Machine Gun Kelly and Mod Sun have premiered the trailer for their upcoming movie Good Mourning.
The clip lays out the plot of the stoner comedy, which stars Kelly as an actor named London Clash who receives an ambiguous, possible break-up text from his girlfriend. His efforts to find and talk to her are interrupted by an important career meeting and a whole bunch of high jinks that often involve weed.
Kelly and Mod, who also worked together on Downfalls High, co-directed and co-wrote Good Mourning. The cast also includes Megan Fox, Pete Davidson, Becky G, Whitney Cummings and Dove Cameron, and even features a cameo from Dennis Rodman.
Good Mourning premieres in theaters and on-demand on May 20.
After sparking rumors that Taylor Swift collaborated with Drake on a new song, it appears that it was all a misunderstanding. According to people connected to the two hitmakers, they haven’t jumped into the recording studio together.
Drake sparked the collab rumors Monday after posting a throwback photo of him hugging Taylor and, of course, Taylor’s fans did what they did best — they looked for Easter eggs. Taylor is famous for leaving clues on her posts that have often hinted at release dates, song titles and other music-related matters.
Because the Drake throwback snap was fifth in the carousel of photos, Swifties believed Drizzy was subtly hinting that Taylor was about to release the re-recording of her fifth studio album, 1989, which would feature a “From the Vault” track featuring the Canadian rapper.
Leave it to TMZ to investigate. The outlet spoke with their sources, who purportedly have “direct knowledge,” and found that Drake was simply shouting out his old friend. They added the post had no hidden messages.
But fans are remaining hopeful Taylor drops her re-recorded 1989 album soon and have latched onto possible numerical Easter eggs spotted in her year-old The Late Show with Stephen Colbert interview. The longstanding belief is that Taylor will release the album on Friday, May 14.
She’s already dropped her updated version of “Wildest Dreams” from the album, which is also giving fans hope that 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is on the horizon.
(FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.) — Dangerous fire conditions are creating the perfect fuel for wildfires to scorch through the arid landscapes of the Southwest.
The Tunnel Fire, which sparked Sunday about 14 miles northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona, exploded to more than 16,000 acres by Wednesday morning, destroying at least 25 structures, according to Coconino County officials. More than 200 firefighters are battling the fast-moving inferno, which is currently 0% contained.
An additional 250 structures are threatened, which has prompted evacuations of nearly 800 homes and 1,000 animals in the area. While the Red Cross has opened a shelter at a local middle school, the Fort Tuthill County Stables has been opened for horses, goats, sheep, pigs and chickens that reside in the evacuation zone, according to the county.
A red flag warning has been canceled in Arizona due to relaxing winds but remains in five neighboring states from Nebraska to New Mexico.
Videos taken in the region show skies covered in orange flames and thick plumes of smoke as the blaze continues to gain traction and spread. Some flames are reaching up to 100 feet, according to officials.
A decades-long megadrought, combined with low humidity and high winds, has created tinderbox conditions in the area.
The Southwest is experiencing the driest conditions in at least 1,200 years, a study published in Nature Climate Change in February found.
Officials have declared a state of emergency in the area affected by the Tunnel Fire.
ABC News’ Max Golembo and Marilyn Heck contributed to this report.
(NOTE CONTENT) In dramatic testimony in a Fairfax, Virginia courtroom Wednesday, Johnny Depp testified to a litany of psychological and physical abuse he says he suffered at the hands of his ex-wife, Amber Heard.
The testimony laid out, in graphic detail, the attack Depp said he endured during at a rented home in 2015, during which he says Heard threw a large vodka bottle at him, severing the tip of his right middle finger.
The altercation happened after a clean and sober Depp said he fell off the wagon, after first locking himself in a bathroom. While a despondent Deep took “his first drink of alcohol in some time,” Heard allegedly began berating him, grabbed the vodka bottle and threw it at his head. It missed, and shattered behind him.
Depp says he responded by grabbing another larger bottle and pouring himself another shot. Depp said Heard grabbed that bottle, too, and threw it, smashing it against his hand and the bar and cutting off the top of his finger.
With his finger “gushing blood,” Depp said he recalled thinking to himself, “No one should have to go through this,” and suffered a “sort of a nervous breakdown.”
He added, “I started writing with blood on our walls, little reminders of our past…lies that I caught her in,” Depp said soberly, noting he could hear only “white noise, just somebody yelling, a high-pitched constant attack…of insults.”
“I was in shock,” he explained.
When his attorney showed him a photo of him in the emergency room, it sparked another memory for Depp, who pointed out an injury on his cheek, saying it was where Heard stubbed a cigarette out on it.
The actor also claimed to have told doctors at the emergency room he’d cut his own finger “to protect” Heard. “I didn’t want to see her get in trouble,” he explained.
The actor also testified he contracted MRSA three times after the injury, which was hidden from moviegoers during subsequent film work using CG technology. “I feared that I would lose my finger, my arm and my life,” he said.
