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Today — 14 January 2025Main stream

Nancy Mace challenges Dem rep to ‘take it outside’ after ‘child, listen’ comment sparks chaos

14 January 2025 at 17:58

Them's fightin' words. 

The House Oversight Committee devolved into chaos on Tuesday after Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., challenged Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, to a fight. 

"If you wanna take it outside, we can do that," Mace said.

The squabble was sparked when Crockett said "child, listen" during a back-and-forth about civil rights, women's rights and transgender rights.

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"Somebody's campaign coffers are struggling right now. So she gon' keep sayin' ‘trans, trans trans’ so that people will feel threatened and child, listen," Crockett said. 

Mace erupted in anger. 

"I'm no child! Do not call me a child! I'm no child. Don't even start," Mace said, interrupting Crockett. "I'm a grown woman. I'm 47 years old. I've broken more glass ceilings than you ever have… You will not do that. I'm not a child… If you wanna take it outside, we can do that."

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The two talked over each other as House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., attempted to control the chaos as he slammed his gavel. 

"Order! Order! Order!," members could be heard saying.

Crockett later attacked Republicans, accusing them of going after "the most vulnerable in our country." 

She said, "Trans people ain't goin' no where. Just like when the racists wanted to make sure that Black people somehow were going to be dismissed in this country. We ain't left either."

Mace later took to X to continue her war of words with Crockett. 

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"I’m no child. And if I wanted a physical fight, you’d know it. That’s not what this was," she wrote. "I won’t be bullied by someone who wants to take away women’s rights while lecturing about civil rights. I won’t be bullied by someone who thinks being scared of rape is a ‘fantasy.’ This ain’t political, it’s personal."

Mace further attempted to clarify her comments in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"There’s been a lot of speculation about my intentions during a heated exchange on women’s rights earlier today on Oversight," she said in the statement. "Let me be clear: I wanted to take the conversation off the floor to have a more constructive conversation, not to fight. At no point was there any intention of causing harm to anyone. I was just assaulted by a pro tr*ns man a few weeks ago and am still in physical therapy for my injuries. I know firsthand how the Left is capable of doing real physical harm. I will not be bullied into submission, I will not be called names by my colleagues like I was today, I will not be belittled, or invalidated—especially as a rape survivor. I will always stand up for women and push back against left-wing extremism that seeks to silence our voices and dismiss our rights."

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Crockett also took to X to address the exchange, writing, in part: "Today, I introduced an amendment to reinstate the Oversight Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. My Republican colleague threatened to physically fight me about it. Bless her heart."

Crockett's office also fired back at Mace, claiming it was clear Mace was threatening physical violence against Crockett.

"It was clear that Rep. Mace was threatening physical violence against Congresswoman Crockett as part of her performative, ridiculous meltdown," Crockett's office said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Her slur-ridden screed exemplifies exactly why the House Oversight Committee needs to pass Congresswoman Crockett’s amendment to reinstate the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Congresswoman Crockett ignored her obvious, desperate baiting – if Rep. Mace wants to raise money off of the back of a qualified Black woman, she can try someone else." 

The brouhaha between Mace and Crockett happened on the same day the House passed a bill banning transgender athletes from participating in women's sports at schools that receive federal funding. 

Two House Democrats voted alongside Republicans to pass the Protection of Women and Girls In Sports Act. Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, and Vicente Gonzales, D-Texas, were the lone Democrats to vote for the bill when it passed 218 to 206. Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., voted "present."

Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to confirming Trump Cabinet nominees — perhaps even during inaugural balls

14 January 2025 at 17:52

Expect a traffic jam in the Senate soon as the race is on to confirm President-elect Trump’s cabinet nominees.

In short, nothing can happen until President-elect Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

Yes, there will be plenty of Trump loyalists attending various inaugural balls around town.

But once the inauguration festivities conclude at the Capitol, the Senate will get down to business. A handful of committees are already angling to schedule "markups" to potentially discharge or send various nominations to the floor. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has already teed up a meeting for 3:15 pm et on January 20 for the nomination of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to be Secretary of State. And if the custom holds, the Senate will confirm at least a few of Mr. Trump’s nominees just hours after he takes the oath of office.

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Let history be our guide:

The Senate confirmed Trump’s Defense Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly on the evening of January 20, 2017. The next confirmation didn’t come until January 31, 2017. That was Elaine Chao, wife of former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), to be Transportation Secretary.

In 2021, the Senate confirmed one of President Biden’s nominees shortly after he was sworn-in. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines was the first Biden nominee confirmed – on the night of January 20, 2021. The first, full cabinet-level vote did not come until January 22, when the Senate confirmed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

So, while everyone is trying to squeeze into their tux on Monday night, look for the Senate to potentially vote on a nominee or two on the evening of January 20th.

