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Beloved Icon Tim Curry Passes at 80: Remembering the ‘Rocky Horror’ Legend’s Impact

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Renowned film and television icon Tim Curry has passed away at the age of 80.

Tim Curry, celebrated for his unforgettable portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the cult phenomenon The Rocky Horror Picture Show, died peacefully at his Los Angeles residence, as confirmed by his manager today.

Curry had been grappling with significant health challenges for over a decade. Authorities have confirmed that no foul play is suspected in his passing.

Following his career-defining role in 1973, Curry further cemented his legacy by starring in the 1992 film Home Alone 2 as Mr. Hector, the sharply observant concierge of New York’s Plaza Hotel.

From 2004 to 2007, Curry captivated audiences with his portrayal of King Arthur in the Monty Python musical Spamalot, performing on stage in Chicago, on Broadway, and in London’s West End.

Some of his stage credits include What About Dick? My Favorite Year and Travesties, among others. 

In 2015, he was honoured with The Actors Fund Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tony Awards Viewing Party in Los Angeles. 

Curry opened up about his wellbeing last year during a special screening marking The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s 50th anniversary. 

Tim Curry was best known for playing Dr Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Tim Curry was best known for playing Dr Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The 80-year-old also played the concierge in Home Alone 2

The 80-year-old also played the concierge in Home Alone 2 

Curry in 2016 attending the red carpet premiere of The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Lets Do the Time Warp Again' at The Roxy in West Hollywood, California

Curry in 2016 attending the red carpet premiere of The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Lets Do the Time Warp Again’ at The Roxy in West Hollywood, California 

Speaking to the audience at LA’s Academy Museum, he said: ‘I still can’t walk, which is why I’m in this silly chair, and that’s very limiting.

‘So, I won’t be singing and I won’t be dancing very soon. I still have real problems with my left leg.’

Since the stroke, which he suffered aged 66, the legendary actor remained largely out of the public eye. 

Born Timothy James Curry in Cheshire, England, in 1946, Curry was the younger child of Patricia, a school secretary, and James, a Royal Navy chaplain. He had an older sister, Judith – a concert pianist, who died in 2001. 

Curry grew up in Plymouth and went to boarding school. Then, in 1958, when he was just 12 years old, he lost his father to pneumonia.

The tragedy had a profound impact on his childhood.

Ten years later, the actor watched Judi Dench onstage as Sally Bowles in Cabaret at London’s Palace Theatre, a moment that cemented his ambition to become an actor.

For many years, he rarely discussed his famous appearance in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, fearing he would be typecast.

He previously recalled the opening night during the show’s Broadway debut as ‘very exciting’ but said the critics were far too harsh.

Between 2004 and 2007, Curry played King Arthur in the Monty Python musical Spamalot on stage in Chicago, Broadway and the West End

Between 2004 and 2007, Curry played King Arthur in the Monty Python musical Spamalot on stage in Chicago, Broadway and the West End

The actor in costume during the filming of the television mini-series Will Shakespeare at the ATV studios in Elstree, Hertfordshire, in June 1976

The actor in costume during the filming of the television mini-series Will Shakespeare at the ATV studios in Elstree, Hertfordshire, in June 1976

‘I had to go on the Today Show the next day and they read the reviews, which were appalling,’ he explained. ‘That brought me down. It was very cruel.’

The reviews described his performance as ‘a mixture of Joan Crawford and Burt Lancaster’ and ‘Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Marc Bolan all in one’

In 2011, Curry was scheduled to appear in Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead, but he withdrew from the production at the last minute citing ill health. 

Speculation Grows Among Fans About Taylor Swift’s Anticipated 13th Album Release

It’s been nearly a year since Taylor Swift dropped her 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl. Yet, whispers have started to swirl, suggesting she’s already hinting at a lucky 13th release.

Since the October 2025 debut of her last record, devoted Swifties have been on the lookout for any subtle hints or Easter eggs that might reveal what’s next in her musical journey.

Speaking on husband Travis Kelce‘s “New Heights” podcast in August 2025, Swift shared insights into her strategy, saying, “I’m never going to plan an Easter egg that ties back to my personal life. It’s always going to be toward music or something that I have coming up. A plan I have coming together. Something that you don’t know I’m saying for a specific reason that you’ll hear later and go back and go, ‘Oh, my God.’”

Having married Kelce in July 2026, Swift remains tight-lipped about any forthcoming albums. However, her fondness for the number 13 is well-known, sparking hope among fans for another record.

