The Rolling Stones are preparing to hit the road next month for their No Filter tour, which sees them making several stops in cities across the United States. Unfortunately, the band will begin the journey shy one member. Drummer Charlie Watts will not accompany the band for the tour after he was forced to undergo an unspecified medical procedure. Steve Jordan, who is a longtime associate of the band and a member of Keith Richards’ side project X-Pensive Winos, will replace Watts for the Rolling Stones’ future tour stops.
“Charlie has had a procedure which was completely successful, but his doctors this week concluded that he now needs proper rest and recuperation,” a representative for the band said in a statement. “With rehearsals starting in a couple of weeks it’s very disappointing to say the least, but it’s also fair to say no one saw this coming.”
Watts also released his own statement, in which he joked that “for once, my timing has been a little off.” He also said, “I am working hard to get fully fit but I have today accepted on the advice of the experts that this will take a while,” adding, “After all the fans’ suffering caused by Covid, I really do not want the many RS fans who have been holding tickets for this tour to be disappointed by another postponement or cancellation.”
While Watts is not one of the founding members of the Stones, prior to today, the drummer had yet to miss a performance since January 1963. Along with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, he’s the only member to appear on each album the they’ve released.
Ghost of Tsushima was a smash hit for the PlayStation in 2020. Set in 13th century Japan on the island of Tsushima, players are able to explore a gorgeous world as a samurai warrior looking to overthrow the Mongols that have taken over the island. It’s a fun game that was nominated for multiple Game of The Year awards and the people who played it thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. The only thing that was missing from it was a multiplayer experience, but that did eventually make its way to the game via a free update known as Ghost of Tsushima: Legends.
A lot of players enjoyed the multiplayer mode, albeit saying it was a little long, but it had a hefty amount of content for free DLC. However, there are going to be players that want to play the multiplayer with their friends and not have to buy a $60 – $70 game just to do that. Sucker Punch saw this and decided that the best solution would be to sell the multiplayer as a standalone game for those players. On September 3, Legends will receive an update to the game that will shorten the survival mode and also add a new competitive feature called “Rivals.” That update will also be a standalone game that players who don’t own Ghost of Tsushima can purchase for $20. The new Rivals mode they’re going to introduce will be a competitive Horde mode where players not only have to survive their own waves but can spend collectible Magatama’s to make their opponents have a more difficult time. Whichever team completes their waves the quickest, or survives the longest, wins the match.
Alongside multiplayer, Sucker Punch has also been developing a Director’s Cut of the game that will come out later this month on August 20. The game will be available on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 so anyone that wants to experience the new multiplayer mode, but hasn’t played Ghost of Tsushima before, can consider the Director’s Cut as a way to get the full experience. Of course, anyone that just wants a new game to play with their friends can purchase the standalone multiplayer and do that too.
While Sucker Punch’s offer seems a little unconventional it is actually following a trend that we might see from more games soon. In the past, a strong multiplayer mode could be a big sell for a game because it would tell players that they have something fun to do once they’re done with the story. However, that push to create strong multiplayer has gone so far in one direction that many video game fans feel that the single-player experience is becoming an afterthought. To make sure this doesn’t happen we’re starting to see games offer multiplayer as a completely separate side mode for anyone who doesn’t want to experience the single-player story. Some games, like the upcoming Halo Infinite, are even going a step further and making them free to play. This feels like a trend that his here to stay.
Each week our staff of film and TV experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish movies available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.
It is time, once again, for a take on the Suicide Squad, the crew of DC villains who band together to cause chaos and/or save the day. This one is directed by Guardians of the Galaxy mastermind James Gunn and features everyone from Margot Robbie (as Harley Quinn, of course) to Idris Elba and Joel Kinnaman to Sylvester Stallone (as a giant talking CGI shark). It all looks weird and fun and kind of exactly what you need in a summer weekend movie. And then when you’re done you can click over and binge the Harley Quinn animated series on the same streaming service. Big weekend for you. Watch it on HBO Max.
