They call Donald Trump “Teflon Don” because he’s never suffered any serious blowback for his many misdeeds. But right now things aren’t looking so hot for him. The House Select committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot, which he’s accused of fomenting, are in talks to chat with a key crony: his legally and financially plagued lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Then there are those two investigations into his organization, which have already uncovered “significant evidence” of fraud. Now things just got even worse.
As per The New York Times, Mazars USA, the accounting firm that has long served Trump and his business have cut ties with both. In a letter to the Trump Organization, the firm said they could no longer stand behind the financial statements they had prepared for him for 10 years, from 2011 to 2020. Those statements were based on information Trump and his team had provided for them, which they said they could no longer trust. As a result, all those statements, which Trump had used to secure loans, had been effectively retracted.
The statements prepare by Mazars USA are, incidentally, at the heart of the investigations being conducted by both the New York State attorney general’s office and the office of the Manhattan district attorney.
Mazars USA have been cutting ties with Trump and his business since last spring, when work on his statements was transitioned to a new accounting firm. However, the new letter — which, again, renders past statements they’ve prepared retroactively null and void — not only makes the split public, but suggests they find the information Trump and team provided to be fishy.
Part of the investigations includes claims that the Trump Organization knowingly inflated the value of certain assets, including Trump’s own Trump Tower penthouse in Manhattan. Trump Organization CFO Allen H. Weisselberg, who was indicted last summer over a separate matter, even acknowledged that they had done so. New York State Attorney General Letitia James is looking at a number of properties, which together, James said, suggests that “Mr. Trump’s net worth was higher than it otherwise would have appeared.”
Some of hip-hop’s heaviest hitters returned to the spotlight this week, with Pusha T dropping his new single “Diet Coke” and 21 Savage joining the late King Von on “Don’t Play That.” Then, on Friday, Nicki Minaj followed up her previous week’s single with another Lil Baby collaboration “Bussin,” Mozzy and Roddy Ricch put on for the “Real Ones,” NLE Choppa concluded his “Shotta Flow” series with “Shotta Flow 6,” and Future pre-emptively trashed Valentine’s Day with “Worst Day.”
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending February 11, 2021.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
Cousin Stizz — Just For You
Cousin Stizz
The Boston rapper returns with his first full-length since 2019’s Trying to Find My Next Thrill and remains as consistent as ever. In addition, Just For You is his first project since leaving RCA and truly shows his creative mindset, free of external influence or a need to craft “hits.” At 13 tracks and featuring no guests, this project might be the truest to his character.
Juicy J & Wiz Khalifa — Stoner’s Night
Juicy J
Juicy J and Wiz Khalifa have an extensive history of making each other’s tracks better, so why shouldn’t they team up to craft a hedonistic joint album? The duo’s chemistry remains as magnetic as ever and they use the opportunity to highlight both the foundation and future of Memphis rap with guest spots from Big30 and Project Pat.
Snoop Dogg — BODR
Snoop Dogg
Snoop finally fulfilled his dream of acquiring ownership of the Death Row brand (with the catalog not far behind), so it makes sense that he would drop a full project on the label to commemorate the occasion. Back On Death Row is a typically exuberant showcase of Snoop’s influence and love for the art form, tagging in peers (Nate Dogg, Nas), contemporaries (The Game, T.I.), and newcomers (October Landon) alike.
$NOT — Ethereal
$NOT
After shocking Florida rap fans awake with his take on the thrash fusion style popularized in his home state, $NOT looks to expand his palette on his second album, layering in classic boom-bap (assisted by Joey Badass) and softer sounds that perfectly evoke the album’s title.
Singles/Videos
Big Moochie Grape — “In Dolph We Trust”
Long Live Young Dolph, the tribute album from the late Memphis hero’s label Paper Route Empire, has legs.
