Latest news with #MadHouse
The Guardian
13-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Mad House: new book exposes Capitol Hill's absurdity and dysfunction
Annie Karni, once of Politico, covers Congress for the New York Times. Her colleague Luke Broadwater, once a Pulitzer prize winner for the Baltimore Sun, makes the Trump administration his beat. As co-authors, at book length of Mad House, they deliver a sharp and wit-filled portrait of Capitol Hill dysfunction. Generally unflattering, Karni and Broadwater dedicate their book on modern US politics to 'the leakers, gossips, and busybodies who populate the halls of Congress'. Their tone matches the age. Under Donald Trump, politics is performative, personas are outsized. People are angry. What passes for authenticity is prized. Ambition and wishful thinking are rife. The players know it, yet find the call of fame irresistible. Karni and Broadwater begin with the cautionary tale of Kevin McCarthy, hapless and desperate as speaker of the House, and end with impressions and ruminations from Chuck Schumer, the Brooklyn-born leader of Democrats in the Senate. McCarthy comes off much worse. His fellow House members rejected him. Hell, they humiliated him. All the way from Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker emeritus, to Matt Gaetz, the Republican bad boy from Florida who somehow became Donald Trump's first pick for attorney general, almost all of them loathed him. As a California congressman, McCarthy was a back-slapping schmoozer – not anyone's idea of someone cut out for 'high-stakes negotiations', in the words of the authors. 'I don't know what the hell he's doing here. Why is he even here?' Pelosi would say – with McCarthy standing right there. 'He was a waste of space, and it was a waste of her time to have to talk to such an idiot,' Karni and Broadwater write. Pelosi was not alone. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, the Democratic whip, was similarly unkind. McCarthy, she said, 'was about a pursuit of power, and the rest of it didn't matter. That inherently made him a dangerous and ineffective leader.' For Gaetz, it was personal. McCarthy declined to shut down an ethics committee investigation into allegations of drug use and underage sex. When McCarthy's fall came, he attempted to frame it as a 'Matt Gaetz grudge fuck'. Some measure of consolation arose: being Trump's attorney general pick didn't work out for Gaetz, who's now out of Congress entirely, a minor TV host. In December, the ethics committee released its report. It was not a good look for anyone, let alone a prospective AG. The committee found 'substantial evidence' that Gaetz 'violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress'. Still, Gaetz is married to Ginger Luckey, sister of Palmer Luckey, a tech mogul and defense contractor. Gaetz also sells videos on Cameo. 'I served in Congress. Trump nominated me to be US Attorney General (that didn't work out),' he advertises. 'Once I fired the House Speaker.' Karni and Broadwater have more than the saga of McCarthy and Gaetz to make the reader scowl, cringe and giggle. 'If there was one thing politicians of every ilk serving in the 118th session of Congress could agree on,' they observe, 'it was that they were members of a dysfunctional legislative body populated by a bunch of clowns.' Nancy Mace, a North Carolina Republican, is caught yearning to be Trump's running mate in 2024. Her past criticisms of him? Her vote to certify the 2020 election? Forgettable sins, she hopes. Yet she is acutely aware that Trump is the force of the day. 'I can't move forward and move up and be anti-Trump,' Mace says. 'That's just not where the country is.' More like, it's not where Republican voters are. 'If I want to have a career going forward, then I have some decisions I have to make.' Karni and Broadwater twist the knife, cataloging Mace's 'nine tattoos, up from zero'. The congresswoman's body art includes the names of her children, on her ribs. A Robert Frost quote elsewhere. The opening sentence from Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway? On her torso. Mace keeps Bible quotes on her fingers, 'tattooed in red to make them less visible'. A graduate of the Citadel military school, the daughter of an army general, Mace sits on the armed services committee. More seriously, Karni and Broadwater capture how Schumer lowered the boom on Joe Biden, as his age and infirmity grew too great to ignore. After the then president's televised faceplant last June, on the debate stage with Trump, the New York senator told his former colleague the end was nigh. No more than five Senate Democrats believed Biden should keep running. Beyond that, 'if the president refused to step aside, [Schumer] would argue, the consequences for Democrats and Mr Biden's own legacy after a half-century of public service would be catastrophic'. 'If I were you … I wouldn't run,' Schumer said. 