Fox is told that the most likely candidates might include Rubio – since he is a known quantity in the Senate and has bipartisan support. Another possibility would be CIA Director nominee John Ratcliffe. The Senate previously confirmed Ratcliffe as the Director of National Intelligence during the first Trump Administration. He is also a known entity in the halls of Congress and served as a Republican congressman from Texas. His hearing is on for tomorrow.

Frankly, the ambitious timetable of approving several of the nominees quickly could be challenging.

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The Senate Energy Committee had to postpone Tuesday’s confirmation hearing for Interior Secretary Doug Burgum from Tuesday until Thursday due to delays over paperwork. Veterans Affairs Secretary nominee Doug Collins is not controversial. He is a former GOP congressman from Georgia. But his confirmation hearing for Tuesday was pushed back until next week. Collins may have been one figure who could have been confirmed quickly.

Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi is also one who could secure relatively speedy confirmation. Her hearing is Wednesday and Thursday. So maybe next week for her? Unclear.

But let’s examine the track record of the Senate confirming President Biden’s nominees and place it against expectations for the new Trump Administration.

After Lloyd Austin, the Senate confirmed Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on January 25, 2021, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on January 26. Most cabinet officials weren’t confirmed until February or March. The Senate did not confirm Interior Secretary Deb Haaland until March 15, 2021, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra until March 18, 2021, and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh until March 22, 2021.

You get the idea.

Every nominee must go through a hearing. Committees have different rules about how they discharge a nomination to the floor. So that could consume some time as well. Some nominees could be bottled up in committee, depending on opposition or attendance problems. Then there may be debate on the floor.

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If Democrats filibuster a nominee, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) may need to tee up a procedural gambit to break filibusters. The process of just initiating a procedural vote to break a filibuster consumes parts of three days alone. If a nominee’s opponents still don’t relent, it’s possible that senators could drag out debate on a nominee for day or two – even though the Senate has broken a filibuster.

In February 2017, Mike Pence became the first Vice President to break a tie to confirm a cabinet official. He did so to confirm former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

In other words, floor time is at a premium. There are various parliamentary "meridians" for when the Senate can take certain procedural votes to advance a nominee. That’s why the Senate took a procedural vote at 7 am on the DeVos nomination in February 2017. The Senate also confirmed then Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price around 2 am one morning.

And we haven’t even gotten to other nominations which are important to the Administration – such as Pete Hoekstra to be Ambassador to Canada or Mike Huckabee to serve as Ambassador to Israel. There are more than 800 positions which require Senate confirmation.

To accelerate things, the Senate could confirm some swaths of non-controversial nominees "en bloc." That means the Senate clears the nominees on both sides to make sure there are no objections. If there are none, the Senate compiles a list and confirms a group of nominees together in one fell swoop.

But this is a long and tedious process. Confirming various positions in the Trump administration is going to take months. It consumes hours of floor time. That’s the most precious commodity in the Senate. Keep in mind that the push to confirm Trump nominees comes as the Senate is trying to work out a time agreement and amendments to pass the Laken Riley Act and a bill to sanction the International Criminal Court over its arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This is a monster process. And it will likely consume some early mornings, very late nights and even some weekend sessions before this is settled.

TechCrunch cuts staff amid 'evolving needs'

14 January 2025 at 17:57
The Techcrunch logo on a mobile phone, surrounded by rainbow-colored lights.
TechCrunch has made cuts to staff.

Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images

  • TechCrunch has cut staff amid "evolving needs," the company told Business Insider.
  • The Washington Post, HuffPost, and Vox Media have all conducted layoffs in 2025.
  • Publishers face headwinds as many advertisers favor Big Tech.

TechCrunch is the latest digital publisher to cut staff.

A spokesperson for the outlet, which focuses on tech and startup coverage, confirmed the reductions to Business Insider and said fewer than 10 employees were impacted.

"We're excited about the future of TechCrunch," the spokesperson said in a statement, adding the company was "making changes to some roles that no longer fit our evolving needs."

They said the company would continue to grow and hire.

"This adjustment reflects our commitment to aligning our team structure with our business goals and not a cost-cutting effort," they added.

No other Yahoo properties were impacted, the spokesperson said.

Many media organizations continue to face headwinds, contending with falling traffic and advertisers increasingly turning to Big Tech.

Some have cut staff already this year.

Last week, Vox Media laid off staff for the second time in roughly a month.

BuzzFeed-owned HuffPost slashed roughly 22% of its newsroom last week, or 30 jobs, The Wrap and The New York Post reported. HuffPost's editor-in-chief, Danielle Belton, resigned amid the cuts.

