McCartney Fans Not Happy With Ticket Prices

Paul McCartney’s 2025 “Got Back” tour has sparked significant backlash from fans due to exorbitant ticket prices, with many expressing frustration over the high costs and the ticketing process. Here’s a detailed overview of the reasons behind fans’ dissatisfaction:

High Ticket Prices and Dynamic Pricing:

Fans have reported ticket prices ranging from $150 to over $4,000, with upper-level or nosebleed seats often starting at $400–$600 and floor seats reaching $1,000–$5,000, depending on the venue and ticket type (general admission, VIP, or resale). For example, in Hamilton at TD Coliseum, the cheapest ticket was $409 for upper bowl seats, while top-tier tickets neared $5,000.

Ticketmaster’s use of “dynamic pricing,” which adjusts prices based on demand, has been a major point of contention. Fans argue this practice inflates costs, making tickets unaffordable for many. One X user described paying $622 for a Section 317 ticket and another reported $3,252 for two floor seats at the opposite end of a stadium.

The pricing model has been compared to the “Beatlemania version” of Taylor Swift’s 2023 Eras Tour ticketing debacle, with fans feeling priced out of seeing a living legend.

Frustrating Ticketing Process:

The presale process, which began on July 15, 2025, was marred by long virtual queues, with over 200,000 people waiting for some shows, like the Buffalo concert at KeyBank Center, and wait times exceeding 90 minutes. Fans reported technical issues, such as Ticketmaster flagging them as bots or rejecting purchases due to VPN use or rapid typing.

Even with presale codes, many fans found only high-priced “platinum” tickets available, starting at $800–$1,258 for some venues, while cheaper tickets (e.g., $38 for upper rows) sold out instantly.
General sale tickets, available from July 18, 2025, didn’t alleviate the issue, as prices remained high, and availability was limited. Some fans reported being unable to complete purchases due to system errors or tickets disappearing from carts.

Many fans expressed disappointment on platforms like X and Reddit, noting that McCartney’s ticket prices were significantly higher than in previous tours.

R.I.P.: Singer Connie Francis, ‘Pretty Little Baby’ and ‘Stupid Cupid’

Connie Francis (1937-2025)

Connie Francis, born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero on December 12, 1937, has died at age 87.

She was prominent American pop singer and actress, known for being the first woman to top the Billboard Hot 100 with her 1960 hit “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool.” Her passing was confirmed close friend Ron Roberts, president of her label Concetta Records, in a Facebook post. 

Her death followed a recent hospitalization on July 2, 2025, due to “extreme pain,” during which she was moved from intensive care to a private room after undergoing tests.

(2025)

Francis had a remarkable career, selling an estimated 200 million records worldwide and achieving international success by recording in multiple languages, including Italian, Spanish, Yiddish, and German. Her hits like “Who’s Sorry Now,” “Stupid Cupid,” and “Where the Boys Are” defined the late 1950s and early 1960s pop scene. 

She also starred in teen-oriented films like Where the Boys Are (1960). In 2025, her 1962 song “Pretty Little Baby” experienced a viral resurgence on TikTok, introducing her music to a new generation.

Her life was marked by significant personal challenges, including a brutal rape in 1974 that led to years of depression and a temporary loss of her singing career, the murder of her brother by the mafia in 1981, and a misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder that resulted in multiple hospitalizations. 

Despite these hardships, Francis was a resilient advocate for victims’ rights and mental health, notably supporting organizations like Women Against Rape and Mental Health America.

Tributes on platforms like X highlight her trailblazing role for women in music and her enduring legacy, with fans and commentators noting her influence and resilience. Her passing marks the end of an era for a pop icon whose voice and story left a lasting impact.

Senate Approves Bid to Cancel Public Broadcast Funds

The Senate passed a White House-endorsed plan to cancel $9 billion in federal funding for foreign-aid programs and public media after the Republican-led chamber blocked attempts to slim down the package in a marathon overnight voting session.

The measure was approved 51-48 at 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, largely along party lines, with Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joining Democrats in opposition.