Cardo — “Van Gogh” Feat. JID & Lil Yachty
Cardo may be better known for the smooth production with which he outfits characters like Curren$y, LE$, and Larry June, but he digs into a rougher sound for this ATL collaboration.
Carl Lamarre — “For The Family”
Journalist Carl Lamarre is taking a somewhat of a circuitous route to Billboard acclaim; the magazine’s longtime editor flexes his pen in a new fashion, following in the footsteps of peers such as Genius’ Rob Markman.
Don Q — “What Up”
The Bronx native continues to roll out singles from his album Double Or Nothing, keeping the Highbridge flag flying as A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie prepares his own project.
Mibbs — “Transit”
Rap fans who were around for the first wave of blog-certified rappers surely remember Pac Div. Mibbs goes solo to promote his upcoming LP, House & Garden.
Nana — “Bet It Back”
South Central native Nana got off to a strong start in 2021, and his first single of 2022 shows no signs of rust.
Saweetie — “Closer” Feat. HER
The Bay Area native catches all kinds of hell on Twitter, but each time she returns she offers something we haven’t seen from her, which tells me that she’s striving to improve with every new release. That’s worth applauding, especially when that work ethic produces stone-cold bops like this.
Trae Tha Truth — “Sky Scraper” Feat. Louie Ray
The Houston veteran released his latest project, Truth Season, this week preceded by a video for this chilling standout.
Wynne — “Mary’s Lambo”
Portland’s own bares all in the latest video from her 2021 EP Do My Own Stunts.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Welcome to Euphoria Style Watch, your weekly (ahem) roundup of all the best outfits from Sunday night’s episode and where to buy them for yourself. You might have noticed we didn’t drop a list last week and if you caught episode five, “Stand Still Like The Hummingbird” you know why. To summarize, the entire episode followed Rue parkouring around the fictional town she calls home, evading her family, drug dealers, the cops, and ultimately, herself, and that made for a real lack of fashion.
Unless you want to count Rue’s black Chuck Taylors. Which are fly.
But we’re happy to be back, and while this episode, “A Thousand Little Trees Of Blood,” (shout out to whoever is naming these things!) wasn’t nearly as lighthearted or fashionable as this season’s first half, things are starting to get back to “normal” and the fashion is almost back at full force. I’m sure by next week when we all get to see Lexi’s hilarious-looking play, we’ll have more style picks than we know what to do with!
For now, here were last night’s best outfits.
Rue — Mosquitohead Malcolm X T-Shirt
HBO
Rue spent all of last week running around in a basic hoodie and the first few minutes of last night’s episode writhing in drug-withdrawal-induced pain, so we were happy to see her back to flexing her vintage fits. Last night it was an oversized graphic t-shirt of Malcolm X by the now-defunct Mosquitohead.
As with all of Rue’s vintage fits, this one is a bit hard to find but a few are floating around on aftermarket sites like Grailed, GOAT, and eBay. Mosquitohead also has some other dope Malcolm X graphic t-shirts that rival Rue’s fit, so don’t get hung up on Rue’s when there are plenty of other options out there.
Fez — Polo Ralph Lauren
HBO
We already covered this shirt in a past article but Fez wore it again and it’s easy to see why. It’s dope. The rugby-style shirt is not part of Ralph Lauren’s current season, but it’s routinely available on aftermarket sites and is particularly active right now, thanks to what I’m sure the aftermarket fashion industry is calling the ‘Euphoria bump.’
I think I speak for everyone when I say that this season of Euphoria hasn’t had enough Kat. But then more Kat is what we got last night and after that bullshit in the diner… do we want more Kat? From a fashion standpoint, definitely, give us more Kat, but honestly, if the show was just Lexi and Fez for 50 minutes watching Stand By Me, we’d like it more.
Anyway, the glam-punk streetwear fashion brand O-mighty supplied Kat’s semi-sheer long dress during last night’s episode. The dress runs in a size small to large size-run, pick it up here.
