Former Cincinnati Bengals running back Rudi Johnson has died at the age of 45. Johnson was a fourth-round pick by the Bengals, in the 2001 NFL Draft. His first two years at the club were lackluster but he hit his stride in his third year, rushing over 4,000 yards. The star’s career ended in 2008 with the Detroit Lions. A family member told TMZ Sports that he passed away last week. His cause of death has not been shared. However, the people closest to him have confirmed that he was struggling with mental health issues and neurological damage as a possible effect of CTE. After Johnson’s football career he launched a foundation that helped families and children through community programs. The family source told TMZ, in his later days, Johnson was focused on helping people on and off the field.
An American tourist who vanished during a Caribbean cruise left staff a chilling message telling them not to come looking for her before she disappeared. Jessica Collins, 47, disembarked from a Carnival Horizon cruise ship after it stopped in Bonaire on Sept. 17, taking all her belongings with her and leaving cabin members a cash tip and a note informing them of her departure. She has not been seen or heard from since, local police have confirmed. “She debarked with all her belongings in her backpack and left a cash gratuity for the stateroom attendant with a thank-you note,” a Carnival Cruise spokesperson said in a statement. “The guest subsequently texted a member of our care team who had been trying to reach her, saying she was safe and did not want to be found or contacted again.” The spokesperson added that while they are cooperating with local authorities to help locate Collins, “this guest appears to have taken deliberate action to be alone and on her own.” Despite her message, local authorities have launched a search effort for Collins, who was last seen on surveillance footage leaving the ship wearing a gray backpack, a button-down shirt, and shorts before vanishing. The search continues.
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Turn your holiday countdown this year into something a little naughtier (and more fun) with Lovehoney’s Advent calendars. A spicy spin on the class tradition, these calendars are an erotic journey of passion, play, and connection. Choose from five tantalizing options, each loaded with toys and treats to keep things steamy all winter long. The ultimate pick? The Couples Calendar. With 24 luxe goodies—think card games, blindfolds, and whips—it’s full of ways to turn everyday into a new adventure with your partner.
Lovehoney Couple’s Advent Calendar (24 Day)
The standouts are definitely the Womanizer Classic 2 and the We-Vibe Sync Lite—worth $260 alone. The Womanizer Classic 2 is a clitoral stimulator that uses air to deliver a sucking sensation. The We-Vibe Sync excels at couples play. Hands-free, wearable, and flexible, it delivers pleasure to both partners all at once. Plus, with the app, you (or your partner) can get even naughtier, whether you’re in the same room or across the house. As always, Lovehoney ships its items in discreet packaging to keep your purchase confidential.
Civilian professors at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point are no longer allowed to express opinions in the classroom and must seek prior approval for their writing and publishing, according to a new lawsuit filed against the school. Tim Bakken, who has taught in the academy’s Department of Law and Philosophy for 25 years, brought the suit accusing the academy of violating the First Amendment after its leadership began scrutinizing faculty speech in response to an executive order from President Donald Trump. In February, West Point issued a policy prohibiting faculty from using the school’s “affiliation or branding” in connection with any public comments or writings without the academy’s approval. In the months that followed, academy leadership withdrew books from the library, removed words and phrases from syllabi, eliminated courses and majors, threatened or punished faculty members who didn’t receive prior speaking approval from the school, and instructed professors not to express their opinions in the classroom, the suit says. According to Bakken, who has a contract with a publisher for a book that is critical of some aspects of West Point, the policy was intended “to control, chill and suppress faculty speech.” The military academy did not immediately return a request for comment.
Stevie Nicks has released a letter she wrote to her family while recording with Lindsey Buckingham before their Fleetwood Mac fame, predicting he could be one of the “greats.” The pair, whose romantic tribulations formed the backbone of the band’s celebrated Rumours album, had been recording at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, when the letter was penned. Nicks posted it to Instagram to mark the reissuing of Buckingham Nicks. “My mom saved it and it’s been in a drawer for over 50 years.” The Landslide singer said she was getting “tired” but “I know it will pay off in the end, and when I am sitting in my small but luxurious Beverly Hills home overlooking my small but tasteful pool that is totally secluded, where I can sun in the nude and tan my entire fat body while waiting for my plastic surgery leg lift – it will all be worth it.” She also reminded her “little” family of her upcoming 25th birthday, requesting they set “aside the entire month of May,” for a “gala celebration. I shall leave it to the three of you to plan it.” The letter was rounded off by Nicks admitting, “I certainly do miss you all, and wish you could be here,” adding, “Lindsey may go down in history as one of “greats” in guitar playing.”
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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.
Ozlo Sleepbuds
Comes with a free one-year subscription to Calm Sleep Premium.
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.
A private investigator has been arrested as he tried to serve Taylor Swift with legal documents as part of the wider dispute between former co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Ex-cop Justin Lee Fisher was caught allegedly jumping the fence of the home of NFL star Travis Kelce in Leawood, Kansas, on Sept. 15, Star reports. According to TMZ, documents state that Fisher, 48, was “charged with jumping the fence onto a private residence in a private neighborhood.” He was picked up at around 2 a.m., carrying deposition papers despite a judge throwing out a request to depose Swift two days prior. TMZ and Star report that Fisher was acting on behalf of Baldoni’s lawyers, as part of the ongoing sexual harassment lawsuit from Lively and the defamation countersuit from Baldoni. His team said Swift had agreed to give a deposition, but the singer’s own team said that claim was false. The actors’ feud originated from the set of the movie It Ends With Us, directed by Baldoni and starring Lively. Page Six reports that Fisher was released after posting bond but is due back in court on Oct. 15.
