Month: July 2021

Donald J. Trump is tireless in his pursuit of money and power, but he’s also fundamentally lazy. To this day, it doesn’t appear he ever learned what his old gig as president of the United States entailed, and he rarely seemed to do the job anyway. So when he released one of his weird press releases praising a new book by a conservative pundit, and it turned out he’d brazenly copied-and-pasted most of it from a press release, the only response was a shruggy “of course he did.”

The tome in question was How I Saved the World, by Jesse Watters, a Fox News commentator who did no such thing. (He also once made a sex joke about Trump’s daughter Ivanka.) It’s not clear if Trump has ever read anything longer than a tweet, and after reading his rave, it’s still up in the air.

“Great new book out by Jesse Watters, How I Saved the World,” he wrote in the format that used to fuel his failed blog. He then proceeded to elaborate on his approbation. “Interspersed are his thoughtful suggestions for overcoming left-wing radicalism, maintaining American democracy, moving beyond aging hippies (like his long-suffering, loving parents), saving the world from social justice warriors and the deep state — all while smirking his way through life in only the nicest way. Get your copy today, congratulations Jesse!”

If the middle section seemed off — which is to say, more or less clean and clear, grammatically correct, perhaps even copy edited, if, of course, still generally questionable — you weren’t crazy. It was, in fact, lifted verbatim from the book’s official description. Trump’s a busy man, living in resorts and babbling to strangers about the election he lost. He doesn’t have time to read or even fake his way through what’s supposed to be fulsome praise for people who made lewd sex jokes about his oldest daughter.

It’s the kind of outside-the-box nuttiness that used to happen daily when Trump resided in the Oval Office. And lots of people noticed the combination of the weird and the slothful.

Those that didn’t catch that Trump straight up copied-and-pasted most of his rave knew something was up.

Anyway, the big boy’s still got it!

This is probably the lightest sneaker release week we’ll experience all summer. If you’re looking for someone to blame, look no further than LeBron James. As you might’ve heard, Friday brings the release of Space Jam: A New Legacy to theaters nationwide, so right now the sneaker world is all things LeBron and Space Jam.

Nike is dropping an eight sneaker collection to celebrate the critically maligned movie. Honestly, that’s honestly too many sneakers for one movie, so we made sure to include only the essential pairs from the collection — as some of them straight up aren’t good. Still… there are definitely some gems and Space Jam ends up dominating today’s proceedings (to my chagrin).

While most of the big sneaker brands are taking a well-advised break, we’re still getting dope releases out of New Balance, an Adidas Prada link-up, and easily this week’s highlight, the Air Jordan 1 Electro. Let’s get into it!

WMNS Nike Air Max 90 Legacy

Today Nike is dropping a WMNS-size exclusive take on the Air Max 90 that mixes fabrics for a more sustainable patchwork design. The sneaker features exposed stitching, a creamy off-white midsole, and a mix of canvas, denim, corduroy, and, honestly, too many textiles for us to figure out. The different fabrics were pulled from repurposed materials, continuing Nike’s push for more sustainable sneakers.

The WMNS Nike Air Max 90 Legacy is set to drop on July 14th for a retail price of $140. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app, or hit up aftermarket sites like StockX.

Xbox x Space Jam: A New Legacy x Nike LeBron 18 Low

Releasing just a day before the film drops, Nike and Xbox are linking up for a dope mismatched take on the LeBron 18 releasing alongside an Xbox controller that pays tribute to, arguably the best, Looney Tunes characters, Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner.

Featuring a low-cut silhouette, this LeBron 18 features a left shoe repping Wile E. with its desert earth tones and dynamite fuse wrapped swoosh, while the right shoe cools things down with tones of blue and a dust cloud swoosh, representing Road Runner’s wild speed. You’ll have two opportunities to cop this pair, if you wan’t the bundle with the controller, you’ll have to hit the SNKRS app on July 15th, but if you’re just looking to cop the shoes, you’ll have a second chance to grab them on SNKSR the following day on the 16th.

