Month: January 2021

A staple of El-P’s Twitter account is his regular tweets featuring photos of adorable animals to help brighten his followers’ days. The Run The Jewels member shared another one this morning, of a squirrel cramming a peanut into its mouth, and wrote, “please enjoy this picture of a squirrel munching on a peanut.” That post led to an amazing reveal from El’s personal life courtesy of his wife, comedian and musician Emily Panic.

Panic responded to El’s tweet, “Your spirit animal,” and followed that with an unbelievable illustration (as she noted, by artist Meryl Smith) of she and El sharing a hug, except her head is on a peacock’s body while El’s is on a squirrel’s. Responding to the image, El revealed, “true story: this was the image on me and @aprettybigmouth wedding invitation. originally our friend wanted to draw me as a tiger or some sh*t but i told her i wanted to be a squirrel.” Given the nature of the invitation, one can only imagine how fun the wedding itself was.

https://twitter.com/therealelp/status/1351860350661091328

El-P recently deleted all of his tweets, so sadly, his vast archive of cute and uplifting animal photos is lost forever. Still, this is a great way to start building a new collection, so here’s hoping that the content flows and that it prompts more heartwarming and adorable peeks into El-P’s life.

In his first speech as president, Joe Biden called for a divided America — an “uncivil war that pits reds against blues” — to come together. It’s already working on one anchor for Fox News, the network most associated with Donald Trump’s administration.

“I thought it was a great speech,” Chris Wallace said following Biden’s inaugural address. “I’ve been listening to these inaugural addresses since 1961. John F. Kennedy, ‘ask not.’ I thought this was the best inaugural address I have ever heard.”

He later called it “part sermon, part pep-talk.”

Wallace added that the speech was “a call to our better angels, a call saying look, we’ve got tremendous challenges, COVID, the economy, racial injustice, climate change, but there’s nothing we can’t do if we come together.” There’s something else that Biden said that drew Wallace’s attention, “especially us in the media… He said, ‘That there is truth and there are lies, lies that are told for power and lies that are told for profit.’ I think it was a call to all of us, whether it’s us on the air, on cable or broadcast, whether it’s us on social media, on our Twitter accounts, understanding that we have to deal from facts, from the truth, to hear each other out, as he said, a right to disagree, but not a right to violence.” You can watch Wallace’s praise for Biden above.

(Via the Hill)

President Joe Biden’s inauguration took place today, and, along with the swearing-in of a new administration, the event also marked some historic firsts for our country. Of course, Kamala Harris is key among them, becoming the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first Asian-American woman to become Vice President. But there was another history-making moment during the ceremony and it came courtesy of Amanda Gorman.

Gorman, a 22-year-old recent Harvard grad and the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate, also became the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history as she recited a powerful, moving piece titled, “The Hill We Climb.” Gorman wrote the piece in the wake of the Capitol Hill insurrection on Jan. 6th, and it will be included in her soon-to-be-published book coming in September. The poem, which addressed everything from white supremacy to the hope that this new administration will restore democracy and heal the divide, also contained a handful of Hamilton references that got Twitter hyped and earned a shoutout from creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Gorman addressed her own history too while observing the significance of the day, specifically of Harris’ appointment, saying, in “a country and a time where a skinny black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president, only to find herself reciting for one.” Gorman, who like President Biden has a speech impediment and auditory processing disorder, managed to outshine other performers like Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez with her inspiring speech, and Twitter was quick to take notice.

We’d like to think that this is proof nature is finally healing itself.

An egg salad sandwich is one of those dishes that I think about maybe once a year. It’s nice enough once made, but often messy and very rich. Not exactly something I crave.

But in recent years, I’ve noticed the humble egg salad sandwich grow in popularity on the internet, mostly thanks to the Japanese version, the Tamago Sando. This riff on the original features a hard or soft boiled egg added into the egg salad between two slices of soft white bread (a Tamago Sando is a pretty straightforward egg salad, otherwise).

To me, burying an egg in egg salad has always sort of felt like putting a hat on a hat while making an already messy deli stalwart even messier. Still … I was willing to give it a try.

