Month: December 2021

It’s December! How did that happen? As the days get shorter and we head full-speed into the busiest holiday season of the year—yet again in the middle of a still-raging pandemic (weeeee!)—we could all use some glimmers of hope and snippets of joy to perk us up.

From laughing babies to dancing grandpas to creative Christmas carol commas (you’ll see), here are 10 things that made us smile this week. We hope they’ll do the same for you.

Watch a bunch of good doggos plunging in to play in the pool.

pool time at the doggy daycaren(Bubble Puppy Playhouse FB)pic.twitter.com/ZdCAgdp0VA

— theworldofdog (@theworldofdog)
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Living their best life at doggy day care. Look at all that joy.

Little girl dances like a pro to a street marching band. 

LOOK AT HOW SHE ATE THATpic.twitter.com/sjPicA3hsA

— Detective Drip (@Detective Drip)
1638025644

Seriously, that little one can move, and in her little puffer jacket no less! That is called feelin’ it.

Guy creates the most hilariously creative rendition of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman” ever.

I couldn’t figure out where the comma(s) in “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” should go, so I hit myself in the face.pic.twitter.com/BNaglwpzYt

— Ramses the Pigeon (@Ramses the Pigeon)
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Absolutely incredible. It makes nerdy wordsmith hearts everywhere so happy. (I’d put the comma after “ye,” but I’m not in charge.)

Watch a cat trying to catch snowflakes with its bare paws.

Cat trying to catch snowflakes.pic.twitter.com/fBs5R45BAM

— ud835udd50ou0334gu0334 (@ud835udd50ou0334gu0334)
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Cats are gonna cat, and you can’t put a bunch of little things flying through the air in front of a cat and not expect them to pounce. Cuteness.

Speaking of cuteness in the snow, this older couple frolicking like children in the snow is just so wholesome.

See on Instagram

They’re not that old, but seeing them skipping and jumping like little kids is just adorable. Simple love, simple joy—it’s really all we want.

Broadway actors sing a gorgeously moving tribute to Stephen Sondheim.

Broadway musical composer extraordinaire Stephen Sondheim passed away at age 91 this week, leaving a wealth of creative beauty behind. A group of Broadway actors and singers gathered in New York to sing a tribute to him with the opening song of his musical “Sunday in the Park with George.” So beautiful. Read the full story here.

Baby gets the giggles because apparently coughing is downright hilarious.

See on Instagram

The only thing better than the sound of baby laughter is the sound of that laughter when they find something random side-splittingly funny.

Old man dances along with a street musician and he’s got serious moves.

See on Instagram

He may use a cane to get around, but he certainly doesn’t need it to get down. How joyful.

We get to watch the birth of iconic Beatles songs right before our eyes

The Peter Jackson documentary series “Get Back,” consisting of candid footage of the Beatles that had been locked in a vault for five decades, came out last weekend on Disney+. Holy moly, does it contain some gems. If you ever wanted to see Paul McCartney literally pull a song out of thin air, here you go. Read the full story here.

A son heading back to college had the sweetest exchange with his baby brother.

If this doesn’t warm your heart, are you sure you even have one? “I LUB YOU!!!!” And that “Mmmmm” at the end. Too dang cute. (Go ahead and watch this one a dozen more times for good measure. Indulge in that delight.)

Hope that brought some joy to your heart and a smile to your face! Come back again next week for another round-up of happiness.

Animation legends Ron Clements and John Musker are about to journey to a “whole new world.” After building a legacy at Disney through their work on award-winning films such as The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and The Princess and the Frog, Clements and Busker are off to the world of caped-crusaders to work on Warner Bros. Animation’s next DC Comics film: Metal Men.

Based on the 1962 comics series created by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru, Metal Men follows a brilliant scientist, William Magnus, who creates six, all-powerful robots all given names and attributed associated with six metals — gold, iron, lead, tin, mercury, and platinum. While a decidedly more niche group in DC Comics, Metal Men was still considered a bit of a cult classic, making the upcoming adaptation a pretty big deal for more hardcore DC fans. As the stories of the Metal Men have ranged from dark and somber to comedic, there’s no telling just what the tone or intended audience is for the upcoming movie. However, the currently announced crew members do allude to it being more family-friendly.

In addition to Clements and Musker, Space Jam: A New Legacy writer Celeste Ballard is also joining the project as its writer. Last but certainly not least, Alison Abbate (The Iron Giant, The Corpse Bride) will be helming the project for the studio, making it a real dream team of children’s filmmakers. So far, no cast announcements have been made.

Sneaker-customizer-to-the-stars Katty Customs is joining forces with the legendary, 2021 Grammy-nominated rap producer Just Blaze for a new show on Uproxx that combines celebrity interviews with the eye-catching, conversation-starting world of sneaker customization. Fresh Pair — coming to Uproxx and YouTube.com/UproxxVideo in early 2022 — will see Katty and Just combining their tastemaking talents to create bespoke kicks for some of the biggest names in hip-hop and entertainment, elevating the sneaker to its true status as a modern-day luxury design item.

