If you have not seen Uncut Gems — which, please stop reading this post and go do that, it rules — a major plot point involves then-Boston Celtics star Kevin Garnett possessing a rare black opal that Adam Sandler, a jeweler in New York City, acquires. About 10,000,000 other, anxiety-inducing things happen (I swear, it’s a good movie), but the general gist is Garnett becomes convinced that his ability to play basketball well in a playoff series is tied to his being in possession of the opal.
The film’s directors, Benny and Josh Safdie, are gigantic basketball fans, and while watching the 2020 NBA Finals, they cannot help but see some parallels between the star of Uncut Gems and Jimmy Butler, who put forth a remarkable effort to will the Miami Heat to a Game 5 win that kept their hopes of a series comeback alive. In fact, after taking some time to chew it over, one of the brothers took to Twitter to declare that Butler has the gem.
Jimmy butler is currently in possession of the gem
The pair are well-documented Knicks fans, so it probably isn’t easy to offer up this level of praise for someone who plays for Pat Riley’s team. But hey, when someone has the opal, it’s hard to deny, and after his 35-point, 12-rebound, 11-assist, five-steal outing on Friday night, something has to be elevating Butler’s game to another level.
Lindsey Graham has a lot to worry about. The South Carolina senator is in danger of losing what was long presumed one of the safest seats in Congress, with his rival, Democrat Jaime Harrison, reducing him to beg for money on Fox News. He’s also under fire for avoiding a COVID-19 test, which could keep him from electing conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. If that weren’t enough, he’s being dragged for recent comments many have perceived as openly racist.
According to The New York Times, Graham appeared at an event that originally was supposed to be a debate until Graham refused to test for the coronavirus, causing Harrison to say he would not share a space with his potentially contagious rival. At one point the subject of race came up, and when asked whether he considers South Carolina a racist state, he said, “No.” He then tried to implore African-Americans to vote for him.
“I am asking every African-American out there, look at my record,” Graham told the crowd. “I care about everybody. If you’re a young African American, an immigrant, you can go anywhere in this state. You just need to be conservative, not liberal.”
Lindsey Graham, facing a Black challenger: “If you’re a young African American…you can go anywhere in this state, you just need to be conservative not liberal.” #SCSenpic.twitter.com/5PfdIoYyJQ
It’s not clear what he was trying to say, or why he thought it was a good idea to say it when he’s already doing so badly in polls. But a lot of people online weren’t having it.
This is open racism by a US Senator. If you are a CEO of a company, do you really want to open a plant or office in a state where the senior Senator tells your Black employees you will be treated equally only if conservative? @LindseyGrahamSC is hurting SC. Vote him out. https://t.co/NOXDtYzFPI
.@LindseyGrahamSC, you said black folks can go anywhere in SC as long as they’re conservative and not liberal. Shameful.
While we’re on this topic, you should know gay people can go anywhere publicly in my state of CA, as long as they’re out and proud, not closeted and afraid.
This is blatant racism. The best thing for the country and the GOP is for @LindseyGrahamSC to be defeated in November. He’s a disappointment and an embarrassment in every way. https://t.co/P4HdsCEh7t
Congrats @LindseyGrahamSC, now The Rebellion is joining this race. @RebellionPac just maxed out to @harrisonjaime, so blacks and immigrants can go anywhere in South Carolina & not have to deal with implicit threats of violence & bigotry Graham uses. Freedom for everyone! #Americahttps://t.co/76cui35Rxx
Harrison weighed in, too, calling Graham “out of touch” and accusing him of prioritizing Barrett’s confirmation, less than a month before Election Day, instead of a stimulus bill to help his ailing constituents. Graham was reportedly in close contact with at least two Republican senators who have tested positive for COVID-19. After Graham refused to get tested, Harrison remarked that he would not “allow politics to put my family, my campaign staff, Senator Graham’s staff, and members of the media at unnecessary risk.”
Using his platform to once again help those in the Black community, Jay-Z has covered the legal fees for Alvin Cole’s mother and other protesters who are arrested during demonstrations in Wisconsin. The protests began after Milwaukee’s district attorney decided against charging police officer Joseph Mensah in the shooting death of 17-year-old Alvin Cole. Back in February, Cole was shot after officers began to pursue the teen through a car park in Wauwatosa. Alvin’s mother, Tracy, and her three daughters, Taleavia, Tristiana and Tahudah, were among the dozens of protesters who were arrested during demonstrations in Wisconsin on October 8.
