Month: April 2021

John Mayer has proven himself to be an entertaining personality over the years, even outside of music. He hosts his Current Mood show on Instagram Live, he guest-hosted The Late Late Show before James Corden took over, and of course, there’s the famous Chappelle’s Show skit. Now it looks like Mayer may have a big TV opportunity in front of him: Variety reports that Mayer is in talks to host his own show.

Later With John Mayer would be based on the similarly titled UK program Later With Jools Holland, which has become an internationally recognized program since it first started airing in 1992. Variety indicates Mayer is “nearing a deal” to host the weekly program, which would live on the Paramount Plus streaming platform. The series would feature “performance segments as well as interviews with musicians, artists and other cultural figures in a setting designed to look like an after-hours club for musicians.”

Content from the show, specifically its performance segments, could air periodically on CBS as well. On top of that, “there is also talk” of tie-ins with the Grammys, which air on CBS.

Musically, Mayer’s most recent album was 2017’s The Search For Everything. Following that, he has released a handful of singles: “New Light” in 2018, then “I Guess I Just Feel Like” and “Carry Me Away” in 2019. He also popped up at the Grammys this year to perform with Maren Morris.

Last December, actor Elliot Page came out as transgender. “Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot,” he wrote. “I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life. I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey.” In an interview with Oprah Winfrey for her Apple TV+ series, The Oprah Conversations, Page was which part of his transition has brought him the most joy.

“It’s getting out of the shower and the towel’s around your waist and you’re looking at yourself in the mirror and you’re just like, ‘There I am.’ And I’m not having the moment where I’m panicked. I’m not having all these little moments that used to be…” The Umbrella Academy star said, fighting back tears. “Just being in a T-shirt. It’s being able to touch my chest and feel comfortable in my body for probably the first time.”

Elliot also spoke to Oprah about why he decided to detail his coming out journey publicly.

“In this time we’re in right now, and especially with this horrible backlash we’re seeing towards trans people, particularly trans youth,” he said, “it really felt imperative to do so.”

Page’s episode of The Oprah Conversation premieres on Apple TV+ on April 30. Watch the CBS This Morning discussion of the upcoming broadcast below.

(Via E! Online)

Last Friday, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier wrapped up its six-episode series with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), formerly knows as The Falcon, officially becoming the new Captain America. Though, it wasn’t an easy decision for Sam. Literally, almost everyone was telling Sam that becoming Captain America was a bad idea and Sam struggled with what that means for a Black man to wear that uniform.

After the series ended we spoke to head writer Malcolm Spellman who explained why Sam’s journey had to be layered in the truth. And how he and his writing team got Sam to a place where the decision felt like the right thing to do. Also, Spellman takes us through the speech Sam gives in the final episode that he and Mackie worked on together – and that, hey, you aren’t required to like it. You may have thought it was boring. But, for Spellman and Mackie, it came from an honest place.

Also, rumors are flying that Spellman will be writing the fourth Captain America movies (which, yes, would make a lot of sense), but he’s not quite ready to confirm that’s true.

Well, first of all, congratulations on not just the show, but now getting to do the Captain America movie. That’s exciting.

Yeah, it is, it is. I mean, I haven’t confirmed a movie, but doing the show was literally a dream come true.

Oh, I didn’t realize that this was not confirmed by you yet.

Well, it was a news story in the way that Mephisto was maybe going to be appearing in our series.

I see.

You know what I’m saying?

Well, Mephisto didn’t happen. Some people were very sure of themselves about that. Do you laugh when that happens? Are you like, “Okay, well, if you think so?”

Well, you’ve got to be careful, because the fans get a lot of shit right. You know what I’m saying? Sometimes they get on a run and you’re like, “Wait a minute. How did they chalk it down? Maybe Mephisto is going to be in the series and no one told me?”

So, in the fifth episode, from a writing standpoint, how do you get from where literally everyone’s telling Sam, “Do not do this”? Bradley is very much against Sam becoming Captain America. How do you then get to Sam making the decision to do it?

That was the mission statement from the beginning, Mike, to make this as difficult as possible for Sam and to do it with the truth. And, in fact, that episode is called “Truth.” And we wanted to make sure that Sarah, his sister, and Isaiah were not wrong in anything they said. We didn’t want Sam to get to the end of this run and pick up the mantle and just say, “Oh, well, it turns out everyone’s wrong. It’s all good for a Black man to be carrying this mantle without any trepidation.” It just makes it more compelling if you allow the truth of the characters to make this journey difficult.

