Friday, December 19, 2025
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Sunday’s Tony Awards Will Be Bill & Ted’s New Adventure with Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter Among A List Presenters

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Bill and Ted have been to outer space, but never to the Tony Awards.

Until now.

This Sunday, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter will among the A list presenters on CBS for the annual Tony Awards at 8pm. (There’s a pre-show free on Pluto TV from 6:40pm to 8 o’clock). They’re going to be on Broadway this fall in “Waiting for Godot,” which will be an adventure in itself!

Cynthia Erivo, aka Elphaba, is the host — which means the opening number should be insane. (Is Ariana Grande surprising us? Hmmmm.) Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell is the show’s announcer.

Who else is on the show? Are you ready?

Aaron Tveit, Adam Lambert, Allison Janney, Ariana DeBose, Ben Stiller, Bryan Cranston, Carrie Preston, Charli D’Amelio, Danielle Brooks, Jean Smart, Jesse Eisenberg, Katie Holmes, Kelli O’Hara, Kristin Chenoweth, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Lea Michele, Lea Salonga, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Michelle Williams, Oprah, Rachel Bay Jones, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Samuel L. Jackson, Sara Bareilles, and Sarah Paulson.

The Tony’s will feature live performances from all the nominated shows this year including “Maybe Happy Ending,” “Sunset Boulevard,” “Gypsy,” “Operation Mincemeat,” etc.

But the real buzz is about the original cast of “Hamilton” reuniting for a 10th anniversary performance.

Bill and Ted won’t know what hit them!

Bruce Springsteen’s Anti-Trump Speech in Manchester Is a Hit on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube (660,000 Views So Far)

Bruce Springsteen caused an uproar a couple of weeks ago when he opened his tour in Manchester, England.

He spoke out against Donald Trump, calling his administration “corrupt” and “treasonous.”

Trump responded by saying Springsteen was a “dried up prune.”

But the Boss release a four song EP containing the speech. Two weeks later, “Land of Hope of Dreams” is a hit

On YouTube, just the video with the speech and title song has had a whopping 660,000 views.

On Spotify, each of the tracks has had over 100,000 streams — a lot for a political speech by a 73 year old singer.

At iTunes, the EP has stayed in the top 20 for two weeks, starting at number 3. It’s sold at least 6,000 copies (all the numbers aren’t in). It’s number 18 right now, ahead of albums by Lady Gaga, Benson Boone, and Shaboozey. Bruce’s total sales for 2025 are up by 23%.

Trump thought Springsteen’s astute take down of him would hurt the singer’s career. But far from it. Fans have taken to it like crazy. And the more times it’s played, the more it will sink in.

Kathy Bates, “The Pitt,” “Adolescence” Lead Gotham TV Awards: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Parker Posey Among Honored

There were a lot of expected and surprise winners Monday at the 2nd annual Gotham TV Awards in New York held at Cipriani Wall Street.

She wasn’t at the glittering black tie affair, but Kathy Bates won Best Lead Performance for her CBS series, “Matlock.” Bates is on her way to an Emmy Award now. It’s quite an achievement for Bates and for “Matlock” a semi-reboot of a tired old show that gained new life.

Netflix’s drama, “Adolescence,” won Breakthrough Limited Series. HBO Max’s “The Pitt” took home Breakthrough Drama Series

Seth Rogen’s Apple TV series, “The Studio,” won Breakthrough Comedy Series. “Social Studies” won Breakthrough Nonfiction Series.

“Pee-Wee as Himself” Wins Original Film, Streaming or Broadcast.

Outstanding Performances were awarded also to  Owen Cooper (Adolescence), Stephen Graham (Adolescence), Poorna Jagannathan (Deli Boys), Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge), Jenny Slate (Dying for Sex), Julio Torres (Fantasmas), and Ben Whishaw (Black Doves).

