Month: February 2022

The Boys: Diabolical will soon arrive to tide addicts over until the flagship series’ third season, and the animated series will be kind-of canon, which is confusing as heck but, in short, The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke has said that some of these stories will be canon to the The Boys universe. Things are coming up Homelander again in this brand new trailer, which takes the audience back to when Homelander decided to step up and (at least claim) that he wants to use his powers to help the world. It’s not exactly a villain origin story (because he’s a “hero,” and it’s all so gloriously satirical), but it should be engrossing to behold the full episode.

Homelander’s early days get more spotlighting amid the mayhem in the trailer, as do several other episodes, including “An Animated Short Where Pissed-Off Supes Kill Their Parents,” “I’m Your Pusher,” and “Laser Baby’s Day Out” (that last one is written by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, oh boy). Naturally, though, Homelander’s demanding the attention with his story. So far, we’ve also seen him in a Vought-A-Burger themed teaser where three Homelanders make out with each other. That’s certainly consistent with Homelander’s raunchiest scene in The Boys, along with how he was faintly attracted to himself in a scene where Doppleganger attempted to seduce him.

Via Amazon, almost everyone is voicing, writing, or doing both as a part of this spinoff:

Joining the previously announced voice cast are Kimberly Brooks, Nicole Byer, Frances Conroy, Asjha Cooper, Chris Diamantopolous, John DiMaggio, Jermaine Fowler, Emily Gordon, Grey Griffin, Randall Duk Kim, David Marciano, Xolo Maridueña, Dominique McElligott, Caleb McLaughlin, Colby Minifie, Eugene Mirman, Retta, Kevin Michael Richardson, Somali Rose, Parker Simmons, Ursula Taherian, Fred Tatasciore, Sean Patrick Thomas, Angela Marie Volpe, Gary Antony Williams and Jenny Yokobori.

Awkwafina, Michael Cera, Don Cheadle, Chace Crawford, Kieran Culkin, Giancarlo Esposito, Eliot Glazer, Jason Isaacs, Kumail Nanjiani, Justin Roiland, Seth Rogen, Andy Samberg, Ben Schwartz, Elisabeth Shue, Christian Slater, Kevin Smith, Antony Starr, Nasim Pedrad, Simon Pegg, Kenan Thompson, Aisha Tyler, and Oscar-winner Youn Yuh Jung were previously announced.

The Boys: Diabolical will debut on March 4.

From the very beginning of HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones, which centers on the darkly hilarious inner-workings of megachurch pastor Eli Gemstone (John Goodman) and his less-than-holy offspring, the recent death of matriarch Aimee-Leigh Gemstone (Jennifer Nettles) is an open wound affecting the family. Throughout the first season, Eli laments that his televangelist dynasty is falling apart without Aimee-Leigh’s presence to bring he and his children together. Although, future flashbacks will reveal that Jesse (Danny McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson), and Kelvin (Adam Devine) weren’t the most well-behaved angels even with Aimee-Leigh around, and they definitely didn’t improve with age.

However, the big question is just how did Aimee-Leigh die? In the Season 1 finale, the family is seen praying over her hospital bed before a wayward bee arrives to descend the scene into chaos. While the audience is led to believe that the elderly Aimee-Leigh died of some form of disease (there are also references to “Mama being sick” throughout the show) her cause of death is never fully revealed. Could there be more to the story? Very possibly, including the fact that she might — maybe, who knows, anything can happen — might not even be dead?

In Season 2 of The Righteous Gemstones, journalist Thaniel Block (Jason Schwartzman) starts digging into the Gemstones empire after exposing the sexual indiscretions of a nearby megachurch pastor. More specifically, Thaniel is interested in allegations that Aimee-Leigh was an abusive employer. When he informs Eli of his intentions to investigate Aimee-Leigh, Thaniel is found murdered not long after. As of this writing, his killer has not yet been revealed, but clearly, he knew more about Aimee-Leigh than the audience, and perhaps, even her own family.

