Everyday Economics: Inflation squeezes household spending

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(The Center Square) – The Fed held rates where they were – 3.5% to 3.75% – and nobody was surprised. What actually mattered was the friction inside the room. Three FOMC members dissented, and not over some technical disagreement. They wanted the committee to stop pretending its next move is still a cut.They have a point. The "easing bias" language is a holdover from late last year, when the Fed was more worried about the labor market cracking than inflation flaring back up. In December, officials cut rates and talked about calibrating "the extent and timing of additional adjustments." That framing made sense then. It makes less sense now.Inflation is back.Core PCE – the Fed's preferred measure – came in at 0.3% for March, putting the year-over-year rate at 3.2%. Headline PCE jumped 0.7% on the month and 3.5% from a year ago, the biggest annual print in nearly three years. A lot of that is energy – oil prices spiked on Middle East tensions – but core is still running well above target. You can't hand-wave that away.This puts the Fed in a genuinely awkward spot. Hiking rates won't pump more oil out of the ground or bring gas prices down. But cutting while inflation is this elevated sends exactly the wrong message. So the Fed sits. It doesn't need to rush to rescue the labor market right now, but it can't pretend inflation has been handled either.The GDP picture fits the same pattern. The economy grew 2% annualized in Q1, which sounds decent until you dig in. Business investment – a lot of it AI-related – and a bounce in government spending after last year's shutdown carried most of the load. Consumers are pulling back. Residential investment is still soft. The economy is growing, but households are doing more with less because prices haven't let up.Two reports this week deserve attention: new home sales and the April jobs number.The housing data are a useful gut check on consumer confidence. People don't buy homes when they're nervous about the future – and mortgage rates were already a headwind before any of this. Builders are dealing with higher financing costs for incentive programs, softening prices (Zillow's data show a small drop in median price per square foot for new construction), and growing competition from resale inventory. It's getting harder to move product.But the jobs report is the one that actually moves the needle.March looked fine on the surface – 178,000 jobs added, recovering from February's revised 133,000 loss. Look closer and the picture was murkier. January got revised up, February got revised down, and together those two months lost another 7,000 on net. The trend is not accelerating.Here's the catch: the unemployment rate can stay low even when hiring is sluggish, as long as fewer people are looking for work. That's not a tight labor market – it's a shrinking one. A smaller labor force, absent a productivity miracle, means a smaller economy over time.Claims data muddy the waters further. Initial claims dropped to 189,000 last week – the lowest since 1969. That sounds explosive. But it probably reflects a labor market where layoffs are low and the pool of insured unemployed workers is simply smaller. Companies aren't cutting aggressively, but they're not exactly on a hiring binge either.So what does Friday's report tell us? If payrolls come in modest and unemployment holds low on weak participation, the Fed has no reason to move. If employment actually falls, the conversation shifts fast. The base case is a labor market that's stable but not strong. The tail risk – low probability but real – is a re-acceleration, especially if wages start running hot again. That would put rate hikes back on the agenda in a hurry.For now, the Fed is caught between inflation that's too stubborn and a labor market that's no longer clearly falling apart. The result: no hike, no cut, no urgency. Just waiting for the data to break the stalemate.

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May 05, 2026

Everyday Economics: Inflation squeezes household spending

Advertisement (The Center Square) – The Fed held rates where they were – 3.5% to 3.75% – and nobody was surprised. What actually ...

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Tyla’s Plunging Valentino Gown With High Slit Is Completely Sheer on Top

Tylais quickly becoming the queen of the Met Gala red carpet. Following her viral sand-dress moment, the singer returned to the iconic steps in a custom Valentino creation by Alessandro Michele. The look, based on the Spring/Summer 2026 Couture collection, was a masterclass in ethereal beauty and daring design. She looked like a mythical goddess emerging from the sea, capturing everyone’s attention instantly.

