Latest news with #StoneColdStunner
The Guardian
11-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Musk thinks Trump's pal Navarro is a ‘moron'. Who are we supposed to root for here?
I would like to dispel some rumors right up front. One, I did not receive a PhD in business from Harvard Business School. Hopefully this doesn't make you think less of me, but I felt it necessary to be honest. Second, I did not even attend Harvard. I thought about it once; hopefully, thinking about something isn't illegal yet. My point is that I am no elitist snob begging for your subservience. I'm a simple man, just trying to salvage the last of my meager wealth during the great trade war of 2025. I know absolutely nothing about global economic policy. As such, I must be worth listening to. I say all of this because Elon Musk, the owner of various companies like Tesla, SpaceX, Weyland-Yutani, OCP, the Tyrell Corporation, etc, has made it abundantly clear that he can't stand Peter Navarro. Peter Navarro, with his fancy degree from Harvard, is too much of an intellectual for the current zeitgeist that favors a complete lack of knowledge for just about anyone in a position of authority. The secretary of education never taught a single school class, but she has (poorly) received a Stone Cold Stunner. The secretary of Health and Human Services has a problem with pasteurized milk. The secretary of transportation was on Road Rules, so at least he has a basic understanding of motorway etiquette. But for the most part, if you have only a layman's understanding of your role, you are unequivocally qualified to lead. I am ill-suited to any cabinet position, unless there's a secretary of cocktails, in which case, I make a mean dry gin martini with a twist of lemon. So I am paradoxically the perfect person to run our economic policy, based on the rhetoric of Elon Musk, who deemed Peter Navarro to be a 'moron' because of his advanced degree, and his support for Donald Trump's ruinous tariffs against global trade. Navarro stated that Musk's Tesla plants are a prime example of the world's trade imbalance. 'In many cases, if you go to [Musk's] Texas plant, a good part of the engines that he gets, which in the EV case are the batteries, come from Japan and come from China. The electronics come from Taiwan,' Navarro alleged. This statement set Musk off, causing him to turn on Navarro – whom he considers 'dumber than a sack of bricks' – and by proxy, Trump's stated aims of bringing manufacturing back to the States through onerous taxation. Musk said on X: 'By any definition whatsoever, Tesla is the most vertically integrated auto manufacturer in America with the highest percentage of US content. Navarro should ask the fake expert he invented, Ron Vara.' The 'Ron Vara' comment is in reference to the allegedly made-up expert that Navarro cited in his 2011 book Death By China, which warns the reader of nefarious Chinese economic policy. When called out about his charming little fib, Navarro said that the use of a fictional figure that is clearly an anagram of his own last name was a fun 'inside joke' between him and … I suppose the basic tenets of ethics. This is, by any cogent estimation, a battle of the titans: Navarro, the Ivy League-educated garbage man for the current American president, and Musk, who managed to wield his immense wealth to convince said president that having a functioning government was beta-ass behavior, bruh. Is there a winner here? Probably not. We all lose when no one seems to care about anything but their own interests. Navarro is terrified to upset his boss. Musk clearly doesn't want to endanger his own profits by allowing tariffs to squelch the free exchange of goods between nations that like electric cars. The rest of us, the chaff caught between these two gibbering hobbits, can fend for ourselves until they figure it out. This fight is expensive for us. The stock market, which is too esoteric and costly for most average people to participate in directly, shed trillions of dollars thanks to fears of Trump's tariffs. That value bounced back after the president backed off his threats for a period of 90 days, but the psychological effect of that brinkmanship will be hard to shake. Those fluctuations are video game-like blips for the mega-rich, but they can cause real harm to the retirement funds of the average citizen. A tariff on pharmaceuticals could inhibit people from accessing life-saving medication. To people like Navarro and Musk, these are theoretical concerns, so far removed from their everyday lives that they might as well be the problems of the Klingon Empire on Star Trek. Why should they care, when their own petty squabbles are so near and dear to them? But this is the grand thesis of Trump's America. Personal grievance and retribution are paramount. Proving you are superior to your enemy means more than the fate of a stranger, or a neighbor. Why do we get out of bed every morning if not to smite our opponent on the virtual battlefield of social media? It means more to be right than to do right. In some twisted way, Musk is correct. We do need some manner of global trade to survive, because the global economy is so bloody complicated and ridiculous that we have to keep some semblance of the status quo for now. That his calculus is related to his own personal wealth is an unfortunate aspect of this position. Navarro, on the other hand, understands Musk shouldn't be involved in the economic policy of the entire planet. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, referred to this spat as a benign 'boys will be boys' dust-up, but I think it's more than that. This is Godzilla v Kong, if Godzilla was a sycophantic bureaucrat and Kong appeared to have very expensive hair transplants. In the aforementioned film, Godzilla and Kong beat the shit out of each other and destroyed an entire city in the process. This real-life fight could actually be more devastating if we do nothing about it. Dave Schilling is a Los Angeles-based writer and humorist
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gronk-a-Mania set to run wild over WrestleMania weekend
