The first episode of Jeopardy! aired 58 years ago today, on March 30, 1964. What else was happening in the entertainment industry around that time? “She Loves You” by The Beatles was at the top of the charts; Bonanza was on everyone’s television; and Tracy Chapman, who would later release a song even better than “She Loves You,” was born.
As for Jeopardy!, the show aired during the day time, it was hosted by Art Fleming, and Mary Cabell Eubanks was the winner of the first episode. “I wasn’t the least bit nervous,” she told the J!Buzz blog about her experience on the game show. “I was just having fun. I think they planned some of those words like food so that it would be funny the way I pronounced it. The audience just had a fit over it and so did Art for that matter.”
Cabell Eubanks also revealed what she did with her winnings, a whopping $345 (to put that into context: the winner of Tuesday’s episode ended up with $54,800 for a three-day total of $91,101 — the times they are a-changin’… which also came out in 1964).
While $345 may not seem like a lot of money these days, it was the perfect amount of cash for Mary to get her theater fix attending Broadway plays. “I went to every show that was in town,” Mary said. “I loved drama and shows and plays and everything. So I spent my money going to those. They were a lot cheaper at that point in time, obviously.”
Cabell Eubanks is now 84 years old and living in North Carolina. “I love being a part of this particular show,” she said. “It’s kind of been like the theme of my life in a sense, to not worry about doing new things because I started out early. As long as you just enjoy it, and as long as you have fun, everything will be good.” Unless you own a pygmy goat.
Dublin-based band Pillow Queens have been cultivating a buzz since they first formed in 2016. Their 2020 debut album In Waiting earned them the title of breakout indie rockers and landed them a chance to open for bands such as IDLES, Pussy Riot, and Future Islands. Now armed with a refined sound, the band are gearing up for the release of their anticipated sophomore album, Leave The Light On, which drops Friday.
The band, composed of vocalists Sarah Corcoran and Pamela Connolly, guitarist Cathy McGuiness and drummer Rachel Lyons, looked inward for inspiration on Leave The Light On. As a result, the cathartic and complex 10-track LP explores what it means to hold multiple truths within yourself: To be soft-yet-hard, delicate-yet-muscular, alone-yet-together.
Ahead of the release of Leave The Light On, Pillow Queens sat down with Uproxx talk about their weirdest tattoos, love for Harry Potter, and more on the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Anthemic, thoughtful, melodic, good.
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?
We would hope to be remembered as an important band who were very successful and have now aged beautifully and are living in ethically purchased sustainable mansions. Everyone bought our seventh album, it had outsold Michael Jackson.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?
Dublin, so far. They’re the best crowds in the world. We’re open to being blown away by new crowds though.
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
There’s no one person we could really pinpoint. I think we’re inspired by a plethora of artists that we listen to. Mitski, Phoebe Bridgers, Christy Moore, John Martyn.
Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
There’s a food market in London called Pop Brixton that does really good ramen and gyoza. We overdo it there every time we have a gig in London.
What album do you know every word to?
We can’t decide on one. Cathay says Alanis Morisette’s Jagged Little Pill, Pamela says Casiotone For The Painfully Alone’s Etiquette. Sarah says All Killer No Filler by Sum 41. Actually we all know every word to Tegan & Sara’s The Con.
What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?
Pam: Sufjan Stevens in the Olympia in Dublin.
Sarah: Mitski in Tivoli in Dublin.
Cathy: Alt-J in the Olympia in Dublin.
Rachel: Bon Iver in the 3 Arena in Dublin (I cried at the end when they played “The Wolves”).
What is the best outfit for performing and why?
Pam: Not stick-on sticker bras anyway. That was sh*t. Strapless adhesive bras? I don’t know what they’re called.
Sarah: Tracksuit bottoms and Doc Martens.
Rachel: The clothes of a 15-year-old skater boy. Literally what I’m wearing.
Cathy: Jeans and a t-shirt. The Dream.
Pam: …and a military jacket.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
Pam: I follow a lot of the US women’s soccer team and I really enjoy their content.
Sarah: Tiktok is the future man. Muna and Claud specifically.
Everyone’s still talking about the onstage Oscar smack that Will Smith delivered to Chris Rock. Granted, the joke that Rock told was not a good one, given that “GI Jane” produced an eye roll from Jada PInkett, who struggles with alopecia. Still, Smith (who has since publicly apologized to Rock) took his reaction into the physical realm while Rock (miraculously) kept things together and carried on with the show. (In case you want to relive the immediate aftermath, here’s an uncensored clip of Rock’s followup.)
