Month: January 2023

In a situation that should surprise absolutely no one, Truth Social users are proving to be easy marks for shady online ads, and they’re reportedly pleading with Donald Trump to do something about it. Thanks in no small parts to those users, who are extremely right wing and dwindling by the day, Truth Social isn’t exactly a desirable target for brands.

The predicament has forced the platform to be overrun with questionable ads for “alternative medicine, diet pills, gun accessories and Trump-themed trinkets.” Case in point: One ad boasted a gold $1,000 bill that Trump was supposedly giving to his supporters free. It was not free or made of gold.

Via The New York Times:

Devin Nunes, the chief executive of Trump Media, said in an announcement last year that the company’s ad strategy would help it “displace the Big Tech platforms” as a major way to reach Americans. But ad experts say the wariness from prominent brands on far-right social networks, which have positioned themselves as free-speech alternatives to Silicon Valley giants like Meta and Google, is driven by the kinds of conspiracy theories and hyperpartisan politics often found on the sites. In addition, they say, Truth Social has a relatively small user base and many older users, who are less desirable for the brands.

The situation has reached a boiling point as the few remaining users on Truth Social have reportedly turned on Trump. One user even hopped into the former president’s replies to plead for his help.

“Can you not vet the ads on Truth?” the frustrated user wrote. “I’ve been scammed more than once.”

However, thanks to the demographics of Truth Social and it’s less than helpful tracking system, the ad problem is probably not improving anytime soon or at all. There are also reports that Trump could leave the platform once his contract his up, but Devin Nunes has denied that’s the case. For whatever that’s worth.

(Via The New York Times)

Okay, so, first of all: I’m sorry for the video above. But you can’t write about Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” and not Rickroll your readers. So, enjoy.

It’s relevant, though! The song’s at the center of a lawsuit filed by the English singer against emergent Minnesota rapper Yung Gravy. Gravy’s breakout song “Betty (Get Money),” is based heavily on an interpolation of “Never Gonna Give You Up,” but according to Billboard, Gravy went too far despite licensing the song for interpolation purposes. Here is the video, which YouTube actually brings up when you search for “Rick Astley”:

If that’s a little confusing, here’s my interview with industry vet Naima Cochrane in which we talk exactly this subject and Cochrane breaks down the differences between interpolation and sampling. Basically, if a musician reproduces parts of an original recording, it’s an interpolation. If they use the original recording, it’s a sample, even if they manipulate it.

In Astley’s lawsuit, filed Thursday (January 26), Astley claims Gravy so closely imitated Astley’s voice, that it basically counts as a sample, if it already isn’t actually one, and this violates Astley’s right of publicity because it fooled the public into thinking it was actually Rick on the newer song (the YouTube search results might lend some credibility to that one).

The suit reads, “In an effort to capitalize off of the immense popularity and goodwill of Mr. Astley, defendants … conspired to include a deliberate and nearly indistinguishable imitation of Mr. Astley’s voice throughout the song. he public could not tell the difference. The imitation of Mr. Astley’s voice was so successful the public believed it was actually Mr. Astley singing.”

Now, Gravy and his producers cleared the instrumental from “Never Gonna Give You Up,” but couldn’t license Astley’s voice. So, they hired Nick Seeley, aka Popnick, to imitate Astley — but his imitation might have been too good, opening the door for Rick to submit this suit.

The precedent for the suit comes from a 1988 federal court ruling that Bette Midler’s right of publicity was violated by the Ford Motor Co. after Ford used an impersonator in a series of television commercials. Although Ford cleared the song, it did not get permission to use her performance; trying to circumvent this with an impersonator still amounted to using her likeness, according to the court.

In some bad news for Gravy, the litigator behind the suit is Richard Busch, who helped the Marvin Gaye estate win its case against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for “Blurred Lines.” You may remember that song was criticized for sounding a lot like Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up.” Gravy’s defense better be rock-solid or his signature hit could end up being a black mark on his career.

And if you remember Gravy telling Billboard that Astley “f*cks with the song” last year, here’s some bad news: Astley says in his lawsuit, “These statements were all false.” Yikes.

Super Bowl LVII isn’t the only Roman numerals-based event happening in early February. The first trailer for Fast X, the 10th film in the Fast and Furious franchise, will be released on February 10th, two days before The Big Game between the San Fransisco 49ers or Philadelphia Eagles vs. Cincinnati Bengals or Kansas City Chiefs (there will also reportedly be a TV spot during the Super Bowl).

