The namesake behind Wawa’s biggest rival, Sheetz, has died.
Stephen G. Sheetz, the man responsible for taking a family-owned convenience store in Altoona, Pa., and transforming it into a multibillion-dollar empire, was 77. The company announced his death in a statement Monday, citing respiratory complications after having been hospitalized with pneumonia.
And while Wawa fans may be suspicious of how the chain’s fried food, or coffee, or even gasoline stacks up against their supreme leader’s, there’s no denying Sheetz’s legacy and vision.
Sheetz served as the chain’s CEO and president from 1984 to 1995, overseeing its expansion. After that, he was chairman of the board for another 18 years.
The former president was just 12 when he began working at the original Sheetz Kwik Shopper, founded by his brother, Bob Sheetz. He graduated from Altoona Area High School in 1965 and from Pennsylvania State University four years later.
Penn State named Steve and his wife, Nancy Sheetz, as its 2010 philanthropists of the year, following their donation of $2.5 million to the school’s Altoona campus. It was the campus’ largest donation in its 70-year history. The couple tacked on another half a million that year, funding the establishment of an entrepreneurial center and a Sheetz Fellows program.
“I try to provide a positive influence,” Steve Sheetz said at the time in a university statement. “I really hope that students in the program will be better prepared for the world they’re about to enter, whether it’s business or another profession.”
As supervisor and director of operations at the chain, he oversaw the expansion of Sheetz convenience stores, with the intention of opening a new location every year, according to the company’s website. Over the next 14 years, Sheetz would grow to 100 locations.
“Above all, Uncle Steve was the center of our family,” Sheetz president and CEO Travis Sheetz said in a statement. “We are so deeply grateful for his leadership, vision, and steadfast commitment to our employees, customers, and communities.”
Today, with over 800 locations across six states and about 25,000 employees, the business remains largely family-run.
Offering a hodgepodge of fast food, including burgers, hot dogs, and mozzarella sticks, the chain has its super fans, just like Philly’s own Wawa phanatics.
They call themselves “Sheetz Freakz.” And they start them young.
Take Dylan LaMotte of Lynchburg, Va.
In 2020, then-8-year-old Dylan went viral for his mom’s video of him wearing a shirt that said “Youngest Sheetz Freak” and pitching ideas for the chain’s menu.
Steve Sheetz himself flew to Lynchburg to surprise Dylan and gift him $5,000 toward his daily order of fries and a slushie. In other instances over the years, the company has rewarded other superfans with hefty donations to their charities of choice.
In 2020, The Inquirer tapped Pennsylvanians Sen. John Fetterman (who was lieutenant governor at the time) and U.S. Rep. Brendan F. Boyle to weigh in on the debate.
Boyle, who is team Wawa, helped cut the ribbon on Wawa’s first D.C. location. He joked that it was the “Philly Embassy in Washington.”
“Sure enough, as I approached the D.C. Wawa right after the game, the crowd of people wearing Eagles jerseys was out the door. The Philly diaspora had had the same thought I did. We flocked to our ‘embassy’ to celebrate,” he said.
Fetterman, who is pro-Sheetz, said, “Whether I’m Jeeping it home from Harrisburg, or on the road asking yinz and youse about legalizing cannabis, the warm red glow of a Sheetz awning beckons with red beet eggs, a hunk of cheese, and the rich cavalcade of the entire family of Duke’s smoked shorty sausages.” He added, “It is a given that Sheetz is far superior.”
At the end of the day, the rivalry isn’t going anywhere. But you can still respect the man behind the mystique.
“Steve’s guidance shaped nearly every aspect of our family business,” said Joe Sheetz, chairman of the Sheetz board of directors. “He was a mentor for every leader who has followed him, and his vision, wisdom, and entrepreneurial spirit will be missed deeply by everyone at Sheetz.”
Altoona Mayor Matt Pacifico also released a statement, saying “Steve had a genuine, tangible love for the City of Altoona, as shown by his contributions, actions and initiatives. We send our sincere sympathy to Steve’s family during this difficult time, as well as immense gratitude for his lasting contributions to our City and its residents, that will be his legacy for years to come.”
In addition to his wife, Nancy, Steve Sheetz is survived by two daughters, Megan Sheetz and Nicole Sheetz Frith; seven grandchildren; and six of his seven siblings, including his brother Bob Sheetz.
Fast food mega-chain McDonald’s is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit focused on the authenticity of its McRib sandwich and what it’s made of.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on Dec. 23, claims that McDonald’s deceptively markets the McRib to specifically contain meat from pork ribs through its name, branding, and appearance.