Though the plot gets a bit convoluted in the second half of the movie, the dazzling, movie star-esque performances here by The Rock, Emily Blunt, and Jesse Plemons make this an entertaining movie well worth watching. Set in 1916, this movie about a race to be the first to get to a tree with magical healing powers has a distinct Indiana Jones/Raiders of the Lost Ark vibe to it. In fact, a couple of the scenes play like homages to those earlier films. And Jesse Plemons appears to be having the time of his life portraying the villain in this film, and who on God’s green Earth doesn’t love Jesse Plemons?! Watch it on Disney+.
Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff finally gets a proper send-off in this actioner that aims to go back-to-basics but succeeds more on a personal level. The film fills in plenty of blanks following the events of Captain America: Civil War, but more importantly, we receive butt-kicking ladies in well-choreographed fight scenes and an emotionally resonant story that introduces us to the inner Natasha, as witnessed by Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova. She’s perhaps the only person in the world who’s allowed to tease Natasha, and their dynamic (and the chemistry between Scarlett and Florence) rules. The film also allows David Harbour to perform grunt-filled face work with a wild accent while the ladies swirl around him in hand-to-hand combat. It’s a winner. Watch it on Disney+ Premium.
It’s Nicolas Cage hunting down his enemies after the disappearance of his beloved truffle-sniffing pig. And it’s allegedly good. Like, really, honestly good, not Fun/Bad Good. You really can’t ask for much more out of a film. Or anything else, really. Track it down on your VOD service of choice.
5. Zola (VOD)
KILLER FILMS
If you were on Twitter in 2015, you likely remember the first time you heard The Story of Zola. It was the Homer’s Odyssey of stripper trips, distilled into viral thread form, and it captivated an entire generation of drama-obsessed culture vultures. Its film adaptation channels the same chaos that made it so gripping to follow on our timelines, adding a seediness that can make some parts difficult to sit through. But what makes Zola so undeniably enjoyable is its unexpected take on female empowerment led by its two stars, Taylor Paige and Riley Keough who wield stripper heels and cutting shade to translate a pretty stark warning: Be careful who your friends are. Watch it on your VOD outlet of choice.
Yes, sure, this hit theaters earlier in the summer and you probably/hopefully caught it then, but now it’s available to rent or own, so why wouldn’t you see it again? Name one other movie that sent Ludacris and Tyrese to outer space in a jet-powered Pontiac. Take all the time you need. And then track it down on VOD.
What we have here appears to be an extremely cute cartoon musical featuring a loaded cast (Lin-Manuel Miranda, Zoe Saldana, Brian Tyree Henry, Gloria Freakin Estefan) and a sweet premise. Per the studio: “A music-loving kinkajou embarks on the journey of a lifetime to fulfill his destiny and deliver a love song for an old friend.” Round up the kiddos if you need an excuse and see if the happy tears flow. Watch it on Netflix.
It’s a darn shame that it took this long for Karen Gillan, Lena Headey, Carla Gugino, Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett, and Paul Giamatti to star in an assassin movie together, but at least it finally happened. Thank you, Gunpowder Milkshake, for giving the people (me) what they’ve been asking for. Watch it on Netflix.
9. Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Hulu)
HULU
Questlove’s loving documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), includes performances from Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mavis Staples, and B.B. King. To quote *another concert* from the 1960s, play it f*cking loud. Watch it on Hulu.
The short version goes something like this: Val Kilmer has been pointing a camera at himself for 40 years or so and now all that footage — and more — has been edited and compiled and massaged into an eye-opening documentary that touches on the very nature of fame. Val Kilmer is a fascinating guy. Not everyone can turn four decades of home movies into an interesting watch. Most of us can’t, actually. It’s all pretty impressive. Watch it on Amazon Prime.
DaBaby is still facing heavy criticism for his comments at Miami’s Rolling Loud festival last month, where the rapper delivered a bizarre rant filled with insensitive remarks to the LGTBQ community as well as individuals with HIV/AIDS. His words earned him plenty of backlash from fans and fellow artists alike, but one person is using their position to help. In a post to Instagram, Miley Cyrus offered to sit down with DaBaby and educate him about the harm of his comments.