Vin Diesel teased the Fast X trailer in an Instagram post. “Two weeks away from the FastX trailer launch!!!!” he wrote. “Blessed to be a part of a Saga that encourages such great work from the many amazing artists that have made this the world’s Saga! A still from set after an intense, week long scene with my brother @prideofgypsies.” Diesel also shared a photo where he’s fist bumping his aforementioned brother, Jason Momoa.

Meet your Fast X villain… Jesus Christ?

Dudes rock.

Fast X, which also stars Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Statham, John Cena, Brie Larson, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, Scott Eastwood, Michael Rooker, Daniela Melchior, Alan Ritchson, Helen Mirren, Cardi B, Rita Moreno, and Charlize Theron (you know the cast is stacked when Charlize Theron gets the “and” credit), comes out on May 19.

(Via Instagram)

Earlier this week, Karol G announced her upcoming album Mañana Será Bonito. Typically, an artist tours an album after dropping it, so that could be the case for the Colombian superstar’s new LP as well.

Mañana Será Bonito will the follow-up to Karol G’s KG0516 album, which was released in 2021. Off that success of that breakthrough album, she actually launched multiple tours. Later that year, Karol G toured theaters across the US with the Bichota Tour. She then toured Latin America with the Bichota Reloaded Tour.

Karol G returned to the US last year with the Strip Love Tour. For the first time, she toured and sold-out arenas in the states. The Strip Love Tour became the highest-grossing US tour by a female Latin act in history by grossing $69.9 million, as reported by Billboard. A bit of disheartening news for those expecting a tour is Mañana Será Bonito is that Karol G expressed last October that she will not be touring in 2023.

“In the coming year [2023], there won’t be a tour,” Karol G said in Spanish during a concert. “I won’t be touring. I have a concert at Puerto Rico’s El Choli colosseum. I invite you there.”

Karol G’s concert in Puerto Rico will take place on March 12. Earlier this month, she sang her hits like “Provenza” and “Gatúbela” at Calibash in LA. Next month, Karol G will perform at the Viña Del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. It looks like Karol G could be taking a well-deserved break from touring this year or maybe she might have a change of heart with Mañana Será Bonito.

It’s hard to keep track of the various theories swirling about Vladimir Putin, including whether he’s even still alive. But, assuming that the Kremlin isn’t trying to pull a Weekend at Bernie’s on the world, a former aide who worked closely with Putin believes that the Botox fan’s days as president of Russia are numbered.

As The Daily Beast reports, Abbas Gallyamov — who previously worked as a speechwriter for Putin — believes that the Kremlin’s continued focus on the war with Ukraine is causing such a disconnect with the people of Russia that a military coup is likely imminent.

“The longer the war drags on, the clearer its pointlessness becomes,” Gallyamov wrote in an opinion piece for Mozhem Obyasnit. Basically, the Russian public is losing faith in its leaders — who seem intent on to capturing Kyiv, which fewer and fewer people believe will ever actually happen.

Meanwhile, Wagner’s private army of mercenary soldiers are taking a shellacking, which isn’t giving much hope to the rest of Russia. “[Wagner boss Yevgeny] Prigozhin has completely discredited the regime in the eyes of service members with his rhetoric,” Gallyamov writes — none of which is helping Putin’s carefully curated image as a tough guy.

“As problems pile up in the country and the army that the authorities are unable to solve, Putin is more steadily transforming in people’s eyes from a great strategist to an ordinary, second-rate dictator,” says Gallyamov.

For months, we’ve read about soldiers fighting back against their commanders if not abandoning their posts altogether due to seeing the attack on Ukraine as futile. That, says Gallyamov, is where the motivation to revolt against Putin, the Kremlin, and their deep (and deeply flawed) desire to capture Ukraine could come into play.

“It must be understood that the vast majority of commanders in the army of an authoritarian nation are not staunch supporters of the authorities, but run-of-the-mill opportunists,” Gallyamov says. Meaning that if they see a chance to better their situations and lives — even if it means turning against Putin — you can best believe they’ll take it.

(Via The Daily Beast)

After what had been one of the most painfully challenging years of my life, I decided that I would close out 2022 with a solo adventure to Jamaica. I felt the need to work on some personal, emotional, and spiritual healing and growth before welcoming in a new year and a change of scenery would help me do that.

