• Glenn Close is giving her opinion on the Trump-Vance administration.
• Close played Vance's grandmother in the 2020 movie "Hillbilly Elegy," based on Vance's memoir.
• She told BI she's "very disturbed" by what's happening and referenced 1930s Germany.

Glenn Close may have once played JD Vance's grandma in a movie, but she doesn't appear to have much affection for him now.

On the red carpet for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival gala fundraiser, Close, who attended the gala and is Trustee Emeritus of The Sundance Institute, spoke to Business Insider about her feelings toward the Trump-Vance administration.

Though the actor previously had relatively positive experiences with Vance and his family while making "Hillbilly Elegy," the 2020 Ron Howard movie based on Vance's memoir of the same name, the star and outspoken supporter of women's rights and same-sex marriage said she was "disturbed" by the new administration's moves so far.

"I do not think it's what this country is," she told BI. "But I also read a lot of history, and I know what happened in Germany in the 1930s. And we think because we're America, it might not happen here. We're wrong."

Still, Close indicated she had hope that things could change in the future.

"If it's going to happen, we gotta get through it and hope that the pendulum swings back. Usually, that's what history does, but it could take a while," she added.

Close has spoken about her experiences with Vance several times before. Most recently, in a January appearance on "The View" to promote her new Netflix movie "Back in Action," the actor recalled how she and other "Hillbilly Elegy" cast members had met with Vance and other members of his family to inform their performances. She said they were "very generous."

Host Joy Behar remarked that Vance must have "had a whole different personality in those days than he has now," to which Close replied, "I don't know what happened."

"Power is probably the biggest aphrodisiac for a human being," Close added.

• Josh Brolin spoke about auditioning for "The Goonies" on the podcast "Literally! With Rob Lowe."
• Brolin, the son of actor James Brolin, said he auditioned multiple times to prove his talent.
• "Instead of that kind of nepotistic thing, they looked at me and they were like, 'Oh yeah? So act,'" he said.

Josh Brolin says his famous lineage backfired and put him at a disadvantage when he auditioned for "The Goonies."

"'I think 'Goonies' was quite an accident," Brolin, the son of actor James Brolin and Jane Cameron Agee, said during an interview on the podcast "Literally! With Rob Lowe."

"I went in there, I'd been told, they pulled the Brolin thing, 'Are you Brolin's kid? You want to be an actor, huh?'" Brolin continued. "So instead of that kind of nepotistic thing, they looked at me and they were like, 'Oh yeah? So act.'"

Brolin made his film debut in the 1985 adventure movie directed by Richard Donner and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, who also wrote the story.

The movie centered on a group of misfits led by Sean Astin's Mikey Walsh. Brolin starred as his red bandana-wearing older brother, Brand Walsh.

Brolin said that prior to auditioning for "The Goonies," his mom had kicked him out of their house, and he was staying on his dad's couch. Then 16, said he'd already missed a considerable amount of high school days and "really wanted to try something new."

"I said, maybe I should do this acting thing," Brolin recalled. "It's kinda what everybody resorts to when they don't know what to do. They either become a real estate agent or an actor. So I chose acting."

Brolin said that he went on 350 auditions, sometimes even four in one day. He vowed to prove himself to casting directors who may have speculated that he wanted to take advantage of his famous connection so he could easily land roles.

So he studied acting, read books, and "stayed in a bookstore 90% of the time." Then he met director Donner and Spielberg and it all clicked.

"I just looked right for the part," Brolin said. "You look at Sean Astin, you look at the type of movie it is, I looked like a bit of a bad boy, but sort of a jock, and I was in good shape, so they were like, 'That's the guy.'"

"I went back six times, just so they could make sure, and then I did it," he said.

Brolin went on to land notable roles in films like "No Country For Old Men," "True Grit," "Sicario," and the "Dune" franchise. He's also known for playing the villains Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Cable in "Deadpool 2."

Brolin reminisced about his breakout role during an interview with Howard Stern in November in support of his memoir, "From Under the Truck."

Brolin said that "The Goonies" was a lucky break, and he knows that perhaps being the son of James opened the door for his acting career. However, he believed that he was a good fit for the part of Brand.

