A Hollywood star's job is never easy. And it's especially hard in today's political climate, when "gestapo"-like law enforcement arrests people whose only crime is being in our country illegally. Such is the grim report from this year's Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.'An illegal army is being mounted against US citizens.''What are we gonna do?'Take actor Ed Norton. What was supposed to be a lighthearted chat about his new polyamory sex comedy, "The Invite," with co-stars Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde soon turned decidedly dark as the specter of Trump's immigration policy loomed."These days it's, like, 'What are we gonna do about masked gestapo shooting American citizens?'" Norton said."Have you found an answer?" actor Seth Rogen laughed."We are sitting here talking about movies while an illegal army is being mounted against U.S. citizens," Norton responded."Yep," Wilde agreed.RELATED: 'The American Revolution' keeps founders at arm's length ICE to meet youThe harrowing discussion petered out after about 30 seconds, with the celebrities gamely returning to the discussion of their craft. However, Wilde's "ICE OUT" lapel button, paired with a laid-back prep ensemble of striped button-down, gray sweatshirt and white barrel-cut jeans — and finished off with a baggy denim jacket in a playful nod to the "Canadian tuxedo" — remained a haunting reminder of what was at stake.The previous day, Wilde sported the same button on her very on-trend red-carpet ensemble of black "naked dress" — its sheer lace bodice featuring a sweetheart neckline, visible bra cups, and thin straps. The button was pinned high on the bodice, ensuring it remained visible above the neckline.RELATED: Actresses Olivia Munn and Olivia Wilde mock all-female trip to space: 'Is it historic that you guys are going on a ride?' Actress 'horrified'Wilde, whose floor-length dress flared slightly before giving way to a thigh-high slit trimmed in matching lace, elaborated on her message to the Associated Press."I'm horrified by this string of murders that we are somehow legitimizing and normalizing," Wilde said. "And I think Americans are all horrified. I think it's insane and hideous.""It's really difficult to be here and to be celebrating something so joyous and beautiful and positive when we know what's happening on the streets," she added."Americans are out on the streets marching and demanding justice, and we're there with them. And if we can do anything with our platforms, you know, we can speak out and demand that ICE get out," she said, echoing the two-word phrase emblazoned on her button.Boots on the groundElsewhere at the festival, Natalie Portman turned heads with her Luna black zip boots from Moon Boot ($250), the perfect complement to her cozy sweater-and-jeans look. But as with Wilde, all eyes were on her "ICE OUT" button.The "Star Wars" star minced no words when criticizing the Trump administration's policies, suggesting that it was the "worst" approach to the problem of illegal immigration, instead of the "best.""What they're doing is really the worst of the worst of humanity," she told Deadline. "And then we have the best of humanity for the way people are showing up for each other."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Kirk Bangstad, the Wisconsin owner of Minocqua Brewing Company and the treasurer of a federal super PAC of the same name, has made no secret of his hatred for President Donald Trump, conservatives, and virtually anyone who doesn't share his leftist worldview.For instance, Bangstad — who was ordered to pay a six-figure sum for defamation in 2023 and was charged with harassment last year — stated, "F**k Charlie Kirk," in a diatribe the day after the Turning Point USA founder's assassination and wrote weeks later, "May his soul never find peace."'Free beer, all day long, the day he dies. Show us this post when it happens in a few months and we’ll make good on that promise.'Although the leftist brewer has long engaged in this variety of incendiary commentary, which dovetails with his Ben & Jerry-styled progressive marketing, Bangstad recently raised eyebrows and a potential red flag with a post insinuating the president's death was forthcoming.Days after circulating a wanted poster for a federal agent, calling for a "regime change" in the U.S., and stating that "it's just a matter of time" before "every ICE agent will face justice," Bangstad said in a Jan. 22 post on the brewery's Facebook page, "Free beer, all day long, the day he dies. Show us this post when it happens in a few months and we’ll make good on that promise."When asked by Fox News for comment, Bangstad appeared to confirm that he was referring to Trump and indicated the brewery would be throwing a "party celebrating the impending death of a twice-impeached convicted felon."Bangstad, who unsuccessfully attempted to block President Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot in Wisconsin, did not respond directly to Blaze News' questions. Instead he accused Blaze News of engaging in "'gotcha' state-sponsored propaganda" and shared the contact information of a Blaze News reporter, inviting his followers to email the reporter with their own comments.RELATED: Anti-ICE lunacy hits new low: Activist allegedly air-horns cops investigating school threat that had nothing to do with ICE Photo by Win McNamee/Getty ImagesThe U.S. Secret Service told Blaze News, "The U.S. Secret Service is aware of the social media post by the Minocqua Brewing Company. Out of concern for operational security, we do not discuss matters of protective intelligence."Bangstad's post also caught the attention of various critics, including Libs of TikTok, who noted, "How are we supposed to share a country with these people? Democrats want us dead."The American left appears to have a strong appetite for political violence.'That's kind of shady.'A survey conducted by the Network Contagion Research Institute and Rutgers University's Social Perception Lab revealed in April 2025 that 55% of respondents who identified as left of center said that assassinating Trump would be at least somewhat justified.When asked by pollsters about the September 2024 attempt on the president's life at his golf course in Florida, 28% of Democrats told RMG Research it would have been better if Trump had been gunned down.While the brewer's apparent eagerness to see the president die has attracted attention, his super PAC's expenditures have also prompted scrutiny in recent months.Some of Bangstad's former employees alleged to WISC-TV that some of the over $2 million raised by the brewer's super PAC has gone toward paying regular brewery staff rather than political activities."At first, I was paid by a regular direct deposit, and then he said he's going to pay me from the Super PAC and from the business. And I started to do some research," said one former employee who spoke to WISC on the condition of anonymity. "I spoke with a couple attorneys and an accountant, and they said, that's kind of shady, not a good idea."The former employee showed the outlet documentation apparently indicating that he received checks from the Minocqua Brewing Super PAC with "organizing" written in the memo line — something he had reportedly not done for the PAC.Bangstad admitted that some employees receive PAC funds and suggested to WISC that the payments were aboveboard. A civil lawsuit filed in early 2025 suggested otherwise, accusing the leftist of fraud and misuse of donated funds, reported Wisconsin Public Radio.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The man who was shot and killed during a scuffle with federal agents last weekend had suffered a broken rib in a previous altercation with federal agents, sources claim.Alex Pretti tried to intervene in another federal immigration operation and got tackled by federal agents about a week before his death, according to the CNN report.'That day, he thought he was going to die.'The report was based on a person who spoke to Pretti about the previous incident but asked to remain anonymous to avoid retribution.That source said the incident began when Pretti saw federal agents chasing a family, and he reacted by blowing his whistle and shouting at them. The agents tackled Pretti, and one leaned on his back, which led to a rib being broken, according to Pretti's alleged comments to the source.Pretti was released at the scene."That day, he thought he was going to die," the source said to CNN.Records reviewed by CNN showed that Pretti was given medication consistent with treatment for a broken rib.It was unclear whether federal agents recognized Pretti in the second and lethal encounter, CNN reported.RELATED: Ilhan Omar accuses Trump of ulterior motive for ICE raids — and JD Vance shuts her down The CNN report suggested that Pretti could have been known to federal agents because of efforts to collect information about protesters. "One thing I'm pushing for right now … we're going to create a database where those people that are arrested for interference, impeding, and assault — we're going to make them famous," said Tom Homan, Trump's border czar, earlier in the month. "We're going to put their face on TV. We're going to let their employers, in their neighborhoods, in their schools, know who these people are." President Donald Trump sent Homan to oversee the operation in Minneapolis, and Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino is reportedly set to leave the city. Homan will report directly to Trump and is meeting with Tim Walz, the state's governor, and Jacob Frey, the Minneapolis mayor, to negotiate their cooperation with the federal government. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The iconic voice of Foreigner will also be touring to support the LP. The post Lou Gramm Sets New Studio Album, ‘Released’ appeared first on Best Classic Bands.

