Tom Hanks Gifts Rare Typewriter to South Philly Shop

Tom Hanks, who just gifted a rare typewriter to a South Philadelphia typewriter shop (Getty Images)

Check phillymag.com each morning for the latest edition of Philly Today. And if you have a news tip for our hardworking Philly Mag reporters, please send it here.

Tom Hanks Gifts Rare Typewriter to South Philly Typewriter Shop

I love typewriters. I have five working models in my home. But Tom Hanks really loves typewriters. He’s obsessed with them. He wrote a book about said obsession. The man owns something like 250 typewriters. Actually, make that 249.

Hanks just gifted a rare typewriter to a South Philly typewriter shop. And the owners aren’t sticking it in some case never to be touched. You can walk in during regular business hours and type a letter to someone you love on the Tom Hanks typewriter.

Alicia Vitarelli of 6ABC has more on the unique gift:

I’m always looking for off-the-beaten-path things to do with friends visiting from out of town. And I’m definitely adding a stop at the Tom Hanks typewriter to the list.

Bam Margera Is In Trouble. Again.

Former Jackass co-star Bam Margera, who lives in West Chester, has had a tough run of things in recent years. Rehab. A custody battle. A major falling out with his former Jackass pals. Hospitalization due to COVID. Two arrests in March. And now, Pennsylvania State Police have issued an arrest warrant for Margera after he allegedly punched his brother before fleeing into the woods outside his home. Charges include simple assault, terroristic threats and harassment.

What Does the Tucker Carlson Mess Have to Do With Philadelphia?

Absolutely nothing. Except that the Inquirer is floating the theory that Philadelphia native Jesse Watters could replace Carlson. Watters has been with Fox News since at least the early 2000s and has been at the center of controversy himself thanks to sexist and lunatic fringe comments he’s made. So he might just make for the perfect Tucker Carlson replacement.

Political Movements

People, I have some very, very good news for you. The primary that we’ve been talking about for way too long is now just three weeks away. May 1st (that’s this coming Monday!) is the last day to register to vote. It’s also the last day to switch parties, keeping in mind that Pennsylvania has closed primaries and you can only vote for a candidate within the party to which you are registered.

Are you still undecided in the race for mayor? Billy Penn just launched a novel “political matchmaking quiz.” You answer a bunch of questions and the quiz helps you narrow down the choices by comparing your answers with what we know about each candidate. You can take the quiz here.

I didn’t have the willpower to wade through all 52 questions. But my colleague did, and it gave them the answer they expected: Their top two choices are Rebecca Rhynhart and Helen Gym. What they didn’t expect: Their third choice is James DeLeon. Also unexpected: They matched better with Amen Brown than with Cherelle Parker. Hmmm.

The Inquirer makes a compelling case that the whole new Sixers arena thing could come down to one person. And it’s not whoever the next mayor is going to be. It’s City Councilmember Mark Squilla.

As a reminder, you can watch tonight’s 6ABC mayoral debate live, should you have the stomach for it.

By the Numbers

81%: Temple University faculty union members who issued a no-confidence vote against university leaders in light of the recent strikes and crime issues on and near campus.

12: Philadelphia-area Bed Bath & Beyond stores set to close as the company declares bankruptcy. Guess I better use that stack of coupons real soon.

50%: Votes Rebecca Rhynhart has received as of press time in a thoroughly unscientific online poll designed to see who might win the race for mayor if we employed a ranked-voting system, which we probably should. She’s the front-runner, followed by Helen Gym and then Allan Domb. Again, thoroughly unscientific. But interesting.

And from the Please-Hold Sports Desk …

Nothing happened hereabouts yesterday, so we put together a reading list to help you while away the hours. First up: from the Wall Street Journal, Robert O’Connell on the major impact Kentucky hoops coach John Calipari’s ex-players are having in the playoffs, featuring Tyrese Maxey.

If somehow, miraculously, you’re not sick to death of Aaron Rodgers, here’s news about his trade yesterday to the Jets.

Closer to home, Mikael Uhre’s hat trick for the Union on Saturday earned him MLS Player of the Week honors.

And ESPN reported on how Bryce Harper talked Trea Turner into a Phils uniform.

'You'd look great in a Phillies uniform': How Bryce Harper did (and didn't) recruit Trea Turner to Philly https://t.co/gcdL51iGh6

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) April 24, 2023

By the time you read all that, the Fightin’s will be suiting up for their game against the Mariners tonight at 6:40. Also tonight, another matchup between the Hawks and the Celtics, one of whom will be the Sixers’ next playoff opponent: 7:30 tip-off! Speaking of which:

Tired: Sixers choose Simmons & Tobias Harris over Jimmy Butler

Wired: Sixers traded Ben Simmons for James Harden & Tobias Harris hoopin in the playoffs

INSPIRED: We let Jimmy go knowing he’d take care of Giannis & the Bucks to make our path of achieving our ultimate goal easier

— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) April 25, 2023

All Philly Today Sports Desk coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.