The package now returns to the House for final approval, where it must pass by a Friday deadline mandated under the budget rules Republicans are using to move the package without Democratic votes. If successful, it will then head to Trump’s desk, where he’s expected to sign the partisan push to claw back federal dollars that Congress had already sent out the door.

This rescissions package, the first passed at a president’s request in decades, faced opposition from two Republicans—Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)—who joined Democrats in voting against it. 

Senate Republicans secured a key concession, restoring $400 million to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has saved an estimated 26 million lives since its inception under President George W. Bush in 2003. 

However, The Washington Post reports no relief was granted for public broadcasting. The bill eliminates $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which supports PBS and NPR. 

Democrats warned that these cuts would cripple local stations, particularly in rural areas heavily reliant on federal funds. A last-minute amendment by Collins and Murkowski to preserve most of the CPB funding failed.

Republicans like Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), the bill’s lead sponsor, argued that taxpayers shouldn’t subsidize public broadcasting, which benefits from donations, corporate sponsorships, and private grants. 

“Many states already invest in public broadcasting,” Schmitt said on the Senate floor. “It’s long overdue for them to take on more responsibility.”

While NPR and PBS, which receive only a small portion of their budgets from federal funds, are likely to weather the cuts, many local stations face severe impacts. Some, heavily dependent on CPB for over 50% of their budgets, could shut down, while others may slash local programming. 

Julie Overgaard, executive director of South Dakota Public Broadcasting, noted the lack of flexibility: “I can’t cherry-pick national PBS programs to cut costs, so we’ll have to reduce our locally produced content.” The cuts, set to take effect this fall, could mark the end for some stations that have survived decades of funding threats.

Israeli Settlers Reportedly Attack CNN Crew

A CNN crew led by Jerusalem correspondent Jeremy Diamond was reportedly attacked Monday by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank while covering the death of Saif al-Din Kamil Abdul Karim Musalat, a 20-year-old Palestinian-American allegedly beaten to death by settlers on July 11 in Sinjil, near Ramallah. 

The crew was traveling to interview Musalat’s family when a white car with at least four masked settlers began trailing them. After briefly approaching an Israeli Border Police vehicle for safety, the settlers, who had hidden out of sight, ambushed the CNN vehicle, smashing its rear window with a club or mallet. The crew escaped unharmed. Diamond shared the incident on X, noting it as a “sliver of the reality many Palestinians face” amid rising settler violence.

07/24/25 🇮🇱❌🇺🇸🇵🇸 CNN's Jerusalem correspondent Jeremy Diamond and his team were attacked by Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank while reporting on the killing of 20-year-old Palestinian-American Saif Musallet, who was beaten by settlers. #IsraelTerroristState

TabZLIVE pic.twitter.com/kAimfNWaVn

— 💥Ray Murray jr (@rmjr2654) July 15, 2025

The attack occurred amid escalating violence in the West Bank, where settlers also allegedly torched cars in Burqa and assaulted a 65-year-old Palestinian man. The Foreign Press Association condemned the incident, highlighting a pattern of unpunished settler attacks on journalists, including a July 4 assault on a Deutsche Welle crew in Sinjil. 

The group criticized Israeli authorities for failing to arrest perpetrators and for restricting journalists’ access to northern West Bank refugee camps.

Musalat’s killing, alongside that of 23-year-old Mohammad al-Shalabi, who was shot during the same attack, has drawn attention to settler violence. Witnesses claim settlers blocked ambulances from reaching Musalat for hours, potentially preventing life-saving aid. His family and rights groups. 

U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee called the killing a “criminal and terrorist act” but deferred to Israeli investigations, which rarely result in convictions.

The incident reflects a broader surge in West Bank violence since October 2023, with over 1,000 Palestinians killed by settlers or Israeli forces, according to the UN.

Lawmakers Demand FCC Stop Partisan Probes

Senators Chuck Schumer and Ed Markey, in a letter to FCC Chair Brendan Carr Wednesday, demanded an end to investigations targeting CBS News and other media outlets, accusing the FCC of partisan attacks.