According CBS News Jay-Z and Team Roc, the social justice branch of Roc Nation, paid an undisclosed amount in fees for Tracy Cole and others arrested at the protests. The protesters were reportedly arrested for violating the city’s 7pm curfew. A spokesperson for Team Roc said Tracy was injured after officers used “excessive force” during the protests. Dania Diaz, the executive director for Team Roc, shared a statement about Tracy’s injuries and the district attorney’s failure “to hold Officer Joseph Mensah accountable”:
Our hearts break for the family of Alvin Cole and the Wauwatosa community. Not only did the District Attorney’s Office fail to hold Officer Joseph Mensah accountable for killing Alvin, but the local police also arrested and injured Alvin’s mother Tracy and his sisters as they peacefully protested alongside Jacob Blake’s father.
After Tory Lanez’s shooting incident involving Megan Thee Stallion in July, Kehlani announced her plans to remove the Canadian rapper’s verse from her sophomore album, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t. The two collaborated on a track entitled “Can I,” for which Kehlani later made a music video without an appearance from Tory. At the time, Kehlani said she would not remove his verse from the original version of It Was Good Until It Wasn’t because “the album came out months ago” and it “doesn’t work like that.” But the Oakland singer has changed her mind.
Fans who play “Can I” will now hear a new verse from Kehlani replacing Tory Lanez’s contribution. Kehlani elaborated on her decision to remove the rapper from her album in an interview with Chicago’s WGCI radio station.
“As someone with a large platform, as someone that people look up to, as a woman that makes other women feel safe and empowered, people were asking me, ‘Are you gonna keep somebody on it who doesn’t necessarily make us feel safe or empowered as a woman?’” she said. “And not only that but, you know, this situation was involving someone that I [am] extremely close to, so I just felt like on some loyal sh*t, and on some do the right thing, you have to be responsible. Absolutely I’m changing up the record.”
You can hear the new verse, which starts at the 1:52 mark, in the video above.
Kehlani is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Whenever Jurassic Park: Dominion resumes filming, and whenever movie theaters reopen, we’ll get to see Jeff Goldblum return to the franchise as sarcastic, doomsday-predicting mathematician Ian Malcolm for more than a last-minute cameo. For now we’ll have to subsist on this: As caught by Entertainment Weekly, the beloved actor and ostentatiously tall man has recreated one of the most popular — and most louche — moments from the first film. And for a good cause!
There are a lot of iconic bits from the original 1993 Jurassic Park: the T-Rex attack, the kitchen hunt, the part where Wayne Knight’s turncoat meets his comeuppance. But one image may outlast them all, at least given its ubiquity on social media: the part halfway through where a wounded but not defeated Malcolm convalesces by lounging shirtless. Goldblum, now a grey fox, recreated the pose and posted it on his Instagram account.
He didn’t do it just ‘cause. It was a reward to fans who went to his Head Count page, pledging that they’ll make sure to vote in the November 3 election. “WOW! Thank you to everyone who used my @HeadCount page to make sure that you’re #GoodToVote!” Goldblum wrote. “Nearly 3,000 of you are ready for this November’s election. Here’s your reward…how time flies.”
It’s not the first time Goldblum has tried to rock the vote. Last month he reunited with Jurassic Park colleagues Sam Neill and Laura Dern to promote National Voters Day. He later teamed with Neill once more to sing a duet. What will he do next? Maybe he can do the scene where he strolls up to a towering pile of dinosaur feces and remarks, “That is one big pile of s*it.”
This month marks ten months since Juice WRLD tragically passed away after a seizure at Chicago’s Midway Airport last December. His death shocked the entertainment world and once again stressed the importance of mental health. To coincide with Saturday’s World Mental Health Day, Juice WRLD’s mother, Carmela Wallace, penned an open letter that she shared with Complex, reflecting on her relationship with her son. She also announced the launch of the Live 999 website, with the goal of helping mothers navigate and aid the mental health issues from which their children may be suffering.
The announcement comes shortly after Live Free 999 donated a large number of musical instruments to Deer Creek Christian School, which made it possible for the school to have a fully-equipped orchestra. With the new website, Live Free 99’s goal is, as the website’s mission statement reads, to “support programs that provide preventative measures and positive avenues to address mental health challenges and substance dependency.” In her open letter Wallace reinforced her reason for starting Live Free 99: “I launched Live Free 999 so that perhaps his death could mean something for other mothers whose sons and daughters are dealing with the same kinds of issues that my son struggled with.”
You can read the full open letter from Juice WRLD’s mother below and visit the Live Free 99 website here.