There were emotional tributes throughout the night. Sheryl Lee Ralph won the Sidney Poitier Prize, and it was given by Poitier’s gracious daughter, Pamela. Now an Emmy winner on “Abbott Elementary,” Ralph recalled getting her first acting job in a movie Poitier directed when she was just 19. That cemented their friendship.

It would take 8 years before she broke through in Broadway’s “Dreamgirls” in 1985. Even with that exceptional credit, Sheryl Lee has spent the last 40 years surviving in Hollywood, working every year in different TV shows. Before “Abbott” her longest run was in “Moesha.”

She’s seen it all, and still persisted. “They call me Betty White Black,” she joked through tears.

There were also tributes to Elisabeth Moss and “The Handmaid’s Tale,” prolific writer and producer David E. Kelley, one for the “Squid Gamer,” and a hilarious moment honoring Amy Sherman Palladino and husband Dan Palladino, creators of “Gilmore Girls,” “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and the Amazon drama, “Etoile.” They’d prepared no acceptance speech, which resulted in off the cuff, brief hilarity.

Later, I talked to them, as well as actor Luke Kirby, who stars in “Etoile.” (Rachel Brosnahan and Kelly Bishop were there to support them.) The Palladinos are hoping for a second season renewal on “Etoile,” the classiest show on Amazon Prime. “We love doing it,” Amy said. “Etoile” is a lot like HBO’s “The Gilded Age,” which didn’t catch on until its second season. It would be a shame not see it return.

Finally, Parker Posey took the stage to accept her Lifetime Achievement Award. Her resume of off beat comic performances culminated this year in “The White Lotus,” where her character of wealthy suburban housewife Victor became the touchstone of the series. She was introduced by real life couple Sam Rockwell and Leslie Bibb, her co-stars on the HBO show, who did a fine job mimicking Posey’s catchphrases like “Piper, no!” with a southern drawl.

Posey’s unique take on the night is below.

Billie Eilish Producer Brother Finneas Starts New Group with His Own Stevie Nicks

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Finneas O’Connell is starting his own group.

Billie Eilish’s talented producer brother has even found his own Stevie Nicks.

Finneas and Ashlyn Rae Willson will be called The Favors. They’re dropping a song Thursday night called The Dream. Album hits in September.

Willson calls herself Ashe. She has three albums with a country rock feel to them. They’re worth giving a listen. She’s definitely following in Stevie Nicks’s footsteps.

It was time for Finneas to branch out. He’s already had a couple of solo albums. It’s time to spread his wings.

Here’s a song they did four years ago
https://youtu.be/gWdjDwYuejI?si=ZAwCSyNOuOUcugJp

Biden Granddaughter Goes After Tapper Over False Book Claims: “The ONLY cover up of this family is a BEACH Cover Up!!!”

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Ashley Biden has gone after authors Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson.

The two authors have been pounding away at Joe Biden for two weeks with their book, “Original Sin.”

Shilling on CNN 24/7, the reporters claim Joe Biden’s health was covered up during his presidency.

There are no quoted sources, just gossip and speculation. The duo keep attacking Biden as if it were personal at this point.

Over the weekend, Bill Clinton disputed their writing, saying he’s seen Biden recently and he seemed fine.

He’s certainly a lot more cogent than Donald Trump!”

Here’s what Ashley says:
The ONLY coverup of this family is a BEACH coverup !!! The truth is, Dad gave his ALL to America and continues til this day. He NEVER gave up on you. And he listened to all of you. And he acted. The man has led his life by ACTIONS not words. He aged, YES! As we all do! And the stress of the presidency accelerates. But he was always MORE than capable of doing the job. And a damn good one. He worked harder than anyone I have ever known- he took his duty and sacred obligation to this country very seriously. The noise is so DAMN disrespectful and untrue …AND, it’s just that- noise/static- created by those committed to perpetuating and profiting from some real BS. Get lost with your anonymous sources and fake news. AND, i am super grateful for the love and support over the past few weeks. We, like any family, chose HOPE during times of great despair/uphill battles. And we continue – to chose hope. That’s what Dad taught + gave us. And all your support continues to give him HOPE – for his own healing, for this country he so loves and for the world he united. (please note: if you are disrespectful in the comments- you will be deleted and blocked. I wish you peace #deuces)

Where Is Steven Spielberg? New Film Set to Recapture Excitement of “ET,” “Close Encounters” Planned for 2026

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While there’s chaos around us, where is Steven Spielberg?

