The Florida man who died after riding a new rollercoaster at Universal’s Epic Universe theme park was killed by blunt impact trauma, according to his autopsy. The rider, later identified as 32-year-old Kissimmee resident Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, was discovered unresponsive on the Stardust Racers rollercoaster on Wednesday night. He was transported to a nearby hospital and later pronounced dead. Orange County medical examiner Joshua Stephany ruled Thursday that Zavala’s death was accidental and caused by “multiple blunt impact injuries.” While Stephany did not release further information, his report raised concerns that the infrastructure of Stardust Racers, which opened just four months ago, may have played a role in Zavala’s death. International Theme Park Services CEO Dennis Spiegel told the Associated Press that the autopsy report raised more questions than answers, adding, “Was [Zavala] banging around? Was he in his seat properly? Was it an accident caused by the ride or him doing something?” Universal Orlando Resorts did not immediately return the Daily Beast’s request for comment, but a spokesperson previously said the company is “Fully committed to cooperating with this ongoing investigation.” The park’s safety guidelines warn that Stardust Racers includes “sudden and dramatic acceleration, climbing, tilting, an inversion, and dropping,” and “employs safety restraints which may not accommodate certain people due to their body shape or size.” The ride remains closed as of Thursday evening.
Joel Moss, the iconic producer, engineer, and mixer behind multiple hit Hollywood soundtracks, has died at 79. He passed away in Saratoga Springs, New York, after suffering an aortic dissection, his daughter told The Hollywood Reporter. “Joel was loved and respected by all and was known as ‘the biggest mensch in the recording industry who created the best sounds in town,’” his family said in a statement to the outlet. Over the course of his career, Moss earned 11 Grammy nominations and took home seven trophies. His work spanned an impressive list of beloved films including Footloose, Sister Act, Sleepless in Seattle, and Dead Poets Society. Before his move into film and theater, Moss made his name in the recording industry producing and engineering for legendary artists like Tony Bennett, the Eagles, and Johnny Cash. On Broadway, he helped shape the sound of major productions’ cast recordings including Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights, Hair, and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, which won him a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album.
Fall is nearly here, bringing crisp air, colorful leaves, and—unfortunately—the start of cold season. While it’s nearly impossible to completely avoid all illness, there are plenty of ways to mitigate the risk to you and your family. One way is by taking advantage of the CVS Big Fall Wellness Sale, live until 9/27, to stock up on cold- and flu-busting must-haves with buy one get one 50% off pricing. With CVS, your order can be ready for pickup in as little as an hour, or scheduled for same-day delivery (availability may vary by address).
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Cold- and flu-causing germs can live on surfaces like couches, coats, sports bags, strollers and backpacks for days. This disinfectant spray from Lysol kills 99.9% of illness-causing germs on hard and soft surfaces. Plus, it eliminates odors too! A win-win.
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That cool fall breeze may feel nice, but it can dry out your nasal passages, leaving you stuffy and congested. Get fast aid with this nasal decongestant spray from Afrin. The soothing menthol provides up to 12 hours of congestion relief with zero drowsiness.
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Glenn Close, 78, claims her nude scene in upcoming movie The Summer Book was her idea. “It felt so good,” she said. When asked by AARP if she was nervous to pose nude in the scene, she said she embraced it. The Summer Book, a novel turned movie, is the story of a grieving grandmother and granddaughter. The film takes place on a small island in the Gulf of Finland. The scene captured Close taking a nude walk in the forest. “I didn’t want to put my clothes back on,” Close told AARP. The actress believed the nudity was authentic to her character: the grandmother of Sophia, played by Emily Matthews. Close’s daughter, Annie Stark, had her first child with her husband, Marc Albu, in February. “I am very aware of my role as a grandmother,” Close reflects, “I am very proud of it.” She shares that she hopes to inspire her grandson to instill her love of nature and wildlife. The Summer Book, a movie “about the day-to-day, how life goes on,” Close said, is out in theaters on Friday.
Jon Stewart was not scheduled to host The Daily Show until his regular Monday night slot next week. But the bombshell news surrounding his fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel has prompted him to come back early, hosting the show Thursday night (with guest, How to Stand Up to a Dictator author, Maria Ressa). Rotating co-host Desi Lydic, who took the reins this Tuesday and Wednesday, was scheduled to host Thursday as well before Comedy Central announced the last-minute change. The news that ABC had pulled Kimmel’s show off the air “indefinitely” following threats from Trump’s FCC Chair Brendan Carr over his Charlie Kirk jokes, broke too late on Wednesday for the other late-night hosts to address it. However, Stephen Colbert, whose show was similarly canceled after increased conflict with the Trump administration, reportedly learned Kimmel’s fate in front of his live studio audience and was left “visibly shaken.”