"I was the right guy," Brolin said. "I look at that objectively now and I go, 'That's the perfect specimen for that role.'"

Kash Patel repeatedly deflected Vermont Senator Peter Welch's questions and refused to say Joe Biden won the 2020 election.

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The NFL's biggest stars are heading to the 2025 Pro Bowl Games, where the best of the AFC and NFC will showcase their talents in a multi-day skills competition.

The Philadelphia native recently spoke about what her daughters are planning to wear for Super Bowl LIX.

• Amanda C. Riley is serving prison time for faking cancer and scamming supporters out of thousands of dollars.
• A 2023 podcast and a new docuseries cover her story, which also mentions her husband, Cory.
• Cory and Amanda have two sons together. Here's where Cory is today.

The story of Amanda C. Riley, a Christian woman in California who used her now-archived blog, "Lymphoma Can Suck It," to chronicle her experience after supposedly being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma was compelling from the start: A young woman blogging about having cancer in order to raise awareness and funds to help pay for her aggressive treatment was actually lying the whole time, leaching attention and more than $100,000 from her friends, family, and even strangers.

It's the reason the "Scamanda" podcast quickly became a megahit upon its 2023 release, and why a new ABC docuseries is telling the story for a second time, delving deeper into how Riley pulled off her scheme and how she was eventually caught.

Amanda pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges in October 2021, and was sentenced to five years in federal prison in May 2022. She was also ordered to pay $105,513 in restitution to her victims. She's currently incarcerated at FMC Carswell, a federal prison in Ft. Worth, Texas, and is scheduled for release on October 15, 2026.

As of January 2025, no one else has been charged with crimes related to their involvement in Amanda's scheme. However, according to the "Scamanda" podcast and docuseries, family members helped her set up websites to acquire donations and contributed posts to her blog. Whether any of them knew Amanda did not actually have cancer or if they truly believed she was ill is unclear.

While Amanda's fake cancer scheme was in full force, her husband Cory Riley was simultaneously battling his ex-wife Aletta Riley in court for custody of their daughter, Jessa. Per the podcast, he cited his wife's supposed diagnosis and medical expenses to try and win custody of Jessa and get his child support payments lowered.

Here's everything we know about Cory Riley's life today.

Where is Amanda C. Riley's husband Cory Riley today?

Cory and Amanda first met when Amanda was a 17-year-old cheerleading coach hired to instruct one of Cory's then-wife Aletta's daughters — one of whom actually had cancer — how to dance. Per the podcast, Cory was about 29 years old at the time.

Cory and Aletta eventually divorced, and he married Amanda a few years later. The couple had two sons together, Carter and Connor, whom Amanda would proclaim were "miracles," since she claimed she shouldn't have been able to deliver a healthy baby while undergoing cancer treatment.

Though the family lived in the Bay Area outside of San Jose for most of the time Amanda was writing her cancer blog, they moved to Texas after Amanda lost her job as principal at Pacific Point Christian School in Gilroy, California.

"Scamanda" podcast host Charlie Webster told Glamour in a 2023 interview that Cory was "looking after his two kids in Texas" where Amanda was serving her sentence.

According to a divorce petition obtained by Today.com, Cory filed for divorce in January 2024. The filing indicated he was still living in Texas at that time.

• The US Army Black Hawk that collided with an American Airlines flight was training on a familiar flight path.
• The 12th Aviation Battalion frequently navigates Washington DC airspace for VIP transport.
• Pilots were flying with night vision goggles and are trained to deal with those challenges.

The US Army crew of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that fatally collided with an American Airlines passenger jet on Wednesday was on a routine training flight on a well-known flight path at the time of the incident, an Army official said Thursday.

Jonathan Koziol, a retired Army chief warrant officer aviator with nearly three decades of military flight experience, said during a media roundtable this flight would have likely been deemed "low risk," not medium or high risk.

Such designations are required elements of pre-flight risk assessments and briefings to military mission approval authorities and take into account variables like weather, mission type, and potential hazards. Koziol, the Headquarters Department of the Army Aviation Directorate Chief of Staff, was not involved in flight operation or oversight.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said earlier in the day that the flight was "routine" and conducted along a "standard" corridor. The flight was along Route 4, a commonly used flight path, and "should not have been a problem," Koziol said.