Maddy — True Religion Low Rise Jeans/ Falize Rome Denim Bikini Top
HBO
Oh Maddy Perez, without you this article series would cease to be. If you’ve been wondering if low-rise jeans are really “in” again or it’s just something you keep hearing about, the answer is “yes.” They’re back, and Maddy, who was rocking a pair of vintage low rise True Religions proves it. Completing Maddy’s outfit was a crochet crop by Dion Lee. We’re not sure what the implication of the camera in the clock is just yet, but it’s one of this season’s bigger mysteries and I’m sure how it all ties in will be fascinating, or fascinatingly stupid.
And because this is Euphoria, we also saw Maddy wearing yet another bikini (she’s four for six, so far), this time a denim top by Falize Rome, and that wasn’t even all of her outfits. This girl is a walking closet.
Shop low rise new stock True Religions here, and search the vintage stuff here. Find the bikini top here and the crochet top here.
Nate — Nike Blazers
HBO
Okay, this one is a bit of a joke post. Nate is not cool. He doesn’t look cool, he doesn’t dress cool. The coolest thing Nate has ever done was get beat up in the season premiere. So we’re not big Nate fans, he is an actual psychopath, the only person in Euphoria less likable than Nate is his dad (his mom, pretty close second). So it surprises us, just as much as it probably surprises you to see Nate in our Euphoria style roundup, but the dude is the only one repping sneakerheads in the whole show, Ash Tray aside.
Nate wore Nike Blazers last night and Nike Blazers are dope. Doesn’t make Nate cool, but he’s not powerful enough to make the sneakers lame. We can’t tell if they’re low or high top blazers, but we’re going to give Nate the benefit of the doubt and assume he has taste, in which case it’s probably the vintage Mid ’77 design with a teal swoosh.
Adam Pally is on a mission to party all across the country and beyond, alongside friend and fellow comedian Jon Gabrus.
The duo will star in truTV’s unscripted travel comedy show, 101 Places To Party Before You Die, based on the similarly, but more explicit book, aptly titled 101 Places To Get F*cked Up Before You Die: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Partying Around the World. The half-hour comedy series will consist of eight episodes exploring local life, food and, of course, alcohol, in various cities, including Maui, Moab, Miami, Puerto Rico, Portland, Richmond, Atlanta, and Denver.
101 Places To Party Before You Die will highlight unique experiences and adventures that are “off the beaten path” AKA probably won’t be flooded with tourists in various cities around the country. The show will begin airing this summer.
Pally is best known for his role of Dr. Peter Prentice on The Mindy Project, which he starred in from 2013-2017. Before that, he had a main role on the short-lived but well-loved ABC series Happy Endings alongside Damon Wayans Jr. Gabrus has worked on numerous comedies, including the hit sketch show Comedy Bang! Bang! and What We Do In The Shadows. He also hosts a podcast about weed, titled High and Mighty with Jon Gabrus.
It’s admittedly cliche to write “we lost one of the greats,” but nothing feels more appropriate when writing about Ivan Reitman.
Reitman’s work is the quintessential comedy experience for people across at least three generations. His biggest film, “Ghostbusters” was a first-of-its kind pop culture phenomenon. “National Lampoon’s Animal House” flipped frat house humor on its head. “Meatballs” introduced the world to Bill Murray, for cryin’ out loud. Reitman always seemed to know exactly how to blend silliness, innovation, and heart in the most magical way.
Part of Reitman’s gift was his knack for finding funny people. “You get a sense after a while when you’re seeing something special in a person,” Reitman mentioned in a 2007 interview. “They have a way of taking stage, or taking a screen. It’s not just that they know how to say something funny — there’s something about their face where you just have to keep looking at them.”
Reitman even saw the comedic potential of action superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger, who starred in two of Reitman’s movies: “Kindergarten Cop” and “Twins.” This was a near 180 degree difference from the normal bare chested barbarian and souped up killing machine roles that Schwarzenegger had become known for.
