Month: June 2020

This bonus episode of the Frotcast is now live on Patreon. To hear it, sign up on Patreon at Patreon.com/Frotcast. I promise, you won’t regret it! Or maybe you will. Hell, I don’t know. Better to just let our talking do the talking.

This week on the Frotcast, ex-film critic, author of Film Critic, and star of Whoop Dreams Laremy Legel rejoins Matt and Vince in the Zoom Frotquarters to discuss Jon Stewart’s new movie Irresistible — starring Steve Carell and Rose Byrne as dueling political consultants who wage proxy war in a small Wisconsin mayoral race. At first we were like “why the hell is this movie called ‘Irresistible?’ But then the title came up at the end, along with some creative typography, and we were all “Oohhh, that’s why it’s called Irresistible.” (Note: it’s not ‘irresistible’ it’s ‘irRESISTible’.)

Anyway, it’s an interesting movie. Most people seemed to hate it. Matt and I mostly liked it. On some level, it’s kind of a good movie masquerading as a bad one for two acts. The third act twist basically saved it in our eyes (shifting it from hopelessly naive neoliberal morality play to a parody of a hopelessly naive neoliberal morality play). Though I suppose I can understand not wanting to wait 40 minutes to start actually enjoying a movie. Also, it is admittedly very Caucasian.

Though on another level, it does seem like a certain subset of the critics who saw it disliked it not for the flawed structure but because it dared utter the taboo that the mainstream Democratic party and MSNBC-adjacent media are not simply the antidote to Donald Trump but individual entities also deserving of criticism. Which some dismiss as “both sidesism,” or whatever. But I still think Irresistible‘s essential message — that our two-party system and corporate media are heavily invested in making the two parties’ fairly similar visions of America seem drastically different — is a valid one. For Christ’s sake, during this pandemic we’ve practically managed to make covering your mouth when you sneeze a political act. If that doesn’t validate the essential message of Irresistible I don’t know what does.

One thing we can all agree on, however, is that Rose Byrne is an absolute gem, and has displayed incredible comedic range since Bridesmaids in a handful of vastly underrated performances.

After all that we discuss Matt getting mistaken for the Jeff Tiedrich, the least-funny #resistance grifter on Twitter (truly an achievement) and whether Alex Jones is actually Dan Carlin’s Wario. We hope you will enjoy! No refunds.

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Decision time is coming for colleges across the country, as coronavirus spread in many states grows wider yet again and the financial realities of fanless games and a damaged football season dawns on university leaders. To that end, Morehouse College became the first Division II school to officially wipe its slate of fall sports clean.

This only includes football and cross country, as the HBCU does not play a full schedule of sports like many other colleges in the Atlanta area. The decision, Morehouse President David A. Thomas said, comes as the school attempts to maintain a safe campus environment for the student body to return to in August.

“Our Maroon Tiger teams travel to other NCAA institutions and cannot compete without breaking from social distancing guidelines still maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” Thomas said. “Sporting events also invite individuals to our campus who will not be subject to the testing and monitoring that we plan to implement for our students, faculty, and staff.”

Previously, individual matchups like the Southern Heritage Classic had been canceled, as well as Division III Bowdoin’s full fall calendar. Morehouse has more name recognition than any of these schools, and it will be interesting to see if this decision leads to a domino effect among other universities that are trying to figure out the best way to go forward amid the pandemic.

Aside from being partially responsible for one of the year’s finest albums so far (RTJ4), El-P is also a generous Twitter user. It’s far from uncommon to see him take time to answer questions his fans ask him, and his responses often contain interesting insight. For example, around the release of the new Run The Jewels album, he held an impromptu Q&A and shared some great trivia about the record. Now he has again offered some great info via Twitter, this time revealing how he and Killer Mike came to form Run The Jewels.

He began with a neat tidbit about the duo’s self-titled debut album, writing, “fun fact: the song run the jewels off the album run the jewels was the first run the jewels song ever made.” A fan then asked, “Was the song or group named first?” El-P responded, “the group name was first. true story: originally i was going to call my solo follow up to cancer for cure ‘run the jewels’.”