The Xbox x Space Jam: A New Legacy x Nike LeBron 18 Low bundle is set to drop on July 15th for a retail price of $220 on the SNKRS app. To grab the shoes without the controller, hit up SNKRS on July 16th for a retail price of $160.

New Balance MADE US 990v2

A couple of weeks back, we mentioned that New Balance would be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the brand’s 990 silhouette by paying tribute to every version of the sneaker to ever drop, and this week brings the v2 makeup. Featuring a pig suede leather upper, the 990v2 features a classic understated grey New Balance colorway with ruby red accents on the tongue, heel, and tag and sits atop an ABZORB midsole for extra cushioning.

The New Balance MADE US 990v2 is set to drop on July 16th for a retail price of $184.99. Pick up a pair at New Balance when the sneaker drops at 10 am EST.

Packer x Adidas Consortium Ultra4D

New Jersey sneaker boutique Packer is linking up with Adidas Consortium once again for yet another reimagining of the Ultra4D silhouette. The new collaboration sees the 4D dressed in a forest green colorway with white heel cages and stripes with navy and deep red accents and a suede pigskin mudguard.

Packer’s red triangle “P” logo appears at the sneaker’s tongue and on the insole. It’s another dope collaboration between Packer and Adidas Consortium, and we’re psyched for whatever the third collaboration between the labels brings, though we have a feeling it’s going to be another Ultra4D. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

The Packer x Adidas Consortium Ultra4D is set to drop on July 16th for a retail price of $250. Pick up a pair at the Packer Shoes webstore, or in-store at 11 a.m. EST.

Air Force 1 ’07 x Space Jam: A New Legacy Computer Chip

Another sneaker dropping as part of the massive Space Jam: A New Legacy campaign, this AF-1 features a computer chip-inspired print against a black leather upper with black paneling, stitched overlays, and bold blue accents, sitting atop a glow in the dark outsole.

What we love about this particular sneaker is how different it looks from the other Space Jam branded shoes, from far away you can’t even tell that some of these circuit lines sketch out the outlines of both LeBron and Bugs!

The Air Force 1 ’07 x Space Jam: A New Legacy Computer Chip is set to drop on July 16th for a retail price of $160. Pick up a pair at SNKRS when the shoe drops at 7:00 AM local time or pick up a pair at GOAT.

Air Force 1 ’07 x Space Jam: A New Legacy Tune Squad

Remember what we said about digging on the subtleness of the AF-1 Computer Chip? Well, that all goes out the window when we’re talking about Lola Bunny. The Tune Squad features an all-white leather upper with a bright blue suede heel tab and wrap-around swoosh with stitched overlays and a graphic of Lola Bunny performing a jump shot.

I’m assuming Nike also understands the power of Lola Bunny as this is the lowest effort offering of the eight sneaker collection, Lola does all the heavy lifting here.

The Air Force 1 ’07 x Space Jam: A New Legacy Tune Squad is set to drop on July 16th for a retail price of $120. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Air Jordan 1 Electro Orange

No, this isn’t another one of the new Space Jam sneakers, it just looks like it’s from space thanks to its mix of metallic silver and orange colors. The Electro Orange borrows its colorway from the Shattered Backboard Air Jordan 1, which dropped in 2015. The Electro Orange features a white and black leather upper with silver paneling at the throat with a padded orange collar.

This is easily — sorry LeBron — the dopest drop to come out of Nike all week — a must-grab colorway and probably the one that’ll result in the most Twitter chatter over the weekend.

The Air Jordan 1 Electro Orange is set to drop on July 17th for a retail price of $170. If you take the L on SNKRS be sure to pick up a pair at GOAT or Flight Club.

Prada x Adidas A+P Luna Rossa 21

Adidas might not have a ridiculous number of iconic silhouettes like Nike, but Adidas pulls some of the best collaborators: Kanye, Beyonce, Bad Bunny, and of course, Prada, who are gearing up to drop two new colorways of the Luna Rossa 21. Featuring a light and highly flexible upper made from Primegreen recycled materials, the A+P Luna Rossa borrows the design of Prada’s ’97 America’s Cup boat shoe.

