Month: December 2021

A few weeks ago, Upworthy shared the hilarious winners of the 2021 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards and the winner was a well-timed shot of a monkey who appears to have hurt the family jewels on a suspension wire. (Don’t worry folks, no monkeys were harmed for the awards.)

The awards were created six years ago by Tom Sullam and Paul Joynson-Hicks to promote positive awareness of animal welfare issues. The competition has been so successful, the duo decided to branch out and create the Comedy Pet Photo Awards, where photographers can submit pictures of their furry friends for a £2,000 ($2650) prize.

Donations generated by the competition go to Animal Support Angels, an animal welfare charity in the UK.

This year’s winner is Zoe Ross for “Whizz Pop,” a photo of her labrador puppy Pepper who appears to be tooting bubbles.

“We never ever thought that we would win but entered the competition because we loved the idea of helping a charity just by sending in a funny photo of Pepper,” Ross said in a statement. “She is such a little monkey, and very proud of herself, bringing in items from the garden and parading past you until you notice her. She is the happiest puppy we’ve ever known and completely loved to pieces.”

Here are the rest of the winners of the 2021 Comedy Pet Photo Awards.

Overall Winner: Zoe Ross “Whizz Pop,” Penkridge, UK

Did this puppy swallow a bubble?

Best Dog Category: Carmen Cromer “Jurassic Bark,” Pittsboro, North Carolina

“My golden retriever, Clementine, loves to stick her face in front of the hose while I water the plants. Her expression in this photo made me think of a tyrannosaurus rex, hence the title, “Jurassic Bark.” Duh nuh nuuuh nuhnuh, duh nuh nuuuh nuh nuh, dun duh duuuh nuh nuh nuh nUUUUUUhhhh,” Carmen Cromer.

Best Cat Category: Kathrynn Trott “Photobomb,” Ystradgynlais, UK

Jeff stealing the limelight from his brother Jaffa.

Best Horse Category: Mary Ellis, “I said ‘Good Morning,” Platte River State Park, Nebraska

“I like to visit the stable horses before I begin my hike at the State Park. This is the reply I received when I said ‘Good morning,'” Mary Ellis.

All Other Creatures Category: Sophie Bonnefoi, “The Eureka Moment,” Oxford, UK

“Cutie and Speedy are two chicks hatched from eggs placed in an incubator at home in August 2020. They spent their first few weeks indoors. In the photo, they are just over two weeks old. They were curious about everything. This is the day they discovered their own shadow. It was hilarious to see them wondering and exploring that ‘dark thing’ that was moving with them!” Sophie Bonnefoi.

Junior Category: Suzi Lonergan, “Sit!” Pacific Palisades, California

“Our granddaughter gave the command to sit. Beau is very obedient,” Suzi Lonergan.

Pets Who Look Like Their Owners Category: Jakub Gojda, “That Was a Good One!” Czech Republic

“This photo was taken by accident during the photography of my ex-girlfriend with her beloved mare. For this cheerful moment, I thank the fly that sat on the horse’s nose and he instinctively shook his head,” Jakub Gojda.

Highly Commended: Chloe Beck, “Hugo the Photobomber,” Walsall, UK

“This is my best friend Faith, her husband Alex, and their cheeky Sproodle, Hugo. Faith wanted a photograph to mark a special occasion—her first outing after shielding at home for 14 months. Hugo jumped into the frame at just the right moment!” Chloe Beck.

Highly Commended: Luke O’Brien, “Mumford and Chum,” Coventry, UK

​”Losing the opportunity to play with my human bandmates during lockdown, Flint, my rescue dog, soon taught me that we didn’t just have sharp bones in common, but musical ones, too. He soon became the perfect substitute for a collaborative stomp up at home, so much so that we felt we deserved our own band name (Muttford and Chum). With my camera set up remotely during this shoot, I think it’s fair to say that the image is proof that his conviction as a performer matches my own,” Luke O’Brien.

Highly Commended: Kathryn Clark, “Wine Time,” Clichester, UK

“It’s that time of day again! Little Blue enjoys it almost as much as me,” Kathryn Clark.

