Month: March 2022

For me, few tequila expressions hit that Goldilocks zone of flavor and character like a reposado. Generally, even your most basic reposado will have the bright, green, grassy, or vegetal notes of a blanco tequila, all spikey and biting like un-aged tequila tends to be, but ever so slightly mellowed out, softened, and massaged, without tasting too vanilla-forward like an añejo. There is always something to pull out of the bouquet of flavors, which makes it a great candidate for the old blind taste test, where we’re able to put our biases about bottle shape, label design, and brand behind us in an effort to really zero in on the complex characters of our chosen expressions.

For this test, I had my girlfriend grab eight bottles in the $30-$60 range — which I feel is the sweet spot on price for a good-to-great reposado — and put them head to head in a blind taste test. The only rules for selection were price tier and expression, so I went into this tasting not even knowing what was on the menu, which made guessing a fool’s errand. I tried, but only guessed two of the eight correctly.

Which only proves I need to drink more tequila. Right?

Let’s drink.

Part 1: The Tasting

Taste 1

Sweet and inviting on the nose with fragrant tones of vanilla, caramel, and honey. Strangely, on the palate almost none of those qualities are expressed. Instead, things shift into a much more earthy territory with a zesty cracked black pepper flavor that settles into a smooth oakiness. It’s lightly spicy on the after-taste.

Not bad but I do miss those sweeter flavors teased on the nose.

Taste 2

There is a sort of sour yogurt smell to this one, it’s very pungent. Not the most inviting, I get a hint of white pepper with a lingering cork-like burn. It really comes across as the type of tequila you should shoot not savor.

Taste 3

This reposado had a beautifully faint color, like light straw with an inviting chocolate scent. On the palate the flavors were mellow, traces of toasted agave danced around notes of vanilla and caramel before finishing with a sizzling burn.

Taste 4

A beautifully fragrant mix of butterscotch and oak on the nose with a silky mouthfeel and flavors of coconut, cherry, and roasted agave on the palate. This one had a shifting flavor that stayed interesting and begged for more sips. To which I obliged, because I mean come on, who wouldn’t?

Taste 5

Much sweeter and a little less focused than the last taste. It’s initially sweet with caramel and vanilla flavors dominating before settling into a blunt woody finish. I think if sipped in a different order, I might be less hard on this one, but it’s just coming on a little strong compared to the delicate flavors of the previous taste.

Taste 6

I guess the sweet reposados are going to keep coming because this one is also heavily dominated by sweet dessert-like flavors. But it hits more like a sledgehammer than taste five. It’s heavily chocolate on the nose and palate, with a cool minty finish that fizzles out into a black peppercorn aftertaste. It’s an interesting journey of flavors, but it feels a little all over the place to me.

It’ll definitely color any cocktail you mix it in, so if you’re looking for a more neutral base to build off of, look elsewhere.

Taste 7

There is a very inviting quality about this one. It’s sweet without delving into dessert flavors, think less chocolate, vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch, and more fruity flavors like white pear, apple, and apricot. There is a buttery sumptuousness here that finishes on woody oak notes.

Taste 8

In another class entirely. This is noticeably smoother, more complex, and balanced than the other bottles in this roundup. It’s similar to taste four in its subtle expression of flavors which include roasted agave, zesty citrus, vanilla, and a delicate spicy finish that lingers and tiptoes across the palate on the aftertaste.

It’s truly one of the best sips of tequila I’ve had in a nice long while.

Part 2: The Ranking

8. Los Sundays Reposado (Taste 3)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $38.99

The Tequila:

Los Sundays, despite its boringly modern label and pandering marketing (they like to note their tequila is ‘gluten free’ — which, no shit?) the brand makes some solid tequila, with the slightly aged reposado being the best expression produced to date. For this reposado tequila, Los Sundays rests their blanco tequila in American Oak whiskey barrels from Tennesse for just under 12 months, giving this tequila a very mellow flavor that works as a solid cocktail base or simple sipper.

It just didn’t stand out in this blind taste test. It came across as blunt and a bit boring by comparison. There was a mass-produced quality to this bottle that the others didn’t have.

The Bottom Line:

It’s mellow and adds character to a good cocktail but for the money, you can pick up a more characterful bottle.

