
Five hungry goats set to compete in Manhattan in first-ever goat eating competition
Five of the stubborn barn yard animals will go horn-to-horn this Saturday for the first-ever competitive eating event involving the barnyard species — and they're all hungry for the new title.
'The Great Goat Graze-Off' is an evolution of the annual Running of the Goats at Riverside Park, which sees the hairy little beasts use their chompers to clear acres of invasive species, like poison ivy and mugwort, from the Manhattan Park.
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4 This Saturday will mark the first-ever eating competition between goats.
Riverside Park Conservancy¿
'We know that the girls are very excited and they've been practicing — we've heard — getting ready for the big moment this weekend,' Merritt Birnbaum, the CEO and President of the Riverside Park Conservancy, told The Post.
'Really, it's just a taste of what is to come for their summer that they'll be spending in the park with us.'
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The gobbling goat contest will kick off the sixth summer that the four-legged weed whackers are being shipped in from upstate to help clear the grounds.
Last year, the conservancy celebrated the start of the grazing season with a literal Running of the Goats, but quickly realized 'running' wasn't really in the animals' nature.
4 The goats will be given pre-prepared bundles of mugwort, an invasive species.
Riverside Park Conservancy¿
'We were thinking about what would really be the best way to welcome them to the park this year, and the idea of letting them do what they do best came to mind,' Birnbaum said, explaining how the eating contest was born.
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And the contest will be just as serious as the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island. The goats will each have their own coaches and counters, much like Chestnut was equipped with when he soared to victory after downing 70.5 glizzies last week.
The five goats — Romeo, Mallomar, Butterball, Kash and Rufus — will be given just five minutes to scarf down a pre-prepared bubble of mugwort as a crowd of eager onlookers cheer on their favorites.
4 This will be the sixth summer the goats are shipped in from upstate to help clear the brush from the park.
Riverside Park Conservancy¿
George Shea, host of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest and chair of Major League Eating, will be emceeing the blockbuster event.
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It's not yet clear who the favorite is to win the 'The Great Goat Graze-Off — though Birnbaum teased that Kash, a newcomer to Riverside Park, has 'perhaps a stronger jaw than some of the other goats.'
'But that's really just speculation. We know that the goats don't really love to be told what to do, so it's kind of anyone's guess who will triumphing in this,' she continued.
4 'We know that the goats don't really love to be told what to do, so it's kind of anyone's guess who will triumphing in this,' said Merritt Birnbaum.
Riverside Park Conservancy¿
'I think we can expect to witness a world-breaking weed-eating, but unsure what that world record will be.'
The five competitors will stick around at Riverside Park for the rest of the summer, munching their way through a two-acre plot at West 143rd Street that every year becomes overtaken with invasive species, like mugwort and poison ivy.
The animals are so efficient that in the past that some goats were relieved of their duties and sent home early.
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New York Post
4 hours ago
- New York Post
Beth Stelling new comedy special and tour: Where to buy tickets
Vivid Seats is the New York Post's official ticketing partner. We may receive revenue from this partnership for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase. Featured pricing is subject to change. A couple years ago, Beth Stelling got off on the wrong foot with her landlady. Almost immediately after moving into her new apartment building, the celebrated Los Angeles-based stand-up — who has also written for 'Crashing,' 'The Last O.G' and 'Rick and Morty' and a number of other series — constantly clashed with the woman in charge of her rent. Yet, rather than just let their interactions bother her, she opted to turn her grievances into comedy and ended up developing her airtight, whip-smart special 'The Landlord' all about this fraught relationship [Editor's Note: Stelling has since moved out of her place]. 'I spent a lot of time wondering if they were messing with me so I would write something about them,' Stelling told The Post in an exclusive interview. '…but no. They messed with so many people. One guy told me his wife avoids her because she made her cry.' While stories like this may not sound like subject matter ripe for comedy, Stelling's laugh-out-loud 30-minute special defies all expectations, surprising at every turn. Her razor-sharp observations, trademark exasperated deadpan and exaggerated nose-rumpling impressions make for one of the year's most inspired, under-the-radar half hours. 'Every conversation is like falling in a prickle bush' she jokes a few minutes into 'The Landlord,' before effortlessly rattling off hundreds more precise punchlines like '…I have a ton of money in my checking account because I don't come from money and feel safer looking at a lump sum watching it depreciate' and 'when I was writing for a show I was going to appear on, I would have makeup put on so I didn't have to field questions about my mental health…that's just something I wanted to complain about briefly.' Now, one month after the release of 'The Landlord,' the special is now streaming on YouTube and Stelling is back on the road with a fresh hour of material. As of now, she's currently slated to bring her new bits to Brooklyn's Bell House on Friday, Nov. 21 and Saturday, Nov. 22. Ahead of those gigs, we chatted with her about her hilarious 'Landlady'-centric half hour, favorite lines she's written for sitcoms and movies she's worked on and the upcoming tour. Enjoy. Just make sure you don't read this story with your landlord in the vicinity. Beth Stelling tour schedule 2025 A complete calendar including all tour dates, venues and links to buy tickets for all upcoming Beth Stelling stand-up shows can be found below. Beth Stelling stand-up specials Want to dig into the archives and catch all of Beth's primo material ASAP? Below, you'll find where you can stream all four of her excellent specials. 