The Washington Post is also eliminating less than 100 employees in an effort to cut costs, Reuters reported last week. A spokesperson for the Jeff Bezos-owned paper told the outlet cuts would occur across multiple divisions, but wouldn't impact the newsroom.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Microsoft: A history of the software giant co-founded by Bill Gates, its products and services, jobs, layoffs, and more

14 January 2025 at 17:46
Microsoft's logo is seen in front of the company's headquarters in Washington state.
Microsoft is the company that launched the Windows operating system and ubiquitous office productivity programs like Word, Excel, and Powerpoint.

David Ryder/Getty Images

  • Microsoft is a software company known for products like Windows, Microsoft 365, and Xbox.
  • Microsoft is one of the largest software companies in the world by market cap.
  • Microsoft was co-founded by Bill Gates, and the company is now led by CEO Satya Nadella.

Microsoft is one of the world's largest software companies, with annual revenues nearing $250 billion in recent years. Among its many products and platforms are the programs Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, used by private citizens and corporations all over the world, and the Windows operating system, the most widely-used computer OS by a vast margin.

The company was founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, with the latter leaving Microsoft in 1983 following a diagnosis of Hodgkin disease. Gates would stay on as CEO of the company until 2000, when he voluntarily stepped down, largely to focus on his charitable work with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Gates was replaced by Steve Ballmer as the new Microsoft CEO, serving until he was in turn replaced by Satya Nadella in 2014. Under Nadella's guidance, the company has grown ever more profitable, though there have also been many massive layoffs across Microsoft.

Here's a look in greater detail at Microsoft's history, its many products and services, its financial successes and stumbles, and the foundation its profits helped create.

Microsoft's history

William Henry Gates III, better known as Bill Gates, had a preternatural talent with software, writing his first programs while a young teenager growing up in Seattle, Washington. By the time he graduated high school and went off to Harvard, Gates had already formed a business partnership with his friend and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.

A young Bill Gates and Paul Allen lean against a desk in a 1970s office.
Bill Gates and Paul Allen were computer whizzes in high school, and eventually formed Microsoft together.

Doug Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images

This was a data analysis venture called Traf-O-Data that employed computers in parsing through information collected by roadway traffic counters. Traf-O-Data was not a business success, but it was the precursor to the Microsoft Corporation, which Allen and Gates founded in the spring of 1975.

Initially based in Albuquerque, as Gates and Allen had been working for the New Mexico-based company Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems, the Microsoft headquarters moved to Bellevue, Washington, in early 1979, seeing its founders return to a location near their childhood turf.

The following year, 1980, was a pivotal one for Microsoft because the technology giant IBM awarded the company a contract that saw a Microsoft operating system used in the vaunted IBM Personal Computer, or PC. This was MS-DOS, the premier OS for several years, supplanted only by Windows, released in 1985, and one of the first graphic interface operating systems the world had ever seen.

Windows would become the dominant computer operating system over the next few decades, during which Microsoft also released software that would become wildly successful, such as the aforementioned Word and Excel, as well as PowerPoint.

A stack of boxes labeled "Microsoft Windows 95" is on display at a store.
The iconic Windows 95 operating system cemented Microsoft's position as a global tech giant.

Brooks Kraft LLC/Sygma via Getty Images

Microsoft also developed its an email platform, known as Outlook, and even created a search engine named Bing, and so much more.

Microsoft's software

Microsoft released Microsoft Office — today rebranded as Microsoft 365 — in 1990, and soon the word processing and spreadsheet software therein included (namely Word and Excel) would become all but essential for office employees, students, writers, accountants, and myriad other people around the world.

But Microsoft hardly stopped with these more basic programs. The company would also develop OneDrive, a cloud data storage platform, Microsoft Azure, an advanced cloud computing service that lets you use powerful computers remotely, and Microsoft Copilot, the company's foray into the new and rapidly expanding world of artificial intelligence.

Many companies rely on Microsoft software, such as Teams, which helps people communicate, stay on schedule, and share files and documents, while many individuals rely on the advanced web browser Microsoft Edge to enhance the efficacy of their online searches.

Microsoft's software is so commonly used, and expertise in its programs have become so valuable, that the company even offers Microsoft certifications for IT specialists and developers who work with platforms like Microsoft 365 and Azure.

Beyond work and productivity software, services, and platforms, there is another arena in which Microsoft plays an outsized role: gaming.

Microsoft in the gaming world

Microsoft has been in the video game world since 1979, when "Microsoft Adventure" was released. It was a text-based problem-solving game with a feel not unlike a "Dungeons & Dragons" session.

Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, the company would churn out many video games, but few were mainstream successes save for the many versions of "Microsoft Flight Simulator," which was first released in 1982.

