Author: business

Chicago native and die-hard Beyoncé fan Mercedes Matz launched her brand Maya James last June.

“I have always loved Western fashion. And one of my best friends, Kayla, introduced me to this guy who makes hats,” Matz says. “He made me a hat, and I was getting so many compliments on the hat … and honestly, it kind of just blossomed that way.”

Her blossoming brand now sells exclusive cowboy hats for $285 each.

“My hats are 100% leather cowhide material, and they are all one-of-one hats. That’s why we don’t have these super huge drops, because I want to ensure that each hat is perfect when it gets to the customer’s hands,” she says. “Each hat is different.”

While Matz is from Chicago, she gets a lot of Southern influence form family in Arkansas and Mississippi.

At least not on TV, where increasingly the wealthy seem to be objects of pity, if not ridicule. In “Your Friends & Neighbors,” a new Apple TV+ series, Jon Hamm plays a fired hedge fund manager who decides his loaded pals are so clueless about their wealth that they won’t notice when he starts robbing them blind of five-figure bottles of wine and six-figure watches.

“The show holds up a mirror and asks, what’s really important? Is more always better?” Hamm says. “Is the point of life to just accumulate larger and larger piles of stuff?”

For some, apparently so. The third season of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” which ended this month, featured a wealthy North Carolina family whose matriarch, Victoria Ratliff (Parker Posey), casually explains she’d rather be dead than lose her material possessions. “At this age, I just don’t think I’m meant to live a hard life,” she told her husband.

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After a first weekend plagued by traffic issues that left campers waiting in their cars for hours, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival officials have promised that weekend No. 2 will be a smoother experience.

Some of music’s biggest stars, including Lady Gaga, Travis Scott, Charli XCX, Post Malone and more, are on tap to make a return appearance this weekend.

Here’s what you need to know about the second weekend of Coachella 2025, including the full lineup and how to watch from home if you can’t make it to the festival in person.

Constructor: Leo Tsai

Editor: Anna Gundlach

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• CAR (14A: Piece in the board game Tokyo Highway) Tokyo Highway is a game in which players compete to build roadways and place their CARs on those roads.
• ROSIE (41A: British comedian Jones) ROSIE Jones has appeared as a panelist on a number of British TV shows including 8 Out of 10 Cats, QI, and Hypothetical. She often incorporates her cerebral palsy into her comedy. In 2023, she starred in the documentary ROSIE JONES: Am I a R*tard, which discusses online hate speech directed at disabled people.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• ALPHA (1A: First Greek letter) and OMEGA (26D: Last Greek letter) ALPHA and OMEGA are the bookends of the 24-letter Greek alphabet.
• EAR (13A: Common piercing spot) Humans have been piercing their EARs for many, many years. In fact, the oldest mummy found, Ötzi, who lived between 3350 and 3105 BCE, had pierced EARs.
• ARTIST (15A: Frida Kahlo, for example) Frida Kahlo (1907-1947) has been described as one of the most instantly recognizable ARTISTs. This is partly due to the fact that she painted 55 self-portraits, which is about a third of her work. Frida Kahlo said, “I paint self-portraits because I am the person I know best.”
• MAMMA MIA (16A: ABBA jukebox musical) A jukebox musical is a musical featuring the songs of a particular artist or group. MAMMA MIA!, which premiered in 1999, showcases the music of the Swedish pop group ABBA.
• IKEA (29A: Swedish furniture store that sells the BLAHAJ plush shark) The BLAHAJ stuffed shark sold by IKEA is available in large (approximately 39 inches long) and small (approximately 22 inches long) sizes. The BLAHAJ shark has inspired a number of memes and has become especially popular in the trans community. (The shark’s colors are the same as the colors of the trans flag.)
• FORT (38A: Blanket ___ (cozy kids’ hideout)) Even as an adult, I appreciate a cozy blanket FORT.
• MAYA (52A: “Still I Rise” poet Angelou) MAYA Angelou’s poem, “Still I Rise,” was first published in her 1978 book, And Still I Rise: A Book of Poems. The poem begins with the lines “You may write me down in history / With your bitter twisted lies,” and ends with “I rise / I rise / I rise.”
• PRINCESS DAISY (3D: Mario character with white flower jewelry) At first I had PRINCESS Peach here, who – in my defense – is also a character in the Mario franchise. When that answer wasn’t playing nicely with crossing answers, I reread the clue and noticed the “white flower jewelry” hint. PRINCESS DAISY first appeared in the 1989 game Super Mario Land.
• HE’S (4D: The Chiffons’ “___ So Fine”) “HE’S So Fine” is a 1963 song by the Chiffons. I have previously written about this song’s involvement in a plagiarism case against George Harrison’s song, “My Sweet Lord.”
• MRS. DALLOWAY (16D: Virginia Woolf novel that explores queer themes) MRS. DALLOWAY is a 1925 novel by Virgina Woolf. It begins with the line, “MRS. DALLOWAY said she would buy the flowers herself.” The book, set in England after World War I, tells about one day in the life of Clarissa DALLOWAY, an upper-class woman. During that day, MRS. DALLOWAY reminisces about her life, while preparing for a party she is hosting that night. A recurring theme in MRS. DALLOWAY is the title character’s attraction to women.
• APRIL FOOLS’ DAY (17D: Date when the BBC claimed Big Ben would be replaced by a digital clock) On APRIL FOOLS’ DAY in 1980, the BBC reported that Big Ben was going to be replaced by a digital clock and renamed Digital Dave. Apparently many people didn’t remember the date, and the news was met with outrage. This is why every year on APRIL FOOLS’ DAY I remind myself not to believe anything I read or hear.
• RAMEN (25D: Soup with origins in Yokohama Chinatown) The origins of the Japanese noodle dish RAMEN can be traced to the early 20th century in Yokohama Chinatown, the largest Chinatown in Japan, which is located just south of Tokyo.
• SUSAN (27D: Activist ___ B. Anthony) SUSAN B. Anthony (1820-1906) was a women’s right activist who was influential in the women’s suffrage movement in the United States. In 1872, SUSAN B. Anthony was arrested for voting in Rochester, New York, violating laws that allowed only men to vote. Although she was convicted, she refused to pay the fine.
• ELK (28D: Animal on Michigan’s flag) The ELK is not the only animal on Michigan’s flag. The state’s flag also has a moose and an eagle. In addition to three animals, Michigan’s flag also contains three mottos in Latin: E Pluribus Unum (Out of many, one), Tuebor (I will defend), and Se Quæris Peninsulam Amœnam Circumspice (If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you).
• ASTER (31D: Star-shaped flower) In the past couple of months, we have seen three clues for ASTER that referenced its relationship to the daisy. (ASTERs and daisies belong to the same plant family.) Today’s clue takes a different direction. The name “ASTER” comes from an ancient Greek word meaning “star,” a reference to the flower’s shape.
• MEOWS (47D: Asks for more cat food) My cat, Willow, has cat food available all the time, so she doesn’t need to ask for it. However, she MEOWS about plenty of other things: “Pay attention to me,” “It’s time to go sit down so I can sit on your lap,” “Pick me up, please!” … you get the idea.