So then we get Sam’s impassioned speech in the last episode. which I really liked. I did notice there were some on social media who weren’t into it. But it felt like, and tell me if I’m wrong, but it felt like here’s a Black man as Captain America for the first time on screen, and you and your writing staff get to speak through him for the first time and probably had a lot to say. It felt like a lot of stuff was coming through.

Yeah. It is. And the only people I’ve seen have issues with it are people with loud voices, who have issues with anything that doesn’t jibe with their worldview. You know what I’m saying? Because sitting with that… I worked on that speech with Anthony side by side, and the agenda was to let the truth of the character come out and how he sees the world. Not to show up and get on no pulpit. And by the way, one of the things Anthony wanted to make sure of is he was the one who sort of asked us to direct it at the senator so that it didn’t feel like a speech, like he’s talking to somebody and he’s trying to convince that senator. As the new Captain America, we believe that his primary superpower isn’t just that he believes we can do better, which he says in the series. It’s that he, as a Black man, particularly one from the South, understands struggle in his bones and has a shorthand with anyone who feels like they’re struggling. And we would argue that the climate in the MCU matches the climate today in the world. And everybody, including people from rich countries, feels like they’re struggling, which means Sam as Cap has a shorthand with them.

When you did say “people with loud voices” who it didn’t jibe with — you asked if I know what that mean. I think so…

Well, I’m not…

I don’t want to get you in hot water.

Yeah, it’s not even a hot water thing. It’s that because I’m not really on social, there’s not much I can do. You get what it is, man. You see who’s out there and you see the tenor. Everyone knows the truth, man. People can pretend and people are getting very, very savvy at how they package what the truth of what they’re saying is, but we see through it. And it is what it is. By the way, you aren’t required to like it. You can think it’s boring. You can think it’s this or that, but where it came from was that character.

I kind of got annoyed at the criticism that, “some of it was cheesy.” Because Christopher Reeve gave very cheesy speeches in Superman. So why can’t Sam say a couple of cheesy things, too?

Listen, I will promise you this, way more people were feeling it, and it felt honest for the character.

I’m curious, every time Sam and Bucky would talk about Steve Rogers, was that tricky to do? Because when we left off in Endgame, the guy’s still alive, but you kind of have to make it sound like he’s gone. How tricky was that?

Well, it wasn’t. Marvel was like, “You ain’t going to see him.” So I don’t know where! He’s gone, as far as I’m concerned. He wasn’t going to be in our series. So wherever he is, he’s not anywhere we can access. So we just wrote it honestly. We wouldn’t lie to nobody.

I’d be remiss if we didn’t talk about Wyatt Russell…

Crushed it.

How do you get from an episode where he literally murdered a man in the street with blood on the shield, to, by the end, as US Agent, I’m like, “Well, I can still watch this guy.” I should be furious, but there’s still part of me that’s so interested in him.

Got to blame the actor for having that kind of range.

Right.

He’s gifted, and he knew how to do that dance: when you hate him, he’s making you hate him. When you understand him and feel him, that’s him, that’s Wyatt doing that. That’s the skills.

Also part of it is he’s not wearing the Captain America uniform and Sam is…

That has helped. He did get beat up and lose the shield, too.

I think I’m out of time. And if that rumored story winds up coming true, congratulations on that.

I really appreciate it, man.

You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

President Biden’s first Address to Congress is pretty much his first State of the Union, except that nothing has been normal for the past year, and everything’s running a few months late, and Joe’s just rolling with it as best as possible. CBS News is reporting that 85% of speech watchers approved of Wednesday night’s proceedings, although we do know that Ted Cruz was not a fan, since he appeared to fall asleep. He had some (also dubious) company, too. That would be Stephen Miller, the former Trump senior advisor who penned many of the reality star’s speeches.

Miller made a name for himself as the architect of both Trump’s Muslim ban and his policy of separating parents and children at the U.S.-Mexico border. Well, the straight-up white supremacist wasn’t pleased about the lack of fire and brimstone in Biden’s address, and he let his thoughts be known.