It wasn't until Microsoft got into the console gaming world that true gaming success arrived. Designed to compete with Sony's successful PlayStation video game console, the Xbox was first released in 2001 and would become one of the most popular gaming platforms on the planet.

Bill Gates unveils the Xbox at a launch event in 2001.
Microsoft released the Xbox as a rival to Sony's Playstation, garnering immediate success.

Jeff Christensen/AFP via Getty Images

Now in its fourth generation of console, the Xbox's most popular games include the franchises "Call of Duty," "Grand Theft Auto," and "Fortnite," to name but a few.

Microsoft has added to its success and reach in the gaming world beyond its own original creations as well; it has also acquired heavy hitters in the space. For example, in September of the year 2014, Microsoft bought Mojang, maker of the popular gaming property "Minecraft," for $2.5 billion.

And then, in October 2023, the software juggernaut bought the gaming giant Activision Blizzard for the staggering sum of $68.7 billion. These were not Microsoft's only acquisitions, of course.

Microsoft acquisitions over the years

While Microsoft had acquired many other brands, products, and companies before the year 1997, that year marked its first major and highly visible move of the kind when Microsoft bought the popular email platform Hotmail for a $500 million, which is nearly a billion dollars today.

Hotmail was eventually rolled into Microsoft Outlook, though you can still get and use a Hotmail email address today.

In 2011, Microsoft made another powerful move when it acquired the video chat platform Skype, this time in a multibillion-dollar move.

In 2016, the software company laid out a hefty $26.2 billion to buy LinkedIn, the widely used professional networking and social media platform.

LinkedIn's logo can be seen behind the glass facade of the company's headquarters
Microsoft acquired LinkedIn for a whopping $26.2 billion.

Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

And in 2018, Microsoft acquired GitHub, a code developing platform, for the tidy sum of $7.5 billion. All of these acquisitions involve huge numbers, of course, as does the wealth of Microsoft's founder and the endowment of the charitable organization he established with his then-wife, Melinda Gates.

Bill Gates and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation by the numbers

At last check, Bill Gates' net worth was around $106 billion, making him, the former richest person in the world, not even in the top 10 richest list. He ranked 14th richest, per Forbes, as of late 2024.

Gates has given tens of millions of dollars away, largely to his own nonprofit organization, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is focused on issues ranging from endemic diseases in developing nations to safe water supply issues and combatting hunger.

Married for 27 years prior to a divorce in the summer of 2021, Bill and Melinda Gates sat together on the board of their eponymous foundation for many years and even for three years following the marital split, though Melinda Gates finally departed the foundation in June 2024.

A close-up of Melinda Gates shows her holding an earpiece while sitting in front of a microphone.
Melinda Gates gave up her seat on the board of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation several years after the couple divorced.

Denis Balibouse/Reuters

The foundation, which has offices in multiple countries across four continents, employs more than 2,000 people and has an endowment of more than $75 billion. According to data sourced from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation itself, in recent years it has offered charitable support between $7 and $8 billion, and the foundation had issued more than $77 billion in grant payments since its inception through the year 2023.

That's all an impressive amount of money, to be sure, and given for noble causes, but it pales in comparison to the profits of the Microsoft Corporation, profits that are often maintained thanks to harsh rounds of employee layoffs.

Microsoft finances, revenues, careers, and layoffs

Microsoft went public with its IPO in 1986 at a price of $21 per share. In the decades since, Microsoft stock pricing has swelled exponentially, and the company's total market cap — which is the entire value of a company's outstanding shares — reached an astonishing $3 trillion dollars by late 2024.

For a bit of perspective, that is larger than the annual gross domestic product of almost every nation on earth — were Microsoft's market cap placed on the scale with GDP, it would rank between France and Germany.

For the 12-month period ending in June 2024, Microsoft earnings were around $245 billion — in a one-year period, to be clear, the company generated nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars. It's no wonder, then, that Microsoft careers are highly sought after.

But jobs, though often lucrative, are also often tenuous. Microsoft's layoffs are often notorious for their size. For example, in the early fall of 2024, the company cut 650 workers from its gaming division only a few months after slashing 1,900 employees from its Activision Blizzard and Xbox departments.

In 2023, the company cut a huge swath of its labor force, dropping 10,000 workers. This was not the biggest layoff, though: between 2014 and 2015, the company axed nearly 20,000 employees. This was following the problematic acquisition of the telecom company Nokia, which also saw the exit of then-CEO Steve Ballmer.

Read the original article on Business Insider

TikTok tells US employees they'll still have jobs even if the app gets banned

14 January 2025 at 17:36
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew in Washington, DC on Tuesday February 14, 2023.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew.

Matt McClain/The Washington Post/Getty Images.

