Nick Offerman reveals ‘Parks and Recreation' cast ‘has been texting' about co-star Jonathan Joss' murder ‘all day'
Nick Offerman said that he and his 'Parks and Recreation' family have been 'texting together about it all day' and that they are all 'heartbroken' over Joss' sudden passing.
'The cast has been texting together about it all day and we're just heartbroken,' Offerman, 54, said in a statement to People on Monday.
'Jonathan was such a sweet guy and we loved having him as our Chief Ken Hotate,' Offerman added. 'A terrible tragedy.'
Chris Pratt, who starred in 'Parks and Recreation' alongside Offerman and Joss, also paid tribute to his late co-star following the news of the actor's death.
'Damn. RIP Jonathan,' Pratt, 45, wrote on social media. 'Always such a kind dude.'
'He played Ken Hotate in Parks and was also in [The Magnificent Seven],' Pratt added. 'Sad to see. Prayers up. Hug your loved ones.'
Joss starred in 'Parks and Recreation' for five years from 2011 through 2015. He appeared in a recurring role as Chief Ken Hotate, the leader of the Native American Wamapoke Tribe.
Besides Offerman and Pratt, Joss also starred alongside Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Aubrey Plaza and Adam Scott on the beloved sitcom.
Offerman and Pratt's remarks came one day after Joss, 59, was shot and killed at his property in San Antonio, Texas, following an alleged dispute with his neighbor.
The 'King of the Hill' voice actor's suspected killer was identified as Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, and he was taken into custody on Sunday at approximately 7:05 p.m., The Post confirmed.
Ceja was charged with felony first-degree murder, and his bond was set at $200K. His court date is scheduled for August.
Joss' husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, alleged in a lengthy Facebook post on Monday that the actor's murder was a homophobic hate crime.
'He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other,' Joss' husband wrote.
However, the San Antonio Police Department denied those claims.
'Currently the investigation has found no evidence to indicate that Mr. Joss's murder was related to his sexual orientation,' the department tweeted after de Gonzales' claims.
It was also revealed that Joss, who voiced John Redcorn in 'King of the Hill,' was reportedly escorted out of a panel for the Fox animated series just two days before he was fatally shot.
The alleged incident unfolded at the ATX TV Festival in Austin, Texas, on Friday, May 30.
Witnesses claimed that Joss walked up to a microphone and began to speak before it was time for the audience to interact with those on the 'King of the Hill' panel, including the show's co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels.
'I'm an actor,' Joss said in a clip of the incident before revealing how his home had burned down earlier this year. 'I see a mic, I use it. I see a wrong, I make it right. I take a breath, I want to breathe.'
An eyewitness claimed that security approached Joss and escorted him out of the venue after he began walking toward the stage where the panel was taking place.
'As Joss moved away from the mic to go back to his seat, that's when security told him he had to leave, and he exited the theater calmly and cooperatively,' the onlooker claimed.
Joss was fatally shot and killed two days after the ATX TV Festival.
Neighbors claimed that Joss returned to his burned-down home to collect a victim's fire fund check, which was when the suspected dispute with his suspected killer began.
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New York Post
23 minutes ago
- New York Post
Family of Ukrainian teen, 14, injured in deadly Russian strike begs Trump to help them live ‘under a peaceful sky'
KYIV — A Ukrainian mother and her 14-year-old daughter were wounded in a brutal Russian drone strike the same day President Trump pledged more weapons to Kyiv — leaving the horrified mom now pleading with him to help end their suffering and bring peace to their war-torn homeland. Nataliia Makhno and her daughter Anastasiia were walking home from the grocery store in Sumy on Monday when the sudden roar of drones and explosions sent them scrambling for cover at a nearby house — a terrifying routine that has become all too familiar in recent months. 'Fear is a present all the time, but we do not have a choice,' Nataliia told The Post. Advertisement 5 Nataliia Makhno and her daughter Anastasiia were walking home from the grocery store when they were hurt in Monday's drone blast in Sumy. Obtained by the NY Post 'War has come to us, and we live and try to survive in this situation. We are ordinary people, and we had just come from the store. It was an ordinary day.' But their ordinary day spiraled into horror when the explosion hit, leaving Anastasiia's body riddled with shrapnel wounds and suffering from severe blast trauma. Advertisement She was rushed to Sumy Regional Children's Hospital, where the shrapnel was removed, and her condition has since improved. The youngster — an award-winning modern dancer — is receiving inpatient care and will now be forced to put her passion on hold until she recovers, her devastated mother said. Nataliia, who suffered blast trauma and an inner ear injury from the deafening boom, said drone attacks have become a 'constant' in recent months. 