The fallout’s still a mess, and even Alec Baldwin has weighed in, likening the Oscars to The Jerry Springer Show. Academy member (and The View moderator) Whoopi Goldberg spoke about The Smack, saying that she doubted that the Academy would take away Will’s Oscar, but that Will had “snapped.” In a followup episode, The View discussed Rock’s history and how he’d previously spoken about a physical altercation in his youth, when he reacted with violence after being bullied. As Rock put it then, he was scared to ever grow angry as an adult, because “the guy you saw was bending over backwards to be nice because I was so scared of my anger.”
In light of that quote, Whoopi wants to know why anyone would be surprised that people are surprised that Rock kept it together on stage. “Why you think he would have indulged in a brawl (on a stage) in front of 3 billion people,” Whoopi asked. “Why wouldn’t he be the adult?” That remark happens around the 1:00 mark below.
Whoopi continued, stressing that no one should draw any conclusions, either, from the fact that this happened to be an incident between two Black artists. Instead, she sees this as an issue with Will Smith’s actions as an individual, not as part of a community:
“There’s nothing wrong with what [Rock] did, so there’s no reason for anybody to have any issue with Black people! You have an issue with Will Smith, and what he did. He doesn’t represent every Black person on the planet. Stop doing that! And assume that the right thing was done because the man knows how to act in public! Chris Rock!”
Meanwhile, Rock has refrained from public comment, although Rock’s brother has accused Diddy of lying while claiming that Smith and Rock had supposedly settled the beef after the ceremony as “brothers.” However, Rock will hit the stand-up stage in Boston on Wednesday night, so stay tuned.
The Grammy Awards are this weekend (on April 3) and it turns out that now, in the days leading up to the show, the Recording Academy and CBS are working on some sort of tribute to honor recently deceased Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.
Jack Sussman — CBS’ executive vice president of specials, music, and live events — told Variety that producers are currently deciding how Hawkins will be honored on the broadcast. He noted, “We will honor his memory in some way. We want to figure out what is the right thing to do that is respectful to everyone involved. We’re patient. We’ll be planning right up until the very end.”
Hawkins has been a regular presence at the Grammys over the years thanks to his work with Foo Fighters. The band’s first Grammy nomination came in 1996, as the self-titled debut album was up for Best Alternative Music Performance. That was before Hawkins was in the band, but the group’s first nominations with Hawkins on board came in 2001, when they had three nominations and two wins, including There Is Nothing Left To Lose getting Best Rock Album.
This year, “Making A Fire” is up for Best Rock Performance, “Waiting On A War” is up for Best Rock song, and Medicine At Midnight is up for Best Rock Album. The band was also set to perform at this year’s ceremony, although it seems that may no longer be happening as the group just canceled all their upcoming performances.
Find the full list of 2022 Grammy nominations here.
Following the news that Bruce Willis is retiring from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a rare brain disorder, fans have been flocking to social media to voice their love and appreciation for the iconic actor. Willis’ ex-wife, Demi Moore, revealed the news of his diagnosis in an Instagram post that’s being met with an outpouring of support:
This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support. We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him.
Putting their faith in Willis’ fans was clearly the right call. The actor immediately started trending on Twitter where the tributes are still pouring in like crazy, which shouldn’t be a surprise given Willis’ long career filled with some of the best performances on film.
“I have so much love for Bruce Willis, and am grateful for every character he’s given us,” Seth Green tweeted. “Hugs and love for the whole family- thank you for sharing him with us all.”
I have so much love for Bruce Willis, and am grateful for every character he’s given us. Hugs and love for the whole family- thank you for sharing him with us all https://t.co/ct0HE1Ti2N
“Bruce Willis has given us so many iconic characters and great performances across his career. Forever a legend,” Isaac Feldberg tweeted. “Wishing him all the best, and I hope he enjoys retirement.”
Bruce Willis has given us so many iconic characters and great performances across his career. Forever a legend. Wishing him all the best, and I hope he enjoys retirement. pic.twitter.com/Pof4ZwPB77
“When Bruce Willis was on it, there were few who were better,” wrote Robert Daniels. “An under appreciated dramatic force, an unlikely comedic presence, a sterling leading man. He could do anything and did everything in the movies. I’m going to miss seeing him on the silver screen.”
When Bruce Willis was on it, there were few who were better. An under appreciated dramatic force, an unlikely comedic presence, a sterling leading man. He could do anything and did everything in the movies. I’m going to miss seeing him on the silver screen.