Tyla wins Met Gala yet again in plunging Valentino gown with high slit and fully sheer bodice

Thegownfeatures a breathtaking contrast between textures and colors. The bodice is almost entirelysheer, made from delicate, shimmering silver lace and mesh. It has an incredibly deep,plungingneckline that reaches all the way to the waist. Intricate beadwork and crystal embellishments wrap around her torso, creating a “painted-on” effect that highlights her silhouette. The long sleeves also feature matching silver details that drape elegantly over her hands.

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The bottom half of the gown is a vibrant, silky turquoise fabric that flows like water. A daringhigh sliton the left side shows off her legs and adds a modern, sexy edge to the royal look. The skirt ends in a long, dramatic train that pools around her as she walks. At her hips, a large, ornate silver buckle connects the sheer top to the colorful bottom, adding a touch of vintage luxury.

Tyla’s beauty look was just as stunning as her dress. She wore her hair in soft, voluminous waves that fell down her back. Her makeup featured glowing skin, long lashes, and a glossy lip, keeping the focus on her natural radiance. She accessorized with layered silver necklaces and matching earrings that caught the camera flashes perfectly.

Overall, Tyla’s look was a perfect blend of high-fashion risk and timeless elegance. The combination of the sheer, “naked” bodice with the bold blue skirt felt fresh and exciting. She looked confident, regal, and absolutely radiant.

Originally reported by Samridhi Goel onThe Fashion Spot.

The postTyla’s Plunging Valentino Gown With High Slit Is Completely Sheer on Topappeared first onReality Tea.

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May 05, 2026

Tyla’s Plunging Valentino Gown With High Slit Is Completely Sheer on Top

Tylais quickly becoming the queen of the Met Gala red carpet. Following her viral sand-dress moment, the singer returned to the iconic step...

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“WKRP in Cincinnati ”is becoming a reality, as three local stations adopt the famous call letters

Three Ohio-area radio stations rebranded as "WKRP in Cincinnati" on Monday.

Key Points

• Formerly known as "The Oasis," the radio network has now taken on the name of the beloved CBS sitcom about a group of broadcasters.

• "The presentation will be a tribute to the TV show — not a parody," network owner Jeff Ziesmann told 91.7 WVXU in Cincinnati.

Life really does imitate art — sometimes it just takes half a century.

A three-station radio network based in Ohio has rebranded from "The Oasis" to "WKRP in Cincinnati," after the beloved sitcom of the same name.

The voice ofWKRP in Cincinnatistar Gary Sandy welcomed morning commuters to the newly rebranded broadcast on Monday, per a report from John Kiesewetter of Cincinnati's NPR affiliate,91.7 WVXU. But first, listeners to the Georgetown, KY.-area 106.7 FM, Cincinnati-area 97.7 FM, and Dayton and Sidney, Ohio-area 94.5 (a 160-mile span) were treated to an hours-long teaser when the stations continuously aired theWKRPtheme song from midnight to the first broadcast of the morning.

Jeff Ziesmann, who owns the station group formerly known as The Oasis, explained to WVXU that his stations "play essentially the same music that they played onWKRP.It made more sense for us to do this than any other station in town."

The new WKRP will focus on rock and pop songs from 1960s through the 1980s, featuring artists whose songs electrifiedWKRPviewers during the series run from 1978-1982 when they were played weeks after first being released.

"This is just a rebranding. We don't want to spook those people who might think we threw out their favorite radio station," Ziesmann clarified.

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The move comes just two years shy of the 50th anniversary of theWKRP in Cincinnatipremiere on CBS. The sitcom starred Sandy as the straight-and-narrow program director Andy Travis, Loni Anderson as the bubbly yet dedicated receptionist Jennifer Marlowe, and Richard Sanders as the meticulous news reporter Les Nessman.

Sanders jokingly provided comment from his own character tothe APon Monday, writing via email, "I have spoken with Les Nessman regarding the resurrection of WKRP in Cincinnati. After the failure of his dream to replace Walter Cronkite on the CBS evening news, he is hopeful that he can resume his duties as the News, Sports, Weather, Traffic, and Farm Report Director at WKRP."