Taylor-Swift-and-Travis-Kelce-GettyImages-2276074878

Could the wait for Taylor Swift’s much-anticipated 13th studio album nearly be over? On Saturday, May 16, Swift, 36, and fiancé Travis Kelce appeared at a friend’s wedding. Her choice of attire—a shimmering golden Maria Lucia Hohan gown—has only fueled the speculation that new music might be on the way.

Allow Us to break down the biggest clues that Swift’s 13th record could be in development:

All About the Numbers

While attending a friend’s wedding in May 2026, Swift paired her golden Maria Lucia Hohan gown with opal drop earrings. The baubles featured 13 stones, which would correspond to the potential album number.

Swifties were quick to point out that Swift similarly wore red earrings with 12 stones to the 2025 Grammy Awards — months before she announced The Life of a Showgirl.

Lilac in London

Swift stepped out in London in August 2026, rocking a lavender-colored Delphine mini dress as she exited a members’ only club. She was previously spotted leaving the same venue in August 2024 while in town for her Eras Tour performances at Wembley Stadium.

Swift sported a plaid Vivienne Westwood blazer and matching miniskirt at the time, following a period of multiple plaid getups. Showgirl was ultimately released on National Plaid Day.

“This taysighting was the beginning of the massive plaid era taylor wore during 2024-2025 which we later found out was pointing to plaid day when showgirl was released (october 3rd),” a fan tweeted on August 2026. “Two years later, Taylor is seen in the exact same spot dressed in a color that has been highly theorized to be the ts13 color and with an exit sign nearby which was heavily emphasized during the Showgirl era….. like HELLO.”

Swift promoted Showgirl in fall 2025 with the release of multiple covers shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. In one pic, Swift rocked a bedazzled corset while standing underneath an exit sign backstage. (Showgirl was written about Swift’s life during the Eras Tour, which was also the catalyst for her romance with Kelce.)

Look to the Top of the Empire State Building for Clues

The official social media accounts for the New York City landmark shared photos of the skyscraper lit up in green on August 20, 2026.

“WhaTS happening?” the caption read, capitalizing Swift’s initials.

On Instagram, the account event tagged Swift’s page.

While it’s entirely possible the Empire State Building social team could be feeding into fan frenzy, some Swifties have guessed the pop star might be hinting at a new album or a rerecorded version of her debut LP. (Swift’s self-titled first album will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2026.)

Back to Her Roots

Swift spoke at the Grammy Museum in August 2026 for a 20-year career retrospective, waxing poetic about her start in the country industry.

“I love my country roots more and more as I go further in this path,” she told attendees. “I wanna honor them more and more, the artist who shaped who I am, and that all happened in Nashville.”

From Swift’s own admission, several fans believed that TS13 could have a country twang.

It All Comes Back to ‘Bejeweled’

In the 2022 music video for “Bejeweled,” Swift rode on an elevator with different colored buttons. Fans deduced that each button corresponded to the colors associated with Swift’s past albums, including red for Red, blue for 1989 and yellow for Fearless. The 13th button at the top was painted lilac.

“Taylor has been teasing TS13 being lilac since the Bejeweled [music video]. The 13th floor is 💜,” one fan wrote via X in August 2026. “But the 💜is paired with 🧡tones, she did it with [‘I Can Do It With a Broken Heart’] mv, ‘Anti-Hero’ mv, at Eras with the mixed colors [‘1989’] outfit, and today with the pap walk outfit.”

Another fan noted that the same color scheme was featured in Swift’s Eras Tour book.

Director Reveals Brian Hickerson’s Disturbing On-Set Comment About Hayden Panettiere

Director Griff Furst recently disclosed an unsettling interaction involving Brian Hickerson on the set of a film, where Hickerson allegedly made a concerning comment about his girlfriend, actress Hayden Panettiere.

Furst, known for directing “Lake Placid 3,” took to Instagram to recount the incident that occurred during the making of the 2025 movie “A Breed Apart.”

In his video message, Furst described the moment as a camera rehearsal unfolded with Panettiere. Furst was focused on the monitor when Hickerson, standing about 15 feet away, approached him.

The director alleged that Hickerson leaned in close and commented, “You let me know what you need her to do — I can get her to do anything,” which left Furst feeling uneasy.

At 44, Furst recounted his “immediate reaction” to the unsettling comment as simply, “What the f–k?”

“But what I said was, ‘Alright,’ because what else do you say? Because you’re in the middle of a rehearsal, and somebody you didn’t hire says that to you.”