The Righteous Gemstones airs on HBO with episodes available on HBO Max.

In less than a week, Kanye West’s eleventh solo album Donda 2 will be available for people to enjoy. That is if Kanye sticks to its previously announced release date of February 22. The project is the follow-up to 2021’s Donda which presented features from Jay-Z, DaBaby, Roddy Ricch, Young Thug, Lil Durk, Vory, Kid Cudi, and many more. As for Donda 2, we’ve yet to receive its official artwork of tracklist, but there are some things we know about the upcoming album.

What’s Everything We Know About ‘Donda 2’ So Far?

As previously mentioned, Donda 2 is set to arrive on February 22. Kanye seemingly explained that he chose that release date because it coincides with a first-ever occurrence in astrology. On February 22, the United States will experience its first Pluto’s Return which is defined as when the “heavenly body returns to the same position in a birth chart where it was when the chart began.” Together with announcing the project’s release date, Kanye also revealed that Future — who has often referred to himself as “Pluto” — will executive produce the album. As for what the project might sound like, producer Digital Nas, who is working with Ye on Donda 2, said that if a song cannot be played at a “funeral, childbirth, graduation, [or] a wedding,” then it will not appear on the album.

Additionally, Marilyn Manson has been rumored to be involved with Donda 2 to an unknown extent. Moneybagg Yo may also lend his voice to the album, but Kid Cudi will not appear on the album due to his friendship with Pete Davidson who is currently dating Kanye’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian. Kanye will also hold a live performance of Donda 2 at Miami’s Loandepot Park Stadium.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Beau‘s Heather Goldin and Emma Jenney have known each other for a very long time. The NYC-based alt-pop duo became fast friends at a young age and have captivated audiences with their wistful and heartfelt music about love and friendship since releasing the 2015 debut album That Thing Reality. Now signed to a new label and armed with the EP Forever, recorded at the iconic Electric Lady Studios, Beau share their first new music in five years.

To celebrate the release of their new EP Forever, Beau sat down to talk about their tour, their love for Mazzy Star and Big Thief, and veganism in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Sentimental, rocking, strong, women

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

For it’s sincerity.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

New York City

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

Mazzy Star

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

Paris

What album do you know every word to?

Masterpiece by Big Thief.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

The Strokes.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

Anything comfy and sparkly.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

Archdigest.

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

“Sweetest Kill” by Broken Social Scene.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

Do plant-based whole eggs exist?

What album makes for the perfect gift?

Angel Olsen, My Woman

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

Someone else’s bus.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

St Marks place, 15 years old… something to do with a maze, and a musical note at the end of it.

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

I wouldn’t know, I skip them 😉

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Bring me chocolate in bed.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Say yes more.

What’s the last show you went to?

Don’t remember, probably my own.

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

The Notebook.

What would you cook if Obama were coming to your house for dinner?

Something vegan.

Forever is out now via Range Music Partners. Get it here.

Fans haven’t heard new music from Kendrick Lamar for nearly five years but according to an Instagram post from Italy’s Milano Summer Festival, that could change soon. The post includes an announcement for Kendrick’s show during the festival taking place at Ippodromo SNAI San Siro in Milan on June 23, where he will apparently be performing new tracks.

The post appears in Italian but translated, reads, “Kendrick Lamar returns to Italy with a super anticipated show which, produced and distributed by Vivo Concerti, will see him perform – after 8 years from his first performance in Italy, in 2014 – at the Milan Summer Festival (Ippodromo Snai) [on] Thursday 23 June 2022.” It also promised that Kendrick “will play the pieces of the new album, long-awaited by the fans.”

There’s been plenty of speculation about Kendrick’s new music with fans convinced he’d debut an all-new song during his Super Bowl halftime performance with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J Blige, and Snoop Dogg. While that didn’t happen (Kendrick instead performed an edited version of his To Pimp A Butterfly single “Alright”), he’s been working on other projects in the meantime, including a movie with the creators of South Park and a new podcast breaking down the creation of his Grammy-winning album To Pimp A Butterfly.

