Month: May 2021

The Phoenix Suns are now, officially, in trouble in their first round series against the Lakers after getting thumped in Game 3 in L.A., losing 109-95 to fall behind 2-1. It was a rough night for Phoenix offensively, as they struggled to score consistently, shooting 42.7 percent from the field and committing 17 turnovers against the stout Lakers defense.

On the other end, after a slow start for L.A. in the first half as well, the floodgates opened courtesy of LeBron James and Anthony Davis combining for 28 points in the third quarter that the Lakers won 33-23 to pull away from the Suns. Of those 33 points, seven were scored at the free throw line on nine attempts, most of which coming from Davis. On the night, the Lakers had 30 free throw attempts to the Suns 18, but in a game that was at one point a 21-point margin and finished as a 14-point game, the officiating was not high on the list of complaints most seemed to have.

However, Chris Paul couldn’t help but see the latest continuation of an unfortunate pattern for his teams, as it was the 11th consecutive loss for a Chris Paul-led squad in the playoffs when Scott Foster was on the call.

It’s certainly a dubious distinction and in the past it has come up in much tighter losses, but after a loss like this, it’s going to be hard to get too many people to buy into the argument that the officials played a major role. The disparity is notable, but so is the shot selection from the two teams. The Suns had 13 shots in the restricted area all game, whereas the Lakers had 25. That’s a massive difference and accounts for a good chunk of the free throw disparity — as did Dennis Schröder getting three free throws late after a Flagrant 2 from Devin Booker and Jae Crowder’s ejection for a technical.

Frustration with officials is expected for most teams after losses, but the Suns have bigger issues to figure out in this series. Deandre Ayton is feasting inside, but no one else could consistently get to the rim on the Suns and that had an adverse effect on their offensive efficiency and ability to get to the free throw line. Part of that is the highly unfortunate shoulder injury Chris Paul is still dealing with that is clearly limiting his abilities as a scorer, as he only attempted eight shots in 27 minutes as Phoenix opted for Cam Payne late as he was at least capable of getting up three-point shots (and hit a few).

Chris Paul’s issues with Scott Foster are well documented and there is some compelling evidence you can find in past games to support his claims, but this game doesn’t really fit into that as Phoenix was just flat-out outplayed in the second half.

The Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers have two stars they can effectively pencil in for monster individual performances each night, and as such their first round series becomes about which of the “others” can step up in the big moments to give them support. In Game 3, Nikola Jokic and Damian Lillard had their customary huge nights, with Jokic piling up 36 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists while Lillard led all scorers with 37 points with five dimes to boot.

In the end, the Nuggets were able to get more from their supporting cast, including a somewhat surprising figure stepping forward late as Austin Rivers buried big shot after big shot down the stretch in a 120-115 Nuggets win. Rivers had 21 points on the night off the strength of a 5-of-10 shooting night from three-point land, most of which came in the fourth quarter to help Denver pull away from Portland after the Blazers had fought their way back to take a brief lead.

On the other side, it was a disappointing finish for Portland who started out on fire early in the first quarter but couldn’t consistently find the bottom of the net from three. They trailed for much of the night, but pulled even in the fourth quarter on the backs of an 8-0 run from Carmelo Anthony, who had 17 points on the evening off the bench.

Despite some flurries, as a team, they shot just 14-of-45 from distance, including a 5-for-16 night from Dame, but he did hit enough to keep things interesting late.

After a CJ McCollum three pulled Portland within three, Monte Morris missed a pair of free throws with under four seconds to play that could’ve given the Blazers a shot to tie, but Jokic had other ideas, bullying his way to the rebound for the game-sealing tip-in.

It was a game that had to feel a bit like theft for Denver, who didn’t get the usual contribution from Michael Porter Jr., as he had just 15 points which is well below where he has been post-Jamal Murray injury. But with Rivers’ hot shooting night and a 20-for-38 effort as a team from distance, they made up for any other deficiencies with the three ball, out-gunning the Blazers to retake homecourt advantage and a 2-1 series lead going into Game 4 on Saturday afternoon.

Brood X is out and having the time of their lives in portions of the United States, and Washington DC one of many places where huge numbers of cicadas are making life interesting this spring. And that includes at spots TV reporters frequent for live shots, as one CNN reporter found out in hilarious fashion on Thursday night.

Manu Raju was getting ready to appear on CNN when a cicada landed on his suit and slowly crawled up his shoulder and onto his neck. At some point he made contact with his skin, which is when Raju noticed him and reached back to see what was on his back. And he certainly didn’t take very kindly to the encounter.

Raju shared a video of the “attack” on Twitter on Thursday night and quickly went viral.

“Had an unwelcome visitor try to crawl into my live shot earlier,” he said on Twitter, sharing the video recorded off of what looks like a monitor.

There’s a bit of censored language they bleeped out to keep it clean, but it appears the worst thing that happens here may be the demise of a cicada before it could carry out its efforts to continue its species survival. Still, judging by other reports in the DC area and the mid-Atlantic and it seems there are plenty of other cicadas out and about doing their part.

Raju is far from the only reporter to freak out when a bug lands on them, as many people in his replies shared videos from the past of other on-air talent having the same experience.

Still, it’s a pretty good example of what people in the region are up against during cicada season, and a reminder to those on camera like Raju to expect the unexpected for the next little while.