7. Dano’s Dangerous Tequila Reposado (Taste 6)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $49.99

The Tequila:

Dano’s has probably one of the worst names and bottle designs in all of the tequila world which is a real shame because, despite its garish exterior, this is some good nectar. Aged in virgin white oak barrels for 9 months and prepared in small batches at the Casa Reyes Barajas distillery (NOM 1507), Dano’s has a toastier quality to it, but the chocolate flavors that dominate it came across as too blunt into some of the more subtle expressions of the other bottles.

The Bottom Line:

If you want a reposado that has a distinctively toasted flavor on the finish that isn’t present in other tequila in this price range, Dano’s is for you. It serves as a wonderful base for a complex spicy cocktail, but it goes a bit heavy on the sweet notes. Something to keep in mind if you’re making a bright margarita.

6. Siempre Tequila Reposado (Taste 7)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $38.99

The Tequila:

Siempre jumps out with a different flavor than a lot of the other tequilas on here, it’s fruity but not dessert-like, and features a strong woody finish. This reposado is barrel-aged for six months in ex Jack Daniels barrels and produced using an open-air fermentation process from a blend of 50/50 highland and lowland tequilas.

The flavors, while unique and tasty, just come together a bit more muddled in comparison to everything ranked higher. So this will have to die in the middle of the list.

The Bottom Line:

Fruity, woody, and unique. I’d utilize this in a more experimental cocktail rather than a classic margarita or paloma.

Tres Generaciones Reposado (Taste 1)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $47

The Tequila:

Hailing from NOM 1102 Tequila Sauza distillery, Tres Generaciones is produced using 100% blue Weber agave and is triple distilled for an enhanced smoothness before being rested in American oak barrels for a minimum of four months. That smoothness is easily noticeable and always appreciated, but for this ranking that silky mouthfeel wasn’t enough to push it into the top spots.

Still a great bottle all around though.

The Bottom Line:

If you like your tequila smooth and supple, Tres Generaciones will get you there.

Severo Tequila Reposado (Taste 3)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $52.99

The Tequila:

A bit closer to the $60 range, Severo really tastes like a premium product. The reposado is rested for 10 months in American oak barrels and that extra time in the barrel really helps to smoothen out the flavors and mellow out the texture. It’s one of those tequilas that is dangerously easy to drink.

The Bottom Line:

Super smooth, mellow, and expressive. This is the sort of bottle you’re going to want to keep on your shelf for those days you’re looking to impress. Company or yourself!

818 Tequila Reposado (Taste 5)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $52.99

The Tequila

Every time I have a small party or gathering of friends, I know one of two things are going to happen when I break out the 818. Either people are going to get excited when I tell them it’s Kendall Jenner’s tequila or, if I’m dealing with a group of tequila snobs, I purposely won’t tell them, pour them a shot blind, and watch as they gush and praise what they’re tasting, only to backstep once I say “it’s Kendall Jenner’s tequila.”

I’m sorry if this is hard for you to hear but, 818 is good, actually, great tequila, so stop being a weird asshole and just accept it and you’ll always have a sweet-forward people-pleasing tequila. Having said that, I won’t say 818 is for everyone, if you prefer earthy, peppery, or more generally biting notes, 818 is going to come across as too sweet and soft to your palate. And unfortunately for 818, it was tasted alongside the more subtle El Tesoro, which gets our number two spot.

The Bottom Line:

A real people pleaser, 818 is a pleasure to drink, it’s naturally sweet, balanced, and super smooth working as both a great sipping and mixing tequila.

El Tesoro Reposado( Taste 4)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $37.99

The Tequila:

I’m never surprised to find El Tesoro near the top spot of any blind taste test or ranking, the label just knows how to craft a great tequila, regardless of expression. A Double Gold International Spirits Challenge winner and Ultimate Spirits Challenge finalist, El Tesoro’s Reposado are aged for nine to eleven months in oak ex-bourbon barrels, imparting a balanced blend of smokey oaky flavors and natural sweetness.

The Bottom Line:

Complex without being muddled, transparent without being boring, El Tesoro’s Reposado is the perfect base to build a three to four-ingredient cocktail over and never disappoints. For under $40, you won’t find a finer tequila.

Fortaleza Reposado (Taste 8)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $59.98

The Tequila:

It pains me to see the number one spot taken by the most expensive bottle in this roundup. Coming in at just under $60, Fortaleza’s Reposado is on the pricey end, one of the advantages of doing a blind taste test is that we get to ignore the bias that a high price tag imparts, but that price is earned here, this tequila is excellent by all measures. Produced at NOM 1493 Tequila Los Abuelos, Fortaleza’s reposado is made using natural spring water from the Tequila valley, and is stone crushed, double distilled, and fermented in open-air wood tanks.

