Melania Trump Says Billy Bush ‘Egged On’ Her Husband Into ‘Boy Talk’
Melania Trump defended her husband, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, in an interview with Anderson Cooper on Monday, calling recent sexual assault allegations against him lies and saying he was “egged on” by Billy Bush during a 2005 recording in which he bragged about forcing himself on women, which she dismissed as “boy talk.” [CNN]
Billy Bush is Officially Done at the 'Today Show'
Bush’s official departure from the "Today Show" was announced on Monday evening, roughly one week after the release of the controversial Trump tapes. The terms of his departure were reportedly around $10 million. In a statement, Bush said he was “deeply grateful for the conversations I've had with my daughters, and for all of the support from family, friends and colleagues” and that he is excited about what comes next. [Slate]
Trump TV May Be in the Works
If The Donald fails to win the White House, he might have a backup plan: media mogul. His son-in-law Jared Kushner, publisher of the New York Observer, is reportedly exploring the possibility of a Trump television network after the election. [The Hill]
Man Who Shot At George Zimmerman Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison
The man who shot at George Zimmerman in a road range incident in 2015 will spend 20 years in jail. Zimmerman, who was acquitted of the 2012 shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin, thanked jurors for siding with him against Matthew Apperson. [CNN]
A Washington Square Park Birthday Celebration Sheds Light on a Sad Story
This article pulls back the curtain on a seemingly quirky birthday celebration for a parrot in Washington Square Park to reveal a sad story about mental health and homelessness in New York City. [New York Times]
The White Flight of Derek Black
The son of “white nationalists” — a movement that’s sadly gained more recognition during the Trump campaign — 27-year-old Derek Black not only left behind his parents insular world and teachings, and he’s dedicated his life to combating racism. [Washington Post]
The Big Reason WikiLeaks Emails Aren’t Damaging Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton's emails released by WikiLeakes are getting eclipsed by Donald Trump, who tries to spotlight the severity of several emails, but ends up weakening the message with his arguments.
Voter fraud! Crooked Hillary Clinton even got the questions to a debate, and nobody says a word. Can you imagine if I got the questions?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2016
“Voter fraud! Crooked Hillary Clinton even got the questions to a debate, and nobody says a word,” Trump tweeted Monday morning. “Can you imagine if I got the questions?”
But as more emails are slated to be revealed, the Clinton campaign is preparing for more “cringe-worthy, and possibly damning, disclosures before election day,” sources report. [Los Angeles Times]
Journalists Shower Clinton With Campaign Cash
An analysis of campaign contributions to both major party candidates reveal that a large percentage of those who identified a journalists, reporters or anchors donated to Clinton’s campaign and few to Trump. The contributions raise some ethical questions, considering many newsroom frown upon political contributions and raise accusations of bias. [Public Integrity]
Days After Being Awarded Nobel Prize, Bob Dylan Hasn’t Even Spoken to the Swedish Academy
Ever since the Swedish Academy announced that Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize last Thursday, the songwriter and singer has been silent about the honor. He hasn’t spoken to the academy and hasn’t made a public statement about it, despite performing twice since being awarded the literature prize. It’s also not clear whether he is planning to attend the award ceremony in Stockholm on Dec. 10. [The Guardian and New York Times]
Giant Coffee Cup-Shaped Trash Cans Will Help People Recycle, Charity Says
The British charity Hubbub has put out trash cans that look like coffee cups to inspire people to recycle their takeaway cups rather than tossing them. Less than 1 percent of all coffee cups are recycled each year in the U.K. Eleven bins have been installed in Manchester, with the hope that the eye-catching bins will lead to the recycling 20,000 cups this year; if the campaign is successful it will move to Central London. [Quartz]
Meet Daniel, The Emotional Support Duck
On a recent flight, author Mark Essig had an unlikely seat neighbor: a duck named Daniel, who was a licensed emotional support animal. Where can we get an emotional support duck? [Daily Dot]
My seatmate, CLT➡️AVL, is this handsome duck named Daniel. His gentle quacking eases the sadness of leaving #SFA16. pic.twitter.com/iDKWCceAFi
— Mark Essig (@mark_essig) October 16, 2016
This column was compiled by DNAinfo reporters Datrunorro Clark, Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska, Gwynne Hogan, Eddie Small, Emily Frost, Danielle Tcholakian, Carolina Pichardo, Noah Hurowitz, Allegra Hobbs, Jeanmarie Evelly and Irene Plagianos.
