ABOVE: Eric's one of the only good things about Florida.

BELOW: Keep reading for the sad ending of Gene Hackman, Trump's Tate brothers hail mary and more ...

His performances were utterly unmannered and natural. (Image via video still)

EXTRATV: RIP Gene Hackman, 95. The esteemed actor was found dead along with his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, and one of their dogs in their New Mexico home. At first, cops thought it wasn't suspicious, which suggested something like carbon monoxide poisoning. Later, details suggested something more sinister: the door was ajar, Hackman was dead on the floor in one room, his wife dead in the bathroom, surrounded by pills. It could be a suicide pact, it could be he fell and died and she killed herself — I don't think we can know for a while. But it didn't just happen, as her hands showed mummification.

Most up-to-date press release from local authorities:

On Wednesday February 26, 2025, at approximately 1:45 p.m., Santa Fe County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to an address on Old Sunset Trail where Gene Hackman, 95 and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65 and a dog were found deceased. An individual arrived to perform maintenance on the residence, became concerned after receiving no answer, and contacted neighborhood security to conduct a welfare check. Security then checked on the residence and observed Hackman and Arakawa on the ground unresponsive through a window and called 911.

Deputies arrived and gained access to the residence where they observed Mrs. Arakawa deceased. They continued their search of the home and located Mr. Hackman in another area, also deceased. A dog was also found deceased and two other dogs who appeared healthy were located on the property. Deputies then secured the scene and notified the criminal investigations division. Due to the unusual circumstances of two decedents in the residence there was a concern for scene safety. The Santa Fe City Fire personnel and the New Mexico Gas Company were requested to the scene to test for carbon monoxide or other foreign elements. The scene was deemed safe and at approximately 9:30 p.m. a search warrant was issued and executed on the residence.

Investigation personnel worked diligently throughout the night and morning to process the scene for evidence. It should be noted there were no apparent signs of foul play. In the early hours of Thursday, February 27, 2025, Hackman and Arakawa were transported to the Office of the Medical Investigator. An autopsy was performed. Initial findings noted no external trauma to either individual. Carbon monoxide and toxicology tests were requested for both individuals. The manner and cause of death has not been determined. The official results of
the autopsy and toxicology reports are pending. This remains an open investigation

The Santa Fe County Animal Control Division worked with family to ensure the safety of the two dogs.

The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office offers our condolences to the Hackman and Arakawa family.

Reporter: Do you still think that President Zelensky is a dictator?

Trump: “Did I say that? I can't believe I said that"
(yes, he did, more than once) pic.twitter.com/QcnGOpOKJG

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) February 27, 2025

HUFF POST: In what may be Trump's most egregious decision yet, he pressured Romania to cough up the Tate brothers, two sex trafficking woman-hating rapists, who are now safely back in the U.S. They landed in — where else? — Florida, but even odious Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Florida) says they're not welcome there.

Republicans are stupid and evil. End of story. (Image via Gallup)

GALLUP: Republicans love that people will lose Medicaid, people will be deported with zero tolerance, that Trump is paying to bring the Tate brothers back to safety, etc., etc. Abandoning Europe to Russia. They want more. They're going to get destroyed in 2026, if we have an election.

JOE.MY.GOD.: GOP senators are privately ever-so-pissed at Musk.

TWITTER: Trump randomly handed the so-called Epstein Files to a bunch of fascist influencers. Reallllly respectful.

POLITICO: Trump has destroyed the economy Biden handed him, but he's also finding time to ferret out trans folks from the U.S. military.

TWITTER: Trump says he can't believe he ever called Zelenskyy a dictator ... despite having said it multiple times, and quite recently:

Trump on calling Zelenskyy a dictator: “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that.” pic.twitter.com/rgkwLjw1D6

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 27, 2025

WRIGHTWOOD 659: Interesting-sounding exhibition at Chicago's Wrightwood 659 aims to illustrate when homosexual — as an identity — emerged:

The exhibition features more than 300 paintings, drawings, sculptures, prints, photographs, and films, many presented for the first time within the context of global queer and colonial inquiry. These range from well-known masterpieces to unexpected works by little-known or anonymous artists. Drawn from over 100 museums and private collections around the world, the exhibition takes as its starting point the year 1869—when the term “homosexual” is first coined and proceeds through the subsequent seven decades, amplified by a selection of earlier art, as context.

It's up May 2-July 26.

NYT: The tale of the cash-poor, art-rich socialite whose Warhol painting was stolen by a U.S. bank just like the Nazis did! Okay, sort of like the Nazis did. Okay, but they stole it.

VARIETY: Diddy has been sued again, this time by a male escort for an alleged sexual assault in 2012.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: Indonesia is FLOGGING gay men.

BBC: Did gay sex cause a 14-century British crisis?