Archive for December, 2025

Yet another flaming hyena update.

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025

President Donald Trump pardoned Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife in a federal bribery and conspiracy case on Wednesday, citing what he called a “weaponized” justice system.

Previously on WCD.

Federal authorities had charged Cuellar and his wife with accepting thousands of dollars in exchange for the congressman advancing the interests of an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a bank in Mexico. Cuellar is accused of agreeing to influence legislation favorable to Azerbaijan and deliver a pro-Azerbaijan speech on the floor of the U.S. House.

Flaming hyena update.

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025

There’s been a major shakeup at a Houston-based hospitality company…

“hospitality company”. RCI Hospitality Holdings owns various businesses, including Bombshells Restaurant & Bar, Rick’s Cabaret, Chicas Locas, and Club Onyx.

Two weeks ago, the company announced a “strategic partnership” with Jonathan Joseph, owner of Yellow Rose Cabaret and Red Rose Nightclub in Austin. Joseph acquired a 49 percent interest in Rick’s Cabaret Austin for $1.8 million as part of the partnership.

Anyway:

RCI Hospitality Holdings Inc. announced Friday that Eric Langan and Bradley Chhay have stepped down as president and CEO and CFO, respectively.

The HouChron says it is “unclear” why they stepped down, but suggests it might be related to their criminal indictments for bribing a tax auditor.

And if that rings a bell with you now, yes, I covered this back in September. Remember “dance dollars”?

…accused of supplying a former New York Department of Taxation and Finance auditor with “at least 13 complimentary multi-day trips to Florida where he was given up to $5,000 per day for private dances at RCI-owned strip clubs, including Tootsie’s Cabaret in Miami,” plus other forms of alleged favorable treatment over a 14-year period.

Still no evidence of cocaine being involved in this case, though, alas.

Firings watch.

Monday, December 1st, 2025

Mark Stoops out as head coach of the University of Kentucky.

Stoops, 58, went 72-80 during his time in Lexington (82-80 if including the 10-win 2021 season that was later vacated) and leaves as the winningest coach in school history. Bear Bryant is No. 2.

They were 5-7 this season, and 4-8 last season.

Stoops is owed 75% of his remaining salary, which is approximately $37.7 million. That falls within the top five buyouts in college football history, four of which have come this year (the first three were Brian Kelly, $54 million; James Franklin, $49 million, though that was reduced when he took the job at Virginia Tech; and Jonathan Smith, $33 million).

Before Stoops’ tenure, Kentucky had not won 10 games in a season since 1977. Stoops ended that streak with a Citrus Bowl victory over Penn State in 2018. He added a second 10-win season in 2021 with a Citrus Bowl win over Iowa, but the NCAA later vacated the victories from that season due to a scandal involving football players being paid for hours they did not work in university hospital patient transport jobs. The investigation found no evidence Stoops knew of the rules violations.

Obit watch: December 1, 2025.

Monday, December 1st, 2025

Daniel Woodrell, author.

He’s one of those guys who I’ve wanted to read, but haven’t yet. I’ve heard good things about Winter’s Bone. I’ve also heard the movie is great, but I haven’t seen it yet.

I also haven’t read Woe to Live On, but I have seen the Ang Lee Ride With the Devil and thought that was an interesting movie.

Mr. Woodrell took a somewhat fatalistic attitude. He told the magazine that the Ozarks were a place to mind your own business, go off the grid, avoid the law, hide. Even meth, he saw, had its use, giving families a profitable line of work in a place with few of them.

He was 72. Pancreatic cancer got him.

Fuzzy Zoeller, golfer.