Furst said Hickerson’s alleged comment was presented like a “bizarre power flex.”

“We could all see it and we all wanted ot help but spotting a red flag and physically pulling somebody out of a toxic situation are very different things,” he explained.

“I don’t think anybody knows right now what happened to Hayden and more so, I don’t believe that Brian wanted this tragedy to happen at all. But the dynamic that they were in was noticeably destructive. He is just not the kind of person that you would want directing the life of a co-worker or a friend or a mother or a daughter.”

“It made me think of the similarities to Brittany Murphy — just in the sense that I made a movie with her about a year before she passed and she too was a brilliant, incredibly gifted woman”

However, Furst said Murphy — who died in December 2009 from untreated pneumonia, severe iron-deficiency anemia and drug intoxication — got “sucked into a dark place alongside the partner that she chose,” referring to the late Simon Monjack, who was accused of isolating the “8 Mile” actress by being manipulative and controlling her career. (Monjack died in May 2010, at the age of 40 from acute pneumonia and severe anemia.)

Furst said that he’s “seen scores of people who have [been] lost to substance [abuse], and on their way down” due to the company that they kept.

“These tragedies seem to always be preceded by an identifiable pattern, which is the reason that I’m talking about this right now, because it’s in the spotlight,” he added.

Page Six has reached out to Hickerson’s attorneys for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Panettiere was found unresponsive by Brian’s brother, Zach Hickerson, in a South Carolina Airbnb on Aug. 16.

Zach claimed his brother was asleep in the other room at the residence while the “Heroes” alum was found in a living room chair.

According to a police report obtained by Page Six, the actress was taking a “bag of medication” at the time of her death.

The report also stated that Brian, who had been arrested several times for allegedly abusing Panettiere, “did not become emotional” until the “Nashville” actress was officially declared dead. She was 36.

An official cause of death has not yet been released.

Last week, Furst claimed Panettiere’s team was trying to stage an intervention before her untimely passing.

Dame Maggie Smith Bequeaths £16 Million Estate to Her Sons

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Dame Maggie Smith, the beloved star renowned for her roles in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, bequeathed nearly £16 million to her two sons, both of whom have followed in her illustrious footsteps into the world of acting.

Dame Maggie Smith left a fortune of almost £16 million to her two actor sons following her death

Dame Maggie Smith’s considerable fortune was passed down to her actor sons after her passing.

Recently disclosed probate documents illuminate how the acclaimed actress, a two-time Oscar winner, arranged her estate. Smith passed away at the age of 89 at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London in September 2024, surrounded by her loved ones.

Probate records published nearly two years later, which have been revealed by The Sun, show Maggie left a net estate valued at £15,977,325, with the bulk divided equally between her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens.

Her total estate was valued at £16,003,613 before debts and expenses of just over £26,000 were deducted.

Usha Vance Reveals Insights on JD Vance’s 2028 Presidential Aspirations

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WASHINGTON — Usha Vance, the second lady, has addressed rumors swirling about her husband, hinting at a possible 2028 presidential run.

As a mother of four, she expressed her support for any such decision by her husband, emphasizing, however, that Vice President JD Vance is currently zeroed in on the upcoming midterm elections, where the Republicans face tough odds in their quest to maintain control of the House.

“I approach this one step at a time,” she revealed on “Fox & Friends” during a Wednesday broadcast. “At the moment, his primary focus is on the midterms.”

She further explained, “For me, it’s about concentrating on the opportunities I have in this four-year tenure. I aim to remain open-hearted and adaptable to whatever the future may hold, having witnessed our ability to navigate various changes.”

Vice President Vance has also downplayed the presidential buzz, reiterating that his current emphasis lies squarely on the midterm elections.

Just last month, Usha gave birth to the second family’s fourth child, Alex.

“He’s a great newborn,” she remarked. “He must know his place in the world because he’s a fourth child. He has been so relaxed compared to a couple of his siblings. So we’re actually sleeping pretty well and feeling pretty good.”

She revealed that JD has been reading the “Hobbit” to their children before bedtime and touted her campaign to boost child literacy

The veep joked earlier this week that Usha previously suggested it might be difficult to have both a fourth child and pursue the vice presidency.

“The second lady said, ‘Well, you can have one of two things. You can be VP, or you can have a fourth child.’ Ladies and gentlemen, I must be pretty persuasive, because I got both,” JD quipped at an event in Maine.

