Ben Shapiro said he would shed “zero tears” if Jimmy Kimmel gets fired for his “widow” joke about Melania Trump, which sparked another round of feuding between the ABC late-night host and President Donald Trump.

But Shapiro also said on his Tuesday podcast that canning Kimmel for the joke would be “like getting Al Capone for tax evasion.”

“You’re hitting him with the wrong charge,” Shapiro said.

He then did a quick recap of the joke that reignited the feud, from a skit Kimmel did last week where he parodied the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. While acting like the host of the event, Kimmel cracked: “Our First Lady Melania is here. Look at her, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.”

Two days later, the Trumps and several members of the president’s administration were rushed off the stage at the annual event when a shooter fired multiple shots in the venue’s lobby. It was the third known assassination attempt against President Trump since 2024.

Shapiro said Kimmel’s joke was “incredibly stupid.” At the same time, he said being “tasteless” was “not the reason he should’ve been fired long ago.”

“If you want to talk about the kinds of rhetoric that lead people to try to kill the president, the answer is not his joke about Melania, or making light of the idea of the president passing away, or something. That is not the thing that leads to violence,” Shapiro said.

He then shared why he believes Kimmel should’ve been axed by ABC way before his “widow” joke. Kimmel defended the joke on Monday night, saying it was clearly about the age difference between Melania and Donald Trump.

“The thing that leads to violence is pretty obvious — the actual conspiracism. The actual conspiracism. Jimmy Kimmel has spent years at this point calling the president a pedophile; he has imputed Epstein involvement to him,” argued Shapiro.

Shapiro said the latest assassination attempt made his point clear.

Cole Tomas Allen — the 31-year-old suspected shooter — appeared to be motivated by conspiracy theories about Trump and Jeffrey Epstein; he wrote in his manifesto that Trump was a “pedophile” and “rapist” who needed to be killed.

“It’s actually in the manifesto — I don’t have to speculate,” Shapiro said.

He then played several clips of Kimmel harping on Trump and Epstein. Those clips included Kimmel saying Trump was “protecting pedophiles,” that his “best friend was a pedophile,” and that he had not released the “unreleased Trump-Epstein files.” Kimmel also said that “if Trump wants to send a rapist somewhere, he can just jump on a bus himself.”

Shapiro said remarks like those created the “permission structure” for people to try to murder Trump.

Watch above.

The post Ben Shapiro Argues Firing Kimmel Over Widow Joke Is ‘Like Getting Al Capone for Tax Evasion’  first appeared on Mediaite.

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This weekend’s London Marathon was a phenomenal event, with not one but two men (Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha) breaking the sub-two-hour barrier that people used to say would never be broken. The women’s winner, Tigst Assefa, also smashed her own world record. So what kind of running watches do these elite marathoners wear? Mostly cheap ones, including older Garmins. 

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I was able to confirm some of these runners’ specific watch models with Garmin and Coros. Since fans seem to be wondering whether the runners are sponsored by their respective watch companies, I also asked Garmin and Coros about sponsorships. Only two of the six appear to be sponsored. Here are the top three men and women:

• Sabastian Sawe, with a world record time of 1:59:30: Garmin Forerunner 55 ($167). I confirmed this with Garmin. He is not sponsored by Garmin, though.

• Yomif Kejelcha, the second person ever to run sub-2 with a time of 1:59:41: Coros Pace 3 ($199). He is not sponsored by Coros.

• Jacob Kiplimo, 2:00:28: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 ($349-$239 - unclear exactly which model, but not the Classic). He seems to be a sponsored athlete—here’s a Samsung article about how he uses the watch in his training. 

• Tigst Assefa, with a new women’s world record at 2:15:41: Garmin Forerunner 255 ($243). I also confirmed this with Garmin, and they do not sponsor her either.

• Hellen Obiri, 2:15:5: Coros Pace 4 ($249). I confirmed this with Coros; she is a sponsored athlete, newly signed just before the race.

• Joyciline Jepkosgei, 2:15:55: another older Garmin, which Ivan Jovin at Gadgets and Wearables identified as possibly the Forerunner 955 ($449). She is not sponsored by Garmin.