The probe centers on claims by President Donald Trump that CBS deceptively edited a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris during the 2024 election to favor Democrats. Trump also filed a $20 billion lawsuit against CBS, which was settled this month with Paramount, CBS’s parent company, paying $16 million toward Trump’s future presidential library.

The senators criticized the FCC for a double standard, pointing to Fox News’ June 2024 interview with Trump, which they claim was edited to misleadingly suggest he fully supported releasing Jeffrey Epstein-related files when he was equivocal. 

Fox News denied selective editing, stating the full interview aired across its platforms with standard cuts for time. The senators argued that editorial discretion is central to press freedom and that the FCC should not investigate CBS or Fox.

Carr recently revived complaints about the CBS interview, ABC News’ moderation of a Biden-Trump debate, and NBC’s decision to feature Harris on “Saturday Night Live” before the election. However, he did not reinstate a petition to deny a Philadelphia Fox station’s license renewal. CBS, facing FCC scrutiny amid its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media, called the complaint an attempt to turn the FCC into a content censor and urged its dismissal. 

Neither CBS, Fox, nor Carr commented immediately on the letter.

Podcasts Chasing OnLine Listeners

Fox News Media’s licensing deal with the conservative podcast “Ruthless” is a strategic move to expand its digital footprint and tap into younger, digitally-savvy audiences, particularly men aged 18-45, who are drifting away from traditional pay-TV. 

The podcast, hosted by Josh Holmes, Michael Duncan, John Ashbrook, and Shashank Tripathi (aka “Comfortably Smug”), aligns with Fox’s right-leaning editorial stance and will operate under its Digital division, with the hosts gaining exposure on the Fox News Channel as contributors. 

This follows a broader trend of legacy media outlets, like ESPN with Pat McAfee’s show, partnering with digital-native creators to counter declining TV viewership and compete with streaming platforms and podcasts like Joe Rogan’s, which gained significant influence in the 2024 election.

“Ruthless” retains editorial control and shares revenue with Fox, mirroring deals like Fox Corp.’s acquisition of Red Seat Ventures to bolster conservative digital content. 

The move comes as other media giants explore similar strategies, such as Skydance Media’s talks to acquire The Free Press, signaling a shift toward integrating independent digital platforms to capture fragmented audiences. Fox’s strong YouTube performance (1.2 billion views in Q1 2025) underscores its focus on digital expansion, with “Ruthless” as its first external podcast partnership, potentially paving the way for more.

“Ruthless” appeals to conservative listeners by blending humor, insider perspectives, and unfiltered commentary, fostering loyalty among its 18-45 male demographic.

Unlike TV or print media, podcasts allow hosts to retain editorial control, as with “Ruthless” and Pat McAfee’s show. This freedom enables candid discussions that resonate with audiences seeking authenticity, making podcasts a go-to for shaping narratives without heavy corporate oversight.

Podcasts drive consumer behavior through sponsorships and endorsements, while politically oriented ones like “Ruthless” can mobilize voters or shape discourse. A 2024 Pew Research study noted that 23% of podcast listeners cited shows as a key source for political information, rivaling traditional news.

S-F Radio: KQED To Reduce Staffers By 15 Percent

Congress is set to vote by Friday on a White House rescission package that would cut over $500 million annually from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which funds public radio and TV stations nationwide. President Trump has pushed for the cuts, threatening to withhold support from Republican lawmakers who oppose the proposal. If passed, the cuts would begin in October, severely impacting local stations, many of which rely on CPB for over 50% of their budgets.

Smaller stations, like those in Alaska where up to 95% of funding comes from CPB, face potential closure, according to Ed Ulman of Alaska Public Media. This would end programs like those tied to “Molly of Denali” and “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.” South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s local content, including lawmaker interviews, historical documentaries, and high school sports, would also likely be slashed.

NPR and PBS, while less dependent on federal funds, would face challenges. 

NPR’s Katherine Maher indicated possible staff cuts, and PBS’s Paula Kerger called the impact “significant.” 

