Unlike Ned Stark losing his head in the ninth episode of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon skipping forward 10 years in episode six isn’t exactly a spoiler. The cast and crew have been up front about it, to give people time to prepare for seeing the last of Milly Alcock and Emily Carey, who play the younger versions of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower, respectively (Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke will take over). I’m still not ready, but at least we still have Matt Smith, who is so damn good on the show.
The actor appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, where he discussed the upcoming decade-forward jump on House of the Dragon — and how it should be the show’s last. “Once we make the jump, we’re in,” Smith said. “I’m pretty sure from then on there’s not any big huge time jumps, particularly next season and the one after.”
House of the Dragon has a three- or four-season plan, so Smith is probably not being a sneaky little liar here. But if he is, this is the last time I trust an incestual prince in a bad wig. That’ll be tough, too. You can’t walk outside without running into of them these days.
It’s no longer “Rush Hour,” it’s officially “Crush hour.”
The Korean R&B singer’s comeback to the music scene kicked off earlier today (September 22) with his new single “Rush Hour” featuring BTS’ lead rapper J-Hope. The funk and soul track, written and composed by Crush himself, was also co-written by the BTS member and hip-hop artist PENEMECO. It’s been two years since Crush’s last release as the crooner went on to fulfill his mandatory service in the Korean military.
[Crush] Crush ‘Rush Hour (Feat. j-hope @uarmyhope of BTS)’ OUT NOW
The music video, on the other hand, is quite reminiscent of a funky West Side Story-like musical production, where Crush is the main character and J-Hope is the supporting act. The lyrics by Crush emphasize the themes of his return to music: “It’s been 2 whole years of this/Held my tongue for way too long/Set my destination to the studio, ‘cause I can/This is Crush hour get out the way.” While J-Hope’s rap rides along on the theme of celebrating the singer’s comeback (“Y’all trippin’, whole lotta freaks/And now, [it’s] Crush hour/ Imma just follow his lead..”) J-Hope also incorporates some BTS choreography midway through the song.
As part of his return, the “Rush Hour” singer made an appearance on IU’s Palette (a show J-Hope recently guested on) where he performed his single and with an exclusive interview. To make things more special, J-Hope took things a step further and surprised Crush by sending him flowers and chocolate on set.
omg Hobi sent snacks for the staff on IU’s Palette and sent flowers and a chocolate-crushed cake to Crush!!! he is the sweetest
The Utah Jazz have spent the summer wheeling and dealing. The team sent Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers, respectively, for gigantic packages of picks and future draft capital that indicate the team is on the verge of going through a full-blown rebuild ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft. There was also a deal that sent Royce O’Neale to Brooklyn for draft compensation,
With those two major deals out of the way, much has been made of some of the other veterans who are still on the roster on expiring contracts. One such player is veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic, who is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign. And on Thursday morning, news broke that Bogdanovic will indeed suit up for a new team, as James Edwards and Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that he’s headed to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Kelly Olynyk and Saben Lee.
The Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons are in serious talks on a trade sending Bojan Bogdanovic for Kelly Olynyk and additional salary, sources tell me and @JLEdwardsIII.
It’s an interesting move by the Pistons, which are adding some perimeter offensive punch to their young core highlighted by Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, and Jalen Duren. Bogdanovic averaged 18.1 points per game last year while connecting on 38.7 percent of his attempts from behind the three-point line.
Back in June, the news cycle went understandably wild for what should have been a nothing story that turned into a national obsession — all thanks to, who else, Rudy Giuliani. While campaigning with his son Andrew, who was running for governor of New York (spoiler alert: he lost), the two Giulianis spent part of their Sunday at a ShopRite on Staten Island. Which only sounds idyllic. At one point during their visit, one of the store’s employees — who most definitely was not a fan Giuliani the Elder — tapped the former New York City mayor on the back and asked, “What’s up, scumbag?”
While Rudy could have reacted in a number of ways — like, say, ignoring the heckler — he instead chose to go on a publicity rampage and escalate what he deemed and “attack” with each retelling. Giving the world yet another reason to both laugh at the man formerly known as America’s Mayor, and kind of feel bad for just how hard a hit his reputation has taken in recent years. Of course, it didn’t help that Rudy claimed he could have died. Or that there was video footage of the altercation, which made it clear that the “assault” in question was minor. While the perpetrator of the back-smack was arrested and taken into custody, where he was held for more than 24 hours, police were quick to downgrade the charges because, well, nothing really happened. And now, the Associated Press is reporting that the man may not end up facing any consequences for his actions at all.
On Wednesday, Rudy’s so-called attacker accepted a deal to have all charges against him dismissed — provided he doesn’t feel the urge to gently graze the backs of any other political has-beens or get into any other kind of trouble for the next six months.
