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Last-Minute Father’s Day Whiskey Gift Sets, Ranked

A great whiskey gift set makes an incredible Father’s Day gift. Not just for true aficionados but for any dad eager to dive deeper into the whiskey world. And let’s be honest, booze gifts are typically a hit with almost any drinker, any time of year.

For this list, I’m calling out cool gift sets and boxes that stretch from a few core bottles from a single brand in a nice box to great bottles paired with awesome whiskey-related gifts to one of the best whiskey sampling boxes on the shelf today. It’s a good representation of what’s out there from very affordable to very expensive.

As for the ranking, it’s very straightforward. The bottom is basically just good bottles that come with a little something extra. The top five or so are special whiskey bottles and cool whiskey gifts. Sound good? Let’s get into it!

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

10. Heaven’s Door Trilogy Collection

Heaven’s Door Trilogy Collection
Reserve Bar

Price: $62

The Set:

Bob Dylan’s signature whiskey brand is always a great gift. Each expression has its own bottle artwork created by Dylan in his workshop (emulating rod-iron gates). With this set, you’re getting three 200ml bottles (a full bottle is 750ml) of the core line. That’s a Straight Bourbon, Double Barrel Whiskey, and Straight Rye.

You can read our review of each bottle here.

Bottom Line:

This is a great entry point to Dylan’s brand. Heaven’s Door is putting out some amazing limited editions every year. This three-bottle gift set is the way in.

9. The Glenlivet 18 with Glencairn Whisky Glass in Presentation Box

The Glenlivet 18
Reserve Bar

Price: $199

The Set:

This set comes with a bottle of The Glenlivet 18 — here’s our review — with a nice Glencairn glass. Basically, you’re getting someone a killer bottle of Scotch whisky with the only glass it should be tasted from (by that we mean nosed and sipped to find all those deep flavor notes). A Glencairn is basically the ultimate and perfect crystal whisky glass that maximizes the tasting experience due to its shape.

Bottom Line:

These two items are a perfect match as great whiskey deserves a good glass. But let’s put the glass aside, this is a really good whisky that will make any whisky-loving person in your life happy when they receive it.

8. Talisker 10 with Dry Bag

Talisker 10
Reserve Bar

Price: $78

The Set:

Talisker 10 is one of the greatest gateways to peated whisky there is. You can read our review here, but, trust us, this is a briny and fruity whisky that only has whispers of peat. The “Dry Bag” that comes with it feels like the ultimate Father’s Day gift. It’s simple and useful. Sure, it’ll keep any contents dry as you’re boating or marching through a forest in the rain. But it’s really just a cool bottle bag for your whisky.

Sometimes it doesn’t have to be more than that.

Bottom Line:

This is a cool set but the real star of the show is the whisky. Talisker 10 is an iconic whisky for a reason. It’s subtle and deep and one of the best “affordable” gift Scotch whiskies out there.

7. The Ardbeg BBQ Smoker Gift Set

Ardbeg An Oa
Reserve Bar

Price: $73

The Set:

Smoky whisky and a smoking device all in one package? Yes! This bottle of Ardbeg An Oa, our review here, comes in a metal box that doubles as an actual smoker for your backyard BBQ. Looking at it you’d never guess that the silver box actually has a function, but it does. The whole kit comes with a set of instructions and a QR code for recipes that best suit the mini smoker.

Bottom Line:

Again, this is really about the bottle. Ardbeg An Oa is a great Islay whisky. It’s bold, sure, but it’s also nuanced and inviting. And truly, what’s better for pairing with some smoked meat than a nice smoky whisky?

6. The Dewar’s Lemon Wedge

Dewar's Set
Dewars

Price: $75

The Set:

This box set is all about cocktails on the go, especially on the golf course. The set includes a full bottle of Dewar’s 12 (our review) with Santa Cruz Lemonade, Q Mixer Soda Water, two lemons, golf balls, golf tees to use as garnish picks, and three Dewar’s gold markers. You’ll just need to provide some ice and glasses to create a refreshing Dewar’s Lemon Wedge cocktail, which was the official cocktail of this year’s US Open golf tournament.

Bottom Line:

This is a good gift for any golf lover. It’s also a nice set if you want to mix up some drinks on the go at a block party or backyard cookout.

5. Brough Brothers Bourbon with Sugarfina Bourbon Collection Gift Set

Brough Brothers
Reserve Bar

Price: $71

The Set:

Brough Brothers is one of the coolest upstart bourbon brands in Louisville right now. The Black-owned operation is all about uplifting their West Louisville community while making great bourbon. This set pairs a bottle of their first bourbon (which was one of our favorites of 2021) with a Sugarfina Bourbon Collection Gift Set, which includes a snazzy copper flask and Maple Bourbon Caramels and boozy Bourbon Bears candies.