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

The news no doubt comes as a relief forWKRPfans, who have endured a string of cast deaths in the past few years. Andersondied in 2025at 79, Emmy nominee Howard Hessemandied in 2022at 81, and Frank Bonnerdied in 2021at 79.

Ziesman noted that the switch was meant to honor the show's legacy, telling WVXU, "The presentation will be a tribute to the TV show — not a parody of a 40-year-old TV show that aired for only four years... For us, WKRP is more of an attitude."

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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May 05, 2026

“WKRP in Cincinnati ”is becoming a reality, as three local stations adopt the famous call letters

Three Ohio-area radio stations rebranded as "WKRP in Cincinnati" on Monday. Key Points Formerly known as...

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Lil Jon shares emotional video from final father-son trip before DJ Young Slade's death: 'Love your people hard'

Lil Jon is taking an emotional look back at his final father-son trip with Nathan Smith, his eldest son.

Key Points

• Smith, a.k.a. DJ Young Slade, died from drowning in February at the age of 27.

• "Love your people hard. You never know when it's the last hug," the rapper wrote on Instagram.

Lil Jonis paying loving tribute to his son Nathan Smith, whodied in Februaryat the age of 27.

The Grammy-winning rapper and producer shared a video cutting together highlights of his final father-son trip with Smith, who performed under the moniker DJ Young Slade, to hisInstagramon Friday.

"Two years ago, I asked Slade what he wanted to do for his birthday. He said, “go to Japan," the musician born Jonathan H. Smith wrote in the caption. "I had no idea that trip would become our final father-and-son trip... or his favorite one ever."

The video featured glimpses of a smiling Nathan posing in front of various figurines at Small Worlds Tokyo, a renowned museum of miniatures in the capital city.

"I gave him options for everything, and he chose it all himself," Lil Jon noted. "We did everything—from museums and food tours to Michelin-star sushi spots. We even watched samurai swords being forged… and got to use them."

Nathan was a "big anime fan," the musician explained, "so we took an anime drawing class together with an anime book author. And he even got to learn how to drift and drive on the streets where the drift culture began."

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He continued: "This is just a glimpse into that trip. It was expensive, but I didn't care—I saw how happy it made him. He told me it was the most fun he'd ever had on any trip. It hits different now, knowing we won’t get to make memories like that again. To anyone reading this—don’t put your family off. Don't say 'I'll see them later' or 'We can do that later.' Don’t skip the long hugs don't be frugal... Love your people hard. You never know when it's the last hug."

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Lil Jon's famous friends, fans, and collaborators crowded the comment section to show the "Snap Yo Fingers" hitmaker their support.

"You didn't waste a moment. That's a great trip you both had. Shows how much thought went into this from both sides," Christina Milian wrote. Lil Scrappy, who collaborated with Lil Jon on the 2004 single "What U Gon' Do," referred to his late son as "Young King Slade."

Weeks after Nathan was discovered dead, hiscause of deathwas officially revealed as "drowning in the setting of psilocybin use," according to the autopsy report from the Fulton County Medical Examiner in Atlanta obtained by EW.

Following his sudden death, Lil Jon remembered his son as "the kindest human being you would ever meet. He was immensely caring, thoughtful, polite, passionate, and warmhearted — he loved his family and the friends in his life to the fullest."

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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May 04, 2026

Lil Jon shares emotional video from final father-son trip before DJ Young Slade's death: 'Love your people hard'

Lil Jon is taking an emotional look back at his final father-son trip with Nathan Smith, his eldest son. Key Points ...

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“The Craft” turns 30! See the iconic teen witches, then and now

The 1990s were a particularly fruitful decade for depictions of teenage angst, from brooding TV dramas likeMy So-Called Lifeto candy-colored comedies likeClueless(1995). Then there wasThe Craft(1996), which offered a potent blend of true-to-life teenage conflicts with a supernatural edge, centering on four outcast high school girls who use witchcraft to solve their problems.