Each lot is individually aged in American oak for increased quality control. It’s worth it.

The Bottom Line:

Our blind taste test winner, Fortalezza is in another class entirely. It’ll change the way you taste other tequila, it’s subtle, smooth, and complex with shifting flavors that tease your taste buds in a way that pulls you in for more. The level of craft here is noticeable and notable.

A lot went down at Billboard‘s Women In Music event last night, where Olivia Rodrigo took home the Woman Of The Year award. Some more of the music industry’s most talented and beloved females were also on hand, including Phoebe Bridgers, who performed and got an award of her own, which was presented to her by her mother.

Speaking through tears, Bridgers’ mother introduced the performance, saying, “I’m so grateful that she’s found a way to use her voice to highlight people and causes she cares about. Sometimes I wish that there was a Phoebe Bridgers when I was a teenager — but that would be weird. […] As her mother, I’m beaming with pride to be here. As a fan, I’m just excited for the show.”

As for the performance, Bridgers abandoned her frequently-worn skeleton garb for a white suit and delivered an unaccompanied acoustic rendition of “Kyoto.”

After the song, Bridgers accepted the Trailblazer Award, which, as Billboard notes, is given to “a female artist helping innovate in the industry to create space for future generations of women in music.” Bridgers’ mother presented the award, so she gave her a hug and said, “I knew I was going to get roasted in some way by you.”

After some thank-you’s to her team and other folks of that sort, Bridgers continued, “But mostly, this is for my mom, who waited outside of venues in her car for hours in the middle of the night in the smell in downtown LA to make sure I got home safe from shows. She made me feel like the second coming of Bob Dylan, even when my lyrics were really, really, really bad.”

She then noted her mother’s experience with domestic abuse, collecting herself with a deep breath and exhale before saying, “Yesterday, I asked if it would be OK if I talked a little bit about domestic violence on stage, and she was like, ‘Yeah, totally. It’s your experience, too. Go for it.’ And I was like, ‘Cool. I’m going to say something like, ‘Thank you to my mom for surviving unimaginable abuse and violence.” And she was like, ‘But it is imaginable. Too many people can imagine it.’ So thank you, mom, for showing me how to survive.”

Check out Bridgers’ performance and speech above. Bridgers and her mother also gave a red-carpet interview, so check that out below.

Like most shows affected by the pandemic, it will be almost two years before a new season of The Boys finally starts streaming. But the good news is that wait is almost over as the Season 3 premiere is quickly approaching, and even better, Amazon is dropping a spinoff to tide fans over until Butcher (Karl Urban) and the gang return to butt heads with the increasingly insane Homelander (Antony Starr).

The Boys Season 3 will start streaming on June 8. Along with continuing the storyline from Season 2, which included the shocking reveal that, unbeknownst to them, The Boys’ new handler Congresswoman Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) is the Supe who’s been assassinating people through a series of gruesome head explosions. As for whether she’s working for Vought, or someone else, is unknown. Season 3 will also adapt the raunchy “Herogasm” storyline from the comics as well as introduce Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy.

But before Season 3 makes it undoubtedly raunchy premiere, The Boys: Diabolical is heading to Amazon for fans to get their binge on. The entire season of the animated spinoff will drop on March 4 and feature eight 12-minute long episodes filled with canonical mayhem including a look at Homelander’s origin story. The madcap series is also sporting one heck of a voice cast:

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.

The Boys: Diabolical streams March 4 followed by The Boys Season 3 on June 3.

The Weeknd has announced the North American dates for his After Hours Til Dawn Tour supported by frequent collaborator Doja Cat, which kicks off just after Independence Day and continues through September. The Weeknd and Doja Cat previously collaborated on a remix of “In Your Eyes” from After Hours, as well as “You Right” from Planet Her.

The Canadian star apparently initially planned to announce the dates last month, but delayed his announcement due to the initiation of overt hostilities between Russia and Ukraine. The Weeknd actually postponed the tour late last year, citing the “constraints of arenas and the demand for more shows,” and scaling up to stadiums. You can find the full North American tour date information below and at The Weeknd’s tour site.

