A childhood game can go very wrong in the blink of an eye.
“You’ll never get me!”
“Freeze! Put your hands up.”
If you’ve ever played cops and robbers, you know how the game goes.
John Arthur Greene was 8 and he was playing that game with his older brother Kevin. Only the two brothers played with real guns. Living on a farm, they were both old hands at handling firearms by their ages.
The blast from the gun must have startled them both.
“In Asheboro, North Carolina, a 26-year-old mother was cleaning her home when she heard a gunshot. Rushing into the living room, she discovered that her three-year-old son had accidentally shot her boyfriend’s three-year-old daughter with a .22-caliber rifle the parents had left in the room, loaded and unlocked.”
And the numbers may actually be getting worse.
With an increase in unfettered access to guns and philosophical opposition to gun regulations, the numbers seem to be on the rise. Here’s how many accidental shootings happened at the hands of children in 2015 alone, by age:
From January 19-26 of 2016 — just one week — at least seven kids were accidentally shot by another kid.
If the pace holds up for the rest of the year, America would be looking at over 300 accidental shootings of children, in many cases by children, for the year. That’s far too many cases of children either carrying the guilt and pain of having shot a loved one or hurting or killing themselves by accident.
John Arthur Greene has been able to manage his feelings of guilt and sorrow through music and by sharing his story for others to hear.
He told his story during an audition for the final season of “American Idol.” He says music has helped him keep his brother’s memory alive:
“Right now I lift him up every day and he holds me up. Music is how I coped with everything.”
It’s a powerful reminder. No matter how we each feel about gun safety laws, guns should always be locked away unloaded and kept separately from ammunition.
Our babies are too precious to leave it to chance.
Watch John Arthur Greene’s audition for “American Idol” here:
When Chadwick Boseman passed away last year after a secret battle with colon cancer, the loss was palpable. Not only did the world lose a great actor and iconic Black superhero, but a genuinely good man as well. And that it happened in the midst of a global pandemic and the biggest racial justice movement since the 1960s made the loss all the more painful.
So when Marvel released its trailer for a new animated series, “What If…?,” people were understandably hit hard upon hearing Boseman’s voice in the role of T’Challa once again. The voice performance was Boseman’s last for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and some Black Panther fans just weren’t ready for the emotional wallop.
The series will air on Disney + and premieres August 11. However, if fans are looking for T’Challa as the Black Panther, they’re in for a surprise. As the title suggests, this look into the multiverse reimagines characters in different roles. Instead of the Black Panther, the series will explore what the world would be like if T’Challa were in the role of Star-Lord instead.
Boseman’s voice comes in during the final minute of the trailer:
Enter the multiverse of unlimited possibilities. Marvel Studios’ first animated series, What If…?, starts streami… https://t.co/LiEaQXpuPm
The reactions to the trailer were swift and heartfelt. Sometimes you don’t know when something is going to hit you, and even though we don’t see his face, just hearing his voice was enough to get some fans deep into their feelings.
Chadwick Boseman’s last performance as T’Challa. I can’t wait for the show to premiere https://t.co/y9wZlyRcVC
Sometimes, you can tell an artist is good just from their name alone. That’s the impression I got upon seeing the title “Goon Des Garcons,” and I am proud to inform you that he lives right up to that expectation with his UPROXX Sessions performance of “Clanks.”
The cleverly named rapper is a recent Los Angeles transplant by way of small-town Arkansas, signed to Def Jam, and tapped in with underground fan favorites like Fredo Bang, Landstrip Chip, and Reese Laflare. Musically, he takes plenty of inspiration from Kanye adherents like Kid Cudi and Travis Scott, but with the rebellious sonic proclivities of wavemakers like Tyler The Creator and the artists influenced by him such as Kevin Abstract and AG Club. It’s energetic and confident, yet down-to-earth and just quirky enough to stand apart from the pack. Stay tuned, because something tells me you’ll be seeing this name a lot more often very soon.