Featuring a transparent hydrophobic shell over an ergonomic Adidas shape, the Luna Rossa promises a true-to-size fit and increased comfort, courtesy of the sneaker’s BOOST midsole.

The A+P Luna Rossa 21 is set to drop on July 19th for a retail price of $650. Pick up a pair via the Adidas CONFIRMED app.

Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.

Travis Kelce has become one of the NFL’s best tight ends during his time in Kansas City, and is a household name for NFL fans. However, we have all — and I mean all — apparently been saying his last name wrong for the entirety of his career, a revelation that just came to light this week.

Kelce says his last name is not pronounced “Kel-see” as everyone has said forever, but instead should be pronounced “Kels,” but he just “rolled with it” when everyone said “Kel-see.” If this information is blowing your mind, you are not alone, as Patrick Mahomes and others on the Chiefs are having an existential crisis over this entire situation.

He apparently has said it the “correct” way before, as someone spotted in a video before the 2020 AFC title game.

However, the Kel-see/Kels drama goes all the way back to his brother, Eagles center Jason, who was listed on the University of Cincinnati pronunciation guide under “Kel-see” back in 2007.

It is very possible that Travis is doing this just to mess with everyone, as that would be in line with his sense of humor, but it’s believable enough that the entire NFL world is trying to figure out if we’ve been butchering their last name for more than a decade.

Creating a joke cryptocurrency is all fun and games until Elon Musk starts using it to fund space missions. That’s what Palmer Jackson, co-creator of Dogecoin, learned the hard way. In 2013, he, along with Billy Markus, decided to prank the burgeoning cryptocurrency market with a form of internet money whose logo was a Shiba Inu mutt. Two years later he dropped out of the scene, announcing an extended leave of absence. On Wednesday, some six years later, he returned to social media, offering his best takedown of the subject he’d been making fun of in the first place.

“I am often asked if I will ‘return to cryptocurrency’ or begin regularly sharing my thoughts on the topic again. My answer is a wholehearted ‘no,’” he wrote, in what proved to be an epic thread. He then went on to explain why he’s not coming back.

“After years of studying it, I believe that cryptocurrency is an inherently right-wing, hyper-capitalistic technology built primarily to amplify the wealth of its proponents through a combination of tax avoidance, diminished regulatory oversight and artificially enforced scarcity,” Jackson wrote. He went on to essentially decry it as an unregulated Wild West that only helps make the rich — like Elon Musk, the third richest person on the planet — richer.

Despite claims of “decentralization”, the cryptocurrency industry is controlled by a powerful cartel of wealthy figures who, with time, have evolved to incorporate many of the same institutions tied to the existing centralized financial system they supposedly set out to replace.

The cryptocurrency industry leverages a network of shady business connections, bought influencers and pay-for-play media outlets to perpetuate a cult-like “get rich quick” funnel designed to extract new money from the financially desperate and naive.

Financial exploitation undoubtedly existed before cryptocurrency, but cryptocurrency is almost purpose built to make the funnel of profiteering more efficient for those at the top and less safeguarded for the vulnerable.

Cryptocurrency is like taking the worst parts of today’s capitalist system (eg. corruption, fraud, inequality) and using software to technically limit the use of interventions (eg. audits, regulation, taxation) which serve as protections or safety nets for the average person.

Lose your savings account password? Your fault. Fall victim to a scam? Your fault. Billionaires manipulating markets? They’re geniuses. This is the type of dangerous “free for all” capitalism cryptocurrency was unfortunately architected to facilitate since its inception.

But these days even the most modest critique of cryptocurrency will draw smears from the powerful figures in control of the industry and the ire of retail investors who they’ve sold the false promise of one day being a fellow billionaire. Good-faith debate is near impossible.

For these reasons, I simply no longer go out of my way to engage in public discussion regarding cryptocurrency. It doesn’t align with my politics or belief system, and I don’t have the energy to try and discuss that with those unwilling to engage in a grounded conversation.

He concluded with a kind of olive branch, writing, “I applaud those with the energy to continue asking the hard questions and applying the lens of rigorous skepticism all technology should be subject to. New technology can make the world a better place, but not when decoupled from its inherent politics or societal consequences.”