7/8 — Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre
7/14 — Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field
7/16 — New York, NY @ Metlife Stadium
7/21 — Boston, MA @ Gillette Stadium
7/24 — Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field
7/27 — Detroit, MI @ Ford Field
7/30 — Washington, DC @ FedexField
8/4 – Tampa, FL @ Raymond James Stadium
8/6 — Miami, FL @ Hard Rock Stadium
8/11 — Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium
8/14 — Arlington, TX @ AT&T Stadium
8/18 — Denver, CO @ Empower Field at Mile High
8/20 — Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium
8/23 — Vancouver, BC @ BC Place
8/25 — Seattle, WA @ Lumen Field
8/27 — San Francisco, CA @ Levi’s Stadium
8/30 — Phoenix, AZ @ State Farm Stadium
9/2 — Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium

In season three of Succession, Alexander Skarsgård played a tech billionaire who gets invited to fancy parties and lives in impossibly-expensive mansions. In Robert Eggers’ The Northman, Alexander Skarsgård plays a mud- and blood-covered viking who has to avenge the death of his father. Guess which one was a more enjoyable experience.

“It was physically and mentally the most difficult job I’ve ever had, but also the most rewarding,” the ripped True Blood actor told Total Film about filming The Northman. “The days were really long and hard, and we were out in the mud, and up on these mountaintops with the wind and the cold. The week prior, I was working on the television show Succession, on which I play a tech billionaire in a villa on Lake Como.”

Skarsgård said he “literally went from playing one of the richest dudes on the planet in a crazy, beautiful villa, surrounded by yachts and helicopters and luxury” to flying to Iceland to “get shackled and dragged through the mud. It was definitely a waking-up moment and a humbling experience.” I have a sneaking suspicion that his Succession character would not have empathy for what his The Northman character went through.

Something like this:

The Northman, which also stars Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe, opens on April 22.

(Via Total Film)

In between stops on their tour supporting their 2021 album Glow On, Turnstile stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live!. During their appearance, they performed “Mystery” from the acclaimed album. As they perform, the band members thrive on each other’s energy, jumping around on stage, with the audience mirroring them.

Known for constantly experimenting with their sounds and aesthetics, Turnstile incorporated a variety of sounds on Glow On, including punk and hip-hop. Glow On placed highly on the 2021 Uproxx Music Critics Poll and the album’s success has allowed the band tours alongside Slowthai and Chief Keef.

In an interview with Uproxx last year, Turnstile member Franz Lyons expressed gratitude for Glow On reaching new audiences.

“We made a lot of ill new relationships with people,” Lyons said. “We’re just thankful that we were fortunate enough for them to hear the record, and the record did the work. The word of mouth has been very strong… We’ve been really fortunate enough to run into people that are real ones lately. And the ones that we’ve been holding on to for a long time have been riding with us for like a decade now. So it’s solid.”

In addition to “Mystery,” Turnstile also performed Glow On cuts “Blackout,” “Don’t Play,” and “Holiday” as web exclusives.

Check out Turnstile’s performance of “Mystery” above and find the other performances below.

Turnstile is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.

Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of all the notable sneaker drops from brands large and small. If you’ve been feeling like Supreme has been particularly quiet as of late, this is your week because the box logo brand is back with their first Nike collaboration of the year, a three-colorway Nike high-top Dunk collection that reps New York City.

That’s not the biggest release of the week though, that honor belongs to Drake who is dropping a new Nike sneaker via his NOCTA label. Drake is joined by Tyler the Creator and Kanye West who are also delivering new kicks, so if you’re a fan of rap-centric footwear, we don’t know how you’re going to decide where to spend your money! But let’s be real… it’s probably going to be on the Yeezys.

Let’s dive into this week’s best sneaker drops.

Adidas Supernova Cushion 7 Black

Inspired by Adidas’ archival designs from the 2000s, this week’s all-black Supernova Cushion 7 is a mix of retro and modern sensibilities. The design comes from a performance-based angle first, with a lightweight perforated mesh upper and an adiPRENE sole unit designed to give maximum comfort, a light step, and the sort of energy return you need out of a good running shoe.

If you had any doubt that we’ve shifted from the days of ’90s inspired footwear into y2k land, look around you, even Nike Shox are back!

The Adidas Supernova Cushion 7 is out now for a retail price of $119. Pick up a pair at Sneakersnstuff.