“As a proud and loyal member of the LGBTQIA+ community, much of my life has been dedicated to encouraging love, acceptance, and open mindedness,” she wrote. “It’s easier to cancel someone than to find forgiveness and compassion in ourselves or take the time to change hearts and minds. There’s no more room for division if we want to keep seeing progress! Knowledge is power! I know I still have so much to learn.” She added, “would love to talk and see how we can learn from each other and help be part of making a more just and understanding future!”
The singer’s post comes just day after a report from Billboard revealed that DaBaby was dropped from this year’s Lollapalooza festival after he failed to deliver a promised apology video for his comments at the Rolling Loud festival.
Last November, the game show world lost one of its legends: longtime Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek following a 20-month battle with pancreatic cancer. (It wasn’t the TV personality’s only big program. Buzzr viewers can see him lording over the slightly less cerebral Classic Concentration.) Since then the show has had a revolving door cast of temporary hosts, one of whom, it was believed, would eventually take the reins permanently. And on Wednesday, it seemed the powers-that-be had finally found their person…and it wasn’t what most expected.
That person, according to Variety, is Mike Richards, who not only hosted the show from late February to early March of this year, but who’s also one of its executive producers. It was a shock to those who were hoping for fan favorites like LeVar Burton, Aaron Rodgers or superstar champion Ken Jennings. And though technically Richards is still only in “advanced negotiations” with Sony Pictures Television, the news was met with, shall we say, a lot of opinions on social media.
Some were annoyed that, after all that, in the year of our lord 2021, they seem to have gone with another white guy.
There was also this: Since Richards is a Jeopardy! executive producer, and thus at least partly in charge of the hunt for a new host, it sounds like he simply chose himself.
“After an extensive and totally fair job search, I have decided to hire…myself” – Mike Richards
A: Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Me. Q: What is the process that Jeopardy Executive Producer Mike Richards used when choosing Mike Richards as the new host? https://t.co/vb17wW8KYm
The Lakers have had a very eventful offseason so far, starting with the trade for Russell Westbrook (that has since become a 5-team trade that includes the Spencer Dinwiddie sign-and-trade to Washington) and continuing through free agency where they have been gobbling up every possible player to fill out the roster on veteran minimums.
A common theme emerged early in those signings as the first four — Wayne Ellington, Trevor Ariza, Dwight Howard, and Kent Bazemore — were all former Lakers coming back to L.A. They have since added Carmelo Anthony, Malik Monk, Kendrick Nunn, and re-signed Talen Horton-Tucker to fill out the roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. After those initial deals started to roll in, people couldn’t help but point out how old the Lakers roster was, and jokes were flying around social media about their collective age.
LeBron James, naturally, heard and saw it all — from the discussion of Westbrook’s fit with he and Davis to all the old jokes on Twitter — and he decided to respond on Wednesday night with a tweet he made twice (and then deleted shortly after both times).
Twitter
The #ThankYou at the end is my favorite part, as James seems thrilled to have plenty of motivational material for he and his team to lean on throughout next season. There are certainly some questions for this Lakers team to address, namely what they will look like defensively after a complete retooling of the roster around Davis and James that swapped defense for shooting (something they certainly needed to address as well). Still, this is a team with two of the best players in the league and, while not without faults, Westbrook brings them an edge for the regular season that could help them considerably.
James’ tweet says he wants everyone to keep with the jokes when it begins, but it’ll be more important how it all ends. LeBron hopes there will be victory laps aplenty next June, and if nothing else, the #WashedKing content figures to be tremendous this season.
Finding the best bottle of bourbon (or any whiskey for that matter) is a never-ending endeavor. It’s a fun journey with no destination in sight. Hundreds of new bottles are released every year — from big name brands to little craft distilleries and everything in-between. No one can try them all, but we sure do give it our best shot.
Today, we’re shouting out our ten favorite bourbon whiskeys of 2021… so far. Who knows if these will make our final Best Bourbons Of 2021 list, published just before the new year. With how many expressions are still to come, all ten of these might be usurped by year’s end. After all, the fall/holiday whiskey release season is just around the corner.
