Month: March 2021

Gapped teeth are cool. Elton John has ’em. So does David Letterman. And Anthony Anderson. And Seal. Madonna has a minor case, as do Eddie Murphy, Willem Dafoe, Woody Harrelson, and Lauren Hutton. Michael Strahan, footballer-turned-TV host, has a particularly gaping gap in his two front teeth. It’s his signature feature. But in a new video — which, let’s just point out, arrives two days shy of April Fool’s Day — it appears he’s belatedly closed that gap.

In the video, which was picked up by TMZ, Strahan visits one Dr. Lee Gause, a Manhattan dentist he tasked with giving him an ordinary toothy smile. Dr. Gause told him he couldn’t permanently fill the gap, but he could give him a temporary solution: He fitted him with a removable piece that gives him a typical, close row of teeth, all of them nestled close together.

So: Is this a gag? Did he really (again, temporarily) fix his signature imperfection? For now, who knows! But there’s some reason to believe it’s a joke. In an interview with Elle (from 2012, mind you), he spoke about the gap, saying that in his 20s he “thought about” getting it filled in.

“I was playing with the Giants. There’s so much pressure to be perfect. You can fix everything now,” Strahan said nine years back. “For me, I made the conscious effort to say ‘This is who I am.’ I’m not perfect. I don’t want to try to be perfect. At this point, I don’t think my kids would recognize me without it. They’d be like, ‘Who is this stranger in the house? Call 911!’”

Anyway, let’s see what April 2 brings us.

(Via TMZ)

Even though we’re nearing the finish line of the pandemic, we’re still a ways away. There are those, on the right, who keep spreading confusion. There are also those at the top, such as President Joe Biden and the scientists who advise him, have warned against prematurely celebrating the defeat of COVID-19. On Monday, Rochelle Walensky, director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, even issued an emotional plea, warning of “Impending doom” should Americans let down their guard. Then again, mere hours later, she had extremely good news: It appears, based on new data, that those who’ve been fully vaccinated aren’t carriers of the virus.

“We’re vaccinating so very fast, our data from the CDC today suggests that vaccinated people do not carry the virus, don’t get sick — and it’s not just in the clinical trials, but it’s also in real world data,” Walnesky told Rachel Maddow on her MSNBC show Monday night. She noted that 93 million Americans have received the first dose and 51 million both doses. “We can kind of almost see the end.”

Mind you, there are about 325 million people living in America right now, so even though three million vaccinations are being done a day, that’s still a while until the country is at something approaching herd immunity. Still, it was a marked change of tone from Walensky’s media appearance mere hours earlier — as though she realized she needed to offer some positive spin.

Walensky didn’t shy away from the darker news, especially since another major holiday is afoot. “On the other side, I’m watching the cases tick up,” Walensky said. “I’m watching us have increased numbers of hypertransmissible variants. I’m watching our travel numbers tick up. And the sense is, I have seen what it looks like to anticipate the oncoming surge. And what I really would hate to have happen is to have another oncoming surge just as we’re reaching towards getting so many more people vaccinated. You know, we’re still losing people at 1,000 deaths a day. And so I just can’t face another surge when there’s so much optimism right at our fingertips.”

So just to recap: For now it appears people who’ve gotten both doses — then waited two weeks for it to settle — can’t get infected and can’t carry the virus. But that currently only applies to less than a sixth of the population, so please continue as you were, for just a little bit longer.

You can watch Walensky’s full interview above.

(Via MSNBC)

Ever since Megan Thee Stallion declared the warmer months of 2019 “Hot Girl Summer,” all sorts of public figures have rushed to lay claim to the beach season with their own campaigns — she even updated it to “quarantine summer” herself last year. Saweetie once declared December “Icy Girl Winter” and has already put in a bid to name summer 2021 “Pretty B*tch Summer” after her upcoming debut album, Pretty B*tch Music.

