Celebrity

On Jury Duty, David Letterman Auditioned For A Role He’s Never Gotten

Published

3 weeks ago

2024-09-17

NEW YORK — The long-time host of “The Late Show with David Letterman” found himself answering questions rather than asking them on Monday when a federal court in New York City conducted an audition for a possible role as a jury in a criminal prosecution.

In the serious setting of a criminal trial over a cryptocurrency fraud, Judge P. Kevin Castel questioned the famous bearded comedian, identified in court only as “Juror 16,” as he did three dozen other potential jurors to determine who would be on a panel of 12 jurors and four alternates.

On Jury Duty, David Letterman Auditioned For A Role He’s Never Gotten

The prospective jurors had already survived a general phase of questioning in which people are disqualified for hardship grounds, such as medical concerns or employment that they cannot leave. The experiment is planned to last less than two weeks.

When Letterman, who retired from his program in 2015, reached what could be the final round of jury selection, the judge threw a softball: “Where do you live?”

“Hartford,” David replied, demonstrating that he couldn’t get through a single syllable without cracking a joke.

“No, it’s a joke,” David promptly informed the judge. Hartford is in Connecticut, which would have barred him from the jury because it is outside the area from which jurors are selected.

“Nice try,” the court replied, adding, “You figured you would forego Queens,” another region outside the jurisdiction of the Southern District of New York. Queens is situated in the Eastern District of New York.

After David revealed his true residence — Westchester County — the two began a flurry of questions and answers that lasted nearly three dozen exchanges.

Along the way, the court, lawyers, and perhaps three dozen prospective jurors learned much about Letterman that the rest of the world already knows. He was born in Indianapolis, graduated from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, and has a 20-year-old son attending college in Massachusetts.

When asked what he does for a living, David replied that he is currently “working for a company called Netflix.”

“Spouse or significant other?” Castel asked.

“I have had both. Letterman said, “Currently, I only have the spouse.”

When asked how he obtained his news, Letterman referred to the past, stating, “Every morning, I used to pick up the paper from the front porch. Now, when I switch on the computer, it displays an aggregation of news sources from throughout the United States and around the world.”

When asked what he likes to watch aside from the Netflix shows he’s engaged with, Letterman replied, “I enjoy sports.”

“I’m glad football is here. I’m glad it’s baseball season. I enjoy motorsports. “I enjoy pretty much what most Americans watch on television,” he stated.

The judge enquired whether he was an Indianapolis Colts football fan.

“I’m a huge Colts fan. “0 and 2, but still a fan,” he remarked, alluding to the Colts’ losses in their first two games of the season.

Letterman’s hobbies include fishing, skiing, and spending time outdoors.

On Jury Duty, David Letterman Auditioned For A Role He’s Never Gotten

“Have you ever been called to serve as a juror?” the judge enquired.

“Been called several times. “Just couldn’t make it happen,” Letterman replied.

“You know, this may be the charm,” Castel remarked, understanding that Letterman had a 50/50 chance of joining the panel.

“It would be a pleasure,” Letterman replied.

Finally, shortly before the jury was sworn in, Letterman was dismissed after a prosecution used a “strike,” which lets lawyers on either side remove a specific number of possible jurors from the panel for any reason. It was the third of four strikes issued by prosecutors. No reason was provided.

SOURCE | AP

Celebrity

Al Pacino Reveals He Nearly Died Of Covid-19 – And Gives His Thoughts On The Afterlife

Published

3 days ago

2024-10-07

Kiara Grace

Al Pacino revealed that he nearly died from COVID-19 in 2020 and expressed his thoughts on what happens after death.

In interviews with The New York Times and People magazine, the Academy Award-winning actor discussed getting the virus and temporarily losing his pulse.

Al, 84, told the Times in a wide-ranging interview that he started feeling “unusually not good” and soon got a fever and dehydration. “I was sitting there in my house, and I was gone,” he stated. “I didn’t have a pulse.”

Al Pacino Reveals He Nearly Died Of Covid-19 – And Gives His Thoughts On The Afterlife

“You’re here, and you’re not. I thought, “Wow, you don’t even have any memories.” You have nothing. “Strange porridge,” the “Scarface” actor claimed about his near-death encounter.

