Weekend News Roundup! World Remains Rapture-Free; Pirates Takes All the Booty

 

IN A CHARITY AUCTION, PRINCESS BEATRICE’S FASCINATOR SOLD FOR $130,000. WE’D PAY THAT MUCH TO HANG OUT WITH THE ADORABLE DUDE ON THE FAR LEFT!

Happy Monday! Here’s our compendium of pop-culture news you may have missed while you were doing more important things over the weekend.

Doomsday theorists were surprised to find at 6 pm on Saturday that the Apocalypse did not, in fact, occur. The leader of the movement, an evangelical talk-radio host named Harold Camping, was AWOL on Sunday but eventually opened his door briefly to say that it had been a “really tough weekend” and that he’s “looking for answers.” (Camping’s organization made millions from believers, and he’s not offering refunds.) He also said he’d “be back to work Monday and will say more then,” so keep an ear out! [Slate, Gawker]

•Princess Beatrice’s royal-wedding fascinator fetched $130,000 at auction; the money is going to UNICEF and Children in Crisis. This is a nice story! [People]

•For some ungodly reason, Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides made $90 million this weekend. Did you see it? Can we blame you for this? Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley weren’t even in it! Bridesmaids held onto the #2 spot with a solid $21M, while Thor, Fast Five, and Rio finished out the top 5. [BOM]

•An inflatable union rat appeared this week outside Vera Wang’s new offices, currently under construction on East 26th Street. The city’s unionized carpenters are accusing the contractor responsible for the construction, Michilli Construction + Consulting, of “hiring subcontractors that do not meet area labor standards.” Would a nutria-fur joke be in very bad taste here? [P6]

•Smoking in New York City parks, pedestrian plazas, and beaches is officially illegal as of today, and carries with it a $50 fine. The sidewalk is still fair game. NY1 helpfully notes that “the new law is expected to be enforced mostly by New Yorkers themselves, who are urged to ask people they see smoking to stop.” We’re trying to think of even a single way that could end well, but it just isn’t coming. Maybe a romcom meet-cute? [NY1]

The Tree of Life won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia) won Best Actress; Jean Dujardin (The Artist) won Best Actor; and, in a bit of a surprise, Nicolas Winding Refn won Best Director for Drive. Best Screenplay went to Joseph Cedar for Footnote, and the Jury Prize was split between the Dardenne brothers The Kid With the Bike, and Nuri Bilge Ceylan, for Once Upon a Time in Anatolia. [/Film]