Watch Goon Des Garcons’ cocky performance of “Clanks” for UPROXX Sessions above.
UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross,UPROXX Sessionsis a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.
During a guest spot on the latest episode of “Hot Ones,” a very red-faced Ed Sheeran recounted a funny story about his collaboration with Eminem and 50 Cent on 2019’s “Remember The Name.” Apparently — and Sheeran says the rapper may refute this if asked — Sheeran was pretty sure that 50 Cent didn’t know who Sheeran was, even after they had worked together.
“If you were to go into my school and go, at the height of Shady Records, at the height of Aftermath [Entertainment], and go, ‘Which one of these kids is gonna do a song with Eminem and 50 Cent?’ No one would’ve guessed me,” joked Sheeran between bites of wings doused in hot sauce. “50 will probably disagree with this,” he continued, referencing the time they were both present at Wembley Stadium in the UK, “[but] I don’t think 50 had a f*cking clue who I was. I think afterwards he was like, ‘Oh, the ‘Shape Of You’ guy!’”
“Remember The Name” was part of the singer-songwriter’s fourth studio album, No.6 Collaborations Project, which also featured collaborations with Justin Bieber, Camila Cabello, Travis Scott, Stormzy, Bruno Mars, Young Thug, and more. At the time of release, Sheeran joked with BBC Radio One about the song’s rapped line “I was born a misfit / Grew up 10 miles from the town of Ipswich” and how it was unlikely that Eminem “would know where Ipswitch is.”
Watch Sheeran’s “Hot Ones” interview in full above, and listen to him tell the 50 Cent story at 11:55 into the video.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Patrick Beverley will face a one-game suspension at the start of the 2021-22 NBA season because of an incident during the Los Angeles Clippers’ final game of the playoffs. Beverley, who went on to admit that his emotions got the best of him as the Phoenix Suns beat L.A. to earn a spot in the NBA Finals, shoved Chris Paul from behind in the game’s waning moments, which led to him watching the final few minutes from the locker room.
Like most NBA things, the news cycle moves so fast that there’s basically no attention on Beverley anymore. But for one Suns fan, Beverley’s actions demanded an email directly to NBA commissioner Adam Silver. While it’s unclear what was said, it did prompt a response from an NBA employee named Bill, who rehashed the various forms of reprimand Beverley received before expressing that the league views player safety as one of its priorities.
I let [email protected] know how I felt about Patrick Beverley attacking Chris Paul at the end of Game 6. Here’s what I received in response from NBA Coordinator Bill.
Regardless of what the original email said, Beverley ended up seeing this, presumably because it was put on Twitter and, I imagine, he was made aware of its existence. In response, Beverley quote tweeted this and used a few emojis to get a pretty clear point across.
Ancient Age/Very Old Barton/Isaac Bowman/Jim Beam/istock/Uproxx
Most whiskey drinkers have their “go-to” whiskeys. They rarely give other bottles a second look when they’re darting in and out of a liquor store. It makes sense, really. If you’ve been enjoying Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey, or Jack Daniel’s for most of your legal-drinking adult life, why would you want to try anything different?
Those brands all make damn fine juice.
That does mean, however, that many of the lesser-known whiskey expressions out there don’t get the shine they deserve. We’re not blaming you for that. It’s more a matter of there being so many brands fighting for shelf space these days that some great bottles (in this case, bourbons) inevitably get overlooked.
The remedy? Experiment a little. Develop your palate and expand your tastes.
To help you find something new, we asked a handful of bartenders to name their picks for the most overlooked bourbon whiskeys on the market. Of course, that definition is going to vary massively. Some of the bottles below are well-known and maybe don’t get the respect they deserve. Others simply aren’t household names (unless you live in Kentucky). Either way, if any of them sound enticing, click on their prices to check them out yourself.
This bourbon won Whisky Advocate’s Whisky of the Year in 2020, making it the first wheated bourbon to ever win this coveted title. It has a higher wheat blend found in the mash bill and smooth notes of caramel and honey.