WMNS Nike Air More Uptempo Summit White

If you’ve been following Euphoria this season, you’ve probably noticed the new character Faye for her unique e-girl meets streetwear style, and aside from the baby doll tees and the anime tights, the quickest way to match her look is by picking up some Nike Air More Uptempos which drop this week in a Summit White colorway.

Faye’s Uptempos were in the vintage Ray Gun colorway, and these aren’t quite as cool, but the Summit White combines black and white over an all-leather upper, which, as far as sneakerheads are concerned, is a classic colorway that is always in style. Right now we’re living through a transitional phase in sneaker design, as the dominant influence shifts from the ‘90s to the Y2K era, at this Uptempo’s largo logo feels like the perfect middle ground between the eras.

The Women’s Air More Uptempo Summit White are out now for a retail price of $170. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or your favorite aftermarket site.

Drake x Nike NOCTA Hot Step Air Terra

Drake’s Nike imprint, NOCTA, is back with a new drop this week, the Hot Step Air Terra. The NOCTA Hot Step Air Terra takes liberal inspiration from the ‘90s, with a design that reads like a luxurious interpretation of basketball sneakers, a la the Jordans of that era and the Air Terra Humara. ‘But Dane, you said modern sneakers were influenced by the ’00s now,’ I know, I know, but Drake is 35 now, he’s in his Jay-Z and Michael Jordan at retirement elder statesmen era. He needs a luxurious leather basketball shoe exclusively!

The Hot Step Air Terra features an all-leather upper with mini-swooshes, reflective detailing throughout, and is available in both a Triple White and Triple Black colorway.

The Drake x Nike NOCTA Hot Step Air Terra is set to drop on March 2rd for a retail price of $180. Pick up a pair via the NOCTA webstore or aftermarket sites like GOAT.

Supreme x Nike SB Dunk High By Any Means

Supreme returns with their first big drop of the year, a three sneaker collection of high-top SB Dunks. Featuring an all-leather upper with embroidered lettering that reads “By Any Means,” this New York City repping sneaker drops in a white and black, green and yellow, or red and navy varsity-inspired color palette with a co-branded footbed and a woven logo label at the tongue.

The Supreme x Nike SB Dunk High collection is set to drop on March 3rd for an unannounced retail price. Pick up a pair at the Supreme webstore.

Golf Wang Chuck 70 Python

Tyler the Creator is dropping a brand new low-top iteration of the Chuck 70 that perfectly mixes his grit meets glamour aesthetic. Dubbed the Python, this iteration features a snakeskin leather upper in place of the traditional canvas, with a cobranded sockliner, and sports a bright pastel pink or sky blue colorway with matching toe boxes and outsoles that shimmer in certain lights.

It looks fit for the spring season, and we have to give it to Tyler’s, it’s not easy to reimagine a classic like the Chuck 70 and look fresh and modern at the same time.

The Golf Wang Chuck 70 Python is set to drop on March 4th for an unannounced retail price. Pick up a pair at Converse and Golf Wang.

Yeezy Boost 700 V2 Static

It’s looking like this year Yeezy Brand is paying special attention to the beloved but rare 700 silhouette. The OG Wave Runner is set to return this month but this week we’re getting a new Static colorway of the V2 in all its dad-shoe wavy-upper glory.

The Static features a chunky BOOST midsole with a mixed mesh-based upper with grey and white paneling. The V2 is a bit more low-key than the V1 and more traditional than the futuristic V3s, so if you’re going for that simple and dignified dad sneaker look, this hits the Goldilock’s zone.

The Yeezy Boost 700 V2 Static is set to drop on March 5th for a retail price of $300. Pick up a pair via the Adidas Confirmed app or Yeezy Supply.

Adidas Superstar ADV x Kader

Adidas is constantly killing it with their pro skater sneaker collaborations, but this week’s new Superstar is the best new skate shoe the brand has dropped all year. Made in collaboration with pro skater Kader Sylla, the Kader features a moody black monochrome colorway with gold foil branding, a premium tumbled leather upper and pony hair stripes.

It’s stealthy, luxurious, and practical all at once.

The Adidas Superstar ADV x Kader is set to drop on March 5th for a retail price of $100. Pick up a pair via the Adidas Confirmed app.

Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address was as action-packed as The Batman promises to be, and came complete with its own ridiculous villains: Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene, who behaved like far less lovable versions of The Muppet Show’s Statler and Waldorf. Seth Meyers nailed it in his description of the trouble-making lawmakers when he dubbed them a couple of “disruptive a**holes.”

