Month: November 2020

For better or worse, we’re on the cusp of Election Day. 2020 has felt like a decade-long year and now we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. But whether you’re a ball of anxiety right now or smiling in the face of the apocalypse (did we mention an asteroid is scheduled to hit the earth soon?), you’re going to need to fill that belly with some food tomorrow.

We may not be able to help with your existential dread, but we can help with that goal. And in hopes of encouraging people to vote, several of our favorite chains are offering freebies. Technically, these deals are for anyone, as it’s a crime to give away stuff in exchange for votes or even the act of voting, but we really hope you’re pairing these meals with a little bit of the democratic process. The country needs engaged citizens more than ever.

Here are all the best Election 2020 food deals worth seeking out.

Boston Market — Receive a free Chicken Cheddar, Turkey Cheddar, Chicken Chipotle, or BBQ Meatloaf slider free of charge from 9 p.m. to close at any Boston Market on Tuesday. No purchase necessary!

Burger King — Burger King will be offering $3 off on orders over $18 placed through Grubhub. Why $3 and $18? It’s Burger King, they’re weird!

Chili’s — Receive a free sticker and a Presidente Margarita for a cool $5 all throughout Election Day.

Chopt — All badged poll workers will receive a free meal for in-store orders at Chopt on November 3rd.

DoorDash — Using the promo code VOTE will get you free delivery on all orders $15 or more on Election Day. If you have DashPass, you can receive 10% off your order using the code DPVOTE.

Dos Toros — Badged poll workers will receive a free meal on in-store orders at Dos Toros.

Enlightened — If you mention the word “vote” while tagging @eatenlightened on Instagram they’ll send you a coupon for a free ice cream and you’ll automatically be entered to win a grand prize of a year’s worth of free Enlightened desserts.

Jersey Mike’s — Receive a free turkey sub and free delivery on orders of $10 or more through Grubhub all throughout Election Day.

Krispy Kreme — If you didn’t get an “I Voted” sticker this year, roll up to Krispy Kreme and pick up a free Glazed Donut and a sticker! No purchase necessary but Krispy Kreme will only be giving out free donuts while supplies last.

Pieology — Starting today, Pieology is offering a special bundle consisting of two 11-inch “Create Your Own” pizzas and a dessert for just $20.20. Seems a little high to us, but it’s a cute price joke, we guess.

Red Lobster — All orders placed through Grubhub over $25 will be given free delivery on Election Day only.

Shake Shack — If you volunteered to be a poll worker this year, thank you. Now go score a free Shackburger or Chick’n Shack from Shake Shack with proof of badge.

Uno Pizzeria & Grill — Uno is giving away BOGO pizza coupons valid for takeout on Election Day. Visit Uno’s official website to claim your coupon.

White Castle — White Castle will be closed from 7-11 a.m. on Election Day to allow its employees to vote. After that, they’ll be offering $4 off orders of $20 or more and $5 off orders of $30 or more in New Jersey and New York via Grubhub, Uber Eats, or Postmates.

The top of the charts is a space with which Ariana Grande is familiar. She has had a handful of No. 1 singles in her day, and now she has earned another: On the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated November 7, “Positions” has debuted at No. 1. It’s her fifth No. 1 single and it extends her record for the most songs to debut on top.

While the song is her fifth No. 1, it has brought about a lot of firsts for Grande. She is now the first artist to have three songs debut at No. 1 in the same year (the other two being “Rain On Me” and “Stuck With U”). She’s also the first artist with three No. 1 singles in a year since Drake in 2018. Additionally, Grande is the first woman (and only artist overall along with Drake) since Rihanna has four chart-toppers and Katy Perry had three, both in 2010.

After hearing the news, Grande took a moment to thank her collaborators, writing, “congratulations to this most incredible and deserving team @TBHITS @amnija_ @LondonOnDaTrack #positions !!!! thank u so much everyone for showing this song so much love. it is such an honor.”

Meanwhile, it was also a huge week for Luke Combs, whose “Forever After All” debuted at No. 2. The song is the highest-ever debut for a male country artist, with the previous high coming from Garth Brooks’ “Lost In You” (released as Chris Gaines), which debuted at No. 5 in September 1999. With Grande and Combs debuting in the top two spots, this is only the third time in history two songs have debuted at Nos. 1 and 2 in the same week.

Read our review of Positions here.

The Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time tournament was a massive success for not only winner Ken Jennings, but also ABC. The four-night event “drew the network’s best numbers of the year for entertainment programming,” according to Forbes. “In fact, they rank ahead of almost everything on broadcast this season outside the NFL.” ABC will try to replicate the formula that made the GOAT tournament a ratings hit with The Chase.

The quiz series, hosted by Sara Haines, will have contestants face off against Jennings and his fellow Alex Trebek-impressing contestants, Brad Rutter and James Holzhauer. They serve as Chasers, which Variety describes as “ruthless quiz geniuses determined to stop contestants from winning cash prizes. Each week, new contestants face-off against the Chasers in a battle of brain power, challenged to think faster than they ever thought possible.” Based on a British game show, The Chase has already been adapted in America, but that version went off the air in 2015:

Each episode will feature up to 166 questions, across all topics, as contestants look to win cash while playing against Holzhauer, Jennings, or Rutter… ABC has given a series order to The Chase, with a premiere date to be announced later.

It must be a relief for Jennings, Holzhauer, and Rutter to get paid on a game show, even when they’re not phrasing things in the form of a question. Big change of pace.

(Via Variety)

Timothy Olyphant made a huge splash with Star Wars fans when he popped up in the Season 2 premiere of The Mandalorian as Cobb Vanth, an armor-wearing space marshal who was reminiscent of his popular lawman roles on Justified and Deadwood. But what fans might not have noticed is that there was a bit of a mini reunion happening on the western-themed episode. The unnamed Weequay bartender in the cantina where Mando first meets Cobb Vantha was played by W. Earl Brown, who starred as bartender Dan Dority on HBO’s Deadwood.

With the episode out in the open, Brown was finally free to reveal how his role in the Season 2 premiere came about, and how he had to keep secret for almost an entire year. In a lengthy Twitter thread that started with Brown almost turning down the part because he didn’t want to work with prosthetics again after having a bad experience on Angel, the actor recalled his first day of set with Olyphant where the two regaled the crew by reenacting scenes from Deadwood. After showrunner Jon Favreau gushed about being a fan of the HBO series, Brown saw an opening to hopefully work a famous insult from the show into The Mandalorian.

Needless to say, it wasn’t going to fly on a Disney+ show.

The whole thread is worth a read as Brown opens up about seeing Baby Yoda for the first time, which was a total surprise to the actor. Production on The Mandalorian was done so far in advance that Brown’s episode was actually filmed as the first season started to air on Disney+. However, in a surprise twist, his wife works for Disney and knew about The Child the whole time. Imagine keeping that secret from your spouse.

(Via W. Earl Brown on Twitter)

In the beer world, the end of October feels like the official beginning of winter and the coming holiday season. Thanksgiving is only three weeks away and we’re only two months from 2021. It’s 100 percent time to start drinking heavier, spicier, and higher alcohol beers. If for no other reason than that this is when brewers typically release them.

While the beers we’re shouting out this month aren’t all winter warmers, they’re all big beers for cold weather sipping. Beers that are made to be enjoyed right now — packed full of flavors you don’t typically get the rest of the year.

Hopefully, the eight beers we’re giving love to this month will pique your interest and inspire you to explore exciting brews made near you or sold at your closest bottle shop. The picks below are regional craft beer releases from breweries that we vouch for along with seasonal bottles we’ve been looking forward to tasting again.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST DROP: Alaskan Freeride

Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.3%

The Beer:

We’re pretty big Alaskan Brewing stans around these parts and Freeride — their wintery pale ale — is a good example of why. The beer is a marriage of that famous Alaskan glacial water with Pacific Northwest hops and malts. The ABVs are middle of the road, making this an easy after-work sipper to take the edge off all November long.

Tasting Notes:

Tropical fruits meet floral-yet-mild dankness, with a caramel malty underbelly. Those fruity and floral hops really drive the taste with a nice dose of dry texture and a balance of slightly sweet malt character. The sip is refreshing, enticing, and light enough to keep you coming back for more.

SOUTHWEST DROP: Sierra Nevada 2020 Bigfoot

Style: American Barleywine
ABV: 9.6%

The Beer:

This is a classic ale from a classic microbrewery. The brew is made by heavily roasting quality malts and adding whole cone hops to bring about balance and amp up the flavor. The end result is a beer that works great as a sipper right now or as a cellar beer that you can age for years to come.