Depp’s testimony earlier in the morning spoke about his substance abuse and painful attempts at detoxing, all the while detailing what he described as constant “bullying” he endured during his tumultuous relationship with Heard.
Heard’s lawyers were scheduled to cross-examine Depp after a lunch break.
Depp is suing the Aquaman actress for defamation for her 2019 Washington Post op-ed in which she said she was a victim of domestic abuse, and implied her abuser was Depp.
Primus frontman Les Claypool has released a new song in support of Ukraine as it continues to fight against Russia’s ongoing invasion.
The track, which Claypool co-wrote with Ukrainian musician Eugene Hütz of the band Gogol Bordello, is titled “Zelensky: The Man with the Iron Balls” after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Along with Claypool and Hütz, the song features The Police drummer Stewart Copeland, Sean Lennon, bluegrass musician Billy Strings, and Gogol Bordello violist Sergey Ryabtsev.
“The night of the invasion, I was dining with close friends of mine from Poland who were hosting their family visiting the US from their town, which is 50 kilometers from the Ukraine border,” Claypool says. “Needless to say, they were stressed and concerned about what was happening in their homeland. After a few vodka shots of solidarity, I started texting with my buddy Eugene from Gogol Bordello to get his perspective and insight.”
“In that vodka-laced dialogue, we started mutually praising Zelensky for his surprisingly epic display of courage,” Claypool continues. “‘Zelensky has balls of steel!’ we agreed. It was then that we decided that some freaky, ‘East meets West’ art needed to be thrown that way.”
“Zelensky: The Man with the Iron Balls” is available now via digital outlets. Proceeds will be donated to the humanitarian aid organization Nova Ukraine.
(WASHINGTON) — Common prenatal tests done to test for genetic abnormalities are the subject of a new warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA issued a notice Tuesday warning people about the risk of “false results, inappropriate use and inappropriate interpretation of results” from non-invasive prenatal screening tests, also called non-invasive prenatal tests and cell-free DNA tests.
The tests are used to screen for possible genetic abnormalities in fetuses that could indicate the possibility of a health condition like Down syndrome, a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome, which changes how a baby’s brain and body develop, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In its new warning, the FDA reminds people that the prenatal tests are screening tests, not diagnostic tests that would confirm a health condition.
“While genetic non-invasive prenatal screening tests are widely used today, these tests have not been reviewed by the FDA and may be making claims about their performance and use that are not based on sound science,” Jeff Shuren, M.D., J.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement. “Without proper understanding of how these tests should be used, people may make inappropriate health care decisions regarding their pregnancy.”
“We strongly urge patients to discuss the benefits and risks of these tests with a genetic counselor or other health care provider prior to making decisions based on the results of these tests,” said Shuren.
The prenatal screening tests that are the subject of the FDA’s warning are standard in prenatal care in the United States, according to Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC News chief medical correspondent and a board-certified OBGYN.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that prenatal genetic screening options should be made available to “all pregnant patients regardless of maternal age or risk of chromosomal abnormality.”
In the U.S., 25% to 50% of pregnancies undergo non-invasive prenatal screening tests, according to data published in the medical journal Obstetrics & Gynecology
The screening tests, which are up to 99% accurate for screening out diseases like Down syndrome, are done by taking a blood sample from the pregnant woman. An ultrasound of the fetus is typically done in conjunction with the screening tests, according to Ashton.
If the tests flag an increased risk that the fetus may have a problem with its chromosomes, more testing will be done, either via an amniocentesis — a procedure in which a small sample of amniotic fluid is removed for testing — or chorionic villus sampling (CVS), in which a small piece of tissue is removed from the placenta for further testing.
Ashton said the FDA’s warning centers on the fact that the initial screening tests are not 100% accurate, explaining, “What the FDA is worried about is that women may make incorrect decisions about continuing their pregnancy based on this result.”
Both Ashton and ACOG stress that the results of non-invasive prenatal screening tests should be analyzed by a qualified medical provider, and that pregnant women should be in close touch with their provider about the results.
“This is a perfect example — anyone can do a test. It’s using the results of that test, which requires medical credentials and judgment and experience, that matters,” said Ashton. “So a woman should talk to their midwife, their obstetrician about what to do with the results of this test.”
(SYRACUSE, N.Y.) — Police officers in Syracuse, New York, are under scrutiny after a video went viral of an 8-year-old boy being put into the back of a police cruiser after allegedly stealing a bag of chips.
The boy is seen crying and screaming while an officer walks him to a marked police vehicle. Bystanders are heard shouting at police to let go of the child, offering to pay for the chips and to walk him home themselves.
The boy was not handcuffed or arrested and was not injured, officials said. Police say they drove the boy home to his father following the incident on Sunday in the city’s northside.
Kenneth Jackson, the man who took the video, can be heard shouting in protest: “I’m taking this video to help to make sure you all don’t kill him because that’s what you all do.”
He told Good Morning America in an interview that he believes the incident highlights the tension between law enforcement and the people they serve.
“We have a policing problem when it comes to policing the community,” Jackson said. “Clearly, as the world can see, there’s a big disconnect.”