But one celebrity’s option has put off more people than its beguiled; Chet Hanks, of over-the-top patois and “being Tom Hanks’ son” fame, said he felt a “White Boy Summer” is in the works with him and Jack Harlow, and some folks on Twitter aren’t having it. Included among those opting out of Hanks’ fantasy summer is Dionne Warwick. The new queen of Black Twitter was mystified upon being informed of Chet Hanks’ crusade, wondering “What foolishness did I just see?” and predicting instead, “I will be having a Black Woman Summer.”

Ms. Warwick isn’t the only one who seems undone by Hanks’ tomfoolery. For the past few days, Twitter has been alight with posts roasting Tom’s offspring. The jokes range from imagining Jon B and Jack Harlow’s responses to being pulled into the discussion to wondering just how Chet Hanks turned out the way he has with an Oscar-winning father and all the privilege in the world (I think the answer’s in the question). In any case, it looks like “White Boy Summer” is probably not becoming a thing, insomuch as it already was for the last 400 summers or so, and it’s been terrible for everybody else.

Check out more responses to Chet Hanks below.

Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Over the course of Covid-19, the American passport went from being one of the most powerful individual travel documents in the world to one of significantly diminished stature as the nation straight up bungled our response to a global pandemic. For more than a year now, accepting Americans into any foreign country was just downright dangerous as the United States has become the country hardest hit by Covid-19 — with the most cases and the most deaths by not insignificant numbers. But with President Biden’s announcement that by mid-April 90% of adults will be eligible to become vaccinated, it’s finally looking like there’s light at the end of the tunnel and countries worldwide are gearing up to welcome travelers back with open arms.

You know, once we’re fully vaccinated. In fact, some destinations may require a digital document to prove it.

We’ve all been dying to travel and when it’s finally safe to get back out there we have a pretty extensive list planned for all the places we’re dying to see. The 2020 Uproxx Travel Hot List dropped right before the pandemic started — rendering many of its destinations moot for the past year. We’ve also talked to travel influencers and celebrities about where they’re headed first, whether that’s hitting up Amsterdam or something more scenic and isolated.

But before we get too excited, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to know which places we’re actually allowed to go. While some countries are totally open right now with little to no restrictions, others require additional health screenings, the possibility of an afore-referenced “vaccine passport,” and mandatory quarantines. If a country isn’t on this list, you can assume that visiting in 2021 isn’t advised.

Here are all the countries Americans can travel to right now, or in the near future.

Albania

Albania was one of the first countries to reopen to American tourism. Right now, there are no Covid-19 test, quarantine, or vaccine requirements to enter.

Anguilla

Anguilla is now open to US visitors, but all travelers must complete an approval process that requires the submission of a negative nato-pharyngeal PCR test result 3-5 days before arrival. Travelers will have to submit their negative test via Anguilla’s approval portal and must wear masks in public spaces for the entirety of their visit.

Temperature checks will be implemented upon landing.

Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda’s border is now open! All US travelers aged 12 and older arriving by air must present a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within a full week of their flight. Upon arrival, an additional PCR test must be taken and visitors will have to quarantine while waiting for the results.

In short, Antigua and Barbuda isn’t the best out-of-the-blue adventure option

Armenia

Armenia is open to US tourists so long as they can present a negative Covid-19 test result taken within 72 hours of their arrival. Travelers also have the option to take a Covid-19 test upon arrival at their own expense as long as they’re willing to self-isolate while awaiting results.

Aruba

All US visitors over the age of 15 must fill out a health assessment and present a negative Covid-19 test result upon arrival. All visitors will need to pick up Aruba Visitors insurance.

If you plan on traveling via Jet Blue, you’ll have the option to take an at-home saliva-based test.

Bahamas

The Bahamas are finally open to American travelers… sort of. All Americans entering the Bahamas must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken no more than five days prior to the date of travel and must purchase the island’s Covid-19 health insurance and apply for Bahamas Travel Health Visa.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh is open to US tourists but the rules are still pretty strict for this one. To enter the country you must present a medical certificate showing negative Covid-19 results from a PCR test taken within 72 hours of travel.

Upon arrival, all guests must quarantine for an additional 14 days.

