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Suspect in Dave Chappelle attack charged with attempted murder in separate incident

May 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(LOS ANGELES) — The suspect who allegedly rushed and tackled comedian Dave Chappelle on stage last month has been charged with attempted murder in a separate incident after the victim identified the man from media coverage surrounding the Chappelle case, prosecutors said.

Isaiah Lee, 23, faces one count of attempted murder, a felony, for allegedly stabbing his roommate in December, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced Thursday.

Prosecutors allege that Lee stabbed his roommate during a fight at a transitional housing apartment on Dec. 2. The victim reported the incident to police and recently identified Lee as the perpetrator following news of the Chappelle attack, according to the district attorney’s office.

“The publicity generated by the attack on Mr. Chappelle helped police solve this crime,” Gascón, whose office is prosecuting the case, said in a statement.

Lee pleaded not guilty to the charge on Thursday in Los Angeles criminal court, the district attorney’s office said. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 2.

Attorney information for Lee in the felony case wasn’t immediately available.

The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Lee has pleaded not guilty to multiple misdemeanor charges stemming from the Chappelle incident, which occurred during the Netflix Is A Joke Fest at the Hollywood Bowl on May 3.

He was arrested and booked at the Los Angeles Police Department’s Hollywood station following the show and was initially held on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney decided not to move forward with felony charges because Lee was not brandishing the knife that looked like the gun, court records show.

The case was referred to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, which charged Lee with four misdemeanor counts — battery, possession of a weapon with intent to assault, unauthorized access to the stage area during a performance and commission of an act that delays the event or interferes with the performer.

During an arraignment hearing on May 6, a judge ordered that Lee not come within 100 yards of Chappelle or the Hollywood Bowl.

In the wake of the attack, Gascón said he’s creating a “roundtable” made up of venues, event security and law enforcement to improve safety and security at events.

ABC News’ Jennifer Watts contributed to this report.

Keith Urban explains why he traded hard partying for quiet nights in: “I’d like to stay married”

May 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Keith Urban’s long been open about his battle with drugs and alcohol, and he credits much of his recovery to his wife, A-list actor Nicole Kidman.

In a new interview with The Sun, Keith acknowledges that keeping a healthy balance — and a healthy relationship — takes constant maintenance. “It can easily go out of whack,” he says.

“Umpteen years ago I never corrected things until it was too late, but now I see it starting to go out and I’m much better at catching it before things implode,” he says, jokingly adding that he has a strong motivating factor to keep any partying impulses in check: “I’d like to stay married.”

Plus, Keith and Nicole are now parents to two daughters, 13-year-old Sunday and 11-year-old Faith.

“I’m trying to set a good example for the kids, but I still don’t know if I’m getting it right,” he says. “I have made so many mistakes, but you have to work out what works for you. My message to them is always to do whatever they are passionate about, I don’t care, as long as they work hard to achieve it.”

Though maintaining the right life balance takes constant work, there are plenty of happy milestones and reasons to celebrate along the way. Last September, Keith celebrated 15 years of sobriety.

‘If everything could ever feel this real forever’: Foo Fighters’ ’The Colour and the Shape’ turns 25

May 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The Foo Fighters album The Colour and the Shape is now 25.

Released May 20, 1997, The Colour and the Shape arrived two years after Dave Grohl dropped the debut, self-titled Foo Fighters record in 1995. While technically the sophomore Foo Fighters effort, The Colour and the Shape marked their studio debut as a full band.

Grohl, who played drums in Nirvana, initially founded Foo Fighters as a solo project following the death of Kurt Cobain and recorded that first Foos album almost entirely by himself. When it came time for a Foo Fighters tour, Grohl put together a live band featuring bassist Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith of Sunny Day Real Estate, as well as touring Nirvana guitarist Pat Smear.

That lineup then went into the studio to record The Colour and the Shape, though it didn’t come out the same way. As the story goes, Grohl was not satisfied with Goldsmith’s drum tracks and decided to rerecord them himself. Upon learning this, Goldsmith left the band.

Beyond the personnel issues, recording The Colour and the Shape was a difficult — and unexpectedly expensive — process for Grohl and company. Still, the Foos powered through and delivered what’s considered to be among their best albums, thanks in part to now-classic songs including “Everlong,” “My Hero” and “Monkey Wrench.” Additionally, Goldsmith’s departure led to drummer Taylor Hawkins joining the band shortly after the album was recorded.

