Month: March 2022

Yes, paying $150 for a bottle of bourbon whiskey is a little wild. You can easily get a case of perfectly fine bourbon for that price. But that’s not really the point. Whiskey at this price point isn’t about practicality. This is about finding something unique, limited, and maybe even collectible.

For this ranking, I reached into my tasting notes and pulled out ten bottles of bourbon whiskey that I think are actually worth spending a little extra cash on. These bottles are special — from top to bottom. I still ranked them though, according to my palate and how quick I’d be to throw down this amount of money on them. Look at it this way, I keep the top five bottles open on my own shelf. The rest are all bottles I respect and would never turn down a pour of but am not going to go out of my way to collect. That said, maybe the tasting notes will speak to you — we all have different palates.

These are all pretty easy to find (if not afford) if you’re willing to do some sleuthing around whiskey shops and online. Let’s dive in!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months

• The Single Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
• The 50 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Of 2021, Ranked
• Every Winning Bourbon From Our 2021 Taste Tests, Blind Tasted And Re-Ranked
• The Best Value-Per-Dollar Bourbon Whiskeys, Ranked
• The 100 Best Whiskeys Our Head Drinks Writer Tasted In 2021

10. Orphan Barrel Copper Tongue Aged 16 Years

ABV: 44.9%

Average Price: $135

The Whiskey:

This release from Diageo’s Orphan Barrel program is from Cascade Hollow Distilling Co., better known as George Dickel. The juice is a marrying of two 16-year-old bourbon barrels that were hand-selected by Dickel Master Distiller Nicole Austin. The ABVs are very low for a “barrel-proof” bourbon.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a hint of buttery cornbread that immediately veers into cinnamon apple crackers in an old leather tobacco pouch. There’s a mild sense of eggnog spices next to vanilla cream with a clear note of old, musty cellar beams leading back to that warm tobacco chew.

Bottom Line:

This is one of those bottles that’s both “nice” and unique. This is a one-off, so there is a small collectibility factor at play (but don’t that price to skyrocket anytime soon). Overall, this is just an easy pour of something we might not ever see again.

9. Saint Cloud 7 Year Single Barrel

ABV: 61.2%

Average Price: $150

The Whiskey:

This is a fascinating mix of sourced bourbon and good marketing. At seven years, it’s pretty young for such a pricy bourbon. The juice is hand-selected barrels that meet the specific taste and texture requirements of Saint Cloud’s team. That whiskey is then bottled at barrel strength with no other fussing, giving you a single barrel experience that’s one-of-a-kind.

Tasting Notes:

You’re drawn in with a white cake slathered in buttery vanilla frosting next to a salted caramel waxy wrapper vibe. The palate is subtle, with hints of darkly roasted coffee beans covered in equally dark chocolate next to marzipan, light spices, and a touch of soft and maybe wet cedar. The end holds onto the spices (think clove and cinnamon) as a touch of dried apricot and dried cedar slowly fades towards a velvet-yet-warming end.

Bottom Line:

There’s a classic sense of barrel aging, buttery sweetness, and stone fruit at play. While this works as a great sipper (especially on a rock), it really feels more like a great cocktail base for a Manhattan than anything else.

8. Cream of Kentucky 11.5 Year Old

ABV: 51%

Average Price: $150

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is part of the bespoke sourced line from bourbon legend Jim Rutledge. Rutledge spent 21 years as the head distiller over at Four Roses, building the worldwide renown that the brand is now known for today. Rutledge is currently sourcing the best barrels he can find to create this throwback brand of whiskey — its labels used to be painted by Norman Rockwell back in the day.

Tasting Notes:

You feel the deep bourbon heritage from the nose through the finish as classic notes of oily vanilla husks, soft cedar, and rich toffee draw you in. The taste holds onto the toffee and vanilla but also veers into sweet cherry with a rush of spice, which is almost like a Cherry Dr. Pepper in the best possible way. A note of bitterness comes in late via a dark chocolate vibe (especially with a drop or two of water) while the silken sip quickly (almost too quickly) fades, leaving you with warm and woody spices.

