Tim Allen, who voiced Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story quadrilogy (he was “replaced” by Chris Evans for Lightyear), recently shared his thoughts on the spin-off for the first time. He could have buried it, much to the delight of the far-right, but Allen explained to Extra that “the short answer is I’ve stayed out of this ’cause it has nothing to do [with my character]. This is a whole new team that really had nothing to do with the first movies.”
The actor went on to say that he originally thought Lightyear would be “live action,” with “real humans.” But at the end of the day, “There’s really no Toy Story Buzz without Woody,” Allen said, shouting out Buzz’s enemy-turned-friend sheriff toy (voiced over the years by Tom Hanks).
Allen did say that Lightyear has a “wonderful story” (I think he meant to say a “wonderful origin story of the human Buzz Lightyear that the toy is based on”), but “it just doesn’t seem to have any connection to the toy. I wish there was a better connection.” Like the kind of connection Ted Cruz has with yelling at/about “lesbian toys” and Muppets.
Like Trump, Tucker Carlson appears to have a fetish for dictators. His pro-Putin diatribes have made him a bit of a celebrity in Russia, with the Kremlin ordering its state-run media outlets to feature as much of the Fox News host as it could, in order to give its viewers a very twisted view of the way “Americans” see Russia. (At a very early point in the Russia-Ukraine War, he also made it clear that he thought Ukraine should just give up.) Then there was the time he traveled to Hungary to interview prime minister Viktor Orbán. But at the moment, as Mediaite reports, Carlson’s political affections are being directed southward, as he’s been broadcasting from Rio de Janeiro, where he recently sat down with far-right Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro, who has been described as a brutal dictator by many—and a “chubby dictator” by at least one Brazilian media outlet—has made headlines for a variety of reasons during his three-plus-year tenure, including frequent verbal spars with [checks notes] Leonardo DiCaprio. He’s also a fierce opponent of homosexuality, same sex marriage, affirmative action, and abortion, and speaks freely on his many anti- stances. Yet Carlson put on that famously clueless tone he likes to use to express his shock that anyone would have reason to criticize this lovely chap he spoke with via a translator.
Carlson, never missing a chance to throw a potshot at his competitors, commented on how “the parallels between politics in Brazil and politics in the United States are striking to an American,” noting how Bolsonaro is “opposed by a coalition of billionaires, college professors, and CNN… What will Brazil look like if your opponent wins?” The president responded:
The media never gave me any visibility or space. Much to the contrary, they attacked me all the time throughout the campaign. If the left-wing does come back to power, to my view, they’ll never leave power and this country will follow the same path as Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Colombia. Brazil will become one more wagon on that train.
The losers will be the Brazilian population and also the left-wing itself. The left-wing voters will lose as a result.
Suck-Up Carlson only gave a taste of his interview, but promised viewers that it will be “amazing.” Then, of course, he had to editorialize and act as if the Brazilians who have suffered under Bolsonaro—and the media outlets who have criticized him for his controversial views—have got it all wrong. “This will shock you,” Tucker said. “Bolsonaro bears no resemblance whatsoever to the descriptions of Bolsonaro you have read in The New York Times. Completely different person. Seen that before?”
Not that long ago, calling Russ an “international star” would have been a stretch, but these days, the New Jersey rapper is getting as comfortable on private planes as he is in the studio. In his jet-setting new video for “Yes Sir,” Russ makes himself at home abroad as he raps in front of French landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe and strolls the streets of foreign cities while making time to take pics with fans of all nationalities before performing in sold-out arenas.
The video is the latest exhibit in Russ’ ongoing case for remaining independent as an artist, which he’s been arguing ever since completing his Columbia Records contract in 2020 (truthfully, even before that). Earlier this month, he even took his message to TMZ Live, calling record labels “obsolete.” Telling his fellow artists “you don’t need them; they’re not doing anything for you that you can’t do for yourself,” he explained why rappers have so much more control over their careers these days.
“Artists in today’s day and age, they’re their own digital marketing,” he said. “I think digital marketing is one of the biggest facades in the music industry. You get with the label and they’re like, ‘Here’s your digital team.’ And it’s like, ‘What do y’all do exactly?’”