Barbados

All travelers must complete an online travel form submitted 24 hours before arrival. Visitors will need to arrive with a valid negative Covid-19 PCR test taken in the last 72 hours and must take an additional rapid antigen test after landing.

Visitors must quarantine for a minimum of five nights as they await the results of their additional test. For the duration of your visit, all guests must wear an electronic tracking bracelet.

Belarus

US citizens may visit Belarus for no longer than 30 days and must arrive with a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival. Land borders are currently closed to U.S. citizens.

Belize

Belize opened to international travel beginning on August 15th but travelers will be subject to additional safety precautions. Travelers must register on the Belize health app, receive a negative COVID-19 PCR test result within 96 hours of travel, and take an additional rapid test within 48 hours of arrival at their own expense.

Bermuda

All visitors 10 and older must apply for travel authorization at the cost of $75. Travel authorization for children under 9 is $30. Upon arrival, all visitors must present a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within five days of arrival and wear an electronic tracking wristband

All travelers will be tested again at the airport where they must quarantine while waiting for results. Additional tests are required four days after arrival.

Immunized travelers will still need to apply for travel authorization, supply a negative pre-arrival test, and take the additional test upon arrival. Immunized travelers are not required to wear the electronic bracelet.

Bonaire

All visitors must fill out an online health declaration before arrival and present a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of arrival.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

All US visitors with a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken within the last 48 hours may enter Bosnia and Herzegovina with no restrictions.

Botswana

US travelers hoping to visit Botswana will need to provide a negative Covid-19 PCR test result from the last 72 hours before departure. Visitors without the negative test result or those showing Covid-19 symptoms will have to quarantine for a full 14 days at their own expense.

Meaning: You’ll 100% want to have the test result to travel to Botswana.

Brazil

Over the summer Brazil had few travel restrictions and now the country is dealing with the aftermath. Currently all entry by land and sea is totally banned and those hoping to arrive by air will now need to present a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken withiin 72 hours of boarding their flight.

British Virgin Islands

US travelers visiting the British Virgin Islands (BVI) must purchase a travel certificate at the cost of $175 from the BVI Gateway website. Visitors must also present a negative Covid-19 test result taken within five days before departure. All visitors will be tested upon arrival and will need to quarantine while awaiting results.

Cambodia

Cambodia’s restrictions have lightened significantly since the summer. All US travelers above the age of two must provide a negative Covid-19 test result taken within 72 hours of their departure.

Travelers who have had Covid-19 must provide documentation from a licensed health care provider stating they have recovered from Covid-19 in the 90 days preceding travel.

Chile

Chile is now open to US citizens! Within 48 hours of boarding, all visitors must fill out an Affidavit of Travelers form as well as present a negative Covid-19 PCR test result within 72 hours of boarding.

Visitors must also provide proof of Covid-19 health insurance with minimum coverage of $30,000. All visitors must also quarantine for 10 days, five of which must be spent in a transit hotel.

Colombia

Travelers hoping to visit Colombia must either provide a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken within 96 hours of departure or take a test upon arrival and quarantine while awaiting results.

Côte d’Ivoire

Travelers visiting the Ivory Coast must fill out a travel declaration (which comes with fees) and present a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken within five days of arrival. All travelers are encouraged to quarantine for an additional two weeks.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is welcoming all travelers arriving by air and sea. Visitors must first complete a digital Health Pass 48 hours before boarding and purchase mandatory health insurance to cover quarantine accommodations. International insurance must cover at least $50,000 in medical expenses.

Croatia

American tourists who can present a negative COVID-19 PCR test 48 hours before arrival and prove paid-in-full for accommodation (not a reservation) are permitted to enter Croatia. Those who arrive without a negative test result must take a test upon arrival and self-isolate while awaiting results.

Curaçao

All US travelers will need to provide a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken within 72 hours of traveling. All visitors will be subjected to a 9:00 pm to 4:30 am curfew.

Dominica

Dominica opened its borders to American travelers on August 7th. All arriving passengers will need to bring a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken no later than 72 hours before boarding, fill out an online questionnaire 24 hours before departure, and will be subjected to additional rapid testing upon arrival.