Bottom Line:

Again, this is classic. But not much more. If you’re looking for a great, old-school bourbon, grab this. Jim Rutledge will not let you down.

7. Kentucky Owl Confiscated

ABV: 48.2%

Average Price: $130

The Whiskey:

Kentucky Owl is another resurrection brand by Master Blender Dixon Dedman (who has since left the brand), the great-great-grandson of the shingle’s original founder. Yes, this is sourced juice from an undisclosed distillery in Kentucky, meaning we don’t know a whole lot of what’s in the bottle, but that leaves the family story and the taste of the whiskey as our only touchstones. And on those two levels, this expression excels.

Tasting Notes:

The sip draws you in with a slight rye note of anise and maybe even licorice next to old cellar oak, vanilla cream, and a touch of ripe cherry. The taste warms on the tongue with dark spices, more of that old oak, and a touch of raw leather. The end is long and touches back on those spices, building a real buzzing on your senses, and hitting back towards that oak and leather, with just a hint of cherry tobacco.

Bottom Line:

The spice and cherry at play on this are very engaging. That said, this feels like it’s more of a cocktail base for a killer Manhattan, Sazerac, or old fashioned.

6. Bardstown Discovery Series #6

ABV: 55.55%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This limited release is a blend of heavy-hitting bourbons. The lion’s share, 68 percent, is derived from an eleven-year-old Kentucky bourbon that’s made with 75 percent corn, 13 percent rye, and 12 percent malted barley. Another 16 percent comes from a 17-year-old Tennessee whiskey that’s made with 84 percent corn, eight percent rye, and eight percent malted barley. The final 16 percent is a seven-year-old Indiana bourbon made with 75 percent corn, 21 percent rye, and four perfect malted barley.

Tasting Notes:

The age comes through with a big medley of dark cherries sitting in a big cedar bowl with a dark leather jacket imbued with decades of cigarette smoke and perfume next to a hint of dark chocolate orange balls. That orange and dark chocolate drive the taste as the dark cherry becomes brandy-soaked and the cedar feels more like an old cigar humidor full of cigars laced with vanilla, orange, cherry, and chocolate individually, creating a bigger whole on the palate. The finish takes its time as the tobacco spice and fruit slowly fade out, leaving you with a dry woody note and a touch of sweet and buttery toffee.

Bottom Line:

This is a big whiskey with a far-ranging palate. There’s something for everyone in this whiskey. Though, I’d recommend pouring it over a single rock to mute the ABVs a touch and allow the water to let it bloom in the glass.

5. Weller Aged 12 Years

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $150

The Whiskey:

Weller 12 is lovingly referred to as the “Poorman’s Pappy” with good reason. Both whiskeys are made by Buffalo Trace with the same wheated bourbon mash bill. Of course, the barrels are treated differently when it comes to where they are stored and why. But we’re still talking about a very similar product at the end of the day, which also tends to be a bit more accessible, at least for now.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a sense of vanilla pods coming to life in a hot pan next to light orange oil-infused marzipan, a touch of sweet corn, and a whisper of musty oak. The palate holds onto the orange and almond as it dries out towards a cedar box and vanilla tobacco chew with a mild sense of dry spices. The end is long-ish and touches on the wood, orange oils, spice, and nuttiness, leaving you warmed with that classic Kentucky Hug.

Bottom Line:

This is almost annoyingly easy to drink. You want to deny the hype around this bottle, but the flavor delivers. It’s so well-rounded that you’ll be hard-pressed to find any faults neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail.

