George Clooney's gift-giving game is on point, plus more news

By Wonderwall.com Editors 10:13am PST, Dec 13, 2017

George Clooney gives away free, noise-canceling headphones — and $1 M

Don't let anyone ever tell you George Clooney is not a considerate guy. In the past few days, two examples of his general compassion have surfaced — one of which involved his understanding that it's not awesome when babies start wailing on planes. The second involved him giving 14 friends $1 million each. According to TMZ, George and Amal Clooney recently shared first class flight from Los Angeles to England with their twins, Alexander and Ella. Rather than force the other passengers to endure the potential crying, they gave everyone wireless, limited edition, Casamigos Tequila headphones (although something tells us handing out the actual tequila would have helped mitigate the sound issues, too). In other news, Rande Gerber recently shared the fact that George does not mess around when it comes to repaying favors. And when we say "repaying," we mean with cold, hard cash. In a recent interview on MSNBC's "Headliners," George's longtime BFF and former Casamigos Tequila partner explained how George showed his gratitude to the friends who went the extra mile for him when he was first starting out — in a nutshell, he paid their taxes for the year and gave them $1 million each. All 14 of them. "There's a group of guys that we call 'The Boys.' George had called me and 'The Boys' and said, 'Hey, mark September 27, 2013 on your calendar. Everyone's going to come to my house for dinner," Rande explained (via E! News). The 14 men got to George's house, where a black suitcase was waiting for each of them around the dinner table. "George begins to say, 'Listen, I want you guys to know how much you've meant to me and how much you mean to me in my life. I came to L.A., I slept on your couch. I'm so fortunate in my life to have all of you and I couldn't be where I am today without all of you. So it was really important to me that while we're still all here together, that I give back. So I want you all to open your suitcases,'" George told them, according to Rande. They opened the cases and found cash. "Every one of us — 14 of us — got a million dollars. Every single one of us. We're in shock. Like, what is this? He goes, 'I know we've all been through some hard times, some of you are still going through it. You don't have to worry about your kids, you don't have to worry about, you know, school, you don't have to worry about paying your mortgage,'" Rande said George told them. "One was working at a bar in Texas at the airport, trying just to support his family," Rande continued. "Rides a bicycle to work every day. I mean these are guys that took care of George and now he's giving it all back. And George said, 'Not only that, I have paid everyone's taxes so this million dollars is yours.'" Rande tried to tell his friend he was not taking the money. "Immediately George goes, 'I'm just going to make one announcement. If Rande doesn't take the million dollars, nobody gets it,'" Rande, who took the money but gave it to charity, said. "This is who George is. That was Sept. 27, 2013. Now Sept. 27th, 2014, he marries Amal. Now that's good karma right there."

Beyonce's lawyers nix Beyonce-inspired beer

Bad news for beer-loving Beyonce fans: Lineup Brewing's Bïeryoncé pilsner will be gone once the current stock sells out. According to Pitchfork, Beyonce's lawyers sent a cease and desist letter to the Brooklyn, New York-based brewing company, demanding it to stop producing its sudsy Queen Bey tribute. Lineup Brewing owner Katarina Martinez confirmed the news, telling the website: "As a Hispanic, female run business, I am very inspired by her so I thought I'd pay homage. We're disappointed she didn't take it as a compliment, but oh well. It was fun while it lasted!" The company makes a number of other beers with easily identifiable musical muses behind them, including the awesomely titled Carly Simon tribute, "I Bet You Think This Beer is About You."

Celebs react to Doug Jones' defeat of Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate race

When it looked like alleged pedophile and bigot Roy Moore was likely to win the Senate race in Alabama, Hollywood spoke out in force against him. Celebs also stood up in support of his opponent, Democrat Doug Jones, a man who successfully prosecuted two of the Klansmen responsible for killing four young black girls in the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham. As polls on Tuesday, Dec. 12, showed Doug Jones had won, even more A-listers celebrated on social media. "Alabama. I want to thank every single 1 of u who voted for #DougJones4Senate because today u voted for a more perfect union. A place where we ALL matter. God bless u. 🙏🏾," Kerry Washington tweeted (via EW). Rosario Dawson posted, "Thank you #DougJones! Glad your service in the name of justice has been recognized and rewarded! As it should be! Thank you voters! #NoJusticeNoPeace #AlabamaRace #AlabamaSenateElection #AlabamaSenate," while Alyssa Milano wrote, "Thank you for restoring my faith in humanity, Alabama. And thank you for fighting for what's right, @GDouglasJones." Audra McDonald tweeted, "Meanwhile up in heaven Coretta Scott King sips her tea and smiles." Chris Evans was just happy to see the results of the election, given the state of the affairs over the past year. "Holy s—!!!!!," he posted. "Does this mean I DON'T have to bury 2017 in the back yard?? Thank you, Alabama!!!!"

Ellen DeGeneres will be counting her blessings for Christmas after evacuating due to wildfires

After evacuating from their home in Montecito, California, due to the threat of wildfires, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi were still waiting to find out what had happened at their address on Tuesday, Dec. 12. "Our house … it's there right now, but no one can get in to check on it. We basically just had to get out and leave the gates open for the fire trucks and we're right in it … we're right there," Ellen told Mario Lopez on "Extra" (via the Daily Mail). Asked what their plans were while they waited, Ellen stayed positive. "We'll just lay low and just, you know, be grateful for having our pets with us and Portia's horses are evacuated and we're hoping to get them someplace soon and it's, you know, it takes something like this to just remember, you know, just how fragile life is, and how you should never take anything for granted," she said. "I'll be counting my blessings for Christmas."