'And I'm urging you not to run.' Biden said: 'You've got bigger balls than anyone I've ever met.' He soon stepped out of the race. But Schumer was not clear-eyed on all things. 'Here's my hope,' he told Karni and Broadwater. 'After this election, when the Republican party expels the turd of Donald Trump, it will go back to being the old Republican party.' Call that … wishful thinking. Another Democrat, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, wasn't buying it. 'There are plenty of examples of societies captured by a singularly unique individual demagogue and that get healthy after that person disappears,' Murphy tells Karni and Broadwater. 'I don't know. I'm not as optimistic as he is. I worry there's a rot at the core of the country that will continue to be exposed politically.' Now Schumer himself stands exposed, his leadership in question over his failure to stand up to Republicans pushing a punishing spending bill. The New Yorker is 74 and still uses a flip phone. Murphy is 51, from the iPhone generation, seen as a leader in waiting. On the Senate side of Karni and Broadwater's Mad House, change may be coming. Mad House is published in the US by Penguin Random House
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Frozen yogurt shop in Duluth is transforming to focus on burgers
One Chilly Billy's location in Duluth is getting a refresh. The frozen yogurt and breakfast hub will transform into MadHouse Burgers, a smash burger concept that will ditch the breakfast menu but keep the frozen yogurt. MadHouse will officially open at 1608 Woodland Ave. on April 26, celebrating its grand opening with free burgers for the first 150 diners. "This is an exciting new chapter," says Andrew Weisz, co-owner of Chilly Billy's. "MadHouse brings the energy, the attitude, and most importantly, incredible food." The revamped menu includes the Pulled Pork Smash Burger, Jalapeño Popper Smash Burger, and Bacon Smash Burger, with basic smash burgers starting at $7.99. The restaurant will also serve beer and retain its self-serve frozen yogurt station. Weisz and co-owner Adam Daoust took over Chilly Billy's in 2023, purchasing the company from founder Bill Marker, who was retiring but hoping to keep the Duluth shop alive. While MadHouse opens this month, Chilly Billy's breakfast will stick around on the menu through May 14. Weisz tells Bring Me The News that the company will continue to operate standalone Chilly Billy's locations at the Miller Hall Mall in Duluth and at 2421 Tower Ave. in Superior. MadHouse Burgers will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dear Chuck Schumer, the 'old' Republican Party is never coming back
This summer will mark 10 years since Donald Trump first descended the escalator at Trump Tower to announce his candidacy for president of the United States. Now, two months into his second term, it's becoming painfully clear that many of the people best positioned to push back against his agenda still haven't accepted how much the world has changed. The latest example came from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer in "Mad House," an upcoming book from Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater of The New York Times, which revealed a 2023 exchange in which he said Trump was an aberration. 'Here's my hope … after this election, when the Republican Party expels the turd of Donald Trump, it will go back to being the old Republican Party," he said, according to the book. There are a lot of things wrong with this quote other than its needlessly vivid imagery. I remember the 'old' Republican Party well. I was its chairman in 2009 shortly after the transformative victory of President Barack Obama and Democratic dominance in both chambers of Congress. The late Sen. John McCain had been the party's nominee in 2008 and then-Gov. Mitt Romney would be its nominee in the next cycle. These former figureheads of the party are now considered by Trump's acolytes as RINOs, Republicans in Name Only. MAGA Republicans fantasize about McCain roasting in hell. Conservative heavy-hitters like Matt Schlapp say Romney's physical safety would be jeopardized if he so much as attended the Conservative Political Action Conference. The "old" Republican Party is gone. It sold its soul to Trump in return for two presidencies and three Supreme Court seats. One by one, the Republicans who stood up to Trump in the beginning have either left politics or capitulated, often in humiliating fashion. After Trump insulted his wife's appearance and lied about his father during the 2016 presidential primary, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz could have continued calling Trump out as a 'sniveling coward.' Instead, he became one of his sniveling supporters. When Trump dragged him into a stomach-turning exchange about genital size on a national debate stage, then-Sen. Marco Rubio could have insisted to Republican voters that their rhetoric had to rise above Trump's brazen behavior. Instead, he now serves as Trump's Secretary of State. Some of this