You can see more reactions to Bruce Willis retiring below, and trust us when we say this is barely a drop in the bucket compared to all of the support out there:
No matter the movies that Bruce Willis has made recently, his career is among the best ever. John McClane is the greatest action hero of all-time. I’ll miss his talents and performances. pic.twitter.com/d33aI1BYbm
For me, Bruce Willis is the greatest actor of his generation – seriously. I wish I could find him on Twitter to say thank you for all those fantastic films. But most of all, for tv series #Moonlighting where he played wise-cracking motormouth David Addison, the coolest man ever. pic.twitter.com/5fbGTERPaM
Bruce Willis to my recollection is the first real Action Movie Star I recognized as a kid. The Die Hard series was always a favorite of mine growing up and to hear about his diagnosis and him retiring is absolutely Sad.
Thoughts and prayers to Bruce Willis and his family. Thanks for all the wonderful memories (especially Moonlighting). Much love & appreciation.https://t.co/ifSU6tS4Jh
An absolute shame about Bruce Willis. An absolute incredible actor. With really underrated range. He could perfectly give the quiet and subtlety beautiful performance in Unbreakable or perfectly play the wise cracking hero in Die Hard. pic.twitter.com/YhqJMdStlG
If you’re looking to watch something today in celebration of Bruce Willis, I recommend a double feature of bonkers mid-‘90s thrillers dismissed as lurid junk but now feel exciting and alive like few studio movies today. pic.twitter.com/qd8AsdAvMM
If you’re sad about the Bruce Willis news- as I am- this is my reminder to you, that among his iconic, classic and beloved roles- Hudson Hawk is a perfect movie that exists and should be revisited. pic.twitter.com/t3LXHhES0t
If ever there was a cause to get behind in the wake of this sad news—it’s giving us a digitally remastered DVD release of Moonlighting stat. She was great. He was great. It was great. Helluva career Bruce Willis. Thank you for it. pic.twitter.com/W3G0P7RU8v
One of my first jobs in show biz was being an extra in the office scenes on MOONLIGHTING. So I got to watch Bruce Willis act, up close, a lot. He was very good at it. Sorry to hear today about his health forcing him to retire. Damn, that dude could talk fast. And so charming.
Super sad news about Bruce Willis. Dude played the “every man” with so much charm and wit – no one else came close. Hope he’s able to relish the time he has with his family. pic.twitter.com/xUuRixwWFj
The sheer joy and chutzpah that Bruce Willis has brought to the big screen is beyond measure. Thank you for the movies, sir. And all the best to you and your family. pic.twitter.com/5L4ytGBisn
— Bennett Campbell Ferguson (@thobennett) March 30, 2022
Maggie Rogers has revealed the title, cover art, and release date of her much-anticipated second album, Surrender. Recorded in her parents’ garage, Electric Lady Studios in New York City, and Peter Gabriel‘s Real World Studios near Bath, England, Surrender offers 12 tracks detailing her process of winding down amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, following the success of her debut album Heard It In A Past Lifethe year before, Rogers was ready to restore her equilibrium. COVID catalyzed this process, prompting Rogers to relocate “to the coast of Maine and completely cut herself off from the noise of the outside world,” according to a statement. Her time reading, resting, and basking in the nature of the North Atlantic ocean inspired her to write and create music with that same sense of exploration.
In the album’s trailer, co-directed by Michael Scanlon, Rogers reveals a clip of new music, and says:
“When I’m angry or in love, I feel it in my teeth.
Strange harmonic buzzing.
Cuts through my hands.
My jaw.
My breast bone.
For a long time I fought it. Resisted. Held up my fists.
Tried to hold the current. Foolish.
I found peace in distortion. A chaos I could control.
Turned the drums up real loud hoping they could shock me back in.
Break the numbness.
Let the bright lights drag me out.
Do you fear what’s underneath? Is your jaw wound tight?
Do you ever want to bite?
And what if you did?
Sink your gums into a shoulder.
Of a lover.
Of a day.
Of a year.
We were 18. We were 23. I’m 27 now.
Here’s all I have. It’s yours to take.
Love. Hate. Anger. Feral joy.
This is the story of what happened when I finally gave in.
Can you let go?
Can you feel it all?
Can you?”
Watch the trailer above and find the Surrender cover art below.
Courtesy of Capitol Records
Surrender is out 7/29 via Capitol. Pre-save it here.
Peated Scotch whisky is perhaps the most divisive style of whisky. This earthy dram tends to either be beloved to the deepest reaches of your soul from the very first sip or hated for life with the fire of a thousand suns without much in between.
I tend to fall in the latter camp, but that really depends on the smokiness of the juice. Phenols are what people love or hate with peated whisky. Speaking very generally, “peated barley” is barley that has been introduced to moisture to begin the germination process (sprouting), then dried using smoke from peat — a type of mossy, carbon-rich soil that can be used as fire fuel — to halt germination and complete the malting process.