“It is striking just how tedious & unoriginal the rhetoric was in Biden’s speech,” Miller tweeted. “Also, no outreach, no bipartisanship, no surprises, no warmth — a lifeless and dry address.” He also complained, “So far, this speech is written in the ‘laundry list’ style — the least inspired format for a congressional address.”

Jake Tapper was quick to highlight the complaint (and didn’t even need to note the irony, although that was the effect): “Stephen Miller found the Biden speech without warmth and insufficiently bipartisan.”

From there, the floodgates truly opened, and Miller became a laughingstock, which is much preferable to his previous status as a threat to minorities.

DJ Khaled revealed the tracklist for his upcoming album Khaled Khaled yesterday and it features a ton of household names. Now, fans think the tracklist doesn’t explicitly reveal everybody who guests on the album, as there’s a prominent theory out there that Beyonce makes an appearance.

Jay-Z features on the song “Sorry Not Sorry,” alongside Nas, James Fauntleroy, and somebody credited as “Harmonies By The Hive,” which many fans have decided is actually Beyonce.

Rumors have actually been swirling before the tracklist reveal, as Khaled, Beyonce, and Jay-Z were recently all seen together. On top of that, Khaled revealed a few days ago he had to sign an NDA related to the project, which fans believe is related to Beyonce’s purported appearance on the album.

It shouldn’t take long to verify or debunk these rumors, as the album is set to be released tomorrow.

Aside from the aforementioned artists, the album also features 21 Savage, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Big Sean, Bryson Tiller, DaBaby, Drake, Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Lil Wayne, Meek Mill, Megan Thee Stallion, Migos,, Puff Daddy, Rick Ross, Roddy Ricch, HER, Jeremih, Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Post Malone, Barrington Levy, Bounty Killer, Buju Banton, and Capleton.

Khaled Khaled is out 4/30 via Epic Records. Pre-order it here.

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

Question: Can a gazebo be a desk? Answer: Technically, I guess. Rod Wave sure makes a strong argument for a “yes” with his debut on NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts. His drummer and bassist occupy a garden gazebo, while Rod, his pianist, and a flautist/saxophonist(!) perform from the grounds just outside. Rod performs songs from his recently released album SoulFly, as well as a quick cover of Drake’s “Over My Dead Body” hook to open the set.

The stripped-down setup allows his voice to get more shine, while he’s able to reflect on the stories behind the songs between each. Singing “Rags2Riches,” “Street Runner,” and “Don’t Forget,” his band adds a fresh dimension to the familiar songs while the addition of saxophone and sweet flute to the arrangements brings out more of the tenderness that has drawn listeners to Rod’s moody trap tunes.

Rod’s shown a preference for outdoor performances that show off the lush Florida environs he came up in; earlier this month, he made his television debut on The Tonight Show performing from a porch overlooking the Everglades. Meanwhile, the overall rollout of SoulFly has been impressively executed, with videos for “Tombstone” and “Street Runner,” as well as a “Street Runner” video game, helped propel his third album to No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Watch Rod Wave’s Tiny Desk Concert above.

Netflix will soon increase its library of original comic-book adaptation series, including Mark Millar’s Jupiter’s Legacy arriving on May 7. Well, there’s another intriguing adaptation that won’t be too far behind, and that would be Sweet Tooth, which will bring the DC comic book series (by Jeff Lemire and under the Vertigo imprint) to life on the small screen. As the title suggests, this show’s a real treat and will not only bring a lush and adventurous tale to your living room, but it will also make you want to gobble up its characters. In addition, Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey are two of the executive producers here, which is only one of the details to inspire confidence.

Now onto the subject matter of the story. The comic book, which ran from 2009 to 2013, revolves around “hybrids” (part human and part animal babies) who mysteriously begin to surface, and the tale’s also a hybrid treat that’s been described as “Mad Max Meets Bambi” in the nerdiest of circles. The show is full of lush scenery and is gorgeous to look at, and it also might help inspire you to have renewed faith in humanity. In 2021, we sure need that kind of outlook. From the synopsis:

Ten years ago “The Great Crumble” wreaked havoc on the world and led to the mysterious emergence of hybrids — babies born part human, part animal. Unsure if hybrids are the cause or result of the virus, many humans fear and hunt them. After a decade of living safely in his secluded forest home, a sheltered hybrid deer-boy named Gus (Christian Convery) unexpectedly befriends a wandering loner named Jepperd (Nonso Anozie). Together they set out on an extraordinary adventure across what’s left of America in search of answers — about Gus’ origins, Jepperd’s past, and the true meaning of home. But their story is full of unexpected allies and enemies, and Gus quickly learns the lush, dangerous world outside the forest is more complex than he ever could have imagined

Something else that’s awesome: Will Forte stars as Gus’ dad, and James Brolin narrates. Sweet Tooth streams on June 4.