The Oscar winning giant of a director has gone quiet the last year or so after delivering his autobiographical film, “The Fabelmans.”

But Spielberg is not sitting at home reading his old notices.

He’s been creating a new film for 2026.

The sci fi film is untitled. It’s set to recapture the vast drama and emotional impact of Spielberg’s films like “ET” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”

Spielberg has an all star cast with Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, Josh O’Connor, Colman Domingo, and two accomplished nepo babies — Wyatt Russell, son Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell; and Eve Hewson, daughter of U2’s Bono.

JUSTIN BIEBER’S WIFE BAILS HIM OUT OF FINANCIAL TROUBLE — CLICK HERE

At one point, Spielberg was filming day and night in Cape May, NJ during the off season. The film was listed “Non-View” on call sheets

“[Spielberg] wrote the story for this new thing that we’re about to start shooting,” screenwriter David Koepp said in an interview this past winter.

Spielberg has always been prescient with his sci-fi films. Right now, “Minority Report,” about a new kind of fascism in crime fighting, looks like it was predicting our present.

“Untitled Steven Spielberg Project'” has a tentative release date of June 12, 2026.

Watch: Say Goodbye to “Downton Abbey” in Trailer for Final Chapter, This One Without Maggie Smith

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Say goodbye to “Downton Abbey.”

In this trailer for the final movie, coming in September, the Granthams move into the 1930s.

This is after the US stock market crash, worldwide economic trouble, and the beginning of the Great Depression. World War II is looming.

How will this affect this aristocratic family? Do they close the castle? It looks like it at the end of the trailer.

This movie also marks the first chapter without Maggie Smith although there are sure to be flashbacks.

Lots of tears and hugs. The music really swells. Should be a big hit.

PS Julian Fellowes’ “The Gilded Age” begins soon on HBO and MAX. It’s set 40 years earlier, in New York. A not miss by any means.

Broadway: “Maybe Happy Ending,” “Purpose” Win Drama Desk Awards Before Tony’s, Women Sweep Acting Categories!

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The Drama Desk Awards just concluded on Broadway.

“Maybe Happy Ending” won Best Musical. “Purpose” won Best Play. They will certainly win at the Tony Awards next Sunday.

There were ties all through the acting awards. The big news is that “Sunset Boulevard” and star Nicole Scherzinger were shut out.

“Gypsy” won Best Revival of a Musical. Audra McDonald won Outstanding Performance in a Musical and tied with Jasmine Amy Rogers of “Boop,” who was a total find.

Revival of a Play went to “Eureka Day.”

There was a tie in Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play: Sarah Snook in “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” Also Laura Donnelly in “The Hills of Calfornia.”

This means that four women won the top acting prizes. The men struck out. That’s what you get with gender free nominations.

Three men won in Featured Performance in a musical. Two women tied in Featured Performance in a Play.

A lot of this foreshadows the Tony Awards, although they have gender specific awards, which is a helluva lot better.

I didn’t go tonight but it sounds like fun. The Yankees beat the Dodgers 7 – 3.

