May 5 News Quiz: Biden said Murdoch made him look like WHAT?

President Biden delivered this joke at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 29, 2023. The 80-Year-Old Biden said that Rupert Murdoch, the 92-year-old media mogul who owns Fox News, makes him look like former One Direction member Harry Styles in comparison. He joked about his age and his critics who think he is too old to run for re-election. Biden also addressed serious issues at the event, such as press freedom and Americans wrongly detained abroad. Get the essential White House Correspondents’ Dinner trivia facts here.

Tucker Carlson found out about his firing 10 minutes before it was announced on Monday, April 24, 2023. He was reportedly fired by Rupert Murdoch, Fox News’ owner, following input from senior Fox officials. According to several sources, Carlson’s exit was related to a lawsuit by a former producer who accused him of sexism. It was also related to the Fox defamation lawsuit settled for a record $787.5 million. Get all the Tucker Carlson exit facts you need here.

Tucker Carlson’s last show on Fox News aired on Friday, April 21, 2023. He ended the show by telling his viewers: “We’ll see you Monday; in the meantime, have the best weekend.” He did not know it would be his final show on Fox News.

Fun Fact: Carlson posted a video on Twitter on April 26, 2023, speaking publicly for the first time since his firing. He did not address his exit from Fox but railed against “completely irrelevant” debates on TV and “the liars who have been trying to silence” him. Get all the amazing Tucker Carlson Fox News exit trivia facts here.

The Writers Guild of America represents over 11,000 writers who create scripts for your favorite shows and movies. They have been negotiating with AMPTP, which represents the major companies in the industry, since March 20, 2023. However, they could not reach an agreement by May 1, 2023, the final day of their previous contract. So they decided to go on strike starting May 2, 2023, halting new episodes and movies, especially in genres like comedy, drama, and late-night talk shows. On July 15, the actors’ guild, SAG-AFTRA, joined in on the strike, putting Hollywood on stop.

The oil used to anoint King Charles III is called Chrism oil. It was created using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge east of Jerusalem’s Old City, Israel. The olives were pressed just outside the Palestinian town of Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born. The ceremony was held at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Christians believe Jesus was crucified. The March 3, 2023, event was attended by Buckingham Palace representatives. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who performed the May 6 anointing service at Westminster Abbey, said the oil demonstrates the deep historical link between the coronation, the Bible, and the Holy Land.

Israel declared independence on May 14, 1948, after the British mandate over Palestine ended. This year, according to the Hebrew calendar, Israel marks its 75th anniversary on April 26, 2023. However, the celebrations are overshadowed by a political crisis that has divided the country for months.

What’s Israel’s political crisis?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces widespread opposition and protests over his attempt to overhaul the judiciary and his alliance with far-right and religious parties. Opposition leader Yair Lapid has boycotted the main state ceremony for Independence Day, and some bereaved families have asked politicians to stay away from military cemeteries on Memorial Day.

Willie Nelson was born on April 29, 1933, in Abbott, Texas, turning 90 in 2023. He celebrated his 90th birthday with a two-night tribute concert at the Hollywood Bowl on April 29 and 30, 2023, featuring Neil Young, Snoop Dogg, and Norah Jones. Nelson was honored by the night’s emcees, including Owen Wilson, Helen Mirren, Ethan Hawke, and Jennifer Garner. He joked that he wanted to thank all the artists who came out to celebrate “whatever it is we’re celebrating.” Get a load of Willie Nelson trivia facts here.

Regulators seized troubled First Republic Bank Monday, May 1, 2023, and sold its deposits and most of its assets to JPMorgan Chase Bank. With $229 billion in assets, First Republic Bank became the second-largest bank failure in US history. It surpasses Silicon Valley Bank, which failed on March 10, 2023. Both banks were acquired by JPMorgan Chase, the nation’s largest bank, which has previously acquired failed banks such as Washington Mutual and Bear Stearns during the 2008 financial crisis. Get more news trivia facts on the First Republic Bank failure here.

Bed Bath & Beyond filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Apr. 23, 2023. The company announced it would stop accepting coupons on Apr. 26, 2023, when store-closing sales began. The announcement came after failing to secure funding and facing years of dreary sales and losses.

Jerry Springer, who died on Apr. 27, 2023, at 79, hosted America’s Got Talent for two seasons, from 2007 to 2008. He replaced Regis Philbin, who hosted the first season and was succeeded by Nick Cannon, who hosted from 2009 to 2016. Springer was best known for his scandalous daytime talk show, which ran for 27 years.

Fun Fact: In 2022, Springer participated in the eighth season of The Masked Singer, another popular competition show, where he was unmasked as “Beetle.” You can find more incredible Jerry Springer trivia facts here.

Barry Humphries was born in Melbourne, Australia, on February 17, 1934. He created the character of Dame Edna Everage, a condescending and snobbish housewife in the mid-50s. Humphries died on April 22, 2023, at 89, in a Sydney hospital due to complications following hip surgery.

Fun Fact: He won a Tony Award in 2000 for his Broadway show “Dame Edna: The Royal Tour.” More Barry Humphries trivia facts here.

Halle Bailey was cast as Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, set for release on May 26, 2023. She is best known as half of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle with her sister Chloe Bailey. She also stars as Sky Forster on Grown-ish, an ABC spin-off of Black-ish. She is the first Black actress to play Ariel in a Disney adaptation of the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Get the essential Little Mermaid trivia facts here.

Black Mirror season five was released in June 2019. The next season, season six, premieres in June 2023. That means fans had to wait four years for upcoming dystopian sci-fi anthology series episodes. The new season will feature a star-studded cast, including Aaron Paul, Kate Mara, Michael Cera, Salma Hayek Pinault, and many others. Watch Black Mirror’s season 6 trailer on YouTube. Get a dose of Black Mirror season 6 trivia facts here.

Lagerfeld fell in love with the Birman cat while cat-sitting over Christmas 2011 and decided to keep it. Choupette lived in luxury with Lagerfeld, flying on private jets, eating Goyard dishes, and having her own iPad. She also became a fashion icon, appearing on magazine covers and in ad campaigns for Chanel and other brands. Lagerfeld once said he wished to marry her. After Lagerfeld’s death in February 2019, Choupette inherited part of his fortune and became a social media star. At the Met Gala 2023, which honored Lagerfeld’s work and life, several celebrities paid tribute to Choupette. Doja Cat and Jared Leto dressed as the famous muse in white costumes and cat ears. Get more fun 2023 Met Gala trivia facts here.