Frey Ranch is distilled here in Nevada and has made quite a splash since releasing their bourbon. Rich enough to drink neat and fills out a cocktail nicely. It’s definitely a brand that more drinkers are going to become aware of in the next few years.
This is a very underrated bottle.
Isaac Bowman Port Barrel Finished Bourbon
Bowman
Scott Wenger, bartender at The Continental in Tampa, Florida
I am originally from Virginia, and I have been partial to bourbon from the Commonwealth forever. That bias aside, I still think the Bowman Distillery puts out some of the best bourbons in the country and is highly underrated. Specifically, their Isaac Bowman Port Wood Barrel Finish really shines. That hint of port at the end is really just magical.
The most underrated bourbon to drink is Ancient Age. Priced at a little under $20, this rare beauty is packed with flavor. Having a lighter proof compared to the other Buffalo Trace brands, this bourbon is great for a nice summer day. Flavors include butterscotch, caramel, and cinnamon.
If you come across it, buy it and hold on to it.
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Bourbon
Russell
Michael Lay, assistant director of bars for MINA Group in San Francisco, California
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year seems to fly below the radar but is outstanding. This is what I will be drinking this summer. Filled with hints of pipe tobacco, caramel, vanilla, and wood char, this is a mellow, sweet, easy-drinking bourbon that should be on everyone’s summer drinking list.
Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon
Evan Williams
Joel Ortega owner and founder of Timber & Blues in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Evan Williams is underrated, at least down here. If I had to pick one of its expressions, I’d choose Evan Williams Single Barrel. Its caramel and wooden notes make it one of my favorites.
Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength Bourbon
Maker
Young Kim, beverage director at Fine & Rare in New York City
Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength (2021 release) is the standard Maker’s 46 on steroids. Surprisingly smooth for its proof, it is bold with Graham cracker, vanilla, cinnamon, and oak. It’s certainly one of the best-valued cask strength bourbons on the market.
You should try it this summer, especially since it’s limited.
Very Old Barton 100 proof is a solid option for cocktails. It’s on the drier side, and the higher proof accentuates its classic bourbon flavors. On a hot day, I like it in a highball with honey and lemon. The caramel and vanilla flavors work well in this summery cocktail.
Old Grand-Dad Bonded Bourbon
Old Grand-Dad
Robert Kidd, head bartender at Le Cavalier in Wilmington, Delaware
I think this bourbon gets a bad reputation for some of the wrong reasons. The 100 proof Old Grand-Dad has a high rye count in the mash bill. So for some people, this bourbon may come off too harsh. However, the rye brings complexity to the flavor profile and the spice really lengthens the finish on this bourbon.
The price point is exceptional, and this bourbon works in cocktails as well as being enjoyable on the rocks in the summer sun.
Old Forester 100 Bourbon
Old Forester
Jacob Mata, bar manager of Garden & Grain in Pensacola, Florida
This bourbon is a go-to for me when mixing up any whiskey cocktails. I like to enjoy barrel-strength bourbon because you are getting a more pronounced flavor profile. While this bourbon isn’t barrel strength, it’s a happy medium sitting at exactly 50 percent ABV. This proof allows the flavors of ripe apple, baking spices, and toasted oak to shine with a sweet oaky finish.
Old Forester 100 proof is also my go-to bourbon for an old fashioned.
Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon
Four Roses
Chaz Gallo, director of food & beverage at The Bristol Hotel in Bristol, Virginia
Four Roses Single Barrel is a mix of tart-sweet fruit with warming spices complemented by dark espresso beans and dark chocolate. The fruit-forward flavor lends great for summer drinking.
Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
Wild Turkey
Ryan Anderson, complex director of beverage at Ace Hotel in New Orleans
Wild Turkey 101 may be at the end of some jokes or bad memories — like shooting high-proof whiskey in your younger days — but it’s the only bourbon I drink these days. The Wild Turkey Distillery cranks out the standard for blendable or drinkable whiskey that is just at the right price.