The footage has been viewed millions of times on social media, sparking outrage and criticism of the police officers’ actions.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul denounced the officers’ actions.
“As a mother, that was a heart-wrenching video to witness,” she said Wednesday at a press conference. “Many of us are parents and you can’t help but imagine the fear in that child as he had to endure that experience.”
Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh released a statement on the incident, saying, “What occurred demonstrates a continuing need for the city to provide support to our children and families and to invest in alternative response options to assist our officers.”
He added that the child was not handcuffed nor arrested during the incident.
“He was placed in the rear of a patrol unit where he was directly brought home,” the department statement said. “Officers met with the child’s father and no charges were filed.”
The Syracuse Police Department has said that the incident is under investigation. The department is also reviewing body camera footage taken of the incident.
(MILWAUKEE) — Milwaukee Public Schools reinstated the school district’s mask mandate Tuesday after just one day of making face coverings optional for students.
In a press release, MPS cited “significant transmission” of COVID-19 within the city as the reason for the mandate returning. Starting Wednesday, all students through 12th grade and staff will be required to mask up while inside district buildings.
MPS said the district can go back to a mask-optional policy if school leaders determine risk is low for viral transmission within the city and within the school district over the next few weeks.
In late March, the MPS board voted during its monthly meeting to make masks optional starting April 18, but warned face coverings would return if cases began rising. MPS did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Milwaukee County is still considered an area with “low” community levels of COVID-19. However, the city is reporting an increase in cases. According to the City of Milwaukee Health Department, there is “substantial” transmission of the virus with 58.1 confirmed cases per 100,000 people.
The school district is not the only agency in the city to reverse its policy on masks.
Earlier Tuesday, Milwaukee County Transit System announced face coverings would be optional for riders on county buses. However, later in the day, it announced the mask mandate would remain in place “out of an abundance of caution” due to rising case counts.
Milwaukee County Chief Health Policy Advisor Dr. Ben Weston said COVID cases have risen 200% over the last three weeks from 34 new cases per day to 104 new cases per day. Additionally, he shared the test positivity rate is back over the 5% threshold for moderate transmission.
“That number is rising each day due to a combination of factors,” Weston said in a statement, according to local ABC affiliate WKOW. “The emergence of new, more transmissible variants and low vaccination rates throughout the county means we must remain vigilant to slow the spread of the disease.”
Data from the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management shows 61.9% of residents in the county have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, far below the national average of 77.4%.
Weston urged Milwaukee residents to continue wearing masks in high-risk settings and to get vaccinated and boosted if they haven’t already.
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner next weekend in Washington, the association announced Wednesday on Twitter, the first time a sitting president has attended since 2016.
The event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and former President Donald Trump snubbed the dinners during his presidency.
In April 2019, Trump told reporters on his way to California that he was skipping for a third year “because the dinner is so boring and so negative that we’re going to hold a very positive rally.”
Typically held the last Saturday in April, the annual gala returns after two years next Saturday, April 30, at the Washington Hilton. Comedian Trevor Noah is set to host.
Some theorize that the 2011 Correspondents’ Dinner may have pushed Trump to run for president — as well as pushed his disdain for the dinners — after then-President Barack Obama made him the target of his jokes for five full minutes. Trump, present in the room, was listening but not smiling.
“No one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald,” Obama said at the time. “And that’s because he can finally get back to the issues that matter, like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?”
This year’s gala is expected to draw hundreds of power players to Washington and follows the Washington Gridiron Club dinner earlier this month that resulted in at least 80 COVID cases, including some administration officials and members of Congress.
It coincides with concerns over a rise of the BA.2 variant, particularly as the Biden administration’s transportation mask mandate was struck down this week.
All attendees will have to show proof of a negative test the day of the event, and there is a vaccine requirement.
“This year’s dinner will be the WHCA’s first since 2019 and offer the first opportunity since 2016 for the press and the president to share a few laughs for a good cause,” the association said in a press release.
Held for the first time in 1921, the event is intended to honor the First Amendment and raise money for journalism programs.
A$AP Rocky was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport Wednesday morning, in connection to a shooting that took place in 2021.
According to authorities, A$AP Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon — in this case, a firearm, after the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide division’s investigation of the November 6 shooting that occurred in Hollywood, resulting in Rocky’s identification as a suspect.
“On November 6, 2021, around 10:15 p.m., an argument between two acquaintances occurred in the area of Selma Avenue and Argyle Avenue, in the Hollywood Area,” reads the arrest announcement from the LAPD. “The argument escalated and resulted in the suspect firing a handgun at the victim. The victim sustained a minor injury from the incident and later sought his medical treatment. Following the shooting, the suspect and two additional males fled the area on foot.”
Rocky had just landed aboard a private jet from Barbados, a highly publicized trip recently taken with his pregnant girlfriend, Rihanna, when he was arrested by LAPD officers, who were waiting for the plane to land.
The case will be “presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration,” according to the LAPD.