Outstanding Play

Blood of the Lamb, by Arlene Hutton

Deep Blue Sound, by Abe Koogler

Grangeville, by Samuel D. Hunter

John Proctor is the Villain, by Kimberly Belflower

Liberation, by Bess Wohl

**Purpose, by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

Outstanding Musical

BOOP! The Musical

Death Becomes Her

Just in Time

**Maybe Happy Ending

Music City

Outstanding Revival of a Play

**Eureka Day

Garside’s Career

Home

Wine in the Wilderness

Yellow Face

Outstanding Revival of a Musical

Cats: “The Jellicle Ball”

Floyd Collins

**Gypsy

Once Upon a Mattress

See What I Wanna See

Sunset Blvd.

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play

Betsy Aidem, The Ask

**Laura Donnelly, The Hills of California

Patsy Ferran, A Streetcar Named Desire

Danny J. Gomez, All of Me

Doug Harris, Redeemed

Patrick Keleher, Fatherland

Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Lily Rabe, Ghosts

Jay O. Sanders, Henry IV (Theatre for a New Audience)

**Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Paul Sparks, Grangeville

Olivia Washington, Wine in the Wilderness

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical

Tatianna Córdoba, Real Women Have Curves

Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending

Sutton Foster, Once Upon a Mattress

Tom Francis, Sunset Blvd.

Jonathan Groff, Just in Time

Grey Henson, Elf

Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins

**Audra McDonald, Gypsy

**Jasmine Amy Rogers, BOOP! The Musical

Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd.

Helen J Shen, Maybe Happy Ending

Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play

Greg Keller, Pre-Existing Condition

Julia Lester, All Nighter

Adrienne C. Moore, The Blood Quilt

Deirdre O’Connell, Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp.

Maria-Christina Oliveras, Cymbeline

Maryann Plunkett, Deep Blue Sound

Michael Rishawn, Table 17

Jude Tibeau, Bad Kreyòl

Anjana Vasan, A Streetcar Named Desire

Frank Wood, Hold On to Me Darling

**Amalia Yoo, John Proctor is the Villain

**Kara Young, Purpose

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical (3 way tie)

**Brooks Ashmanskas, Smash

Nicholas Barasch, Pirates! The Penzance Musical

André De Shields, Cats: “The Jellicle Ball”

John El-Jor, We Live in Cairo

Jason Gotay, Floyd Collins

Gracie Lawrence, Just in Time

**Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat

Lesli Margherita, Gypsy

Zachary Noah Piser, See What I Wanna See

Jenny Lee Stern, Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song

**Michael Urie, Once Upon a Mattress

Natalie Walker, The Big Gay Jamboree

Outstanding Solo Performance

David Greenspan, I’m Assuming You Know David Greenspan

Ryan J. Haddad, Hold Me in the Water

Sam Kissajukian, 300 Paintings

Mark Povinelli, The Return of Benjamin Lay

**Andrew Scott, Vanya

Outstanding Direction of a Play

David Cromer and Caitlin Sullivan, The Antiquities

Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Tyne Rafaeli, Becoming Eve

Jack Serio, Grangeville

**Danya Taymor, John Proctor is the Villain

Whitney White, Liberation

Kip Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

**Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending

Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, Cats: “The Jellicle Ball”

Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Blvd.

Jerry Mitchell, BOOP! The Musical

Alex Timbers, Just in Time

George C. Wolfe, Gypsy

Outstanding Choreography

Camille A. Brown, Gypsy

Warren Carlyle, Pirates! The Penzance Musical

Jakob Karr, Ain’t Done Bad

Arturo Lyons and Omari Wiles, Cats: “The Jellicle Ball”

**Jerry Mitchell, BOOP! The Musical

Sergio Trujillo, Real Women Have Curves

Outstanding Music

**Will Aronson and Hue Park, Maybe Happy Ending

David Foster, BOOP! The Musical

Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez, Real Women Have Curves

Zoe Sarnak, The Lonely Few

The Lazours, We Live in Cairo

Outstanding Lyrics

Gerard Alessandrini, Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song

**Will Aronson and Hue Park, Maybe Happy Ending

David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts, Operation Mincemeat

