The advent of the smartphone has given everyone the ability to document acts of discrimination. Now, it seems like there’s a new story every week of a black person being harassed by white people for simply going about their day.

In the recent case of Ahmaud Arbery, simply jogging through the wrong neighborhood led to his death.

Travis Miller, 43, a black man who delivers furniture and appliances was held against his will in a private housing development in Oklahoma Metro City, Oklahoma on Monday, May 11. After the delivery, Miller and a co-worker, attempted to exit development when they were stopped by a white man who identified himself as David Stewart, a board member of the Home Owners Association.

---

Stewart parked his white Subaru in front of Miller’s truck so he couldn’t leave. So Miller documented the interaction from the seat of his truck.

Black Truck Driver held up and blocked in by White Homeowner Association President in Oklahoma

www.youtube.com

“I’m trying to leave, and I got Super Neighbor over here blocking me in, so I’m going live,” Mr. Miller said at the beginning of the video. “This is what I’m dealing with right now.”

“Got me blocked in so I can’t leave,” Miller continued. “I want to know where you’re going?” Stewart replied.

“It’s none of your business, Miller said. “I’m going out. That’s where I’m going.”

Miller told Stewart a resident gave him the gate code so he clearly had reason to be in the complex. Without a code, he never could have entered.

About 15 minutes into the standoff, Stewart returned with another white man who continued to pepper Miller with questions. Both Miller and Stewart reported the incident to the police and sat in a standoff while awaiting their arrival.

Eventually, the customer Miller delivered the package to spoke with Stewart, and he called the police and told them the situation had been resolved. But Miller was still hesitant to leave the complex.

“He said that he called the cops back and let them know that everything was clear but I didn’t want to leave and have it seem like I was fleeing the scene or anything like that,” Miller said to dispatch.

via YouTube

Miller posted the video to Facebook where it has been viewed over 600,000 times. Many of the commentators believe that the residents’ actions were racially motivated.

“I think things would have gone differently if I was white,” Miller said according to the New York Times. “His issue was with the people inside the truck.”

Miller’s wife agrees. “What my husband went through Monday was some scary, unnecessary, blatant racism, but the outpouring of love and support has been overwhelming,” LaShawn Miller, said in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Miller also filed a police report on Saturday, according to Capt. Larry Withrow, a spokesman for the Oklahoma City Police Department.

The video is another example of black people being harassed while simply going about their daily lives. It’s also a tribute to Miller who stays relatively calm during the entire interaction. A major reason is probably because as a black man right now—any threat of physical intimidation or outrage—could immediately have jeopardized his very existence, to say nothing of his personal liberties.

“I knew if I get out this truck, no matter what happened, I would have been in the wrong,” he said. “I always say to myself, ‘I’m going to go home to my wife and my kids.'”

---

View Entire Post ›

Tonight, in the With Spandex WWE Raw open discussion thread:

Last week, Billie Kay & Peyton Royce made their return to Monday nights, crashing “A Moment of Bliss,” then defeating WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross in a non-title match.

Now, The IIconics will get their chance at reclaiming the titles tonight. Can Bliss & Cross fend off their challengers, or will Kay & Royce make Mondays IIconic with a championship win? (via WWE.com)

We need to fix the slumping ratings on Raw. How can we do that? Why, with more appearances from KING CORBIN, of course. In addition to the Women’s Tag Team Championship match, King Baron Constable will take on WWE Champion Drew McIntyre as part of the “brand to brand invitation.” Also, the Street Profits are facing The Viking Raiders in a sequel to last week’s basketball game: an axe-throwing contest, which I hope the Profits pretend to be bad at, only to reveal they’re actually axe EXPERTS. Axperts. Whatever.

As always, +1 your favorite comments from tonight’s open thread and give them a thumbs up and we’ll include 10 of the best in tomorrow’s Best and Worst of Raw column. Make sure to flip your comments to “newest” in the drop down menu under “discussion,” and enjoy the show!

Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld recently called out Marvel Studios for having “zero” plans for Deadpool 3. According to Liefeld, these remarks did not go over well with Deadpool fans, who angrily turned his social media accounts into a “dumpster fire,” so the longtime comics creator sat down with io9 to hopefully clarify where he’s coming from while also doubling down on his opinion that a third Deadpool is a long ways off:

“Do I know that there is no movement on a Deadpool 3 right now? I know that. Yes,” Liefeld told io9. “And does that worry me? No. Not at all. What I did was I answered a question honestly. And what I learned this week is just lie. Just tell people everything is lollipop and unicorns and rainbows and you’ll be better off in your life because people want to be lied to. Just because some guy goes, ‘Yeah, We’re still moving along’ that’s code for ‘There’s nothing to see here.’”

As Liefeld goes on to claim, fans should be mad at Marvel Studios, not him, if a film doesn’t materialize. And Liefeld is confident that will be the case because he says he’s seen Marvel’s schedule for the next five years, and it notably doesn’t include his foul-mouthed creation. “Regardless of whatever inside perspective I may have, what I do know is that until a movie is put on a schedule, it’s not taken seriously.”

While Liefeld says his main concern is that Marvel is letting fan interest in Deadpool “dissipate” by not treating the property as a priority, he does freely admit that he has a financial stake in seeing a third film get made. Although, he says that’s irrelevant because he already has a steady revenue stream from Deadpool merch and the recent collaboration with Fortnite. “I already get paid,” Liefeld says. “If you make this movie [or not], I’m getting a fat check.”

(Via io9)

Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber retaliated against Tekashi 69’s accusations that their “Stuck With U” collaboration was cheated to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with a pair of Instagram posts both thanking their fans for supporting them and censuring Tekashi for promoting his conspiracy theories for why his single, “Gooba,” came in No. 3 behind their “Stuck With U” collaboration and Doja Cat’s “Say So” remix with Nicki Minaj.

Tekashi lashed out over the weekend as sales projections rolled in, criticizing Def Jam for submitting 60,000 units at the eleventh hour with an autographed CD bundle. While his complaint sounded similar to other worries from the likes of Nicki Minaj and DJ Khaled when their own projects fell short of expectations in prior years, Ariana and Justin both pointed out that the 60,000 units were obtained completely above-board, with Justin advising that the numbers were withheld because of an overall strategy by the label.

They both also noted that Tekashi’s main point, hinging on the fact his song out-streamed theirs, didn’t hold up because he counted total streams while the Hot 100 is a domestic chart only. Bieber also outright refuted Tekashi’s claim that a large chunk of those streams was bought with just six credit cards, reminding the rainbow-haired rapper that Nielsen doesn’t count more than four streams from any single card.

It seems that Tekashi isn’t just rubbing rap fans the wrong now — he’s even pulled pop fans into his cyclone of attention-seeking antics. However, despite his best efforts, this week’s Billboard numbers stand as proof that no star can get very far on drama alone.

Read Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber’s responses above.

---

View Entire Post ›

Besides Jack Daniel’s, Tennessee whiskey is almost criminally overlooked. It’s a shame, too, because the state is rich with mellow, often-sweet, slow sipping whiskeys, perfect for cocktails or over ice. Much of the credit for the refined, smooth nature of these expressions is due to the Lincoln County Process’s famed charcoal filtering — plus a mash bill that commonly resembles bourbon.

Most Tennesee distilleries choose not to highlight any bourbon commonalities, but the connection is obvious. Still, this is no copycat spirit. As our own Zach Johnston says:

The Lincoln County Process is a step between distillation and aging wherein the white dog (raw, unaged whiskey) passes through charcoal made specifically from sugar maple wood. This adds a layer of refinement to the proto-whiskey that sets it apart and elevates it. Think of it this way, great gins and vodkas live or die by their filtration before they go in the bottle. So why then wouldn’t the same be true of of a corn-based distillate?

Hear that? “Sets it apart” and “elevates it” — makes you curious, right?

So what are the best Tennessee whiskeys to try this month? To help you find some new faves, we asked some of our most beloved bartenders to point us to their picks for late Spring/ early Summer 2020.

George Dickel Barrel Select

Danielle Becker, bartender at the Aspen Meadows Resort in Aspen, Colorado

George Dickel Barrel Select is a can’t miss Tennessee whiskey. It’s perfect. It’s a prime example of good southern whiskey: perfect caramel, perfect heat, perfect spice. I love this whiskey.

