Latest news with #Mulholland
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Who is Ann Kaplan Mulholland and why is her comment stirring controversy at Cannes?
Image credits: Getty Images Being famous has a string of perks, but it also has few drawbacks. You are on the internet almost 24/7, and while you may be appreciated for the good, you will definitely be called out for the bad. Ann Kaplan Mulholland , a 64-year-old entrepreneur, is currently attending the Cannes Film Festival, being held in the French city of Cannes from May 13-24, 2025. The Canadian millionaire entrepreneur recently debuted at the red carpet in a pink ensemble designed by Homolog, a Paris-based fashion house. Just like any other celebrity attending the festival, Mulholland went out and about in the coastal town, exploring its famous beauty. Now, a video of her poorly treating a restaurant server has been going viral on social media, along with the comment she made to him. Know all about this below! Who is Ann Kaplan Mulholland? Image credits: Getty Images Ann Kaplan Mulholland is famous for a variety of things. Firstly, she is a millionaire entrepreneur who is the CEO of iFinance Canada , the parent company to Medicard, Petcard, Dentalcard, iFinanceTech and iFinance Home Improvement. Secondly, she was a part of the reality TV show, 'The Real Housewives of Toronto ' and the author of the book 'How to Be Successful in Spite of Yourself'. She had a doctorate in finance and a whopping net worth of £500 million, according to the Daily Mail. Born in Winnipeg and raised in Victoria, the popular personality has been married to her surgeon and former ice hockey player husband, Stephen Mulholland, for the past 22 years, and the pair share eight children and two pets. In an interview with the HELLO! Magazine, the couple revealed that they met at a plastic surgery convention where Ann's company was financing U.S. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Elevate Business Writing With This Desktop App Grammarly Learn More Undo procedures and Stephen was attending as a surgeon. Stephen also shared that he instantly knew he was going to marry Ann, but it took him 14 months of "wooing" for him to convince her of the same. Over the years, Ann has become a known face in the media with her self-made career, which she uses to inspire young women, her stint on the reality TV and her and her husband's highly successful and popular professional careers. Why is Ann Kaplan Mulholland's comment stirring controversy at Cannes? Image credits: X/@OliLondonTV Mulholland, who debuted at the film festival recently, shared a video where she could be seen sitting at a table in a restaurant alongside her friends. In the now-deleted video, which she posted with the caption, "#SoClose", a waiter was helping the media personality to a slice of pizza when she looked at him with a serious expression and said, "Do I look like I eat carbs?" The member of the staff appeared visibly shocked at Mulholland's comment as he removed the pizza from her plate and awkwardly stepped away from the table. Mulholland then turned away from him and continued speaking to her friends. The socialite's behaviour with the staff has gone viral all over social media, where people have been condemning her rude comment to the waiter who was just doing his job. Influencer Joey Swoll shared Mulholland's viral video on X, condemning her behaviour, writing, "You can tell a lot about someone from how they treat the waitstaff at a restaurant." Internet personality Oli London, also reposted Swoll's reaction on X, calling out Mulholland for her rude behaviour. While Mulholland's video comes as a shocking and disturbing revelation of how she and many popular celebrities treat people, it also marks a stark contrast from the way she had earlier presented herself. In a 2018 interview with the HELLO! Magazine, she spoke on and on about being aware of how important each action is. "It's about living in the moment but being accountable. All the actions that you take, be accountable for them," she said. "When you do something, own up to it. Be aware of how important each action is. Even when you're getting a coffee, if you smile at someone, they can smile back. I like doing that- when I get my coffee, I smile back. It's a lot nicer to live that way," said the multimillionaire. However, her actions in the viral video seem to be completely opposite to the persona she portrayed. This marks the contrasting images that media personalities present in front of the media and people, and how they really are.
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Millionaire reality TV star mocks Cannes waiter in viral video: 'Do I look like I eat carbs?'