The ten bottles below are picked based on taste alone. Price and availability are not a factor and, frankly, we wish you the best in finding some of these expressions. Click on the prices to see if they’re available in your region. If you can ahold of them, you won’t be disappointed.
Stellum Bourbon is the new kid on the block. The bottle grabs your attention immediately by having a super low-key design in a classic wine bottle. The juice in that bottle is a cask-strength blend of whiskeys from Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. This whiskey is all about the blending process that Stellum employs to make this special and award-winning juice.
Tasting Notes:
The nose of this one is holiday cake with fatty nuts next to woody spice barks — think anise, clove, and cinnamon — with a nice dose of dried red fruits and honey-dipped over-ripe Granny Smith apples. The palate edges away from the spice towards a powdered sugar sweetness with a hint of dry vanilla. Then a counterpoint bursts onto the scene with a hit of spicy, dried chili pepper flakes next to a hint of blackberry pie with a nice dose of cinnamon and nutmeg. The end lingers for just the right amount of time as the spice fades back towards the honeyed sweetness and a final touch of vanilla tobacco buzz lands in the back of the throat.
Bottom Line:
This is deceptively simple by design. The unpretentiousness of the bottle is enticing and maybe a little misleading given how deep the build of this bourbon is. It’s complex without being overdone. Each step of the nose, taste, and finish makes sense and compliments the others.
Overall, this is a winner that works wonders on a rock.
Jim Rutledge’s new project after leaving Four Roses is one of the most sought-after new bourbons on the market (we’ll be doing a live tasting soon). The juice in the bottle is hand-selected by Rutledge and barreled as a single barrel at cask strength. That also makes each bottle unique… and fleeting.
Tasting Notes:
Our tasting notes are based on Barrel #3, The Honey Barrel. You get a deep sense of buttery toffee on the nose that leads you down a rocky path through a cherry orchard as soft notes of vanilla, worn leather, and warm, spicy tobacco leaves gently settle in your senses. The taste leans into the cherry with a deeper dark berry underbelly that’s accentuated by heavily roasted cacao beans, singed vanilla husks, and a sticky toffee pudding made with rich dates. The end softens the leather as the dark chocolate lingers the longest on your senses with a final touch of almost peppery spice.
Bottom Line:
These pretty much sell out instantly. It’s really easy to see why when you taste this one. It’s really a masterclass of what great bourbon can be. If you can find a bottle out there, this will help take your palate up a notch.
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 8 Years Aged, Spring 2021
This year’s spring release is a marriage of eight-year-old whiskeys produced in the spring of 2013. That distilled juice rested in barrels spread throughout three warehouses on several different floors. In spring of this year, those barrels were vatted and whiskey was proofed down to 100 (per bottled-in-bond law).
Then the whiskey was later filled into Old Fitzgerald’s signature decanters and sent out into the world.
Tasting Notes:
The nose draws you in with warming eggnog spice, creamy vanilla pudding, rich toffee, mild fruit, and a hint of wet cedar and very muted citrus. To say this is “smooth” would be an understatement. The silky taste dances around oven-hot pans of pecan and maple-glazed sticky buns with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg next to caramelized orange peel vibes and lightness that’s almost hard to believe. The finish is long, effervescent, and leaves you with this soft sense of having just eaten the best oatmeal raisin cookie of your life with just the right amounts of oats, spice, raisins, brown sugar, and crumble.
Bottom Line:
A few months ago, we’d have said this was our favorite dram of the year. Now, well… it’s certainly still in the top ten. There’s just so much good whiskey out there, folks. That all being said, this is an excellent entry into Heaven Hill’s Old Fitz game.
This whiskey is a collaboration between Heaven’s Door Master Blender Ryan Perry and Redbreast’s legendary Master Blender Billy Leighton. The duo worked long and hard to create multiple whiskey expressions, which Bob Dylan taste-tested and granted final approval on.