Highly Commended: Diana Jill Mehner, “Crazy in Love with Fall,” Paderborn, Germany

This is Leia. As you can see, she definitely loves playing with all the leaves in autumn. It was really tricky to take this picture because you never know what the dog is going to do next,” Diana Jill Mehner.

Highly Commended: Christine Johnson, “Boing,” Crosby Beach, UK

“I was busy playing with my dog on the beach and this dog came to play. I liked the shapes he was making in the air,” Christine Johnson

Highly Commended: Manel Subirats Ferrer, “Ostrich Style,” Platja del Prat de Llobregat, Spain

Nuka playing hide and seek at the beach.

Highly Commended: Colin Doyle, “Nosey Nieghbor,” Bromsgrove, UK

​”According to Ozzy, we need a new fence panel ASAP. He is fed up with Chester our nosy next door neighbor spying on him every time he has a meal,” Colin Doyle.

Highly Commended: Corey Seeman, “A Warm Spot on a Cold Day,” Michigan

“Two of the morning regulars at the dog park are Gary (hound mix with the jacket) and Kona, one of the most chill dogs ever,” Corey Seeman.

Highly Commended: Lucy Slater, “So What?” San Diego, California

“This is how I like to sit!” Vincent the cat.

Highly Commended: Mollie Cheary, “Photobomb,” Poole, UK

“Bailey was so excited to see her friends, she couldn’t sit still for a photo!” Mollie Cheary.

Sometimes magic happens in real life. And when it does, it has all the makings of a viral video.

People walking the streets of Dubai got to watch in delight as Aladdin effortlessly glided through the crowds on his iconic flying carpet. At one point he even sailed across the water. It’s no wonder this IRL Disney scene now has more than 100,000 views on YouTube.

Content creator @RhyzOrDie posted on Instagram that the idea had been “brewing” in his head for eight months. And on Halloween, he had finally been able to execute it using PVC pipes, a longboard and an insanely accurate “Aladdin as Prince Ali” costume. That’s right, no wishes were used in the making of this video, but rather some simple engineering skills along with a dash of movie magic.

The surfing part was the most difficult portion of the stunt. In a follow-up behind-the-scenes video, we see a not so graceful Aladdin trying—and failing—several times to stay on top of the e-foil board long enough to get the shot. “They’re pretty difficult to ride, coming from somebody who has endured board sports his whole entire life,” he told viewers. But success finally came and with a bit of CGI, you really get the illusion that he is floating mid air … perhaps on his way to whisk Princess Jasmine off her feet.

@RhyzorDie said that this labor of love was created in part to encourage others that if they can “envision it,” they can “make it happen.” Just like Aladdin (eventually) learned in the movie, maybe we can learn to rely on our own creative resources, rather than waiting for a mystic genie to make it all happen for us. Amazing things can happen when we do.

The Portland Trail Blazers have been in the center of NBA conversation for suboptimal reasons in recent days. Longtime executive Neil Olshey was recently fired after allegations of a hostile work environment and, in the days following that reshuffling, star guard Damian Lillard was thrust into the spotlight through the lens of trade rumblings, a reported desire for a contract extension, and frustration with media coverage.

On the court, the Blazers are on a three-game losing streak, and unfortunate health news arrived on Tuesday evening with the team announcing that standout guard CJ McCollum suffered a collapsed right lung (pneumothorax) during a Dec. 4 loss to the Boston Celtics.

McCollum did not appear in Portland’s game on Monday, and he was listed as having bruised ribs. In the team release, the Blazers noted that McCollum did not travel to San Francisco for a Wednesday night matchup against the Golden State Warriors, and he “will be further evaluated before a prognosis is determined.”

First and foremost is the hope that McCollum will get well soon and avoid any further complications. Beyond that, this is not the type of injury that happens regularly to NBA players, leading to some uncertainty in just how long McCollum may be sidelined. Injury expert Jeff Stotts shed a bit of light on that, even while noting the sparse data.