There’s nothing quite as satisfying on a blistering hot summer day as a perfect scoop of ice cream. Whether it’s on a cone, in a bowl, soft-served, or from a grocery store gallon-sized tub, every lick just seems to melt away the worries of the day while taking us back to those nostalgic moments of youth, when our biggest concerns were who would get the biggest scoop. All while cooling us down, of course.

Well, those hot days are upon us once again. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll be looking to indulge in the cold and silky sweet treat that is ice cream while you reminisce on summers past and prep whatever mayhem this one will bring.

To help you track down the perfect scoop, I accepted the monster undertaking of blind taste-testing 20 vanilla ice creams in a variety of styles. French vanilla, vanilla bean, non-dairy vanilla, and plain ‘ole vanilla — I sacrificed my blood sugar levels to narrow down which of our beloved ice cream brands hits the nail on the head when it comes to crafting incredibly rich and delicious vanilla offerings. (My personal go-to since childhood.)

To get this project started, I scoured grocery store freezer sections and online retailers for 20 pints and tubs of vanilla ice cream. I picked out some of the classic brands that have served Americans scoops for years and years, along with some of the newer creameries on the scene. Finally, with the help of my cousin — who shielded me from seeing anything beyond a scoop of ice cream in a bowl — I blindly ate a few spoonfuls of every ice cream, wrote notes on each, and then ranked them based on flavor, texture, and consistency.

All of the brands tested are easily accessible at grocery stores and online retailers across the country. I also included links to where you can purchase them online. Now let’s get to it!

Part 1: The Taste

Taste 1:

Immediately I noticed how milky this ice cream was — quickly melting into a bowl of milk, and milky in taste as well. There was a freshness to it, and while it did smell of sweet and spicy vanilla, that wasn’t exactly the taste.

The ice cream was light with a Splenda-like sweetness.

Taste 2:

This tastes like a scoop of vanilla ice cream you’d get from a random, cute little towny ice cream shop on the side of the road. It’s sweet and intense with vanilla extract flavor. The texture is soft, light, and the scoop melted entirely too quickly.

Eat this in a cone and you’re mother will never stop complaining over the mess you just made. This would be better in a bowl with sprinkles on top.

Taste 3:

More of a yellow-colored vanilla ice cream than white, this scoop barely melts in the bowl, despite being utterly creamy and decadent. It’s rich in flavor with an almost caramel taste, like it was churned with real vanilla bean, sugar cane, and an extra dash of love. The scoop is dense but the ice cream isn’t heavy at all.

Where are the waffle cones when you need ‘em?

Taste 4:

Stark white and dry, a spoon of this tastes like diet ice cream. The vanilla flavoring is potent but is there any sugar in here? The sweetness is pretty diluted, and the ice cream itself feels thin in the mouth, almost airy.

Taste 5:

Now here is a clean vanilla ice cream, no unnecessary extras. On first taste, it’s simple, delicious vanilla ice cream that tastes like it’s made with actual vanilla and just the right amount of everything else that makes this flavor so damn good.

It’s firm, but light, and rich.

Taste 6:

This ice cream is bone dry, like a frosty ice sickle infused with vanilla and sugar. It’s so dry, that it takes forever to eat — lick after lick this stuff takes its sweet time melting, for sure.

Taste-wise, it’s pure vanilla, no gimmicks. The ice cream is not overbearingly sweet either.

Taste 7:

This is a soft and creamy ice cream dotted with vanilla bean specks. Vanilla game is strong here — like maybe it has some real french vanilla eggy quality and some vanilla extract — but it features an extra oomph that tastes like a spice blend of vanilla graham crackers and cream.

Definitely want this one out of a bowl — it’s pretty melty but it scores on all fronts for flavor.

Taste 8:

This is like official vanilla, or as I have written in my notes: “The mascot of vanilla ice cream if there ever was one.” There’s nothing artificial about the taste — there’s gotta be real, pure, straight-up vanilla bean in this. And it’s not sugary sweet like you may get diabetes after eating three scoops. It’s just right.

Perfectly creamy but dense enough to withstand sitting in a bowl for a few minutes without melting into a milkshake. And yet… it’s so incredibly flavorful with a rich, natural vanilla bean taste that it would make a killer milkshake, if you wanted.

Taste 9:

Too melty and too soft, but it sure is tasty. This ice cream is buttery rich with woody vanilla bean flavor and an interesting note of honey and cake batter that brightens the whole thing up nicely. The flavor lasts throughout, whether it’s still in its solid form or not.

Taste 10:

This ice cream is as creamy as custard and loaded with vanilla bean richness. It has a rather addictive quality with a woody, spiciness, and a little bit of zest on the backend that is forcing me to eat spoon after spoon until the ice cream is all gone.

It’s not as white or yellowy in color as the others I’ve tried, but it hits the mark on richness and texture.

Taste 11:

Dry in texture but creamy in taste, this is definitely most unique vanilla ice cream. Sure, there’s some smatterings of chemical-tasting vanilla bean flavors throughout, but this ice cream also features a whole lot of… oat. It’s front-loaded with cinnamon that only seems to bring out the oat taste even more.

A slow melter, it’s pretty obvious this is a non-dairy option just from the taste.