The juice in the bottle is Heaven Door’s low-rye 10-year-old Tennessee bourbon. They take that whiskey and fill it into Redbreast whiskey casks that had previously aged Irish whiskey for 12 years. After 15 months of final maturation, those barrels are vatted and slightly proofed down with soft Tennessee spring water.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with this medley of marzipan, soft leather, prunes and dates, Gala apples, a hint of cedar, and a whisper of ripe red cherry. There’s this body of nutmeg that leads towards a light vanilla pound cake full of candied and dried fruits with a soft Niederegger marzipan center. That then draws towards subtle pops of orange oils, floral honey, walnuts in buttery brown sugar syrup, and this mild touch of spiced apple tobacco leaf. It’s an incredible dance and a tough balancing act. The end lasts for just the right amount of time and leaves you with a walnut shell dryness, soft warmth, and slight tobacco chew buzz that all circles back towards a raisin sherry sweetness and a final morsel of that vanilla pound cake.
Bottom Line:
This is the sort of pour that sticks with you. You’ll find yourself thinking about it well after you’ve sampled it. It’s super easy to drink without sacrificing depth or flavor. It’s just … really freakin’ good.
These barrel blends from Heaven Hill are meant to highlight the precise quality of the distillery’s prowess from grain to bottle. This small batch of wheated bourbon is derived from barrels between six and eight years old. The juice then goes right into the bottle with no cutting or filtering, allowing the masterful craft to shine through in every sip.
Tasting Notes:
This has a mellow nose that ebbs and flows between soft maple syrup cut with cinnamon sticks, a light touch of brioche, new leather gloves, and bruised apples. The palate offers a warm rollercoaster ride through figgy puddings touched with burnt sugars, dried fruits and nuts, holiday spices, and a brandy butter silkiness. The taste has a hint of almond or walnut shell on the end that marries to a dry mouthfeel, vanilla notes, and a touch of tobacco chewiness.
The warmth lingers pretty long but never overpowers and almost becomes something halfway between fizzy and buzzy as it fades, leaving you with a woody, bourbon vibe and a very late wet straw note.
Bottom Line:
While I don’t personally like this as a sipper, I find it a world class cocktail base. Everyone needs a great cocktail bourbon with a nice and high proof and this is the one for 2021.
This whiskey takes Woodinville’s signature (and much-lauded) five-year-old straight bourbon and gives it a new finishing touch. The juice is finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, making a sort of sibling to our favorite bourbon of 2020, the Port Cask Finish. But while there are similarities between the two, this feels like a step up in many small, tough to define ways.
Point being: It’s very special.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a bouquet of dark spices next to dried orange rinds, soft Christmas cake, and a slight floral underpinning that’s more damp than dried out. The taste embraces the holiday spice matrix with a creamy veneer of dark chocolate oranges, eggnog spice, and a velvety mouthfeel with a hint of orchard fruit and toffee drizzle. The finish is long but doesn’t overstay its welcome. There’s a sense of the woody spices that’s more akin to cinnamon sticks once stirred in hot apple cider, leaving you with a dry note of spicy tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This was love at first nose (and sip). Unfortunately, this is only available at the distillery for now. Still, this is a great next step on anyone’s Woodinville bourbon journey while being a wonderful sipper all around.
The folks at Still Austin have spent the last six years perfecting their grain-to-glass whiskey experience. The juice is rendered with grains from Texas and water from the ground beneath their feet, all 2imbued with a crafty Texas vibe in every sip. The actual whiskey is a two-year-old bourbon that’s batched to highlight the bright fruits of the new and crafty whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
This is really fruity. Think a tropical, hazy IPA with clear notes of pineapple, lemon-lime, and maybe a slight hint of savory papaya next to more a-typical bourbon notes of vanilla, holiday spices, and caramel. There’s a clear sense of those spices on the palate with a hint of dark chocolate leading back to all that fruit, a touch of marzipan, and a dash of vanilla cream pie. The end warms a bit with the fruitiness waning towards a spicy, choco-tobacco end.