Within minutes, an ambulance arrived at Al’s house, and he regained consciousness with six paramedics and two physicians in his living room, he claimed.

“They had these outfits on that looked like they were from outer space or something,” he told the local newspaper. “It was very frightening to open your eyes and witness that. Everyone was surrounding me, and they said, ‘He’s back. “He’s here.”

Al told People that when he regained consciousness, he felt confused. “I looked around and I thought, ‘What happened to me?'”

Despite “everybody” believing he was dead, the movie veteran claimed he is not sure if he perished. “I thought I had died. I might not have. I honestly don’t think I have. “I know I made it,” he stated.

Al hailed his “great assistant” by swiftly alerting paramedics after his nurse confirmed that he no longer had a pulse.

“He got the people coming, because the nurse that was taking care of me said, ‘I don’t feel a pulse on this guy,'” remembered Al Pacino.

When asked if the health concern had impacted the way he lived his life, Pacino replied, “Not at all.”

However, this does not imply that the experience had no impact on the performer.

Al Pacino Reveals He Nearly Died Of Covid-19 – And Gives His Thoughts On The Afterlife

Pacino, who is presently prepping for a film rendition of Shakespeare’s “King Lear,” told The New York Times that the event had a philosophical significance.

“I did not see the white light or anything. “There is nothing there,” he explained. “As Hamlet says, ‘To be or not to be,’ and ‘The uncharted place from which no traveler returns.’ He then says two words: ‘no more.’ “It was no more,” Pacino concluded.

“You are gone. I’d never considered it in my life. But, you know, actors: It sounds good to say you died once. What happens when there is no more?

Pacino’s experiences are described in his book, “Sonny Boy,” which will be published on Tuesday.

SOURCE | AP

Celebrity

Supreme Court Declines To Hear Appeal From Singer R. Kelly, Convicted Of Child Sex Crimes

Published

3 days ago

2024-10-07

Kiara Grace

Washington — The Supreme Court declined to hear R. Kelly’s appeal on Monday, despite the fact that he is currently serving 20 years in jail for child rape charges in Chicago.

The Grammy Award-winning R&B artist, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, was convicted in 2022 of three counts of making child sexual abuse photos and three counts of enticing children for sex.

Supreme Court Declines To Hear Appeal From Singer R. Kelly, Convicted Of Child Sex Crimes

His lawyers contended that a lower statute of limitations on child sex crime prosecutions should have applied to actions committed in the 1990s. Current legislation allows charges to be filed when the accuser is still alive.

kelly

As is common, the justices did not explain why they declined to consider the case. There were no public dissents. Lower courts have previously rejected his arguments.

Supreme Court Declines To Hear Appeal From Singer R. Kelly, Convicted Of Child Sex Crimes

According to federal prosecutors, the video shows Robert sexually abusing a girl. The accuser, Jane, testified that she was 14 when the video was taken.

Robert has also appealed a 30-year sentence for federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges in New York.

SOURCE | AP

Celebrity

Keanu Reeves Spins Out At Indianapolis Motor Speedway In Pro Auto Racing Debut

Published

4 days ago

2024-10-06

Kiara Grace

Indianapolis — Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves made his professional car racing debut on Saturday, spinning out at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Keanu Reeves Spins Out At Indianapolis Motor Speedway In Pro Auto Racing Debut

Keanu swerved into the grass without colliding on the exit of Turn 9, slightly more than halfway through the 45-minute race. He re-entered and started driving, indicating that he was uninjured.

Keanu, who qualified 31st out of 35 cars, raced as high as 21st and escaped a first-lap accident in Turn 14. Reeves placed 25th.

Keanu, 60, is racing in Indianapolis in the Toyota GR Cup, a Toyota spec-racing series and a support series for this weekend’s Indy 8 Hour sports car race. He has a second race on Sunday.

Keanu is driving the No. 92 BRZRKR automobile to promote his graphic novel, “The Book of Elsewhere.” He is teammates with Cody Jones from “Dude Perfect.”