A new book by author Julian Sancton explores the lengthy quest to find the Spanish galleon—and the political firestorm that has engulfed the wreck ever since

It’s unclear if Adam Rainer, whose height was less than five feet when he was 21, ever wished that he’d grow taller. But if he did, his story would epitomize the expression “be careful what you wish for.” Public DomainA man believed to be Adam Rainer next to someone of average height. Not much is known about the personal details of the life Adam Rainer led, as it was his curious and unprecedented medical condition that dominated what’s known about it. What is known has often become the stuff of legend, inadvertently exaggerated over the years. But Adam Rainer’s story needs no embellishment. Adam Rainer was the only known person in history to have been recorded as both a dwarf and a giant, a medical marvel brought about by a combination of dwarfism and a tumor inside his pituitary gland that left doctors in shocked amazement. Unfortunately, this was also accompanied by several other serious health issues. Adam Rainer’s Early Life Adam Rainer was born in Graz, Austria, in 1899 to parents who were both of average height. However, it became clear early on that their son’s growth was drastically stunted. Even into adulthood, Adam Rainer still stood at roughly the size of a child. When World War I broke out, he enlisted in the army, but his “conspicuously small” stature led doctors to conduct a series of tests to determine his eligibility. Standing at just 4 feet, 6 inches tall, doctors ultimately classified Rainer as a dwarf and deemed him unfit to be an effective soldier. The cutoff, according to IFL Science, was four-foot-ten. The most striking and particularly unusual thing about Rainer’s dwarfism, compared to others, was the size of his hands and feet — they were far too large for his overall size. Despite his short height, he wore a size 10 shoe (or a 43, in European sizes). Public DomainA photo of a young Adam Rainer in Austria. Just one year later, Adam Rainer had grown another two inches and tried once again to enlist with the army, but he was, once again, denied. Despite the growth spurt, he was still two inches too short. As fate would have it, however, this would soon change. Even in 1920, Rainer was still well below average height. Health records show that he was also relatively thin and underweight. At 21 years old, when a person typically stops growing, most doctors and people in his life assumed that Rainer was also done growing and would remain a dwarf. But then something happened. Rainer didn’t just grow another two inches — he started to grow at an alarmingly accelerated rate without any sign of slowing down. Within a decade, as Rainer entered his early 30s, he was well above that four-foot-ten cutoff; he now towered over those around him at more than seven feet tall. And he became one of the tallest people ever. Adam Rainer’s Sudden Growth Doctors were baffled. Two men, Dr. A. Mandl and Dr. F. Windholz, started examining Rainer in 1930. They began to suspect that Rainer may have developed a specific kind of tumor that caused an extreme case of acromegaly: a condition, in this case, caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland, that causes abnormal growth of the face, hands, and feet due to an overproduction of growth hormones. The condition may be known to most through individuals like iconic wrestler Andre the Giant or “The Munsters” star Fred Gwynne. Symptoms of acromegaly include enlarged hands and feet, which doctors noticed in Rainer. Additionally, over time, Rainer’s face became more square in shape, as his jaw and eyebrows protruded more and more due to the condition. Rainer was also exceedingly tired a significant portion of the time, another common symptom of acromegaly. In a 1961 report by Oscar Hirsch, another doctor who studied Rainer, it was remarked that the man was unable to perform a “normal” bite due to the immense size of his tongue. The now-giant Rainer had also begun to lose his hearing at around 26 years old. As a result of his rapid growth, Adam Rainer also experienced issues with his spine, which had begun to curve sideways as each massive growth spurt made him taller and taller. Soon, the doctors discovered that their hypothesis was correct. A Bold Operation On The Tumor Oscar HirschAdam Rainer photographed for a study about his unexpected growth. The tumor in Rainer’s pituitary gland had been growing for more than a decade, but Mandl and Windholz opted to remove it via surgery anyway. At the time, such a surgery was incredibly risky, as it would necessitate working closely with vital areas of the brain. On Dec. 2, 1930, Rainer underwent the dangerous operation. Thankfully, the surgery, performed by Oscar Hirsch, was a success. Several months passed, and Rainer returned to visit Mandl and Windholz once more for a checkup. They were glad to see that his height had remained the same — no more sudden growth spurts. However, his spinal curvature was even worse, which indicated that although it was occurring at a much slower rate, he was in fact still growing. And it showed no signs of stopping. Unfortunately, Adam Rainer’s health problems only got worse. He started to lose vision in his right eye. As he approached middle age, Rainer’s spine curvature grew worse, and his vision continued to deteriorate. Some accounts would later claim that he was often confined to bed and incapable of taking care of himself because of the pain, as he spent the last years of his life in a “home of the aged” in Austria. He did live in such a home, but according to Hirsch’s report, Rainer was able to take care of himself and was never confined to bed. “He was clumsy, but