Most recently, Russ has popped up on songs with Black Thought and Danger Mouse (“Because” with Joey Badass) and Logic (“Therapy Music“) and launched his own label, so it seems he’s doing something right.
The last album by Broken Bells was 2014’s After The Disco. The duo, which consists of Brian Burton of Danger Mouse and James Mercer of The Shins, are finally back with the long-awaited follow-up, Into The Blue. This announcement comes with the release of the lead single “We’re Not In Orbit Yet…”
The release date of the album has not been revealed yet, but details are forthcoming. “We’re Not In Orbit Yet…” has a trippy, hypnotic atmosphere, moving at an unhurried pace and imbued with ethereal vocals and synths. It stays true to the Bee Gees-meets-psychedelic-dance-rock sound of their previous material.
About After The Disco, the band had told Rolling Stone, “What people in the Fifties and Sixties thought now was gonna be like. That’s when we did the record: that’s where a lot of that came from.”
This vibe was evident on that album, and it looks like it may be seeping into this new one as well. Their devotion to old-school music has always been clear, especially when they performed “And I Love Her” by The Beatles on The Late Show with David Letterman with Ringo Starr on the drums.
Listen to “We’re Not In Orbit Yet…” above, and check out the album artwork below.
Just days before his hotly anticipated “After Hours ‘Til Dawn” tour is set to kick off, The Weeknd has announced new openers who will support him throughout the trek. Joining The Weeknd for the 19-date North America leg are Mike Dean, Snoh Aalegra, and Kaytranada, as reported by Variety.
Rapper and singer Doja Cat was originally set to open for The Weeknd on the tour. However, she is currently recovering from a tonsil surgery she underwent last month. The tour kicks off Friday, July 8 in Toronto, where Dean and Kaytranada will open. Dean will appear on all 19 dates of the North American leg. Aalegra’s will join them beginning August 11 at Mercedes Stadium in Atlanta.
“Unfortunately I have to have surgery on my tonsils ASAP. The surgery is routine but the recovery is going to take awhile due to swelling,” Doja said in a since-deleted Instagram post. “That means I have to cancel my festival run this summer as well as The Weeknd tour. I feel horrible about this but can’t wait for this to heal and get back to making music and create an experience for y’all.”
“The entire show is conceptual,” said The Weeknd’s creative director La Mar Taylor to Variety. “There is a linear story between After Hours and Dawn FM, and I think the audience will walk away with different interpretations of the show. To us, that’s the whole point.”
Anybody who thought the vinyl resurgence was just a fad was mistaken: The industry has experienced a legitimate revival. As a result, music fans are interested in physical media in ways they may not have if the decades-old medium hasn’t made a comeback. That doesn’t mean everybody is listening to just their parents’ old music, though. That’s part of it, sure, thanks to rereleases that present classic albums in new ways. A vital part of the renewed vinyl wave, though, is new projects being released as records, of which there are plenty.
Whatever you might be into, each month brings a new slew of vinyl releases that has something for everybody. Some stand out above the rest, naturally, so check out some of our favorite vinyl releases of June below.
Bartees Strange — Farm To Table
4AD
After generating a ton of buzz with his 2020 debut album Live Forever, Bartees Strange returned just earlier this month with Farm To Table, a genre-spanning album that’s full of compelling moments. As for the vinyl, there’s a cool-looking striped version (the one above) or a classic black LP. Regardless of what edition you get, the vinyl release of the album has a song, “Daily News,” that’s only available on this physical pressing. Order it now for an October ship.
Elton John — Madman Across The Water (50th Anniversary Reissue)
UMe
Elton John had a huge 1971, as he dropped a live album with 17-11-70, a soundtrack for the movie Friends, and later in the year, a proper studio album, Madman Across The Water. Now we have a 50th-anniversary edition of it and it’s a big one, as the 4-LP box set includes a 40-page booklet with introductions by John and Bernie Taupin, photos and essays, a reproduction 1971 reproduction poster, and more.
Diiv was one of the most critically respected indie groups of the 2010s and it all started with Oshin. That album turns 10 this year, which the group is celebrating with an expanded 2-LP edition. The first LP contains the regular album as we know it, while the other one has original Oshin demos and two live songs, including the previously unreleased “Yuk.”
“Out with the bangs, in with the twangs,” a clever ad for Angel Olsen’s new album reads. The country-leaning LP is one of the finer albums of the year so far and now it can be one of the finest albums in your vinyl collection, too. Unfortunately, the clear green edition pictured above is sold out as of this post, but the still-available black vinyl never goes out of style.
Los Angeles Philharmonic — Hollywood Bowl: The First 100 Years
Los Angeles Philharmonic
We’ve had the Hollywood Bowl for a hundred years now and now the Los Angeles Philharmonic has unveiled a massive 7-LP box set of performances from the storied venue, a healthy 55-recording mix that features performances from Death Cab For Cutie, The Doors, James Brown, the Philharmonic conducted by John Williams, and a bunch of others that convey how important this iconic space has been and remains. (Also, you even get a free tote bag!)
The Walkmen, sadly, are no more, but we’ll always have the music. 2008’s You & Me, one of their most beloved albums, has now gotten a deluxe new vinyl version, dubbed the Sun Studio Edition, which is fully remastered and comes with a fourth side of unreleased tracks from the time, recorded at Sun Studio for PBS.
Beach Boys — Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys
Capitol/UMe
Artists are competing for the unofficial “song of the summer” title for 2022 right now, but if we’re talking all-time, it’s hard to beat the Beach Boys. Well, the group, which celebrates 60 years this year, so they’ve reissued their 2003 Sounds Of Summer compilation, which collects 80 songs from 1962 to 1989, making this a great catch-all option to fill a Beach Boys-sized hole in your vinyl library.
Beastie Boys — Check Your Head (30th Anniversary Reissue)
Beastie Boys
It’s been 30 years since Beastie Boys dropped the classic Check Your Head, so what better way to celebrate than with a new deluxe 4-LP edition? This limited reissue was originally released in 2009 and has been out of print for a good while, and goodies like remixes, live versions, and B-sides make it an especially desirable release.
17th anniversaries aren’t a common one to make a big deal about, but for The Kills’ second album No Wow, it’s worth it. They’ve shared a limited deluxe reissue of the 2005 album that presents two distinct versions of the album: the original and a new mix by Grammy winner Tchad Blake. Furthermore, the deluxe edition has a gold foil gatefold LP jacket, black-and-gold smoke vinyl LP, an exclusive 5×7 print, and a four-page booklet.
One of Vinyl Me, Please’s latest records of the month is the Bright Eyes classic I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning. The LP was widely considered one of 2005’s best and this may be the best vinyl release of it, as the marbled red vinyl is gorgeous and it comes with a listening notes booklet.
After filming his hilarious scenes for The Boys heavily-hyped “Herogasm” episode, Chace Crawford is joking that he’s probably going to be banned from aquariums for a while. In the scene, the actor, who plays the Aquaman parody character The Deep, is caught with an octopus around latched around his groin, paying off a joke that was set up earlier in the season when The Deep focuses on one of the tentacled creatures while having sex with his human wife.
“Now I can’t go into aquarium anymore without just hearing so many of the cries,” Crawford joked in a new interview with Comic Book. “I mean, I can see why they’d want to ban me.”
However, the actor has a solution if he ever has to plead his case to an understandably concerned aquarium staff:
Crawford’s saving grace is the fact [The Boys creator Eric] Kripke found out someone can’t actually have sex with an octopus.
“Kripke told me that the scientific thing in play here, like the octopus…this is so absurd…,” the actor adds. “It’s like a beak. It’s not a real… You can’t actually do it, so that’s what would be my sales pitch to get back into the aquarium.”
Interestingly, of all the graphic moments in “Herogasm,” the octopus sex scene was the only issue that Kripke and The Boys creative team ran into with Amazon, which was concerned about airing bestiality. The scene “triggered a lot of alarm bells at a lot of different levels,” which led to Kripke to the discovery that the act is impossible, so maybe there’s some wiggle room here.
“My pitch to them was always like it’s so absurd [that] it wouldn’t be out of place in a Farrelly brothers movie,” Kripke told TV Line. “So it’s hard to call it prurient bestiality. It’s ridiculous. To my knowledge, I don’t even think octopi have orifices down there. So there was a lot of discussion of like what are the shots, and what can we do and what can we get away with?”
Usher had literally decades of hits to pull from for his NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert, so it had to be stressful to whittle the options down to an under-30-minute set. Fortunately, that time in the limelight has taught Mr. Raymond a few things about being an entertainer — namely, to play the hits. That’s just what he did, opening the set with his 1997 breakout single, “You Make Me Wanna…,” the lead single from his second album My Way — the project that set him on the road to becoming the superstar that he is today.
Then, inspired by the viral challenge based on his 2004 Confessions smash, he launched into a stunning falsetto rendition of “Superstar.” Even better, he brought along the singer who helped kick off the challenge, Eric Bellinger, who sang backup alongside Vedo (both are stars in their own rights, highlighting just how big Usher really is). Then, bringing out yet another hit, Usher went even further back to 8701 single “U Don’t Have To Call.” With the horns backing the arrangement, the futuristic Neptunes production becomes a funky, jazzy slider.
And speaking of viral moments, there’s a new challenge in which Zoomers ask each other what Usher was doing at 7 o’clock — a clear reference to his My Way single “Nice And Slow” that embarrassingly few young people have gleaned. However, the audience at NPR’s office knew exactly what was going down, turning the song into a full-on singalong, from the first verse to the double-time rapped bridge. Of course, he performs the obligatory “Confessions, Part 2” and then closes out by celebrating the 25th anniversary of the title song from My Way, playing a full-force presentation of Usher’s second top-five hit.
It seems quite unimaginable to imagine anyone other than Chris Hemsworth playing Thor in the MCU, though there was a time when the hammer-wielding actor was unsure of how his performance would be perceived by Marvel and fans alike.
While speaking with Australia’s Today, Hemsworth mentioned that he was unsure of his portrayal of the Avenger. “It was a lot of nostalgia in [Thor: Love and Thunder] for me, as it was with the last Avengers film. Ten, eleven years I’ve been doing it. The first time I played Thor was opposite Natalie Portman, and it was one of my first jobs, and I kept thinking I was going to get fired, or nothing was gonna work, or fans weren’t going to accept my version of the character. And if she thought I was any good, or I deserved to be there, or what have you.” Obviously, the fans accepted and he was welcome into the fandom with open arms after Thor.
But Love And Thunder hits theaters this summer, over a decade after Hemsworth was first introduced, so a lot has changed since then, and he knows it. “So ten years later to reunite — both of us, our lives have dramatically changed in many ways. Also, the characters have changed,” Hemsworth continued. Portman’s Jane is now her own, jacked-up Mighty Thor, who will presumably put the “love” in “love and thunder.”
The actor added, “I think Thor is in a very different place to where he was in the first film, and now we see Jane Foster come in, and has a whole bunch of superpowers and is a superhero herself. It made for some fun on-camera dynamics there.” If “fun dynamic” is anything even close to Portman and Hemsworth beating up some bad guys with some cheesy ’80s music in the background, then it should be a success.
Thor: Love And Thunder opens in theaters on July 8th.
Jimmy Kimmel is currently on vacation but left his namesake late-night show in good hands by tapping Chelsea Handler as his guest host. She no doubt did him proud on Tuesday night when she took aim at Andrew Giuliani, who seems to have wrongly calculated that nepotism and a meaningless position within the Donald Trump White House had equipped him to serve as New York’s next governor. Handler, however, was ready to set him straight:
Andrew, honey, I hope you know you lost not because of your swollen, bee sting head. Or because you’ve got a smile like a jack-o-lantern. Or because you have zero qualifications. You lost because your last name is now toxic. Because your dad had one week after 9/11 when he was considered a hero, but then he blew it when he went f**king nuts.
Handler says there are many questions we’ll never really know the answer to, like: “Would Andrew have lost if his dad didn’t try to overthrow democracy from a landscaping store? Or sweat gravy during a press conference?”
ABC
The better question might be: Would Andrew Giuliani have been able to get on the ballot at all had dear old dad not attempted to kick open the doors that had already begun closing on him when the former New York City mayor decided to join forces with Donald Trump and baselessly claim that the election had been stolen, then openly admit that “We’ve got lots of theories, we just don’t have the evidence.”
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