Less than a year ago, Seth Rogen published an autobiographical book full of essays, Yearbook, which contained truly wild stories about his celebrity encounters and friends, and somehow, he didn’t need to take a storytelling breather in order to, you know, gather up more stories. Nope, he quickly whipped out one of the best Paul Rudd stories of all time. Amid all of that, he made an outstanding point about cancel culture, and yup, it sure looks like Seth’s got more random entertainment to share with all of us.
On that note, Seth decided to post a photo of his statue at the Hollywood Wax Museum in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He had a question, though. “I will never understand why,” the An American Pickle star tweeted. “[T]he Myrtle Beach wax museum has me in a tuxedo standing next to the Mona Lisa.”
I will never understand why the Myrtle Beach wax museum has me in a tuxedo standing next to the Mona Lisa. pic.twitter.com/NBEZTdGrKh
That’s a fair thing to wonder about, but Seth’s mom, Sandy, who previously had a very mom-like statement about Yearbook, had a question, too: “Is that a wax you ?”
Man, I hope my kid is famous someday, so I can tweet these kinds of questions at her, too. Faux-embarrassment makes for a wonderful bonding experience!
It’s not uncommon that Ice-T finds himself in some pretty wild Twitter discourse, but the latest debate involved Coco Austin, his wife of nearly two decades. Austin is pretty candid with how she chooses to parent their children, but people were incredulous when she revealed she continues to breastfeed their five-year-old daughter. Ice-T has come to Austin’s defense, making it clear he doesn’t mind with some NSFW comments.
Austin addressed on her decision to continue breastfeeding their daughter, Chanel, in a recent interview with US Weekly. “Chanel still likes my boobs. It’s a big bonding moment for a mother and your child,” she said. “Why take that away from her?” Austin added: “If she doesn’t want it, all right, that’s where you stop it. But I’m not just going to say no.”
Many took to Twitter after hearing Austin’s comments, prompting Ice-T to join the conversation. The rapper defended his wife’s actions endlessly, saying they still feed Chanel solid food.
News Flash! We feed Chanel FOOD… She just likes to suck moms boob every now and then… Me Too!!! pic.twitter.com/TWdHu9ApnE
Ice-T attempted to quell the Twitter uproar by telling users to stop worrying about his child. “That’s what’s weird.. Now go back in the basement,” he wrote.
Why the F are you worried about MY Child??? That’s what’s weird.. Now go back in the basement. https://t.co/wqc1xfSHLw
Via Kombrewcha / June Shine / Flying Embers / Bambūcha
Kombucha is like the avocado toast of brunch foods. It’s an essential component in the regular diet of basic b*tches everywhere, myself included. If you’re not familiar with the bubbly libation, kombucha (“booch”) is fermented black or green tea (originated in Northeast China) that’s made from SCOBY – symbiotic cultures of bacteria and yeast. Sounds… intriguing, I know. But the result is a carbonated fruity drink that’s slightly sweetened, a tad tart, and downright refreshing.
Over the past decade, kombucha has grown in popularity here in the United States for its antimicrobial properties and probiotic benefits. Because it’s fermented, it naturally contains some alcohol (about 0.5%). But by adding an additional yeast strain to the fermentation process you can turn the alcohol level up to match that of a beer or hard cider (anywhere from 4.5% to 8%). This is typically called “hard kombucha” and it’s become a serious growth segment in the drinks world.
As someone who loathes pretty much any beer besides a Blue Moon, I hopped on the hard kombucha train as soon as I discovered it was a thing. I mean, it’s made with fermented tea. So it’s, like, healthy, right? But with more brands than ever hitting the shelves, I’ve begun to wonder which brands are best.
After three grocery store runs, two online orders, and little to no room left in my refrigerator, I gathered nine hard kombucha brands. Here’s the lineup:
1. Flying Embers
2. KYLA
3. Elossa Hard Kombucha
4. JuneShine
5. Bambūcha
6. Kombrewcha
7. Dr. Hops
8. Whalebird Kombucha
9. NOVA Easy Kombucha
PART I – THE BLIND TASTE TEST
I measured my booch satisfaction level on fizziness, fruitiness, and “oh sh*t that’s good”-ness. Since there are no real established kombucha tasting conventions, you’ll just have to trust my expertise.
