WATCH: Adam Carolla updates Dave Rubin after 31 days 'off the grid' — his reactions are PRICELESS



Dave Rubin has been off-grid with no access to news, social media, or his phone since July 31. Adam Carolla joined the first episode of "The Rubin Report" since Dave's return to fill him in on everything he missed over the last 31 days.

Catch Dave's hilarious reactions to finding out about former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's resignation, the New York City vaccine mandates, the maskless Obama birthday bash, why the University of Wisconsin had to remove a rock for being racist, how Proposition 12 might end up banning bacon in California, why an unruly passenger on a Delta flight needed to be duct-taped, and the Afghanistan collapse to the Taliban.

Watch the video clip below or find the full episode of "The Rubin Report here:



Want more from Dave Rubin?

To enjoy more honest conversations, free speech, and big ideas with Dave Rubin, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.

Democratic politicos are miffed at Obama for killing DC's party scene



Democratic politicos living and working in the nation's capital are reportedly disgruntled following the fallout from former President Barack Obama's extravagant 60th birthday celebration — but not because the event may have caused a COVID outbreak.

No, they're irked because the backlash over the Aug. 7 bash has supposedly killed Washington, D.C.'s party scene.

"The bashing of the bash is having a chilling effect on the D.C. party scene as (especially Democratic) pols and their staffers scramble to figure out when and where — or even if — they can party again," Politico reported Friday.

The bashing of former President BARACK OBAMA'S birthday bash is having a chilling effect on the D.C. party scene as… https://t.co/3cEUydL4IS

— POLITICO Playbook (@playbookdc) 1629455618.0

Obama's lavish Martha's Vineyard event, originally slated to host more than 700 people, was "significantly scaled back" before launch two weeks ago after the former president was grilled for hosting a massive party amid a coronavirus surge. But critics pounced on Obama once again after it was revealed that his downsized party wasn't so downsized, after all.

And for good reason. It just so happened that the coronavirus numbers shot up in the area one week following the bash. Two weeks later, Martha's Vineyard Hospital was reportedly "bursting at the seams" while also seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases.

The backlash and unfortunate result has apparently made Democratic party-throwers in D.C. think twice before hosting their own shindigs.

"What we could do six weeks ago, we can't do now," Democratic strategist and Biden presidential campaign alum Adrienne Elrod lamented. "We have to be so cognizant because Republicans are looking for any reason to call us hypocrites or to call us liars."

"Who wants to throw a party right now when Obama hired a doctor to make sure everyone's vaccinated and passes a COVID test and he still gets shamed for it?" John Arundel, former associate publisher of Washington Life magazine, added.

"There's a stigma to throwing any kind of event," he said. "The optics of throwing the party or being at the party, it can be chilling."

Politico noted, "Just weeks ago, D.C. looked like it was back." But now some big events have been put on ice:

The French, Italian and British embassies marked the return to life by opening their residences to hundreds of guests with Champagne and oysters. The Hill's editor at large Steve Clemons, lobbyist Heather Podesta and French Ambassador Philippe Étienne were planning to host another lavish party at the French ambassador's residence in September, but they've decided to push it back to November. The U.K. embassy is holding smaller events in September.

Some are trudging ahead, albeit carefully.

Event planner Kimberly Stroud told the outlet she is still planning to put on multiple 200-300 guest galas in the fall — including a film festival gala to honor House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn(D-S.C.) and the Halcyon Awards gala — but with extra precautions such as proof of vaccination and social distancing.

"We're not footloose and fancy-free yet," Stroud noted.

Martha's Vineyard Hospital claims it is 'bursting at the seams' along with 'highest amount' of COVID — 2 weeks after Obama's birthday bash



A surge in COVID-19 cases is reportedly wreaking havoc on Martha's Vineyard two weeks after former President Barack Obama hosted an extravagant birthday celebration on the island.

To this point, health officials have not made a connection between the 60th birthday bash and the outbreak, but the timing is hard to ignore.