It is very fun watching Micah Parsons play football. Unfortunately it’s been quite awhile since we’ve gotten that opportunity — Parsons sat out the 2020 college football season when it looked like the Big Ten would not play until spring at the earliest — but in two years as a linebacker at Penn State, Parsons established himself as an All-American and someone whose name would get called sometime in the first round whenever he entered the NFL Draft.

That moment is going to come on Thursday barring something totally unforeseen. Parsons is expected to be one of, if not the, first defensive players to hear their names read by Roger Goodell at the 2021 NFL Draft, the kind of mistake-erasing linebacker in the middle of the field who mixes freakish athleticism — he’s 6’3, 246 pounds and runs a 4.39 second 40-yard dash — with remarkable football instincts. In two years in Happy Valley, 191 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks while forcing six fumbles and earning a consensus All-American nod as a sophomore.

Prior to Thursday’s festivities, Uproxx Sports caught up with Parsons through USAA to talk about the Draft, his game, a growing narrative around one of his college teammates, Penn State wrestling, and more.

Has it hit you yet that you’re going to be making it to the NFL in a few days?

It hasn’t fully hit me yet, but I believe it will very soon. Very, very soon. I think once I’m finally drafted and I got that hat on and I walk into the stage, that’s when it’s gonna hit me real quick.

You spent this last year getting ready for this moment. How did you become a better football player in the last year?

I had an unbelievable guy working me out, coach Chad. He helped me with my movements, so we just get better. I think my all-around game, and I think I showed that a little bit at my Pro Day. It’s really just watching a lot more film, what some of the best people in the league are doing right now, or watching a lot more football this year. So getting prepared with my team this year, and I’ll come and see them soon. That’s kind of how I spent my year.

I remember back when you were recruited, you were a big-time defensive end recruit, and I want to talk about your transition to playing linebacker. Just first, when was the first game in your life when you were just a full-time linebacker?

I played linebacker pretty much my whole life until I got to high school.

And what is it about playing linebacker that you think best takes advantage of your skillset as a football player?

I think my IQ, my speed, hip power, range. I think that all those things helped me become a great linebacker.

And, a person comes up to you and says, “Micah, I want to watch the game, that best sums you up as a football player.” What game are you telling them to watch and why?

I’m going to tell them to watch every game, but the most dominant one would be the Memphis game.

Why that one?

I think that was the game, if you look at all my games, I think that was the game where coach was like, I begged coach, “Let me loose, let me move, I’m feeling it coach.” I think that was the game where I showed every part of my game, what I could do, coverage-wise, blitzing-wise, tackling-wise, range. Didn’t matter, I did everything.

So, one thing I always liked doing is asking guys about their college teammates in the lead up to the Draft. And with you, there’s been this narrative around Jayson Oweh that he didn’t get any sacks last season. How do you respond when people say, “He didn’t have any sacks last year. I see the numbers, I see the athleticism, but I’m a little hung up on that sack number?”

You have to know football, and you have to know what you’re getting out of a player. That stuff always tells the tale. Look at Danielle Hunter. Danielle Hunter had one and a half sacks, and he’s one of the best pass rushers in the NFL right now. So sometimes it doesn’t always tell everything you need to know about a player.

And I think Jayson is one of them examples, there’s so many factors that could have went into it. It’s all about scheme. I think when you look at it, teams often get the ball off quicker. We had Shaka Toney and Jayson Oweh off the edge, which were two of the most dominant pass rushers. So I think teams did a lot more dropbacks, a lot more quick passes, dumps, quick slash, out runs, and things like that. So there’s a lot of things that should go into why he didn’t have any sacks. I think they based it off of kind of a weird season. It’s a hard judge, but I think Jayson’s going be future All-Pro player.

Yeah, I mean, you watch the games and quarterbacks are getting the ball out in half second, and Jayson is still getting a hand on them. It’s just, like you said, they’re getting the ball out real quick.