All visitors of Dominica will be assigned color-coded wristbands.

Dominican Republic

Upon arrival, visitors of the Dominican Republic may be subjected to a random breath test and will need to fill out a health affidavit. Free antigen testing will be available to international travelers staying in hotels.

Dubai

Travelers over the age of 12 must present a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within 96 hours of departure. Additional quarantines may be in place.

Ecuador

Travelers with a completed vaccination card may enter Ecuador with no restrictions. All other travelers three and older must show proof of a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within three days of arrival. Those arriving without a negative test result will be subjected to a quarantine while awaiting the results of a new test.

Egypt

All visitors over the age of 5 must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken within 72 hours before their departure flight. Travelers will need to have paper copies of the test result, digital copies will not be accepted.

Ethiopia

All US citizens arriving in Ethiopia will need to present a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within five days of their boarding date.

Currently, Ethiopia is ranked at Level 3 by the US State Department, which suggests people “reconsider travel” to the region.

French Polynesia

Travelers must submit proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of their departure date. Arriving passengers must self-test four days after their arrival to Tahiti.

Grenada

Grenada is now open to American travelers but requires quite a bit of hoop-jumping if you want to enter. American travelers must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure, and then a second test on day five of their trip. All travelers must also apply for travel authorization from the Ministry of Health.

Guatemala

All travelers over the age of 10 entering Guatemala will need to provide a negative Covid-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 72 hours of arrival, provide evidence that they have received the Covid-19 vaccine or evidence that you’ve recovered from Covid-19 within the last three months.

All visitors must also fill out an online health pass.

Honduras

Honduras is now opened to American travelers, though all arriving travelers must bring proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken at most 72 hours prior to arrival and fill out an online precheck health form.

Ireland

The Republic of Ireland requires all US travelers to present a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of their departure and will be subjected to a 14 day quarantine. Five days into the quarantine travelers may take a second test which will lead to relaxed restrictions, if negative.

Jamaica

Travelers from the United States (12 and older) must obtain a negative COVID-19 PCR test result at least three days prior to their departure date for Jamaica. All travelers must also fill out an application to obtain official travel authorization from Jamaica.

Kenya

Kenya is open to all US travelers who can provide a negative Covid-19 test result taken within 96 hours of their arrival date.

Maldives

All travelers visiting the Maldives will need to arrive with a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken within 96 hours of their arrival.

Mexico

Mexico’s border with the United States is still closed to tourists but travelers may fly into the country with few restrictions. Travelers may be subject to temperature checks, health screenings, but will meet few restrictions.

Montenegro

Montenegro’s borders are now open to vaccinated American tourists but must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken 72 hours prior to their departure.

Morocco

Only travelers with a valid reservation to a Moroccan hotel can visit the country and must present a printed negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of their departure. Some local curfews may apply.

Nambia

Travelers must arrive with a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of their arrival date. All un-tested travelers will need to be tested upon arrival and quarantined at their own expense while awaiting results.

Nepal

All travelers above the age of five must arrive with a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken 72 hours before departure. Upon arrival, travelers must quarantine for an additional 7 days upon a new negative test result, or for a full 10 days.

Nicaragua

Travelers must arrive with a negative Covid-19 PCR test with no time frame requirement.

Panama

Panama is open to air travelers (cruise ship passengers are not allowed to disembark) who can provide a negative Covid-19 PCR or antigen test result taken 48 hours before arrival. Travelers with older test results must take a rapid test at the airport.

All travelers must fill out an online health affidavit.

Peru

All travelers 12 and older arriving from the US must provide a negative Covid-19 PCR or antigen test, or a medical certificate explaining you’ve recovered from Covid-19. Travelers will be subjected to a two-week quarantine that may be waived with a negative antigen test result upon arrival.

Rwanda

Rwanda is now open to travelers who can present a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure. All visitors must take a second test upon arrival and quarantine while awaiting results.

Senegal

All US travelers over the age of 2 are allowed to enter Senegal with a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within five days of their arrival.