Taste 12:

This ice cream is dense but creamy in a way that seems like it’s made with more heavy cream than actual milk. There’s something real “vanilla-flavored” about this ice cream and it has an odd tangy, almost sour quality that lingers in your mouth after a lick.

Taste 13:

Sweeeeeettttt like candy, but not in an artificial kind of way. This ice cream is riddled with natural-tasting vanilla bean — speckles of which are dotted in every spoonful. This ice cream tastes fresh and is well balanced with milk, cream, and sugar.

As far as texture goes, it somehow manages to be rather dry as clay yet totally creamy once it’s in your mouth.

Taste 14:

According to my helper, this ice cream was no easy scooper (for what it’s worth, she was using a spoon instead of the traditional ice cream scoop). It’s a dry ice cream with an off-white color dotted with vanilla bean specks. It holds the cold well, but it doesn’t have that creaminess I usually look for in an ice cream.

It puts me in the mindset of a vanilla-flavored sorbet. But the flavor is consistent.

Taste 15:

Well, this is…. interesting. The speckles in the ice cream tell my eyes that there’s vanilla bean in here, and there’s some faint remnant of that in the taste. But the main thing that I’m tasting here is… butter? It doesn’t have a creamy richness, per se, but rather a more buttery profile. And it tastes that way too.

Is this ice cream? It’s by far the oddest tasting vanilla I’ve ever had.

Taste 16:

What sort of artificial ice cream is this?

This “ice cream” is so dry it’s almost like chalk. It literally crumbled into pieces in the bowl. Texture alone makes it pretty obvious that this is for sure one of the dairy-free options. That aside, the flavor has a slightly medicinal quality about it. The vanilla is there… kinda… but in a way that makes me feel like I maybe just took down a spoon full of vanilla-flavored cough syrup.

Taste 17:

This ice cream is pleasantly rich and custardy. It has a strong vanilla flavor — like the same old same Madagascan vanilla bean and something else that I can’t quite put my finger on. But I like it. The ice cream doesn’t melt super quickly, and it’s got the body and texture to hold up well in a cone.

Taste 18:

This ice cream tastes like a couple of coconuts got together with some vanilla beans and threw a party. The first thing you notice is the coconut flavor before the vanilla comes sauntering across your tastebuds. It’s dry but still creamy and has a nice slow melt.

Taste 19:

Of all the vanilla beans, none have been speckled as much as this one. And my eyes aren’t misleading me either — this ice cream is a vanilla overload! It’s like licking vanilla beans and gulping down a cup of sugary delicious cream. That’s how booming this joint is with vanilla. This is a wet ice cream. It’s incredibly smooth and rich, and the sweet sugar lingers long after a bite.

Taste 20:

Texture is dry and frosty. Let my helper tell it, you can hear the spoon scooping out the ice cream.

It may not look all that creamy — and even after a few minutes sitting in the bowl, it’s slow to melt — but let me tell you, take a lick of this and it’s pure cream jam-packed with vanilla flavor. Is that molasses I’m tasting? This ice cream has an extra dose of sweetness that makes the texture a total non-factor.

Part 2: The Ranking

20. So Delicious Dairy Free Vanilla Bean — Taste 16

Average Price: $8/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

There you have it people: Ice cream made with organic coconut milk, coconut oil, cane sugar, and — according to the ingredients — actual specks of vanilla bean instead of actual full-on vanilla bean.

It’s gluten-free and vegan and tastes every bit of it.

Bottom Line:

I know that we need dairy-free options for the dairy-free folks in this world, but OMG there just has to be better grade fake ice cream that doesn’t involve animal milk or cream.

19. LeSalle Vanilla — Taste 12

Average Price: $4/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

Since 1969, LaSalle has been selling pints of ice cream along with dozens of other pre-packaged frozen foods. And if you’re ever in the New York City area, you can visit their ice cream shop in the Bronx for scoops and single servings.

Bottom Line:

This isn’t bad ice cream, but the twang on the backend of the lick is a little off-putting, to say the least.

18. Cado Vanilla Bean Non-Dairy Desert — Taste 15

Average Price: $7/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

Well whadyaknow? An ice cream made from avocado? Millennials rejoice.

This treat is also made with real Madagascan vanilla beans along with vanilla bean paste, sea salt, avocado oil, water, organic cane sugar, tapioca starch, organic guar gum, and organic gum acacia.

Bottom Line:

No wonder this ice cream was unlike any other ice cream I’ve ever tasted. It’s completely dairy-free and made with one of the richest, most filling, buttery, green fruits that ever existed.

17. Tillamook Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream — Taste 1

Average Price: $6/1.5qt

The Ice Cream:

Out of Tillamook, Oregon comes this vanilla ice cream made with milk produced by real cows on Tillamook’s farms. Along with skim milk, regular milk, and cream, the ice cream is comprised of pasteurized egg yolks and natural flavorings including vanilla extract.

Bottom line:

This was just too milky of an ice cream for me. The cow’s milk taste just kind of overpowered everything. Although the vanilla flavoring seemed natural, overall it felt like something was missing.

16. Edy’s / Dreyer’s Classic Vanilla Slow Churned — Taste 4

Average Price: $5/1.5qt

The Ice Cream:

One of America’s oldest ice cream companies, Edy’s (on the East Coast) / Dreyer’s (West Coast) has been making various flavors of ice cream since 1928. Their classic take on vanilla, which is a favorite of Edy’s / Dreyer’s fans, is made with simple ingredients like fresh milk and cream with an emphasis on staying on the lighter side.