Upon hearing the news of Reitman’s passing on Feb 12th, Schwarzenegger gave a heartfelt statement on Twitter, calling Reitman not only “comedy royalty,” but also “kind, generous, smart as hell, and always there for you.”
Schwarzenegger certainly wasn’t alone. Filmmakers and film lovers alike paid tribute on social media.
I am deeply saddened by the loss of Ivan’ Reitman. Truly a great man and filmmaker who I had honor and privilege of knowing and working with. Deepest condolences to Jason and the entire family. May he RIP #jasonReitman
DIRECTOR Meatballs Stripes Ghostbusters Twins Ghostbusters II Kindergarten Cop Dave Junior Father’s Day No Strings Attached
PRODUCER Animal House Beethoven Space Jam Private Parts Road Trip Old School EuroTrip Up in the Air I Love You Man Ghostbusters: Afterlife#IvanReitman 🎬 pic.twitter.com/XyJRYttOUo
Dan Aykroyd conceived Ghostbusters. But it was Ivan Reitman who was able to see the genius in Dan’s original concept. He was able to ground it and bring it to life along with Harold Ramis. There would not be a Ghostbusters without Ivan Reitman.
Opening night of Ghostbusters at UA Plainview was like a rock concert. The place exploded with joy. It was one of the most memorable moments of my childhood. Ivan Reitman influenced everything we all love about film comedy. A true legend. https://t.co/AHKAoo1ahB
In 1984, I went to see GHOSTBUSTERS in the theater every weekend… for the entire summer. It’s still the movie I’ve seen the most times. RIP Ivan Reitman.
I’m in absolute shock. I had the honor of working so closely with Ivan and it was always such a learning experience. He directed some of my favorite comedies of all time. All of us in comedy owe him so very much. Thank you for everything, Ivan. Truly. ❤️❤️ https://t.co/SGnI7OcT9s
Paul Feig, who directed the all-female version of “Ghostbusters” in 2016, reflected collaborating with Reitman for the project. “It was always such a learning experience,” he wrote. “All of us in comedy owe him so very much.”
Kumai Nanjiani, co-creator of “The Big Sick” and a film trailblazer in his own right, tweeted, “ A Legend. The number of great movies he made is absurd.”
Included in that absurd list is “Beethoven” and “Space Jam”, which Reitman produced. It’s not easy to make family movies that are actually funny to all family members. But Reitman excelled at it.
Ivan Reitman was old school in the best way, and kind. I loved working with him. It’s sad he’s gone, it makes me feel older and like my childhood movies are more faraway than ever. RIP ❤️
Mindy Kaling, who worked together with Reitman on the rom-com “No Strings Attached,” noted him as being “old school in the best way,” adding, “it’s sad he’s gone, it makes me feel older and like my childhood movies are more far away than ever.”
“Tonight, the lady with the torch weeps, as do all of us at Columbia, and film lovers around the world. Ivan Reitman was an inseparable part of this studio’s legacy, but more than that he was a friend. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/saVhBoBgFG
Even Tom Rothman, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, spoke out. According to CNN, Rothman said in a statement, “Tonight, the lady with the torch weeps, as do all of us at Columbia, and film lovers around the world. Ivan Reitman was an inseparable part of this studio’s legacy, but more than that he was a friend. A great talent and an even finer man; he will be dearly missed…”
Ivan instilled a love for comedy into his son, Jason Reitman, whose tribute took on a more personal tone.
“All I want is the chance to tell my father one more story,” the tweet read.
I’ve lost my hero. All I want is the chance to tell my father one more story. He came from a family of survivors and turned his legacy into laughter. Thank you for the kind messages. Enjoy his movies and remember his storytelling gifts. Nothing would make him happier. pic.twitter.com/tSijfxSnLg
Jason might not be able to fulfill that wish, but he does continue his father’s storytelling legacy. Working with his dad, Jason directed the franchise’s latest installment: “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” and has produced dark comedy cult classics like “Jennifer’s Body” and “Young Adult.”