Jarad and I were always close. We liked to play pinball together. We had long conversations about his future and about the world in general. But like any mother and son, we had our issues. Jarad came from a family where academics were the highest priority, so I wanted him to focus on school, but he was always more interested in music. His teachers would often tell me that he was extremely gifted, but that he was always focused on his music. I’d often find him in the studio in the afternoon, pursuing his dream. He was laser-focused. In the end, Jarad won the battle and I agreed to let him take a year off after high school to work on his own music and his vision as Juice WRLD. When his career took off, I left my job in quality management to join his team. Jarad recorded music every day, in every city he found himself in. He amassed literally hundreds and hundreds of songs. The lyrics and melodies all made from his beautiful mind.
Jarad and I often had frank discussions about his struggles with addiction, anxiety and depression. I think he felt comfortable being honest with me because I never judged him. I recognized that what Jarad was dealing with was a disease and I know he truly wanted to be free from the demons that tormented him. As a parent, I believed early on and supported Jarad having access to counseling. I encouraged him to always share his feelings.
I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love following the loss of my son. His loving spirit which is communicated through his music has touched so many people. I launched Live Free 999 so that perhaps his death could mean something for other mothers whose sons and daughters are dealing with the same kinds of issues that my son struggled with.
My message to the parents and children is simple. You do not have to suffer alone. You do not have to be ashamed of your mental health struggles. There is help. There is a way out.
On Mental Health Day 2020, I have launched a new website LiveFree999.org in the hopes that it will be a resource to those that are struggling. If we can help even one Mother and their son or daughter through our work here, Jarad’s death will have meaning and his positive, loving, creative spirit will endure.
Tequila is booming these days. And just like rum, whiskey, and beer, the shelves are getting increasingly saturated. That’s a good thing, generally speaking. It means more great tequilas on the market. Of course, it also means more middling tequilas. And even a few trash expressions. That’s how it goes when capitalism rushes in to meet surging demand.
As a result of this tequila explosion, awards ceremonies, detailed tasting notes, and expert picks are all more vital than ever to help you separate the wheat from the chaff. Remember, these judges, writers, and bartenders will never be able to fully predict your unique palate — but they can definitely point you in the right direction as you embark on a tequila journey.
The New York International Spirits Competition recently concluded in (you guessed it) New York City. What sets the NYISC apart from other annual spirit tasting competitions is the double-blind judging panel made up of industry insiders. Every judge is either a restaurant beverage director, hotelier, distributor, importer, retail store buyer, sommelier, or works in the drinks and hospitality sector — meaning they’re constantly interfacing with real people and have an intimate understanding of what everyday drinkers look for in their favorite spirits.
No stuffy judges in ivory towers here. These are people who live and breathe the tequila industry on a day in and day out basis.
Below, we’ve laid out all of the NYISC’s Double Gold Award-winning tequilas. Check the tasting notes (and the prices) and decide whether any of these expressions will score a coveted spot on your shelf.
CaliFino Tequila Añejo
Califino Tequila
ABV: 40% Distillery: Grupo Tequilero Mexico Average Price:$64.99
The Tequila:
Using agave hand-harvested from southern Jalisco slow-cooked in traditional stone ovens, CaliFino’s Añejo is double distilled and aged for 24-36 months in American White Oak barrels resulting in a rich amber hue with a creamy finish. CaliFino only uses the hearts of the agave heads in their tequila making process, which helps to produce more complex notes of that vegetal-tasting agave, making this a very distinct sipper.
Deep agave aroma with hints of citrus and caramel… hints of baked agave and sweet fruits. Warm, full body, deep toasted oak and agave creamy texture.
Bottom Line:
At $64.99, CaliFino certainly isn’t the most affordable high-quality ańejo but it’s far from being the most expensive. With the Double Gold recognition from the NYISC and a pirate-inspired bottle, it feels like an easy buy.
Cierto Tequila Reserve Collection — Extra Añejo
Cierto Tequila
ABV: 40% Distillery: Tequileña Average Price: Currently Sold Out
The Tequila:
Even though it has yet to be released, Cierto’s Extra Añejo is winning awards left, right, and center. The brand scored high accolades from both the Ultimate Spirits Challenge and the International Wine and Spirits Competition, and now here it is again, recognized by yet another spirit tasting competition. Priced slightly higher than Cierto’s black-labeled Private Collection, this silver-labeled Reserve Extra Añejo offers a smooth natural tasting agave made to be sipped neat or accompanying a highly decadent dessert.
This luxurious and complex tequila imparts deep notes of tobacco, vanilla, and oak while surrounding the palate with an amazing honey and spice finish. Perfect to sip neat or pair with a fine dessert.
Bottom Line:
Set to release in 2021, this is an expression you’re going to want to get early.