For example, each serving (about a half-cup) is only 100 calories and three grams of sugar.

Bottom Line:

Disclaimer: I’ve never really been a fan of Edy’s. Bias aside, there’s simply just better vanilla ice cream. But this is a good one for those who want to enjoy a sweet treat without all the sugar.

15. Oat-ly Vanilla Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert — Taste 11

Average Price: $6/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

Here’s an option for those of us who live dairy-free lives: Ice cream made from water, oats, sugar, vanilla seeds and natural flavorings, and various other ingredients I can’t pronounce. The folks at Oatly have given consumers the oat milk, and now here it is in its solid and creamy form.

Bottom Line:

If you’re a member of Team Oat Milk, then this is for you. If not, there are better options out to come.

14. Halo Top Vanilla Bean — Taste 14

Average Price: $7/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

There are only 290 calories in an entire pint of this stuff. No wonder it’s such a light ice cream. It’s made with “ultrafiltered” skim milk — whatever that means — along with regular skim milk, cream, and sugar. But you can thank the real ground vanilla beans for that quality flavor.

Bottom Line:

Are there better vanilla ice creams? You bet there are. But this is a good alternative for someone looking to cut back on all the calories.

13. Adirondack Creamery French Vanilla Ice Cream — Taste 17

Average Price: $8/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

This ice cream from upstate New York does include vanilla extract, but its flavoring comes with a twist. Instead of sourcing vanilla from Madagascar like everybody else, Adirondack Creamy uses a blend of vanillas from Madagascar AND Tahiti.

Bottom Line:

This is the ice cream to buy when you’re in the mood for vanilla but looking for something with a little extra pizzazz than the standard.

12. Friendly’s Homemade Vanilla — Taste 2

Average Price: $4/1.5qt

The Ice Cream:

Yet another American staple, Friendly’s started out as an ice cream shop in 1935. It’s progressed to a full-fledged restaurant chain with locations all across the country where you can get crazy good sundaes to go alongside your big beefy cheeseburgers. The company has been distributing tubs of ice cream at various grocery stores in the U.S. since 1987

Bottom Line:

This is exactly the type of ice cream you want to eat during a road trip pit stop or on your way home from a day at the beach or a park. No better, no worse.

11. Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream — Taste 6

Average Price: $8/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

Pure sweet cream and vanilla from Madagascar is what has allowed Häagen-Dazs’ classic vanilla ice cream to remain a fan favorite for more than five decades. In fact, vanilla was one of the first three flavors the ice cream company debuted when it first launched in 1960.

Bottom Line:

This is good ice cream. The only reason why it’s not higher on this list is that it takes forever to eat. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, is it?

10. Coconut Bliss Madagascan Vanilla Bean — Taste 18

Average Price: $9/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

Coconut milk, coconut syrup, coconut cream, coconut crazy! If you’re going to make a completely plant-based ice cream, this is one of the better ways to do it. Other goodies included in this dream cream include certified organic vanilla beans and vanilla extract.

Oh, and I should mention even the packaging on this ice cream is bio-based and made out of non-GMO sugar cane husks.

Bottom Line:

Sweet and sustainable? Sign me right on up!

9. Talenti Madagascan Vanilla Bean — Taste 10

Average Price: $7/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

Talenti slow cooks real Madagascan vanilla beans in milk, cream, and sugar for 45 minutes with a process called bain-marie. That’s how the gelato maintains such lusciously decadent texture with maximum flavor. They even incorporate a little lemon zest to help bring out the richness of the vanilla.

Bottom Line:

Who says you need to travel all the way to Italy for some quality gelato? Talenti gets the job done with this vanilla ice cream, and it won’t cost you any flight miles to get it.

8. Ben & Jerry’s Vanilla — Taste 5

Average Price: $8/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

You would never guess that Ben & Jerry’s started out with just two guys (Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield) slanging ice cream out of a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont in 1978. Flash forward some 40 years later, and the ice cream company is an American staple, making a plethora of funky fun flavors — but the vanilla is still the bee’s knees.

Bottom Line:

What’s not to love about Ben & Jerry’s vanilla ice cream? This is one of those mindless purchases that you can always count on to be top quality.

7. Van Leeuwen Vegan Vanilla Bean — Taste 20

Average Price: $12/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

Van Leeuwen makes their vegan ice cream with cashew milk and a blend of coconut oil and coconut cream. The vanilla is cold ground and straight from the bean, and it’s sourced from Tahiti.

Bottom Line:

Van Leeuwen’s vegan vanilla bean clears up any misconceptions that vegan sweet treats can’t be as good as the real thing.

6. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Honey Vanilla Bean — Taste 9

Average Price: $12/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

This ice cream is made with Fair Trade vanilla beans and vanilla extract and milk from grass-grazed cows in Ohio. Even the honey comes from Ohio, made by the good folks at Deer Creek Honey. Jenni’s also uses nonfat milk, cream, cane sugar, tapioca syrup, and a pinch of sea salt to achieve its balanced, sweet flavor.

Bottom Line:

This would be bomb with a slice of birthday cake.