A multi-millionaire reality TV actress has triggered outrage on social media after sharing a video of her 'rude' behaviour towards a waiter in a Cannes restaurant. Real Housewives of Toronto star and socialite Ann Kaplan Mulholland was seen dismissing a waiter trying to serve her pizza as she sat for a meal with her friends. Mulholland shared the video on her Instagram among a series of posts as she attended the Cannes Film Festival. In the now-deleted clip, the group can be seen sitting outside in a restaurant when one of the servers tries to serve the 64-year-old a slice of pizza. With a blank expression, she taunted the waiter, saying, 'Do I look like I eat carbs?' The waiter was baffled by her comment and quietly apologised before withdrawing the food. Her associate, who is recording the video, can be heard chuckling at the exchange. Fitness influencer Joey Swoll shared the video on social media and called out her "rude and arrogant" behaviour. "You can tell a lot about someone from how they treat the waitstaff at a restaurant," he wrote. Labelling her a "narcissist", he said that Mulholland did not know "how to act like an adult at a restaurant." He also accused her of thinking she was "better than people" because of her wealth and status. "For you to take a video of that man, to post it online, to try to shame and embarrass him, and all for what? Some likes and attention on social media? Seriously?" the bodybuilder said. The video went viral on social media, earning flak over Mulholland's behaviour. "Someone's father is just trying to do his job and feed his family, and she posted it on her social media. She saw nothing wrong with it," said one user. Another wrote, "It's weird how 'no thank you' has fewer syllables, but she just wanted to be nasty. One day, her outsides will look like her insides." With a reported net worth of £500 million, Mulholland moved to the UK with her husband to invest in a castle and has been a regular at European red carpet events.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Proposed Olmsted County solar project could end resident's rural dream
May 20—VIOLA TOWNSHIP, Minn. — Clint Mulholland had a dream. When he was 5, he and his father were watering their sheep kept at the farm of their neighbor and friend, "Uncle" Bill Brennan. Mulholland, who loved Uncle Bill's farm, told Brennan, "I'm going to buy this from you someday." So, in 2009 when Brennan, unable to continue living alone at the house in rural Viola Township, called Mulholland — then 24 — and told him he'd sell Mulholland the house, the two men came to an agreement, part of which consisted of Brennan extracting a promise from his young friend that he never sell the place. "What I did from '09 to now, Bill would be proud of," Mulholland said. He tore down old out buildings, renovated the main house and added a large pole barn as a garage and for storage. Each morning he wakes up, Mulholland said, to beautiful sunrises, and each night he's treated to beautiful sunsets. Now 40, Mulholland isn't sure he can keep that promise he made to Uncle Bill. "I'll be surrounded on all four sides," Mulholland said. That is if Ranger Power, a Chicago-based renewable energy company, makes good on its plans to build a 1,800-acre solar farm that would cover farmland in Haverhill and Viola townships, northeast of Rochester in Olmsted County. The project, dubbed Lemon Hill Solar, would cover 1,800 acres daisy-chained across Viola and Haverhill townships in eastern Olmsted County. The solar farm would have a capacity, said Sergio Trevino, vice president of Ranger Power LLC, of 180 megawatts. This is not the company's first venture into utility-scale solar projects. And this project rivals the largest in Southeast Minnesota. Trevino said Ranger Power has developed several operational solar projects throughout the Midwest, and several other projects are in development, listing existing projects in Michigan and Illinois. This project, if completed, would be second in capacity — but larger in land area coverage — to the Byron Solar project that is slated to begin construction sometime this year. That project, located mainly in Canisteo Township in Dodge County, will cover nearly 1,500 acres with a capacity of 200 megawatts. The Byron Solar project is being developed by EDF Renewables. Trevino said about 14 landowners have voluntarily agreed to participate in the project. He cited proximity to transmission lines as one of the factors in choosing the location. "The project will be designed to minimize impacts," Trevino said, adding that state and federal environmental requirements as well as water flow concerns will be addressed. "The Minnesota Department of Commerce's Energy Environmental Review and Analysis (EERA) office will conduct a detailed review of all project impacts. The project will also obtain required local permits not covered by the Department of Commerce Site Permit, such as driveway and stormwater permits." He said solar panels have a long history of safe usage in the United States, and that Lemon Hill Solar would include "vegetative cover planted for the solar project (that) will produce nutrient-dense topsoil and help increase biodiversity throughout the project area, the project will use little to no water during operation, and the project will not produce harmful air or water pollution." A letter from Ranger Power adds that the project will add $33 million in new tax revenue over the potential 40-year lifespan of the project. That equals about $825,000 in taxes a year split between state, county, township and local school districts. The project will be presented to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) later this summer, Trevino said, with the hope of beginning construction in 2027 and becoming operational in 2028. Not everyone is buying Ranger Power's claims of a safe and tranquil solar farm in their backyards. At a May 2 meeting organized by Mulholland's mother, Joni Mulholland, at the Viola Town Hall, dozens of people — among a crowd of nearly 80 — spoke against the project. Bill Smith, who has lived in Haverhill Township for 39 years, talked about how when he wanted to build hog barns on his land, he needed to go through several public hearings in the township. The same was true when he wanted to build a modular home on his property. Mullholland said when he built his pole barn garage at his property, there were multiple meetings at the township and county level before the permit was approved. "I hear, 'It's my property, I can do what I want with it.'" Smith said, referring to the response he hears from people who have joined the project. "Can I cover my property with storage units? How can this be on ag-zoned land?" Smith asked the crowd — which included state Sen. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, and state Rep. Steve Jacob, R-Altura — if there was a way to change the zoning laws to have more local control. That, Drazkowski said, is exactly what he tried to do with an amendment to the Omnibus, Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate bill, adding language saying, "A county may adopt, by ordinance, standards for large wind energy conversion systems and solar energy generating systems that are more stringent than standards in commission rules or in the commission's permit standards." The amendment went on to add that the PUC "shall consider and apply those more stringent standards, unless the commission finds good cause not to apply the standards." That amendment was voted down on May 12 along party lines with one Republican joining the DFL. Jacob said the DFL's rush to approve solar projects is tied to the state's goal to be 100% wind- and solar-powered by 2040. Any amendments in the Legislature offered by Republicans — allowing for local regulations and input, forbidding purchase of components from places where child or slave labor is used — were all voted down on party lines. Smith — echoing Drazkowski — noted that all other land-use decisions are handled at the county and township level. Only solar farms are approved without county or township permits needed. "Property rights are a good foundational freedom," Drazkowski said. "I support that very very much. But property rights only extend as far as you interfere in someone else's property." Mulholland said while he thinks solar power can be a vital part of energy production, Ranger Power and his neighbors are boxing him in, meaning his property rights are, indeed, being interfered with. He listed off a litany of interference. During construction, he and his neighbors will have to listen to nonstop pounding as thousands of solar panel supports are driven into the ground. Traffic during construction will tie up the rural roads of the townships, particularly Viola Road/Olmsted County Road 2. Then there's the damage to the topsoil of productive agricultural land. Leveling of land for a substation and for fields of solar panels could lead to soil erosion and an inability to re-convert the land for agricultural uses due to a loss of topsoil and potential leeching of hazardous chemicals from the solar panels over time, Smith said. The project would mean the loss of field waterways, tile lines and topsoil. Mulholland pointed out that the double-substation for the project — according to the current map from Ranger Power — would be built just a stone's throw from his home. He'd like to see the substation built at least a half-mile from his home. But that is only part of the problem. The land where he lives — and neighboring land, which would be covered with solar panels — is the headwaters of the Whitewater River, a certified trout stream that also leads directly into the Mississippi River. If he were to break his promise to Uncle Bill and sell the property — something he hopes not to have to do — Mulholland wonders just how much he would get for his investment. He speculated that property values, especially with him being surrounded on all sides by solar infrastructure, would drop 30% or more. At the May 2 meeting, Smith asked the crowd, "Who here would like to buy a house next to a solar farm? Probably no one." A show of hands indicated he was correct. Jennifer Lawver, who lives on Viola Road, said if the project is approved, she'll immediately put her property up for sale at a 10% discount to try to move before the solar panels go up. And while the developer has found willing landowners to participate, Mulholland said only one of the 14 who has signed on has a home within sight of where solar panels will go up. For some, he said, the money being offered is too good. But Mulholland worries about his quality of life if he stays with the substation just yards away, humming behind tall fences. "I won't have any wildlife access," he said. "My 5 acres will never have deer on it again."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Charity lottery reform could bring NI vital funding
Changes in the law around charity lotteries could bring in "vital new funding into Northern Ireland's civil society", Hillary Clinton has said. A video message from the Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast and former US secretary of state will be played to a People's Postcode Lottery reception in Stormont on Tuesday. It comes after Alliance assembly member Sian Mulholland launched a public consultation for her Lotteries for Communities Bill, which aims to expand charity lottery fundraising in Northern Ireland. However, the operator of the National Lottery in Northern Ireland, Allwyn UK, has warned against "industrial-scale society lotteries". The public consultation states "there may be concerns about the potential risks associated with gambling, and its impact on individuals and communities," and it is seeking to gauge opinions from the public on the matter. In the video message, Clinton speaks about her and former US President Bill Clinton's view of the charity sector in Northern Ireland and across the world. "Through our visits to Northern Ireland over the years, we know how vital the charity sector and civil society are - something we believe is true around the world," she said. "When we heard that People's Postcode Lottery might come to Northern Ireland, we wanted to lend our voices in support." The People's Postcode Lottery is a subscription-based lottery service. Players sign up with their postcode and pay a subscription fee each month to be in with the chance of winning cash prizes. They are automatically entered into the draw and prizes are announced every day of the month. A minimum of 30% of the ticket price goes to charities. Malcolm Fleming, director of public affairs at the People's Postcode Lottery, said there was a "huge untapped potential for charity lottery fundraising to raise millions of pounds every year for charities in Northern Ireland". Speaking to BBC News NI, Mulholland said: "When we look at large society lotteries and what they have invested into the community and voluntary sector in Great Britain and even across Europe, they've raised millions of pounds in vital funds for these good causes in our grass roots and local communities." She said she wanted to bring that funding option to the community and voluntary sector in Northern Ireland. Speaking at a Stormont communities committee, Allwyn UK representatives said modelling indicated a £5.4m annual loss to Northern Ireland's purse and National Lottery good causes within five years if the legislation was implemented. Mulholland said she had engaged with the National Lottery, which can operate in Northern Ireland because it is governed by a different legislative framework. "We have seen research that has shown that in GB where both markets run together side-by-side there is no major impact on the numbers of people playing in the National lottery - it's a very different product," she added. Current legislation prevents large society lotteries, like the People's Postcode Lottery, from operating in Northern Ireland. Mulholland said this was "because of the cap and the limits that are set in terms of how many people are allowed to play charity lotteries here and also how much charity lotteries here are allowed to put up the prices". The current laws contained in the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order date back to 1985 There is no single independent regulatory body for gambling in Northern Ireland Courts and councils license gambling activities, the Department for Communities is responsible for track betting licences and enforcement lies with the police The 1985 order predates the development of the internet and therefore contains no provisions relating to online gambling NI consumers are offered some protection through laws in Great Britain There are also no provisions requiring the gambling industry in NI to make any contribution to funding support services for problem gambling NI laws were last updated in 2022 to allow for extended opening hours for bookmakers and bingo halls. Mental health charity receives £75,000 donation Recovering gambler urges others to not 'suffer in silence'
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Charity lottery reform could bring NI vital funding
Changes in the law around charity lotteries could bring in "vital new funding into Northern Ireland's civil society", Hillary Clinton has said. A video message from the Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast and former US secretary of state will be played to a People's Postcode Lottery reception in Stormont on Tuesday. It comes after Alliance assembly member Sian Mulholland launched a public consultation for her Lotteries for Communities Bill, which aims to expand charity lottery fundraising in Northern Ireland. However, the operator of the National Lottery in Northern Ireland, Allwyn UK, has warned against "industrial-scale society lotteries". The public consultation states "there may be concerns about the potential risks associated with gambling, and its impact on individuals and communities," and it is seeking to gauge opinions from the public on the matter. In the video message, Clinton speaks about her and former US President Bill Clinton's view of the charity sector in Northern Ireland and across the world. "Through our visits to Northern Ireland over the years, we know how vital the charity sector and civil society are - something we believe is true around the world," she said. "When we heard that People's Postcode Lottery might come to Northern Ireland, we wanted to lend our voices in support." The People's Postcode Lottery is a subscription-based lottery service. Players sign up with their postcode and pay a subscription fee each month to be in with the chance of winning cash prizes. They are automatically entered into the draw and prizes are announced every day of the month. A minimum of 30% of the ticket price goes to charities. Malcolm Fleming, director of public affairs at the People's Postcode Lottery, said there was a "huge untapped potential for charity lottery fundraising to raise millions of pounds every year for charities in Northern Ireland". Speaking to BBC News NI, Mulholland said: "When we look at large society lotteries and what they have invested into the community and voluntary sector in Great Britain and even across Europe, they've raised millions of pounds in vital funds for these good causes in our grass roots and local communities." She said she wanted to bring that funding option to the community and voluntary sector in Northern Ireland. Speaking at a Stormont communities committee, Allwyn UK representatives said modelling indicated a £5.4m annual loss to Northern Ireland's purse and National Lottery good causes within five years if the legislation was implemented. Mulholland said she had engaged with the National Lottery, which can operate in Northern Ireland because it is governed by a different legislative framework. "We have seen research that has shown that in GB where both markets run together side-by-side there is no major impact on the numbers of people playing in the National lottery - it's a very different product," she added. Current legislation prevents large society lotteries, like the People's Postcode Lottery, from operating in Northern Ireland. Mulholland said this was "because of the cap and the limits that are set in terms of how many people are allowed to play charity lotteries here and also how much charity lotteries here are allowed to put up the prices". The current laws contained in the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order date back to 1985 There is no single independent regulatory body for gambling in Northern Ireland Courts and councils license gambling activities, the Department for Communities is responsible for track betting licences and enforcement lies with the police The 1985 order predates the development of the internet and therefore contains no provisions relating to online gambling NI consumers are offered some protection through laws in Great Britain There are also no provisions requiring the gambling industry in NI to make any contribution to funding support services for problem gambling NI laws were last updated in 2022 to allow for extended opening hours for bookmakers and bingo halls. Mental health charity receives £75,000 donation Recovering gambler urges others to not 'suffer in silence'