Speaking with ABC Audio earlier this year, Grohl shared that the Foos didn’t have any plans to mark The Colour and the Shape‘s milestone anniversary. Any plans that they may have had, however, are now undoubtedly canceled, given the unexpected death of Hawkins last March. Following the news of Hawkins’ passing, Foo Fighters canceled all of their tour dates.

Expanded version of 1982 Police documentary ‘Around the World,’ plus soundtrack album, released today

May 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

A “restored and expanded” version of The Police‘s 1982 documentary The Police: Around the World got its release today.

The film is now available on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time ever, with the new discs boasting restored video and remastered audio, plus bonus performances of four full songs.

In addition, the new release, titled The Police: Around The World Restored & Expanded, comes packaged with a newly created soundtrack album either on CD or as a colored-vinyl LP that includes performances recorded at shows in Japan, Hong Kong and the U.K. during the same world tour documented in the movie.

The film captures The Police on stage and off while touring in 1979 and 1980 in Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, India, Egypt, Greece, France, South America and the U.S.

“Well, the cool thing about this film is [it captures the band] at its hungriest, and also when the synergy was strongest,” drummer Stewart Copeland tells ABC Audio. “And combine that with the exotic locations — very colorful, very picturesque — and it’s a fun ride. Three guys having a lot of fun in strange places.”

Copeland says his favorite part of the tour was a visit to Cairo, Egypt, during which — as seen in the film — he and band mates Sting and Andy Summers hired horses and rode all around the Great Pyramids of Giza.

“That was a fun day,” Stewart recalls.

Meanwhile, Copeland notes about The Police’s performances in the movie and on the album, “We were hot as firecrackers at the time,” adding that “the excitement of that tour gave us some extra juice.”

The Police: Around the World Restored & Expanded is available as a DVD/CD set, a Blu-ray/CD package and a DVD/LP collection.

The DVD & Blu-ray feature performances of:

“Next to You”
“Walking on the Moon”
“Born in the 50’s”
“So Lonely”
“Man in a Suitcase”
“Can’t Stand Losing You”
“Bring On the Night”
“Canary in a Coalmine”
“Voices Inside My Head”
“When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around”
“Shadows in the Rain”
“Don’t Stand So Close to Me”
“Truth Hits Everybody”
“Roxanne”

Bonus features — complete live performances of:
“Walking on the Moon” (Live from Kyoto)
“Next to You” (Live from Kyoto)
“Message in a Bottle” (Live from Hong Kong)
“Born in the 50’s” (Live from Hong Kong)

Here’s the soundtrack album’s track list:
“Walking on the Moon” (Live from Kyoto)
“Next to You” (Live from Kyoto)*
“Deathwish” (Live from Kyoto)
“So Lonely” (Live from Kyoto)
“Can’t Stand Losing You” (Live from Kyoto)
“Truth Hits Everybody” (Live from Kyoto)
“Visions of the Night” (Live from Hammersmith)*
“Roxanne” (Live from Hammersmith)
Intro*
“Born in the 50’s” (Live from Hong Kong)
“Message in a Bottle” (Live from Hong Kong)
“Bring On the Night” (Live from Hong Kong)

* = not included on vinyl LP.

Disney’s favorite chipmunks get a makeover in ‘Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers’

May 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

It’s Chip ‘n Dale, for a new generation. Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, a Roger Rabbit-style revival of the early 90s cartoon that premieres today on Disney+.

The Lonely Island‘s Akiva Schaffer directed the film, tells ABC Audio that its mix of live-action and animation “allowed for this Roger Rabbit world,” but on a whole new level.

“There’s been 30 years of technology that has changed animation so much with so many different styles,” he explains, “and the fun of getting to see them all together was really enticing to me.”

Akiva says that like Roger Rabbit, the movie features so many animated characters and Easter eggs, animation fans are going to go crazy — and it’s not just Disney.

“Third party characters that aren’t Disney was super important because, you know, Roger Rabbit had like Looney Tunes and all that stuff and it felt so much bigger because of that,” he shares. “So in the same way, to keep it from feeling like a Disney+ ad and to just be a love letter to animation. So it was the lawyers deserve, you know, a big bottle of wine.”

Kiki Layne is one of the only humans in the movie, and the The If Beale Street Could Talk and Coming 2 America star says acting alongside a bunch of animated animals brought her back to her early days.

“It’s just fun to play make believe. Like, you know, it took me back, You know, even the fact that I was acting by myself, I thought, yeah, that’s what I used to do in my bedroom,” she reveals. “You know, I take my Barbies and stuffed animals and create a whole new world in my bedroom. That’s where it starts.”