Despite a mixed reception from critics, young moviegoers helped makeThe Crafta sleeper hit at the box office, with its stars —Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Rachel True, and Neve Campbell — becoming witchy icons of the era.

Now, on the 30th anniversary of the film's theatrical release, we're looking at where the cast is since leaving high school.

Robin Tunney (Sarah Bailey)

Robin Tunney led the cast as Sarah, the new girl in school who falls in with a coven of wannabe witches.

Tunney was fresh off her troubled, rebellious turn inEmpire Records(1995), so taking up the dark arts inThe Craftwas the logical next step. Not long afterward, she was cast in the biblical Arnold Schwarzenegger horror filmEnd of Days(1999) as no less than the chosen mother of Satan's child.

Her genre forays continued with the outer-space horror flickSupernova(2000) and the survival thrillerVertical Limit(2000). She went on to carve out a niche on the indie circuit, including in Alan Rudolph’s acclaimedThe Secret Lives of Dentists(2002).

She was a key player in season 1 ofPrison Break. and later landed the role of Teresa Lisbon onThe Mentalist.More recently, she was seen in the 2026 horror movieUgly Cry.

Tunney was married to filmmaker Bob Gosse from 1997 to 2006. She's been engaged to Nicky Marmet, with whom she shares two children, since 2012.

Fairuza Balk (Nancy Downs)

Fairuza Balk is Nancy, a bitter young woman with an abusive family whose desire for supernatural power turns against her.

Balk herself has been dogged by rumors that she believes in the occult — or even practices witchcraft. "That has taken on its entire own mythology that's essentially out of my hands,”she told EW in 2017. “You can tell the truth and talk to people but they want to believe what they want to believe. What can you do?"

She rose to child stardom after stepping into Dorothy Gale’s ruby slippers in the cult classicReturn to Oz(1985), then became an arthouse favorite beforeThe Craftvaulted her back into the mainstream. Thankfully, her role as Nancy overshadowed her appearance in the notorious flopThe Island of Dr. Moreau(1996).

The actress played Edward Norton's skinhead girlfriend inAmerican History X(1998), Adam Sandler's love interest inThe Waterboy(1998), and a groupie alongside Kate Hudson in the Oscar-winningAlmost Famous(2000).

In addition to her television work — which includes a season 3 arc onRay Donovanand a supporting role on Amazon’s musical dramaParadise City— Balk has continued to appear in movies. She played a cop opposite Nicolas Cage in Werner Herzog’s bonkersBad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans(2009), and was the only originalCraftcast memberto cameo in the sequel,The Craft: Legacy(2020).

Rachel True (Rochelle Zimmerman)

Rachel Trueplayed Rochelle, who gets targeted for racial harassment at school and takes revenge on her tormentors.

Though she was already established on TV,The Craftwas True’s big-screen break, which she followed two years later with another cult fave,Half Baked(1998).

While booking consistent work in films, True has maintained a regular presence on the small screen, appearing on everything fromThe Drew Carey ShowtoOnce and Again. She starred on the UPN sitcomHalf & Half,and appeared in the second season of Amazon’sHarlem. She also reprised herHalf Bakedrole inHalf Baked: Totally High(2024).

In 2019,True spoke outabout the “casual racism” of the various conventions that have invited the three white members of the film’s central quartet while leaving her out.

Neve Campbell (Bonnie Harper)

Neve Campbellplayed Bonnie, who wishes away the burn scars on her arms and back before joining with Nancy to turn on Sarah.

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Campbell is famous for playing Julia Salinger onParty of Fiveand leading theScreamfranchise as Sidney Prescott, who appears in all but one ofScream's six sequels. Her leading lady status evolved with the erotic neo-noirWild Things(1998), the disco-era drama54(1998), and Robert Altman’s ballet dramaThe Company(2003).

