Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Jun 13, 2017

Idle gossip & unconfirmed rumors:

News broke yesterday that former NBA star DENNIS RODMAN is making a second trip to North Korea. Dennis was photographed passing through immigration at Beijing airport, on his way to Pyongyang, the North Korean capital.
A government official said they were aware of Rodman's trip: "We wish him well, but we have issued travel warnings to Americans suggested they not travel to North Korea for their own safety," U.S. Undersecretary of State THOMAS SHANNON told reporters yesterday.
Rodman was photographed wearing a shirt which advertised PotCoin, one of a growing number of cybercurrencies used to buy and sell marijuana in state-regulated markets.

On, off and way-off-Broadway:

The Public Theater's new production of SHAKESPEARE's "Julius Caesar" just lost sponsorship from Delta Airlines and Bank Of America. The New York Times says the play has been updated to make Caesar into President DONALD TRUMP, and since, you know, he gets murdered by his confidants, in this case, women and minorities, that didn't sit well with the corporate sponsors. The First Lady, MELANIA TRUMP is also portrayed as well.
DONALD TRUMP, Jr, Tweeted (quote), "I wonder how much of this 'art' is funded by taxpayers? Serious question, when does 'art' become political speech & does that change things?" A spokesperson for Delta Airlines said (quote), "Their artistic and creative direction crossed the line on the standards of good taste." Bank of America said (quote), "Had this intention been made known to us, we would have decided not to sponsor it."
The Public Theater had this to say (quote): "Our production of Julius Caesar in no way advocates violence towards anyone. Shakespeare's play, and our production, make the opposite point: those who attempt to defend democracy by undemocratic means pay a terrible price and destroy the very thing they are fighting to save."

Models:

It looks like THE CHAINSMOKERS are getting "Closer" to becoming major fashion icons. Peoplesays DREW TAGGART and ALEX PALL, the D-Js behind the Grammy-winning EDM-pop duo, are joining GIGI HADID as "brand ambassadors" for Tommy Hilfiger's menswear collection. They'll begin appearing in ads starting in Fall 2017. (Bartha)

Survivor: real life:

Warning! Horrifying video!
This is everyone's worst nightmare come true and after hearing about it, you probably won't sleep tonight.
A woman in India, who's 49, had an excruciating headache. Before the headache she described a tingling in her ear and "slight discomfort." When she got to the hospital, doctors shined a light into ear and found ...a large spider living in her ear canal!
Doctors were able to use a light to get the arachnid to crawl out on it's own. Watch the video and cringe here. (Myers)