Before stepping into the kitchen, I called up a Japanese chef who I used to party with (in the before times) and asked him the ins and outs. His biggest tip was to cool the egg salad as much as possible to make it more solid in the sandwich. The rest was straightforward advice for a really good egg salad: soft milk bread, a little sharp mustard in the mix, shallots, white pepper not black, etc.

We’re talking about deli salad here, not rocket science.

After our call, I was still incredulous that this eggy Instagram favorite would improve on the original, but I was willing to try. Here’s how it went down.

Egg Salad Sandwich/Tamago Sando

What You’ll Need in the Kitchen:

• Medium pot
• Large spoon
• Cutting board
• Kitchen knife
• Mixing bowl
• Spoon
• Sandwich-size Tupperware

Ingredients:

• 6 large eggs
• Shallot
• Lemon thyme
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard or similar
• White pepper
• Salt
• Soft white bread

If you want a nice and orange egg yolk, buy fresh eggs. If you want an egg that’s super easy to peel once boiled, buy fresh eggs. I added a little lemon thyme to this mix as it just made sense to bring a herbal note that also had a subtle citrus edge — something to cut through the richness of the egg salad.

Also, when I went shopping, I thought I still had a bottle of Kewpie mayo on the shelf. Turns out that was a bottle of Hellmann’s. In these times, it’s way too much effort to go back to a grocery store for one item. Hellmann’s it is! (Though Japanese-made Kewpie would have been ideal.)

As for the bread, I used this really soft Italian sandwich bread that you see in delis sometimes. It’s really, really close to the soft milk bread most sando shops use and makes for a great egg salad sammie in general.

Step 1:

Time to boil some eggs. First, I boil six eggs for 9 minutes. I remove them from the boiling pot of water when the timer goes off and place them into a basin of cold water to cool and stop cooking.

Next, I boil two more eggs for six minutes. Again, when the timer goes off, I transfer the eggs to a basin of cold water to stop the cooking and cool.

I then peel all the eggs, making sure to keep the longer boiled eggs separate from the shorter boiled ones. Next, I place them all in the fridge to cool through completely (maybe an hour).

Step 2:

Let’s make some egg salad. I do a pretty rough dice on the six eggs. Basically, I’m slicing the egg in half length-wise. Then I slice those halves into thirds length-wise. Finally, I chop those thirds up.

Next, I dice one shallot. I also de-stem about four sprigs of fresh lemon thyme.

In a medium mixing bowl, I add in the eggs, mayo, mustard, white pepper, a pinch of salt, the shallots, and the thyme. I use a standard spoon to mix the whole thing.

Once the yolk emulsifies with the mayo and mustard, you’re there. It should be very creamy and rich. Give the salad a taste and adjust for salt and pepper if needed. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or some diced chilis if you want heat.

I then cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for about two hours to cool completely.

Step 3:

It’s time to build our sandwich!

I know this is going to be a mess. So, I’m using a sandwich form. It’s really just a Tupperware lunch box that fits sandwiches and a snack. I figure the extra space for the snack will give me some room to actually scoop out the sandwich and plate it.

I build the sandwich by placing the slice of bread in first. I then scoop in a half-inch or so layer of egg salad.

Next, I cut my eggs in half and give a pinch of salt to the yolk — a very small one. I then nestle the eggs into the egg salad, yolk side up.

Lastly, I place the slice of bread over it all and slice it down the middle, trying my best to hit the center of the intact yolks.

I then use the handle of the spoon to lift out the sandwich halves and plate them.

Bottom Line:

Yup, that looks like a Tamago Sando. Though I have to say… it’s very obvious I am not an IG food stylist.

Alright, it’s time to tuck in. I bit into the first half and it’s … okay. The egg salad is very rich, creamy, sharp, and eggy. Exactly what you want in an egg salad. But then the boiled egg comes in and takes away all that edge. It really mutes everything.

Then, of course, there’s the slippage I was worried about.

Yeah, the majority of the egg salad slipped out of this sandwich. Each bite on the boiled egg just pushed out more and more egg salad. I’ve seen these made neater with drier egg salad, but who wants that?