Tasting Notes:

“Big” comes to mind when you first smell this beer as the resinous hops mingle with well-roasted and caramel-laden malts. The beer touches on dark Christmas cakes full of mild spices and dried and candied fruit with a signature beer fizz that’s light and approachable.

The toffee malts and resinous hops are the stars of this show in the end.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN DROP: New Belgium Accumulation

Style: Belgian IPA
ABV: 6.2%

The Beer:

The beauty of this winter ale is its divergence from the darker, strong ales that usually dominate the scene this month. The brewers at New Belgium decided to go the wheat beer route with their winter ale. That addition of smooth wheat malts brings an accessibility to the brew that makes this a very easy-sipper.

Tasting Notes:

The hoppiness of the nose draws you in by touching on glowing citrus, sweet tropical fruits, and an almost spicy/resinous hop edge rounding it out. That taste delivers on that hoppiness, with a mild counterbalance of sweet/spicy malts underneath it all.

SOUTHERN DROP: Rahr & Sons Winter Warmer

Style: Winter Warmer
ABV: 8%

The Beer:

Texas’ Rahr & Sons Winter Warmer is a stone-cold classic winter ale. The beer leans into the big, malty, Christmasy, fruity flavors with no hesitation whatsoever. The strong ABVs combined with the strong flavors suit what drinking feels like right now.

Tasting Notes:

You really get a sense of the deeply roasted malts with dark cacao next to a bit of spicy hops. The beer embraces the malts with plenty of caramel, creamy dark chocolate, and Christmas cake full of dried fruit. This is wintertime in a can.

MIDWEST DROP: Great Lakes Christmas Ale

Style: Winter Warmer
ABV: 7.5%

The Beer:

Great Lakes Christmas Ale is another seasonal classic that’s hitting the shelves right now. This multi-award-winning ale manages just the right note of seasonal conviviality, with enough nuance to keep you interested all season long. Though be warned, this is a really easy beer to drink, and those high ABVs will catch up to you.

Tasting Notes:

The maltiness of this beer leans more towards a honeyed sweetness and the spices kick up more of a grated ginger freshness. There’s plenty of Christmas spices in play with all that malty honey nature — making for a balanced, lush feel to this sipper.

NORTHEAST DROP: Samuel Adams Winter Lager

Style: Bock
ABV: 5.6%

The Beer:

This is probably the easiest find on the list this month. The new version of Winter Lager from Boston takes the goodness of their lager and takes it into bock (that’s just a lager with longer storage times) territory with the addition of cinnamon, ginger, and orange peel in the beer.

Tasting Notes:

Toffee malts greet you with a clear sense of those spices up top. The beer delivers on what it promises, with plenty of those sweet malts balanced with orange citrus, spices, and a hint of ginger. The hops are present but take a backseat to the malts and spices on this very easy-drinking brew.

WILD CARD DROP: Deschutes Jubelale

Style: Winter Warmer
ABV: 6.7%

The Beer:

No list of November beers would be complete without Oregon’s Jubelale. The brew is a masterful mix of five malt and five hop varieties with a lean towards classic English dark ale. The finished product is the gold standard of an American winter warmer.

Tasting Notes:

This is a big beer with big notes of chocolate roasted malts next to subtle Christmas spices and clear toffee sweetness. Those sweet malts shine brightly as the spices offer a great counterpoint with a touch of hoppiness on the backend. The sip leans into the malts with a return of rich cacao powder on the final notes.

INT’L PICK OF THE MONTH: Ayinger Celebrator

Style: Doppelbock
ABV: 6.7%

The Beer:

This doppelbock from Bavaria should be fairly easy to find from most good beer shops or delivery services. The beer leans into the malty nature of the season while holding back on the cloying sweetness of an average winter warmer. This is about expert craft done well for generations.

Tasting Notes:

The beer dives straight into the malts — with an espresso bitterness mingling with dark chocolate and a wisp of bacon fat. The maltiness has bready notes, plus toffee and an almost cherry fruitiness. But it’s really the dark coffee bean oils and dark cacao that shine in this one.

The whole sip is a well-balanced bit of bliss in a bottle.

Joe Biden has racked up a bunch of celebrity endorsers in the lead-up to the election, and now Eminem has allowed the Biden campaign to use his music in a new ad.