The 30-year-old McCollum is averaging 20.6 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game this season for Portland. He acts as Portland’s No. 2 offensive option in support of Lillard and, in McCollum’s absence, the Blazers could turn to players like Dennis Smith Jr., Tony Snell, Ben McLemore, and/or C.J. Elleby for additional contributions.

It’s been less than a year since Lucky Daye dropped his EP Table For Two, featuring Ari Lennox, Tiana Major9, Yebba, and more, but it looks like he’ll be making a return very soon. The singer announced his sophomore album Candy Drip will arrive at the top of 2022, and he also released its title track. “Candy Drip” is a woozy effort that sees Daye declaring his love for a special woman in his life. He also spoke about the album on Twitter. “Two years ago I released my first studio album for me,” he wrote. “It was an important turning point in my life. I can never thank you enough but I’m ready for something new. You ready?”

It’s been a while since Daye released a full album, namely his 2019 Grammy-nominated debut Painted. In addition to Table For Two, Daye also delivered a number of guest features in 2021 with artists like Nao, BJ The Chicago Kid, Khalid, VanJess, and more.

Daye also announced a 2022 North American tour in support of the forthcoming album. He’ll hit the road starting on March 18 in Portland, Oregon, and perform at a string of shows that continues for a little over a month before things come to an end in New York City on April 25.

You can listen to “Candy Drip” in the video above and check out Lucky Daye’s 2022 tour dates below.

3/18 — Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre
3/19 — Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre
3/20 — Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
3/22 — San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom
3/24 — San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues
3/25 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Novo
3/26 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
3/29 — Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
3/30 — Austin, TX @ Emos
3/31 — Houston, TX @ House Of Blues
4/1 — New Orleans, LA @ Joy Theatre
4/3 — Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage
4/5 — Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre
4/6 — Charlotte, NC @ Neighborhood Theatre
4/8 — Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom
4/9 — Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
4/10 _ Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues
4/12 — Detroit, MI @ The Majestic
4/13 — Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
4/15 — Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
4/16 — Silver Springs, MD @ The Fillmore
4/17 — Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
4/19 — Boston, MA @ Royale
4/21 — New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place
4/22 — Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre Of Living Arts (TLA)
4/25 — New York, NY @ Terminal 5

Dolly Parton is a beloved icon whose appeal somehow bridges a diverse audience. Even people who aren’t big fans of her music admire her for her kindness, philanthropy and unflappability.

Barbara Walters is a now-retired broadcast journalist who gained international fame for her candid interviews with well-known figures. Though she was renowned for her interview techniques and willingness to ask tough questions, sometimes her questions could be somewhat tactless.

Put those two together 44 years ago and you get a shining example of Parton’s grace and wit in the face of tasteless questions about her looks, her breasts and criticisms lobbed at her. Parton has always been who she is and portrayed the outward appearances she wants to portray, and she calmly and deftly navigates Walters’ patronizing line of questioning with impressive poise.

Watch:

So much of Barbara Walters’ commentary and questioning comes across as condescending and judgmental, but Dolly Parton transforms that negativity into a positive portrayal of who she is, where she’s from and what she’s all about.

When Walters told her she was beautiful and didn’t need the wig and the make-up and the outrageous clothes, Parton told her it was a choice she’s making. “I don’t like to be like everybody else,” she said. “I would never stoop so low to be fashionable, that’s the easiest thing in the world to do.

“I’m very real as far as my outlook on life and the way I care about people and the way I care about myself and the things I care about. I just chose to do this, and show business is a money-making joke and I’ve just always liked telling jokes,” she added.

Walters asked her if she ever feels that she is a joke, since people make fun of her.

“Oh I know they make fun of me, but all these years the people have thought the joke was on me, but it’s actually on them,” said Parton. “I am sure of myself as a person. I am sure of my talent. I’m sure of my love for life and that sort of thing. I am very content, I like the kind of person that I am. So, I can afford to piddle around and do-diddle around with makeup and clothes and stuff because I am secure with myself.”