kind to his roommates,” Hirsch wrote of what he was relayed to him by Adam Rainer’s doctor at the home. Adam Rainer eventually died at the age of 51 years old after undergoing surgery for “perforation of the large intestine and peritonitis.” No autopsy was performed. At the time of his death, Adam Rainer stood, by most estimates, at a massive 7 feet, 8 inches tall (though some estimates put him at seven-foot-ten). He is still the only man in history classified as both a dwarf and a giant in the same lifetime. If you found this story about Adam Rainer interesting, you may also want to check out 21 pictures of Andre the Giant that it’s hard to believe aren’t photoshopped. Then read the tale of the Eddie Gaedel, the smallest player in Major League baseball history. The post The Tragic Story Of Adam Rainer, The Man Who Went From Dwarf To Giant appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Michael Marks/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesCherie Currie of The Runaways. Cherie Currie’s life changed when she was just 15 years old. Unlike most 15-year-old girls in 1975, who were busy with homework and homecoming dances, Cherie Currie wasn’t that interested in a typical high school experience. She was more interested in making a scene. Before she was even old enough to drive, she had become one of the lead singers of the all-girl rock band The Runaways, originally formed in Los Angeles. She captivated cheering crowds around the world and was once even described as “the lost daughter of Iggy Pop and Brigitte Bardot.” But in just two short years, she’d realize that the bright lights of her newfound fame didn’t do much to cover the rock industry’s dark side. Cherie Currie’s Time With The Runaways GAB Archive/Redferns/Getty ImagesCherie Currie with her rock band The Runaways. Born on Nov. 30, 1959, and raised in Encino, California, Cherie Currie had a challenging start to life. She said her father was kind and loving, but suffered from a “horrific addiction to alcohol” and post-traumatic stress disorder from his time serving in World War II. While she said her mother was tenacious, she also said her mom was “hard to get along with” at times. Before Cherie Currie joined The Runaways, she also said she was raped by her twin sister Marie’s boyfriend “because he had a thing for virgins.” In response to the trauma, she cut her hair in a style like David Bowie’s, giving her a distinctive look as she pursued her dream of being a rock star. Meanwhile, Joan Jett, another future member of The Runaways, met record producer Kim Fowley around 1973. Fowley expressed an interest in creating an all-girl rock band, which intrigued Jett. Initially, Jett approached Currie’s twin sister Marie first about being in the band, but Marie turned her down. That led to Cherie Currie getting the job instead. Looking back, she later reflected, she had no idea what taking the job would entail. For the next two years, the rock band, originally formed in Los Angeles, traveled across America, Europe, and even Japan, spent hours upon hours in the recording studio — and they were paid little for their time and effort. “We just never had a break,” Currie recalled of her time in the band with her fellow members Jett, Lita Ford, Sandy West, and Jackie Fox. “Either we were touring, rehearsing or in the studio, and we were making no money at all. They were making a lot of money off of us.” If the grueling, thankless schedule wasn’t too much for the teenage girls to handle, the treatment they endured at the hands of their management was. Currie described the management’s behavior as an attempt to “toughen them up,” but to anyone else, it reads as flat-out abuse. Kim Fowley allegedly used to throw jars of peanut butter at the girls during rehearsals to prepare them for the rough audiences they were bound to encounter (according to Currie, there were some audiences in Britain who later threw knives at them). Fowley would also purportedly verbally abuse them and pit the once friendly and united girls against each other. “It was the abuse from Kim Fowley and our roadies that was so hard to take,” Currie said. “We got such abuse on a daily basis. They were trying to harden us to the reality of the rock ‘n’ roll world, but how could we possibly know this wasn’t the way it was supposed to be?” Cherie Currie’s Life After The Runaways Richard E. Aaron/Redferns/Getty ImagesThe Runaways performing live at CBGB in New York in August 1976. Eventually, Cherie Currie realized she had enough. She had only been with The Runaways for two years, but she was already dangerously addicted to cocaine and Quaaludes. Though she later said she was probably “destined to have problems” due to the alcoholism in her family, it was clear that her time with the band had led to her addictions spiraling out of control. “Being in The Runaways, and even with our booking agent, everybody was feeding us drugs,” Currie said. “We had adults pulling us aside putting a spoon to our noses. So did that escalate my addiction? It absolutely did. But I think that road was going to be traveled by me at one point or another.” Currie was also fed up with Fowley’s treatment. In addition, she had gotten pregnant by another one of her managers, and she decided she didn’t want to be part of the unpredictable, exhausting environment any longer. Perhaps the final straw was the feeling that the other girls in the band, particularly Jett, wanted her out — a feeling likely sparked by Fowley’s decision to constantly pit the girls against each other. “There was so much conflict over the attention paid to me as the lead singer,” Currie later recalled. “Joan was very upset and hurt, but I really thought these girls wanted me out. It was a lack