Month: July 2022

This week, Doja Cat has stirred the internet pot once again. This time, it’s by calling out Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp for sharing screenshots of DMs where she asks Schnapp if he could set her up with his co-star, Joseph Quinn. Doja called Schnapp’s TikTok posts as, “borderline snake sh*t” and “weasel sh*t.”

Trouble is, Schanpp is a minor (17 years old, to be exact) and reaching out to him in the first place could be seen as questionable behavior by some. While Doja Cat has garnered her share of supporters in calling out the young (yet very internet savvy) Stranger Things star, she’s now also facing quite a bit of backlash from commenters on social media.

“Why is doja cat (26) going on live and calling noah schnapp (17) a snake / weasel for a 20 sec TikTok he made ??? embarrassed for her,” one person tweeted, along with a photo of the Kanye West “bro stop” meme. Another tweet reads, “Sorry i have to laugh at the doja cat noah schnapp situation because why would you go to a 17-year-old known sh*tposter asking him to hook you up with his 29-year-old coworker and expect him to be 100% serious about it LETS BE REAL.”

Meanwhile on TikTok, Doja Cat’s unrelated videos, like one of her kitchen dancing, are getting flooded with comments that have been liked tens of thousands of times. “Leave Noah alone,” reads one. “UR GETTING MAD AT A KID,” reads another, while a more err… nuanced commenter concludes with, “Yikes you ain’t getting Joseph any time soon now.”

Just another day on the internet when Doja Cat and Stranger Things is involved, y’all.

Despite the fact that he declined his player option for the 2022-23 campaign to hit unrestricted free agency, all signs pointed to James Harden working out a deal to return to the Philadelphia 76ers. Much was made of Harden potentially leaving a significant chunk of change on the table so the team could have more flexibility in the free agent market, and on Friday afternoon, we got a sense of just how much Harden is going to give back.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Harden will take a paycut of about $15 million on his contract next year. Because Harden could have made $47 million if he picked up his player option, this would mean Harden’s deal will pay him about $32 million and feature a player option for 2023-24.

The specifics of the deal — namely whether or not Harden will see his salary increase beyond next year — have yet to be reported. Still, Philadelphia has been quite active this offseason, pulling off a trade during the NBA Draft that landed them De’Anthony Melton from the Memphis Grizzlies for their first-round pick and signing a pair of Harden’s former teammates with the Houston Rockets, P.J. Tucker and Danuel House, to deals. Harden is the final piece of the puzzle, but it appears he’ll have his future all sorted out sooner rather than later.

While Tessa Thompson is understandably busy promoting her return to the MCU in Thor: Love and Thunder, the actress found time to drop a little update on her upcoming role in Creed III. This time around, Michael B. Jordan is pulling double duty as both star and director, and Thompson was surprised at how well they maintained their dynamic from the first two films. She initially thought Jordan directing would make things weird, but it ended up being remarkably smooth.

“He felt entirely in it,” Thompson told The Hollywood Reporter. “We got back into those character dynamics very easily. The only thing that was different was the time. We’d do the scene, and then he would have to go to the monitor sometimes to watch. So that felt a little different. But dynamically, we were just in the pocket of what we’ve been doing.”

Not only did they slip right back into the groove, but Thompson credited Jordan with making it much easier to give her character “agency and an arc,” which tend to get lost in sports films.

I could do that work more actively with Mike. I also had a lot more freedom to improvise on the day than the past ones. He gave me a lot of license to do that, so that felt different. But it didn’t change the dynamic between these characters. We’ve been making these films for almost eight years, and Mike and I have grown up a lot. So there’s ways in which the trajectory of the characters also has an interesting sort of poetry to our own personal journeys in a lot of ways.

Unfortunately, Thompson didn’t reveal how many “Sexiest Man Alive” jokes she dropped on Jordan during filming, but hopefully, we’ll get to hear about those when Creed III punches into theaters next year.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

Apple slices are a sweet and healthy snack that little kids love and parents feel great about feeding them. However, you can’t cut up a bunch of apples in one sitting to dole out for lunches and snacks over the entire week because they will turn brown.

So you have to cut them up on demand.

Nicole Keshishian Modic of KaleJunkie had found a “secret” solution to the brown apple problem. She recently shared the apple hack with Good Morning America, which she says keeps slices from turning brown for up to a week.

The hack utilizes an age-old method for preservation that humans have used for centuries, salt. Salt works as a natural preservative by inhibiting microbial growth through osmosis. It also reduces the amount of water available to bacteria, inhibiting reproduction.

The KaleJunkie apple hack:

“In a bowl, add cold water and salt, whisk until it dissolves, then add your sliced apples and set a time for 5 minutes,” Keshishian Modic says in the video. “Drain the apples and rinse and when you take a bite they shouldn’t taste like salt.”

Then, put the apples in a resealable container and serve them at your leisure for a week.

Keshishian Modic is a food blogger, recipe developer, former lawyer and boy mama. She began her popular KaleJunkie blog as a way of overcoming a serious eating disorder. “My recovery journey ignited my passion for creating recipes made with real, whole-food ingredients, that are easy to make, quick, and don’t sacrifice flavor,” she wrote on her site.

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that the “10 things that made us smile” list was too full of awesome people doing awesome things that week to include any delightful animals. That was great news for us humans, but still a sad omission, so I did promise to bring the doggos back.

I’m happy to announce the doggos are indeed back. And the kitties. And the birdies. Even some goats and a lemur, for good measure.

There’s a lot happening in the U.S. and around the world right now that deserves our attention and energy and even our righteous anger. But there’s also a lot to delight in and celebrate. Small joys help sustain us through hard times, and a story or video that makes us smile can be just the moment of peace our hearts need.

Whether it’s a cute kid or a hilarious pet or an amazing human representing the best of us, reminders of hope and happiness can be found everywhere. Here are 10 of them to help carry you through the weekend.

1. This woman who goes back to help an elder cross the street in the rain.

u201cud83dudc4dud83dudc95nnhttps://t.co/8zqL1WImt4u201d

— Figen (@Figen)
1656964819

I love that she had been waiting under an awning and started rushing across the street, trying not to get wet, and then when the realization dawned on her, she immediately went back and took her time to help the old woman cross the street safely. Beautiful example of selfless service to a fellow human being.

2. Why can’t we all just sit and hold hands with lemur on a bench?

u201cEnjoying the moment together.. ud83dude0au201d

— Buitengebieden (@Buitengebieden)
1657135725

I have zero idea what’s happening here or why, but it’s adorable.

3. Uncle kills it with his niece in the father-daughter dance.

See on Instagram

Here’s to those who show up and step up when they’re needed.

4. Mom shares the heartwarming results of positive parenting with her toddlers.

@lauralove5514

Gentle parenting doesnt always yeild immediate reaulya because it is nog fear based BUT if you are consistent, you WILL see them actively use what they learn ♥️ Be patient! #fyp #foryou #toddlermom #parenting #gentleparenting #breakingthecycle #positivediscipline #respectfulparenting #viral

“‘Scuse me, I need some attention.” I know a lot of adults who should have learned to express that with their words. Good job, mama. (Follow @lauralove5514 on TikTok.)

5. Cairo the parrot uses his words to express his displeasure with the cat invading his space.

@feathersandfriends

Cairo’s house is a no-cat zone! #parrots #cairothegrey #africangrey #parrotsoftiktok

Cairo isn’t messing around. “Stop being a gerbil.” “Smarten up, man.” And that finger-snapping sound! Cairo is too smart.

6. Paul Rudd made an incredibly kind gesture to a bullied kid who had no one to sign his yearbook

When Brody’s mom shared that her son came home crushed that no one wanted to sign his yearbook, her plea for kindness went viral. Paul Rudd saw it and called Brody to talk to him. Then he sent him some Ant-Man gear and a sweet note of encouragement. Definitely a kindness this kiddo will never forget. Read the full story here.

7. Lost baby goat gets reunited with its mama, and you 100% want the sound up for this.

u201cThis sweet baby goat gets reunited with it’s mom, after being lost u2764ufe0fnnud83dudd0a Sound up!u201d

— Jess ud83cudf3b (@Jess ud83cudf3b)
1657057599

Awwwww.

8. Heroic teen saved three girls and a police officer from drowning in a river.

u201cHeroic 16 Year Old Mississippi Student Corion Evans saves 3 teenage girls and an officer after the girls drove their car into the River. Corion we salute your efforts and sacrifice! May your compassion & bravery serve as an example to others!u201d

— Black With No Chaser (@Black With No Chaser)
1657004517

Corion Evans deserves all the kudos for his quick thinking and selfless bravery. Read the full story here.

9. This 1991 blooper clip of Robin Williams and Elmo is just too delightful.

See on Instagram

Robin Williams was such a gem.

10. The way this kitty instantly plays it cool after being discovered.

u201cJust checking the walls.. ud83dude05u201d

— Buitengebieden (@Buitengebieden)
1657117334

“Who me? I’m just here checking the wall. Yeah, the wall. That’s it.”

BONUS: May your weekend be as exciting as this doggo seeing his friend.

u201che gets very excited when his friend comes over ud83eudd70ud83dudc36u201d

— Puppies ud83dudc36 (@Puppies ud83dudc36)
1657068088

Hope that made you smile! Come back again next Friday for another roundup of joy.

This week’s episode of People’s Party with Talib Kweli — hosted by Kweli and Jasmin Leigh — features the infamous Redman. Over the course of a wide-ranging, intensely personal interview, the Newark New Jersey MC explains how his family has a legacy that still touches the hearts on the streets, beyond hip-hop. His mother Darlene worked for 40 years ensuring young Black people were given a fair shot in the workplace.

“My moms never taught me to be pro-Black,” he notes. “She taught me to be pro-me.”

Growing up poor in New Jersey during the 80s was not easy. Many of the apartments then (and now) still have massive roach and rodent infestations. It was one such roach that changed the life of Red and his tenacious, hardworking mom, Darlene Noble.

“We had mad roaches,” Redman tells Kweli and co-host Jasmin Leigh. “We had mad mice and mad roaches. And everybody knowsm — don’t nobody wanna live with no roaches.”

The infestation of roaches at the time was taking over the entire apartment. Red remembers the tipping point of her patience.

“One day she was fixing us breakfast before we go to school. She opened the cabinet door to get us some cereal. And a roach jumped out and jumped on her nose…And I seen her fucking lose it! She said ‘That is it!’”

After that Darlene focused on making sure her life, and her kids, were headed in the right direction. Reflecting on his own drive to do well in life he says “That’s what inspired me — at a very young age…As she worked her way up the ladder, I seen her progression. She ended up getting a job at city hall helping lots of people. She retired like seven or eight years ago. But ‘til this day I got dues that will come up to me- that don’t even know. That’s G’d up. They’ll be like ‘Yo, your mom- anything she needs’. They don’t give a f*ck about me. ‘I know you’re Redman my nigga or whatever. But anything your moms needs, I’m riding for her.’”

Darlene Noble ensured many underserved people got good jobs, weren’t unjustly fired or got boxed out of economic opportunities. She’s a hero and this story is a testament to that.

Learn more about the life and legacy of Redman beyond his lyrics on People’s Party with Talib Kweli and Jasmin Leigh — on Luminary and Youtube.com/UproxxVideo.

It’s a shitty time to be a GOP lawmaker in Ohio. At least that seems to be the message some unknown critic of the state’s 25 Republican senators was trying to convey when they mailed out more than two dozen bits of fecal matter from a Cleveland post office.

As The Columbus Dispatch reports, the poop-filled packages never made it to their intended recipients as they were intercepted by the postal pros at the Ohio Statehouse and post offices in Akron and Columbus. The U.S. Postal Inspector is investigating the incident, which is being treated as a federal crime.

You might be giggling about the idea of it all, but senator Jay Hottinger—who literally had a pile of shit with his name on it—is not. “It’s gross and stupid,” he said. “Immaturity at its highest level.”

Ohio House spokesman John Fortney called whoever sent the caca “pathetic, little cowards,” then suggested they step outside in the most Ohio way possible: “They should’ve just sent a selfie, because it’s the same thing. I’d be more than happy to explain it to them in a parking lot or cornfield of their choice.”

All Ohio senators and congresspeople have been warned to be careful when opening any packages at home.

(Via The Columbus Dispatch)

Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” peaked at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart when it was released in 1985. Nearly 40 years later, it’s the number six song in the country and reached number one in Australia, Belgium, Ireland, New Zealand, and the UK, all thanks to it being a) a great track, and b) prominently featured in season four of Stranger Things. Not everyone is thrilled by the success of “Running Up That Hill,” however.

Taika Waititi spoke to NME about the use of Guns ‘N Roses in Thor: Love and Thunder, which used “Sweet Child O’ Mine” in the trailer. When asked if he hopes for a Kate Bush-style resurgence in popularity for Axl & Co., the filmmaker replied:

“You mean how they ruined Kate Bush? I love that show, but as someone who feels a real ownership of Kate Bush music… I’m really annoyed! I’ve become one of those old arseholes who’s like: ‘These kids never listened to Kate Bush, they’ve heard one song on a TV show! They don’t know Kate Bush! I know Kate Bush!’”

Metallica might disagree with Waititi’s gatekeeping. And Bush definitely disagrees, considering that “one song” has introduced millions of younger Stranger Things fans to her music — and added millions of dollars to her bank account.

(Via NME)

Mark Ronson is one of the most accomplished musicians and producers of the past couple decades, and throughout his career, he’s worked with some of the best vocalists we have. Now, he has made his picks for which of them he thinks are the most naturally gifted when it comes to singing.

In a new Variety interview, he said:

“Yebba, definitely. Adele, Amy [Winehouse], Bruno [Mars], [Lady] Gaga — I’m not just listing them because they’re the famous ones. They all have this gift, whether it’s intentional or not, this precipice in their voice where it’s just breaking and they know how much it brings you in. Like, obviously I haven’t worked with Bruno on every song, but he knows how to write a song on this part of his voice where it’s gonna break, where there’s that urgency. When I worked with Adele, she was so happy to do 16, 17, 18 takes — not because she didn’t sing it perfectly the first time, but she knew there’s a part where her voice starts to get worn in a little bit, and then there’s that pain in it that makes us all just melt, you know? They’re all fantastic.”

He also explained why, as a producer, he likes to take bits and pieces from multiple vocal takes to use in a song:

“One of the things I really love doing is comping a vocal. I will sit and go through 15 takes of the same vocal, most of them near-perfect, and sometimes just steal an ad-lib from this one or a breath from that one — the idiosyncrasies and the nuances of those moments, where the voice breaks, or where instead of singing that word at the end of the phrase, they decided to speak it instead. And then that’s a whole other level of intimacy.

It’s this wonderful process of, yes, they sang it perfectly 40 times, but now I get to make this ransom note-type [collage] of bringing this beautiful performance that will sit as the definitive performance of this song. It’s not an ego thing on my part — I just love that people trust me to do it. I love laboring over these things, because for one person or maybe a thousand people, that one little take is gonna be their favorite moment of the song.”

Check out the full interview here.

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

While most of the world is fixated on the decades-long episodes of Stranger Things, something just as strange is happening in Middle Earth, and we have just gotten our first look.

The Rings Of Power is the upcoming Amazon series based on the uber-popular Lord Of The Rings franchise that dominated the early 2000s. Amazon is seemingly trying to get that momentum back but rebuilding the hype, and this sneak peek at the first trailer sure does inspire some anticipation!

We’ve got elves, creepy skies, cryptic old elf men telling us about the creepy skies, and, of course, some beautifully impressive Tolkien imagery. The show is expected to have some overlapping storylines and themes, covering everything “from deep within the dwarf mines of the Misty Mountains to the high politics of the elven kingdom of Lindon and the humans’ powerful, Atlantis-like island, Númenor,” according to the official description.

Rings Of Power has a gigantic ensemble cast, featuring Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Maxim Baldry, Nazanin Boniadi, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Charles Edwards, Trystan Gravelle, Sir Lenny Henry, and many more.

The official trailer will drop next week. The series is expected to debut on Amazon Prime on September 2nd. Check out the teaser above.