Maybe if I had wrapped the sandwich it would have held together a bit better? In the end, I was mostly eating a boiled egg sandwich with a really yolky mayo on it. Which was okay, I guess. I will assuredly use about half the amount of egg salad next time… if there is a next time.

Overall, this sandwich looks a lot better than it tastes. I’m fine with a sandwich being messy. But the boiled egg takes away much more than it adds. One year from now, when I actually think about egg salad again, I’ll probably skip adding the boiled egg.

Unless I become a famous food influencer between now and then.

Most of the sports world went quiet on Wednesday morning while the festivities surrounding Joe Biden’s inauguration played out in Washington, D.C., but as Biden went to work at the White House, players around the NBA took to social media to express their optimism and hope for 2021 and beyond.

Portland center Jusuf Nurkic put it most succinctly when he said it was a “new day” in his adopted country.

The often outspoken Enes Kanter sounded a similar note of optimism.

While the focus was on the path forward on Wednesday, legendary sixth man Jamal Crawford took one last chance to needle former President Donald Trump, who was notably absent from the inauguration after flying to Florida on Wednesday morning.

It’s clear that many NBA players really did tune in for the broadcast as well, with Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum praising how good the Obamas looked.

Steph Curry, meanwhile, praised the poem read by Amanda Gorman, which received praise in seemingly every corner of the internet on Wednesday.

Finally, ESPN analyst and NBA champion Kendrick Perkins laid out an elaborate analogy between Joe Biden taking office and Simba reclaiming Pride Rock for the lions in The Lion King.

As more athletes continue to make their voices heard about politics over the past 12-18 months, more players and coaches will likely chime in over the coming days and weeks, especially in the NBA.

When it comes to major events, Lady Gaga usually trots out some sort of wild head-turning outfit. That’s not always the case though, like today, when she sang the National Anthem during Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ inauguration. She did find a way to put her own spin on the formal occasion, though, by wearing a giant golden broach as part of her otherwise tame outfit. After the ceremony, Gaga took to Twitter to give some backstory about the large ornamental piece.

Sharing a photo of it, Gaga explained what it depicts and her reasoning for choosing it, writing, “A dove carrying an olive branch. May we all make peace with each other.”

Ahead of her performance, she also took a moment to share a statement on social media, writing, “Singing our National Anthem for the American People is my honor. I will sing during a ceremony, a transition, a moment of change — between POTUS 45 and 46. For me, this has great meaning. My intention is to acknowledge our past, be healing for our present, and passionate for a future where we work together lovingly. I will sing to the hearts of all people who live on this land. Respectfully and kindly, Lady Gaga.”

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in early December, comedian John Mulaney told Kimmel that he was investigated by the Secret Service after telling a joke about assassinating Donald Trump during his Saturday Night Live monologue on February 29, 2020. That investigation has now been confirmed by the Associated Press after the news organization obtained a copy of the file on Mulaney through a Freedom of Information Act request. According to the report, investigators contacted the global chief security officer and senior vice president of NBC two days after Mulaney delivered his monologue. The agents hoped to reach the comedian and speak to him about the following joke that was transcribed in the report. Via the AP:

“Another thing that happened under Julius Caesar, he was such a powerful maniac that all the senators grabbed knives, and they stabbed him to death. That would be an interesting thing if we brought that back now,” Mulaney said to laughter from the audience.

Ultimately, Mulaney was cleared of wrongdoing as it was evident that he was telling a joke and not actually attempting to incite an assassination attempt on the (now-)former president. The report also notes that Mulaney was never even contacted by investigators who chose not to interview him. This contradicts what Mulaney told Kimmel back in December, but in hindsight, it’s clear that the comedian was setting up a bit by claiming he talked to agents on the phone.

“I failed to realize that after telling the Secret Service they had nothing else to worry about that I had leased an apartment for one year in Washington D.C. and that apartment was across the street from the Secret Service building,” Mulaney told Kimmel. “So, it had a planned vibe to it.”