Because the distillery is so historic, it may lose sales to younger whiskey companies but deserves all the glory.
Baker’s 7-Year-Old Bourbon
Jim Beam
Matt Nicholas, bar manager for The Kennedy Bar in Pensacola, Florida
Baker’s 7-Year Bourbon is my top choice for most overlooked. Hailing from the famous Jim Beam distillery, Baker’s is a minimum 7-year bourbon with a sweet vanilla finish and a heavy baking spice palate. It can stand up to other higher-end bourbons without any compromise.
Redemption High Rye Bourbon
Redemption
Benjamin Pozar, bartender at Fogo de Chao in Dallas
In summer, whiskey is for mixing. I suggest having a highball or a whiskey sour. For a sour, have a bit of rye content like Redemption. This brings in some spice depth. The peppery notes paired with the caramel, vanilla, and oaky flavors pair well with the citrus notes.
As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.
Just a week or so ago, Dua Lipa declared that she’s interested in acting, saying, “It is something I’m definitely up for exploring and figuring it out, maybe with a small role first. I’ve become a bit more confident in myself. I’ve done a little bit here and there, so I feel I’ve discovered the side of acting within music videos. I am quite intrigued and excited about the prospect of doing something else at some point.”
Well, it didn’t take long for her to make that happen: Deadline reports today that she was cast in Argylle, from director and producer Matthew Vaughn. She joins quite the cast, too, as it also features Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, John Cena, and Samuel L. Jackson. The project will start shooting this August in Europe.
This could be the start of something for Lipa, as the movie will be the first in a series of “at least three films.” It’s based on the upcoming spy novel of the same name by author Ellie Conway and is about the titular “the world’s greatest spy” as he is “caught up in a globe-trotting adventure.”
Dua Lipa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Lil Baby was reportedly arrested for marijuana possession today in Paris, according to French newspaper Le Parisien. The rapper was traveling with his friend, NBA superstar James Harden, who was not arrested. The duo was in Paris for Fashion Week, with coverage prompting fans on Twitter to coin the moniker “Le Baby” in reference to a French reporter’s pronunciation of the rapper’s moniker. However, it appears the fun and games came to a halt as local police searched the rapper’s vehicle, which they claimed: “smelled strongly of cannabis.”
Police reportedly discovered 20 grams of marijuana in the car, leading to three arrests. Harden, who was not in the car at the time, was also searched as he returned but was allowed to go free. As Le Parisien notes, the arrest was not the rapper’s first weed-related offense or run-in with police; in 2019, he was arrested for reckless driving and eluding the police in his native Georgia. Baby and his friends were taken into custody to the 8th arrondissement police station by the Narcotics Transport Chief.
Lil Baby and James Harden were also recently seen hanging out together at Michael Rubin’s Fourth Of July party over the weekend, having a laugh in the background of a viral video of Lil Uzi Vert breakdancing taken by Uzi’s girlfriend, JT of City Girls.
After releasing her debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams this January, UK songwriter Arlo Parks was one of this year’s biggest indie breakout acts. Since her LP dropped, the singer has received cosigns by the likes of Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, and Phoebe Bridgers. Now offering another look at her album, the singer shares a whimsical video alongside her “Too Good” track.
Directed by Bedroom, the visual places Parks in a vibrant house made out of cardboard. She prepares some apples in order to bake a pie, but then experiences a major déjà vu moment that completely throws her off course.
About the song “Too Good” as a whole, Parks said she was inspired by an eclectic range of artists:
“I did this one with Paul in one of our first days of sessions. I showed him all the music that I was obsessed with at the time, from ’70s Zambian psychedelic rock to MF DOOM and the hip-hop that I love via Tame Impala and big ’90s throwback pop by TLC. From there, it was a whirlwind. Paul started playing this drumbeat, and then I was just running around for ages singing into mics and going off to do stuff on the guitar. I love some of the little details, like the bump on someone’s wrist and getting to name-drop Thom Yorke. It feels truly me.”