  • TikTok told its US employees that they'd still have jobs if the app goes dark.
  • The company reassured staffers that the leadership team is planning for various scenarios.
  • The Supreme Court is currently reviewing TikTok's request for more time on its divestment deadline.

TikTok reassured its US staffers on Tuesday that they'd still have jobs even if the app goes dark in a few days, as mandated by a divest-or-ban law.

In an internal memo shared with employees, the company confirmed to its US team that their "employment, pay, and benefits are secure, and our offices will remain open, even if this situation hasn't been resolved before the January 19 deadline." The company added that TikTok is a global platform and that only the US user experience would be impacted.

The Verge's Alex Heath first reported on the memo, which Business Insider independently verified. TikTok did not respond to a request for comment.

The memo acknowledged that this moment of uncertainty has been unsettling for the company and said TikTok's leadership team is planning for various scenarios as it charts its next steps.

TikTok employees who have spoken with BI have said they've often felt kept in the dark in recent weeks as they await a decision from the Supreme Court on a law that requires owner ByteDance to divest from the US version of TikTok or see it shut down. The company lost its legal challenge in the DC Circuit, and legal analysts told BI it's unlikely the Supreme Court will reverse that decision.

If TikTok does stop operating later this month, there's still a possibility that President-elect Donald Trump may try to rescue the app once in office, as he pledged to do on the campaign trail.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Madison LeCroy’s Best Quotes About Her Diet and Fitness Routines

14 January 2025 at 11:55
Madison LeCroy Best Quotes About Her Diet and Fitness Routines
Courtesy of Madison LeCroy/Instagram

Southern Charm’s Madison LeCroy is always sharing her tips and tricks when it comes to her diet and fitness routines.

LeCroy began her wellness journey by completing the 75 Soft Challenge in summer 2024 and before transitioning into 75 Hard for 2025. Both 75 Soft and 75 Hard are fitness challenges created by author and entrepreneur Andy Frisella. The programs encourage participants to stick to six strict lifestyle rules for 75 days straight.

As part of the respective 75 challenges, LeCroy has done Pilates workout sessions, cold plunges, sauna sweats and other exercises. While LeCroy has done her fair share of classes in a gym, she also has a state-of-the-art home gym where she does a majority of her training.

In addition to the fitness aspect, LeCroy has also implemented healthy recipes into her diet, including her go-to big breakfast salad. Most of the reality star’s creations are alternatives to classic junk food options.

Keep scrolling to see some of LeCroy’s best advice during her health and wellness journey:

New Year Motivation

Madison LeCroy Best Quotes About Her Diet and Fitness Routines
Courtesy of Madison LeCroy/Instagram

As LeCroy jumped into her new year’s fitness resolution, she shared some motivating words of encouragement for those who were struggling.

“It’s that first week of January where we were all like, ‘Alright I’m over this, I’m over Dry January, I’m over eating healthy and working out every day.’ But we’re going to keep going,” she declared in a January 2024 TikTok video. “We’re gonna be strong, we’re gonna be healthy — that’s the main key for all of this.”

LeCroy then shared what her workout of the day entailed: stretching, a treadmill run, a 45-minute sauna session and a three-minute cold plunge.

Off the Wagon

The Bravo personality took to TikTok to open up about how she strayed away from her diet.

“Can I tell you what I ate today? So I worked out, sat in the sauna, lost some more weight. Then I ate a big-ass Philly cheesesteak foot-long sub with a side of six wings medium-well or hot, with blue cheese. Literally, I stuck a straw in the blue cheese and drank that s—,” she recalled in a January 2024 TikTok. “Last night, I had a tuna sandwich with both bread and Mountain Dew.”

In the video caption, LeCroy added she wanted to grieve in “peace.”

Team Cottage Cheese

Madison LeCroy Best Quotes About Her Diet and Fitness Routines
Courtesy of Madison LeCroy/TikTok

LeCroy introduced her followers to one of her go-to snacks, which she likes to make with vegetables and cottage cheese.

“If you don’t like cottage cheese, swipe up and grow up,” LeCroy joked in an April 2024 TikTok. “I heard somebody else say that and I was like, ‘Valid.’ So normally what I would do is cottage cheese and then I will end up adding red pepper flakes, truffle salt — which I’m obsessed with. I add a few veggies. If you actually want to add more protein to this, you could do a hard-boiled egg.”

While LeCroy didn’t want to spend the time boiling an egg, she did add everything bagel seasoning to give her dish some crunch.

Beauty Sleep Prep

In addition to diet and exercise, LeCroy also makes getting a restful slumber a priority. In an April 2024 TikTok, she showed off her recipe for a drink she likes to indulge in before bed.