Many recent presidents have had young children. During President Trump’s first term, his youngest son, Barron, was just 10 years old. Former President Barack Obama took office with a 10- and 7-year-old.

JD has routinely been polled as the 2028 GOP presidential frontrunner, followed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump has mused publicly about whether JD or Rubio would be stronger as the party’s standard-bearer.

Usha hinted that she will be supportive of her husband’s 2028 decision.

“Whatever it is that he feels is the right thing for him to do, we’re going to have a good time doing it,” Usha said of her husband’s potential presidential prospects. “We will make the best of it in the best possible way.”

Secret Service Shake-Up: Top Officials Suspended Amid Explosive Inquiry

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In a dramatic turn of events, three senior Secret Service officials, including the agency’s chief spokesperson, have been escorted out of their offices due to an internal misconduct investigation.

Communications director Anthony Guglielmi and two others in his department left on Monday, sources told Real Clear Politics.

These officials have been placed on administrative leave. In the process, their security clearances have been revoked, and their work-related devices seized, as reported by CNN.

While the Secret Service remains tight-lipped about the specific details of the investigation, it’s been revealed that both the CIA and the FBI are involved in the matter.

The investigation coincides with FBI Director Kash Patel’s ongoing efforts to identify the source of a media leak concerning former President Donald Trump’s secretive airplane switch at the Ankara tarmac post-NATO summit last month.

Reports detailed that during the incident, the President made a discreet exit from Air Force One via a catering cart, leaving some Cabinet members behind while departing with only his closest aides, including personal secretary Natalie Harp, due to a threat from Iranian operatives.

The Secret Service has faced mounting scrutiny in recent years following several high-profile security lapses while protecting Trump.

FBI agents reportedly questioned several Secret Service officials after it was first revealed that the President did not leave Turkey aboard the Qatari-gifted plane. 

Anthony Guglielmi, Secret Service communications director, and two other officials in his department were walked out of the agency's office on Monday

Anthony Guglielmi, Secret Service communications director, and two other officials in his department were walked out of the agency’s office on Monday

The alleged wrongdoing remains unclear, but the action comes just weeks after details emerged of a covert operation to spirit the President out of Turkey in a catering cart

The alleged wrongdoing remains unclear, but the action comes just weeks after details emerged of a covert operation to spirit the President out of Turkey in a catering cart

The report described how the President left Air Force One in a catering cart, leaving several Cabinet members behind while taking only his closest aides, including personal secretary Natalie Harp (pictured), amid an Iranian assassination threat

The report described how the President left Air Force One in a catering cart, leaving several Cabinet members behind while taking only his closest aides, including personal secretary Natalie Harp (pictured), amid an Iranian assassination threat

All three agents have had their security clearances suspended and their work devices seized

All three agents have had their security clearances suspended and their work devices seized

FBI director Kash Patel

Secret Service director Sean Curran

Kash Patel launched a separate investigation after the Washington Post revealed details of Trump’s secret departure from Turkey in July. Right, Secret Service director Sean Curran

Guglielmi has overseen the Secret Service’s communications department since the Biden administration, including during the fallout from the attempted assassination of Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, which led to the agency director’s resignation.

He previously served as the communications chief for the Chicago and Baltimore Police departments during times of civil unrest. 

Last month, Guglielmi announced that an agent assigned to Vice President JD Vance was facing a criminal inquiry over a suspected media leak.

The case erupted after agents were quoted complaining about last-minute travel requests from Vance and his family, raising concerns that operational details had been compromised.

It followed disciplinary action against six agents over the Butler assassination failures, marking a turbulent year in which director Sean Curran has tried to rebuild an agency battered by security lapses and internal mistrust.

The suspensions were imposed in February 2025 but were not made public until five months later.

Curran is a longtime member of Trump’s protective detail who helped shield him during the Butler shooting before the president personally selected him to lead the agency.

He has since pushed to overhaul training, equipment and coordination with local law enforcement while imposing greater accountability for security failures. 

Curran helped shield Trump during the Butler shooting before the President personally selected him to lead the agency

Curran helped shield Trump during the Butler shooting before the President personally selected him to lead the agency

Secret Service pictured above helps secure the ballroom after a shooter tried assassinate Trump in April

Secret Service pictured above helps secure the ballroom after a shooter tried assassinate Trump in April

The agency has also recorded recent successes after agents stopped an armed gunman before he could reach the ballroom where Trump was attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April. 

Two months later, the Secret Service worked with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to thwart an alleged drone-and-sniper attack targeting the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House.