The court issued a statement on Wednesday, which read that the instigator had indeed “violated a basic social contract which is a lesson taught when we are young — keep your hands to yourself.” But the DA admitted that proving the man in question caused any kind of physical injury to Rudy, or even that he intended to, would be “extremely difficult.”
What started out as a couple of Republican dickheads doing equally despicable things on their own has now escalated into a full-on war between two pieces of human garbage as Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis continue to compete to see who can be the bigger criminal. But if Seth Meyers was a betting man in this political death match, he’s going with the orange-skinned guy.
On Wednesday night, Meyers opened his “A Closer Look” segment by explaining:
Right now, we’re in a pretty stunning situation with the two leading contenders for the 2024 GOP nomination, and both sparked lawsuits and criminal investigations. Authorities in Texas announced they’re opening a probe into Florida governor Ron DeSantis’ repulsive scheme to lure migrants onto a plane from Texas under false pretenses and strand them on Martha’s Vineyard. And now the migrants have also filed a class action lawsuit against DeSantis, alleging fraud.
It’s almost as if they’re competing to see who can be more corrupt.
Meyers even cited a recent article in Rolling Stone, which predicted even “more cruel, ostentatious, and draconian policy proposals and actions, as leaders such as DeSantis and Trump compete to out-MAGA one another.” It was a sentence that seemed to send chills up the spine of Meyers, who admitted that he “can’t begin to imagine what that would even look like. Walls on both borders? Hats that say ‘Make America Even More Greater Again Times Infinity’?”
If this one-upmanship continues, Meyers worries that DeSantis will try and outdo Trump’s penchant for hugging the flag at random rallies and speaking engagements. “If Ron DeSantis tries to top that, he’s likely to end up doing something so obscene, we’d have to blur it,” Meyers said.
NBC
Ultimately, however, Meyers says that “if DeSantis thought he could catch up to Trump in the crime department, he’s still got a long way to go.” Especially considering New York Attorney General Letitia James’ announcement that she’s suing Trump, his three oldest “kids,” and his organization over widespread claims of fraud, and is seeking at least $250 million in penalties plus the chance to bar any of the aforementioned Trumps from doing business in New York again. The sum alone was mind-boggling to Meyers, who figures that in order for Trump to pay that, “he’d probably have to sell Mar-a-Lago and move in with Rudy.”
Trevor Noah has an uncanny — and frequently hilarious — knack for calling things like he sees them. And when it comes to the news that Florida’s barbarous governor Ron DeSantis could be facing charges of human trafficking over his recent Martha’s Vineyard immigration stunt, well, The Daily Show host isn’t really surprised. Why? Because the “Florida governor and the dad of your school bully” looks like a human trafficker, according to Noah.
In the wake of DeSantis’ cruel stunt, a criminal investigation into the legalities of his actions has been opened — with one legal professional noting that there is more than enough evidence to show that the wannabe 2024 GOP presidential nominee committed kidnapping by inveiglement. “The Republicans are going to give me a law degree by the time this sh*t is over, ‘cause we keep learning about new things,” Noah said. “Inveiglement?!”
But truthfully, Noah admits that he doesn’t really need to know any of the legal jargon involved in charging DeSantis with any human trafficking laws, because the proof is right there. As Noah explained:
Basically DeSantis tried to pull a stunt that may have turned into an actual crime. But it doesn’t surprise me. It doesn’t surprise me that Ron DeSantis is doing this. He looks kind of like a human trafficker. No, no, for real — look at him. Just look at him.
Noah then shared a photo of the embattled governor and dared viewers to “tell me that’s not the pose of a man who’s smuggling a group of Venezuelans up his butt.”
M. Night Shyamalan is back with a brand new thriller, Knock at the Cabin, that brings a reluctantly menacing Dave Bautista to the door step of Jonathan Groff‘s vacation home with a terrible choice. In the ominous first trailer, a seemingly blissful trip to the woods is interrupted by Bautista’s soft-spoken, yet undeniably terrifying character who is soon flanked by three accomplices that aren’t here to check on the campfire.
Giving off heavy cult vibes, Bautista informs the now-captured family that they must make a decision to stop the apocalypse. If they choose wrong, the world will end. It all seems very bad, and to drive that point home, this shows up at the end of the trailer, which can’t be good.
Universal Pictures
Anytime someone wears a mask like that, it’s not going to be great.
Knock at the Cabin also stars Ben Aldridge (Pennyworth, Fleabag), Nikki Amuka-Bird (Persuasion, Old), newcomer Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn (Little Women, Landline), Rupert Grint (Servant, Harry Potter) and presumably some sort of crazy twist.
Here’s the official synopsis:
While vacationing at a remote cabin, a young girl and her parents are taken hostage by four armed strangers who demand that the family make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse. With limited access to the outside world, the family must decide what they believe before all is lost.
M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin opens in theaters on February 3, 2023.
Los Angeles State Historic Park is located on a stretch of downtown road that you’d likely miss if you weren’t looking. Surrounded by Chinatown, the downtown skyline, and the LA River, it’s most notable for long-time residents as the former home of FYF Fest. Back when that now-defunct event was held there, it felt like new problems plagued it annually. Sometimes, it was insane lines that kept people waiting for hours to get in. Other times, it was just the massive dust clouds that the crowds of people would create over the unkempt terrain. When FYF moved to Exposition Park near USC in 2014, it was both for literally greener pastures, more space, and a more grown-up, professional presentation. Until its founder was removed and its 2018 attempt to relaunch was canceled, FYF was the premier multi-genre event in the city.
FYF in many ways was inspired by Barcelona’s Primavera Sound — FYF founder Sean Carlson had frequently spoken about his travels to Spain for both inspiration and education on events. The Spanish staple, running strong since 2001, has long been considered one of the most adventurous and innovative music festivals in the world. From its all-night running time to its recently enacted 50/50 gender parity, Primavera Sound has always been on the forefront of taste and the right side of history. And with a long-planned, pandemic-delayed LA bow, it was ready to spread that vision to a new market.
So taking to the now-renovated, grassy, pristine park that is known for legendary debacles — and even more legendary performances — felt fitting for Primavera. Though the footprint and capacity remain modest at the site, the lineup still felt pretty massive, with arena-level artists Lorde, Nine Inch Nails, and Arctic Monkeys headlining and support from the likes of Khruangbin, James Blake, Fontaines DC, Mitski, Pinkpantheress, Darkside, Arca, Tierra Whack, Cairo, Giveon, and many more. But the overwhelming feeling was a sense of nostalgia for what the park had meant to so many who considered those FYF years crucial to their musical journey. With the skyline towering in the distance, it’s about as LA as an LA outdoor event can feel. It’s the perfect spot for new memories to be made, and a new generation to develop their own sense of nostalgia.
Primavera’s commitment to musical discovery was on display, as a casual attendee could walk from metal icons Mayhem to post-punk trailblazers Fontaines DC to the instrumental retro funk of Khruangbin without skipping a beat. Tierra Whack wins the award for most playful hype DJ, who managed to pump up the crowd with not only the expected Kanye drop but also Panic! At The Disco and Vanessa Carlton selections, speaking directly to Whack’s sharp, left-field sense of humor. And maybe the unintentionally funniest moment came as Stereolab tried to begin their set but couldn’t get the house music to stop playing “Low Rider.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t without its logistical hiccups. The biggest of which was a baffling decision to make the front of its two biggest stages almost exclusively 21+. For anyone outside of California, because of some strict liquor laws, many festival sites are not zoned for people to be able to carry around their drinks — Goldenvoice’s preferred site of Pasadena Brookside at the Rose Bowl is a notable exception. For Coachella and fests at Exposition Park, this means designated beer gardens, usually with a view of the stage from a little distance. Primavera decided to make almost the entire front of its biggest stages beer garden territory, with small slivers of standing room to the side for its under-21 patrons.
When this news spread the week before the show, there was an outcry on social media, especially for a Friday night slate that featured Lorde, Mitski, Clairo, and Pinkpatheress, all with notably young-leaning fans. The festival defended the decision, noting that 99% of its attendees were 21+, which feels like it can’t possibly be true in the American festival landscape. If they were using data from their previous Euro runs, that didn’t apply here.
It played out as expected. For an early artist like Pinkpantheress, the 21+ section was sparsely populated while young fans pushed in the all-ages side to get closer to the stage Families with children bemoaned barely being able to see the artist while huge swaths of real estate remained open. As the night went on, Mitski and Lorde both addressed the issue and had to ask the young fans to step back to avoid crushing the people up front. The reasoning behind this decision feels like it must have been financial, as the fest appeared to lack somewhat in attendance and festivals are struggling across the board these days due to a waning economy and tons of competition. But if you need to sacrifice inclusivity and safety to make ends meet, that’s a serious problem.
On this note — and this is not something that’s unique to Primavera, but something I’ve seen at Goldenvoice and Live Nation events since festivals returned last year — is an unwillingness for the beverage vendors to sell sodas. Who cares, you might ask? Well, considering the number of people who don’t drink for various reasons as well as the idea of sober drivers that still very much exist in the age of Uber, saving readily available soft drinks exclusively for cocktail mixers feels both financially manipulative and unsafe. Despite rows of Cokes and Sprites sitting at each beverage vendor, I was repeatedly told that they weren’t for sale, and were reserved for cocktail mixers.
Beverage vendors wouldn’t even give out a cup with ice without alcohol in it. At Outside Lands last year, I was refused a soda purchase even though they were on the menu because they were running low, and wanted to maximize the earning potential of each can. Again, this is a decision that is made with profits being put over safety and feels counterintuitive to the ethos that many of these festivals are supposedly founded on.
Now, that was several paragraphs of critique for a couple of things that should be easily fixed. And, it almost felt like a tradition for a festival on these grounds to have issues. But that’s not to say that Primavera Sound wasn’t an awesome addition to the LA — and American — festival landscape. Lorde and Nine Inch Nails both delivered iconic, visually stunning displays that took listeners through their artistic histories. Lorde would go on to tease new music coming soon and Trent Reznor waxed poetic about his love for Primavera Sound’s Barcelona iteration and the no-brainer decision to headline their LA debut.
Of the non-headliners, Mitski and Clairo were the most impressive, though. Mitski’s theatrical interpretive dancing would have been hard to imagine five years ago, while Clairo’s ’70s soft rock aesthetic brought a level of loose musicianship rarely seen in artists so young. They were as good as any non-headliner LA festival performance has been over the past decade, cementing Primavera’s legacy in its new home. Hopefully, it’s a legacy that is still being written, and the festival moves beyond Barcelona, Porto (where it has been since 2012), and LA to San Paulo, Santiago, Buenos Aires, and Madrid. And if Primavera can grow and improve in the manner of FYF before them, LA might have found its next great festival.
Check out some exclusive photos from Primavera Sound LA below.
Putin’s dismal war in Ukraine had already taken its toll on Russian morale earlier this month when Russians began to leave the country in greater numbers than usual. Fast forward to this week, and Putin has grown desperate for replacement troops, months after half of his initial supply had lost their lives after being dropped into Ukraine without being told what to do. In the aftermath, we’ve heard about how Russians are grievously injuring themselves in order to escape the battlefield, and that’s led to Putin recruiting from hellhole prisons, which only lasted so long. During an erratic Wednesday speech, Putin announced the call up of 300,000 reservists, who surely are not prepared for this conflict. A mass exodus began out of Russia, and of course, not everyone can get out at once or has the resources to do so.
As a result, “how to break an arm at home” fired up on Russian Google searches. It’s awful. And in order to flee what’s essentially a death sentence, Russians hit the airports (where prices surged as flights filled up) and the streets, where massive traffic jams went down at border checkpoints. Protesters took to the streets in major Russian cities.
WATCH: Large protests in Russia against Putin’s attempt to call up 300,000 more soldiers for his failing invasion of Ukraine.
This didn’t go over well with the Kremlin, and Putin’s regime swiftly arrested over 1,300 people, including about 500 in Moscow as well as St. Petersburg. Via CNBC:
Around 1,307 people were reportedly detained in 39 cities across the country as of Thursday morning, with the largest numbers arrested in the capital city of Moscow (at least 527) and St. Petersburg (at least 480).
Nearly 50 people were arrested in the country’s fourth-largest city of Yekaterinburg, while dozens were also detained in several Siberian cities.
Putin might not be able to “arrest all of Russia,” but he’s doing his best.
Here’s a look at a nightmarish traffic jam following Putin’s speech. There are no words for how awful this situation is for both the Ukrainian and Russian people.
Thousands of vehicles have pilled up at the Russian-Georgian border checkpoint in Verkhnii Lars as Russian citizens are trying to flee the country. pic.twitter.com/QDweH0Kpgv
The anticipation for Björk’s new album Fossora has been growing with the release of every single. So far, she’s unveiled, “Ovule,” “Atopos,” and now “Ancestress,” which is a seven-minute long opus about her late mother.
On Instagram, Björk shared that “Ancestress” was “written just after her wordly funeral and is probably a common musician’s reaction, the impulse of making your version of the story, later.” She continued, “This song is a letter to my mother, her story seen from my point of view. It is written in chronological order, the first verse is my childhood and so on.”
This comes right after the pop star’s AnOther Magazine interview with prolific author Ocean Vuong, who is known for exploring his own grief for his mother within his work. Bjork told him, “Well, we just filmed the video for ‘Ancestress’ with Andy Huang, in this valley outside Jórukleif where she used to pick herbs to dry. By accident, a few years ago, I bought a cabin in the same valley. My family and I spread her ashes here just recently, too, because there was a three-year delay thanks to COVID.”
Watch the video for “Ancestress” above.
Fossora is out 9/30 via One Little Independent. Pre-save it here.
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