While that drying process happens, the malts are imbued with phenols. Which then manifest a certain set of flavors into the wash, the distillate, and eventually, the finished whisky. Think: medicinal, iodine-laced, minerally, earthy, smoky, ashy, umami, fatty, bitter, and, yes, smoky. But, as with all tasting notes in whisky, there are varying degrees to the softness and severity of those notes. That can actually be measured by the PPM (parts per million) of those phenols. 70 to 80 PPMs is very high. 50 to 60 is pretty average. 30 to 40 is low. 20 is pretty much the lowest you’ll find in the mainstream. Again, all of this varies the deeper you go.
Science aside, in order to parse out these peated whiskies, I decided it was high time for a blind taste test and ranking. I grabbed eight peated Scotch whiskies (both single malts and blends) at random from my shelves, had my wife pour them for me, and dug in.
Today’s lineup:
Talisker 8 The Rogue Seafury
BenRiach The Smoky 12
Ardbeg Wee Beastie
Johnnie Walker 18
Laphroaig An Cuan Mor
Bowmore 15
Caol Ila Distillers Edition
Compass Box Glasgow Blend
Let’s get tasting!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months
The sip opens with a matrix of smoked fruits, sea spray, iodine, and dry nori sheets with a hint of wet forest floor and wet marble countertops. The taste leans into smoked sea salt with an echo of dried rose, hints of green bell pepper, and dirty firewood bark. The mid-palate leans into that black dirt as smoked stone fruits lead toward a spicy tobacco vibe at the very end.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Band-Aids, dark chocolate powder, and sandalwood drive the nose but stay pretty light. That lightness carries on to the palate with a dark chocolate orange next to a grapefruit pith with an earthy moss underbelly. The finish has a whisper of old campfire ash the morning after a cookout with a little more of that Band-Aid.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Alcohol-soaked dried fruits mingle with saffron stewed pears and a vanilla woodiness that leans into dry peat on the nose. The taste is somewhat briny with smoked pears that lead to smoked bacon fat and black ash. The finish feels like fresh asphalt with smoked pear tobacco that’s been dipped in salty water.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This is incredibly soft with applewood mingling with buttery toffee, worn leather, and winter spice on the nose. The palate is all caramel and marzipan as vanilla pudding layers with soft spice, fresh tangerines, and dark chocolate. That choco vibe lasts into the finish with sweet spices and dried chili rounding out the lightly peated end.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a nutty nose next to old leather, oat biscuits, and a hint of Ace bandage. Raisins and plum skins drive the palate toward a medicinal vibe countered by a spicy nut with a hint of honey. The finish moves from light wood toward vanilla tobacco with a final spray of Windex.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Smoked chocolate malts draw you in as smoked raisins, dates, and figs round out the nose with old leather and sourdough scones. A cedar box full of spicy tobacco opens the palate as Caro Syrup sweetens the whole taste toward more dried fruits. The finish holds onto those dried fruits as cinnamon oat cakes mingle with sweet tobacco on the slow fade out.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Smoked apricot, honey, dark chocolate powder, and star anise drive the nose. The palate is bold with crispy salmon skins next to anchovy oils countered by smoked salt toffee candy, orange oils, and dark stone fruits. The finish leans into the fatty smoked salmon vibes as the smoke and peat lean towards a dampened seaside campfire after a rainstorm.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Smoked prunes, nutmeg, and cherry lead the way on the nose. The palate is fairly thin with hints of smoked malts with a spicy edge, dry straw, almond shells, and ripe plums. The finish has a touch of a cold fireplace and BBQ charcoal next to a thin layer of dried figs and plums.
The base is a mix of unpeated and peated malted barley. Those juices are then mellowed for at least 12 years in a combination of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-Marsala wine casks. The results are then blended by whisky icon Dr. Rachel Barrie into this arresting whisky.
Blind Tasting Notes From Above:
Band-Aids, dark chocolate powder, and sandalwood drive the nose, but stay pretty light. That lightness carries on to the palate with a dark chocolate orange next to a grapefruit pith with an earthy moss underbelly. The finish has a whisper of old campfire ash the morning after a cookout with a little more of that Band-Aid.
Bottom Line:
This was perfectly fine. There was no wow factor but it did deliver a mild peated whisky. Still, this feels more like a mixing whisky than a sipper.
“An Cuan Mor” means “Big Ocean” in Gaelic. This whisky leans into the ocean by being aged right next to the sea on Islay. The whisky spends years maturing in first-fill ex-bourbon casks. After a while (there’s no age statement), the whisky is then transferred to ex-sherry casks made from European oak. Those barrels are then vatted and proofed down with that soft Islay water before bottling.