Benjamin Prichard’s Tennessee Whiskey

Jason Strich, bar director at Manresa Restaurant in Los Gatos, California

Benjamin Prichard’s Tennessee Whiskey, it has always been a bottle of well-made whiskey. It’s aged in heavily charred barrels, resulting in a complex whiskey with a great mix of spice and sweetness.

George Dickel No. 12

Hayden Miller, head bartender at Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in Miami

For a straight sour mash, I can never argue with a pour of the George Dickel No. 12. The flavor is palatable on its own but can still come through if you prefer a highball. Not that Dickel is an entirely new name for Tennessee whiskey, but my immediate thought is to also recommend their rye which packs a nice punch of flavor.

Belle Meade Bourbon

Juyoung Kang, lead bartender at The Dorsey in The Venetian in Las Vegas

Belle Meade, they make bourbon in Tennessee, but they have not made Tennessee style whiskey until now. They make good whiskey so I’m sure they did their state proud to finally produce a Tennessee style whiskey. Plus, they’re aging their bourbon in sherry butts, which is pretty awesome.

Fugitives Tennessee Whiskey

Ellen Talbot, lead bartender at Fable Lounge in Nashville

Fugitives Tennessee Whiskey is made with local, Tennessee-grown corn and provides a velvety mouthfeel with notes of cinnamon and honey. It’s local and perfect for slow sipping or mixed into your cocktail of choice.

George Dickel Bottle In Bond

Matt Shields, bartender at The Bay Restaurant in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

George Dickel Bottled In Bonds is a solid Tennessee Whiskey. I’d say one of the best on the market, though my taste buds normally lean in the bourbon category. Bottled in Bond has the heat to counteract the sweet that comes with the Tennessee whiskey flavor.

Jack Daniel’s Barrel Select

Wesley MacDonald, owner of Caña Bar and Kitchen in Curaçao

Besides George Dickel and Jack Daniels, I am not familiar with any Tennessee whiskeys. If I would go look for some, I would research the mash bill and look for my desired flavor profile. A bit higher proof never harms either. As of now, if I was going to pick one, it would be Jack Daniel’s Barrel Select. Full of oak sweetness, vanilla, and Christmas spices, you’ll want to spend a long time sipping this offering.

Uncle Nearest 1884

Melissa Carroll, bartender at Fisk and Co in Chicago

Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch is a fantastic way to celebrate history and good whiskey. A bottle that not only represents the best of Tennessee whiskey, with a clear flavor of its own sugar maple filtration process, it is also something that many people don’t know about yet. Why not respect the legacy of Nearest Green, the first African American distiller on record in the United States.

George Dickel Classic No. 8

Blake Jones, bartender and director of beverage at The Kennedy in Pensacola, Florida

They’re all pretty well known at this point, but George Dickel Classic No. 8 is pretty great. It’s the most famous offering from the distillery for a reason. It’s one of those classic sipping whiskeys you expect from Tennessee.

Writer’s Pick: Nelson’s Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey

For years, the only Tennessee whiskey names most of us knew were George and Jack. A few years ago, the Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery was reopened 100 years after it closed in 1909. Since then, brothers Charlie and Andy Nelson have been cranking out amazing, high-quality whiskeys. This includes their flagship Tennessee Whiskey. It’s sugar maple charcoal filtered and aged in new charred American oak casks. The result is an ultra-smooth whiskey with hints of caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, with a subtle hint of Christmas spices.

If nothing below suits your sensibilities, check out our guide to What You Should Watch On Streaming Right Now.

Stargirl (DC) — Fans had to wait an extra week for the premiere of this new TV series set in DC’s extended universe but it was worth it. The series follows a high school sophomore named Courtney Whitmore who moves to a small town in Nebraska, discovers a powerful weapon called the Cosmic Staff, and leads a group of unlikely heroes against villains of the past, eventually forming the New Justice Society of America. If you’re a DC subscriber you can stream the show now, if not, you’ll have to wait until it airs tomorrow night on the CW. Either way, watch it.

Roswell, New Mexico (CW, 9:00 p.m.) — Cameron offers Liz some advice when Arturo gets detained while Alex, Isobel, Max, Michael, and Maria head to the reservation where Alex’s mother grew up after uncovering a cryptic message from the past.

