By Mark Gray
7:24pm PDT, Oct 14, 2023
Conflict
Jill Duggar Dillard is weighing in on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, saying she can relate.
Back in 2015, the former "Counting On" star embarked on a mission to El Salvador with husband Derick Dillard and their oldest son. "My heart is heavy for anyone living in a war-torn country," Jill said on social media. "Though vastly different, I know the feeling of living in another country, terrified at times of the very real threat that my husband and I, along with our infant baby might be murdered as our close friends were kidnapped and murdered."
For years, gang violence in El Salvador has gotten progressively worse. When Jill and Derick were there, they had an armed guard. "Our personal situation was temporary. I cannot imagine having to deal with these daily threats at home, surrounded by an inescapable, grueling war," she said of the current Middle East conflict, which has claimed the lives of 2,500 so far.
She added, "There is no easy solution. But evil brutality and terrorism cannot rule… It must be stopped."
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Plane fiasco
"Vanderpump Rules" alum Jax Taylor allegedly caused a coast-to-coast JetBlue flight to turn around because of an issue with his seat.
A source told Page Six on Oct. 9 that Jax was "throwing a fit" about his seat not reclining. "It made the plane two-and-a-half hours late because they were already on the runway, and it was raining," a source said. Another witness told Page Six, "People were upset, but not like, rioting, just frustrated and gossiping when we returned and parked at the gate."
However, Jax's rep said he's totally innocent and the airplane seat was to blame — not him. "The plane did not come back [to the gate] due to any uproar," his rep said. "His seat was in the bed position in first class and the plane is unable to take off if it is not upright. He was not able to sit in that seat. It was not working. It was not his fault that the seat wouldn't move from the bed position." A day later, Jax posted a photo from an airplane while noting that the seat worked properly.
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Fighting for her life
Retired gymnast Mary Lou Retton– who won an Olympic gold medal in 1984 — is battling a rare form of pneumonia and fighting for her life in the ICU.
The former athlete, 55, is uninsured and unable to breathe on her own, Mary Lou's daughter McKenna Kelley revealed on a fundraising page. Since the page was set up, it's far exceeded its initial goal of $50,000.
On Oct. 12, McKenna posted an update. "My sisters Skyla, Shayla, Emma and I would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support for our Mom," she wrote on Instagram. "Mom is in ICU and continues to fight. She is getting incredible medical care! Thank you to all the doctors and nurses! We ask for continued prayers and positive thoughts for our Mom."
So far, nearly $400,000 has been raised via more than 6,500 donations.
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Separate lives
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith secretly separated seven years ago but continued to appear as husband and wife at Hollywood events. "We live separately," Jada said during an Oct. 11 appearance on "Today" to promote her new memoir, "Worthy." "I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce. We will work through whatever. And I just haven't been able to break that promise," she explained.
The couple was actually separated at the time of the infamous Chris Rock slapping incident at the 2022 Oscars. "I thought, 'This is a skit,'" she told People magazine of the attack. "I was like, 'There's no way that Will hit him.' It wasn't until Will started to walk back to his chair that I even realized it wasn't a skit."
Of her relationship with Will, Jada said, "We've been doing some really heavy-duty work together. We just got deep love for each other and we are going to figure out what that looks like for us."
Married
Two years after leaving her plural marriage, Christine Brown has married her one and only. The "Sister Wives" star tied the knot with David Woolley in a large ceremony in Moab, Utah, in front of 330 guests including their combined 14 children (David, a widower, is a father of eight and Christine shares six children with ex Kody Brown).
On Oct. 10, the former reality TV star posted images from their nuptials on social media. "Loving life!! I got to marry my soulmate and it was a beautiful day," she wrote on Instagram. "I'm just so overwhelmed with gratitude. Love you, My King."
R.I.P.
Former Food Network star Michael Chiarello died at 61 on Oct. 6 at a Napa Valley, California, hospital. A statement from his company, Gruppo Chiarello, revealed that the famed chef was being treated for an acute allergic reaction that led to anaphylactic shock, which killed him.
On Oct. 10, a rep for the "Easy Entertaining With Michael Chiarello" host said questions remain. "The doctors don't know what caused the allergic reaction and neither does the family," the rep said. "They may never know."
Hero status
Legendary sports broadcaster Bob Costas is being hailed as a hero after he saved a man's life.
According to Oct. 10 reports, Bob and a pal were recently eating at a Syracuse, New York, restaurant when his friend started choking. The iconic announcer immediately performed the Heimlich maneuver on him. Since then, Bob has eschewed praise, telling "The Show With Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman" podcast that his friend had turned "crimson" so he "jumped up" to help. "Luckily enough it worked out," he shared. "I don't know if I saved his life, but I saved him considerable discomfort, that's for sure."
A rep for the longtime NBC Sports personality said, "Bob doesn't think this was that big of a deal. He really feels he did what just about anyone else would do in a similar situation." A humble hero.