What are the details?

The Virginia Gazette reported this week that Martha's Vineyard Hospital's emergency room is "jam-packed" and that the health facility grapples with its largest number of COVID-19 patients since the start of the pandemic.

During a press briefing Wednesday, hospital officials said that three patients are currently hospitalized with the virus and a fourth patient is being monitored for COVID-like symptoms, with one of those patients reportedly in serious condition. A fifth COVID-19 patient had to be critically airlifted to Boston last week.

"This is the highest amount of COVID-positive patient activity that we've had since the onset of the pandemic," the head of hospital operations and chief nurse, Clair Seguin, said.

The hospital's president and CEO, Denise Schepici, added that the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases has come at an already busy time for the facility.

"We're bursting at the seams," she said. "We're hoping there will be a reprieve in September. But that's a prayer right now."

She added that the hospital has resorted to urging residents not to come to the facility for treatment unless they are feeling "really, really sick" and believe the issue to be "an emergency."

What's the background?

The increase in hospitalizations follows a dramatic uptick in COVID-19 cases in the area over the past couple of weeks. Dukes County, where Martha's Vineyard is located, recorded a 1,350% increase in new cases last week.

Amid the spike in new infections, however, Janet Hathaway, assistant to the Edgartown Board of Health, said "it's too early to tell" whether Obama's party is the culprit.

Following mounting criticism ahead of the party, the Obamas announced that they would "significantly scale down" the celebration, which was originally slated to include 500 guests and more than 200 staff.

However, photos of the supposedly downsized party still showed massive tents constructed to house a lineup of celebrity guests on the Obamas' vast multimillion-dollar waterfront estate.

Obama's version of "family and close friends" still included a star-studded cast of guests such as Beyonce, Jay-Z, Eddie Vedder, Tom Hanks, and musician Questlove. Don Cheadle, Dwayne Wade, Stephen Colbert, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, and others were also reportedly present for the shindig. Presidential climate envoy John Kerry even rolled up to the party in his private jet.

Several social media posts showed a maskless Obama and other guests enjoying themselves at the party until its conclusion at around midnight.

A local police officer allegedly said the band of celebrities leaving caused a traffic "s***show."

Martha's Vineyard records COVID spike after Obama's birthday party, but officials caution connection — at least for now



Martha's Vineyard is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases one week removed from former President Barack Obama's extravagant 60th birthday bash, which took place on the island last Saturday.

But health officials on the island are urging caution in making a connection between the party and spike — at least for now.

What are the details?

According to the Daily Mail, at least 74 people have tested positive for COVID-19 on Martha's Vineyard since Obama's birthday party. The figure is the largest weekly total of cases on the island since April.

Prior to Friday's report from the Daily Mail, health officials had reported 54 new COVID-19 cases, the Vineyard Gazette reported.

The New York Times' COVID-19 dashboard reported that cases in Dukes County, where Martha's Vineyard is located, "increased recently and are extremely high." In fact, the dashboard reports that cases have increased 1,350% over the past two weeks, the majority of which happened over the last week.

Obama's birthday bash, which took place at his sprawling Martha's Vineyard estate, featured celebrity guests — most of whom were maskless — that traveled to the small island from all over the country.

What did health officials say?

Janet Hathaway, assistant to the Edgartown Board of Health, told the Boston Herald "it's too early to tell" whether the spike is connected to Obama's party and the mass of celebrities that traveled to the island for the extravaganza.

"We've seen an uptick of the virus since the first week in August," Hathaway explained. "There's also been a huge run on over-the-counter [COVID] tests."

Martha's Vineyard Hospital spokeswoman Marissa Lefebvre told the Herald the island's hospital also has experienced a surge in people coming to them for COVID-19 tests, but agreed it remains too early to determine the cause of the spike.

Whether the COVID surge is related to Obama's party will likely be determined next week after health officials pour over data from the spike in cases this week.