• FOMO (49D: Anxiety about exclusion, for short) FOMO = Fear Of Missing Out
• AVA (60D: “My Oh My” singer Max) “My Oh My” is a 2024 song by AVA Max.
• A couple of other clues I especially enjoyed:
  • AIRBALL (20D: Complete miss in a game of hoops)
  • EERIE (31D: Like a foggy marsh lit by a full moon)

The former child star, who costarred with Williams in the 1993 comedy “Mrs. Doubtfire,” reflected on his experience working with the iconic actor-comedian in an interview with Entertainment Weekly published April 17. Lawrence, who played Williams’ son Chris Hillard, was 13 at the time of the film’s release while Williams was 42.

“Those six to eight months were the biggest learning curve anyone can get when it comes to making movies and being an entertainer,” Lawrence told the outlet. “And then on top of that, you get a chance to be around Robin Williams, and he takes an investment in you, as he does with people. But in particular, he really took an investment with me.”

Aside from being “the most brilliant artist” Lawrence has “ever worked with,” Williams — who died in August 2014 at age 63 — was candid with the young actor about his struggles with substance abuse.

Madeline “Matty” Matlock (Kathy Bates) can go back to practicing law in her 70s, can win over juries and uncover injustice with her eyes closed. But can she survive losing a friend or opening up her family?

Those are the big questions left hanging for CBS’ remake of “Matlock,” which aired its Season 1 finale April 17. All season long, Bates’ Matty has been infiltrating high-powered New York law firm Jacobson Moore, searching for who was responsible for suppressing evidence about the dangers of prescription opioid drugs – evidence that could have taken the drugs off the market before people like Matty’s daughter became addicted and overdosed.

In the packed two-hour finale, Matty works uneasily with former close friend and current boss Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) to discover whether Olympia’s ex-husband Julian (Jason Ritter) was the guilty party. Olympia finds definitive proof her ex committed the egregious crime just as he shows up begging her to keep his secret. Meanwhile, an increasingly-stressed Matty waits for Olympia to come to her house for a debrief when the doorbell rings – and her grandson Alfie’s (Aaron D. Harris) long-lost father is on the other side of the door.

He’s evaded pirates, snipers and killer bees.

But the clock finally ran out for Los Angeles fire captain Bobby Nash (Peter Krause), who succumbed to a lethal virus in the April 17 episode of ABC’s “9-1-1” (Thursdays, 8 ET/PT). Station 118 was called to a research facility, which had been set on fire by a mad scientist named Moira (Bridget Regan). Moira created a hemorrhagic fever and stole the antidote in attempt to extort millions of dollars from biotech executives by threatening another global pandemic.