The questions about Parton’s breasts were particularly tacky, especially by today’s standards. But Parton handled it all beautifully. Her responses are a masterclass in grace and her self-assurance is a refreshing model for us all—especially now that we can see how she has stayed true to herself all these years. Anyone who has ever wondered why Dolly Parton’s appearance is what it is will learn a lot from this interview, and anyone who wants to learn how to maintain dignity and class in the face of inconsideration will learn a lot as well.

It’s December in our second year of the pandemic, which means it’s time for everyone’s favorite game: “Is it a cold or is it COVID?” Any sniffles, sore throat or sinus pressure could be symptoms of COVID-19 infection, but the common cold is still alive and kicking, so you test and hope for the best.

Even the president of the United States is vulnerable to viruses, and the White House recently announced that President Biden has caught a cold. In addition to being double vaccinated and boosted, the president is tested for COVID-19 daily, so it does indeed appear to be just a cold. But the effect the cold virus is having on his voice is noteworthy, especially as it’s making him sound exactly like actor George Clooney.

And when I say “exactly,” I mean exactly. Push play, look away and listen:

Biden: “Over the last month, we’ve seen oil and gas prices … come down significantly.”pic.twitter.com/dOLgP8H3VW

— The Post Millennial (@The Post Millennial)
1638547218

Uncanny, right? My husband heard it playing from across the room and thought it was George Clooney. So funny.

Biden has said that he got the cold from his 1-year-old grandson who’d had a cold and who “likes to kiss his ‘pop.'” The presidential physician issued a memo late last week to explain the president’s symptoms.

“As is readily apparent, President Biden is experiencing some increased nasal congestion this week,” Kevin C. O’Connor wrote. “This can be heard in his voice and he is feeling the colloquially well-known ‘frog in one’s throat.’”

Other than some coughing and the throat frog that’s transformed him into a hunky movie star, Biden seems to be doing okay.

Get well soon, sir. But in the meantime, please keep talking.

Matt Gaetz isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Months after COVID started to overwhelmingly target unvaxxed Trump voters, as it still is, the Florida lawmaker is still telling them to catch it on purpose. He also reportedly used Venmo to pay the guy who helped embroil him in a sex trafficking scandal that has him being federally investigated. And remember that time over the summer when he came up with some harebrained scheme to make former president Donald Trump speaker of the House? Well, he seems to still think that could happen.

At a news conference Tuesday, Gaetz was asked if he still wanted Trump to become the first House leader to not be an elected politician. Beaming, he replied, “I would.” When asked if he has still been speaking with him about that, he replied, “I have.”

When Gaetz first publicly floated the idea in July, it led some to ask: Is that, you know, even possible? And it is, kind of! In fact, as recently as January of 2019, someone who was not a member of the House received a lone vote for the position, which went to Nancy Pelosi. That person: Joe Biden.

The idea that Trump would go from resort wedding toaster and shady social media god to Speaker of the House may seem far-fetched, but stranger things have happened. And lawmaker know it. That’s why, shortly after Gaetz pitched the idea, House Democrats introduced a bill called the MEMBERS Act, which forbids anyone who isn’t already an elected representative from lording over their body of government.

Then again, would Trump, the big guy with the big desk, even want the gig? Probably, though it would certainly beat being a failed blogger.

(Via Forbes)

Former New York Times journalist Ian Urbina is apologizing after multiple artists voiced their displeasure with him after they contributed music to a project tied to a book he released in 2019. The book, The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across The Last Untamed Frontier, was released in August 2019, and with it came a soundtrack that featured music from a number of artists. As a part of their deal, Urbina would receive 50% of the profit that was made from the participating songs in exchange for helping to promote the artists with help from platforms like Spotify, Netflix, and more.

However, multiple artists said Urbina failed to hold up his end of the deal, leaving one person to call it a “scam.” “It was all 100 percent about his book and even that, not many people seemed to care,” another said. “I’ve worked in music long enough that I know that sh*t happens and I just moved on, but the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth.”

Now Urbina has apologized via a statement on the Outlaw Ocean Music Project website. “[If] you convince artists to invest their time, brand, effort, audience, trust and creativity into your project, it’s important to communicate with them fully, ensure they get royalty statements and paid on time, answer their questions quickly,” the statement read. “I failed to do these things. The label I created to run the project and the subcontractor I hired to do these things also failed.