Blind Tasting Notes From Above:
This opens with a nutty nose next to old leather, oat biscuits, and a hint of Ace bandage. Raisins and plum skins drive the palate toward a medicinal vibe, countered by a spicy nut with a hint of honey. The finish moves from light wood toward vanilla tobacco with a final spray of Windex.
Bottom Line:
This was a bit much in the opposite direction. The Ace bandage and Windex are a lot to take in. Still, there was a clear presence of each flavor on the nose and palate. It just really wasn’t for me.
This is a new-ish expression from Ardbeg (it was released in April of 2020). The juice is aged for only five years in both ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso sherry casks before marrying for the final product. The idea is to give a sense of the quality of the peaty juice from Port Ellen’s malting house without too much wood influence.
Blind Tasting Notes From Above:
Alcohol-soaked dried fruits mingle with saffron stewed pears and a vanilla woodiness that leans into dry peat on the nose. The taste is somewhat briny with smoked pears that lead to smoked bacon fat and black ash. The finish feels like fresh asphalt with smoked pear tobacco that’s been dipped in salty water.
Bottom Line:
This felt a little young on the palate without a lot of depth, especially for an Ardbeg. The phenols, or peat, were off the charts with that asphalt vibe, and that sort of muted everything else. At the very least, it was a point of view; and as with the Laphroaig above, that counts for a lot.
This expression is a marrying of whiskies from all over Scotland. 65 percent of the juice comes from single malts from a “distillery near the town of Aberlour,” Laphroaig, and Clynelish. The rest is part Highland malt blend (from the Glen Moray, Tomatin, and Balmenach distilleries) and a grain whisky from Cameronbridge distillery. Those whiskies were barreled in sherry and bourbon casks with a French oak barrel thrown in too.
Blind Tasting Notes From Above:
Smoked prunes, nutmeg, and cherry lead the way on the nose. The palate is fairly thin with hints of smoked malts with a spicy edge, dry straw, almond shells, and ripe plums. The finish has a touch of a cold fireplace and BBQ charcoal next to a thin layer of dried figs and plums.
Bottom Line:
This was another whisky that was just fine. It was smoky, fruity, and easy to drink. That said, I would likely lean more towards using this as a cocktail base for a great drink than a sipper.
This blend used to be called Johnnie Walker Platinum, which was also aged for 18 years. You might still see some of those bottles on shelves where scotch sells slowly. This is the same juice, which is comprised of 18 whiskies all of which are a minimum of 18 years old. The primary distilleries in the bottle are Blair Athol, Cardhu, Glen Elgin, and Auchroisk.
Blind Tasting Notes From Above:
This is incredibly soft with applewood mingling with buttery toffee, worn leather, and winter spice on the nose. The palate is all caramel and marzipan as vanilla pudding layers with soft spice, fresh tangerines, and dark chocolate. That choco vibe lasts into the finish with sweet spices and dried chili rounding out the lightly peated end.
Bottom Line:
This was soft and nice. That saved it a lot as it was also one of the lighter whiskies on this list. Lightness aside, there was real flavor in this whisky that stood out and made sense. It’s well-rounded and inviting. It’s just not very bold.
This bottle from Islay’s Bowmore is a 15-year-old whisky that’s a blend of American and European oak. For the first 12 years, this whisky rests in ex-bourbon barrels. For the last three years, the whisky is transferred to Oloroso sherry casks. The whisky is then finished with local spring water, bringing it down to a very approachable 86 proof.
Blind Tasting Notes From Above:
Smoked chocolate malts draw you in, as smoked raisins, dates, and figs round out the nose with old leather and sourdough scones. A cedar box full of spicy tobacco opens the palate as Caro Syrup sweetens the whole taste toward more dried fruits. The finish holds onto those dried fruits as cinnamon oat cakes mingle with sweet tobacco on the slow fade out.
Bottom Line:
This was just … nice. There was nothing overtly off-putting about the low phenols, and that lack of heavy peat meant that more nuanced flavors could shine through. Overall, this felt like a great end-of-day sipper that’d also work wonders in a cocktail. It’s versatile and delicious.
This year’s Talisker sticks with the classic age statement of 8-years while leaning into the smokier side of the island whisky. The build on this expression is a marrying of the “Smokiest Reserves” from the Talisker warehouse. That juice is vatted and bottled at cask strength.
