Ellen Pompeo Detained by TSA, Bomb Squad Called Over Sunflower Seeds

Ellen Pompeo, star of Grey's Anatomy, was recently detained by TSA and caused a bomb squad to be called after her bag of organic sunflower seeds from Erewhon triggered a security alarm at the airport. Despite offering to dispose of the seeds, Pompeo was held for nearly an hour until authorities cleared the suspicious packaging, which officials believed contained a chemical that set off the alert. The incident caused her to nearly miss her flight and left her baffled by the extreme security response to such a mundane snack. Pompeo, who describes herself as a nervous flyer, relies on her family—her husband Chris Ivery and their three children—to help calm her during flights, often holding her kids' hands during takeoff. Despite the scare, she continues to travel and now includes essentials like mints, water, and baby wipes on her trips, joking about thoroughly cleaning her airplane seat. The ordeal highlights the unexpected challenges travelers can face with heightened security measures over seemingly harmless items.