In short, if you’re a regular person hoping to get in on the ground floor of what you see as some future form of currency, remember that you’re swimming with sharks. You can read the entire thread starting here.

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Bourbon is an interesting spirit. This classic American whiskey has a home both on the bottom shelf and on the highest possible one. You can find perfectly suitable bottles of bourbon for under $30. The $50 range holds some real gems that you can easily find nationwide. Beyond that, things get a little rarer and prices tend to be dictated by the intersection where demand meets lack of availability and hype.

Point being, there are a lot of factors at play and finding the best bottle of bourbon to spend your hard-earned dollars on can get downright confusing. To help you make that ever-more-difficult choice, I’m calling out eight bottles of bourbon from Kentucky (not a requirement for bourbon) that I think are worth the money, even if they’re marked up a little bit at retail from the original MSRP. All of these bourbon whiskeys can be purchased (depending on where you live) for less than $130. I stand by them as some of the best bourbons you can drink today.

If you’re feeling inspired, click on the prices and give them a try yourself!

Booker’s

ABV: 63.95%

Average Price: $92 (MSRP: $70)

The Story:

Jim Beam makes some of the most well-known premium bourbons on liquor store shelves. Their Small Batch collection includes Knob Creek, Baker’s, and Basil Hayden’s. But the best of the best is Booker’s. This uncut, unfiltered, high-proof bourbon is exceptionally crafted.

The best part? They release new, unique batches every year. For this review, I sampled its newest release Booker’s Tagalong Batch.

Tasting Notes:

Notes of wood char, spicy cinnamon, caramelized sugar, and a nice, nutty sweetness greet you on the nose. The palate is highlighted by candied cherries, vanilla beans, subtle spices, and just a hint of gentle smoke. The finish is long, filled with warming heat, and surprisingly mellow for a high-proof whiskey.

Bottom Line:

Booker’s is for true bourbon fans. It’s still fairly reasonably priced, there are new and exciting releases every year, and no two releases taste the same. ‎

Larceny Barrel Proof

ABV: 61.6%

Average Price: $75 (MSRP: $50)

The Story:

Similar to Booker’s, part of the appeal of Larceny Barrel Proof is the fact that each release is limited-edition. Instead of dropping just once per year, Larceny Barrel Proof drops its non-chill filtered, full barrel proof, wheated bourbon three times per year in January, May, and September.

Each release is unique and carries a different proof.

Tasting Notes:

Before sipping, breathe in the aromas of vanilla beans, earthy oak, almond cookies, and cinnamon sugar. The palate swirls with dried cherries, raisins, pecans, buttery caramel, and just a hint of spice. It all ends with a sweet, warming finish.

Bottom Line:

For the price, it’s hard to beat Larceny Barrel Proof. With the awards piling up for this whiskey, it’s easy to find something to love in every sip.

Stagg Jr.

ABV: 60-67%

Average Price: $100 (MSRP: $60)

The Story:

Stagg Jr. is named after George T. Stagg, one of the most influential bourbon makers in history. Aged for more than nine years, Stagg Jr. is unfiltered, uncut, and unabashedly rich, smooth, and full of flavor.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is filled with scents of chocolate fudge, maple candy, butterscotch, and just a hint of peppery rye. Taking a sip reveals notes of raisins, dried cherries, candied orange peel, subtle spices, and just a kiss of brown sugar and smoke at the very end. It’s a bold, complex, high-proof, and surprisingly sippable bourbon.

Bottom Line:

This is a special bottle of bourbon. Depending on where you live, it might be more difficult to find. If you can find it for around $100, I’m fairly positive you won’t find a better sip.

Weller Antique 107

ABV: 53.5%

Average Price: $100 (MSRP: $50)

The Story:

Weller is one of the most sought-after, often over-priced bottles on bourbon on retail shelves. Most Weller releases are extremely difficult to find at the suggested retail price. Weller Antique 107 hasn’t escaped this fate but is worth it either way.

Like all of Weller’s bourbons, this is a soft, mellow, wheated expression that’s so sippable you might forget it sits at 107 proof.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is loaded with the scents of candied cherries, charred oak, vanilla beans, and just a wisp of spicy cinnamon. The palate is full of flavors that include brown sugar, sticky toffee, vanilla cream, cinnamon sugar, and dried fruits. It all ends with a flavorful combination of caramel, pipe tobacco, and subtle spice.

Bottom Line:

While Weller Antique 107 doesn’t have the reputation of the others in its line, I believe that it’s the best of the bunch.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof

ABV: 60-70%

Average Price: $80 (MSRP: $65)

The Story:

Elijah Craig is noted by many to be the inventor of bourbon whiskey since he was the first person to age it in charred barrels. Their barrel-proof expression is taken straight from the barrel, is completely uncut by the addition of water, and isn’t chill-filtered.

Depending on the release, each one has a different proof with its own slightly unique character.

Tasting Notes:

Before taking your first sip, revel in the aromas of dried fruits, caramel apples, vanilla beans, and wood char. On the palate, you’ll find notes of raisins, almonds, buttery caramel, vanilla beans, and just a hint of sweet cinnamon and cracked black pepper at the very end. It’s truly a complex, lingering expression that deserves to be sipped again and again.

Bottom Line:

One of the best things about Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is the fact that there’s a good chance you can actually find it at your local liquor store or an online retailer without too much of a markup (depending on the store, of course).

After one sip you’ll want to buy it again and again.

Blanton’s Single Barrel

ABV: 46.5%

Average Price: $110 (MSRP: $45)

The Story:

Named for whiskey pioneer Albert Bacon Blanton, this expression was first released in 1984. Since then, countless drinkers have become fans of the first-ever single barrel bourbon. While the distillery doesn’t detail the recipe or age statement, we do know it comes from the middle sections of the distillery’s barrelhouse and is renowned for its rich, oaky flavor profile.

Tasting Notes:

When you nose this whiskey, you’ll find scents of candied orange peels, caramelized apples, charred oak, and vanilla beans. The flavor is filled with hints of cinnamon sugar, butterscotch, more vanilla, cloves, and just a hint of citrus zest and subtle spice.

It’s the kind of whiskey that you’ll only want to drink neat or with a splash of water in order to fully enjoy all of the flavors.

Bottom Line:

Blanton’s Single Barrel was once reserved for VIPs visiting the distillery — now it’s available for everyone. That’s pretty good news for you (as long as you can find one for a reasonable price).

Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel

ABV: 45%
Average Price: $100 (MSRP: $40)

The Story:

If you’re thinking that my list is littered with Buffalo Trace brands, there’s a good reason for that. They consistently crank out award-winning, high-quality bourbon that people (including myself) love. One of their best is Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel. Named for the former master distiller of the same name, it’s a single barrel expression made from hand-picked barrels selected for their rich, well-rounded, and sweet flavor.

Tasting Notes:

You’ll be treated to aromas of woody oak, pipe tobacco, clove, and sweet, toasted vanilla before your first sip. The palate features hints of dried fruits, vanilla cream, clover honey, sticky toffee, and just a hint of peppery rye at the finish that bring everything together.

Bottom Line:

This expression is often overshadowed by some of the bigger names at Buffalo Trace. It deserves a spot on your home bar cart and should be enjoyed neat or on the rocks. Though don’t be afraid to throw some in your next Manhattan or old fashioned.

E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof

ABV: 62.5-65%

Average Price: $130 (MSRP: $75)

The Story:

Another expression from Buffalo Trace, E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof is a steal at around $120. Comprised of hand-picked bourbon barrels, it’s uncut, unfiltered, and always more than 125 proof. It’s potent, robust, and as memorable as it is flavorful.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is all caramelized sugar, toasted vanilla beans, charred oak, ripe cherries, and dried fruits. Sipping it envelopes you in a world of raisins, dried cherries, buttery caramel, sweet cream, and a nice lingering kick of spicy, peppery rye at the end.

Bottom Line:

If you only grab one bottle on this list, make it E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof. It falls on the higher end of our range, but it’s sweet, mellow, rich, and totally worth it.

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As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.