FILE 0-Rob Gronkowski, wearing a wrestling championship belt, makes an appearance at Gronk Beach music festival during Super Bowl week on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. (Photo by Mark Peterman/Invision/AP, File) Rob Gronkowski grew up emulating his sports heroes in school, never shy about unleashing a Stone Cold Stunner or dropping a People's Elbow on his roughhousing friends. Yes, he pulled his punches a bit just like the real stars — Gronkowski rattled off wrestling favorites ranging from Val Venis to the bad boys of Degeneration X — but there was nothing phony about his love of WWE. 'We just loved what the WWE brought to our childhood,' the retired New England Patriots tight end said. 'The characters. It wasn't even about the fights in the ring. It was how awesome these guys as personalities were.' Advertisement Gronk grew into one of the most supersized characters of 'em all. So it was of little surprise that the fun-loving, fearless Gronkowski's charisma and hulking muscles made him a natural fit as a WWE star. He hosted WrestleMania in 2020. He was provoked into jumping the rail and hit the ring at another WrestleMania after bad guy Jinder Mahal tossed a drink in his face. And yes, four Super Bowl rings are nice, but how many NFL stars can claim they were WWE 24/7 champion like Gronkowski? Gronkowski successfully won the only wrestling title that had the caveat of being defended against anyone, anywhere, any time. He would lose the championship after he was pinned in a backyard. Advertisement Gronkowski is tag-team partners again with WWE, this year bringing the 'Gronk Beach' parties he threw at the Super Bowl to WrestleMania next month in Las Vegas. WrestleMania has soared for decades as a sport-entertainment attraction — last year's event in Philadelphia boasted close to 150,000 fans over two nights at the home of the Eagles — and will debut 'WrestleMania After Dark' for the April 19 and 20 dates. Gronkowski will throw his party after Sunday night's show. 'WrestleMania gets the same amount of people as the Super Bowl and they don't have all those parties that surround it like the Super Bowl does,' Gronkowski said. 'It was such a good idea to bring Gronk Beach to WrestleMania because of that reason.' While pro wrestling is built on the swerve — the art of delivering fans the unexpected — Gronkowski said he would not compete at WrestleMania, citing his brother's wedding on that Saturday night. 'I will not be in the ring at WrestleMania,' he said. 'I really wish I could possibly do something.' Advertisement 'Gronk Beach' at Fontainebleau Las Vegas advertised performances by rappers such as Flo Rida and appearances from WWE stars such as Damian Priest and Tiffany Stratton. Oh, there's a standing invite for his old Patriots coach, Bill Belichick to crash the party. 'That invite will always be there,' Gronkowski said. 'Him and his girlfriend, the doors are wide open. He doesn't have to pay for a ticket. He'll full exclusive VIP.' Belichick, in his first season at North Carolina, knows his way around a beach. Belichick and his 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson shared snaps on Instagram of the couple doing yoga on a Florida beach. Advertisement Belichick has turned into a bit of a media darling and social media sensation since his split with the New England Patriots. He clowns around and offers insights on 'The Pat McAfee Show' and even needled his former players at Tom Brady's Netflix roast. 'I'm all in for it. I'm a big fan of it,' Gronkowski said. 'It all started at the roast. The way he came out firing at his players. All of his ex-players in New England. It just was fun, come out, see him crack some jokes, show that personality that he truly has.' ___ AP sports:
Associated Press
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Gronk-a-Mania set to run wild over WrestleMania weekend
Rob Gronkowski grew up emulating his sports heroes in school, never shy about unleashing a Stone Cold Stunner or dropping a People's Elbow on his roughhousing friends. Yes, he pulled his punches a bit just like the real stars — Gronkowski rattled off wrestling favorites ranging from Val Venis to the bad boys of Degeneration X — but there was nothing phony about his love of WWE. 'We just loved what the WWE brought to our childhood,' the retired New England Patriots tight end said. 'The characters. It wasn't even about the fights in the ring. It was how awesome these guys as personalities were.' Gronk grew into one of the most supersized characters of 'em all. So it was of little surprise that the fun-loving, fearless Gronkowski's charisma and hulking muscles made him a natural fit as a WWE star. He hosted WrestleMania in 2020. He was provoked into jumping the rail and hit the ring at another WrestleMania after bad guy Jinder Mahal tossed a drink in his face. And yes, four Super Bowl rings are nice, but how many NFL stars can claim they were WWE 24/7 champion like Gronkowski? Gronkowski successfully won the only wrestling title that had the caveat of being defended against anyone, anywhere, any time. He would lose the championship after he was pinned in a backyard. Gronkowski is tag-team partners again with WWE, this year bringing the 'Gronk Beach' parties he threw at the Super Bowl to WrestleMania next month in Las Vegas. WrestleMania has soared for decades as a sport-entertainment attraction — last year's event in Philadelphia boasted close to 150,000 fans over two nights at the home of the Eagles — and will debut 'WrestleMania After Dark' for the April 19 and 20 dates. Gronkowski will throw his party after Sunday night's show. 'WrestleMania gets the same amount of people as the Super Bowl and they don't have all those parties that surround it like the Super Bowl does,' Gronkowski said. 'It was such a good idea to bring Gronk Beach to WrestleMania because of that reason.' While pro wrestling is built on the swerve — the art of delivering fans the unexpected — Gronkowski said he would not compete at WrestleMania, citing his brother's wedding on that Saturday night. 'I will not be in the ring at WrestleMania,' he said. 'I really wish I could possibly do something.' 'Gronk Beach' at Fontainebleau Las Vegas advertised performances by rappers such as Flo Rida and appearances from WWE stars such as Damian Priest and Tiffany Stratton. Oh, there's a standing invite for his old Patriots coach, Bill Belichick to crash the party. 'That invite will always be there,' Gronkowski said. 'Him and his girlfriend, the doors are wide open. He doesn't have to pay for a ticket. He'll full exclusive VIP.' Belichick, in his first season at North Carolina, knows his way around a beach. Belichick and his 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson shared snaps on Instagram of the couple doing yoga on a Florida beach. Belichick has turned into a bit of a media darling and social media sensation since his split with the New England Patriots. He clowns around and offers insights on 'The Pat McAfee Show' and even needled his former players at Tom Brady's Netflix roast. 'I'm all in for it. I'm a big fan of it,' Gronkowski said. 'It all started at the roast. The way he came out firing at his players. All of his ex-players in New England. It just was fun, come out, see him crack some jokes, show that personality that he truly has.'