Blind Tasting Notes From Above:
The sip opens with a matrix of smoked fruits, sea spray, iodine, and dry nori sheets with a hint of wet forest floor and wet marble countertops. The taste leans into smoked sea salt with an echo of dried rose, hints of green bell pepper, and dirty firewood bark. The mid-palate leans into that black dirt as smoked stone fruits lead toward a spicy tobacco vibe at the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is freakin’ delicious. It’s so complex and unique while still feeling dialed in and accessible. The only fault is that it wasn’t quite as funky as it could have been, which is why it’s just shy of first place.
This yearly release from the tiny Islay distillery, Caol Ila, is all about the finish. The 12-year-old juice is finished in Moscatel sherry casks to give it a truly deep fruitiness next to that briny Islay peat.
Blind Tasting Notes From Above:
Smoked apricot, honey, dark chocolate powder, and star anise drive the nose. The palate is bold with crispy salmon skins next to anchovy oils countered by smoked salt toffee candy, orange oils, and dark stone fruits. The finish leans into the fatty smoked salmon vibes as the smoke and peat lean towards a dampened seaside campfire after a rainstorm.
Bottom Line:
It was close between this and the Talisker above. But, Caol Ila won out for that little bit more depth and funk. This really is a bold whisky that has a softness that’s very enticing. You’re never overwhelmed by the flavor notes and they all build to a bigger whole at the end. It’s truly a classic pour of whisky.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
Overall, I’m not that surprised by this outcome. I love Caol Ila and Talisker deeply. What can I say? I dig that seaside funkiness and lower-peated vibe.
In the end, I think my first statement up top remains true. These whiskies are going to be very hit and miss for folks, especially if you’re coming from the very sweet bourbon world. Sweetness is not the name of the game with these. This is about earthiness, fruit, and smoke with the side of the ocean in all its glory. If you’re into that, these are for you, especially the Caol Ila and Talisker.
As fans eagerly await the return of Bill Hader’s hit TV show Barry on April 24th, Hader has been opening up about his anxiety both on and off-screen.
“Anxiety is always fighting those voices in your head saying, ‘Here’s all the bad things that are going to happen,’” the actor told The Hollywood Reporter. “Weirdly, I have a harder time with day-to-day stuff, as opposed to running a TV show.”
One of the things that helps Hader’s anxiety, as it turns out, is sugar. Lots of sugar! The Saturday Night Livealum admits that sweets are his coping mechanism. “I’ve walked to Vons at midnight with a spoon in my pocket because I know I’m going to buy ice cream and I’m going to eat it on the way back,” he says. “The minute it’s mine, I’m eating this shit and I’ll probably finish it before I get back home. And it just makes me feel like a piece of shit. But, yeah, that’s my stress thing.” He is definitely not alone in that.
The actor also told a story about leaving the SNL set on a Friday at 2 am, eating an Entenmann’s coffeecake with his bare hands in an aisle of the iconic New York City supermarket Gristedes. “The shame of bringing the empty box up to the cashier and him being like, ‘Dude,’” Hader says. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, man,” Hader said.
Despite his anxieties, Hader serves as executive producer, writer, and director on the upcoming season Barry. Henry Winkler, who also stars on the show, says Hader never let his apprehension show. “He used to mouth your words,” Winkler says. “He knew everybody’s lines because he wrote them, he and his wonderful staff. And you would see him saying your line with you and you would have to say, ‘Bill, Bill, you’re mouthing the words again.’”
While Barry season three was written pre-pandemic, Hader admits to having to go in and do re-writes to appeal to audiences as the times have changed. “We were trying to get more to the reality of things,” Hader says. “Are we getting to the honesty of this, the brutal honesty of it? Are we going too far? Is this too silly? Is this too disturbing?” Since fans have been eagerly waiting nearly three years for a new season, odds are good that they will stick around for this season.
Barry season three premieres on HBO on April 24th.
Mother Mother formed in 2005 and have released eight albums across their career. In summer 2020, the Vancouver indie rock band experienced a curious phenomenon: Several older songs, including “Hayloft” and “Arms Tonite” from their second album, 2008’s O My Heart, suddenly became massively popular on TikTok.
Nearly two years later, vocalist Ryan Guldemond says Mother Mother still have no idea how the band’s music found this new audience. “There’s no Patient Zero, you know?” he says, Zooming in from Vancouver. “I think that’s what adds to the beauty of it. It’s just so cloaked in mystery.”
However, this newfound popularity has buoyed the band as they released a new album, 2021’s Inside, and started touring again. Guldemond checked in and shared the impact of their TikTok fame, how it’s influenced the band today and what they’ve learned from the situation.
When were you first starting to get the sense that the songs were taking off?
We noticed that our other platforms were growing, such as Spotify and YouTube. It didn’t make sense, because we were off-cycle [and not releasing or promoting new music]. There was nothing new happening for us at that time. But our management was able to trace the growing metrics to TikTok and noticed that there was a large community of young people vibing, connecting, and sharing early Mother Mother music. That was driving the streams on the other platforms and the hits on other platforms. So it started to make sense.
