Frank Sinatra

Bettmann Archive
New non-fiction podcast hosted by John Stamos premieres July 27th

A new podcast that investigates the kidnapping of Frank Sinatra, Jr., released its first trailer on Monday.

Snatching Sinatra, hosted by actor and longtime Frank Sinatra enthusiast John Stamos, features extended interviews with Barry Keenan, the man who chose to hatch a plot to kidnap Frank Sinatra’s son in 1963. Keenan will open up about the mental illness and alcoholism that he struggled with at the time, his motivations for the kidnapping, and the strategy that he and his co-conspirators came up with for kidnapping Sinatra in Lake Tahoe.

“It was very surreal, knowing that I was the most wanted person in the country,” Keenan recalls in the trailer.

Snatching Sinatra is produced by Spoke Media in collaboration with Wondery. The podcast series will premiere widely on July 27th on podcast platforms, but the entire series will be available early and ad-free starting July 12th via the Wondery app for Wondery+ subscribers.

PETA has called on Cage The Elephant to temporarily change their name ahead of their upcoming NFL halftime performance in Munich later this week.

The band are scheduled to perform during the New England Patriots vs. Detroit Lions game this Sunday (November 15).

Ahead of the show, PETA has asked Cage The Elephant to change their name across their social media accounts to Free The Elephant for one week.

According to a press release from the animal rights group, an elephant named Okha “has spent most of her life forced to perform in the circus under the threat of punishment”. The organisation is now seeking support to “help retire her to a reputable sanctuary”.

PETA also alleges that Okha is “currently being hauled around in a trailer with an exhibitor, Brian Franzen”, who supposedly “has a history of felony cruelty to animals charges” and “was caught on camera yanking and striking an elephant with a bullhook”.

In a letter addressed to Cage The Elephant, PETA wrote: “There ain’t no rest for Okha. We think you’d agree that she deserves the chance to spend her remaining years in peace with care, dignity, and respect.

 

“Lending a rendition of your iconic name for a short while could… help us come a little closer to ending animal cruelty in circuses.”

PETA added that it has already held more than “30 demonstrations on Okha’s behalf, contacted venues hosting animal acts, and rallied tens of thousands of supporters to call for her retirement”.

The group is also asking the public to “call on venues to stop hosting circuses that use animals and help retire Okha to a reputable sanctuary where she could roam expansive habitats, forage, receive expert veterinary care, and have the companionship of other elephants”.

Cage The Elephant have not yet made a public statement about the request, and NME has reached out to the band for a response. Franzen has also not issued a public response to the allegations made by PETA.

The request follows a previous approach by PETA to Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, asking him to temporarily adopt the name ‘Robert Plant Wool’ to help promote alternatives to sheep’s wool.

PETA has also previously urged Nintendo to redesign the popular Mario Kart World character Cow, claiming that its current appearance encourages animal cruelty.

Meanwhile, Cage The Elephant recently revealed details of their upcoming album ‘Dying In Reverse’, which is set to arrive on February 5, 2027, through Big Loud Rock. Fans can pre-order the record here.

The band are also preparing for a UK and European tour in 2027. You can check out the full list of dates here and find any remaining tickets here.

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