“With the custom work that she’s doing, it’s art in itself,” Just Blaze told EDITION magazine, Jay-Z’s newest venture, in an interview about the new show. “It’s not just about sneakers. It’s also about the art that goes into it.”

When it comes down to it, Fresh Pair is all about the art of great sneaker design. By collaborating with Just and diving deep into the careers of the stars she’s customing for, Katty will attempt to create designs that resonate on a deeper level with some of the biggest tastemakers in the world.

“Music artists have exclusive sneakers,” Katty told Edition‘s Gabrielle Pharms. “They can go to Nike and get it in a different colorway, but this is different. Me and Just can bring something different as far as getting a little bit more about their background and putting it on a shoe. It’ll be really special.”

To find out more about Katty and Just’s new show Fresh Pair head over to Edition to read the full interview and stay tuned for the first episode’s launch, here on Uproxx, in early 2022.

Paper Mario is a genuine classic. A perfect entry-level RPG, this turn-based adventure features Mario in a unique art style and setting where the entire world is made out of paper. Princess Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser once again, but he has also trapped the Star Spirits using the power of the Star Rod. It’s up to Mario to rescue the Princess and the Star Spirits and save the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario will travel all over the world meeting quirky characters, unique bosses, and exploring interesting lands with a variety of partners at his side.

Paper Mario was first released on the Nintendo 64, but now Nintendo is re-releasing it for their Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service. Paper Mario is the latest Nintendo 64 game added to this service and Nintendo is hoping that with releases like Paper Mario it will be able to make a stronger case for fans to buy the expansion. The expansion is currently the only way to access Nintendo 64 games on the Switch.

Platform: Nintendo Switch
Price: $50 (Yearly subscription)
Release Date: December 10 (12/10)
Genre: RPG
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo
Rating: E
Where can I buy this: Only playable through Nintendo’s Online service
Single Player: Yes
Multiplayer: No
Early Access: No
Microtransactions: No

Back in June, Blink-182 frontman Mark Hoppus shared the devastating news to the world that he had cancer, via his Instagram story. Now cancer-free, Hoppus went through six rounds of chemotherapy to combat stage 4 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, a very aggressive type of blood cancer that his mother also successfully beat. Hoppus has been nothing short of an inspiration to fans and followers, sharing updates along the way during the course of his treatment, whether it was health updates, or playing bass on a livestream for the first time since he started chemo. But for all of the updates, he revealed in a new GQ interview, that he actually told his more than 1 million Instagram followers about his diagnosis by accident.

Woozy from the treatment he was undergoing, he told GQ that his fingers were clumsy and he posted a photo of himself in a chemotherapy chair with the caption “Yes, hello. One cancer treatment, please,” accidentally to all of his followers instead of using send to “close friends” function. “Maybe part of me subconsciously posted it to my main, but I definitely didn’t do it on purpose,” he told GQ. “But I don’t know. It kind of felt like a Band-Aid had been ripped off and I was able to be honest with people.”

The story itself, by Chris Gayomali, is a deeply honest picture of what Hoppus went through for the past five months and how his battle was nothing short of courageous. Hoppus talks about how re-visiting Blink-182’s “Adam’s Song” helped him get through some difficult days and maintain the will to keep fighting. There’s also a story about when he told Tom DeLonge about his diagnosis, seemingly by accident as well and then he, DeLonge and Travis Barker hung out together to talk about their lives and tribulations.

Hoppus also offers some nuggets about getting his first Epiphone guitar and how Blink-182’s breakthrough single, “Dammit,” was the first song he learned on it. And there’s some killer quotes about him [not] comparing Blink to the Beatles (“I would be Paul, Tom would be John, and Travis would be George.”) Matt Skiba is also featured in the story and reflects on how Tom Delonge must have felt when he took his place in the band. All in all, it’s a thorough portrait of Hoppus and his triumphant fight against cancer.

Read the GQ story in it’s entirety here.

If you’re in the mood for a Western filled with gore and grit, Paramount+ has just the series for you. Earlier today, the streaming service unveiled the first trailer for 1883, the upcoming prequel to Taylor Sheridan’s hit series Yellowstone. The Sam Elliott and Tim McGraw-led series is scheduled to premiere on Paramount+ on December 19 and tells the story of how the original Dutton family traveled through the wild west in search of a better life for their family. According to the show’s description, 1883 offers a “stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one family fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land – Montana.”

In 1883, Elliott plays Shea Brennan, a “tough as nails, handsome cowboy with immense sadness in his past” and no tolerance for fools (via The Wrap). McGraw and his fellow musician and wife Faith Hill will portray couple James and Margaret Dutton, a couple tasked with the dauntless journey of bringing their family out west. In addition to Elliot, McGraw, and Hill, Billy Bob Thornton, Isabel May, and LaMonica Garrett will also star in the tense and action-filled western.