Bottom Line:

Bourbon and candy almost always pair well. That alone makes this a no-brainer as a gift. Add in the great, young bourbon company and a cool flask and you’re set gift-wise.

4. Basil Hayden Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with ReserveBar Smoking Kit

Basil Haydens
Reserve Bar

Price: $120

The Set:

Basil Hayden Bourbon is a little old school but has some serious fans. You can check out our review here. But this gift is really about what comes with that bottle. This one comes with a cocktail smoking kit. That includes a culinary-grade torch with a pouch, three aromatic smoking blocks (cedar, cherry, and maple), and a QR code with recipes and a soundtrack for mixing and then smoking cocktails.

Bottom Line:

Smoking a cocktail might seem very gimmicky (and it can be), but it does add a whole new dimension to a drink. Basil Hayden is a good entry-point bourbon to experiment with smoking cocktails as it’s very classic. Overall, this gift is all about the cool points for the burgeoning home bartender.

3. Lagavulin 16 with ReserveBar Ice Ball Press

Ice Press
Reserve Bar

Price: $672

The Set:

Lagavulin 16 is one of the most iconic Islay peated malts on the shelf. You can read our review of the whole line here. This whisky comes, which again is great, comes with probably the coolest bartop devices in the game right now, an ice ball press. The stainless steel press turns big cubes of ice into perfect two-inch spheres in less than a minute. You don’t have to do anything (besides making ice cubes). You simply place the cube on the base and place the press on top. Gravity does the rest.

Bottom Line:

We fully admit that this is a very luxe bar cart item to have. But it’s also one of the coolest. It makes spherical ice without plugging anything in. Plus, those round ice balls look great in a glass with a little Laga 16 poured over them.

2. Remus Repeal Reserve Bourbon Gift Box

Remus Reserve
Reserve Bar

Price: $690

The Set:

Okay, no more gifts with a side of great whiskey. This is just about great whiskey. This box has four half-bottles (375ml) of Remus Reserve from the past four releases. You can check out a review of Remus Reserve here. Each of these bottles is no longer on the open market, making this collection super unique.

The whole thing comes in a nice box meant to emulate a bourbon library, which is a nice touch.

Bottom Line:

This is a gift for a true bourbon lover. It’s rare and, yes, the whiskeys on the box are also delicious.

1. American Single Malt Tasting Experience by Whisky Live

Bevridge
Reserve Bar

Price: $250

The Set:

With the return of Whisky Live (a huge industry trade show) coming this summer, now’s the time to get into what the iconic whisky show has to offer. This box takes a deep dive into the massively growing American single malt whiskey scene. The box includes ten tasters from Westland, Virginia Distilling Co., Colkegan, Balcones, Westward Whiskey, and Boulder Spirits.

The bespoke box also comes with literature on the style and a link to Bevridge.co/asm for video content from each distillery along with expert-led tastings.

Bottom Line:

American single malt is the space in the whiskey scene with the most space to grow, and it’s growing very fast. Moreover, each of the whiskeys in this set represents some of the most innovative people working in that space today with truly unique and varied whiskeys. That makes this box a trend-setter and a must-have for any American whiskey fan.

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Police officer drops everything to help these adorable baby skunks in need of a rescue

Officers at the Cambridge Police Department in Massachusetts had a surprise rescue mission on their hands when they happened upon two adorable baby skunks.

cambridge police skunks, officer baby skunks
Catching a whiff of cuteness yet?

Giphy

The two tiny kits (like, you-could-fit-each-in-one-hand kind of tiny) had somehow gotten separated from their family. In an interview with The Dodo, officer Caitlin Russell shared she had been heading back toward her patrol car after an unrelated incident when she saw the orphaned pair, clearly lost.

Russell was initially worried that she might get sprayed. Rightfully so, as skunks can spray as young as 3 weeks old … and let’s just say their control doesn’t automatically kick in. But still, her empathy was already triggered, and outweighed her fear.

“I saw they were alone. I couldn’t walk away,” Russell told The Dodo.


Russell’s instincts were correct—skunk kits are especially defenseless without their mother. Born both blind and deaf, they are completely reliant on Mama Skunk until they are about 3 weeks old. Though these little guys had their eyes open, they were still clearly in need of help.

And I mean, who could just abandon these sweet faces?

baby skunks found

Any worry Russell had soon dissipated as she picked up the skunk babes, who were “totally fine” with her holding them. Not to mention “so stinkin’ cute,” she added.