4. Joseph A. Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon

ABV: 50.35%

Average Price: $150

The Whiskey:

This sourced bourbon is built from eleven and 18-year-old bourbons. The real star of the show with this whiskey is that those bourbons were finished in Armagnac, Cognac, and sherry casks before vatting and bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with sticky toffee pudding that really amps up the cinnamon and nutmeg next to black-tea-soaked dates next to some stewed prunes wrapped in chili-chocolate-laced tobacco leaves and dripped in honey and then walnuts. A savory fruitiness opens the palate with figs and pumpkin that leads towards an apricot jam with a hint of clove and cinnamon next to light touches of old library leather and funk. A faint hint of dark berries arrives on the mid-palate before the finish luxuriates in burnt toffee, almond shells, more of that leather, and dried-out apricots.

Bottom Line:

This wins big points for going somewhere bold and new in its flavor profile. It’s a killer neat pour that blooms beautifully with a little water or a rock in the glass. Take your time with this one, you’ll be rewarded for the effort.

3. Knob Creek 25th Anniversary

ABV: 61.05%

Average Price: $150

The Whiskey:

This is a very rare release from Beam. The expression was first released in 2017 to celebrate the premium brand’s 25th anniversary. The juice is a single barrel that’s between 12 and 13 years old and barreled as cask strength with zero fuss.

Tasting Notes:

This is bourbon with a capital “B” from top to bottom, with a nose full of oily and rich vanilla next to salted and almost smoky caramel kettle corn, a hint of dry oak, and very mild cherry tobacco. That cherry tobacco carries the taste of holiday spices, creamy vanilla pudding, and an underbelly of buttery toffee. The end is long and amps up the spices towards Red Hots territory as the tobacco chew kicks up next to an almost cedar note, leaving you really buzzing on the tongue and across your senses.

Bottom Line:

This is quintessential “good stuff.” There are no rough edges on this bourbon. It’s just a soft and flavor ride from beginning to end. There’s also a small collectible factor at play with this one as well. But I’d argue, that these are meant to be enjoyed and not squirreled away in a vault.

2. Garrison Brothers Guadalupe

ABV: 53.5%

Average Price: $150

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is hewn from 90 30-gallon barrels of four-year-old bourbon that were transferred into 26 59-gallon Tawny Port casks for a final maturation of nearly two years. That juice was then bottled with a touch of water added.

Tasting Notes:

The nose on this bursts with raspberry, blackberry, redcurrant, and blueberry, all stewed with plenty of holiday spices and folded into a cobbler topped with dense buttery buttermilk biscuits. The palate leans into the spice with a focus on clove, nutmeg, and a very small whisper of anise as the berry turns more towards a fresh strawberry with dark chocolate-covered espresso beans chiming in on the mid-palate. That chocolate-bitter vibe drives towards a finish full of cinnamon-spiked dark chocolate tobacco leaves, stewed plums, and a dollop of floral honey.

Bottom Line:

This is a berry bomb that works wonders. This is also a bottle that’ll be hard not to kill as soon as you open it with a few friends — it’s that good.

1. Peerless Double Oak Bourbon

ABV: 53.55%

Average Price: $134

The Whiskey:

The whiskey is around five to six years old and comes from one barrel that lets the grains shine through before it goes into another barrel that lets the oak shine through. That final barrel is bottled at cask strength, as is.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a nose full of salted butter next to hints of very soft leather, light notes of vanilla bean, a touch of toffee sweetness, and freshly cracked walnuts with a dry edge. The taste leans into that oak barrel with dashes of woody spices (think allspice berries, star anise, and cinnamon sticks), dry cherry tobacco leaves, salted caramel, and more of that super soft leather. That leads towards a mid-palate of dark red fruits stewed in mulled wine spices and cut with a dollop of fresh honey before the (long) finish dries out towards an old wicker chair, a very distinct hint of a cellar funk, and a touch of dried mint.

Bottom Line:

This feels both classic and unique while offering a warming comfort. All of those are nice things to get from a sip of bourbon. Overall, this is the most solid sipper on the list with the most refined depth. It’s really hard not to fall in love with this one.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are already without Jarrett Allen due to a broken finger, and they may now be without star rookie Evan Mobley too.