TASTE 1
Via Chloe Caldwell
The moment I tipped the glass upward I got a slightly overwhelming whiff of ginger, so I expected tons of flavor once I took a sip. However, I didn’t find there to be much zest after all. The flavor I did taste? Not amazing, TBH. It also didn’t ignite that super bubbly sensation I typically expect from kombucha.
Overall, not the best place to start. Cheers to hoping it gets better from here!
TASTE 2
Via Chloe Caldwell
Again before even tasting it, I got strong hints of berry smells. Unlike taste number one, I could hear the kombucha bubbles sizzling as I went in for the initial sip. To my delight, that first gulp was like pouring a bag of pop rocks into my mouth. This kombucha is a little more on the bitter side, but the combination of tart, sweet, and carbonated is on point.
I’m a fan.
TASTE 3
Via Chloe Caldwell
This kombucha made me say, “meh.” It wasn’t great, but it also wasn’t horrible. It was a little flat and just kind of average overall. There were satisfying hints of flavor, but it wasn’t super strong. We’ll see how this one stands up against the remaining options.
TASTE 4
Via Chloe Caldwell
The berry, sweet scents are strong with this one. It almost smelled a bit like a slushy from the movie theater (as in: chockful of artificial syrup). After taking the first sip, I could quickly confirm that it was the sweetest option so far.
I honestly really enjoy this one, but the sweetness makes me think I could only have a few sips before wanting something else. It also tells me that the potential hangover from drinking one too many of these is no joke.
TASTE 5
Via Chloe Caldwell
My first reaction to this taste was “Oooh, that’s nice.” It’s sweet without being too sweet, ya know? It could be a little bit more bubbly, but in my opinion, the mix of flavors is just right. I’d say that this is definitely one of my top few picks so far.
TASTE 6
Via Chloe Caldwell
The first thing I have written down in my notes says, “Yum.” So, that’s a good sign. The flavor of this one is on the warmer side. There’s a hint of something different, but I can’t put my finger on it. It’s something more fun and more unique than the other tastes so far. It also covers up any tastes of alcohol pretty well.
I like it a lot, but this doesn’t really taste how experience has led me to believe kombucha is supposed to taste – if that makes sense.
TASTE 7
Via Chloe Caldwell
Whoa, this kombucha has a whole medley of flavors going on. And I love it! It tastes tropical, light, and refreshing. According to my taste-testing notes, “I would drink this on a summer day at the beach.”
TASTE 8
Via Chloe Caldwell
Holy fizziness! Taste number eight has a bubbly kick. The fruity flavor is delicious but slightly overpowering. This is definitely one of the sweeter hard kombuchas of the bunch. It sort of reminds me of an alcoholic otter pop, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
From my notes: “This is hovering somewhere in the middle of all the kombuchas I’ve tasted thus far.”
TASTE 9
Via Chloe Caldwell
Again, this is floating somewhere in the middle. The flavor is sweet and quite… eccentric compared to the rest. I genuinely like this one and would probably drink it from time to time. However, some of the other kombuchas piqued my taste buds’ interest a little more.
From the website: KYLA Hard Kombucha is a fermented and fizzy, light and refreshing, alcoholic kombucha beverage brewed in Hood River, Oregon. Lower in sugar, calories, and carbs, and filled with live kombucha cultures, it’s most likely your favorite drink.
Bottom Line:
Maybe the heavy ginger taste just isn’t my thing, so I’d like to try one of the other flavors. But for the purposes of this taste test, it’s a no for me. If you like ginger, give it a shot.
From Instagram Page: It’s fruity and zingy, with the perfect amount of fizz.
Bottom Line:
I do like this kombucha a lot, but the sweetness level was a bit much compared to the other options. I’m actually surprised at how low I ranked this because this is usually the brand I typically buy – it’s also one of the only hard kombucha brands that’s available at Trader Joe’s, where I do most of my grocery shopping.
From the website: The most potent, pleasurable, and raw hard kombucha on the planet. No B.S.