Of the six, four are wearing older models (released 2021-2023) with reflective MIP screens. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and the Coros Pace 4 are the only watches in this group that were released in the past year (and they are the only two with the more modern style AMOLED screen). Most of these watches cost less than $250. 

That may be surprising if you think of running watches as a cutting-edge tool where newest is always best. But even though watch manufacturers keep coming out with new features, that doesn’t mean those features are necessary to support training and racing, even for elite runners. Ever since I started reviewing and writing about fitness watches, I’ve been asking every runner I meet what kind of watch they have. Most of the time, it’s an older Garmin. Sometimes they don’t even know what model. Basic watches make perfectly good workhorses, even for elite runners.

Why elite runners don’t wear top-tier watches

These mostly budget picks don't surprise me, because elites need to focus on what their body is doing, not what’s going on inside their watch. The most important job of a running watch on race day is letting you know what pace you’re running—especially if you’re betting everything on being able to break a certain world record. Even the most basic digital watches can tell you how long it’s been since the starting gun went off, but a modern GPS-enabled watch can also give you a reasonably accurate sense of how many miles you’ve gone and how far it is until the next mile marker. (That said, it’s the official race timing and distance that counts; your watch just gives an estimate.) 

I haven’t spoken to these athletes myself, so what follows are my opinions based on knowing what running watches offer to the people who wear them. In short: Everything besides your time and pace is icing on the cake. 

Elites don’t need the training scores and statuses that some watches offer; they have coaches handling that stuff. They don’t decide the day’s training based on how many steps they’re getting; again, they and their coaches, not tech, are in control. It doesn’t matter if the watch has 150+ activity modes if your only job is to run. 

So why do newer watches have those features in the first place? A lot of the features are there to help you feel a little more elite. For example, you may not have a coach, but your watch can coach you by suggesting a workout. Watch features also aim to keep you interacting with the watch—checking your scores, tracking other activities besides running—which helps the watch company’s bottom line by getting more engagement from you and keeping you excited about the brand.

As I’ve mentioned before, companies keep adding features to justify new models and higher prices—just look at Garmin’s Forerunner 570, which has one athletically meaningful upgrade from the 265 (a more accurate heart rate sensor) and otherwise tacked on a lot of bells and whistles to justify what was, at the time, a $200 price hike. Meanwhile, I've loudly proclaimed that the Forerunner 255, which you can still buy new, is probably the best value Garmin out there.

None of the top-tier features actually help you run faster, unless it’s by keeping you more interested in the hobby of running. So it should be no surprise that professional runners don’t prioritize extra features. And I may be a mere recreational runner, but I’m quite happy to run with a basic watch, as well. How excited I get about fancy features really depends on how much I’m relying on the watch to structure the way I train. If you aren’t looking to the watch to make decisions for you, a basic watch is just fine. 

Cole Tomas Allen is facing life in prison after he was told he is facing three counts for his attempted shooting spree at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last weekend, including two federal gun crimes and one count for attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump.

The 31-year-old suspect donned a neon blue jumpsuit while making his first appearance inside federal court in Washington, D.C. on Monday.

New York Times court reporter Zach Montague reported from the courthouse:

Jocelyn Valentine, a federal prosecutor, told Magistrate Judge Sharbaugh that Mr. Allen came to Washington with a pump-action shotgun, a pistol and three knives, all with the intent of carrying out a political assassination.

The court has set a hearing for Thursday morning to determine whether Mr. Allen will be kept in detention. Mr. Allen did not enter a plea through his lawyer Tezira Abe.

Fox News correspondent David Spunt reported Allen is also facing a count of transporting a firearm across state lines, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; the third count is for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, which carries a mandatory 10 year sentence.

Spunt noted this was not an official arraignment but just an initial appearance for Allen. He also reported the California native has two public defense attorneys.

U.S. attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro watched the proceedings from inside the courtroom, Montague reported. He added Allen “appeared calm” and was “nodding to acknowledge instructions and quietly answering prompts form the judge.”