Watch Parks’ “Too Good” video above.
Collapsed In Sunbeams is out now via Transgressive. Get it here.
Dr. Frances Oldham Kelsey had only been with the Food and Drug Administration for about a month when she was tasked with reviewing a drug named thalidomide for distribution in America.
Marketed as a sedative for pregnant women, thalidomide was already available in Canada, Germany, and several African countries. It could have been a very simple approval. But for Kelsey, something didn’t sit right. There were no tests showing thalidomide was safe for human use, particularly during pregnancy.
Kelsey in her office at the FDA in 1960. Image by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
When Chemie Grünenthal released thalidomide in West Germany years earlier, they called it a “wonder drug” for pregnant women. They promised it would treat anxiety, insomnia, tension, and morning sickness and help pregnant women sleep.
What they didn’t advertise were its side effects.
Because it crosses the placental barrier between fetus and mother, thalidomide causes devastating — often fatal — physical defects. During the five years it was on the market, an estimated 10,000 babies globally were born with thalidomide-caused defects. Only about 60% lived past their first birthday.
In 1961, the health effects of thalidomide weren’t well-known. Only a few studies in the U.K. and Germany were starting to connect the dots between babies born with physical defects and the medication their mothers had taken while pregnant.
At the outset, that wasn’t what concerned Kelsey. She’d looked at the testimonials in the submission and found them “too glowing for the support in the way of clinical back up.” She pressed the American manufacturer, Cincinnati’s William S. Merrell Company, to share research on how their drug affected human patients. They refused. Instead they complained to her superiors for holding up the approval. Still, she refused to back down.
A sample pack of thalidomide sent to doctors in the U.K. While more than 10,000 babies worldwide were born with thalidomide-related birth defects, FDA historian John Swann credits Dr. Kelsey with limiting the number of American babies affected to just 17. Image by Stephen C. Dickson/Wikimedia Commons.
Over the next year, the manufacturer would resubmit its application to sell thalidomide six times. Each time, Kelsey asked for more research. Each time, they refused.
By 1961, thousands of mothers were giving birth to babies with shocking and heartbreaking birth defects. Taking thalidomide early in their pregnancy was the one thing connecting them. The drug was quickly pulled from shelves, vanishing mostly by 1962.
Through dogged persistence, Kelsey and her team had prevented a national tragedy.
Kelsey joins President John F. Kennedy at the signing of a new bill expanding the authority of the FDA in 1962. Image by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy honored Kelsey with the Federal Civilian Service Medal. He thanked her for her exceptional judgment and for preventing a major tragedy of birth deformities in the United States:
“I know that we are all most indebted to Dr. Kelsey. The relationship and the hopes that all of us have for our children, I think, indicate to Dr. Kelsey, I am sure, how important her work is and those who labor with her to protect our families. So, Doctor, I know you know how much the country appreciates what you have done.”
But, she wasn’t done yet. Later that year, the FDA approved new, tougher regulations for companies seeking drug approval, inspired in large part by Kelsey’s work on thalidomide.
Reached via email, FDA historian John Swann said this about Kelsey’s legacy: “[Her] actions also made abundantly clear to the nation the important public health role that drug regulation and FDA itself play in public health. The revelation of the global experience with that drug and America’s close call indeed provided impetus to secure passage of a comprehensive drug regulation bill that had been more or less floundering during the time FDA was considering the application.”
Kelsey continued to work for the FDA until 2005. She died in 2015, aged 101, just days after receiving the Order of Canada for her work on thalidomide.
Bureaucratic approval work is rarely thrilling and not often celebrated. That’s a shame because it’s so critical.
People like Kelsey, who place public health and safety above all else — including their career — deserve every ounce of our collective respect and admiration.
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