Even the official “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” Twitter account paid its respects, saying, “See you on the other side. Rest In Peace Ivan Reitman”
The world might be saddened by the loss of this icon of feel-good entertainment, but it’s only because he gave us all so so many moments that opened our hearts and brought us to laughter.
We may be a month and a half into 2022, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still take a look back at the beer year that was. If you’re anything like us, you likely tried your fair share of West Coast IPAs, fruited sours, barrel-aged porters, milkshake IPAs, pale ales, lagers, and unique, experimental beers in 2021. Hopefully, you found some absolute gems. Maybe some of them have cracked your 2022 rotation and set your year off on the right foot.
Brewers are no different. Even though they spend their days creating interesting and delicious beer recipes and then actually brewing them for their thirsty fans, they take time to sample beers from their fellow brewers and remember the best of the best. Like many of us, they sampled a ton of beers in 2021 and made notes on their favorites. That’s why we asked a handful of well-known craft beer experts, brewers, and brewing professionals to tell us their favorite beers of the year gone by.
Keep reading to see all of their picks. Many of these are annual releases, so if you missed them last year you can look out for the 2022 drops!
Nobody does West Coast IPAs better and this one is just perfect. The subtle tropical hop character is balanced with the malt profile. I drank a few of them.
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
Bell
Brian Jaszewski, director of product management at Sprecher Brewing Co. in Glendale, Wisconsin
You can’t go wrong with a classic interpretation of the style every time, and this beer has pretty much defined the style for almost 20 years. The Centennial hops make it such a great experience. Draft, cans, or bottles, this one never disappoints.
I already can’t remember 2021 because I’m so giddy about 2022, but Faction Brewing in Alameda makes this beer called Stratasbeer that is super delicious. It’s not a hazy, but it manages to pull off those juicy, tropical fruit, and orchard grove characteristics that hazies have. It’s a marvelous yet restrained use of the Strata hop, bursting with hints of fresh strawberries, slight hamster cage, and fresh rain in the desert.
You don’t see too many blonde ales these days which is too bad because when they are good like this one, they can really hit the spot. Simple yet elegant, the slightly toasty malt balances perfectly with the light hopping. It’s slightly fuller-bodied than a standard blonde ale, making it a bit more satisfying.
The Alchemist Luscious is my pick. I hadn’t had this before, and it caught me immediately. The flavors of dark chocolate and cherry that they pull from the malt is purely expert.
Half Acre Burl
Half Acre
Garth E. Beyer, certified Cicerone® and owner and founder of Garth’s Brew Bar in Madison, Wisconsin
Burl by Half Acre was a standout beer in 2021 for me. You could taste a magical blend of fruity (mango, peach) notes from both the yeast and hops they used. They balanced the rustic barley sweetness expertly with the dry bitterness of the hops.
This was one of those IPAs I cracked open and could smell even before I poured it in the glass, an evident sign of a heavy dose of dry-hopping.
Liberation Cautiously Optimistic
Liberation
Jamie Boalbey, director of beverage and operations at Pitfire Pizza in Los Angeles
ABV: 5.2%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
It’s hard to narrow this down to just one, but I really enjoyed Liberation Brewing’s Spelt Saison called Cautiously Optimistic which is also how I felt about 2021 in general. This beer is so fun to drink with rich beautiful notes of cardamom and orange blossom and a very dry finish that makes you keep coming back. I love this beer with all things cheesy.
Melvin Sour Soul Series Volume II
Melvin
Jeremy Ragonese, president of Uinta Brewing in Salt Lake City, Utah
I encountered and enjoyed several beers in 2021 that were both impressive and noteworthy. It’s difficult to pick just one. I found Melvin’s Sour Soul Series Volume II to be an unexpected gem of a beer. It’s not something I would typically pick up from them, a four percent fruited sour. It lived up to its billing of tart and fruity, but not over-the-top.