The attempted assassination happened at the Washington Hilton on Saturday evening, just minutes after the annual event started. President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt were among those who were rushed off stage when shots were fired in the lobby.

Trump told 60 Minutes correspondent Norah O’Donnell on Sunday he “wasn’t worried” during the frenzied moment shots started firing.

“I wasn’t worried. I understand life,” Trump said matter-of-factly. “We live in a crazy world.”

The president later told her he wasn’t as worked up as you’d expect during the shooting because, “I have been through this a couple of times.”

Trump was obviously referring to the previous assassination attempts against him, including the 2024 attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania where a bullet hit his ear before killing firefighter Corey Comperatore.

Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel are expected to share more details at a press conference at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Watch Spunt’s report above.

The post Suspected WHCD Shooter Charged On 3 Counts, Faces Life in Prison for Attempted Assassination of Trump first appeared on Mediaite.

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Apple announced a slew of new products in March, including updated MacBook Airs with the M5 chip. These MacBooks come in both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, and if you're interested in either, it's a good time to buy: Amazon is selling both at a $150 discount. That brings the 13-inch MacBook Air to $950 (down from $1,100) and the 15-inch MacBook Air to $1,150 (originally $1,300), matching their lowest prices ever, according to tracking tools.

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The M5 MacBook Air is tempting, especially for under $1,000. In comparison to the already excellent M4 Airs, the M5 base model has double the storage at 512GB, making up for the $100 bump in the list price. The M5 chip is powerful and makes the performance even smoother, according to Mashable's review. The aluminum design is as good as you'd expect from Apple's most popular portable laptop, keeping it lightweight and thin. It comes with a Liquid Retina display, Touch ID, a 12MP Center Stage Camera, and the Magic Keyboard.

Typically, the question would be whether to go for the slightly older M4 MacBook Air or pay a bit more for the newer M5 chip—but with the current discount, the 13-inch M5 with 512GB of storage is actually cheaper than a comparably equipped M4 from Amazon, making the choice a no-brainer.

The man suspected of attempting a mass shooting while targeting President Donald Trump and members of his administration at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night wrote he was shocked at how bad the security was at the venue.

“Like, this level of incompetence is insane,” Cole Tomas Allen wrote in a manifesto obtained by the New York Post. “And I very sincerely hope it’s corrected by the time this country gets actually competent leadership again.”

That was part of an entire section in his manifesto dedicated to describing the terrible security at the Hilton hotel in Washington, D.C., where the annual event took place.

“PS: Ok now that all the sappy stuff is done, what the hell is the Secret Service doing? Sorry, gonna rant a bit here and drop the formal tone,” Allen wrote. “Like, I expected security cameras at every bend, bugged hotel rooms, armed agents every 10 feet, metal detectors out the wazoo.”

Instead, he said there was:

No damn security.

Not in transport.

Not in the hotel.

Not in the event.

Allen went on to say if he was an Iranian agent he could have easily smuggled in a weapon with ease. He also said the security at the hotel was entirely focused on protesters outside the event and seemingly had not considered that a wannabe assassin could check into the hotel the day before.

He added he felt a “sense of arrogance” from the hotel, as if its guests couldn’t possibly be attackers.

The Post obtained his manifesto the morning after Allen fired multiple shots in the hotel lobby, minutes after the event kicked off. It was set to be Trump’s first appearance at the dinner since he became president, but instead he was rushed off the stage by Secret Service, along with First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is due to give birth any day now.

Trump said at a press conference after the event was canceled that he “fought like hell” to keep it going, and hoped it would be rescheduled for May. He also shared multiple pictures of Allen being pressed against the ground after being apprehended; Trump applauded law enforcement for taking him down.

“He’s a sick person, a very sick person,” Trump said about the 31-year-old from Torrance, California.

Allen sent the manifesto to family members about 10 minutes before he started shooting in the lobby. He signed the document as “Cole ‘coldForce’ ‘Friendly Federal Assasin’ Allen,” and said he believed it was a just shooting because he was “no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.”