“The name ‘McRib’ is a deliberate sleight of hand,” the plaintiffs — four consumers from California, New York, Illinois, and the District of Columbia — said in the filing.
For those uninitiated, the McRib is sort of a big deal. It’s a fan favorite with “limited edition” status within McDonald’s. Its availability varies based on timing and location. It debuted on McDonald’s menus back in 1981, and when the chain announced its discontinuation in 2005, there was a lengthy “farewell tour.”
In the years since, the sandwich continues to make celebrated annual returns, heightened with the help of social media. There are dedicated unofficial McRib fan accounts and trackers.
“McDonald’s McRib is a sandwich of legend,” a 2009 Maxim article titled “The Cult of the McRib” said. “The heavenly blend of pork patty, barbecue sauce, and bun is, to devotees, so addictive that songs have been written about it, Internet shrines erected to it, and TV shows dedicated to it. … It is rarely seen, yet frequently sought and cultishly worshiped. It is the Holy Grail on a bun.”
And now, that famed sandwich’s integrity is being scrutinized.
Here’s what we know so far.
What exactly is the McRib?
McDonald’s describes the McRib as seasoned boneless pork dipped in BBQ sauce and topped with onions and pickles on a toasted bun. The sandwich is 520 calories and 24 grams of protein according to the fast food chain’s website.
Is the McRib available at McDonald’s now?
The McRib returned to some McDonald’s menus as part of its annual “farewell tour” in November 2025 and seems to still be available. But the sandwich is limited to certain McDonald’s locations, including in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle, and St. Louis.
According to the fan-led McRib Tracker, there’s only a handful of states nationwide serving up McRibs right now. It ranges in price from about $4 to $8, depending on the region.
What does the McRib proposed lawsuit say?
The proposed class action suit says the McRib’s name, pricing, and appearance — a rib-shaped patty on a bun — misleads consumers into believing they’re purchasing a premium pork rib product.
The complaint adds that the rib-shaped patty is made of “restructured” pork using lower-quality cuts of pork, including shoulder, heart, stomach, and tripe instead of rib meat. McDonald’s has denied those claims.
The plaintiffs say they believed the McRib to be made of rib meat before purchasing. They add that marketing the McRib as a “limited-time” item is a strategy to create a sense of urgency, discouraging consumers from investigating its ingredients closely.
All four plaintiffs say they wouldn’t have purchased the McRib, or paid as much as they did, if they knew the sandwich had no actual pork rib meat.
The proposed lawsuit seeks class-action status on behalf of U.S. consumers who bought the McRib in recent years and is seeking damages, restitution, and a remedy to prevent future “deceptive marketing.”
What are McDonald’s McRibs made of?
McDonald’s McRib features what the company calls a “McRib Pork Patty,” which is shaped like a rack of ribs.
According to its website, the boneless patty is made of pork, water, salt, dextrose, and rosemary extract.
Using the phrase boneless pork does a lot of quiet, legal work in the background, noted Quartz.
McRib supporters say the sandwich has always been marketed as a boneless, snackable take on ribs. And it’s not a secret. To this day, there are no rib bones involved, and McDonald’s doesn’t pretend there are.
“Contrary to what its name implies, there is very little actual rib meat in a McRib,” the 2009 Maxim article about the cultish sandwich said. “Primarily, it’s shoulder meat,” Rob Cannell, then-director of McDonald’s U.S. supply chain, told the outlet.
He added, “The pork meat is chopped up, then seasoned, then formed into that shape that looks like a rib back. Then we flash-freeze it. The whole process from fresh pork to frozen McRib takes about 45 minutes.”
Has McDonald’s responded?
In a statement sent to multiple outlets, McDonald’s said that the lawsuit “distorts the facts and many of the claims are inaccurate.”
The fast food chain says the McRib is made with 100% pork sourced from farmers and suppliers nationwide.
“We’ve always been transparent about our ingredients so guests can make the right choice for them,” the company said.
The statement did not go into detail regarding the plaintiffs’ claims that the McRib’s marketing as “limited edition” plays into its price point and distinction from other permanent menu items.
Has something like this happened before?
Over the years, there have been several instances of lawsuits and disputes surrounding how popular foods are marketed or made.
For instance, in 2023, a judge dismissed a lawsuit that claimed that Subway’s tuna sandwiches didn’t use real tuna or contained less tuna than advertised. Subway denied those claims. The plaintiff and Subway came to an undisclosed agreement.
And similar but different: In 2014, the pomegranate juice company Pom sued Coca-Cola over its Minute Maid pomegranate blueberry juice. Pom claimed the Minute Maid juice was mostly apple and grape juice despite its branding. A jury eventually ruled for Coca-Cola.
There was also a major case in 2014 where food production company Unilever sued vegan mayo company Hampton Creek for calling its spread “Just Mayo” despite it being plant-based and lacking eggs. The case led to new regulations throughout the vegan food scene regarding how foods can be branded and if terms like milk or mayo can be used without key animal byproducts.
What happens next?
In short, a court will need to determine if the lawsuit qualifies as a class action that represents U.S. consumers who purchased the McRib.
From there, McDonald’s could file a motion to dismiss the suit, or the parties could potentially settle along the way. If the case proceeds, a judge may have to decide the scope of a “reasonable consumer” and their expectations when it comes to rib-shaped pork sandwiches.
Think you know your news? There’s only one way to find out. Welcome back to our weekly News Quiz — a quick way to see if your reading habits are sinking in and to put your local news knowledge to the test.
Question 1 of 10
A recent Inquirer article documented how two regional political figures with differing views have become unlikely friends. Who is the pair featured in the story?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The two come from different parties and have vastly different approaches to their jobs — including their approaches to President Donald Trump. But that hasn't stopped Attorneys General Dave Sunday and Matt Platkin from working together.
Question 2 of 10
Northwestern University announced it hired this former Eagle (we won’t give away if it’s a player or staffer) as its new offensive coordinator:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Former Eagles coach Chip Kelly, 62, will serve as Northwestern’s offensive coordinator, the college announced Tuesday. Kelly served in the same role for the Las Vegas Raiders this season, but he was fired on Nov. 23 after the team’s 2-9 start. He has been a head coach with the Eagles (2013-15) and the San Francisco 49ers (2016). In the college game, he was head coach at Oregon (2009-12) and UCLA (2018-23). He also was offensive coordinator at Ohio State last season as the Buckeyes captured the national championship.
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WXPN host Joey Sweeney told The Inquirer about his perfect Philly day. It starts with a coffee near his house. What’s his cafe of choice?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Sweeney is a big fan of Loretta’s where he usually orders a coffee and a chocolate croissant. He also enjoys the cafe’s Betty sandwich, a breakfast sandwich with egg, bacon, and pimento cheese.
Question 4 of 10
What object was featured at Cherry Street Pier for New Year’s Eve celebrations?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
A 2,000-pound “sibling” Liberty Bell, typically displayed at the National Liberty Museum at Fourth and Chestnut Streets, and produced by the same London-based foundry as the original, was temporarily moved to the Cherry Street Pier as part of the city’s New Year’s on the Pier celebration Wednesday night.
Question 5 of 10
This Philly-based restaurant chain continues to expand nationally, with 71 existing locations across the country and plans for 18 more in 2026.
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Honeygrow, the fast-casual eatery based in Center City, plans to open up to 18 new locations next year, founder and CEO Justin Rosenberg told The Inquirer. Honeygrow sells made-to-order stir-fries, salads, and desserts. Since launching in 2012, the company has grown to 71 locations across several states, including Ohio, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New York. The company’s expansion plans include adding locations in Ohio and New Jersey, as well as in Boston. The eatery is also in negotiations to bring Honeygrow to the Detroit metropolitan area.
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Question 6 of 10
TikTok content creator Daniel Rodriguez, who lives in Philly’s Jewelers’ Row, gained popularity documenting his weekly super-commute from Philadelphia to this city for work:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Rodriguez ping pongs between his home (and his Center City office) in Philadelphia and his office in midtown Atlanta, twice a week. He’s mostly car adverse and relies on public transportation as much as possible in both cities.
Question 7 of 10
This renowned guitar company — which has made instruments played by Kurt Cobain, Hank Williams, and countless other star musicians over the years — is headquartered in Nazareth, Pa.
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Founded in New York City in 1833 by German luthier Christian Frederick Martin, Martin Guitars, best known for its artisanal acoustic guitars, moved to Nazareth in 1839 and has crafted 3 million guitars.
Question 8 of 10
Where was the Christmas song “O Little Town of Bethlehem” first composed and played?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
"O Little Town of Bethlehem" was composed in Philadelphia by the Rev. Phillips Brooks and his church organist, Lewis Redner, at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Rittenhouse Square. Brooks wrote the poem and asked Redner to create the music for a Christmas performance at their church. Despite some hesitation and delay, Redner reportedly came up with the tune after an inspirational moment on the night before the service, writing it down hastily before finalizing it with harmony just in time for the Sunday service.
Question 9 of 10
As evidenced by TikTok content and now a pop-up concept from a local Philly chef, food writer Kiki Aranita says this is the latest food trend to watch for:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The baked potato has gained traction again fairly recently. There’s chef Ange Branca’s Mod Spuds, which puts a Malaysian-Philadelphian spin on English jacket potatoes. She offers an array of toppings, from a Philly cheesesteak loaded potato to one topped with Branca’s legendary beef rendang. On TikTok, baked potatoes were buoyed by Nara Smith, who made a “jacket potato tutorial” for her 12.3 million followers. And viral UK-based SpudBros has become a global brand with multiple locations, millions of followers, and food trucks, including one heading to Philly.
Question 10 of 10
A wallaby escaped from a South Jersey petting zoo before a family helped catch them at a Walmart about a half-mile away. What is the Wallaby’s name?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The 3-year-old wallaby’s name is Rex. He’s 3 feet tall, gray, and can typically be found at the Lots of Love Farm in Williamstown, Gloucester County.
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Think you know your news? There’s only one way to find out. Welcome back to our weekly News Quiz — a quick way to see if your reading habits are sinking in and to put your local news knowledge to the test.
Question 1 of 10
It’s prime Santa season and The Inquirer spoke to some of the devoted Santa actors keeping the magic alive throughout town. One Santa actor in particular, Scott Diethorne, left the mall he was stationed at for years and went freelance after he says mall officials told him to stop flashing his popular Santa-themed arm tattoos. What did the tattoos say or illustrate?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Diethorne has been freelancing for years, ever since he was instructed to tone it down at the Oxford Valley Mall in 2017. That year, he was told to hide his “Naughty” and “Nice” arm tattoos and stop striking funny poses as requested by visitors. Some malls also impose time limits. Now that he’s his own boss, Diethorne says he can give the people what they want.
Question 2 of 10
An authorized print of this historical document — signed by a former U.S. president — will be up for auction soon. Which document is it?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Less than a year after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, two industrious Philadelphians devised a plan to help raise money for injured Union soldiers, war widows, and children left orphaned by the war. The Emancipation Proclamation’s text was printed in Philadelphia in 1864 with Lincoln signing 48 copies, and sold for $10 each. Just 27 copies are still known to exist. One will be sold by Christie’s next month.
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This famous Eagle made a surprise performance at the War on Drugs’ performance at Johnny Brenda’s last weekend:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
During the second night of the War on Drugs’ three-show “A Drugcember to Remember,” the band brought out Eagles guitarist and solo musician Joe Walsh — a big surprise for the 250-capacity room show. The Walsh-Drugs mini-set kicked off with “Rocky Mountain Way.” The musicians first met when War on Drugs played Walsh’s VetsAid in 2023 and kept in touch.
Question 4 of 10
What cleaning service is being reduced in Center City due to rising costs?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The Center City Residents’ Association will not renew its contract with Center City District for sidewalk cleaning that is up at the end of this month, the group said in an email to its members. The residents’ association said its board made the decision because of rising costs charged by Center City District. The new rate would have doubled the proportion of the association’s budget going toward sidewalk cleaning in 2026, from 20% to 41%.
Question 5 of 10
What was the main issue Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said she wanted to address going into 2026 at her State of the City speech?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Parker focused on homelessness during her address. Even as Philadelphia this year shed its long-held title as the “poorest big city in America,” the number of unsheltered people increased by 20% compared to last. While shootings have reached 50-year lows, the open-air drug market that has long plagued Kensington persists.
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Question 6 of 10
Jason Kelce recently invested in this local condiment:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Kelce invested in Hank Sauce, a Jersey Shore hot sauce company based in Kelce’s beloved Sea Isle City. The sauce is sold everywhere from surf shops to the Acme and produces a variety of hot and not-so-hot sauces that have become ubiquitous at the Jersey Shore and in the Philadelphia area.
Question 7 of 10
The Brandywine Museum of Art is displaying Autumn in the Ramapo Valley, Erie Railway, an 1873 landscape by Jasper Francis Cropsey that hasn’t been seen by the public in 152 years. Since it was first commissioned, it lived in private collections in England until philanthropists brought it back to the United States. What industry is subtly featured in the painting?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The railroad industry is represented in the painting. It was originally commissioned by James McHenry, a wealthy railroad executive who worked closely with the Erie Railway.
Question 8 of 10
Who is headlining this year’s New Year’s Eve concert in Philadelphia?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The city will host its first-ever New Year’s Eve concert featuring LL Cool J, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Los Angeles rock band Dorothy, and Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts graduate Adam Blackstone — no tickets required and free.
Question 9 of 10
This activist and public figure was recently spotted rocking a Philadelphia Eagles T-shirt:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
In a brief post shared with her 3.7 million Instagram followers, Malala Yousafzai shared seven photos and looked back on her 2025. Tucked in the seven-photo carousel of the 28-year-old is a photo of her wearing a kelly green Philadelphia Eagles T-shirt as she’s getting ready to eat some Popeyes. Yousafzai was in Philadelphia promoting her new memoir in October, with Eagles superfan Kylie Kelce moderating the conversation. Kelce encouraged Yousafzai to partake in a “Go Birds” cheer.
Question 10 of 10
Less than one year removed from winning Super Bowl LIX, former Eagles practice-squad offensive tackle Laekin Vakalahi put his Super Bowl ring up for auction. About how much did it sell for?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The ring sold for $124,440 through Heritage Auctions last weekend. It has Vakalahi’s last name printed across the side. The New Zealand native Vakalahi came to the Eagles in 2024 and spent the Super Bowl-winning season as part of the practice squad. He was released on Aug. 26, 2025 as a part of the team’s final roster cuts.
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At the beginning of “Eras Tour” rehearsals, in a Before-Travis Kelce (BTK) timeline, the Berks County native is shown wearing a gray oversized Eagles sweatshirt as she walks into a practice space.
Paparazzi have spotted Swift repping the crew neck before, which is fitting since she’s discussed at length over the years her memories of her dad watching Eagles games and her love for the team.
This is a very important reminder to everyone that Taylor Swift is an Eagles fan. 🦅 pic.twitter.com/Sw4viIt8MV
In fact, on her first Philadelphia night of the “Eras Tour,” Swift sang “gold rush” as a surprise song and confirmed the lyric “my Eagles T-shirt hanging from the door,” was in fact about the team and not the band.
“I love the band the Eagles, but guys, like, come on, I’m from Philly,” Swift said that night in 2023 (and yes, a celebratory Birds chant did break out from the crowd).
It’s also worth noting that Swift’s Eagles sweatshirt appears to be unofficial — the team’s house style dictates that the eagle profile should always face left, with the plumage forming a subtle letter ‘E.’
Of course as the docuseries progresses, we see an After-Travis Kelce (ATK) style evolution, and a lot more red and gold — gross.
2. The audiobook
At a point in the series where Swift is trying to calm her nerves, she lies on a couch and starts listening to an audiobook.
It turns out, that book excerpt was from none other than South Philly author Liz Moore’s The God of the Woods.
Moore and her book, which is a multigenerational mystery drama set in the Adirondacks, are having a good year. The God of the Woods was on multiple book club shortlists, including Barack Obama’s, and was just announced for a Netflix adaptation last week. Moore will serve as a co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer.
Swift wasn’t alone in her book selection. The God of the Woods was the most checked-out print book of the year across all of Philadelphia’s library branches. (We don’t know about audiobook stats because those are managed by a third party.)
3. Scenes from Philly shows at the Linc
In the portion of the series that discusses the sheer pandemonium that the “Eras Tour” caused, with epic tailgates (known as Taylorgates), economic boosts, and overall good vibes, it seems only right that footage from outside the Philly shows were used as the ultimate visual aid.
The docuseries even relies on a Philly voice to summarize things best:
“I’ve never seen this before in my life,” Jon McCann, a local content creator who goes by The Philly Captain, says in a perfectly thick regional accent. “It’s like Woodstock but without the drugs.”
4. The directors and post-production
The End of an Era was directed by Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce, the local duo behind films including Rock School, Batman & Bill, and notably, Kelce — the documentary about Swift’s soon-to-be brother-in-law and former Eagle, Jason Kelce. The directors are both based in Philadelphia.
All six episode credits also list Philadelphia as a post-production location.
Think you know your news? There’s only one way to find out. Welcome back to our weekly News Quiz — a quick way to see if your reading habits are sinking in and to put your local news knowledge to the test.
Question 1 of 10
In Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film, Disclosure Day, which filmed in parts of New Jersey earlier this year, Emily Blunt’s character has this occupation:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The trailer shows Blunt as a meteorologist who shudders as she experiences some sort of encounter live on air. It includes all the other good stuff: crop circles, deer who are absolutely shook by whatever extraterrestrial activity they’re dealing with, car chases, you know the deal.