It’s refreshing and aromatic, with flavors of juicy plum, stone fruit, and just a bit of spice.
Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome
Samuel Smith
John Swanson, brewing supervisor at New Belgium Brewing in Asheville, North Carolina
Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome is my choice. I hadn’t picked it up in years and was graciously reminded by a fellow brewer that this year was spot on. He was right. I think it was a mix of nostalgia, holiday cheer, and, of course, the crisp yet full body stacked with toasted malts and English hops.
One beer I really enjoyed over the summer was Von Trapp’s Radler out of Stowe, Vermont. I first tried this beer after a long hike, and it hit the spot. Incredibly refreshing, light, and packed with real grapefruit flavor without all the sweetness, this beer was a crusher all summer.
Zillicoah Citrine Dream
Zillicoah
Brian Bergman, brewing director at Sycamore Brewing in Charlotte, North Carolina
ABV: 6.4%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Citrine Dream from Zillicoah is my pick. I really enjoyed the interplay of American hops and tropical esters from the use of various brettanomyces strains in this beer. Tropical, fruity, floral, and very dry, which I prefer, every sip has a new flavor present itself, yet it’s approachable enough to come back for another sip.
Wayfinder from Portland, Oregon, has created a brand new beer style in Cold IPA that has the potential to transform the American IPA landscape. Their version is piney and bitter but very, very drinkable. It is an instant classic, in my opinion.
Double Doinks by Fair State is my best of 2021. It’s so incredibly Columbus hop heavy it’s almost too much to handle. I burped that hop for hours after a single pint. It amused me.
The best beer I drank in 2021 was the Money IPA from Barrier Brewing, located in Oceanside, New York. It is a taste of home and classically bitter with citrus and a dry finish. It’s hard to beat that kind of flavor.
One beer that stands out is the Zebulon Original IPA. A refreshing and historically accurate take on the IPA style; brewed to be extremely bitter and stored in neutral oak barrels to mimic the travel from England to India. When aged, the bitterness settles down to really open the funk from the brettanomyces. Dry hops provide some jammy and herbaceous notes.
Zoe Kravitz is having a moment right now. She’s got Kimi, Steven Soderbergh’s new, pandemic-themed thriller, which dropped on HBO Max last weekend. And in a few weeks people will finally see her take on Catwoman in The Batman, a superhero movie so anticipated one Redditer claimed her husband is threatening to skip the birth of their child to see it opening day. Perhaps Hulu execs are feeling a little silly right now, having cancelled the High Fidelity reboot that starred Kravitz. Kravitz sure hasn’t forgotten about it.
In a new interview with Elle (as caught by Variety), the actress reflected on the streamer cancelling the show, which she executive produced, starred in, and even wrote an episode. It took on Nick Hornby’s 1995 bestseller, about a single thirtysomething record store owner and music enthusiast brooding over yet another breakup., which was already turned into a John Cusack movie in the year 2000. The Hulu version relocated it to Brooklyn and switched genders. Alas, it only lasted one season. Kravitz was pissed then and she still is.
“They didn’t realize what that show was and what it could do,” Kravitz told Elle. “The amount of letters, DMs, people on the street, and women that look like us—like, that love for the show, it meant something to people. It was a big mistake.”
After High Fidelity was cancelled in August of 2020, Kravitz did not keep quiet about her disappointment with Hulu. After actress Tessa Thompson expressed condolences in an Instagram post where Kravitz thanked the cast and crew, Kravitz responded with deep, angry sarcasm: “At least Hulu has a ton of other shows starring women of color we can watch. Oh wait.”
But at least you can still watch the show’s surviving season on Hulu. The Batman hits theaters on March 4 while Kimi streams on HBO Max.