For those unfamiliar with Yellowstone, the series 1883 originated from, the 2018 Paramount+ series follows “a ranching family who must defend their territory against outsiders.” Yellowstone stars the Oscar and Emmy award-winning actor Kevin Costner, Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes, Cole Hauser, and Gil Birmingham, and is currently on its fourth season.

1883 is slated to premiere exclusively on Paramount+ on December 19.

Klay Thompson is working his way back to the basketball court. After each of the last two seasons were taken away from the Golden State Warriors’ sharpshooting wing due to injuries, Thompson has spent the early part of this season on the road to recovery, and it’s believed that he hopes to suit back up for the Dubs sometime before Christmas.

While Thompson’s been going through this, he’s carved out a niche as the NBA’s premier boat guy. Thompson will go live on Instagram while he’s on a boat, navigating the open waters with vibes that are absolutely pristine. In his latest video, Thompson explored the high seas and expressed his belief that the fine city of Seattle, Washington deserves to get an NBA team again.

“Bring back our Sonics!” Thompson exclaimed. “Seattle deserves a team. Give Seattle our team back. Bring back our Sonics!”

Thompson, of course, went to Washington State and spent time in Lake Oswego, Oregon as a child, which is a few hours away from Seattle. He actually grew up a fan of the Portland Trail Blazers — his dad, Mychal, played for the team growing up — but wanting the Sonics back in Seattle transcends any type of fandom.

At a private service held for the late Young Dolph this week, it was announced that a public ceremony will also be held in Memphis for fans who want to pay their respects to the hometown hero, according to Memphis’ ABC affiliate. Local community activist Pastor Earle Fisher spoke at the service attended by Dolph’s family and friends, pointing out that Dolph’s death was far from an anomaly on the streets of Bluff City.

“With all of the pomp and circumstance that elected officials and civic leaders have put around this heinous murder, we could do something to bring the people who have been involved in this to accountability and justice a whole lot sooner,” he said. “The reality is there is a body being buried just about every day in Shelby County, and often we have people who are in powerful positions that have created policies that make these bodies pile up.”

The public memorial will be held at FedEx Forum, the home of the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, on December 16. In addition Fox’s local news affiliate also reported that Memphis City Councilman J.B. Smiley announced a street will be named after Young Dolph in the near future. A press release states the public ceremony unveiling the street name will be held on December 15 at 1 pm at Dunn Avenue and Airways Boulevard.

Although Dolph was gunned down in broad daylight, no arrests have yet been made. Police released footage from a security camera near the incident in the hope of learning more about the two men who shot him at the Makeba Bakery on November 17.

Scarlett Johansson has exited an Apple Original Film, Ghosted, which has transformed the movie from an Avengers to a Knives Out reunion. Taking her place is Ana de Armas who will star opposite Chris Evans in the “romantic action adventure” directed by Dexter Fletcher. Johansson leaving the project, which is being described as reminiscent of Romancing the Stone, was reportedly amicable and came down to the usual scheduling conflict. Via Deadline:

Apple acquired the high-profile project over the summer. It is described as a high concept romantic action adventure film. The change comes because the intent is to get the picture into production by February, and the timing didn’t work out for Johansson. Ellison led the charge to bring in de Armas, who’s about as hot an actress out there right now after Knives Out and No Time to Die, and Blonde.

Ghosted will be de Armas and Evans’ third collaboration. Following Knives Out, the two recently worked together with Ryan Gosling on Netflix’s The Gray Man, which re-teamed Evans with Marvel directors Joe and Anthony Russo. However, de Armas is becoming just as in-demand as the former Captain America. Following her standout performance in the latest Bond movie, No Time to Die, de Armas was quickly snatched up by the John Wick universe where she’ll star in the spinoff film, Ballerina.

(Via Deadline)

Tom Holland is a good looking fella. Here he is showing off his abs. And looking handsome in a tuxedo at the Oscars. And his “Umbrella” look is so iconic, it’s now a shower curtain. But he was initially told that he wasn’t attractive enough to play Spider-Man, at least according to one driver.

In an interview on The Graham Norton Show, Holland shared the story about he got the role of Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “I think I did seven or eight different auditions, I flew out to Atlanta multiple times for different screen tests,” he said. “And then when I was going for my last audition, I was very nervous and I had this driver. Lovely guy, but a little bit too honest.”

The driver told him, “You know what kid, I think you’re gonna get it.” Holland asked him why he thought that. “You know what,” he replied, “I think you’re gonna get it because the kid that I just drove there, he is so good looking.” Months later, after Holland got the part, he saw the driver again, and he goes, “I told you so.” Holland wondered, “What did you tell me? That I was gonna get the part or that I was ugly?”

The driver was onto something: not every Spider-Man can be this hot.

You can watch the clip from The Graham Norton Show above.