Serbia

Serbia is open to all US travelers who can present a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within 48 hours of their arrival.

Seychelles

The Seychelles are now open to all US travelers who can show proof of a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours before their departure. All travelers must have valid health insurance to cover Covid-19 related medical expenses and apply for travel authorization online. Vaccinated individuals are subjected to the same requirements.

South Africa

South Africa is finally open to American tourists! All travelers must provide a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken within 72 hours of departure.

South Korea

South Korea is allowing US travelers back into the country so long as they can provide a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure. However, all travelers are subjected to a 14 day quarantine period.

Sri Lanka

Those willing to stay at an approved hotel or resort for a full 14 days may reenter Sri Lanka so long as they arrive with a negative Covid-19 PCR test.

St. Kitts and Nevis

All travelers hoping to visit St. Kitts and Nevis must fill out a travel authorization form before arrival as well as supply a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken 72 hours before departure. For the first seven days of your trip, all travelers must stay at an approved hotel and take an additional test on the seventh day before restrictions are lifted.

St. Barts

St. Barts has just enacted new preventative measures against Covid-19 variants and is closing the gates to all incoming travelers as the island gets vaccinated. Borders are expected to reopen by mid-May, so a late summer trip isn’t out of the question.

St. Lucia

All travelers over the age of five must provide a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within five days before arrival, as well as fill out a travel registration form. Visitors must be staying at a Covid-certified property for the duration of their trip.

St. Marteen

All travelers from the US arriving at St. Marteen must complete a health authorization application, provide health insurance to cover Covid-19 costs, and provide a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of their departure.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

All travelers arriving in St. Vincent and the Grenadines must take a COVID-19 PCR test 72 hours before arrival and be retested upon arrival. All US travelers will need to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.

Serbia

All airline passengers arriving from the United States aged two and older must provide a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within three days before arrival. Those who have caught Covid must present documentation that says they covered from Covid-19 at least 90 days before arrival.

Tanzania

Tanzania has no additional requirements for international travelers, though travelers will be required to fill out a health surveillance form and will be subjected to a health screening upon arrival. Keep in mind that some airlines require Covid-19 test results so it’s not a bad idea to bring one anyway.

Tunisia

All US travelers hoping to visit Tunisia will need to provide a negative Covid-19 PCR or serology test taken within 72 hours of their departure and will be subjected to an additional two-day quarantine upon arrival.

Turkey

US travelers over the age of six must arrive with a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of their flight. All travelers will be subjected to additional health checks and fill out an entry form.

Turks and Caicos

Passengers must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result within five days of travel. All travelers must have medical/travel insurance that covers medevac, complete a health screening, and agree to a privacy policy prior to arrival.

Uganda

All US travelers with a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken within five days of departure are permitted for entry to Uganda.

Ukraine

Ukraine has been put under additional quarantine until April 30, 2021. After the quarantine date, all US travelers over the age of two will need to provide a negative Covid-19 test result taken within three days before arrival.

United Arab Emirates

Travelers flying into the United Arab Emirates must present a negative Covid-19 PCR test and will need to quarantine while awaiting the results of a follow-up test.

United Kingdom

Travel to the UK is discouraged but open. All US travelers must present a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken 72 hours before their departure and are advised to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival.

Looks like the Bidens’ dog, Major, is still having a rough time adjusting to life in the White House. The presidential pooch has reportedly been involved in another biting incident that has been confirmed by First Lady Jill Biden’s press secretary. While Major’s first incident involved a Secret Service member, this time the three-year-old rescue pup got a hold of an employee from the National Parks Service who was working on the South Lawn on Monday. Via CNN:

The employee was working at the time and needed to stop in order to receive treatment from the White House medical unit. Asked about this latest episode, first lady Jill Biden’s press secretary Michael LaRosa told CNN: “Yes, Major nipped someone on a walk. Out of an abundance of caution, the individual was seen by WHMU and then returned to work.”