'Simply The Beth' (2015) is streaming on Spotify 'Girl Daddy' (2020) is streaming on HBO Max 'If You Didn't Want Me Then' (2023) is streaming on Netflix 'The Landlord' (2025) is streaming on YouTube Beth Stelling interview How did 'The Landlord' special come to be? The story came to fruition after so many years of frustration with my landlady. It's based in deep feelings of anger, helplessness and shock. In some cases, I'd go 'it's not that bad' because the truth is I wasn't living with drips in the roof and a lot of my basic needs were met but it was an insane experience every time I came across that woman. In fact, it got to the point where sometimes it would take me hours to come down from our interaction because it was so charged. She screamed in my face and I would hear every argument she'd have with her daughter. There really were so many stories that I had to pick and choose which ones I'd tell onstage. At the beginning of the special you tease the audience with material about skydiving at the mall instead of jumping into the landlady story. Was that intentional from the outset of your writing process? Yes. Plenty of people asked 'why did you start with that' but I lived differently when I was renting. Back then, I would spend $180 on an 'I Fly' because rent was so much cheaper. It was a different mindset. So, the first few minutes of the special are a commentary on how you can spend all your money doing ridiculous things when you don't own property. I finally saved up and bought a house before I finished this special and realized 'those were my renting days when I would spend $180 to get shot into a tube with a friend.' Now, I'm frugal. I get when people say you're 'house poor.' I don't know what's better. I never thought when I moved to Los Angeles 14 years ago in my mom's '02 Mercury Sable with $1,200, which was every ounce of money I'd saved from babysitting and waitressing at cafes, that I'd own a home. Did the landlord material start out as a bit or a chunk and develop into a full special? I was at Sarah Silverman's house and we were swimming and I told her a joke about my landlady that made her laugh. Then, when I was on vacation with my mom and sister, I was venting about the situation and they were cracking up. So, I built the story up over a long period of time onstage, which was tough because if audiences aren't on board, it can be a slog. It takes a long time to hone a story to get people with you the whole time. I funded the special myself. My boyfriend, Adam Newacheck, was the director and we only had two other crew members (Lincoln Rzonca and Maya Ortega) manning cameras. We shot it at Denver's Comedy Works and had one of the best colorists in town, Jay Cody Baker, work on the special, as well as Joanna Katcher who did the sound mixing. You have 25 shows over these next few months. Will the landlady story be built into your upcoming tour? Will you be revisiting material from past specials or are you going to be doing all new stuff on the road? Last May, I'd amassed an hour that was made up of my landlady material, another chunk that ended up on Don't Tell Comedy's YouTube and some other stuff. I tried to shop all that as a special but everybody said it was too soon since I'd just put out 'If You Didn't Want Me Then' on HBO in 2023. Hulu told me 'we already have our slot for this year…maybe in 2026?' which left me sitting on all this material. So, I put 'The Landlord' online, my 'starting my own religion' story on Don't Tell and still have 55 minutes of material left. I've been honing and touring that since last May. None of those jokes are available unless you've seen me on the road recently. Is there any particular subject matter you're covering onstage these days? The theme to my current show is aging. I turned 40 this year and I'm aging naturally, which I proclaimed in my 2023 special. So I'm expanding on that concept with material that wasn't ready for that special. There's stuff about having my eggs frozen and meeting a guy that has kids and stepping into the step-parent role. I come from a divorced family and had step-parents that were pretty bad blueprints, so it's tapping back into what I had as a stepdaughter. That's in development. I recorded a version of that material in June as a proof of concept. I would love to be able to have someone produce my special when I'm at the Wilbur in Boston this October. How has your stand up evolved over the past few years? I have become a little sillier and started deploying more voices and facial movements. Mo Welch is one of my best friends (as well as Stelling's 'Sweethearts Podcast' co-host), and she told me she loved when I do act outs. So I've listened to her and I am more physical than I have been in the past. I've gotten a little bit bigger because my default is a very calm, deadpan. What would you say to someone that's never seen you live to get them to come to your shows? Please! Please come. I have to pay my mortgage. The feedback I've liked lately is when dudes come up to me after a show and tell me how much they loved my set and wish they had brought a woman in their lives that could relate. A lot of women in their early forties say similar things. A few have told me 'I feel very seen.' It's going to be a fun night, I promise. I won't bother you either. I won't ask you what you do for a living. I would never make fun of you or how you look. I'm there to entertain and make you feel less alone. What line are you most proud of to have gotten on the air from all the shows you've worked on over the years? There are two. In an episode of 'Crashing,' there's a