“The aim has been to convert stories into a different language, namely music, as a creative means to grab the attention of a younger and more diverse audience — the very audience sometimes missed by legacy outlets,” Urbina continued. “I thought, and still do, this was a new way to circulate journalism via non-news platforms. Any money that came in went toward publishing new albums and recruiting more artists.”

Danielle Rhoades Ha, a spokesperson for NYT, says the publication is aware of the accusations against Jordan. “The allegations are troubling,” she says. “We are currently looking into the matter.” It should also be noted that Urbina departed the publication on May 30, 2019.

The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a thoroughly disappointing start, at least compared to preseason expectations. Los Angeles opened with a 12-12 record in the first 24 games and, while the Lakers have had injury issues along the way, the team hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire when at full strength. Those early-season hiccups have left many looking to place blame somewhere, with head coach Frank Vogel seemingly on something of a hot seat as a result.

On Tuesday, that topic came up during TNT’s Inside The NBA telecast, and Charles Barkley had some pointed words for Anthony Davis while defending Vogel’s honor.

“Listen, Anthony Davis, you’ve got to play better,” Barkley said. “I said on this first night. If the Lakers were gonna be any good, it was all gonna be on you. It has nothing to do with Russell. Has nothing to do with LeBron, and the rest of them old ass geezers they put together out there. But now y’all have crossed the line, because I really like Frank Vogel. It ain’t his fault.

“In my opinion, I blame Anthony Davis,” Barkley continued. “Anthony Davis, you know I like you as a person, but you ain’t doing what you’re supposed to do. You’re 27 years old. You’re supposed to be in your prime. You’re supposed to be one of the five best players in the world. Up there with Giannis, Kevin Durant, and those guys. And you ain’t holding up your end of the bargain. So now I hear y’all are going to fire the head coach. That’s total B.S., man. Now I feel better.”

Davis has appeared in 23 of 24 games, and his counting stats are impressive with 24.4 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. However, Davis has seemingly lost his jump shot, making only 18.8 percent of three-point attempts, and the Lakers have an ugly -4.3 net rating with Davis on the floor this season. Los Angeles still has time to improve but, in pretty direct fashion, one of the loudest voices in the sport clearly challenged Davis and took some of the heat off Vogel.

Less than two weeks have passed since Lincoln Riley made the surprising decision to leave Oklahoma for USC. In early December, Oklahoma snatched Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables to pick up the pieces after Riley’s departure, but a member of local government in Oklahoma is attempting to take it upon himself to give Riley another sendoff. Oklahoma state senator Bill Coleman, who lives in Ponca City and represents District 10 in the state, proposed a bill that, in his words, would “honor” Riley by renaming the final three inches of Oklahoma State Highway 325 as “Lincoln Riley Highway.”

“I felt the State of Oklahoma needed an appropriate goodbye to this former head coach whose sudden departure left many in shock, including a team of young, dedicated college players,” Coleman said in a release. “I found the tiniest section of our most desolate of highways to pay tribute to Coach Riley’s exit from Oklahoma football and the state. This is only fitting as this is the last three inches one sees before leaving our great state heading west.”

This, of course, is an attempt to tear down Riley on his way out and, by proxy, garner some attention for Coleman in the process. In the world of college sports, it isn’t anything new to see local politics in the spotlight, but Coleman went as far as to say that he would personally pay for any signage associated the highway, should it be renamed.

“While we are all free to pursue employment elsewhere, there is a level of professionalism that is expected to be adhered to,” the release continued. “From all indications, professionalism was pretty much absent in how this departure was executed.”

Clearly, Coleman is bothered by Riley’s choice to take his talents to Los Angeles, and he is undoubtedly joined by a lot of Oklahoma fans in those negative feelings. Still, there is something ironic about Coleman sniping at Riley’s “level of professionalism” all while using his public platform, as an elected official, to attempt to embarrass Riley in this way. Alas, such is the passionate world of college football.