Another user asked, “How much of this did you guys seriously conceptualize from the start? Like was it gonna just be a couple songs and done, one full album?” El-P answered, “it was originally going to be an el-p project but mike came to hang and the rest is history. by the time we got to 6 jams we knew it had to be an album.”

In that same series of tweets, somebody asked, “what artist or group would you like to collab with next that you’ve never worked with before?” El-P responded by naming three big-timers: Missy Elliott, M.I.A., and Jay-Z.

Read our review of RTJ4 here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

When you think about human rights, it’s impossible to disagree that all people are entitled to life, liberty, and the ability to express themselves freely. These are truths that many of us grew up believing. And yet it may surprise you that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone document created by the United Nations, which enshrines these rights and more, is only 72 years old.

Since founded 75 years ago to preserve the worth and dignity of all human beings, the United Nations has achieved an unprecedented number of human rights victories. According to new data shared by the organization, every one of the UN’s now 193 member states have ratified at least one human rights treaty — 80 percent have ratified at least four. But the leadership in uplifting human rights goes beyond laws, treaties, and agreements.

Human rights victories have snowballed over the past 75 years — creating a huge wave of change. Here are a few of the significant human rights milestones that the United Nations and its member countries have achieved:

Between 1946 and 1986: Regional human rights frameworks were created and adopted in the Americas, Africa, and Europe for the first time.

1965: The United Nations created and adopted the first of its human rights treaties, which are dedicated to bringing an end to discrimination and violence on the conditions of race, culture, and political beliefs. Today, nine core human rights treaties are in force.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

1979: The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was adopted by the UN. Often dubbed the international bill of rights for women, this document both defined the conditions of gender-based discrimination and bound the areas that promote gender equality.

1993: The United Nations established the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to promote and protect human rights.

2002: The International Criminal Court, the first-ever worldwide court dedicated to investigating and ending crimes against humanity, was founded.

2006: The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was established to promote and protect human rights around the world. It has endorsed a number of resolutions including one on human rights and climate change.

2011: UNHRC adopted the first United Nations resolution on sexual orientation and gender identity – placing the rights of the LGBTI community on the international agenda.

2015: The 2030 Agenda and the SDGs emphasize the responsibilities of member states to respect, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.

Wikimedia/Marco Carrasco

Yet, the international community has fallen short many times. The current pandemic has not only threatened the health of the world’s population, but has exacerbated existing threats to marginalized communities — including racism, discrimination, and disparity in access to health care — while introducing new ones. Wars, violence, and persecution have forced 70 million people to flee their homes. Refugees, migrants, and asylum-seekers searching for safety are instead often met with prejudice or xenophobia. And anger at the injustice and pain of longstanding systemic racism has triggered mass social movements, including Black Lives Matter in the United States and beyond.

For these reasons and many others, the urgent work of the United Nations must continue swiftly. The march for progress can’t stop. And as we move through these uncertain times, the UN will continue to fight towards a brighter, safer, more equitable future for all of us.

You can learn more about the goals by checking out “Voice Our Future” — an immersive and interactive reality experience exploring the then, now, and next of some of the most critical challenges of our times. You can also further the reach of your voice by taking the one-minute survey to help inform the UN’s thinking and priorities.

The PS4’s days are numbered now that we know the PlayStation 5 will hit shelves and entertainment centers later this fall, but it’s certainly going out with a bang thanks to The Last Of Us 2. The highly-anticipated sequel to the Neil Druckmann classic officially went on sale last week and has been one of the fastest-selling games in the console’s history.

Sony announced on Friday that The Last Of Us 2 was the fastest-selling PS4 exclusive title in history, with more than 4 million copies sold as of June 21. That means it hit the 4 million mark in just three days, easily eclipsing the pace of other PS4 exclusives like God of War (3.1 million) and 2018’s Spider-Man (3.3 million) over the same mark.

“We are so immensely grateful to the millions of fans around the world that have played The Last of Us Part II and shared their experiences with us over the last week. We set out to tell a new kind of story, one that deals with difficult themes and would challenge you in unexpected ways,” Druckmann said according to the Sony blog. “Hearing how the experience has resonated with so many of you and witnessing the type of thoughtful discussions it has sparked has been so incredible.”