The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t see their season end as they had hoped. Despite aspirations of defending their NBA title, the team suffered a first-round exit against the Phoenix Suns as injuries piled up and some of the holes on the roster beyond their superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis became more apparent.

This offseason has become a fascinating one for the Lakers, as after seemingly pressing all the right buttons in building the 19-20 title squad, the opposite was true for this year’s squad. Dennis Schröder seemed to have some “fit in or fit out” moments after being dealt to L.A. for Danny Green as the Lakers were desperate to upgrade their point guard rotation. Andre Drummond’s signing on the buyout market only proved to upset everyone in the center rotation, with Marc Gasol, Montrezl Harrell, and Drummond all feeling like they weren’t being given enough opportunity.

All of this leads to an offseason where Rob Pelinka and company have to figure out how to undo the mess they made despite not having much in the way of cap space to make additions. That means trades will be the leading avenue for roster shakeups, and as we approach the Draft and free agency, reports of trade exploration out of L.A. have emerged. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report brought word on Wednesday that Schröder was a prime candidate for a sign-and-trade, if the Lakers aren’t willing to meet his demands, both on price and role, with the Knicks and Bulls mentioned as two teams with interest — although the Knicks wouldn’t need a sign-and-trade to make a signing happen.

Maybe more interestingly, the Lakers are also apparently taking the temperature of the league when it comes to Kyle Kuzma, who has voiced his desire to take on a larger role than what he was given with the 20-21 Lakers.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles continues to gauge rival teams’ interest in Kyle Kuzma, sources told B/R, although Schroder does carry a higher trade value around the NBA.

Kuzma has talked about wanting to be more than a spot-up shooter recently, and its hard to see exactly how he gains an expanded offensive role next to LeBron and AD. It also remains to be seen if other teams see Kuzma as a guy that you want as having a significant on-ball role, which is seemingly what he wants, as his best attribute as an offensive player is his cutting — which the Lakers could certainly utilize more of if they had better perimeter passers beyond LeBron James.

In any case, this offseason is set to be a very interesting one in Los Angeles, as the Lakers clearly need to make some changes if for nothing else than to fix what appeared to be some serious chemistry issues late. There are also plenty of on-court needs for this team to get back to being a title favorite. The health of their two stars is at the top of that list, but better balance on offense is also needed and it’s possible that Schröder and Kuzma would be the leading candidates to be trade chips to make that happen.

Detroit multi-hyphenate Langston Bristol, New York rapper Marlon Craft, and DMV rapper Redveil link up on the new song “Activate.” The song contemplates the hard work it takes to climb to the top and live your dreams and suggests that the three artists’ time is nearing. They each spit sinuous verses reinforcing this point, along with Langston’s crooning on the chorus.

The three rappers all have reason to believe their own hype. Bristol, who released his M-Side Odyssey 2 album in February (which also features Redveil) has slowly been building his momentum over the past year, despite the pandemic, appearing on Apple Music with his and Redveil’s song “PSA.” Craft also released a new project in February, the 17-track How We Intended, showing off his intricate flows and polished pen. His album also featured a number of up-and-coming super rappers, including Katori Walker and Radamiz.

Finally, Redveil, in addition to appearing on Bristol’s independently released album, has picked up a few fans thanks to a collaboration with rising rap group AG Club and his own August 2020 album, Niagara. The three MCs display scintillating chemistry here and Bristol’s production sounds like a warm summer day. It’s worth giving a spin.

Listen to Langston Bristol’s “Activate” featuring Marlon Craft and Redveil above.

Gunpowder Milkshake (Netflix film) — Look, Netflix original action films might seem like they’re in plentiful supply these days, but this one’s worth particular notice. Karen Gillan portrays the assassin-daughter of an elite assassin, portrayed by Lena Headey, and the pair come back together again to help protect a young girl from an organization known as The Firm. Nope, Tom Cruise does not make a cameo in this picture, but there’s a group called The Librarians, who are played by Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett, and Carla Gugino. Essentially, we’ve got three generations of badass ladies here, doing their best to wipe out pesky henchmen and raise a lot of hell.