CNN reporter Alayna Treene had more details on Allen’s manifesto, including the “anti-Christian and anti-Trump language” in it. Watch her report above.

The post WHCD Shooter Couldn’t Believe How Bad Security Was Before Trying to Shoot Trump: ‘Incompetence Is Insane’ first appeared on Mediaite.

CNN’s Michael Smerconish asked Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) if his support for Israel is a “hill” he’s willing to politically “die on” as he’s found a lack of support from fellow Democrats for his reelection.

Fetterman joined Smerconish on Saturday where he was as vocal as ever in his support for Israel and the war with Iran. Punchbowl News’ Max Cohen reported this week that zero Democrats from Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation would offer support for Fetterman’s reelection when asked.

The state GOP party chair previously told local media that the party was keeping an eye out for Fetterman to ditch Democrats, though the senator has said he has no plans to do that.

Fetterman acknowledged that his support of Israel is not something that polls well, but he’s only going to lean in more, regardless of his standing in his own party. He called himself the “only Democrat to stand with Israel.”

“Is this a hill, politically speaking… that you’re willing to die on? I made reference to the House members from Pennsylvania, the Democrats, and what they say or won’t say about John Fetterman,” Smerconish said.

Fetterman explained:

Oh, yeah. I mean, you know, the only Democrat to stand with Israel. Yeah, it’s a it’s a die [situation], you know, like, I could never be just sitting quiet or saying things that I don’t happen to believe. I know what polls say, consistently as long as this goes on, Israel becomes more and more toxic, but I’m always going to lean in more. And so yes, thank you for asking. Yes, it is… because a lot more things are more important than my standing in the Democratic Party. This is such a profound, profound situation. I if we walk away from this, ust because [President Donald] Trump might be perceived as losing it, America would definitely would lose, and Israel especially, and the region as well too.

Watch above via CNN.

The post Smerconish Asks Fetterman If Israel Support Is ‘Hill’ He’s ‘Willing to Die On’ as Democrats Flee Supporting His Reelection first appeared on Mediaite.

Comedian and pundit Bill Maher told his guests he once headlined a White House Correspondents’ Dinner, but it was actually a different — although similar — press dinner.

President Donald Trump will attend his first WHCD in office on Saturday night, which prompted Maher to discuss the dinner on Friday night’s edition of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, during which he told his panel how the dinner has changed:

BILL MAHER: Well, I don’t know, he’s apparently going to the, Trump is the correspondent’s dinner this year. I would, I’m very interested to see what this is going to look like, because you know, the correspondents dinner, I think I did it one year. They used to have comedians.

By the way, I said that– because I got sh*t about it, everybody, every comedian gets sh*t about, it’s the worst gig in the world, because half the people in the audience are Republican, half the Democrats, you’re going to insult anybody no matter what they say, so they always, I say, just get a magician. Just get somebody who doesn’t do political.

They’re always trying to get the political, and it’s like the worst thing.

But it was actually the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association Dinner that Maher headlined in 1995 — which led to some jokes that seem completely alien and others that sound kind of familiar:

• Well, it’s a tremendous thrill and honor to be here in the same room with probably the most-watched man in the world. Kato Kaelin is here, ladies and gentlemen!
• I noticed listening to conversations it’s very much like show business in fact i heard two senators talking before and one was saying to the other. “You’re lying to me!” The other one said “Okay but hear me out.”
• No, it’s amazing what goes on. I mean, a plane landed on the White House lawn. I didn’t even know U.S. Air flew to Washington. And the weird part is the luggage went to the Lincoln Memorial.
• I think that, like in 10 years, the word liberal is gonna be synonymous with the word gay. People will go, you know, I’m a liberal. Oh, really? Maybe you should meet my friend Bob. He’s a liberal.
• I don’t know, I just think if your name is Dick Army, maybe making a f*g joke is a little redundant, you know what I’m saying?

Watch above via RTCA.

The post Bill Maher Falsely Claims He Did WHCD — It Was This OTHER Correspondents Dinner first appeared on Mediaite.