is careerism. Trump has shown that he can turn the Republican base against even the most stalwart conservatives, which leaves those who want to remain in elected office with a choice: debase themselves to gain power or stick to their principles and be cast aside like Romney and McCain. But the truth is Republicans capitulate even when it's not necessary. Far too many of today's Republicans are unwilling to call out Trump's seedy dealings with Russia, heed warnings about the perils of relying too heavily on tariffs or stand with law enforcement over pro-Trump extremists — all positions that are unpopular with broad swaths of voters. Another reason the Republican Party I once led is never seeing a revival? Republican voters don't want to revive it. In fact, MAGA officials repeatedly race to outdo each others' depravity because they know today's Republican voters will reward them for it. South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, who once envisioned a Republican Party that carved out space for LGBTQ+ rights, now fundraises on a bizarre obsession with trans people's bathroom habits. Far-right Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once considered a fringe conspiracy theorist by people with multiple brain cells, is now one of the party's leading political figures and the top congressional fundraiser in her state. Even Trump's most unhinged Cabinet picks were awarded confirmations not despite their lack of experience or support for conspiracy theories, but because of them. And there's Trump, whose criminal indictments and even convictions became a cause célèbre and his highest fundraising days of the 2024 campaign. The old Republican Party is not coming back. Those bridges have been burned by Republicans. The sooner Schumer and those Republicans interested in the re-emergence of traditional republicanism understand this reality, the sooner we move on from Trumpism. But sitting back and waiting for the GOP to "expel" Trump won't change a thing. For more thought-provoking insights from Michael Steele, Alicia Menendez and Symone Sanders-Townsend, watch 'The Weekend' every Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m. ET on MSNBC. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Abby Lee Miller Is the 'Housemother from Hell' Welcoming Dancers to 'Mad House' Season 2: 'Save Your Tears for the Pillow' (Exclusive)
Abby Lee Miller is back for season 2 of Mad House! In PEOPLE's exclusive first look at the highly anticipated second season of the reality show, the Dance Moms alum, 59, won't be mincing words as she whips a group of hopeful dancers into shape for a coveted spot in her Mad House. "Building on the explosive drama that captivated fans in its debut, this season cranks up the intensity with jaw-dropping twists, surprising alliances, and the uncompromising tough love that only Abby Lee Miller, the housemother from hell, can bring," an official logline reads. "Abby takes her critiques to the next level, aimed at young adults navigating the high-pressure world of professional dance." Related: Dance Moms' Abby Lee Miller Admits She Was Too 'Harsh' on Kids Who 'Didn't Have the Talent' (Exclusive) Through demanding rehearsals, house assignments and challenges, each dancer will have to prove themselves as Miller offers her trademark "no-nonsense training to shape their skills and jumpstart their careers." Each week, the dancers will have fight to save their spot as new hopefuls arrive at the house to give them the boot. Fan favorites like Savoy Bailey and Devin Crews will return alongside new faces, Haley Huelsman, Dakayla Wilson, and Donovyn Diaz. The trailer begins with the dancers gearing up for a challenging second season. Tears are shed and an epic montage of the dancers performing their hearts out — including a shot of Miller decked out in hip-hop gear — plays on screen. Related: JoJo Siwa Defends Abby Lee Miller's 'Tough Love' Coaching Style on Dance Moms, Says Their Relationship Is 'Amazing' After grueling days of practice and jobs, things reach a boiling point when Bailey confronts Miller for a snide comment she over heard during dinner. "So nothing's private, Abby, with you, because I heard you whisper to Richie when I said that I've done five movies, that they were all vertical shorts," she says as tears begin to form. "Off the bat, that makes me look bad. I feel like I worked really hard, and it just puts everything behind that. You're just like, 'She's just pretty, that's all she has.'" While Bailey wipes tears from her face, Miller hits back, "No, the inside pirouette didn't make you look good. You don't expect it from me, because you're the favorite here. Pull it together. Save your tears for the pillow." In an exclusive sit-down with PEOPLE, Miller opened up about going back to Mad House and the "wonderful" experience of filming season 2 with her dancers. "I knew a lot of the kids," she says of the casting process. "Last year I pretty much cast the show by myself, single-handedly