Meanwhile, Maura Valley, a health agent in the town of Tisbury, dismissed a connection between the spike and Obama's party before acknowledging contract-tracing remains unfinished.

"At this time we're not aware of any cases connected to the Obama party," Valley told the Daily Mail. "It's a little too early and the only way we're going to know is through comprehensive contact tracing."

'Hypocrites!': Pat Gray reacts to Obama's maskless birthday bash



The Delta variant of COVID-19 almost put a damper on former U.S. President Barack Obama's 60th birthday celebration but thanks to the party DJ, Americans got a sneak peek at what the party was like.

On Monday's episode of "Pat Gray Unleashed," Pat called Obama and his guests "hypocrites for mingling hugging, touching, and dancing without a mask."

Watch the clip for more from today's show. Can't watch? Download the podcast here.



Want more from Pat Gray?

To enjoy more of Pat's biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Dr. Fauci complains about Sturgis motorcycle rally — but somehow misses Obama's birthday bash, Lollapalooza



Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, complained Sunday about the annual Sturgis motorcycle rally taking place in South Dakota, warning the gathering may become a super-spreader event for COVID-19.

Noticeably absent from Fauci's concerns were recent events that also have the potential to become COVID super-spreader gatherings.

What did Fauci say?

During an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," host Chuck Todd asked Fauci whether he is concerned that Sturgis will drive a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Last year, a relatively smaller Sturgis rally — which typically draws more than 500,000 people to South Dakota — was blamed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for causing a COVID outbreak.

Responding to Todd's question, Fauci said he is concerned about another outbreak and suggested rally attendees are being irresponsible.

"I'm very concerned, Chuck, that we're going to see another surge related to that rally," Fauci said.

"I mean, to me, it's understandable that people want to do the kinds of things they want to do. They want their freedom to do that," he continued. "But there comes a time when you're dealing with a public health crisis that could involve you, your family, and everyone else, that something supersedes that need to do exactly what you want to do."

Dr. Fauci chastises those attending the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally: You’re going to get to do that in the future, but… https://t.co/W3Fl4kKvTx

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) 1628439799.0

Fauci added that people who want the freedom to continue living their lives without COVID restrictions, like Sturgis attendees, must "realize" that "something bad is going on."

What did Fauci not discuss?

As was noted after Fauci's interview, the infectious diseases doctor failed to target other notable recent mass gatherings for criticism: Obama's 60th birthday bash and Lollapalooza.

Obama's birthday party — which drew celebrities from across the country to Obama's Martha's Vineyard estate — took place with maskless guests, who were not required to be vaccinated. The party went on despite the CDC classifying Martha's Vineyard as a region with "high" COVID-19 transmission, meaning vaccinated people there should wear face masks indoors and avoid large gatherings.

Meanwhile, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot permitted Lollapalooza, a music festival that draws more than 400,000 each year, to take place in late July. The festival went on despite warnings from public health experts.

Dr. Emily Landon, executive medical director for infection prevention and control at the University of Chicago Medical Center, for example, warned that Lollapalooza could cause "wildfires of infection."

Perhaps Sturgis is the target of ire because its attendees aren't of the "sophisticated" type, like those who attended Obama's birthday.

Media Ignores Obama's Birthday Party

Media Ignores Obama's Birthday Party

Guests forced to delete photos and videos of maskless Obama at boozy birthday party



Despite COVID-19 cases soaring in recent weeks, due much in part to the highly contagious delta variant that has the U.S. averaging over 100,000 new cases per day, former President Barack Obama went forward with his celebrity-laden birthday party in Massachusetts on Saturday. A few photos and videos were leaked out to the public from the swanky soirée, which show a maskless Obama dancing with his guests, who also did not wear face coverings.

Obama's birthday bash was held in massive tents on his spacious estate in Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, which was designated as a "high transmission" area for COVID-19 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High transmission communities fall under the CDC's updated guidance recommending that masks be worn indoors, even by people who are fully vaccinated.

