Idiocracy

Mediaite reports: Tommy Zegan says he was inspired to create the enormous gold statue of Donald Trump because he felt that other less flattering statues of the president were not doing him justice. Made of painted fiberglass, the statue was assembled in Mexico and painted in Tampa, Florida. It’s for sale for $100,000. Zegan says he also made a stainless …

The Independent reports: Bloomberg reporter William Turton captured the video — featuring a squat statue of a golden Trump garbed in a business suit and Rocky Balboa’s boxing shorts and red flip-flops, brandishing what appears to be a magic wand and a non-disclosure agreement, being wheeled through the event as attendees can be seen taking snapshots and cooing things like …

Media Matters reports: DR. HARVEY RISCH (GUEST): Honestly, I don’t know how he could say the masks are a lifesaving measure when there’s no evidence to suggest that. Whether there’s benefit or not scientists argue about, that’s fine. But to call them a lifesaving measure is totally beyond the pale of anything that is scientific and knowable. I think they’re …

The New York Post reports: A dad-to-be in upstate New York was killed when a device he was building for a gender reveal party exploded, state police said Monday. Christopher Pekny, 28, was working on the device for his child’s gender reveal party in the Catskills town of Liberty when it blew up just before noon on Sunday, cops said. …

The Hill reports: Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer said Friday that “cancel culture” will “come after Bible characters next” during a discussion of the Chicago initiative to review historical statues in the city, including ones of former President Abraham Lincoln. “If they start canceling American presidents, they’ll come after Bible characters next,” Hemmer said. “Mark my words, right?” The Black …

Orlando’s ABC News affiliate reports: Two women took a page out of “Mrs. Doubtfire” in an attempt to get their second COVID-19 vaccine shot. The two women dressed up as “grannies,” complete with bonnets and gloves, in an effort to pass as elderly women old enough to get their second COVID-19 vaccine at the Orange County Convention Center, health officials …

The Washington Post reports: Once again, an ABC reality competition series will have ties to the Trump White House — 18 months after former press secretary Sean Spicer made his debut on “Dancing With the Stars,” Kellyanne Conway’s daughter, Claudia, auditioned on the season premiere of “American Idol,” where she successfully made it through to the next round. ABC was …

Metro Weekly reports: Followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory are reportedly embracing the idea that the COVID-19 vaccine can make people gay. It’s a claim previously shared by conservative religious figures, including an ultra-Orthodox rabbi in Israel and an Islamic cleric in Iran, who told their followers not to accept a coronavirus vaccine because those who have it “become homosexuals.” …

Page Six reports: Kellyanne Conway’s 16-year-old daughter Claudia nervously takes her shot at becoming the next “American Idol” in a teaser for the show released this week. The teen is introduced as a “social media sensation” as she strolls out before the TV talent show’s celebrity judges in a promo for Sunday’s premier for the new season. “I’m Claudia Conway. …

Michigan Live reports: During the baby shower, a small cannon-type device was fired in the back yard to celebrate the baby’s pending arrival, according to a statement from Michigan State Police. When the cannon was fired by the home owner, the cannon itself blew up causing metal shrapnel to strike three parked cars and the garage where the baby shower …

Orlando’s NBC News affiliate reports: Frostproof city leaders met Monday night to officially declare the first week of February “Donald J. Trump Week” in the city. Frostproof City Council Member Austin Gravley said, “Last night I was proud to be a part of a proclamation the first of its kind making February 1-6 Donald J. Trump week in the City …

Global News reports: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) wants humans to stop using animal words as “slurs” in what it says is a “speciesist” and “supremacist” use of language. The activist group put out the unusual call on its Twitter account Tuesday, where it claimed that animal-related insults “degrade animals by applying negative human traits to certain …

The New York Daily News reports: A former regular on “Real Housewives of New York City” has her eye on Gracie Mansion. Bronx-born businesswoman Barbara Kavovit is running for mayor, adding a reality-show twist to an already unusual campaign season. “There seems to be a lack of real-world experience by our current politicians and while they didn’t create our current …

The Oklahoman reports: State Rep. Justin Humphrey admits his legislation to establish a Bigfoot hunting season is primarily intended to draw tourists to southeast Oklahoma and not to bag the fabled creature. Humphrey, R-Lane, told The Oklahoman on Thursday that he is not a Bigfoot believer but keeps an open mind. “We want to make it a real deal. You …

Fast food menus and pop-up books probably: The National Archives and Records Administration officially launched a website for former President Trump’s Presidential Library. The site was launched on Wednesday shortly after President Biden’s inauguration, and features the archived websites of the Trump White House and other sites such as former first lady Melania Trump’s Be Best Initiative. Also included are …

Variety reports: As he began his final 48 hours as President, Trump issued an amended executive order Monday that added dozens of names slated to be honored in the the planned statuary park. The location for the park has yet to be determined. Trump first announced the plan on July 3 during his speech at Mt. Rushmore. Among the entertainment-related …

Mediaite reports: Trump campaign national press secretary Hogan Gidley made a rather odd point of defending President Donald Trump’s manliness during a discussion about crackdowns from Twitter and other platforms. After Gidley previewed Trump’s final few days in office, Bill Hemmer directly asked, “With the social media crackdown, does he feel emasculated? Especially as he heads out of office?” Gidley …

More Trumpian vetting by the Treasury Department: A Brooklyn man faces up to 20 years in prison after being accused of fraudulently securing $1.9 million in forgivable loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, using a portion of the funds to buy the most recent Bentley and Escalade vehicle, according to federal authorities. Leon Miles is accused of applying to the …

Bloomberg News reports: President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday making classical architecture the preferred style for federal buildings in Washington, a White House official said Monday. The presidential action stops short of mandating that all new federal buildings are built in a classical style, saying merely that they must be “beautiful.” Under the order, a “Council for …

The Daily Beast reports: A former Bloomberg News reporter quit her job, divorced her husband, and froze her eggs for imprisoned former CEO Martin Shkreli, known as the “Pharma Bro,” who now refuses to talk to her, Elle reported Sunday. Christie Smythe first broke the news of Shkreli’s arrest on fraud charges in December 2015.  Smythe said she and Shkreli …