During the second quarter of the Cavs’ Monday night home against the Orlando Magic, Mobley landed on Orlando’s Franz Wagner and rolled his left ankle. He immediately say down on the floor and went back to the locker room with the Cavs’ medical staff. At half time, the team ruled him out for the remainder of the game with a left ankle sprain.

Kevin Love started the second half in Mobley’s place and Moses Brown, signed to a 10-day deal with Cleveland, also saw minutes with Mobley out. At the time of his injury, Mobley had scored 6 points to go along with 3 rebounds and 1 assist in 13 minutes.

If Mobley is out beyond the rest of this game, it will be a significant deal for the Cavs as they look to finish among the Eastern Conference’s top-six and out of the play-in tournament. With Allen also out, the Cavs would be without the two players who form the backbone of their defense that has been the team’s identity this season. As a result, their odds of avoiding the play-in tournament would take a significant hit if Mobley’s injury is serious. Cleveland entered Monday night as the seventh seed in the East, a game behind the Toronto Raptors, with just eight games left for each team.

Chris Rock wasn’t the only casualty of Will Smith’s rage at Sunday night’s Oscars ceremony. Sure, it was Rock’s face that absorbed the power of Smith’s smack after the comedian made a joke about the King Richard star’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. But the confusion that ensued in the moments following the unexpected skirmish left many viewers trying to piece together what they had just seen, as the American broadcast cut the live feed in order to censor Smith’s language and some of what had happened. Had it all been a skit?

As viewers feverishly texted friends and checked Twitter to see what exactly they had missed, one person seemed to get lost in the shuffle: Questlove, the Philly-born musician who first rose to fame as the frontman for The Roots, and who has racked up credits as a songwriter, record producer, author, actor, film producer, and director (when he’s not heading up the house band for The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon).

It was Questlove, a.k.a. Ahmir Thompson, who ended up inching one step closer to an EGOT when he won the Oscar for Best Documentary for Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), an outstanding reminder of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a celebration of Black music and culture, which was largely overshadowed by Woodstock, as the two events partly overlapped.

Fortunately, legendary comedian/actor George Wallace made sure to call out Questlove’s achievement, and assure Quest—who directed and executive produced the doc—that “We saw that sh*t, Quest!”

Questlove appreciated, and felt, the love.

Meanwhile, Smith has officially issued an apology to Rock for how things went down at last night’s ceremony, saying that he is “a work in progress.” Maybe an “I’m sorry” to Questlove will come next.

Pancakes doused in maple syrup are a morning tradition. But a cold glass of fizzy soda — Pepsi or otherwise — probably wasn’t the drink you washed it down with. Sugar on sugar on sugar is … a lot.

And yet… IHOP and Pepsi decided to put these two things together (at last?) in a can of soda. Seriously. Welcome to 2022, the future is grand!

In this era of corporate synergy, the folks at Pepsi recently partnered with IHOP to launch a limited-edition soda called Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola that literally tastes like the aforementioned combination of maple syrup pancakes and cola in one easy-to-guzzle can. Not that IHOP is much of an expert on real maple syrup.

“There is truly nothing quite like the indulgent taste of Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola.” Todd Kaplan, Chief Marketing Officer at Pepsi said in a press release. “We can’t wait to celebrate those who have an unapologetic love of pancakes by giving the limited-edition cans to 2,000 fans who #ShowUsYourStack online.”

Ah, there are only 2,000 cans of this “soda” for people who love pop with their pancakes, which is apparently a group of people that actually exists. More power to you if you do dig that combo. And a huge shout out to your dentist.

Okay, let’s see what’s actually in this can.

Average Price: Online giveaway

The Soda:

Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola isn’t the first time in recent memory the brand has dropped an over-the-top flavor. There was Pepsi Fire, a cola that tasted like it had red hot candies in it. Pepsi x Peeps had a marshmallow flavor. Pepsi Apple Pie was pretty self-explanatory. Pepsi x Cracker Jack tasted like you submerged a box of Cracker Jacks in a Pepsi and then drank the leftover liquid. Let’s not forget the recently released Nitro Pepsi.