The sequel to 2013’s The Last Of Us took years to develop and saw some significant delays, but the way appeared to be well worth it. The first game sold 1.3 million copies in its first week, but plenty of buzz and rave reviews for the sequel saw it smash that mark to sell more than 4 million copies in its first few days of release.

Bay Area rapper Rexx Life Raj brings big business advice to his “Stimulus Check” video as he cruises the nighttime streets of his home city solo, detailing the ins-and-outs of independent hustle. Raj reels off rapid-fire bars throughout the song. explaining how his direct marketing strategy has paid off in the past few years. “Off a government dividend / Jugglin’, flippin’ it, double and triple it / I got on top of the game when I finally cut out all the middlemen,” he boasts on the high-speed hook.

That commitment to making his own way in the game has led to some standout moments in 2019, as he released his most successful project to date, Father Figure 3: Somewhere Out There, as well as racking up guest appearances with and from Russ, Kenny Beats, and Kehlani — all without the assistance of a major label.

The freedom of being independent also allows Raj to release new music at a faster clip than many of his contemporaries. In the past month alone, he’s released videos for “Thank You (4:18),” “Bittersweet,” and “War” — all of which are brand new since the release of Father Figure 3. Raj is on a mission to prove that indie rappers can win too, and he’s making plenty of headway in a hurry.

Watch Rexx Life Raj’s “Stimulus Check” video above.

As late-night talk shows continue to film in quarantine, many are asking musical guests to give at-home performances of their music. Charlie Puth joined James Corden virtually on The Late Late Show to give a stripped-down rendition of his latest single, “Girlfriend.” Along with performing the single, Puth talked about his upcoming music and detailed his indelible experience working with the legendary Elton John.

As Puth readied himself to perform “Girlfriend,” the singer revealed he was about to play at a piano that was recently signed by Elton John. The musician had arrived at Puth’s home months ago to work on music, and Puth was blown away by John’s talent. Puth even told Corden that John recorded their entire song in just one take:

“Before lockdown, we met at a restaurant — the maître d’ introduced us — at this place called Craig’s in LA. I walked over and I was just excited to meet Elton. He said, ‘We should write.’ And when I hear that I think, ‘Okay, yeah. You’re very busy, I’m very busy. That’ll probably never happen. The next day, I get an email from him saying, ‘I could come over next week.’ And he did. It was pretty surreal having Elton John in my house because my parents were also home as well. Everybody was pretty much drooling. The first thing he said to me was, he sits down at my piano in my studio, and he says, ‘You and I write very differently. I’m given lyrics, then I write the song. Charlie, you make the music first and then you write the lyrics. So I don’t know if we’re going to be able to come up with anything, but let’s try.’ And he sits down and plays the entire song that we wrote, it’s three minutes and three seconds. He plays the entire thing first take, didn’t do any more takes. He records the entire thing and he’s like, ‘How about that?’”

Watch Puth sing “Girlfriend” on The Late Late Show above.

Episodes of 30 Rock and Scrubs with “actors in race-changing makeup” were pulled from streaming services and reruns earlier this week, and now Netflix has removed the “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” episode of Community where Chang paints his face black to play Dungeons & Dragons as a “dark elf or a drow.” The streaming service has also quietly uploaded an edited version of The Office season nine episode “Dwight Christmas” to replace the scene in which Dunder Mifflin warehouse worker Nate (played by What We Do in the Shadows standout Mark Proksch) can be seen in blackface.

In the episode, Dwight tells his co-workers about German gift-bringer Belsnickel, who Oscar discovers has a partner named Zwarte Piet, or Black Peter, “a slave boy often portrayed in colorful pantaloons and blackface.” After Stanley responds with understandable disgust, Dwight replies, “Oh, come on. We don’t blindly stick to every outmoded aspect of our traditions. Come on, get with the spirit of it, you guys.” He then texts/warns Nate, dressed as “Black Peter,” who hurries back to his car before anyone can see him. Dwight talking about Belsnickel remains; Nate in blackface is now gone:

The old version of Episode 909, titled “Dwight Christmas,” has been replaced by the new cut on Netflix — The Office’s streaming home until 2021, when the show moves over to NBCUniversal’s Peacock — and other streaming platforms where it is available for purchase. The new cut is also replacing the original for its syndication airings on Comedy Central and other channels.