KQED, a major public radio station, announced layoffs of 45 employees and 12 voluntary departures, a 15% staff reduction, due to a $12 million deficit and looming federal funding cuts. 

The layoffs, affecting content-producing departments most heavily, include disbanding the digital video team and slashing the education department. KQED will halt retirement contributions and freeze salaries, aiming to reduce the deficit by 90% next year. The cuts end programs like Youth Takeover and scale back initiatives like Deep Look.

The broader public media system faces existential threats from declining broadcast audiences, sluggish revenue growth, and new economic pressures. KQED’s past expansion, fueled by a $45 million fundraising campaign and a $94 million renovation, has not yielded proportional financial support.

Corporate sponsorships have softened, and the Trump administration’s moves, including a Senate vote to cut $1.1 billion from CPB and an FCC probe into underwriting practices, add further strain. NPR and PBS are suing to block an executive order targeting their funding, as stations like KQED rely on reserves and brace for an uncertain future.

MLB All-Star Game Has Slight Drop In Viewers

The 2025 MLB All-Star Game, featuring the first-ever swing-off to decide the winner, drew an average of 7.19 million viewers on Fox, per Nielsen data. 

It marked Fox’s highest viewership since the Super Bowl and the network’s best Tuesday night audience since Game 4 of the 2024 World Series. Still, viewership dipped 3.5% from the 2024 All-Star Game, making it the second-least watched Midsummer Classic.

Kyle Schwarber’s three home runs powered the National League to a 4-3 swing-off victory after the American League erased a six-run deficit to tie the game 6-6 in the ninth. 

The Atlanta-hosted game peaked at 8.1 million viewers from 9:15-9:30 p.m. EDT.

Introduced in 2022 by MLB and the players’ association to address pitcher shortages, the swing-off format saw three batters per league take three swings each against coaches, akin to a soccer penalty shootout.

Baseball’s All-Star Game outperformed other sports’ all-star events. The NHL skipped its All-Star Game this year, while the NBA’s All-Star Game and the NFL’s Pro Bowl (featuring skills competitions and flag football) each averaged 4.7 million viewers on TNT and ABC, respectively.

The Home Run Derby on Monday night averaged 5.73 million viewers on ESPN, up 5% from 2024.

CNN's Clarissa Ward Reports Death Threats

At the Mediastrong symposium on mental health and journalism held at City St George’s University in London this week, CNN’s chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward spoke candidly about the toll of her work, stating, “I get death threats all the time, my children get death threats.” 

She described the immense challenge of maintaining “mental discipline” while covering conflict zones, calling her job a “juggling act” of staying calm, managing logistical demands, and processing trauma.

Ward highlighted the intensity of her experiences, such as working in a Somali refugee camp with tight UN security constraints, where she had to balance urgent reporting tasks with human interactions, like listening to a woman who had lost two children. 

She noted that the online environment, particularly her Instagram feed, often exposes her to more trauma in an hour than some of her field assignments. The conference focused on newsroom mental health, with Ward’s remarks underscoring the personal risks and psychological burdens faced by journalists in high-stakes environments.

"Loud Activists" At Disney Were Unhappy With Sam Ponder

Samantha Ponder, a former ESPN host, discussed her controversial firing from the network in August 2024 during an appearance on “The Sage Steele Show” podcast, released Wednesday. 

She described the reasons for her dismissal as “legit crazy,” pointing to a combination of factors, with her outspoken stance on transgender athletes in women’s sports playing a significant role. 

Here are the key reasons:

Opposition to Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports: Ponder believes her public comments against biological males competing in women’s sports contributed to her exit. She specifically referenced a 2023 tweet supporting a post by the Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) about keeping women’s sports female, and a 2024 tweet during the Olympics regarding boxer Imane Khelif, where she wrote, “ENOUGH is what all of us should be saying!!” after Khelif’s opponent quit a match. 

Samantha Ponder

Ponder noted that ESPN executives expressed discomfort with her social media activity on this issue, with one executive stating the company was “uncomfortable” with her discussing trans athletes and “misgendering” people. She was later informed that a “loud activist group” at Disney, ESPN’s parent company, was unhappy with her stance. 