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

U.S. firearm production, imports ramp up in recent decades: Report

May 19, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The production of firearms in the U.S. has ramped up exponentially in recent decades with domestic manufacturing more than doubling and imports more than quadrupling, according to a new study by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The increases between the years 2000 and 2020 were fueled by the mass proliferation of the pistol as the most widespread firearm type and a 24,080% percent increase in manufacturing of short-barreled rifles, according to the ATF report. The number of firearms made in the U.S. increased by 187% and the number imported increased by 350% over the same period.

The report comes as the nation is still reeling from a mass shooting that left 10 Black people dead in a Buffalo, New York, supermarket last weekend. The suspected gunman legally purchased the Bushmaster rifle used to carry out the shooting with some modifications currently illegal in the state of New York, sources familiar with the investigation told ABC News.

The nation’s patchwork of gun laws has been largely relaxed by Supreme Court decisions as well as state and federal legislation over the time period studied. Two Supreme Court cases that struck down local gun control ordinances in Chicago and Washington, D.C, paved the way for fewer restrictions on individual firearm purchases.

The report also looked at the more recent adoption of untraceable firearms called “ghost guns” — often assembled from parts bought online or made at a private residence.

“One of the most significant developments affecting lawful firearm commerce and law enforcement’s ability to reduce illegal access to guns in this period has been the proliferation of privately made firearms also known as “ghost guns,” the ATF Los Angeles Field Office said in a statement on the report.

The number of firearms recovered by law enforcement believed to be privately made increased 1,000% between 2016 and 2021, according to the report.

The U.S. ranks first in the world for the number of firearms in the hands of civilians, according to a 2018 report by the nonpartisan Small Arms Survey. Yemen, Montenegro, Serbia and Canada round out the top five when adjusted for population size, although all have less than half the number of firearms per capita than the U.S.

Wall Street suffers more losses as investors worry inflation catching up with consumers

May 19, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — It was another volatile day on Wall Street as investors worry that high inflation may finally be catching up with consumers.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 236 points, one day after plunging more than 1,100 points, while the S&P 500 inched closer to bear market territory — market shorthand for a 20% fall from a recent high.

“It’s important to remember that the market is not the economy,” Art Hogan, chief market strategist at National Securities told ABC News. “The market is a predictor of what the economy might look like six or 12 months down the road. So right now, I think the market is trying to tell us there’s a chance the economy could get worse than it is right now.”

This week’s stunning stock sell-off was triggered by weaker-than-expected profits from retail giants including Target (TGT), Walmart (WMT) and Kohl’s (KSS). Each company cut its profit outlook for the year and said higher costs for labor and transportation hurt its bottom line.

Consumers are still spending despite surging prices. Retail sales rose 0.9% in April, about in line with estimates, but they’re starting to adjust their spending habits.

On Walmart’s earnings call, CEO Doug McMillon said shoppers are beginning to switch from discretionary purchases to lower-margin items such as groceries and other household staples.

Record-high gas prices continue to take a bite out of household budgets. Gas prices are now above $4 per gallon in all 50 states, and analysts expect prices to go even higher. JPMorgan Chase predicted the busy summer driving season could push the national average past $6 per gallon by August.

Economists expect those higher gas prices to fan inflation, which is already at a 40-year high thanks to a perfect storm of factors: strong consumer demand, persistent supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, COVID-19-induced lockdowns in China and now the war in Ukraine.

The Federal Reserve is answering back by aggressively raising interest rates to curb consumer demand and bring down inflation. Investors fear those higher rates will slow growth so much that they will tip the economy into a recession.

Sixty-eight percent of CEOs surveyed by The Conference Board now expect the Fed’s war on inflation to trigger a recession sometime next year, according to a press release.

Eric Clapton postpones two more European shows, continues to test positive for COVID-19

May 19, 2022 by WDNY Radio

After postponing the first two dates of his new run of European concerts this week because he recently contracted the COVID-19 virus, Eric Clapton has now postponed two more shows — a pair of performances that had been scheduled in Bologna, Italy, this Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21.

A message posted on the official Where’s Eric website explains, “Clapton, whilst feeling fine in himself, has again tested positive for Covid this morning. Whilst there is a strong body of medical opinion that after several days since the first positive test, a person is no longer infectious, it is by no means agreed by all. Accordingly, Eric does not want to travel while still testing positive and take the risk of infecting others.”