Russell and another officer (whose name has yet to be released) kept the skunklings safe while they awaited Animal Control.

cambridge police baby skunks

In a plot twist worthy of a Hallmark movie, Animal Control had rescued two other orphaned skunks earlier the same day, thought to be from the same litter. The family was reunited at a wildlife rehab facility and eventually will be released into the wild as one big happy, stinky unit. Yay.

The Cambridge Police Department shared the story in a Facebook post along with the caption, “You never know who you’ll come across while working a shift.”

Though skunks traditionally have somewhat unsavory reputations, that mindset is slowly starting to change. Nowadays skunks are less seen as pests and more so viewed as valuable lawnkeepers by preying on rodents (confession: I was today years old when I learned that skunks aren’t herbivores).

More and more people even enjoy them as pets. According to PBS, 17 states currently allow people to own domesticated skunks, including: Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. PBS added that these pet skunks have undergone a controversial surgical procedure to remove their scent glands, which has been criticized by many as unfair treatment. Sort of like how declawing your cat strips it of its natural defenses. This can be particularly dangerous if Mr. Not-So-Stinky finds his way outdoors.

Still, it’s a good thing that these fetid creatures are getting more love. They definitely deserve it. At Upworthy, we are always on the lookout for feel-good, heartwarming animal stories. This one simply reeks of it.

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Internet Explorer is being hilariously serenaded after 27 long years of browsing history

If you were an internet user in the ’90s, you absolutely had a run-in with Internet Explorer. In the early days of Microsoft Windows, it was hard to avoid—at some point, you almost always accidentally clicked on it. I remember the frenzy of trying to close it before it fully opened. Let’s be honest, Internet Explorer was the worst. But it was also a seminal part of early internet culture. And even though no one uses it anymore, we certainly will miss it … maybe.

Microsoft announced in 2021 that Internet Explorer would cease to exist on June 15, 2022, and it’s sticking to its word. “The Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be retired and go out of support on June 15, 2022, for certain versions of Windows 10,” its announcement read. Of course, people have taken to the internet to share their feelings, which are, of course, exactly as great as we’d expect from the internet.


“not internet explorer joining the 27 club,” one user on Twitter wrote.

“Internet Explorer is finally shutting down on June 15 after 27 years. Seems it’s lagging a bit, I clicked “close” 26 years ago,” someone else tweeted.

“Goodbye Internet Explorer. You’ll be missed by no one other than old boomers who don’t know how to install a better web browser,” read another.

Many people gave props to the browser for one of its best functions: using it to download another browser. I remember using it to download Firefox and Chrome.

Even actor Ryan Reynolds got in on the memorials.

Microsoft introduced Windows users to Internet Explorer way back in 1995 as the alternative to Netscape Navigator, which it went on to replace. We all remember that there was a point where you couldn’t be a Windows user without being forced to use IE. It was so slow that downloading a picture could take as long as 10 minutes. I can see the little pages flying into the folder if I close my eyes.

According to AP, the Justice Department sued Microsoft in 1997 because it made IE a fundamental part of the user experience. It claimed Microsoft “violated an earlier consent decree by requiring computer makers to use its browser as a condition of using Windows.” In 2002, Microsoft settled an antitrust battle over claims it created a Windows monopoly. The company faced a similar fight in Europe where regulators claimed that by tying Internet Explorer to Windows, it created a disadvantage for browsers like Mozilla Firefox and Chrome.

Just because Internet Explorer is joining AOL Instant Messenger, BlackBerry and the Microsoft Word paperclip in the internet graveyard doesn’t mean that Windows is out of the browser game.

In 2015, Microsoft launched Microsoft Edge, which is going to be its primary browser. Microsoft describes Edge as “a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer.” It assures users that Microsoft Edge will still support the “legacy sites” that needed Internet Explorer to run.

“Instead of using ‘this browser for this site’ and ‘that browser for that site,’ now you can just use Microsoft Edge,” it said.

Despite the alternative, you can’t deny that the retiring of Internet Explorer is the end of a bygone era. It may have been slow and not user friendly, but it’s part of our history. Thank you to the little browser that could.

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‘The Boys’ Spinoff Star Patrick Schwarzenegger Admits That Arnold Was Shocked To See Set Photos: ‘What The F*ck Are You Filming?’

The Boys has been so wildly embraced that Amazon went into warp-speed mode to follow up on that success. The Diabolical animated spinoff filled in some blanks and introduced stand-alone stories, and there’s the promise of Homelander eventually getting apocalyptic in the O.G. series while Kimiko and Frenchie are keeping things sweet in the meantime. Oh, and there’s the high-school-set spinoff coming as well.

Few details are known so far about what characters or Vought International era this show will feature or if there will be any crossover potential. However, one of the show’s stars, Patrick Schwarzenegger (recently seen in HBO’s The Staircase), is dropping hints about exactly how outrageous this show will see. His infamous dad, Arnold, was taken aback at set photos, according to what Patrick told Variety:

“He looked at me and he was like, ‘What the f*ck are you filming?’” Patrick tells me on this week’s episode of the “Just for Variety” podcast. “I was like, ‘It’s this show called ‘The Boys.’ … You have to watch an episode to understand it, or else I can’t articulate what happens in it.”

Oh boy. Arnold once starred in Commando, which showed him slaughtering an entire army without reloading, and he felt shocked at the photos that Patrick proudly showed his father. In other words, yup, this is even more reason to look forward to this spinoff. By the way, Patrick was originally up for the Homelander role in the O.G. series. Obviously, Antony Starr’s crushing his performances, but knowing that Patrick was already in the chute should inspire some confidence, alright.

(Via Variety)

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SNX: This Week’s Best Sneaker Drops, Including Infrared AJ-IVs, Cardi B’s Latest Reebok Collab, & New Yeezys

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 the best sneakers to hit the internet. Well, we all knew it would happen eventually — the sneaker drop hot streak of 2022 has finally come to an end. After nearly 10 weeks of some of the strongest sneaker drops of the year, things have finally come to a halt with this very uneventful collection of kicks. That might sound a bit harsh but, we have to call it as we see it!

Luckily, we still managed to round up a strong list of eight kicks. But nothing dropping this week feels monumental or truly hype-worthy. Don’t worry, next week is going to be insane thanks to some fire from Adidas, the latest Union Nike collaboration, and more surprises. Does that mean we’re telling you to sit this week out?

Well… let’s not go that far.

This week still has its fair share of fire, including a colorful new Yeezy 700 drop, Cardi B’s latest Reebok collaboration, and an Infrared take on the Jordan IV to name just a few. So let’s jump in, and once you’ve earmarked which kicks you’re going to cop this week head over to our roundup of the greatest Jordan VI colorways of all time.

Air Jordan 4 Infrared

Snx Week Of June 15th
Nike

The Air Jordan IV Infrared has finally dropped! This sneaker has been postponed more times than Travis Scott’s still yet-to-be-released reverse Mocha Jordan I, originally slated to come out in 2021. The sneaker features a leather upper in charcoal gray with cement paneling, a black mesh quarter panel, matching triangle wings and Infrared accents.

While the Infrared colorway is most associated with the Jordan VI, we’re loving the way Nike decided against taking direct color cues from that sneaker and allowed this new take to stand on its own, even if it meant a minimal use of infrared.

The Air Jordan 4 Infrared is out now for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair at aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.

Snx Week of June 15th
Nike
Snx Week of June 15th
Nike

Converse x Stüssy Chuck 70 Black and White

Snx Week of June 15th
Nike

For Stüssy and Converse’s latest collaboration the two brands took inspiration from ‘90s hemp Chucks for a So-Cal spin on the classic Chuck 70. The Black and White features an unvarnished canvas upper, a fully embroidered star logo, a tapered throat, and a shrunken toe box with Stüssy branding and design cues.

It’s a great fusion of Converse and Stüssy aesthetics and another reason for you to buy another pair of Chuck 70s if you haven’t already.

The Converse x Stüssy Chuck 70 Black and White is out now for a retail price of $110. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like

Snx Week of June 15th
Nike
Snx Week of June 15th
Nike

Air Force 1 High 07 White and Light Chocolate

Snx Week of June 15th
Nike

Nike is going hard on the Air Force 1 High drops and we’re all for it. Exuding a cool retro ‘80s vibe, this sneaker features a distressed leather upper with a woven canvas side panel, a cracked leather heel piece, and a perforated toe box for extra breathability. Rounding out the design is a chocolate swoosh and matching outsole under a slightly off-white midsole.

It’s not an essential piece of footwear, but like the Stüssy Converse collaboration, it gives you a reason to buy another white leather AF-1. Unlike the Chuck 70, however, this actually has a different shape. If you’re into sneakers, you’re probably owned an AF-1, but that doesn’t mean you’ve owned the high-top version!

The Air Force 1 High ’07 White and Light Chocolate is out now for a retail price of $135. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Snx Week of June 15th
Nike
Snx Week of June 15th
Nike

Adidas Tyshawn Sky Rush

SNX
Adidas

Right now there is a fight between Tyshawn Jones and Blondey McCoy over who has the best signature Adidas skate shoe, and you know what? It’s not an easy choice when it comes to deciding on a winner. The two seem to always be one-upping one another, McCoy dropped the AB Gazelles, a highlight of this year’s spring sneaker season, only for Jones to drop this week’s Sky Rush Tyshawn, easily the best colorway of the silhouette to date.

The Sky Rush features a leather and suede upper, perforated leather paneling, a reinforced abrasion-resistant toe, memory foam lining, and a molded Adiprene sockliner all wrapped in an eye-catching sky blue and white colorway.

The Adidas Tyshawn Sky Rush are out now for a retail price of $85. Pick up a pair via the Adidas webstore.

SNX
Adidas
SNX
Adidas

Converse x Stüssy One Star Black and White

Snx Week of June 15th
Nike

The Chuck 70 collaboration between these two brands heavily referenced the West Coast, but it doesn’t get more West Coast than a low-top skate kick like the One Star. Featuring the same ‘90s hemp Chuck’s influence, this sneaker features all of the same details as the Chuck 70, the unvarnished canvas upper, the embroidered redesigned star logo, the dual branding, and the classic black and white colorway, but it just works so much better here.

The upper and exposed stitching really stand out thanks to the lack of a toe cap, creating a better balance between the black and white colors. It’s a great reimagining, and definitely the more essential of the two out of this big brand collaboration.

The Converse x Stüssy One Star Black and White is out now for a retail price of $100. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Snx Week of June 15th
Nike
Snx Week of June 15th
Nike

Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 Hi-Res Red

Snx Week of June 15th
Adidas

Here to save us from a week that has under-delivered are the Hi-Res Red Yeezy Boost 700s! Featuring subtle nods to the 700 Wave Runner via the teal and orange accents at the midsole, the Hi-Res Red sports a mesh upper with suede paneling and a four-color design.

This year Ye seems to be playing with a lot of heavily saturated colors and it’s a great look. If you would’ve told us five years ago that Yeezy Brand would go from earth-toned (almost vomit-like) monochromatic colorways to this, we wouldn’t believe you. It still looks too good to be true, and we can imagine that in person it must look all the more vivid.

The Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 Hi-Res Red is set to drop on June 17th for a retail price of $260. Pick up a pair via the Adidas CONFIRMED app or Yeezy Supply or aftermarket sites like GOAT.

Snx Week of June 15th
Adidas
Snx Week of June 15th
Adidas

Cardi B x Reebok Classic Leather V2

Snx Week of June 15th
Reebok

Cardi B is back with her latest Reebok collaboration, a two sneaker collection that combines vivid colors and classic Reebok shapes. First up is this hot pink take on the Classic Leather V2. Featuring a textile upper with suede and leather overlays, the V2 sports an oversized outsole lug resulting in an elevated look that make the sneakers look especially spongey and comfort-focused.

The combination of ultraberry and aubergine with matte gold accent work gives this sneaker a sort of regal quality to it, while still exuding Cardi’s personality in sneaker form.

The Cardi B x Reebok Classic Leather V2 is set to drop on June 17th for a retail price of $110. Pick up a pair at Reebok’s online store.

SNX
Reebok
SNX
Reebok

Cardi B x Reebok Freestyle Hi

Snx Week of June 15th
Reebok

Cardi is also taking a stab at Reebok’s Freestyle Hi on the sneaker’s 40th anniversary, dropping three all-over colorways including Quartz Glow, Moon Stone, and Glass Blue. All three sneakers feature a leather upper over a lightweight EVA midsole, as well as gold accents, and a strapped lace closure at the ankle. It’s been a minute since we’ve seen a notable high-top Freestyle, but Cardi updates the classic silhouette with a stylish overhaul that has it looking fresher than ever.

The Cardi B Freestyle Hi collection is set to drop on June 17th for a retail price of $90. Pick up a pair at the Reebok’s online store.

Snx Week of June 15th
Reebok
Snx Week of June 15th
Reebok
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Tim Allen Not Voicing Buzz In ‘Lightyear’ Has Nothing To Do With Politics, No Matter What The Far-Right Claims

Tim Allen voiced Buzz Lightyear in all four Toy Story movies, as well as multiple Toy Story specials and the direct-to-video film Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins. He would be replaced by Pat Fraley for the Buzz Lightyear of Star Command animated show, and again by Chris Evans for Lightyear, “the origin story of the human Buzz Lightyear that the toy is based on,” as the Marvel star confusingly put it.

Allen didn’t voice Buzz in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (which really needs to be on Disney+) because he didn’t need to: he has enough money from Home Improvement alone, let alone the Toy Story quadrilogy, Last Man Standing, and his comedy career. It’s also a common occurrence for professional voice actors to take over for movie stars freelancing as voice actors in TV adaptations of hit movies. For instance in the Back to the Future animated series, Doc Brown and Marty are voiced by Dan Castellaneta and David Kaufman (although Christopher Lloyd did appear in the live-action segments).

But Lightyear isn’t the cheaply made Ace Ventura: Pet Detective show — so why isn’t Allen the voice of Buzz? It has nothing to do with Buzz being “castrated,” whatever that means. It’s because, as Lightyear producer Galyn Susman explained, “Tim Allen is Buzz Lightyear the toy. We weren’t making a Toy Story movie. We’re making Buzz Lightyear’s movie. And so first and foremost, we just needed a different person playing that Lightyear, separate from the toy.” Also, Chris Evans is a bigger, more profitable star than Tim Allen, and Disney isn’t one to turn down making an extra buck (or $70 million).

That (profitability), more than anything else, is why Chris Evans voices Buzz in Lightyear, no matter what the far-right wants you to believe. Earlier this week, Clay Travis’ exhausting conservative outlet The OutKick reported that “Disney did not want to cast Allen because he has conservative beliefs. Disney has been punishing talents for having conservative views for years.”

Snopes slapped that claim with a “False” label. Here’s why:

The Santa Clause franchise is being continued as a limited series at Disney+ with Tim Allen returning to star as Scott Calvin… This will now be the fourth time Allen has taken up the role of Calvin/Santa. He first starred in the film The Santa Clause in 1994, which was followed by two sequels in 2002 and 2006.

Disney+’s The Santa Clause show was announced earlier this year. If Disney is “punishing” Allen for being a conservative, why would they still be working with him? He even tweeted about the show earlier this month.

Honestly, it stinks that Buzz isn’t voiced by Tim Allen. Chris Evans does a good job, but it’s not the same. You know what stinks more, though? MAGA cranks, like Travis and Ted Cruz, making Lightyear a political issue. Just enjoy the space movie with the talking cat, jeez.

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Ann Coulter’s Criticism Of An Election Fraud Movie Has Already Been Erased By A Right-Wing Site

On Wednesday, Ann Coulter published a blog post bashing Dinesh D’Souza’s election fraud film, 2,000 Mules, which Coulter called a “stupid movie” while debunking its conspiratorial premise that “the Democrats cheated.” Oddly enough, the post was published on the conservative website, Townhall, whose parent company Salem Media Group funded D’Souza’s film. Apparently, nobody caught this connection until the next day when Coulter’s post bashing 2,000 Mules was quietly deleted. The URL for the post now contains a 404 “Page Not Found” error.

While Townhall refused to provide a comment to The Daily Beast, who first reported on the deleted post, an employee at Salem Media Group wasn’t so bashful:

When reached by phone on Friday afternoon, a woman in the Salem Media executive office who would only identify herself as “Tracy” snarkily told The Daily Beast of the Coulter column deletion: “Oh, really. That’s interesting. We have been deleted from a lot of Google sites because they don’t agree with us being a religious organization. Is that… illegal too?”

The film has been a hot topic in conservative circles for several months now, but it recently made headlines after making an appearance during the January 6 hearings. During his video deposition, former Attorney General Bill Barr is seen laughing at the film’s premise that cellphone data somehow proves election fraud. Bill called the data “singularly unimpressive” and D’Souza’s mule theory “indefensible.”

Barr’s comment earned him the ire of former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, who flat-out threatened the former attorney general on his podcast this week. “Bill Barr, we’re coming for you, bro!” Bannon said. “You’re sitting there lying about this. If you had any decency whatsoever … you would have reached out to Dinesh D’Souza before you smeared him.”

(Via The Daily Beast)

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The Best New Hip-Hop This Week

The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Drake, Westside Boogie, Erica Banks and more.

Well, we were obviously shocked this week by Drake surprise releasing his seventh studio album Honestly, Nevermind that even ousted the Golden State Warriors’ NBA Finals victory from being the main topic of discussion. Now, if you aren’t feeling the dance and house vibes, there’s plenty of variety here for you.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending June 17, 2022.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Drake — Honestly, Nevermind

Drake Honestly Nevermind
Drake

Honestly, Nevermind is surprising for multiple reasons. Notably, we didn’t know it was coming until less than 24 hours ago, and then the musical direction Drake went doubled down. The music you may normally curate for brunches or day parties seemed a bit more fitting for Zara or a rave. This does not mean it is bad at all; it’s actually quite good. For those who have asked Drake to take a risk for years, here it is. Sole feature 21 Savage adds in some of the braggadocious raps on “Jimmy Cook’s” that a subsection of fans likely would have preferred a full project of. This is a new venture for The Boy, his fanbase and his harshest critics, but it mostly goes over well. Early gems are “A Keeper,” “Down Hill,” “Texts Go Green,” “Flight’s Booked,” and “Liability.” It’s a journey. In this essay, I will… honestly, nevermind.

Westside Boogie — More Black Superheroes

Westside Boogie More Black Superheroes
Westside Boogie

Westside Boogie has a signature voice and palpable sense of vulnerability. His latest album More Black Superheroes delves further into his heart-on-his-sleeve delivery. An early standout is the follow-up record to 2019’s Everythings For Sale cut “Lolsmh,” “Lolsmh II” but appearances from Snoop Dogg, Smino, Shelley FKA Dram and more ought to compete for the hero of this project. If you ask Soulja Boy though, it would probably be him.

Gucci Mane & 1017 — So Icy Gang: The ReUp

Gucci Mane 1017 So Icy Gang The ReUp
Gucci Mane

Gucci Mane has never been one to shy away from spoiling the listeners, and So Icy Gang: The ReUp extends that reality. Clocking in at 32 songs, both his label talent and curation talent are on full display with contributions from Quavo, Lil Durk, Pooh Shiesty, Nardo Wick, Veeze and more. While the Atlanta veteran is deep in the game, it appears he will never be too lost in the sauce to be able to recognize who makes good music.

Chris Patrick — Lost Files

Chris Patrick Lost Files
Chris Patrick

Chris Patrick is the type of talent you have to hear to believe. I can tell you how good he is, or you can listen to Lost Files and understand why it is only a matter of time before he is in some major conversations. The effortlessness in the way he raps, blends melodies, and attacks any beat is awe-inspiring. “Back On Road” featuring the Chicago hybrid Ausar, who also delivers a quality verse, is an instant repeat.

Kevin Gates — Khaza

Kevin Gates Khaza
Kevin Gates

You know what you’re going to get with Kevin Gates, and that’s why many people love him. One surprise here, though it has happened before, is he actually had a feature on Khaza in none other than Juicy J. As I sit here and think about the two rappers, Juicy J’s all-time bar “You say no to ratchet pussy, Juicy J can’t” sounds like something Kevin Gates would say. He certainly says a lot of things, but the loverboy comes out on this project too… Albeit through some very descriptive sexual lyrics.

Logic — Vinyl Days

Logic Vinyl Days
Logic

Logic has been pretty active since unretiring, and Vinyl Days is a huge indicator of such, clocking in 30 songs. He does get some solid bars off throughout the ride and features from Russ, Wiz Khalifa, RZA and more enhance the experience.

Conway The Machine & Big Ghost Ltd — What Has Been Blessed Cannot Be Cursed

Big Ghost Conway WWBBCBC
Big Ghost Conway

Conway The Machine and Big Ghost Ltd have a triumphant story to tell with What Has Been Blessed Cannot Be Cursed. With appearances from Method Man, Jae Skeese, Goose and more, they stick the lyrical landing.

Duke Deuce — Crunkstar

Duke Deuce Crunkstar
Duke Deuce

Duke Deuce is just one of the most entertaining people ever, but it should never be lost on anyone how talented he is. Crunkstar displays this to the nines, and honestly, the only complaint is not getting a full video of him dancing to every single song in the gym.

Erica Banks — Diary Of The Flow Queen

Erica Banks Diary Of The Flow
Erica Banks

Erica Banks wins because she sampled “Pop, Lock And Drop It” on “Toot That.” Of course, she’s talented beyond measure among a landscape of talented women rappers, but transporting my pushing-30 self back to that moment — she won. DreamDoll, Beatking, and Bankroll Freddie only make it that much better.

Singles/Videos

Al-Doms ft. Pusha T — “Haha”

It’s always nice hearing Pusha T depart from his usual sonic niche, and Al-Doms achieves that with “Haha.” The uptempo trap jam blends sharp lyricism and a conviction that you can’t deny. Not to say Push doesn’t remain on-brand with his signature, composed flow, but it just breathes new life into a different arena.

Power Pleasant, Maxo Kream, Bas, Erick The Architect, Kenny Mason — “Overseas”

Rap posse cuts must never die. “Overseas” has a haunting backing track, and each rapper brings along spooky flows to match the energy. I mean, not actually horrific but more so it is just scary how talented this ensemble of Power Pleasant, Maxo Kream, Bas, Erick The Architect and Kenny Mason is. Not to mention, the song is under four minutes!

Curren$y x Fuse — “One Track Mind”

Curren$y has one of the most chill rap flows, but the talent will never make you lethargic. Over rattling Fuse production, the NOLA rapper floats on “Overseas.”

Scorey — “No Names”

In our melodic rap contribution for the day, Scorey curses the police and flexes his dollars alongside friends in “No Names.” A family man, there are scenes of him hugging relatives in what appears to be his hometown. No matter how much the rapper ups the score, Scorey will never forget his roots or snitch on a homie.

Ace Hood — “Energy”

Ace Hood! Who can forget all he gave us in the early 2010s? His new single “Energy” is aptly named, providing an immediate jolt of adrenaline along with his calculated, pocket-manipulating flow. Even he knows himself, rapping “With a flow like this, this sh*t hit with an impact”

Headie One x Luciano — “Cloud”

Headie One is one of the best doing it from the UK, and “Cloud” is just another tally on the chart. Luciano adds in his frantic disposition, which hits the mark despite being a bit jarring.

Rican Da Menace — “Ain’t Going Back”

Rican Da Menace lives a good life: riding bikes, drinking liquor, and rapping. “Ain’t Going Back” is her proud exclamation that this will be her permanent reality, and everything prior will remain in the rearview. The track blends drill and some slight house elements, but it is primarily strong raps to the fullest.

Wynne — “Gossip At Brunch”

Wynne can spit. Full stop. And now I’m especially endeared because she’s rapping about brunch on “Gossip At Brunch.” That’s definitely an environment where rumor passing occurs, but she seems focused on other things. The affirmation “I don’t go on walks of shame” is a standout line.

MCM Raymond — “Jimmy Choo”

MCM Raymond hails from Inglewood and the Cali energy is oozing out of “Jimmy Choo.” He blends the upbeat sounds you would drive around San Andreas to while playing Grand Theft Auto with the charming melodies you’d change the song to when picking up your date for the evening. “Jimmy Choo” can work in any environment.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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Lil Nas X And Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter Appear To Have Been Spotted In The Studio Together

In February of last year, Daft Punk announced that they were officially breaking up in a cryptic (but still obvious) video entitled Epilogue. In it, the robot-masked pair walk into the middle of a desert and one blows the other up in a dramatic explosion. “1993-2021,” flashes on the screen and that was the last time we’ve heard from Daft Punk. Until now…

In the most unpredictable turn of events possible, a video posted this week by Lil Nas X on his Instagram Story, has him in the studio vibing out to what sounds like Old World French music. His new blonde curly hair is bouncing every which way, and then, like a ghost, what very clearly appears to be Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter, walks behind him holding a guitar. A Twitter user spotted it and commented in French “J’hallucine ou c’est Thomas Bangalter en studio avec Lil Nas X ????” (Translation: “Am I hallucinating or is it Thomas Bangalter in the studio with Lil Nas X????”

Yes, Daft Punk have indeed shown their faces on very rare occasions and Bangalter’s frizzy crown around his bald head is pretty hard to miss. Lil Nas X, who has lately been in the news for smihing BET after being shunned by their Awards show and for an emotional speech at the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame Ceremony, seems to be working on what’s next. Could what comes next include production from one half of Daft Punk? It sure seems that way.

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Draymond Green’s Latest Title Celebration Involves A Celtics ‘It’s All About 18’ Shirt And A Marker

Among Draymond Green’s many talents — basketball player, podcaster, analyst, etc. — provocateur continues to rise the ranks. The four-time All-Star is clearly reveling in and enjoying his fourth title after the Golden State Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics, 103-90, in Thursday’s Game 6.

In the 15 or so hours since the championship was finalized, Green’s celebration included calling out Kendrick Perkins and mocking a Jaylen Brown tweet from earlier this season. His latest endeavor, however, might be his finest yet. He got his hands on a Celtics shirt headlined by the words “it’s all about 18” screened across the top, with their 17 championship banners placed below and an empty spot for a potential 18th.

In place of that blank space, Green had some fun, given Boston did not win its 18th title this year, with he and the Warriors preventing it.

If you have poor eyesight like myself, Green scribbled “WARRIORS” atop that space and “NOPE!! Maybe in 23” inside the rectangle. This is a man very much basking in the success of he and his teammates — deservedly so, of course.

The Warriors’ core clearly has the uncanny ability to be aware of and remember every single slight against them, so I am quite curious to see what lies ahead. Their list of receipts is extensive. I wonder where they pivot next because this campaign is successfully hitting every direction possible, it seems.