Heist: Season 1 (Netflix series) — Three of America’s greatest heists shall be examined in the finest of detail here by the people who did the heisting. These adventures include a Vegas casino heist, a Miami airport heist, and a a Kentucky bourbon heist. The shooting style here aims for Ocean’s Eleven and Catch Me If You Can, and the planning of these heists is flat-out meticulous, so it’s no wonder that the initial heisting went well. However, one must realize that these heisters were eventually busted, so there’s that part of the story, too. Crime doesn’t pay in the long-term, kids.

Loki: Episode 6 (Disney+ series, releasing in the wee hours of Wednesday morning) — Tom Hiddleston’s fetchingly charming, mercurial trickster can’t stop showing us all of his forms, and hopefully, he and Sylvie stirred up some good forces at the end of the season’s penultimate episode. We’ll see if the Time Variance Authority lasts the test of, well, time this week, won’t we?

Shark Week 2021 (Discovery+, Discovery, Nat Geo) — The annual shark-involved festivities continue with several new entries, including Tiger Queen on Discovery+ as well as three entries on Discovery: MechaShark (8:00pm), The Real Sharknado (9:00pm), and Return to Lair of the Great White (10:00pm).

My Unorthodox Life (Netflix series) — A fashion mogul belongs to an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, which doesn’t exactly jive with her CEO job. No matter, she manages to revolutionize her world and still pull off motherhood, which makes me freaking exhausted to think about. Still, the promise of an untamed and unpredictable heroine, who’s struggling to balance her upbringing and her actual life, is an intriguing premise to pursue.

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Don Cheadle, Cecily Strong, BTS

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — Mindy Kaling, Wally Baram

Late Night With Seth Meyers — Florence Pugh, Questlove, Walk The Moon

In case you missed this pick from last week:

Monsters at Work: Season 1 Premiere (Disney+ series) — Twenty freaking years ago when Monsters Inc. came out in theaters, Pixar films’ very existence still felt like a revelation, given that adults could straight-up dig these kid-geared movies, too. These days, that’s no longer a novel concept, but this franchise has persisted with a prequel and a few shorts, and now, John Goodman and Billy Crystal return as James P. “Sulley” Sullivan and Mike Wazowski. They have both been promoted, and a new crop of monsters (voiced by Mindy Kaling, Henry Winkler, Ben Feldman, and Alana Ubach) are doing the harvesting. The twist here is that although the franchise is going back to basics, the franchise is trading scares for laughter after realizing that — surprise — laughter generates so much more energy for Monstropolis than screams can produce.

The 2021 WNBA All-Star Game might be the most competitive event in the league’s 25-year history. Typically, the WNBA doesn’t hold All-Star Games during Olympic seasons, but this year, the league will have its 12 All-Stars play against Dawn Staley’s Team USA roster in an exhibition match before the group heads to Tokyo.

It’s a brilliant idea that will put 24 of the best players on the court and give them incentive to actually play. For Team USA, this game is just one of three pre-Olympic opportunities before things get real, and for the All-Stars, it’s a chance to avenge an Olympic roster snub or impress scouts for 2024.

Here’s who’s playing on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET July 14:

Team USA
Ariel Atkins
Sue Bird
Tina Charles
Napheesa Collier
Skylar Diggins-Smith
Sylvia Fowles
Chelsea Gray
Brittney Griner
Jewell Loyd
Breanna Stewart
Diana Taurasi
A’ja Wilson

Team All-Stars
DeWanna Bonner
Liz Cambage
Kahleah Copper
Dearica Hamby
Brionna Jones
Jonquel Jones
Betnijah Laney
Arike Ogunbowale
Candace Parker
Satou Sabally
Courtney Williams
Courtney Vandersloot

With the rosters so stacked, it shouldn’t surprise many if the WNBA All-Stars take down Team USA. And no — if it happens, that does not mean Team USA is in trouble of winning a seventh consecutive gold medal.

Let’s look at a few reasons why an upset could be brewing.