I like that your earlier work was connecting. When you’re a younger musician, you’re maybe a little less self-conscious when making music, and you’re trying to figure out your voice. It’s interesting that fans really gravitated toward that era specifically.
Yeah. I think that it’s a classic syndrome that the early work is often [freer] by virtue of its naivete. You haven’t failed or succeeded yet. And both of those outcomes can interfere with the creative process. Because if you succeed, then you’re trying to recreate it—and if you fail, then you’re trying to reinvent. All of that trying, it’s so heady. It’s so intellectual. Creativity is anything but cranial. It’s a heartspace endeavor.
I would imagine it’s probably gratifying that the popularity on TikTok translated to other platforms — that people were like, I really like this music so much, I want to follow the band. What did that mean for you as a musician?
It’s the best result when the introduction gives way to a substantial relationship. TikTok is the gateway. People are introduced to your aura, your image, and are then prompted to take a bigger leap onto a streaming platform and try to digest an album as a whole. You know, if you pass that test, then they start venturing into other platforms, like YouTube, to really sink into the visuals. We noticed that the trend was people sticking around and passing through these doors and entering the community, the world that is the band, and staying. We’re lucky that this TikTok moment is actually translating into meaningful fanship.
You started the band’s TikTok account after the songs started taking off. What was your strategy? What did you expect? And were there any surprises you discovered when you really started spending time on the platform?
I didn’t have much of a strategy. I was flailing and making mistakes. Learning and trying not to take it — or myself — too seriously, and not worrying about casting the right image. [I was] trying to trust that you’re being yourself and being authentic, then you can’t lose.
What I noticed really worked for us was making it known and felt that we were actually seeing this community and acknowledging their interests and subcultures. [We were] partaking in those various conversations by dueting, by advocating, by celebrating. Teenage culture is so big for them at that time in their life. So I think it’s pretty powerful for maybe their mentors, or the people they look up to, to acknowledge that and say, “Hey, I see you. I see what you stand for.”
You probably remember being a teenager — all you wanted was to be heard as you’re trying to figure yourself out. Having that support and getting that validation, even a tiny little bit, means so much to teenagers at that age.
It wasn’t anything that we had to feign either. It was very easy to celebrate and encourage what we were seeing because it’s amazing. Gen Z and the youth of today are pretty bright and curious and don’t suffer antiquated foolish notions easily. I think it’s inspiring.
Did having this younger generation discover the songs give the band any more insights into the songs? Or different insights? Considering the fact there was a gap between when they were released and when they hit.
All of that early music was written without any premeditation, which is the best. [It’s that moment] when you sit down with a guitar and a song arrives and there’s a story that was complete with or without you, seemingly. You just so happened to be there for when it found its form in the world.
[These songs] meant the world in that they felt amazing. But they weren’t extensions of our personal narrative. They weren’t autobiographical. I don’t know where all of that language came from. Because they’re pretty wild, these songs. The lyrics, the stories. It’s verbose and it’s abstract and it’s eccentric and dark. It’s a lot of stuff. But as I recall, it just kind of happened.
And now, to learn what it means through other people has been amazing. It’s like, “Wow, now I understand what that song means.” A lot of these interpretations are so powerful and spot on. It’s like, “Oh, I can’t believe I didn’t see that!” All of those years of playing that song or recording or writing it, it’s wild that I skipped over the obvious themes within this music.
That’s really powerful all those years later to have those insights. It’s like when you read a book at a certain age, and you read it years later, and you see all these different layers when you have more life experiences and more insights. A piece of art is a living, breathing thing.
You’d think you would have more to say about your own art, that you wouldn’t need to rely on the interpretation to understand it more. But I like that, because it suggests that it’s beyond you, and that you aren’t the author. You know that old cliché, that you’re a conduit. I do like the conduit philosophy. I feel like it adds humility to the creative process. It also strips the ego from it. So yeah, this has all really kind of emblazoned that idea for me.
You had a new record that came out last year. Did the specter of this blooming popularity hover over the record at all? If so, in what ways? How did that sort of shape the music you were making going forward?
I don’t know if we were lucky or unlucky to be unwitting to what was going on as we were writing our latest record, but we were. We had no idea this was happening when the new songs were being written. I think that was probably a good thing. There might have been pressure to emulate the old magic and to capitalize on the new attention. So, that record was made free of any of that. I think it was a really authentic portrayal of where we were in 2020 as artists and as creatives. I love it. I’m really proud of it. But it wasn’t until we were mixing it and kind of packaging it that we were aware of what was going on with TikTok. It didn’t really influence it, it just made it really exciting to be observing this thing happening while we were finishing something that was disconnected from it.