of communication.” After effectively running away from The Runaways, Cherie Currie pursued a solo career, ultimately recording two solo albums. She also tried her hand at acting, even appearing alongside Jodie Foster in Foxes. However, her journey was not all smooth sailing. In fact, just two years after leaving The Runaways, Currie said that she was abducted and raped by a stalker. Horrifyingly, she alleged that the stalker had already murdered six women in Texas by the time of the kidnapping, and Currie may have potentially been the next murder victim had she not escaped in time. Meanwhile, Currie continued to struggle with her drug addiction, even freebasing cocaine, and it wasn’t until the mid-1980s that she was able to turn her life around and stay sober. She took a job at North Hollywood’s Coldwater Canyon Hospital, working as a tech in the drug and psych wards. Before long, she was working as a drug and alcohol counselor herself. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesThe Runaways posing for a portrait on the beach around 1976. “I was only 25 and a lot of these kids were the age I was when I was in The Runaways when I was introduced to drugs, so it was a good fit for me,” she said of her experience counseling troubled youths. The Candid Autobiography Neon Angel And The Movie The Runaways Cherie Currie eventually went on to publish an autobiography, titled Neon Angel, which chronicled her journey with The Runaways in her own words. She initially wrote the book for teenagers, hoping they’d use it as a “what not to do” manual, but it soon turned into a darkly detailed adult memoir, recalling her experiences with rape, abortion, and drug addiction. The memoir partly inspired a 2010 movie titled The Runaways, starring Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie. Currie praised both Fanning and Stewart’s performances, saying, “I thought the acting was just off the map and great. Dakota really gave it everything she had and Kristin, I’m so proud of her. She did such a great job.” Sony PicturesDakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart in The Runaways movie. However, Currie also criticized some creative liberties the movie took, like not including Currie’s rape at the hands of her sister’s boyfriend. Instead, the film seemed to imply that Currie’s interest in David Bowie was the main reason why she cut her hair in such a daring style as a teenager. “If you read the book, then you’ll know that my twin sister’s boyfriend had raped me and took my virginity,” she told SPIN. “That’s why I was angry, that’s why I cut my hair to look like David Bowie’s. I really felt that detail was important. The filmmakers didn’t. They did not want the Cherie character to lose her innocence so early in the film.” Surprisingly, the book and movie also helped Currie and Jett reconnect again after years apart. As Currie put it: “Joan and I are really getting to know each other all over again. It’s so funny, in the forward, Joan admits how angry she was with me for leaving the band and I was like, ‘What? I thought you wanted me out.’ We never talked to each after I left and it’s water under the bridge now but we both wish we had spoken before.” In recent years, Currie continues to work as a writer and musician, but she’s also taken up an unusual career as a chainsaw artist, using a chainsaw to carve pieces of art out of wood. She said, “I found it far more difficult than I thought it was going to be. It’s extremely dangerous… But I love it.” As for her past in The Runaways and beyond, she says she has a few regrets, such as the fact that the band never got back together for a reunion, but for the most part, she knows getting out was ultimately the right move. “For me,” she said, “it was the end of a nightmare.” Next, read about Angie Bowie, the eccentric first wife of David Bowie. Then, learn about rock ‘n’ roll’s most famous groupies. The post Inside The Turbulent Life Of Cherie Currie, The Former Lead Singer Of The 1970s Girl Band The Runaways appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Wikimedia CommonsVirginia Vallejo photographed in 1987, the year her affair with Pablo Escobar ended. In 1982, Virginia Vallejo was a national sensation in her home country of Colombia. The 33-year old socialite, journalist, and TV personality had just scored her own TV show after starring in a series of ads for Medias Di Lido pantyhose — which captivated the nation and brought her to the attention of none other than Pablo Escobar. Throughout their whirlwind romance that ensued, Vallejo became one of the kingpin’s most precious confidantes. She was the first journalist to get him in front of a camera and enjoyed the spoils of life nestled in the world’s most powerful drug cartel. That is, until their affair came to a dramatic end — and so did her celebrity. Virginia Vallejo’s Rise To Stardom Born to a prestigious family with an entrepreneurial father on August 26, 1949, Virginia Vallejo enjoyed a comfortable life in an otherwise tumultuous Colombia. Members of her family included a finance minister, a general, and several European nobles who could trace their heritage back to Charlemagne. After a short stint as an English teacher in the late 1960s, she was offered work on a television program, a position that became her gateway to a career onscreen. Vallejo ultimately made her television debut somewhat reluctantly back in 1972 as a host and presenter for several programs. She later claimed that it was uncommon for women of her socioeconomic status to work in the entertainment industry and that her family largely disapproved. Vallejo pushed ahead in the career anyway, and in January 1978, she became the anchorwoman of a 24-hour news program. She