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Sleep can be hard to come by these days. From city noise and snoring partners to late-night scrolling and spiraling thoughts, there’s a lot that can get in the way of a good night’s rest. In fact, research suggests that one in three adults doesn’t get enough sleep. (Hello, fellow insomniacs!) Luckily, you don’t have to accept exhaustion as your default—Ozlo Sleepbuds can help improve sleep hygiene sans habit-forming treatments or sleeping in separate rooms (aka ‘sleep divorce’).
Developed by former Bose engineers, Ozlo Sleepbuds are a science-backed wearable engineered to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer every night. Unlike earplugs or other sleep aid gadgets, Ozlo doesn’t just block sound. Instead, these earbuds are specifically designed to support a restful sleeping experience.
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In addition to premium noise-masking capabilities, the buds feature biometric sleep detection that senses when you fall asleep and transitions from whatever audio you were listening to—yes, you can stream from all your favorite apps—into built-in soundscapes engineered for rest. Plus, the side sleeper-friendly Sleepbuds are designed for all-night comfort, so you can drift off without distraction until the gentle in-ear alarm wakes you (not your partner) up in the morning.
From now through the end of Sept., you can elevate your sleeping experience for less with a perk. Save $50 on your pair of Ozlo Sleepbuds and unlock a year of free access to Calm Sleep Premium, a mindfulness-focused app featuring more than 300 hours of sleep content from leading experts. Dreams really do come true.
Saturday Night Live is kicking off its 51st season with a fresh slate of hosts and musical guests, following the departure of several longtime cast members. The season premiere will be hosted by Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Ocasio, with Doja Cat debuting as the musical guest. This will be the Puerto Rican singer’s second time hosting SNL. The 31-year-old previously appeared in Season 49 alongside Pedro Pascal, where the two discussed speaking both English and Spanish. American actress and comedian, Amy Poehler, 54, will host the second episode, which airs on Oct. 11—the 50th anniversary of SNL’s 1975 premiere. It will be Poehler’s third time hosting and she will joined by 28-year-old singer-songwriter Role Model as the musical guest. Sabrina Carpenter, 26, will appear as both host and musical guest for the third SNL episode. It will be the “Espresso” singer’s second time as a musical guest, and her first time hosting. After the departures of Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, Michael Longfellow, Heidi Garnder, and Ego Nwodim, the show announced that newcomers would be joining for the new season. Comedians Veronika Slowikowska, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, and Kam Patterson, along with comedy writer Ben Marshall, will join the new cast. The new season of SNL premieres on Saturday, Oct. 4, on NBC.
President Trump plans to invite King Charles to the U.S. after being charmed by the pageantry during his state visit, a senior White House official tells The Telegraph. “It was a really fantastic trip. The British know how to do this perfectly,” the official told the outlet. “They set the bar high for their trip to see us.” During Trump’s unprecedented second state visit he was greeted by 1,300 troops and 120 horses for an opening day full of ceremony on Wednesday, in addition to thousands of protestors in London and outside Windsor Castle. The historic trip came to an end on Thursday after Trump signed a $350 billion energy deal with Prime Minister Keir Starmer following an overnight stay at Windsor Castle. He was also treated to a lavish state banquet at the castle with 160 guests, made up of mostly business and political leaders. Trump remarked that the trip with First Lady Melania Trump was “truly one of the highest honors of [his] life.” As the visit concluded and he watched the British Parachute Regiment, the Red Devils, land on the Chequers lawn, he continued to shower praise. “We’re grateful beyond words for the spectacular honor of the state visit yesterday at Windsor Castle, hosted by His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty, Queen Camilla,” he said. “These are two fantastic people. We will never forget it.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “digital” mistress, Olivia Nuzzi, has joined Vanity Fair as West Coast editor on Thursday. Nuzzi, 32, previously served as New York magazine’s Washington correspondent until it was revealed she had an online affair with Kennedy, who has been married to Curb Your Enthusiasm actress Cheryl Hines since 2014. Nuzzi left her role amid the affair, calling her reporting on Kennedy’s 2024 presidential campaign into question. She worked at the magazine from 2017 until 2024. Her relationship with Ryan Lizza, former chief Washington correspondent for Politico and co-writer of the publication’s flagship Playbook newsletter, also ended with the pair calling off their engagement. They launched a messy court battle against each other, which saw Lizza winning after she withdrew her restraining order against him. Vanity Fair said Nuzzi will now be editing articles “with a focus on events, industries, and culture of the Pacific region,” in addition to writing stories of her own.