On the small screen, she played Claire Underwood’s personal political strategist for two seasons ofHouse of Cardsand guested onGrey’s AnatomyandMad Men. Campbell currently stars on Netflix’s legal dramaThe Lincoln Lawyerand is set to appear in the second season of the spy thrillerBlack Doves.

Campbell has been married twice: to Jeff Colt from 1995 to 1998 and to actor John Light from 2007 to 2011. Her current partner is actor JJ Feild. They have two sons together, Caspian and Raynor.

Skeet Ulrich (Chris Hooker)

Skeet Ulrichplayed Chris, the school bully who falls under Sarah's spell.

Like costar Campbell, Ulrich was a key figure in the originalScreamand has popped up in later films over the course of the franchise. His run as a big-screen up-and-comer continued with a small role in the Oscar-winningAs Good as It Gets(1997) and as one of the four fraternal leads inThe Newton Boys(1998), with Matthew McConaughey, Ethan Hawke, and Vincent D’Onofrio.

His most prominent work in recent years has been on the small screen. He headlined the post-apocalyptic dramaJericho, which gained a devoted fan base during its brief run. You may also know him from his work on the CW’sRiverdaleand the Giancarlo Esposito–led crime dramaParish. In 2025, he appeared inFive Nights at Freddy’s 2alongsidefellow Scream alum Matthew Lillard.

Ulrich married actress Georgina Cates in 1997. They had twins, son Jakob and daughter Naiia, before splitting up in 2005. Ulrich's second marriage to actress Amelia Jackson-Gray lasted from 2012 to 2015.

Christine Taylor (Laura Lizzie)

Christine Taylor enjoyed an early-career heel turn as Laura, a racist high school student who gets punished for harassing Rochelle.

After landing her big break on Nickelodeon’sHey Dude, Taylor brought a classic sitcom character to the silver screen as Marcia inThe Brady Bunch Movie(1995) and its 1996 sequel.

She’s been a regular in comedy ever since, appearing in many of her husband Ben Stiller’s films — includingZoolander(2001), Dodgeball(2004),andTropic Thunder(2008) — as well as Adam Sandler’s rom-comThe Wedding Singer(1998). She will soon appear in the pickleball comedyThe Dink, starring and produced by Stiller.

On television, the actress had key recurring roles onArrested DevelopmentandSearch Party.

Taylor and Stiller married in 2000 and share a daughter, Ella, and a son, Quinlin.The couple separated in 2017but reconciled during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.

Breckin Meyer (Mitt)

Breckin Meyer played Mitt, one of Chris' wisecracking buddies.

After appearing inFreddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare(1991), Meyer endeared himself to rom-com fans inClueless(1995) as skateboarding burnout Travis. He later joined the starry ensembles ofGo(1999) andRat Race(2001), and led bothRoad Trip(2000) andGarfield: The Movie(2004).

The actor has found several homes on the small screen, from his voice work onKing of the Hillas Joseph Gribble to the lighthearted legal proceduralFranklin & Bashalongside Mark-Paul Gosselaar. He has five Emmy nominations for his work on Adult Swim’s stop-motion seriesRobot Chicken.

Meyer was married to writer-director Deborah Kaplan from 2001 to 2014. They share two daughters, Caitlin and Clover. He is currently dating Kelly Rizzo, Bob Saget's widow.

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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May 04, 2026

“The Craft” turns 30! See the iconic teen witches, then and now

The 1990s were a particularly fruitful decade for depictions of teenage angst, from brooding TV dramas likeMy So-Called Lifeto candy-co...

Read More

All the Surprise Cameos in “The Devil Wears Prada 2” You May Have Missed

"Hearst Magazines and AOL may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Gird your loins and grab your handbag popcorn buckets—The Devil Wears Prada 2is officially here! Less than a year after the cast of the 2006 classic started filming the sequel, the film hit theaters globally, bringing the beloved world ofRunway Magazineback to the big screen (and to our hearts). And not only did the production get Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt,andStanley Tucci to reprise their roles, but it also tapped more than a handful of celebrity guest stars to round out the cast.