Sheryl Crow supports the Sandy Hook Promise Five Year Remembrance Benefit with new anti-gun violence song

"I turned off the news again tonight / It's getting hard to watch everyone fight," Sheryl Crow sings in "The Dreaming Kind." She released the new track this week to raise money for the anti-gun violence group the Sandy Hook Promise, which hosted a "Five Year Remembrance Benefit" in New York City on Tuesday, Dec. 12. In the song, Sheryl, who joined Joe Biden, Sophie Bush and a slew of others at the event, goes on to insist she won't wast any more "precious time" because she believes "we're all beautiful inside." Speaking to People ahead of the release, Sheryl explained: "When Sandy Hook happened, we knew it was a life-changing moment where we were going to address the idea that not everyone should be approved to own a gun, especially military-style weaponry and yet, nothing happened. At some point, the alarm clock has to go off and we have to wake up." She added: "I'm going to have to explain to them that at school, before this, it was a place you went that was safe. I'm sure it will be a conversation that we will continue to have for as long as this is happening." The Sandy Hook Promise's benefit raised at least $1.5 million to support its mission of supporting "common sense solutions to preventing gun violence in our communities," according to reports.

Baby rumors hit Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons

In the July edition of Marie Claire UK, Kirsten Dunst, whose acting career began when she was just 3, admitted, "it's time to have babies and chill." Now, a source tells Us Weekly, she and her fiance Jesse Plemons are expecting their first child together. The magazine doesn't share any details about Kristen's rumored pregnancy, but the 35-year-old bride-to-be has said watching her friends get pregnant a few years ago put her in "baby mode." "I wasn't one of those 'I need a baby!' people until my goddaughter was born," Kirsten told Marie Claire over the summer. "I love her so much. That love is just like… you can't experience that unless you have a kid. I put her to bed last night and she woke up this morning and said to her mom, 'Where's Kiki?' I just love that love. That's what I want." Kristen and Jesse, 29, are reportedly planning to say their "I dos" in the spring in Austin. News of the pair's engagement surfaced in early January when Kristen was spotted wearing a new ring on her left ring finger at the Palm Springs Film Festival.

Nick Gordon is sober, working as a landscaper

Bobbi Kristina Brown's former boyfriend Nick Gordon is sober and "employed as a landscaper" in Orlando, Florida, where he lives with his girlfriend, Laura Leal, according to Nick's lawyer, who recently spoke to Us Weekly about his client. Last year, Nick, who was involved with Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston's daughter for years, was found "legally responsible for" Bobbi Kristina's July 2015 death and order to pay $36 million. He has denied claims made by Bobbi Kristina's conservator that the two had "a violent altercation after which he placed her in a bathtub, unconscious, after he injected her with a toxic mixture" that left her in coma for months before she died at age 22. "Nick has continued to pursue sobriety and spends most of his time with family and working out," Nick's lawyer, who maintains his client is "100 percent innocent," said. In August, a domestic battery case involving Nick's current girlfriend was closed after he attended an anger management case, according to Us.

Meghan Markle to buck tradition and join Prince Harry, royal family, at Christmas

"If Harry asks for something, the Queen would say yes as she adores him." That statement, given by a royal family friend to People, might explain why Meghan Markle will join her fiance, Prince Harry, for the family's celebration on Christmas this year. Although Duchess Kate spent her last Christmas before her wedding to Prince William with her own family, Meghan will join the royal family on their trip to church on Dec. 25, when she will be "a guest of Queen Elizabeth," according to the magazine. Meghan will also join the family for its gift exchange on Christmas Eve.

Jon Bon Jovi reacts to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction

After years of feuding with he Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Jon Bon Jovi and his namesake band have been named as inductees for 2018. As Vulture points out, however, the honor didn't come without some complications. They mostly boil down to Jann Wenner, who sits at the top of the feeding chain of the group that handles inducting new artists. Jann and Jon don't get along, according to multiple sources, in large part because Jann reportedly once told a biographer Bon Jovi's music didn't "matter" in the scope of things. Jon was not pleased. He spoke to the New York Times after this week's news was announced and apparently used a "colorful adjective" we assume was a four-letter word to express his reaction. "Well. I mean … we're very happy about it," he said. "And um, you know. It's great. I really want to say it's about time." Cue the first use of said "colorful adjective" in the interview. "Am I relieved? Yeah. Am I pleased? Absolutely. But," he said, "It's about time." Cue the second use of the aforementioned adjective.

Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep address how to deal with the work of those accused of sexual misconduct

The recent torrent of sexual impropriety allegations in Hollywood have left a massive roster of previously powerful men out of work. What should happen to the movies and shows they created? That's one of the questions Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep were faced with at a BuzzFeed News Q&A for Tom's new film, "The Post" this week. Both Tom and Meryl suggested the industry shouldn't simply get rid of everything that had one allegedly bad person attached to it. "If you threw out every film or TV show that was made by an a–hole, Netflix would go out of business," Tom said, according to the New York Post. "I think you do just have … to wait because this is a long game. Picasso was a womanizer, this is not excusing anybody. You just have to wait and see how it settles over the long haul. This is not a sprint, this is a marathon. I think work does speak for itself, but character does come into the conversation at some point, but I think that lands over time." Meryl agreed. "We still revere Shakespeare," she noted. "I mean we haven't thrown ['The Merchant of Venice'] out and there is no question that that play is antisemitic. There's no question that 'The Taming of The Shrew' is misogynist. Everybody has their blank spots, but the genius that understands about the human experiment is worth safeguarding and shouldn't be touched. People who are terrible also have terribly clear insights on other subjects, so I don't think you throw the baby out with the bathwater."