Barack and Michelle Obama from his 60th party https://t.co/amGMRgsInO

— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) 1628430831.0

Singer Erykah Badu was performing at the former president's 60th birthday party, but managed to record a video of maskless Obama dancing with a woman and other attendees who were not wearing face coverings. Badu uploaded the video to Instagram, but then quickly deleted it. But she didn't manage to delete it quick enough and the footage was shared online.

Video of Obama’s maskless Martha’s Vineyard birthday party before Erykah Badu deleted it https://t.co/ge0k23XioV

— Jewish Deplorable (@TrumpJew2) 1628432153.0

Rapper Trap Beckham and manager TJ Chapman were also at Obama's birthday party, and shared photos of the event before deleting the images that were saved by the New York Post.

Chapman estimated that Obama spent at least $1 million on the event, which he called "the party of all parties."

The Daily Mail reported that guests were treated to "a specially constructed espresso martini bar, salt station and s'mores station."

Attendees were also provided custom-designed face masks and cocktail napkins emblazoned with "44x60," a logo for the 44th president on his 60th birthday.

However, Beckham revealed that he was forced to delete all of the images of the Obama shindig.

"Had to delete everything due to the rules," Beckham said after the party. "It was epic for sure. If any videos surface, it's going viral. He danced the whole time. Nobody ever seen Obama like this before."

In a video posted to social media, Chapman was upset he had to delete his videos.

"Epic night last night," Chapman said in a video. "I posted some stories of myself. Didn't think anybody gave a damn, and I guess they did. That's not cool. That's not cool."

DJ posts stealth pics of Obama's 'epic' birthday party — before being forced to delete them https://t.co/9fGUVeXaM0 https://t.co/aRO5KOzi9K

— New York Post (@nypost) 1628408783.0

Celebrity guests included Beyoncé, Jay-Z, George Clooney, Steven Spielberg, Bradley Cooper, Don Cheadle, Bruce Springsteen, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Gabrielle Union, Dwayne Wade, Questlove, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, Gayle King, Steven Colbert, and Tom Hanks.

John Legend allegedly sang "Happy Birthday" to Obama.

The party allegedly wrapped up around midnight, and the celebrities leaving caused a traffic "s***show," according to a local police officer.

The phrase "maskless Obama" trended on Twitter when the photos and videos of the former president not wearing a face covering hit the internet on Sunday.

Obama faced criticism over the party for claiming to "scale back" the festivities and include "only family and close friends," only to have celebrities fly into Massachusetts from all over the country.

Internet reactions to photos of Obama's supposed 'scaled back' birthday bash boasting massive tents for celebrities: 'Do you feel like a peasant yet?'



Former President Barack Obama is throwing a huge birthday party for himself at his opulent $12 million waterfront mansion on Martha's Vineyard on Saturday. The birthday bash was originally supposed to include nearly 500 guests and more than 200 staff, but the celebration was "significantly scaled back" to include "only family and close friends" due to criticism over holding a social gathering of that size during a surge in COVID-19 infections.

However, photos emerged of massive tents constructed specifically for the birthday party on Obama's 29-acre estate. There were also images of celebrities arriving at Martha's Vineyard to attend the festivities. The internet was quick to point out that the preparations for the party looked anything other than "scaled back."

Several celebrities were reportedly invited and then uninvited, including late-night talk show hosts David Letterman and Conan O'Brien, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" actor Larry David, and David Axelrod, chief strategist for Obama's presidential campaigns, according to the New York Times.

The celebrities who did make the cut include Beyonce, Jay-Z, Eddie Vedder, Tom Hanks, and musician Questlove, who reportedly coordinated a meat-free menu for the party. "Oprah Winfrey and Ava DuVernay had pulled out of the party earlier because of concerns over the Delta variant," the Times reported. Steven Spielberg, Bruce Springsteen, and George Clooney were reportedly on the original guest list, according to the New York Post. There were no reports of Obama's "bro" and former vice president Joe Biden attending the birthday party.