The death of comedian and Full House star Bob Saget on January 9, 2022 came as a shock to everyone, including his family. The 65-year-old icon had been suffering from COVID at the time of his death, but was presumed to have been in good health beyond that. And the initial police report found no evidence that alcohol, drugs, or foul play contributed to his passing. Which is why confusion arose when it was announced that the official cause of death was head trauma.

Saget’s cause of death was announced by his family, who noted that medical experts “have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep.” But approximately one week later, new details about the autopsy results emerged, which stated that Saget had “fractured his skull in several places and caused bleeding across both sides of his brain,” which was much more than just a simple bump on the head. Doctors wrote that Saget had suffered an “unmistakably serious set of injuries that would at the very least have probably left someone confused.”

While fans of Saget are understandably curious about what exactly happened to cause his untimely passing, Saget’s family is hoping that the details of their patriarch’s final hours can be kept private. As The Wrap reports, Saget’s widow, Kelly Rizzo, and his three daughters are actively working to prevent the public release of “statutorily protected autopsy information,” as well as any audio, video, or photographs that are part of the official autopsy.

On Tuesday, as The Wrap wrote, Saget’s family filed a lawsuit against Orange County, Florida, where Saget’s body was discovered, which stated that any public release of the very private documents and evidence relating to his death would cause them to “suffer irreparable harm in the form of extreme mental pain, anguish, and emotional distress if Defendants release the Records in response to public records requests or otherwise disseminate the Records for any other reason or purpose.”

As WESH 2, Orlando’s local NBC station wrote, the suit also claims that “no public interest would be served by the release of the records to the public.”

(Via The Wrap)

LaMelo Ball is one of six first-time NBA All-Stars this season, as the 2021 Rookie of the Year earned a selection from commissioner Adam Silver to replace the injured Kevin Durant in Cleveland. Ball has had an excellent sophomore campaign in Charlotte, averaging 20.1 points, 7.5 assists, and seven rebounds per game on a 42.7/37.3/86.7 shooting split.

He’s been given the reins in Charlotte and taken another step forward despite the increased responsibility placed on his young shoulders, improving in just about every area — from his shooting efficiency to ball security — as the Hornets arrive at the week before All-Star at 29-29.

It’s undoubtedly production worthy of an All-Star nod, but more importantly, Ball’s game deserves the freedom of creativity that the All-Star exhibition provides. We, as basketball fans, deserve to see him fully unleashed in an All-Star format that’s built for him to thrive. Few players try more ambitious passes in actual NBA games than Ball, who has a preternatural ability to see passing lanes before they open up, already knocking on the door of the elite tier of facilitators like Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Trae Young. Like the latter two in that group, Ball has exceptional flair to his game, an audaciousness that’s at the foundation of his game, weaved into his basketball DNA.

This is someone who scored 92 points in a high school game as a freshman. Every movement on his road to the league, both on and off the floor, have been documented, and for the bumps that he hit on that path, it’s also what makes him built for the All-Star stage. He’ll embrace the bright lights and the opportunity to steal the show in a game that will highlight his strengths as a shooter, fearless facilitator, and fastbreak catalyst, while not caring about the areas of his game he’s still rounding out, like on the defensive end. Few players in the league are as exciting as Ball when he’s pushing things in transition and is running alongside a lob threat, and there will always be at least two or three of those on the floor with him in the All-Star Game.

Ball does things like this in the early third quarter of a three-point game in actual NBA competition, just imagine what he’ll do in an All-Star Game that regularly sees players trying to throw themselves lobs off the backboard.

The All-Star Game is about fun, and there are few players who seem to have a better time playing professional basketball than LaMelo Ball. He has been destined for this moment since he was a teenager, and we can’t wait to see what he does now that he gets to grace that stage.

Studio 666, Foo Fighters’ new horror flick, is set to premiere this month. Ahead of the premiere, Dave Grohl has dropped a new death metal track called “March Of The Insane,” under the alter ego Dream Widow.