This limited-edition soda is, like the others, available in 12-ounce cans. Sadly, you can’t go to the store to get your maple fix though. From now until March 29, Pepsi fans get a can of Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola by posting a video or photo of a stack of pancakes with the hashtags #ShowUsYourStack, #PepsiSweepstakes, and @IHOP.

They’re only giving out cans to 2,000 people. So good luck… we guess.

Tasting Notes:

It smells like maple candy that you let dissolve in overly sugary soda. There’s maybe a little vanilla and caramel as well. Mostly, it’s lots of sugar. It smells like something a five-year-old or an adult with a nostalgia problem might cook up. It tastes… exactly as you’d imagine (sorry for all the ellipses but this one sort of puts a person in that baffled mindset). It’s similar to Pepsi X Cracker Jack from a few months ago with heavy caramel. But it’s like someone took that one and poured maple syrup flavoring into it, not real maple syrup. It feels like the overly synthetic, mystery bargain syrup that can’t legally have the word “maple” on its label.

For someone who doesn’t normally drink soda, it seems ridiculously sugary and has a little spicy kick that I couldn’t place.

Bottom Line:

All in all, this was less maple-filled than I thought it would be and would probably make a pretty good mixer with rye or bourbon and tons of ice. The cloyingly sweet flavor needs to be cut with something. Anything. Please.

Ranking:

70/100 — This is for drinkers who enjoy sipping on a fizzy sugary soda that tastes like a mixture of melted caramel corn and synthetic maple syrup. Everyone else? Stick to your seltzer (hard or otherwise) and stay away from this teeth-achingly and cloyingly sweet cavity creator.

We’re living in a world where Russia and Ukraine are at war and a pandemic that has been going on for more than two years has so far killed more than 6.1 million people. Yet the only thing people seem to be able to talk about since last night’s Oscars ceremony is the surprising moment when Will Smith took a swing at Chris Rock live, for all the world to see.

While reports have confirmed that Rock refused to press charges against Smith, both parties have remained relatively silent on the matter—save for the comments Smith made while accepting the Best Actor Oscar shortly after the slugfest went down, in which he apologized to the Academy and his fellow attendees, but not Rock.

Now, as Variety reports, the King Richard star has issued a formal apology to Rock via Instagram, in which the newly-minted Oscar winner admits to being “embarrassed” by his actions and calls himself “a work in progress.” The statement reads as follows:

Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.

I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.

I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.

I am a work in progress.

As of this posting, Rock has yet to respond. Read Smith’s full Instagram post below.

(Via Variety)

Festival season continues…and now it’s making its way overseas. SXM Festival recently held its annual event on the beautiful Caribbean island of Saint Martin from March 9 through March 13. Because why go to a music festival when you can go to a music festival and embark on an epic tropical getaway at the same time?

The event included five full days of pool parties, a curated selection of legendary performers and emerging acts, dancing in the sizzling Caribbean sun, and bold fashion statements — all happening at the peak of Saint Martin’s highest mountain with breathtaking 360-degree sunset views.

The jam-packed lineup was chock-full of renowned artists in the underground techno and house scene. Some of the most notable names from SXM Festival included Apache, Audiofly, Awly, Baham, Gab Rhome, Innellea, Jimi Jules, Konstantin Sibold, Layla Benitez, Maga, Alexi Delano, Âme, Amine K, Animal Trainer, Behrouz, Blond:ish, Carlita, Chaim, Chloé Caillet, and Danny Tenaglia (and that’s only a handful of the performers throughout the week).

If you could use an influx of serotonin combined with a bit of wanderlust, you’ll get a kick out of the sights and styles from SXM Festival. The photos below are sure to boost your mood (and inspire you to purchase your next festival ticket).