'Living here is scary, but sadly, we have become used to it,' the wounded mother said. 5 A burned-out building after a drone strike in Sumy, Ukraine. Obtained by the NY Post Advertisement 'People live and work. Children study online and at school. All while being in danger.' Nataliia previously lived with her family in Myrophilla — a village along the Russian border that was decimated when the country launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 — until her husband, a serviceman stationed in the Sumy region, relocated them to a larger city in the hopes of keeping them safe. 'Everyone left because there were heavy shelling, and Russians destroyed a lot of buildings,' the scared mom said, noting her daughter's school was also leveled. 'We have a marvelous school there, and they destroyed it, as well. So many people had to evacuate.' Advertisement 5 Nataliia Makhno and her 14-year-old daughter Anastasiia were injured in a Russian drone attack in Sumy, Ukraine. Obtained by the NY Post But the brutal strikes have only escalated since the family uprooted their lives — a grim reality Nataliia has also faced as a nurse treating injured victims of attacks similar to the one that left her 'very stressed and frightened' daughter hospitalized. 'We all hoped that there would be help and peace would come quickly, but for some reasons unknown to us, it does not come,' she said. 'Most of us are waiting for a miracle to happen, and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin will stop shooting. We hope for it every second. We pray to God and ask that we have a peaceful sky, and we could just live as we lived before. This is war, a totally incomprehensible war.' 5 Anastasiia, an award-winning modern dancer, will have to put her passions on hold as she recovers. Obtained by the NY Post Russia launched its attack on the devastated country overnight Monday after Trump announced the US will send 'billions of dollars' worth of weapons to Ukraine and threatened to impose 'secondary tariffs' on Moscow's business partners if a peace agreement isn't reached in 50 days. Five were killed and at least 43 injured, including four children, in attacks across Ukraine, local media reported. Shattered Nataliia is now begging Trump to act swiftly and help end the nightmare they've endured throughout the 40-month-long war. Advertisement 5 New York Post front page: 'Breaking Vlad,' Trump will provide more arms to Ukraine, gives Putin a 50-day deadline. 'I would like to ask very much that he help us so that peace comes to our Ukraine and that we can live as before when we were not afraid and our children lived under a peaceful sky,' Nataliia said. 'He can help us to cope with such a terrible misfortune that has come to us so that we can be here, live, rejoice, marry, have children and wait for grandchildren. 'Our children should be able to live calmly, grow, live quietly, work and be happy.'


New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Zohran Mamdani sticks to socialist guns, ‘tax the rich' plan during highly anticipated sitdown with NYC big business leaders
He's staying red. Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani stuck to his socialist guns during a highly anticipated powwow with Big Apple business leaders Tuesday — doubling down on his plan to raise their taxes, if elected. Mamdani — who just last month said billionaires shouldn't exist — schmoozed with roughly 100 CEOs convened by the powerful Partnership for New York City at his request, for the first of two days of scheduled meetings with business bigs. Advertisement 4 Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani is standing his ground on raising taxes if elected during a highly anticipated meeting with NYC business leaders on Tuesday. Paul Martinka The 90-minute meeting's temperature remained low, even as Mamdani was grilled about his communist-tinged and anti-Israel comments, including his refusal to condemn the 'globalize the intifada' rallying cry, one attendee told The Post. Asked about his intent to slap the ultra-wealthy and corporations, Mamdani told the executives that taxes had been raised on those groups in the past without it resulting in an exodus of high-earners from the Big Apple, the source said. Advertisement 'He didn't back away from any policy position, though he did so in a non-confrontational manner,' the attendee dished. 'It shows he's a good politician. He was very confident.' The slick Mamdani also distanced himself from his past use of the phrase 'seizing the means of production,' a Marxist concept, but in a roundabout way, chalking it up to a rookie mistake, another business bigwig in attendance said. 'It was very frustrating,' the source said. Advertisement 'He talks so much and says so little.' 4 JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, along with other business leaders, snubbed the sitdown with the Democratic mayoral candidate. Bloomberg via Getty Images The sit-down — which was requested by Mamdani and will be followed by a Wednesday confab with tech industry leaders — was pointedly snubbed by JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, who sits on the Partnership's board, and other Wall Street titans, many of whom sent non-executive underlings, sources said. 