Most fashion mannequins are about a size 2. The Met Gala exhibit is making room for diverse bodies
NEW YORK (AP) — The upcoming fashion exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art examines “the dressed body” in art over the centuries. But “Costume Art” also aims to include bodies that art has traditionally ignored. The museum has created 25 mannequins for display based on “real bodies.” Nine people modeled for the mannequins. Those include disability activist Sinéad Burke and body-positive lingerie designer Michaela Stark. Curator Andrew Bolton explains he's seeking to challenge centuries-old conceptions of beauty. The exhibit is launching with the May 4 Met Gala and opens to the public May 10. It runs until January 2027.
The Onion launches new bid to take over Alex Jones' Infowars and turn it into a parody platform
The satirical news outlet The Onion has a new plan to take over conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars platforms and turn them into parodies. Under a proposal submitted to a Texas judge on Monday, The Onion would be granted a temporary license to the intellectual property of Infowars' parent company. That would allow The Onion to post its own content on the Infowars platforms. Jones is vowing to fight the plan in court. His company is facing liquidation because of the more than $1 billion in defamation judgments he owes relatives of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting for calling the massacre in Connecticut a hoax.
Marcel Hug claims his ninth Boston Marathon wheelchair title, Eden Rainbow-Cooper wins women's race
BOSTON (AP) — Marcel Hug of Switzerland vaulted to the front of the field and cruised to win his ninth Boston Marathon wheelchair title, claiming the victory in the 130th edition of the race in 1 hour, 16 minutes, 6 seconds. Hug’s fourth consecutive win in Boston puts him into second place all-time in Boston men’s wheelchair history, behind only South African great Ernst van Dyk’s record 10 titles between 2001 and 2014. American racer Daniel Romanchuk was second in 1:22:44, followed by Jetze Plat of the Netherlands in 1:24:13. Eden Rainbow-Cooper of Britain won the women’s wheelchair race in 1:30:51.
‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ is no match for ‘Super Mario’ or ‘Hail Mary’ at the box office
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Project Hail Mary” continue to lead the North American box office. The Mario sequel has topped the charts for three weekends, adding $35 million and reaching $747.5 million globally. “Project Hail Mary” dropped only 15% in its fifth weekend, earning $20.5 million domestically and bringing its worldwide total to $573.1 million. Meanwhile, “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” debuted in third place with $13.5 million. Despite mixed reviews, it has a worldwide total of $34 million. The overall box office is up 16% from last year, with more big releases expected soon.
Life jacket worn by a passenger who survived the Titanic auctioned off for over $900,000
LONDON (AP) — A life jacket worn by a passenger on the RMS Titanic has sold at auction for 670,000 pounds, which is more than $900,000. The flotation device was worn by Laura Mabel Francatelli, a first-class passenger, and is signed by her and other survivors. It was sold by Henry Aldridge & Son auctioneers in England to an unidentified telephone bidder. A seat cushion from one of the Titanic lifeboats also sold for 390,000 pounds. Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge says these record-breaking prices show the continuing interest in the Titanic story. The Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, after hitting an iceberg, killing about 1,500 people.
NFL is not investigating Patriots coach Mike Vrabel for behavior regarding reporter Dianna Russini
The NFL is not investigating Mike Vrabel’s behavior after published photos of the New England Patriots coach and former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort prompted her resignation and an internal investigation at The New York Times-owned sports outlet. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday the league isn't looking into the matter. The Patriots didn’t immediately respond to a question about whether the team has launched its own review of Vrabel’s actions. The New York Post last week published the photos of Vrabel and Russini at the Sedona hotel and said they were taken before the annual NFL meetings that began in Phoenix on March 29.
Natalie Portman is pregnant with her third child, her first with Tanguy Destable
Natalie Portman is expecting her third child at age 44. The actor told Harper’s Bazaar she is “very grateful” to be welcoming a child with partner Tanguy Destable. She shares two older children with ex-husband Benjamin Millepied. Portman also said she is feeling good physically, with “more energy than I thought I might.” Portman’s upcoming projects include Cathy Yan’s “The Gallerist,” about an unusual art world caper, and Lena Dunham’s “Good Sex” on Netflix. The 45-year-old Destable is a French electronic music producer known as Tepr.
Home shopping network pioneer QVC files for bankruptcy protection
The owner of home shopping network pioneer QVC has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The filing by parent company QVC Group, which also owns HSN, formerly the Home Shopping Network, arrives as long-running TV shopping networks struggle to adapt to the rapid shift by consumers now tuning in to livestreams on TikTok, or online marketplaces like Shein. QVC Group, which filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, said that its international operations are not included in the process. It has more than $1 billion in cash on hand and said that it has ample liquidity to meet its business obligations.
Ford recalls 1.4 million F-150 pickup trucks to fix a gearshift issue
Ford is recalling almost 1.4 million of its F-150 pickup trucks in the U.S. because of a gearshift issue that may lead to drivers losing control of their vehicles and increase the risk of a crash. The automaker is aware of two injuries and one accident potentially related to the issue. The recall includes F-150 light trucks with a six-speed automatic transmission that were produced between March 12, 2014 an Aug 18, 2017.
South Koreans breathe sighs of relief as escaped wolf is returned to zoo safely
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The South Korean internet as erupted in celebration as a 2-year-old wolf that escaped from a zoo in South Korea was safely captured Friday after a nine-day search that drew national attention. The male wolf, named Neukgu, was tranquilized and captured on a hill near an expressway early Friday after an hours-long search involving drones, police and fire personnel and veterinarians, according to officials in Daejeon and at the city’s O-World zoo. The wolf was taken back to the zoo, where veterinarians used a scope to remove a fishing hook from his stomach but found no other significant health issues. Social media was flooded with celebratory posts, including messages like “welcome back” and “Neukgu, it’s dangerous outside the house.”