Adam Gwon, All the World’s a Stage

Marla Mindelle and Philip Drennen, The Big Gay Jamboree

Luis Quintero, Medea: Re-Versed

Outstanding Book of a Musical

**Will Aronson and Hue Park, Maybe Happy Ending

David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts, Operation Mincemeat

Warren Leight and Isaac Oliver, Just in Time

Bob Martin, BOOP! The Musical

Marla Mindelle and Jonathan Parks-Ramage, The Big Gay Jamboree

Marco Pennette, Death Becomes Her

Outstanding Orchestrations

Will Aronson, Maybe Happy Ending

Doug Besterman, BOOP! The Musical

Joseph Joubert and Daryl Waters, Pirates! The Penzance Musical

**Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber, Just in Time

Michael Starobin, All the World’s a Stage

Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play

Miriam Buether, Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp.

**Miriam Buether, and Jamie Harrison and Chris Fisher (illusions and visual effects), Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Gabriel Hainer Evansohn and Grace Laubacher, Life and Trust

Rob Howell, The Hills of California

Johan Kølkjær, Dark Noon

Matt Saunders, Walden

Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical

Clifton Chadick, Music City

Rachel Hauck, Swept Away

**Dane Laffrey and George Reeve, Maybe Happy Ending (includes video design)

Derek McLane, Just in Time

David Rockwell and Finn Ross (projections), BOOP! The Musical

Outstanding Costume Design of a Play

Brenda Abbandandolo, The Antiquities

**Dede Ayite, Our Town

Christopher Ford, The Beastiary

Camilla Lind, Dark Noon

Karl Ruckdeschel, Twelfth Night

Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical

**Gregg Barnes, BOOP! The Musical

Sarah Cubbage, The Big Gay Jamboree

Toni-Leslie James, Gypsy

Qween Jean, Cats: “The Jellicle Ball”

Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her

Catherine Zuber, Just in Time

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play

Isabella Byrd, Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp.

**Jon Clark, Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Natasha Katz, John Proctor is the Villain

Tyler Micoleau, The Antiquities

Paul Whitaker, SUMO

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical

Kevin Adams, Swept Away

Adam Honoré, Cats: “The Jellicle Ball”

**Jack Knowles, Sunset Blvd.

Philip S. Rosenberg, BOOP! The Musical

Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun (projections), Floyd Collins

Outstanding Sound Design of a Play

**Paul Arditti, Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Johnny Gasper, Two Sisters Find a Box of Lesbian Erotica in the Woods

Matt Otto, All of Me

Bray Poor, Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp.

Clemence Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Fan Zhang, Good Bones

Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical

Adam Fisher, Sunset Blvd.

**Peter Hylenski, Just in Time

Scott Lehrer, Gypsy

Mick Potter, Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends

Dan Moses Schreier, Floyd Collins

Outstanding Projection and Video Design

Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom, Sunset Blvd.

Jake Barton, McNeal

**David Bergman, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Jesse Garrison, The 7th Voyage of Egon Tichy [redux]

Hana S. Kim, Redwood

Outstanding Wig and Hair

Alberto “Albee” Alvarado, SUMO

**Charles G. LaPointe, Death Becomes Her

Sabana Majeed, BOOP! The Musical

Nikiya Mathis, Cats: “The Jellicle Ball”

Nikiya Mathis, Liberation

Outstanding Puppetry

Dorothy James, Bill’s 44th

Tom Lee, See What I Wanna See

Simple Mischief Studio, Small Acts of Daring Invention

**Amanda Villalobos, Becoming Eve

Kirjan Waage, Dead as a Dodo

Outstanding Fight Choreography

Drew Leary, Romeo + Juliet

Chelsea Pace and James Yaegashi, SUMO

**Rick Sordelet and Christian Kelly-Sordelet, Pirates! The Penzance Musical

Bret Yount, King Lear

Outstanding Adaptation

Becoming Eve, by Emil Weinstein

Cymbeline, by Andrea Thome

Medea: Re-Versed, by Luis Quintero

**Pirates! The Penzance Musical, by Rupert Holmes

The Devil’s Disciple, by David Staller

Outstanding Revue

**Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song

Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now!