The New York Times added that the attendees of the party would be a "mostly vaccinated crowd," but "all of whom had to submit negative tests to gain entry to the property."

The party had been planned for months, and "the former president had baseball caps made for the occasion that read '44 at 60.'"

The Daily Mail released photos of massive tents on the Obamas' grandiose grounds. The outlet also published photos of celebrities arriving at the wealthy Massachusetts enclave for Obama's 60th birthday party, including Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Dwayne Wade, Gabriel Union, Don Cheadle, and Stephen Colbert. Biden's climate czar, John Kerry, was seen in photos taking a private jet to Martha's Vineyard.

EXCLUSIVE: Obama's 60th birthday bash looks anything but intimate as huge tents are erected on his $12M Martha's Vi… https://t.co/JfLmqD7Wzh

— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) 1628297308.0


JUST IN - Massive tents are erected ahead of Obama's 60th "scaled back" birthday bash on Martha's Vineyard.… https://t.co/DqlIoG3qBQ

— Disclose.tv 🚨 (@disclosetv) 1628339097.0


“Scaled Back” https://t.co/wvSLvGM1We

— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) 1628298626.0

The internet reactions to Obama's swanky and seemingly over-the-top birthday party complete with circus-like tents were delivered fast and furious.

  • "Do what we say, not what we do."
  • "The hypocrisy is the point."
  • "These are the people calling you selfish if you don't want to close your small business."
  • "Do you feel like a peasant yet?"
  • "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others."
  • "The virus so deadly the elites risk their lives for a birthday party!"
  • "Look, news outlets raised cane when @POTUS45 held events at his compound in Florida during the pandemic. Now. @BarackObama celebrating his 60th with a tent larger than a lot of homes. It's just the news cycle. Stay healthy."

This is the tent for Obama’s “scaled back” birthday party where only close friends & family were said to attend. In… https://t.co/hUlhc3ePdB

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) 1628349304.0

After heavy criticism, Obama forced to downsize massive birthday bash amid Delta variant spread



Following significant backlash, former President Barack Obama has decided at the last minute to curtail plans for a massive 60th birthday celebration.

The party, scheduled to take place Saturday at the Obamas' oceanside mansion in Martha's Vineyard, was to include nearly 500 guests and more than 200 staff. But after news broke of the bash over the weekend, critics lambasted the former president for hosting a massive party amid a surge in coronavirus infections.

Now, citing the spread of the Delta variant, the Obamas have decided to scale down the party to include just family and close friends.

According to the New York Times, "the party plans had been months in the making and many invitees had already arrived on Martha's Vineyard" when Obama belatedly announced news of its cancellation.

"Due to the new spread of the Delta variant over the past week, the president and Mrs. Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends," the former president's spokesperson, Hannah Hankins, said in a statement. "President Obama is appreciative of others sending their birthday wishes from afar and looks forward to seeing people soon."

Hundreds of former Obama administration officials and Hollywood bigwigs were slated to attend the party before its downsizing. The New York Post reported that George Clooney, Steven Spielberg, and Oprah Winfrey were expected to attend.

Party planners reportedly followed public health guidelines in advance of the celebration. The bash was to be held outside at the property and the Obamas had asked guests to be vaccinated. There was even slated to be a "COVID coordinator" on the premises to ensure protocols were followed.

But as the Delta variant has surged in recent weeks, public health experts responded by reversing masking guidance for vaccinated individuals and warning against large gatherings. All of a sudden, the public image of a massive party filled with celebrities, Democratic donors, and left-wing politicos didn't look so good.

"They've been concerned about the virus from the beginning, asking invited guests if they had been vaccinated, requesting that they get a test proximate to the event," David Axelrod, a former top Obama adviser, said, according to the Times. "But when this was planned, the situation was quite different. So they responded to the changing circumstances."

The Obamas and their allies have maintained that the party plans were altered over health concerns. Though it should be noted that plans didn't officially change until after the public backlash.