Wimbledon was forced to cancel this year, but they’re in luck, because they had the foresight to have PANDEMIC INSURANCE. Wimbledon has reportedly been paying $2 million a year for a massive pandemic insurance policy for the past 17 years. So, they paid roughly $34 million over that time, which seems like a LOT. But not when there actually IS a pandemic! Because an actual pandemic canceled this year’s tournament, Wimbledon will receive $141 MILLION from the policy. It was likely bundled into some kind of contingency insurance plan. But “pandemic” must have been included as a possible reason for cancellation . . . AND they’ve had it in there since 2003, the year of the SARS outbreak. Wimbledon has happened every year since 1877 . . . except for the cancellations during World War 1 and World War 2.
Celebrities doing good: TYLER PERRY paid for groceries for elderly shoppers at more than 70 stores in Atlanta and New Orleans. HALSEY bought 100,000 masks for medical professionals. KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR donated 900 pairs of safety goggles to UCLA Health. JENNIFER STONE from “The Wizards of Waverly Place” is a nurse now, and getting ready to join her fellow healthcare workers on the front lines. CIARA and RUSSELL WILSON are donating a million meals to the Seattle community. CARDI B is going to give away $1,000 an hour between now and May 20th.
TOM BRADY revealed that he had to cut down on team activities, because GISELE BUNDCHEN wasn’t happy. He said, “A couple of years ago, she didn’t feel like I was doing my part for the family. She felt like I would play football all season and she would take care of the house, and then all of a sudden when the season ended, I’d be like, ‘Great, let me get into all of my other business activities. Let me get into my football training.’ And she’s sitting there going, ‘Well when are you going to do things for the house? When are you going to take the kids to school and do that?’ That was a big part of our marriage that I had to like check myself because she was like ‘I have goals and dreams too.'” So Tom stopped attending Organized Team Activities during the off-season. He also cut back on other business ventures. Initially, he resented Gisele for that, and they ended up in counseling.The turning point was when she wrote him a “very thought-out letter” about how she felt in their marriage. He said, “I keep it in a drawer and I read it . . . and it’s a good reminder for me that things are going to change and evolve over time.”
Disney+ is showing their appreciation for healthcare workers everywhere . . . by rebooting “Doogie Howser, M.D.”. This one won’t star NEIL PATRICK HARRIS, who’s 46 now. Instead, it’ll feature a TEENAGE GIRL genius. The working title is “Doogie Kealoha, M.D.” . . . and the lead will be a half-Asian, half-white 16-year-old girl, who breezed through college and medical school and is now working in Hawaii. There’s no timetable for the project yet.
It’s no secret that “Tiger King” has been a breakout hit for Netflix, but just how crazy are the numbers? Well, they rank among Netflix’s best, but they aren’t record-setting yet. “Tiger King” averaged nearly 19 million viewers in the U.S. over its first 10 days.For comparison, Season Two of “Stranger Things” averaged about 17.5 million viewers in the U.S. over its first 10 days in 2017 . . . and Season Three averaged 20.5 million last year.But Nielsen says it’s “reach” was even bigger, with more than 34.3 million unique people watching at least a few minutes of “Tiger King”.
WILLIE NELSON’s Farm Aid is doing a special online show to help farmers who are struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s called “At Home With Farm Aid” and it’ll stream for free on farmaid.org this Saturday at 8:00 P.M. Eastern. Performers include John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, Neil Young . . . plus Willie and his sons Lukas and Micah. Obviously, they’ll be accepting donations to the cause. More details are coming soon.
Are you a little too attached to your gardening and power tools during quarantine? RUSSELL DICKERSON was asked what he’s up to these days, and he’s hosing down everything in sight. “Today, I’m pressure washing the deck. Once I do that I’m going to pressure wash the sidewalk, then I’ll pressure wash the driveway, and then I’m going to pressure wash every single thing that I possible can because I love it. It’s so fun.”
LINDA TRIPP, the whistleblower in the Clinton / Lewinsky impeachment scandal, died yesterday. She was 70.
LOU GEHRIG bat that dates back to 1922 sold for more than $1 million.
The NICOLE KIDMAN horror movie “The Others” is only 19 years old, but there’s already a remake in the works.
LISA KUDROW has joined the cast of STEVE CARELL’s Netflix comedy “Space Force”.
The series finale of “Modern Family” aired last night, and the creators say there’s already talk of a spin-off about Mitch and Cam and their new life. But don’t get too excited yet. It’s WAY early in the process. They’re basically just kicking around the idea right now.
TONY BENNETT says LADY GAGA’s new album “Chromatica” is incredible. It comes out tomorrow. AND Lady G says she can’t wait to have kids.
JOHN PRINE’s widow Fiona shared some heartfelt thoughts yesterday on Instagram. She called John the love of her life who is “adored” by their three sons and grandchildren. She’s also forever grateful to the Vanderbilt medical team for their incredible skill and care. And she closed it by thanking all of John’s fans, “from the bottom of our hearts for the outpouring of love we’ve received.” ERIC CHURCH posted a video yesterday crediting John Prine for teaching him how to write songs. And then he did a beautiful version of John’s “Long Monday“. He ends it by saying, “I love you John Prine. Thank you.” NATALIE MAINES did an online tribute to JOHN PRINE. She had her two teenage sons back her on guitar as she sang John’s “Angel From Montgomery”. She posted it on Instagram with the caption, “My kids got introduced to John Prine tonight and helped me do a tribute. I love John Prine. R.I.P.”
TIM MCGRAW loves FAITH HILL’s booty. We know this because he was accidentally caught saying it to her by his daughter Maggie. She was doing a selfie video that was within earshot of her parents’ conversion. They were talking about how old Faith looks when Tim said it. He’s also the one who posted it.
Sesame Street: Elmo’s Playdate will feature the favorite fuzzy red Muppet in a half-hour special. In the piece, Elmo and his friends find new ways to learn together online and discover fun things to do at home with their families. Celebrities like Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anne Hathaway and Tracee Ellis Ross also make appearances. The special is taped to look like a video conference to add familiarity to today’s climate.
Olivia Wilde, who played “Thirteen” on House, shared a video in which she and other TV and film doctors thanked real healthcare workers. Wilde said, “I just want to say than you to the real healthcare heroes out there, and there are some other people who want to say thank you as well.” The clip then features actors from Grey’s Anatomy, Scrubs, ER and Dallas Buyers Club.
The Food Network will be airing a five-part special called The Pioneer Woman: Staying Home. The series was filmed on the ranch exclusively by Ree Drummond’s daughters Paige and Alex, and her nephew Stuart using their iPhones. A Food Network press release said, “Ree Drummond and her family are giving viewers a look at what quarantine life is like on the ranch, and what recipes she has been making for her family.”
Kristen Stewart is 30.