Bottom Line:
Saying Dr. Hops is the most pleasurable kombucha on the planet is a bold claim. Now that I realize I was tasting the wine-inspired flavor of kombucha, it makes sense that I noticed something off (I called it “eccentric”) about it.
It’s good, but there are certainly better options.
From the website: A fragrant bouquet of lavender electrifies the palate and pairs with the subtle sweetness of rose hips and the zesty kick of lemon myrtle in our balanced black tea kombucha.
Bottom Line:
I honestly agree with their statement above. The hints of rose mixed with the warm flavors of the tea were nice and smooth. I also liked that its flavorful kick camouflaged the alcohol. However, the strong flavors were slightly overpowering in that, as I said during the tasting, it didn’t really even taste like kombucha.
From the website: A rare combination of health, balance, and shockingly great taste.
Bottom Line:
Claiming that an alcoholic beverage is healthy, even if it is kombucha, is a tad questionable. However, I will say the uniqueness of the tropical mango flavors caught my attention in a good way. Overall, this kombucha was decently tasty, earning it a top-five ranking.
From the website: A little sweet and slightly tart with a dash of sea salt. A culinary combo straight from the garden that brings together two of summer’s most delicious flavors.
Bottom Line:
I can see why this brand is a popular one, and this flavor in particular really is the ultimate summer concoction. It was surely a contender for my top three spots, but the remaining brands pulled through for the bronze, silver, and gold medals.
From the website: A tart Hawaiian hibiscus flower infusion paired with the essence of citrus zests creates an effervescent and aromatic brew. Chef crafted with certified organic ingredients.
Bottom Line:
Effervescent is right. I had never heard of this brand before conducting the taste test, but it didn’t disappoint. I’m pleased to have found it and will likely be drinking more of these in the weekends to come.
From the website: From sunset sessions to late-night antics, this dangerously drinkable flavor has become a crowd favorite for any occasion: a tangy, yet soothing sip of sunshine.
Bottom Line:
I’ve been wanting to try JuneShine for a while now because I’ve always heard good things about their hard kombucha. I’m happy to report that it is, in fact, worth the hype. I know that their ingredients (and branding) are on point because, referring back to my notes in the above taste test, I said it’s the perfect summer day drink.
So yes, I do agree that it’s like a “soothing sip of sunshine.”
From Website: We set out to create a beverage for those seeking balance in life. Between alcohol and organic ingredients. Between taste and a healthy lifestyle. Between a refreshing drink and a revitalizing get-together.
Bottom Line:
Kombrewcha, as another brand I wasn’t previously familiar with, surprised me as the number one spot in my hard kombucha ranking. “Refreshing” and “revitalizing” is 100 percent an accurate description of this drink that’s perfectly fruity, fizzy, and downright tantalizing.
Late last year, I chatted with Kansas City trio Blackstarkids about their first full-length release, Whatever, Man, which I called “impressive in its scope and executed with the grace of a veteran group.” Now, the group is back with Puppies Forever, their first proper album under the Dirty Hit flag. Due out this fall, Puppies Forever is previewed by the indie-pop jam “Juno,” which showcases the group’s knack for blurring genre lines and incorporating everything from hip-hop and R&B to power pop and shoegaze.
“‘Juno’ is a really honest reflection of how we were feeling at the time of working on the album, which is why we wanted to lead with it,” the group said in a statement. “In context of the album, it’s one of the more personal and reflective moments.”
The new single arrives with a self-video directed from the group alongside AG Club’s Manny, which depicts the members driving and dancing around their hometown. Although the track clocks in at just under three minutes, each member still has ample time to get their turn with a fresh verse that showcases their diverse musical inspirations and writing style, ranging from Tame Impala and Mac DeMarco to The Smashing Pumpkins and Clairo.
Puppies Forever doesn’t have a firm release date yet, but is due later this year ahead of the group’s first-ever nationwide tour, supporting fellow Dirty Hit artist Beabadoobee. Pre-save the album here.