5. Van Leeuwen Vanilla Bean— Taste 13

Average Price: $12/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

I don’t know who Van Leeuwen is, but the person/figure/entity sure does know their shit when it comes to vanilla ice cream. The reason why this ice cream achieves peak decadence is probably that it’s made with milk, cream, egg yolks, and salt in addition to the cold-ground Tahitian vanilla beans and vanilla extract.

Bottom Line:

This gets a bump above the vegan option because of the pure rich and creaminess this ice cream exudes. What that cream, milk, and egg yolk does for this just can’t be overlooked, and it’s clearly not easily replicated. Sorry, vegans.

4. Turkey Hill All Natural Vanilla Bean — Taste 7

Average Price: $4/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

All the milk and cream used in Turkey Hill’s vanilla bean ice cream comes from cows from their own dairy farm in Conestoga, Pennsylvania. It’s made with natural vanilla beans, and you can even see speckles of the spice mixed into every scoop.

Bottom Line:

When you’re sweet tooth is kicking in hard, this is the ice cream you’re going to want already waiting for you in the fridge.

3. Hood New England Homemade Vanilla Flavored — Taste 3

Average Price: $7/1.5qt

The Ice Cream:

It all started in 1846 when Harvey P. Hood started selling his own premium-quality milk in New England. Now, more than a century later, the Hood company produces a number of dairy products including cheese, sour cream, eggnog and, yes, absolutely incredibly sweet and creamy ice cream.

Bottom Line:

Give me an ice cream with flexibility, and I’ll give you my heart. Whether it’s in a cone, in a bowl, alongside a slice of cake, or on top of a piece of pie, Hood’s vanilla is satisfaction guaranteed.

2. Coolhaus Best of Both Worlds Vanilla — Taste 19

Average Price: $12/1 pint

The Ice Cream:

This creamery only launched production in 2008, but it’s already contending with the OG’s of ice cream. It features a marriage of Madagascan and Tahitian vanilla bean flavoring and extracts to reach that booming level of vanilla piquancy. Regular milk and non-fat milk, cream, organic cane sugar, guar gum, carob bean gum, acacia gum and a bit of salt do all the rest.

Bottom Line:

This is a vanilla lover’s dream.

1. Breyer’s Natural Vanilla — Taste 8

Average Price: $4/1.5qt

The Ice Cream:

Breyer’s uses non-GMO sourced ingredients and Rainforest Alliance Certified vanilla beans to concoct this gold standard of vanilla ice cream. Even the milk and cream come from Grade-A American cows that aren’t injected with any weird artificial growth hormones.

Who says you gotta be a hipster brand to be good these days? Breyer’s is a classic. They’re in every grocery aisle. And I’m telling you right now: they’re the best.

Bottom Line:

There’s a reason why Breyer’s is the number one ice cream in America, and that’s because it’s damn good, plain and simple, deeply satisfying vanilla ice cream.

Many states are starting to add incentives to getting vaccinated as those eager to get inoculation from the novel coronavirus make their way through the process and supply begins to outweigh demand. Getting more people protected from COVID-19 will help bring the pandemic to an end, of course, and so those reluctant to get the jab might need an extra push have been offered anything from a free beer to cash prizes via a lottery.

One state is really going for it when it comes to a lottery, though. Rather than a single winner, California is offering up more than $116 million in a prize pool for residents who get the jab. On Thursday, California governor Gavin Newsom laid out plans for a major lottery on Twitter, with everyone in the state of California who has been vaccinated entered to win several big money prizes.

As The Wrap detailed, 10 lottery winners will win $1.5 million, and that includes people under 18 — their winnings would go into a savings account for when they turn 18. And while the lottery is open to everyone in California, the next 2 million people to be vaccinated in the state would be eligible for a $50 gift card to Kroger or Albertsons, local grocery stores in the state.

Oregon, Ohio and New York are other states who have offered some form of lottery in the wake of vaccinations dipping in their respective states. That’s a lot of cash going to people getting the benefit of vaccination, but if it works and gets us all closer to putting the pandemic behind us, it’s almost certainly money well spent.

[via The Wrap]

While Future shared two projects last year with Pluto X Baby Pluto, his joint project with Lil Uzi Vert, and High Off Life, his best contributions in 2020 came in the form of guest appearances. Joining names like Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, Pop Smoke, and more for very strong features, the rapper impressed listeners throughout the year and it seems like Future’s agenda is the same this year. Evidence of this comes on “Nobody Special,” his new track with Hotboii. The track finds the pair speaking against an exclusive relationship in love. Both rappers declare, “I break hearts, I’m a problem, you ain’t gon’ want the fade” and later add, “You nobody special, I feel all these girls the same.”

“Nobody Special” joins a growing list of collaborations Future has done this year. Prior to working with Hotboii, Future stood beside 24kGoldn in the video for their “Company” track, an effort that arrived after he flashed his jewels (and dissed Steve Harvey’s stepdaughter) with 42 Dugg on “Maybach.” He also worked with Moneybagg Yo on “Hard For The Next.” As for solo music from Future, fans will have to wait a bit to get their hands on that, but in the meantime, they can look forward to watching him headline the third day of Rolling Loud’s Los Angeles festival.

Press play on the video above to hear the new track.

Game 3 of the Suns-Lakers series saw the series go to L.A. for the first time and the first half featured the intensity of the first two games but not the shot-making we’d come to enjoy from the first two games. Neither team could crack 45 in the first half, as L.A. took a 43-40 lead. The only two players that seemed engaged and at their best were Anthony Davis, who had 12 points, and Deandre Ayton, who had 10. The big man battle was intriguing, but neither got the backcourt support they are accustomed to or hope for.

LeBron James was quiet in the first half with five points, seemingly trying to just get everyone else involved and in a rhythm, which didn’t work as well as he had probably hoped in what was a rock fight of a first half. In the second half, there was no question where LeBron’s head was at, as he recognized it was time to put the Suns away before they could figure out their own offensive woes, scoring 10 points in the first seven minutes of the half, to go along with three assists, as L.A. began to pull away with an extended 21-9 run to open the second half.

Anthony Davis took over from there, as he had 18 of his game-high 34 points in the third quarter to help the Lakers separate to a 76-63 lead going into the fourth quarter.

After a Suns run brought them back within single digits, the Lakers once again asserted themselves to take a 21-point lead early in the fourth as the Suns simply had no answers for the Laker defense. Aside from Ayton’s 22-point, 11-rebound effort, the Suns just didn’t have anyone who could consistently put the ball in the bucket. Devin Booker, after a tremendous first two games in the series, had 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting as he went cold in L.A., and Chris Paul’s continued shoulder issues limited him to a 3-of-8 shooting night as he still just does not have the shooting range. With Booker having an off night and Paul unable to be his normal self, the Lakers defense became suffocating, demanding that anyone else beat them and few of the Suns could answer the call.

Chief among the Suns’ role players struggling is Jae Crowder, who is now 1-for-20 in the series from three-point range after an 0-for-6 night. On top of shooting woes, Crowder continues to have to deal with his personal playoff boogeyman, LeBron James, who seemingly lives to feast on him after their many battles over the years.

In the end, the Lakers rolled to a 109-95 win despite the best efforts of a late Suns spurt, led by a trio of Cam Payne three-pointers in the fourth quarter to make things briefly intriguing. The frustrations of the game came to a boiling point for Booker and Crowder, who got tossed in the final minute after Booker shoved Dennis Schröder to the ground, earning a Flagrant 2, and Crowder was tossed for jawing with the Lakers’ point guard.

L.A. now holds a 2-1 series lead and Game 4 will be very important for Phoenix, as they will need a win to avoid going back home staring elimination in the face. To bounce back, they’ll need to regroup mentally and physically before Sunday’s Game 4, because they looked rattled and frustrated for much of Thursday night.

A murder mystery, a villainess origin story, a quest for an all-important pill, and a long-awaited reunion. Do you want to know where you’ll find the best bang for your buck among the streaming services? As always, there’s so much to choose from that the options are dizzying, so we are here to help you decide which service to (most) devote your time to this weekend. Ideally, we’d name one best option, but as luck would have it, there’s two frontrunners to favor and solid options from the rest.

This week, the top prize goes to HBO Max and Disney+, which are bringing a series finale for Kate Winslet’s return to TV and the O.G. cast of Friends for a one-hitter update, and the Cruella solo film that people never knew they wanted, respectively. Each of these services also offer a buffet of quality backup options, and the other highlighted streaming services won’t leave their subscribers empty-handed for fresh content. Hulu’s got a road-trip film of sorts and an in-case-you-missed-it supervillain series, and Netflix has several new offerings (including a dashing Devil helping to solve crime). Don’t count out Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, or Paramount+’s newest noteworthy selections, either. Let’s get down with what you’ll wanna put in your queues this weekend.

HBO Max

Mare Of Easttown (HBO series streaming on HBO Max) — It’s finale time! Kate Winslet returns not only to TV but to HBO (a decade after her award-winning Mildred Pierce turn) to star as a hard-vaping detective in a small town where she both portrays and elevates the “complicated” cop trope. She’s captivating while digging into a murder mystery that has rocked her small town and caused the community to feel utterly claustrophobic. This show will suck you in, and you won’t mind one bit. Also you’ll be wondering about this: what the heck was in that picture?

Friends: The Reunion (HBO Max feature-length special) — The whole O.G. gang is back in one place, which means that Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Monica (Courteney Cox), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Chandler (Matthew Perry), Ross (David Schwimmer), and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) are all here. Sadly, Paul Rudd is not on the scene, but there’s a buffay (get it?) of guest stars here to reinforce why this pop-culture phenomenon remains popular to this day, and why, oftentimes, friends can become your family.

Hacks (HBO Max series premiere) — Jean Smart’s not-so-quiet domination of recent prestige TV shows (Fargo, Watchmen, Mare of Easttown, Legion) and other popular shows of late (Big Mouth, Dirty John) has finally culminated with this leading-lady turn in a role she was arguably meant to play. Hacks hails from executive producer Michael Schur and has three Broad City alums in the writers’ room, so get ready for a (Las Vegas) buffet of complex female characters. Smart portrays a legendary comedian who forges a “dark mentorship” to a 20-something newcomer in town. Don’t miss this one.

Pause With Sam Jay (HBO Max series) — Emmy-nominated SNL writer Sam Jay will host a six-episode season that hopes to revamp the late-night talk show format with each episode taking place at Sam’s apartment, where she’s throwing a party. Each group will dive into divisive cultural issues, so get ready for some feisty conversations and, hopefully, a sense of understanding between those who hold different perspectives.