cast the show by calling in all these favors. This year it was a little different because people knew about Mad House, they had seen it. So a lot more kids wanted to be involved in participating." Though she believes the success rate of her dancers are "getting better each year," Miller admits she ran into a few challenges when it came to training. While the dancers were talented, there were many classic moves she had to teach them like the Charleston, the Jitterbug, the Jerk and more. "They don't know anything. All they know is contemporary and lyrical and roll around on the floor. And it's like that isn't what's going to get you a job. You're not going to work doing that," she explains, noting how big Broadway or studio productions expect professional dancers to know these steps. "Your dance teachers in your small town in the United States should be covering all that curriculum and they're not," she continues. "So we run into a lot of that on the show and I just go berserk on them when they can't do it. The movies are there, go watch the damn movie and figure it out." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Mad House season 2 premieres on Brandon TV on Feb. 27, with new episodes dropping every Thursday. Read the original article on People
Fox Sports
28-01-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
2025 NASCAR Clash odds: Kyle Larson, Chase Briscoe favorites at Bowman Gray
The unofficial start of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season gets underway this weekend with the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray on FOX. Notably, the Clash had run at Los Angeles' historic Coliseum since 2022. However, the league's decision to move the exhibition race from Southern California to Winston-Salem, North Carolina meant that the race would land at another popular track. Bowman Gray gained notoriety after being featured on "MadHouse," a docuseries that followed modified race car drivers at the track. Last year, Denny Hamlin won this race. Can the reigning Clash champion get into victory lane at Bowman Gray this weekend? Let's dive into the odds at Caesars Sportsbook as of Jan. 28. NASCAR Cookout Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium Kyle Larson : +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total) Chase Briscoe : +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total) Denny Hamlin : +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total) Christopher Bell : +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total) Joey Logano : +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total) Ryan Blaney : +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total) Ty Gibbs : +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total) Kyle Busch : +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total) Chase Elliott : +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total) William Byron : +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total) Tyler Reddick : +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total) Chris Buescher : +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total) Brad Keselowski : +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total) Alex Bowman : +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total) Bubba Wallace : +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total) Josh Berry: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Ryan Preece : +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Ross Chastain : +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Austin Dillon : +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total) Justin Haley : +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total) Cole Custer : +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Tim Brown: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Burt Myers: +7500 (bet $10 to win $760 total) Carson Hocevar : +7500 (bet $10 to win $760 total) Austin Cindric : +7500 (bet $10 to win $760 total) Noah Gragson : +7500 (bet $10 to win $760 total) Daniel Suarez : +8500 (bet $10 to win $860 total) AJ Allmendinger : +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total) Michael McDowell : +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total) Riley Herbst: +12500 (bet $10 to win $1,260 total) Erik Jones : +12500 (bet $10 to win $1,260 total) Shane Van Gisbergen : +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. : +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total) Todd Gilliland : +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total) Zane Smith: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total) Ty Dillon : +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total) John Hunter Nemechek : +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total) Garrett Smithley: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total) Cody Ware: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total) Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