The 45-second spot, titled “One Opportunity,” is full of B-roll, including black-and-white shots of things like a masked Biden at campaign events, a Biden campaign bus on the high way, farm land, cities, a sports stadium, families, firemen, doctors, and that sort of thing. The whole thing is scored by an edit of “Lose Yourself” that jumps from the intro (“Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity / To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment / Would you capture it, or just let it slip?”) to the chorus (“You better lose yourself in the music / The moment, you own it, you better never let it go / You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow / This opportunity comes once in a lifetime”).

Sharing the video on social media, Eminem wrote, “One opportunity… #Vote.”

Eminem, of course, has been famously critical of Biden’s opponent, Donald Trump. On “The Ringer” from Kamikaze, for example, Em raps, “‘Cause Agent Orange just sent the Secret Service / To meet in person to see if I really think of hurtin’ him / Or ask if I’m linked to terrorists / I said, ‘Only when it comes to ink and lyricists.’” Those lyrics actually prompted a Secret Service investigation.

Watch the video above.

Quinnen Williams has been among the few bright spots for the New York Jets this season, as the second year defensive tackle out of Alabama has already outpaced his rookie production through eight games this season.

Williams has 31 tackles (18 solo) on the season, including seven for loss and three sacks, as he wreaks havoc on the interior of opposing lines. Being one of the Jets best players has also made him a target of trade rumors, as the 0-8 Jets figure to be sellers at the trade deadline. For his part, Williams is just trying to stay focused on the field and what he has to do on Sundays, allowing everything off the field to sort itself out and he’ll keep trying to play and dominate no matter where he ends up.

Last week, Williams spoke with Uproxx over the phone on behalf of his new ad spot for Tide Hygienic Clean to talk about his season so far, his comfort in Year 2, how Nick Saban mantras have become words to live by while dealing with trade rumors, and how unique the Alabama fraternity is in the NFL.

Your production through seven games has already matched what you did last year and it seems like you’re really comfortable and confident in your role. What do you feel has been the biggest difference coming from your rookie year to this year and knowing what you’re going to be asked to do?

The biggest difference is it’s my second year. My first year, it was just everything was new and scheme was new and different things were new in general in my lifestyle and football in general. But this year, my second year, man, I just feel like everything is on a roll. I worked hard this offseason and I worked hard during OTAs and stuff like that to stay healthy, to stay in shape and lift weights and things like that, and I just feel like I’m performing like I should’ve been performing the way I should’ve been performing last year. Like I know I can perform.

You mention the work you did this offseason. What were some of the things you learned from your rookie year that you said, ‘OK, I kinda need to work on this’ in the offseason? What were the focal points for you in being able to come out and be this productive?

Just a lot of stuff, man. I can’t pinpoint anything specifically, but I looked at a lot of guys who were doing it at an elite level and guys that everybody knows that every defensive lineman wanted to be on that elite level and different things like that. So I look at those guys who are on an elite level and see what they do on the field, off the field, different techniques and different things like that, and wanted to make sure it was muscle memory on those techniques and those things so I can’t break it.

Like you said it helps to be in a second year in a system and knowing what Gregg Williams is going to want you to do and the aggression he wants you to play with. How helpful is that in just being solid in the system and knowing what you’ll be asked to do?

It was great, man. Just knowing, like I said it’s my second year, so I was just expecting less things this year. I know the offenses and I know our defensive scheme, so I just knew everything, man, honestly, and it’s just coming much smoother and easier this year.

You’re coming off a Bills game where defensively you guys played really well against an offense that’s been one of the best as a passing offense this season. What do you take away from that game and what you were able to do against Josh Allen going forward?

The main thing is execution. Executing the plays, executing the calls that Gregg calls, and that was the main thing. Everybody executed on one accord, so. That’s the big thing.

When you go to New York, I’m sure people told you you’d have to deal with the noise and a different level of spotlight. There’s obviously trade rumors out there right now and how are you trying to keep that internalized and stay focused on what you need to?

Honestly man, I’m just keeping it out of the way, not really thinking about it. I’ve just got the mindset of, if they trade me, they trade me. If they don’t, they don’t. I’m just trying to be the best person I can be on the field and off the field and just be the best player I can be.

It’s a very Nick Saban thing, right? Keep the main thing the main thing and control what you can control.

Yes. Coach Saban definitely taught me that and it saves football players and a lot of people a lot of headaches at the end of the day, so.

You’re partnered with Tide. What do you have going on with them and this new ad spot?