I had settled on Negril, Jamaica for various reasons. I knew I wanted a tropical destination to warm my bones in the thick of a Western New York winter season while keeping it relatively affordable. Cheap flights, easy access to the smaller Caribbean city from Montego Bay, a seven-mile strip of crystal-clear beaches, and a plethora of recommendations from family members who had previously gone had me locked in. And while much-needed solo time was my overarching plan, the actual shape of each day landed on a perfect balance of relaxed downtime and adventure under the Caribbean sun.

PART 1 – Where To Eat & Drink

Negril is home to some amazing flavors. I literally ate out every day on my trip, with dinner being my splurge meal of the day.

Central Negril:

Grabbing a bite to eat in central Negril is very easy since most of the restaurants, bars, and resort-hosted food hubs are located right on Seven Mile Beach. What’s even better is that a lot of restaurants will work with tourists and help arrange pickup taxis and shuttles to bring you to dine. It sounds a little needy but… it’s also pretty dang convenient.

If you want to start your day off with a dose of beachfront sunshine, head over to Travellers Beach Resort. This family-owned boutique hotel features a beautiful seaside patio overlooking the ocean, and you’ll be eating fresh fruit, local dishes, and comfortable cuisine under a canopying seagrape tree. Make sure to bring your bathing suit and snorkel, because there’s a great little coral stretch out into the property’s nearby waters.

Coco La Palm is another great place to wake up and dine at. As one of Negril’s largest boutique hotels, you’ll be treated with some exceptional service at its Marley’s By The Sea restaurant. If you’re a fan of eggs Florentine, make sure to try the island’s specialty of Ackee & Saltfish and pair it with a freshly squeezed cup of pineapple or papaya juice. You can’t go wrong with a coco-bread breakfast sandwich either.

Let’s make one thing clear: You can’t go to Jamaica without trying an authentic Jamaican patty. While I found it hard to set time aside to sit down for lunch, Hammond’s Bakery was the perfect option. Here you’ll find a quick grab-and-go style bakery boasting a variety of traditional Jamaican patties, including beef, chicken, cheese, or vegetable.

Skip out on being a tourist at Margaritaville and sip a cheap, strong drink at a cool bar instead. Bring a joint along to The Boat Bar (or buy one there) and unwind with some free live reggae music every Friday at 3 p.m., drift away to the sounds of reggae jazz and blues with a Red Stripe beer at Drifter’s every Sunday at 3 p.m., or indulge in 2-for-1 Happy Hour drinks (we had some Dirty Bananas) and lobster pizza at Rondel Village.

For dinner, head over to Miss Lily’s for all your jerk flavor cravings. Here you’ll find a fairly large menu with traditional Jamaican dishes and creative spins of island cooking. Its on-display jerk smokehouse and BBQ grilling station produce any smoked or seasoned protein of your choosing, including chicken, pork, or fish. You also can’t go wrong dining under the restaurant’s disco ball.

West End:

The cool thing about Negril is that it boasts a beautiful white-sand coastline but also has some pretty amazing rocky cliff terrain. Make sure you spend some time in the West End for breathtaking views as you sit, sip, and eat.

If you want the ultimate fancy cliff-side sunset dinner experience, you must go to The Cliff. You’ll walk into an open-air luxury hotel lobby and through a gorgeous pool area to the on-site restaurant, ZEST. A short 15-minute drive outside of Negril’s city center, you’ll sit overlooking the Caribbean Sea among elegant rock paths. Photos don’t even do this place justice.

The restaurant offers a five-point experiential dining experience centered on zest, curiosity, gratitude, optimism, and love. I ate the whole Coconut Rundown Lobster when I went. As good as it is, you’ll likely have the place to yourself or find only a couple of other people there.

The same is true for Rockhouse and Catcha Falling Star Ivan’s Bar & Restaurant. Easily the most scenic and romantic restaurants I’ve ever been to. Make sure to get there at least 30 minutes before sunset for the best experience to meander through the fairytale castle-like stone walkways and infrastructure. You must try Escovitch fish when in Jamaica, and both of these places had top-notch Red Snapper filets done up in traditional Jamaican flavors.

Rockhouse is also connected to Pushcart, which offers a more laid-back style dining experience right up against the cliffs.

On your way, hit up Patsy’s for dessert. I mean, who doesn’t want homemade churned ice cream to end your day in the Caribbean? There’s even a ganja-infused ice cream if you want to conclude your evening on a high note.

PART III – Where To Sleep

The whole point of travel is to live among the locals and integrate yourself in the local culture. In Jamaica, it’s very easy to stray from that mindset and book yourself a room in any of the dozen bougie, all-inclusive resorts that line Negril. But what is the whole point of traveling to a new place if you stay stuck in one location, eating and drinking unlimited amounts of what is available and given to you without seeing what the country and culture has to really offer?

This is why I don’t stay at resorts.

Instead, I stayed on the same Seven Mile Beach lined with all the resorts and resided in a beautiful studio condo at The Point. This gated community hosts several dozen baby blue, beachside condos that are occupied by fellow world travelers, expats, and locals alike. I literally felt like I was living in a sliver of paradise. The property offers 24/7 gated and on-site security, two private beaches, an outdoor pool, tropical gardens, brand-new tennis courts, and rocky terrain perfect for snorkeling.

What made this a gem even better is that I felt close to everything. The beaches in Negril are all public, so I was able to wake up with the sun a lot of mornings and walk the beach throughout all of the resorts. This also allowed me to see all of these cute boutique hotels and all-inclusive resorts without needing to stay there. Most of these resorts do offer day passes though, so if you feel like treating yourself to a luxury all-inclusive experience then you can do so.

If you feel like you’re someone who is a little adventurous and open, Hedonism II borders The Point. The name suits this all-inclusive, clothing-optional resort where all guests are there to pursue the ultimate pleasure. There are really no rules at Hedonism II, so you never know what you might see or encounter on the grounds. The unlimited food and drinks are just the tip of the iceberg there. You can also buy day passes to most of the surrounding resorts, including the Riu, Sandals, Azul Beach, Royalton, Beaches, Couples Swept Away, and more.

If you’re wanting more scenic cliffs instead of the beach, there are some really beautiful resort and hotel rentals over on the West End. The Cliff, Rockhouse, and The Caves are all great options to wake up to some crashing Caribbean waves. To book a condo at The Point, click here.

PART II – Where To Beach

It’s pretty much assumed that you’ll be spending quite a bit of time on the beach while in Negril. Luckily, there is a seven mile strip of beautiful white-sand beaches going all along the main road. You literally can’t get lose track of where the beach is in Negril.

At The Point, there was a small and quiet family beach overlooking Booby Cay Island. If you hate tan lines like me, then going to the adult-only nude beach on the western part of the property offers better sun-kissed views.

The beaches in Negril are all public – except the ones at The Point – so you can walk through the whole Seven Mile Beach if your little heart desires. I realized that walking west out of The Point’s nude beach all the way to Margaritaville offered the perfect four-mile round-trip walk to catch the sunrise and sunset. There’s also a local family that sells fresh coconuts at a little stand on your walk there so you can stop and drink fresh coconut water. I walked alone throughout multiple beaches on and off resorts and never felt unsafe, especially with all the dogs and cats freely roaming around.

There are also parts of Seven Mile Beach unoccupied by a hotel or resort that are open to the public, so you can also freely post up there. Up on the eastern part of Negril bordering Hotel Riu is Bloody Bay. This is a cool part of the beach where you’ll find a line of local food and drink shacks, ample coconut trees to relax under, and some amazing coral reefs to explore through snorkeling, scuba diving, and kayaking.

PART IV – Where To Play

When traveling to a new country, you better do some exploring! While island life can sometimes be a little limited or repetitive, I found that Negril offers a plethora of fun little adventures.

Barney’s Flower & Hummingbird Garden

If you want a slice of heaven while in Jamaica, make sure to spend an hour or two at Barney’s Flower & Hummingbird Garden. Located in the West End, I accidentally arrived an hour before they officially opened but the owner let me in any way. Beautifully colored and exotic butterflies and hummingbirds were all around and newborn puppies were playing around in the shade. I thought I had died and was summoned to Heaven. With a little stillness and patience, you can also feed the hummingbirds with mini sugar water bottles.

Ganja Farm

This is a no-brainer if you go to Jamaica. The country is known for its great cannabis. I was fortunate enough to get connected with a trusted local driver who took me into the hills for a private ganja farm tour and it was a mighty high experience. Needless to say though, there isn’t really an “official” way to book such a trip. I was able to find a trusted driver who knew the owner and convinced him to show me – a complete stranger – a tour of his farm.

You just have to poke around a little bit to find the people who know these hidden spots and trust that it’ll all work out.

Sunset Cruise Tour

I hopped on the opportunity to sail on the water three days into my trip. The crystal clear, shimmering waters were calling my name, so I booked an all-day boat tour through the RIU Palace Resort, down the road from where I was staying. The boat was very crowded though, so I would recommend booking through another hotel or resort if you want a better experience or, better yet, seeking out a more limited excursion.

My day consisted of snorkeling, swimming through a rocky cove, and ending at Rick’s Café for drinks and cliff jumping. I soon realized that Rick’s Café is a must if you’re visiting Negril for the first time and I had an absolute blast here. So much so that I told the boat guide to leave me at Rick’s Café to fully enjoy and watch the sunset and I took a taxi back to my condo.

If you don’t want an all-day experience, you can also walk up to any of the dozen Glass Bottom Boats on Seven Mile Beach and work out a deal to take you out. They’ll often work with you for the amount of time and the number of people accompanying you, as well as any activities you want to do, including snorkeling or heading over to Booby Cay Island for some freshly grilled lobster.

Jackie’s On The Reef

A perfect little piece of tranquility in the far West End of Negril. It was definitely a little bit of a trek to get here, but so worth it. The owner Jackie offers an array of eco-friendly wellness services, so I was blessed to have had a private yoga class and deep-tissue massage on the beach. The property is very quiet and offers a more meditative and serene, lush environment to be in your own energy.

Sam Smith has seen massive success both nationally and internationally over the past ten years of their career. Most recently, with the release of their single “Unholy,” Smith became the first publicly non-binary solo artist with a No. 1 song.

But with success comes more visibility — visibility invites unwarranted attacks from trolls. Despite using their platform to advocate on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community for causes such as the marriage act, Smith revealed during a recent interview with Apple Music that the nasty comments have only gotten worse in recent times.

During the sit down with Zane Lowe, Smith shared that since publicly expressing their non-binary identity, they’ve been met with hateful remarks.

When asked by Lowe if they had experienced negativity since coming out of non-binary, Smith responded, “In my personal life, there’s not one negative. Since changing my pronouns, it felt like a coming home [party],” even joking, “I wish I knew what the words were when I was in school.”

On the other hand, their public life is another story. “What people don’t realize with trans and non-binary people in the UK is it’s happening in the street. I’m being abused in the street verbally more than I ever have,” said Smith adding, “That was the hardest part, I think, was being at home in the UK and having people shouting at me in the street. Someone spat at me in the street. It’s crazy.”

Smith wants to emphasize that even as a beloved public figure, they’ve been met with physical harm so just imagine how this bigotry has effected less known people in these identities. “What I find hard about it is it’s like, if that’s happening to me and I’m famous, I’m a pop star, can you imagine what other queer kids are feeling,” the singer asked, before closing with, “And it’s just so sad that we’re in 2023 and it’s still happening. It’s exhausting.”

Watch the full interview above.

Rihanna is busy preparing for her highly anticipated performance at the halftime show at Super Bowl LVII. The star is not only a singer but also a businesswoman, and she combined those qualities by teasing a “Super Bowl-inspired” Savage x Fenty collection. But she’s not stopping there — she appears to have more plans with her Fenty collection.

The “Umbrella” performer has filed a trademark for Fenty Kids, which can be found on the United States Patent And Trademark Office website. The trademark was filed on January 20 and lists various types of clothing in the “goods and services” field.

Many fans on social media are expressing excitement about this possible extension of her clothing line; however, most are just begging for new music, because it’s been six years since her last album.

Meanwhile there have also been rumors circulating about a Rihanna documentary. A “music insider” recently told The Sun: “There is a massive appetite for everything to do with Rihanna, especially as this will be her major return to the stage for the first time in years. She will be recorded during rehearsals and meetings in the lead-up to the big night and give an insight into what her life is really like now she is returning to pop as a mum. Rihanna is a massive force to be reckoned with when it comes to music and so Apple has paid millions.”

Just two months after Twitter’s regretful new owner Elon Musk lifted the ban put on Donald Trump’s account following the events of January 6th, Meta has gone and done the same — meaning that the conspiracy theory-spewing former president is free to post all the McDonald’s and Diet Coke food porn he wants. And while Trump himself is trying to make a big show over whether or not he’ll return to any of these platforms (despite his many attempts to try and sneak back on over the past two years), one person who is not impressed by Meta’s decision is Wanda Sykes.

On Thursday night, while guest-hosting The Daily Show, Sykes shared her doubts that Trump could ever play nice on social media — and questioned the real reason Mark Zuckerberg would want the former president and his vitriol back.

Letting Trump back on Facebook is crazy. You’re just asking for trouble. It’s like letting Hannibal Lecter babysit your most delicious child.

But Facebook is putting him back online anyway. Because they say that, quote, ‘The public should be able to hear what their politicians are saying.’ And to that, let me say, quote, ‘Phooey.’

Sykes isn’t buying that whole freedom of speech excuse for one second. “Look, we all know Facebook is losing a ton of money and they want that Trump attention back,” she said. “They need a hit. Trump is their White Lotus! He’s their Jennifer Coolidge of the internet.”

Except that Jennifer Coolidge would have made for a much better, and more entertaining, president.

You can watch the full clip above.

What’s the ideal Super Bowl snack?

Pizza comes to mind, but you can just as easily make the case for wings, or better yet, both. No one is going to balk at the idea of a big plate of nachos. Mozzarella sticks? jalapeño poppers, a big slab of carne asada, some chips, and a side of freshly made guacamole? We’ll take it all! Our point is, there is no one perfect Super Bowl finger food — the more variety the merrier.

No food brand seems to understand that simple point quite like Taco Bell. This week, T-Bell rolled out what it is calling the “Ultimate Game Day Box,” a literal box of food that includes all of their absolute best snacking entries. The box includes four tacos — your choice of all crunchy, mixed crunchy, and soft, and even Doritos Locos — a Mexican pizza, and eight wings. Yes, you read that right, wings.

Last year for a limited time Taco Bell released wings and people went absolutely nuts for them (us included). Now, for Super Bowl season, they’re back. But is the Ultimate Game Day Box truly “ultimate?” How does it fit into your Super Bowl food spread? What are the best components?

We answered all of those questions in our full review, let’s dive in!

The Ultimate Game Day Box

Tasting Notes:

We’ve covered each element of this Ultimate Game Day Box separately before and I have to say, tasting it all together leads me to conclude: this box is pretty f*cking “ultimate.” We named the crunchy taco Taco Bell’s absolute best taco and we still stand by that. For that reason I didn’t mix and match, I just went for four of the best.

The taco has a great crunchy mouthfeel, a zesty beefy flavor, and just the right amount of salty sharpness paired with silky nuttyness from the finely shredded cheese to make what is essentially the simplest taco in all of fast food taste absolutely delicious. Under the right circumstances (stoned, buzzed, or drunk), I’ll take a Taco Bell taco over Chipotle any day!

Right behind the taco on the Bell’s menu is the Mexican Pizza.

There is a reason it’s so beloved, and while I think it’s hard for the dish to live up to the hype there is something truly special about this item. It takes that same zesty beef taste and adds an earthy component to it with a smear of refried beans all served up between fried corn tortilla and topped with sweet and mildly spicy red sauce and a whole bunch of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese.

I need to talk about that tortilla for a second — it’s better than Taco Bell’s crunchy taco shell, it’s thinner and greasier with a light and crispy snap that becomes more addicting the more you eat it. It’s a near-perfect fast food snack.

And then we have the wings.

I know that the idea of Taco Bell making wings is likely to inspire some trepidation, so let me make it as simple to understand as possible. Imagine a fried chicken wing (hard to f*ck that up) doused in the sort of zesty seasoning that gives all of Taco Bell’s food that unmistakable Taco Bell flavor, and you have these wings! They are way better than they have any right to be and should honestly be a permanent fixture on the menu.

If we had to rank each component, we’re going

3. The Tacos
2. The Wings
1. The Mexican Pizza

How Does This Fit Into Your Super Bowl Sunday?

Here is the thing, the Ultimate Game Day Box sort of positions itself as something you can feed a lot of people with. It’s $23 which is an unusually high price for something from Taco Bell — you can buy over 20 tacos for that price — but the Ultimate Game Day Box only feeds about two. Maybe four people, but at that point, each person is only getting a taste of what makes this box great, which is a true shame.

If you’re looking for a supplemental snack to feed you and a friend, or you’re just really hungry, get the Ultimate Game Day Box, but if you’re looking to cater a Super Bowl party, this isn’t going to get you there. Especially because just about anyone who has a taste is going to want a whole lot more.

The Bottom Line:

Definitely get the Ultimate Game Day Box, it’s the best new menu option Taco Bell has added… maybe ever. But split it with a friend, not several, unless you want to end up in a fight over who got the most bites.