'Everyone is just in listening mode,' joked one banking bigwig. Advertisement Dimon — who branded Mamdani a 'Marxist' at an event in Ireland last week — begged off with a vague scheduling 'conflict,' according to bank reps. Even with the brush-off, Mamdani's move to engage business leaders shows the 'tax the rich' firebrand shifting toward broader outreach ahead of November's general election, where he'll face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a stubborn ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and independent Jim Walden. Those in attendance included Loews Corporation chair James Tisch, an ardent backer of Israel and the father of NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch — whom Mamdani did not commit to keeping as top cop during the meeting. 4 Mamdani has also been in contact with Kathy Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for NYC, who was shocked to see him beat Cuomo in the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City. Bloomberg via Getty Images A top rep from Louis Vuitton was also in the room for the confab, held at real estate company Tishman Speyer's Rockefeller Plaza offices, sources said. Mamdani, when pressed about the anti-Israel 'globalize the intifada' cry by the business leaders, said he discouraged its use, according to attendees. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, who is Jewish, pressed Mamdani for throwing around the word 'genocide' about the plight of Palestinians in Gaza under Israel, the second source said. But Mamdani evidently forged ahead smoothly. Advertisement 'It was very frustrating. He speaks well,' the source said, recounting Mamdani's response to a question about retail theft. 4 A source closely connected to Mamdani said he has been conducting more 1 on 1 meetings with business leaders across the city to gain their trust, as the individual said Mamdani is 'a savvy campaigner.' Paul Martinka 'He went into a lengthy discussion about people with mental illness. You scratch your head and say, 'He didn't answer the question. Unless you believe everyone who commits retail theft is mentally ill.'' The source added: '(Mamdani) speaks very well, in paragraphs. He's well organized. It's easy to fall into the trap of not getting an answer to your question.' Advertisement The summit came as the Queens state Assemblyman shifts his campaign to the general election after his shocking win in last month's Democratic primary. Mamdani recently picked Jeffrey Lerner, a seasoned Democratic political veteran who once worked for top rival Cuomo, to lead his campaign. He has been engaging with Kathy Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for NYC, as he tried to make nice with business leaders who've greeted his surprise primary win over Cuomo with serious concern verging into full-blown panic. Keep up with today's most important news Stay up on the very latest with Evening Update. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Advertisement Mamdani has also extended lower profile olive branches, including meeting with many individual business leaders in one-on-ones, a source tied to the candidate said. He met Monday with a dozen executives with the Black Economic Alliance, including chairman and techie investment honcho Charles Phillips, sources said. 'He's proven himself to be a savvy campaigner,' a Democratic political operative said. 'The way you do it without angering your base is to quietly reach out to these people.' Advertisement And Mamdani has given tense tycoons plenty of ammunition to justify their fears. He has pushed for a 2% tax hike on millionaires, a 4.5% increase on corporations and unhesitatingly said billionaires shouldn't exist — all of which sparked fears a Mamdani mayoralty would cause an exodus of high earners from the Big Apple. Some bigs have gone on offense against the leftist, such as billionaire hedge fund titan Bill Ackman, who publicly searched for an anti-Mamdani candidate before casting his lot with Adams. Fellow billionaire John Catsimatidis likewise threatened to close or sell his Manhattan-based grocery chain Gristedes if Mamdani — who has proposed launching government-owned grocery shops — wins. Asked about the looming sit-down earlier Tuesday, Mamdani said he was looking for common ground. 'I go into that room knowing that there will be disagreements, and also knowing that the foundation of it is a belief in the possibility of the city, and it will take a new kind of politics to unlock that possibility,' he said. 'And what I will say to them, when I will say to every New Yorker, is that not only is my door open, but no matter of the question of the primary, the general, but that I am looking to work with everyone. 'My interest is a partnership, not in the politics.' — Additional reporting by Craig McCarthy, Hannah Fierick and James Franey


New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Wine experts reveal which celeb rosé — from Meghan Markle, Cameron Diaz, Jon Bon Jovi and Brad Pitt — is the best