It’s only been six years since Erin Jackson first strapped on a set of ice skates. Now she’s the best female 500-meter speedskater on the planet.
Impressive? Um, yes.
Jackson, 29, just took home gold skating the 500-meter in the Olympics for Team USA, making her the first Black woman and just the second Black athlete to win an individual Olympic medal in any speedskating event. A historic moment, for sure, but the journey that brought Jackson to that moment is fascinating in more ways than one.
BEIJING 2022: ERIN JACKSON 500M OLYMPIC CHAMPION pic.twitter.com/ZbngHg0zN1
First of all, despite being the No. 1 ranked skater in the women’s 500-meter going into the Olympic trials, Jackson slipped during her qualifying race and came in third. Only the top two finishers qualified for the Olympics, so she was out. However, her teammate and long-time friend Britanny Bowe, who came in first, gave up her spot so that Jackson could compete with Team USA. (“She deserves it,” said Bowe, who would already be competing in the 1000-meter and 1500-meter Olympic races.)
“I’m incredibly grateful and humbled by the kindness of @BrittanyBowe in helping me to secure a chance at reaching my goals in #Beijing2022,” Jackson wrote in an Instagram post. “She’s an amazing friend, teammate, and mentor and this is an act I’ll never forget. You can bet I’ll be the loudest voice in the oval cheering for her in the 1000 and 1500 next month.”
Considering the fact that Jackson brought home the gold, it was clearly the right call. As luck would have it, Bowe still got to compete in the 500-meter race, as the U.S. was granted a third spot in the International Skating Union’s final reallocation of places. She came in 16th.
In 2018, Erin Jackson became the first Black woman to qualify for a U.S. Olympic long-track speedskating team, just four months after she started the sport.nnShe speaks with @ahylton26 about her journey to the 2022 Winter Olympics and more tonight on @NBCNightlyNews.pic.twitter.com/qs3b4Cy8FF
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt) 1644701400
So how did Jackson go from taking her first steps on the ice just six years ago to winning a gold medal in speedskating?
Jackson came into the sport as a world-class inline skater and artistic roller skater, so she was no stranger to gliding across a surface in boots. But according to Jackson’s speedskating coach, Ryan Shimabukuro, ice-skating and rollerblading are two different beasts.
“There is a big difference in how you deliver power through a blade on ice versus through wheels on cement or concrete,” Shimabukuro told NBC. “The timing of your push is different, how you apply force is different, your body position is different.”
Speedskating didn’t come easily, Jackson told NBC. “When I started out on ice, I was like, ‘I’m a speedskater, and this is speedskating, and why isn’t this coming easier?’” she said. “I really struggled at the beginning.”
Jackson was an eager learner, however, always asking questions about how to improve and asking Shimabukuro to explain things a different way if it wasn’t clicking. In just two years, she made it to her first Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, where she placed 24th in the 500-meter event. Since then, she’s only gotten better and better, winning her third straight World Cup championship in November 2021 and now the Olympic gold in Beijing.
Congratulations, Erin Jackson, not only for making history, but for showing the world what hard work can accomplish.
And thanks to Brittany Bowe for showing us what selflessness and friendship can accomplish as well.
On Sunday, the legendary film director and producer Ivan Reitman passed away. He was 75. He left behind a long CV of hits, among them Stripes, Meatballs, Ghostbusters, Twins, Kindergarten Cop, and more. He also passed the torch to his son, Jason Reitman, who, starting with Thank You For Smoking, developed his own successful career. Jason made sure to honor his father with a moving post on social media.
I’ve lost my hero. All I want is the chance to tell my father one more story. He came from a family of survivors and turned his legacy into laughter. Thank you for the kind messages. Enjoy his movies and remember his storytelling gifts. Nothing would make him happier. pic.twitter.com/tSijfxSnLg
“I’ve lost my hero,” Jason wrote about his father, accompanied by a photo of him as a child next to his father. “All I want is the chance to tell my father one more story. He came from a family of survivors and turned his legacy into laughter. Thank you for the kind messages. Enjoy his movies and remember his storytelling gifts. Nothing would make him happier.”
