Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Apr 27, 2017

R.I.P.:

Director JONATHON DEMME is gone at the age of 73. TMZ reports the Oscar-winning filmmaker passed away after a battle with esophageal cancer as well as complications from heart disease. Mr. Demme was at the helm of epic films like "The Silence of the Lambs," "Philadelphia" and "Beloved" and directed a 1984concert film and documentaryabout the TALKING HEADS called "Stop Making Sense." He also did the MERYL STREEP comedy, "Ricki and the Flash" and the concert documentary "JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE + The Tennessee Kids" in 2016. (Lee)
--TOM HANKS, who won an Oscar for his performance in "Philadelphia," said: "Jonathan taught us how big a heart a person can have, and how it will guide how we live and what we do for a living."
--"Silence of the Lambs" star JODIE FOSTER said "Jonathan was as quirky as his comedies and as deep as his dramas. He was pure energy; the unstoppable cheerleader for anyone creative."
--Added ANTHONY HOPKINS: "He was one of the best, and a really nice guy as well who had such a great spirit."
--MERYL STREEP said he was "A big-hearted, big tent, compassionate man --in full embrace in his life of people in need-- and of the potential of art, music, poetry and film to fill that need."

Still dead:

The death of DORIS ROBERTS from "Everybody Loves Raymond" was a big trend on social media yesterday and hundreds of fans sent out their virtual condolences. Unfortunately, the actress passed away over a year ago at a ripe 90-years-old. (Lee)

Animal Stories:

New York's Bronx Zoo has two new animals with an interesting --and gross-- name.
The Wildlife Conservation Society proudly unveiled a pair of "snot otters" at the zoo this week. Actually, they're not otters at all, they're a type of salamander. The creatures go by other nicknames too like "devil dogs," "old lasagna slides," and "hellbenders." They're completely flat, grow up to two feet long, and have pale brown underbellies and slimy, wrinkly snot-like skin. Snot otter populations are dwindling in the wild and the zoo is trying to aid with conservation efforts. (Still)

Health and Medical Briefs:

Warning --note gross content:
Synthetic snot may one day help solve the real problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria. CBS says researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) are trying to replicate mucus said the lab in hopes that the goo will help fight infections that no longer respond to antibiotics. The M.I.T. researchers say that while mucus does not kill microbes, it does "tame them." They believe engineered synthetic mucus polymers could help control "problematic pathogens" inside and outside of the body.
Editor's note: Enjoy your morning bagel! (Bartha)