Yeah, exactly. So I think the season kind of put this narrative out that — “he didn’t do this.” But, you can let people pass on him if you want to, and later down the line, they’re gonna regret that.

So there was a really great piece about you on PennLive last week, where you said I’m here for something bigger than football. What is that something?

I don’t know yet. But I know the type of person I am, and I love giving back. I love trying to change my community. I love … really just trying to inspire people. I think I got an amazing story, and I went through a lot personally as a kid, and even as adult. I think I can tell my story and it’s going to impact somebody. I think me being in this Draft is an unbelievable experience, and show them that you can do things bigger than yourself — just got to put your mind to it, you just got to work, and people are going to listen. Because I’m kind of doing it now, and I think I got a chance to reach some kids, and inspire them to do bigger things themselves. I think that’s what it’s all about. It’s really not about the money or the accomplishments, it’s about how you going to impact people down the road, the ones, the future. I think the future matters and, who’s going to be the future generation. The people that is going to bring all this together in the world.

What do you have going on with USAA?

I partnered with USAA because I love what they’re doing. I love what their message is and what they’re trying to do. Unbelievable opportunity for myself to partner with them, I have an unbelievable amount of military family in my household. I got two uncles that’s active and that’s going to be with me at the Draft. And I just love what they do, and I think it’s going to be a great thing for the both of us.

Nice. So my two final questions here, I’m also a Penn State guy, and I know there were some times in college when you said you want to take a couple of handoffs, you want to return a few kicks. Are you going to want to do that stuff in the NFL?

Of course. If it presents itself, I’d be the first one to take it.

And then the final question, this is the toughest one I’m going to ask you, what is the best Penn State wrestling moment from when you started following the program?

The best Penn State wrestling program moment … I think when Anthony Cassar upset, was it Kollin Moore?

Yeah. That was the dual in Rec Hall.

Yes, sir. That was legendary.

Yeah. That and Bo pinning Myles Martin to wrap up the team title are the two that always stick with me.

Yeah, at the NCAAs, those are my top two. But, one that I saw in person, it was definitely Cassar at 197 when he upset Moore.

Oh wait. So you were there for that?

Yes, sir. I didn’t miss a match.

On July 4, the United States, as it does every year, will celebrate Independence Day. This year, that date will have additional significance for Lana Del Rey fans, though, as July 4 is also the release date for her next album, Blue Banisters, which Del Rey revealed yesterday. She hasn’t shared much info about the album yet, although she has now shared what seems to be a snippet of new music from the release.

Del Rey posted a snippet of what appears to be a professionally shot music video. Based on the lyrics, the audio seems to be taken from the album’s title track, as Del Rey sings, “Said he’d come back every night / Just to help me if I paint my banisters blue / Blue banisters / Said he’d fix my weathervane / Give me children, take away my pain / and paint my banisters blue.” Del Rey also captioned her post, “Sometimes life makes you change just in time for the next chapter.”

When Del Rey announced the album yesterday, she shared the cover art, which was quickly torn to shreds by fans online, who derided the image as a low-effort visual. Reactions were plentiful and among them were funny re-creations of other album covers in a similar style.

Check out the snippet above.

There are a lot of good reasons to not like Texas senator Ted Cruz. He abandoned his state during a historic winter storm for sunny Cancun. He is not good at his job. He thinks passing gun control laws will make things “worse.” His Simpsons impressions are… yeesh. Here’s a new one: Ted Cruz is a “[blank] isn’t as good as it used to be” guy.

Cruz recently picked a fight with The Daily Show‘s Twitter account over a segment in which host Trevor Noah discussed Texas picking up some congressional seats, while states like California and New York lost them. “Trevor Noah whines that people are fleeing high-tax blue states & moving in droves to low-tax states like Texas, where the jobs are. Doesn’t understand why people like freedom. Also predicts the Biden years will be the Great Depression,” Cruz tweeted, to which The Daily Show replied, “Not sure I’d be using the words ‘fleeing’ and ‘Texas’ in the same sentence, Senator Cancun.”

Cruz wrote that he wears “your scorn with pride” (that explains a lot, actually), adding, “I remember when the Daily Show was funny.” That’s when the former-The Daily Show host Jon Stewart got involved. “Ummm…you remember last night?? Bravo,” he tweeted.

Cruz would have responded, but he was busy thinking of other things.