Coronavirus had happened and they had canceled out the jersey swap on the field and things like that, so I partnered with Tide to do a Tide Hygienic Clean spot with guys like Mark Ingram and other guys in the NFL just to show our gratitude that Tide helped us jersey swap and do different things like that and keeping our jerseys clean.

In the spot you run through a bunch of Alabama guys. How big is that Alabama fraternity in the NFL and how much do you lean on guys when you’re going through something or need advice on something in the league having that network of so many Alabama guys?

Oh man, it’s amazing. I think it’s like 73 of us that came from the University of Alabama into the NFL, and you can really just call anybody. Guys from Pro Bowl level to just beginning, man. So every level, each level, guys who’ve been doing it for a long time and if you need anything you just call one of your buddies and one of your teammates from the University of Alabama and just talk with them. We all a brotherhood at the end of the day, so it’s just great to have.

Are there any guys specifically you still talk to from your days at Alabama?

Not really specifically. I just know if I have any problem or questions I have, I’ve got guys to call.

Beyonce may more-or-less define “glamor” but as it turns out, the Black Is King singer is a lot more down-to-earth than you might think. Sure, she actually does have a literal beehive to make her own honey and she’s married to Jay-Z and her latest Ivy Park collection sold out the instant it went live but she’s also got to deal with many of the same mundane realities as the rest of us. In Vogue UK‘s new profile, Beyonce revealed the things she struggles with and they’re very relatable.

“I’m always losing my phone in my house or office, and I never know where my keys are,” she admits. “My phone is always dead. I get days and dates confused all the time but guaranteed, I’ll remember every detail of a conversation, what you were wearing, or how your hair was styled. It’s absolutely ridiculous.”

So, there you have it. The next time you forget to charge your phone or leave the house ten minutes late because you didn’t know where your keys were, you can rest assured you’re in good company. Also, invest in a Command hook and stick it to your door jamb. Problem solved. As for getting dates confused, it’s probably not that big deal for a billionaire with a small army of assistants to remember them for you.

Read the full Vogue profile here.

Thanks to the pandemic, this may well be the first election you’ve ever voted by mail. If that’s the case, you’ve probably got a healthy level of anxiety about whether or not your ballot will actually end up being counted (anxiety that’s been amplified by political operatives). We’d like to tell you not to worry, that millions of Americans have voted by mail since the Civil War, but recent Supreme Court decisions and inconsistent deadlines from state to state have many fearing whether their ballots will add to the final tally.

The good news is that most states offer a way for you to track your ballot and ensure it’s been received prior to any state deadlines. The bad news? There isn’t one universal way to track your ballot.

In short, the world of ballot tracking is every bit as dense as navigating America’s voting laws. Some states will rely on BallotTrax, some will require you to use a US Postal Service tracking number, and — most annoying of all — some will even require a call to your county clerk’s office.

To make the process a little easier, we linked each state’s name with the best method for tracking your ballot. Get some answers below!

Track your Vote-By-Mail ballot

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• Washington D.C.
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Michael Keaton is back with another message for his home state of Pennsylvania as it continues to be a tense battleground for the presidential election, prompting Donald Trump to make several campaign stops across the Keystone State in the past week. In the latest video, Keaton dons a Pittsburgh Steelers cap as he gives his best game-winning pep talk to urge Pennsylvanians to vote for Joe Biden and end Trump’s presidency once and for all.

“It’s come down to us. We get the chance to be the hero right now,” Keaton says in the new endorsement video. “Don’t just do it for Joe and Kamala. Do it for your little brother, your little sister. Do it for the next generation. Do it for the environment. For justice, for equality. And just to end this insane chaos. Four more years of that, I don’t think so.”

You watch Keaton’s full endorsement video below:

Keaton has been pulling out all of the stops for Biden’s campaign. In the final weeks of October, the actor released a viral video endorsing Biden, and while he knows the average PA citizen doesn’t want to hear a celebrity talk about politics, Keaton brought out the big guns to make his case: “Let’s be honest, I’m frickin’ Batman.” In an interview with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4, Keaton revealed his reason for campaigning so hard in Western PA where the actor grew up.

“All bets are off. This is too important, this election.” Keaton said before deferring to the experts in the room. “Really listen to scientists, really listen to teachers. Really listen to people who know more than I know. But if I can do anything, I feel it’s my responsibility to do a little something.”

(Via Michael Keaton on Twitter)