New broke the other day that Phoebe Bridgers would be guesting on a new album from The Killers, Pressure Machine, a delightful meeting of the minds that pleased indie fans immensely. Now, in a new interview with Stereogum, the band has discussed exactly what the collaboration process was like. It’s not as glamorous as people might think, though! Brandon Flowers spoke about how recording with masks, during COVID-19, isn’t the most conducive to a super strong connection, but maybe the mystery only added to the magic.
Here’s what Flowers had to say about the collab:
“She knocked us out with a couple beautiful covers, “Read My Mind” and “Human.” She’s been on my radar since I first heard “Funeral” years ago, and you just know there’s something special about her. It was nice to know that she was also a fan of ours. It just kind of came together naturally. It was fast. It was during the middle [of the pandemic], everyone was wearing masks. I don’t think we ever really saw her face. She came into the studio, she went into a darkly lit live room. She had already gotten really familiar with the song, did a couple takes, and then that was it. She disappeared into the Los Angeles night. [Laughs]
And he followed up by saying that working with Bridgers for that song, “Runaway Horses,” was something that “just felt right.”
We definitely needed a female voice on “Runaway Horses.” She has a history, I think, with not only that type of music but even in her lineage — her grandpa has rodeo ties. It just felt right.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images and Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
Waaay back in 2019 — before we had ever heard of COVID-19 or had to lock ourselves in our homes while it killed millions of our friends and family members — Martin Scorsese had a few gruff words for Marvel movies. And Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn is still annoyed about it.
For those who can’t remember anything before 2020, in an interview with Empire magazine, Marty — Oscar-winning living legend and walking film school — admitted that:
“I don’t see them. I tried, you know? But that’s not cinema. Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”
That’s when people went apesh*t. So Marty, sweet septuagenarian that he is, penned an op-ed for The New York Times in which he attempted to contextualize his comments by explaining his definition of “cinema” and how it’s an “art form” and that the MCU is not that. While he acknowledged that “Many of the elements that define cinema as I know it are there in Marvel pictures,” he followed that up with: “What’s not there is revelation, mystery or genuine emotional danger. Nothing is at risk.”
So here we are, two years and one pandemic later, and people are still pissed. Including Gunn, who kicked the hornet’s nest when he brought up Scorsese’s comments again earlier this week while appearing on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, according to IndieWire. And he kind of went for the jugular:
“It just seems awfully cynical that he kept coming out against Marvel, and that’s the only thing that would get him press for his movie, so then he just kept coming out against Marvel so that he could get press for his movie. He’s creating his movie in the shadow of the Marvel films, and so he uses that to get attention for something he wasn’t getting as much attention as he wanted for it.”
Ouchie.
Gunn did, however, call Scorsese “one of the greatest filmmakers who’s ever existed” and admit that “there [are] a lot of things that are true about what he said. There are a lot of heartless, soulless spectacle films out there that don’t reflect what should be happening.” Gunn just doesn’t happen to think that singling out the MCU was the way to go. Which then ignited yet another war between MCU diehards and people who refer to themselves as cineastes. Which forced Gunn to send out a quick clarification on Wednesday evening, in which he stated:
“Also for the record, Martin Scorsese is probably the world’s greatest living American filmmaker. I love & study his films & will continue to love & study his films. I disagree with him solely on one point: That films based on comic books are innately not cinema, that’s all.”
Also for the record, Martin Scorsese is probably the world’s greatest living American filmmaker. I love & study his films & will continue to love & study his films. I disagree with him solely on one point: That films based on comic books are innately not cinema, that’s all. https://t.co/By9IBe8HAm
You know how the old saying goes… the devil works hard, Taylor Swift works harder. No, but seriously, this pop star hasn’t taken a moment to breathe since her epic double release folklore and evermore took over 2020. She’s since re-released Fearless as Taylor’s Version, and already shared a significant number of teasers about her re-release of the fan-favorite album, Red, this fall. A new teaser came today in the form of a cryptic tweet video, that I’m sure fans are already breaking out decoder rings to unravel. Check it out below.