“The Office is about a group of people trying to work together with mutual respect despite the inappropriate actions of their boss and assistant manager,” The Office co-creator Greg Daniels said in a statement. “The show employed satire to expose unacceptable behavior and deliver a message of inclusion. Today we cut a shot of an actor wearing blackface that was used to criticize a specific racist European practice. Blackface is unacceptable and making the point so graphically is hurtful and wrong. I am sorry for the pain that caused.” At least no one saw the original scene, because no one has actually watched the Michael Scott-less ninth season of The Office.

(Via the Wrap)

While Marvel fans can’t wait to see Chiwetel Ejiofor return as Baron Mordo in the sequel to Doctor Strange (which is gonna be awhile), the actor will appear in another piece of comic book fare when The Old Guard arrives in July. Obviously, the Netflix Original will be a much different experience than the CGI-heavy Marvel movie with its sorcerer battles and ancient demons, but Ejiofor tells Comic Book that the characters are what truly separates Doctor Strange and The Old Guard, which focuses on a team of immortal warriors led by Charlize Theron.

“These characters have a different set of attractions for me, I guess,” he said. “And there’s something about this that’s very, kind of, it’s very grounded. These are people who aren’t, who don’t celebrate their gifts at all. You know, that actually their immortality they carry as a kind of burden, which is quite an interesting way into this, into the story.”

Unlike Baron Mordo in Doctor Strange, Ejiofor’s Old Guard character isn’t defined by a strict code, which allows him to be more multi-faceted.

“My character, Copley, is very, he’s complex,” Ejiofor said. “I have a great deal of empathy for the character, you know, because of what he has gone through, but he’s obviously crossing all of these moral and ethical lines in the way that he is behaving and what he’s getting drawn into.”

Here’s the official synopsis:

Led by a warrior named Andy (Charlize Theron), a covert group of tight-knit mercenaries with a mysterious inability to die have fought to protect the mortal world for centuries. But when the team is recruited to take on an emergency mission and their extraordinary abilities are suddenly exposed, it’s up to Andy and Nile (KiKi Layne), the newest soldier to join their ranks, to help the group eliminate the threat of those who seek to replicate and monetize their power by any means necessary. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Greg Rucka and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, THE OLD GUARD is a gritty, grounded, action-packed story that shows living forever is harder than it looks.

The Old Guard hits Netflix on July 10.

(Via Comic Book)

The killing of George Floyd by police in Minnesota has sparked a cascade of responses in America, starting with massive protests against police brutality and a renewed effort for civil rights for Black and Brown people in the United States. One of those major efforts is seeing police actually prosecuted for their wrongdoings, starting with the man who killed Floyd and the officers who did nothing (while Floyd had a knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes).

The man in charge of that case is Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison, who many have publicly pleaded with to convict the officers to the fullest of his abilities. Hasan Minhaj did just that on Patriot Act earlier this month, directly addressing the prosecutor because, in his words, he knew he was watching the show.

And it turns out he was, which is why (on Friday) Netflix released a full interview between the two from the Minnesota AG’s office about the case and the Second Civil Rights Movement in America. The video begins with Minhaj’s initial plea and a brief explanation of what happened: Ellison and his wife were watching the show, which he says he’s a big fan of, and he was shocked when the comedian directly addressed him. It was his wife and a number of other people who reached out to Minhaj at Ellison’s request that apparently made it all happen.

With that out of the way Minhaj starts hot, asking directly if the police are going to jail for “40 years or more” for killing Floyd.

“I don’t know,” Ellison said. “And I can’t say.”

From there, though, they talk about the complexities of the case, including Ellison’s decision to file increased charges against Derek Chauvin and the other three officers. The half-hour interview also covers Ellison’s personal experience with police brutality as a Black man in America and his perspective on pleas for police reform from U.S. protesters. The episode is intense, as are the circumstances in the highly public case that will be watched worldwide as it moves forward. But it’s as much insight as we’ve seen into what’s become the biggest murder case in America and a symbolic measure of justice in a world that’s hopefully changing for the better.