Bottom Line:
This is very very fruity. Still, it works since the fruits mostly stay on the nose to entice you into the sip. All of that being said, this really shines best as a cocktail or highball base.
Cascade Moon Edition No. 2 was created by Dickel’s master distiller, Nicole Austin, to highlight the depths that Cascade Hollow can reach. The juice in the bottle is a small batch of 20 barrels that were laid down back in 2003. Austin used those barrels to highlight the 150-year history of Dickel in each sip with a unique and classic Tennessee whiskey (remember: all Tennessee whiskey is, by its very nature, bourbon).
Tasting Notes:
Classic is the best way to describe this one. There’s a clear balance of toasted wood next to oily vanilla pods with a counterpoint of red berry brambles and a very bespoke Almond Joy. The palate delivers on those berries and choco-coconut vibes while layering in dry moss and a soft Tennessee mineral water mouthfeel next to cinnamon sticks steeped in maple syrup. The finish sweetens a bit with a touch of coffee bitterness all leading back to a pile of dry firewood and woody spice.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those bottles you’re never going to see again. That makes it a special one to snag just to hold onto. Better yet, crack it open and try what’s in the bottle to get a handle on how deeply Austin is shaking things up over at Dickel these days.
Redemption has a knack for sourcing some of the best barrels from MGP in Indiana. This multi-award-winning bourbon starts off with a base mash bill of 60 percent corn, 36 percent rye, and four percent barley. After ten years of maturation, the barrels are expertly vatted to make a highly sippable bourbon experience. That marriage of bourbons then goes into the bottle, uncut and unfiltered.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a woody vanilla and floral honey vibe on the nose with a touch of almost burnt toffee and worn leather. Espresso beans mix with a dab of smoky bacon fat that leads towards a slightly bitter black peppercorn. Slight creamy vanilla leads towards a hint of soft cherry sweetness as the pepperiness edges towards lemon pepper soaked in honey, with a slight note of green reeds at the end. The finish dries out and amps up the spiciness as a hint of dark chocolate lingers on the final note.
Bottom Line:
This is just a really easy sipper. There’s really not much more to say besides, well… “give it a try and see how fast this becomes a part of your everyday rotation.”
Barrell puts out a lot of whiskeys every year. We forgive you if you can’t keep up (we barely can!). This edition is a mix of whiskeys finished in pear brandy, Jamaican rum, and Sicilian Amaro casks that are then batched. The juice then goes into the bottle uncut to help highlight the disparate yet similarly cozy flavors given by each of the barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Pear drives the nose with a pear compote or pear butter made with plenty of dark spice and just a hint of dark chocolate and tobacco. The taste is warm but slightly rummy with a clear eggnog note acting as a driving force, leading towards hints of black licorice next to creamy toffee next to hefty chocolate bars filled with nougat and walnuts. A slight black tea bitterness takes over on the end as the nuttiness, spiciness, and sweetness all come together for a big finish with plenty of warmth and boldness.
Bottom Line:
This might be a little off-putting for some — it’s a big swing of a dram. Still, there’s nothing in the nose or taste that feels out of place or unnecessary. It’s more like a big ol’ punch of bourbon that’ll widen your eyes while enriching your taste buds with something new.
As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive commission pursuant to some entries on this list.
It’s been a year and a half since After Hours, The Weeknd’s last album, but there’s another en route. Last spring he started teasing his follow-up, writing on Twitter that he “made so much magic in the small quarantined room.” This past week, he announced that his new single, “Take My Breath,” would arrive on August 6. However, a planned preview of the track had to be scotched.
The video for the song was slated to premiere in IMAX theaters this week prior to screenings of The Suicide Squad. However, according to Variety and TMZ, it’s been pulled due to epilepsy concerns, as it features scenes with intense strobe lighting. Despite this, “Take My Breath” and its official video will still arrive as scheduled this Friday, August 6, albeit not on giant IMAX movie screens.