Disney+

Cruella (Disney movie on Disney+) — Yes, Cruella de Vil is finally getting her origin story. Even if you don’t agree that she needed one, no one can argue that Emma Stone is the actress who could deliver a damn good time in this role. Granted, the film starts out slow (the runtime’s over two hours) with a protracted childhood era that doesn’t illustrate much about why she villained out and murdered puppies. Yet it does speed up, with lots of mayhem and a cackling Emma hanging off a truck in a billowing dress. Fashion can be evil! Also, the soundtrack feels like a character in its own right.

Launchpad: Season 1: Discover (Disney+ series) — This group of live-action shorts arrive from newcomer directors, often from minority backgrounds, all of whom want to spread their experiences of family and culture in uplifting ways. Each short this season revolves around the “discover theme,” and all directors worked under mentors from Disney+, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Inside Pixar: Unpacked (Disney+ series) — This docuseries packs a whole lot into its batch premiere. The season will dive into the artistry and culture within Pixar animation studios and emerge with a look at villains, the character known as “time,” the balance that the studio aims to strike between realistic characters and caricature, and the importance of background characters. The whole thing’s narrated by W. Kamau Bell, so you’re in for an extra special treat.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Episode 5 (Disney+ series) — You might prefer to think of this show as the Star Wars franchise’s version of D.C.’s Suicide Squad, but fear no Leto-Joker intrusion. Instead, this The Clone Wars spinoff follows the conclusion of its flagship series that recently wound down on Disney+. Dave Filoni is executive producing, and the show focuses on a mercenary squad of sorts that’s made up of (as the title indicates) “the Bad Batch” or Clone Force 99. These elite soldiers stand apart from standard clones due to their unique physical capabilities like super strength, super eyesight, and so on.

Hulu

Plan B (Hulu film) — Oh boy, does this story ever hit home for countless ladies who find themselves driving from drug store to drugstore in the heartland. That’s exactly what happens in this film, after a regrettable sexual encounter sends a high school student (Kuhoo Verma) and her best friend (Victoria Moroles) on a bit of a road trip with the clock ticking to find Plan B in America’s heartland. As miserable as this potentially sounds, it’s actually a twist on the teen sex comedy, and it arrives by way of Cobra Kai and Harold & Kumar producers.

Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. (Hulu series) — Patton Oswalt’s the leading man in a very adult-oriented (and fantastic) animated series. Here, Oswalt’s portraying an egomaniacal supervillain who’s struggling to balance his day job as a bad dude with family life (it happens, even to the most evil among us!). In the process, he’s gotta deal with Tony Stark/Iron Man, who’s voiced by freaking Jon Hamm. Expect to hear Bill Hader, Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Schwartz, and Nathan Fillion all join the chorus as everyone on this show seems to want to push a bad man down.

Madagascar: A Little Wild: Season 3 (Hulu series) — Yep, this is the series that continues those lively, circus-life movies and the franchise that will (and parents will love this) never retire. Essentially, it’s a CGI musical comedy that follows four animal lead characters who live at the Central Park Zoo while dreaming big, as one does in New York City. And of course, this is all about never, ever declining to pursue one’s dreams.

Netflix

Lucifer: Season 5B (Netflix series) — The Devil is still up to no good. Even worse, Lucifer is still plagued by his twin brother, Michael, who’s trying to take his place, and Lucifer also decides that he wants to be God? Alright. Well, God’s apparently retiring, so there’s an opening for that gig. Heaven help us all if this show ever starts to make sense (and Tom Ellis has so much swaggering fun with his lead role), but Netflix’s synopsis promises that “God himself comes to Earth. Secrets will be revealed, heroic sacrifices will be made, and the world will never be the same.” Season 6 will be the show’s final run, and I’m secretly rooting for Chloe to shake off her destiny and ditch the Devil.

Ragnarok: Season 2 (Netflix series) — This coming-of-age drama with a Norse mythology framework returns to show us more gloriously breathtaking Norwegian slices of nature. Unfortunately, not all goes smoothly, given that the residents of Edda are dealing with the effects of climate change, including melting poles, warm winters, and drastic, unpredictable changes in weather. Mysterious inhabitants turn this into a bit of a cautionary tale and a lot of entertainment.

Master of None: Season 3 (Netflix series) — It’s been (four) years since we’ve seen Aziz Ansari’s brainchild do its thing, and that’s not even (officially, at least) down to the pandemic. Ansari’s been largely out of the public eye following sexual misconduct allegations, although he did emerge a few years ago for an insightful comedy special that goes a long way to show that gazing inward, and this new batch of episodes proves it. Aziz takes a step behind the camera to direct in a season that he cowrote with the Emmy-winning Lena Waithe, whose character moves to the forefront.

The Kominsky Method: Season 3 (Netflix series) — The Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin-starring, Golden Globe-winning series reaches its final planned season with some heavy themes — money, death, love, murder, and the realization of dreams — at the forefront. An ex-wife and other family issues (including a contribution from Paul Reister) continue to make everything more complicated than it needs to be, but the show’s audience knows this drill, and they’re here for it.

High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America (Netflix series) — Food writer Stephen Satterfield takes a powerful voyage to discover the resourcefulness and straight-up artistry of the African American people. Satterfield draws upon knowledge from chefs, historians, and activists, and the results are mouthwatering.