Crews from the Army's 12th Aviation Battalion, based in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, are well acquainted with Washington, DC and the surrounding areas, said Koziol. Much of this unit's mission includes ferrying government and military VIPs throughout the National Capital Region (NCR) and being ready to move officials during crises.

Speaking of the Black Hawk's flight path, Koziol said "this is a relatively easy corridor to fly because you're flying down the center of the river."

He said that the dark river flight path, with urban lights on either side to act as informal guardrails, makes the task simple for pilots. The battalion's Black Hawk was also equipped with an in-flight map, meaning the pilots could track their position throughout the flight.

"You have the darkness of the river, and you have the lights on either side of you and obviously the rotating beacon on Reagan National to point out the airfield and all the traffic on it for them to know exactly where they're at," he said.

There are several routes for helicopters in the NCR which government aircraft traverse daily and includes airspace that is off-limits to non-approved aircraft, including areas near the Pentagon, White House, National Mall, and Naval Observatory.

Each flight requires coordination with surrounding air traffic control, including the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which assigns each flight a four-digit tracking number to chart its movements. Within the aviation unit, flights are meticulously planned for and managed, Koziol said.

Koziol said the Black Hawk pilots were training with night vision goggles, which can cut down a wearer's peripheral vision and impact depth perception. Soldiers train regularly with these capabilities to limit the impact.

"They are helpful at night, obviously, and in an urban environment, they're still useful," Koziol said. City lights can make seeing with night vision more difficult, but flying over the river where the Black Hawk was shouldn't have posed any problems with light, he said.

All three crew members, two pilots and a crew chief, were experienced aviators, he said. Both pilots had at least 1500 combined flight hours between them. One pilot served as the flight commander and instructor, overseeing an annual training requirement for the second pilot, who held 500 hours and had previously served as a flight commander.

The cause of Wednesday's deadly crash, in which there were no survivors, is unknown and under investigation.

• There have been more news stories of airline issues and crashes in the past year.
• Distressing news about flying can heighten aerophobia, or fear of flying.
• Two therapists shared tips on how to manage anxiety around flying.

For anyone fearful of flying, the recent news cycle hasn't helped. Last night, a military helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger jet in DC, killing all 64 people aboard both flights.

Over the past year, news stories have emerged of commercial planes crashing, losing doors mid-flight, or flying through increased turbulence.

People with existing aerophobia might feel vindicated in their fears. "Now they're going to say, 'I was right all along,'" Tom Bunn, a retired airline captain and licensed therapist specializing in aviation phobias, told Business Insider.

Prerna Menon, a New York City therapist who's seen this issue come up a lot in her practice, said her clients' symptoms worsen when they consume more news around crashes.

Bunn and Menon shared a few tips to overcome flying phobias, whether you feel increased discomfort when you land or avoid flying as much as possible.

Where you sit can help you feel a sense of control

For many fearful fliers, the root issue is feeling a lack of control.

Bunn gave an example of a client — an airline captain — who one day felt anxious sitting in an economy middle seat. "If he was in the cockpit, he wouldn't have any trouble because he's in control," Bunn said.

Takeoff, landing, and bad turbulence can exacerbate that feeling of helplessness, Menon said. The tricky thing is finding a way to process your feelings in the moment. "Now that fight-or-flight response has been activated, and you're confined to a seat, you're not really able to expel that anxiety."

For anxious passengers, you can choose a seat closer to the front or over the wing, where you can see outside.

While some experts say it doesn't make much difference, one flight anxiety coach told Condé Nast Traveler that he recommends sitting in the center of the plane. "Factually speaking, the point of balance is over the wings or maybe slightly forward. This is considered the 'best place' by many," Paul Tizzard, a coach with LoveFly, told the outlet.

Don't try to fly your way out of a phobia

For many phobias, treatment involves some form of gradual exposure therapy. Aerophobia is different because "either you're flying or you're not," Bunn said.

However, you don't want to force yourself to go on a bunch of flights, Bunn said. "Once you get sensitized to not being in control and able to escape, you're only going to make it worse."

Instead, he said it's best to start as small as possible, breaking down each part of the flight into bite-sized pieces. Take-off, for example, isn't just one event. "The engines rev up, and when they do, the pitch goes higher," he said.