Look, we know pickings are slim right now, but if none of the listings here look appetizing, might we suggest some killer streaming shows?

The Last Kingdom (Netflix) — This action-packed period drama just returned for a fourth season on Netflix. It’s full of Viking invasions, bloodshed, political intrigue, and fur porn — seriously, every hookup involves fur.

Dead To Me (Netflix) — Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini return to cover up another murder (and deliver some cliff-hanger-heavy drama) in the show’s second season, out now. You should probably crack open a bottle of wine before bingeing though because these women can drink and you’ll want to keep up.

The Great (Hulu) — Wigs, vodka, and royal coups. That’s really all you need to know about this show from The Favourite writer Tony McNamara. Want more? It’s got Elle Fanning playing a freshly-crowned queen intent on killing her husband, a Russian tyrant played with delicious humor by Nicholas Hoult.

Considering “motherf**ker” is practically his catchphrase, you’d just assume that Samuel L. Jackson would be the reigning champ when it comes to actors peppering their roles with profanity. But thanks to the very surprising results from a recent study, it turns out the Pulp Fiction star just narrowly missed the top spot after being beat by… Jonah Hill?

According to an exhaustive report from Buzz Bingo, Hill’s role in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street is what helped him beat Jackson. The movie starring Hill and Leonardo DiCaprio as greedy stockbrokers in the 1980s boasted over 715 profanities, which made it the most profane film followed by Uncut Gems with 646 expletives, and Casino with 606.

Granted, DiCaprio dropped more swear words than Hill when the two appeared on-screen together in Wolf of Wall Street, but Hill had the most swear words per line and coupled with his past roles in films like Superbad, that was enough to put him over the top. Via Variety:

According to the study, Hill has spewed 376 swear words throughout his career, barely beating his “Wolf of Wall Street” co-star Leonardo DiCaprio, who has amassed 361 curses. The rest of the list includes Samuel L. Jackson, Sandler, Al Pacino, Denzel Washington, Billy Bob Thornton, Seth Rogen, Bradley Cooper and Danny McBride.

After hearing about his new status as the most swearing-est actor in Hollywood, Hill paid homage to Jackson in an Instagram post while mocking the study that’s only just now crediting him for his role in the Wolf of Wall Street that’s over seven years old.

“So many people to thank,” Hill wrote. “@martinscorsese_ thanks for pushing me over the edge. And of course the great @samuelljackson . Humbled . (Also “new report”? Lol what team of scientists cracked this one?). Lots of love ”

(Via Variety)

Ever since Nicki Minaj popped up on rap blogs over a decade ago, she’s drawn comparisons to her predecessor Lil Kim. However, over time, she’s built her own formidable legacy, as well as a zealous fanbase of Barbz who will often go way out of their way to defend it. Combined with her much-publicized feud with Kim as Nicki came into her own and Nicki’s tendency to rewrite her own history on the fly, it’s reached the point that even the insinuation that Nicki could have been influenced or inspired by Kim draws vigorous attacks from the Barbz — even in the face of facts and evidence to the contrary.

The latest example is the Barbz’s reactions to R&B star Usher’s recent interview with Swizz Beats, the founder and the curator of the ongoing Verzuz Instagram series of “hits battles.” When Swizz asked for Usher’s impression of a fan push to feature Nicki and Kim on Verzuz, Usher seemed skeptical that it would be a fair battle, considering Kim’s impact on so much of Nicki’s music and style. “Nicki is a product of Lil Kim,” Usher said. That was all it took to spark a backlash from Nicki Minaj fans, who immediately set about comparing Nicki’s accomplishments to Kim’s — free of historical context, naturally.

Nicki fans were quick to point out Usher’s connection to Nicki over the course of the past few years, as Nicki had featured on some of Usher’s own hits. They also lashed out at Lil Kim for not having a major hit in recent years. However, some fans readily defended both Kim and Usher’s comments, pointing out the many ways Nicki has paid homage to Kim in the past, despite their differences.

One thing is for sure: If the two women ever were to agree to a hits battle, the results wouldn’t be as cut-and-dried as fans of either seem to think — and would seemingly depend most on which side of their generational gap an observer stood upon.

Check out some of the Barbz’s reactions to Usher’s comparison above.