According to NPR, Major had just returned to the White House after undergoing a two-week remedial training program in Delaware after the first biting incident. The Bidens had rescued the energetic German Shepherd back in 2018, and the furry guy is still getting used to life at his new home. Major has “been known to display agitated behavior on multiple occasions, including jumping, barking, and ‘charging’ at staff and security,” CNN reported earlier in the month.

However, Major has some animal-loving fans out there who have been quick to defend the Biden’s youngest pup on social media after news of the latest biting incident broke on Tuesday:

Meanwhile, Hannity’s gonna Hannity…

(Via CNN)

A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of American (PNAS) discovered something that most of us already know deep down, being empathetic can help someone become a better person.

Researchers conducted a study asking parole officers (PPOs) to perform a 30-minute online exercise designed to enhance their empathy for adults on probation or parole (APPs). The exercise also was designed to affirm the PPOs sense of purpose.

This makes sense because being a PPO has to be a stressful job. Seeing APPs day in and day out probably makes it difficult to relate to them as individuals. The same can happen in any job whether it’s customer service or working in healthcare. We all need to be reminded to show a bit more empathy for the people we encounter every day.

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The 30-minute exercise asked PPOs to read an article affirming their critical role in making sure APP’s met the conditions of their sentences. It also included a narrative from a PPO in their department that affirms the benefits of their job.

“For me, it’s when I’m walking down the street with my headphones on and somebody is running me down, ‘Miss ___, Miss ___! You remember me? I’m doing this, I’m doing this with my life… I’m really fulfilled when it comes to things like that… so when I run across those guys and they’re doing well I’m like, ‘awesome!’ …those are some of the more fulfilling parts of the job for me.”

The exercise concluded with an article reminding PPOs that creating mutually respectful relationships with APPs allows them to be more effective at meeting their needs.

The study was conducted on 216 PPOs overseeing more than 20,000 APPs.

via Pexels

The results of the study are impressive. After ten months, those that took the “empathic supervision intervention,” saw a 13% reduction in their APP’s recidivism rates. A 2011 Pew Research study found that the average national recidivism rate for released prisoners is 43%.

So, dropping the rate by 13% over 20,000 APPs, means the intervention kept approximately 2,600 people out of prison.

If this type of intervention was implemented nationwide, it could lead to a large-scale reduction in recidivism rates that would have a massive impact on countless lives. Repeat offenders are extremely costly for the APPs, their families, the state budget, and the community-at-large.

The results of the study prove its initial hypothesis about the PPO and APP relationship. “If the relationship lacks appropriate care and trust, violations and recidivism (return to jail or prison) may be more likely to occur,” the study postulates.

The study points to a lesson that we should all remember, regardless of what we do for a living.

Leading with the heart and showing sympathy for others, regardless of what they’ve done in the past, can make a huge difference. Sometimes all people want in this world is to be seen, heard, and understood. As this story shows, a little bit of empathy can have an incredible impact on the entire community.

The Utah Jazz are scheduled to play in Memphis on Wednesday, but their arrival is going to be a bit later than initially planned. The Jazz’s team charter was set to leave Salt Lake City for Memphis on Tuesday afternoon, but their plane had to turn around shortly after takeoff and land back in Salt Lake due to an engine issue.

That it was indeed the Jazz’s charter plane was confirmed, with reporting that the plane hit some birds on takeoff, causing the engine problem and forcing the plane to turn around and land again.

Happily, it seems the plane was able to safely land and the players on board seemed very happy to be back on ground after their scare, with a number posting to Twitter with simple messages of relief.

Hopefully the Jazz will get a new charter plane soon and be able to make it to Memphis later this evening with no further excitement, if you will. The team was sent home while they get a new plane.

There are few things scarier than being on a plane when anything goes wrong, and it’s good to know this wasn’t so serious that it required anything more than turning around and returning to the safety of the tarmac for repairs.

The Last Cruise (HBO, 9:00pm) — You will probably never want to set sail on a cruise ship again after watching this film, which charts the ill-fated Diamond Princess cruise ship that became ground central for the largest initial COVID-19 outbreak outside of China. The ship set sail from Japan on January 20, 2020, and on month later, at least 700 infections popped up, which symbolized a self-quarantined picture of how global normalcy was about to evaporate for at least one year. Hopefully, the new revelations about what transpired will act as a cautionary tale for budding future pandemics.