Captioned with some of the most poignant lyrics from one of Red‘s best songs, she knows exactly how much her fans love Easter eggs and the process of solving a mystery to get more new music from their favorite. “*presses post* *cackles maniacally* Level: casually cruel in the name of being honest,” she wrote to caption the video. You can hear Taylor’s voice buried in the mix of the shadowy snippet, but none of the lyrics can quite be made out. Similarly, the post shows jumbles of letters emerging from a vault, that probably have to do with collaborators or new tracks on the new version of Red. Time to settle in and wait for the geniuses among us to solve the code.
Some are already getting started… and does that say Phoebe Bridgers?
After a months long fan campaign, LeVar Burton finally got his shot at the Jeopardy! podium when he filled in as guest host during the last week of July. However, that short stint is apparently not translating to a permanent gig as reports started coming in on Wednesday evening that Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards is in “advanced negotiations” to replace the late Alex Trebek.
While that deal is not closed, and other candidates are reportedly is in the mix, Richards is “clearly the front-runner,” according to Jeopardy! sources who spoke with Variety. That news did not go over well with Burton fans, who had campaigned aggressively to get the former Reading Rainbow host onto the hit game show, only to watch him get passed over for an executive producer. That anger was not helped by the fact that Burton only got a one-week guest host stint while others had received two.
You can see some of the reactions below, and there are plenty more where these came from:
LEVAR BURTON DID NOT GET HIS RIGHT FOOT CUT OFF, BE THE ENGINEER OF A WHOLE-ASS STARSHIP, OR TEACH THE ENTIRE WORLD TO READ JUST SO YALL COULD DO THIS SHIT. https://t.co/TaKnERpOsU
Side eying Jeopardy so hard through my VISOR right now. LeVar Burton is the obvious choice here, and I also really enjoyed Mayim Bialik. This guy was unremarkable. https://t.co/sqyV1VrTeq
On a positive note, Burton’s time on Jeopardy! did earn a nice chunk of change for his charity of choice, Reading Is Fundamental. Despite only being on the show for a week, the children’s literacy organization walked away with $204,800 thanks to Burton’s time at the podium
Aaliyah’s music influenced an entire generation of R&B music lovers before her tragic death nearly two decades ago. Despite her popularity, much of her music isn’t available on streaming services, a fact her estate has been working hard to change. But shortly after her former record label teased an announcement, the singer’s estate accused executives of “leeching off” her life’s work.
Aaliyah’s Estate issued a statement Wednesday making it clear they did not authorize her former label’s announcement. “For 20 years we have battled behind the scenes, enduring shadowy tactics of deception with unauthorized projects targeted to tarnish,” they wrote. The estate continued to say it is an “unscrupulous endeavor to release Aaliyah’s music” without transparency or their approval:
“Now, in this 20th year, this unscrupulous endeavor to release Aaliyah’s music without any transparency or full accounting to the estate compels our hearts to express a word – forgiveness. Although we will continue to defend ourselves and her legacy lawfully and justly, we want to preempt the inevitable attacks on our character by all the individuals who have emerged from the shadows to leech off of Aaliyah’s life’s work.”
Aaliyah’s Estate goes on to say they are continuing to manage her memorial fund and “other creative projects that embody Aaliyah’s true essence.”
See the full announcement made by Aaliyah’s Estate above.
One of the best things to emerge from the pandemic is the popular face-off livestream Verzuz, which pits two legendary artists against each other in a showdown. This week’s battle between The Lox and Dipset seemed like it would be a close one out of the gate, but The Lox, and most prominently Jadakiss, pulled out ahead to gain accolades and praise that dubbed them the clear winner. Plenty of hip-hop heads are weighing in on the impact of Jadakiss as an MC, and noted hip-hop head LeBron James had to put his own two cents in when it comes to The Lox member’s greatness.
“JADAKISS is the most UNDERRATED hip-hop artist of ALL-TIME!! MY GOODNESS,” the basketball star wrote, adding a hefty dose of emojis to his all-caps praise. “@thelox
just so [fire emoji],” he continued. “3 bullies.” Then, he shared his favorite clip from the battle, where Jadakiss launches into a freestyle over Biggie’s “Who Shot Ya” instrumental.
JADAKISS is the most UNDERRATED hip-hop artist of ALL-TIME!! MY GOODNESS @Therealkiss
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