The note adds that, under the circumstances, it’s possible that “the Italian authorities would not…permit [Eric’s] entry into Italy.”

All four postponed concerts, which also include shows originally scheduled for May 17 in Zurich, Switzerland, and May 18 in Milan, Italy, will be rescheduled by the end of 2022. The new dates will be announced within the next two weeks, and tickets purchased for the postponed concerts will be valid for the rescheduled dates.

Clapton’s next scheduled show is now a May 29 performance in Berlin. According to the message on the Where’s Eric site, “by [that] time we have every hope that there will be no obstacle to Eric being able to perform that concert and the remainder of the scheduled concerts.”

Visit EricClapton.com to check out Clapton’s full tour schedule.

Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker arrested for attempted murder in earlier stabbing case

May 19, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Twenty-three-year-old Isaiah Lee, the man still behind bars after being charged with tackling Dave Chappelle onstage, has been slapped with an attempted murder charge.

However, controversial Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced today the charge wasn’t related to Lee’s alleged assault of the comedian earlier this month.

Gascón on Thursday says a man who had been stabbed in December identified Lee, his former roommate, as his attacker. “The publicity generated by the attack on Mr. Chappelle helped police solve this crime,” he noted.

Lee was found to have had a gun-shaped knife when the alleged attack of Chappelle happened, but the LA DA’s Office, which has been under fire for what critics see as Gascón’s soft on crime policies, didn’t charge Lee with any felonies. Instead, he was charged with four misdemeanors, for which he recently pleaded not guilty, and a judge refused to reduce his $30,000 bail and release him.

Gascón added of Thursday’s new charge, “The incident that occurred at the Hollywood Bowl was misdemeanor conduct and rightfully referred to the City Attorney’s Office. Based on the nature and severity of the December attack, Mr. Lee is now facing felony charges which my office will prosecute.”

First monkeypox case in US this year reported in Massachusetts

May 19, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A Massachusetts resident has tested positive for monkeypox, health officials confirmed Wednesday, making it the first case of the rare virus detected in the United States this year.

According to a release from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the patient is an adult male who recently traveled to Canada. The department completed initial testing Tuesday and was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The case poses no risk to the public, and the individual is hospitalized and in good condition,” MDPH stated in a press release. “DPH is working closely with the CDC, relevant local boards of health, and the patient’s health care providers to identify individuals who may have been in contact with the patient while he was infectious.”

The New York City Department of Health announced Thursday that it was investigating a possible case of monkeypox. The patient is being cared for at Bellevue Hospital and all appropriate isolation measures are being followed, according to the department. The patient’s tests will be sent to the CDC for confirmatory testing, the department said.

It comes after four more cases of monkeypox were identified in the U.K recently, bringing its nationwide total to nine since the beginning of May.

The resident was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on May 12 and “during the course of their admission they were identified as a possible monkeypox suspect,” Dr. Erica Shenoy, associate chief of the hospital’s infection control unit, told reporters during a briefing Wednesday.

Hearing about cases of monkeypox in the U.K. encouraged doctors to “think more broadly about the patient’s diagnosis,” Shenoy said.

Hospital officials said they are unaware of any cases in Canada at this time and do not know where the resident may have contracted the disease.

Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by the monkeypox virus. The first case among humans was recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970, and the illness has since spread to several other nations, mostly in central and western Africa.

It can transmit from animals to humans when an infected animal — such as a rodent or a primate — bites or scratches a person. The CDC said humans can also be infected when hunting wild animals or preparing bush meat for consumption.

The disease can also spread from person to person via large respiratory droplets in the air, but they cannot travel more than a few feet, so two people would need to have prolonged close contact.

The most common symptoms are fever, headache, fatigue and muscle aches.

Very few cases of monkeypox have been identified among Americans.

According to the CDC, the disease does not naturally occur in the U.S. Infections are usually identified among people who recently traveled to countries where monkeypox is more commonly found.

In 2003, 47 confirmed and probable cases were reported in six U.S. states, the first human cases reported outside of Africa.

All the infections occurred after coming into contact with pet prairie dogs, which in turn became infected “after being housed near imported small mammals from Ghana,” the CDC stated.

Since then, just two other cases have been detected in the U.S., both associated with travel.

In July 2021, a case was confirmed in a Texas resident who had recently returned from Nigeria and in November 2021, another case was found in a Maryland resident who had also traveled to Nigeria.

ABC News’ William Gretsky contributed to this report.

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