Cutwater Spirits Rayador Tequila Blanco
Cutwater Spirits
ABV: 40% Distillery: Tequila Orendain de Jalisco Average Price:$32.99
The Tequila:
Cutwater Spirits source their agave straight from the Tequila Valley in Jalisco, slow cook it in traditional brick ovens, and use an open-air fermentation process before double distilling in traditional alambique stills resulting in a traditional and bright tequila perfect for mixing in a margarita.
At just $32.99 a bottle, Cutwater is extremely affordable for a double gold-winning tequila.
The slight grassy aroma gives way to heavy sweet notes of cooked agave and ends with a finish that stays true to tequila’s traditional roots.
Bottom Line:
Cutwater Spirits Blanco is a superb tequila for mixologists ready to tackle the bright grassy bite of agave.
Bribón Tequila Reposado
Tequilq Bribon
ABV: 40% Distillery: Tequilera Don Roberto Average Price:$27.99
The Tequila:
Bribón use hand-harvested fully matured agave from Jalisco that is cooked for 18 hours at 100°C before being crushed, fermented, and double-distilled utilizing a column-equipped copper pot distillation process. To reach the Reposado state, Bribón rests the Tequila in toasted American oak barrels for six to nine months, resulting in a glittering light gold hue with a smooth finish.
The appearance is light straw and the aroma is slightly woody notes, nuts, and cooked agave and the taste is soft, balanced, smooth and creamy on the palate with notes of vanilla, dried fruit, and cooked agave
Bottom Line:
Bribón is an easy pick up at just $27.99 a bottle whether you like to sip your tequila on the rocks or prefer a more complex tequila to mix into drinks.
Vamanos Riendo Mezcal
Vamanos Riendo
ABV: 42% Distillery: Somewhere in the Sierra Madres Average Price:$64.95
The Tequila:
Okay, so it’s not exactly a tequila, but Vamanos Riendo is the only mezcal to score the NYISC’s Double Gold award and that makes it worth mentioning. Vamanos Riendo harvests their tobala (a rare agave) in the Sierra Madre Mountains, 6,500 feet above sea level where the sun is intense, and the oxygen and water are scarce. Vamanos Riendo claims that that added stress on the plant results in more intense flavors in the heart of the piña, which are then blended with an 8-year-old espadin to create a small batch artisanal Mezcal with a distinctly bright bite.
On the palate, taste a medley of melon, pineapple, grapefruit, and mandarin balanced by the sweetness of cocoa with notes of mint and anise. Long velvety smooth finish of caramel with a tantalizing citrus bite.
Bottom Line:
Not the easiest way to wade into the waters of Mezcal, considering it’s $64.95, but if you’re a mezcal connoisseur you’ll find a lot to love here.
Friday night gave fans the wildest game of the NBA Finals so far as the Heat somehow managed to stave off elimination with a 111-108 victory in Game 5 to keep their season alive. It also gave us the LeBron-James vs. Jimmy Butler showdown we’ve been craving as the two superstars were absolutely sensational, going head-to-head on multiple possessions down the stretch to try and will their teams to victory.
Here’s what we learned from an absolute barn-burner of a game that came right down to the final seconds before the Heat were able to extend their season for at least one more game, which tips off on Sunday on ABC:
Jimmy Butler Is Not Ready To Go Home
We’re running out of superlatives to describe Butler’s performance on Friday night with his team on the ropes, as the Heat All-Star left absolutely everything out on the court in the biggest and most important performance of his career.
The final minutes of the fourth quarter were absolutely sensational, with LeBron and Butler going back and forth on several consecutive possessions trying to will their teams to victory and somehow coming up with gusty buckets when they needed them the most. It was a battle between two of the league’s toughest competitors, each of whom was running on fumes by the final buzzer.
Butler led Miami with 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists for his second triple-double of the Finals, and he was irrepressible late in the fourth quarter as he knocked down jumpers and bullied his way into the lane to help the Heat cling to a lead that was threatening to slip through their fingers down the stretch.
Butler looked completely drained by the end of it, and for his troubles, he’s earned himself the right to get up and do it all over again on Sunday as the Heat try to defy the odds and replicate a feat that only LeBron and his former Cavs team have done in all of NBA history.
LeBron Was On A Mission, Despite Coming Up Short
In case you didn’t notice, LeBron looked more than ready to put the finishing touches on his fourth championship and get out of the Orlando Bubble. He was on fire coming out the gate, going 3-of-4 from downtown on his way to a 21-point first half. And he didn’t let up in the second half.
LeBron was phenomenal in his quest to close out the series, finishing with 40 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, along the way trading haymakers with Butler in crunch-time right up until the final moments.