Meghan Markle's acting career might have peaked with 'Suits,' but she's besting A-Listers with her new wine. In a blind taste test, Markle's As Ever rosé beat out pink vinos from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz, Sarah Jessica Parker and Jon and Jesse Bon Jovi. 'This wine is good enough to be poured at Buckingham Palace,' said Christian Bendek, a certified sommelier from downtown Brooklyn who was part of a panel of top New York City wine experts The Post assembled for a tasting of celebrity wines. Markle's As Ever 2023 Napa Valley rosé swirled into the crowded celeb stunt wine space on July 1 — on what would have been Princess Diana's 64th birthday — selling out within an hour of its launch. The rosy sipper, which retails for $30 and is made from a blend of cabernet sauvignon, mourvedre, grenache and syrah grapes, is described on the As Ever website as having 'soft notes of stone fruit' with 'gentle minerality' and 'reminiscent of the finest Provencal styles.' 6 Meghan Markle's As Ever 2023 Napa Valley rosé hit the crowded celeb stunt wine market on July 1 — on what would have been Princess Diana's 64th birthday — selling out within an hour of its launch. JAKE ROSENBERG/NETFLIX 6 Markle's pink wine, which retails for $30, is made from a blend of cabernet sauvignon, mourvedre, grenache and syrah grapes. It's described on the As Ever website as having 'soft notes of stone fruit' with 'gentle minerality' and 'reminiscent of the finest Provencal styles.' Panelist Nikki McCutcheon, a sommelier and the wine director at Tao Group's Cathedrale and Sake No Hanna, said the rich and complex wine is worth its $30 price tag. 'It has a touch of cherry red fruit on the finish,' she enthused. 'This you could drink on its own or paired with food. It could pair very well with French, Mediterranean food. This one gets a star.' Bendek described the wine as 'coconut-ty, very tropical' and said it was more 'interesting' than many celebrity entries. The panel's second favorite wine was Miraval Rosé Cotes de Provence ($24.99). The French vineyard was purchased by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in 2008 and has been a $500 million sticking point in their nasty divorce battle. 6 In a blind taste test, Markle's new As Ever rosé (far right) beat out four other celebrity pink vinos. Other contenders included Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's Miraval (from left), Jon and Jesse Bon Jovi's Hampton water, Cameron Diaz's Invivo X, SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker and Cameron Diaz's Avaline. Emmy Park for NY Post But there's no drama in the easy drinking wine. 'It's really approachable. Nice minerality,' McCutcheon said of the widely available quaff, which is made with grenache, syrah and rolle grapes from the Provence region of France. Panelist Chris Miller, the managing partner at The Lamb's Club and co-founder of the Times Square wine window, also deemed it an 'approachable' summer sipper but said it 'needs more of a backbone.' (The same cannot be said for either Pitt or Jolie's divorce lawyer.) Our panel also liked the aptly named Hampton Water ($25.99) from Jon Bon Jovi and son Jesse Bon Jovi, rating the rock star rosé third. 6 The Post enlisted a panel of wine experts and sommeliers, including Chris Miller (from left), the managing partner at The Lamb's Club and co-founder of the Times Square wine window; Nikki McCutcheon, a sommelier and the wine director at Tao Group's Cathedrale and Sake No Hanna; and Christian Bendek, a certified sommelier from downtown Brooklyn. Emmy Park for NY Post Miller picked up on the wine's strawberry flavors, dubbing it 'crisp' and 'refreshing.' 'It's enjoyable,' McCutcheon said. Bendek immediately knew what he was drinking.'This is Hampton Water,' he declated after one sip. When it came to Sarah Jessica Parker's Invivo ($23.99), panelist couldn't help but wonder why the 'Sex and the City' star's wine wasn't better. 6 'This wine is good enough to be poured at Buckingham Palace,' said Bendek of Markle's pink wine. JAKE ROSENBERG/NETFLIX Miller noted it was 'not as refreshing' as some of the competition and wasn't suited for drinking on its own. Bendek was diplomatic but hardly enthusiastic. 'I don't hate it. Would I buy it? I don't know … How much would I pay for it? I'd keep it in the $15 range,' he said. 'The acid levels are a little higher here.' But it was Cameron Diaz's Avaline rosé ($19.99) that really missed the mark. 6 'It has a touch of cherry red fruit on the finish,' McCutcheon said of Markle's wine. 'This you could drink on its own or paired with food. It could pair very well with French, Mediterranean food. This one gets a star.' Emmy Park for NY Post It's 'a little dull' and 'missing something on the nose,' said Bendek of the last place winner, which is made in France and marketed as being organic and free of added sugar and artificial colors. Miller called the 'There's Something About Mary' star's vino 'very one dimensional' and not something he'd recommend serving to aficionados. McCutcheon agreed. 'This is for the masses,' he sniffed.