Mayans M.C. (FX, 10:00pm) — This biker drama’s in a darker third gear with the club all wrestling with various personal and professional demons. This week, the M.C. attempts to solve their heroin problem while EZ’s attempting to figure out who let the club down.

Young Rock (NBC, 8:00pm) — In 1982, Dewey hangs with Andre the Giant while Lia and Rocky prepare for the Battle Royale in the huge-island setting.

Kenan (NBC, 8:30pm) — Kenan begins to believe that Cori’s spirit might be inside a squirrel that might be trolling him. Meanwhile, Kenan’s non-birthday becomes the subject of a mistaken surprise party.

The Flash (CW, 8:00pm) — Central City faces a powerful new villain, and in order the prevail against the threat, Barry must summon a new brand of bravery.

Supergirl (CW, 9:00pm) — Supergirl and the team must save Brainiac from death after he attempted to stop Lex, and there’s an epic battle coming.

New Amsterdam (NBC, 9:00pm) — Bloom’s teaching Reynolds a few things, all while Sharpe grows concerned about a low blood supply, and Max has a plan.

Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Bob Odenkirk, Nicole Byer, Tate McRae

In case you missed these picks:

Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil (YouTube Premium miniseries) — She’s been to post-childhood-stardom hell and back, and now, Demi Lovato is here to present her truth in a four-part series. Expect to see details of not-so-pretty moments and downright destructive ones (Lovato overdosed on a opioid-fentanyl cocktail in 2018), along with details about what led to that moment and how she continues to recover.

Staged: Series 2 (BBC One series on Hulu) — This is the rare COVID-era comedy that’s worth tuning into because who can resist David Tennant and Michael Sheen shooting the sh*t together while playing somewhat fictional versions of themselves? This second installment spans eight episodes and basically follows the two Brits losing their minds during this crisis that’s also making the rest of lose our minds, too. The guest lineup includes Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Schwartz, Jim Parsons, Simon Pegg, Cate Blanchett, Christoph Waltz, Ken Jeong, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Like all good Californians, I will gladly shoehorn avocados into any almost any dish (as long as the avocados aren’t cooked, that’s gross). Obviously, the king of all avocado dishes is guacamole, but just behind that is what’s often called guacamole salsa, or avocado salsa — a thinner but still creamy version that’s more for drizzling on tacos than scooping up with chips (though you can still do the latter, sorta). This version is a staple of taco shops and also my favorite chain, El Pollo Loco.

I’ve tried to recreate this at home and been reasonably successful, with most versions using tomatillo and water to create the thinner texture. So I was taken aback when a friend sent me this YouTube video. It comes from the account “Cooking With Paty,” and in the video Paty promises to make avocado salsa without the avocados. The video positions this not as a parlor trick, but as a common money-saving tactic for taquerias. I have no idea whether this is true, though the video describes itself as “The Secret of the Taco People,” which I find wildly charming.

The secret? Boiled green squash!

Naturally, I’d never heard of such a thing. I wanted to test this out, to see whether green squash and a little tomatillo and jalapeño could indeed create a viable avocado salsa and act as a low-cost avocado alternative. To make it a challenge, I made both the real version and Paty’s impostor to see if I could fool my family.

PART I — THE FAKE

The green squash at my store looked a little bigger than Paty’s so I had to eyeball it a little bit. She used three big tomatillos, I used five small ones, but otherwise, it’s as similar as I could make it.

Her recipe:

• 2 green squash
• 3 green tomatillos
• 2 jalapeños
• 2 garlic cloves
• a few sprigs of cilantro
• Half teaspoon Kosher salt

As per Paty, sliced squash and whole tomatillos go into boiling water. Paty said five minutes. I don’t know if she has a different stove than I do, but on my stove, it took more like 10 to get the squash soft enough. I suppose that could be a function of how ripe the squash were. Do squash get “ripe?” Squash are weird, I don’t understand them.