Bobby manages to save his fellow firefighter, Chimney (Kenneth Choi), who falls ill and starts coughing up blood while responding to the lab blaze. But after waiting for the rest of the team to safely evacuate and unmask, Bobby realizes that there was a hole in his breathing apparatus. Knowing he has been infected and will soon die, he has one last conversation with his wife, Athena (Angela Bassett), who weeps as they touch hands with a glass partition between them.

Before meeting Athena, Bobby killed dozens of people – including his wife and children – in an apartment fire that he inadvertently caused. The tragedy has been referred to repeatedly throughout the series, now in its eighth season. And by sacrificing himself for the 118, Bobby feels that he’s achieved “true redemption,” says executive producer Tim Minear. “It made sense for his arc.”

In court documents dated April 2 and filed on April 17, Combs’ defense team said a forensic analyst they’d hired as an expert confirmed none of the videos they were able to obtain “accurately depict the incident.” As such, his team argued, “There is simply no way to obtain or create an accurate version” of the footage, and the video evidence should not be presented to jurors.

The assault footage, which became public when CNN released and aired it on May 17, 2024, was the result of the news organization editing “approximately ten-and-a-half-minutes of footage into a 48-second out-of-order clip,” Combs’ attorneys wrote. The clip “immediately and dramatically turned the tide of public opinion against Mr. Combs” and “painted Mr. Combs in the worst possible light,” they added.

CNN has denied this characterization, with a spokesperson previously telling USA TODAY in a statement, “CNN never altered the video and did not destroy the original copy of the footage, which was retained by the source. CNN aired the story about the video several months before Combs was arrested.”

Diddy on trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom with USA TODAY as Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces sex crimes and trafficking charges. Subscribe to the newsletter. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment.

Shortly after CNN made the video public last year, Combs posted a video taking “full responsibility” for the attack. The post is no longer available on his Instagram account.

“My behavior on that video is inexcusable,” he said. “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I’m disgusted. I was disgusted then when I did it, (and) I’m disgusted now.”

Diddy’s team claims all existing assault footage is ‘distorted’

Combs’ team said in total, they received the following: two iPhone videos from prosecutors showing what someone recorded of the hotel surveillance footage while watching it, the “compilation” CNN released to its audience and “three videos with footage obtained by CNN from three single cameras in the Intercontinental Hotel.”

The iPhone videos “distort the events,” the defense claimed in their filing, while CNN’s videos were allegedly “significantly sped up (and) not accurately represent human movement as a result of being converted from one file type to another.”

In their filing, defense attorneys also alleged “CNN paid their source” for the video files, made copies and destroyed the original files they’d received.

Combs’ team has previously cast doubt on the hotel video as evidence of what U.S. attorneys allege was a widespread sex trafficking enterprise spearheaded by the rapper. In November, his team accused prosecutors of presenting an “altered” video of him attacking Ventura to convince a judge he should not remain detained.

The rapper’s lawyers at one point accused government agents of leaking the footage to CNN, but the judge rejected the claim.

The controversial legacy of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. Here’s what we know

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces federal sex crime charges. Here’s what we know about his controversial legacy.

If the judge does not agree to the request to exclude the footage, Combs’ team is asking for a pretrial hearing in which their forensic analyst could share his findings about the various videos.

Combs is currently in jail after being denied bond multiple times.

He now faces two counts of sex trafficking, two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and one count of racketeering ahead of his May 5 trial. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintained his innocence in response to dozens of sexual assault lawsuits, which detail alleged events dating back to the 1990s, that have been filed over the past 1½ years.

What is shown in CNN’s video of Diddy and Cassie?

The hotel surveillance video, reportedly from March 5, 2016, compiled clips from multiple camera angles. The incident matched an allegation levied in Ventura’s November sex trafficking, rape and physical abuse lawsuit against the hip hop mogul. The two settled the civil suit one day after it was filed.

In the video, Ventura is seen in a black sweater with the hood up and a duffle bag in hand, calling an elevator. From a different camera angle, Diddy is seen in a bath towel running down the hotel hallway.

He catches up with Ventura before the elevator comes, striking and yanking Ventura by the hair and throwing her to the ground. Combs then kicks Ventura twice while she lies on the ground, picking up her bag and dragging her back toward the hotel rooms.

He then lets her go, appearing to say something to her as he walks back to a hotel room with her bag.

Diddy’s lawyers have said Cassie video shows ‘domestic dispute,’ not trafficking

Combs and his lawyers have repeatedly pushed back on prosecutors’ claims that the 2016 video is evidence of Combs’ alleged sex trafficking and so-called “freak offs.” Rather, his attorneys say, the footage shows a “domestic dispute” and “a sad glimpse into a decade-long consensual relationship.”

In a TMZ documentary released last year, Combs’ lead attorney Marc Agnifilo argued the attack footage was not relevant to his client’s criminal case.

“Their difficulties did not stem from their intimate time together. Their difficulties stemmed from the fact that she was cheating on him and he was cheating on her,” he said. “And what we see in that video is terrible. It’s unforgivable, and we don’t seek to forgive it. But it’s not related to the charge.”

Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.