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Education Sec. Pick Brings WWE Wrestler ‘Triple H' to Hearing
President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Education, Linda McMahon, attended her Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday with pro-wrestler Triple H in tow, the Independent reported. The scene provided plenty of grist for the online mill. McMahon—former president and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment WWE—'brought her own security,' one social media user joked. Triple H, whose real name is Paul Levesque, is married to McMahon's daughter, Stephanie. Stephanie attended the hearing along with the couple's eldest child, Shane. 'Yeah, the U.S. is a f****** joke,' another social media user commented. Yet another social media user mocked McMahon's entourage: 'I count 4 people in the room for Linda McMahon's confirmation hearing who've taken a Stone Cold Stunner on national television: Linda McMahon, Paul Levesque, Stephanie McMahon, Shane McMahon.' 'Stone Cold Stunner' is the signature wrestling move of Steve 'Stone Cold' Austin. 'Okay thank you everyone for joining us today, and wait what's that? OH MY GOD IT'S SHAWN MICHAELS! AND HE'S GOT A STEEL CHAIR!' one user jeered, riffing off of the WWE theme. Trump's rant about wanting to close the very department McMahon plans to head superseded her first committee confirmation hearing. The president has been pushing for the demise of DoE for years and now claims to want to shut it down 'immediately,' the Independent reported.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wrestler Triple H sitting behind Linda McMahon at hearing delights social media: ‘I guess she brought her own security'
Social media users were quick to react after spotting a familiar face at Linda McMahon's Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Education – pro-wrestling star Triple H. Some joked that McMahon, estranged wife of WWE mogul Vince McMahon, had 'brought her own security,' while others remarked on the sheer absurdity of the moment on Thursday. 'Triple H is currently sitting behind Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon as she testifies before the Senate to become the Secretary of Education. America is back,' wrote one user. 'I guess she brought her own security... Wild times,' added another. Another wrote: 'I count 4 people in the room for Linda McMahon's confirmation hearing who've taken a Stone Cold Stunner on national television: Linda McMahon, Paul Levesque, Stephanie McMahon, Shane McMahon.' A Stone Cold Stunner refers to the signature wrestling move of pro-wrestler Steve Austin, aka 'Stone Cold.' Shane and Stephanie McMahon are the children of Linda and Vince McMahon. Stephanie is married to Triple H, whose real name is Paul Levesque. McMahon introduced her children and Lavesque to the Senate in her opening remarks. 'Yeah, the U.S. is a f****** joke,' another social media user commented. But others continued to riff on the WWE theme. "Okay thank you everyone for joining us today, and wait what's that? OH MY GOD IT'S SHAWN MICHAELS! AND HE'S GOT A STEEL CHAIR!' quipped one user. 'Triple H ready to body slam [Senate Minority leader Chuck] Schumer in Linda McMahon's hearing,' added another. McMahon's first committee confirmation hearing for the head of the Department of Education comes just a day after Donald Trump ranted about closing that very department, after recently claiming McMahon should eventually 'put herself out of a job.' The president has been arguing for the removal of the DoE for years and has said he 'immediately' wants to shut it down while pushing lawmakers to conduct the final execution. Trump cannot remove the department without an act of the legislative branch. McMahon's confirmation hearing also comes after the so-called 'Ring Boys' lawsuit being brought against her and her estranged husband, is set to resume. The civil lawsuit, which claims the McMahons knowingly enabled the sexual exploitation of children by a longtime WWW employee, was subject to a temporary pause in the Maryland Supreme Court's ruling over the Child Victims Act. On Monday, justices voted four-three to preserve the act, eliminating the statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse to sue their alleged abusers. The McMahon family denies all allegations.