Question 2 of 10
A performance artist from Baltimore stood nearly naked, in socks and boxers, outside the Liberty Bell last week with a sign that said:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The man, who goes by Ham, said he’s been doing the underwear in cold cities routine for about two years and recently added the sign, “engagement ring savings fund,” as a way to combat people repeatedly asking him his motives.
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During her first interview on Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show, Taylor Swift referenced a photo from 2001, at age 11, performing at this local spot:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
“You know when you are like 11 and you have that one outfit that you just know … goes so hard … when you just put this on and it’s like I’m sorry. I’m unstoppable today,” the Berks County native said about her American flag Limited Too shirt and red duster. She rocked that outfit while performing the National Anthem at a Sixers game.
Question 4 of 10
A new South Philly crime drama, Not for Nothing, recently debuted on the big screen and Amazon Prime. The brothers who conceptualized and wrote the show owned a music venue on Ninth Street called:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Back in 2006, when they first opened a live music venue on Ninth Street, Connie’s Ric Rac, Frankie and Joe Tartaglia — and their best friend and business partner, Peter Pelullo — would sit for hours after closing, spitballing script ideas. The brothers wanted to tell a South Philly story that captured the neighborhood they knew and that could make their dreams real.
Question 5 of 10
Late actor and filmmaker Rob Reiner got his start in this Pennsylvania theater as an apprentice at age 17:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Reiner apprenticed at the Bucks County Playhouse in 1964, the same year Liza Minelli appeared at the Playhouse and Arthur Godfrey was in Our Town.
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Question 6 of 10
An Eagles fan went viral after his self-defeating joke on Facebook prompted a police wellness check. Where does the fan live?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Jake Beckman is an Eagles fan living in St. Louis. When the Eagles won the Super Bowl last season, he and his wife made the 14-hour drive to attend the parade.
Question 7 of 10
Which book was the most checked-out print title of the year across all of Philly’s library branches?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The most checked-out print book of the year across all Philly’s library branches — in any genre — was Liz Moore’s 2024 The God of the Woods, a propulsive thriller about a girl who goes missing from a summer camp in 1975, eerily mirroring the disappearance of her brother from the same place 14 years earlier. Moore is based in South Philly.
Question 8 of 10
South Philly author Liz Moore’s “The God of the Woods” has been ordered for a TV series adaptation by which streamer?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Netflix announced it has ordered a series adaptation of “The God of the Woods,” a multigenerational mystery drama set in the Adirondacks. Moore will serve as a co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer, Netflix said. It marks the author’s second book that has been adapted for TV.
Question 9 of 10
Comedian Jake Shane said he had the best meal of his life at this Philly spot:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
“The best meal I’ve ever had in my life at Her Place in Philly,” Shane told his TikTok fans. Her Place earned one Michelin star this year.
Question 10 of 10
Why did this former Eagles fan sue the team?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Jalen Hurts gave diehard Eagles fan Paul Hamilton a touchdown ball in MetLife Stadium in December 2022. Then team, NFL, and security officials accosted the Eagles fan, according to a lawsuit.
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Another book by South Philly author Liz Moore is heading to the small screen.
Netflix announced it has ordered a series adaptation of The God of the Woods, a multigenerational mystery drama set in the Adirondacks.
Moore will serve as a co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer, Netflix said. It marks the author’s second book that has been adapted for TV.
The 2024 novel is about a teenage girl who disappears from her summer camp in 1975 and how the investigation uncovers years of family secrets and mysteries.
Earlier this year, Moore’s best-selling Long Bright River, which focuses on Kensington’s opioid crisis, was turned into a series for Peacock. That crime thriller premiered in March.
The author, who lives in South Philly, earned local credibility for her efforts to depict Kensington honestly in her book and with producers for the Peacock series. She said at the time her aim was to make something that countered misguided depictions of the neighborhood.
Moore teaches at Temple’s College of Liberal Arts and is the director of the school’s creative writing MFA program.
The God of the Woods is Moore’s fifth novel. It collected several accolades, including multiple Book Club shortlists and a spot on Barack Obama’s Summer Reading List.
No additional details have been publicized about the Netflix series’ cast or release date.
“You saw the game,” Beckman said. “It really sucked.”
Like many chronically online fans, Beckman, 34, turned to Facebook during his misery — something he regrets now.
“I posted, ‘Probably going to kill myself. I’ll let you know,’” he recalled. “It wasn’t a real threat. It was a ‘Be right back, gonna go brush my teeth with sandpaper, gargle with Diesel, and floss with razor wire’ kind of thing.”
Self-effacing jokes and coping humor are common within NFL fandom. So much so, there’s even merch that leans into the bit.