That’s great timing, because you’re like, “Great, we have all this popularity, and we have something new coming.” You couldn’t have timed it better. But I like that it’s not self-conscious, because that’s very much how those original songs were made. There’s that same feeling that there’s not pressure on it. There’s not that something on your shoulders.
Yeah, and I mean, moving forward, I think the message is one of liberation, as it relates to writing new music. The old music getting this stamp of widespread approval is reminding us that we can—and anyone can—do whatever they want in the creative space with songwriting. Nothing has to be formulaic. Nothing has to abide by any rules. In fact, it’s better when it doesn’t, so long that it’s coming from a channeled and free space. We’re quite thankful for that message, for the permission that we realize now we never needed to just simply be free, to make art and songs unfettered by the rulebook.
Touring has obviously been a little more challenging in recent years. Have you seen crowds change at all?
We just went on a US tour for a month. We’ve been traveling and touring in the US for 15 years. But it was interesting, because these shows, everyone was there seeing the band for the first time. And it was teenagers for the most part. A thousand-plus teenagers in a room every night. We’d ask, “Who is seeing the band for the first time?” Every hand in the house went up. So that would only suggest that the people that used to come and see us that would have come and seen us just weren’t able to get tickets because these kids were hot on the pulse. That was a really bizarre and shocking environment to walk into.
Obviously, it was very exciting. Such good fortune. But it was a new introduction and it was a first impression. It was high octane, young, exuberant energy. You know, we really had to give a lot and do right by this opportunity to greet these folks for the first time and make their inaugural experience worth it. So yeah, the stakes were high and it was amazing.
That’s a lot considering the fact you’re coming back after having time off because of the pandemic and then you have to walk into this. That could be a lot of pressure.
Yeah, I guess it was a lot of energy. Coming off of the pandemic, we were humbled by how tired we got so easily. It was like, “Wow, we don’t remember touring being so tiring.” But it was a good kick in the ass. We came home and said, “Okay, it’s time to train for the road.” You know, in a new way, like Rocky-style. So yeah, we’re pretty inspired and driven right now to greet the rest of this robust touring cycle with some big energy that we create ourselves.
You’ve got to actually do your vocal practice while you’re doing cardio. Like Beyonce — they’re on the treadmill and they’re doing lip trills.
That’s a TikTok video right there. There’s some quality viral content. What other unexpected things have you been able to have because of this experience?
Gosh, I mean, just seeing the world in a way that we haven’t and didn’t think we would. That’s a big part of it. The world is really opened up. We’ve never played Dublin and we’re going to Dublin. You know, small things like that. Or big things like that, depending how you look at it. It’s big to us.
You know, ultimately, the freedom. It’s nice to feel like we have complete freedom to be ourselves musically and do whatever it is that we want to do. That might be the most profound thing.
Inside is out now via Warner Records. Get it here.
Mother Mother is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
If Andrew Giuliani grew up wanting to be just like his dad, former New York City Mayor-turned-total crackpot Rudy Giuliani, he has succeeded. And by that, we mean: He successfully made a very public ass of himself while making some deplorable comments during at a far-right rally.
As The Daily Beast reports, Giuliani the Younger’s comments came over the weekend, where he attended a rally in Long Island, outside of a train station, hosted by Long Island Loud Majority—a group that the Southern Poverty Law Center has branded an “extreme anti-government group.” Which is probably not the group a man running for governor necessarily needs to spend time courting. But court he did. And when talk turned to rights for transgender individuals, Andrew wants absolutely zero—and figured out an awfully creepy way to express his anti-trans sentiments by describing how he had “looked under” his fourth-month-old daughter’s “hood.”
She “made a promise to me on the first day, right? My wife was sleeping, and I’m holding her [my daughter] in my arms. And I get emotional thinking about it, but she made a promise with me. She shook my hand and I said, ‘I’m the only boyfriend till you’re 25 years old, shake hands.’
“Shook my hand. So I have changed the diapers. I have looked under the hood. She’s a woman. I’m gonna be the last guy in a long time that looks under the hood right there. But guess what? She was born a woman and she’s gonna stay a woman, it’s that simple.”
Again: Ewww!
When asked for further comment on his anti-trans stance, Giuliani’s office simply told The Daily Beast that “while Andrew does not claim to be a biologist, he can tell the difference between a male and a female.” This means that he can distinguish biological sex, not gender, but there’s probably no reasoning with the son of man who married his own cousin.
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with a Y 