ALSO READ:

• These Photos From Nite Rinse’s Three-Year Anniversary Event Will Put You In The Mood To Party
• These Photos From Desert Air Will Make You Want To Get Up And Dance
• These Photos From Seismic Dance Event Will Help Cure Your Winter Blues
• Photos From DAY.MVS That’ll Leave You Hyped For Your Next Festival
• These Outfits From CRSSD Fest Will Get You Hyped For Festival Season

Paul George last took the floor for the L.A. Clippers on Dec. 22, with news breaking on Christmas Day that the superstar wing would miss considerable time with a torn ligament in his elbow. In recent days, however, buzz has increased that George could be nearing a return to game action and, on Monday evening, the Clippers provided more optimism with an official injury update. L.A. hosts the Utah Jazz on Tuesday and, in advance of the game, George was upgraded to “questionable” on the injury report.

Beyond the notable upgrade in official distinction, Law Murray of The Athletic reports that George’s family will be in attendance, perhaps providing another positive inkling. George has missed 43 games and, in that sample, the Clippers are just 19-24. Given that Kawhi Leonard is also sidelined, L.A.’s performance has been quite respectable but, on the eve of the postseason, having George in the middle of the Clippers’ lineup could make a considerable difference.

In 26 games before sustaining the injury, George averaged 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, operating as the No. 1 shot creator for the Clippers. He is also a high-end defender and, because the Clippers have been able to hold the line in George’s absence, L.A. projects as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference with a multi-game cushion ahead of the Pelicans and Lakers to earn at least two cracks at playing their way into the playoffs.

There is no guarantee that George returns on Tuesday. Still, his uptick in work and this upgrade on paper likely signal an imminent return, and the Western Conference just got even deeper.

Will Packer knows all about Hollywood drama. Over the past two decades, the producer has racked up more than 70 credits, including his most recent gig as the producer of the 2022 Oscars. Yes, the one where Will Smith and Chris Rock got into a physical altercation on stage and all hell broke loose.

About an hour after the ceremony had ended, Packer took to Twitter to offer a very short statement on the matter:

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Packer’s somewhat comical tone didn’t sit well with everyone. The producer was criticized for seeming flippant or unfazed by a physical assault that took place on his watch. On Monday morning he took time to address the situation, and the backlash to his tweet. “Black people have a defiant spirit of laughter when it comes to dealing with pain because there has been so much of it,” Packer said, while admitting, “This was a very painful moment for me. On many levels.”

Many viewers questioned why Smith—who shortly after the incident won the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in King Richard—was not escorted out of the event. The Academy addressed these concerns with a short tweet, which seemed to side-step the entire question:

Packer previously told The Hollywood Reporter that his main goal for the Oscars telecast, which has been steadily losing viewers in recent years, was to make it a memorable, much-watch event for everyone. “You need something other than just a chance to see stars,” he said in early March. “We have to make a show that is entertaining and appeals to a broad swath of the viewing public.”

Mission accomplished.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

A sea of raucous clapping—and silent, yet enthusiastic sign language applause—rushed through the crowd as the movie “CODA” made multiple wins during the Oscars. That included Best Adapted Screenplay (Sian Heder), Best Supporting Actor (Troy Kotsur) and Best Picture.

You could say that “CODA” was, to all intents and purposes, a sweet and simple family drama. Not Oscar bait.

It’s a story about children of deaf adults, hence the name, and it follows a hearing teenager with a love of music who works with her deaf parents and brother at a fishing harbor. Besides former Oscar winner Marlee Matlin (who won in 1987 for her role in “Children of a Lesser God”), “CODA” had zero “big names.” It also only had a $10 million budget, and was released on a streaming service.

But still, it swept. It’s history-making victories like these that reflect what the Oscars essentially are at its very best—a celebration of art that truly moves us. And the biggest win of the night rightly went to the deaf community.

---

Following in the footsteps of his co-star Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur became the first deaf man to win an Oscar.

