Terry Rozier, who was arrested as part of illegal sports betting investigation, released by Heat: report

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, who was arrested in October as part of an FBI investigation into illegal sports betting, was reportedly released by the team on Friday.

Rozier, 32, had been away from the team since his arrest and was placed on leave by the NBA for his alleged involvement in illegal sports betting during his time with the Charlotte Hornets. ESPN first reported his release.

Rozier pleaded not guilty to counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in December.

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During a game in 2023, Rozier played fewer than 10 minutes, citing a foot injury. Multiple people placed high-stakes wagers on Rozier to play poorly before the game, and all of those individuals won their bets.

Rozier, who signed a four-year, $96.3 million contract extension in 2023, will have his contract come off the books after the season. The $26.6 million he was supposed to earn this season was placed in escrow as his case plays out.

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The Hornets traded Rozier to the Heat in January 2024, a trade that has come under scrutiny in light of the allegations. The Heat were not aware of the federal and NBA investigations into Rozier at the time of the trade.

After the allegations came forth, the Hornets agreed to give the Heat a second-round pick in the upcoming draft.

For the Heat, the reported release of Rozier allows them to free up a roster spot heading into the playoffs.

The Heat, at 41-39, are currently 10th in the Eastern Conference and are set to make the Play-In Tournament, as the 11th place Milwaukee Bucks are 31-49 and nowhere close to competing for the final spot.

Fox News' Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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source https://www.foxnews.com/sports/terry-rozier-illegal-sports-betting-investigation-released-heat

Michelle Pfeiffer fought 'battle' with Taylor Sheridan before surrendering to hit show 'The Madison'

Michelle Pfeiffer’s decision to join Taylor Sheridan’s new series "The Madison" wasn’t an easy one.

The Hollywood legend shared how her "battle" with the famous director over a scriptless pitch ultimately paid off.

During an appearance on the "Today" show Friday, host Willie Geist said, "This role, I understand, was a little bit of a surprise. He called you in and said, ‘Effectively, I’ve designed a series around you, are you in?’ What did you say?"

'THE MADISON' STAR MICHELLE PFEIFFER CREDITS ONE SIMPLE BEAUTY SECRET FOR HER AGELESS GLOW AT 67

Pfeiffer replied, "I said, ‘Great, I’d love to read something.’"

But there was a twist, as Sheridan, who’s known for pulling talent in without scripts, threw Pfeiffer for a loop when he revealed, "I’d like to cast first, and then I write." 

Pfeiffer wasn’t sold on the idea right away. "We went back and forth like that for a few weeks," she confessed.

"And then I realized I was not going to win this battle, so I took a huge leap of faith. Obviously, he has an amazing track record."

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Sheridan’s success in the genre and his impressive track record — especially with "Yellowstone" — finally convinced her to take the plunge.

"He talked to me … he gave me the sort of general scope of the character and what [the] journey was for this family … I was really interested in that," she explained. 

"It's a grind, doing a TV show and being away for all those months, but, you know, I can now."

It wasn’t just Sheridan’s reputation that sealed the deal — Pfeiffer called up fellow actress Helen Mirren, who starred in "1883," "Yellowstone’s" prequel, for advice. 

Pfeiffer explained, "I don’t know Helen, but from what I’ve seen and heard, she’s sort of a ‘take no prisoners’ kind of person. I thought she’d be really straight with me, like ‘Run’ or you know … and basically it was like ‘run and do it.’"

'THE MADISON' STAR MATTHEW FOX ADMITS WHY HE DITCHED HOLLYWOOD AT THE HEIGHT OF 'LOST' FAME

"She said, ‘The scripts are amazing, the best-run productions that I’ve ever been on.' And I’m having so much fun."

Mirren’s glowing recommendation, along with Sheridan’s pitch, ultimately sealed the deal for Pfeiffer, who said she’s enjoying the ride.

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Pfeiffer is also joined by Kurt Russell, her longtime friend and co-star, in "The Madison."

The duo had been hoping for a reunion — and now they’re finally sharing the screen again.

"I always want to be with Kurt," she previously told Fox News Digital. "I had such a good time working with him on ‘Tequila Sunrise.’"