scene where Pete's getting a massage and when he moves his face, the masseuse goes 'there you are Peter.' I like that because I loved 'Hook' growing up. Then, there was a line I wrote for the movie 'Good Boys,' where the boys are talking about girls at the pool and one of them says 'she's a total nympho' and one of the others says 'what does that mean?' and he says 'she has sex on land and sea.' You are at the Bell House in November for two nights. That's true. What do you love about that space? It's a great New York venue, and I am always glad people come out and see me. I normally do one night, so hopefully it creates opportunities for more people to come. Who are your favorite working comics right now? Maria Bamford always makes me laugh. Sarah Silverman. I liked doing road dates with her while she was working on 'Postpartum.' She's one of the greats. Zainab Johnson. We did a fun festival together in Seattle. She's just so smooth, funny and smart. Marc Maron. I like watching him. Although sometimes when I'm on a show with him, he'll blow the light. Mo Welch. of course. This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity. This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change


New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
Brandon Blackstock appeared happy with daughter in photo weeks before his death
Brandon Blackstock spent quality time with his family before his tragic death. Weeks before the talent manager died at age 48, he was photographed with his eldest daughter, Savannah, 23. He reportedly died of melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer. Last month, Savannah shared a picture on Facebook of her standing next to her dad. Blackstock had one arm around her shoulder, his other hand on his hip, and his leg up on a bench. The duo smiled for the snap. Advertisement 8 Savannah Blackstock and her dad Brandon Blackstock. Savannah Lee Blackstock wore a zip-up, sweats, and a matching black hat. Savannah also sported a black sweatshirt. She captioned the July 20 picture, 'Back home to the mountains & my daddy.' Advertisement Blackstock resided in Butte, Montana. Just a month before Blackstock's death, Savannah announced that she was expecting her second child. She shared the news on her private Instagram account on July 5. 8 Savannah Blackstock shared pictures of her dad to Facebook in June. Savannah Lee Advertisement 8 Savannah Blackstock poses with her dad Brandon Blackstock. Savannah Lee/Facebook 'We've been keeping a couple sweet surprises,' penned Savannah. 'One little girl will be making her arrival at the beginning of January and another beautiful girl named Julianna who has already been one of the greatest blessings to our family.' Along with Savannah, Blackstock is also dad to son Seth, 18, with his ex-wife Melissa Ashworth. The pair were married from 2001 to 2012. He also shared daughter River, 11, and son Remy, 9, with ex-wife Kelly Clarkson. Advertisement Blackstock's family shared the news of his passing on Thursday. 'It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away. Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years,' they said in a statement obtained by The Post. 'He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family's privacy during this very difficult time.' 8 Kelly Clarkson, Brandon Blackstock and Savannah Blackstock at the Billboard Music Awards in May 2018. FilmMagic 8 Brandon Blackstock poses with his family on the red carpet in LA in April 2019. WireImage Just hours before, Clarkson, 43, abruptly canceled the remaining August shows of her Las Vegas residency. The 'American Idol' winner wrote on her Instagram Wednesday evening, 'Unfortunately, I need to postpone the remainder of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas.' 'While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children's father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them,' Clarkson revealed. Advertisement In 2020, the exes had a rocky split after nearly seven years of marriage. Clarkson filed for divorce on June 4, 2020, citing irreconcilable differences. In November of that year, she was awarded temporary primary physical custody of River and Remy. According to court documents, 'the level of conflict between the parents [had] increased' and that they had 'a difficult time co-parenting due to issues of trust between them.' Advertisement 8 Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock in NYC on September 6, 2017. Kevin Mazur 8 Kelly Clarkson and Brandon pose for a selfie. Instagram/@kellyclarkson The documents also stated that Clarkson and Blackstock agreed that they 'shall not speak in a derogatory manner about the other parent to the minor children. The custodial parent shall not allow the minor children to be in the presence of any third party who speaks about the other parent in a derogatory manner.' The 'Stronger' singer alleged that Blackstock acted fraudulently as her manager. He ultimately denied defrauding his estranged wife out of millions. Advertisement Clarkson ended up relocating with her children to New York City for 'The Kelly Clarkson Show.' 'The move to NYC was a fresh start for her that she has never regretted,' an insider told People in 2024. 'She had not been happy in Los Angeles for a while but was still nervous about moving. It was the best decision for her though. They thrive as a family.' 8 Brandon Blackstock with his daughter. Instagram/@kellyclarkson The Grammy winner opened up about co-parenting in March, noting there is a double standard when it comes to working moms and working dads. Advertisement Clarkson joked she looks 'like [an] a – – hole' when she can't show up to her child's function due to work, but when Blackstock can't make it, he isn't met with the same response. 'And then [my daughter] is like, 'Why weren't you there? This person's mommy was there,'' the 'American Idol' winner explained on Kylie Kelce's 'Not Gonna Lie' podcast. 'And I'm like, 'Congratulations to her because she made different decisions that led to her being able to be there on a Thursday at 10 a.m.''