See on Instagram

During his acceptance speech, Kotsur thanked all the “wonderful deaf theater stages where [he] was allowed and given the opportunity to develop [his] craft as an actor.” He also shared a touching story about his “hero” dad, who became the best singer in his family until a car accident had paralyzed him from the neck down.

And to the CODA and disabled community, his message was simple: “this is our time.”

(Also a special nod to the ASL interpreter, who clearly got choked up but kept going.)

Sian Heder praises ASL as a “beautiful cinematic language.”

See on Instagram

As Heder accepted her award for Best Adapted Screenplay, she called the experience “truly life changing as an artistic and a human being” and thanked the deaf community for being her collaborators and teachers.

In a previous interview with Movie Maker, Heder commented that “so often disability is portrayed in such a precious, earnest way where characters that are deaf or have a disability are portrayed as being either incredibly noble, or objects of pity. And in fact, you know, the only difference with a deaf person is that they can’t hear.” So the ultimate goal was to depict an honest, authentic version of deaf families. Bawdiness and all.

CODA winning best picture shows that recognition can be healing.

See on Instagram

“CODA” not only shines a light on deaf culture. It celebrates it. And its success most likely will pave the way for other films that give continued visibility to the disabled community. Just look at what Parasite’s Best Picture win. After that, Korean cinema blew up, particularly on streaming platforms (looking at you, Squid Game). We have already seen inklings of this trend with inclusion of deaf characters into mainstream movies like Marvel, and with movies like “Sound of Metal” starring a deaf lead. But this kind of widespread global acclaim takes it a step further.

The Oscars might have been a whirlwind of less-than-classy headlines this year, but that doesn’t take away from the positive force for good that is “CODA”’s awards. May all walks of life find their time in the spotlight.

North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn has been in office for less than 15 months, but he’s already seen behind the curtain of what makes Washington, D.C. tick—and it apparently looks a lot like Studio 54 in its heyday.

While being interviewed for the “Warrior Poet” podcast, Mediaite reports that host John Lovell asked the 26-year-old—whose own constituents attempted to block him for running for re-election—whether the life of a politician was anything like what audiences saw on House of Cards. As far as Cawthorn is concerned, the Netflix series might as well have been a docuseries.

“A former president that we had in the ‘90s was asked a question about this, and he gave an answer that I thought was so true,” Cawthorn replied. “He said that the only thing not accurate in that show [is] that you could never get a piece of legislation about education passed that quickly.” But Cawthorn, who maybe kinda sorta might have married a Russian spy (they met at a CrossFit competition that didn’t exist, which a Russian casino scammed him into attending, and should have been his first clue), didn’t stop there. Cawthorn went on to claim that:

“The sexual perversion that goes on in Washington, I mean, being kind of a young guy in Washington, the average age is probably 60 or 70. I look at a lot of these people, a lot of them that I’ve looked up to through my life—I’ve always paid attention to politics—then all of a sudden you get invited to, ‘Oh hey we’re going to have a sexual get-together at one of our homes, you should come.’

‘What did you just ask me to come to?’ And then you realize they’re asking you to come to an orgy.”

Leave it to a Republican to describe an orgy as a “sexual get-together.”

Cawthorn also said that blow runs rampant through the halls of our nation’s capitol. “Some of the people leading on the movement to try and remove addiction in our country, and then you watch them do a key bump of cocaine right in front of you,” he said. “And it’s like, this is wild.”

“Wild” is one way to describe it. “Likely total BS” is another, though it’s interesting that the phrase “key bump” is a part of Cawthorn’s vernacular. CNN’s Edward-Isaac Dovere did the math and thinks that something is up with Cawthorn’s story.

Matthew Yglesias, who has lived in D.C. for 20 years, was also taken aback by Cawthorn’s accusations, although he pointed out that “I guess I don’t hang out with as many Republicans as Cawthorn does.”

You can watch the full clip above.

(Via Mediaite)