The Jonathan Larson Project

The World According to Micki Grant

Unique Theatrical Experience

Odd Man Out

The 7th Voyage of Egon Tichy [redux]

**The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Voices in Your Head

The Wind and the Rain: A story about Sunny’s Bar

No Worries About Justin Bieber: His Wife Just Made $800 Million Selling Her Upstart Cosmetics Company

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There’s been a lot of talk lately about Justin Bieber being “broke.”

The tabloids in print and online are full of stories claiming Justin sold his music catalog for $200 million because he was in deep debt.

Does he owe ex-manager Scooter Braun millions for cancelling his concert tour? (Probably not, that’s why there’s insurance.) Does Braun owe Bieber millions (probably not, because Bieber was the building block for Braun becoming insanely wealthy).

But none of that matters now. On Friday it was announced that Bieber’s wife, Hailey Baldwin, daughter of actor Stephen and niece of Alec, hit a goldmine. She sold her upstart cosmetics company, called Rhode, to Elf Cosmetics for technically a billion dollars. She and her partner Michael Ratner, collect $800 million now and $200 million more if the company succeeds.

Not only that. Hailey retains the title of CEO and continues to create products and be the face of the brand.

In a strange plot twist, Hailey has bailed out Justin. He never has to work again. He can just keep posting weird photos on Instagram.

Bieber is 31 but he has the intellect of a small child. He does have mental health issues. But he also acts in public and dresses like a 13 year old skateboarder. He rarely wears a shirt so he can show off his massive number of tattoos. His pants are not just baggy but clownsized. Sometimes he grabs his crotch to keep the pants from falling down entirely.

Mrs. Bieber, however, is quite the opposite. She is never seen in any photo except perfectly styled. She exudes confidence and poise. Sometimes it seems like she’s just patiently putting up with her husband until she can figure out how to move on without him.

Hailey is now the most successful of all the Baldwins, which was also not expected. Uncle Alec made a lot of money in movies and TV, but he gave a lot away at one point to charitable causes. He’s still worth a lot, but nowhere near as much as Hailey will receive once she and Ratner get to the cash window.

As for Justin, his lack of emotional and intellectual growth is astounding after 15 years in show business. He posts pictures of himself frolicking with his buddies, smoking pot, and, again, showing off those tattoos.

According to Luminate, Bieber’s year-to-date sales so far are just 500,000, mostly from streaming. He hasn’t released a new album in four years. He needs one now to stay in the game. He’d be smart to record a catchy pop song for the Rhode commercials so the couple can cross market all their skills. But in the meantime, he can still afford to do whatever he likes thanks to his wife.

Behind every successful guy, yes, there’s a powerful woman.

Trump Reposts Claim on His Own Truth Social Biden was “Executed in 2020” and Replaced by Clones, Doubles and Robots

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If you’re a Democrat or Independent and you voted for Donald Trump, you must be so pleased.

Yesterday, Trump reposted a message from an account on his TruthSocial. He says that former president Joe Biden was “executed” in 2020, and replaced by clones and robots.

It reads: “There is no #JoeBiden – executed in 2020.
#Biden clones doubles & robotic engineered soulless mindless entities are what you see. #Democrats dont know the difference.”

If we had an FBI or Secret Service, they’d be interviewing Trump and the original account holder right now. “Executed” is not a word you throw around with past or present presidents.

Luckily, the FBI is now run by clowns who are investigating TACO, so Trump is free to offer dangerous ideas to his illiterate base.

Jake Tapper? CNN doesn’t care what Trump says. They’re only worried that Biden didn’t recognize George Clooney after not seeing him for a decade.