“Doing my sleepy girl mocktail. Tart cherry juice, this is the one I like,” she said while holding up the drink bottle to the camera. “Y’all know I’ve been doing this since January. Went a little heavy … on the magnesium.”

LeCroy added that adding some cherries gives the beverage more of a cocktail feel.

Baking Mishaps

Madison LeCroy Best Quotes About Her Diet and Fitness Routines
Courtesy of Madison LeCroy/Instagram

LeCroy showed off to her followers in a May 2024 TikTok that she was going to make a cake using a boxed mix from the grocery store.

“Alright, we’re making a cake, yellow with chocolate icing. There’s nothing skinny about this,” she teased before being joined by husband Brett Randle. “Fun fact, Brett is a baker … so he despises that I actually do [from a box] vs. from scratch.”

While preparing the cake mix, LeCroy realized she didn’t have enough eggs and had to send Randle out to borrow some from a neighbor. After securing the eggs, LeCroy and Randle found themselves in another baking catastrophe as the cake started to crumble while they were frosting it.

“This looks like the cake from Matilda. It was going well last time,” she said. “It’s all about how it tastes, it’s a lava cake!”

Rocky Start

As LeCroy began her journey with 75 Soft, she faced some struggles as she began the new lifestyle transition.

“I am day two on 75 Soft, I know you’ve heard of 75 Hard, but let’s be honest. I’m not gonna go 75 days through the summer and on vacation and not have a pina colada,” LeCroy said in a June 2024 TikTok video. “So my problem with this is the water intake. I did my size and height and I’m supposed to take in 96 ounces of water a day, which is six pounds. I feel like I’m f—ing drowning.”

LeCroy joked that she felt like she was being “poisoned” by drinking so much liquid. While the reality star shared her frustration with the task, she admitted she knew she’d be “happy” once she started seeing results.

Getting Salty

Madison LeCroy Best Quotes About Her Diet and Fitness Routines
Courtesy of Madison LeCroy/TikTok

LeCroy got candid about why she’s not afraid to add a healthy amount of salt and other seasonings to her meals.

“I kind of put the salt everywhere,” she said in a June 2024 TikTok. “I know that people are like, ‘It’s bad for you.’ But I think if you’re sweating and you’re doing sauna and all that kind of stuff, you can get away with having a little salt. It’s not gonna kill you.”

Giving Things Another Try

LeCroy was making another healthy snack recipe and wanted to include an ingredient she’s not usually fond of.

“I’m going to be completely honest with you guys. I am not a plain yogurt fan,” she admitted in an August 2024 TikTok. “It tastes like sour cream to me, but I’m trying to get better at it.”

While LeCroy was not a fan of the yogurt’s smell, she decided to make a parfait with honey, granola and berries. After taking a bite, LeCroy was pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted.

Fasting Cleanse

Madison LeCroy Best Quotes About Her Diet and Fitness Routines
Courtesy of Madison LeCroy/Instagram

In August 2024, LeCroy participated in the five-day program from Prolon which mimicked a fasting diet and gave her followers updates on how it was going.

“I’ve been doing these probably three times a year. I’m going out of town so I need to lean out the fluff,” she said in a TikTok while preparing one of Prolon’s soups. “You get crackers [with the meal], so I like to break them up and I’ll split it since I only get soup for dinner.”

In a follow-up video, LeCroy shared that she typically does not do intense workouts while on the cleanse but will do her typical cold plunge sessions. For day three, LeCroy confessed that this was the “hardest day” of the program and she made a “mistake” by weighing herself.

“I was only down, like, a pound and a half, and you don’t see that weight until you wake up on the sixth day because it’s only five days,” she reflected in a TikTok. “The reason why day three is pretty hard is because you’re kind of limited … you don’t get the olives and instead of snacks you just get tea.”

After completing the cleanse, LeCroy took to social media to celebrate.

“Abs are checked in. Thank goodness,” she said in a clip while showing off her toned stomach. “Now I can go get bloated on vacation and enjoy all the food and drinks that I possibly can consume.”

Comfort Food Dupes

LeCroy always has a few recipes up her sleeve that mimic some of her favorite dishes, one being mac and cheese.

“So I am going to make something that is not healthy but it is better than macaroni and cheese as far as health goes,” she said in August 2024 TikTok. “It’s still got a lot of cream and cheese and all the Southern things every casserole and their mama has. It’s a squash casserole.”

The TV personality noted that she typically cuts up six squash before boiling them and then combining them with cream, cheese and seasonings. Once the meal was ready, LeCroy paired the dish with a salad.

Guilt-Free Snacks

Madison LeCroy Best Quotes About Her Diet and Fitness Routines
Courtesy of Madison LeCroy/TikTok

LeCroy got a hankering for something to nosh on after dinner.