In the B.J. McDonnell-directed film, the Foo Fighters play fictional versions of themselves, as they move into an Encino mansion to record their 10th studio album. In the house, Grohl finds himself dealing with writer’s block, in tandem with tampering with supernatural forces.

“…I go into the basement, I find this tape by a band from 25 years ago that recorded there,” said Grohl on The Howard Stern Show. “And there’s this song that, if recorded and completed, the f*cking demon in the house is unleashed, and then, whatever, all hell breaks loose.” According to the YouTube description for “March Of The Insane,” the hellish, scream-driven track comes from the band’s “never released self-titled album.”

Studio 666 was filmed in the same house where Foo Fighters recorded their 10th album, Medicine At Midnight. Grohl told Rolling Stone the band originally planned to release the film in tandem with the album, however, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced them to put those plans on hold. “We were going to try to pull a Blair Witch where we’re telling everyone that we recorded this album in a haunted house and giving them all of this bullsh*t about instruments being detuned overnight, voices on the Pro Tools and things like that. We were trying to make a big deal out of the fact that we had recorded in a haunted house and it would just be bam and drop this f*cking movie out of nowhere,” Grohl said.

Studio 666 hits theaters February 25th. Check out “March Of The Insane” above.

Last week, Hulu announced that it was bringing back Futurama for something like the 12th time. Much of the original voice cast for the animated series, including Billy West, Katey Sagal, and Phil LaMarr, will reprise their characters, but not at all.

John DiMaggio, who voices the beer-loving, magnets-fearing, Zoidberg-tolerating robot Bender, has not signed on for the revival after “negotiations with Futurama studio 20th Television Animation came to a standstill,” according to Deadline. There’s genuine concern that if a deal isn’t reached, Bender could be recast with a new voice actor.

On Tuesday night, DiMaggio shared an update on what he’s calling #BenderGate.

“Hi, I’ve been thinking about everything that’s been going on these past months and just to be clear, I don’t think that only I deserve to be paid more. I think the entire cast does,” he wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. “Negotiations are a natural part of working in show business. Everyone has a different strategy and different boundaries. Their ‘price.’ Some accept offers, some hold their ground.” DiMaggio continued:

“Bender is part of my soul and nothing about this is supposed to be disrespectful to the fans or my Futurama family. It’s about self-respect. And honestly, being tired of an industry that’s become far too corporate and takes advantage of artists’ time and talent”

DiMaggio ended the note by wishing he “could give you every detail so you would understand, but it’s not my place. Thanks again for the love everyone. Still hoping for the best.” You know who DiMaggio should use to negotiate a better salary? That guy.

You can read the entire statement below.

It’s tough keeping up with all the conservative-friendly apps. There’s Parler and Rumble, of course, but don’t forget (or maybe do) about The Right Stuff, which shares the same name as a white supremacist website, and TRUTH Social, Donald Trump’s long-threatened social media platform. After months of missed deadlines, shady financial issues, porn bots, and SNL jokes (“Donald Trump announced the launch of his own social media network that he’s calling TRUTH Social, but most people know it by its original name: the National Sex Offender Registry”), TRUTH is launching on March 31. So, if your anti-vaxxer aunt doesn’t post anything on Facebook that day, you’ll know why.

Former-president Trump is “permanently suspended” from Twitter, but his Kendall Roy-esque son, Donald Trump Jr., is still tweeting all bangers, all the time. His latest: “Time for some Truth!!!” along with a screenshot of the first post on his dad’s billion-dollar vanity project. It reads, “Get Ready! Your favorite president will see you soon.” Bad tweet.

The replies were amusingly savage. “Truth Social is going to fail in spectacular fashion and I’m going to absolutely love it,” reads one tweet, while another wrote, “Trump’s first post on his Twitter clone site was written to people not on the site. This was written to be a screenshot post on Twitter. This will be such a glorious dumpster fire.” Here’s more: