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Charlie Kirk podcast pans Utah Valley University citing ‘safety concerns’ in scrapping controversial speaker
The producers of “The Charlie Kirk Show” panned the stated reason Utah Valley University (UVU) canceled the commencement speaker invitation of author and educator Sharon McMahon, whose selection sparked outrage among supporters of the late conservative leader, who was murdered on its campus.
On Thursday, UVU issued a statement saying, “Due to increased safety concerns related to the speaker and in consultation with public safety professionals and Sharon McMahon, Utah Valley University has decided to proceed without a featured commencement speaker for this year’s ceremony.”
The statement didn’t sit well with podcast co-hosts Andrew Kolvet and Blake Neff.
“Here’s what’s annoying,” Neff reacted. “They say it’s not because ‘Oh, we picked a terrible speaker and that was our bad.’ They say they have ‘increased safety concerns’ about what happened.”
“Basically it’s our fault we were engaged in menacing behavior, they say,” Neff continued. “But regardless, it’s a speaker they shouldn’t have chosen… Nobody was making any threats about this. Not on this show or anywhere else.”
“We were saying it was a bad idea,” Kolvet responded before saying, “Hallelujah.”
Representatives for UVU did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital‘s request for comment.
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UVU came under fire for its selection of McMahon, who attacked Kirk just days after his assassination.
“Millions of people feel they were harmed, and the murder that was horrific and should never have happened does not magically erase what was said or done,” McMahon wrote on X at the time.
The now-deleted social media post sent two days after Kirk’s death also included a pair of quotes that many Kirk supporters said were taken out of context.
“It’s important to remember that the incredible tragedy of a public assassination does not erase the harm many experienced from his words, and the ensuing actions his followers took,” McMahon said.
The university’s selection of McMahon as its commencement speaker drew outrage among Kirk’s supporters. A spokesperson for McMahon declined comment.
Her team previously dismissed the notion that she celebrated Kirk’s death, telling Utah outlets that she “unequivocally condemned the murder of Charlie Kirk, repeatedly and publicly, calling his death a tragedy and stressing that public debate must never be met with violence.
The 31-year-old Turning Point USA co-founder was participating in a public speaking event sponsored by the campus chapter of Turning Point when he was shot and killed on Sept. 10. The suspect, now 23-year-old Tyler Robinson, was charged with seven counts, including aggravated murder. He faces the death penalty if convicted.
Fox News’ Max Bacall contributed to this report.
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Biden claims constitutional safeguards are being ‘trampled on’ ahead of America’s 250th
Former President Joe Biden said during an interview published Tuesday that the Constitution was being “trampled on,” without expressly naming his successor, Donald Trump.
“I’m not sure we’re as divided as we are portrayed,” he told NBC’s Jenna Bush Hager. “I’m sure there’s anywhere from 15-30% of the people who are on the one end here, but I think the vast majority of people are coming around to conclude that, you know, those things they don’t even think about it directly, but the safeguards in the Constitution … I think people are beginning to realize they are sort of being trampled on right now.”
The NBC segment contained an edit between Biden’s remarks about the safeguards in the Constitution and that they were being “trampled on,” but it appeared to be a continuous thought. Hager spoke to all the living former presidents — Biden, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and her father, George W. Bush, about America’s 250th anniversary.
“So, I’m hopeful that people are going to begin to say, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. We got to slow this thing up,’” Biden said. “We’re coming to the 250th anniversary of the country, and, for me, I think it reminds people that democracy is dependent on certain basic rules.”
Obama told Hager the country was going through “uncertain times,” but he still remained hopeful.
“When you look at the sweep of American history, we’ve gone through rough patches. And we tend to come out on the other side of them stronger,” he said.
Clinton also shared a message about democracy.
“The country will survive as much by the process, by the freedom to speak, by the freedom to vote, by the freedom to be active in politics as by any particular issue,” Clinton said. “And because it’s like it is, compromise is essential.”
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Bush said people should consider themselves fortunate to be “part of a great nation.”
He added, “Study our history so you have a better sense for what the future will be like. And be a citizen, not a spectator. And by that, I mean participate in the process but also love a neighbor like you’d like to be loved yourself.”
America is celebrating its 250th anniversary July 4.
Organizers for the America 250 celebration touted a slew of plans to commemorate the country’s historic anniversary on July 4, detailing the programs in the works and hinting that more information would become publicly available in the coming weeks.
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Rosie Rios, former U.S. treasurer and chairwoman of America 250, said the festivities would begin July 3 and extend into July 4.
“We are doing the first-ever ball drop in the history of Times Square outside of New Year’s Eve. This will happen on July 3,” Rios said in March.
In addition, Rios said organizers would compile “America’s soundtrack,” a combination of the country’s most iconic music put together by Emilio Estefan, a 19-time Grammy Award winner.
It will include a time capsule that will be opened in another 250 years. And it would attempt to foster a sense of generosity around July 4 that would extend to future years.
Fox News’ Leo Briceno contributed to this report.
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Two injured after explosion rips through chemical plant, sparking hazmat response, shelter-in-place order
Two employees were injured Tuesday morning after an explosion at an Illinois chemical plant triggered a large hazmat response and prompted a temporary shelter-in-place order for nearby workers.
Authorities said the industrial blast occurred shortly before 8 a.m. at the Coogee Chemical facility in Ottawa, a small city southwest of Chicago.
The incident reportedly involved a magnesium fire — an intense and highly dangerous blaze that cannot be extinguished with water — that stemmed from an apparent malfunction in oxygen sensor equipment, allowing oxygen levels to rise.
“Early findings suggest the explosion may have been the result of equipment failure during a process involving the transfer of magnesium into a storage container,” the Ottawa fire department (OFD) said.
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“A malfunction in this system is believed to have allowed oxygen levels to increase, resulting in a reaction with the magnesium and causing the explosion.”
Authorities said the two employees injured in the incident were quickly transported to a local hospital for treatment.
One worker was rescued from inside the facility by an initial response team, while the second was able to self-evacuate to a nearby building, the fire department said.
“An initial entry team from the first-due truck company located the first injured employee inside the structure and rapidly removed the individual to awaiting EMS personnel,” OFD said.
The extent of the workers’ injuries remains unclear.
A secondary search later confirmed that all facility personnel had been accounted for.
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Crews also had to use specialized on-site industrial dry chemical agents to safely suppress the magnesium fire, as water can further intensify the reaction.
The fire department said the blaze was brought under control at approximately 8:14 a.m., roughly 15 minutes after it broke out.
As a safety precaution, the Ottawa Police Department and the Illinois Department of Transportation temporarily closed a nearby road, and individuals in the area were advised to shelter in place.
All responding personnel underwent standard decontamination procedures on scene, while hazmat teams assisted with patient decontamination at the hospital.
The fire reportedly caused minimal damage to the facility, and plant operations have been suspended pending an investigation.
The Illinois Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Illinois OSHA) is assisting with the investigation.
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Bear Grylls reveals why A-list stars willingly eat snakes, brave glaciers on ‘Running Wild’
One of the world’s most recognizable survivalists, Bear Grylls, swapped the rugged cliffs of Norway for the bright lights of the “Fox & Friends” studio this week — at least for a short time.
Joining host Brian Kilmeade, Grylls discussed the ninth season of his hit show, “Running Wild,” which makes its debut on FOX.
While most talk shows involve celebrities sitting on a sofa to promote their latest project, the approach by Grylls is a bit more visceral.
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The new season of his show features a heavy-hitting lineup, including Matthew McConaughey, whom Grylls took to a glacier in Norway.
Kilmeade joked about Grylls’ casual appearance. But the survivalist was quick to note that his mother often called him the scruffiest person in the room.
For Grylls, however, the attire is a uniform for a job that bridges the gap between A-list glamour and rugged human experience.
“The wild never judges,” Grylls said on “Fox & Friends.”
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“I’ve done this all my life. … My dad was a former Marine, taught me a lot of this stuff. … This became my world,” Grylls said.
When asked why some of the most successful people on Earth would willingly subject themselves to the harsh conditions seen in the show’s promos — such as eating snakes or boiling water to avoid illness — Grylls said, for these stars, the appeal is about authenticity.
“It’s different [from] a chat show, where you sit on the sofa, and there’s a performance for three minutes to tell a funny story,” Grylls said.
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“Nature does my job for me. Like I said, it opens people up. I think a lot of these stars — they want the experience of what the wild can give you.”
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The duo reviewed a clip of McConaughey learning the hard way that even “pristine” Norwegian water needs to be boiled to avoid a mid-journey disaster.
Reflecting on nine seasons of taking world leaders and icons into the brush, Grylls shared his biggest takeaway.
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“Everyone’s just a regular person underneath it all,” he said. “I admire the fact that they’re out of their comfort zone. And that becomes a discipline. Successful people do the difficult.”
“Running Wild” airs tonight on FOX, with episodes available for streaming the following day on Hulu.
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