was soon known across South America. FacebookVallejo claimed that it was unusual for a woman of her status to work in the entertainment industry. In 1982, she drew the attention of none other than Pablo Escobar after he saw her famous pantyhose commercial. But Escobar was not just smitten by a pretty pair of legs; he had also realized that Vallejo’s influence could be of tremendous use to him. And so, despite having a wife, Escobar reportedly declared to his associates “I want her” and ordered them to arrange a meeting with her. An invitation was extended to Vallejo to visit his Hacienda Nápoles villa in 1982 — and she accepted. Her Affair With The Notorious Kingpin Wikimedia CommonsPablo Escobar started as the leader of a small cartel; soon no cocaine would leave Colombia without his knowledge. By her own account, Virginia Vallejo was immediately charmed by the crime lord. Despite his bloody lifestyle and fierce reputation, Escobar was known for his affability and sense of humor, and Vallejo would later write about this duality in her book Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar — which was later turned into a film starring Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz. For his part, Escobar seemed equally enthralled with Vallejo, although there has always been a debate about the extent of his true feelings for her. Many people believed he was simply using Vallejo to promote his public image, which she certainly helped him do. When the two first met, Escobar was only a minor public figure, but over the course of their five-year relationship he transformed into “the most notorious terrorist in the world.” Vallejo’s reputation as a prestigious journalist was crucial in helping Escobar establish his role as a “man of the people,” which, indeed, is still how he is remembered by many of the poor in Medellín today. Vallejo herself stated that the reason she fell in love with him was “he was the only rich man in Colombia who was generous with the people, in this country where the rich have never given a sandwich to the poor.” In 1983, a year after the pair had first met, Virginia Vallejo interviewed Escobar on her new program. The interview showed the cartel leader in a favorable light as he talked about his charity work Medellín Sin Tugurios, or Medellín Without Slums. This television appearance not only brought him to national attention but helped to establish his philanthropic image with the public. When major newspapers hailed him as “the Robin Hood of Medellín,” he celebrated with a champagne toast. Throughout their five-year relationship, Vallejo experienced the high life. She had access to Escobar’s jet, she met the kingpin in swanky hotels, and he financed her shopping trips. He even opened up to her about how he and other drug traffickers had Colombian politicians in their pocket. Ending Her Career In Colombia And Fleeing To America Virginia Vallejo ended her career in Colombian media in 1994 and in 2006 moved to the United States. Vallejo’s relationship with Escobar ended in 1987. According to Pablo Escobar’s son, the affair ended badly after Escobar learned he was not her only lover. Escobar Jr. recalled that the last time he saw Vallejo was outside the gate of one of his father’s estates, where she remained sobbing for hours because the guards refused to let her in on their boss’ orders. Virginia Vallejo, unfortunately, found that as the power and popularity of her former lover waned, so did her own. She wound up being shunned by her former elite friends and blacklisted from high social circles. She disappeared into relative anonymity until she suddenly resurfaced in the United States in July of 1996. Escobar had always enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship with the elites of Colombia: politicians would turn a blind eye to his crimes and accept his money. Vallejo, having been a member of the Medellín Cartel inner circle, was privy to most of these secrets, and years later decided to expose the elites who had lauded then shunned her. In a tell-all interview on Colombian television, Virginia Vallejo “held up an unflattering mirror to Colombian society” and named “the legitimate businesses that launder drug earnings, the elite social clubs that open their doors to drug lords, and the politicians who exchange favors for briefcases filled with cash.” She accused several high ranking politicians of benefiting from the cartels, including ex-presidents Alfonso López, Ernesto Samper, and Álvaro Uribe. She described all of their sordid relations with Escobar, including the request from a former justice minister to have a presidential candidate killed. Virginia Vallejo had exposed the hypocrisy of Colombia’s elite (which had been demonstrated by her own social exile), but in doing so endangered her own life. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration secreted her to the United States, which offered her political asylum. On the day she left in 2006, 14 million people watched on television as she boarded the plane that would take her out of her home country. That audience was larger than that of the World Cup final of the same year. To this day she remains in the United States, fearful of the repercussions of returning to her homeland. Next, learn about what happened to Maria Victoria Henao, Pablo Escobar’s wife. Then, read about Pablo Escobar’s death and the final phone call that brought him down. The post Meet Virginia Vallejo, The Journalist Who Had An Affair With Pablo Escobar — And Made Him A Celebrity appeared first on All That's Interesting.

The move by Xi marks a seismic shift in Beijing’s power structure.

Stronger trade policy begins with consistent treatment of essential medical products.