Rutgers Research Dean Charged for Alleged Secret ‘Upskirt’ Video Recordings, Prosecutors Report

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A high-ranking dean from Rutgers University in New Jersey finds himself entangled in legal troubles after accusations of covertly filming “up-skirt” videos during his tenure at the institution.

Joshua Kohut, a 51-year-old resident of Cranberry, is now facing a charge of “fourth-degree invasion of privacy.” This accusation emerged following an investigation that uncovered the damning footage on electronic devices seized from him under a search warrant.

Kohut, who holds a prominent role as a Dean of Research within the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, is prominently featured on online platforms for the University as well as on LinkedIn.

image shows photo of Kohut

The former dean, Kohut, 51, stands accused of the illicit filming, which he allegedly conducted while serving in his academic leadership position at the university. (LinkedIn: Joshua Kohut)

On his professional profiles, Kohut describes his involvement in diverse research and education ventures, including studies dedicated to storm intensity, offshore wind energy, and polar ecosystems in Antarctica, among other significant scientific inquiries.

An aerial photo of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey

A 19-year-old student is in critical condition after being found unresponsive at an Alpha Sigma Phi chapter’s off-campus house at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. (iStock)

Kohut has a Ph.D. in Physical Oceanography from Rutgers and has decades of experience and according to his CV. He a professor of marine and coastal sciences, earned his Ph.D. in 2002 and has been a faculty member there since 2008.

“The defendant is alleged to have used his mobile phone to record ‘upskirt’ videos without his victim’s knowledge. An invasion of privacy like this is not just disturbing, it is also a criminal act. We will prosecute accordingly,” Attorney General Davenport said.

rutgers-pavement sign

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights logo is shown on concrete before the game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Oregon Ducks at SHI Stadium on Oct. 18, 2025 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Getty Images)

If convicted, Kohut faces up to 18 months behind bars and a fine up to $10,000 for the alleged crimes.

In a statement sent to News Media a spokesperson for the university said, “The university placed Josh Kohut on administrative leave after being informed of the extremely disturbing charges. The research dean also is banned from campus pending the outcome of an investigation.”

News Media has reached out to Kohut for comment.

Trump Clarifies CIA Director’s Moscow Visit: Not a Warning Against Putin Testing NATO

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WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, President Trump dismissed rumors swirling around CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s unexpected journey to Moscow, clarifying that the visit was not about warning President Vladimir Putin against testing NATO’s resolve or making threats towards England. Ratcliffe’s unannounced four-hour meeting on Tuesday had set off a flurry of speculations.

During a conversation with radio host Glenn Beck, Trump was asked whether Ratcliffe’s visit was centered on discussions about Iran sanctions or delivering a cautionary message to Putin.

“None of the above,” Trump responded. “He’s there on what you might call a semi-routine mission. I hate to let people down with that,” he added.

The president hinted that Ratcliffe’s discussions might have been related to the long-standing efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“We are eager to see the end of the war in Ukraine. It’s a conflict that should never have begun, Glenn,” Trump elaborated.

“If I were president … you wouldn’t have had the war with Ukraine, and you wouldn’t have had 25 million people coming into our country like they did. Just come in like we were a bunch of fools. It was so sad,” Trump said.

“John Ratcliffe is a fantastic guy. He’s the head of the CIA, and he is not in there for any of the things that you said. Now something may come out, you know, out of it. We’re working very hard to get that war ended, and frankly, they both want to see it ended at this point.”

Ratcliffe’s visit was the first known trip to Russia by a CIA director since William Burns visited in late 2021 as US intelligence indicated Russia intended to invade Ukraine, which it did the following February.

That history spurred speculation that the US might be warning Russia against some looming action.

There also were theories that Ratcliffe wanted to discuss the newly launched Operation Economic Outcast, which aims to sever Iran’s economic ties with countries such as China and Russia to force a nuclear deal to end that war.

Ratcliffe is one of Trump’s most trusted advisers and has been heavily involved with the Iran conflict, winning the president’s praise for secretive CIA operations in the early phase of fighting.

Russia-Ukraine peace efforts have been, to date, handled primarily by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump son-in-law, who traveled to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin in January.

Speculation over Ratcliffe is heightened due to secrecy around Trump’s departure from the annual NATO conference in Turkey last month — with a publicly announced plane swap purportedly to let US troops tour the new Air Force One followed by a second secret transfer due to intelligence on Iranian threats.