(Via Associated Press)

Lady Gaga delivered a show-stopping rendition of the National Anthem at Biden’s inauguration Wednesday, but her performance wasn’t the only thing people were talking about. After Biden was officially sworn in, Gaga made her way to Barack and Michelle Obama to share a friendly hug, and people were absolutely loving it.

As elected officials and their family members were mingling on stage after the inauguration events concluded, people still watching noticed that Gaga had a heartwarming interaction with the Obamas.

Fans were also attempting to guess what Gaga and Obama were discussing during their conversation. One user joked that Gaga had asked Obama if she could sell her orange and pink-colored Chromatica Oreo cookies at the White House.

Ahead of delivering the National Anthem, Gaga took to social media to share the message of unity she wanted to bring with her performance. “Singing our National Anthem for the American People is my honor,” she wrote. “I will sing during a ceremony, a transition, a moment of change–between POTUS 45 and 46. For me, this has great meaning. My intention is to acknowledge our past, be healing for our present, and passionate for a future where we work together lovingly. I will sing to the hearts of all people who live on this land.”

See photos of Gaga and Obama’s heartwarming interaction at the inauguration above.

Macklemore came into the game taking his privilege to task and he continues that tradition on his tongue-in-cheek “Trump’s Over Freestyle” released in honor of Joe Biden’s inauguration as 46th President of the United States. Accompanied by a simple video of himself recording the song in the studio, “Trump’s Over” finds Macklemore dunking all over the MAGA Man’s followers and liberals alike, calling out the latter for caring more about “bicycling and the climate and toothpaste with iron” than police getting away with murdering Black Americans on camera.

However, the overall tone of the song is less celebratory and more cautionary, with Mack pointing out that despite the relative restoration of sanity to the Oval Office, “half the country feels the same way that he does.” Meanwhile, he’s less than optimistic about Biden’s forthcoming term, calling him “another old white guy in the White House,” and reminding listeners that COVID-19 is still around and “America’s still armed, dumb, and dangerous.” It’s pretty consistent with how he grappled with Trump’s initial election and it seems like he’s been champing at the bit to finally bid the Donald good riddance.

With that being said, much of the nation breathed a sigh of relief as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in this morning, bringing with them coherent speeches, respect for the office of the President, and much less twitchy Twitter fingers. Many share Macklemore’s reticence, but at least the chances of Biden actively fomenting a failed rebellion are slim to none.

Watch Macklemore’s “Trump’s Over Freestyle” video above.

Garth Brooks, a noted Republican who hails from red-state Oklahoma, took the mic at Joe Biden’s Inauguration and called for unity with an A Capella rendition of “Amazing Grace.” Well, many in Brooks’ Republican fanbase are not pleased right now. No doubt, Brooks anticipated the backlash, given that he pre-explained his decision to perform at the event. In doing so, he told CNN that his performance was “not a political statement,” and that he truly believes that unity must be a priority in our divided nation.

“It’s not Republican or Democrat,” Brooks emphasized to CNN while noting that Jill Biden invited him to perform. “It’s a leader for whom I am the civilian of the greatest country on the planet.” Esquire quotes the country singer as further explaining, “I might be the only Republican at this place. But it’s reaching across, loving one another because that’s what’s going to get us through probably the most divided times that we have. I want the divided times to be behind us.”

Also, this definitely happened.

Needless to say, there will be resistance to the calls for unity, which was also the theme of Biden’s measured speech, in which he also stressed that there was an untold amount of work to be done to heal the nation during our current troubling times. Some will work against him, and they’re also working against Garth Brooks right now. He had to have known this was coming, of course, but Brooks persisted because, yes, it’s damn important for the parties to come together while our nation is reeling. Yet the far-right backlash has begun.

Granted, one of these people made it a point to mention his Parler handle in his Twitter bio, so there’s that, but once news of Garth’s performance surfaced, the predictable cries of “Garth Brooks is the Liz Cheney of country music” and “Boycott Garth Brooks!!” were heard. And there’s some Facebook drama, too.

For sure, though, there were even more messages of support. People felt chills while listening to Garth sing, and they were here for the whole mood.

However, if Garth was really wanting to send a message… well, this Twitter user makes an excellent point. A Lady Gaga duet would have made this moment even better.