Starbucks was hit with two class action lawsuits from its own employees on Wednesday after implementing major dress code changes in May. Employees in Illinois and Colorado allege the coffee giant refused to reimburse them for the cost of their new work attire. In California, employees have filed a similar complaint with the state’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency, and say they will become the third class action suit if their concerns are not addressed. The company’s new dress code requires employees to wear solid black shirts, a green apron, black, khaki, or blue denim bottoms or black dresses no more than 4 inches above the knee, and neutral-toned, waterproof footwear. The new policy also limits the approved number of facial piercings to one. Before the change, employees were allowed a wider variety of shirts. The company said in April that it would provide each employee with two new t-shirts to offset the cost of the change. However, the plaintiffs, whose suits are backed by the Starbucks Workers United union, allege they were denied reimbursement for additional wardrobe changes, including purchasing new shoes and removing facial piercings, which some people pay to get removed by a professional. In Illinois, Colorado, and California, employers are required by state law to reimburse workers for the cost of job-specific clothing if it is required as a condition of employment. Starbucks told the Daily Beast in part: “We simplified our dress code earlier this year to deliver a more consistent coffeehouse experience to our customers and provide our partners with simpler and clearer dress code guidance. As part of this change, and to ensure our partners were prepared, partners received two shirts at no cost.”
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There’s no better feeling than snuggling up under a soft blanket when the temperatures start to drop—especially with a Lola Blanket. If you ask us, the Lola Blanket is the softest faux fur throw on earth. Plus, they’re stain-resistant and machine-washable, which is a game-changer for kids and four legged friends. Lola’s luxury faux-fur blankets come in a wide range of colors and patterns, but its new limited-edition camo collection has us swooning.
Lola Blankets Camo Collection
The four new colorways include Birch Camo, Shadow Camo, Tree Camo, and Sagebrush Camo. The award-winning double-sided blankets are designed with OEKO-Tex certified faux fur and made with a double hem for extra durability and four-way stretch making it easy to share with a partner or pet. Lola Blanket’s Camo collection is available in all sizes—large, medium, baby, and XL.
Stephen Colbert was almost done taping The Late Show Wednesday night when audience members reportedly watched him learn the news that ABC had suspended Jimmy Kimmel following threats from Trump FCC Chair Brendan Carr in real time. Spectators at the taping have said that Colbert “appeared visibly shaken” as he read the news on a phone that someone handed him during a commercial break, “raising his hand to his mouth in disbelief” before leaving the stage for several minutes. When he came back to record the show’s final segment, he promised the audience that he would address the news on Thursday’s show, which will feature Kimmel’s close friend, CNN anchor Jake Tapper, and New Yorker editor David Remnick as guests. Colbert, whose late-night show was canceled by CBS after he called out the Trump administration’s “big, fat bribe” to the network, did not mention Kimmel during Wednesday night’s broadcast. A representative for Bill Maher also confirmed to The Daily Beast that he plans to address the Kimmel situation on HBO’s Real Time Friday night.
Full House star Candace Cameron Bure’s daughter, Natasha Bure, wed actor Bradley Steven Perry in a California ceremony on Sunday. Natasha, 27, and the Good Luck Charlie actor, 28, tied the knot after 14 months of dating, People reported. The couple wed at Calamigos Guest Ranch & Beach Club in Malibu in front of 150 guests, including the mother of the bride, who played D.J. Tanner on Full House. Candace Cameron Bure, who has been married to Valerie Bure for 29 years, celebrated the nuptials on Instagram, writing, “A huge congratulations to the sweetest @bradleysperry and our beautiful daughter @natashabure on the celebration of their marriage!” Natasha and Perry had known each other for years, but their romance began when Perry was in a car accident and Natasha reached out to check on him. Perry previously dated pop star Sabrina Carpenter. Natasha told People she is excited to “have little Bradleys running around” after the honeymoon and looks forward to the couple being “the best versions of ourselves as humans, in our family life, and creative work.”