For first chunk of his career, Jason made very different films from his father — comedies, sometimes, but more geared towards the indie/art house world: Juno, Up in the Air, Young Adult, Tully, The Frontrunner. Last year, the two finally teamed up, with Ivan serving as one of the producers on Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which saw Jason directing a threequel to one of his father’s enduring classics.
Following news of Ivan Reitman’s passing, tributes poured in, including from Ghostbusters alumni. Ernie Hudson, who played Winston Zeddemore, honored the late filmmaker.
I am deeply saddened by the loss of Ivan’ Reitman. Truly a great man and filmmaker who I had honor and privilege of knowing and working with. Deepest condolences to Jason and the entire family. May he RIP #jasonReitman
As did Dan Aykroyd, who released a statement to Deadline. “Feeling heartbreak today for Geneviève, Catherine, Caroline, Jason and family. The loss of my friend, collaborator, champion and one of the last great creative talents of the BIG SCREEN ERA crumples me,” Aykroyd wrote. “Now on Thursdays who am I gonna call?”
Super Mario RPG is one of the most beloved games ever made. An RPG for the Super Nintendo, it took a genre that was still fairly niche at the time and simplified it so non-RPG fans could get into the genre. With Mario on the cover, it had a much larger appeal to the common person, and with Final Fantasy developer Square Soft at the helm it had plenty of pedigree to pull from. The result? An arguably perfect gateway RPG game for newcomers while also being a fun time for veterans of the genre.
Unfortunately, Super Mario RPG did not break off into a multi-title franchise. A falling out between Square and Nintendo as business partners resulted in Intelligent Systems picking up the pieces to form the Paper Mario franchise. While Paper Mario is still fantastic, many fans still miss the style and characters of Super Mario RPG. They want an official sequel, but there have never been rumors of it and neither company has done much to remember the franchise besides the occasional easter egg or port.
This hasn’t stopped fans really wanting a sequel and among those who would love a Super Mario RPG 2 is director of the first game, Chihiro Fujioka. It’s been over 25 years since Fujioka worked on Super Mario RPG, and he would even go on to make different Mario RPGs with the Mario & Luigi series, but the lack of a sequel has left a hole in his resume. He wants to make one more before his career is over, and explained why Super Mario RPG in particular is something he would like to do, through a translator, in an interview with MinnMax’s Ben Hanson.
“Yeah, I would absolutely love to make one… in my career I’ve been involved with a lot of games, and I would really like my final one to be another Mario RPG game if possible.”
“I think Mario & Luigi is cool, but I would like to go back and create a Mario RPG where you’re only controlling Mario.”
While the immediate reaction to this would be to get excited about the idea of an official sequel to Super Mario RPG 2, we, unfortunately, have to put a damper on that excitement. While many fans would love to see more Mario RPG games, we’ve seen interest from Nintendo’s side to make them dwindle. Fujioka’s previous studio, Alpha Dream, went bankrupt in 2019 and Nintendo has unfortunately not shown too much interest since then to bring back the Mario & Luigi franchise. Paper Mario, also a Mario RPG franchise, has steadily moved further away from its traditional RPG roots with many fans considering The Thousand-Year Door to be the last time Paper Mario felt like a true RPG.
Ignoring the conversation about what makes something a “true RPG” the biggest hurdle would likely have to do with the fact that Square Enix is the current owner of anything related to the Super Mario RPG name. If we’re ever going to get a proper sequel then that would require Nintendo and Square Enix to work together on creating it. This is not an impossible idea, the two companies’ relationship is much better than it used to be, but it’s asking a lot for two companies as big as Nintendo and SquareEnix to get together and work on a sequel for a game that is over 25 years old now.
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