"The Madison" follows Pfeiffer’s character, Stacy Clyburn, as she and her family leave their New York City life behind after a devastating loss. The show has already proven to be a massive success.

The premiere episode hit 8 million global streaming views in just 10 days, making it Sheridan’s biggest launch to date. The show has already been renewed for a second season.

source https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/michelle-pfeiffer-fought-battle-taylor-sheridan-before-surrendering-hit-show-the-madison

Masters TV coverage a mixed bag of streaming frustration

Welcome to Friday at The Masters. Tune into the Masters app, Masters.com, Prime TV, Paramount+ and ESPN for your wall-to-wall coverage!

Yes, it seems like a heavy lift. In some ways, it has been for golf fans. Gone are the days of CBS firing up the cameras at 3 p.m., and showing us four straight hours of golf. 

But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Predictably, Augusta National has had to evolve, along with its partners, to this new age of streaming. It's tricky, because Augusta is famous for shaping the coverage of this event. Sometimes, you wonder if they want you to see it at all. I get it. 

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I will say, though, that the introduction of Prime to this year's tournament has been more of a success than I would've thought. 

But first, a quick rundown of how to watch golf today, tomorrow, and, most importantly, Sunday:

So, that's basically it in a nutshell. Sure, that nutshell may be huge, but it's still a nutshell. Or something like that. 

To watch The Masters all day — from sun-up to sundown — you need a combination of Paramount+, Amazon Prime, and ESPN. That's for today. To watch over the weekend, you can go ahead and drop the Amazon subscription if you so choose, but pick up CBS. 

Again, it sounds daunting. "All you need is a laptop, a TV and a few subscriptions." OK. Sounds great! Thanks, Augusta, for letting us in!

Some folks, understandably so, are annoyed:

I get it. Too many cooks in the kitchen. That certainly applies here. But, that's the age we live in. The streaming era is ruthless. It all seemed great on paper years ago, but now it's just become exhausting. 

It's not all bad. For starters, the simplest answer to all of this is "Just use The Masters app." Yes, it's a great app. It has everything. You can watch it all, in one spot. Same with Masters.com. 

You can go there right now and watch the featured groups, Amen corner, and holes 4, 5 and 6. 

Obviously, that's not going to be for everyone, though. It can also be clunky, as most streaming apps are. That's just the nature of the business. 

JACK NICKLAUS’ CEREMONIAL TEE SHOT AT THE MASTERS COMES DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO PATRONS

A lot of folks also don't realize you can put the Masters app on your smart TVs, so they end up holding a phone or watching their laptops all day. Not great. And yes, I'm talking about the older folks. I don't think that's any big secret. 

I'll will, however, give Prime credit. Again, usually when a new streaming service gets involved in a sport, it can be dicey. Netflix was crucified for a pretty subpar MLB debut a few weeks ago. 

By all accounts, Prime has been solid so far this week:

Again, not bad. I've seen these things spiral pretty quickly. Prime seemed ready to roll, which makes sense given they've had the Thursday Night Football package for years now. 

Anyway, like anything in 2026, Masters coverage has been met with mixed reviews all week. Does it feel like we're getting yanked around? Sure. Has Prime been a nice addition to fill the gap between the morning and the main broadcast? Absolutely. 

Some folks will tell you to quit complaining, because there was a time, not too long ago, where you didn't get any Masters TV coverage until 3 p.m. 

Obviously, that's no longer the case. You can watch golf all day long now. 

You just have to work to find it. 

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source https://www.foxnews.com/sports/masters-tv-coverage-mixed-bag-streaming-frustration-appreciation

McDonald's CEO dragged again after another awkward food video: 'Nugget bite was worse'

McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski is back in the spotlight after his awkward burger review was seen by millions — and his latest attempt to address it sparked fresh backlash.

The business executive went viral in February after posting his video review of the Big Arch, a hefty burger packed with two quarter-pound patties, three slices of cheese and crispy onions — along with the usual pickles, slivered onions and lettuce.

Kempczinski called the burger a "delicious product," all while wearing a sweater vest and sitting in a corporate setting.

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"Holy cow! God, that is a big burger," Kempczinski said in the video, which was seen by millions of Instagram users.

Despite his excitement, Kempczinski only took a very small bite of the burger and declared, "That is so good."

Though he seemed uncomfortable eating it, the executive described the offering as "distinctively McDonald's."

"Only McDonald's could do this type of burger, but it also is unlike anything else on our menu. It's a delicious product," Kempczinski said.

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The fast-food chief endured thousands of comments scrutinizing him over the video and later addressed the reaction in an interview published by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on April 6.

Kempczinski told the outlet that he learned the video had gone viral when one of his children told him about it.

"I got a call from one of my kids, and they said, 'Dad, you've gone viral and not in a good way,'" the CEO said.

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When WSJ business columnist Tim Higgins asked him about eating on camera, Kempczinski laughed and said it's best to "just dive right in."

He added, "I'm looking forward to taking a nice bite out of this chicken nugget," before eating the company's signature McNugget.

"It's a little weird to watch each other eat," Higgins responded.

"Imagine how I felt," Kempczinski joked.

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In the comments section of the WSJ Instagram post, users didn't hold back.

"The nugget bite was worse than the burger one," one person said.

"Even the nugget bite was ragebait," a second user observed.

Another person joked, "Can we never see him again pls?"

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Many other users questioned why he was being interviewed again.

"He still looks like he does not want to eat his own 'products,'" an unimpressed user wrote.

"Why do they continue to put him on [the] air," another said.

Fox News Digital reached out to McDonald's for comment.

source https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/mcdonalds-ceo-dragged-again-another-awkward-food-video-nugget-bite-worse

Bodycam shows Athena Strand’s killer FedEx driver flip personas, say discarding girl’s clothes was ‘funny’

Haunting body camera footage of a former FedEx delivery driver who pleaded guilty to killing a young girl showed him flipping between alter ego personalities as it was played in a Texas courtroom Thursday as jurors weigh whether he will receive the death penalty. 

Tanner Horner, 34, pleaded guilty to the kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand in a Fort Worth courtroom. 

Jurors are now being shown body camera footage and additional evidence to determine if Horner will receive the death penalty or life in prison without parole. 

On Thursday, jurors were shown footage of authorities confronting Horner about where he disposed of Athena’s clothing following her death on Nov. 30, 2022.

ATHENA STRAND’S KILLER FEDEX DRIVER TOLD POLICE HE ‘KIND OF TOSSED’ 7-YEAR-OLD’S BODY INTO WOODS, VIDEO SHOWS

"Are you saying you stripped her naked and threw her clothes out the window on the highway?" the officer can be heard asking. 

"I thought it was funny," Horner replied. 

"Did you take all her clothes off of her? Shirts, pants, panties – everything?" the officer asked. 

"Mm-hmm," Horner said. 

The officers then shift to addressing Horner’s alter ego, "Zero." 

"Hey Zero, when you took her, was she wearing a jacket or anything?" the officer said. 

"No jacket, no shoes," Horner, speaking as Zero, replied. 

ATHENA STRAND PHOTO SHOWS DEADLY RIDE WITH FEDEX DRIVER WHO ADMITTED KILLING GIRL DURING CHRISTMAS DELIVERY

Authorities continued to push Horner for more details about Athena’s abduction, asking if the girl told him she did not want to get into his car. 

In response, Horner informed them he told Athena, "We’re going on a ride." 

"She was trying to fight you when you told her you were going on a ride?" the officer asked. 

"No," Horner replied as he mumbled details about what Athena had said to him. 

The officers then attempted to get more details from Horner, who appeared to be speaking to them as his alter ego. 

MAN CONFESSES TO KILLING 7-YEAR-OLD WHILE ON THE LAM AFTER DNA LINKS HIM TO 30-YEAR COLD CASE: AUTHORITIES

"So did you hit her before you dropped the package? I’m sorry, did Tanner hit her before the package was dropped off, or after?" the officer asked, before shifting to address Horner as Zero. 

"Do you want to talk to him?" Horner replied, referring to himself. 

"No, I want to talk to Zero. I want to talk to you. Because you’re being more honest, you’re more helpful," the officer said. 

While on the stand, Texas Ranger Job Espinoza, the lead investigator who was with Horner when Athena's body was located and interrogated him after his arrest, testified that Horner told him Athena’s underwear was still on her body, according to FOX 4. 

However, Espinoza told the courtroom he knew the claim was untrue because Athena’s body was nude when her remains were discovered by authorities.

Espinoza then added that Horner allegedly admitted to taking Athena’s pants and placing them inside a backpack thrown in the trash at his house. Investigators later found some articles of Athena’s clothing inside Horner’s home. 

Upon being asked if there was any evidence that Athena’s clothes were thrown on the highway, Espinoza denied the claim. 

"Based on the course of this investigation, I knew that was a lie," Espinoza said. 

In his earlier testimony on Thursday morning, Espinoza told Wise County District Attorney James Stainton that Horner had been untruthful throughout the investigative process. 

"At this point, other than telling you where Athena was located, is there anything else truthful that Tanner Horner has told you?" Stainton asked. 

"No sir," Espinoza answered. 

"Up until this point, how many different versions has Tanner Horner told you of how things went down at Athena's residence?" Stainton replied. 

"He's given me numerous different versions of how the events of that day transpired," Espinoza said.

In an interrogation video shown Thursday, Horner asked investigators to release him from jail for about a month so he could spend Christmas with his family, while promising to provide the details of his crime if they agreed. 

"Did you know what you did was wrong?" Espinoza asked him, according to FOX 4. 

"Of course," Horner said. "I haven't been on that medicine for five days, and it's starting to wear off. I've actually been crying. Do you know what it's like, not being able to cry for months and months and months?"

Espinoza then asked if Horner was remorseful for what he did to the young girl. 

"I’m a father," Horner said as he grew emotional. "All I want is to spend one last Christmas with my son, and I’ll tell you everything."

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Horner initially claimed he accidentally struck Athena with his delivery truck, but later admitted to abducting and strangling her while delivering a package to her father’s home in November 2022 in Paradise, Texas.

He previously said he "kind of tossed" the young girl into the woods after killing her, according to an interrogation video shown to jurors.

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Prosecutors have aimed to paint Horner as a violent and calculating killer. 

"First thing Tanner Horner says to Athena when he picks her up, puts her in that truck, leans down, and he says, ‘Don’t scream or I’ll hurt you,’" Stainton told jurors in opening statements Tuesday.

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"I’m going to tell you right now. One thing you’re going to hear that is something you can’t unhear is the level of fight that a 7-year-old girl has. When she’s facing down a certain death."

Stainton also revealed Horner may have sexually assaulted the young girl after her abduction.

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"We have DNA. Not only do we have initial DNA from Athena that has Tanner Horner’s DNA under her fingernails. We also have Tanner Horner’s DNA in places where you shouldn’t find DNA on a 7-year-old girl," Stainton said in court.

Prosecutors have pointed to evidence showing Horner covered a camera inside his FedEx truck, threatened Athena and carried out an extensive attack before disposing of her body in a wooded area near Boyd, Texas.

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Horner then allegedly returned to work to continue delivering packages as authorities launched a desperate search for the missing child. Her body was discovered three days later. 

Defense attorney Lindsay Thompson pointed to Horner suffering from brain damage, mental illness and extreme lead exposure – while mentioning his autism diagnosis.

Thompson added that Horner should be spared from the death penalty because he had accepted responsibility by pleading guilty. 

Authorities have revealed Horner was delivering a package of Barbie dolls meant to be a Christmas gift for Athena when he abducted and killed her.

Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

source https://www.foxnews.com/us/bodycam-shows-athena-strand-killer-fedex-driver-flip-personas-say-discarding-girls-clothes-funny

Olympic gold winner dismisses athletes' negative comments on representing US: 'I think we're the best country'

Not everybody representing the red, white and blue sounded necessarily ecstatic about doing so in the Olympics.

Freeskier Hunter Hess said he had "mixed emotions" representing the U.S. in Milan, while skier Mikaela Shiffrin said she wanted to represent her own "values" in Milan, and it was "tough to reconcile" violence in America while "competing for medals at an Olympic event."

But for two-time gold medalist Jordan Stolz, there were no problems.

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In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, the speedskater who won gold twice in Italy, Stolz said he paid no mind to any other athletes' comments.

"I didn't really pay attention to it, but I'm always happy to represent the USA," Stolz said.

"I think we're the best country."

It was not just winter Olympians who shared unease about representing the United States on the grandest stage. In an interview with Fox News Digital months before the 2024 Summer Olympics, Noah Lyles said representing the U.S. was "bittersweet" and came with a "heavy heart," saying Black people in America have "a lot to deal with."

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST DISCUSSES BALANCE BETWEEN CELEBRATING ONE VICTORY WHILE VYING FOR OTHERS

Hess said it was "a little hard" to represent the United States, because "there’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren’t." Those comments prompted President Donald Trump to call him a "real loser."

"Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S. I just kind of want to do it for my friends and my family and the people that support me getting here," Hess said in February.

Shriffin said, "I think there's a lot of hardship in the world globally, and there's a lot of heartbreak. There's a lot of violence. It can be tough to reconcile that when you're also competing for medals at an Olympic event."

Ahead of the World Baseball Classic, Bryce Harper, who played for Team USA, said it was "crazy" to not fully embrace wearing the Stars and Stripes.

The Philadelphia Phillies first baseman said no matter where one may stand politically, it is always the greatest honor to represent the United States.

"Obviously, there's things that are going on in the country that, you know, aren't good or people don't believe in or whatever, right? Politics aside, for me, when you're going and representing your country, you're representing your country, man. Like, block all that out. It's sports.

"We want to put something on the TV that is happy and good and just great for everybody to watch, right? So, representing your country, there's nothing greater than representing your country. There's really nothing at all.

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source https://www.foxnews.com/sports/olympic-gold-winner-dismisses-athletes-negative-comments-representing-us-think-best-country

'Euphoria' star Natasha Lyonne escorted off plane after appearing disoriented following show premiere: report

Natasha Lyonne was reportedly escorted off a plane in Los Angeles after seeming disoriented and not complying with aircraft rules.

Hours after appearing at the Season 3 premiere of HBO’s "Euphoria," the "Orange Is the New Black" star — who announced that she had relapsed in January after 10 years of sobriety — seemed "out of it" while aboard a first class seat on a Delta flight from Los Angeles to New York City, according to Page Six.

The outlet reported that Lyonne — who seemed to be dozing off — did not respond when flight attendants asked her to close her laptop and fasten her seat belt for takeoff.

ACTRESS NATASHA LYONNE CLARIFIES REMARKS AFTER SAYING 12-YEAR-OLDS SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET ABORTIONS

After the plane reportedly taxied to the runway, it later turned back to the gate before takeoff when a flight attendant expressed concern for Lyonne.

"Ma’am, do you need medical attention?" the flight attendant asked the actress, according to Page Six. "Ma’am, I need you to come off the plane. Do you need help with your belongings?"

"Where are we?" Lyonne allegedly responded, before being told, "We’re still in L.A. The plane hasn’t gone anywhere. The plane is not going anywhere until you come off it."

After Lyonne willingly de-boarded the plane, the flight's captain expressed his apologies for the delay to the rest of the passengers.

"We have a passenger who, for whatever reason … wouldn’t follow some basic commands … We had a passenger who didn’t seem up to the task tonight so that’s why they were asked to be booked on another flight — I do apologize for the inconvenience, but we will get you to New York as quickly and as safely as possible."

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Representatives for Lyonne and Delta did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

The incident comes months after Lyonne revealed she was no longer sober in a January social media post.

"Took my relapse public more to come," she wrote via X at the time. "Recovery is a lifelong process. Anyone out there struggling, remember you’re not alone. Grateful for love & smart feet."

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"Stay honest, folks. Sick as our secrets," she continued. "If no one told ya today, I love you. No matter how far down the scales we have gone, we will see how our experience may help another. Keep going, kiddos. Don’t quit before the miracle. Wallpaper your mind with love. Rest is all noise & baloney."

Last month, Lyonne shared an additional update on her sobriety journey.

"Proud to report this kid is doing a whole lot better & back on her feet," she wrote on X. "Want to thank our recovery communities & the fans who stood by & were so supportive. Aiming to keep the journey somehow private, but look forward to sharing my experience, strength & hope as makes sense. My heart is with everyone ever going through it."

source https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/euphoria-star-natasha-lyonne-escorted-plane-appearing-disoriented-following-show-premiere-report