James Van Der Beek delighted fans with a surprise appearance at a Dawson’s Creek reunion event in New York on Monday, after being previously forced to pull out of the charity event due to illness. Appearing via video link, Van Der Beek, who was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer last year, thanked fans for attending the event, which raised money for F Cancer and the actor. He said that while he may not have been well enough to attend in person, he didn’t want to miss out. “I have been looking forward to this night for months and months ever since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together,” the prerecorded message began. “I can’t believe I’m not there. I can’t believe I don’t get to see my cast mates, my beautiful cast in person. And I just want to stand on that stage and thank every single person in the theater for being here tonight.” He added, “From the cast to the crew to everybody who’s doing anything and has been so generous, and especially every single last one of you—you are the best fans in the world. Thank you for coming. It’s just absolutely humbling just how much you did for this night, and I just want to say thank you. Thank you to every single person here.”
Elk hunters found dead in the wilderness after a five-day search were killed by lightning, a coroner involved in the case has revealed. Experienced outdoorsmen Andrew Porter and Ian Stasko, 25, had been hunting big game in the San Juan Wilderness, near the Colorado-New Mexico border. Richard Martin, Conejos County Coroner, said the two men’s remains had injuries consistent with an “intense electrical jolt.” Speaking to People, he said, “They had a little bit of burnt marks like if you would take a match and strike it and then wait ‘til it’s about out and then touch it to your arm.” He added, “There was just a couple of little marks like that, a little bit of singed hair, but not very much.” They headed out on Sept. 11, with Porter sharing his location with his fiancée, Bridget Murphy, shortly after lunch. It was their last check-in. Authorities kicked off the search on Sept. 13, deploying drones, dogs, and ground crews. Their vehicle was found, along with their camping gear, despite the rain. Almost a week later, on Sept. 18, Porter’s aunt Lynne Runkle announced on a GoFundMe set up to help cover search costs that the men “have both been found deceased.”
A wrongful death lawsuit filed Thursday claims that the death of a Hallmark star could have been prevented had the restaurant administered CPR in a timely manner. In June 2024, 35-year-old Lioness actor Michael Heslin suffered a heart attack at Javier’s, a Las Vegas Mexican restaurant operated by ARIA Resort and Casino. Heslin’s husband Scotty Dynamo, 36, filed the lawsuit alleging restaurant staff failed to provide any life-saving measures. According to the suit obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, restaurant workers “forcefully interfered” to prevent a female diner from performing CPR and did not retrieve an automated external defibrillator. Heslin’s friends were also “forcefully removed” from the building as employees “threatened to arrest” those who attempted to save Heslin’s life. Employees allegedly confronted friends who attempted to record the incident and “demanded” to delete said videos. Heslin died a week later in what the suit described as “an avoidable tragedy.” The filing stated that the defendant’s “failures…proximately caused or substantially contributed to Michael’s preventable death.” The cause of death was not listed. The suit alleges five counts of wrongful death and gross negligence and seeks minimum $30,000 for funeral expenses and punitive damages. The Daily Beast has reached out to MGM Resorts, which operates ARIA, for comment.
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With so many different over-the-counter sleep remedies on the market, it’s hard to distinguish which ones (if any) actually work. If you’ve had little to no luck with other natural and over-the-counter sleep aids, consider giving Deeps Sleep Patches a try. The scientist-formulated patches are designed to be placed on your wrist before you get ready to go to sleep and be forgotten about from there.
Deeps Sleep Patch
The patches are infused with several calming ingredients, including Shoden ashwagandha and melatonin, formulated to help improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and regulate the body’s natural circadian rhythm. Once the patch is placed on your wrist, the active layer slowly releases the Deeps formula into your body through your skin. Deeps Sleep Patches have proven to me that it doesn’t always require taking heavy medication like sleeping pills to get a good night’s sleep (for me). Read my full review of Deeps Sleep Patches here.
Penny Lancaster, 54, revealed she almost divorced 80-year-old singer Rod Stewart because he did not want to have more kids. The couple got married in 2007, and are parents of sons Alastair, 19, and Aiden, 14. Stewart has six other children from his previous relationships, ranging in ages from 31 to 61. “Yes, [I would have left him]. And that would have been very hard,” Lancaster told Saga. Five years ago, the couple were looking into adoption, but “it ended up not happening.” The couple believed there would “be too much of an age gap” between their children. Lancaster shared that Stewart now regrets his decision to wait to have more children with her. In 2021, Stewart spoke about how proud he is to be a father, telling People he is happiest when he sees “my kids and my wife with big smiles on their faces.” He shared how he has managed to maintain his relationship with his 8 children, “You really have to treat all of them as individuals with individual problems.” He later stated, “Lucky geezer, aren’t I?”
Colin Farrell is lucky to be alive. Reflecting on his nearly 30-year career, the Oscar nominee said that the “most dangerous” scene he ever filmed was a battle scene involving elephants during Oliver Stone’s 2004 film Alexander. “They would say ‘action’ and… eight elephants, 200 horses and 800 men would go on ‘action,’” Farrell told Collider. The 49-year-old shared that while one person broke their leg while on horseback, he saw that as a good thing because “That was it. Nobody died. It was a miracle.” The scene Farrell was referencing was Stone’s recreation of the Battle of Hydaspes, where Alexander faces off against an Indian army of war elephants. Farrell described it as “the most dangerous thing I’ve ever been a part of,” noting that it would never be shot today. On top of Alexander featuring Farrell’s most perilous scene, the film was notable for another reason: it was savaged by critics. Alexander holds an unenviable 15 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of The Penguin star’s most hated movies.