On Wednesday, Meyers used his “A Closer Look” segment to dig further into the SOTU, and its most talked about moments—including Boebert and Greene’s pathetic attempts to yet again make everything about them. After criticizing Florida senator Marco Rubio for not even bothering to show up, Meyers had much harsher words for some of Rubio’s GOP colleagues in the House:

Meanwhile, some of the Republicans who did show up were disruptive a**holes like Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene. First, they pulled a dumb stunt where they turned their backs on Biden’s cabinet as they entered the chamber. Although I genuinely can’t tell if they’re turning their backs or they’re just wasted and don’t know which way to look. I mean, they have the vibe and posture of two college sophomores at a party looking for a friend who left hours ago…

And was that supposed to be a powerful statement? You don’t look like you’re turning your backs, you look like you’re waiting for your Uber after getting kicked out of an Applebee’s on St. Patrick’s Day for drinking one too many Tipsy Leprechauns.’

Unfortunately, the childish displays didn’t end there. The conspiracy theory-lovin’ ladies went on to later heckle Biden in the midst of his speech… though they couldn’t really even get that right. When the president’s attention turned toward immigration, Reps. Dumb and Dumber use the opportunity to yell “Build the wall!” at Biden.

“They were drowned out by applause,” Meyers noted. “But there’s a photo of them yelling during the speech where they look like two overbearing Little League moms berating their kids from the stands.”

While Meyers noted that the photo might make some people angry, he does see a silver lining in it all: “[I]f I’ve learned anything, and one thing, from watching Real Housewives, it’s that two white ladies this erratic will eventually turn on each other.”

You can watch the full clip above.

Andy Serkis stopped by The Late Show on Wednesday night to promote The Batman, but it didn’t take long for things to go all Middle Earth thanks to Lord of the Rings superfan Stephen Colbert. After learning that Serkis narrated a Lord of the Rings audiobook that saw the versatile actor/director voice over 132 characters, he demonstrated a few for Colbert before putting a poignant spin on the ring-obsessed Gollum. Serkis, who famously did the award-winning voice and motion capture work for the creature in the Peter Jackson films, imagined the twisted little guy as Vladimir Putin, and the impression left Colbert impressed.

Via Yahoo:

“Gollum was on the side and Sméagol was on this side,” Serkis explained. “And he would say things like, ‘We wants it. We needs it. We must have Kyiv!’ ‘No Precious, they’re to impose sanctions!’ ‘Sanctions? Sanctions, my Precious? If they do anything, we’re going to give them s*** back.’”

Eventually, the conversation steered back to The Batman, which features Serkis putting a new spin on Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne’s butler, father figure, and trusted partner in his war crime. However, the topic of Russia invading Ukraine still weighed heavy, as it should.

“There’s so much anticipation for this movie right now, that it’s actually being used as a cudgel against the Russians by not playing it there,” Colbert said. “It’s one of the sanctions being leveled against Russia that they don’t get this movie. Very powerful.”

The Batman opens in theaters on March 4.

(Via Yahoo!)

Last night, Billboard hosted its annual Women In Music event and Olivia Rodrigo was the evening’s big winner. In addition to taking home the Woman Of The Year award, she opened the show by performing “Deja Vu.”

Rodrigo took a different approach to this rendition than she did the studio version we’re familiar with, as this one has more of the rock influence seen on some of her other songs, most notably “Good 4 U.” The performance began with Rodrigo singing over acoustic guitar. As the song worked its way to the chorus, other members of her backing back worked their way into the fold for a more guitar-driven rendition.

Later, she accepted the Woman Of The Year award and gave a speech in which she showed her appreciation for the women in music who came before her, as well as her contemporaries and up-and-comers trying to find their way:

“It’s not always easy being a young woman in the music industry, but I found so much strength from the female songwriters and artists who have come before me and paved the way and opened doors for so many young women like me. And that’s what so amazing about this event. Every woman here today is working to break down those barriers and change the narrative and support each other, and I am so inspired by all the incredible women in this room. I want to thank you all for your support; I am supporting all of you.

I want to say to all of the young girls out there who are writing songs every day in their journals, on their bedroom floors: I am constantly moved by your vulnerability and your creativity and bravery, and I promise everyone here today is working to make this world and this industry a better place for you.”

Watch a clip of Rodrigo performing “Deja Vu” above (find the full performance here) and check out her acceptance speech below.