About an hour later, at 11:30 p.m. there was a knock at Beckman’s door. A uniformed police officer was standing on his front porch.
“Someone called in reference to your Facebook post,” the officer can be heard saying in now-viral doorbell camera footage Beckman posted online afterward.
“The Eagles lost, man,” Beckman can be heard saying. “I know,” the officer responds. “I’m fine,” Beckman said.
The officer makes sure: “You don’t plan on hurting yourself?”
Beckman tersely responds, rattling off stats about Hurts’ poor performance.
The officer confirms once more, thanks Beckman for his time, and tells him to take it easy as Beckman can be heard closing his front door. Beckman turned to Facebook once again to post about the experience.
As the officer walks away, the doorbell footage shows him letting out the tiniest smirk.
“The cop who was at my door was a certified dude, and I absolutely appreciate that he was empathetic to what I was going through,” Beckman said.
The video’s been watched 15 million times on Beckman’s Instagram alone, and has been shared and reshared across countless social media platforms, sports fan pages, and accounts.
Beckman, a stand-up comic and writer covering the Eagles and NFL for the sports blog FanSided, said that when multiple people asked him if someone actually called the police, it inspired him to check his Ring doorbell app for footage. The entire exchange was recorded. He showed his friends.
“Looking back, I kind of knew it was funny, but I was bummed out,” he said. “I didn’t completely grasp that I had just told a cop, who was at my house for a wellness check, that Jalen Hurts threw a bunch of picks.”
A friend told Beckman to send him the video so he could format it for social media and add subtitles.
“He said that’s the kind of thing that’d go mega-viral,” Beckman said. “Turns out, he was right.”
Since then, he’s been glued to his phone looking at the responses. The majority are fellow NFL enthusiasts who recognize Beckman’s humor all too well. A few passed judgment.
“The Eagles lost and the dogs are barking. This man is overstimulated to the max,” one comment said. “As an Eagles fan, this is a legitimate wellness check,” another wrote.
All in all, Beckman says the experience has been affirming.
“People say the internet is … super negative,” he said. “They’re probably right, but having my notifications full of people all being on the same page about the absurdity of some dummy who was bummed out and dismissive when a cop was doing a wellness check has been pretty cool.”
He acknowledged that his joke probably took things too far.
“After all of this, I think I have to say that you shouldn’t joke about suicide,” he said. “That’s not cool.”
Still, the fandom is serious business — especially for an away fan like Beckman.
“People around here don’t get it. On Feb. 13, my wife and I drove 14 hours straight from St. Louis to Philly for the parade,” he said. “People understood why I did it, but they didn’t get it. Sports mean something in St. Louis, but it doesn’t mean everything.”
All that to say, Beckman said he’ll be a bit more careful with his Facebook posts moving forward. It doesn’t hurt that the Eagles went on to dominate in a 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders this weekend.
Steven Spielberg wanted New Jersey drivers this year — now they’ll get to see the fruits of their labor on the big screen.
The first trailer for Disclosure Day, the lauded filmmaker’s new UFO movie starring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, and West Philly’s own Colman Domingo, is out. The production was filmed in parts of South Jersey and Middlesex County earlier this year.
The premise: “If you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you? This summer, the truth belongs to seven billion people. We are coming close to … Disclosure Day.”
The trailer shows Blunt as a meteorologist who shudders as she experiences some sort of encounter live on air. It includes all the other good stuff: crop circles, deer who are absolutely shook by whatever extraterrestrial activity they’re dealing with, car chases, you know the deal.
“They tell me the movie is primarily about UFOs and some railroad scenes and car chases,” Woodbine Mayor William Pikolycky told 6abc during filming this spring.
The film worked under the code name Non-Viewwhile filming around Jersey. The original Spielberg sci-fi film has a screenplay penned by his longtime collaborator David Koepp (Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds).
Disclosure Day was spotted filming scenes in multiple locations, including Tuckahoe, Woodbine, Buena Vista, and Upper Township. Some scenes took place near railroad tracks in Tuckahoe, with state troopers shutting down roads near production sites at the time. Spielberg was also spotted directing a scene with stunt doubles. Locals observed production crews setting up with a large blue screen, likely for special effects work.
Producers sought locals to work as paid extras, working as background actors in their own cars in Middlesex County in March. The production brought a reported economic boost to the area, with over 150 crew members in town, some who visited local businesses. The New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission told 6abc at the time that major film productions are increasingly choosing the state as a location, citing its diverse scenery and financial incentives.