And in perfect LeBron James fashion, he chose to make the right play at the end of the game, despite what many critics would have you believe, when he took the ball into the paint on the Lakers’ final possession, then kicked it out to an open Danny Green at the top of the key, who proceeded to miss a wide-open look.
Despite the outcome, LeBron would make that decision nine times out of ten, given the same situation, but now he and the Lakers have to turn their attention to Game 6, where they’ll have another chance to close out the Heat.
Duncan Robinson Had The Game Of His Life
Somewhat overshadowed in the melee of Game 5 was Duncan Robinson, who had the performance of his young career against the Lakers on Friday night, finishing with 26 points on 7-of-13 shooting from behind the arc and tying the Heat’s single-game playoff record for three-pointers.
And those threes came on timely possessions for Miami in the third and fourth quarter as they were clinging to a lead, one of them putting the Heat back on top 101-99 with under three minutes remaining. He even drew an offensive foul on LeBron late in the fourth quarter, putting his body on the line in front of a moving freight train to help secure the victory.
Now, Duncan and the Heat will somehow have to bring that same energy in Game 6 on Sunday if they want to make history and avoid a Lakers victory party.
This week’s episode of Friday Night Smackdown featured the first part of the WWE Draft, which will continue on Monday Night Raw. In between matches and events like the return of Lars Sullivan and the (temporary) reunification of the New Day, Stephanie McMahon came out to a podium in the Thunderdome and announced Raw and Smackdown’s draft picks, which came in four rounds over the course of the show.
Tonight’s draftees were taken from a pool of Superstars who were eligible specifically for this first part of the draft. On Monday, draftees will come from a separate pool. So while it might seem at first glance like a slight that Sasha was drafted tonight and Bayley wasn’t, for example, that’s actually just part of how they’re doing things.
The biggest news from tonight is that Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods are going to Raw (even though they just won the Smackdown Tag Titles), while Big E is staying on Smackdown. This means they finally did it and they broke up the New Day. At least it looks like Xavier and Kofi are staying together as a tag team, and hopefully this leads to a big solo push for Big E.
Also of note is Seth Rollins joining Roman Reigns on Smackdown. It’s only a matter of time before those two run into each other again. On the other hand, if you were hoping Seth moving shows means his feud with the Mysterio family is over, I regret to inform you that Rey and Dominik were also drafted to Smackdown.
Here are the full lists of who was drafted to which show tonight, in order:
RAW
Drew McIntyre
Asuka
The Hurt Business (Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, Cedric Alexander, and MVP)
AJ Styles
Naomi
Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax
Ricochet
Mandy Rose
The Miz and John Morrison
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods
Dana Brooke
Angel Garza
SMACKDOWN
Roman Reigns
Seth Rollins
Sasha Banks
Bianca Belair
Jey Uso
Rey and Dominik Mysterio
Big E
Otis
Of the Superstars who were eligible to be drafted tonight, that leaves Humberto Carrillo, Elias, Drew Gulak, Tucker, Mickie James, Lucha House Party, Murphy, and Shorty G undrafted, presumably making them free agents. Mickie James is currently recovering from a broken nose, so her absence makes some sense. Tucker of Heavy Machinery appeared on the show tonight, and discussed the fact that Otis was drafted while he wasn’t. We’ll see if that leads anywhere.
Here’s the pool of performers who will be eligible for the draft on Monday Night Raw:
100 Gecs, the experimental duo composed of Laura Les and Dylan Brady, have been staying busy these past few months. They’ve hosted a festival in Minecraft, appeared on Charli XCX’s quarantine album, and virtually filmed videos with frequent collaborators. But now, they’re revisiting their 2019 debut album with a video alongside the 1000 Gecs track “Hand Crushed By A Mallet.”
100 Gecs’ “Hand Crushed By A Mallet” visual opens with Brady sitting in what director Westen Allen describes as his “nasty gamer den” amid empty energy drink cans, scattered wrappers, and a dilapidated mattress. Dressed as a giant fly, Les invades Brady’s room through the open window and an all-out battle ensues. Brady chases Les out of the house with a massive foam sword, finally striking her down — or so he thinks.
Ahead of the visual’s release, 100 Gecs unveiled an entire album of remixes, 1000 Gecs And The Tree Of Clues. Reimagining the songs from their debut record, the remix album boasts big-name features by artists like Fall Out Boy, Charli XCX, and Rico Nasty.
Watch 100 Gecs’ “Hand Crushed By A Mallet” above.
1000 Gecs And The Tree Of Clues is out now via Big Beat Records. Get it here.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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