In a GQ profile that was released earlier this week, The Weeknd shared what listeners can expect on the new album. “The music hit the studio like a Mack truck,” he declared. “The new project is packed with party records. Like real-deal, illuminated-white-tiles-on-the-floor party records. Quincy Jones meets Giorgio Moroder meets the best-night-of-your-fucking-life party records. Not anachronistic disco stuff.” He added, “That sort of retro thing is having a moment right now in pop music, but these records are new.”
Jeopardy! has found its next permanent host and it reportedly hasn’t gone very far outside of its studio to find it.
Variety reported on Wednesday that Mike Richards is lined up to be the next permanent host of the show, finally landing on a replacement for the late Alex Trebek after a number of guest hosts essentially trying out for the role for the entirety of 2021.
“Jeopardy!” executive producer Mike Richards is in advanced negotiations with Sony Pictures Television to become permanent host of the venerable quiz show, taking the reins of the syndicated powerhouse that was fronted for 36 years by Alex Trebek.
…
A Sony Pictures spokesman said that discussions were ongoing with several potential candidates. He would not comment specifically on Richards’ status. A source close to the situation cautioned that there’s no certainty that the sides will close a deal and that other candidates remained in the mix, although Richards is clearly the front-runner.
Richards was one of the show’s early guest hosts along with Jeopardy! GOAT Ken Jennings. What followed was a long string of hosts including Aaron Rodgers, LeVar Burton and disgraced medical “expert” Dr. Oz. Many of those hosts were met with controversy, praise or ambivalence from fans, as they watched fortnight after fortnight of new hosts and commented on their aptitude on social media.
Landing on Richards isn’t exactly surprising: he did well in the role and was hired by the show to serve as EP after hosting shows like Divided and The Pyramid. It was widely reported that the show intended to finalize a permanent host in time for its next season, which will be filmed and officially start later in the fall. If Richards does indeed finalize a deal, the show’s future will be firmed up for the first time since Alex Trebek’s cancer diagnosis in 2019 made many fans worry about the future of one of the most beloved game shows on television.
After a year away, NBA Summer League is back in Las Vegas starting this weekend as all 30 teams descend on the desert for the annual tournament that was once mostly just summer meetings for executives and team personnel, with basketball mixed in, that has become a marquee event on the calendar.
For most people, Summer League is a place to see shiny new rookies play NBA basketball for the first time and make wild overreactions off a five-game sample on a hastily thrown together team that rarely has great fits. However, for players on the fringe, Summer League can be vital to making it onto a training camp roster or getting an overseas contract, as teams from around the world send scouts and executives to watch the action in Vegas.
It’s important to remember that fact when you are considering betting on NBA Summer League action, which is, objectively, a rather terrible decision, but there can be some edges found. The public loves the teams with big name rookies, but when taking into account Summer League title odds, those top rookies are rarely played big minutes throughout the tournament, as teams want to get their feet wet, excite the fanbase, and then shut it down to keep everyone healthy. Teams with more guys trying to get into the NBA or, even better, back into the NBA are typically the ones that shine in the tournament, and this year’s title favorites are a great example of that.
The Portland Trail Blazers are 8-1 to win the Summer League title, which is a preposterous number in a 30-team tournament, but you can see why with a glance at the roster. Not only are youngsters like Nassir Little (who has played real NBA minutes in Portland) on there, but two very familiar veteran faces are as well in Michael Beasley and Kenneth Faried. The two vets seem ready to showcase why they should get back on an NBA roster, and if the Blazers let those two cook, they figure to absolutely dominate some of these young teams.
The Pistons being second on the odds sheet at 10-1 isn’t a surprise given their roster boasts Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes, Saddiq Bey, Luka Garza and Sekou Doumbouya, which is a strong selection of youngsters. The question, of course, is how much do they play those guys. Bey is an established NBA player, so I’d expect him to not be playing much after the first few games, and the same can be said for Cunningham as the face of the franchise. Hayes might get extended burn as could Doumbouya, so there’s still talent, but I wouldn’t expect their two best players to be available in the bracket portion of the proceedings.
In any case, wagering on Summer League futures is an aggressive play, just because of the volatility of rosters and how frequently guys get shut down. To anyone participating in such wagers, godspeed.
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