Just last month, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced HBO’s Task was awarded a $49.8 million tax credit for filming locally.
Universal will release Disclosure Day on June 12. It’ll mark Spielberg’s 37th directed film.
Before he came to be a beloved actor on All in the Family or celebrated for directing hits like The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally, Rob Reiner was just a teenager training in New Hope, Pa.
The late filmmaker — who was found dead alongside his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, on Sunday in their Los Angeles home — got his start at the Bucks County Playhouse.
In a 2016 interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Reiner said his senior year at Beverly Hills High School sparked a career path in acting because drama class felt “familiar and comfortable.”
After graduating at 17, he apprenticed at the Playhouse in 1964. As noted by Philadelphia Magazine, the Playhouse was one of a short list of regional theaters where Broadway plays would be workshopped. In turn, a lot of famous — or in Reiner’s case, soon-to-be famous — people came to New Hope, including Liza Minnelli and Robert Redford.
Reiner’s time working on shows as a Playhouse Apprentice meant he rubbed elbows with Alan Alda, Merv Griffin, and Shelly Berman, a spokesperson said. It was the same year Minelli appeared at the Playhouse and Arthur Godfrey was in Our Town.
“Reiner mentioned often his gratitude for the training he received on our stage, and his fondness for his time in New Hope,” Bucks County Playhouse producing director Alexander Fraser said. “He joins Grace Kelly, Jessica Walter, Robert Redford, Richard Kind and many others in using their experience as an apprentice in launching remarkable careers.”
Here’s what else we know about the deaths of the Reiners.
The Reiners were celebrated within the film industry and beyond
Reiner was long considered one of the most prolific directors in Hollywood, and his work included some of the most memorable movies of the 1980s and 90s, including This is Spinal Tap, A Few Good Men, When Harry Met Sally, and The Princess Bride.
His role as Meathead in Norman Lear’s 1970s TV classic All in the Family, alongside Carol O’Connor’s Archie Bunker, catapulted him to fame and won him two Emmy Awards.
The son of comedy legend Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner was married to photographer Michele Singer Reiner since 1989. The two met while he was directing When Harry Met Sally and had three children together.
The couple continued to collaborate on both film and advocacy projects. In 1997, they founded the I Am Your Child Foundation for early childhood development. In 2004, they established the Parents’ Action for Children nonprofit focused on public policy and early learning initiatives.
Reiner was regarded as a liberal activist and praised for his work as a cofounder of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which initiated the court challenge against California Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in the state.
The couple was found dead in their home and a homicide investigation is underway
A spokesperson for the couple confirmed the Reiners’ death to reporters.
Police said they were investigating the case as an apparent homicide after a family member discovered them dead. The couple had stab wounds.
As of Monday morning, the couple’s son, Nick Reiner, 32, was in custody on unspecified felony charges. His bail is set at $4 million, records show.
Tributes are pouring in for the Reiners
Tributes for the Reiners have been pouring in across Hollywood and beyond.
Relatives of Norman Lear, the legendary producer who died in 2023, released a statement about Lear’s relationship with Rob Reiner.
“Norman often referred to Rob as a son, and their close relationship was extraordinary, to us and the world,” the statement said. “Norman would have wanted to remind us that Rob and Michele spent every breath trying to make this country a better place, and they pursued that through their art, their activism, their philanthropy, and their love for family and friends.”
The Obama family released a tribute praising the couple’s art and advocacy work.
Michelle and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rob Reiner and his beloved wife, Michele. Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen. But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of…
“Together, he and his wife lived lives defined by purpose,” Barack Obama’s statement said. “They will be remembered for the values they championed and the countless people they inspired.”
Kathy Bates, who starred in Misery, the thriller directed by Rob Reiner and based on Stephen King’s writing, released a statement.
She praised the late director as “brilliant and kind” and someone who “fought courageously for his political beliefs.” She also highlighted Singer Reiner‘s photography work, including promotional photographs for Misery.
King posted a tribute on X, calling Reiner a “brilliant filmmaker.”
President Donald Trump criticized for his remarks about Reiner’s death
President Donald Trump wrote a statement about Reiner’s death in a post on Truth Social that has been classified as “incendiary,” “deranged,” and “inappropriate” by reports and critics — including GOP members.
The long-winded statement suggested Reiner and Singer Reiner’s death arose from “Trump derangement syndrome.”
Rep. Don Bacon, R-NE, tells me, regarding the president‘s truth social post about the Reiners being murdered,”I’d expect to hear something like this from a drunk guy at a bar, not the President of the United States. Can the President be presidential?”