Meanwhile, I toast my garlic and jalapeños in a pan with a healthy amount of vegetable oil. Incidentally, charred veg is the root of virtually all salsas.

This part you actually can get done in five minutes or so, assuming your pan is hot enough (hot enough to see those air bubbles in the oil).

As instructed, the boiled squash and tomatillos go in the blender with the toasted jalapeños and garlic, using the excess oil to get the proper texture. Salt and cilantro go in last. This version uses less water than a normal avocado salsa, since the squash is mostly water already.

To my eyes, it looked basically indistinguishable from a “normal” avocado salsa. Which does raise the question, how many times have I actually had squash salsa thinking it was avocado? Someone needs to start marketing home avocado test strips right away.

PART II — THE GENUINE ARTICLE

For this version, all the steps and ingredients are virtually identical, except I re-replaced the squash with one Hass avocado and about 1/4 cup cold water.

PART III — SALSA VS. SALSA

Here they are side by side. Can you spot the difference? Fine, yes, the avocado version is the one on the right. I probably tipped my hand here by not adding a little more water to the avocado side. I would have, but it’s a little harder to judge in a blender because the avocado gets a little frothy at first and then settles. Honestly though, water was really the only difference between the textures. With a little more in the avo version they’d be identical.

Here are the comments from my tasters. Avocado was salsa 1, impostor version was number 2:

PART IV — THE VERDICT

So yes, in the end none of my tasters were fooled. Though if they didn’t have the genuine article sitting right next to the impostor version as a point of comparison, and if perhaps they didn’t know that they were trying to identify an ersatz avocado salsa, I have little doubt that they would’ve taken the squash version as the genuine article. Even knowing that one salsa was avocado-free, none of them seemed especially confident in their answers.

Of course, it should be noted, I bought the avocados for 99 cents each at my local supermarket. The green squash was actually more expensive, which would make one question the impostor version’s entire reason for existing. Avocados spoil much faster, which might make the squash version cheaper in the long run. But that’s only really a consideration if you’re running a taco truck, rather than just making salsa in the kitchen. Look, I’m not a salsa enthusiast, not an economist.

Attempts to fool anyone aside, here’s the kicker: when it came time to eat the tacos we’d made, the squash version was good enough that everyone put genuine avocado salsa on one taco and fauxvecado on the other. Which is to say: even knowing it was “fake,” it was still a decent salsa.

So yeah, you can make fake avocado salsa with squash, and it would probably be avocado-like enough that people wouldn’t question it. The even wilder takeaway here is that you can indeed make a tasty salsa out of squash. Who knew? (Paty did, that’s who).

Hulu just dropped the first full-length trailer for The Handmaid’s Tale Season 4, and when the show finally returns, Elisabeth Moss’ June Osborne will be getting her freedom fighter on after escaping to Canada in the last season. The new trailer labels Osborne “Public Enemy No. 1” as she clearly doesn’t seem content to wait for Gilead to come for her. The escaped Handmaid is prepared to bring the fight to Gilead’s doorstep, which might destroy her and everything she loves in the process.

Here’s the official synopsis via Hulu:

The cultural phenomenon picks up where we left off, with June’s fight for freedom against Gilead. But the risks she takes bring unexpected and dangerous new challenges, and her desire for justice and revenge threaten to consume her and destroy her most cherished relationships.

Thanks to the pandemic, The Handmaid’s Tale fans were justifiably concerned about when or if the show would return, but the creative team made it work despite being shut down. Granted, this season will be a leaner 10 episodes, series creator Bruce Miller told The Hollywood Reporter back in December that the shut down ended up being a blessing because it helped him craft new directions for the show that he never considered until now.

“I know where I am in the story, and I do feel like we’re kind of reaching kind of a pivot point, but whether that’s the end or not, I don’t know,” Miller told THR. “It just feels like it’s a good time to reassess what you were thinking, just because the story world has opened up because the real world has changed so much.”

The Handmaid’s Tale Season 4 starts streaming on April 28 on Hulu.

(Via Hulu)