He recommends having someone you feel safe around, like a partner or friend, hold neutral photographs of an airplane terminal, a plane in flight, and a plane landing to change your associations with the images. You can also picture them holding up the photographs while looking you in the eye, which can have a calming effect.

Menon also said exposure to more neutral images of planes, especially in contrast to distressing videos on social media, can help. If your fear of flying is severe, she recommended taking small steps like going with a loved one to an airport.

Engage your senses when you're in the air

Once you're on a flight, your options for calming down are more limited. Some techniques involve engaging your physical senses to pull away from ruminating.

Bunn suggested using the 54321 grounding exercise, in which you identify five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. (Doing it in that order makes it harder for your brain to blow through the steps quickly, he said.)

If you anticipate being nervous on a flight, Menon said you can bring a tactile activity with you, such as crocheting, drawing, or playing with a fidget toy. "Engaging multiple senses allows us to anchor our minds and bodies into the present moment," she said.

Try the 4-7-8 breathing trick

It sounds simple, but breathing exercises work to quell your fears. Mindful breathing "slows down our heart rate and triggers the relaxation response," Menon said.

Menon recommended the 4-7-8 breathing pattern, in which you inhale for four seconds, hold for seven, and exhale for eight.

Bunn agreed. He said exhaling for longer than you inhale is his trick for calming the nervous system. He added that it may not be a perfect cure-all, especially in times of turbulence.

"When the plane drops, everybody's going to get some stress hormones released, some more than others," he said.

To get the most out of this trick, Menon said it's best to do it a few times prior to boarding the aircraft, as well as when you just sat down.

Look at other stressors in your life

If you suddenly developed aerophobia as an adult, Bunn said it could help to look at other stressors in your life, particularly ones that leave you feeling powerless.

Often, "straws have been put on the camel's back for years," he said, making you less tolerant of situations where you feel trapped — like being on a plane.

• Kash Patel, Trump's nominee to be FBI Director, is worth more than $5.9 million.
• He made more than $2.6 million last year from consulting, paid speeches, and books.
• His clients included Truth Social, one of Trump's PACs, and the Embassy of Qatar.

Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's nominee to be the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made more than $2.6 million last year.

According to a financial disclosure obtained by Business Insider ahead of its public release, Patel's income came from a mixture of consulting work, paid speeches, media appearances, and the proceeds of several books.

His total net worth is more than $5.9 million, according to a document filed with the Senate Judiciary Committee. All of Trump's nominees are required to file public final disclosure reports as they are considered by the Senate.

The bulk of Patel's income, more than $2.1 million, came from consulting work. Among his clients was Trump Media and Technology Corp, the company that runs Truth Social. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Patel's annual compensation was $120,000, though his contract ended in March 2024.

Pam Bondi, Trump's nominee for attorney general, has also been financially tied up with Truth Social, holding more than $3.9 million in stock in the company as of December.

Patel also listed Save America, Trump's leadership PAC, as a client, along with the Embassy of Qatar and several other organizations.

He earned $306,000 last year from a series of paid speeches and media appearances, including $99,000 for working as a contributor for the Epoch Times and $20,000 for a May 2024 interview on "Our Watch With Tim Thompson."

Writing books also proved to be lucrative for Patel. He earned between $100,000 and $1 million in royalties for his 2023 book, "Government Gangsters," and between $45,000 and $150,000 for his "The Plot Against the King" children's book series.

He also owns Elite Depot, a "fashion management company" based in the Cayman Islands worth between $1 million and $5 million. A spokesperson for Patel did not immediately return a request for comment regarding the organization's purpose.

Patel's assets also include up to $100,000 in Bitcoin, up to $250,000 in NVIDIA stock, and up to $100,00 in Palantir stock. In 2024, he earned $8,000 in director's fees from VK Integrated Systems, a weapons company.

Patel is among Trump's most controversial nominees, owing to questions about his conduct during Trump's first term, his promotion of conspiracy theories, and his extreme rhetoric.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer identified Patel this week as a nominee that Democrats felt they may have a shot at defeating. His first confirmation hearing took place on Thursday.

Read Patel's full financial disclosure below:

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