1. Jonquel Jones is the best player in the world right now

Team USA may have the better roster, but Jonquel Jones is the best player in the world. The 6’6 center, who can stretch the floor, blow by defenders, and use her size in the post has dominated both the WNBA and EuroBasket over the last two months. The MVP frontrunner is unstoppable, and if the All-Stars can pull off the win, it’s likely because of Jones’ performance.

2. Team USA doesn’t have experience playing together yet

Team USA hasn’t played a game together yet, and the WNBA season only officially took its midseason break on Monday. They’re going to be learning a lot on the fly. We already saw the men’s USA squad drop two of its first three exhibition games, and it wouldn’t be too shocking if the women’s team doesn’t click right away either.

3. The All-Stars are playing with a purpose, too

There’s a lot of underlying beef in this game. Candace Parker, who was snubbed from the Olympic team in 2016 and been outspoken about the “politics” behind the program’s roster decisions, will compete for the All-Stars. She’ll be teammates with Arike Ogunbowale, last season’s WNBA leading scorer who didn’t make this year’s Olympic roster, and one of Team USA’s biggest threats at winning gold in Australian center Liz Cambage. They’ll want to put on a show.

4. Diana Taurasi is unlikely to play for Team USA

It hasn’t been confirmed yet, but Taurasi is unlikely to play due to a hip injury. She missed the last two regular season games.

“I probably won’t play. My goal is to be ready for the Olympics,” Taurasi said according to ESPN. “Preparation is key. So at this point in my career, I think being ready for Tokyo is what’s best for our team and me. So I’m taking it day by day. I’m getting better, and I’ll be fine once the real games start.”

5. The WNBA All-Stars are stacked with scoring guards

Good luck to anyone trying to stop a backcourt with Ogunbowale and Betnijah Laney launching shots from everywhere. Chelsea Gray, Sue Bird, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Ariel Atkins will have their hands full against the duo scoring 37.9 points per game combined.

6. The WNBA All-Stars could have the better starting five

We’re waiting to see which five players each side will roll with to start, but it’s very possible the All-Stars could play the most unguardable unit of all. With Ogunbowale at point, DeWanna Bonner and Parker facilitating plays as point-forwards, Jones dominating inside-out basketball, and Cambage in the post, this team straight up does not have a weakness.

You can thank Caitlyn Jenner, transphobia, and this weekend’s CPAC event for the latest Republican catfight going down on social media right now.

Jenner made an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas this weekend to, among other things, drum up support for her California gubernatorial campaign. Despite being a loud and proud right-wing cardholder, Jenner was followed by hecklers during the conference who deadnamed her, calling her a “tranny” and a “sick freak.” Pretty despicable behavior, though not that surprising considering the kind of crowd Jenner’s been hanging out with, politically speaking. Still, that kind of abuse and transphobic bullying didn’t sit well with Tomi Lahren, who made a point to condemn anyone attacking Jenner for how she identifies herself:

Now, we know what you’re thinking. This seems like a fairly progressive stance from a woman who once compared the Black Lives Matter movement to the KKK but we guess even a racist chatterbox like Lahren has the capacity to be tolerant sometimes? Anyway, this surprising show of acceptance didn’t sit well with Lahren’s Republican cohort Candace Owens, who took to her podcast to condemn the bullying of Jenner before she laid into Lahren for … suggesting that conservative Christians can be pro-choice and supporters of trans rights?

“You don’t need to be a warden of Christianity to know that supporting abortion and supporting transgenderism is problematic,” Owens said. “All you have to do is actually read the Bible. I cannot support Caitlyn Jenner for governor because Caitlyn Jenner believes…in the deception that men can be women and women can be men. There is no bigger lie right now going around in society than the belief that men can be women and women can be men.”

Weird stance, but ok. Sadly, the drama didn’t end there because Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis apparently got wind of this argument and decided to add her two cents in, on Twitter obviously.

Which meant Lahren then needed to fire back.

And that’s where things stand — three women, all of whom support ideals of religious intolerance and oppression but, for some reason, can’t agree on which minority group truly deserves their hatred. Look, normally we hate to see people feuding on Twitter but if social media ends up helping to topple the GOP from the inside, well then, we can forgive Jack Dorsey for trying to make Fleets happen.