Eden (Netflix series) — A city called “Eden 3” is filled with robots who no longer have human-boss types, which means that many robots now believe that humans never really existed at all and are only a myth. Naturally, a human baby girl shows up and throws the bots’ worldview into disarray.

Amazon Prime

Panic: Season 1 (Amazon Prime series) — This show’s a bit like The Purge in concept, only it revolves around a dangerous game that takes place over the course of a summer for graduating seniors in a tiny Texas town. They compete for a pot of money (while hoping to escape their tiny-town lives, of course), but the stakes are high and risky as players must confront their deepest fears. The story, which is based upon the bestselling novel by Lauren Oliver, will likely hook you, so be ready to binge.

Solos (Amazon Prime limited series) — This dramatic anthology series, which hails from David Weil (who also created Hunters), aims to explore the power of human connection while gazing through the eyes of seven individuals, who embody their own stories. The series stars Morgan Freeman, Anne Hathaway, Helen Mirren, Uzo Aduba, Nicole Beharie, Anthony Mackie, Dan Stevens, and Constance Wu, and expect to witness stories that will illuminate the human experience, even during times of isolation.

Paramount+

From Cradle To Stage (Paramount+ series) — This Dave Grohl-directed series follows Dave and his mom, Virginia, meeting up with another artist and their mom each week. This week, Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile arrives with her mom, Teresa, to guide Dave and Virginia around Ravensdale, Washington. Brandi’s trajectory from a tomboy kid to an openly gay artist gets the spotlight. Also, moms rule, and so does Dave Grohl.

Rugrats: Season 1 (Paramount+ series) — The 2021 revival of this series brings the babies back into action mode, which means that Tommy Pickles is leading his gang on a whole new set of adventures, this time in full-on three-dimensional CGI rendering. In the debut episode, dinosaurs are on the scene while Tommy helps Chuckie after his intent to appear brave does not go as planned.

Apple TV+

The Me You Can’t See (Apple TV+ series) — On the heels of *that* interview, Prince Harry and Oprah are teaming up as co-creators and executive producers of this series that will dig into stories that revolve around mental health and emotional well-being. Expect a variety of guests, including Lady Gaga, the NBA’s DeMar DeRozan and Langston Galloway, plus a popular chef, and more.

Trying: Season 2 (Apple TV+ series) — Esther Smith and Rafe Spall return as a married couple who are painstakingly wading through the adoption process after learning that they’re unable to conceive a biological child. That particular angle on parenthood isn’t frequently tackled on TV, but as the couple moves past conquering the almighty adoption panel, they’ve got even harder work ahead of them. This show’s already landed a Season 3 renewal, so there’s an ultimate plan out there for this couple.

Mythic Quest: Season 2 (Apple TV+ series) — Two pandemic specials sustained viewers between seasons of Rob McElhenney’s workplace comedy, which shall see plenty of awkward maneuvering while the crew comes back to the office after you-know-what forced the work-at-home situation. The best news: Snoop Dogg stops by this season to spread his feel-good… vibes.

Game 3 of the Suns and Lakers first round series did not go according to plan for Phoenix, as they struggled mightily on the offensive end in a 109-95 loss to fall behind 2-1 to the defending champs.

Devin Booker, in particular, struggled in Game 3 going 6-for-19 from the field for 19 points in 41 minutes of play, as he was unable to continue his offensive execution from the first two games. As the game wound down and the Suns last gasp effort failed to reel the Lakers in, frustration set in for Phoenix and Booker, who had a lengthy back-and-forth with Dennis Schröder that culminated in Booker two-handed shoving Schröder to the ground — with a little extra added in from Jae Crowder.

Booker would be tossed for a Flagrant 2, with Crowder not far behind as he was ejected for continuing the jawing with the Lakers point guard. It was an ugly finish to what was an ugly game for the Suns. Anthony Davis was not happy with the Booker foul, calling it a dirty play.

Phoenix will have to figure out a way to regroup both mentally and physically before Game 4 in L.A. on Sunday, because they looked rattled for much of Game 3. Booker needs to get back to his play from the first two games, while the Suns in general have to figure out how to handle the pressure and physicality of the Lakers defense better or they risk going back to Phoenix a game away from elimination.

Earthgang has been patiently waiting for a while now to get the ball rolling for their upcoming sophomore album, Ghetto Gods. After a bit of a wait, it appears that the Dreamville duo is now in full rollout mode for the project. Their latest release isn’t a brand new single, but rather, a remix of a past track that definitely deserved more love than it got. Earthgang recruits Coi Leray for a fresh take of “Options,” a track that also carries a verse from Wale. The new version begins with Leray crooning through a verse focused on her options in the dating world while the rap duo provides new verses for listeners to enjoy.

Johnny Venus of Earthgang previously spoke about the underwhelming success of “Options” on their most recent track, “Aretha.” “‘Options‘ dropped, barely made a sound, damn / I guess we let Nas and Cole down,” he said. The new remix joins a string of recent releases that will hopefully bring us to the release of Ghetto Gods. In addition to the “Options” remix and “Aretha,” Earthgang also shared a remix of Drake’s “Lemon Pepper Freestyle.”

Coi Leray has also been active lately. She recently dropped her third single of the year with “Bout Me” and shortly after, she joined DDG and OG Parker for “Impatient.”

You can press play on the remix above.

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