“I’ll do the kale. Now don’t swipe up yet, because I promise you this is [good],” she said in September 2024 TikTok as she filled up a bowl with kale. “It does dehydrate ’cause we’re going to use the air fryer. You could use an oven, but this is just the easy way.”

Before popping the leafy green into the air fryer, LeCroy sprayed the kale with olive oil cooking spray, salt and ranch seasoning. LeCroy gushed that she finds this recipe to be “better than popcorn” and tastes like a “cool ranch Dorito.”

Her Kitchen Essentials

In January 2025, LeCroy took to her Instagram Story to share that she was starting the 75 Hard challenge and wanted to give fans a glimpse of what her meal planning entailed.

“Nothing fancy! The meals I’m sharing are exactly what they look like. If you see a turkey patty, it’s straight from the store — no secret recipes, no homemade sauces and definitely no lettuce fresh from my garden (because I don’t have one!),” she wrote at the time. “I simply make foods and meals I enjoy, especially when I’m working on a program like 75 Hard. I’m happy y’all are excited about it!”

Jessica Simpson Slashes Sale Price of L.A. Home Amid Eric Johnson Split

14 January 2025 at 11:50
Jessica Simpson Slashes Sale Price of L A Home Amid Eric Johnson Split
Jessica Simpson. Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for W Magazine

Jessica Simpson’s Los Angeles home is back on the market amid the ongoing wildfires and her split from her estranged husband, Eric Johnson.

Simpson’s house is currently for sale at an asking price of $17.9 million — over $4 million less than her original $22 million price point, Us Weekly can confirm. Simpson purchased the property from Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne for $11.5 million in 2013 and later put it up for sale in September 2023. After initially taking it off the market in August 2024, Simpson relisted the home on Saturday, January 11.

According to Zillow, the home features seven bedrooms, 13 bathrooms and sits on 2.25 acres in the “highly sought-after guard-gated community of Hidden Hills.” Built in 2001, the property also features a formal dining room, a spiral staircase, floor-to-ceiling windows, a state-of-the-art kitchen, a family room with “beamed vaulted ceilings” and a master bedroom with walk-in closets and a stone fireplace.

In addition to “a guest house complete with a kitchenette, and an intricately paneled study featuring a warm fireplace,” the home’s other amenities include a pool and spa, a “BBQ island” and an outdoor shower and bathroom

All the Signs Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson Were Headed for a Divorce

Simpson’s real estate listing was reactivated just days after Santa Ana winds caused wildfires to spread across the greater Los Angeles area, destroying homes, schools, businesses and forcing thousands to evacuate. The singer seemingly announced that she and her family fled from their home in a Thursday, January 9, Instagram Story. “We stayed as long as we could 🙏🏼,” she wrote alongside a since-expired snap of smoke approaching her house.

News of Simpson relisting her home also comes shortly after she and Johnson, 45, announced their split after 10 years of marriage. “Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage,” Simpson said in a statement to Us Weekly on Monday, January 13. “Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.” (The pair share kids Maxwell, 12, Ace, 11, and Birdie, 5.)

Jessica Simpson Slashes Sale Price of L A Home Amid Eric Johnson Split
Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson. Ella Hovsepian/Getty Images

The exes, who wed in 2014, sparked split rumors in November 2024 after Simpson teased via Instagram that her upcoming music comeback was “personal,” writing, “It’s an apology to myself for putting up with everything I did not deserve.”

Though Jessica’s sister, Ashlee Simpson, denied the speculation to TMZ shortly after, Johnson added fuel to the fire by appearing without his wedding ring during a November 2024 outing in L.A.

Jessica Simpson Teases 'Soundtrack to My Soul' Amid Eric Johnson Split

That same month, a source exclusively confirmed to Us that Simpson and Johnson were “living separately,” while another added that they were “trying to figure out a separation without disrupting their kids’ lives as much as possible.”

Despite going their separate ways, a different source later told Us that the estranged spouses planned to spend the holidays together with their kids. “It’s all about the kids and family,” the insider explained in November 2024. “They don’t hate each other.”

Kayla Wallace Teases Possible ‘When Calls the Heart’ Reunion With Husband

14 January 2025 at 11:33

Kevin McGarry and Kayla Wallace captured more than just the audience’s attention when they joined When Calls the Heart in 2019 — they also caught each other’s hearts.

The actors began working together during season 6 of the Hallmark Channel series playing Nathan Grant and Fiona Miller, respectively. While their characters aren’t romantically involved, McGarry and Wallace sparked a real-life relationship off camera.

McGarry confirmed they were dating via social media in November 2020. Less than two years later, the couple starred in their first rom-com for the network, Feeling Butterflies, which aired in March 2022.