New York Post
6 hours ago
- New York Post
Brandon Blackstock was diagnosed with cancer after Kelly Clarkson divorce
Brandon Blackstock learned he had cancer following his divorce from Kelly Clarkson. The late talent manager, who died on Aug. 7 at age 48, 'was diagnosed after the divorce,' a source told People. Blackstock and Clarkson, 43, married in 2013 and shared two children: daughter River, 11, and son Remington, 9. He was also father to two other children, Savannah and Seth Blackstock, from his first marriage to Melissa Ashworth. 6 Brandon Blackstock was diagnosed with cancer after his divorce from Kelly Clarkson. Instagram/@kellyclarkson Seven years into his and Clarkson's marriage, the 'Since U Been Gone' singer filed for divorce in 2020, citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce was finalized in 2022, with Clarkson granted primary custody of the children. In a statement obtained by The Post, Blackstock's family announced his passing following a yearslong private battle with cancer. 'It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,' the statement read. 'Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. 6 Brandon Blackstock with his ex-wife, Kelly Clarkson, and his four children. / 6 Brandon Blackstock and Kelly Clarkson shared two children: daughter River, 11, and son Remington, 9. Instagram/@kellyclarkson 'He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family's privacy during this very difficult time,' they concluded. Sources told TMZ that Blackstock had been battling melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer, and passed away Thursday morning. The day before Blackstock's tragic death, Clarkson postponed the remaining August shows of her Las Vegas residency. 6 Kelly Clarkson with her and Brandon Blackstock's two children, River and Remington. Getty Images She explained that Blackstock was experiencing health issues and she needed to focus on caring for their children. 'Unfortunately, I need to postpone the remainder of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas,' the 'Stronger' hitmaker wrote on her Instagram on Aug. 6. 'While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children's father has been ill, and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them,' she revealed. 6 Kelly Clarkson postponed the remaining August shows of her Las Vegas residency the day before Brandon Blackstock died. PapCulture / BACKGRID Clarkson concluded, 'I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows, and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.' In the wake of Blackstock's passing, another source told People that Clarkson had 'been devastated' for their children ever since her ex-husband received his diagnosis. 'When she found out that he was sick, she remained protective of him for their sake,' the insider told the outlet. 'Kelly has always tried to keep things classy. It became clear earlier this year that Brandon was not doing well. She's been devastated for the kids.' 6 Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock pushing a stroller. Instagram/@kellyclarkson Though the ex-couple's divorce was filled with drama, the source emphasized that the 'American Idol' winner stayed focused on maintaining Blackstock's relationship with their children. Describing the split and ensuing legal battle as 'messy, painful and something [Clarkson] felt terrible about,' the source added, 'The divorce was incredibly difficult for her… But she always wanted her kids to have the best relationship possible with their dad. She never spoke poorly about Brandon to the kids.' Sources would go on to confirm to Page Six that Blackstock had been secretly battling cancer, and that Clarkson had been juggling work while caring for her ex behind the scenes. 'It's been exhausting and so sad,' the source said. 'Kelly has been working so hard, as well as looking after Brandon. Despite their difficult divorce, he's still the man she loved and still her kids' father.'