While she doesn’t believe this was the sole reason for her firing, she stated the timing—shortly after her Olympics tweet—“almost certainly” played a part.

Financial and Role Limitations: Ponder acknowledged that her firing wasn’t solely due to her views. She noted that ESPN was undergoing cost-cutting measures as its fiscal year ended in September 2024, and her role was limited to hosting “Sunday NFL Countdown” on Sundays during the NFL season, which amounted to fewer than 20 days of on-air work annually. She was earning over $1 million per year, which was seen as disproportionate to her limited schedule under ESPN’s current leadership, who prioritize high-paid talent working multiple roles. Ponder had turned down opportunities to expand her role due to her commitment to spending time with her three young children, which may have made her a target for layoffs.

Fox News’ Brit Hume Calls Out NBC News

Brit Hume appeared on the podcast “Next Up with Mark Halperin” and criticized NBC News for its coverage of former President Joe Biden’s use of an autopen, accusing the network of downplaying the issue’s significance. 

NBC’s article highlighted that House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Kentucky), who is investigating Biden’s autopen use for pardons and other matters, also uses an autopen for signing letters in his probe. Hume called the report misleading, arguing it conflates routine uses with serious applications.

“Nobody’s concerned about Biden using an autopen for letters or routine documents,” Hume said. “The issue is its use for significant official actions like pardons.” He suggested NBC either misunderstood the issue or deliberately pushed a false narrative. 

When host Mark Halperin asked if NBC knowingly misrepresented the story, Hume leaned toward the latter, stating, “Young journalists hear ‘autopen’ and equate all uses in their minds, leading to these misguided stories.”

Hume acknowledged that the president’s pardon power is nearly absolute, suggesting that even autopen-signed pardons, if based on broad criteria set by Biden and executed by staff, would likely hold up legally. 

He noted, however, that using the autopen for routine matters might still raise valid concerns.

Between December 2024 and January 2025, Biden manually signed only one pardon—for his son Hunter—while using the autopen for 25 other pardons and commutations.

Radio History: July 17

➦In 1912...Art Linkletter born Arthur Gordon Kelly (Died at age 97 – May 26, 2010). He was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada and was an American radio and television personality, best known as host of  House Party which ran on CBS radio and television for 25 years, and People Are Funny on NBC radio and television for 19 years. He became a naturalized United States citizen in 1942.

Art Linkletter

One popular feature of his House Party program was the Kids Say the Darndest Things segments. A series of books followed which contained the humorous comments made on-air bychildren.

When he was five, his family moved to San Diego, California, where he graduated from San Diego High School at age 16. During the early years of the Great Depression, he rode trains around the country doing odd jobs and meeting a wide variety of people.

In 1935 he met Lois Foerster. They were married at Grace Lutheran Church in San Diego, November 28, 1935. Their marriage lasted until Linkletter's death, ​74 1⁄2 years later.

After receiving his teaching degree, Linkletter decided to go to work as a radio announcer at KGB in San Diego, because radio paid better than teaching. He directed radio programs for fairs and expositions in the mid-1930s. Afterwards, he moved to San Francisco and continued his radio career.

In the 1940s, Linkletter worked in Hollywood with John Guedel on their pioneering radio show, People Are Funny, which employed audience participation, contests and gags. The series served as a prototype for future radio and television game shows. People Are Funny became a television show in 1954 and ran until 1961.

➦In 1934…FCC adopts Order No. 1

➦In 1981…Bruce Bradley did his final show on WBZ 1030 AM, Boston.

Bradley joined WBZ in 1960, when the station is still playing middle of the road pop music. Gradually, as the music becomes more top-40, “Juicie Brucie” Bradley’s night-time show became extremely popular.

The station moved from Top40 to Full-Service AC in 1974.

Bradley passed away in June 2013. Click Here for more.

➦In 2009…Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. died at age 92 (Born - November 4, 1916). He was a broadcast journalist who served as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years (1962–1981). During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll.