE
Pittsburgh 7, Toronto 2
Detroit 16, St. Louis 3
Tampa Bay 7, Philadelphia 3
Chi White Sox 5, Milwaukee 2
LA Angels 5, San Diego 4
Chi Cubs 9, Texas 6
Oakland 9, Arizona 3
Boston 10, Atlanta 2
NY Mets 5, Houston 5

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Minnesota 7, Baltimore 6

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Washington 5, Miami 3
Cincinnati 7, San Francisco 3

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Washington 119, Detroit 117
Milwaukee 134, Orlando 123
Charlotte 112, New York 105
Philadelphia 117, Minnesota 94
Brooklyn 118, Houston 96
Oklahoma City 137, Golden State 128
Dallas 120, Utah 116
LA Lakers 112, Memphis 103

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Toronto 4, New Jersey 3
Florida 2, Vegas 1
Pittsburgh 5 Columbus 4 (OT)
Tampa Bay 5, Philadelphia 2
Carolina 4, Montreal 3 (SO)
NY Islanders 3, Buffalo 2
Calgary 1, Minnesota 0 (SO)
Colorado 6, San Jose 0
Arizona 6, St. Louis 2
Seattle 5, Anaheim 2

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Gonzaga 77, Saint Mary’s (Cal.) 51

Kevin McCarthy has no regrets about giving Tucker Carlson Jan. 6 footage for ‘transparency’

March 7, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is standing by his decision to grant Fox News host Tucker Carlson access to the raw security footage from the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, telling reporters on Tuesday night that he has no regrets but repeatedly refusing to answer questions about what Carlson said on his show.

“Each person can come up with their own conclusion,” McCarthy said about what Carlson aired Monday night, which quickly drew rebuke from Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, top Democrats and the U.S. Capitol Police chief, among others.

ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott asked McCarthy whether he had any concerns about what Carlson presented, pointing to an internal memo from Chief Tom Manger to Capitol Police officers where Manger described Carlson’s coverage as “cherry picked,” “misleading” and “offensive.”

“I didn’t see what was aired,” McCarthy said, insisting that he gave Carlson — and no other media outlet — access to the tapes for the purpose of “transparency.”

Carlson on Monday aired what he claimed to be new surveillance videos from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol in an effort to minimize the rioting as a peaceful gathering and to discredit the work of the House Jan. 6 committee and federal investigators.

In contrast to Carlson’s claims now, in the days right after Jan. 6, McCarthy said, “Let me be clear, last week’s violent attack on the Capitol was undemocratic, un-American, and criminal.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland, asked on Tuesday about Carlson’s program, said, “I think it’s very clear what happened on Jan. 6.”

Carlson and some House Republicans had been hyping the report up for weeks, but after viewing 40,000 hours of video given to him by McCarthy, the host played on repeat only select scenes of the security camera footage.

Carlson defended “protesters” on Jan. 6, claiming they were “right” to “believe that the election they had just voted in had been unfairly conducted.” Notably, Carlson’s comments come on the heels of new court filings by Dominion Voting Systems in their lawsuit against Fox News that showed in mid-November 2020, Carlson texted one of his producers that “there wasn’t enough fraud to change the outcome” of the election.

Despite what he’s said in private, Carlson said on Monday that “taken as a whole, the video record does not support the claim that Jan. 6 was an insurrection,” though he also showed familiar footage of rioters violently breaking into the Capitol.

Reporters on Tuesday asked if McCarthy believed the Jan. 6 riot was an insurrection, but McCarthy avoided the question entirely.

He said he “worked with Capitol police” on what video would be provided to Carlson, but Chief Manger said in his memo that Fox News never reached out to the Capitol Police for context about what clips they aired.

A Fox News spokeswoman did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment on the memo.

On his way to the House floor, McCarthy told ABC News “no” when asked if he had heard any concerns from any Capitol Police officers or any officers on his detail about what was show on Carlson’s show.

ABC News’ Luke Barr and Libby Cathey contributed to this report.

Tyre Nichols case: 7th cop fired, 20 more hours of footage to be released

March 7, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) — About 20 more hours of police video and audio in the Tyre Nichols case will be released Wednesday afternoon, according to City of Memphis Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Sink.

The release comes after a seventh officer who was involved in the Jan. 7 incident was fired following an internal investigation, according to Sink.

Nichols, 29, died several days after a violent traffic stop captured in body camera footage, which shows officers striking Nichols repeatedly.

His death has prompted protests and unrest across the country.

In a Tuesday city council meeting, Sink announced that the internal investigations resulted in four Memphis Fire Department personnel being charged, and 13 Memphis Police Department personnel being charged. According to Sink, these are not criminal investigations, but rather administrative investigations.

Prior to the meeting the Memphis Police Department announced that six officers involved in the incident were fired. Sink revealed to council members that a seventh unidentified officer who was under investigation was terminated.

Of the remaining officers under investigation, three officers received a suspension, two had their charges dismissed and one individual resigned in lieu of termination, Sink said. The charges and disciplinary decisions will be officially posted on Wednesday alongside the latest round of released footage, she said.

All officers directly involved in Nichols’ beating were part of the first round of terminations and criminal charges, Sink said.

Those five officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith — have pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges in Nichols’ beating and subsequent death.

A sixth officer, Preston Hemphill, was fired in February, days after the body camera footage was released to the public.

Another officer, who was suspended, “did place hands on [Nichols’] legs,” Sink said, but asserted that it was not a strike or assault.

ABC News’ Ivan Pereira and Will McDuffie contributed to this report.

+ More