The twosome took the next step in their relationship that December when McGarry asked Wallace to marry him. McGarry revealed in September 2024 that they had secretly tied the knot.

Scroll down to see the Hallmark Channel couple’s love story from the beginning:

© Eric Charbonneau/Paramount via Getty Images

© Eike Schroter; David Dolsen

Both actors joined When Calls the Heart cast during season 6.

© Courtesy of Kevin McGarry/Instagram

McGarry made the duo's romance Instagram official.

© Courtesy of Kayla Wallace/Instagram

The Snowed in for Christmas star shared a photo ornament of her and her boyfriend.

© Courtesy of Kevin McGarry/Instagram

The duo took a ride on McGarry’s motorcycle.

© Courtesy of Kayla Wallace/Instagram

The couple dressed up as Channel 4 news anchors in celebration of Wallace’s 28th birthday.

© Courtesy of Kayla Wallace/Instagram

“Sunshine of my life, the source of 99% of my laughter: my dearest, Kevin,” the Heatwave actress wrote via social media. “Happy Birthday to you 💙.”

© Courtesy of Kayla Wallace/Instagram

Wallace shared a series of Instagram photos with her man from their spring adventures.

© Albert Camicioli/Johnson Production Group

The duo costarred in Hallmark Channel’s Feeling Butterflies playing Emily, a butterfly farm owner, and Garrett, a single dad.

© Courtesy of Kayla Wallace/Instagram

The lovebirds enjoyed an Italian getaway with their When Calls the Heart costars.

© Albert Camicioli

The twosome teamed up for Hallmark’s Christmas in July film My Grown-Up Christmas List. In the movie, Wallace portrayed Taylor Nichols, while McGarry played Luke Malone.

© Courtesy of Kevin McGarry/Instagram

“The trick to my treat. It’s like being in a loving caring, magical relationship with the house that gives full size chocolate bars!” the Christmas Scavenger Hunt actor wrote via Instagram in a tribute to his love. “Happy Birthday Darling xx @imkaylawallace.”

© Courtesy of Kayla Wallace/Instagram

The pair announced their engagement days before Christmas. “Forever❤️,” Wallace and McGarry captioned an Instagram video showing off the ring.

© Courtesy of Erin Krakow/Instagram

Wallace and McGarry celebrated their proposal in New York City with Hallmark pals Erin Krakow and Ben Rosenbaum.

© Courtesy of Kayla Wallace/Instagram

“My darling, it’s my greatest pleasure to get the gift of you every day. Happy Birthday!” Wallace wrote via an Instagram tribute to her fiancé.

© Hallmark Media/Paulina Stevens

Wallace showed McGarry support ahead of the premiere of his holiday film, Checkin’ It Twice, which premiered on Hallmark October 20. She reposted the movie’s poster via her Instagram Story, adding a red heart emoji alongside a tag with his name.

© Courtesy of Kayla Wallace/Instagram

McGarry confirmed at the annual Hearties Family Reunion fan event that he and Wallace had tied the knot. “That ring on your finger, I hope it’s not a prop,” a panel host asked him in an Instagram clip from the event. McGarry responded, “No, it’s not a prop,” before flashing his wedding band for attendees. He did not share additional details about their nuptials at the time.

© Courtesy of Kevin McGarry/Instagram

“Her smile is my favorite thing. I’m so happy I get to look at it for the rest of my life,” McGarry gushed about Wallace via Instagram. “Happy Kayla-ween to my beautiful wife. Xo 🎃 Happy birthday 🎈.”
The following month, McGarry sang his wife’s praises while supporting her debut on the Paramount+ series Landman. “So incredibly proud of my beautiful, movie star wife! Xo @landmanpplus premieres Nov 17th on @paramountplus,” he captioned a series of social media photos of Wallace on the red carpet.
“A story about the people and families that work the oil patch to supply America with its largest export!” McGarry added. “An exceptionally talented team of writers, actors, and crew create a story that’s suspenseful, horrific, exciting, but above all heartbreakingly human. Can’t wait for the world to see it, Darlin.”

© UNIQUE NICOLE/AFP via Getty Images

Wallace exclusively told Us Weekly about her and McGarry’s dynamic, revealing how they coordinate working apart. “Kevin and I have been really lucky that our schedules have kind of flip-flopped,” she said. “We've just been incredibly lucky with timing.”
The actress noted that they “hope” they can continue to “be in the same city with each other as the other person's filming” but acknowledged that it’s a “struggle” at times.
“There's travel involved in this career, so we've just been super lucky so far that we've been able to be together in both cities,” she added.
Wallace also teased that fans could see them reunite for future When Calls the Heart episodes. “I can say that there’s a chance that I will return,” she said.
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