In addition to Simone Ashley, Lucy Liu, Justin Theroux, B.J. Novak, Caleb Hearon, and Pauline Chalamet all joining the cast, there were more than three dozen cameos from stars who played themselves. In fact,DWP2seemed to pack as many familiar faces as they could into a two-hour run time.

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Designers and models were well represented on screen, of course, with appearances from Donatella Versace, Marc Jacobs, Ashley Graham, Winnie Harlow, Heidi Klum, Anok Yai, and more. But the casting didn’t stop with the fashion industry.

Ciara, Jon Batiste, Karl-Anthony Towns, Hannah Berner, and Paige DeSorbo brought in the worlds of music, sports, and reality television. (Notably absent, however, was Sydney Sweeney—whose rumored appearance seemed to have been cut during editing.) And then there was the Lady Gaga performance, which the team jokingly referred to as the “worst kept secret in Hollywood” during the New York City premiere.

Ahead, take a look at all of the surprise cameos you may have missed fromThe Devil Wears Prada 2.It was almost impossible to catch them all.

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May 04, 2026

All the Surprise Cameos in “The Devil Wears Prada 2” You May Have Missed

"Hearst Magazines and AOL may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Gird your loins and grab y...

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Colin Jost Breaks Down Scarlett Johansson’s Reaction to His Ferry Buy

Colin Jostand Pete Davidson shocked the nation years ago by purchasing a decommissioned ferry from a New York auction. Recently, Jost appeared on the Smartless podcast to open up about the deal. He also shared his wifeScarlett Johansson’s reaction to the purchase.

Colin Jost shares Scarlett Johansson’s reaction to him buying a ferry

Colin Josttalks about Scarlett Johansson’s reaction to his ferry ownership at theSmartlesspodcast. Co-host Sean Hayes asked the comedian, regarding the deal, “You paid, you still have to pay, like, don’t you?” Jost replied, “These are [the] exact questions a financial advisor asks me.”

As reported byEW, he shared how he consulted Davidson regarding the purchase. The “Saturday Night Live” writer said, “texted Pete, which is the wrong person to text with when you have an idea like this. And I was like, ‘Should we buy this?”

However, Davidson replied, “‘F— yeah, we’ve got to do this.” Moreover, Jost texted his father, Daniel A. Jost. “And he literally was like, ‘Did you do your homework?’ Which is such a teacher thing to say. I was like, ‘Dad, I’m just sort of texting you as a formality,” he shared. Soon, Jost broke the news to his wife as he stated, “I already bought the boat. Then I texted Scarlett, like, ‘Guess what? We own a ferry now.’ And she was like, ‘We?”

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The father of one also explained how it has been misreported that the ferry is “some sort of crazy money pit. “I joke about it a lot, but it is, we’ve done some events on it where we really have already made back the money we’ve invested and the money we’ve spent on stuff to dock it and all that,” Jost said. Additionally, shared his, Davidson, and their architect co-owner, Rob Castellano’s plan for the ferry.

“I was thinking in a real estate way, if you put it somewhere, it’s 70,000 square feet,” the 43-year-old shared. He continued, “So I was like, ‘If you put that on a dock in Manhattan, you’ve suddenly got basically a building on the waterfront.”

Originally reported by Ritika Singh onMandatory.

The postColin Jost Breaks Down Scarlett Johansson’s Reaction to His Ferry Buyappeared first onReality Tea.

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May 04, 2026

Colin Jost Breaks Down Scarlett Johansson’s Reaction to His Ferry Buy

Colin Jostand Pete Davidson shocked the nation years ago by purchasing a decommissioned ferry from a New York auction. Recently, Jost appea...

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